When I saw other children publicly act up or act out, I thought my child would not do THAT. My children knew right from wrong. Have you thought that, too?
While it is true that children do the darndest things, we never expect our children to disobey, be unkind, lie, or steal. Those aren’t acceptable to the Lord or us.
As a young mom, I was certain that my kids would behave properly. I convinced myself that if I parented well, my child would not do that. That was until I realized my faulty thinking. Why? Because they are children, and children aren’t perfect! The truth is, they are fully capable of doing things we never imagined.
The sooner we realize our children could and sometimes do wrong, the better we will be at parenting.
My Child Would Not Do THAT…
Here are a few unacceptable actions children might do:
Steal the candy bar from the grocery store
Lie to you with a straight face
Say mean and hurtful words to you and others
Make poor choices
Embarrass you with their actions
If you think your child is guilty of doing something that is not permissible or is accused of wrongdoing, I encourage you to pray and then consider the following ideas to resolve the matter while preserving your relationship.
Things to Consider
Don’t assume my child would not do that
Don’t overreact
Make the consequence fit the offense
Create appropriate consequence
Remember, children learn from their poor choices
Should you find yourself dealing with a child’s unwelcome behavior, deal with the situation and then move on. Don’t let your thoughts dwell on the matter longer than necessary. Your children will go in and out of phases throughout their childhood. Search for the godly attributes within your child and express those verbally. Remember them as a work in progress.
Tis the holiday season to be jolly! A season full of thanksgiving and joy and family. While many people are welcoming this season with great anticipation, there are an awful lot of people experiencing hurt and heartbreak over the holidays—an empty seat at the table, a painful relationship, a wayward child.
I know the world is preparing for the holiday season. House lights are up, trees are decorated, and menus are planned, but you struggle to muster up the enthusiasm this year? What can you do with your feelings? How can this be a season of joy and not sorrow for you?
In this episode, we will specifically deal with hurt and heartbreak during the Christmas season.
Points to Remember About Hurt and Heartbreak Over the Holidays
God is near the brokenhearted.
Disappointment is real.
Rejection hurts.
Unresolved conflicts are causing anguish.
Don’t look around at what others have and compare your hurt or heartbreak to others.
Consider the other side as you work through your emotions.
Tell yourself the truth.
Don’t allow your mind to dwell on the hurt or heartbreak.
Allow the Lord to change your perspective.
Don’t focus on the empty seat.
Don’t withdraw; seek to find areas where you can connect in meaningful ways.
When we focus on the truths found in God’s Word, we can work through the hurt and heartbreak over the holidays, turning dread or sadness into joy and excitement because hope believes all things!
Heaviness is not an uncommon feeling these days. But what if we could turn heaviness into hopefulness? Well, we can!
In today’s episode, we are going to unpack specific steps you can take to rid yourself of the heaviness that is robbing you of the hope God wants you to experience in this season of life.
How do we turn heaviness into hopefulness?
Acknowledge the source of heaviness?
Listen as we discuss how we turn heaviness to hopefulness.
Ways to Turn Heaviness to Hopefulness
Turn from the distractions that are weighing you down
Ask the Lord for strength and endurance
Remember you were born for such a time as this
The battle isn’t against flesh and blood – It’s really a spiritual battle that requires physical action
Guard your mind from the attacks of the enemy
Pray for others and yourself
Be watchful
What is God telling you to lay down or pick up so you live a hope-filled life?
Scripture References
Isaiah 5:20 – Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin as with cart ropes. (ESV)
Isaiah 5:22 – Woe to those who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right! (ESV)
Ephesians 6:10-20 – Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (NKJV)
I Peter 5:7 – Cast all your cares on him, for he cares for you. (NIV)
Jeremiah 29:11 – ‘For I know the plans and thoughts that have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (AMP)
Hebrew 6:19 – This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down whatever pressure bears upon it] (AMP)
How do we raise children in a culture of chaos when confusion and strife surround us? And how do we remain steadfast while adjusting along the way? While the culture is in chaos, you can tune out the turmoil and provide the stability in your home.
Parenting has never been easy, but today’s climate makes it much harder to navigate raising kids. But, with the Lord’s help and guidance, raising kids amid cultural chaos is your opportunity to lead your children to the truths found in Scripture.
Key Points to Ponder in Raising Kids Amid Cultural Chaos:
You are born for such a time as this
Now is a perfect time to raise your children
Parenting doesn’t change because of the culture
Be a steady hand through the storms
Hope for your child’s future
Connie talks about:
Not knowing what to say
Fear of the unknown
Cancel culture
Being diligent
Knowing your limits
Listening
We have every reason to be hope-filled right now. You are living in the right place, at the right time, with the right children according to the calling before you.
Remember: You are equipped to be strong. You are equipped to be.
Today, I’m joined by author and speaker Wendy Speake to discuss her new book The 40 Day Social Media Fast: Exchange Your Online Distractions for Real-Life Devotion. Wendy shares how our spiritual lives are impacted when we trun to social media or sugar or anything other than God’s Word.
About Wendy Speake
Wendy Speake is a wife, mom, host of the annual 40 Day Sugar Fast, and co-author of a number of parenting books. She has a fire in her bones to see women come to faith and grow in faith. Wendy uses every opportunity to point women to the Gospel.
Social Media Fast
In this episode, Wendy and I discuss:
Becoming a living sacrifice
Breaking social media and sugar strongholds
Turning away from distractions
Fasting v dieting
Running to devices to get you through the stress
Going dark to experience God’s light
Crowding out distractions to experience a transformation
This is such an important episode – especially now! Don’t miss it!
It’s time to exhale; the election is over! You’ve prayed and voted. Now it’s time to discuss the winners and losers with your children in a constructive way so they learn how to express their views with clarity and conviction.
How to discuss post-election results with children:
Assign everyone a job
Don’t start with a list you want to discuss
Listen when your kids talk
Don’t allow siblings to mock or put down each other
Affirm each other
Don’t get into arguments
Ask leading questions
Over the years, we attended rallies and spoke with candidates to learn more about their policies and principles. When the polls closed, we would watch the election results come in as a family. Some of our candidates won and some lost. For weeks, we talked about what would happen next. I wanted them to learn life will go on. Once they grew-up, I wondered if they would take their responsibility seriously. They do! I’ve learned those post-election results conversations made a difference in how they process elections. Your children might not seem interested right now, but they are listening and learning from you. It’s your opportunity to influence your child, whether your candidate won or lost.
