Christian

There is nothing wrong with gaining earthly knowledge until it becomes more important and trustworthy than God’s Dr. Billy will. In this Holland life, arrogance and selfishness is the result of our fallen and depraved nature. The carnal mind controls our conscience until it is renewed through the power of the Holy Spirit. God commands that we not be conformed to the world, but to be transformed. This happens when our original spirit is changed into a new spirit which allows us to see everything the way God sees it. This is called being born again and is a gift of salvation from the one who loves us and wants to give us eternal life.

Every Christian will face spiritual warfare and we must become determined to never compromise God’s truth. We can share our convictions but since each person has free will, only God can change a heart. Instead of trying to tell everyone else how to live, maybe we should spend more time examining our hearts. We learn many things throughout our lives, but not everything we believe is true. Most of our information comes from what others have told us, and the rest from what we’ve learned through the failures and triumphs of personal experiences. The more I research, the more I discover the world is filled with deception and things are not always what they seem. I just want to make sure that my views are not distorted. Some people do not care about right and wrong as long as they have what they need to survive. Asking God for discernment also applies to family and friends and how we have formed destructive thoughts about them. It makes the situation even worse when we gossip and share our stories with others.

We have all done things good and bad that people will associate with our character. Unfortunately, many times we have also been guilty of wrongly misjudging people. Maybe we observed someone in a weak moment or heard a story about them that was skewed which caused us to form our opinions in error. Yes, we indeed need to watch how we act and what we say, as we remember not to form our views about an individual based on a few glimpses of their actions. Jesus calls for us to forgive everyone and have more understanding and compassion because we all have our times of weakness and make a lot of mistakes. How many times have we acted ugly and given someone a bad first impression of us? The consequences we all must be accountable for is that even when we ask God to help us forgive, it is nearly impossible to forget.

We are quick to make our case when someone offends us and wanting revenge is common. Many are more than willing to discard a relationship and in some cases even if it’s nothing more than a rumor. We seldom consider that as we are burning bridges, others are doing the same to us. The wounded soul must be repaired like a fractured bone. We cannot proceed in our inner healing without spiritual realignment and as God heals us we must also forgive ourselves. Everyone is born needing to be rescued from sin and the blood of Jesus is the only ransom. Until we receive God’s love and forgiveness, we are unable to know the true meaning and purpose of life. God is truth and the only way for us to know God's truth is to know Him. I have seen many who have everything life can offer and yet are miserable because they did not have the presence of Jesus dwelling within their heart and mind.

As adults, we are convinced we can handle our negative emotions. We learn to hide the pain as we try to heal ourselves and manage our hatred for all the bad things we have experienced. The agony of enduring the daily grind can twist in knots and is not a place of joy or contentment. It’s heartbreaking to know that many individuals live as a prisoner because they refuse to forgive. Bitterness can take root within the heart and cause us to be incarcerated with misery and depression. However, there is good news when we accept the love of Jesus as the key to genuine peace and happiness. We are reminded in John 8:31-32, where Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

A Christian Fellowship

150 Fellowship Ln, Sherman, TX 75090 (903) 815-1333

Wednesday 6:30 pm – Potluck Meal 7:00 pm – Worship Service 7:00 pm – Jr & Sr High Youth Sunday 9:30 am – Sunday School (all ages) 10:30 am – Worship Service 10:30 am – KidZone Children’s Service (5yr – 12 yr.)

Community Bible Fellowship

415 S Collins Fwy, Howe, TX 75459 Wednesday 6:30 pm - Food and Fellowship 7:00 pm - Community Kids (ages 3 - 6th grade, nursery available) 7:00 pm - Youth and Adult Bible Study Sunday 10:30 am - Worship Service

First Baptist Church Dorchester

11831 FM 902, Dorchester, TX 75459 903-476-5525 Wednesday 6:00 pm - Meal (Donations for adults and kids eat free) 6:30 pm - Praise service 7:00 pm - Youth Bible Study 7:00 pm - Adult Bible Study 7:00 pm - RA's/GA's/children's group Sunday 9:00 am - Men's Prayer Time 9:45 am - Sunday School 10:45 am - A.M. Worship Service 5:00 pm - Adult Choir Practice 6:00 pm - Evening Worship

First Baptist Church Howe

100 E. Davis St., Howe, TX 903532-5504 Tuesday 7:00 pm - Bible Study Wednesday 5:30 pm - Kids Choir 6:30 pm - Team Kid 6:30 pm - Youth Ministry 6:30 pm - Adult Bible Fellowship Sunday 9:15 am - Bible Fellowship 10:30 am - Kids Church 10:30am - Worship Service

First United Methodist Church of Howe

810 N Denny St, Howe, TX 75459 903-532-6718 Monday 9:30 am - Care Team Meeting 10:30 am - Pastor's Bible Study Tuesday 9:30 am - Women's Bible Study 11:30 am - Out and About with Pastor Zack 6:30 pm Boy Scouts Wednesday 9:00 am - Wednesday Workers 6:30 pm - Jr. High and Sr. High Youth Saturday 9:00 am - Feed My Sheep (1st and 3rd Sat each month) Sunday 8:40 am - Fellowship and Donuts 9:00 am - Sunday School 10:00 am - Worship service 3:00 pm - Cub Scouts

Howe Church of Christ

1205 N Collins Fwy, Howe, TX 75459 903-532-6441 Wednesday 7:00 pm - Bible Classes (all ages) Sunday 9:00 am - Bible Classes (all ages) 10:00 am - Worship Service 5:00 pm - Worship Service

Summit View Church

910 S Denny St, Howe, TX 75459 903-532-6828 Wednesday 7:00 pm - Radiate Youth 7:00 pm - Sanctuary of for prayer Sunday 9:30 am - Sunday School (kids, youth, women, men) 10:30 am - Worship Service 10:30 am - Kids Church

Times are subject to change. Please check with each church for any possible changes

Verse of the week

1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Hey Taylor My brother asked if I could loan him money for Taylor a food service Kovar company he’s launching. I trust him and like the concept but get a little nervous about lending money to family. Any advice? Marjorie

Hey Marjorie - Family or otherwise, anxiety is always the right feeling when asked to lend money. Once you get past those initial nerves, you need to look past the family part and assess the situation logically.

What’s the business? If you like the concept, this loan request has already passed the first test. The main reason I would advise someone not to loan money to a family member is if they feel guilted into doing so and otherwise wouldn’t put capital behind such a venture. If you think your brother understands the industry and knows about all the insurance, inventory, and staffing costs associated with food service, the family connection becomes moot. Do you think this business, as proposed by the business owner and with location in mind, has a chance to do well with the proper funding? If so, don’t dismiss the proposal.

What’s the plan? One million “good” concepts get pitched at dining room tables every day. The trick is turning a bright idea into a profitable company, and that involves a solid business plan. If you’re going to invest in this company, you should request a detailed model for how money will get spent, returned, and reinvested. As a personal investor, you deserve as much say as you want in this company. If it makes sense, you might want to use your money to buy an active role in the operation. Angel investing can make you a lot of money while helping your brother grow the business. However, if you choose to move forward, make sure you get what you want out of this investment.

How much are you spending? Like with any investment, don’t spend a penny more than what feels comfortable. Even with a great concept and the smartest brother on the planet, you still face plenty of risks with this kind of venture. You don’t want to put so much money on

Legal Disclaimer: Information presented is for educational purposes only and is not an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. To submit a question to be answered in this column, please send it via email to Question@GoFarWithKovar.com or via USPS to Taylor Kovar, 415 S 1st St, Suite 300, Lufkin, TX 75901. We interrupt this weekly column with a threequestion quiz, following which you will find the correct answers.

John

Rosemond 1. True or False? Telling a child that her feelings concerning a decision you have made are irrelevant and that you will not discuss the matter with her is likely to cause psychological damage to the child, including trauma to her self-esteem.

2. True or False? Answering “Because I said so” to a child who wants to know the reason behind a decision you have made is likely to cause psychological damage to the child, including trauma to her self-esteem. in any given situation? Will your cognitive impulse control problem traumatize your child? No. Therefore, give it a shrug and move on.

Which brings us to the most powerful four words in a parent’s vocabulary. I heard them a fair number of times, and I am not beset by “Because I said so” trauma (albeit I may not be the best judge of that). Those four words are simply affirmation of the legitimacy of your authority. Does an Army private have to obey a lieutenant only when said officer is able to give a reason that satisfies said private? No. The private must obey simply because the lieutenant says so. In your home, mind you, you are not a lieutenant, you are the Emperor/Empress. Embrace it, and in the process, help your child comprehend how the real world works.

3. True or False? Refusing to help a child with a problem she brings to you is likely to cause psychological damage to the child, including trauma to her self -esteem.

In each instance, the correct answer is False, which means that children are much, much sturdier than the general public has been led to believe. And who, exactly, are the primary sources of said belief? Why, mental health professionals, that’s who! Trust me, I am one.

To any of the above statements, most parents know that False is the correct answer, yet they act to the contrary. Why? Because most parents are intimidated by powerful emotional responses from their children, and children—the post-boomer species, that is— have a reputation for emoting powerfully when things are not to their liking.

So what if children don’t like a decision you make, a boundary you set, an instruction you give, or a consequence you levy? As Bob, my favorite uncle, was fond of saying, “Whadda they know?” The answer, according to Bob: nuttin’. Children have no sense of life’s big picture. You do, presumably. And so what if you could, given more thought and time, have made a better decision Concerning Question 3, two FACTS: First, children do not know what they need; they only know what they want. Second, children have a low tolerance for frustration. Putting the two together, one arrives at JR’s Parenting Axiom Number 14-D: Children usually ask for help before they truly need it, if they even need it at all.

Parents should be conscientiously conservative when it comes to helping children solve problems lest they—the parents, that is— become enablers and their children become obnoxious whiners. We’ve already covered the four most powerful words in the universal parenting vocabulary; here are the seven most powerful: “You don’t need my help with that.”

Steel yourself for much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Family psychologist John Rosemond: johnrosemond.com, parent guru.com.

John Rosemond has worked with families, children, and parents since 1971 in the field of family psychology. In 1971, John earned his masters in psychology from Western Illinois University and was elected to the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.