Envy seems to be the underlying acceptable sin in the church today. But it is having dire consequences across the world. It is not just a congregant problem, but a pastoral problem just as much. Through these things you can learn to trust God, who made you and has created the best plan for your life.

Being a leader means recognizing that you are better when you work and lead from the overflow of life. Working from the overflow of life doesn’t only apply to a leadership scenario. When you work out of an overflow you are a better spouse, a better parent, and generally a better person all around. Practice these steps so that you will up your leadership game wherever you are in life.

How about you stop playing the games and go ahead with no New Year’s resolutions this time? It will save some time, energy, and feelings of guilt when you abandon them a few weeks later. However, if you are resolved to make intentional changes to life in the coming year, here are several real-life resolutions that will bring about lasting impact to both you, your family, and the world around you.

It would be silly to say that every year Christmas sneaks up on the world, but in a weird way it does. Every year. Every single year. Oh, not the celebration of Christmas, but the reality of Christmas seems to sneak up every year. Even in the church it can feel like the underlying reality of God coming as man gets lost in the production of a wonderful Christmas seasonal celebration. Undoubtedly the world is struggling with a broad secularistic move. And it can easily be argued that the church is as well. However, you can lead your family towards keeping Christ in Christmas this year and every year.

Disagreement can be and is highly constructive for a team. Healthy disagreement can help spur creative solutions, prevent big time mistakes, and push better decision-making across the board. Too often, disagreement is seen as disloyalty, or destructive to the team. And done wrongly it can certainly harm the spirit of the team. It can easily escalate into something far more and unintended. There is a way to disagree well when you find yourself in an environment that fosters healthy conflict. It can be scary at first, but when done well it will make everyone better.

Looking inwardly before blaming outwardly is vital. Are you holding a grudge over a past issue, or disagreement? Are you trying to make your spouse an “idealized” version that is impossible to attain? Are you making your spouse responsible for your own joy, satisfaction, and comfort? Above all other things, love each other well. The model for your love is Christ Himself and His self-sacrifice on the cross.

The issue of in-laws isn’t one limited specifically to the parents of your spouse, but the entire family. There is the possibility of grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings, and more. At marriage, two people leave their families to unite into one family. But, in a way, two different families also unite to become one as well. And that makes all sorts of room for friction.

It may feel like a married couple in love should never fight. That just isn’t reality. Disagreements are inevitable. The impact they have on your relationship is up to you both.

The goal here is not to make you think that the fairytale of marriage is a myth, or impossibility. Marriage is the most beautiful thing God has given us. It is just really, really hard work. There are difficult realities that every marriage faces. It is vital that you anticipate things and recognize that you have the tools to walk through these things when they show up.

Marriage is the most beautiful thing God has given us. It is just really really hard work. There are difficult realities that every marriage faces. Yes, EVERY marriage faces. It is vital that you anticipate things and recognize that you have the tools to walk through these things when they show up. And they will show up. This article will look at how a married couple can facilitate communication about expectations together in a healthy way.

Marriage is the most beautiful thing God has given us. It is just really really hard work. There are difficult realities that every marriage faces. Yes, EVERY marriage faces. It is vital that you anticipate things and recognize that you have the tools to walk through these things when they show up. And they will show up. The current focus will be communication and expectations. These two really do belong together. Maybe even like peas and carrots.

Welcoming a new member to the family can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. You were once a new member too. Think about how you can make that transition easier. Be open to new things, ideas, and traditions. Above all, open your heart to the new member of the family. You aren’t losing a child. You’re gaining a family.

Every marriage encounters disagreements, miscommunications, arguments, setbacks, stress and friction. It is a part of the life being built together. You are not weird, wrong, or headed the opposite direction of good if these things happen. What matters is how you prepare for these things and how you handle them when they do occur.

Thankfulness is often a counterintuitive process. Why would we be thankful for losses, for failures, or for mess ups? But life is a journey of ups and downs. It will not be all ups. It just won’t. Failure teaches us new things. Mistakes help us recognize what should happen. The ugly makes the beauty so much more sweet.

Every person has moments of stupidity. Poor choices are made. How you respond in the midst of the poor decisions, bad communication, and mistakes will tell you whether you are learning or closed minded. No one has to stay stupid. Growth and maturity are possible. Make the choice to be better.

It is perhaps a great tragedy to read the Scriptures without acknowledging or having a basic understanding of the Jewish culture in which Jesus was born, lived, died, and rose again. Take time to learn what the world surrounding Jesus was like and what these statements would mean to the people. It will deepen your time and enrich your life.