Wednesday, July 3, 2013

YourWebsite Widget


Encouraging Word

The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.
Nahum 1:7 NLT

Ideal Family - Part 4

🌟 Ideal Family - Part 4



🧱 God-Given Structures

God created three core structures to bring order, direction, and protection in our lives:

1. Family

  • Genesis 1:27-28 (NKJV)

    “Be fruitful and multiply... have dominion...”

  • Key Points:

    • The first structure God created.

    • Designed for fruitfulness, multiplication, and stewardship over creation.

    • The foundation for all human society.


2. Government

  • Genesis 9:6 (NKJV)

    “Whoever sheds man’s blood...”

  • Romans 13:1, 4 (NIV)

    “There is no authority except that which God has established...”

  • Romans 13:2 (NKJV)

    “Whoever resists authority resists the ordinance of God...”

  • Key Points:

    • Created to enforce justice and maintain order.

    • Government is God’s servant for our good.

    • Resisting authority = resisting God’s structure.


3. Church

  • I Corinthians 12:18 (NKJV)

    “God has set the members... in the body just as He pleased.”

  • Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV)

    “For the equipping of the saints... for the edifying of the Body of Christ.”

  • Key Points:

    • We are the Church, and each member has a place.

    • Church exists to:

      • Mature believers

      • Equip for ministry

      • Build up the Body

    • Commitment is proven through trials and perseverance.

    • Staying despite imperfections leads to growth.


🛠️ The Purpose of Structure

  • Structures (Family, Government, Church) are gifts from God.

  • Ignoring or rebelling against any of them will hurt us.

  • Correction is how God brings us back into structure.


⚖️ Correction: God's Tool for Growth

Scriptures on Correction:

  • Proverbs 29:15, 17 (NKJV) – Discipline brings wisdom and peace.

  • II Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) – Scripture is profitable for correction and training.

  • 2 Timothy 4:2 (NIV) – Correct, rebuke, and encourage with patience.

  • Galatians 6:1 (NIRV) – Restore others gently.

  • Hebrews 12:11 (NKJV) – Chastening is painful but produces righteousness.

  • Ephesians 6:4 (NKJV) – Train and admonish children in the Lord.

  • I John 3:18-20 (NKJV) – Our heart convicts us when we’re wrong.

Greek Word Studies:

  • Chastening (Paideia): Training by action, includes discipline.

  • Admonition (Nouthesia): Training by words, “putting in mind.”


💡 Key Takeaways

  • Correction is necessary and comes from God.

  • Don’t expect correction to feel good — it's not about comfort, but growth.

  • If we learn to correct ourselves, we can avoid needing correction from others.

  • Correction is done for people, not to people — a gift, not a punishment.

  • True repentance includes change, not just saying sorry.

  • Getting caught is not the beginning of trouble — it's the start of getting free.


📌 Final Thoughts

  • All great relationships endure trials and correction.

  • Structure only works if we flow with it.

  • God uses structure to bless, protect, and mature us.

Monday, July 1, 2013

The Life of a Single Mom

  Please check out

The Life of a Single Mom    on klove site


Web Site: thelifeofasinglemom.com/

What K‑LOVE Highlights About “The Life of a Single Mom”

  • K‑LOVE published a feature article “LOCAL Closer Look: The Life of a Single Mom in Baton Rouge, LA” with an interview of Jennifer Maggio, CEO of The Life of a Single Mom. K-LOVE

    • In that interview, Maggio describes how the ministry began with just three mothers and has grown to impact over a million mothers nationwide. K-LOVE

    • She speaks about challenges single moms face—emotional, mental, financial—and how TLSM meets those needs via launch groups, Single Mom University, and events. K-LOVE

    • The feature is part of K‑LOVE’s “Closer Look” (a “Faith Matters / Local” series) which highlights ministries in specific communities. K-LOVE


📝 What This Suggests / What to Consider

Strengths

  1. Visibility & Credibility

    • Being featured by K‑LOVE gives TLSM exposure, especially among listeners who align with Christian radio. It’s a sort of third‑party validation.

    • It suggests a relationship or at least mutual recognition between TLSM and K‑LOVE (or its media arm).

  2. Narrative & Storytelling Emphasis

    • The K‑LOVE article focuses on the story—where they started, how they grew, and what needs they address. That’s good from a communications standpoint.

    • It humanizes the ministry by sharing real challenges and giving a behind‑the-scenes peek.

  3. Local Connection

    • The “Closer Look” is local (Baton Rouge), which helps ground the ministry in a real community—not just abstract national reach.

    • It might help local adoption—churches in that region might see TLSM as relevant and accessible.

Things to Watch / Questions Raised

  1. How Deep Is the Feature?

    • The K‑LOVE feature is journalistic / promotional in nature—it’s not a critical audit. It highlights success, mission, and vision.

    • It does not (in the article) deeply examine challenges, failures, financial data, governance, etc. So it gives a useful but partial view.

  2. Selective Emphasis

    • The article is likely edited to present the positive framing. Ministries often use media features to highlight their strengths.

    • We don’t see in that article how they handle critique, disagreement, or difficult places—those are less often featured.

  3. Dependency on Media Endorsements

    • While media visibility is valuable, it can sometimes create a “halo effect”—where listeners or partners assume legitimacy without deeper vetting.

    • It’s good to have such endorsements, but they should not substitute for due diligence.

  4. Local vs National Consistency

    • The article talks about the Baton Rouge version of TLSM. One must consider: Do all other local chapters or groups operate with the same standards, values, and quality?

    • How much oversight or standardization is there across different cities? (The “Closer Look” does not address that.)

  5. Perception Management

    • The messaging is well polished. That’s expected, but it also means you should check how stories match practices.

    • For instance, when they talk about “impacted over a million mothers,” what does “impacted” mean (contact, events, groups, classes)?

Encouraging Word

The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.
Exodus 14:14 NLT

family website

family website

1. If you want to use Shutterfly for a family site

Shutterfly is primarily a service for photo prints, photo books, cards, wall art, gifts, etc. Shutterfly
It’s not exactly a full “website builder” like Wax or Squarespace, but you can use it as a way to share photos, create albums, and make keepsakes for your family. Here’s how you could use it:

  • Upload family photos to albums

  • Share album links with relatives

  • Create photo books, calendars, or wall art as family keepsakes

  • Use it as a private “gallery” space for your family to view and browse

  • Use the Shutterfly “Stories” or “Share Sites” (if available) to create narrative pages with text + images

If you tell me which features of Shutterfly you want (sharing, printing, privacy, etc.), I can guide you step-by-step.


2. If you want to build a family website modeled after Shutterfly

If you’d like to build your own family website that functions like Shutterfly (photo galleries, albums, ordering prints, etc.), here are steps and tips:

A. Platform / Technology Choices

You’ll want a platform that supports:

  • Photo galleries / albums

  • User accounts / privacy (so only family can see certain content)

  • E-commerce or “order prints” features (optional)

  • Blog or stories section

  • Responsive design (mobile + desktop)

Some options:

  • WordPress + gallery / e-commerce plugins

  • Web flow + photo gallery embeds

  • Squarespace / Wax (they have gallery + shop features)

  • Custom build (if you know web development)

B. Key Pages / Sections

Here are typical sections for a family website:

  • Home / Welcome

  • Our Story / Family History

  • Photo Galleries / Albums

  • Events / Calendar (birthdays, reunions, holidays)

  • Blog / Updates / News

  • Keepsakes / Store (prints, albums, gifts)

  • Contact / Guestbook / Comments

  • Privacy / Access (e.g. password-protected areas)

C. Naming, Design & Content

  • Choose a warm, inviting name (e.g. “The Smith Family Album,” “Our Family Story”)

  • Use a clean, photo-first design

  • On your homepage, include a greeting, recent family photos, and navigation

  • On “About” or “Story” page: share how your family started, names, backgrounds

  • Gallery pages: allow sorting by year, event, person

  • For a blog: short updates, quotes, reflections

D. Example of Homepage Text

Welcome to the [Your Family Name] Family Website
Here we share our stories, photos, and memories. Look through our albums, see what’s new, or order a keepsake to cherish forever. Whether you’re near or far, we’re glad you’re here with us.


Ideal Family - Part 3

🌟 Ideal Family - Part 4

🧱 God-Given Structures

God created three core structures to bring order, direction, and protection in our lives:

1. Family

  • Genesis 1:27-28 (NKJV)

    “Be fruitful and multiply... have dominion...”

  • Key Points:

    • The first structure God created.

    • Designed for fruitfulness, multiplication, and stewardship over creation.

    • The foundation for all human society.


2. Government

  • Genesis 9:6 (NKJV)

    “Whoever sheds man’s blood...”

  • Romans 13:1, 4 (NIV)

    “There is no authority except that which God has established...”

  • Romans 13:2 (NKJV)

    “Whoever resists authority resists the ordinance of God...”

  • Key Points:

    • Created to enforce justice and maintain order.

    • Government is God’s servant for our good.

    • Resisting authority = resisting God’s structure.


3. Church

  • I Corinthians 12:18 (NKJV)

    “God has set the members... in the body just as He pleased.”

  • Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV)

    “For the equipping of the saints... for the edifying of the Body of Christ.”

  • Key Points:

    • We are the Church, and each member has a place.

    • Church exists to:

      • Mature believers

      • Equip for ministry

      • Build up the Body

    • Commitment is proven through trials and perseverance.

    • Staying despite imperfections leads to growth.


🛠️ The Purpose of Structure

  • Structures (Family, Government, Church) are gifts from God.

  • Ignoring or rebelling against any of them will hurt us.

  • Correction is how God brings us back into structure.


⚖️ Correction: God's Tool for Growth

Scriptures on Correction:

  • Proverbs 29:15, 17 (NKJV) – Discipline brings wisdom and peace.

  • II Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) – Scripture is profitable for correction and training.

  • 2 Timothy 4:2 (NIV) – Correct, rebuke, and encourage with patience.

  • Galatians 6:1 (NIRV) – Restore others gently.

  • Hebrews 12:11 (NKJV) – Chastening is painful but produces righteousness.

  • Ephesians 6:4 (NKJV) – Train and admonish children in the Lord.

  • I John 3:18-20 (NKJV) – Our heart convicts us when we’re wrong.

Greek Word Studies:

  • Chastening (Paideia): Training by action, includes discipline.

  • Admonition (Nouthesia): Training by words, “putting in mind.”


💡 Key Takeaways

  • Correction is necessary and comes from God.

  • Don’t expect correction to feel good — it's not about comfort, but growth.

  • If we learn to correct ourselves, we can avoid needing correction from others.

  • Correction is done for people, not to people — a gift, not a punishment.

  • True repentance includes change, not just saying sorry.

  • Getting caught is not the beginning of trouble — it's the start of getting free.


📌 Final Thoughts

  • All great relationships endure trials and correction.

  • Structure only works if we flow with it.

  • God uses structure to bless, protect, and mature us.

This is my family and me at the top

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