InstaEncouragements Blog

Just Walk One More Day

4/5/2019

One of our little ones had a birthday recently. She had her eyes set on the date since before Christmas. Her expectations were ballooning with each passing day. Detail after detail was being put into place in her mind. I tried my best to say things liked, “You can’t always get everything you want,” and “Your day will be special even if __________ doesn’t happen”. It would be obvious soon enough that she hadn’t heard my counsel.

The big day came and everything went according to her plan, for about 30 minutes. Her presents greeted her on the kitchen table. She was given her favorite doughnuts for breakfast. Her wardrobe matched her approval. All was right with the world. Then it happened. As I am brushing her hair and putting her favorite headband in it, she informed me that someone has to pick her up in the carline for early dismissal. I calmly state that her plan had a flaw. No one would be available to meet her request. All the drivers in the house had work responsibilities. Surely this one detail out of the list of seventy would not merit anything more than an, “Ok mommy, I understand.”

Never have I as a mom judged a result so wrongly! A meltdown of epic proportion occurred. Tears, wailing, and gnashing of teeth best describes her response. As a mom, I felt righteous indignation rising up in my heart. After all the plans and surprises I had worked and slaved over, this is what I am receiving for my efforts. We spent our drive to school with much discussing and rebuking. Even when I revealed her surprise cake, there was still an element of disappointment in her eyes.

One of my sweet friends arranged for our awesome maintenance man to pick her up in his golf cart and drive her around to my side of the building. As he drove her around, everyone waved to her as if she was the queen of a parade. All the kids broke out in song for her as she exited the cart. God had done what only He could do for her even when her attitude and ungratefulness were so undeserving of His provision.

Of course, as much as I displayed righteous indignation at her ungratefulness, I have to admit that I have found my heart in the same ugly state—unable to see all the amazing things that God has provided and accomplished because of one important to me detail that may have gone undone. So often God has done for me exactly what He did for my little one. He has given me my need or want in a way that was even better than I could have imagined.

His mercy and loving-kindness are unmeasurable!

This earthly illustration met with Scripture in my devotions that evening. In Exodus 15 the Israelites have just crossed the Red Sea. They are singing God’s praises for the detailed and miraculous way in which they were rescued. Everything was just as it should be. Their future was filled with visions of easy travel and a land flowing with milk and honey. Then it happened. There is not water to be found for 3 days. The meltdown begins. Complaining and wishing for what had been became their cry. Their expectation of easy and the Promised Land had been met with a small measure of discomfort and waiting.

In Exodus 15:24-27 God shows up and gives them what they wanted. He gives them their need in a miraculous way. He even includes the promise that He would not visit His people with any of the plagues that had been dealt on their Egyptian enemies.

"And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there He tested them, saying, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in His eyes, and give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your Healer.”

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water." Exodus 15:24-27

A sad reality ends the chapter. If they would have just put their expectations aside, they would have seen His best was just another day’s journey. Twelve springs of sweet and refreshing water awaited. If they would just walk one more day. God knew the whole time that He had an amazing way of provision already prepared.

Like my little one, who had it all planned out, we can give in to our complaining spirit and give up on God’s best. Instead of letting go of our way and our plan, we hold onto that one thing that seems to be undone. He has the best for each one of us waiting to bring refreshment and peace.

No matter what we are facing or what we have not received in way of answer or provision, can we wait on Him? The best of God and His plan are what we will receive. Isn’t God worth walking one more day?

Are you in serious need of a makeover?

Not the kind that refers to your mom jeans or your hair color. I’m talking about a makeover of your heart.

Download this 30-Day Mom Makeover Challenge today for free! This 30-day challenge is tailor made to encourage you through the demands of motherhood and equip you to be the beautiful mom God wants you to be.

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How to Be Intentional About Family Time With God

4/2/2019

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In an age of blended families and busy schedules, there's no greater time for us to be deeply rooted in Jesus Christ as a family. Church and Sunday school are essential, but equally if not more important, Christianity must be lived out in the home. Jesus Christ should be front and center in our lives.

We can read all the blog posts we want, but there is no magic formula for building a Christian home short of being rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ. Christian families through the ages have found joy, strength and guidance by committing time daily to read together from God's Word and pray.

HOW DO WE BEGIN?

Setting aside a regular time.
The first step toward establishing an effective family time with God is to be intentional about scheduling. Many families schedule this time after breakfast or dinner. Often, these meals naturally bring the family together and can lead conveniently into a time not only of togetherness, but also a family time with God. Other families find just before bedtime works well.

Whatever time you choose, be sure that the whole family can be together on a regular basis. Consistency is important because it shows that family time with God is a high priority.

WHAT DO WE INCLUDE?

Family time with God can include many activities, but it is important to include at least these three:

Reading
Discussion
Prayer

The Bible is an exciting book! It is filled with true stories of God's heroes, down-to-earth advice, spiritual insight and most importantly, the plan of salvation. It is the primary way that God communicates to us today. It is essential that we feed on His Word regularly.

READING GOD'S WORD

There are so many ways to be intentional about daily Bible reading with your family.

Read a Chapter or Passage Each Day: This is a simple plan used by many families. You can read consecutively through a book, taking a chapter or passage each day. It's a great idea to allow older children to take turns reading as well. Then, each person can share what most impressed them about what was read. This will help everyone in the family see how God's Word applies to them personally.
Bible Reading Plans: A similar approach is to follow a program designed to guide your family through the Bible in a year. I love this idea! A number of plans of this type are available for download on the Internet, and your church may also supply Bible reading plans of this type. One advantage to this approach is that your family will be exposed to the whole Bible in a systematic way. II Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."
Devotional Guides: A variety of excellent devotional guides are available from Christian publishers, at most churches, and you can also find them for free download on the Internet. Devotional guides can be valuable aids to understanding and applying the Scriptures through the insights of godly commentators. Check out our page Explore Christianity for three of our favorite devotionals.
Family Bible Study Programs: Families with older children may want to try studying the Bible in a more in-depth way together. Each family member can read and reflect on the daily portion beforehand. After re-reading the passage together, discussion can follow. Many good Bible study books are available on the internet or maybe even at your church. These will help guide your family time with God. One such program is the 30-Day Bible Reading Challenge from Revive Our Hearts. (More about that below.) Download it for free and begin your family time with God today!
Reading With Younger Children: Children under six may not be able to read the Bible themselves. However, they can still learn much from hearing it being read. When the Bible is read out loud, even the youngest child will begin to see that God's Word is important. Explain the passage in simple language. Avoid abstract ideas. This will help keep the interest of younger children, and we've probably all at one time or another been amazed by the insights of our little ones! Consider getting your little one a Bible written on their level—especially if they are just learning to read. This will help them participate in the reading of the Word, and give them ownership in the process.

Reading God's Word together is also an excellent time to begin sharing the basic truths of salvation with the younger members of your family and memorizing Scripture together.

DISCUSSION OF GOD'S WORD

Discussing the Bible passage your family reads is an important part of family time with God.

Keep it Clear and Concise: Try to keep the discussion clear and concise. Often basic questions like "What happened?" "What is being taught?" "How does this apply to our life?" will help your family understand the passage.
Engage the Whole Family: As parents, it is important to maintain a healthy balance between leadership and participation. Be sure the whole family is engaged and encouraged to participate.
Be Sensitive to the Needs of Your Family: It is also important to be sensitive to the special needs of each family member. Some questions may seem off subject, but this may be a good indicator of issues your child is facing. Help them discover how God's Word relates to specific needs and circumstances in their lives.

With positive, prayerful leadership, a time of discussion will provide an opportunity to grow together spiritually as a family.

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Post Continued

PRAYER— PRAISE, CONFESSION & PETITIONS

Communicating with God should be a part of your family time.
God communicates to us through His Word, but it is a one-way conversation unless we lift up our hearts to Him in prayer. Our loving heavenly Father wants us to talk to Him. He delights in our praise confession, and petitions, just like any loving father would.

Praise: When we think of God's goodness, our hearts should well up in worship and praise—for the beauty of His creation, for the gift of life, for a loving family, for the fellowship of Christians, and above all for salvation. There is no end to the list! Even the youngest child can add their own worship and praise. Perhaps each person could share at least one thing to praise God for each day. Make a list. Journal your praise. Be intentional!

Confession: As we lift our hearts up to the Lord, we should also recognize our own unworthiness and sinfulness. Yes, God has forgiven our sins once and for all, however, we still need to confess as we continually fall short of His perfect standard. As we confess our sin and weaknesses, we draw closer to Him and grow in grace and knowledge of His forgiveness.

As we make confession part of our prayer time, it may be helpful to suggest something like:

"Let's remember in prayer those things which we need to confess to the Lord and to each other, asking God's forgiveness both for things we have done and left undone."

Petitions: Like a loving father, God desires to know our deepest concerns just as much as to receive our praise and confession. We can open up our hearts to Him, knowing that He hears and answers our prayers, and that He will work all things together for good (Romans 8:28). And as we share our needs with God, and each other, we will be drawn closer to Him and together as a family.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

Many families find it helpful to keep a prayer journal. This might include special needs of the family, neighbors, missionaries, church or government leaders. It can also provide a record of answers to prayer. Whatever the answer, we know that God hears and responds according to His will. I like praying specific prayers and keeping a prayer journal.

Some families may wish to include other things in their family time with God like singing hymns or choruses, acting out a Bible story, or doing a craft. These can be meaningful, but there is no need to begin with something so elaborate. Begin with simplicity, and be intentional and consistent. The important thing is to daily, commit to read and discuss God's Word and pray together.

It is often said that the family that prays together, stays together—and the statistics show this to be true. But this is not all. As we seek God daily, we renew our relationship with Him and with each other. He talks with us and we talk with Him. He receives our praise, confession and petitions, and we come to understand the joy of His presence.

If your family has not been intentional about scheduling a family time with God, please consider making this important time a part of your home life beginning today. In doing so, as a family you will "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (II Peter 3:18).

Here's an excellent resource to help you get started:

What would happen if you had family time with God every day for 30 days? Would anything change?

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, from Revive Our Hearts, is challenging us with this 30-Day Bible Reading Challenge to try and find out.

Will you be intentional and set aside a time each day for the next 30 days to read and discuss God’s timeless, powerful Word with your family?

Download the 30-Day Bible Reading Challenge and begin your family time with God today!

If you have already established a family time with God in your home, please share your tips for being intentional and keeping it consistent.

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Parenting: the Job That Never Ends

3/29/2019

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How do we parent adult children?

I used to think that parenting was hardest when my children were so dependent on me for everything, which started when they were infants. However, as my children grew up, went off to college, and then moved out of the house I realized parenting became a whole lot harder. I know that must sound strange because I no longer dressed them, helped them with homework, transported them to ballgames, cooked their meals, or did their laundry.

So what makes parenting adult children so difficult?

You are no longer their authority.
You are no longer a part of their decision making.
You are no longer a part of everything they do.

Of course, as Christian parents our goal is to help train our children to be productive, independent, God-fearing, young people. So, while they are in our home we try, by God’s grace, to point them in right directions and help them set right priorities.

Once they are on their own, our parenting role changes drastically.

At this point in their lives the best thing we can do for them is pray.

Pray they have wisdom.
Pray the have discernment.
Pray they continue to love the Lord.
Pray they have godly friendships and spouses.
Pray they fill their days with good activities.
Pray about your relationship with them.
Pray, pray, pray.

Many Christian parents are heartbroken because of prodigal children. Parents should be reminded that the verse,

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

is a principle found in Proverbs and not a promise. Once our children become adults they are accountable to God for their choices. Parents are not to blame for these choices.

What is the parents’ role at this point?

Pray that God changes their hearts.
Pray that the Spirit convicts them of their sin.
Pray that godly people will cross their path and influence them.
Pray, pray, pray.

What if you are a young parent?

Follow biblical principles in rearing your children.
Point them to the gospel every chance you get.
Help them learn to love God’s Word.
Be a godly example to them.
Teach them how to walk with God.
Pray they are a blessing to others.
Pray for their Salvation.
Pray about their Christian growth.
Pray, pray, pray.

“He [God] commanded our fathers, that they should make them [commandments] known to their children.” Psalm 78:5

There are no perfect parents.

We must depend on God’s guidance and grace.

Pray for wisdom.
Pray for insight.
Pray to be spirit controlled.
Pray, pray, pray.

Patenting is truly a gift from God.

We are stewards of special treasures. We should make the most of every moment. From infancy through adulthood we need to trust God with our children realizing He loves them even more than we do. And continually we pray, pray, pray.

“Pray without ceasing.” I Thessalonians 5:17

Download this 30-day prayer challenge from Revive Our Hearts, and start praying for your adult children today!

In just one month's time you will have prayed for them in areas like salvation, growth in grace, love, honesty and integrity, self-control, love for God's Word, justice, mercy, respect, biblical self-esteem, faithfulness, courage, purity, kindness, generosity, peace-loving, joy, perseverance, humility, compassion, responsibility, contentment, faith, a servant's heart, hope, willingness and ability to work, passion for God, self-discipline, prayerfulness, and gratitude

What is your prayer today for the adult children in your life?

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Forward>>

Just Walk One More Day

His mercy and loving-kindness are unmeasurable!

How to Be Intentional About Family Time With God

HOW DO WE BEGIN?

WHAT DO WE INCLUDE?

READING GOD'S WORD

DISCUSSION OF GOD'S WORD

Post Continued

PRAYER— PRAISE, CONFESSION & PETITIONS

Parenting: the Job That Never Ends

How do we parent adult children?

So what makes parenting adult children so difficult?

Once they are on their own, our parenting role changes drastically.

What is the parents’ role at this point?

What if you are a young parent?

There are no perfect parents.

Patenting is truly a gift from God.

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Join the movement!

​Just Walk One More Day

His mercy and loving-kindness are unmeasurable!

How to Be Intentional About Family Time With God

HOW DO WE BEGIN?

WHAT DO WE INCLUDE?

READING GOD'S WORD

DISCUSSION OF GOD'S WORD

Post Continued

PRAYER— PRAISE, CONFESSION & PETITIONS

Parenting: the Job That Never Ends

How do we parent adult children?

So what makes parenting adult children so difficult?

Once they are on their own, our parenting role changes drastically.

What is the parents’ role at this point? ​

​​​What if you are a young parent?

There are no perfect parents.

Patenting is truly a gift from God.

Join the movement!

Categories

Archives

Popular Posts

We Support

Blogs We Heart

Find Us Here

Join the movement!

Just Walk One More Day

What is the parents’ role at this point?

What if you are a young parent?