1. You’ll be working with a diverse team of people who are all united under the welcoming umbrella of faith and good works.

This was perhaps my favorite part of participating in a mission trip. There’s nothing quite like a several-days long trip to get to know other members of your church or school. You’ll also likely work in conjunction with other teams from other churches, so you’ll meet a wide variety of people. It’s fascinating to get so many different perspectives on faith while still being united under the common goal of.

2. You’ll gain exposure to what poverty is really like.

Although we may understand poverty by reading about it or watching programs on television, the reality of poverty doesn’t hit with quite the same force until you see it first-hand. This is an especially important lesson for younger children, who may have not yet realized how incredibly lucky they are that their material needs are not just met in a basic sense but are exceeded by a vast majority of the world. You’ll never feel as grateful until you take a mission trip.

3. You’ll feel an incredibly rewarding exhaustion that comes after a day spent doing manual work.

For most of us, our conception of manual labor does not extend beyond doing a few household chores. If you go on a mission or service trip that involves helping construct houses, you’ll gain a newfound respect for those who earn their (often meager) livelihoods doing backbreaking work. Although the post-work exhaustion can be really trying, it’s also great to feel a physical connection with your work. It’s a feeling that is far too often lost in our modern service economy.

If your church or school does not already have a service program set up, be sure to check out ChristianVolunteering.org for available volunteer opportunities.

Settle on a topic – Though blogs have an extensive range of styles and topics, the most excellent blogs typically focus on particular topics in order to grow a committed readership. There’s no correct or incorrect topic to include in a blog, but there are certain issues that are simply trendier than others. Thus, it’s essential to go through the contents of the blogs, which appear to be most flourishing. A blog that receives no visitors will never produce any profit. Choose a topic that you’ll treasure writing about daily. Avoid any boring stuff and try adding an interesting twist to your presentation. A few topics that you may cover on your blog are music, health, sports, entertainment and how to make money from home.

Write regularly – The readership of your blog grows with a constant increase in the number of posts in your blog. If you have decided to write about the latest opportunities for career development, you need to update your blog regularly. Make your article informative and try to provide the latest information on various career options.

Choose a format – Different blog sites offer different set-ups under which to write. Depending on your subject, you may wish to opt for an arrangement that allows for images or one that is comparatively basic. However, never give up legibility and simplicity for style.

Be professional – Keep your contents systematic and professional. Make sure that your content is comprehensible and that there are no grammatical or spelling errors. While you act as a thorough professional, you may also add some interesting stuff to your content. Write in an entertaining and appealing way to hold on to the interest of your readers.

Welcome discussion – If your blog contains a comments element, always ask for participation and views of your readers after the completion of a post. This is a fantastic way to start some discussion concerning your post.

A majority of the web log visitors are diminutive, but with sufficient time and daily updates visitors grow. Normally, newbie bloggers don’t have too many visitors, but the individuals who return regularly are usually concerned about what you say.

About the Author:
The above article has been written by Paulette Noonan. She is associated with debt consolidation care community .She writes articles on numerous financial topics, such as Debt Settlement, Christian Debt Consolidation, and Investment Opportunities etc.

Well those silly crossword puzzles grew on me and have become a part of my daily routine. Each afternoon (or as often as I can) after I put our son down for a nap I make a cup of coffee, put on an old tv show, and sit down with my crossword puzzle. And oh how I love my afternoon coffee and crossword puzzle break!

Today I started a new crossword in my book and realized that the answer pages had been torn out of the back of the book by my sweet toddler. Knowing that I have never completed a puzzle without peeking at the answer page, I was hesitant to even start the new puzzle. I was sure that I would get only part way through it and not be able to finish it without the answers. Well, I am happy to write that I did the entire crossword puzzle completely by myself, first time ever!. I was pretty happy and surprised with myself. (It’s silly, I know. And please don’t judge me if you are one of those who have never once looked at the answer key!!

What does this accomplishment have to do with anything? Surprised that I did my first crossword puzzle without the answer key made me think of how often I depend on and search for the “answers” to the multitudes of questions I have as a new parent. As my son reaches each new stage I feel a frantic urge to research and ask other parents questions in search of the “correct” or “perfect” answer. I wonder, like the crossword puzzles, how often I jump to looking for answers before first going with my intuition and the instinctive “answer” that seems to naturally fits my child, my personality as a parent, our family, and our daily rhythm at home. Before giving myself a chance to discover a possible answer, I rush ahead looking for the perfect answer.

Are you like me? Do you hurry to find solutions to your parenting problems and concerns before even allowing the unique intuition and problem-solving abilities God has given to you as your child’s mom? It is so easy to look for that safety net of answers, advice and wisdom that is out there and to forget that God has uniquely equipped us to parent each child he has bestowed to our care.

I would never, ever advise against seeking good counsel to our vital parenting questions. I am, however suggesting that perhaps we lose confidence in our parenting abilities and this can drive us to crazily seek the perfect “answer key” (as if there was one for parenting!!!).

About the Author:
My name is Cindy and I am a wife, mom, and a Christ-follower. I am a very blessed wife of almost 10 years to my sweet husband and we have the cutest, most precious, amazing 2-year-old son! We adopted our son from birth and the joy of raising him and watching him grow each day began from the moment he was first placed in our arms. I hope through this blog to share my journey into motherhood as an adoptive mom in our beautiful transracial family as I seek each day to follow the Lord. These are my random thoughts . . . . my random feelings . . . . . my random questions about being a wife, mother, woman, and Christ-follower. I hope you too will share with me your thoughts, feelings, and questions! Maybe we can learn together, encourage one another in this truly amazing and most difficult job of being a wife and mom! You can find me on the web at http://wheremyrtlesgrow.wordpress.com/

“Do or Do Not, There Is No Try.”

Was it Edison when he could not figure out the light bulb, or maybe George Washington when he was running for the first United States President? Could it even be you?

No matter who it was, they still have a great amount of wisdom. I wish someone would have said these words to me this week, and that I did not just here them 10 minutes ago- they would have helped me, a lot! It was a long and tiring week and I could not wait till that wonderful Friday afternoon when I stepped off the bus, got home and completely forgot school. There were the “Do I or dont I get up?” mornings, or “Do I or dont I turn in both of my projects Friday? ” My responses were “I will TRY to get up on time tomorrow” or “I will TRY to give my best on both projects.” Either way, I was only making excuses for myself not to do something that I did not want to do, but I knew I needed too. The fact of the matter is, an excuse is not going to get me an A on anything I “try” to accomplish. In life there is so many choices to make and many things you either do or do not do. When we are adults and say “I want to be ___” we either do or do not accomplish it. OK, yes trying is important, but if your not doing anything, then your most likely not going to get the satisfaction you are expecting. In all truth, life is not fair, we do not always want to do what we are exptected, but we must.

God makes his way for us, and we do not always listen. We have to do a lot to please God, but we should enjoy it. A little fact about God is he did not say I will “TRY to send my only son, so that who ever believes in me shall not parrish but have etnernal life” but he DID! If we could only open our eyes and take each step one at a time and do, we would be much further then we are now. We could be out there helping people change their lives! So much potential is in our hands and we throw it all away.

Look at yourself in the mirror and realize your not just another person making their way, you are so much more. You can be the change in a generation that will rock the world!

“The past is the past, and the future is yet to come, but today is a gift that’s why we call it “present.”

Now, how about that trivia? Did you figure it out? Let me give you a hint, he is a short little green guy who speaks words of wisdom in one of the world’s most famous stories. Sure enough, it is Yoda! For all the millions of people who love his character, you would think that they would stop and listen to what he has to say. (Haha!)

This week set a goal for yourself to actually DO something instead of just trying- and I dont mean just brushing your teeth. Make it a good deed, or turn in all your homework. Anything! Then write me about it. Who knows, you could be the topic of next week.

About the Author:
I have a passion of sharing my learning experiences and my love for God with all the people around me. God has enlightened me to share with you some of the struggles, we as teens, face every day, and ways to help you through. It is not an easy thing being a teenager, but that does not mean you have to give up. Come grow with me as I take the same journey as you with a different perspective. You can find me on the web at http://teenagerwrites.com

I have struggled with my temper ever since I remember. My excuse has always been that lack of control runs in my family. Lately, however, the Holy Spirit has made me aware that such an excuse is no longer valid.

Conviction comes to my heart particularly through my young sons. The Lord has shown me how they are actually not just little boys, but men-in-waiting. As such, they have an inherent need for respect planted in their DNA by their Maker. In theory, I know my husband and I should do all we can to respect them and teach them the way they should go, so when they’re grown, they won’t depart from it. In reality, I often fail at my attempts. Awareness of my flaws overwhelms me. Feelings of inadequacy grow like a malevolent weed that chokes the fruits of patience and self-control within me.

All too often, my raised voice bounces off the walls with the potential to humiliate and wound my sons’ young souls. I try to reign myself in, but the more I try, the more I lose control. I pray to God that He will just change me instantaneously, but despite my pleadings in the dark of night, I am still the same. I try to produce the fruits of the Spirit in my heart, but the soil seems hopelessly barren regardless of my best efforts.

The truth is that I can’t change – not on my own. The truth is that even though the Lord does have the ability to change me instantaneously, His ways are not my ways and His time is not my time. God often chooses character building over keeping harmony. Until I allow Him to clear out the weeds and the brush in the field that is my heart, my life will not bear His fruit.

The growing season would begin as I obey the nudging of the Holy Spirit, one day at a time. By letting go of my relentless desire to control every aspect of my days, I can let Him be the gardener of my soul. As my Divine Gardener, He will grow His fruits in me so His attributes would become evident in my life to all who surround me. As the keeper of my heart, He will prune me into someone who bears His true image.

A few days ago, I obeyed the urge to tell my 9-year old that I respect him very much. I told him that I know he will grow up to be a great man, just like his daddy. I wanted him to know that if I sometimes sound disrespectful toward him it is because I struggle with lack of patience and self-control, but I am praying that God changes me.

I don’t know how much of what I said he actually understood. Perhaps I will find out someday. For now, I pray for myself and for all overwhelmed mothers that the Holy Spirit continues to turn fields of weeds into blossoming gardens. I pray that we understand and accept that it is not by our own power or timing, but by His hand that we’ll produce His fruits.

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12: 9 (NIV)

About the Author:
Christian wife and working mother of one biological and one adopted son. I am a foreign born citizen of Hispanic origin who loves this great country, and calls it her own. Above all, I seek the Lord and His Kingdom, and it is my desire to share my love for my Savior, Jesus Christ, with all who would listen. You can follow my blogs at: http://asyougrowinmyheart.blogspot.com &  http://gisela-myredeemerlives.blogspot.com

Romans 8:35-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Wow, what a comfort, what a blessing, what joy there is in the love from our Lord to know that no hardships, troubles, lack of finances, nothing we can ever experience no matter how hard, trying or terrible things get, nothing can separate us from the love of God.

No hardship or distress we might encounter in life can be so overwhelming that Gods love for you does not increase as what you are going through intensifies. At these moments His love grows strong. Such is not the human condition. There is no pain in life so powerful that Gods love does not bring you comfort.

In life there may be times when you are hungry, but you will never hunger for lack of the Father’s love. In life sometimes we are abandoned by those we love as financial dire circumstances beset us. But poverty or lack of finances cannot rob you of God’s compassion, just as even death itself is not capable of robbing us of our Father’s infinite love

Proverbs 3:11-1

My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,

Because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father, we are the children he delights in. As our heavenly Father the love He gives and demonstrates for us is 100% unconditional. Even if we are disobedient, get angry with God, follow our own will, He still loves us, even when we do not love Him in return. John tells us 1 John 4:19 we love because He first loved us. His love for us as “Abba” our heavenly Father is so vast and wide that he has made us heirs and has built a home for us in heaven and awaits the day when our flesh no longer remains, and we are as Paul wrote, absent from the body, and present with the Lord. So these are the thing and definitions of our heavenly Father in the Bible.

He has adopted us and made us his children through the blood of his Son Ephesians 1:5 ….he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—God, “Abba” our heavenly father desires an intimate relationship with us, his children. He is our comfort, and our strength. There are no arms bigger to hold you, and there is no love greater than His.

He alone is “Abba”, dad, daddy, papa, and Father in every sense of the word. What a glorious blessing we have to have Him as our parent, and how precious and wonderful it is to be His child.

Romans 8:15 Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

The adopted child’s past from their natural-born family is removed, legally forgotten and sealed as if it did not ever exist once they were adopted. The child then gained all the rights of a legitimate child in their new family. They got a new father, and they became an heir to the father’s estate. The adopted child became equal co-heirs with the other children. In the eyes of the law their old life was completely wiped out. All debts were completely cancelled. That child was absolutely the child of their new father. We are that child; our debt of sin has been cancelled by the blood of Jesus. We are a new child in God, by the Blood of the Lamb. Paul tells us in Corinthians that once we are in Christ we have become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! In that new life we are the sons and daughters of God, part of the inheritance of a royal priesthood, receivers of eternal life. Now that is a heritage to remember. That is a heritage to be proud of. That is a heritage to be thankful for. What a glorious privilege we have to be the absolute possession of God our Father! As his children we take on the name of God—we are His children, His heirs, and His ambassadors.

God chose you and me to be His child. What an amazing, incredible gift. We were taken from a situation which would not have turned out well and in Christ Jesus we are given the opportunity to be adopted and live as God’s own children, and become a member of His family. We have been given a new identity, a new name, a new life, and a new inheritance.

Isaiah 30:18

But the Lord wants to show you kindness. He greatly desires to show you compassion. The Lord is the God who makes everything right again. So those people who trust Him are truly happy.

You are God’s people. Do not weep anymore. The Lord hears your cry for help. And when He hears, He will answer. He will come to your aid. You have suffered much in the past. But the Lord is your Teacher. He will not hide Himself from you. You will see with your own eyes what He will do to save you.

In Isaiah 30:18, we read about the real desire and heart that God has for us. In his Word, we read of His promises to us. It is His desire to give us this and more, if we put Him first and foremost in our lives and lay aside all other things.

Know that you can see the hand of God in your life and experience His kindness. Your life will turn around and everything that has gone wrong will begin to go right. You will find happiness as your worries, stress and fears, vanish. God will reveal Himself to you and you will know Him.

Know that no matter how bad your situation is, whether you are in debt or trouble, God promises to rescue you. It is in His Word…..it is possible, probable, and His desire for you.

We need to realize the honor we have in the love of God, and we need to understand the strength and depth of His love. His love working in us is to every believer as motherhood, apple pie and baseball is to the American way.

When we are troubled, as we all are from time to time, He is our place of refuge; a place where our spirit feels at home. In Him is where the longing of our soul finds rest and peace. When in our own flesh all avenues are blocked, we can always connect with God and be comforted.

If you are troubled, in doubt, confused, needing guidance, direction, correction or instruction, just turn to God. He will feed your soul until you hunger and thirst no more. When you cannot find the words, He will speak for you. When you cannot find the answer with all your human logic, He will enlighten you.

He will bring tears of joy to your soul that wash away all the stress and sorrow from your entire being. There is an unseen language spoken by God to your heart that your spirit comprehends, even though we cannot explain it with our human tongue, it is spoken and imprinted upon our hearts by the Spirit of the living God within us. In that unseen language His word transcends my human knowledge and opens a line of communicate between us and God in all of its glory and wonder. We will find ourselves lost in the depth of His love, as a child nursing at its mother’s breast. We will be compelled by His Spirit, and amazed as we encounter what the flesh cannot comprehend.

The Lord invites you to expand your spirit and see things beyond what your human eyes can behold and you begin to see things through your spirit. This is where the fullness and richness of life lies and awaits you, in God’s love.

He pours out his love upon each one of us every second every day. His love is our everything. Even when we are unaware He is working in love, behind the scenes protecting us from danger and saving us from you from catastrophe. His love gives us strength, energy and the will to go on when we desperately needed it. If we will but look closely at all those many very wonderful and unexpected things that occur in our lives, you will see the deep love of God at the center of all our joy, happiness and success.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

That is a lot of love, the life-giving love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord who redeems us all from sin.

About the Author:
I was born the son of a Pastor/Missionary. I began traveling on mission trips as a small boy and began preaching the Gospel at the age of 13. In my life I have preached the gospel in over 30 nations of the world. I have been blessed to have been an associate pastor in some of Americas largest churches, thankful to work under and be mentored by my senior pastors Dr.Tommy Barnett , Dr. Charles Blair. I am especially thankful to Dr. Ray Wilkerson, who saw God’s hand on my life even as a very young man, and helped guide me into the ministry and was always my pillar of support and my example of a godly man. Thankful to God to have spent time with Pastor David Wilkerson in his home in Texas as a young minister and being taught love and outreach. Thankful to Pastor Forrest Gibbs for helping teach me faith. I am thankful to God for allowing me to have success in also in the business world. I took a one year sabbatical, that led to me leaving the ministry for 10 years of my life. During that time I was able to become a multimillionaire in the oil business, but also fell away from God. I became a drug addict for a few years and was totally lost. But many years ago, by His mercy the Lord reached out to me, and I gave my heart and soul back to Him. By His grace He has restored me into a life of being a servant, ministering to those in need, and for that I am the most thankful of all. I thank the Lord for Romans 5:20..But where sin increased, grace increased all the more. Over the years the Lord has enabled us to build churches and orphanages in Mexico and spread the Gospel to indigenous tribes in Brazil. Today I spend my time spreading the Word, speaking the Word and sharing the Word. Bringing souls into the kingdom. Using my ministry experience and my business experience for the kingdom of God is my heart’s and life’s ambition. You can find me on the web at http://darrellcreswell.wordpress.com/

I have used the analogy of “curb water” when I describe my life before Christ. Curb water lays in the ditch between the street and the curb. No one wants to touch it and Heaven help us if a car would drive by and splash the curb water on our new outfit! In short, curb water is a substance without a purpose, it is an invaluable resource on earth as water, but because of the dirt and filth, it is now just curb water, which is useless. This comparison is similar to all of us before the grace that Christ has provided us as sinners; sin is the soil in our lives, in essence, it is turning us into the curb water. We all are filled with purpose and have a calling in our lives, without Christ we will never fulfill our divine purpose and that is to be one with Christ.

Have you been looking for Love in all the wrong places?

Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Now that is what I call love!

It’s time to build your relationship with God…

Proverbs 8:17- I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me.

Setting aside time during the day, by reading the Bible and taking time in prayer will help build a stronger relationship with the Lord. The closer you grow with HIM, the stronger your love for HIM will become.

********************************Alter Call**************************

Romans: 10:9-10 Who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

If you do not know Jesus as your personal savior please pray this prayer with me. God, I recognize that I have not lived my life for you up until now. I have been living for myself and this is wrong. I need you Lord in my life. I acknowledge the complete work of your Son Jesus Christ in giving his life for me on the cross at Calvary. Come into my life Jesus and reside in my heart! I claim you as my Lord, and Savior from this day forward. I will no longer be controlled by sin, or the desire to please myself, but I will follow you, forever! This I ask in your precious name Jesus.

About the Author:
Wilson Goodwyn blogger who is in tune with the Lord and a follower of the 11th commandment.
John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Find Wilson on the web at http://PreachPastor.com

Don’t we all have a tendency to put on a smile and be all polite when there are those around we want to think highly of us… then we come home and we just let the frustrations fly… they fly all over our spouse, they fly all over our kids, they fly all over our parents, and possibly even other extended family.

I used to have those moments alot… I would be totally worn out from trying to keep up a good face and front with those outside of my home so no one would notice that I was struggling… then come home and hear Momma, momma, momma, momma, momma, momma, just one too many times and then boom, SNAP!, over someone needing help tying a shoe… or something else simple like that. Or you might find me blowed up and pouting, as I slammed dishes in the dishwasher, loudly closed cabinet doors, and hid in the bedroom for several hours folding clothes or cleaning the bathroom as I worked out a good mad at my husband for doing or saying something that hurt my feelings and ticked me off.

It has taken me almost thirteen years of marriage and my youngest baby being seven, to finally understand that my family deserves the best of me as much as (and even more than) the rest of the world. I signed up for this wife and momma gig… I can’t stomp around like a wild madwoman when I actually have to push myself to carry out this great commission of womanhood.

Now granted my family is going to see the worst of me. I mean they see all of me, all the time, and it ain’t all always so good. But my point being they don’t deserve to see only the worst of me simply because I know they are going to love me anyway… they deserve as much of the best of me as I can give them, simply because they are willing to love me at the worst when others would have already walked away.

Who I am is who I am at home, behind my closed doors, with those who are trapped here with me.

That is the In’s.

Now the Out’s.

Just as who I really am is who I am in my home who I also really am is who I am out of my church. You know the one that goes to Target. The one that calls AT&T on the phone with a DSL modem not working. The one that goes to work during the week (or to school), or the one that’s been sitting in the doctor’s office for my appointment that was two hours ago… that’s who I really am.

I mean really, anyone can pull off saint-hood for a couple of hours on Sunday morning when only surrounded by other people who are also all on their best behavior…

So as you look at the in’s and out’s… who are you really. Is this the person you want to be?

Here is one of the awesome things about God… He never changes. He is who is no matter where He is. As we are being conformed into the image of Christ, by growing in the grace and knowledge of God and by being sanctified by His Word… then we too should be becoming women and men who do not change. We should be who we be no matter where we are. We should represent the name Christian with integrity.

May the Lord never stop growing me, us, into the image of His Son.

About the Author:
My name is Nicole Love Halbrooks Vaughn. I am a woman who is hanging on to the grace of God for dear life. I am a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend, a teacher, and an author who is trying to become obedient in all things as I grow in the grace and knowledge of my God. May He take this life and use it all for Him and His glory.  You can find me on the web at http://www.nicolelhvaughn.com/

1. Hobbies

Nurture hobbies like sketching and painting in which they learn about different colors and shapes. Buy coloring books for them. Those with an artistic bent of mind can give pottery, paper crafts, wood work or clay modeling a shot. Many kids enjoy dramatics, singing and dancing. Some little girls might also like threadwork, knitting and cooking.

2. Social engagement

Involve your child in social situations which goad them to use their imagination. When you try on a new outfit, ask them if it is looking nice on you. Consider their opinion when you are redoing the house. Take their help when you are packing for trips or cooking family meals. Prod them to think by putting up questions and furnishing comments.

3. Toys

Although any type of toy can stir your child’s creativity, some toys are specifically designed to give your kids imagination a boost. In addition, one should pick toys appropriate for their child’s age. Go for riding horses, pull trucks, teddy bears and alphabetical building blocks if your child is about 1 to 2 years of age. If your toddler is about 3 years old, then buy puzzles, jigsaws, battery operated vehicles, trains, talking dolls, etc. Older kids will like lego, sand building kits, puppets, battery operated gizmos, and doll houses.

4. Video games

Video games are not just for fun, they can also sharpen your child’s creative and cognitive skills. The artistic animation and attractive picture illustrations in most games help to influence your child’s imagination. Usually kids stay on the alert while playing games, which improves their decision making skills and makes their brain active. For instance, while playing juegos de vestir princesas your kids will learn about color coordination, various types of dressing styles and accessories whilst applying their imagination to dress up the princess.

5. Leisure activities

Take active interest in what your children do with their spare time. The right leisure pursuits can make your child a lot more resourceful. Nothing beats reading, so make your children acquainted with the work of different authors from Enid Blyton to abridged classics. Pick out the right television programs for them and introduce them to the various types of music. Nature and artistic work of others can also inspire your child. So take them out for nature walks, hikes and bird watching tours. Trips to the museum, zoo, aquarium and seashore will also help.

Leisure pursuits like playing games, reading, painting, dramatics and crafts aid immensely in fostering your child’s imagination. Social engagements and outings should be educative and inventive so that they help to develop your child’s creative quotient.

About the author: Kelly is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and luxury. Beside this she is fond of food. Recently an article on bath toys for toddlers attracted her attention. These days she is busy in writing an article on bad breath.

As a father or mother we must be compelled to think beyond and outside of ourselves instead of centering on what we believe necessitates our own satisfaction and contentment. It is solely our responsibility to cultivate this life we have produced and nurture it daily with unselfish accord. Being a parent requires selfless motivation. In order to try and bridge the communication gap between us and our kids, we should try to put ourselves in their skin and remember what the world looks like from their point of view. We must remember to take a step back and try to discern why a child may be acting a particular way or why they made a certain statement, before we react and enable their behavior to affect us personally. Successful family relationships can only emerge from the conscious determination of knowing our children through every facet and complexity of their personality, rather than taking offense when it doesn’t coincide with ours.

It can be very easy to make false assumptions based on how we typically react and respond in specific situations. In my own family, during my eldest daughter’s teen years, I often misunderstood and deemed her conduct and demeanor as disrespectful, when in fact she was speaking from her frustration – feeling that she was not being permitted to exert her desired independence. She was asserting herself, expressing that she had very solid reasoning skills of her own. Likewise, another characteristic of her personality I misunderstood was her need to know the logic behind a particular rule or directive. “Because I said so” was definitely not adequate reasoning for her cognitive process. With her it required a “no, and here are the reasons exactly why.” At the heart she has a nature that wants to please, but HER personality requires that she understand the logic and rationale embodying a decision for her obedience to be submitted willingly rather than surrendered with resentment. Without analyzing, scrutinizing, and determining to fully grasp the traits of our child’s personality, their conduct might be misread as defiance.

The desirable enrichment of our family unit is greatly enhanced and increased when we allow our children to grow and mature in the midst of God’s creative brilliance, recognizing who He made them to be. It’s natural to have aspirations for our children to possess a disposition, nature, character, temperament, etc. more in line with our own, but that is counter to God’s plan for them and also contradictive to His purpose for us as parents. Our role is the supreme assignment of being the empowering facilitators of complete uninterrupted support, helping them develop and discover the distinct and unique individuals God created THEM to be. Granted, a child is obligated to be obedient and live within our parameters, understanding set boundaries and resulting consequences when instructions are disobeyed. Still, the fostering of willful submission from our children, instead of tyrannical compliance within a dictatorship, produces without dispute a much richer harvest with an ever abounding motivation and loyalty. The overflowing bounty of this family relationship will establish a binding love and unbreakable trust that control and forcefulness could never hope to embrace.

About the Author:
So Who Is John Tracy Wilson?

He is just an ordinary guy with a heart to share his experiences and the insights he’s learned in life to build stronger families and relationships within our communities. Isn’t that what life is really all about – our relationships? The legacy we leave behind when we depart this earth is really in the quality of our relationships. His mission to bring hope, encouragement, and real world relevancy started with his music and in his songwriting and performing, sharing his experiences with life, love and family through his lyrics. A licensed minister and self-proclaimed “Musicianary”, he took his music to real people living real life, showing them they are not alone on their journey. In building relationships with his new fans, he realized they identified with his message. From this, his desire to author a book was born. He realized there was more he wanted to share than he could craft into a song. So he set out on this new course, adding Author to his credits and wrote “Of Life, Love and Family” a book of real world insights into our most important relationships. His hope is to help you bring greater depth and meaning to your relationships by openly sharing his experiences and the insights he has learned along the way. If through his efforts he helps you leave a greater lasting legacy, then his goal and mission have been accomplished. You can find him on the web at http://www.johntracywilson.wordpress.com