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| Abundant Living News | August 2010 | |
Greetings!
We pray this month's newsletter finds you well and growing in God's grace. This has been an extreme summer. I'm not sure if it has been hotter than in past years, but it has been hot! One day I was outside enjoying pleasant 85 degree conditions and the next day (and well into the months that followed) the conditions were unsafe for some people to be exposed to! Now Summer is making way for Fall. Aren't life seasons this way too? We begin the season feeling strong and prepared, maybe even willing and then without notice a severe condition pops up on the radar.
In our Focus article this month Lee Watts encourages us not to waste our Egypt experiences. Are you complaining about the journey, wanting to go back to something familar or are you moving forward in the new direction God is leading? We also have the second part of TeAnna Brown's Sweet Breaths article - Building Meaningful Relationships with Your Children. Her refreshing insight is not only for parents, but for those who interact with children. We need to be purposeful about building good realtionships with the next generation. Finally, we hope Inhale and Shortbreaths encourages you in your walk and gives you useful information to pass on to others.
Stand fast friends, yes there are some seasons that we aren't braced to handle. Yet, even through life's toughest seasons we want to remind you that life can still be lived abundantly through Him.
Blessings,
Latisha J. Lee |
| "Breath of Heaven, hold me together be forever near me. Breath of Heaven lighten my darkness Pour over me your holiness for you are holy Breath of Heaven." (Amy Grant, Breath of Heaven) |
 Don't Waste Your Egypt Experience by Levitica "Lee" Watts
I can remember the first time I read the story of the Israelites and their long trek to the Promise Land. It was amazing how I could identify my life in their journey to find "happiness." However, I can also recall being so frustrated at their many complaints and mistakes: "Why would they do that?" "How could they say that?" "How could they forget what God said to them" I would ask myself. Page after page my mouth would drop open in amazement at those "silly" Israelites as they kept looking back at Egypt, fearful of going to a life of abundance. Shaking my head in disbelief, I was thankful I was nothing like them.
Isn't it funny how easily we forget our own personal struggles with God's promises and this abundant life when listening and watching others? As I've now experienced my own struggles to reach the Promise Land, my heart somehow sympathizes with the struggles of the Israelites and is more compassionate with their plight. I now clearly realize that it is often God's purpose in our "Egypt experiences." Yes - Egypt is a difficult place and comes with a host of lessons and training. But it is also a place that softens our hard hearts, changes our views, humbles us and give us a different perspective on the life of others. It can be safely said that our Egypt experiences are often not just for us, but for the benefit of others in our lives.
How have you or are you handling your Egypt experiences? Are you simply thankful to be out of it and moving on with your life? Are you sitting down (in that same pew) repeating the same testimony and living life based on that experience? Have you completely forgotten that hard time or place in your life? Here are just a few ways to handle our Egypt: 1. Remember!! Remember that hard time and place and struggle with sin and bondage. When you are counseling and ministering to others, remember that "shaking the devil off" was not as easy. If it was, there would be no such thing as spiritual warfare, and no need for weapons of warfare. And remember what God has done!! I love when Jeremiah reminds us in Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV), "Nothing is too hard for you." He could say this because he remembered all that God had done in his life and the life of others. Don't forget where you've been and don't forget what God can do!
2. But Keep It Moving!! We can't forget it; but we can't stay there either. Isaiah reminds us "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old" (Isaiah 43:18). The prophet didn't want us to forget God and all His wonderful miracles, however he didn't want us to get stuck in the past either. As Christians, we must be careful to not live on memories rather than on expectation. God is always at work and always has more that He wants us to do. We can't retire in that pew. I love when Isaiah says: "Stop relying on the past to determine your future. Train your heart not on what has been but on what will be, because I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert" (Isaiah 43:19).
3. Talk About It!! As Christians we can get so "fat" on eating God's word, we don't "spit" it back out. We simply take it in and keep it for ourselves. But we've got to pass it on. The Israelites had to keep the stories going to the next generation, build altars, remind themselves and their children what the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had done. This mighty God who is able to save!! Are you talking about it and passing it on? Sometimes the enemy has us so ashamed, we don't want to share what we've come out of or where we've been. What a waste!! We've been on a journey of a lifetime, and afraid to share it with anyone else.
Don't let Egypt be a wasted experience. Let it change you and others and allow God to get the Glory!! Let's not waste our Egypt.
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Sweet Breaths
Building Meaningful Relationships with Your Children
by TeAnna Brown
(Part 2 of article continued from June issue)
Relationship comes before Rules
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. Col. 3:21
We have to be careful not to think that our only mission with our children is to discipline and correct them. Those parental responsibilities only reap blessed results when done within the confines of relationship. You may have heard that rules without relationship leads to rebellion, as expressed by missionary Josh McDowell. In the above scriptures, notice that the relationship between fathers and their children takes priority over the position of authority and instruction.
Our goal should be to help our children to respond to us just as we are to respond to our Heavenly Father. In John 14:15 Jesus says, "If you love me then you will obey me." We are to obey God's commands out of love for him; otherwise, we are only following rules and performing, which eventually gets old. That is how rebellion is born. Problems arise with many teenagers because we want our teens to talk to us more and to respect our authority, but that is not likely if a relationship has not been built. However, if we seek to have our children listen and obey what we say because they love us because of relationship even when you are not looking, they will continue to obey.
Practical Ideas
So what does having relationship with my children look like? Listed below are three possible areas we can focus on to practically develop meaningful, lifelong relationships with our children.
Loving
Get to know your children. Stay aware of the concerns on their little hearts and pray with them. Spend time reading the Bible together and sharing what God is teaching you. Let them know you accept them just as they are. Let them know who you are. Write sweet notes to them (read it to them if they can't read). You will likely receive some letters back and some may need to be read back to you (smile). Affirm them! Be sure to know what their (most recent) favorite color is. Hug and kiss them more than they can stand! Never let them question your love and acceptance of them.
Honoring
Honoring means giving them weight. Do all you can to respect your children: respect goes two ways. Guard against controlling them. Listen to them: let them know that what they say is important to you. Keep their confidences! There are times when they deserve your full attention; you could actually learn something from them. Answer their questions and then ask them what they like. Find ways to value what matters to them. Put their pictures up on display. Give many compliments encourage them with the truth. Take a walk together and talk. Set up an ice-cream date. Be sure to give your children individual time. My little ones feel extra special when I do that.
Enjoying
It is so easy to do the necessities with our children and miss quality time with them. What can interfere with true quality time? Too many activities, TV shows, video games, working long hours. We all have busy lives even the Mom who stays at home can miss opportunities with her children as she tries to manage her home. We have to have a deliberate focus on them when those special opportunities arise. When the Holy Spirit says to you "that's an opportunity" listen and leave the internet for later and enjoy your children now!
Children are usually pretty confident that you love them, but not always so sure that you actually like them. Smile at them spontaneously. Be sure to laugh a lot with them, especially at what they think is funny. Get down on the floor with them and play their favorite games. Mommies, get a little wild and crazy sometimes (that is usually Daddy's job). And spend some time together coming up with more fun ideas.
The truth is, building relationships with your children will always be time well spent. It is an investment of a lifetime that will benefit you and anyone that will have the privilege of enjoying a relationship with them!
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| Inhale
 Crossing Overby Latisha J. Lee
"Be strong and courageous... Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:6-9, NIV)
Recently I found myself thinking about a few things that are on the horizon. Would I be able to complete the task? Will we have the finances to move forward? Am I prepared to handle this new thing? Feelings of excitement, hesitation, doubt and anxiousness had my full attention.
I thought about Joshua and the mantle that rested on his shoulders to lead the children of Israel after Moses died. Joshua probably had the same thoughts I had holding his attention. Is there any wonder why God told him to be of good courage? Not once, but three times!
How many times does God have to convince us that He is with us? When we're not sure of how we're going to finish, how we'll feel, who is going to be there with us or for us. God knows and has everything prepared. He just wants us to take that first step of faith and trust Him with the rest.
Are you ready to step out into the deep, into the unknown, putting your hand into His? Don't be discouraged, anxious or fearful of what lies ahead. Be of good courage. God is with us!
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A Word from God
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13, NLT) |
| Short Breaths
Have you tuned into breath of God Talks!? Be sure to tune into our radio program. Each week we discuss relevant issues that affect your Christian growth. Tune in today for a 15 minute encouraging discussion about living life abundantly in Christ!
Also, join Co-Publisher Latisha Lee for an Inhale Moment on WNUR- Chicago's Sound Experiment Sunday mornings at 9:00 (CST). Gospel music host, Renay Brown opens the air for this 5-minute refreshing Word from God. Listen online or on your stereo, if you're in the Chicago area.
GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION. Are you interested in being a sponsor of the Living Abundantly newsletter? If you are interested in getting information out to hundreds of readers about your company, church or upcoming event, contact us at publishers@breathofgodmag.com.
Women of Faith and other Awesome Conferences for Women. If you have never experienced a Women of Faith Conference you are missing an awesome time of laughter, fellowship, worship and Word. WOF has been blessing audiences all over the country with their sister-girl, Godly, love for years. Below is a link to their event page as well as other dynamic women's conferences.
Do you know of an upcoming Women's retreat, seminar or workshop in your area? If so, let us know. We want to let others know the resources available to help women grow in the Word of God.
Join Us! BOG is now on Facebook. If you are a Facebook user stay in touch and join us!... |
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