Girls To Grow

Nurturing moms in their walk with God

The 5 Best Books I Read This Spring

by 4 Comments

Happy Friday! Do you have anything fun and/or relaxing planned for this weekend?

One of my favorite ways to relax is to settle in with a good book. My reading goal for 2022 is to average one book a week. So far this year I’ve finished 37 books so I’m well ahead of schedule!

Now that we’re officially in summer, I thought I’d take a look back at the best books I read this spring. While I did read several non-fiction books, my top-five list is all fiction.

This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting Girls to Grow through your purchases!

The top-five books I read during Spring 2022 - and they all happen to be fiction!

1. Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden. I’ve read several books by this author and have enjoyed them all. This particular story takes place in Boston in the late 1800s.

2. Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz. Here’s another favorite author – and another historical fiction book! I’d really gotten away from reading many books in that genre but have gotten back into them lately. Early James Towne colony is the setting for this story. Even though it’s fiction, I like how the author includes actual historical places and people.

3. We Were Kings by Court Stevens. This is considered a YA book, another genre that I don’t read often. However, this mystery drew me in and I was a little surprised by the ending.

4. Provenance by Carla Laureano. Here again, I read this book because I enjoyed previous books by this author. It’s a sweet story of finding redemption and family when you least expect it.

5. The Gem Thief by Sian Ann Bessey. This modern-day story had a good pace and kept me guessing who the “bad guy” was up until the end.

Honorable Mention: Trust Me by Kelly Irvin is a romantic suspense novel that was very good, although I did figure out “who-dun-it” pretty early on in the story. The Letter from Briarton Park by Sarah E. Ladd is a Regency romance and was also an enjoyable read.

Share with me in the comments what you’ve been reading lately!

Related posts:

7 Helpful Prayers to Pray When You’re Struggling with Your Thought Life

by 4 Comments

Welcome to the blog today! While the weather this time of year isn’t my favorite (here’s looking at you, heat and humidity), I do totally enjoy all the daylight hours! I love the light early in the mornings and late into the evenings.

Today’s topic is one that we’ve probably all struggled with at some point. Having a strong, healthy thought life means overcoming a wide range of temptations.

Sure, it could be impure or lustful thoughts. It could also be jealousy or envy, often brought on by comparing ourselves or what we have with others. Fear and worry can dominate our minds. Or maybe we just have a negative outlook because we’re ungrateful.

We read in the first part of Proverbs 23:7 that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. That tells me that the person I’m becoming is directly tied to how I’m thinking.

Here are seven Bible-based prayers we can pray as we seek to gain victory over sin in our thought life.

We become what we think about. So what are we feeding our minds?

Do we read books or watch movies or listen to songs that lead us to impure thoughts? Are we giving fear top billing in our minds as we check the news throughout the day? Do we worry more or pray more?

I can admit that I’ve been in all of these places at different times in my life. Yet no matter what our struggle is in this area, we can have victory through God’s power.

Here are seven Bible verses we can pray to help us win the battle for our minds.

1. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” ~Psalm 19:14

This is the perfect verse to start with because it’s already a prayer! The meditation of our heart – what a perfect description of our thoughts. God knows every thought that passes through our minds and we want all of them to be pleasing to Him.

2. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; ~2 Corinthians 10:4-5

What beautiful imagery – capturing every thought. It’s easy to let our minds fill with any ol’ thoughts, to just let them run free. But this verse doesn’t have gentle language. It’s active – pull down, cast down, bring into captivity. We have to take action to control our thoughts.

This verse is also a wonderful reminder that we can only do this because of our mighty God. It’s a spiritual battle and we need His help to win it.

God, through your power, let me throw out of my mind wrong imaginations and any thoughts that cause me to go against You and Your Word. Help me to capture every stray thought and align it with your truth.

3. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ~Philippians 4:8

Here’s a checklist for our thought life. If what you’re thinking about lines up with these guidelines, you’re good to go.

Dear Lord, let my mind only dwell on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good, and virtuous. May all my thoughts be praiseworthy.

4. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. ~Matthew 22:37

If I’m loving God with all my mind, there will be no room for other sinful thoughts.

Heavenly Father, help me to love you with all of my mind. Let thoughts of You and Your truth crowd out all else. I’m thankful that you are worthy of all my worship and praise.

5. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ~1 Peter 1:13

It’s easy to get sloppy about our thought life. Monitoring what goes into our minds may seem unimportant at times. But, as we mentioned above, what we’re feeding our minds is going to affect every part of us. It’s important to be vigilant about what we’re allowing to influence us.

Dear Lord, may I take control of my thoughts and be serious about guarding what enters my mind. Thank You for your grace and that I can seek forgiveness from You when my thoughts get off track.

6. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. ~Psalm 139:23-24

Just like the number one above, this verse is already a prayer. No need to elaborate – we can just pray what’s written! It’s humbling to ask God to search us, not just our words and actions, but our thoughts and motives.

7. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. ~Romans 13:14

This verse applies to every area of our lives, from where we go to what we take in to the people we hang out with.

God keep me from thoughts that would cause me to sin. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. Give me perception and discernment to see where certain thought patterns will lead and let me not follow blindly. Convict me of sin in my thought life.

I hope all of us can benefit from one or more of these prayers as we strive to win the battle for our thought life.

Related posts:

Why This Summer Is Unique – and 7 Ways to Make It Memorable

by 2 Comments

While we’re not technically in the summer season yet, the weather and the academic calendar tell me we’re there!

Summer can look different for each of us depending on what life stage we’re in at the moment. You could be dealing with young children, sending a teen off to a weeklong camp for the first time, or fully in the empty nest years.

What's unique about this summer for you? Check out 3 things unique about our summer along with 7 ways we can make this summer memorable.

I’m in one of those in-between stages, but here are three things that are unique about this summer for our family.

We’re planning a wedding.

It’s the last summer that our older daughter will live at home.

It’s our first summer in our new house.

Each of those is informing what’s important to us this summer. From scheduling wedding-related appointments to purposefully making memories to checking out the pool in our new neighborhood, things look a little different from any summer before or any that will follow.

What’s unique about your summer? Is there something that sets it apart from other ones? Maybe the dynamics between siblings are changing. The older children may be able to do more independently and take on more responsibility. Perhaps you’re in a different position with your health or employment.

Regardless of what makes this summer unique to our families, we all want to look back in September and say that we made some good memories. Here are seven ways we can do just that.

1. Elevate the simple things.

We have a cluster mailbox now and it’s a 9-minute walk from our house. Often in the evenings after supper, I’ll walk up there to check the mail. If our 19-year-old is home, she’ll walk with me. We get a little exercise and talk about random things, but it’s a nice check-in time near the end of the day.

Are there any basic things you do that could become a time to connect with one of your children? It could be a chore they help you with or an errand where they tag along. Look for simple tasks or repetitive parts of your day when you could include them in what you’re doing.

2. Schedule around the important things.

You get to decide what’s important to you.

Our girls usually leave for work at 1:30 pm five days a week. Depending on their schedule, they may not get home till 10 or 11 pm. That means my schedule this summer has me home most days between 10 am and 1:30 pm so that I can be in the house when they are. (They won’t know if I’m gone early in the morning because they’re still asleep in bed!)

That’s what’s important to me this summer. Maybe for you, it’s driving them to Vacation Bible School or weekly trips to the library or scheduled playdates at the park or the pool. Put those in your calendar first and schedule other things around them.

3. Start a new tradition.

I don’t have a plan for this yet, but I sure would work on it if our kids were younger! Whether it’s homemade milkshake nights or a campout in the backyard or hide-and-seek after dark, regular traditions give everyone something to look forward to.

4. Allow your child to step into a new freedom.

Make this a big deal so your child can look back and say, “I remember when I was old enough to…”

At our girls’ age, maybe it’s a short road trip with good friends. This could be the summer your child gets a later bedtime or tries a new skill or takes on a bigger responsibility.

5. Stop comparing your summer to someone else’s summer.

If you’re not doing this, good for you! But we’ve talked before about how sneaky comparison can be and how it makes us feel. Let’s find contentment in our own lives and plans and not worry about what everyone else is doing.

6. Stay positive when things don’t go as planned.

I read an article about Yellowstone National Park being closed for several days due to flooding. Suppose you’d been vacationing there this week and planning to tour the park? What kind of pivoting would you have to do? I’m guessing my first reaction would have been frustration!

The summer – like every season! – will bring things that are out of our control. Just last week we talked about the importance of our attitude. I can pretty much guarantee that something won’t go as planned this summer, so let’s do our best to stay positive.

7. Seize opportunities for growth.

This applies to growth in our children’s lives, but for ourselves as well!

It could be that our child gets their first summer job, anything from babysitting to cutting a neighbor’s grass. There might be a new camp to attend or, what could be really rewarding, a chance to serve others or an opportunity for spiritual growth.

Look around and see where you can grow over these few months. Just like your child, try something new. You never know what might become a permanent part of your summer or your life!

I hope that we can all embrace what makes this summer unique and create lifelong memories in the process!

Related posts:

3 Tips for a Better Attitude Today

by 4 Comments

Let’s start out with a question for you today. How’s your attitude?

Maybe things are going great and you’re feeling happy and motivated. You could be on the other end of the spectrum – grumpy and discouraged – or somewhere in between.

If you need an attitude adjustment like I did, check out these three Bible-based tips for having a better attitude today.

I will confess that earlier this week, my attitude was not the greatest. It all centered on a minor inconvenience that hardly affected me, but I still felt annoyed by it.

Props to my husband…he handled it with no complaining or grumbling…so then I felt even worse about my disgruntled frame of mind!

Before I sat down to read my Bible on Monday morning, I talked to God about how I was feeling. I sensed an undercurrent of dissatisfaction that I knew needed to be corrected.

Isn’t God good to give us just what we need by encouraging us through His Word? [Side note: this is not the point of this post, but I was reminded of the importance of reading my Bible on a regular basis because that’s where God most often speaks to me.]

Do you know what I needed that day? A changed perspective. And I found it in Romans 12:12.

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;“

I realized that there were three things I could do right then that would improve my attitude for the rest of the day.

1. Choose joy.

I could focus on the situation that wasn’t what I wanted it to be. Or I could look at all my blessings and thank God for them.

Of all people, we as Christians have hope. We have hope for today because God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. We have hope for tomorrow because He is faithful and always keeps His promises. We have hope for eternity because our final home is in Heaven.

You and I don’t get to choose all that happens to us today, but we do get to choose how to respond in every situation. Let’s be intentional in choosing joy.

Want a practical way to increase your joy right away? Listen to some music that encourages your soul – and sing along!

2. Practice patience.

Remember all those Bible admonitions to wait on the Lord? We all have seasons of waiting, of trusting that God will meet the need, will show us the next step.

The verse above tells us to be patient in tribulation. Isn’t that when it’s the most difficult? We want out of our trouble or suffering as quickly as possible!

Yet our God is sovereign. He will bring an end to our trial in HIS timing, not ours.

I like this quote from Peter Marshall. “Teach us, O Lord, the disciplines of patience, for to wait is often harder than to work.“

3. Pray about everything.

God knows all about my situation. But I believe that He still wants me to talk to Him about it. It’s okay to tell Him if I’m frustrated or unhappy.

Then I can turn to Him in faith. I can bring my need to Him, and ask Him to meet it, ultimately praying for His will to be done.

Our verse above admonishes us to be steadfast in prayer. Stand firm. Don’t give up. Believe that God hears and will answer.

As my dad often said, attitude is everything. I know I’ll need to revisit these three tips often, especially if I want to keep a right perspective when things aren’t going smoothly!

Related posts:

5 Fun Finds from May 2022

by 4 Comments

Welcome to the blog on this first Friday in June! How’s your week been? Ours has been full, but we’re getting some necessary appointments and meetings out of the way, so that’s good.

Before May is too far in the rearview mirror, I thought I’d take a quick look back at five fun finds from the month. I hope you find something on the list that you’ll enjoy, too!

This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting Girls to Grow through your purchases!

What I'm loving in May 2022

1. Waterproof Outdoor Decorative Throw Pillow Covers Pack of Four Garden/Leaf Pattern. Two of these are currently on the bench on our front porch. I also got these pillow inserts if you need them and so far I’ve been pleased with both purchases.

2. Overcomer. I realize that this movie came out several years ago, but my husband and I had never watched it. We were searching for something to watch one Friday night, so I rented it on Amazon Prime Video. It’s a little bit long, but I thought it was very good and worth the watch.

3. Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz and A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden. Thought I’d include these two books as one “find” since I enjoyed reading both of them in May. They’re historical fiction, which I don’t tend to read a lot of on a regular basis. Tidewater Bride is set in coastal Virginia during colonial days and A Dangerous Legacy is set in New York City in the early 1900s. I got caught up in both stories and plan to read more by those authors.

4. The Moment This Dad Realized Youth Sports Were Ending, Forever. I went through these emotions a year ago when our youngest daughter cheered at her last basketball game, acted in her last school play, and performed in her last fine arts concert. Just reading this post brought back all those feelings!

5. Change Your Life Chicken. Kendra Adachi, aka The Lazy Genius, recently released a book The Lazy Genius Kitchen. (Side note: I don’t have the book yet, but I plan to buy it for my daughter who’s getting married in January.) She also produced a set of related videos which I found very entertaining. So, to get to the point – in one of the videos, she mentioned this Change-Your-Life Chicken recipe. I made it one night and it was a winner! I pretty much followed her recipe exactly and plan to make it again.

If you’ve recently come across a fun find, let me know what it is in the comments! I hope you have a great weekend!

5 Truths to Help You Get Victory Over Sin

by 4 Comments

Happy June!! With Memorial Day behind us, it certainly feels like summer is here!

I took an unplanned break from posting on the blog last week. I can’t say that anything big was happening, but it’s definitely a different pace around here with the girls home from college for the summer. There’s certainly more coming and going, and I try to tag along whenever I’m invited 🙂

We did attend three graduation parties over the weekend. It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since our youngest daughter graduated from high school! Time is passing so quickly in this season of life.

The last few mornings, I’ve been reading in Romans 6. A number of verses have spoken to me in this passage, specifically as it relates to our ongoing battle with sin. We will have this fleshly “old man” with us until we reach our home in Heaven! But how can we get victory over sin on a regular basis? I think I found some answers there in Romans 6.

Check out these five truths from Romans 6 as you seek to get victory over sin in your life.

1. If I’ve trusted Jesus as my Savior, I no longer have to serve sin.

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him [Jesus], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” ~Verses 6,7

What a wonderful thing to be free from sin! It all starts here. We must realize that it’s only through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection from death that we have power to not sin.

Our human flesh, the “old man,” is bound to sin and naturally follows sinful desires. But once we’ve accepted Jesus as our Savior, we don’t have to be in bondage to sin anymore.

2. Is there a sin (or sins) ruling my life?

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” ~Verse 12

Once I have Jesus in my life, I don’t have to let sin be in charge. I can choose to allow God to direct my life instead.

The latter part of the verse talks about lust. We often think of that word in a sexual context, but it can just mean a strong craving or desire.

Maybe we have a strong desire to please people without considering if we’re pleasing God. It could be a lust for material possessions or to be the center of attention or a desire to always be in control of our circumstances instead of trusting God. These lusts or sinful desires can rule the decisions we make, the words we say, and how we treat others.

Pray and ask God to reveal any sins that might be reigning in your life so that you can get them off the throne!

3. Am I daily yielding myself to God?

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” ~Verse 16

Another word we could use here is submit. We’ve taken sin off the throne. Now we need to submit ourselves to God’s working in our lives. Let’s not obey the sin that wants us to serve it, but rather obey God who wants to see us live righteously.

4. Choosing obedience to God over sin involves a change of heart.

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” ~ Verse 17

Yes, we once served sin, but now we’ve been given the light of the gospel. Jesus has made us free. Now we shun sin and serve God because we want to please Him and show Him how grateful we are for all He’s done for us.

5. As we begin to have victory over sin, we produce fruit unto holiness.

“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” ~Verse 22

Because we’re free from sin, we can grow in our walk with God and produce fruit. Our fruit is a holy life, our sanctification. It’s not our salvation; verse 23 covers that. Salvation is a gift from God. But once we’re saved, through Bible study, meditation, and prayer, our lives become a reflection of Him.

How blessed we are that we can defeat sin in our lives through redemption in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit!

Related posts:

The Bible Verse That Helped Me See My Sin

by 4 Comments

If you’re looking for a bit of vulnerability today, you’ve come to the right place 🙂

As I’ve said before, I often write about an area in which I’m currently being challenged. Today’s topic is one that’s a recurring struggle in my life.

One blessing of memorizing Scripture is that the Holy Spirit can bring specific verses to mind when they’re needed. Sometimes a verse from a particular Psalm will cheer me up when I need encouragement. Or when I sense that I need wisdom, James 1:5 will remind me to ask God for it.

And then there are the times a verse comes along and convicts me of sin in my life. Such was the case on a couple of occasions recently.

It's a sin I struggle with often, but the Holy Spirit used this verse to convict my heart and change my spirit.

I’ll share the verse with you and you’ll immediately know what my issue was.

“Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well-advised is wisdom.” ~Proverbs13:10

Before we dive into my story, let’s remind ourselves what pride is.

The definition from dictionary.com is “a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.“

That phrase “cherished in the mind” is interesting. Pride begins with how we think of ourselves. Eventually, if we indulge those thoughts rather than fight them, pride comes out in how we act, what we say, and the way we treat other people.

Here are two recent situations when I was convicted by this verse.

In the first instance, my feelings were hurt. I felt like someone treated me poorly, especially when I considered all that I’d done for them. And since I’m keeping it real, my first inclination was to get angry at them and let them know it.

That’s precisely when Proverbs 13:10 came to mind. There was about to be contention (aka some conflict), and according to that verse, it would be my pride that caused it. I was going to play myself as the victim and try to get the other person to see how I’d been hurt.

Thankfully I heeded that warning and realized that there was a better way to handle the situation. In this case, it was to just let it go. I’m not saying that’s always the right thing to do, but it was in this moment.

The only reason for the conflict would be that I wanted my hurt feelings to be recognized. I believe it was unintentional on their part, and nothing about addressing it in this particular instance was going to build or better the relationship going forward.

And since I didn’t learn the lesson well enough that time, I got another opportunity to be tested! This time I had a different take on a situation than someone else did. I held a great conversation in my head about how right I was!

But once again, Proverbs 13:10 slipped into my thoughts. Did it really matter who was right? And even if I was correct in my assessment, was it worth potentially damaging the relationship? Thankfully I realized that it wasn’t before I started the conversation.

So what’s the moral of the story here? I’ll make it brief.

~Anytime you’re about to enter into a conflict or argument, ask yourself if your pride is involved. Are you practicing meekness and humility or just wanting your own way?

~Hide God’s Word in your heart. The older I get, the more difficult it is, but memorizing Bible verses is important. It’s especially helpful to focus on those Scriptures that can help you in areas where you struggle.

~Praise God for His Word and His Holy Spirit that convicts us of sin.

~Thank the Lord that when our flesh overrides His convicting of our souls, He forgives our sin as we come to Him and repent.

Is there a verse that God’s been using in your life lately in some way? I’d love to hear about it!

Related posts:

8 Things That Will Matter When You’re 80

by 4 Comments

Hello and welcome to the blog today!

Has it been unseasonably cool where you are? While we’ve had beautiful sunshine this week, it’s been breezy and definitely not our typical warm May temperatures. But I know that the heat and humidity of summer are on the way, so I’m not complaining!

I know those of you reading are of various ages and in many different stages of life. For some, turning 80 years old is a very distant possibility. For others, it’s just around the corner.

Each of us also has responsibilities each day, whether it’s working a job, mothering full-time, being a caregiver, or a host of other things. I was thinking the other day that of all the things we do, the duties we perform, which ones will matter when I get older? Assuming that the Lord allows me a normal lifespan, what will I be glad that I did?

I hope I can be like those who are referenced in Psalm 92:13-14

“Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;” ~Psalm 92:13-14

No matter what your age today, if God gives us 80 or more years to live on this earth, here are eight things that I think will matter to us.

A list of eight things to be doing now that you'll be glad you did when you're 80 years old

It will matter…

...that you spent time reading God’s Word and praying.

I hope we all desire to be 80-year-old Christian women who are strong in their faith. That means we need to have a spiritual focus today. Time spent in Bible study and prayer is never wasted. Building our lives around these things produces eternal results.

…that you served God and shared your faith.

There will come a point where we’re not able to do all that we did when we were younger. But what a blessing to be able to look back and thank God for ways in which we were able to serve Him and for souls we saw saved.

It doesn’t have to be what many would consider “big” things. It could be working in the church nursery, taking a meal to a sick friend, or praying with a co-worker. What will matter is that we were able to impact people for eternity.

…that you used your time wisely.

“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away…So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” ~Psalm 90:10, 12

I can certainly see where I fall short here. There are certainly times we need to rest and relax. But I know that it’s easy for me to waste time, to let it pass by frivolously. That’s where having a schedule or at least a routine of some sort helps me to better manage my time.

...that you loved your family well.

These are the people you’re often with 24/7. They know all about you. As we get older and are separated by distance or even just our busy lives, we always want them to know that they are loved.

…that you saved money.

Here’s a practical one for you! I’ve heard money teacher Dave Ramsey say that money is just a tool that gives you choices. If you’ve not saved much, your choices are more limited. If you’ve got more financial reserves, you have more choices for your lifestyle. It may mean sacrificing a few things now to have more security later.

…that you went for your dreams.

Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.“

This one’s not easy for me as I’m rather risk-averse. But I hope that I’ll follow God’s leading and be willing to step out into new adventures.

…that you cultivated relationships.

What a blessing to have long-lasting friendships! So invite someone over to your house, ask a friend to meet for coffee, text that person from church and let them know you’re praying for them.

…that you made time for doing things you enjoy.

Is it reading a book, playing golf, doing crossword puzzles, hiking, or cross-stitching? Find hobbies you enjoy and make time for them.

Do you know what we can be sure of? That just as God is present and active in our lives today, He’ll be the same when we’re 80, 90, or 100 years old!

“And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” ~Isaiah 46:4

Which of these will you work on today? And if you’ve already hit that 80-year milestone, please tell us if these things matter to you!

Related posts:

7 Ways to Parent a Teenager

by 5 Comments

Hello, friends! Has it really hit you yet that it’s MAY!! I think I’m in denial. But it will definitely feel real when our college girls get home next weekend.

Today’s post was inspired by a recent conversation with a couple of mom friends. (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Having friends with children who are similar ages to mine has been a lifesaver in parenting. Otherwise, I tend to think that I’m the only mom whose child __________ (fill in the blank with any number of actions or attitudes). Talking with other moms reminds me that we all face similar challenges and celebrate some of the same joys, too!)

Dealing with teenagers can differ from one family to the next based on the parent’s personality, the child’s personality, and many other factors. But you’ll likely experience some things during those years that are the same across the board. After all, teenagers have a reputation for certain behaviors for a reason!

Listed below are seven ways to parent our teenagers. Hopefully, they can help us build good relationships with our children during this season of their lives.

Check out this list of seven ways we can successfully parent our children through the teenage years.

Let’s parent our teenagers…

1. With love.

This is the kind that’s unconditional because your teenager isn’t always going to act loving or respond to you in love. But we can always seek to interact with them and make decisions regarding them from a place of love and wanting the best for them.

2. With patience.

This one may be needed more than any of the others!! When our teenager frustrates us, it’s so easy to respond with a quick, unkind word or an angry outburst. And sometimes when they’ve made a poor choice or a bad decision, that may seem warranted.

But here’s where we do offer up a quick prayer for self-control and don’t let our emotions take over. We can remain calm while still communicating clearly and correcting as necessary.

3. With a sense of humor.

Sometimes all you can do is laugh. This is advice to myself right here – don’t take everything so seriously. Never laugh at your teenager, but take every opportunity to laugh with them.

4. With an adult perspective.

Look at the long view when dealing with teenagers. Know that they’re going to make mistakes and use those as learning opportunities. We’re not trying to raise great kids – or even great teenagers – but great adults.

5. With a mindfulness of their growing need for independence.

Don’t treat them like they’re four years old. Allow age-appropriate freedoms. Let them earn more independence by showing that they’re responsible and trustworthy.

6. Without a need to be liked.

This is especially hard for a people pleaser like me. I just want everyone to be happy and in a good mood! But sometimes we’ll have to make a decision that our teenager doesn’t like and stick to it.

7. With prayers for wisdom.

Did you see this one coming? My prayer life changed and grew once we had teenagers. Especially when parenting your oldest, the best way to handle a situation may not be clear. Ask God for wisdom and He promises to give it.

I don’t want it to sound like having teenagers in the house is such a terrible thing! They’re also a lot of fun, as I shared in my Top 10 Things I Love About Having Teenage Daughters. Parenting teenagers has definitely grown me and changed me for the better!

If you have other suggestions of ways to parent our teenagers, please share in the comments section below!

Related posts:

How to Pray for Someone You Love

by 5 Comments

It’s another middle-of-the-week post and the last one for April!

It looks like May is shaping up to be a full month around here. We’ll be happy to have our daughters home from college in a couple of weeks. There’s also a friend’s wedding and a few graduations, so lots of celebrating ahead!

A few days ago I became burdened about praying for someone I love. Have you ever had that feeling? Maybe it’s a spouse, a child, a relative, or a friend. It could be that you know they need Jesus as their Savior. Perhaps they’re experiencing a health crisis or a financial problem. Or you might recognize that a person you love is facing a spiritual battle and you want to cover them in prayer.

As I was thinking about this the other night, I was reminded of a story about Abraham. Near the end of Genesis 18, after spending time with Abraham and Sarah, the Lord tells Abraham his plan to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness. You’ll remember that Abraham’s nephew, Lot, and his family live in that area.

Then there’s a back-and-forth conversation where Abraham asks God to spare the city if there’s a certain number of righteous people in it. Abraham continues to lower the number of righteous required, and God continues to agree to spare the city if He finds that many righteous people.

There’s a lot we can learn from this exchange. As Abraham pleads with God on Lot’s behalf, let’s look at five things we can apply as we pray for someone we love.

Here you'll find five ways we can pray for someone we love from the Bible story of Abraham talking with God.

1. His prayer was specific.

Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? ~Genesis 18:24

Abraham didn’t just offer a general prayer for the city to be spared. He listed specific numbers in his request to God.

Let’s be specific as we pray. What exactly is it that we want God to do in this person’s life? It helps to base our prayer on God’s Word so we’ll know for certain that we’re praying in His will.

For example, if we’re praying for someone who’s fighting temptation, pray that they will put on the whole armor of God from Ephesians 6:10-18. You could even pray through each particular piece as you pray for your loved one.

2. He appealed to God’s character.

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? ~Genesis 18:23-25

Abraham knew God so he was able to speak to His character. He knew that God was just and always did what was right.

We can do the same as we pray. Appeal to His mercy. Ask for His grace. Our God is compassionate, loving, and longsuffering. We can rest in those traits as we bring our requests to Him.

3. He was humble.

And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: ~Genesis 18:27

His attitude wasn’t, “God, you owe me.” No, he recognized who he was and who God was.

We can approach God boldly yet still have an attitude of reverence and humility. It’s only because of His grace that we’re able to come into His presence and have Him hear our prayers.

4. He was persistent.

And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake. ~Genesis 18:32

This was the sixth time Abraham asked God to answer his specific request. And not once did God tell him to stop asking.

Don’t give up. Remember the New Testament admonition to pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

5. He left it in the Lord’s hands.

And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place. ~Genesis 18:33

Abraham didn’t try to follow the Lord to see what was going to happen. Once he’d finished talking to God, he returned home and went about his usual business.

Too often I’ll pray about something, but rather than leaving it in the Lord’s hands, I’ll continue to worry or fret over it. When that happens, I try to remind myself of Philippians 4:6, 7.

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I find encouragement as I read how Jesus prayed for Peter in Luke 22:31-32.

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Let’s take our requests for our loved ones to God in prayer and trust Him to work in their lives for His glory.

Related posts: