May (he) walk after You, God, and fear You and keep Your commandments and obey Your voice. May he serve You and hold fast to You (Deuteronomy 13:4).
I want my sons to be obedient because they want to be. I want them to do what is required of them because they love me and their dad. I want them to follow God's word because their hearts belong to Him and because they believe it is what will make their life whole and complete.
Jesus, please help me to shape my young men into obedient young men. May they want to keep Your commandments and follow Your Word, because they want to, because they have a holy "fear" of You. Show them that obedience is a sign of strength and not of weakness. Help them to know that those who truly love them will never abuse their obedience. May these young men serve You and hold to You all the days of their life.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Turning Hearts
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel 36:26 – 27 (NIV)
One thing that I have learned over the years of being a mom, is that nothing we do, makes any difference if our children's hearts are not turned to God.
We must set standards, discipline, give wisdom and guidelines - say NO! (By the way mom and dad, it really is ok to say NO!) We are given the task to protect our children from things we know will hurt them, bad environments, bad friends and bad situations. We must parent! However, in that parenting, if we are not praying - begging God to change the hearts of our children we are failing them.
There is however, this thing called free will that get's in our way - because just as the Father who loves us more than life allows us to choose, we must also watch our children choose. And our prayer is that God will change their heart to a new heart - a soft and fleshy heart totally surrendered to Him. But there will be those children who fight it with all their might. I know! I have had one.
Regardless of what we see, our knees remain bent to the One who can work the best for our children.
Jesus, I pray for my sons (and daughters) that you will give them hearts fresh and new. Take any hardening of their hearts and turn it towards You. I pray that You guide me and give me wisdom on how to steer them towards you. Show me how to impart Your Word into their daily lives. May they have long days, because they follow your commands! Amen.
Just for my girls:
Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23
One thing that I have learned over the years of being a mom, is that nothing we do, makes any difference if our children's hearts are not turned to God.
We must set standards, discipline, give wisdom and guidelines - say NO! (By the way mom and dad, it really is ok to say NO!) We are given the task to protect our children from things we know will hurt them, bad environments, bad friends and bad situations. We must parent! However, in that parenting, if we are not praying - begging God to change the hearts of our children we are failing them.
There is however, this thing called free will that get's in our way - because just as the Father who loves us more than life allows us to choose, we must also watch our children choose. And our prayer is that God will change their heart to a new heart - a soft and fleshy heart totally surrendered to Him. But there will be those children who fight it with all their might. I know! I have had one.
Regardless of what we see, our knees remain bent to the One who can work the best for our children.
Jesus, I pray for my sons (and daughters) that you will give them hearts fresh and new. Take any hardening of their hearts and turn it towards You. I pray that You guide me and give me wisdom on how to steer them towards you. Show me how to impart Your Word into their daily lives. May they have long days, because they follow your commands! Amen.
Just for my girls:
Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Sons.
I have felt such an urgency to pray over my sons (and my daughters) because the world we live in is in such a volatile state, and I know that the days ahead will be a testing of all of our faith in God.
I have three sons, one son of my heart that came along when I married his dad, and two that are sons by birth. They are 21, 13 and 10. The prayers I pray over them are often alike, and sometimes very specific. I wish I had known when our oldest son was young what I have learned since my youngest two have been in my life. Prayers are powerful, and I too often fail them and in my prayers for them.
I'll probably be discussing some elements from a wonderful book called Praying for Boys.
For today, I wanted to share something very powerful that I read. It is powerful because it speaks directly to my heart as a mother of sons.
God hears your groaning, he knows our pain and our hope that keeps a mama on her knees and wears the carpet out and He is for you.
You are the apple of His eye. His beloved. His thoughts are for you. He will never leave your or forsake you.
When he takes his first steps and you realize for the first time he is growing up...God is for you.
When you have given it your all and his heart does not change...God is for you.
When you wake up and he is five (or nine or sixteen) and you realize so many moments you've missed and will never get back... God is for you.
When you realize the home life you desperately wanted to provide for him may never happen...God is for you.
When you realize your own sinful choices have affected him... God is for you.
When you're defeated and ready to quit...God is for you.
When you see the desires of his heart and realize they're not always good...God is for you.
When your son gets hurt, or that heartache you always wanted to protect him from happening...God is for you.
When his heart doesn't belong to just you anymore...God is for you.
When the threads of your carpet are worn bare from the praying, hoping and begging God to complete His good work... God is for you.
And His heart for you is good.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
My Weakness, His Power
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV)
I just want to encourage you today, that what you are walking through is for a purpose.
As our family continues to walk through a very tough and challenging time, I have found myself on my face, begging God to let it end. And honestly, I do want it to end. I am tired, and I am weary.
But this morning, I woke up with a different prayer on my lips. (One I should have already prayed.) My prayer was:
Father, I surrender. I surrender to YOU. I can not make things change, or move faster, or hurt any less - but you can. You alone know every detail of where we are, and what needs to happen and You alone know the final outcome. So I give you everything - my husband, my children, my finances, my wants, my needs, everything is Yours. Help me to rest in You in the waiting. Help me to leave it all where it belongs, in Your hands. Please teach me everything that I need to learn from this experience and may it all be for Your glory and Your praise.
I am weak, I need His power. It is a promise from God - His power is made perfect in my weakness. He is enough for me.
Are you struggling in a hard, dry and weary place? I encourage you to surrender and just allow God to work in you, right where you are. He is enough.
I just want to encourage you today, that what you are walking through is for a purpose.
As our family continues to walk through a very tough and challenging time, I have found myself on my face, begging God to let it end. And honestly, I do want it to end. I am tired, and I am weary.
But this morning, I woke up with a different prayer on my lips. (One I should have already prayed.) My prayer was:
Father, I surrender. I surrender to YOU. I can not make things change, or move faster, or hurt any less - but you can. You alone know every detail of where we are, and what needs to happen and You alone know the final outcome. So I give you everything - my husband, my children, my finances, my wants, my needs, everything is Yours. Help me to rest in You in the waiting. Help me to leave it all where it belongs, in Your hands. Please teach me everything that I need to learn from this experience and may it all be for Your glory and Your praise.
I am weak, I need His power. It is a promise from God - His power is made perfect in my weakness. He is enough for me.
Are you struggling in a hard, dry and weary place? I encourage you to surrender and just allow God to work in you, right where you are. He is enough.
Friday, August 15, 2014
Absolute praise
Father God...
I am in awe of your goodness to me. In spite of what the world may see... and what we may lack, You have provided and blessed me more than I can ever explain. Possession are truly worthless. Anything that I can be given, or buy in this world...is for nothing.
The treasures of my heart come in the hugs of my children, the love of my husband, the blessings of good parents. It is what consumes my heart and my mind, that blesses me the most. The seven children I love and pray for daily. Father, may they love you and serve you. I pray for an awakening in some, and for others I pray that you draw them closer to you. Bless these lives and all that they may touch...may You be glorified by them.
My heart is overwhelmed, when I think of all You have done for me. For your unfailing and unending love. For the joy of my salvation. For the cross and your blood that was shed for me. My heart is overwhelmed when I think of my heavenly home, and being there with You.... worshiping and bowing down before you. To see the scars of your hands and feet and to be in your true presence, that is where I long to be.
I love this life that I live here on earth, the good, the bad, and the ugly... may every part make me run to You. May every praise from my mouth raise before You. May You never need the rocks to cry out... because my praise is not enough.
May I someday, sit at your feet.
I am in awe of your goodness to me. In spite of what the world may see... and what we may lack, You have provided and blessed me more than I can ever explain. Possession are truly worthless. Anything that I can be given, or buy in this world...is for nothing.
The treasures of my heart come in the hugs of my children, the love of my husband, the blessings of good parents. It is what consumes my heart and my mind, that blesses me the most. The seven children I love and pray for daily. Father, may they love you and serve you. I pray for an awakening in some, and for others I pray that you draw them closer to you. Bless these lives and all that they may touch...may You be glorified by them.
My heart is overwhelmed, when I think of all You have done for me. For your unfailing and unending love. For the joy of my salvation. For the cross and your blood that was shed for me. My heart is overwhelmed when I think of my heavenly home, and being there with You.... worshiping and bowing down before you. To see the scars of your hands and feet and to be in your true presence, that is where I long to be.
I love this life that I live here on earth, the good, the bad, and the ugly... may every part make me run to You. May every praise from my mouth raise before You. May You never need the rocks to cry out... because my praise is not enough.
May I someday, sit at your feet.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Worn pages....
One of my children and I were having a conversations in which they asked if a certain person had a Bible. I said yes, somewhere I know they do....
It made me stop and think... I remember often seeing my mom and my grandmother with their Bibles. I always loved to look at them and see the underlining and the comments.
Today, we have amazing technology... and there is nothing wrong with that. We have Bible apps, Bibles online, Bibles at every turn - except in our hands. The "real" written word I guess.
I love my Bible. I have gone through several in my life. I have them all boxed up, because I can't bear to part with them, even though they are falling apart. I like to look at them... one is from my teen years, one is from my 20's, and then the one I use now. The scriptures that I highlighted and circled and made notes on have changed, just as the seasons of my life.
I can't help but think, when my life is over, and my children find my Bibles... will it tell them something about me? Will it show them how much I loved His word. How I cherished it? Will it reveal the messages that were preached, that I took to heart? Would they see the tear stains on scriptures about them? The live verses I claimed, the verses over their lives, their salvation?
Mom and dad... technology is wonderful, and I love having a Bible app on my phone. I use it a lot when it isn't convenient to have my Bible in my hands - like waiting to get my tags, or the oil changed! :) But in my home, in my quiet time... when one of my children can walk in on me and see that I'm reading and studying... I want them to see my Bible.
I want His Word - worn out, wrinkled, filled with color and notes - I want it to speak of my love for His Word!
It made me stop and think... I remember often seeing my mom and my grandmother with their Bibles. I always loved to look at them and see the underlining and the comments.
Today, we have amazing technology... and there is nothing wrong with that. We have Bible apps, Bibles online, Bibles at every turn - except in our hands. The "real" written word I guess.
I love my Bible. I have gone through several in my life. I have them all boxed up, because I can't bear to part with them, even though they are falling apart. I like to look at them... one is from my teen years, one is from my 20's, and then the one I use now. The scriptures that I highlighted and circled and made notes on have changed, just as the seasons of my life.
I can't help but think, when my life is over, and my children find my Bibles... will it tell them something about me? Will it show them how much I loved His word. How I cherished it? Will it reveal the messages that were preached, that I took to heart? Would they see the tear stains on scriptures about them? The live verses I claimed, the verses over their lives, their salvation?
Mom and dad... technology is wonderful, and I love having a Bible app on my phone. I use it a lot when it isn't convenient to have my Bible in my hands - like waiting to get my tags, or the oil changed! :) But in my home, in my quiet time... when one of my children can walk in on me and see that I'm reading and studying... I want them to see my Bible.
I want His Word - worn out, wrinkled, filled with color and notes - I want it to speak of my love for His Word!
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Ready, Set, Go....
“You crown the year with Your goodness,
and Your paths drip with abundance.” Psalms 65:11
It's that time again! Another year of school. I can hardly fathom that I am approaching my 14th year homeschooling! Wow.
Lord, I pray that this year I will be well organized. I pray that I will have a better ability to give time and grace where it is needed. I pray that I will show love and compassion to my children every day.
Give me knowledge beyond my own reasoning, in order to teach and inspire them to reach greater goals.
I pray that they would love and honor each other as brother's and sisters. Not only as true siblings, but also as brother's and sister's in Jesus. May they have patience with each other. May they work well together and offer a hand when one is struggling. I pray that they would enjoy each other, and our time together as we study, laugh, play and just learn more about Jesus!
May everything we do, be pleasing to you Jesus. May our light shine beyond our own walls, into the world that is so lost. May we not stay inward, but take Your love to the world. Protect my children in their thoughts, and in what they hear and see that is of the world. May they seek knowledge of right and wrong from You, and be able to talk to us, as parents to help guide them.
I am so very blessed to be the mother of these amazing kids. As much as I love them, and want them forever under my wing.... I am excited to see how God is growing each of them. I know that they will be POWERFUL for the kingdom of God.
Amen!
and Your paths drip with abundance.” Psalms 65:11
It's that time again! Another year of school. I can hardly fathom that I am approaching my 14th year homeschooling! Wow.
Lord, I pray that this year I will be well organized. I pray that I will have a better ability to give time and grace where it is needed. I pray that I will show love and compassion to my children every day.
Give me knowledge beyond my own reasoning, in order to teach and inspire them to reach greater goals.
I pray that they would love and honor each other as brother's and sisters. Not only as true siblings, but also as brother's and sister's in Jesus. May they have patience with each other. May they work well together and offer a hand when one is struggling. I pray that they would enjoy each other, and our time together as we study, laugh, play and just learn more about Jesus!
May everything we do, be pleasing to you Jesus. May our light shine beyond our own walls, into the world that is so lost. May we not stay inward, but take Your love to the world. Protect my children in their thoughts, and in what they hear and see that is of the world. May they seek knowledge of right and wrong from You, and be able to talk to us, as parents to help guide them.
I am so very blessed to be the mother of these amazing kids. As much as I love them, and want them forever under my wing.... I am excited to see how God is growing each of them. I know that they will be POWERFUL for the kingdom of God.
Amen!
Monday, July 21, 2014
Seeing God in my children....
is the most amazing gift. Knowing that they love the Lord is everything.
Seeing my children worship - with total abandon compels me to be a more open and honest worshiper. I love to see my children with their arms raised high, or jumping up and down to the music that speaks to them. When did we as adults become so solemn in our worship?
When did it become ok to yell and scream and jump up and down for a football game, or a secular concert - but not in the presence of the very One who gave His life for me?
I believe that order is important, I have seen "church" services get out of control in a bad way. (I've been pentecostal for a long time.) So I am aware that everything can be done in the flesh.... but that isn't what I'm talking about.
As a worshiper, standing on stage Sunday after Sunday - it sometimes saddens me to see the lack of interest in worship. Are we at church for the coffee and friends, or dare we come with hearts ready and eager to meet Jesus face to face? Is it something we do because it is expected, or do we realize that the God who created the universe, spoke the stars into the sky, created our very being and breathed His breath into us, is the same God whose presence we are privileged to experience on Sunday!
I want to be totally unashamed and awesomely free to worship my Jesus! I want Him to know that there is nothing in this world that can elicit more excitement or raw emotion out of me than Him.
I want to worship here, as close to how I will worship Him around His throne one day!!! I do not want to save or waste any of my praise!
Seeing my children worship - with total abandon compels me to be a more open and honest worshiper. I love to see my children with their arms raised high, or jumping up and down to the music that speaks to them. When did we as adults become so solemn in our worship?
When did it become ok to yell and scream and jump up and down for a football game, or a secular concert - but not in the presence of the very One who gave His life for me?
I believe that order is important, I have seen "church" services get out of control in a bad way. (I've been pentecostal for a long time.) So I am aware that everything can be done in the flesh.... but that isn't what I'm talking about.
As a worshiper, standing on stage Sunday after Sunday - it sometimes saddens me to see the lack of interest in worship. Are we at church for the coffee and friends, or dare we come with hearts ready and eager to meet Jesus face to face? Is it something we do because it is expected, or do we realize that the God who created the universe, spoke the stars into the sky, created our very being and breathed His breath into us, is the same God whose presence we are privileged to experience on Sunday!
I want to be totally unashamed and awesomely free to worship my Jesus! I want Him to know that there is nothing in this world that can elicit more excitement or raw emotion out of me than Him.
I want to worship here, as close to how I will worship Him around His throne one day!!! I do not want to save or waste any of my praise!
Sunday, July 13, 2014
In the stillness...
and quietness of the evening, I sit and read my Bible. I am always reminded, that in the hardest of times, and the worst of situations, God is always with me. He is my Rock, my Fortress, my Strong Tower. There is nothing that stops His hand of protection, His arms of mercy, His perfect love for me.
When everything in my mortal man is screaming, "I'm done! I have had enough. I can not do this any longer, I do not have any strength left.", I remember that it is He who has carried me through and He who always will.
He is my Lighthouse in every storm, not only can I keep my eyes on Him, His light seeks me out in the darkness!
When everything in my mortal man is screaming, "I'm done! I have had enough. I can not do this any longer, I do not have any strength left.", I remember that it is He who has carried me through and He who always will.
He is my Lighthouse in every storm, not only can I keep my eyes on Him, His light seeks me out in the darkness!
Monday, June 16, 2014
Worship....
I am not a huge fan of Rick Warren - but I ran across this quote on Worship and it spoke deeply to my heart. Enjoy!
Your most profound and intimate experiences of worship will likely be in your darkest days – when your heart is broken, when you feel abandoned, when you’re out of options, when the pain is great – and you turn to God alone.
Your most profound and intimate experiences of worship will likely be in your darkest days – when your heart is broken, when you feel abandoned, when you’re out of options, when the pain is great – and you turn to God alone.
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