What does the Bible mean when it says that “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6)? How do I apply this to the way I manage my finances? And why does Paul go on to state that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil?”
Family Q&A
Can you help me understand what my elderly dad might be feeling? I sometimes think that elderly people are “invisible” to the rest of us. We never seem to ask ourselves what they’re thinking and feeling as they deal with personal loss, the implications of aging, and the prospect of death.
How should we handle our concerns that our adolescent grandson may be thinking about ending his own life? Many teens are moody – we understand that – but he seems to have more “downs” than “ups,” and we think he could be seriously depressed. While spending the weekend at our house, he actually told us …
Should I set up an inheritance trust for my wife? My reasoning is that she doesn’t like handling money. Is my thinking sound?
What can we do to help guide our extended family – siblings, spouses, and grandkids – through the difficult experience of losing an elderly loved one? It’s obvious that my mother is very near the end. How do we prepare for her eventual death? Do you have any practical suggestions?
Do you have any suggestions about what qualities I should look for in a doctor? Our family doctor just moved out of town. She referred me to another physician, but I think I’d like to check around for other options.
How much time should I devote to my work? My job requires me to put in long hours every week. As a result I’m not able to give as much attention to other things — including my family — as I’d like. In your opinion, how much time is too much time for work? Do …
Can you help us understand why our 5-year-old son sometimes goes out of control for no obvious reason? He was adopted from a background of trauma and abuse, but we’ve done everything in our power to make him feel loved and secure. Still, he’s developed serious behavioral problems. We’re treating him for ADHD, but so …
Is it possible that mental problems might be behind the erratic behavior of our 6-year-old son who we adopted who we adopted through the foster care system? His behavior is maddeningly unpredictable. He alternates between tantrums, running away, hiding, aggression, and wild hyperactivity. To top things off, he seems to regard us with feelings of …
Should Christians participate in Halloween by allowing their kids to attend costume parties and go trick-or-treating? We have serious problems with this, but all the other families in our neighborhood go all out in celebrating the holiday. Our kids feel left out if we don’t allow them to join in. What do you think we …
Does spanking teach kids to be violent? I have some serious reservations about the appropriateness and effectiveness of this type of discipline. If we spank our child, will this lead her to assume that violence is acceptable, or that it’s okay to hit others or even to hit us back?
Do you have any advice for handling toddler who wanders into our room in the middle of the night screaming, moaning, thrashing wildly, and jabbering incoherently? He doesn’t seem to know us when these Night Terrors get a grip of him. When we try to comfort him, he just pushes us away. Is there anything …
Do you have any advice for a young, recently married couple who are thinking seriously about having children? When should we start? How many kids should we plan on having? How far apart should they be spaced?
How does divorce affect kids?
Would you or would you not recommend that a first-time mother consider nursing her newborn infant? What are the advantages and disadvantages of breastfeeding? I’m anxious to do what’s best for my baby, but I’m also a little worried about becoming “tied down” by nursing. What do you think?
How do we go about choosing the best person to care for our children when we’re away from home? My spouse and I desperately need to get some time away from the kids and start “dating” each other again, at least every other week or so. But we’re not sure how to find a suitable …
How can I undo the damage I’ve caused by being too harsh with my children? I realize that I’ve been overly critical in my attitude toward them, and the results are now beginning to surface. How do we turn this around?
How can missionary parents ease the transition for their children when moving back home from the mission field? Our oldest son, who is eleven-and-a-half, has been struggling for several years here in our host country. After trying to help him adjust in a number of ways, we’ve decided to follow the recommendation of our leadership …
How do I answer my child’s difficult questions about her absent father? I broke up with her dad almost eight years ago — when she was just a baby — and she has never met him. But lately she’s been asking things like, “Do you still love Daddy?” and “Why doesn’t he love me? ” …
Could my child’s struggles in math be linked to some kind of learning disability? She gets straight A’s in every other subject, but when it comes to working with numbers she really has problems keeping her head above water. We’re having a hard time understanding why this is the case.