Tag Archives: Bible

Celebrate Every Milestone: Your Journey is Worth Remembering!

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Our lives are a journey full of moments—big and small—that shape who we are.  And when we get married and life gets busy, it’s easy to let these landmark days slip by.  But by making it a point to celebrate them, they become a powerful practice that strengthens our relationships and deepens our faith.

In the Bible, we are constantly reminded of the importance of remembering God’s faithfulness.  This act of celebration is rooted in thankfulness.  Psalm 77:11 says, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.”  When we celebrate our anniversaries, birth dates, or relationship milestones, we are essentially building our own ‘milestones of remembrance.’  We acknowledge that the good in our lives is a blessing and that our journey is supported by someone greater.

Here are three ways to apply this practice in our lives, making our journey richer:

  1. Identify:
    • Think beyond the major holidays. What are the key dates in your life? (e.g., date of meeting a spouse, the day you started a new career, the anniversary of a personal breakthrough, or a commitment to faith).
    • Our Example: Debbie and I met on a blind date on Nov 3, 1991, and she said “I DO” on May 1, 1992, which are both foundational days we always celebrate.
  2. Be Intentional (Doesn’t Mean Expensive):
    • Celebration doesn’t require a big party or gift.  It requires intentionality.
    • Plan a simple, meaningful action: a special dinner, writing a handwritten note, or taking a few minutes to pray together and give thanks for that specific day.  The value is in the memory, not the cost.
  3. Reflect:
    • Use the milestone day as a chance to look back and appreciate how far you’ve come.
    • Then, look forward and reaffirm your commitment to the journey, whether it’s your commitment to a person, a goal, or your spiritual path.  This reflection keeps your foundations strong.

Every single milestone in your life is a checkpoint of God’s grace and a reminder of your perseverance.  Start celebrating those days this year, and you’ll find a renewed appreciation for the journey!

The Power of Words in Marriage

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How your tongue can shape your relationship—for better or worse

We’ve all heard it before: “Words have power.” But few of us realize just how true that is until we see the effects of what we’ve said, whether in encouragement or regret.

The Bible says it clearly:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” — Proverbs 18:21

Words are not just sounds—they are seeds. They carry the power to grow love, trust, and intimacy… or to plant bitterness, pain, and distance.

Communication is the Lifeline of Marriage

In every marriage, communication is the heartbeat. It’s how we resolve conflict, show affection, share our hearts, and stay connected. Your relationship’s strength—or weakness—often comes down to the words you use daily.

Sadly, we live in a world that treats words lightly. Sarcasm, passive aggression, and criticism have become the norm in entertainment and even in everyday conversations.  The result?  A culture desensitized to the damage careless words can cause.

If you come from a background where criticism, yelling, or verbal abuse are common, it’s easy to repeat those patterns without realizing the harm.

But here’s the truth: You have the power to change that.

If You Don’t Like the Harvest, Change the Seeds

Every word we speak is a seed.  Over time, our words create a harvest in our relationships.  If your marriage feels distant, tense, or wounded, it might be time to look at the seeds you’ve been planting.

Encouraging words plant peace.  Honest words build trust.  Gentle words soften hearts.  But harsh words?  They build walls.

If you want a different harvest in your marriage, change your seeds.

Pause Before You Speak

Today, I challenge you to be more mindful of your words.  Before speaking, take a moment to pause and ask yourself:

  • Am I building up or tearing down?
  • Is this coming from a place of love or frustration?
  • Will this help heal or cause harm?

Questions to Reflect On:

  • Am I communicating with my spouse enough, not just logistics, but emotionally and spiritually?
  • Do I speak praise, appreciation, and kindness often?
  • Have I said anything recently that I need to apologize for?
  • Am I using my words to bring life or death into my relationship?

Speak Life, Not Death

You have one life to live.  One marriage to nurture.  One tongue—and with it, the power to either bless or break the heart of the one you love most.

Choose life.  Speak love.  And watch the seeds you plant today grow into a harvest of deeper connection, healing, and joy.

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Naked

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I pray that everyone had a blessed weekend.

For most of us, there’s a deep desire to be loved, heard, needed, wanted, desired, and pursued. I believe every marriage should be full of these things—overflowing, even.

As I share on the topic of “naked,” I encourage you to open your heart and ask God to reveal how you can become the best version of yourself—and how you can consistently show up for your spouse.

“And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” 
(Genesis 2:25)

I find it so powerful that when God created Adam and Eve, He made them naked, and they had no shame.

That word “naked” in Genesis 2:25 means “to be exposed.” In other words, God designed marriage to be a space where we can expose ourselves fully—mentally, emotionally, spiritually, sexually, and physically—without fear, without shame.

Because of this, we can experience intimacy on every possible level. When you are truly “naked” in your marriage—fully exposed and unashamed—you offer your spouse complete access to your life.

You can talk about anything without fear.
You can express your sexuality without inhibition.
You can share your darkest struggles and brightest dreams without worrying about being judged.

But all of this depends on one key condition: that the relationship remains naked, with both spouses willing to remain exposed, honest, and vulnerable in every area.

This goes so much deeper than just the physical. It creates a level of connection and purity that every relationship deserves.

If something has created a wall between you, take responsibility. Apologize for any hurtful words or actions, and begin moving forward, hand in hand.

We must always be intentional about how we treat each other. Watch your words, your attitudes, and your actions. Don’t allow yourself to start taking each other for granted. When you make a mistake, be quick to apologize.

This is how you build a “naked” marriage—the kind God intended.

Remember, it’s NEVER too late to change!

And don’t forget to enjoy the journey!

Battle Ready: Couples “The Pursuit”

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Pursuit Defined: “The action of following or pursuing someone or something.”

When we talk about pursuing our spouse, it means actively and intentionally seeking after them—to cultivate and strengthen the relationship. It’s about making a consistent effort to spend quality time together, engage in meaningful conversations, and discover or rediscover shared interests. Pursuing your spouse means showing up for them emotionally and physically because those two are the power twins of a thriving relationship.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife.”
Genesis 2:24

The Hebrew word for “joined” or “cling” in this verse is dabaq, which means to pursue with great zeal. From the very beginning, God was clear: marriage is work! That’s right—it takes intentional effort, but the reward is a deep, lasting love that’s worth every bit of energy you pour into it.

Couples fall in love because they invest in each other. We try to impress one another, we’re careful to be sensitive, and we go out of our way to please. But somewhere along the journey, many couples shift into “coasting mode.” We stop investing. We stop pursuing. Comfort settles in—and with it comes the risk of taking each other for granted. The energetic behaviors that sparked love begin to fade. The result? Lost passion, boredom, and tension.

I can’t speak for everyone, but if we’re being honest, many of us have been there—or are there right now. This comfort zone, if left unchecked, can become a breeding ground for conflict and disconnection, leaving couples passionless and, at times, standing at the edge of separation.

But here’s the good news: resurrection is possible. It doesn’t happen overnight, but with intention, humility, and a little hard work, we can fire up our marriages to be better than they’ve ever been.

Let’s Take Action Together

Pray Together
Faith-filled prayer changes things.

Mark 11:23-24 NKJ “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

Talk It Out
Ask each other these questions. Listen with open hearts—no interrupting, no negativity, just honest conversation.

  • Do we sometimes take each other for granted?
  • If so, in what ways?
  • What practical steps can we take to begin pursuing each other again, the way we did when we were dating?

Walk It Out

What I mean with “Walk It Out” is to take action steps like:

  • The next time you’re in the car together, reach for your spouse’s hand.
  • When out walking, take the initiative to hold hands.
  • A good bye kiss OR an I LOVE YOU before you end your phone call.

Just taking these simple, quiet gestures says “I’m still here. I still choose you. I still want you”.

It’s all about bringing something new into the moment and even if they don’t respond, just keep investing because it will pay off.

Marriage isn’t easy BUT it’s worth whatever it takes, no investment on our behalf is too much.  

In a world where marriages are falling apart daily, let’s be the light in the world to show what a lasting marriage looks like!

Remember, it’s NEVER too late to change, so let the pursuit begin =)

And don’t forget to enjoy the journey!

Battle Ready – Couples:  “You Don’t Always Have The Answer”

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If there’s one thing I’ve learned (and am still learning), it’s this: I don’t always have the answer—and that’s okay.

When Debbie is going through one of life’s speed bumps, I struggle. I hurt because she’s hurting. For years, I believed it was my job to fix it, to say or do something I thought would be helpful and make it better. But sometimes, trying to help actually made it worse.

I’ve come to realize: Only God can be the calm in the middle of the storm. We’ve got to stop trying to play God in our spouse’s life. That role is already filled.

I read a statement a few years ago that didn’t truly hit home until recently:
“It’s okay not to have all the answers to your spouse’s struggles.”
I’ll be honest—I didn’t like that truth. It feels like I’m giving up when I can’t help, but the more I pray over this, the more I see the truth in it.
I’m not God—and that’s not just okay… it’s necessary as we are called to fully rely on Him above all others.

So often, when we try to help, we draw from our own past struggles. We tell stories, offer advice, and try to give perspective. And while our intentions may be good, sometimes what our spouse hears is:
“I got through it. You should be able to as well.”

That’s not helpful; in fact, it can feel dismissive and create even more issues.

What our spouse really needs in that moment isn’t a solution.
They need presence.
They need compassion.
They need prayer.

Sometimes, that means praying with them out loud in the moment. Other times, it means silently lifting them up while sitting quietly beside them, holding space, being a rock, being there.

We have to remember to validate their feelings, no matter what we think they should feel. It’s not about fixing. It’s about being supportive, present, and listening.

And let’s be honest: shutting our mouths and just listening in love can be one of the hardest things to do—especially when everything inside us is screaming, “Say something! Fix it!” But love often looks like quiet strength.

You don’t always have the answer—and that doesn’t make you weak. It makes you humble. It makes you teachable. It makes you human.

And when we lean into that, we create space for God to do what only He can.

REST

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This post is from my first LWT partner teaching letter of 2024 and I wanted to share it here also with you. It’s titled “Finding Godly Rest in a Noisy World”.

God has always wanted the best for us, His kids, and for us to enjoy the life we have been blessed with. John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came so that we “may have life and have it abundantly”.  Sadly, many aren’t enjoying the abundant life God has blessed us with through Jesus.  Why is that?  I think that it’s in our daily choices and one of those choices is to not rest in the abundant blessings of God.  Where there is no rest there is no joy or peace.

Let’s look at the word abundantly a little closer.  In the Greek translation, it is “Perissos” which translates as superabundance, excessive, overflowing, surplus, over and above, more than enough, profuse, extraordinary, above the ordinary, and more than sufficient. That’s a powerful word and through Jesus, it describes the life God has planned for us, His kids.

We can only find true rest in the Godly abundance that He has provided us IF we can put our faith and trust in Him.  I said, trust and not try!  Living by faith is not a struggle but instead, it’s a rest. You can enter into God’s rest in every area of your life no matter what’s going on around you IF you trust in Him.

I have discovered that stress comes from the way we approach circumstances and our attitudes.  I have realized that the world will probably never change, but I can learn how to change the way I go about handling challenging situations.  When we don’t do our part which is to trust in Him and instead try to do His part ourselves, that’s when we live stressed out with worry, fear, anxiety, frustration, no peace, and no joy.  We MUST always remind ourselves that worrying is useless and trusting God means we give up worrying, reasoning, and anxiety and enter into His rest. 

I want to leave you with this, trust God’s unconditional love for you today and every day. Do what you can do and give Him the rest!  When you find yourself getting frustrated, feeling overwhelmed, like you just can’t do it anymore, remember to stop, get your focus back on Him, and enter His rest once again.  It’s so amazing to know that God is always with us, showering us with His goodness, mercy, and grace!

Enjoy the journey,
Keith & Debbie

“Influence”

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This post is a teaching I did at Living Water Teaching’s US headquarters located in Caddo Mills, TX.  You can CLICK HERE to listen to the recording now or CLICK HERE to go to iTunes and download the Podcast.

Influence is defined as: “The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something.”

One of the most important choices we make in life is what we ALLOW to influence us. Please take note of the word, ALLOW. We allow what influences us, it can’t take control and do it all on its own!

One major influence is what or who we spend the most time with. What we listen to, watch, read and allow to be in our lives, becomes a potential influencer.

In Proverbs 13, we read about the topic of wisdom. I really like v:20 in the NLT translation, which says: “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”

There are two powerful forces that battle to influence us, wisdom and foolishness. The Bible reveals to us in Proverbs 9 that they are competing for our attention, calling out for us to follow them. So many people take the bait, hook, line, and sinker!

Something important to note about foolishness; it’s deceptive, and it can appear informed and attractive. We see it all over social media, in print, on tv and hear it on the radio. I was thinking about the news as I wrote this and the effect it has as we listen to it and then when you add the pictures to it as well, it can get so much worse. Most of the time, it provokes us to react because of the things we hear and see, and not in the right way.

To get a true understanding of wisdom and foolishness, let’s look at how they are defined.

Foolishness is defined as: “Lack of good sense or judgment; stupidity.”

Wisdom is defined as: “The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.” 

Wisdom and foolishness express themselves through the words of the influencers which we allow into our lives. We’d like to think we’d never be influenced by foolish people. However, foolishness is deceptive and can appear informed and attractive.

When we read 2 Corinthians 11, we read where Paul was frustrated because the church allowed foolishness to deceive them. We read about their faithfulness as well as their foolishness, along with false apostles. Paul brings truth to light to distinguish the wise people apart from the foolish people. Here are three ways he did it; they can help us in our daily lives.

1.  Fools listen to anything anyone says. Wise people compare what they hear to God’s Word and in prayer receive revelation. They also seek wise counsel from those that they trust. (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).
2.  Fools look to move up the ladder, becoming anyone and saying anything to get ahead. We call this type of person a YES person. Wise people are faithful with the opportunities God gives them, and they always put others first. (2 Corinthians 11:7-15).
3.  Fools boast about their achievements (2 Corinthians 11:17-18). The wise know to boast in the Lord. (2 Corinthians 11:30-31).
Listening to foolish influences carries harmful consequences, but listening to the wise can help makes us wise (Proverbs 13:20).

In a world so full of opinions, the Bible must always be our rudder of truth and wisdom.

Here are 3 questions to ask yourself:
1. Who or what influences you the most? Based on the three things previously mentioned, are those influences wise or foolish?
2. If necessary, what is one way you can begin now to change who and or what influences you today?
3. What is one situation you need to ask God for wisdom about? James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you”.

 

A message of PURPOSE revealed in STAR WARS

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star-wars-pic-to-go-with-star-wars-post

The following is a really great guest post from Eric Anderson .  I asked him to bring the topics of PURPOSE and STAR WARS together for this post and he did a really great job.  Thank you, Eric!  

“Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you are my only hope.” This line from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, is one of the top 100 lines in the whole history of cinema. Although it was not the first line in the movie, it became the first significant line in a franchise that has impacted millions of individuals, as well as culture as a whole. This line brought an old man out of exile into a conflict which spanned a galaxy. Obi-Wan Kenobi had been in exile for nearly 30 years at this point. He was keeping tabs on a child on a desert planet far from his former apprentice. He did not exactly choose this exile. It came after he experienced a battle with a friend who betrayed him and his friend’s new mentor was just too powerful for the few Jedi that were left, to take down. But this line gave him a renewed purpose.

Purpose is a hard thing for us, right? We often struggle with it. Whether as a college student in a boring job with classes that are overwhelming or a businessman who is traveling to another continent for work or play. We live in a culture that does argue over our origins, regularly. In a world where a view like Han Solo’s claim of “Kid, I’ve flown from one side of the galaxy to the other and I’ve seen a lot of strange stuff, but I’ve never seen anything to make me believe there’s one all-powerful force controlling everything,” I would argue that we should take the side of Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan knew the Force. He had used the Force and responded to it time and time again. For him, it was not a struggle, and it doesn’t need to be one for us, either – even in exile.

The Jews in Babylon knew the feeling of exile. They had been in exile for nearly 70 years. They had sought purpose in the exile and were longing to get out of exile. First, we’ll look at the purpose within exile, then the purpose after exile. There were several prophets that can stand out in this time period. Jeremiah did not go into exile, but he wrote a letter to those in exile which is found in Jeremiah 29. Now normally, people focus on verse 11, but we shall look before that at what he actually told them to do while in exile. Verse 7 tells us: “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” He didn’t want them to just carry on in life, but to live missionally within their context. This fits with Jesus’ teachings. He taught us to share our resources with those who have none. Even when God sends you where you do not want to go, He has people there for you to reach. People for you to love, be generous to, and to which you can share Jesus. I doubt that Obi-Wan just sat there while he was on Tatooine. We know he was looking after Luke from a distance and also that Yoda had told him to train in communing with the Force. Did you really think he became a Force Ghost later on by doing nothing on Tatooine?  In Jeremiah 29:12, after telling us He has a future and a hope for us, God says: “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” God has a relational and personal purpose for us. Jesus himself said that he calls his disciples “friends” and not just servants (John 15:15). This calling is one that exists both in and out of exile. It never ends and it will continue in eternity.

Exile is never permanent. It is always temporary, even if it feels long. When the 70 years were up, God revealed a particular part of His plan to two different men. One of them was sent to build walls around Jerusalem. Nehemiah felt a calling from God to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem and Ezra felt the calling to build a new temple for worship. They each have their own book in the Bible and I encourage you to read them. It seems that when someone is pulled from exile, throughout scripture they have a role. Paul spends time growing closer to Christ in exile then goes on his missionary journeys after that. Jesus spends forty days fasting in the wilderness and then completes his calling to bring redemption. Obi-Wan’s purpose was to get Luke out of his exile and helping with the rebellion against the Empire. In the newest Star Wars film, we find another person coming out of exile. A girl named Rey. She has been living life as a scavenger on a planet that experienced a huge battle and has many crashed ships on it. She then helps seek Luke Skywalker after enlisting in an army to fight the New Order.

Whatever phase of life you are in, whether you feel exiled to a place you do not like or if you love where you are, God has purpose for you. First of all, for you to enjoy life with Him, and secondly for you to bring His redemption to those around you.

Thank you again, Eric Anderson! And thank you to those that have taken the time to read this blog post.  I pray this one and any others you take the time to read, will bless you and bring increase into your life.  Please help us to reach further and bless more people by sharing this blog with others you know.  Together we can make a difference!    

A Challenge to “Take Each Day Gladiator Style”

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colosseum-rome-italy

It’s a scorching day at the Colosseum in Rome and the crowd is roaring with anticipation. Suddenly, a steel gate goes up at one end of the arena and the crowd elevates to something way beyond a roar, as a burly man enters carrying a shield by his side and a sword in the other hand. Just as he is making his way into the center of the arena, another steel door disappears into the rock wall and out appears a battle-scarred man, screaming a blood-curdling noise. He charges towards the center of the arena with a shield set tight to his chest and yielding a massive sword. As he arrives at the center and goes from a sprinting charge to a leaping flight and with his sword set to swing, he crashes into the other gladiator and THEN?????

Here we are, a new day of dawning light has come. Your eyes open to the sound of an alarm clock and so it begins. You just entered into the arena of battle for yet another day. How you enter it sets the tone for how your day will go.

So many enter each day with a victim mindset; a “WHY ME” mentality that screams defeat from the very beginning. The facial expression screams, “I give up” before the daily ever truly has the opportunity to produce! So many wake up each day, already with an attitude of total defeat leftover from the day before. As soon as our eyes open, we must engage the day like a gladiator entering the arena of battle. If we surrender, we will find defeat to what we can’t get back.

We MUST take on a warrior mentality when it comes to life. When I picture a gladiator, I picture a warrior that knows defeat is not an option. He knows this mentally and keeps that mindset for the battle he is entering into.

The battle between the two gladiators was taking place in their minds long before they entered the arena. The stage was already set for certain victory in both their minds, but the realization was that someone would not be walking out of that colosseum of alive.

I want to share 10 attributes of a warrior, which can help you be the victor and no longer the victim.

1. Ambition: You will never have what you don’t truly desire!

2. Knowing of Purpose: You must be locked in and focused on your WHY!

3. Physically able: Your family, friends, and dreams need you being the best you can be. YES, I’m talking about how you take care of you which is a reflection of how we also take care of others.

4. Honor: How we honor those in our lives speaks loudly of our character and the person we really are.

5. Compassion: I like the statement that goes something like this: One of the greatest ways for us to succeed is by helping someone else to succeed.

6. Faith: What do you believe in? I myself, have my faith as a Christian and am totally secure in it. Many don’t know what they believe and are tossed daily about by the beliefs of all those around them. YOU and you alone must be set and solid in your faith and not give up or give in, no matter what comes your way.

7. Courage: This is the ability to do something that you know is difficult and dangerous. Courage is a daily decision we will make whether we want to or not. What we don’t face, we will encounter over and over again until we do.

8. Discipline: Do you have a discipline that is self-motivated OR do you require others to guide you through life? Discipline is something we set best for ourselves; we must create a check and balance system to make sure we walk it out.

9. Freedom: You must realize that you have been freed to be all you could ever dream to be. The only thing that can truly stop you is you!

10. Endurance: You must have the ability to endure. Life might not always be the way you want it, but you have got to be willing to push on and NOT give up.

I know there are many more attributes we could list, but these speak loudly to me in my life. You could also expound on each one for your own life.

So which gladiator are you—the one that brings the battle OR the one that has the battle brought to them? We have got to recognize, correct and overcome those weak areas in our lives and move on to conquer the day and be the best we can be!

Now get busy and make this day count!

Originally posted on The Good Men Projects website on 4-2-2016. CLICK HERE TO READ

 

What Do You Say?

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new year 2016

I wonder how many were counting the minutes until 2015 would end, in an almost fearful state of mind? I know there was also a group that was embracing every second that 2015 was going to give them; believing to the very last second for breakthrough, healings, restorations, transformations, etc.

Life gives us two options, to embrace and fight against whatever is coming our way OR give up and accept what is. I have found that if I decide to embrace the moment through Christ, it goes much differently than if I fight against it on my own strength and power. Embracing does not mean giving in and giving up, but instead knowing that God has your back and by faith through grace we can do ALL things through Christ.

According to Webster, one of the definitions of embrace means, “to use (an opportunity) eagerly”. In Christ, we have all kinds of opportunities, but on our own we are VERY limited! In Christ, we tap into a limitless power that says, “I CAN”. I CAN do all things through Christ. I CAN do great things. I CAN walk in divine health and wholeness. I CAN live blessed above and beyond all I could ever ask or think. I CAN! I CAN! I CAN!

So, what are you now going to say about 2016? It’s up to you!