Monday morning in Asheville with 3 days to sleep, walk, eat great food (wonderful cafes here!), share deep friendship with Sarah, (the companion of my soul, who stimulates and refreshes my own heart) and ponder the months ahead. I have been astounded at the thousands and thousands of responses to my article on discipline. I just sat down one morning before I had to take Joy to a piano lesson and quickly pounded out a few thoughts in answer to some emails I had received, never knowing that there was such a hunger and need for encouragement in this area. I know that when Clay gets his book, Heartfelt Discipline, back in print, it will be of great encouragement to many. Clay is a well-ordered thinker and he has studied scripture for many years, (has his mdiv in theology), so you will be blessed.
But, as I approach my own writing schedule, I was wondering, "What are the other questions that burn in the hearts of moms and women, in light of their own spiritual lives?"
If, in some small way, I may be of help or encouragement, I would love to do so, as I walked this path of parenting without much personal input or help.
I do know this, though. The starting place is God and His word. The more I pondered Christ, the more I studied the roles of God (provider, creator, lover, shepherd, servant king, Father, teacher), the more I understood my role in the lives of my children, as I am to picture His reality in their presence and interact with them as He does with us.
But one thing I want to end with before we foray out to the grounds of the Biltmore, is this, God is the God of resurrection. Many people think they have blown it with their children, marriage, families. But when all seemed most hopeless, Jesus being brutally murdered and dead in the tomb and dark clouds over the face of the earth, He was resurrected. He is a God of redeeming, bringing life, hope, restoring that which was broken. He will redeem the years of the locust. He will bring grace and truth and peace. So, take courage, He can restore and replace harshness with love, brokenness with wholeness.
If God is for us, who can be against us?
We need only to, "Trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not to our own understanding, in all our ways to acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths."
So, let me know, what are your questions? What would you like to discuss??