Identifying God-Given Gifts and Talents

Identifying God-Given Gifts and Talents

I didn't write a post for this series last week because I didn't feel like I had gotten back in the groove of writing since the Christmas break but after the past few days I have realized that God was talking to me through some friends and through a message at our church on this very subject and that maybe just maybe I needed to hear this stuff before I wrote my post.  :)

In Stormie's book on this Chapter she says the following:

We prayed our children's eyes would be turned away from the world and focused on what God had called them to do.  We prayed that God would open the doors they were to go through and shut all doors that they were not to enter.

What gifts and talents has God planted in your child?  Every child has them.  They are there, whether you can see them or not.  The Bible says, "Each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that" (1 Corinthians 7:7).  Sometimes it takes prayer to uncover them. 

When God gives you a glimpse of your child's potential for greatness, love and pray him or her into being that.  The Bible says, "Do you see a man who excels in his work?  He will stand before kings;  he will not stand before unknown men" (Proverbs 22:29).  Pray that your child will develop and excel in the gifts and talents God has given him or her, and let them know they have a unique purpose and significance in this world.

Each child has special gifts and talents.  We need to pray for them to be identified, revealed, developed, nurtured, and used for God's glory.

Well, it would be really hard for me to add anything to what Stormie just said in her book for a couple of reasons.  One because she did an excellent job and two because I am still in this stage of prayer for my kids and I see area's that I need to correct in my prayers for them.  I will write more on this at a later time.  So I encourage you to begin right now praying for your children and for the gift and talent that God has placed in them to be revealed so that they can use it for God and His work.

Instilling the Desire to Learn

Instilling the Desire to Learn 

I don't know about you but I do know about my own children and if left on their own to do and keep up with school work and learning in general they would not spend much time doing it (unless it was learning the latest video game - lol).

Our children learn by example, they learn by their parents involvement and by the prayers that we as parents pray on their behalf. 

I believe we need to pray for our children first of all to seek knowledge and to have a desire in their heart to learn more.  Hosea 4:6 says that people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge.  I love my children and I want to see them succeed in life not be destroyed.  I also believe we need to show an interest in what they are studying and learning.  We have to ask if they have homework or tests to study for.  We have to help them, to check their work, etc...

My children thankfully make very good grades and I am so happy that they do.  I put a lot of time, effort and energy in making sure they do their work.  I stay on them about getting stuff done, about studying for tests and so on but their dad and I also pray and have prayed since they were babies that they would have a desire to learn.  A desire to learn about God and a desire to learn in school. 

I encourage you to begin today to pray for your children to have a desire to learn and gain knowledge whether they are in public school, private school or home schooled.  It is never too late or too early to start praying for our children.

Having the Motivation for Proper Body Care

Having the Motivation for Proper Body Care

First of all in this chapter of Stormie's book she is talking about praying for proper body care.  Mostly what she covers in this chapter is about praying for our children to maintain healthy eating habits and to establish and keep a good exercise routine.  I agree with her whole hearted on this subject but I have one small problem with writing a blog post about it.  I am not a good leader when it comes to this area.  My menu's are based on what I can feed my family that cost the least amount of money and not necessarily what is the healthiest and as of right now I currently am doing zero exercise.  :(  I have gone on healthy eating spurts and I have joined gyms, did couch to 5k programs and exercised at home in the past.  I bought an elliptical and a tread mill once upon a time and various work out video's but to be honest I have never kept up with it. 

I will say this, I am starting this new year with new goals of working out, I have established a support system with a couple friends and I am going to pray not only for my children but for myself to have the determination and discipline to stick with it. 

I am taking baby steps with this and I am going to try to establish routines, one at a time starting with exercise and hopefully leading in to some better and more healthy eating habits for myself, my husband and my children.

Will you pray for us please?  Do you and your family eat healthy and exercise?  Do you have any suggestions or ideas that you think would be helpful to us in this area?

My 2013 Reading List

I am first of all making a commitment to continue reading in my Bible Everyday.  The most important book we should all be reading EVERYDAY!

 

And then when time allows I will be reading from the following list of books throughout the year in 2013. Some of these books are new to me, some I am finishing and some I am reading again. I am planning on reading at least one book per month. 

 

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In No Particular Order: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Books that I am continually reading in and praying through are:

 

 

 

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I am sure there will be additions to this list and I will update accordingly but for now this is my list.  How about you?  What books do you plan on reading in the New Year?  Leave your book choices in the comments sections or if you have made a list on your own blog please leave the link to your blog.  Happy Reading!

New Year, New Schedule for Devotions

Sometime back, I did a post on some of our favorite Devotions for our boys.  You can click the link HERE to be taken directly to those posts.  Our newest three books I bought in June of last year (2012) and throughout these last several months we have been skipping around sporadically going through them.  However, with a new year upon us we have decided to start with one and work our way through each book individually spending great time digging into the scriptures listed, answering the questions and discussing each chapter in great depth.  My husband picked out the order we are going to do them in and we are planning on spending 3 months in each book. 

 

We started with our first book on January 1st and only made it through the first few pages but that is just fine. We took time to have a discussion, ask and answer questions and make notations and highlights in the book. I am super excited to see the changes in my boys and our family as a whole as we work our way through these three great books.

 

January - March

The Power Of A Praying Teen

 

April - June

A Young Man After God's Own Heart

 

July - September

A Young Man's Guide to Making Right Choices

 

 

 

This leaves out October - December because as of now I am unsure of what devotion or book we are going to use.  I am asking each of you to give me some suggestions.  I have teenage boys and want a book we can use for 3 months worth of study. Please leave any and all suggestions in the comments of this post. I will check the books out and let you all know which one we decide to go with as the time approaches. Thanks for your help!

Money Saving "Foamy" Soap Refill

It's a new year and I figured a good way to start it off was by saving us all a little money. 

I have seen this on pinterest, on a blog I follow and a sweet dear friend also told me about it so I am well aware it is not a new thing but until a few short months ago I was totally unaware you could do this.  I love saving money.  I love making my own cleaners and such.  This is an awesome idea that really does stretch your hard earned dollar.  Try it.  I bet you will love it too.

 

It is really very simple.  Take an empty foamy hand soap dispenser and add any kind of gel hand soap to it - about 1 " worth.  Then fill the rest up with water.  Replace the lid and shake slightly until the soap and water are mixed and voila you have a full foamy hand soap bottle again. 

You could actually do this with any type of "foamy" soap.  Dawn has a foamy dish soap or any type of foamy body wash, etc...

Do you have any thrifty "refill" idea's that you would like to share??