Excerpt from Refocused Bible Study:Parenting Day 5

“When God reminded me of this passage, all my immediate responsibilities of the moment grew dim in light of His responsibilities at that moment in time. I mean, Jesus was sustaining the whole world, here on a mission of salvation of all his people, healing people with time sensitive illnesses, imparting spiritual truths, and many more “important” activities at the very moment these children were brought to him. And he STOPPED. He praised their faith. He blessed them. I tear up thinking of the times I have failed to stop and snuggle and bless my children when I have thought myself too busy. But His mercies are new every morning, and I am so thankful he brought this passage to my attention to apply it to my mothering. I pray he does the same in your mothering.”

Mark 10

Jesus Blesses the Children

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them.

The parents brought their children to Jesus.  

But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

The world tells us children aren’t important.  

When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples.

Mark 10:13-14 Words in other translations:

IRATE.

INDIGNANT.

MUCH DISPLEASED.

FURIOUS.

IRRITATED.

Jesus was hot about this! How dare they scold the parents and not allow the children to come to Him! He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. The disciples had it all wrong. Jesus saw the children not as a distraction from the important things, but AS THE IMPORTANT THINGS.

15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.

Here is where the term “childlike faith’ comes from. We can learn so much from them!

16Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

Our application: TAKE YOUR CHILDREN IN YOUR ARMS.

Put down the seemingly important things, and pick up THE IMPORTANT THINGS.

Put your hands on them before they eat their meals at the table, and bless them in the name of Jesus. Follow His example, and let his Words ring in your ears the next time your heart forgets. Ask Him to help you see your beautiful children through his eyes. I pray that this week has been a blessing to you as we’ve #REFOCUSED ON PARENTING!

Question: What’s one thing that could be stealing attention from your children that is not necessary, and your plans to battle this on the road ahead.

✨New Here? I’m blogging through my Bible Study, “Refocused: Fixing your eyes in Jesus for the road ahead.”

This week is Motherhood Week!

Next week we wrap up with Home Week! I hope you’ll follow along!

Resources below:Download the study free HERE

OR

You can can buy the study here: Refocused Bible Study

Praying for you,

Amy

I have 10 ways to get more bible into your kid’s hearts! These are some real life ideas to help you drench your sweet babies with the life-giving word of God in 2018. Check it out on the video! Make Deuteronomy 6:7 a reality in your parenting. https://youtu.be/gxP63AmWRwY

“Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.”

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 MSG

Tomorrow is the last day of Refocused on Parenting, then it’s on to Refocused on Home next week.

Praying for you all!

Amy

Today we study several different passages, but they all point to 3 principles:

1) God has a plan for your child. (Jeremiah 29:11)

2) God has gifted your child to bring glory to Him and know Him through these plans. (Romans 12:6-8)

3) You are a vessel to let God’s Spirit pour encouragement of these gifts to be cultivated and to point them to hold Jesus’s hand and let Jesus walk them step by step into these plans for good, for a future, and for a hope!

I enjoyed going through the passage in Romans 12 and reflecting on which of these gifts I see emerging in my children. I hope you did too!

6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

This week I have been quick to encourage my daughter as she serves our family by helping me cook and prepare meals. She ALWAYS wants to pull a chair up to the stove and help me. Two nights ago, she insisted on making us our salads. I knew this passage was coming up in our bible study, so I encouraged her using the word “serving” and telling her God had given her a special heart to serve others. I lifted up some prayers asking God to continue to stir her heart to serve others through the love of Christ. And I will continue to allow her to help me serve.

EVEN THOUGH IT IS MESSY! EVEN THOUGH IT TAKES A LOT MORE TIME! Why? Because I see the radiant fulfillment and joy on her face when she hands her daddy his salad, with half the juice from the green olive jar mixed in with his salad dressing. Because this is how God builds and encourages his church.

We were ALL given a special gift that makes all the parts of his body work together in perfect harmony. Because God knows the plans he has for my daughter. And you can be sure, he will not let this gift go to waste. I don’t know how, or where, or when she will be serving others in the future, but He knows.

So we will keep praying, bringing the decisions that we make for them to the ONE who knows what their future holds. I pray we all do this and trust the ONE who knows their future.

✨New Here? I’m blogging through my Bible Study, “Refocused: Fixing your eyes in Jesus for the road ahead.”

This week is Motherhood Week!

Next week we wrap up with Home Week!

I hope you’ll follow along!

Resources below:Download the study free HERE

OR

You can can buy the study here: Refocused Bible Study

Praying for you!

Amy

Matthew 7

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 

I hope you have had a great day Refocusing on praying for your children! I posted a video on Youtube to go along with the study today. Unfortunately it is not the best quality but I’m trading in perfection for snuggles with my kids now, so here it is! Hope it blesses you and you can look beyond the quality of the video! ASK SEEK KNOCK for them!!! What are you praying over your kids for the year ahead? Lay it at the feet our their Heavenly Father! He is good!

Here’s a video to help you Mother with Prayer! https://youtu.be/yu1iinve3UY

✨New Here? I’m blogging through my Bible Study, “Refocused: Fixing your eyes in Jesus for the road ahead.”

This week is Motherhood Week!

Next week we wrap up with Home Week!

I hope you’ll follow along!

Resources below:Download the study free HERE

OR

You can can buy the study here: Refocused Bible Study

Praying for you,

Amy

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.”

Psalm 127:3

Challenge: BE PRESENT WITH YOUR “PRESENTS” TODAY!!!

This is a good way to remember to enjoy and engage with the children God gave us as our best gifts from Him!

I think about mothers in the bible and how it must have been easier to treasure their children “back in the day.” The pace of life was slower. There were no cars, no computers, no smart phones!

Let’s commit to letting nothing get in the way from being fully present in our children’s lives.

Listen to them intently.

Play with them. Read to them.

HAVE FUN WITH THEM!

The Lord is going to be watching and loving seeing us enjoy the most precious gifts He has given us! Let’s commit to making this a reality this year. Everyday we will be pulling back a layer of the wrapping paper from these incredible gifts from God as we watch our children mature and grow.

Question: How does viewing our children as a gift from the Lord, as Psalm 127:3 says, change our parenting?

What small change can you make to create a better big difference? (Less phone, etc?) Another Challenge: Think about (meditate) on this verse today:

“Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him.” Psalm 127:3

I have good news for you: Thinking and praying about God’s word can be very powerful. Simply do this if nothing else! I want to encourage you to be on the “do what you can plan.”

A little of God’s Word is better than none at all! I’m going to sign off and be “PRESENT with my PRESENTS!” Thanking God for these most precious gifts! Praying you will do the same!

✨New Here? I’m blogging through my Bible Study, “Refocused: Fixing your eyes in Jesus for the road ahead.”

This week is Motherhood Week!

The last week is Home Week!

I hope you’ll follow along!

Resources below:Download the study free HERE

OR

You can can buy the study here: Refocused Bible Study

Praying for you,

Amy