Word of Encouragement: Counselors Corner: 12 Keys to a Healthy, Godly Marriage

by stephanie reck   Many of you may be like me, and did not have proper role models growing up for marriage. When I got married, I brought a lot of “baggage” into the relationship. I had absolutely no idea how to have a healthy, Godly marriage, but it is amazing how the Lord has instructed me.

The Worst Thing You Can Do When Your Heart is Broken

by Greg Baker   You either are hurt or will have your heart broken eventually. This is the price of love. Yet when it happens to you the absolute worst thing you can do is wall yourself off from people. Here’s the thing; it will always be a person or a group of people that hurt you.

What Determines How People Perceive Your Personality?

by Greg Baker   Have you ever been misunderstood, taken the wrong way, or categorized and stereotyped incorrectly? Find out why this happens and what you can do to be perceived correctly by those around you. WORDS DEFINE YOUR PERSONALITY Essentially, you define yourself to those around you by the words you use. People do judge you

Knowing the End from the Beginning…Baddies Always Lose, Goodies Always Win!

by Georgina Tennant   My son hates anything sad or scary, even on television. Through movie afternoons, we keep asking him, “Who wins in the end?” eliciting the much-rehearsed reply, “Baddies always lose, goodies always win.” Watching Cinderella, one Sunday afternoon, his usual panic set in. The initial beauty of the film faded into the darker scenes

Grace vs the Anger of Politics

by Stephen Kimball   As a Christian, I have been struggling with my own response to all that is going on in the country right now. I confess, I can get riled up in a “New York minute”, as they say, watching practically any news media. Politics couldn’t be more polarizing and it’s hard not to get

Changing Careers

by Kristin Hanley   In a society where job security is no longer applicable, changing careers doesn’t carry the stigma it used to. In fact, most will change careers at least three times during their lifespan. And we’re not just talking job changes, but actually careersa whole new venue. For some, change can be scary, and for

It’s Not Just Entertainment

by Anthony Weber   As the Traverse City Film Festival approaches, anyone going to downtown Traverse City will inevitably see one or twenty posters with this year’s slogan: “One Great Movie Can Change You.” I completely agree. This is not a new insight, of course. People have recognized the power of entertainment for thousands of years. However,

How Men Can Manage Their Fears, Depression, OCD, And Other Stresses

by Stan Popovich   Some men may experience those times when their fears, anxieties, and depression are stronger than what they can handle. There are times that no matter what they do, their fears have the best of them. As a result, here is a brief list of techniques that a man can use to help manage

Parenting The Strong Willed Child

by Antje Hill   So you have a strong willed child on your hands! That personality that makes you want to scream at times, may be the very characteristic that makes him fight against all odds in the adult world. It could be that this little person within the sound of your voice has a noble calling

Teaching Good Things While Aging-Encouragement for Older Women

by DEBORAH OSINIBI   Older women are great treasures to the body of Christ, these are women who have lots of experience, some of them have experienced challenging marriages, raising difficult children, health issues etc. Even though we may have the uprising of young women on the platform of preaching, yet, I still believe we need the

Parents choosing new forms of education in uncertain school year

By Scott McClallen | The Center Square July 29, 2020 (The Center Square) – Several reports and national surveys indicate that private and charter schools provided more meaningful educational services during state shutdowns than public schools did, and more parents are choosing nontraditional educational options this fall. A nationally representative survey conducted by Education Next found that while

Breaking Free From Addiction

by stephanie reck   Addictions come in many forms, such as, alcohol, drugs, food, sex, gambling, and pornography. Addiction happens when we have a compulsive, repetitive desire for a certain thing and we act on the impulse. Nothing else will do until the craving we are after is fulfilled. Have you ever noticed how people go to

Conquering Shyness

by Cate Russell-Cole   “The shell must break before the bird can fly.” Tennyson When I was in High School, people thought I was a stuck-up snob because I wouldn’t speak to them. It’s not that I didn’t want to, just that I didn’t know how. I had no self confidence, and was very shy. One on

Surviving the Marathon of Motherhood

by Amanda Williams   Get your running shoes on ladies! The marathon of motherhood is here and survival is the name of the game! What is a marathon anyway? One dictionary defines a marathon as “a contest of endurance” (www.dictionary.com). Another definition, my personal favorite, states a marathon is “a main event of the manifestation for the

Setting Boundaries With Your Difficult Adult Child Who Has A Mental Illness

by Karla Downing   Are you wondering how to set boundaries with your difficult adult child who has a mental illness? It is hard to have adult children that make poor choices that cause problems in their lives and in their parents’ lives; it is even more difficult to have adult children who have mental illnesses that

Five Things Positive Thinking Will Do For You

by Daniel Dela Dunoo   “Positive and negative are directions that lead to different outcomes. Which direction do you choose?” –Remez Sasson Positive thinking is obviously not a magic wand bringing closure to all your struggles and troubles. Positive thinking isn`t some kind of miracle cure for all your frailties and inadequacies. But what I can tell

Good Things Take Time: 7 Things You Should Never Rush

by Divine Akorli   We live in an instant gratification society. Immediate notifications, light-speed Twitter feeds, instant internet connections…and an irrational frustration upon delay. We are a species who could find out that a convenience exists, begin to enjoy it, and 5 minutes later become dissatisfied when it does not meet our expectations. We spend most of

Nothing Short of a Miracle

by Jennifer Mobbs  I was watching one of those heart-wrenching videos on the Internet. The remnants of what once was a German Shepard dog had been starved to the point she was only a skeleton covered with patches of dirty, dingy fur. This poor dog couldn’t even stand up without help. As I watched this short

Eight Things You Can Do To Get Your Husband To Do What You Want

by Carla Downing Do most of your attempts to change your husband not only fail but result in distancing him from you and making your marriage worse? If so, you will benefit from the following eight things you can do to get your husband to do what you want: -Ask if it is a good

Brighten summertime dishes with fresh grapes

(BPT) Warmer weather is finally here, and that means more daylight for activities of all types and ideally more time for relaxation. Whether family members choose to spend their time playing outside, tackling home projects or getting creative with crafts, it’s easy to work up an appetite for tasty summertime food. Crisp, juicy grapes serve