Search Results

Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #003 - Obedience Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed and thrilled to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. So many topics are swirling in my mind, vying for attention, trying to be the one we are going to focus on. I don’t know whether it’s because obedience is one of my favorite themes and life goals, but I keep returning to humility, submissiveness, and respect for God. I deeply treasure how I have watched those qualities grow in my children. My youngest daughter lived without even hearing the name of Jesus for most of her life. We adopted her when she was 9 years old, then consistently began filling her empty spiritual reservoir with love and reverence for Jesus. Seeing us live out our beliefs and hearing us speak and teach of Jesus ultimately led her to accept Him as her Savior this past summer. My daughters, Brooklyn and Marissa truly enjoy our daily Bible studies together. I see God working in and changing each of us steadily as we continue committing part of our days to Him. One of the most rewarding parts for me is knowing that the girls don’t limit their spiritual development to one portion of the day. They understand that their relationship with Jesus is their responsibility. In order to grow and mature their walk, they must commit to the Heavenly Father individually, by making private and quiet time with God a personal priority and communication with God through prayer, an active and on-going conversation each day. When I promised God that I would raise each of them to know, love, and honor Him, I knew it was a solemn choice and a task I was completely unable to manage on my own. This is my second time raising a family, and although I was not a bad mother the first time, I did not have the spiritual maturity I have since developed. I married my husband soon after we graduated from high school. I was 17 years old. He was 18. I was not a Christian. I loved God, but never knew the story of Jesus. We had our first baby, a daughter, when I was 18. Our second child, a son, was born when I was 21. I accepted Christ as my Savior a few months before I turned 22. I could not have loved either of our children any more than I did, yet I was not the Christian mother I wish I had been because I did not know Jesus or have the spiritual relationship with the Lord to have done so at that time. Although I raised them to know and love the Lord to the best of the ability I had at that time, I am a different mother now. I have intentionally matured as a woman and in my walk with Christ. I receive such joy from teaching the girls about Jesus and in continuing to mentor my grown son. By the time my husband and I knew that God was calling us to adopt in our early forties, we had a much stronger walk with Jesus and knew with a certainty that raising our child for Him would be a priority. It was such a treasure to know that God was entrusting us to begin a second family. We wanted to please Him with the spiritual choices we made and practiced. Despite a few people telling us we were too old to start another family, and that we should keep working and saving for retirement, we kept our hearts and minds focused on the Lord and His desire and directive for us. When we brought home our ten month old baby girl from China, my heart was awakened to the power of obedience despite circumstances, and the delight that follows it. Psalm 47:1 says it best, “Clap your hands, all you nations; and shout to God with cries of joy.” Blindly stepping out in obedience brought undiluted and absolutely precious joy. It was the first time I knew for certain that God had called me to fully trust and submit to His will with a plan I had never dreamed of. Allowing God to orchestrate a new direction and provide in absolutely every way deepened my faith and ability to understand God’s heart. My Heavenly Father began showing me the desires He had created in me. Simply hearing and trusting Him, then obeying at any cost, changed my life. It transformed each member of our family in personal ways. When God was gracious enough to ask us to adopt again ten years later, we brought home our 9 year old daughter. Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” The words are so true. With such pure blessing coming from obedience, what makes it so hard for Christians to obey? Is it fear? Or is it the fact that we have free will and think we will make time for what God asks later? Maybe we don’t want what God requires and think we know better? I think often we step on the fast-paced treadmill of life and allow ourselves to be pushed along, falsely pacified by the thought that we have tomorrow. We don’t recognize the blindness of our eyes and hearts, or the subtle deceit we invite into our life by placing God behind us instead of before us. How many gifts and blessings do we miss or lose because we don’t step out in obedience? Only God knows. How do we train ourselves to experience lives of submission that are pleasing to God? Jesus is the answer. Although the Bible doesn’t tell us much about Jesus as a child, we do gain important insight about obedience in Luke 2. When Jesus was just 12 years old, He went to Jerusalem with His parents for the Feast of the Passover. When the family left to return home, however, Jesus stayed behind without His family knowing. It was three days before His parents returned and found Him at the temple, sitting in the midst of teachers. The Son of God was absorbed in listening to them and in asking questions of His own. All who heard Him were astounded at His answers and understanding. Yet Jesus’ mother could not understand why her son had committed this act of disobedience against them. They had anxiously searched for Him. When Mary asked Jesus why He had done this to them, Jesus calmly asked her, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” These words of Jesus prove that He knew His identity as the Son of God. How incredibly challenging, it must have been for Mary to raise God’s divine son! The next verse, however, clearly shows that Jesus submitted to His earthly parents when He left Jerusalem to return to Nazareth with His family. God in human flesh respected the call to yield to earthly parents, as instructed in the Ten Commandments through Exodus 20:12a. “Honor your father and mother.” Submission takes concentrated effort, as well as love and reverence for the Heavenly Father. Jesus first made the decision to remain in Jerusalem to learn of God and to submit to His Heavenly Father, but then acknowledged that obedience to His earthly parents was imperative. Returning to Nazareth was what God required Jesus to do. Obedience brought Jesus to earth and He remained submissive to God in every way during His years of human life. He modeled submission so that we see the importance of obedience. Every request God made of Jesus was humbly and obediently followed, even to the point of death on a cross, so that every single one of us has the ability to approach God for eternal life through Him. Jesus knew death was imminent, as well as the excruciating separation from His Heavenly Father, yet He remained faithful to obey His call. The respect and humility Jesus exhibited for us also demonstrates how godly obedience, in God’s timing, extracts fullness of joy. When it does, it is not only for the benefit of one, but usually for many. Simple obedience leads to living life with an eternal perspective that is pleasing to God and offers a promise of blessing to those who follow Him through it, as Jesus said in Luke 11:8. ‘He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”’ Jesus possessed a heart fully yielded to God and He demonstrated how we can, too. As believers, we experience both our flesh, and the power of Jesus, within us. It is our option to choose which one to follow. Matthew 26:41 warns, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus devoted His life to studying the word of God, looking to His Father for guidance, living with a humble and submissive heart, and obeying God’s calls regardless of the outcome for Himself. He aligned Himself with God and did not suffer from distractions of a world He was only traveling through. His heart was fixed above and His hands and feet followed. He desired to do the work purposed for Him. How do we live the same way? How do we walk like Jesus without fear? By studying and clinging to the teachings of Jesus. Start by looking Up to the Lord and placing Him first. So often, believers are paralyzed because it is hard to step into the unknown. Fear should be a warning to us that we are looking to self. Fear does not come from God, unless it is a healthy reaction to danger. When I feel fear, I immediately step back and assess what I am doing. If the underlying belief and motivation driving my action or desire can stand against scripture without shame, and I have counseled God about what I am considering, I turn the fear into fuel that births obedience. If God has placed a thought in me that will honor or glorify Him and fear is present, I know the father of lies is attempting to keep me from following the Father of Light and Truth. As believers, we have the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. I don’t value or believe present day quotes that challenge us to “be strong” or that “we can do it.” These are meaningless and distracting words strung together that give Satan glee each time we mutter them to ourselves or each other. Why would a believer desire to stand on our own limited ability? With Jesus within us, we have unlimited strength and power ever present. He waits for us to lean on Him, to ask Him to carry us. Through the strength and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, combined with God’s Holy word, the Bible, and the valuable access we have to God through prayer, we are armed for any battle. Once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and are living with the intent of growing closer to Christ, we are already taking steps of obedience. The Holy Spirit within us enables us to believe and to live for Jesus, yet we still have the choice as to whether we will yield and allow Christ to be the ruler of our heart and life each moment. As we draw nearer to Him, He draws nearer to us. Our spirit and heart are open and ready to accept our humble position at God’s feet and our heart is pliable to acknowledge the power of God and His sovereignty. Will we submit? As we grow in the Lord, our thoughts and actions better match the desires He created for us. A request from God becomes a catalyst to blessing through our submissiveness. My obedience demonstrates to God that my heart trusts and desires His will. When we view obedience through an eternal perspective, we see that humble obedience affects our life, the lives of others around us, and even the lives of strangers. In contrast, so does disobedience. Just like ripple effects of a pebble on water, our decision to obey or disobey God can bless or cripple the spiritual walk and relationships of others. Obedience blesses; disobedience curses. Our present, as well as future is altered by our daily choices. What will our spouse, children, grandchildren, neighbors, co-workers, family members, etc. reap from our actions? Or what will they have to contend with? In what ways have we enabled them to live a life full of blessings? Or have we set them up for a life stunted by condemnation? Obedience can be easy. Most often, it requires sacrifice. It always demands a humble and submissive heart. It took me years of following Christ to finally absorb at a deep level that yielding to His desires brings the sweetest fruit. The God of the Universe created me with intimate needs and desires combined with gifts He placed inside me for specific reasons that only He understands. I have discovered that as I follow where He leads, joy and peace capture my spirit. I don’t have to know where the road leads. I just have to follow His direction. Instead of looking ahead or behind, my greatest blessings are found in looking straight Up to the only One who knows where my heart truly desires to go and where He can use me for the good of His kingdom. One of the beautiful blessings about obedience is in knowing that it looks different for every one of us. To obey Jesus means that we willingly and lovingly submit to His authority and will for our life. It means that we look forward to seeing where our life will lead and what beautiful and uniquely created desires He will draw from us. Most often, we never even knew they were in our heart because He opens our eyes and hearts to delighting in Him and loving others more than ourselves. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Live With Eternal Perspective podcast. God has impressed so much on my heart to share. Living with an eternal perspective affects absolutely everything in my life. I am thrilled to delve into different areas with you. Since everything affects our eternity, we will have a lot to discuss! I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you found value in this podcast, please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. I also encourage you to leave a review. In order for others to be able to find this podcast, I will need the support of listeners who will invest a few minutes in subscribing and reviewing to lift Live With Eternal Perspective higher on the charts so that the platform shows it to everyone. Thank you again for sharing part of your day with me. Until next time, keep looking Upward and finding new ways to live with an Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 003 Obedience Listen to Episode Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #003 - Obedience Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed and thrilled to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. So many topics are swirling in my mind, vying for attention, trying to be the one we are going to focus on. I don’t know whether it’s because obedience is one of my favorite themes and life goals, but I keep returning to humility, submissiveness, and respect for God. I deeply treasure how I have watched those qualities grow in my children. My youngest daughter lived without even hearing the name of Jesus for most of her life. We adopted her when she was 9 years old, then consistently began filling her empty spiritual reservoir with love and reverence for Jesus. Seeing us live out our beliefs and hearing us speak and teach of Jesus ultimately led her to accept Him as her Savior this past summer. My daughters, Brooklyn and Marissa truly enjoy our daily Bible studies together. I see God working in and changing each of us steadily as we continue committing part of our days to Him. One of the most rewarding parts for me is knowing that the girls don’t limit their spiritual development to one portion of the day. They understand that their relationship with Jesus is their responsibility. In order to grow and mature their walk, they must commit to the Heavenly Father individually, by making private and quiet time with God a personal priority and communication with God through prayer, an active and on-going conversation each day. When I promised God that I would raise each of them to know, love, and honor Him, I knew it was a solemn choice and a task I was completely unable to manage on my own. This is my second time raising a family, and although I was not a bad mother the first time, I did not have the spiritual maturity I have since developed. I married my husband soon after we graduated from high school. I was 17 years old. He was 18. I was not a Christian. I loved God, but never knew the story of Jesus. We had our first baby, a daughter, when I was 18. Our second child, a son, was born when I was 21. I accepted Christ as my Savior a few months before I turned 22. I could not have loved either of our children any more than I did, yet I was not the Christian mother I wish I had been because I did not know Jesus or have the spiritual relationship with the Lord to have done so at that time. Although I raised them to know and love the Lord to the best of the ability I had at that time, I am a different mother now. I have intentionally matured as a woman and in my walk with Christ. I receive such joy from teaching the girls about Jesus and in continuing to mentor my grown son. By the time my husband and I knew that God was calling us to adopt in our early forties, we had a much stronger walk with Jesus and knew with a certainty that raising our child for Him would be a priority. It was such a treasure to know that God was entrusting us to begin a second family. We wanted to please Him with the spiritual choices we made and practiced. Despite a few people telling us we were too old to start another family, and that we should keep working and saving for retirement, we kept our hearts and minds focused on the Lord and His desire and directive for us. When we brought home our ten month old baby girl from China, my heart was awakened to the power of obedience despite circumstances, and the delight that follows it. Psalm 47:1 says it best, “Clap your hands, all you nations; and shout to God with cries of joy.” Blindly stepping out in obedience brought undiluted and absolutely precious joy. It was the first time I knew for certain that God had called me to fully trust and submit to His will with a plan I had never dreamed of. Allowing God to orchestrate a new direction and provide in absolutely every way deepened my faith and ability to understand God’s heart. My Heavenly Father began showing me the desires He had created in me. Simply hearing and trusting Him, then obeying at any cost, changed my life. It transformed each member of our family in personal ways. When God was gracious enough to ask us to adopt again ten years later, we brought home our 9 year old daughter. Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” The words are so true. With such pure blessing coming from obedience, what makes it so hard for Christians to obey? Is it fear? Or is it the fact that we have free will and think we will make time for what God asks later? Maybe we don’t want what God requires and think we know better? I think often we step on the fast-paced treadmill of life and allow ourselves to be pushed along, falsely pacified by the thought that we have tomorrow. We don’t recognize the blindness of our eyes and hearts, or the subtle deceit we invite into our life by placing God behind us instead of before us. How many gifts and blessings do we miss or lose because we don’t step out in obedience? Only God knows. How do we train ourselves to experience lives of submission that are pleasing to God? Jesus is the answer. Although the Bible doesn’t tell us much about Jesus as a child, we do gain important insight about obedience in Luke 2. When Jesus was just 12 years old, He went to Jerusalem with His parents for the Feast of the Passover. When the family left to return home, however, Jesus stayed behind without His family knowing. It was three days before His parents returned and found Him at the temple, sitting in the midst of teachers. The Son of God was absorbed in listening to them and in asking questions of His own. All who heard Him were astounded at His answers and understanding. Yet Jesus’ mother could not understand why her son had committed this act of disobedience against them. They had anxiously searched for Him. When Mary asked Jesus why He had done this to them, Jesus calmly asked her, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” These words of Jesus prove that He knew His identity as the Son of God. How incredibly challenging, it must have been for Mary to raise God’s divine son! The next verse, however, clearly shows that Jesus submitted to His earthly parents when He left Jerusalem to return to Nazareth with His family. God in human flesh respected the call to yield to earthly parents, as instructed in the Ten Commandments through Exodus 20:12a. “Honor your father and mother.” Submission takes concentrated effort, as well as love and reverence for the Heavenly Father. Jesus first made the decision to remain in Jerusalem to learn of God and to submit to His Heavenly Father, but then acknowledged that obedience to His earthly parents was imperative. Returning to Nazareth was what God required Jesus to do. Obedience brought Jesus to earth and He remained submissive to God in every way during His years of human life. He modeled submission so that we see the importance of obedience. Every request God made of Jesus was humbly and obediently followed, even to the point of death on a cross, so that every single one of us has the ability to approach God for eternal life through Him. Jesus knew death was imminent, as well as the excruciating separation from His Heavenly Father, yet He remained faithful to obey His call. The respect and humility Jesus exhibited for us also demonstrates how godly obedience, in God’s timing, extracts fullness of joy. When it does, it is not only for the benefit of one, but usually for many. Simple obedience leads to living life with an eternal perspective that is pleasing to God and offers a promise of blessing to those who follow Him through it, as Jesus said in Luke 11:8. ‘He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”’ Jesus possessed a heart fully yielded to God and He demonstrated how we can, too. As believers, we experience both our flesh, and the power of Jesus, within us. It is our option to choose which one to follow. Matthew 26:41 warns, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus devoted His life to studying the word of God, looking to His Father for guidance, living with a humble and submissive heart, and obeying God’s calls regardless of the outcome for Himself. He aligned Himself with God and did not suffer from distractions of a world He was only traveling through. His heart was fixed above and His hands and feet followed. He desired to do the work purposed for Him. How do we live the same way? How do we walk like Jesus without fear? By studying and clinging to the teachings of Jesus. Start by looking Up to the Lord and placing Him first. So often, believers are paralyzed because it is hard to step into the unknown. Fear should be a warning to us that we are looking to self. Fear does not come from God, unless it is a healthy reaction to danger. When I feel fear, I immediately step back and assess what I am doing. If the underlying belief and motivation driving my action or desire can stand against scripture without shame, and I have counseled God about what I am considering, I turn the fear into fuel that births obedience. If God has placed a thought in me that will honor or glorify Him and fear is present, I know the father of lies is attempting to keep me from following the Father of Light and Truth. As believers, we have the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. I don’t value or believe present day quotes that challenge us to “be strong” or that “we can do it.” These are meaningless and distracting words strung together that give Satan glee each time we mutter them to ourselves or each other. Why would a believer desire to stand on our own limited ability? With Jesus within us, we have unlimited strength and power ever present. He waits for us to lean on Him, to ask Him to carry us. Through the strength and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, combined with God’s Holy word, the Bible, and the valuable access we have to God through prayer, we are armed for any battle. Once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and are living with the intent of growing closer to Christ, we are already taking steps of obedience. The Holy Spirit within us enables us to believe and to live for Jesus, yet we still have the choice as to whether we will yield and allow Christ to be the ruler of our heart and life each moment. As we draw nearer to Him, He draws nearer to us. Our spirit and heart are open and ready to accept our humble position at God’s feet and our heart is pliable to acknowledge the power of God and His sovereignty. Will we submit? As we grow in the Lord, our thoughts and actions better match the desires He created for us. A request from God becomes a catalyst to blessing through our submissiveness. My obedience demonstrates to God that my heart trusts and desires His will. When we view obedience through an eternal perspective, we see that humble obedience affects our life, the lives of others around us, and even the lives of strangers. In contrast, so does disobedience. Just like ripple effects of a pebble on water, our decision to obey or disobey God can bless or cripple the spiritual walk and relationships of others. Obedience blesses; disobedience curses. Our present, as well as future is altered by our daily choices. What will our spouse, children, grandchildren, neighbors, co-workers, family members, etc. reap from our actions? Or what will they have to contend with? In what ways have we enabled them to live a life full of blessings? Or have we set them up for a life stunted by condemnation? Obedience can be easy. Most often, it requires sacrifice. It always demands a humble and submissive heart. It took me years of following Christ to finally absorb at a deep level that yielding to His desires brings the sweetest fruit. The God of the Universe created me with intimate needs and desires combined with gifts He placed inside me for specific reasons that only He understands. I have discovered that as I follow where He leads, joy and peace capture my spirit. I don’t have to know where the road leads. I just have to follow His direction. Instead of looking ahead or behind, my greatest blessings are found in looking straight Up to the only One who knows where my heart truly desires to go and where He can use me for the good of His kingdom. One of the beautiful blessings about obedience is in knowing that it looks different for every one of us. To obey Jesus means that we willingly and lovingly submit to His authority and will for our life. It means that we look forward to seeing where our life will lead and what beautiful and uniquely created desires He will draw from us. Most often, we never even knew they were in our heart because He opens our eyes and hearts to delighting in Him and loving others more than ourselves. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Live With Eternal Perspective podcast. God has impressed so much on my heart to share. Living with an eternal perspective affects absolutely everything in my life. I am thrilled to delve into different areas with you. Since everything affects our eternity, we will have a lot to discuss! I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you found value in this podcast, please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. I also encourage you to leave a review. In order for others to be able to find this podcast, I will need the support of listeners who will invest a few minutes in subscribing and reviewing to lift Live With Eternal Perspective higher on the charts so that the platform shows it to everyone. Thank you again for sharing part of your day with me. Until next time, keep looking Upward and finding new ways to live with an Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #031 – An Illuminated Life Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. As I work on this podcast, I am in awe of the work and blessings God has shined in my life over the last two weeks. Our family has had some challenges. But God carried us through every one of them. Does that mean we are now free of hardships or obstacles? Certainly not. But each time God graces us with provisions for one of them, we are strengthened and reminded of His ever-present goodness in our life, whether we recognize it at the time or not. Last night I spent time just sitting at God’s feet. As I reflected over events of the day, I thanked Him for several opportunities that proved He was with me, and with my family. I had encountered a few opportunities where I could have easily grown frustrated or fearful over the last 24 hours, but God never let my mind travel there. He brought quick resolutions to my every need. I was so thankful for all of it that I simply had to sit and be with Him, thanking and praising Him. Mostly, I just wanted to be in His presence. Do you make time to rest in Him and simply sit at His feet? The year 2020 has been filled with challenges for everyone. We have been provided countless moments to fall in front of the Lord. I don’t know anyone who has not been affected by events taking place this year. Regardless of where your opinion sits on the multitude of issues we have seen, the truth stands that it has been a year for each of us to evaluate ourselves and where we stand with God. Our relationship with Jesus reveals and affects everything about us. How have the 2020 changes affected your faith? How have the changes and events affected your mental state? Your health? Your temperament? Your work? Your lifestyle? The way you treat your family? The way you treat others? The way you let others affect you? I’ve seen so much anger, frustration, bitterness, and misunderstandings on social media. Why? I believe it is because everything goes back to the condition of our hearts. When we don’t know Jesus, we can’t show Jesus. When we do know Him, however, the responsibility is high. We must be the light that flickers into the spirit of those around us in a very dark world. That light is not lit by our power, but by the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit living inside us. Jesus inside our flesh. We must slow down and rest in Him before reacting to the chaos of this world. Luke 8:16-18 says, “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” Do you know what one of the best lessons I have learned from facing an obstacle was? Besides watching God work, that is. It has been being able to share with others what He has done in my life and helping them to rest in Him. One of favorite things to do is share God stories. Because the Holy Spirit is alive inside of me, the light of Jesus should illuminate everything about me. Because of my weak and sinful flesh, I do not always shine Him the way that I should, but each moment I endeavor to let Him have His will over me. All of us can, and should, be doing better. If Jesus is alive inside us, we need to allow Him to spread through everything we do and are. It is our duty to allow Him to radiate His light through us and reach others. Our joy through Him should be made public, not be hidden in any way. We should attract others to Him because of the peaceful radiance they feel and see emanating through us. We must seek to use the opportunities we receive to rest in God’s arms or lay at His feet as the foundation for serving Him well and bring others to Him because of them. Simply doing for God is not what I mean. We must allow Him to react within us and guide our fears, passions, needs, desires, and actions. If we do not apply what He has provided to and for us as a way to spread Him to others who do not know Him, or to those who need encouragement and reminders of His strength and provision, we have shoved the light under the bed or placed a cover over it. When we utilize the spiritual muscles God is growing in us to lift those around us up to Him, we become stronger in our own faith. Just like exercising, our faith can grow weak and out of shape when we do not remember to allow God to penetrate every area of us and work to mature our trust and faith in Him daily. As we allow Christ to work in us, we develop a mind and spirit that links to His. We understand and appreciate even more of what Jesus is, and has done, for us. He enables us to mature a deeper fellowship with Him and gives us boldness in sharing Him with others. In contrast, when we do not allow Him to work in us and we do not seek a growing relationship, our communication weakens, similar to an unused muscle left to atrophy. I believe this has been the year to make certain we boldly stand for Christ, allowing His light to shine in proper and authentic ways. If others seek to tear us down, criticize, or complain, we must pray for them. When we hear others criticize our president, for example, regardless of what our opinion of him is, we should pray for Him and the person speaking poorly of him. I was extremely saddened this week when I saw on social media that when the President Trump lost his brother, people tweeted that the wrong Trump died. When did our country turn so boldly evil and hateful? God has authorized specific people to be in power. His word clearly instructs us in Romans 13:1-2 to “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” When the light exists in us and is powered by the One true light source by our faithful and true relationship with Jesus, there is no room or excuse for darkness. We must repent as individuals and as a nation, lay at His feet, soaking in His love, light, strength, and guidance to continue moving through a world increasingly corrupt. We are not without hope. We just have to claim His and believe it, then move boldly forward in it without excuse or relying on our feeble strength. Are you ready? What are the best ways to move forward shining His light in the way He desires? 1. Know Jesus as Savior. 2. Read God’s word. 3. Seek Him and deepen your walk and relationship with Him. 4. Ask God to illuminate your mind with His truths. 5. Pray to God for your relationship with Him to be healthy and pure. 6. Pray for others, especially those who hurt you and anger you. 7. Repeat each step – every day. Each one of us, myself included must truly stop and make time for what is important. Merciful Heavenly Father, please help us. Remind us daily to look Up to You. For You are the One we must rely on. Everything in this world that we believe to be important will fade away and You will be left standing on the throne we bow to. God, let us feel the urgency and act on it by allowing You to direct and carry us through each moment in ways that shine and reflect Your love, strength, truth, and compassion. Let our hearts and minds suffer for what pains You and recognize and move in the ways You uniquely call us to, allowing You to act through us, giving us the words and abilities needed. Lord, our time here is short. Help us remember that and truly live each day with an eternal perspective that drives us to You and brings others with us. Did you enjoy this episode? Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement and learn how to live with more eternal perspective? Right now, because this podcast is new, listeners can’t find it unless they specifically know the name to search for. You can help them find it by leaving a quick review and rating for the show and by sharing about the podcast on social media or word of mouth. Can you think of a friend or family member who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 031 An Illuminated Life Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #031 – An Illuminated Life Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. As I work on this podcast, I am in awe of the work and blessings God has shined in my life over the last two weeks. Our family has had some challenges. But God carried us through every one of them. Does that mean we are now free of hardships or obstacles? Certainly not. But each time God graces us with provisions for one of them, we are strengthened and reminded of His ever-present goodness in our life, whether we recognize it at the time or not. Last night I spent time just sitting at God’s feet. As I reflected over events of the day, I thanked Him for several opportunities that proved He was with me, and with my family. I had encountered a few opportunities where I could have easily grown frustrated or fearful over the last 24 hours, but God never let my mind travel there. He brought quick resolutions to my every need. I was so thankful for all of it that I simply had to sit and be with Him, thanking and praising Him. Mostly, I just wanted to be in His presence. Do you make time to rest in Him and simply sit at His feet? The year 2020 has been filled with challenges for everyone. We have been provided countless moments to fall in front of the Lord. I don’t know anyone who has not been affected by events taking place this year. Regardless of where your opinion sits on the multitude of issues we have seen, the truth stands that it has been a year for each of us to evaluate ourselves and where we stand with God. Our relationship with Jesus reveals and affects everything about us. How have the 2020 changes affected your faith? How have the changes and events affected your mental state? Your health? Your temperament? Your work? Your lifestyle? The way you treat your family? The way you treat others? The way you let others affect you? I’ve seen so much anger, frustration, bitterness, and misunderstandings on social media. Why? I believe it is because everything goes back to the condition of our hearts. When we don’t know Jesus, we can’t show Jesus. When we do know Him, however, the responsibility is high. We must be the light that flickers into the spirit of those around us in a very dark world. That light is not lit by our power, but by the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit living inside us. Jesus inside our flesh. We must slow down and rest in Him before reacting to the chaos of this world. Luke 8:16-18 says, “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” Do you know what one of the best lessons I have learned from facing an obstacle was? Besides watching God work, that is. It has been being able to share with others what He has done in my life and helping them to rest in Him. One of favorite things to do is share God stories. Because the Holy Spirit is alive inside of me, the light of Jesus should illuminate everything about me. Because of my weak and sinful flesh, I do not always shine Him the way that I should, but each moment I endeavor to let Him have His will over me. All of us can, and should, be doing better. If Jesus is alive inside us, we need to allow Him to spread through everything we do and are. It is our duty to allow Him to radiate His light through us and reach others. Our joy through Him should be made public, not be hidden in any way. We should attract others to Him because of the peaceful radiance they feel and see emanating through us. We must seek to use the opportunities we receive to rest in God’s arms or lay at His feet as the foundation for serving Him well and bring others to Him because of them. Simply doing for God is not what I mean. We must allow Him to react within us and guide our fears, passions, needs, desires, and actions. If we do not apply what He has provided to and for us as a way to spread Him to others who do not know Him, or to those who need encouragement and reminders of His strength and provision, we have shoved the light under the bed or placed a cover over it. When we utilize the spiritual muscles God is growing in us to lift those around us up to Him, we become stronger in our own faith. Just like exercising, our faith can grow weak and out of shape when we do not remember to allow God to penetrate every area of us and work to mature our trust and faith in Him daily. As we allow Christ to work in us, we develop a mind and spirit that links to His. We understand and appreciate even more of what Jesus is, and has done, for us. He enables us to mature a deeper fellowship with Him and gives us boldness in sharing Him with others. In contrast, when we do not allow Him to work in us and we do not seek a growing relationship, our communication weakens, similar to an unused muscle left to atrophy. I believe this has been the year to make certain we boldly stand for Christ, allowing His light to shine in proper and authentic ways. If others seek to tear us down, criticize, or complain, we must pray for them. When we hear others criticize our president, for example, regardless of what our opinion of him is, we should pray for Him and the person speaking poorly of him. I was extremely saddened this week when I saw on social media that when the President Trump lost his brother, people tweeted that the wrong Trump died. When did our country turn so boldly evil and hateful? God has authorized specific people to be in power. His word clearly instructs us in Romans 13:1-2 to “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” When the light exists in us and is powered by the One true light source by our faithful and true relationship with Jesus, there is no room or excuse for darkness. We must repent as individuals and as a nation, lay at His feet, soaking in His love, light, strength, and guidance to continue moving through a world increasingly corrupt. We are not without hope. We just have to claim His and believe it, then move boldly forward in it without excuse or relying on our feeble strength. Are you ready? What are the best ways to move forward shining His light in the way He desires? 1. Know Jesus as Savior. 2. Read God’s word. 3. Seek Him and deepen your walk and relationship with Him. 4. Ask God to illuminate your mind with His truths. 5. Pray to God for your relationship with Him to be healthy and pure. 6. Pray for others, especially those who hurt you and anger you. 7. Repeat each step – every day. Each one of us, myself included must truly stop and make time for what is important. Merciful Heavenly Father, please help us. Remind us daily to look Up to You. For You are the One we must rely on. Everything in this world that we believe to be important will fade away and You will be left standing on the throne we bow to. God, let us feel the urgency and act on it by allowing You to direct and carry us through each moment in ways that shine and reflect Your love, strength, truth, and compassion. Let our hearts and minds suffer for what pains You and recognize and move in the ways You uniquely call us to, allowing You to act through us, giving us the words and abilities needed. Lord, our time here is short. Help us remember that and truly live each day with an eternal perspective that drives us to You and brings others with us. Did you enjoy this episode? Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement and learn how to live with more eternal perspective? Right now, because this podcast is new, listeners can’t find it unless they specifically know the name to search for. You can help them find it by leaving a quick review and rating for the show and by sharing about the podcast on social media or word of mouth. Can you think of a friend or family member who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 093 - Why Good Isn't Enough for God Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 093 – Why Good Isn’t Enough for God Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast deepens your walk with Jesus and your children, equipping you to become a set-apart woman and mother. I can’t believe most schools are already back in session! When that happens, it feels like summer is over. Ahh. It breaks my heart. This time of year is certainly the most challenging for me. No other season holds my heart quite like summer. Even though I don’t find the heat and humidity easy to handle anymore, I’m always disappointed when summer days move out and are replaced with crisper, cooler air. Although I realize I’m in the minority, I desire summer days to make up most of the year. Since we know nothing lasts forever, seasons are a beautiful reminder of why we must live with eternal perspective . Have you had days, weeks, or years of life that you want to last forever? Or maybe right now you feel the opposite. Do you wonder how much longer you have to endure the season you’re experiencing? Everyone knows change can be good. Change can become the catalyst that moves us to be in sync with the next transformation God has for us. I distinctly remember a time I’m glad I experienced a shift in thoughts and actions. There was a period in my life when I wanted to make sure I was a good person. A good woman. A good wife. A good daughter. A good mother. As my relationship with Jesus matured, I understood that limiting myself to “good” was “ungodly.” God calls believers to a much higher standard than good. Good isn’t good enough for God. It’s true that in the beginning when God created, He exclaimed that what He made was good. However, God proclaimed His creations to be good, not that we individually or collectively are. What I mean is that what God created is by His intelligent and perfect design. Of course, anything He makes is good. Yet, in this sinful, fallen world, it didn’t take long for God’s creations to choose what appeared to be good – when it reality it was sin . Without Christ indwelling us, we continue to move farther from God. We shift farther away from what God defines as good . What the Creator of heaven and earth calls good must actually be godly . Without the Holy Spirit within us, there is no perfection or godliness. In fact, we are unable to claim the status of “good,” let alone “godly.” So how do you and I move away from desiring a good life to building a godly life ? Only through Christ . Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God .” Once we realize our need for God, we begin to understand the need for His perfect Son, Jesus to pay the price for our sin. Once we realize our need for a Savior , and accept the free gift Jesus offers, we are able to live with His Holy Spirit within us. We are no longer bound to the world and sinful temptations. Through relationship with Christ, the Holy Word, and prayerful conversations with God, we can experience a shift from good to godly . That is, if we are intentionally seeking Him in a humble, obedient, close connection moment by moment. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast .” Every world religion, except Christianity, teaches that eternal life comes through good works of some sort. As the verse I shared from Ephesians shows, salvation is a gift from God extended through His son, Jesus Christ. When we ponder the question of how to move from good to godly, we must assess who or what defines godliness . Only the Creator of all things can define what is good or godly. God’s standard is holy . Godliness , not goodness is His desire . He is the One who sets the definition. He set the price of eternal life. He is the One who extends salvation, allowing each of us a choice. Our motives and what we desire must be held up to a mirror, so to speak, as we look at how our goals are reflected against what God calls for us in His holy Word. We must take what we call good and measure it to see if it may be called holy . Until we reconcile with what God sees as godliness , not goodness, we continue to fall short of what He calls. My heart fills with joy when I remember when my first set of children were raised and before my husband and I knew that God was calling us to adopt a sweet baby from China. We didn’t know yet that we had a baby daughter waiting for us. At that time, I was experiencing much deeper growth in my spiritual walk with Christ. Slowly by slowly, I had allowed God greater access to me. I wish I could profess to be one of those people who surrender fully in the moment they accept Christ, but the truth is that each of us have varying degrees of surrender throughout our lifetime. We never reach that finish line in this life. We are so very far beneath God, so far from Him, that our lifetime must be focused on pursuing deeper relationship with Him and continuing to surrender self. As my relationship with Jesus deepened and widened, I thought back to when my husband and I had raised our first two children. I was not a Christian when my first two were born. Although I came to follow Jesus when they were young, I wasn’t well discipled. I wasted so many years trying to make “good” choices, but not striving to be godly . Would you like to know my deepest regret? Although my children always heard about Jesus, and knew I loved and followed Him, I did not know to intentionally disciple them moment by moment in the everyday process of life. I didn’t yet understand that the Christian walk is a beautiful relationship between God and man. I didn’t understand the command in Deuteronomy 6:5-9 , which says, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” I assumed that what I was doing to teach my children about Jesus was enough. In reality, they were learning my limited faith, since I was not growing as well as I should have been. Since they weren’t being discipled well, they modeled a portion of my faith instead of chasing Christ and forming a growing personal walk with Him. How are you pursuing Christ? Is He directing every aspect of your parenting – whether your children are young or grown? The story I share about raising my first set of children is common. Be sure it doesn’t become the story you give your children. As my husband and I grew our walk with Jesus, we knew with certainty that God was calling us to travel to China to bring home the baby girl He had waiting to be ours. Before we went, we prayed together daily for the girl she would grow to be. Our heart desired that she be a light for Jesus, that she pursue Him with a pure heart, and that she would be an inspiration for others to follow Him. We asked God specifically for that result. I remember the days I worked backwards to formulate a plan to raise her with very godly goals. Ten years later when we returned to China to bring home our last child, the “master plan” for raising our girls for Christ had been practiced, and our youngest enabled us to continue the course with another beautiful soul to nourish for Jesus. Although there are so many important details I’m not including here, this story is so important to me, because our second step into parenting with a new generation of children was very intentional. My mind and heart were anchored on Christ through all obstacles. My husband and I committed to stand on that firm foundation. When deep waters swirled around us, when tragedy and troubles plagued our home, we tightened our grip on that three-fold cord that kept God in the center of all. No matter what happened, we remained committed to raising our girls and influencing our grown son and grandson for Christ. Each of us must continue to examine our lives, seeking more of Him and less of self. We must make Him known to our children in ways that cause them to pursue godliness over goodness . We must knit together that close relationship with us and Jesus. A relationship that enables them to pursue with eagerness a life that makes godly over good choices because they love and respect God and want to honor Him . It doesn’t matter how good a parent you want to be or are. God calls you and me to be holy, godly mothers. There is nothing greater we can do than fix our heart and mind above. Focus on the methods given by God to raise children for Him. If we don’t purposely lead our children to Christ, the world will sway them away. We must be focused on living godly lives through Christ so our children clearly see Him through us and desire Him for themselves. We must deepen our connection with our children through Christ and enable them to seek His approval over ours or peers. Remember, your child’s deep connection with Christ begins with your personal walk with Jesus. God’s holy, perfect Word tells us that we don’t earn grace through works or anything we do on our own. Our children must also be taught this truth. They must see us live with joyful expectation of pleasing God and growing our walk with Christ moment by moment. They must be shown how to do so. They must see how to make godly life choices instead of what society calls good. We know good isn’t enough for God. We can’t reach His heart through good works or thoughts. Set your children up for a lifetime walk with God through Jesus by the way you mentor Him with godliness and truth. Think of the end of your life, the end of your children’s lives. What will they look like? How are you going to get there? Is the route you’re taking a good one? Or are you living and leading a godly life for your children to follow to the Father’s feet? Dear Heavenly Father, You alone are holy. You alone are greater than the good we desire. Move us from good to godly in the ways You know we need. Help us to be more and more pleasing to You each moment. May our heart and mind be in sync with Your desires for us as we move ever nearer to You. Father, I thank you for Your Word, Your perfect guidance. May we understand You better and please You more as we read and act in obedience to it. May we stop trying for good and strive to be godly. May we end each day more Christlike than the one before as we remember the words Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” May His godliness influence every act and decision we make and the way we mentor You to our children. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Raising children is challenging. No one has all the answers because each child is unique as are parenting styles and family dynamics. By connecting with and knowing your children as you maintain purposed growth in Christ, you will be better prepared for any situation you face. That’s why you hear me share about the Set-Apart Collective in this podcast. Supporting and encouraging mothers to rest in Christ and pursue a holy relationship with Him so they purposely raise set-apart children is the cry of my heart. Godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset a mother carries. If you don’t want peers and culture to be the main influence over your child, if you desire to parent to “prepare” your child for eternity with Christ, not repair your relationship with them, the Set-Apart Collective will deepen your walk with Christ. You’ll learn a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family. Send me an email at info@terrihitt.com to let me know you’d like to receive information or look online at terrihitt.com/setapart. We can also set up a no obligation, strategic 15 minute call to chat about your needs to see if the program is a right fit for you. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. Time is short. Make yours matter for eternity. Because you’re a podcast listener, let me know if you’re ready to invest in the future of your children. If you tell me you heard about the special price I offer on this podcast, I will give you a big discount because I want you to experience results. Instead of a $997 value, I’ll give you a discount code that enables you to pay only $247. If you are serious about parenting with eternal perspective and raising children to chase Christ over culture, I’m making this very affordable and easy to do. Also, if you appreciated this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? It only takes a few minutes and makes a big difference in whether people are able to find the podcast. Also, you and I know that the best reviews are by word of mouth, so please choose a friend to recommend the show to. Imagine the changes we will see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they learn to be intentional, too. One last thing to remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will likely sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection with your children and Christ. Previous Next

Joy filled his eyes as he rushed down the stairs to lay on my lap. Pressing in as close as he could get, he flopped his furry head against my chest and relaxed. Totally at peace, my Golden Retriever would have abided with me for hours. While I lovingly petted him, my thoughts were swirling with distraction..."I've got to get up now." "What do I need to begin next?" "Should I tackle this project first?" "Have I given my dog enough time?" Sitting with my dog reminded me of the way we often devote time to our Heavenly Father. How many times have you sat with the Father wondering how much longer the passage you were reading would last? Or maybe you wondered whether you've spent enough time in prayer. As my dog rejoiced in uninterrupted time with me, I thought of the way God patiently waits for us to release schedule and simply come rest in His presence. However, in our busyness, we often count the minutes until we can finish our time with Him. How Much Time Does God Expect The way we view our sovereign, holy God is different than what He deserves. Our scheduled days planned to the microsecond keep us at a pace that often leave no time for rest or solitude. Through the rush, we tend to think of God with a convenient one-size-fits-all mentality that makes us believe that we can "time in" and "time out" with Him, then continue our day with an "I've checked the box attitude" that leaves our spirit empty. Because we never fully commit to resting in His arms, we continue longing for the relationship our soul was crafted to crave, leaving emptiness where we could experience fullness with the One our heart desires. In His sovereign holiness God requires fellowship that deepens and matures our walk with Him. Deuteronomy 6:5-6 says, " You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart ." Just as my sweet dog seeks me out no matter where I go in the house because he longs for time with me, when we purposely pursue God through relationship with His Son, the fruits of the Spirit are evident as they nurture and provide for every need within. The Choice Is Mine (and yours) 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, " So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God ." My Golden retriever is simply content to rest in my presence. No matter the activity, if I include my dog in it, he remains by my side. In contrast, God is with us even when we don't include Him. While my dog nudges my hand with his head to gain my attention, God's voice is a whisper speaking to my spirit, showing me the Way, the Truth, and the Life, if only I heed His Word. Just as Scripture says in James 4:8a, " Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you, " our Father lovingly, patiently waits for us to seek Him. Unlike my dog, He is quietly present without forcing himself to be noticed. Yet, He calls for my spirit to receive Him. I find that the more time I spend in God's presence, reading His Word, praying, conversing, and listening, the more my desire to be with Him multiplies. I stop asking, "How much longer do I need to read?" I no longer think, "How much time should I spend with God?" Or "Maybe I'll read the Bible later. I've got to get this chore done first." I find joy in being with God and it causes me to want to be with Him longer. As I move toward nearer to God with intention moment by moment, I understand that He was already with me all along. Now, instead of walking behind or beside Him, I simply rest in His arms and allow Him to carry the load. The invitation stands for each of us.

When I became a parent at the age of eighteen, I had never held, fed, or diapered a newborn . Everything I knew about parenting came from babysitting my younger siblings. Of course, I also considered how my parents had raised me, but we had a lot of times left alone as children, and I was determined to change what I didn't like. That also left me free to incorporate what I did appreciate. Because of my inexperience, I respected authorities in the parenting space at the time I became a mother. Whether that figure came in the form of doctor, magazine article or book I read, or simply through speaking with and observing other parents, at my young age, I respected voices that seemed to carry wisdom, as well as established older mothers. I believed they must know what they were talking about simply because they were experienced. When my husband and I raised our first set of children we disciplined them as we had been punished as kids. When the need was there, we spanked. However, years later, when my husband and I knew God was calling us to bring home our sweet baby girl in China, we considered what God would consider the correct way to raise and discipline the precious child He was gifting to us. By this time, we had matured our walk with God through a deeper relationship with Christ. As we considered how we parented our first set of children, we also considered whether our techniques reflected God or followed societal expectations. One of the things we reconsidered was our method of discipline. Checking our Thoughts About Spanking Did you know that the word discipline actually means " training to act in accordance with rules? " After we parented our first set of children, we could see that the way we'd corrected behavior in our previous set of children had largely been to train them to follow rules. But those rules were the way we expected them to behave according to expectations of society . We wanted them to grow up to be kind, successful, loving rule followers who did what was expected. As we prepared to begin our second journey of parenthood a generation later when we brought our baby home, we realized we had parented the first time more from a worldly viewpoint, rather than drilling down to discover exactly how God desired us to parent through His Word . We were young and ignorant, although we were always told that we carried such wisdom for our age. Instead of seeking insight from God's Word, studying the mistakes and successes of biblical characters, and praying for God's constant direction with each of our first two children, we unknowingly gave higher priority to the "experts" of this world rather than God's Word. Because we were adopting a baby who would already be ten months old when she came to us, we made sure to study and learn much about adoption parenting, which included building strong connection. Learning these techniques made such sense to me. In fact, this parenting style seemed to be the best way to build strong attachment with any child, not just one who came from challenging places. Checking the World's View on Spanking As my mindset shifted from a "typical" foundation of parenting, I deeply desired to be a mother who was pleasing to God first, and who built strong attachment with my child that would lead her to strong connection with Christ . I recalled that the word discipline actually means " training to act in accordance with rules" and realized the key was in training kids to follow God's rules instead of the world's expectations. Finding the way to guide the heart of my baby daughter and connecting deeper with my older children would come through viewing discipline not as punishment, but as discipleship for Him . What do I mean by discipline as discipleship, not punishment ? I'll share a story that will highlight my explanation. I was on a neighborhood walk recently when a loose dog was crisscrossing the street and a screech of brakes alerted me that it was almost hit. Terrified by the sound and the loud voice of the driver, the dog stood frozen in front of the car. When the owner heard the commotion and saw his dog standing in the roadway, he lovingly called from his yard for the dog to come to him. Seeing his beloved, trusted master and hearing his sweet call, the dog quickly ran home, expecting safety. Instead, as soon as the dog reached him, the owner beat his dog and yelled at him for being in the street. Will this act change the behavior of the dog? You may argue that a dog and a child can’t be compared as they don’t reason the same. However, according to developmental tests reported by NBC News, even the average dog has the abilities of a toddler. In some areas, dogs are even more intelligent than preschoolers. Speaking of preschoolers, according to a study by the American Psychological Association, they’re the most likely group to be spanked. I don’t want to make this post to come across as shaming, but I do want parents to realize the gravity of the gift we’ve been given. We are raising children for the Great I Am. Checking Expectations Around Spanking We want to be good parents.   Of course we want to do our best. But remember, our best falls far below the standard of our holy Heavenly Father. That’s why we must, as those entrusted to parent for God , stop and evaluate the reasoning behind why we make specific decisions and why we take certain actions to discipline or disciple. Why do some parents choose to spank instead of correcting their children in another way? What do we think we’re teaching our children when we respond with such forceful correction? Should spanking be the first act a parent takes when a child needs correcting? Are parents behaving biblically when they spank? Or are they succumbing to frustration? What prompts a parent to grab the belt, hair brush, or forcefully use their hand in an effort to teach their child? Most parents who spank were spanked as children. It’s the way they were raised, so it’s what they remember and revert to. But does that mean it is the best method for training God’s children in righteousness? Is spanking the choice we should make to build connection with God and us ? Many parents also share that the reason they spank is to cause pain that changes the behavior of their child. We have to consider what type of changes pain will bring. Surprisingly, research also indicates that parents will hit their child more frequently when they are an active or strong-willed boy between the ages of three to four. When you hear that statistic, how does it make you feel? Does the fact that boys disrupt quiet or make messes make them targets for spanking? Does spanking make them better men when they grow up? Or will a relationship built through teaching and connection make the necessity to spank disappear? The answers to these questions are what parents should seek before deciding to spank. Frequency of spanking also varies based on parental or child age, race, gender, education, or socio economic status of the family. The topic of spanking is a divisive one. Most people have feelings one way or another. As I shared earlier, those feelings often stem from the way parents were disciplined as a child. Checking God's Word on Spanking One Bible verse is often quoted as evidence to back pro-spanking parents. Proverbs 13:24  says, “ Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” If we look at the verse with an observant, knowledgeable heart and take our thoughts captive for Christ to prayerfully seek God’s wisdom in this area, we may come to a different conclusion about spanking. For example, Strong’s Lexicon, a type of concordance, teaches that the rod  was generally a stick used by shepherds for protecting and guiding their flocks. Shepherds used the rod to steer the sheep in the right direction, or to keep them gathered when they strayed. The rod was also used to fend off predators or warn and comfort the sheep. Used these ways, the rod isn’t  a tool for inflicting injury. Instead, it is a tool for loving, protective guidance . When many parents hear the word discipline, they imagine spanking or another form of punishment. However in biblical days the meaning was quite different. In the semitic root, the word rod refers to a type of measuring stick. In the same way we use a yardstick today, the rod was used to measure distances to danger or to measure the growth of sheep in the shepherd’s care . The rod was not intended to inflict pain upon people or sheep. The word rod is also used for scepter. Although the verse from Proverbs 13:24   is usually interpreted as a directive to spank children, when we consider how a scepter was used, we understand that it could be used to extend grace and mercy or death by the King. Since the king wouldn’t speak much or at all to his subjects, he would often make his intentions or directives known by his scepter, the recognized symbol of authority. Whether it was the king or an appointed servant using the scepter, it was understood that the instrument held authority. So as we read Proverbs 13:24 we can see that the rod is seen as the idea of authority , not a literal rod. If you also consider that it was Solomon who penned the verse in Proverbs, you must remember that he was a king. His terminology would have been written with the mindset of one who used the scepter for the purposes I just shared. As king, Solomon was an authority figure to many, but remember, he was also a father, or symbol of authority to his children. Using this frame of thinking, we can reason that Solomon wasn’t condoning beating children, but instead encouraged using the rod, which would be showing love or direction. So, when parents extend the rod, we are paying attention  to what our children are doing. We are considering the current situation, as well as looking forward to the future. We are choosing to extend mercy by correcting the behavior, not simply punishing. Checking the Heart Regarding Spanking Dealing with a situation we need to address doesn’t mean to beat or spank. But it doesn’t mean to ignore the actions of our children, either. Just as God extends mercy and forgiveness to us when we are disobedient, He also allows us to suffer consequences. Consequences will differ depending on the act and repercussions, but God doesn’t desire that we beat down children mentally, emotionally, or physically. His discipline is always designed to reach and transform our heart  for Him. Just as we should intentionally strive to do with the children He entrusted to our care. Correcting with our children means instructing and guiding in ways that lead to Christlikeness and connection through heart change . Remember, lack  of discipline can cause destructive or ungodly morals and behavior. So does the wrong   kind  of discipline. Discipline offered in anger can destroy connection and confidence in the parent, then ultimately in Christ. Spanking doesn’t show loving discipline that exhibits clear connection between the action of the child and the consequence. Spanking is often done in anger or bitterness, frustration or embarrassment, or even because of a feeling of disrespect. Spanking often resembles beating and can inflict injury, but doesn’t reach the heart  of the child. Also, parents often spank in the heat of the moment and can accidentally abuse their child. Since spanking isn’t tied to natural consequences of the behavior, it has often been shown to increase aggressiveness in children. Instead of resorting to spanking quickly, pay attention to the times your child is misbehaving. Could it be when you’re very distracted or busy and your child is trying to get your attention? Is your child misbehaving because he is tired or hungry? Look for the root cause and discipline to bring about godly discipleship. Remember, discipline  should be loving guidance  and correction that disciples the heart , not a form of punishment. Discipline comes in many forms. Children are unique. There is no “one size meets all requirements” approach. But I do believe every parent should see the word discipline as discipleship to keep them accountable to building relationship and connection between their child and God. All godly correction should allow children to grow up with closer connection to Christ and family, and a joy-filled life with respect for their Heavenly Father and society. Discipline should be a step that builds transformation of the heart of your child. Checking God's Will Regarding Spanking If a parent still intends to spank, I don't recommend it as a first form of correction. Just as I said earlier, children are unique on purpose. Just as God reaches each of us in different ways over time, parents must find what form of discipline works for each child. Be careful not to use a strong-willed child as an excuse to spank. Find ways to craft that strong will into a strong heart for godliness and with connection for Christ . Your child’s will must be guided, not squashed into rebellion. Alternate means of correction might be: loss of privileges, time out, time in, stern looks, hand signals, a hushed voice, work, or redirection of behavior. Use your situation to find natural consequences for teaching your children, but always remain mindful of the objective of stepping them closer to God and changing their heart for Him through the form of correction you choose. When a child misbehaves or disobeys, it’s important to locate the root cause  in order to reach their heart for change. Remember, discipline should be correction and training toward discipleship, not punishment. Discipline should be designed as an instrument that assists in correcting behavior and facilitating heart change . Spanking doesn’t get to the core of what needs correcting. Correcting behavior (which stems from the heart of your child) allows you to draw your child’s heart nearer to Christ. Addressing heart issues moves the child closer to transformation, both in the heart and in the behavior that stems from it. Spanking punishes, but doesn’t change the heart, except perhaps planting bitterness that can place a wedge between parent and child, or more importantly, between Christ and child. Proverbs 9:10  which says, “ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding .” Apart from the Lord we don’t have wisdom or understanding. Both are needed as you prayerfully determine whether God calls you to spank His children. Remember, that in order to change behavior, children should also see that their parents acknowledge their own personal sins. They need to understand that Mom and Dad repent to God. Then they understand that correction is a lifelong process for both children and adults. They begin to understand that we all need behavior that is fitting to the Lord. Everyone needs to honor God and submit to Him so we develop obedience and closer relationship with Him. Consider this thought - spanking doesn’t teach children to obey the parent or obey God out of love, trust, or obedience. We know that God’s grace and mercy should be the motivator used to discipline children. Discipline should be intended to draw the heart and mind of children nearer to the heart and mind of God. Using discipleship as discipline is the way to reach the heart. God’s Word teaches, corrects, trains, equips, and forgives. Your method of correcting should do the same, while building a foundation for your children to desire God’s Word and ways. Make sure you and your spouse are prayerfully  aligned, so you’ll follow how God instructs you  to discipline to disciple His children. Together, under God's direction, you will discern whether spanking is biblical.

One busy afternoon my youngest child came to me as I worked in the office, her smile so trusting and bright as she met my eyes with her gaze. After pushing her palm toward me, she pulled her fingers back, revealing a tiny cherry tomato grown in her garden. As I reached for her gift, thoughts swarmed my mind. The first were, "I'm not hungry." "I already had several tomatoes today and too many cause stomach problems." "I hope she washed it." As fast as those intruders pressed at me, God covered them with His truth. "How loving of her to think of me." I returned her delight with a smile of my own and reached for her offering. After popping it in my mouth to taste the sweet juice, I had one reply. "You grow the best cherry tomatoes." How often life presents gifts such as this! Moments that seems like an interruption become a divine meeting between opportunity and a decision to love. After my daughter and I shared a hug, I thanked her, and we chatted a bit before she left my side with lightness in her step and joy on her face. Our connection made her feel like the best gardener in the world. A giving daughter. Seen. Appreciated. Loved. Treasured. Lord, please help me hear You whisper when opportunities are presented that might be interpreted as distractions. Help me recognize Your hand in events. Even those I see as problems or pressures. Each day You offer moments I can choose to grasp or let flutter to the ground unseen or unused. May my heart be more in alignment with yours each day. Let it shine You. May it bring my family closer to me, each other, and You . May You shine from me so brightly that my children can’t stay away from the flame of Your great love. Help me live with the delight of a child offering gifts from my heart because mine is deeply entwined with Yours. What a blessing to be aware and ready to grasp God's gifts! Precious Father keep my mind and heart alert to possibilities that You present each day. My daughter and the fruits of her labor highlight the fruits of Your labor in our lives. May the work of our hands always highlight the work of Yours. May my reactions always honor You and bring my child straight to Your arms.