Sorry for the delay everyone. I’ve been taking a much needed break from keeping up with so many blogs and websites.  This one has not gotten a lot of attention lately.  I will be blogging here monthly instead of “weekly”.  This is our first official spiritual spot post in a series of posts that will be here on the blog over the next few months.  This month’s Spiritual Spot focuses on Reading God’s Word.

Reading God’s Word is a truly important spiritual practice.  As Christians, the focus should be on our “relationship” with God.  I believe that Christianity is not about religion but about a “relationship” with Jesus Christ.  That being the case we must do something to grow in that relationship.  I believe that one of those things is “Reading God’s Word.”  It helps us to grow in HIM, to come to know HIM better and to become more like HIM.

God’s Word is full of inspiration and even every day life stories, when you truly take the time to read it you realize how much it is just a story, or rather a series of stories, those great men and women of the past sharing their lives with us.  Sharing what God did in and through their lives.

Daily Bible reading is important and should be something that we all make a high priority in our lives.  Setting a set time for it is what will truly help to keep you on track.  It must be as much of a habit in your life as “brushing your teeth” to truly be effective.  Prepare yourself ahead of time, have you Bible a pencil or pen and a journal possibly in a specific spot each day so that you can focus on reading God’s Word.

Once you begin doing this on a regular basis you will begin to realize the power that it has in your life and the true need that you have for the “Bread of life”, His word.  Try it today!

Perfect Time Number 4 is Godly Gossip

Did you know there is a type of gossip that can actually be good? Well, there is, Godly gossip. This is when you share with your daughter what God is doing in your life and you have her do the same. At this time it is ok to admit your weaknesses. My momma often admitted to me that she did not know what else to do as a parent in a particular situation, but she would always tell me that she had prayed or was praying about that situation and that she was giving it to God. I learned how this worked from my mom.

Over the years, she and my daddy encouraged me to go to God for every decision, from boyfriends to temptation, to choosing where to go to college and what to do with the rest of my life. “Pray about it” was a noted phrase in our house and a good answer to almost everything.

This weekend I took some BIG steps of faith, overcame some of my own fears and obstacles and i am ready for what God has around the next corner.  I hope this video will provide some encouragement to you on overcome your own fears and obstacles and to take some steps of faith.

“Good night, sweet dreams, I love you!”

These have been our closing words at tuck-in time for a while now. I remember them from my own childhood and never meant to carry on that tradition, but somehow, after being said a few times, the mantra stuck. This comforting night-time phrase is just one of the many thoughts and gestures of love that were shown to me by my parents and that I strive to pass on to my children. However, my parents also passed along to me many things that are distinctly unloving: criticism, anger, selfishness—you name it! All of these are things that Jesus Christ has been able to change in me, and I now want to pass along to my children a legacy of faith that includes the value of love—the true love which is only found through our Lord and Savior.

It has occurred to me, though, that no matter how important it is to say the words, “I love you,” it’s even more important to live them. We’d all agree that that’s true—but when it comes down to it, how well do we live out the love of God? Not our understanding of love, but the unconditional and selfless love that Jesus modeled for us.

In Jesus’ own words, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). I don’t think He was just referring to His own physical death, but also to the way He “lay down his life” on a daily basis—giving up what He wanted and, instead, doing what was needed for those He loved. He gave up sleep, food, career, family relationships, and more, all to show us the way to eternal life and abundant life.

When I compare that standard to what I evidence to my children on a consistent basis, it’s easy to see how often I fall short of God’s ideal in living out a life of love. As I recall one mother writing (and unfortunately, I don’t remember the source), “Being a mother showed me how selfish I truly was.” How true! So often, we’d rather do what’s convenient for us, instead of what’s best for our children and family. We pursue our own agendas and schedules instead of prayerfully following along with God’s plans. We talk of love, but in the next breath we’re responding harshly to a child’s repeated questions.

If we want to raise spiritually fit children who love the Lord as we do, we’ve got to know the love of God and share it with our children. We do this best by showing them physical affection, sharing words of affirmation, performing acts of service, sometimes giving them small gifts or treats, and spending quality time with them. (Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell do a fine job of describing all of these facets of love in The Five Love Languages of Children.) Aside from modeling this value as the best method of teaching it to our children, there are some other practical things we should address in order to provide them with a solid foundation in Christlike character.

Though children may receive our love and be able to express love to others, they may have difficulty grasping the concept of “loving God,” since they cannot see or touch him. It is important, then, that in addition to all the other aspects of “love,” we help our children understand how we love God.

Ultimately, our love for God is expressed by our obedience to his Word. Jesus told his disciples, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me” (John 14:21; see also John 14:15). Therefore, it’s important for us to spend time in the Word so that we know what it is God wants us to do. This may include personal reading, listening to Bible teachings, participating in a Bible study, or reading Bible-based books. However, there is no substitute for simply reading the Bible.

It is important, also, that we pray. We can both speak to God and hear from Him in the quietness of prayer. We are admonished to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). A constant thought-life of prayer keeps us focused on the Lord, makes us more aware of his presence, and draws us closer to him. Isn’t that what a love relationship is all about?

By encouraging the habits of Bible-reading and prayer (and obedience to the Word) in our children and guiding them in an understanding of how these actions express their love for God, we are laying the foundation for their lifetime love relationship with the Lord.

Love is just one of the many values that God values—one of the many character traits that He wants to grow in us as we follow Christ. As parents, it’s our job to show this love and encourage our children to express it as well. Though that may seem obvious, it’s important to remember that love isn’t just something that we “do”—it’s a fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22). While we do need to do our part in expressing love, we can’t live the love of God without allowing Him to work in and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. So, as you teach your children to read and obey the Word and pray, make sure you’re praying—it’s one of the most powerful tools in your parenting toolbox: “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God… And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:10-11a and 18).

Cynthia Carrier is the homeschooling mom of seven children and author of The Growing Homeschool: Integrating Babies and Toddlers into Your Already Busy Schedule and the children’s character training coloring book, Growing to be Like Jesus. She has been a popular speaker at homeschool conventions and events. The focus of Marc and Cindy’s “Values-Driven” ministry is to encourage and equip Christian families to make the most of every opportunity; that is, to serve God, participate in fulfilling the Great Commission, and raise children who love and serve the Lord. For more information about their resources, for fresh inspiration on your family journey, or to find practical helps-including dozens of FREE DOWNLOADS, visit http://www.ValuesDrivenFamily.com.

Photo credit: SXC

Last weekend I spent some time cleaning out my closet. I got rid of all the clothes and shoes that no longer fit, the maternity clothes I do not plan to use anymore, and the clothes that were just plain worn out and got rid of them or donated them. The process, though not exactly fun, was rewarding because it meant that my closet is neater, the clothes that I do have are easier to find and just the fact that I could purge some items was refreshing.

Are there some things in your life that need to be “cleaned out” like my closet? There are often things in our lives that could use a good cleaning out. These things could include: your relationships, your grudges and most importantly your heart.

The Bible says in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (NKJV) Sometimes, there are things in our lives that need cleaning. We have to clean out those relationships that are becoming stumbling blocks in our lives, rather than stepping stones. Sometimes, this may mean that your relationships need some mending, other times it may mean you just need to let the relationship go.

Another area of life where you can do some cleaning is “grudges”. Are you holding a grudge against anyone in your life? Do you need to seek their forgiveness? Do you need to approach them and talk through the situation? Forgiveness is often needed to push through and “clean out” a situation in our lives.

Finally, our hearts, as Scripture says we must want a clean heart, that only God can give. A heart free from sin, from burdens, this means getting rid of it all and laying it at God’s feet. What do you need to clean out today?

Photo credit: SXC

Isn’t it a wonderful feeling when things are going your way in life?  Sometimes, this is true, while other times it is the furthest thing from the truth.  While we may not have control over every thing in our lives, we can know who controls our lives and we can talk to him about our lives daily.

Prayer is “communication with God”.  Through prayer we can receive “power” from the Holy Spirit.  The Bible says in Acts 1:8,

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

These were Jesus’ words to his disciples but they still apply to us today.  We truly have a “lifeline” to power in our lives, to knowledge, to blessings, if we just ask for them.  James 1:5 says,

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

It also says, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22.  These are Biblical truths that we should embrace.  Once you learn to embrace them you will know that you can go to God and that He will answer your prayers.  He may not answer right away, he may not answer with a yes, his answer might be wait, not right now or later, but he will answer.

Give it a try!

This weekend was “Labor Day” Weekend and while many across the blogosphere gave you their “labor” stories of birthing their babies, I am going to give you a different kind of labor story.  I spent my labor day weekend putting the final touches on and laboring over a project that has been one of the longest “labor” experiences I have ever had.

The idea of creating charm school materials that encompassed the many things that I learned in modeling school as a teenager, combined with Biblical concepts has been a dream of mine since I was a teenager.  I attended modeling school at age 15, worked as a modeling instructor at age 17, and directed a satellite location of a modeling school for several years in my early 20s.

The concepts that I learned in modeling school gave me confidence, helped me to “come out of my shell” and shaped my shy personality into a more confident demeanor.  I am convinced that God put the opportunity in my path as a stepping stone to his future plans for my life.

The missing piece in modeling school was the “Biblical” influence and the knowledge that God created each of us unique and that he has a plan for our lives.  This is what so many of the girls I attended modeling school with,  taught in modeling school and modeled along side for years were missing.  They had a hole in their lives they were needing to fill but the things that were offered in the modeling world would never truly fill that void.

I knew this as a Christian and though I shared with many girls my faith, I wanted to do more.  This is why creating workshops that taught the same principles I learned in modeling school, of “speaking up with confidence”, of “having good posture” and many more paired with God’s Word became a dream of mine.

I have labored over these materials for years, literally, coming back to the idea from time to time, creating a keynote speech or two which I gave at churches, retreats and events over the past 3-4 years.  Then, I began getting contacted about whether or not I had these materials in print for others to use in their own churches.  The truth was I did not, but I wanted to.  This spurred me on to creating the workbook, so between having 2 babies in two years, I wrote the workbook.  I launched it on my website last September and have sold numerous ebook (digital) copies.  Then I began receiving emails about a “leader guide” to accompany the workbook.  This took some time to create and I completed it this July.

Yesterday, the dream of seeing these materials in actual print rather than ebook form became a reality.  I took them to a local printer and had them printed.  Copies are now available on my website, Christian Charm School.com.  I am also talking with a publisher about getting them published and in bookstores.  This is an exciting time and the labor of my newest baby is coming to an end.

Thinking back to my own years in grade school I attempt to recall how I felt.  I know I was painfully shy and attempted to just “blend” in and not be noticed.  Though I don’t recall it at this time, I’m sure there were incidences of “mean girls” even in my day, but fortunately for me, I don’t remember it so much.  Unfortunately, for most girls today “mean girls” and their viciousness is quite rampant in today’s society.

How do you teach your daughter to deal with the “mean girls” no matter what her age?  They seem to be starting this syndrome earlier and earlier.  So, we must equip our daughter(s) to deal with it.  How, you ask? I believe many of the principles that we should teach our daughter(s), no matter if they are dealing with mean girls or not are the same principles that will equip her to deal with them.

The Golden Rule. Matthew 7:12 says, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (NIV)  So many times girls are hurt, and rightly so but they begin to focus inward, on their own thoughts and feelings and they never give a thought to the other person.  Many times girls are “mean” and vicious because of a lack of something, whether it be love, attention, or something else.  Encourage your daughter to treat the “mean girl” as she wants to be treated, not how they treat her.

Empower her. Help your daughter to focus on her own positive traits and abilities.  So many times “mean girls” target those girls who seem to have no self-esteem or a low self-esteem.  In many ways they are making it easier on themselves.  It is easier to put down a person who is already low to begin with, but if your daughter is thinking “positively” and using her own good qualities to bring up her self-esteem and empower herself she is less likely to be a victim of the “mean girls”.

Build her relationships. Again, many times girls are picked on by the “mean girls” because they are easily centered out from the others.  Have your daughter to focus on building relationships so that she is never caught alone and so she isn’t easily pegged.  A lack of good, healthy relationships in a girl’s life is one of the reasons that “mean girls’ exist in the first place.  Finding like-minded individuals in which she has things in common can help her to build good, positive relationships, which she will carry throughout life and which will be an encouragement to her.

Unfortunately, the mean girls likely won’t go away, however your daughter’s tendency to be picked on by them can change with the right focus in your daughter’s life.  Be an agent of positive change in your daughter’s life to help her to deal with and combat the role of the “mean girls” in her life.

Alyssa looks back over the past year of hiatus from the show and then looks back on the past 10 years and what God has done. She shares her heart, her testimony and encouragement for you and your daughter as she looks back maybe you can too. Then look ahead to what God can do in your life and in the life of your daughter.

God can do some amazing things. Reflect on what he is doing in your life. Listen as Alyssa shares what he has done and is doing in hers. God has a journey for you just like he has one for hers.

If you haven’t heard me speak or teach before then you’re in for a treat. I have been given the opportunity to teach or speak online twice. Once I did live today at 1 pm and secondly will be held on Monday, June 8, at 2pm CST / 3 pm EST as a part of the A Woman Inspired online conference.

Today, I taught with Cindy Rushton as a part of the Ultimate Homeschool Expo. The topic was0″ Godly Girl Time: Instilling Spiritual Disciplines.” I had an awesome time sharing with the ladies on the call and you can listen to the archives over at Blog Talk Radio.

At the upcoming A Woman Inspired Conference, I will be speaking on the topic of “Finding Your Passion”. You can find more information here.

Here’s a bit more info from the site and some pertinant dates and deadlines:

We are offering a free starter guide to beginning your own ministry online. Everyone who purchases a ticket between now and May 29th will receive the free e-book. Get your ticket for only $12.95! Don’t let time slip away… register now!

Sometimes as moms, we get the crazy idea that because we have become responsible for the lives of precious little children, that we should focus solely on them and leave our own thoughts and ideas for ourselves behind.  This should not be the case.  We as moms should be true to ourselves, use the passions and gifts that God has given us and set some goals for ourselves.

These goals will not only benefit us, as people, but also our families as well.  Its kind of like the old saying, “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Naturally, our children, husbands, families and others around us will benefit from us taking care of ourselves and doing things that will help us to feel more productive and successful.

The Lord also expects us to use the gifts that he has given us.  He tells us in Scripture that without every part of the body of Christ functioning at its best it will not work.

“ If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
1 Corinthians 12:19-27

This scripture passage makes it clear why it is so important for us to use what God has given us. He gave us those gifts and abilities so we can function as a part of the body of Christ, and that includes our families.  We have a responsibility to our families to do our part.  Part of that is setting goals for not only us but for our families as well.

So, mom, how about you setting some goals?  Here are a few tips to get you started:

Family goals can include your marriage, your children, or the whole family.  They can be fun or serious.  Fun goals might be to save money for a vacation, or to have family night every Saturday night, while goals that are more serious might include paying off debt or seeking to improve your marriage.

Then you will also want to set some individual goals just for you.  There are probably things you have put on the backburner or put off doing altogether because you have become a mom, why not take one of those things to focus on a year and make it happen.

Whether the goals are for your family or for you, it will be so fulfilling to make them a reality.  Of course, once one goal is accomplished it is time to set a new one and begin working to achieve it.  It is a never-ending process that you and your family can always benefit from, so keep it up.

Girls,  How many times has your momma said this, “Because I said so.” When my momma said it, she backed it with a promise.  She meant business.  I knew  my mom meant business, but she also modeled obedience for me.  She expected me to obey, but she also obeyed God.  She modeled this for me.

She made time for me.  She made his teachings a part of our daily life.  God’s commandments in my home were rules to live by, not just because my mom said so, but because God said so.  God says the same thing.  He expects us to do things because He says so.

The Bible says in Ephesians 6:

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  Honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise – that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Ephesians 6:1-3

You see, God tells us to do something and He backs it up with a promise. And you know what?  God keeps His promises. How many times have you promised someone something and NOT kept your promise?  Or maybe someone promised you something and they didn’t keep their promise.  But with God, He ALWAYS keeps His promises.

He tells us to obey our parents, and our parents must obey God.  He also gives them a command, it is found in Deuteronomy 6

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them  when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”  Deuteronomy 6:5-9

We as parents are to teach our children to love God,  as a result of this love our children will learn to honor and obey God,  this will cause them to learn to be obedient.  Honor comes through obedience.

When we learn to obey and honor our parents we are being obedient to God and we will therefore receive His promises.

Parents will often make promises to us as well.  As parents we must follow through with our promises in order to help our children to learn obedience.  My parents were ones to keep their promises whether it was a promise of punishment if I disobeyed or a promise of something I wanted or was wishing for.

I had to first learn to be obedient.  Even when my momma said, “Because I said so.”

When I was younger I dreamed of what my life would be like in the future. I was looking for my “happily ever after.” Don’t you love those stories and movies that end in “happily ever after?” I know I do, and I wanted to find my “story”.

God loves “happily ever after” stories too. In fact, he’s the author of a bunch of them. In the Bible, the story of queen Esther is a happily ever after story. Have you ever read it? Esther was only a young girl when she became queen, but she was called out by God for a very special purpose and she accomplished a big part in his plan. She saved her people, the Jews. She was prepared to do so by God as she spent time alone with him.

If you want to discover the “happily ever after story” that God is writing for you, you too much spend time with him. When I was a young person I wanted to know the “big picture” I wanted God to show me every piece of the puzzle called “my life”, and he would, but God did so one piece at a time, not all at once. This was not always how I wished he would have done so, but slowly but surely as I spent time with him, I saw each piece as it fit together.

Pieces like breaking up with my long time boyfriend in the middle of my senior year in high school, all began to make sense as I met Mr. Right later that year. In that piece and every other piece of the puzzle called my life God was and is at work. He continues to work as he pieces together the pieces of my life, like bringing friends into my life, blessing me with children, growing my ministry, providing for my family, each piece is strategically placed together by the Father of all, and if I continue to follow him and go to him daily he’ll make this story of my life one that will surely end in those three little works, “happily ever after”.

Photo credit: dreamglow

My mother was not one of those moms who was afraid to educate me about the opposite sex, the birds and the bees, human sexuality, whatever you want to call it.  She wanted to be sure I knew about those things and stayed away from the hurt and pain that participating in sexual activities before I was ready to and before I was in a covenant marriage relationship could cause.

I often say that my mom “drilled it in me” that sex outside of marriage was wrong.  Though back then I often found our chats a little embarrassing and many times I was just plain tired of hearing it today I am thankful that she did.  A few weekends ago I spend some time with some 7th, 8th and 9th grade girls.  What I found out from them was pretty shocking to say the least.  The knowledge in the area of sexual activity for 7th-9th grade girls is quite different in 2009 than it was in 1993-1995, the time period that I was in 7th-9th grade.

Moms, if you’re not already talking to your daughter about sex.  Please begin!  Drill it in them.  Sex is for married couples.  Marriage is designed by God for 1 male and 1 female.  Not 2 females, not 2 males or any other variation.  Moms, did you know that our teen girls today are dealing with bi-sexuality?  I didn’t until a few days ago.

The time to talk to your daughter is NOW!  Whether she is 8 or 18.  Don’t hesitate have that talk today!  Explain to her that sex was created by God and is a beautiful act for a male and female to engage in, inside of a covenant marriage relationship.  Bi-sexuality, homosexuality and any variation besides a relationship between a male and a female is Biblically and morally wrong.

God did not create us with a desire to enter into a sexual relationship with a member of the same sex.  This is not Biblical.  As Christians we will NOT have those urges.  These are all things that your daughter needs to hear.  I know it may sound shocking, but it is true.

As I stand in awe of what these girls know I also stand in fear for them and lift them up to God asking him to protect them from the enemy Satan who is trying to destroy their lives with these things.

Dear Lord,

Please protect the girls of this generation who have much more to deal with than I ever had.  Give their parents the courage and the ability to communicate with them on the topics of sex and marriage and to instill in them Biblical truths.

Lord give these girls the courage to take a stand for what they know is right and to stand against the devil and the temptations that this world put in their path.  Keep them on your path of righteousness.

Amen

I often enjoy the opportunity to blog about the “overwhelm” I am feeling, that’s because that overwhelming feeling is usually due to God’s love and blessings in my life.  Today, the sense of overwhelm is quite different.  This weekend, I spent some time with a group of 7th – 9th grade girls as I helped out at a Disciple Now Weekend in a local church association which involved several churches.

It was a last minute thing.  I received a call on late Thursday afternoon and ended up volunteering for the weekend.  It was a divine appointment as some might say.  God said, “you need to go minister to these girls.”  I really didn’t know what He was up to, but I knew it was a “God” thing.  And even though the weekend is over, I feel like I ministered to the girls, but I still don’t exactly know what “God was up to.”  There is one thing I do know however, I came away a different person.  I am burdened, my heart is  heavy and I feel a “need” a “need to do something“.

I have been in ministry for years now. I have felt burdened for teens before, but nothing like this.  I cried tears, tears of overwhelm as I said my closing prayer with them during the last Bible study session.  I know that God is much bigger than their problems, but at that moment I felt so small.  I know that I am weak and HE is strong.  And as the sense of overwhelm still hangs over me a few days later, I have to say once again to myself “Jesus loves them this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little Ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong.“ 

Dear Jesus,

I know that you love me and that you love those girls I had the opportunity to share with this weekend.  I know that those 7 girls represent just a small part of your children.  And I know that you love each and every one of your children.  Your children, especially teenagers today are weak Lord and they are hurting.  I am so glad that they belong to you and that you are strong enough to carry their burdens like I wish that I could, but I know that I can’t.  I lift them up to you right now Lord.  You know WHO they are.  Carry them Lord.  Protect them.  Reveal yourself to them.

In Jesus Name

AMEN

Photo Credit: Bracelets by Linda

If you realize nothing else about God, you should realize that He is in control.  And, just when you think you have His plans for your life figured out, or you think you’re able to “control” things then “think again.” God is in control and He likes to be in the driver seat in your life.

I am a control freak.  I’ll admit this.   I like to plan, organize, and know the teeny weeny details about everything.  I do NOT like to “fly by the seat of my pants” and I am not spontaneous.  So, you can see that this lends me to being the type of person who likes to let someone else take the reigns in my life, but with my Lord, it’s a little different.  I know that my God is bigger than my circumstances and I know that He has a plan.

Sometimes, however God is a little bit slower about revealing His plan to me than I would like.  Sometimes He quite honestly takes His own “sweet” time.  And more often than I like to admit I get impatient with that.  Especially when God gives you a peek or a glimpse of what’s to come, or at least so you think, then steers your life off on a detour or side road. 

The thing is it is those “detours” in life that teach us the most.  Most often they are specifically used for a time of growth or maturation.  Without them you wouldn’t be ready for the bumps that are in the road ahead, or for the yield signs or the red lights.  You would be too anxious to get to where you are going to slow down and see the signs.  You’d fly right past them on your path to receive your prize and you’d get hurt along the way.

But, when you allow God to be in the driver seat and you go along for the ride, even for those detours that you don’t appreciate so much at the time, you grow and learn and you are  still eager yet more alert, cautious and focused.  God knew this and that’s why He took you down the path that He did.

So, hopefully at the end of the journey you’re there with Him, allowing Him to be your guide and receiving the prize He had for you at the end of this race we call life.

Photo Credit: jdl_deleon

This morning in Sunday School class we were asked to describe God in one word.  The word that immediately came to my mind is “love” and He is that, however a friend of mine used the word “faithful”, which I can more than agree with.  God is faithful.  Lately this is a description I have seen evident in my life.  God’s faithfulness is evident in each and every day.

Though it is often difficult to live each day by faith, and though it doesn’t seem to get any easier with each day that passes, God doesn’t seem to have the same difficulty being faithful to me.  In fact, He seems to provide for me, be there for me and guide me with ease.  I guess that’s why He’s God and I am only human huh?

These are just my random thoughts today, as I try desperately to provide something for you to think about.  Regardless, I hope that you will think of what God is to you, today, tomorrow, always.  Leave me your thoughts in the comments below.

Journaling, it isn’t something you hear a lot of people doing anymore. In a day in age where blogging is the hottest thing, taking out a pen and paper to write manually is almost unheard of, doesn’t that take too much time when we can type so much faster? Maybe, but, the benefits can sometimes outweigh the time issue that is involved.

Sure, I love blogging. I am a blogger and I believe blogging has benefits that are quite similar to that which I receive from journaling, but journaling is a bit more private for me, and thus still appropriate for me to engage in because quite frankly I won’t share everything on my blog. A blog after all is almost permanent and can be read by almost anyone who has access to the Internet and the savvy to search for you.

Journaling only the other hand, is just as easy, if not easier than blogging. With journaling you can talk freely, through the written word without fear or reservation. You can scrawl in handwriting commonly known as chicken scratch where it is almost illegible but can be therapeutic in benefits to you. What it looks like doesn’t matter, grammar doesn’t matter. Honestly, it doesn’t even matter if it makes good sense. It is for your benefit and your benefit only. So, what you write frankly does not matter. What does matter is that you write. That you allow the feelings, thoughts and emotions that you feel in your heart and mind to be released onto paper.

With journaling the most important thing is that you do it. You just start writing really, it is as simple as that. Write about how you feel, write about what you are worrying about, write about what you hope to accomplish, or what you wish you could do or be. Write about anything and everything in your life.

Share your prayers, your hopes, your dreams, write letters to yourself or record letters to God. There are so many options and the process can leave you feeling so much better you will definitely want to do it again.

That’s why journaling is a bit addictive. Once you start, most likely, you won’t want to stop. You will begin to fill journal after journal excited about the possibilities of filling those stark white pages with print. It will become a hobby, a true pastime that you continue to enjoy for many years.

If you’re ready to begin journaling check out our FREE 7 Day Journaling Ecourse, and then our 30 Day Journaling Guide.

How do you spell love? Well, you might say L-O-V-E of course, but I would beg to differ. That is because I believe that love can better be spelled for many of us, T-I-M-E. After all for love to be shown, maintained, developed, and given, it takes just that, time. No matter who the love is being shown to it will take you sacrificing your time to spend it showing that person that you love them. It will take you doing this over a period of time, before that person will believe that your love is true. Then it will take you spending time, continually, to ensure that the love relationship is maintained. It takes time to give love to someone else, which is why I spell love, T-I-M-E, instead of L-O-V-E.

So many people today, in many of their relationships believe that the other person knows that they love them, and that the other person has felt that love enough to where they no longer have to show them that love. This is a major mis-judgment, because in fact in order for most of us to feel loved that love must keep being shown, And in order to feel that love we must have the person who is to show their love for us in our presence, which is why love takes time, specifically spending time together.

This is easy for most of us when first meeting someone when a relationship is first established and when we first begin to love them, especially in romantic relationships. Think about it, when you first fall in love with someone you cannot think about anything else but that person. You eat, sleep, and breath their every good quality and seem to never be able to get enough of their presence. However, as time goes on that changes, but your love for them does not, so why do we think that we can somehow spend less time together or should spend less time together?

When it comes to love and showing our love to each other it is important that we do indeed spend time together in order to nurture, grow and maintain the relationship. The time spent on that relationship helps to build a sense of and a true feeling of commitment and trust, which is important to any relationship.

So, if you want a relationship to be well-maintained and to grow as it should be willing to commit the time that it takes to truly show them your love, and if you’re not willing to put in the time, do not expect to receive the commitment and for it to equal the love you are looking for in return.

As a teenager, I’m sure the thought crossed my mind, and probably more than once, but follow through I never did. What thought you’re wondering? “I want to run away.” Many of America’s teenagers have this thought run through their heads at one point or another. Whether it is because of a breakup with a boyfriend, a fight with mom or dad, over their latest episode of breaking curfew or worse, the thought is a prevalent one.

I’ve never really dealt with a runaway before, that is until this week. A teenager from the youth group, I formerly ministered to ran away from home. Though her mom knew where she went eventually, to stay with a family member, it was still an ordeal.  There were many hurt feelings, harsh words exchanged, and a feeling of uneasiness surrounding the entire situation. The mom, for quite a while felt helpless.

There is one person who will never allow us to truly “run away”. God will never allow us to run away from Him. He will always bring us back to Himself. Don’t you recall the story of Jonah running from God? No matter where Jonah ran, he could not escape God’s hand. He even lived inside the belly of a great fish, but God was there.

As the words of the Psalmist so clearly state, we cannot escape from or run away from God.

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
Psalm 139: 7-10 (NIV)

Therefore, though this teen’s mom felt helpless, and the teen thought she was running away, she was never out of God’s hand. She was always firmly in his grasp. None of us will ever truly be alone with Christ in our heart and lives.

This week Alyssa discusses the factors that affect a girl’s decision about college and addresses the question, “Does God care?” Listen in for Alyssa’s take on making this important decision. College may not be for everyone, but regardless it’s a decision every person must make for themselves. Help your daughter to make the decision that is right for her.

For this upcoming week in my weekly email to my list subscribers, Mom-Daughter Connection, I spoke of the importance of prayer. I truly believe in the power of prayer and believe that you can pray about anything. The Bible tells us we are to “cast all our cares upon Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)

The Lord truly wants us to bring our burdens and cares to him through prayer. We are to pray about everything, pray without ceasing.

Here are some things to pray about:

1. Everyday life situations. You can pray about your finances, your health, your kid’s grades, your teen’s peer pressure, your job. LIFE! God understands and He wants you to come to Him with it all.

2. For others. Pray for others, intercession is a privelege and we should always intercede on the behalf of others whether they have asked us to or not, whether they are sick, in need or you just want to thank God for them.

3. The future. Yes, it’s uncertain to us, but God knows all about it, praying for God’s will in our lives will help us to find the future that is best for us. The right path!

4. Thanksgivings. We don’t want to just ASK God for things, we want to take time to THANK HIM for things as well. Thank God for the many blessings he has given you and your family!

5. Your feelings. God can handle it. Feel angry? PRAY, Hurt? PRAY, Guilty? PRAY. Prayer is always a good answer to how you are feeling.

Still feeling unsure? Purchase our My Heart to His Prayer Journaling Devotional Guide to learn more about prayer and prayer journaling.

This is the final post in a series on Stewardship. You can begin at the first post by clicking here. From there you can follow the links to each of the 5 posts in this series.

What else is it important to be a good steward of… what about your belongings, your possessions. Again we want to find out if you are a faithful steward. Do you remember what that is. Let’s review, Are you a STEWARD? Let’s find out what this word means.

A steward is a man who manages or takes care of another’s property. The word actually means “the manager of a house.” It does not mean the OWNER of the house, but it means the MANAGER of the house.

Most of us do not need to have a steward. We are not too rich, and the few possessions that we do have we can look after and take care of ourselves. But if a man has 10 houses, 8 boats, 150 acres of land, 500 head of cattle, 3 swimming pools, 25 cars, 8 trucks and one oil field, then certainly he would not be able to take care of all these possessions by himself. He would need men to help him manage all of these things. A steward is a manager–one who is responsible to take care of those things that belong to someone else.

Are you a STEWARD? Are you responsible to take care of those things that belong to someone else? You might say, “I’m not a STEWARD, I’m an OWNER. I do not own very much, but I do own some things. I own some clothes, some books and some other important possessions that are in my room. These things are mine and I own them. I own them and I take care of them.”

Suppose you were to save up some money and finally you buy an electronic or video game which you have always wanted. Would this game be yours? Would you be the owner of it? It is yours because YOU BOUGHT IT!

Usually when we own something, we also own everything that goes with it. For example, if your parents own a car, then usually they also own the radio that is in the car and the things that are in the trunk of the car and the spare tire and anything else that goes along with the car. Suppose you were to own a pet hamster. Probably you would also own the hamster’s cage and water bottle and food and exercise wheel and whatever else comes with the hamster.

The same is true with God and the believer. Not only does God own the believer, but He also owns everything that goes with the believer. Not only does God own ME, but He also owns everything that I have–my clothes, my money, my possessions, my body and everything else that is mine! It’s all His! He’s the OWNER!

If God is the OWNER, then this means that I am the STEWARD. I am the one who should take good care of these things that belong to God. I am the one who is responsible to be a good manager of my clothes, my body, my money, my possessions and all that I have, because all of these things really belong to the Lord!

One things for sure our teens need to learn about giving back to the Lord.  A good way to do this is to have them to complete a course in finances such as Financial Peace for the Next Generation by Dave Ramsey.