The Gentle Touch

Hi! My name is Sheila and I will be guest blogging today for Teresa. I am a mommy of 3 amazing kids. Aliyah (11y/o) my joyful spirit. Arianna (3y/o) my intellectual actress, and Devin Jr. (2y/o) my gentle giant. I am a nurse and beloved wife to my husband Devin who is a firefighter/paramedic. God has taken us on an incredible journey! My journey parenting started as a single mom in college. This wasn't how I had envisioned my future, but Jesus helped me see what I had longed for for so long. Even more, He graced me with His love to be a wife to an incredible, God fearing man when my daughter was 6. My God amazes me everyday the way He pays attention to every detail of our lives. I know the journey of parenting is tough and am so thankful I don't have to be a mommy in my own strength. 2 Chronicles 16:9, "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." (NIV) My prayer is that we all become more dependent on God and our faith is strengthened as we encourage one another to answer the call of "mother."

Philippians 4:5
“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”

Have you ever just lost it with your kids? I mean just yelled with no self control expecting them to react in pure obedience? I have. One morning after repeatedly trying to discipline my 3 year old gently, I decided that since gentleness wasn’t working I would scare the obedience into her. Needless to say it worked but I felt horrible. I saw the fear in her face and though she sat in time out and apologized for her wrongdoings I was totally convicted of the way I had handled her.
God spoke to me that day. He lovingly and gently said, ”When you were caught up in the worst of your sin did I yell at you and scare you. That would have pushed you further away from me. To bring you closer in obedience you were humbled but not by harsh scolding but by loving conviction” God was again gently nudging me to do the right thing. Though I know He has nudged me over and over for the same sin I am again humbled by the love of my heavenly Father, not His pain.
How are you teaching your kids? Are you continually yelling at them trying to get results and then coming up short and frustrated or are you gently nudging them in the right direction? I saw a group of ducks walking in a park and though most of the babies followed the mama there was one baby that kept straying in the wrong direction. This mama duck did not quack loud or nip at the little duckling but she would walk behind and gently nudge this baby duck in the right direction. This gave me such a vivid picture of what parenting is. We are commanded to train up our children. Ephesians 6:4 says:

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord”
The definition of train is: Organized activity aimed at imparting information and/or instructions to improve the recipient's performance or to help him or her attain a required level of knowledge or skill. This is not something done in one try. It takes effort, time, and most of all patience. I am learning this as a mom and want to encourage other moms to continue to run the good race!

Today’s prayer:
Lord,
I thank you for being a loving Father, for training me with love and understanding. Your patience with me inspires me to be patient with my children. Father clothe me this and every day with the fruit of your Spirit so I can be an example to my children of the loving God you are.
In Jesus name I pray!
Amen

Verses to live by:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control” –Galations 5:22-23

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” – Philippians 4:5
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” – Colossians 3:12

Application:
Think of times when you could have been a stronger influence to your children by being gentle and patient in your discipline. Ask the Lord to help you and give you strength to teach and train in gentleness today.