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Articles by Karla Downing

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142 articles by Karla Downing · showing 42

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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Relationship Help: Four Tips for Dealing With Difficult In-Laws

Are you looking for Christian relationship help in dealing with your difficult in-laws? Are you wondering how God wants you to deal with them? God wants you to respond in a way that protects your marriage instead of damaging it. Here are four tips you can use to deal with difficult in laws that will minimize the damage they can do to your life and marriage. Interestingly, they all have to do with your response to them since you cannot force them to change:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Relationship Help: Five Unhealthy Characteristics of Dysfunctional Families

This Christian relationship help will give you five unhealthy characteristics of dysfunctional families that were also present in families in the Old Testament. God created families to be a place of nurture, love, and companionship, but when sin entered the picture, families became a place where people hurt other people they are supposed to love. Here are the five unhealthy characteristics of dysfunctional families:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Codependency: Four Biblical Reasons You Need Strong Relationship Boundaries

If you are struggling with Christian codependency, you probably have weak boundaries. This article will give you four biblical reasons you need strong relationship boundaries. People will know their choices carry consequences. God has established the law of reaping and sowing to teach people that some of their choices aren't good. Galatians 6:7-8 says that if you sow bad things, you will reap bad results; if you sow good things, you will reap good results. When the violation of your boundaries has consequences, people will learn to make better choices.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
2,144 views3/5 (1)
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Three Causes of Christian Codependency

Are you looking for help for your Christian codependency? If so, one of the things you might be wondering is what caused your codependency. In the 1980s, codependency was originally used to describe the dysfunctional patterns of family members of chemically dependent people who were also called the "co-addict" or "co-alcoholic." It was later broadened to include other people dealing with other types of difficult relationships.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

6 Scriptural Misunderstandings of Christian Codependency

The following 6 Scriptural misunderstandings form the basis of Christian codependency. They show how inaccurate Scriptural understandings contribute to Christian codependency. The cure is an accurate understanding of what the Bible says about ourselves and how we are to value ourselves compared to others in relationships. Here are the 6 Scriptural misunderstandings:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christians and Boundaries: How To Teach Your Daughter Not to Tolerate Abuse

Are you a Christian struggling with boundaries? If so, you may be conce ed about what you are modeling to your daughter. As a parent of a daughter, you want her to be treated well by the men she will date and the man she will marry. This article will show you how to teach your daughter not to tolerate abuse in her relationships with men.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Marriage Help: How to Face Your Fears

This Christian marriage help will show you how to face your fears in your difficult marriage. Fear is a natural response. It is a God-given basic survival mechanism to protect by enabling a person to heighten senses and attend to what is threatening by either fighting or fleeing. Some people "freeze" when they feel fearful and find themselves unable to do anything in response to the danger. It is the "freeze" that keeps you from facing your fears.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
1,635 views2/5 (1)
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Relationship Help: Six Things Toxic In-Laws Do That Damage Your Marriage

Are you looking for Christian relationship help regarding your in-laws? This article will identify six things toxic in-laws do and why each of them is undermining to the unio God wants you to have in your marriage relationship. God intended you to leave your families and be united to each other (Genesis 2:24). These are the six things that toxic in-laws do that are destructive to your marriage:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Three Signs That You Haven't Forgiven Your Offender

It isn't always easy to know when you have actually forgiven someone, especially when it is someone close to you and the emotions run deep and the relationship is complicated. God commands you to forgive, if you want to be forgiven by him (Matthew 6:14-15), so it is important to know how to identify when you haven't forgiven. Here are the three signs that you haven't forgiven your offender:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Codependency: Four Things That Will Make You Enjoy Your Life

Are you feeling overwhelmed with the pressures, stresses, and demands of life? Christian codependency will rob you of the ability to enjoy your life by keeping you overwhelmed, stressed, unable to say no, and unwilling to take care of yourself, because it convinces you that you have no choice but to push harder and do more. Ecclesiastes 5:18 says, "It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun" (NLT). Here are four things you can do that will make you enjoy your life:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Setting Boundaries With Your Adult Children: Five Ways God Wants You To Parent Your Adult Child

Are you wondering about setting boundaries with your adult children? Parenting your adult child sounds like an oxymoron. The two really shouldn't go together, but they often do. There is an epidemic of children eighteen years and older (even much older) that still require involvement from their parents in their lives and want support in the form of a place to live, money, training, and emotional energy. This requires a plan and an understanding of the ways adult children should be parented. Here are five ways God wants you to parent your adult child:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Signs Your Relationship Needs Professional Help

Relationships aren't easy and all relationships have rough spots, disagreements, and adjustments. That said, there are times you need to get help to work things out. Here are seven signs your relationship needs professional help: 1. You have the same argument over and over that isn't resolved. The good news is that counseling might be short if you address the source before it affects other areas of your relationship and resentments grow.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

6 Scriptural Misbeliefs of Christian Codependency

The following 6 Scriptural misbeliefs form the basis of Christian codependency. They show how inaccurate Scriptural beliefs contribute to codependent choices. The cure is an accurate understanding of what the Bible says about ourselves and how we are to value ourselves compared to others in relationships. Here are the 6 Scriptural beliefs:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
1,487 views
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Relationship Help: How to Love in a Difficult Relationship

Are you looking for Christian relationship help to know how to love in a difficult relationship? As Christians, we are commanded to love our neighbors, families, friends, and enemies. Love in a healthy reciprocal relationship is hard enough, but love in difficult relationships is even harder. Scriptural misunderstandings lead people to love wrongly in difficult relationships and as a result, they tolerate mistreatment and allow people to continue to choose destructive actions. What does it really mean to love in a difficult relationship?

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Relationship Help - 5 Common Fears In Difficult Relationships

This Christian relationship help will enable you to understand the five common fears people have in difficult relationships. Whether it is due to someone's addiction, irresponsibility, personality, mental illness, or abuse, life has uncertainty and complications. Here are the five common fears: 1. Fear of the Person's Reaction Difficult people are reactive. They are punitive, manipulative, angry, moody, and unpredictable. There is typically a price to pay when you attempt to set a boundary, confront an issue, expect cooperation, or ask for something to done.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Marriage Help For Christians - How Does a Woman Respect a Man Who Does Not Love?

This marriage help for Christians answers the question: How does a woman respect a man who does not love her? Ephesians 5:33 says, "However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband" (NIV). This isn't a problem in a healthy marriage, but it is tricky in a difficult marriage.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christians and Divorce - Make Your Life Yours By Changing Your Environment

Christians find divorce to be a painful experience even when they wanted the divorce. One of the most painful aspects is letting go of the old life and starting a new life. There are thousands of reminders of your life with your ex. You need to figure out how to make a new life for yourself. There is one thing you can do that can go a long way toward making your life yours: Change your environment. You may not be able to move to a new house, but there are plenty of other things you can do:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Overcome Christian Codependency By Learning How To Take Care Of Yourself

You can overcome Christian codependency by learning how to take care of yourself. Christian codependency promotes misconceptions about when God thinks it is okay to put yourself before others. We have to care about ourselves and others. One of the best ways to determine if you should put someone else's request or need before your own is to consider your motive. Here are some reasons you might be compelled to neglect your own needs for someone else's:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Speaking the Truth in Love - Keep It Short

Do you struggle with speaking the truth in love in your relationships? If you answered yes, then this biblical truth and tip will help you. One of the mistakes we make is that we get caught up in the desire to convince the other person that we are right and as a result, we use too many words. When speaking the truth in a relationship, it isn't our responsibility to convince, only to speak our truth.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Setting Boundaries With Your Adult Children - How Much Involvement Is Enough?

How much involvement is enough when setting boundaries with your adult children? Just enough! You raise your children with the idea that when they tu 18, they will be completely independent with the exception of possibly paying for college. But just because a child turns 18 doesn't mean parenting isn't wanted or needed. What it does mean is that the relationship between a parent and an adult child needs to be different than the one between a parent and a minor child. This is a particularly relevant question for adult children with problems.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Overcoming Christian Codependency - Four Truths To Determine When To Put Yourself Before Others

When overcoming Christian codependency, how do you know when you should put your needs or the other person's needs first? By applying these four truths: 1. You have to stay emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally healthy. Ephesians 5:29 "After all, no one ever hates his own body, but he feeds and cares for it" (NIV).

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Overcome Christian Codependency - Do These 4 Things When Dealing With Chronic Illness In A Loved One

There are 4 things you must do when dealing with chronic illness in a loved one to overcome Christian codependency. When someone we care about is chronically ill, we react to it the same way people react to other situations that are continually stressful and uncontrollable. Christian codependency tells us we have to sacrifice ourselves without limits. Doing these 4 things will enable you to cope in a balanced and healthy way:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Boundaries: Five Guidelines to Set Scriptural Boundaries in Difficult Relationships

Do you struggle with setting Christian boundaries? Difficult relationships require you to set boundaries, yet the complicated relationship dynamics make setting boundaries hard to do. To make it worse, there are common misunderstandings about what the Bible says about boundaries that cause us to be too passive and willing to tolerate unacceptable things. You can use these five guidelines to help you set scriptural boundaries in your difficult relationships. 1. Boundaries should help you take care of yourself.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Codependency: Are You a Mary or Martha in Your Relationships?

Are you struggling with Christian codependency? Answering these questions will help you determine whether you are a Mary or Martha in your relationships. In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus and his disciples were guests in the home of two sisters, Mary and Martha. Mary sat at Jesus' feet enjoying his company while Martha worked to make all the preparations to take care of the guests. When Martha complained, Jesus responded by saying, "You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her" (verses 41-42, NIV).

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Relationship Help: 5 Questions to Find Out If You Are In A Difficult Relationship

Are you looking for Christian relationship help to determine whether or not you are in a difficult relationship? Answer the following five questions to find out if your relationship with your child, parent, spouse, sibling, friend, co-worker, or other relative is difficult. 1. Do you spend a considerable amount of time thinking about this relationship and wishing it were different?

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Marriage Help For Christians - 7 Signs That Your Spouse's Affair Is Truly Over

This marriage help for Christians will allow you to recognize whether or not your spouse's affair is really over. Affairs don't necessarily end at the first disclosure or discovery. There is often a time period where the spouse says it is over but continues the affair. During this time, the wayward spouse is typically defensive and withdrawn and unwilling to disclose details or make changes. True repentance involves a willingness to be honest and accountable and experience the pain associated with confession similar to what David experienced in Psalm 32.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
1,435 views1/5 (1)
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Speaking The Truth In Love - Keep Your Cool

Do you struggle with speaking the truth in love in your relationships? If you answered yes, this biblical truth and tip will help you. Speaking when you feel panicky, anxious, or emotionally reactive and thinking you have to make IT (your reason for speaking) happe NOW will sabotage your chances of a mutually desirable outcome. Wait to deal with the issue, if possible, at a time when you feel more in control of yourself and in a calmer place so you can keep your cool.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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By Karla DowningRecently published1 topic

Christian Relationship Help - What Would Jesus Do In Your Difficult Relationship?

Are you looking for Christian relationship help? Do you wonder what Jesus would do in your difficult relationship? There is a good chance that you have some misconceptions about what Jesus would do. Many Christians have a picture of Jesus as a passive weakling who allowed himself to be abused and mistreated at the whim of sinful men, laying dow His rights, and not standing up to evil. This is far from the truth. Look at these truths about Jesus' interactions in the relationships He had while on Earth:

Primary topic: Relationship Advice
Relationship Advice
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