Everyday pain is common from headaches to backaches. But, with warnings mounting on all types of painkillers from prescription opioids to over-the-counter medicines, you may be searching for a healthier way to ease your pain.

Turn to these natural painkillers:

• White willow bark. Used as a painkiller by the ancient Greeks, white willow bark is a natural anti-inflammatory that contains salicin, a chemical similar to acetylsalicylic acid found in aspirin. 

Aspirin lowers levels of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that help the body deal with infection. When high levels of prostaglandins are produced in response to injuries or infections, however, they cause inflammation, which produce swelling, pain, and fever. 

According to the University of Maryland, there’s good evidence that willow bark both relieves pain and reduces inflammation. It’s especially useful to treat headaches, osteoarthritis, and low back pain, and white willow bark isn’t as likely to upset your stomach or cause bleeding as aspirin. 

• Turmeric. An Italian study found that patients with osteoarthritis who took a special formulation of turmeric for 90 days experienced a 58 percent decrease in pain. 

Psychological tests taken by the same patients found a 300 percent improvement in their well-being, and blood tests showed a 16-fold decrease in the amount of C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation and also a risk factor for heart disease. 

Patients taking the turmeric formulation were able to reduce their pain medication by 63 percent compared to the control group.

• Capsaicin. Capsaicin is a derivative of hot peppers, the component which gives peppers their heat. It soothes pain by desensitizing pain-causing nerve receptors called C-fibers when applied to the skin. 

Studies have shown capsaicin to be helpful in relieving back pain as well as pain caused by arthritis, shingles, headaches, fibromyalgia, psoriasis, and diabetic neuropathy. 

In a study at Case Western Reserve University of Ohio, 80 percent of patients with arthritis reported a decrease in pain after using topical capsaicin for two weeks. 

A University of Toronto study found that topical capsaicin cream significantly reduced pain in patients with post-herpetic neuralgia nerve pain (persistent pain in some people who have had shingles). Two years later, 86 percent of patients reported it was still effective. 

A University of Oxford study found that 40 percent of patients who used a capsaicin cream cut their pain by 50 percent.

• SAM-e. S-adenosyl-L-methionine or SAM-e, is a chemical that’s found naturally in the body. Eleven randomized, controlled studies, including one by the University of California, Irvine, found that SAM-e was as effective at reducing the joint pain of arthritis as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). 

The California study found that after taking SAM-e for two months, patients reported their pain from osteoarthritis had been slashed by 50 percent. 

Experts speculate SAM-e works by increasing amounts of the feel-good chemicals serotonin and dopamine. 

• Rose Hips. Numerous clinical studies have shown that rose hips significantly reduce the pain associated with arthritis of the hips, hands, and knees. 

A randomized, double-blind Dutch trial found that rose hips reduced pain significantly in 82 percent of patients with osteoarthritis.

A clinical study conducted at the U.K.’s Sheffield Hallam University found that rose hip powder reduced inflammation and pain in people with arthritis, and improved movement in almost 90 percent of participants. 

One study published in the journal, Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, found that rose hip powder was almost three times more effective at relieving pain than acetaminophen (Tylenol). 

• Arnica. Arnica, sometimes called the ‘mountain daisy’ has been used since the 12th century to ease pain. 

Athletes use arnica to relieve muscle soreness and strains, and it significantly reduces bruising. 

It’s also used to reduce the swelling and pain of arthritic joints. A randomized, double-blind 2007 study found that arnica gel alleviated the pain of osteoarthritis of the hand as effectively as ibuprofen. 

A 2008 study published in Complementary Medicine found that arnica relieved signs of inflammation as well as the painkiller diclofenac. 

• Bromelain. A natural enzyme found in pineapples, bromelain eases the pain of osteoarthritis. 

A double-blind German study found that an enzyme preparation containing bromelain reduced pain in 80 percent of patients. In fact, it was as effective as the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac in reducing pain and stiffness with fewer side effects. 

Some experts believe bromelain may break down prostaglandins, the proteins in the blood that cause inflammation and lead to pain. 

All of the nutrients discussed above are available in supermarkets and health food stores. Follow the directions on the bottle.

For the original article, visit .

Theologians may consider Amos a “minor” prophet, but the man of God offered some major revelations that serve believers well today.

Intercessors and worshippers love Amos 9:11, which promises the restoration of the tabernacle of David. Prophets love verses like Amos 3:8, which declares that “the Lord has spoken—who can but prophesy?” They are also quick to tell you that God does nothing unless He reveals it to His servants the prophets (see Amos 3:7).

Yes, Amos is full of fire and prophetic declarations. There’s one nugget of wisdom in particular that I believe is prophetically significant in this season. It comes from Amos 3:3 and served as a pointed question—eight prophetic words—that should cause you to consider your alignments: How can two walk together unless they agree?

What Is Agreement?

Now, before you run too far ahead let me clarify that statement. We’re not all going to agree on everything all the time. That’s not the spirit of the Scripture. Certainly, there are open-handed differences and closed-handed differences.

JOIN JENNIFER ON FACEBOOK FOR SPIRITUAL COMMENTARY AND ENCOURAGEMENT. CLICK HERE. 

One definition for “agree” in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is “to have the same opinion.” It also means “to concur in (as an opinion); to consent to as a course of action; and to accept or concede something (as the views or wishes of another).” When you agree with someone, you are essentially endorsing his or her viewpoint.

In the context of Amos, the word “agree” suggests that there is peace between God and man but the same principle applies between man and man. Two people cannot walk together with peaceful unity in ministry if they have massive theological differences. When you align with someone, you are effectively endorsing their ministry—and you can’t do that if you aren’t at peace with their beliefs and behavior.

Now, two people can love one another if they don’t agree. They can be friends. They can fellowship together. But when it comes to the work of the ministry, two cannot walk together if they have stark disagreements about what they believe or how they should minister. While there is power in agreement, there is often strife in disagreement. The anointing flows from unity (see Ps. 133:2). Strife kills the anointing.

Open-Handed vs. Close-Handed Differences

How can two walk together unless they agree? Again, we’re not all going to agree on everything all the time. Let’s talk about open-handed verse close-handed differences.

In the awakening movement, we’re seeing people from many different streams unite under the Appeal to Heaven banner believing for the next great move of God. I talk about this in my book and how it thrills my heart. We don’t all agree on praying in tongues or end-time theology or women preachers, but we all agree that God wants to pour out His Spirit and bring transforming revival—a Third Great Awakening—to America. So we labor together in love toward that prize.

Now, if you are contending for a Third Great Awakening and one of your friends tells you flat out that she doesn’t believe God is bringing transforming revival to the nation, you cannot touch and agree for the next great move of God because one of you doesn’t agree. You can’t walk together that area of ministry because your belief systems are far different. It just won’t work.

Put another way, if I am believing for transforming revival and you are prophesying doom and gloom with no hope for an outpouring, we can still be friends but we cannot walk together in ministry because we are not laboring toward the same goal.

The Amos 3:3 Reality

Here’s another example: End-time theology—whether you believe in pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib or no trib—is an open-handed difference in ministry, at least most of the time. But it’s a closed-handed difference if you are writing a book about the end times with someone who does not agree with you. How could you write that book if you don’t agree?

If I pray in tongues and believe in the gifts of the Spirit and you don’t, we can love one another, but we will probably not worship at the same church. If you believe in female angels and I don’t, we can agree that Jesus is Lord, but you are probably not going to invite me to speak at your next conference about supernatural female angelic encounters. Are you getting my drift yet?

As Christians, we are all united under the banner of Christ’s love and I should not rebuke you for what you believe beyond that (nor should you rebuke me for not believing the same doctrine as you), but that doesn’t mean we can align with one another in the work of the ministry. I owe you respect and love, not endorsements and alignment. If we disagree on areas in which we are passionate, how can we walk closely together with those opposing views without compromising what we believe? We can’t, but we can still love one another.

Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of , on the leadership team of the New Breed Revival Network and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan’s Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. Jennifer’s Periscope handle is @propheticbooks.

I was the absolute worst student in high school and college. My study habits were nothing to write home about.

In fact, I never wrote home about them or told my parents about them because they were embarrassingly bad.

Today, I am a completely different person. Not only have my study habits have changed, but I have as well—from my physical appearance to my thought process to how I handle things emotionally.

My wife, whom I’ve known since high school, will be the first to tell you I’m a new man. She is a new woman as well. The person I fell in love with over 14 years ago is not the same person I’m in love with today.

Therefore, it would be a huge mistake for me to relate to her based on who she was on our wedding day; I need to relate to her based on who she is today. This takes a discovering process that happens primarily through intentional study.

Become a lifelong learner of your spouse. Some things you learn may be great and others not so great, but ultimately it’ll help you connect more intimately with your wife. It’s time we all go back to school to study our wives.

Below are five reasons going back to school to study your wife is a great idea, as well as five practical study habits you can develop to make it happen:

1. Listen to her. Groundbreaking idea, huh? I list this with full disclosure. I’m not the best listener, but when I intently listen to her, I learn a lot. Be intentional about this.

2. Spend regular and frequent time together alone. Block out at least 15 minutes daily for each other, and date weekly. Just spending 15 minutes together per day will provide a consistent opportunity to talk and learn more about one another, just like dating will, and it’s fun.

3. Exercise together. Striving for and achieving fitness goals together is amazing. You’ll learn a lot about her in how she responds when stressed, when challenged, when tired and when succeeding.

4. Read books together. Grab some books on marriage and parenting, money, fitness or just a fiction book. As you discuss it, you’ll get more insight into her thoughts and her feelings.

5. Pray for her and with her. Prayer is very intimate, and you’ll learn a lot. When we pray for our wives and ask God for help, I believe He gives insight to us about our wives as well. Pray daily and see what happens.

Jackie Bledsoe is an author, blogger and speaker, but first and foremost a husband and father of three who helps men better lead and love the ones who matter most.

For the original article, visit .

As part of the “Coach’s Corner” section of our CrossFit gym’s newsletter, I was asked what my favorite exercise is. Without hesitation, I answered, “Deadlifts!” and provided a few quick reasons explaining why.

I want to devote this post to fleshing out that answer, and hopefully motivating you to incorporate them into one of your upcoming gym sessions.

1. “They make you feel like you can do anything!” The above was a direct quote from my Coach’s Corner interview, and the last—but not least!—reason I gave for loving deadlifts so obnoxiously much.

I remember the first time I deadlifted a relatively heavy weight (225 lbs at a bodyweight of 115) like it was yesterday (cue wind chimes sound effects and a fade-out to a flashback) …

It was on a crisp, cloudy day just before Thanksgiving in 2011. My then fiancé, Ben, was busy packing up his apartment to move to San Antonio, and while I should have been helping, I simply couldn’t skip one of the last WODs (CrossFitspeak for “Workout of the Day”) I’d get to do before our wedding (I was “sweating for the wedding,” as they say …).

I wasn’t head over heels for deadlifts quite yet. I’d only learned the movement a few months prior and hadn’t felt what I was about to experience that morning. After the workout, which consisted of light deadlifts and short sprints, one of the coaches, who happened to own the box, encouraged me to find my one-rep max, ., the heaviest weight I could lift for a single repetition. I had my reservations, namely that I didn’t want to fail in front of the class, but I couldn’t very well let the owner down, could I? I also trusted Cune immensely. If he thought I could lift more, then I knew it was possible. So, I just let him add weight to the barbell, and I lifted it when he said, “go!”

After a few successful attempts, I found myself facing a barbell with three more plates each side than I’d originally lifted half an hour prior. I took a deep breath, tightened every muscle, and pulled.

It was the slowest deadlift in the history of the universe, I assure you. It also wasn’t the prettiest. But I stood up with it, and as I did, I felt like I’d just ascended Everest and was taking in the majestic snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. (A bit of an exaggeration, but you get the drift). There was something about facing a seemingly immovable object and then, using brute strength, getting it to budge and rise up off the floor. It made me feel capable of anything.

That was the day deadlifts became my favorite. It was love at first lift.

2. It works your entire body. Deadlifts simultaneously train major muscle groups ranging from your neck all the way down to your calves. To be precise, your quads, hamstrings, glutes, spinal erectors, lats, traps, abdominals, and forearms are all activated, and that’s an abbreviated list! Even muscles you probably didn’t know existed go to work when you deadlift, like your gastrocnemius (a calf muscle), triceps brachii (on the back of your arms), and pectoralis major (a chest muscle).

3. It helps you develop explosive strength. Explosive strength is also known as “Rate of Force Development,” or RFD. RFD refers to how quickly you can reach peak levels of force in a muscle. If you improve your RFD, you’ll be able to run faster, throw farther, jump higher, and perform at a more advanced level in an array of sports and physical activities.

4. It carries over to the real world. Deadlifts are a 100 percent functional movement. We all have to lift heavy objects off the ground on a regular basis, from groceries and luggage to toddlers and pets. By learning how to deadlift properly, you will more likely pick up items in a safer manner.

How many times have you heard of someone throwing out their back after lifting a heavy box off the floor? It’s likely that, more often than not, these accidents occurred due to a weak lower back (a result of a deadliftless lifestyle) and improper form.

5. It strengthens your posterior chain. The posterior chain includes the calves, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. The development of these muscles reduces the risk of injury to the lumbar area by strengthening the lumbar spinal extensors, which are the dominant stabilizers of the lower spine. A strong posterior chain also plays a significant role in one’s athletic performance because the ability to maintain a neutral spine is necessary for any athletic movement.

In addition, it’s worth noting that weak hamstrings and glutes are often the cause of knee pain, ACL tears or even chronic hamstring strains. Overtraining the quads and undertraining the-hams and glutes predisposes many people, especially athletes, to injury. Deadlifting is a major glute and hamstring-strengthening exercise.

6. It helps improve your posture. Deadlifts can naturally improve the positioning of your spine by strengthening your lower back and abdominals. Our lower backs are often susceptible to injury, largely due to poor posture and excessive slouching throughout the day.

7. Just about anyone can do it. There are a plethora of deadlift variations (I can count seven off the top of my head), making them doable for practically everyone. For example, the sumo deadlift is an excellent option for people with limited mobility or those lacking hip strength. Suitcase deadlifts, which I will detail below, are one of my favorites for those who can’t make it to the gym, because all you need to perform them are a pair of dumbbells, kettlebells, even jugs of milk!

A few things to keep in mind while deadlifting:

When using a barbell to deadlift, always position your shins as close to the bar as possible. This will help you keep your hips back rather than shifting your weight towards the front of the bar. It will also prevent a heavy load from pulling your forward.

Use your diaphragm to take a big breath in and fill your belly with air, then hold it in and get tight. Hold this breath until you reach the top of the lift.

Visualize driving your feet through the floor rather than pulling the bar up.

Once the bar—or pair of weights you’re using—leaves floor, keep pressing your feet through the floor while at the same time focusing on bringing your chest up and hips forward.

Decrease the weight if your spine rounds or your hips and knees don’t move in unison.

As a general rule, keep the rep range low. This will ensure your form stays solid. Deadlifts are an amazing tool for building strength; keeping between one and eight reps with heavy weight is a great way to capitalize on this benefit.

Always do a few non-fatiguing warm-up sets to work up to your first training weight. Then, you can either continue to increase weight for each subsequent set, or keep the same weight throughout your sets.

Here’s a great beginner’s deadlift variation, which, as I mentioned earlier, is also excellent for those days you can’t get your hands on a barbell! Incorporate these into your workouts one to two times a week. Try out four to five sets of eight reps at a moderate weight, then try to add a little weight the next week … as long as your form is picture perfect! 

Hold one dumbbell to the side of your body. Feet are hip-width apart.

With shoulders back, chest lifted, and lower back in a natural arch, being lowering your body by pushing your hips back. Then bend your knees and continue moving your rear back while maintaining the arch in your lower back.

The dumbbell should be lowering in a straight path in line with your shoulder blade. When you lose the natural curve in your spine and begin to round your back, stop lowering and reverse the motion.

To initiate the lift, use your glute muscles to powerfully thrust your hips forward. Focus on keeping your torso level and not leaning or twisting toward the dumbbell.

NOTE: As your flexibility and mobility increases, you can lower the dumbbell more and more until you can touch the floor. At that point, you can try beginning the movement from the floor.

For more at-home exercises and routines, check out my book PERFECT FIT, available in paperback and for the Kindle!

Diana Anderson-Tyler is the author of Creation House’s Fit for Faith: A Christian Woman’s Guide to Total Fitness, Perfect Fit: Weekly Wisdom and Workouts for Women of Faith and Fitness, and her latest book, Immeasurable: Diving into the Depths of God’s Love. Her popular website can be found at  and she is the owner and a coach at CrossFit 925.

For the original article, visit .

Have you ever had one of those Sunday mornings where you said to yourself, “I’m just not up to going to church today?”

I’ve had a few myself, including last Sunday. I just didn’t feel well. As it turns out, had I not gone, it might have been one of the biggest mistakes of my entire Christian life.

Last Sunday at Calvary Assembly in Orlando, Florida, Pastor Ed Garvin preached what I believed to be a message every follower of Jesus Christ needs to hear. I certainly did.

Here is an excerpt from Pastor Garvin’s sermon. He is speaking of Philippians 2:1, which says, “If there is any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any compassion and mercy, then fulfill my joy and be like-minded, having the same love, being in unity with one mind.”

Pastor Garvin said, “Here’s where I sense the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul: If Jesus has done anything in your life, if you have connected with Him on any level, let this attitude, this mindset, let this disposition be evidenced in you. If you want to know how to make relationships work, I’m convinced you are going to find it in Philippians 2 because Paul describes to us the way we are to connect with others in looking at the way Jesus connects with us.”

Wow, is that powerful or what? Is that not convicting?

Many people—including “so-called Christians”—live only to make a good impression on others or to please themselves. However, selfish ambition or conceit brings discord. In Philippians, Paul stressed spiritual unity, asking those in the church to love one another and to be in spirit and purpose. When we work together, caring for the problems of others as if they were our problems, we demonstrate Christ’s example of putting others first and we experience unity.

Shouldn’t unity in the body of Christ be one of our ultimate goals? Shouldn’t we care about others and esteem others better than ourselves, as it says in Philippians 2:3?

It’s no wonder that a great deal of the world sees the church as hypocritical. Many in the church are concerned only about their own selfish ambitions or self interests. I should know—I was one of those for many, many years. Whether it was trying to be right in arguing theology or trying to ensure I received my spiritual food and blessings, it was all about me.

No more, especially after Pastor Garvin’s message. More than ever before, I want people to see Jesus in me. As Casting Crowns so eloquently put it, “Let my life song sing to you.”

I challenge you to listen to Pastor’s Garvin’s sermon. Here is the link, and the sermon starts at the 10:27 mark.

If this sermon doesn’t sear your heart, I’m not sure anything ever will.

And as I always like to say, “There is that.”

Shawn A. Akers is the online managing editor at Charisma Media. He is a published poet and published a story about Dale Earnhardt in NASCAR Chicken Soup for the Soul. You can read his blog here. To sign up for his newsletter, Step Out of the Boat, and other Charisma newsletters, click here.

Note: The opinions of this writer do not necessarily reflect those of Charisma Media.

Is a great shaking coming to America? An amazing convergence of events is going to take place during the latter part of September 2015.

Many are suggesting that this could indicate that something really big is about to happen. In fact, some vendors of emergency food are reporting shortages because so many people are stocking up on food and supplies in anticipation of what is coming.

And of course the list I am about to share with you is not necessarily exhaustive. There are events that are currently unknown or unanticipated that could also fall during this time frame. But without a doubt, the incredible confluence of events that we already know will happen appears to be unlike anything that we have ever experienced before.

It all starts with the end of the Shemitah year on Sept. 13. During the last two cycles, we witnessed historic stock market crashes on the very last day of the Shemitah year (Elul 29 on the Biblical calendar). For example, if you go back to Sept. 17, 2001 (which was Elul 29 on the biblical calendar), we witnessed the greatest one-day stock market crash in all of U.S. history up until that time. The Dow plunged 684 points, and it was a record that held for exactly seven years until the end of the next Shemitah cycle.

On Sept. 29, 2008 (which was also Elul 29 on the biblical calendar), the Dow plummeted 777 points, which still today remains the greatest one-day stock market crash of all time in the United States.

Now we are in another Shemitah year. It began in the fall 2014, and it ends on Sept. 13, 2015.

So will we see a stock market crash in the United States on Sept. 13, 2015?

No we will not, because that day is a Sunday. So I can guarantee there will not be a stock market crash in the U.S. on that day. But as author Jonathan Cahn has pointed out in his book on the Shemitah, we have witnessed major stock market crashes happen just before the end of the Shemitah year and we have also witnessed major stock market crashes happen within just a few weeks after the end of the Shemitah year. So we are not necessarily looking at one particular date.

And this time around, a whole bunch of critical events just happen to fall in the period of time immediately following the end of the Shemitah year.

The following are 10 things that are going to happen within 15 days of the end of the Shemitah:

Sept. 14: Rosh Hashanah

Sept. 15: The Jade Helm military exercises are scheduled to end.

Sept. 15: The 70th session of the U.N. General Assembly begins on this date. It has been widely reported that France plans to introduce a resolution that will give formal U.N. Security Council recognition to a Palestinian state shortly after the new session begins. Up until now, the U.S. has always been the one blocking such a resolution, but Barack Obama has already indicated that things may be different this time around. If alarm bells are going off in your head as you read this, then you probably already understand how significant this event could potentially be.

Sept. 20 to Sept. 26: The “World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel” sponsored by the World Council of Churches.

Sept. 21: The U.N. International Day Of Peace. Could this be the day when the U.N. Security Council resolution establishing a Palestinian state is actually adopted?

Sept. 23: Yom Kippur

Sept. 23: Pope Francis arrives at the White House to meet with Barack Obama. Some have suggested that the timing of this event is highly unusual.

Francis is the 266th pope, and he will be meeting with President Obama on the 266th day of the year, leading one Internet preacher to wonder if “something is being birthed” on that day, since 266 days is the typical human gestation period from conception to birth.

Sept. 24: The Pope addresses a joint session of the U.S. Congress.

Sept. 25 to Sept. 27: The United Nations is going to launch a brand-new sustainable development agenda called “The 2030 Agenda.” The following is an excerpt from an article that I just wrote about this insidious new plan:

“If you didn’t like ‘Agenda 21,’ then you really are not going to like ‘The 2030 Agenda.’

“Next month, the United Nations is going to launch ‘The 2030 Agenda’ at a major conference that will be held from Sept. 25 to Sept. 27 in New York City. The pope is actually traveling to New York to deliver an address that will kick off this conference.

“Unlike Agenda 21, which primarily focused on the environment, the 2030 Agenda is truly a template for governing the entire planet. In addition to addressing climate change, it also sets ambitious goals for areas such as economics, health, energy, education, agriculture, gender equality and a whole host of other issues. As you will see below, this global initiative is being billed as a ‘new universal Agenda’ for humanity. If you are anything like me, alarm bells are going off in your head right about now.”

Sept. 28: This is the date when the Feast of Tabernacles begins. It is also the date for the last of the four blood moons that fall on biblical festival dates during 2014 and 2015. This blood moon falls on the very first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, it will be a “supermoon,” and it will be clearly visible from the city of Jerusalem. There are many that dismiss the blood moon phenomenon, but we have seen similar patterns before. For example, a similar pattern of eclipses happened just before and just after the destruction of the Jewish temple by the Romans in A.D. 70.

Many have also suggested that the Large Hadron Collider “is scheduled to perform a controversial experiment in September,” but so far I have been unable to find any solid confirmation of this.

Just recently, author Jonathan Cahn released a new video in which he expressed his belief that a “great shaking is coming to America and the world.” He points to the biblical pattern of desecration preceding judgment, and he is convinced that we recently witnessed a historic act of desecration here in the United States.

Many have asked Cahn whether America is headed for revival or shaking. He is convinced that revival can come out of shaking.

Personally, I believe that we will not have revival unless there is shaking.

As a nation, we have unapologetically embraced evil. We are extremely proud, arrogant, greedy and cold-hearted. I do not believe that there is any hope for our nation unless we are shaken to our core.

I am fully convinced that the months ahead are going to dramatically change life in America, but whether it happens right now or not, I am 100-percent convinced that a great shaking is coming to this nation at some point.

Michael T. Snyder is the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog and author of The Beginning of the End.

Note: This article originally appeared in the March 1991 issue of Charisma magazine and does not reflect the current life of Jim Bakker. Jim and his former wife, Tammy, divorced in 1992. Tammy died in 2007 at age 65.

The banner headline across the cover of Newsweek mag­azine read: “Holy Wars: Money, Sex and Power.” A photo of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker accom­panied the August 6, 1987 story. It ap­peared at the height of the struggle over the PTL ministry and Heritage USA prop­erty in Fort Mill, North Carolina.

Several subse­quent attempts to revive PTL failed, with the bankruptcy court finally putting the place up for sale and closing it down. Meanwhile, Jim Bakker was charged with mail and wire fraud for having oversold the partnerships at Heritage USA and having a salary that was too high. For this, he received a 45-year prison sentence, which he is now serving at a federal facility in Minnesota.

Before Jim Bakker was sent to prison, he and Tammy Faye had moved to Orlando, Florida. She continues a new ministry they started and pastors New Covenant Church in Orlando. But much of Tammy Faye Bakker’s effort has been focused on preparing an appeal for Jim.

In late October 1990, Bakker’s lawyers went before a federal ap­peals court in Richmond, Virginia. They argued that Jim Bakker should be retried on the original charges. The outcome of this appeal was not known at press time. Lawyers said it could be dragged out for months.

Wanting to tell her side of the story, Tammy Faye Bakker answered ques­tions posed by Charisma founding editor Stephen Strang several weeks before the appeal. Also inter­viewed were former PTL contractor Roe Messner and former executive assistant to Jim Bakker, Shirley Fulbright, in her first media interview since Bakker resigned from PTL.

Strang quizzed the trio, which was video­taped to be aired in early 1991 on the Trin­ity Broadcasting Network (TBN) as a journalistic “special” called “The Other Side of the Story.” Here we include the edited highlights of that television interview:

Strang: Were you treated fairly or unfairly by the media?

Bakker: I feel in my heart that we were treated very unfairly. I feel like they [reporters and edi­tors] wanted [to report the] neg­ative rather than the positive. And the negative made a much more exciting story than the positive did. So, they would take a tiny little bit of truth and then build their own story around it.

Strang: How is the Jim Bakker that you know different from the stereotypical Jim Bakker that we’ve come to know in the media?

Bakker: Jim is the kindest, nicest, sweetest man you’ll ever meet. He’s a very gentle man. He’s a very private man. He’s a very bashful man, really. He’s a man who loves the Lord with all of his heart and loves people with all of his heart. He is not a man who screams and yells. I’ve never known Jim ever to raise his voice. He’s a very soft-spoken man. And he’s a very giving man.

That is the Jim Bakker I’ve lived with for 29 years. How they could make the kind of Jim out of him that they made, I will never know. It was an image created in the media.

Strang: Even before all this happened, on SCTV, they were doing skits about you.

Bakker: That doesn’t bother me. I just thank God that they [on SCTV] were focusing on my eyelashes instead of my hips. I can do something about these.

Strang: But you were also cast as a greedy spendthrift who didn’t really have a grip on real­ity. Even in the made-for-televi­sion movie in which Bernadette Peters played your part, that’s the sort of role that you have.

Bakker: I didn’t watch the movie, but greedy is one thing I’m certainly not. I’m probably one of the most giving persons around. I’d give you anything you’d ask for; it’s yours. You know, I’m just giving and giv­ing and giving. But that doesn’t make a difference; they still portray you as what they want you to be.

Strang: How did the Bakkers and Jerry Falwell get hooked up?

Bakker: It started with Jimmy Swaggart. Jim [Bakker] had taken Swaggart off our satellite network because he was talking against the Catholic church and others. Jim [Bakker] felt it was wrong for anyone to talk against someone and use their name on our network. It made Brother Swaggart angry. When Swaggart found out about Jessica Hahn, he told Falwell that he had some information that would destroy Jim Bakker and PTL and that he was going to use it against us.

Rev. [Richard] Dortch [then PTL vice president] called us at our home in Palm Springs [Cali­fornia], where we were staying. He said that Falwell had called him with the news of what Swaggart was going to do. He said that Falwell wanted to come to California with some of his men and offer his help. Dortch said that he trusted Fal­well and that he felt that we should accept Falwell’s help. So Falwell [and his associates] flew to California to meet with Jim and me.

They were all very kind to us. Jerry put his arms around Jim and me and told us that Swaggart had found out about the Hahn affair. Falwell told us that his sins were a lot bigger than that, so he wanted to help us. He said that if he didn’t stop Swaggart, he and his ministry would be the next ones to be hurt by Swaggart. He said that he would get hold of Billy Graham and that together they would go to Jimmy Swaggart and try to persuade him to stop what he was going to do. Falwell said that he loved us and our ministry and would never hurt us.

I left the hotel. They had a meeting after I left. In that meeting, they threat­ened Jim [Bakker] with the news media. They scared him. They said if Jim didn’t resign the ministry and let Falwell help him, in the next day’s newspaper there were going to be head­lines.

In a couple of hours, I received a call that [Falwell’s lawyer, Roy] Grutman and Jim [Bakker] were coming to the house to talk to me. They got there. Grutman said he would be our lawyer and protect our rights. He said he watched us on TV and thought a lot of us. He said if we didn’t [resign], that Swaggart had contacted the Charlotte Observer and that they were going to run a story the next day about Jim’s affair with Hahn. He said the headline would read: “Jim Bakker Rapes Church Secretary.” He said if Jim would resign PTL for a few weeks, that the headlines would read instead: “Jim Bakker resigns PTL.”

We later found out that Grutman was lying to us and that there were no headlines the next day or any other day. They just wanted to scare Jim enough to cooperate with their takeover plans.

At that time I began to realize that something was terribly wrong. But Jim was so frightened that I could not con­vince him of that. All he could think about was stopping those headlines the next day.

Jim said he would go ahead with the plan of Falwell helping us if they would keep Rev. Dorsch on as the president of the corporation and hire a board of directors of his choosing. They said the board would take the ministry for six weeks. And that in six weeks we would have our ministry back and that we would have the resignations of the new board so that at any point in time we could put back in our own board of directors.

Jim said, “Okay, if that’s the way it is, I will for six weeks step back and let this thing work out.” Falwell and his men immediately went back to PTL. They hired their own board of directors, never even contacted the people that we had asked them to contact. Falwell called the news conference, said he had never heard of a Jimmy Swaggart plan to take over our ministry and immedi­ately began to put Jim down. He called him everything you could imagine. He said Jim had stolen millions of dollars, called him a homosexual, and for hours he stood on television and said what horrible people Jim and Tammy were. We were watching it on TV at home, and all of a sudden we realized that Jerry Falwell had taken Jimmy Swaggart’s plan and done it himself.

Strang: Much of what you’ve shared has come out in various forms before. And, of course, as this played out in the media over a period of time and as it later went to a grand jury and went to trial, it wasn’t Jimmy Swaggart, and it wasn’t Jerry Falwell that created the legal problem—it was the partnerships. So much has been said about the part­nerships that I’m not sure I know what a partnership really was.

Bakker: I’m not sure I know anymore.

Strang: Was it a time-share?

Bakker: No, it was not a time-share. If a person donated $1,000 to the ministry to be used in any way that we saw fit, they would receive four days and three nights [a year] at the Heritage Grand Hotel for the rest of their life, or any of the other facilities. There were hun­dreds and hundreds of rooms at PTL that they could take advantage of. If they wanted to camp, it was 10 days and 10 nights a year. But there was no contract with the partners at all. They gave us a gift, and we gave them a gift. It was as simple as that.

Strang: If the partnerships were a gift, then how did you oversell them?

Bakker: They said we gave out more than we had room for. But it was first come, first served. There was no promise that you could have a week every year.

The partners were very happy, and they got everything that we promised them. Everything. If they couldn’t get in and were unhappy, Jim sent their money back to them. We sent probably well over a million dollars back to our partners who were unhappy because they couldn’t get in at Christmas, or they couldn’t get in at Easter, or they couldn’t get in at the Fourth of July. How can that be dishonest?

Strang: You were able to raise millions of dollars and build huge facilities. Why did PTL go bankrupt?

Bakker: It was not bankrupt.

Messner: [In] the fiscal year [1986­-1987], they had raised about $150 mil­lion. On the calendar year, that last year Jim was there, they raised $170 million. Their debts were probably, at that time, around $25 million. The income vs. debt ratio was very good.

Strang: Then how was it thrown into bankruptcy?

Messner: I think that was a plan to take it over. You can file chapter 11 on a re­organization to try to re-establish a business.

Bakker: We kept probably the best records of any company around. Jim always said, “If there’s any question at all on taxes or anything, pay them.”

Strang: This has been a very difficult thing for you to go through. Where do you feel God was in this?

Bakker: Sometimes I felt He was off on vacation, but I’m sure He was there.

Strang: Did you question your Chris­tianity?

Bakker: I questioned my Christianity. I questioned whether there even was a God. I questioned a lot. But I found out one thing: God is who He says He is. He will never leave you, He will never forsake you; and when you need Him, He really is there.

Strang: Roe Messner, you were the contractor at Heritage USA. Did Jim Bakker build everything he said he’d build?

Messner: Yes, he did. My company worked down there for Jim for about six years. We designed and built most all the buildings at PTL—probably about $90 million worth of buildings during that period of time. We started off with the Heritage Grand Hotel, which is a 504-room hotel. Then we built the Tower Hotel, which is a 513-room hotel.

Strang: The Tower Hotel is not fin­ished yet, is it?

Messner: No, it’s not. We were about 60 days from opening the hotel when we quit. It’s carpeted up through the 10th floor; it’s wallpapered up through the 13th floor. There’s not that much to do to complete the hotel. But we were working on other projects all over the property. I think altogether we were building over 3,300 different types of rooms and campsites.

Strang: When Jim Bakker left, you were owed a great deal of money, weren’t you?

Messner: When Jim left, I was owed $8 million. When Dr. Falwell left, I was owed $15 million.  

Strang: $15 million?

Messner: I did $7 million worth of work while Dr. Falwell was at PTL—while he was doing his May emergency [appeal] and raising all of these millions and millions of dollars. He was raising the money under the pretense of paying me as the contractor, and the television stations, but I never received a penny.

Strang: You have invested a great deal in Heritage USA, and you’re still owed a great deal of money. But if I were owed that kind of money, I’m not sure I’d be here to talk about someone like Jim Bakker. So you obviously must still be a friend of his.

Messner: I’ve spent 37 years designing and building churches. I’ve had the pleasure of building over 1,200 churches. I’ve gotten to know a lot about the ministry, and I can truthfully say I never worked for a better man than Jim Bakker. He was honest and fair with me in everything that he did. Regardless of what the press said, or whatever you’ve heard from the media or any other source, Jim Bakker always treated me fair.

Strang: Is it true the salaries of PTL executives were as big as was reported? Did Jim Bakker really make $3 million?

Bakker: Over a period of five years, yes. Jim and I together made $3 mil­lion. So, when they keep saying we’ve stolen money, that is what they’re talk­ing about. The government felt that we were not worth that, even though it was paid to us over a five-year period and included our bonuses and any other things like our home. Yes, Jim did receive that.

Jim and I never asked for one penny. When we were on the evangelis­tic field, in every church we went to, we never asked for a penny; we took what­ever they gave us. And many times we left with $50 a week. It was the same way at PTL. Not one time did we ever ask anyone at PTL for any amount of salary. Our board of directors loved us. They respected what Jim was doing, and they set our salaries. Jim was not in the room when they set the salaries.

Fulbright: I was present at those board meetings. The board members set his salary and also his bonuses.

Bakker: I have the board minutes to one meeting. It says, “The board was asked to consider bonuses for Christmas for Mr. Bakker and Mrs. Bakker. Mr. Bakker asked the board not to consider a bonus for him. As discus­sion progressed, Mr. Bakker asked to be excused from the meeting, discussion ensued, and a motion was made and seconded and passed unanimously.” And many times when they were pass­ing out bonuses, Jim would say, “Please do not give me a bonus.” But our board cared about us. They loved us, and they did what they felt was right.

Messner: Let me put it [the salaries and bonuses] in perspective. Jim and Tammy never received royalties on their books and records over this period of five or six years. An audit was made of the books to see what their royalties would have amounted to, and they would have amounted to $8 million. A $3.5 million salary over five years is an enormous salary. But this puts it in perspective.

Bakker: Everybody asked, “Why didn’t you take your royalties, Jim and Tammy?” Because we felt it was dis­honest. We felt that if we were pushing our books and records on the air, then it was not right for us to take the royalties. So, we felt we were doing the honest thing by not taking our royalties. But when the board looked at our royalties and realized that if we took them we would be making millions and millions of dollars, I’m sure that’s what they based our salary on.

Strang: You are saying that Jim Bakker never asked for a huge salary and allowed millions of dollars of royalties to go back into the ministry. Then how has the opposite perception become what people believe?

Bakker: Because it’s easier for people to believe the negative than the posi­tive. You don’t have to have any proof for the negative.

Strang: Do you feel that Jim Bakker got a fair trial?

Bakker: I don’t think anybody feels that Jim Bakker got a fair trial. You could not be a Christian and be on the jury. You could not have watched any Christian television and be on the jury. I feel that Judge [Robert] Potter went into the trial prejudiced. He said, “I am sick and tired of these television evangelists out there raising money, and I’m going to stop them.”

When our ministry tape came on [as evidence during the trial], Judge Potter sat in the courtroom and covered his ears with his hands so he could not hear the “ministry.”

Then, we were not allowed to enter evidence that would have freed Jim. They would not open up the building plans that Roe [Messner] had there. They would not let Jim present his chart that said we were not bankrupt and that we had not overbooked the hotel. They would not let him present anything. The judge’s favorite words were, “Take it up on appeal.”

There was a circus that was going on outside the courthouse. They let peo­ple put couches outside the courthouse on the lawn. They had people crawl under those couches and mimic Jim when he was so terribly sick during the trial. Radio stations gave away records if the people would lay under the couches. Judge Potter allowed this to happen while the trial was going on.

Strang: What really happened with Jim during that trial?

Bakker: Jim had what was called an anxiety attack. It’s when you can’t breathe, you can’t think—you just feel like you’re going crazy.

They would have put any other sick person in a hospital and helped him. But they took Jim to a mental ward in chains. He didn’t have bathroom tissue. He had no pillow. He was on a cot out in the middle of a bare room.

They would come and take blood out of him at four and five o’clock in the morning. They kept him awake all night long.

Fulbright: He had two psychiatrists that were attending him at the time. They were pleading that he not be taken there.

Bakker: They were pleading that they not send him to that prison. And they did not even tell me and my family where Jim was. The lawyers called and told me that Jim was very ill. The next thing I knew, out in front of our yard [in Orlando] were hundreds of cameras. I called 911 because I was afraid. I said, “Somebody come and help me, there’s hundreds of cameras out in my front yard. What has happened?” They [the 911 operator] were the ones who told me that they were sending Jim to a prison.

Messner: I was there [at the trial] and a witness for one day. I think the American public will agree that the trial wasn’t the fairest trial that’s ever come along. Let’s say he was guilty of every­thing. Let’s say he did get too much salary. Let’s say he did overbook the hotel, and all these things. Let’s talk about the sentence. You can murder somebody and maybe get eight years, or you can be a drug dealer and get two or three years. Jim got 45 years!

Strang: The court examined the legal matters. Let’s talk about a spiritual mat­ter. Did Jim Bakker, did Tammy Bakker, do anything wrong?

Bakker: I’m sure we did lots of things wrong. Everybody does. If you’re going to run a business, no matter what you do, you’re going to make some mis­takes. I’m sure that we made mistakes; I’m sure we did. But we certainly didn’t make intentional criminal mistakes.

Messner: That’s the big point. I don’t believe Jim ever had any criminal intent to take a nickel from a PTL partner.

Bakker: Never. He wouldn’t let our kids take a 25-cent candy bar from the store. We could have walked in any store [at Heritage USA], and our kids could have taken potato chips and candy bars and stuff. Jim always made sure every month that every single time those kids went to the store, it was put on a bill. At the end of every month, he paid it.

Fulbright: One of the things with Jim Bakker was that if you refused a glass of water to a partner, you were automatically considered terminated. He loved those partners. He had a deep burden. I’ve seen him cry just reading a simple little letter. So I know the man’s heart. He was building it [Heritage USA) for the people. It would have been foolish for him to try to deceive them in any way. He couldn’t have, even if he’d tried. They [the partners] were his first priority always.

Casting out devils. It’s one of my favorite things to do because I love to see the kingdom of God manifest. I love to see the power of God set the captives free. I love to see people loosed from oppression, depression, obsessions and all manner of sickness and disease.

Jesus gave us authority to drive out demons (see Mark 3:15). We see Him do it time and again in Scripture and we’ve seen quite a lot of demons leaving the minds and bodies of people at Awakening House of Prayer in recent weeks. Spirits of doubt and unbelief, spirits of lust, spirits of rage—all of these unclean spirits scatter by the finger of God in the name of Jesus (see Luke 11:20).

Jesus said, “These signs will accompany those who believe; in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:17-19). Yes, even Christians who have authority over all these things can have a demon—but the good news is the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

When Demons Want to Come Back

Casting out devils is not difficult. Although there may be some resistance from evil spirits that do not want to be evicted from their home, ultimately those devils must vacate. The Holy Spirit speaks expressly that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11).

JOIN JENNIFER ON FACEBOOK FOR SPIRITUAL COMMENTARY AND ENCOURAGEMENT. CLICK HERE. 

The harder part for some people is walking out that deliverance. Once you get free, you have to stay free. I did a teaching many years ago on “Staying Free in the Holy Ghost,” in which I break this down more, but felt compelled to write a short version here because we’re in a season of deliverance and Christians need to know how to walk out their freedom. Jesus put it this way:

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through dry places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first” (Matt. 12:43-45).

Practical Ways to Stay Free

When you get delivered from a demon, that spirit will find a way to try to regain access to your life. Demons need a body through which to operate—and they’re glad to take up residence in your vessel if you’ll allow it. You have to set your heart and mind against the enemy’s moves to re-enter your life—and bring seven other spirits that are even more evil. How do you do this?

First of all, any session of deliverance should end with pleading the blood of Jesus and asking the Holy Spirit to fill you with afresh. Next, you need to get into the Word to reinforce the truth of God in the area that allowed the enemy to enter.

If you were delivered from a spirit fear, for example, meditate on Scriptures about how God has not given you a spirit of fear and Scriptures about the peace of God. If you were delivered from rejection, meditate on the love and acceptance of God. If you were delivered from lust, meditate on the holiness and purity and beauty of God. If you meditate on the Word day and night and carefully do what it says, you will find good success (see Josh. 1:8).

Be quick to cast down imaginations and voices that speak contrary to the Word of God (see 2 Cor. 10:5). If you were delivered from a spirit of anger, be quick to recognize and resist voices and urges toward anger. If you were delivered from a spirit of infirmity, rebuke the symptoms—the Bible calls them lying vanities (see Jon. 2:8)—instead of accepting them. Ultimately, the key to lasting victory is to submit yourself to God and resist the devil and he will flee (see James 4:7).

Finally, keep worship music on in your home or your car. Listen to solid teaching CDs or MP3s that reinforce the freedom you are walking in. Develop a more intimate relationship with God. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Pray without ceasing. When you do these things, you’ll walk in the reality that who the Son sets free is free indeed!

Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of , on the leadership team of the New Breed Revival Network and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan’s Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. Jennifer’s Periscope handle is @propheticbooks.

Here are 10 scripts from “The Man in the Mirror Minute” radio program that I think hit the bull’s eye on men’s discipleship. Consider discussing them with your men’s leadership team. Or pull a few men from your church together and use these ideas as conversation starters about the urgent necessity to evangelize and disciple more men.

1. Where is the bottleneck today? Men, 20 years ago there wasn’t enough good curriculum to disciple men. Leaders recognized that as the bottleneck—the one thing “most” holding men’s discipleship back, and began encouraging curriculum developers. Today there is a plethora of good curriculum to disciple men. It has led to an acceleration in men’s discipleship. So what’s the bottleneck today that, if removed, would most lead to an acceleration in men’s discipleship over the next 20 years? The bottleneck today – the one thing most holding us back—is for men who have been discipled to turn around and disciple other men. Will you be that man? History has shown that a lot can happen in 20 years if we will be intentional.

2. “Disciples not making disciples.” Men, so many of our problems—the collapse of Judeo-Christian values, racism, poverty, the federal deficit, ISIS, abortion, divorce, fatherless, or you name it—can be traced back to “disciples not making disciples.” Disciples not making disciples has led us to the current situation—a spiritually obese generation of Christian over-eaters. The only solution is to get back to the Jesus way of bringing about change and transformation: “disciples making disciples—starting at home.”

3. The “new wineskin” For reaching men. Men, the “old wineskin” for men’s ministry was a small group of six men meeting for Bible study at zero dark thirty on Wednesday mornings and twelve guys eating burned pancakes once a month on a Saturday morning. In the old way of thinking, if your church had that much going, you had men’s ministry covered. But what about the men who are part of the worship team, teach middle school boys, park cars, usher, only attend the weekly worship service, or on holidays? How do they become strong disciples? The “new wineskin” for reaching men is to disciple all your men, not just those who show up for the “men’s only” activities. 

4. Why the term “men’s ministry” is spoiled. Men, where did we ever get the idea that any more than a small fraction of men would be interested in joining a “men’s only” ministry? Perfectly executed, you might involve 25 percent of your men, tops. The more you think about it, the more the old way of reaching men sounds like a design flaw on par with the Hindenburg (a small gondola strapped to a highly flammable balloon). We believe the term “men’s ministry” is a spoiled term—in some places even toxic. Building an “all-inclusive disciple-making ministry to men” is the “new wineskin” for reaching men. In fact, we suggest you use the term “men’s discipleship” or “ministry to men”—it can help you shed the baggage of the old way that reaches only “some” of your men. 

5. Success means having a plan to disciple “all” your men. Men, my colleagues and I have spent 25 years studying why some churches disciple men more effectively than others. Of all the insights we’ve gained, none is more important than this: Successful churches have a vision to disciple “all” their men, not just those willing to join “men’s only” activities. So broaden your thinking. Any activity or event where men are involved can also help you reach men. For example, the graduation ceremony for vacation Bible school, a tour of the local food bank, the annual fall festival, or the annual Easter egg hunt that draws families from the community to the church grounds. Here’s the big idea: However many men you have in your church, that’s the size of your ministry to men.

6. Give your leaders a bigger vision for men. Men, help your leaders see that everything your church does that touches men is “ministry to men,” from the worship service to ushering to kitchen helper. An “all-inclusive ministry to men” disciples men right where they are. For example, you don’t need your male Sunday school teachers to join a separate ministry to men. Instead, have them gather thirty minutes early once a month to discuss “the challenges of being a male Sunday school teacher.” Why is this so important? We are not responsible for how men respond, but we are most certainly responsible that all of them have the opportunity to become disciples and disciple-makers. 

7. Mentoring younger men. Men, disciples cannot be mass-produced. I can’t disciple young men by teaching them in my large Bible Study. Men need individual attention. Mentoring is very situational. Like when a young man is trying to figure out why his wife thinks he’s neglecting her, or whether to walk away from a home mortgage that’s twice as much as the home is worth. Who is going to show the ropes to all those young men whose fathers are not in the picture? Moms can only go so far. It takes a man to teach a man how to be a man. You are that man. If not you, then who?

8. Showing younger men the ropes. Men, a young man in his late 20s asked me to mentor him. On our fourth visit—long enough for him to size up whether or not he would trust me—he sat down and said, “I have a mediocre business, a mediocre marriage, and a mediocre relationship with God.” And then he sat back, a sense of relief sweeping over him as he finally got it off his chest. How did it happen? His father, though in the home, had never shown his son the ropes, never tutored him in the ways of manhood. Many young men like this are growing up as “practical” orphans. No matter how it happened, the only solution is for men like you and me to show them the ropes.

9. The collateral damage from the “men problem.” Men, the men problem is horrific, but the collateral damage on marriages and families is staggering. Tonight, 36 percent of America’s seventy-two million children will go to bed in a home without their biological dad. But perhaps the greatest cost to the physical absence of fathers is the practical absence of mothers. Essentially, one person must now do the work of two.

As a young woman who grew up without a dad said, “When my mom and dad divorced, I didn’t just lose my dad. I also lost my mom, because she had to work long hours to support us.” Men, we can no longer afford to wait for someone else to address this problem. However we get in so deep, the only solution is to disciple our way out. Together, we can do something about it.

10. I know you care, but what can we do? Men, we all know culture is increasingly hostile toward Judeo-Christian values. I know you care, but what can we do? Complaining doesn’t help. My Dad was such a sweet man, until the evening news came on. He would sit in front of the TV and yell. Complaining may feel good, but it doesn’t change a thing. Maybe that’s why Jesus never commissioned us to speak out against the culture. Instead, He commissioned us to go do something about it by making disciples. Making disciples is something that will actually move the needle. That may be sharing your faith or leading a small group. But it can also be the reason for letting someone pull out from a side street in heavy traffic. Anything that softens the soil counts.

Patrick Morley is the president of Man in the Mirror.  For the original article, visit .

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa

I know I am guilty of becoming busy and not showing my wife, Lauren, how much I love and appreciate her. She knows I do and I could easily rely on that.

The problem is that love requires more. It takes active thought and action. Particularly when I am traveling and have a heavy workload, I can get caught up in my own world. It’s an easy way for feelings to get hurt and our marriage to get off track.

Just like in football, when you get off track, it’s important to focus on the fundamentals. Each person receives love differently. It’s important for us to know what makes our wives feel loved and cared for. There are a couple of things I know my wife enjoys.

These may seem small and simple. But the point is doing them with consistency and with intentional love. That is what makes all the difference. Here are 3 ways I love my wife.

1. Treat her to dinner out. It’s not hard or particularly creative, but it gives us time together. Our kids and work demand a lot of our attention. We also tend to be in crowds a lot so having a meal together gives us quality time alone where we can talk. It gets us back on the same page.

2. Take walks with her. The day can be hectic and, by the end, we are usually tired. But when the kids go to bed, taking a walk around the neighborhood is a great way to connect. My wife and I enjoy hearing about each other’s day. It is a relaxing way to unwind.

3. Consistently write her love notes. This is something I should do more often. My wife loves written notes. Whether I am on the road or at home, when I write down my feelings for her it makes her feel special. It is also something that she can save and pull out and read at any time. Writing notes, taking walks, and dinner out are the things she loves more than anything. Well, jewelry works too!

There are probably two or three things that your wife loves. Things that make her feel loved and appreciated. They are probably small, everyday things. What are they? When is the last time you’ve done them for her? It may be time to get back to the fundamentals.

What are some ways you make your wife feel appreciated?

For the original article, visit .