With all the changes in this world, it can be really hard to know what your role is as a parent. How do you know if you are succeeding?  How do you know if you hit the bullseye?  We all need some clarification and the Bible is the perfect place to go to for direction.

Blended families make up almost half of the families in America today. As a blended family, what are some principles you can live by? Let's talk about those.

They're just hypocrites. I bet you've thought or even said that about someone who claimed to be a Christian but didn't live it out. They show a side of themselves that just doesn't seem like it goes along with what a Christian should do. What does Jesus say about hypocrisy? He says, “I’ll see you on the other side.”

Fear. It's real and it's prevalent in our lives. It happens in a variety of ways and causes a variety of responses. What does Jesus say about our fears? What does he do to help us through them? We may be hanging by a thread, but that's plenty when Jesus steps in.

We owe a balance. It’s not something that can be paid from our bank account. We owe a debt of sin. What does Jesus say about sin? What does he do with this balance that we owe? We need to check our balance and see how Jesus has canceled our debt.

I've done all I can do. Ever made that statement? The truth is, sometimes things happen to us that aren't our fault and we do all we can to make it through. What do you do, though, when you've done all you can and you're out of resources and ideas... when you're a basket case and see no hope?

We pray our hearts out. We ask God to change things. We beg him to move. After all of our begging, it seems like He does nothing to answer us. When we feel our prayers are going unanswered, it shakes our faith. We get to the place of asking, "What's the point in praying?” if it doesn't do anything. There's more to it than that, though.

There are so many misconceptions about prayer. Not only about what prayer is but how to pray. Every religion has some type of prayer ritual, but for Christians, it’s more than a ritual; it’s an intimate conversation. How do we pray? We pray as Jesus taught his disciples when they asked him, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

According to studies, most of us pray at least every now and then. While the content of our prayers varies, one thing is consistent: most of us struggle to pray consistently or with joy. Prayer is a powerful weapon for a believer in Jesus. Let's learn how to talk with Jesus.

If you want to be prepared for the future, for the next season, for what’s next, then you’ve got to think ahead.  As you think about your future, do you see red flags?  Are there signs of danger ahead?  Are there things that wise friends have pointed out that you need to give serious consideration?