In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. Ephesians 1:5 The idea of predestination can be a tricky topic and has sparked fierce debate that’s raged for centuries. Despite the controversy, it gives me comfort to know that before I existed, a […]
And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” Luke 6:5 Where does Jesus fit in the priorities of your life? Is he in first place or is he more of an afterthought? Honestly, depending on the circumstances, I sometimes squeeze him in wherever. It’s the wrong thing to do […]
By Erika Rizkallah The other day my son and I drove one of his buddies home from school. I got the chance to listen in on an interesting conversation. His friend, Matt, is part of a growing movement of Millennials who believe the earth is flat. Shocked, I struggled to keep my mouth shut and […]
By Erika Rizkallah Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for many reasons, but mostly because it reminds me of my dad. He was an amazing cook and at each celebration he tried to outdo his efforts from the previous year. In addition to the traditional turkey with stuffing, his artfully set table was laden with food […]
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23 (New Living Translation) In my last post I promised to write out the lessons we learned about bullying. There are two types: One from Kat’s perspective (teenager) and one from mine (parent). I’m breaking them out and giving our […]
For women, friendships are the most important relationships we have. But too often I meet women who have very few (if any) strong female relationships. The reasons are many and varied. Have you heard any of these? “I don’t get along with most women.” “I’ve been stabbed in the back way too many times.” “I […]
In two days, Americans will celebrate Mother’s Day, one of the most noted “female” holidays in the world. While walking through a local store I was astounded at the sheer number of greeting cards offered to shoppers. A thought occurred to me – all these cards are filled with the words of other people writing […]
Friends are like pancakes. Making the first one is hardest and sometimes has to be tossed (or in this case eaten). They come in all kinds of shapes colors and sizes and sometimes they even come with little ones. The thing they all require is attention, patience and often, sacrifice. I’ve been struggling in the […]