Happy Passover!

Chag Sameach Pesach!

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. -John 13:1

TBOC: Special Announcement

My husband and I did not always agree on the idea of trusting God with our family size. It was a painful journey to this point and God has provide many different things to encourage us along the way. The one thing that had the biggest impact on our decision was a video put together by the Moore family, of Moore Family Films. If you haven't heard of this family's incredible ministry you should definitely head over to their website and check them out.

The video that we watched was Children are a Blessing. In this video there is so much information from the Bible, as well as information on the origins of the birth control pill and planned parenthood. I personally did not know a lot of the information that was provided and for my husband and I this video was life changing.

Here is the trailer for Children are a Blessing and below you will find the link to watch it free online. Also please consider purchasing the DVD, it's currently on sale for $10 and has 60 minutes worth of extra footage.

TBOC: Marriage First

Before I get into this post I have to just say it... I'm not an expert. I've been married for less than two years and we didn't always do things the right way. But I've had some really great women come into my life who have been married for 20+ years. My grandparents have been married for 60 years, my parents have been married for 27 years, and my husbands parents have been married for 20+ years. So while I don't have tons of advice from experience, I do have lots of great advice that has been handed down to me.


But even more than that I have the Word of God! Everything that we need to know about anything, including marriage, is there "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" -2 Timothy 3:16. 


I think the thing that has been stressed the most, is that your spouse is the most important person in your life. They come before the children. Now I know some people will have all kinds of reasons for why that doesn't make sense. But in a healthy God fearing relationship this should be the priority. After all it's the love that is shared between you and your husband that brought your children here in the first place. When the children are grown and out of the house all that will be left is you and your hubby. How sad would it be if your relationship suffered all that time, and now you're left alone with a failing relationship? 


This is why it's so important to have a date night and make time to spend with your husband. I know that it's not always possible to go out on a date. We actually don't go out that much. But every night we put the girls to bed and then have our time together. We read the Bible, or we do a devotional together, and we use that time to connect. On the weekends we stay up late and watch movies. Sometimes we stay up way too late and then feel awful in the morning lol, but I wouldn't trade that time for anything. If a husband and wife's relationship is not right nothing in the home will be right. 


I've heard it said so many times that the closer a husband and wife draw to God the closer they will become. I believe this to be very true, and have witnessed it's affects in my own relationship. When we learn how to love from the source of love how much better will our relationship be?

Another great piece of advice I've received is to pray for your spouse DAILY. Pray about their day, their heart, or their desires, whatever you know they need prayer for. Don't just send up a prayer flare, like "help him have a good day". Really spend time in prayer for your spouse. Pray for God's will in their life, pray for their hearts to be softened so they can be prepared for what God asks of them. Pray for them specifically and don't hold back. I saw this quote from The Power of a Praying Wife, and although I haven't read the book this quote really stood out to me.

 Something amazing happens to our hearts when we pray for another person. The hardness melts. We become able to get beyond the hurts, and forgive. We even end up loving the person we’re praying for. It’s miraculous! It happens because when we pray we enter into the presence of God and He fills us with His Spirit of love. I’ve seen women with no feelings of love for their husbands find that as they prayed, over time, those feelings came. Sometimes they felt differently even after the first heartfelt prayer. -Stormie Omartian, The Power of a Praying Wife

Last year I did a 31 day husband prayer challenge if you'd like to check it out you can go here

I'm linking up with Women Living Well and A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

TBOC: Time in the Word

I'm always reading parenting books, websites, and blogs. One of the most basic and awesome pieces of advice usually given is to spend time in the Word before your children wake up. Love it! Great advice. But I'm not a morning person and my children are very young. Waking up before them sounds like the worst thing in the world. I've tried it, I don't like it. Unless of course they wake up at 12 in the afternoon and I get up at 11. Then that sound like the perfect situation. But when they're waking up in the early morning hours it's not as easy to say ok I'll just get up before them. But we need to have the right foundation laid for ourselves everyday. Time in the Word is so important. But if you're like me and end up falling asleep while trying to read because it's just too early, let me tell you there's another way!

Read after you all get up! Such a simple fix. What I do is get my girls up give them breakfast and then I either go in my room to read or I stay in the living room with them and read. I don't read to them (I do that at lunch) it's just my quiet time with the Lord. I put on music and I pray over my day, over the scripture I'm about to read, and I ask God to show me what he wants me to know. You're still starting your day out in the Word but in a way that works for you. Now if you can get up before your children by all means do so! That quiet time is so important. We can't train our children in the way they should go with out His help. So we need to meet with Him, kind of like a team meeting before the work day starts!

This is what I bring to my meeting:

sorry it's fuzzy it's from my cell phone

I have my Bible, a note pad or notebook, my reading planner, a pen, highlighter, and my kindle. I use the kindle to play music, usually instrumental, it just kind of helps to drown out any noises and get my heart focused on the right things. Although I do keep it low enough that I can hear the girls lol. The planner I got when we visited a new church and I love it! Such a great idea, I use it to record prayer requests and answers to prayer, I even use it to keep track of our personal schedule. I think I'll be using a planner for now on.

Spending time with God is the most important thing for any person seeking to lead a life pleasing to Him. We have to be in His Word DAILY. But it's especially important to parent's who want to raise children who love and serve the Lord. So schedule some time for you to get alone with Him and stick with it even when it's hard. 

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. -Proverbs 8:17

The Blessing of Children: An Introduction

There is so much in the Bible about children being a blessing. It's hard to deny that God loves children with verses like:

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. -Matt 19:14

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. -Psalm 127:3 

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. -Matthew 18:10

I've been praying for a heart for the things God has heart for, and I've been led to begin a series on The Blessing of Children. I'm not sure how long this series will last because this is being done totally of the Lord's leading. While I understand that not everyone agrees on this matter, it's something that I would like to share with you all.

God loves children so much that He calls them a "reward"! I don't know about you but I'm not looking to turn down any rewards from God. Psalm 128:3 says:

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

So not only are children a reward but God says that a wife should be like "a fruitful vine" and that children should be like "olive plants round about thy table". Have you ever seen an olive tree? Those things grow like crazy! Now that's not to say every family should, or even will, have 20+ children. The point is to accept what ever it is that God gives you. Whether that is no children, one child, or 20. the point is to trust God no matter what. If we trust Him to save our souls, how much more so should we trust him with out lives?

Through out this series there will be encouraging messages, interviews with families that are trusting the Lord with this area of their lives, and a giveaway or two. So stay tuned! (the easiest way to stay up to date is by following this blog, either through google friends connect or by email)

To begin here is a video of one of the most well known moms of a large family, Michelle Duggar, talking about birth control and the early years.

If you'd like to participate by guest posting, being interviewed, or sponsoring a giveaway please contact me at hereinislove@gmail.com

Encouragement

Tuesday night I watched the season finale of 19 Kids and Counting. For those that don't know it's a reality show about a Christian family that has 19 children. The mother Mrs. Duggar just recently lost her 20th child at around 18 weeks gestation. 


This episode showed when they found out and the days leading up to it, as well as the days following and the funeral. It was all very, very sad, but I didn't walk away from the episode sad. I walked away so encouraged.

When they found out they lost the baby, Mrs. Duggar's reaction was the most amazing image of faith, and trust in God. The ultrasound technician told her there was no heart beat and she was shocked and said "oh no". Then when the technician was explaining what that meant and what she saw Mrs. Duggar said "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the LORD!" 

After that they prayed, thanked, and praised the Lord for giving them the time that they had and for the children they have. She had a previous miscarriage over 20 years ago and she thanked the Lord for having that baby in heaven to be with this baby. It was all just so incredibly moving.

To see someone genuinely trust God that much encourages me to surrender the areas that I hold on to. To just put it all in His hands, because ultimately He knows best. 

Building On The Rock

Lately children and family have been on my mind a lot. I've been in prayer for my girls that they would have hearts that are like the good ground (Mark 4:8) and the Lord has been just revealing different areas that I need to work on so that I can raise my girls to achieve what He has planned.

I think the most important lesson is that I can not do it alone, or in my strength. If the foundation of how I raise my children is me then we have a shaky foundation. We have a foundation made of sand. But if instead the foundation is built on God then our foundation is built upon the Rock!

When it comes to houses the foundation is everything. A poor, or weak, foundation can cause your house to come tumbling down. The same is true about our life and our desires. If we don't have that strong foundation we built everything for nothing. It was all in vain! So as I prayerfully train my girls in the way they should go I am mindful to ask God to show me what it is He would have me show them. My aim is to point it all back to God. Whether we are outside blowing bubbles, or reading our scriptures for the day, it ALL points back to the Father.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: - Matthew 7:24

Here is a post I wrote last year in July about the what happens when we build on the Rock.