Winner of the ECPA Christian Living Book of the Year AwardOur emotions are complex. Some of us seem able to ignore our feelings, while others feel controlled by them. But most of us would admit that we don’t always know what to do with how we feel.The Bible teaches us that our emotions are an indispensable part of what makes us human—and play a crucial role in our relationships with God and others. Exploring how God designed emotions for our good, this book shows us how to properly engage with our emotions—even the more difficult ones like fear, anger, shame, guilt, and sorrow—so we can better understand what they reveal about our hearts and handle them wisely in everyday moments. Explores several of the most challenging emotions, such as fear, anger, grief, guilt, and shameTeaches us to engage—rather than control—our emotionsFeatures study questions at the end of each chapter
How do you blend two separate families into one household? Family traditions, values, interests, and parenting styles are often so far apart that simple questions like, "Who takes out the trash?" or "Where shall we go for Christmas?" can quickly become flashpoints of conflict.Winston T. Smith provides a road map to the unique challenges that each member of a stepfamily faces. Drawing on his experience as a marriage and family counselor, Winston Smith shows how understanding each other's struggles, honest sharing, and sacrificial love can transform and unify your stepfamily. As you learn to practically apply these biblical principles, you will find that there are also unique blessings to be found in your new, blended family.
Who should pay the bills? Do the laundry? Work outside the home? Stay home with the kids? For many couples, answering these questions is difficult and frustrating. How do you decide which family responsibilities belong to you and which belong to your spouse? Winston Smith explains that we might be surprised by what God, in the Bible, says about marital roles. The Bible doesn't have a simple, one-size-fits-all "to-do" list for husbands and wives, but there is a basic principle to live by--sacrificial love. Learn how to apply what God says about love to the everyday decisions you make with your spouse.
Your spouse was unfaithful. Those four words don't begin to do justice to the horror you are experiencing. Rage, fear, grief, and even numbness are all normal responses to the shock of betrayal.The pain of betrayal is like touching a hot stove. Your instinct is to move away—fast. But marriage and family counselor Winston T. Smith urges you to not make any quick decisions about the future of your marriage, to instead go to God with your hurt and pain. He also offers practical, biblical advice on how to talk with your spouse about the adultery, how to set boundaries, and how to process your emotions in a godly way.
"It's normal." "Everyone does it." "Nobody gets hurt." These are some commonly held beliefs about sexual fantasy and masturbation, but are they really true? Are sexual fantasies and masturbation harmless ways of dealing with sexual frustration?Marriage and family counselor Winston T. Smith uses his counseling experience and biblical knowledge to show how these seemingly "harmless" pursuits negatively impact you and your ability to have healthy relationships with the people in your real life. Then he shares how you can build a new inner world founded on Christ's love, instead of your imaginary fantasies. As you do so, your life will grow richer in real relationships and your fantasy life will pale by comparison.
Often, in our busy world, our lives feel like one long to-do list. It's easy to get so busy that we don't even notice how exhausted and anxious we are. Do you find yourself saying yes to activities you don't have time for? Have you ever said, "If I don't do it, who will? An overloaded schedule and an inability to rest are signs of approaching burnout.Instead of giving you organizational tips (and thus more to do!), Winston T. Smith helps you to look at what drives your busyness and points you to the rest that comes from a deeper trust in God. You will learn how to build rest into your life and break free from the things that keep you from peace.
In Marriage Matters by Winston T. Smith, readers find a hopeful resource on the transcendent purposes of God at work in their marriages. This powerful, transformative book addresses the extraordinary way God works in the seemingly mundane moments in a marriage. By offering practical help and biblical insight, Marriage Matters helps couples consider their own expectations and reactions when things go wrong.Change begins with seeing day-to-day interactions from a different perspective, taking simple steps to love each other more effectively, and then learning how to take those steps over and over again. Interactions that used to devolve into pointless annoyances and fights can become an opportunity for God's activity and love to become increasingly evident and powerful. The principles in this book will take your marriage to extraordinary places and lead you into a deeper relationship with an extraordinary God.Don't settle for an ordinary marriage. Learn to live out God's extraordinary love in your most intimate relationship.
In Marriage Matters by Winston T. Smith, readers find a hopeful resource on the transcendent purposes of God at work in their marriages. This powerful, transformative book addresses the extraordinary way God works in the seemingly mundane moments in a marriage. By offering practical help and biblical insight, Marriage Matters helps couples consider their own expectations and reactions when things go wrong.Change begins with seeing day-to-day interactions from a different perspective, taking simple steps to love each other more effectively, and then learning how to take those steps over and over again. Interactions that used to devolve into pointless annoyances and fights can become an opportunity for God''s activity and love to become increasingly evident and powerful. The principles in this book will take your marriage to extraordinary places and lead you into a deeper relationship with an extraordinary God.Don''t settle for an ordinary marriage. Learn to live out God''s extraordinary love in your most intimate relationship.
He snapped at her during breakfast. She brought up a past mistake. He walked out angry. She left without saying good-bye. An ordinary day in an ordinary marriage. But what if things could be different? What if you could transform these ordinary moments of annoyance, conflict, pain, or cold indifference into something new?Winston T. Smith, drawing on his extensive experience as a marriage counselor, offers a simple yet powerful prescription for changing your marriage. He shows how examining the everyday disappointments and irritations in your marriage will help you understand yourself, your spouse, and your need for God's love. Change begins with seeing day-to-day interactions from a different perspective, taking simple steps to love one another more effectively, and then learning how to take those steps over and over again. Interactions that used to devolve into pointless annoyances and fights can become an opportunity for God's activity and love to become increasingly evident and powerful. The principles in this book will take your marriage to extraordinary places and lead you into a deeper relationship with an extraordinary God. Don't settle for an ordinary marriage, learn to live out God's extraordinary love in your most intimate relationship.Using discussion questions, small group exercises, vignettes, Bible study, and relationship-building activities, this interactive ten-week study gives couples the invaluable experience of applying and living the principles from the book Marriage Matters. The leader's notes in the back provide extra content and direction for pastors, counselors, and mentors as they work with couples in small groups and in individual counseling sessions.