Today we’re kicking off a month of encouragement for moms! Proverbs 31 Ministries is partnering with D6 Family Conference and Ministry, along with Focus on the Family, Barna Research Group, Dave Ramsey, John Trent, Angela Thomas and many more who believe that moms (and dads) have the most important job on earth.
God has entrusted moms and dads with an amazing calling, yet the by day-to-day demands on our time and attention often consume all that we have to give. In survival mode, we lose sight of the clearest command God’s given to us as parents in (D6) Deuteronomy 6:5-9, to make daily deposits of faith into our children’s lives and leave a spiritual legacy.
Mom, there is no one else who can take your place. Being a parent is the most important investment of your time and attention. But don’t let that overwhelm you. You don’t have to do it all and you don’t have to do it alone. Most of all, you don’t have to do it perfectly! This month our hope is to make it more “doable” for you. So, I’ll be writing about my personal journey as a mom, and featuring guests who will share lessons they’ve learned along the way that have helped their family incorporate D6 moments into every day life. And I hope you’ll share yours!!!
Before we get started, I want to share why we think this is so important. Please take a few minutes to watch this video and come back to let us know your thoughts.
We want to hear from you, so let us know what’s on your mind and what your greatest needs are as a mom. How does this video make you feel? What does it evoke in your thoughts? Does it make you want to ask anything?
We’ll be drawing names based on your thoughts and questions from this post today through Friday. Saturday morning we’ll announce the winner of a D6/P31 family gift pak that includes a cool D6 family coffee mug, a D6 t-shirt, a year’s subscription to the P31 magazine for mom and a year subscription to D6 Clear magazine for kids. And be sure to come back for more encouragement and give-aways all month!
Hi there,the video sends such an important message to moms and dads. Reading some of the comments take me back several years ago when I realized that I needed to be the mom that God intended me to be. I prayed for my children, God blessed me with my children. Why? was I going to let it all speed by so quickly? My husband and I took a long hard look at our priorities, and decided that I would only work part time. I have been fulltime with the same company for over 20 years, and the Lord knew what my heart desired and what my family needed. My employer graciously agreed for me to go part time, and the Lord has continued to provide for us, even with the lost income. This past year has been a hard one for our family, my husband lost his father to lung cancer in April, and in September our family lost our home to Ike. I know that it is and was through the Grace and Mercy of our Father that my children, myself, and my husband, were able to get through these horrible events. Being able to be consistant day in and day out for our children has shown them that God will see you through anything. To the boys (15 and 11) this was just a bump in the road! Praise God for his guidance with our children, in showing them what is important in life. Not the material things, but the precious times and moments spent loving each other, and walking towards a closer relationship with our Father. I pray for all of the families who are trying to find the balance, and I pray for Gods Wisdom in each of their lives.
All Gods Blessings to you,
Terri
I have already raised my children but now I find myself raising a 4 yr old grandson. I don't know where he gets all his energy, but, I will strive to raise him as long as I am needed to. I get so tired and discouraged and then I get mad at his mom & dad for the choices they made that put him inour care. I thank the Lord all the time for the wonderful husband he has given me…without his help I would be either bald or completly grey by now and I don't turn 50 until April! LOL!!
Thank you for the encouraging words today!
Kathy
Thank God for woman like you,
thank you for the emcouragment.
[email protected]
I love this idea of a D6 Family, I’m so excited.
Jill Burns
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Praise the Lord!!!
God is a prayer answering God-I have been crying out to God asking Him to help me balance my life-i only have one child and I am not going to work from home but your devotion really gave me hope-I feel that God has left me alone to deal with this-but the very scripture that led me to the Lord 8 years ago reminded me that He alones knows the plans for me and they are good and not evil-PLEASE
Dear Renee,
As a minister’s wife and educator, I feel like my life is filled with wonderful people and works. Unfortunately, I also feel pulled in different directions by these wonderful people who have legitimate needs and prayer requests. My husband and I work diligently at making our time with our children and with each other meaningful and spirit filled due to the nature of our jobs and ministry. I have learned that living and praying in each moment helps me to stay focused on my most important priorities…my savior, my husband, and my children. In teaching and ministry, I see many families who leave it up to the teacher or minister to teach their children values. I feel blessed to be able to teach these important virtues, but it so much more meaningful when parents can work together and with God to teach their own children. Any teacher will tell you that when teaching a lesson, the teacher learns even more than the student. One mission we have in ministry is to empower parents to be the spiritual leaders in their home not only while their chidlren are small, but continue mentoring and instruction and listening to them for their whole lives. Too many parents ‘consider their teens to be adults’ and claim the title of ’empty nesters’, way too, soon! What a blessing parenthood is! I know God will bless many people through the D6 ministry! I am blessed to have found this resource.
WOW, what a wake up call! My brother has recommended a book to me called Family Driven Faith and I think it’s the same thoughts, I’m going to look for it to read.
Thanks for this series, it will really help us walk this with our kids daily.
Jennifer
I am married but don’t have children. Being a parent would mean sacrifices and commitment. I salute all the moms who devote their time and effort in rearing their children in a Christian way. Being a parent mean hands on training. We have so many theories and plans on how to handle the kids but it’s so different when it’s already happening. In the end we realize God is in control, no matter what we plan, it will always be God’s call. And it is such a wonderful reward when we see our children grow in the Lord, when after following God’s instructions, we see His plan unfolding right before our eyes. God bless you all!
Hello Renee,
I really appreciated your story of where you started as a mom. As a working mom with a hectic job, I often find myself in the place you did. I pray about it often but still struggle, so thank you for sharing as it makes me feel less alone in the struggle and that maybe there’s hope. As far as the D6 video, I could not agree more. It’s something that I find I knew inherently but the video does remind, encourage, and mobilize Christian parents to “spiritually lead” their children. If we can teach our children to speak and walk, why do we believe our culture when it tells us that we can’t teach them much more than that? Great video that I’ve already sent on to friends and church family.
This just so confirms What I have been feeling like in my spirit. I want my kids to know Jesus and know He everything. Truly what a wake up call to hear yes it does rest on our shoulders as parents not on the Youth pastor or Pastor. As a pastors wife now and a youth pastor wife for 12 years I wrestled with “What could I done better, or how could I have been more effective in the lives of the kids?” Thank you for bringing to us the reality that the Home is where the training should begin and grow. It is who we are everyday, every hour not just at the church house. [email protected]
Hi Renee,
I am touched by the video I watched. We are forming a ladies gathering at my church starting this month and I plan to show this in the meeting.
It has really opened up new ideas for me to teach my children and to help the mom’s in my church to take a different approach.
I sometimes help teach Sunday school and notice that most children don’t have a lot of Bible knowledge. This really has touched me I was in tears.
Thank you and God bless you,
Teresa
Wow that was a powerful video that really speaks to my heart. Recently, our local pastor’s sermon was also about the need for families to teach their children about God and spiritual issues. I really feel that God is talking to us about this need. What a great ministry to start this D6. I definitely want to know more!
thanks,
Shelley
[email protected]
What a great clip. I plan to share it with my husband this evening. I think that it is important to remember that being a Christian is a way of life. It is how we live our lives and by doing that we are setting an example for our children and including them in this way of life. Daily or evening for us, devotions have become an important part of our family life. There are so many devotional books for kids that touch on different aspects of their lives. These offer a time of prayer and really open up a topic of conversation. I look at Sunday school as a way to reinforce our teachings at home as well as a chance for them to learn and do extra things. D6 sounds like a great ministry. Thank you for introducing it to me.
– [email protected]
I'm so thankful that I stumbled upon this! It was such a fresh reminder of why I do what I do. I talk to my dad the other day about how hard parenting can be with 3 young children & homeschooling. I told him the physical aspect of parenting was not what wore me out, but rather the mental part of it. I thought and though about what I was trying to say so it made more since and it was exactly what was said in this video. It has to be in the fore front of our mind, constantly. It is the constant taking advantage of times to point them back to Christ and not just see parenting as another task. I think I've been trying to fullfill & carry out this pasage in my own strength and sometimes for self glorification, so others will see the fruit of my labor. Rather I need to be relying on God and viewing it as my God given mission.
What do we Mamas need most? Encouragement in all aspects of our lives, most definitely! Being that we are “givers” by nature, we tend to give out so much we “run dry” without realizing it. Mamas need their “batteries recharged” in order to keep giving out to others as we are called to do by our Lord. Thank you for sharing God’s Word that “recharges our batteries” and blesses us to continue encouraging those God puts in our paths each day. Blessings, ~Amy S.~
WOW. My heart feels this call. My first toughts…how? How with blended families where the kids have seen you failed? How with older kids? The more we seem to try, the closer we get to God, the more they seem to push away God…How?
In his Graces~Pamela
Hi Renee!
Wow that was God talking to me!! I have been struggling a lot lately with spending time with my kids. I am so busy working full time, cooking, cleaning, trying to work out, read Bible and find me time and time with hubby.
Each day I get up and say “today I will do XXX..with my kids” and then I don’t. I know I need to open communication now while they are young but I can’t seem to do it. I need prayers that I can find time to listen and really engage them. We are Christian but I have a hard time communicating that with my kids. Look forward to following your blog this month and learning
Great timing on this for me
Gods Blessings
Kim
[email protected]
This moved my very soul for this issue has been on my heart for quite sometime now. Through this past year of 2008 I have made a very conscious effort to rejuvenate the spiritual dryness that had crept into our home as a family unit. I feel I have made a good start in the right direction but I really want to continue focusing on this through the next year with my main objective to turn my home into something more. To turn it into a spiritual haven. Your devotion on crosswalk was a direct answer to my prayer – for I had prayed that God would reveal ways I could implement all these 2009 goals and then I read your blog on the D6 family. Coincidence, I think not. Answered prayer, definitely.
This moved my very soul for this issue has been on my heart for quite sometime now. Through this past year of 2008 I have made a very conscious effort to rejuvenate the spiritual dryness that had crept into our home as a family unit. I feel I have made a good start in the right direction but I really want to continue focusing on this through the next year with my main objective to turn my home into something more. To turn it into a spiritual haven. Your devotion on crosswalk was a direct answer to my prayer – for I had prayed that God would reveal ways I could implement all these 2009 goals and then I read your blog on the D6 family. Coincidence, I think not. Answered prayer, definitely.
I think this is a great idea and opportunity for us all! We are a Christian, church-going family, but there is a need to do more within our home. This will be very beneficial to me!
Joni Moore
[email protected]
Thanks Renee for being a voice of hope to families.