Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 NLT
One of my recent Bible readings was Acts 12. In this chapter, Herod has put Peter in prison. Now Herod was arresting those who belonged to the church and had put James, the brother of John to death already, so it wasn’t looking good for Peter. The church was “earnestly praying” to God on Peter’s behalf.
Scripture tells us the night before Peter was to be brought to trial, he was bound with chains, sleeping between two guards, when an angel of the Lord appeared, woke him up, made the chains fall from his wrist and led him from the prison to freedom right under three sets of guards noses.
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It’s true, according to my kids. And looking through their eyes, I have to agree. But what they see as “mean” is really me trying to gain respect and control of my childrens’ behavior, though I’m not as successful as I’d like to be.
My goal is to be firm, but it comes out harsh. Not the best way to change their hearts and get them to do things my way, but it’s so easy to resort to old habits.
Thankfully, God sends little reminders to help me in this area. This came in my inbox the other morning.
Be Firm Without Being Harsh
“Some parents believe that the only way to be firm is to be harsh.
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My Bible reading this morning was chapter 37 of Ezekiel, where God takes Ezekiel to the middle of a valley filled with “dry bones.”
Evidently, they had been there a while because Ezekiel notes that they are “very dry.” Then God asks him:
“Son of man, can these bones live?”
The thought that popped into my head was “No,” even though I have read this account dozens of times.
How often do we do that? We look at our current circumstances and say “No” to God. We are frustrated and discouraged and we think:
My marriage is never going to get better.
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“The finger of God that points the way is on the hand of God that supplies the need.” I heard that quote at a Missions Conference when I was young, and I have always remembered it. The speaker was talking about those who are called to be missionaries and pointing out that if God called one to the mission field, He would provide the means to get there. As I have grown older, though, I have realized that the quote is true for me in every aspect of my life.
God has called me to be a wife and mother. He will provide strength when I am tired, frustrated, and discouraged.
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Oftentimes, when my husband leaves for work in the morning, he will tell the kids that he wants “a good report” when he gets home. It is, as you can imagine, always very helpful to me as I can remind the kids of dad’s words throughout the day.
No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the Lord’s people. 1 Samuel 2:24
There was a man in the Bible, a priest, who did not get a good report about his sons while he was away. Eli, the priest over Samuel, found out that his sons were not honoring God in their offerings and they were also sleeping with women who served at the Tent of Meeting.
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My email signature used to read:
Gina Conroy
Writer In Progress (my way of playing with the code word WIP (Work in Progress) that all aspiring and published authors know so well)
But couldn’t every Christian sign their email with a WIP?
We’re all WIPS – Works in Progress.
Nothing gives imperfect, stumbling Christians more hope than the book of Philippians. Maybe that’s why I love it so much. It gives me a perfect picture, a road map of how I should “carry on until the day of completion.” Until Jesus comes.
2 vs. 3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself.”
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“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-and how well I know it.” Psalm 139:13-14 NLT
Pretty much my entire life has been spent measuring myself up against the standards of this world, always feeling as if I am not enough. It has been a constant struggle to truly accept and appreciate who I really am.
My soul thirsts for a respite from the constant media barrage of perfect models, families, and women in ministry. I watch and wonder, “Will that ever be me?”
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