Zephare Ramirez Associate Pastor of Lubbock Dream Center Obedience. That’s a tough word. Depending on your background, it can be a word that triggers some very unhealthy thoughts and perspectives. Looking back now, I realize everything buried in my marriage was surfacing because it was now time to deal with it. Landing us with one particularly bad argument. It was …
By: Kandy Persall “It is ever the darkest hour before the dawn. The nation always seems to be given over to the Evil One before the coming of the Son of Man. The decay of religious faith, the deadness of the churches, the atheism of the well-to-do, the brutality of the masses, all these, when at their worst, herald the …
Hartlee Kirk‘s guest post reminds me not only of my early days of marriage, but of deep truths that ring true today as well. No matter where we are in the process of our marriage (or even other relationships), she makes us want to roll up our sleeves and get to work! As he peeled the rusty-orange shag carpet away, …
Holy Father, Thank You for Your promises. I especially appreciate knowing that have You promised not to abandon Your people (Psalm 94:14). I claim this promise on behalf of _____ and ______ today. I know that things are messy in their lives right now. They feel that the love within them is cold and dead. Yet, You are both …
I said it aloud, although there was no one present to hear. “My impatience is covered by Mark’s patience; and his sarcasm is softened by my sensitivity. In my areas of weakness, he is strong. In his areas of challenge, I am comfortable. What an amazing arrangement.” Although I’d been married only a few weeks, the Father thus began …
Spaghetti taught Mark and I one of our first lessons on marital communication. Well, maybe not the cuisine itself, but definitely the criticism surrounding it. We’d been invited to dinner at the home of one of Mark’s former college friends and had expected an fun evening of shared experiences between two newly-wed couples. Yet, the fault-finding …
I think that this must have been my mother’s mantra. When I whined about doing something I didn’t want to do, she most often found a way to slip this into the conversation. “Don’t forget the Golden Rule,” she would remind. So as an adult, I’m often reminded to think through how I want to be treated …
Several years ago, Mark and I found ourselves sharing an office together in Richmond, Virginia. It was nothing elaborate, but we both had our own carrels, computers, and commissions. The trouble started with the fact that Mark’s desk was closer to the door than mine. I mean, when you are hauling in a bunch of literature and …
Dear Mentor, My husband and I have fallen into a bad cycle of relating. I tend to sin when I am sinned against. When he is angry or frustrated, it hurts and I respond in anger, coldness, and distance. I prolong the bad situation even after he is ready to reconcile. How do I get off this ferris wheel? …
