LOVING LIFE AT HOME - Christian Marriage, Biblical Parenting, Creative Homemaking, Purposeful Living – Détails, épisodes et analyse

A listener wrote me recently to say she's made more mistakes that she can count. She wanted advice as to how she could get back on track. "How do I change course when I've done everything wrong?"

She had lots of other great questions, too, so in Episode 91, I'm tackling all of them. I hope you'll listen in and be blessed.

- James 1:5 - “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God...."

- Deuteronomy 30:19 - “...So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.”

- Luke 11:24-26 -  “...and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”

- Proverbs 14:1 - “The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.”

- Matthew 12:36 - "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it...."

- Ephesians 3:20 - "God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think...."

- John 10:10 - “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy....”

- Philippians 2:3-4 - "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind...."

- Galatians 5:22 - "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness...."

- Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right...."

- Philippians 4:6 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving....”

- Isaiah 41:10 – “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you....”

- Matthew 6:25 – “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about....”

- Love Your Husband/ Love Yourself (my marriage book)

- EP 84: How Not to Diet (But Still Lose Weight)

- Help! My Kids Won't Stop Fighting

- Extend Your Reach (Ideas for Limiting Your Child's Screen Time)

- 50 Great Chapter Books to Read Aloud to Your Family

- 50 Picture Books Every Child Should Read

- Encouraging Creativity in Young Children

- Age-Appropriate Chores for Children

- EP 28: Bible Memory Tips and Tricks

- Verses to Read When Battling Big Emotions

- Praying for Your Children from Head to Toe

- Praying for Your Husband from Head to Toe

- 31 Bible Verses to Pray over Your Children

- 31 Bible Verses to Pray over Your Husband

- Praying Boldly for Yourself

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Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life - parenting tips, homeschool help, lprintables

Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home- encouragement for wives, mothers, believers

We don't have to wonder or make wild guesses about what Jesus would do -- the Bible tells us clearly how He lived when He was here on earth, the kind of things He prioritized, and what He expects of anyone who chooses to follow Him.

- Philippians 2 - "Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ..."

- Mark 10:45 - “For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life...."

- Luke 9:23 - “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

- Luke 14:27 - "And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."

- Eph 4:26-5:1 - "Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger...."

- Prov 3 - "My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments...."

- Psalm 119:97-98 - "O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day...."

- Psalm 1 - "Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly...."

- EP 28: Bible Memory Tips

- EP 85 - Memorize Proverb 3 with Me

- Sing the Word Vol 1-2 - word-for-word KJV scripture songs by Fred and Sarah Cooper

Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -weekly themed link lists of free resources

Instagram: @flanders_family - follow for more great content

Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life - parenting tips, homeschool help, lprintables

Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home- encouragement for wives, mothers, believers

Sometimes life's responsibilities seem so overwhelming and inescapable that you feel like you're barely treading water. How do you cope when the going gets tough, and your energy's already depleted? Here are seven strategies that have kept me afloat during the busiest, most exhausting seasons of mothering 12 children and managing a increasingly busy household.

- “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you may have peace....” - John 16:33 

- “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials....” - James 1:2-4

- "...God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God...."- Romans 8:28

- "If anybody lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all freely..." - James 1:5

- “When [people] measure themselves by themselves... they are not wise.” - 2 Corinthians 10:12

- “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” - 1 Corinthians 10:31

- "Be strong and courageous... He will never leave you nor forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

- “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” - Philippians 4:13

- “Yet those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength....They shall walk and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:31

- “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” - Psalm 50:15

- "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit...." - John 15:5

- “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest...." - Proverbs 6:10 (see also Prov 24:33-34)

- “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it...” - Psalm 127:1-2

- “He will feed His flock like a shepherd... and gently lead those who are with young.” - Isaiah 40:11

- “Come to Me, all you who are weary and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest....” - Matthew 11:28-30

- “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” - Psalm 90:12

- “Love you neighbor as you love yourself” - Mark 12:30

- "From everyone to whom much has been given will much be required...” - Luke 12:48

- "So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." - Romans 14:12

- "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength...." - Mark 12:30

- “Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.” - Proverbs 17:1

- “Better is a portion of vegetables where there is love, than a fattened ox served with hatred.” - Proverbs 15:17 

- “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we don't lose heart.” - Galatians 6:9 

- "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin..." - Zechariah 4:10

- Flanders Family Freebies - use ths link to subscribe to my weekly newsletter

- Episode 53: Microsystems for Home Management

- Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

- Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies - (weekly themed link lists of free resources)

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- Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, free printables) 

- Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

We're right in the middle of holy week, which makes this a great time to discuss some of our family's favorite Easter traditions -- especially those that keep our focus on the finished work of Christ on the cross.

- Matthew 13:44 - “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” 

- 1 John 4:10 - “God loved us and sent His Son.” 

- Matthew 28:6 - “He has risen, just as He said.”  

- John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

- Romans 5:8 - "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

- John 8:12 - "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

- EP 37: Our Family's Favorite Easter Traditions

- Resurrection Eggs Printable

- Scripture Eggs Printable

- Empty Tomb Kids Craft

- Easter Bible Verse Coloring Pages

- The Easter Story (book by Carol Heyer)

- Easter Scripture Chain

- Passion Week Quiz 

- Resurrection Day Word Scramble 

- Resurrection Day Word Find

- Easter Conversation Starters

- Let Them Know Music Video

- All About that Grace Music Video

- Never Enough Music Video

- The Jelly Bean Gospel

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- Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, free printables) 

- Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Little known fact: Today (April 9) is Winston Churchill Day in the US. So today, I'm taking some of my favorite quotes from the British Bulldog, examining them in light of scripture, and applying them to marriage. I hope you'll listen in!

- Luke 12:48 - “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required....”

- Romans 12:10 - “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” 

- Philippians 4:8 - “...whatever is true... honorable... right... pure... think about these things.”

- Luke 6:38 - “Give, and it will be given to you...good measure—pressed down, shaken together....” 

- James 1:19 - "Let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.”

- James 1:2-3 - “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials....” 

- 1 Peter 1:6-7 - “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief ....” 

- 2 Cor. 4:17 - “For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory...."

- Heb. 12:11 - "No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however...."

- Isaiah 41:10 - “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you....”

- Psalm 23:4 - "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil...."

- Philippians 4:13 - “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

- Galatians 6:9 - “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap...."

- John 15:5 - “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit..."

- Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara - “the remarkable power of giving people more than they expect”

- EP 78: 7 Ways to Ruin Your Marriage

- EP 75: Emphasize Your Husband's Good Points

- The Good News about Marriage by Shaunti Feldhahn

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Proverbs 14:1 tells us, “The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.”

I normally like to focus on the first part of that verse and consider, “What are some wise ways we can build our homes and strengthen our family relationships?”

But instead of taking my usual approach and discussing how to nurture your marriage and make it better, today I’d like to examine some very common and very foolish habits that tear down our homes and the people we live with and put unnecessary strain on relationships and threaten to ruin marriages. 

So today, I present you with 7 WAYS TO RUIN YOUR MARRIAGE--GUARANTEED.

- Proverbs 14:1 - "The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands."

- Philippians 2:3-4 - "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merelylook out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

- Philippians 4:8 - Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” 

- 1 Corinthians 13:7 - "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

- Colossians 3:13 - "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

- Ephesians 5:33 - "However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."

- 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 - "The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control."

- James 5:16 - "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

- 5 Ways to Ruin Your Day — Guaranteed

 - EP 75 - Emphasize Your Husband's Good Points

- Enough with the Excuses

- Time to Turn Your Thinking Around  (the poem I wrote that can be read forwards and backwards)

- One-Year Bible Reading Plan

- 31 Verses to Pray over Your Husband

- Praying Boldly for Yourself

- Prayer for a Happy Marriage

- A Wise Woman Builds Coloring Page

- Love Your Husband/ Love Yourself - the first book I ever wrote (and I still stand behind every word!)

- 25 Way to Communicate Respect for Your Husband: A Handbook for Wives

- 25 Ways to Show Love to Your Wife: A Handbook for Husbands

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- Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, free printables) 

- Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

This week on Loving Life at Home I'm answering a couple of questions about starting a family during medical school, but the principles also apply to other decisions people put off while waiting for perfect timing.

- Ecclesiastes 4:12 - "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

- Psalm 127:3 - "Children are a blessing and a gift from the LORD."

- Philippians 4:19 - "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

- Having Babies in Medical School? - the post I wrote 17 years ago on this same topic

- Then Comes Baby in a Baby Carriage - having babies matures us in important ways

- Postponing Motherhood: At What Cost? - another good argument for not waiting for "the perfect time"

- Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies - (weekly themed link lists of free resources)

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- Shop my books: Flanders Family Store

- Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, free printables) 

- Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

- John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

- Romans 12:10 - “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

- A Prayer for Singles - free printable prayer guide

- The State of a Union - How grows your marriage?

- In Praise of the Manly Man - a poem I wrote for my husband

- A Fish wihout Fins - one of my very first poems to my husband

- A Hero in the Making - yet another poem I wrote me husband

- 30-Day Love Your Wife Challenge - free email challenge for husbands

- 30-Day Respect Challenge - free email challenge for wives

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- Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)

Pop quiz: Which would you prefer?

(a) That your husband focus his thoughts on your loveliest, most noble and praiseworthy characteristics?

(b) That he ignore your good points completely and concentrate instead on your most annoying and bothersome flaws?

That's an easy answer, as far as I'm concerned. So shouldn't you make every effort to treat your spouse the way you'd want to be treated yourself by emphasizing your husband's good points?

- Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

- EP 10 - We Find What We Look For

- Love Is a Verb by Gary Chapman

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My youngest daughter and I just got home from a fun-filled mother-daughter retreat our homeschool co-op sponsors every January. The theme of this year's retreat was "Standing in the Truth," and in this week's episode, I'm sharing the major points of a talk I gave at the retreat on that same topic. I hope you'll listen in and let me know what you think in the comment section below.

- John 14:6 - ""I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

- Acts 4:12 - "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

- James 2:19 - "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder."

- 2 Peter 1:10 - "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble."

- Matthew 7:22-23 - "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? ..."

- Ephesians 4:13-14 - "...no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine...."

- Psalm 139:13 - "For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb."

- 1 Corinthians 10:31 - "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray without ceasing."

- Philippians 4:6 - "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

- James 4:8 - "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..."

- Heb 10:23-25 - "Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful...."

- Isaiah 64:6 - "...all our righteous acts are like filthy rags...."

- Eph 6:10-18 - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God..."

- EP 27: God Wants the Whole Pie

- EP 28: Bible Memory Tips

- One-Year Bible Reading Plan

- Free Printable Prayer Guides

- Armor of God Printables

- Subscribe: Flanders Family Freebies -(weekly themed link lists of free resources)

- Instagram: follow @flanders_family for more great content

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- Family Blog: Flanders Family Home Life (parenting tips, homeschool help, lots of free printables!) 

- Marriage Blog: Loving Life at Home  (encouragement in your roles as wife, mother, believer)