20 Dec 2015

How the Word Breathes Life into My Mothering

by | posted in: Books, mothering, parenting, Shepherding Children | 5

God Breathes into our Mothering

Oh, sweet mommas – this post is especially for the mommas out there – and you don’t have to have toddlers to understand this post.  Maybe all of your kids are teenagers, or are married and raising babies of their own – or maybe you have a few younger than mine and are still living in sleepless nights because of newborns or sleep regression.

Just as the very word of God spoke all of creation into being, and the word of God is written down for us so we may be changed into His image, the word of God also breathes life into the every day of my mothering – right now which is a highly emotional 3 year old we are seeking to potty train and a speedy 2 year old who loves to jump off everything he can climb.

Two examples for you from the last 24 hours.  It was a long afternoon as I fought for my 2 year old to take a nap. I knew he was tired and just didn’t want to miss out on anything.  Finally 90 minutes after scheduled nap time, he finally went down for 90 minutes.  Then, by the time my husband walked in the door at 635 from his job, I was so done.  He immediately took over, gave them a bath, put them to bed (which was a 2.5 hour struggle with one of them), and told me to go do something, anything, other than being with the kids.  I went in and took a long hot shower which is one of my favorite things to do in the winter (I know I’m not helping the water conservation society).  As I was standing there praying, confessing my anger and entitlement, I was reminded of a verse in James that my husband spent a whole year on our first year of marriage: James 4:1-4 which basically says the reason you are arguing and upset is because you are fighting to get what you want because you are idolizing something and not keeping God God in your life and heart.  Yup.  I was struggling all day because I didn’t get what I wanted from my sons.  I wanted quiet – I didn’t get much of that all day. I wanted obedience – but my sons are sinners and not prone to obey so I shouldn’t expect them to do it.  I was crying in the shower, even as the hot water ran down my cheeks and increased my need for an aging-skin moisturizer – God was restoring my soul with the work of the Word.

The second example is from this morning: it was a long morning.  I sat in the sanctuary during the sunday school hour, listening to my husband prep for CEve service, scanning through social media, getting encouraged from friends, and the tears were there all morning.  Before the service, my husband sat down beside me, and just whispered in my ear the gospel: the God has a plan, Jesus is enough even when its hard, that His grace is sufficient.  My tears were dripping on his new gray pants.  I didn’t care.  I hope they didn’t stain.  The gospel is found in the Word.  We must know the Word.  We must have the Word spoken to us – to our souls – to our hurt and weary souls.

I got a book set in the mail this week from Tommy Nelson that helps adults and kids know key Scriptures in the Bible.  How to know them, memorize them, live them out – so that the Word may be life-changing in whatever situation we find ourselves in.  The Joshua Code and I Can Learn the Bible would be a great set for you to work through with your children in the new year.  If you would like please just leave a post about anything – anything at all.

Happy Mothering.

26 Oct 2015

Life Change in Your Kids (Bible Giveaway)

by | posted in: Bible, Books, parenting, Shepherding Children | 2

As a parent, I love both of my boys, but I long to see lasting change in their behavior and heart.  But, I’ve realized in a very short period of time that I can’t change their hearts – only God can.

One of the ways that God changes hearts is by the Word of God.  And it is very important as parents who love the Lord to help instill in our children a love for the Word.  I know they won’t love the Word unless God saves them, but we can work on creating moments where they Word gets in them and the Word works in their hearts.

Tommy Nelson just put out a new study Bible for kids (8-12) and I think its awesome. They gave me this Bible as a part of Tommy Nelson Mommies and are giving you a chance to win won too! It is in the NKJV and that is readable and understandable while still sticking to the languages pretty well.  It has bold colors and a style that pre-teens will like  Easy thumb tabs built in to the pages so the books are easy to find.  Has application points that are geared toward pre-teens.  Has further study points throughout the Bible that will help kids learn more about God’s will for their lives.

The Bible is living and active and life-changing.  Get it into your kids’ lives and hearts.

If you would like to win won, comment with your favorite verse that you like to pour into your pre-teens, or kids of any age.

13 Oct 2015

A Momma’s Prayer to Her Two-Year Old

by | posted in: parenting, Shepherding Children | 0

Little Turns Two

My little little turned 2 today – at 830 this morning. He is full on with all of life – from his runs and hugs and drinking his juice to his temper tantrums.A Prayer for My LittleSo, I did a praynames for him a few weeks ago.  Here is what is surrounding that given name of his:

Father

we take great delight in the wonderful son you gave us in young Sebastian.

We cling to the truth that you have made him in your image for your great glory.

As we watch him grow and jump and lead and love – I pray that you will take and use them to

bring glory to your great name in all the world.

We desire above all else for you to receive forever glory from his life.

I trust you that you will save him and give him a new heart of flesh – one that beats for you and you alone.

He desires closeness and companionship.  I pray that he would grow in his friendship with you

through the Word, worship, and prayer.

I pray that he would develop close friendships with others who delight in you.

Yes Lord, I trust that you will develop his natural abilities and leadership into traits

that are used to shine Jesus in all the world.

And that one day he would be an exemplary husband and daddy

who shows the grace of Christ to his wife, his littles, his neighbors, and the world

for your great name!

Amen.

Little S – I love you.  I’m glad you are ours.  I pray that God would grip your heart little man.  Happy 2nd!

 

3 Oct 2015

Billy Graham Devotional for Children

by | posted in: Books, parenting, Shepherding Children | 1

If there was one name that most of the world knew, both Christians and non-Christians, it would be Billy Graham.

Billy Graham, nearer to the end of his earthly life than at the beginning of it, has ministered to millions with the truth of the Gospel.  He has no doubt had such an impact on so many children throughout his ministry.  And now there is a devotional for grade school children that bears his name.

What I like about God’s Good News Bible Storybook is that variety of Bible stories included in it.  There are some that aren’t included in other story books for children.  I wonder how often people get to the battle of Jericho or David and Goliath and don’t know anything in the Bible after that until you get to the birth of Jesus.

In the stories you are given nicely illustrated photos which will especially help keep the attention of younger children, if you are attempting family devotions with a variety of ages of children (aren’t most of us?).  In each, you are given the Bible passage, and I would encourage you to open up a real Bible and read it out of there with your children – and let them read it for themselves.  And in most, you are given a short devotional from BIlly Graham – encouraging devotion to God and the telling of the Gospel.

This would be a great addition to your books for family devotions.  Great for school age children.

If you would like to win a copy from Tommy Nelson (who sent me this book in exchange for this blog post and review, all opinions are my own), then all you have to do is answer the question: how would you like to encourage your kids in evangelism?  Might be with their kids at school, or taking them on mission trips when they get older, or doing neighborhood activities that engage other kids with the gospel.

 

27 Sep 2015

Teaching Your Child the Discipline and Joy of Reading the Bible

by | posted in: Bible, Books, illustrated faith, Kids r Readers 2, parenting, Shepherding Children | 2
Illustrated Faith 1-2-3
Illustrated Faith 1-2-3

 

When our children are small, we teach them many important things to do: tie their shoes, brush their teeth, look both ways before crossing the street.  We teach them how to go to the potty, drink from a cup, and use a fork.  We teach them how to do so many things that are crucial for life.

Sometimes we forget to teach them important spiritual disciplines to help them get to know the God who created them.  The most important one we can teach them by both example and instruction is reading the Bible.  And what a better way to teach them how to read – then to read the Bible.

Why do we need to teach our children to read the Bible?

  1. The Bible is God’s voice to us today.  He breathed the Bible into life.  He used common sinners to record what the Spirit breathed.  This was written down and kept for us for all of forever.  This is by far the main way he chooses to communicate with his children today.  It is how they will know what is right and wrong.  It is how they will know what God is like.  Psalm 119 tells us so much about the importance of knowing the Word of God.
  2. The Bible tells them how they were created.  Even from a young age, our children will be bombarded with many deceptions about who they are.  God created them in His Image and it is crucial they understand that.  They were created beautifully and wonderfully: no matter the skin color or chromosome count, or their family status.  Psalm 139 and Genesis 1 tells us that.
  3. The Bible tells them why they were created.  All of creation exists for one reason: to bring glory to God.  God created human beings in his image so we could reflect the grand glory of God to the world.  Isaiah 43 clearly illustrates that truth.
  4. The Bible helps us get to know God.  There is no person we need to know better than God.  And we can know God by reading His Word.  We can know his actions, his character, and his truth.  We can know His plan for salvation.  Psalm 19 and the Gospels illustrate this.

These are just the simple basics of why we need to teach children the Word of God.  We need a book on teaching Spiritual Disciplines to our children – anyone know of one.  I guess I could write it if someone is willing to publish it.  Any takers?

Tommy Nelson just released a 365 Read Me a Bible Story for young school age children and gave me a copy to giveaway.  What a great way to get them in the habit of reading the Bible and learning God’s truth.  It has fun pictures, a Bible passage for each day of the year, and a short recap of that story.  What I would like to see is some follow-up questions that will help parents engage with their children during family discipleship time.

The most important thing to remember is that children are going to learn by your example.  If they see you reading your Bible, living it out, memorizing it, quoting it, then they will hopefully desire to know the Word as well.  We can pray that God would give them a heart like his – that desires to know God intimately through his Word.

If you would like to win a copy of this Bible story book from Tommy Nelson – tell me which of the 4 reasons listed above is the most important to you – and why and maybe how you are teaching your children that.

19 Sep 2015

A Prayer to Our Son on His Third Birthday

by | posted in: creatives, mothering, parenting, Shepherding Children | 2

A Momma's Prayer

Our sweet boy turns three today.  There is so much to be said about the joys and challenged of being his momma, a momma to a preschooler, but this post isn’t about that.

This post contains a prayer that I did some #praynames art for last night.  I love doing pray names art for birth gits or wedding gifts – to pray over the person I’m doing it for – and to get Scripture in their homes.  But, I had never done ones for our boys.  So, last night, before the balloons and the wrapping paper, the pancakes, and the cupcakes, I sat down and prayed this for him:

You are a faithful God who delights to give us good gifts.

Elijah is definitely a good gift! 

We thank you for giving him to us for such a short time.

I pray that you would capture his heart and his mind early.

That you would use his creativity and imagination for the glory of your great name.

Take his compassion for others – for the hurting – and use it to bring peace and healing in the world.

Use his words and his sweet touch to be strength and comfort to those in need.

May he grow to be a man of God who is captured by all of your beauty.

May he never lose his desire to dance when no one is looking.

I pray that you would break his little heart for things that cause you to weep.

May he one day be a husband who leads his wife faithfully

and a daddy to littles who will look to him to show them Christ.

Most of all, I pray that he would love you more dearly than anything else in the world.

You are good.

Amen.

Praying for our children

27 Jun 2015

Raising Boys in a Post-Biblical Marriage Culture

by | posted in: marriage, mothering, parenting, Shepherding Children, World Events | 1

Raising Boys in the Post-Biblical Marriage Culture

It is no surprise to most people that the SCOTUS handed down a favorable win for same-sex marriage yesterday.  This doesn’t surprise me at all because we are not a theocracy nor are most of the people in government controlled by the Bible. In a way I don’t find fault with a non-Christian society to assume that all marriage should be allowed.

However, even though my family lives in America, we are more controlled by the God of the Bible and know that He is sovereign over all, Jesus is no longer in the tomb, and God even controls the government and the leaders and the decisions by His sovereign will.

That being said, I, as a parent to two little boys, have a God-given responsibility and grace to teach these little ones in my care (and my husband’s care) about a biblical view of marriage and how to be men of God.  So I’ve thought about it the last couple of days and here are some points that I will be instilling in their little souls and will pray that God captures their hearts at an early age, that they grow up to fight for Truth and freedom, and that they love God with all their hearts.

1.  God’s Word is the Truth.  There is no false teaching in the Bible.  Every word of it is true.  It is the final authority.  In our lives, it is the final authority now.  Unfortunately, those who don’t know Jesus don’t live under this truth.  They choose to disobey a loving God who has a great plan for their lives.  They will one day know that God is the only God and his truth is supreme.  2 Timothy 3.16-17

2.  God has called them to be men.  Men.  Men of truth, valor, and integrity.  Men who love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.  Men who will unite themselves to one woman for the rest of their lives and seek to live out the Gospel in their home.  Men who will lead, provide, and protect their wives and children.  Men who will fight for justice.  Men who will stand for truth. Ephesians 5

3.  God is Ruler over everything.  Many places throughout the Bible we see God the Father orchestrating the hands of government to do his will.  This decision of the SCOTUS does not surprise him one bit.  He is the Ruler and He knows all.  He has a great plan for His great fame in this country and the world. Psalm 97

4.  #lovewins is not about gay marriage.  Love won the day Jesus conquered the grave after he died for our sin. ! Corinthians 15

5.  Gospel applies to all.  When we encounter those who do not believe the truth of the Bible we have one response – to love them as Christ loved them and point them to their need for a Savior.  Romans 3

6.  They are sinners.  My boys need the Gospel. Their mommy and daddy need the gospel.  Just because we will teach them that gay marriage is wrong (against God’s final authority) doesn’t make us better.  We need Jesus. Romans 6-7

7.  Love truth.  I will teach them to love truth in every walk of life.  In playing with their friends, in learning about the Bible, in standing up for justice and truth in their school, in not shrinking back when lies prevail.  Psalm 119.9

It was a sad day.  But, I have a responsibility to my children to train them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord and will pray that they will know the Truth and the Truth will set them free.

16 May 2015

Never Say No : a Startling Guide to Parenting (Review)

by | posted in: Books, parenting, Shepherding Children | 0

Thanks to Litfuse for the chance to read and review this book.  All thoughts are my own.

There is something to say for having a great title.  When I first saw this book come through my emails – I wanted to read it solely for the purpose of finding out what the Foreman’s had to say about parenting – based on the title Never Say No.  And they raised two creative children (Switchfoot) and I want to know how to bring out my sons’ creativity.

I was really surprised by this book and how much I liked it. It was practical, not at all saying your children should run the home or the universe.  They had an underlying focus on the grace that Jesus offered to us at the cross, and how that enables us to parent with eyes focused on Him and handing out more grace.  “Everything is grace.  Be thankful.  Give grace away.” (pg 21)

I think really in the overall picture – they still tend to be more man-centered in this book then I would naturally point to.  With good goals – like spending time with your children, bringing out there gifts, giving them grace, etc.  But maybe, we could point them to their Savior and His Will for their life and what God gave them to do for his glory.  I think it is really semantics – I do believe the Foremans would say the exact same thing.

I would recommend this book for parents of school-age children or pre-teens. I think that is where it is hard to connect and communicate with your children and help them to see their amazing purpose in the world – to shine Jesus!

8 May 2015

Mother’s Day: Past, Present, and Future

by | posted in: mothering, parenting, Uncategorized | 2

Mothers Day 2015

I remember all those Mother’s Days where I just sat there…in the pews…seeing men pass out roses to their beautiful wives who were the mother of the their children.  Listening to countless sermons telling me that being a mother was the best thing you could do in this life and nothing would ever come close to matching it.  Telling me if I was a woman that I was created to be a mother.  Being a mother is priceless.  And God did create some women the ability to birth babies.

Past:  I didn’t become a wife until I was 34 and was barely pregnant (hince a mother) that same year.  I got to see my baby’s face when I was 35.  That is a good 12 years after I should have been married and started having babies.  That is 12 mother’s days sermons that I had to endure.  Yes, endure.  There were a few that I wouldn’t attend.  I don’t normally like to cry during sermons.  And I wasn’t married, didn’t have a baby, yet I was failing at the one thing that God had created me for.

Mothers Day 2015

Move on to today: Motherhood is a joy with lots of hugs and giggles and storytimes, but it is also hard.  I have two amazing toddlers that I would never wish to have life without.  I don’t want to miss a second of their growing and learning and running and playing.  But, being a mother is a gut-wrenching job.  It is a great task that can only be handled by the grace of God.  And I’ve cried more since being a mom.  I can’t watch shows with the same eyes as I do now that I have two little boys.  I see Scripture and the Gospel in a whole new light – and know I need it now more than ever before.  I cry for friends who have lost children, or who haven’t had the joy of being pregnant, or have had adoptions fail, or have lost foster children they have come to love as their own.  Sin wreaks havoc on this world.  The Gospel is our need.  Every mother needs the Gospel. But every woman needs the gospel too. We are not counted more worthy because we are mothers, the blood of Christ already has made us righteous!

Future: My boys are (Lord willing) going to continue to grow, learn how not to throw food on the floor, learn how to tie their own shoes, take out the trash (my husband will be happy), and hopefully one day trust in Jesus.  And when that day comes (I’m praying it will), I will still need the Gospel.  When I’ve been a mom for two decades and they are both in college or living out another dream they have for their lives…I will need the gospel.  When my littles are joined at the altar by their adoring brides…I will need the gospel.

I need to fill my mind daily and hourly and even minute by minute with the hope that I will never be a perfect mom – but I have a perfect Jesus who helps me in my times of weakness!

So thankful.  And to Elijah and Sebastian – I love you both.  Your eyes and kisses and hugs and vocabulary are a delight to me. Run to Jesus, babies!

20 Apr 2015

Book Review and Giveaway: Mommy Loves You

by | posted in: Books, parenting, Shepherding Children | 1

Mommy Loves You So Much

I love each night when it comes to bedtime and I get to read to my boys.  Ever since I had children I dreamed of reading to them – and one day hearing them read.  It is a snuggly time (and a wiggle time some nights).  I also love to see them flip pages in a board book – on trips, in their beds, or in the big comfy sofa chair we have in our living room.  It is a sweet time.

Tommy Nelson just put out a book called Mommy Loves You So Much (don’t worry, Dads – your book is coming soon).  It is a sweet and endearing board book full of animal mommies and their babies.  Jo Parry did a great job illustrating the book.  You can read through the book and use it as a tool to learn life basics, fruit of the Spirit, animal sounds, nature, etc.

This would be a perfect book for a friend who is about to become a Mommy (Mother’s Day, hint hint).

I really loved the book the first time I read it – my boys were looking on – until I got to the last page.

“How much does Mommy love you?

More than you can measure!

My heart grows bigger every day –

You’re my greatest treasure!”

That last line.  So, I don’t want to chunk the whole book – so here are two ways I can handle that line (since I don’t agree with it)

1.  If I am reading it to them I can change the line.  My boys can’t read yet so they don’t know if I do change it.

2.  If your children can read, you can help them understand why that line isn’t true.

Some reasons that last line bothers me:

1.  The Gospel is our greatest treasure – JESUS.

2.  If I have more than one child – do I only have one treasure – which one do I choose/

 

How do you interact with books for children that might not be exactly what you would say?  How do you teach your children through the books you read?

One way to enter in for this book from Tommy Nelson is to answer the question what zoo animals do your children like best?  This book has so many animals in it!

I will choose winner on Wednesday, 22nd.

Tommy Nelson provided this book to me as part of Tommy Nelson Mommies.  All opinions are my own.