A Black LDS Guy Yapping About Families

Hello, everyone! I hope all of you guys had a fantastic St. Patrick's Day! Today I'm going to talk about a topic that every couple struggles with every once in a while: handling conflicts! You know the saying that good couples don't ever have disagreements and conflict? Nothing could be further from the truth, as every couple will have disagreements due to the simple fact that we are all different from each other. We have different ideas, ways of viewing and perceiving things, etc. Most importantly, each of us has our own feelings that need addressing in a relationship. With that being said, there is a correct way and an incorrect way to handle a conflict that comes up in a couple. A lot of people handle conflicts the incorrect way, harming their relationship. Luckily, there is a guideline out called "The Five Secrets of Effective Communication" with crucial information about handling those situations. That guideline is what I'm going to be talking about in...

Alright, everybody! Today, we're going to be talking about drugs! Now, don't worry, I know exactly what you're thinking; "Drugs? Why the heck are we talking about that on a family blog?" Trust me, it'll make sense in a second! With that out of the way, I think it's safe to say that everybody understands the fact that drugs are terrible for you! With overwhelming evidence and statistics that show how harmful they are, as a society, we pretty much accepted it as common knowledge that we should stay away from them! When you think of drugs, however, the first thing that pops in your mind is probably some type of harmful substance. This is completely normal, as that is the most obvious type of drug that shows very visible and immediate effects. That isn't the only type of drug that exists, though. What about the types of drugs that aren't substances, but are actions and concepts? What about the types of drugs that aren't as noticeable nor immediate ...

  Okay, guys and gals, welcome back to another episode of your favorite black guy yapping about your favorite topic! In today's yapping session, the topic is going to be about a spectacular byproduct of what comes from a happy marriage: babies! I don't know about you guys, but I love babies; there's something about them that brings so much joy into people's lives. For Latter-day Saints, it's because we believe that when a baby is born, one of God's precious children has begun his or her journey in this world. This is why child-bearing is really important to us, and it's super important to me! With that being said, it is very evident the impact that child-bearing has on a married couple, and it's often not a good one. Couples go through different phases of relationship satisfaction. Before the wedding and a small bit after, couples overall experience the highest amount of happiness and satisfaction in their relationship. The excitement for a ...

  The ideal image representing the dating culture Dating. Oh boy, here we go. Today, we're talking about something bittersweet, something that a lot of people love and hate at the same time: dating. For most of the posts I've cooked up so far, we've been mainly talking about marriages and families, specifically. It's time that we talk about the very first step that people take to reach that point. Now the reason I speak about dating in such a hesitant way is because, like I stated in the beginning, it's a huge struggle for everyone right now. Most people don't even agree as to what the term "dating" even means! It's also apparent that the dating culture all over the world is suffering right now. The statistics show a concerning number of young adults reporting never dating at all! As a guy, I couldn't help but also notice that the statistics shown among young guys show that there is a huge drop in self-confidence when it comes to d...

  Genders. Okay, let's stop there and talk for a minute. Gender is a pretty heated topic in society right now, and I think you know why. Society as a whole is currently having this huge debate as to what the definition of gender is. What makes someone a guy? What makes someone a girl? Can a person be whatever gender they chose to be? For me, personally, this is a topic that I am passionate about. In fact, I'm equally passionate about this topic as I am about families, because this has a direct tie to what makes up a family. Today, I'm going to talk about why gender matters, why male and females are different from each other, and why it matters in terms of the family. I also understand that this is a sensitive topic for some, so I will try to handle this as carefully as I can. Let's start this conversation off by talking about what makes men and women so different, yet so important in a family setting. There is a document in our church that goes over what we...

  Therapy. Everyone has heard of therapy, or at least has some sort of idea about what it is. Back in the day, therapy was seen as something only weak people go to. Nowadays, we seem to have a shortage of therapists with how many people want to see one. (Kind of puts into perspective where we're at, huh?) What exactly is the proper definition of therapy, anyway? Well, the full name is apparently "psychotherapy," and the textbook definition of it is "the form of treatment aimed at relieving emotional distress and mental health problems" (Sussex Publishers). So, to put it lightly for those who may not be too familiar with therapy, it's something that helps other people get through hard and difficult times. The most common form of this is seeking out a professional who listens to you and gives you the best guidance and advice they can. Now I know what you're probably thinking: "Ephraim, why in the world are we talking about therapy? I tho...