December 22, 2024

Little Bundles of Thanks

November 9, 2014 by

seekingHimthanksgivinggraphic

Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.
Full of honor and majesty is His work, and His righteousness endures forever.
He has gained renown by His wonderful deeds; the Lord is gracious and merciful.
Psalms 111:1-4

In this season of the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years), we often forget that this is a time to thank God for all we have.  The Lord had a plan when He did His great works.  God made everything for His glory.  As a group of believers, we should give thanks to God when we are together and when we are not.  The Lord is present at all times, and He hears our prayers of thanks.

On Mother’s Day, many churches hold baby dedications to thank God for the birth of new little ones.  When our son was born, we were going to a Methodist church, so we had a christening.  We had already decided to do his christening the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  We had the same plan for our daughter.  When our daughter was born, we had already moved to a Baptist church.  Baby dedications are done there in May.  I was able to talk to our Pastor and the Children’s Director about doing a dedication service the Sunday before Thanksgiving for both children.  The reason for doing all this at Thanksgiving was that I had miscarried our first pregnancy.  When we got pregnant with our son, it was in November.  We wanted to give thanks to the Lord for getting us through the miscarriage and sending us our son to us.   We wanted to do the same with our daughter.  I don’t know about my husband, but I wanted to honor and thank God for our blessings—especially during such a special time of year.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

Going through rough times can teach anyone to be thankful.  Losing a child can make one thankful for the little ones we do have.  I know I have a very soft spot for my son because I took a hard hit when we lost our first.  I still think about that one to this day.

As a group of believers when we dedicate our children to the Lord we are thanking Him for sending us this little bundle of joy that brings love, pain, heartache, and everything else that goes along with it.  In the company of other believers, we thank God for this little person and pledge to teach him/her the Judeo-Christian values for which our country was founded and to teach the child to be a person who loves and honors God through worship and service.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for our children and the children of our friends and family.  You send us a great gift when you send new little ones to the church.  We pledge to teach them Your ways and to honor You through service.  We thank You for Jesus and the sacrifice You made as a father.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Ten Ways to Stick to an Exercise Program #5 – Make it a Priority

August 14, 2013 by

Last week, I suggested scheduling your workout and putting it on the calendar as one of the ways to stick to an exercise program. But let’s be honest, exercise may not always be an appointment that is important enough to keep.  Before you can actually stick to your program, it has to become a priority.

As we move halfway through our top list, this is where the rubber meets the road. Have you ever said, “Exercise is important to me, but I just can’t find the time.”   The truth is where you spend your time demonstrates what is important to you.  If you want to really know what is important to you, look at where and how you spend your time each day.

Does My Time Equal My Priorities?

There are times in my life when things get so hectic, I have to stop and evaluate if I am putting my time toward what I say is a priority to me.

Am I being truthful if I say God is important to me, yet do not take time each day to spend quiet time with Him?  Can I say my husband is a priority, yet, our only spoken words each day are good morning and good night?  What if I never spent quality time with my children just to play and talk?  What would they benefit from me as a mother? And can I honestly say, my health is important, yet never take at least 30 minutes for myself to get in a little exercise.

Determine Your Priorities?

Here is a little challenge that takes courage.  Spend a few minutes and make a list of the top five most important things to you.  Now make another list of how you spend your time from the moment you wake up until you go to bed.  Don’t forget things like checking email and Facebook, watching the news and favorite TV show, or talking on the phone.  All of which can be beneficial, educational and/or helpful, but do they support your priorities and are you using your time wisely?

The Bible gives us guidance on how to use our time in Ephesians 5:15-16: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,  making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

If you are ready to make yourself a priority, be wise with your time and eliminate or alter those things that are unnecessary at this time in your life.  You may discover you have an extra 20-30 minutes to design a program that you can stick with and actually fits your lifestyle.

 #5

Number 5 on our list of ways to stick to an exercise program:

MAKE IT A PRIORITY

Is it for you?

In Good Health,

Crystal

Filed Under: Coaching w/ Crystal Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Captivating: Chapter 10 – “To Mother” – “My Sister, My Friend” (pgs 176-181)

March 13, 2013 by

So, if you don’t already know, I’m single.  I’ve never been married, and I don’t have any children.  Furthermore, if you know me at all, you know that little kids fascinate me.  I’m one of those creepy people who will stare at your kids just because they always put a smile on my face.  Nothing brings me more joy than when I wave to a little baby and get a great big smile in return.  Children are life in its most simple, pure, and innocent form.

Deep down, beyond all the outward fascination, I struggle with jealousy.  Oftentimes, I watch a mother take her toddler’s hand to “go find a book to read before bed tonight,” and I get jealous.  I want that.  I want to take a little mini-me and read bedtime stories to her.  I want to watch my son play baseball or score his first goal playing soccer.  I want to get lost in an imaginary world, dress up like a superhero and fly around my living room with my little ones. I want to listen as they try to pronounce words like “popsicle” and “spaghetti.” I want to snuggle with my baby as she falls asleep in my arms.  I want to mother.

When I find the jealousy creeping in, I have to turn it over to God.  He’s faithful, He knows these desires of mine, and I know He will give them to me in His time.  And when it is my turn to mother, I want to encourage my children to live a life from their heart, as our authors state.  I want to encourage them to be the person God has created them to be—nothing more, nothing less.

But, even if you don’t have children of your own, you do have opportunities to mother not only other people’s children, but other people in general.  All you have to do is care about someone, offer a listening ear to that person, and encourage him or her to simply be who God created them to be.  Let the following passage from Philippians resonate in your hearts:

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  Phillipians 2:1-4 ESV

Count others more significant than yourself? Really? I mean, who does that?

Mothers. Mothers do that.  Or, at least they should do that.  If you haven’t had a mother who sacrificed and loved you the way she should have, I’m sorry.  But there is Someone who has filled her role. There is Someone who counts you more than He counts Himself.  There’s Someone who died to save you from your sin so that you can live forever with Him in Heaven.  That Person is Jesus, and He loves you unconditionally.  I love this quote by Jerry Bridges, a notable Christian author.  It reminds me of a mother’s love for her children:

“God’s unfailing love for us is an objective fact affirmed over and over in the Scriptures. It is true whether we believe it or not. Our doubts do not destroy God’s love, nor does our faith create it. It originates in the very nature of God, who is love, and it flows to us through our union with His beloved Son.” — Jerry Bridges, Christian author

Right in suit with caring more about others than yourself falls our friendships with other women.  Do you have those? How are they? Can you think of a girlfriend who you know would be there for you if you needed someone to talk to, cry to, receive godly advice from, or just goof around with? If you don’t have a friend like that, I encourage you to seek one.  My mother told me that when I was a toddler, she didn’t have many girlfriends.  When I entered preschool, she had been praying for a good friend to come into her life.  God was faithful! Through a fun course of events, He placed another family into my family’s life, and our friendship continues to this day.  Not only did we gain a friendship, but this family led my family closer to God.  Our faith was strengthened through that friendship.

Do you have a friend who causes your relationship with God to deepen?  Does she encourage you to grow and walk closer with Him daily?  If not, I pray you seek, invest, and spend time with godly women in your church, Bible study, or even with this group online!  Proverbs 27:17 reminds us that “iron sharpens iron.”  Do you have an “iron” friend in your life? Friendship with like-minded women is crucial to your spiritual growth, and I’ve seen it create accountability and a safe place in my own life.  If you already have your “iron” friend or two, then don’t forget to nurture those friendships with love and attention.

Praise Him!

Carissa

 

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Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for our innate desires to mother, care for, and encourage those in our lives.  I pray that we will apply these desires in the lives of our children, future families, marriage, friendships, and even acquaintances.  I pray that Your love that dwells in each of us will overflow to those around us.  Father, thank You for the gift of girlfriends and friendships.  Lord, I pray that our friendships will grow as we all seek to know You and serve You better each and every day.  In your Holy Name we pray, Amen.

Your Assignment:

Do you like kids as much as I do? I can’t be the only creeper out there! What does your heart desire with regard to children and a family?  Do you feel the desire to “mother” as our authors discuss?   In the past, what has held you back from forming friendships with other women? How do you plan on changing that for the future?

 

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GWS

Our next Women’s Online Bible/Book study begins March 24th.  

To sign up for this amazing study, click on the picture above, complete the registration form, and we will email you further details.   

We hope you will join us.

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Winning Him Without Words: Weekly Review

December 14, 2012 by

 

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.  (Proverbs 22:6)

One Sunday morning many years ago, I stood staring out my kitchen window, contemplating on not going to church any longer with “just me and my two little girls.”

Three months had passed since we had moved from Atlanta to New Orleans. My husband had been offered a job opportunity he felt he couldn’t afford to turn down.  During the process of our lengthy talks about taking the job, I said to him:  “I’ll go with you anywhere you feel we need to go; it is just so hard for me to move with two little girls to a strange city and have to take them to church by myself.”

To which he replied, “I promise you if you will make this move with me, I will go to church with you and the girls.”  And with that hope, we made the move.

Oh yes, he went the first Sunday to help me find the church, and that was the end of that.  As a young mother I felt so betrayed.

So, on this Sunday morning as I was about to give this church-going up for good, I heard little children in my neighborhood playing out in the street.  It was then I prayed:  “Lord, if he never goes to church with me, I commit to you this morning that I will go alone if I have to; I can’t bear the thought of my children playing on the streets on Sunday morning and not in church.”

And with that, the three of us began our journey, and today both girls and their husbands hold ministry roles in their church and are raising their little ones for Jesus.

I realize it doesn’t always happen this way.  When children become of age, they make their own choices and sometimes stray from their Christian up-bringing. But, I would encourage every mother to make the effort to teach their kids about Jesus and take them to church, even if it she has to do it alone.  It has its rewards—I am blessed. 

On a side note, my husband gloats over his children and grandchildren.  He has been the best husband and father any man could be with the exception of that “missing link of having Jesus in his heart.”  But, as Lynn and Dineen point out:  “God makes everything beautiful in His time.”

As we come to the close of our study in Winning Him Without Words, let me say it has been a pleasure reviewing Beverly, Jennifer, Donna, and Sarah’s blogs for you, our readers, each week.  I know they have inspired you as much as they have me.  Let’s take one final look at what they had to say this week on:  What About the Kids. 

 

Weekly Review

 

Monday:  Where to Start?  Before answering that question, Beverly talks about the thoughts most women have in a spiritually unequally yoked marriage, as Beverly was.

  • Am I doing things right
  • Am I teaching them the truth
  • Will they accept Jesus as Savior one day
  • Will they learn to be a prayer warrior
  • Will they love Jesus
  • Will they wake each morning with a desire to live every moment for Him
  • Will they seek a godly mate for their life
  • Will they love God’s Word and want to spend time getting to know Him

As most mothers, Beverly had thoughts on whether her children would continue living out their Christian foundation after her children were grown and left home.

But, even with these consuming thoughts, Beverly agrees with the answer in our book on page 170 of Where to Start:   “Help our love for Jesus be so contagious it can’t help but rub off on our loved ones and when our kids see us loving God in this way, they will love Him too!”

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Tuesday:  Teachable Moments:  Jennifer brought us to the reality of three main points we must consider if we are to have teachable moments with the children God has placed in our lives.

  1. There are limited moments in our daily lives. We only have 1,440 minutes every single day.
  2. Be ready for these moments.
  3. Create those moments if they are not spontaneously popping up on their own.

Jennifer challenged us to be alert to the teachable moments that will come into your life be it your own children, grandchildren, nieces/ nephews, cousins, etc. Pray that the Lord will open your eyes and your heart to these moments. Seek Him for how to respond; in all situations.  Show love and grace.

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Wednesday:  Start When They are Young:  Donna certainly believes in starting young in teaching and training children for the Lord as she did with her own children.

For starters, she:

  • Prayed before they were conceived.
  • prayed for them during pregnancy.
  •  prayed after they were born that she’d have wisdom to know them like God did and know how to raise them for His purposes.

After her children were born she:

  • taught them to pray at early age
  • no TV was allowed; only Christian radio
  • videos taught God’s word in song
  • read children’s book on their Bible heroes
  • prayed with them for healing of cuts and bruises

Donna knew she was to start out showing them Jesus as soon as they were born.  In addition she knew that her own faith should be lived out in every aspect of her life, every day before her kids.

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Thursday:  As They Grow:  Sarah points to us as parents the spiritual influence, positive or negative, we have on our children as they grow.

Because of some issues she and her believing husband had in choosing a church home, they did not attend church for a year. Her main concern during this time was how this was affecting her girls, ages 11 and 13.

I personally found the prayer Sarah offered at the end of her blog should be the prayer of all of us who desire to be a Godly influence on children as they grow.  Dear Lord, we want to make sure they continue to want to worship You, learn more about You and grow closer to You every day. This is a crazy world we live in, with many negative outside influences that are hard to keep away from our children. Help us in this effort Lord, to keep their eyes focused on You.

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Let’s Pray:   Father God, you have given us a precious gift – -children.  Help us all as parents, grandparents, children church leaders, aunts, uncles – -not let a teachable moment pass us by.  Give us wisdom to guide the children you have placed in our lives.  Above all, may these little ones love you with all their hearts, and live their lives according to what you have created them to be.

Your assignment:  Tell a child today that you love them.

If you have not accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, and would like to have someone pray with you, please email us at Prayer@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com. and one of our prayer team members will contact you.

Have a blessed day,
Martha

*****We would LOVE to have your feedback on this study! Will you take a few minutes to complete the following survey? Your responses will help us create the best online bible study experience for you! CLICK THIS LINK to fill out the short 10 question form. Your responses are completely anonymous, I promise!! Thank you so much!*****

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Our next Women’s Online Bible Study

“Crazy Love” by Francis Chan

Begins January 6, 2013.

To sign up for this new Online Bible Study, click the link HERE and follow the instructions. You will also be given a link to where you can purchase this bible study. We’re looking forward to learning about this “Crazy Love” with you!!

*****

Please email Christi@girlfriendscoffeehour.com if you have any questions, or if you have a private comment that you would like to forward to one of our bloggers in regards to their post that day.

*****

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Winning Him Without Words: Teachable Moments

December 11, 2012 by

There are limited moments in our daily lives. In this day of the smartphone, the countless activities with the kids, the full-time job, the dinner preparation, and sleep (if we are lucky!), we often are not intentional with how we spend our moments. But think about this – moments are here and gone in a flash. We only have 1,440 minutes every single day. How are you spending each of your minutes? Are you being intentional? Are you taking advantage of the teachable moments that arise with your children or nieces/nephews/other children in your life?

I love Lynn’s story about her prayer bus. She took what would normally be a mundane daily activity – driving the kids to school – and turned it into a time to connect with her kids. She prayed over their upcoming day with them and through this activity, her kids saw that her faith is real. She was able to teach them to rely on God and to turn to God for their needs as they went into their school day. What an incredible gift to her kids!

But we must be ready for these moments. And sometimes we must create them if they are not spontaneously popping up on their own.

Are you ready to drop everything when your son/daughter/niece/nephew/granddaughter/grandson/cousin/any other child in your life drops a teachable moment right in your lap? Often we are so consumed with worldly things and are not so attuned to what is right in front of us. We do not realize it right away…and then the moment has passed. The teachable moment is gone.

So, I challenge you this week to be alert to the teachable moments that will come into your life. Pray that the Lord will open your eyes and your heart to these moments. Seek Him for how to respond; in all situations, show love and grace.

Let’s Pray: Lord, we ask that You open our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts to the teachable moments that our children present to us each day. Help us to minister to their needs as they arise and to give them wise biblical counsel as You guide and direct us. Help us to faithfully guide these children you have entrusted to us, Lord, whether it is through our biological birthing of them or whether it is through adoption, familial relationship, friendship, or any other relationship. In Jesus name, Amen!

Your Assignment: Tell us about a teachable moment you have experienced with a child in your life.

*****

Our next Women’s Online Bible Study

“Crazy Love” by Francis Chan

Begins January 6, 2013.

To sign up for this new Online Bible Study, click HERE and follow the instructions. You will also be given a link to where you can purchase this bible study. We’re looking forward to learning about this “Crazy Love” with you!!

We would LOVE to have your feedback on this study! Will you take a few minutes to complete the following survey? Your responses will help us create the best online bible study experience for you! CLICK THIS LINK to fill out the short 10 question form. Your responses are completely anonymous, I promise!! Thank you so much!

Please email Christi@girlfriendscoffeehour.com if you have any questions, or if you have a private comment that you would like to forward to one of our bloggers in regards to their post that day.

*****

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Winning Him Without Words: What About the Kids? (Weekly Reading Assignment)

December 9, 2012 by

“Your calling is simply to love this man in your life and love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. Leave the rest to God.” (pg. 166)

Well, ladies, we have officially read and studied through all 10 keys to thriving in a spiritually mismatched marriage! Let’s do a quick review, shall we?

Key #1: Know that You’re Not Alone!

Key #2: Don’t Save Your Husband – Save Yourself

Kay #3: Stay Connected

Key #4: Know the Essentials of Love: Hope, Joy, Peace and Trust (Oh, Yeah, and Respect)

Key #5: Believe Your Marriage is Blessed

Key #6: Trade Perfection for Authenticity

Key #7: Pick and Choose Your Battles

Key #8: Move from Hurt to Healing – Seasons of Marriage

Key #9: Keep Your Armor On – You’re at War!

Key #10: Learn When to Pray the Most Dangerous Prayer

I don’t know about you, but I have learned SO much with this study. This book is definitely one I will look back to again and again! I encourage you to read the conclusion today and then dig in to our final week starting tomorrow. I can’t believe it is almost over!

*****

The last week of our study, we are going to talk about the kids. What do you do in a spiritually mismatched home when you have children present? This has the potential to be a very touchy area in a marriage. This section of our book can be found in APPENDIX 1.

Here is our Reading Assignment for the week:

Dec 10 – Prov 22:6 – What About the Kids / Where to Start – Beverly

Dec 11 – Teachable Moments – Jennifer

Dec 12 – Start When They Are Young – Donna

Dec 13 – As They Grow – Sarah

Dec 14 – Discovery / Prayer – Martha

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Let’s Pray: Father God, as we go into our last week of this study, I pray that  you will open our hearts and minds to what you have for each one of us. For those of us with children or those of us blessed to have nieces and nephews or other children in our lives, Lord, we ask that you show us how to be a positive spiritual influence in their lives. I pray that you touch each child represented by every woman participating in this study and bless them as they grow into the men and women you created them to be. Help us to guide them and teach them in Your ways, Father. In Jesus precious and holy name, I pray, Amen!

*****

Our next Women’s Online Bible Study

“Crazy Love” by Francis Chan
Begins January 6, 2013.

To sign up for this Online Bible Study, click HERE and follow the instructions. You will also be given a link to where you can purchase this bible study. We’re looking forward to learning about this “Crazy Love” with you!!

We would LOVE to have your feedback on this study! Will you take a few minutes to complete the following survey? Your responses will help us create the best online bible study experience for you! CLICK THIS LINK to fill out the short 10 question form. Your responses are completely anonymous, I promise!! Thank you so much!

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Resolution for Women: Chapter 11 Review

September 14, 2012 by

1 John 3:18

“We must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.”

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Loving our children through action is not something that I have been the best at doing!  I have to admit that right here, and right now, that I have not always been the best at showing my love to my children, or my grandchildren.  I haven’t been the best at sharing the joy they all give me when I am with them, or when I think of them.  I know I have a lot of things to work on….and this chapter was a reminder of that…loud and clear.

My children are grown and gone.  I am the mother to two beautiful daughters, and two amazing step-sons.  I LOVE these kids with all my heart and soul, but to be honest, I have a hard time showing them how I feel about them.  I KNOW I need to work on this!

I am the grandmother to ten of the most amazing grandchildren, ranging in age from 15 yrs old to 10 months.  I have to admit that it hurts when I hear “Nonnie, I don’t like coming to your house because it’s boring.”  And you know what?  They are right!  It is boring here!  I AM BORING!

I have had to sit back this week and really look at who I am to my kids and grandkids.  Do they really know how much I love them?  Do they really know how much they mean to me?  Do they really know how BLESSED I feel to be their mom, step-mom, and grandmother?  I’m not sure of that answer.

As I’ve read this chapter and prayed about what I was going to share today, I really felt that I needed to remind all of us who are mothers and grandmothers, what an awesome privilege we’ve been given by God to have these amazing little people in our lives.

We need to realize what a huge honor it is to have been trusted by God to rear these beautiful creatures that He created.

We need to realize what an honor it is to be called Mother and Grandmother.

For those of you don’t have children yet, you need to realize what a huge impact you can have on your nieces and nephews, or your neighbors kids, or friends kids!  What an honor it is to be able to share the love of Christ with them.  Don’t let an empty womb stop you from reaching out to others kids and being the Light in their worlds!

We need to realize what a joy it can be to rear these amazing little creatures into responsible, amazing, God-honoring, adults, who in turn, give the same to others in their lives.

We also need to realize that it’s never too late to start.  THAT is where I am today, at this very moment.

I RESOLVE, FROM THIS MOMENT ON TO BE THE BEST MOM, STEP-MOM, AND NONNIE THAT I CAN BE.  I resolve to teach my kids even more who Christ is.  I resolve to continue to teach my grandkids who Jesus is, and why He is important to them.  I resolve to become a better step-mother.  I resolve to become a better mom.  I resolve to stop being boring!!  (this is a big one, by the way!! LOL)

I want God to bless my children and grandchildren, and what better way than to start being a blessing to them.

Granted, I haven’t been a horrible mother and grandmother.  But, I have much room for improvement!  And that is what I am going to focus on.

I want to encourage you to find something that your child, young or old, loves doing and then make a promise to yourself that you are going to step out on a limb, out of your comfort zone, and actually DO that thing, whatever it is, with them!  Maybe your son loves football.  Go to a football with him.  Maybe your daughter loves designer clothes, or funky clothes.  Go find a funky clothing store and go shopping with her.  Maybe your grandson loves playing in the sand.  Go find a place that you and he can go to build sand castles together!  Maybe your granddaughter loves being a princess.  Find a place that will allow her to try on princess gowns, and take pictures.  Whatever it is, DO SOMETHING with them!!  REACH OUT TO THEM!!  I’m preaching to the choir here, too, Ladies.

As I write, I am becoming more and more excited to step out of my normal boring “mom/Nonnie” mode, into the world that allows me to create precious memories together with my kids, and grandkids.  It all starts with me.

It ALL starts with ME.  I have a choice to be the kind of person I want to be in the lives of these precious souls in my life.  I have a choice to be a part of their lives, or not be a part.  I have a choice what part I want to play in their lives.  A significant part, or nothing at all.  It IS MY CHOICE!

I have the choice to sit down with my kids and tell them just how much I love them, and then SHOW them!!  I was speaking to my Life Coach today about this very topic today.  She gave me some amazing ideas on how to love on them in action, not just in word.  Sending little care packages to them, far or near.  Sending cards in the mail.  Sending coupons that allows them to pick a special place that they want to go on their birthday, with YOU!!  Sending them their favorite candy.  Sending them a magazine, for the older kids, of their favorite sport, dreams, or hobbies.  Thinking outside the box on how to better love on them!  Pinterest has some amazing ideas on FUN activities for kids.

Granted, life is not all about having fun with our kids….but it IS about creating memories.  Good memories.  Memories that your kids/grandkids will look back on and smile.  Attending my stepfathers’ funeral this week helped me realize the many wonderful memories that I have of him.  I want my kids / grandkids to look back on my life, when that day comes, and say “I will miss the amazing times we had together!”  What a beautiful legacy to leave behind!

 

Loving My Children

I will demonstrate to my children how to love God with all their hearts, minds, and strength, and will train them to respect authority and live responsibly.

I will also resolve to make time for each of my children to spend quality time with them, and get to know them and who God created them to be.

I will also resolve to put aside the “stuff” of the day once a week to do something FUN with my kids!

(Okay, so the last two lines are mine!!)

 

If you are ready to sign your name to this weeks resolution,

please join me.

Christi Wilson

September 14, 2012

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Your Assignment:

Today, I challenge YOU.  What will YOU do this weekend to show your love to your child?   Tell us about it, and how you approach your child or grandchild with this idea.  If you need ideas, go to Pinterest or call a friend and brainstorm together.  Whatever you do, DO SOMETHING!! 🙂   Pray and ask God to give you ideas….He will answer those prayers!!

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Let’s Pray:

Oh Father God, I admit that being a mom can sometimes be one of the hardest jobs You have ever given me.  There are times where I just want to give up, and say I quit!  There are times where I feel so very inadequate.  And times, where I wouldn’t trade my job for anything in the world!  Lord, I need You every single day to help me be the BEST Mom/Grandmother I can be.  I pray that You will guide each one of us Lord and give us the wisdom, courage, boldness, and JOY, that it takes to be a Mom / Grandmother.

Lord, for those women who do not have children, I pray that You will give them ideas on how they can reach out to the children in their family, neighborhood, church, or community.  Lord, help them be the Light that You have created them to be in the lives of kids who need it.  Help them to see that they have a very important role in the lives of children all around them, and then help them do what You have called them to do.

Lord, I give You all praise, glory, and honor for all that You are, all that You have been, and all that You will be in our lives, and in our kids/grandkids lives.  In Jesus’ precious Name, AMEN!

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I’ll be back on Sunday to post your reading assignment for next week!

Living Intentionally to Be the BEST Mom and Nonnie that I Can Be Through Him,

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Resolution for Women – True Love

September 10, 2012 by

1 John 3:18

“We must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.”

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Are you a “loving” mom, or a mom who is “in-love” with your child?

Is it important to you to be your child’s best friend, or to be one that shows them true love?

I’ve been both.  I’ve been the one that shows love discipline and teaching; and I’ve been the one who just wants to be their best friend!  Let’s fact it, parenting is not for the faint-hearted, is it??

Priscilla makes some very good points in this chapter:

  • Our primary goal as mothers is teaching our children God’s truth.
  • Love doesn’t always come in the form of words.
  • Love is an action.
  • Parenting is not an easy job!
  • Parenting is a rewarding job!
  • A fair share of your actions toward your children will not always translate love.
  • Sometimes kids see our love action as being too strict, or overbearing.

I remember times when my kids were little when they used to think that I was over-protective, to the point that they told all their friends that I wouldn’t let them play out in the street for fear that a plane would crash into them! 🙂  Yes, it was a joke, but in their eyes, they really did see me as too protective.  In my eyes, I was loving them.  Huge difference.

We used to laugh about the plane crashing into them, but today they are both mothers, and the one daughter who used to joke about the plane the most, is the mom who is the strictest with her children! Ha!    I just want to look at her one day and say “When will the plane crash??” 🙂

I’ve seen parents who think their only responsibility is to be “friends” with their kids.  Friends to the point that it was unheard of to say “no” to their kids.  I saw this in my own home when my husband and I moved under one roof.  He had two teenage boys still at home, and his only goal was to be their friend.  All I saw was two boys who were headed for a serious crash when the reality of True Life hit them!  They had much to learn that life wasn’t all about getting whatever they wanted, when they wanted it.  This type of “friendship” with his boys caused us, and the boys, a lot of heartache for the first few years as a family.  But, my husband began to see how important it was to change that relationship with his boys and start teaching them to be responsible adults, who would be ready for real life when they left home.  It wasn’t an easy change-over, that’s for sure.  But we all made it out alive, Praise God!

Really, the only advice I can give new parents, or parents with fairly young children at home, please stop worrying about being their best friend!  As Priscilla said in this chapter, True Love is serious business!  We have the responsibility of training this human life in the way he/she should go, so that when they are old, they will not depart from it.  Your children need YOU to be a parent….not their friend.  There’s always time to be their best friend later in years, when they really need it!

As my youngest said to me one day, “Mom, you were always the hardest on us; but because you were, I always knew that you loved us.”  You will never know what music that was to my ears!

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Let’s Pray:

Father, we lift our children to You today and we thank You for the awesome responsibility You have given us.  We thank You Lord for loaning these children to us for a short period of time, to train them in the way they should go.  We thank You Lord for the patience we will need during this time of actually demonstrating our love through action, and not just through words.  Help us Lord to be the parent that YOU need us to be for each child in our life.

Father, for struggling families out there, Lord, I ask for Your help in repairing damage that has already been done.  Help restore the relationships that have gone sour.  Help restore forgiveness, as well, Lord.

In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!!

Your Assignment:

Please leave a comment below telling us in what way you struggle the most in demonstrating love to your child, in action. How can we pray for you today to have a better relationship with your child(ren)?

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Don’t forget, on October 1st, we will begin our brand new Online Bible Study, right here, entitled “Winning Him Without Words” by Lynn Donovan and Dineen Miller.  If you are in an unequally spiritual marriage, you won’t want to miss this study!!  It is AMAZING!

To sign up for this study, please send an email to:  Womens@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com and we will send you all the details you need to get started!

Don’t forget to stop by Craig’s blog to see what the guys are up to with The Resolution for Men.

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

 

Be sure to jump on over to our Facebook Group for the daily activity!! If you do not yet belong to this group, and would like to, send us an email at GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com with FB GROUP in the subject line, and we’ll be glad to add you!

 

That’s it for today!  Megan will be here tomorrow blogging about the next chapter, “The Soul Shaper”.  I hope you will join us!

 

Living Intentionally to Be a Blessing to My Children,

 

 

 

 

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Resolution for Women – Chapter 11 – Loving My Children

September 9, 2012 by

“We must not love with word or speech,

but with truth and action.”

1 John 3:18

 

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This week we dive into Chapter 11 full force and learn how to resolve to train our kids in righteousness.  How to demonstrate to our children how to really love God with all their hearts, minds, and strength, and to train them to respect authority and live responsibly.  This is going to be yet another amazing Chapter!!

Your Reading Assignment for this Week:

Monday:  Read pages 206 thru 210:  True Love

Tuesday: Read pages 211 thru 216: The Soul Shaper

Wednesday: Read pages 217 thru 221: The Intentional Encourager

Thursday:  Read pages 222 thru 226: The Discipline Dealer

Friday: Come back here for our Weekly Overview

Be sure to come back here each day of this week to read our blog posts about this awesome chapter from The Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer.  We have just 2 more sections to complete before we end this current bible study!  Wow! Where did the time go!!

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I would like to take this opportunity to ask for your prayers for my family.  We lost a very dear loved one this weekend, to cancer.  He was my step-father for many years.  He and my mother were divorced many years ago, but he always remained my step-father in my heart; and always remained the PawPaw to my children, and their children.

Delvis Glenn Chandler

you will be missed by many.

We love you!

Rest In Peace

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On October 1st, right here on the Featured section of our blog, we will begin this 13-week bible study

“Winning Him Without Words…

10 Keys to Thriving in your Spiritually Mismatched Marriage”

by Lynn Donovan and Dineen Miller.

We will cover topics such as: Staying Connected to Your Man, Discovering the Essentials to Love; Trading perfection for authenticity; Cherishing each new season, and so much more!!   This book is amazing ladies, and I can’t wait to get started studying it with you!!  You will need to purchase this book for this study.  This book, a journal, and your bible is all you will need to participate.

If you haven’t already signed up for this particular study, please email us at

Womens@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

and we will send you all the details you need to get signed up!!

Enjoy the rest of your Weekend!

In His Love,

 

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