Tag Archives: EEW Magazine

Raising Children of Virtue

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Photo courtesy of Sherwood Pictures Ministry, Inc. from the movie "Courageous"

My heart was simply thrilled when I saw “Courageous,” the new blockbuster Christian feature film that chronicles the lives of five men and their challenge to be courageous. Though this movie centers on men, the women and children in their lives learn just what courageous should look like by witnessing their husbands and fathers. Watching “Courageous” made me think of the seven qualities of a strong believer in 2 Peter 1 and how modeling may be our strongest weapon in helping our children achieve for themselves virtue, the first quality in the list.

The definition of virtue in 2 Peter 1:5 is “courage, fortitude, resolution” and many people, including youths, lack this. Though some are born with virtue, others aren’t, so this is something we must teach or cultivate in our children so they will stand firm on God’s word. They need virtue in our day where everything seems relative, children are largely indifferent and social media helps develop and destroy trends and friends with lightening speed. Read the rest at EEW Magazine.

Spiritual Life Insurance

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What Do You Think? Wednesday

She called me in desperation, wanting answers for why she does what she knows to be wrong and doesn’t do the right she knows she should do. This is an age-old question that you might remember the Apostle Paul wanted to know about himself (Romans 7:15-25). He asked “(W)ho shall deliver me from the body of this death?” In other words, “How can I live for God?” He concluded his self-dialogue with this: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” And Paul thanks God because he knows that our flesh and even our spirit apart from the power of the Holy Spirit (God the Spirit), which God the Father sent God the Son (Jesus) to this earth to leave with us, in us. We forget the Spirit of God lives in us and we can call on Him to help us live for God. Instead, we seek to follow a set of rules in our own will power (which so many strong black women try to do) and we fail because we don’t follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. And the Spirit leads us to what we need to add to our faith, those necessary components that strengthen our salvation walk. I believe many of us miss these areas that are pertinent to our spiritual growth. Read my latest column in EEW Magazine to read about these components and see how you can implement them in your own life as you teach to your children. Don’t forget to leave a comment below telling me what you think about the article and other ways we can leave our children spiritual life insurance.

Envy Drama

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What Do You Think? Wednesday

God has blessed me with some great girlfriends. I told you last week that I have friends I can call without hesitation and know they will rejoice with me when I rejoice. For the most part I have evaded the drama that some women friendships bring. There was one major exception to this when I was in college. I had a friend who decided she wanted my life. She stole my organizational ideas, copied my style of dress, flirted with my boyfriend and talked about me behind my back. You know I was in full blown strong black woman mode then so when she kissed my boyfriend as close to his mouth as she could without kissing him on his lips in front of me, you know I didn’t stand idly by. I didn’t hit her, but let’s just say she and most of campus knew that I thought she was an envious backstabber trying to snatch my life.

This Lifetime movie drama just doesn’t happen. More often than not, I believe, envy seeds get planted early in a girl’s life and without the proper tools to dig up the roots that take hold, these little girls grow up to be hateful, covetous women. Click here to read my latest EEW Magazine column about how we can help our children (and even ourselves) deal with envy. What have been your experiences with envy? How have you handled them? Yes, as always, I want to know, “What do you think?”

Parent Protector

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What Do You Think? Wednesday

“We formed a new religion: No sins as long as there’s permission and deception is the only felony…” from No Church in the Wild on “Watch the Throne” by Jay-Z and Kanye West

Before I married and had children, I never called myself a feminist, though I had many of her ways. Fifty-fifty is how some saw things, but I knew this was unrealistic. I knew I could not cast off my biological or physiological makeup to truly be equal to a man, but in the ways I could I was sure to try. After I got married, I didn’t mind being pregnant, but I was going to work my career, carry my children where I needed to make everything work. I certainly wasn’t going to be made to be “a keeper at home,” but juggling all my balls had me constantly calling on Jesus. The more I studied the word the more I understood my role as a keeper at home (Titus 2:5). And I found out that role is more than just staying at and keeping a home clean; it includes protecting my home from clearly unbiblical influences, like the song lyrics above.

I don’t care how Christians justify letting their children listen to Jay-Z, Kanye West and the like or say it’s unrealistic to tell them not to listen to their music. Anyone who would pen a lyric promoting a new religion to validate their sins is not welcome in my home. …Read the rest at EEW Magazine and let me know what you think.

Spanking: An Act of Love?

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What Do You Think? Wednesday

I was a novice as evidenced by the showdown that was approaching two hours. Now let me paint the picture for you.

On one side sat my weary girlfriend and me and on the other side was Joshua, slowly huffing and puffing with his head wet from sweat and tears. He was three and refusing to allow me to spank him for refusing, after two chances, to heed my direct command by flat out saying “No!”

I was at church during business hours so after the offense I led him to a private room to spank him. I wanted to discipline him with dignity, not with his flailing arms and legs and me wailing on him through any opening I could.

He refused to comply and I refused to fight him, but my attempt to restrain Joshua seemed to mirror the fight I wanted to avoid…. Read the rest in EEW Magazine and please tell me what you think.