by kathilipp | Feb 17, 2014 | God, Me |
Friends, it’s Kathi here- I’m sure most of you know my sweet friend Renee Swope from Proverbs 31 or her wonderful radio spots heard absolutely everywhere. (Sometimes I’m sitting in the passenger seat swearing to Roger that I’m hearing voices – it’s just Renee talking to me through the radio.) Make sure you read down to the end of the post where Renee has several ways for you to win some of her latest resources.)
It had been a hard day, running too many errands with two small children. My three-year-old didn’t understand why we couldn’t buy every toy his tiny hands could touch. And he kept getting in and out of the grocery cart, and whining when I tried to stop him.
I was not a happy mama and wondered how all the other moms in the store seemed to know what they were doing.
Their children listened when they told them no and they wore matching outfits, too. I wondered how in the world those women pulled it off with a smile. I could barely get a shower, get my kids dressed and get us out the door before lunch.
When we got home that afternoon, I went looking for pink construction paper so I could write “I QUIT” on it and turn in my “pink slip” to my husband J.J. when he came home from work. I was tired of feeling like such a failure as a mom.
I couldn’t find pink construction paper, so I decided to pull out my journal. Filling blank pages with scribbled thoughts, I wrote:
I hate who I have become. I’m such a horrible mom. Why didn’t someone tell me how hard this was going to be? I’m frustrated with my kids and myself. I have no patience and I don’t know what I am doing! I feel guilty all the time. I couldn’t wait to be a mom and now I want to quit.”
Just as I finished writing that sentence, I sensed God whispering to my heart: Renee, You are so critical of yourself. You focus on your mistakes and beat yourself up with accusation and condemnation. Those are not My thoughts …”
It felt like a dam broke in my soul as I choked out the words, “God, I can’t do this. It’s just too much for me”
And in that place of surrender, Peace came over me. His gentleness calmed my nerves. It felt like God bent down before me to listen, and spoke to my heart: You are right, Renee. In your strength and through your perspective, you can’t do this. But with My promises, My presence and My power – all things are possible. I will help you.
Looking back on that day, my heart can’t help but echo the words of the Psalmist: “Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” Psalm 116:2 NLT
When we acknowledge that we are a mess on our own, God rushes to our side to help us. He bends down to show us that with His help, wisdom and guidance, we can become the confident praying mama we long to be, and the confident mom HE created us to be!
When I say… I can’t do this, God says… You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. Keep praying and depending on Me for help.
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
Today’s post from Renee Swope is a partial excerpt from her new A Confident Heart Devotional book. Used with permission from Revell Books.
Renee and JJ Swope have been married for over 20 years. They have three children: Joshua (19), Andrew (16) and their sweet Ethiopian princess who they brought home in 2009, at the age of 10 months. Renee is also a best-selling author, speaker and radio co-host with Proverbs 31 Ministries. The Swope family lives in North Carolina and she blogs at www.ReneeSwope.com.
About Renee’s NEW Confident Heart Devotional:Does self-doubt ever make you question your ability to be a good mom? Expanding on her best-selling book, A Confident Heart, Renee Swope has written a new 60-day devotional that will encourage, empower and equip you to live confidently in your God-given roles, relationships, and responsibilities! Each devotion also features a “When I Say…God Says…” statement with a Bible promise and a prayer to guide your thoughts and emotions that day. Plus you’ll LOVE an easy-reference chart that includes all sixty ”When I Say…God Says…” statements for days when you just need a promise to hold onto!
ENTER TO WIN 2 copies of Renee’s A Confident Heart Devotional book. Leave a comment below and let us know what friend you’d give it to and why, if you won 2 copies. Contest ends on February 20, 2014. CLICK HERE to find out how you can WIN a $50 gift card, 2 additional signed copies of Renee’s A Confident Heart Devotional book, and more!
by kathilipp | Aug 18, 2013 | God |
So as some of you may know, I’m not the biggest Duck Dynasty fan.
I watched the first few episodes, and loved the family (especially loved me some Uncle Sy…) but the production of the show drove me crazy: the producers seem to put these very smart family members into some really dumb situations (making wine in a week!?!) It’s just not my Tupperware cup of sweet tea. And that’s OK -some of my best friends LOVE Duck Dynasty.
But I just read an article that is the reason why I’m giving Duck Dynasty another chance. (Like they need me as a viewer…)
In this story Jase, one of the bearded brothers
on the show, is staying at the Trump Tower Hotel in New York. When he asked a staff member to point out where the restroom was, the bushy-bearded cast member was escorted to the front door, directed to the park, and told “Good luck.”
My immediate thought was “Oh wow. I bet Donald Trump is going to have to issue an apology to the entire family in order to avoid a national uproar of Duck Dynasty fans!”
But the family, talking about the employee who escorted Jase from the building calmed the potential fury:
The Robertsons said they were “absolutely not offended” by the incident and said they love staying at Trump Hotel.
“We were laughing — wait until the Donald hears about this,” he said.
And for what it’s worth, they hope the staff member doesn’t get in trouble.
Amazing. For many, many people, (including many Christians, which it’s well know that the Robertsons are,) would have threatened lawsuits, or at the very least demanded a public apology.
But instead, they acted about as Christ-like as any celebrity, Christian or non, I’ve ever heard of.
“I think it was a facial profiling deal,” Jase said.
Humor, and grace. Our churches would be overflowing if we had that kind of response all the time.
Yep – I’ll be tuning in to A&E.
by kathilipp | Aug 13, 2013 | God |
Teaching Children Bible Memorization
Proverbs 22:6
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Psalm 119:11
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
The Bible instructs us to teach and to train up children according to God’s will and verse memorization is part of that. We are to think on what is good and pure as Paul instructs us in Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
So what are great ways to teach children Bible verses? I asked the question on my Facebook page and so many responded with great ideas. Music was by far the most recommended way to get the Bible into their cute little minds. Here are some reader suggestions.
Cyn Rogalski
“MUSIC! Set the words to music, even Twinkle Twinkle, it really helps them to remember.”
Heather Van Nortwick Faulkner
“When we were doing AWANA and my kid’s had to memorize a verse each week I got a little voice recorder (from Target in the toy section). They said the verse into it and would listen to it over and over and say it along with it.”
Carol Daniels Boley
“Definitely music. Even in high school when they had to memorize verses in Bible class, we would pick tunes that fit. Did you know Esther 4:16 works perfectly with “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina?”
Randi Schmid Seeds
“Family Worship CDs are awesome; we use those to memorize (without them realizing it!) and then we memorize the old fashioned way too just writing it down and saying it every day until we memorize it.”
Murphy Baumann
“In my classroom, when we had a long passage, I would give each child one word written on a small dry erase board and then have them get in order by saying the verse with them. I would have them change words with someone and do it again. After a few times I would time them to see how quickly they could get in order. For individual memorization it helps to have the words on paper. Have the child cut the words out, mix them up, and then put them back in order a few times. This could work for adults too!”
Sabrina Martinez
“I post a sticky note on their bathroom mirror with a scripture every day. With 3 girls getting ready in there, at least one of them is likely to memorize it.”
Stephenie Hovland wrote a blog post memorizing scripture. May be something some of you could use Faith-Filled
Teresa Svatos Drake friend in Washington created a wonderful book for kids called Alphabet of Promises. The story behind the book is precious, as well.
Ronda Jones Doug Jones Knows the creator of Memlock and she says his system is awesome!!
Be sure to check out my Pintrest Board for other resources and great ideas on how to memorize verses and get your kids excited about it.
by kathilipp | Jun 10, 2013 | God |
My husband, Roger, is one of those guys who would do anything you needed – just ask. He calls himself a handyman for the 21st century: Need a network for your home? Call Rog. Want Roger’s salsa recipe? No need – he’ll make his famous appetizer for you.
As great as my husband is, though, Roger is often reluctant to “put himself out there”. He is hesitant to get involved in situations that he doesn’t know anything about. He wants to help people, but he is much more comfortable when the help is asked for.
So when I asked him how his day had gone, I was shocked when he told that he stopped at a multi-car accident on the way home.
“Yeah, it was a three car accident. The front two cars had minor damage, but the third car was totaled. No one else was stopping, so I figured I better stop. I helped the third woman, got her calmed down, and then called 911. I stayed with all three women until the ambulance, police, and fire department arrived.”
I’m not telling this story to brag on my man, (although I’m really proud of him…) I’m telling this story for a couple of reasons.
How to Help When You Don’t Feel Like Enough
- We don’t avoid helping people because we’re bad people – we avoid because it presses up against our comfort zone.
- Sometimes when we step out of our comfort zone, we are not going to get the reaction we would hope for. This just happened to me yesterday – I
went up to a woman at the airport to let her know her sweater was one inside out (she was right outside of security so it would be easy to get it turned inside out.) After I told her she literally looked down her nose at me and said, “OK” in a huffy voice as if to say “How dare you bother me with such a trivial matter.” At first I felt bad and rejected, but Roger reminded me, “You would want someone to tell you. You did the right thing.”
- When we do the right thing, God will give you the words to say. You don’t have to be fully prepared before you help. You just have to show up – God will equip you for what to do and say next.
In the comments below, tell me one area where you feel God is calling you to step out of your comfort zone – or has in the past. I would love to give one reader a copy of my new book Praying God’s Word for Your Life
by kathilipp | Jun 3, 2013 | God |
I’m waiting for things to change.
I pray and I work, but whether it’s circumstances or sin, I get in a place where I’m stuck. Where I feel that things are the way they are, and they are never going to change.
Maybe for you it’s your marriage.
Or your weight.
Or that child that is living any way except the way that you raised them.
Maybe it’s money, or not being where you want to be in your career.
Or maybe it’s the feeling that things are happening for everyone else, but not for you.
It’s amazing that things can be clicking along in some areas of my life, (my marriage, my career,) but just thinking about other areas (physically, relationally,) can make me feel like my whole life is just a huge, overwhelming mess. And that’s when I want to give up.
I pray and I wait, and then I grow weary of praying, because my prayers feel like they are going unanswered. And then I feel as if God has grown tired of me and all of my wants and needs. It makes me feel like I’m that kid in second grade whose gone to the teacher just one too many times and has been asked to take her seat and quit bothering everyone.
I usually feel that way when I’m not spending time in the truth. When I’m relying on my own faulty thinking instead of relying on God’s own thoughts about what I should believe. And this is what he says to me:
“We are not hopeless. We are the children of an all-powerful savior who wants us to cast all our cares on him.” 1 Peter 5:7 ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.’ He love us and cares for you.
Don’t give up. Don’t give up. Don’t give up.
In celebration of my new book: Praying God’s Word for Your Life
I will be giving out a copy a week. Just comment below and tell me one area where you are being faithful to wait on God. A winner will be chosen Monday, June 10th.
by kathilipp | May 19, 2013 | God |
I’ve been in that place – stuck.
Stuck in my relationships, stuck in my relationship with God, stuck in sticky situations, stuck in my job. Stuck.
And can we just say it? Stuck sucks.
Oh I would pray. I would. But the problem was I would offer up one feeble prayer to God and just wait. And wait. It wasn’t until I got persistent with God – when I kept coming to him again and again until I saw things start to shake loose, that I really believed that God not only could change the circumstances in my life – I started to believe that he loved me enough to do so.
And that’s why I wrote Praying God’s Word for Your Life – because I want you to experience God’s “shaking loose” in your life. I want you to walk through life not only knowing God can, but that God loves you enough to change your life.
I want to offer you a discount on the book until the official release June 1. We will be going through the book together on the blog, so get your copy and get ready to change your life.
On sale for $10 on my website until May 31st
Renee and JJ Swope have been married for over 20 years. They have three children: Joshua (19), Andrew (16) and their sweet Ethiopian princess who they brought home in 2009, at the age of 10 months. Renee is also a best-selling author, speaker and radio co-host with Proverbs 31 Ministries. The Swope family lives in North Carolina and she blogs at www.ReneeSwope.com.
