The Character Corner

Purposeful Parenting. Building Godly Character.

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Praying Scripture For Your Husband – 30 Day Prayer Challenge

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Introducing our  30 Day Prayer Challenge:

PRAYING SCRIPTURE FOR YOUR HUSBAND

Marriage is under attack today, and as Christian wives, we need to go to war and fight for our marriages. The best way that we defeat the enemy is by using the Word of God as our weapon, and daily praying Scripture over our husbands. God’s Word is powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, and as we pray Scriptural prayers for our husbands, we are praying God’s power right into their lives.

There is no better gift you can give to your husband, than the gift of faithfully bringing him before the Lord daily in prayer, claiming the power of God’s Word in his life. Praying for your husband will help you to see him as the Christian man that God wants him to be.

I have found that when I pray for my husband, any negative feelings that I have had towards him, or any focus on things I feel he needs to change, just kind of disappear from my mind. It’s hard to hold grudges or stay angry at someone when you pray for them regularly!

Prayer will turn your heart toward your husband as you ask God to bless him and work in his life. Think what a difference that can make in a struggling marriage, and how much stronger it will make a marriage that is already seemingly strong.

Today I’d like to invite you to join us for this prayer challenge:   30 days Of Praying Scripture For Your Husband.

Some  of the things we will be praying about for our husbands during this challenge are:

  • that he will be a man of prayer
  • that he will firmly resist temptation
  • that he will live a life that pleases God
  • that he will be a man of integrity
  • that he will live in obedience to God

This prayer challenge is totally free and will include a daily prayer based on Scripture, as well as additional Scriptures to reflect on and personalize into prayers for your husband.

If you join, I will send you a weekly email with the daily prayer challenges for the week, and then additional weekly emails for the  30 days.

My prayer is that you will join me for this 30 day  challenge to pray  Scripture for your husband, and as a result see God do some wonderful things in his life, and in your marriage.

For those of you who want to make it more personal…

I have created a simple prayer journal to go along with this challenge. I believe it will help you to get more specific, as you journal your own personal thoughts and prayers for your husband,  as God impresses them on your heart through reading the Scriptures given. What a blessing it will be to go back later, and read those prayers you wrote, and see how God answered them and worked in your husband’s heart and life. This is a downloadable journal.

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*Please note:  The journal is an optional part of the challenge.  I put it together to help this challenge be more meaningful to you. The daily prayers will remain FREE with or without purchasing the journal.

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Praying Scripture for Your Husband Prayer Journal

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When we pray the living, powerful Word of God for our husbands, we are inviting God’s power into their hearts and lives.  With these Scriptural prayers, we are praying His Word and mind right into our marriages.  Be prepared to watch your husband grow as a man of God, as you boldly pray God’s Word right back to Him. 

Included in the journal are:

  • A prayer for each day that is taken from Scripture
  • Additional Scriptures to reflect on
  • Journal sheets to write your own personal prayers

 

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This journal will guide you and keep you encouraged as you proclaim Scripture promises for your husband, through these powerful prayers. 

If you want to really invest in your marriage, commit to setting time aside to daily pray Scripture for your husband.  Then stand by, and watch God work!

◊◊ Instant Download Digital Copy ◊◊

Please Note: This is not a physical item

 

Kids’ Devotional Prayer Journal – Praying Biblical Virtues

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I have been so blessed and encouraged by the hundreds of moms who have been going through  our prayer challenge PRAYING BIBLICAL VIRTUES FOR OUR CHILDREN. Many of you have asked about a kids’ devotional prayer journal to go along with our challenge, and I  and am excited to say that it is finally done! 

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(This is a digital product which  you print — save money by only purchasing one download for the entire family, and making copies as needed.)

Why am I excited about this? Because one of the BEST things you can ever do for your kids, is instill in them the habit of daily spending time in God’s Word and prayer.  The only way your children will ever develop that habit is if you, the parent, insist on it. You need to plan it, and enforce it. There is no more important practice that you can ever instill into the lives of your children than the habit of going to the Word of God and spending time in prayer every day.

Christian parents insist that their children brush their teeth regularly, even multiple times a day. They will make their children do their schoolwork, and require that they properly bathe. They will plan meals so that they eat as they ought, but why will they not see to it that their children adopt a spiritual practice that will have a positive impact for the rest of their lives?  ~David Sorenson 

This new journal for kids is for K- 6th grade, with application questions that are open ended enough to allow for a variety of ages. Parental guidance would be needed for the younger ones who aren’t readers yet, or  who  need a little bit of discussion to help with understanding the Scripture and the questions.

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Each day of the devotional contains:

  • The definition for the character trait
  • Related Scriptures to read
  • Questions to make them think
  • A prayer based on Scripture
  • A practical way to apply the truths

For a double burst of God’s power in your family, here’s a suggestion:

Parent(s) goes through the Praying Biblical Virtues for Our Children Journal at the same time as the kids are going through their devotional prayer journal. Afterwards, sit down together and discuss the trait and Scripture for the day;  maybe give the kids time to share what God showed them,  or tell how God is answering their prayers. With younger ones, you can simply do it out loud with them, and guide them in a little discussion about it.

Keep in mind that the whole idea of this is to get your kids not only READING God’s Word daily, but also PRAYING daily, using God’s Word and praying it back to Him.  God’s Word is powerful, and when we are praying it back to God for our kids at the same time that they are praying it for themselves, you are going to see God work!

Amazing things will happen, because God promises that His Word won’t return unto Him void, but will accomplish what it is supposed to AND prosper. What a promise, and what an encouragement to get our families praying, and seeking God’s help as they strive to become more like Him and grow in Godly character.

This is a PDF download, so you only need to buy ONE and make copies for each of your children. I would suggest having them go through this once every year!

 

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Buy now and get our launch BONUS package of 30 coloring pictures to go along with the devotional.

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Devotional Prayer Journal For Kids: Praying Biblical Virtues

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Help your kids develop the important habit of daily reading God’s Word, as they go through this 30-day devotional prayer journal.   While learning the meaning of 30 character traits and reading Scriptures that relate, they will also pray a Scripture-based prayer asking God to help them develop that virtue in their lives.

Parents can work through this with younger kids, while those in 3rd -6th grade can do each daily devotional on their own.
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Each daily devotional includes:

  • Character trait definition
  • Bible verses to look up and read
  • Questions to encourage thinking
  • A prayer which is based on Scripture
  • Practical step of application

This kids’ devotional goes along with our Praying Biblical Virtues For Your Children Journal. After the parent(s), and the kids have spent time going through the Scriptures and prayer in the devotional, they can then discuss it together, or even pray together. What a great way to open the power of God in your family! Praying Scripture back to God brings amazing results.

Be prepared to see your kids grow as they work through this journal, and seek God’s power in their lives through consistent Bible reading and prayer.

◊◊ Instant Download Digital Copy ◊◊

Please Note: This is not a physical item

A Mama’s Tears and Prayers

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This mama's tears and prayers were real after leaving my daughter in the care of her husband, hundreds of miles from where we lived.

Does a mom ever get over the tears that come with saying goodbye to one of their children, as they move on in life? I don’t think so!! Today has been an emotional day for me, as I said goodbye to yet another daughter, and left her in the care of her new husband.

the kiss

Anna and Mike actually got married back in July when he had a short  leave from his training in the Navy. After a nine-day honeymoon, he had to go back to his training in Texas. She returned back to our home to wait till he finished his training and was stationed. 

Yes, I cried happy tears that day, but I didn’t really have to say goodbye to her at the time, nor did I need to wonder how she was getting along in her role as a wife.

A few months later he got his orders, and found he would be moving to Virginia, where Anna could finally join him. He had gotten there the week before,and found housing for them.

When he got things settled, we loaded my van loaded with all her belongings, and I drove her to their new home. We had a good time on the drive, and I was glad that we were able to enjoy chatting, laughing, and listening to Christmas music as we drove.

Oh, I almost forget to mention the snacks that we definitely enjoyed. All trips with daughters require chocolate snacks!

When we got there, Mike unloaded the van, and I helped Anna get most of her kitchen things put away. It was fun to see her getting her new kitchen organized, and start to get things settled in their new home.

She had been waiting for this day for awhile!

Finally together!

Finally together!

The next morning I said  goodbye to Mike and Anna, then got in the empty van and headed towards home. As I hugged them, I told Mike to take good care of her. You see, with that goodbye came the realization that she is now in his care. It is now his job to protect her, cherish her, and lead her.

As I drove away, this mama’s tears and prayers began!

I asked God to:

*Protect them

*Provide for them

*Give them His power to love as they should

*Grow then through the hard times that they will inevitably face at one time or another

*Help Mike to have the wisdom He needs to lovingly lead Anna, and to love her as He should

*Help Anna to be the wife that Mike needs her to be, and to be his biggest encourager

*Help ME to remember that they are in HIS care, and to trust Him.

*Help me encourage and support them, but never interfere.

*Enable me to let go of my concerns about whether I did everything I should/could to prepare Anna to be the wife that God wants her to be.

It was so easy for me to look back and think maybe I didn’t prepare her in certain areas like I should have.

As I thought about that, God reminded me that I had been obedient to Him as I raised the kids, and had stayed faithful in teaching them and training them in His Word. I did everything I could. The rest was now up to HIM.

I LOVE that! God loves them so much more than I ever could, and wants to bless them. They are SAFE in HIS care.

Moms, it’s okay to cry when our kids go through seasons of change, whether it’s moving away to college, or getting married. In fact, it’s NORMAL!

However, the best thing you can do is cry out to God for your kids, through your tears! My desire is to never stop praying diligently for my children, no matter what season of life they are in.

I’d love to have you join me in one of these free prayer challenges for your children:

Praying Biblical Virtues For Your Children 1 (30 day challenge_

Praying Biblical Virtues For Your Children 2 (30 day challenge)

Praying Biblical Blessings For Your Children (10 day challenge)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are You an Angry Parent?

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Are you an angry parent? How does an angry parent affect a child?  I mention the importance of not dealing with our children in anger at most of my workshops, and have had many parents come to me saying that they struggle with this. (especially those who have a difficult child!)

Many moms have come to me in tears admitting they are really having a hard time with their anger, and they feel guilty because no matter how many times they determine to not let it happen again, it does.

Are You an Angry Parent?

angry dad with son text on image reads Are You an Angry Parent?

Before I say anything else on this topic, let me clarify that I am not talking about the parent who gets mad every once in a while, and yells at their children. I think all of us would admit to having done that.

When I’ve lost my temper with my children, as soon as I realized it, I have gone back to them and asked their forgiveness. I’ve never had a child respond to my apology in a negative way. Kids are very forgiving, and mine would always throw their arms around my neck, and say “I forgive you Mommy!”, and “I love you.”

In this post, I’m talking about those who are angry more often than not, and those who don’t go back and apologize when they’ve responded in anger.

overcoming anger God's way

Why is it important to gain control over our anger?

1. Anger (in the parents) is one of the biggest causes of rebellion in our children.

2. When we repeatedly treat our kids harshly and don’t make it right, it will cause them to harbor hurt and bitterness, and that will in turn cause them to close their hearts to us.

3. When we lose their hearts, we no longer have the opportunity to influence them.

4. Anger doesn’t address the heart issue and confuses the learning process.

Instead of the child thinking about the fact that they did something wrong, they think they are in trouble for upsetting us. Their focus then changes from correcting what they did wrong to avoid your anger. The behavior may change temporarily, but it’s not going to be a lasting change because the heart issue wasn’t addressed.

5. When we appeal to our children on the basis of love, rather than relying upon fear of our authority, their response will be much different.

When we “intimidate them into subjection” (by our anger) we will only get outward compliance. Our goal should be to win their hearts into submission.

6. Anger is contagious! If one, or both, parents have an angry spirit, there’s a pretty good chance that your kids have a little bit of one too.

How can I be a less angry parent? As Christian parents who are striving hard to raise our children for God, anger can be the biggest obstacle that stands in our way. The Bible tells us “be ye angry and sin not,” so the anger itself isn’t the issue. It’s how we respond to that anger.

Staying close to God and keeping His Word in your heart and mind will help you if this an area where you struggle. 

Don’t try to win the battle in your own strength. Look to God’s Word for answers, and seek His help daily in prayer.

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5 Things To Pray For the Prodigal

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Learn the parenting mistakes to avoid and what to do instead to prevent rebellion or pushing your kids away.

Are you dealing with a prodigal daughter or son? I’ve talked with so many Christian parents who are grieving over and praying for their prodigal children. We’ve talked about the undeniable power of  Scripture prayers for prodigals and offered them hope.  Today I’m going to share the notes from a sermon by my pastor, Steve Hobbins on this topic. Knowing how to pray for the prodigal child is so important, and he said it so well in this sermon!

In Hosea 2:1-8 is the prayer of Hosea for his prodigal wife, Gomer. These thoughts are great guidelines that we can apply to pray for a prodigal child.

When we pray for the prodigal, for what, specifically, do we ask God?

young man facing wall hands up text on image reads Here are 5 Things To Pray For the Prodigal

Here are 5 Things To Pray For the Prodigal

1. “Father, please allow their path to be filled with misery, frustration and irritation.” (verse 6a)

This isn’t to be mean. We pray this because we love them. (Proverbs 19:11)

2. “Father, please make them unable to clearly see what to do; please cause confusion.” (verse 6b)

3. “Father, please keep them from finding the satisfaction for which they are searching.” (verse 7a)

4. “Father, please allow her to see herself as You see her and create a desire to come back.” (verse7b)

No prodigal will come back to God until they first come to themselves. This means that they recognize that they got themselves where they are, and it’s their responsibility to do what it takes to get out.

5. “Father, please bring to their mind the good and allow them to forget the bad, pain, hurt, etc.” ( verses 7c-8)

The reason Hosea didn’t give up on his wife when the pain was at its most intense is because His love was greater than his pain.

God gave us this story to illustrate to us the proper way to think toward a prodigal. We are to remember that spiritually, we are often the prodigal. God’s love toward us is the foundation of our love for the prodigal.

Praying Scripture for your prodigal is the most powerful way to pray, and to help you pray more powerfully  we are offering this free gift  for our subscribers:    

Get 6 Beautiful prayer cards with Scriptures to pray over your child.
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6 Scriptures To Pray Over A Rebellious Child

Super Simple Routines to Reduce Homeschool Mom Stress

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Managing your home, family, and homeschool is not easy! At times it can be stressful or even overwhelming. If we’re not careful, we can be facing homeschool mom burnout. However, with some thought and planning you will find there are some super simple routines to reduce homeschool Mom stress.

I’m going to share a few simple routines that helped me tremendously over the 31 years of juggling my family, home, and homeschooling. They may seem little, but often the little things are what wears us down. Little things easily become big things.

Super Simple Routines to Reduce Homeschool Mom Stress

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Make having an evening routine a priority

Doing these 3 simple routines each evening can reduce homeschool mom stress. They make for a much smoother start in the morning as preparation begins the night before!

1. Clean up the kitchen.

Make sure the sink is clean,  and the counters are clear. Nothing is more discouraging than coming into a dirty kitchen in the morning.

2. Have the kids do a quick pick-up before bed.

Set a timer for 10 minutes and have them grab all they can and put it in the proper spot. It’s amazing how much better you’ll feel after a quick clean-up!

3. Make your to-do list for the next day.

You will sleep better knowing you’ve written down the things you need to remember, and with a plan in place. It will also eliminate a frantic morning as you try to sort out where to start.

Commit to a Morning Routine

1. Set your alarm to play an uplifting song or hymn.  (or set it to a Christian radio station)

Music affects your spirit, and one of the best things you can do is wake up to good music. You’ll quickly find that it can change the whole trajectory of your day if you wake up tired and a bit grumpy.

family building a strong biblical foundation
2. Listen to the Bible while getting dressed and fixing hair.

I use the app on my phone called You Version. Again, this is a great way to prepare your spirit for the day. Also, if things get crazy, you will have gotten at least a few verses of Scripture into your heart and mind.

3. Pray that God will prepare your heart for the day, and fill you with His joy as you greet your kids.

If you have a difficult child, it’s extra important to ask God to help you be able to greet that child with a joyful, loving heart.

4. Before getting busy with school, think about supper!

Get something out of the freezer, or throw something in the crockpot. That gives you one less thing to worry about getting done later in the day. There’s nothing worse than dinner rolling around with hungry kids and you haven’t even had a chance to think about it!

5. Start the day for everyone with Scripture.

How you do this will vary based on the ages of your kids. When our kids were little, we sang a Scripture song before breakfast. Right after breakfast, those that were able to read spent a few minutes reading their Bible, while I got toddlers and babies cared for. Before academics, we then had a Bible/character lesson and worked on some Bible memory.
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God’s Word should be the foundation on which everything we do rests, so it’s important to take time with His Word before beginning academics. We ended with a prayer for God’s blessing on our day, for good attitudes, for us to do our best, etc. None of these activities require huge amounts of time, but they will make a big difference in your outlook as you begin a new day.

What are some super simple routines you have for your family?
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Beware Of This Homeschool Destroyer

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30 Days of Homeschool Encouragement and Inspiration

As homeschooling parents who are striving hard to raise their children for God, anger can be the biggest obstacle that stands in our way.

I would go so far as to say that uncontrolled anger is a homeschool destroyer.

By the way, just to be clear on this, I am not talking about the parent who gets mad every once in a while and yells at their children. I think all of us would admit to having done that.

In this post, I’m talking about those who are angry more often than not, and those who don’t go back and apologize when they’ve responded in anger.

Beware Of This Homeschool Destroyer

Beware Of This Homeschool Destroyer

Why is anger so damaging?

1. Anger (in the parents) is one of the biggest causes of rebellion in our children.

2. When we repeatedly treat our kids harshly and don’t make it right, it will cause them to harbor hurt and bitterness, and that will, in turn, cause them to close their hearts to us.

3. When we lose their hearts, we no longer have the opportunity to influence them.

4. Anger doesn’t address the heart issue and confuses the learning process.

Instead of the child thinking about the fact that they did something wrong, they think they are in trouble for upsetting us. Their focus then changes from correcting what they did wrong to avoiding your anger.

The behavior may change temporarily, but it’s not going to be a lasting change because the heart issue wasn’t addressed.

5. When we appeal to our children on the basis of love, rather than relying upon fear of our authority, their response will be much different.

When we “intimidate them into subjection” (by our anger) we will only get outward compliance.

Our goal should be to win their hearts into submission.

6. Anger is contagious!

If one, or both, parents have an angry spirit, there’s a pretty good chance that your kids have a little bit of one too. This makes for an unhappy home, with lots of contention, rather than a peaceful home.

overcoming anger God's way
Remember, anger itself isn’t the problem. It’s how you respond to that anger that matters.

Recognize anger as a signal that there is a problem that needs to be solved or a situation that needs to be handled.

How to respond to your anger:

  • Ask what you can do to solve the problem that is causing anger. (find your triggers)
  • Take a few minutes to think and calm down before responding, to avoid reacting. (and then regretting it)
  • Don’t try to win the battle in your own strength. Ask God to help you gain control over your anger
  • Apologize to your kids whenever you do lose it and get angry. (See: 10 Ways To Restore Relationships Damaged By Anger)
  • Look to God’s Word for answers, and seek His help daily in prayer.

Beware of anger being a homeschool destroyer! Don’t let it ruin your homeschool. Instead let it serve as a trigger to help you be an even better parent.

Don’t miss the rest of the posts in the series!

 

Homeschool In the woods

Pile of homeschool books falling text on image reads:Beware Of This Homeschool Destroyer

Anger destroys your homeschool

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