A Note from Barbara: When my son Samuel shared this six-part series with our team, there was some vying for which website would run it first, Ever Thine Home or The Raineys. As you can see, Ever Thine Home won our little team debate! I am so happy to share Samuel’s first marriage tool with …

Six Tools to Rebuild Trust in Marriage Read More »

Establishing your home as an embassy of the King of Kings is probably much less complicated than you think.  One of the easiest ways to use your home for influence is to invite people over for a meal. One of my favorite stories is about Rosaria Champagne, who at one time was an English professor …

Using Your Home for Influence Read More »

Have you ever visited an American Embassy while traveling in a foreign country? You can’t miss it: Old Glory flaps proudly in the overseas air. As you walk through the doors, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and other national hero paintings welcome you “home.” It’s familiar, and it’s also safe. Once on your embassy’s soil, you …

Did You Know Your Home Is an Embassy of the King? Read More »

In the current climate of our country I feel my stability—my sense of peace, my rootedness—is buffeted continually by news about political and social unrest, threats to national security, shocking crime, and even reports of extreme weather. A few weeks ago a devastating tornado swept through Little Rock, destroying areas I’ve driven through for over …

Where Can We Find Stability in an Unstable Time? Read More »

Early in our marriage, Dennis and I discovered we had very different views on the value of work. Then we had children … and the conversation widened to include questions like, “How do we balance play time and teaching time? How much can we expect of our toddlers, our preschoolers?” Do you know what values …

Using Chores to Teach Your Children the Value of Work Read More »

As a new Christian, and a few years later as a new wife, I eagerly prayed for everything. God graciously allowed me to see answers in those early years of faith because He knew I needed to see some evidence. Little children need much encouragement. Without fully realizing it, I developed a formula. In all …

Lies You May Believe About God: “If I Do My Part, God Will Answer My Prayers” Read More »

Did you grow up hearing fairy tales read to you? Or did you play pretend games imagining you were a hero or heroine? Did you remember wondering if the invisible, mysterious God you heard about in church was just another myth—or was actually real? I loved fairy tales and make-believe stories as a child. There …

Lies You May Believe About God: “God Never Causes ‘Bad Things’ to Happen to Us” Read More »

As you have probably noticed, holidays are important in my life and in the life of my family. I’ve invested a good amount of time to find creative and memorable ways to mark these annual faith-based days on the calendar because they have roots in the Bible’s story and therefore are important to our faith today. …

Pentecost: The Forgotten Celebration Read More »

This Thursday, May 18, 2023, marks 40 days since Resurrection Sunday. That historical moment is called Ascension Day, the day Jesus left the earth for heaven. But for most followers of Christ, Ascension Day is uncelebrated, unnoticed, even unknown. As one reader told us, “I was not even aware of a celebration of Ascension Day until …

Happy Ascension Day! 4 Reasons This Critical Event Deserves a Celebration of its Own Read More »

All six of our children had adjustments and challenges with their in-laws. Everyone does. We did too. My mother-in-law and I could not have been more different. It seemed we had nothing in common. Her favorite hobby was fishing. She loved watching golf on TV. Both activities were foreign and of zero interest to me. …

3 Steps to Getting Along With Your Mother-in-law Read More »

Why is it that one of life’s most difficult relationships is often between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law? Or sometimes a son-in-law? Most of us have high hopes for these relationships before they become official. We imagine getting along, spending time together, and liking each other. And yet all too soon individual relationships suffer from …

Avoid These Three Mistakes to Become a Wise Mother-in-law Read More »

by Samuel Rainey What’s the first thought or feeling that comes up for you when you hear the word “conflict”? Fear? Panic? Memories of fights in the home growing up? An urge that says, “It’s time to start running”? For most people that I interact with in my counseling office, conflict brings up some pretty …

4 Questions to Help You Resolve Conflict Read More »