"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it". – Proverbs 4:23

How do you guard your heart? 

The same way you practice love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness and faithfulness…. through the ninth and final piece of the fruit, self-control.

Self-control, or often referred to as self-discipline, is the cornerstone of it all.  This is about what you choose.

Choose Christ.

Choose to love.

Choose to seek and hold joy.

Choose peace.

Choo...

In our house we have learned (many times the hard way) that privileges do not come with age, they come with maturity.

Since when did passing time become a standard by which we are ready for things in life?  I don’t care how much time passes there are many things I will never be equipped for simply because more days are in my rearview.  

Maturity, on the other hand, is a much better predictor of success, although never fool proof.  But it does require truly being a part of a child or youn...