In His Grip

Google mother-in-law jokes and you can take your pick of numerous sites that offer laughter at the expense of the mother-in-law. Becoming a mother-in-law after pouring your life into your son might be one of the most difficult challenges some women face. Perhaps family conflict is one of the hardest places to experience help and hope. This conversation between Annie Chapman and Sharon Betters will help guide daughters-in-law and mothers-in-law through the sometimes difficult maze of “sharing” a man. Annie Chapman is the author of The Mother-In-Law Dance and knows from experience how challenging it can be to get along with your mother-in-law. She also has married sons so she brings great wisdom on family relationships that might be just what you need to find a bridge into your “in-law’s” heart or build an even stronger relationship. Can two women love the same man and still get along? Annie says yes! And she offers sound advice for those times when only one party wants to have that friendship.

David The Shepherd WarriorThis series focuses on the life of David. Why should we study the life of this man? David’s story is a picture of Messianic typology. We see in David the struggle against the flesh that is so typical in all of us. And we will see what a man after God’s own heart looks like. We start in 1 Samuel 16 where the Israelites cry for a king. It is a period of hopeless humanism, void of leadership. The people choose a man based on outward appearance, electability and sound bites. They chose Saul, tall, dark and handsome. Saul was a good looking man, but he lacked character. He was prone to hot tempered outbursts, bouts of intense depression and capable of incredible evil, jealousy, control, obsession with fame and even murder. God gives them Saul. But waiting in the wings is a shepherd boy, David.

Twenty-one surgeries by age thirteen. Years in the hospital. Verbal and physical bullying from schoolmates. Multiple miscarriages as a young wife. The death of a child. A debilitating progressive disease. Riveting pain. Abandonment. Unwanted divorce. How can one woman survive let alone thrive when she experiences such crashing waves of pain? In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Vaneetha Rendall Risner, author of The Scars that Have Shaped Me; How God meets us in Suffering, has experienced all these life crises and more. Rather than despair and giving up when wave after wave of loss hits, Veneetha encourages us to allow suffering to draw us into the heart of God.

David The Shepherd WarriorThis series focuses on the life of David. Why should we study the life of this man? David’s story is a picture of Messianic typology. We see in David the struggle against the flesh that is so typical in all of us. And we will see what a man after God’s own heart looks like. We start in 1 Samuel 16 where the Israelites cry for a king. It is a period of hopeless humanism, void of leadership. The people choose a man based on outward appearance, electability and sound bites. They chose Saul, tall, dark and handsome. Saul was a good looking man, but he lacked character. He was prone to hot tempered outbursts, bouts of intense depression and capable of incredible evil, jealousy, control, obsession with fame and even murder. God gives them Saul. But waiting in the wings is a shepherd boy, David.

What is a grandmother’s role in the lives of her grandchildren? How can she pass on a legacy of faith? What if she is estranged from her grandchildren, or they don’t seem to be interested in having a relationship with her? What are some practical ways a grandmother can intentionally pursue a friendship with her grands and what if they don’t respond to her efforts? What about those envious feelings when a grandmother sees all the beautiful social media posts of the perfect grandmother interacting with her grandchildren? How about guilt over not investing in her grandchildren? Is there a way to influence our grands without any interaction with them? In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Kathy March, and Pam Ferriss respond to these questions and much more.  Do you love your grandchildren? This conversation will help equip you to pray intentionally. What a gift for your grandchildren to say, “My Grandmother is Praying for Me.”

David The Shepherd WarriorThis series focuses on the life of David. Why should we study the life of this man? David’s story is a picture of Messianic typology. We see in David the struggle against the flesh that is so typical in all of us. And we will see what a man after God’s own heart looks like. We start in 1 Samuel 16 where the Israelites cry for a king. It is a period of hopeless humanism, void of leadership. The people choose a man based on outward appearance, electability and sound bites. They chose Saul, tall, dark and handsome. Saul was a good looking man, but he lacked character. He was prone to hot tempered outbursts, bouts of intense depression and capable of incredible evil, jealousy, control, obsession with fame and even murder. God gives them Saul. But waiting in the wings is a shepherd boy, David.

Almost 40% of young adults live with their parents or grandparents. This is the highest percentage in 70 years. The last time young adults did life in such proximity to their parents or grandparents was just before the Depression. Then it was out of financial need. Today it seems there is a whole different perspective on the part of the young adults. Dr. Chuck Betters talks to Jim Burns, author of Doing Life with Your Adult Children about some of the challenges for parents as they transition from parenting children to parenting young adults. Jim gives practical advice and hopeful encouragement for this tough yet rewarding transition.If you have an adult child, you know that parenting doesn't stop when a child reaches the age of eighteen. In many ways, it gets more complicated. Both your heart and your head are as involved as ever, whether your child lives under your roof or rarely stays in contact.In this conversation and in his book, parenting expert Jim Burns helps us navigate one of the richest and most challenging seasons of parenting. Speaking from his own personal and professional experience, Burns offers practical answers to questions often asked by parents of adult children.

David The Shepherd WarriorThis series focuses on the life of David. Why should we study the life of this man? David’s story is a picture of Messianic typology. We see in David the struggle against the flesh that is so typical in all of us. And we will see what a man after God’s own heart looks like. We start in 1 Samuel 16 where the Israelites cry for a king. It is a period of hopeless humanism, void of leadership. The people choose a man based on outward appearance, electability and sound bites. They chose Saul, tall, dark and handsome. Saul was a good looking man, but he lacked character. He was prone to hot tempered outbursts, bouts of intense depression and capable of incredible evil, jealousy, control, obsession with fame and even murder. God gives them Saul. But waiting in the wings is a shepherd boy, David.

You start your day thinking it will be like any other. And then a text with four words, “Eva not breathing. Pray.” Within hours, the unexpected death of your daughter propels you and your family down into the deepest sorrow you have ever experienced. In this conversation with Sharon Betters, Mel Lawrenz introduces us to his beloved daughter Eva and how her unexpected death led his family into the Land of Grief. In this conversation, Mel talks about giving freedom to people to grieve their way, how lament is a gift, and how his theology gave him the freedom to grieve honestly as he clung to the Lord. Mel and Sharon belong to that club no one wants to join – where admission requires the loss of a child. There are treasures in the conversation for anyone in grief and for those who love them.

David The Shepherd WarriorThis series focuses on the life of David. Why should we study the life of this man? David’s story is a picture of Messianic typology. We see in David the struggle against the flesh that is so typical in all of us. And we will see what a man after God’s own heart looks like. We start in 1 Samuel 16 where the Israelites cry for a king. It is a period of hopeless humanism, void of leadership. The people choose a man based on outward appearance, electability and sound bites. They chose Saul, tall, dark and handsome. Saul was a good looking man, but he lacked character. He was prone to hot tempered outbursts, bouts of intense depression and capable of incredible evil, jealousy, control, obsession with fame and even murder. God gives them Saul. But waiting in the wings is a shepherd boy, David.