Encouraging Your Child's Dreams

     As parents it is our job to encourage our children to pursue their hobbies and gifts that the Lord has given to them.  Our daughter took a real interest in the guitar a few years ago, and so we invested in her.  We bought her a guitar and we paid for lessons.  Now she is praying about becoming a worship leader once she graduates in May of this year. 

     God has a plan for our children and we are responsible to Him to see that we help them pray about where He is sending them and what field He is calling them to.  We must guide them and support them in the decisions they make.  We can not force our dreams on them.  God has a good future planned for our kids and we need to teach them to listen to Him as they make decisions, we then need to trust we have done our job and let them decide to do what they feel they are being led to do.

     Each child has gifts.  We need to cultivate those gifts with whatever means we have.  Most of all we need to pray that God will guide us as we train and teach them to Walk with Him.

 

Raising Content Children

     Contentment has always been a hard issue for me. When I arrived to the jungle of Venezuela 8 years ago I had to learn to be content with the few things I had. During the firsts months in Amazonas I couldn’t stop comparing my old life in Spain, my home country, with my new life. Until I understood the meaning of 1Timothy 6:8 - “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” 

     I started to visit some Indian villages and saw that many of these people did not have food or clothing. I took my eyes out of myself and was able to see, to really see, how precious things like food and clothes were to other people… the very same things I took for granted… At that time I felt so miserable for complaining for not having a big kitchen or a microwave!  

     After all these years in which the Lord has been working on me in this area I came up with some ideas to raise my children to be content whatever the situation might be, I pray that you can use any of them too. 

      - Be an example to your kids. Contentment starts with you. If they hear you complain about everything and express your frustration for not having all you’d like to have, they will imitate you and start complaining and asking for things too. - Focus in all the non-material things they have. Things like health, family, love, friends, hugs, church, school, playmates… 

      - Help them show gratitude for the “big things” but also for everyday miracles. Be thankful for the food, for having a cozy bed at night or be able to get a warm bath. - Share with others who have less than we have.  Visit an orphanage, ask your kids to go through their clothes, toys and books and donate them, be a part of organizations like Operation Christmas child or Compassion International. 
     
      - Don’t give them everything they ask for. As moms, we want to give out children the best. But… do they really need all they ask for? I don’t think so. 

     Contentment can be a struggle for us and for our children. Let’s invest time in teaching them how to be content with what they have! These are just some ideas, is there any other way you teach your children about contentment? Please share it! 

Content in His service, 
Edurne

BIO – Edurne Mencía de Nieves is a wife and mom from Spain serving God as a missionary to tribes in the jungle of Venezuela. She met her husband Maracucho at Word of Life Bible Institute in Argentina and they have 3 little children (Yennixon, 6, Nahiara, 4, and Markel, 2). She blogs in Spanish in Elviajedeunamujer.com and co-leads the Spanish section of Good Morning Girls at BuenDiaChicas.com.

Can You Hear Me?

     When I was a young mom, I tended to scream more than I talked.  I wasn't aware that eventually my kids would just literally tune me out.  It is a defense mechanism.  When someone is yelling at you all the time, your ears just turn off. 

     As parents, I know how hard it is to keep a quiet voice when you are so very frustrated with the behavior of your children, but we really need to work on it. The Lord will speak to us in many ways, but most of the time it is through the Holy Spirit. In order for our children to learn how to listen for His Voice, they must first learn how to listen for ours. 

     When you are aggravated, take a time out.  Get your thoughts and words together before speaking.  Once you have yourself under control, you are then ready to get your child under control.  When you talk with your child, get down to his/her level and have them look you in the eyes.  Speak to them in quiet, but firm voice.  Allow them to know their behavior was unacceptable by the tone not volume of your voice. 

     I am going to be working with this challenge alongside of you.  I know I need improvement in this area, as I am sure most of us do.  We want our children to love and respect us.  They need to see us obeying God's Word daily and this means we have to have self-control with our emotions and in what we say.  We need them to listen so we can properly instruct them to do what is right. 

Hear, my son, your father's instruction, And do not forsake

 your mother's teaching. ~Proverbs 1:8

Family Meals

    Growing up in a large family meant huge family dinners every night. It was a time to sit down, relax, and talk as we ate together.  Most of my favorite memories happened at our kitchen table during meals.

     In a world where we are on the go constantly and the world is at our fingertips, we sometimes lose touch with the simple things like eating a meal together as a family.  We are usually on our phones, iPads, or watching tv while eating.  Our challenge for today is to step back into a simpler time, and put our electronic devices away, and eat at least one family meal together each day for at least one week.  I can almost guarantee if you start this, you won't want to stop.

      As you sit down together, take time to really listen to one another.  Go around the table and ask each child a different question. Have fun with it!!!

One of Those Days

     "AHHHH!" I screamed. I slammed the bedroom door shut, praying my toddler was not close behind. My daugher had fought her nap all afternoon and I had so much to do - including fit in some much needed time in God's Word. I had tried several times to lay her down, but to no avail. My anger was mounting and I had to escape for an adult time out while Emma was occupied with her favorite TV show. Foot swiftly connected to a nearby trunk, in a vain hope that the act would release some pent up aggression. As you probably can guess, it was misguided. Instead I felt worse, and a little lost, as I surveyed the damage upon the helpless furniture - and my own soul. I thrust myself upon the bed and buried my face into the comforter and cried out to Jesus. While I cannot recall my exact words, the prayer went something to this effect: "Lord, help me, please. My plans have been changed and I am upset AGAIN! Help me to let go of my anger and forgive my selfishness, please." 

     With prayer and the support of a friend or two, I rose up, left my bedroom, and faced my child and my home once more that day. It wasn't the last time I felt frustrated over altered plans, but it was a wake up call that I needed to face my issues in this area. There's been a few layers which God has been peeling away, but victory began to come with this scripture:

 "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy."

 -Proverbs 13:12, NLT 

     That was it - the initial answer to my plight. I was getting my hopes set on my plans, and when someone made a mess of them - I was becoming spiritually heartsick. I quickly spiraled into anger or fear and became stressed. On the flip side, if everything went according to Mama's schedule, no one could be happier! I don't know about you, but I thrive on control. I heart order, a schedule, a plan. I can make an agenda with the best of them and, with joyful abandon, cross every "t" and dot every "i." Unfortunately, when I do, that plan tends to get my heart. The actual plan is not the problem. God is not against me creating a schedule to the best of my knowledge and ability - after all, He gave me that gift. In fact, He acknowledges that mankind in general tends to be full of plans in the Word! 

You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail."  -Proverbs 19:21, NLT

     Note: the good Lord doesn't censor a good plan. (Check out Luke 14:28) There is a place for it in His kingdom. However, even the best laid plans must be framed with a very important phrase: "If the LORD will.." (James 4:15) If I keep this thought in mind as I create my to do list, I tend to avoid my precious schedule being so close to my heart. I become a more relaxed, flexible mom - even when my tasks are delayed - sometimes multiple times! - by my sweet preschooler. After all, isn't it my daughter, the soul whom God has entrusted me with, more important than my best laid plans? Shouldn't Emma and God's plan for her rule the day? Isn't that what will truly last in eternity - not my clean house or a perfectly executed Pinterest craft, but the difference I made as a mom upon my daughter's soul?  

     I believe it will! And if you share my struggle, I pray these words were able to encourage you and help you reframe, in a positive manner, those days in where the agenda goes awry.

      Dear Lord, help us not to cling so tightly to our plans. Let us focus on Your will above our own, trusting that everything and anything that needs to be accomplished will get done.Grant us willing, flexible spirits in this. In Jesus' awesome and holy Name, Amen!

This post has been contributed by Elizabeth Hamm.  

Elizabeth Hamm is mommy to vivacious three year old Emma and wife to Kevin, her loving, supportive husband of 8 years. She is a graphic designer by day and by night, a woman with a passion for the pen and voracious love for God's Word. She credits her strength to the grace of God and her daily cup o' joe. Say hello to Elizabeth at lizhamm01@yahoo.com.

Announcement!!

    Good morning readers! I have a wonderful announcement to share with you. We are going to be having some guest post from some very wonderful ladies who want to share their hearts with you about training our children to be godly. I am excited to have them write for us!

     If any of you feel that The Lord is leading you to write on this subject, please let me know!  I would be happy to talk with you and add you as a contributor.

   

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