As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live. -Pope John Paul II

I don't have to be Catholic to recognize the wisdom in Pope John Paul II's statement. I take a look around my community and I see fractured families, confused children, families that are together and unfulfilled... but very few intact, happy homes. I look at the nation and I see leaders without conscience, embittered voters, and a general public that is so polarized there is very little reasonable discussion of the issues. Look at the world and we see nations at odds with one another, talk of wiping each other off the map -- uprisings, wars, insurrections, etc...

It seems that everything is going the same direction, just on a different scale.

Far too often, people struggle with problems that feel insurmountable. A cheating spouse, a child gone wild, loss of income, loss of a loved one, separation, alcoholism, drug addiction, porn addiction, mental illness... and the list goes on. What is the answer for hurting families?

To start simply, the answer is JESUS. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the answer to everything (and yes, I truly do believe that). Obedience to Him will bring peace, contentment, healing, and... dare I say it? More trouble. Yes, He promises that, too. But in submitting to the will of God, we can gain a freedom we never thought possible.

But what does submission to Him look like? What is one to do with some of the intense problems we run across in life? What kind of actions should be taken? Answering some of these questions is what this blog is all about.