James C. Dobson Quotes

Third, it is helpful to seek advice from those who are spiritually mature and solid in their faith. A godly counselor or pastor can assist you in avoiding the common mistakes that confuse many young people.

He concluded in the last scene that we are given two choices in life. We can allow ourselves to love and care for others, which makes us vulnerable to their sickness, death, or rejection. Or we can protect ourselves by refusing to love. Lewis decided that it is better to feel and to suffer than to go through life isolated, insulated, and lonely.

Dr. Michael Gurian said it best: "Every time you raise a loving, wise, and responsible man, you have created a better world for women. Women [today] are having to bond to half-men, with boys who were not fully raised to manhood, don't know how to bond, don't know what their responsibilities are to humanity, and don't have a strong sense of service."5 Today's fathers have an opportunity to change that.

Whatever else you set out to do, begin by getting to know God and seeking His will in your life. If you do that, you will find Him. He will lead you. He will bless you. What a wonderful promise! But it is conditional. If you turn your back on the Lord, He will cast you off forever.

23. With God, even when nothing is happening...something is happening.

That kind of forgiveness is of God. And if they have it, they have it, and if they don't, well, maybe they'll find it someday.

But before you set out to make your mark, you should ask yourself, "For whom will this be done?

Just continue to "walk in the light" you have been given, and leave the future in God's hands. If He is calling you to do a job, He will make it possible for you to care for your family and overcome any other barriers to that responsibility.

Ask yourself what you will care about when everything is on the line.

Whenever you come upon a free supply of high-quality corn, provided unexpectedly right there in the middle of the forest, be careful! The people who put it there are probably sitting nearby in a stand, just waiting to take a shot at you. Keep your eyes and ears open!

I urge all parents, but especially fathers, to work at building your daughter's self-concept throughout her childhood. Tell her she is pretty every chance you get. Hug her. Compliment her admirable traits. Build her confidence by giving her your time and attention. Defend her when she is struggling. And let her know that she has a place in your heart that is reserved only for her. She will never forget it.

Girls are under enormous pressures rarely experienced by their mothers, grandmothers, and other women in previous generations. Today's little girls are being enticed to grow up too fast and are encountering challenges for which they are totally unprepared.

Sin has invaded God's creation, and we live now in a fallen world.

33. Satan will attempt to offer you whatever you hunger for, whether it be money, power, sex, or prestige. But Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6).

35. God is entitled to a portion of our income - not because He needs it but because we need to give it.

Seventy-five percent of students visiting the Cowell Health Center at Stanford University describe themselves as "sexually active.

28. Feelings are neither right nor wrong. It's what you do with them that causes the problems.

Everyday Graces: A Child's Book of Good Manners, written by Karen Santorum.[73]

Second, you should examine the Scriptures for principles that relate to the issue at hand. The Lord will never ask you to do anything that is morally wrong or in contradiction to His Word. If what you are considering violates a concept you find in the Word, you can forget it.

The issue of respect is also useful in guiding parents' interpretation of given behavior. First, they should decide whether an undesirable act represents a direct challenge to their authority . . . to their leadership position as the father or mother. The form of disciplinary action they take should depend on the result of that evaluation.

Steps can then be taken to slow down the natural progression before it gets started. It doesn't work to allow all the preliminary intimacies and then hope to stop the progression just short of intercourse. Very few people have the willpower to do that.

But we must understand that emotions are unreliable and at times, tyrannical. They should never be permitted to dominate us.

They know what they want, but aren't sure how to find it.

As I've said, encountering death has a way of jerking your priorities into line.

Your most precious memories will focus on those you loved, those who loved you, and what you did together in the service of the Lord.

Some tragic mistakes are often made by those who acquire the reins of control before their maturity is adequate to handle it.

Dr. Morris believes, and I strongly agree, that couples are most likely to bond securely when they have not rushed the dating experience. Time is the critical ingredient.

My point is that Satan uses our keenest appetites to tempt us.

Meg MacKenzie who said raising her two sons is like living with a tornado.

Millions of people acknowledge today that they do not know the meaning of life.

God Himself even "forgets" the wickedness committed by those whom He has forgiven. That's why it is never too late to clean up your life.

When our little bit is combined with His greatness, the team is unbeatable.

I read one study that indicated when a couple has been together for approximately three hundred hours, even most of those who are trying to be moral will do things they didn't intend originally. They may not even realize that is where the relationship is headed until it happens.

Lifelong pain, an unwanted pregnancy, and even death may be the reward for such a brief window of pleasure. What a foolish gamble!

Learning how to fight properly and deciding what to fight about are two of the secrets to a successful marriage. It usually comes down to the "line of respect" one way or the other.

The bullies literally cram their will down the throats of those who are weaker.

Indeed, we should be trying to reach out to those who don't know Jesus Christ, which is impossible in an atmosphere of hostility.

And I pray that the pieces of her broken world will come back together.

2. Christian education places its emphasis on "unity" in relationships between people.

The Lord gave me this challenging child for a purpose. He wants me to mold and shape this youngster and prepare him or her for a life of service to Him.

I thank God for schools that are serious about the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are vital to perpetuating our faith through your generation and beyond.

If you understand this basic concept, it becomes clear that every spending decision is a spiritual decision. Waste, for example, is not a squandering of our resources. It is a poor use of His.

When you understand that everything you buy is purchased with a portion of your life, it should make you more careful with the use of money.

37. It is better to be single and unhappy than unhappily married.

Resist the temptation to see yourself as a victim.

In fact, it has been said that when you have sex with someone, you are actually having sex with everyone who ever slept with that individual.

Perhaps this is why not one of 800 sexologists attending a conference raised a hand when asked if they would trust a thin rubber sheath to protect them during intercourse with a known HIV-infected person. I don't blame them. They're not crazy, after all. Yet they're perfectly willing to tell your generation that "safe sex" is within reach and you can sleep around with impunity. It is a terrible lie.

Harshness, gruffness, and sternness are not effective in shaping a child's will. Likewise, constant whacking and threatening and criticizing are destructive and counterproductive. A parent who is mean and angry most of the time is creating resentment that will be stored and come roaring into the relationship during adolescence or beyond. Therefore, every opportunity should be taken to keep the tenor of the home pleasant, fun, and accepting. At the same time, however, parents should display confident firmness in their demeanor. You, Mom and Dad, are the boss. You are in charge. If you believe it, the tougher child will accept it also.

So enjoy the exhilaration when it comes. Take the ride to the heights when you get the opportunity. But don't get hooked on the thrill of the moment. Take charge of your emotions. And when it comes time to do the right thing, don't let your feelings lead you to compromise. That is the way to live a happier, more successful life and one that is more pleasing to God.

Whenever you begin to conclude, "I can't win," and "What's the use?" you've set yourself up for failure. Your pessimism becomes a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy.

The relationship between a guy and a girl naturally becomes more intimate as they spend time together.

Because he refused to adopt a defeatist attitude, he overcame the obstacles in his path.

He sees those tears in your eyes. He knows the desire of your heart. And you will hear from Him-just in time to take the next step.

It has been my observation that whatever a person hungers for, Satan will appear to offer in exchange for a spiritual compromise.

Behavior has consequences, and stupid behavior often has terrible consequences.

Nothing in this physical world moves from disorder to order without intelligence and energy being applied to it.

our objective as moms and dads is to transform our sons from "immature and flighty youngsters into honest, caring men who will be respectful of women, loyal and faithful in marriage, keepers of commitments, strong and decisive leaders, good workers, and men who are secure in their masculinity.

Indeed, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculated that 65 million people in the United States now have a sexually transmitted virus, and they will suffer from it for the rest of their lives.

Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider; girls go to college to get more knowledge.

It is impossible to credit one gender with every good and perfect gift without slighting the other. That's what extreme diversity does to us.

Until we know who we are and why we are here, no amount of success, fame, money, or pleasure will provide much satisfaction.