In my devotion today on Crosswalk and Proverbs 31 Ministries, I talked about a situation where I felt frustrated and completely helpless as a mom. So I asked for God’s help and He came through with a powerful promise to help my son become a can-do kid, and help me become a can-do mom!
Andrew moved beyond who he was to who he could become with God’s help. He learned (and is still learning) that he can do all things through Christ who gives him strength, (Phil. 4:13). It’s a spiritual lesson that’s become part of his spiritual legacy. A lesson that’s lasted for years. He was four when it happened and he just turned eleven yesterday!
Monday we talked here about our calling to teach God’s truths to our kids in everyday moments. All throughout January, I’ll be sharing on my blog about becoming a D6 family based on God’s instructions in Deuteronomy 6:5-9. I’ll also be partnering with the D6 conference/ministry each weekday to give away resources to encourage you and your kids along the way.
My story in today’s devotion a D6 moment when I saw what it meant to live out the principles in Deuteronomy 6 – to pass on God’s promises as we go along. God showed me real life application of His Word in the middle of a motherhood meltdown.
And the lesson lingered. It’s been applicable in the days that followed. A year or so afterwards, we were getting ready to leave for school and Joshua offered to help Andrew feed the dogs. Andrew smiled and said, “No thanks. I don’t need help. I’m a can-do kid!”
Just yesterday Andrew was struggling with anxiety. I shared how I have worries, too, and described how I write them down and give them to God. We talked about living in today and not tomorrow until it gets here. Then I read him the devotion and reminded him that he’s a can-do kid who can trust God with His concerns. Then we prayed Philippians 4:13, claiming once again that he can do all things through Christ who gives Him strength. He smiled so big and thanked me for reminding him.
My prayer today is that God will show us all D6 moments with our children so we can help them become can-do kids in Christ!
I also wanted to share promises God used with Gideon in Judges 6 to help him become a can-do kid:
- I am with you. v.12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”
- Focus on the strength you have. v.14 The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
- You can do it! Remember, I am with you. v.16 The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”
I didn’t realize it then, but as I look back I see practical ways I applied this process and these promises with Andrew that day in the kitchen:
- I drew his attention away from something he couldn’t do and focused it toward something he could do.
- I showed him how to do it, and then I did it with him.
- Once he gained his confidence, I stepped back and watched as he completed his assignment with success.
- We celebrated the reality of his new name and talked about how good it felt to do new things.
God is so good! I love that these steps we can take with our children in various situations as we become a Can-Do Moms who are raising Can-Do Kids!
Copyright 2009. Renee Swope – All rights reserved.
We’re giving away two D6-mom resources today, that includeone copy of “Revolutionary Parenting” and one copy of my “Mining for Gold in the Heart of Your Child“ CD and chart to be selected from your comments today. Be sure to include your email in your comment so we can contact you if you win the give-away. Here are some things I’d love to know:
Has there been a time when you were able to share a promise or spiritual truth with your child in an everyday life moment? What hinders you or helps you look for those teachable moments? Are there other ways you are passing on your faith to your child? I’d love to hear your thoughts, stories and/or questions.
Every Friday, we’ll be giving away two tickets to the D6 Conference. So be sure to come back for more encouragement and resources from D6 and Proverbs 31 Ministries!
Be sure to include your email so we can contact you if you win the give-away.
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My 12 year old son just started a new middle school this week and it threatened to get the best of both of us. He did not want to leave the friends he had at his old school and I hated to see him so anxious about going to a new place. My husband and I encouraged him with the scripture “For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” That actually encouraged me as well because as a parent I sometimes allow the uncertainty of life to weigh heavier on me than it should, and then I remember the One who is on my side and things quickly come back into focus. Thank you for your daily devotions, they really do encourage me and help me in my daily Christian walk.
Monica W.
[email protected]
Oops! Forgot to leave my email: [email protected]
Thank you Renee for that very timely message. I’m a school teacher with a student who absolutely CAN DO long division, but is so afraid to try(and possibly be wrong)that she is paralyzed and actually won’t even attempt the problem. I’m going to use your thoughts today to help encourage her (and ease my own frustrations). Thank you also for the scripture references; I’m going to post them in my classroom, and one on her desk!
Sharon
sharoncivile6@ gmail.com
wow ~ what an encouragement to me!
I am actually thinking how this applies to my husband and co-workers as well as to my daughters! Thanks for sharing.
[email protected]
Bless your heart Renee for this powerful post.
I have a 3yr old daughter whom I noticed that in the last few weeks she has been particular about announcing it when its dark. On Tuesday, I was getting set to go to work and she said, “mummy, don’t go because it is still dark outside”. The lord lead me to share with her Ps 84:11 that said the lord God is our light and our protector, I took her outside to show her that despite the dark we can still see. Ever since, she still announces it whenever it’s dark but confirms that we can still see.
Also she also believes that she can do all thing because God had helped me to share this truth with her before now.
Once again thank you for the tips in Judges 6 that you’ve highlighted
Hi Renee,
I so need help in finding the right things to say to my 17 year old son. He has been so shy and reserved until the last two years. Some of his friends are not who I would choose for him. I think they are bad influences.
He does go to church without being told to, which is a plus. But I see a lot of anger in him. He has an absent father that came in his life for the first time 2 years ago. He spent a week with him, bought him a keychain and promised him he would bring him the car that goes with it at Christmas. That was over a year ago, and he hasn’t heard from him since.
It devastated him to say the least. I blame myself because I found his father and brought him in his life only for him to treat him like he did.
I just wish I knew what to say to him. He is like me in the sense that he carries his heart on his shoulders. When he gets upset he goes outside or in another room and he cries.
I also have a 3 year old daughter who is totally opposite. She is fearless and could be a door greeter at Walmart, LOL.
I know it hurts him to see his little sister with me and her father. I know he feels cheated deep inside. The only father figure he has ever had was my father and he is 60 and his health is failing. It would totally destroy him if something happen to his grandfather. He would feel so lost. I know at his age it’s too late for him to look to my daughters father as a father figure.
It’s just a mess and I could really use some guidance.
God Bless,
Cheryl
http://[email protected]
Shalom Renee!
Thank you! Thank you for being obedient to God!
I’m the mother of one child, Bethany, who is 9. This is our first year of homeschooling and we have our good days and our bad. The other day was one of those days where I had a hundred different things on my mind, or so it seemed, Bethany was working on her math sheet. Math…just thinking about it makes me want to cringe. I loved Math in school, teaching it to my daughter this year, not so much.
Last year, while in 2nd grade, at a private Christian school, Bethany could finish a 100 math fact sheet, multiplication, in under 4 minutes. This year…”What’s 2×3?” “Uh… 4..?” Oh, Father help me! That is what I have to say over and over again sometimes. I lose patience with her too quickly sometime, to my great shame. Which, I know is a very big part of the problem.
But the other day, she was working on another 100 fact sheet and I happened to hear her sigh for about the 5th time in frustration. When I looked up, “What’s wrong,” coming from my mother, my heart dropped and sorrow and frustration lodged in my throat.
I could see the spirit of failure, of self-condemnation all over her. God literally ‘showed’ me how it crawls on her, if you will. I wanted to vent my frustration and at the same time wrap her in my arms. I did neither, really. But I did look her in the eyes and tell her that, in Jesus name, we needed to pray that God would reveal to her how smart and beautiful she is. Her big brown eyes welled and spilled over with tears as she shook her head.
God help me. I knew parenting would be hard, but raising a child and especially raising a child to understand WHO they are and WHOSE they are…whew! That’s hard. I struggle daily, espcially since I am human, I am flesh and I have my own insecurities and short-comings that I feel are being handed down to her.
Since she was in the womb, I prayed over her, with her and it’s something that I’ve done with her, pretty much every day, all her life. I’ve prayed for her and with her that she’d be a Mighty Daughter of Zion, full of faith, love and power…
But I am failing her somewhere. I have given her Psalm 139:13-16 to claim, 2 Timothy 1:7…
I guess though, if I’m not totally, unashamedly, and fervantly SHOWING her, how will she know.
And now that I’ve babbled, I will say that I am glad I clicked on the link for this blog. I’m glad that God knows what we need when we need it… and I know this is something that I need, as do many other mothers.
I AM taking to the bank that I’m a ‘Can Do’ mom. I’m going to start claiming that. And I’m going to have her start claiming that she’s a ‘Can Do’ kid.
Thank you, Renee. I look forward to many more encouragements and enlightenments! Praise God, He is so good!
Shalom,
Danielle
[email protected]
Renee,
Thanks for the encouraging and challenging blog. Here’s our D6 story:
At the end of October, our six year old son was complaining because we were not going out to eat at a restaurant after church. I launched into my best mom lecture: “There are hungry children all over the world…”
Well, that seemed to quiet him and I didn’t hear anything about it for the next several minutes. However, when I glanced in my rearview mirror, I saw tears spilling down his cheeks. “Mommy, I didn’t know there are kids who don’t have any food.”
Distracted with driving, music in the background, two other children in the van, and my plans for the rest of the day, I thought perhaps I’d gone overboard with the lecture, so I told him we’d give to a ministry that helps feed hungry children.
I nearly missed an incredible opportunity, but thank God, he wasn’t satisfied with my half-hearted offer! He said, “Mom, I want to do something to help them, but I’m just a kid.” Finally, the light switched on in my heart–this was a God moment! So we talked about young David defeating the giant Goliath, how he trusted in God to fight with him. I reminded him of Samuel hearing the voice of the Lord as a young boy, and of Josiah who became king of Judah when he was only eight years old and restored true worship in the temple.
Well, my son listened carefully, then replied. “God’s telling me to help those kids. He loves me and is going to help me.”
When we got home, he gave me most of the money that he had been saving for a video game. He told me that God wanted him to raise $1,000! Amazed by his faith, I was now the one learning a lesson!
In the end, he exceeded his goal in about two months (without money from mom or dad), and wants to go on a missions trip with my husband as soon as he can.
Renee, my kids teach so much about God. There seems to be a new lesson every day, and it’s a good thing because I’ve got a lot to learn!
Thanks for your openness in sharing your journey, and for inspiring me to be the parent that God has called me to be and that my kids need me to become.
Blessings,
Susanna
[email protected]
Renee,
I have two boys ages 4 and 5 who I pray for daily. I think at these ages the most important concept I can instill in them is how much God loves them. We pray daily and I tell them that God hears our prayers. I realized how my boys were beginnng to understand this when one day my oldest son skinned his knee and began crying hysterically while saying, “Momma, Momma I want you to pray for me. I want you to pray for me.” We did and he calmed down. Ever since then, it is one of the first things we do if anyone gets hurt or experiences pain. What’s even more wondrous is how God hears and answers those prayers. It makes me wonder whose faith is stronger, mine or theirs? Thanks for asking. [email protected]
I find it amazing that God would draw so many moms together with the same burden for planting those seeds of faith in our children. I had an opportunity to draw on the strength of God’s word when my dear cousin died suddenly a few years ago.
As a stood there stunned and sobbing in our kitchen, my eyes caught the perpetual calendar with bible verses printed for each day. On this particularly difficult day, the verse was Isaiah 66:13 “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” As I read that, I sobbed with a peace like no other. I knew God was with my family in that moment.
When my then 3 year old daughter tried to comfort me, I was able to tell her my tears were joyful and that God reminded me He was close by and that everything would be ok. Though she asked alot of questions, she reminded me for a long time after that God was always nearby ready to help us like daddy. This particular daughter is one who shys away from new things. I’ve read quite a few ideas I can try with her in those moments she needs more encouragement!
So many times I feel I fall short in passing on my faith to my daughters. And then God lays something on my heart to remind me to stay the course and keep trying. Thank you for initiating this conversation!
Good evening! I really liked your message. I am the mother of 3 kids, 2 now married and one hopefully finishing college this year. The daughter in college has had a troubled time these past three years. I struggle with how to stay positive while staying on her about getting things done well. She tends to procrastinate, fall behind, get sick, miss class, not get things done… I know God has a wonderful plan for her, but I’m looking for ways to encourage her in the midst of her not striving to make the most of each day. Any ideas?
Thank you for reminding me of that powerful verse that yes, we CAN DO all things through our mighty awesome God!! How encouraging that is to a Mama like me as I homeschool 4 children. Countless other Mamas will be so blessed and be able to encourage their children, also!!
Blessings to you,
~Amy S.~
Renee-we did someting different this Christmas. To make a long story short, there were no gifts under the tree. We didn’t think the money would be there with my husbands loss of job. One week before Christmas, a “love offering” came our way. When we went shopping to buy the girls gifts they all seemed empty. We left the mall with only gift cards for their stockings instead. It wasn’t the real meaning of Christmas. We gave each girl a journal and told them the best gift we could give them at Chrstmas was a relationship with christ however, no matter how much we wanted them to have that gift they had to choose it, to accept it. We gave them the journals and taught them a method to journal scripture and pray it back. We are hoping to instill a discipline we are passionate about in our own lives.
In His Graces~Pamela
It was wonderful to read this today…I am a single mom, struggling with my 11 year old son who is fearful of everything new, and I am honestly at my wits end trying to encourage him. I was meant to read this encouragement – unfortunatly I cannot add any wisdom myself. But I can be thankful that there are others who understand my plight, and can help me on the path to helping my child!
Karen Molenda
[email protected]
Hello Renee,
Thank you so much for your article, it really encourage me!
I love the way God works. For some reason He thinks I am the right person to raise his dearest one.
My daughter is only 18 months, so even I know the journey is going to be long I will try to do my best to let her know (by mouth and by example) that she can be a can-do-kid, and there is no “handicap” that can stop that!
God bless you, your family and ministry!
Connie
[email protected]
I had had enough today after a day of deadlines ,no breaks and stress. I came home to 2 kids complaining and not happy with the dinner or anything else.
After almost one hour of doing homework with my 8 yr. old daughter I ended up frustrated as she couldn’t grasp the match or english report writing concepts.
I plopped down exhausted on the dining room table while they went down to watch t.v.alone. I just wanted to cry.
I ended up trying to answer some emails and was unusually curt with my answers. Then I read your story about your 4 yr. old.
You reminded me that my daughter is a Can-do kid and so is my 4 yr. old. And maybe just as importantly, I’m a Can-do mother through Jesus.
I’m no longer near to tears and am ready to join both of them , give them hugs and enjoy the little time left before some well-needed rest.
Thanks for your insight and thank-you Jesus for this intervention tonight.
Love,
A tired mom in Ottawa, Canada.
Renee,
Thankyou for sharing your heart concerning your boys and the things that occur.
It makes it easier to share what we go through as moms.. fellowship with other moms.
After yesterday I was trying to find those teachable moments.. one actually came today.
My 4 yr old daughter decided that she would rather hit/push her brother instead of obeying. So I asked her if what she did made Jesus sad when she didnt obey. Well she wanted to be sassy and said,, not gonna obey. Then a few minutes later I said that when she disobeyed mommy it made Jesus sad.
She seemed to get it the 2nd time around.
I think for me.. there are certain times that hinder me from teaching when I get really fustrated with them or in a stressful moment. At that point all I am thinking about is how stressed they are making me feel.
As I look .. I can see that the enemy is trying to distract from the important in those times.
Our kids love listening to praise music. So at the harried times.. I am trying to switch gears to PRAISING instead of stressing.
** There are times during the day when we hear the older 2 in the other room singing a praise song.. which is so neat.. God is stirring their hearts little by little.
Also my husband does his reading time in the morning. Sometimes our daughter will go up to my husband and want him to read to her. Its neat Father/daughter time in the word.
I look forward to reading tommorows blog:)
Chrissy Gunning
email: [email protected]
Ok this came to me after two very long weeks of Christmas break. My kids had lost the exhileration of the new toys and “stuff” and were quickly approaching an insane amount of tv time. I was finding my volume rising to new levels as well. One night my 7 year old gave my 2 1/2 year old and old devotion book for girls. my 2 1/2 year old ran around with it all night calling it her notebook. I had no idea what her notebook was as I was trying to complete my third load of laundry. Meanwhile my 6 year old son was what I call “fitting” in his room over having to put away his laundry. The girls began to bicker at out toothbrushing session and I was ready to blow!!! I turn to yes yell at my girls to knock it off when I saw the devotion book on the bathroom counter. I made all three come and sit down on the bathroom floor that moment and immediatly turned to complaining and whining devotion. My youngest was still on the potty which made her a captive audience:) I read the story of how a little girl didn’t want to go to bed and then read the memory verse(Phillipians 2:14)to them. I then had them individually recite the verse to me! We talked about why God doesn’t want us to complain and argue. We all gave an example including myself of when we have complained or argued. I had them recite the verse several more times since that day and it quells the bickering and complaining almost every time. Judy Johnson [email protected]
oops… I, mom2po, forgot to include my email address on my post. Here it is just incase….
[email protected]
Renee,
Thanks for the words of encouragement. It’s my desire to raise a “can-do” child too!
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