I hate to see Advent Calendars in grocery stores that hold no meaning except to provide a countdown and a piece of candy for children. Often the calendar has no reference to Christ or anything remotely spiritual. It’s nothing more than a box of chocolate with cartoon characters on it. Years ago I decided to…
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Check out one of several devotional reading plans written by Tez
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.” Psalm 34:7-9 “You have issues!” I laughed as I picked up my dog and comforted…
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My 32-year-old son hasn’t allowed us into his life in almost seven years. He has made it clear he doesn’t want any of us (me, his step-mom, his little sisters, his uncles/aunt or cousins) in his life. I won’t go into the bad choices he’s made nor the consequences he’s suffered. All I know is…
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A great post I had to share from Dr. Watson on Fathers.com On this Father’s Day weekend I have a gift for you…a gift of words, beginning with some validation and encouragement, then ending with a challenge. As a father, you no doubt have a lot of weight on your shoulders and I’m guessing that you often feel overwhelmed with all…
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Then, under cover of night, so my neighbors couldn’t see me, I poured gasoline on the roots of that sweet little tree.
A few months ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Lawrence Jackson, a local single dad who wants to encourage other parents who struggle to parent alone. It’s our hope his story helps someone. TEZ: Lawrence, how did your kids initially handle the news of your marriage break-up? LAWRENCE: The initial reaction to the divorce from…
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This is one in a series of behind-the-scenes blog posts regarding my book, The Single Dad Detour. At the start of Chapter 3, I mention a friend named “Rick.” A fake name for the book, but a real friend, nonetheless. Rick and I were buddies from my days living in Polk County, FL. We went…
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My youngest daughter entered high school last fall. I feel like she was just born a few months ago and I holding her in one arm. Parents, have you ever said “I have plenty of time”? I’m not so sure we do. Time flies by so fast and before you know it, it’s dusk. I’m…
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Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value…
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“Pick up your jacket and clean your bathroom!” I called from the kitchen. I was ticked as I cleaned the mess my teen had left after they made their own pancakes. The batter was everywhere (even the walls) and the dirty dishes looked like they had just fed an army. Why does it take 4 pans…
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Some of us wonder if our child will ever like us again or want to spend time with us, or worse yet, we wonder if they’ll survive. We’d be content just to hear from them to know they’re alright.
I was nineteen—old enough to know better. My yellow Maverick was a clunker and needed more attention than I was willing to give. In a hurry to get to work, I cranked the engine, threw the car into reverse, checked my mirrors, and backed out into the street. I turned on…
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After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. —1 THESSALONIANS 4:17–18 (NIV) THE SIGN READ: Stay Three Feet from…
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“I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.” Psalm 119:176 (NIV). Do you ever find yourself slightly alienated from God wondering how you can trust God better? Our daughter’s pet helped me understand how easy it was to go astray. “Stop it!” my young daughter scolded.…
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“Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children.” Ephesians 5:1 (NKJV) A couple years ago, I got so mad at my teenager that I cussed. Should Christians cuss? No. But I did, sadly. If you know anything about me, I don’t normally swear and would never allow it in my home. I was raised that this is not…
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Her name was Babette—Babs for short. She was my first Global Positioning System (GPS), and I loved the way she made my life so easy. After a few years, however, I noticed I couldn’t always trust her. One day while I was driving, Babs broke beyond repair. Our relationship was over and…
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I come from a very godly heritage on my mother’s side. I have ancestors and living relatives who are missionaries, pastors, and laypeople deeply grounded in the Word who followed hard after God. I’m thankful for that. Now pause for a minute and picture your own family tree. I’ll bet you thought mostly “up”, didn’t…
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“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) As a young boy, I owned a pet hermit crab named Crusty. His cage contained several spare shells that I painted (blue, red, purple)…
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