Your Hero

Happy Father's Day to all men, whether you are a biological father, stepfather or spiritual father, this message is for you. I am updating this from one of my earlier posts because I think it bears reading again.

Is your dad your hero? Some people may answer  "yes" to this question, but I know some, men especially, who will give an unequivocal "no." It always saddens me when I hear that. My own father, who departed this life when I was just a little girl, was my hero. He taught me to read and spell while he indulged his hobby/part-time occupation -shoemaking. Needless to say, I had shoes to match every dress, and love shoes to this day.

My father also cultivated in me a love for reading and I became a good speller. I enjoyed going places with him, and when I heard his voice in the front yard in the evening, I would leave my mother and run to meet him. She often complained that I loved my father more than I did her, which wasn't true, of course. I was just fascinated with him - his voice, his smile, his jokes. The only bad thing I can recall about my dad is that he left me too soon. Late at night, quite suddenly and without warning. Died of a stroke in his sleep.

So, what about your dad? Is he flawless in your eyes? A man's man? A woman's man? As head of the home, fathers carry a heavy responsibility. They are entrusted with the task of providing, protecting and caring for the home and family. The mother is the one who nurtures, comforts and keeps the home together. However, a real father assumes the mother's role as well. The father who confronts the school bully is the same father who takes his little girl on his lap and reads her a bedtime story. Or tucks her in at night. Or takes her to the doctor when she is ill.

Sadly, some dads do not measure up to the ideal. Some walk out on their families and never look back. Others stay in the home, provide and protect but do little else. We need to pray for these fathers. I think of King David, a mighty man of God, but his track record as a father left a lot to be desired. His son, Amnon, raped his daughter Tamar (2 Samuel 13: 10 - 18) and even though the Bible says David was furious (v 21) he did nothing about it. Absalom, David's other son, had Amnon executed to avenge what he had done to his sister.

Later, Absalom fled from David and they didn't see each other for two years. Eventually, Absalom tried to take the throne from David and to murder him, but Absalom himself was killed. On hearing the news, David wept bitterly. "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you--O Absalom, my son, my son!" (18: 33).

What a sad cry! You may not see your father as your hero, but remember your Father in heaven is faultless. He is perfect and will never fail you. Run to Him and make Him your hero. Happy Father's Day!

What Does Mother Mean

When I was growing up, there was a song we sang especially around Mother's Day. It was an acronym for the word "Mother" and, I believe the composer was attempting to explain what the word meant to him or her. I used to sing the song a lot without thought to its meaning, but now that I'm a mother -and grandmother - I've become a little more analytical and question to some degree the meaning of the words.

The song goes like this:



M is for the million things she gives me.

As mothers, we want to show our love to our children by giving them everything their little hearts desire, and so we give them more then a million things, only to see them discarded in a few days. We have to ask ourselves if we are harming or helping our children in this way.



O means only that she's growing old.

Mothers, no matter how young you are, or how young you look, in your children's eyes, you are old. So, don't try to look or behave like your twenty-something-year-old daughter. Just be yourself and your children will appreciate you for it.



T is for the tears she shed to save me.

We can all relate to this one. We shed tears the first day we leave little Johnny in pre-K, then when he goes off to college, we shed tears. More tears as we escort him up to the altar to meet his bride. Another deluge comes when we hold his newborn baby for the first time. Whether we shed tears of joy or tears of sorrow, we have an unending supply.



H is for her heart of purest gold.

Who else but a mother would exemplify a heart of gold by the way she cares for her children? Who else would give them unconditional love, devotion, selflessness, understanding. I can go on and on. Unfortunately, not all mothers do. Some of us expect our children to fall into some particular mold that we set for them instead of following their God-given talents and interests.



E is for her eyes with love light shining.

The eyes are the window to the soul, someone said. The love a mother has for a child shines through her eyes, but hurt, disappointment, loss, separation may dull the light in those beautiful eyes, even though the love remains.



R means right and right she'll always be.

I don't know about this one. Despite the halo around our heads, mothers are flawed beings like everyone else. We make mistakes, bad decisions. I know I have made some mistakes in raising my children, and I daresay, my mother did too, and most likely her mother before her. But the good news is, God knows our heart. If we confess our mistakes and shortcomings to Him, He would redeem those mistakes and set us and our children on the right path.



As you celebrate Mother's Day today with your children, consider the words of this song. Do they all ring true for you? Maybe not. But no matter how young or old you are, you can still thank God for the gift of motherhood and for the wonderful children He has placed in your care. Acknowledge your need of Him and ask Him to partner with you in "training up these children in the way they should go, so that when they are old they will not depart from it".

Happy Mother's Day!



Today is Mother's Day, and you may have already given your mother a beautiful gift, but you can still give her a gift that never fades, grows old or out of style. Give her the gift of a book that is guaranteed to bless her heart and remind her of the power of God’s love. Give her a printed copy of Coming Out of Egypt, complete with swag – tote bag, bookmark, bandana and pen. She will love you even more - if that's possible.


Coming Out of Egypt

God Bless You and Good Night - Review

Are you getting ready for bed? How about your little ones? Are they bathed and fed but rubbing their eyes, trying to resist sleep? Well, here's the solution. God Bless You and Good Night is a big, beautiful hardcover book with beautifully-drawn pictures of animals getting ready for bed. The rhyming verses are catchy and funny and just right to have your youngster read along with you. They will give your child a feeling of safety and send them right off to sleep.

God Bless You and Good Night written by Hannah Hall, illustrated by Steve Whitlow

Summary

The bestselling God Bless You and Good Night has sold more than a quarter of a million copies as a board book, and this beautiful expanded picture book will make a perfect gift for families.
God Bless You and Good Night sparked a series that is as beloved as it is adorable. The original board book has sold more than 280,000 copies and continues to grow. This expanded picture book offers a classic, collectible item that readers will love for their own home library and is a beautiful gift option for baby showers and birthdays or as an announcement gift for soon-to-be grandparents. With its deluxe formatting, larger art spreads, and expanded content, this picture book will be the family favorite for bedtime.

The A God Bless Book series has sold more than 600,000 units and has appeared on numerous bestseller lists. Contributor Bio Hannah C. Hall estimates that she has read approximately 4,500 bedtime stories to her children over the last few years. She is thankful to get to add her own books to their daily rotation. Hannah and her husband, Josh, have five children and live in a small town in Arkansas. Steve Whitlow lives in northern England, on the top of a (very) windswept hill, with his wife and young family. Steve followed his artistic calling from an early age and was first published at age 16, producing vibrant characters for greeting cards and then children's publishing. With no formal art training and only his natural talent, Steve has now been working as a professional artist for more than twenty years. "My kids are my critics," says Steve. "The best reaction I can hope for is an exclamation of 'Cool, Dad!' from either Sam or Ethan-or both."

And now you can get a copy of this lovely book by entering the giveaway here:

https://www.blessedfreebies.com/godblessyouandgoodnightgwy.html

Purchase Link: https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/god-bless-you-and-good-night-P005621646

What Does Independence Mean?

Here's another post I wrote some years back. As I read it, I realized that most of what I said then is still relevant today, so I decided to dust it off and re-present it to you along with your Fourth of July apple pie.  I trust that while you’re having that second helping  you would stop to reflect on what independence means to you and to America.


What does Independence truly mean? Does it only mean having the ability to govern ourselves? Free from outside control, as the Oxford dictionary tells us? Or does it mean not depending on anyone? America is known as the land of the free and the home of the brave. But lately we have to ask ourselves who are the free and who are the brave?


Freedom may be limited, but bravery abounds. We have to be brave to walk the streets at nights, brave to send our children to school, brave to mention the name of Jesus in public. When over thirty six million people live in poverty in this, the richest country on earth, where is the independence? When children are the largest growing number of the nation’s poor, and words like outsourcing and downsizing are common everyday terms, where’s the independence?

I hate to spoil your celebrations, but we need to examine ourselves. As more people lose their healthcare, prices of basic commodities continue to rise, and wars rage at home and abroad, we need to depend more on God. The Bible tells us, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3: 5).

Think about that as you dig into that apple pie.

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Do you love to read but find that the most of the books out there contain graphic sex, violence or material that goes against your Christian beliefs? I have written a series of books called the "Egypt" series which strongly bear out the redemption story while providing all the emotion and suspense of a gripping novel. The first book Coming Out of Egypt is available here and the second book In The Wilderness is now on preorder here. Not sure if you're ready to buy? Then click the popup form to receive a free copy of the first chapter so you can decide if you want to read the book. God bless.

A Prayer For Fathers

Happy Father's Day to all you strong, wonderful fathers out there. Today is your day, and I pray that you enjoy it to the fullest. I salute the young fathers especially who bring their families to church and take care of them during the service. I watch as they go off to the changing room, diaper bag in one hand and baby over their shoulder. That's an example of true fatherhood.

I also want to give a shout out to the fathers in my life - my oldest son Kevin, raising three children on his own since his wife's death. My son-in-law Mike, a strong, devoted father who always makes time to spend with his children and care for their needs. Last, but not least, my husband, TJ. What can I say about him? Even now that his children are grown, he remains a rock of support, wisdom, and strength to them.

I make no apologies for re-posting this article from last Father’s Day because I think it’s one of those evergreen ones. Fathers carry a heavy responsibility on their broad shoulders, and without God to help them carry it, they will collapse under the weight. So, father’s, stepfathers, fathers-in-law, this prayer is for you.

Heavenly Father, when you made man, you brought the woman to him and you said, "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth" (Genesis 1: 28). You also provided the means for fathers to take care of their families, and I pray, Lord, that You will continue to equip these men and give them opportunities so they can provide well for their families.

Give them wisdom and direction "to train up their children in the way they should go so that when they are old, they will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22: 6). In their zeal to discipline their children, help fathers to "provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6: 4). 

May they always lead by example so their children can model their lives after a man who is loving but firm, patient but persevering, and who "will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord" (18: 19).

Father God, when tough times come, as they will, help our fathers to draw their strength from You, "to acknowledge you in all their ways, and You shall direct their paths" (Proverbs 3:6). Help them not to be discouraged but to recognize that they "can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4: 13).

Help fathers to model true love and devotion to their wives, may they love them as Christ loves the church, (Ephesians 5 : 25), may they "dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel" (1 Peter 3: 7), so their sons will follow their example when they have wives, and their daughters will know what qualities to look for in the men they will marry.

And I pray, Lord, that You will bless these men and reward their work richly so that when the time comes they will hear the words, "well done thou good and faithful servant"(Matthew 25: 21).

Happy Father's Day!

Mothers, Pray For Your Children

This is Mother's Day weekend, and I really ought to focus on wishing all you wonderful mothers a Happy Mother's Day,
but this past week, a conversation with a friend inspired me to write this post. As a mother and grandmother, I understand all too well the angst we experience in raising our children. And even when they are grown, our mothering responsibilities are still not over.

Being a mother is hard work. 

But mothers, rest assured, God knew what He was doing when He chose us to carry on the human race. Have you ever thought what it would be like if men were mothers? I would admit, some of them do fulfill both roles as mother and father - my oldest son is a fine example - but God equipped us to be mothers. So, on this Mother's Day, I want to implore you to do one more thing - if you don't already do it.

Pray for your children. 

When my children were little, I assembled them at the front door just before leaving for school, we held hands, and I would say a little prayer with them. In today's world we need God's protection over our children more than ever, and the best way to get it is through prayer. One minute of prayer before they leave the house can prevent a lifetime of sorrow.

In the Bible, there's a story of a slave named Hannah who cried out on behalf of her son after they had been thrown out of the home of his father Abraham. Read Genesis 21: 14 - 20. You can read about other wonderful mothers of the Bible in my book Women For All Seasons or give a copy to some special mother in your life. It will make her day.

Happy Mother's Day!

What Are We Teaching Our Children?

The 2016 presidential elections have come and gone, but the memories will remain for a lifetime. While some of us here in the US are rejoicing and others are mourning over what could have been, my question is, what are we teaching our children? Ten years or more when our children and grandchildren ask us what happened in 2016, what will we say to them?  That we gave in to our fears, insecurities, prejudices, or we simply didn't know what we were doing?

My concern is for our children who are the future of the world. Are we teaching them that it's okay to insult others, disrespect women, disregard the law with impunity, show hate for those who don't look like us or who don't share our views and still ascend to the highest office in our land?

We need to do better. For the sake of our children and our world. We have to teach them that love and unity are what we need to build a stronger, more peaceful world. One where we treat others with respect and not view them with suspicion.Yes, we need to teach our children to be safe, but not to the extent of ostracizing others because of the color of their skin or where they may have come from.

Fortunately, there are many young people who are being brought up according to true Christian principles, not just loving those who look like them or who belong to their social circle, but who are following the teachings of Jesus -  “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them" (Luke 6: 32).

Let's be Christlike in word and in deed.

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This weekend you can pick up a copy of my book Coming Out of Egypt for FREE by going here  

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Are you trying to find that special someone? Click on the link below:

Pray For Teachers

With the school year now underway, you have no doubt established a routine of getting your kids up in the morning, dropping them off to school and picking them up in the afternoon. Some of you may even include a time of prayer, either before or after school, for your children's safety and success in their studies. But have you ever prayed for those men and women who are responsible for your children's welfare during the day?

Children spend more of their waking moments with their teachers than they do with their parents. Teachers can and do exert a considerable amount of influence over your children.  I am sure you can recall some favorite teacher who inspired you and helped to make you the man or woman you are today. For some children, the only guidance or show of love they will ever receive is from a teacher. And this is why we need to pray for them.

As someone whose first career was teaching, I know how challenging this job can be. It's not easy to try to mold the lives of thirty-odd children with varying needs, abilities and backgrounds. Yet, this is what teachers do everyday. In recent times, teaching has become more demanding. Teachers' skills, patience and even their safety are being tested all the time. We need to pray that God will give our teachers the grace, wisdom and strength necessary to keep on giving their best even when things get tough.

Let us pray that teachers will not become "weary in well doing" (Galatians 6: 9) but will work "Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart" (Ephesians 6: 6) and that God will "Make them perfect in every good work to do his will, working in them that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever" (Hebrews 13: 21). 

If you wish to encourage a special teacher in a tangible way, here are some ways you can do it:

a. Write a note to the teacher(s) letting them know you appreciate their hard work and that you are praying for them. 

b. Give a gift - a mug filled with chocolate, a small basket of apples, nicely wrapped, or a daily planner decorated and signed by you and your child. 

For more ideas, see the link below.  

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