bread and water

      Today was the first day of school for my boys. I have 4 boys from a Senior to a Kindergartener!  My middle two are in 8th grade and 10th grade. I laid in bed and prayed quietly for my boys this morning. Sometimes I “preach” loud at them but I think quiet prayer can do more than any yelling ever could.  When the older 3 were younger I would often ask the Lord why He thought I could handle that many boys. (Years later we had a 4th son and lost a 5th child in miscarriage). I couldn’t and I can’t parent without His grace and help along the way.  Children can be mirrors to parents. More is caught than taught.  Peers can be influencers or influenced. BE AN INFLUENCER 🔥  Sometimes the meanest kids in school are the ones who need the most love.  Pray for the students going back to school to have courage to swim against the stream, to be kind when it’s cool to be mean, to love their enemies and accept the outcasts.  Pray they can be an influencer for good around people with real faces, h

 I used to get jealous 🫣 and it caused me to criticize others to make myself feel better.  (I know this is sin and it’s horrible but I’m being honest)  Jealousy can be from an insecurity or a sense of not seeing your own value, purpose or giftedness.  James 3:16 says, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” “Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; But who is able to stand before jealousy?” Proverbs 27:4 Have you ever been around a jealous person? It’s hard to be in their presence.  (The verse above says who can stand before jealousy) I started to learn that life is better when I’m cheering for others success and not my own. When I started to allow people more gifted than me to help me, it caused everything to grow.  When I started lifting others up, recognizing their efforts and applauding them, it made my heart happy.  I’m naturally competitive and the job I used to work fed that fleshly tendency. But it’s not about being the best, it’s about allo

 To the young Mom who is trying to decide whether or not to stay home with your young children…stay home.  The season goes by so fast and you won’t regret staying home with them.  My oldest just turned 18. You can’t get that time back.  We have four sons. We were barely getting by financially.  I had numerous job opportunities during the time that I was staying home with them.  I had some great ministry opportunities during that time as well. I said no to some and yes to some.  I didn’t do a perfect job as a young mom and there are things I would’ve done differently now, but one thing I don’t regret is staying home with them.  To this day, if I’m not home when they are they ask me where I’m at.  Just being home with them brings security.  No shame to the working moms out there but this was on my heart to share. I know someone needs to hear it.  The Bible tells us to be keepers of the home. In order to be a keeper of the home we must be at home a good amount of time.  Your baby will be

Do you want to have something the great King Solomon had?  You can.  You can have wisdom, if you ask God for it.  You can have wisdom, if you read Proverbs in the Bible.  You can be wiser than the scholars  despite your age.  Do you want wisdom?  James 1:5 #wisdom

 The Breaking Away The Bible speaks of children as arrows  which are meant to be released.   But Lord, I want to hold onto them.  At times, control them, for their goodness sake.  Yet this causes their spirit to break.  How do I handle this breaking away, this making their own way, when I just want them to stay; little and moldable, young and teachable, forever reachable?  Lord help me guide them, launch them,  release them to You.  Help me trust Your control to make the boy a good fellow.  I need your grace  and teens seem to need space  to figure life out on their own  when Your Word will make it known.  Lord give us wisdom  to raise our children for Your Kingdom. -Brandi Beck Smith

Be the one who is different  because you have Christ in you.  Be the one who says no  to the things of the world.  The line is too blurry  between Christ followers and the world.  We should be light in the darkness.  Sometimes light hurts your eyes if you’re used to the dark.  You might make people uncomfortable  if you’re too different.  There’s a difference between loving others  and joining in their sin.  We can love others without compromising our convictions.  If your friend group were to hear from someone that you  are a Christ follower, would they be shocked? Or will they say, “Yes, I could tell there was something  different about her.” The Bible puts it this way, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so you can test and approve what the Lord’s Will is.” Romans 12:2