A Parent's Job

Hello everyone!

Well, summer is in full swing but will soon be over before we know it! Ours has been very busy, filled with family, church, and kid activities, but a fun change of pace from the school-year routine.

Gloryana (almost 9) and Michael (5) just finished up their last swimming lesson last week. Michael was very excited to experience his first year of learning to navigate the water. Glory, however, (even though it is her third year) was less-than-thrilled, since being required to dunk her face in the water and jump off the diving board were to her, simply the worst disasters of her summer break! Before the first lesson, she experienced the usual butterflies that accompany the start of a new endeavor. But after she learned that the inevitable jump off the diving board was imminent, the following days brought whole new drama to our morning routine of trying to get everyone fed, ready, and in the van on time. First came the refusals to eat breakfast, then the declarations that she was sick, then repeated trips to the restroom (both at home and at the pool), and finally the laying down in the fetal position on the seat of the van moaning, "I don't want to go!"

Since mercy/compassion is not the strongest gift the Lord has given me, the first couple of mornings I simply gave her the "get over it-we are going anyway" speech. But as it seemed to get progressively worse as the days went by, I was suddenly taken back to instances from my own childhood when I can remember being gripped by fear as well, even to the point of physical sickness. As I thought about it, I recalled how no one ever taught me how to deal with the fear and overcome it. Although with the help of the Holy Spirit I have learned to achieve victory over fear and timidity as an adult, I thought about how much farther I would have been earlier in life if someone would have taught me the Bible way of dealing with it as a child.

So after that, I took time on the drive each morning arming my daughter with ammunition from the Word of God to help her see herself as the conqueror and overcomer she is. We took authority over the mind-set of fear and filled her with verses about how she can do all things through Christ who strengthens her. By the last couple of days of her swimming lessons, she couldn't wait to get there for the chance to jump off the diving board again! Although this particular circumstance might seem like a small one, as she learns to apply the Word in these little things, when she encounters big challenges in life, she will be well-able to face them and win.

Looking back on my family line, I could see where fear dominated some of my relatives' lives for generations. What iniquity is in your family tree? What tendencies were you raised with that are anti-Scriptural? As parents, it is our holy duty to address and change these things in our own lives so that they are not passed on to the next generation. After that, we must ask the Holy Spirit to teach us the right way so that we can demonstrate this to our children in every day life. What we do not deal with, our children will have to.

Proverbs 20:7 (NIV) says, "The righteous man leads a blameless life, blessed are his children after him."

Righteousness= peace and freedom from bondage in every area
Sin=absence of peace; bondage

Let us be parents who leave a heritage of peace and freedom in our family lines for generations to come!

Pastor Jeff and I love you!

Blessings,
Pastor Rebecca

A Time to Rejoice

As we all prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend I would like to encourage each of you to take a moment and be thankful to God for all His wonderful blessings on this country. I believe that we live in what is still the greatest country on earth. I also believe that the reason we are so blessed as a nation is because God’s hand has been on it from the very beginning. Many of the early settlers came to this country to seek religious freedom. Our forefathers sought God for His help, protection, wisdom, and guidance. They also prayed before writing the constitution, which was established on godly principles.

I believe there has been a divine plan for our country from the very beginning. It is easy to recognize that if it wasn’t for our country, World War II would have ended differently and the world would be another place entirely as a result. But beyond our natural help in that war and others, as well as the many other good things our government does in other parts of the world, spiritually, our country has been a light to the world. People have seen how blessed a nation can be that honors and serves the true God. Additionally, we have sent many missionaries all over the world to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. We have also been a friend to Israel, which we know is important to God.

So the next time someone stands up to criticize our nation or cries out for change, let’s see what kind of change they believe in because there is a reason that our country has been the most blessed nation in the world. Anyone who wants to take away from the values that have made us great is asking for the wrong kind of change.

I ask you to say a prayer for our nation this weekend and ask God to continue to bless her and to work in the hearts of the people of this country so that we can continue to be a light to the world around us. God bless.

Pastor Jeff