Category: children

blessings, children, faith, Family, freedom, God, God's love, God's grace, God's will, Jesus, parenting, religious, scripture, spiritual, Uncategorized

Defenseless Driving

katietkennedy

Recently, I have been driving with my daughter, who has her learner’s permit. This is a new season for our family. As I walk around the car, moving from the driver’s seat to the passenger’s seat, I can feel my sense of control escaping me.

I sit in the passenger seat trying to give the best advice I can, as she nervously drives around. While I can give her instruction and guide her to stay centered in her lane, in reality, there is very little I can do if something major were to happen. Grabbing the wheel would probably only make things worse.

This reminds me of our faith journey. We usually envision ourselves in the driver’s seat of our life, and to some degree we are. If we decide to turn right and find there is a dead end ahead, God lets us make that wrong turn and learn from our mistakes.

God sets the course, the speed, and the hazards in our way. Sometimes we may feel in control of our vehicle, and other times we are reaching over from the passenger side trying to grab the wheel and turn it away from what God has planned. We are unsure and scared about His plans for us so we try to take over and gain a sense of control.

Other times, we sit back in the passenger seat and trust that God knows what He’s doing, and submit to the fact that He is actually in control of my life, not me. Those are blissful moments filled with peace and joy until the enemy interrupts those thoughts with doubts.

While I will continue fluctuating between feeling confident and apprehensive with my daughter’s driving abilities, we will do the same in our faith journey. Maybe one day we will learn to fully submit and relax into His plans for our lives. Until then, we will keep practicing faith by knowing His plans are good, reminding ourselves that He loves us, and He is always there with us no matter how many wrong turns we take.

“All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.” (Psalm 25:10)

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Selfless Sacrifice

katietkennedy

One fall afternoon, I waited in our local country market for sandwiches to be made for my girls. An older couple walked in and approached the counter. The woman behind the counter noticed the man’s veteran hat and thanked him for his service. The man’s response left me dumbfounded. He looked the woman in the eye and said, “You were worth it.”

His response was loving and heartfelt. The woman humbly muttered something about not being sure about that.

His response surprised me. I expected him to say something like, “You are welcome,” or “Oh, it was no big deal.” He didn’t. He turned a compliment for himself around and made it about her and her value.

This reminds me of our faith journey. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice. He accepted torture, mocking, and death because it was the Lord’s will for His life. Because of Jesus’s sacrifice, we don’t have to carry around the burden of our sin. As we express our gratitude, Jesus’ fulfillment of the Father’s will shows us we are worth it, just as the veteran in the store verbally modeled.

We don’t always feel worth it. Realistically, we don’t deserve what Jesus did for us, but He did it anyway. He did it because it was the Father’s will. His sacrifice provides us the ability to live freely in a world that could weigh us down with sin.

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice to offer us liberty from sin. True freedom is found in Christ alone. Let’s not forget the sacrifices that were offered on our behalf. Let’s show our gratitude by living with the freedom God intends for our life.

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Barely Brunch

katietkennedy

One Sunday we sat in church listening to a guest pastor preach the Word. It was no ordinary Sunday in our church because there was an inordinate amount of guests. Our church denomination was having their annual meeting in our town the next day so our pews were full of visitors from various places.

My husband Jonathan, the social butterfly he is, decided to invite the pastor and some folks over for brunch. He casually mentioned that he might do this a few nights prior, but we made no formal plan and I did no prep.

By the end of church, Jonathan had invited a handful of folks, including the guest pastor, to our house. We have three girls, so the girls and I took off to figure out what to feed some twenty people without notice or preparation. We stopped at the local produce stand (normally I don’t shop on the Sabbath but I made an exception) and picked up eggs, fruit, and a pie. We raced home to beat the guests.

When we got home my girls jumped into action. My two oldest (fifteen and thirteen) started making a massive batch of pancakes and waffles. All those hours in the kitchen letting them bake and cook paid off. They were awesome. Somehow, with the Lord’s blessing, we pulled off a nice brunch.

This reminds me of our faith journey. Being part of God’s family means stepping into opportunities that maybe you weren’t expecting, or looking for. You never know how the Lord will use your willingness to say yes.

One of the guests was a young dad who had his daughters with him. His wife was joining up with him the next day. We provided a place for his older daughter to run around, rather than in a hotel room. His baby was held and loved on by our pastor’s wife. I remember those days with young children and I am glad we could provide a respite for him.

I don’t tell you this story to boast. I tell you this story to illustrate when you say yes to God, even when you are unsure, He blesses your time and efforts. Our brunch was not the greatest brunch our guests had ever experienced. It didn’t need to be. We had a wonderful time of fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We gathered a group of the church, fed them, and provided a place for them to hang out.

Sometimes doing God’s work is having a quiet conversation with a child who is having a rough day. It might mean bringing a neighbor a treat so they know you were thinking of them. Occasionally it means opening up your home to host folks for a meal when you weren’t planning to. When our hearts are open to serving God, He can use us in many wonderful ways.

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Greener Grass

katietkennedy

One afternoon I was trying to encourage my eight-year-old daughter in the kitchen. She was feeling discontent about her current situation and was lamenting she wasn’t doing something else. I reminded her of the saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side.” To which she replied to me, “Not unless you water it.”

I’m not confident she understood the meaning of what I said, nevertheless, her reply stunned me. Her comment was innocent and unknowing. As I pondered what she said, I realized how much depth there was to the statement.

While my daughter’s response was meant to be literal, it has a greater meaning. When we find ourselves discontent with our life or a situation, instead of coveting what others have or cycling in self-pity, invest in your lot. Your neighbor’s grass may be greener, however, instead of desiring their home, seed and water your grass.

This reminds me of our faith journey. We can easily covet those around us, or wallow in the things we don’t have. Instead, change the things you can. Invest in yourself and the people around you. Make your grass greener.

One way to make your grass greener is to water your soul with the words given to us by our most Holy God. There is a reason He left us the Bible, because we need it! We need its guidance, comfort, and encouragement.

Feed your soul with the only living words available. Psalm 23:1-3 sums up this message nicely.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Water your grass with the only thing that brings contentment, comfort, and peace.

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Seriously Straight

katietkennedy

My kids joke that I missed my calling as a dentist or dental hygienist. I find all teeth-related things fascinating. Especially when an adult tooth is trying to emerge into their young mouth. How does it know where to go and how fast to travel down the path? God is amazing in how he designed us.

In the last year, my daughters have had a fair amount of dental work done. Lots of lost teeth, spacers being put in, molds being made, braces, etc. This is probably why teeth are on my mind.

How could teeth possibly remind me of our faith journey? Well, they arrive slowly. They move in such small increments we can’t visibly see them. We see progress in days, weeks, and months.

Isn’t that like our faith journey? Progress is hard to notice as God slowly sanctifies us. One act of repentance at a time. We grow slowly as He molds and changes our hearts, interests, and goals. He doesn’t work quickly, but rather over the long run.

You can’t always judge the changes in your heart daily, you need to look in the rearview mirror. Only then will you see how God has been working in your life, and you can recognize His transforming work.

Keep pursuing Him, and He will set your course straight. “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:6)

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Shedding the Clothes

katietkennedy

Over Thanksgiving, we got the stomach bug. The timing was unfortunate. It started with one of the kids on Wednesday night. By the time she recovered on Saturday, the rest of us weren’t feeling well. Everyone had various symptoms but we were all suffering.

After a few days of laying around feeling miserable, I felt a tinge better. I went into my closet and removed the cozy sweatshirt I had been wearing for the past few days. I was tired of feeling crummy and done with wearing my sick clothes. Even if I didn’t feel dramatically better, putting on fresh clothes might improve my overall wellness. I was thankful I had the energy and desire to put on something fresh.

This reminds me of our faith journey. We are called to “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

When we follow Christ, we shed our old ways. This is a process of course and takes the work of the Holy Spirit. Regardless, we are new creatures in Christ. We are to follow His ways and align our will with His.

We have the opportunity to be washed clean every day. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, our sins are forgiven. When we come and repent to the father, He frees us of our past burdens and allows us to march forward in Him.

The sweatshirt I wore while I was sick kept me warm. Once I started feeling better it felt like a hindrance, something I no longer needed. In Christ, we shed our old ways and put on our new self. We free ourselves of past sins, poor decisions, and start fresh. What a gift!

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Puppy Passion

katietkennedy

We recently got a new puppy and named him Blue. Our three daughters adore him. My husband and I have also grown quite fond of him. Blue doesn’t deserve this love. In fact, he’s destructive and bites everyone non-stop. His actions don’t merit our unconditional love for him. Yet, we give it to him anyway.

Blue rips holes in our shirts, unties our shoes, and steals our sneakers. A few minutes after he is naughty we come to tell him how adorable he is. He can hardly do wrong in our eyes.

This reminds me of our faith journey. We can be like this puppy at times. We know what we are supposed to do but still choose to make poor decisions. We mess up all the time. We forget to praise the Lord. We don’t show gratitude and we lack trust and obedience. For all of our mess-ups, God is still waiting for us to come back to Him.

It’s amazing if you think about it. We sin over and over again. We only need to come humbly to our Father and ask for forgiveness. My family’s love for Blue doesn’t change based on his behavior. Neither does God’s love for us.

We hide from God embarrassed of our mistakes. God wants us to come to Him. Sin separates us from God when we let it. Don’t let pride or anything come in between you and our amazing Father. Repent and turn toward Him.

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Savoring the Smile

katietkennedy

We’ve had a lot of dental work done lately. Lots of lost teeth, spacers being put in, molds being made, braces, etc. This is probably why teeth are on my mind.

My kid’s joke I should have been a dentist, or a dental hygenist. I find all teeth-related things fascinating, especially when my kids have an adult tooth trying to emerge into its new home. My kids get annoyed when I keep asking them to open their mouths so I can see how the new teeth are coming in. It’s amazing to me how one day you can see a tiny little white spec, then weeks or months later, an adult tooth or moler is in its resting place. How is that possible? How do they know where to go and how fast to travel down the path? Watching this process happen is enthralling. God is amazing in how he designed us.

How could teeth possibly remind me of our faith journey? Well, they arrive slowly yet surely. They move in such small increments we can’t visibility see them. We only see movement in days, weeks, and sometimes months. Isn’t that like our faith journey? God slowly works to sanctify us, one act of repentance and forgiveness at a time. He slowly molds and changes our hearts. He doesn’t work quickly, but rather over the long run. You can’t judge the changes in your heart daily, you need to look at the long view. Only then can you identify how He has been working in your life.

When you look at an x-ray, you can see the teeth that are not visible from a human eye, the ones coming down the track. You can’t rush them, they come in at their own pace. Even with modern medicine, a dentist or orthodontist doesn’t have a way to fast-track the process.

God does not rush our sanctification process. His timing is perfect and divine. We may wish He would hit the fast forward button but it’s to our benefit He doesn’t. He will teach us what we need to learn in His timing, not ours.

When He calls us home, hopefully we have a beautiful set of adult teeth all perfectly in their spot. Ok enough with the dental analogies. Our goal is to become more Christ-like on earth. To grow and develop in the areas He wants us to. We won’t ever achieve perfection like Jesus, but we can still grow and be strengthened in Him.

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Arriving Ahead

katietkennedy

One year we were on vacation with my family. My kids were having a blast spending time with their cousin. We were headed out to dinner and were a larger group, so some were going in the rental car, and the rest were riding in a shuttle van. The van showed up and was ready to load passengers. We were hustling around grabbing last-minute items before we left.

The kids (there were four of them) wanted to ride in the shuttle van so they jumped aboard. A few minutes later the van pulled away. We quickly realized there were no adults aboard the van. The kids spanned ages from thirteen to six and were a fairly responsible group (for children), but we never intended on sending them alone. The impressive (or scary) thing is how they convinced the van driver to leave without a parent. Once we realized the kids were on their way without us, we hustled into the car and hurried to meet them.

The kids, sure enough, were waiting for us at the restaurant. They were beaming with pride from their adventure and were surprised when we didn’t match their enthusiasm. We chatted with them about how we were glad they made it safely, but next time they are not to leave without an adult. We expressed our concern for their safety and explained why their decision to drive off without us was not safe.

This reminds me of our faith journey. Sometimes we like to forge ahead, we make our plans and ask God to bless our path. This usually turns out how the adventure with my kids went. We might reach the destination, but if it wasn’t God’s plan for us, something is usually missing. We rush ahead convinced we know what is best, forgetting to ask God to align our will with His will. When things don’t work out as we planned, we are disappointed.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

May we keep in step with the Spirit, for the steps of a man are established by the Lord. (Galatians 5:25 & Psalms 37:23)

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Cheerfully Chosen

katietkennedy

My husband and my daughters submitted a video to be considered in a photoshoot for a hunting organization. My husband Jonathan loves to hunt so this was a natural fit.

I helped them take a few videos and pictures while dressed in head-to-toe camo, and Jonathan sent them off. A week later, he was told he had been selected and they also wanted one of our daughters.

My husband was out of town when he got the news. We called him and I put my daughter on the phone. She hung up the phone after speaking with him and had the most precious look on her face. Her smile got huge, she looked into my eyes and tenderly said, “They picked me.” She spoke with surprise, humility, and delight. She seemed shocked they had chosen her.

This reminds me of our faith journey. We all desperately want to be known, seen, and heard. My daughter’s humility spoke of her character. I was excited for her. It feels good to be chosen, and it was important for this pre-teen girl to be seen and selected.

The great news is God sees you and me every day! He loves you and never takes His eyes off you. Wow! That is hard to comprehend. If only we walked around with that confidence every day, letting the negative comments bounce off us.

God knows you and loves you. Getting that information into our hearts takes some work, and an enemy is trying to block that truth from penetrating. Psalm 139:1 states, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me!”

If I could share her joy that afternoon, I would. That same joy felt by my daughter can be felt by you. You are known, loved, and cared for by the One that matters most.