Before we discuss the subject of death, we should discuss the subject of grief. And that is that there are basically 5 stages of grief that one undergoes when one encounters a loss, whether it's a broken relationship, bankruptcy, a loved one's death, ones own impending death, or any other loss. They are in order of their occurrence 1) denial, 2) anger, 3) bargaining, 4)depression, and 5) acceptance. You could skip a stage, or perhaps go back and forth, but in general these are the stages people go through when one experiences a loss.  read more >

I will never forget the phone call. All I heard was, "MOM", and then silence! I immediately knew something terrible had happened. I was in tears before she was able to continue with, "Mac is dead!" In a second all of our lives were changed. Our daughters 43 year-old husband had died of a heart attack leaving her with 16 & 23 year-old sons.

The feeling of helplessness engulfed me. I longed to take her in my arms. The distance between us became unbearable. They lived in  read more >

A major issue within the ranks of pastors is discouragement. One denominational leader, giving oversight to some 125 churches recently wrote that "70-80% of pastors are discouraged, with some being very desperate." Those estimates are consistent with what others are saying as well.

Ministry obviously takes its toll. Health providers for clergy are aware that an inordinate amount of payouts are going to therapists  read more >

Humility is one of the unexpected benefits of addiction treatment. When I was nearing the end of my drinking career, my ego was out of control...and I didn't even know it.

I took full credit for all of the blessings in my life. I cited previous good luck as an argument for the ability to enjoy future success. Having created prosperity out of thin air, I felt no need to thank anyone. After all, I been the one  read more >

There are times, even in an otherwise vibrant Christian marriage, when one spouse does something to really hurt you, that is so unexpected that you don't think you could ever forgive them; but if we are to be Christ like, we should forgive and there are other times when you really need to call it quits.

Physical Abuse: If your spouse is using you for target practice, a punching bag or just as an unhealthy outlet for their frustrations, you  read more >

I have been a single mom for 12 years. I had both of my children outside of marriage and they are from different men. I could be ashamed and for a long time I was. I could barely hold my head up on some days. It seemed like everyone was looking down on me and criticizing me about my life choices. I didn't set out to get pregnant but I didn't empower myself to not get pregnant. After a series of heartbreaks, disappointments, and disillusionment I decided that I had to make some changes.