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Time For The New Thing!

12/30/2015

As a mother, the potty training phase is always a challenge for me. My children are very strong willed and independent. They are decision makers and solutionists. To encourage those leadership qualities, I usually give them a choice so they may exercise their “rights”. Well, certain things come without choice, such as potty training. Every child must eventually do their business in the potty! My 2 year old has been going pee-pee in the potty for quite some time but has refused to use it for “#2”. I can set the rules and give the consequences, but I can’t make her boo-boo in the right place (I’m sorry this is a disgusting topic). I refused to put big girl panties on her until she showed me she could go where she was supposed to, because I didn’t want to clean it up! So I’ve been telling her that it is against the law (of my house) for 3 year olds to wear pull-ups and she must be fully trained before her birthday in January! I finally decided to put the panties on her and see what happens. To my surprise, she went in the potty instead of hiding to go on herself! I didn’t even have to tell her to. The pull-up was hindering her progress. She knew that it protected her from the mess. She didn’t want it all over either. As parents, it is important to see our children’s progress and push them to the next level. If we put too many safety nets up, they will surely use them. The pull-up was keeping her from advancing. I didn’t want to clean up the mess so I kept her in a place that she had outgrown causing unnecessary time, frustration, and money (on pull-ups) to be wasted. Thank God that He is a redeemer! How many of us do this very same thing in our own lives. We fear to advance because we have the comfort of the old season holding us back. We don’t want to let go of the old familiar thing so we miss out on the new thing. So today I encourage you mommies to put your big girl panties on! Get rid of the pull-up that is holding all the clutter of the past and enter into your new season. God has already equipped you and you are ready! What is God calling you to do? What is your passion? What are your gifts? It is time to put it all together and take a step of faith into your next season!

Isaiah 43:18-19New King James Version (NKJV)
18 “Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
Everything that you have learned up until now has prepared you for what God is doing next. He is making a way!

Father, we thank You that Your Word is alive and active. Forgive us for hindering our children’s progress by not trusting their training and fear of the mess. We want them to advance into their next level. Forgive us for holding on to what is easy and comfortable instead of moving into the next thing that You have called us to. We let go of the old and embrace our new season. We look for the roads and rivers that You have prepared and boldly go towards the new thing. We ask that You redeem the time and set us in timing with the purpose that You have placed inside of us. We trust you and surrender our will to Yours. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

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Ride Or Die

12/23/2015

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Part of raising children is teaching them how to be good friends. When Jesus came it was written peace on earth and goodwill (friendliness/kindness) toward men. We learn how to be good friends by first being friends of God. We earn this privilege when we mature into obedience of His word. God’s greatest commandment is to love. When we abide in His love our joy is made full and there is no greater love than to lay down your life for a friend. The world would call this “ride or die”. It always amazes me how the world uses Godly principles unknowingly. (I believe since we were made in God’s image, His principles are already engrafted in us but if we don’t seek Him first they get perverted).So a ride or die friend is someone who you would do anything for. You have their back no matter what because you don’t want to see them get hurt. My 4 year old son was in children’s church this Sunday and on the car ride home he told me that his friend hurt him. He was playing around and it was an accident. I asked him if he had told the teacher. He didn’t because he didn’t want his friend to get in trouble. He was hurt enough that he felt that he should tell me, but ultimately he was okay. He was laying his life down for His friend. As I thought on this, I also realized that he does this for his sisters. If they are in their room being “too quiet” I’ll ask him what they are doing and if his response is “I don’t know. They are in their room” I know that they are getting into something mischievous. I am in no way condoning lying. My point is that I have not taught him to do this. He has somehow found the love that causes him to want to protect. Now it is my job to not let the enemy pervert it. I need to teach boundaries and truth. I have to set a standard of the Word in his heart so he can judge when it is appropriate to protect or will protecting them actually cause injury in the end. A friend loves at all times (Prov. 17:17). Sometimes exposing for correction is the best type of love. The only way our children will get this right at a young age is if we not only impart it into them, but also model this by example. They are our disciples and will follow our wisdom or foolishness (whichever we provide)!

John 15:9-17
Love and Joy Perfected
9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

Father we thank You for Your friendship. We thank You that there is fullness of joy in Your love. Forgive us for not exemplifying the kind of love that You have instructed us to have. Teach us how to model this love and train our children to do so also. We want to be good friends to You and to others also. We want our children to use the principles of God without any perversion from the enemy. We want them to bear fruit that remains. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

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The Least Of These...

12/16/2015

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While thinking about raising children this Christmas season, I began to ponder what it must have been like to raise Jesus as a child. Mary knew the importance of her assignment as the mother of the Anointed One. She understood that she had to raise Him up in the ways of God to one day take His mantle as King. Can you imagine the care she must have handled Him with? How could she, an imperfect person, raise a child to walk in perfection? Her child would be blameless in the sight of God, but persecuted and brutally betrayed by the people He delivered, healed, and brought wholeness to. As a mother, I cannot fathom the strength, wisdom, and courage it must have taken to see her (and the world’s) promise fulfilled through her Son. Can you imagine having to correct Jesus? Did she ever have to spank Him? He was without sin but He still was once 2 years old (spare the rod, spoil the child) LOL! She was given clear instructions by Gabriel the Angel, and had the prophecies from the scriptures, but still had to go through the process. There was an entire 30 years before He would start doing what He was called to do. What would we do if our children took that long to start their own life? It is written that what we do to the least of these we do also to Him (Matthew 25:45). I guess this makes sense since Christ lives in us! Our children would be considered the least according to most. Are we treating them like we would treat Jesus?

Ephesians 3:14-21

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,[c] 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus dwells in our hearts by faith. It is Him that gives us power to advance into our calling and the ability to use our gifts. Knowing His love allows us to be filled with His fullness. Our children also carry His purpose. They have a destiny that has been ordained by God and it is our jobs to cultivate them in a manner that will push them into their purpose. Do we see the greatness inside of our children? When we look at our children do we see that they are carrying God’s glory? One day they will be doing something that God has only ordained them to do. How are we preparing them for their assignment? We need to pray and get clear instructions from God on each of our children. If we know their assignment, we will have strategy in raising them. We will also have strategy in defeating the enemy of their soul. The devil always attacks the place of purpose. So not only should we grow their gifts, but also be proactive in prayer in the things that may come against them. God’s glory is generational. We impart it into our children by faith that is rooted and grounded in love and they will impart it into theirs. We must handle our children with care, just as Mary must have done with Jesus, knowing that we are protecting their destiny and building them for greatness!

Father we thank you that You have trusted us with the greatness inside of our children. We know that everything You do has purpose and there is a reason that You have given them to us. Forgive us for taking them lightly and not seeing the greatness that You have placed inside of them. Teach us how to cultivate them and train them to be excellent in what You have called them to. Show us their gifts and how to nurture them and pray them into fruition. Keep Your mighty hand upon them and let us always remember You as we raise them up. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

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Our Children Hear God

12/9/2015

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The Holy Spirit speaks to our children. I know many of us come from the old school mentality of children should be seen and not heard, but often times what our children have to say can be very insightful. We’ve all heard those sayings “they have been here before” and “they have wisdom beyond their years”, well, these are phrases that describe when the spirit is speaking through a child. When we raise our children based on the standards from the word of God, there are seeds planted in their hearts that will lead them into truth as they grow. Even before they are old enough to talk they realize when they have done something wrong. This is why before they do something they are not supposed to they look behind their shoulder to see if anyone is watching. My toddlers hide under the kitchen table when they have something they are not supposed to. Their disobedience (sin) causes them to feel shame (just like Adam and Eve), so their natural response is to hide. We all know there is no hiding from God and we don’t want our children to feel shame or condemnation that comes from the devil, so we must teach them conviction that comes from the Holy Spirit to lead them and guide them into truth. Conviction is that feeling that makes us want to look who’s watching before we do something. If we are worried about being caught, then we already know it is wrong. We need to train our children to pay attention to those feelings in order to keep them safe and out of trouble. Our children sense danger. Even as babies our children know who they feel safe with. Has your baby ever cried hysterically when they get around a certain person? Even if that person is someone that you personally love, don’t force them to go with them. Crying is their only defense and there is something about that person that makes them uncomfortable. Their Spirit is telling them no! As they get older we have to use our own discernment. We don’t want to be manipulated by tantrums or rebellion, but aware of a sense of true fear. As we continue to plant seeds of wisdom their decision making skills will become sharpened (even through their mistakes). They will say things like, “I knew I should have done that” or “I had a feeling that that was going to happen”. We have to make them aware that the “knowing/feeling” that they get is from their Holy Spirit. God speaks to all of us if we just pay attention! If we train them to pay attention while they are young then this will be normal practice for them as they get older and will help them navigate through situations more smoothly. We are living in a world that is now teaching what is wrong is right and what is right is wrong. If we don’t train our children then they will surely be confused. Their Holy Spirit is their defense against the wickedness that they face. By the time they become independent, they need to know the voice of God. They need to be sure of what they know and believe, so we must equip them to be prepared. Instead of shielding them we must give them strategy. The only way that we can do this is through prayer, the Word, and listening to our own Holy Spirit. Let us not fall victim to the times we live in but raise up a standard through our children that will tear down the gates of hell and defeat the enemy of their generation! We set a standard in our own homes. We define what is normal to them. We create the culture and atmosphere that they find comfort in. We must lay down the foundation of Jesus and give them an opportunity to use their gifts at a young age. We are generals and commanders of our soldiers (children). If we train and condition them now, they will be ready for the battles ahead. If we hide and protect them without giving them tools then they will be easily defeated when exposed to war.

John 16:13(NKJV)
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Romans 8:12-17(NKJV)
Sonship Through the Spirit
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Father we thank You for the Holy Spirit. We thank You that You have given Him to us so we may hear you clearly and make good decisions. Forgive us for not paying attention to Him or training our children how to obey the Spirit of God inside of them. Show us how to obey and train our children to do the same. Help us pay attention when You are speaking to and through our children. Give us discernment to recognize their gifts and train them by Your Word. Help us disciple our children into the greatness that they are called to. We declare that they will be a generation that will not be moved by the wickedness of the world but be a standard for truth and righteousness. Stir up a spirit of prayer in us that will cause us to function as parents in new levels. Speak to us that we may speak prophetically into our children’s lives and activate what God has already put inside of them. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

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Don't Go In Debt Buying Gifts

12/2/2015

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Often times as the Christmas season approaches, anxiety and pressure begins to rise up as we try to figure out what we are going to give our children and how much we are going to spend. We somehow get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the advertisements and sales causing us to stretch our budgets and create debt. It can be very stressful for those that are living pay check to paycheck and the enemy loves to attack with spirits of depression, lack, guilt, and insufficiency to keep us from enjoying the true meaning of the Holiday. Jesus was born for the purpose to defeat all of these spirits and more. He didn’t come to give us condemnation, but to save us (John 3:17). In the long run, our children won’t be impacted by what we buy them, but what we teach them and how much quality time we spend with them. My best childhood memories are from times that we came together playing board games and enjoying each other. God is a God of generations and what we place value on so will are children also. Wealth starts from the inside and works itself out. God wants to give us everything that He has promised in His Word, but we must live it and continuously teach it to our children. Their inheritance lies in the wisdom that you impart in them not in the money/things that you can give them.

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 (NKJV)
The Greatest Commandment
6 “Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observethem in the land which you are crossing over to possess, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3 Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you—‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’[a]
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one![b] 5 You shall love theLord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

As we keep God first in everything, He will prosper and multiply us and our generations to come. God wants us to bless us to be a blessing. When we know the reverential fear of the Lord it will bring supernatural wisdom and understanding that will give us access to a life of prosperity. God takes pleasure in our prosperity and also gives us power to gain wealth but our trust must stay in Him and not in our material/jobs/abilities. Ultimately, the best thing we can leave our children is a good name.

Proverbs 22:1(NKJV)
22 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

Integrity and good character brings favor. People will do business with whom they can trust. Our legacy for our children will be built by our name, not by what gifts that we buy them. When they one day look back at their childhood they will remember the values that you have taught them and the time that you have invested in them, not the money that you spent on them. Celebrate this Christmas by sharing the love of Christ and creating memories that will last a lifetime, ones that they will pass down to their children. Let’s teach the Word of God to our children in all situations and as he prospers us remember what He has brought us out of. Encourage a spirit of giving and it will activate a spirit of thanksgiving and appreciation. It is okay to give gifts, but don’t let it take away from the focus on Jesus or from the financial stability of your home.

Father we thank You for the Christmas season that gives us a platform to share the love of Christ and focus on His love. Forgive us for allowing the devil to flood us will thoughts of condemnation and anxiety trying to get our children all of the material things that they desire. We shift our focus back on You and thank You for the wisdom that You have given us to impart into our children. We desire a good name to leave with our children and wealth that begins with the Word inscribed in their hearts. Show us how to teach them Your fullness so they may be thankful in all things. Show us how to invest quality time into their lives that will impact their futures. We bless You and give You glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

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Mommy's Garden

Time For The New Thing!

Ride Or Die

The Least Of These...

Our Children Hear God

Don't Go In Debt Buying Gifts

Bonnie Kay Rimpson

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