Thoughts on Finding Peace

     My typical weekday is spent at home with our five children, ages 4 through 17.  I have no quiet children.  And they are all very different.  And they’re siblings.  As a result, there’s a lot of noise.  Noise from general chatter, singing or humming while they work on school, practicing musical instruments, noise from me giving direction, correction, and trying to focus them on the task at hand.  What gets to me the most is the sibling arguments.  Sometimes I feel like a referee, arbitrator or judge and jury all day long.  Other times I’m so frustrated by their disobedience or their rotten attitudes that I start yelling.  (I hate yelling, but it seems nobody takes me seriously when I’m asking nicely.)  After school we have noise from the TV, playtime, and Dad arriving home.  During dinner, everyone talks at once.  By the end of the day, I’m ready for the kids’ bedtime.  Noise is everywhere.  I just want some peace!

     I long for peace and quiet, but I also long for peace in my mind.  The struggles in my mind are constant.  How do I handle certain situations as a mom, as a wife, as a friend.  What does our future hold?  What do our children’s futures hold?  Am I preparing our children well enough for adult life?  Is God pleased with me?  Will He intervene in the painful situations I’m praying about?  In the evenings, my husband and I usually watch the news, but much of it highlights tragedy and pain and fighting.  Sometimes it all just drags me down.  Where is God in all the suffering and war I hear about in the news?

     If you’re like me, you could use more peace in your life.  I’d like to talk about a few things that I believe help bring us peace.  We can find peace by guarding our hearts, by cultivating our relationships, and by focusing on Jesus.

     First, guard your heart.  Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”  Consider whether you might be taking on burdens you are not meant to carry.  I know there are times when I choose to take a break from watching the news or keeping up with what is happening to my friends on Facebook.  There is plenty to cause worry, or to instill fear, or to make us sad.  Now, if my family and close friends are going through hard times, I want to know about it so I can support them and pray for them.  But with today’s technology, we’re able to hear, see and read about much more pain and sorrow from people around the world.  Sometimes my heart just can’t take it.  I believe we sometimes carry burdens in our hearts that we’re not meant to carry.  I can find peace by guarding my heart from excess burdens.  But I can also find peace by fully trusting God with the burdens I am carrying.  When I pray for people I love, I need to release their care into God’s hands.  God may direct me to act or speak to be a part of their care, but ultimately, my prayers should entrust them to God’s capable hands.

     Second, in order to find peace, cultivate your relationships: with God and with others.  Each of us is personally responsible to cultivate our relationship with God.

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.  So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” - 2 Peter 3:13-14

Our relationship with God was initiated by Him, but we have a part to play in cultivating it.  He can change us to better reflect Jesus only as we are willing to allow Him.  He can speak to us, but we need to be listening.  If we’re ignoring Him or disobeying Him in some area, we lack peace in our relationship with God.  So each of us must be personally responsible to cultivate this most valuable relationship.

    If we do this, we can draw from God’s strength, which enables us to maintain better relationships with other people.  He shapes our character and enables us to extend love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  While our human tendency is to react negatively when we’re offended, God’s strength helps us to:

• Overlook small offenses and extend love and grace to others, especially those who frustrate or hurt you.
• Confront more serious offenses with the Biblical model and prayer. (Matthew 18:15-17)
• Cope and forgive when apologies are not given.

Living a Christ-like life is a world-changer.  We can bring peace to our relationships through drawing on God’s deep, deep love and extending it to each person He has created.

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.” - 2 Timothy 2:22-23

“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” - James 3:16-18

     In a world where the evil one is seeking to steal, kill, destroy, divide, discourage and deceive, we reflect the glory of a God who gives generously, brings life, restores, unites, encourages and is truth.

     Third, we can find peace by focusing on Jesus.  In John 14:27, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  We have everything we need in Him!  When you’re bogged down by conflict or chaos, fix your eyes on your Savior, Jesus.  Soak in His Word as much as you can.  Talk to Him about it.  Remember His power and great love and the hope He has given us.  Sing or listen to songs of worship.

     Praise brings us joy!  Praise God in the midst of weariness, sorrow and pain.  Be reminded of His ultimate control and love, and His presence which is always with us.  Rest in His control.  If you’ve accepted Jesus as your Savior, you have the Holy Spirit to help you know God through reading His Word.  What a rich blessing this is to have a Creator God who sent His Son to live among us and to show us what God is like, and who conquered sin and death, and now lives in Heaven to intercede for us, and for those who have made Him their Lord, have the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our thoughts and actions!

     It’s amazing to me how sometimes I come to realize I have entrusted God with the destiny of my eternal soul, but I forget to entrust Him with my day-to-day concerns.  He is working in me to change my response to my children when they frustrate me, and make me a better model of character to them.  He is showing me how to train them to work out their differences.  He is giving me insight on how to be a better mother, wife, friend, and disciple of Jesus.  He is showing me what work I can do to help grow His Kingdom and share His news of salvation and great love.  And He is giving me peace in the midst of chaos.  And my peace is a witness of God’s presence in my life that may draw others to seek Him also.  So guard your hearts, cultivate your relationship with God and with others, and focus on Jesus.  Let Jesus give you peace.

Be the Unifier in the Midst of Divisiveness

There are many times in the day-to-day we hear talk that divides.

It may be a leader, for example, who states something that he or she knows others disagree with. Perhaps the person feels genuinely strong in favor of a particular cause, and are hoping that by their statement, they and others who agree with them will convince others of the rightness of their belief.  But their approach breeds discord, even hate, among those who choose to be caught in the passion of the debate.

Whatever the person's motive for making that divisive statement, the rest of social media and the news reporters and those they interview erupt passionately with either criticism or support.  And in so doing, the division has been made.

But what really divides us?  A disagreement over something we each only know partially about?  Often most who join the raucous clamor on either side haven't even taken the time to understand the situation fully.

I propose that division is unnecessary.

There ARE issues that are important, and deserve passionate debate.  But there is a beauty in being able to have that debate with respect for the other person, learn the perspective of the other side, learn about each other in the process, and remain part of a mutually respectful community.  How I long to see this skill appreciated and practiced among my fellow citizens, and especially among more of my fellow Christians.

God made us to live in community - with Him, and with others.  But what is our community?  A select group of people we have found who agree with us on most everything?  People with whom we have much in common?  Being drawn to those who have things in common is normal.  But I don't think ignoring or avoiding those with more differences of opinion or different life experiences is healthy.

We can learn so much from each other.  We need each other.  As an example, I have dozens of friends from all over the country who have a commitment to Jesus Christ in common with me.  They are my spiritual brothers and sisters.  However, they are from different denominations of all kinds.  Some even hold different political views than I do!  (Gasp!)  However, because we agree that Jesus Christ is Lord, and He is worthy of our praise and our devotion, I find that it's very easy to worship with them, study God's Word with them, and pray with them.  I'm grateful for some of them who have prayed for me at the times I have needed it.

But what if there is a divisive issue on which we disagree?  Together, unified, we can work toward mutually beneficial solutions.  First, by praying together, asking God for direction, wisdom, understanding, and peace.  Second, by listening to each other, understanding all the hard parts of both sides of an issue.  Third, by reminding each other that this world is not our home, but that we are placed here to be a light in the darkness.  So whatever issues we may disagree on, we can agree that there are people who need God's love and salvation, and it is our job to tell them about it.

There are things that shouldn't be discussed on social media.

There are days turning off the news and choosing to pray about it is better than listening to everyone's opinions and stewing over it.

Jesus prayed for unity among believers.  This is the greatest witness we can have.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." - John 17:20-23 (NIV)

Don't let divisive leaders sway you.  Know what is most important.  Be a community of people who share life in love, grace and a desire to understand one another better.  And above all, keep your light shining bright into the dark places, so those without hope will find Jesus, the real Hope.

Don't Just Watch Life. Direct Life.

There are people in my life who inspire me.  They're ordinary people, but with an extraordinary perception, insight or wisdom, and they share it.  And when they do, I'm grateful.  But also, I wish I'd heard what they shared the day before, the week before, or longer, because when I was without that thing they shared and needed it, I did not have it myself.  I did not inspire myself toward that perspective when I wish I could have.  But I know I never could have inspired myself, nor did these people who inspire me get their inspiration from themselves, but from God.

So my inspiration wanes when my time listening to God wanes.  My time listening to God wanes too often these days - my days full of children and husband and school and home.  And at those times, I'm grateful for the inspirational people who are listening to God, and for their willingness to share it so I can benefit from it.  Isn't this what the church - the Body of Christ - is for?  Sharing encouragement and building each other up?  Yes indeed.  And praising God together for the relationships we have with Him and each other that keep us moving forward in hope.

Direct TV has a slogan, "Don't just watch T.V.  Direct T.V."  That comes to mind because it seems like these inspiring people direct their lives, rather than just watch it happen to them.  Life has a way of happening to me, pleasant or frustrating, and I sort of go through my day meeting needs as I see them, and reacting to the people around me as they affect me.  That often results in me being grumpy and irritable, though sometimes I can maintain my joy in spite of what goes awry.  And I wonder if I were to invest more time in listening to God, He would inspire me to the thoughts and perspectives and wisdom I need to navigate the plans that fail, the people (read: children) that don't cooperate, and the overwhelming input my five senses (mostly ears and eyes) are assaulted with.  If I could start my day with a Scriptural mantra, or a reminder of God's purpose for my day, or a worship song stuck (thankfully) in my head, perhaps it would lead to me being an inspiration to others.

That's really what I want to be, and in such a way that they turn to God themselves for their inspiration as well.

Living Legacy

My grandpa was born in 1908.  Today he has his 95th birthday!  We were privileged to spend some time with him and my grandma at Christmas, as well as two other days we were invited to their house for visiting and a meal.  (My grandma is a fantastic cook.)  I'm thankful for the opportunity for my children to reconnect with them any chance we get.  (We also visited my grandmother on the other side of my family, and I'm so glad we did.)  I want them to remember their great-grandparents, because they are all wonderful people.  I'm sure I saw joy in my grandparents' faces when they got to watch our children play and listen to them talk.

My grandpa, in particular, makes me think of a rock.  His faith in God is solid, unwavering.  He raised four children to share that faith, and they have raised his 16 grandchildren in this faith as well.  Now many of those 16 grandchildren are married and raising his great-grandchildren (18 so far) to be faithful to God as well.  Look what my grandparents started!  Including those who have married Grandpa's children and grandchildren, that is a whole bunch of people living faithful to God!

Sometimes it's hard to be faithful in my thoughts, attitudes and actions to a God who is invisible, intangible, and often leaves more questions unanswered than I am comfortable with.  But having parents and grandparents who have fully trusted Him with their lives, and who unwaveringly serve Him with their lives the best they know how gives me an anchor for my own faith.  Like the saints who have gone before, referred to in Hebrews 11, my grandparents are part of that "hall of faith" group of people who can bear witness to God's activity, faithfulness, healing, and forgiveness in their lives.  They show, that the morals God gives in His Word lead to God's best for us.  They exemplify a proper perspective of what is most important in life.

So I am thankful for my Grandpa.  I don't know how much longer he will be with us on this earth, but I'm glad every chance I get to see him.  Happy 95th birthday Grandpa!

Name That Hymn!

An old hymn popped into my head this morning.  When I was growing up, my family was part of a church which sang tons of hymns.  By the age of 13 I was a regular pianist for the church and got to know the music (and lyrics) really well, so I know a LOT of hymns.  (I'm pretty sure my Mom knows more though!)

When I started my first post-college job as worship director at a church (14 years ago), they were using some hymns and some newer "choruses".  It bothered me that the language in the lyrics of the hymns was so antiquated that maybe the younger generations might not even know (or care) what it all meant, and maybe the older generations had sung them so long, they may be complacent as to the meaning, but just enjoyed the song for nostalgia.  So I occasionally published an insert for the bulletin called "Know What You Are Singing".  I would put into my own words what the lyrics meant.  One time I did a mini research project on what "bulwark" meant and wrote that up for "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God".  After service that Sunday, a WWII veteran came up to me and explained what a bulwark was even better than what I had explained on paper.  (At least then I knew someone was reading my inserts!)

So it was funny when this song from years ago came to mind as I started this morning's laundry.  It occurred to me that I really only remembered the first verse and the chorus.  It also occurred to me how archaic and somewhat funny-sounding the lyrics are.  So once the laundry was sorted and started, I looked it up in my hymnal to review the other verses.  Then I wrote them down and studied their meaning.  Finally I came up with this prose rendition.  I think it is a great way to think about how a song expresses meaningful thoughts and feelings about my relationship with God and what He has done for me.  Maybe someday I'll have time and creativity and put this back into poetic form and write a modernized version of this hymn.

Can anyone guess which hymn this is?  I really don't think anyone, except maybe my parents, can get this one!

(VERSE 1)

I've decided not to waste my time chasing after satisfaction and happiness through the pursuits this world has to offer.  Instead, I see clearly that what God offers to me now, and for eternity, brings true fulfillment and joy, and they are things of a higher and nobler quality.

(CHORUS)

Because of Jesus' free gift of forgiveness-- that beautiful saving grace, I am full of gladness and true freedom, so I run to Him, the greatest and highest One there is.

(VERSE 2)

I've decided to turn my life around-- away from loving sin and being defeated by a life of worry.  I now fix my eyes on Jesus--the true One, the just One, the One who has the words of life.

(VERSE 3)

I've decided to follow my Savior, being as faithful and true to Him as I can, every day.  I'll pay attention to what He says, and do what He wants me to do.  This is the way of life.

(VERSE 4)

I've decided to accept God's generous invitation into His Kingdom by leaving behind the paths of sin.  My friends may oppose me, and my enemies may attack me, but I will still be given the rewards of Heaven for choosing Jesus as my Lord.

We'll see what everyone comes up with!

Is It the Right Season?

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish." - Psalm 1 (New International Version)

For more than a couple years now, I have been wondering how and when God might use me in some type of ministry to point people to Him.  As a homeschooling, stay-at-home mother of three, and a military spouse, you can bet there is plenty to keep me busy.  My priorities lie with my husband, my children and my responsibilities as homeschool teacher.  Outside of that, I find that I don't have a lot of time to focus on anything else to do it well.  However, I have a huge passion for people, and for sharing the hope and eternal life that comes through Christ.  But how and where do I do this?  Or is it even the right season of my life to serve in this way?

Of course, I try in any way I can to be Christlike to those around me, whether it be in the grocery store or at my child's gymnastics lesson.  Yet I long for something more.  So my question is, has God given me this passion so that I will pursue something more for His service?  Or am I just jealous of public ministries that others have, and discontent with what God has me doing right now?  If God would give me a clear answer to that question, I would be grateful, so that I would know how to proceed.  I could then give myself fully to the work of managing the home and teaching the children; or carve out the time and work necessary to pursue whatever assignment God might give to me.

There is one thing for sure.  As Psalm 1 says, I will be like a tree bearing fruit in season if I delight myself in the law of the Lord, and meditate on His Word day and night.  Sounds like an assignment to me.

Update June 12, 2011 - It was fun to re-discover this entry, but not surprising to realize I feel I'm still in the same place I was 1 1/2 years ago when I wrote it.

It's easy to see the fruit of my husband's job and ministry as an army chaplain.  Even easier to view my life as ordinary, and possibly fruitless.  Although, as a mother, and an advocate that motherhood is a valuable investment of one's time, I have to agree with friends who often remind me that I'm doing right by my children by my conscientious training of and caring for them.  As someone pointed out, this is one thing no one else can do or be for one's children, and doing it well is my goal.

So while I sit here trying to type an article with multiple interruptions, and it seems nearly impossible to put a complete thought together, I will try to remember that the most important fruit I can nurture in this season of my life are the well-loved, well-cared for children in our family, and the growing marriage I am very grateful for.

There are still other interests I have, and pursuits I hope to find time for in carved out moments and planned getaways when my husband takes our children out of the house so I can have a break.  So we'll see where God leads, in His time. 

Enhancing Your Marriage

Last Spring semester, a friend and I led a group of ladies through this wonderful Bible study on marriage, "Enhancing Your Marriage" by Judy Rossi.  It takes 12 weeks of 5 days/week of work to get through the study, and I recommend doing it with a group, to help you stay motivated to keep at it.  If you have ever done an in-depth study such as one by Beth Moore, or "Experiencing God", you will know to expect to look up a lot of verses in the Bible, and do a lot of writing and note-taking in your book each day.  The rewards are worth the work! 

What I specifically appreciate about this study is how much time she spends on leading the reader to study who God is.  If you understand His unlimited power and ability and love, you realize any issue in your marriage, big or small, can be handled with His help.  I am currently going back through the first five chapters where she discusses the nature of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, because it was a lot to take in then, and I want to soak it in more slowly.  Hopefully I'll retain more this time through!

The ironic thing for me in this study was, while the book asked questions to apply principles to my marriage relationship, I found myself being convicted more in the area of parenting!  It happened over and over throughout the class!  I'm sure it had to do with the fact that my husband was deployed to Iraq for the first two months of the class, so he wasn't too hard to get along with then.  But also, my husband is quite mature and patient with me, so even with him home, our marriage issues often stem from my own shortcomings!  So her newest study, "Raising Responsive Children" may have to be my next venture!

This study is applicable to any married woman, whether newlywed, married for many years.  It could also prove helpful to a single woman or engaged woman looking forward to marriage in the future, or even a divorcee, or widow hoping to remarry.  Judy Rossi also does an excellent job of making the material applicable to Christian women who have unbelieving husbands.  This is a very common situation, and she handles how to act in this type of marriage very well.

With marriages under so much strain, and being considered so easily discardable by so many, this study is a valuable resource for any group of women looking to enhance their marriage.  I highly recommend it for all!

Margin

On a paper or in a book, the margin is the blank space. It's good for lots of things. Jotting notes down, punching holes for a 3-ring binder, giving our eyes a boundary before the edge of the page.

In the book titled "Margin" by Dr. Richard Swenson, he encourages us to put margin in our lives. For most of us, our schedules are overbooked, our money is overspent, our bodies are exhausted, and our emotions are spent. Dr. Swenson calls us to a simpler life, giving priority to what is most important, and leaving room for the unexpected, the unplanned, and even some peace and quiet. With a disciplined effort in keeping margin in our lives, we are able to do better at what we do, and don't snap when plans are changed or we are interrupted. Having margin gives us the opportunity to spend extra time listening to a friend in need, witnessing to the acquaintance we encountered, giving financial support to the needy, or exercising patience in difficult circumstances.

Check out Dr. Swenson and his resources here, www.richardswenson.org/ including group study resources, and "A Minute of Margin" for a little piece of wisdom each day of the year to inspire you toward this simpler life.

Daily seeking God

Since late March, God has been leading me to view my relationship with Him in this way - He is there to walk with me through every moment throughout my day to guide my choices, my attitudes, and my goals.

I feel a lot is at stake each day as I strive to raise our three girls in a way that pleases God, and points them to their own lives that I trust will serve Him as well. Parenting is such a daunting task. Homeschooling is a monumental task, one I am committing to one year at a time. My goal in homeschooling is to equip each child to make an impact for God's Kingdom as God leads them in their adult life. Also intimidating, is the fact that my daily witness to the people around me may make or break a chance for me to point them to Christ for salvation. With all these larger-than-human tasks in my life, I must have God's daily guidance. Only He can see the big picture, and order my life to be used exactly as He needs to fulfill these purposes I believe He has given me.

So, I am inspired by this need for daily direction from God, and I need to seek Him. As much of a morning person I am not, I decided that in order to give God my best, I need to find a time when the children won't interrupt me, and when my mind is ready to absorb what God shows me. That time was early morning, before the girls wake up. So since I have been keeping this habit of Bible reading and prayer, it has both rewarded and challenged me. I see God leading me daily, and also challenging me to change, and I see the enemy trying to inhibit that relationship and growth. (Note to enemy - game on! God and I win. You lose.)

There is a need for all believers to seek God daily. Without that, who is guiding your goals? Who directs the choices you make in how you spend your time, money and energy? It seems so basic, and I believe that it is supposed to be. We simply need to let God show us His way, and how to walk in it, day after day, so that He can use us for His glory.

God has made it simple for us to not only have a relationship with Him, but also to understand Him better through His Word. Don't settle for 5-10 minute devotions as your only time spent in personal Bible Study. Don't settle for merely Sunday morning worship services, sermons, Christian TV, Christian radio, Christian books to feed your soul. Rather, let the Holy Spirit, this awesome gift that we have upon receiving Christ as our Savior, reveal to you God's character and His proddings toward spiritual growth, tailored just for you through His intimate understanding of who you are and what you need. Through the simple reading of Scripture and prayer, God can give you all the direction you need, and He will not steer you wrong.

Recently, my husband wrote the following, which I believe says something important about the need for each Christian to seek God daily:

"[I want to help people] understand Biblical theology as opposed to canned theology, which I see as accepting pat, predefined, easy answers someone else has already worked out, as opposed to struggling with the Scriptures and wrestling with the difficult questions of faith that challenge our security and preconceptions about God.

"Canned theology robs us of the shaping struggle of coming to grips with the challenges of faith in real life. It stumps our growth. . . having doubts and questions for God is a healthy thing. It's not that they question the essentials, but since they don't have a quick answer or a forceful system of thought on a certain finer point of theology they feel intimidated and the Accuser is using that to make them feel less than they are. . . it has already created some very in-depth theological discussions that are challenging us to grow." -- Derek Pottinger

I agree that this danger of being led to believe something about God or His ways that may or may not be Scriptural is real. Without each Christian searching for the Truth in God's Word, there are bound to be a lot of incorrect beliefs. We need to take our questions to God and ask Him to show us His answers. He may not answer everything, but He will give us all that we need.

Twin Sisters Productions

My favorite resource from this publishing company, started by sisters who were teachers and found that music was a great tool for teaching children, is their Scripture memory song CDs. Titled "Scripture Memory Songs" and "Growing in God's Word", both contain great songs that are kid-friendly, fun to learn, and not the annoying style of music most children's music tends to be. These CDs make great gifts.

I also own their Spanish songs CD and workbook, that together teach some basic Spanish vocabulary.

In addition to that, one day I discovered they were having a huge sale on their cassette tapes, and I filled up my online shopping cart with one of each 50 cent tape containing topics everywhere from physics to silly songs. I'm fortunate I have a cassette player from when I was in Jr. High that still works. The girls listen to those in their playroom while they play, and they've picked up quite a bit of info from them.

They offer so much more than what I've mentioned, but these are the things I have personally used. You can check out more by them at their website, http://twinsisters.com/

The Power of a Praying Wife

In this post, I again take the risk of boring many who may have heard of this resource years ago. However, I still find it a valuable resource, and know that it continues to make an impact in the marriages of people around me.

In The Power of a Praying Wife, Stormie Omartian has written 30 chapters, each covering a topic for prayer that a wife can pray for concerning her husband. There are a few pages giving examples and explanations on the topic, followed by a pre-written sample prayer, then followed by related Scriptures. Since there are 30, it's the perfect format for praying one topic per day of the month. I would never come up with these specific matters for prayer on my own: his finances, his purpose, his trials, his priorities, his walk, his talk, his faith, his future, etc. Nor would I be able to come up with the specific prayers that Mrs. Omartian writes. Yet, when I read them, I can agree that they are valuable for bringing to God's throne, and pray them for my husband.

This is a great book for any wife, newlywed or otherwise. For me, God used this book to make a huge impact on my marriage. Instead of being critical of my husband and trying to change him like I did in the first couple years of marriage, I began to change my attitude to being less selfish, and to letting God do the changing that He deemed necessary.

Stormie Omartian has also written other books in this series, including "The Power of a Praying Husband", "The Power of a Praying Parent", "The Power of a Praying Woman", "The Power of Praying", and others. For the last month, I've been utilizing the prayers in the "Wife", "Parent" and "Woman" books for my guide in prayer time. Now it's June 1st and time to start back at the beginning again. So enhance your marriage, your parenting, or your life by using these resources to inspire you to pray and let God work in your life and the lives of others. Here is Stormie Omartian's website: http://www.stormieomartian.com/

Purpose, Passion, Persistence

Recently, the chaplain preaching the Sunday sermon challenged us to pursue the full life that God intends for us by finding out our God-given purpose, pursuing that one thing with single-minded focus and with passion, and by doing it with persistence. It came as no surprise to me, after praying about it for awhile, that my purpose is to be a wife and a mother. More specifically, I believe my purpose is to be a Godly wife to my husband, and to be a Godly parent to our 3 children. Being mother, for me, also includes being a home school teacher.

I have a strong desire to be a change-agent in our culture, pointing others to Christ for salvation and life. Right now, that means that I give a lot of time and energy to my children, teaching and exemplifying a God-honoring lifestyle. My aim is that they will come to accept Christ as their own personal Savior, and that they will mature and learn what they need to in order to be change agents themselves as adults. I feel God has equipped me with the desire and ability to teach our girls at home, rather than having them in an institution for school. I enjoy seeing them learn, and I love being the one to show them new things, and help them discover. They love learning, and I love teaching. I'm learning too-- a lot.

I trust that God is going to use the next 17+ years, while I commit to raising and teaching our girls, to prepare me for another ministry when they are on their own. I also believe that along the way, I'll have opportunities to minister to other moms, to other children, and to other Christians as I serve in my local congregation.

So through this blog, one thing I thought I'd do is share some of my passion for motherhood and for home schooling by reviewing resources that have been helpful and inspiring to me. There are so many I know of already! Perhaps as I go through the journey of raising my girls, others will be blessed by these same resources because of what I share.