FAITH While You Wait!

There is a difference between faith & wishing. Faith sees, feels, knows, talks about, envisions, before it is a reality. Faith comes by hearing. Faith is. #talkaboutittilitsreal #myproof? #tylerjr #trinityfaith #timothyisaacjosiah

Romans 10:17 (KJV) - So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Yesterday I posted the above quote to my social media outlets. I began thinking about faith. About our successes, as well as things we are still standing in faith to see come to pass. I began to think on our greatest success thus far in regards to faith. It was an easy example, our children. 

It all began in 2001-2002. Newly married, a new business and growing in our walk with the Lord. As we were aggressively expanding and growing our new business, we found ourselves driving a lot in the expansion process. We would drive from Myrtle Beach, SC to the Atlanta Metro area in Georgia. The one way drive was a short 6 hours. There were seasons where we drove this several times a week, leaving Myrtle Beach at 3:00 in the afternoon, driving to Georgia for a 1-2 hour meeting, and turning around and driving home. We had a LOT of time on the road. We had a LOT of time to talk. 

FAITH BEGAN
Often on our 6 hour drive home, we were almost talked out. We had talked about everything and to stay awake, we began talking about our future children. We had already decided we wanted 4 children, and had already decided upon their names. Our drive consisted of imagining what they would be like, act like, look like, their personalities, their gifts, talents and abilities, how tall they would be, the color of their eyes, thickness of their hair, even down to who would be the one child who would like to snuggle the most. We began talking about, imagining and SEEING our children.

We began talking about, praying for, seeing, imagining our four children: Tyler, Trinity, Timothy & Taylor, in that order. Two boys, two girls. To this day, I'm still not sure why we believed them in the order of boy, girl, boy, girl, but we did. That is how we saw them. We talked about how Trinity would love to feed daddy. She would feed him bites of her food (and at age 2 1/2, SHE DOES THAT!), and when she was old enough she would make him sandwiches, carrying it in on a plate and beam with pride as daddy thanked her. She would love to serve daddy (and even her brothers), simultaneously this is also the love language of her dad, "acts of service." From the book The Five Love Languages, this is one of the ways Tyler feels loved the most. Taylor on the other hand, wouldn't be the serving type, but she would be the snuggler out of the four kids. She would love to be held, hugged and could just sit in your lap, loving you with her affection. 

I could go on about all the things we talked about, but the bottom line is, WE TALKED and FAITH CAME! Faith comes by hearing! I HEARD my voice as I talked to Tyler, I heard my voice talk about our children, and I listened and HEARD as Tyler also talked about them, and we were in agreement (Matthew 18:19). As we SPOKE WORDS out of our mouth, FAITH CAME. Until, our kids took on themselves, years before they actually arrived. They began to take shape, because we spoke about and envisioned them. We talked about them like they were REAL and one by one, they have become the real, live, manifestation of what we spoke about. 

I've heard many people say comments like, "Well, we're just not like you and Tyler. It just doesn't happen like that with everyone. My husband and I can't just 'pick out' whether we want a boy or girl next."  

My thoughts behind that comment? Tyler and I just spent more time building our FAITH around who our kids were and who they would become. Sure, someone who just makes a decision, hopes for or wishes to have a "baby boy next," may or may not have a boy. How real did that baby boy become? Did they see him, talk about him, envision him, see his characteristics, personality? My questions to them would be, DID FAITH REALLY COME? Did you talk about them so much, OUTLOUD, with your words that, as Romans 10:17 says, FAITH CAME. 

Don't get me wrong, why haven't some of our other dreams and goals come to pass yet? I believe many still will, but why not yet? Well… I believe it is our responsibility to speak about, envision, see those goals becoming a reality. SPEAKING ABOUT them until FAITH COMES. Faith GIVES birth to a new, dreamed, reality! 

When were our children born? Tyler Jr - 2009, Trinity Faith - 2011, Timothy Isaac Josiah - 2013. BUT, truly on our drives from Atlanta to Myrtle Beach, THAT IS WHEN OUR CHILDREN WERE BORN. 

Tyler Jr, Trinity & Timothy …. one more to go! Our baby girl Taylor!

#267 - MOM, You Are Enough Just As You ARE!

Happy Mother's Day! :) If you are a mom, today's blog is devoted to you!

Proverbs 31:28 - Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied); and her husband boasts of and praises her...

Lets just say, yesterday was one of THOSE days! Many of you mom's out there maybe able to relate if you have young kids, but even for those mom's with older kids, this is for you! If you can hang with me until the end of the post… there really is a message for you! :)

Day in the Life…
It was Tyler's Day of Rest, which we both highly value our Day of Rest. The day that we can just have "me-time" to unwind, recharge & not do ANY work. The kids and I were going to HEAD OUT to run errands, always an interesting thing with 3 kids 4 years old and under, but we wanted to give dad some space & quiet. (AS I write this, on Mother's Day, Tyler went upstairs to check on Trinity, who is 2, as she was just waking up…. never a good sign when you hear bath water running. Uh-oh!)

Anyways… back to yesterday… I'm going to try not to go into too many details of our interesting day yesterday, but you have to know everything to really appreciate the whole picture!!! We started getting ready to head out around 10:30.

• Before leaving, I had to change Tyler Jr TWICE. Our kids walk in DIVINE health in Jesus name, but some things were going around at pre-school, and Tyler Jr had the squirts. #possibleTMI
• Tyler and Trinity were playing, and Tyler Jr shoved Trinity down, so he got a spanking. (We do time-outs a lot, but if it is something mean or deliberate, or something they know better, they get a spanking). 
• Loaded Tyler Jr and Trinity up in the van while I'm finishing their summer schedule at the kitchen table (one of our errands - to go pay MyGym) and packing Timothy up. The door leading to the garage was open and the van door open so I could see and hear (and load Timothy right in). All of the sudden, I hear a very loud RACE CAR (van) ENGINE REV'ING! Tyler Jr had come to the front seat and was playing with nobs, and pressed the gas. This was not the first time this had happened and he was told NOT to do that, probably the 4th. I screamed b/c it scared me, Timothy immediately started crying because I was loud and the van was loud. Then I went out to get Tyler Jr. He knew he was in trouble. I brought him inside and we sat down (as Timothy is still crying). Now Tyler Jr is crying, while apologizing, "I'm sorry mommy. It will never never happen again." As a sanguine child, he always is soooo remorseful when he does something wrong. BUT, in the past the "never never happen again" doesn't always play through and truly "never happen again." As we were sitting there, I told him, "Tyler Jr, I'm going to pray and ask the Holy Spirit if you need to get a spanking for this. What you did is VERY dangerous. When you play with nobs in the van, and press on the gas, that is VERY dangerous." My flesh didn't want to spank him (because he truly did look very remorseful), but as I asked the Holy Spirit, he said yes. This was the 4th time! Need to connect the BUTT with the BRAIN! So… spanking #2!
• Upon waking, Trinity took off her diaper and got poop smeared on her carpet, bed, sheets and door. Lovely. She was given a warning. 
• We FINALLY left the house around 12:30!
  

  

  Do you ever have days where you FEEL like how Trinity
  LOOKS in this picture?!

• Got back home, I laid Trinity down for her nap & went back in her room about 15 minutes after she was in there to check on her. She had taken off her diaper and got poop smeared on her carpet, bed bumper pads and rug! SECOND TIME in one day! If this wasn't about the 4th time this week….. but this time I followed through on the warning and she got a little spanking. My 3rd spanking of a child for this day! (I rarely have to spank, so this was quite an exception day!)
• PRAISE THE LORD - we got a last minute babysitter (after the day I was having, I needed out!!) for a date night. She got to our house and said the neighbors door was wide open and their dogs (3 of the 5!) were out. 
• I went outside to see if Ms Patti knew her door was wide open. As I was in our driveway, getting ready to go holler for her, the white poodle came barking at me. I decided NOT to go to her door because their big boxer was barking and I was getting "chased" by the poodle. Then, while in my driveway, the poodle jumped up on my hamstring and BIT ME!!!! BIT ME!!!(which is now black and blue).

REALLY?! Could the day get much more interesting?!?! 

Crying in my closet, partially from pain, partially from exhaustion, partially because my post-baby body I couldn't find anything to wear. I just wanted to get out of the house.  We left, went and ate (while in line, I got a phone call asking if Trinity had a diaper on when she went down for her nap - b/c it was off and poop everywhere - 3rd time!!!) and went to see the movie, "Mom's Night Out." 

At this point, I just wanted to unplug my brain! As long as my kids ate something for dinner, ANYTHING, popcorn, candy, chips (I didn't care) and went to bed before I got home, I would be happy! 

So… the movie was GREAT!!!! SOOOOO funny!!!! Tyler even LOVED it! It was OUR LIFE!!! The mini-van, the mom cleaning only for her house to get destroyed just hours later by kids, the mom escaping into her closet to get a break and hide while eating chocolate! I thought, "This is MY life!!!" 

When we chose the movie, I didn't know it was made by some of the same producers of Facing the Giants, a great Christian movie. SO, WHO KNEW that during a movie, I was going to be so ministered to and reaffirmed that GOD made me to be a mom, and despite the chaos at times, the messes, I was JUST ENOUGH being me! I even cried twice during the movie. 

Then… when we got home last night, looking at a card on the counter that I was getting ready to mail, I remembered. A few months ago, a girl I know was hit by a drunk driver and her 2 year old son Josiah was killed. ……………………………………………..

…………………………………

……………………

It sunk in. And I thanked God. She would give ANYTHING to be cleaning up poop off the carpet. She would scrub the poop with tears of JOY! If only she could do that. My Timothy's middle name is Josiah. Timothy Isaac Josiah McCart. 

So friend, despite whatever chaos may be going on in your life… maybe you've even had days like my day yesterday…. despite it all, God loves you and sees you! You ARE good enough! You were made to be the mom of your kids! And even on the roughest of days, the days you want to go hide in your closet and eat chocolate, THAT'S OK! God loves you and sees you AND you are a GREAT mom!!

I decided for me, I'm going to enjoy this time. I'm going to stay in the moment. I'm going to THANK GOD for the opportunity to be the mom of my kids, poop and all! 

What are YOU thankful for on this Mother's Day? I would love to hear your thoughts!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! 

#265 - HEY MOM! You Are Raising World Changers!

Proverbs 31:29 Many daughters have done virtuously, nobly, and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness], but you excel them all.

Let's just be honest, if you are a mom with kids in the home, it can sometimes be overwhelming. I had that day the other day when I felt like all had gone awry, and it looked like I had gotten nothing accomplished. A "Favored One" (what we call our kids instead of "yayhoos!") had spilled juice - so MOM got to clean the table and floor, had to change kids clothes because they got wet, had to change my clothes because they got "spit up on", had to give kids bathes in the middle of the day because they got sandy, sticky syrup all over sippy cups and the table, pretzels & waffles under the table.... not to mention just preparing meals.... by the time one meal was done and cleaned up (which could take hours between all the interruptions and distractions) it was almost time to start on preparing the next meal.... and the list goes on! If you are a mom, you may very well know just what I'm talking about!

On days like this, it is good to remember two important conversations I had regarding my kids. One with the Holy Spirit in my quiet time one day and one discussion I had with my husband.

1) Holy Spirit: On one overwhelming day... I had asked the Holy Spirit how to do a good job as a mom. Not just ANY MOM.... but a Christian Mom wanting to raise up kids that will make a difference. WHAT does that Mom do? How does that mom model her day? There were so many voices coming at me! Watching other mom's do the job of "Mom'ing." You may know some of them.... those moms:

• The Overly "Involved in my kids Preschool" Mom   

• The "I make the classmates at my kids preschool awesome cookies, gifts and crafts" Mom  

• The "Have my kid in lots of sports" Mom  

• The "Go to activities with my kids all over town" Mom

• The "Uses Scissors and Glue and does crafts at home" Mom! (argh... ahhhhh) 

• The "Go to the library and read 100 books in 2  days with my Kid" Mom (ok, slight exaggeration, but u know the mom who has her kid counting and reading when they are practically still an embryo! ) 

• The "ambitious teach my kid how to ride his bike, go to the park, go to the zoo, go to the Lowes Building workshop, go to... go to.... go to...." Mom! 

You know.... THAT MOM!!!! Granted... on my more ambitious days, I may do some of those things, but I found myself looking at everyone else's best days and comparing them to my frazzled, no make up on, dishes piled up in the kitchen sink, fly-away hair kind of days.

So, in fellowship with the Holy Spirit one day, I had to be reminded of my MOST important job. And what He had told me was this, "It's not the activities, the busyness, the "things" you can get caught up in, but it is the atmosphere you create. What is the atmosphere in your home." 

2) My Husband - In our conversation, he basically reminded me of the GREAT IMPORTANCE of my job! I am raising up WORLD CHANGERS! YOU, fellow Mom, are raising up WORLD CHANGERS! For my kids, it is my job to teach, prepare and instill things into them that will allow them to make a difference in this world for Jesus! Whether they grow up to be the President of the United States or the President of the Girl Scouts, a business owner or a missionary, a musician or a ballet performer.... MY JOB right now in this season is to RAISE UP my kids learning the Word of God, learning principles from the Bible. At ages 4 and 2, those principles may simply be "sharing" or "being kind" or "talking in a kind manner," whatever it is based upon their age, MY JOB is to mold and shape the World Changer in each of my children.

So.... on those days, where I feel frazzled or while washing 'the sticky' off the kitchen table I wonder, "What I'm doing, does it really matter? I'm not shooting out Corporate America emails. I'm not dealing with winning a new multimillion dollar account. I'm not meeting with the CEO of XYZ Corporation. Is what I'm doing really important?" The answer is, YES! Wiping noses, washing peanut butter and jelly off the light switch, cutting sandwiches into 1/4th's,  peeling off the apple peel, giving smooches, tickling kids, chasing them around, jumping on the trampoline, and practicing Bible verses.... despite that fact some of these tasks seem insignificant all are important tasks of this Mama.

And what YOU are doing raising your kids, IT MATTERS TOO! YOU Mom, YOU are raising up kids who are going to change someones life! When Jesus' Mom, Mary, was changing the equivalent to a poopy diaper, she may have felt that task was insignificant, BUT Mary, that mom, was raising up a WORLD CHANGER! Friend, YOU TOO, are raising up someone very special. YOU TOO are raising up someone who can make an eternal difference in the life of someone else.

Mom, your job is important! YOU ARE RAISING WORLD CHANGERS! 

NOT Walking in FEAR about your Children & Life!

Psalm 91:11 (NLV) - For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.

Psalm 118:6 (GNT) - The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid…

Job 3:25 (AMP) - For the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me, and that of which I am afraid befalls me.

As a believer, it is great to walk in and KNOW the promises that God has stored up for us. Often, before knowing some of these promises, I was living in fear, doubt and unbelief without even knowing it. Now as a parent, I can see where it is crucial to STAY in a spirit of FAITH and not fear. To PRAY prayers out of FAITH, based on the Promises in the Word and not pray prayers out of FEAR! Faith is from God. Fear is from Satan. John 10:10 reminds us that the enemy wants to kill, steal and destroy, but GOD has brought us LIFE and brought it abundantly! The enemy, Satan, wants me to live in, think about and meditate on fear based thoughts. BUT, when I am walking and living in fear, I am walking and living according how SATAN would have me live, NOT based upon how GOD wants me to live.

Let me give you a few examples… this morning, as I was journaling, I felt led to thank God. This was my prayer.

Bless Tyler today. Show him favor in all he puts his hands too. Thank you that he walks in divine health every day of his life AND I thank you for the angels that surround him wherever he goes!! EVERY DAY! 

I was praying a prayer based out of FAITH because the WORD has given me specific PROMISES that I can cling to and hold on to. As I was praying for Tyler, I envisioned literally an entourage of angels surrounding him as he goes out and about, as he drives in his car. The thing is, an entourage of angels lines exactly up with the WORD OF GOD! As it says in Psalm 91:11, "For He (God) will order, His angels to protect you wherever you go." In THANKING God, I am but putting HIS Word to work. I am putting Him in remembrance of His Word, a promise that has already been given to me as a believer. THAT PROMISE IS FOR ME! PROTECTION is a promise for ME and MY FAMILY!

Often, the life of Job causes many people to walk in a life of fear. They look at the story of Job, how his family, home, business and health was all stripped from him. Unfortunately, they miss the part about Job LIVING in FEAR. Job sacrificed offerings daily, out of FEAR for his family.

Today, AS A BELIEVER, someone who has the Word of God, the Bible, which we can go back to again and again to reference…. I CAN KNOW God's Promises and I can stand on them for my life and the life of my family! I can pray prayers based upon the WORD, out of FAITH because it is the WORD OF GOD. It is a PROMISE for me!

No fear for my children. I'm not immune to Satan wanting to PLANT seeds of fear in my head. I'm not immune to Satan trying to tell me something is wrong with Timothy while I lay in bed. Granted, don't get me wrong, it is good to check on your kids. But, as I lay there, I need to first check myself. Am I being led of God or led of Satan. Am I walking in faith or fear? My first response is to take every thought captive and under the obedience of Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 10:5). If the enemy is trying to get me into fear, my job as a believer is to STAY IN FAITH and stay OUT OF FEAR. I may even say out loud, "I refuse to fear. My kids are covered under the blood of Jesus. According to Ps 91:11, angels are protecting my children because that is a PROMISE God has given me. My kids are fine. I take every thought captive. Fear you must GO in Jesus Name! I refuse to walk in fear!" 

Once I have taken thoughts captive, then I determine whether I am going to check on my kids…. I may fall asleep peacefully, or I may go cover them up and make sure they are warm. Whatever it is, I'm taking faith-based actions, and not taking rushed and hurried actions because the enemy is planting fear in me about my children's safety. I heard my pastor say before, when the enemy tries to get him in fear, he'll often "cook an egg." If you think about it, fear almost always causes you to panic, rush and hurry. "Cooking an egg" tells the enemy, "NO! I WILL NOT FEAR and I WILL NOT RUSH. I'm going to just take my time! I'm not in a hurry. I choose to walk in faith. All is well."

I encourage you today, if there is something in your life that the enemy continues to try and use against you, whether it is safety for yourself, children, husband, maybe it is finances, health, whatever it is, FIND A PROMISE IN THE WORD on that issue! Find a Promise that you can USE against the enemy when he tries to get you in fear over the situation. The enemy is smart, and he WILL try and use fear against you. He is here to kill, steal and destroy. Do not let him steal your peace and joy by causing you be in fear. SHOOT BULLETS BACK at him of the WORD OF GOD! Those are sure to stop him in his tracks!


PS. Psalm 91:11 and Psalm 118:6 are BOTH two of the memory verses that Tyler Jr (age 4) and Trinity (age 2) know and can recite. If they say they are afraid, I want them to KNOW that we do not need to be afraid! FEAR has NO place in our home because THE LORD IS WITH US, WE WILL NOT BE AFRAID! And we have BIG ANGELS TO PROTECT US WHEREVER WE GO! There are not monsters in their closets, there are ANGELS in their room protecting them! 

Repenting for Not Loving.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3,11 - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Wow! Let's just say it was a morning for a good spiritual spanking. Have you ever gotten one of those? What conviction I received as I read this morning, all started from a book I'm finishing up. The topic of the section I was reading was "love."

The author gave the analogy of dirty pipe. In one side of the pipe, an ABUNDANCE of water was gushing in. On the other side of the pipe, only a small trickle of dirty water was coming out. The water gushing in represented the glory of the Lord. The pipe, represented "our" spirit. The trickle of water coming out of the pipe represented the presence of the Lord after going through us. The Glory of the Lord in its fullness, came out of the pipe in such minimal proportions, that it would create a dirty, yucky pond at best. Why? Because of all the dirt in the pipe. All of the sin, unforgiveness, lack of love that was in the found in "our spirits." What this was doing? It was LIMITING the Blessing of the Lord to show up in our lives, in any and all areas. 

I hesitantly allowed myself to begin to reflect. Were there any people that I held unforgiveness or bitterness towards? I allowed my mind to run through possibilities. What about love? Was there anyone who I had not shown love to? I immediately had a few people come to mind. They were people that I chose not to associate with. Why? Because they were completely different than me. Different political view, different spiritual view, different personality, different everything! Ok.... I'm airing my dirty laundry here, so put down your stones for a minute. So here this person is, I have had the opportunity to show love to, and I have not. Not even once. Instead, I put on judgmental glasses, in my heart felt more disgust towards them than anything. It makes me sad to just say that "out loud." All because they are different than me? And, of all people, the Lord reminded me as I received my spiritual spanking, 

"Amy, as it stands, _______________, is currently on the path to hell. So is her husband and children, unless people step in with love. Amy, you did nothing but in your heart condemn her because she is not like you, because her beliefs are different. Amy, I desire you to see people with MY eyes, through eyes of love. Judgement is not for you to do. One day, based upon people's decision, judgement will come, and if you have LOVED them, hopefully they will be judged as righteous, and enter into the Kingdom of heaven."

My lack of love, was not getting this person anywhere closer to coming into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. After receiving what I needed to receive, other than being thankful that I listened, I immediately had to repent. What a skewed focus I have had on people, all because of differences. My love or lack of love, may be the ONLY thing some people see that may ever draw them to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. If I look through the eyes of love, I would see people who need Jesus. Not only them, but THEIR CHILDREN!

I am repenting for NOT LOVING. It should be my UTMOST desire to show and share the love of Jesus, because the lives of FAMILIES depend on it. I think of 3 year olds and 2 year olds, newborn babies. Based upon how their parents believe is going to be how these kids are raised for the next 18 years. If the parents KNOW Jesus, the kids will grow up in a Christ-Centered home. If the parents DO NOT KNOW Jesus, these kids will grow up in a World-Centered home vs Christ-Centered home.

I need to show love.

Lord, forgive me! Forgive me for not loving! Forgive me for being judgmental. Lord, forgive me for being selfish! I will do my best to show love from now on. Lord please quicken inside me if I revert back. Please remind me, when I'm around those who are different than I am, remind me to show love. Remind me to be attentive. Allow me to hear your Voice in how to minister to them. Whether it just be listening to them, asking them questions about their life, offering to help them in some way. Lord help me to love. Help me to show Your Love to people who desperately need it. Help me to love people the way YOU want them to be loved!! Lord please CHANGE ME!!! Change ME, so that I can encompass love, so that I can show love. Please help me not to get caught up with acting like those I am around. I don't desire to be like others, Lord I desire to be like You!!! Father thank you that according to 1 John 1:9, you forgive me! Thank you for forgiving me! It is my desire to do better! It is my desire to show love! I love you Father! I praise you! And THANK YOU for loving me! Thank you for correcting me! Thank you for steering me back on course. I love you!

What Are You Waiting For?

Ecclesiastes 11:4,6 - He who observes the wind [and waits for all conditions to be favorable] will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hands, for you know not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

Have you ever waited for the perfect time to do something, but the perfect time never comes? The perfect time to have kids? The perfect time to move? The perfect time to go on that trip.... take that loved one? The perfect time to launch out and start that business? The perfect time to treat your parents to something really special.... just to say thank you for all they've done over the years? The perfect time. Does the perfect time ever come?

I had great plans... great ideas. My mind had planned out this great trip....I was going to bring a special family member. It was going to be such a memorable experience and this would have truly been a "Life Highlight" for this family member. Tyler and I waited. There were several times when we "could have" ... it would've worked out. But, we continued to wait for the "perfect time." In our pursuit to wait, this very special family member died.  My perfect trip, with the perfect memories & the perfect surprise never came to be because I was waiting for the perfect time.

What are you waiting for? Like Ecclesiastes says... are you observing the wind? Are you waiting for ALL conditions to be favorable before you sow? Before you step out in faith. Are you observing the clouds? It looks like it might rain, so you don't launch out with that new business. The economy looks like it's taking a turn for the worse, I'm just going to stay at my job. Ooooh.... they are doing cutbacks.... let's just not have kids now. Let's wait a few more years.

The Holy Spirit does know best in each and every situation. But....maybe now IS the time. It may not be perfect. "ALL" things may not be favorable. Last I checked, we please our Father by our faith! Maybe now is YOUR time to do what you have been waiting for. Maybe now is YOUR perfect time to take the plunge! Have kids! Move! Buy that house! Go on the trip! Start a business! Make the decision to go "ALL-IN" with your current business and MAKE IT GROW!

What are YOU waiting for? Maybe now is YOUR TIME!

 

#245 - You Want Kids? God WANTS You to have Kids Too!

Malachi 2:15-16a - And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive? And why [did God make you two] one? Because He sought a godly offspring [from your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously and be faithless to the wife of his youth. For the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I hate divorce and marital separation....

Proverbs 31:28 - Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied); and her husband boasts of and praises her... 

I always thought Christians are the people who should have lots of children. My logic? Logical, of course! Why not the Christians? Christians having multiple children who will grow up to make an impact on this world for Christ. Christians, especially the ones who really "live the life", raise their kids up knowing about Jesus, teach godly principles... those people should have lots of kids. Our world NEEDS them! Our world needs bold believers! So... though my thoughts seemed logical... I never really had scripture to back up just "WHY" Christians should have kids! And, WAAA-LAAAA, wouldn't you know it! Here it is in black and white in the Bible! And did not God make you and your wife one flesh? And WHY did God make you one? Because He sought to have a godly offspring from your union. 


God brought YOU & your spouse together so you could have godly offspring! It is HIS desire for you to be fruitful and multiply!


A few years ago I met a couple, they were so nice (still are nice!). Well, as I got to know the wife better,  I found out how good she was with kids. But in conversation she said concretely, "Oh no, we can't have kids. The doctors told us we can't." She was pretty sold on what the doctors said. I could tell she wanted kids, and would make a great mother if she had them. She and her husband were Christians and loved Jesus. At some point I gave her the book, "Supernatural Childbirth." It listed out sooooo many of the women in the Bible who had challenges getting pregnant, but how God blessed them with children! I would anticipate, those women in the Bible, Sarah, Rachel, & many of the other women... if they would see today's doctors, I'm sure they too, would have been told, "No, you can not get pregnant." Jesus is seed of Abraham & Sarah. Jesus is in that lineage. If Sarah hadn't have gotten pregnant, if our Saviour had not come.... where would we all be?

To this day, I do not know if my friend even read the book... but wouldn't you know it, the Doctors said, "You CAN NOT have children." But in 2011 she gave birth to a baby boy! :) Praise the Lord!!! :) When doctors said, "It CAN'T be done!" God said, "NOTHING is impossible to those who believe! NOTHING is impossible with Me!"

The Word says God is no respecter of persons, if God can do it for Sarah & Abraham at 90 years old, He can SURELY do it for you!!!

#244 - Train Them Up!

Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 31:27 - She looks well to how things go in her household and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat.

How are you training up your children? Now that Tyler & I are parents, these verses take on a whole new meaning. Train up your child. 

I was "saved" at a young age, according to my parents. I grew up in a Christian home. Like many young people, I definitely had my stage of rebellion. For several years I "left" my so-called Christian upbringing to experience "life." The parties, the relationships, the language.... for a period of time, my life was one that definitely mirrored the world. At the time, there was way to much fun to be had in the world and church did not fit into my new life.

Praise the Lord for a praying mom! Can anybody relate. During the party years of my life, my mom just prayed. She stood on Proverbs 22:6. She stood on the promise that she raised me in a Christian home, she believed God would be faithful to His promise and I would come back to my Christian faith and beliefs. Praise the Lord, I did. In November 1996, I came back and this time it was for good.

Train your child.

It is amazing to watch a 2 year old and the learning curve! Right now Tyler Junior is like a sponge. He is soaking in everything! He is learning things so fast! It may be a new word, a new facial expression, a new skill like putting a puzzle piece in the right spot, but NEW, NEW, NEW! Every day he is learning something new! As I reflect on Proverbs 22:6, I am reminded of my responsibility to Train him up! It is MY responsibility to give him a Christian foundation. It is MY responsibility to teach him the Word. Teach him reverence for God. Teach him how to APPLY the Word to his life. It is MY responsibility through my actions to let him see God through me. So far... as a 2 year old a few of the things he's learned is:

• Prayer. We pray before meals and before bed. We pray for family and friends, and it is often Tyler Junior that reminds us to pray. He even specifically says who he wants to pray for. The amazing thing most recently was a time we were praying for daddy. Tyler had a 2:00 appointment with a very important, potential account. He had asked me to pray for him. Well, the day got busy. 2:00 came and 2:00 went. Around 2:12, Tyler Junior (age 2!) said to me, "Mommy, Pray Daddy?" I was shocked! Tyler Jr was not around when Tyler had asked for me to pray for him! We weren't too late! So, at 2:12, we prayed for daddy! We prayed for divine favor in his appointment. We prayed for success and wisdom. Later we found out that the secretary who scheduled the appointment had been let go, and probably right around 2:12, the CEO or COO that Tyler was meeting with was trying to cancel the appointment. (Tyler had driven a few hours, someone had also driven from Charlotte, and someone had driven from Atlanta... so on Tyler's side, much time had been put into this appt and this man was wanting to cancel it!) Well..... Tyler Junior reminded me to pray. The outcome? The man changed his mind. He agreed to meet with Tyler and his associates that came. The meeting was a success! The CEO/COO was happy with what they discussed. They even agreed to schedule a follow-up meeting to go to the next step. PRAYER! FAVOR! Tyler Junior is learning the power of prayer and may not even fully realize it. 
• Applying the Word. As a 2 year old, it has been an often experience that Tyler Jr has gotten hurt. According to the Word, it says in Mark 16:18, Lay hands on the sick and they shall recover! So, when Tyler Junior has a "hurt." He puts his hand on it and says, "Healed!" It's been cute, he saw a freckle on my leg the other day and laid his hand on it and said, "Healed. Healed Mommy!" :) 

He's learning a lot of other things too.... but those are just a few things. 

Train up your child. In the amplified, it even states to train them up in their individual gifting or bent. So literally, feeding their talents. If they are good at music, feeding that. Putting them in activities where that gift can grow. If they are good in drama, helping that gift grow. If they are good in sports, helping that gift grow. But literally, as we are training them, steering them towards their giftings. 

So... how are you doing? How is your training going? 

• Verbally? Are you training them up in the Word? Are they learning the Word and how to apply it?
• Actions? What do your actions say to your children? Do they reflect the Word? 
• Time? Do your children learn from you by the TIME you spend in the Word? With your Father?
• Example? Do you choose to be a house of prayer? Praying before meal? At bed time? Throughout the day? For friends, family, business associates?
• Conversation? Is conversation that your children hear edifying? Does it build up? Encourage them and others? Are there seeds of gossip? 

We see the Proverbs 31 woman, as always is leading by example. She is looking to her household. I would anticipate, teaching & educating her children would be included in that verse. She is also watching what she says. Making sure not to allow herself to take part in idle things such as gossip or tearing down others. Through her words, actions, deeds, she is leading her children by example. She is training them up in what to do by what she is doing and what she is not doing. 

We are growing up the next generation of Christians. Our 2 years olds, 5 year olds, 10 year old.... they will be the next group of Government leaders, entrepreneurs, pastors, business men and women. We have a great responsibility to Train Them Up in the WORD! They will be leading our country one day and by how we train them, we are setting a precedent to how they will lead our country! 

Lets train them up well!

#236 - Above All Else

Good morning! :) SO.... let me put out a preface. I read the devotion from Friday on my mobile phone over the weekend. I noticed some obvious spelling errors, that almost made me laugh... (hear & here... and there was one other that I caught). Anyways, thank you in advance for grace! :) With kids, sometimes all the time I have is to read my Bible, have my own quiet time with the Lord, and write a devotion. It's a jam-packed time that doesn't always allow me to proof-read before posting when someone is yelling from there bed, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" And before he tries crawling out, I need to go get him and get his day started. So, THANK YOU for your grace in the occasional spelling or grammar errors. Sometimes I go back, read, catch & correct them... but sometimes I do not. Well... with all that said, let's go ahead and jump into the Word this morning. :)

Proverbs 15:14a - The mind of him who has understanding seeks knowledge and inquires after and craves it... 

Proverbs 31:15a - She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household...

Isn't it great to hear from the Lord? When you ask & He gives you direction. Not just general direction, but direction very specific to you and your situation. Direction that encompasses the details of your life. How to accomplish what needs to be done with a strenuous work schedule or with kids running around (feeding them, changing diapers, feeding them again, etc, etc). Isn't it awesome that we have a Voice that not only is alive today, but who actually will speak to us & direct us. He looks down and sees what we may not see. He sees the outcome before we are even obedient to His direction.

This morning, this is part of what He told me,

Continue in this priority with Me. This time should be above all else. I have the answers, the solutions to the questions you have not even asked yet.  

"This priority with Me." As I have had a 6 week or so break from writing devotions, I've really enjoyed my mornings and getting into a routine with my newborn. Trinity has been a definite blessing from the start. Although, I knew it was important to maintain my morning quiet time with the Lord. Sometimes it morning passed, and it was my "early afternoon" quiet time, but nonetheless, it was time receiving direction from my Maker.

"Above All Else." The Holy Spirit reminded me this morning, that above ALL other priorities, above everything else that "I" think is important, my time with Him is the MOST important. I may not have nailed down the status that the Proverbs 31 woman has, in rising "while it is yet night" and getting spiritual food, but my continual goal is to get DAILY spiritual food for myself and my household. "Above All Else." Gaining this spiritual food is ABOVE ALL OTHER THINGS, it is the MOST important task of the day. It is the FIRST "big event" of the day, as my husband would say. This time allows us the opportunity to get direction.

I remember a time in my life when I did not spend daily time with Him. I remember the feeling of chaos that accompanied me throughout the day. I remember the feeling of "not having enough time" to do it all. I remember the feeling of stress that followed me. I was making decisions and acting on my OWN knowledge and abilities, I was not relying on the wisdom & direction from the Holy Spirit. As I compare that time in my life with my current life, I can definitely say life is much more peaceful now.

Two people come to mind who have children & many responsibilities. As I think of the last conversations I've had with them, I remember the feelings that permeated from the one mom... just talking with her I could hear the stress & chaos in her voice. From previous conversations, I knew that in the process of having children, her time with the Lord had been pushed to the back burner, and it was obvious. Life seemed to be filled with chaos & stress, disharmony & lacking unity. The other mom that comes to mind, has an equally full schedule with many responsibilities, actually probably more responsibilities, though with I speak with her on the phone, peace rings through the receiver. Peace. If I have been questioning something in my own life, just talking to her and hearing her voice brings a peace that is indescribable. I KNOW that she spends daily time with her Father. I know that she has a "prayer closet" that sometimes she wakes up to visit in the middle of the night. I know that her time with the Lord comes Above All Else. It is obvious by her life. Her life is still definitely full, but a life of peace & joy. A life filled with DIVINE direction from her Maker.

Above all else, that is how I want others to speak of me. I want my Maker to shine through when others speak with me. Above all else, I want Jesus to be who people see when they see me. Above all else, when I make decisions about my day, my family & my life, I want it to be decisions directed by the Holy Spirit, not merely thought up on my own. Above all else, I want the peace of God to shine through my life & my home. I want people drawn towards me because they feel the peace of God when they are around me.

Above all else. What is the priority that shines through your life? What is "Above All Else?" Is it obvious to others? Is it your job? Your family? Your business? Soccer practice? Basketball? Swim team? Crafts? Working out, exercising? Or... is it your God? Is it your time with the Lord? Above all else. What is "above all else" in your life?

#234 - Gifts

Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 31:25b - ...she rejoices over the future [the latter day or time to come, knowing that she and her family are in readiness for it]!

Have you ever just looked at your child and thought, "Wow, they would be great at ________when they grow up!" As they develop you begin to see some of their natural giftings towards art or music, sports, interacting with people, making friends, making people laugh, being organized, being funny, being helpful, being good with animals, and the list could go on!

Here in Proverbs 22 verse 6, the amplified version gives us parents a bit more instruction and direction in "training up our children." Not just what we typically think of from the Proverbs as it relates to discipline, but also in steering our children in their giftings. What are they truly good at? As a parent, to me, this is talking about beginning the process of steering Tyler Junior towards where he is shows some natural gifts. Being that he is not even 2 yet, we will continue to introduce him to activities and new things, but as a parent, you begin to see some natural leanings pretty early on. For example.... Tyler Junior is a HAM! He most definitely a people person. Everywhere we go, he is interacting with people, making others laugh, smile, talk to him. He has a way of drawing people to him. Yesterday, we met Tyler for lunch, and as ladies were leaving the restaurant, Tyler Junior was saying directly to them, "Bye bye. Bye!" And then he proceeded to blow them kisses. These three women stopped, talked to us for about 5 minutes, commented on his pretty eyes, and Tyler Jr just "carried on a conversation" with them the best a 22 month old can! That is everyday and everywhere!

His natural bent? His natural gifting? So far, it is something with people. He lights up when he is around people. He loves making friends. As a parent, it's my responsibility to steer him towards his natural giftings. I know a lot of times parents may have a tendency to want to steer their children towards their own unaccomplished goals or dreams. It may or may not be a "natural gifting" of the child, but the parent has regrets for never fulfilling that dream, so they steer their child in that direction. We'd love Tyler Junior to pursue Track & Field when he gets older.... but, we will need to be cautious that we are not just trying to push him to fulfill some of our dreams if it is not his natural, individual gift.  A politician? Maybe! I could definitely see that in Tyler Juniors future.

Check out the Proverbs 31 woman in verse 25. She is rejoicing over the future. She knows that her family, all her children are ready for it. As she has raised them, she has most likely found gifts, talents and abilities that each of them possess. One child's gifts & talents is most likely different from the next child's gifts. As she recognizes her children's talents, she is able to point them out and begin to encourage them in that area. Then each child is not wanting maybe the older brother or sisters gift, because they know they possess a gift that is unique to them. Here would be some examples and ways that we will try to encourage our children (& future children) as we begin to see gifts they possess.

• "Wow Tyler, you make friends so easily! You are so good with people! You may just be the President of the United States one day. Maybe you'll be a politician. Your love for Jesus and ability to be so good with people, our country could really use someone like you. I'm so proud of you."
• "Trinity, you are such an amazing athlete. You are so good at so many sports. You could go on to be an amazing coach one day, or you could go to the Olympics! You are such a great little athlete! I'm so impressed Trin!"
• "Timothy - wow! Your ability to play music is amazing! Your ability to just pick up an instrument and play is such an awesome talent! Your knowledge and desire to learn is also amazing. Tyler Jr could really use someone like you to help him in politics! You two could be an amazing duo!"
• "Taylor. Wow! You have such an amazing talent at dance & art. You are so funny and easy going! What an amazing spirit and gift you have! I can totally see you helping little girls dance, and find joy, and find Jesus!" 

Finding ways to encourage and steer our children is important. The Proverbs 31 mother knows that her children are ready for their future! They have developed their gifts. They KNOW their gifts. As they get older, they are not like the "aimless wandering" high school and college students that don't know what they want to do. The children of this Proverbs 31 mother KNOW their gifts and talents, so their calling is more evident. A light has been shined on their calling and their gifts.

Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.

I encourage you today.... find an area you can encourage your child. What is their gift? What is their natural talent? Can you speak into their life in that area? Can you encourage them with their gift? If you do, when they are old, they will not depart from it! Train them. Teach them. Encourage them. What a world this would be if ALL CHRISTIANS were actually walking in their calling and not just what would pay the bills! Begin today. Encourage your child in their gifts! :)

#227 - Laying the Foundation for Godly Children

Proverbs 31:1-2a - THE WORDS of Lemuel king of Massa, which his mother taught him... What, son of my womb? What [shall I advise you] son of my vows and dedication to God?

Proverbs 31:28 - Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied); and her husband boasts of and praises her, [saying]...

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Here in Proverbs 31, we could almost ask the same question because we are truly going a full circle with this Ultimate Woman of God. As we take a look at where the teaching of the "Virtuous Woman" really came from, we see in Proverbs 31 verse 1, the teaching is coming from King Lemuel's mother. She is ultimately teaching him basic godly principles. Early on in the chapter 31, she teaches him to not drink wine lest it pervert his judgement, speak for those who are not able to speak for themselves, judge righteously over the poor and needy, and then she wraps up the entire remainder of chapter 31 with qualities and characteristics of a godly woman, who we refer to as the Proverbs 31 Woman or Ultimate Woman. King Lemuel's mother is responsible for laying the foundation of what he should desire in a wife.

The Ultimate Woman does TWO things:

1. Mother's TEACH Who the Proverbs 31 Woman is. 
2. Mother's MODEL Who the Proverbs 31 Woman is. 

As we begin in Proverbs 31:1, we see firsthand how this King is learning what to look for in a wife, his mother taught him. His MOTHER taught him what to look for. His MOTHER is "advising" him as to the godly characteristics that will help him to accomplish God's calling on his life. This mother has vowed and dedicated her son to God. She has committed him to God. Now her desire is to raise him up to find his ULTIMATE COMPLETER. She knows his flaws, his weaknesses, his pitfalls. She knows those very areas in his life where she has had to provide assistance, maybe a crutch for him. Maybe support, encouragement, maybe some polishing up details of a project he has started but not completed. Mom knows just what qualities her son needs in his life to complete him VERSUS compete with him, in order for him to accomplish the great calling God has on his life.

I wish we knew a bit more background on this "King Lemuel," but he is an unknown king, and his background is a mystery. They Hebrew says he may be the same as King Solomon, but it is unknown. Knowing the background of kings in the Bible, we can look back to II Chronicles 24:1 and see that Joash began a 40 year reign as king beginning at age SEVEN!! He began as King at age 7!! Wow! Quite an early age to be running a nation! Do kids these days even tie their shoes at that age? Have they graduated from velcro to actual laces? I'm being a bit facetious here, but in all reality, most parents barely let their children play outside after dark when they are age 7, and here we have a 7 year old running a NATION! 

So... the question is... Mom's when is it too young to begin teaching your boys the qualities that are important in a wife? Mom's when is it too young to begin teaching your daughters the qualities they should aspire to attain as a godly woman/girl? In the case of King Lemuel, he could be 7, we do not know. But teaching our children from an early age is something that is a responsibility of mother's. 

I would anticipate that King Lemuel's mother isn't speaking from a hypocritical platform. I would anticipate, the characteristics she is teaching, she also models. At least, aspires to model most if not all of them. If we could go back and watch her, I bet we would see her raising up her girls to learn these qualities. One, through them watching her live out the qualities. Two, through teaching them hands-on to hone in on these qualities as well. As for her sons, as we can see in Proverbs 31, she is verbally instructing her son what to look for. She is steering her son towards the women of God he should be looking for in a wife. She is warning him to steer clear of the "loose woman" that may tempt him along the way (Prov. 31:3), she is addressing even the tough topics. She does not blindly let him just fall into the hands of the wolves (the loose woman). She is guiding him. 

Are you a Mom? If so, how can you begin today to lay a foundation for your children? Are you doing this already? What are some tips you may have to steer children in this way? Please share!

#187 - Excel Them All!

Good morning! It's so good to be back! I'm enjoying my screened in back porch, the breeze, the sounds of birds & the aroma of hydrangea's & gardenia's. Wow. They smell amazing! I have finally started to get my sense of smell back. Being pregnant, for about the last 4 weeks my hormones have been a bit off and I haven't really been able to smell. Don't get me wrong, that was nice when it came to changing a dirty diaper.... but unfortunate for Junior, he would probably run around a little longer with it because I couldn't smell that it was dirty. Anyways.... smell is good! Something that I definitely realized I took for granted.

We had an amazing vacation and enjoyed a lot of time in the water and in the sun! Tyler Junior has been a little fishy for the last 9-10 days, and he definitely has a cute little tan (despite the fact that he had spf 60 on all week!) I'm excited to get back into the word with you, and today seems like a perfect day. The 31st. It really allows us to dive into the whole chapter of Proverbs 31, who this woman really is, and discovering our role in it all. Let's jump in.

Proverbs 31:1 - THE WORDS of Lemuel king of Massa, which his mother taught him...

Proverbs 31:30 - Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised!

Proverbs 9:10 - The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding.

Proverbs 31:27 - She looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat. 

I believe as women, when we read Proverbs 31:10-31 and we begin to understand a little bit of the depth of this godly woman, our first instinct is to want to work on ourselves. As we read down through the verses, we want to work on becoming all we can be, striving to mirror the attributes of this Proverbs 31 woman, this Ultimate Woman. I think that is the first and most obvious take away as we read this chapter. One that may not be quite as obvious is one that takes us back up to verse one in Proverbs 31. Who is the speaker & who is directing these thoughts & descriptions of this woman? It is a mother speaking to her son. The obligation of a mother to share with her son what he should be looking for in a woman, ultimately his wife. King Lemuel here has taken heed the advice of his mother, he has obviously recalled it because he is able to recount it, so his mother must have made it a priority to teach & re-teach the godly characteristics that he should be looking for in his wife. The message here to us? The obvious, work on ourselves and becoming this godly Proverbs 31 woman. Secondly and often not practiced as much, teaching who this woman is to our sons. Teaching who this woman is to our daughters. Taking the time, as we raise up godly little warriors in our boys, to teach them what exactly they are looking for in their mate. Sure, it may be 20-25 years before they will really be applying the things they have learned, or looking for these qualities, but as with King Lemuel being able to easily recount what is mother had taught him, repetition in who "she" is will allow our sons to one day marry a strong partner, a godly woman, a woman who does "excel them all" (Proverbs 31:29).

Who is she? She is a woman who fears the Lord, respects the Lord, worships the Lord. As we look at Proverbs 31:30, we can see that, but more importantly, we can go back to Proverbs 9:10 and see the significance of it! Reverent & worshipful fear of the Lord is the BEGINNING of Wisdom! The chief part of Wisdom! This reverent & worshipful fear of the Lord leads our Proverbs 31 woman to gain Wisdom. To gain the most important attribute that essentially leads to almost all other things, decisions & outcomes. The fact that she has attained Wisdom, allows us to know in her daily dealings with purchasing real estate, working with people, planting a vineyard, whatever she is doing on that day she is proceeding with Wisdom. Wisdom attained by fearing/respecting the Lord.

I remember hearing a quote that is pretty powerful by Eleanor Roosevelt, one that I'm sure our Proverbs 31 woman also abides by, it says: "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." Proverbs 31:27 tells us that this Ultimate Woman does not take part in gossip, in talking about other people. She does not take part in idle chatter, but steers clear of it. She does not even allow herself to wallow in self-pity or discontentment. She straps on her boots & just "gets over it!" Surely she addresses situations that need addressed, but self-pity is not something that she allows herself to take part of. She changes her situation. By Wisdom, she allows herself to be directed to make the necessary changes so that self-pity & discontentment does not have to be a part of her life. She is led & directed by Wisdom. The outcome? A life that she loves. A life that she can enjoy. A life that she can "taste & see" that it is good (Proverbs 31:18)!

Wherever you are at today, take an evaluation. Are you a mother? Are you single female? Single male? Father? Single women, married women, take the time to daily work at becoming this woman. Take the time to seek out and attain the reverent fear & respect of the Lord so all your dealings can be done in Wisdom. Take the time to work on becoming this Proverbs 31 woman, not just for success but to be an example. If you have children or plan to, one day your son will be looking to you for an example in what he wants or does not want in his wife. Mothers, it's never to early or to late to begin teaching your sons & daughters who this Proverbs 31 woman is. What a son should one day look for in his wife, and what a daughter should aspire to duplicate. Fathers, you're not off the hook. You can equally teach your sons  what they should be looking for in a wife and teach your daughters the values in striving to become all God has called her to be. Like the Proverbs 31 woman, aspire to excel them all! With Wisdom ALL things are possible. With God, ALL things are possible! Today, begin to teach your children the qualities of a godly young man or a godly young woman. It's never to late to teach them the godly way to excel!

_________________________

Vacation Pictures 

What fun!

#29 - The Time is Now

Happy 4th of July from The McCart's! 

Freedom, Unity, Patriotism, Love, Faithfulness, Sacrifice, Service, Duty, Independence... Some Gave All.

Veterans, we honor you, we love you, we thank you. 

The Land of the Free, the Home of the Brave. 

Happy Birthday U.S.A.

Good morning! It's a beautiful day here in South Carolina on this Tuesday morning! The week will end with a bang because my parents and niece Kassidy will be here! YIPPEE!!! :) Tyler Jr is excited to see them! Tell me, is that boy in the pix cute or what?!? Doll baby! That's all I've got to say. I wish he was smiling, but that's ok. :) 

So... you got past the "censored" post from yesterday?!?! Whew!!! Today's post will definitely be one that isn't so ..... hmmmmm.... what would we call it...... borderline?! Well... we are all adults here, and for those who watch TV or listen to secular music we hear and see the world talking about things all the time.... so from a Christian point of view, I think it is good to look at what the Word says about every topic. The world can often make things look polluted or perverted.... but like one comment said yesterday, God meant it for good! 

Let's go ahead and jump into things this morning....

Proverbs 6:20-22 - My son, keep your father's [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God] your mother [taught you]. Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck. When you go, they [the words of your parents' God] shall lead you; when you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you.

Proverbs 31:11 - The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.

Who is our Proverbs 31 friend? She is a mother, a daughter, a wife, a grand-mother. She is the Matriarch. The female leader of her family. In submission to her husband (if she is married), she leads the family in many areas. The children answer to the mother. The mother answers ultimately to the father, her husband, the Patriarch of the family. 


With our Proverbs 31 woman, why is the idea of "submission" not an abused term in her household? Because her husband trusts in her confidently. He not only trusts in her, but he relies on her. Even the idea of "relying on someone" shows a sign of dependence. He can not do everything on his own, nor does he want too. There are responsibilities and obligations that he is expecting & needing the help of his wife. This Matriarch of the family. She has strengths that are not his own. She moves with grace. She astounds her husband and he is utterly thankful for her. As a mother & wife, she not only is moving around taking care of the children, feeding them, nurturing them, caring for them, but she is also doing the same for her husband. 


Our Proverbs 6 verses discuss that of our Proverbs 31 mother teaching her children the ways, disciplines & attributes of God. She is teaching her children the law of God. Our Proverbs 31 woman is a teacher to her children. She TEACHES them the ways of God. She teaches them what it means to walk with the Lord. She TEACHES them spiritual principles. The busyness of life does not get in her way of TEACHING her children what is most important. And her husband is RELYING ON her to teach them. He knows of her depth in her relationship with the Lord, he knows that she is more than capable to teach their children, he completely TRUSTS IN her ability to teach them and raise them up in a godly manner. 


Teaching children is not merely a "Sunday" activity. It does not say, "Mother's allow the Sunday School teachers to teach your children each week at church." It is a responsibility given to the mother's & father's. It is something to be done continually. So much so that the Holy Spirit and the Word is a constant reminder to you as you go about your daily dealings. Imagine a big necklace or hanging a book around your neck.... you would be constantly reminded as it flops and moves as you go about your day. That is how the Word should be. The goal would be to get to a place in your walk with the Lord that you have spent time meditating upon His Word. As you move through your day, you hear the "checks" or see the "red flags" as the Holy Spirit is prompting you and moving you to do what HE wants. You are communing with Him all day long. You are listening to His Voice all day long. You have planned out your day, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, and when or if there are any cross roads in your day, you are automatically able to look to Him for guidance. He is your Guide. If you had never been on a safari in a jungle, you had never experienced wild animals, tigers, snakes, bears, wild boar, gorilla's, hippo's... if you had never come in contact with them, you would most definitely listen to your guide, the expert. One who has studied, lived about them, experienced them. The same is true with the Holy Spirit. He already knows the end before it even begins. He knows the best way to get there IF you are willing to "hang it about your neck." Keep HIM at the forefront. Do a HS check. Randomly in your day, take a moment to ask Him, "Is this the direction I am suppose to be going right now? Would you change anything? Should I do or go somewhere else right now?" If you practice the art of listening, you will hear His Voice. 


BENEFITS: I'm going to include some of the Hebrew text here in parenthesis. "When you go, they shall lead (to lead, guide) you. When you sleep, they shall keep (to guard, protect, save life, perserve, to keep oneself, obstain, reserve, celebrate) you. When you awake, they shall talk (meditate upon, put forth thoughts, sing, study, commune) with you." 


Imagine, the words of the Lord that you choose to put into your heart can save your life! These words can help you be celebrated in your life. These words will give you direction, they will guide you when you may be unsure in your "SELF" which way to go.... these words will lead you!


Benefits to following! Definitely. 


PARTING THOUGHTS:
Mom's (and Dad's).... take the time to teach your children throughout the day. Maybe begin to incorporate a family Bible study. It may be talking to them about God at different points in the day. It may be teaching them some Bible stories and telling them or asking them how they think the lesson could be applied in their lives. Get them thinking. It may be something as simple as praying with them when they wake up & when they go to bed. Asking God to give them a great day, praying Psalms 91 protection, praying that God would teach them and speak to them and draw them into a closer walk with Him throughout their day. Mom, it calls you to be the TEACHER. Take responsibility to teach your child. Sunday School is the "cherry on top." You do not have to be a "Bible Scholar" to teach your child. Check out your local Christian bookstore. I'm confident they have resources that can assist you and open up dialog with your children. A family devotional. Reading stories with them from books like the "Dream-Giver"... your children will look forward to it! Story time with mom! :)


Grandma (and Grandpa).... did you miss it with your children? Or are they just out now, on their own. It is not to late to continue to make a difference. How can you help? Take time to pray for them. Prayer changes things. If you are able, share with them what you are learning in the Lord. Ask them if there are things that you can pray for them about. Draw them in to a closer relationship with the God you know. Are they not raising their children up in the Lord? Grandma, take the opportunity to share stories with your grand-children when you are with them. Share about God's love. Share about God's grace and mercy. God's blessings. Share stories that will raise their belief & hope. Your grandchildren will look back when they are older and remember the stories that grandma told about Jesus. About the 10 talents. About Ruth & Naomi. About Boaz. They will look back and remember wanting to go to grandma's house so that she could finish reading about Ordinary and the Land of Familiar ("Dream-Giver"). Help create a hunger in your grandchildren. 


Now is the time to make a difference. Now is the time to teach your children. Now is the time to teach your grandchildren. Because, as the Word promises in Proverbs 22:6, Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 


Train them up. Teach them the way they should go. The time is NOW.