Life Over Coffee with Rick Thomas

Shows Main Idea – Question: Our leadership and pastoral staff have identified a need to support those in our midst who experience challenges with living in this world. If you were to launch a local biblical counseling ministry, what training or resources would you recommend? It would be most ideal to have curricula that could be completed in a group setting. Any tips or suggestions are welcome. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-560-nine-tips-for-launching-a-counseling-ministry-at-your-church/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Mable sought counseling with a specific request: under no circumstances should her pastor find out. Her insistence on anonymity is common among Christians today. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/case-study-dont-tell-anyone-im-in-counseling/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Mable is a perfectionist driven by an anxious need to be right. She holds herself and others to impossible standards, striving to present a carefully edited image she believes will earn acceptance, significance, and admiration. Mable's fear of being wrong fuels a pattern of self-righteous criticism, blame-shifting, and rationalization. These behaviors help her deflect attention from her shortcomings and maintain control over how others perceive her. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/case-study-she-has-an-anxious-need-to-be-right/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Shows Main Idea – In this episode, Rick Thomas talks with Pastor Joby Martin about his book Stand Firm and Act Like Men and the urgent need for Biblical masculinity in today's culture. Far from cultural stereotypes of passivity or toxic aggression, Joby explains how Scripture calls men to live as providers, protectors, prophets, priests, and servant kings—all under the lordship of Christ. Together, Rick and Joby unpack the traps that ensnare men—pride, anxiety, laziness, isolation, and lust—and the crucial role of accountability through what Joby calls “mat carriers.” They also address how women can encourage rather than correct, why technology is one of the greatest threats to family life, and how the Church must avoid softening or distorting masculinity. This conversation calls men to bend the knee to Jesus before they can stand firm in strength and love. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-559-joby-martin-stand-firm-and-act-like-men/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Biff and Mable have been married for 17 years, but their covenant relationship has been fraught with challenges for much of that time. They have two teenage sons who are nearing adulthood, and the prospect of an empty nest leaves Mable filled with dread. As she considers her future, she realizes she knows very little about Biff, and what she does know discourages her. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/are-you-certified/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Mable is consumed with her appearance, weight, and food choices. She frequently fasts, not out of a heartfelt desire to glorify God with her body or soul, but as a means to control her image and find approval. Contradictions mark her conversations—she often projects self-righteousness in her discipline yet also reveals deep insecurity through her comparisons to others. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/case-study-when-thin-is-in/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Ep. 558 Giving Hope to Anxious Hearts by Rick Thomas

Biff is an angry man whose temper has caused significant issues in his marriage. Two weeks ago, Mable gave him an ultimatum: seek help or face the end of their marriage. In response, Biff reluctantly attended church with Mable last Sunday—the first time in over 11 years. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/case-study-when-prayer-kills-a-church/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Mable presented herself as an ideal counselee: open, honest, and seemingly eager for change. In your first session, she shared her struggles with remarkable transparency, leaving no detail uncovered. Her vulnerability moved you, and her apparent willingness to receive correction quickly filled you with hope for genuine transformation. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/case-study-counseling-the-un-counsel-able/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Mable picked up the phone and started calling people at random. Somehow, she ended up with your number. Mable confessed she didn't know why she was calling you but felt an inexplicable urge to do so. She began to share her sordid story: she was at the end of a complicated and frustrating life and felt hopeless. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/case-study-suicide/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Mable has struggled with insecurity her entire life. Her earliest memories involve her parents' consistent displeasure with her, valuing her outward appearance in social contexts over her well-being. This fear-driven parenting model shaped Mable's need to prove herself and escape the feelings of inadequacy instilled by her parents. After you toss in Adamic shame, it was a crippling double-whammy. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/the-nagging-wife/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Legalism is a complex subject. It stirs passionate responses from many Christians. If you're in a legalistic culture, it's hard to get out. If you did come out of it, it's typical to overreact by going to anti-rule excesses. What began as an honest desire to follow God often morphs into a joyless, graceless, exhausting attempt to perform. Gospel-centered living is not ruleless living; it's freedom rooted in love and wisdom. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/legalism-is-a-fear-based-culture-that-leads-to-a-complex-life/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/

Mable, at 28, was single and deeply desired marriage. She had a degree, a great job, and a seemingly full life, but she felt an emptiness that she attributed to her singleness. Marriage, in her mind, was the next milestone she longed to achieve. You might say that Mable was the epitome of a goal-oriented lady. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/exchanging-prisons-from-singleness-to-marriage/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Biffina is 18 years old, the oldest of four children in a close-knit Christian family. Her parents, Biff and Mable, have consistently taught their children God's Word and modeled it faithfully. The children have embraced their parents' teaching, and no significant issues have arisen within the family. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/to-date-or-not-to-date/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Pursuing holiness is not legalism. Living as a committed, obedient, and disciplined follower of Christ does not mean one is trapped in legalism. When something harmful or wrong occurs—especially something as destructive as legalism—the appropriate response is not to swing the pendulum in the opposite direction. An overreaction to a bad thing often creates an equally bad thing. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/the-benefits-of-legalism/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/

Shows Main Idea – Dying to self is the most painful and ongoing task the Christian will ever face. It's not a single moment of surrender at the altar or a tear-filled confession at a retreat—it is a continual, lifelong submission to the will of God. It is the daily call to lay down our rights, our self-reliance, our perceived strength, and our functional savior of autonomy. But there is good news: God does not leave us to accomplish this death alone. He is actively, patiently, and purposefully working in the background of our lives, undermining every form of self-sufficiency so that we might trust Him more deeply. In His mercy, He systematically dismantles our illusion of control and replaces it with the deeper reality of dependence on Christ. Yes, this means that at times, the Lord will sabotage our self-reliance. He will put to death the idol of self-salvation. Why? So that we might learn to rely not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1:9). That's the heart of gospel transformation: not the removal of weakness, but the divine use of weakness to reveal His strength. Let me explain. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-556-boasting-in-weakness-a-primer/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Mable is a highly successful woman who has achieved much in her career and personal life. She is married to Biff, and together, they share a strong faith and a stable marriage. However, despite her many accomplishments, Mable struggles with persistent procrastination, particularly when it comes to tasks that require personal discipline or have less accountability. This recurring problem has caused tension in her marriage and added stress to her daily life. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/procrastination/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

As we conclude this series, we will focus on the most crucial aspect of your life—the one thing that should shape every decision, every action, and every relationship. The question is simple and yet it is profound: What is your ultimate motive for all you do in life? Perhaps you could think of it as a mission statement. Listen to the great apostle. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-31-teen-devotion-whatever/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Shows Main Idea – In this episode, I'm diving into something that's quietly shaping our thoughts, our relationships, and even our sanctification—the digital world. Whether we recognize it or not, the cyber world is forming us. It's not just neutral content floating in cyberspace; it's a cultural pull, competing for our hearts, time, and devotion. I'm going to explore this cyber effect, not as a secular psychology study, but as a biblical framework for evaluating the impact of technology on the soul. I'll walk through nine specific effects—from the way devices impact real-life relationships, to how social media shapes identity, to the slow drift away from the local church. This episode isn't about throwing away your phone or deleting every app. It's about re-centering your heart on Christ, so you're not swept along by the current of online culture. Psalm 19 tells us that God's Word restores the soul and makes the simple wise. That's our aim. Let's bring God's Word to bear on cyberspace so that we can love God more deeply and others more intentionally—even in a digital age. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-555-the-cyber-effect-nine-ways-technology-shapes-us/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Let's uncover and discover one of the most powerful tools God has given you for growth: repentance. The typical Christian understands repentance as something that happens at salvation, but its role in sanctification—your ongoing transformation—is often overlooked. The Christian life is repentance at salvation and ongoing repenting in our progressive sanctification. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-30-teen-devotion-secret-weapon/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

I want to re-evaluate a prior devotion and rethink the cultural message of self-esteem. While the world tells you to focus on yourself to find freedom, the Bible teaches a counterintuitive truth: the path to freedom is found in thinking less about yourself and more about God and others. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-29-teen-devotion-self-esteem/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Shows Main Idea – Forgiveness is not a sentimental release of offense; it's a Christ-exalting act of worship. In this episode, I will unpack why biblical forgiveness is essential for the church, for families, and for the good of your own soul. Drawing from the gospel model, I'll explore the difference between attitudinal and transactional forgiveness, examine common misconceptions that blur the process, and explain how rightly practiced forgiveness protects unity and glorifies God. If you've ever struggled to know how to forgive—especially when the offender won't repent—this episode will give you a clear, gospel-shaped roadmap. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-554-why-we-must-forgive-and-how-to-do-it/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Let's talk about love—not the kind that looks like an empty love cup but the kind that reflects God's character by giving and serving in a way that glorifies Him. Love is a communicable attribute, a gift that God has communicated (given) to us. Thus, we can love well, but due to our fallenness, loving well can turn inward, self-focused, and distorted. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-28-teen-devotion-reason-love/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Learning to overcome our all-time and number one problem and the cultural myth of self-reliance is vital for a robust Christian life. Self-sufficiency is a synonym for unbelief, choosing to rely on ourselves instead of the Lord. The truth is that no one can live completely independent of God—not even Jesus lived that way. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-27-teen-devotion-self-sufficiency-myth/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Shows Main Idea – I often get asked about our next speaking engagement—as if speaking from a stage is central to our ministry. It's not. In this episode, I want to walk you through our philosophy of public speaking and why we don't model our approach after the typical speaker circuit. For me, speaking is not a performance or platform-building opportunity—it's about long-term discipleship and real relationships. I don't have a few canned messages that I drop into a new location every weekend. Instead, we serve churches through a slow, intentional process that begins months before the conference and often continues for years afterward. We don't stay in hotels. We live with the people. We eat with them, learn from them, adapt our content to their lives, and build connections that last. This episode unpacks our convictions around sanctification, discipleship, and the church—and why relational ministry, not performance ministry, is our model. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-553-a-relational-philosophy-for-local-church-engagement/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Overcoming the fear of others disapproval is a universal struggle for those who base their identity on what others think of them. When we act like this, we give others power over us. We're nothing more than puppets on a string, always managed by the fickle approval of others. The Bible calls this the fear of man, but you might recognize it better as peer pressure, codependency, or insecurity. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-26-teen-devotion-opinions-others/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Today's focus is a sensitive but vital topic: sex before marriage. God's design for physical intimacy is within the context of marriage, and stepping outside that design can lead to long-lasting consequences in your spiritual, emotional, and relational life (Hebrews 13:4). Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-25-teen-devotion-sex-marriage/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Many people struggle with decision-making. The most crucial question you can ask yourself when making a decision is this: Am I in faith to do this? In other words, do you believe that what you're considering is the right thing to do? Are you sure? Is this God's will? Is your faith greater than your doubts? Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-24-teen-devotion-make-decision-2/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

An essential first step in discipleship is how you view others. If your disappointment in people is greater than your desire to help them, your ability to disciple effectively will run into many hindrances. Jesus had some strong language for those who made the log/speck mistake. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-23-teen-devotion-first-step-start/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Today's focus is on a challenging but vital responsibility: discipling your parents. As a believer, you are called to disciple and evangelize those in your sphere of influence—and that includes your family. Being an adult means acting like an adult, which expects you to come alongside other adults, helping them in their relationship with God. To love God and love others as you love yourself implies caring well for all people, even those who have had authority over you. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-22-teen-devotion-disciple-parents/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

One of the most influential aspects of your life is your friendships. The relationships you keep play a significant role in shaping who you are and how you grow in your relationship with God. Though you can do many things alone, sanctification is not one of those things. If you want to mature in Christ, you need mature friends who have the grace and courage to spur you on to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25). Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-21-teen-devotion-describe-friendships/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Your conscience that God gave you acts as an internal moral thermostat. It's your inner voice that sounds off when you have done well or poorly. Your conscience can be a powerful tool for aligning your life with God's Word, but it can also become distorted if not biblically trained. The conscience is malleable. Let's talk about how to care for and train your conscience so it reflects God's truth—the ultimate sweet spot is when your inner voice and God's Word are in tune. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-20-teen-devotion-voice-training/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Today's topic touches on a question many struggle with: “Will God forgive me?” Thinking that the good Lord will not forgive us typically comes from an inward-focused, insecure person who needs a gospel recalibration: Who the Son has set free is free indeed (John 8:36). The gospel liberates us from all of our past sins, no matter how hideous or overwhelming they seem. Jesus has already completed the work of forgiveness—you don't have to live under the weight of guilt any longer. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-19-teen-devotion-will-god-forgive/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

What makes someone good? Before you answer the question about yourself or a friend, I want you to consider this perspective. On the surface, it might seem easy to label someone as good or bad based on their behavior—an external examination, but God calls us to look deeper than outward appearances. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-18-teen-devotion-good-teen/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Five common traps many young adults face can hinder their growth and keep them from living the life God has for them. The good news is that recognizing these traps is the first step to avoiding them and finding freedom in Christ. I will share them with you in no particular order, though it would serve you well to order them according to how they apply to your life. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-17-teen-devotion-five-teen-traps/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

One of the most essential places for your spiritual growth is the local church. Outside of your home, the local church is the dearest place on earth for a believer because it's where God's people gather to worship, grow, and serve together. The church is not a building but a body of believers, whether it's two gathered for fellowship or two thousand in an auditorium. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-16-teen-devotion-your-local-church/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Do you ever sense your life as a young adult is in a holding pattern—a time when you're just waiting for life to begin? If so, you're not alone. Some people act as though these early years are like an extended time out. It is a mindset that can lead to wasting valuable time. While you're waiting to get your shot, here are eight things you can do to steward your time well and glorify God today. The key to remember is what you do today forms the foundation upon which your entire adult life will stand. If you procrastinate, as though life does not begin until later, you may develop the debilitating habit of procrastination. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-15-teen-devotion-while-youre-waiting-do-these/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Let's reflect on God's grace and its power to guide you through life's challenges. Here is how I want to frame God's grace for this devotion: No matter what you're facing, God's grace is sufficient, offering answers to your questions and untangling the messiest problems. The question then becomes: Where will you go from here—wherever you may be at this juncture in your journey with the Lord? Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-14-teen-devotion-where-to-go-from-here/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Today's truth may not be easy to hear, but it's crucial to understand: life is hard and doesn't apologize. Fallenness is no respecter of persons, not even caring if you are a Christian. Everyone faces struggles, but what sets people apart is how they respond to their life challenges, which begs the question. Will you choose to complain and remain stuck in your trouble, or will you flip the script and become a difference-maker? Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-13-teen-devotion-life-is-hard/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

RISE Radio recently interviewed Rick Thomas of Life Over Coffee about his Substack article addressing the influence of Jordan Peterson. Peterson, though not a Christian, has garnered an unusually strong following within Christian circles—largely due to his moral clarity and psychological insights, many of which are shaped by Jungian philosophy rather than a biblical worldview. This curious devotion to a man outside the faith raises essential questions about discernment and the church's appetite for cultural saviors. David, the host at RISE Radio, shares similar concerns and invited Rick to unpack why so many believers are drawn to Peterson's message, and what this trend reveals about our theology, affections, and need for true gospel-centered leadership. Listen here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-552-jordan-petersons-concerning-influence-and-philosophies/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Let's tackle a common cultural myth: the idea that being “cool” is the way to succeed. The truth is that chasing coolness is rarely fruitful. Instead, it often leads to dysfunctional relationships and a self-focused, enslaving way of life that demands that others notice, admire, and desire to be you. Perhaps it would serve all of us if we redefine what it means to be “cool” from a biblical perspective. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-12-teen-devotion-being-cool-is-not-the-path-to-success/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Let's explore a topic that affects us all: the shaping influences in our lives—those things external to us that impact how we love God and others as we love ourselves. Specifically, how social media and other technologies shape the way we think, feel, and live. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-11-teen-devotion-social-media-is-not-real-life/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Today's topic may sound harsh, but it's an essential truth to embrace: life has winners and losers. I know that you know this, but I want to make it personal to you during this season of practical reflection. Participation trophies and grade inflation may soften the blow during childhood, but adulthood operates by a different set of rules. The self-esteem movement works hard to keep kids' egos inflated, but life in a fallen world works harder, deflating our egos, making it imperative we know how to live well when fallenness falls on us. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-9-teen-devotion-life-has-losers-and-you-may-be-one/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Ep. 551 Daniel Berger, Discipling a Fool's Heart by Rick Thomas

Shows Main Idea – Godly parents and educators ponder how they can practically help their child turn from being a foolish youth to becoming a wise lover of Christ (Proverbs 1:22-23). Though no parent can transform a child's spiritual heart, all believing parents are called to discipline their children in wisdom so that God can convert them to be wise (Proverbs 1:8; 13:1). In this interview with Dr. Daniel Berger, you will find encouragement and clear direction as you parent your child, mature in friendship, and increase your skill as a biblical counselor. Watch or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-551-daniel-berger-discipling-a-fools-heart/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Your parents weren't always boring. Believe it or not, they had lives, interests, and a lot more freedom before you came along. Here's the truth: your parents' lives changed dramatically the moment you entered the picture. It's not that you're a problem; I'm not saying that at all, but raising a child comes with enormous responsibility. Paying bills, doing laundry, and keeping up with your needs leave little time for the fun or spontaneity they had prior to having children. Their sacrifices are often invisible, but they are made out of love for you and the belief that their life is worth more than their former freedoms. Parenting is a picture of the gospel: giving up your freedom for the good of others. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-8-teen-devotion-your-parents-were-not-always-boring/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Today's lesson is tough but essential: when you mess up, it's no one's fault but your own. It's natural to want to blame others for our mistakes. Perhaps others are part of our mistakes or have influenced them. However, we cannot ignore our responsibility. We must not permit people's problems to manage us. Adults struggle with owning their mistakes, so you're not alone. But if your first instinct is to point fingers when things go wrong, it's time to pause, recalibrate that mindset, and take responsibility. Owning your mistakes is a key step toward maturity and spiritual growth. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-7-teen-devotional-your-mistakes-are-yours/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.