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Inspirational

Are Christians Called to Suffer?

Suffering and trouble are a part of life in this world. We may bring it upon ourselves, have it thrust upon us by the sins of others, or a more noble source - suffering because of our allegiance to Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 4:14-15 Every Christian then, needs to be…

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

marriage

Sustainable Prayer

Over four-plus decades of following Christ, the most consistent correlation I’ve discovered is this: As goes my prayer life, so goes my life. Prayer sustains me, thus it is incumbent upon me, to sustain prayer. Sustainable prayer, is my being intentional, to maintain communion with God as an ongoing, consistent…

Posted on July 23, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

Spiritual Formation

What is Your Life’s Mantra?

One of our family members was a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation for a season. Seeking solace and peace, he would go in his room to meditate and chant the mantra assigned to him by the group leader. Thankfully, this practice is not enjoying a widespread popularity, as it did back…

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

marriage

Maintaining Our Personal Altars

Altars represent places of personal encounter and consecration before the living God. Maintaining our personal altars, is a stewardship of the great gift we’ve been given: the free will offering of Christ on our behalf, adoption into full status as sons and daughters, and eternal access to the very throne…

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

Spiritual Formation

Compromising the Altar

I learned early on in life what an altar was. There was one that spanned the entire front of our church, as well a fold-down altar in every pew. At various prescribed times in the church service, the altars would be placed down and everyone would kneel. The liturgical book,…

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

marriage

First Love

The best way for couples to keep their marriage in a place of vibrant growth, is by keeping their hearts engaged with what the Bible calls “first love.” There is nothing as deep or dynamic as a vibrant and unhindered Jesus centered union, divine embers in the heart, from which…

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

Spiritual Formation

Do We Have God’s DNA?

It is unequivocally stated in God’s word that we are made in His image. Gen. 1:26 The plural context (“us”) is believed by most to refer to the Trinity, or the Godhead. In The Creation Answer Book, Hank Hanegraaf writes: “In the immediate context, the man is said to be created…

Posted on June 18, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

Spiritual Growth

The Fragrance of Christ

Every believer is called to be the fragrance of Christ. “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” 2 Cor. 2:15 (NKJV) Carrying this fragrance is part of who we are called to be. It becomes a…

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

marriage

We Belong to Another

One of my favorite Sherlock Holmes stories is “The Adventure of the Second Stain.” Holmes is sought out by the Prime Minister to locate a missing document that disappeared from the dispatch box of the Secretary of State. It concerned a foreign power and if the letter fell into the…

Posted on June 4, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

marriage

Anonymous and Unseen

Being known and acknowledged feels good, doesn’t it? This is the very thing I seek to impart to my three year old granddaughter. The last thing in the world I want her to sense, is that she is somehow anonymous and unseen. Yet, isn’t it true for us grown-ups, that…

Every marriage thriving...no matter the odds.

Inspirational

Are Christians Called to Suffer?

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

marriage

Sustainable Prayer

Posted on July 23, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

Spiritual Formation

What is Your Life’s Mantra?

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

marriage

Maintaining Our Personal Altars

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

Spiritual Formation

Compromising the Altar

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

marriage

First Love

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

Spiritual Formation

Do We Have God’s DNA?

Posted on June 18, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

Spiritual Growth

The Fragrance of Christ

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

marriage

We Belong to Another

Posted on June 4, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo

marriage

Anonymous and Unseen

Posted on May 28, 2018May 28, 2018 by Mike & Anne Rizzo by Mike & Anne Rizzo