Faithful Fathers

Neither my husband nor myself grew up with a father in the home. I however, had two amazing grandfather's that lived within walking distance to help guide and direct me throughout my childhood. Although neither knew the Lord, one taught me compassion and kindness and the other taught me hard-work and determination.

My husband does not even know who his biological father is and was adopted at 11 months old. His adopted mother had 6 different husbands throughout my husband's growing up years. So needless to say, this is new territory for him.

But he has been faithful to our family.

I am grateful for him.

Some notes from our Father's Day sermon:
Faithful Fathers
Read Hebrew 3:1-14 and 10:19-23

We are going to have to answer tough questions from our kids like, "Why can other people do that? AND why can other CHRISTIANS do that and not us?" We must have an answer for them based on the Word of God!

Daniel 6:4 - They could find NO fault in or charge against Daniel because he was faithful to God!

Read Luke 16:10 and I Corinthians 4:2

Neither one of us are perfect parents. I'm a second generation Christian and he's a first. So thankful that God can redeem. Praying that our children will be even better at this parenting thing than either of us are! Thankful for a faithful Heavenly Father!

Praying with PURPOSE

Several years ago, I began praying specific things for my children on each day of the month. 

Recently, I have began to incorporate this into our nightly prayers together and have been having them 

pray for these areas to be developed in their own lives. 

1) Salvation and the Fear of the Lord

2) Growth in Grace

3) True Love; for God and others

4) Honestly and Integrity

5) Self - Control

6) A Love for God's Word

7) Justice

8) Mercifulness

9) Respectfulness

10)Biblical Self-Esteem

11)Faithfulness

12) Courage

13) Purity

14) Kindness

15)Generosity

16)Peacefulness

17) Joyfulness

18) Perseverance

19) Humility

20) Compassion

21) Responsibility

22) Contentment

23) Faith

24) A Servant's Heart

25) Hope

26) A Willingness to Work Hard

27) Passion for God and passion to raise their families in His ways

28) Protection

29) Good Time Management Skills

30) Meekness

31) Trustworthiness 

Reading the Word

I can do without anything; but I cannot do without God. 

JOY can come in the morning!

Living a FRUITFUL life is possible. 

Joshua 24:15 - There are ALL kinds of gods that people can serve (myself included), but as for me and my house - WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.

Today is a day of decision. Have I been compromising in areas? 
Yes. Then I have to decide to stop. 

God sees everything! Many are in the valley of decision....and stay there their entire life. 

Don't do it the world's way! Do it God's way!!! Wait on HIS timing. 

Sometimes we are only ONE decision away from going away from God's will. 

Look at Abraham and Sarah....SHE got an idea because God was taking too long for her. 

What is GOD saying in the situation? 

I Corinthians 2:12 - The Holy Spirit is with us every moment.
 Why do we cling to the spirit of the world?

After reading yesterday's post at www.aholyexperience.com, I was totally convicted about the amount of time that I READ the Word to my kids.
 We have read a chapter of Proverbs every day for the past 2 years (mostly).
 But I know that, by my actions, I don't focus enough on time spend in the Word. 
Today we decided to follow Ann Voskamp's suggestion of eating the "living Bread" after each meal. It's been two days and I can't believe how satisfying it is.
 I love to read the Word, but I hadn't been transferring that love to my children.
 Simply because I wasn't making it a priority. 
We have family devotions several times a week with Daddy and that's a great time. 
But I also know that as their "educator" that it's my responsibility to instill a LOVE for searching out the Word on a daily basis as part of their "normal" life and "education". 

Both kids have their own Bibles but haven't always gotten them out throughout the week in the past. We primarily have used one Bible and shared from it. After Ann's suggestion of having each one have their own Bible to look at the WORDS from the Word, I went and got 3 Bible's of the same version so they could follow along. And even though my 6 year old isn't reading at Bible level at this point, she was SO into following along.
 It was the best homeschool days that we've had in a long time. 
It took us a bit longer into the late afternoon to complete our regular schoolwork, but it wasn't even a big deal because we've had such a great time just being together.
 Reading the Word. 
What's so different?
 We're together all the time....and I have read Proverbs to them on school mornings for several years....and we still read Proverbs today....but MY priority was more focused on the Word and what it really meant to our family and the impact that it really has. 

John 3:30 - He [Jesus] must become greater and I must become less.

Lord, please help me to not get so caught up in the world's way of thinking and what I "think" the kids need to get accomplished every day and in so doing put you on the back burner!
 You are the reason we are doing this! Thank you for sending a faithful woman across the miles to remind me and thousands of other mothers this simple truth. 

Home education is a ministry of discipleship with much the same concerns as Jesus addressed. You are building your child into a disciple-you must be committed to finish what you start.You are heading into a battle that will require all your resources to fight. You must be prepares to face that battle wisely. Whether building or battling, you are taking up the cross for the sake of your children-and the cross always has a cost.
Sally Clarkson-Educating the Whole Hearted Child

Growing Through the Word

I want to grow.
I want to keep growing!
I want to conquer those sins that I know about that perhaps others don't see...or perhaps they do.
I want to be alive to Christ.
I WANT TO.
I want to do right.
But I fail. Too often.
But the Word is alive and helps me grow!
I don't want to mad at myself because I haven't arrived.
I spend too much time focused on the fact that I haven't arrived and often forget to enjoy the journey.
I want to LEARN to be content.
I want to LEARN to walk in love.
Joyce Meyer says, "I'm not where I need to be, but thank God I'm not where I used to be. I'm not there but I'm on my way!"
Paul was converted 20 years prior to saying, "It's no longer I that lives, but Christ that lives within me."
It's a process.

Romans 6:2 -"How can we who died to sin live it any longer?"
My flesh still wants to sin; however, my soul where Jesus resides does not. It desires the things of the Holy Spirit.
I want to habitually live "in well doing".
I may have to do what's right for a while before I get a right result!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It takes time after sowing seed to gain a harvest.

Can I really do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me?
Do I have that much faith????????????

He took my sin and gave me His righteousness! Wow. That is so hard to comprehend.
Why would He do that?
Can His love really run that deep?

Romans 6:10-"Consider yourself dead to sin."
Consider is a mindset. Is my mind in the right place or am I using earthly wisdom?

It's one thing to sing warfare songs when on stage at church, but am I living a life of spiritual warfare in my private life? Am I willing to be a bond-slave for Jesus? Someone who will drop everything to help someone in need?

I was able to bless someone today that needed about 2 hours of my time. During the schoolday....when I had school to still do....and dishes....and laundry.....and dinner to make. But it was a blessing to help!

Oh, these are my cute kids two summers back. It's a great reminder of how fast time flies and that I need to continue to focus on the important things and not get hung up on the "little foxes" that so often ruin my day.

Today, tomorrow, and every day after that.....

God has a plan for MY life.

Sometimes we spend so much time doing group activities at church that we forget that God sees us individually.

How do I feel about myself?

How can I love this life that I have?

I have to understand that I'm in a process! God is doing something. He not only sees where I'm at right now.....he sees me in 5 years, 10 years, 50 years. He sees where I am in the future.

What am I doing to influence my children's personalities? Good and bad....

Everyone Jesus healed eventually died, but he helped them live the life they had left with new wholeness.

I do not have to feel bad about myself because God has a big plan for me, but I have to walk upright and do what I need to do to be MY personal best. Not held up to anyone else's standards. Simply my personal best. Spiritually, emotionally, physically.

Jesus understands me.

Jesus loves me. Not because I've done everything right, but because I'm His child.

I have to make a decision to change and improve ME. Not focus on my circumstances or those around me.

There is joy in the Holy Spirit. Pray. Pray in the Holy Spirit. Daily. Constantly. All the time.

There is redemptive correction which is done through God's love. Am I willing to accept it? Am I willing to walk in it? Am I willing to adjust my notions of my own life?

I want to be the real deal. At church, in my home, in my marriage, in my mothering, in my neighborhood, in my appearance, in my everything.

Take me Lord and help me to become what You desire me to be.

I want to enjoy the JOURNEY as well as my husband and children enjoy me along my journey.

Sometimes people are blinded....

I've been there.
Blinded by....
love,
the situation,
hardship,
excitement,
stubbornness,
guilt,
greed,
selfishness,
envy,
pride.
And the list could go on and on.

I have spent the day talking with/mentoring/pleading with/discussing/praying for my sister today. She is in a situation right now where people are giving her advice regarding a situation, but she is blinded. Blinded by selfishness, love, excitement, lots of stuff. She is being asked to wait six months. Six months seems like eternity. From the outside, we know it's not. But to her, it's eternity. The person she believes she will marry (and we all love and believe he is great for her) is under spiritual leadership right now that is asking him to step back from their relationship and focus on the Lord for six months before getting married. He is passionately in love with the Lord. She knows that it's best for him, but using her female ways to draw him to her instead of his spiritual leadership. I wish she could see. I wish she would listen. She loves the Lord but she has yet to learn to completely TRUST Him. Trust that His ways are higher our ways. She is seeing through blinders right now. It's so hard, especially for my personality type, to watch her make the wrong decision. It's hard to see her overestimate her maturity. I've been there. Thought I was ready for things that I wasn't. Thought that I was right and everyone else was wrong. Perhaps I didn't say it, but I thought it.

Why is that emotions are sooooo powerful? How is that our heart can trump our mind? When do you have to just let go and allow people, even loved family members, make their own decisions? Where does Godly counsel stop and my own desires start?

I know they both want to follow the Lord, but I believe that she is not allowing him to make the decision solely based on HIM listening to the voice of God. I don't want their foundation to be cracked because she influenced him to make a decision against his spiritual leadership. This is so hard!

Lord, please help me be constant in prayer for them and not just say what I feel. Please Lord, let them hear your voice in all this. You may need to speak a bit louder because she isn't listening right now. This is so important. It's their future. It's so much bigger than the present. Please Lord, help her hear the words that those that love her are speaking. Help him stand up and take a place of spiritual leadership even if it makes her mad or hurts her, because in the end it's the only way for them to be all that You want them to be as a couple. I trust You! I want to keep talking. Keep giving advice. Make her understand. I can't change her heart though. Only You can. Please Lord, soften her heart to You. Help her understand what Your voice sounds like. Please. I love You. Thank you!

The Whole Hearted Child

I have skimmed through The Whole Hearted Child before after getting it from the library.
But I found one at a used curriculum sale for $3 and was so excited to have my own copy.
I've only just begun as I grabbed my yellow highlighter and turned to the introduction.

Here's what I found there:

"By the grace of God, you will one day rejoice to see your children graduating from your home school to take places of Christian leadership in the church and in the world. Your wholehearted child will become a mature Christian adult, serving God "with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind." (I Chron 28:9) And in God's timing, your sons and daughters will marry and begin their own families to carry on all that you have taught them, and to raise their own wholehearted children. May we all live to see that day."

Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! Deut 5:29

Yes, Lord, let it be so.