What do you mean?

What do you mean?

Y'all, this has been a question I find myself asking my children ALL THE TIME. See, we have a very interesting family dynamic when it comes to communication. 

My husband is very literal and exact, both in the way he interprets what people say as well as how he communicates. This has been passed on to my oldest daughter, though her skills is not nearly as well developed yet...

I struggle to communicate well. I pause often and in odd places when speaking, and have learned that I often do not know the right word to use (unless I look up a word or two, then I can figure it out.) I'm more apt to speak in figurative language, or just flat out misspeak and not realize it until confusion has nearly reached the point of chaos. This has been passed on to my middle daughter.

My youngest is only three years old - enough said.

 So, we learn to clarify. "What do you mean by ________?" This helps my middle realize she may not have spoken clearly. It helps my oldest realize that her sister didn't understand what was said. It helps us all to take a step back and make sure we are communicating well with each other.

This leads me to think more about the messages, the sayings, that we hear often and repeat to ourselves.

"You are good enough." Boy, as moms we really need the reminder that we can do this parenting thing. But, what do we really mean by "you are good enough"?

Let's look at that phrase Biblically. I am not good enough. I am a sinner who struggles against the flesh all the time. I'm not good enough to teach my children. I'm not good enough to train them in the Lord. I'm not good enough to even have the right to care for these little blessings/terrors, these wonderful sinners. 

But, God says "I will give you strength." He reminds us that if we ask for wisdom, He will give it abundantly. He tells us His Spirit is with is, to comfort us when we fail, to bring His Word to resemblance when we need it, to give us a peace that passes understanding. He will uphold us with His righteous right hand.

 

As we walk through this next week, I encourage you to look at the phrases that we so readily grab a hold of to boost us through the day. Encouraging quotes, song lyrics, or memes that make us smile, nod our heads, and say "yeah, sounds good."

Pick one and put it up against Biblical truth. Seriously look as it. What does the saying mean? Is it pointing us to the Gospel truth that we need Jesus and that Jesus is all we need? If it doesn't tell the Truth, throw it out and replace it with scripture.

I have found that when I replace "encouraging" quotes with scripture straight from the Bible, the joy and peace that flows through me (mentally and spiritually) is so much more powerful.

His Word is powerful. His Word is truth. When I want something meaningful, the Bible is the best place to turn.

God bless, dear friend. 

Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Don't Give Up

 This will be short.

We had a youth rally this week at our church. For those of you unfamiliar with that term (as I was for most of my life), it's basically a series of church see I es held with youth as the focus.

Wednesday through Saturday, we gathered at church.  The youth sat in front and the preacher preached messages geared mostly to them and their life - but it was also full of so much that I needed to hear as well.

My immediate take-away is this thought: don't give up.

Anyone can quit, and quitting is often easier.

But God called us from darkness into light. He made us soldiers in His army, gave us armor, and has been training us to wage spiritual warfare. 

As moms, we are also called to train up the next generation. 

There is a great need. We need to not grow weary in welldoing. We need to reply on the strength of Christ.

James 1:25

... whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

I am looking for the blessings of God.

I trust He will bless you also.

All we have to do is Not Give Up.

The Glorious Gospel

I'm going to assume that most of my visitors here are Christians - mainly because I'm fairly certain no one else would be interested in anything I have to say.

So I'm going to make sure I'm as clear as possible in this post about the MOST important thing.

Salvation comes by grace through faith in the saving blood of Jesus Christ.

For by grace are we saved through faith, and that not of ourselves - it is a gift of God, not won by our works, so we can not boast (Eph 2:8-9)

We all need salvation because we all sin against God and the just punishment for sin is death (Rom. 3:23 and Rom 6:23)

But, if we simply believe and call upon His name, we will be saved (Rom 10:13).

Jesus was sent to save all from sin, not to condemn us. We were already condemned, and only the perfect blood of Christ can redeem us (John 3:16-17)

Eternal life is a gift.

Praise God that I don't have to work for His approval, His Love, His salvation.

So, why then do I post a lot about our works?

Well, James 1:25 tells us that "... whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

I want to encourage us to lived blessed lives. Not in the materialistic sense, but spiritually.

If we do the work of the Word, we are doing His will and shall be blessed. If we pray according to the Word, our prayers shall be answered. If we are obedient with what He wants us to do, we will prosper in that task (even if it isn't easy) and have peace.

The gospel does not require my working and doing good. Yet, we love because God first loved us - commended His love toward us in that when we were still lost in sin Christ died for us. 

I ask, are we thankful for the gospel? Are we thankful for what Christ did for us?

Do we love Christ in return? 

It's an interesting walk that we are called to as Christians. We are free from the law, called into liberty. Yet because we are called out of the bondage of the law, we should love God enough to want to be holy, to live righteously, to glorify Him in deed.

Let us not forget that we can never earn salvation for ourselves. Our works, our feelings, none of that can cause God to forgive us and wash us clean of our sins.

Let us also not become complacent in our salvation that we forget to honor the name of Christ, for we bear His name as Christians. 

One final thought.

The darkest day in history, when Christ was crucified, is called "Good Friday."

The day that everyone scrambled to get the best they can get for the least money, is called "Black Friday."

 Christians can face dark, troubled times knowing that God loves us and has a plan. It isn't always happy, but there is always hope.

When we seek our own desires and happiness, all we find is temporary pleasure amid frantic selfishness.

 Praise God for the hope we have in Christ through the gospel.

 

When I grow up...

 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he shall not depart from it.

~ Proverbs 22:6

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Proverbs-22-6_Inspirational_Image/

 

How often do we take that verse as meaning simply discipline, Bible reading, or taking the children to church?

I feel like it's so much more.

Character building. Ethics. 

And still....

We need to know their strengths, weaknesses, and also their interests/disinterests. It doesn't matter how much I train my child to be a caregiver if that is not a strength nor interest of theirs. I need to pray for wisdom to see what path God may lead them on during life.

 One way I do that is to periodically ask them what they want to be/do when they grow up.

 
My oldest either doesn't know or wants to be an author/illustrator.
My middle: a homeschool mom and a volunteer at a pregnancy care center.
My little: a mail carrier and married to a man with a beard.

As silly as that last one is, I love to listen and think about what their desires show about their personalities and strengths.

My oldest is great at grammar, and a decent writer, so I encourage this and have her taking art lessons from her aunt. Even if she doesn't get published, perhaps God will use her to encourage others with words/art.

My middle has a heart of gold and can read people so well (when she wants to/pays attention). I want to grow that in her, and help her to understand how to give that care within socially acceptable bounds.
And because she wants to homeschool her children, I have hope that I am not killing her love for learning when we struggle.

My youngest - she has people she looks up to already, at 3 years old.
Our pastor is a mailman. Her daddy has a beard. I'm thrilled she has these strong men in her life that she admires already.

 

So I look at that and I think - where may their paths lie?

Then I pray. I pray for wisdom in guiding, training their little hearts and lives to live in a way that honors and glorifies God.

And that's where I leave you.

What do your children want to be/do when they grow up?

Obedience

One thing I find myself recently telling my children is that true obedience when you obey even when you have no desire to obey.

In other words, if you only obey when it's something you want anyway, you are still just doing what you want to do. That's not obedience, it is self-service under the guise of obedience. 

Obedience isn't a feeling. Often, we don't desire to obey. Obedience is a choice, an active decision to trust and/or respect the authority placed over you by submitting to their will instead of your own.

Obedience goes against our nature as sinners. This is probably why there is so much scripture exhorting us to obedience.

Ephesians 6:1 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."

Exodus 20:12 "Honor thy father and mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy god giveth thee."

John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

These three verses are always the first that come to mind when I think of obedience. But there is soooooo much more in the Bible about obeying the Lord.

I Samuel 15:16-23

Ephesians 2:2

I John 3:16-24

James 1:21-25

Proverbs 10:24

Psalm 119:33-40

~ You can look those up yourself or search the Bible for obey/obedience. You will be reading for a long time.

📌 Very often I find the lessons my children struggle to learn are often the very same as the ones God has been working on with me for years. I am still clay in the hands of the Master Potter. He is forming me into a person who is obedient. ~ No, not just obedient, for rebellion is not one of my tendencies, but into a vessel that is joyfully obedient. He is transforming me from the inside out. Romans 12:2 is often something I find myself praying, for I struggle with joy in obedience. I struggle with godliness with contentment (1 Timothy 6:6).

 

Psalm 119:33-40

ה HE.

  33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
  34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
  35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.
  36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
  37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.^*n6
  38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
  39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.
  40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

 Psalm 37:3-5

  3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.^*n1
  4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
  5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

 

🙏 I pray for your hearts this week, dear sisters and friends. I pray that God gives us grace to obey His will, and to have a heart of obedience. We fight against the flesh all the time (Romans 7), but God is good and loves us. He only wants what is best for us.

Heavy Heart

I have had soooo much on my heart and mind these past two weeks. It's been a struggle and I won't get into the details. Let's just say that I have never been one to succumb to anxiety or worry and this week I have had migraines brought on by it all. 

Yet there is always hope, and peace, if and when I call out to God for help.

Philippians 4:4-9

4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

THIS passage has helped me through many hard time.

~ Rejoice always, in troubles and tribulations (Rom 5), through temptations (James 1), I need to remember to rejoice evermore (I Thes 5) and always praise God.

~ Be moderate, temperate, not swinging from one extreme to another - yet this is difficult, but just the reminder to be that was often helps me.

~ Pray to God with a thankful heart for what I do have, and worry less about the 'what-if'.

~ Allow the peace of God to sweep over me. It doesn't have to make sense, I know that God loves me, that He is working all things together for my good, and that He will ultimately get the glory for it all. If I allow that to be enough, then I will have His peace.

~ Thinking on what is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report.... really, I rarely get past the "true" before I start calming down.

I'll be praying for peace in your family this week. 

We all have different family set-ups: different number of children, different needs, husbands who are different, and our own personalities vary.

In spite of that, we all serve the same God. The God of peace. The God who comforts. The God who loves. The God who works all things together for the good of those who love Him. 

He is able.

May His peace that passes understanding keep your heart and mind secure in Christ Jesus.

Fruits of the Spirit

 As a Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells in us (see Romans 5:5 and John 14:17). Therefore, His fruit should be growing in us all. 

How quickly does the fruit grow? Does it all grow at the same time?

These answers will be different depending on who you are and where you are in life.

You may see these fruits flourishing abundantly in your life, or you may not even see anything germinating.

Dear sister, please do not be discouraged if you search yourself and believe yourself to be lacking.

Just as various plants need differing soils to grow, these fruits will grow differently in us humans as the soil of our hearts are tended to become what is needed.

Let's turn to scripture.

Philippians 1:6 -> God has begun a great work in each of His children. He will not leave us unfinished.

Ephesians 2:10 -> We are His workmanship, fashioned just as He desires. We are still a work in progress.

John 8:12 -> Jesus is the true light of the world.

Matthew 5:14 -> His Spirit is in us. Just as we light a candle, God shines His light through us.

Romans 8:16-17 -> Gather a few candles together and the light shines brighter, especially when it is dark. God's glory will shine through us.

God's not finished with you or me. These fruits will grow, and if we desire a more abundant crop we can study, pray, and seek God in specific areas. Working the soil of our hearts will help us become more fruitful. 

 

I hope and pray you have a good week. Feel free to let me know if there is a specific way I can pray for you.