His Power

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

Sometime ago I was told that if I wanted to give my kids what they need the most, I would give my marriage the attention it needs. That while the right discipline, structure, and meals are valuable; the strength of my marriage is key.

Sometimes I forget this bit of information. Frequently I am too busy with the kids, the house, the bills, the laundry, and the meals – to pay much attention to my partner. We both have busy lives – between his job and mine there just isn’t a lot of time. And we don’t have a lot of money, either. So paying a babysitter every week and going “out,” isn’t really an option.

Last weekend I attended a conference where the speaker (on marriage) asked us, “Does the heart of your husband safely trust you?” “Do you do him good? or evil?”

Powerful questions cut thru to my soul. If my husband’s heart can trust me, that means I am not judging him when he shares a mistake he made. It means I’m not nagging him (without even thinking about it) when I see that chore I want him to do. It means I’m not criticizing with harsh words.

If I want “to do him good,” I’m building him up. I’m respecting him and his judgment and sharing words of compassion when he shares a misstep. I’m his partner and I encourage him and ask him how I can help. I’m strengthening him with my words and paying attention to my tone.

Marriage is really hard. So is being a mom. I’m not getting much sleep and I have a lot on my plate. After my conference last weekend I was reeling. How am I going to process all this? What do I do first? I have so much to think about and I need to go home to my husband and be the wife he needs me to be… How, Lord? Then it hit me. I wasn’t going to make a detailed outline of what to do. I wasn’t going to list out all the things I’d learned or that had been suggested. I was way too tired.

So I prayed. Lord, I forgot, again, that this isn’t about me and my abilities. It’s about you and what you can do… in my marriage, in my family, in my heart. Lord, whatever needs to change – change it. Whatever needs to be forgiven – forgive it. Whatever log I need to pull from my eye – pull it. Make it happen inside me, Lord. And give me the words - that my husband needs to hear from me. Give me the energy - to make him a priority. Wrap our marriage up in your protective arms and strengthen it. For the sake of our children. And for the sake of your Son. That we can be an example of your power being made perfect in weakness. Amen.

Precious. Honored. Loved.

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are mind. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through

the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will

not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior . . . since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you . . . "

Isaiah 43: 1-4

Precious: of great value, dear, and beloved. Honored: to hold in honor or high respect; revered. Loved: to have love for. Don't we all want to be called all of those things? Precious, honored, loved.

Every person has had a time in their lives when they didn't feel any of those things. Maybe you are in a marriage that's struggling. Maybe you are parenting children who don't appreciate the meals you cook and laundry you do. Maybe your jeans don't fit because babies change bodies and precious is just not what comes to mind when you look in the mirror. And loved might not be how you feel if you've never forgiven yourself for a sin that once infested your life.

At the same time, we can all think of a time when we felt precious, honored, and loved and experienced those feelings about someone else in our lives. As I walked down the aisle on my wedding day on my father's arm, I felt incredibly loved. Not only was I walking toward a man who loved me unconditionally and more incredibly than I even realized at the time, I had been loved by my parents who raised me and gave me all kinds of opportunities to be the girl God made me to be.

My little son is eight months old, and he is the most precious little boy. His laugh is precious, the way he plays with my necklace when I hold him is precious, and the way that he crawls with everything in him to get the tv remote is precious. I look at him and my heart swells.

This is how God feels about us, multiplied by a million. We can't even understand the depth of God's love for us. Even when you don't feel precious or honored or loved, remember how you felt when you held your child for the first time or saw that first smile. Know that no matter what is going on in your life or whatever sin has a hold on you, God has written the words precious, honored, and loved on your hearts. There is nothing you can do to take that away.

As parents, we have a responsiblity to not only understand God's love for us, but to make sure our children understand as well. There are so many forces in their world that will tell them that they aren't good enough or pretty enough or special. But we know that's not true and owe it to them to make sure they know too . . . just how much they are precious, honored, and loved by us and by God.

God . . . we often feel beat up, ugly, and not good enough. Please help us to understand your love for us and choose to live in that love instead of the sin of this world. Give our children hearts that love you. Thank you for loving us and doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Amen.

God Our Father

Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.

2 John 1:3-4

There are so many things that I never thought I would hear myself say, or at least not have to say so many times, before I became a mother. “The plunger is not a toy!” “I am going to the bathroom, by myself.” “Chew with your lips closed.” “We walk in church.” “Stop licking your sister!”

Imagine, the number of things our Heavenly Father never wanted to hear himself say. “I am not in your midst.” “I’m sorry that I have made them.” “I never knew you, depart from me.” Heartbreaking words for any parent to have to speak.

But, these are not the words he speaks to us as believers. He has quite the opposite response for us, especially when it comes to his Word.

*My Word is intended for your enjoyment. Make it your pastime. Open every page, inspect every verse, share it with your friends, carry it with you everywhere. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

*Don’t worry, you won’t go anywhere by yourself. I will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

*Stuff yourself full of my words all day long. Let them run from your mouth. (Romans 10:9)

*Skip, run, or crawl into church. I don’t care how you come, just get here. Walk in the truth with your fellow believers. (Matthew 18:20)

*(I haven’t found an appropriate verse to address the “Stop licking your sister,” request. I will let you search the scriptures and get back to me on that one.)

John reminds us that God is our Father. And while God’s parental words call us on the carpet when we are wrong, they also assure of us his love and forgiveness, and absolute presence in our lives. As parents we may find ourselves saying some pretty interesting things, but guided by his Word, our words become ones of love and forgiveness too; always encouraging our children to walk in the truth.

Heavenly Father,

I thank you for your inviting, and reassuring words. I even thank you for the words of correction that bring me closer to you. May the words I use with my children today be a reflection of the love we both have for them. Help me follow your example as a parent now and always.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

What does the Lord require of you?

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
   And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
   and to walk humbly with your God.   Micah 6:8

My first year of college wasn't an easy one.  It was a big adjustment, living on my own, attending classes that weren't exactly easy.  I remember getting a D in Economics, and it CRUSHED me.  I called my parents in tears.  I had always gotten good grades.  A D was a first for me!  I just couldn't believe that had happened.

My dad asked me, "Well, did you do your best?"  I answered that I did, it was just one of those tough classes.  And he said to me, "That's all we ask of you.  That you do your best."

I've continued that line of reason in my own parenting. Of course we want our children to do well in school and get good grades, but we also know that as long as they do their very best, we'll be proud of them.  It doesn't matter if they get an A on every test.  It doesn't matter if they win the spelling bee.  As long as we see them trying, striving to do well, that's what matters.

God expects the same from us.  He knows that we're not going to be perfect every second of every day.  He knows there's going to be sin in our lives.  What does He ask of us?  "To act justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."  There's no way that we can live without sin.  No mortal human being can do this, because of the sin Adam and Eve committed in the Garden of Eden.  But we can try.  We can live these words, we can instill them in our children, knowing that when we do mess up, Christ came to the world to save us from those very sins. 

He is the very reason we can do our best.

Dear Heavenly Father, we know that we are not without sin.  Day by day we strive to do our best, working to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with you.  But there are times when we just can't do it.  Thank you for sending Your Son, our Savior, to save us from those sins.  Thank you for helping us do our best.  In Your name we pray, Amen.

Called by God

"And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him." Genesis 7:5

The story of Noah is a very popular one. I’m sure that many of us have tried to imagine what it must have been like for Noah when God called on him to build the ark. How terrifying it must have been to be told by God that He would destroy the world with a flood because of the wickedness of man. Do you ever wonder if Noah asked, “Why me? I don’t know if I can do all that You have asked me to do.”

God called Noah to perform a huge task, but He did not leave him guessing at how to fulfill the tasks that he had been called to. God laid out for Noah the specific measurements and instructions to build this massive floating vessel. He told him how many of the different types of clean and unclean animals to bring on the ark with him. He led Noah and helped in this monumental task.

Jesus later did the same when he called 12 men to the special task of being His apostles. In Mark 3:14 it says, “He appointed twelve – designating them apostles – that they might be with Him and have authority to drive out demons.” Jesus was with these men and taught them as He walked through His earthly ministry. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, God sent His Holy Spirit to the disciples to lead and guide them in the ministry they were called to do. They were then able to share what they had learned with those who heard them. Peter says in Acts 2:26 “Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Doesn’t God do the same with each of us in the special and specific tasks that He has called us to do? In Proverbs 22:6 God tells us, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” As parents we have been called by God to train our children in His ways. We are to bring our children to worship where they hear God’s Word. We are to teach them what God says is right and wrong through His commandments. We are to bring them to baptism so that they may be forgiven and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This is a huge task that God has called us to do, but He does not leave us alone to do it. Through His Holy Spirit and His Word, God shows us the way. God gives us His promise of salvation for us to share with our children.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for calling us to the special task of parenting our children and raising them in knowledge of You and faith in Your Son Jesus. Forgive us for the times we try to do it our own way, forgetting to follow Your guidance. Help us to remain strong in Your Word as You guide us in fulfilling this special task. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Got Wisdom?

Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might...He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
Daniel 2:20-21

Daniel was in a position where God had just revealed to him the answer to King Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dreams, thus sparing the lives of Daniel and all the other wise men of Babylon. Daniel blesses God's name, acknowledges Him as owning wisdom and might, and then praises God for what He has shared with Daniel. Isn't it interesting that he credits God for giving "wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding"?

Even though I trust in Christ, I still find myself in daily situations where I could use specific wisdom and understanding.

"Am I handling my toddler's behavior in a way that honors God?
How will I show my second child as much love and respect as our first-born?
Is the time I spend on my marriage reflective of the grace God has given me?"

I am encouraged by Daniel's example to be reminded that God is not a genie in a bottle that is to be consulted just when problems arise, but instead, He desires an ongoing relationship with us. As we remain connected to The Vine through regular time in The Word, prayer, and participation in the Means of Grace, God uses these gifts to make us wise and give us understanding. Then, when times of specific questions or troubles arise, as we are already in the habit of talking with and listening to our Heavenly Father, we can trust that He is ready and desires to graciously give us extra wisdom and knowledge to deal with our particular circumstances.

What a privilege that as parents, we can start influencing even our pre-born children with prayers and speaking God's Word over them. As our children grow and start making their own decisions, it's a comfort to know that God will use the time we have invested in growing their godly wisdom and understanding to draw them to Himself for the answers to life's dilemmas.

Heavenly Father,
Please draw me into Your Word and prayer with you on a regular basis. Help my children also to be in such a habit of learning at Your feet that when they come with specific troubles or concerns, they receive the extra wisdom and knowledge that You can provide. Help us to rest in knowing that You care for us and are generous with sharing Your wisdom.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Children and Money

And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

My daughter, Jenna, rides the bus to school. Last year, she made friends with some older kids and came home asking me for an iPod because many of them had one. After I declined her request, she got very upset and couldn't understand why we wouldn't just go to the store and pick one up for her. In that moment, I realized that she had no idea about the value of money or how it worked in our day to day lives. My husband and I took that opportunity to start teaching our kids about money.

Why teach kids about money? First, how we understand and handle money has a direct correlation to our spiritual lives. Money is a competitor in our love for and attention to God. It can easily get in the way of our relationship with God if we don't handle it right and/or place it above Him. As parents, we are the only ones who can model and teach our kids how to appropriately deal with money. And most importantly, kids need to know that God is their ultimate provider. When they understand that money really doesn't grow on trees but that it is God-given, their faith will grow. They will understand the freedom and joy in giving as well as being good stewards of God's gifts to us.

Next, teaching kids about money prepares them to be responsible adults who will someday run a Christ-centered household of their own. Understanding the difference between a want and a need, the importance of saving, and the joy in giving to God and other people will help shape their financial habits early and give the a good chance at financial health in the long run.

After some trial and error, we have found a system that works for our family in teaching our children about money. Each child has three envelopes that are kept in a certain place in their rooms. The three envelopes are "give," "save," and "spend." Each week, they are required to do chores (age appropriate) in order to receive their allowance. When they receive their allowance or any other monetary gift they are to put 10% in "give," 10% in "save," and the rest goes in their "spend" envelope (or wallet). Typically, they use their "give" envelope for Sunday School offerings. We encourage that 10% of their money to only go to church. We are trying to model tithing a bit for them. Any time that they have wanted to give to some other cause, they have used their "spend" money.

Did Jenna ever get that iPod that she wanted? No:) But she did save up $25 for an MP3 player. It took her months! But she saved and saved, which meant that she didn't spend and spend! She had a goal and learned that she couldn't just impulsively buy something else that caught her eye at the store because she had a bigger goal in mind. I was very proud of her!

God is the provider of our needs, and just as we have learned to be good stewards of what He has given us, we owe it to our kids to give them the tools to be good stewards too.

Dear Jesus, Thank you for all you have given to us. Thank you for providing for us and loving us so much that you would send your Son to die on the cross for us. Please help us to use your gifts wisely so that more people would know about You. Amen.