Living Proverbs 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it"
Proverbs 22:6

Another week has gone by and as I backed up to re-read last weeks post, my heart swells! God is working me forward. Last week, it was like I was in wait....waiting tensely...knowing when you ask our Father to draw close and reveal those sins He will and I didn't want to see them. They are always there, but it's like we have blinders on...we know its there but don't want to look at it so we don't. I was emptying myself out and waiting for the Lord to reveal more of the ugliness to me. I was a little guarded in this. I really didn't want to see or acknowledge how much self was still in me. Your like a little kid in waiting for your whoopin'! But God LOVES us!! His love and grace are way beyond our comprehension. PRAISE GOD FOR THAT! I get focused on the not wanting to see or know all the ugliness and not on the grander picture of my own good in all of this. Just don't want to go through it...that's all. I'm okay just the way I am right?! I'm not so bad...look at those people over there and their issues. They are worse than me right Lord?? Oh that darn flesh we have to constantly battle. It's hard! It's daily, moment to moment most times! So dying to self hurts! It's suffering! But let me encourage you that going through the suffering and death of our self-life to the wonderful resurrection and glory of the life Christ has actually given us is awesome and so worth it!! The pain is softened and eventually forgotten.

Today as I type, I know I still have a lot that still needs to be revealed to me. It's a daily process and I know that. I praise God for that! But the difference is I'm closer. I see the pain and the healing. There is less of me and more of Him! Just choosing to yield and trust Him. Allowing God to perfect His perfect work. Only He can do this...we can't fix ourselves. Don't give up!

As I walk more closely with the Lord, I hear and feel the areas in my parenting that just aren't up to par. This comes from the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it's a loving nudge. Most of the time it's flat out conviction of falling short of what He desires. I'm trying to be open to both. Embracing both. Conviction is hard for me because I feel like I've failed! I'm a pleaser and have a hard time dealing with those emotions in which those are the ones I tend to then ignore...this hasn't worked so well for me. So I'm choosing to make the choice to take what the Lord has given me to work on and be thankful for showing me! Then making the choice to do something about it. He has placed on my heart that this work will not get done overnight and taking baby steps is the best way to go for me and our children. Making little changes like less TV, watching more closely as to what cartoons they are watching (which again, I did in the past...but I felt conviction, so I have to listen to what the Lords will is in that) and even the foods we are feeding our bodies.

Sunday morning I sat down with the children and we prayed together. I gave them a brief version of what the Lord is working on my heart and asked them to be in prayer about walking closer with Him as well. We are choosing NOT to get up on Sunday's and flick on that darn TV. Also choosing to eat better foods and spending more time together in prayer. We've also talked more about creation and how we can't see God with our eyes but how He is ever present in and through everything. A concept that I'm still working on myself.

Baby steps....

I don't want my children to resent this process. I've prayed that their hearts be prepared and that the Lord would meet each one at their level...even Kolton who is two. The Lord will guide each of us differently. Each of our families and personalities are different. That is how He created us and only He knows the path He wants each of us to go. The secret is simply removing all the self-stuff so we can hear clearly His direction. Only then will we stop taking detours down through the ditch to enjoy the wonderfully beautiful guided path He has set before each one of us.

Thank you Jesus for never giving up on us!

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Would you like to join us in Living Proverbs 22:6??

Would you devote your Thursdays to blogging about how you are living this out?

I pray that God would join us to encourage each other in this journey.

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PS-If you send me your children's photo...I'll make you your very own Living Proverbs 22:6 logo for your Thursday blog posts!! Email to: babybeblessed@gmail.com