Home Improvement #4: Surviving and Thriving in the Blended Family

Genesis 29:16-24, 33:1-2, 37:1-4
Though the challenge of the blended family is growing
by leaps and bounds, many people think that God doesn’t know
what they are going through.  After all, no one in the Bible experienced
the struggles common to blended families, right?
WRONG!
This week we look at the “Story of Dysfunction” in the life of Jacob,
the forefather of [...]

Home Improvement #3: Maximizing Singleness

1 Corinthians 7:7-8; Matthew 19:10-12
The numbers of adult singles and households made up of singles
is dramatically growing in the US and around the world.
Whether it is the decision to delay marriage or forgo it altogether,
singleness is more and more a part of the adult experience.
What does God have to say about this?
How can and why [...]

Home Improvement #2: Moms — Put on Your Own Oxygen Mask First

Psalm 1:2-3; Proverbs 27:9; Proverbs 13:20
“You have a right to be happy.”
“You need to think of yourself first.”
Such statements fly fast and furious when people
respond to mothers in need. We live in an entitlement culture
where the focus is on self — self-fulfillment, self-esteem,
self-satisfaction — rather than on sacrifice.
But is there a balance?
Can “self care” be [...]

Home Improvement 1: Old Age Is Not for Sissies

Ecclesiastes 12:1-14
Ever feel forgotten by God?
Ever feel that God doesn’t understand what you’re going through?
The seniors among us could argue this better than the
rest of us. After all, Jesus was only 33 when He died.
He never knew the weaknesses and ailments of old age.
But is it true that God doesn’t feel their pain?
Yet, is it [...]