One of My Biggest Regrets - FAMILY PLUS Children's

If you asked Katie and I what our biggest regret in life would be I bet we would both give an answer around the issue of money. Now we manage our money well and keep a very close watch on things...now. When we were first married we went through the school of hard knocks. We used to say, "I wish we hadn't gone out to eat so much," or "I wish we had saved our money." You know why? Because we want to do something with it. We want to do something besides buy stuff. One day, we want to give it away and serve people using it.

Jesus tells us that we can either serve money or serve God (Mt 6:24). Look a little closer at this verse. You can either serve money, which means you are focused on something small that is centered solely around you and your purposes. Or you can serve God, a King whose Kingdom is eternal, never to be defeated, and spans beyond the world to encompass all the known universe and the unknown. This is the same King that puts your interest in mind as He invites you to be an intimate part of your family.

I know what you're thinking if you actually read this far..."well since you put it that way, I only have one choice." The truth is your choice starts anew everyday and your kids are watching. You can either spend your time and money serving your world, which may I remind you is small and feeble, or you can serve in His world, which is beyond your capability to even comprehend. Let your kids see that you have what it takes to choose an abundant life, not a life of slavery (Jn 10:10).

This weeks details:

Scripture: Genesis 41

Life Point: God wants you to use money wisely.

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - FAMILY PLUS Children's

I've decided that without loneliness that Nashville wouldn't be the music capital that it is. There wouldn't be as many songs written like Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." The reason there are that many songs written about the topic is it is part of our nature to be together...with God and one another. That is why connect groups are so important for us to be apart of. 

We see loneliness in our kids. Every week or so Carter, our oldest, will lose track of myself or Katie in the house. What happens? He immediately panics, he starts yelling, and eventually he starts crying. The truth is he scared of being alone, and so are we. Just look around because everyone is trying to find someone to be with. Because loneliness is a bad thing. The truth is loneliness does not have to exist because "No matter what, God will never forget you."

Imagine if your children grew up believing this truth. What would their lives look like? Maybe they would spend every waking hour looking for someone to be with. Maybe they would be a little more confident and have more strength to embark out into the world. Maybe they wouldn't hesitate because they felt like they couldn't move forward without someone affirming their every move. Maybe they would tell a greater story...a story of peace found only in the One who never forgets them.

This weeks details are: 

Scripture: Gen 39:21- 40:23

Life Point: No matter what, God will never forget you.

Great Danes and Jesus - FAMILY PLUS Children's

When I was in high school a friend and I became stranded in the river after our boat motor quit. We were downstream and on the opposite side of the river from our truck. After a hilarious set of incidences, we rescued our boat, got ashore, and found a gentleman to drive us over to the other side of the river. A few days later God convicted my heart to go back to this man's home to thank him and share with him the truth of Jesus. I pulled up in the driveway with my heart pounding (nerves were getting the best of me). I got out of my truck and started walking to the porch with my head down focusing on the words God had laid upon my heart to share. About halfway to the porch I stopped when I realized a HUGE great dane had just stood up on the porch. I hesitated to see what the dog would do. Then I saw a second HUGE great dane stand up behind it and both began growling. At this point I knew this wasn't good. I immediately did the only thing I could do. I turn and ran back to my truck. I barely made it because when I shut the door and looked out my window I was face to face with one of the dogs whose breath was fogging up my glass. Soon after this the man came out and the dogs returned to normal; however, I was so shaken up by the incident I forgot to share with the man. That was whole reason I went there in the first place.

Just like when we run from danger, we should run from temptation and sin. Your challenge this week is to share a story like this from your life to your kids and simply explain that they should run from sin as fast as they can. 

This weeks details:

Scripture: Genesis 39

Life Point: Run from things that tempt you.

Egg Shells? - FAMILY PLUS Children's

Pain...it's a real thing to a child. Even pain caused by friends is real. I try to stay up to date on what's happening with our children developmentally and the trend I continue to be aware of is that children are becoming more aware of social pain at younger and younger ages. They understand that people can hurt them emotionally.

This is the truth we have to deal with daily. In your relationships you are aware of this. That's why you hate and avoid conflict or why you choose to "walk on egg shells" around certain people. You know that life situations put people on edge and that your actions/words can contribute to more social pain or create the initial social pain. We don't want to be a part of that for people. 

What we want to be a part of is the healing of pain. Unfortunately, you heal differently than I do. I may heal slower than you do. There is a common denominator to the healing process for all people...Jesus Christ. He is the healer, the medicine, the doctor, and the comforter. His way of healing is sufficient. He needs nothing else. So don't push people through their healing process; Point them to the correct way to heal. That's exactly what we will be doing in Kidstuf this week. May Christ heal us all!

This weeks details...

Scripture: Genesis 37

Life Point: People will sometimes hurt you, but Christ will never hurt you.

Talk to Yourself...Aloud - FAMILY PLUS Children's

When Katie and I were pregnant with our oldest a simple and powerful thing began to happen. We had a high strung dog that needed to get some energy out, and we had a great place to go for a walk. Every night after dinner we would head out for a 2 mile walk. We had different routes we would take, but the direction never mattered...the time mattered. During that time I would talk, and she would talk. I would listen, and she would listen. Those are some of my favorite memories and times we have had together over our 9 years. At the end of the day, I cherish time with her the most, especially now that life has gotten busier with more kids. 

I cherish my time like this with her, but I can easily fail to cherish my time like that with God. Since the WALK conference, I have taken Michael Kelley's suggestion to begin talking to myself just like Psalmists do. I wake up and tell my soul to get up and get moving. I tell my soul to stop doing things, and I tell my soul to start doing things. This kind of conversation with myself has led to a better conversation with God in prayer. Prayer is one of those things that I struggle with, but I know the times I spend a great deal in prayer I see the world as it should be seen...the way God sees it. So start talking to yourself aloud, and start talking to God more because this world needs people who see it as God sees it. 

This weeks details:

Scripture: Exodus 3-4, 17, 32, and 34

Life Point: God wants people to spend time in prayer with Him.