Sex Addiction

Addiction Part 4: Practical Steps for Those Whose Loved Ones Are Struggling

November 20, 2024

In our last post, we looked at how faith transforms addiction. In our final post in this series, we are going to look at practical steps you can take if your loved one is struggling with addiction. As believers walking alongside someone struggling with addiction, it’s crucial to remember that our role is to support,…

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Addiction Part 3: How Does My Faith Change My Addiction?

November 20, 2024

In our last post, we talked about how to come alongside loved ones struggling with addiction. Now, we are going to look at the pivotal role that faith plays in the fight against addiction. At its core, addiction often stems from a misplaced search for fulfillment. When we take our eyes off Christ and seek…

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Addiction Part 2: How Can I Help My Loved One Heal From Addiction?

November 20, 2024

In our last post, we looked at the problem of addiction and where there is hope for lasting change. In this post, we are going to look at how to support and love people who are battling addiction. While addiction often manifests as a biochemical issue, at its core lies a deeper spiritual problem. Understanding…

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Addiction Part 1: The Problem and Hope for Lasting Change

November 20, 2024

In this blog post series, we are going to be looking at how family members can help a loved one who is struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction, and identify the things that are at the root of addiction.  Drug and alcohol addiction is not an uncommon problem: in 2023, 22% of males and…

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Thinking Biblically About Tithing

November 19, 2024

As Christians, we understand that tithing is not merely a financial obligation but a spiritual discipline that reflects our trust in God’s provision and our commitment to His kingdom. While the Bible doesn’t provide explicit answers to every nuance of tithing in our modern context, we can apply biblical principles to guide our practices. As…

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How Thinking About Heaven Fights Temptation

November 19, 2024

As Christians, we understand that the battle against sin is a daily struggle. Our sinful nature constantly pulls us towards temptation, but Scripture provides us with powerful weapons to resist. One powerful but often overlooked weapon in our battle against sin and temptation is the practice of setting our minds on heaven. Below are some…

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Why Should I Think About Heaven More?

November 19, 2024

Here at 1st Principle Group, we have a principle called “chewing”. When we regularly “chew” on something, we think about it and meditate on it. As we chew, it helps to move our beliefs from our head to our hearts. John Owen, a theologian in the 1600s, says, “We meditate upon a truth and add…

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What to do When Thanksgiving is Hard

November 11, 2024

The Thanksgiving holiday, meant to be a time of joy and gratitude, can often amplify our pain and struggles: some people may be navigating the grief that comes from celebrating a holiday without a beloved family member for the first time, while others may be bracing for the impact of dysfunctional family dynamics, and still…

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Why Should Church Community Be an Essential Part of My Life?

November 11, 2024

As Christians, we understand that our faith is not meant to be lived in isolation. No church is perfect but being part of a Bible-believing, gospel preaching church, far from being optional, is an essential aspect of our walk with Christ. Here’s why: Biblical Foundation The church is important because God says it is.  We…

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Why is Friendship Important?

November 11, 2024

Despite the myriad of opportunities to connect with old friendships and acquaintances on social media, the number of close friendships that people have has decreased significantly over the past couple of decades. In our increasingly digital and individualistic society, genuine friendships are becoming rarer. As Christians, we must recognize the profound significance of friendship, not…

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What About Friendsgiving?

November 11, 2024

As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, many of us are preparing to celebrate not only with family but also with friends through the tradition of “Friendsgiving”. Although Friendsgiving is a modern cultural trend, it’s a great opportunity to show the love of Christ to our neighbors and communities and is often a very fun…

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Thanksgiving and the Blessing of Family

November 11, 2024

Although Thanksgiving is not a holiday with traditions rooted in Scripture like Christmas and Easter, it is still a wonderful opportunity to recognize God’s goodness to us, and a time that we can thank God for the blessings that come from our families.  Although no family is perfect, we can recognize the blessings that come…

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What’s the Difference Between Sibling Cruelty and Normal Sibling Behavior?

November 5, 2024

Disclaimer: The intention of this article is to help parents differentiate between normal sibling rivalry and abusive sibling behavior. If you suspect sibling abuse in your family, we strongly encourage you to find a therapist who specializes in working with children as quickly as possible so you and your child can get help and support.…

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Determining Your Child’s Myers-Briggs Type

November 5, 2024

Determining a child’s Myers-Briggs Type requires a balanced approach that considers both the potential benefits of understanding personality and the ultimate authority of Scripture in shaping our identity. Every child is fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image (Psalm 139:14), and every child possesses unique gifts, talents, and personality traits that reflect God’s creativity. While…

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Teaching Your Child Patience and Perseverance

November 1, 2024

In our fast-paced world full of instant gratification, teaching children how to be patient and persevere is more crucial than ever. These qualities are not just beneficial for everyday life, but are essential in developing a strong faith and character that glorifies God. Scripture provides us with numerous examples of patience and perseverance. James 1:2-4…

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Helping Your Child Shift From a Destructive Path to a Constructive Path

November 1, 2024

As Christians, we understand that all children are born with a sinful nature, yet are fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image. When faced with a child exhibiting destructive behaviors, our calling is to guide them towards a path of righteousness and constructive living, always remembering God’s sovereign grace in the process. First and foremost,…

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How to Help a Child Who Won’t Obey

November 1, 2024

All children are born with a sinful nature that comes from our fallen nature as descendants of Adam.  This fallen nature often expresses itself in childhood as disobedience.  Because disobedience is ultimately directed at God, the goal of our discipline should not be behavior manipulation, but rather helping change our children’s hearts towards God. Realizing…

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Parenting a Child Who Struggles to Care About Others

November 1, 2024

Disclaimer:  The intention of this article is not to encourage the reader to diagnose their child or anyone with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). ASPD should be diagnosed by a qualified therapist.  Unless the child is also suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder the diagnosis of ASPD is not made before the age of 18.  The intention…

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Parenting A Highly Self-Centered Child

November 1, 2024

Disclaimer:  The intention of this article is not to encourage the reader to diagnose their child or anyone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). NPD should be diagnosed by a qualified therapist.  Unless the child is also suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder the diagnosis of NPD is not made before the age of 18.  The intention…

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My Child or Grandchild Struggles During Halloween. What Do I Do?

October 28, 2024

As Christians, we understand that our ultimate hope and security lie in Christ alone. However, we also recognize that our children and grandchildren may struggle with very real fears and anxieties, especially during the Halloween season. Here are some ways we can lovingly support and guide them through this challenging time. First and foremost, we…

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My Family Participates in Halloween. How Can We Approach it Biblically?

October 28, 2024

As October 31st approaches, many Christians find themselves grappling with how to approach Halloween. From a Christian perspective, we are called to be in the world but not of it (John 17:14-15), and this principle can guide us in navigating this cultural phenomenon. First and foremost, we must remember that our ultimate allegiance is to…

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Is Halloween a Trigger for Depression or Anxiety?

October 28, 2024

While many people view this Halloween as a time for costumes and candy, it’s important to consider its potential effects on mental health, particularly as believers who seek to care for others and live peacefully with everyone (Romans 12:18). The Anxiety and Depression Connection While there isn’t much research on the direct impacts of Halloween…

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Is Halloween Dangerous for My Spiritual Health?

October 28, 2024

As Christians, we are called to live our lives in accordance with God’s Word and to be salt and light in a dark world. We should approach all cultural celebrations with thoughtfulness and a desire to honor God.  While Halloween is a morally gray area and many view this holiday as harmless fun, it’s crucial…

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I’m a Christian. How Should I Engage with Halloween?

October 28, 2024

Halloween presents a complex issue for Christians seeking to honor God in all aspects of life, since it requires a nuanced approach and is often a loaded topic, as many cultural issues are.  While not explicitly addressed in Scripture, we can apply biblical principles to guide our approach to this cultural phenomenon. Historical Context Halloween…

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From the Moment You Believe the Gospel: Unilateral Promises from God’s Word

October 10, 2024

Below is a chart with a list of promises that are true of you from the moment you believe the Gospel. You are… Reference fully forgiven Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:14, Colossians 1:14, 1 John 1:9, 1 John 2:12 significant, having been adopted into God’s family according to His will from the beginning of time Ephesians…

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“Is This The Time?”- Steps For Stopping Yourself From Sinning When You Most Desire Sin

October 10, 2024

Why We Sin and Why We Need to Stop From the moment we believed the Gospel, we were given a regenerated heart.  That heart loves God, desires to please Him, longs to be with Him, and is willing to sacrifice for Him.  However, the regenerate heart is “encased” in sinful flesh. The flesh hates God,…

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Leading Your Children to Glorify God

October 3, 2024

Teaching children to glorify God is one of the greatest callings of Christian parenting, and is rooted in Scripture’s clear command to raise children in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Teach Your Children About God It may seem obvious, but a great way to teach kids about glorifying God is to…

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Adapting Your Energy Level for Your Child

October 3, 2024

As Christians, we understand that our role as parents is a sacred calling from God. Part of this calling involves discerning how to engage with our children in a way that reflects Christ’s love and wisdom. One often overlooked aspect of this engagement is matching our energy level to our child’s needs and the situation…

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How the Gospel Helps a Child with Narcissistic Tendencies

September 27, 2024

Disclaimer:  The intention of this article is not to encourage the reader to diagnose their child or anyone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). NPD should be diagnosed by a qualified therapist.  Unless the child is also suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder the diagnosis of NPD is not made before the age of 18.  The intention…

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Help! I Fear My Child is Becoming a Narcissist

September 27, 2024

Disclaimer:  The intention of this article is not to encourage the reader to diagnose their child or anyone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). NPD should be diagnosed by a qualified therapist.  Unless the child is also suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder the diagnosis of NPD is not made before the age of 18.  The intention…

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Suicide Prevention Resources

September 25, 2024

Disclaimer: If you or someone you love is in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.  The following is general advice and is not a substitute for professional help or medical advice. As followers of Christ, we believe that every life is precious and created with purpose. If you or someone you love is battling suicidal thoughts,…

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Help for Those Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts, Part 2

September 25, 2024

Disclaimer: If you or someone you love is in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.  The following is general advice and is not a substitute for professional help or medical advice. In our last blog post, we looked at what to do if you are in imminent danger of self-harm, and some steps you can take…

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Help for Those Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts, Part 1

September 25, 2024

Disclaimer: If you or someone you love is in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.  The following is general advice and is not a substitute for professional help or medical advice. In the first blog post of this two-part series, we are going to go over what to do if you are suicidal.  If you’re experiencing…

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How to Help a Loved One Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts, Part 3

September 25, 2024

Disclaimer: If you or someone you love is in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.  The following is general advice and is not a substitute for professional help or medical advice. In our last blog post, we continued our series on helping people we love who are struggling with suicidal thoughts, and specifically how to talk…

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How to Help a Loved One Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts, Part 2

September 25, 2024

Disclaimer: If you or someone you love is in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.  The following is general advice, not a substitute for professional help or medical advice. In our last post, we looked at how to get immediate help for a loved one who is struggling with suicidal thoughts. In this blog post, we…

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How to Help a Loved One Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts, Part 1

September 25, 2024

Disclaimer: If you or someone you love is in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.  The following is general advice and is not a substitute for professional help or medical advice. In the first blog post of our three-part series, we are going to look at immediate actions you can take if someone you love is…

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Why is Suicide So Prevalent in Today’s Culture?

September 25, 2024

Disclaimer: If you or someone you love is in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.  The following is general advice and is not a substitute for professional help or medical advice. The prevalence of suicide in today’s culture can be attributed to several interconnected factors that reflect our fallen world and humanity’s separation from God.  In…

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Moderate to Imminent Warning Signs that Someone is Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts

September 25, 2024

Disclaimer: If you or someone you love is in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.  The following is general advice, not a substitute for professional help or medical advice. Suicide is another form of murder that hurts the One who loves us deeply. 36% more people committed suicide in 2022 compared to 2000. I have worked…

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Early to Moderate Warning Signs Someone is Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts

September 25, 2024

Disclaimer: If you or someone you love is in imminent danger of committing suicide, call 911 immediately.  The following are general principles and are not a substitute for professional help or medical advice. According to the CDC, 13.2 million adults thought seriously about committing suicide in 2022. In our blog Why is Suicide So Prevalent…

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Help! I Have a Negative View of My Child

September 19, 2024

Our perceptions are often clouded by sin and human limitations, which extends to our children. When we find ourselves viewing our children primarily in a negative light, it’s crucial to recognize this as an opportunity for personal growth and spiritual renewal. First, we must humbly acknowledge that our negative perceptions often stem from our own…

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A Starting Point for Teaching Your Child About Emotional Intelligence

September 18, 2024

When faced with a child struggling with behavioral issues, it’s crucial to remember that these challenges often stem from underdeveloped emotional intelligence. Part of helping your child grow is helping them learn to process their emotions in a healthy way. Emotional Intelligence is the ability to detect your own emotions on the fly and regulate…

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When is Boarding School a Good Idea?

September 18, 2024

As Christian parents, we are called to nurture and guide our children in the ways of the Lord. However, there are times when a child’s behavioral issues may become so severe that they require more intensive intervention and support than can be provided at home. In such cases, a therapeutic boarding school rooted in Christian…

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Disciplining the Resistant Child

September 18, 2024

Discipline is not just about correcting behavior, but about shaping the heart. When our child consistently refuses discipline or finds ways to circumvent it, we must approach the situation with wisdom, perseverance, and a firm grounding in biblical truth. As parents, our role is to consistently and lovingly point them towards Christ as we discipline…

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Helping Your Child With High-Functioning ADHD

September 17, 2024

Parenting a high-functioning child with ADHD presents unique challenges and opportunities. While these children often excel academically and socially, they will still greatly benefit from tailored support to manage their symptoms and thrive.  While high-functioning, your child may still benefit from professional interventions from a therapist who specializes in working with children.  Cognitive-behavioral therapy can…

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My Child is Being Rebellious – What Do I Do?

September 16, 2024

As Christians, we understand that rebellion against authority is not merely a behavioral issue, but a spiritual one rooted in our fallen nature (James 4:1-3). When we address a rebellious child, we are not simply dealing with a behavioral issue, but rather we are dealing directly with their sinful heart. As we discipline rebellion, our…

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Parenting Your Strong Willed Child

September 16, 2024

Parenting a strong-willed child is often challenging and discouraging, and it can be hard to keep the long view in mind in the midst of temper tantrums and disobedience.  However, your strong willed child is not a mistake, and God can use them mightily for his purposes.  Parenting a strong willed child is not finding…

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Helping Your Child Increase Their Self Control

September 16, 2024

Teaching our children impulse control is one of the ways we can help them grow in Christlikeness.  Proverbs 25:28 states, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”  By teaching your kids how to control themselves, you are helping them learn how to resist the temptation to sin, persevere…

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Love, Truth, And Shifting Your Mindset In Conflict

June 10, 2024

As followers of Christ, we are called to show love for others and the truth of Scripture in every aspect of our lives. Love and truth should be especially present in our marriages, where they serve as the bedrock of our relationship with our spouse. However, balancing love and truth can sometimes be challenging, particularly…

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I’m A Christian. Do My Strengths Matter? Part 2

June 10, 2024

In our first post in this series, we looked at how to identify your strengths.  But how can Christians talk about their strengths without coming across as boastful? Christians often grapple with the idea of talking about their strengths. They are concerned about coming across as boastful or prideful, which goes against the humility we…

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I’m A Christian. Do My Strengths Matter? Part 1

June 10, 2024

What is the purpose of understanding our strengths as Christians?  This two-part series will examine why Christians need to understand our strengths and how Christians can talk about them without appearing boastful. Understanding our strengths teaches us to lean into and utilize our God-given talents and abilities to glorify God through our work.  Recognizing our…

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Creating A Safe Zone With Your Spouse

May 30, 2024

What do you do if you and your spouse find yourselves embroiled in conflict that never seems to go anywhere?  In order to see progress and find resolution, it can be helpful to use a tool that we call the “Safe Zone Exercise”. A Safe Zone is where you and your spouse create a set…

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Making Christ Our 1st Principle, Part 3

January 17, 2024

In our last post, we looked at a powerful tool for staying connected to Christ. But before we go into other options for how to stay connected to Christ throughout an entire day, you might be thinking, “Ryan, you have no idea how my sinful nature works.  I can have all the right intentions to…

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Making Christ Our 1st Principle, Part 1

January 17, 2024

Notice that when we talk about the gospel, it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not the Gospel of __________ (insert your name).  The Gospel is primarily about Him. The J.B. Phillips’ translation of Colossians 1:15-20  makes this clear.  It reads,  “Now Christ is the visible expression of the invisible God.  He existed…

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Making Christ Our 1st Principle, Part 2

January 17, 2024

In our last post, we looked at why Christ is our first principle.  If Christ is going to be our first principle, then we need to focus way more on Him than we do on overcoming our sins, loving our families, dreaming about success, or anything else.  We are going to discuss several ways to…

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Principles of the Gospel, Part 1

January 17, 2024

In the early 1990’s, I was sitting in Redeemer Presbyterian Church of New York City, listening to Tim Keller preach. In that sermon, he said something to the effect of “the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not only the way to be saved but is the primary way we grow.” I was captivated by that…

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Principles of the Gospel, Part 3

January 17, 2024

Ok, now we have the word Gospel defined as good news, and we saw the dilemma that though God loves us and desires us to always be with Him, our sin demands that an eternity’s worth of God’s wrath be poured out to satisfy justice.  Now, let’s get into the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The…

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Principles of the Gospel, Part 2

January 17, 2024

In yesterday’s post, we learned that the word Gospel means good news.  What about the Gospel of Jesus Christ that makes it good news? To answer that question, we need to go to the beginning. God is the Creator. As with any creator, He knows our purpose and how we are designed.  Out of all…

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How to Address Existing Nepotism in a Family Business, Part 2

January 16, 2024

In the second part of our series on how to address existing nepotism, we look at steps you can take to remedy the problem and rebuild trust with employees.

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How to Address Existing Nepotism in a Family Business, Part 1

January 16, 2024

Family businesses may engage in nepotism with the best of intentions to support and care for their families but can end up with many problems.  This blog post series discusses what to do if you realize that nepotism has already taken root in your business and how to rectify the situation, using four steps.

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Having Difficult Conversations in Family Business

January 16, 2024

In this post, we delve into why tough conversations are essential to a healthy family business and how to have effective, fruitful conversations.

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How to Help Children in a Divorce, Part 4

January 15, 2024

In our last post, we looked at how to help your child cope and process their emotions around a divorce.  Today, we will look at how to work with your co-parent and how you can disciple your children. Respecting your co-parent as another person made in God’s image, even if you have a broken or…

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How to Help Children in a Divorce, Part 2

January 15, 2024

Our last post discussed how to talk to your child about a divorce.  We will look at how to help your children cope during and after a divorce. Children may feel many different emotions and respond differently to a divorce.  Some common emotions and ways you can help are: Only some emotions will likely be…

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How to Help Children in a Divorce, Part 1

January 15, 2024

God hates divorce.  He intended that a couple would be married for life. We see in Scripture that a Biblical divorce can happen because of adultery or desertion(s). In over three decades of working with Christians, most of the time when a divorce happens, it is because one spouse doesn’t really believe the Gospel.  There…

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How to Help Children in a Divorce, Part 3

January 15, 2024

In our last post, we looked at children’s common emotions around divorce and ways to help. One of the key ways to help children deal with the emotions and stress of a divorce is to help them identify, understand, and express their emotions.  As you do this, it can be helpful to remember that God…

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How Family Dynamics Impact Family Business, Part 4

January 9, 2024

It is important for families in businesses to incorporate their strengths into the business. In this blog post, we look at how to find your family’s strengths and tips for leveraging them in the family business.

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Nepotism and Family Business, Part 3

January 9, 2024

In the third post of our series on nepotism, we look at how to help and love our families without practicing nepotism.

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Nepotism and Family Business, Part 2

January 9, 2024

The second post in our series on avoiding nepotism unpacks concrete steps you can take to make sure you have fair hiring and promotion processes.

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Nepotism and Family Business, Part 1

January 9, 2024

In this blog post series, we look at how to avoid nepotism by creating hiring and promotion practices that combat it while still loving our family members well. We start by defining nepotism.

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How Family Dynamics Impact Family Business, Part 3

January 4, 2024

In this post, we continue our Family Business and Family Dynamics series by looking at steps you can take to build healthy family dynamics.

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How Family Dynamics Impact Family Business, Part 2

January 4, 2024

In the second post of our series on family dynamics, we look at healthy verse unhealthy dynamics and their impact on a family business.

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How Family Dynamics Impact Family Business, Part 1

January 4, 2024

This blog post series is focused on family dynamics and how they impact family business. In this post, we look at what family dynamics are and how they shape our leadership.

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A Holistic Approach to Family Business

December 22, 2023

A family businesses can be a source of great joy, but may also have complexities that require outside help. In this blog post, we dive into our process for coming alongside family businesses to heal what needs to be healed and grow what needs to be grown.

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Incumbent and Successor Leadership Styles

December 21, 2023

For many family business, the leadership styles of the current leader and the successor can be quite different. In this blog post, we discuss the leadership styles, priority, and values of incumbents and successors.

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Shame and Identity, Part 5: You Can’t Stop What God Designed You To Do

December 18, 2023

Yesterday, we learned that all of us have good works that God has prepared in advance for us to do. God knit us together in our mothers’ wombs to accomplish these good works. There may be some good works that we can’t wait to do. However, what if we don’t want to do the good…

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Shame and Identity, Part 10: How Do We Use Our Identity To Combat Despondency

December 18, 2023

As we saw yesterday, unhealthy drivenness can be a symptom of shame. Despondency can also be a symptom of shame. Instead of feeling the pressure to validate our worth through achievements, we can feel so defeated and hopeless about who we are that despondency becomes ingrained. Ironically, we can be unhealthily driven in one area…

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Shame and Identity, Part 9: How Do We Use Our Identity To Combat Unhealthy Drivenness

December 18, 2023

Shame often manifests itself through either unhealthy drivenness or despondency. Today, we’ll look at unhealthy drivenness, and tomorrow, we’ll look at despondency. In Scripture, we see that God Himself rested after He worked to create our world (Genesis 2:1-3). But as fallen humans, we can work obsessively without rest to fend off shame and prove…

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Shame and Identity, Part 7: How Do We Come To Believe Our Identity From Our Hearts, Not Just Our Heads?

December 18, 2023

To go from shaming yourself to believing your true identity in Christ will be a process.  The power of our sinful nature was destroyed when we were united with Christ on the cross in salvation (Romans 7:1-6). Now we have received a regenerated heart that is the true us (Romans 7:22). However, even though our…

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Shame and Identity, Part 6: What Is Shame?

December 18, 2023

Now that we understand our identity (both the Macro and the Micro), its source (Christ, not our performance), and how our identity is based on God’s efforts, not ours, let’s look at shame. On Day One of this devotional, when Jack made identity statements like, “I suck,” “I’m hopeless,” and “I’m a failure,” he was…

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Shame and Identity, Part 8: Chewing On Scripture To Fight Shame

December 18, 2023

Today, we will look at the fifth step in our process of fighting shame and getting grounded in our identity in Christ. As we saw yesterday, the first four steps were: Now, let’s get into our fifth tool. This must be done repeatedly until the truth sinks into our hearts. For example, I might ask…

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Shame and Identity, Part 4: The Micro Identity

December 18, 2023

Yesterday, we talked about our Macro identity: who we are as Believers through the work of Christ. Today, we’ll discuss our Micro identity. Our Micro identity is the part of our identity that is unique to us, the way no human is the exact same as another human. Our Micro identities were determined for us…

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Shame and Identity, Part 3: The Macro Identity

December 18, 2023

As we learned yesterday, God, our Creator and Master, has given us our identity. To make this truth more digestible, we can break our identity into two parts: our Macro and Micro identities. Today, we will discuss the Macro identity. Tomorrow, we will discuss the Micro identity. The Macro identity is the identity we share…

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Shame and Identity, Part 2: Where Does Our True Identity Come From?

December 18, 2023

Do we have the right to determine our own identity? Are we masters of our own fate and captains of our own souls? Genesis 1:27 tells us that God created us. As our creator, He knows how we are designed. He knows our essence. He even knows our worth. Genesis 1:26 says that of all…

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Shame and Identity, Part 1: Meet Jack

December 18, 2023

is the head of a ten-person law firm. He works with more clients than most attorneys do. He’s in a very stable and loving marriage. Jack has four children who respect and value him. He’s an elder at his church. Jack also struggles with his weight. He has no margin in his life and thus…

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Too Busy to Have a Quiet Time… Try this: Part 1

November 22, 2023

We all know that it is vital that we connect to God throughout the day.  The more we do, the more we can’t help but praise and thank Him. If we connect to Christ throughout the day, we will abide in Him, and we are often far less tempted to indulge the flesh. Most people…

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Too Busy To Have A Quiet Time? Try This: Part 2

November 22, 2023

Connecting to God is essential.  We can do nothing without Him. Yet all of us have had those days that are so full that it is hard to spend as much time as we want to with Him. On those days, we can pepper in some shorter ways of connecting to God. That way, we…

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Too Busy To Have A Quiet Time? Try This: Part 3

November 22, 2023

This series discusses how to have quick but meaningful quiet times with God for those (hopefully rare) days when things are absolutely hectic. In the first blog, we discussed practicing the presence of Christ and breath prayers. In the second blog, we listed four more ways to connect with God, including two more ways we…

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Too Busy To Have A Quiet Time… Try This: Part 4

November 22, 2023

If you’ve read the first three blogs in this series, you should see that there isn’t any excuse not to intentionally connect to God every day, even when you are super busy.  Some of the ideas we discussed could be done as you go.  The rest can be done in under five minutes. Of course,…

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Making Scripture the Standard of Truth Across Your Personal Life

November 15, 2023

What is your standard of truth? What do you choose as the truth when your emotions are saying one thing, your reason is saying another thing, your friends and family are saying a third thing, experts are saying a fourth thing, and the Bible is saying a fifth thing? As Christians, we say that the…

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Making Scripture the Standard of Truth in Your Business

November 15, 2023

Because God created business, Christian business leaders must keep the Bible as their standard of truth to make wise decisions, withstand pressure to compromise their ethics, and successfully navigate relational conflict. In this post, we look at 5 practical ways you can make Scripture the standard of truth in your business.

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Preparing Your Successor, Part 3: Tips 4-5

November 8, 2023

In this blog post series we explain 5 different tips you can use to prepare your family business successor. Here we look at 2 tips for preparing the people in your company for succession.

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Preparing Your Successor Part 2: Tips 2-3

November 6, 2023

In this blog post series we explain 5 different tips you can use to prepare your family business successor. Our tips in this post focus on mentoring and communicating with your successor.

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Preparing Your Successor Part 1: Tip 1

November 6, 2023

In this blog post series we explain 5 different tips you can use to prepare your family business successor. Our first tip is: apply your successor’s unique strengths and leadership style.

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Working With 1PL: Our Process

July 12, 2022

Do you believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Are you the head of a company? If both answers are “Yes,” quickly examine how you’ve run that company. Think about how you’ve run every part of your life – your business, your marriage, your parenting, your relationship with God – and ask yourself this question: Have…

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Christian Executive Thinking

8 Ways Christian Executives Can Become Master Strategists

July 6, 2022

As a Christian Executive or head of a company, it’s up to you to anticipate, plan for, and execute plans for all sorts of situations – expected bumps in the road, new business goals, and long-term vision. Having the ability to successfully and effectively strategize will sharpen those tools you need when situations like those…

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9 Powerful Ways to Become a Stronger Christian Leader for Your Team

June 30, 2022

If you Google how to be a strong business leader, about 708 million results pop up within half a second. While you can narrow that overwhelming number down about a third by adding “Christian” business leader to your search, the 439 million results that remain are far too many to sort through. We’ve taken some…

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reading list

What We Are Reading

June 9, 2022

Table of Contents Our Standard for Truth Apologetics Body Care Changing Beliefs and Behaviors Emotional Intelligence Executive Functioning Family and Marriage Interpersonal Relationships Loving God More Teamwork and Leadership Vocational Calling Walking Through Suffering Book List Our Standard for Truth The Bible Link to Amazon We believe that the Bible is unlike any other book;…

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insomnia business executive

Awake Against Your Will: 6 Steps to Better Sleep

June 2, 2022

If you are struggling to get better sleep, you’re certainly not alone. We live in an age of sleep deprivation. Between screen time, overworking, stress, and constant opportunity for brain stimulation, a good night’s sleep often evades us. Here’s an eye-opening question to ask yourself: When was the last time you got a great week…

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Reigniting Sexual Intimacy in Marriage

December 16, 2021

Remember Song of Solomon?  it seems like the husband and wife depicted had a lot of fun together.  They expressed so many forms of oneness: emotional, relational, spiritual, and obviously physical. Where has that gone in your marriage?  Was it ever really there?  Working with couples for two decades, I’ve seen how easy it is…

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Rewarding Good Habits Doesn’t Last; We Need Motivation

December 15, 2021

In re-listening to Atomic Habits by James Clear, he makes it clear that when we are developing a good habit, we need to find immediate rewards for them.  That alone has been so effective in helping me stay on track with the weight loss system I am on.  Try adding that into whatever good habit…

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Sin Breaks God’s Heart

December 14, 2021

Who do you love more than any other?  What have you done to show that love to them?  What have you sacrificed?  What struggles have you endured to love them?  What joys have you experienced in loving them? Now, what do you feel when they betray you?  Normally, it’s searing pain. But if you really,…

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