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Everything I Need To Know I Learned From My Children
by Theresa Sheets
"When does God speak?" I asked my six and ten year-old children as part of our home school morning devotion.
"After you pray," replied Micah.
"When you listen," Alexa stated.
When asked how God sounds, Micah explained that He doesn't always answer with a voice you can hear. Instead, He just "makes stuff (you've prayed about) happen."
Alexa said that God's voice is a whisper to your heart.
Amazing, I thought. Adults so often struggle to hear the voice of God, but children just know.
As they began to work math problems at the kitchen table, I sat nearby and considered our conversation. I saw that when it came to hearing God's voice I was making it difficult, not Him.
I also realized my kids had been showing me how to hear Him all along.
Hearing God - Steps 1 & 2:
Pray & Trust
One night while tucking Micah in to bed, he told me he had a stomach ache. By process of elimination I determined it was nothing serious, just a tummy ache, but asked Micah if he wanted me to pray for him. He agreed.
Micah and I prayed, and he trusted the Lord would answer. Quite simply, "God made the stuff we prayed about happen," and Micah was healed.
Part 2 of this article will be continued in our next Abundant Living Newsletter. |
Exhale...
4 Sweet Treats for You and Your Sweetie
by Trace D. Davis
Valentine's Day is here! Love, roses and chocolates. This is a great opportunity to put a healthy spin on St. Valentine's Day. Here are a few non-traditional suggestions for you and your sweetie:
1. Work up a sweat. Take a cardio class together and get your heart pumping. Many national and local gyms are offering couples classes of varied styles to encourage the two of you to spin, pump or kick together in the name of love. Fitness experts around the country agree that working out together increases your chances of a healthier long term relationship.
2. Turn up the heat! If you want to skip the workout and head to the sauna or steam room. At the end of a long work week spending a little time in the dry heat of the sauna or steam room will relax your muscles immensely and you both will be grateful you did!
3. Add a little spice. Dance classes aren't for children or teens anymore. Salsa and Ballroom classes are popping
up all over of the place. Burn calories, learn something new and stay in step with your partner.
4. Have your chocolate and eat it too. After all what would Valentine's Day be without a bit of the cocoa bean? The latest studies show there are some heart healthy benefits to the natural antioxidants in dark chocolate. As with anything remember, all things in in moderation.
Enjoy everyday as if it were Valentines Day with your loved one and you'll discover sweet treats throughout the year.
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| Short Breaths
LOVE Overcomes...
Fear Doubt Hurt Bitterness Pain Loneliness Evil Death Hate Deceit
Anger Betrayal Resentment Pride
Envy Strife Rejection Emptiness
Injustice Worry Discontentment Sorrow
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, NLT) |
| ...More Short Breaths
WOMEN'S EVENTS
Sister Social has started a new book! Transforming for a Purpose: Fulfilling God's Mission as Daughters of the King by Anita Carman. Stay tuned for more details on the next book club meeting. In the meantime, order your book now - or contact us for more details.
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Inhale . . .
Are You Spending Time With Your Best Friend?
by Levitica "Lee" Watts
I love to pray! After many years of routine and sometimes boredom with prayer, I have finally come to understand it for what it really is: my time to just sit and "be" with Jesus. It is a time when I come naked and unashamed, ready to bear it all. I come ready to cry, complain, ramble, question, beg, praise, worship, even be silent and just meditate. It is time spent with my Best Friend.
Why do so many of us have a hard time praying or spend so little time communing with our Savior and Best Friend? I think some of us believe that we must come with eloquence and a conversation already prepared. Similar to a first date with someone or time spent with a new friend. We rehearse in our minds potential conversations; we create a list of topics in case there are times of silence. But with Jesus, there is no need for lists or pre-planned topics. We can just come and " be." We sit and talk. Chit and chat.
I think we sometimes neglect prayer because of the time we believe it takes. Our schedules become busy, our days fill up and evening comes much too quickly. But praying can happen anywhere. Yes, there are times we must make it a priority and set aside special time, however we must remember that we can stop and talk to God at any time.
Prayer can also get pushed to the side due the routine of life. Often, when there are no major highs or devastating lows, we get on autopilot and forget to see the need for prayer. But prayer is about more than getting an answer from God. It is a relationship. It is checking in and making sure we are still on the same page with God. We are part of His team ("Team God") and we must always look to Him for direction, signals and plans.
There are a myriad of thing that keep us from pursuing prayer with passion: anger with God, resentment, unforgiveness, fear, etc. What are your reasons for not praying as you should? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you and speak to you. Then make a decision to talk to God (pray) about it. Make a plan to spend more time with your Best Friend. |
BREATHLESS . . .
Article continued from January's issue of Abundant Living Newsletter
The Secret to Creating a Helping Husband
by Melodie Tilley
At just under two, I watch him push in his chair after dinner, pick up his toys when asked, and try very hard to help his dad take out the trash. Of course watching my nephew develop into such a special little man, is precious indeed, but I also know that someday a very special young lady will be grateful to my sister, just as I am grateful to my mother-in-law.
I will always cherish the time and energy my mother-in-law put into the process of not only raising a son, but raising a helpful one. My life and my marriage would be far different today, if my husband had been raised by a mother who did everything for him. My own mother ran her home this way and I have no doubt the frustrations my sister-in-law had to work through during her first years of marriage to my brother. My mother literally served him everyday he lived in her house. Of course many men fall into this same scenario and get married expecting their wives to take on the same role.
As I listen to wives talk about how lazy their husbands are or how they wish they would help out around the house more, I feel so blessed. I know I don't deserve what I was given. I certainly didn't do anything to help make my husband this way. Rest assured though, I will do my part to make sure my daughter-in-laws have the same blessing. Any sons we have will be taught to take care of our home outside and inside. If I wasn't given a helping husband, I wouldn't have a clue how to teach him to be that way. I'm sure I would spend at least a little portion of each day frustrated with the situation. So, if you are wondering what to do, keep praying about it. Hopefully God will give someone else the wisdom to write about how to teach your own husband to be helpful. But please for the sake of your future daughter-in-laws, focus on your sons. Give them a strong since of responsibility inside the home and watch the future generations thrive.
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| A Word
from God
And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him. (1 John 4:16, Amplified Bible) | |
