Life Over Coffee

One hundred out of one hundred people struggle with the fear of man. Caring about what others think about us is part of our Adamic packaging. I have never counseled a person who did not struggle with this problem to some degree. Our secular community calls it co-dependency or peer pressure. It hardly matters as long as you can biblically define what is happening and apply God’s solutions. In this case study, I’m going to address fear in the context of marriage. Specifically, insecurity as the inhibitor that keeps a husband from leading his wife well. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-416-a-crippling-reason-why-a-husband-does-not-lead-his-wife/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Mable came to me, exclaiming, “I’m frustrated! I am always approaching my husband with my sin, asking for his forgiveness, but he seems never to see his need to ask me for forgiveness. Many times he won’t even bother to forgive me. What am I to do? How can I respond to him when he shows no interest in working with me through our problems?” Her complaint is not unusual in relationships, married or otherwise. Her situation is probably the norm because folks do not mature equally or at the same pace. Let me share with you what I told her, and, of course, you can apply these things to either gender, not just Biff. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/my-husband-never-asks-for-forgiveness-how-am-i-to-respond/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

There is an intrinsic nature to bitterness. The bitter person is like someone with a cup of poison. Each time they think about their problems, they take another sip. In most situations, the individual is not aware of what they are doing to themselves. It’s an unwitting form of self-sabotage. Perhaps they are aware, but the pain of their situation is so disappointing that they don’t care. From their painful perspective, it’s easier to grumble, complain, vent, and hurt. There is a better solution. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/bitterness-is-self-induced-poisoning-of-the-soul/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – Have you ever thought about how others think about you? I know you have because it’s a common impulse in all of us, though some folks overthink how they come across to others. It has too much control over their lives. What about you; what are your thoughts about God’s view of you? What do you think His opinion of you is? Did you know how you think God thinks about you is one of the most vital things you can think about? Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-415-how-does-god-see-you-and-why-does-it-matter/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

People ask me often for parenting advice. It’s a broad subject, and depending on the age of the children and a host of other factors, my response is always different. Sometimes I tell them what we did, not because we have figured things out or that there is a formula “out there” somewhere. There is not. If any of our children do well, it will be God’s grace. But if you were to ask me a few of the top things we taught our children, let’s start with these. Here are our top fifty things that we want our daughters to know. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/50-things-i-want-my-daughter-to-know/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

What would you say if you could share the top 50 things you would want your son to take into adulthood? If your son is young, you’re in a great spot to start teaching some of these things. If your son is in his teen years, ask the Father to give you the time, wisdom, and courage to share your heart with him. If your son is out of the home, it’s not too late to carry on what you’ve begun or build those relational bridges to communicate what’s vital to you to him. Here are the 50 things I shared with my son. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/50-things-i-want-my-son-to-know/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – There is an one-sided and perverse teaching that some Christians have pushed forward that wives should make themselves available for their husbands to keep them in the home, not looking for sex elsewhere. This perspective presumes the wife becomes the solution to a husband’s sexual desires and drive, plus the deterrent for extra-marital activity. Is this the proper way for a Christian woman to think about and respond to her husband? Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-414-must-wife-have-sex-with-her-husband-so-he-wont-stray/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

Shows Main Idea – Perhaps you have heard someone talk about father wounds or daddy issues. Typically, these descriptors fit within a "wounded theology construct." It's part of a materialistic anthropological worldview that veers from the teaching of Scripture. When we integrate the culture into our Christian perspectives, we always come away with a hybrid that is neither Christian nor secular. What are the complicated problems with wounded theology and victim identity? Show Notes: https://rickthomas.net/podcast/ep-413-the-problem-with-wounded-theology-and-victim-identity/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/

When mass shootings happen, many reasonable people stand on all sides of the gun control debate. Some folks want to limit the number of guns we have and how we use them. Others want to eliminate them altogether. Then there are those who want more freedom regarding firearms. The debate is ongoing, but it always intensifies when there is a murder. These shootings rip out our hearts as we try to comprehend what happened. It does not matter how many times you hear of it or how much violence you watch on television; when you hear a story about people killing people, the sadness overwhelms you. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/what-is-the-best-solution-for-the-gun-control-problem/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Sometimes the English language is inadequate for conveying our thoughts. Words always seem to fall short when there is a personal or national tragedy. Tragedies remind me of Job’s friends who made a wise choice in the beginning not to speak so quickly. Horrific events render our minds into something like a busy intersection in gridlock. Each time I hear of one, I mentally pause, reflect, and mourn. You do this too because we’re Christians. We care. We also want to prepare our hearts as we respond to terrible events. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/preparing-your-heart-for-tragedy-like-las-vegas-nv/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here https://rickthomas.net/donations/