Many truths in Scripture are in tension. Truth is not always as simple as we want to make it. For example, my post “7 Answers to the Question, ‘Is Anger Good?’” tells only one side of the story. I stand behind my statements that support the opinion that anger is not good in a relationship.…

Short term anger can be good for relationships according to a recent study done by Florida State University. Recommended techniques for how to manage anger change frequently. Things once advised, like taking your anger out on a pillow, are later discouraged after studies show they are not effective. Those struggling with anger can pick and…

The most familiar commands are probably the most profound—as well as the ones we most need to hear. And to head. Since childhood, I’ve often heard, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It’s so familiar that it’s easy to pass it by. After all, I don’t hate my neighbor. In fact, there isn’t anybody in my…

Some people say that good and bad, or evil, travel together and when you find one, you find the other. I’m not sure that’s always the case—except that the Lord brings good out of all things for those who love Him. However, I see it happening around the Aurora tragedy. It is devastating to even…

The massacre in Colorado has dominated the news and my thoughts. I question what could motivate such atrocity. How could somebody perpetrate such violence? I speculate about how long anger must have boiled beneath the surface before James Holmes erupted in such unbelievable carnage. Next, I wonder how many other people are seething beneath the…

After writing Deserving of Respect last week, I’ve continued thinking about the meaning of respect, and gained new insights. Understanding what respect is and how to show it has always seemed a bit allusive to me—probably because I’m female. However, one thing seems clear. God made men such that they need to be respected. It’s…

Weekly reports from men about times that they get angry are quite revealing. This past week, I recorded comments from inmates about what made them angry and how they responded. It is part of a program evaluation of Uprooting Anger. Groups of inmates are studying the course to complete an evidence-based evaluation to document how…

Little differences or misunderstandings—not major life-changing matters—cause much of the tension and strife in most relationships. Even if it’s over a little issue, if we feel pushed, we tend to push back. Suddenly, the relationship is tense, with each fighting to win. Once opposing sides are taken, it’s hard to back down and concede. We…

Karen Klein, a 68-year-old bus monitor in Rochester, NY has unintentionally made the news. A video went viral of her being bullied on a school bus by middle school boys. The boys were relentless in their verbal abuse. It horrified the nation and led to a large outpouring of support for Ms. Klein. Reports of…

Have you ever been irritated by something that was meant to be a blessing? I’m ashamed to confess that such happened to me the other day. I almost got mad over the most ridiculous situation. I’m just grateful for the things I’ve learned about anger that helped me turn it around before I ruined the…