30 Days of Torah Parenting

"Are you ready to stretch yourself as a parent??" is how this article begins...

If you're up for this, check out: 

30 Days of Torah Parenting

Each day you are given a little project to help you on your parenting journey!! :) 

Fervent Prayer

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons; the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved.  But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what he already has?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.  

Romans 8:23-25

God tells us to pray with hope.  We can easily tell people our needs, but praying to the Lord for our needs is a different story.  Often we don't see how or when or why God would answer our prayers.  It's beyond our comprehension.  But Romans states clearly that our job is to wait patiently with hope for God to answer our prayers.  HE is great and powerful and knows our needs.  HE loves to take care of us.

Let's pray in boldness about our children's lives that they would be holy, that they would be surrounded by peers that would be edifying and encouraging.

Let's pray for our husbands that they will soar in their profession, that they would be blessed and be a blessing to their coworkers.

Let's pray for ourselves, that we will be refreshed each day to be a light to our family and friends, that we would be strong and wise and diligent, that God's love will renew our perspective to live in freedom, with creativity and playfulness in our walk with Christ.

Let's just pour our needs before God.  Focus on God's love! and you will be able to hope and trust and be fervent in your prayer life.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Romans 15:13

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.  We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure it enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.  He has become a high priest forever....

Hebrews 6:18-20

Center Your Life On What's Important

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
May my meditation be sweet to Him;
I will be glad in the Lord.
Psalm 104:33-34


When you're having a tough day with the kids, remember to sing.
When you're having a tough week with schedules, remember to praise God.
When you're having a tough month with finances, remember to meditate on Christ and be glad.

Why?  Because we live by faith, and God will honor that.

No eye has seen,
nor ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him
1 Corinthians 2:9

Thanksgiving

This week we focus on the holiday of Thanksgiving.  However, in the midst of fall break and holiday parties and cold season, we are so super busy and overwhelmed that it seems impossible to quietly take a moment and be sincerely thankful.  For me, personally, I realized that there was one more thing that I overlooked that was keeping me from being thankful (besides having a busy schedule and being deprived of sleep).  Forgiveness.  There were some wrongs that I made in the past that I made right by asking for forgiveness, however I was still experiencing guilt.

I realized that God was telling me that there was another part of forgiveness that I overlooked.  Although others may have forgiven me and I may have forgiven others,  have I forgiven myself?  That's such a foreign concept.  But it is necessary to move on and live in peace in order to be in a position to be thankful.

Forgiving myself means to set myself free from self-condemnation.  If Christ can forgive me then I should definitely be able to forgive myself.   Romans 8:1 says,  "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  When I realized this great truth, my spirit was so free to focus on Christ, not on myself, not on my burdens, and not on my faults.

If this sounds like something you can relate to in your life.  Ask the Lord in a simple prayer to give you strength and courage to forgive yourself and cleanse your conscience from all guilt and condemnation.  Then release your burdens to the Lord, cast your cares upon Him.  Feel the freedom of a lightweight, guilt-free life . . . and start praising the Lord with Thanksgiving!

Happiness

If you could have any one thing in life, absolutely anything, what would it be?  Prosperity?  A better body? Good health?  A long life?  A great marriage?  A better job?  A fabulous career?  What?

If you answer, "Prosperity," I might respond, "What good is prosperity without health?" If you answer, "Great health, " I could point out a lot of healthy people who are miserable because they hate their jobs or don't make enough money.  No matter which answer you choose, I could point out someone who has exactly what you want and yet is unhappy.

The truth is, more money, better looks, better health, a better job, a better marriage, and even a longer life are really only a means to an end.  What you really want goes one level deeper than that.  What you really want is happiness.  -Steven K. Scott

So, waht is happiness and how do we attain it?  Sarah Young talks about happiness in her devotional, Jesus Calling, as being content in the Lord no matter where you are in life or what you're going through. 

You can live as close to Me as you choose.  I set up no barriers between us; neither do I tear down barriers that you erect.  People tend to think their circumstances determine the quality of their lives.  So they pour their energy into trying to control the situations.  They feel happy when things are going well, and sad or frustrated when things don't turn out the way they'd hoped.  They rarely question this correlation between their circumstances and feelings. Yet it is possible to be content in any and every situation.


Put more energy into trusting Me and enjoying My Presence.  Don't let your well-being depend on your circumstances.  Instead, connect your joy to My precious promises.:

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.

I will meet all your needs according to My glorious riches.

Nothing in all creation will be able to separate you

from My Love.

12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
Philippians 4:12

15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. 

Genesis 28:15

19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:19

 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 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

Habits

Below is an excerpt from Simply Charlotte Mason about instilling good habits in our children.

"Here are some habits that Charlotte specifically mentioned in her writings. As you can see, most are matters of character and can be cultivated in everyday situations by example and practice. Charlotte recommended working on one habit at a time and concentrating on it for about four to six weeks, while remaining ever vigilant of already-formed habits. "

• Accuracy
• Attention
• Candor
• Cleanliness
• Courtesy
• Even Temper
• Gentleness
• Kindness
• Modesty
• Neatness
• Obedience
• Order
• Perfect Execution
• Punctuality
• Regularity
• Remembering
• Respect
• Thoroughness
• Truthfulness