We like to be liked. We need somebody to look at us and say you are ok, you're beautiful, valuable, you matter, you are worthy! We must be careful what we allow to determine our identity.

Storms, like the recent Hurricanes, can leave a wake of devastation. Sometimes an entire home has to be gutted down to structural walls and rebuilt. This can only be done if "the bones" are good.

It's interesting how we have shifted from a culture that sat on the front porch and talked about life, and shared wisdom, to a culture that sits on the back deck and isolates ourselves. Have we lost wisdom because of the lack of conversation among neighbors? This week we sit on the "front porch" to talk about the future of the family.

Kenny Chesney recorded one of the biggest hits of his career with "The Good Stuff," which gave him his fifth No. 1 hit in 2002. The poignant song was inspired by a tragic story that happened in real life. "The good stuff" is all of the memories you can make with the one you love while they're still here.

TODAY - Everywhere you look there are cracks on the wall. You're seeing cracks in our culture, in our relationships, in our families, and in our lives. And a lot of time and energy — is being spent patching them up. The question that we must answer is what is the foundation that needs to be fixed?

Many of us feel beaten up, and discouraged with the negatives that life can bring. However, God's word gives us a hope and confidence in what the future holds! We choose to stand firm on God's promises, believing that greatest days can still be ahead!

Convictions shape conduct. In other words, what we believe affects how we behave! In our society today, we believe that any conviction we have, must be true regardless of reality.

Wouldn't it be great if all we had to do was walk up to a phone, pick it up and we could talk directly to God? There are so many misconceptions about prayer circulating these days.

It's amazing how God can speak even when we don't realize it. Early one morning Bart Millard woke up, frustrated over his immediate circumstances He began to write in his journal. Those words became the lyrics to one of the most moving MercyMe songs ever recorded. They remind us just how important God's word is in our lives.

Join us for a week of personal reflection and challenge as we look back at the first few weeks of the "Faith Strong" series.