There’s a familiar lilt to the greeting, “Happy New Year!” that generates excitement and energy. In years past we have welcomed family and friends into our home to get a little crazy as we greet the New Year together.
This year was different. My husband and I had just returned from gathering with all 15 members of our family over Christmas break. We thought about inviting friends in to welcome the new year, but in the end my husband went to bed at 10:00 on New Years Eve and, just before midnight, I realized I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. So I crept up to bed and listened to fireworks being set off at a distance as I drifted off to sleep.
Since then I have greeted many family, friends, and even strangers with “Happy New Year”, not thinking much about it until yesterday . . . . Curious about where the greeting, “Grace and peace to you,” is recorded in the Bible, I looked it up online. What I discovered was that the Apostle Paul extended that greeting (in various forms) in every one of his letters recorded in the New Testament:
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ . . . .” Galatians 1:3-5
“To the church of the Thessalonians
in God theFather and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace to you . . . .” I Thessalonians 1:1
“To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I Timothy 1:2
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:2
What stood out to me initially was the richness of Paul’s greeting, compared to the impersonal, almost generic quality of how we greet one another today. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with wishing happiness to others. But compared to the richness of Paul’s extension of “grace and peace” (especially as it is founded in God the Father and Christ Jesus), Happy New Year” and “Happy Birthday” seem almost trite!
I decided to write about this because, as Christians, we can and should do better in choosing the words we speak because they matter before God:
“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt,
so that you may know how you ought to answer everybody.” Colossians: 4:6
“Then we will no longer be infants . . . blown here and there
by every wind of teaching and by the cunning, craftiness of men . . . .
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become
in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4: 14, 15
“Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.”
Ecclesiastes 5:2
I appreciate the way Paul reminds us of our ultimate responsibility before God:
“And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” II Corinthians 5: 19-20
As we enter this gift of a new year, my prayer is that as Ambassadors for Christ we will walk worthy of Him. To speak truth in love and to guard our hearts against anger and fear must be our priority. May His grace and His peace guide you, as you choose to love those He puts on your path with the same love He has invested in you.❤️
“A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is
until you put her in hot water.” Eleanor Roosevelt
When I read the above quote I laughed aloud as I thought, “Eleanor Roosevelt, how very biblical!” Like it or not, it is adversity (or as Eleanor put it,“hot water“) that builds the kind of character and maturity that pleases God. James bears this out in the introduction to his letter,
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
Let perseverance finish its work so that you
may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4
Just as brewing tea with scalding hot water brings forth the best cup of tea, it is often the challenges we would otherwise avoid, that mold and change us when we choose to trust God. This can also apply to relationships:
In my teens and twenties I enjoyed the simple pleasure of drinking a cup of tea while doing some personal reflection.
In my thirties my appreciation for the benefits of sharing a pot of tea with a friend broadened as I savored the warmth and fragrance of tea with friends and, in the process, became a better listener.
Looking back, I can now see how God blessed those conversations,
as He challenged me to love others as He loved me,
by learning to trust Him as the Shepherd of my heart.
As time passed, God put two women on my path whom I quickly decided “needed more than a cup of tea.” One was a friend of someone I knew in a Bible study I was teaching. She was facing some tough personal issues that I felt were beyond my experience. At almost the same time, another person I was just getting to know, opened up to me about having been raped more than a year before.
After looking for a Christian counselor locally and finding no one, I widened my search and finally located one living about 40 miles away. Both women went there for counseling and were helped, but it bothered me that they had to drive so many miles on back country roads to receive the help they needed.
As I recognized the need for a Christian counselor in my community, I enrolled at a University to begin work toward a Master’s degree in counseling. With 3 growing kids at home and a husband who traveled A LOT for his job–I studied the major schools of psychology, with the idea of integrating the best of those methods with the wisdom of Scripture. However, soon after starting my internship, I discovered that the secular base of psychology tended to undermine the strength of biblical wisdom. It was that realization that led to developing Journey Notes Praise Journaling and the counseling approach I have used for 25 years.
Helping Clients look at themselves and their problems
by interfacing with the Scriptures, has proven to be extremely helpful
to those who embrace the process.
So why did I decide to write about this? To encouraged you to not be afraid to minister to the people God puts on your path with the wisdom of the Scriptures..Here’s where I went wrong:
Once I got counseling help for those two precious women, I continued to pray for them–but backed off from trying to help them . . . fearing that I might “undo” whatever therapy they were receiving.
I didn’t think about it at the time, but in doing that, I diminished the value of Scripture in my mind as I looked to psychology to provide the help that was needed.*
It was true that the two women I was trying to help DID need, “more than a cup of tea” (or simply a good listening ear.)
So how can you move forward? Here are my thoughts:
Make prayer for your friend a priority.
Commit to bringing God into the center of every conversation you have with your friend, by asking your them to list 3 things they are thankful to God for. (This can seem impossible at first, but it helps to break up the negatively skewed thinking that feeds anxiety and depression.)
Encourage your friend to start doing Journey Notes to help them draw closer to God as you do the same. (I promise, it won’t hurt and you’ll actually grow too!)
When you get together, talk about what God is showing each of you through the Journey Notes process.
Be sure to share some of your praises and close your time together with both of you giving thanks to God for His faithfulness.
I like the picture of God’s plan for relationships illustrated in Ecclesiastes 4:
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of THREE STRANDS is not quickly broken.” (Verses 9, 10 & 12)
God’s intent for relationships is blessing–as we share in our labor or help one another when needs arise. Yet, the larger blessing in relationships comes when we bring God into the center of how we relate to one another as that powerful THIRD STRAND .Speaking from experience, when we bring Christ into the center of our thinking in how we relate to others, blessings abound.
In the end this is what I learned: Being a good listener–as in sharing a cup of tea--when someone who is hurting can be helpful . . . but it has its limitations. Helping them look outside of themselves to God and the Scriptures, however, is to encourage them to discover boundless hope and joy in a God who is faithful . . . Always.
All to His Glory!
*To be clear: In a fallen, largely unbelieving world, psychology has its place and can be helpful. But that should never negate the value of Christians helping others look to the wisdom of Scripture and relying.on God’s Spirit to minister to the human heart and mind.
Living in a world where anger comes increasingly easy and words are used as weapons rather than a means of blessing, can be frightening. It is tempting to get angry and play the child’s game of, “tit for tat”. But as followers of Christ, called to be in the world but not of the world, we are instructed to love and forgive in the mercy granted to us because of Christ..
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
I write this with Christ’s call to peace in mind:
“Peace I leave with you;
My peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled
and do not be afraid.”
John 14:27
This week I gained insight into our penchant to hate when anger or fear take control The wisdom of James, half-brother to Jesus, written over two thousand years ago, rings truth today::
“What causes fights and quarrels among you?
Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?
You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet
but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.
You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask,
you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives,
that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.. You adulterous people, don’t you know that
friendship with the world means enmity against God?
Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world
becomes an enemy of God.” James 4:1-4
Our word choices matter.
They reflect how we view ourselves,
how we relate to the world around us and, most importantly,
how we perceive God.
But God’s concern for His people is less about words
and more about attitude and action.
When hate comes easy, we distance ourselves from the One we are called to serve.
So how can we make things right?
Step One: Pray through the words of James and ask God to check the motives of your heart. Are you right with Him or are there areas that need to be confessed and made right? Don’t put it off! Take care of it now and I guarantee your heart will feel a lot lighter.
Step Two: Ask God for the names of three people you would otherwise never pray for. Jesus said we are to love and pray for our enemies. (Matthew 5:44) so start praying and be faithful to watch for miracles large and small.
Step Three: Take your focus off of yourself. Ask God to show you how you can love the people in your life better as you choose to trust Him more.
In recent weeks I have been encouraged and found direction from the Apostles who faced every sort of difficulty we face–and much more. I invite you to consider the wisdom of Peter and Paul:
“Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,
because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand,
that He may lift you up in due time.
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
I Peter 5: 5b-7
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.
Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
not looking to your own interests but each of you
to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another,
have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be used to his own advantage . . . .” Philippians 2:3-6
Humility is beautiful in God’s eyes, something we fail to see. Ask God to embrace humility as you determine to trust Him in every area of your life..
Do you yearn for authentic relationships? Then take your focus off yourself and look to being a blessing in the lives of others as Christ leads.
This is one I go to often:
Love must be sincere.
Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.
Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you;
bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice;
mourn with those who mourn.
Live in harmony with one another.
Do not be proud . . .
Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:9, 12-21
Looking for wisdom and direction in times such as these? Look no further than the Scripture as you love others, not because they deserve it, but because it reflects Christ’s love poured out on you. Life is more than words . . . much, much more!
“For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord GOD will cause
righteousness and praise
to sprout up before all the nations.”
Isaiah 61:11
When you think about relationships and the memories that go with them, what comes to your mind? Being a “glass-half-full” kind of gal (and slightly corny), when I think about relationships and the memories that go with them, I initially think along the lines of Barbra Streisand singing, “The Way We Were”:
“Memories Like the corners of my mind Misty watercolor memories Of the way we were . . . .”
I enjoy remembering childhood summers at Pismo Beach with family and how my dashingly handsome husband watched and waited as my dad guided me down the church aisle 47 years ago. I still cherish the delight that filled my heart the first time I spoke of, “my daughter”, as I walked down the hallway to the hospital nursery to retrieve her.
But if we are honest, life is not full of “misty watercolor memories” because relationships are frequently painful, confusing and confounding. At times we are tempted to isolate ourselves from God and other people to avoid that pain. The problem is that when we do, other pains emerge–loneliness and depression.
One of the things I appreciate about the Bible is how it provides glimpses into the dramatic shift that took place in our relationship with God and with others when sin replaced love in the Garden:
“When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden.
So they hid from the LORD God among the trees.
Then the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He replied, ‘I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid.
I was afraid because I was naked.’ ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ the LORD God asked.”
Genesis 3: 8-11 New Living Translation
God made us first and foremost for a relationship with Him.
Casually fellowshipping with God, without the turmoil sin creates is difficult to imagine. But deep down, I believe it is what we long for. From the very beginning God created us for loving relationships. When sin entered the Garden and became the “new normal”, love was lost along with the deep fellowship enjoyed in the Garden. Jesus affirmed this when He responded to a question about what He considered to be the greatestof God’s commandments:
“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind’. . . . And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Matthew 22:37-39
God made us, first and foremost, for a relationship with Him.
Secondarily, He made us for relationships with one another.
Where sin creates chaos and disunion, the basis for meaningful relationships (love) has never changed:
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us
and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
I John 4:10
In fact, truly meaningful relationships are rarely formed in a vacuum of pleasantries and ideals. The truth is that the challenges of pain and disappointment in our relationships, when addressed with God’s love and the wisdom of Scripture, provide greater opportunities for spiritual growth than anything we might conjure up for ourselves.
The wisdom and perspective offered in Romans 12 directs us to keep our priorities straight as we relate to others, even when disappointment threatens:
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Verses 10-12)
As we dedicate ourselves to being “joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” we discover the sweeter path to His Hope and Light penetrating even the bitterest of relationships.
But what are we to do with those memories that seem to stalk us, like shadows that grow larger over a distance? The words of the Apostle Paul, written while in a stinking Roman prison cell, lends the sweetness of wisdom that has transformed even the most heinous of memories for two thousand years:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8
Feeling defeated by sin and yearning for love? Are you stuck in a prison cell of unforgiveness? Perhaps you have been hurt and feel forgotten? Are you frustrated with life and your relationships? Perhaps you are so filled with regrets that you can see no way of making things right? Then follow the wisdom of Scripture and the law of loving sacrificially by trusting and honoring God in the NOW. Repent of the selfish turmoil that has overtaken you and give thanks to God for His love and mercy extended through the sacrifice of His only Son. As you do, I guarantee that He can and will clean out the sludge of your bitterest memory as you determine to trust and walk in sweet fellowship with Him..
This is the fifth in a series of posts featuring ways God
used my family and the Scriptures to draw me closer to Himself.
I share some of those insights to testify to His faithfulness. ❤️
WORDS TO GROW BY:
“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.”
I Peter 3:10
“To love life and see good days“–isn’t that what most of us yearn for? Yet when our goals are skewed by unrealistic, worldly ideals such as–living a perfect, happily-ever-after kind of life–we are more prone to depression than true joy. The problem none of us can escape is that life can be messy–exceedingly so–and when it is, SIN is often at the center of it. There are times when, no matter how well organized or disciplined the effort, even our best laid plans can be thwarted.
In my last post I wrote about the connection between discipline and discipleship, using II Timothy 3:16, 17 as the framework for Godly discipline:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
In that post I shared seven insights about Godly discipline:
Insight #1: Godly discipline has to be learned before it can be applied. (Hence, there is no place for the foolish maxim: “Do as I say, not as I do.”) Insight #2: Godly discipline is meant to be a lifestyle, not a series of events. (Teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness should be an on-going part of family relating.) Insight #3: God does not have grandchildren; He only has children. (Only those who enter into a personal relationship with Christ has the assurance of being a child of God–John 1:12, 13) Insight #4: Make regular worship at a Bible-teaching church and fellowship with other Believers a priority. (The strength of those relationships, will likely be invaluable as you support each other through the tougher seasons.) Insight #5: Help your children think biblically by reading to them–A LOT! We especially enjoyed learning about the lives of Christian heroes, various series of books as well as reading the Bible itself. Insight #6: When disciplining your children–draw them close to you–rather than isolate them. (Such times can provide special opportunities to minister the mind and heart.) Insight #7: Along the way, look for opportunities to bring laughter, adventure, and ways to serve others into your family routine.
In this post I will share additional insights into Godly discipline as it connects to love and truthusing Hebrews 12:10 & 12 as our basis,
“Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best,
but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful.
Later on, however, it yields a peaceful harvest of righteousness
to those who have been trained by it.…”
The passage speaks:
Assurance to all with this declaration of LOVE: God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
TRUTH with its promise of ultimate blessing (a peaceful harvest of righteousness) to those who choose to trust God.
I share the following story to help you appreciate my five remaining insights:
Prayer . . . the Key to Godly Discipline
We had one preteen and two teenagers in our home. At times, the pressure was immense–especially in making last minute decisions. In fact, looking back I can see that I was starting to shut-down–saying “no” to almost every request. Feeling convicted, I turned to God. I confessed my bad attitude and asked for His help. Nothing remarkable occurred when I prayed, except that I felt slightly more hopeful. However, several days later, after another request was made, I was startled when these words came out of my mouth:
“I”m not sure. If you have to have an answer NOW,
then the answer has to be NO. But if you’ll let me pray about it . . . we’ll see.”
I was shocked by my inward calmness, and their response was amazing–they backed off completely! In fact, they very wisely would approach me almost warily saying, “I’m not demanding an answer, Mom, but . . . have you prayed yet?”
That was the day I learned the importance of setting an example as a praying mom before my kids. Where before, every request made was a burden, I learned the importance of setting an example of prayer. With that new parameter in place, my kids approached me with greater respect as they asked, “Mom, have you prayed yet?” The results? The majority of the time I was able to answer, “Yes but . . . “–adding some qualifiers to assure their safety. When I had to say no, they never argued; I suspect they already knew it was wasn’t a good idea.
By far the best part was that my kids saw me
as a praying mom (rather than a roadblock mom) who honestly cared about them.
Insight #8: The key to effective Godly discipline is PRAYER.
God is all about relationships–our relationship with Him as well as with one another. When we keep Him at the center of how we relate to others through reading the Scriptures and prayer, we are blessed with the wisdom and perspective we otherwise lack. Ecclesiastes affirms this in 4:9-12,
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If either of them falls down, the other can help him up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
When we keep God and the Scriptures as our third strand to guide us, humble thanksgiving becomes a friend and our prayers are more effective.
Insight #9: Speak truth in love–relying on the Scriptures for the best means of ministering to the mind and heart.
There are many passages in Scripture that provide what is needed to speak truth in love. Ephesians 4:17-32 is one of my favorites, especially verse 29:
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth,
but only such a word as is good for edification
according to the need of the moment,
so that it will give grace to those who hear.
Insight #10: When dealing with sin, resist the temptation to minimize it.
SIN is not “a mistake”, nor is it merely “a phase” that kids go through. Sin is a contemptuous act that is offensive to God. Much of the messiness of life is the result of sinful attitudes and actions. II Peter speaks powerfully about the plight of Christians who take sin lightly:
If they have escaped the corruption of the world
by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
and are again entangled in it and are overcome,
they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than to have known it and then to turn their backs
on the sacred command that was passed on to them.
Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”
and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud. II Peter 2: 20-22
Referring to sin as, PUKE ON GOD’S THRONE–your own included–serves as a good reminder of the grossness of sin.
Insight #11: With older children/teens, resist using long-term restriction as a weapon.
While temporarily taking away certain privileges may be necessary to keep them safe, I recommend using what I call, prayerful regrouping, as you lean on God to help you minister to their hearts rather than to simply isolate them. (See Insight #6 in my previous post for the reasoning behind this. I will expand on this in my next post.)
Insight #12: Problems seldom occur at convenient times. Check your attitude by giving thanks that God’s timing is always perfect.
I cannot tell you how many times I have prayed, “Lord, I didn’t know it was going to be so hard!” Life IS hard, but God is EXCEEDINGLY GOOD to those who seek Him for the wisdom and perspective they lack. James 4:7 declares:
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Satan uses doubt to separate us from God.
By refusing to doubt God’s Sovereign Goodness,
He will provide the courage and strength you lack.
This is the fourth post in a series featuring ways God
used my family and the Scriptures to draw me closer to Himself.
I share them to encourage you to trust in God, no matter what life brings. ❤️
As a child of the 50’s, I grew up thinking discipline was synonymous with punishment. When I became a parent, I accepted the necessity of spanking as part of the arsenal of weapons parents used to communicate the seriousness of their children’s “crimes”. As time passed, however, I became personally convicted about spanking my children, because too often, my anger took control and I spanked them harder than was necessary.
The Fruit of Godly Discipline~😊
In my last post, I wrote about how God brought order to my home after I surrendered my heart to Christ. It was at that time that He replaced my penchant for perfectionism with Himself. It was also then, that I became convicted that my efforts in parenting were too often motivated by:
My anger at my children, and/or
My fear of losing control, thinking–If I can’t control them when they’re small, what on earth will I do when they get into their teens?
The problem was, I didn’t know what to replace it with. Initially, I recognized my children still needed discipline so, I replaced spanking with yelling–A LOT! (It was amazing how quickly they were able to tune me out!) I struggled with feeling helpless and foolish most of the time in my efforts to parent.
It was not until I learned:
Discipline and punishment are NOT synonymous.
“Disciple” is the root word of discipline.
God shepherds the hearts of His own by leading (not beating) them!
that “the lost art of Godly discipline” came into view.
So what is the difference between discipline and punishment? The simple wisdom of Christian motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, is full of insight:
“We need to understand the difference
between discipline and punishment. Punishment is what you do TO someone; discipline is what you do FOR someone.“
The difference between the dictionary definitions of the two is stark:
Merriam-Webster Dictionary affirms Ziglar’s assertion with this definition of discipline:“Training that corrects, molds or perfects the mental faculties or moral character.”
Punishment is defined as, “suffering, pain, or loss that serves as retribution.”
Between the two choices, discipline is certainly preferable to punishment when it comes, not only to raising children but also in how we want to be treated by our Creator.
Yet, as I look at culture today (even Christian culture), it is very apparent that many children are not receiving the benefits of discipline. Sadly, as culture has embraced the notion of developing high self-esteem, parents have been remiss in teaching the difference between right and wrong, as well as God’s mandate that we love Him and our neighbor. The results? Just listening to the nightly news says it all.
So how was I to proceed as a Christian parent? The wisdom and truth of II Timothy 3:16, 17 drew me:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful
for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped
for every good work.”
It was then that I committed to depending on the Scriptures, prayer, and the leading of God’s Spirit to teach this servant of God, how to discipline/disciple my children. Along the way, I received the assurance that God did not expect perfection from me as a parent. All He wanted from me was a teachable heart:
“He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young.”
Isaiah 40:11
The following are insights that guided me through the process of discovering the art of Godly discipline:
Insight #1: Godly discipline has to be learned before it can be applied.
God convicted me early-on with this thought:
If you want your children (or your grandchildren) to take you seriously,
MAKE YOUR OWN BED BEFORE REQUIRING THEM TO MAKE THEIRS!*
Insight #2: Godly discipline is meant to be a lifestyle, not a series of events.
I found great encouragement in this beautiful word picture given the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength.
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home
and when you walk along the road,
when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:5-7
Insight #3: God does not have grandchildren; He only has children.
This piece of wisdom came from Corrie Ten Boom, author of one of my favorite books, The Hiding Place. I had read her book to my children, so they had great respect for its author. I reminded our children of this at various stages in their lives, pointing out that being raised in a Christian home did not make them followers of Jesus Christ.
Insight #4: Make regular worship at a Bible-teaching church and fellowship with other Believers a priority.
Early in my walk with Jesus, I learned: “There is no such thing as a ‘Lone Ranger’ Christian.” Worship of God with other Believers became our priority. I remain grateful for how our church family has loved us through good and tough times. Having relationships with other adult Believers benefited our kids greatly through the “teen years”–when Mom and Dad were “uncool”.
Insight #5: Help your children think biblically by reading to them–A LOT!
Early on I discovered God uses reading to shepherd our hearts. I especially loved summers when we had larger blocks of time to read all kinds of books. As my children grew (early elementary age and above) we enjoyed reading true stories about the lives of other Christians–Corrie Ten Boom’s, The Hiding Place, Joni Ericksen Tada’s story as well as Hudson Taylor, Eric Liddell, Gladys Aylward, David Livingston, and George Muller are but a few of those we enjoyed. We also read the Narnia, Little House and Lord of the Rings series as well as delving into the wisdom of the Bible. (Reading The Hiding Place and Joni’s Story in the shelter of our home, gave opportunity to talk about sin, the human heart and how God blesses His children through adversity.)
Insight #6: When disciplining your child–draw them in–rather than isolate them.
I’ve never understood the practice of sending children to their room when they get into trouble. When my children needed discipline, I viewed that time as an opportunity to minister to their hearts. This is the pattern we followed when they were small and required discipline:
They stood in the corner of the room where I was working (usually the kitchen) with the timer set and their hands behind their back (to help them think about what they had done rather than get distracted.) If they fidgeted in the corner, more time was added– they soon learned to settle into their corner as I continued to work!)
When the timer dinged, I sat on a chair and they either sat on my lap or stood in front of me. (The main intent here was to make good eye contact.)
I then asked, “Why did you have to stand in the corner?” I soon found this to be a critical piece of the discipline process–especially when they were a bit fuzzy about what they had done wrong.
We then talked about what had happened, the sin that was involved, and then, how to make things right again. (Often it was to apologize to one of their siblings.)
Before we went on with our day I prayed for them–about what they had done but always with thanksgiving to God for their lives and His plan for their future.
As they grew the pattern adjusted. Rather than stand in the corner, I assigned appropriate passages of Scripture for them to read and apply in a short essay. (The intent was to help them take sin seriously by going to God in confession and faith.)
Insight #7: Along the way, watch for ways to bring laughter, adventure, and opportunities to serve others into your family routine.
I Timothy 6:17-19 pictures this beautifully:
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant
nor to put their hope in wealth . . .but to put their hope in God,
who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Command them . . . to be rich in good deeds . . . to be generous and willing to share.
In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves . . . for the coming age,
so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
Through the years God proved Himself faithful to our family, even when we were not entirely faithful to Him. What our middle-child, Amy wrote in her early twenties sums our family up quite well: “I come from a family of five sinners . . . . “ Over time we have grown to be a family of fifteen, still delving into the lost art of Godly discipline . . . .
All to His Glory!
*Underscoring the warning against saying, “Do as I say, not as I do!” (Such an attitude breeds disrespect and contempt.)
