Women of Promise

       With seven children, I have clung for years to the promise in Proverbs 22:6:  Train up a child in the way he should go;  and when he is old, he will not depart from it.        A question has always nagged in the back of my mind: Can I REALLY trust this? I mean, I have known of so many Godly parents, whose children have strayed away from the truths they were taught. Does that mean I can't trust God's Word? In my mind, it came down to two things: either God cannot be trusted to keep every single promise He has made, or there was a key parenting element that God expected parents to act on that sincere, Christian parents were missing every day. Which was it?  How can I parent in confidence?  I decided to search it out.      I was floored to learn that I had been taking Proverbs 22:6 out of context all these years.  The importance of understanding all of Scripture in context as well as looking at the origi...

       At all ages of childhood, from infanthood to the teen years, one major challenge of parenting comes in shepherding a child's emotions. As an infant, they really are incapable of controlling their emotions.  Everything they feel is expressed through their emotions.  By looking at a baby, it is pretty clear to see if they are upset by something, or content and happy. Crying or laughing becomes their primary communication. However, as a child grows they gain control over their emotions. A toddler does not have the same control as a teenager, and, generally, a teenager is still much more emotional than an adult.       Emotions are given to us by God.  They are part of our humanity.  God is an emotional God and we are made in His image. We are made to experience love, sadness, fear, anger, and joy.  Conversely, God is not a God of uncontrolled emotions and learning to experience emotions without being ruled by them is a ...

       Happy Valentine's Day!  February 14th has been a day dedicated to showing those closest to us our love.  Like many holidays, it has become commercialized and cheapened over the years by many. Others celebrate it to its fullest.  I love holidays and I love to have any reason to celebrate anything!     Did you know that there actually was a man named Valentine who has been granted the status of "saint" by the Roman Catholic church?  Did you know that Valentine was a martyr for the Christian faith?  While much of his story is clouded in legend, there are several snippets that have been confirmed by historians. Anyone who stood for Jesus in the face of death deserves the highest honor. Here is Valentine's story:     In the third century AD, there was an emperor of Rome, named Claudius III.  He was a very cruel emperor.  One of the cold decrees he made outlawed marriage in the Roman Empire. His reasoning was th...

       There is not much that feels better than to scrub something that is dirty and make it shiny and clean, is there?  Scrubbing a toilet or shower, mopping a floor, washing dishes  -- the process is tedious and even annoying, but the end result is so satisfying, right? A clean vessel is ready for use and it reflects the care and vision of the owner.       This example is what I see when I read Titus 2:11-14.     For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,  teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,   looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,   who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.     Jumping to the end of that l...