Life Christian University - Winchester

We are so blessed to have been a part of the Beer Cheese Festival ! We got to talk to so many people today. 🥰 And this group of faculty, students, and spouses, who worked our booth.... !

Are you coming to the Beer Cheese Festival ? Stop by and see us! We are right in front of the Brown Proctor.

Have you been curious about our programs?

Stop by and see us at the Beer Cheese Festival. We can answer questions and give you more info!

2026 Beer Cheese here we come!!

Saturday, June 13th, 10am-5pm!

As a part of my Family Therapy course with Life Christian University, one of the books in our curriculum is “Love & Respect in the Family” (the same author of “Love & Respect which was a wonderful read in my previous Marriage Counseling class).

There are so many treasures in this book, but one analogy really stood out to me this morning.

A driving message in my home is something I tell the kids all the time- we have zero control over the behavior of others, but we have 100% control over how we respond to others… and we have to own our side of that.

“An unlovable or disrespectful child does not make or cause us to be unloving. Instead, the child reveals our choice to be unloving.

A speck of sand in the human eye leads to irritation, then infection, and if not cared for, loss of vision. That same speck of sand in an oyster first leads to irritation, then concretion, then a pearl. This begs the question: Did the sand cause the results in the eye or the oyster? No. The sand is an irritant that reveals the inner properties of the human eye or the oyster.”

Our kids, our spouse, our circumstance…they’re not the real issue.

Our response to them are the issue.

When will we stop blaming the “irritant” for the way we respond to them and start taking responsibility for the fact that our poor response is simply a reflection of what’s already inside of us?

The good news is, the more Christ that we allow inside of us to do his good work on our character and motives, the more Christ will come out of us when provoked.

Don’t blame what kicks your bucket for what comes out of your bucket.

The kicking is on them- but the contents that come out as a response…that’s entirely on you.

Put good in, get good out.

🦪⚪️❔

Kids can challenge you. Marriage can challenge you. The most challenging part about both is not the kids/spouse themselves…it’s that they bring out what’s really hidden beneath the surface.

How we respond to what surfaces during challenging circumstances is everything. We can own it…or we can deflect and blame.

One approach will cause lasting damage to ourselves, and ultimately others in our radius.

The other approach will produce pearls even in the most difficult of circumstances…and it will teach others in our sphere of influence to do the same.

Live. Learn. Grow. Repeat. 🔁

——-

Edited to add: all these teachings have disclaimers about abusive dynamics in relationships. Your character should stay true no matter what. But being loving does NOT mean being permissive of abuse, manipulation, or otherwise destructive patterns. Boundaries and discipline are also a display of loving nature…to ignore or enable those things are actually quite unloving because it elevates our own comfort over the other person’s moral, ethical, or spiritual wellbeing. But you can establish and hold firm to boundaries, and you can carry out discipline and appropriate consequences without sacrificing your character, integrity, or genuine Christ-like love and compassion.

Pearls aren’t frail- they’re actually covered in a material called nacre that is proven to be stronger than concrete 💪 (see my video podcast on “Pearls” with Insight Ministries for more conversation on the nature of pearls)

By Nicole H., Student

Saturday Fun! 🌞

Q & A time! What's some of the best life advice someone has ever given you?

We remember and honor all those who have served, and especially those who gave their lives.

John 15:13 ESV
[13] Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

We bought too many popsicles… so now we need your help. 🍧☀️

Come by for a relaxed summer night with free popsicles & people who genuinely care about YOU. Need prayer for something? We’d love to pray with you. Don’t need prayer? Come hang out anyway. No pressure and no strings attached!

If you want a popsicle, come get one. If you need encouragement, we’ve got that too!

We’ll hanging out @ Legacy Grove this Thursday, 5pm - 7pm!

John 1:4-5 ESV
[4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:4-5 (ESV) - In him was life, and the life was t | YouVersion In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.