The Rumble

Over the last two weeks, the hubby and I have been sensing a "change" happening about an issue in our life. We have kept communication open between us, but hoping the things we feared were just us being the type A, "first child" people we are. In a nut shell, we were hoping we were wrong.

This particular "thing" has been rolling along with out a hiccup for so long. The problem is that a hiccup would feel like an earthquake if it ever happened. All month we have been telling ourselves that these thoughts were just us over thinking things. Maybe even the enemy planting thoughts....until we felt the rumble this week.

The rumble was our wake up call. The rumble was unsettling to our mind, but comfort at the same time. It was comfort because we knew those thoughts were God given. We knew our options were led by the Holy Spirit.  God is faithful to lead us if we allow Him to.

Leslie from Waiting on a Word wrote this in a recent post,
http://www.waitingonaword.blogspot.com/

"It's in the risk, where we have everything to lose, that God meets us.  It's in our tears, those heaving cries, where He comforts.  It's in the release, where we finally let go of every plan and every detail, that He becomes real."

We have risked this week, and God met us.
We have cried this week, and found comfort in Him.
We have "let go" this week, and He is showing us His plan and how to work out the details

If you have ever questioned if God is real, allow Him to prove it to you.
⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:9-11

Day 23: 31 Days of Praying Scripture for Children

 Day23:  September 10th

Luke 17:  5-6  The disciples said to the Lord,  "Increase our faith!"  He replied,  "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'be uprooted and planted in the sea', and it will obey you.

 

Over the years I have "tried this".  "Hey you bush (or problem, or person) go plant yourself somewhere else".  And often I found, it didn't work.  Why?  probably because I waited to see if I could be amazed by God.  See if he would really cause my request to happen.  The request were totally WITHOUT faith they would happen.  So how can we teach our children to have faith in the promises of God?

First you have to know what God has promised to us as children of God.  I love the small scripture books that contain promises of God.  "God's Promises for Women", Parents, Men, children...you name it they have these little books for everything.  They simply outline scriptures on different subjects.  Much like we are praying specific scriptures for our children, these books outline all kinds of issues and scriptures we can stand on to help us.  Anger, Fear, Joy, Laziness, Money, Patience, Success.  You name it, it covers it even a section on Faith!

Dear Lord Jesus, the Giver of every good thing.  I pray that faith will find root and grow in this child’s heart, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them.  By faith they will trust in you for all their needs.  -Amen

Day 22: 31 Days of Praying Scripture for Children

Day 22:  September 9- 
¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Phillipians 4:12-13

Ihave to be honest,  my children have not experienced what it is to "be in need", and because of this struggle with contentment. But two summers ago, my oldest attended a Memorial Basket ball camp in my home town. It was sponsored by locals in memory of a young man who lost his life to Cancer. He was their son, sibling, friend, classmate, childhood buddy. Verse 13 was their theme during the camp.
You see, these young people knew what it was like to have plenty. They had time with this young man that made a lifetime impression on them. They also knew what it was like to be in need. In need to feel connected to him again. Looking for a way to share his memories and character with young boys.  They were looking for ways to be content in every situation. Gaining strength from GOD.  I want this for my children. I want GOD to be their source of strength!  .

• Father, teach this child the secret of being content in any and every situation…through Him who gives them strength.  Remind them of your strength when they experience need. Remind them how you supplied when they experience plenty. May they praise you through every situation, and show they how to share it with those who don't understand the HOPE You have to offer. -Amen
  
  
  
  
  

Day 19- 31 Days Praying Scripture for Children

Day 19:  September 6-  Hebrews 12:1

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverancethe race marked out for us

Lord, teach this child perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them.  

Day 18: 31 Days of Praying Scripture for Children

Day 18:  September 5

 

Remind them to submit to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to speak evil of no one, to avoid fighting, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.  Titus 3:1-2

In our town we have had MAJOR issues over high school football.  Ugly words, taking matters into their own hands, fighting....in fact, just the opposite of this scripture in Titus.  I had the opportunity to spend some time with some little guys last night during our CAMP Wednesday.  Several of them are really into sports, and I just held my breath hoping this brawl would not be the subject of choice for these guys.  I felt impressed to use a backpack to help them understand God's word.  Some back packs were heavy, some were lite.  They had the opportunity to choose which they wanted to carry.  Several chose to carry the heavy one.  Even when help was offered, they refused.  Wanted to show everyone they could do it alone. 

 

This is not how God intended for us to live life.  He wants us to submit to authorities, he wants us to be obedient.  In fact, this scripture reminds us to "be ready" to do a good deed (show mercy).

 

Dear God, please cultivate in this child the ability to show true humility toward all.  Help us all to be gentle, to avoid fighting even when it feels like that is all that is left  to do.  Remind us that good always wins in your eyes.  We ask you to forgive us when we take matters into our own hands.  Help us stand strong on Your Word!  -Amen

Day 17: 31 Days of Praying Scripture for Children

Day 17:  September 4-

You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!—taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.  1 Thessalonians 1:5-6

 

Joy in the midst of trouble.  That can be a hard one to follow on our own.  In fact, many are not able to see joy through their trouble.  Trouble becomes like that piece of bubble gum you chew to long.  You chew and chew and chew, and it gets bigger and bigger.  You dwell and dwell and dwell on your trouble, and the bigger it gets.  The verse in Thessalonians reminds us that we need examples to imitate.  If children learn other things by example, they also learn how to live through trouble through example.  In your prayer time today, ask God to allow the Holy Spirit to use you as an example of joy. 

 

 

May this child be filled with joy given by the Holy Spirit.  Even in the midst of trouble, help them see Your joy through others among them.  Let them become determined to live a joyful life through the Holy Spirit.  Help me be an example of joy through my troubles, so that others may see You through me.  -Amen

Day 16: 31 Days of Praying Scripture for Children

Day 16:  September 3-  

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹ In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. I Timothy 6: 18-19

What a picture this scripture paints.  If we do good and are generous and willing to share, we lay up treasures that create a firm foundation.  It is kind of like a "nest egg" or savings account that gives us sure footing to stand on.  This is described as True Life....a firm foundation created by giving and doing good.  Be an example of this "living" for children today.  How can you do good and be generous?

Lord of Heaven and Earth, Grant that this child may be generous and willing to share and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.  -Amen