What to Do When Family Holidays Don’t Go the Way We Expect
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Manage my expectations, manage my life.
Holding things a little more loosely, a little more lovingly, unquestionably makes for much happier holidays.
But just because we don't want to have expectations doesn't mean we don't actually have them.
When Your Christian Family Is Always Fighting
Even though my parents had supposedly dedicated our family to the Lord, sometimes it felt like we weren’t that different from non-Christian families; in fact, it seemed like we were worse off.
Reaching Out to the Family Member Who’s Left the Faith
Do you think it’s easier to share Christ to someone in your own family or to a stranger?
I’ve encountered many Christians who find it difficult to talk to their family and relatives about Jesus; some would say that it feels easier to hand out gospel tracts to strangers.
When You Can’t Live the Life You Want
“When is Wati’s last day?” I asked my husband, frustrated.
I knew that Wati, the domestic helper my husband had hired, would not be leaving anytime soon, but I wanted my husband to know that I was annoyed with him for hiring her without my consent.
Celebrating Christ in the Shadow of Miscarriage
With “merry lattes” to go and gingerbread settlements taking over window displays, it is safe to say another Christmas has come calling. Yet, for me, it’s also another Christmas in the shadow of disease, social distancing, and degrees of despair.
The Day I Broke Down as a Parent—and Found Rest in Jesus
I was a complete mess. The husband was yet at another meeting, so I was stuck with two young children and a baby at witching hour.
When my son accidentally tipped his entire bowl of rice all over the floor—I completely lost it.
5 Ways I Learned to Love My Dysfunctional Family
My family has always been what some might describe as ‘textbook Christian’: We go to church every Sunday, and attend fellowships and retreats. We read the Bible, join Bible study groups, and hold Bible study sessions at home. We believe that a family that prays together stays together.
And yet, it has always been painful for me to see how much conflict and tension we have in our home.
5 Ways My Non-Christian Dad Showed Me Who God Is
I did not have the best relationship with my father when I was growing up.
Like most Chinese fathers of his generation, my dad provided financially for the family and brought us on outings and holiday trips. However, I did not find him to be very emotionally present or expressive. In my head, I knew he must love me, but in my heart, I did not feel that he delighted over me or enjoyed my company.
Are You There, Dad? It’s Me, Your Little Girl
When "father" means broken promises, unmet expectations, or complicated misunderstandings that we can't help but carry with us as we forge our own way, what can give us hope?
This Father's Day, three writers reflect on the relationship they have, or wish they could've had, with their dads.