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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Maybe it's because I grew up in the desert that the ocean has always frightened me.  Actually, I think I'm still a bit shaken by the movie "Jaws."  Nevertheless, when other people look at the ocean, they see tranquility and the peaceful lapping of waves.   I see a giant roaring death trap.

At the beach, the only way I think my children are safe in the water is if I'm prowling up and down the shore, constantly counting heads. 

Yes I pulled them out when there were dolphins sighted.  They could have been sharks ... in dolphin suits.

Once I had to leave a family vacation in California a day early to get to She Speaks.  I was certain my children were going to die in the Pacific Ocean if my husband closed his eyes for even a second.  I kissed them all goodbye tenderly and left with a sick feeling in my stomach.  It didn't help when I talked to my husband later that day and he said tongue-in-cheek, "Good news!  I only lost one!"

Ha.  Ha.  Apparently that was pay-back for unnecessary cautions. 

Since the day my oldest was born (19 years ago), God has been dealing with me and the issue of faith - or a lack of it where my children are concerned.  My worry actually uncovers the deeper issue of whether or not I really trust God.  It's easy to say I trust God, but do I really?

You see, I know bad things happen to children every day.  Why would mine be any exception to that?  Realistic.  Yes.  But that line of thinking doesn't exhibit faith.  It exhibits Eeyore-itis. 

Faith, on the other hand, now that is glorious.  And it's what defines us a followers of Jesus.  It's also what gets God's attention.  Here are some scriptures to show you what I mean:

Matthew 9: 28-30, "When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' 'Yes, Lord,' they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, 'According to your faith let it be done to you'; and their sight was restored."

Matthew 15:28, "Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment."

Matthew 17:20, "He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Read the entire chapter of Hebrews 11 to see how God honored faith.

Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

Finally, where do we get this kind of faith?  Can we summon it up with positive thoughts?  Can we force ourselves to have faith?  Actually, the Bible tells us where faith comes from:

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."  Romans 10:17.

Nothing draws the attention of God faster than a person of faith.  I think God loves the reckless abandon of reality in favor of full dependence upon His care.  Based on what I read in Scripture, it moves Him to action.

Here's the kicker - the person of true faith isn't looking for a way to manipulate God into doing what she wants.  She simply trusts God.  Period.

If you are joining me today after reading my devotion on Proverb 31 or Crosswalk, please accept my warmest welcome. I hope some of my thoughts today have brought you some encouragement, or at least a smile.

I also hope you'll hang around awhile and read some of my other posts.  If you are a writer, read the last post about a scholarship contest for She Speaks.  I also invite you to subscribe to my blog - I'd love to get to know you better.

What are your thoughts on faith?  How do we get it?  How do we strengthen it?  What if we lose it?

Post your thoughts, and a way to contact you, and I'll select someone at random to receive a gift basket, including a Starbucks card, the latest book by Naomi Zacharias, The Scent of Water, and cute notepad.  I'll announce the winner on Thursday.

In His Love,
Glynnis

62 comments:

Sonya said...

I just read your Proverbs 31 devotional. Thank you so much for this great reminder of how our God watches over our children. It came at the perfect time...my baby girl is 16 today!

This is the time of day I tend to worry most as she rides to school with 2 other students to the next town over. I pray each morning for their safety (and like you, I think she is safest when she's with me!)

I'm going to memorize Ps. 91:11 and exercise more trust in God!
Thank you!

Josey Bozzo said...

Glynnis,
I see myself so much when you write about how your worry about your children. I do the same thing. When my children are out of my site I am constantly praying for them. I also have learned to pray for myself as well. I pray that I will not be anxious about their safety. I pray and ask God to help me to trust Him with my children.
It helps.
Although sometimes I find myself in prayer constantly when my children are not with me. The same two prayers over and over. Keep them safe.
Help me to trust.


Thanks for your openness with this.
Josey

Linda F. said...

I read your devotional just now. It's interesting that the devo. was on faith and the Bible study I am currently in is also studying faithfulness/faith. Thing God is trying to get my attention?:)

Anyway, I do believe that a lot of how faith/trust is exercised in my life comes from whether or not I am in the WORD. If I am not in the Word (and prayer) then my trust can be easily misplaced. If I am close to My God and Savior and spend time with Him I will trust Him more deeply. Hope that makes sense. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

It seems worrying about our children can make us sick. But, I need to be deligent and remember to trust in the Lord always. When I am fully aware of God's capablility I do worry less. Thank-you!

Kristi said...

Thank you for the post on Proverbs 31 today. I really needed it as I am out of town this week for work and have been really worried about my 2 small children. I worry a lot too, but I know the root of it is that I need more faith and I need to give up control. Sometimes I feel that worrying about something gives me control over the situation, but of course that is not the case. So to help me get through this week I'm going to read the verses your provided on faith...thank you =)

Cindy said...

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:11(NIV)~ I will be trusting in that today! My husband and I fly to Australia from NY for 6 weeks. As we leave, our 20 year old son remains at Bible college in TN... We homeschooled him until college; leaving him a 15 hour car drive away was hard, but leaving him 14 + 5 hour plane flights away is even harder (but as my faith has grown, with fewer tears:).
Yet trust and faith remain! This verse will be in my heart today, thank you. With all happening in the world right now, it is a little scary. Eight years ago yesterday was our first return flight home to find out we were figting in Iraq. So we leave a day after that anniversary and follow the news with threats on Americans.
Yet, I guess as we grow and mature in Him; our faith deepens and strengthens. God is our strong tower and shield. Psalm 91 is a beautiful Psalm...thank you for this reminder today.
I will also be holding on to Joshua 1:9; as He will be with me where ever I go I know he will also be with my son.
Faith ~ as we live in Him, he works in us and through us so that our faith grows. Thank you and be blessed this day.

Cheri Bunch said...

Loved your devotional and your post, Glynnis!

My daughter brought home a beautiful book for me when she visited Spain. I have been filling the pages with inspiring quotes. I am going to jot down a quote from you today:

"the person of true faith isn't looking for a way to manipulate God into doing what she wants. She simply trusts God. Period."

I am hoping that this book will be an inspiration to future family members throughout the generations!

Here are a few quotes that I have recorded about faith:

"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength." Charles Spurgeon

"Doubt creates mountains, faith moves them." Mary Southerland

"Hurry is the death of prayer." Samuel Chadwick

Thank you for sharing your heart and stirring us to believe in greater things!

Blessings,
Cheri

Lee Ann said...

I read a devotional once about how we plan funerals that never happen. So many times we think on the worst that could happen. We automatically picture the harm that can happen and don't concentrate on the loving protective provisions our Heavenly Father has in His hand.It would be so much better if we act in the positive and dismiss the negative. God knows everything that is going on and He alone can take care of any situation.

Anonymous said...

I also worry a lot. I realize that it is all in God's control but the part I struggle with is that I don't think God likes me and my family too much. I can memorize all kinds of scripture and believe it but if my circumstances never change - what good are the promises that God gives us? If I pray for a new job for my husband or for healing for myself and safety for my children - and if, my kids come home safely - then what makes it an answer to prayer if only 1 out of 3 are answered? Yes, I am confused. I still believe in God and will love him whatever, I just wish I understood a little more about Him. Nanci

Michelle said...

This is a hard one for me..I am a christian and I say I trust in God, but when personal tragedy hits you personally, sometimes it's even harder to trust in Him. I lost a baby around 20 weeks of pregnancy. I am now 29 wks pregnant with another son. It has been very hard to trust the Lord with this pregnancy. I know anything can happen to any of us at any time. I really don't believe if I had more faith that my son would be here. That puts way too much power in our hands. Some christian might say, "Well if I would have trusted and had more faith my son would not have died?" Not true. God allowed my son to go to heaven to be with Him, not because of any faith I had or didn't have, but because God allowed Him to come to be with Him.

Anonymous said...

It's amazing how God answers our prayers through others. Just this morning as I dropped my son at school I was asking God to protect him and always keep him safe and that was what today's devotion was about. I need to trust God. Thanks.

Kristin Crawford said...

In May of last year I graduated with my Master’s degree. I thought that once I got my Master’s it would be easy sailing in terms of finding a full-time job. Little did I know, finding a job would be SO hard! For the last year I have been looking for full-time work in my chosen career path. The jobs are there to apply for and I’ve even had interviews, but so far I haven’t had a single job offer. I honestly believe this chapter in my life has truly brought me back to God and tested my faith. Throughout the last couple months I found myself telling God I refuse to give up and turn my back on Him. I’ve lived my life “my way” for such a long time and now I truly want to be where God wants me. Needless to say this has not been easy – not knowing where I should be or what type of job I should even be applying for is overwhelming at times. I have an interview in about 30 minutes and I’m hoping this is “the one,” but if it’s not I know that God has a perfect plan for me in His own time.

Carol said...

I think God loves the reckless abandon of reality in favor of full dependence upon His care.

Would you explain that thought more for me please? Where is that line between reality and faith? I trust God to take care of me and I know that He is in charge. But if I go outside in a thunderstorm and get hit by lightning, I think I wasn't paying attention to reality like I should have been. God gave me ability to make a (hopefully)wise decision.

Unknown said...

Today you talked about your family traveling and your worries. Today my husband leaves for his 1 out of 3 trips to our denomination's home office. Everytime he leaves I pray my phone doesn't go off unless it is his # telling me that he made it to the airport, or he made it his destingation alright. I have nightmares every night he's gone and when he's on his way back, horrible visions plague my mind. I know it is Satan inching his foothold in my mind. I pray consistantly for the safety of my husband and our lead pastor whose driving would scare the most professional of stunt men. And I know that God will lead them home safely. God has great plans for both of them and will not let them leave me to go to Him until He's seen it through. I, too, have prayer growth during this time, and I know becuase of my husband's traveling in this day, God lead you to post this blog to give me strength. Thank you.

Janice said...

Thank you for your devotional today.
Trusting God with our children is one of the hardest things to do in this life. As a mother we want to take care of them always and sometimes it is hard to let go and know that God does a much better job of this then we do. Thank you for this reminder of putting our trust where it belongs.....

Liz W. said...

Wow, that's certainly a message for me. After having lost my mom suddenly to a blood clot, then 4 years later losing both my mother & father in-law in a car accident, it's hard for me to get past that those bad things happen in an instant and I so desperately don't want to face that pain again. The hardest thing for me is leaving my children in someone else's care when they'll be traveling with them. And now my oldest son is old enough to drive! The only good thing about this worry is that it does keep me praying constantly. But it is still a struggle with reconciling how faith and worry can interact. Thanks for your words today.

Unknown said...

Thank you so much I have trust issues mainly with myself...I needed that today! God Bless

Jodi Faye said...

As the mother of 4 I totally understand the struggle with completely trusting God with their well-being. I think faith is a daily choice we make.
“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”
Psalm 91:11 (NIV)
Thank you for sharing this verse...a reminder I surely needed today!

joditrinklein @ gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hey Glynnis I do identify with you. My son is also 19, and I worry about him when he is not inside. I will pray and surrender him to the trust and care of God and then turn around and negate my faith by start worrying.

Thanks for the scriptures. I am going to lock my trust in God because my worrying cannot stop the onslaught of the enemy but God can.

Lovely devotion and post. Have a good day.

dixoname@msn.com

AmmieJo said...

I'm here after reading your Proverbs 31 devotion.
We know that God is in control, but for some reason we don't think that extends to protection of our children. As mothers we believe it is through only our actions that our children are safely cared for. It's good to be reminded that He cares for our little ones, the same way He cares for us. Thank you for writing this, it was a much needed reminder.

Kim said...

Thank you so much for this devotional. I don't think if myself as a worrier but having faith that God will do what he says is something I struggle with alot.

Donna Jackson said...

Sweet, Glynnis, I share your concern for the safety of our children. Now that I my territory has enlarged to include two grandchildren with another one on the way, I am learning to place their safety in the gentle hands of God. He loves them even more than I do and when I wrap my heart around that I enjoy a relaxed peace.

I am repeatedly asking God to open my eyes so I can watch His hand move. And you know what? He does. As I watch Him handle the little things, my trust in Him taking care of the big things, like my children and grandchildren, becomes so much easier. Watching God work is what gets me up in the morning. I can't wait to see what He's going to do with a new day. He never disappoints me. Confidently trusting His ability to work things out then lays me down peacefully at night. Oh, for a faith that will not shrink.

Jenny said...

Thank you so much for your Proverbs 31 devotion today. Worrying about my children is something I truly struggle with. I can easily trust Him with their eternity, but I struggle with trusting them to Him in the here and now. We lost our first daughter to cancer and that has made the struggle w/ worry much harder. I know that God holds my children in His hand.... but it's tough b/c He also held our sweet Catie in His hands. While I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she now lives with Him and is beyond joyful, I don't want to have to lose like that again. Thus, the battle with worry and fear. Someone recently said to me that the battle may not be so much with trust as with fear of what God will allow to happen.

Thanks for your words on worry today. I took them to heart and will continue to work at growing to trust God more each day.

Glynnis Whitwer said...

Michelle - Thank you for sharing about your loss of a child and your current pregnancy. I know your fears and thoughts. My niece was killed in a car accident 6 years ago, and fear threatened to overtake me for my own children for a time.

This thing of "faith" doesn't make sense to our human minds. How can we trust a God who allows (sometimes chooses) for things to happen?

For me, it's a daily choice to believe God is who He says He is. And to believe that the Bible is true.

And then I tell Satan outloud (he can't read my mind) that I reject his lies. I don't have to accept them.

I know it's hard. That's why we have each other. Thank you for being honest. I admire that greatly.

I'm praying for you!

Glynnis Whitwer said...

Kristen - I started praying for you and your job situation as soon as your comment posted. May the Lord fill you with wisdom and discernment.

Glynnis Whitwer said...

Andi - I know the fear you write about regarding your husband's safety.

I want to share something with you that might help others when gripped with panic. It's a way I was taught to pray years ago and God has worked a miracle in my heart many times.

When you start to feel that panic, say outloud to Satan: You have NO PLACE HERE! Leave in the name of Jesus.

Then continue to pray something like this: I pray the blood of Jesus over my mind and heart for protection.

You see - Satan can not cross the blood of Jesus! It is our protection.

This was a crazy way to pray for a traditional girl like me. But after 9/11 I had something akin to panic attacks just driving by an airport. I was a mess on a plane. I thought I was just going to suffer with fear all my life until I started praying that prayer.

Now I pray the blood of Jesus over every part of me when I am afraid. It's truly miraculous.

If you decided to try this, please write me and tell me what happened. The same goes for everyone.

MA-FOZZ said...

Glynnis,
Thank you so much for your devotional and blog...it was a God-send to me today...my 23 year old daughter is in Tokyo right now serving as a missionary volunteer...I've always battled worry and this last couple weeks have been such a struggle..thank you for reminding me..He is in charge and loves her even more than I do!

Brenda said...

Thank you for your devo today. I had to learn this lesson last year and it is so nice to be reminded of it. Last June, my 12 y/o son was on a field trip with his school. They made it one state away and he had a seizure. This kid had never had a neurological problem in his life....why in the world did this have to happen the first time he left home without family was my first thought. Is he going to die and I am not going to be there....oh it was a horrific experience. I cannot give you all of the details as space will not allow, but God moved in that situation in such a mighty way that I know he was with all of us each step of the way. I learned that I have no control whether my child is across the dinner table or across the state line, but I do know that God has all control and he will always look out for us!

Brenda said...

Thank you for your devo today. I had to learn this lesson last year and it is so nice to be reminded of it. Last June, my 12 y/o son was on a field trip with his school. They made it one state away and he had a seizure. This kid had never had a neurological problem in his life....why in the world did this have to happen the first time he left home without family was my first thought. Is he going to die and I am not going to be there....oh it was a horrific experience. I cannot give you all of the details as space will not allow, but God moved in that situation in such a mighty way that I know he was with all of us each step of the way. I learned that I have no control whether my child is across the dinner table or across the state line, but I do know that God has all control and he will always look out for us!

~K~ said...

Faith is a very hard thing for me to have, but I am trying every day. My husband and I have been trying to conceive for almost 2 yrs now, and it's hard not to ask why, and just trust that this is where we are supposed to be.
Thank you for all of your encouraging words!
Krystal D

Sheila said...

I'm so glad that I read you article on faith because I have 25 year old son who I still worry like you did with your children.I thought that I was the only person who is like that. I never thought about my faith with this issue, but my eyes are open now during this lenting season. I just copied your prayer to for my son and I need to practice my faith more. I do love God, but if I do than why am I not trusting in him.I have a lot to ponder about today. Thank you for bringing this matter to light for me.

Sarah Thomas said...

Wow, that praying the blood of Jesus sounds powerful. I'm a pretty traditional girl, too, but I may give that a try. I've experienced that fear where you just have to grit your teeth and hope to somehow come out on the other side. Sounds like a powerful way to handle it. Thank you!

Jamie said...

Great message today. I think that I continually have to check my faith. I am often feeling and acting in the, "I trust You, but what if..." mind set. Thanks for such a good reminder.
Blessings!

Amelia said...

They could have been sharks in dolphin suits...I had to laugh! We used to live in FL and there are a lot of scary things in the ocean!

I remember my first crisis of faith in trusting God with my children was being rushed into an emergency c-section with my firstborn. I kept reminding myself that the child was His and from the time she was conceived He was knitting her together. That passage from Psalms 139 has been something I refer back to often when fear overtakes my faith with my children.

Mama Mpira said...

Yes, I worry about my children. This is definitely where faith comes in. What other choice is there? As Jesus said, I can change nothing by worrying, but with faith, everything is possible.
So, I take a deep breath. I remind myself of simple truths: that God is good; He loves me; He loves my children even more than I do; He intends everything for good. These, I hang on to. And I bring my concerns to him in prayer.

Queenie said...

I just read your Proverbs 31 devotional also. I don't even know where to begin.. I have such anxiety and fear. I am always the one in our family who must see the glass 1/2 full. I lost my mother when I was 27 and thought that was the hardest thing to endure and at that time, it was. I have watched my daughter grieve for the loss of a baby she carried for 21 weeks and had to deliver, stillborn. At that point, she had 2 miscarriages, almost 1 year after we buried our angel, my daughter miscarried again. 4 babies lost. I, too have been that mother who NEVER wanted her children to hurt, be sad or be harmed. With this last loss, I am angry at God. I still believe and I know He is big enough to handle my anger. I want to trust Him but I am stuggling. Thank you for posting this. In my heart, I know I can trust HIM..it my head is a different story.

Grace Lane said...

Hi Glynnis,
I love our LORD! His timing is always perfect. I so understand about not trusting the Lord with my children. Both of my daughters are out of our house. One is in college in Indianapolis and the other one is across the ocean in Hawaii. I worry constantly about their safety. especially the one in college. The Lord had just shown me yesterday that I had trust issues. I continued to think about it today and then I read your devotion and blog post. Thank you for sharing the scriptures and encouraging words.
God Bless
Grace

T said...

I read your Proverbs 31 devo this morning and your blog and comments have been a blessing to me. I too have experinced a miscarriage and an ectopic pregnancy that required emergency surgery and now have been trying to concieve again for a year. I'm sure those things add to the worry that sometimes come regarding my daughter. I still trust that God will take what satan meant for evil and turn it into good.
Recently my mom told me to start shouting "The blood of Jesus!" when I feel afraid or worried. Glad to know it works for you.

Please pray for me.

Robin Lawrimore said...

Love the post and your husband's sense of humor. The ocean does require more faith because you can't see through it - at least not on the Atlantic side where I live.

I do thank God for "the faithfulness" of the waves that remind me of His faithfulness to me.

Blessings of life to you,
Robin

Stephanie Romero said...

Boy can I relate to this! Trust with my children has always been difficult. We have just entered a new season--my almost 17-year-old driving. I am learning to not parent in fear but in trust. It's not easy but I keep reminding myself...God loves my children even more than I do.

Liz said...

Faith is a free gift given to us in baptism through water and Word. Faith is strengthen by growing up in a Christian atmosphere, listening to the Bible being read/taught, reading daily devotions, attending church, Bible classes, women's faith-based group meetings... anything that has to do with hearing, reading and acting upon the Word. Once we have it we cannot lose it as we can lose a pair of gloves. It is always ours. If we reject it by disregard or disobey, we will always be welcomed back when we live out our faith through sincere repentance and as we seek to improve ourselves and keep the faith.

Jackie Brown said...

Romans 8:28 was a faith lesson for me in 2010. I trusted in God's will for a baby. I lost one one month and trusted his will again and gained one the next month. We have a thriving, wide-open three-year-old. Not only that, we have a fourth baby girl almost one (our surprise blessing). God continues to tell me to TRUST, He's in control.

Anonymous said...

I came to the conclusion years ago that God gives us children to increase our faith and keep us on our knees. Raising children has sent me running to the word and to every bible study and child rearing book I could find. God has been faithful to see me through the rough years and bless me with adult children who now run to the word themselves. I have lived by the verse that tells us God's mercies are new every morning..great is thy faithfulness!

Alycia Morales said...

Glynnis,
I'll never forget the day I stood before a prophet who said I shouldn't worry about my kids. God has them under His wing, and all would be okay. I hadn't even had two of them yet. I was pregnant with my second. I still watch over them on the beach just as you do. It's my responsibility to keep them safe. As the adage goes, "Better safe than sorry." However, I do it out of my love for them and not a fear of losing them.
I love the topic of faith. God asked me a few years ago, "Will you still stand?" If the world falls around me, will I still stand in my faith? I hope so. But I know this today: God has always been there for me, even if His answers aren't mine. I walk by faith, not by sight. I know who sits on the throne! King Jesus!
~ Alycia

sw said...

I so loved reading your devotion and blog today. Throughout the dark times after my husband left our family 3 years ago, I often heard a whisper, "Do you trust Me?" It was during that time that my faith grew exponentially. It is through the trials that we develop endurance and grow in faith. As I now single parent a soon-to-be teenager and deal with my younger daughter's intellectual disability and health issues, I still hear Him whisper, "Do you trust Me?" But what if the device to close the hole in her heart dislodges? "Do you trust Me?" But what if she needs back surgery to fix her spine? "Do you trust Me?" I am reminded daily to trust Him!

Anonymous said...

Glynnis,

I love you and your blog and your inspiring words!!! Thank you so much for writing what I needed to hear.

"I think God loves the reckless abandon of reality in favor of full dependence upon His care."
Amen!

Teresa

Bev Brandon @ The Fray said...

Well, you are adorable and delightful. And you made me smile in your every-day wrestle trusting a Good God, you so love! It's right where we all live. Made me think of C.S. Lewis's quote:
"We're not doubting that God will do the best for us, we're wondering how painful the best will turn out to be."
What do you require of me, Oh Good God?
And what exactly do I want more than the Love of my Beautiful Christ----
*Security*Safety*Success*No Suffering*
Am I living in the shadow of my suffering waiting for the next shoe to drop or will I live in the Shadow of the Almighty, Psa 91:1? Enjoyed your post!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your heart on this issue; I have a 15 month old and can swear by the fact that from the time he arrived until now my anxiety and fears have increased steadily. A little cough; an unprecedented cry; a small rash on his face and I am a royal mess.

I am learning to give each situation over to God though and find myself experiencing His peace every time I choose to pray in those moments as opposed to chaos and anxiety when I don't think to pray as soon as the situation happens.

I'm suspecting that this is a life long process of being a parent. Sigh. But the good news is that there is hope in Jesus Christ who carries our anxieties and fears so that we don't have to.

Have a blessed day!

Colleen Reske said...

Just like you, I have worried excessively over my children for most of their lives. Then I found peace through prayer and trust in God. Instead of the tight feeling in my chest, tears, worry and pacing, I give God all my fears and pray that He will keep them safe. He, in turn, grants me peace, and I can go on with my life. I can rest knowing they are safe in His arms, and that He loves them as much or more than I do. They are His children, after all.

SueBE said...

Glynnis,
We are doing a study at church right now that tied into this post and your Proverbs 31 devotional perfectly. The book we are using is Fearless by Max Lucado and one of the chapters is on fearing for our children. We are only on week 3 so I can't say yet that I'm experiencing less fear, but I am spending more time in prayer. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences with all of us.

--SueBE

Unknown said...

I just used Hebrews 11:1 in my scholarship entry which happened to be about faith as well. Great post.

Unknown said...

LOL. And I just realized that my husband was signed in to google as I left that message. haha - no men at she speaks! hehe This is Jessica Kirkland.

Elvia said...

Wow! as a caseworker working in the social services industry, I am constantly reminded of the types of awful things that can happen to children. I always say that I trust my kids but not the world that they live in.

It is nice to be reminded that I should be trusting God even more than I trust my children because he's looking out for them.

Angel7 said...

I can say that I, like most people, do not always have the faith I should have, and especially when it comes to our almost 3 year-old daughter.

God made men and women to have children, and raise them to be men and women of Christ.

When your child is first born, it can be overwhelming thinking about the journey and responsibility you are about to undertake. I am a perfectionist -- even though I know that God made known of us to be perfect :) -- and just thinking about my daughter getting older and going out into the world overwhelms and frightens me to a certain degree, especially in this day and age. But I need to fervently pray that God will keep a hedge of protection around her.

God gave us a book of instructions as a roadmap to every aspect of life. If we are smart, we will pick it up and apply it to our lives.

Thank you for your thoughts!

God bless!

http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/

Lisa Smith said...

I see a giant roaring death trap

That quote is one I can identify with. Even though I love, love, love the ocean and choose to spend almost every single vacation there, it terrifies me. I am constantly counting heads. Partially because my kid are young, partially because I'm worrying. ;D

I thought as my kids got older it would be easier to trust God with them but alas, it's a minute-by-minute challenge and I suppose will always be.

I love how these words flow, Glynnis. A beautiful message from a beautiful heart.

lisa

Tammy Nischan said...

Glynnis,

When I think of the people of faith that are listed in Hebrews, I think of the journey God took them on as they slowly learned to totally rely on Him. It's almost as if God says, "Trust me here a little and then I'm going to ask you to trust me here a little more....." Eventually we learn that He is faithful. When our daughter died in 1992, I went through a long season of doubt and depression. I finally worked through my pain, and within about a year as I was reading a book on choices women can make in life, our son was diagnosed with a brain tumor............I had to choose to resist the pain or accept it. I had to choose to be bitter or become better. I was thankful God had placed this particular book in my hand before Nick was diagnosed. Four years passed and another tumor was found. I was then reading Beth Moore's book Believing God. In it she said, one way we can believe God now is to remember how we believed God in the past. God was with me through Adrienne's death. He was with me through Nick's first fight with cancer. I had to believe He would be with me again.

Now, Nick has passed away and I am having to learn to trust God even more deeply in my second round of grief.

What is faith? It truly is believing without seeing. There would be no need for faith if we understood every question in our life.

I live by faith................

If I didn't have my faith, I would not be able to get out of bed every day.

God is my strength and my refuge and I know that with Him I can face all things this world throws at me.............even the things I thought I could never handle. He is my comforter, shelter, provider, and Rock.

Love you, Glynnis!

Kat said...

Hi! First, I have to say that I live in a beach town, spend most weekends at the beach, and I do the same thing! :) I have never thought of it as an issue of faith though! I much prefer taking a boat to an island because there are no waves, just calm water...but I still never take my eyes off my children (even doing head counts when there are a lot of them). God has been dealing with me a lot lately in relation to my controlling ways though, and is making me step WAY out of my comfort zone on a lot of issues. I've found that staying close to God and remembering that He is with me all the time is key! Loved the post!

Anonymous said...

I am praising the Lord right now for opening your devotion/blog to my eyes. I have dealt with anxiety/panic/worry for about four years now. It all seems like blur because it happened out of the blue in college. It got a little better, then worse, and then started dealing with it again during pregnancy. I am four weeks away from my due date and having so many emotions, worries, and fears. I am so excited to hold my little blessing, but I can't seem to get negative thoughts out of my head. Really trusting God is the real key and maybe I just need to keep digging deeper into the word of God to find comfort. If anyone wants to reach me or relate to me I can be reached at lstaton10@gmail.com

Kat said...

I had to get back on here and post another comment! Last night, I went to bed pondering your post and whether or not it was an issue of faith for me. Low and behold, this morning when I opened my "Jesus Calling" Devotional the first sentence jolted me awake! It said, "This is a time in your life when you must learn to let go: of loved ones, of possessions, of control." Whoa, lol.

Caroline said...

I can totally relate to this post, Glynnis (as so many other mothers can). I worry and fear for my children when I really wish I would just trust God wholeheartedly. He loves them even more than is possible for me to love them... and I really, truly cannot wrap my brain around that truth.

I love that you included Romans 10:17. And Hebrews 11 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible.

I want and pray to trust more and greater every minute.

Thanks for this post.

Anonymous said...

I can totally relate to watching over the children carefully - knowing the devil is lurking around like a prowling lion. Now that my kids are teens I have different concerns. Yes, these are issues of faith, I have to reevaluate where I am and put my whole trust in the Lord. mheard11@frontier.com

Lynn Cowell said...

Glynnis,

Last night I was expressing my concerns to my husband over my child. He said exactly the same things you said. I like to think of myself as a "faith-full" person, but this raising children thing is a real stretcher!

Thanks!
Lynn