FISHING

Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make your fishers of men." - Matthew 4:19

There are certain things we need to do when we go fishing. First we get our fishing gear. Next we decide where to fish. Once we find where the fish are, we keep noise and distractions away. We bait our line and if we are patient, we are rewarded with our catch.

As Christians, our fishing gear is the Bible. It has all the equipment we need. Next , we decide where to fish; work, school, grocery store, library, etc. God knows where the fish are and will lead us to them. Just like in fishing, sometimes distractions keep us from doing the Lord’s work. Satan wants us to be distracted. The Holy Spirit will give us patience do His work, we need only ask.  

We need attractive bait. This is OUR walk. Our lives should draw people near to God. Are you easily frustrated? Do you fly off the handle when something goes wrong? Are you  building others up with words of encouragement? Finally, be patient, persevere and you’ll be rewarded with a catch for Christ. We are God’s fishermen. We must fish His way.

Challenge: Encourage someone today. Quiet your spirit and allow God to show you where the fish are.

Who Do You Want to Be?

"Mom, what do you want to be?” It was the question of the morning for my oldest Doodlebug. I kind of chuckled and responded, “I want to be a good wife, and a good mommy…” He cut me off before I could finish. “No, Mommy. I mean what do you want to be?” Okay, let me try one more time, “Well, I am what I want to be? What do you want to be?” I was so ready to tell him that being a mom was the hardest (although the best) job I have ever had in my life…EVER!

But somehow I could tell that my answer was not what he was looking for. He looked a bit frustrated and said, “See? Let me show you.” He pulled out his children’s bible and found the story of the Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19). He told me that Jesus healed ten people of leprosy that day, but only one came back to thank Jesus. He wanted to know specifically, “Who did I want to be…the nine or the one?”

Wow! I was shocked…such a savvy question for such a little guy. I proudly told him that I want to be like the one who came back to thank Jesus. He beamed with excitement and said, “Me too!”

 

For the next few minutes we started to review some of the things we had been praying for the past few weeks. We remembered together many of the wonderful answers and blessings that had resulted from those prayers. We confessed that although we wanted to be like “the one”, we had forgotten to thank God for some of these things. Finally, we prayed to God and thanked him for the wonderful ways in which he has shown up for us. It was such a sweet time for us.

I love how our children can challenge us to be better. Sometimes, if we are really honest…we can learn from them. So Mom, I am going to pass on my oldest Doodlebug’s question to you…”Do you want to be like the nine or the one?” Have you thanked God for some of the wonderful ways he has healed you, provided for you, comforted you, and rescued you? There is no better time than now to start. J

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

You are so incredibly good to us, even when we do not deserve it. So many times we get so caught up in our prayer requests that we forget to come back and say thank you for your divine and awe-inspiring answers. Too many times, we simply move on to the next request. Please forgive us. Help us to take the time to say thank you. You are perfect in every way. All of your answers are for our good (even if we can’t see it at the moment). Thank you for loving us so much and for providing for us time and time again. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen

Body of Christ Stepping In

They are always 

generous and lend freely; 

their children 

will be a blessing.

 - Psalm 37:26

Last weekend we moved over across Florida to our new home in Naples. It was a crazy chaotic time but such a beautiful experience.  Each time we move (We have moved 3 times since being married!) I am reminded of how the family of Christ exhibits such sacrifice just like Jesus. 

Some packed, some loaded the heavy into the U-Haul, some babysat my kids, some cleaned and wiped down EVERY surface and area in my home, and some prayed for us as we maneuvered through it all. We had one team loading the truck, and another team at our new home, 2 hours away, ready to unload. There were friends blessing us with "going away" gifts and then acquaintances giving us exactly what we had prayed for down to specific details. What an awesome God we serve! 

The whole experience is one my kids will always remember. They saw others serving our family because there was only so much our hands alone could do. I am humbled and grateful. I want my family to be one that looks like that. But that requires sacrifice. I can be selfish, looking out only for us at times. 

Daily, in prayer, I need to seek His face and ask that the Holy Spirit would lead my clan to serve others for Christ. My desire is that I would have eyes open wide for those opportunities and a heart ready to obey the call when it's given. It is a beautiful thing to observe and one that will be repeated by our little ones as they mimic our lives :)

How is your family doing in the area of "serving others?"

What family do you see loving God and loving others faithfully?

Pray for opportunities to serve and keep your eyes open as He will provide the way.

Regret Free Education

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         It’s the time of year when we start evaluating the school options for our children’s education.  I’ve always said I wish I were the type of mom who could enroll her child in public school when they were entering kindergarten and never think twice about it until they have graduated.

         The education piece in our parenting has lead to MANY discussions, much prayer and a lot of indecision over the years.  After more than 16 years of education decisions for our children (which included: Christian, public and homeschool), I can say I am very glad we did home educate our children.  

I do NOT regret the years we chose to homeschool our children.  I will adamantly say home education is NOT for everyone, but for our family, it occasionally was.

         A simple list should suffice why Home schooling worked for our family.

1.    We loved being able to spend quantity and quality time with our children.

2.    We are always more intentional about educational opportunities when we see ourselves as both parent and teacher.

3.    Because I am not always at “my best,” the more time I spent with our children, the more likely they will eventually see “my best.”

4.    We were able to travel and still consider the time a day of school.

5.    We could be selective about who our children spent their time with.

6.    Our children were forced to be best friends.

7.    I was able to watch our children learn to read, do math and fall in love with History.

8.    Bible “class” was a practical application of what we were reading and learning about

9.    Their classes were chosen and taught based on their interests and abilities.

And finally,

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10. I will never regret the hours I had with our children, rather than hours they would have spent with teachers in a traditional school setting.

I know many of you are evaluating what kind of education you will offer your children in the coming school year.  Evaluation is a reflection you have great concern for the well being on your child.

     Don’t feel like you have to make the same decision for your children that your friends are making for theirs.  Ask the Lord to give you discernment and direction.  He may direct you to the neighborhood public school or your church’s Christian school.  Should He lead you to home educate your child, He will teach through you, and you will never regret the time with your child.

     Trust Him in this parenting piece.  The Lord Jesus cares about our children far more than we do.  As we trust HIM, we have no regrets!

Proverbs 27: 23  

"Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds."

         

Sit Still

“Sit still I will fight for you.  Quiet confidence in me is your strength.”

This is what God has been telling me for the last year.  Over and over and over again He has reminded me to sit still.  He has reminded me that He is fighting for me.  As I lay in bed praying over this and thinking on it I had a picture come to mind.  Bear with me for a moment as I share because I have been reading fairy tales with my daughter so this is gonna get totally girly. 

 

I am a princess.  I am at home in my cozy little castle and my prince tells me to sit still he will fight for me.  He will fight for my freedom, my future, and my present.  He leaves me and goes off to war, fighting courageously with his sword and shield.  I see pieces of his promises falling into place. Messages are sent reminding me he is fighting for me and that he loves me.  But for some reason it didn’t seem enough.  I got impatient.  I grabbed up my own sword and off I went to hack some things up, get bloody and do some damage for my freedom, my future, and my present. 

I returned tired and beat up, complaining about all I had to go through and how long I have had to wait.  But then my prince returned.  I ran to him, fell into his arms crying, “Why has it taken so long?”  He held me for what seemed a moment.  He didn’t let go of me but gently lifted my face.  His eyes met mine and then he noticed the blood and scrapes on my cheeks.  A look of concern replaced the joy in his eyes.  He stepped back a little more, his hand never leaving mine, and his eyes examined my disheveled appearance.  He saw my dress torn, covered in dirt and blood.  I was missing a shoe and my hair was a matted mess. 

“What has happened to you my love?” he whispered. 

I didn’t want to answer him.  I was overwhelmed with guilt now that he was here.  I didn’t want to explain to my beloved that I didn’t sit still when he told me to, that I didn’t trust in the promises he gave me.  I was ashamed.  I just wanted to know what took him so long.  As I wept I asked him again, “Why has it taken you so long?”

He pulled me back to him and kissed the top of my matted hair.  He looked into my eyes and with his voice full of love he said, “I am so sorry my love that it has taken me so long.  On my way back I encountered some difficulties.  Someone was out fighting apart from my troops.  They caused all kinds of unnecessary damage that I had to clean up on my way back to you.”  In that moment, I fell to the ground overwhelmed with grief because I knew I was that person. 

  

I needed this vivid picture.  This was a reminder of what God was asking me to do and a picture of what disobeying that would look like.  I was getting restless.  I had ideas and plans popping into my head of all I could do.  Every one of them was a direct act of disobedience to what I had been told to do which was to sit still. 

“Our job is simply to be obedient to God in the midst of what we’re facing.  God’s job is results.”  Lysa Terkeurst. Unglued

 

Along with this picture God brought back to me scripture after scripture that He has given me along my journey to encourage me, to remind me, and to give me strength.  In my restlessness I sought Him because even though I felt He wasn’t enough in that moment I knew He was more than enough.  I knew I could trust Him because He has never failed me.  His ways may not be mine and His time may not be mine but in the end he presents me whole and clean.  When I do things on my own in my way I end up like the princess all scraped up and bleeding, my dress all torn and dirty, my hair all matted and shoes missing.  Then my God has to come along behind me and clean up my mess, leaving me to wait longer for what I was trying to hurry along with my disobedience. 

 

“…Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15

“So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

“What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”  Zechariah 4:6-7

‘Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.  Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”  Psalm 127:1

God’s direction for me is to sit still.  I don’t know what He is telling you.  Maybe He is telling you to get up and move or to draw closer to Him.  In whatever He is asking for your obedience are you giving it?  Or have you felt He is not enough and taken matters into your own hands? 

When your children look at you do they see the strength that comes from a quiet confidence in the Lord or do they see you all beat up and bloody from wielding your own sword in your own strength? 

 

Father, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all you have done for me.  You have taken me under your wing.  You have protected me from the damage I would cause going out in my own strength.  You have been my strength.  You are creating in me a pure heart, a heart that can teach my children to love you and others in actions and in truth (1John 3:18). 

Gifted

I remember the 'Gifted' program from when I was a child in school. Being 'gifted' seperated you from the rest of the children, your work was different and more was expected from you.

We are all gifted with spiritual gifts. In using our gifts, we should be seperated from the rest (the world), our work (mission/ministry) is different and we are expected to be and make disciples.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." - Matthew 28:19

What better place to start building disciples, than in our own homes with our own children? As moms, we should be identifying spiritual gifts in our children and encouraging them to use them.

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them." - 1 Corinthisans 12:4

Disciples are not just believers or followers of Jesus. Disciples dwell with and imitate the life of Jesus .When someone encounters a disciple they should encounter Jesus... dwelling within us. They should see Jesus in our actions, our persona and in the way we use our gifts.

Challenge: Identify at least one spiritual gift in your child/children today. Teach them how this is a gift from God and encourage them to use it today. What are spiritual gifts? How can you use yours today?

Lost

Who am I? It was a question I battled for many years. Am I an athlete? Am I scholar? Am I dancer…ballet or hip hop?  Am I a swimmer, a soccer player, or a track runner? Do I like country, hip hop, pop, or alternative? Am I popular? Do I enjoy being and ‘outsider’…somebody different? Am I preppy, girly, hippie, or a tom-boy?

Confused yet? I sure was! Before I knew who I was in Christ, I kept trying to put myself in a category. I wanted to know where I fit in…I wanted to know what ‘home-base’ was for me? The most liberating day of my entire life (are you ready for this)…was NOT the day I accepted Christ into my heart. It was the day that I truly understood WHO that decision made me…I was a Christian. I was God’s daughter; I was made in HIS image. I was made to live for him in all things.

I no longer needed to be defined by what I did, said, or looked like. My exterior was not nearly as important as my interior. Mom, I want to encourage you—this is perhaps the most important thing that you can do for your child: help them understand WHO (not what) their identity is tied to. That alone, knowing they are a child of God, will arm the with the self-confidence they need to tackle a world that can be…well, mean at times.

When the bully picks on them. When they gain a little extra weight. When they don’t make the team. When they lose a friend. When they are not invited. When they don’t pass the test. When they have a bad day. The answer to their freedom has and will always be the same: JESUS! It doesn’t matter what anyone else says about them because what is true is what GOD says about them. If what other people say or do does not line up with God, then there is something wrong with that person, not them.

Mom, we have got to live this one out. We need to know where our identity lies before we can help our kids accept who they are. Are there things that you DO NOT like about yourself? Do your kids know about those things? How do you talk about yourself? Little ears are listening. They will pick up on whether we are finding our security in the Father or if we are looking for the approval of man.

Challenge:

Spend time with your kids today talking about who their heavenly Father is, and the fact that they are made in HIS image. Look for scriptures that talk about who we are as believers, and then share them with your children. Speak truth into their hearts. Let them know that they are not defined by what they do (or don’t do), but by who they are in HIM.

Challenge #2:

Model the above principle in your own life. Stop beating yourself up over who you are not, and start thanking God for who you are. Stop comparing yourself to other Moms. You are made in HIS image as well. J

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you love us so very much. We stand in awe of who you are, and the fact that your Word declares that we are made in your image. Help us to find our identity and self-worth in you. May we shut out the voices of what others have told us, or even what we think of ourselves, and find the truth of who we are in your Word. Cleanse us, shape us, mold us so that we are more like you. Help us model your truths and share them with our children. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things that he planned for us long ago.”  Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

“How you made me is amazing and wonderful. I praise you for that. What you have done is wonderful. I know that very well.” Psalm 139:14 (NIrV)