Rick Thomas | Your Daily Drive

There are many sides to gossip. Sometimes it's a sin. Other times it's not gossip at all. How you think about and respond to what others say about you will make all the difference in the world. Read More: https://rickthomas.net/gossip-when-someone-says-bad-things-about-you/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

One of the more intriguing oddities that our psychologized culture has foisted on our Christian communities is their way of thinking about and explaining the reasons why people do what people do. I'm speaking primarily about psychologized personality tests. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/personality-tests-like-psychological-selfies/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Member Question – I’m trying to help a wife figure out what to do with her future. She’s working on her marriage but wants to be used by God in ministry. And she desires to make money. What advice do you have for me? Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/deadbeat-husband-wife-left-to-ponder-her-future/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Submission is a hot topic in today's culture, but it's nothing new for the Christian. The Bible gives us guidelines on how to think about submitting to one another person, even unrepentant spouses. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/should-a-wife-submit-to-an-unrepentant-husband/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Future-predicting is easy to do. It's a remarkable gift that the Lord gives to any person who asks for it. With this ability comes the privilege and opportunity to change your future as well as serving your friends in doing the same. Read Here: Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Being a Christian is not all you need to have satisfying relationships if your Christianity does not connect you deeply with God and others. The Christian experience is spiritual first and functional second. If you're not connected spiritually, your function will be religion, and nothing more. Read Here: Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Some people do not have a biblical worldview on the family. For them, the family is always number one regardless. The Bible teaches a different perspective. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/can-a-persons-family-become-an-idol/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Some individuals teach that you should forgive and forget. This teaching is correct within specific guidelines, but it can also be dangerous if you don't talk among friends about what you did wrong. Without community, you may repeat the sinful behavior. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/a-good-reason-to-remember-sin/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Christianity is not rocket science. The Lord saves you, and it's a matter of deciding whether you want to live for Him. Are you living for Christ practically? Read More: https://rickthomas.net/dear-christian-are-you-a-christian/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Can God use sin sinlessly? Can God allow sinful things to happen to you? Can these sinful allowances be for your good? I think the answers to these questions are obvious. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/your-enemy-is-gods-kindness-to-you/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations.

We don’t like thinking about our awfulness because we resist the biblical declaration that we’re rotten to the core (Isaiah 64:6). Only a person with a high view of himself would get hung up on his fallenness. Ironically, it is the acceptance of your wickedness that releases the fullest expressions of the gospel in you. Read More: https://rickthomas.net/the-joy-depleting-problem-of-being-reared-in-a-christian-home/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Pity is a feeling of sorrow that you express toward someone who has suffered loss. Self-pity is when the person you are pitying is yourself. The self-pitying person looks at himself and feels sorry for himself because he realizes he has lost something that he wants back. Maybe the self-pitying person has done something that he regrets, or he does not like the kind of person that he has become. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/self-pity-a-window-into-the-soul/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Death. Look at that word. Say it out loud. There is nothing happy about the word. It is gray, dark, sad, and hopeless. It is unflinching and unyielding. It makes no apologies. It is the point of no return. It is the end of the road. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/surviving-suicide-when-left-standing-at-the-end-of-the-road-alone/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Spiritual abuse is a broad category in that it can encompass many different kinds of relationships, contexts, and situations. Wherever there is a two-tiered system of leaders and followers, spiritual abuse can happen. Read Here: Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

The progression from pain to purpose begins with God-centered thinking that elevates God over the suffering, which is the opposite of a problem-centered worldview. The perspective is the sufferers greatest challenge. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/a-progression-from-pain-to-purpose/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Some of the unsung heroes in the Christian community are foster parents. One of the most beautiful pictures of the gospel you’ll see are parents laying themselves on the line for the sake of a helpless child. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/foster-children-the-forgotten-victims-of-abuse/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Someone once said a rut is like a coffin with both ends knocked out. I’ve been in one of those coffin-like ruts. It’s an awful place to find yourself. My "rut" lasted nearly a decade. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/four-people-types-who-get-stuck-in-a-rut-and-cant-get-out/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

When my life does not go the way I hoped, it is easy for me to disengage and become discouraged. These are the moments when it is imperative I remind myself that when things are not working out the way I hoped, the Lord still loves and cares for me. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/god-is-an-extravagant-lover-especially-in-your-suffering/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

It takes grace, courage, faith, humility, patience, and a passion for wanting to grow in your walk with God. And though it's counterintuitive, suffering is one of the primary means the Lord uses to mature us. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/episode-31-abuse-suffering-and-other-painful-disappointments/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

When trouble comes, what do you do? When conflict happens, how do you respond? Let's face it; turmoil is part of all lives. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/how-to-argue-well-with-others/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Emotional abuse is real and painful. If ongoing, it can have a detrimental effect on your body and soul. Understanding emotional trauma biblically is vital Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/emotional-abuse-its-origins-its-cure/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Sometimes God is provocative in how He responds to us. The degree of provocation or outrage from us is proportional to our understanding of Him and His good desires for us. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/you-are-suffering-and-i-am-glad/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

It is crucial to accurately recognize how God is working in you during times of suffering. There is a greater temptation to see the pain in your life as something happening to you, rather resting in a great God who is doing something in you. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/why-we-should-embrace-the-crucible-of-suffering/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

I’m 18-years old and have been thinking about becoming a biblical counselor. I love the Lord and would like to serve Him in some capacity. I also love the idea of counseling. What would you suggest for a person like me? Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/10-things-to-consider-if-you-want-to-be-a-counselor/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

You probably won’t find a guy at the bookstore looking for a book on how to get a girl. Why? It's not necessary: we all know. Here's your dating advice. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/great-advice-date-your-wife-forever/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

To have a biblical friend is to be a wealthy individual. Do you want to be rich? In this article, I provide for you ten sequential steps to help you to find and sustain good friends. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/ten-ways-to-find-develop-and-enjoy-wonderful-friends/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Sexual abuse does not resonate with everyone who hears about it. The reason is that sexual violence is not generally on our radars. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/a-cry-for-those-who-have-been-victimized-by-sexual-abuse/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Wisdom would say we should not quickly dismiss how the Savior approached picking His friends. It might benefit us to give scrutiny here to learn how friend picking could help us personally, impact our community, and bring glory to God by advancing His kingdom. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/the-wisdom-in-handpicking-your-friends/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Death, taxes, and being sinful are assured until Jesus comes back to take us home. This chapter is not about death or taxes. It is about the prospects of being sinful–a sad reality we can never entirely eradicate from our lives. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/the-wisdom-in-giving-your-friends-and-family-room-to-sin/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

These are the actual counseling notes from a friend that I met with for counseling. She permitted me to share them, which I altered slightly and flattened out for public distribution. Read More: https://rickthomas.net/ricks-counseling-notes-on-guilt-and-fear/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Often a subordinate in a relationship comes to our ministry, asking if it is okay to have a voice within their hierarchal structure. The follower is afraid to bring critique to what they are experiencing. Read Here: Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

It took a few years of doing our marriage the wrong way before we decided to blow it up and start over again. The first call to action was for both of us to experience brokenness before the cross of Christ. Read Here: Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

A husband and wife are one flesh, not two. There is nothing that should come between them, including their children. When a parent places the children in the center of home life, the family is out of order. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/when-you-love-your-children-better-than-your-wife/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Because of God’s mercy to us, He puts us in places where we cannot fix our problems. From this position of weakness, He perfects His strength. Marriage is the perfect place for the Lord to accomplish this kindness. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/is-god-harassing-you/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Building a close network of friends inside a local church is one of the most challenging things you'll ever do. If there is a temptation to dismiss this idea, will you consider how you could position yourself for this kind of community? Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/three-keys-to-make-your-small-group-dynamic/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Don’t assume others will love you the way you want to experience their loving care. It is hard to care for someone, which is why one of the best things you can do is make it easy for someone to care for you. Read Here: Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Providing for our families is an expectation the Lord places on us. But we rely on Him for the results. We work hard while trusting Him to provide what we need. Whether you're poor or rich, God will take care of you. Our job is to work hard while trusting Him with the results. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/the-danger-of-a-man-providing-for-his-family-2/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

We all know to obey is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22), but that simple piece of biblical advice can create significant problems particularly in those moments when we fail in our obedience. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/how-to-be-perfect-and-the-dangers-of-trying-to-be/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Parenting children is one of the hardest things you'll do. The temptation is to be result-oriented because it's easier to make kids behave than train them. Read Here: Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Unresolved guilt leads to beating oneself up on an ongoing basis for some shameful deed. Without the gospel, guilty hearts will seek to atone for wrongs. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/the-danger-of-guilt-and-the-need-of-a-few-good-friends/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Grace and gospel go hand-in-hand. You cannot have one without the other. The first is the means to the second. Grace is the undeserved favor that permits you to enjoy the gospel. The danger with these two doctrines is the "grace mistake." Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/the-dangerous-doctrine-of-grace-and-how-it-misguides-christians/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

If a Christian is going through the motions of Christianity, his Christianity is on par functionally with religion. God may have regenerated him, but his "doer of the Word" faith (James 1:22) will be lifeless and uncompelling. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/excellent-way-to-assess-a-persons-authentic-faith/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Good desires for a relationship can cause us more problems than other temptations. We can want something so much that manipulating the other person to give it to us by sinning against them is easy to do. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/the-danger-of-trying-to-make-someone-change/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Do you find it difficult to look your spouse in the eye so you can communicate intimately? Is it hard for you to be vulnerable with your spouse? If so, I have some practical advice for you. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/weekend-shorts-the-reward-of-doing-it-in-the-dark/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

What if the special thing you hoped for did not happen? Your dream come true did not come true for you. In those moments of not getting what you want, it's imperative that you not only see Him who is invisible, but He must govern your innermost thoughts. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/loving-god-when-you-dont-get-what-you-want/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

It is impossible to live in a fallen world and not argue or disagree with another individual. From birth to the grave, disagreements are part of our life. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/5-helpful-tips-for-arguing-well/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Becoming an excellent husband does not just happen. If you put in the effort, there is a great reward. Here are three steps that can change your marriage. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/three-steps-to-becoming-the-excellent-husband/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Hayden Palm met Jesus on November 7, 2017, at 11:05 in the morning. This bittersweet news caused two narratives to start running simultaneously in my mind. Read Here: Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Forty percent of pastors make it to the five-year mark before they are ready to quit. Burnout is a normal temptation for individuals in helping professions. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/nine-questions-for-the-tired-overworked-and-ready-to-quit-pastor/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/

Overall, I found The Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo a helpful resource for Christian parents trying to manage not just their children's anger, but their own. Read Here: https://rickthomas.net/book-review-the-heart-of-anger-by-lou-priolo/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring-membership/ Or you can make a one-time or recurring donation(s) here rickthomas.net/donations/