I truly have loved growing up in this ministry. The truths that I have learned over many years have helped me be victorious through many situations I have faced. God’s Word really is so practical for every stage of our lives!
One of the ways that I have most recently been applying truths I have learned in this ministry is in motherhood. My parents are great examples to me of diligently teaching the Word to us kids as we lived life. Now this was something that would be my responsibility. Before I had our first child, I wondered if I would be able to apply what God’s Word says in Deuteronomy 6:7:
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
It seemed that this would be a daunting task—to teach my children the Word diligently when talking, when walking, when lying down, when living life. It seemed like a huge task! I doubted whether I could do this all the time. However, as God always does, He works in us to help us accomplish whatever we set out to do. This is what I established in my heart after our first child was born and then again after our second child was born.
As our first child was growing, I realized that I really do know plenty of scriptures that apply to the situations we were facing. I also realized that I was already applying so much of the Word in my life, but usually quietly to myself. A big difference when you put children into the mix is that it is more of a verbal, out loud recognition of a verse that applies to the situation. Teaching my child how God’s Word applies to life’s situations was something that I could do. It can be an easy part of life because “It is written” is my standard!
One of the scriptures that we have utilized many times is II Timothy 1:7:
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
This verse has helped me keep my sound mind in the face of a whiny child who is pushing his boundaries. This verse has helped my children keep their sound minds when they are learning different emotions and how to deal with them or when they’re simply learning that obeying their parents is the best option.
There have been a few times when I have been helping one of our children calm down, and sometimes I have been tempted to think, “How can I get him to stop crying? I don’t know what I can do!” Then quickly after that, I remember that I can always give him the Word. It always works.
So I will usually quote II Timothy 1:7 (or have him quote the verse to me if he is old enough) and remind him that God has given us sound minds. It doesn’t take long for the tears to stop and for his body and mind to get peaceful. I know that as our children grow older, this verse and many, many more will continue to apply to all of life’s situations.
How thankful we are for the truths of God’s Word which help keep the peace in our homes and in our hearts and in the hearts of our children.