Invitation To Hope – Introduction Episode One

Do you need an invitation to hope? Well, I did and I’m convinced that everyone has a story to tell. Every single one of us struggles yet we don’t want anyone to know about it. We want to paint a rosy picture and let everyone know we are living the dream. My life was just that way; I was struggling on the inside yet smiling on the outside. There is hope and joy in life and I am here to share this message with you.

I will discuss real concerns that you have as a woman, as a mom or someone who is learning and growing in their faith. I want you to know you are not alone. This podcast is meant to support, encourage and to give you hope! Some of you are stay-at-home moms some of you at our work at home moms and some of you work outside of the home, yet we all have common struggles. Anyone who tells you that life is great all the time is not being truthful. Life has struggles, this is not heaven, and I often have to remind myself of this very fact. Happily ever after does happen in real life but it happens not necessarily in the way you think.

You might think this is a strange name for a podcast – One More Child – but it has impact and meaning. Once I was open to God’s will in my life, in everything–even being open to having one more child, I felt as if my eyes were opened to the truth. I could no longer compartmentalize my beliefs and my life. I also found that my daily life struggles were manageable because I was not doing it alone.

In this series of podcasts, we will discuss so many topics that affect our happiness. And you will see a reoccurring theme one of trust, of truth and of focus. Can you use more of that in your life? I know I can!

As I record this episode I am just beginning to share my book with the public, it is a story about faith and redemption, and how my last three children are a miracle story. I thought God might bless me with a third child, but he decided I needed a fourth and a fifth as well! My God is abundantly gracious.

In this series for the One More Child Podcast, I’m going to discuss different topics that relate to openness to children, family, faith, and relationships – I also want to encourage you to find joy and hope no matter what your life’s situation may be.

So who am I? My name is Felice Gerwitz, and I have been online in some capacity since 1999 representing the company I created and founded Media Angels. I’ve been writing and publishing for over 24 years.

When I started, there were no podcasts, no online forums or even social media as we know it today. But I am so happy we have these things so I can connect with all of you!

Now that my five children are grown up, with my two youngest currently in college, I find myself at a crossroads. I wrote a book that I felt compelled to write through the urging of the Lord, in writing this book I found that I had much more to say than the 100 pages of the book, so since I am no stranger to podcasts, I decided, “Why not?”

I know this podcast would have helped me as someone who was struggling, as someone who  had no one to talk to about private issues — well let me amend that, I had plenty of people I could talk to but no one I wanted to tell my story to nor was I open to any solutions at that time. I held a secret in my heart that was eating away at the very fiber of who I was as a woman as a mom and as a wife. Sometimes there are things you just can’t share with anyone. And this feeling was something I couldn’t even share with my husband even though if you had asked me I would say we were very close.

I don’t want this podcast to be a one-way conversation. I want you to join me with questions and perhaps as a guest on this podcast if you are open to this idea. If not, I totally get it! No one believes I am shy—no one. But truthfully I’m a private person that the Lord has stretched and taken me out of my comfort zone. Has that ever happened to you? We grow when we are stretched and believe me I have grown and continue to grow in my relationship with the Lord.

At one time I believed that if I shared my secret I would admit my inadequacies and I was not in a place spiritually to do this. My walk with the Lord was one-sided—I followed Him on my terms. You may wonder about my secret what was it that had me in turmoil? It was regret. Regret over a decision that thousands of people make each day and that is to limit the size of their family with a surgical procedure. For us, it was a vasectomy.

Once my faith grew and I began to understand what it truly meant to be a Christian in the full sense of the word, I began to regret the decision. My husband was also feeling the same way but he didn’t tell me either until years later.

If this story didn’t have a happy conclusion I wouldn’t be sharing this right now! I know the wonderful outcome could only happen by the grace of God – His mercy and His love for me. My last three children wouldn’t be here unless we had a change of heart, and I can’t tell you what a blessing they have been. Has it been easy? No – but can you tell me one thing in your life that has been worthwhile that is super easy?

What I want to share in future podcasts is that God does answer prayers and His answers are so much more glorious than anything you or I can imagine – and believe me, I have a very vivid imagination! God poured out His grace on me, my husband and my family and I can’t wait to share the good news with you!

One thing you can be sure of … there will be no pretense in these episodes. I have learned so much and I’m happy to share helpful solutions and encourage you along your journey in life if I truly have lived it — and my heart’s desire is to share the wonderful and amazing hope that comes only my relationship with the one true God! And, you know what? IT is available to all of you.

Welcome my friend. If you are a long-time friend and listener of my other podcasts I thank you in advance for coming over to yet another podcast I host and your loving support. You know who you are. If you are a new listener, I hope to meet you and for you to become a friend. My hope is that you will join me on social media so we can have a chance to connect, meet and get to know each other. The information is on the podcast page at One More Child Podcast.com – or if you are not on social media please share your comments and questions with me at [email protected].

I’m excited about this new journey the Lord has me on …and I pray it is a hundred-fold blessing to all of you. Until next we meet…

 

 

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Parents As First Responders ~ Episode 37

Parents are first responders to the needs of their children, but they are also spiritual first responders. They are people who are ready to share the good news with others. Today I have a special guest, Lt. Tommy Neiman who has spent his life literally rescuing others as a firefighter and paramedic. I found his story fascinating and also his new book specifically for children. Join me on this podcast to learn more.

Tommy shared his passion for leading others to the Lord, especially children. In his book he opens the chapters with a topic, and then a scripture verse. He introduces words that may be new to the children and then tells a story with a lesson about bravery and service. He also encourages them by listing a memory verse for the children to learn. He shares a special story about a “God-incident” where the Lord lead him back to his own neighborhood and a neighbor who he feared as a child. The Lord showed up powerfully in their interaction. His resounding message to parents is to be present.

Parents are the first responders as they are responsible for a child’s care and physically and spiritually. We teach our children and instruct, but spiritually they will learn the most by example. As parents we must show our children the virtues, patience and kindness, however showing this in our faith to the Lord.

*please note: there is mention of animation, however the workbook is illustrated not animated.

About Tommy Neiman:

Lt. Neiman is a a firefighter/paramedic with Saint Lucie County Fire-Rescue and also a former homeschool dad to three wonderful kids. He is the author of a Rookie Rescuer, a workbook where he take kids on actual I’ve had and present powerful Spiritual truths at their level. He was honored as 2003 Firefighter of the Year for the state of Florida and spoke at the Florida Governor’s prayer breakfast for Governor Jeb Bush. He worked with the Discovery Channels Shark Week for a shark bite call I had and responded to New York during 9/11 in 2001. For more information visit his websites: www.tommyneiman.com or wwww.RookieRescuer.com.

 

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Power of Motherhood ~ Episode 36

The power of motherhood can not be denied, and behind every powerful person in our world is a Mom. In this episode, we will discuss the powerful legacy moms leave.

Thanks to our sponsor CTCMath.com – a wonderful math curriculum for kids. Check out the website for more information. Sponsorships keep us on the air.

Do you have a special group of friends? I do, and these women keep me on track. The place faith and family before all us – and they encourage and bless others in friendship. These are the women I prayed for in a time when I felt the world pulling me by virtue of my degree into the workforce. Yet these women encouraged me in the virtue and power of motherhood. They let me express what I knew in my heart that women are the caregivers, welcoming and should care for their children.

The power of Motherhood is in self-giving, and fulfilment of what God has called you to do. Behind every powerful corporation, president, and other powerful “leader” is a mother. By virtue of giving life, this person is responsible for another. I still miss my mother who has been gone over twenty years, yet her impact on my life is stunning.

My mother was the first example of powerful motherhood – she encouraged me to set my goals high. You want to be an artist? Go paint. Do it.  You want to become a teacher? Go for it. Whatever I wanted to do she encouraged me. We worked hard together as a family in my parent’s Italian Restaurant. The hours were long but when we had an opportunity we vacationed together as well. Our parents always gave us opportunities they didn’t have – and we do that for our own children as well.

Mothers are wonderful and work so hard, yet they are often unappreciated, neglected and misunderstood! When I complained to my mom being tired with little kids or about my husband she would say, “God put you together as a family, you make the best of it, pray and it will all work out. Love your children and your husband as God loves you.” Wow so much wisdom. She didn’t give into my complaining, but she acknowledged it and she encouraged me toward greatness.

If you don’t have a cheerleader that is there to encourage you to greatness, let me take this opportunity to do this for you. You can take charge of your life today, invest in your family and you will find yourself so much stronger and happier. You can do this and you are not alone. Even if you live in the other corner of the world away from me, know you have a kindred spirit. We women are powerful and the voices of the outside world want to squelch this, but in you heart know that you are enough and your worth is not in what others think.

In the midst of adversity we have a choice to sink down or to rise up, and I pray that you rise up to the challenge. My family, my children and my husband—our relationships became stronger when we placed our faith in God first as the foundation of our lives. Mothers work behind the scenes for the most part and no one will ever see the wonderful things you do – that is outside of your family, and often they don’t appreciate the sacrifice or effort. Of course we want to be appreciated but, this side of heaven we may not see the fruits of our efforts. The power of womanhood is in the idea that we are more than we think we are because we were created in the image of God. Our soul and spirit are greater than what this world has for us, yet we are precious and special in the eyes of God – get right with God and all else will fall into place. God gives us the grace to do this.

Relationships matter. A relationship with the Almighty, then the relationship with your spouse. Often we place our kids first and then wonder why we are stressed and can’t handle another day.  But, without a good foundation of two, it makes raising children more difficult. It is hard to see the bigger picture. Once the kids are grown, many relationships fall apart. Invest in your spouse and work together as a team. Easier said than done (ask me how I know).

In life nothing in life is perfect, so quit expecting it in your motherhood and how you parent. We can’t always make our kids happy – in fact, only God can make a person happy. So, do your best, parent with love, and let go of the rest.

Motherhood never stops. As I began to write this episode my daughter was in the hospital waiting for an emergency C-section (her first one, but her ninth child). My granddaughter’s 16th birthday is a day away, and my daughter was concerned, from her hospital bed, that she wouldn’t be there for Samantha’s birthday! This is what we do, we mothers. On the other hand, I worry for my daughter, but I will ensure my granddaughter is pampered and spoiled on her birthday! The good news is that while I delayed the re-launch of this podcast, my ninth grandchild was born and not out of NICU yet, but praise God for the treatment he is receiving. We moms keep on going, because we must.

I pray that if you are discouraged or feel abandoned, you realize I AM HERE FOR YOU! Come over to our Facebook podcast family page, send me an email or know I am praying for you. Believe me when I say while it is nice to receive the accolades of others, you must be confident in the knowledge that God has you in the palm of His hand, even if it doesn’t feel that way!

We don’t need to be praised for being uniquely feminine, but by virtue, that is what we are. We can look at the Bible, which is a blessing for us, and look to the model of all Christian women everywhere, and that is Mary. She is the mother of our Savior but more than that, because of her example, her “Yes,” in the midst of adversity we can learn so much from her. She stayed quietly in the background yet when it came time for her to be strong, visit her cousin Elizabeth and we read the words in Scripture, “My soul magnifies the Lord,” we can see that this is no simple peasant girl on the inside. God infilled and inspired her. Luke 1:46-55

We read in Proverbs 31:28, “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, he praises her.”

And the 10 commandments – Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

We as women are destined to greatness, and by virtue of motherhood, whether you have given birth, are a parent by marriage or adoption, or care for children in some way through volunteering. You, my friend, are called to a greater purpose. If you strive to live a virtuous life you will be rewarded by the grace to persevere.

Moms tend to be the strong ones in the family, yet as a mother, I encourage my husband to understand the power of fatherhood. (Listen to the podcast on the topic here.) Homes are the strongest when both parents are united.

Overall the destiny of motherhood is real.

The Destiny of Motherhood – Real-Life Application

1. Love begins with a relationship. First, start with a strong relationship with God, then your spouse, and then your kids. This is building the kingdom of God in your own home.
2. Our culture pushes women as objects rather than role models. My favorite clothing store had the motto, “Clothing for the role model.”
3. Moms are the power behind the family; they are the ones everyone goes to in times of need.
4. Look to your family and not out the window at others; the grass looks greener, but it never is (septic tank reference).
5. Lastly, focus on home – your kids are with you for a short while. I know everyone says this, and when you are in the midst of dirty diapers up at all hours of the night and have your hands full with sick children, it can’t go fast enough. But you are leaving a legacy.

You, as a mother, are destined for greatness. There is power in motherhood, which comes from within, but it needs to be filled and encouraged. I want to share a book with you, One More Child, that I wrote a few years ago and is free on Kindle if you have an unlimited subscription, but it is free for a short time now in celebration of Mother’s Day.

 

 

 

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Family First – Family The Bedrock of Society – Episode 35

Societies have broken apart because family first has been forgotten, and as the bedrock of society has been neglected. In this episode, we discuss how families can now take back your kids! My special guest is Denise Mira.

Visit Denise at her website at DeniseMira.com

The bedrock of our society

1. All societies’ problems are parenting problems
2. When the family breaks down, society breaks down
3. Marriage stats
4. Crimes against single-parent kids
5. The power of the family dinner table
6. Mothering and Fathering vs. Managing
7. Institutionalized society
8. Parents are the superheroes of our culture

The nuclear family, two parents, and children which trumps all other ‘stated forms’ of the family in modern culture. Man and wife, two becoming one – is biblical. ‘For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh,’ Eph. 5:31.

It is a genius form of government providing everything a child needs to flourish. 

A strong family provides vital components to raise great kids: Leadership, love and nurture, accountability, self-government, protection, financial resource, and stability. Many, many children in our day do not have these most basic life necessities because they are spending more time in institutions from dawn to dusk, than at home with their God-given parents.

There are always daily struggles but you will learn that with the Lord all things are possible. It takes work but your children will benefit from a united front. It is important to realize that your children are watching even when you don’t think they are and so many times when they imitate our worse behaviors! However, guilt is not from the Lord – turn to the Scriptures and keep close to the Lord.

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Power of Fatherhood Dad is Destiny – Episode 34

We forget that the power of fatherhood that Dad is destiny. The modern culture in which we live may not agree with this but we find that there is so much good that comes from families with strong dads. Don’t be lied to – listen to this broadcast with my special guest, and podcast favorite guest, Denise Mira.

Visit Denise at her website and grab her free gifts at DeniseMira.com

We hear dad called so many different things, but often these phrases are not flattering. Often wives complain or children complain about one parent to the other. All of these things do not help the power of fatherhood. What is a good father? One article called dad “destiny… the effect of a Dad on the children is amazing, and the statistics prove it.

Dad is destiny: The Power of a Father

1. Quote by US News and World Report
2. Our culture’s penchant to raise up women and trash men
3. Dads have inherent superpowers
4. Effective Fathers come in all shapes and sizes
5. Timeless Biblical principles apply to ANY father, from millennial to grandfather
6. Proverbs 4, 5, 6 and 7 and Dads
7. Generational impact
8. Dad on the hot seat: take inventory
9. Mom on the hot seat: the power of a supportive wife
10. Dad stats and incarceration
11. The significance of Malachi 4:6

 

 

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Children Are A Blessing Episode 33 with Denise Mira

Are the children in your life a blessing? For many of us we do not realize the impact our children can have on society and in the lives of so many people. Felice Gerwitz and Denise Mira discuss the blessings and the hardships.

Visit Denise Mira on her website DeniseMira.com and her books and free products.

A handout from Denise Mira here: Children are a BLESSING!

Have we forgotten that our children are a blessing? Family life is supposed to be wonderful or that is what we perceive in the lives of our friends (or your fellow podcasters But the truth is that we work really hard at avoiding the difficulties in our lives and turning to the sources that sell us lies. There are many books online that promise to have the truth to parenting and all fall short.

Women are encouraged to be feminists or they are guilted into thinking they’ve shunned the “cause” if they are not part of the culture. Our churches have become secularized and the truth is there if you read in between the lines. Where is the truth? Should you just have one child? Is anything more irresponsible for our planet? (That is the biggest lie I’ve heard repeated over and over again!

Points Covered in the Episode: Children Are a Blessing.

1. My story: raised by Barbie
2. The most powerful resource on the planet
3. Gift or curse?
4. Did feminism free women?
5. The secularized church
6. Abortion: a new face on an ancient story
7. The inestimable value of just one child
8. The truth about female empowerment

Other Podcasts with Denise – Blessed is She Who Believes

Longing for Significance with Denise Mira

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Blessed Is She Who Believes Episode 32 with Denise Mira

Faith helps us tremendously in this very volatile world, and blessed is she who believes that God can help! We will discuss various aspects of faith and how we look at our lives in light of what God can do for us!

Visit Denise Mira and check out her books and products at DeniseMira.com 

Handout from Denise Mira Blessed is She Who Believes OMC Ep 32

Are we women of the 21st Century who believe? We can become no ordinary woman, no matter how ordinary your circumstances. Even those circumstances that seem hopeless. As women, we often struggle with ways to find relevance in the every day. The world screams at us that we must be in the workforce to feel relevance or even if we are working a job outside of the home we are under-appreciated. How can we fill our lives to overflowing so that we can pour into those around us? Family? Friends? The people we meet in our everyday lives.

Luke 1:45 ~ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

1. We must live by faith!
2. What are we at home?
3. Luke 1:45 on REPEAT
4. Mary’s knew her God
5. DARE to believe His Word
6. Choose victory every single day
7. Earmarks of God’s glory

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Longing For Significance – Having an Impact as a Mom ~ Episode 31 with Denise Mira

Are you longing for significance while drowning in the daily struggles of the anonymous parenting world? In this episode, Felice Gerwitz and Denise Mira discuss how you are important and have value! Join us for the truth of motherhood, fatherhood, and parenthood.

Vist out speaker, DeniseMira.com

Handout from Denise: Longing for Significance OMC EP 31

Who am I in the world? Do I have an impact on my family? Or do I have an impact as a mom? How can I find significance when I am drowning in the to-do lists and all that entails daily life. Now add homeschooling to the list and I’m really on overload. Even if you do not homeschool your child, life can be overwhelming at times. A mom’s life is often overlooked or worse taken advantage of by the very people we love so much.

Denise Mira and Felice Gerwitz discuss and address these issues and more. We discuss that we are somebody – in fact someone very important. We discuss the roots of motherhood and how the enemy likes to lie to us in order to cause even more discontent.

1. Somebody
2. Perceived value
3. Modern plumb lines
4. The glory of man
5. New Face on an Old Plan
6. Every Lie Must Be Uprooted with the Truth
7. The shepherd boy

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Praying Moms ~ Episode 30 with Lucia Claborn

Are you ready to pray effectively? Well, praying Moms are those of us who don’t stop even in the face of great odds. Today my special guest Lucia Claborn will share how the Lord totally changed her life from a non-believer to one who loves the Lord and has prayed her way to victory in Christ.

Lucia Claborn is the host of Secrets To Victorious Living right here on this podcast network!

Visit Lucia’s website for all of her wonderful books on praying the Scriptures, here.

Catch another interview with our sweet friend, Lucia on my Vintage Homeschool Moms show, Secrets to VictoriousFaith in Families

Lucia served in the military for 21 years and she was single and then got married after 11 years of service and had three children in three years, each eighteen months apart, and she thought she was done and didn’t think she could handle any more. She had returned from Virginia to Alabama and was doing the dishes, looking out of her window, having a conversation with God, She was asking God for specific things to change in her life and His answer was that would happen with another child to which Lucia was not open.

In her mind, she had all kinds of reasons why she couldn’t take care of another child.  Then she heard the Holy Ghost say, “Well, you know, you can do it your way or you can do it my way.” And she knew then that she was going to have another child. She agreed that her way had not worked for more than thirty years.

Her daughter Katie was born nine months later and is such a blessing to their family. Life wouldn’t be the same without this addition to their family and Lucia realized was truly a miracle in her life. She learned a better way to pray which she will share on this episode.

1. Many times we start confessing the problem that we have, it may be, I don’t have enough money to make it through the week. My child is sick, Lord, you know, you’ve got to him heal him, etc. These prayers do not show faith.
2. Many times we say, Father if it will be your will, you could do this. We know God’s will is and pray God’s will.
3. Is your focus on healing? Lucia began to focus on prayers for healing: 1 Peter: 24
4. We thank God ahead of time for the healing.
5. Lucia and her family began to quote all the blessings daily. She prays these blessings for health for wholeness, for the Lord to take care of every one of their needs.

Lucia shared how the Lord provided even without insurance, how the Lord provided for food when they needed this, how the Lord provided for their home and more. When she began homeschooling the Lord provided the needed money for curriculum. She wants to encourage all of you to thank God for all things. Visit Lucia at LuciaClaborn.com

 

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Trusting God For Your Family Size Episode 29 with Cindy Rushton

Today I want to talk about trusting God for your family size with our special guest who understands the meaning of heartbreak! Cindy Rushton has a strong Christian faith that has sustained her and shares some very important points with you!

Meet Cindy Rushton on her website and on social media as well as her podcasts on this network. Iron Sharpening Iron and Mom to Mom Radio.

Thanks to our sponsor – A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood 

Prayer is so important – it is a way to change hearts! So many of us want to follow the Lord in every way, except in the area of giving over our fertility. Basically give it to the Lord’s and the Lord’s will. Some of us don’t even realize that God has a will in that area. I mean, it seems obvious when you look back on it that he does, but I remember in particular growing up and my mom she had three children, but she had cancer so she couldn’t have beyond the three, but she would have had as many as the Lord would have given her.

She loved being a mother. And so she imparted that to me. But somewhere along the line it seemed like there was a lot of pressure to have two and be done, you know, after all, we are told were overpopulated. Right. I had my son and then had my daughter and my mindset was I’m done. And I didn’t even ask God what he thought about that. And in fact, sadly my first response to knowing it was a little girl was, well praise God, go ahead and come up to you. I am mortified by the fact that that would come out of my mouth at a time when I’m birthing a precious daughter.

And so you can imagine the heartache whenever I realized that – I didn’t even ask God what he thought. I didn’t know that you could ask God about different areas of your life. Oh my goodness, it is kind of one of the first commands before fruitful and multiply. But I don’t guess, I don’t think I realized that that was for me as well as for Adam and Eve, you know, in the Bible.

At some point, I changed my mind and had a surgery to reverse -for me to get everything back. Wow. You know? And that my story. The rest of the way was a very difficult story. I went through the next few years where I lost at least seven babies that I know of. The first pregnancy was a tubal pregnancy, which was really mortifying to me. And I’ve never really walked through tough things like that. And it was, it was really, it was trying, it was a place of me getting angry at God may get angry. The world was so rude about it. It was kinda like, well, you can have another, you know, I’m like, hello, this was I child, a human being.

Trusting God with your family size takes faith!

1. God so knows us and he knows every person. He plans and wills to create such a personal way that he knows them and places the opportunities for them to be conceived in the womb. And he knows their days before there’s even one that means he’s involved in that part of it. And whatever that may mean to someone. This means that if you can trust God, you can trust God with your fertility, with your reproduction, with your family size. He, he doesn’t have plans to hurt you, to harm you, to take away your hope and your future and, and ruin your life.
2. God does will to give you hope, a future to prosper you, to bless you. And to me, the greatest of all blessings and all the things I have had, all the accomplishments I’ve had, my greatest blessings are my children and my grandchildren. The blessing of being able to see my children fulfill their callings in life, to seeing them bless other people.
3. God does not zap you! I think some of the mentality is — “Oh goodness, I’m pregnant.”  If we are struggling with the pregnancy – well, why are we?
4. Our culture has sold us awful lies about children and about family. And, and I believe we’re at a season right now where God is wanting to turn the hearts of the fathers and the mothers back towards their homes, towards their children, towards family, towards legacy. And if we can really grasp that, I think that we will, we will really live the life that really matters.
5. We have a story as Christians that goes beyond the stories of other worldviews and our culture. And, and let me just say this, the enemy, Satan, I’m an unashamed Christian. I believe from the bottom of my heart that the enemy is going to strike out at anything that’s on the heart of God.
6. There is a battle for the womb and for trusting God. I mean we live in a postmodern post-Christian world. I don’t want to have to say that I always wanted to believe it was Christian, but we are not there anymore. And we have to wake up the younger generation in our culture, they have been trained up with ideas that make them open to a whole lot of things except God. And that makes them open and makes them resistant and even hostile to some of the things like, you know, trusting God with your birth control. You know, and yet I think the church, we have to wake up.

I just finished a class about God’s transformative agent in the world. And it wasn’t exactly the class I thought it was going to be. It was so much more. And one of the things that they were talking about was the state that the culture’s in and it can make you think this is really bad stuff. However, the state we’re in has forced Christians to wake up and to say, okay, wait, we do have answers for this. There is truth, there is identity, there is a purpose that is alive. And that’s some of the battle we are in that will effect future generations.

Now it’s like there’s this fight between right and wrong and darkness and right and, and, and godliness. And there’s just good and evil. You see it so, so out there. I mean all you have to do is turn on faith for a moment the mainstream media.

If people see a happy marriage they want to learn from you. Or if they see children that are just so I’m on fire for God and the family they will want to know more. Sometimes we want to put the blame, for example, I didn’t hear it, a church or I didn’t hear it here or you know, I didn’t grow up hearing that. Well in our family I did grow up hearing that, you know, that kids were a blessing and that, you know, we needed to be open to that. But you know, going to school, going to college, a lot of that changed in my life because you are told about how you need to be empowered as women and stand up for yourself and so forth. You don’t want to get trampled on. But for me the biggest accomplishment of my life, is my marriage and my children.

 

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Joyful Family Celebrations Episode 28

Joyful family celebrations take planning. No matter what time of the year we are in we can find ourselves overwhelmed! In this episode of One More Child Podcast, we will discuss how to look for the good in our family life.

Thanks to our sponsor – The Star Movie – limited run December 7 and 8th 2019 – the DVD is still available for purchase.

Faith brings us together. Happy Anniversary to The Star, which debuted on this day in 2017! Celebrate the film by seeing its re-release in theaters this holiday season, December 7 and 8! Tickets here: http://www.thestarmovie-tickets.com

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My pastor has it right when he says that those who see good in others or situations always see good and for those who don’t they only see bad. It seems that the busier we are the more we become overwhelmed and less satisfied with life. I think it is all a matter of perspective.

When it comes to celebrations sometimes we put so much time in effort in impressing others that we lose sight of the real focus of the celebration. One year my then four-year-old daughter attended a birthday party hosted by a family with some amazing resources. When we drove onto the property we were greeted with balloons lining the driveway and signs leading the guests to park and a clown that greeted the children at the door. Of course, the inside of the home was on high-birthday-alert with signs, banners, balloons, and games. And yes there was even a pony ride. My daughter was so overwhelmed she did not want me to leave.

This one incident showed me that the key to happiness for our family was not in overwhelming the senses but in focusing on the joyful family celebration aspect, and if we invited a few friends then that would be fine.

We cannot please everyone and when we try to do this we will feel frustration. Joyful family celebrations are those in which we create memories.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. What do I want my family to remember from this celebration?
2. What is the overall goal? Is it a birthday memory or a milestone such as graduation?
3. Are we celebrating a holiday? What is the one thing I want to do to make it memorable?
4. Can I reuse things I have around the house?
5. Can everyone participate in the setup and prep?

A friend recently shared that she didn’t buy gifts for her children once they reached a certain age for Christmas because they took family trips instead. She even did this for birthdays. The idea in her mind was to create a memory instead of buying an object they would eventually break or grow out of. Each family needs to make these decisions themselves and as with most things, whatever decision you make is probably right for your family.

Remember the focus is on the person, not the event. I doubt the four-year-old whose party we attended even remember that one event because more than likely her fifth, sixth and so forth were more spectacular. Talk to your child, your spouse and find out what they envision for that day? At one time my kids told me they did not want parties other than the immediate family, instead, we took a trip to an amusement park or their all-time favorite, camping.

As we approach the holiday season keep this in mind. Focus on the reason for the season and remember the joy begins with what is in our heart. Refresh your time with the Lord and He will provide an abundance of joy for you to pass on to your families! I pray this for you and yours especially as we head into our daily lives which are often filled with spills and tears. Know you are doing the best thing for your family taking the time to be with them. No one loves your kids the way you do and that my friends is the biggest blessing you can give them! Until next time – God’s blessing be upon you and your family.

 

Thank you to our Sponsor -The Star Movie

 

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