Extending Grace in Relationships

Dear Lord, So far I've done all right. I haven't gossipped, haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I'm really glad about that.

But in a few minutes, God, I'm going to get out of bed. And from then on, I'm going to need a lot more help."

Ever felt like praying this prayer? I have! A candle, cup of tea and my Bible get me started off right. I've laid my burdens at Jesus' feet. I've read His words and they have ministered to my heart. I've worshiped Him. I have asked Him to change me, to help me grow, to bless my family and lead them. I'm sure it's going to be a wonderful day, and all is well with the world.

And then I get out of the chair.

And sometimes, it feels as if all is downhill from there!

Wouldn't motherhood, wifehood, even Christianity be much easier ... if there weren't any other people involved? But I suppose then we have the problem alluded to in that scene from It's a Wonderful Life, when the family's help says, "That (the noise happening upstairs) is why all children should be girls!" and then the elder Mrs. Bailey says, "But if they were all girls--oh, never mind!"

God loves relationships. He, Himself, exists as a relationship--Father, Son and Spirit, three in One--a mystery we can't wrap our minds around. We bear His image, and part of that is this need we have for relationships; to know and be known, to love well, to draw strength and learn from one another. Yet relationships are not easy. Sinful people, living together in a broken world, sometimes hurt one another. We misunderstand and are misunderstood. We struggle with pride and envy, greed and deceit. So do those around us--and our children are no exception.

We need God's grace.

"Giving the gift of grace to our children is actually a two-part process. First, we need to help our children receive grace. We do this both by extending grace to them and by teaching them about God's grace through salvation. After that, by our teaching and example, we must train our children to give grace to others in turn.

Jesus summed up this two-part process when He was asked to name the greatest commandment. He said we are first to love the Lord God with all our hearts (receiving grace) and then we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (giving grace). This commandment, therefore, sums up the first gift we can give to our children--the desire and ability to understand and receive the grace of God and to give it to the rest of the world.

Understanding the importance of the gift of grace has really helped me respond to the daily dilemmas and frustrations of life in a household of four children. As we go through our days, for instance, I try to be mindful that, to God, relationships are always a top priority. I try to think of ways I can model for my children the redemptive grace and love of Jesus--and also influence them to extend grace to others through their actions and their attitudes." ~ The Ministry of Motherhood

We will always be pressed by our relationships. My prayer is that they press us all closer to the heart of God, Who loves to extend His grace to us, and teaches us through His example to do the same.

As a man thinks, so is he.

"As a man thinks, so is he." Proverbs 23:7

Jesus tells us to worship him with our minds--to love Him with our minds. The ability to think Biblically is no small matter in a world that shouts to us with values that are worldly, lies about life, family, morality,  in thousands of ways every day.

And yet, I find that very few people, and especially young adults, know how to think Biblically. Followers abound--those who find it easier to just do what others tell them to do, without really thinking through scripture or pondering it for themselves. So often, I talk with people of all ages, in conferences, through email, and everywhere I go and yet, most people I know follow some philosophy because someone else told them to do so.

Most people live in the boxes made by other men--even Christian men.

But God desires us to seek Him, to ponder Him, to listen to His voice, to read His word, and to be so familiar with scripture that He has a vocabulary to use in our lives that comes straight from the Bible.

Children who learn from an early age to read the Word, to digest its truth, to ponder its meaning, to pray over it to God, become those who have the ability to discern God's ways and to live in the freedom of worshipping a God who will direct their ways.

Psalm 19 tells us,

The law of the Lord is  perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.

 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;

In keeping them there is great reward."

A person who owns and cherishes the word of God has advantages in His life. Wherever he goes, the Holy Spirit will counsel him, lead him, guide him and give comfort and perspective. The Bible is the vocabulary that the Holy Spirit uses to lead us in his ways.

If you do not teach your children to think Biblically and to love the word, no moralizing, no lecturing, no influence will work well, because it is not grounded in truth.

Many people have asked me, "How did you have the confidence to send your children to New York City, Boston, Hollywood, Oxford, and not worry that they would fall away from Christianity?"

Of course, all mamas should be concerned when they allow their children to venture far from home. Yet, I knew that each of them had been grounded in God's word. But even more, we had passed on to our children the ability to think Biblically, to defend their decisions, to filter their choices through the truth that had been laid up, as a foundation for thousands and thousands of days and moments in their lives.

One of my greatest pleasures and best memories and comforts from this summer has been having my children home with me, again, and seeing them talk of life, issues, convictions and to see them owning their own Biblical convictions in a world, where sadly, many Christians do not know how to think. 

So, remember,

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

It starts with a habit--before you do anything else, begin each day with the Word of God. Read the stories, memorize verses, psalms, Jesus' parables, Genesis as a foundation, the prophets as a picture of our world's issues today, Paul's admonitions, Proverbs' wisdom. Immerse your life, your moments, your home in the word of God. Your children will cherish what you cherish, and if you value the word, it will become a part of their whole being.

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There is a new book that a sweet friend of mine, Ruth Schwenk, and her husband have produced to help parents with their own desire to pass on scripture. It does what it says, helps parents to dig into scripture with their children. Clay and I highly recommend this book and know it will be a useful tool to many families who want to teach their own children how to cherish the Bible and how to think.

To find out more about this great tool, go to the website for information and how to order.

And meanwhile, spend some time today just reading and listening to His voice.

The Amalfi Coast, a new perspective and a Giveaway!

Ravello

Sequestered on the side of a cliff, is a jewel of a tiny town where flowers bloom profusely, meandering walkways and pathways zig-zag all over the hills and life runs at a slower pace.

Attending the wedding of the daughter of a sweet friend of mine gave my friend, Phyllis and me, an opportunity to visit this lovely place. In the midst of the rush and swirl and demands of a too busy life here in America, I was slowed down, and forced to see life from a different pace where people took time to talk together, stroll hand in hand and notice the beauty of the ocean views surrounding each corner of the old village.

One of my favorite finds was an artisan's shop where the beautiful Italian pottery that I had seen in shops in America was being designed and painted by an artist named Pascal.

As I entered his shop, I was surrounded by rainbows of color and exquisite pieces that he had designed and hand-painted himself. In a world of mass-production, I was struck by the beauty and value of a man giving his life to his art and crafting pieces of pottery that light up a table, that grace a corner of a kitchen with color and design.

Pascal holds up the plates I picked out to bring just a little taste of His lovely pieces to my dinner table.

His wonderful designs and dishes can be found on his site here where you can find all sorts of exquisite pieces for your table.

Since I was a young wife, I have regarded feasting at our table as a sacred time. Sharing of warm food, on a well-laid table, with crafted ambiance has been one of the ways I think Clay and I have most influenced our children over the years. I take great care in choosing centerpieces, colorful table cloths, always candles, and colorful dishes and cultivating recipes that delight our family.

I knew that bringing home something, crafted by a true artist, to my home table would remind me, as the town and my new friends had reminded me, to enjoy the art of life, and to revere and treasure our times of soul-sharing over meals.

I wanted to let you know about his wonderful shop and lovely offerings because even a small piece, a lovely platter, a salad bowl, a plate for cookies, becomes a cherished treasure in your home when it serves your family with memories of the cookies you always served on the special plate, the small bowls of steaming soup on a cold winter's night, or a favorite mug for hot chocolate.

Pascal and his lovely wife, extended a warm welcome to me and offered to give away a charming spoon rest, painted with the traditional lemon design that reflects Ravello,  for someone's stove top.

To enter to win, please leave a comment on my page of one of your favorite recipes or meal traditions. For extra entries, connect this giveaway to your facebook or twitter and leave me a comment to tell me what you have done! (Giveaway ends Monday.) I want many of my friends to have the opportunity to visit his lovely shop and see his designs online in case you want to bring a little of Italy right to your own table! (Ceramiche D'Arte)

They also have two lovely apartments that they rent out for holidays in this lovely town. You can see these here.

Oh how I hope I can take Clay with me back to this lovely town, to savor the beauty and to slow down our days once again.

Ciao!

Who Can Tell Us How to Mother Our Children?

I've had many opportunities to talk with sweet moms all over the world during my life. Often after giving a talk or hosting a conference, I'll be approached by a woman whose face tells me of her internal struggle even before she begins speaking. Though it's difficult to find the time, I always want to listen and extend a loving arm to these precious ladies who are trying so hard to do the right thing for their children.

One particular afternoon after a mom's tea, when most of the moms had departed to pick up their little ones from the nursery, I noticed one who had stayed behind. She obviously wanted our conversation to remain between us, but the confusion she poured out from her heart was a story I hear so often.

I feel so confused, and I'm desperately hoping you can help me," she said, diving right in as she sat down. "I'm a new Christian, and I didn't have a very good foundation in life--as a matter of fact, I was just left to myself to discover what I thought was true about life, morality, and values. I made a lot of mistakes and have a lot of emotional scars from the choices I made. I decided I didn't want my children to be scarred like I was, so I wanted to do a better job with them. I feel like I am starting this journey of motherhood already miles behind because I have nothing in my background that would show me the way to walk this journey.

Because I didn't have my own beliefs, I feel that now I am subject to whatever I hear. I will read one book and it says to discipline in a certain way. Though it feels harsh, I will try to practice these theories for awhile. Then I will hear a speaker or read another book that teaches the opposite but also sounds reasonable. I'm tempted to think I have ruined my children and think I need to go in yet another direction! How is a mom to know what to do?!"

Does this sound familiar to you?

If you didn't grow up in a home centered on Jesus, please know you're certainly not alone. There are many, many moms out there who find themselves in those shoes. In my own life, my relationship with Jesus truly began in earnest when I was in college. When my own children came into my life, I knew I wouldn't be able to rely on my past to tell me how to raise them. There was only one place to go to find out how to be a mom: God's Word.

As I discovered what it looked like to read God's word, pray about my child, my situation, I began to see that God had created me, and all women, with the ability to understand how to walk forward, one day at a time, in relationship with my children to provide them with what they needed.

As an author, I am limited in my wisdom and encouragement as all authors and speakers are human and subject to error. Yet, I wrote the Mission of Motherhood, not to give a formula or a set of rules for women to follow, but seeking to point them to seek God, to His word,  seeking to give a Biblical foundation of what God had in mind when HE created women to be moms who will teach the next generation about Him.  Ministry of Motherhood speaks of Jesus' plan for discipleship with principles that I followed from scripture with my own children. We have great freedom to live out God's design within the unique confines of our own personality and family story--and each will be a unique picture of His glory in our home.

Understanding Biblical foundations  and pondering His word give freedom to be yourself in your home, to live into your God-crafted role, and  to watch the Spirit of God shape your children's hearts for Him in your own way within your unique home.God's word gives honor to individuality and to the glory of walking with Him by faith.

In the absence of Biblical conviction, people will go the way of culture. And people who know better than to follow culture will usually try to find a list of rules to follow! The problem is, children don't read parenting books. And parenting books don't read your children! So no one else can tell you the best way to raise the child God has put in your house, with these issues, and these talents, in this season of your own life. God delights in whispering wisdom and understanding about your own family puzzle into your own heart.

The only one who can show you how to be a great mom is your Father. Will you ask Him, today?

When Life Gets Tough, Put On Lipstick & Podcast

Sometimes, we need to just stop life from invading every moment of our day and sapping us from energy and take the time to make a new plan. Rest, rest, rest. We all need to regularly rest to keep ourselves alive.

Recently, I asked my adult kids what they really thought mattered. Maybe you should ask yours:

This from nightly walk with the kids:

People---not things

Kindness not being right

True life virtue---not opinion or debate

Loving, redeeming, forgiving, extending grace...

Not judgment, criticism, self-righteousness, cynicism 

Living into His grace as a habit of living well with others...

Not striving to impress or earn love through works, accomplishment, status, fulfilling expectations,  influence,

Being intentional...not just frantically busy

Seeking Him, pondering Him, listening to Him.....

Not the approval of man or living by the rules of others or seeking to be popular but living happily within the limitations of life

Seeking the Kingdom and eternity.... not the kingdom or voices of the world

Honestly admitting a need, confessing a weakness or sin...

Not stuffing our insecurities and pretending to be perfect

Being humble and meek...not powerful and influential

Waiting for Him...not living in the flesh and striving

Living a life of worship...

Not living a life of self-fulfillment, but one focussed on meeting the needs of others

Being still and knowing He is God...not living a noisy, empty life

Loving well with words, actions, and setting an atmosphere of love and acceptance, not competition

These, my treasures, and another view from our nightly walk--irreplaceable.

When Life Gets Tough, put on Lipstick.

Celebrating the Beauty of Life and giving hope

"Amidst the ebb and flow of our lives as mothers, it is all to easy to get caught up in the serious side of our walk with God. We have so much to teach our children: moral standards, an understanding of God's character, Bible stories, manners--the list goes on and on. Yes, there is a battle for our children's souls. Yes, there is godly character we need to form in them. Yes, there is so much work to be done. But we have to realize that there is something much more important to the Lord. God wants us to enjoy Him, His creation, and His love. He wants us to lead our children into celebrating life with Him and taking time to notice the beauty He has poured into each and every day. He wants us to revel in His goodness and love. God, the artist, went to great lengths to create tangible beauty for us to enjoy in every facet of life. He made visual beauty with colors and design. He made audible beauty in which our souls can feast on lovely music and song. He made the beauty of taste and aroma pleasing to our palate: the sweetness of honey and the tartness of lemon and dill, the satisfying aroma of roasted meat or fish, the richness of cheese, the bite of chili peppers. We are equipped with the tactile senses of touching and caressing other human beings, as well as the soothing comfort of a soft wool blanket or cotton shirt. We have tangible beauty in endless varieties and amounts; there is no end to the number of ways we can take pleasure in God's created world. He provided these pleasures because He loved us." ~ The Mom Walk

What a joy it has been for me over the years to enjoy all the beauty the Lord has created with my children. Enjoying backyard campouts, taking trips to beautiful places, drawing circles in the sand with our toes -- each of these things has helped us draw closer to what really matters. We are always busy and often find ourselves feeling cramped by schedules, phones and email. But a few hours (or days!) away from the pull and draw of life seems to set everything aright.

I love that the Lord enjoys beauty, and created us to be able to enjoy it, too! Pulling loaves of fresh bread from the oven sending wonderful smells wafting up and down stairs is sure to bring everyone to the kitchen. A vase of new flowers from the garden put on a side table adds a pop of color just where we need it, bringing the outside in. Hearing the kids share newly-written songs around the piano makes me want to set my own work aside. I think it's because in all of those things we hear echoes of our Creator, Who created giraffes and sequoias, heavy-scented gardenia and sweetpeas, chirping crickets and the roaring ocean.

There is one more thing, Satan would love for us to live in fear, in dread of darkness, in despair of this broken world in which we live, surrounded by lies and threats. Yet, when we open our eyes to the heaven on earth, the fingerprints of God every day, the sounds of His voice throughout the art of life, we give reason to have hope. The light of His reality crowds out the empty threats of Satan who has already been defeated. And so celebrating the beauty and light become a soul defense against fear and despair.

You will truly be inspired when you read this article, the hope in a young girl's heart, that mounts up over fear and lives in purpose, because her own soul has been filled, over the years, with beauty. Read Joy's article here. and below, a tiny excerpt:

 I am in the exact same place as those girls. MY days have a price on them, they are precious. To be lived with a sense of urgency, gratefulness, and excellence, because I have been bought by the blood of my beloved. It makes me think of this.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

 And so, when I draw my family in to appreciate beauty in any form, I know it is time well spent. I hope you find your own spots of beauty to enjoy this weekend and build beauty into the soul foundations of your own child who needs hope.

And the winner is.....and mentoring, a necessity!

Renoir

Each of us has a friend hole in our hearts. We were made to be loved, known, understood, affirmed, encouraged. It's why Jesus' philosophy of ministry when he came to the earth was personal. Develop an inner circle of friends that you love deeply, live life with, teach and instruct and then send them out into the world with your messages of truth.

It is why Paul said for the older women to teach and instruct the younger. We need mentors. We long to be known--not invisible--and to walk hand in hand with beloved friends and older, wiser, more experienced women who have already been down the path.

I know that I longed for such a person in my own life.

God kept leading Clay and me to do things differently than our parents had done

to nurse our babies, to have as more children, to start our own ministry and conferences and publishing house,

to educate our children through mentorship and literature and discipleship, instead of the tried and true school methods,

But, I had no one ahead of me to tell me what the pot holes were--what to avoid, what to lay aside, how to trust God--

I knew no one with my ideals.

And so I wanted to try to be an encouragement to those who were walking this road behind me, so that moms would not feel alone as I felt.

I must admit, I was shocked at how many women entered the contest to win 40 minutes of mentoring with me--

it shows me that there are many, many women with a desire to be encouraged--and I believe that God meant for us to have Grandma's, moms, aunts and a circle of wisdom to show us the way.

But there are very few to find, at least for me, with my ideals.

And so, I want you to know I am praying and praying about how to reach more moms and to network with more women to train and encourage them to become mentors and to start small groups, so that like-minded moms, with similar ideals, do not feel alone.

So pray for me and for all of us to find new ways to bridge the gap and to develop ways to hold hands across the world in our common call and ideals to build a godly generation in and through our homes.

Here are the winners of last week's contests

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU! I pray all of you will be encouraged!

Mom Walk and Journey's of Faithfulness  Kort

Mom Walk and Journey's of Faithfulness  Christy

GRAND PRIZE  Bundle: Mom Walk, Journey's of Faithfulness, Desperate, and Mentor session: Melissa 

From Twitter party:

Journey's of Faithfulness: Aurie Good

Mom Malk: Jenni Keller,

Mom Walk:

Elise Klicko

Journey's of Faithfulness: Leigh Dusek,

Mom Walk:  Sarah Steidl,

Journey's of Faithfulness: Carla Bruns

And for those of you who bought our books last week at the discounted price, we thank you for supporting our ministry by buying these books through our office! We are trying to get them in to our office as fast as we can, and then out to you asap!

For those of you who would like to purchase The Mom Walk or Journeys of Faithfulness, you may order from here!

Thanks for entering the fun contest. We have some more fun giveaways soon!

Click here to Reply or Forward

Front Porch Ponderings

Finally, a day that is below 80 degrees--a longing for those of us who have no air conditioning!

Sitting on my front porch listening to the aspen leaves crackle and dance in the wind.

Sharing the joy of one of my children being somewhat twitterpated.

Helping another child arrange rooms, people, places, airline tickets and talking about dreams and life before Scotland comes

Praying for Joel to get the Apple store job he applied for, and for a Christian roommate in Denver and for money to make throughout his master's program.

Pondering if there is any hope of ever balancing my life.

Talking on the phone to a dear friend afar who is wondering the same thing.

Thinking the hardest overall thing in my life as a mom has been not having time alone on a regular basis-

yet, loving, now the moments I do have to just be with my children who now come and go-

but still wishing for time alone, to read, to just sit, to eventually clear all the messes

no, I take that back--if I could just have a secretary and a house-keeper to help me keep it all.

Wishing all of you and peaceful day.

and yes, I will announce the winners when my friend shows me how to take them off the thingy that I used to gather all the names! It is coming and I send love and wishes of peace to you all.

Guess I should eventually get dressed for the meeting ahead!

The Importance of Walking in the Light

"... walk in the Light, as He Himself is in the Light..." 1 John 1:7

Walking in the light is important to the life of every mother. Every single season of a mom's life is personally and relationally taxing. Being a godly mother demands our emotional energy, our spiritual wisdom and walk with the Lord, our brains, and our time and resources as we focus on investing love, encouragement, and wisdom into our children's souls. Because the nature of motherhood is to always give out, her mind, soul, and body are always expending resources. If the soul becomes weary, dark, exhausted, and depleted, then she will no longer have anything in her heart from which her children, husband, and friends can draw. There will only be shadows and discouragement instead of enough light to be shared with everyone nearby."

 Though I wrote these words many years ago, I know their truth more strongly today than ever!

There are many things that draw life from us. The empty vacuum of the world can suck it out as rush and hurry, darkness and trouble threaten to overwhelm. Negative people, whether those close to us who don't understand and always seem to be questioning our motivations and decisions, or even those we encounter only briefly on the highway, the grocery store or even at church have a definite drawing-off quality all their own. Illness, natural disasters and circumstances beyond our control can assault when we're not expecting it.

And then there are the situations intrinsic to being a mom. A feverish baby will need cuddling and cool baths and doses of medicine, often in the middle of the night. A husband needs a listening ear and attention. The kitchen counters have to be wiped down once in awhile.

If you walk by the stained glass windows above in the middle of the night, they're not very pretty.

Similarly, a soul drained of life doesn't display much beauty. If the light isn't shining within, life isn't shining without.

John 1:4-5 tells us this about Jesus: "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." Mark tells us that Jesus said, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Then in Matthew we hear that He also said, "You are the light of the world."

If I light an oil lamp, it burns beautifully. But when the oil runs out, the flame disappears. In the same way, we are unable to burn and burn and burn without replenishing the oil in our own lamps. And when we fail to shine, the world suffers. It lacks the beauty we are created to bring to it; the beauty intended to help us lead people to Him.

The light of Jesus in us shines through the multicolored panes of glass that make up our own stained glass windows. It shows the brilliant purples and blues in the pieces that without light look dark and lifeless. It enlivens the golds and reds, makes the greens and oranges glitter. It is the light that brings out the true beauty of the window God is creating in your life.

There's nothing wrong with feeling weary, exhausted and depleted. All of us feel that way sometimes; it is the nature of life in a fallen world.

But Jesus has light for you. You must only slow down long enough to make space to seek Him, reading His word, asking to be filled again with His Spirit. You will find He is always willing and able to flood your soul again with light.

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You can also find me writing today at Thebettermom.com

Keepers of the Light

"The people who were living in darkness, have seen a great light,  on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.""

First, let me say how amazed, humbled and overwhelmed I am from all of the entries and comments last week in our giveaway for The Mom Walk and Journeys of Faithfulness, as well as the time of mentoring. Knowing that there are so many precious moms who long for a friend, someone to help, someone to talk to, creates in me a desire to figure out how I can help grow a network of women who would reach out to young moms in their demanding years of raising children. Let's pray for God to show us a way!

When Clay was still single, he dabbled in stained glass. This light house captivated his imagination as a symbol of what he wanted his home to be and so it has become for us in our own home.

The verse above, "those living in a shadow of death, a light has come," reflects what I have been feeling the past few years and especially the past few weeks.

When my children were very young, I used to despair of the many terrible things my children were exposed to--on the news, through movies, on all sorts of media and in real life. Even as I reflect on my children's lives: they have  been through 2 shootings (one at our church where a very close friend and her family was personally involved) and another on Friday, with another sweet girl. (her video follows.);  a devastating car wreck this weekend of family friends, the fires with friends losing their homes, and having evacuees in our home; two pastors who committed adultery; a couple of friends divorcing and leaving families abandoned; domestic violence near by; and oh so much more.

It did not jive with my Anne of Green Gables world that I wished for my children.

And yet, I heard His voice whisper, "Be still and know that I am God."

And so, I resonated with Frodo, in the Lord of the Rings where he says, "I wish the ring had never come to me, I wish none of this had ever happened!" To which Gandalf replies: "So do all who live to see such days; but that is not for them to decide. All we are to do is to decide what to do with the time that has been given to us…"

And so, for many years, I wished I had been born in another --more g-rated-- time--but I have finally realized that God chose this time for me, and for my children, that my sacrifice of praise was to worship God by walking faithfully, courageously, each day that came my way.

Yet,walking through these times with my children with the purpose of bringing His light, His love, His comfort to darkness and teaching and training them to become warriors of light, has prepared them for the many battles they have already, in their young lives, faced.

Giving hope, pointing to His comfort and truth, teaching His word, preparing them to become purveyors of light, is a call on my own life I did not understand as a young mom. All of the incidents we walked through, together; the many fears faced, the late night discussions in our home, have become the training  and teaching grounds for my children's ability to minister to others and their strength and perspective to face the battles.

One of my friends, who is a Christian writer, speaker and leader, recently said that she thought the greatest Christians who have ever lived are alive now. Who can really know, but what if, .....,

This is one of the most strategic times in all of history to be faithful? to show courage? to live by faith in Him who is real and will redeem and restore all things? To live in the light of His resurrection, after the darkness of the night when he was crucified?

What if God has called you to be a warrior, a hero, a redeemer for such a time as this?

And so, each day, we say, "How can we be a light house to those in need of truth, wisdom, comfort to those in need and to send our children out, not as victims, but as those who have been redeemed and strengthened to become light-bearers in their own sphere.

http://youtu.be/OFoB89ypaFY