Let’s look again at how the passage in 2 Peter 1:5-8 begins: “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance…”
Peter isn’t suggesting that we occasionally work on these things. He says “giving all diligence.” He’s not even saying that we […]

I always like to begin with a clear definition of what it is we are talking about, and I confess to loving the dictionary. Discretion is showing caution and good judgment in what one does, not giving away secrets; not showy or obtrusive; prudence. And what is it to be prudent? Capable of exercising sound […]

Courage is not something we necessarily think of as a feminine virtue, but I think there are good grounds to believe otherwise. Here’s a definition: Courage is the ability to control fear when facing danger, difficulty, or pain. It is to be stout hearted, having a resolute spirit, heroic, fearless, plucky (there’s a word you […]

Week one: Cheerfulness/Happiness/Joy

First, let’s define it.

Cheer: The noun is a shout of encouragement or applause; the verb is to comfort, to gladden.

Cheerful: This is the adjective; it means happy, contented, in good spirits, pleasantly bright.

As we consider cheerfulness, we must remember that this is not about having a naturally cheerful disposition, but rather choosing to be a cheerful person even when we do not feel like it or even if we are not naturally cheerful. We all like to be around cheerful people, not gloomy people. Though Eeyore is a likeable character in Winnie the Pooh, the author is making fun of his gloomy disposition. Tigger is the exaggerated form of the cheerful soul. We want to strike a balance so that we are neither of these extremes.

This is a small group of lessons on different Christian virtues that I have used to teach junior-high, high-school, college aged, as well as older women. It seems to me that if God wants us to be diligent in adding virtue to our lives, it can be helpful if we give some thought to what […]