My father had the greatest influence on my desire to live a humble life. I say desire because I all too frequently fall short of that noble goal. I’ll never forget that day when I observed my Dad confessing his fault to my mom shortly after a conflict with her. His initiative affected me as it seemed my mom, in that incident, was more at fault than he was. Dad pulled me aside afterward to explain his actions. “Marty,” he said, “Somebody has to humble himself.” There have been several times … [Read more...]
Help Me Teach the Bible
This post was originally featured on Nancy Guthrie's Help Me Teach the Bible podcast. In this episode of Help Me Teach the Bible I talk to Marty Machowski, family life pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. Machowski is author of Old Story New, Long Story Short, The Gospel Story for Kids Children's Ministry Curriculum, and The Ology: Ancient Truths, Ever New. In this episode, Machowski works through each genre of the Bible, demonstrating how to put Christ at the … [Read more...]
Parenting Reinforcements
Does your child struggle in an area of character like slothfulness? Could you use a little help addressing them about their weakness? Sometimes our kids welcome the advice of a total stranger in the same areas they've been ignoring parental council. While we would love for them to hear from mom and dad, it is more important that they get the truth they need. I wrote Wise Up, in part, to provide an objective outside voice for parents. Each chapter of Wise Up speaks to an area in which we … [Read more...]
A Love Story Worth Sharing
It is a resounding joy for a Christian father to give away his daughter in marriage when the hands to which he passes hers belong to a man of God. I experienced that delight about a week ago when I gave my Emma to Destin Mahalik, her groom, and resolute believer in Christ. I can still remember the day Emma pulled my wife Lois and me aside to seek our counsel. "I feel like God wants me to pray for Destin Mahalik," she said, "because he is going to be my husband. What is up with that?" Destin … [Read more...]
One of the Best Gifts You Can Give Your Children
With the instant communication of texts, emails, posts and chats, handwritten letters have gone the way of the dinosaurs, and have all but become extinct. Keyboards are thrust in front of children at younger and younger ages. While my high school typing teacher might claim ultimate victory, my grade school teachers would be aghast at the fact that today's kids can't read or write cursive anymore. But something far more important suffered from the loss of letter writing; we've given up an … [Read more...]
The Difference Between Sowing and Growing
Farmers work hard when it is time to work. They fertilize their fields in the fall, plow them in the spring, and plant their seeds in the furrows. Then they rest, and the wise farmers pray. They pray for rain, against a freeze, and for a bountiful crop. They rest in the reality that there is nothing more they can do. Farmers know the difference between sowing and growing. They can do the sowing but are powerless to do the growing. Paul used this truth to illustrate the role God plays in … [Read more...]