12.05.18 Recap

Good Morning Beloved Sisters,

WOW!!!  How do I put in words what we experienced last night? You really can’t. (but you know that I’m gonna try :-). Karen April text me last night after the study and said…”The teaching sure filled my bucket. I am excited and filled with faith for my situation.”  THAT is the power of GRACE!  Faith is the currency of Heaven and it is moves the mountains in our lives. Faith isn’t a feeling. It’s a choice to trust God even when the road ahead seems uncertain. It comes by HEARING. The testimonies we heard last night are such faith builders.  They were a powerful witness to the truth of Proverbs 14:22 which promises us that God’s Word is LIFE to all who hear it and HEALTH to ALL our flesh. Each week as we LISTEN our faith grows and light is cast into the dark areas of our lives.  As we encourage, lift up and share our hearts with one another God takes us into a deeper level of intimacy with Him. We are experiencing JOY that the world just can’t give us. It is a JOY that is not dependent on the circle we are standing in.  It is THE JOY of the Lord and IT is our strength. There is NOTHING we cannot conquer in Christ!

Judith and Karen were on fire last night!  Oh my goodness when these two warriors speak Hell tremors and shakes!  The anointing on them was so strong and their words penetrated our hearts like a knife in warm butter. The story they shared about the coat was so powerful and is a testimony to the impact a woman's love and obedience can have in another woman's life. We were all so inspired. One of the images that will be forever etched in my memory is of Detra holding Stephanie's hands and praying over her. THIS my sisters is HOW life is meant to be lived...together as one, bound by the blood of Christ.

We had a beautiful new lady with us last night named Jennie Buckley. Jennie is a Volleyball Coach at NRCA and has 2 daughters (a senior and a freshman) and a 12 year old son. To meet Jennie is to love her.  Christ shines so brightly through her and it was a great blessing to have her join us. For those of you who could not be with us we covered you with an abundance of love and prayer.

We started the night with prayer and devotions.  I wrote two devotions that tie into Chapter 18 entitled “Stress-free Parenting”.  The devotions are ”Promises for your Children” and “5.467 Promises”. Both will be posted on sherrybraswell.org

Did you know that there are 65 unique and specific promises for your child from God in the Bible?

 Whether you are a parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle or someday hope to have a child of your own it is important to know that there are important promises in the Bible that are vital to the health and happiness of your children.  There are things God promises to do for them if we will just PRAY and BELIEVE.

 Pastor Mike Shreve wrote a book entitled 65 Promises for your child from God. This book gives you the specifics, showing you how to pray and confess the 65 Biblical pledges for your children in areas such as mercy, covenant, peace, salvation, spiritual growth, angelic protection, provision and much more. (makes a GREAT Christmas gift)

Mike and his wife Elizabeth have two children, Zion Seth and Destiny Hope. Both of their children are true miracles from God.  The story of God’s miraculous intervention in their lives is detailed in his book. Doctors are absolutely astonished that these children are healthy and thriving.  Medical science gave them no hope.  Mike and Elizabeth were even encouraged to seek an alternative (abortion) with their daughter when the ultrasound showed severe abnormalities.  Steve said…”we did seek an alternative…we CHOSE to never see that doctor again and put our hope in Christ.”  They looked up every scripture on healing and started SPEAKING those promises over their unborn daughter.  He said his wife would lovingly rub her hand over her pregnant tummy each night and softly speak Psalm 138:8 over her unborn baby girl.  Psalm 138:8 says…”The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.”  The next part is going to send chills running down your spine. When the doctor delivered their baby girl, he held her up for them to see and happily exclaimed…”she’s PERFECT!”  Yes!  God had perfected their daughter in Elizabeth’s wound.  There is great HEALING POWER in speaking God’s word. They named their precious miracle Destiny Hope as it perfectly described her journey into this world!  THAT is the power of FAITH!  That is the power of SPEAKING God’s promises over the life of your children!

Psalm 138:8 is THE PROMISE we memorized last night.  If you were not here last night I encourage you to meditate on this scripture today. It is POWERFUL!

As we know, parenting can be challenging and often times overwhelming.  But please know that God is on your side!  He has given YOU promises for your children.  Mike’s book shows you how to pray and confess the 65 Biblical pledges for your child. These promises are more than a blessing.  Praying these promises could be the pivot on which the future of your family turns.  This book is a powerful tool for parents who are seeking the face of God for miraculous changes in the life of their children.   Pastor Myles Monroe said…”Our greatest investment and contribution to the future of our planet is the quality of the children we parent.”

Do you stress over your kids?  Making the decision not to let our hearts become troubled is hard enough when it comes to our own lives but it’s even more difficult when it involves your children. God instructs us to lay up His words in our hearts and souls.  We must do this ourselves BEFORE we can teach them to our children. They learn as they see us meditating on His Word. We should always be pointing them to Jesus. When good things happen, tell them, “Jesus did this for us.” When they are afraid tell them “Don’t worry, Jesus will take care of you.” When your teenager is crying over a broken heart, tell her “Jesus has something better for you.” Use the name of Jesus throughout your day.  Let them see how the Word of God is so much a part of your own life. As you drive them to school say your affirmations with them. Remind them of who they are in Christ. As you’re driving them to soccer practice remind them that their success is not dependent of their grades or their popularity on social media, but on the Lord.

Make Jesus a part of your everyday life. You don’t have to be a Bible teacher or require they memorize Scripture for them to learn about Jesus. Every child and every family is different.  Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and He will show you what works for your family. However, if your children want to memorize scripture encourage them to do so. Several years ago when both of my girls were still in elementary school and middle school we memorized Psalm 23 over the summer.  We would go on walks each morning and recite a new verse each day. By the end of the summer they had memorized the whole psalm and now have this powerful promise of provision planted in their hearts.

It is also important to pray over your children and sharing testimonies of breakthroughs with them and playing anointed psalms, hymns, and worship songs or sermons in the background at home. When you do this you are sandwiching your children in His anointing.  Keep on telling them about your wonderful Jesus, who is their best friend and loves them unconditionally even when they fail. Keep on bringing them to Church and to Bible Study even if they don’t understand the teachings. His presence will guide and guard them.

It’s especially hard to live the carefree let go life with our children when we feel like we have lost control of them. Our instinct is to hold on even tighter. But the best thing we can do for our wayward children is to let go of them and release them into the Lord’s arms of love. We must trust the Lord with them and cast all of our cares about our children to the Lord. It is NEVER too late for God to turn things around in the lives of your children. Maybe you have a child shows no interest in his studies and only wants to play video games or a daughter who is obsessed with social media or is obsessed with how she looks and is struggling with an eating disorder.  Or your child is choosing the wrong friendships. You have tried scolding, nagging, threatening, bribing and none of it works. In fact, the more you try the worse it becomes! You are at your wits end! What do you do? Stand Still. Stop trying by your own efforts to change your children. The Lord loves your children more than you ever could. Let to and trust the Lord with them. Psalm 127:1 says “Unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain.”  

Whatever challenge your child is facing today, the greatest thing you can do for them is to give them to Jesus. As you focus on laying up God’s word in your heart and teaching your children about Jesus, the blessing of Deuteronomy 11 will come upon them (experiencing days of heaven upon the earth). Apply the cross to whatever challenges your children are facing...every sickness, every rejection, every struggle was put on the body of Jesus.  Keep meditating on His word, speaking it to them and over them, always pointing them to Jesus. HE is the answer to every challenge they will every face. Put your faith in THE ONE whose words will not return void. (Isa. 55:11).

When you put your children in His hands, He can cause them to be at the right place at the right time and save them from destruction. He can bring the right people into their lives who will take care of them, teach them, and provide for them as if they were their own children. Stop blaming yourself for what you did or didn’t do as you in their lives. Perhaps you are blaming yourself for their behavioral problems because your marriage ended in divorce or you lost your temper too often with them.Let go of the guilt. Whatever happened in the past, do not remember the former things. Forget the things of old. In Isa. 43:18-19 God promises that He will do a new thing. Whatever you have done or failed to do, your children can have an intimate walk with the Lord and be taught by Him. It has nothing to do with you, but everything to do with Jesus and what He did on the cross. He was despised and rejected so we could be loved and accepted. He bore their griefs and carried their sorrows. Parents, your hands are too small. There is so much you cannot do for your kids. That is why the most important thing you can do for them is to point them to Christ. You can live stress free knowing that God Himself builds your house and watches over your children.

Next Wednesday is our Christmas Party! Please bring a dish and an ornament to exchange (evite sent out by Stacy).  Our last study of this year will be on Wednesday, Dec. 19th.  We have two more chapters in our book and I ask that you finish them up at home. On the 19th we are going to wrap up 2018 with testimonies and reflection and thanksgiving for ALL that God has done in us and through us this year.  I would love everyone to be here...teens, middle schoolers and women of all ages.  We are a very diverse group and in every way and this is what makes our family so special.  I’m a huge believer in great beginning and great endings! The way we end a study sets the foundation for the next. I look forward to seeing you the next two weeks of 2018!!!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!  Start inviting your friends and family NOW! Our next study will begin on Wed. January 9th, “Healing the Soul of a Woman”, by Joyce Meyer. Please purchase both the book and study guide. (can find on Amazon or local book store). Please share our website sherrybraswell.org with all of your friends and family. Each week we post a NEW devotion that will encourage and lift you up!

Meditate, mutter and speak the Promise of Psalm 138:8 this week sisters…”The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.” There is power in the promise!

Enjoy your week!  I look forward to celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior with you next Wednesday!

Love,

Sherry :-)

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