Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches!
Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord!
Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street.

Lamentations 2:19 ESV


Saturday, January 20, 2018

“Did God Actually Say…?”

My friend, Lee Nienhuis, sent me this note with the advanced copy I received of her book, “Brave Moms, Brave Kids.”



Are you a mom who believes God? Are you a mom that believes He is still working?
 
That’s a decision we must lean into moment by moment in this troubled world. That’s because as moms, we are the “gone befores” our kids are learning from. Lee wrote, “You and I must call out the bold Christ followers within our children and help them face the unknown future with divine confidence.” But as Lee points out, that bold confident trust begins with us moms: “Brave kids need brave moms.”
 
So, when you rise up in the morning, you must repeat that decision. Voice it to the Lord, “I choose to believe You are alive and working. You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Give me courageous faith today to walk it out.” That means, no matter what the world says, i.e. “Did God actually say…?”, you choose to believe God. That means, you choose to believe His standards are good and not to be redefined. That means, as Lee wrote, “God says if we give Him our choices and trust Him, we will find freedom.” And that applies to every “Did God actually say…?” the world throws at you. If you stand firm, brave mom, your children have you to emulate to become brave kids who will stand firm.
 
Lee Nienhuis is one brave mom raising brave kids. As I read her book, she shared story after story from her life, each revealing she is a mom who truly believes and lives what she wrote. She believes that her identity is in Christ and she rests in that unshakable identity. That’s what makes her able to stand firm in this questioning world.
 
That, my friends, is what will make you and me and our children also be unshakable in this world which is increasing the pressure on those who believe “God did actually say…”  That’s what will keep us seeking to please Him above all. The world’s increasing pressures come at us everywhere we turn. They are invading our schools, our workplaces, our clubs, our social media, and even our own homes and churches. They are so deceptive, as they are meant to be, that they can easily cause us or our children to question “Did God actually say…?” And that questioning will feed into the enemy’s strategy, which is, as Lee puts it, “weak moms growing weak kids.”
 
But, we can fight back. We can become “powerhouses.” We and our kids can choose to believe God. Lee writes:
 
Belief finds its footing when we choose to act on what we believe is true. …The terrific news is that God has a strategy as well and it is infinitely more powerful: free moms raising free kids. This is tied up in our knowing the truth, however. “You will know the truth, and the truth will set your free” (John 8:32).
 
To be a powerhouse for the Kingdom takes knowing, believing, and acting on the Truth. That’s my desire for my children as well as for myself in this shaking world. I echo Lee’s prayer—that Christ would be made much of as we choose to take this brave journey together.
 
Moms, “Brave Moms, Brave Kids” is indeed a battle plan for raising heroes, and it’s so needed for such a time as this! I recommend that you get your copy of “Brave Moms, Brave Kids” on order as soon as possible so you don’t have to wait for a back order. This equipping tool will help you get your brave on! And if you’re a grandmom, gift a copy to your daughter or daughter-in-law. No need to wait for Mother’s Day. Moms need to strong and brave now!
 
Lee is a passionate Bible teacher, a popular conference speaker, and a Moms in Prayer area coordinator. I love her sense of humor that comes from her life experiences and how her love for the Lord keeps her in His living Word. Lee and her farmer-husband, Mike, live on four acres of grass in Michigan where they are raising four brave kids. Click here to read more about Lee Nienhuis.
 
Click here for a link to Lee Nienhuis’ website to purchase her book.
 
 

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