Are You in the Faith?

Are you in the faith? Your answer to this question has eternal ramifications. So, it’s really important that we understand the intent, the meaning of the question. Let me begin by telling you what I’m not asking you about. I’m not asking if you are a religious person. You may attend church regularly, preach, sing in the choir, teach Bible studies, etc., and not be “in the faith.” You may be a good, moral person with an impeccable reputation but not be “in the faith.” All these things may be […]

Love, What Our World Needs Now

Love, What Our World Needs Now.  It may seem presumptuous of me to use a title such as this in my blog. Do I know what the world really needs now? I think I do know what the world, what you and I need now. There are some things most of us want and many of us need. That list includes lower gas prices, a closed southern border, a good immigration policy, an impartial judicial system, lower food, and heating bills, etc. Perhaps there are some personal things, some broken […]

How Can I Change?

How can I change? “I want my daughter to feel better about herself than I did growing up. But how can I help her with that if I don’t feel good about myself?” These are the words of a single mom who had become painfully aware of the destructive toll her anger and immaturity were taking on her daughter. I understood her painful question to mean there was a glimmer of hope for her relationship with her daughter. The weeks of therapy had created an awareness and an uncomfortable level […]

Where Does Successful Parenting Begin?

Where Does Successful Parenting Begin? In the event you have missed the first blog in this series “Want to be a Successful Parent?” or want to review it, here is the place to start https://www.cosdavis.com/want-to-be-a-successful-parent/ Where does successful parenting start? Does it begin at the birth of a child? Having a child makes you a parent but does it make you a successful one? Does it begin with reading books on child development or parenting strategies or techniques? While this is commendable and can prove helpful, good parenting does not begin […]

Heart Maps

“Out of the heart come the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23 Heart Maps. To most of you, this may seem to be an unusual combination of words or ideas. We often hear phrases such as heart attack, heart trouble, heart break, and heartache. And, we know what these words mean. But what is a heart map? To be honest, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen these words used together before. So, I may be coining a new word combination. Let me try to explain by discussing these words separately […]

Boundaries: The Answer to Many of Our Problems

A quarter of a century ago Henry Cloud and John Townsend published a book entitled Boundaries. As I have been perusing its pages lately it has dawned on me that this book holds the secret to solving many of life’s problems. You name it: sexual abuse, theft, adultery, lying, and all the big and little sins and crimes human beings commit could be resolved if people would just observe proper boundaries. Does that sound too simple? Think about it. That’s what Jesus’ statement in Matthew 24 concerning loving God, self and […]

Parenting Character

Successful parenting starts with you, the parent. Your character, who you are deep inside determines what you value most and how you will live. Character also determines the kind of parent you will be. So, who are you? What values are at the core of your being? Are you kind and gentle? Selfish, arrogant or prideful? Are you a know-it-all or are you open to learning new ways of thinking and doing things? Most importantly, does your character resemble God’s view of who he is capable of making you? God […]

Where Does Successful Parenting Start?

Where does successful parenting Start? Does it begin at the birth of a child? Having a child makes you a parent but does it make you a successful one? Does it begin with reading books on child development or parenting strategies or techniques? While this can prove helpful, good parenting must begin somewhere else. Then, where does successful parenting begin? It begins with the person you see in the mirror. That’s right. Good parenting begins with the person you are. Who you are, your character, is the most important issue […]