“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord”
May 7, 2020
Children need encouragement like a plant needs water. They need it over and over again.
And you need to catch them doing something right! Let them know you believe in them. Let your speech affirm them. Be positive. Constantly encourage them.
Encouragement is twice as powerful as praise. There’s a difference between praise and encouragement. Praise says, “You are great because you did something.” Now there’s nothing wrong with praise, but I’m just saying that encouragement is twice as strong as praise. Encouragement looks at a child not primarily for what the child achieves, but for who the child is—and says “Thank you. I’m so grateful for you.”
It’s a fine line, but think about it. Catch your children doing something right and let them know through your encouragement that you believe in them.
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”