Tag Archives: Example

Little Ears Are Listening – Kae Childs
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Pray for one another

Pray for one another

Bring up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Granddaughters. I never ever dreamed I’d be old enough to have grandchildren. Now I have four granddaughters and they are the apple of my eye. The girls are all different and have their own personalities. This morning I woke up thinking about my son’s two daughters and the comments they made to me this past week.

Every Thursday I pick up Brooke and Pressley Ann from school. We all look forward to our short time together. As soon as they got into the car, I had a phone call from a close friend. I pulled over to answer the phone. The girls were in the back seat talking and giggling. My friend had asked me about a particular challenge I was facing and I said, “Please pray for me. I’d better get off the phone … have the girls.”

I had no idea Brooke and Pressley Ann were listening to me, but immediately Pressley Ann tapped me on the shoulder and said, “WE pray for you, Mama Kae.”

“Yeah, every day,” Brooke said.

I was so touched, I turned around and looked at those two beautiful little faces. “Do you?”

“Yes, every night, Mama Kae.”

Proverbs tells us when we take the time to raise our children in the ways they should be reared, they will not depart. Even though they may step away, embedded deep in their hearts are the ways of God and the constant reminder He is present.

I’m thankful to be reminded my granddaughters are being brought up to pray for others and I’m particularly thankful they’re praying for me. And I must also be careful what I say, you know. Little ears are listening!

Are you teaching your children the ways of God?

Photo courtesy of deacondance.com.

imageKae Harper Childs is a freelance writer. She is a retired counselor and now spends most of her time being a grandmother of four, teaching shag (the SC state dance), and writing. She travels from The Isle of Palms to Greenville, SC, every week teaching dance classes.

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Hello Pot, Meet Kettle – Cheryl Cunningham
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Pot calls the kettle black.

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:6

Ever attempt to teach your child a lesson, only to find out you were the student?

It was a teachable moment and I was going to use this opportunity to talk to my fourteen-year-old about purity and integrity. One of her friends made an innocent comment but phrased it with a double meaning—a sexual innuendo. I wanted to explain that, as a child of God and representative of Christ, we should be an example to others. I called my daughter over but the whole time I spoke, she played on her iPod. How rude; how disrespectful. This was important but she didn’t hear a word I said because she was so absorbed in her silly game.

It didn’t hit me until the next day. I do that to God all the time. I’m the pot who called the kettle black.

God created Adam for fellowship—to walk and talk together in the garden. We were made for fellowship too. God really just wants to spend time with us. Yet, many days, I’m too busy for quiet time with Him. I do, however, always find time to play on the computer and watch mindless TV shows. But, at what cost? God doesn’t need my prayers. I do! Sure, I can pray on the go, as I run out the door or as I’m falling asleep, but Jesus always took time to be alone with His Father. When I do take time to just be with God, that’s when I’m renewed and strengthened. It’s how I listen and learn. It keeps me aware of His presence so that I’m more trusting through trials; less crazy in a crisis.

Prayer is a heart attitude and there is no right or wrong way to do it. A small hurried prayer is better than not talking to God at all but then…when do you listen? Consider the things that fill your day. Is “quiet time” hard to find? You don’t need a garden — hide in the bathroom, if you must! Just find time for your Father. He is our reward and nothing can compare.

Cheryl Cunningham lives in New Jersey with her husband of twenty years. She is a stay-at-home mom to their four children and enjoys spending time with family and friends. She grew up in a Christian home as a “preacher’s kid.” Though she accepted Christ as her Savior when she was a child, she did not truly begin to walk with Him until her early thirties. Her love of writing was discovered about ten  years ago, when through the loss of her unborn baby, a poem was born. She writes for the sheer joy of it but hopes to also encourage others through sharing what God has done in her life.
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A Little Blessing – Tammy Pfaff
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Thank you, Jesus, for our food...

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. Matthew 6:9 (NLT)

Emily Elizabeth loved the fact that her name matched the childhood shows and books we still see today. She was my second child, blessed with light blonde hair with a touch of curl and the sweetest blue eyes that could melt your heart.

Emily’s first week of preschool was filled with excitement. She practiced letters, met new friends, and enjoyed play time. She came home with many new things she learned.

One night we sat down for dinner after Dad arrived home from work. Just before we were about to take our helpings, Emily suggested we pray before our meal as she had learned in preschool that day. This was something new to our family. We weren’t quite sure how to do it. Emily took pride in starting us off with a sweet little prayer she had learned: “Dear God, bless this food we’re about to eat and thank you for all your special treats.”

As a proud mama would do, I suggested we keep this new tradition. Just as Jesus taught prayer, God saw fit to teach us prayer through our four-year-old.

Emily taught us we don’t have to say fancy words to God. Just like a little child, we can come to Him in complete trust and speak from our heart to honor His name.

Emily now approaches her senior year of high school. Her hair color has changed from blonde to red but what she taught us hasn’t changed. Prayer became a new tradition that has been carried over to all her siblings.

This tradition has spread into our daily life. We pray before tryouts for His will and His courage. We pray when we’re afraid to go to the dentist. We’ve even had the opportunity to pray with those who come for dinner and with friends who are as nervous as we are to try out new things.

Jesus wants to bring prayer into our homes no matter how old we are. Be the first to start prayer in your home. Take turns with family members. Share opportunities with friends who come for dinner. Speak from the heart just as a child would.

Tammy Pfaff of Prospect Park, PA is a wife and mother of four wonderful children. She studies journalism at DCCC. She enjoys spending time with family, writing, scrap-booking, sunsets on the beach, and her playful dog Jack. For more information log onto sites.google.com/site/tammypfaffcw.

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Let’s Face It – She Said
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In us, others see Christ

The glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 (New Living Translation)

It was only a split second…a moment…and he was gone. One minute I looked into the eyes of a good friend, the next…a killer. Time seemed to grind into slow motion as reality caught up.

I’d never been to a trial. Never listened to real litigation before. Never imagined I’d know a killer. My husband slipped his arm around me and pulled me close. He could see the disbelief on my face…the shock of the truth.

I’d admired Lisa from a distance so when fate allowed, we became best friends. She was multi-talented, a singer, artist and when she and Mark married, folks thought, “Odd couple. But not.” We’d lived in the same apartment building, grocery shopped with coupons and $25 between us; even made a top ten list of questions to ask God once we got to heaven, like which really did come first…the chicken or the egg? The face of Jesus shined bright in Lisa and Mark.

Now I watched the trial of the man she loved…the one who’d snuffed out her light for Christ. As I listened to the attorneys drill this man, his once gentle face wrinkled and twisted in bitterness. And when the judge handed down the verdict of guilty, his scowl hardened. In that moment the once bright light of Christ that had glowed through him, faded. The man I’d known …gone.

There is truth in the fact that when we really love Christ, it shows in our very essence. Folks look at us in our joy and our sadness and wonder what is it that stands out. How, in the midst of hardship, can we possibly seem so…so…different? They don’t understand how Christ literally fills us. How He shines through us and how our love for Him gives them a glimpse of God.

That’s why it’s vital we develop our relationship with Jesus. The deeper we know Him, the more He shines through us and the greater example of how life with Him shows others what brings us through the rough patches.

I try to remember I might be the only glimpse of Christ others might see. At times I fail miserably but praise God for grace and forgiveness. God knows I’m imperfect. He knows I sin but still He chooses to live inside me. He still lives in Mark too.

The glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. Let’s face it…He is mirrored in us. Now, lift the bushel and let His glory shine through you.

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Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio’s Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. Eddie and Cindy travel and speak at conferences across the country and they are available to speak at your church or conference. Contact them at cindy@christiandevotions.us.

 

 

 

Do you sense something vital missing from you relationship with your spouse, children, and God? Try He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion. This compilation of 54 devotions includes scripture verses, space for journaling, individual prayers and words of wisdom from two of today’s funniest and insightful Christian authors. This heart-warming collection of stories will inspire you to reach for the true source of joy: a life lived for and through God. These deeply personal devotions offer biblical insights and spiritual truths from the perspective of one man and one woman.

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I Need a Bigger Harvester – He Said
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I Need a Bigger Harvester

I Need a Bigger Harvester

The farmer sows the word. - Mark 4:14 NIV

Two years ago I met Bruce Wilkinson at the Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. Bruce served as the keynote speaker for the CLASS Christian Writers Conference. During the event I asked Bruce to sign my copy of The Prayer of Jabez, his first book in the “BreakThrough” series. For years my copy of Jabez sat on a small nightstand in our guest bedroom. A few months prior to the event, however, I began praying this prayer aloud and writing these words in my prayer journal: Lord, bless me indeed. Expand my territory. Enlarge my area of influence for you. Keep me from harm; keep me from sinning.

I love reading and writing about pirates and voodoo witch doctors in the Caribbean, but I don’t really believe in black magic. There’s only one source of supernatural power and He can’t be manipulated. So, my Jabez prayer isn’t some incantation meant to conjure up a blessing. Rather, it’s a simple and persistent plea to be plugged into God’s work – whatever that work might be.

The writer of Mark offers this simple advice to his readers: Sow words. Don’t fret over the harvest. Don’t build a speaking platform. Don’t Tweet and peep and post on Facebook in hopes of gaining friends. Simply seed words. Many of our words will fall on hard dirt. Some will find soft soil and take root. The key is to keep tossing seed and walking the field.

This summer our small ministry has over twenty-five books in production – many of which are devotionals aimed at specific groups and individuals who might never open a Bible. This week I returned from teaching at my seventh writing conference this year. I have books to write for other publishers (more words) and writers to mentor and none of this is my doing. I simply pray for larger areas of influence for Him and obey when He calls.

Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.” If your plot in life seems small, ask for more work. Then say, “Yes sir, boss,” when He sends you into his fields.

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Below are a few ways God has increased our influence since we launched Christian Devotions Ministries. If you want to help harvest, drop me an email: eddie@christiandevotions.us

Inspireafire.com – Be the change in someone’s life (Missions)
ChristianDevotions.us – A devotion may be someone’s only Bible for the day (Devotions)
ChristianDevotionsSPEAKUP.com –  Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves (Radio)
iBegat.com –  A safe site for teens–a place where teens can be introduced to Christ (Teens)
DevoKids.com –  Building strong foundations one child at a time (Children)
Lighthousepublishingofthecarolinas.com – Working hard to make His words shine (Book Publishing)
PrayersPraise.com - Need a prayer? Have a praise? Let us know! (Our Prayer Team)

Vacuum By Example – Jenne Acevedo
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Set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 NIV

It wasn’t our normal day for housecleaning and my seven-year-old son knew it. “Did Maria come today?” he asked as he walked into his room after school. The room was vacuumed and tidied.

I chuckled. “No, I cleaned the house.”

He looked at me in amazement. “You know how to clean the house?”

I wanted to say, “Duh, of course I know how to clean.” But I didn’t. I realized he is usually at school when I clean the house (or when Maria comes) and doesn’t actually see me doing it. I graciously explained I do, in fact, know how to clean the house.

His questions made me wonder about other areas in my life. Do my kids see me loving my husband and reading my Bible? Or would they ask, “You know how to read your Bible?” Do I model prayer regularly? What do my children see when they watch me?

The Apostle Paul teaches us to be an example. The Message says, “Teach believers with your life.” Whoa . . . am I teaching my children with my life? I am certainly teaching them something, but I realized I better stop and think about my example.

If my kids see me studying my Bible, praying daily, and snuggling on the couch with my husband, they see me live out what I say. If they don’t see me doing things I say are important, my words will be overshadowed by my actions. I hope my children never doubt these critical things. I don’t need attention like the Pharisees, but it is crucial our lives reflect what is in our hearts. My life will teach my children even more than my words.

Our actions show our priorities. It doesn’t matter what we say if we don’t live it. Encourage others to look at their priorities and be aware of what their example is. Teach others with your life.

Jenne Acevedo lives in Chandler, Arizona with her husband of thirteen years and three elementary-age children. She loves studying God’s Word, reading, writing, baking, vacationing with her family, and fine dining with her husband. She writes to encourage women to find their worth and hope in Christ alone.
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Jesus Things – Tim Wade
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In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. John 1:4

I think I was the youngest person to ever work as a mall Santa. Seventy-two-year-old Evelyn thought so as she pulled down my itchy fake beard and inspected my youthful twenty-three-year-old face. Evelyn had her picture taken with Santa every year of her life, and now it was my turn. “You sure are a young one,” she observed, as I did my best to re-attach my beard.

But not every experience was as traumatic as the one with Evelyn. My most memorable experience was of a little girl with long curly brown hair, soft brown dancing eyes, and a bright warm smile.

“What is your name?” I asked as she hopped up on my lap.

“My name is Amy,” she said ducking her head.

“How old are you, Amy?”

Amy held up five fingers.

“And what do you want for Christmas?”

“I want a Cabbage Patch Doll, My Little Pony, a necklace, and Jesus things,” replied Amy.

“Jesus things?” I asked. “What are Jesus things?”

Amy shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “I don’t know. Just Jesus things.”

I wished Amy a Merry Christmas and told her I would do my best to get her everything on her list.

A week later the job was over.

As I walked past Santa’s throne one last time, someone asked what we were going to do with all the children’s letters to Santa that had been stuffed in his mailbox. I volunteered to take them and once back home began to look through them. Among them was one written in crayon from a little girl named Amy.

Dear Santa,
I want a Cabbage Patch Doll, My Little Pony, a necklace, and Jesus things.”
Love Amy

At the bottom of the page was a picture of each gift, a manger scene, and a cross…and then I got it.

In a way that few adults rarely understand, Amy had grasped the true meaning of Christmas; that Jesus had been born in a manger so that he could die on a cross. But Amy not only understood that Jesus had been sent to earth to die for the sins of the world, she also understood that he had come to give us all a present – eternal life. She could not put her understanding of this gift of life into words, but she could feel it in her spirit. It was a gift God had given her, and the gift she wanted the world to have; salvation that comes only from the only begotten Son of God – Jesus things.

Tim Wade is married to Shannon and is the father to four daughters and one son. A former college pastor and current part time teacher of grades K5-12 in a private Christian school, Tim has a heart for kids, loves to teach the Bible, and has a passion for learning. Tim has degrees in Religion and Divinity and has written for Deeper Devotion Magazine, and Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse Magazine.

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His Way – She Said
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His Way

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8 NIV

Listen to His Way – She Said

She always got her way. My childhood friend was two years younger than me and bossy. She always had to go first and when we played pretend house, she was always the mommy and I was the cat. (Thank goodness she didn’t know about litter boxes or I’m sure I’d have ended up in one.)

I’ve never been one who thrived on having my way. In fact, when I’m put in a situation where there is confrontation over who’s right, I get queasy. My husband and I discuss calmly rather than argue. We rarely screamed at our kids, rather we worked from the old fashioned theory, “My word is good and if I say no, I mean no. If you disobey, there is a consequence.” In this case, our way was the way.

I was raised in a southern, conservative home plopped in the middle of the Bible Belt…a place where values were truly valuable and folks believed in the golden rule. God’s way.

I’m happy to step to the side for the greater good. I don’t have to always be right or have my way, but I’d be lying if I said I never went for a few unnecessary triumphs. I, like most, am weak and selfish at times. Still, my folks taught me to choose my battles. Fight the ones that were important—ask the question, “In the greater scheme of things, is this really worth a fight?” More times than not, it wasn’t.

I learned when it was important to demand my way—like when we battled the school system for our learning-disabled son. I understand my way is not always the right way or the only way and gaining what I want in an instant may not be the best for the future.

The entire chapter of Isaiah 55 is “God’s way.” He promises us an everlasting covenant of love. So when I get to the part that says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” I have to grasp hold of the one whose way is the only way… the unfailing, unshakeable, and unchangeable way of God. Do I always understand it? Nope. But I know He is far greater than me.

In my own selfish and stubborn attitudes, I sometimes battle God for His undeniable best way. Even when it’s hard, God knows best and my concession to Him is not weakness but obedience. In my obedience, is His covenant of love…a much better trade.

When you think your way is better, stop. Turn loose and let Him lead for His way is far better.

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HE SAID, SHE SAID RADIO IS MOVING TO MONDAY NIGHT…Join us as we delve deeper into the meaning of God’s word and apply it to our own lives.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio’s Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. And now you can catch them each Friday evening at their new time, MONDAY’S at 6 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio. (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ).

Do you sense something vital missing from you relationship with your spouse, children, and God?

Try He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion. This compilation of 54 devotions includes scripture verses, space for journaling, individual prayers and words of wisdom from two of today’s funniest and insightful Christian authors. This heart-warming collection of stories will inspire you to reach for the true source of joy: a life lived for and through God. These deeply personal devotions offer biblical insights and spiritual truths from the perspective of one man and one woman.

He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion
by Cindy Sproles & Eddie Jones

That's Why They Call It Making Love: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion

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NOOK eBook $2.99

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By Many or by Few – Harriet Michael
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Jonathon said to the attendant, who carried his weapons, ‘Come and let us cross over to the garrison perhaps the Lord will help us. Nothing can keep the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.’ 1st Samuel 14:6 NAS

My husband stood firm in his beliefs. It wasn’t easy, but He held tight to God’s word. He was appointed to the board of trustees of a seminary only to discover he was in the middle of a controversy over the nature of scripture. My husband stood firm in his belief that God’s word was inerrant and true even though for a while it seemed he was alone in his stand. By the end of his second term on the board, the seminary had changed directions.

King Saul’s son, Jonathon, attempted a solo military mission accompanied by only his armor bearer. The Bible relates the story of two brave men who attempted to conquer their enemy alone — with only themselves and God. And conquer they did! God handed a victory to the Israelites that day using just two men whose faith was great.

My father has always said, “One with the Lord is a majority.” The story of Jonathon proves my father is right. One with the Lord IS a majority. In fact, the Lord by Himself is a majority even if none should follow Him. Job acknowledged this truth when he said, I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

What is God speaking to you about today? Rejoice in whatever direction He is leading you. And if in doing what God has for you today, you find yourself standing alone, remember the truth of Jonathan’s words. Nothing can keep the Lord from saving (doing His work), whether by many or by few — or by one! May God show you His mighty hand today. When you are grounded in Him, stand firm.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for your presence with us. Thank you that we are not alone, even when it seems that way to us. And we especially thank you for strengthening us and enabling us to do whatever it is You have asked of us.

Thought for the Day: Stand firm. You are not alone. The God who created you and called you for His purposes will accomplish what He has planned – whether by many or by few.

Harriet Michael is a freelance writer in Louisville, KY. Her work has appeared in devotional and other Christian magazines as well as the anthology, Love is a Flame and the devotional book, The Women of Southern, A Walk Through the Psalms. Reared in Africa as the daughter of missionaries, she has been married for 31 years. She and her husband have 4 children and 1 grandchild. Follow Harriet at www.whatHehasdoneformysoul.blogspot.com.
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Halloween Head – Jackie Brown
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A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

I’ve been called many names, but never an orange pumpkin. “Mom, your hair looks like an orange pumpkin,” my  ten-year-old daughter confessed.

I decided on a whim to have my black hair highlighted for the first time. It was six months after having a baby, so my hair was growing like wildfire, but I wanted a change. Every new mom wants a new “do” to restore the damage that’s been done after losing a few thousand strands prior to delivery.

It was three months since my highlight and the color had definitely faded. I looked at my reflection and secretly agreed with my daughter, but I didn’t want to confess it out loud. Instead, I snapped. “That’s not a nice thing to say. You can leave now.”

“You say things like that to me, Mom. You tell me I have a rat’s nest in my hair,” she said.

During the week, I’d allowed my heart to process what she was saying and it aligned with my memory verse for the week: A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

My daughter was right and it took my Halloween-looking head (think black and orange stripes) to coax my heart that I was wrong. I’ve said harsh words to her about her hair for a long time and when she shared her opinion, I bit her head off. The proverb is correct, it did stir up anger inside of me and I know what I’ve said and done has done the same for her.

My prayer is to be gentle with my words. I am working on being a positive, encouraging mom so I can build up my daughter and my entire family. 

Seek out good encouragement. Submerge yourself in the Word of God. Let His words be yours.

Father, thank you for my precious daughter and my silly pumpkin head, (which I will now fix) to remind me of my harsh words. Forgive me for being a hypocrite as I memorized my verse without putting it into action. I pray for kind, gentle, uplifting words to come out of my mouth.

Jackie Brown is a wife and mom to four children. She is the founder of a non-profit freezer cooking ministry within her church of 5000. Her blog, Mom on a Mission for Christ, attracts women who want to cook whole foods and freeze meals for their family while helping both church and community. Formerly an abandoned, homeless orphan, Jackie has the opportunity to serve homeless women and children monthly through her passion for freezer cooking. She enjoys speaking, reading, writing, camping, and family. www.cookandplay.webs.com.

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