Raising a Child of God

Today is E’s 8^th birthday. Eight years ago today, God blessed me with a wonderful little girl!  She is so full of spit fire and spunk. Those qualities are both fun for me and trying for me as a mother. 

I pray circles around that girl, that God leads her to use her nature in a most holy way. It’s difficult being a mother and coming to terms with your children and their futures. I find it heart-wrenching to think about the trials she may face, but exciting to imagine how she will face them. As a mother, I know that my God given task is to instill in her a deep spirituality from which she can build.

Rue is really great at this sort of thing… I on the other hand still fall flat on my face-often. I listen sometimes to the conversations she has with her oldest child and am just amazed at the wisdom she has and how cleverly she imparts it.

 

It is in those teaching times that the building blocks of their future are laid and layered. I pray that God gives me many, many opportunities to grow and excel in this area and that one day E will be a holy example of God’s grace, his omnipotent, divine, grace.

So how does one actually go about the task of raising a child of God? Here are a few ideas I have:

1.  Set a Godly example. Show the character of Christ to your children. You are their first hand example in this area. Be honest, prayerful, bold, creative, decisive, dependable, joyful, kind, and  patient. (Tall order I know, but this is the calling.)

 

-Deuteronomy 6: 6-9:

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

 

2.  Give them resources and teach them how to use them. We may not have the answer, but we know where the answer to every situation lies.

 

-John 1:14:

“Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

 

3.  Teach them God’s promises and how to claim them! Our children need to know that God isn’t big and imaginary. That our God loves and hears us and is faithful to His people.

 

-Joshua 21:45:

“Not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.”

Knowing God's Voice

Today, I want to share from a devotional our church offers each quarter. As I read it this morning, I was reminded of why KNOWING God's voice is so vitally important. 

Here are seven occasions when knowing His voice will protect and benefit our relationship with him and His plans for our life:

1.) Hearing from God before you entertain the ideas of others. 

-Why? Because their ideas are not His commands. Don't make commitments and end up bound by promises you can't keep. You must love others, but be led only by God's Spirit. 

2.) Hearing from God before you listen to the complaints of others.

-Why? Because you are not responsible for their happiness. Your need to "fix" others in order to feel good about yourself is called "co-dependency". Give them to God!

3.) Hearing from God before you consider the needs of others. 

-Why? Because their needs are driving them; only the plan of God should be driving you. 

4.) Hearing from God before you respond to the requests of others. 

-Why? Because you must discern what is behind their requests. Check the soil before you sow the seed. 

5.) Hearing from God before you share your dream with others. 

-Why? Because it's not enough to have a dream, you must have a team. You need people to help you, cheer you on and lift you to a higher level. The right people motivate you to grow stronger, think better, work harder, and risk more. They compel you to continue! 

6.) Hearing from God before you seek the approval of others. 

-Why? Beacuse people with an agenda will flatter and manipulate you. Hearing from God's voice will keep you from falling into their trap. 

7.) Hearing from God before you make significant changes. 

-Why? Because it's not your job to decide what God wants you to do, but to discover it and do it. 

"His sheep follow him because they know his voice."

-John 10:4

Eyes to See

"But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help.

He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears."

~Psalm 18:6 (NLT)

In those moments when I realize I have been allowing past hurts and present fears to hold me hostage, Lord, I thank You for reminding me that You are nearby, and that I don't have to do life alone! 

My expectations of people frequently leave me saddened, frustrated, and disappointed. But You...You have never failed Your promises to me!  I know You will not abandon me, and in THAT, I find comfort and peace. 

I refuse to project my hurts caused by those I love here on earth, on to You, Lord.  I refuse to allow the enemy to convince me of his lies. Give me eyes to see from YOUR perspective, Father...so that I may not be deceived! 

Continue molding me into Your image...and to You be the glory!!! 

~Rue

Back on this Horse

So here we are in October, almost November, and our blog has kind of fell by the wayside. I won’t give excuses, but I will say that my life has been refocused some due to a lay off and the changes that occur from having your life uprooted unexpectedly. 

I really do want to get back to writing, I think it’s a good way to share my feelings with others and not just keep myself all bottled up. Bottling emotions will equal an exposition at some point I am quite certain.

So hang on everyone, Jayley ( and I’m sure Rue) are going to get back on this horse!