I Greet you All in the Name of An Incredible God!

I am going through right now. It was unexpected and it is hard. But I am finding great comfort in the cushion of God’s tangible love for me through His Agents and Angels of Love who offer encouragement, support and prayers. These are my “Ride or Die” family and friends. A small but close-knit circle of Prayer Warriors who are doing all they can to stand in the battle with me right now. What joy fills my soul! I thank the Lord for each one of them.

At the helm is my sweet husband who has been simply the best! His strength to hold me up in constant prayer is astonishing. His love for me is always available, unconditional and unlimited because it is drawn from the wells of the Lord's Living Waters.

I have been humbled; I feel so undeserving of all this love. But God took me to another level of strength when my children Facetimed me from Germany, blessed me with encouragement, and both petitioned God in prayer for me. I was so touched by their love and that they both knew to beseech the Lord on my behalf. And if that was not enough, I received a text this morning, and as I read its contents I felt the Grace of God yet again. My son sent me two of his favorite songs that he listens to when he needs to be encouraged: “Incredible God” by Youthful Praise and “God’s Got a Blessing With Our Name on it” by Norman Hutchins.

I shouted and danced for quite a while. Here’s why. Yes, I am going through, but I know that even with this setback my children are good! Even during my trial, I am experiencing the blessing of having my children minister to me! “For me there is no greater joy then to know my children are walking in the Truth!” III John 1:4

I reminisced back to the days when I carried Justin in my belly and I committed him to the Lord. I would sing to him and read scripture to him. When he was a toddler my husband and I read to him stories from the Bible – it was how we taught Justin to read. As he grew we switched it up and he read to us from God’s Word. As parents, we did all we knew to keep God in the presence of Justin’s eyes, ears and mind.

As he grew into early manhood, we knew God lived in him, but as most youths, he wanted to stretch in his own way, foraging for his path and challenge what is Truth.

We talk to so many parents who are hurting, who are weary and who are at their wit's end with their children. They ask, "How did my child morph into this creature?" They adamantly say, “I know I did not birth THIS child!” The defiance, the wayward behavior is divisive and destructive to their homes. They cry tears of frustration, feeling they have failed in some way. We too have shared those tears.

I wrote all of this to let you know that this is not all about me, but it’s about holding on to God in the Valleys and Storms in our lives, especially with our children. I want to give all parents a word to uphold you when you are confused, frustrated and weary at the decisions your children make – especially our sons.

Dear Parents, the world is full of snares, traps and enticements to lure our children from both home and the Lord. But God’s Word is true, “Train up a child in the Lord and when he is old he will not depart from it," Proverbs 22:6. Even the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) strayed for a while, but he remembered his home, he remembered the Lord and he remembered what he had been taught. With humility and repentance he returned home.

Mothers, keep praying and hold on to your faith. Fathers, keep modeling godly character and speaking the Truth in season and out. Your labor will not be in vain. Continue to nourish the crop even if it is via phone, email or text. (Remember Paul went into the mission field willing to meet with people at the level of communication they could best connect.) I pray Parents for your endurance and perseverance. Don’t give up hope and believe that there is a “Blessing Coming With Your Name On It”…keep looking, it will be hand delivered by your child returning home!

He who is faithful will do it! I Thessalonians 5:24