SUMites,

In the past week I taught live on different venues.

The First video is a short Back-to-School video I made a few years ago that addresses the changing moral culture and how to guide our children into faith. If you are a mom or dad, this will inspire you as a parent.

The second video: Wives Needs . This teaching was shared live on the Facebook page on Wednesday. It's taken from a conversation I had with a psychologist and counselor, Rebecca Saville. It's practical and full of truth and how-to meet our needs and give our husband a break. Approximately 20 minutes.

Understanding The Trinity: The third is the audio from the teaching I offered in our virtual class room. If you want intimacy with any of the three God, head, Father, Jesus or Holy Spirit THIS teaching is for you. It also concludes with a powerful prayer to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Listen to the teaching as that will prepare you for the prayer time. This is a long audio. Put it on when you are driving, washing dishes or listen instead of watching something on television. I would love your thoughts on each. 

To view all of these videos, please click here.

Today, I'm intrigued by the words of Jesus:

But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” -John 4:23-24

HALLELUJAH... 

For those of you who listened to the teaching, please share your thoughts. Were you edified? And was the virtual classroom a good format for that type of teaching. 

Bless you my SUMite family. I pray you are filled with the truth that Jesus is the answer to your question. Hugs, Lynn 

SUMites,

I love this time of year…. I enjoyed my first Pumpkin Spiced Latte at Starbucks yesterday. Can I just say, Yum and eee. I love the colors the leaves, and it’s Back To School. Back to church and just an all-around fun time as we move through the holidays in the weeks ahead.

Every year at this time, I think about parenting. I was on the phone today to my now grown daughter, Caitie, who moved to Indiana last month. She is now teaching at Purdue as well as doing her Master’s work. We talked for more than an hour. It was sweet and interesting, fun and a bit melancholy. I loved the years we had together when she was small, working on homework, decorating the house with pumpkins, and slowly but relentlessly training her up in faith.

I wasn’t a perfect parent, by far. But I love my kids and I was determined to raise them to know Jesus even in a home where their father didn’t believe.

So, thinking about this, I have a life-time of knowledge of how to help you also parent your children to faith. Dineen and I wrote about our experiences and victories, wisdom and prayers in our parenting book. That book was recently re-released with a new title, Raising Godly Kids in a Spiritually Mismatched Home – teaching Your Children to Love God Without Limits!

If you want time-tested and real wisdom on how to raise your kids in faith in our unique marriages, get your hands on this book. Dineen added a powerful chapter for parenting your adult kids as well. So many of our fears are address such as:

• Am I enough to hold the family together? To teach my kids what they need to know about God’s love? To actually sanctify this house? (1 Cor. 7:14)
• Am I enough to teach them the truth of Jesus Christ and lead them to salvation? Am I enough to be a godly mom and wife, a good role model, and help support them emotionally and spiritually?
• Am I enough to be a Mom and wife too? How do I balance both?
• Am I enough for my kids, husband and everyone else depending on me?
• Am I enough to point the way to True North for my children, and never let my flag waver no matter how fierce the storm of the world may blow—even when the storm may be my own husband?
• Am I enough to overcome my junk so I don’t pass it on to my kids?
• Am I enough to overcome my own fears so my kids don’t experience them firsthand?

Take time to read this book. If you purchase it through the SUM store, all the proceeds go to our ministry. You can listen to it on audio book in the car on the way to work also. Raising Godly Kids in a Spiritually Mismatched Home

You are enough my friend but we need each other and we need wisdom. As an older mom now, I can be the voice to tell you that YOU CAN DO THIS. IT IS POSSIBLE. And you can do it well.

Have a great weekend. Hug your kids. Take them for ice cream. Swing with them at the park and tell them about Jesus every “catchable moment” that you are given. Hugs, Lynn

One other fun fact. I had the new book sitting on my desk. I picked it up to read Dineen’s new chapter. As I raised the book up, I noticed tiny flecks of gold dust all over the cover. Wild! Where did that come from? IT’S A BLAST LIVING THE BELIEVER’S LIFE!

Mom & Dad: I hope you found the Back To School series helpful and encouraging. Please know that Dineen and I are standing with you in faith for the salvation of your entire family. 

I would like to thank my writing partner, Dineen, as this was her fantastic idea. Thanks girl! You know I love you. 

Now as for next month. My friends, I'm so excited. September holds some pretty BIG stuff for us. Rosh Hashanah is only a few weeks away. I have so much to share with you! Get ready because I'm convinced that we are living on planet earth at one of the most important and astonishing times in history! Ever!

Wanna hear more? Stay tuned! Hugs, Lynn

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One more thing. Winning Him Without Words and Not Alone will only be on sale for a few more days. If you know someone who would be encouraged by these books, please let them know. The sale ends Monday.

SUMites, have you ever wondered why I am in ministry?

I'm convinced if I'd been stronger in my faith-walk as a young person, I wouldn't have slipped down the slimy slope into my prodigal years. When I finally emerged from those dark years, by the Sovereign hand of God, I became dedicated to a singular passion.

Equip the Saints!

I'm driven to help people to NOT live in, or as long, in satan's camp as I did. This passion and God's purposes have come alive in many aspects of my faith throughout the years. I served for years in a local church Bible study. The SUM ministry was born out of my heart to equip believers who are married to unbelieving spouses. 

The books on marriage and parenting were birthed because of the Lord's grace and the heart He placed into me to equip His people to not just survive but to THRIVE! It is our Papa God's will that we live well on earth and further the Kingdom of Christ.

As we close our Back To School series, I leave you with chapter 10 of Not Alone. This chapter is about passing to our children a legacy of faith. I hope you read this chapter because I focus on a legacy of faith recorded in the Bible about a man who was raised in an unequally yoked home. His name was Timothy. Once again I'm overwhelmed by God's compassion and love because this story about Timothy, his mother and grandmother appears in His Holy Word. The Lord is encouraging all of us who are living with pre-believers to have faith, courage and assurance that we can raise World changers within a spiritually mismatched home.

Do you know what Timothy's mother's name is when translated from Greek to English? VICTORIOUS! 

We are victorious and we are standing in faith the same as Timothy's mother and grandmother. All of heaven is watching. They are cheering us on as we lead our children in daily life with Jesus. 

Do not fear. Do not be discouraged. Stand strong and do not waiver for GREAT is your reward. Your love, prayers and example will win them all, even without words!

As I finished up the book, Not Alone,  the Lord down loaded a letter to my heart. It is a letter from Him to every mother. You can read it here. Take time to read this because it's worth it. "My Chosen Mother" at our Mismatched & Thriving website.

Finally, thank you moms and dads. Thank you for your courage and your faith. I know deeply in my soul that your years of parenting will be remembered and hailed in the heavenlies for all eternity. I can't wait to one day, witness all that you have done to raise your little ones to faith.

I love you. I bless you and I call you amazing. Beloved of God. Lynn 

 And now mom and dad, this is for you!

Hello, SUMite family! Lynn and I decided we should wrap our study up this week, because we have other things we want to move onto next week. Thus we will conclude our Equipping Our Kids in a Contrary Culture on Friday with Lynn’s post about Legacy Kids. I’m sure it will be amazing too! 

My last chapter, “Challenging Kids,” that I wrote for Not Alone is one of my favorites. I share more of the story of my daughter’s recovery from cancer and two other stories from SUM moms who dealt with challenging questions and situations. I’ve been praying over what to bring out of this chapter and relate it to equipping our children and the Holy Spirit light bulb went on.

Moms and Dads, here’s where your children’s questions may become part of the challenges in your mismatched home. Your sons and daughters most likely will come home with questions about the new things they’re learning that will open up some controversy for you right in your own home if you and your spouse don’t agree on these issues. 

How do we navigate this? How do we keep biblical values in place when the school is teaching the opposite and your spouse agrees with it? How do we continue to stand in faith in our challenging culture.

My friends, we keep doing what we have been doing—trusting God. Yes, the challenges and “playing fields” may seem a little bigger, a little broader, a little more intimidating at times, but none of this is beyond God’s ability or reach. In fact, I believe He is standing ready to move with us, but He wants us to move in agreement and alignment with what He sees even when we can’t see it. 

The perfect example of this came as I’ve been reading the book of Joshua this week for very specific reasons, and one of them I believe was intended for this post, for this exact moment in our time and place as a unique community of faith in today’s culture. 

Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.” — Joshua 6:1-7

Scripture paints a clear picture for us here that Jericho was a fortified city—the first walled city the Israelites had encountered. And we’re talking about some heavy duty walls here too. This is what Joshua saw, but I believe that when God told Joshua to see, He was opening the man’s eyes to perceive God’s perspective, that the city was already conquered by His hand. It was done and finished.

My friends, let’s not look at the world today and see what the world sees. Let’s look at our schools, our workplaces, the places we shop, and every person we encounter with the eyes of God. Because just as the Israelites carried the ark of the covenant with them, which was the presence of God, we carry His presence with us every where we go. 

Let’s carry Him into this world and bring His presence with us every where. Let’s march our prayers around these places and bring God into the picture. Sometimes God will even call us to literally do this and sometimes it won’t make much sense. He told me years ago to march in prayer around my husband, more recently to march in prayer around a nearby park in San Jose for nearly two years, and now He has me doing this at another park where I live now. I can’t tell you why, but I know He’s laying down the groundwork and foundation for whatever is next. He wants to bring down the walls of hopelessness, unbelief, despair, pain, sickness, depression, oppression and even opposition.

SUMites, Scripture tells us over and over to pray for wisdom and knowledge. We can ask God to prepare this way for us and give us eyes to see, ears to hear and words to speak. Trust Him to be there with you when your child comes home with questions that call you to stand in faith and give the reason why you believe what you believe. And if that could potentially create conflict with your pre-believer, ask the Holy Spirit to intervene now, to soften hearts, to give you wisdom and peace about how to navigate it. You both have equal place in your child’s life to teach and influence them. Trust God to make His truth stand out more than what our contrary culture is saying.

Nothing this world reveals surprises God and none of it is beyond His power to change. We are His hands and feet to bring His truth and healing to a hurting and damaged world. And we are empowered and equipped with His presence, His power, His grace and His mercy. Nothing is impossible WITH Him. Let’s live it like we believe it, SUMites. With Him, we CAN!

Question: SUMites, what is your greatest concern for your children right now? 

Prayer: Lord, fill every SUMite with more wisdom and knowledge of You. Inspire them with words, creativity and strategies of how to pray and navigate these upcoming challenges WITHOUT ANY fear or anxiety. I pray that they would rise up every morning, convinced and strengthened by the truth of Jesus Christ, that He is with us and will not fail us. I pray that You would fill their minds and hearts with a vision of what You are doing around them and are calling them to partner with You to accomplish. Lord, I pray that Your peace would fill every SUMite home and an impenetrable wall of Your angle armies would surround and protect them. Lord, all things are possible with You! Give us eyes to see, ears to hear and words to speak wherever we go. In the name of Jesus, amen!

I believe in you, SUMites!

Hello dear friends! I felt led to do a video for you today and well...I'll let that gal down there in the picture tell you how that happened. LOL! This is me being real, because I want to encourage you to be real in your faith so that your kiddos will catch that authenticity for their own lives too. When we live authentic faith lives for Jesus, we change the world. That's part of our purpose here on earth and it's part of God's plan for our children too. Let's be real! Love you! ~Dineen

 Not Alone/Chapter 7: Authentic Kids

Sumites:

Roommate and Caitie

Saturday my husband and I drove my daughter to college. She is a Junior this fall at BIOLA and has moved into an apartment off campus with her roommate. It’s the next step in her life toward independence and adulthood.

Wow.

It’s a profound truth, as things change, they stay the same. Although this is a season of great change in my daughter's life, I’m compelled to pray similar prayers to those that I prayed during the years she lived at home.

As I prepared to leave her in her new home, I embraced her on Saturday and pulled her head to my shoulder. I prayed protection over her. I blessed her in Jesus name and prayed for her mind, her heart and her spirit. I also blessed her roommate. They probably think I’m just a bit wacky as I also walked about the apartment and prayed the blood of Jesus over it and for angels to come and stand in watch. I don’t know if they saw me doing this but this mama leaves nothing to chance. *grin*

As I think of chapter eight, Triumphant Kids, in Not Alone, I’m moved mostly by the prayer in the middle of the chapter. It was a prayer I prayed fiercely as my daughter dealt with a bully in high school. I’ve adapted it to my daughter’s current season. So, today moms and dads, please pray this over your children and let this school year be the best ever for your sons and daughters:

Lord, my holy God, This very moment I’m asking for Your presence to surround Caitie. Lord, go with her into the halls of her college and in her apartment. Father, in the name of Jesus I take authority from the enemy who is speaking lies into my daughter’s heart and mind. I renounce any lies that my daughter believes, such as she is insignificant. I bind the enemy who has told her that she is ugly, stupid or a fool. O Holy Spirit, rush to my daughter and remove thoughts of insecurity or fear from her heart, mind and soul. Powerful Lord, my Father, Abba, now I hold up my daughter, Caitie, and in place of the lies, I ask You to affirm her.

Place Your truth in her. Let others say things about her and to her that are truthful and uplifting. When others hear her name, change their thoughts toward her to be good and not evil. When her name is spoken, prompt her friends and professors to affirm her and to build up her character. Lord, speak through her friends to break the lies and to pour Your truth into my girl. Father, speak gently into my girl, and remind her that she is beautiful. She is a daughter of the King. She is confident in her identity. She is a believer in truth and justice. Affirm her worth, and let her see herself as You view her. Affirm, protect, love on her with passion, and reveal Yourself to her daily. I pray this in the name of Jesus and by His authority and power. Amen.

I will join you in prayer for your children. Leave their names and we will stand unified under the Banner of Love for their identity and life in Christ.

I love you moms and dads. You are amazing and you are parenting better than you believe. God is standing right next to you. Now let’s help our children SOAR!!! Have a great week. I’ll see you in the comments. Hugs, Lynn  

PS. Winning Him Without Words is also on sale for $2.99 (e-book) this week and Not Alone remains $1.99

Find me today at lynndonovan.org as I share the Power of Ephesians and my personal testimony.  Leave your kids names before you leave. Hugs.

AMAZING stories were shared on Monday! SUMites, it is a privilege to be among you. Your love for Jesus and your family coupled with your wisdom, is truly a gift to me, Dineen and our entire family here on the web. 

Today I want to wrap up chapter four. I remain very passionate about the subject of raising our kids to faith and share many successful ideas in this chapter. If you listened in to any of the radio interviews I did this week, you heard me share some of them.

But today, my heart bleeds for all the mamas who are crying for their lost children. Those who have turned away from God. The adult children that cause our hearts to sting and our eyes to leak.

So this post is for those of you who are praying for prodigal adults. An excerpt from Not Alone, the Appendix 1: Rebellion and the Prodigal Adult:

Dry Bones

I shared in my story at the beginning of this book that I was a good kid. But I later spent a string of years as a prodigal, far from the God I had been taught to know. So I can tell you that even good kids choose to turn away from their faith. But I’m convinced that my return to God was brought about for two reasons.

One, the Lord of the universe, His Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit relentlessly pursued me with a powerful, redemptive love.

Two, my mother prayed and never gave up hope. She was my soft landing spot, even when I had screwed up my life and the lives of others. She always listened to me. She loved me even when I refused to follow her gentle words of wisdom. She was always an example to me of living faith and joy. In the darkest points of my prodigal wanderings, my mother always, always loved me. She affirmed me in a way that bridged the gap between her pain and my arrogance.

I called my mother to ask her for the first time what she had prayed during the years of my Nebuchadnezzar insanity (see Dan. 4). Before she told me, she reminded me that she had tried to help me see that I would regret the decisions I was making. She also acknowledged that she had felt hopeless as I politely listened to her but ignored her advice.

Ouch!

However, she added that she had never felt as if God had abandoned me or that He had ignored her pleas on my behalf. Mom told me, “I prayed with fervor for your protection from evil people and from evil spirits. I begged God to help you make some intelligent decisions, and mostly I prayed, ‘Lord, don’t let go of her.’ ”

My friend, God will bring to bear His great power and love in the lives of those for whom we pray. He is a God of redemption—He wants to redeem our lost kids and also our unbelieving spouses. We are called to trust with unwavering faith that God will save our lost loved ones.

Believe God with such conviction that you become completely certain there is no other alternative except for God to fulfill His promises. Our God moves heaven and earth to meet expectations and prayers such as these. Then watch and wait for the miracles. God gives life to dry bones:

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.” So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’ ” (Ezek. 37:9-14, NLT, emphasis added).

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We need only BELIEVE & PRAY!

Hello, SUMites! Welcome to week three of the Equipping Our Kids in a Contrary Culture series. This week I’m zeroing in on chapter six in our book, Not Alone, about Generous Kids. 

I share some stories in this chapter about my daughters, stories that are near and dear to my heart and one that nearly tore my heart out at the time. I bet just about every one you out there has a parenting story like that. I’d rather suffer myself than see my children suffer. Anybody else out there feel the same? 

Years ago, I asked Jesus to help me love others as He loves them. I still pray this prayer and ask Him to help me see others as He sees them, including my kiddos and my hubby. And without judgement. That can be a tough area to walk in today’s world, especially when we are being mistreated. Or our child is being mistreated.

How do we love the kid that’s bullying our child and making him or her miserable? How do we love the friends our children bring home who have an attitude of entitlement? How do we love our own teenager when we find out they’re not as “well behaved” as we thought? 

Moms and Dads, as I get older and hopefully just a little bit wiser, I’m finding it has everything to do with love—God’s kind of love that is full of mercy, forgiveness and grace. We can’t love people like that on our own and neither can our children. And as we learn and model this, they will learn it from us. 

As much as I wanted to hate the pint-sized bully who terrorized my youngest daughter, I knew I couldn’t. I knew for my own sake and hers, we had to pray for him. I prayed not only for the situation but also for understanding of what caused this young boy to behave so horribly. I had a hard time believing a child capable of such actions. And helping my daughter understand was no easy task. 

But as I prayed, God revealed the situation to me and to my daughter. We discovered this was a boy who had a father who traveled all the time and a mother who was a severe alcoholic. Just a few months after I began praying for this boy and his family, they moved away. My daughter and I both learn a valuable lesson about God’s faithfulness.

Today, my daughter sees this experience as part of the experiences that have shaped who she is today and even now, her first reaction to an offense is to try and understand the why behind the what. 

My friends, I think most people expect one kind of reaction to the offenses of this world, but when we, as believers, don’t react but reach out with a heart to love and understand, we shock the world. We bring the truth of Christ into full scope—and the evidence of His salvation.

And I believe we walk in God’s favor to do such things. When we seek God’s heart first, we can work with our child’s teacher to peaceably find a solution to stop the bullying with a heart to not only help our own child but the one doing the bullying. You could very well be the answer to the prayer of a hurting or abused child.  

When we seek God’s heart first, we can see the more challenging friends our child brings home and welcome them with the love and grace of Jesus. We can be firm in our rules, but loving and encouraging too. You may plant a seed of truth in a child that will sprout and bloom at just the right moment when they are faced with a decision that could take them down the wrong path.

When we seek God’s heart first, we can help our own children navigate the challenging and painful places in their lives, and teach them that no situation or person is beyond God’s reach. And we can teach them to love others without judgement, no matter where they come from or who their parents are.

My friends, this is the hope we carry and are called to pass on to our children. This hope burns bright like an torch, and we are called to carry it everywhere we go. The light we carry brings solutions by changing atmospheres. That is what truth does—when revealed, lies and darkness can no longer operate. The atmosphere shifts and brings change. And hope.

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. — 2 Tim. 2:24-26 

Question: Do you have an area in your life in which God is calling you to love others specifically? How can you teach this to your children?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to see and love people through Your eyes and heart. And help me teach my children do the same. In Your name Jesus, amen!

SUMites, our ministry verse is 1 Peter 3:1-2 and tells us our godly lives will speak for themselves. We are mismatched with this world too, my friends. Our godly lives and love, and the growing godly lives and love of our children will show Jesus, the hope of the world.

All in His love,

Hi Gang,

Well today it’s my turn to write about chapter four of Not Alone re-titled Raising Godly Kids in a Spiritually Mismatched Home.

Churched Kids

My heart and head is full of thoughts and emotions when I consider raising our kids in church. I share a number of my thoughts and experiences in chapter four about kids and church, youth group (to go or not to go), the conflict within our homes with Dad and so on….

But in this moment as I write about our kids and church, the faithfulness of God overflows in my spirit and stirs my heart.

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m pondering an ordinary, yet profound moment. You see, everything I’ve done to raise my daughter, all the words I’ve written about parenting culminated in this morning. I was humbled to watch the faithfulness of God unfold in front of my eyes in a beautiful moment.

I will tell you that my daughter, who was raised in a spiritually mismatched home all of her life, has been walking through a season of crisis and doubt about her faith. Several circumstances have contributed to this season. I have prayed with faith for her. I’ve talked with her. I’ve argued and there may have been moments of loud conflict between us *sheepish grin*. However THIS MORNING God showed me how very powerful “my faith and my prayers” have been in the life of this child. AND interestingly, in the lives of her friends.

Following one of our long discussions several weeks ago, I decided not to push her to attend church with me while she is home on her college summer break. So, on Saturday night I set my alarm and was heading to bed. My cell phone buzzed. It’s my daughter calling me from someplace in town where she met up with her friends for ice cream.

“Mom, I just wanted to catch you before you go to sleep.”

“Okay, I’m still awake.” She knows that I go to bed really early.

“Well, Mom, I want to go to church with you in the morning. Oh and I want to bring my friend who I plan to pick up and bring him to our house in the morning. Then can we swing by and pick up Gina because she wants to go with us too.”

“Sure thing Sweetie. I love you. See you in the morning.”

“Nite, nite Mom.

As I write this I’m an ordinary and thankful mother because God is so faithful. I sat in a row of chairs at church with my daughter who worshiped with her full heart. Her BFF, and two other young men who are her good friends were sitting with us. A row of young people who wanted to attend church. Young men and women who want to know Jesus and to walk in real faith.

I looked down the row and was overwhelmed by God’s love as I watched them all worship together.

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Mom and Dad, our kids watch us. They are looking to see if WE believe. They are looking to us to show them the way in a world that is confusing and brutal.  

We have two powerful weapons to war for our children.
We have profound influence in their lives.
AND we have the ear of the King!

Mom and Dad, your kids will choose one day to attend church on their own because you were faithful to love Jesus out loud before them. Day after day, moment after moment. Faithfully reading God’s Word. Daily praying for them by name.

THAT is what legacy is all about. That is what loving Jesus with our full heart will yield. That is what chapter four is all about…. Churched Kids, who will one day walk into a life-long faith in Jesus.

And if you are not seeing that right now, never stop praying! I believe the prodigals will be running home!

I would love to hear your thoughts about chapter four. It would bless me greatly if you would PLEASE share your stories of how you are impacting your children for the Kingdom. Please, please share because there is another mama or dad out there that needs your wisdom and your story to help them in parenting their children to faith.

I love you so much. Mom and Dad you are more powerful than you know. You are walking in a path of eternal impact. So WARRIOR ON and let’s lead our children by our love for Jesus.

Have an amazing week. Now go hug your kids and tell them that Jesus loves them!!! (An unexpected text works too) Hugs, Lynn

Guest Post by Arlene Pellicane Giveaway: 
31 Days to Becoming a Happy Mom 

I was attending Dave Ramsay’s Financial Peace University when a not-so-peaceful thing happened.  On my way out of the restroom, I read a sign posted, “If you’re not using the lights, please turn them off.”  I thought I was alone so I flipped the switch.  Before the door shut behind me, I heard a shrill, fear-filled scream from inside the bathroom.  It sounded like a young girl. 

I hurried back in and turned on the light.  “I’m so sorry,” I said to the apparently occupied stall.  “I didn’t know you were in here.”  I thought about that little girl’s scream for a while.  The feeling of her fear lingered with me.  

She was terrified by the darkness and the uncertainty of being in the bathroom in the blackness. 

Are there things about motherhood that scare you stiff?  Toddler tantrums, potty training, boyfriends, girlfriends, and paying for college come to mind.  There are a lot of things for a mom to be afraid of.  You can worry about the distant future or about what will happen in the next minutes.  You can agonize about school assignments, questionable friendships, and stranger danger.

We’re afraid of what might happen in the future.  Many scenarios we fear as mothers are not really motivated by any clear or present danger.  We manufacture them in our own minds, like the time I pictured my children being abducted when they took a short walk around the block. 

Fear can muddle your thinking, keep you from using your gifts, and cheat you out of peace.  God knows we all struggle with fear.  Maybe that’s why the Bible tells us more than three hundred times not to fear.  In fact, “Fear not” is the most frequently repeated command in the Bible.     

We can fear the inevitable disappointments in family life.  Your son might not make the basketball team.  Your husband could be laid off.  Your daughter’s BFF may find another BFF.  My friend author Karol Ladd told me about her friend who has five children, four of which are boys.  When she recognized life wasn’t going to be perfect and go according to plan all the time, she started saying to herself, “Oh well.”  That became her little go-to phrase.  Instead of succumbing to fear or frustration, she came to terms with her daily reality.  She trained herself to be flexible and to respond with “Oh well” instead of “Oh no!” 

I love what Karol told me,

We’ve got to recognize that life isn’t perfect.  People aren’t perfect.  I think a healthy, happy mom has to take that picture of perfection off the wall and throw it away.  Yes, we want to strive for excellence and do things well, but life is not going to be about having every duck in a row.  We need to be okay with that.  Often we want things perfect because we want safety and control.  We can make our plans but the final results are up to God.  A happy mom is one who has her eyes on a perfect God.  She trusts Him and relaxes.

Take heart my friend.  Look up to your perfect God.  Then trust Him…and relax.  Everything is going to be okay.  You’re not in the alone in the dark.  He is with you!   

-----

GIVEAWAY INFO:  We are giving away a copy of Arlene’s new book, 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Mom. 

Arlene Pellicane is a speaker and author of 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Mom and 31 Days to a Happy Husband.  She is also the co-author of Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World (with Gary Chapman).  She has been a featured guest on the Today Show, Fox & Friends, Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Today, The 700 Club, and Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah. 

Arlene lives in the San Diego area with her husband James and their three children.  

To learn more and for free family resources such as a monthly Happy Home podcast, visit www.ArlenePellicane.com   

Listen In!!

 Today's message is straight from my heart for every SUMite. 

Truth.... Perspective.... Courage.... No Fear.... Power.... AND Declaration Prayer at the End. Join me and be inspired and encouraged. I LOVE YOU.... LYNN

 If you can't see this video in the news feed, click here.

My friends, what are your thoughts about this study so far? Is it helping you? Are there areas you want to talk about that we haven’t addressed yet? Let us know if you have more specific issues that we can address through this study.

Today I want to talk about helping our kids choose between good and God's best. I noticed way back when we first moved to California (Silicon Valley) when my daughters were in elementary and middle school. My oldest daughter found her footing in her new school quickly and made friends easily, thank goodness. She’d had a rough time in this area while we were living in Switzerland. My youngest, who had an easy time doing this during our time there, found herself struggling in her new CA school. 

And part of the problem wasn’t even in her realm of control. It was the parents. Many of Leslie’s classmates went from school to homework as well as many other “scheduled activities” during the day, like music, language and even additional tutoring. These weren’t students who were struggling academically either. None had time to schedule a play date during the week and many weren’t allowed to do so on weekends either, because they had to keep to their work and studies. This was third grade and the pressure on these kids increased as they got older.

This phenomenon was a growing epidemic in Silicon Valley, which is very multi-cultural, and still continues as the norm. I believe it affects much of society today too as part of the “get ahead” mentality. Unfortunately, these kids are growing up knowing all work and no play. They have no concept of what it means to relax, play and rest. And they’re growing up to be adults who find it difficult to enjoy times of rest and challenging to enjoy life without constant activity. 

I’m not saying these activities are bad for our children. What I’m saying is, we need to leave some room for them to rest, to be in God’s creation, to be kids. And the younger they grasp this, the better they will be at finding balance in their lives as teenagers and adults. 

Just this week I listened to a speak say we’ve lost about ability to discern in the church. That nailed it on the head and it’s one of the enemy’s most successful tactics. If he can keep us too busy to listen to God, we lose our ability to discern too. When we forget how to relax and rest our mind, we have a hard time hearing God, making wise decisions and we even hamper our creativity. 

Our children need down time to understand and learn how to listen for God’s quiet voice. They need to know that God is responsive to those who seek Him with an open heart, and they need to hear and see examples of how God answers. Our children need time to be still and know God (Psalm 46:10).

In this day and age, our children seem required to do more in order to keep up with the world as they get older, but let’s not do that at the expense of their spirituality. More than anything they need in this world, they need to understand the value of eternity and kingdom living—that these are the better pursuit, which will ultimately provide in this life as well as the next.

As parents we are legacy builders. We want our children to launch into this world with a strong faith and a hunger for God that will continue to grow and impact those around them. I know a lot of this we have to discover as we go, but I’d love to see my daughters and grandchildren learn some of this a lot sooner than I did.

So how do we do this, you’re probably asking and wondering. First, Moms and Dads, you set the pattern. Are you doing this yourself? Do you have a time that you spend to just be quiet with God and pray? If you find your day is too packed, ask God to show you where to make room. Be willing to let go of something if necessary, but above all, trust God to show you time during your day to meet with Him. A wise woman once told me that if you “tithe” 10% of your time to Him, He’ll make sure you get the rest done in the 90% that’s left. 

She was right. Didn’t make sense at all at first, but over the years this has proven true time after time. God even told me once in detail how to change my schedule to make it work. He’ll do this for you too, my friends. And why wouldn’t He want to and do whatever necessary to help you make it work? He’s your Abba, Father, and loves spending time for you. He’ll move heaven and earth to do it too.

He’ll do this for your kids too. So as school starts and the list of activities begin to grow, as more and more opportunities present themselves, as your budding daughter and son seems to have a growing social life, help them see that even in the midst of a see of good things, we need to choose wisely so that we can enjoy fully what is God’s best for us instead of being spread so thin that we’re just tasting the tip of His goodness for us. 

Two great activities clearly shaped for our child’s unique gifting and design is WAY better than four okay activities that they do because they think they have to.

They’ll need your help to discern (there’s that word again) the difference, but if you’re setting the example of saying, let’s take a moment and pray into this and trust God to give us an answer by the morning—or the end of the day, week, etc.—you will be teaching your child to take time to pray, to seek wisdom and to discern God’s voice. 

And that is by far a greater gift you can give them than anything else they would attain in this world, my friends. Greater by far.

Question: Consider your child’s daily schedule (yours too, Moms and Dads). What seems to be the priority most days? Do adjustments need to be made? What do you think God is telling you about it?

Prayer: Lord, give me courage and guidance to follow Your leading as I pray for wisdom, words and strength to teach my children to make good choices. Equip me each day to walk faithfully in my calling as a parent, and show me how to rely on Your strength, Lord, and not my own. Show me the unique gifts that You have given my children, and help me lead them in how to use those gifts for Your glory. Help me to recognize the potential You have placed in my children and to inspire them to be who You created them to be. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen!

SUMites, hug your kids and tell them they are AWESOME! Tell them you are with them all the way and so is God! 

All in His love,

My friends, this week I'm drawing from chapter 5 (Peaceful Kids) of our book, Not Alone. I find more and more that our choices are the starting points of success, whether that be in attaining goals or pressing in for breakthroughs. One of the greatest gifts we can teach our children is to help them understand that they have this ability and to help them cultivate and use it wisely. And choice is powerful.

Part of that process is being very careful to listen to what our children are saying and often reading between the lines. Because above all else, our children need to know that we, their parents, and their homes are safe places. Some kids are great about just telling you exactly what happened during their day. Others, not so much. 

My girls fell into the latter category. Their sensitivity tended to make them more inwardly reflective to process their day or a challenging situation. Initially they’d seem cranky and difficult. Or they’d react unreasonably to something I would mention they or we needed to do. 

That was my clue to ask, “What happened today?”

Our children need to know they are valued and heard. They need this foundation, to know they have a voice, starting at home. When we build this place of safety for them, we do two things in our children: 

1. We give them confidence in who they are and are created to be.
2. We give them a safe environment to figure out who they are and are created to be with permission to fail in order to learn. No fear of failure.

With this building foundation, they are more equipped in their classrooms, playgrounds and with friends. We want to give our children this sense of peace and grounding in who they are so that they will make choices from a place of confidence and safety, not insecurity and fear. This is the foundation that will make a difference for them in situations where they are faced with peer pressure, temptations and persecution for their beliefs. 

My friends, we want to pour the truths of God’s Word into our children to inspire them to greatness. It’s about building a legacy, not legalism. Legalism will tell them what they can’t do. Legacy inspires them to overcome and walk in faith and integrity. These are the future world changers who will bring Christ to the nations.

How do we do that? 

1. Give your child a voice. Teach them to understand their opinion matters and that they can share these opinions in respectful and loving ways (Colossians 3:12). The choice here is, when to speak and when not to. Each challenge your child deals with in school—whether it be with a teaching that is clearly contrary to their biblical beliefs, dealing with bullies, or making friends—will present choices. When we listen first, we can walk our children through these situations and help them see the right way to go. Along with a lot of prayer! Remember, God’s Word says if we need wisdom to ask for it. So ask (James 1:5).
2. Give your child a reason. Our children need our help to see the bigger picture. Why can’t they watch and do all they same things their friends do? If they were hanging out with Jesus, would they ask Him to come along to watch that movie or to do that activity? What’s really at stake? One, our children’s minds and hearts. When we help our kids understand that we are called to walk in integrity, humility, love and mercy (Ephesians 4:2), they will make more thoughtful choices. Especially if we are modeling it. Even as a adults now, my daughters know I’m very picky about what movies I watch. There are places I just can’t go with mind and heart. They’ll even tell me, “Mom, you won’t want to watch that movie.” And now I’m seeing them make similar choices. The choice here is about about discerning and choosing wisely, along with not being afraid of what others will think (Galatians 1:10).
3. Give your child a cause. First reactions are often judgmental ones. We are quick to assume a person’s ill temper toward us is personal when that isn’t the case at all. So many people, including children, are walking this planet bereft of hope. And we are just a convenient target for them to vent their frustration. Helping our children to see beyond what they “see” is part of teaching them to see and love people like Jesus did. That’s our cause. It’s a delicate place to teach because our children can mistake our attempts to help them see beyond their own pain as taking sides with the one who hurt them. Our challenge is to make it clear we understand they were hurt, but let’s not stay there. What can we do about it? How does Jesus want us “see” the situation? Work together with your child to find the answers. The choice here is to do what is right according to God’s truth. And right choices build a lifestyle of forgiveness, integrity, humility and honor (Micah 6:8). 

The amazing thing is that as we help our children to learn and grow in these ways, we wind up influencing their friends when they are in our homes, and our children influence their friends at school. It builds and lives are changed!

My friends, I will stop here before it becomes another book! On Thursday, we will talk more about godly choices in a tougher area—helping our kids to choose between what is good and God’s best for them, especially in today’s culture that offers so much with the added implication that we have to do it all. This is challenging for us too, yes?

Question: In what situation have you helped your child that required a choice—what did you do and how did you help them reach the right choice? Or didn’t. Sometimes our kids wind up learning some things the hard way, just like we do.

Love you so much, SUMites! As school has started and is starting, please know that I am praying for you and your children. Hugs!

All in His love!

My Friends,

Lynn here. It's interesting to me that we are working our way through parenting our kids to faith and I'm in the middle of "parenting" both my "adult" children in different areas. I have a lot to tell you about in the weeks ahead.

But because of my hectic weekend, I haven't been able to prepare a proper post. So, I want to put forth a socially relevant question today. And let's talk with one another in the comments about how to walk through our contrary and perverse culture.

What do we do when little Johnny asks if he can have a sleepover with his best friend. And by the way, his dads will be picking him up. How do we explain gay marriage with love, respect and walk firmly in our Biblical convictions?

A few years ago the school curriculum discussion with my daughter covered: Creationism vs the Big Bang. I will tell you more about that later.

Today in the state of California, the elementary schools include the story of Harvey Milk, an openly gay elected official. If we love our kids, we need to help them be prepared when they study ideas, suggestions, theories and history that isn't consistent with the Word of God. Our kids are depending on us! 

Our kids need to hear our voice, our voice of love, over all the other voices that are coming at them at an earlier and earlier age. We can lead our children even through these challenging issues.

So chime in and don't be afraid. We need each other to help one another. And on Friday I will have several proven suggestions to help you be a profound and effective voice in your family. 

I love you my friends. Have a blessed week. Hugs, Lynn

Only $1.99 

(Read the excerpt below written by a 21 year old who was raised in a spiritually mismatched home.)

SUMite Nation, our book, Not Alone, which we're using for this new series Equipping Our Kids in a Contrary Culture is on sale for even less. It looks like the ebook for Kindle, Nook and iBook have lowered the price down to a buck, ninety nine. $1.99. 

That's as low as it's gonna go.

Read along with us through our series this month.

It's a great deal!

Excerpt from Not Alone: 

Page 74: The Payoff (Lynn)

My good friend Shelly has been married for 24 years. Her son, Rickey, recently shared with me a few words about growing up in a spiritually mismatched home. Rickey is 21 years old. He says,

I have to say that the most impacting thing that influenced my faith had to be my mother never giving me the “option” to go to church. It was mandatory. I didn’t want to go, because I would look at my father staying home on a Sunday watching television or whatever else he happened to be doing, and some days that’s all I wanted. However, because I was forced into that sanctuary every Sunday, I began to grow a love and desire for it. It became a necessity for me. I built relationships with the youth leaders and all the youth around me as well. Pretty soon, I was begging to go to church every opportunity I had. If there was an event at church, I made sure I was there. 

 

Rickey is living proof that Mamas can and do impact a child's eternity. 

Thank you Jesus. Give us boldness to speak love, mercy, grace and truth with compassion and passion into our children. In Jesus name. Amen.

Dineen and I would be so thankful if you would share on your social media. THANK YOU! (click buttons below.)

How is our parenting supernatural?

We find the answer in a powerful passage of God’s Word…. And this paragraph was written specifically for all of us who are married to unbelievers.

For the rest of you who are in mixed marriages—Christian married to non-Christian—we have no explicit command from the Master. So this is what you must do. If you are a man with a wife who is not a believer but who still wants to live with you, hold on to her. If you are a woman with a husband who is not a believer but he wants to live with you, hold on to him. The unbelieving husband shares to an extent in the holiness of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is likewise touched by the holiness of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be left out; as it is, they also are included in the spiritual purposes of God. — 1 Corinthians 7:14

Our love relationship with God and the promises of His Word are how are children are affected for the Kingdom.

In REAL LIFE: This plays out in my life in my prayers. If you read through my disappointment series, you will remember how much warfare surrounded my family on a single day. I became so mad at the demonic and the harm the enemy was inflicting, that I began to pray something like this:

Prayer: In the name of Jesus, I declare that my family and me are off limits. My children and my spouse are sanctified and a part of God’s plans according to my Lord’s purposes in 1 Corinthians 7. I cover myself and my children with the blood of Jesus and ask for the forgiveness of our sins and for the love and redemption of God’s mercy in our lives.

My children and my spouse are covered by God and are included in his plans for me and my family. I stand as a spiritual authority over my family through the power and love given to me by Jesus and through the promise of sanctification. Nothing can touch them. No weapon formed against them will prosper. I say that God has plans for us to prosper us and not to harm us. It is God’s will to give us a hope and a future.

I will stand against the enemy and speak love into their lives. I will live with faith and conviction and I WILL NOT RELENT IN PRAYING FOR THEM EVERY DAY. Devil you cannot have them. They belong to Jesus. It is in my Savior’s powerful name and by His authority that I bring my children before the mercy seat and declare them sanctified, holy, and covered by the plans of God. This day Jesus do everything possible to reveal yourself to my spouse and children. It is my heart’s cry that they come to full salvation through the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name. AMEN

When we grasp this truth of sanctification and pray in faith through the Holy Spirit for our children, we need not live in fear for their salvation or for their lives. It’s not a guarantee for their salvation but we do not need to fear because Jesus will do absolutely everything to bring them into the Kingdom of God.

Of this I have zero doubt. AMEN.

Q: What does it mean to you to know you have the spiritual authority to pray with power and watch God supernaturally move for your children?

Q: Share with me an example of how your faith impacted one or more of your kids? I want to celebrate with you.

Hello, my friends! I pray this study is already helping you get ready for “back to school” and increasing your faith and hope in God to make this school year one of the best yet for you and your children. Let me add too that if you are a homeschooling mom, you are part of this too. Your kiddos need the same equipping for when they are out in the world, whether now at a friends, on a playground, and when they are adults on their own. We want to pour God’s truths into them with all His love so that they will continue what we have started in our own generation.

As I shared on Monday, the enemy wants us to think we are powerless against the “system,” but our God says otherwise. No “system” will keep Him away. Not if we are standing for Him and praying in the Spirit for our children, our homes, our schools—our prayers bathe these places with the love of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Perhaps one of our biggest challenges can come from our own expectations. I know I used to think that an easy time sailing through school with everything falling into place was how it was supposed to be for my girls. Especially since they were growing up with two parents and much more stability than I had. But that was no guarantee. They have faced challenges, but now I understand that this is part of this life and a life without challenges often winds up to be a selfish one. The key is that we can trust our God to take every challenge and trial and bring great good out of it. 

We know our testimonies are powerful and inspiring. We see it everyday here on this blog. Guess what? Our children’s testimonies are powerful too. 

In our book, Not Alone, I talk about two of my favorite stories in the Bible—Gideon and Joshua. These men overcame the impossible and won their battles, by the power and grace of God. God whittled Gideon’s army to a mere 300 men to battle and overcome an army of Midianites that numbered 120,000. The walls of Jericho fell at Joshua’s order to shout on their seventh day of marching.

Sometimes our situations and circumstances don’t make sense and the direction God leads us may not either. But we can always know that He is good, that He is working for our good, and that He is good at what He does. Take that truth and promise to the bank of your heart, my friends, and to the classroom, the schoolyard, and everywhere else your prayers are following your children. 

Pray and when you hear the enemy’s voice try to tell you that your prayers won’t help and protect your child, or try to tell you that God doesn’t care about you and your children, kick him to the curb with the truth! 

Can I do this? 
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10). 

How can I do this? 
“I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13, NLT).

Am I alone in this? 
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10).

Who will help me? 
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps. 27:1).

What if I fail? 
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37).

What about the rough times? 
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

My friends, I have walked through depression and cancer with my youngest daughter. I have raised my girls to faith in a mismatched home. Though my girls are now grown, I continue to walk with them in their lives as a mentor, offering encouragement and prayers as I continue to speak God’s truth into them. 

Even though they are adults they still struggle at times with anxiety, because they are still learning how to battle the enemy. But they are getting it, because they listen to my words and watch me live out my faith. My prayers have released the power of God into their lives and He is faithful to do and complete what He starts. He will never abandon them or stop loving them. 

God has done this for me, and He has done and is doing it for you. Some days you may not be able to see it, but He’s there working. You don’t see the air you breath, but you know your breathing it. 

Take a deep breath, moms, dads and grandparents, and trust your God. He may not do it the way you expect Him to but He will do it. He will co-parent your children with you because HE loves them even more than you do and He knows your children by heart. He has a plan and future for your kiddos (Jer. 33:11), and He will bring it to pass no matter what challenges you and your children may face. 

Now breath out that life upon your children with your love, your words, your wisdom and your faith. Not by your strength or power, but by His Spirit! Amen!

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for Your amazing faithfulness. I know that You are able to do all that I have asked and more. I praise and thank You now for the ways in which You are and will be working in my children to make them effective and strong in their faith. In Your powerful and capable name, Jesus, I pray this. Amen!

Challenge: Start a list of areas in your children’s lives that you want to pray about regularly. Find specific verses to pray for your children in each area. You can even make this a prayer journal that you can record answers to prayer specific to your child and give it to them one day to show them how God has worked in their lives. Make it fun! 

For example, when my youngest daughter was dealing with anxiety, I would pray 2 Timothy 1:7 over her: 

Leslie Miller, God has not give you a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and self-control. In the name of Jesus, amen! 

Speak truth into their lives, my friends, and they will take it with them and walk in it everywhere they go!

All in His love!

Back To School: Equipping Kids in a contrary culture (Lynn)  

Every, single, day our children are bombarded with voices. Social media and television shout continual messages of entitlement, moral ambiguity, hate, lust and fear, to name only a few.

Sheesh! With so much chatter coming at our kids we can fear our voice might be drowned out by voices sent from the darkness. And there are moments in our own home where our children receive conflicting messages from Dad about moral choices, (television, video games, and cultural issues).

I know as a young mom I experienced moments of doubt and fear and this upsetting question would flash into my mind: Will my kids go to heaven?

How do we help our kids find and follow Jesus in today’s culture? How do we as believing parents help our children listen to the right voices?

I have a very simple answer: The most powerful thing we can do to help our children love Jesus is to love Jesus ourselves.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. —Mark 12:30

My daughter, Caitie, turned 20 years old this summer. Finally, the crazy teen years are behind us. Woo Hoo!! *grin* She is walking into adulthood. My daughter was raised all of her life in a spiritually mismatched home. But inspire of the disconnect about faith between her parents, she is walking into a faith-life that is her own. She and I have talked a lot about things she is still trying to sort out about God and she has discovered that living by faith is challenging on a college campus. But she knows the truth.

So much of her foundation in her faith came because she knew that I loved Jesus. She watched me reading my Bible in the early morning hours. She went to church with me every Sunday. I talked to her about the amazing things happening with me and Jesus in our everyday lives.

My love for God was THE most important “voice” in her life.

Mom and Dad, the BEST thing you can ever do to raise your children to faith, is to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength. This kind of love is ultimately irresistible.

And one more thing happens in your family dynamic when you love God in such a manner. It’s supernatural and I will tell you more about that on Friday. For now, this week, I have a challenge for you mom and dad:

This week make a commitment to pray daily for each of your children BY NAME. Bring them before the Mercy Seat of God and petition for them. Their fears, concerns, their hopes, dreams. Intercede this week and then let’s watch the Lord answer our prayers. I hope to share some heavenly impact in my children’s lives on Friday. I’m praying for them by name.

Lord, help me to be filled with grace, overflowing with compassion and kindness. Shape everything I do with forgiveness and hope. Let me love my children, guide them faithfully and remember always that they are Yours, In the name of Jesus. AMEN.

One more thing, share with me and with other parents in the comments, what scripture verses bring you comfort and encouragement in your parenting? Hugs, Lynn

My friends, have we bought a lie? Have we bought into the lie that we’re powerless and alone in helping our children navigate the confusing and changing culture of today? That we are not enough?

I find it so interesting that just a few days ago I stood on my front porch, chatting with one of my neighbors. A simple compliment I made to her about their young daughter helping Dad mow the yard opened up a dialogue about her daughter’s anxiety and issues with school.

That was no accident, my friends. As she shared it was like I was hearing my youngest daughter’s story of school avoidance and anxiety. For the next hour we talked—I shared my heart with this mom, shared how God had always been faithful to my prayers for answers and provided solutions and people to help us. At this point I didn’t know if she is a believer or not and I still don’t.  

As she opened up more I was able to encourage her with ideas that had helped my daughter and I also helped her see areas in her own creativity that she could tap into and use to encourage and engage her daughter. I watched this worried mom become excited and even clap her hands in glee at one point. And all I did was share my heart with her though the love of Jesus.

This was on my front porch, but it could have been on a school yard, a playground, or even in a classroom on parent night.

My friends, the lie the enemy has fed us is that we’re not enough. I know I did for a long time. But I learned and am still learning in some lingering areas, that God is ALWAYS enough? Isn’t He bigger and stronger than anything we face? Doesn’t His Word say He’s faithful and that when His children cry out to Him, He answers? Let’s start crying out, my friends. Not just for God to change the situation but for Him to show us how to be part of His answer.

You are not alone, my friend. Our God not only loves us, He loves our kids. He wants them to know and love Him too. So no matter how contrary this culture is, and no matter how much our schools push Him out, He’s going to show up.

On a front porch. On a playground. And in a classroom. 

Why? Because of you. 

Because we are the righteous of God in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21) and our prayers are POWERFUL and EFFECTIVE (James 5:16)! Moms, Dads and Grandparents, YOU are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, and YOUR prayers are POWERFUL and EFFECTIVE!

I want you to repeat this every morning as you get up (man, is the enemy going to be quaking in his pit):

“I am the righteous of God in Christ Jesus and my prayers are powerful and effective!”

So let’s start praying, declaring and BELIEVING that by the very presence and power of God, we are EXTRAORDINARY and EMPOWERED to help our kids to be EXTRAORDINARY right in the middle of this contrary culture, right in the middle of their schools. We can do this, my friends! By God’s Spirit (Zech. 4:6) and through His love.

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. — John 13:35

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for partnering with me to raise my children to know You. Thank You for loving them even more than I do and for having a great plan and future for them. Help me teach them Your ways so that at home, in their school and everywhere they go they will do what is right, love mercy and walk humbly with You (Micah 6:8). In Your strong and mighty name Jesus, amen!

Study question: What is one thing you can do on a daily  basis to model your faith to your children? How can you be a loving mentor to your kids and the kids God brings into your life as well? 

Share your answers in the comments, my friends. Let’s encourage and inspire one another with our love for Jesus.

All in His love,
 

SUMite Nation, our book, Not Alone, which we're using for this new series Equipping Our Kids in a Contrary Culture is on sale for $2.99 (or less) on Kindle, Nook, iBook and more.

Read along with us through our series this month.

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My friends, the Holy Spirit has been speaking to my heart the last couple months about the challenges moms and dads are facing as school starts back up. So many new teachings are being implemented in the public school systems that are complete contradictions to the truths of the Bible. Sadly, we feel helpless much of the time in how to deal with these things, as if our voice has been silenced. And the enemy has fed us the lie that we are powerless. 

The truth is, we are not. Is our God not big enough to help us with this too? I want to propose to you that just as we are mismatched in our homes, we are mismatched with our schools and culture. And the Holy Spirit has also lit a fire in my spirit for how we can help you get ready for school starting back up.

For the next five weeks we are going to pull key aspects from our book, Not Alone, and talk about how we can use the very same principles we suggest to raise Godly kids in a mismatched home in the schools they attend as well. We are raising the next generation to impact the world for Jesus just by living their faith. Now is the time to train up these future “world changers” (as Lynn so beautifully calls them) right. 

Moms, Dads and Grandparents, I firmly believe that just as we bring the aroma of Christ into our homes, we can do the same in our schools as well. We can display the love of Christ in how we handle these challenging areas to our children, to their friends, to their teachers and to those watching. I believe we are being called to rise up for such a time as this to bring kingdom atmosphere with us every time you step foot on that campus and every time you pray over your child’s day, friends, tests, challenges, etc.  

My friends, you are the voice of authority in your child’s life. What they are learning at church is great and can be built upon as well, but during the week, you’re the one who can help your child learn the truths in God’s word and how to apply them effectively to their daily world. And not only will you be helping them learn to navigate school, you will be teaching them the very skills they will need as adults too. We want our children to grow out of our faith and into their own relationship with Jesus. And during the most challenging years of teen and young adult, this foundation will help them stand strong in their faith and for Jesus.

Over the next five weeks we will: 

• Strategically pray for our children to be equipped spiritually, mentally and emotionally for school each day.
• Ask God for kingdom perspective of your school so you can begin to see how you can partner with your school instead of seeing it as the enemy.
• Pray for divine appointments with your child’s teachers, other parents and the school faculty.
• Look for ways to begin creating an “open-door” atmosphere for your child and his or her friends.
• Pray for opportunities to show the love of Jesus and bring the Holy Spirit’s presence to the classroom.
• Seek godly wisdom to know what battles to fight and how to speak in a way that displays the love and integrity of Christ. 

My friends, we can do this. You can do this. God is for us and has our backs. This is His heart for you and your children. If possible, get a copy of our book, Not Alone. Starting next week, we will cover key points from two chapters each week and have a coinciding discussion question to share our thoughts, strategies and opportunities 

In the comments, share the names of your children and their grade, the name of their school, principal and teachers. Lynn and I will be praying with you for your children and the people impacting their lives this year. Jump in and pray for each other too. 

My friends, I sense that this will have so much more impact on our schools and our children than we will ever fully know. Let’s be the righteous moms and dads our children need and let our prayers and faith be the greatest game changers and life builders in our children’s lives.

Today, this very hour, back to school starts here. SUMites, let’s get ready for an amazing year!

All in His love,

 

Papa God, Lord Jesus and Holy Spirit,

You are our Lord and our God. We come together as a united community, a family joined together by Jesus Christ. We love you. We adore you. We worship you and are your children.

Papa God, we ask that the Holy Spirit would lead us through this next several weeks. Let Jesus teach us and fill us with wisdom and compassion. Help us to be kind in our discussions and impart into our hearts truth. Give myself and Dineen Your words to share in our community. It’s our heart’s desire to equip mamas and daddies so that we can raise our children to become strong believers in Christ. We pray they will walk in strong faith for a lifetime.

We know our children must walk in public schools where curriculum contradicts your Biblical principles and truths. Lord, equip us firstly with the love of Jesus for our children. Love casts out fear. Then Lord, help us to make our home a safe place to land for our kids and a place where we share with them the truth in love. Equip us with every gift of the Spirit that will impart love and wisdom into their lives. In this way Lord, they will come to trust our voice and Your voice over all others that are screaming at them to turn away from You.

Teach us to love unconditionally and not to fear. Teach us to bring up our children in Your ways that they become world changers for the cause of Christ.

In Jesus name, AMEN!

Hello, SUM family! I'm so happy to be back! As Lynn shared yesterday, we are getting ready to kick off a new series on Friday.

Let's face the facts: We live in a contrary culture that ignores sound biblical truths. But that doesn't mean God's truth is outdated or irrelevant. Now more than ever, our children need this kind of teaching to navigate new curriculums and teachings that are becoming part of the school systems. We need to equip our kids. 

Moms and Dads (and grandparents!), we want to help you. Join us on Friday, July 31st for the launch of Back to School: Equipping Our Kids in a Contrary Culture. For five weeks we will take the principles from our book, Not Alone: Trusting God to Raise Godly Kids in a Spiritually Mismatched Home, and apply them to equipping our children to navigate their schools and culture without compromising their beliefs.

We can do this, my friends! And not only do this, but do it well. We are about to impact our homes, schools and neighborhoods in ways we can't even imagine yet and can only be done through God's Spirit, and not our strength. So, let's get ready! Invite your friends—everyone you know who will benefit from this series and anyone the Holy Spirit places on your heart to share it with. God will do the rest.

And, be sure to check out our latest resource on myKLOVE about the "Sanctified Believer." Download the app to your smart phone if you haven't already and join the discussion!

I love you, my SUM family. I am so moved by the Holy Spirit to help all of us navigate what's ahead. I truly feel God's calling to be part of this equipping and I am honored to be a part of it. Lynn and I love you all so, so much. You are precious to us! We pray for you, we contend for you, and we walk with you. Always.

All in His love,

SUMite Nation:

We are shifting gears.

Following the SCOTUS Ruling last month I quickly realized that many of us were staring “Fear” straight in the face. As mamas we were grappling with questions such as.

How do I handle it when little Johnny asks, “Can I go to my best friend’s house to play. Oh and by the way, his dads will be by to pick me up?”

How do I help my child to remain strong in his/her faith when the world says we are haters?

Is there a way to guide them in our new and contrary world today? 

How do I guide them through public school this year?

Moms and Dads, the answer is, YES!

We can raise kids to faith in a Contrary Culture. And in fact, I believe that the SUMite Nation is an unrecognized and unlikely leader in this area already. We have been living and thriving in marriages to spouses who support a humanism world view, gay marriage, evolution, etc.

We have everything we need to lead our children to become world changers for the cause of Christ. So beginning July 31^st we are launching a new series… The series title will be announced tomorrow.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS. Let other moms know about this series because so many are living in fear about their children and their future faith.

Okay, this is a teaser….. More to come tomorrow. Tune in as we share some encouraging words that will inspire you as you parent and lead your children in faith. Hugs, Lynn