Simplify with Spirit

I’m freaking out lately. Lol

 

Maybe not really. But I am having a hard time accepting where my home is at right now.

 

Listening to the Homemakers  Online Conference, and reading Titus 2:3-5 I am inspired and encouraged to really live it out, showing in my life glory and honor to Him.  I am reminded, even in the mess, to thank Him for the blessing of my husband and four children, and my home.

 

 

Now I never had anyone to teach me how to love my husband and my children and my home. I never thought there was anything to keeping a home that needed to be taught. I mean this is so easy right? Super simple? ha-ha

 

I am surprised daily but how much is truly involved, Biblically, in keeping and managing our home if it is really showing Christ, within. I often think of what it means to have a Christ centered home. And truthfully when I imagine it, its not much like our home.

 

I have visions of this peaceful home where everyone always gets along, we are all happy, we all are gentle and kind and share…..If I make this my focal point, I will fail again and again at making my home a place that shows His love and light.

 

I remind myself this morning that its about our love for Him, its also about embracing the truth that is Him. Because He is the word and the word is Him. And we are His so we too are his word. He created the world with words; we create our world with our words.

 

So our home isn’t always what we imagine it to be but today (and my kids and I began our day this way) we will speak His words. We will speak of the Spirit.

 

M oldest wrote out a list of words that He has God speak to his life. He wrote of the joy God has given him, his love for worship and prayer and the word.  He wrote about him being enthusiastic, eager and loving of God. He wrote of how he was chosen by God. He was created by God in His image, to be His worker. These are precious words for a little man to write.  They are powerful too.

 

We must know who we are. Its so simple to organize our life by the very One who gave it to us. Who called us and inspired us. It is His Spirit that ought to guide everything every moment and every word. Its a new thing we are doing: To begin eat day speaking those words of life, God inspired, to ourselves, and to one another. To speak blessings just as those priests did, over their people, so shall we.

 

 

What can we do when bespeak and do in the Spirit instead of in the flesh? I had a to do list for this morning but instead I tore it up. I spent time in prayer and in worship and now I am writing this….In the Spirit. And my list has been written anew, in the Spirit, a list that encourages and only speaks what will be done.

 

We cannot complicate things; let us be done with making things so complex.

 

We are His masterpiece; we cannot fail for if He says we are mighty, we are mighty And He says so much about us. Let us embrace it and speak it ourselves!

 

What More Do We Need?

I don’t understand some folks. Why is it we need people like Sarah Young, Joel Olsteen, Beth Moore, Joyce Meyers (do I go on?) to feel good about His word?  I admit it, I am a purist. As much as possible anyway. I stick with my Geneva and my King James – No other “version” for me.

I keep a concordance handy; I strive to study Greek and Hebrew as I can. I don’t say that to give the impression I am smarter or better than anyone else – I have a hunger though for the truth. I don’t want anything but the truth. Half a truth will not set me free; a partial truth will not bring me joy or peace. HIs truth will free me! It can free you too.

 

Why do we tolerate and go to these false prophets, with their false gospels? Why can the Word, the pure Word of God, not be enough for us?  I cannot imagine Paul or Peter or Mary seeking out another to tell them what His word said about something. I cannot fathom them looking past the One with the answer, for something better or easier. They knew the Word and the truth and they never once needed a different version.  If they did not understand, they had faith in His timing. If they needed an answer, they sought God through prayer and fasting.

 

Consider 1 Kings 13: There was one prophet, a man of God who lied to another; the second was deceived and died because he listened to the prophet, who lied, and put aside what God had said! How many are listening to these voices and putting aside God’s word and using others that seek to inspire rather than speaking the WORD OF GOD?  It not about how it makes us feel but about what is true.

 

I am so tired of people sharing these tidbits that they say is “God’s word for them” ~ How soon so many are deceived…The Word of God is pure. It is true. The Word was God and is God. Do we really believe HIs word or is it something we just say? And if we believe it, if we are led by His Spirit, why do we need anything more than His Spirit and the Bible to understand and get the answers we need.

 

There are two sides in this, we cannot forget that there are many voices that speak to us – Can we please get wisdom, get understanding and discern His voice from all of the other ones out there?  We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted, we cannot allow ourselves to be too busy for study of the Word, for prayer.  We must, in these dark days, give ourselves wholly and fully, to Him. Seeking Him in all things.

 

Are we seeking out devotionals?  Books like The Message, even the ESV and NIV versions that are not really HIs word at all but merely man’s interpretation of His Word (which the scriptures say is not for any private interpretation)?  Have faith, be patient, wait on the Lord and keep His way – He will give us all we need to know as we need to know it. It is far too dangerous, in so many ways, to seek out answers from those who do not have the truth and are not filled with His Spirit born again believers.

 

 

Be wise…Be discerning….Know His word – if His word is not enough to inspire and motivate you … you have some bigger problems which no devotional is going to solve!!

(said in love)

Give Them Grace ~ Chapters 5-6 {Book Discussion}

Okay, I am a bit behind in this 3 month discussion of  Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson in the Family Discipleship Facebook group. If you missed the discussion of the foreword, intro, and chapter one, you can find that here, and chapters two through four here. I’d love to hear your thoughts—here and on Facebook. Below is the schedule we’re following in the group.

In Chapter Five discipleship is broken down for us into five separate categories: Management, Nurturing, Correction, Training and Promises. I love charts myself; I need those visual reminders (I admit it) if I am going to stick with something! So the fact that they have charts in this book which direct us to the scriptures relating to a given incident s well as examples and references for each area of discipleship – Its so very helpful to me!  And there are questions too in case at times you struggle with which category of discipleship, exactly, you are dealing with in your circumstance.

 

 

Honestly, this is all so new to me, and yet so exciting for me! But I feel such a strong desire to follow this more and more in my home.  And the timing, some things really are of God, this I do believe is one of them. When I seek after, and ask Him to guide me, in a better way, for my children, He provides. All that I have read thus far, it reminds me of His love and training with each and every one of us.

 

One of my absolute favorite quotes thus far is:

 

Paul’s command to “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” means this: that parents are to think about and remember Jesus Christ and then train their children to understand how everything in their life—their joys and sorrows, their trials and labors, their doubts, sin and shame—is to be understood in the light of Jesus Christ, who descended from David rather than from Levi, died, and rose from the dead. That is the best news any child could hear. Distinctly Christian parenting must be accomplished in the environment of the good news about Jesus Christ or it is not Christian parenting. It may work for a while, it may make your life manageable, and God may use it, but it is not “of the Lord.” (Give Them Grace, page 93-94)

 

Our children need to know and understand the Gospel for themselves. We need to bring them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of their journey, their experience, with the one true living God!

 

It reminds me of something I heard this morning that said: Worship involves all of our life… 

Worship is more than just a moment. Its more than this thing we do for a couple minutes before service or a few words uttered about how great and mighty God is. We worship Him in all that we do and say, every moment of our day.  We worship Him when, in difficult times, we seek Him and love Him.  We worship Him when someone wrongs us and we pray for them and love them anyway. We worship Him when we show our children the grace and mercy and love He pours out on us every day. Because we too are sinners. We too need to endure to the end to be saved.

This chapter is such a powerful reminder that love covers all sins. And that without love, we are nothing but noise….

Chapter Six is another very meaty and rich chapter. There were tough questions asked of us, such as: “Is this sin or weakness and immaturity?”  We need to realize how simple our teaching can really be.  It is broken down into four steps:

1) Teach your kids to respect authority

2) Teach them the gospel

3) Trust God to work in your children

4) Confess your own sins

These are very valuable, powerful methods. So simple I am a bit embarrassed I did not see these things before now. But I thank Jesus for this book which helps me to see these things today. Because today is a blessing ~ As is His wisdom and grace. ❤

“We are not telling you to ignore bad behavior; nor are we saying that sinful behavior should not be corrected. We are saying that we should teach our children that sinful behavior does not alter their relationship with us. If our parenting is modeled on the gospel, then their sin, hardness, and unbelief will grieve us, we will seek to discipline and correct it, we will pray for them about it, and we will continue to love and welcome them in spite of it. But we will not demand a show of repentance before we welcome them back into relationship.” (Give Them Grace, page 105)

 

 

Ouch! I don’t know about you but I admit I am guilty of focusing on rules more often than not. With a new baby and a to-do list a mile long…I tend to forget that there are more important things than having a perfectly tended yard or garden. I look past the sad or hurting child to what we have to do right now. *sigh*  This was such a revealing chapter for me. SO much truth that I needed to read. And as I read I was reminded again and again of how important God says it is for us to have that right relationship. With Him, with our husband, with our children. It matters so much more than we know. Our children need to know that no matter what, we still love them. They need to hear, in their times of trials, that they are loved. When we are struggling, we need them to see us, show love and repentance too.

 

I really appreciated this chapter’s constant emphasis on the need for gospel-motivated instruction and how it differs from so many other approaches out there that we use. We need to bring about heart change. It does not matter what we do, or how we do it, if ultimately we do not have a “first love”.  Our children need that relationship, just as desperately as we do, that they may know Him and love Him.  It starts with love.

  

 

 

Leave a comment with your thoughts or feel free to join discussion at Family Discipleship Community!  It’s not too late 🙂

Give Them Grace ~ Chapters 2-4

As you know I have been reading Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson in the Family Discipleship Facebook group. If you missed the discussion of the foreword, intro, and chapter one, you can find that here. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you are reading along. If you care to join us this is the schedule we’re following in the group. Although as you can see I am a bit behind. No pressure though; join in as you can and where you can~

In Chapter Two, these ladies talk about How to Raise Good Kids.. this was so very revealing, and difficult, for me.  Fitzpatrick and Thompson discuss here the difference between goodness and righteousness. And what a huge difference there is.  But how many times are we tempted to tell our kids they are “good” or that they need to be “good”? How often do we shower them with praise? Yet if we are honest with them and ourselves, apart from Christ, there is no good thing to be found in any one of us. Romans 3:9-13 (KJV) says:

 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

And then in Mark 10:18 Jesus says:

” Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”

 

Jesus alone is good. Whatever we have, be it finances, home, family, peace, health or righteousness  – it comes from Christ alone. It is through Him alone that we have our salvation. If we praise our kids for being “good”, are we not then giving them a false sense of righteousness? —What can we do to encourage and inspire them to do well, without giving them the impression that it is them alone who can do “good”?

Every word we say to (our children) during the day will be shaped by our view of their ability to be good and how to get them there. Every responsible parent wants obedient children. But if we’re confused about their ability to be good, we’ll end up lying to them about their desperate lostness outside of Christ. We’ll tell them they are good and that they can obey God’s law. (Give Them Grace, page 47)

Certainly as I train up my children, I want them to see their need for a Savior.  I want them to know that we can not do any good thing without Him! The truth of the Gospel can be so powerful if we allow His Word to speak for itself. Let us not interpret it or water it down for our children. Let us trust that as He works in their lives they will gain an understanding and love of His Word.  The truth is what sets us free and it shall set them free as well if we trust in Him.

Why I Need a Co-Op

This may seem like an odd thing to any who really know me. 🙂 Being that I often speak to my love of being at home, and my rather introverted nature, why on earth would I decide I need a co-op?

 

The general definition of a cooperative homeschool group – aka co-op – is to “cooperate” with one or more families thus sharing any part of the educational process.   A co-op can be a simple group of two families meeting regularly to share their home journey on any particular topic or as structured as a school district public program or charter group (think Classical Conversations).  Co-ops can have an academic focus or a social, spiritual one – even a combination of all of these!

Since we started homeschooling almost 5 years ago we have been in and out of various groups ourselves. I admit, I tend to dread these encounters. So many moms and children – I love the variety of ages and activities. All the sweet families we have met but we have never truly felt at home, a part of any of these groups. i do not fault any of them for it. I do believe that finding a group that is “family” in the homeschool community is a hard thing.  It does not just happen and I think often we can be a part of many different groups and still not find that.

 

So when I was approached by a couple lovely ladies from our church about starting a group I was quite ecstatic. Especially since I have been praying for someone  to do this very thing since we came to our church almost 4 years ago. Yet now here I am being approached to do just that. And since this request was first made, even more ladies have come to me seeking a group for their children too. How exciting! And nerve-wracking (for me) 🙂

 

 

I decided to do it. This year, I decided to start my own informal co-op this fall. So far there will be lots of little ones so we definitely need to make plans for preschool fun! Of course there will also be a variety of older youth involved too.  Just a handful of us for now but I do believe the Lord will send them if we are faithful and true to Him in what we do.

 

So what does this have to do with why I need a co-op?

 

 

 

I have to admit, I cannot do this alone. It gets tiring. Especially as my children get older.  It is too easy to burnout when we are isolated from others in this thing. It doesn’t have to be often, maybe once a week (we can determine that based on everyone’s interest) but that time just needs to be there, If we are tired, struggling, or even excited about something – it’s a blessing to others and to us to be able to share!

 

 

 

 

And how about that dreaded “socialization”?  We are always being asked about it right? How do our kids socialize when we homeschool them? I cannot keep telling people (sarcastically) that they don’t … I know, without any doubt, that we are all equipped by God to teach our children. Yet I admit, I fail at math, I do not speak Spanish and I certainly cannot dissect a frog…. That said it’s a great benefit when we can come together to share our specific talents with one another.  It’s great for our children to see too, how we all come together and share our talents.  Add to that, the opportunity for them to share their skills with one another, and practice other things.  My oldest son loves to give short presentations and story tell yet is fearful of being in front of a group, playing games is great for social skills and often so much more, doing crafts or projects is more fun in a group, playing soccer or football, or just being present and helping cook or clean or play with the littler ones (my oldest reads to his little sisters), this is a beautiful way to encourage them, and be sure that they are gaining positive social skills and experiences.

 

Then there are all the great discounts and classes we can partake in, when we have a group 🙂 Events at the zoo, local art classes, cooking classes, even craft materials and books.  We can work together, pool our resources and have a great time doing so. Less pressure on everyone when we are not all responsible for every detail. How fun is it too to be able to bake cookies or thrown parties for the holidays together – There are so many holidays, so many ways that we can learn in a fun and engaging way. And it’s always better when its done together.

 

 

Accountability….Who doesn’t love the flexibility of homeschooling? I do for sure! But I also admit that meeting regularly with other homeschooling families can help me to stay focused and on course. To have others that I know are learning with us, are exploring with us, this gives us something to look forward to.  It keeps us on task.  No excuses anymore because it’s not just about us and we can’t just do it later.

 

As for us moms we always have lots of crazy and fun  ideas to share; we have a variety of interests and connections and sharing all of this can certainly be a huge help to each other in this journey that we call homeschool!

 

Ecc. 4:9-12:  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up…..And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

What IS the Hope?

It saddens me when I post something, meant to inform, and a firestorm of anger breaks out. People begin fighting; words are thrown around sarcastically and the meaning and purpose of the posting itself is lost.  My post this morning was about living for God; being aware of what His word says so that we are not deceived. And yet one line within that video caused a friend, to become angry and tell me I am speaking “the devils words” to her….. We need to be humble, we need to be teachable. Always. If I am in the church for 2 months or 20 years, I pray I will always remember His calling ad keep that hope in me. How important it is TODAY or us to be aware of His Word, and to live it and speak it BOLDLY.

 

I hope this timely reminder inspires you, and sets a fire within your soul, to live in a greater way today, than you did yesterday ❤

 

Oswald Chambers writes:
“…that you may know what is the hope of His calling… —Ephesians 1:18
Remember that you have been saved so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in your body (see 2 Corinthians 4:10). Direct the total energy of your powers so that you may achieve everything your election as a child of God provides; rise every time to whatever occasion may come your way.

 
You did not do anything to achieve your salvation, but you must do something to exhibit it. You must “workout your own salvation” which God has worked in you already (Philippians 2:12). Are your speech, your thinking, and your emotions evidence that you are working it “out”? If you are still the same miserable, grouchy person, set on having your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.

 
God is the Master Designer, and He allows adversities into your life to see if you can jump over them properly— “By my God I can leap over a wall” (Psalm 18:29). God will never shield you from the requirements of being His son or daughter. First Peter 4:12 says, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you….” Rise to the occasion— do what the trial demands of you. It does not matter how much it hurts as long as it gives God the opportunity to manifest the life of Jesus in your body.

 
May God not find complaints in us anymore, but spiritual vitality— a readiness to face anything He brings our way. The only proper goal of life is that we manifest the Son of God; and when this occurs, all of our dictating of our demands to God disappears. Our Lord never dictated demands to His Father, and neither are we to make demands on God. We are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. Once we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured-out wine with which to feed and nourish others.”

 

Are you Sure?

(10) Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

 
“Conventional wisdom” is not really wisdom! It is what is generally held to be true by many, yet it may, in fact, be fictitious. Some may be able to convince themselves that they will be safe from what lies ahead because they are with the right church—rather than being right with God. This is extremely dangerous, as it indicates do you trust in the wrong thing?

 
The letters to the seven churches each are concluded with Jesus saying, “he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”—plural—meaning we should glean all that we can from each letter rather than focus on just one.

 
One cannot conclude that, just because he fellowships with a particular faithful group, he will be carried along in its positive momentum and benefit from the promises of protection and other blessings. An unfaithful individual in a faithful group will reap what he sows, not what the rest of the group sows.

 

Are you sure you’re on the right side? What evidence do you have that you know Jesus? How will Jesus respond to your laundry list of “Christian” activities?

 

Please understand…I ask for the same reason Jesus gives the warning. It is the most loving thing I can do!

 

“Many” will go to hell even though they thought they’d waltz into paradise. Jesus will say to them, “Depart from me, I never knew you (Matt 7:23). The most frightening thing is that word “many” …. Will you sound like the “many” calling out in desperation, “Lord, Lord, did I not….in your name?” (Erasing Hell, Francis Chan)

 

Be sure you are on the right side. We CAN know.

 

Matthew 10:22: “And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved”.

 

He makes it clear, this is an individual thing – How is your relationship with Jesus?

 

 

What Grade? Why?

My son was asked recently while we were out why he wasn’t in school.  Of course, he explained that he is homeschooled.  That got a *gasp* but another, greater one came, after he was asked what grade he was in. And my son looked at me…Confused, curious….and said, unsurely, “fifth I think?”

This response scares most of our family and friends, very few support our decision to homeschool, and truth be told, for quite some time it really bothered me as well. I mean, we have to have something to go on right?

 

And then it hit me – This is what we have been taught to expect; children learn and perform at specific tasks and skills at certain ages, it’s how we know thy are in the “right place”  and its how things have always been.  We never question it because for as long as we remember, this is how its been done.

 

But if we dig further into the real history of education, how wrong we are!  Those old textbooks from the days of the one-room schoolhouse confirm that children were not in “classes,” but in levels. When a child grasped all that was expected at each level of their education, they moved up to the next level. If they were not showing themselves to have a strong grasp of the topics they were given more time to gain a greater understanding of each subject.

 

If I didn’t learn from college, that children’s development and learning styles and abilities vary from child-to-child, I surely would have figured it out shortly after having my kids.   Children are unique; each one different than the other in how they see things, their perspective and processing of information.  My oldest cannot hold still; he has to touch and move and feel and experience it all.  My younger son is a builder and a fixer; he likes to sit and study how things work, putting it together and taking it apart.  And my daughter?  She loves to read and color, she listens; she is all about pretend play too.

 

How could all of these children learn in the same way? Gather the same information and skills and understanding of the same things, all at the very same age?  It seems preposterous to me!

 

And this is why, as homeschoolers, we have so much liberty; we can be free of all of this.  We can let go shake off those chins that bind us and really experience what it means to live and learn. This is how, our kids discover a love of learning and how we see joy in their discoveries.  This is how they find their passions and truly spread their wings (cheesy but true kay?).

 

SO how do we do this when all our life we have had it drilled into our heads the other way?

 

First things first:

 

• forget the grade level expectations that we are told and taught ~ forget about em !
• relax and spend some quality time studying each of your children to discover their learning style; their talents and skills and strengths and weaknesses
• Set goals/pillars based on each child’s ability and life in general and as a child of God, as one gifted with a unique purpose from the Lord
• we use McGuffey readers, lots of living books, non-fiction books and materials that are not defined by age or experience – encyclopedias, woodworking magazines, How Stuff Works, etc (Khan Academy is great for this kind of learning too!)
• how about unit studies? what a great way to focus on one specific book or topic while learning across the board, from language arts, science, math and character/virtue building. consider lap booking even; thesis such a fun way to learn and create, in a way that is more personal for each child.
• take a break and learn how to Teach from a State of Rest; he says often that: ” In order to educate a child well, we must teach from a state of rest.”  

 

Do we really think that we need, or that there is, a perfect curriculum for our children? How do we not see how impossible, and improbable, it is for one thing to fit all our children? And if we are homeschooling in faith why do we think that God needs us to have that anyway ? If we are doing this for the right reasons, for His glory, for our children to learn His Word and His way, lets be honest….If we are in prayer, in the Word, seeking His will for our children and our family He WILL bless that. In whatever state its in.  🙂

 

 

As we begin to wind down for the year (we homeschool year round but summer certainly is a time that is different in how we are learning) I have to remind myself that what the charts say does not matter. Who are they to determine at what age my child should be able to do these things? I need to remind myself as I plan, as I seek other ways to encourage learning in my children, that His will needs to be tantamount to all that we do.  After all, we chose to homeschool for so many reasons, this being one of the many, and if we are going to be faithful in what I feel my family has been charged with, I need to have faith in this journey both the highs and lows, remembering that every one of those, is a chance for us to grow.

 

 

 

 

Motivate Your Child Action Plan Giveaway — win an iPod Touch, $50 iTunes GC and #HeartParenting Books!

A few months ago, NCBP released an amazing  parenting book, Motivate Y our Child and they are now publishing a guide to use along with the book called Motivate Your Child Action Plan. This book can stand alone, but is an excellent companion to Motivate Your Child.  Trust me. When it comes to motivating my child (mostly my oldest son) I have a plethora of tools I have tried; none that have been as full of hope, and the Word, as this.  I count my blessings since having learned of the National Center for Biblical Parenting (NCBP) andam a huge fan of their parenting book, The Christian Parenting Handbook, as well.   There are so many gems that you can enjoy, from NCBP such as: their very encouraging and inspiring podcast episodes, blog, and books such as:

• Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes… in You and Your Kids

• Good and Angry: Exchanging Frustration for Character in You and Your Kids!

• The Christian Parenting Handbook: 50 Heart-Based Strategies for All the Stages of Your Child’s Life

Each one of these books and every podcast I have heard, has been full of precious biblical advice and instruction to aid us in this task before us of training up our children for Him ❤

 

 

To celebrate the release of Motivate Your Child Action Plan, we are joining other members of the Launch Team in a wonderful giveaway filled with an iPod Touch, $50 iTunes Gift Card and several biblical parenting products! A value of nearly $350!

Here’s what you could win:

Apple iPod touch 16GB Black/Silver  ($195 value)

• In the Box – iPod Touch, Apple EarPods, Lightning to USB cable, QuickStart guide
• Brilliant 4 Retina display with Multi-Touch IPS technology
• Front-Facing FaceTime camera with 1.2MP photos & 720p HD video recording.
• iOS 6 features – Siri, Apple Designed Maps, Integrated Facebook, Shared Photo Streams, Passbook & more

iTunes Gift Card ($50 value)

Because you’ll need apps and music for that iPod Touch!

The Christian Parenting Handbook and Companion Guide ($56.95 value)

The Christian Parenting Handbook contains nuggets of parenting wisdom condensed into 50 short chapters, each one biblical, practical, and relevant for parents of children ages 2-18. Learn appropriate ways to correct, instruct, and set limits. Glean wisdom for dealing with emotions, conflict, and developing closeness in your family… and much more. These 50 strategies provide you with hands-on tools for parenting children of any age.

The Companion Guide is a workbook of 50 lessons along with 50 audio tips to take you through The Christian Parenting Handbook step by step. Each lesson contains advice from Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller in a 5 minute audio tip and then offers teaching, an assignment, a Bible verse, and a prayer to help you apply each idea or strategy in your family. The tips are available to you as MP3 downloads and access to them comes in the workbook.

Family Time Activities Book Bundle ($45 value)

Your kids will have fun learning about God’s Word and how it applies to their lives. Science experiments, art activities, and games are all designed to reinforce spiritual truth. Each lesson is clear and simple, yet profound even for parents! You’ll teach kids how exciting it is to learn about God and his ways. Your kids will love these books, but more importantly you’ll build spiritual memories of Family Time in your home. Titles in this giveaway include:

Seeing Is Believing 

Playing for Keeps 

Running the Race

Enter the Giveaway using the Rafflecopter below! This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY to those 18 years of age or older. Void where prohibited by law.

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Join us for the Action Plan Facebook Party on Wednesday, May 20 at 9:00PM ET. There will be even more prizes and giveaways there and the authors of Action Plan will be present to answer your questions! The winner of this giveaway will be announced at the Facebook party!

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52 Little Lessons

     I love musicals.  I remember the very first time I saw this on stage; I was in love.  From that point on I read and studied the story, the history surrounding it all – I learned how to play the music, I learned every word to every song.  It was such a beautiful and powerful experience for me.  To this day I still remember, almost word for word, the songs within this musical.  🙂

 

So when I came across this book – how could I possibly pass it up? This, Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, has never grown old. I do not believe that this story will ever lose its value. At its core it speaks of sin, love and redemption. It shows sacrificial living; it is in many ways an excellent example for us as to how we ought to live.

 

Author Bob Welch, states he did not seek out to analyze this story but rather he sought to answer a question. Not just any question; it did not have anything to do with France and the time period in which Les Miserables historically occurs, but rather a most simple question:“What can it say to me where I am right now?”

 

These real such simple lessons. Short reads to ponder for our own life. For example: Lesson 6: “Blessed are the Poor in Spirit”; Lesson 26: “The Past Can Be a Springboard to the Future” and Lesson 40: “Self-Pity Morphs Into Selfishness”  and one of my favorites,  Lesson 38:  Perspective Changes Everything.  These are just a small sample of the lessons within this book. Certainly we all have much to learn as we grow in Christ. 🙂

 
Typically lessons begins with a short quote from the original story and then continues discussing a specific event or scene, then moving on to “real life” examples as well as scriptural references  Each lesson concludes with a thought provoking question, something that helps to show its application to our own life. They really encourage you to stop and take inventory, and reflect before moving forward.

 

A good example of this is seen in the character of Valjean; his story and even the characters of those like the Bishop and Enjolras. Fantine and Cosette.  There’s so much life within the pages of this book all full of lessons and ways we can grow ourselves in our own lives.  I love the depth in the one simple line: “even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.”  Doesn’t that take on a greater meaning when you really stop to consider it?

 

Such a sweet, simple, valuable read. I do believe this would be wonderful to use as a devotional even.  I plan in the near future to space this out, one lesson to ponder over several days. To really seek His word and way in those pages; there is a greater depth that I do not want to miss!  Certainly this one is overflowing with the most precious of lessons if we only take the time to really allow the words to sit, just as our tea bag steeps in the cup. I definitely will be reading this one again, as a steeping teabag, that I may gain a greater and stronger understanding from every word.