The Gift of God

I was a substitute teacher.  I loved it so much.  There are so many diverse and wonderful teenagers in the world.  I was just the right mix of thoughtful and sarcastic for this job to be a good fit.  The kids often asked me questions.  They asked about parenting.  I said, "Don't do it, it's all a big trick.  You pour your heart and soul into them and they reject everything you teach them and hate you for it.  They never express love or gratitude and they don't even like you."  Then, I said I was just kidding and they should have a whole bunch of kids in order to offset all the idiots having kids or we will only have idiot kids running the world.

Mostly, I am totally joking.  But, it is a little bit of laughter through tears.  Why, because I love God with my whole heart.  I owe everything about me to the blood of Christ.  He gets the credit for everything good in me.  I turned away from God and nearly killed my soul.  I was broken and I did not think I would ever be anything that resembled whole again.  But in HIS mercy, I am a whole with a lot of healing broken places.  It defines me.  It gives me hope, peace, compassion and self worth.  

My husband and I were raised in church.  We raised our children in church.  Now all three of them are questioning God, religion, and the meaning of church.  I mourn the thought of kids without faith, and not just my own.  To me, it is as though they have cancer and I have medicine-but they won't take it.  Life is cancer, God is the cure.  I want everyone I love to know Him.  HIM, not the image of Christians, the image of Christ.  It is so unfair to judge GOD by the actions of people!  We are so flawed, collectively and individually.  We present a flawed vision of God to the world. However, perfection is not our goal, progress in relationship with Christ is the goal; getting better each day.  This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Romans 3:23-24For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  

My friend offered me the encouragement of Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.  Well, of course, I've heard that before.  I've quoted it before.  However, sometimes you just need to hear things over and over again.  She reminded me, my kids aren't old.  They are young and inquisitive.  They aren't DONE yet.  I'm not even done yet and I'm certainly not old!  Life is an effective teacher.  Parenting is hard, but it has brought me to a whole new level of faith.  I know that God loves them more than I do and HE is in control.  His ways are not subject to my rules.  I can do this.  AND, from what I understand, sometimes parents get grandkids and I've heard they heal all of the battle wounds of parenting.

Now, I give you a review:  
https://www.amazon.com/Adored-365-Devotions-Young-Women/dp/0310762790/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1514568087&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=Adored%3B+365+Devotions+for+Young+Women&psc=1
Adored; 365 Devotions for Young Women
We all need reminders that we are adored.  Here is a year's worth.  A daily dose of how much God loves us.  Perhaps you have a young lady in your life that needs to know she is fearfully and wonderfully made.  This world constantly tell us we are never enough.  Don't believe these lies.  God has a plan for each of us.  We can only truly love when we can fully embrace HIS love for us.  Then, there is no stopping us from being salt and light in a hurting world.  Each devo is a quick read with an easy life application.  We need to always remember that our love becomes complete with God's help...he makes us whole again and that is truly the best gift of all.