When someone struggles with a personality disorder that affects their capacity for empathy, their children often bear a heavy burden. While this behavior is never justified, understanding its roots can help us respond with both wisdom and compassion. How Mental Health Issues May Manifest as Harmful Parenting A parent with empathy deficits and inconsistent accountability may hurt their children in several ways: Emotional unpredictability  creates an environment where children never know which version of their parent they'll encounter - the apologetic one or the blaming one. This inconsistency damages a child's sense of security and trust. Difficulty recognizing a child's emotional needs  means the parent may dismiss or minimize their child's feelings, leaving them feeling invalidated and unseen. Projection of personal pain  can cause the parent to blame children for problems or view normal childhood behavior as personal attacks, responding with disproportionate anger or ...

When someone we love struggles with mental health issues that manifest as a lack of empathy, blame-shifting, and inconsistent remorse, it can deeply test our faith and patience. These patterns may indicate a personality disorder, which presents unique challenges for both the individual and their family. Understanding the Struggle Scripture teaches us that all humans are created in God's image (Genesis 1:27), yet we live in a fallen world where our minds, bodies, and relationships are affected by brokenness. A loved one who displays inconsistent empathy and accountability is suffering from real psychological pain, even when their actions hurt others. As Christians, we're called to "bear one another's burdens" (Galatians 6:2) while also maintaining healthy boundaries. Jesus demonstrated both compassion and truth in His relationships. The Role of Professional Help God provides healing through multiple channels, including medical and therapeutic intervention: ...

When your heart is in the right place and your actions driven by Godly (love) motivations, we face challenges to learn something which is why you can count it all joy because the father is teaching, and we are deemed worthy of his teaching and discipline.  James 1 tells us to Count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds,   for we know that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness.   And let steadfastness have its full effect, that we may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Trials are God's way of refining us into what he needs us to be to complete his plan for our lives.  This is also called sanctification:  The Greek word translated "sanctification" means "holiness." To sanctify, therefore, means "to make holy."   Trials are there to help refine our ability to make the right choice at the right time.  Building a "muscle-memory."  This is only possible when we actively walk in the Spirit.  Som...

Recently, during a discussion with my close group of friends who share similar marriage challenges, a thought-provoking question arose: What if Jesus was married? This isn't just an idle theological speculation, but a deeply personal reflection on the complexities of marital relationships. It's easy to view Jesus's teachings as simplistic when you're not navigating the intricate challenges of marriage. Many of us have wrestled with this perception – that biblical guidance seems straightforward until you're in the midst of real-life marital struggles. My initial response to my own significant marriage challenges was to acknowledge my past: I entered marriage while living in sin, which undoubtedly contributed to our difficulties. However, I've come to realize that Jesus's unmarried status isn't what makes his teachings seem easy. The real issue lies deeper. A wife is a gift from God, much like children. As Proverbs 18:22 states, "He who finds a wife f...

In our success-driven world, weakness is often seen as something to hide, to overcome, to push past. Yet there's a profound paradox at the heart of spiritual growth: sometimes our greatest strengths emerge from our deepest vulnerabilities. The Apostle Paul captures this beautifully in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, where he shares God's remarkable promise: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Think about that for a moment. God's power isn't just present in our weakness—it's made perfect there. This runs counter to everything our culture teaches us about strength and success. We're told to project confidence, to never let them see us sweat, to fake it till we make it. But God's economy works differently. When we feel broken, overwhelmed, or inadequate, these aren't obstacles to God's work in our lives—they're opportunities. It's in these raw moments of vulnerability that God often does His deepest work....

I will be leading a few of us men through the 6-part study.  This is a great book and takes a very accessible approach to winning the war against us, usually starting within our thoughts. Louie Giglio's "Don't Let the Enemy Have a Seat at Your Table" isn't about literal enemies, but rather the negative thoughts and lies that infiltrate our minds, hindering our relationship with God and impacting our lives. The book provides a framework for recognizing, rejecting, and replacing these destructive thoughts with truth. Here's a summary of the key concepts: The Table of Your Mind: Giglio uses the metaphor of a table to represent our minds. We have the power to choose who sits at that table – what thoughts we entertain and dwell upon. The "enemy" refers to Satan and his tactics of deception, trying to plant seeds of doubt, fear, shame, and condemnation in our minds. Lies the Enemy Tells: The book identifies common lies the enemy uses, such as: You'r...

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