YES to GOD study: CH. 5~Family Matters

Again, thank you for stopping by on THURSDAY for

If this is your first visit here today, I'm so glad you have found us. Each week we gather together, usually on Tuesday and discuss a chapter from a book we are collectively reading.

The book we are currently reading written by Micca Campbell,
CHAPTER 5: FAMILY MATTERS
Anything in blue is a quote from the book.

It seems like in all the studies we have done here that each chapter I read just fits in so well with whatever is happening in my life. This chapter was no different.



Micca starts us off by letting us peek into her journal as she shares a prayer she penned to God about her children. Bible teacher Adrian Rogers once said that prayers starts in heaven. The Holy Spirit finds the desire of God and put that desire in our hearts.

I never thought of it like that before and have really been thinking on that these last few days. God knows my desire to have a home that is inviting and unkept. In my kitchen I decided a few years back to paint my kitchen cupboards. This project took me forever and when I put the doors back on none of them would close. Eventually, 3 of the doors fell off and were stashed on the side of the fridge. My kitchen could be spotless, but looked messy because of the missing doors.





Now my husband will be the first to tell you that he is no handyman. And he will tell you the desires of his heart do not include becoming one. So the doors stayed off for a few years. Not days or months. Years. Until...my husband found Randy. Handy Randy. Our neighbor was having Randy install a fence and thus our relationship with a real handyman began. Yesterday I came home to cabinets with doors.





I am too old to have a BFF, but that is what I call Handy Randy. My point of sharing this with you is that these things God knew were important to me and in His timing he allowed Gene to hire a trustworthy man that can fix anything. If your desire is to build a godly home free from fear and secure in the love of God, then that desire, like mine, started in heaven. And if it started in heaven, God will see it through, because He wants us to have successful families.



I think my favorite line in this chapter was early on when she said: A mom's most precious treasure is her family She talks about how there isn't anyone but her family that she would love more or fight for more. But this is what grabbed my attention...we're not alone. Many influences in this world are also fighting for control of our families.



I remember one time when my Dad shared in church about paying attention to our kids more. He shared a video then he said this, "If you don't pay attention to your children and spend more time with them, there is someone out in the world that is willing to do that for you." I thought that was such a powerful truth he spoke over the congregation that morning because bottom line: Satan wants our families.





On page 87 Micca calls us to fight for who God has entrusted us with as she proclaimed the battle is on!
Our battle plan? Psalm 127 where we are taught that Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. We must give God complete control of our homes, families and life. That is why the psalmist didn't write Unless Lelia builds the house. No, Unless the LORD. I love that phrase: Unless the LORD.





With the Master Builder's help, you can build a healthy, happy family.

At the beginning of April, ABC’s “Good Morning America” featured Nebraska as the “Happiest Place in the Nation,” according to Mainstreet.com’s first ever Happiness Index ranking.

I laughed as I read that because while that covered the front page of our newspaper, so did titles such as:

2 arrested in Omaha post office robbery
Omaha gang intervention specialist arrested
OSHA proposes $150,000 fine for Omaha roofer
Panhandle ranch turning over horses to rescue groups
Body found along river east of downtown Omaha
Autopsy: Infant died of head injuries from father

16 year old pulls knife on Mom and sister over a cigarette

Couple shot to death in their Omaha home

Long time restaurant owners in court; family suing family

Man in Bennet arrested for assault for choking his 65 five year old Mom

4 year old loses battle with cancer

Doesn't really live up to what our state sign claims: Welcome to Nebraska, The Good Life! I doubt many people would move here if all of those headlines were listed on our state sign.

Life in Nebraska is like any other state...murder, robbery, greed, corruption, cancer...so c'mon down and join me here in the land of the Cornhuskers, the land of the "happy".

We will never find happiness without Jesus as the center of our life, our family and our home. Never.

And I don't care what any poll says, there isn't a state on the map that can claim that unless Jesus is the head of their Governor, Mayor and every citizen.

Happiest place in the nation?

In the arms of Jesus Christ.

The next sections were awesome and here are the sub-titles:

To Guard or Not to Guard

When to Guard

When Not to Protect

and

When to Trade Fear for Faith

I really wish I would've read this book and especially this chapter before I brought my oldest Alyssa into the world. I think if I keep reading and applying what I learn to my parenting by the time my 2nd grader Alivia graduates, I will have it down.

Based on God's Word, Micca helps us out and tell us how it is supposed to be:

GOD'S JOB

Build our homes

Guard and guide us in all wisdom

Teach us through His Word

Counsel us 24/7

Keep our home

OUR JOB

Monitor what comes into our home
Lean on God
Teach our children from God's Word

Keep out of God's way & let our kids grow

Trust God and follow His plan for our home

Fear-driven parenting is never a good thing. Our children will make mistakes just as we do. The key is letting our children know we have faith in them even after they've made a mistake. That's the way the Master Builder works.

It doesn't matter how many times we hire Handy Randy to come over and fix stuff in this house. There will still be things that don't work right and much brokenness in this home if I don't call on Jesus Christ. He is my Master Builder and He needs to be the One I call on everyday and every night.

With Alyssa I really parented out of fear. I did not want her to make the mistakes I did and by the age of 17 during her senior year she was pregnant. Suddenly my fears, the things I was trying to keep her from became my life. The only difference between mother and daughter was that I was pregnant at 19 a year after graduating. Looking back I admit that I really smothered her and now I can see how I did not trust God at all. I just did what I thought was best which turned out to be the worst by keeping God out of the picture. I was so over protective it was crazy but when you are filling your gas tank with fear instead of faith you will find yourself on roads that aren't even on the map. I am now learning to trust God with my kids and my grand girl. Which for this controller, is very hard. I have to believe that my God is bigger than any circumstance before me. Doesn't mean I kick back and become uninvolved, but I seek Him with all my heart and let Him lead me because parenting without Him is co-parenting with Satan. And Satan knows if he can get to our kids he can get our whole family because we live in defeat based on fear.

I hope if you don't have any children that you didn't tune yourself out on this chapter. Whether you are single or a Mom of 7 (yes, seven) like Kelley is, you are building a home. A home that God needs to be the landlord over. Let's lean on the Father for guidance in our every day life and trust that Father Knows Best because to Him...His family matters.

You are such a blessing to me. If you have something to share on your blog regarding this chapter, please sign up below so we can come visit you.

Next week: chapter 6: Learning to Trust Again. And don't forget to do the Bible study at the end of each chapter called Know It----Stow It----Show It. Micca really took the time to point us to God's Word throughout each chapter and study. We will get this as we learn and then apply.

ONE MORE THING~~Becky has a really cool thing going on at her blog right now and you get a chance to win some Starbucks if you participate. I'll be posting what I'm going to WOW this Saturday on my blog. Visit Becky by clicking here and join in on the fun!

~Many Blessings~