Welcome to all of you who drop in today after reading the devotion at Proverbs 31 titled "The God Of Learning." We thought that devotion was perfect to run right as school is starting for so many of us. It's one of those that came out of my own life-- and my own struggles. I don't want to put the god of learning on a pedestal this school year. Instead I want to put the God of the Universe in first place in all of our lives. What are ways we can do that? I will share a few ways that I have thought of here, and I hope you will share your ideas as well!
1. Pray for your kids while they're at school and pray with your kids before they leave in the morning. Even if you just place your hands on them and bless their day before they run out the door, they will know they have a mom praying for them! Ask them for prayer requests so that you can pray specifically.
2. Post verses around your house that inspire you and that your family can aspire to together. The fridge and bathroom mirrors are great places to post verses. The verse I am memorizing and praying for our family right now is Psalm 33:22, "May your unfailing love be with us Lord, even as we put our hope in You." (TNIV)
3. Take a few moments each night to read a Bible story or children's devotion aloud to your kids. One of my friends recently shared that-- even though her son goes to school during the day-- she sits down with him every night and does the read aloud and Bible portions of Sonlight curriculum. I was inspired by this thought and am still debating how I could do something like this.
4. Be available to talk to your kids about problems or challenges they're facing, and ask God how you can weave His truth into the conversation. He will give you the words to say that will point your child towards Him. Ask me how I know!
5. Take them to church. Providing a godly atmosphere each week and putting them in a place where they can meet godly friends outside of school is always a good idea. Don't have a church? Find one! And if you live in the Charlotte area, my church is a great one!
And now I would love to hear your ideas cause I know you guys are a lot more creative than I am!
10 comments:
We have been using a blog called Impress your kids. Every day we pick a letter and find a verse that starts with that letter. We memorize, discuss, do activities with that verse. The kids (ages 2-4) love it. It is a simple way to spend time together and bring us closer together.
Awesome devotion! We have five children ... all grown! Woo-hoo! One is still in college. Somewhere along the trail of their education I decided that I couldn't put my trust in the type of education they were receiving ... homeschool, Christian school, public school ... My trust had to be in the Lord alone wherever they attended school. I used to put my faith in the wrong place thinking that if they were in a certain kind of school then all would be well with them. Then the Lord woke me up to the fact that I needed to raise my faith up.
Loved your devotion and your post! Thank you for sharing!
Blessings,
Cheri
I am loving your new blogging schedule! A couple things from your post this morning really resonated with me. We were just talking in my small group last night about the importance of praying specifically. If there is something on your mind or your heart, communicate that and lift that issue up to God and tell him specifically what you desire from the situation or how you need help. That not only helps us, but helps others know how to pray for us. Obviously God knows best and will answer our prayers in His own time and manner.
Also, I saw a quote on K-Love's Facebook page yesterday that I just LOVED - "Had I been given all I needed all at once, then I'd have been deprived of what I needed most, Faith." There was no author listed, but I love this quote and was thinking last night that I need to start putting up quotes and verses that inspire me as a daily reminder. What a great idea! Keep 'em coming! Thanks, Marybeth.
Blessings, Sarah
Marybeth,
Your devo could not have come at a better time. God is using you at this moment to realize that when we put our trust in HIM, we do not have to make an idol out of learning. All of us are guilty; whether we are parents, or even adults pursuing further education. Only God knows what we need when we needed it and he is reminding us not to base our worth on the cares of this world but to become truly dependent on HIM.
Thank you for these thoughts, Marybeth. Your words in the devotional today just lifted a big boulder off of me. I KNOW these things, yet...I just keep forgetting. I'm so glad for a community of godly women to remind me what matters most.
Hey MB! Thanks so much for blogging and for doing what you do! I really do enjoy visiting your bloggy home.
<3 U ~ Shelly C. (speaker eval group)
p.s. I recently finished The Mailbox. OH MY! Just so you know - I am working on a review (the very first one I will have ever written). Do you have any suggestions on "review writing?"
I hope to post the review on my blog in September and will notify you. Unofficial review - LOVED LOVED LOVED the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Marybeth. I put a note in my daughter lunch box saying,
Praying that you have a "blessed" day and reminder her verbally how I pray for her daily. I will have to ask her for a specific prayer request.
Have a great day!
Love, Debra
Thank you, Marybeth! What a great reminder for all of us. I do read a devotion with my youngest at night, and I try to remember to pray over them and for them during the day. I also think it is important for them to see Christ lived out through our lives...for example, we were in a car accident on the way to school this morning. Thanks to our gracious and loving God, we were all kept safe and not harmed. When I got out of the car to assess the damage, the lady who hit me said,"I know you are mad. I hope your babies are ok." The Holy Spirit kicked in and I responded with a HUG. Right there on the side of the road after she damaged my car! Praise God, I allowed HIm to shine and my children were witnesses! When I returned to the car, my children were impacted by my behavior. To God be the Glory! But that is how even when you don't do it all right, and your kids are in public school, and you tend to stress over their grades and performance, that is how you put the God of the Universe first. You live like He is first.
Marybeth,
I enjoyed your devotion in Proverbs 31 today. I have 3 daughters; two in college and one still in high school. My youngest has always struggled in school. I felt so much pressure from teachers who told me that she wasn't up to par and she would never go to college. We had many battles over homework and grades much to my dismay. Finally I laid down that burden and decided it was important that we stop battling over grades. I placed her education in God's hands and committed to live with His will for her. She is now blossoming and I do not stress out about grades.
Oh Marybeth,
God's timing is so perfect. How I needed this today! We only started back to school this week and I am already struggling with the "homeschool Mom guilt syndrome!" I am already pushing a little too hard and taking the joy out of learning and focusing on knowledge versus God!!! The very thing I believe so much against us Moms doing!
Thank you for listening to God's promptings to write this. Though I am not the only woman who needed to hear this, I can assure you it was exactly what this girl needed.
:-)
Post a Comment