The Power of a Mother's Promise

Twenty-seven years ago this month, my mom made a promise that changed our lives forever.
by Stacy Wiebe

Now that I'm also a mother, I've come to see that promise as a kind of spiritual umbilical cord, a maternal link God used to bring new to life me and my family, and to countless others.

Prayer from a mother's heart
On May 30, 1975 my sister Carey was born. She was a true angel baby - sleeping through the night from the day we brought her home. She completed a trio of girls; I was four, and Amy, two.

A week after Carey's birth, Mom knew something was terribly wrong. Her left leg suddenly stopped working, dragging behind her.

By the time she arrived at the hospital, her leg was dead black. An astute nurse immediately nailed the cause: blood clots. Two hundred of them, the doctor said, coursed through her veins. One passed through her lung, causing pneumonia and kidney failure.

In her hospital bed, Mom had a conversation with God - something that had often comforted her battered heart as a child. Growing up, her parents partied hard and often abandoned her; when they were home, they were more harsh than loving. God's was the best listening ear she knew.

Now she turned to it again: "Oh, God, I want to live to see my babies grow up and get married," she prayed. "Please help me. I will do anything…" And then she made a promise: "I'll… I'll read the Bible. From cover to cover."

After 10 days in the hospital, Mom came home. The doctor said that if the clot that had passed through her lung had been a hair bigger, she wouldn't have survived.

Revelation
As she recovered, Mom remembered her promise. Starting in Genesis, she plodded through the super-size Bible she had bought, even though much of it seemed to reinforce her childhood notion that it was decipherable only by men who wore stiff collars.

Even so, a lot of what she read moved her, and when she came upon the question "What must I do to be saved?" in the book of Acts, chapter 16, the answer spoke directly to her: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."

She responded then to God's voice in her spirit, and was filled with understanding of how His love had led Him to send His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment for everything she had ever done wrong in her life - and ever would do. "It was quite a revelation," she later told me.

One thing I remember around this time is an earnest, private conversation with my mom. She revealed to me the truth about Santa Claus, and afterwards pulled out a book and read about a woman named Mary who had a baby named Jesus. She told me, "This story is real."

The cross and the barber pole
When I was eight, Mom decided our family needed to go to church. We attended various services, but church felt like a foreign, impenetrable culture with its own language and customs.

Mom found herself offering up another big prayer, "God, if You really want us to go to church, You're going to have to send one to our back yard."

God answered three months later in the form of a short Norwegian pastor in his 70s. He came to our door to invite us to a new church starting up at the barber/beauty shop three miles down the road. By country standards, three miles is on your front porch!

We went to the inaugural service, walking past the hair-washing sinks to the main room of the A-frame building. Though we sat discreetly in the back, we failed to make ourselves invisible. In fact, that little community of about 20 people immediately embraced us and over time, through their lives, showed us the winsomeness and Truth of genuine Christianity. My mom grew in her faith, and it wasn't long before my dad, my two sisters and I each decided to follow Jesus as our Forgiver and Leader.

Life, BC and AD
In the following years, I had a front-row seat to changed lives. God re-fashioned my parents' character, their habits, their attitudes.

Their abundant affection and the inner experience I had of God's love under girded me during my awkward school-age years.

Then I became a teenager.

In ninth grade, I decided to change my misfit image for the gloss of popularity, whatever the cost. I'll come back to God later when I'm done doing things my way, I reasoned. I shrugged off any consequences and believed that to have a "good" testimony, like so many of the dramatic ones I had heard, that I had to have a "past."

At 17, I finally woke up. God helped me imagine how my life might turn out if I continued shunning His love and leadership. I thanked God for protecting me in spite of my unwise choices and I realized the incredible privilege of having been spared the pain that my parents had experienced before knowing Christ.

Three weddings and a baby
When my sisters and I each married, Mom relished in the weddings. God answered her prayer that she would see us wed, and the subsequent ones that each of us would choose a mate who loved God.

Her joy ballooned with the arrival of grandchildren, and when it was my husband Mike's and my turn to tell them we were adding to the brood, we flew home to share the news in person.

A few days into our visit , my nurse-practioner called. A blood test had come back positive for "Factor V Leiden," a genetic blood disorder that can cause clotting during pregnancy and post-partum. The nurse wanted me to start right away on injections of heparin, a blood-thinning medication. Without it there was a high risk for miscarriage, still birth or blood clots.

At first I felt sorry for myself. Suddenly I was having a "high risk" pregnancy. Sticking my stomach with a needle twice a day was not the way I had envisioned enjoying my growing abdomen.

Mom felt guilty: "How could I have passed this on to you?" she thought.

It wasn't long before our emotions melted to thankfulness. God had intervened and prevented me from suffering what my mother had - or something worse. My obstetrician told me that few doctors are screening for this genetic blood disorder, which was discovered just 10 years ago.

"Why me?" became, "Why have I been singled out for so great a grace?"

A new branch
On March 30, 2001 my mom witnessed for the first time the birth of a baby - my son, Liam.

My greatest hope for Liam is that he will respond to God's gift of grace and follow Him with all his heart. As he grows, I will tell him that God has a plan for his life, and that He intervened to protect him in the womb. I'll tell him this parallels the way God's grace intervened to touch the spiritual deadwood that characterized our family tree, grafting in a new branch - one that is spiritually alive.

And I'll tell him how it all began with a mother's promise.

~~~~~~

A new branch in your family tree could start with you!
As a young girl, my mom told her parents, " I am going to raise my family differently." They laughed and said, "You will see." She did not know then that the difference she would raise us girls with was Christ.

Following Christ and creating a Christian home is something no one can do though, by just "trying really hard." We need help - or better - the one Jesus called the "Helper."

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God has given you His Holy Spirit to help you live life according to His perfect plan. Why not pray this simple prayer and by faith invite Him to fill you with His Spirit:

Dear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have sinned against You by
directing my own life. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through
Christ's death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place
on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be
filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith.
I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I thank You for
directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit. Amen

If you prayed this prayer today, we would love to hear from you . Perhaps we could connect you with a mentor or provide resourceful links that could help you in this new journey.

Content By: Thoughts-About-God

The Parent's Responsibility in Sex Education

By Nigel Lane

Parents ought to be the first source of sex education for their children. Don't think that because children can learn about human sexuality in school, your responsibility to teach them about sex has been removed. Especially now that there is confusion as to how to teach human sexuality in school, the parents must be ready to assume the role to educate their children in everything they need to know to understand their sexuality.

Who's better to teach about morality and the ramification of sex and sexuality to your children than you their parents? Often times, the school only teaches about the anatomy of human sexuality and the issue of morality and the taboos related to sex are often placed on the sidelines.
This is where you should come in - teach your children their moral obligation when it comes to sex.

Sex education does not involve only teaching the children about the anatomy of the human reproductive organ. It's much more than that. Sex education also involves teaching the children their moral obligation towards the opposite sex. Even more so for teenagers, you need to teach them their moral obligation towards their boyfriends or their girlfriends for that matter.

More so if your teenagers are already sexually active. You have an obligation to open their eyes about the possible ramification of their action. Your son could get a girl pregnant or your daughter can become pregnant if they are practicing sex at a very young age. They should understand the implications of their actions.

Another very important aspect of sex education you should teach your children is the issue on sexually transmitted diseases. If they are already sexually active, they must understand that they can contract disease by sleeping around with many partners, or even from their very first sexual encounter

Sex education is always a difficult topic to discuss with your children at home. But this is yet another role of parents that they cannot escape from.

For a free special report with over 50 Parenting Tips just go to www.awesomeparents.com Nigel has met hundreds of parents and helped them to become more awesome than they were.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nigel_Lane

A Parent's Voice of Love

By Barbara Ann Simone

Today I am inviting you to get more acquainted with the LOVE of the Universe that is within you, in order to share Its profound magnificence with your child.

Over the past 30 years, whenever I've spoken to children about the enormous presence of God's Love, I've always witnessed a joyful response. I've never seen any situation-"negative" or "positive"-that did not immediately change for the better when God's LOVE was joyfully spoken about. Why is this? Because LOVE is the most powerful force in the Universe!

Your children naturally feel this Love within them. Younger children are VERY connected to this Love. However, as your children grow into the elementary years, the outside world gives no attention to this beautiful relationship. Is there anything you can do to make up for this lack of reinforcement? Are you comfortable speaking to your child about this profound Love?

Your answer probably depends on how you perceive this LOVE in your life. It may seem easier for you to talk to your children about your relationships with others, rather than your relationship with the Divine. As you grow in your Spiritual awareness each day, you can also grow in how you share this most beautiful, intimate relationship with your children. Modeling this relationship is paramount.

YOU are the Perfect Voice of Love to speak the Truth of God's Love to your children on a daily basis!

So as you pray, show gratitude, and look within for your daily guidance. Then, teach your child to do the same.

Here are some ideas of how you can speak of God's Love in everyday experiences:

• Remind them their bodies are kept healthy by this Love. No matter what medicine you give your children, or how many doctors they visit, remind them of the healing power of God's Love that is CAUSE to their bodies functioning properly. "Rebecca isn't it wonderful how God's Love heals you and keeps you healthy all the time!"

• Remind them that wherever they are, God's Love is with them. AND God's Love is with each family member. This Love keeps each family member safe and happy. "God's Loving guidance is with me all day, the same way It is for our family!"

• Tell them that children who are mean and bully other children have forgotten God's Love.
When children and adults make decisions without remembering God's Love- lots of chaos and hurt can happen! "Joey must have forgotten about God's Love when he behaved that way."

• Remind them of their Inner Power to think LOVE in every situation and feel LOVE for whomever they are with. "If you feel lonely at lunch time, remember you're never alone. God's Love is there with you all the time."

• Remind them often that God's Love is cause for the wonderful family life they experience each day. "God's Love blesses us with such wonderful family times together!"

Remind them to look inside of themselves FIRST, as

questions come up during the day. God's Love is ALWAYS
there to guide them. The more your children rely on the
Divine Wisdom inside of them, the stronger their Spirit will
be! "Don't forget to think about God's Love in your heart and mind before you begin your Social Studies test. That way you will certainly do your best!"

The more your children are joyfully reminded about this Love on a daily basis, the happier they will be. This Love relationship with the Divine knows no limits. Whether your child is 2 or 52, helping to foster this relationship can only bring GOOD.

Barbara Ann Simone, the Spiritual Nanny, has been working with children and their families for 30 years. She is the co-author of a spiritual curriculum called The Masters' Classroom, which can be used by families to share powerful spiritual principles. Her program empowers children from 2-102! She offers a free Spiritual Family Newsletter- plus a free Spiritual Story for children at http://www.themastersclassroom.com

Parental Stress - Coping With Kids

By Margaret Tye

Rearing well adjusted children is a real accomplishment on the part of any parent and with today’s trend and lifestyle it is a hard task. Nowadays training kids begins at birth. There are lots of articles written on dealing with newborn babies or coping with toddlers, particularly for new moms, but surprisingly, there is little guidance on how to deal or cope with parental stress.

Several children under the age of five can be really troublesome and handling them is a tiring task. Parents really have to work hard as the kids at that age demand lot of time and attention.
This really stresses the parent and makes them feel trapped. Parents have to be magically equipped with patience, parental love and mothering instinct.

Growing children wreck a tidy room or scatter toys and cushions around the house. Potty training is other serious issue and you have to be geared to deal with accidents, while washing their hands is like playing in a swimming pool. Kids like to explore everything and they learn from such exploration. Hence stopping them would curb their inquisitiveness. As a parent you should tackle these issues with care and lot of patience, as love and patience builds a strong foundation in the parent and child relationship.

Due to a stressful lifestyle, many relationships break up and hence there are a lot of single parents around. Such single parents find parenting more difficult as compared to a couple.
Managing kids and a career is like walking on two rails. They are usually stressed by running around trying to manage things, and this sometimes leaves the kids neglected. Sometimes parents are not able to pursue their own dreams because they are busy tackling issues related to their kids.

Luckily nowadays there are some voluntary organizations where help can be sought. These organizations offer help for few hours each week like baby-sitting and this help can give the parents some hours of respite. Moms can get free time to mow the lawn, do some home decoration, pursue their passions or even shop. With kids growing and their demands increasing day by day, mothers lose their identity and get hassled under the pressure.

If you find yourself in this situation, don’t be depressed if you fail, as you are a normal human being. Mistakes can happen as there are limitations, hence accept them and do your best. Clean the rooms one by one and not like a superwoman. If you can, try and reduce the furniture or clear off the carpets as they are the things that delay cleaning.

It doesn't matter if the house isn't spotless. What matters is that you spend time playing and having fun with your kids. You will all benefit and at the end of the day you may feel more cheerful and capable of clearing some of the mess. Then give yourself half an hour to soak in the bath, or even do your nails.

Margaret Tye runs the From Tots 2 Teens - Parental Stress website.

The Single Parent Strategy - How to Successfully Pay for College - FamilyVision Column

By Daryl Green

Beth found herself in a hopeless situation. She was divorced, the sole provider for her family, and the mother of three little kids. Although she was determined to make it, every step she took ultimately meant trouble. Beth knew that a college education would afford her with more opportunities. She didn’t have the money. She wondered if her life would change.

Impossible Dream
Are you pursuing your own dreams or the pipe dreams of someone else? Do you want a college education but it appears impossible? Do you feel it is already too late? If you answer “yes,” this report can assist you in fulfilling your dreams by completing college. As a personal coach and online advisor to families, I frequently get questions from single parents on paying for college.

However, it is really more than getting the money. How does a single parent get the emotional and physical support for completing college? The college experience is a challenge in itself; single parents also have to consider their children and in many cases, working a day job to make ends meet.

This article provides single parents with a proven method of getting financial and emotional support for obtaining a college degree. This strategy will be helpful to most individuals.

However, if you want more details, I highly recommend you review my special books for a more comprehensive analysis. I have spent countless hours reading books, searching websites, and reviewing past advice to clients to provide my readers with credible solutions to paying for college. Let’s explore this matter more closely.

The Financial Aid Mystery
Understanding the process of federal financial aid can appear like a jigsaw puzzle. The first step for most federal financial assistance begins with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available at your local college or high school. You can apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

You should complete this form even if you feel you don’t meet the financial need requirement, based on your income. The U.S. government financial aid program includes Federal Pell Grants, Federal Stafford Loans, Plus Loans, Federal Consolidation Loans, Federal Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Perkins Loans. Scholarships and grants are not paid back by the student; however, loans are expected to be repaid by the student to the lending institution. It is important to work with the financial aid office where you plan to attend college. Remember, the process can appear to be difficult. However, it is to your benefit to be patient and follow through with the process.

The Single Parent Strategy
To be successful in obtaining free money, single parents need to develop a strategy. However, the problem is that many single parents get discouraged in the face of their hectic life and the additional stress of embarking on a college education. If a person had his or her own personal planner, life would flow a lot easier! In the absence of this assistant, having a strategy for college becomes even more crucial. After conducting extensive research and providing personal coaching, I have come up with a simple strategy for addressing these problems:

Check out www.fastweb.com to set up a profile for possible scholarships.

Contact your potential online college or a local college in your area for financial aid advice.

Check out the latest college scholarship books at your library, such as Peterson’s Scholarship.

Check out more non-traditional colleges. Go to Jonnie’s Distance Learning Website at http://www.geocities.com/liu_jonathan/dluniv.html.

Submit at least 100 scholarship applications.

Send letters for financial help to friends, co-workers, and other key people.

Write a letter or call local community groups in your area and ask them about scholarships.
Be persistent and patient.

The Path Forward
Paying for college is possible for the single parent if he or she is committed to his or her goals. The process of attending college is not an easy one. However, you have determined that you need additional education to improve the quality of life for yourself and your child or children.

This is one of the biggest decisions that you will make. With my approach you have a simple strategy for success. Do you have the energy and the desire? This is the critical question you must ponder now. Start today and improve the quality of your life.

Daryl and Estraletta Green, who have been noted and quoted in USA Today and AP, provide personal advice all around the country. Want a better life? Get a copy of My Cup Runneth Over:

Setting Goals for Single Parents and Working Couples at http://www.lulu.com/content/609612.
You can also contact them at http://www.darylandestraletta.com.