Category Archives: Marriage

Making singleness better

Life

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There are those who say that singleness is better, but unfortunately that is not the experience of many who have been single long-term. Tim Adeney looks at why, and what we can do to love and serve the single people in our churches. (more…)

10 ways to discourage your husband in ministry

Interchange

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I was blown away by ‘10 ways to discourage your husband in ministry’. As I sat to peruse The Briefing (a useful and godly delaying tactic instead of tackling the housework), I began reading point 10: ‘Keep your home messy’. It was like an arrow to the heart. I had never looked upon my shortcomings as a housewife in that way. As I surveyed each horizontal surface laden with clutter, I was horrified and challenged. Thank you for such a blunt and thought-provoking article. (more…)

10 ways to discourage your husband in ministry

Interchange

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Thank you to Carmelina and Karen for their excellent article ‘10 ways to discourage your husband in ministry’. Speaking in the negative gave so much more scope for explaining what encouragement looks like—and it also gave us a chance to laugh at ourselves. I appreciated it. Thank you! (more…)

10 ways to discourage your husband in ministry

Interchange

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‘10 ways to discourage your husband in ministry’ was one of the most profoundly discouraging articles I have read in my 17 years of being a ‘ministry wife’. At first, I wondered if I’d lost my sense of humour. But I found many others were equally discouraged. (more…)

Husband material

Up front

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In case you missed it, Mark Driscoll has been to Sydney recently. It’s created lots of healthy discussion about lots of important things. I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on one particular idea that occurred more than once in his public talks: the challenge to the ‘late-blooming’ young men of Sydney to grow up and take some responsibility. His basic formula was move out of home, get a job, buy a house, get married and plant a church—in that order. (more…)

Welcoming children

Up front, Sola Panel

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One of the quirks of being a Christian minister associated with an historic building like St Michael’s Wollongong is that I end up officiating at a lot of weddings. However I recently attended a wedding as a guest with no official capacity. It was full of joy and wonderful testimonies to the grace and love of God through his Son Jesus. But I noticed something strange: throughout the wedding, from the processional to the final speech at the reception, no mention was made of children at all. Not once. (more…)

Motherhood and humble pie

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The role of motherhood can often seem like a joyless, thankless task. It’s a vocation that is losing popularity in our society. But, as Lesley Ramsay shows us, motherhood lies at the very heart of God’s rescue plan for humanity. (more…)

Generation Ex

Life

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Divorce is a difficult reality for many, but not least for the children of the divorced. Karen Beilharz helps us to understand the ramifications of divorce, and how we can love and care for families who have been through it.

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All my worldly

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It was only a silly TV comedy, but it got me thinking—thinking about weddings and divorce, prenuptial agreements and the nature of marriage. (more…)