Give Them Access
April 1, 2016
One of the ways that Barbara and I give each other access to our lives is by monitoring one another's schedule and workload. We also talk about our children's activities because of their effect on the whole family. Monitoring everyone's schedule helps our family avoid experiencing the pain of being overextended.
As you and your mate face continuing time pressures and stress, it's best to handle life in tandem, not solo. Your mate can detect blind spots that you are missing. This type of mutual submission promotes healthy oneness as you interact and depend on one another.
One final thought. Tonight, I want to encourage you to get out your calendars. Go over your schedule and see if there are any unnecessary appointments. If there are, why not re-claim that time for your marriage or have a family night.
I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real Family Life.
As you and your mate face continuing time pressures and stress, it's best to handle life in tandem, not solo. Your mate can detect blind spots that you are missing. This type of mutual submission promotes healthy oneness as you interact and depend on one another.
One final thought. Tonight, I want to encourage you to get out your calendars. Go over your schedule and see if there are any unnecessary appointments. If there are, why not re-claim that time for your marriage or have a family night.
I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real Family Life.
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It's great that that daughter is beginning to feel some love for that dad. Experts say that it takes an average of seven years for a step family to adjust to each other. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that one out of every three Americans is now a stepparent, stepchild, or some other participant in a stepfamily. I'm well aware that many who are listening to me are a part of a stepfamily. Well, today I want to encourage you to persevere. You have a tremendous opportunity to show how God can work to make a less-than-perfect situation, something that shows the wonder of His grace, power, and restoration. I challenge you to remain committed to your stepfamily.One final thought. FamilyLife has helpful articles and resources for stepfamilies -- as well as the traditional family on our website -- familylife.com.I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real Family Life.
March 31, 2016
Were you able to identify some things you enjoy about your marriage? If you think your marriage is great now, just wait! If you allow God to shape you, and your relationship in the years ahead, your love will mature and sweeten into your most precious earthly relationship. If you want a love that is mature, let me suggest an area in which your marriage should grow. As individuals, and as a couple, you should grow spiritually. Pray together. Share spiritual truths. Talk about your experience with God together. Your marriage will become the sum total of every choice made along the way. That's why it's so important for you to grow spiritually, now.One final thought. Why not find a quiet space in the house, pull your spouse aside, and tell him or her that you want your marriage to grow spiritually. Then pray together that God will allow you to enjoy all that your marriage can be.I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real Family Life.
March 30, 2016
Dr. James Dobson told a story that reinforced the importance of praying for our children. One night Jim and his wife Shirley had trouble falling asleep. They began feeling uneasy about their daughter, so they got down on their knees and prayed for her. They later learned that, at that very moment, their daughter and a friend were in a pull-out curve in the mountains -- just looking out over the city, eating a meal. A police car came by and shone a light into their window. It made them think to lock their doors. As the police car drove away, a man crawled out from under their car and tried to force his way in. They were able to quickly start the car and speed away. Dr. Dobson says, "No one will ever convince me that our prayers did not have an impact on that situation."One final thought. No matter what you do as parents, in the end it is God who is in control. Pray everyday that God would protect your children and deliver them from the snare of evil.I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real Family Life.
March 29, 2016
One night my 13-year old daughter told me about a note being passed around in her class. It was about a boy and a girl who had taken their clothes off and messed around. I told her, "Sex is a beautiful thing in marriage. If you'll wait, God will bless you. But what those two young people were doing is shameful and wrong." Moments like that are the building blocks of a godly perspective about sex in your child's life. Talking to your children about sex takes courage I promise you. You certainly won't win any popularity contests with them. But your children don't need you to be buddies, they need courageous spiritual and moral leadership. The type of leadership parents give, who love them enough to challenge their thinking.One final thought. Make sure your children learn about sex from you, not from notes passed around in class. Prayerfully consider the right time and setting to discuss sex with your child.I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real Family Life.
March 28, 2016
That comes from the "Jesus" film, which has been shown all over the world. The scene you heard depicts the crucifixion of Jesus Christ which we remember, today on Good Friday. Of course, Good Friday is a part of the Easter weekend, which you'll probably celebrate with your family.Do your children know why we celebrate this weekend? At your home, is Easter about Jesus Christ, or is it simply a hunt for a bunch of eggs left by an imaginary bunny? Do your children know that without the Easter weekend, we would have no hope of life beyond the grave?One final thought. Why not ask your children if they can tell you what the Easter story is really all about? If they can't, you might want to read the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ to them. You can find it in Luke, chapter 23 and 24.I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real Family Life.
March 25, 2016
As Easter approaches this year, and you again hear the story of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, let me ask you. Do you believe it? And if you do, are you living like you believe it?As a young college student, I had no purpose in life. I had many questions and doubts about my faith. Then, a man named Tom Skinner challenged me to focus not on my questions and doubts, but on the truth and reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I finally decided to act on the truth I knew about the Easter story. That Christ was not just alive - but that He was alive so He could live in me. Life became an adventure, and I started to understand the privilege of being used by God for eternal purposes. One final thought. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historical fact. Are you living like you believe it? Is there evidence of His power in your life?I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real FamilyLife.
March 24, 2016
Do your children know what Easter is all about? The Easter season presents many opportunities to teach them some fundamental truths about Jesus, His death, burial and resurrection.Children need to be taught that they have sinned. Their selfishness and disobedience will keep them out of Heaven. God's justice demands that a payment is made for their sins. That's why Jesus made the payment on the cross.Children also need to know that they receive God's forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ. Faith involves repenting of their sins, turning to God and trusting Christ savior and lord.One final thought. Take a moment and think about some ways you can clearly explain the importance of this Easter season to your children. Don't let what Jesus did on the cross go by without talking with your child about the most important decision they'll ever make.I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real FamilyLife.
March 23, 2016
A friend of mine once overheard his daughters talking during a thunderstorm. The older daughter said, matter of factly, "That thunder you just heard is God upstairs moving His furniture." The younger daughter nodded her head, looked at the rain and replied, "He just moved his waterbed, too."Do your children have a clear understanding of who God is? Did you know that you have been hand selected by God to introduce each of your children to Him? One final thought. Before children can fully understand the importance of the death and resurrection of Christ, they need to have a clear understanding of who God is. So I want to challenge you this Easter season to take some time and teach your children about our holy, fair, and loving Heavenly Father.I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real FamilyLife.
March 22, 2016
Me, too. Isn't it interesting to hear someone who isn't afraid to tell others what Jesus Christ has done for her?Too many times, Christians tend to lose sight of the bigger picture when it comes to sharing our faith. We become fearful of what others may think of us, or we may worry that we'll be asked a question that we don't know the answer to. If we think that way, we're forgetting how lost we really were without Jesus Christ, and how much others really need Him.Missionary D. T. Niles described Christianity simply as "one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread." I like that. One final thought. What has Jesus done for you? Take a moment to think of a simple way to tell others, "I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see."I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real, Gospel-sharing FamilyLife.
March 21, 2016
Today's lesson comes from the pen of a sociologist named Carle Zimmerman. You might call it a lesson in family history.What Dr. Zimmerman did was examine different cultures in history to look for patterns in how different civilizations viewed the family unit. In his 1947 book "Family and Civilization," Carle Zimmerman wrote that major cultures like Greece, Rome, and now America, started out with a strong respect for the family. Eventually, though, individual rights took precedence over family commitments, and the family structure deteriorated, leading to the downfall of the whole society. Specifically, Zimmerman noted the increase of divorce, the rise of feminism, more and more crime, and - yes - a tolerance for and spread of sexual perversions like homosexuality.One final thought. God's put you in your family at this point in history for a reason. Think about why that might be.I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real FamilyLife.
March 18, 2016
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500 Hours Together: A Family Time Challenge
There are 8,760 hours in a year. You’ll spend roughly 2,080 of those hours at work. On average, almost 900 hours swiping on social media. How much family time are you getting in?