The winds of grace blow all the time. All we need to do is set our sails. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa – 1836 – 1886 – Religious Leader.
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God Draws Close to a Sister in Faith Who . . . Puts Her Trust in Him
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5–6
Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.Isaiah 40:26
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.Psalm 147:5
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.Psalm 18:30
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses. . . .By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.2 Corinthians 6:4, 6–7
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.Psalm 56:3–4
Excerpt from God’s Wisdom for Sisters in Faith
Sisters in Faith material selected by
Michele Clark Jenkins
Stephanie Perry Moore
Scripture selected by
Jack Countryman
© 2013 by Jack Countryman and © 2013 by Sisters in Faith, LLC
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FAITH THAT BRINGS HOPE
…for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4
We often think that faith is our duty, or something we can give back to God. In reality, we cannot even do that on our own. There is nothing we can give to God. We must rely on Him for everything—even our faith. When we accept it as His precious gift, we find victory over sin and trials. We could never have this victory if we relied only on our own tenuous faith. “Faith does not always provide exemption from suffering, but it does keep us from being defeated at the hands of suffering.”
Carl Moeller, Open Doors’ USA President says, “I met secretly with a courageous believer who had been forced to hang from his ankles or wrists every day, subjected to repeated beatings and was crammed in a three-foot square box for three weeks.
Racked by memories of the agony he’d been through, Aran had been looking at me with a pained expression until I asked the question, “What were you thinking or feeling during that time?”
His face completely changed. A huge smile broke across it, and he gave me two thumbs up.
What was he thinking…?
Aran simply said, “That I was counted worthy to suffer for Jesus Christ.”
A Christian leader in another restricted country shared the situation there in these words:
In our country, we live in the midst of a pressure cooker. To survive as Christians, we must have a pressure cooker faith. Our young people decide for Christ not because He offers them the most, or because it is fashionable, but because they consider that here is One worth dying for. That may even be what their discipleship may have for them.
Standing Strong Through the Storm (SSTS) examines persecution and the results of persecution—suffering and martyrdom. Satan wants to dishearten us and create hopelessness because of persecution and suffering. We will expose Satan’s lies and show how by faith we can experience God’s restoration of our hope—“the oxygen of the human spirit.”
RESPONSE: Today I will rely on the Lord to walk by faith and not by sight, no matter what happens.
PRAYER: Lord, help me to ignore Satan’s lies and live victoriously today by faith in the hope which only You can give and restore.
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Sarah
Her name means: “Chieftainness” or “Princess”
Her character: Beautiful enough to attract rulers in the ancient world, she could be strong-willed and jealous. Yet Sarah was considered a loyal wife who did what was right and who didn’t give in to fear.
Her sorrow: That she remained childless for most of her life.
Her joy: That at the age of ninety, she gave birth to Isaac, child of the promise.
Key Scriptures: Genesis 12:1-20; 16:1-8; 17:1-22; 18:1-15; 21:1-13; Galatians 4:22-31
Her Story
Sarah was sixty-five, the age many of us retire, when she began a journey that would lead her into uncharted spiritual territory. Leaving behind their homeland, she and her husband, Abraham, moved hundreds of miles south to Canaan, a land fertile with the promises of God but barren of everything cherished and familiar. God had promised the land to Abraham and his offspring. From him would come not just a family, clan, or tribe, but an entire nation, a people who would belong to God as no other people had.
The promise spread like ripples from a stone pitched in water. If Abraham was to father a new nation, surely Sarah would be its mother. Yet she longed to give birth, not to a nation, but to one small child she could kiss and cradle.
At first Abraham and Sarah found it difficult to support themselves in their new homeland. Soon a famine made life so severe that they moved on to Egypt, where Abraham, fearful of Pharaoh, suggested a deceptive maneuver to save his skin: “I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister [she was his half sister], so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”
So Sarah did as her husband asked, and Pharaoh soon added her to his harem of beautiful women. For the privilege, he paid Abraham in the currency of the day—a bevy of sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and servants. But though the two men seemed satisfied with their bargain, God was not. He proceeded to strike Pharaoh and his entire household with diseases. The Egyptian ruler soon summoned Abraham, demanding an explanation. As soon as he heard the truth, he allowed both Sarah and Abraham to leave, taking with them all the riches they had gained in Egypt.
So the couple moved home again. By now, several years had passed since Abraham and Sarah had heard the remarkable promise of God, but still there was no child. So Sarah took matters into her own hands. Following a practice common in the ancient world, she gave Abraham permission to sleep with her Egyptian maid, Hagar. Sarah’s slave would become a surrogate mother for the promised child.
Before long, Ishmael was born. But the child brought only discord between the two women.
One day several years later, the Lord appeared to Abraham while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent.
“Where is your wife, Sarah?”
“There, in the tent,” Abraham replied.
Then the Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”
Now Sarah, who had been eavesdropping from inside the tent, laughed and said, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
But the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.”
Because Sarah was afraid, she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”
But he pressed her, saying, “Yes, you did laugh.”
A year later, Sarah gave birth to Isaac, whose name means “Laughter.” Of course the joke was not lost on the ninety-year-old mother, who exclaimed: “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”
But Sarah’s humor was short-lived. Fireworks flared once again between the two mothers until Sarah forced Hagar and Ishmael from Abraham’s household, leaving them to wander in the harsh desert. And though God provided for the two outcasts, it was through Isaac that he would keep his promise of a new nation and a deliverer for his people.
Sarah died at the age of 127 and was buried in Hebron. Between Isaac’s birth and her own death lay thirty-seven years, ample time to reflect on her life’s adventure with God. Was she ashamed of her treatment of the ill-fated Hagar? Did she remember laughing when God told Abraham she would bear a child at the age of ninety? Did she appreciate the echoing irony in young Isaac’s laughter? Did she have any idea she would one day be revered as the Mother of Israel—indeed, a symbol of the promise just as Hagar was to become a symbol of slavery under the law? Scripture does not say. But it is heartening to realize that God accomplishes his purposes despite our frailties, our little faith, our entrenched self-reliance.
True, Sarah’s pragmatic attempts to help God keep his promise caused plenty of anguish. (Even in our own day, the struggle between Israel and her Arab neighbors stems from the ancient strife between two women and the children they bore.) Still, despite her jealousy, anxiety, and skepticism about God’s ability to keep his promises, there’s no denying that Sarah was a risk-taker of the first order, a woman who said good-bye to everything familiar to travel to a land she knew nothing about. A real flesh-and-blood kind of woman who lived an adventure more strenuous than any fairy-tale heroine, an adventure that began with a promise and ended with laughter.
Her Promise
How hard it was for Sarah (and is for us as well) to remember God’s promises and to wait for him to fulfill them. God’s promises are revealed and fulfilled in his own timing, which is often on a calendar far different from our own.
Waiting patiently for God to work may be one of the most difficult experiences of our Christian walk. We live in an age of the immediate. We think waiting, and doing so quietly, is somehow less worthy, perhaps even a bit lazy. We’re great “do-it-yourselfers,” but we often get in God’s way when we take things into our own hands.
Do you have something you’re waiting for God to do? Have you asked him for the salvation of your husband? Of a family member? Are you praying for a rebellious child to come home? Whatever the circumstances, God’s timing is the best timing. When you’re tempted to step in and make things happen on your own, think of Sarah. Her attempts to fulfill God’s promise of a son through her servant Hagar had disastrous results. Remember that God has his own timetable, and rest in the assurance that he loves you and will fulfill his promises to you.
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 | He Gives More Grace in MotherhoodSARAH WALTON |
“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” James 4:6 (ESV)
I stared at the days-old leftovers in the fridge — looking more like a science experiment than something that once was edible — and the tears began to flow. It had been one of those weeks. One where I was reminded of my shortcomings and inadequacies as a mom around every corner.
The kids were bickering, the house was a mess, and I was barely staying afloat with my chronic pain. All I could hear were the whispers, You’re such a failure as a mom. Everyone has it together except for you.
As I wiped away the tears, my son asked if I was OK. I didn’t have the words to explain what was wrong, so I quickly replied, “I’ve just had a hard week.”
Much to my dismay, my son immediately responded, “Mom, you work so hard for us, and we rarely show you how much we appreciate it. Come on — Eli and I are going to take care of you.”
They grabbed my daughter’s toy foot spa, brought down their beanbag chair, and rubbed my shoulders as they tried to encourage me.
At that moment, it was as if God was saying, Sarah, I see you — your imperfect efforts, fears, worries and insecurities. And I’m using the very children you think you’re failing to remind you that I’m at work in ways you can’t see. My grace is greater than your failures, sins and shortcomings as a mom.
God knew I needed the reminder that He gave me children not because He expects me to be a perfect mother but because He wants me to be a vessel that points them to a perfect Savior.
And I imagine I’m not the only one who needs that reminder daily. If you’re a mom, God didn’t give you your children and circumstances because He thought you could juggle a million plates without dropping any. No, He entrusted these precious children to you and me to draw us into dependence on Him. And as we fall on our knees in humble dependence, His grace, wisdom and strength will meet us right where we are.
“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (James 4:6).
Sister, if you’re feeling the weight of your shortcomings as a mom, rest in this — His grace is enough for you today. Bring your weaknesses, insecurities and sin battles to the Lord, whose grace and forgiveness are always greater. And as you lean on your Savior’s grace, you will become a conduit of that grace into the lives of the precious little ones you’ve been entrusted with.
Yes, we will fall short as moms every single day. But praise God that He gives more grace.
Lord, I long to love and lead my children well but so often fall short of being the mom I desire to be. Thank You that Your grace is greater than my inadequacies. Help me rest in that truth today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
For more practical encouragement in motherhood from a mother/daughter team of authors, grab a copy of Sarah Walton and Linda Green’s new book, He Gives More Grace: 30 Reflections for the Ups and Downs of Motherhood Through the Years.
For encouragement in the difficulties of life, you can grab a copy of Sarah’s bestselling book Hope When It Hurts.
ENGAGE
If you’d like to connect with Sarah, you can follow her blog at Setapart.net or on Instagram at @sarahpwalton.
To connect with Linda, you can follow her blog at Chosenandcalled.com.
Enter to WIN your very own copy of He Gives More Grace by Sarah Walton and Linda Green. To celebrate this book, Sarah and Linda’s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and then notify each one in the comments section by Tuesday, January 16, 2024.}
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Psalm 103:14, “For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust” (ESV).
What is one weakness, insecurity or struggle that you can bring to Jesus today to receive His grace, wisdom and rest?
© 2024 by Sarah Walton. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks The Good Book Company for their sponsorship of today’s devotion.
Click here to view our policy on third-party links.Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106www.Proverbs31.org
How does being sentenced to death lead to new life?
Dear Friend,
The following message is from Heather Rice-Minus, president and chief executive officer of Prison Fellowship.
This amazing ministry has made an incredible impact in prisons across the country, restoring lives to Christ and serving children and families shattered by crime. That’s why we wanted to bring this special need to your attention.
Below, please read a message from Heather about the amazing transformation of a former prisoner named Eddie.
Thank you.
Dear Friend,
I want to share with you the story of a former prisoner named Eddie. His life is proof that God’s grace knows no limits.
When Eddie was 12 years old, his dad started drinking
more. That led to physical abuse, so Eddie started running away from home and getting into trouble. After years of minor violations, Eddie’s life took a dramatic turn.
“At the age of 20, I was arrested for the crime of first-degree murder and armed robbery,” Eddie says. While in jail, God brought a man from a local church who shared the Gospel with Eddie.
“I got down on my knees and called upon the name of the Lord with tears streaming down my face, and God miraculously saved me in the jail cell,” Eddie says.
A new creation—headed to death row
Not long after, Eddie was found guilty and sentenced to death. In prison, Eddie continued to grow in his faith. As God’s Word started to sink in, Eddie started seeing his crime from the perspective of the victim. He says, “It really weighed heavy on my heart.”
So much so that when Eddie’s convictions were overturned and he was able to ask for a new trial, he did not. He says, “I purposed in my heart to accept responsibility for what I did.”
Eddie pled guilty and was sentenced to 25 years to life. Going back to prison was tough, but Eddie clung to Jesus. He spent the next 25 years behind bars serving as a leader in the prison church.
Once Eddie was released, he moved into transitional housing and got a job.
Unexpected blessings
And then, something he thought might never happen did. Eddie met someone special and got married and started a family. Now he has two kids. More blessings were in store for Eddie when he got to go back into a prison to share his testimony and the Gospel at a Prison Fellowship Hope Event.
Next, Eddie started volunteering with the Prison Fellowship Academy—a year-long intensive program designed to change the thinking and behavior of incarcerated men and women—at the same prison where he was once on Death Row.
Eddie’s life was transformed by God’s grace
Today, Eddie serves as the program manager for the Prison Fellowship Academy in North Dakota, helping prisoners grow in their faith!
“Each day I live, I’m in awe of the grace of God. It’s just been an incredible journey,” Eddie says.
His story is the story we wish we could tell about every man and woman who has seen the inside of a prison cell. And with your help, we can write more amazing stories of transformed lives. Will you give generously today to send Bibles and life-changing Christian content to prisoners?
We have an amazing opportunity to reach prisoners like Eddie once was with what they need most: God’s Word! Thank you for remembering those in prison.
Yours in His service,
Jesus’s Love is Not Earned
By DaySpring
This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. I JOHN 4:10 NLT
Have you ever tried to earn someone’s love?
I spent most of the first two decades of my life on that futile quest. Whether it was other kids, my family members, or authority figures, I often pretended to be someone I wasn’t. I figured the person I actually was simply wasn’t good enough to be accepted.
When I met my wife, Kristie, however, I learned to stop trying to earn love and started to enjoy being loved.
Jesus doesn’t ask us to pretend to be someone else to earn His love. He doesn’t expect us to accomplish certain things in order to be worthy of His love. The reality is the opposite, and it’s mind-blowing. He loved us first, before we were even aware of Him.
Jesus knows everything about us. Everything, full stop. And He already loves us perfectly. We don’t earn the love of Jesus like it’s a paycheck for work we’ve done. Jesus meets us with love wherever and however we are. We may be lost, but Jesus is already seeking us. We may feel like we have to pretend, but Jesus already sees through whatever mask we’re wearing, and He loves us.
Jesus loves you without reservation and without stopping. Ever. There aren’t any other loves like that in the universe.
Takeaway: You can’t earn the love of Jesus – but the good news is you don’t have to earn it!
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for loving me even when I feel like You shouldn’t. Help me to accept the gift of Your love, which is all I need.
This is an excerpt from Jesus is All We Need by Jason Sautel – a devotional now available for pre-order on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.
10 Ways You May Be Destroying the Church
- Jennifer Slattery
- JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com
When churches struggle or begin to die, it’s easy to point fingers at leadership. If only the sermons were more engaging, or the music was different, or perhaps if there were more ministries available, then people would come in abundance! But what if we, the congregants, are the reason for a stagnating or declining congregation? As part of God’s body assigned with the gospel message and the task of growing His church, what we do or don’t do can have a huge impact.
Here are 10 ways we may be destroying our church.
Editor, Novelist, and speaker Jennifer Slattery has a passion for helping women discover, embrace, and live out who they are in Christ. As the founder of Wholly Loved Ministries, (http://whollyloved.com) she and her team put on events at hosting churches designed to help women rest in their true worth and live with maximum impact. She has five novels out with New Hope Publishers and is the managing and acquisitions editor of Guiding Light Women’s Fiction, an imprint with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. When not writing, reading, or editing, Jennifer loves going on mall dates with her adult daughter and coffee dates with her hilariously fun husband.
Visit with Jennifer online at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com and connect with her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/PHA-RAON
1. With Our Words
Slide 1 of 10
Gossip, backbiting, slander, and venting can all create ripples of disunity that ultimately lead to severed relationships, shattered ministry teams, and wounded Christians.
Scripture says love always protects.* When tempted to say something, we must ask ourselves: Am I protecting this other individual? And, am I protecting the unity of the church? When we share with others regarding an “offense”, we risk harming a fellow church member’s opinion of someone else, thus laying the foundation for division.
If we must vent, we can do so without mentioning names, and we can always vent to God. He’s the only One who perceives the situation and all involved accurately. If we must bring others into a conflict, we should do so following Christ’s very clear instructions found in Matthew 18:15-17.
*Please note, this doesn’t pertain to situations of rape or abuse.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/maurusone
2. Complaining
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Complaining may seem harmless, but it stems from a negative outlook, one that we spew to everyone else, thus bringing them down with us.
In Numbers chapter 11, Scripture tells a story about the Israelites as God was leading them through the wilderness to the Promised Land. He’d rescued them from the Egyptians, brought them out of slavery, and provided for all their needs.
But as the journey continued, and they walked through the hot, dry desert day after day, they fed and voiced their negativity. Numbers 11 says, “Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them…” (NLT).
It’s interesting to note, Moses, God’s chosen leader, complained a great deal, but there’s no evidence in Scripture that this ever angered God. Why?
The difference was, Moses complained to God whereas the people complained to one another, and before long, this negativity grew, infecting the entire camp. Shortly after, Moses’ siblings criticized their brother, potentially leading to an uprising. Then, in chapter 13, when God sends scouts out to explore the land He’d already given His people, they continued what had become a culture of negativity and convinced the people that the opposition to God’s plan was greater than God Himself.
Negativity is contagious, toxic, and can lead a people group and church to believe the hard or unpleasant is greater than God.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/ArtemSam
3. Entitlement
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Scripture tells believers to “die” to themselves (Matthew 16:24-24) and live for Christ and His mission. The church isn’t here to serve us but rather, we are to serve the church. Though we certainly benefit from godly community and sound teaching, that’s so we can better serve.
In Romans 12:1-2, Paul says, “… I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is the true way to worship Him” (NLT).
We are to give our whole bodies, our entire selves—thoughts, will, actions, word, gifts, time—to God to be used as He wills.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/Jirsak
4. Short-sightedness
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God intentionally places visionaries within our churches—those with the gift of dreaming big and enlisting others to help. To catch and pursue a vision, the church must embrace a certain amount of risk and, often, change, two things many are uncomfortable with. We may be tempted to limit or criticize the vision God has cast, but He has called us to continual growth and impact.
May we never be the limiting factor within our church.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/fizkes
5. Self-absorption
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This trait can present in numerous ways—entitlement, misery, being easily offended, and overly insecure. Whenever we obsess about ourselves, whether that’s focusing on our shortcomings or our problems, we lose sight of the mission God has called us to. Our world steadily shrinks, and instead of spurring us to grow in love, faith, and service, this usually causes us to grow in misery. It might even cause us to isolate and self-protect.
The more we focus on ourselves, the more miserable we become. The more we focus on others and God’s redemptive mission, the more peace and joy we experience, and the greater our impact in our church and community.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/SIphotography
6. Judging
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We all have a bit of Pharisee in us, and it often comes out when we’re least alert. It might be that first thought that zips through our brain: “She never reads her Bible.” Or, “He’s always so gruff. He needs to develop more fruits of the Spirit.”
Though God does call His children to speak truth into other’s lives, we need to make sure we’ve developed the relational bridge to support loving admonishments. If we haven’t, chances are, we’re misreading the situation and much more is going on beneath the surface than we’ve even considered.
And more often than not, our judgment doesn’t come from a place of love but rather pride, triggered by the thought, “I’d never do that.” Pride is ugly, and others tend to notice, whether we voice those negative thoughts or not. The solution? We need to check our hearts, daily, asking God to remove all those things that get in His way.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/Wavebreakmedia
7. Unrealistic Expectations of Our Leaders
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Today’s pastors and ministry leaders are expected to visit the sick, counsel the hurting, be everything to everyone, and more, all while researching and preparing each week’s sermon. We somehow forget that they have lives outside of ministry, families they’re responsible to, and that there’s only so much one person can do in a given week.
We must remember, a pastor’s primary role is to preach truth. They must sift every opportunity and congregational expectation through the will of God. Our role is to trust they’re doing that, to support them in their God-given mission, and to seek to be blessings, not leaches. Their role is to obey Christ, not the loudest, most offended, or most disgruntled congregants.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/g-stockstudio
8. People Pleasing
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In the church, people pleasing is most often seen when, out of guilt or perhaps a desire to look good or avoid looking bad, we assume roles not meant for us. When we do this, not only do we risk feeling frustrated and ineffective, we may be preventing others from taking on the tasks God has assigned.
This is also one of the quickest roads to burnout, which could result in us doing nothing. When we serve because of God’s prompting, however, He ignites a passion within us and gives us the strength and ability to complete whatever He has assigned.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/seb_ra
9. Worldliness
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Our churches are filled with too many immature, stagnating Christians. Those who come on Sunday morning, listen to the sermon and sing a few songs, then go about their days as if they’d never attended. We spend more time talking about that next clothing sale or football game than we do the things of God.
But He has so much more planned for us than mindless shopping and momentary entertainment. He’s called us to live a great adventure, one of incredible impact and consistent growth, one that will fulfill us more and leave us satisfied longer than a quick trip to the mall ever could.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/lolostock
10. Pew Warming
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Imagine going through life without a leg, or navigating the city without eyesight. For some of you, that’s a reality, so you know the challenges. But what if that leg was within reach but was unwilling to help?
In 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Paul uses the analogy of the human body to explain the various spiritual gifts and roles within the church. “If one part suffers” or disengages, “all parts suffer with it” (1 Cor. 12:26, NLT). Imagine a church filled with nothing but feet!
If our church feels unbalanced, before complaining or pointing fingers, we should check ourselves. Are we doing what God has called us to do, or have we chosen to become pew warmers, thus exacerbating the problem?
God will grow His church. He’s been saving humanity and changing lives since creation, but He’s invited us to join Him. More than that, He’s given each and every one of us the responsibility of fostering a thriving church and leaving an eternal impact on our community. May we practice those behaviors that facilitate unity, growth, and transformation while simultaneously turning from church-destroying behaviors.
Because much more is at stake than our feelings, pride, or preferences.
Photo credit: ©Thinkstock/Rawpixel
CrossCards
A Prayer for Flexibility in Our Planning
A Prayer for Flexibility in Our Planning
By Laura Bailey
“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” – Proverbs 19:21 NLT
My phone buzzed, and my children’s school appeared on the caller ID. My initial thought was to send it to voicemail with only thirty minutes left in the day; this couldn’t be anything of major importance– probably, just one of those automatic dialers. But something told me I should answer, “Mrs. Bailey; your child has a fever; you need to come to pick her up.”
My heart sank, but not for the right reason. Yes, I was concerned that my child was sick, and I hated to think of her sitting in the nurse’s office, pitifully waiting for me to come and rescue her. I was upset because her sickness meant that our weekend plans were out the window. I know; I probably won’t win any mother of the year awards with that admission.
The last few weeks had been incredibly busy for our family. My husband and I barely got a chance to speak most days, surviving off a peck and a few text messages to sustain our relationship. We needed a date night, and just that morning, a relative offered to keep the girls so we could have dinner sans three rambunctious kiddos.
On the way to school, I became more agitated, thinking about the numerous times illnesses or something else with the kids thwarted our attempts at some mommy and daddy alone time. Spending time with my husband is a good thing, and working on our marriage is vital, so why did it seem that something always came up every time we planned to go out?
In Proverbs 19: 21, Solomon understood the importance of having a good plan. He most assuredly ascribed to the “those who fail to plan, plan to fail” mentality. Maybe his reason for stressing the importance of a good plan was that he oversaw all the intricate details involved in designing and building the temple and other important structures in his kingdom. Whatever the reason, in Solomon’s wisdom, he reinforced throughout Proverbs the importance of consulting with godly counsel, seeking God’s will, and all the vital parts of the planning process.
However, Solomon also warns us that we mustn’t hold our plans with a tight fist but rather an open palm. Humans can provide the perfect plan, outline the right roadmap for success, or perfect their proposal, but only the Lord’s intentions will come to fruition. That doesn’t mean we should neglect to make any arrangements, abandon thinking about the future, or squash excitement for an upcoming event. However, we do have to remain flexible in our planning because sometimes our plans don’t work out the way we hope. Sometimes we need the reminder that God’s will trumps our plans (James 4:15).
After I got my daughter home and settled, I updated the sitter that we wouldn’t be coming tonight and canceled the weekend plans, and instead of annoyance, I felt relief. More than we needed date night, God knew our family needed to rest and relax. The unforeseen illness and canceled plans resulted in a cleared calendar and reminded us how God works all things, good and bad, out for our good and His glory.
May we approach planning humbly, learning to adjust and adapt when things don’t work out how we’d hoped. Because God is all-knowing and loves us dearly, we can trust His plans are always better than anything we orchestrate. May this truth free us to hold our plans loosely and adapt quickly when things don’t work out the way we hope.
Let’s Pray
Dear God,
Thank you for your sovereign control over all areas of our lives. Please guide us as we seek to do Your will by leaning on Your words in the Scriptures. Help us to be flexible in our planning, approaching planning with humility and surrender.
May we not rely on our own ability, leaning on godly wisdom and trusting that You’re always working for the good of your people. When our plans fail, give us the grace to adjust and adapt, finding an opportunity to be joyful in our circumstances. Let us be encouraged not to boast about tomorrow but take great delight in serving you today in everything we say and do.
Thank you for your salvation plan, sending your Son to redeem your creation from this fallen world. We love you. Amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/ChainarongPrasertthai
Laura Bailey is a Bible teacher who challenges and encourages women to dive deep in the Scriptures, shift from an earthly to an eternal mindset, and filter life through the lens of God’s Word. She is the author of Beyond the Noise, and loves any opportunity to speak and teach women of all ages. She is a wife and momma to three young girls. Connect with her on her website, www.LauraRBailey.com, Facebook and Instagram.
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7 Practices That Help Children Know Their True Worth
- Heather Riggleman
- Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
The world tells our children who they are and who they are not–in a hurry.
It begins as early as the playground, the track team, the classroom, and nights out with friends. It macerates harder with social media and of course, there’s television and magazines too. They become teens and then adults who struggle to know their worth, their value.
They often wonder if they are enough and struggle to fight the lies they’re being fed.
But what if we, as their parents, had the power to change that? What if we had the power to raise faith-filled kids who know their worth? What if we became intentional about building our children up in truth, about reminding them of their true identity?
What if we became deliberate about helping our children know their worth?
We can. We are the parents, mothers and fathers that were created specifically in mind when God gave us our children. We know them inside and out. We know how funny, brilliant, and wonderful they are.
And the more intentional we are about instilling their sense of self-worth, the better it will go for them when they are adults.
Many of us have to work so hard to undo negative views of ourselves because of our upbringing. We pour over self-help books, go to therapy, constantly work at breaking old habits and learning new good ones that reflect our true value instead of what we believed growing up.
Let’s make this job easier on our kids by using godly principles. Here are six practices to help children know their worth.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Eye-for-Ebony
1. Speak Life
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Our words build a universe around our kids. We have the ability to shape, build, and describe who they are, so we need to speak life into our children. When we look in the Bible, we can see the power of words.
In the very first chapter, God said, “Let there be light,” and the first dawn was created. Jesus brought the dead to life with his words and healed others. And it doesn’t stop there, our lives revolve around the power of words too, for example, the words, “I do” join two people together for the rest of their lives.
Paul tells us to “Let everything [we] say be good and helpful, so that [our] words will be an encouragement to all who hear them.” (Ephesians 4:29).
Our words need to lift them up instead of adding to the rest of the world’s voices.
Why? Because a parent’s words are powerful. Whoever told us “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” lied. Words are powerful.
Often, they are more powerful that we even realize. If we want to grow our children in the healthiest atmosphere possible, we must recognize the power of our words and take responsibility for each and every one.
We need to speak life intentionally over our children the way God has spoken life over us. Here are a few references to speak God’s Truth over your kids.
2. Speak Truth, God’s Truth
The Bible is absolutely full of amazing truths about how God made us and loves us. Tell your children these truths often. Post them all over your house, write them in notes for their lunches, or make them a part of their bedtime routine.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)
You are worth dying for. (Romans 5:8)
You are uniquely gifted. (1 Corinthians 12:1-31)
You can do all things with Christ’s strength. (Philippians 4:13)
You can do hard things. (Romans 8:37)
You have a purpose. (1 Peter 2:9)
Your body is perfectly made (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
You are never alone. Psalm 139: 9-10
You are seen, known, protected and called by name. (Isaiah 43:1-2)
You are a citizen of heaven; this world is not your home (Philippians 3:20).
You are never in the dark. God’s Word will help you find your way in dark times (Psalm 119:105).
You are forever loved. (Jeremiah 31:3)
As a mother, I want my words to be life and hope. I long to speak truth over my children, to grow their gifts and encourage their strengths, but it doesn’t happen when I’m simply calling out their weaknesses.
Related Resource: Listen to Our FREE Parenting Podcast!
Christian Parent/Crazy World with Catherine Segars is available on LifeAudio.com. Click the play button below to listen to our episode on the power of our words to shape our childrens’ future:
3. Turn Negative Labels into Positive Affirmations
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It slips off our tongue before we realize what we’ve done. We labeled our kids and it can potentially degrade their self-worth.
What we say becomes our child’s inner voice and it can become a part of their identity. We’ve all heard how we should phrase negative behavior as situational and not as a characteristic quality. The same idea applies here, so we reframe our statements.
Reframing is one of the most powerful tools a parent can have in their verbal arsenal. Putting a positive twist on a seemingly negative behavior can literally change everything.
Once you can identify the positive affirmation to your child’s difficult traits, then you are able to help her gain control, grow, and become who Christ created her to be. For example, instead of saying your child is bossy, consider stating your child is a leader.
Here is a cheat sheet of turning difficult traits into positive ones.
Negative Labels Positive Affirmations
Demanding Decisive
Insistent Determined
Stubborn Persistent
Cocky Confident
Bossy A Leader / Authoritative
Defiant Bold
Challenging Gutsy
Anti-Social Thoughtful
Obstinate Independent
Inattentive Focused
Hyper Energetic
Sensitive Tuned in to emotions
Impatient Eager
4. Remind Them It’s Okay to Fail
None of us like getting knocked down. None of us like skinned knees or feeling inadequate; but that is a part of growing, changing, and becoming a better version of ourselves. Only through trial and error can children become resilient adults.
Yet, it can be so tough to watch your child fail but James 1:2-8 reminds us we will go through trials in order to produce faith, steadfastness, and a resilient soul. Not learning to fail is actually a detriment to our kids. It creates anxiety instead of resilience whether that’s in preschool or college.
When you or your child fails, use these moments as teaching moments. A child’s failure is a chance for parents to teach acceptance and problem-solving skills.
Help your child find the “next time you can” in her mistakes. For example, you could say, “Yep, you spilled the juice. Next time you’re pouring the juice, you can hold your glass over the sink.” You and your child can try to come up with what she could do the next time for a better chance at success.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Marcelo Silva
5. Be Present and Play with Your Kids
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It’s hard to feel good about yourself when your friend is engrossed with their phones when they’re supposed to be an active listener in the conversation. The same goes for our kids. When we get sucked into the virtual vortex, we are saying:
“I’d rather be distracted then pay attention to you.”
“It’s okay to let a little rectangle run my life.”
“Alerts take precedence over you.”
Kids who see their parents looking down at their phones instead of at them think you don’t care about them. An opportunity to connect with your kid is gone, and the lesson your kid has learned is that you’d rather immerse yourself online. By keeping our heads down and shutting ourselves off from our kids, we are modeling behavior that they will follow when they have devices of their own.
Let’s build up children who will build up their own children one day. Let’s be present, be an active listener, and put the distractions away. Show them they are worth your time and you care what they think, their emotions, interests and more.
Making children feel seen, makes them feel important and that feeling of being a priority is a big factor to knowing their worth!
6. Develop Healthy Self-Care Habits
Even though your child may be four, twelve or fourteen, we need to parent with the end result in mind—we’re raising future adults who need to know their worth in God’s eyes.
Children, just like adults, benefit greatly from consistent and deliberate self-care activities. Doing self-care activities together not only helps your child to cultivate good habits, it also helps your mind and body operate at its best—exactly the foundation you need to be the best parent you can be!
Self-care activities could be making the bed, keeping their room organized, cooking together, family hikes, Friday night game nights and resting on Sunday after church.
Teaching our children to take care of themselves increases their self-worth; plus, it provides opportunities to build rituals of connection and create a system of shared meaning that helps to keep your family bonded together.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/evgenyatamanenko
7. Help Your Child Express Her Feelings and Thoughts
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Do you ever hear your child say, “I can’t do that,” or “I’m not good enough.” Licensed parenting expert Lori Wildenberg calls this self-shaming.
In an article she wrote, “10 Ways To Stop Your Child’s Self Shaming,” she says if your child tends to have a defeated mind-set, demonstrates a pattern of pessimism, or has a distorted view of themselves, it’s up to help them process these feelings and thoughts.
“Constant and consistent negative self-messages will affect our child’s belief about his self-worth and will impact his mood and behavior. Negative self-talk has been linked to feelings of general anxiety. It perpetuates feelings of depression, hurt, or anger. It may come in the form of: Worry, doubt, self-shame, procrastination, perfectionism, comparison, or complaining. Fear is often the catalyst to self-destructive talk; fear of failure and fear of acceptance.”
Instead of trying to make them feel better about themselves, she offers parents seven steps to help your child process her feelings. When you hear your child’s self-shaming, she suggests:
1. Mirror back to your child what you see while naming the emotion, “Wow, I can see you are frustrated.”
2. Normalize the struggle. “Most people struggle with one thing or another. It’s okay. We learn through the challenges.”
3. Empathize. Your kids need to know you struggle too. “Math was always hard for me too.”
4. Challenge the self-talk by asking some questions to get a handle on the scope of the struggle. “Is it this particular assignment that is exasperating you?”
5. Re-frame the comment. “This assignment is frustrating.” Rather than, “I’m so stupid.”
6. Adjust the perspective by restating, “I feel so dumb when I have trouble with math.” Rather than, “I am so stupid.”
7. Play a supportive role. Don’t take over. Ask questions instead. “What’s your plan?” or “How can I help?”
If you’re like me, you see your failures and parenting mistakes as big mountains to overcome. Give yourself grace and thank God for a new day to begin again. Since our children are already born with invaluable self worth, our job becomes a little bit simpler—to make sure that we are teaching them their worth.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/fizkes
Heather Riggleman is a believer, wife, mom, author, social media consultant, and full-time writer. She lives in Minden, Nebraska with her kids, high school sweetheart, and three cats who are her entourage around the homestead. She is a former award-winning journalist with over 2,000 articles published. She is full of grace and grit, raw honesty, and truly believes tacos can solve just about any situation. You can find her on GodUpdates, iBelieve, Crosswalk, Hello Darling, Focus On The Family, and in Brio Magazine. Connect with her at www.HeatherRiggleman.com or on Facebook.
Jesus, purify my heart
devotionals daily
Be His Example
Today’s inspiration comes from:
by Charles F. Stanley
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven. — Matthew 5:16
Whether you realize it or not, you’re an example. It doesn’t matter if you think you’re too weak or inadequate to be one — there are people who look up to you and are watching to see how you live. And God wants you to be His representative to them.
Jesus came into this world as a Servant, humbly giving His life so that we would be reconciled to the Father. And God’s will is that we imitate what He did for us by serving others. We perform loving acts of service that meet the spiritual and practical needs of those around us so that they’ll grow closer to Him.
There are so many people around you in need today — not just physically or financially, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Everyone you meet needs someone to encourage him or her. Will you make time to reach out and show them the awesome, unconditional, sacrificial love of Christ? Remember, God sees everything you do in His name and will bless you for all you do in obedience to Him (Hebrews 6:10).
Jesus, show me where I can serve others with Your love and compassion. Work through me to draw others to Yourself. Amen.
My hope is in Jesus because He is worthy of my service.
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My hope is in Jesus because in Him is everything I need.
See God
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. — Matthew 5:8
Do you want to see more of God’s work in your life and experience His presence in a more profound way? Would you like the capacity to perceive His protection and provision in your work, trials, relationships, and in every aspect of your existence? Jesus tells you the way: pursue purity.
When you purge your life of all the behaviors and attitudes that displease God, you clear your vision of the impediments that usually obscure His work in you. You receive a clearer understanding of how He’s behind every good gift you receive (James 1:17) and how He gives meaning to all your struggles (Romans 8:28). Without sin clouding your thinking and deadening your spiritual senses, you become more aware of how the Father is engineering all circumstances for your ultimate good.
So keep your heart pure by seeking and obeying the Lord. Invite the Holy Spirit to convict you through God’s Word and repent of sin as soon as you’re conscious of its presence. And in all things, do as He says. After all, obedience always brings blessing, and when the reward is seeing God, you’re receiving the ultimate desire of your soul. It’s certainly worthwhile!
Jesus, purify my heart and help me see You in every aspect of my life. Amen.
My hope is in Jesus because in Him is everything I need.
Excerpted with permission from Jesus Our Perfect Hope by Dr. Charles Stanley, copyright Charles F. Stanley.
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Your Turn
As Jesus followers, our hearts are for Him, wanting to be closer to Him, and wanting to be more like Him. As we do that, we show the world who He is! Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily
Words of Encouragement
Lord, I praise You for Your provision in my life. You are the God over all things, and You know Your creation like no other. In Your infinite mercies, You minister to me. Thank You for Your continual work in my life— today and every day. Amen.
God, I praise You because You always finish what You start. I worship You for the power of Your Word, which transforms and renews my mind. I sing praises to Your name, for You hold the universe in the palm Your hand. I worship You in the knowledge that You work out all things for the good of those who love You. Amen.
Dose of Devotion 