Children have very vivid imaginations, and when nurtured, they grow to produce works of art, excellent storytelling, or musical arrangements that convey the depth of their creativity. When tragedy strikes, and we’re shaken from our moorings, it may take a miracle to restore us to those people, places, and things that bring us back to that place called home. This story is entitled “A Place at the Table,” and provides us with a look into the picture-perfect snow globe of a family in a house that was built for that family. If we look closely, we’ll see that their family picture is not as perfect as it seems from a distance. Perfection will only be achieved when Jesus returns, but for our story, we will look to the hope of this world, a babe, found swaddled and lying in a humble manger in the little town of Bethlehem.

Our American culture has specific norms understood by all. Of course, the norms have changed through the years and are more relaxed. For instance, decades ago, a woman wouldn’t initiate a dating relationship with a man because it would be considered forward. Today, the approach is no longer questioned. The culture drives our norms – including dating norms. But not everyone follows the dating culture that is part of the American dating scene. There are social cues and morays to consider. But what happens if you haven’t dated in a very long time because the culture conflicts with your faith? Do you still date?

Many of us come from dysfunctional families and have parents whose names would never be put forward by their children to a survey of “best parents ever.” When we closely examine the parenting style of the patriarchs of God’s chosen people, we find that they were imperfect and prone to favoritism, lying, cheating, abuse, and all manner of sin acted out in God’s sight. Yet, their children survived and carried on these same behaviors throughout the generations. The hero from the Old Testament, whose name is synonymous with persecution, is Joseph, the second to youngest son of the great patriarch Jacob, who chose to live righteously. His story demonstrates God’s abounding grace amid patience and perseverance under fire.

Do you feel as if you’re living through an endless period asking God to help you? You might ask, “Does God hear my prayers? Does he pick and choose which prayers he will answer? Are there certain people who have God’s ear over others?” Yes, there are people whose prayers are heard by God and they are those who abide in Christ Jesus and are not hindered by unconfessed sin. The truth will be his response and if you are not prepared to accept the truth, then you have your answer. Sometimes change can be a painful process, but if we’re willing to trust God to walk us through the storm, we will come out stronger and wiser.

When we look at our image in a mirror, there are many who will inevitably find flaws and turn away perhaps feeling one way or another. We all look for emotional avenues to express how we feel and much of it occurs when we’re alone. Unspoken truths and feelings can be expressed in the presence of that cold image staring back at us behind the looking glass. If we don’t possess a firm foundation found only in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, the temptation to turn to worldly philosophies to satisfy an immediate need that is accompanied by a deep-seated hurt is imminent.

Hadassah, a young woman whose name was changed to Esther to save her life. A queen, who trusted God and stood in the gap for her people before the king. Queen Esther is the epitome of trust and obedience amid potential genocide. She is the second queen who stands in contrast to the first. Enjoy Part Two of “A Tale of Two Queens: Esther” and judge for yourself.

A princess is the daughter of a monarch – the ruler of a kingdom. Following her birth, she is cosseted and left in the care of handmaidens who will care for her, dress her and respond to her every whim. She brings value to her family in the form of strategic marriage alliances, and if she is beautiful, she would prove even more valuable through her father’s negotiations for the kingdom and the fortunes of her family. This week we will meet a woman who brought more than her beauty to the northern kingdom of Israel. She is a queen whose name lives in infamy - she is Jezebel.

Genesis 2:24 says, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh” to demonstrate the ordinance set forth in the marriage covenant made before God. They are to rely on one another in all things. The mystery (and difficulty) of this type of union implies sacrificial responsibility – putting your spouse’s needs before your own. Promises made and kept by a trustworthy partner are those that are highly valued. They supply comfort to the suffering soul, knowing that as the dawn breaks, their morning star is still with them. When a debilitating illness affects the family, how will God show his glory?

In this episode we’ll hear from Kinney, a woman who, along with her husband, built their safe harbor to withstand the winds and rain. They also built a ministry together alongside their individual careers and family. Sadly, the place originally intended as a sanctuary – their marriage – could no longer be their haven of peace and security. The shifting sands upon which the marriage was built also contained fault lines that were left unattended, and the waters seeping through the cracks eventually wore against the foundation. When the strongholds of our lives begin to crumble because of unforeseen winds, where can we run for safety? How can we reconcile the loss of that for which we placed all trust?

When it comes to our relationships with one another, we enter into our own understanding based on who we are and our past experiences. God created us for relationships, so it is inevitable that we will have conflict because we are fallen creatures. Daphne and Melissa are joined by Jimmy Saenz (Melissa’s husband) as they sit down and have a frank discussion about marriage from two perspectives: married or single in today’s culture. And they talk about what they heard from Chris and Carmen Garner of Fortified Marriages Ministries.

God created marriage for man and woman to enjoy one another and provided the perfect landscape that was fortified with boundaries instituted by God for their welfare. For those who are called into this covenantal institution, you know and understand the work required to protect the union at all times. Chris and Carmen Garner, Marriage and Family counselors understand and have built their ministry on the biblical principle found in Matthew 7:24. They believe this so much that they named their ministry Fortified Marriages, and used a castle fortress to depict the necessity of providing tools and resources for building a strong Christian marriage.

God created marriage for man and woman to enjoy one another and provided the perfect landscape that was fortified with boundaries instituted by God for their welfare. For those who are called into this covenantal institution, you know and understand the work required to protect the union at all times. Chris and Carmen Garner, Marriage and Family counselors understand and have built their ministry on the biblical principle found in Matthew 7:24. They believe this so much that they named their ministry Fortified Marriages, and used a castle fortress to depict the necessity of providing tools and resources for building a strong Christian marriage.

Everyone loves an epic tale – a sweeping drama with historical figures and heart-pounding action. These stories keep the listener spellbound and on the edge of their seat. The Bible contains such dramas within many of the books of the Old Testament. The historical account of Noah and the Great Flood has been exhaustively researched and compared with traditions or stories that seemingly corroborate the validity of what was written in the Book of Genesis. Let’s listen to this first drama of our new series: The Heroes of the Old Testament.

Just when you believe you have weathered the storm, God sends another. Oftentimes, these storms are not of our own making, but the result of living in a fallen world. In Part Two of my conversation with Patti, we will hear about courage under fire. Is it okay to just give up when the giants keep coming? Patti shares the things she’s learned in this journey of faith, and it’s definitely a story worth listening to!

How would you react when you've been told that you have cancer? Are you a proactive person who would immediately seek the most advanced medical protocols, or would you shut down in fear? Listen to how our guest Patti responded in faith, and chose to proactively go into battle with the disease under the banner of the Lord.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Join Daphne as she takes you on a prophetic journey through biblical history leading to that first Christmas in this special episode of “A Light in the Darkness.”

Join Daphne and Melissa as they provide an in-depth commentary on Part Two of Tish Goebel's amazing story about her Marketplace Ministry.

Join Daphne and Melissa in this weeks’ episode of In the Lighthouse - Part One Commentary, as they discuss key aspects of Lutisha Goebel’s amazing story, “Marketplace Ministry.”

Storms have a way of raging, as high winds threaten to submerge the flimsy boat fiercely struggling to stay afloat. But eventually we learn that much wisdom can be gained when we choose to seek the Lord in quiet and stillness. Through her story, Tish explains how the ideals we set up in our minds are simply just – ideals – thus, they hold no true reality. And when we place all our hopes in imperfect people, eventually there must be a reckoning, and a realignment of our understanding of who God is.

Many can recall the innocence of childhood, and the people and places we visited along the way. We might remember family gatherings or long road trips, and the people who influenced and loved us. This episode is entitled, “Marketplace Ministry,” and it is a story of how God tears down the idols we build up, in order to show that He is God alone. You will hear from Tish, a woman whose childhood left scars that required healing in adulthood, and set her steps on a path according to God’s plan.