Some of my  children are at that age where they are beginning to seek out a spouse for their lives and if not now, soon in the future. How exciting it is to see all of the years of training and teaching come to fruition in their lives.I have spent much time seeking the Lord for my children’s future and have seen God do some mighty things.  No, my children are not “perfect” they have faults like everyone else, but I see God doing things that only He could do.  I raised them and can guide and direct but ultimately it is up to them to make their own decisions.

As a Mother, it is hard if you see them sway the wrong ways.  But it is at those times where the power of prayer comes into play.  God is able to do so much more than we can even comprehend.  He will use those sometimes “wrong” decisions to ultimately shape and mold your children’s life.   I remember the talks we had, the seeds that were planted and sometimes I wondered if any of those were going to grow.  It was a step of faith, hoping that the Lord will see us through it. Sometimes we had bumps in the road, “did I mention my children aren’t perfect?”  but, God IS perfect.  I have stood firm on Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose.

So how do we pray for our children’s future spouse?  We get specific.  We write down everything that we, as Mothers feel that the Lord wants in our children’s lives.  Will they ALL happen?  That is not for us to decide, it is up to God and what His perfect plan is for your children’s future.

My daughter attends a purity bible study each month and one of the lessons was to write down what qualities she wanted in a husband.  I thought that was a great idea.  Why couldn’t I, as Mother stand in the gap and pray those things for my children?

Do I pray every day, week, or month for my children’s spouses? No, but when the Lord stirs my heart, I pray for them.  Sometimes when I struggled with things in my own marriage, I prayed.  When it grew stronger and I saw God’s hand doing a mighty move, I prayed.  I want my children to experience all of the same joys that I have in my own marriage, as well as learn from my  struggles and weaknesses. I want Gods’ absolute best for them so I am asking God for it ALL!

What do I ask?  Here is my petition:

I want my son/daughter to have a Christian home and family.  I want them to have a godly man who is to be the spiritual leader of their home.  A man that will guide and lead his family.

I want him to take his family to church on Sunday.  I want him to pray for her and with her each day.  I want him to be involved at church and with his children at church.

I want them to be unconditional in their ways.  I don’t want them to ever expect things in return.  I want both of them to accept God’s blessings, each and every one of them however small they may be.  I want them to smile and laugh, because they are so full of joy that only comes from God.

I want them  to accept the world as it is and not let it affect their walk with God.  A man who wants to change the world.  I want to see the husbands feel like they can conquer the world.  A man/woman that has a positive approach on life and who is full of understanding.

I want the  husband/wife to push them to be a better person in a kind and encouraging way.  I also want spouses that will work on their own spiritual path as well as  encourage the others walk.

I want the man to practice chivalry.  A man who will do things for her like open the door, hold her hand, listen to her talk about nothing and everything.  I want him to be able to manage his finances wisely–doesn’t have to be rich or poor, just smart.

Above all,  I want my children to find a spouse that is so in love with them that they would move mountains for them.

Is that asking too much?

Do you have any requests/petitions to God for your children’s future spouses?

 

 

The challenge: to learn calmness in ALL situations in life

Remaining positive no matter what life throws at you, is hard.  How many times per day are we “attacked” by negative people?  What about negative situations or ones that bring about stress or frustration?  What about with relationships of close people that bring drama and upset to your life ?  We ALL have experienced this, no one is exempt from it.  But what if we could respond to any of these situations with a state of peace and not anger? Where we could walk away from it and not “stew” over the anger inside?  Imagine couples that do not stay angry for days on end.  Families who don’t grow bitter towards one another.  Sometimes sounds to unreal.  But in reality this is feasible with the right approach.

Why make the change:

I think we all know or should know the effects of negative stress in our life.  High stress levels lead to heart disease, depression,  and obesity.  Focusing on the negative thing in our life will only lead us further into a life of despair.  We need to focus on the positive things in our lives.  We also  need to realize that life happens.  Bad things happen.  People are generally unhappy, angry individuals and sometimes you are going to get caught in the cross roads.  Your best bet is to learn to be calm.  Choose to be positive and calm when faced with a negative in life.

 

How to make the change:

How do we go about making the change to calmness in ANY and ALL situations in life?

• Learn to pray.  If we can learn to give away our worries and frustrations to God, that can be the first step to bringing  peace of mind and a better perspective to having calmness in life.
• Learn to detach.  When faced with a negative situation where your first response is anger, detach yourself.  Think about the situation as a whole, instead of just your tiny part that is affecting you.    You look at all of the different facets of the problem and view them as an observer without judgement.
• Take a breather.  If you find yourself getting angry or emotionally upset over an issue, take a step back and take a few breaths.  Sometimes that will mean you have to tell a person, that you need a minute and will be right back.  Get yourself together and come back ready to respond in a positive light.  If it is an email or text, let it sit, take a few moments to breathe and then respond.
• Let things roll off of you.  Realize that people who are angry and rude have bad days.  Their problems do not have to be yours.  If someone is mean, you don’t have to be mean back.  Sometimes the best response is a smile.  The bible talks about “reaping coals of fire” on our enemies.  If we don’t respond negatively to people, but do so in a positive light, it is like reaping coals of fire on someone’s head.
• Get some understanding.  If someone says something mean to you, instead of taking it personally, understand that you are not the center of this person’s world, you just happen to be the target of their frustration.  They could be having a bad day, having marital problems, frustrated in their own walk with God, or maybe even not understanding the issue very well.

People ALWAYS have a reason for anger and rudeness.  If you can understand what is the core of that, it is much easier to deal with.  Be the better person and experience calmness when faced with any situation in your life.