Your Children Need YOU!

Children, they are the light of the future and the ones who will carry us into the next generation.  Psalm 127 calls them arrows in a warrior’s hand.  Psalm 128 says they will be like olive shoots around our table.  Oh, how I love those scriptures!  They beautifully display the power of family.

Sadly, all we have to do is watch the news for a moment in today’s world to see how desperately our children need something.

Never, especially in America, have we seen such devastation in the news wrought by children.  Why?  What are they missing? 

We know that often when our children act out of line they are simply responding out of their own hurt, or the lack of something satisfying their soul.

We try to fill their void and occupy their time with material items.   We mistake their negative behavior and label them a troubled child. Truly, what they really need can’t be bought; it requires something of us that goes beyond money.  They need US!  

“And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”  Eph 6:4 Children want nothing more than to be with their parents.  80% of prison inmates were once in foster care, or parentless.  Wow!  That is shocking, yet shows us that the lack of being with a parent provokes children to wrath.

Will that require sacrifice?  Absolutely.  You are hearing from someone who has laid down quite a bit to be present in her children’s life.  I determined a long time ago that I wasn’t going to be one of those mamas who wasn’t present or who didn’t have good quality time her family. Has is been worth it?  I stand in awe of who my boys are becoming every day!

Did I have to lay my dreams down?  After 10 years of traveling and then stopping to have my children, I can say,  “No!  God’s plans are always so much higher than mine.” I’ve learned that there are times & seasons in God.  “To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven.” Ecc 3:1   What I learned is that this season will make the next season more wonderful than I could have dreamed!

We’ve all heard that we become like the 5 people we are around the most.  If the top 5 people our children spend their time with are caretakers, baby sisters, school administration, neighbors & friends, what do we expect them to become.  Certainly, not us! 

I want their number one presence on two feet to be me!

My Evan, age 9, always has to walk me to the car and open the door for me whenever I leave the house.  He then will stand and watch me drive all the way down the driveway, which is quite long.   I know his little heart sinks to see me go, even just for groceries.  Sadly, there are hearts of children that live in a sunken spot.  It’s no wonder there is such lack in their souls and unwanted actions.

Time goes by so quickly, the short time we have with our children will never be replaced.  Down the road there waits more “alone time” than we probably will ever need.

So, what do we do?  We reprioritize.  We evaluate how much of our time they really have.  We turn off the TV and we have them turn off the electronics.  We say no to some invitations and to too many nightly activities.  We make meal times full of easy conversation, not correction time.  We say yes to a chat on the porch or a walk around the neighborhood after dinner.

Proverbs 1 teaches us that what they learn from us will crown them with grace and clothe them with honor.

It’s really quite simple; we choose to go against the status quo and to give our time to our greatest investment in life… our children.

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Carrying the White Flag of Surrender

Carrying the 

White Flag of

Surrender!

Two and a half years ago, my family and I received the call - the call from our Lord to relocate to Tulsa, Oklahoma.  This was a big step for us as we had only lived in Illinois and had been in LeRoy for 25 years.  It was a bittersweet event in our lives.  Although we were excited about the move and what the Lord had for us in Tulsa, we were saddened to leave the family and friends that we had in Illinois. Nonetheless, we forged ahead and made the move in July, 2011.

As we prepared for the move, I was praying one day and the Lord took me to Mark 10:29-30. I had no idea what was in this scripture, but was very blessed by what it contained:

"'Truly I tell you,' Jesus replied, 'no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the Gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - along with persecutions - and in the age to come eternal life.'"

What a promise!!!  I cannot tell you how excited I was to have been directed to this scripture. We were cashing in 100-fold - Wooohoooo!  The moving truck couldn't arrive soon enough!

We packed up and made our way to Tulsa - arriving to unpack in 118 degree temperatures. Yes, that was the temperature here the day we arrived and for many days following. And that was just the beginning! 

You see, when I got that promise in Mark 10:29-30, I expected that when we arrived in Tulsa, the 100-fold would be waiting. (I'm sure God is on His throne chuckling at me sometimes!  :o)) But rather, it has been two years of testing and persecution on every level - physically, relationally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. Don't get me wrong, there have been many blessings as well, but most of the time we were fighting and barely standing. We would seem to overcome one battle and another one would come almost immediately. But, that was part of the promise, I just chose to ignore it.  I focused on the 100-fold reward and overlooked the persecution that was sure to come. The enemy doesn't like it when we take a step for the Kingdom of God and literally wages war against us.  

As a family, we strive to live a life surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. In thinking about the act of surrendering in a battle, it doesn't have much appeal. It really means admitting that you cannot win, that you recognize that fact and are not willing to pour anymore time, effort, bloodshed, and heartache into a battle you cannot win. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Grant in the American Civil War because he believed that the act of surrender would be of greater benefit than continuing the battle. Despite the greater good to come, that act of surrender could not have been easy for him.

And so it is with us a Christians. As we surrender our lives to Christ, it is not always easy, but we do so because we know there is a greater plan. We trust that our loving God has our back and will not lead us astray. I must admit, there were days that I wondered if God really had my back.  Paul said in 1 Cor. 16:9 - before me is a great & effectual door, but there are many adversaries.  Oh did we meet the adversary, on many occasions and many levels. I wish I could say that I always stood strong and never doubted or became discouraged, but that simply is not the case. There were many times that I wondered where God was - from my viewpoint, He didn't seem to be noticing the hits we were taking.

But God was at work. I believe the great and effectual door has been cracked open for us. It seems as though things turned suddenly, but as I look back, I can see that God was orchestrating specific events even a year ago. Those events were stepping stones to where we are today.

God's timing is divine and we don't always know when we will see the manifestation of His promises.  Joseph waited 15+ years before the dream he had became a reality.  Then suddenly one day, a cupbearer remembered that Joseph could interpret dreams, and everything changed.  Sarah waited over 20 years to have a child, then one day, against all odds, she became pregnant.  

Friends, I don't know what you are facing today, but I do know that if you hold on, you will see your promise. In Gal. 6:9 it says, "Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  Did you catch that - 'at the proper time'? God knows the proper time and can I just tell you, in my experience, His timing and my timing are usually not in sync!  But, don't give up.  You will see the harvest if you keep your heart surrendered and do not give up!

And when you cash in the promise, you'll be ever thankful you did not give up!

Stand Strong,

Dawn

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