There are always ample opportunities to forgive others, especially in a marriage. But sometimes we don’t know how. Consider three tips to help you forgive more easily in the context of a covenant relationship. We remember those long nights in the first year of our marriage. In the infancy of his career, Byron was often late home from work as he juggled the demands on his time. Initially, Francine was so grateful when ...

Parenting comes with so many challenges. But the biggest challenge of all is stopping to enjoy the joys – the ‘sweet spots’ – of parenting. This year has been one of the most challenging years of parenting for me. In some ways, I assumed this year would be easier because Esther would be at kindy, and I’d only have Maggie and Phoebe at home. But it can be hard keeping a ...

It’s November, which means next month is Christmas. It will come sooner than you think. Here’s a Christmas recipe to tuck away, ready for the silly season. Recently, I had a crazy idea of creating a Christmas nativity scene out of chocolate. If I’m honest, I’m no food blogger. I have previously shared a photo of my Christmas shortbread: it was as black as the ace of spades. That’s what happens ...

The desire to change other people is natural but it will only lead to frustration. You will enjoy the most success and contentment in life when you focus not on changing people but changing yourself. If only my children were more helpful and cooperative… If only I had a smaller behind and a prettier face… If only they understood me better… If only everyone in this house was more considerate… If ...

The role that involved fathers play is vital. The opposite is also true: uninvolved fathers can cause significant wounds. But even these wounds can be redeemed to help others. “An engaged and loving father is the most powerful man-making force on the planet,” writes Earl Hipp in his perceptive article titled Healing the Absent Father Wound. He goes on: The opposite is also true. When fathers are absent, physically or emotionally, the ...

Whether you’re toilet-training your kids or just trying to survive an outing to the shopping mall, we all have an embarrassing toilet story to tell! We all have embarrassing stories we’d rather not re-live … right? I have one or two that made my cheeks burn red. Okay, maybe it’s more like half a dozen. A few years ago, my daughter Esther decided to add one more incident to the list. ...

Anger feels right in the moment, but no child wants an angry parent. Below is some great advice on how to deal with your anger to become more effective and loving as you raise your kids. To be honest, I still struggle with anger sometimes, especially when I’m tired. Every time I think I’m making progress, I find myself yelling again. I’ll even stamp the occasional foot and wonder to myself ...

“Easy Eddie” was the corrupt lawyer to Al Capone. In contrast, Butch O’Hare was a heroic Second World War fighter pilot. What did these two men have in common? What can we learn from their stories? Story Number One In the 1920s, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. He was notorious for corrupting the windy city with everything from bootlegging (illegal liquor) to prostitution to murder. Capone had a lawyer nicknamed ‘Easy Eddie’. ...

Struggling for motivation? Frustrated that you’re starting things and not getting them finished? Here I expose the principles to staying motivated. Recently I was asked to provide some secret sauce for an Australian Defence magazine on staying motivated. I’m not going to replicate the full report here, so you can check out the source article “My Secrets To Getting & Staying Motivated”. But here’s a summary of steps Anyone can do now ...

Albert Einstein said, “Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” Einstein must have been writing about Larry Stockstill. The words on Larry’s weekly blog are certainly wise and get straight to the point. “My goal is to impart timeless truths that will enhance your value as a leader and keep you there your entire life journey.  If you have observed influential leaders who ...

The internet was ablaze in the 2000s with quips featuring American actor Chuck Norris (aka Carlos Ray Norris). Some of the best examples included, “Chuck Norris’s mind is connected to the internet. He refreshes Web pages by blinking;” and “Chuck Norris grinds his coffee with his teeth and boils water with his rage.” Another is, “Chuck Norris can ride a motor without a cycle.” Add to this, “When Chuck Norris crosses ...

I remember the conversation I had with my mum friends 3 years ago as if it was yesterday. Esther was 22 months old and every fortnight I headed to a friend’s house where a group of mums caught up with each other. I was sitting at the outside table, momentarily lost in thought, when I immediately caught on to the conversation with the mums talking about placing their child’s name down ...

When persecution or injustice comes your way, how do you decide whether to turn the other cheek or to take a stand? If you have come to this post because of Israel Folau, then read on. But this post and podcast ask the more broad question. How do we as Christian men decide to flee from or head towards a fight? Read on if you want to know the answer. The ...

The question of identity — who am I? — is a huge one in society today. When everything is stripped away, what makes us, us? I went to a retreat once where the director used a reflection that stuck in my mind and bugged me for ages as I tried to work out what he meant. Who Am I? He asked us to imagine ourselves as a boat floating down a ...

What does John D Rockefeller, a nameless Melbourne businessman and an ancient King all have in common? In this post, Guy answers that question and outlines how you can avoid the same legacy-burning mistake that trips up many men on your way to real wealth. A few years back I sat at a famous Melbourne restaurant -The Flower Drum – for lunch.  The FB is a restaurant that you need deep pockets ...

Jordan Peterson says, “It is necessary to be strong in the face of death, because death is intrinsic to life. It is for this reason that I tell my students: aim to be the person at your father’s funeral that everyone, in their grief and misery, can rely on. There’s a worthy and noble ambition: strength in the face of adversity.” I wish I had heard the wisdom in his words ...

Here are some tips from an experienced mother on how you can succeed in transitioning your toddler from a cot to a bed. This post has been written in collaboration with Sleepmaker This year, Phoebe will be out of a cot and into a bed and I’m not sure how I feel about it because, being my last baby, this will mean this is the last time the cot will be ...

Have you ever stopped to think about the importance of your marriage? Marriage is hard; is it worth it? In this post, Guy looks at why your marriage matters and gives you some thoughts you would be wise to ponder… When I got married at 22 years old, I had the wrong idea about marriage. I don’t think it was an unusual idea. Deep down, I thought that marriage would make ...

In the Beginning My story really starts off no different than many of yours. I was born and raised in a small town in a two-parent household, the oldest of five children. I was surrounded by family, friends, and support my entire life. None of my friends were from divorced or separated families. None of my friends had a parent who died. I had no experience with these traumas and never ...

Let me begin this article by saying to you that the journey that healed my wounded heart has only ever happened once to me, and I believe it was for a very specific reason. I am by no means a spiritual visionary! The Healing of A Wounded Heart As I mentioned in my introduction, the first big cracks in my façade of perfection occurred with the birth of my second child. I ...