New Life: Recent Episodes
New Life Live
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Sheri Keffer
RECORDING TODAY from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
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The post New Life Live: November 13, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: July 9, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. – Philippians 4:8
What sorts of things find their way into your heart and mind? If you’re exposing yourself to a constant barrage of ungodly words, music, or images, you’re not taking full responsibility for your life. You can fill your heart and mind with God’s Word, and when you do, you’ll create a defense against some of the evil messages the world so frequently sends your way.
The writer of Psalm 119 declared, “I have tried my best to find you don’t let me wander from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:10-11). “Hiding” God’s Word in your heart essentially means memorizing and meditating on the Bible. God uses his Word the Bible—to speak to you and show you how you ought to live.
You’ve been given the responsibility to guard your heart and to keep track of the things you hide inside it. So, what’s in there? Anger? Lust? Ugly images from TV, the movies, or the web? Are you harboring bitterness? Greed? Are you envious of others? If you’re struggling with these things maybe it’s because you have more of the world’s wisdom in your heart than the true wisdom of God.
Are you having a hard time finding God and following His commands? Hiding God’s word in your heart will foster spiritual growth by guarding against those things that hurt you and displease God. I love the words of the Psalmist when he said, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
– Steve Arterburn
The post Hiding God’s Word in Your Heart appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Compassion, Adult Children, Connection, Depression, Anxiety, Blended Families, Boundaries, Estrangement
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Chris Williams
Caller Questions & More:
- Chris Williams describes what a benevolent witness is and compares it to hosting.
- My 28yo son wants to lie about his address to get a job; how can I connect with him so he won’t pull back when I give him advice?
- I have depression and my 52yo daughter with MS lives with us; she has memory loss and isn’t taking care of herself. I don’t know what to do.
- What kind of boundaries should my husband put in place if he works with his son, but his son refuses to let us see the grandchildren?
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Changes That Heal
Healing Is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 20, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. – Hebrews 10:36
The Christian life is a journey where we get to exercise our faith and our obedience to God’s principles for living. There will be times when you grow weary, times when you want to throw in the towel. You’ll experience pain, fear, and every imaginable emotion. You’ll win some battles but lose others.
You may get discouraged at times when you don’t see the progress you’d like despite your diligence. But if you persevere through it all, you’ll honor God and find a life worth living.
The apostle Paul’s words to the young disciple, Timothy, tell us a thing or two about perseverance. “Endure suffering along with me,” said Paul, “as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. And as Christ’s soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army. Follow the Lord’s rules for doing his work, just as an athlete either follows the rules or is disqualified and wins no prize. Hardworking farmers are the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.” (2 Timothy 2:3-6)
Have you ever thought of yourself as a soldier? or as a trained and skilled athlete? Soldier’s and athletes are disciplined; no cheating and no cutting corners. And like farmers, you work, then wait patiently to reap the benefits of your labor.
– Steve Arterburn
It takes 20 years to make an overnight success. – Eddie Cantor
The post Being A Lifer appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Perseverance, Counseling, Adult Children, Blended Families, Childhood Trauma, Abandonment
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- Marc Cameron shares a story about a marathon runner, Cliff Young, and his example of perseverance.
- How do I know if I have the right counselor for what I need? My husband is verbally abusive, and my counselor told me he won’t change.
- My adult son moved home, and it triggers my husband who compares himself to my son; how do I help them?
- My dad walked out before I was 1yo and my stepdad did a lot of bad things to me; how do love others if I don’t know how to love myself? Call
- We are grieving the loss of five family members, and we all hurt each other; do you have any suggestions?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
Healing Is a Choice
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 19, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Habits, Anxiety, Christian Walk, Teens, Pornography, Aging Parents, Blended Families, Adult Children
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard
Caller Questions & More:
- Dr. Alice Benton shares how unfished tasks cause the Zeigarnik effect, and how that affects our brain.
- I’m almost 50yo, don’t know why I serve God, and wonder if God even loves me.
- What are some resources for my 16yo son who’s addicted to porn?
- My 88yo mom is being scammed in a romance scam; how do I get to her?
- My new wife said she’d take our whole family on a cruise except for my 31yo son and his girlfriend because she thinks he has ulterior motives.
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Understanding and Loving Your Child in a Screen Saturated World
Every Young Man’s Battle
Living Strong, Finishing Well
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 18, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins – Luke 5:24a
Many of us struggle with a sense of guilt that won’t go away, even after we’ve confessed our sin and know in our minds that we’re forgiven. It’s hard–sometimes too hard–to accept that God has forgiven us. When you ask God to forgive your sin, he does. The Bible says he removes your sin “as far as the East is from the West.” Do you know what that means? It means that the second time you ask forgiveness for a sin, God says, “What sin?” Because he already erased it from your record, forever.
Mistakes aren’t sources of shame in your life; they are avenues for grace. God’s grace is not reserved solely for our salvation. God gives his grace to us day in and day out.
Your weakness or failure shouldn’t disqualify you or discourage you from making an effort in the first place. Don’t think: If I try harder, I will never fail again. Instead, think: Even though failure’s a possibility, by God’s grace, I will go forward.
When you find yourself struggling with accepting God’s forgiveness, try this: Write a letter which says to your spouse, your children, or a good friend who struggles with not feeling forgiven. If you need some help, search the Bible . . . it’s full of stories and instruction on forgiveness. When you finish, read the letter to yourself, and ask the Holy Spirit to apply the truth of God’s promises to your heart.
– Steve Arterburn
Always forgive your enemies–nothing annoys them so much. – Oscar Wilde
The post Accepting Forgiveness appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Screens, Parenting, Sexual Integrity, Singles, Pleasers, Physical Abuse, Dating, Intimacy, Anger
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions & More:
- Dr. Alice Benton shares a few tips on screen use by modeling parental behavior.
- Should I think I might as well have sex even though I’m not married?
- I’m a pleaser and I’ve been verbally and physically abused by my husband; how can I trust and lean into my husband when he says I am the reason for his name-calling?
- What do I do if I’m 55yo, never married, and I don’t want to go to bars?
- My wife and I are like roommates, and I got angry at her after I had surgery; where do I go from here?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 17, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man unclean – Matthew 15:19-20a
Consumer statistics are hard to believe: 64% of young people, ages 13–24, actively seek out pornography weekly or more often. Porn sites receive more regular traffic than Netflix, Amazon, & Twitter combined each month and 35% of all internet downloads are porn-related.
Further still, adults who seek treatment for pornography addiction almost always attest to exposure during childhood. Whether these adults are involved in multiple affairs, self-gratification, or prostitution, they usually share the experience of getting started years earlier with what seemed to be harmless magazines containing nude photographs.
My point is this: if you have a teenager, he or she is a target for the pornography industry. Therefore, be observant of their behavior and prepared to take immediate action if pornography is discovered. If you discover evidence of porn usage, don’t simply take the child’s word that it was a one-time experience. In most cases, it’s the tip of the iceberg.
Adolescents caught up in this problem are usually much too ashamed to ask for help and too emotionally immature to realize there may be a problem. So even if your child has a history of honesty, it’s much wiser to at least consider that your child may be trying to hide a bigger problem. If you ignore the evidence, you may be ignoring you child’s subconscious attempt to get help.
– Steve Arterburn
Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt. – Mark Twain
The post Who Buys Pornography? appeared first on New Life.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you so you must love one another. By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another. – John 13:34–35
If we’re to love and serve our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers in the manner God desires, we must understand the following three things:
First, sacrifice doesn’t mean giving that other person everything he or she wants. But it does mean you consider the other person’s thoughts and concerns equally alongside yours; in the same way the white stripe is expressed equally with the red on a candy cane. You can’t tell if it’s red with a white stripe or white with red.
Second, sacrifice is more than taking another’s thoughts into consideration. It’s taking those thoughts and putting them into play with as much emphasis and care as you give your own thoughts–even if the thought processes of that other person may not make sense to you.
Third, you must develop your own style of carrying out this sacrificial love—a style that’s customized to the character and needs of your relationship. You may not always agree with the other person. That’s fine. Agreement is nearly as important as the way of coming to an agreement. You are different people, and even siblings brought up in the same home with the same parents and surroundings come up with different opinions and answers to life. But, the use of the servant mind-set must always be consistent among all of us if we wish to love others as ourselves.
– Steve Arterburn
We make a living at what we get, we make a life by what we give. – Winston Churchill
The post Sacrificial Love appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Teens, Sexual Integrity, Adult Children, Alcohol, Intervention, Marijuana, ADD
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West
Caller Questions & More:
- JJ West asks, “What does the soil of my life look like? Would I survive a dry season?”
- My niece is asking what to do about her 14yo son who masturbates loudly.
- My 53yo married son thinks because he doesn’t drink, he’s not affected by his father’s alcoholism. What can I do?
- Am I out of bounds suggesting a family intervention to confront my brother-in-law and nephew about their drinking and marijuana?
- How do I get my married adult son to get help for his undiagnosed ADD?
Suggested Resources:
Understanding and Loving Your Child in a Screen-Saturated World
Every Young Man’s Battle
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Understanding and Loving a Person with ADD
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 14, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. – Ephesians 5:33
Pastors often preach about the woman depicted in Proverbs 31 as what a wife should be. Godly, faithful, diligent, virtuous—she’s the entire package. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard a sermon on what the husband of that woman must’ve been like. And I could stand to learn a few things from him—and probably some of you could too.
Look closely at Proverbs 31. The character and accomplishments of the wife imply many things about the husband standing silently in the background. He must’ve granted her a great deal of latitude to make important decisions about the home and the family budget. Furthermore, he must’ve encouraged and respected her—two ingredients crucial to her operation of the thriving business discussed in the Proverb.
If a wife is to be free to succeed in her multifaceted role, the husband must hear, respect, and support her. Otherwise, her gifts will be blocked, and she won’t be the woman God called her to be.
Husbands and wives complement one another’s weaknesses. It’s ultimately, God’s way of blessing each of you! The only things Proverbs 31 does say about the husband is that he’s respected at the city gate, and that he rises to call his wife blessed.
– Steve Arterburn
Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success. – Henry Ford
The post Proverbs 31 Husband appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Suicide, Emotional Abuse, Isolation, Communication, Intimacy, Counseling
Hosts: Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions & More:
- You partnered with God to pull Glen from death last week; I’ll find a way to support you!
- Is there a connection between the trauma from my abusive marriage of 20yrs and me shunning people?
- All my husband does is play sports and I feel like I’m his mom because all I do is clean his clothes.
- What’s the difference between emotionally focused therapy vs. the Gottman method for married couples?
Suggested Resources:
Healing Is a Choice
How We Love
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 13, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. – Proverbs 1:5
As its founder, I’ve participated in several focus groups, surveys, and brainstorming sessions associated with the Women of Faith Conferences. Their objective? To identify and address areas where women felt they needed help becoming all God desires of them.
Perhaps the most common theme is that women need to “find their voices.” In other words, Christian women today must discover who they are in Jesus Christ, and express that in their lives in such a way that glorifies God.
One of the reasons so many women need this kind of help is that so many men pressure and push women to be silent—to neglect their voice. Sadly, many men secure their own position by stifling or ignoring the identity, and unique gifting of women. Consequently, many women sense that their role is perceived as insignificant; they feel that their voice isn’t recognized, valued, or welcomed.
It’s the challenge of every man to help the woman in his life find her voice, and then, be respectful and receptive when that voice speaks. Men, I challenge each of you: guard the voice God’s given to the woman in your life, whether it’s your wife, your daughter, your sister or your mother. Stop and listen to her.
– Steve Arterburn
Before God we are all equally wise–and equally foolish. It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. – Albert Einstein
The post Finding Their Voices appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Caregiving, Betrayal, Fear, Failure, Drug Addiction, Grief, Life Change
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Chris Williams
Caller Questions & More:
- Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris shares about the struggles of being a caregiver for a spouse or family member.
- I went to Restore and am still struggling; how do I process this without looking at every guy as a pervert?
- Why does trying to overcome the fear of people and failure bring about physical pain in my body?
- How can I help my 20yo daughter and my husband who are still using drugs?
- My husband had a brain injury and I was his caregiver until he passed 4yrs ago. Then I experienced a huge void from his loss.
Suggested Resources:
Intimate Deception
100 Days To Freedom from Fear and Anxiety
Take Your Life Back
100 Days of Prayer
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 12, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord. – Leviticus 18:6
I’ll never forget the night I was listening to Chuck Swindoll address about ten thousand Christians. Right in the middle of his message, I heard a
statement that virtually sucked the air right out of the room.
He proclaimed, “I know some of you are having sex with your children. And I’m telling you to stop it. I’m asking you to stop it. You must consider the impact on your child. You must stop having sex with your children.”
Why on earth would he say that? Because he was the pastor of a church and heard the confessions of people who’d been involved in incestuous relationships.
It is reported that the trauma of child abuse actually rewires parts of the brain in both function and structure. The effects are quite serious. The abnormalities can last right through adulthood, leaving the victim with such problems as aggression, poor emotional control, memory and attention disorders, and serious mood and personality disorders.
The nature of this sin is such that all of us would rather leave it in silence. But we simply cannot. Therefore, I repeat what Chuck Swindoll said that night: “You must stop having sex with your children.” And I would add, “I beg you to get the help you need.”
– Steve Arterburn
If you’re headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns. – Unknown Author
The post A Sober Request appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Alcohol, Sex Addiction, Adult Children, Trust, Schizophrenia, Bipolar, Making Decisions, Aging Parents, Suicide
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West
Caller Questions & More:
- Dr. Jill Hubbard shares insights from Dr. Dave Stoop.
- I’m a functioning alcoholic and a sexual addict, and I’m starting a Celebrate Recovery 12-step group. What other resources can help?
- My adult son has been accused by his ex-wife of abusing their kids, and he could end up in jail for 10yrs. How do we help him trust people again?
- I was diagnosed with schizoaffective and bipolar disorders. Is it realistic for me to get a commercial driver’s license so I can drive a truck? Where do I go from here?
- My elderly mom has terminal cancer, lives alone, and has requested End of Life euthanasia; is it biblical for her to take her own life?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Workbook
Healing Is a Choice
Take Your Life Back
Living Strong, Finishing Well
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 11, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. – James 4:10
Marital adjustment is a simple matter. Before marriage, you command your ship of life based upon the personal convictions of one person–you. After marriage you board the USS Matrimony. You are now dealing with the personal convictions of two people. It’s something you must quickly learn to deal with.
Humility is essential to create and maintain unity on board. It requires a mind-set that honors your partner.
So, what’s riding on this? Quite a lot–namely, oneness and intimacy. If you learn the art of servant-leadership, the sailing on the USS Matrimony will be much smoother.
Yes, you may have a compliant spouse who’ll tolerate your less than humble ways. But in such cases, outer calmness is usually the result of an inner deadness in the marital relationship, not oneness and intimacy.
Without a humble spirit and a willingness to serve one another, you may have peace, you may have marital longevity, and you may even appear to have a marriage made in heaven. But you won’t have a relationship based on intimacy, there will be road-side wounded, if not casualties, along the way.
I can’t urge you strongly enough in your marriage to commit yourselves to a life of humbly serving your spouse.
– Steve Arterburn
Marriage is a book of which the first chapter is written in poetry and the remaining chapters in prose. – Beverly Nichols
The post USS Matrimony appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Social Media, Parenting, Church Life, Betrayal, Father Issues, Grief, Same-Sex Attraction
Hosts: Marc Cameron, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard
Caller Questions & More:
- Dr. Alice Benton asks, “Do we allow our children enough physical freedom and too much digital freedom?”
- Is it wrong to leave my church and go to another church that feels more comfortable?
- Why did I marry two men who betrayed me even though I loved them deeply and thought they would be loving? My father was abusive and neglectful.
- My friend’s 21yo son died from blood cancer and now my friend is going onto social media and saying mean things about his son’s ex-girlfriend.
- Are gay pride events supporting people who are exercising their right to be rebellious? I have good friends in the lifestyle.
Suggested Resources:
Understanding and Loving Your Child in a Screen-Saturated World
Intimate Deception
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 10, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
But if serving the Lord seems undesireable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:15
Let’s be honest: most of our family trees aren’t very pretty. In fact, for most of us, those branches are filled with adultery, pornography, divorce, substance abuse, addiction, physical violence, and more. And even if your family hasn’t been affected by one of these, your family history hasn’t failed to affect you in one way or another.
At some point, then, every man must decide: will I purify my branch of the family tree, or will I allow this poison to seep through to another generation?
Purifying your branch of the family tree begins with driving a stake into the ground with the decision that you and your family will follow Him.
When you do this, you transition your family from a pattern of sickness to the possibility of living for God. For generations to come, people will look at your family tree and see that under your leadership, life was influenced for good rather than for evil.
Going against the trends of past generations isn’t easy to do. But it’s worth the effort to blaze a new path—a path that’s honorable; a path that’s worth following; and a path that will show God’s grace and goodness to future generations.
– Steve Arterburn
One must live the way one thinks or end up thinking the way one has lived. – Paul Bourget
The post Purifying Your Branch appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Suicide, Hope, Emotional Affairs, Adult Children, Boundaries, Estrangement, Blended Families
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Alice Benton
Caller Questions & More:
- Dr. Sheri Keffer reflected on the powerful suicidal call on June 5.
- My husband had an emotional affair but doesn’t seem to be getting any better; what caused my husband to sneak around with a woman for 10yrs?
- My daughter lives with me and has brought a 45yo man to squat in my house; what should I do? My granddaughter also lives here.
- I’ve been married 40yrs, and my husband hasn’t talked to my son for years; should I reach out to my son and ask him to make amends?
- I wanted to thank New Life for the Emotional Freedom Intensive last weekend.
Suggested Resources:
Intimate Deception
Take Your Life Back
How We Love
Healing Is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 7, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. – Luke 11:4
Corrie ten Boom, one of the twentieth century’s great Christian spokespersons, lost her sister and father in the Nazi death camps of World War II, and she barely escaped with her own life.
Years after the war, she began speaking on the subject of forgiveness. After one address in Munich, a former S.S. man who brutalized and humiliated Corrie while she was in prison approached her as the church was emptying. Beaming with joy, he said, “How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein. To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!”
He extended his hand to her. She was frozen, trying to smile as angry, vengeful thoughts boiled inside her. Breathing a silent prayer and acting in sheer obedience, she finally managed to take the man’s hand. She recalls what happened next like this:
“As I took his hand in mine the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me. And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on Christ’s. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, with the command, the love itself.”
Whenever forgiveness seems impossible, remember this: Jesus Christ lives in you, and He can do what you cannot.
– Steve Arterburn
Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note, torn in two, and burned up so that it never can be shown against one. – Henry Ward Beecher
The post Forgiving Seems Impossible appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Neighbors, Drug Addiction, Adult Children, Affairs, Verbal Abuse, Newlyweds, Anxiety
Hosts: Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West
Caller Questions & More:
- Dr. Jill Hubbard shares about Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself.
- I stopped using drugs 28yrs ago but still struggle with feeling unworthy.
- My son is a recovering addict and has left his wife and children to be with a woman who is an addict; how do I deal with this woman?
- I struggle with loving and respecting my husband who is verbally abusive.
- I’ve been married 2mos to a man in recovery 5mos, but I have a lot of anxiety over his tobacco and caffeine habits; how do I navigate my marriage?
Suggested Resources:
Forgiving What You’ll Never Forget
Boundaries
Worthy of Her Trust
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 6, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 21, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Showing respect to the LORD will make you wise, and being humble will bring honor to you. – Proverbs 15:33
The civic leaders of Burlington, Colorado, could not find a doctor to settle in their rural area. They didn’t want to rely on the federal government for help. Then Harold McArthur (Farm Implement Dealer), age eighty-two, came up with an idea. “I’ve been lucky,” he told them, talking about his farming equipment dealership. “I’ve made a pot full of money . . . I like this idea so much I’ll pay for it myself.”
McArthur was willing to finance medical school tuition and books for two Burlington High School graduates who would promise to stay in the area after completing their education. McArthur, who came from a low-income family of twelve, was thrilled with the two prospective doctors. Sacramento Pimentel and James Perez were born in Mexico to migrant workers, and both had worked in the field with their families.
Colorado State University awarded the young men undergraduate scholarships, and once they were ready for their graduate program, McArthur stepped in with his aid. The two young men agreed on a handshake to keep their part of the bargain by staying in the area. And Harold McArthur promised to see that the two young men were prepared to serve their communities as physicians—a commitment acted out in the power of good faith.
Is it really possible to do business on a handshake in this litigation-mad world? Sometimes men and women are inclined to promise the moon, their selfish motives masked by flippant vows and quickly forgotten reassurances. God expects better things of His children. As we represent Him in this world, our personal integrity becomes a treasure we offer to others. Our word, like His, becomes trustworthy. Our name comes to represent honesty and truth. God never breaks His promises to us! He expects us to keep the same faith with one another.
– Steve Arterburn
I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have. – Abraham Lincoln
The post Integrity appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Career, Christian Walk, Father Issues, Boundaries, Blended Families, Home Disorder, Dating
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions & More:
- Marc Cameron shares about The Weekend Conflict.
- Should I stop taking secular classes for my Master’s in Psychology and pursue biblical counseling instead?
- My husband thinks I respect my father more than him; how do I set boundaries with my father and not hurt his feelings?
- Do I have to go to my husband’s grandson’s birthday party? I don’t want to see his two ex-wives.
- Our dear pastor’s parsonage is always unkempt and now they have chickens; why is his family so messy?
- How do I move forward if the man I’ve been seeing has backed off? I’m an 80yo widow and don’t want to seem desperate.
Suggested Resources:
Changes That Heal
How We Love
100 Days of Peace
Is This The One
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 20, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. – Luke 1:11-12
Fear is an interesting emotion. The more we give in to being afraid, the more afraid we tend to become.
When Zechariah saw an angel, his reaction was the same as Mary’s reaction when an angel visited her. Both were overwhelmed with fear. But in each case, the angel’s message to them was, “Don’t be afraid” (Luke 1:13, 30). God does not want his people to live in fear!
Often, when we give our lives away to the seeming needs of others, our basic motivation is fear. We are afraid to be ourselves and afraid of others’ reactions. (If you struggle with such feelings, know that you are not alone.) God provides what we need to live beyond these fears: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
Notice that Paul states this to his protégé, Timothy, as something that has already happened. God has given us power. If we’re still living in fear, we simply haven’t chosen to receive this gift.
Ask Yourself
Describe a typical situation in which you feel fear. How could you move against that fear?
Memorize 2 Timothy 1:7 and repeat it to yourself whenever you are faced with a fearful situation.
Ask God
God of power and love, thank you for your gift of power, love, and self-discipline. Help me to trust you and face fearful situations in your power. Help me to hear your voice saying to me, “Don’t be afraid.”
Taken from Take Your Life Back Day by Day copyright © 2016 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Living Past Fear appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Self Care, Highly Sensitive People, Intimacy, Empty Nest, Procrastination, Depression, Counseling, Suicide, Adult Children
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Alice Benton
Caller Questions:
- Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris shares about Self Care (how to love and accept yourself and lower comparison).
- I am an extreme empath and get overstimulated around people; do you have any tips for upcoming events?
- After three kids, my wife and I have not been intimate for 16yrs.
- What can I do for my struggling son who started procrastinating? His adult kids are transitioning out of the house.
- Why did my church stop my counseling and not tell me why? They told me to find an outside therapist.
- I have held so tightly to God’s promises for my children; how do I grieve my son’s suicide?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
Understanding and Loving a Person with Depression
Healing Is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 17, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
When we’re caught up in our addiction, it’s common for us to deceive ourselves with grandiose thinking. We may believe that we’re above it all, a god unto ourselves, accountable to no one.
In his day, Nebuchadnezzar, king of ancient Babylon, was the most powerful ruler on earth. He believed himself to be a god and demanded worship as such. God said to him, “The Most High has declared . . . (that) you will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals . . . until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses” (Daniel 4:24-25).
All this happened just as predicted. At the end of the king’s time in exile, he said, “I . . . looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. . . . When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom . . . with even greater honor than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud” (Daniel 4:34, 36-37).
We must remember that we are not God. We’re accountable to a higher Power who can remedy our “madness” and restore our lives to be even better than before our season of insanity.
God is not going to shape our lives until we acknowledge him as God.
Taken from The Life Recovery Devotional copyright © 1991 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Grandiose Thinking appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Boundaries, Drug Addiction, Divorce, Forgiveness, Affairs, Same-Sex Attraction, Parenting
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West
Caller Questions & More:
- Dr. Jill Hubbard shares about Travel and Adventure (a perspective change that a time away can provide).
- When is it time to take care of me instead of my brother with a severe crack addiction?
- I’m going through a divorce but want to have a friendship with my ex to help my children and grandchildren get through it; how do I forgive him?
- I just found out my cousin was unfaithful to her husband and that they are now separated; is it okay if I talk to her since she cut off contact with her siblings?
- How do we navigate our 17yo daughter being attracted to a female?
Suggested Resources:
Boundaries
Understanding and Loving a Person with Alcohol or Drug Addiction
Forgiving What You’ll Never Forget
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 16, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. – Hebrews 11:1
I’m convinced that life without risk isn’t much of a life. There’s a certain comfort in predictability. But it’s the kind of comfort you don’t find when you’re moving and growing. It’s the comfort you find in hibernation.
If you’ve followed sports or been around athletes, you know that an athlete regularly stretches his muscles to the point where they burn. Otherwise these muscles become inflexible, unresponsive, and easily fatigued. The same is true with your soul. It must be regularly stretched. Failure to do so gives you comfort in the short term, but ultimately leaves you emotionally and spiritually unfit.
Connecting, loving, and pursuing dreams, all require risk and energy! Yes, you’ll be stretched to the point of discomfort. Yes, you may experience some hurt and disappointment. But these are far better alternatives than the loneliness, boredom, and quiet desperation that accompany a life without risk.
– Steve Arterburn
You’ve got to go out on a limb sometimes because that’s where the fruit is. – Will Rogers
The post Risk-Taking appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 15, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
A wise friend once said to me, “If you give your kids only what they deserve, you will rob them of a healthy life. Don’t give them what they deserve; give them what they need. Just like Jesus does for us!”
Jesus doesn’t respond to us based on what we deserve to get. He responds based on what we need. He provides for our needs even though we are undeserving. He died for us while we were still in rebellion against him. He allows us to grow. He doesn’t force us to clean up our act before he comes into our lives. He meets our needs and gives us the grace and the space to grow.
When I thought about how difficult it was to see my young daughter Madeline develop some troubling characteristics, even belligerence and rebellion, I suddenly saw the parallel with our Father God and all of his children. Every one of us is rebellious. We pout. We shout “No!” in our spirits. We sneak around doing what we know we ought not to do. And yet he accepts us wherever we are. He refuses to abandon us or give us what we so richly deserve; he pours great rivers of (amazing) grace into our lives. As David marveled,
He does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. (Psalm 103:10-13)
Thinking about the grace of God will help you become a grace giver to your children. Their imperfections help you to see your own. Accepting them as they are helps you to taste the wonder of how God accepts you as you are.
Excerpted from “More Jesus, Less Religion” by Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton
See Also: Purposeful Parenting
The post Parenting With Grace appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 14, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
. . . I gave you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. – 1 Timothy 1:18-19
Jesus Christ calls his followers to be in the world but not of the world. What does this mean? One famous preacher explained it using an analogy of a ship in the ocean.
What’s a ship designed to do? Sail upon the ocean. That’s its element. That’s precisely where it thrives. The same should be true for Christians in the world. God equips and empowers us to love our neighbors, care for our home and our possessions, and develop culture. We’re to be the world’s salt and light!
Now let’s return to the ship analogy for a moment. What happens if the ocean gets into the ship? Disaster. Destruction. The ship sinks. The same is true for Christians with regard to the world. If the world’s values and allegiances penetrate you, you’ll become hopelessly confused, contradicted, and compromised.
Set sail, but keep your ship in shape by staying close to God. Read His word. Become a disciple. Spend time with others who believe. You need to be in the world . . . not of it.
– Steve Arterburn
I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship. – Louisa May Alcott
The post Navigating the World appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 13, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin. – Romans 4:8
As we make our way through this life, a great deal of information follows us: birth records, academic information, medical history, driving record, work history, tax information, credit history, and so on. If all that information were good, no one would mind having it recorded. It’s the negative information we have a problem with. We would prefer to keep it hidden or, better yet, have it erased. But have you ever tried to have a piece of negative information deleted from your records? Even if it’s erroneous, getting it removed can be extremely difficult. It can follow you around, accusing you, for the rest of your life.
With that in mind, look again at what Jesus did to clear the record of your sin. Had he chosen not to die on the cross, your failures would have followed you around for eternity, and your sin would have separated you from God forever. Instead, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, all record of your sin has been wiped clean. You can now stand holy and blameless before the Lord as though you had never sinned. It’s that fresh start that ultimately makes it possible for you to take your life back!
Ask Yourself
Do you typically give much thought to the magnitude of what Jesus did for you on the cross? Why or why not?
In what ways can a new appreciation of your clean record with God help you move toward health and recovery?
Ask God
Dear Jesus, you have cleared all record of my sins and have given me a new start, and that is something I never wish to take for granted. Keep me mindful of how blessed I truly am.
Taken from Take Your Life Back Day by Day copyright © 2016 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Setting the Record Straight appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grandparenting, Eating Disorders, Teens, Christian Walk, Engagement, Enmeshment, Difficult Conversations, Self-Worth
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris shares how We Can Do All Things Through Christ.
- My 12yo grandson has a serious eating disorder and my son won’t talk to me anymore.
- When it comes to tithing, are we under the New Covenant or Old Covenant?
- How can I approach the conversation with my fiancée that I am scared she is enmeshed with her parents and I won’t be a priority?
- Do you have any suggestions if I start to shake and feel numb when people ask personal things about me?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love Our Kids
Healing Is a Choice
Changes That Heal
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 10, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
We admitted that we were powerless over our dependencies and that our lives had become unmanageable.
When the bottom falls out of our world, we grapple with confusion. We try to understand what is happening and why it’s happening to us. Is it our fault? What did we do wrong? We look for someone to blame. We search for meaning in the madness. We stagger in our attempt to make some sense of it all.
After the destruction of Jerusalem the prophet Jeremiah poured out his heart to God. He described the horrifying conditions that fell upon the people he loved. He cried out, “Our ancestors sinned, but they have died—and we are suffering the punishment they deserved! . . . The garlands have fallen from our heads. . . . But Lord, you remain the same forever! Your throne continues from generation to generation. Why do you continue to forget us? Why have you abandoned us for so long? Restore us, O Lord, and bring us back to you again! Give us back the joys we once had! Or have you utterly rejected us? Are you angry with us still?” (Lamentations 5:7, 16, 19-22).
Even this great prophet of God was often powerless to understand the meaning of the troubling events in his life. Whose fault was it? Why did this have to happen to us and our loved ones? When we are powerless to understand, it is wise to follow Jeremiah’s example and turn to God. God is always there. He understands when we can’t. He has promised that “he will listen to the prayers of the destitute” (Psalm 102:17).
Though we can’t always understand the events of life, we can know that God does.
Taken from The Life Recovery Devotional copyright © 1991 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Powerless to Understand appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Avoiders, Finances, Christian Walk, Gambling, Sexual Abuse, Same-Sex Attraction, Secrets
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West
Caller Questions:
- Dr. Jill Hubbard shares about Pathological Demand Avoidance.
- What’s going on with my life at 57yo? It seems like the harder I work, the more things go wrong.
- Should I go out of town if I feel shame for my gambling addiction and don’t want to run into people I know?
- My niece told us her 2yo daughter was molested by a family member; how will it affect her for the rest of her life?
- My family is fighting because my granddaughter married a woman, and a cousin’s fiancé refused to go. Should they go to his wedding?
- My husband has been financially abusive and secretive about it; what is my responsibility?
Suggested Resources:
You Are What You Think
Life Recovery Bible
How We Love Our Kids
100 Days of Peace
Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 9, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43:19
When asked to reveal his secret for staying married for well over half a century, Billy Graham gave a simple, yet somewhat paradoxical answer: “Ruth and I are happily incompatible.”
That’s a great answer to questions everyone inevitably asks themselves at some point during marriage: “How can I stay married to this person?” And, “Did I marry the wrong person?”
But that, “Did I marry the wrong person?” question is a dangerous one. Why? Because it’s framed completely wrong. And wrongly framed questions twist the issue and therefore elicit wrong answers. Furthermore, the question is based upon a serious misunderstanding of marriage itself. And misunderstandings create a fertile field for myths, myths that have the potential to damage your marriage.
When you married (or when you marry) you made a commitment to do certain things, like love, honor & cherish. There weren’t any “out” clauses in case the person wasn’t the right person for you.
Learn to be happily incompatible.
– Steve Arterburn
There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends. – Homer (8th century)
The post Happily Incompatible appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Character, Intimacy, Betrayal, Counseling, Adult Children, ADD, Pregnancy, Sexual Integrity
Hosts: Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions & More:
- Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris shares about Knowing Our Values.
- If my 12yr marriage has never been consummated, do I have grounds for a divorce?
- What type of therapy works best for betrayal trauma?
- How can I deal with my adult daughter who blames me for encouraging her to stay in a college degree she didn’t like?
- My 40yo daughter found out she has ADD and is pregnant; are there meds she can take?
- My partner of 7yrs sends nude pictures to women online and then runs home to his mom when he gets caught.
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
Every Woman’s Bible
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Intimate Deception
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 8, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 18:4
I recently heard a story about a couple who brought their two kids with them on a Saturday run to a hardware store. Mom went in one direction and Dad took the kids in another. For just a minute Dad wasn’t paying attention to the kids, he was preoccupied looking at some of the plumbing hardware he came to buy. When he turned around, he was stunned. His daughter was climbing off a display toilet and his son was pulling his pants down to take his turn.
What in the world was Dad suppose to do now? Well, he did what most of us would’ve done, he grabbed the kids, found mom as quick as he could, and laughed the whole way home. And wouldn’t you know, the next time they visited that store, the toilet seats were all taped down.
If you have kids, you know they can be hilarious, embarrassing, tender, and incredibly challenging. And as God’s children, I sometime wonder if he doesn’t feel the same way about us.
– Steve Arterburn
When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they’re finished, I climb out. – Erma Bombeck
The post The Adventures of Parenting appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Addictions, Surrender, Aging Parents, Affairs, Remarriage, Christian Walk, Suicide, Chronic Illness
Hosts: Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron, JJ West
Caller Questions:
- JJ West shares about The Serenity Prayer and Unexpected Disappointment.
- How do I deal with my elderly father who says he will no longer want to live after his significant other dies?
- I struggle with flashbacks from discovering my husband had an affair for several decades; how do I move on? How do I get him to understand my emotions?
- My previous pastor taught that getting divorced and remarried is adultery; is my marriage to my 2nd wife going to keep us out of heaven?
- How do I handle my 69yo husband thinking of stopping his kidney dialysis? It seems like it’s a suicide wish.
Suggested Resources:
Living Strong, Finishing Well
Worthy of Her Trust
100 Days To Freedom from Fear and Anxiety
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 7, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
We often find it difficult to be content with what we’ve been given don’t we? How often do you compare yourself with others, whether it’s your job, your spouse, your child’s performance, your looks, or even your talent, and find yourself falling short? Comparison produces discontentment. It results in blaming God for not providing what He presumably should, and life becomes an ongoing struggle of the discontented heart. And friends, this isn’t the sort of struggle that lessens with age.
The truth is, contentment doesn’t come from what you have. It comes from a heart change, a change of mind-set, and a willing choice. Only a transformation of mind, emotions, and will can bring about real and lasting contentment in your heart. And only a personal encounter with the living God can bring about this kind of transformation.
When God gets hold of a person, that person becomes a new creature. He or she finds refuge in the Lord of all wisdom and kindness, and recognizes God’s provision is sufficient. That person learns to trust that the Lord knows exactly what His children need and cares about their every desire. That person comes to own by faith the magnificent message of Psalm 139: the One who knows you best, loves you most. Is this the direction you’re moving, friend? I pray it is.
But these are lessons that aren’t always learned easily. What new creature comes forth without a few birth pangs? What profound lessons are mastered without frustrations and setbacks?
Consider the patriarch Jacob. His life was an exercise in deception, disappointment, and discontentment, until he wrestled with the Lord one fateful night on the bank of the Jabbok River. Daybreak found Jacob a new person; a father to the nations; a man on a mission from the Lord. Jacob’s life took on purpose that transcended discontentment. Hebrews 11:21 comments, ‘By faith Jacob, when he was dying . . . worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff.‘ In a foreign land, weak with age, and well acquainted with heartache, Jacob died content in the Lord.
In his book The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Jeremiah Burroughs said, “Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.” You’re content when at peace with, submitted to, and happy in God. So please don’t shy away from struggling with God over the discontentment in your life. Your struggle may not look the same as Jacob’s, but each of us must walk the same path: discontentment, struggle, an encounter with God, a new identity, and contentment. Whatever shape your night on the Jabbok may take, being mastered by God is far sweeter than being ruled by worry and disappointment.
Excerpted from “Being God’s Man by Finding Contentment” by Stephen Arterburn
The post Contentment appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Anxiety, Intimacy, Sex Addiction, Boundaries, Vacillators, Scams
Hosts: Marc Cameron, Dr. Alice Benton, JJ West
Caller Questions & More:
- Dr. Alice Benton shares about Separation Anxiety Disorder.
- How do I understand my emotions so I can love my wife how she needs to be loved? We had an argument last night.
- My nephew struggles with sex addiction; what are my boundaries with letting him come into my home?
- Have you ever heard of a pattern where someone starts a fight to make up? My friend’s wife does this.
- What are some steps I can take to help my 75yo friend who is being catfished?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
100 Days To Freedom from Anger
Worthy of Her Trust
Every Woman’s Bible
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 6, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. – Exodus 3:2
There was Moses, standing in the very presence of God. The experience was so real that he had to cover his face. He knew without a doubt that God was speaking to him. And yet when God told him to go to Egypt and help his people, Moses actually argued. He couldn’t believe God was choosing him.
We like to think that if we experienced something tangible and miraculous like a burning bush, we would never doubt God again. But the truth is that even those who witness amazing miracles can have trouble believing. We need to hear again what Jesus said to Thomas after the Resurrection: “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:29).
To take our lives back, we really don’t need a burning bush. What we need is the courage to act on our faith even when we’re not completely sure. And our loving God, who supplies us with everything we need, will take it from there.
Ask Yourself
Why do you think people so often wish for a sign from God but then struggle with belief even if they get one?
What does it mean to “believe without seeing“? Where does that kind of faith come from?
Ask God
Lord, so many people didn’t believe even when they saw you do miracles. I confess that I have often been indifferent to your presence in my life. I don’t want to be like that. I believe—help my unbelief.
Taken from Take Your Life Back Day by Day copyright © 2016 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Believe Without Seeing appeared first on New Life.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. – Colossians 3:15
We live in a day and age where too many people are convinced that they are entitled. Consequently, thankfulness seems a lost—nearly extinct—art. Yet while culture hasn’t helped us in this department, the problem’s much deeper. It’s rooted in our fallen hearts.
Warren Wiersbe illustrated this in his commentary on the book of Colossians where he tells the story of a ship that ran aground on the shore of Lake Michigan in 1860. Witnessing this from land, Edward Spencer, a young ministerial student, plunged himself time and again into the frigid waters to pull seventeen desperate passengers from certain death.
But those lives weren’t saved without cost. Edward’s repeated plunges into the icy lake permanently damaged the young man’s health. Some years later, at Edward’s funeral, it was noted that not one of those seventeen people snatched from death that day ever bothered to thank him.
Who do you need to thank today?
– Steve Arterburn
Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown by acts. – Henri Frederic Amiel
The post Edward Spencer, Unsung Hero appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 1, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10
In my youth I struggled with deep feelings of inadequacy even though I was gifted in many ways. Inadequacy plus giftedness was a deadly combination. It kept me from discipline and repentance, and it left me feeling that I constantly had to perform.
I could succeed without a great deal of effort. I was the starting fullback on the football team, and in church I could knock the congregation out of the pews with my hard-driving solos. In school, I could get A’s without cracking a book; plus I was a natural comedian. People expected me to do great things.
But in those rootless early adult years, I soon discovered that I lacked what was necessary for real success—discipline and character. And real discipline and character are rooted in what we learn in the Bible, in the Old Testament stories, in the life of Christ, in the stories of the early years of the church found in the New Testament. Get grounded in the Word and you’ll develop Godly discipline and character.
– Steve Arterburn
Character, not circumstance, makes the person. – Booker T. Washington
The post Building Character appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Affairs, Divorce, Adult Children, Estrangement, Bipolar, Teens, Grandparenting, Boundaries, Self-Harm, Intimacy
Hosts: Marc Cameron, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- My wife had affairs and then turned my sons against me when she divorced me. Since she passed away and my sons think she’s a saint, how do I reconnect with them?
- I’m almost 70yo and bipolar and have done ECT, but the doctor I saw wants to do light therapy and neurotherapy; are these legitimate therapies?
- After my 13yo granddaughter’s parents told her to limit time with her friends who are not a good influence, she took a bunch of pills; what do you recommend?
- My husband and I haven’t had sex in 2yrs, and I struggle with the temptation to masturbate. What hope is there for a woman in a sexless marriage?
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Every Woman’s Bible
How We Love Our Kids
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 30, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:13
In March 2006, the Harvard Business Review published an article regarding the findings of a survey of 7,700 American workers at mid-career. What did they find? Among other things, they found a fair bit of fatigue and frustration. Only 43% of people surveyed said they were passionate about their jobs. Only 33% feel energized by their work. By way of contrast, 36% say they’re in dead-end jobs, and over 40% are suffering from career burnout.
In what category of people would you find yourself? I hope you’re among those passionate and energized by your career. But if you’re not, you’re clearly not alone. Nevertheless, it’s a problem that I think deserves your careful consideration. God’s image isn’t best reflected in a person tarnished by frustration and discontent.
If you’re unhappy in your career, take a good look to determine the root of your dissatisfaction. Sometimes it’s something we can’t do anything about; but sometimes we make it worse than it is with our sorry attitude.
So, look at what you can change . . . especially your attitude, and take steps to make it better!
– Steve Arterburn
Those who have easy, cheerful attitudes tend to be happier than those with less pleasant temperaments, regardless of money, making it, or success. – Dr. Joyce Brothers
The post Mid-Career Check-Up appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Marc Cameron, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 29, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Guilt, Adult Children, Aging Parents, End of Life, Caregiving, Christian Walk, Grief, Childhood Trauma
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- Am I experiencing true guilt or false guilt after my son with mental illness ran away from his group home?
- We moved my 92yo mother to a care facility with a shared room. What can I say when she says she wants to die in her sleep?
- I am a caregiver for an 81yo man on dialysis who believes God is going to heal him. How do I get him to see that his wife is making herself sick trying to care for him?.
- How can my husband and I help my brother-in-law whose wife just died a few weeks ago? When we talk to him, he is hysterical.
- Can a wound be so deep that you can’t ever recover from it? I grew up visiting my mom only in the summer, and my dad was emotionally unavailable.
Suggested Resources:
Understanding and Loving a Person with Depression
100 Days of Peace
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Changes That Heal
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 3, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. – 2 Corinthians 4:7
The apostle Paul led a hard life. He survived a shipwreck, persecution, and repeated imprisonment, not to mention the rigors of constant travel, the need to make a living while preaching the gospel, and the continual challenge of a chronic personal issue he described only as a “thorn in my flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7). And yet he wrote, “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
Why was Paul so resilient? He relied on God as the source of his power.
Our problems may be different from Paul’s, but we all struggle with life at times. To make it through the turmoil, we must be plugged in to a source of power that is greater than what we can generate on our own. Pretending we are strong only leads to frustration and pain. But relying on God for our power allows us to live fully and resiliently in the midst of our ups and downs.
Ask Yourself
Can you think of times when you tried on your own to “be strong” in painful or difficult situations? What was the outcome?
What are some practical ways you can “plug in” to God as the source of power in your life?
Ask God
Jesus, I want you to be my power source. I surrender my own powerlessness to your care and lean on your strength. Give me the courage to more consistently surrender my will to your will.
Taken from Take Your Life Back Day by Day copyright © 2016 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Nothing Will Defeat Me appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Trust, Grief, Childhood Trauma, Christian Walk, Alcohol, Attachment Style
Hosts: Becky, Brown Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- How do I trust people again and keep going after my husband asked me to leave, my mom passed, I was homeless, and I drank a bottle of vodka a day?
- My mom tried to drown me and my dad played Russian roulette with me when I was a child; how can God bring good from it like He did with Joseph in Genesis?
- Is my relationship repairable with my alcoholic partner?
- I want to know more about having discernment and secure attachment; where do I begin?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
Changes That Heal
Understanding and Loving a Person with Alcohol or Drug Addiction
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 26, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
We admitted that we were powerless over our dependencies and that our lives had become unmanageable.
From the moment of birth, we all are living under the sentence of death. For some of us there is the added burden of knowing we are going to die as the result of previous risky behavior related to our addictions. Others of us realize that our addictions could kill us if they are not brought under control. We are all powerless over death. The understanding of this can actually be beneficial for us.
King Solomon wisely noted, “The day you die is better than the day you are born. Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us. A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time. . . . None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle” (Ecclesiastes 7:1-4; 8:8).
Realizing that we are powerless over the inevitable approach of death should have a sobering effect on us all. Death has a way of revealing our powerlessness and uncovering hidden sorrow as nothing else can. Thinking about the end of life, however, should also help us realize how precious each day of life actually is. The sorrow of approaching death can help us by revealing what is really important in life and by strengthening our commitment to recovery.
We all live under the sentence of death; we should make the most of each and every day.
Taken from The Life Recovery Devotional copyright © 1991 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Powerless over Death appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Miscarriages, Grief, Anxiety, Teens, Sexual Integrity, Making Decisions
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- My daughter has had four miscarriages and two stillbirths; how do I find some words to say to her?
- How do I support my 17yo daughter with her social anxiety before she goes to college?
- I lost my wife of 20yrs at Thanksgiving; how can I honor God with my sexuality as a widower?
- I always wonder if I made the right decision. How can I be at peace knowing I made the best decision with the information I had?
Suggested Resources:
The Heart Handbook
Conquer Worry and Anxiety
How You Think…Determines the Course of Your Life
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 25, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. – Romans 15:30
One priceless gift my dad gave me was confidence. He convinced me to pursue my interests and develop my talents—to find and follow my calling. When I’d fail in my efforts, he was there encouraging me to pick up the pieces and keep moving ahead.
The refrain that plays in my mind to this day is: “Steve, I’m proud of you.” In fact, I can’t remember ever leaving him when he didn’t tell me how proud of me he was.
Looking back, I hadn’t done a whole lot to take pride in. Yet he piled on his affirmation anyway. Having finally accomplished a few things I believe he would’ve been proud of, it saddens me that he isn’t here to see them. But, I’m certain he would’ve affirmed me.
Is there someone you can affirm more often than you do? A child? A spouse? A parent? A co-worker? Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be an affirming influence.
– Steve Arterburn
There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up. – John Andrew Holmes
The post A Father’s Affirmation appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Anger, Verbal Abuse, Adult Children, Boundaries, Finances, Drug Addiction, Pornography
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- How do I handle my adult son who gets angry and yells at me for hours?
- My sister took guardianship of our niece but is using the money for herself; how do I oppose her if she is blaming us in court?
- How do you help someone who doesn’t think they have a problem? My son is addicted to gas station heroin.
- What can I do to overcome porn, masturbation, and create a safety plan for my wife?
Suggested Resources:
100 Days of Peace
Boundaries
Understanding and Loving a Person with Alcohol or Drug Addiction
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 24, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
In a well known Bible story about a life-threatening storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus posed this probing question to his frightened followers: “Where is your faith?” he asked them as the wind roared, the seas rolled, and the ship rocked. Their response came in the form of another question, one that revealed the hidden reason for their fear and anxiety. They said to one another, “Who is this man, that even the winds and waves obey him?” (See Luke 8:22-26).
Their answer to the question Jesus asked revealed that their faith was in the wrong thing. They were trusting their knowledge of the sea and their own sailing abilities, both of which were now proving inadequate; they were not trusting Jesus. And why not? Because, as they themselves admitted, they didn’t yet realize who he was.
In another familiar biblical scene we see Mary at the empty tomb of Jesus, weeping because his body is gone. Walking up behind her, the resurrected Christ asks this two-in-one question:”Why are you crying? What are you looking for?” Not recognizing Jesus and thinking he was the gardener, Mary asked him to tell her where he had put the body of Jesus. Her response was similar to that of the disciples. While their faith was in the wrong thing, Mary was looking for the wrong thing. She was so desperate to find a dead body that she almost missed seeing a living Savior (See John 20:11-15).
Both questions Jesus asked “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25) and “Who are you looking for?“(John 20:15) have to do with his identity. Neither the disciples nor Mary had yet figured out who Jesus really was.
Most, perhaps all, human fear and worry is due to this one truth: We don’t yet know who Jesus is. By honestly answering the questions Jesus asked, we can pinpoint the source of our fear and worry. When we realize that our faith is based on something totally unreliable, we are forced to look for something trustworthy. And when we recognize that we’re looking for the wrong thing, our blind eyes can then see the real thing, Jesus.
If your struggle has to do with loving God with your heart, ask yourself these two questions: “Where is my faith?” and “What am I looking for?”
Excerpted from the book Healing is a Choice by Stephen Arterburn
Also See:
Healing is a Choice Resources
The post Either God or Everything Else appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Estrangement, Adult Children, Betrayal, Borderline, Physical Abuse, Anger
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West
Caller Questions:
- My four adult children no longer talk to me after I bashed their mom, but I’ve forgiven her for divorcing me 30yrs ago.
- How can I get beyond my family who turned my daughter against me as she was dying from cancer?
- I filed for a divorce from my husband who may have borderline and Alzheimer’s and was physically abusive to me; is asking him to go through anger management the best first step?
Suggested Resources:
Living Strong, Finishing Well
Heart Handbook
Understanding and Loving a Person with Borderline Personality Disorder
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 23, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. – 1 John 4:21
One day a Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with a class of five- and six-year-olds.
After explaining to the children what honoring their fathers and mothers meant and exploring a few practical ways the kids could do that, she decided to raise another related question. “Children,” asked the teacher, “is there a commandment in scripture that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?”
A little boy in the front row instantly raised his hand. “Yes, Michael,” said the pleased teacher, “What does God command us about how to treat our brothers and sisters?‘” Without missing a beat the little boy earnestly answered, “Thou shall not kill.”
This funny, little guy touches on some truth, relationships are tough, aren’t they?
– Steve Arterburn
The highlight of my childhood was making my brother laugh so hard that food came out of his nose. – Garrison Keillor
The post Relationships appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Brain Issues, Bipolar, Grandparenting, Anxiety, Trust, End of Life, Adult Children
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- What kind of help do I need for brain trauma from football and bipolar disorder?
- How do we help our 11yo granddaughter who is struggling after her mom’s surgeries and extended hospital stay?
- What boundaries can I put in place for my husband who is in contact with his ex-girlfriend?
- Was it a mistake to share my end of life intentions with my friend? Her demeanor changed.
- How do I manage my adult daughters not getting along during a family outing?
Suggested Resources:
Conquer Worry and Stress
How We Love Our Kids
Worthy of Her Trust
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 22, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
Remember in college when you took Introductory Psychology, and your professor told you about the study Pavlov did with dogs? Here’s a quick refresher: Pavlov was interested in the process of conditioning. He would ring a bell and then feed his dogs; he repeated this for a couple of years. After some time, he discovered that when he rang his bell, the dogs would salivate in anticipation. Herein lies the discovery of classical conditioning.
What happens at the neurological level in your brain when you become sexually aroused also involves classical conditioning. When a person achieves the peak of sexual arousal, they receive the most potent reward the brain can achieve – the release of endorphins. This naturally occurring chemical is 4 times stronger than morphine. What a reward!
The average person begins masturbating around the ages of 10-14 at an average rate of 2-7 times per week. In the first 20 years, they will have had from 2,000 to 7,000 of these reinforcing experiences. With this level of reinforcement and the reward our brains give us, it’s no wonder sexual addiction can be so easy to fall into!
There is a habit that can help decrease unwanted urges and impulses up to 80 percent in one month. It’s called the rubber band technique. Simply take a rubber band—that is thick enough, so it won’t break easily—and keep it on your wrist. Don’t even take it off for bedtime, showers, or times when you think you won’t need it. Whenever you catch yourself staring at someone lustfully, have the urge to masturbate, look at pornography, or misbehave, simply snap the band on the inside of your wrist. This will send a painful message to your brain that, where you used to have a pattern of “ring the bell, feed the dog,” it will now be more like “ring the bell, discipline the dog.”
This is a helpful tool in retraining your brain, and it will help you learn self-control. We read that self-control is a fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, which says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Interrupting any lustful thoughts or urges with this habit will allow you to free yourself from a pattern created many years ago. Of course, in addition to this technique, it is essential that after you attend Every Man’s Battle, you also attend a Sustained Victory Group every week so you will have a place to connect with others and serve in a relationally healing way.
Jayson Graves – A New Life Network Counselor
The post This Habit Will Help You Develop Self-Control appeared first on New Life.
Do all roads lead to God? No. Even in our physical world, not all roads lead to our destination. For example, if you want to go to Skipper’s Canyon in New Zealand, you must take Skipper’s Canyon Road. This unpaved road is so dangerous that your rental car insurance won’t be honored if you drive on it.
Just as there’s only one road to Skipper’s Canyon, only one road leads to God. Despite what world religions claim, Christ is the only way. Christ said there is only one way to God when He declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, NLT).
Want to begin a relationship with God? The Bible marks the path to God with four truths.
1. We all sin.
Sin means missing the mark. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23, NLT). Even though we can try to be good by attending church, contributing to charity, and even getting baptized, these things won’t solve our sin problem. Despite our best efforts, we will always fall short of God’s glorious standard of holiness.
As an example, imagine having a contest with a friend to throw a rock to the moon. Even if you throw farther than your friend, neither of you will hit the moon. Likewise, no matter how good a life you try to live, you will still sin. We’re all sinners; no one is perfect, except for Christ. Thus, we all fall short.
2. Sin separates you from God.
Most people would agree that stealing, murdering, committing adultery, and using illegal drugs come with consequences. Although these big sins can destroy lives, did you know that the small ones you struggle with can also be destructive? Every day, you sin by lying, gossiping, envying, lashing out in anger to others, being jealous of others, having lustful thoughts, or numerous other things.
Not only does your sin hurt others, but it also hurts you and God. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23, NLT). The worst consequence of sin is death and separation from a holy God—the One who is life. Though the cost of your sin is too much for you to pay, God has already paid the ultimate price for you.
3. Christ died for you.
Despite all your shortcomings and sins, there’s one solution…Christ! “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, KJV). Why would Christ die for you? It’s because He loves you.
Let’s say a serial killer is on death row awaiting execution. Imagine an innocent person goes before the judge and says they’re willing to take their place. What would happen? The innocent person would die; the guilty person would live. Did you know that Christ did that for you? Christ, who is sinless—the second person of the Triune God—died on the cross and rose from the dead so you can have eternal life!
4. You can be saved through faith in Christ.
Faith in Christ means trusting Him alone. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV).** Just as you trust a pilot to fly a plane you’re on while providing no effort of your own, so you must trust Christ alone to get to heaven.
Thank God for this free gift. Remember, it’s not the prayer that saves you—it’s Christ’s work on the cross that saves. Here’s an example of how to pray:
Dear God, I know I’m a sinner and my sin deserves to be punished, but I believe Christ died for me and rose from the grave. I trust Christ alone as my Savior and make Him Lord of my life. Thank you for forgiving me and giving me everlasting life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Want to know more about growing in your relationship with God? Call us at 800-NEW-LIFE (639-5433).
by Kimberlee Bousman
More about Kimberlee
The post How to Begin a Relationship with God appeared first on New Life.
Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. . . . If we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. – 1 John 3:20-21
Guilt is an interesting concept. By definition, it is a legal term. A person is guilty when he or she has actually committed some offense or crime. The definition can also include the feeling of having done something wrong. But it is not meant to describe an ongoing emotional state that is generalized into a perpetual sense of shame. That’s why John reminds us that God, who knows everything about us, is greater than our guilt feelings.
If we have a chronic or underlying sense of guilt or shame, we need to get to the root of it. One way to do this is to take what people in twelve-step programs call “a fearless moral inventory” of our lives. Do we blame ourselves for what happened to us as kids? Are we holding on to some past failure? Whatever is at the root of those feelings must be brought to God and confessed to someone we trust with the realization that God already knows all about it and has taken away our guilt.
Ask Yourself
What do you think you gain by holding on to feelings of guilt?
Why is it important to confess those feelings to God and to a trusted person?
Ask God
Dear God, help me to see that while feelings of guilt can be an important signal that something is wrong, they can also be a habit. You know everything, so help me as I get to the source of any chronic guilt in my life.
Taken from Take Your Life Back Day by Day copyright © 2016 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post God Overcomes Our Guilt appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Boundaries, Grief, Affairs, Counseling, Estrangement, Enabling, Self-Worth, People Pleasers
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- My adult kids set boundaries with me and aren’t willing to sit down and talk about it; any suggestions?
- How do I encourage my unfaithful husband to go to counseling?
- My son and his wife cut themselves off from us 4yrs ago but recently asked us to give them money to help them move back. Should we pay for it?
- I’m tired of helping my 40yo addict son who is in and out of prison; is it OK to let go?
- I’m 63yo; how do I begin the journey to stand up for myself and stop being a people pleaser?
Suggested Resources:
Worthy of Her Trust
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Take Your Life Back
Healing Is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 19, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
We admitted that we were powerless over our dependencies and that our lives had become unmanageable.
For those of us raised in chaotic situations our response may be to try to maintain control of something . . . anything! We may become rigid and controlling of our children, or insist on having control in our homes or work relationships. Perhaps we focus on our eating habits or develop rituals for living that give us the feeling of being in control of our own lives.
King Solomon tells us, “Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people. . . . For there is a time and a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble. Indeed, how can people avoid what they don’t know is going to happen?” (Ecclesiastes 7:14-15; 8:6-7).
It’s understandable that we would want to develop a security system to protect our lives in response to our past powerlessness and the pain it brought. Maintaining control can serve to make us feel safer in an uncertain world. However, it can also pose a trap for us, if we must always have control in order to cope. We need to balance our understanding of life to realize that life is uncertain. We will not always be in situations where we have the power and control we need to make us feel safe. This balance can keep us on track, even when an unexpected loss of power occurs.
If we must always be in control, we’re out of control.
Taken from The Life Recovery Devotional copyright © 1991 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post A Balanced Life appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Christian Walk, Finances, Trust, Counseling, Weight Loss, Distractions
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- Is Malachi the right Scripture for tithing? I have trust issues.
- Does the whole world have problems like I hear on New Life Live, or is it just the USA?
- I feel hopeless to lose weight; how do I stop my eating cycle?
- How do I concentrate on my life in Christ when there are so many distractions in the world?
Suggested Resources:
One Year Life Recovery Prayer Devotional
Life Recovery Bible
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Lose It for Life
You Are What You Think
Living Strong Finishing Well
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 18, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. – Psalm 139:1–3
The children were lined up in the school cafeteria for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples accompanied by a note that read:
“Take only ONE. God’s watching.”
Further down the lunch line, at the other end of the table, was a plate piled high with cookies. Next to it was a note in a child’s handwriting:
“Take all you want. God’s watching the apples!“
Kids are hilarious. And our thinking often isn’t much different than theirs. Take for example the issue of God’s providential care. How often do we think that God is absent or preoccupied with other things? How often do we err by assuming that God is present but indifferent to our actions, or He’s present only with disapproving judgment?
God sees us. He’s watching all the time. . . in our time of blessing and when things are tougher than they’ve ever been. When He sees His image reflected in who we are, it’s pleasing to Him.
– Steve Arterburn
For however devoted you are to God, you may be sure that He is immeasurably more devoted to you. – Meister Eckhart
The post God’s Watching! appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Anger, Blended Families, Marijuana, Teens, Estrangement, Siblings, Grief, Avoiders
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- How do I resolve my issues with anger? I hold things in and have verbally lashed out, broken things, and screamed.
- What do I do if my 19yo bonus daughter has had a battle with drug-laced marijuana, and my husband and his mom think the problem is going to magically disappear?
- My estranged brother wrote a horrible letter to me after we lost our only son; where do I go from here?
- My avoider husband says he wants to work on our marriage, but he gets defensive; do I have a wall up or is it him?
Suggested Resources:
Healing Is a Choice
Understanding and Loving Your Child Who Smokes Pot
Understanding and Loving a Person with Alcohol or Drug Addiction
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 17, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? – Romans 8:31
Some years ago the New York Times featured news of a new toy—a plush “Ask Me More Eeyore,” modeled after the gloomy donkey from Winnie the Pooh. The toy is designed for children aged three to seven. The paper remarked that these are just the right ages, apparently, to learn about undaunted pessimism.
Eeyore responds to children’s questions with comments like, “Don’t count on it,” “Doesn’t look good,” “Outcome looks sort of gloomy,” “You can’t win them all,” and “Looks good for you, must be nice.”
Sometimes Eeyore will even ask the child, “You wouldn’t want me for a friend, would you?”
Do you have a gloomy Eeyore in your life? Perhaps you’ve taken on that role for yourself!
If you’re busy looking for all the things that can go wrong, you’re sure to miss the blessings God has prepared for you. Besides, life is too short to dwell on the gloom and doom. As believers our hope is in our Savior, no matter what our circumstance, He walks beside us, He fights our battles and He goes before us in everything. Our hope is not in the arm of flesh, it rests on the mighty and powerful arm of God. Take your eyes off the gloom and focus them on the Lord.
Let’s remember the words of that old hymn: “Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings, see what God has done!”
– Steve Arterburn
The post Eyes Off the Gloom appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grief, Depression, Estrangement, Mother Issues, Adult Children, Weight Issues, Self Worth, Enabling
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- I’ll miss Steve Arterburn being on radio and I wrote a poem in his honor.
- What should I do to get past my baby’s father getting shot and killed last year and then losing our baby when I was 5mos pregnant?
- I wanted to share about meeting Steve when I was homeless and had to take four buses to see him.
- My wife won’t engage with her mom and my kids keep asking to see grandma; what’s the best way to approach this?
- My 23yo son lives with me and won’t work because he gained over a hundred pounds during COVID. He also has paranoia; how do I help without enabling?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
Understanding and Loving a Person with Depression
100 Days To Freedom from Overeating
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 16, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. But if he says, I am not pleased with you, then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him. – 2 Samuel 15:25b-26
There are times when you may feel as if you’re on top of the world. You may feel as though your struggle with sin is licked for good. In such times, it’s tempting to relax and neglect your relationship with God. But then life surprises you with an unexpected problem, and you come to your senses. Recognize that you’re never so spiritually right that you can afford to neglect your relationship with God.
Take it from a good man who went before you. King David had reached the pinnacle of political success. He killed giants, won battles, captured the hearts of the people, and overcame enemies on every side. While he was in this comfortable position, life surprised him with the rebellion of his own son.
It may have been that David, in the midst of his successes, had fallen out of the habit of relying on God day by day. But he quickly placed his life back in God’s hands after the rebellion. God did protect him and returned him to the throne in Jerusalem.
When life hits you with the unexpected, let it be a reminder that your life needs to be in God’s hands continually.
The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs . . . one step at a time.– Joe Girard
Prayeris not a spare wheel that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a steering wheel that directs the right path throughout life. – Unknown
The post Seeking God in Success appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Confrontation; Difficult Conversations, Aging Parents, Physical Abuse, Boundaries, Addictions, Marijuana, Estrangement, Adult Children
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron, and a special message from Steve Arterburn
Caller Questions:
- I shy away from confrontation and my bossy Bible study leader’s wife sent me a text that bothered me; should I confront her?
- My elderly parents are drug addicts, and my dad left my mom on the floor after she fell. Do we let my mom move in with us?
- How do I get off of marijuana? I went to rehab but relapsed after going home.
- What would God have me do after my adult son cut off any kind of relationship with me? I think he has narcissistic personality disorder.
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Understanding and Loving a Person with Alcohol or Drug Addiction
Life Recovery Bible
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 15, 2024 appeared first on New Life.
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. – John 10:10
If a dog or a cat has a wounded foot, it will begin to limp in such a way that the foot no longer bears weight. The animal compensates by changing its behavior so as not to feel or exacerbate the pain.
Those of us who experienced emotional pain as children, without the resources we needed to deal with it, may have grown up on a mission to nullify—or “dullify“—our feelings. We numbed ourselves with denial, rationalization, minimization, and bad habits. We used people and things to survive the pain. When we did that, the thief who comes to steal and kill and destroy was winning.
But Jesus announced that he came to offer something different—”a rich and satisfying life.” As we courageously begin to take our lives back and wake up to our feelings, we begin to taste that authentic life he came to bring.
Ask Yourself
Think back on your early experiences. Can you name a time when emotional pain caused you to “limp” or close down your emotions?
How do you tend to numb your feelings today? What is your “dullifier” of choice?
Ask God
God, thank you that you are my Protector and Provider. Though it was once unsafe to feel, I believe I am safe with you. Because I long for the life Jesus came to bring, one that is rich and satisfying, I am willing to trust you on this journey.
Taken from Take Your Life Back Day by Day copyright © 2016 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Topics: Self-Worth, Adult Children, Enabling, Blended Families
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- Why do I keep having negative thoughts of myself, and how can I change that?
- My adult children want me to bail them out after they get into trouble; how do I find a balance and say no?
- Where can I find the four core values Chris Williams mentioned so I can apply them?
- I’m newly married at 72yo and very happy, but my adult kids think my new husband is after my money.
Suggested Resources:
You Are What You Think
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
How You Think
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. - Colossians 3:12 Most of us desire to be compassionate people, don't we? But do we know what compassion really is? Henri Nouwen once wrote: "Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with
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When the light of God's truth shines on our weakness and failure, we see the futility of self-righteousness and realize that the only sensible response is to stop pretending things aren't so bad. They are! Spiritual renewal and transformation require that we repent, which means to acknowledge and turn from our sins. But we cannot
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) a struggle? Or know someone who has been diagnosed with it? There have been many historical figures who have struggled with OCD, including Albert Einstein, Martin Luther, Ludwig van Beethoven, Charles Dickens, and Marie Curie. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about two percent of the population suffers from
The post How to Manage OCD: 8 Ways appeared first on New Life.
When the leaves transform into a tapestry of vibrant colors, a crisp breeze fills the air, and kids are back in school, we know one thing for sure...fall has arrived! Feel the need for a fresh start right now? Embrace this season as a chance for a new beginning. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “For everything there
The post Need a Fresh Start This Fall? Here Are 5 Ways appeared first on New Life.
You cannot keep doing what you’ve always done and hope the outcome is going to be different this time. That’s called insanity. Someone who has become aware that she can’t control her impulsive spending should not be spending her free time at the mall. And the man who’s trying to stop drinking should not keep attending happy-hour with his friends.
What things might be helping you to continue in your sin? You may have to make some minor or maybe major lifestyle changes, but surrendering means that you will be willing to do whatever it takes to get your life back on track. As you take inventory of your life, pay particular attention to those things that may be feeding your flesh and therefore keeping you from seeking God first and foremost.
Take some time right now to evaluate your lifestyle and activities, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you anything that may be holding you back from a victorious life. Be sure to consider your friendships, free-time activities, interests, and hobbies. Decide if you need to make changes in regard to the music you listen to, TV you watch, movies you attend, magazines and books you read, language you use, food in your pantry, places you go, or the people you hang out with. Every part of your life needs to be open to the healing scrutiny of our loving God as you attempt to identify and remove those things that are not glorifying God and thwarting your efforts to change.
Excerpted from “Feeding Your Appetites” by Steve Arterburn
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Special Guest Max Lucado, author of Help Is Here
RECORDING TODAY for 1 hour from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: September 13, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. - Revelation 1:8 A few years ago, a team of astronomers announced they have conclusive proof that a powerful black hole is 50 million light years away. Since the early 1900's, Albert
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Topics: College, Parenting, Codependency, Controllers Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard Caller Questions: When I ask my 19yo college student son why he never shows up for work, he says it’s not my problem. What else can I do? I’ve been married more than 20yrs; is my husband dependent controlling? What can I do if he is? Suggested Resources:
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Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Philippians 2:4
When you see someone who needs help, do you stop?
On May 20th 1994, this story made the news in London papers. It was reported that Princess Diana was on her way home from a jog in London’s Regents Park when tourists flagged her car, pointed to a bridge over the narrow lake and said someone had fallen in. The princess, still in running shoes and shorts, reportedly told her chauffeur to call police on the car phone, she then dashed to the bridge where she was joined by a Finnish student living in London. The student, followed by Diana, climbed over the parapet of the bridge onto the bank of the lake. The student then swam to the 42-year-old Irish vagrant, by then unconscious, and towed him to the bank, where the princess waited to help resuscitate the man. Diana, fondly known as the people’s princess had once again captured the hearts of the media and the British public by her unselfish act of kindness towards a vagrant.
A Jewish law expert once asked Jesus about how to inherit eternal life. Jesus asked the man, “What does the law say?” The man told Jesus, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself“. Then Jesus told a story about the Good Samaritan. When some robbers beat up a man, a priest and a religious leader had walked passed this half-dead man . . . yet ignored him. Then a Samaritan man lovingly loaded the man on his donkey and took him to an inn.
It’s easy to walk past people who need our help. But it takes love and concern to look at the people around us as our neighbor. Who is my neighbor? Jesus gave us an example in the Bible, and Princess Diana gave us a modern day example.
I challenge you today to look for an unexpected opportunity to help someone in need.
– Steve Arterburn
If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble. – Bob Hope
Empathy is born out of the old biblical injunction ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself.’ – George McGovern
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Topics: In-laws, Narcissists, Emotional Abuse, Grandparenting, Confrontation, Dating
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Marc Cameron, JJ West
Caller Questions:
- My wife and daughter-in-law won’t make any attempt at reconciling with each other and it has been 3yrs.
- What can I do to support my niece who is married to a paraplegic narcissist? He is mentally and verbally abusive to her and her 10yo son.
- Should I approach my daughter-in-law about leaving the kids at my home while she dates? She is separated from my son.
Suggested Resources:
Every Man’s Bible
Understanding and Loving a Person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Intimate Deception
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God. - Mark 10:27 Are you facing a situation that looks impossible to fix? In 1969, the pollution along the Cuyahoga River near Cleveland, Ohio was terrible. It was unimaginable that it could ever be
The post Nothing is Impossible appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
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The post New Life Live: September 6, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory. – Isaiah 6:3
Did you know there is now a modern day version of the Golden Rule? It says that “He who has the gold sets the rules“.
Who sets the rules for you? Your supervisor? The company president? The government? Whoever sets the rules has great power. Sometimes we feel like that particular person has too much power and control over our lives. We long to be that person who has the gold and sets the rules.
On the highest level, God is the one who sets the rules and has the greatest power over us. We make choices in life, but He is the ultimate boss. Through the prophet Isaiah, God told us to “maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the man who keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
It’s good to know that God is kind and just. In our daily decisions, we need to follow God’s rules that are found in the Bible. Hopefully, you follow those rules in grateful response to Christ and what He’s done for you, not in an effort to earn your way into heaven.
Sometimes when people around us are flaunting their power, it’s easy to forget who is ultimately in control. I challenge you today to obey God’s rules for your life. Turn your situation over to God. He is in control.
– Steve Arterburn
There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then, have it your way.’ – C. S. Lewis
Anything under God’s control is never out of control. – Chuck Swindoll
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr Alice Benton, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God. – John 1:12
Are you a beggar or a prince? Some religious people will tell you that you’re despicable and worthless. Others will say that you’re the pinnacle of creation or the center of the universe.
I think the words of C. S. Lewis from his great work The Chronicles of Narnia communicate the division between beggar and prince well. The voice of the lion, Aslan, is a representation of Jesus Christ says in the book Prince Caspian, “You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve. And that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content.”
Friend, you were made in the image of God. That image, however, has been tragically marred and gracefully corrected. It was marred when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. It was gracefully corrected when Christ bore our sins on the cross . . . when he gave His life to pay the price for our sin.
Erect your head in honor of being a child of God. At the same time, bow in fear and respect to the King of Kings.
– Steve Arterburn
You are a child of God. You’re playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. – Marianne Williamson
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Topics: In-laws, Boundaries, Finances, Divorce, Codependency, Teens, Alcohol, Adult Children
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- How do I deal with my husband’s parents who overstep our boundaries? His mom has bought airplane tickets to visit us without asking.
- My husband hasn’t worked in a year, and this pattern has been going on for 17yrs; should I get a divorce?
- Is it appropriate for my 14yo daughter to go to a Codependent Anonymous meeting? I’m a recovering sex addict and alcoholic, and her mother and I reconciled after our divorce.
- What should I do about my 26yo nephew who has lived with us since birth, is an alcoholic, and is very disrespectful to us?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
Take Your Life Back
Understanding and Loving a Person with Alcohol or Drug Addiction
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: September 4, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness… – Psalm 23:3a
Guilt is the fever of the soul. Like a warning light on your dashboard, your guilt alerts you to the fact that you’ve acted against God, yourself, and maybe even against others. When this happens, you might descend into depression, wallowing in feelings that will leave you discouraged, spiritually drained, and isolated.
But you have a brother who can relate. King David understood the fever of guilt. Yet he also knew the recovery that could come with forgiveness. Both of these experiences are described in Psalm 32: Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven…When I refused to confess my sin I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them…And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
Guilt doesn’t take care of your sin—you can’t make up for your wrong choices by suffering from a guilty conscience. As with a fever, you rid yourself of guilt by dealing with the cause. Once you’ve treated the root cause, the fever, or guilt, takes care of itself. In this way, guilt can draw you into the arms of your loving God—where you will find forgiveness and restoration. Hiding your sins only gives them increasing power over you. Break sin’s power by confessing it to God and those you’ve hurt.
– Steve Arterburn
How tedious is a guilty conscience! – John Webster
So full of artless jealousy is guilt, it spills itself in fearing to be spilt. – William Shakespeare
The post The Fever of Guilt appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Regrets, Aging Parents, Christian Walk, Church Life, Parenting, Adult Children, Confrontation
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- How do I get over my guilt for not going home to take care of my dad with dementia 20yrs ago? I didn’t want to leave my boyfriend to help my dad.
- Why do we sing songs at church asking God to forgive us when we’re already forgiven?
- My husband and I want our 8th grade daughter to be in a private school; what should we look for in a faith-based school?
- How do I honor my 89yo mother with dementia? I took care of her until she took out a restraining order against me, disinherited me, and kicked me out on the streets.
- How do I get delivered from demons living inside me that I can hear and feel?
- Our family had a fight at Easter over gun control; should I confront this issue before we get together with my adult kids again?
Suggested Resources:
Healing Is a Choice
Emotional Freedom Workbook
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Take Your Life Back
One Year Bible for Women
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. - Romans 13:1 Jane's five-year-old neighbor must have seen Jane giving her kids treats because he was over in a flash. "My mom said I can have a Popsicle," he bellowed. And that reminds me of
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Topics: Same-Sex Attraction, Adult Children, Christian Walk, Suicide, Cutting, Grandparenting Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Sheri Keffer Caller Questions: We found out on Facebook yesterday that our 24yo granddaughter is in a relationship with a girl. How do we address that in our family? How do I deal with my wife of 3yrs who is chasing after God’s anointing and says
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Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. - 2 Corinthians 9:7 Are you as dumbfounded as I am by the cases that have made their way into our judicial system? Remember a few years ago when a woman
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Topics: Shame, College, Parenting, Independence, Communication Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Special Guest Jim Phillis, coauthor of Understanding and Loving Your College Student Caller Questions: I am a college student and can't focus because I constantly get distracted; can you help? I also struggle with past regrets. How do I prepare my daughter, a high school senior, to go to college
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Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. - 1 Peter 3:8 Have you allowed your upbringing or experiences to prejudice you against a particular group of people? Women? Men? The poor? The rich? Asians? Jews? Black or White? Prejudice leads to hatred and
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Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord" and you forgave the guilt of my sin. - Psalm 32:5 Most of us have the bad habit of rationalizing our sin and our errors. We all struggle with our consciences,
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Marc Cameron, JJ West RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? - Job 12:12 I have some friends who are adrenaline junkies. It's a drug they need to survive. They mountain bike, bungee jump, heli-ski, hang glide, surf giant waves, and parachute out of airplanes. I often wonder why they feel the need
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Topics: Christian Walk, Divorce, Incarceration, Grandparenting, Adult Children, Affairs Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Chris Williams Caller Questions: Should I divorce my second husband and go back to my first husband? My ex says I’m living in sin because I got remarried. My 6yo grandson lived with me because his mom was in prison; she’s out now and has her son
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As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. - Ephesians 4:1-3 Almost every person
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Topics: Drug Addiction, Adult Children, Enabling, Affairs, Anxiety, Marijuana Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Marc Cameron, JJ West Caller Questions: My daughter struggled with drug addiction from the time she was 13yo until she was 40yo; it wasn’t until I let her hit bottom and stopped rescuing her that she actually got help. I just found out my husband had two affairs and says
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Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. - 1 Peter 1:22 What words would your friends or family use to describe you? Jesus referred to two brothers, James and John, as Sons of Thunder. Why? We're given a
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. - Matthew 6:14 We all suffer from broken relationships, with God, and with others. This brokenness will weigh you down spiritually and slow your progress in growing in Christ unless you take steps to mend it. And God
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. - Luke 6:37 Do you tend to keep a mental list of the wrongs that have been done against you . . . an accounting of what you think others owe
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Special Guest Sissy Goff, author of The Worry-Free Parent: Living in Confidence So Your Kids Can Too RECORDING TODAY for 1 hour from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question about child or parent anxiety on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or
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Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. - Galatians 6:1 God has given us the responsibility to honestly confront those who do wrong. For most of us, confrontation is a difficult task. For a few, it’s much
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Topics: Estrangement, Adult Children, Divorce, Grandparenting, Teens, Transgender Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: How do I pursue a relationship with three estranged adult daughters? I went through a divorce when they were in their early teens. My 14yo granddaughter is rebellious, gets into fights, and says she hears voices in her head. What can I do now
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Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. - Colossians 3:1 Praise is the outward expression of your deep joy! We praise God in worship on Sunday morning. We praise our team when they do well at sporting events.
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Topics: Adult Children, Verbal Abuse, Grief, Codependency, Grandparenting, Teens, Anxiety, Separation Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: Am I making a mistake by telling my 38yo son I have to block him because he is verbally abusive toward me? Can you help me grieve the loss of my husband of 50yrs? I’m having a really hard time. How do I
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Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows. - Matthew 10:29-31 Do you spend time in God's
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. - James 3:13 Though often overlooked, the Old Testament character Jonathan is one of the most remarkable men in the Bible. Being the oldest son of King Saul, he was
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. - 1 John 1:7 You’re a person who wants to walk with God but you’re having a tough time. So, what do you do?
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Marc Cameron, JJ West RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. - Colossians 2:8 I once heard a story about a first-grader who handed his teacher a note on the first day of school. It read, "The
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Topics: Forgiveness, Anxiety, Reconnection, Blended Families, Grief, Bitterness Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Becky Brown Caller Questions: I gave my life to Christ a year ago; how do I deal with my severe anxiety and forgive myself for being unfaithful and having kids out of wedlock? How do I connect with my grandchildren if my daughter says no? What can I
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Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. - Proverbs 15:22 A recent study reported that the loneliest people in America are college students. Surprising? Other groups showing high levels of loneliness were the divorced, welfare recipients, single moms, housewives, and the elderly. This covers the majority of our culture, indicating
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Topics: Sexual Abuse, Salvation, Avoiders, Estrangement, Adult Children, Counseling Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard Caller Questions: A long time ago my brother's daughter and my daughter were molested by our dad. How do I talk to my brother about God when he can't get past God allowing this to happen? Is there something else that I need to do
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The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. - 1 Corinthians 15:41 Consider these gender differences I found on a humorous website: If Laura, Suzanne, and Debra go out for lunch, they’ll call each other Laura, Suzanne, and Debra. But if Mike,
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8 If you have seen the documentary, March of the Penguins, you’d probably agree that it was a riveting tale of survival. But as Morgan Freeman’s introductory narrative made clear, it was more a story
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? - Hebrews 7:11 Are you a person who's never quite
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23 They call it the marshmallow test. Researchers at Stanford University ran a test in the 1960s. A researcher would say to four-year-olds: "I am leaving for a few
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Topics: Same-Sex Attraction, Boundaries, Alcohol, Discipline, Adult Children, Feelings Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: How do we deal with our 31yo son who says he is bisexual? He lives with us, and this is tearing my wife and I apart. I grew up in an alcoholic and physically abusive home. I used strict discipline with my kids;
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I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. - Matthew 17:20 Desperate to find a home, an orphan girl in India asked a missionary teacher from a
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Topics: Weight Loss, ADHD, Teens, Confrontation, Friendship, Separation Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Alice Benton Caller Questions: Is it selfish of me to want my 33yo wife to lose weight? How do I approach her? Is my 17yo grandson just a teen who is disorganized, or does he have something like ADHD? How do I respond to a friend who
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Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 In 1997, Sports Illustrated published a survey of 198 Olympic
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Becky Brown RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. - Colossians 3:23-24 At the heart of the Civil War was a large portion
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. - Hebrews 6:18b–19 Have you ever thought about being addicted to love? It sounds like a good thing to be addicted to, but clinically speaking,
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. - Colossians 3:12 Years ago, I read about some kids who built a clubhouse in the branches of a tree. Wise far beyond their years, these boys and girls came up with a few simple rules for
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Topics: Adult Children, Estrangement, Pornography, Boundaries, Grandparenting, Autism, Highly Sensitive Person Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West Caller Questions: What can I do after my 23yo son cut off communication with me? I wouldn’t cosign on an apartment with him because the landlord was crooked. What boundaries should I put in place with my 23yo porn-addicted son if I pay for his
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In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. - Ephesians 4:26-27 Cliff was a kind and mild-mannered man until one fateful summer day. He set the controls of his year-old lawn mower on 'START,' and pulled the
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Topics: People Pleasing, Christian Walk, Medicine, Grief, Autism, Enabling, Childhood Trauma, Triggers Hosts: Becky Brown, Marc Cameron, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: I just joined Club New Life because of how you’ve helped me see I needed counseling; I am working to overcome people pleasing due to my rigid parents. What are your thoughts on God healing through medicine? How am I going to
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Every war begins with a single battle. One of the most brutal battles for most people is in their minds. Most individuals struggle in their thought life because they don’t catch their thoughts soon enough. If wrong thoughts continue, it will lead to doing the wrong things. There are three steps one must take to
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I am still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. - Psalm 27:13-14 If you tear open a cocoon to set a butterfly free, the creature's wings will be severely underdeveloped.
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy. - Exodus 15:6 I once heard a story of a young boy who went with his mother to the local store. The owner, a kindly man, passed him a large jar of suckers and invited him to help
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.' - Isaiah 35:4 Most of us tend to think too highly of ourselves. Our love for having the right answers, solving our own problems, and feeling
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jim Burns, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' - Psalm 14:1 Desperate for gambling money, mom took a crowbar to her husband's locked desk drawer. Her search for the family's emergency funds also led her to the children's savings bonds, which she promptly cashed in for less than their value and gambled away.
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Topics: Teens, Alcohol, Marijuana, Dating, Counseling, Adult Children, Acceptance, Enabling Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Sheri Keffer Caller Questions: How can we help my 16yo nephew in another state who drinks, vapes and uses marijuana? I have been widowed for 8yrs; what is your approach for dating at 63yo? What issues should I zone in on to get the most from my New
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For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear; I will help you.' - Isaiah 41:13 When Napoleon was a young boy, he'd stand brave and unflinching while the soldiers fired off their cannons, yet he seemed afraid of the nearby ocean. Determined
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Topics: Separation, Adult Children, Estrangement, Dating, Sexual Integrity, Difficult Conversations, Friendship Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: How do I work on my marriage after my wife separated from me 9mos ago? What can I do to build a relationship with my 39yo daughter who says I’m toxic? How do I approach a conversation with my Christian friend who
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But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. - John 4:14 In this touching excerpt from C.S. Lewis' series of children's books, The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion represents Jesus: 'Are you not
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Much is required from those to whom much is given. - Luke 12:48b A new life in Christ doesn’t excuse past obligations or erase the ongoing consequences of past sins. When the apostle Paul was in prison he led a runaway slave named Onesimus to Christ. But then Paul sent him back to his master—even
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10 There’s a real danger in thinking your spiritual gifts are blessings God has given you for your own benefit. The problem with this selfish viewpoint is that you see your use of
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. - Hebrews 12:1 If you’re a Christian, God has already transformed your heart. But He also wants
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Topics: Sexual Abuse, Empowerment, Communication, Separation, Avoiders, OCD Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams Caller Questions: How can I point my 21yo daughter in the right direction after she was sexually harassed at work? My husband won’t repair our home and properties even though he has a home repair business. What can I do? I have joint custody of
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There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. . . If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command:
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Topics: Dating, Evangelism, Affairs, Adult Children, Christian Walk, Alcohol, Lying, Trust Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West Caller Questions: Any ideas on how to get my Vietnamese girlfriend to stop praying to her dead relatives? My son is having an affair; should I encourage him to go to Every Man’s Battle? How do I love my adopted daughter who plans to leave
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Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:25 Who amongst us enjoys criticism? I know I don't! In fact, even when criticism is constructive, it's usually about as welcomed
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. - Joshua 24:14 The Old Testament character, Esau–the older of twin sons born to Isaac and Rebekah–is remembered as the foolish man who sold his birthright for a
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. - Colossians 3:16 We all need two basic things in life. The first is stability to be grounded and secure
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 1 hour from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Much is required from those to whom much is given. - Luke 12:48b Sometimes taking responsibility for our lives means completing unfinished business. Some of us may have left a trail of broken laws and relationships–things that need addressing before moving on. Others may be burdened by debts that inhibit spiritual pursuits. Before moving forward
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Topics: Counseling, Estrangement, PTSD, Sexual Addiction, Risks Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Chris Williams Caller Questions: How do I get my counselor to ask me the hard questions? I feel stuck. My nephew was in the military and may have PTSD; are there special counselors that deal with that? I went to Every Man's Battle, and the Christ-centered counselors exceeded my
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So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41:10 When Lord Mountbatten, a British naval commander, was five years old, he disliked sleeping in the dark. He
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Topics: Caregiving, Aging Parents, Grandparenting, Autism, Bullying, Coaching Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: Am I doing the right thing by caregiving for my aging mom with dementia? My sisters say she doesn't deserve it. Two of my grandkids are 4yo twins on the autism spectrum; should I be concerned that one bullies the other one? How does coaching
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A love-hate relationship is like riding a rollercoaster. The upside is that it can make a person feel as if they love the other person very much; the downside is that they may feel anger, resentment, or bitterness toward the same person. Almost everyone has been in a love-hate relationship with someone they loved but
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Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, Pray that you will not fall into temptation. - Luke 22:39-40 In the first book of C. S. Lewis’ series The Chronicles of Narnia, a young boy named Digory Kirke is tempted
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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It teaches us to say NO to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. - Titus 2:12 Are you aware that the vast majority of American homes are inhabited by monsters? It’s true. In fact, most homes now have several. Family rooms, bedrooms, and basements are
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Topics: Depression, Boundaries, Anxiety, OCD Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: I am being treated for depression; how do I ask my 52yo bipolar son and his fiancée to leave my house so I can stay healthy? What can I do if I had a panic attack out of the blue and went to the ER?
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I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. - Philippians 4:12 Society says, 'Just do it!' Friends say, 'If it
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matthew 6:33 In 1990, I was given the privilege of a lifetime: the opportunity to adopt a wonderful little girl who has forever changed my life, my precious daughter Madeline. In 2005, I made a
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Topics: Christian Walk, Physical Abuse, Suicide, Sexual Abuse, Divorce Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown Caller Questions: The story of Job in the Bible has made me lose my faith; what can I do? Is the Intimacy in Marriage Workshop the right step for my marriage if my husband physically harmed me? What do I do if a family
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Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. - Deuteronomy 4:39 Regardless of how you or I may feel about it, the brute fact remains: our country is at war, and has been for several years. War is a
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Topics: Counseling, Boundaries, Anger, Pornography, Separation, Adult Children, Estrangement Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Marc Cameron, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: I am married to my fourth husband and need help with boundaries. My husband is angry at me after I caught him looking at porn; when do you know it’s time to give up? I’m 77yo and my wife died when my kids were
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O Lord, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant, you have freed me from my chains. - Psalm 116:16 Frederick Douglass was separated from his mother as an infant. He was forced to work as a slave in the hot fields all day long. He was kicked, beaten,
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. - 1 Peter 5:10 Do you ever think that your level of success in life is minimized by the problems and setbacks
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. - Exodus 31:15a Are you burned out, or in danger of burn out? Has your life gotten so busy that it takes every ounce of energy on a daily basis simply to keep from
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Marc Cameron, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. - Matthew 19:26 It might be disappointing to you, but the truth is, you’re only human. You may think of yourself as Superman or Superwoman–until you discover a flaw. And the danger then is that you’ll come
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Topics: Spiritual Warfare, Pornography, Divorce, Christian Walk Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Sheri Keffer Caller Questions: Your Emotional Freedom Workshop was awesome! You can be healed if you do the work. How can I support my wife if she wants a divorce despite me being sober 90 days from porn? God delivered me from a demon using Psalm 23!
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Be self-controlled and alert. - 1 Peter 5:8a Developing self-control will help you tremendously as you seek to follow and become more like Jesus. And what we learn in the Bible is that self-control is both a fruit of the Spirit and a part of a larger progression of spiritual growth. Peter, who learned some
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Topics: Dating, Lust, Counseling, Church Life, Grandparenting, Father Issues, Same-Sex Attraction Hosts: Steve Arterburn and workshop presenters Laura Mangin-McDonald and JJ West Caller Questions: As a single man, what’s the difference between a normal desire for women and lust? Do you have any counselors in our area who can help me and my wife with a conflict in the church I pastor? Would
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We admitted that we were powerless over our dependencies and that our lives had become unmanageable. Sometimes we are powerless because of our station in life. We may be in a situation where other people have power over our lives. We may feel that we’re trapped by the demands of others, and that there’s no way
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your Yes be yes, and your No, no, or you will be condemned. - James 5:12 Are there people living in the shadow of your unkept promises? Is it too late to go back now and try
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn and workshop presenters Laura Mangin-McDonald and JJ West RECORDING TODAY from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Who are you? he asked. I am your servant Ruth, she said. Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer. - Ruth 3:9 "Please love me!" Isn't this what we all think and feel on the inside? We may not want to admit it for fear of rejection, but we
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Topics: Intimacy, Divorce, Ministry, Addictions, Narcissists, Adult Children, Estrangement, Rejection Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris Caller Questions: What can I do if it’s hard for me to be physically intimate with my wife since having prostate cancer? What is my body trying to tell me? I’m getting a divorce, and my stomach is doing flip flops. How can I use my
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And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28 The story of Jacob in the Bible is one of a family in relational turmoil. His family wasn't the first dysfunctional family mentioned in the Bible, but
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Topics: Schizophrenia, Safety, Emotional Abuse, Church Life, Teens, Anorexia, Same-Sex Attraction Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Becky Brown Caller Questions: Should I move if I don’t feel safe with a neighbor who has schizophrenia? My good friend left our church because of her emotionally abusive husband; should I go to the church elders? Are there any Christian facilities that my 13yo daughter
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The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Master, Master, we're going to drown!' He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. - Luke 8:24 Alcohol abuse is a huge problem in our world today. Let me give you a feeling for how big a problem
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Topics: Physical Abuse, Verbal Abuse, Triggers, Adult Children, In-laws, Divorce Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Marc Cameron, JJ West Caller Questions: I was in a violent marriage where I suffered a brain injury; what am I to do if my new husband is verbally abusive? I’m going to visit my son, but he wants me to stay in a hotel because his wife calls
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Be sure that no one pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to do what is good for each other and for all people. - 1 Thessalonians 5:15 Refusing to take responsibility for the harm you have caused others only leads to further damage. As weeks, months, or years pass, lack of communication, unrelenting
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Becky Brown RECORDING TODAY from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. - Psalm 46:10 You don’t need to look very far to find that our culture is bombarded by words–billboards, radio, email, text messaging, internet, television, telephones, the list goes on and on. Some
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Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. - 1 Peter 5:6 Humility. What is it anyway? If I’m humble, do I have to roll over and play second fiddle to everyone, all the time? Too often humility has been misunderstood as a negative character trait. I
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Marc Cameron, JJ West RECORDING TODAY from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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And you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. - Colossians 2:10 Recently my friend was taking a walk with her two children in the park. As they approached the pond, they came across a sad sight: a small duckling, dead, lying by the edge of the
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Topics: Physical Abuse, Grandparenting, Adult Children, Suicide, Sexual Abuse, Divorce, Narcissists Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Chris Williams Caller Questions: How do I help my 21yo granddaughter who is in a physically abusive relationship? Can you help me figure out what to do for my brilliant 33yo daughter who was diagnosed with MS, is suicidal, and lives with us? What can I do to help
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Topics: Pornography, Father Issues, Suicide, Christian Walk Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: What does connection look like if I found porn at a young age and never had any good male role models? I wanted to welcome Steve Arterburn back because I missed him. You said a believer who commits suicide will go to
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But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. - Luke
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 7, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. – Philemon 1:7
When someone you know is grieving, you want to express your love and concern. But, how do you know what to say? Sometimes there just aren’t words. But it’s important that you spend time with your friend or family member. What’s as important as anything is just showing up.
What do you say to someone who is suffering? Some people are gifted with words of wisdom. For such, one is profoundly grateful. But not all are gifted in that way. Some blurt out things that don’t really make sense. That’s o.k. too. Your words don’t have to be wise. The heart that speaks is heard more than the words spoken. And if you can’t think of anything to say, just say, “I can’t think of anything to say. But I want you to know that we are with you in your grief.”
Or even just embrace. Not even the best of words can take away the pain. What words can do is testify that there is more than pain in our journey on earth to a new day. Of those things that are more, the greatest is love. Express your love. How appallingly grim must be the death of a child in the absence of love.
Sharing in someone’s grief is no time to worry about your own discomfort and uncertainty about what to show. Believe that God will give you the words, the touch, the hug that will comfort. And you’ll be glad you shared in the moment and gave strength to a hurting soul.
– Steve Arterburn
Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign of strength. – Billy Graham
The post In Times of Grief appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton
RECORDING TODAY from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
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For nothing is impossible with God. - Luke 1:37 The other day, I was talking to a man about his experience of being fired from his job. After the initial shock had worn off, he grieved for a while, and then he sat around the house and did nothing. Because he had considerable savings, he
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. – Philippians 4:8
What sorts of things find their way into your heart and mind? If you’re exposing yourself to a constant barrage of ungodly words, music, or images, you’re not taking full responsibility for your life.You can fill your heart and mind with God’s Word, and when you do, you’ll create a defense against some of the evil messages the world so frequently sends your way.
The writer of Psalm 119 declared, “I have tried my best to find you–don’t let me wander from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:10-11). “Hiding” God’s Word in your heart essentially means memorizing and meditating on the Bible. God uses his Word–the Bible—to speak to you and show you how you ought to live.
You’ve been given the responsibility to guard your heart and to keep track of the things you hide inside it. So, what’s in there? Anger? Lust? Ugly images from TV, the movies, or the web? Are you harboring bitterness? Greed? Are you envious of others? If you’re struggling with these things maybe it’s because you have more of the world’s wisdom in your heart than the true wisdom of God.
Are you having a hard time finding God and following his commands? Hiding God’s word in your heart will foster spiritual growth by guarding against those things that hurt you and displease God.
– Steve Arterburn
I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older; then it dawned on me . . . they are cramming for their final. – George Carlin
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Topics: Fear, Anxiety, Dating, Childhood Trauma, Friendship, Newlyweds
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
Caller Questions:
- Where does my fear of driving over a bridge come from?
- In dating and selecting a partner, how do I discern what I’m feeling if I grew up in an alcoholic home?
- Why do I feel like the odd man out when I get together with my two closest friends?
- Can you give me guidance if I feel bamboozled by my wife of two years who won’t submit to me?
Suggested Resources:
100 Days To Freedom from Fear and Anxiety
Emotional Freedom Workbook
People Fuel
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 2, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
9 Quotes to Live a New Life
Graduation is one of life’s biggest milestones. However, for many graduates, leaving home and academic life and becoming a self-sufficient adult with healthy relationships is a difficult transition. For anyone who is graduating from high school, college, or graduate school and wants to live their best life, here are some quotes. Let’s face it, everyone could benefit from this advice.
1. “You are as sick as your secrets.” – Steve Arterburn
Bring secrets into the light to find freedom from the prison of shame and gain intimacy with God and others. Join a Life Recovery Group for help. James 5:16 (NLT) says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
2. “The thoughts we think become the actions we take.” – Becky Brown
If a graduate’s thoughts are always negative, it will be hard for them to have a positive life. A computer program can be changed—lies and false beliefs can be replaced with the truth.
3. “If everyone else is to blame, I won’t find a solution; if I accept that I am part of the problem, I’m more likely to find a solution.” – Chris Williams
A mature adult doesn’t blame others but takes responsibility. If a drunk driver hits a pedestrian, it’s not their fault, but they must go to the hospital. Healing is a choice everyone must.
4. “God meets you where you’re at – He meets you in the depths. Take it one step at a time, and you’ll get through it.” – Dr. Jill Hubbard
Without a doubt, there will be difficult times in life that are so dark that there seems to be no hope at all. During these times, remember to turn to God. He is there. And He has promised “I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5).
5. “Busyness and hurry are the enemies of a meaningful life.” – Dr. Jim Burns
Culture often equates being busy with worth—if someone is busy, they must be successful. Saying no to anything that interferes with the important things in life.
6. “If you have to give yourself up for another person to love you, do you really want to be with them?” – Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
People often give too much in a new relationship. A healthy relationship is a balanced one; each person should have interests, hobbies, and friends outside of the relationship. Choose emotionally, spiritually, and relationally grounded people.
7. “Pain accumulates over time, so decide if it’s how you want your life to be or if you want it to be different.” – Dr. Alice Benton
Any trauma from the past must be dealt with or it will interfere with the present. Trauma can result from adverse life events in childhood or adulthood. See a New Life Counselor to heal from the pain.
8. “Without boundaries, you’ll grow resentful, angry, and teach people it’s okay to treat you badly.” – Marc Cameron
Healthy boundaries define what is appropriate behavior in a relationship – behavior that keeps both parties safe. One must be clear and straightforward about what they will and will not allow. And don’t forget to follow through with any consequences.
9. “While we can’t change what happened, we can get our lives back.” – Dr. Sheri Keffer
A graduate must not let their past or pain define them; instead, they can turn to God, form healthy relationships, and take responsibility for their healing. Then they are on their way to living their best life.
Want to live a new life? Call 800-NEW-LIFE. We can connect you with a counselor, coach, and Life Recovery Group. Give us a call today.
by Kimberlee Bousman
More about Kimberlee
The post Our Advice for Graduates appeared first on New Life.
Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. - Psalm 42:5 God knows the right thing to do for us—or to us. Here’s a story that illustrates this well: A Norfolk-Southern train was traveling
The post Perspective appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Divorce, Finances, Making Decisions, Getting Unstuck, Emotional Abuse, Coaching, Addictions, Autism, Adult Children, Childhood Trauma, Reconnection Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Sheri Keffer Caller Questions: What advice do you have for me if my wealthy ex-husband promised a house for me and my 8yo son but is building a house for another
The post New Life Live: June 1, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. – Psalm 46:10
Filling our lives with activity and busyness puts us in dangerous territory. Aside from making us emotionally frazzled and physically exhausted, it’s also threatening to make us both intellectually and spiritually deficient.
I’m not suggesting you live a passive life. Nor am I suggesting there’s a dichotomy between being and doing. But I am suggesting there’s a priority. Why?
– Doing creates and perpetuates the myth that we’re in control; being acknowledges that God’s in control.
– Doing commits us to safety; being acknowledges that the Christian life is one of faith—and that means one of risk.
– Doing engenders spiritual pride; being produces humility.
– Doing is about correcting behavioral patterns; being is about spiritual renewal through knowing God.
– Doing is about reactionary response; being is about thoughtfully, prayerfully, and intentionally bringing what the Bible teaches to bear upon every aspect of life.
What are you “being” as you live your life doing?
– Steve Arterburn
Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. – John Lennon
The post Being Before Doing appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, and Stacey Sadler, presenter at the Restore Workshop
RECORDING TODAY from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. . . – 1 John 4:18a
When we feel threatened in relationships, we tend to become defensive and guarded. On the other hand, when we feel safe, we’re far more willing to be open and vulnerable. This is true of our relationships with other people, and it’s also true in our relationship with God.
The apostle John wrote: “Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that [God’s] love has not been perfected in us. We love each other as a result of his loving us first.”
If Jesus hadn’t paid the price for our sins on the cross, there would be every reason for fear and defensiveness before a holy God. But, God showed His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus, to pay for our sins and free us from them. As a result, it’s safe to open yourself to God.
Jesus has his arms wide open, calling you to come and receive His love. Could there be anything better? His love is real, and waiting to embrace you. His love is ready to transform you and drive the fear from your heart. God is love, and He shows Himself to you in and through His Son, Jesus Christ.
When you open yourself to God’s love, you’ll become open to seeing the truth about God and yourself—and you’ll no longer need to be afraid.
– Steve Arterburn
Never take counsel of your fears. – Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
The post Banishing Fear appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 30, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. – 1 Peter 2:15
Have you ever hung up the phone or left a conversation and felt like you said too much? Have you ever wished you could take back something you said? We often learn the hard way that words can cause pain and create problems.
One way to refine your use of words is by routinely practicing the discipline of silence.
Take a day to monitor your conversations. Spend some time in silence to reflect on how you’ve used and abused words. Do you use words to rationalize, lie, deceive, exaggerate, or manipulate? In silence you’ll remember the words you spoke quickly in anger and slowly in apology, arrogantly in accusation and humbly in confession. In silence you’ll begin to hear and you’ll begin to experience his renewal.
Then you can begin to make changes where necessary. People recovering from heart attacks are often counseled to bring quiet into their lives by speaking less often and more slowly when they do speak. Such discipline has been proven to reduce stress and ease tension. And most importantly it can help you use your words in ways that encourage others and please God.
– Steve Arterburn
Blessed is the man, who having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact. – George Eliot
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Topics: Blended Family, Parenting, Intimacy, Grief, Drugs, Depression, Suicide, Christian Walk, Anger
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- I’ve been married six months and my stepchildren live with their aunt who is a lesbian; where do I fit in with my stepchildren?
- I’m married with two kids and all we ever do is parent; how do I get my relationship back with my husband?
- What are your thoughts on medication to help me get through the grief process of losing my mom a few years ago?
- Someone in my Bible study said that if someone commits suicide, they’ll go to hell. What should I believe?
- Why am I so angry, frustrated, and afraid?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love our Kids
The Mediterranean Love Plan
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
One Year Bible for Women
Healing is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 29, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. – Hebrews 12:1
If you’re a Christian, God has already transformed your heart. But He also wants you to enter life in him like an athlete enters competition. That’s why the Bible, more than once, likens the Christian life to a race. Our faith in Christ motivates us to run it, and His power provides the strength to finish–despite the many times we all stumble along the way.
This illustration of a race refers to races where the runner would strip off his tunic and robe so he could run without any hindrance. If someone tried to compete in his robes, he would get tangled up and wouldn’t have a chance at winning.
God wants you to finish the race of life well. Set aside the distractions and the sins that entangle you. Pace yourself. Exert yourself. And remember, many have run and finished before you. They’re that “huge crowd of witnesses” Hebrews 12:1 speaks about, and they’re cheering you on!
– Steve Arterburn
By perseverance the snail reached the ark. – Charles Haddon Spurgeon
The post Staying The Course appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Confrontation, Anxiety, Blended Family, Grief, Reconnection, Parenting, Christian Walk, Counseling, Marriage
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- How do I know if I’m ready to go visit my parents who were not pleased I quit college?
- What can I do about my relationship with my stepmom since my dad passed?
- How do I speak about my faith to my teen daughter who doesn’t want to hear about it?
- What’s the best way I can encourage my non-Christian friend to read the book, How We Love, to help him in his marriage?
Suggested Resources:
One Year Bible for Women
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 26, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2
We are called to walk alongside others on the journey of discipleship. We serve our brothers and sisters by helping them stay on or return to the path of faithfulness. And we also serve them by making sure we continue in faithfulness. Self-neglect and irresponsibility impose an unfair burden on your brother and sister in Christ, because they’re responsible to help you.
The body of Christ is not a place of self-sufficiency. It’s time we quit believing those lies we’ve been listening to for so long. The Christian faith is not each person looking out for him or herself. Nor is it the survival of the fittest. The body of Christ is a place of interdependency. When you share the troubles and problems of others, you’re fulfilling the law of love. Our burdens bring us together! As you call on others to help you bear your burdens, you will find your love and appreciation growing. Your weaknesses call forth other’s strengths. And when others call on you, you have the opportunity to be an agent of God’s mercy and grace, looking for nothing in return.
Do you know someone who is under a heavy burden at this time? What practical way can you come alongside that person and help him or her bear it? Prayerfully consider what God may be calling you to do, then step forward and do it.
– Steve Arterburn
No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another. – Charles Dickens
The post Bearing Each Other’s Burdens appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Betrayal, Sexual Addiction, Affairs, Pornography, Self Worth
Hosts: Becky Brown, Special Guests Stacey Sadler and Laura McDonald, Presenters at Restore Workshop
Caller Questions:
- I attended Restore Workshop and Stacey and Laura have been such an encouragement to me! My issues were not the same as everyone else, but the pain of betrayal is the same.
- I found out I had been betrayed most of my married life. He went to Every Man’s Battle, but I didn’t think anyone could understand what I was going through until I went to a New Life workshop.
- My husband had an affair, went to strip clubs, and was into porn. Restore was the most valuable thing I ever did because I knew nothing about sexual addiction. My wounded heart has begun to heal.
- After attending Restore, I have a renewed vision of who I am. I am enough!
Suggested Resources:
Intimate Deception
Rescued
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 25, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. – Psalm 29:4
Facing your limitations is humbling. But it’s also the doorway to discovering the limitless and mighty power of God. And you’ll never see God’s power clearly without coming to grips with the former.
In the Bible when David was a very young man, his father Jesse sent him to check on his brothers serving in the Israelite army. David found the Israelites cowering from Goliath, a massive Philistine soldier.
So what did David do? He marched up to King Saul and asked permission to answer Goliath’s challenge to battle. Saul consented, and David went out to face the warrior. When Goliath challenged David and the Israelite army, David’s reply, as recorded in the book of 1 Samuel was, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty–the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you.” The Israelite soldiers saw part of the picture–their limitations—so they ran in fear of Goliath. David saw his limitations too, but he also knew the power of God. And this gave him the courage he needed to take action.
Whenever you seek to do God’s will, you need to see the whole picture. Yes, you have limitations. No, you can’t do it alone. Yet because God is powerful and eager to help you, you can accomplish whatever He has called you to do–even facing down those imposing, Goliath-like, giants in your life.
– Steve Arterburn
God gives us always strength enough, and sense enough, for everything he wants us to do. – John Ruskin
The post Your Limitations, God’s Power appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Affairs, Sexual Integrity, Forgiveness, Confrontation, Addictions
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
Caller Questions:
- Was I honoring God when I turned down winning a million dollars?
- I have been faithful since we got married; why would my wife throw that in my face and leave me now?
- Should I encourage my daughter to befriend her dad when there are questions of possible inappropriate touching?
Suggested Resources:
Trust
Intimate Deception
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 24, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. – James 1:22
When taking stock of your character, you have to base your assessments on the truth. Just as in the physical realm of life, faulty measuring devices will only create problems.
In the Bible, in the book of Amos, the Lord used the analogy of a plumb line to admonish the Israelites of their sin, saying, “I will test my people with this plumb line. I will no longer ignore their sins.”
A plumb line is a string with a weight tied to one end. When the string is held up with the weighted end hanging down, gravity ensures that the string is perfectly vertical. This provides something trustworthy to check whether or not vertical lines in building projects are true. Without the plumb line, the structural integrity of a building would be compromised.
The same holds true in the spiritual realm. God’s word is the plumb line of our souls. And the content of Scripture reveals the character of God. So just as it’s futile to argue with the law of gravity when considering a physical plumb line, it’s also futile to argue with Scripture when considering our spiritual plumb line. The character of God was the plumb line against which the ancient Israelites were measured. And it’s the same with us.
– Steve Arterburn
Man must be arched and buttressed from within, else the temple wavers to the dust. – Marcus Aurelius
The post The Plumb Line appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Anger, Sexual Integrity, Affairs, Getting Unstuck, Self Worth, Forgiveness
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard and JJ West (presenter at EMB)
Caller Questions:
- My husband was unfaithful years ago, but why do I get angry at things so easily?
- How do I get unstuck in life and move on to being successful?
- What should I do to get rid of my gambling problem, so it doesn’t affect our marriage?
- I thought I forgave my mentally abusive husband, but I don’t think I did.
Suggested Resources:
100 Days of Freedom from Anger
Take Your Life Back
Every Believers Thought Life
Forgiving What Youll Never Forget
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 23, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grief, Hope, Ptsd, Navigating Change, Anxiety, Addictions, Boundaries, Alcohol, Anger, Trust, Faith, Aging Parents
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- Comment: My neighbor died, and his family found his Life Recovery Bible. Thank you, New Life, for making a difference in people’s lives.
- My PTSD from Afghanistan is affecting my ability to deal with my son heading to college; what could I have done differently as a dad?
- How can I help my mother-in-law if I just got out of rehab and my alcoholic dad left for detox this morning?
- My adult daughter has Stage 4 Metastatic Breast cancer; how do I convince her to not lose her faith in God?
- I had to take my dad off of life support, and Satan is tormenting me by making me think I killed my dad.
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
Take Your Life Back
100 Days of Freedom from Depression
Life Recovery Workbook on Grief
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 22, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Alone we’re vulnerable to temptation. Together, however, we form a shield of protection for one another. God wants you and I to grow spiritually in a network of mutual commitment and accountability, where we help each other to think and live in new ways.
The apostle Paul wrote, “In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan” (Ephesians 6:16). The shield of faith was likened to the shields carried by Roman soldiers, which were able to cover the entire body. To advance in battle, a group of soldiers would assemble together, making a wall of shields for protection as they moved forward.
Similarly, we’re told to stick together. The author of Hebrews wrote, “Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other” (Hebrews 10:25). Our encouragement of one another and our shared faith in God and his Word will serve as the shield we need to persevere in tough times.
Who is standing beside you in the everyday battles of your life? Are you alone on the field or do you have trusted friends on each side? If you’re alone, how is that working out for you? Who has God called you to stand beside?
– Steve Arterburn
If I have seen farther than other men, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. – Sir Isaac Newton
The post Our Shield of Togetherness appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Aging Parents, Parent Issues, Boundaries, Sexual Intimacy, Confrontation, Pornography, Singles, Dating, People Pleaser, Trust, Betrayal
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
Caller Questions:
- How can I be wise if my mom suffered a stroke, my dad can’t even do the laundry, and my sister wants me to stay with him for months at a time?
- My husband and I have been married 10yrs, but we’ve never had sex; am I handling this situation right?
- Why do I keep dating men who want me to take care of them; they want me to be the breadwinner.
- What can I do about over trusting people who then later betray my trust?
Suggested Resources:
Intimate Deception
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 19, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. – James 5:16
Sin likes to hide in the darkness. In darkness and silence it gathers energy and continues its work. Confession, however, brings sin into the open where its power is broken. James, the half-brother of Jesus and a leader in the early church, knew this. In the book of James he encourages us to confess our sins to one another not just confess silently to God.
But what are you to confess? First, you’re called to confess your offenses against others. Unconfessed sin erects barriers in relationships. Confession and forgiveness, however, break down these walls and allows God’s love and power to flow freely among us.
There are also times when you need to confess struggles that you’re having trouble overcoming. You’re forgiven solely by the grace that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. But others can provide the support, accountability, assurance, and perspective that can help you move forward. Opening your heart to a trusted friend, pastor, or counselor can be a step toward experiencing the freedom of forgiveness.
Are you feeling the pain resulting from bad choices or decisions? Do you need to tell someone that you see how your actions have brought hurt and that you’re sorry? When you heed the words of James, you’ll experience the relief your soul desires.
– Steve Arterburn
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug. – Mark Twain
The post Confessing appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grandparenting, Borderline Personality Disorder, Single Parenting, Addictions, Anger, Suicide, Teens, Parenting, Sexual Abuse, Homosexuality, Forgiveness
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West (presenter at EMB)
Caller Questions:
- My 17yo granddaughter has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder; what is the best avenue for helping her?
- What can I do if I’m a single dad and my 10yo and 7yo children blame me? Their addicted mom tells them lies when she visits them.
- What should I do if my 16yo son has talked of suicide after he may fail his sophomore year? His grades fell after he had an illness and his girlfriend dumped him.
- I was molested as a child and ended up in a 10yr lesbian relationship but got out of it. How do I forgive myself of my past sexual sin?
Suggested Resources:
Understanding and Loving a Person with Borderline Personality Disorder
How We Love Our Kids
Healing is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.******
The post New Life Live: May 18, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. – Psalm 37:5–6
Some people go through life excusing their shortcomings because of some disadvantage they’ve had stacked against them. Others have grown up in great families and circumstances of great advantage and privilege. They’ve had less in their lives to overcome and less occasion to stumble.
If you’re one who hasn’t had these benefits and you’ve had a disadvantage or two to overcome, you may feel angry, resentful, and even ashamed as a result. If so, I have two important things to say to you: first, your feelings are certainly understandable. Second, despite the fact that your resentful feelings may be justified, you simply must let go of them–those feelings will slowly eat you alive.
Letting go is so simple and at the same time so hard to do. Daily, we face the same challenge . . . a challenge to surrender. Surrender your will, your power, your bitter, angry feelings of resentment to God. Empty yourself so His Holy Spirit can come and fill the void.
See if God won’t respond to your surrender.
– Steve Arterburn
The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender. – William Booth
The post Releasing Past Failures appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Widows, Singles, Loneliness, Church Life, Step Children, Separation, Reconciliation, Caregiving, Adult Children, Anger, Counseling
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Sheri Keffer
Caller Questions:
- What can we do if churches don’t support widows, those who are divorced, singles and other lonely people?
- How do I save my marriage if my adult stepdaughters don’t accept me, and my husband goes to his ex-wife and his daughters house every holiday?
- Do you have any resources for my pastor’s wife who always runs to her daughter’s house because her husband’s church means everything to him?
- I am my 38yo son’s caregiver as he recovers from burn injuries, but he is very angry; how do I encourage him to get the help he needs?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
Take Your Life Back
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 17, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. – James 1:23-24
How many times would you say you looked into the mirror each day? Most of us check our appearance quite frequently, and if you notice a dirty spot on your cheek, you’ll immediately wipe your face to clear up the problem.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a mirror capable of seeing your insides too, a mirror able to show you that smudge of greed, that drip of lust, or that blotch of anger which spot your heart; a mirror that would allow us to examine our spiritual state, then address whatever appropriate and necessary changes were brought to our attention?
In the Bible the book of James calls Scripture just that type of mirror. James tells us reading or listening to Scripture without obeying it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance, like seeing yourself, then promptly walking away and forgetting what sloppy shape you’re in. On the other hand, God’s word and acting on it puts you in a position to address your situation. You see the truth and are equipped to deal with it in a truthful way.
Examine yourself regularly in the mirror of Scripture. And if you find you’ve got some smudges to clean up, take immediate steps to do so. By God’s grace, you’ll look a little cleaner next time you take a look.
– Steve Arterburn
Many a man’s reputation would not know his character if they met on the street. – Elbert Hubbard
The post Behold, The Mirror appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Parenting, Sexuality, Interfaith Marriage, Confrontation, Forgiveness, Conflict, Boundaries, Empty Nest, Anger
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- How do I talk about sex to my kids, 11yo and 8yo, when my wife doesn’t agree with my Christian perspective on it?
- How do I response to my sister-in-law who is angry we made plans to meet with her gay son without telling her?
- What insight can I give to other Christian parents who focus too much on protecting their kids and not preparing them for the real world?
- My kids and others say my tone is too harsh; what am I projecting onto people?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
How We Love our Kids
One Year Bible for Women
Living Well Finishing Strong
Healing is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 16, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. – James 3:9
Stop and think a minute about the damage caused by careless words, gossip, lies, sarcasm, hurtful comments, and bitter arguments. In the book of James, he gives us some strong instruction about the power of the tongue . . .such a small part of your body, but so powerful . . . for good and bad.
While we all learned the old saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me,” it’s not really true, is it? The truth is: Broken bones heal much quicker and easier than wounds caused by hurtful words.
Paul said, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”
In light of the immense power of words, both for good and for ill, you ought to guard your tongue carefully. From the silence of not answering back when baited into an argument, to not spreading gossip, to forgoing that sarcastic remark that would’ve gotten a laugh at someone else’s expense. This discipline is a powerful way to use (or not use) your tongue to bless and encourage others.
– Steve Arterburn
Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. – Ronald Reagan
The post Tying the Tongue appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Abandonment, Counseling, Anxiety, Getting Unstuck, Aging Parents, Confrontation, Narcissist, Communication, Career, Having Kids, Masturbation, Sexual Integrity
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- How do I get beyond feeling abandoned due to me no longer being able to see my therapist?
- What’s the next right thing to do with my elderly, narcissistic father who told me off for asking him a question?
- How can my husband and I come to a decision together about starting a family and me being a stay-at-home mom in a year?
- I’m 70years old and celibate; is masturbation considered sexual immorality?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 15, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. – John 10:3-4
There’s no group discount for the kingdom. Instead, God tugs at your heart as an individual, calling you one by one. When God calls someone, He calls him or her personally. It’s a biblical pattern repeated time and again.
The Lord called young Samuel by name until he responded. (1 Samuel 3) Jesus stopped at the fishing boat of Peter and Andrew and said, “Come, follow me…and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) Jesus halted Saul of Tarsus in his tracks in the middle of the highway, again calling him by name. (Acts 9:1-9)
And so it’s been through all of time. The manner and circumstances of the call are radically diverse, but its personal nature is the same. The Bible compares such a relationship to a shepherd’s intimate knowledge of his flock. The shepherd knows the peculiarities and habits of every one of his lambs.
Jesus Christ knows you intimately. He calls you by name. Listen for Him today! When you hear Him—respond to Him!
– Steve Arterburn
A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go but ought to be. – Rosalynn Carter
The post Called by Name appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Verbal Abuse, Adult Children, Grandparenting, Dating, Childhood Trauma, Shame, Isolation, Friendship, Parent Issues, Domestic Abuse, Forgiveness
Hosts: Chris Williams, Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton
Caller Questions:
- What can I do if my daughter-in-law is verbally abusive toward my granddaughter?
- I called you about my daughter with bipolar disorder, and you helped! I’m 63yrs old and a widow; how do I connect with a strong Christian man?
- I never bonded with my family, so I have a hard time bonding with others and feel isolated.
- My Mom took my children to her house even after I told her not to because my stepdad was abusive to us when I was a child; how do I handle it?
- Do I drop charges against the father of my child who was violent two years ago but he tells me to just forgive and forget?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
Healing is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 12, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me. – Psalm 142:7
Several years ago, four inmates at the Greenville, Mississippi city jail were caught breaking back into their cells! And according to the district attorney, “It is entirely possible this wasn’t the first time they’ve done this.” The four apparently found a way for repeated access to the outside world. Yet according to the police chief, “They didn’t seem interested in escaping, they just missed their amenities of life and went back to get them.” This particular time, they returned to jail carrying a load of gin and marijuana. Ironically, these willing prisoners now face felony escape charges.
Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. How many of us have resolved to spend our days in prisons of our own making—prisons we’re able to escape through personal change, but won’t because the prison provides us a semblance of security?
You can be freed from whatever your prison is. Look for help—first to God, but then to those God has put in your path, a trusted friend, pastor or counselor. And remember God is a God of second chances.
– Steve Arterburn
I’m not crazy about reality, but it’s still the only place to get a decent meal. – Groucho Marx
The post Whom God sets Free is Free Indeed appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Integrity, Recovery Groups, In-laws, Suicide, Aging Parents, Boundaries
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West (presenter at EMB)
Caller Questions:
- I was in J.J. West’s sexual recovery group; any advice on how to not fall back into Satan’s traps?
- How do I deal with being my husband’s fourth wife, but no one in his family wants him to be married to me?
- Was it okay for my wife to use sex toys if I didn’t want her to? She committed suicide a few weeks ago.
- How do I speak truth to my friend whose elderly father is being taken advantage of by women?
Suggested Resources:
Every Mans Bible
Take Your Life Back
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 11, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 5:1
A psychologist friend recently told me about Cliff—a client he described as “a believer after God’s own heart.” After years of service to The Lord, Cliff’s wife developed aggressive cancer. Many people joined Cliff in prayer for his wife, but she declined rapidly and died. Through it all, Cliff didn’t break his determined gaze upon Christ. Instead of allowing the tragedy to shake his faith, he allowed his experience of pain, suffering, confusion, and grief to push him deeper into the arms of the living God.
Cliff knew two things, and held to them tenaciously. The first was that God was good. He didn’t understand the circumstances surrounding his wife’s sickness, or why she had to suffer and die. But he knew a reason resided with God, and that he would come to understand in the light of eternity. The second thing Cliff held to was his certainty that God loved him-in spite of everything, no matter what, and through it all.
When you’re in severe pain or distress, life becomes pretty simple. You’re in survival mode, and you have neither the heart nor the strength to spread your emotional energy around. As Chuck Swindoll might say, “Life gets boiled down to the nubbies.”
When pain or distress boils your life down to the “nubbies”, do what Cliff did. Keep it simple. Grab hold of what you know is true about the living God, and hold on like a pit bull.
– Steve Arterburn
The nearer the dawn the darker the night. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The post The “Nubbies” appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Love Bombing, Boundaries, Procrastination, Narcissist, Affairs, Divorce, Grief, Adult Children
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
Caller Questions:
- My family accused me of love bombing them when I shared my concerns with them: was I love bombing them?
- How can can handle my love bombing neighbor who showers me with gifts and tells me about his sex life with his wife?
- What should I do if my husband of two decades keeps saying he’ll finish remodeling our house but doesn’t?
- What can we do if my narcissistic daughter-in-law is filing for divorce after she got caught up in prostitution? They’ve been married 30yrs.
Suggested Resources:
The Emotional Freedom Workbook
Boundaries
Take Your Life Back
Intimate Deception
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 10, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. – Malachi 3:6
Too many of us travel through life basing our decisions on how they make us feel and what you experience. We don’t study God’s Word enough and spend too little time in prayer.
Consequently, we have very little knowledge of the Good Shepherd who beckons us to follow Him, no matter how we feel and regardless of our circumstances.
How about considering a transformational alternative? If you place your focus squarely upon Christ, over time it will become second nature to look to Him and not to yourselves. You will not get lost when you enter the dark seasons of life. Jesus will be your unshakable horizon. Your focused gaze upon Him will keep you from altering your direction due to momentary discomfort or the temptation of temporary gratification. You won’t drift off into spiritual shipwreck!
Listen to the Word of God in Malachi 3:6: “I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” In a world that is endlessly fickle and fleeting, God is an immovable Rock.
Our faith, when focused on the true God, will not be shaken by adversity or temptation. As long as we hold tightly to Him by faith trusting in His goodness and love we can come through pain and struggle with a deeper and richer relationship with Jesus, rather than a strained faith resulting from a prolonged failure to seek and see our true God.
Start today. Step out in faith. Walk on the water. It’s scary at first, but actually pretty cool once you get out there.
– Steve Arterburn
Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens. – J.R.R. Tolkien
The post A Better Way appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Marc Cameron, Dr. Alice Benton
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 8, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. – 2 Peter 1:6
Who is in charge of your emotions? Is it you, or have you formed the unfortunate habit of letting other people—or troubling situations—determine the quality of your thoughts and the direction of your day? If you’re wise—and if you’d like to build a better life for yourself and your loved ones—you’ll learn to control your emotions before your emotions control you.
Human emotions are highly variable, decidedly unpredictable, and often unreliable. Our emotions are like the weather, only far more fickle. So we must learn to live by faith, not by the ups and downs of our own emotional roller coasters.
Remember: Your life shouldn’t be ruled by your emotions—your life should be ruled by God. So if you think you’ve lost control over your emotions, don’t make big decisions, don’t strike out against anybody, and don’t speak out in anger. Count to ten (or more) and take a “time out” from your situation until you calm down.
– Steve Arterburn
Sometime during this day, you will probably be gripped by a strong negative feeling. Distrust it. Reign it in. Test it. And turn it over to God. Your emotions will inevitably change; God will not. So trust Him completely as you watch those negative feelings slowly evaporate into thin air—which, of course, they will. Our feelings do not affect God’s facts. – Amy Carmichael
Don’t bother much about your feelings. When they are humble, loving, brave, give thanks for them; when they are conceited, selfish, cowardly, ask to have them altered. In neither case are they you, but only a thing that happens to you. What matters is your intentions and your behavior. – C. S. Lewis
The spiritual life is a life beyond moods. It is a life in which we choose joy and do not allow ourselves to become victims of passing feelings of happiness or depression. – Henri Nouwen
The post Emotions: Who’s In Charge Of Yours? appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Separation, Affairs, Human Trafficking, Trauma, Boundaries, Sexual Abuse, Christian Walk, Divorce, Finances, Adult Children
Hosts: Chris Williams, Becky Brown, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- What should I do if I’ve been separated from my husband for 10yrs because he tried to bring other women into the house?
- My 21yo daughter was trafficked and has two children, but she doesn’t want to move with me to a new home. What boundaries should I have with her?
- A lady in my Facebook group was sexually assaulted and is questioning her faith in God; how do I respond?
- I’m a divorced father who is struggling financially and have to sell the house my adult kids are living in; how do I handle their anger?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Healing Is a Choice
Life Recovery Bible
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 5, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Listen to advice and accept correction, and in the end you will bewise. – Proverbs 19:20
Would you like a surefire way to build character? If so, then you should find suitable mentors—men and women whose character you admire—and imitate them.
A savvy mentor can help you make character-building choices. And just as importantly, a thoughtful mentor can help you recognize and avoid the hidden big-time mistakes that can derail your day (or your life).
Wise mentors aren’t really very hard to find if you look in the right places (but they’re almost impossible to find if you look in the wrong places!). So today, as an exercise in character-building, select from your friends and family members a mentor whose judgment you trust. Then listen carefully to your mentor’s advice and be willing to accept that advice even if accepting it requires effort or pain, or both. Consider your mentor to be God’s gift to you. Thank God for that gift, and use it.
Rely on the advice of trusted friends and mentors. Proverbs 1:5 makes it clear: “A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel” (NKJV). Do you want to be wise? Seek counsel from wise people, starting today.
– Steve Arterburn
The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are. – C. S. Lewis
It takes a wise person to give good advice, but a wiser person to take it. – Marie T. Freeman
The effective mentor strives to help a man or woman discover what they can be in Christ and then holds them accountable to become that person. – Howard Hendricks
The post Strong Mentors Help Build Character appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Suicide, Adult Children, Trust, Self-worth, Boundaries, Accountability
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- What advice do you have for my adult daughter who is suicidal and lives in another state? She’s a divorced single mom whose ex-husband is gay.
- How can I be more compassionate toward myself?
- How do I set boundaries with my husband who left a year ago but still invites me to come to his mom’s house for family get-togethers?
- When my pastor husband remains unrepentant, is there anything I can do?
Suggested Resources:
100 Days To Freedom from Depression
Take Your Life Back
Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.**
The post New Life Live: May 4, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. – Genesis 2:24
How can a stranger tell if two people are married? When eight-year old Derrick was asked this question he stopped to think for a minute. Then he replied most seriously, “You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.”
Kids really have a way of making us laugh, reflect, and, yes. . . sometimes yell, don’t they? But young Derrick hit upon a very important fact: marriage can be tough and that’s true regardless of whether or not you have kids.
Finances, communication, intimacy, and sometimes-even kids can become sources of tension in your relationship with your spouse. Nevertheless, God’s intention for marriage is that it be a source of joy, encouragement, comfort, and grace that gives richness to life.
Marriage is the state or condition of a community consisting of a master, a mistress and two slaves, making in all, two. – Ambrose Bierce
By Steve Arterburn
Read more about Steve.
The post Marriage appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Chris Williams, Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 3, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
There are misunderstandings of the Christian faith. And wherever misunderstandings exist, myths and misconceptions inevitably creep around them. Sadly, these three myths below are pervasive at the present time.
The first myth is that faith creates a problem-free life. This has produced more agnostics and atheists than any other counterfeit faith because it’s founded on the assumption that believing in Christ causes problems to vanish. And when this doesn’t prove true, they reject Christianity. And those who accept Christianity deny hardships exist or conclude that their adversities persist because they do not believe hard enough.
Faith provides perspective, perseverance, and purpose through tough times but doesn’t invariably protect anyone from life’s complex realities. Those who’ve walked with Christ through the centuries were constantly beset by pain, poverty, tragedy, illness, beatings, and other hardships. But those adversities built their faith. Their trials drew them closer to God because their faith was healthy and authentic before the difficulties started.
The second common myth is that faith provides “instant peace,” expressed in statements like: “If I’m truly faithful, I won’t experience grief, anger, discouragement, or confusion in the face of tragedy or loss. Instead, I’ll keep my chin up, eyes dry, and lips smiling.” This myth leads to unresolved emotions and a complete divorce from reality. People losing children, spouses, fortunes, and dreams speak of “wonderful peace” moments after the tragedy. That’s the result of shock, not peace!
Those who profess instant peace will suffer more pain in the future because they refuse to acknowledge their losses. But those with healthy faith express their emotions and are challenged to be stronger, to trust more, and to find real peace. Some might think, “But doesn’t Scripture tell us to be thankful for everything?” Yes! But that doesn’t deny human emotions by demanding instantaneous gratitude. Healthy faith will produce the peace that transcends your understanding. It won’t be instant, but it will be genuine.
The third myth I’d like to discuss I call “Pollyannaism.” In this warped reality, believers tell themselves and others, “Everything that happens is good.” But should we be grateful for crisis and tragedy? No. That is people manufacturing responses. Those who embrace this myth must habitually deny how they feel and thus forego the possibility of dealing with pain and grief.
Ultimately, this type of toxic thinking creates doubt about whether God is good. Scripture nowhere insists that we call every event that occurs good. What it does promise, however, is that God will take even the horrific events of life and work them together for good. And that’s quite a different thing. This myth produces quick and superficial relief but blocks reality and spiritual maturity.
Excerpted from the book More Jesus, Less Religion by Stephen Arterburn
More about Steve
The post 3 Myths and Misconceptions About Faith appeared first on New Life.
Whether caring for a child with special needs, a loved one who is ill, or caring for an elderly family member, being a caregiver is stressful. One study by the American psychological association discovered that 33 percent of caregivers reported mental or behavioral health problems such as anxiety, depression, or substance abuse. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, so Christ encourages caregivers to come to Him. Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” For help, here are some self-care strategies caregivers can utilize.
1. Spend time with God.
It’s easy for a caregiver to try to do everything in their own strength, but this will deplete them. This is why caregivers need to spend time with God daily in prayer, reading the Bible, and meditating on His Word.
2. Get ready each morning.
Having a morning routine can be difficult for caregivers because they’re often so busy helping others that they neglect themselves. Start by waking up 30 minutes earlier. Use this time to grab a cup of coffee or tea, take a shower, and swap pajamas for a nice outfit.
3. Talk about how you feel each day.
Many caregivers neglect their own emotional needs. If this sounds familiar, share your feelings daily. It also helps to meet weekly with a small group, like a Life Recovery Group. Expressing emotions is necessary for becoming emotionally healthy.
4. Stop striving for perfection.
Social media makes caregivers think that caring for others means being perfect, but nothing could be further from the truth. No one is perfect—everyone makes mistakes. So, caregivers must let go of unrealistic expectations for themselves and realize they are doing the best job they can do.
5. Delegate and ask for help.
Caregivers do so much for others that it can be hard to delegate tasks or ask for help when needed. Set self-sufficiency aside and delegate tasks. Ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, and even look for volunteers in the community.
6. Create healthy habits and stick to them.
While some self-care is often viewed as a spa day, it’s about building a life one doesn’t need to escape from. Practice habits that lead to a healthy life such as eating healthy foods, exercising, and resting. If this is hard, get an accountability partner.
7. Don’t dismiss your dreams and goals.
It’s common for a caregiver to inspire those they are caring for to dream big and aspire to high goals. But when it comes to their dreams, they often let them go. Caregivers can write their dreams and goals down, then take steps to work toward them. Find a New Life Coach to help.
8. Learn to say no sometimes.
Between juggling work, family, and relationships, it can be challenging for caregivers to set and reinforce boundaries. A good way caregivers can do this is by telling others what they need. Here are some examples:
- “I need to spend time with my family, so I won’t be able to work late.”
- “I am going away with my husband for the weekend, so I can’t volunteer at church.”
- “I need time to rest, so I am taking a day off but will have someone else come to help.”
9. Schedule “me” time every day.
If a caregiver wants to practice self-care, one strategy is to schedule “me” time. It’s necessary to be intentional and schedule “me” time. Try blocking off 30 minutes each day of uninterrupted time doing something for yourself.
10. Don’t feel guilty for spending money on yourself.
There’s nothing wrong with a caregiver getting a new haircut or buying a new outfit—these are necessities, not luxuries. When a caregiver takes care of their needs, they are better able to take care of others’ needs.
If you’re a caregiver experiencing burnout, please know we are here for you! Call us at 800-639-5433. We can pray with you and connect you with a counselor.
By Kimberlee Bousman
More about Kimberlee
The post 10 Self-Care Strategies for Caregivers appeared first on New Life.
We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. – Hebrew 6:18b-19
Have you ever thought about being addicted to love? It sounds like a good thing to be addicted to, but clinically speaking, it’s a problem.
Relationship addicts live in a world of paradoxes that leave them feeling like they have no way out. They desperately want to get close to someone, but end up with a person whose problems make closeness impossible. They seek security, but end up with someone who always leaves the back door open for a quick get-away.
Relationship addicts crave unconditional love, but live in constant fear of abandonment if they don’t live up to their own impossible standards. They want to be free to love, but often trap themselves in a relationship by becoming pregnant or by weaving some other type of emotional spider web. Drowning in the whirlpool of their own emotions, they turn to a rescuer who cannot swim.
When all is said and done, for healing to occur, if you’re a relationship addict, you’ll need to come to the end of your own strength and seek God’s help to resolve the hurts of the past and move toward a genuine focus on others. Without this, relationship addicts are doomed to a cycle of misery and futility. Remember, you can never fix what only God can fix.
– Steve Arterburn
Aloneness can lead to loneliness. God’s preventative for loneliness is intimacy – meaningful, open, sharing relationships with one another. In Christ we have the capacity for the fulfilling sense of belonging which comes from intimate fellowship with God and with other believers.– Neil T. Anderson
God is more interested in your future and your relationships than you are. – Billy Graham
The post Addicted to Love appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 2, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Every morning He wakes me. He teaches me to listen like a student. The Lord God helps me learn . . . – Isaiah 50:4-5
Each new day is a gift from God, and if you are wise, you will spend a few quiet moments each morning thanking the Giver. When you do, you’ll discover that time spent with God can lift your spirits and relieve your stress.
Warren Wiersbe writes, “Surrender your mind to the Lord at the beginning of each day.” That is sound advice. When you begin each day with your head bowed and your heart lifted, you are reminded of God’s love, His protection, and His commandments. Then, you can align your priorities for the coming day with the teachings and commandments that God has placed upon your heart.
So, if you’ve acquired the unfortunate habit of trying to “squeeze” God into the corners of your life, it’s time to reshuffle the items on your to-do list by placing God first. And if you haven’t already done so, form the habit of spending quality time with your Father in heaven. He deserves it . . . and so do you.
– Steve Arterburn
How paltry must be the devotions of those who are always in a hurry. – William Law
How motivating it has been for me to view my early morning devotions as time of retreat alone with Jesus, who desires that I “come with Him by myself to a quiet place” in order to pray, read His Word, listen for His voice, and be renewed in my spirit. – Anne Graham Lotz
I suggest you discipline yourself to spend time daily in a systematic reading of God’s Word. Make this “quiet time” a priority that nobody can change. – Warren Wiersbe
TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord, help me to hear Your direction for my life in the quiet moments when I study Your Holy Word. And as I go about my daily activities, let everything that I say and do be pleasing to You. Amen
The post The Morning Watch appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 1 hour from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: May 1, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. – Psalm 42:1
Looking for an edge in life? Consider this: God is the key to any success you may have in learning to control your desires. He must be your strength, your counselor, and your sure foundation.
Why is God so important? Because He’s the source and fulfillment of all human life, including yours. In other words, you were created by God as well as for God. We often forget the latter.
St. Augustine made this beautiful confession nearly seventeen centuries ago: “Our hearts are restless until they find rest in You, O Lord.” It was true for him then, and it’s true for you now.
“My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” (Psalm 84:2)
“Whoever drinks the water I give Him,” said Jesus, “will never thirst…[it] will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4: 14)
“I am the bread of life,” said Jesus, ‘He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty’.” (John 6:35)
Behind all your cravings is a craving for God. And this craving can only be filled through a relationship with Jesus Christ—your true food and drink.
– Steve Arterburn
I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. – Michelangelo
The post The Key to Success appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grief, Adult Children, Pornography, Mother Issues, Verbal Abuse, Aging Parents, Trust, Intimacy
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West
Caller Questions:
- My adult children don’t like what I think, say, or do; do I need to uncover what has caused them to have this wound? We are grieving recent deaths in the family.
- I have been addicted to porn since I was 11yo; what can I do to overcome it?
- My mom keeps leaving my verbally abusive stepdad and going back to him.
- What’s going on with me that I get jealous of my wife looking at other men at the gym? She is 10yrs younger than me.
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Every Man’s Battle
Take Your Life Back
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 28, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. – 1 Peter 2:1-2
Go ahead and admit it, you talk to yourself. It’s not something to be embarrassed about—self- talk can be used to your benefit in order to greatly improve your success in controlling your desires.
One way to use it is to constructively direct the anger you feel when you’re tempted by an unhealthy or inappropriate desire. Instead of getting angry with yourself, get angry at the offense, and at the stumbling block it poses. This will help you resist it.
Another way self-talk can be used is to confront yourself and your appetites in order to bring rationality back into play when temptation threatens to confuse and disorient you. When you actively engage your mind by talking to yourself, you’ll be less likely to act without thinking, and you’ll reinforce what you believe to be true, right, and good.
Make no mistake about it. Self talk can be a very spiritually wise thing to do. Listen to what the master theologian, J. I. Packer says on this topic in his book, A Quest For Godliness: “Richard Baxter convinced me long ago that regular discursive meditation, in which as he quaintly put it you ‘imitate the most powerful preacher you ever heard’ in applying spiritual truth to yourself, as well as turning that truth into praise, is a vital discipline for spiritual health. This unanimous Puritan view is now mine too.”
– Steve Arterburn
If you hear a voice within you saying you are a painter, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh
Your self-talk is the channel of behavior change – Gino Norris
The post Self-Talk appeared first on New Life.
Special Edition of New Life Live: An In-depth Look at Every Man’s Battle Workshop
Topics: Sexual Addiction, Pornography, Affairs
Hosts: Chris Williams, JJ West (presenter at EMB), Doug Barnes (group facilitator at EMB)
Caller Questions:
- How does the road to sexual addiction begin?
- What key things will the guys experience at Every Man’s Battle that will correct their path?
- What are we missing if we don’t open up ourselves to each other?
- Stacey Sadler speaks to the wives who have been affected by betrayal trauma.
- What advice do you have for the wives of the men who need help?
- What does the recovery process look like?
- Is Every Man’s Battle just for Christians?
Suggested Resources:
Every Man’s Battle
Worthy of Her Trust
Every Man’s Bible
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 27, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. – Matthew 26:41
Have you ever noticed that no matter how strong the struggles with our appetites may be, most of them only last a few minutes? It’s true. And so I want to talk with you about a tactic that’ll help you make good choices in these times: distraction and delay.
When facing temptation, try to delay your decision to act upon the desire you’re experiencing for fifteen to thirty minutes. What you’ll find is that you’ve gained a great deal of perspective and resolve in that relatively short but very important interval.
But while you’re delaying, make sure to use some kind of distraction or diversion—one that will allow you to think clearly about the choice you must make, while at the same time allowing you to distance yourself a bit from the temptations that cloud your decision. If you don’t join distraction or diversion with your delay, you’ll probably find yourself just watching the clock and thinking about how much longer you have before you get to indulge.
Get involved with something else. If your desire has passed, then great—you’ve successfully avoided something you didn’t really want and probably didn’t need! But if thirty minutes passes and you still want whatever it is you’re desiring—and that something isn’t destructive—then go ahead and enjoy it, in moderation!
– Steve Arterburn
A delay is better than a disaster. – Unknown
The post Delay and Distract appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Becky Brown, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 26, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
This is what the Lord says: If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words. – Jeremiah 15:19a
Have you ever been at a loss for words? Needed to pray in a tough situation and couldn’t find the words? Can words explain the depth of your love for your spouse, parent, child or sibling? Or can they begin to describe the intensity of grief at the loss of one of these same people?
No, words sometime fall short. Consider Job, arguably the most profound story of human suffering ever told. This righteous man loses material possessions, servants, children, health, and ultimately, the support of friends.
Initially, suffering silences him. But Job grows agitated and seeks answers to his growing anguish. God answers Job, yet not at all in the manner Job expected. God doesn’t explain himself nor does he explain to Job why he’s in this situation. In fact, he counters Job’s “why” questions with “who” answers. God shows up, and Job’s questions suddenly seem out of order. In humility and awe, Job says, “I will put my hand over my mouth in silence. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.” (Job 40: 4-5).
What problem has been weighing heavily upon you? I suggest you write it down, put your pen away, close your eyes, bow your head, and be still in God’s presence. Let God know you trust him regardless of your limited perspective. Like Job, our “why” questions often mask deeper questions—questions that require “who” answers. Why is never the right question to ask God. God is God, and he’s enough for us. Let his presence give you peace that transcends your ability to articulate it with words.
– Steve Arterburn
I find that doing the will of God leaves me no time for disputing about His plans. – George MacDonald
The post The Limit of Words appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 25, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. – Ezekiel 36:26
Even the most inspired Christians can, from time to time, find themselves running on empty. The demands of daily life can drain us of our strength and rob us of the joy that is rightfully ours in Christ. When we find ourselves tired, discouraged, or worse, there is a source from which we can draw the power needed to recharge our spiritual batteries. That source is God.
God intends that His children lead joyous lives filled with abundance and peace. But sometimes, abundance and peace seem very far away. It is then that we must turn to God for renewal, and when we do, He will restore us.
Are you tired or troubled? Turn your heart toward God in prayer. Are you weak or worried? Take the time—or, more accurately, make the time—to delve deeply into God’s Holy Word. Are you spiritually depleted? Call upon fellow believers to support you, and call upon Christ to renew your spirit and your life. When you do, you’ll discover that the Creator of the universe stands always ready and always able to create a new sense of wonderment and joy in you.
– Steve Arterburn
God specializes in things fresh and firsthand. His plans for you this year may outshine those of the past. He’s prepared to fill your days with reasons to give Him praise. – Joni Eareckson Tada
In those desperate times when we feel like we don’t have an ounce of strength, He will gently pick up our heads so that our eyes can behold something—something that will keep His hope alive in us. – Kathy Troccoli
Repentance removes old sins and wrong attitudes, and it opens the way for the Holy Spirit to restore our spiritual health. – Shirley Dobson
TODAY’S PRAYER *Lord, You are my rock and my strength. When I grow weary, let me turn my thoughts and my prayers to You. When I am discouraged, restore my faith in You. Let me always trust in Your promises, Lord, and let me draw strength from those promises and from Your unending love for me. Amen***
The post Time for Renewal appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 24, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. – James 1:22
It takes courage to stand up for our beliefs, and it takes character to live by them. Yet far too many of us spend more energy verbalizing our beliefs than living by them—with predictable consequences.
Is your life a picture book of your creed? Are your actions congruent with your personal code? And are you willing to practice the philosophy that you preach? If so, your character will take care of itself.
But if you’re doing things that don’t meet with approval of the person you see in the mirror, it’s time to slow down, step back, and think about how your conduct is shaping your character. If you profess to be a Christian but behave yourself as if you were not, you’re living in denial. And denial, in large doses, corrodes character.
So today, make certain that your actions are guided by God’s Word and by the conscience that He has placed in your heart. Don’t treat your faith as if it were separate from everyday life— instead, weave your beliefs into the very fabric of your day. When you do, God will honor your good works, and your good works will honor God.
Think about the importance of making your actions conform to your beliefs. Then, ask yourself if your behavior matches your rhetoric. If the answer is yes, congratulations. If not, think of a single step you can take today to stand up for the things you believe in.
– Steve Arterburn
Once you have thoroughly examined your values and articulated them, you will be able to steer your life by them. – John Maxwell
Believe and do what God says. The life-changing consequences will be limitless, and the results will be confidence and peace of mind. – Franklin Graham
The post Matching Your Actions To Your Beliefs appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Drug Addiction, Secrets, Bipolar, Christian Walk, Trauma, Grief, Fear, Sexual Abuse
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- My husband has drug and anger problems and we agreed to not tell anyone; what can I do?
- When my 33yo bipolar daughter started reading the Bible, she took herself off of her medication. What now?
- How can I help my 23yo son who was held up at gunpoint last night at his job?
- Your New Life Weekend put me on a path that led me to recovery from my sexual abuse. Thank you New Life!
Suggested Resources:
Understanding and Loving a Person with Alcohol or Drug Addiction
Understanding and Loving a Person with Bipolar Disorder
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 21, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. – 2 Corinthians 5:17
Have you invited God’s Son to reign over your heart and your life? If so, think for a moment about the “old” you, the person you were before you invited Christ into your heart. Now, think about the “new” you, the person you have become since then. Is there a difference between the “old” you and the “new and improved” version? There should be! And that difference should be noticeable not only to you but also to others.
Warren Wiersbe observed, “The greatest miracle of all is the transformation of a lost sinner into a child of God.” And Oswald Chambers noted, “If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit Divine characteristics in your life, not good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as a human life trying to be godly.”
When you invited Christ to reign over your heart, you became a new creation through Him. This day offers yet another opportunity to behave yourself like that new creation by serving your Creator and strengthening your character. When you do, God will guide your steps and bless your endeavors today and forever.
Today, remember this: a true conversion experience results in a life transformed by Christ and a commitment to following in His footsteps.
– Steve Arterburn
No man is ever the same after God has laid His hand upon him. – A. W. Tozer
Being born again is God’s solution to our need for love and life and light. – Anne Graham Lotz
The transforming love of God has repositioned me for eternity. I am now a new man, forgiven, basking in the warm love of our living God, trusting His promises and provision, and enjoying life to the fullest. – Bill Bright
What is God looking for? He is looking for men and women whose hearts are completely His. – Charles Swindoll
When I met Christ, I felt that I had swallowed sunshine. – E. Stanley Jones
The post Real Transformation appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Affairs, Pornography, Separation, Anger, Triggers, Divorce, Grandparenting
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Sheri Keffer
Caller Questions:
- My porn-addicted husband had an affair with my best friend and had a child with her years ago; what can I do to heal?
- How do I emotionally go through my pain if my unfaithful husband of 22yrs years wants to separate?
- I waited three hours before reacting to a triggering situation; is there a downside? I waited so I wouldn’t respond in anger.
- How much should I talk about my divorce when my grandkids ask me why I am not with my unfaithful wife?
Suggested Resources:
Intimate Deception
Trust
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 20, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because He does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. – Ecclesiastes 5:4
When turbulent times arrive, it’s easy (and tempting) to avoid those hard-to-do tasks that you would prefer to avoid altogether. But the habit of procrastination takes a double toll: First, important work goes unfinished, and second, valuable energy is wasted in the process of putting off the things that remain undone.
If you find yourself bound by the chains of procrastination, ask yourself what you’re waiting for—or more accurately what you’re afraid of—and why. As you examine the emotional roadblocks that have, heretofore, blocked your path, you may discover that you’re waiting for the “perfect” moment, that instant in time when you feel neither afraid nor anxious. But in truth, perfect moments like these are few and far between.
So stop waiting for the perfect moment and focus, instead, on finding the right moment to do what needs to be done. Then, trust God and get busy. When you do, you’ll discover that you and the Father, working together, can accomplish great things . . . and that you can accomplish them sooner rather than later.
Once you acquire the habit of doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done, you will avoid untold trouble, worry, and stress. So learn to defeat procrastination by paying less attention to your fears and more attention to your responsibilities. God has created a world that punishes procrastinators and rewards men and women who “do it now.” In other words, life doesn’t procrastinate. Neither should you.
– Steve Arterburn
Not now becomes never. – Martin Luther
Do noble things, do not dream them all day long. – Charles Kingsley
Do the unpleasant work first and enjoy the rest of the day. – Marie T. Freeman
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, when I am confronted with things that need to be done, give me the courage and the wisdom to do them now, not later. Amen
The post Defeating Procrastination appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 19, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
You are being renewed in the spirit of your minds; you put on the new man, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth. – Ephesians 4:23-24
Each new day offers countless opportunities to serve God, to seek His will, and to obey His teachings. But each day also offers countless opportunities to stray from God’s commandments and to wander far from His path.
Sometimes, we wander aimlessly in a wilderness of our own making, but God has better plans of us. And, whenever we ask Him to renew our strength and guide our steps, He does so.
Consider this day a new beginning. Consider it a fresh start, a renewed opportunity to serve your Creator with willing hands and a loving heart. Ask God to renew your sense of purpose as He guides your steps. Today is a glorious opportunity to serve God. Seize that opportunity while you can; tomorrow may indeed be too late.
– Steve Arterburn
When you’re through changing, you’re through! – John Maxwell
No man need stay the way he is. – Harry Emerson Fosdick
More often than not, when something looks like it’s the absolute end, it is really the beginning. – Charles Swindoll
When we focus on God, the scene changes. He’s in control of our lives; nothing lies outside the realm of His redemptive grace. Even when we make mistakes, fail in relationships, or deliberately make bad choices, God can redeem us. – Penelope J. Stokes
The post Today is a New Beginning appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 18, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another – Proverbs 27:17
The dictionary defines the word “friend” as “a person who is attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.” This definition is accurate, as far as it goes, but when we examine the deeper meaning of friendship, many more descriptors come to mind: trustworthiness, loyalty, helpfulness, kindness, understanding, forgiveness, encouragement, humor, and cheerfulness, to mention but a few. Needless to say, our trusted friends and family members can help us discover God’s unfolding purposes for our lives. Our task is to enlist our friends’ wisdom, their cooperation, their honesty, and their encouragement.
If you genuinely want to strengthen your character, you need to build closer relationships with people who want to do the same. That’s why fellowship with like-minded believers should be an integral part of your life. Your friendships should be uplifting, enlightening, encouraging, and (above all) character-building.
Are your friends the kind of people who encourage you to seek God’s will and to obey God’s Word? If so, you’re choosing your friends wisely.
When you build lasting friendships that are pleasing to God, friendships with godly men and women whose values are admirable and whose intentions are honorable, you will be richly blessed. But if you find yourself spending time with folks whose priorities are as questionable as their ethics, you’re treading on dangerous ground. So here’s an invaluable tip for character building: be careful, very careful, how you choose your friends.
As you’re making friendships, be less concerned with appearances and more concerned with integrity. Resolve to be a trustworthy, encouraging, loyal friend to others. And make sure that you appreciate the genuine friends who, by their presence and their love, make you a better person. Friendship is, after all, a glorious gift, praised by God. Give thanks for that gift and nurture it.
Today, as you think about the nature and the quality of your friendships, remember the first rule of making (and keeping) friends: it’s the Golden Rule, and it starts like this: “Do unto others . . . .”
– Steve Arterburn
In as much as anyone pushes you nearer to God, he or she is your friend. – Barbara Johnson
The post Friends Who Help You Strengthen Your Character appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 17, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” And at once they left their nets and followed Him. – Matthew 4:19-20
Jesus walks with you. Are you walking with Him? Hopefully, you will choose to walk with Him today and every day of your life.
Jesus loved you so much that He endured unspeakable humiliation and suffering for you. How will you respond to Christ’s sacrifice? Will you take up His cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23), or will you choose another path? When you place your hopes squarely at the foot of the cross, when you place Jesus squarely at the center of your life, you will be blessed.
The old familiar hymn begins, “What a friend we have in Jesus….” No truer words were ever penned. Jesus is the sovereign Friend and ultimate Savior of mankind. Christ showed enduring love for His believers by willingly sacrificing His own life so that we might have eternal life. Now, it is our turn to become His friend.
Let us love our Savior, let us praise Him, and let us share His message of salvation with the world. When we do, we demonstrate that our acquaintance with the Master is not a passing fancy, but is, instead, the cornerstone and the touchstone of our lives.
Following Christ is a matter of obedience. If you want to be a little more like Jesus . . . learn about His teachings, follow in His footsteps, and obey His commandments.
– Steve Arterburn
Imagine the spiritual strength the disciples drew from walking hundreds of miles with Jesus . . . 3 John 4. – John Maxwell
Our responsibility is to feed from Him, to stay close to Him, to follow Him—because sheep easily go astray—so that we eternally experience the protection and companionship of our Great Shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ. – Franklin Graham
It’s your heart that Jesus longs for: your will to be made His own with self on the cross forever, and Jesus alone on the throne. – Ruth Bell Graham
The post The Character Building Path: Following His Footsteps appeared first on New Life.
But as for you, be strong; don’t be discouraged, for your work has a reward. – 2 Chronicles 15:7
We as Christians have many reasons to celebrate. Yet sometimes, even the most devout men and women may become discouraged. After all, we live in a world where expectations can be high and demands can be even higher. When we fail to meet the expectations of others or, for that matter, the expectations that we have set for ourselves, we may be tempted to abandon hope. But God has other plans. He knows exactly how He intends to use us. Our task is to remain faithful until He does.
When we are discouraged—on those cloudy days when our strength is sapped and our faith is shaken—there exists a source from which we can draw courage and wisdom. That source is God. When we seek to form a more intimate and dynamic relationship with our Creator, He renews our spirits and restores our souls. This promise is made clear in Isaiah 40:
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (vv. 28-31 NKJV)
God offers us the strength to meet our challenges, and He offers us hope for the future. So, if you have become discouraged with the direction of your day or your life, turn your thoughts and prayers to God—and associate with like-minded believers who do the same. And remember this: your Heavenly Father is a God of possibility, not negativity. He is your Shepherd; He never leaves your side; and the ultimate victory will be His. So how, then, can you ever stay discouraged for long?
If you’re feeling discouraged, try to redirect your thoughts away from the troubles that plague you—focus, instead, upon the opportunities that surround you.
– Steve Arterburn
God does not dispense strength and encouragement like adruggist fills your prescription. The Lord doesn’t promise to giveus something to take so we can handle our weary moments. Hepromises us Himself. That is all. And that is enough. – Charles Swindoll
The post Beyond Discouragement appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Anger, Blended Families, Adult Children, Sexual Integrity, Church Life, Affairs, Bipolar Disorder
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- How should I handle my husband’s anger towards my 26yo daughter who has lived with us since Covid? He wants her out.
- What can I do about my husband who is a church leader but struggles with masturbation and looking at women?
- I found out 6yrs ago that my wife cheated on me with seven different men. She just left me; is it time for me to move on?
- What is too much to expect of my husband who is bipolar and had a stroke? He won’t stay on his meds.
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Every Man’s Battle
Trust
Understanding and Loving a Person with Bipolar Disorder
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 13, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. –Matthew 6:19-21
In our modern society, we need money to live, but we should never make the acquisition of money the central focus of our lives. Money is a tool, but it should never overwhelm our sensibilities. The focus of life must be squarely on things spiritual, not things material.
Whenever we become absorbed with the acquisition of things, complications arise. Each new acquisition costs money or time, often both. To further complicate matters, many items can be purchased, not with real money, but with something much more insidious: debt. Debt—especially consumer debt used to purchase depreciating assets—is a modern-day form of indentured servitude.
If you’re looking for a sure-fire, time-tested way to simplify your life and thereby improve your world, learn to control your possessions before they control you. Purchase only those things that make a significant contribution to your well-being and the well-being of your family. Never spend more than you make. Understand the folly in buying consumer goods on credit. Never use credit cards as a way of financing your lifestyle.
Ask yourself this simple question: “Do I own my possessions, or do they own me?” If you don’t like the answer you receive, make an iron-clad promise to stop acquiring and start divesting. As you simplify your life, you’ll be amazed at the things you can do without. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the sense of satisfaction that accompanies your new-found moderation. And you’ll understand first-hand that when it comes to material possessions, less truly is more.
So, if you find yourself wrapped up in the concerns of the material world, it’s time to reorder your priorities by turning your thoughts and your prayers to more important matters. And, it’s time to begin storing up riches that will endure throughout eternity: the spiritual kind.
Materialism Made Simple: The world wants you to believe that “money and stuff ” can buy happiness. Don’t believe it! Genuine happiness comes not from money, but from the things that money can’t buy—starting, of course, with your relationship to God and His only begotten Son.
– Steve Arterburn
When possessions become our god, we become materialistic and greedy . . . and we forfeit our contentment and our joy. –Charles Swindoll
The post Materialism Tears Down Character appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 12, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever do not abandon the works of your hands. – Psalm 138:8
In his book, The Treasure Principle, Randy Alcorn tells the story of his family’s trip to Egypt. While driving through the hot and dusty streets of Cairo, they passed a graveyard for American missionaries and decided to go see it. One sun-scorched tombstone in particular caught their attention. At the top it read: William Borden, 1887-1913.
What makes Borden so interesting is that he was a Yale graduate, and the heir to great wealth. Yet he rejected a life of ease in exchange for the life of a missionary in Egypt. He gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars to missions, and after only four months of ministry in Egypt, he contracted spinal meningitis and died at age twenty-five.
At the bottom of William Borden’s tombstone, it says, “Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life.”
If you are a follower of Christ, you can expect that in obedience to that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit, you will do some things that make no earthly sense but are spiritually significant.
– Steve Arterburn
Even those who resist Him carry out His will without realizing that they are doing so. – Thomas Merton
The post God Plus One appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 11, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men. – Ephesians 6:7
The word “discipline” tends to put people on the defensive because it’s often mistakenly associated with the idea of punishment. That’s unfortunate, and very inaccurate. The Latin root of the word discipline means student. That’s why Webster’s Dictionary defines discipline as “training or experience that corrects, molds, strengthens, or perfects, especially the mental faculties or moral character.” And that’s why Jesus calls those who follow Him in faith His disciples.
Through the centuries, Christians have stimulated their life in Christ by practicing what are called “spiritual disciplines.” But as our culture has increasingly lost the ability to be informed by its past, and as society grows ever more permissive and lax, the “spiritual disciplines” have been forsaken and almost forgotten.
I’m talking about daily Bible reading—alone in a time of devotion, and together with your family. Concentrated, intentional, and regular time of prayer, alone and with fellow believers. Taking time to care for the sick, the widows and the orphans. Serving our neighbors in need as a response to Christ’s love for us.
Consider adding one Spiritual discipline to your life this week.
– Steve Arterburn
The best servant does his work unseen. – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
The post Spiritual Disciplines appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 10, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. – Galatians 6:9
If you’re like most people, you seek the admiration of your neighbors, your coworkers, and your family members. But the eagerness to please others should never overshadow your eagerness to please God. And your desire to impress others should never cause you to compromise your beliefs or to defy your conscience. In short, you must be a “doer of the word” by putting God first. In other words, are you walking your talk of love, grace, peace, mercy and joy?
The words of Matthew 6:33 offer clear instructions for managing your day and your life: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you” (HCSB).
Each new day presents countless opportunities to put God in first place . . . or not. When you honor Him by living according to His commandments, you earn the abundance and peace that He promises. But, if you ignore God’s teachings, you’ll pay a price, perhaps a very great price indeed.
Would you like a time-tested formula for successful living? Here it is: Don’t just listen to God’s Word, live by it. Does this sound too simple? Perhaps it is simple, but it is also the only way to reap the marvelous riches that God has in store for you.
Ask yourself if your behavior has been radically changed by your unfolding relationship with God. If the answer to this question is unclear to you—or if the honest answer is a resounding no—think of a single step you can take, a positive change in your life, that will bring you closer to your Creator.
– Steve Arterburn
Although God causes all things to work together for good for His children, He still holds us accountable for our behavior. – Kay Arthur
Either God’s Word keeps you from sin, or sin keeps you from God’s Word. – Corrie ten Boom
There may be no trumpet sound or loud applause when we make a right decision, just a calm sense of resolution and peace. – Gloria Gaither
The temptation of the age is to look good without being good. – Brennan Manning
If we have the true love of God in our hearts, we will show it in our lives. We will not have to go up and down the earth proclaiming it. We will show it in everything we say or do. – D. L. Moody
The post Walking Our Talk appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 1 hour from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 5, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
He will not fear bad news; his heart is confident, trusting in the Lord. His heart is assured; he will not fear. – Psalm 112:7-8
Every person’s life is a tapestry of events: some wonderful, some not-so-wonderful, and some downright disastrous. When we visit the mountaintops of life, praising God isn’t hard—in fact, it’s easy. In our moments of triumph, we can bow our heads and thank God for our victories. But when we fail to reach the mountaintops, when we endure the inevitable losses that are a part of every person’s life, we find it much tougher to give God the praise He deserves. Yet wherever we find ourselves, whether on the mountaintops of life or in life’s darkest valleys, we must still offer thanks to God, giving thanks in all circumstances.
The next time you find yourself worried about the challenges of today or the uncertainties of tomorrow, ask yourself this question: are you really ready to place your concerns and your life in God’s all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving hands? If the answer to that question is yes—as it should be—then you can draw courage today from the source of strength that never fails: your Father in heaven.
God is with you always, listening to your thoughts and prayers, watching over your every move. If the demands of everyday life weigh down upon you, you may be tempted to ignore God’s presence or—worse yet—to lose faith in His promises. But, when you quiet yourself and acknowledge His presence, God will touch your heart and restore your courage.
At this very moment—as you’re fulfilling your obligations and overcoming tough times—God is seeking to work in you and through you. He’s asking you to live abundantly and courageously . . . and He’s ready to help. So why not let Him do it . . . starting now?
– Steve Arterburn
Faith not only can help you through a crisis, it can help you to approach life after the hard times with a whole new perspective. It can help you adopt an outlook of hope and courage through faith to face reality. – John Maxwell
TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord, sometimes I face challenges that leave me breathless. When I am fearful, let me lean upon You. Keep me ever mindful, Lord, that You are my God, my strength, and my shield. With You by my side, I have nothing to fear. And, with Your Son, Jesus as my Savior, I have received the priceless gift of eternal life. Help me to be a grateful and courageous servant this day and every day. Amen
The post Live Courageously appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 4, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and mountains crumble to the sea. – Psalm 46:1-2
As our lives here on earth unfolds, all of us encounter occasional disappointments and setbacks. Those occasional visits from Old Man Trouble are simply a fact of life, and none of us are exempt. When tough times arrive, we may be forced to rearrange our plans and our priorities. But even on our darkest days, we must never forget that God intends for us to use our setbacks as stepping stones on the path to a better life.
The fact that we encounter adversity is not nearly as important as the way we choose to deal with it. When tough times arrive, we have a clear choice: we can begin the difficult work of tackling our troubles . . . or not. When we summon the courage to look our problems squarely in the eye, he usually blinks. But, if we refuse to address our problems, even the smallest annoyances have a way of growing into king-sized catastrophes.
Psalm 145 promises, “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them” (v. 18-20 NIV). And the words of Jesus offer us comfort: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NKJV).
In times of hardship, God will comfort us; in times of sorrow, He will dry our tears. When we are troubled or weak or sorrowful, the Father is always with us. We must build our lives on the rock that cannot be shaken: we must trust in God. And then, we must get on with the character-building, life-altering work of tackling our problems . . . because if we don’t, who will?
– Steve Arterburn
Your greatest ministry will likely come out of your greatest hurt. – Rick Warren
God will not permit any troubles to come upon us unless Hehas a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of thedifficulty. – Peter Marshall
The post Adversity Builds Character appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Alice Benton, JJ West, presenter at Every Man’s Battle
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 3, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
The Lord says, “Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don’t you see it? I will make a road in the desert and rivers in the dry land.” – Isaiah 43:18-19
If you’re like most people, you like being in control. Period. You want things to happen according to your wishes and according to your timetable. But sometimes, God has other plans . . . and He always has the final word.
Oswald Chambers correctly observed, “Our Lord never asks us to decide for Him; He asks us to yield to Him—a very different matter.” These words remind us that even when we cannot understand the workings of God, we must trust Him and accept His will.
All of us experience adversity and pain. As human beings with limited comprehension, we can never fully understand the will of our Father in heaven. But as believers in a benevolent God, we must always trust His providence.
When Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, as described in Luke 22, He poured out His heart to God. Jesus knew of the agony that He was destined to endure, but He also knew that God’s will must be done. We, like our Savior, face trials that bring fear and trembling to the very depths of our souls, but like Christ, we too must ultimately seek God’s will, not our own.
Are you embittered by a personal tragedy that you did not deserve and cannot understand? If so, it’s time to make peace with life. It’s time to forgive others, and, if necessary, to forgive yourself. It’s time to accept the unchangeable past, to embrace the priceless present, and to have faith in the promise of tomorrow. It’s time to trust God completely. And it’s time to reclaim the peace—His peace—that can and should be yours.
Acceptance means learning to trust God more. Today, think of at least one aspect of your life that you’ve been reluctant to accept, and then prayerfully ask God to help you trust Him more by accepting the past.
– Steve Arterburn
Prayer may not get us what we want, but it will teach us to want what we need. – Vance Havner
I am truly grateful that faith enables me to move past the question of “Why?”– Zig Ziglar
The post Accepting Life appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Trust, Mother Issues, Dating, Self Worth, Forgiveness
Hosts: Becky Brown, Chris Williams, Dr. Henry Cloud
Caller Questions:
- Dr. Henry Cloud talks about his new book Trust.
- How do I overcome my trust issues in my relationship with my mother whom I am a caregiver for, as well as dating relationships?
- I have trust issues with myself because of my bad choices; how do I develop trust in myself so I can learn to trust other people?
Suggested Resources:
Trust
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
Healing Is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 31, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. – 1 Peter 5:8-9
It’s inevitable: today you will be tempted by somebody or something—in fact, you will probably be tempted on countless occasions. Why? Because you live in a world that’s filled to the brim with temptations and addictions that are intended to lead you far, far away from God.
Here in the 21st century, temptations are now completely and thoroughly woven into the fabric of everyday life. Seductive images are everywhere; subtle messages tell you that it’s okay to sin “just a little“; and to make matters even worse, society doesn’t just seem to endorse godlessness, it actually seems to reward it. Society spews forth a wide range of messages, all of which imply that it’s okay to rebel against God. These messages, of course, are extremely dangerous and completely untrue.
How can you stand up against society’s tidal wave of temptations? By learning to direct your thoughts and your eyes toward things that are pleasing to God . . . and by relying upon Him to help you stay focused on things that are “whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable” (Philippians 4:8). And here’s the good news: the Creator has promised (not implied, not suggested, not insinuated—He has promised!) that with His help, you can resist every single temptation that confronts you.
Once you firmly decide to stand up to temptation, you are never alone. God is always with you, and if you do your part, He will do His part. But what, precisely, is your part? A good starting point is simply learning how to recognize the subtle temptations that surround you. The images of immorality are ubiquitous, and they’re intended to hijack your mind, your heart, your pocketbook, your life, and your soul. Don’t let them do it.
Ask yourself these important questions: What images, people, or places are you likely to encounter today that might encourage you to think impure thoughts? And how will you prepare yourself to respond to these temptations?
– Steve Arterburn
Most Christians do not know or fully realize that the adversary of our lives is Satan and that his main tool is our flesh, our old nature. – Bill Bright
The first step on the way to victory is to recognize the enemy. – Corrie ten Boom
The post A World Brimming With Temptation appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Trust, Christian Walk, Health Issues, Depression, Drug Addiction, Boundaries
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Henry Cloud
Caller Questions:
- Dr. Henry Cloud talks about his new book Trust
- How can I trust God if I question my salvation? I have bad thoughts, anxiety, depression, and health problems.
- My adult son died from drug abuse, and we gave my adult daughter an eviction notice because she’s using drugs; how do I get that trust back?
Suggested Resources:
Trust
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Understanding and Loving a Person with Alcohol or Drug Addiction
Boundaries
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 30, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
If someone is so disappointed that they have given up hope for the future, what choice do they have? No matter how dark their lives are, how big the mistakes are that they’ve made, and how many sins they’ve succumbed to, it’s never too late for them to make the choice to trust God for a bright, glorious future.
Two criminals were hung next to Jesus on the cross, but there is a stark contrast in how they each responded to Jesus. One of them scoffed at Jesus by saying, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” (Luke 23:39, NLT). And the other thief, at some point, also made fun of Jesus (See Matthew 27:44).
While the other thief mocked Christ and could have continued, remarkably, he humbled himself and made the right choice by saying, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom” (v. 42).
What was Jesus’ response to the humbled thief? He replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (v. 43).
In the face of death, the thief on the cross trusted God for his future instead of giving up hope. Despite the fear of having no future, the thief trusted God anyway. Everyone is a sinner in need of a Savior. No matter the number of their sins and whether they—or others—think their sins are minor or extreme, it is never too late to repent and accept the free gift of salvation.
No matter what dire straits one may find themselves in today or what they’ve done in the past, one can turn from their sins and trust in God. It’s not too late for them to give God their life today and be assured that God will secure their tomorrow. For help finding a licensed Christian to talk to about how to grow spiritually, click here.
Just as eternal life in paradise awaited the thief on the cross, the eternal life that waits for anyone who trusts in Christ far outweighs the sufferings of this present life. He can also transform anyone’s life, making their present life brighter as they look toward the Son!
God promises a bright, new future for those who willingly choose to turn to Him. So, when life seems dark and hopeless, remember only one thief on the cross made the right choice.
by Steve Arterburn
More about Steve
The post Two Thieves on the Cross: Only One Made the Right Choice appeared first on New Life.
Bullying has become more and more common these days. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 20 percent of students in the U.S. ages 12-18 experience bullying in schools. That statistic is even higher for younger children of elementary age, as 33 percent of elementary kids are bullied at schools.
Being bullied can happen anywhere and anytime—whether in the classroom, playground, online, or neighborhood. Three types of bullying to be aware of are verbal bullying, cyberbullying, and physical bullying. Keep in mind, however, that a bully is only as powerful as they are allowed to be. In the story of David and Goliath, David is a classic example of the weak overcoming the strong. For parents whose children are being bullied, there are seven ways they can empower their child.
1. Know the signs and symptoms.
Many kids will never tell their parents they are being bullied, so parents need to know what to look for. Here are some signs to watch for:
- Unexplained injuries
- Dropping grades
- Not wanting to go to school
- Sudden loss of friends
- Changes in mood
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Self-harm
2. Be a safe person.
A child who is bullied feels their power, voice, and self-worth have been taken away. Therefore, a parent needs to be a safe person they can turn to. “How you defend your child is to listen to them, hear their heart, and open up your heart to be a powerful container for their pain.”—Dr. Sheri Keffer.
3. Show empathy.
One of the best ways for a parent to help their child is for them to empathize with what they are feeling and experiencing. Saying things like: “This is not your fault,” “You can tell me anything,” and “I am always here for you” can go a long way to helping a child feel heard.
4. Talk to the school.
If bullying occurs at school, talk to the principal, teacher(s), and school administrators. Keep a record of every incident. If the bullying continues, take it to the next level, such as the school board or superintendent. Steve Arterburn says, “Empower your child, but let them know you’ve talked to the principal and expect them to make the school a better place.”
5. Don’t retaliate.
As tempting as it may be to retaliate against a bully, a parent should never encourage a child to retaliate—nor should a parent try to get even with a bully or their family themselves. No matter how much a child has been bullied, it’s never an excuse to seek revenge. One thing a parent might consider, however, is having their child attend a self-defense class so that they can learn to protect themselves if they are physically attacked.
6. Help your child gain confidence.
Equipping a child with self-esteem is a core component of preventing bullying. Kids who lack confidence can appear weak and easy to target, making them more likely to become victims of bullying. Here are some strategies to help a child or teen gain confidence:
- Walk with good posture
- Make eye contact
- Smile at others
- Talk in a calm, but firm, voice to the bully
- Meditate on Bible verses that affirm their worth
7. Have your child see a counselor.
Find a counselor in the New Life Counseling Network who works with children and can equip them with the tools they need to overcome. Chris Williams states, “It starts with safety. Look into having your child see a therapist—they need a safe place to offload everything overwhelming them.”
If your child or teen is being bullied, please know we are here for you and your child. Call us at 800-NEW-LIFE. We can connect you to a counselor who can help you and your child.
by Kimberlee Bousman
More about Kimberlee
The post What to Do if Your Child is Being Bullied appeared first on New Life.
He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. – Proverbs 13:20
Peer pressure can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending upon your peers. If your peers encourage you to make integrity a habit—and if they encourage you to follow God’s will and to obey His commandments—then you’ll experience positive peer pressure, and that’s good. But, if you are involved with people who encourage you to do foolish things, you’re facing a different kind of peer pressure . . . and you’d better beware. When you feel pressured to do things, or to say things, that lead you away from God, you’re aiming straight for trouble.
Are you satisfied to follow that crowd? If so, you may pay a heavy price unless you’ve picked the right crowd. And while you’re deciding whom to follow, be sure you’re determined to follow the One from Galilee, too. Jesus will guide your steps and bless your undertakings if you let Him. Your challenge, of course, is to let Him.
To sum it up, here’s your choice: you can choose to please God first (and by doing so, strengthen your character), or you can fall prey to peer pressure. The choice is yours—and so are the consequences. When you’re torn between trusting your peers and trusting your conscience, trust your conscience.
– Steve Arterburn
There is nothing that makes more cowards and feeble men than public opinion. – Henry Ward Beecher
Tell me what company you keep, and I’ll tell you what you are. – Miguel de Cervantes
Those who follow the crowd usually get lost in it. – Rick Warren
The post The Right Places, the Right Friends appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Chris Williams, Dr. Henry Cloud
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 29, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Henry Cloud
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 28, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. – Hebrews 10:24
Want to build character and, at the same time, build a better life? Then find thoughtful, honorable, God-fearing people who will offer you a steady stream of encouragement.
Life is a team sport, and all of us need occasional pats on the back from our teammates. As Christians, we are called upon to spread the Good News of Christ, and we are also called to spread a message of encouragement and hope to the world.
In the book of Ephesians, Paul writes, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (4:29 NIV). Paul reminds us that when we choose our words carefully, we can have a powerful impact on those around us.
Whether you realize it or not, many people with whom you come in contact every day are in desperate need of a smile or an encouraging word. The world can be a difficult place, and countless friends and family members may be troubled by the challenges of everyday life. Since we don’t always know who needs our help, the best strategy is to encourage all the people who cross our paths. So today, be a world-class source of encouragement to everyone you meet. Never has the need been greater.
– Steve Arterburn
The secret of success is to find a need and fill it, to find a hurt and heal it, to find somebody with a problem and offer to help solve it. – Robert Schuller
Do you wonder where you can go for encouragement and motivation? Run to Jesus. – Max Lucado
The post Strong Enough To Encourage Others appeared first on New Life.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. – 1 Peter 4:10
Finding a way to help others is an expression of faith. It shows that we believe in the sovereignty of God. We don’t have to wait until the pain in our life is gone, because we know God can use it for good.
Finding a way to help others requires that you ask two questions: “What is God doing?” and “How can I get into the flow of his activity?” When we ask these questions, ideas will come. And once we begin doing this, the “why is this happening” question, which once seemed so important, becomes irrelevant.
The best answer to why is always what. When we stop asking, “Why has God allowed this?” And begin asking, “What does He want me to do with it?“, we’re ready for God to start His work in us, and that prepares us for service.
– Steve Arterburn
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. – Galileo Galilei
No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another. – Charles Dickens
The post Serving Others appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Christian Walk, Grief, Trauma, Hope, Self Worth
Hosts: Steve Arterburn
Interview with Lysa TerKeurst, author of You’re Going to Make It: 50 Morning and Evening Devotions
Suggested Resources:
You’re Going To Make It
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 27, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
You will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. – 1 Timothy 4:6
God’s promises are found in a book like no other: the Holy Bible. The Bible is a road map for life here on earth and for life eternal. We are called upon to trust its promises, to follow its commandments, and to share its Good News. We are instructed to study the Bible each day and meditate upon its meaning for our lives. Otherwise, we deprive ourselves of an invaluable, character-building gift from the Creator. God’s Holy Word is, indeed, a transforming, life-changing, one-of-a-kind treasure. And, a passing acquaintance with the Good Book is insufficient for those who seek to obey God’s Word and to understand His will.
God has made promises to mankind and to you. God’s promises never fail and they never grow old. You must trust those promises and share them with your family, with your friends, and with the world.
Are you standing on the promises of God? Are you expecting God to do wonderful things, or are you living beneath a cloud of apprehension and doubt? The familiar words of Psalm 118:24 remind us of a profound yet simple truth: “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it“(KJV). Do you trust that promise, and do you live accordingly? If so, you are living the passionate life that God intends.
For passionate believers, every day begins and ends with God’s Son and God’s promises. As we face the inevitable challenges of life, we must arm ourselves with the promises of God’s Holy Word. When we do, we can expect the best, not only for the day ahead, but also for all eternity.
Trust God’s Word: Charles Swindoll writes, “There are four words I wish we would never forget, and they are, ‘God keeps his word‘.” And remember: When it comes to studying God’s Word, school is always in session.
– Steve Arterburn
Reading news without reading the Bible will inevitably lead to an unbalanced life, an anxious spirit, a worried and depressed soul. – Bill Bright
God gives us a compass and a Book of promises and principles’ the Bible, and lets us make our decisions day by day as we sense the leading of His Spirit. This is how we grow. – Warren Wiersbe
The post Studying God’s Word Builds Character appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Physical Pain, Sleep Issues, Same-Sex Attraction, Father Issues, Adult Children, Narcissists, Grief, Dating
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West, presenter at Every Man’s Battle
Caller Questions:
- What can help me endure my hypnic headaches that interrupt my sleep and the emotional pain from it?
- How do I move forward to love my adult son who says he’s gay?
- My late wife blamed me for our problems, but our psychologist said she was a narcissist and blamed her.
- What can I do to help my 23yo daughter dating a man who hasn’t had a steady job in 3yrs? She doesn’t see how he really is.
Suggested Resources:
100 Days of Healing
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 24, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
O Lord, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, “Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good.” – Jeremiah 16:19
We like to call ourselves sophisticated. We trust in scientific theory and read the Wall Street Journal. We subscribe to the theory, secretly or not, that mankind has evolved intellectually and that we are far superior to our simple-minded, superstitious ancestors. We smirk when we read how they worshiped man-made gods.
Yet we’re on our knees worshiping more subtle, but just as tangible, false gods—the “isms” of our day: workaholism, as if the fruit of endless labors will finally bring satisfaction; legalism, as if being good and performing flawlessly will secure peace; intellectualism, as if we could get so smart that we would finally feel fulfilled; and materialism, as if some possession could bring us joy.
The first step in the worship of false gods is exchanging truth for lies. “You will not surely die,” was the serpent’s lie to Eve in the garden. Cling to the truth. Once it’s discarded, you’ll believe anything.
The truth of the Bible doesn’t change with our circumstances of life; rather, it defines and weeds out all falsehood. Remember Jesus’ words, “…the truth will set you free.”
– Steve Arterburn
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on. – Sir Winston Churchill
The post False Gods appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Intimacy, Pornography, Adult Children, Abortion, Grief, Getting Unstuck, In-laws
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- My wife doesn’t want to be intimate, and I’ve turned to looking at porn. What do I do with my sexual desire?
- How should I move forward in a biblical way with my 32yo daughter who is going to work at Planned Parenthood?
- My wife of 51yrs passed away 4yrs ago, and I still miss her terribly.
- How can I help my daughter-in-law who lives with us? My son passed away from cancer 18mos after they got married.
Suggested Resources:
Every Man’s Battle
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 23, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:21-23
No one is exempt from suffering. The people you think deserve it the least are often the ones faced with it. And you may suffer because those you love make some poor choices. Your wife may leave you, your child may struggle with addiction, or your brother may choose a homosexual lifestyle. Whatever the situation or whenever your heart is breaking, God wants you to give your grief and sorrow to Him. He’s the one who mends broken hearts.
The prophet Jeremiah is a man who watched, as his nation was taken captive, ravished, and almost completely destroyed because of its refusal to surrender to God. It’s no wonder Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. In the book of Lamentations he cried, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the Lord. I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.” (Lamentations 3:18-20)
But look at the Scripture that follows his weepy, whiny, poor-little-ole’ me tirade. It is printed at the top of this page. What a great example for us.
We all get in to feeling sorry for ourselves. But before you stay there, remember your hope: God’s love is unfailing! And it never ends.
– Steve Arterburn
Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not. – C.S. Lewis
When the time comes for you to die, you need not be afraid, because death cannot separate you from God’s love. – Charles Spurgeon
The post Unfailing Love appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Finances, Enabling, In-laws, Divorce
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- My 39yr old son lost his money in crypto and is living in a campground in Mexico. Should I lend him money for a computer?
- Should I keep giving money to my youngest daughter and her husband? I don’t want to enable them.
- How can I help my 32yo daughter who married a man who won’t pray, read the Bible, or go to therapy? Also, his family are hoarders.
- My wife divorced me and I had to move far away from my adult kids; what’s the best way to stay in contact with them?
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
One Year Bible for Men
How We Love Our Kids
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 22, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. – Acts 5:31
Without true forgiveness, bitterness will inevitably tear our relationships apart. No relationship or family will hold together for long if the people involved are unable to grant forgiveness. I don’t just mean saying the words “I forgive you” but actually relating to your spouse, child, parent, or friend with your actions that display forgiveness. Giving voice to forgiveness might create peace temporarily, but when that forgiveness isn’t evidenced by the way you live, true reconciliation will never result.
Let’s learn from a man who went before us. Absalom, the third son of King David, suffered much and also caused much suffering because forgiveness wasn’t a part of his life. When Absalom discovered that his sister had been raped by his half brother, anger and hatred built up in him for two years until he finally killed him. Then to avoid the wrath of his father, he was on the run for a period of three years. And even after he returned he and his father, David, didn’t speak to one another for two more years. And you thought your family had issues!
Well, Absalom never regained the love he had for his father. In fact, Absalom spent the rest of his life scheming against his father, King David. His life ended while he led a rebellion against his father. Absalom is an example of the wasted years and broken hearts that can result when we harbor bitterness and are unwilling to forgive.
– Steve Arterburn
To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness. – Robert Muller
Forgiveness liberates the soul, that is why it is such a powerful weapon. – Nelson Mandela
The post True Forgiveness appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Pornography, Sexual Integrity, Triggers, Same-Sex Attraction, Childhood Trauma, Intimacy, Communication
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West, presenter at Every Man’s Battle
Caller Questions:
- How can I keep from losing myself as my husband is in recovery for a porn addiction and can’t stop glancing at women?
- My adopted dad passed away; how do I deal with him being gay and not be traumatized by it?
- I don’t want to be in my marriage because my husband of 9yrs is clueless about how to handle a Christian marriage and says the disconnection is my fault.
Suggested Resources:
Worthy of Her Trust
Making Peace with Your Father
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
Forgiveness CD: How Dr. Dave Stoop Forgave His Father
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 21, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out it’s roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; it’s leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. – Jeremiah 17:7-8
When I was a boy, I fell into freezing water while trying to cross some thin ice. A while later, my brothers took me to a frozen pond–where I wasn’t in jeopardy of falling through. It was frozen thick and solid.
Yet even when my brothers ran out onto the ice to demonstrate its sturdiness, they had a difficult time convincing me it would support my weight. I’d been fooled by solid-looking ice before. Finally, they dragged me onto the ice. At first, I tested it nervously. Then slowly and hesitantly I began to trust the ice.
My experiences with ice remind me of the philosophies and teachings we put our faith into. We have to test them to make sure they’re trustworthy.
Are you trusting in thin ice? Or in something thick and solid? Put your faith in Christ!
– Steve Arterburn
Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence. – St. Augustine
The post Thin Ice appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 20, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Fathers, do not embitter your children or they will become discouraged. – Colossians 3:21
“What’s wrong with grownups?” This was a question posed by a Sunday school teacher to a class of ten-year-olds. See if you recognize yourself in any of these complaints:
- Grownups make promises, then forget them, or say it wasn’t a promise, just a “maybe.”
- Grownups don’t do the things they tell their children to do—like pick up their things or always tell the truth.
- Grownups don’t listen. They decide ahead of time what they’re going to answer.
- Grownups make mistakes, but won’t admit them. They pretend they weren’t mistakes at all—or that somebody else made them.
- Grownups always talk about what they did and what they knew when they were ten-years-old, but they don’t try to think what it’s like to be ten-years-old right now.
If you’re like me, right now you’re thinking, “Ouch!” Children are perceptive, and they are much more pure in heart than we give them credit for. Take time for them, be honest with them, don’t be afraid to say, “I’m sorry“.
– Steve Arterburn
Nothing you ever do for a child is wasted. – Garrison Keillor
Children are the brightest treasures we bring forth into this world, but too large a percentage of the population continues to treat them as inconveniences and nuisances, when they’re not treating them as possessions or toys. – Charles de Lint
The post What’s Wrong With Grownups appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Schizophrenia, Adult Children, Divorce, Teens, Dating, Boundaries
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Becky Brown, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- Is there a long-term facility that my 34yo son can go to for schizo-affective disorder? It’s like living with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
- How much space do I give my 23yo son who won’t speak to me? My 20yo daughter uses marijuana.
- After 18yrs of a dysfunctional marriage, my husband is leaving me. I used to be addicted to pain pills, and I’m having a hard time.
- I love Steve’s book Is This the One?; what dating book can I give my three teenage grandsons?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Life Recovery Workbook for Divorce
Every Man’s Bible
One Year Bible for Women
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 17, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
A man’s steps are directed by the Lord…- Proverbs 20:24a
Rudy Giuliani was named Time magazine’s Man of the Year in 2001, and the reason seemed quite clear. In the aftermath of the horrific attack on our country, he gave directions to save the city where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once stood. It seemed right to give him an award for clarity and compassion under pressure. He mobilized millions when the impact of his own personal losses would have immobilized many.
What do you do when you lose a job? a dream? hope? Do you freeze? Are you unable to move, think, or function? Maybe you spiral downward into destructive self-pity.
I recommend you take steps to make your disappointment and pain work for you. These emotions have energy behind them; so direct them into something positive in your life.
Over fifty times in the Bible people are told to “get up!” So do something, anything—clean the house, mow the lawn, gather friends together to pray, go help someone else, the possibilities are endless. Start with the easy tasks and work your way to those that are harder.
Get up! If you spiral down, you only compound your loss. If you move amidst and through your situation, you can turn your disappointment and pain inside out. It’s the first step in the right direction.
– Steve Arterburn
There’s no half-singing in the shower, you’re either a rock star or an opera diva. – Josh Groban
The post Mobilize appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Blended Families, Adult Children, Enabling, Same-Sex Attraction, Teens, Difficult Conversations
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West, presenter at Every Man’s Battle
Caller Questions:
- How do we have a relationship with my entitled stepdaughter that doesn’t involve money? She has been estranged for 15mos.
- What should I do if I don’t condone my sister marrying her girlfriend, but she asked me to stand up for her?
- As a single mother, how do I talk to my 14yo son about sex?
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
How We Love Our Kids
One Year Bible for Women
Every Young Man’s Battle
Understanding and Loving Your Child as a Single Parent
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 16, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:18
In his book, The Treasure Principle, Randy Alcorn tells the story of his family’s trip to Egypt. While driving through the hot and dusty streets of Cairo, they passed a graveyard for American missionaries and decided to enter. One sun-scorched tombstone in particular caught their attention. At the top it read: William Borden, 1887-1913.
What makes Borden so interesting is that he was a Yale graduate, and the heir to great wealth. Yet he rejected a life of ease in order to help bring the gospel to Egypt. He gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars to missions, and after only four months of ministry in Egypt, he contracted spinal meningitis and died at age twenty-five.
At the bottom of William Borden’s tombstone is the powerful little statement: “Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life.”
The gospel doesn’t merely take the world’s wisdom and “clean it up.” It doesn’t teach us to simply sing the world’s song dressed up in a religious vocabulary. No, the gospel sets the wisdom of the world upon its head, and counts it as foolishness. The gospel introduces an entirely new set of values and concerns, and an entirely new way of looking at life.
– Steve Arterburn
I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. – C.S. Lewis
The post A Perplexing Life appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Chris Williams
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 15, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grief, Anger, Wills, Blended Families, Christian Walk, Adult Children
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton
Caller Questions:
- My stepbrother has created problems in the family since my mom passed; does God want us to go ahead with executing her will?
- After retiring from the military, my faith is tearing our family apart. How do I get closer to my sons?
- Is there something I can do for my son whose wife says she no longer loves him?
- I am distraught seeing my wife in constant physical pain; what more can I do?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
How We Love
Soul of a Hero
Living Strong, Finishing Well
Healing Is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 14, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. – Galatians 5:13
I don’t know whether this is true in your part of the country, but here in Southern California almost any business will hire guys to stand on the sidewalk and hold a sign advertising their store. Most signs are painted brightly and are shaped like an arrow, pointing the way toward the supposedly “best deal” in town.
Now when it comes to the sidewalks of life, we should probably each be wearing a sandwich board that reads in bold letters, “Work in Progress Here.” I know that’s been the case for me. Whatever season of life you find yourself in, being in Christ means you are a constant work in progress.
And, just like someone wearing a sandwich board would attest, being in Christ and therefore a work in progress can be tiring, frustrating, and even embarrassing. In short: it requires both endurance and humility. But as a follower of Christ, this is the job you signed on for.
Though the work may not be easy, the benefits are outstanding. For there are very few things in this world comparable to the daily thrill of learning to love and serve Christ by loving and serving others.
– Steve Arterburn
Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the world your best anyway. – Mother Theresa
The post Work In Progress appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, JJ West, presenter at Every Man’s Battle
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 14, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Pornography, Forgiveness, Grief, Salvation, Counseling
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- My husband died from cancer 6yrs ago, and he never told me about watching porn which I learned about from my brother. How do I forgive him?
- Should I be worried about a loved one getting into heaven?
- What resources do you have for affordable Christian counseling?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
One Year Bible for Women
Healing Is a Choice
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 13, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. – Philippians 2:5–7
To make headway in your relationships, incorporate sacrificial acts of love; letting Jesus be your ultimate role model. Consider Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet. This act of submission wasn’t about showing off His superior humility or sensitivity. Setting an example wasn’t even Jesus’ primary motive. Listen to what the Bible says in the 13th chapter in the book of John:
“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love . . . So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet.“
Why don’t we do the same for those we love? The sacrifice of submission and service will speak to others, and it will do something inside you that you can’t explain . . . that you have to experience.
– Steve Arterburn
Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness. – Napoleon Hill
The post The Meaning of Sacrifice appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 13, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. – 2 Corinthians 3:17
Imagine the scene: A broken man awakens one morning with no options. Hopeless, owning nothing but an empty stomach, he stands starkly upon the auctioneer’s block as a slave. Shoulders slumped, pride stripped away, gaunt eyes staring aimlessly into the distance, his ashen face conveys only shame.
Suddenly, a man with gentle eyes appears, and this man sees value and potential in this broken man. “Did I see a spark of something in that man’s eyes?” the slave wonders. It couldn’t be, but his hope rises as the gentle man pays the price, brings him home, clothes him, and feeds him richly. His master does love him!
Do you recognize this picture? I hope so. It’s a picture of your life in Christ. You and I were once slaves on the auction block of sin. We stood broken by sin. Yet our loving and gentle Master—for reasons we may never know, and for reasons not found in us—saw value in us. And He paid for our freedom with His own blood, on a cross.
Through Jesus Christ, we’ve been freed from bondage. But that’s not the end, only the beginning. We must move on and ask the question, “What have we been freed for?” The answer: for Jesus Christ!
We’ve been freed by Christ, for Christ. That is, so we might serve Him, praise Him, and give Him glory.
– Steve Arterburn
To obey God is Freedom. – Seneca the Younger
The post From Slavery To Servanthood appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Physical Abuse, Anger, Emotional Affairs, Boundaries, Enabling, Adult Children, Christian Walk
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- What can I do if my husband of 11yrs punches the wall above me and I have to walk on eggshells around him?
- How do I have a conversation with my husband about his emotional affairs, not continuing in counseling, and not showing any remorse?
- How can I take care of myself without enabling my angry husband? I am disabled and in a wheelchair.
- Am I disappointing God by respecting my son’s wishes? He married an unbeliever and told us we can’t say anything about our faith to our grandkids.
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
How We Love
Rescued
Healing Is a Choice
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 10, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7
Do you remember the Energizer Bunny? The pink, battery-operated bunny beat his drum and traveled about while a voice announced the company’s slogan, “It keeps going and going and going and going…”
Can you relate? Many of us feel just like that bunny around the holidays. Church activities, shopping, Christmas cards, baking, cleaning, parties, keeping up with work, and more shopping all have a way of taking their toll. Hard work and service are both good and necessary, but so is stopping once in a while. Even the Energizer Bunny needed to stop for a battery change!
Take some time this coming season to stop and watch the snow fall, and if you happen to be in one of those warm southern states maybe substitute a cool, clear, star-filled night! You’ll find that when you stop, the significance of Christ’s birth will transform your busy heart to a peace-filled heart.
– Steve Arterburn
Oh! Do not attack me with your watch. A watch is always too fast or too slow. I cannot be dictated to by a watch. – Jane Austen
The post Energizer appeared first on New Life.
Topics: In-laws, Anxiety, Accusations, Depression, Divorce, Fear
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- How do we respond to my son-in-law who wrote a book berating our whole family?
- The last 5yrs when I travel with family, I have to be the one driving. What can I do about it?
- Why would my 20yo granddaughter with ADD accuse her boyfriend of abusing and cheating on her? Is it for attention?
- How can I help my depressed boyfriend who lost his job and is home all day?
- My ex-husband had me arrested, stole my company, turned my kids against me, and bribed my attorneys; how do I move forward?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
Take Your Life Back
One Year Bible for Women
Understanding and Loving a Person with Depression
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 9, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Weight Loss, Confrontation, Parenting, Trust, Bipolar, Enabling, Salvation, Grief, Depression, Teens
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- Does the Lose It for Life intensive look at underlying issues to eating?
- My son has challenges with his rebellious 13yo daughter who lives with her grandmother.
- How do I trust my husband who continues to enable my bipolar daughter against my wishes?
- My 18yo daughter lost her life to cystic fibrosis, and I don’t know if she was saved; is she in heaven?
- What can we do to help my 15yo niece who just lost her mom to cancer? She has depression, outbursts, and doesn’t want to go to school.
Suggested Resources:
How We Love Our Kids
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 8, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.” – Esther 5:3
It’s been a popular but misguided trend in our society to view the differences between males and females as nothing more than anatomy. Advocates of this view argue that beyond physical differences, men and women are essentially the same.
But this simply isn’t the case. Males and females are very different indeed. For instance, a Stanford University researcher gave young children twelve tasks and recorded their words and vocal sounds. What did the research show? The boys had the same amount of vocalization as the girls, but it was vastly different.
The girls spoke with each other, and 100% of the vocalization was in language and sentences. The boys, on the other hand, weren’t verbally oriented at all. Only 60% of their vocalization was language, and the remaining 40% was nonverbal, one-syllable exclamations like, “Wow!” or “Boy!” or various noises such as that of a racing motor.
So research once again confirmed the obvious–women naturally talk more then men do. And it means, guys, that this doesn’t help you relate with the women in your lives.
It won’t be easy, but guys, try to speak what’s in your heart and on your minds to the women you love and who love you—your wives, daughters, mothers, and friends.
– Steve Arterburn
Speech is a mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so is he. – Publius Syrus
The post Becoming Verbally Competent appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 8, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Christian Walk, Parenting, Father Issues, Blended Families, Siblings
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- My son is trying to walk away from the Christian Faith. What do I do?
- My dad is getting married to a woman I don’t want around my kids. How do I still have a good relationship with my dad?
- How do have a better relationship with my distant older brothers?
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Take Your Life Back
Take Your Life Back Workbook
Healing Is a Choice
100 Days To Freedom from Fear and Anxiety
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 7, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. – Mark 10:14
Looking for an alternative approach to adult education? Try raising kids! You’ll learn important like this:
- A king size waterbed contains enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house about 4 inches deep.
- When you hear the toilet flush and the words ‘uh oh,’ it’s already too late.
- A ceiling fan isn’t strong enough to rotate a 42-pound boy clad in Batman underwear and Superman cape hanging by a dog leash. It is able, however, to spin a paint can quickly enough to splash paint on all four walls of a room.
- Super glue is forever.
- VCRs don’t eject ‘peanut butter and jelly’ sandwiches
- Garbage bags don’t make good parachutes.
If you’re a parent, or have kids in your life, enjoy the daily adventures, even if it means time and energy you didn’t budget for the moment.
– Steve Arterburn
Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath. – Michael Caine
The post Raising Kids appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Becky Brown
RECORDING TODAY for 1 hour from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 7, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Same-Sex Attraction, Aging Parents, Siblings, Anxiety
Hosts: Becky, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- When my daughter’s lesbian partner died, she moved back home. Now she is in a new relationship and is hardly home; what should my husband and I do?
- My 86yo mother has a caregiver, but my sister takes over every time she visits. How can we handle her?
- How can I honor my aging parents who have been horrible parents my whole life?
- I’ve had claustrophobia for most of my life; what can I do about it?
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Take Your Life Back
Healing Is a Choice
100 Days To Freedom from Fear and Anxiety
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 6, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Afraid of confrontation? Most people are. The thought of face-to-face confrontation is enough to make the heart race and the palms sweat.
Knowing some essential steps to take will help ease the fear and instill courage. Instead of blaming the other person, focus on feelings when confronting them. Making the other person feel bad will backfire. People who feel backed into a corner will only try to protect themselves from all the guilt, shame, and condemnation thrown at them.
To confront courageously, follow these steps.
- Concentrate on feelings, not thoughts.
A person who will confront someone must be clear on how the other person’s behavior makes them feel—not what they think about them. This is an arduous task because blurting out a thought comes easy. For example, don’t say, “When you negate my words, you are being cruel.” Instead, say, “When you negate my words, I feel hurt and disconnected from you.” - Identify feelings.
For most people to know how they are feeling doesn’t come naturally, and it may take a little work. Know the difference, for example, between being hurt, sad, angry, frustrated, afraid, and anxious. One mistake many people make is identifying angry feelings as hurt feelings. Sometimes they do this to avoid their aggressive parts. Other times they do this because they identify as a victim, fearing that their anger may provoke others to hurt them. Talk to a New Life Counselor or Coach to understand the difference between hurt and anger. - Stick to experience.
In the same vein, stick to the experience. It is effortless to slip into focusing on the other person, but they will take it as an attack on them. Practice and roleplay with a close friend or mentor to avoid this. For example, don’t say, “When you give me the silent treatment, you are rejecting me.” Say, “When you give me the silent treatment, I feel alone and unloved.” - Avoid saying, “you make me feel…”
While it is true that one person can influence another emotionally, no one is responsible for another person’s feelings. Avoid statements such as, “you made me frustrated,” because this kind of blaming statement will lead to the other person reacting. They will become defensive and will probably respond by saying something like, “I made you frustrated! How can I do that? Those are your feelings. I can’t control what you feel.” So don’t say, “You make me angry when you’re late.” A better way is to say, “When you’re late, I feel angry.” - Own your part of the feelings.
Each person’s emotions belong to themselves. Sometimes, one must admit they’re being overly sensitive so that all the responsibility does not fall on the other person’s shoulders. Remember, confronting someone is not about ascribing fault to them as much as it is to open up an authentic conversation with the other person. Perhaps say, “I know sometimes I get hurt too easily, and that’s not you; it’s on me. But last night, when you made fun of my dress at the party, I felt attacked and embarrassed.” - Be specific, specific, specific!
Identify the behavior or attitude precisely so that the other person understands what they did wrong or needs to change. Give them a description of what they said, did, or what tone of voice they used so that they have a clear picture of the situation. For example, tell them, “When you teased me about my weight at the dinner table last night, I felt hurt.” Saying “When you do…I feel…” is not only a way of confronting, but it is also a way of reaching out to the other person. Letting them see the harmful effects of their behavior, as much as it is safe, will go a long way to improve the situation and relationship.
Although confrontation seems intimidating, it doesn’t have to be. Call us at 800-639-5433 to get connected to a counselor or coach who can help you gain the courage and tools you need to confront.
by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend
More about John & Henry
The post 6 Critical Steps to Courageous Confrontation appeared first on New Life.
If one thing is sure in life, it’s this: There will be difficult people. Lots of them. Although it’s not easy to follow, the Bible clearly says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18, NIV). To try to “live at peace with everyone” even if they aren’t easy to deal with, there are ten techniques.
- Listen to them.
Listening is the number one technique to use when dealing with difficult people. Everyone longs to feel heard and understood. So, when an argument or conflict arises, progress can only occur once each person feels acknowledged. While listening to a difficult person, focus on what they’re saying instead of what to say next. - Don’t tell them they are difficult.
A person may be hard to deal with at times, but the worst thing to ever say to them is that they are difficult. It may even seem like they are mentally or emotionally unstable; don’t tell them that. Never put a label on them because they won’t listen anyway—even worse, they will get upset again because of the label used. - Don’t escalate the conflict.
When encountering a difficult person, there is a tendency to fight back and try to prove to them how they are wrong. But it doesn’t work, and it will escalate the conflict. To make matters worse, the problematic person may even bring others into the fight in their attempt to defend their position. - Stay calm.
Don’t get caught up in reacting; the conflict will only worsen. Pause and take a deep breath before responding. Even if the intense mood is just the other person being difficult, tell them, “We need to calm down.” Saying “we” may help them pause and calm down. - Assess your safety.
Don’t deal with them alone if the other person has made threats or is unsafe. Meet with them in a public place or with another safe person. Don’t hesitate to contact the local authorities immediately if they have been violent; if necessary, seek legal help. - Stick to the issues and avoid getting too emotional.
Don’t let emotions try to control the discussion; it will only make things worse. Instead, a good technique is to focus on the problems and behaviors that need to change to come to a solution. - Set up guidelines.
Before the discussion begins or escalates into an argument or fight, set rules for a civil and respectful discussion. For instance, let them know there should be no yelling, name-calling, bringing up the past, throwing things, or interrupting. If they break a rule, pause the conversation, and ask, “Do you remember the guidelines we set up?” - Set boundaries.
Be clear about expectations and boundaries. If a boundary is violated, be firm and tell the person what needs to happen to continue the discussion. For example, say, “I feel uncomfortable when being yelled at, so I am going to leave. But we can continue this conversation tomorrow in a public place.” - Disengage.
If the conversation becomes too heated, disengage. Realize the conversation is going nowhere, terminate it, and walk away. There is no use in letting the difficult person use toxic behavior to manipulate and get what they want. - Don’t try to win.
There’s no need to try to win an argument against a difficult person. This doesn’t work. And it’s not about trying to beat the other person, anyway. It is about listening to one another and trying to find a solution. If a solution is not possible, just agree to disagree. Otherwise, meet with a counselor or coach who can offer professional help to reach an agreement.
If you need help dealing with difficult people, please know we are here for you! Call us at 800-NEW-LIFE.
by Dr. Linda Mintle
The post 10 Techniques for Dealing with Difficult People appeared first on New Life.
Work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. – Romans 12:11-12
Are you excited about your recovery? Here Paul tells us to serve the Lord enthusiastically—or, as a footnote to the New Living Translation suggests, to “let the Spirit excite” us as we live for him. There is something exciting about taking our lives back. There’s a sense of wholeness that we’ve longed for and an anticipation of what God is going to do next. There is a growing sense of hope that life can be different.
But sometimes our forward movement feels so slow. And there can also be setbacks, where it feels like we’ve moved forward a bit, only to reverse direction.
When that happens—and it will—Romans 12 tells us to do three things. First, we are to remind ourselves to rejoice in what we have been working toward and hoping for. Second, when trouble comes, we are to be patient—there’s that word again—and not throw in the towel. And third, we must keep on praying. God never tires of our prayers, even when in our frustration we repeat ourselves. He loves to hear from us, so we need to keep on talking to him.
Ask Yourself
Are you excited about your process of healing and recovery? If not, why not? If so, why?
Describe your strategy for what to do when you get discouraged with the healing process.
Ask God
Patient Father in heaven, help me be more patient, especially with myself. And Holy Spirit, I ask you to excite me about the process of my recovery. Help me experience that confident hope.
Taken from Take Your Life Back Day by Day copyright © 2016 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Keep on Praying appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 1 hour from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 6, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Step Two is often referred to as “the hope step.” In coming to believe that a Power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity, we must remember what it was like to live sanely, and have the faith to hope that sanity can return.
“What is faith?” the Bible asks. “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1). How can we be confident that something we want is going to happen, especially if all of our hopes have been dashed? How can we risk believing that the life we hope for is waiting for us around the bend?
The Bible tells us that the key is in the nature of the higher Power we look to. We are told, “Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). If we see God as one waiting to reward us, we will be more eager to look for him. If our faith has not matured to that point yet, we can ask for help. There was one man who came to Jesus and asked him to help his young son who was afflicted by a demon. He said to Jesus, “ ’Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.’ ‘What do you mean, “If I can”?’ Jesus asked. ‘Anything is possible if a person believes.’ The father instantly cried out, ‘I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!‘ ” (Mark 9:22-24). We can start by asking God to help us to have more faith. Then we can ask him for the courage to hope for a better future.
Faith starts when we believe God is who he is.
Taken from The Life Recovery Devotional copyright © 1991 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Hope in Faith appeared first on New Life.
From the New Life Live! archives, this Flashback Friday show originally aired on March 7, 2008
Topics: Childhood Trauma, Stress, Father Issues, Blended Families, Self Worth, Miscarriage, Grief, Affairs, Custody
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. John Townsend, Dr. Dave Stoop
Caller Questions:
- I’m in recovery for past abuse; how do I manage my physical signs of stress?
- I recently found out my dad is not my biological dad; what should I say to him?
- What is the best way to heal from condemnation from others for my past sin?
- After multiple miscarriages, I can’t face the emotional stress. How do I reconnect with my husband?
- My separated wife falsely claimed I’m abusive to cover up her affair; should I divorce her?
Suggested Resources:
Healing Is a Choice
How We Love
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 3, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
When we are under the influence of our addiction, it may feel like its hold has supernatural force. We may give up on living, throwing ourselves into self-destructive behaviors with wild abandonment. People also may give up on us. They may divorce themselves from us, as though we were already dead. Whether our “insanity” is self-induced or even if it has a more sinister origin, there is power to restore us to sanity.
Jesus helped a man who was known to be acting insanely. “This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones” (Mark 5:3-5). Jesus went into the graveyard and assessed the situation. He dealt with the forces of darkness that were afflicting him and restored the man to sanity. He then sent him home to his friends and family.
We may be so far gone that we have broken all restraints. We struggle to be free from the control of society and loved ones. Then we discover that our bondage doesn’t come from outside sources. All hope seems lost; but if there is still life there is still hope. God can come into our “burial caves,” too, and restore us to sanity.
Only a Power greater than ourselves can free us from our bondage.
Taken from The Life Recovery Devotional copyright © 1991 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Internal Bondage appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Affairs, Same-Sex Attraction, Adult Children, Trust, Emotional Affairs, Boundaries, Finances, Marijuana
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- My husband of 19yrs confessed he had an affair with a man and won’t stop.
- Where do I go from here if my adult daughter is dying and I can’t go see her because of a court order?
- How do I stop checking my husband’s phone after he had an emotional affair with a coworker?
- Before my grandkids went to college, I drew up a contract for them that funds would stop if they were involved with drugs.
Suggested Resources:
Worthy of Her Trust
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
One Year Bible for Women
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 2, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Aging Parents, Anger, Boundaries, Christian Walk, Paranoia, Attachment, PTSD
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- How do I have boundaries with my 82yo mom? She is angry about her divorce and threw things at me after finding out I took my dad to dinner.
- I wanted to share how God healed me from a tumor the size of a puppy. Thank you to Steve and New Life for being there for me!
- How do I deal with my wife who has symptoms of paranoia and thinks I’m having an affair and hacking her phone?
- Can you explain attachment theory and PTSD?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Take Your Life Back Workbook
One Year Bible for Women
Every Man’s Bible
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 1, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
But what about you? he asked. Who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. – Matthew 16:15–16
Talking about Jesus elicits many responses from people. Some are outraged by Him. Others adore Him as the Son of God and Forgiver of sins. Some think he’s a prophet or humanitarian—a great moral teacher. Others remain disinterested and indifferent. What others think isn’t important. What do you think? Who do you think Jesus is?
Quite often people choose to not answer this question. But, no answer is an answer. It’s the most serious question in life, and it deserves the most serious consideration.
As C. S. Lewis wisely observed, if Jesus Christ wasn’t a self-deluded lunatic, and he wasn’t a blatant liar, there’s only one other possible alternative: Jesus Christ was God himself.
Who is Jesus Christ to you—lunatic, liar, or Lord?
– Steve Arterburn
I don’t try to imagine a God; it suffices to stand in awe of the structure of the world, insofar as it allows our inadequate senses to appreciate it. – Albert Einstein
The post Who is Jesus Christ? appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 1, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Weight Loss, Adult Children, Living Together, Marijuana, Sexual Abuse, Childhood Trauma
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- Interview with Michelle Spadafora, a speaker for the Lose It for Life workshop.
- My pregnant adult daughter is allowing her boyfriend to move in; what is my role?
- My 21yo daughter doesn’t think marijuana is bad; what can I show her about its dangers?
- I was sexually abused as a child and now I am being triggered; what can I do?
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Understanding and Loving Your Child who Smokes Pot
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 28, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. – Ephesians 1:17
Being a responsible, faithful, and spiritually wise adult isn’t easy. But here’s something we often overlook: it’s not easy being a kid either. Sure, the issues kids face are proportionate to their age. But let’s not fail to give them their proper due. Children’s issues appear every bit as daunting to them as ours do to us.
The kids that God has put in our lives, whether they’re children, grandchildren, extended family, neighbors, or students, need every bit of wisdom and guidance we can offer. But wisdom and guidance never stand alone. Our efforts to bring these to the children in our lives must be soaked in prayer. That’s when our wisdom and guidance will become more than practical, but powerful; because it is from the Holy Spirit.
– Steve Arterburn
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. – Abraham Lincoln
The post Praying For Kids appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 28, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Parenting, Anger, Dating, Intimacy, Teens, Custody, Divorce, Pornography,
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown, Special Guest Host Stacey Sadler
Caller Questions:
- I’m a single dad who loves my boys, but I get angry and have to apologize to them.
- Could my 41yo daughter be happily married to her boyfriend who says he can’t have normal sex because of porn?
- My husband and I are studying the four temperaments; can this lead to something positive?
- I had an affair, went through an ugly divorce, and now my 16yo son won’t come see me. Should I force him?
- My wife wants out of our marriage because of my porn addiction.
Suggested Resources:
Understanding and Loving Your Child as a Single Parent
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
How We Love
Every Man’s Battle
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 27, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. – Philippians 4:12
Do you think life in America is out of control?
Economists have repeatedly warned that Americans have become addicted to spending and shopping, and at the same time they are crushed by debt all in an attempt to attain lifestyles beyond their means. Doctors and nutritionists speak regularly of the rising obesity rate and the danger it represents. Educators, pastors, and child professionals have long testified that generations of over-indulged American kids are growing up seriously lacking in discipline, direction, and conviction.
The common denominator here is excess. It’s become an American way of life, and to put it bluntly, it’s destroying us.
I don’t think the question can any longer be: do we know? We must ask ourselves an even tougher question: do we care? The apostle Paul said that he learned to be content in all circumstances. We can take a lesson from him.
– Steve Arterburn
We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. – Frederick Keonig
The post Out of Control in America appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 27, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” – Matthew 26:37-38
If you were raised in the Roman Catholic Church, you may have seen images or statues of Jesus in agony on the cross. But if you were raised in a Protestant church—or no church at all—you may be more familiar with paintings of a very serene Jesus basking in a peaceful glow. So it may be hard for you to believe that this Jesus would ever have felt anger or sadness or dread. But he did.
The picture of Jesus we glean from the Gospels is of a man who was fully divine but also fully human. That means he felt what we feel. He was in anguish in the garden of Gethsemane. He was enraged that retailers outside the Temple were ripping people off. He wept when his friend died.
As you begin to become alive to your feelings, let the real Jesus be your guide.
Ask Yourself
When you were younger, whether or not you attended church, did you imagine Jesus as a man with feelings?
How does understanding that the real Jesus had feelings change your attitude toward your own emotions?
Ask God
Jesus, I thank you that you know what my life is like. As I picture your face—full of grief and joy and sorrow and elation—help me to become fully human, as you intended, by helping me learn to feel.
Taken from Take Your Life Back Day by Day copyright © 2016 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post The Real, Feeling Jesus appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Anxiety, Work Issues, Guilt, Narcissists, Affairs
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- What can I do to help my anxious work supervisor? She is creating a lot of rifts and anger.
- I love to read but can’t understand the Bible unless it is told in complete stories; is there a Bible like that?
- How do I stop struggling with guilt for moving away from my grandkids?
- What should I tell my family and friends? I’m thinking of divorcing my narcissistic husband who has been unfaithful many times.
- I followed your advice to give my unfaithful husband an ultimatum to go to Every Man’s Battle; he went, and I went to Restore, and it saved our marriage!
Suggested Resources:
One Year Bible for Women
Every Believe’rs Thought Life
Worthy of Her Trust
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 24, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. – 1 Peter 5:5
I recently heard a story about a woman who invited guests to her home for dinner. As they sat to eat, the woman turned to her six-year-old daughter and said, “Sweetheart, would you like to ask the blessing?” The little girl replied sheepishly, “Yes, but I don’t know what to say.”
Mom spotted a teaching moment, and perhaps an opportunity to draw attention to her own piety. “Just say what you hear Mommy saying, dear,” she said. The counsel seemed to work. The little girl clasped her hands, bowed her head, and said, “Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?”
Life is a school for humility. And we dare not ignore the lessons. St. Augustine once said the three essential components of the Christian life are as follows: humility, humility, and humility.
– Steve Arterburn
I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker. – Helen Keller
The post Lessons in Humility appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Finances, Heaven, Forgiveness, Alcohol, Sexual Integrity, Church Life, Incarceration
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- Can Chris clarify the statement he made about money having power over you? I don’t have enough money, and it’s hard.
- The man who kidnapped and raped me, then shot my mother, said he was a Christian. Will we remember it in heaven?
- How can I help my wife of 32yrs be happy after my drinking and flirting with other women hurt her?
- What should I do to move forward if my faith has been shattered by the hypocrisy of my church leaders?
- How can I help God impact my brother who is in prison for being a sex offender?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Healing Is a Choice
12 Laws of Life Recovery
12 Gifts of Life Recovery
Every Man’s Battle
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 23, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. – Proverbs 31:31
Are you feeling worn out? Are you using that worn out feeling as an excuse for not doing the things you know you should be doing? There’s a story of a Harvard University freshman who was late handing in an assignment. He came to his professor’s office to explain:
“I’m sorry, sir,” he said, “but I wasn’t feeling well.” The Dean replied, “Young man, please bear in mind that by far the greater part of the world’s work is carried on by people who are not feeling very well.“
Isn’t that the truth? Who have you encountered that went the extra mile in spite of feeling less than 100%? A parent? a fellow worker? A community leader? A friend at church?
Are you lacking motivation, energy, or drive? Don’t wait on your feelings. Act and see if you don’t feel better.
– Steve Arterburn
Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal . . . or any goal. – Vince Lombardi
The post Work Ethic appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Same-Sex Attraction, Adult Children, Dating, Betrayal, Gender, Trust, Emotional Affairs
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown
Caller Questions:
- Interview with Stacey Sadler, one of the presenters at the Restore workshop.
- My adult daughter is marrying a woman this weekend, and my husband wants no part in their relationship. How do I help him?
- What are your thoughts on marrying a woman 35yrs younger than me?
- I went to your Restore Workshop, found my voice, and discovered I’m not alone!
- Our adult son struggles with gender identity and wants to have a sex change.
- What should I do after discovering my husband has messages on his phone to another woman? He told her that he loved her.
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Is This The One
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 22, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies, turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. – Psalm 34:12-14
A strange species of vine known as the matador grows in South America. Roughly translated, the Spanish word matador means ‘killer’ This plant has certainly earned its name.
The matador begins its life growing at the foot of a tree. At first, it looks like a harmless little plant. But as it grows, the matador relentlessly winds its way around the tree, makes its way to the top, and slowly strangles the tree. When the matador reaches the tree’s top, it bursts forth in flower, as though celebrating its kill and crowning himself victor.
Many habits in our lives are like the matador. They seem harmless at first and grow slowly. But left unchecked, they’re dangerous.
Is there a matador-like habit winding its way around your life right now?
– Steve Arterburn
First we form habits, then they form us. Conquer your bad habits or they will conquer you. – Dr. Rob Gilbert
The post Habits That Strangle appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Borderline, Narcissist, Enabling, Boundaries, Pornography, Depression, Physical Abuse
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- Should I attempt to save my 21yr marriage if my moral failings have left my narcissistic wife unwilling to do anything?
- After I followed your advice and said no to my drug addict son, he is now in rehab!
- My husband tried to choke me, but he denies it. A pastor told me it is my fault bad things are happening to me.
- I’m separated from my porn-addicted husband who is physically abusive and dating other women. What does God require of me?
- My dad used to tie me down as a child; now I’m angry, depressed, and have gone through many counselors. Where do I go from here?
- Would Intimacy in Marriage be good for us if we are separated due to my husband being violent?
Suggested Resources:
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Worthy of Her Trust
One Year Bible for Women
How We Love
Healing Is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 21, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. . . . Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. – Micah 7:7-8
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the task of taking back your life? Have you been faced with a situation that just doesn’t seem to be solvable? You sit and ponder, and it all seems dark to you.
It’s time to turn to the Lord for help. Actually, it’s past time to do that.
So often we turn to God as a last resort when he has been waiting to help us all along. He longs for us to lean on him daily, to develop a habit of turning to him in even the most minor situations, and to allow him to be a part of our healing process. When we do that, we’ll also be in a better position to face crisis situations. Even in our times of overwhelming darkness, we’ll be able to see his light.
Ask Yourself
When you are faced with an overwhelming task, how does God fit in to your efforts to tackle the job? What can you do differently the next time you are in an overwhelming situation?
What are some strategies for developing new habits of turning to God for help and guidance on a daily basis?
Ask God
O Lord, how I need you in the process of taking back my life. Yet I get so involved in my own efforts that I even forget to ask for your help. Help me develop new habit patterns that allow you to be my light in the darkness.
Taken from Take Your Life Back Day by Day copyright © 2016 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post God Will Guide You appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Self Worth, Adult Children, Drug Addiction, PTSD, Grandparenting, Grief, Affairs
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- Am I being too controlling? My wife wants to travel to go see her family, and I feel like my opinion doesn’t count.
- How can I encourage my 40yo son who is a disabled veteran with PTSD? He is in jail awaiting criminal charges for meth possession while armed.
- I had my grandson for 18mos and now he is with foster parents. Why is he afraid of me?
- My wife left 3mos ago after I accused her of cheating.
Suggested Resources:
Every Believer’s Thought Life
One Year Bible for Men
One Year Bible for Women
Healing Is a Choice
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 20, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. – Joshua 24:15a
Saul was the first king of the Israelites. He was a man with great potential for leadership. Unfortunately he failed miserably. He allowed his fearfulness, disobedience, and self-sufficiency to come between him and God’s plan for his life. I think we can all resonate with Saul’s struggles, so why not learn from him.
At the beginning of his career, Saul was a shy and reluctant leader. He was found hiding in the baggage when Samuel called the people together to publicly anoint him as king. Saul’s humble, restrained style worked well in the early days of his rule, but he came to a point that many of us come to: he had to decide to either follow or fight against God’s authority in his life. Unfortunately, Saul made the wrong choice.
During his reign, Saul had great successes when he obeyed God. His greatest failures resulted when he acted on his own. Even his weaknesses, though, could have been used by God if Saul would’ve confessed them and left them in God’s hands.
Just like Saul, you’re faced with the choice of surrendering your life and will to God or continuing to fight God’s plan for your life. Saul was a people-pleaser. He surrendered to outside pressure rather than surrendering to God and it cost him his kingdom. Today, you are faced with the same choice. Will you surrender to God or go your own way? Just like Saul, your answer to that question will set the course of your life.
– Steve Arterburn
I surrendered unto Him all there was of me; everything! Then for the first time I realized what it meant to have real power. – Kathryn Kuhlman
Past boldness is no assurance of future boldness. Boldness demands continual reliance on God’s spirit. – Andy Stanley
The post Surrender or Fight appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Verbal Abuse, Separation, Reconciliation, Church Life
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Becky Brown
Caller Questions:
- My wife says I am verbally abusive; do you think I am? We have been separated for over a year.
- What’s my responsibility now that my brother-in-law has rejected me and my wife after I sent him an email about vaccines? He wants an apology.
- My wife silently prays in front of the church during the whole service, and it’s causing division between us.
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Every Man’s Bible
How We Love
One Year Bible for Men
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 17, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. – Romans 8:17
Both outright or subtly many people who follow Jesus and walk with God think they shouldn’t struggle. We think God will give us lives of ease and comfort once we decide to follow Christ. The idea is: If we’re good Christians, we’ll have it all together. If we have enough faith, our conflicts and problems would resolve themselves. When you come to Christ, your problems disappear. In fact, many churches will communicate that very message week in and week out. As a result, those who attend those churches hide their struggles, because they mistakenly equate struggles with a lack of faith.
But the Christian walk wasn’t meant to be a stroll through the park. Following Jesus won’t remove struggles from your life; in fact it often adds to the struggle. Some of the most committed Christians have lived some of the most difficult lives. The Bible goes so far as to tell us to expect trials and difficulties, and to be joyful when we face them. With Christ, you can do that. On your own, you’re destined to fail.
– Steve Arterburn
If we desire our faith to be strengthened, we should not shrink from opportunities where our faith may be tried, and therefore, through trial, be strengthened. – George Mueller
Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of your journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever. – Brennan Manning
The post Struggles appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Childhood Trauma, Sexual Abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Brain Issues, Confrontation, Anxiety, Newborns
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- Where do I go to get help for my childhood trauma of sexual abuse, abandonment, and my attraction to cross dressing?
- What do you recommend to help my brain after many injuries?
- How do I tell my photographer best friend that I’m not going to use her to take our pictures?
- I became a first-time parent 2wks ago and have ADHD; how do I navigate times when I am overwhelmed?
Suggested Resources:
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Every Man’s Bible
One Year Bible for Men
One Year Bible for Women
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 16, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. – Psalm 38:4
There are plenty of roads in life that promise joy, health, peace, or transformation. Most of them, however, don’t lead in that direction. You can literally exhaust yourself seeking spiritual refreshment. And that doesn’t make any sense.
We work hard at building a good life, but instead of joy on the journey, we often feel weighed down by life. Have you grown weary going down one wrong road after another?
Proverbs tells us, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” (Proverbs 14:12) The fact that a way looks right at first glance doesn’t mean it’s leading toward spiritual renewal . . . it could be leading to a dead end. If you’re someone who has taken many paths but still finds yourself weary, turn to Jesus. He said these words for you: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Any spiritual path that doesn’t lead to Jesus Christ won’t lead to true spiritual renewal . . . no matter how right it seems at first. In fact, Jesus Christ Himself is our way. Remember, the burden He calls you to bear on your journey is light, and the yoke of His expectation fits you perfectly. When you do this, He promises rest for your soul.
– Steve Arterburn
Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you. – George Müller
We have a choice. We can carry the world on our shoulders, or we can say, “I give up, Lord; here’s my life. I give you my world, the whole world.” – Bruce Larson
If we believe that God is always at hand, always ready to hear, surely we should take delight in telling Him all our little cares, and woes, and hopes, as they flit by. – H.L. Sidney Lear
The post Rest For The Weary Soul appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 15, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. – 3 John 1:4
“If only . . .” is a haunting phrase. It implies that you failed and that you wish you could go back and do things differently.
When you dare to see the truth and accept responsibility for your life, you may feel sad and ashamed. You may regret your irresponsibility and destructive behavior, and wish to erase the past. The Bible is full of stories of regret. Take for example the Old Testament book of Zephaniah. The prophet Zephaniah condemned the idol worship and self-center living of the nation Judah. If only they had obeyed and trusted God instead of going their own way!
This book shows us how many of our troubles are a direct consequence of our irresponsibility. The nation Judah was irresponsible in her relationship with God. She worshiped false gods and ignored God’s laws, which were intended for her own good. But Zephaniah made it clear that their irresponsibility would carry heavy consequences.
With the help of Zephaniah and King Josiah the people confessed their sins, took responsibility for their lives, and turned back to God. As a result, they received substantial healing and restoration. When you are irresponsible in your relationship with God and others, your situation will grow progressively worse. The process of your spiritual renewal may start out painfully. When you confess the truth about yourself, it hurts. But as you begin to see the truth, speak the truth, and accept responsibility for your life, you’ll discover the great relief and hope that God offers.
– Steve Arterburn
You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. – C.S. Lewis
The post Regret and Restoration appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Betrayal, Childhood Trauma, Adult Children, Self Worth, Sexual Abuse
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- There are a lot of guys hurting from being betrayed by their wives.
- How do I identify what kind of therapy I need if I have a painful memory of my dad leaving me as a child?
- My 35yo daughter texted me that she didn’t get the childhood she deserved; how do I look at my part?
- I’ve been married 34yrs and have learned that you can’t give all of yourself to your spouse or you won’t have anything left over for yourself.
- My nephew inappropriately touched my daughter when he was 12yo and she was 5yo, but he denied it in front of his wife.
Suggested Resources:
One Year Bible for Men
Healing Is a Choice
Intimate Deception
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 14, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. – James 4:8
In the quiet early morning, as the sun’s first rays peak over the horizon, we may sense the presence of God. But as the day wears on and the demands of everyday life bear down upon us, we may become so wrapped up in earthly concerns that we forget to praise the Creator.
God is everywhere we have ever been and everywhere we will ever be. When we turn to Him often, we are blessed by His presence. But, if we ignore God’s presence or rebel against it altogether, the world in which we live soon becomes a spiritual wasteland.
Since God is everywhere, we are free to sense His presence whenever we take the time to quiet our souls and turn our prayers to Him. But sometimes, amid the incessant demands of everyday life, we turn our thoughts far from God; when we do, we suffer.
Are you tired, discouraged or fearful? Be comforted because God is with you. Are you confused? Listen to the quiet voice of your Heavenly Father. Are you bitter? Talk with God and seek His guidance. Are you celebrating a great victory? Thank God and praise Him. He is the Giver of all things good. In whatever condition you find yourself—whether you are happy or sad, victorious or vanquished, troubled or triumphant—celebrate God’s presence. And be comforted in the knowledge that God is not just near. He is here.
– Steve Arterburn
There is a basic urge: the longing for unity. You desire a reunion with God—with God your Father. – E. Stanley Jones
Claim all of God’s promises in the Bible. Your sins, your worries, your life—you may cast them all on Him. – Corrie ten Boom
The next time you hear a baby laugh or see an ocean wave, take note. Pause and listen as his Majesty whispers ever so gently, “I’m here.” – Max Lucado
The post Acknowledging His Presence Builds Character appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Integrity, Pornography, Masturbation, Christian Walk, Disclosure, Bipolar
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- Kevin Downes, a producer on Jesus Revolution, talks about the new movie in theaters on February 24.
- What’s the best way for me to break free from porn, masturbation, and overeating? I am 32yo and live out of my car.
- I struggle with porn and just told my wife. Where should I start reading my Bible so I can get closer to the Lord?
- I went to Every Man’s Battle and finally overcame my lifelong addiction to porn and masturbation!
- How do I navigate having bipolar disorder and taking medication, but I feel emotionally muted?
Suggested Resources:
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Life Recovery Workbook for Sexual Integrity
One Year Bible for Men
How We Love
One Year Bible for Women
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 13, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. – Psalm 62:5-6
Several famous people were asked what they felt was the saddest word in the English language. Listen to what some of them said:
- “But,” said Lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II.
- Writer John Dos Passos quoted John Keats: “Forlorn! The very word is like a bell.“
- Statesman Bernard M. Baruch said: “Hopeless.“
- President Harry Truman quoted John Greenleaf Whittier: “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been!”
“But”, “forlorn”, “hopeless”, “it might have been” . . . together these words describe the heart of a person without Christ. What a contrast these sad words make to the promises of God.
In Jesus Christ, a forlorn, hopeless heart haunted by “buts” and “it might have beens” is transformed into a heart of hope and purpose. Be encouraged by God’s specific promises of joy and hope of transformation for your life.
– Steve Arterburn
When hope is taken away from the people, moral degeneration follows swiftly after. – Pearl S. Buck
The post The Saddest Words appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Gambling, Suicide, Enabling, Sexual Abuse, Confrontation, Neglect
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Becky Brown
Caller Questions:
- What should I do to help my 25yo son who gambled away all his money and might be suicidal?
- Am I enabling my children and grandchildren because I can’t accept their limitations?
- How do my mom and I confront my uncle for molesting my aunt and cousins a long time ago?
- How can we get our daughter and her husband to stop neglecting their children’s health issues?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Healing Is a Choice
100 Days To Freedom from Shame
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 10, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. – Proverbs 12:19
When Mary and Emma’s mom saw the chewed up book, she confronted her girls. Mary quickly pointed the finger to her little sister Emma. Emma immediately replied that her cousin Jacob did it. Now to appreciate Emma’s response you must understand that cousin Jacob lived over 2,200 miles away and was still a baby without teeth! As you can imagine, mom had a hard time concealing a smile.
The blame game has a long history. Adam blamed Eve—she was the one who gave him the fruit. And he even blamed God. He basically said, “If you wouldn’t have put this woman here, this wouldn’t have happened!” Eve, of course, blamed the snake.
Do you find yourself often trying to shift blame? Blaming is easy, but there’s honor and redemption when you take responsibility for your faults.
– Steve Arterburn
When you blame others, you give up your power to change. – Robert Anthony
I praise loudly, I blame softly. – Catherine the Great
The post The Blame Game appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Sexual Abuse, Pornography, Anger
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- Is there ever a time when it is OK to give your adult child advice?
- How do I learn to love when I’m on my third marriage, struggling with porn, and keep falling off the wagon?
- After keeping my childhood sexual abuse a secret, God has done amazing healing by removing the guilt and shame. But how do I get past my anger that is affecting my health?
Suggested Resources:
100 Days To Freedom from Shame
Every Believers Thought Life
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
Healing Is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 9, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Ever devour cookie dough out of boredom? Binge on ice cream to numb sadness? Consume chips because of stress? Emotional eating occurs when the desire to eat is driven by emotions rather than hunger. Most people who set a weight loss goal do well at first. But one of the biggest obstacles to weight loss is to feed emotions with food. Apostle Paul himself got stuck in a cycle of doing something he didn’t want. Romans 7:15 (NLT) says, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.”
Does this sound familiar? To stop emotional eating, follow these two simple steps.
Step One: Identify the emotions driving the urge to eat.
Find out what emotions drive the desire to eat. Emotional eating distracts people from the rawness of being alive and allows them to bypass it. Many people are afraid of their own emotions. They avoid crying or experiencing the depth of their negative emotions, perhaps fearing they will break or fall into some horrible abyss. No matter how terrible a situation is, what damages people the most is when they don’t allow their feelings to surface. The fear of the feeling is at the root of emotional overeating, not the feelings themselves.
Become aware of your emotions when tempted to eat food to satisfy an emotional need. Feel any feelings that come to mind. Are there any feelings that need to surface? Is there sadness, loneliness, anger, fear, or another emotion? Learn to accept feelings—even the uncomfortable ones.
Step Two: Find healthy solutions to your emotional needs.
After identifying the real emotions, the next step is meeting the actual need. When you feed your feelings with food instead of experiencing them, this is when mindless eating happens. Instead, address the underlying needs.
So, what’s the right solution? Check out these recommendations:
- Anger – take a break, write a letter of forgiveness and sharing any feelings to those who’ve hurt you and destroy it
- Loneliness – call a friend, attend a Life Recovery Group, volunteer, or go to a church service or a Bible study
- Sadness – make a list of things to be grateful for, cry, or laugh along with some comedy
- Boredom – finish a project, take up a new hobby, watch a movie, or read a book
- Anxiety – breathe deeply, pray, read Scripture, journal, walk, or talk to a New Life Counselor or Coach
Although the two steps of identifying emotions and finding healthy solutions may sound simple, following through with them is challenging. If it feels like one step forward, two steps back, that’s okay. Be patient. For more help, attend our Lose it for Life Workshop. Putting an end to emotional eating is a process, but it’s worth it!
by Susan Eppley
The post Want to End Emotional Eating? Here Are Two Simple Steps appeared first on New Life.
In a friends-with-benefits world, can sex still glorify God? Yes! Sex in marriage was created by God and can be extremely good. But pornography, exploitation, child abuse, infidelity, and more show people can misuse sex for the bad. Not only does it dishonor God, but it also hurts others. Whether you’re newly married, engaged, dating someone, or single—you can follow God’s purpose for sex in your life.
There are seven reasons God designed sex.
1. Oneness.
Within a committed, monogamous marriage between a husband and wife, God created sex for a man and woman to experience oneness. Sex is a way for both husbands and wives to become one physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Genesis 2:24 (NLT) says, “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”
2. Procreation.
Another reason why God created sex was, in part, for children. God’s first commandment in Genesis 1:28 to Adam and Eve was to “Be fruitful, and multiply.” In other words, God was encouraging them to get married, have sex, and make babies. Not all couples can have children, for a variety of reasons, but part of God’s plan for sex is procreation.
3. Selflessness.
Real intimacy in marriage is about being selfless—not selfish. Selflessness is the key to great emotional, spiritual, and physical intimacy in marriage. When one spouse puts the other first, wanting them to have a satisfying sexual experience, they will be given a satisfying experience right back.
4. Faithfulness.
Though the world promotes sex with multiple partners, God’s design is the exact opposite; sex and sexual satisfaction is for a husband and wife for life. This means that no sexual gratification should be fulfilled outside of marriage, including pornography, adultery, and emotional affairs. Not sure what to do to avoid tempting situations, especially texting others? Laura Mangin-McDonald, leader at our Restore Workshop, says, “Here’s a litmus test for sending appropriate communication: If your spouse were sitting beside you, would they read the content of your message and give you a thumbs up?” Men who struggle with sexual integrity can attend Every Man’s Battle; women who’ve been sexually betrayed can attend Restore.
5. Connection.
Being connected is the foundation for a good marriage. Where does disconnection start? It starts in the kitchen or living room long before the bedroom. Couples should set aside time to cultivate their connection by listening, talking about their feelings, building each other up, sharing about their day, working through disagreements, and praying. When husbands and wives take the time to make positive deposits each day to build up their emotional intimacy, it will pay off later in their physical intimacy.
6. Safety.
Nothing is more detrimental to God’s design for sex than for it to be unsafe. It is crucial for every Christian marriage to have boundaries. To participate in any unsafe behavior, including pornography, or to force one spouse to participate in anything that makes them uncomfortable will undermine safety God designed for sex.
Though Scripture has been misused, nothing in the Bible allows for abuse. “There is no dictator, doormat marriage that is acceptable in any Bible that I’ve ever seen.”—Steve Arterburn
7. Pleasure.
One of the most important reasons why God created sex is for pleasure. Sexual intimacy is for a couple to delight in—not make it a duty. This is not to say that a man’s pleasure is more important than a woman’s; it isn’t. Just as a husband and wife are equal in God’s eyes, so a wife’s pleasure is just important as her husband’s. If there’s any doubt, all one must do is read Song of Solomon to see that sex is about pleasure for both husbands and wives. They can celebrate the joy that comes from the sexual union.
Want a closer, more intimate marriage? Join us for our Intimacy in Marriage Workshop. Call 800-639-5433 to find out more.
by Kimberlee Bousman
More about Kimberlee
The post 7 Reasons Why God Created Sex appeared first on New Life.
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. – Romans 6:22
My life has been littered with mistakes—my own mistakes and the mistakes of others. And in every one of those incidents, God came along, picked up the litter, and put it back together in a way that transformed it into a monument for faith. I can look back and say, “It was at that very point, in the midst of that adversity, that this part of my character began to grow and my relationship with God really deepened.”
It’s our nature to seek quick relief from pain. But Helen Keller—a woman well acquainted with adversity—said, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”
Let God transform and redeem the suffering in your life.
– Steve Arterburn
Deep unspeakable suffering may well be called a baptism, a regeneration, the initiation into a new state. – George Eliot
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world. – C.S. Lewis
The post Suffering and Character appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Alcohol, Sexual Abuse, Separation, Marijuana, Anxiety, Teens, Parenting
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- My drunk husband came on to my 21yo daughter; how do I navigate that?
- What do I do now that my wife of 37yrs just walked out to be a nanny for our grandchildren and filed for divorce?
- What are my next steps with my anxious 13yo daughter who is smoking marijuana and has same-sex attraction?
Suggested Resources:
Worthy of Her Trust
Take Your Life Back
How We Love Our Kids
One Year Bible for Women
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 8, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men. – Ephesians 6:7
Biblical servant-leadership is something we need to strive for in all areas of our lives. So today, I want to provide some guidelines for understanding a biblical picture of faithful servanthood within the community of Israel.
- The faithful servants of Israel cared about those they served, and constantly sought new and better ways to serve them.
- Faithful servants developed new skills to better serve.
- Faithful servants did all they could to build the esteem and prestige of those they served; and this prestige, in turn, brought the servant prestige as well. He took great pride and honor in his role as a bondservant. And he, though perhaps wise in his own right, treated the thoughts and opinions of those he served as being as valuable as his own.
- Faithful servants performed menial, thankless jobs in order to make room for those they served to exercise their gifts. The servant made allowances for the weaknesses of those he served as if they were his own. And in that way, he actively protected them from shame.
- A faithful servant didn’t dawdle in seeking forgiveness and reconciliation when his own sin caused any damage or shame to those he served.
Not a bad life, actually. Of course, to us Americans, this scenario may seem a bit strange. You might ask, “Who’d ever surrender his freedoms to enter such a relationship?” But, in fact, you did—when you accepted the Lordship of Christ in your life. You serve him by serving others.
– Steve Arterburn
Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. – Albert Einstein
The humblest occupation has in it materials of discipline for the highest heaven. – Frederick W. Robertson
The post Biblical Servanthood appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Dating, Grief, Forgiveness, Triggers, Sexual Abuse, Pornography, Anger
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Becky Brown
Caller Questions:
- How do I let go of the man I loved for 6yrs but broke up with because he smoked pot and often flew into a rage?
- Do my reoccurring emotional triggers mean I haven’t forgiven my brother for molesting me? Or my husband for his pornography?
- My wife has explosive anger, says she hates me, and left me a note saying to get out. Is there anything I can do?
Suggested Resources:
Healing Is a Choice
Life Recovery Bible
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 7, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. – 2 Corinthians 5:5
Rod felt that his life had real meaning when he was an assembly line foreman for an automobile manufacturing plant. Sixteen people on his shift depended on him, and he felt that his work was significant. Without the hoods and trunk lids his team installed, the cars would be incomplete. He was confident that there were few men in the plant who could do his job as skillfully as he did. He knew that if he died suddenly his superiors, coworkers, and family would sorely miss him.
But Rod is now sixty-six. He’s retired from the plant and someone just as competent as he was is running the crew. Rod realizes that he’s no longer needed on the assembly line. What’s more, Rod realizes that his family doesn’t need him either. His children are grown and gone. He hears from them briefly on holidays. His wife is in poor health, but a home-care nurse tends to her needs three times a week. And he wonders if anybody will show up at his funeral or miss him when he’s gone.
Someone older without a mission in life feels empty, and can eventually feel despondent. If this sounds like you, then you need to find another outlet for your gifts, your skills, your abilities . . . that will give you a sense of purpose. The stability and maturity of a senior adult is often preferred and needed. How can you be of help in your city, neighborhood, church or even abroad? Check your passions and see how and where you can continue to serve God.
– Steve Arterburn
It is always in season for old men to learn. – Aeschylus
It’s very simple. As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed at twenty-two, you’d always be as ignorant as you were at twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It’s growth. It’s more than the negative that you’re going to die, it’s also the positive that you understand you’re going to die, and that you live a better life because of it. – Mitch Albom
The post Meaning Beyond Accomplishments appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Integrity, Pornography, Shame, Adult Children, Drug Addiction, Lying, Forgiveness, Death
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- Interview with Every Man’s Battle presenter, J.J. West. “Month after month, we get to see men set free!”
- What’s our next step with our 20yo daughter who lives with us, has substance abuse problems, and is sexually active?
- How can the family live with the pain of our 39yo son who has a porn addiction and sexually abused my daughter when she was younger?
- I think my daughter died from fentanyl without forgiving her husband; what would the Lord have said to her?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
Life Recovery Workbook for Sexual Integrity
Take Your Life Back
Healing Is a Choice
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 6, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:27
Grief is the process that helps you release your pain and losses to God. In your grief, you come to terms with your past and you find freedom to live in the reality of the present. On the other side of grief, you’ll find hope for the future. So if you harden your heart and refuse to grieve, you’re likely to get stuck both emotionally and spiritually.
The prophet Jeremiah shared his grief and tears with God. Jeremiah lived with God’s people and pleaded with them to return to God. But his pleas fell on deaf ears, and his heart was broken. So in his grief, the prophet penned the words of the Old Testament book, Lamentations. When you read it, you’ll find that Jeremiah didn’t mince his words or hide his pain. He weeps openly and fully, releasing his emotions to God. It’s a great example for us when we grieve our own losses.
Lamentations doesn’t provide pat answers for the suffering you’ll experience. If you’ll read it, you’ll discover that it’s all right to be real, to be angry, to be disappointed with life, and to be concerned about what tomorrow holds for you. God accepted Jeremiah being angry, tired, and discouraged, and he will accept you as well. Just as God honored the tears of Jeremiah, He’ll honor yours if you share your pain and sorrow with Him. It’s likely to be the first step to bring healing for the present and hope for the future.
– Steve Arterburn
Grief is itself a medicine. – William Cowper
I thought I could describe a state; make a map of sorrow. Sorrow, however, turns out to be not a state but a process. – C.S. Lewis
The post Expressing Grief appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Drugs, Marijuana, Pornography, Divorce, Teens, Autism
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- Our 22yo son lives at home, has experimented with LSD, and smokes pot. How do we get him to be an independent adult?
- How can I recover from porn addiction if I’ve been addicted since my teens?
- Why am I having a hard time following through with my divorce from my unfaithful, unsafe husband?
- How can I help my 17yo adopted son to make friends? He is mentally slow and might be autistic.
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Workbook
Every Man’s Battle
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Worthy of Her Trust
100 Days of Shame
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 3, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.” – Mark 9:24
Distrust or wavering faith is a reality for most of us. But how would you like to be labeled a “doubting Thomas?” Do you ever wonder what it was like for Thomas, Jesus’ disciple who became known for his lack of faith? Thomas simply didn’t believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. But that’s not the end of his story.
Thomas didn’t doubt Jesus’ resurrection out of fear. He continued to meet with the followers of Jesus in the upper room. He just happened to be absent when the risen Jesus first appeared to them. He wanted some kind of proof that his companions had not just been seeing things. Thomas was given the undeniable evidence he asked for when Jesus appeared a second time, dispelling all his doubts.
Undeniable evidence, however, isn’t necessary to begin a life of faith. As a matter of fact, it makes faith unnecessary. Jesus said to Thomas, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.” You too have evidence of the Resurrection. You too can experience God’s transforming power in your own life. You can overcome your troubling doubts as you continue to trust God to show you His power in your life.
When Thomas overcame his doubts, he set out on a ministry that showed extraordinary faith. As you experience God’s deliverance, it will motivate you to minister to others as well. Do you have doubts? If faced honestly, doubt can lead to deeper faith.
– Steve Arterburn
Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith. – Paul Tillich
Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving. – Frederick Buechner
The post Doubt appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Emotional Abuse, Physical Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Pornography, Adult Children, Sexual Integrity, Divorce, Homeless, Siblings
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- I was emotionally and physically abused by my mom as a child and abandoned by my dad; what do I do next?
- I’m emotionally distant from my wife after telling her I looked at porn; is this normal?
- What’s our role as parents if our daughter’s fiancé has a porn addiction and they’re still going to get married?
- Is it OK to keep hoping and praying for my marriage? My husband has filed for divorce for the sixth time and has lived at his mom’s house for half of our marriage.
- My older brother is homeless and diabetic; should I give him temporary shelter?
- I want to go to Intimacy in Marriage, but my husband of 43yrs is very resistant to anything.
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Healing Is a Choice
Intimate Deception
Worthy of Her Trust
Take Your Life Back
Understanding and Loving a Person with Alcohol or Drug Addiction
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 2, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Your past sometimes gets in the way of your vision for the future, doesn’t it? If you allow yourself to dwell on the areas where you’ve failed or on losses and disappointments that hurt you, you might find it difficult to look forward to the future God has for you.
King David is a man who dreamed of building a magnificent temple. When he commissioned his son Solomon to do the work he said, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged by the size of the task, for the Lord God, my God is with you.” (1 Chronicles 28:20) Many years later the apostle Paul said, “We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.” (Ephesians 2:21)
Just as David dreamed of building a magnificent temple, you can dare to dream of building a new life. God has the blueprint already drawn up: just follow it by faith. You may be afraid that you will start and fail, but in the words of David, “be strong and courageous, and do the work.” As someone once said: Beginning is half done. In other words, take the first step, it’s the toughest.
What dreams have you been quietly suppressing? Perhaps you have dreamed of becoming a missionary? Maybe you have dreams of adopting. Or dreams of starting a new career. Maybe you’ve been dreaming about building deep friendships or making an impact on your community. Don’t be frightened. When God begins a good work, He is faithful to complete it.
– Steve Arterburn
It’s a shallow life that doesn’t give a person a few scars. – Garrison Keillor
The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become – because He made us. He invented us. He invented all the different people that you and I were intended to be. – C.S. Lewis
The post Building a New Life appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Teens, Divorce, Affairs, Dating, Pornography, Adult Children
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Becky Brown
Caller Questions:
- How can I help my angry 16yo son whose grades are slipping since I started divorce proceedings?
- What can I do after finding out my husband has been cheating? He denies it.
- My daughter is breaking up with her 7yr boyfriend for looking at porn; how do I talk to him about Every Man’s Battle?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love Our Kids
Take Your Life Back
Intimate Deception
Every Man’s Bible
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: February 1, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God. – Psalm 55:13-14
Evan owns a small business with one employee. He prides himself on his precision craftsmanship that keeps a steady stream of customers lined up and waiting. He’s been urged to expand his shop and hire more employees, but Evan likes things small and controllable. He doesn’t want to grow, because he doesn’t want to get in a position where he needs his customers more than they need him.
Evan has the same attitude about his relationship with his wife. He keeps his thoughts and feelings well hidden because he feels he must act as if he doesn’t need anything from her. His wife and children don’t feel they know Evan, because he never shares anything from his heart. In addition, he has no close friends.
Evan learned in his upbringing that it’s not manly to need anyone. He picked up early in life that his father didn’t need him. And by spending more time on his career than with his family, Evan’s father conveyed the idea that Evan shouldn’t need him either. So Evan grew up feeling that he must face life without any help.
Are you living a solitary life like Evan? Is it okay to be needed by others, but you can’t commit to need anyone else? Your choice for solitude and distance are depriving you of your basic needs for love, relationship, and intimacy. The longer you play the solitary role, the greater your loss. You were made to need and be needed. Don’t be afraid to connect.
– Steve Arterburn
If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself. – Henry Ford
Men are free when they are obeying some deep, inward voice of religious belief. Obeying from within. Men are free when they belong to a living, organic, believing community, active in fulfilling some unfulfilled, perhaps unrealized purpose. Not when they are escaping to some wild west. The most unfree souls go west, and shout of freedom. – D. H. Lawrence
The post The Solitary Role appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Coaching, Sexual Abuse, Dissociative Disorder, Gender Transition, Childhood Trauma, Triggers, Pornography
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- Dr. Heidi Summers shares why someone would go to see her as a New Life Coach.
- Can your Restore Workshop help me if I was molested by my father and have dissociative disorder?
- My bisexual adult son is taking female hormones; how can I help him see how harmful it is?
- When I was 9yo my friend died falling through the ice, and last week my memory was triggered. Do I need to deal with the trauma?
- I’ve been to Every Man’s Battle and my wife is going to Restore. Any recommendations on how to help her with her triggers because of my porn addiction?
Suggested Resources:
Healing Is a Choice
Take Your Life Back
100 Days To Freedom from Shame
One Year Bible for Women
Every Man’s Bible
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 31, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Set your minds on things above not on earthly things. – Colossians 3:2
An American traveler went to Poland to visit a famous rabbi. Upon arrival, the traveler was taken aback by the rabbi’s room, which contained only a table, a chair, and some books. Perplexed, the traveler asked, “Rabbi, where is your furniture?” The rabbi replied, “My furniture? Where is your furniture, my friend?” The tourist explained he was only a tourist passing through. The rabbi’s response? “So am I.”
Life in our affluent, materially-oriented society draws us away from what God wants our focus to be. We are regularly tempted to invest our time and energy in ways that focus on making ourselves comfortable residents here. Be careful. Succumbing to this temptation will blunt your ability to hear and hope in God. Set your mind on things above, and your heart will surely follow. Live intentionally and effectively for the glory of God.
– Steve Arterburn
The love of heaven makes one heavenly. – William Shakespeare
The post Strangers in a Strange Land appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Avoiders, Parenting, Alcohol, Adult Children, Boundaries, Separation, Reconciliation
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- My husband doesn’t have a job and stays in his messy room the whole day. I’m tired of being a single parent.
- How do we help my daughter-in-law with her drinking problem? Yesterday she was inebriated with my 8yo grandson in the car.
- My grandson and his 9yo daughter with ADD live with me. She is making threats and not taking her medication.
- How can I win my husband back? We’ve been married for 27yrs and separated for 2yrs.
Suggested Resources:
Every Believer’s Thought Life
One Year Bible for Women
Life Recovery Workbook
Healing Is a Choice
Take Your Life Back
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 30, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints. – Ephesians 1:18
Are you going through difficult times? If it does nothing else for you and to you, it will open the eyes of your heart. Walking through troubled waters is one way that God has of shifting your vision. When your heart breaks, there’s an avenue for God’s compassion to trickle in and envelop your heart with His. You’ll begin to look at others through the eyes of your heart and not through the eyes of quick judgment, harsh conclusions, or self-interest.
Your trip to the grocery store, to church, to Wal-Mart or Starbucks will take on a new hue. You’ll look at people and wonder what their story is; what their childhood was like; what caused them to be so happy or unhappy, why they seem this way or that.
Their job titles will be less important, their type of car won’t impress you, what kind of clothes they wear, or whether they’re wrinkled or stylish won’t matter anymore. You’re more likely to understand that they are in some pain and trying to run from it or trying to hide. Or, you’ll see their smile and demeanor and wonder if they’re truly happy or masking some inner, silent suffering or anger.
Now, you won’t get answers to all that you wonder about people and their stories, but your heart will be softened. You’ll find that you have a level of compassion that most people don’t have. If your heart is broken, let His compassion trickle in to your heart through the brokenness. Let Him open the eyes of your heart today.
– Steve Arterburn
A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal. – Steve Maraboli
What value has compassion that does not take its object in its arms. – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The post Open the Eyes of Your Heart appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Abortion, Teens, Church Life, Salvation, Affairs, Anxiety, Fear, Adult Children, Emotional Affairs, Finances, Codependency
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard
Caller Questions:
- How can I support my 17yo daughter without supporting her decision to get an abortion tomorrow?
- My 14yo son is questioning God and doesn’t want to go to church; how do I guide him back to God?
- My husband had an affair 3yrs ago and I stayed; how do I move forward when every day is a burden?
- Emotional Freedom was phenomenal! I lost my brother when he was a young man; how do I get over my fear for my 22yo son when he leaves the house?
- I found out at Thanksgiving that my husband has been having multiple affairs online. Are we doing the right kind of counseling?
- I feel better after attending Emotional Freedom! Am I enabling my husband by offering him money to help pay off his debts?
Suggested Resources:
Healing Is a Choice
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Every Man’s Battle
Worthy of Her Trust
One Year Bible for Men
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 27, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. – Hosea 2:14
The Old Testament book of Hosea is a beautiful story of the depths of God’s love for His people. The short version is this: Hosea was directed by God to marry a prostitute named Gomer. Even though Hosea knew beforehand that she would be unfaithful, he won her back with unconditional love.
It was a picture of the nation of Israel, who time and time again prostituted itself in disobedience to God. But each time, God would love her and bring her back into the fold. But more importantly to us today, it’s a picture of each of us. We run from God. We sell ourselves for the pleasures of the flesh. We prostitute ourselves spiritually. Yet God still loves us and takes us back each and every time. It’s amazing, but it’s true . . . God is a God of second chances.
The above passage in Hosea refers to leading her into the desert to speak tenderly to her there. That verse spoke volumes to me. When I have an experience that leads me into the desert, it’s a feeling of desolation and desertion. I start to believe that Jesus isn’t there, that He just left the building. But the reality of it is that God put me there at that exact place and time so I can hear from Him. Sometimes God wants us all to Himself, with no distractions, so He can talk to us . . . speak tenderly to us.
In order to listen to someone speaking tenderly to you, you have to be quiet . . . you have to be still. If it takes leading you to the desert, God will do that. And when He does, listen!
– Steve Arterburn
Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in all the earth. – Psalm 46:10
The post The Deserts of Life appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Estrangement, Adult Children, Father Issues, Alcohol, Gambling
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- My friend is in hospice care; what should we put in the letter I’m helping her write to her son who is distant?
- Can I hold my dad accountable for his drinking and gambling? He lives with me.
Suggested Resources:
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
One Year Bible for Women
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 26, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. – Luke 22:42-3
Have you ever heard someone say, “If you had your act together, you wouldn’t be struggling with knowing or following God’s will.” Don’t believe it! It’s a common, mistaken belief, and Jesus’ own actions teach that this isn’t so.
Jesus’ final moments before his crucifixion were spent in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. There he prayed three times. Each prayer was a step in letting go of things that would hold him back so that he could take hold of God’s will. The first prayer was an outburst of grief. Jesus shuddered at the chill of death’s dark shadow. Prayer seemed his only refuge.
The second prayer was one of release. Jesus was faced with two choices: If he saved his life, he would lose us. But if he lost his life, he would save us. Christ desired to do the will of his Father, and so he accepted his calling to die for us.
The third prayer strengthened his resolve. It was like the tempering of steel, in which the refined metal is reheated a second time to increase its strength. As a soldier readies himself for battle or a patient prepares himself for a difficult surgery, so Jesus gathered strength from his Father for the task and left all his anxiety with him.
If Jesus can struggle, then I guess it’s o.k. if I do, too.
– Steve Arterburn
Pray often; for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan. – John Bunyan
The post Prayer appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Pornography, Verbal Abuse, Physical Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Emotional Abuse, Divorce
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- Without Every Man’s Battle and Sustained Victory, I would have never recovered from sex addiction!
- How do I let go of the verbal and physical abuse I experienced from my mom growing up?
- When is it OK to get a divorce after 20yrs of emotional abuse from my husband?
- I just found Christ, but my wife found boundaries and left because of my drinking.
Suggested Resources:
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Life Recovery Bible
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Intimate Deception
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 25, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. – Hebrews 12:1
Our culture has become enamored with instant results and quick fixes. E-mail, on-line banking, fast food, instant mashed potatoes, hair implants, liposuction, and countless options like them have eroded our capacity for patience and perseverance. So when it comes to spiritual growth, we tend to expect instant transformation rather than viewing our growth in Christ as a long-term—and potentially costly—endeavor.
Yet I’ve learned an important truth that’s been verified time and again by the testimony of Scripture: It’s not how you start that’s important; it’s how you finish.
Finishing well in the Christian life requires purposeful planning and a clear view of reality on your part. It won’t happen by accident. On the other hand, expecting instant results and quick fixes will result in disappointment, and ultimately, discouragement.
– Steve Arterburn
The world is moving so fast these days that a man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it. – Harry Emerson Fosdick
The post Finishing Well appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Blended Families, Grief, Gender, Avoiders, Sexual Integrity
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton
Caller Questions:
- After almost one year of marriage, what is the point of my husband owning a property that’s falling apart? It belonged to his deceased wife.
- How am I to love my non-binary friends when I know it is wrong?
- Do you have any tools I can use when my husband of 8yrs gives me the silent treatment for days?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
One Year Bible for Men
Worthy of Her Trust
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 24, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has on one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:12-13
Love is a choice. Either you choose to behave lovingly toward others . . . or not; either you behave yourself in ways that enhance your relationships . . . or not. But make no mistake: genuine love requires effort. Simply put, if you wish to build lasting relationships, you must be willing to do your part.
Christ’s words are clear: we are to love God first, and secondly, we are to love others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). These two commands are seldom easy, and because we are imperfect beings, we often fall short. But God’s Word commands us to try.
The Christian path is an exercise in love and forgiveness. If we are to walk in Christ’s footsteps, we must forgive those who have done us harm, and we must accept Christ’s love by sharing it freely with family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers.
God does not intend for you to experience mediocre relationships; He created you for far greater things. Building lasting relationships requires compassion, wisdom, empathy, kindness, courtesy, and forgiveness. If that sounds a lot like work, it is, which is perfectly fine with God. Why? Because He knows that you are capable of doing that work, and because He knows that the fruits of your labors will enrich the lives of your loved ones and the lives of generations yet unborn.
Do you want love to last? Then you must understand this: Genuine love requires effort. That’s why those who are lazy in love are often losers in love, too!
– Steve Arterburn
No man truly has joy unless he lives in love. – Thomas Aquinas
It is when we come to the Lord in our nothingness, our powerlessness and our helplessness that He then enables us to love in a way which, without Him, would be absolutely impossible. – Elisabeth Elliot
Love is extravagant in the price it is willing to pay, the time it is willing to give, the hardships it is willing to endure, and the strength it is willing to spend. Love never thinks in terms of ‘how little,’ but always in terms of ‘how much.’ Love gives, love knows, and love lasts. – Joni Eareckson Tada
To love another person is to see the face of God. – Victor Hugo
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. – 1 John 4:11 NASB
The post Love Is A Choice appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 23, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. – Psalm 3:3-4
It’s impossible to adequately summarize the richness and breadth contained in the book of Psalms. It was Israel’s hymnbook, containing songs of praise to God. It also contains the cries of God’s people in difficult situations. And it was a prayer book for Israel. The psalmists looked to God in moments of private despair, in times of national suffering, and in the joyous moments of mountain-top experiences.
The Psalms are for us right now, today. They are brimming with honest emotion. Through them you can learn to pour out your anguish and your adoration, your suffering and confession, your hopes and your fears. Through them you feel safe asking God why he has or hasn’t acted in a certain way. Through others you might express your pain, heartache, and discouragement. Through still others you may praise God as he frees you from oppression and sin. Each psalm is an expression of the heart. None of them are neat little packages of answers tied up with pretty bows. They are living words, a collection of spiritual diaries from people who honestly sought God’s help and His heart.
Do you need spiritual direction or encouragement? The Psalms can function as deterrents to keep you out of trouble, guides to help you through problems, reminders of the one who actually delivers you, or as beacons of hope to encourage you in perplexing or painful situations. Read the Psalms and be ushered into the very presence of your loving and merciful God. You’ll be glad you did!
– Steve Arterburn
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. – Psalm 1:1-2
The post The Psalms appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Affairs, Lying, Disclosure, Intimacy, Blended Families, Pornography
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Sheri Keffer
Caller Questions:
- I can’t get over my Bible-believing, Christian husband having a year-long affair and lying to my face about it for 14yrs.
- How do I protect my heart? My husband was unfaithful to me 40yrs ago, and we have a counseling appointment scheduled so he can disclose everything.
- What should I do to help my wife feel heard and appreciated? Everything I’ve tried doesn’t work.
- My husband is in law enforcement and is exposed to porn on the job; how can he overcome his own struggle with porn?
Suggested Resources:
Every Believer’s Thought Life
How We Love
Intimate Deception
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 20, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
And for this we labor and strive, that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. – 1 Timothy 4:10
The one thing I need more than anything is hope; we all want something to hope for and someone we can trust. God alone is able to perfectly fulfill both needs. You’ll never regret placing your hope and confidence in Him.
Jeremiah 17:5-8 tells us how enemies threatened the nation of Judah, and many turned to Egypt and other human powers for deliverance. But the Lord said, “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green and they go right on producing delicious fruit.”
Placing your hope in programs, the government, your job, or the economy (anything but God) is like expecting a tree to flourish in the barren desert. Your thirst continues because these things or people are unable to satisfy your deepest needs. But placing your hope in the Lord changes everything. Jesus said, “The water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:14) Where is your hope? Is it in things, which will come and go, or is your hope in the living God?
– Steve Arterburn
Do not look to your hope, but to Christ, the source of your hope. – *C.H. Spurgeon***
Hope in God’s promises, therefore, is not a wishful longing but a faith-filled confidence for the future. It is simply impossible to trust one of God’s promises and not anticipate its coming true. To know God is to trust Him. And to trust God is to trust His promises. And to trust God’s promises is to be sure of their fulfillment. This assurance concerning the future, anchored in God’s promises, is what the Bible calls “hope.” – Scott Hafemann
The post Hope In God appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Avoiders, Intimacy, Hoarding, Trauma, Dating, Sexual Integrity, Scripture
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- Am I doing the right thing by taking baby steps with my husband who has PTSD and makes me feel unloved?
- I declutter but I always return to hoarding; is this a way of coping and not getting to deeper issues?
- What questions should I ask my boyfriend who told me he has an STD?
- My 18yo son has questions about Noah’s ark and procreation.
Suggested Resources:
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Take Your Life Back
How We Love
One Year Bible for Men
One Year Bible for Women
Every Man’s Bible
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 19, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” – 1 Corinthians 3:19-20
Have you ever said to yourself, “if only I knew God’s thoughts?” Some people seem presumptuous to think that they do know God’s thoughts. They’re full of advice and act as if they understand exactly what God thinks and what He would do in every situation. Too often such people fail to recognize that God’s thoughts and ways are far beyond our ability to understand. His ways are typically not our ways.
On the other hand, God’s Word does give a glimpse into His thoughts and desires. He calls you to forsake your worldly thought patterns and learn His principles for life because conventional, worldly wisdom is often the exact opposite of God’s ways. By saturating your mind with God’s Word you begin to see both God’s message and His method. You’ll see how He worked in history. If you pause and reflect on your own life you’ll see how he has worked in your life. And you’ll see that it wasn’t how you would have designed it in either case.
God’s words to the prophet Isaiah give great hope. “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)
Get to know God, but don’t try to be His mind-reader.
– Steve Arterburn
A glimpse of God will save you. To gaze at Him will sanctify you. – Manley Beasley
The post Reading God’s Mind appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Estrangement, Teens, Physical Abuse, Divorce
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
Caller Questions:
- How do I mend my relationship with my adult son and daughter-in-law after they’ve banned me from their life?
- Why is my 17yo daughter so hateful and disrespectful to me?
- Two of my kids are getting married; should I contact my unfaithful ex-husband ahead of time to avoid wedding drama?
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
How We Love Our Kids
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 18, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. – Habakkuk 3:19
Overconfidence is usually viewed as a negative personality trait. The story of Joseph in the Old Testament is a good example. His youthful boasting to his brothers got him in trouble. Based on a dream, he claimed that the others would someday bow down to him. This, coupled with his father’s favoritism, led to jealousy and broken family relationships. In the end, his brothers sold him into slavery, cutting him off from his family altogether.
Through years of difficulties and suffering, however, Joseph’s overconfidence was developed by God into a mature self-assurance. This self-assurance made Joseph capable of tackling and succeeding when most other men would have run away. His integrity, took him from being a prisoner to being second only to Pharaoh. And, as only God could orchestrate, Joseph was in a position to save the young nation Israel during a time of terrible famine.
Overconfidence without God’s perspective will invariably lead you down the pathway to other personal problems and mistakes. On the other hand, self-assurance based on a strong faith will enable you to overcome incredible obstacles and see God’s hand in your life.
Are you overconfident and relying on your strength or intelligence to succeed? Or are you self-assured, knowing that God is the source of any strength, favor, or success? One way leads to trouble while the other God will use for His plans and His glory.
– Steve Arterburn
Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. – Dr. Seuss
The post Overconfidence/Self-Assurance appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Hoarding, Blended Families, Gambling, Addiction, Depression, Anxiety, Grief
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- My mom was a hoarder, and my aunt is now doing the same thing; any tips on what to say to her?
- If my wife and I are going to Intimacy in Marriage Workshop, what else can we try? Our blended family is driving us crazy.
- Do I have enough faith to stop gambling, or is it just my flesh that’s weak?
- How do I make friends and get rid of the horrible anxiety and depression I’ve had for 30yrs since the death of my daughter?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Life Recovery Bible
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Healing Is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 17, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. – Psalm 98:2
Have you ever had one of those days where nothing was going your way, and you just felt like God was against you? I know it’s an over-inflated ego thing to think that way. But that’s partly why I wrote my book, Reframe Your Life. In that book I try to outline how you can change the way you view your life.
Have you ever sat in the doctor’s office waiting for the doctor, and he’s running late. You become irritated at the doctor and his lack of consideration for other people’s schedules. But instead of getting irritated, have you ever thought to use that time to think through more carefully what issues you want to discuss with the doctor, or to stop and think about your day, your week, or the things you want to do and people you want to call, or stop and use the quiet moment to spend some time praying for your friends and family.
That’s just a small example of reframing your thinking. Reframing will keep you from asking the “why” questions in life and just accept those things that don’t have answers and move on. Yes, there’s still pain to work through, but it helps to realize that everything in life hasn’t been targeted at you. God is not your abuser. He is not your past. He is not all the bad and hurtful things that have happened to you. He is a loving God who wants the very best for you and who went to great lengths to let you know how valuable you are. So valuable that He allowed His Son to go to the cross for you.
Learn to reframe your thinking and you’ll see life differently than you ever have.
– Steve Arterburn
I’m not funny. What I am is brave. – Lucille Ball
The post Reframing appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Divorce, Abortion, Blended Families, Teens, Self-harm, Pornography, Lying
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- Am I wasting my time wanting to get back with my ex-husband? He is still drinking and says he will never get married again.
- How can my husband and I get on the same page to help our 16yo daughter who is self harming? We are a blended family, and he is in denial.
- I’ve been in Celebrate Recovery for 12yrs; do the temptations and the lusts ever simmer down?
- My 13yo granddaughter is lying and devious when she can’t have her phone; how do I help her mother get through this?
Suggested Resources:
Healing Is a Choice
Life Recovery Bible
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Every Believer’s Thought Life
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 16, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
If we live by the spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. – Galatians 5:25
Someone smarter than me said: “Recovery is like an onion. All the layers that exist have to be peeled away.” Well, if you’re a connoisseur of onions, you know that there are different varieties. Some are really powerful and when you barely touch them they produce tears. Others are pretty sweet and they barely affect you when you chop them up.
And so it is with your peeling the layers in your healing process. Some layers will affect you more than others. But, if you realize that it’s a process, and that God is with you every step of the way, you can face the pain of your past so that you can move beyond it and heal. Also, consider this: You are in the present. You lived through the reality, whatever and whenever it was, so you can certainly live through the feelings and memories of the reality today.
Make your one desire to be made whole and to be as much like Christ as you can be. When you do, you’ll find God putting on your heart the desire and the courage to carry the message of hope and healing to those who are stuck in their pain.
Embrace the pain of the recovery and healing process. It will remind you that God is in control and you’re being held in his arms, tight and secure as He walks you through it. It means you’ll take some steps of faith, and that will be pleasing to God and healing to you.
– Steve Arterburn
Accepting the reality of our broken, flawed lives is the beginning of spirituality not because the spiritual life will remove our flaws but because we let go of seeking perfection and, instead, seek God, the one who is present in the tangledness of our lives. – Michael Yaconelli We are all broken and wounded in this world. Some choose to grow strong at the broken places. – Harold J. Duarte-Bernhardt
The post Recovery is Like an Onion appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Intimacy, Finances, Death, Confrontation, Grief, Affairs
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- My husband of 16yrs has never consummated our marriage. Do I just let it go and feel that it’s how God wants it to be?
- The executor of my sister’s estate is my brother who is not following her will. How do I move forward?
- How can I help my friend who is dying from COPD? She says she believes in Jesus but doesn’t act like it.
- Can you explain what you meant when you said waiting on God to change a spouse won’t change them? My husband has been unfaithful several times and hasn’t changed with counseling.
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
Every Believer’s Thought Life
One Year Bible for Women
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 13, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. – Ephesians 6:4
When parents don’t spend meaningful time with their kids, a credibility gap develops. In fact, one of the most common errors parents make is expecting respect without relationship. Children might live with this contradiction for years; but if you’re cultivating hurried, superficial relationships with your kids now, the odds are extremely high that, in time, they won’t respect your opinions, invite your wisdom, or respond to your warnings when they need to most. Inevitably, as author Josh McDowell poignantly observed, “Rules without relationship leads to rebellion.”
The rich experience of parenthood resists short, tidy definitions. But never forget —despite whatever else parenthood may be—it’s a battleground for the well-being of your kids. Therefore, it’s imperative that you learn to fight effectively for your children, and it all starts with relationship—just like it does for us with God.
– Steve Arterburn
To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today. – Barbara Johnson
Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing. – Albert Schweitzer
Leave your pride, ego, and narcissism somewhere else. Reactions from those parts of you will reinforce your children’s most primitive fears. – Henry Cloud
In the midst of the affliction He counsels, strengthens confirms, nourishes, and favors us…. More over, when we have repented, He instantly remits the sins as well as the punishments. In the same manner parents ought to handle their children. – Martin Luther
The post Parenthood appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Dating, Separation, Parenting, Death, Fear
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- It’s been 7yrs since my divorce; should I do online dating again or just wait for Mr. Right to show up on my doorstep?
- Do you think the Intimacy in Marriage Workshop would help me? I’ve been working out of state for 6yrs, and it’s been hard on my marriage.
- We lost a close family member to Covid; how do I help my 7yo son who says he is afraid of dying?
Suggested Resources:
Changes That Heal
Is This The One
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 12, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. – Jeremiah 29:12
I’ve had times in my life where I felt I was too broken to fix. Have you had those times? Are you in one of those times now? Do you know someone in one of those times? I say, “one of those times,” because that’s what it is.
None of us are ever too broken to fix, but we’ve all been in a spot where we felt so stuck that we thought we’d be there forever. Haven’t you felt that you were going to die in that spot because you were stuck there so long, and you couldn’t see a way out, and you were getting comfortable being stuck?
Healing and recovery can be a long road, but if you take the first step, the road is one step shorter. And if you take the second step, it’s two steps shorter. And you keep taking steps, and the hope increases, and you don’t worry any more that you’ll be swallowed up with fear, and you won’t be paralyzed by the long road ahead.
You’ll get to a point that you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come. You’ll recognize that God honored your decision to take a step toward healing. He honored your decision to connect with others.
– Steve Arterburn
We are all trophies of God’s grace, some more dramatically than others; Jesus came for the sick and not the well, for the sinner and not the righteous. He came to redeem and transform, to make all things new. May you go forth more committed than ever to nourish the souls who you touch, those tender lives who have sustained the enormous assaults of the universe. – Phillip Yancy
Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road. – Dag Hammarskjold
The post Not Too Broken to Fix appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 11, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32
My friend grew up on a farm, and she once told me that her sole responsibility was to close the gate behind her. That way the livestock couldn’t backtrack into a field of alfalfa. All she had to do was close the gate behind her.
Back then she thought gate closing was boring work—just a whole lot of waiting. Then something happened. She discovered that while gate closing isn’t prestigious or exciting, it’s vitally important.
On the path to wellness and wholeness, there are many gates to close. Closing the gate means not leaving loose ends hanging.
Are there people with whom you have loose ends? Do you need to return something you “borrowed?” Is there restitution or an overdue apology that might renew a relationship?
My friend’s mom used to tell her, “Close the gates behind you.” Most often she was talking about more than the field gate—she was talking about all the gates of life. What gates do you need to close?
– Steve Arterburn
The closing of a door can bring blessed privacy and comfort—the opening terror. Conversely, the closing of a door can be a sad and final thing—the opening a wonderfully joyous moment. – Andy Rooney
Sometimes you only get one chance to rewrite the qualities of the character you played in a person’s life story. Always take it. Never let the world read the wrong version of you. – Unknown
The post Close the Gate appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 10, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him. – Matthew 7:9-11
Are you reluctant to ask for help? You’re definitely not alone. Too many of us are unwilling to admit we need help. We think it’s a sign of weakness. But it’s really a sign of pride and self-sufficiency, both which go against the grain of a healthy dependence upon God and the power of His Holy Spirit in our lives.
God wants to give you good things. He’s hoping you’ll humbly admit that you have needs. Don’t be afraid to ask others for help. Remember, God made us to relate to one another, to love one another. We weren’t made to live life alone. If you’re “the strong” one that is always lending a hand and seeing to it that others are taken care of, it’s hard for you to let someone know you need help, but it’s important that you do. We need more two way streets in our Christian community.
There’s an old saying that goes something like this, be smart enough to know when you need help and brave enough to ask for it.
– Steve Arterburn
Refusing to ask for help when you need it is refusing someone the chance to be helpful. – Ric Ocasek
The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
The post Honestly Admitting Our Needs appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Counseling, Adult Children, Enabling, Confrontation, Sexual Abuse, Separation, Borderline, Anxiety
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- I really want to go to the Intimacy in Marriage Workshop; what should I do to get my wife to go?
- My stepson has been living in a house I own without paying enough rent, and I told him I’m going to sell the house. Now none of the kids will let me see their children.
- My 49yo daughter told me her stepdad sexually assaulted her 10yrs ago and he denies it. How do I choose between my husband and my daughter?
- My wife has borderline personality disorder; is ketamine treatment something you support?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
Life Recovery Bible
Healing Is a Choice
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 9, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, “Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?” Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. – Job 42:2, 3, 5
Here’s a paradox for you. Those of you with a healthy sense of self are in the best position to exercise true humility. Why? Because the person with a healthy sense of self has nothing to prove. No agenda to push. No ego to shield. And no need to fret over what others think of you. When you encounter a problem that exceeds your knowledge, you admit without pretense that you don’t know the answer.
Sometimes we Christians can really fool ourselves. We think that since God is all knowledgeable and wise, and since we have His Holy Spirit within us, we should be able to dispense pearls of wisdom like spiritual gumballs. The truth is, the more we come to know God, the more we realize what we don’t know. And that’s O.K.!
The more we experience God’s grandeur and the more we understand our dignity as his sons and daughters, the lower we’ll bow before His throne—with nothing to prove and everything to gain.
– Steve Arterburn
My dad used to say, You wouldn’t worry so much about what people thought of you if you knew how seldom they did. – Phillip McGraw
The post Nothing To Prove appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Emotional Abuse, Verbal Abuse, Sexual Integrity, Adult Children, Boundaries, Separation
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Alice Benton
Caller Questions:
- What should I do if my narcissistic wife of 42yrs is emotionally and verbally abusive?
- My husband is objectifying me by expecting me to do certain sexual things I don’t want to do.
- At what point do we separate from adult children? Our adopted daughter smokes pot, has a child, and is going down the wrong road.
- My daughter’s husband gave her an ultimatum to get a job, and now he wants partial separation. Is that normal?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
How We Love
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 6, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. – 1 Corinthians 13:11
When was the last time you tried to break a habit, an old idea, a negative behavior pattern, or an unhealthy emotional recording from the past? It’s not easy! Even though you know you need to, even though you know it would be a good thing to do and will result in a healthier or happier state, it’s just a pain. And you’d rather live in the comfort of your misery, or so you think.
We often react like two year-olds whose parents are taking the bottle away. Tantrums, meltdowns, and tears always seem to be a part of the process.
What are you holding on to? What from the past are you hanging on to that you need to let go of? You know the things that tear you down and keep you from emotional health, but you just hang on to.
How many times has God given you the opportunity to give those things up because they keep you isolated and stuck, even poisoning your spirits? But it means letting go. There’s that “S” word again . . . surrender.
It takes a willing spirit. But you can walk in the victory that the Lord has already given you, if you choose it. Choose it today!
– Steve Arterburn
Faith, as Paul saw it, was a living, flaming thing leading to surrender and obedience to the commandments of Christ. – A.W. Tozer
Courage is the power to let go of the familiar. – Raymond Lindquist
The post Letting Go and Moving On appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Same-Sex Attraction, Parenting, Teens, Boundaries, Sexual Intimacy
Hosts: Larry Sonnenburg, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard
Caller Questions:
- My adult daughter told me she is homosexual; how do I not let this consume my thoughts?
- We need help in disciplining our 16yo son with his cell phone use, electronics, and responsibilities.
- It has been 32yrs since my husband and I have been intimate. Every time I get serious about separating, he has major health issues.
Suggested Resources:
How We Love Our Kids
Understanding and Loving a Person with Depression
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 5, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. – Ecclesiastes 3:1
One of my staff members has a habit of reminding me that Jesus was never in a hurry. I’m always in a hurry, hoping for quick answers and looking for motion in the direction I want to go. But then I hear him say it again … “Jesus was never in a hurry.”
I’ve thought about that and it makes me think of using a crock pot. The most tender, juicy meat you can fix is in a slow cooker. And, that’s how it is with healing. Healing is a process that won’t be hurried. It’s a slow cooker experience. And if you accept that, it will take the pressure off you to finish it up.
God desires for you to pay attention to Him and His creation in your life each day. When you race through life doing everything as fast as you can, you miss some pretty awesome things along the way. Every challenge, every growth opportunity, every surprise that comes your way is an opportunity for your to look for God.
Healing can be slow, but it doesn’t mean you’re not growing. Allow it to slow cook and you’ll have a tastier recovery filled with some mouth watering nuggets of wisdom. Let the Master Chef do His job with you.
Jesus was never in a hurry. Why are you?
– Steve Arterburn
Being in a hurry. Getting to the next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me. I cannot think of a single advantage I’ve ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing…. Through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out I was throwing it away. – Ann Voskamp
Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there someday. – A.A. Milne
The post Jesus Didn’t Hurry appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Alcohol, Friendship, Childhood Trauma, Emotional Abuse, Counseling, Trust, Sexual Integrity
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
Caller Questions:
- My alcoholic friend from church is angry at God and yells in restaurants. I dread meeting her for lunch today; what should I do?
- How can I get my wife, who is a bully and shows signs of OCD, to follow through with seeing her counselor?
- Is it normal for my husband to keep his phone from me the 19yrs we have been together?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
How We Love
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 4, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.’ – John 6:35
Soul hunger is the same whether we live in the White House or a homeless shelter; whether we’re the latest star, sex symbol or a devoted stay-at-home wife and mother. Whoever we are, wherever life has taken us, however much we have or lack, we hunger for more; something richer, deeper, prettier, tastier, faster—something that satisfies.
Some people acknowledge their hunger and seek to satisfy it in socially acceptable ways: education, career, family, friends, or public service. Others grow desperate and angry, and attempt to satisfy their hunger in socially unacceptable ways: promiscuity, the misuse of drugs and alcohol, or even violence.
Whichever category we best fit, our need is the same: God. And the only way to find God is by surrendering to Him. It might not be easy for you to do, but it’s very simple to surrender. I invite you to try it.
– Steve Arterburn
If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation. Let this be one aspect of our daily intercession: God, preserve my soul, and keep my heart and all its ways so that I will not be entangled. When this is true in our lives, a passing temptation will not overcome us. We will remain free while others lie in bondage. – John Owen
The post Soul Hunger appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Codependency, Pornography, Alcohol, Sexual Addiction, Anger, Sexual Integrity, Suicide
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton
Caller Questions:
- As a codependent, what is my next step with my husband who refuses to go to Every Man’s Battle and is addicted to porn and gambling?
- What can my friend do to get into a recovery program for alcohol addiction?
- Will attending Every Man’s Battle trigger feelings of self-hatred for me? Have any men been triggered by it?
- A family member’s unfaithful husband committed suicide; where does a person go who commits suicide?
Suggested Resources:
Intimate Deception
Every Man’s Battle
Life Recovery Bible
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 3, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. – Psalm 46:1, 11
Knowing how to respond to tragedy is never easy. Maybe it’s the terrible sense of loss you feel. Perhaps it’s the desire to know why the tragic event happened that leaves you feeling alienated and alone. Was it something you did? Was it someone else’s fault? Why did God allow it to happen? These questions usually go unanswered because “Why?” is almost always the wrong question.
Remember Job? The Bible tells us Job was a godly man. Yet, he lost everything . . . his wealth, family, and his health. Why did all of this happen, especially to such a good man? When you read the story of Job, you’ll discover his suffering was the result of spiritual warfare. Yet, Job didn’t know this. His friends accused him of secret sin. And as time passed Job grew increasingly upset and confused, he even began to question God’s sense of justice.
In the end, however, Job’s arguments were silenced before God. While God never explained fully to Job why the disasters had befallen him, he did bring Job to a place of humble surrender. This increased Job’s understanding of God and gave him the proper perspective to continue life. Neither Job nor any other man who has suffered a serious loss can ever fully understand why a catastrophe has happened. But if you’re willing to seek God and surrender your life and your situation into his powerful hands, he’ll do a work in you and through you that will restore your spirit and bring Him honor and glory.
– Steve Arterburn
Tears are often the telescope by which men see far into heaven. – Henry Ward Beecher
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. – Helen Keller
The post When Tragedy Strikes appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Stress, Weight Loss, Anxiety, Jealousy, Blended Families, OCD, Confrontation
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard
Caller Questions:
- I feel like my life is out of control because I don’t have time for me. What can I do about a stressful job and gaining weight?
- How do I handle the anxiety caused from my siblings being jealous of me? Is it time for me to detach from those relationships?
- My brother’s friend was over at Christmas and we noticed he may have OCD. Should we say something?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
One Year Life Recovery Prayer Devotional
One Year Bible for Women
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: January 2, 2023 appeared first on New Life.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6
Upon returning from space, the Russian cosmonaut Gherman Titoy said, “Some people say there is a God out there…but in my travels around the earth all day long, I looked around and didn’t see Him…I saw no God nor angels. The rocket was made by our own people. I don’t believe in God. I believe in man, his strength, his possibilities, and his reason.”
Isn’t it amazing that at moments when we’re most vulnerable, and most clearly confronted with God’s majesty, we can be so unaware of His presence?
God is wiser than we can comprehend, more immense than we’re comfortable with, and merciful beyond the reaches of our imaginations.
Yet, He’s also the One through whom everything makes sense. So don’t mistakenly think that faith is the result of understanding. It’s the opposite. Faith is the basis for understanding.
– Steve Arterburn
Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. – Helen Keller
Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right. – Max Lucado
All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
The post Faith and Understanding appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Abuse, Church Life, Divorce, Funerals, Separation, Intimacy, People Pleasers
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Sheri Keffer
Caller Questions:
- I was raped by a friend in my church community and wanted to let others know what to do if that happens to them.
- After being left out of my ex-husband’s obituary, is it proper to speak at his funeral?
- My husband left for the second time and said he never loved me; what’s my next step?
- How do I slow down instead of overextending myself and burning out?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
One Year Bible for Women
Intimate Deception
Understanding and Loving a Person with ADD
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 30, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9
All through the Old Testament book of Joshua, the Lord says, “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid.” What a message for us! As I read through the book I was amazed at how when the Lord spoke to Joshua, Joshua never stood before the Lord with excuses. He didn’t attempt to refute why he couldn’t capture the territory the Lord had already given him. He never grumbled and complained about his childhood or his feelings of inadequacy or his anxiety or anything else you can think of. He simply moved forward in faith. As a consequence he led the entire nation of Israel to conquer and settle in the Promised Land.
If you would arise each day with the same simple faith of Joshua, a faith that simply trusted the Lord as shown by your actions and behavior, just think about what area of your life you could capture. You could turn the tables on the enemies of your past . . . on the abuse and neglect and fear and hurt. You can capture that enemy territory.
The Lord has already captured that area of your life for you. He wants to hand it over to you so you can obtain victory! In what area of your life do you need to see the walls come tumbling down?
– Steve Arterburn
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. – Nelson Mandela
Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway. – John Wayne
The post Be a Joshua appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Paranoia, Anger, Bipolar, Teens, Bullying, Grief, Depression, Christian Walk
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- Is there any non-traditional help out there for a delusional family member who is afraid?
- What can I do to improve my anger and bipolar disorder?
- How do I help my artistic 17yo who stopped going to high school, has PCOS, and was bullied in junior high?
- I want to clean my house but can’t focus because my son died in Iraq, and the man who I thought was my dad also died.
- I heard on social media that we have to pray in the name of Yeshua and not Jesus. Is that true?
Suggested Resources:
One Year Bible for Women
Take Your Life Back
How We Love Our Kids
Healing Is a Choice
Life Recovery Bible
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 29, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Oh Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. – Psalm 130:8
Many people seem to go about life with a kind of bravado . . . bold confidence and self-assurance. The truth, however, is that most of us wish we were different somehow. If only you were as outgoing as Jack . . . if you were as physically fit as Mary . . . if you had the financial sense of Tom . . . a full head of hair like John . . . or the quick wit of Connie. While it’s okay to admire good traits in others, often this desire to be like someone else is actually a form of covetousness, or envy. So, how about learning to accept yourself as God has made you.
Before you can truly accept yourself, however, you need to see the truth about yourself, recognizing both the gifts and the limitations that God’s given you. If you don’t, you will constantly struggle to be someone you’re not.
One way to appreciate how God has made you is to read Psalm 139. The psalmist rejoices, “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-and how well I know it.” (139:14)
Each of us is unique and special . . . embraced and accepted by God himself . . . even though not one of us is perfect. Spiritual renewal cannot begin until you’re willing to accept yourself as God made you. Once you accept the truth about yourself your focus can change . . . and you can bring great glory to God himself. He, after all, is the one who made you, and He is the reason we live.
– Steve Arterburn
I am somebody. I am me. I like being me. And I need nobody to make me somebody. – Louis L’Amour
The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself. – Mark Twain
The post Accepting Yourself appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grandparenting, Teens, Cutting, Trust, Emotional Affairs, Anxiety, Medical Issues, Alcohol, Adult Children, Sexual Integrity
Hosts: Larry Sonnenburg, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown
Caller Questions:
- What can I do to help my 14yo granddaughter to stop cutting herself?
- If I can’t trust my husband because he had an emotional affair and takes his wedding ring off, what is my next step?
- My 58yo relative lives alone and started having anxiety before his heart surgery. How do I get help for him?
- My 24yo son is a severe alcoholic and has bipolar disorder; what role do I play?
- I got a scholarship to Every Man’s Battle last year that changed my life! I just paid it forward by sending out EMB books to prisons at Christmas!
Suggested Resources:
How We Love Our Kids
Intimate Deception
Take Your Life Back
Conquer Worry and Anxiety
Understanding and Loving a Person with Alcohol or Drug Addiction
One Year Bible for Men
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 28, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord” – 1 Kings 22:5
If you desire spiritual growth, then you’ll need wise counselors in your life. Even Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, recognized the need for wise and godly counsel. Turning to trustworthy counselors in times of confusion or uncertainty can help you preserve your spiritual strength.
In the book of Proverbs, Solomon gave this advice, “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many counselors, bring success.” (15:22) He also said, “. . . with many counselors there is safety.”(Proverbs 11:14)
Where else can you look for wise counsel? Solomon’s father David looked to God’s Word, saying, “Your decrees please me; they give me wise advice.” (Psalm 119:24) And the prophet Isaiah made it clear that the Messiah himself would be our great counselor when he came. He said, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Jesus is the one who grants wisdom, hope, and purpose to life, even and especially in times of confusion or trouble. Good counsel comes from God’s word and from godly people. It can come from professionally trained pastors, counselors, or from people who understand your specific issues and care for you. Whatever the case, don’t isolate. You’ll do yourself a great service if you seek wise counsel.
– Steve Arterburn
Counsel woven into the fabric of real life is wisdom. – Walter Benjamin
The fellowship of true friends who can hear you out, share your joys, help carry your burdens, and correctly counsel you is priceless. – Ezra Taft Benson
The post Wise Counsel appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Hoarding, Separation, Boundaries, Sexual Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Pornography, Affairs
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton
Caller Questions:
- My wife has a problem with clutter and it has been a cause for arguments. What should we do?
- I don’t want a divorce from my separated husband, but I need some things to change in order to move forward in our marriage.
- I was molested as a child. I’m married and a Christian, but my life feels upside down. What is my first step in healing?
- My separated husband denies he is still watching porn and cheating on me. What is my next step?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
What Belief Can Do
Intimate Deception
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 27, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. – Matthew 6:19-21
In his classic novel, The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis writes of the subtle way that prosperity knits a person’s heart to the world. Growing reputations, widening circles of acquaintances, a perceived sense of importance, and the increasing pressure of absorbing and agreeable work, argues Lewis, builds up in a person a sense of really being at home on earth. But while people are finding their place in the world, Lewis concludes that the world is finding its place in them.
The truth is each of us longs for a sense of belonging. It’s the way we’re designed, and it’s a good thing. But what the world has to offer is incapable of producing what we too often seek to find in it, so it can’t help but leave us disappointed.
Don’t become a collector of empty treasures in your search to find belonging. Possessing things that belong to you is no substitute for choosing to belong to God, and possessing eternal security in Christ.
– Steve Arterburn
While the impostor draws his identity from past achievements and the adulation of others, the true self claims identity in its belovedness. We encounter God in the ordinariness of life: not in the search for spiritual highs and extraordinary, mystical experiences but in our simple presence in life. – Brennan Manning
No man can swim ashore and take his baggage with him. – Seneca the Younger
The post Belonging appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Separation, Self Worth, Siblings, Emotional Affairs, Jealousy, Anxiety
Hosts: Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- How do you know when it’s time to leave a marriage? I talked to you before I got married 6yrs ago, and you told me not to.
- How do I find my adult voice? I’m the ninth of ten children.
- I called you before about being emotionally involved with a woman whose husband has Alzheimer’s and wanted to give you an update.
- What are your techniques for handling someone’s jealousy towards me?
- I’m so sad Milan Yerkovich is leaving the radio show and wanted to thank him.
Suggested Resources:
Changes That Heal
How We Love
Boundaries
How We Love Workbook
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 26, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassion never fails. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:21-23
You know what I love about Christmas?
The carols. Christmas carols have an amazing ability to bring excitement to our hearts and move our souls with deep truth. And one particularly soulful hymn is ‘O Holy Night‘. The next time you hear it, I encourage you to listen closely and soak in every word. But in the meantime, let me reflect with you on just a portion of the lyric:
Oh Holy Night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Til he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope
The weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.If you’re feeling the weariness of which this song speaks, I encourage you to seek the One of whom it sings. Jesus is the hope that thrills our hearts and causes weary souls to rejoice.
– Steve Arterburn
Peace on earth will come to stay when we live Christmas every day. – Helen Steiner Rice
The post O Holy Night appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Christmas, Adoption, Boundaries, Drug Addiction, Triggers, Anger, Verbal Abuse, Anxiety, Adult Children
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jim Burns, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- What can bring my parents and my kids together during the holidays when everyone is on their phones?
- How do I proceed in my relationship with my biological mother if she screamed at me that I needed to get over being adopted?
- I went astray and entered the drug world; what should I do if I’m demon possessed and hearing voices?
- We’re creating a phone-free zone this year for our family to connect more at Christmas.
- How do I not react or get angry when my husband verbally expresses his disgust with me?
- What can I do to get over my anxiety from my sons telling me they’re leaving home and never coming back?
Suggested Resources:
One Year Bible for Women
Healing Is a Choice
How We Love
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 23, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you – Isaiah 66:13
Do you have this childhood winter memory? You know the one where you’re playing outside in the snow? Your clothes get all wet and frozen. Your ankles and wrists are numb from the snow that snuck inside your snowsuit. You run inside, and your mom peels off your frozen layers, wraps you in a cozy blanket, and places you next to a fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate. Now that’s comfort!
The word comfort means ‘to give strength or staying power,’ or ‘to soothe in time of affliction or distress.’ Who in your world needs strength or staying power? Do you need comfort? God can be your comfort in the cold and biting weather of life. God’s love, sent through the promises of his Word, is a blanket of hope. Much like a warm quilt, there’s a piece of God’s Word to wrap your heart in when today’s winds blow cold.
The light of God surrounds me,
The love of God enfolds me,
The power of God protects me,
The Presence of God watches over me,
Wherever I am, God is. – Prayer card
– Steve Arterburn
The post Comfort appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Teens, Custody, Separation, Adult Children, Physical Abuse, Denial
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- How do I support my 15yo daughter who doesn’t want to spend Christmas with her dad and abusive stepmom?
- Am I doing the right thing by leaving my wife because she keeps making accusations against me?
- Can my 38yo daughter go forward in her marriage if she says her husband tried to strangle her but he denies squeezing her neck?
Suggested Resources:
Understanding and Loving Your Child As a Single Parent
How We Love
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 22, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means, ‘God with us’. – Matthew 1:23
Are you a Grinch around Christmastime or do you know a Grinch?
Maybe these words of Dr. Seuss sound familiar:
“Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot…
But the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did NOT!
For, tomorrow, he knew…all the Who girls and boys would wake bright and early. They’d rush for their toys! And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise! That’s one thing he hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!”
Now I’m a Who at heart, I love Christmas, but I can certainly relate to the Grinch. Sometimes there’s so much noise at Christmas, you begin to think Christmas is about the noise, and friend, that will make you Grinchy every time! When that happens, remember the Grinch’s wise discovery:
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.“
“Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!“
What does Christmas mean to you? Can you get past all the noise and consider what it meant for Jesus to come to earth as a babe in a manger?
– Steve Arterburn
The post The Grinch appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Dating, Christian Walk, Adult Children, Same-Sex Attraction, Divorce
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
Caller Questions:
- How can I be confident that God has given me direction versus me being the one to make things happen in a dating relationship?
- My 30yo daughter lives with me but hasn’t spoken to me in over a year.
- Why haven’t my homosexual desires changed if I used to live as a gay man but now I am married to a woman?
- Should I feel guilty for not having my ex-husband around me and our ten children at Christmas?
Suggested Resources:
Intimate Deception
How We Love
Every Man’s Battle
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 21, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears, The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. – Psalm 34:4, 18
Christmas can be a time of sheer joy, yet it can also be a time of great pain. I was recently affected by the story of a woman who couldn’t stop sobbing over the loss of her daughter as the holidays approached. She tried to put on a brave face for her healthy sons, but even three years later the grief of losing her only daughter, and along with her, many dreams, was difficult to bear.
Contrary to what some secular counselors might think, God’s word teaches there’s little peace in death. But there is hope in Jesus Christ. You see, that’s what Christmas is all about, God’s love coming in the form of a small baby to bring hope to a lonely and broken world. If you’re grieving or know someone who is struggling this season, look to the true story of Christmas and find hope. . . hope God gave us in the baby, our redeemer, Jesus Christ!
– Steve Arterburn
The first hope in our inventory of hope that includes and at the same time transcends all others must be the hope that love is going to have the last word. – Arnold J. Toynbee
The post Grief at Christmas appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Depression, Adult Children, Divorce, Finances, Narcissists, Forgiveness
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- How do I tell our 30yo very depressed son that ne needs to take medication or leave? He quit his job, plays video games, and doesn’t even take showers.
- Do I need to invite my narcissistic ex-husband to our house for Christmas? I feel obligated because he pays the bills for my son and me.
- What does it look like for me to forgive myself for a sex addiction?
Suggested Resources:
Boundaries
Take Your Life Back
Take Your Life Back Workbook
Take Your Life Back Day by Day Devotional
One Year Bible for Men
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 20, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:31
Chinese bamboo is a remarkable plant. Once a bamboo seed is planted it requires daily watering and care. But for five full years, the exterior shoot will grow less than an inch.
At the end of five years, however, the bamboo will perform an incredible feat. It will grow ninety feet in only ninety days! Now ask yourself this: When did the tree actually grow? Throughout the first five years, or during those last ninety days?
You may be like Chinese bamboo. You may be working, dreaming, planning, and persevering, yet feeling as if God’s taking forever to flower your dream into any visible result.
Be patient. The most important growth is underground—hidden deep in your character. Those who wait upon the Lord won’t be put to shame; and in due time, God will reveal everything He’s grown in you.
– Steve Arterburn
If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother and hope your guardian genius. – Joseph Addison
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. – John Quincy Adams
Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears. – Barbara Johnson
The post Those Who Wait Upon the Lord appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adoption, Father Issues, Divorce, Grief, Siblings, Mother Issues
Hosts: Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- I got a voicemail from my biological father yesterday whom I’ve never spoken to; how am I supposed to feel?
- A book Milan Yerkovich recommended has really helped me get through my divorce and the death of my mom.
- My sister blew through a lot of money and hates everyone. How should I feel about our 84yo mom living with her?
- I’m 20yo and having issues with my dad. Every time I leave the house, I feel relieved.
Suggested Resources:
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 19, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God – Psalm 68:5
I grew up in a family where my father was always there for me. He was a good man. A funny man. A bedrock of faith with a compassionate heart. I was truly blessed to be born into his family. Some of you weren’t so fortunate. Your father wasn’t a positive role model for you. Or, your father deserted your family or died young. You grew up without a father, and just hearing someone refer to “dad” or “daddy” is painful for you. The absence of that all important person in your life left an insatiable void within you.
The role of your father is so important that it can affect how you perceive God as your heavenly father. I hope that no matter how bad your experience was with your father, that you won’t be afraid to see God as your father. Consider and take solace in the words of Psalm 68 promising that God will be a father to the fatherless.
A friend of mine who grew up without a dad describes it as having a daddy vacuum. Is that where you are today? Do you have a vacuum of your dad, or your mom, or maybe your entire family? If so, cling to God’s promise that he’ll be a father to the fatherless. How that looks will be different in each situation. Some of you will take solace directly in and with your heavenly father. To others, God will bring a father-figure into your life to begin to fill that void.
If you have a daddy vacuum, pray for God to fill that void within you, however He chooses. If you don’t have that vacuum, and you’re a man who was blessed like I was to have a dad that loved me and was there for me, look to see if God might be calling you to be a father to the fatherless on His behalf.
– Steve Arterburn
It is much easier to become a father than to be one. – Kent Nerburn
The post A Daddy Vacuum appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Wills, Sexual Abuse, Christian Walk, Self Worth, Adult Children
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- How do I write my will if my son has disowned me?
- My 22yo son told me about sexual abuse he experienced at 14yo from one of the leaders in our church; what direction do I give him?
- Did I do the right thing telling my son I saw him touching my autistic grandson inappropriately? He threw me out of the house.
- I had an emotional breakdown because I thought I had committed the unpardonable sin.
- How do I prove people wrong who disagree with me?
- What should I do if my adult son told me that his father sexually abused him when he was a child, and my therapist told me to not disclose it?
Suggested Resources:
One Year Bible for Men
One Year Bible for Women
Take Your Life Back
Healing Is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 16, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. – Genesis 32:25
There’s a story in the Bible about Jacob wrestling with God, and as a result, God touched Jacob’s hip resulting in Jacob walking the rest of his days with a limp.
Have you wrestled with God? What’s your limp? Do you have a scar or a wound that you have hidden from the world? Note that God gave Jacob a limp. Unlike a scar or a wound, you can’t hide a limp. It shows whenever you get up and move around. I think God wanted Jacob to limp with pride. It was his battle scar.
What’s your battle scar? Have you accepted them for what they are and for the person they have made you? Have you allowed the pain of your wrestling match to grow you into a better, more compassionate person? Let God unfold more of His beauty and grace and love in your life. Would you have it any other way?
God will take the lowest of all and raise him up. He’ll take the weakest one and strengthen him. He’ll take the most insecure and fill him with courage. He’ll take the least and make him the most. All you have to do is let him.
So, whatever your limp is, walk with it and don’t deny it. It is who you are, and He is molding you into a masterpiece. You are who you are because of your painful past. God accepts you right where you are, limp and all. I hope you do, too.
– Steve Arterburn
Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has. – Billy Graham
The wound is the place where the Light enters you. – Rumi
The post What’s your Limp? appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Confrontation, Forgiveness, Transgender, Christmas, PTSD, Marijuana, Drugs, Boundaries
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard
Caller Questions:
- My husband’s 95yo aunt told us we have hurt her and that she doesn’t want to see us anymore. Should I let it go or write her a letter?
- What resources do you recommend for my friend whose sister is transitioning to becoming a man?
- We kept Christ in Christmas by telling the kids that the three Wise Men were going to bring them gifts.
- What’s the next step with my 28yo daughter with PTSD who lives with us? We told her to stop pot and drugs and she refuses.
Suggested Resources:
One Year Bible for Women
Understanding and Loving Your Child Who Smokes Pot
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 15, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. – Hebrews 10:24
The first sentence of Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life is this: “It’s not about you!” Do you believe that? Does your life reflect that? It’s a struggle for me, and I bet it’s a struggle for you.
Consider these situations: You’re in the checkout line and the older gentleman in front of you wants to write a check, but can’t find his checkbook. He locates his checkbook, but now he has no pen. Finally pen in hand, he inquires about the date. The clerk noticing his out-of-state check calls for approval. This short “in-and-out” errand adds additional minutes to your packed schedule. It was probably the most inconvenient experience you’ve gone through. There ought to be a law! Or in the words of my mother, “It’s always something!”
Or what about your restaurant experience with the hamburger and no ketchup because the waitress forgot. She is off talking, ignoring your request, and crying about something. The serving station has ketchup but it is her job. So you sit, tap your fingers on the table, and shoot darts at the lady crying at the back of the restaurant.
Did you think to say a kind word to the gentleman to help settle his nerves, or tell the waitress that you hope things get better. You might even leave a bigger tip or offer to pray for her. It’s not about you! Look outside yourself. It’s what we’re called to do. Try it. See if God doesn’t affirm you for it.
– Steve Arterburn
Only God can give us a selfless love for others, as the Holy Spirit changes us from within. This is one reason we must receive Christ, for apart from His Spirit we can never be freed from the chains of selfishness, jealousy, and indifference. Will others see Christ’s love in your life today? – Billy Graham
It’s that wonderful old-fashioned idea that others come first and you come second. This was the whole ethic by which I was brought up. Others matter more than you do, so don’t fuss, dear; get on with it. – Audrey Hepburn
The post It’s Not About You! appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Dating, Adult Children, Drug Addiction, Narcissists, Separation
Hosts: Becky Brown, Chris Williams, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- At the Last Supper, did Judas partake in it?
- What should I do with the emotions I feel if I think I’m being catfished?
- How do we get my 34yo daughter and her kids to move on? She is a recovered drug addict and they are all living at our house.
- Is it time for me to leave my narcissistic husband who drinks and is verbally abusive?
- My husband of 40yrs left to go live in his country of origin without talking to me; am I jeopardizing my marriage by joining him?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
People Fuel
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 14, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. – 1 John 3:18
If you’re like me, you live a life in community, but your community isn’t likely one to include your neighbors. I know people who have lived in their neighborhoods for years and still don’t know their neighbors’ names. Busyness blocks out the world immediately around them.
A friend of mine recently shared a story with me. She said that she’s lived in the same neighborhood for twelve years and never really reached out to any of her neighbors. Having learned that one of her neighbors was battling cancer and leukemia, she thought that the time had come to express care, concern, and love to her.
So, she wrote a note, wrapped up a little stuffed bunny, and approached her neighbor’s house. Her heart was pounding. Was she opening herself to ridicule? She knocked on the door, wondering how this little gift and expression of care would be received. When the neighbor came to the door, she could tell that this hand delivered expression of love really moved her. The whole 10-minute process, doing exactly what God wanted her to do, was a blessing to both and an expression of the love of God to her neighbor.
Do you need to step out of your comfort zone and express love and concern to someone? Just look around you; the opportunities are there. We just close them off in our hurry to have a day without interruptions. Express some care and concern for someone today. Lend someone a helping hand. Spend time (and money if necessary) to be an agent of God’s love. You know you need to do it!
– Steve Arterburn
The Lord commands us to do good unto all men without exception, though the majority are very undeserving when judged according to their own merits… [The Scripture] teaches us that we must not think of man’s real value, but only of his creation in the image of God to which we owe all possible honor and love. – John Calvin
You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes. – A. A. Milne
The post Love Your Neighbor appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Coaching, Love Addiction, Scam, Parenting, Anxiety, Newlyweds, Intimacy, Teens
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- Elizabeth Lewis, a New Life Coach, talks about what it’s like to coach singles so that they’re ready to love again.
- How can I help a relative who meets romance scammers online and has sent over a million dollars to them?
- How do we talk to my anxious 11yo daughter who tries to self-soothe by nail biting, touching herself, and letting the cat scratch her?
- What’s the point of me being married when my new husband won’t communicate with me and doesn’t even sleep in the same bed as me?
- How do I approach my angry, defensive 15yo son who won’t take a shower? I have trauma and anxiety from a head injury.
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
Is This The One
How We Love Our Kids
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 13, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. – Romans 14:12
Nehemiah, the great rebuilder of Jerusalem, is a great example in the Bible of leadership, faith, and unshakable commitment. He didn’t let the huge task of the long-delayed restoration of Jerusalem discourage him. He realized that it was never too late for God’s people to begin the process. He took direct and forceful action. His faith, wisdom, and courage kept him focused on his goal. He was determined to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. He faced foreign opposition and discord amongst his own people, but the wall was completed in just fifty-two days. An incredible feat!
Soon after this victory, Nehemiah directed the people toward a second phase of restoration. He called upon the great teacher Ezra to lead the people in a study of the Scriptures. Confronted by God’s word, they were soon in tears because they could see the truth of how far they’d strayed from God’s law. They confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. They accepted responsibility for generations of unfaithfulness on the part of their people and grieved openly before God.
When Nehemiah returned to Babylon, however, the people returned to their sinful ways. Nehemiah found himself once again putting the Jews back on a right path. This example of short-term restoration shows how prone we are to drifting away from what’s right if we’re not held accountable. The encouragement: it wasn’t too late to rebuild the wall, and it’s not too late to rebuild your life. Begin by doing the next right thing!
– Steve Arterburn
Heroes may not be braver than anyone else. They’re just braver five minutes longer. – Ronald Reagan
The post Nehemiah appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Christian Walk, Depression, Divorce, Sexual Integrity, Forgiveness, Sexual Abuse
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- I’m from Ethiopia and like to read from the ESV Bible; how do I refute the teachings at my church that we need to use the KJV Bible?
- I haven’t celebrated Christmas for 7yrs after my wife told me she didn’t love me and that I was a horrible husband and father.
- I insisted my husband attend Every Man’s Battle in Dallas, and now I have a new man!
- Two of my brothers sexually abused me, and when I told my older brother about it, he told me to bury it. Do I disconnect from him?
- Parents aren’t aware that if the letters in Santa are rearranged, it’s Satan.
Suggested Resources:
One Year Bible for Men
Healing Is a Choice
Take Your Life Back
One Year Bible for Women
Intimate Deception
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 12, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9
When my friend was in college he walked right-of-way property for a gas pipeline company one summer. In many ways, it was a great job. Lots of sunshine and exercise, walking through the countryside over a large buried pipeline. There were, however, the inevitable bulls, bees. . . and a few ornery farmers.
One day his journey took him through the field of a farmer who didn’t like anyone on his land, right-of-way or no right-of-way. After testing an electrical fence to make sure it was disarmed, my friend prepared to step over the barrier. While he was straddling the wire, he saw out of the corner of his eye the farmer running for the barn. The farmer was running for the power switch!
Are you sometimes like the farmer? Quick to turn up the power and heat when someone’s in a vulnerable position? It’s not what Jesus did, remember the woman caught in adultery? Jesus extended grace. You should, too.
– Steve Arterburn
Hot heads and cold hearts never solved anything. – Billy Graham
The post On the Defense appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Parenting, Adult Children, Drug Addiction, Enabling, Narcissists, Schizophrenia, Estrangement
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Sheri Keffer
Caller Questions:
- How do I tell my 4yo son he can’t be friends with his best friend because their mother is too unstable?
- I’ve given my 45yo son money for drugs; how do I get the strength to evict him from my home?
- My husband is a narcissist and a dry drunk; why am I not brave enough to follow through with separation?
- I need professional help to reach out to my schizophrenic brother who won’t take his meds. I haven’t seen him n 10yrs.
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
How We Love our Kids
Life Recovery Bible
Emotional Freedom Workbook
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 9, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. – Ephesians 5:1
We live in a culture that values things that are large, extravagant, and impossible to miss. For this reason, we’re tempted to look at the struggles in our rather ordinary lives, and consider our victories insignificant if they’re not acknowledged or recognized by others.
But that’s just not true. Victor Hugo, the great French playwright who penned Les Misérables, rightly said our “greatest actions are performed in minor struggles. Life, misfortune, isolation, abandonment and poverty are battlefields which have their heroes, obscure heroes who are at times greater than illustrious heroes.”
It’s not the size of the audience, or the amount of applause, that determines the value of your achievements. Live your life before the one true God. And live it with faith, hope, and love even though you’re not getting accolades for it. Remember, your true character is what you do when no one is looking.
– Steve Arterburn
Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip. – Will Rogers
The post Size Doesn’t Matter appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Parenting, Sexual Abuse, Christmas, Weight Loss, Self Worth, Trauma, Father Issues, Grief, Infertility
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Milan Yerkovich, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- What steps do we take for our 5yo son who has been acting out sexually with a younger child?
- I started a Christmas tradition with my kids to put Christ first. They had to find where baby Jesus was hiding before we opened presents.
- I am morbidly obese; should I do the Emotional Freedom or Lose It for Life workshop?
- If children don’t have a healthy relationship with their father, how are they going to learn to relate to God the Father?
- How can I support my husband who feels like a failure because we’re infertile?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love Our Kids
One Year Bible for Men
Lose It for Life
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Life Recovery Bible
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 8, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. – Romans 8:17
Like many other Christians, my parents thought that if they honored God and dedicated their children to the Lord, they’d somehow be shielded from pain, suffering, and life’s difficult realities. Learning that their son, my brother Jerry, was dying of AIDS helped them to see that this belief was false.
My parents wrestled not only with losing Jerry but also with their own feelings of guilt. They wondered what they could’ve done differently to keep their son from a homosexual lifestyle. Sorrow and regret consumed them.
Yet God used that terrible incident to mold and deepen my parents’ faith. Suffering brought them face-to-face with change they’d never anticipated. It was in that dark and painful crucible that my parents learned about compassion, courage, forgiveness, and repentance. Their hearts were truly broken, but they were also truly changed.
You, too, can and should learn from suffering. Don’t be angered by it. Don’t come out the other side a bitter person. Look at your suffering as an intimacy with Christ, a time to sense his love and compassion, and to grow to trust Him and grow closer to Him.
– Steve Arterburn
Complete success alienates a man from his fellows, but suffering makes kinsmen of us all. – Elbert Hubbard
The post Learning Through Suffering appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Abuse, Shame, Anger, Verbal Abuse, Hoarding, Anxiety
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
Caller Questions:
- My husband doesn’t want me to give my testimony at Celebrate Recovery; how should I encourage him to let me do that?
- What should I do next if I’m in a wheelchair and my husband is rageful and verbally abusive?
- My kids want me to host Christmas Eve, but I can’t because of my clutter.
Suggested Resources:
Emotional Freedom Workbook
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 7, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. – Matthew 17:20
A wise sixteenth-century Christian once said we can only love God to the extent we know him. Think about it. Can you surrender to God if you don’t know his character? Can you trust him with your life, here and hereafter, if you’re not sure he’s willing and able to care for you?
That takes faith. And the Bible says faith ‘is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It’s the evidence of things we cannot yet see.‘ And the Bible says that faith is grounded in our very understanding of God: ‘Anyone who wants to come to [God], must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.‘ Before you can really seek God, you’ve got to truly believe that your search will lead to something, somewhere, and most importantly, to Someone worth looking for.
If you don’t have faith, ask God for it. If the faith you have is not as strong as you think it ought to be, ask God to help you strengthen your faith. This might seem like putting the cart before the horse, but the Bible speaks of faith as a gift rather than something you obtain by your own efforts.
– Steve Arterburn
I fear one day I’ll meet God, he’ll sneeze, and I won’t know what to say. – Ronnie Shakes
The post A God Worthy of Faith appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 6, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Every spring, tulip and daffodil bulbs push with all their stored-up strength against the cold dirt packed around them until finally their fragrant, fragile heads poke through the crusty snow. And every child who enters the world does so by pushing against its mother to forge an independent identity. Growth always takes place against something, and spiritual growth is no different. It takes place in a world opposed to God, and it happens among people who are apathetic, indifferent, and sometimes belligerent. Those who follow God are always going against culture. This was true in the days of the patriarchs; it was true in the first century; it is true today; and it will remain true until Christ returns to rule the earth.
Before Jesus’ return to heaven, he spoke to his disciples. He didn’t motivate them with tales of adventure and excitement. He didn’t send them off with a pep talk about positive thinking. Nor did he promise them early retirement in a seaside community. He sent them off with this ominous warning, Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16). Jesus protected them from future doubt, disappointment, and despair by preparing them for what was to come. And he did so by teaching them truth and warning them about persecution.
The words written to the Hebrew Christians so long ago, still bring guidance and comfort for Christians today:
Don’t ever forget those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail. When all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew you had better things waiting for you in eternity. Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. – Hebrews 10:32-36
Excerpted from “Seven Keys to Spiritual Renewal” by Steve Arterburn and Linda Mintle
The post Struggle appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Milan Yerkovich, Marc Cameron
RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show!****
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 5, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Why are we so quick to believe what is false? Because we want to. We want to own, possess, to hoard. And if we don’t want actual power, we at least seek the power of certainty. Enough of this living by faith stuff. When we reach such a point, though, we have lost faith in God’s love. We can find that love again through the truths of the Bible. But it is up to us to make choices based on the truth and then follow through.
Truth and love are inseparable twins. Both seek to give, to free, to offer hope. They never seek to set their own broad path. Rather, truth and love follow Jesus on the narrow and self-giving road.
How can we remain faithful to truth if we’re so predisposed to follow after soothing lies? We must believe the truth. We naturally tend to stray away from believing both the bad and the good news of the gospel. We forget about God’s grace and become impressed with ourselves. We lose touch with the deadliness of sin.
If you’re experiencing misery, despair, and hopelessness, perhaps you have become confused about the truth. Perhaps you have bought into some of the myths of this world. If you are willing to live by the truth, it will transform your life by giving you hope and confidence. Permanent, rock-solid, and never-changing, truth has the power to turn lives around.
But in a fallen world, truth is never easy to follow, no matter how much faith we have. As we’ve discussed, truth is not always something we care to hear. All of us need to examine our lives and uncover the half- truths, myths, and encumbrances that stand in the way of our relationship with God. Is it money? Is it lust? Is it alcohol? Power? It’s important to be aware of the sin that hinders us from fulfilling Christ’s call on our lives.
Hebrews 12:2 points us to the way of truth:
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning it’s shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Excerpted from the book The God of Second Chances by Stephen Arterburn
The post The Myths We Believe appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Separation, Verbal Abuse, Adult Children, Avoiders, Sexual Intimacy, Codependency
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich
Caller Questions:
- How long should I wait to contact my wife if we’ve been separated due to my harshness toward her?
- I’m 88yo and clash with my kids; how do I stop getting triggered?
- How do I respond to a husband who does things out of obligation and is just a roommate with benefits?
- Why does my tough love stance with my 40yo schizophrenic son make me feel so bad? He is in and out of prison.
- Is it okay to hug my son first when his family comes to visit?
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
How We Love
Healing Is a Choice
Take Your Life Back
One Year Bible for Women
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 2, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. – Mark 10:14
When June Cleaver said, “Ward, I’m worried about the Beaver,” her primary concern was probably that he’d turn out to be as obnoxious as Eddie Haskell. Boy, have times changed!
Kids today face a harder world, and are seriously threatened with a premature loss of innocence.
For instance, within the next 30 minutes at least:
29 kids will attempt suicide.
57 adolescents will run away from home.
14 teenager girls will give birth out of wedlock.
22 girls will get abortions.
686 kids will use one of many illegal drugs.
And 188 will abuse alcohol.
This picture of the struggles America’s kids now face is a long way from the struggles within the Cleaver household. The beginning of change is to acknowledge the problem. Pray for the kids of today and for their parents. The changes we need must come from the inside out if they’re to be real and lasting.
– Steve Arterburn
The post Today’s Youth appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Affairs, Boundaries, Blended Families, Adult Children, Sexual Abuse, Secrets, Intimacy
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- What can I do about my husband who is still in contact with the woman he had an affair with 5yrs ago?
- How can I be a good Christian wife and not feel left out? My stepdaughter left me out of her family wedding pictures.
- Should I tell my sister that I found out her son raped my son when they were kids?
- How do I talk to my menopausal wife about her not having sex with me? She’s more of a roommate than a spouse.
Suggested Resources:
Intimate Deception
Preparing To Blend
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: December 1, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. – Psalm 100:4
In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
I’m really proud of our country that we set aside a time each year to celebrate our gratitude to God. It’s a really special time where families and friends typically gather over a turkey dinner in remembrance of our nation’s heritage, remembering the thankfulness the Pilgrim’s expressed in the midst of incredibly difficult circumstances, and give thanks for God’s blessing in our lives today.
And while it’s great that we’ve set a day aside in Thanksgiving to remember and give thanks, sometimes I wonder what we’re thinking? And what does God think about it? We’re blessed in so many ways, and we as a nation remember Him on just one day of the year!
At New Life, we set aside the entire month of November to remember and give thanks—not just a single day. We hope that you have enjoyed the images, scriptures and quotes each morning. I hope that you have felt encouraged each day in November as you read the different offerings. Our prayer for you is that even when the month of November passes and there are no more graphics and quotes, you will continue to cultivate in your heart the attitude of gratitude. I hope that you will remember that even in tough times, we can pause and remember to be thankful that God promised that He would never leave or forsake us. And remember that we give thanks to God not because of how we feel but because of who He is. Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!
No matter what the headlines shout, the world only has two stories: bless God or curse God. *No matter what the world tries to sell, we all only get to choose from two shelves: Give God thanks or Give God the door. No matter what we’re facing, there are always only two roads: thanksgiving to God or dismissing of God*. – Ann Voskamp
The post Giving Thanks – Day 30: In Everything, Give Thanks appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Separation, Affairs, Communication, Evangelism, Engagement, Grief, Pornography, Finances
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- Am I doing the right thing by having no contact with my wife? She left me after I found a picture of her sitting on a coworker’s lap.
- What’s the best way to spread the gospel? I’m in the UK where only half of the population is Christian now.
- I’m engaged to a woman who lost her spouse; do you feel we need to go through premarital counseling?
- What should I do if I am financially strapped, and my husband is addicted to porn and had an affair while we were separated?
Suggested Resources:
Intimate Deception
Healing Is a Choice
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: November 30, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: ‘Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for He has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.’ – Isaiah 12:3-5
The Bible has a lot to say to us about being thankful. Here are nine reasons you can give thanks today.
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God is deserving of our thanks. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 (This verse can be found throughout the scriptures.)
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Thankfulness is a great witness. Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 1 Chronicles 16:8
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In the midst of your struggles and pain, God is with you. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. Psalm 28:7
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Give thanks because God is for you, He remains faithful even when you falter. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. (found four times in Psalm 107).
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It’s a command. And he (Jesus) took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19
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Thanksgiving shows that you know to whom you belong and builds character. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Th 5:18
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Give thanks because God uses broken vessels like us to do his work.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 2 Corinthians 2:14 -
Give thanks because you have a Savior.
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 -
Give thanks because not only has your debt been paid, you can now live with hope, love, and faith. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57
The post Giving Thanks – Day 29: The Art of Thanksgiving appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Integrity, Divorce, Adult Children, Finances, Parenting, Christian Walk
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- My husband is signed up to go to Every Man’s Battle this weekend because you guys told me to stand up for myself!
- Why are young adults loyal to the parent who does nothing for them, while the parent who does everything doesn’t get respect?
- My ex left when our daughter was 2yo; the best thing you can do for your child is to kill the other parent with kindness even if you don’t feel like it.
- Should I pay for a ticket to attend my mother-in-law’s choir performance at her church when the church doesn’t believe Jesus is God?
Suggested Resources:
Worthy of Her Trust
Take Your Life Back
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
One Year Bible for Women
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: November 29, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Sometimes, in the rush of everyday living, we simply don’t stop long enough to pause and thank our Creator for the countless blessings He has bestowed upon us.
When we slow down and express our gratitude to the One who made us, we enrich our own lives and the lives of those around us. Thanksgiving should become a habit, a regular part of our daily routines. God has blessed us beyond measure, and we owe Him everything, including our eternal praise.
As Christians, we are called to give thanks in all the things. Not just the good things, not just some things but ALL things. Are you a thankful person? Do you appreciate the gifts that God has given you? And, do you demonstrate your gratitude by being a faithful steward of the gifts and talents that you have received from your Creator? You most certainly should be thankful. After all, when you stop to think about it, God has given you more blessings than you can count. So the question of the day is this: will you thank your Heavenly Father . . . or will you spend your time and energy doing other things?
We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility, and the contempt of this world along with the hope of our eternal country. – C. S. Lewis
Gratitude, therefore, takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference. – Thomas Merton
It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Thanksgiving with the mouth stirs up thankfulness in the heart. – John Piper
The post Giving Thanks – Day 28: In All Things Give Thanks appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Pornography, Self Worth, Trust, Sexual Integrity, Sexual Intimacy
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich
Caller Questions:
- After recovery from a 20yr porn addiction, how do I move forward? I’m feeling disappointed in my spiritual life and in myself as a father and husband.
- If my arrogant husband secretly flirts with my friend on Facebook messenger, is he being unfaithful?
- We have been married over 50yrs, and sexual intimacy is painful for me. Am I breaking our wedding vow if my husband wants it and I don’t?
Suggested Resources:
Every Man’s Battle
How We Love
Worthy of Her Trust
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: November 28, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
“When we learn to read the story of Jesus and see it as the story of the love of God, doing for us what we could not do for ourselves–that insight produces, again and again, a sense of astonished gratitude which is very near the heart of authentic Christian experience.” – N.T. WrightThe post Giving Thanks – Day 27 appeared first on New Life.
Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. – Psalm 97:12
Today I’m thankful for…
The post Giving Thanks – Day 26 appeared first on New Life.
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. – Psalm 28:7Be joyful always. Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
The great English writer G. K. Chesterton once wrote, “You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing, and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”
Wow! What a reminder! There’s no doubt in my mind that I could give thanks more often. We set aside meal time, Sunday mornings, and my favorite holiday; Thanksgiving. But, don’t let an hour go by without giving thanks . . . for your work, school, kids, health, your spouse, your blessings and your challenges.
When you have a God-awareness about life and when you see and sense Him in your day (in the big things and the little things), it’s hard not to be thankful. A grateful heart is one that finds the countless blessings of God in the seemingly mundane everyday life.
– Steve Arterburn
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. – William Arthur Ward
You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’ You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled. – Charles Spurgeon
The post Giving Thanks – Day 25: Cultivating a Constantly Grateful Heart appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Divorce, Abandonment, Affairs, Adult Children, Rejection, Father Issues, Self Worth, Separation
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard
Caller Questions:
- My ex-husband confessed his affair and abandoned me on Christmas Eve; how do I move forward if I get triggered by putting up a Christmas tree decades later?
- How do I handle my 52yo son who says he loves me but never shows it with his actions?
- How do I fix my relationship with my father, brother, and sister when I am highly sensitive to rejection? My dad rejected me as a child because I have ADHD.
- Should I move on from my family who never honored my achievements? Also, my separated husband tried to divorce me behind my back.
Suggested Resources:
Intimate Deception
Healing Is a Choice
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: November 25, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him . . . Colossians 3:17 "The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will
The post Giving Thanks – Day 24: Happy Thanksgiving appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Intimacy, Communication, Bullying, Adult Children, Dating, Siblings, Codependency Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Becky Brown Caller Questions: How do I become a better husband if my wife communicates more intimately with her friends than me? I can't cope with being bullied and slandered by someone in my neighborhood. After my divorce and remarriage, how can I help my adult children attract
The post New Life Live: November 24, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. - William Arthur Ward Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. - Psalm 100:4 It was 1636 and the Thirty Years’ War was raging. Death, disease,
The post Giving Thanks – Day 23: Practicing Thankfulness at Thanksgiving appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grief, Divorce, Remarriage, Childhood Trauma, Sexual Abuse, Shame, Verbal Abuse, Christian Walk Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard Caller Questions: Is it wrong to remarry my first husband, the father of my children, if he came back into the picture after my current husband passed away from COVID? My uncle raped me when I was an infant. How do I heal
The post New Life Live: November 23, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
(Gratitude) turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity...it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." - Melody Beattie May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. - Psalm 119:76
The post Giving Thanks – Day 22: Demonstrations of Love appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Life Recovery Groups, Boundaries, Affairs, Verbal Abuse, Parenting, Adult Children, Estrangement, Divorce, Confrontation Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton Caller Questions: I went from a secular 12-step group to starting a Life Recovery Group because a Life Recovery Group leader encouraged me. My husband has had affairs and committed adultery throughout our 21yr marriage; do I walk away as the therapists
The post New Life Live: November 22, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. - Psalm 97:12 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11 Consider this short recap from a
The post Giving Thanks – Day 21: Thankfulness In Spite Of . . . appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Church Life, Confrontation, Sexual Intimacy, Sexual Addiction, Emotional Abuse, Salvation Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: How should a church member respond to a pastor who says Jesus didn’t die for our sins? Is there a benefit to abstaining from sex with my wife for a while? I just attended Every Man’s Battle. How do I move forward
The post New Life Live: November 21, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. - 1 Chronicles 16:8 Join us each day as we give thanks this November. Think each day, what are you thankful for? - Steve Arterburn
The post Giving Thanks – Day 20 appeared first on New Life.
Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
The post Giving Thanks – Day 19 appeared first on New Life.
The ungrateful see little of His great love; but the grateful feel their heart is a shore and His love is a sea that never stops coming in. - Ann Voskamp This is the last day of learning how to Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude Within Your Home this Thanksgiving Season—7 simple ways Part 5
The post Giving Thanks – Day 18: Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude Part 5 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Physical Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Finances, Blended Families, Adult Children, Grief Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: I saw the movie I Can Only Imagine; that is my story! My father accepted the Lord and the Lord changed him! I’m a stay-at-home dad. My wife wants me to sign a postnuptial agreement or she will divorce me. My husband
The post New Life Live: November 18, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 15:57 For the next few days, learn how to Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude Within Your Home this Thanksgiving Season—7 simple ways Part 4 of 5. Journal. Tell Stories. Serve. Create. Sing. The beautiful thing about song
The post Giving Thanks – Day 17: Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude Part 4 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Childhood Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Anger, Masturbation, Christian Walk, Depression, Adult Children, Marijuana, Boundaries Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: I was sexually abused as a child. How do I get over my anger and hurt when my husband masturbates in front of me? What do I tell my niece and sister about the Virgin Mary? They believe she was born
The post New Life Live: November 17, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name . . .– Psalm 30:4 For the next few days, learn how to Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude Within Your Home this Thanksgiving Season—7 simple ways Part 3 of 5. Journal. Tell Stories. Serve… together as
The post Giving Thanks – Day 16: Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude Part 3 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Integrity, Forgiveness, Father Issues, Affairs, Sexual Addiction, Betrayal, Engagement, Trust Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams Caller Questions: How do I curb my lustful desire to look at good-looking women? I stopped using porn 20yrs ago. How do I forgive my dead father so I can receive and give love well? My husband has watched porn and had affairs for
The post New Life Live: November 16, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
A grateful heart is one that finds the countless blessings of God in the seemingly mundane everyday life. For the next few days, learn how to Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude Within Your Home this Thanksgiving Season—7 simple ways Part 2 of 5. Journal. Tell Stories. Share the story of Pastor Martin Rinkart with your
The post Giving Thanks – Day 15: Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude Part 2 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Integrity, Sexual Addiction, Friendship, Anger, Self Worth, Siblings, Father Issues Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton Caller Questions: My husband had sex with a prostitute a month ago right before he went to Every Man's Battle workshop; what are my next steps? How can I stop thinking of the married woman I used to be friends with and
The post New Life Live: November 15, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and appreciating heart. - Henry Clay For the next few days, learn how to Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude Within Your Home this Thanksgiving Season—7 simple ways Part 1 of 5. Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like
The post Giving Thanks – Day 14: Cultivate a Heart of Gratitude Part 1 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Boundaries, Weight Issues, Parenting, Drug Addiction, Adult Children, Depression, Engagement Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: When should I say yes if I struggle with rejection and boundaries and then turn to overeating? My 6yo stepgrandson wets his pants; do you have any advice for my son who is his stepfather? Am I doing the right thing to get
The post New Life Live: November 14, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
"To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us - and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
The post Giving Thanks – Day 13 appeared first on New Life.
Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference. - Thomas Merton
The post Giving Thanks – Day 12 appeared first on New Life.
Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. - Psalm 106:1 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and
The post Giving Thanks – Day 11: God’s Peace through Prayer appeared first on New Life.
Topics: PTSD, Engagement, Divorce, Separation, Drug Addiction Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Alice Benton, Amanda Anderson Caller Questions: My fiancée and I both have PTSD. How can I be there to support her when we are both triggered? I am going through a divorce that I don't want. How do I demonstrate to my wife hope and reconciliation for our marriage? My
The post New Life Live: November 11, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
In normal life we hardly realize how much more we receive than we give, and life cannot be rich without such gratitude. It is so easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements compared with what we owe to the help of others. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer Giving thanks is good for our souls. Still,
The post Giving Thanks – Day 10: A Lesson in Thanks appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Christian Walk, Priorities, Estrangement, Adult Children, Pornography, Separation, Avoiders Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Chris Williams Caller Questions: My wife puts her job and kids from her previous marriage before me; what is the biblical perspective? What can I do if I’m estranged from my 32yo adult son who will only communicate by texting? His dad and I are divorced. How
The post New Life Live: November 10, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. - Philippians 4:6 "Gimme some more of those mashed potatoes 'n heap on the gravy," I begged as a skinny kid. I then loaded up on turkey and dressing - mounds of it. Topping
The post Giving Thanks – Day 9: Pumpkin Pie ‘n’ Praise appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Becky Brown RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: November 9, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving, and the voices of those who celebrate. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honored, and they shall not be small. - Jeremiah 30:19 Perhaps the most defining aspect of the month of November is the Thanksgiving holiday. Though a
The post Giving Thanks – Day 8: Delight in Your Thanksgiving Holiday appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: November 8, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. - Psalm 7:17 As we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday this year we need to be mindful of all we for which we can be thankful. To remember we have a loving, personal
The post Giving Thanks – Day 7: Thank Therapy appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: November 7, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. - 1 Chronicles 16:8 Join us each day as we give thanks this November. Think each day, what are you thankful for? - Steve Arterburn
The post Giving Thanks – Day 6 appeared first on New Life.
"I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might" . . . - Daniel 2:23
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That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works. - Psalm 26:7 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. - Isaiah 55:8 People today are striving for personal improvement, self-empowerment, and inner strength. Yet, Christianity has a completely opposite
The post Giving Thanks – Day 4: Growing in Christ appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Intimacy, Forgiveness, Affairs, Adult Children Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: My 69yo husband with Parkinson’s demands sex once a week despite being impotent. My niece won’t talk to me after I offended her; how much time should I give her? Can you explain more about an exercise on forgiveness in your book Healing
The post New Life Live: November 4, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers. - Philemon 1:4 The great English writer G. K. Chesterton once wrote, "You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book,
The post Giving Thanks – Day 3: Cultivating a Thankful Heart appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Dating, Anger, Borderline, Vacillators Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Alice Benton Caller Questions: I'm dating a man who gets angry easily; do I continue dating him if I can't trust him? After 40yrs, how do I press on with my wife's borderline personality disorder? Suggested Resources: Is This The One How We Love Understanding and Loving a
The post New Life Live: November 3, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings! - Henry Ward Beecher Thanksgiving goes deep into our national heritage. In fact, the newly formed United States first recognized Thanksgiving as a
The post Giving Thanks – Day 2: Giving Thanks Through Everything appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Alice Benton, Amanda Anderson RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: November 2, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD! - Jonah 2:9 On September 6th, 1620, seventy men and women and thirty-two children climbed aboard the Mayflower headed for the 'New World.' Some of the people were looking for religious freedom,
The post Giving Thanks – Day 1: Thankful Pilgrims appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: November 1, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Everybody says they need just one thing. What they really mean is they need just one thing more. - Rich Mullins Materialism is one of the most deadly diseases I know. It can eat you alive at the very moment you think things are going along wonderfully. When we acquire outward trappings and the "ideal
The post Materialism appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Affairs, Separation, Adult Children, Counseling, Siblings, Bullying Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: My husband packed up his car and left after I found out he had an emotional affair. I’ve been extremely critical of him; is it too late for us? Should I tell my adult kids not to go to the restaurant where the woman
The post New Life Live: October 31, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Psalm 37:4 tells us to delight in the Lord and He'll give us the desires of our hearts. What does this mean? It certainly does not mean that delighting in the Lord is a magic formula for obtaining the desires in our heart that are fleshly and self-involved! If you're desiring something sinful, destructive, or
The post Delight in the Lord appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Addictions, Marijuana, Boundaries, Grief, Dating, Childhood Trauma, Forgiveness Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: How do we do tough love with our 19yo son who lives with us and smokes pot? He has been charged with a misdemeanor. My abusive husband died 7yrs ago, but I can’t get past being terrified of men. Where do I go from here?
The post New Life Live: October 28, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. - 1 Corinthians 7:1-2 According to the latest U.S. Census, there are 124.6 million single adults in America. This
The post Satisfied Singleness appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Parenting, Blended Families, Pornography, Adult Children, Christian Walk, Transgender, Boundaries, Codependency Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams Caller Questions: What’s the right thing to do? I want to tell my 9yo daughter that my husband is not her biological dad, but my husband doesn’t want me to. My 25yo son struggles with a porn addiction. How can I help the Christian
The post New Life Live: October 27, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrong. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 Do you believe the Perfect-Mate Myth? It goes something like this: "If I just
The post Perfect-Mate Myth appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Affairs, Childhood Trauma, Career, Job Loss, Self Worth, Divorce Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris Caller Questions: What is generational trauma? I don't want to pass on to my children the trauma from my husband's adultery or my childhood abuse. I lost my great job and now I can't take care of myself. I really don't know
The post New Life Live: October 26, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Although it's too seldom taught or practiced, our communing with God consists of two equally important parts: prayer and meditation. Prayer is our talking to God. Most of us have this aspect down. Meditation is our listening to God. And here most of us need a bit of work. Have you ever been in a
The post Prayer and Meditation appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Spiritual Warfare, Parenting, Christian Walk, Dating, Alcohol, Parent Issues Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Chris Williams Caller Questions: I need spiritual warfare help for my 9yo disabled daughter who says she sees children who aren’t there and they tell her to do bad things. Is there any difference between listening to an audio Bible versus reading the Bible? How do
The post New Life Live: October 25, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. - Titus 3:4-5a Radio personality Paul Harvey once told of how an Eskimo kills a wolf. The Eskimo coats his knife with animal blood and lets it freeze.
The post Consumed by Lust appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Childhood Trauma, Sexual Integrity, Affairs, Addictions, Pornography, Same-Sex Attraction Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: I was abused so badly as a child that I was covered in cigarette burns; watching the movie I Can Only Imagine helped me. Do I legally separate or divorce my husband of 54yrs who has been leading a double life? He was
The post New Life Live: October 24, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. - 2 Timothy 2:2 Did you know the Nobel Peace Prize is named after Alfred Nobel, the Swedish industrialist who invented dynamite? How did this come to be? When
The post Living a Positive Legacy appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Estrangement, Father Issues, Sexual Abuse, Drug Addiction, Siblings Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: What can I do if my 31yo twin sons stop talking to me for months even though they say they love me? We are newlyweds, but I’ve never met my father-in-law. My brother-in-law molested my daughter when she was a child,
The post New Life Live: October 21, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. - Hebrews 10:22 When I was twenty years old I fell into a deep depression. I began taking antidepressants and felt
The post Guilty or Not Guilty appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Divorce, Adult Children, Estrangement, Teens, Sexual Integrity, Social Media Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris Caller Questions: How do I deal with parental alienation with my 19yo daughter? She was 17yo when I divorced, and now she is married. Our 15yo son is receiving sexually suggestive texts from his friend; how should my husband talk to him about
The post New Life Live: October 20, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Bear with each other and forgive grievances. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. - Colossians 3:13-14 Karin ruled her family with her explosive, irrational anger. Her children and grandchildren never knew what would set her off. Being around her was like being in a minefield. You knew you had to get out, but you were
The post Bad Coffee appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Siblings, Mother Issues, Secrets, Same-Sex Attraction, Estrangement Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams Caller Questions: How do I address my older child being very upset that my 22yo child is living at home and going to college but not working? How do I move forward if my mom doesn't want me to tell my older siblings that
The post New Life Live: October 19, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But Jonah ran away from the Lord - Jonah 1:3a I'm sure you're familiar with the story of Jonah and the whale (big fish!). The book of Jonah in the Old Testament is a short book with just four chapters. If you have ten or fifteen minutes, stop and read it through. It's a great
The post A Lesson from Jonah That We Can All Learn appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Emotional Affairs, Lying, Forgiveness, Pornography, Adult Children, Abandonment, Father Issues Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: I caught my wife sexting and lying about it; how do I forgive her? Like your first caller, my wife had affairs and my marriage was unable to be fixed. I had a porn addiction, and reading Every Young Man's Battle helped
The post New Life Live: October 18, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31 Too often we view our work as a curse rather than a divine calling. Renowned author Dorothy Sayers is precisely right in observing that we need "a thoroughgoing revolution in our whole attitude
The post Reframing Our Work appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Separation, Narcissists, Friendship, Boundaries, 12 Steps, Emotional Abuse, Divorce Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: What should I do to stop my wife from divorcing me? She just moved out due to our arguments. I'm a pleaser in a friendship with a narcissist who always plays the victim; how do I put up healthy boundaries? Steve, would you repeat your
The post New Life Live: October 17, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. - 1 Timothy 6:12 In the Bible, the word 'confess' means 'to speak the same thing.' So when it tells us to confess, it means
The post Confession appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Career, Counseling, Drug Addiction, Christian Walk, Dating, Transgender Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris Caller Questions: I want to do what you do! Do you have any advice on what path I should take to be a therapist? As a recovering alcoholic, what do I tell my adult son when his church friends tell him he only needs
The post New Life Live: October 14, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. - Deuteronomy 10:12 Skiing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is risky business.
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Topics: Eating Disorders Relapse, Counseling, Sexual Integrity, Emotional Affairs, Newlyweds Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: After you gave me advice for my food addiction relapse, I met with my therapist and uncovered some reasons why. My daughter found out her husband talked to other women before their marriage in May. What can she do now
The post New Life Live: October 13, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: OCD, Addictions, Anxiety, Isolation Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: What's the difference between an addiction and OCD? I have obsessive thoughts that are very disturbing. I am 65yo and single; what should I do about my anxiety that is getting worse? Suggested Resources: Take Your Life Back Finding Joy In the Empty Nest
The post New Life Live: October 12, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. - 2 Timothy 1:10 The flight was headed for Los Angeles, and everything was going smoothly. Then, all of the sudden, a woman jumped to her
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Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: October 12, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Divorce, Teens, Grandparenting, Elder Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Boundaries Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: My son is divorcing after 21yrs and his 13yo daughter refuses to talk to him or us; what can we do? I'm done with my elder cousin who complains about being abused by her adult granddaughter, but she won't help herself. Adult Protective
The post New Life Live: October 11, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel. - Proverbs 27:9 Samuel was one of the great men of faith and one of the great leaders in Israel's history. He served as priest, prophet, and Israel's last judge. Look at what the Bible says
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Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: October 11, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Confrontation, Grandparenting, Physical Abuse, Relapse, Eating Disorders Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benson, Becky Brown Caller Questions: The contractor I hired didn’t do the work, and I put a stop payment on his check. How can I be less passive? How do I help my 10yo great-granddaughter whose mom hit her and is threatening to kick her out? What’s the
The post New Life Live: October 10, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. - Lamentations 3:40 I took a course in seminary and the professor told us that we could ask him anything we wanted, that his life was an open book. He would answer any question about anything. I didn't believe him,
The post Transparency appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: October 10, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13 Renoir and Matisse were friends with a common bond; they loved color, beauty, and painting. Renoir, however, developed a very serious case of arthritis . . . so debilitating that he was almost completely paralyzed by it. He winced and jerked in
The post Renoir and Matisse appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Dreams, Same-Sex Attraction, Emotional Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Fear, Parenting, PTSD, Anxiety Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown Caller Questions: Does God use dreams to speak to us? My friend's wife is abusive to the kids, and she is in a lesbian relationship now. How does he protect his children? When I was 10yo, we were in a car accident and my
The post New Life Live: October 7, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. - Proverbs 5:21-22 Have you ever been foolish enough to attempt to blame your wrong doing on the Lord? Several years
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Topics: Affairs, Support Group, Communication, Estrangement, Adult Children Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: My wife is showing signs she might have cheated, but I have no proof. What can I do? I attended the Emotional Freedom Workshop and my PTSD and depression levels are so much lower! How do I start a women's ministry? My husband
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Topics: Affairs, Separation, Drug Addiction, Alcohol, Autism, Adult Children Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: After 18yrs of marriage, my wife is denying her affairs and we've been separated for 1yr. Is there hope for our marriage? My husband is in recovery for cheating and addiction; how do I rebuild trust? How do I help my 21yo autistic grandson move
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Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. - 2 Corinthians 9:7 A poor man vowed to give God a certain percentage of his income. From his first week's pay he gave one dollar. But before long, prosperity raised the
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Topics: Adult Children, Church Life, Narcissists, Divorce, Self Worth, Sexual Intimacy, Affairs, Anger Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: Can counseling help a 20yo procrastinator who won't grow up? How do I deal with mean church friends? I feel lost after my divorce from a narcissist; how do I find myself again? How do I deal with my rage
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There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. - Proverbs 16:25 Have you ever done something for all the right reasons and yet the outcome was a total disaster? Not long ago, a forest fire consumed nearly 1,000 acres in the local mountains. The fire
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Topics: 12-step Recovery, Self Worth, Alcohol, Christian Walk, Drug Addiction, Codependency Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Chris Williams Caller Questions: Is it true my brokenness sets me up for unhappiness? My husband says I act like I’m better than others; how do I change? Is it best to avoid going to functions because I get out of control when I drink?
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For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. - Matthew 7:8 Have you ever been in the uncomfortable position of having to defend your rights or your personal property? A 47 year-old woman conceived by artificial insemination after the death of her father was
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No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. - Ecclesiastes 8:8 When it comes to the length of your life, what do you consider long enough? On March 9, 1996 comedian and actor George Burns passed away at the age of 100.
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Topics: Separation, Pornography, Spiritual Abuse, Christian Walk, Grandparenting, Incarceration, Mother Issues, Dating Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: When is it acceptable for me to separate from my porn-addicted husband who gets in my face and yells at me to submit? Was I in error for praying for my husband to be healed from cancer when God knew He wasn't going
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In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. - Proverbs 16:9 Have you ever calculated and carefully planned something . . . only to find that the results were not what you expected? In January of 1996, a Los Angeles based radio station awarded a pair of Superbowl tickets
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Topics: Fear, Depression, Alcohol, Addictions, Salvation, Physical Abuse, Lying Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: What can I do about my sadness and fear of falling asleep? I once fell asleep at the wheel and hit a snowplow. How am I supposed to deal with my husband’s alcohol and tobacco addictions? He gets angry and defensive. I want to challenge
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For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:23 How many things can you think of in this world, that are "Free of Charge" . . . no strings attached? Not many! Perhaps that's why there are so many people trying
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. - Matthew 6:3 Has someone ever done something special for you anonymously? Didn't it
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. - Psalm 25:8-9 Have you ever strayed from the Lord and wandered down the wrong path? John O'Neil of Huntington, New York has. The 73 year-old man left a
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Topics: Siblings, Same-Sex Attraction, Dating, Alcohol, Adult Children, Introverts Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: Author Nick Harrison shares about the One Year Life Recovery Prayer Devotional he wrote with Steve Arterburn. How do I navigate with my kids my brother visiting my sister for the weekend with his drag queen boyfriend? Should I move to a more
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His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful. But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. - 2 Chronicles 26:15b-16 Have you
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Topics: Sexual Abuse, Intimacy, Teens, Pornography, ADHD, Grandparenting Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: What’s my next thing to do if my wife was sexually abused as a child and thinks counseling doesn’t work? How do we help our 15yo son to stop watching online porn after getting into trouble at school and going to therapy? Would you
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What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? - Mark 8:36 Have you ever desired something so much that you didn't realize what you would be giving up in order to gain this prize? In Des Moines, Iowa, a group of young men were arrested for trespassing
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Topics: Bipolar, Work Issues, Sexual Integrity, PTSD, Physical Abuse, Teens, Shame Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: What should I do if I’m bipolar, and a coworker seems to be watching everything I do? How much should I get involved with a young female employee who is quitting to sell her sex life online? My 16yo daughter has PTSD and anxiety from
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What, then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31 World War II ravaged through Europe for more than two years. The Axis forces looked invincible. England had suffered massive air raids by German forces in late 1940, and again in the spring
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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A dangerous enemy lurks inside many homes and only comes out at night. How does it lure its prey? It entices them to stay up late at night, bingeing on television shows, social media, and junk food. It’s easy to think late nights are a good way to relax; however, the opposite happens. While it’s
The post Are Late Nights Interfering with Jesus’ Invitation to Rest? appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Dating, Narcissists, Alcohol, Intimacy, Separation, Adult Children, Suicide, Marijuana Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: Do you recommend a book or therapy to get over being terrified of having a relationship with a man? My last boyfriend was a narcissist and alcoholic. You talked about reinventing yourself as empty nesters, and my wife and I are taking an online
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Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9 There must have been a time when we had high hopes for a promising life—before those hopes were dashed. But then, through the crazy and chaotic circumstances of growing up, we
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Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Matthew 6:34 All of us may find our courage tested by the inevitable disappointments and tragedies of life. After all, ours is a world filled with uncertainty, hardship, sickness, and danger. Trouble, it seems, is never too
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Topics: Adoption, Abortion, Estrangement, Adult Children, Custody, Blended Families Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: Interview with Jen Wilkin about our Lumina Women’s Event in November. Do I tell my 13yo daughter, who was adopted at birth, that her birth mom tried to abort her? After listening to my estranged daughter's hurts, what should I do to reconcile? I have
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Respect and obey the LORD! This is the first step to wisdom and good. - Psalm 111:10 There was a judge named, Edward Thompson who held a firm belief that God could change lives more powerfully than any judicial system. He liked to tell the story of 54 year-old Mary, who appeared before him with
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Topics: Adult Children, Affairs, Caregiving, Mother Issues, Schizophrenia, Grief, Overwhelmed Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Alice Benton Caller Questions: How do I approach my 20yo daughter who is involved with an older married man? My elderly wife is in adult daycare and will be kicked out soon because of aggression; what can I do? Part 4 of Max Lucado's interview about
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So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty." - Zechariah 4:6 Embracing life means embracing all of it, including the people who make it difficult. I call these people "character builders." You may hate the
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Topics: Church Life, Spiritual Abuse, Making Decisions, Friendship, Reconnection Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Chris Williams Caller Questions: What should I do if I left a church 5yrs ago because my pastor didn’t listen to my concerns, and I went back to smoking, drinking, and gambling? How do I make the decision to stay at home with Parkinson's or go to
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But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." - Psalm 31:14 Do you recall an advertisement that captured your attention? No matter which medium . . . television, radio, print, or the web, advertisements are created to arrest our attention. Recently, I was caught off guard with a newspaper ad.
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Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." - Luke 23:42-43 We made a decision to turn our wills and our lives over to the care of God. Perhaps we've become so disappointed that we've
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. - Luke 19:10 In the movie, The Sixth Sense, a little boy with unusual powers looks up at the character played by Bruce Willis and says, "I see dead people." As I look at the world around me, I have something
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stout-hearted. - Psalm 138:3 I think we all discover about five seconds outside the womb that this life isn't easy. And it seems that the older we get the tougher it becomes. Some people have problems or are attracted to difficulties like fleas to
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Topics: Shame, Childhood Trauma, Physical Abuse, Estrangement, Blended Families Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams Caller Questions: How do I get rid of shame caused by my PTSD father beating me as a young child? Do I disconnect from my mom and sister? When I had cancer, my mom told my kids I was lying. How do I move
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Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. - Matthew 11:28 Does it seem as if everyone wants something from you or expects you to do something? Pressure has become a regular part of our lives today. And these will be times when you’re forced to choose between
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Topics: Medication, Anxiety, Adult Children, Father Issues, Blended Families, Verbal Abuse, Estrangement, Physical Abuse, Grandparenting Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: My 31yo son was prescribed an antidepressant for his anxiety and digestive issues. Should I be concerned about addiction? What should I do about my emotionally distraught adult son who doesn’t think his dad loves him? My girlfriend’s boys take
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Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory - Romans 8:17 Like many other Christians, my parents thought that if they honored God and dedicated their children to the Lord, they’d
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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You will find the Lord your God, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. - Deuteronomy 4:29 There was an old Gatorade commercial where athletes swallow the power drink, work up a sweat, and orange or green sweat beads pop out everywhere. Then comes the question, "Is it
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Hosts: Becky, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts
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Topics: Brain Issues, Caregiving, Church Life, Trauma Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams Caller Questions: Interview with Kirk Cameron about his new movie dealing with adoption called Lifemark. My husband had a stroke 9yrs ago and it changed his personality. How can I deal with not knowing whether he’s going to be kind or belligerent? How do I
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Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. - Philippians 4:8 Are you an optimistic, hopeful, enthusiastic Christian? You should be. After all, as a believer, you have every reason to be
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Topics: Pornography, Dating, Childhood Trauma, Sexual Abuse, Intimacy, In-laws, Adult Children Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Becky Brown Caller Questions: I'm a widow and my husband had a porn addiction; how do I approach anyone I date about this? Is it ever too late to work on intimacy in your marriage? My aunt exposed herself to me when I was 8yo, and
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Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.- Ephesians 4:32 There’s a story about a grandmother, celebrating her golden wedding anniversary, who told the secret of her long and happy marriage. She said, "On my wedding day, I decided to make a list of ten of
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Topics: Controllers, Grandparenting, Estrangement, Adult Children, Self Worth, Pleasers Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams Caller Questions: When my grandson was playing with dolls, I redirected him to trucks; now my daughters are so upset at me that they won’t let me see my grandkids. Do I share my concerns with my 38yo daughter about her losing confidence since getting
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I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13 Pressure is valuable to people who work with constant deadlines and have to achieve creative output in little time. Doug Marlette has learned to greatly appreciate that challenge. He says, "Some people cannot imagine drawing a cartoon every day. 'I would be
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God. - Psalm 42:11 The sadness that accompanies any significant loss is an inevitable fact of life. In time, sadness runs its course and gradually abates. Depression, on the other
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Topics: Salvation, Christian Walk, Anger, Sexual Integrity, Intimacy Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Becky Brown Caller Questions: If I backslide or walk away from my faith, do I lose my salvation? Why aren't my prayers answered about my husband's angry explosions? Do I stay or walk away? My husband is going out with a lady he met at the dog
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And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. - 1 Peter 5:10 Do you ever think that your level of success in life is minimized by the problems and setbacks
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Topics: Addiction, Christian Walk, Salvation Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, and Special Guest Ken Harrison, chairman and CEO of Promise Keepers Caller Questions: I'm 73yo and am a recovering alcoholic and gambler; it seems like helping people and being a good guy doesn't pay. I saw my ex-girlfriend and she put down my Christian views; when is it
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Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. - Romans 12:12 Tragedy can strike anyone. When it does, you may feel as if you have no hope. You may wish you could just die and get it over with. But even after tragedy has devastated your life, God will redirect your course toward
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Topics: Christian Walk, Emotional Affairs, Intimacy, Separation, Adult Children, Psychosis, Emotional Abuse, Pornography Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: The man I’m dating believes you must speak in tongues to be saved; is that true? My husband of 36yrs has had emotional affairs and thinks a mediocre marriage is okay; time to leave? How do I help my 44yo addicted
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But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. - Isaiah 40:31 Chinese bamboo is one of the most remarkable plants on earth. Once a bamboo seed is planted it requires daily
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Topics: Codependency, Shame, Guilt, Self Worth, Boundaries, Christian Walk Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: I am a recovering codependent and feel guilty I no longer have to be a caretaker for my family's feelings; what do I do now? What’s the first step to recover from feeling unloved all my life and to set boundaries? Are getting cadaver parts
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Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Sometimes, in the crush of everyday living, we simply don’t stop long enough to pause and thank our Creator for the countless blessings He has bestowed upon us. When we slow down and express our gratitude
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. - Romans 8:1 All of us have made mistakes. Sometimes, we are swept up by events that encourage us to behave in ways that we later come to regret. And
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. - Proverbs 4:25-27 The condition of your character is determined, to a surprising extent, by the direction of
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God. - Jonah 2:6 Don't curse or grumble about the obstacles in your path, look at them as character builders. Find a way to move them, or
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Topics: Divorce, Parenting, Adult Children, Estrangement, Borderline, Narcissists, Reconnection Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown Caller Questions: I'm divorcing my alcoholic and verbally abusive husband. What do I tell our grandchildren as to why they can't see him? My ex-wife has been destroying me to our children, and our adult sons have cut contact with me. What can I do? I
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But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. - Psalm 68:3 A recent edition of the New York Times featured news of a new toy, a plush "Ask Me More Eeyore," modeled after the gloomy donkey from Winnie the Pooh. The toy is designed for children aged
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Topics: Aging Parents, Custody, Alcohol, Vacillators, Engagement, Sexual Integrity Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Jill Hubbard Caller Questions: I struggle watching my 90yo mother age. How do I cope with this? I’ve been raising my 8yo grandson for 4yrs. My son died and my daughter-in-law drinks; should I try for full custody? How do I deal with vacillating and self-sabotaging behaviors?
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For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless. - Romans 4:14 I've worked extensively with married couples, and that's allowed me to hear the best and the worst of what goes on in relationships. I've seen couples overcome affairs, financial catastrophes, and debilitating diseases. At
The post Importance of Promises appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Reconnection, Divorce, Estrangement, Adult Children, Marijuana, Psychosis Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown Caller Questions: I took your advice to smooth things over after I contacted a high school friend. Her husband called and threatened me. Does he need an apology also? Comment for Robert: Don't mess with law enforcement officers. Just forget about her. I have unresolved pain
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If you can? said Jesus. Everything is possible for him who believes. - Mark 9:23 It is almost as presumptuous to think you can do nothing as to think you can do everything. In other words, be honest about your limitations, but don't exaggerate them, or use them as an excuse to keep from being
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Topics: Divorce, Parenting, Pornography, Lying, Trust, Grandparenting, Physical Abuse Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris Caller Questions: My 14yo daughter has been traumatized by our divorce and I have become the scapegoat. How do I help her? How do I rebuild trust in my marriage? I haven't used porn for 4yrs and I passed a polygraph test, but she thinks I
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Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling, and slander, along with every form of malice. - Ephesians 4:31 Two shopkeepers owned stores directly across the street from each other. Each spent his days tracking the others' business, and gloating triumphantly each time a customer chose his own store. Over time, they became bitter
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, 'You are my security', if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained, then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high. - Job 31:24, 25, 28
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Topics: Church Life, Confrontation, Separation, Lying, Single Parenting, Dating, Physical Abuse, Verbal Abuse Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. John Townsend Caller Questions: My brother was hazed by the youth group and sexually harassed in our former church; I was bullied there. Should I confront church leadership? Is it a sin for me to walk away from my husband after he’s lied to me
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Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. - John 8:32 In the classroom setting of one Peanuts comic strip, on the first day of the new school year, the students were told to write an essay about returning to class. In her essay, Lucy wrote, "Vacations are nice, but
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Topics: Mother Issues, Verbal Abuse, Conflict, Separation Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: My mom hates me and my dad; she has slandered me for decades. What do I do? Our 18yo daughter has been a source of conflict for us, and now that she is in college, my husband moved into a different room. Suggested Resources: Forgiving
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You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. - Hebrews 10:36 Have you ever seen Michelangelo's David or experienced a live stage performance of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet? These are amazing works of art and literature. They will most certainly be admired
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. John Townsend RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: August 10, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. - 1 John 5:20 A college philosophy professor asked
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Special Guest Stacey Sadler, co-author of Understanding and Loving Your Child As a Single Parent RECORDING TODAY for 1 hour from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question about SINGLE PARENTING on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries
The post New Life Live: August 9, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. - 1 Timothy 6:20-21 The other day I spoke with a very bright thirty-five-year-old man. . . a
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Milan Yerkovich RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: August 8, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 The Wisconsin State Journal once asked some of the nation's largest corporations to share their most unusual experiences interviewing prospective employees. Here are just a few examples: One job applicant challenged his interviewer to arm
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Topics: Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Grief, Adult Children, Depression, Suicide, Teens, Forgiveness, Dating Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Becky Brown Caller Questions: My husband has been physically abusive the last 2yrs; how do I help him heal? Last summer I found out my husband was molesting our 10yo granddaughter, and he is in jail for 7yrs. I’m very sad; is that where I should
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Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. - James 1:2-3 It doesn't take a genius to know that life is difficult. And it's difficult in different ways for different people. Sometimes we bring difficulty upon ourselves and sometimes
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Topics: Christian Walk, Blended Families, Affairs, Suicide, Forgiveness, Adult Children, Asperger's Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: Can you talk about the verse in Romans that says God demonstrated His love while we were still sinning? How do I have a solid relationship with my bonus child? Since the pandemic, my stepdaughter has been very distant from me. I had
The post New Life Live: August 4, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. - Hosea 14:9 John Smith was pulled over for driving erratically, but just as officers began administering a breath test, there was an accident on the other side of the freeway. The policeman ordered John to wait
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Special Guest Connie Clark RECORDING TODAY for 1 hour from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: August 3, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time. - Matthew 6:34 The day Martha Stewart went to jail, I mentioned to a group that we should pray for her as she entered her new 'gated community', and the group laughed at that. But seriously, jail can indeed be a
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Becky Brown RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: August 2, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Four out of every ten households in the United States are blended families. So, 40 percent of all married parents nationwide have children from a previous marriage or relationship. Having a blended family is not easy, but there are ten strategies stepparents can use to create a safe and supportive stepfamily. Connect with the children
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Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10 There are so many excuses I could've used to hold back and not serve God, but none of them were good enough to miss God's best. Just the fact that I
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: August 1, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. - Matthew 19:14 Do you desire to have a growing relationship with God? Then you must approach Him like a child. Children have an unencumbered view of God. Even the most
The post A Child’s Heart appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Brain Issues, Anxiety, Trust, Grief, Medical Issues Abandonment, Siblings, Finances Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams Caller Questions: I have a lot going on with my husband’s recovery from a coma, repairing my relationship with my dad, and starting a non-profit. How do I deal with my anxiety when my wife goes out dancing? I feel like my marriage is
The post New Life Live: July 29, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Better a patient man than a warrior. A man who controls his temper than one who takes a city. - Proverbs 16:32 Let's look at a few popular, but sad, bumper stickers: My kid beat up your honor student. Welcome to America, now learn English! Keep honking, I'm reloading. All men are idiots, and I
The post Anger appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Necessary Endings, Physical Abuse, Dating, Pornography, Getting Unstuck, Drug Addiction Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: My 37yo daughter is very condescending; how do I talk with her without fighting? How do I know when to cut ties with family? We called the cops on my drunk dad when he hit my 17yo sister. My 19yo
The post New Life Live: July 28, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
There’s a term in recovery circles called “Stinking Thinking”. This means that someone’s best thinking has led them to their current situation. For many in recovery, that’s a difficult place to be as usually some great pain or loss has come about because of their own addiction. Especially in recovery from sexual addiction, broken relationships
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In early recovery, a man who has been involved in sexual addiction can have challenges in the way he thinks. His life up to this point has been about hiding and trying to look a certain way. He didn’t want anyone to know about his secret sexual sin and so he covered up those real
The post Refocusing on Recovery appeared first on New Life.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. - 1 Peter 2:9 Why do we so often miss the boat? I think it's because we settle for second
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Topics: Depression, Suicide, Adult Children, Suicide, In-laws, Narcissists Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams Caller Questions: Is life worth living with all my depression and anxiety? What is the balance between biting your tongue and speaking up? Our daughter-in-law told us not to talk to our son, then he died by suicide. How can I deal with my mother-in-law who
The post New Life Live: July 27, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. - Galatians 4:18 Someone once asked Jean Cocteau, the French writer, artist, and film director, what he'd take if his house were on fire and he could remove only one thing.
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: July 26, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you; love her, and she will guard you - Proverbs 4:6 Who is in charge of your emotions? Is it you, or have you formed the unfortunate habit of letting other people—or stressful situations—determine the quality of your thoughts and the direction of your day? If you’re wise—and
The post Controlling Your Emotions appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Affairs, Discipline, Grandparenting, Divorce, Dating, Teens, Pornography, Anxiety, Fear Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: How do I share with someone about my ex-husband's infidelity when it makes me feel sick? What is the rule of discipline when watching my young grandkids? I've been divorced for 5yrs and in my sixties; what are some guidelines for dating? We found hard
The post New Life Live: July 25, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Try to shine as lights among the people of this world, as you hold firmly to the message that gives life. - Philippians 2:15-16 Audrey Wetherell Johnson was not interested in reaching American women. Her heart was in China. After fourteen years of service there, she had been driven out by Communist forces in 1950,
The post Your Daily Dose of Spiritual Vitamins appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grief, In-laws, Christian Walk, Friendship, Guilt, Depression Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. John Townsend Caller Questions: We lost our 6yo grandson in April, and our daughter-in-law hasn’t spoken to us since. What else can we do to mend the relationship? I’m 81yo and was misdiagnosed since childhood. What can I do about emotional imbalances and dyslexia? I feel a longing
The post New Life Live: July 22, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. - Luke 11:4 Corrie ten Boom, one of the 20th century’s great Christian spokespersons, lost her sister and father in the Nazi death camps of World War II, and she barely escaped with her own life. Years after the war, she began
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Topics: Incarceration, Siblings, Reconciliation, Intimacy, Transgender, Parenting Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton Caller Questions: I just got out of prison and your radio show inspired me while I was incarcerated. Thank you! How do I repair the relationship with my critical and controlling sister? I had a stroke and my wife was neglectful; would I be better off leaving her? What
The post New Life Live: July 21, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people! - James 4:7-8 This world is tough and maintaining one’s integrity is hard. Temptations are everywhere, and the devil, it
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Topics: Parent Issues, Sexual Integrity, Grief, Parenting, Anxiety, Depression, Friendship, Trauma, Getting Unstuck Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. John Townsend Caller Questions: I'm 32yo and live with my father and difficult stepmother; how do I honor my parents? I wanted to let you know the impact Every Man's Battle had in my husband's life and Transforming Grief had in my life after he died.
The post New Life Live: July 20, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. - 1 Corinthians 16:13 You could make the argument that we live in a troubled society. And if that’s the case, then adopting the values and priorities of our society would make us—by virtue of definition—troubled as well, wouldn’t it?
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Topics: Marijuana, Pregnancy, Affairs, Depression, Medical Issues, Betrayal, Hope Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: Is there any medical proof that marijuana affects an unborn child? My 4yo grandson may have autism, and his mom smokes pot. My friend's husband keeps meeting women on the internet, and she is afraid to leave him. How do I help her? How can
The post New Life Live: July 19, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him for God is our refuge. - Psalm 62:8 Have you ever noticed the significance of the number forty in Scripture? Moses worked as a shepherd forty years before God called him to lead the Israelites from captivity. Moses was atop Mount
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Topics: Teens, Cutting, Same-Sex Attraction, Intimacy, Adult Children, Boundaries, Christian Walk, Parenting, Alcohol, Church Life Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: What are some ideas on how I can talk to my 16yo niece about her choices with sexual identity, pink hair, and cutting? I married 4yrs ago for the wrong reasons; now that we are both Christians, how do I grow to be
The post New Life Live: July 18, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." - Nehemiah 7:10 We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Most of us falter at
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Topics: Coaching, Betrayal, Separation, Teens, Depression, Isolation, Dating, Necessary Endings, Getting Unstuck Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams Caller Questions: Interview with Cathy who is having a great experience with her New Life coach! My life is a mess; what do I do? I betrayed my wife, we separated, and I am having financial stress. How can I help my best friend from
The post New Life Live: July 15, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
We admitted that we were powerless over our dependencies and that our lives had become unmanageable. The search for love and permanent security in relationships is deep within all of us. Even though we may be in a relationship where we are loved, we may deeply fear the loss of that love. This is especially true
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Topics: Cutting, Teens, Adult Children, Drug Addiction, Boundaries, Sexual Abuse, Separation, Depression Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. John Townsend Caller Questions: I work with teens who are cutting themselves; how do I reach them? I got into a fight with my adult son who’s far left and I’m far right; now he’s leaving me. My son spent 13yrs in prison, and he’s out
The post New Life Live: July 14, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Marital adjustment is a simple matter. Before marriage, you command your ship of life based upon the personal convictions of one person—you. After marriage you board the USS Matrimony. You are now dealing with the personal convictions of two people. It’s something you must quickly learn to deal with. Humility is essential to create and
The post Humility: A Key Factor in a Healthy Marriage appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: July 13, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. We may feel a confusion of emotions as we relate to our parents. This is true especially if we've been abused during our childhood and bear the scars of that abuse. We may have been taught that failing to honor our parents is a sin.
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton RECORDING TODAY for 1 hour from 1-2pm ET / 10-11am PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: July 12, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. - Hebrews 2:4 If you’re a Christian, you have spiritual abilities . . . and it may be the case that you have some spiritual abilities that you’re not aware of—unwrapped gifts just
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Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. John Townsend RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: July 11, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do. Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:13-14 Can we return to the
The post Out Of Eden appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Alcohol, Addictions, Estrangement, Sexual Integrity, Siblings Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: How do I respond to my 41yo married son who says he is stressed about his drinking and smoking? I've been estranged from my adult daughter for 6mos. How do I reconcile the relationship? My husband flirted with my sister-in-law, and now we
The post New Life Live: July 8, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. - Colossians 3:13 The Bible's central theme is God seeking and saving those in dire need of forgiveness. Jesus willingly died on the cross for you and me, even though we often don't feel a need to be forgiven.
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Topics: Boundaries, Depression, Living Together, Sexual Abuse, Getting Unstuck, Grandparenting, Teens, Father Issues Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: I broke up with my live-in depressed boyfriend and he refuses to leave; what do I do? I’m scared I’m going to go to hell because I can’t overcome sexual thoughts. How can my husband connect more with our 17yo grandson who
The post New Life Live: July 7, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. - Philippians 4:12 Do you think that our lives are out of control?
The post Living In Excess appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Divorce, Affairs, Separation, Pornography, Christian Walk, Regret Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: After 20yrs of marriage, my husband filed for divorce. I don't believe in divorce; what do I do? I found out my husband of 12yrs has been cheating on me. Should I stay with him or is it OK to leave him? I've struggled
The post New Life Live: July 6, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
You, LORD, are the light that keeps me safe. I am not afraid of anyone. - Psalm 27:1 When Queen Elizabeth II visited Nigeria in 1956, she laid a wreath at the gravestone of a Scotswoman, Mary Slessor. Mary, however, did not go to Africa under the authority of the British Crown -- Mary served
The post The Lord is my Light, Whom Shall I Fear appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Alcohol, Pornography, Blended Families, Narcissists, Sexual Abuse, Christian Walk Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: How do I deal with my soon-to-be ex-husband? He's an alcoholic and is addicted to porn, and he expects us to all hang out together at family events. Will Every Man's Battle help my husband who has narcissistic personality disorder? I am so
The post New Life Live: July 5, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. - John 14:23 KJV Elisabeth Elliot advised, "Obedience to God is our job. The results of that obedience are God’s." These
The post Walk In His Truth appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Integrity, Fear, Childhood Abuse, Anxiety, Suicide, Christian Walk Hosts: Zach Matchett, Milan Yerkovich, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: How do I respond to my new wife who discovered a group porn text on my phone, but I haven’t looked at porn in 4yrs? Every time I mess up, I think I’m going to get spanked because that’s what happened to me
The post New Life Live: July 4, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you. - 1 Chronicles 12:18 NIV Mary Pickford was "America’s sweetheart" in the early days of motion pictures. And along with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith, she formed United Artists Corporation, a Hollywood powerhouse. Miss Pickford had
The post Beyond Failure appeared first on New Life.
From the New Life Live! archives, this Flashback Friday show originally aired on July 3, 2009 Topics: Intimacy, Sexual Integrity, Anxiety, Weight Loss, Conflict, Father Issues, Anger Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: When is it adultery if my husband's fetish is to watch me have sex with others? How do I break free from my anxiety disorder, being housebound, and
The post New Life Live: July 1, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. - Philippians 4:6 We live in a fast-paced, stress-inducing, anxiety-filled world that oftentimes seems to shift beneath our feet. Sometimes, trusting God is difficult, especially when we become caught up in the incessant demands of an
The post Don’t Be Anxious appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Friendship, Isolation, Parenting, In-laws, Boundaries, Vacillators, PTSD, Separation Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: My friend has Parkinson’s and cancer and is isolated. Since she lives far from me, how can I help her? How do I parent my 17yo daughter who says she’s going to move back to where we used to live and marry her boyfriend when
The post New Life Live: June 30, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
There are clear distinctions between healthy and unhealthy relationships. People in healthy relationships feel safe because they build each other up, whereas people in unhealthy relationships tend to control each other and feel unsafe. Knowing the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships is the key to staying safe in a relationship. Reality vs. Fantasy. In
The post Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships: What’s the Difference? appeared first on New Life.
Most parents genuinely love their teens. But between physical changes, struggles at school, and trying to find their place in the world, let’s face it: Teens are not always easy to love. And unfortunately, parents can resort to shame-based parenting when their teenagers become challenging to live with. As an alternative to shame-based parenting, there
The post Loving Your Teen—Even When It’s Hard appeared first on New Life.
Is living a full life only for those who are young? No! A satisfying and fulfilling life does not have to come with an expiration date. Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT). Through Christ, it’s
The post 8 Ways to Live Your Best Life as You Age appeared first on New Life.
Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. - Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whether you receive a paycheck or emotional reward for your job, can you honestly say that God has directed you to your present work? Did you seek his guidance
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Topics: Anger, Pornography, Drug Addiction, ADD, Adult Children, Inheritance, Single Parenting, In-laws Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard Caller Questions: What do I do about my anger over my husband’s porn addiction and emotional affair? What’s the next step for my 19yo granddaughter who goes to rave parties and has ADD? My adult children think we’re giving them a large inheritance when
The post New Life Live: June 29, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels-everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him. - Colossians 1:16 MSG Rosa Parks was a seamstress from Montgomery, Alabama, exhausted from a hard day's work, quietly riding home on a bus. But God had plans
The post Living On Purpose appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Zach Matchett, Alice, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 28, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
If you lived on the world's terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God's terms and no longer on the world's terms, the world is going to hate you. - John 15:19 MSG It's difficult to race headlong after material possessions and focus
The post What Kind of Treasure Hunter are You? appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Zach Matchett, Milan Yerkovich, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 27, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. For each person will have to carry his own load. - Galatians 6:4-5 We humans are masters at passing the buck. Why? Because passing the buck is easier than
The post You Are Accountable appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grandparenting, Communication, Validation, People Pleasers, Confrontation, Finances Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: How do I help my 16yo granddaughter? She was inappropriately touched by a relative and is triggered by her dad getting out of prison. How do I deal with my bad feelings? I want an apology from my wife after a disagreement, but I
The post New Life Live: June 24, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But you see in the dark because daylight and dark are all the same to you. - Psalm 139:12 Dietrich Bonhoeffer wanted to see moral responsibility, unselfish concern for others, intellectual integrity, self-discipline, and personal commitment demonstrated in the Christian life. The rise of Nazism and the church's compromise of values in order to fit into
The post A Lesson in Obedience from Dietrich Bonhoeffer appeared first on New Life.
Topics: In-laws, Sexual Abuse, Church Life, Depression, Anxiety, Adult Children, Anger Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams Caller Questions: What do I say to my sister-in-law who told me she can’t keep going on being married to my brother? I was abused in a Masonic youth group and have tried twelve different churches. Do I need to find a denomination opposed
The post New Life Live: June 23, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would not remain in darkness. - John 12:46 Is Jesus the cornerstone of your life . . . or have you relegated Him to a far corner of your life? The answer to this question will determine the quality, the
The post Let Jesus Guide The Way appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Pornography, Intervention, Adult Children, Estrangement, Reconciliation Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: Our 31yo daughter is now acting in porn movies; is there hope for an intervention? How can I support my daughter whose husband is addicted to porn? He treats her poorly and neglects her. I haven't seen my daughter for 12yrs and I pray
The post New Life Live: June 22, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast. - Hebrews 6:19 NASB There are few sadder sights on earth than the sight of a man or woman who has lost all hope. In difficult times, hope can be elusive, but those who place their faith in God’s
The post Holding Onto Hope appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 21, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. - Philippians 3:20-21 Being 'real' is the result of being
The post What Does it Mean to Be Real? appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Christian Walk, Grief, Alcohol, Separation, Adult Children, Depression, Affairs Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Jill Hubbard Caller Questions: I was an atheist. After the woman I loved was murdered two days before Christmas and then my grandmother died, I began to think about Jesus. I asked my alcoholic husband to move out; what should I expect from him before reconciliation happens?
The post New Life Live: June 20, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. - 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV If you stop to
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Topics: Adult Children, Estrangement, Anger, Vacillators, Dating, Christian Walk Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: How can I reconnect with my 46yo daughter who says she has relieved me of being her mom? My wife knows how to push my buttons and I feel angry and disrespected; what should I do? My daughter is in her twenties and
The post New Life Live: June 17, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. - Hebrews 10:23 HCSB When you trust God's promises and when you try your best to honor Him with your prayers, your thoughts, and your actions you will continue building character every day of your life. Are
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Topics: Emotional Affairs, Parenting, Teens, Mood Swings, Social Anxiety, Self Worth, Work Issues Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown Caller Questions: I am concerned that my husband’s long-distance friendship with a woman is becoming an emotional affair. What should I do? How do I get help for my 19yo daughter with severe mood swings and anorexia? She started hyperventilating and screaming
The post New Life Live: June 16, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
For I know the plans I have for you' the Lord's declaration', plans for (your) welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11 HCSB Why did God put me here? It's a simple question to ask and, at times, a very complicated question to answer. As you seek
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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Let angry people endure the backlash of their own anger; if you try to make it better, you’ll only make it worse. - Proverbs 19:19 MSG From experience, we know that it is easy to criticize others. And we know that it is usually far easier to find faults than to find solutions. Still, the
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about
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Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton, Marc Cameron RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
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I will lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. - Psalm 121:1-2 NKJV It’s a promise that is made over and over again in the Bible: Whatever "it" is, God can handle it. Life isn’t always easy. Far from
The post God Can Handle It appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Estrangement, Sexual Integrity, Childhood Trauma, Making Decisions Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Jill Hubbard Caller Questions: My adult daughter says she had a lot of childhood trauma and hasn't communicated with us in 5yrs. Is this something you’re seeing more of? My husband has been messaging his ex and looking at scantily clad women. Do you think
The post New Life Live: June 10, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
I asked the LORD for help, and He saved me from all my fears. - Psalm 34:4 Agoraphobia is an intense fear of being in public. Al Kasha (actor and songwriter) had already fought his way through eating disorders, workaholism, drug abuse, and panic attacks when the phobia imprisoned him in his home. At age
The post The Power of His Name appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Christian Walk, Estrangement, Reconciliation, Verbal Abuse Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: Do heroes have more empathy? I heard a true story of a brave person who put himself in danger to help someone. Is it right to think that born again believers are different than the billions who haven’t heard the good news? How do
The post New Life Live: June 9, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Timely advice is as lovely as golden apples in a silver basket. - Proverbs 25:11 NLT Life is a team sport, and all of us need occasional pats on the back from our teammates. This world can be a difficult place, a place where many of our friends and family members are troubled by the stresses
The post Finding and Sharing Encouragement appeared first on New Life.
Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 8, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel. - Proverbs 15:18 NIV Life is full of frustrations: some great and some small. On occasion, you, like Jesus, will confront evil, and when you do, you may respond as He did: vigorously and without reservation. But, more often your frustrations will
The post Conquering Everyday Frustrations appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Divorce, Vacillators, Aging Parents, Dementia, Connection Hosts: Chris, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris Caller Questions: I was married for 5mos, came home and everything was gone. What is going through someone's head when they have a spouse who loves them, but they bail anyways? My elderly mom loses things and blames it on stress. I think she may have dementia;
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The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. - Psalm 29:11 Everywhere we turn, or so it seems, the world promises us contentment and happiness. But the contentment that the world offers is fleeting and incomplete. Thankfully, the contentment that God offers is all encompassing and everlasting. Happiness depends less upon
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Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Milan Yerkovich RECORDING TODAY for 2 hours from 1-3pm ET / 10am-12pm PT. CALL 800-229-3000 to ask a question on the radio show! Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: June 6, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. - 2 Corinthians 3:17 Imagine this scene: A broken man awakens one morning with no options. Hopeless, owning nothing but an empty stomach, he stands starkly upon the auctioneer’s block as a slave. Shoulders slumped, pride stripped away,
The post In Christ There is Freedom appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Addiction, Mother Issues, Restraining Orders, Narcissists, Pornography, Anger Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown Caller Questions: How can I not become bitter and help my husband when his sexual addiction keeps popping up? I’m a single mom of a 1yo. My mom is very narcissistic and manipulative; should I cut her off? My wife filed a protective order
The post New Life Live: June 3, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Blessings crown the head of the righteous. - Proverbs 10:6 NIV Because we have been so richly blessed, we should make thanksgiving a habit, a regular part of our daily routines. But sometimes, amid the stresses and obligations of everyday life, we may allow interruptions and distractions to interfere with the time we spend with God.
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Topics: Borderline, Counseling, Toxic Faith, Divorce, Dating, Adult Children, Verbal Abuse, Alcohol, Estrangement Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard Caller Questions: I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and my counselor says I need someone else more specialized in this field. My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer 5yrs ago and stopped treatment because she believes she is healed; what should I do?
The post New Life Live: June 2, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid". - Matthew 14:26-27 Every day we are confronted by events that strike fear in our hearts. Headlines
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Topics: Counseling, Coaching, Narcissists, Suicide, Forgiveness, Alcohol, Estrangement, Grandparenting, Reconciliation, Boundaries Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown Caller Questions: Daniel Grossman, a board-certified master coach, called to talk about the differences between coaching and counseling I attempted suicide several times, and God miraculously delivered me from my narcissism. How do I keep from becoming prideful and ending up in the same place? My mom
The post New Life Live: June 1, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:2 You hear it from almost every corner: American culture is becoming increasingly marked by loneliness and isolation. In one way it's understandable. There is a sense of safety and control in isolation and disconnection, but it's a
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Topics: In-laws, Confrontation, Adult Children, Father Issues, Separation Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton Caller Questions: My son-in-law is very critical, told me I’m rude to my husband, and is so strict with his kids that they don’t even get lollipops. Do I confront my daughter? She is going through a divorce, and I overheard her talking inappropriately
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Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. - Isaiah 41:10 We live in a world that is, at times, a frightening place. We live in a world that
The post Facing Our Fears appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Christian Walk, Self Worth, Church Life, Sexual Integrity, Marijuana, Lying, Grief, Miscarriage, Anxiety Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: I was reading a devotional about Zephaniah 3:17 and God delighting in us. How do I feel God's feelings for me? Do I submit to my husband and attend his church? We’re newly married, and a woman that my husband
The post New Life Live: May 30, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. - Psalm 18:3 God has a way of showing us that we don’t know as much as we think we do. And He will certainly act when we need to be shown that we don’t know better than
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Topics: Dating, Divorce, Sexual Abuse, Trust, Narcissists, Separation, Schizophrenia, Adult Children, Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris Caller Questions: Should I pursue a woman who is in the process of getting a divorce? Has my past sexual abuse caused me to self-sabotage and put up walls in relationships? I’m divorced. I’ve been married 19yrs to a narcissist. Do I leave or is
The post New Life Live: May 27, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord... Hosea 10:12 Unlike physical hunger, our appetite for God is endless. Once you've satisfied your physical hunger you no longer want to eat. In fact, the sight, smell, or even the
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Topics: Getting Unstuck, Divorce, Self Worth, Adult Children, Sexual Abuse, Grief, Suicide, PTSD, Emotional Affairs, Starting Over Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris Caller Questions: Do I follow my son's wishes and not go to his high school graduation? His dad and stepmom have alienated him from me. How can I help my adult daughter who was molested by her dad at 5yo and
The post New Life Live: May 26, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. - Deuteronomy 4:9 After a rather lifeless Sunday morning service, the pastor noticed
The post Bridging the Gap appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Intimacy, Verbal Abuse, Separation, Marijuana, Parenting, Teens, Depression, Fear Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Marc Cameron Caller Questions: My wife has lost desire for intimacy and doesn't want to do what the doctor says. Do I pray for my desire to go away? Should I separate from my verbally abusive husband who started drinking again? Our 15yo daughter is going to
The post New Life Live: May 25, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Establishing personal boundaries is imperative to spiritual freedom and vitality when coming out of a life of sexual sin. These boundaries should be intentional and thought out ahead of time. Trying to put them in place while in the midst of temptation will not work because the desire to override them will be too strong.
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Step 3 of the 12 Steps of Life Recovery says that “We made a decision to turn our wills and our lives over to the care of God.” For the man who is on the journey of recovery out of sexual addiction, this decision is a very important one. Probably for the first time in
The post The Care of God appeared first on New Life.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10 While rummaging through the trash for returnable bottles and cans, Charles Moore, a 59-year-old homeless man in Detroit, found $21,000 in U. S. savings bonds. Who could need the money more
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Topics: Separation, Marijuana, Depression, Parenting, Reconciliation, Forgiveness, Finances, Sexual Abuse, PTSD Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris Caller Questions: My husband has been distant from me for the past 2yrs. When is it OK to separate with the hopes of reconciliation? How do we come up with a plan to help our 18yo daughter who is vaping marijuana and depressed? She is moving
The post New Life Live: May 24, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. - Hebrews 13:16 I don't have any problems relating to people. Really. It's true. I don't ever get irritated or upset with anyone: as long as I'm alone. It's amazing just how easy life is when
The post A Disconnected Life appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Trust, Finances, Avoider, Vacillator, Friendship, Confrontation, Parenting, Verbal Abuse, Self Worth Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: Should I stay with my wife or give her what she wants and leave? She hasn't hardly talked to me for 2yrs and won't combine our finances. I've been trying to get in touch with an old high school friend, and she
The post New Life Live: May 23, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the Lord, I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. - Psalm 3:3-4 It's impossible to adequately summarize the richness and breadth contained in the book of Psalms. It was Israel's hymnbook,
The post A Psalm appeared first on New Life.
From the New Life Live! archives, this show originally aired on December 17, 2010 Topics: Same-sex Attraction, Connection, Friendship, Affairs, Church Life, Pornography, Grief, Emotional Affairs Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. John Townsend Caller Questions: What is the best way to talk to my sister after finding out she has been a lesbian for 10yrs? How can I learn to connect with people?
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Is it hard to bond with others? Being able to bond with others is a deep need everyone has. But if someone cannot connect, there may be some reasons why. First, a person who struggles to bond may not validate another’s experiences. Everyone needs to know that someone understands how they feel and their reality.
The post Unable to Bond? Here Are Two Reasons Why appeared first on New Life.
The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” Even though this verse is simple, it’s packed with many truths that are deep and complex. When Jesus began His public ministry at about thirty years of age, He left the security of home for the uncertainties of life on the road. But during
The post What Jesus’ Tears Teach Us About Grief appeared first on New Life.
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,' and, 'A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.' They stumble because they disobey the message–which is also what they were destined for. -
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Topics: Dating, Discernment, Physical Abuse, Verbal Abuse, Separation, Sexual Abuse, Adult Children, Shame, Suicide Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Becky Brown Caller Questions: I’m 63yo and lost my wife; I started dating a woman online, and she scammed me out of a lot of money. Will God ever trust me again? My husband of 30yrs is physically and verbally abusive. After giving him an
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Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. - James 1:12 Soon after making a decision to follow Christ, a young Nigerian named Daniel returned to his Muslim village. He was excited
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Topics: Pornography, Bipolar, Drug Addiction, Counseling, Christian Walk Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: Do I leave my unbelieving husband who refuses to stop watching hardcore porn? We went to a secular counselor, and he told me to watch porn with my husband. What should I do about my bipolar adult daughter with a meth addiction? She was in
The post New Life Live: May 13, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stout-hearted. - Psalm 138:3 About five seconds outside the womb I think we all discover that this life isn't easy. And it seems that the older we get the tougher it becomes. Some people have problems or are attracted to difficulties like fleas to
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Topics: Bullying, Anger, Fear, Depression, Parenting, Friendship Hosts: Zach Matchett, Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton Caller Questions: My 11yo daughter is being bullied and scratches her face when she is upset. How do I help her cope with her strong feelings of anger and fear? Do I let my 4yo daughter have her way and not invite my best friend’s daughter to
The post New Life Live: May 12, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. - James 5:16 I recently heard a story about a man who was arrested at a hospital where he went to get treatment for a serious animal
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Topics: Anger, Asperger's, Self Worth, Confrontation, Adult Children, Boundaries Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Becky Brown Caller Questions: What do I do to help my 16yo nephew whose mom left for over a month to get plastic surgery? He says his mom only cares about her online followers. How do I encourage my 30yo son with Asperger's to get a mentor
The post New Life Live: May 11, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. - Romans 12:11-12 In his lifetime Vincent Van Gogh sold only one painting. Today he's known for his passion and artistic genius. And he's remembered as a lonely soul. In a letter
The post Lonely Souls appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Homeless, Getting Unstuck, Alcohol, Hope, Grief, Church Life, Starting A Group Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown Caller Questions: How do I break the pattern of being helpless? I have the means to stop being homeless, but I feel stuck. I’m an alcoholic and I’m sick and tired of it. Should I try using Naltrexone to treat it? After injuring
The post New Life Live: May 10, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. - Romans 5:3-5 In 1741 George Frideric Handel
The post Persevering Amidst Hardship appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Coaching, Anger, Divorce, Transgender, Autism, Teens, Depression, Anxiety Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: Interview with Dr. Eric Scalise about the InFocus & Empowered Christian Life Coaching Conference that Steve Arterburn will be speaking at this fall. I separated from my husband after a violent incident 2yrs ago. How do I get through a divorce when I am overwhelmed with emotions?
The post New Life Live: May 9, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. - 1 Thessalonians 5:14 NASB Life demands patience . . . and lots of it! We live in an imperfect world inhabited by imperfect people. Sometimes, we inherit troubles from others, and sometimes we create trouble for ourselves. In
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Topics: Alzheimer's, Aging Parents, Estrangement, Divorce, Teens, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Integrity, Self Worth Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: My mom has Alzheimer’s and her brother just died. We told her that he died, but how do we grieve with her when she doesn't remember? I called the police on my teen daughter because she tried to stab me. My
The post New Life Live: May 6, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Few of us would argue with the title of this article. Yet, in our daily lives, and particularly in the lives of men who suffer from sexual addiction, the truthfulness of this statement is not translated into daily living. Several days ago the following comments were made in my office: ‘I was enjoying a serious
The post People Are More Important Than Things appeared first on New Life.
Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. - Psalm 106:1 NIV Sometimes, in our rush to get things done, we simply don’t stop long enough to thank our Creator for the countless blessings He has bestowed upon us. After all, we’re busy people with many demands
The post Praise Him appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Divorce, Enabling, Childhood Trauma, Dating, Physical Abuse Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Jill Hubbard Caller Questions: How do I deal with my 28yo son saying his low-paying job is a result of childhood neglect? I pay for certain things, but I don't want to enable him. I broke up with my boyfriend two months ago, and now he
The post New Life Live: May 5, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. - Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG Sometimes God speaks loudly and clearly. More often, He speaks in a quiet voice,
The post Listen Carefully To God appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Narcissists, Adult Children, Suicide, Sexual Addiction, Bipolar Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Chris Williams Caller Questions: My daughter is married to a physically and verbally abusive narcissist. Should I tell her that he can't be around us because my other kids don't want to be around him? Comment: Naomi Judd did let people know that her mental illness is
The post New Life Live: May 4, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. - 1 Peter 3:12 KJV Oswald Chambers, the author of the Christian classic devotional text My Utmost For His Highest, advised, "Never support an experience which does not
The post Doing The Right Thing appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grief, Community, Same-Sex Attraction, Incarceration, In-laws, Physical Abuse Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jim Burns Caller Questions: How do I prepare my heart for your online Transforming Grief workshop? I live alone and won't have support around me. Our adult daughter is married to a woman, and they want to stay in the same room when they come to visit.
The post New Life Live: May 3, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9 NIV Some of our most important dreams are the ones we abandon. Some of our most important goals are the ones we don't attain. Sometimes, our most important
The post When Our Plans Go Awry appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Affairs, Pornography, Grief, Adult Children, Alcohol, Community Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich Caller Questions: How do I get my wife to try to help our marriage after my porn use and infidelity before our wedding? Is my adult son's severe eye pain related to his porn addiction? My parents died when I was 21yo, and my son died of a
The post New Life Live: May 2, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Every day is hard for those who suffer, but a happy heart is like a continual feast. - Proverbs 15:15 NCV Cheerfulness is a wonderful antidote to stress. And, as believers who have been saved by a risen Christ, why shouldn’t we be cheerful? The answer, of course, is that we have every reason to
The post Cheerfulness 101 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Alcohol, Forgiveness, Affairs, Adult Children, Making Decisions, Work Issues Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Milan Yerkovich, Special Guest Marc Cameron Caller Questions: Comment to Oscar who is an alcoholic: He needs to feel safe himself, and then he'll make his wife feel safe. My wife of 6yrs had an affair with a man that I don’t like; how do I forgive them? Would an
The post New Life Live: April 29, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will support you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. - Psalm 55:22 HCSB It's a promise that is made over and over again in the Bible: Whatever "it" is, God can handle it. Life isn't always easy. Far from it! Sometimes, life can seem
The post God Gives Us Strength appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Father Issues, Estrangement, Adult Children, Drug Addiction, Codependency, Mother Issues, Childhood Abuse Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard Caller Questions: My dad really invests in other people, but barely invests in me and my sisters and it is extremely hurtful. How do I reconnect? How do I handle seeing my son with a destructive addiction that brings me a lot
The post New Life Live: April 28, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive. – Proverbs 16:23 NLT
If you want to help your family and friends overcome stress, then you must measure your words carefully. And that’s exactly what God wants you to do. God’s Word reminds us that “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18 NIV).
Today, make this promise to yourself: vow to be an honest, effective, encouraging communicator at work, at home, and everyplace in between. Speak wisely, not impulsively. Use words of kindness and praise, not words of anger or derision. Learn how to be truthful without being cruel.
Remember that you have the power to heal others or to injure them, to lift others up or to hold them back. And when you learn how to lift them up, you’ll soon discover that you’ve lifted yourself up, too.
– Steve Arterburn
Attitude and the spirit in which we communicate are as important as the words we say. – Charles Stanley
Part of good communication is listening with the eyes as well as with the ears. – Josh McDowell
We should ask ourselves three things before we speak: Is it true? Is it kind? Does it glorify God? – Billy Graham
TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord, You have warned me that I will be judged by the words I speak. Keep me mindful, Lord, that I have influence on many people; make me an influence for good. And, may the words that I speak today be worthy of the One who has saved me forever. Amen
The post Helping Others Manage Turbulent Times appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Siblings, Reconciliation, Adult Children, Grandparenting, Newlyweds
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- My sister is separated from her husband; I sent him an email, and he forwarded it to her. How do I repair the relationship with my sister?
- How do I re-establish a relationship with my older brother after he made hurtful comments to me?
- Should I go to my daughter’s baby shower? She’s been upset at me, and I overheard she doesn’t want me to visit after the baby is born.
- Should I stay in my 1yr marriage? He lives in another country and says that I’m no good.
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Emotional Freedom Workbook
How We Love
Boundaries
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 27, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14 NIV
If you’d like a surefire formula for tearing down your character, here it is: do everything you can to avoid doing an honest day’s work. But if you’d like a proven formula for building character, do your work with vigor, dedication, and enthusiasm.
You’ve probably heard the advice since you were a child: “Give the boss an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.” But sometimes, you’ll be tempted to do otherwise. Why? For starters, no job is perfect, and that means that your job isn’t perfect, either. So, from time to time, you’ll probably become upset with your job, and it is during these times, when you’re frustrated or upset, that you’ll be tempted to gripe, to waste time, and to do little else. Avoid these temptations they’re self-destructive.
Even if you’re planning on quitting your job tomorrow, give your boss a full day’s work today. Otherwise, you’ll be developing a very bad habit: the habit of giving less than 100%. It’s a character- destroying trait, an easy habit to acquire and a difficult habit to break.
If you’re looking for folks to waste time with, you can probably find them just about anywhere, including your workplace. But if you’re looking for a meaningful life (not to mention a career that you love), make up your mind to be the kind of person whose work speaks (in glowing terms) for itself. When you do, you’ll discover that when you give your best, you enjoy work the most.
– Steve Arterburn
The worst thing that laziness does is rob a man of spiritual purpose. – Billy Graham
The only cure for laziness is to be filled with the life of God. – Oswald Chambers
Work is such a beautiful and helpful thing, and independence so delightful that I wonder why there are any lazy people in the world. – Louisa May Alcott
The post Sloth Destroys Character appeared first on New Life.
Topics: PTSD, Grief, Suicide, Adult Children, Forgiveness, Getting Unstuck
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
Caller Questions:
- My son and his girlfriend cut me off from seeing my grandson, and I had to step down as a scout leader; would hypnosis or your workshop help me deal with these losses?
- What should I do for a family member who is a young adult and wants to die? He grew up without a role model.
- My 25yo son just called me and told me all of the bad things I did to him as a child, and I apologized; how can I move past this?
Suggested Resources:
Emotional Freedom Workbook
How We Love
How We Love Our Kids
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 26, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint – Isaiah 40:31
The dictionary defines the word patience as “the ability to be calm, tolerant, and understanding.” If that describes you, you can skip the rest of this page. But, if you’re like most of us, you’d better keep reading.
For most of us, patience is a hard thing to master. Why? Because we have lots of things we want, and we know precisely when we want them: NOW (if not sooner). But our Father in heaven has other ideas; the Bible teaches that we must learn to wait patiently for the things that God has in store for us, even when waiting is difficult.
We live in an imperfect world inhabited by imperfect people. Sometimes, we inherit troubles from others, and sometimes we create troubles for ourselves. On other occasions, we see other people “moving ahead” in the world, and we want to move ahead with them. So we become impatient with ourselves, with our circumstances, and even with our Creator.
Psalm 37:7 instructs us to “rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (NKJV). But, for most of us, waiting patiently for Him is hard. We are fallible beings who seek solutions to our problems today, not tomorrow. Still, God instructs us to wait patiently for His plans to unfold, and that’s exactly what we should do. Sometimes, patience is the price we pay for being responsible adults, and that’s as it should be. After all, think how patient our Heavenly Father has been with us. So the next time you find yourself drumming your fingers as you wait for a quick resolution to the challenges of everyday living, take a deep breath and ask God for patience.
Remember that patience builds character . . . and the best moment to start building is this one.
The best things in life seldom happen overnight; they usually take time. Henry Blackaby writes, “The grass that is here today and gone tomorrow does not require much time to mature. A big oak tree that lasts for generations requires much more time to grow and mature. God is concerned about your life through eternity. Allow Him to take all the time He needs to shape you for His purposes.”
– Steve Arterburn
TODAY’S PRAYERLord, please help me to accept the sovereignty of your will as I wait on you. Help me to see all the amazing things I can learn about You and myself as I wait and above all draw me close to you. Amen
The post Waiting . . . Patiently appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Alcohol, Emotional Abuse, Grief, Siblings, Pornography
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Milan Yerkovich, Special Guest Marc Cameron
Caller Questions:
- How do I show my wife I’m all in? I’m an alcoholic and was abusive to her, then I accepted Christ and just got baptized.
- My 47yo sister is moving from Missouri to live with me in two weeks. How can I help her with her grieving and mental challenges?
- My husband is a strong Christian involved with ministry, but I just discovered he watches porn.
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
Live Recovery Workbook
How We Love
Emotional Freedom Workbook
Intimate Deception
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 25, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” That’s exactly what Jesus did. – Romans 15:2-3 MSG
Sometimes, it’s not you, but instead your neighbors, who are experiencing stress. And, of course, we know that we’re instructed to love our neighbors, and yet there’s so little time . . . and we’re so busy. No matter. As Christians, we are commanded by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to love our neighbors just as we love ourselves.
This very day, you will encounter someone who needs a word of encouragement, a pat on the back, a helping hand, or a heartfelt prayer. And, if you don’t reach out to your friend, who will? If you don’t take the time to understand the needs of your neighbors, who will? If you don’t love your brothers and sisters, who will? So, today, look for a neighbor in need . . . and then do something to help. Father’s orders.
– Steve Arterburn
Make it a rule, and pray to God to help you to keep it, never, if possible, to lie down at night without being able to say: “I have made one human being at least a little wiser, or a little happier, or at least a little better this day.” – Charles Kingsley
Encouraging others means helping people, looking for the best in them, and trying to bring out their positive qualities. – John Maxwell
Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can. – John Wesley
TODAY’S PRAYER
Heavenly Father, help me be a Good Samaritan to the people You place along my path, today and every day. Amen
The post Neighbors in Need appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Drug Addiction, Mother Issues, Orphans, Grieving, Siblings
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Dr. John Townsend
Caller Questions:
- A friend went to rehab for prescription drug abuse and just had a relapse. What can we do to help her?
- My mother masks her mental health challenges and has alienated a lot of the family. What is my responsibility now that she is alone after my father died?
- I am a foster child. What does the Bible say about orphans so I can tell myself I am enough?
- Why wouldn’t my sister help her husband with Alzheimer’s go to his doctor’s appointments before he died?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
People Fuel
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 22, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. – Matthew 18:4 MSG
Want to reduce stress during these turbulent times? Here’s a simple solution: Simplify your life. Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done. After all, you live in a world where simplicity is in short supply.
Think for a moment about the complexity of your everyday life and compare it to the lives of your ancestors. Certainly, you are the beneficiary of many technological innovations, but those innovations have a price: in all likelihood, your world is highly complex. Unless you take firm control of your time and your life, you may be overwhelmed by a stress-inducing tidal wave of complexity that threatens your happiness.
Your Heavenly Father understands the joy of living simply, and so should you. So do yourself a favor: Keep your life as simple as possible. Simplicity is, indeed, genius. By simplifying your life, you are destined to improve it.
– Steve Arterburn
Simplicity reaches out after God; purity discovers and enjoys Him. – Thomas À Kempis
It is part of Satan’s program to make our faith complicated and involved. Now and then, we need a rediscovery of the simplicity that is in Christ and in our faith in Him. – Vance Havner
The most powerful life is the most simple life. The most powerful life is the life that knows where it’s going, that knows where the source of strength is; it is the life that stays free of clutter and happenstance and hurriedness. – Max Lucado
TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord, help me keep it simple. When I complicate my life, give me the wisdom to simplify. The world values complexity, Father, but You do not. Today, I will strive to keep my thoughts focused intently on Your Word, on Your love, and on Your Son. Amen
The post The Simple Life appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Avoiders, Dating, Communication, Aging Parent, Divorce, Remarriage, Fear, Adult Children, Confrontation
Hosts: Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- I am an avoider, and my girlfriend thinks I don’t believe in her; how do I reengage when I have fear?
- How do I tell my elderly father with dementia, without making him feel abandoned, that we are putting him in assisted living?
- My first wife left me and the kids after 20yrs. I’m divorced now, but I’m afraid to marry my girlfriend.
- How do I not enable my daughter-in-law and son? They call every day to complain about each other, but they refuse counseling.
Suggested Resources:
How We Love
Life Recovery Workbook for Divorce
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 21, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” – John 20:27
Suppose an argument arose around the lion’s cage at the zoo about how strong and ferocious the lion was. To your amazement, there were some people who doubted that he was strong or ferocious at all. Now, you could point out the lion’s size, teeth, claws, hunting instinct, and history as a man-eater. Or, you could simply open the cage, whereupon the lion itself would immediately remove all doubt!
This is precisely what a great nineteenth-century preacher named Charles Spurgeon said about the Bible. Is it true? Is it authoritative? Is it able to acquaint sinners with the Savior? We can argue about it forever; or we can faithfully study the Bible, share it, and let God remove all doubt by bearing His own witness!
Friends, the Bible doesn’t need defending. Let loose the lion and watch it do its own convincing!
– Steve Arterburn
For those with faith, no explanation is necessary. For those without, no explanation is possible. – Thomas Aquinas
Today’s PrayerLord, today I pray that you will give me the boldness of a lion to share my faith and your word and then allow you, Holy Spirit to do the convincing. Amen.
The post Letting Out the Lion appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Abuse, Weight Loss, Adult Children, Estrangement, Teens, Parenting, Intimacy
Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Alice Benton, Becky Brown
Caller Questions:
- My brother raped me and got me pregnant at 16yo, and I was forced to have an abortion. I’m now eating out of emotion and have had suicidal thoughts. What do I do?
- Should I confront my adult son? He is angry at me and has cut off our relationship, but I don’t know why.
- My 16yo daughter spends a lot of time on her cell phone and is sneaking onto other devices whenever we take her phone away. What is a fair rule for us to set around technology?
- We got married, had a baby, relocated during the pandemic, and now we are disconnected. I just got baptized; how can we be better parents and partners?
Suggested Resources:
Healing Is a Choice
Doing Life with Your Adult Children
How We Love Our Kids
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 20, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.” – 1 Chronicles 28:20
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Isn’t this what the Bible tells us? Yet we so often find Jesus telling people to “fear not.” Isn’t that a contradiction? Is He discouraging wisdom and thereby recommending foolishness?
No. Jesus is making a distinction between what’s often called “servile” and “filial” fear. Servile fear is the fear of a slave—a fear of punishment unmodified by love. Filial fear is something very different. It’s a fear borne of love; the healthy and reverent fear a child has when rightly related to a loving parent.
So what then is Jesus saying to us when He counsels us to “fear not?” He’s saying that, as long as we fear God, we never need to be afraid of God. What wonderful words of comfort!
– Steve Arterburn
I am not afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship. – Aeschylus
Today’s Prayer
Father, thank you that even though you are the God of the Universe, you don’t desire to control us with fear. I thank you that because of this I can approach you with reverence but also with the confidence that you have my best interests at heart. As your follower, help me never try to control others with fear.
The post Fearing Without Being Afraid appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Estrangement, In-laws, Disrespect
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton
Caller Questions:
- How can I open the lines of communication with my son and his wife? They cut me off and have blocked me on social media.
- My husband and I are ready to quit pursuing a relationship with our daughter-in-law. She treats our son disrespectfully like he is disposable. What do we do?
Suggested Resources:
How We Love Our Kids
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 19, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with a song. – Proverbs 15:15 MSG
Of course you’ve heard the saying, ‘Life is what you make it.‘ And although that statement may seem very trite, it’s also very true. You can choose a life filled to the brim with frustration and fear, or you can choose a life of abundance and peace. That choice is up to you and only you and it depends, to a surprising extent, upon your attitude.
What’s your attitude today? Are you fearful, angry, bored, or worried? Are you pessimistic, perplexed, pained, and perturbed? Are you moping around with a frown on your face that’s almost as big as the one in your heart? If so, God wants to have a little talk with you.
God created you in His own image, and He wants you to experience joy, contentment, peace, and abundance. But, God will not force you to experience these things; you must claim them for yourself.
God has given you free will, including the ability to influence the direction and the tone of your thoughts. And, here’s how God wants you to direct those thoughts:
Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise – dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:8 HCSB).
The quality of your attitude will help determine the quality of your life. So, the next time you find yourself dwelling upon the negative aspects of your life, refocus your attention on things positive. The next time you find yourself falling prey to the blight of pessimism, stop yourself and turn your thoughts around. The next time you’re tempted to waste valuable time gossiping or complaining, resist those temptations with all your might. And remember this, you’ll never whine your way to the top . . . so don’t waste your breath.
Today, create a positive attitude by focusing on opportunities, not roadblocks. Of course you may have experienced disappointments in the past, and you will undoubtedly experience some setbacks in the future. But don’t invest large amounts of energy focusing on past misfortunes. Instead, look to the future with optimism and hope.
– Steve Arterburn
The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality, and of hope. Where others have resigned, it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself, and not abandon it to his enemy. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Today’s Prayer
Father, create in me a grateful heart and a positive attitude by focusing on opportunities, not roadblocks. As I consider my disappointments, help me to see them as your appointments. I thank you that all things work together for good to those who love you and are called according to your will. Amen.
The post The Right Kind Of Attitude appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Dating, Self Worth, Engagement, Pornography, Sexual Integrity, Anger, Aging Parent, Anxiety, Parenting
Hosts: Becky Brown, Milan Yerkovich, Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- The man I’m dating wants to keep our relationship a secret. Should I part ways with him?
- Would your marriage weekend allow my 22yo daughter and her fiancé to talk about his porn use?
- What is the difference between honoring and confronting my angry mom who moved into my house?
- My 11yo nephew and his mom live with me. Would the feelings chart be helpful to help him learn to deal with his emotions?
Suggested Resources:
Intimate Deception
Every Man’s Battle
Worthy of Her Trust
Take Your Life Back
How We Love Our Kids
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 18, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. – John 2:22
I read a great Easter story told by Dr. George Sweeting regarding an incident in the early 1920s. Communist leader Nikolai Bukharin was sent from Moscow to Kiev to address an anti-God rally. For an hour he abused and ridiculed the Christian faith until it seemed as if the whole structure of belief was in ruins.
Then questions were invited. An Eastern Orthodox priest rose and asked to speak. He turned, faced the people, and gave the Easter greeting, ‘He is risen!‘ Instantly the assembly rose to its feet and the reply came back loud and clear, ‘He is risen indeed!‘
Aren’t those just the best words you could ever hear? News, movies, books, and people of influence may attempt to discredit Christianity, but they’ll never thwart the truth, He is risen indeed!
What does Christ’s resurrection mean for you?
– Steve Arterburn
I believe in the sun even when it is not shining. I believe in love even when not feeling it. I believe in God even when He is silent. – Anonymous
The post He Is Risen appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Anger, Avoiders, Sexual Abuse, Church Life
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Special Guest Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- I’m critical toward others, filled with rage when I drive, then I isolate up and shut down.
- My daughter was molested at 14yo by my brother-in-law; do I go to his funeral for my sister’s sake or respect my daughter’s wishes?
- Any advice for me as a guitarist? My pastor wants me to start a music ministry, but I am a trucker.
Suggested Resources:
Emotional Freedom Workbook
Intimate Deception
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 15, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. – Isaiah 25:8
In C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the lion, Aslan, offers himself as a sacrifice for a little boy, a traitor named Edmund. When the lion rises from the dead he says:
‘. . . [the Witch’s] knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward.‘
Does that story sound familiar? It should; it’s the story of Easter. Jesus Christ gave his life for traitors whom he loved, was raised from the dead, and therefore broke the curse of death.
– Steve Arterburn
Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime. – Martin Luther
The post Easter in Narnia appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Single Parenting, Divorce, Self Worth, OCD, Blended Families, Newlyweds
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Dr. Jill Hubbard
Caller Questions:
- Am I allowed to regain my balance and sense of confidence? I’m a single mom of an ADHD son and feel so overwhelmed and broke.
- I’m 29yo, unemployed, live at home, and have been battling OCD, depression, and social anxiety. Is there a way to break free?
- How can I make my blended marriage work? We got married last November and argue constantly.
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Healing Is a Choice
How We Love
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 14, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart. I will tell all the miracles you have done. I will be happy because of you; God Most High, I will sing praises to your name. – Psalm 9:1-2 NCV
If you’d like to strengthen your character, try spending more time praising God. And when, by the way, is the best time to praise God? In church? Before dinner is served? When we tuck little children into bed? None of the above. The best time to praise God is all day, every day, to the greatest extent we can, with thanksgiving in our hearts.
Too many of us, even well-intentioned believers, tend to ‘compartmentalize’ our waking hours into a few familiar categories: work, rest, play, family time, and worship. To do so is a mistake. Worship and praise should be woven into the fabric of everything we do; it should never be relegated to a weekly three- hour visit to church on Sunday morning.
Hymn writer James Montgomery advised, “Stand up and bless the Lord, ye people of his choice; stand up and bless the Lord your God with heart and soul and voice.” So today, find a little more time to lift your concerns to God in prayer and praise Him for all that He has done. He’s listening . . . and He wants to hear from you.
Remember that it always pays to praise your Creator. Make it a habit to carve out quiet moments throughout the day to praise God.
– Steve Arterburn
Be not afraid of saying too much in the praises of God; all the danger is of saying too little. – Matthew Henry
When we come before the Lord with praise, humbly repent of our transgressions, and in obedience present our petitions to God according to the guidelines set out for us in Scripture, He will answer. – Shirley Dobson
Praise opens the window of our hearts, preparing us to walk more closely with God. Prayer raises the window of our spirit, enabling us to listen more clearly to the Father. – Max Lucado
Two wings are necessary to lift our souls toward God: prayer and praise. Prayer asks. Praise accepts the answer. – Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
The post Taking Time To Praise God appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grief, Suicide, Adult Children, Confrontation, Christian Walk, Single Parenting
Hosts: Chris Williams, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Special Guest Dr. Jim Burns
Caller Questions:
- Within 4mos I lost my father and mother unexpectedly to cancer, and then I came home and found my 34yo son had hung himself. It all seems so unreal.
- My adult daughter confessed that my husband told her I was a bad person when she was a child; should I tell my husband?
- I’m a 23yo preschool teacher and a single mom in a custody battle; how do I spend more time with God?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Workbook For Grief
Take Your Life Back
Intimate Deception
Life Recovery Bible
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 13, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings disaster on himself. – Proverbs 11:17 HCSB
Kindness builds character just as surely as hatred destroys it. But kindness doesn’t always come easy. When we are discouraged, tired, or afraid, we can scarcely summon the energy to utter a single kind word. But, God’s commandment is clear: He intends that we make the conscious choice to treat others with kindness and respect, no matter our circumstances, no matter our emotions.
In the busyness and confusion of daily life, it is easy to lose focus, and it is easy to become frustrated. We are imperfect human beings struggling to manage our lives as best we can, but we often fall short. When we are distracted or disappointed, we may neglect to share a kind word or a kind deed. This oversight hurts others, but it hurts us most of all.
Today, slow yourself down and be alert for people who need your smile, your kind words, or your helping hand. Make kindness a centerpiece of your dealings with others. They will be blessed, and you will be, too.
When you weave the thread of kindness into the very fabric of your life, you’ll be strengthening your character, but that’s not all. You’ll also be giving glory to the One who gave His life for you. As you plan for the day ahead, remember this: kind words cost nothing, but when they’re spoken at the right time, they can be priceless.
– Steve Arterburn
Be so preoccupied with good will that you haven’t room for ill will. – E. Stanley Jones
When you extend hospitality to others, you’re not trying to impress people, you’re trying to reflect God to them. – Max Lucado
If we’re to love people like we should, our hearts have to be as pleasant toward them as our appearances are. Otherwise, we’re living a lie. – Mary Hunt
The mark of a Christian is that he will walk the second mile and turn the other cheek. A wise man or woman gives the extra effort, all for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. – John Maxwell
When you launch an act of kindness out into the crosswinds of life, it will blow kindness back to you. – Dennis Swanberg
The post Kindness Builds Character appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grief, Friendship, Parenting, Christian Walk, Anger, Neighbors
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris
Caller Questions:
- My friend’s husband passed away 3mos ago, and she doesn’t want me to come over; should I just show up?
- My 16yo used to be involved with church, but now she is questioning her faith. What can I do to bring her back?
- I reacted very harshly to a neighbor who asked me for money; how can I coexist with people in close proximity to me?
- My husband passed away 4mos ago, and Satan is attacking me; how do I get rid of the devil?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Workbook For Grief
How We Love Our Kids
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 12, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. – John 16:33 NKJV
The hope that the world offers is fleeting and imperfect. The hope that God offers is unchanging, unshakable, and unending. It is no wonder, then, that when we seek security from worldly sources, our hopes are often dashed and our stresses are often increased. Thankfully, God has no such record of failure.
Where will you place your hopes today? Will you entrust your future to man or to God? Will you seek solace exclusively from fallible human beings, or will you place your hopes, first and foremost, in the trusting hands of your Creator? The decision is yours, and you must live with the results of the choice you make.
For thoughtful believers, hope begins with God. Period. So today, as you embark upon the next stage of your life’s journey, consider the words of the Psalmist: “You are my hope; O Lord GOD, You are my confidence” (71:5 NASB). Then, place your trust in the One who cannot be shaken.
– Steve Arterburn
Without the certainty of His resurrection, we would come to the end of this life without hope, with nothing to anticipate except despair and doubt. But because He lives, we rejoice, knowing soon we will meet our Savior face to face, and the troubles and trials of this world will be behind us. – Billy Bright
Oh, remember this: There is never a time when we may not hope in God. Whatever our necessities, however great our difficulties, and though to all appearance help is impossible, yet our business is to hope in God, and it will be found that it is not in vain. – George Mueller
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, let my hopes always reside in You. If I become discouraged, let me turn to You. If I grow tired, let me find strength in You. You are my Father, and I will place my faith, my trust, and my hopes in You. Amen
The post He Overcomes appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Integrity, Dating, Separation, Difficult Conversations, Estrangement, Grief, Guilt, Suicide
Hosts: Zach Matchett, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Milan Yerkovich
Caller Questions:
- My boyfriend told me about the sexual thoughts he has about an underaged family member, and he threatened to kill me if I told the family.
- What’s the relationship between attachment styles and love languages?
- I separated from my husband because of mold in our house and he is very angry; how do I tell him I’m not moving back in?
- My older sister has cut me off because of something posted on Facebook; do I apologize even if I didn’t do anything wrong?
- I ended a 6mo relationship with a non-believer. I just found out he shot and killed himself and I feel so guilty.
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Boundaries
How We Love
Healing Is a Choice
Life Recovery Workbook For Grief
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 11, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14
Are you living a life of “if onlys“?
If only I had made better decisions.
If only I had been brought up in a better family.
If only I had spent more time with the children.
Sometimes this “if only” thinking is projected onto others:
If only you hadn’t been so foolish.
If only you had made more money.
If only you hadn’t failed to understand our child.
“If only” thinking takes all of a person’s energy and emotions and hopelessly spends that energy on a destructive rehash of the past-through the dank marshes of what might have been. This focus is so all-consuming that it leaves you without strength or motivation to resolve the past and move on to achieve your future. . . a future full of possibilities that God puts before you, that He wants you to take hold of.
– Steve Arterburn
The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday. – Steve Maraboli
TODAY’S PRAYERFather, please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; give me the courage to change the things I can; and grant me the wisdom to know the difference.
The post Letting Go appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Integrity, Newlyweds, Intimacy, Grief, Bullying
Hosts: Chris Williams, Becky Brown, Dr. Alice Benton
Caller Questions:
- I’ve been struggling with masturbation for a long time; how do I overcome the addiction before I get a girlfriend?
- My wife and I are still virgins after 5mos of marriage. How do I get her to consummate our marriage?
- My 20yo grandson died from a drug overdose when he lived with me. And now his mother is suing me for millions of dollars.
Suggested Resources:
Every Man’s Bible
Life Recovery Bible
How We Love
Emotional Freedom Workbook
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 8, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
The thing you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. – Matthew 6:33
Your life is a series of choices. From the instant you wake up in the morning until the moment you nod off to sleep at night, you make countless decisions—decisions about the things you do, decisions about the words you speak, and decisions about the way that you choose to direct your thoughts.
As a believer who has been transformed by the love of Jesus, you have every reason to make wise choices. But sometimes, when the stresses of the daily grind threaten to grind you up and spit you out, you may make choices that are displeasing to God. When you do, you’ll pay a price because you’ll forfeit the happiness and the peace that might otherwise have been yours.
So, as you pause to consider the kind of Christian you are—and the kind of Christian you want to become—ask yourself whether you’re sitting on the fence or standing in the light. The choice is yours . . . and so are the consequences.
– Steve Arterburn
The greatest choice any man makes is to let God choose for him. – Vance Havner
Every step of your life’s journey is a choice . . . and the quality of those choices determines the quality of the journey. – Criswell Freeman
Life is pretty much like a cafeteria line—it offers us many choices, both good and bad. The Christian must have a spiritual radar that detects the difference not only between bad and good but also among good, better, and best. – Dennis Swanberg
Every day, I find countless opportunities to decide whether I will obey God and demonstrate my love for Him or try to please myself or the world system. God is waiting for my choices. – Bill Bright
TODAY’S PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I have many choices to make. Help me choose wisely as I follow in the footsteps of Your only begotten Son. Amen
The post A Series of Choices appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Raising Grandkids, Autism, Schizophrenia, Adult Children, Boundaries
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Milan Yerkovich
Caller Questions:
- I’m raising my physically and emotionally abusive 18yo grandson who is on the autism spectrum. Would he be better off living somewhere else?
- My 36yo schizophrenic son has lived with me his whole life and is in a hospital now; should I take him back to live with me?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Life Recovery Bible
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: April 7, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He. – Deuteronomy 32:3-4
Who is God? Is He the sentimentalized, soft, meek, mild and wimpy person stereotypical artists portray?
It’s an important question, both for our eternal and present well-being. If we are unaware, second-guess, or maintain false conceptions of God’s goodness, wisdom, and power, we will surely have trouble giving ourselves to Him in faith, love, and obedience. Consequently, we’ll distance ourselves from Him and strive to live upon our own resources. You see, false conceptions of God lead to false conceptions of who we are, the nature of our problems, and the way to their solutions.
However, if we see a complete picture of who God is-that is, as He’s revealed Himself to us-we’ll realize that we’re safe in His fatherly keeping. Yes, God is loving, compassionate and full of tender mercies. At the same time He’s a powerful warrior, a lion, robed in splendor and majesty.
Stay connected to God. Learn through reading the Bible daily who He is and how He reveals Himself to us.
– Steve Arterburn
We know that God is everywhere; but certainly we feel His presence most when His works are on the grandest scale spread before us; and it is in the unclouded night-sky, where His worlds wheel their silent course, that we read clearest His infinitude, His omnipotence, His omnipresence. – Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
TODAY’S PRAYER
My humble King, thank you for leaving Heaven’s glory to die for me and thank you for inhabiting my heart. I want to know you more, Lord. Amen
The post Who is God? appeared first on New Life.
For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict each other, so that you do not do what you want. – Galatians 5:17
At no point in our country’s history has there been such an epidemic of victimitis as there is today—that is, people who declare themselves powerless against their circumstances, metabolisms, or upbringings. This victim mentality prompts many alcoholics to say, “Drinking problems run in my family—it’s genetic. There’s really nothing I can do about it.” Criminals say, “Look at my upbringing. I never had a chance. It’s not my fault.” I once spoke with the warden of a federal prison who told me that if he believed the inmates, there wasn’t a guilty man there.
Don’t create or allow circumstances to develop that can destroy you. Have you accumulated crushing debt? Given in to addiction? Refused to resolve broken relationships? Take responsibility for your life. Don’t fall back on excuses like bad luck, bad genes, or bad parents.
Christians aren’t exempt from the victim mentality either; we often put another spin on our situation—we blame God for things. The seductive power of the victim mentality is that you never accept responsibility. It’s always someone or something else’s fault.
I’m not saying your circumstances, genes, and upbringing don’t affect who you are. They clearly do. What I’m saying is, regardless of all these things, we remain responsible for our own behavior. And more importantly, God is capable of bringing about change in any life, even yours—no matter how messed up it is.
– Steve Arterburn
The future depends on what we do in the present. – Mahatma Gandhi
The post Refusing Responsibility appeared first on New Life.
Topics: In-laws, Family Events, Intimacy, Anger, Grief, Sexual Abuse, Disclosure
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard
Caller Questions:
- My brother-in-law will be at my son’s birthday party, and we have had a lot of problems with him. What is your advice?
- My husband doesn’t want to deal with me and just leaves me at home.
- I’ve listened for 29yrs, and I wanted to thank you for sending me a Restoration Bible!
- I manage a restaurant and one of my young workers just lost her father; how do I help her deal with the grief?
- My 14yo daughter just told me she was touched inappropriately by her 15yo cousin and doesn’t want me to talk to his parents; should I talk to them?
Suggested Resources:
Every Man’s Bible
Emotional Freedom Workbook
100 Days To Freedom From Depression
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 17, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
In the natural progression of addiction our lives necessarily degenerate. In one way or another, many of us wake up one day to realize that we are living like animals. How this is true depends on the nature of our addiction. Some of us may be living like animals in terms of our physical surroundings. Others of us may be slaves to our animal passions—powerful emotions that dehumanize us.
A young man took an early inheritance and wandered away from home. When the money was spent, the women just a memory, and the “high” long gone, he resorted to slopping pigs to earn a meager living. When he became so hungry that he was eyeing the pig’s slop with envy, he realized he had a problem. “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough and to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father. . . .’ So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him” (Luke 15:17-18, 20).
The fact that we are able to recognize our lives as degenerate or insane proves that there is hope for a better way of life. We are reminded of a time when life was good and we long to have it restored. When we turn in the direction of one who is more powerful, who represents the memory of something better, we will find the Power that can restore us to sanity.
God doesn’t force us to come to him; he simply waits for us to come to our senses.
Taken from The Life Recovery Devotional copyright © 1991 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Restoration appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Parenting, Same-Sex Attraction, Transgender, Childhood Trauma, Grief, Pornography, Food Issues, Accountability
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- What should I do if my 14yo daughter wants to invite over her new friends for a sleepover, and many of them are bisexual and transgender?
- I’m back with my ex-husband and learned that he has shoved down his 13yo trauma of his brother being crushed to death by a tractor; what do I do to help him?
- You were talking the other week about porn addiction; what is the second rail that has to drop?
- I asked my friend to hold me accountable to eating dessert at the table instead of in front of the TV; what’s the difference between accountability and just reporting?
Suggested Resources:
Emotional Freedom Workbook
Every Man’s Battle
Every Man’s Bible
Forgiving What You’ll Never Forget
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 16, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him for God is our refuge. – Psalm 62:8
Have you ever noticed the significance of the number forty in Scripture? Moses worked as a shepherd forty years before God called him to lead the Israelites from captivity. Moses was atop Mount Sinai forty days receiving the covenant God made with the Israelites after redeeming them from bondage. God led His people in the wilderness for forty years of testing before entering the Promised Land. Jesus was tested in the wilderness forty days before beginning His public ministry. And it rained forty days and forty nights when Noah built the ark.
As you can see, it’s not only the number forty that’s significant, but the events that this number helped to define. Each event is a period of passage and transition, in the unfolding of God’s gracious and redemptive activity.
Are you in a period of passage? We’re all living through seasons of life, if not specific, shorter transitional phrases in life. It’s the way God designed it. Every end is a new beginning. Make the most of it.
– Steve Arterburn
Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each. . . – Henry David Thoreau
The post Forty-Day Challenge appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grief, Sexual Integrity, Disclosure, Siblings, Food Addictions, Weight Loss
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Dr. Alice Benton
Caller Questions:
- My father died when I was 4yo and my brother when I was 11yo. Since we weren’t allowed to talk about it, how do I move out of sadness?
- A couple tried to help me after my husband died, but the husband ended up asking me out. Do I tell his wife?
- How do I build a relationship with my sister when she holds grudges against me for the past?
- I ended up addicted to food and sugar after the loss of my dog; what should I do to overcome?
- I’ve struggled with losing weight after trying everything; how do I make it work?
Suggested Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Take Your Life Back
Lose It For Life
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 15, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. – Matthew 6:14
When past injustices have caused you pain, you often seek to bury them in the deep recesses of your mind. It’s not the way to handle things, however, and almost always when you bury things, it allows your pain from the past to translate into mistakes and suffering in the future. You become powerless against the strength of your inner turmoil and can lose control of the very feelings you’ve tried to hide.
What do you do to distract yourself from unresolved pain? There may be strong emotions that you don’t know how to process appropriately, so you simply try to stuff them down inside. Eventually these feelings are expressed in one way or another. Be honest about your past hurts, express your feelings, confront when necessary, and work through forgiveness, it’s probably the most important thing to learn to do.
– Steve Arterburn
I think if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him. – C. S. Lewis
The post Hidden Hurts appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Adult Children, Anorexia, Church Life, Blended Families, Parenting, Separation
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard
Caller Questions:
- What can I do to help my 20yo daughter who lives at home, smokes, sees boys, and starves herself because she thinks she’s fat?
- My pastor called me delusional and banned me from our church grounds because I confronted him with the truth.
- We married 3yrs ago and just separated because my husband was too authoritative over my 14yo son; what else should I do about it?
Suggested Resources:
Doing Life With Your Adult Children
Every Man’s Bible
Preparing to Blend
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 14, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? – Matthew 7:16
Do you think it would be wise to store liquid drain cleaner or weed killer for your lawn in an empty soda can? Of course not! These are highly poisonous, potentially deadly, substances. They need to be labeled as such so no one mistakes them for something they’re not.
Don’t you wish that some of the ideas falsely passed off as ‘Christian‘ came with a label that read: ‘Toxic, Keep Away!‘ Unfortunately they don’t. Consequently, many well-intentioned Christians are having their faith laced with spiritual strychnine.
If these toxins go undetected for long, they’ll inevitably result in spiritual sickness, and the symptoms will include doubt, discouragement, despair, cynicism, and in some cases even loss of faith in God. Are you, or perhaps someone you love, playing with spiritual poison? We all crave the truth, but when the truth is dispensed in untruthful ways, it’s highly toxic. Look for the fruit of God’s spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, as a first check on whether your faith and your church is toxic or not.
– Steve Arterburn
Faith . . . tells what the senses do not tell, but not the contrary of what they see. It is above them and not contrary to them.– Blaise Pascal
The post Are You Toxic? appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Sexual Abuse, Blended Families, Anger
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- My sister’s 41yo son had a brain tumor at 4yo and struggles with pedophilia thoughts. What advice can I give to them?
- My 18yo son from a previous marriage has joined me and my husband, and I get defensive to protect my son; how do I do my best to not get defensive?
Suggested Resources:
Every Man’s Battle
Healing Is a Choice
How We Love Our Kids
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 11, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. – Romans 12:2
This Scripture passage presents us with a choice. We can either pick up the behaviors and customs of this world, or we can let God transform us into our true selves.
Stated that way, it doesn’t seem like a hard choice. Who wouldn’t want to be transformed by God? And yet most of us find it extremely difficult to resist the influence of the world around us. Almost without knowing it, we absorb ideas, attitudes, and habits that keep us stuck in our old, reactive ways.
Jesus says, “Don’t worry.” But we can’t sleep because of anxiety.
Jesus says, “Love your neighbor.” But we’re concerned that the wrong sort of person has moved in next door.
Jesus says, “The truth will set you free.” But we can’t help thinking that little white lies can make everything easier.
The key point Paul is making is that transformation begins with changing the way we think. Our thoughts generate our feelings, and our feelings generate our behaviors. If we want to live and act the way God wants us to, we must begin by thinking differently.
Ask Yourself
What are some of the behaviors and customs you have picked up from the world?
Do you agree that our thoughts generate our feelings? Have you ever seen this work in your life?
Ask God
Dear Jesus, I want to become my true self—the person you created me to be. Give me discernment to recognize when I have picked up worldly thinking, and help me replace those thoughts with your thoughts.
Taken from Take Your Life Back Day by Day copyright © 2016 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Changing the Way You Think appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Estrangement, Adult Children, Betrayal, Affairs, Christian Walk, Engagement
Hosts: Becky Brown, Dr. Sheri Keffer, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- You told me to write a letter to my adult daughter who doesn’t want any contact. What if she doesn’t respond?
- Is the book Intimate Deception appropriate for men who were betrayed? My ex-wife dated a guy for a year and then left me.
- What can I do if my husband isn’t on the same spiritual page as I am? He gets very angry at me, feels judged, and shuts down completely.
- My fiancé told me he wasn’t sure about marrying me, and I told him to move out. Should I end it?
Suggested Resources:
Emotional Freedom Workbook
Intimate Deception
How We Love
Take Your Life Back
Is This The One
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 10, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Faith is a key to successfully working the second step. For some of us faith comes easily. For others, especially if we have experienced betrayal, it may be more difficult. Sometimes we must exhaust all of our own resources in trying to overcome our addictive “disease” before we will risk believing in a higher Power.
When Jesus was on earth he was renowned for his healing power. Crowds of sick people constantly pressed in on him. One day there was “a woman in the crowd (who) had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.” Jesus realized that someone had deliberately touched him because he felt the healing power go out from him. When the woman confessed that she was the one who had been healed, Jesus said, “Your faith has made you well. Go in peace” (Luke 8:43-48).
In order to recover we need to follow the example of this woman. We cannot afford to stand back, hoping for a “cure,” and avoid deliberate action because of our lack of faith. We may have lived with our condition for many years, spending our resources on promising “cures” without success. When we can come to believe in a Power greater than ourselves and have the faith to take hold of our own recovery, we will find the healing power we’ve been looking for.
What a difference between knowing about Jesus and reaching out to touch him.
Taken from The Life Recovery Devotional copyright © 1991 by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
The post Healing Faith appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Affairs, Pornography, Same-Sex Attraction, Boundaries, Grief, Avoiders
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Milan Yerkovich
Caller Questions:
- Interview with Sam Hodges, president of Church Initiative, to talk about DivorceCare and GriefShare.
- What should I do if my husband had an affair 17yrs ago and I just caught him looking at porn?
- Thank you for the scholarship to Emotional Freedom; it was great! My sister is in a gay relationship and our family is getting together at my house. How should we do the sleeping arrangements?
- I never had anyone to talk to as a child. Now that my daughter took her own life and my mom has dementia, it has been hard.
- Do I have an avoidant personality? My first husband was a porn addict and the second one was violent, so I’m happy to be by myself. New relationships have been disappointing.
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Healing Is a Choice
Emotional Freedom Workbook
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 9, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
He said to the Israelites, In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, What do these stones mean? tell them, Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground. – Joshua 4:21-22
Why do phrases like, “Once upon a time“, or “In a land far away” immediately grab your attention? Because those phrases tell you you’re about to hear a story; and stories are incredible tools of communication, they can challenge your intellect, stimulate your imagination, and touch your emotions.
The best stories parallel your own life experiences and situations. They bridge time and space, and we feel a part of them. That’s why the lion’s share of the Bible is written using real-life stories that tell of God’s great love for us and his plan to redeem us.
You can’t tell the story of the Lord without telling the story of your own life and experience with Him. And that’s what the Bible does. We read stories about people and how God worked in their lives, and we see how that applies to our lives today.
– Steve Arterburn
People are hungry for stories. It’s part of our very being. Storytelling is a form of history, of immortality too. It goes from one generation to another. – Studs Terkel
The post Why We Love Stories appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Grandparenting, Drugs, Addictions, Pornography, Verbal Abuse, Parenting
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jill Hubbard, Milan Yerkovich
Caller Questions:
- My husband can’t take raising our teen grandson, but it would be unsafe to return him to his mother. How can I help my husband?
- Will a workshop help me overcome my drug, alcohol, and porn addictions?
- What action can I take with a verbally abusive husband and a 13yo son who mimics his father?
Suggested Resources:
Soul of a Hero
How We Love
How We Love Our Kids
Life Recovery Workbook for Sexual Integrity
Take Your Life Back
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 8, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Dating, Affairs, Adult Children, Salvation, Forgiveness, Caregiving, Controllers
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich
Caller Questions:
- I cheated on the woman I was dating, and it devastated her; how do I move on?
- How do I respond to my 20yo daughter? She lives with me and I don’t like her cuddling under the covers with her 23yo boyfriend who is getting a divorce.
- I turned my back on the Lord for 40yrs and am now sick from my sins. How do I ask God for forgiveness and healing when I feel so guilty?
- When do I move on from being a caregiver for an 87yo man who is controlling and yells at me?
Suggested Resources:
Every Man’s Battle
Life Recovery Workbook for Sexual Integrity
Healing Is a Choice
Take Your Life Back
Soul of a Hero
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 7, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. – John 4:10
I recently heard about a fifty-one year old man charged with burglary. What’s strange about that? Well, the man is the son of a billionaire oil tycoon. He was found hiding under a table in a shop with a few miscellaneous items.
I was struck by how sad this story seemed—a man who is heir to a fortune…who probably even has a fortune—living as if he was a pauper. Then it occurred to me how often we as Christians behave the same way. We’re heirs to the king of kings. Yet so often we grasp for the rusty nickels this world has to offer. We long for the acceptance of man though we’re loved by the One who created man. We lust after things, though our Father is the giver of all good gifts.
How do you see yourself? Prince? Or Pauper? It’s a choice only you can make. God yearns for you to choose to be His child.
– Steve Arterburn
Wealth is the parent of luxury and indolence, and poverty of meanness and viciousness, and both of discontent. – Plato
The post Prince or Pauper? appeared first on New Life.
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14
Are you living a life of ‘if only’s‘?
If only I had made better decisions.
If only I had been brought up in a better family.
If only I had spent more time with the children.
Sometimes this ‘if only‘ thinking is projected onto others:
If only you hadn’t been so stupid.
If only you had made more money.
If only you hadn’t failed to understand our child.
‘If only‘ thinking takes all of a person’s energy and emotions and uselessly spends that energy on a destructive rehash of the past, through the dank marshes of what might have been. This focus is so all-consuming that it leaves you without strength or motivation to resolve the past and move on to achieve your future. . . a future full of possibilities that God puts before you, that He wants you to take hold of.
Do you need help? Call us at 800-639-5433.
– Steve Arterburn
Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there. – Will Rogers
The post Letting Go of Your Past appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Betrayal, Borderline, Dating
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Milan Yerkovich
Caller Questions:
- My betrayal happened a long time ago, and your recent Restore Workshop helped me to feel again!
- Is there something broken in me for trying to help a woman who struggles with borderline and keeps cutting me off?
- After dating a lot of dysfunctional men, I’m dating a guy who bores me; is that better?
Suggested Resources:
Understanding and Loving a Person with Borderline Personality Disorder
How We Love
Is This The One
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 4, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. That is what God wants you to do. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
When Erma Bombeck (writer) learned that she had breast cancer and would need a mastectomy, she was able to confront the situation with her usual good humor–until after the surgery. Then the reality of her loss began to trouble her. She cried every time she had to undress to take a shower, grieved that her days on the beach were over. She struggled with her reflection in the mirror. She snapped at her husband, “You just don’t get it, do you? This isn’t some little scar from a wart removal!”
When Erma visited her doctor for a checkup, he asked her what was bothering her. After hearing her grumble about her disfiguring surgery, he said, “I think it’s time for my ‘you’re alive’ speech. You’re one of the lucky ones. Your cancer was small, and the lymph nodes are clean. Without regular checkups, you might not have been so lucky.”
After that sobering lecture, Erma began to appreciate the power of gratitude. She wrote, “Every time I forget to feel grateful…I hear the voice of an eight-year-old named Christian, who had cancer of the nervous system. When asked what she wanted for her birthday, she thought long and hard and finally said, “I don’t know. I have two sticker books and a Cabbage Patch doll. I have everything!’ The kid was right.”
When we are unable to explain the difficulties in our lives, we become frustrated and shake our fists at heaven, demanding why. In a sense, this attitude places us in judgment of God, declaring the things He has allowed to be unacceptable to us. Ultimately, if we are wise, we choose to “accept all things we cannot change.” At that point, our eyes are opened to the blessings in our lives, and we are able to say, “Thank You,” once again.
– Steve Arterburn
To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference. – Thomas Merton
The post The Power of Gratitude appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Estrangement, Controllers, Adult Children, Trauma, Communication, Weight Loss, Depression, Father Issues
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Sheri Keffer
Caller Questions:
- As a Christian, is it OK for me not to speak to my 93yo dad? He is controlling and tried to call the police on us for taking my mom with dementia to the hospital.
- My adult daughter won’t contact me and says my grandson regresses to a childlike state when he talks to me; where can I go with this?
- My husband might have lung cancer and has a very short temper. Since my dad died of lung cancer, how do I respond to him without panic or stress?
- How do I encourage my wife to take care of herself physically without offending her? The pandemic made it worse.
- My dad is having problems in his third marriage and likes to unload on me. How do I counsel him?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
Healing Is a Choice
How We Love
Every Man’s Bible
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 3, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Divorce, Verbal Abuse, Premonition, Christian Walk, Dating, Trust, Drug Addiction, Adult Children, Shame, Affairs, Sexual Abuse
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Alice Benton, Dr. Jill Hubbard
Caller Questions:
- Am I doing the right thing in asking my angry husband for a divorce? He is verbally abusive and hasn’t changed.
- My 18yo son told me he wasn’t afraid to die and then died three days later; did he have a premonition of his death?
- A Scripture keeps coming to my mind about not serving money; am I on the right path by working in ministry and also taking care of my family?
- The woman I’m dating broke up with me on Valentine’s Day because she said she didn’t have the same feelings for me; how do I trust again?
- Do I let my 39yo son with a drug addiction keep living with me?
- I carry a lot of guilt and shame because I had an affair with a married man and ended up marrying him.
- My wife was sexually abused in her previous marriage and is making false accusations against me; what should I do?
Suggested Resources:
Take Your Life Back
Life Recovery Bible
Life Recovery Workbook for Grief
Is This The One
Healing Is a Choice
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 2, 2022 appeared first on New Life.
Be sure that no one pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to do what is good for each other and for all people. – 1 Thessalonians 5:15
Refusing to take responsibility for the harm you have caused others only leads to further damage. As weeks, months, or years pass, lack of communication, unrelenting anger, and hateful emotional exchanges can all create tremendous anxiety. The threatening atmosphere created by this tension often tempts you to focus on wrongs done to you, rather than taking responsibility for the wrongs you may have committed. So you persist in blaming others because it keeps you from dealing with the painful truth of your sinful behavior. When you’ve harmed someone in the past, you really need to take responsibility for it.
In the Old Testament, this was the case for Jacob upon returning to see his brother Esau. Jacob had come to accept that he had wronged Esau in stealing his birthright. In the process of taking responsibility for his past behavior, he moved from awareness to action. Prior to their reunion, Jacob and Esau’s relationship was ruled by fear. But once Jacob took responsibility for his past, things began to change. When Jacob eventually faced his brother, the two were able to express love for each other even though they both remembered the pain of the past.
Accepting responsibility for wrongdoing can be a frightening thing, because it requires that we face your weaknesses and stop blaming others for your problems. But, you can take courage and instruction to do so through Jacob. Seek God’s help in restoring your relationships.
– Steve Arterburn
In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility – Eleanor Roosevelt
Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. – C.S. Lewis
The post Taking Responsibility for Our Behavior appeared first on New Life.
Topics: Schizophrenia, Employment, Fear, ADD, Christian Walk, Physical Abuse, Procrastination
Hosts: Steve Arterburn, Dr. Jacqui Mack-Harris, Chris Williams
Caller Questions:
- I’m on disability for schizophrenia and came across a job where I’d get paid for gas mileage, but I’m troubled due to wars over oil.
- Should I lead a men’s group with my panic attacks and ADD? How do you know if something is God’s will?
- Is it better to save the marriage with my abusive husband or safety first?
- How do I break my bad habit of procrastinating?
Suggested Resources:
Every Man’s Bible
Soul of a Hero
Overcoming Domestic Abusers
Emotional Freedom Workbook
Subscribe to the NEW LIFE LIVE! podcast via iTunes or download the New Life Ministries App.
The post New Life Live: March 1, 2022 appeared first on New Life.