All posts filed under: Family & Relationships

Conversations and clarity exploring the many facets of relationships and how we can best thrive in them as Creatives, from that with Christ, Christ community, family, friendships, romance, and more.

The Joy of A Spiritual Love Affair: Faith for Creatives

Published by

“For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” ~PSALM 84:10 To look upon the one you love and to say that one day with them, in their presence alone, is better than 1,000 days put together is a mighty statement. These words are the embodiment of an incredible love affair and devotion. Have you ever been in love? Have you ever felt so strongly for another soul? Whether you have or not the truth still remains that we all were created with the desire for such a great love. The beauty, being made as we are, is that we are blessed to experience this kind of love and its greatest fulfillment. This love that never ceases but ever makes us aware of its intense sweetness, is the spiritual love that we all can have with God through trusting faith in His Only Son, Christ Jesus. His righteous, unrelenting love will NEVER LEAVE US NOR …

Say Cheese: Choosing to Be Lighthearted in the Season of Love

Published by

“Cheese is my love language.” ~BRIANA LASSITER February. Few things come to mind in our world, especially in the western hemisphere concerning this month, beyond the thought of Valentine’s Day, love, and relationship. From preteen clear up to senior citizens, people scramble to not only find the perfect gift for their special someone but to actually have a designated ‘someone’ with whom to share the day with. This rush begins amid the new year’s scramble of weight loss plans, fasting for the future, and of course resolutions for a better you which often means a not-single-you. But more times than not, many of us do remain single during this time. And can I be bold enough to say that is MORE than okay? “I’d rather be single and satisfied than boo-ed up and burdened, or married and miserable.” ~CANDICE COATES There are so many reasons to be joyful not just during this month, but every day, yet it seems during this month of love many seem to struggle with it. When we start off each …

I Am Your Friend: A Word on House Plants & Relationships that Last

Published by

I personally cannot think of anything that is more humbling and heartwarming than these words “I AM a Friend that is closer than any brother.” That is exactly what I heard as I waited for the LORD to bless me with a word to share. Before we go any further, I would like you to take a moment a read a short blog entry I wrote around 2007: “Here is something just for us all to think about…all of us have relationships with others, be it family, friends or romantic…but there is a simple thing that I came to realize about relationships no matter what the nature; Relationships are like house plants, they keep our air clean and they cast a certain beauty to a place where beauty was lacking. House plants require things in order to flourish. They need proper sunlight and water…among other things but these two things are very necessary. “I AM a Friend that is closer than any brother.” Thus says the LORD In a relationship, you are either going to …

A Tale as Old as Time: Revelation in Relationship by Charlie Louthen

Published by

I think it’s important to share that I did not want to write this article. I literally tried twice to disqualify myself to Candice and to myself numerous times. But Papa (Christ Jesus) continuously tugged at my heart to do it. Why was I so resistant? I narrowed it down to one reason. Fear. Why was I afraid? 1. How do you write something on a topic so deeply personal like a hard break-up with care and consideration for the other party involved when you were hurt by their actions? 2. How do you help others with forgiveness when you are not fully healed? I prayed for days on these two questions and got wise counsel from close friends. In the end, the answer was simple. Truth and grace. The truth is sometimes God will give you exactly what you want so that He can show you what you really need. This is biblically accurate. He gave the Israelites a king when they begged Him for it. He even told them all the horrible things …

The Heart of Hospitality: Faith for Creatives

Published by

“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.”              ~ROMANS 12:10-13 (See vs 9-21) Hospitality, whenever many of us hear the word the first image that comes to mind is that of homecooked meals, friends and loved ones gathered around a table, smiling and sharing in one another’s company. I know that I have often considered hospitality meant that I had to open my home, serve a meal and all that comes with it. And although that is indeed true to the definition, there is so much more to it and yet so much more glorious simplicity than what we typically assign to the word. Hospitality isn’t about a location per se but more about meeting others in their need wherever they are. It’s about being present and available in the moment, with undivided attention, no matter the location, but with sincerity …

Praying with Accuracy, not Accusation: Turbulence in Transition

Published by

Change can be such a beautiful thing. Moving from one season of life into another, leaving one position at the workplace in order to lay claim to a more rewarding position, stepping out of the realm of singlehood to embrace that of a family, is glorious change. And the list goes on. Unfortunately, many times when we are offered the chance to embrace life redefining change brought on by accepting transition through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we inevitably run into the turbulence that shakes our current relationships to their very core. The truth is with the turbulence of transition and change comes the bitterness of pain in some of our existing relationships, be they familial, friendship, or romantic. Sometimes these are growing pains that draw us closer to our loved ones. Other times they are pains that push us away with the sharp barbs of rejection and disapproval. What do we do when we face such shaking when the wounds caused by a loved one’s rejection cut us deeper than our marrow? What …

Single While Serving & the Blessing in Both: Mini-Series

Published by

One of the hardest things that I have found while walking with the Lord and serving in His Kingdom, is that the older I get, the more my desire for a husband and a family of my own grows. I know that at my age, I am not alone in this. I am not the only one that, although at peace with my singleness, still find myself battling with understanding my desire for companionship. I at times find that I am wrestling to understand the sudden longing for something as simple as having my hand held, or wanting to be tucked under a protective masculine wing, to simply have companionship. After all, the Lord said Himself that it is not good for man (or woman) to be alone. Yet, many of us in the Body of Christ and even in the world, have found ourselves over the age of thirty and just that, alone. We find ourselves not only being asked the question of why we are still single by well-meaning others, but some of …

The Kindling Spark: Musings on Love & Romance

Published by

The look on his face The taste of his lips Was nothing short of sublime The honey-sweet savor encompassed my soul The instant his lips touched mine The first of that moment The kindling spark Birthed fire within our dance The flavor of passion In an innocent kiss Spoke whispers of Romance THE POWER OF THE KISS Kiss– If my memory serves me correctly the Hebrew word, ‘Nashaq’ used for ‘kiss’ also means ‘to kindle or ignite.’  In Syriac, ‘to smell.’ An Arabic translation for the word means, ‘to fasten together.’** Basically “To kiss is to kindle or ignite with the scent of fastening together”. (On what it means to “fasten together,” I’m going to encourage you to use your blessed imagination.) In short, WOW! Adhering to this truth, one that is not widely shared among the young in love or even those who are seasoned, I am only made to view the act of kissing as something far more sacred and special than our modern world has made it out to be. Where some …

A Valentine from Your Father

Published by

Valentine’s Day.  I’ve always loved it. As a child, my dad would always come home with heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and a teddy bear for me and my little sister. It was a delight. Daddy loves you. Who doesn’t thrive there? When I hit my early teen years my dad’s gifts kind of trickled off but my Granddaddy began to send me flowers through the mail. It was such a heart-filling act that, as I write this brings tears to my eyes. My granddaddy is no longer on this side of Heaven, but the fruit of his acts live on. My Granddaddy loved and loves me. In undergrad or university, the guys in the art department pooled their money and purchased all the ladies in the program flowers, chocolates, and teddy bears. Then they went around campus delivering them to us as a surprise. Wow, unexpected care and appreciation. They saw me…they saw us. Now as a single woman, well in my thirties I realize Valentine’s Day has always been more of an ‘acquaintance’ of …

Celebrations that Suit Your Season: by Bri Lassiter

Published by

It’s not always easy to celebrate holidays based on what part of life we find ourselves in. Whether you’re facing a health difficulty, financial struggles, family issues, loss, or simply any type of transition that’s preventing you from celebrating how you normally would, its comforting to find a way to adapt your current situation to still experience the joy and comfort that holidays bring. This Valentine’s Day I’m finding my health abilities are a bit different than they’ve been in the past, and I’m not up to going out to celebrate with a romantic dinner date like my hubby and I usually do. But since Valentines Day has ALWAYS been something we’ve made a big deal about, I started trying to find a solution that adapted my physical needs to our way of celebrating. So it’s a candlelit dinner at home this year, with a full meal already cooked for me from a local Fresh Market. It’s a great solution for our life change, and be encouraged that if you too, find yourself wanting to …