Special note of Encouragement for moms

Special women are a treasure to have in your life.  A dear friend and sister in the Lord shared something that her precious mother-in-law shared with her and I was so blessed by it that I asked her permission to share it with our readers.  Thank you Mrs. Deborah Smith!  May your words of truth and encouragement be a blessing to many more ladies!

Praying for Our Children & Encouraging One Another

I was encouraged this morning by these devotionals as a reminder to always keep praying for our children (or in my case my siblings:-) ), and to make sure to take the time and thought to truly encourage each other as brothers and sisters in the Lord.  The battle for our souls in fierce and we must not forget these two weapons.

Praying for Our Children

“Bring him unto me.”  - Mark 9:19

Despairingly the poor disappointed father turned away from the disciples to their Master. His son was in the worst possible condition, and all means had failed, but the miserable child was soon delivered from the evil one when the parent in faith obeyed the Lord Jesus’ word, “Bring him unto me.” Children are a precious gift from God, but much anxiety comes with them. They may be a great joy or a great bitterness to their parents; they may be filled with the Spirit of God, or possessed with the spirit of evil. In all cases, the Word of God gives us one receipt for the curing of all their ills, “Bring him unto me.” O for more agonizing prayer on their behalf while they are yet babes! Sin is there, let our prayers begin to attack it. Our cries for our offspring should precede those cries which betoken their actual advent into a world of sin. In the days of their youth we shall see sad tokens of that dumb and deaf spirit which will neither pray aright, nor hear the voice of God in the soul, but Jesus still commands, “Bring them unto me.” When they are grown up they may wallow in sin and foam with enmity against God; then when our hearts are breaking we should remember the great Physician’s words, “Bring them unto me.” Never must we cease to pray until they cease to breathe. No case is hopeless while Jesus lives.

The Lord sometimes suffers his people to be driven into a corner that they may experimentally know how necessary he is to them. Ungodly children, when they show us our own powerlessness against the depravity of their hearts, drive us to flee to the strong for strength, and this is a great blessing to us. Whatever our morning’s need may be, let it like a strong current bear us to the ocean of divine love. Jesus can soon remove our sorrow, he delights to comfort us. Let us hasten to him while he waits to meet us.

Encouraging One Another

 “Encourage him.”  - Deuteronomy 1:38

God employs his people to encourage one another. He did not say to an angel, “Gabriel, my servant Joshua is about to lead my people into Canaan-go, encourage him.” God never works needless miracles; if his purposes can be accomplished by ordinary means, he will not use miraculous agency. Gabriel would not have been half so well fitted for the work as Moses. A brother’s sympathy is more precious than an angel’s embassy. The angel, swift of wing, had better known the Master’s bidding than the people’s temper. An angel had never experienced the hardness of the road, nor seen the fiery serpents, nor had he led the stiff-necked multitude in the wilderness as Moses had done. We should be glad that God usually works for man by man. It forms a bond of brotherhood, and being mutually dependent on one another, we are fused more completely into one family. Brethren, take the text as God’s message to you. Labour to help others, and especially strive to encourage them. Talk cheerily to the young and anxious enquirer, lovingly try to remove stumbling blocks out of his way. When you find a spark of grace in the heart, kneel down and blow it into a flame. Leave the young believer to discover the roughness of the road by degrees, but tell him of the strength which dwells in God, of the sureness of the promise, and of the charms of communion with Christ. Aim to comfort the sorrowful, and to animate the desponding. Speak a word in season to him that is weary, and encourage those who are fearful to go on their way with gladness. God encourages you by his promises; Christ encourages you as he points to the heaven he has won for you, and the spirit encourages you as he works in you to will and to do of his own will and pleasure. Imitate divine wisdom, and encourage others, according to the word of this evening.

- Charles Spurgeon's Morning & Evening Meditation for September 17th

~Brittany

Children Learn What They Live

If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility,
he learns to fight.

If a child lives with fear,
he learns to be apprehensive.

If a child lives with pity,
he learns to feel sorry for himself.

If a child lives with ridicule,
he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with jealousy,
he learns what envy is.

If a child lives with shame,
he learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with encouragement,
he learns to be confident.

If a child lives with tolerance,
he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with praise,
he learns to be appreciative.

If a child lives with acceptance,
he learns to love.

If a child lives with approval,
he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with recognition,
he learns that it is good to have a goal.

If a child lives with sharing,
he learns about generosity.

If a child lives with honesty and fairness,
he learns what truth and justice are.

If a child lives with security,
he learns to have faith in himself and in those about him.

If a child lives with friendliness,
he learns that the world is a nice place in which to live.

If you live with serenity,
your child will live with peace of mind.

-Dorothy Law Nolte

Calling, Minstry and Delight of a Parent

One of my parenting verses:
Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
(Php 2:16-17)

What a blessing it is to be a parent to Brittany, Breanna, Tayte, Elizabeth, Titus, Esther and Sarah! 
When upon the time that my life is called to end upon this earth, may I be able to say:
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
(3Jn 1:4)

Thoughts on teaching children

Titus had fallen asleep one evening during family worship and I thought it was just such a precious sight.

Parenting Thought of the Day: 

In order for children to become successful at the three ―R‘s of reading, ‗riting, and ‗rithmetic, parents must first teach them the Three R‘s of Respect, Responsibility, and Resourcefulness. 

These, not high IQ, define the educable child. - 

John Rosemond

Glimpse from Family Worship Tonight

This has been one of Seth and I's favorite parenting verses for years . . .

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
(Pro 14:4)

Seth has been leading us through a study of the book of Proverbs for our family worship time each evening since the fall.  He is using Kevin Swanson's excellent study guide 

I remember when Tayte was just a little guy and every day Seth would sit down with him and they would read and talk about a chapter in Proverbs.  For years we use to read a chapter of Proverbs everyday as part of our schooling.  What fond sweet memories that book has in our family; not to mention the wisdom it contains!!!  Oh dear I digressed there . . . so very many memories.  :-)

Well over the years we have laughed, meditated, clung to, and lived by the above verse. 
Proverbs 14:4 
I am sure any mother or father can find application.  lol

I thought something that Mr. Swanson said was quite profound.  From Part 84 page 188 Book 1

 "God is good.  He does really well with big messes, but He doesn't do as much with those who are so neatly put together.  What really matters in your life are the risks you take for God, the sacrifices, the heart molding, and the willingness to uncover the mess and remove the layers of hypocrisy and white-coated plaster.  If you try risking your furniture, your relationships, and your otherwise neat life for Jesus, and bring the whole mess to the cross, you will find great blessing indeed."  

Another mess . . .ahh . . . these kids!

Ever feel like that?  This morning I was reminded of a precious verse that has carried Seth and I through many years of parenting.

 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
(Pro 14:4)


What a blessing each of those little "oxen" are!   May there be much increase in the kingdom of God as we are faithful in the day to day parenting of our children.