I’ve learned much from my mother that I’d like to share with you.

My mom is faithful to care for a scraped knee, wipe away my tears and help mend my broken heart.

My mom sacrifices in immeasurable ways so that she can give to me.

My mom has loved me even when I have hurt her or neglected her.

She will take a bullet, catch a hand grenade, step in front of a train and ask God to take her instead of one of her kids.

She has supported and believed in my dreams no matter how far “out there” they may be.

My mom is a loyal defense. She never bales. She stays and defends me when the world is attacking.

She always goes the extra mile; making cupcakes for school, leaving work when I was sick, staying to help wash the dishes when I invited her to dinner.

Even thought I’ve flown the nest, her love and support continues each and every day.

Most important of all, my mother took me to church. She kept inviting me to bible study. She shared God’s Word whenever I had a problem. Her faith and love for God’s Word made a huge impact on my life. It prepared me to live out my calling; to be the mom and wife God commands me to be; and to develop a faith that trusts God in all things.

In other words, my mom gave me life– twice. She gave me physical life and eternal life. I am forever grateful!

Thank you, mom. I love and appreciate you beyond measure!

Honor your mom or a friend this month with a $20 donation to Proverbs 31 Ministries. We will send a Legacy card to let her know how special she is to you. And through your donation in honor of her faith, you will help us reach and strengthen the faith of millions of women around the world each day. Click here to find out more.

Sufficient for all my failures such as…

Being too tried to always be there for my child.

Yelling out of anger instead disciplining out love.

Not always practicing what I preach.

The list is long.

I use to feel guilty about my failings as a single parent. Maybe you do too. In order to relief my guilt, I would give my child things he wanted but had no lasting value. The good news is we can find freedom from guilt by confessing our shortcomings to God. He is always willing to forgive us. Once forgiven, we can begin anew as if this were the first day of the rest of our lives!

One of the best things you can do as a parent is to give your children Jesus and teach them about the ways of God. In fact, God commands that you do.

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

Family devotions are one of the best ways can teach our children to love God. I admit that teaching my children about God and His ways have been difficult over the years. We didn’t always have “family devotion” time. I wished we had. But today is a new day! So, let’s begin.

Here are some suggestions to get you started.

1. Design your family time to meet the needs of your family.
2. Involve all members.
3. Keep it between 10-20 minutes.
4. Change it up from time to time to keep it fresh and engaging.
5. Practice what you teach.

You and your kids can use this time singing, reading directly from the bible, memorizing scripture, talking about how you saw God at work in your life today, reading from a biblical sound storybook or poems, commentaries or watching a Christian movie together and talking about what each person learned afterwards.

Be creative but don’t allow guilt to creep in if you miss a night or two. If time doesn’t allow, you can always sing along to a Christian radio station in the car, talk about spiritual things around the dinner table, or practice reciting a memorized verse. Any of these will lead to a healthy discussion about your child’s day. It gives you an opportunity to encourage your child and influence him/her in ways that can benefit their future, their family, their community, church, and country. ….just as God planned.

Food for Thought:

C. H. Spurgeon said this: “Oh, Christian men and women, be thorough in what you do and know and teach! Let your families be trained in the fear of God, and be yourselves holiness unto the Lord. So shall you stand like a rock amid the surging waves of error and ungodliness which rage around us.”

Today, I’m praying that you experience the grace of God and His power in you as you parent your children.

For more encouragement, connect with me on Facebook and twitter!

Blessings,

We tend to rely on ourselves and only seek God for the really big stuff. Last night while attending a revival, I heard God whisper…

“Never leave home, child. Don’t become independent.”

That was an odd statement, I thought. As a parent, I teach my children to self-govern and to become independent so that they can go out into the world on their own. And yet, my heavenly Father desires the opposite for His children.

He knows how much we need Him. It’s pride that tells us otherwise. Pride says,

I’ve got this.

Look at what I’ve accomplished.

I must be special.

It feels good to be needed by God.

The bible states, “Pride comes before the fall.” Isn’t that true? Just when I think, “I got this” I crash and burn.

Pride robs me of my relationship with God. It robs me from experiencing His grace and power. It keeps me from living dependent on God for all my needs. And that’s just a start.

I’m pretty certain this is why God gave Paul a “thorn in his side” to keep him humble and dependent on God. I’m certain God allows me to feel pressure and pain sometimes to remind me I’ve strayed to far from home.

The truth is I need God every hour. “Apart from Him I can do nothing!” (John 15:5)

I need God’s strength in my weakness

I need God’s counsel when I don’t know which way to turn

I need God’s power to love my family and others or else I may kill them

I need God’s peace when the stress of life overwhelms me

I need God to break bad habits and sin

I need God to tame my tongue

I need God to control my eating

I could go on because I desperately need God– not on Sundays and not just everyday but every moment of every hour.

What’s so amazing about God is He is willing to impart to me all I need. His grace is more than sufficient.

I’ve decided to change my homepage to read G I N Y.  It stands for… God I Need You. The pastor last night had a friend that wrote G I N Y on everything he could to remind himself of his need for God. It reminded him that God had not called him to run the world, but to rely on Him for all things. In fact, the man eventually had a ring made up—not with name of his wife engraved on it—but the name G I N Y.

What about you? Has pride kept you from needing God? Is He whispering to your heart today, “Don’t leave home, child. Stay dependent on your Father.” If so, respond by saying, “God I Need You!”

Dear Lord, forgive me for my pride. Forgive me to trying to live my life apart from you. Forgive me for thinking to highly of myself. God, I need you every hour. Thank you for your grace that empowers me to live in ways I can’t possible live own my on. You amaze me!

Can we confess our pride and need for God together today? If you’re willing, will you write in the comment space G I N Y. And then, lets pray for one another.

Blessings,

“You can have it your way,” they claim.

We like it when things go our way. Elvis sang about it,

“I did it my way.

And if you’ve ever had or known a two year old, you know their entire day is about the attempt to “have their own way.

When I was first married, I demanded things go my way. When they didn’t, I would threaten to leave. It was how I manipulated my husband into giving me what I wanted. I used this threat often. Most times it worked, but not this day.

“If you don’t do what I ask, I’m going to pack my bags and leave.” I threatened

As I stood there, with my hands on my hips and a mater of fact smirk across my face, I was taken by surprise. My compliant husband, who stood on a ladder in the middle of our living room screwing in a light blub, slowly made his way down the rungs, picked up his water bottle and swallowed down about a dollar’s worth in one gulp. Then pressing his nose to mine, he spoke with authority he rarely expressed.

“If you ever say that to me again, I will personally pack your bags for you, take you anywhere you want to go and never allow you to come back.”

“Uh, I was just kidding,” I confessed through a nervous laugh. “Gee, lighten up will ya?

The truth is I wasn’t kidding. My threats have always gotten me what I wanted in the past, but this day my husband let me know loud and clear he wasn’t putting up with my self-centeredness any more. I knew he had reached his breaking point when added these hurtful words.

“I can sum you up in one sentence.” Ask not what Micca can do for you, but what you and can do for Micca.”

Ouch!

His words stung. They also forced me to come face to face with my selfishness. Pain often does that. It breaks through our denial allowing us to see ourselves as we truly are.

God used a prophet to help king Saul come face to face with his selfishness. Saul had forgotten that God had given him the kingdom and could take it away. When Saul’s desire to do things his own way instead of obeying God, the Lord did remove the kingdom from Saul.

Selfishness poisons relationships, it produces disobedience, and it prevents us from having God’s best. This is why as parents we teach our children it’s not good to have their way. We must learn to share our toys, be a team player, not indulge in too many sweets, and say “no” to self. It’s tough. One of the biggest battles we face is the desire to HAVE IT OUR WAY! But having your way is not what pleases God or fills you with happiness.

Although it was hard to come face to face with my own selfishness, I’m thankful the opportunity came about. I chose to ask the forgiveness of my spouse and God. Then I took it a step further. I asked God to help me grow into a giving person. God likes those kinds of prayers because they reflect His character.

God began to work in my heart. I learned that my selfishness came from fear. I think sometimes we fight for what we want in fear that God will forget us—or something like that.  That’s not all. Unrealistic expectations play a role in our desire to look out for number one.

Unresolved expectations lead to demands and demands to manipulation.

When we expect our marriage, job or children to fulfill our desires and make us happy, we’re going to be disappointed. Phil 2:3,4 should govern our lives.

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interest of others.”

The Christian life is meant to be “other” focused not “me” focused. When we get there, we experience a peace and joy that passes understanding. Such peace and joy fills you with more satisfaction than having it “your way.”

I was a young adult when I read about the crucifixion in the Word of God. The Bible painted a different picture of Christ’s death than the one I had known as a child.

“Yet many shall be amazed when they see him—yes, even far off foreign nations and their kings; they shall stand dumbfounded, speechless in his presence. For they shall see and understand what they had not been told before. They shall see my Servant beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know it was a person standing there.” (Isaiah 52:14-15, LBT)

Suddenly, I realized they had not simply nailed Christ to a cross, placed a crown of thorns upon His head, gashed His side with a spear, spit in His face, gave him vinegar to drink, gambled for his clothes, and beat Him with a whip, but they beat Him until He became unrecognizable flesh hanging on a cross.

My mind flashed back to the first time I walked into the hospital room after my husband had been burned in a house fire. His skin was completely black, his head was swollen twice the normal size and the skin on his arms was gone. He was unrecognizable!

If Porter had been told ahead of time that working in that house would result in death, I’m sure he wouldn’t have chosen to go. Nevertheless, Christ knew the horror of what men and women would do to Him and, yet He chose to suffer. Christ laid aside His royal crown, took off His righteous robe, and left His Holy Father and His heavenly home to come to the dark land of sin and corruption. The King of all Kings considered Himself nothing. Willing Christ paid our debt. And yet, He was Innocent.

Christ didn’t deserve death. He had never lied, stolen anything, nor was He a drug dealer or prostitute. Christ never disobeyed, harbored hatred, or judged or rejected others. He never gambled or yearned for his neighbor’s wife. Christ never cheated on His taxes or betrayed a friend. No, Jesus Christ didn’t do any of this, but we did.

Suddenly, I realized. I was the guilty. His death was for my past, present, and future sins; nothing more. It wasn’t man’s will or nails of iron that held Jesus there. It was the obedience of a Son and the love of a Father for His wayward children.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

The good news on this Good Friday is Christ died for “whosoever!” That includes you. Whosoever you are, a parent, a teenager, a man, a woman, a grandparent, or a child, Christ chooses you. Will you receive His gift of forgiveness? Your life will never be the same.

Dear Lord, Forgive all my sins. Take my life and make me your own. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus name a-men.

Happy Easter!

I remember feeling this way after my spouse died. Not wanting to be a drag, I kept my grief to myself.

One day, a group of friends and me decided to see the movie, “Steal Magnolias.” I had no idea the impact this movie would have on me and my hidden emotions.

I was enjoying the movie until Shelby, played by Julia Roberts, is found unconscious on the floor by her husband Halloween night. I griped my seat tightly and felt a lump form in my throat when the next scene flashed across the screen. Sally Fields, who played Shelby’s mother, comes rushing down the hallway of the hospital.  Shelby was in a diabetic coma.

I knew the kind of fear that was written across the actresses face. I’ve felt her anxiety because I had been there. I’ve been in a similar hallway that lead to an injured loved one. I also know what it feels like to get bad news. It feels like you’ve been kicked in the stomach and can barely breathe.

I held it together until the graveyard scene.

“It hurts! I’m so angry! I want to know, ‘why?” cried the mother. Suddenly, I could no longer hold back the flood of emotion and grief. I excused myself, got up, ran to my car. Falling across the back seat, I wept alone.

In despair I longed for the comfort of friends but feared they would tire of me if I opened up. I was wrong to think this way. True friends want to help. Day after day, my dear friends would ask me what I needed. Instead of sharing with them, I pretended to be stronger than I was. I pretended to be a steal magnolia.

Then one evening when the heartache was more than I could bear. I decided to let someone in. I called a friend in the middle of the night. To my surprise, she showed up at my door in her PJ’s with chocolate in hand.

I talked—all night. She listened. It was the best therapy in the world! We cried together and laughed together. I could feel my grief lift. From then on, I decided to be real and share my pain with those who cared about me. Before long, I was sharing my story at speaking events. It was hard at first, but over the years it’s been an avenue of healing.

I learned a great lesson from these two occasions. We’re not meant to grieve alone. Tears without an audience, without someone to hear and care, leave the wounds unhealed. When someone listens to our groaning’s and stays there, we feel something change inside us. Despair seems less necessary and hope begins to stir where before there was pain.

Do you need to share your hurt today? I’d love to pray for you. I also want you to know that you’re not alone. The bible says, “Draw near to God and He’ll draw near to you.” God wants to heal your hurts. Sometimes He uses others.

Even in ministry, I can lose focus from time to time. Pressures and problems that pop up on a daily bases can leave me feeling overwhelmed and inadequate. I start to wonder if I’m doing enough; if I said the right thing to encourage that woman; if my message met the needs of that specific group, and before I know it I’m grasping for direction.

Life is full of problems that you and I can’t handle. Maybe we’re not educated about the situation. Perhaps we don’t have the resources or the strength to handle the burden. Whatever the case, we need to realize that some things are simply out of our power to achieve. We need something or someone bigger and better than ourselves. We need Jesus.

If that’s true, and it is, why do I sometimes wait so long before I turn to God? Why do I try everything in my own power before looking to the only One who is All-powerful? Why do I tend to carry the burden alone until it nearly breaks my back? Why can’t I see that my situation makes me a candidate for a miracle?

Could it be a “belief” problem?

What may be impossible for you and me is possible for God.

Do you know the story found in Mark 9? The disciples are desperately trying to cast out a demon from a boy without success. When Jesus arrives he asks them, “What are you arguing about?

The boy’s father speaks up and tells Christ that he brought his son to the disciples asking them to drive out the evil spirit, but they cannot.

Jesus responded, “You unbelieving generation.” (Jesus states the problem, their belief.) But what happens next is note worthy. The father of the boy asks Jesus, “If you can, help us.”

‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

I love the father’s response. “I do believe! Help my unbelief.” And with that, Christ commands the spirit to leave the boy and never return.

Are you a candidate for a miracle today? Come to the One who can meet your every need; who can forgive your sin; heal your heart; give you peace and strengthen your soul. Come to Jesus, and if need be confess, “I believe. Help my unbelief.

Like him, I want to make my dash count. I don’t always succeed. But as I thought about the challenge, a popular slogan came to mind.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

That sounds good, but I think it’s misleading when you consider Ecc 8:15. “A man has nothing better under the sun than t eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life.”

In other words, if I measure life by breathtaking moments, I miss the wonder of ordinary moments. Let’s face it. Eating, drinking and breathing seems pretty ordinary, but nothing is further from the truth. Each of these are vital to life.

Success isn’t vital to life.

A big house isn’t vital to life.

Riches, popularity or honor are not vital to life.

Consider king Solomon. He had it all! He said, “I have not withheld from my heart any pleasure.” His life was anything but ordinary. I’m sure he experience some breathtaking moments. Yet, he concluded, “It was all meaningless.”

I think Solomon’s message to us is to find enjoyment in the ordinary things. Doing life by eating, drinking and being merry with our family, friends and neighbors is what matters most. Bigger isn’t always better. More isn’t always greater. Busier doesn’t make us important. There is nothing miraculous in those things. But every breath you and I take is a miraculous miracle!

Rather than looking for meaning in breathing taking moments, I want to find meaning in every breath and make every breath meaningful. And perhaps I just might live well between the dash.

God is real and He is with us—you and me. I forget that sometimes and go about life as if it all depends on me. Not true. Our God is our ever-present help in times of need. Right now, my pastor and his family are in need.

Bro. David’s diagnoses is bleak. He has a rare form of rectal cancer. This type of cancer is very aggressive. There is no treatment but surgery. Bro. David will have surgery to remove the cancer, but his doctor says it’s sure to return elsewhere. The survival rate for this type of cancer is 2-5 years. I, along with my church family, are praying for a miracle. Would you join us? We love our pastor and his family!!

God is in the miracle working business. He hears the cries of His people.

If you’re like me, you’ve probably experienced times when it seemed like God wasn’t listening to your prayers, but He is.

Maybe you feel as if your prayers are bothering God. He’s too busy to hear about or respond to your cares. It isn’t so.

This bible reminds us that we can take comfort in the fact that God is deeply concerned with what matters to our hearts.

“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth” (Ps 145:18).

When we cry out to God, He doesn’t stand off. He draws near and responds to our needs. He is never too busy or unconcerned about your needs or mine. Prayer changes things. It changes lives, attitude, addiction, hearts, desires, relationships and diagnoses. I believe that God hears and He acts. Therefore, I pray. My hope is in God alone who is able and willing to heal and restore.

I realize some of you have experienced a similar situation as Bro. David. Maybe it didn’t turn out like you had hoped and prayed. Bro. David encouraged us to trust in the sovereignty of God. He has promised good to us. Jeremiah 29:11, says, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord; plans not to harm you but to give you a hope and a future.

In the storms of life, Bro. David also encouraged us to remember we are loved by God. “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jere 31:3). “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” (Romans 8:38-39).

Bro. David reminded us that God will never leave us nor forsake us.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Duet 31:6).

Finally, Bro. David, charged us to hold fast to the truth of Romans 8:28. “For God causes all things to work together for good according to His plan for those who are called according to His will.” We might not see the good right away, but we can trust in this promise and those listed above.

The promises of God is where Bro. David has placed his trust. Though he doesn’t understand “why.” Even thought this is not what he planed, he has chosen to trust his heavenly Father. In doing so, his circumstances haven’t changed but his heart is full of strength and peace that passes all understanding.

Praying today this note encourages you to ride out your storm in the shelter of God’s promises.

If you would like to pray by name for my pastor and his family, they are as follows: Bro. David, Jennifer, Rachel, Sam and Josh. Thank you!

Also, leave a commitment and enter to win a pack of scripture cards!

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At times, it’ll feel like the hardest thing you’ve ever done. You’ll be forced to make decisions you never wanted to contemplate, and to rely on strength you didn’t even know you had. These practical tips for newly single parents will help you persevere through the challenges you face and gain a renewed sense of hope and personal strength for the days ahead.

1. Develop a Support Network

This is absolutely crucial. You need to know who you can depend on right now. Most likely, this network includes your immediate family and friends, but think about other people in your life who might also help you. Making an actual list of who these people are can help remind you that you’re not alone.

2. Schedule Time to Be Alone

“Me time” is a very powerful tool. It will bring you healing, hope, and perspective. Right now, it’s important that you create pockets of time in your life when you can just be. Time when you’re not accountable for completing a task or responding to questions. Time to sit, to think, to ponder. This is one of the most important single parenting tips, and it’s one that you simply must make time for.

3. Think Outside the Box

If finding time to yourself sounds impossible, consider some creative solutions, like swapping babysitting time with a neighbor or waking up a half-hour before the rest of your household. The time that you give yourself is precious, and it will be fruitful in helping you to establish reserves of inner strength.

4. Be Present with Your Kids

When you’re with your children, make an effort to be emotionally present with them. It would be easy to retreat into your heart right now, but this is a time when your children truly need you more than ever. Simple activities like playing a board game or taking a walk together can go along way toward communicating the message that life will go on and they will, indeed, be okay.

5. Grieve

Expressing your feelings is important to your overall health. Consider writing in a journal or scheduling a regular “date” with a friend to vent, cry, and grieve. Single parents are born of many different situations. Whether you’ve experienced the loss of a spouse, the end of a marriage, or an adjustment to the dream you once held for your life, it is important to grieve and process the loss before moving on.

6. Pay Attention to your Physical Health

This may be a time when you are feeling especially worn down and drained. Combat that by making the effort to eat healthy foods and choose energizing ways to fuel your body. Instead of relying on extra caffeine, try taking a walk at lunchtime. Additionally, getting adequate rest is crucial to your healing and ability to cope. Forgo the temptation to sit in front of the TV. Instead, read a book and retire early.

7. Identify What Gives You Strength

In the past, how have you handled challenging times in your life? What most energizes you and reminds you that you possess the strength needed to meet the current challenge? Focus on what has worked for you in the past

8. Focus on the Positive

This is a time of new growth in your life. Take the time to think about the things that are going well for you. Having a positive attitude – even in the midst of extreme circumstances – can empower you to move ahead and provide your children with a tangible example of the coping strategies you want them to adopt.

9. Ask for Help

Of all of the single parenting tips listed here, this one is probably the most difficult to apply. However, you must know that there really are people around you who would love to help! Keep in mind, too, that asking for help and letting others into your life is a gift to yourself and to the person assisting you. Sharing in one another’s lives during difficult times affirms our human connection and brings a sense of purpose to everyday living.

By Jennifer Wolf, About.com