Hope and Healing for Moms

Five Day Focus: Patience – Day 5: God is the Source of Patience. We Grow In Patience as the Word Grows In Us Scripture: James 1:16-18 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Luke 8:15 15  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. Romans 15:4-6 4  For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.  5  Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,  6  that you may with one mind and o...

Five Day Focus: Patience Day 4: Patience Equips Us for the Ministry of Parenting Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 1We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.  2  For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” [ a ] Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3  We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.  4  But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,  5  in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;  6  by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,  7  by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right h...

Five Day Focus: Patience Day 3: Instead of grumbling, forgiveness. James 5:9-11 9  Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned.  Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!  10  My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.  11  Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. Romans 15:5-6   5  Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,  6  that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. James 4:11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the l...

Five Day Focus: Patience Day 2: Enduring Hardship Scripture: 1 Peter 2:19-23 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. James 1:2-8 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to a...

Five Day Focus: Patience Day 1: Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4a Love is patient… Psalm 103:8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. James 5:7-11 Be Patient and Persevering 7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned.[c] Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! 10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended b...

Sunday, July 9, 2017 God Is Our Gardener As I continue to study patience, today I finished reading the book of James for the several-eth time. What a book, what a delicious ouch! It is always hard to look deeply into the mirror of our muck. What is it that is causing my impatience? What is it that makes it so hard to pull out of the habit of losing it with my husband or children? For me, it shows up as snapping, using unkind tones. Getting frustrated and letting tension rule the atmosphere.  Feeling awful. Saying I’m sorry. Doing it again tomorrow. Going deep always pays off. Getting into the Word and letting Him open up the roots of my sin will always set me back on the path. I want a quick fix, and that is the truth—and the problem. This requires time, and I am still in the uprooting stages of the gardening process. There are some seeds from past plantings, and it also takes patience not to just uproot what is there and start over. But God wants me to let Him be the ...