Joy is different than happiness.
"We don't care what *Seth* does when he grows up, " she said, "we just want him to be happy." And I cringed as she said it, this Christian woman I've known all my life. Because deep down inside I believe that there's more than happiness in life to aspire to. Sure, I wish happiness for my sons. But if I had to choose between them being happy for a season & living in sin, or being miserable for a season & loving Jesus with all their hearts...well, I'd choose the latter.
Happiness is not necessarily holiness.
Men who cheat on their wives, neglect their children and look at porn each night before bed can be perfectly happy with their lifestyle. No, happiness is fleeting. But joy comes from a right relationship with Christ. This week let's pray for the joy of the Lord to root itself deeply into our precious sons' hearts. And while we're at it, let's ask the Lord to make us relish the joy of our salvation as well.
Monday: May the joy of the Lord be our sons' strength (Nehemiah 8:10)
Tuesday: May our sons be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22)
Wednesday: May our sons go out in joy and be led forth in peace (Isaiah 55:12)
Thursday: May the God of hope fill our sons with all joy and peace as they trust in him, so that they may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13)
Friday: May our sons go to the altar of God, to God, their joy and their delight (Psalm 43:4)
Saturday: May our sons count it all joy when they meet trials of various kinds, as the testing of their faith produces steadfastness. May they let steadfastness have its full effect, that they may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:1-4)
Sunday: May our sons know that while weeping may tarry for the night, joy comes with the morning (Psalm 30:5)
*Seth is not his real name
*********
Because of your help last week I've decided that I will no longer be offering Warrior Prayers in a weekly Twitter chat format. Your answers are clear that daily Facebook and Twitter prayers and the weekly calendar from this blog are the hands-down favorites and I'm thrilled to be able to focus in on serving you in these ways.
You can continue to join the weekday conversation on Facebook, subscribe to this blog for weekly prayer calendars by email or in a reader, or watch for the weekday #WarriorPrayers tweets on Twitter. Thank you so much for being a part of what God is doing in the hearts of our sons.
**********
In case you missed it, Sarah Mae from Like a Warm Cup of Coffee, allowed me to share my heart with her readers yesterday and talk a little about why I REALLY feel compelled to pray the Word over my sons. If you haven't read it, please head on over and share your thoughts.
Brooke
Friday, January 21, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Prayers for A Servant's Heart
***Thank you so much for answering the questions last week about how you like to receive your Warrior Prayers. The winner of the Warrior Prayers art piece is......
Tracey! Email me and we'll work on getting that lovely Michelle Pendergrass exclusive art piece in your hands!***
*****************
An everyday prayer in our home...that our sons would do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than themselves. Certainly not a quality that comes naturally, I find that we fight the "mine!" all of our lives. But what do we really deserve other than the wrath of GOd? Everything good we have comes from Him, given because He loves us. We deserve punishment, as do our sons. No, He gives not because we deserve anything good, but simply because He loves us.
This week let's pray for God to give us all, including our sons, hearts that truly love others more than ourselves - servant's hearts.
Day One: May our sons do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than themselves (Philippians 2:3)
Day Two: May our sons do unto others as they would have others do unto them (Luke 6:31)
Day Three: May our sons love one another with brotherly affection, outdoing one another in showing honor (Romans 12:10)
Day Four: May our sons have love in their hearts that is patient and kind, does not envy or boast, is not arrogant or rude, does not insist on its own way and is not irritable or resentful (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)
Day Five: May our sons show sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind (1 Peter 3:8)
Day Six: May our sons live with their wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel (1 Peter 3:7)
Day Seven: May our sons know how to control their own bodies in holiness and honor (1 Thessalonians 4:4)
*****
I need your help. Since I first began praying the Word over my sons a year ago this month, several different opportunities to get other boy moms involved have presented themselves. For several months now I've offered a weekly Twitter chat (#WarriorPrayers), daily encouragement on our Facebook page and Twitter. And, as you know, a few months ago I started this blog to give you weekly topical prayer calendars for your sons.
It's a lot of work!
And I love it! But it would help me a great deal if you could take just a second and tell me how you best like to receive your encouragement to pray for your sons. In the comments simply put:
a. If you like daily Facebook prayers the best (www.facebook.com/WarriorPrayers)
b. If you like daily Twitter prayers the best (#Warrior Prayers)
c. If you like weekly topical prayer calendars the best (www.warriorprayers.com)
d. If you like a weekly Twitter chat the best (#WarriorPrayers)
As a little incentive, I'm throwing in a chance to win a $25 store credit to the Warrior Prayers Art Collection by Michelle Pendergrass! Each person who leaves a comment is entered to win!
*****
To have a new week's worth of Warrior Prayers guide your weekly thoughts and prayers for your sons, consider subscribing by email or in a reader?
Thank you SO much!
Brooke
Tracey! Email me and we'll work on getting that lovely Michelle Pendergrass exclusive art piece in your hands!***
*****************
An everyday prayer in our home...that our sons would do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than themselves. Certainly not a quality that comes naturally, I find that we fight the "mine!" all of our lives. But what do we really deserve other than the wrath of GOd? Everything good we have comes from Him, given because He loves us. We deserve punishment, as do our sons. No, He gives not because we deserve anything good, but simply because He loves us.
This week let's pray for God to give us all, including our sons, hearts that truly love others more than ourselves - servant's hearts.
Day One: May our sons do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than themselves (Philippians 2:3)
Day Two: May our sons do unto others as they would have others do unto them (Luke 6:31)
Day Three: May our sons love one another with brotherly affection, outdoing one another in showing honor (Romans 12:10)
Day Four: May our sons have love in their hearts that is patient and kind, does not envy or boast, is not arrogant or rude, does not insist on its own way and is not irritable or resentful (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)
Day Five: May our sons show sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind (1 Peter 3:8)
Day Six: May our sons live with their wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel (1 Peter 3:7)
Day Seven: May our sons know how to control their own bodies in holiness and honor (1 Thessalonians 4:4)
*****
I need your help. Since I first began praying the Word over my sons a year ago this month, several different opportunities to get other boy moms involved have presented themselves. For several months now I've offered a weekly Twitter chat (#WarriorPrayers), daily encouragement on our Facebook page and Twitter. And, as you know, a few months ago I started this blog to give you weekly topical prayer calendars for your sons.
It's a lot of work!
And I love it! But it would help me a great deal if you could take just a second and tell me how you best like to receive your encouragement to pray for your sons. In the comments simply put:
a. If you like daily Facebook prayers the best (www.facebook.com/WarriorPrayers)
b. If you like daily Twitter prayers the best (#Warrior Prayers)
c. If you like weekly topical prayer calendars the best (www.warriorprayers.com)
d. If you like a weekly Twitter chat the best (#WarriorPrayers)
As a little incentive, I'm throwing in a chance to win a $25 store credit to the Warrior Prayers Art Collection by Michelle Pendergrass! Each person who leaves a comment is entered to win!
*****
To have a new week's worth of Warrior Prayers guide your weekly thoughts and prayers for your sons, consider subscribing by email or in a reader?
Thank you SO much!
Brooke
Friday, January 7, 2011
Prayers for Recognizing and Repenting of Sin
Men quick to seek forgiveness. Men quick to acknowledge sin. Men quick to bow their knee, bow their head and unashamedly repent.
Few and far between.
To learn well, our sons will need hearts that fear God. To lead well, our sons will need hearts that can be led. To love well, our sons will need hearts that repent.
How do our hearts respond to sin? Do our hearts break when we sin against the Father? Are we led by love for Christ's sacrifice on the cross to freely ask for and grant forgiveness? Do we repent to our sons when we've wronged them?
They're watching.
Day One: May our sons recognize their sin, for he that covers sins shall not prosper. Prov 28:13
Day Two: May our sons confess their iniquity and be sorry for their sin (Psalm 38:18)
Day Three: Create in our sons a clean heart, O God, & renew a right spirit within them (Psalm 51:10)
Day Four: May our sons believe the Lord is good & forgiving, abounding in love to all who call upon Him (Psalm 86:5)
Day Five: May our sons know the right thing to do & do it, for to him who doesn't, it is sin (James 4:17)
Day Six: May our sons confess their sins to the God Who is faithful & just to forgive them (1 John 1:9)
Day Seven: May our sons confess & forsake their transgressions & obtain mercy (Proverbs 28:13)
Extras:
When they sin, may our sons have broken spirits, broken & contrite hearts... (Psalm 51:17)
May our sons seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6)
May our sons put their faith in the God Who will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19)
Like David, may our sons respond with repentance to the rebuking of close friends (2 Samuel 12)
****************
To have a new week's worth of Warrior Prayers guide your weekly thoughts and prayers for your sons, consider subscribing by email or in a reader?
****************
I'm challenging you to pray for your children every day in 2011. Interested? Check it out.
Few and far between.
Photo courtesy of Erin @Home with the Boys
To learn well, our sons will need hearts that fear God. To lead well, our sons will need hearts that can be led. To love well, our sons will need hearts that repent.
How do our hearts respond to sin? Do our hearts break when we sin against the Father? Are we led by love for Christ's sacrifice on the cross to freely ask for and grant forgiveness? Do we repent to our sons when we've wronged them?
They're watching.
Day One: May our sons recognize their sin, for he that covers sins shall not prosper. Prov 28:13
Day Two: May our sons confess their iniquity and be sorry for their sin (Psalm 38:18)
Day Three: Create in our sons a clean heart, O God, & renew a right spirit within them (Psalm 51:10)
Day Four: May our sons believe the Lord is good & forgiving, abounding in love to all who call upon Him (Psalm 86:5)
Day Five: May our sons know the right thing to do & do it, for to him who doesn't, it is sin (James 4:17)
Day Six: May our sons confess their sins to the God Who is faithful & just to forgive them (1 John 1:9)
Day Seven: May our sons confess & forsake their transgressions & obtain mercy (Proverbs 28:13)
Extras:
When they sin, may our sons have broken spirits, broken & contrite hearts... (Psalm 51:17)
May our sons seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6)
May our sons put their faith in the God Who will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19)
Like David, may our sons respond with repentance to the rebuking of close friends (2 Samuel 12)
****************
To have a new week's worth of Warrior Prayers guide your weekly thoughts and prayers for your sons, consider subscribing by email or in a reader?
****************
I'm challenging you to pray for your children every day in 2011. Interested? Check it out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
