Jean Stockdale...

Monday Morning Manna for Moms #16-How to Raise Great Kids

Jesus Christ is the way, THE ONLY WAY, for a guilty sinner (that includes all of us) to be reconciled with a holy God. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Salvation is wrought through a personal decision to receive Jesus Christ, by grace through faith. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household (Acts 16:31). Please understand this. We cannot believe for our children. We cannot make our children receive Jesus. We cannot make our children behave right or believe right. Obviously a child raised in a home where at least one (preferably both) parent is a devoted believer, is more likely to desire to know Jesus. But the ultimate decision to receive or reject Jesus Christ rests with the free will of an individual. There is, however, much we can do to give them a taste for the things of the Lord.

Do not underestimate the influence your godly lifestyle can have in the life of your child! At the same time you must acknowledge that ultimately, the decision to receive or reject Jesus Christ lies in the free will of your child. NEVERTHELESS, your child’s right to decide for or against Christ does not negate the role your Christian testimony will play in that final outcome of your child’s decision.

In the Bible study I teach for MOMS we will be having a q&a session in a couple of weeks. I will be posting some of the questions I have received along with Biblical precepts over the next few weeks. We all want to raise great kids for Christ. God's Word tells us how to train up a child in the way he should go. Let's discover what God says together!

Monday Morning Manna for Moms #16

Dear moms, it is incumbent upon us to live out this thing called faith. Our children need to see what faith-walking looks like. Christ, clothed in our humanity. In the kitchen. In the den. In the midst of crisis. In the monotony of the mundane. In times of joy and walking through the valley of the shadow of death. We need to parent out of the overflow of our devotional life and love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

We live on ten acres in a rural part of Fayette County. We own a landscaping business, and Craig uses our property to grow a lot of his nursery stock. He has a metal building on the back corner of our property for his office and shop. Our dear family friend, Renae Terrell, works for us in the office. Our property is bordered on two sides by fields that lay dormant. Each year, several hundred acres around us sprout a healthy crop of what we call broom straw. Broom straw is a tall dry brittle grass that is highly combustible.

Several years ago I had lain across the foot of my bed with a sick headache. It was late afternoon, and I had taken some pain medicine and hoped to sleep off the effects of my throbbing misery. I was somewhere between deep sleep and lapsing into a coma when I become mildly conscious of the fact that my friend Renae was calling my name. Startled, I cracked one eye open to see if I was dreaming or if my friend was, in fact, standing over me. Yes, that was my friend all right. Renae was speaking to me in a very low and strangely controlled tone of voice. She was carefully measuring her words.

“Jean,” she said. “I don’t want to alarm you, but the field is on fire and it is heading this way!” I did not immediately grasp the meaning of the words she spoke, but I could not help but notice that she was now screaming in my ear and hopping from one foot to the other. Even in my heavily medicated state, I could tell that meant trouble!

“What did you say?” I managed to groggily reply as I pulled myself upright into a sitting position. “Fire!” she screamed. Now I was fully awake! We both ran out the kitchen door to the back of our property. The field behind us was engulfed in flames and it was rapidly moving towards our property. We watched in horror as tongues of flames lapped up the broom straw, silently fueling the fire and feeding its fury.

Renae and I could see a fire truck on the far side of the field and our faithful volunteer firefighters feverishly working to limit the damage and contain the fire. Suddenly we were aware of heavy equipment coming up my driveway and rumbling across our property to approach the fire from a different direction. The flames were now only 10 feet from our fence line. In no time, the heavy tractors were unloaded and used to make dirt fire walls, surrounding the fire and cutting it off from its source of fuel. Thankfully, the fire was quickly brought under control and the flames were soon extinguished.

Fire can be very useful. However, fires must be carefully tended. Too much fuel can lead to wildfire. Too little fuel can reduce a flaming fire to a pile of glowing embers.

 

*Excerpt from Run Well, Finish Strongby Jean Stockdale

In 2 Timothy 1:6 Paul wrote, For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.As believers we are in danger of wildfire-that is  falling victim to a counterfeit move of God, fueled by Satan and fraught with doctrinal error. On the other hand, we are in danger of failing to feed our devotional love for the Lord Jesus and reducing our passion for the things of God to smoldering embers. Paul urges us to continually fan the flames and stir the embers through personal Bible study, prayer, Scripture memorization, and other disciplines of the faith.

 

In order to pass the baton of the faith to the next generation we must kindle afresh the gift of God. Blessings.

Monday Morning Manna for Moms #15-No, No, No!

 Baby Grayson stopped by for a visit. As he walked into my kitchen, my baby grand-who is currently 18 months old-pointed his chubby finger to the electrical outlet and firmly said, "No. No. No. No." He moved quickly to the coffee pot and again he said, "No. No. No." The cable outlet and again with the, "No. No. No. No." All the way through the downstairs, Grayson walked with determination, identifying the problem areas for an 18 month old and saying, "No."

Grayson was demonstrating a very important part of good parenting. Way to go, Dawson and Kathryn. He is learning to self-discipline himself. He becoming able to identify those things he should not do. And letting me know that he is aware of the temptation to touch but is refusing to give into it.

Teaching a child to activate self-control is important. We often fall into the trap of getting our child to control his behavior by strictly adhering to a list of external rules, rather than learning the life skills of learning how to access and activate internal controls. Ultimately for the Christian mom, the goal it to move your child from your total control (newborn to about age 6) to self-control (usually from 6-12 years of age when the spirit is awakening to the call of Jesus Christ) to the Holy Spirit's control. 

So moms, make a point to help your child learn the life skill of self-control. It will serve him/her well for the rest of his/her life.

Monday Morning Manna for Moms #14

A mom recently facebooked me and commented on how she struggled with keeping her mind focused on the Lord.  She found herself repeatedly being tempted in her mind to think thoughts that were obviously planted by the enemy of her soul. They were thoughts that were contrary to the Word of God. An obvious ploy of the enemy to steal her joy and distract her from making forward progress in her walk with the Lord. 

I can certainly relate! Cant you. We are our own worst enemy! Satan tosses his thoughts into our mind and, even though we know they are not true, we wrestle with them. Cruel thoughts. Wicked thoughts. Sinful thoughts. Self-loathing thoughts. Negative thoughts. And on and on. IF we do not CAST DOWN THESE VAIN IMAGINATIONS we will fall prey to them and act on them. So what is a mom to do?

So how do you  go about casting down vain imaginations? This truth is just too good not to share with all my internets. 

Paul wrote that we do not war according to the flesh (2 Cor. 10:3-5). Our warfare is not of this world; it is divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. That is, if you have a stronghold, which is a deeply embedded sinful habit pattern, you can pull it down and destroy it by appropriating the powerful spiritual warfare that is ours in Christ. We destroy vain imaginations (KJV), speculations and every lofty things raised up against the knowledge of God, by casting down any thought that does not line up with the Word of God or what we know of the Son of God. We take the thought captive to the obedience of Christ. That is, we march the thought that we captured before we acted upon it, and present our captive thought to our Commander in Chief, Jesus Christ. We ask Him to crucify the thought and by faith thank Him for doing so. Then we continue our walk of faith. Great truth. 

Now how does it work? Thought-"I am such a bad Christian that God could never really love me." Truth-That thought does not line up with the Word of God. I John 4:10 says, In this is love,not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (See, this is why you must know the Word of God! How else will you recognize the vain imaginations that are lifted up against the knowledge of God?) Test-Can you capture the thought or do you get some kind of perverted pleasure from denigrating yourself? Do put-downs come easily? Has your self-worth been so debased that you really believe the lies the enemy is shooting your way? Can you capture the thought before you act upon it (giving into depression or self-loathing) and turn to the Lord, marching the thought at gunpoint (mentally) to your Commander in Chief and asking Him to crucify the thought. Triumph-Yeah! You have taken your thought captive to the obedience of Christ, cast down the lies of the enemy, crucified self and exalted Christ in your life. God gets all the glory because our weapons are not of this world, but they are "other-worldly!" Sister-you rock! This process works for any lie of the enemy ("You are stupid", "You are worthless", "You are a bad mother" etc. )or any stronghold (anger, jealously, lust, envy, etc.) that has built a giant honking strong tower in your psyche. This, sisters, is how you pull it down...brick by brick...you are delivered as you repeat the process so many times that it becomes as natural to you as breathing. When you are successful, you put your foot on the neck of your enemy and he is forced to admit that Jesus is Lord!This is why we must put on the helmet of salvation-to guard our thought life-lest we allow the enemy to find a chink in our armor and exploit it or lest we allow a sinful habit pattern to remain unchecked and develop into a stronghold. 

So, my beloved internets, memorize Scriptures that will be useful when the enemy comes against you to your specific weakness and point of vulnerability. Hold forth the shield of faith, draw the sword of the spirit and fight the good fight of faith. 

Write and let me know how you are doing at developing the spiritual discipline of casting down vain imaginations. Blessings.

Monday Morning Manna for Moms #12

 I am on the backside of mothering. Our boys, Jason and Dawson are both grown, married and on their own. Craig and I are officially left with an empty nest. The house is quiet. The phone rarely rings. Household expenses are down, especially our grocery bill. There was a time when the boys lived at home that the grocery bill exceeded our house note. In those teen years, we went through seven gallons of milk a week. Now, a quart of milk goes sour before we can use it. A new chapter of my life has begun. I have resisted it as long as possible, but there really is no avoiding it. I know that I will always be mom to Jason and Dawson, but the active phase of mothering is over for me. 

As I look back over my years with the boys at home, I have loved every phase of mothering. I loved pregnancy. Both pregnancies were so exciting as we looked towards the future with great joy and anticipation. I have loved being a mom, although it certainly was a lot of hard word. Let's face it. I should have known it was going to be tough. This whole process begins with something called labor. And it turns out that was the easiest part! I loved the early days of having a new baby at home. I sat mesmerized by my newborns, rocking and cuddling each one while breathing in the new baby smells. I kissed each chubby fist and stroked the exquisitely soft cheeks of my newborn, relishing the miracle of one so new and fresh from God. These were precious years, but I did not want my boys to be babies forever. I took great delight in their growth and development. I loved the toddler years. I loved toothless grins and wet sloppy kisses. As I watched in amazement, my little guys began to explore their new environment on wobbly little legs. I learned a new appreciation for the world they introduced me to, one that could only be truly experienced from the vantage point of sitting on the floor. These were precious years, but I did not want my boys to be toddlers forever. I took great delight in their growth and development. I loved the preschool years. My boys grew out of toddler-hood into little boys, anxious to experience their world with reckless abandonment. We dug in the dirt, climbed on the play set, ran trucks and cars over a furniture highway, rode swings so high we could touch the sky, read countless books, sang at the top of our lungs, laughed until tears streamed and played to the point of exhaustion. These were precious years, but I did not want my boys to be preschoolers forever. I took great delight in their growth and development. I loved the school age years. What fun to shop for school supplies and chose just the right backpack! What a thrill to watch them head off to school and enjoy their capacity to learn. These were precious years, but I did not want my boys to be school aged forever. I took great delight in their growth and development. I loved the teenage years-contrary to popular opinion. I took great pride and pleasure in watching them move into adolescence and begin to explore new relationships and establish their own testimony for the Lord. I loved to watch them with their friends. At first I cringed at the idea of them driving, but I learned to appreciate having an extra driver around who could run errands and drive my carpool. Through our boys, Craig and I were introduced to some of the greatest kids. With our boys, we have shared some of the most fun vacations and great adventures together. I loved the teenage years. These were precious years, but I did not want my boys to be teenagers forever. I took great delight in their growth and development. Then my boys left home for college. Suddenly I wanted them to be babies again! I did not want them to grow up! I wanted them to stay little and live in our house and be with us forever. 

If you ask me, life seems so unfair! You pour 18 years of your life into these kids and they grow up and leave you! Does that seem right to you? Of the virtuous woman, Proverbs 31:25 says, "Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future." That is, she was no frightened by any season in her children's lives or in her own. She walked by faith, clothed in strength and dignity. God has a plan and a purpose for every season of our lives. The prayer of my heart is that I too will walk by faith and smile at the future regardless of what it holds.

That is my insight as I glance back in the rearview mirror of mothering. Blessings.

Monday Morning Manna for MOMS

Every mother struggles with patience. Her little flock continually test the boundaries of her patience, often pushing her to the edge! In 2 Timothy 2:6 Paul wrote to Timothy, "The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops."Every farmer knows that the ultimate harvest is dependent upon hard work and patience. Seeds are sown, weeds are pulled, fertilizer is spread, water is added, and the soil is regularly tilled in order to ensure a good harvest. A bountiful harvest is the result of diligence, determination, and patience. But in due season, the work and patience pays off and the farmer is repaid with an abundant harvest. Food for the farmer and his family is provided as well as a profit from the sale of the remaining crops. Paul was reminding Timothy that he must develop spiritual disciplines in order to grow his faith. He would have to be diligent in his pursuit of the Lord Jesus, devoted in his love of the Lord, and dependent on Him to do the work in and through him. He was also going to have to learn perseverance and patience.

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. Every mom needs much more patience than she can muster in her own strength in order to raise godly children. She will (or more precisely, her children will) deplete her own supply of patience in short order. Mom must learn to call upon the Lord and by faith, access His patience and allow it to flow unhindered through her by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Becoming a godly mom, takes perseverance and  patience. To develop the godly discipline of perseverance requires an ironclad commitment to develop personal holiness and practical righteousness. To be patient it takes dependence upon the Lord, obedience to the Word, and confidence in God's ability to do His work. But if we faint not, we will reap a great harvest.

Blessings as you walk with the Lord.

Monday Morning Manna for MOMS #10

Okay, so I missed Monday. The post is still relevant even if it is Thursday! My boys are grown. My nest is altogether empty. Life has settled into a rich and rewarding season for Craig and I, although we still miss the controlled chaos that the boys brought to our lives! 

I have been reading 2 Timothy and I am blessed to see that his mother and grandmother were named in Scripture (2 Timothy 1:5) as women God used to impact him for the cause of Christ. These women are referenced 2 other times, but not named anywhere else in Scripture. A mom. A grandmother. Regular women. Regular women who loved God. 

Timothy's dad is not mentioned. Bible scholars believe he was probably an unbeliever. God used his grandmother and his mom. 

Who was Timothy's mom? Just a mom. A woman probably not particularly widely known in her community. A woman who never acquired fame or fortune, but who is mentioned in the Word of God. Why? Because she faithfully trained her son in the things of the Lord. We know nothing else about her. Did she keep a nice house? Was she a good cook? Did she manage her household well? We don't know. All we know is that she was a godly woman. Is it because nothing else really matters?

When you children leave home, what will they remember about you? What mattered to you? Godliness matters.

Monday Morning Manna for Moms #9

Mothering is just plain hard work. It is often thankless and it is mostly ruthless! No one mentions what you have done until you have not done it. Amen! You are on call 24/7 and heaven help the poor mom that gets sick. Nobody cares that you have 102 fever. Carpools have to be driven and dinner has to be made and oh, did I mention the 24 cupcakes needed for school tomorrow! And then there is that salt map of Venezuela that you just found out your third grader needs in the morning. Why, of why, do we do it? Why do we set ourselves up for twenty years (give or take a few) of agonizing over our children and trying to raise them up in the way they should go. Why, oh why, do we do it? What is up with that?

As a mom you has launched 2 grown men into the the adult world I believe I can answer that.

It is for the sheer joy of it! It is for the guilty pleasure of holding a sleeping newborn and breathing in the sweet new baby smells. It is for the gift of receiving a sticky kiss on the cheek that smells suspiciously of peanut butter. It is for the unspeakable privilege of watching a chubby toddler master the art of walking. It is for the breath-taking moment of seeing your child make a decision for Jesus Christ. It is for watching a first-grader learn to write with painstaking strokes of a chunky yellow pencil on lined primary paper. It is hearing "I love you" whispered in your heart and tucking that memory in your heart. It is the painful realization your baby is growing up. It is for for the tears and trials of adolescence and it is for the tearing away of childhood as the seasons of life slip past, silently but steadily. It is for the pain and pleasure of attending a high school graduation. It is for the mixed emotions of seeing your child at the marriage altar pledge his undying love to his bride-to-be. It is a million little memories of a love that will never end even though the relationship is forced to change and it grows and matures into an adult friendship with your grown children.

Jason and Dawson, what a  privilege to mother you and watch you grow from babies to boys to men,. I loved mothering you and experiencing the joy of the journey. I am grateful I did not miss this ride. You are the works of my hands (Proverbs 31:31). I am exceedingly proud of you and the godly men you have become. It was for this end product that I willing ran the race of motherhood. My life is so much richer because I did.

The shepherds ran to see the Newborn Baby. Luke 2:17-20 says, They made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart(Luke:19).

Mothering is an affair of the heart. Treasure all the memories you create with your child and ponder how God will use them for His glory. Blessings.

Monday Morning Manna for MOMS #8

It's Tuesday. Seriously? How did that happen?

Several years ago I wrote a Bible study especially for MOMMAS on the Book of James called "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall."  This is an excerpt from that study.

I gave my heart to Jesus Christ a short time before I found out I was pregnant with our first son, Jason. The prospect of having a child to raise for the Lord Jesus drove me to my knees and into the Word of God. Studying the Scriptures was new to me, but I was certain that it was a necessity if I intended to train up this child in the way he should go. How could I possibly train a child in the truth if I did not know it?

I certainly did not know much about the abundant Christian life, but I knew enough to know that I wanted it, whatever it was. I could also tell that a change of heart required a changed life. I knew I had experienced a change of heart. There was no doubt about it; I was a new creation in Christ. My conversion was genuine. I had been washed by the blood of the Lamb. My sins were washed away, and I was whiter than snow. That much I was sure of, but I did not quite know how to tackle the changed life. The overwhelming desire to be a godly wife and mom compelled me to become a student of the Word of God. I was desperate for God. I was desperate to hear from Him and to learn to walk in His ways. Apart from Him, I knew I was doomed for failure.

God’s plan for the family is a generational faith. By that I mean it is His intention that the faith be handed down from one generation to the next. While every child is born with a free will and must ultimately choose to receive or reject Christ, there is much that a wise and godly momma can do to influence her child’s decision. God’s plan for the family is a generational faith. Since this is the case, it is crucial that we live out our faith on a daily basis. I am not talking about something that blooms on Sunday morning and fades before lunch. I am not talking about playing church or faking faith. I am not talking about being a casual or carnal Christian. If that is what you have in mind, you will never successfully hand down the faith to the next generation. Who would want what you have? What I am talking about is a woman who fears God and is committed to walking in His ways. I am talking about a woman who is so in love with Jesus that His presence in her life radiates out of her. I am talking about a woman who wears the fragrance of Christ on her life like a shawl, covering her and clothing her in His righteousness. If you are determined to be that woman, then come alongside me and let’s walk together! That is my heart’s desire as well, and we can learn together.

When I think of great mothers, I am reminded of the unwavering faith of the mom of Moses. Moses’ mother is barely mentioned by name in the Scriptures. Exodus 6:20 says, And Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses; and the length of Amram’s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. The mother of Moses was certainly not well known, but she managed three great and godly children. Jochebed raised Miriam, a prophetess, Aaron, a priest, and Moses, the chosen leader of the Jewish nation. Impressive, wouldn’t you say? Yet few people can remember her name. That tells me that my greatest legacy to my children is not in the public arena of teaching or writing, but in the private one that few people have had access to outside of my immediate family. My truest self was revealed to my husband and boys as we all lived together in this lively household, day in and day out. Who I really am is not nearly as truly conveyed on the platform as it was in the playroom, in the kitchen, in the carpool, in the grocery, and in the million and one places that mothering has taken me. My truest nature was best revealed in the mundane monotony of everyday family living. The world at large may never know or remember my name, but two little boys watched me live out my faith, drenched in my humanity with its flaws and frailties, for twenty years (give or take a few). That is real Christianity. That is who I really am.

When you look in the mirror, who do you see?

I am hosting an on-line Bible study for MOMS on the book of Ephesians called "High Stepping in Heavenly Places." Click here to check it out.

Podcasts of "High Stepping in Heavenly Places"are available free of charge by clicking here.

Every Monday (typically on Monday!) I post Monday Morning Manna for Moms to encourage and inspire MOMMAS in the fine art of Christian mothering. Check in often for huge doses of endorsement of this holy occupation! Blessings.

Monday Morning Manna For Moms #7

Babies don't keep!

Every mom struggles to find balance. Children need to be tended. A house needs to be maintained. Meals need to be cooked. Laundry piles up. Groceries need to be purchased. The day evaporates and you have barely scratched the surface of the list of things you need to do!

As a mom of young children, I was regularly frustrated by my messy house. I would get one room picked up while my little guys destroyed another. The never-ending piles of dirty dishes, laundry, dust bunnies, and glistening cobwebs sapped my emotional energy and drained me physically. What to do? How can you get everything done? And really, does everything HAVE to be done? If not, what DOES have to be done? 

*Excerpt from Proverbs and Principles for Parenting Practically Perfect Progeny.

As a mom of two very active boys, I was forced to come to terms with the mathematical equation that children equal clutter. It is simply a fact of life. Trying to go too far beyond keeping the jumble shoveled out and the chaos to a minimum may create unreal expectations. It is next to impossible to keep a perfect house while raising children. Proverbs 14:4 says, Where no oxen are, the manger is clan, but much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.

Trying to keep your manger clean WHILE your children are still at home is a lot like shoveling snow off the driveway while it is still snowing. But, on the other hand, the Bible condemns laziness. Proverbs 12:27 says, A slothful man does not roast his prey, but the precious possession of a man is diligence. Proverbs 15:19 says, The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway. Once again, finding the balance between clean and clean enough is challenging.

*Condensed by author.

Exchanging a perfect house for a neglected spiritual life is a poor trade.  A home that is in perfect order with children who are not, is a distortion of GOd's plan for the home. Regarding appearances over Christian character is an unbalance view of Biblical mothering. Find a healthy balance between CLEAN and CLEAN ENOUGH. Why? Because babies don't keep!

Now relax, and go sit in the floor with you babies! Reads to your toddler. Play a board game with your school-aged kiddos. Pop some popcorn. Make some cookies. Let your kids help. Take your teen out to dinner and let him choose the place. Order dessert and linger over it. Listen to your teen without adding your running commentary. Mothering is a time-sensitive holy occupation. 

Visit our High Stepping in Heavenly Places blog for our on-line Bible study on Ephesians by clicking here. View DVDs on mothering. Get lots of encouragement and inspiration for mothering.

May blessings and balance be yours in Christ!

Monday Morning Manna for Moms #5

Oh my - I am late! It is way past Monday morning. Sorry I am late with my post. It has something to do with my wacky sleeping schedule of late. And today, glorious day, I slept in late. Which has made my whole day off, but I do feel rested. Anyhoo~

In Bible Study Fellowship on Sunday morning, we were directed to this verse in Hebrews 4:11. "There let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience." The writer of Hebrews is referring to the unbelief the children of Israel showed in their wilderness wanderings. He warns us to avoid "following the same example of disobedience."

As mommas, we are either living an example of godliness before our children OR we are an example of disobedience. The best ways to teach our children is by EXHORTATION ( verbal instruction, correction, reproof, affirmation, teaching, etc.) and EXAMPLE. Our example is either instructing them in the way of righteousness OR it is demonstrating disobedience and unrighteousness. Either way, we are teaching them and they will (most likely ultimately) emulate our example. Wow.

Mothering is a holy occupation. We are working in partnership with God as eternal things are being worked into the lives of our children. We cannot make them receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. We cannot chose for them. We cannot force them to choose Jesus.  They must personally receive Christ as Lord and Savior and they must decide to walk in His ways. However, the example we live will have much to do with their decision to receive or reject Jesus Christ.

*Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1). That is, Paul was saying “Follow me because I am following Christ. My life can serve as a guide to teach you how to live, how to love, how to study, and how to obey the Lord.” In Ephesians 5:1 Paul wrote, Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. Paul was not looking to make cheap imitations of himself; he was about the business of making disciples for the Lord Jesus Christ. He intended to live in such a way that his life could be a pattern for all believers to follow. Paul was not playing. Paul was not practicing.

Paul was passionately in love with the Lord Jesus, and his life served as an example to others. As we mother, we need to be reminded that we are acting as ambassadors for Christ. We are representatives of the Godhead displayed through our humanity. We are examples to our husband and our children of godliness. Therefore, we are to be pursuing a life of personal holiness and practical righteousness.

*Excerpt from "Run Well. Finish Strong" by Jean Stockdale on the book of 2 Timothy.

What kind of example are you? Are you an example of a godly woman in the making? Or are you demonstrating an example of disobedience?

It's not to late to join our on-line Bible study on the book of Ephesians called "High Stepping in Heavenly Places". Click here and join in. Blessings.

Monday Morning Manna for Moms #4

Mothering is not for sissies. It is a holy occupation but it is filled with frustrations and aggravations, as well as eternal rewards and daily doses of joy unspeakable. What a deliciously divine paradox is this holy calling!

One of the most difficult issues of mothering involves sibling rivalry. While sibling rivalry is the natural product of having more than one child, the constant fussing and fighting can push mom to the edge of a breakdown! Here is an excerpt from my study on the Book of Philippians entitled "Joy in the Journey."

When our boys were small I began teaching them to get along and live in harmony. I routinely cajoled, “Boys, let us love one another” (1 Thess. 4:9). I regularly said, “Guys, remember the Bible says to be kind one to another” (Eph. 4:32). I tried to teach the boys to defer to one another. I desired our home to be peaceful and harmonious. One day as I attempted to settle yet another bout of sibling rivalry I told Jason, who was 3 at the time, to defer to his brother. Jason replied, “I am sick and tired of detouring to Dawson.” “Deferring,” I corrected without thinking. Jason’s response was not accurate but was insightful! When we defer to the needs of others we detour around them. Considering their needs over our own, we go out of our way to minister to them.

Teach your children through exhortation and example. Verbally teach them how to dwell in harmony. Show them what the Bible has to say about it. Use illustrations to explain this Biblically based life skill. Affirm them when they are kind to their siblings. Correct them immediately when they are not. Exhort them to love one another and promote family harmony. And then model this behavior. Do not be divisive in your family, your church, or your community. Demonstrate how a godly women promotes harmony and unity in the home and in her sphere of influence.

Biblical exhortation and a lifestyle example are the best way to train children in the way they should go!

If you would like to read more "Joy in the Journey" click here to order the book.

If you would like to download my 10-week series on Philippians called "Joy in the Journey" click here.

If you would like to join in our on-line Bible study on Ephesians called "High Stepping in Heavenly Places" click here.

If you would like to purchase the book "High Stepping in Heavenly Places" click here.

Blessings.

Monday Morning Manna for MOMS #3

This is my third post in my new series called Monday Morning Manna for MOMS. If you have read my blog for any length of time, and I hope you have, you know that I love the Lord Jesus Christ and belong to Him. You also know that I love to teach and encourage women in their walk with the Lord, but I especially have a heart for MOMS. Fulfilling God's mandate to "train up a child in the way he should go" is a high calling and a holy occupation. No Christian mom can afford to take this responsibility lightly.

I loved mothering my 2 little boys. But let's face it. Mothering is not for sissies! On any given day, MOMS deal with aggravations, frustrations, irritations, and a host of other emotions. Mothering is an awesome responsibility. As we mother our children the mundane and the miraculous intersect. We partner with God the Father to work eternal things into the hearts and lives of our offspring. Mothering is a crazy irrational mixture of monotonous moments and sacred scenarios! Holy. Hectic. Calm. Chaotic. Fulfilling. Frustrating. Rewarding. Ridiculous. Awesome. Aggravating. Fabulous. Fatiguing. Mixed emotions. Mixed messages. MOMS need daily servings of encouragement, tons of inspiration, lots of practical illustrations laced with large doses of humor, a sanctified imagination, practical applications, and TRUTH from the infallible inerrant Word of God. That is the purposes of Monday Morning Manna for MOMS.

*I do not sleep well. I wish I did, but I do not. A crying baby no longer startles me awake. I am not up late making cupcakes for the school’s bake sale. I am not waiting up for a teenager. Still, I do not sleep well. I have finally reached the season of my life when I could have an uninterrupted night’s sleep and I cannot go to sleep. Consequently, I am up often during the night.

In an effort not to disturb my husband, I developed a technique of slithering off my side of the bed and landing on my feet without making a sound. One restless night I went through my slithering routine. I headed to our den in the dark, something I regularly do. This particular night I misjudged the door opening. My miscalculation caused me to slam into the right side of the door jam. An offset opening connects the master bedroom to our den. The sheer force of my forward motion propelled me to the left side of the offset opening. Dazed, I stumbled into our grandfather clock, setting off the chimes and causing the pendulum to hit the side of the clock frame. Startled, I jumped backward into the corner of my desk. The impact knocked me to the floor. My frightened husband, aroused from sound sleep, rushed into the den. He turned on the light and discovered me in a crumpled heap. “What happened?” he questioned. “I am not sure,” was my slurred response. I can tell you one thing. Life at my house is never boring! My mishap was caused by walking in the dark. Walking in the dark is dangerous. Light illuminates. Darkness hides. Walk in the light.

Beloved mom. If you belong to Jesus Christ, you have been rescued . . . for the domain of dakness, and transferred (into) the kingdom of His beloved Son (Col. 1:13). You were formerly darnkess, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light  (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord (Eph. 5:8-10). We are no longer a part of the kingdom of darkness. If we walk in darkness it is because we have deliberately refuse to walk in the Light of the Lord. We chose to deny the power of God's Spirit and blatantly ignoredthe enlightment of God's Word. Beloved, that is not what God has ordained for us! We are children of Light. Walk in the Light as children of the Light.

Our children need to see REALITY. They need to see Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). If we reduce our Christian faith to rules and religious rituals, our children will likely grow to despise the faith we claim to hold dear.  We are children of Light. We belong to Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God. Live like it!

*Excerpt from "High Stepping in Heavenly Places."

We are offering my Bible study on the book of Ephesians "High Stepping in Heavenly Places" as an on-line course beginning Sept. 24. If you are interested in joining in, please click here for details.

Monday Morning Manna for Moms #2

This is my second post in my new series called Monday Morning Manna for MOMS. If you have read my blog for any length of time, and I hope you have, you know that I love the Lord Jesus Christ and belong to Him. You also know that I love to teach and encourage women in their walk with the Lord, but I especially have a heart for MOMS. Fulfilling God's mandate to "train up a child in the way he should go" is a high calling and a holy occupation. No Christian mom can afford to take this responsibility lightly.

I loved mothering my 2 little boys. But let's face it. Mothering is not for sissies! On any given day, MOMS deal with aggravations, frustrations, irritations, and a host of other emotions. Mothering is an awesome responsibility. As we mother our children the mundane and the miraculous intersect. We partner with God the Father to work eternal things into the hearts and lives of our offspring. Mothering is a crazy irrational mixture of monotonous moments and sacred scenarios! Holy. Hectic. Calm. Chaotic. Fulfilling. Frustrating. Rewarding. Ridiculous. Awesome. Aggravating. Fabulous. Fatiguing. Mixed emotions. Mixed messages. MOMS need daily servings of encouragement, tons of inspiration, lots of practical illustrations laced with large doses of humor, a sanctified imagination, practical applications, and TRUTH from the infallible inerrant Word of God. That is the purposes of Monday Morning Manna for MOMS.

*In 1997 our oldest son, Jason, graduated from high school and prepared to move into the college world of Mississippi State University. I was genuinely proud of my son’s accomplishments. I believed he was more than ready for this new phase in his life, but the reality of the release was more painful than I had imagined. A chapter in my life was ending. I was powerless to stop the commencement of Jason’s college career. Whether or not I was ready, the fact remained that he was leaving. The apron strings of my heart were about to be severed!

I tend to lean toward drama. Weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth are my usual reactions to life issues. My first taste of the (partially) empty nest would be no exception. I had loved my active role of mothering Jason. Watching this life experience evaporate into mere memories was painful to my mother’s heart. Forgive me if you are not of this ilk, but with my usual exaggerated emotions I grieved my son’s leaving!

For 18 years my routine and my schedule were defined by the fact I was a mom. While I did not live my life through my boys, I have poured my life into them. I was actively engaged in developing Christian mothering—a calling I cherished. My world was changing dramatically. I felt unsettled and unsure. Furthermore, I was painfully aware I would face this drama again. In two short years I would launch Dawson into the adult world. Mothering is a process of working yourself out of a job. From the day your baby arrives in your home, your job is to make your child independent of you and dependent on God. Mothering is a holy occupation and a worthy investment but painful nonetheless.

The landscape of my life was in a state of flux. Emotions erupted unexpectedly. Tears appeared often. Pain in my mother’s heart became a companion. I fled to the Lord and poured out my anguish. When I could not verbalize the emotions of my heart, I trusted the Holy Spirit to translate my pain into prayers. Romans 8:26-27 says, In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. As always, God was faithful. His Word ministered to me. A deepening sense of His presence comforted me. Psalm 34:18 says, The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Some moms misunderstood my grieving process and misinterpreted my sorrow. Many were thrilled to be sending their children off to college! I did not feel the need to make myself understood. I determined to process my strong emotional response and allow God to be my very present help in trouble (Ps. 46:1). God would be my reputation and my refuge. With the psalmist I prayed, Guard my soul and deliver me; do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You (Ps. 25:20). God calmed my jumbled emotions. He quieted my anxious thoughts. He allayed my fears and comforted me with His gentle touch. He spoke to my troubled heart, “Peace, be still.”

*Except from "High Stepping in Heavenly Places"

While it is a hard concept for us as mommas to grasp, our goal is to work ourselves out of a job. That seems contrary to the natural bent of our mother's heart. We are always gathering our children to us, holding them in our hearts and pressing them close. That is certainly a noble ambition while they are living under our authority (the first 20 years or so), there comes a time when we are to release them into the adult world. No longer under our authority, our godly influence will (should) remain with them, but understand this . . . mothering has a shelf line. It is not something we do forever. Adult children do not (or should not) want to be mothered. Dear one, mother your flock with an eye to the future. Keep this truth tucked in your heart - -your ultimate goal is to release them into the adult world-emotionally and socially equipped, educated in order to provide for themselves (and possibly a family), and spiritually grounded in their own convictions and faith.

Raising and releasing kingdom kiddos is the holy career choice of every mom (whether she works out of the home or not) who is willing to partner with the Lord Jesus Christ to work holy things into the hearts of her children. I told you - mothering is not for sissies! Blessings.

Monday Morning Manna for MOMS

As a regular part of my bloggy routine, I intend to add a new series called Monday Morning Manna for MOMS. If you have read my blog for any length of time, and I hope you have, you know that I love the Lord Jesus Christ and belong to Him. 

You also know that I love to teach and encourage women in their walk with the Lord, but I especially have a heart for MOMS.  Fulfilling God's mandate to "train up a child in the way he should go" is a high calling and a holy occupation. No Christian mom can afford to take this responsibility lightly. 

I loved mothering my 2 little boys. But let's face it. Mothering is not for sissies! On any given day, MOMS deal with aggravations, frustrations, irritations, and a host of other emotions. 

Mothering is an awesome responsibility. As we mother our children the mundane and the miraculous intersect. We partner with God the Father to work eternal things into the hearts and lives of our offspring. Mothering is a crazy irrational mixture of monotonous moments and sacred scenarios! Holy. Hectic. Calm. Chaotic. Fulfilling. Frustrating. Rewarding. Ridiculous. Awesome. Aggravating. Fabulous. Fatiguing. Mixed emotions. Mixed messages. MOMS need daily servings of encouragement, tons of inspiration, lots of practical illustrations laced with large doses of humor, a sanctified imagination, practical applications, and TRUTH from the infallible inerrant Word of God.

Now, a word about the meaning of my title,  Monday Morning Manna for MOMS. In the Old Testament God fed the children of Israel manna as they walked in the wilderness. 

In Exodus 16 the Bible says, Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days."

God, as always, was faithful to His promise and provided exactly what they needed.

When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Each one is to gather as much as he needs.'

What insights can we gain from this passage? 

• The people of God had daily needs.  
• God faithfully provided daily for their needs. 
• Manna pictures both the written Word of God and the Living Word of God.

Deut. 8:3 says God fed them with manna to teach them that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Manna was an Old Testament picture of God's written Word.

In the New Testament, manna was a picture of God's Living Word - the Lord Jesus Christ. During His life on earth, the Jews asked Jesus, “What miraculous sign will you give? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert. What will you give us?" Jesus responded, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. I am the bread of life." See John 6.

I trust Monday Morning Manna for MOMS will feed your soul and become part of your Monday devotional time, as we gather spiritual nourishment from God's Word.