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< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 070 - Do You Correct or Punish When You Discipline? Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 070 – Do You Correct or Punish When You Discipline? Most adults easily remember how they were disciplined as a child. I remember getting grounded a lot. Before you wonder how I could be so much trouble, let me share that my parents believed in what they called, “reverse psychology parenting.” Not to say that I was an innocent victim. There were times I should have been corrected, but I wasn’t caught. However, I was often grounded when I didn’t do anything wrong. Let me give you an example: One particular weekend my parents held a swim party for several of their friends. You know how excited kids can get at big events or parties. Many of the guests’ children were running on the pool deck, jumping over the heads of people seated poolside. Even though my siblings and I were not involved in this behavior, my parents grounded me for two weeks in an attempt to show the other parents how to discipline. They hoped their action would spur the other parents to reprimand their children as well. I believe my recollection is a great illustration of “parenting to punish ,” not disciple . In the early years of parenting my first set of children, I didn’t repeat this particular style of parenting, but the way my husband and I were raised did influence the way we disciplined our children. Because of the way we were parented, I thought discipline was supposed to punish the child for unwanted or incorrect behavior. However, what I learned over the years led me to parent my second set of children differently. My belief now is that discipline is not meant to punish, but to disciple . Let me explain what I mean. The word disciple means to teach or train . When a child exhibits behavior a parent doesn’t want repeated, the first thought might be to get that action or activity stopped. Because parents often fall into the trap of wanting to stop unwanted actions and just get moving to whatever activity needs to be tackled next, it can become easy to forget to look behind the behavior for the reason the child is acting a particular way. It’s like when you get a toothache. The first thing you want to do is get the pain to stop. It’s usually later that you wonder why your tooth started hurting. In the same way, a mother that doesn’t parent with the purpose of connection will see a behavior and issue a punishment to stop her child’s actions immediately. Or the parent may issue punishment thinking the child will learn not to repeat the particular behavior. However, a connected mother who parents to disciple her child will search for the reason behind the behavior. I once listened to a podcast with Candice Owens in which she shared her belief that this generation of children is “the coddle culture," because of lack of discipline, and that is true in various ways. I understand what she is saying, but I also believe children are receiving the wrong type of discipline. We must reach their heart in order to change behavior and build Christlikeness. Often mothers will parent the behavior , but you need to reach the motives behind what your child is doing. Using this train of thought, I often refer to discipline as discipling . God wants us to address ungodly or incorrect behaviors. We don’t want to ignore actions that sin against God or form bad character. In the Bible, those parental deficits always led to much trouble. However, I do believe God calls mothers to disciple , or train and teach, not simply jump to punishments that skim over the heart of behavioral or character issues. Let’s discuss practical ways parents can disciple the heart instead of punishing behavior: 1. Focus on changes in your behavior – Discipling starts with you. Work to build a connected relationship with your child. Spend time with your children, understand how they are wired and what gives them joy, what scares them, etc. Help them know how important they are to you. Let them know you want a good relationship and give them tools to build a solid one throughout the years, but always point everything to Christ. Although you want them to love and obey you, teach them there is a higher authority even more important to know, love, and obey - Jesus . Many times a child misbehaves because they want your attention. In their mind, any attention is better than none. 2. Focus on changes you can make in the home – Make godly boundaries, be attentive and consistent, be God-centered - not “you” centered, love your children without placing conditions on your affection. Prepare your kids for challenges they will face in life through Biblical wisdom, insight, and guidance. Know that sometimes your child will suffer consequences of actions and you might need to help, but don’t jump in too soon. The best lessons are learned through godly principles that come to maturity through pressure. Some other behaviors you may need to assess and change are: 1. Yelling – A quiet or normal voice draws more respect, love, and obedience than a loud one. If you’d like to hear more on yelling, please listen to the Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast episode #064 “Stop Yelling So Your Child Can Hear You.” 2. Hitting – Sometimes when parents don’t know how to handle a situation they resort to hitting. Physical correction will never get to the heart issue behind the behavior. When a parent hits, slaps, or spanks on impulse to correct or stop behavior, I believe the attachment and connection between parent and child is weakened and that there may be additional behaviors for the parent to deal with in the future. 3. Threatening – Simply issuing threats without acting on them shows a child that the parent is not in control and may cause the child to lose respect for the parent. If you issue a threat, it should be a well-thought out instruction, not an act of intimidation or a command you forget later. 4. Excusing – If you excuse every behavior your child exhibits, you deprive your child of many character qualities, behavioral changes, and life lessons. 5. Laughing – When you laugh at the behavior your child exhibits, you reinforce whatever they are doing. 6. Filming – Just as the act of laughing at your child reinforces incorrect actions or behavior, recording every mistake your child makes or behavior they shouldn’t be doing teaches them that they will get rewarded for incorrect actions. Most of us have seen reels on social media where the parents share bad behavior or mistakes made by young children. If you study the eyes of the child shown, you’ll usually see confusion. They probably can’t tell whether they are in trouble or should repeat the behavior so mom can get more likes and follows. Now that we’ve discussed ways you can correct , instead of punish behavior, and you can more easily recognize ways you might self-sabotage godly parenting, let’s discuss some of the reasons a child might misbehave. 1. Ignorance - Your children need to be taught how to act. So often parents forget that this is the first time their child may have encountered a situation. Your child might not carry the necessary skills to navigate what they are experiencing. 2. Negligence – As we stated earlier, children need connection. If they don’t receive it at home, they will seek it elsewhere or through methods that may be harmful, dangerous, or incorrect. 3. Boredom and/or Over-Stimulation– Sometimes kids just get bored or over-stimulated. There is a beautiful balance that gives a child enough attention and enables them to use imagination and creativity, without being over-stimulated by electronics or too many activities. It greatly benefits a child when the parent finds that balance. 4. Confusion – Sometimes children don’t understand instructions the first time. Teach your child to ask questions when they are unsure. You can also issue steps for a task one at a time. Or have your child return to you for more instructions after they have finished a couple of steps you have instructed. The way you teach will change over time as your child matures and as you better connect and understand their emotional intelligence and capabilities. 5. Needs Skills - I remember the first morning we brought my youngest daughter home from China. On that day, I found her in my office lighting matches. At the time, I kept a small candle and a book of matches in a desk drawer. I loved lighting the candle while I was working. There were no very young children in the home anymore, and everyone who lived here knew about fire safety. Except my new daughter. Even though she was nine years old, she had never been exposed to a lit match. She wasn’t a bad child looking for trouble or a budding pyromaniac. She simply had never been taught about fire safety. 6. Needs Redirection – Kids mature at different paces. Depending on background, temperament, abilities, and parenting styles, children may not hit the average guideline for maturity or understanding in an area. I often compare my two-year old Golden Retriever to a toddler. When he sometimes gets excited and zooms around the house without stopping, I know how to redirect him to a place of calm. Children sometimes need mother to patiently redirect them to stop certain behaviors. 7. Insecurity – It’s not only teens who feel insecure at times. Of course, the preteen and teen years make kids feel like a target for attention is pasted on the middle of their back. They think everything revolves around them and that everyone is laughing or looking at them. But younger children, and even adults can sometimes feel insecure. Don’t let your insecurities affect your relationship with your child or the way you disciple them for Christ. Although I’ve learned to parent from a place of attachment due to adoption, I strongly believe that even biological children need many of the same parenting techniques. I view it simply as connected parenting. Godly mothers should seek to build connection to Christ and their children moment by moment. Attachment is key. Attachment is an emotional and deep connection that forms between the parent and child early in their time together, while bonding is a process that takes place over time. Also involving emotions, but building upon shared experiences together, bonding builds mutual trust, love, and devotion. I like to think of our walk with Jesus in the same manner. At first, we attach to Christ through our walk with Him, but our relationship gradually bonds us as we purposely share time with Him in the Word, through prayer, devotions, sharing and testifying, etc. Also remember that children may sometimes exhibit undesired behaviors caused by mental, emotional, or physical issues. If your child persists in undesirable or confusing behavior, it is wise to consider the possibility that your child may be dealing with one or more of the following needs: 1. Sensory Processing Disorder 2. Anger 3. Fear 4. Depression 5. Anxiety 6. Shame or Guilt 7. Motor Skill Difficulties 8. Cognitive Impairment 9. Medical Needs As you strive to be a connected mother who is consistently attuned to your child, you will look beyond behavior to discern what your child is telling you through actions . Those actions are exposing a need. Although the need may be hidden, the behavior cannot be ignored. A connected mother has discipleship foremost on her mind, not punishment or a desire to stop an annoying or embarrassing behavior. The actions of your child will provide important clues that should be noticed and acted upon with sensitivity and grace intent on meeting the heart needs of your child. What are a few ways to look beyond behavior to identify the needs of your child ? 1. Prayer – God made your child with uniqueness and purpose. He understand every need your child carries. He alone is the best source of wisdom to train and correct your child. 2. Allow Personal Growth – Sometimes the actions or words coming from your child will hit an emotional need inside you. It may be one that triggers painful memories, fears, or emotions. When that happens, you will have the opportunity to address those feelings or emotions within yourself and seek godly help or healing. This is a positive step in not letting your behavior teach your child wrong habits or cause you to react in ways that make the behavior of your child intensify. 3. Look for Patterns – For example, does your child misbehave every time you are separated? Or do you notice the actions when your husband is gone? Does the behavior start when company is over, or when your children are playing together? Identifying patterns will help you begin to pinpoint what is causing negative behaviors or building the wrong habits. 4. Set Your Child Up for Success – Don’t cause power struggles. Give choices when you can, and communicate expectations well. Know that some behaviors and solutions will ebb and flow as your child goes through age and developmental stages, but do not neglect to build godly character through patient and grace-filled discipleship. Dear Heavenly Father, we humbly come before You, knowing we are nothing without Your mercy, grace, and love. Thank you for the patient discipline You offer. Thank you that you are always “on call” for us to reach out, asking for Your wisdom, insight, and knowledge. Help us to read, understand, and remember the lessons You teach in Your holy Word. Enable us to practically use those lessons to shape morals and values in the hearts of our children. Give us the desire to seek You in all things, knowing You are the expert of each person in our home. You hold the key to behaviors and can unlock even the hardest challenges. Help us to become godly mothers who have sought You and taught You to our children. Help us to never forget or neglect the sacred privilege we have to raise the children You have entrusted to us. May we do so with skill and wisdom from You. Help us to disciple children straight to Your heart and feet when we correct their behaviors. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen. 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. I believe godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset a mother carries. That’s why I’ve created the Set-Apart Collective. Have you decided peers and culture won’t be the main influence over your child? Would you like to parent to prepare your child for eternity with Christ, not to repair a relationship? In the Set-Apart Collective, you will deepen your walk with Christ, 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. The Set-Apart Collective wait list is open now. The first group of women is currently growing together. Please send me an email at info@terrihitt.com to let me know you’d like to receive information. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. If you connected in some way with this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? It only takes a minute or so and makes a big difference in people finding the podcast. You and I know that the best reviews are by word of mouth, so would you please choose a friend to recommend the show to? Let them know that the podcast is found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Imagine the change we will see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they learn to be intentional, too. 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. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #101 – Preparation for Christmas Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. This week my youngest daughter changed her name. It actually changes each day. Her first name is now however many days it is until Christmas, while her last name is “Days.” Since this podcast releases on Thursday and Christmas is on Saturday, her name will be “Two Days.” Maybe I caused her to do this because this is the first year she has not untied the bows on the hanging decoration we usually put out for Christmas. With our puppy, who likes to grab and chew anything hanging, especially if it is soft, I made the wise decision that it wasn’t going to be used this year. Regardless, my youngest makes sure we know how many days are left before the biggest day of her year. I’m going to pause recording new episodes over the holidays and spend time with my family, worshipping our Lord, and preparing for a new and exciting project I am working on. God has been calling me to something I haven’t shared yet, and it is definitely for and through Him that I will serve. I’m thrilled to share it with you in 2022. I would like to point you, whether you are a new listener to this podcast, or one who has been listening for a while, to episodes I presented in December of 2020. If you look at episodes released on 12/10 and 12/17 of 2020, you will find “Preparing for Christmas Part 1 and Part 2. They are episodes 47 and 48. Perhaps you will enjoy listening to them as you finish last minute preparations, wrap gifts, or clean before or after Christmas and New Year’s. Draw near to Jesus as you celebrate this year. Allow Him to wash over your spirit and hold you close as you celebrate His birth. It’s so easy to get caught up in preparations and celebrations with friends or family, shopping, and baking. Yet, the only One who gives us true, everlasting, deep peace is Jesus. Make time to step back and rest in Him. He always puts life, thoughts, attitude, and actions back into perspective and soothes the concerns of our heart. He is truly all we need. Heavenly Father, gracious Lord, how we adore You. Come, let us sing with joy to, Lord. Bring us into Your presence with humble thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to You. For You are a great God, a great King above all gods. By Your hands, we have the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks that belong to You. The sea is Yours, for You made all of it, and Your hands formed the dry land. Cause us to worship and bow down; help us kneel before You, Lord, our Maker. You are our God, and we are but the people of Your pasture, the sheep under Your care. Humbly, and obediently, You came for us, a pure and innocent sacrifice we still cannot grasp enough. Thank you for loving us, for coming to us in the form of a babe, sacrificing all. Thankyou for bringing us nearer to You moment by moment as we surrender, trust, and obey. May those who do not know You see You in and through us and be drawn to You. You bless us, Lord with so much as we become more like Your image. Thank you for all You are. May we please You ever more each day. In Your precious name I pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, I invite you to help others find the podcast. I have two requests. If you are able, please go to Apple Podcasts and leave a rating and review to push the podcast out for more people to find. Without good reviews, others won’t hear the episodes designed to mature walks with Christ and equip all to live for eternity now. You can also share podcast episodes with friends and family so that they can begin to listen each week. You can share my website, terrihitt.com and let others know that on it they will be able to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature their walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage them to raise or influence children and grandchildren to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 101 Preparation for Christmas Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #101 – Preparation for Christmas Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. This week my youngest daughter changed her name. It actually changes each day. Her first name is now however many days it is until Christmas, while her last name is “Days.” Since this podcast releases on Thursday and Christmas is on Saturday, her name will be “Two Days.” Maybe I caused her to do this because this is the first year she has not untied the bows on the hanging decoration we usually put out for Christmas. With our puppy, who likes to grab and chew anything hanging, especially if it is soft, I made the wise decision that it wasn’t going to be used this year. Regardless, my youngest makes sure we know how many days are left before the biggest day of her year. I’m going to pause recording new episodes over the holidays and spend time with my family, worshipping our Lord, and preparing for a new and exciting project I am working on. God has been calling me to something I haven’t shared yet, and it is definitely for and through Him that I will serve. I’m thrilled to share it with you in 2022. I would like to point you, whether you are a new listener to this podcast, or one who has been listening for a while, to episodes I presented in December of 2020. If you look at episodes released on 12/10 and 12/17 of 2020, you will find “Preparing for Christmas Part 1 and Part 2. They are episodes 47 and 48. Perhaps you will enjoy listening to them as you finish last minute preparations, wrap gifts, or clean before or after Christmas and New Year’s. Draw near to Jesus as you celebrate this year. Allow Him to wash over your spirit and hold you close as you celebrate His birth. It’s so easy to get caught up in preparations and celebrations with friends or family, shopping, and baking. Yet, the only One who gives us true, everlasting, deep peace is Jesus. Make time to step back and rest in Him. He always puts life, thoughts, attitude, and actions back into perspective and soothes the concerns of our heart. He is truly all we need. Heavenly Father, gracious Lord, how we adore You. Come, let us sing with joy to, Lord. Bring us into Your presence with humble thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to You. For You are a great God, a great King above all gods. By Your hands, we have the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks that belong to You. The sea is Yours, for You made all of it, and Your hands formed the dry land. Cause us to worship and bow down; help us kneel before You, Lord, our Maker. You are our God, and we are but the people of Your pasture, the sheep under Your care. Humbly, and obediently, You came for us, a pure and innocent sacrifice we still cannot grasp enough. Thank you for loving us, for coming to us in the form of a babe, sacrificing all. Thankyou for bringing us nearer to You moment by moment as we surrender, trust, and obey. May those who do not know You see You in and through us and be drawn to You. You bless us, Lord with so much as we become more like Your image. Thank you for all You are. May we please You ever more each day. In Your precious name I pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, I invite you to help others find the podcast. I have two requests. If you are able, please go to Apple Podcasts and leave a rating and review to push the podcast out for more people to find. Without good reviews, others won’t hear the episodes designed to mature walks with Christ and equip all to live for eternity now. You can also share podcast episodes with friends and family so that they can begin to listen each week. You can share my website, terrihitt.com and let others know that on it they will be able to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature their walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage them to raise or influence children and grandchildren to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 115 - How to Teach Your Child to Turn From Sin and to God's Grace Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 115 – How to Teach Your Child to Turn From Sin and to God's Grace Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast gives you the awareness and tools you need to STOP being a GOOD mom and BECOME the GODLY mom God entrusts you to be. Then you will be the SET-APART woman PURPOSELY raising children to chase CHRIST over culture. Just a quick reminder as we start, if you enjoy Purposed Parent Connected Child podcast episodes, would you please share this episode or others with a friend or family member? When you graciously take a moment to do that, and leave a rating or review at Apple Podcast, you are ensuring that others will find the podcast. When you do, you’re helping affect generations for Jesus. Now on to this episode about how to teach your child to turn from sin and to God’s grace. Have you ever done something in your life that you knew was direct disobedience to God? Or maybe you didn’t know it at the time, but later your heart was pierced with grief at the way you sinned against God. Perhaps you knew at the time that you were sinning against God, but rebelled as you chose to walk in your way. Repentance goes beyond simply being sorry. Repentance drives us to our knees before God and leads to changed heart and actions. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death .” Acts 3:19 says, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord .” In the Old Testament God demands that people turn away from their sin and wickedness, and in the New Testament we read about repentance in the stories of specific people such as John the Baptist, Peter, the disciples, Paul, and Jesus. When we consider biblical characters who sinned and repented, we can think of King David or Paul. Both of them show mighty examples of how a person can sin greatly against God and others, yet find true, life-changing repentance. In order to find such a move of conscience that leads to change bringing a deeper relationship with God, there are a few requirements. 1. We must experience godly sorrow for our sin. This isn’t simply being sorry we got caught, but a sorrow that pierces our heart with the realization that we have sinned greatly against God Almighty. 2. Next, we must confess our sin. When we have sinned against someone it is always wise to ask them for forgiveness, which sets us on the right path to come before God. 3. We must also confess before God, asking Him for forgiveness. This is the most important step in repentance. We must learn to come before our Heavenly Father with a heart for forgiveness and change. 4. As we realize we have sinned before God, and ask Him for forgiveness, we also ask Him to keep us from repeating that sin or others, we receive deeper fellowship and humble obedience. 5. In order to continue to deepen our walk with God, we must also continue seeking Him daily. He knows our weaknesses and as we step into His arms and ask Him to keep us obedient to Him, He hears our cries. Psalm 51:1-6 says, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place .” Teach your child that God is merciful in little ways daily. He doesn’t wait for us to mess up so He can punish us. Instead, He waits for us to turn to Him with sincere repentance. We are all sinners, but God doesn’t leave us in that state. In His loving righteous care for us, He has given us the ability to be cleansed. Psalm 51:10-12 show us how God delights as we desire a pure heart. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me .” Psalm 51:17 finishes with a plea we desire our child to utter before God. It’s also what we should be doing moment by moment. “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise .” Now that we’ve discussed repentance and what it is, how do you teach your child to have a heart for seeking God and living with a repentant heart? As you build the foundation of faith for your child in all the ways we’ve discussed in previous episodes, help him or her to build faith and trust on God's Word and truths. Remind your children to turn to Scripture in every circumstance of life. Help them do that by sharing Scripture early in your time with them. Refer to God’s Word when you lovingly disciple them in their disobedience. Yes, you discipline your child, but do so with the heart of discipleship, not punishment. They will suffer consequences of their actions, but you never want to discipline for the sake of punishment. You aren’t trying to beat your child down, but are attempting to lift them up in the Lord and mold their heart for Him. Help your children direct desires and actions according to God's Word. As you teach day by day, look up passages that have to do with sin, character, integrity, and so on. Show your children how to use biblical truths and commands to guide their morals and integrity. Let your child see you do the same each day. Talk to them about how you use God’s Word to guide your daily life, choices, and actions. Show your children how you repent and ask God for forgiveness in your daily life - apologize to them and others when needed. Teach them how God deals with sin and repentance in the Bible and show them how to apply those teachings in their life. God's grace is greater than our sin, but He requires us to repent and turn away from sin through His strength. Remember, we are always parenting the hearts of our children and with the desire to help them shape character and behavior that is Christlike and pleasing to God. Everything can be used for His glory and as ways to teach for Him. Dear Heavenly Father, we are humbled to come before You and thankful for Your mighty presence in our life. Thank you for the freedom to make choices, and for the grace You offer when we make mistakes, yet come to You with a heart of repentance. Help us change to be more pleasing in Your sight. Help us to teach the qualities You desire to our children and to show them Your heart and truths. Help us teach them by our actions, desires, and through Your Holy Word. May we use Your truths as the way to their heart. May our life be godly examples they can see and may we lead them straight into Your arms. Please keep them from sinning against You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. This is the part of the episode that you usually hear me talk about the Set-Apart Collective. Today I want to share about my new mini program called “Establish Identity.” Why? Your identity is a major force behind what you do. Who you believe yourself to be, and who you find your identity through affects the way you live, parent, love, serve, and discipline. Your identity is one of the lifelines, a pulse point of your home. Do you ever stop to think that you are the first Jesus your child will see? Even if they are grown, your identity affects your child. The way you think, speak, and react is rooted in your identity. Send me a message at info@terrihitt.com if you’d like details or go to terrihitt.com and join my email list. You’ll get updates before anyone else and hear a little about what makes this so important. If you join the email list you’ll also be able to access free resources such as my new Good to Godly: A 31 Day Scripture and Prayer Guide for Moms. One last thing to remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will 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

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 111 - SugarFreed - Interview with Christine Trimpe Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 111 – SugarFreed - Interview with Christine Trimpe Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast gives you the awareness and tools you need to STOP being a GOOD mom and BECOME the GODLY mom God entrusts you to be. Then you will be the SET-APART woman PURPOSELY raising children to chase CHRIST over culture. Just a quick reminder as we start, if you enjoy Purposed Parent Connected Child podcast episodes, would you please share this episode or others with a friend or family member? When you graciously take a moment to do that, and leave a rating or review at Apple Podcast, you are ensuring that others will find the podcast. When you do, you’re helping affect generations for Jesus. I’m blessed and excited to introduce my guest on today’s podcast. Christine Trimpe is a transformative wellness leader dedicated to empowering professional Christian women to reclaim their health and vitality through her faith-based, holistic approach to weight loss. As the founder of The SugarFreed Me Method and a certified SUGAR® Licensed Practitioner, Christine helps clients achieve lifelong healing from sugar addiction and food-related struggles. Her clients experience dramatic transformations, including sustained weight loss and breakthroughs in physical, emotional, and spiritual health, with over 80% retention in her programs. After a 100-pound weight loss journey, Christine created a method beyond conventional dieting, integrating faith, emotional regulation, and metabolic health principles. Christine’s own story—marked by a significant health journey, an embrace of ketogenic eating, and a breakthrough lifestyle change—has inspired thousands since she first shared it on her blog and across social media. Her journey has been highlighted in leading wellness magazines, including Woman’s World and First for Women , and featured on DietDoctor.com , where she was named a top low-carb success story. Let’s welcome Christine. -------------------------------------------------INTERVIEW ---------------------------------------------- I hope you enjoyed hearing this incredible story. Christine’s extensive career in corporate America, paired with her BBA degree, uniquely equips her to guide women in tackling complex health challenges and finding balance in all aspects of life. Her just released book, SugarFreed , follows her acclaimed devotional, Seeking Joy (2021), which received the Christian Market Book Award and Christian Indie Award. Christine and her husband, Rob, have been married for over thirty years and enjoy life in Metro Detroit, where she leads worship, hikes the outdoors and loves spending time with her family and pets. With her passion for exhortation, faith, and generosity, Christine’s mission is to equip women to overcome years of weight struggles, embrace freedom from sugar addiction, and ultimately live with joy and purpose. You can connect with Christine at ChristineTrimpe.com . Dear Heavenly Father, Our great, sovereign Lord. Thank you for the ability to come to You at any time with any praise or request. Thank you for sending Jesus as our lifeline and hope, our Savior, who leads us straight to You. I pray every woman who listened to Christine’s story today will see Your mighty hand in her life and know that You wait for each of us to come to you with all concerns. Help us remember that You are capable and waiting to carry us through every detail in life. You wait for us to call on You, to submit to You and Your tender care and healing. Please be with each of us in the areas we need and draw us ever nearer to Your heart and mind. Help us rest in Your mighty arms and keep us reliant on You. Thank you that You care for us in every way and desire deep fellowship with us. Equip us to be strong in You and to step out in faith and obedience in all the ways You call for us. In the precious name of Jesus I 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. I work with professionals who care about making Jesus known to their children. Are you a high-achieving woman who loves Jesus, but is so busy with the rush of work and daily life that you feel like you’re being drained like the water in your bathtub? Do you yearn to get closer to Jesus and show Him to your kids so you will create a love that will last into eternity? The desire is there, but your days spiral out of control before you even think about opening your Bible. Do you ever stop to think that you are the first Jesus your child will see? Let me remind you there is hope. There is a way you can be equipped to raise kids who chase Christ over culture. If you want a connected relationship with Christ and your children that leads them to your side and His feet, instead of them seeking validation from peers, I have an 8-step program to move you from frustrated to fulfilled. I will show you how to reflect Jesus in a way that attracts your family to a connected relationship that lasts into eternity. Remember, godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset you carry. 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 arm you with a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You’ll also deepen your identity in Christ so you can mentor the way for your children to do the same. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family and you will have the tools to raise set apart kids as you parent the heart, not simply the behavior. Does this sound like a lifeline to help you be that set-apart mom God has entrusted you to be? Visit terrihitt.com/coaching and click the link for a free, no obligation conversation call with me. This is a strategic call where I will hear your biggest struggle and show you how to turn it into a blessing that will bring you closer to Christ and your children. 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. One last thing to remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will 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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #116 – Christ’s Peace Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. Do you consider peace to be a quality of life concern? Or is peace something you take for granted, expecting to carry it until you don’t have it? Worries or stressors from jobs, finances, children, aging parents, spouse, culture, and more can easily pile weight on our shoulders and minds. Sleeplessness, fatigue, irritability, tears, depression, and divorce are by-products of life without peace. Peace is freedom. Everyone desires tranquility, yet so few carry true peace. How do we define peace that passes understanding? Peace that remains within you despite circumstances swirling around, threatening to overtake your life? Everyone I know desires serenity and contentment. However, what we seek and receive from our own attempts are mere shadows of what we receive through Christ. Various methods exist to seek the harmony sought in this world. Self-care, yoga, breathing, stretching, bubble baths, alcohol, drugs, and many other ways or vices have allowed people temporary freedom from what ails or haunts them. Only one design fills us with everlasting peace we cannot understand, yet appreciate when we receive it. Philippians 4:4-9 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Have you ever wondered what can make it difficult to achieve or keep peace? Based on my own experience, setting heart and mind on Christ is crucial. If I ever feel peace slipping away, I have learned to recognize that it means I am not focused on God. My gaze has lowered to self. What is going on around me. What might happen. What others are saying. Yet, when I settle my mind on the truths found in God’s word, how He has carried me in the past, and stop to simply breath Him in and out, saying the name of Jesus silently in my mind while clinging closely to Him through prayer, His peace comforts me far better than a warm blanket or a cup of hot tea - and those are two things I enjoy very much. I simply cannot fathom the depth and intensity of the peace of God. It is a blessing beyond compare. If we look at the passage of scripture from Philippians 4 that I read at the beginning of this podcast, it is easy to recognize 5 steps that clearly show us how to achieve peace. Let’s examine the words more closely to see what we should be doing to receive the peace of God. 1. Rejoice! Seek God despite what is going on in or around you. Philippians 4:4 2. Live with gentleness. In this passage, gentleness is defined as being unconcerned with events that aren’t of eternal importance. Philippians 4:5 3. Hand over anxieties to your Heavenly Father. Prayerful fellowship with God allows your mind and heart to focus where He calls. Philippians 4:6 4. Contemplate life with the mind of Christ. Whatever is true, as God defines it, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, or praiseworthy, meditate on those. Philippians 4:8 5. Allow God’s peace to settle over and within you. Ask for it, expect it, and receive it. Philippians 4:9b Paul strived to live for Christ and his instruction is clear, “Whatever you have learned, received, heard, or seen in me, put into practice and the God of peace will be with you.” Paul called for believers not to be anxious about anything. The Greek word for anxious means to have a divided mind between reasonable and destructive thoughts. We know that the opposite of peace is worry, which causes anxiety. Worry and anxiety cause toxic thoughts, which are lies, because they are opposite of God’s truths, and they destroy the peace of God before it can settle in your spirit. Isaiah 48:22 says, “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” How can we expect the blessing of peace if we are not actively seeking and surrendering to Him? Once surrendered to the Father’s will, a follower of Jesus will long for Him, eager to seek the Lord’s wisdom, will, and ways. When our mind and heart are fixed on Him, the peace of God that surpasses any human understanding gives us refuge. No matter who we are in this life, the accolades we may receive, degrees, income, or social standing, we are unable to create genuine, holy, sustainable peace apart from the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit within us. Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace, and it means completeness or wholeness. The frame of reference throughout Jewish literature for this shalom (peace) is tied to shelemut (shell-a-met), which means perfection. This perfect peace is not referring to an absence of earthly strife, quarrels, or trials, but transcends, to a divine, moral centering in the soul and comes from God alone. Perfect peace is a blessing manifested by God, the Author of Perfect Peace. Biblical peace allows more than rest or tranquility. Our Heavenly Father’s peace brings refuge even during conflict and takes action to restore what is broken or hurting through completeness at the Source. Our gracious, loving Father carries many names, of course, as He is the Author of Everything. One name, Yahweh Shalom means “the Lord is peace.” Because the Lord is peace, we receive peace and restoration with God, as well as with others, and ourselves. In this fallen world, peace as a fruit of the spirit is indwelt and felt, as well as sustained, when we purposely seek Him in humble, obedient love and service. God’s peace is presented and upheld through His Heavenly realm. It is not circumstantial or negotiated, but is a mysterious, indwelt, unfathomable gift. John 14:25-31 says, “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.” When I read this passage and begin absorbing all that it proclaims, I’m struck by the confidence of Jesus. That same conviction lives within believers when we cling to Christ. As he spoke to the disciples, Jesus exhibited full trust that the Father, Son, and Holly Spirit were actively working together and in full control of current and future events. Unlike the peace our broken world offers, Jesus had no fear or doubts. We live on the other side of what the disciples experienced with Jesus, able to see how circumstances played out. We know the joyous ending! Without the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, true peace would be impossible. We are unable to walk and talk with Christ in the physical sense the disciples were privileged to explore, yet we live with the benefit of hindsight and all the modern conveniences available to study Jesus through scripture, studies, and fellowship. Yet true peace eludes many believers. When Jesus walked with the disciples, they asked questions, followed, observed Him, and heard His teachings. Once He was gone, the Holy Spirit was sent to embrace that duty. For the remainder of their time on earth, the disciples were carried and comforted by Jesus through another means, the Holy Spirit, who works within believers today. In this passage from John 14, Jesus instructs the disciples not to be troubled. When we follow Jesus, trusting Him as our Savior, our life doesn’t miraculously change to a world of perfection without blemishes. In fact, in many ways it becomes much harder. Yet, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, left as a deposit for us by the grace of our loving Heavenly Father, we may face trials and difficulties while still carrying a peace that transcends anything we could manifest in our own ability. Also included in this passage is a warning about Satan to the disciples. Jesus tells them that Satan is the ruler of this world, but has nothing in Jesus, meaning there is not a thing that the devil can do to get Jesus to sin. The same truth applies to followers of Christ. The devil needs fertile soil to do his work and damage. His strength is found when we have an area in our life that is not surrendered to Christ. Ephesians 4:27 says, “and give no opportunity to the devil.” In order to achieve the perfect peace of God, we must live a life that honors Christ, willingly seeking Him, and humbly surrendering to His will, allowing Him to transform us moment by moment so the fruits of His Spirit may penetrate and bless the fertile ground He is tilling and flourishing so that His perfect peace may abide and protect us. 2 Peter 1:2 says, “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” Not simply a greeting, Peter is offering a blessing and encouragement to believers in these words. The disciple knew that God multiplies grace and peace as a believers seek a deep, humble knowledge of Him through relationship with Jesus. The hallowed power of God supplies His followers with exactly what we need to live a life with holy faith, obedience, and blessings. The key to this fruitful life is always found through two resources. Jesus and God’s holy word. Extracting the truths and promises of God’s word and applying it to our life as we look at each moment with eternal perspective and seek to honor and please Him brings us the peace that only comes from the Holy Spirit residing within us and offers blessings more abundant than we can measure. Dear Heavenly Father, how good and gracious You are. We simply cannot understand how perfectly You love us and how mightily You long to gift us with blessings such as Your peace that surpasses all human comprehension. Father, help us be worthy of Your perfect gifts. May we seek You in ways that please and honor You, may we follow Your words and live with Your light. Help us to live with confidence in Your promises so that we honor the sacrifice Jesus gave for us. Please gift us with your peace and joy each day because we honor You and follow the ways You taught us to receive them. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. If you would like to hear more about living with the peace that can only come from Christ, I invite you to listen to “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast episode 21, “Peace That Passes Understanding.” You can find it easily at terrihitt.com. Click on the podcast page and type the episode name in the search bar just above the current episode on the left. It’s so easy to listen on the go with your phone or iPad as you travel, work, or exercise. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen, follow it, and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 116 - Christ's Peace Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #116 – Christ’s Peace Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. Do you consider peace to be a quality of life concern? Or is peace something you take for granted, expecting to carry it until you don’t have it? Worries or stressors from jobs, finances, children, aging parents, spouse, culture, and more can easily pile weight on our shoulders and minds. Sleeplessness, fatigue, irritability, tears, depression, and divorce are by-products of life without peace. Peace is freedom. Everyone desires tranquility, yet so few carry true peace. How do we define peace that passes understanding? Peace that remains within you despite circumstances swirling around, threatening to overtake your life? Everyone I know desires serenity and contentment. However, what we seek and receive from our own attempts are mere shadows of what we receive through Christ. Various methods exist to seek the harmony sought in this world. Self-care, yoga, breathing, stretching, bubble baths, alcohol, drugs, and many other ways or vices have allowed people temporary freedom from what ails or haunts them. Only one design fills us with everlasting peace we cannot understand, yet appreciate when we receive it. Philippians 4:4-9 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Have you ever wondered what can make it difficult to achieve or keep peace? Based on my own experience, setting heart and mind on Christ is crucial. If I ever feel peace slipping away, I have learned to recognize that it means I am not focused on God. My gaze has lowered to self. What is going on around me. What might happen. What others are saying. Yet, when I settle my mind on the truths found in God’s word, how He has carried me in the past, and stop to simply breath Him in and out, saying the name of Jesus silently in my mind while clinging closely to Him through prayer, His peace comforts me far better than a warm blanket or a cup of hot tea - and those are two things I enjoy very much. I simply cannot fathom the depth and intensity of the peace of God. It is a blessing beyond compare. If we look at the passage of scripture from Philippians 4 that I read at the beginning of this podcast, it is easy to recognize 5 steps that clearly show us how to achieve peace. Let’s examine the words more closely to see what we should be doing to receive the peace of God. 1. Rejoice! Seek God despite what is going on in or around you. Philippians 4:4 2. Live with gentleness. In this passage, gentleness is defined as being unconcerned with events that aren’t of eternal importance. Philippians 4:5 3. Hand over anxieties to your Heavenly Father. Prayerful fellowship with God allows your mind and heart to focus where He calls. Philippians 4:6 4. Contemplate life with the mind of Christ. Whatever is true, as God defines it, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, or praiseworthy, meditate on those. Philippians 4:8 5. Allow God’s peace to settle over and within you. Ask for it, expect it, and receive it. Philippians 4:9b Paul strived to live for Christ and his instruction is clear, “Whatever you have learned, received, heard, or seen in me, put into practice and the God of peace will be with you.” Paul called for believers not to be anxious about anything. The Greek word for anxious means to have a divided mind between reasonable and destructive thoughts. We know that the opposite of peace is worry, which causes anxiety. Worry and anxiety cause toxic thoughts, which are lies, because they are opposite of God’s truths, and they destroy the peace of God before it can settle in your spirit. Isaiah 48:22 says, “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” How can we expect the blessing of peace if we are not actively seeking and surrendering to Him? Once surrendered to the Father’s will, a follower of Jesus will long for Him, eager to seek the Lord’s wisdom, will, and ways. When our mind and heart are fixed on Him, the peace of God that surpasses any human understanding gives us refuge. No matter who we are in this life, the accolades we may receive, degrees, income, or social standing, we are unable to create genuine, holy, sustainable peace apart from the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit within us. Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace, and it means completeness or wholeness. The frame of reference throughout Jewish literature for this shalom (peace) is tied to shelemut (shell-a-met), which means perfection. This perfect peace is not referring to an absence of earthly strife, quarrels, or trials, but transcends, to a divine, moral centering in the soul and comes from God alone. Perfect peace is a blessing manifested by God, the Author of Perfect Peace. Biblical peace allows more than rest or tranquility. Our Heavenly Father’s peace brings refuge even during conflict and takes action to restore what is broken or hurting through completeness at the Source. Our gracious, loving Father carries many names, of course, as He is the Author of Everything. One name, Yahweh Shalom means “the Lord is peace.” Because the Lord is peace, we receive peace and restoration with God, as well as with others, and ourselves. In this fallen world, peace as a fruit of the spirit is indwelt and felt, as well as sustained, when we purposely seek Him in humble, obedient love and service. God’s peace is presented and upheld through His Heavenly realm. It is not circumstantial or negotiated, but is a mysterious, indwelt, unfathomable gift. John 14:25-31 says, “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.” When I read this passage and begin absorbing all that it proclaims, I’m struck by the confidence of Jesus. That same conviction lives within believers when we cling to Christ. As he spoke to the disciples, Jesus exhibited full trust that the Father, Son, and Holly Spirit were actively working together and in full control of current and future events. Unlike the peace our broken world offers, Jesus had no fear or doubts. We live on the other side of what the disciples experienced with Jesus, able to see how circumstances played out. We know the joyous ending! Without the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, true peace would be impossible. We are unable to walk and talk with Christ in the physical sense the disciples were privileged to explore, yet we live with the benefit of hindsight and all the modern conveniences available to study Jesus through scripture, studies, and fellowship. Yet true peace eludes many believers. When Jesus walked with the disciples, they asked questions, followed, observed Him, and heard His teachings. Once He was gone, the Holy Spirit was sent to embrace that duty. For the remainder of their time on earth, the disciples were carried and comforted by Jesus through another means, the Holy Spirit, who works within believers today. In this passage from John 14, Jesus instructs the disciples not to be troubled. When we follow Jesus, trusting Him as our Savior, our life doesn’t miraculously change to a world of perfection without blemishes. In fact, in many ways it becomes much harder. Yet, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, left as a deposit for us by the grace of our loving Heavenly Father, we may face trials and difficulties while still carrying a peace that transcends anything we could manifest in our own ability. Also included in this passage is a warning about Satan to the disciples. Jesus tells them that Satan is the ruler of this world, but has nothing in Jesus, meaning there is not a thing that the devil can do to get Jesus to sin. The same truth applies to followers of Christ. The devil needs fertile soil to do his work and damage. His strength is found when we have an area in our life that is not surrendered to Christ. Ephesians 4:27 says, “and give no opportunity to the devil.” In order to achieve the perfect peace of God, we must live a life that honors Christ, willingly seeking Him, and humbly surrendering to His will, allowing Him to transform us moment by moment so the fruits of His Spirit may penetrate and bless the fertile ground He is tilling and flourishing so that His perfect peace may abide and protect us. 2 Peter 1:2 says, “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” Not simply a greeting, Peter is offering a blessing and encouragement to believers in these words. The disciple knew that God multiplies grace and peace as a believers seek a deep, humble knowledge of Him through relationship with Jesus. The hallowed power of God supplies His followers with exactly what we need to live a life with holy faith, obedience, and blessings. The key to this fruitful life is always found through two resources. Jesus and God’s holy word. Extracting the truths and promises of God’s word and applying it to our life as we look at each moment with eternal perspective and seek to honor and please Him brings us the peace that only comes from the Holy Spirit residing within us and offers blessings more abundant than we can measure. Dear Heavenly Father, how good and gracious You are. We simply cannot understand how perfectly You love us and how mightily You long to gift us with blessings such as Your peace that surpasses all human comprehension. Father, help us be worthy of Your perfect gifts. May we seek You in ways that please and honor You, may we follow Your words and live with Your light. Help us to live with confidence in Your promises so that we honor the sacrifice Jesus gave for us. Please gift us with your peace and joy each day because we honor You and follow the ways You taught us to receive them. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. If you would like to hear more about living with the peace that can only come from Christ, I invite you to listen to “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast episode 21, “Peace That Passes Understanding.” You can find it easily at terrihitt.com. Click on the podcast page and type the episode name in the search bar just above the current episode on the left. It’s so easy to listen on the go with your phone or iPad as you travel, work, or exercise. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen, follow it, and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 099 - Choose to Find Blessings Each Day Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 099 – Choose to Find Blessings Each Day Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast deepens your walk with Jesus and your children, and equips you to become a set-apart woman raising children to chase Christ over culture. It feels so good to be speaking in the podcast microphone again. I apologize for being MIA the last few weeks. If you noticed that no podcast episodes were released recently, it’s because I was sick with a bronchial infection. My voice was gone for many days. I think it was a whisper that only one person in our family could hear for about 8 or 9 days, then my voice began returning slowly day by day. Having no voice is strange. My husband and youngest daughter couldn’t hear most of what I said, so I used my phone to text or wrote notes on paper. Thankfully, my middle daughter has excellent hearing. Nothing gets by her, and she was able to translate when needed! When you produce podcast episodes, yet God allows you to lose your voice, you pay attention. I can’t remember any other time in my several years of podcasting that I’ve lost my voice and been unable to put an episode out. I already had many written, but they weren’t recorded. Guess that’s something I’ll place attention on in the future - getting episodes recorded in advance. As I was forced to rest and heal, I intentionally pondered God’s ways. If He was forcing me to be quiet, I could obey and trust. I could seek what blessings He was giving me (and my family) through this experience. I think everyone agrees, sickness is never fun. Because of this illness, I had to reschedule several appointments. Since we try to keep my youngest as healthy as possible with her health issues, we are always ultra clean and careful about what we do so that no one gets sick. When illness descends into our home, I have to stop and wonder what God is going to work through it. It made me consider blessings that were headed our way, or ways I could still be a blessing to others. Blessings that couldn’t be delivered without me getting sick. Do you routinely look for blessings? I try to make it a habit. But this time while being forced to rest, it was different. Deeper. More intentional. At night, as I breathed heavily to force air in and out, or when I shivered from fever, I knew that I wasn’t going to recover quickly. It was then that I decided God was allowing this illness for a purpose. Although I may not see all the reasons He let me get sick, I could be intentional in identifying what I could see. Early in my illness, I knew it was going to be a while until I recovered. I actually went eight days without showering, and I usually never miss a day! I felt God whispering to me to talk to my youngest daughter about me being sick. As you may know, each morning we start the day playing together. In fact, when she gets up in the morning, she eagerly comes into my presence with glee, ready to start a new storyline with her Lego characters. Afterwards, we have a Bible study together. As I approached her about the fact that it might be several days before I could play again, she was disappointed, of course. But she understood. She could see and hear that I was sick. At first she asked me every day if I might be able to play the next day. After a few days of seeing me get worse instead of better, she resigned herself to the truth that this was going to be a longer healing than she wanted, but she would be okay waiting. When I told her what God revealed to me about her, she was surprised, but her eyes lit with wonder at what God might show her. Here’s how our conversation went: “This morning,” I said to her. “I was asking God to show me the blessings He wants me to see through being sick.” “You did?” she asked. “Yes. It’s so easy to be sad when we get sick, and normal to want to get over it fast, but I think I’m going to be down for a bit.” I revealed. Her face looked sad as she listened. “But I think God has something in store for us,” I said. “He does?” she asked. “Yes. Just this morning in my quiet time, I felt God told me to tell you something. He wants you look for the blessings He’ll show you while I’m sick.” She looked a little surprised and slightly skeptical at this revelation. “I think He wants you to find ways to rely on Him in the mornings instead of me,” I said. She was surprised by my words, but I could tell my girl wasn’t a believer in my thoughts yet. Each day I asked her if she had anything to share. Her answer was no. Until today. I had gotten up earlier than the girls, which is normal in our household, but I was only up a short time when I knew I needed to lay back down and take a nap. So when my youngest got out of bed and came downstairs, I was sleeping on a chaise in the great room. As I slept off and on, I could hear her in the kitchen. To be honest, part of me wanted to make sure she was eating breakfast, but the biggest part of me just wanted to sleep. I let myself doze off again and the next time I awakened, I could hear little clicking sounds. About five minutes later, when she could hear me coughing in the other room, my daughter came in. She asked me what side she could stand on. Yes, I try to cough one way, facing the wall, so that I don’t hack all over everyone. She stood on my left side and showed me the medicine she had placed in her AM/PM pill box. We’ve recently been working together to ensure she knows what medicine she takes and can get it out herself if I’m not with her. Her box holds enough pills for one week, and this was the day it was time to refill everything. When I had first gotten sick, I stood next to her while she did the work herself, but now, a week later I was still sick and sleeping when she needed to take morning medicine and the box was empty. So as I slept, she did her best to fill the tiny slots in the medicine holder, but she didn’t want to take medication until I was awake and we could check it together. I was so joyful to see that all the slots were filled correctly. My girl was able to get every pill she takes and place them in the right position. I quizzed her on what each pill was and what it was for. She answered every question correctly. “My goodness,” I exclaimed! “You did an amazing job!” Big smiles passed between us. “A tiny piece of me is sad that you you’re growing up and able to do this yourself,” I told her honestly. “But the biggest part of me is joyful that you are able to do this all by yourself. You’ve grown up and you’re so smart,” I complimented. After rewarding me with another huge, dimpled smile, my girl said,” Well, I didn’t do it by myself, I asked God to help me.” My heart seemed to swell in my chest. I was so overwhelmed with gratitude that I was sick and she was able to lean on God to move forward in skills and faith that morning. Best of all was the fact that she completed the task by relying on God to lead her…and she recognized that this was one way He blessed - her by me being sick. This was a revelation we had been waiting to see. Over the almost two weeks I’ve been sick, SO many blessings have been discovered. It makes me proclaim - God is good. All the time. Just as we learn in 1 Chronicles 16:34 says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. ” Or James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows .” The goodness God has shown these last couple of weeks has been intimate, personal, just as God is to each of us. But His gifts have been designed that there’s no way we can say they weren’t from Him. I’m not one-hundred percent healed yet, but so close to it! Because I had to go out for an appointment two days ago, it left me more tired yesterday, and I didn’t feel well. I felt like I was starting to slide backwards again. I was tired, had a headache, and just felt like I wanted to be cranky. In my spirit, I could feel the Holy Spirit guarding me – actually protecting my mind. As soon as those thoughts pressed on me, His peace covered me and allowed me to know I didn’t truly desire crankiness. He empowered me to stay calm and feel His presence and healing at work within me. I’m so thankful for His loving presence through this illness and in every moment. He does the very same for you. Are you looking for His blessings this day? While it might be easier to find them when you’re sick and able to concentrate even more deeply on the Father, ask Him to expose what He has for you each day. When you’re sick, or on the run. When you’re busy and when you’re not. When you’re joyful and when you’re sad. Ask Him to make you a blessing to others. Then praise Him when both happen. Because they will. You may not always have the privilege of seeing or hearing what God has done, but that makes His answered prayers all the sweeter when He does expose His mighty hand for you to see. Then proclaim His blessings to others. Remind them that God does the very same for them. He desires for us to be blessed by Him and to proclaim His goodness. Then remember to bless others, because He calls for us to be a blessing, too. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the personal ways You reach us. Thank you that You alone are good. You set the standard, the definition. Lord, we need Your presence in our life. We need You more than the air we breathe, the water we drink when we are parched, or the slumber we desperately seek at night. You are everything that sustains and carries us. Help us to seek You more deeply and walk with You more closely. May our heart never pull away from You. Not even when we are forced to be in bed, when we don’t receive the promotion we deserve, when we have troubling times with spouse or children, when we feel alone or misunderstood. In every trial that life brings may they bring us closer to You because we desire Your presence and trust Your Word. Help us to be brighter lights for You after the hardest times and remain growing in You in the easier times. In the very 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. I work with professionals who care about making Jesus known to their children. Are you a high-achieving woman who loves Jesus, but is so busy with the rush of work and daily life that you feel like you’re being drained like the water in your bathtub? Do you yearn to get closer to Jesus and show Him to your kids so you will create a love that will last into eternity? The desire is there, but your days spiral out of control before you even think about opening your Bible. Do you ever stop to think that you are the first Jesus your child will see? Let me remind you there is hope. There is a way you can be equipped to raise kids who chase Christ over culture. If you want a connected relationship with Christ and your children that leads them to your side and His feet, instead of them seeking validation from peers, I have an 8-step program to move you from frustrated to fulfilled. I will show you how to reflect Jesus in a way that attracts your family to a connected relationship that lasts into eternity. Remember, godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset you carry. 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 arm you with a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You’ll also deepen your identity in Christ so you can mentor the way for your children to do the same. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family and you will have the tools to raise set apart kids as you parent the heart, not simply the behavior. Does this sound like a lifeline to help you be that set-apart mom God has entrusted you to be? Visit terrihitt.com/coaching and click the link for a free, no obligation conversation call with me. This is a strategic call where I will hear your biggest struggle and show you how to turn it into a blessing that will bring you closer to Christ and your children. 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. 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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #089 – Ignite the Fire of Learning with Sheila Carroll – Part 1 Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Last week on the podcast I began a series about homeschooling children. If you haven’t yet listened to the Live With Eternal Perspective Episode 88, “Godly Instruction,” I invite you to do so before diving into the treasures you will hear in this two-part interview I begin today. I am very delighted to introduce you to my guest, Sheila Carroll. Sheila is the founder of Living Books Curriculum, a literature-rich method of study inspired by the work of Charlotte Mason. Sheila has masters’ degrees in Children’s Literature and in Educational Leadership. She is an author, educational consultant, and professional storyteller. She and her husband also have a nonprofit, “Worldwide Educational Resources,” which aids and educates children in West Africa using the Charlotte Mason method. Currently, Sheila is a story coach and narrative therapist, helping home-based entrepreneurs, ministers, therapists and creative-types to discover and heal their God-given story and speak it with an authentic voice. Sheila speaks to parents, organizations, and thought leaders. Best of all, Sheila is a mother and grandmother who home educated for 25 years, and lives in Michigan with her husband and four alpacas. In addition to the creation of LBC curriculum, Sheila is the author of various books and audios, and I will list them in the transcripts of this episode, which you can read on my website at terrihitt.com. Books by Sheila Carroll: Putting the World In A Nutshell: The Art of the Formula Tale. (H.W. Wilson) Aesop Fables with Scripture References, editor (Living Books Press) Storytelling: A Creative Teaching Strategy (Storytime Productions) The Extraordinary Cat and Other Stories (Audio) Stories of the Long Christmas (audio) Sheila is a precious friend of mine. Each time I speak with her I imagine myself sitting at her feet, gleaning much wisdom and guidance. I could chat for hours and not have enough time with her. I pray you learn just what you need to hear today as you listen to our conversation. ------------------------------------------------- INTERVIEW ----------------------------------------------- Friends, did you hear words that encouraged you or better equipped you today? If so, I invite you to listen to Part 2 of this interview next week when Sheila and I dig deeper into methods and instructions to encourage your heart and provide you with practical tips and tools to ignite the fire of learning in your child and help your days at home together run more smoothly. What we do is ultimately for the Lord and the blessings of homeschooling reaches well into the eternal heart and mindset of each of our children. Father God, thank You for all You are and do in our lives. Thank you so much for the opportunity to educate our children at home. You tell us in Your word that parents are to bring our children up in the training and instruction of You. You allow us the privilege of raising and knowing Your precious children, of loving them and discerning through Your guidance what is right for them and the person You have created them to be. Thank you for entrusting us, mere humans, to hold and carry such a sacred role. Father, for those educating their children at home, or praying about doing so, please guide and direct their heart and thoughts. Father, I personally thank you humbly for the opportunity I have to be at home with my girls. I do not take the position as a home educator lightly and although I know I may fall short in my own eyes at times, I pray that You equip and guide me, as well as those listening to not heed our thoughts or emotions, but to continue to keep our mind, eyes, and hearts directed upward to You alone. Bless our homes, our schools, our relationships with each other, and our walk with You through this journey. Move those who need to begin teaching at home to do so and encourage those who are weary and refresh their spirit and attitude. We thank You, Father, for You are so good. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 089 - Ignite the Fire of Learning with Sheila Carroll Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #089 – Ignite the Fire of Learning with Sheila Carroll – Part 1 Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Last week on the podcast I began a series about homeschooling children. If you haven’t yet listened to the Live With Eternal Perspective Episode 88, “Godly Instruction,” I invite you to do so before diving into the treasures you will hear in this two-part interview I begin today. I am very delighted to introduce you to my guest, Sheila Carroll. Sheila is the founder of Living Books Curriculum, a literature-rich method of study inspired by the work of Charlotte Mason. Sheila has masters’ degrees in Children’s Literature and in Educational Leadership. She is an author, educational consultant, and professional storyteller. She and her husband also have a nonprofit, “Worldwide Educational Resources,” which aids and educates children in West Africa using the Charlotte Mason method. Currently, Sheila is a story coach and narrative therapist, helping home-based entrepreneurs, ministers, therapists and creative-types to discover and heal their God-given story and speak it with an authentic voice. Sheila speaks to parents, organizations, and thought leaders. Best of all, Sheila is a mother and grandmother who home educated for 25 years, and lives in Michigan with her husband and four alpacas. In addition to the creation of LBC curriculum, Sheila is the author of various books and audios, and I will list them in the transcripts of this episode, which you can read on my website at terrihitt.com. Books by Sheila Carroll: Putting the World In A Nutshell: The Art of the Formula Tale. (H.W. Wilson) Aesop Fables with Scripture References, editor (Living Books Press) Storytelling: A Creative Teaching Strategy (Storytime Productions) The Extraordinary Cat and Other Stories (Audio) Stories of the Long Christmas (audio) Sheila is a precious friend of mine. Each time I speak with her I imagine myself sitting at her feet, gleaning much wisdom and guidance. I could chat for hours and not have enough time with her. I pray you learn just what you need to hear today as you listen to our conversation. ------------------------------------------------- INTERVIEW ----------------------------------------------- Friends, did you hear words that encouraged you or better equipped you today? If so, I invite you to listen to Part 2 of this interview next week when Sheila and I dig deeper into methods and instructions to encourage your heart and provide you with practical tips and tools to ignite the fire of learning in your child and help your days at home together run more smoothly. What we do is ultimately for the Lord and the blessings of homeschooling reaches well into the eternal heart and mindset of each of our children. Father God, thank You for all You are and do in our lives. Thank you so much for the opportunity to educate our children at home. You tell us in Your word that parents are to bring our children up in the training and instruction of You. You allow us the privilege of raising and knowing Your precious children, of loving them and discerning through Your guidance what is right for them and the person You have created them to be. Thank you for entrusting us, mere humans, to hold and carry such a sacred role. Father, for those educating their children at home, or praying about doing so, please guide and direct their heart and thoughts. Father, I personally thank you humbly for the opportunity I have to be at home with my girls. I do not take the position as a home educator lightly and although I know I may fall short in my own eyes at times, I pray that You equip and guide me, as well as those listening to not heed our thoughts or emotions, but to continue to keep our mind, eyes, and hearts directed upward to You alone. Bless our homes, our schools, our relationships with each other, and our walk with You through this journey. Move those who need to begin teaching at home to do so and encourage those who are weary and refresh their spirit and attitude. We thank You, Father, for You are so good. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. http://www.livingbookscurriculum.com http://www.charlottemasonhomeschooling.com http://www.sheilacarroll.com

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 102 - How To Go From Never Enough Time to More Than Enough - Interview with Lissa Figgins Welcome to the Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 102 – How to Go From Never Enough Time to More Than Enough – Interview with Lissa Figgins, Christian Time Stewardship Coach Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray the podcast gives you the awareness and the tools you need to equip you to STOP being a GOOD mom and BECOME the GODLY mom God entrusts you to be. Then you will be the SET-APART woman who PURPOSELY raises children to chase CHRIST over culture. Just a quick reminder as we start, if you enjoy Purposed Parent Connected Child episodes, would you please share this episode (or others) with a friend or family member? When you graciously take a moment to do that, then leave a rating or review at Apple Podcast, you are ensuring that others will find the podcast and are helping affect generations for Jesus. INTRO My guest today is such a timely gift - pun intended. If you wear busy like a badge, this conversation with Lissa Figgins will help you redeem your time and learn to steward it in a way that honors your family and Christ. Today Lissa teaches us how time management is a myth and shares tips to move you from never enough time to more than enough. While the world is running around trying to manage time, as Christians we are called to steward it. Lissa Figgins, Christian Time Stewardship Coach and host of the “REDEEM Her Time” Podcast, is on mission to shift the way busy midlife entrepreneurs approach time so they can finally stop chasing a clock (and their to-do list). After 25 years of leading, teaching, and coaching Christian women, Lissa discovered WHY women feel like ‘there’s never enough time’- even after organizing their tasks & time-blocking their day: Because the problem is NOT a disordered calendar…it’s a disordered heart. In this season of midlife, Lissa invests her time in what matters most - a deepening faith-walk, an empty-nest family, intentional friendships, a growing business, generous giving, kindled passions, a welcoming home…She even has time for taking care of herself & prioritizing rest! And more than anything she loves helping busy women discover… YOU. HAVE. TIME. ______________________________INTERVIEW____________________________ (The complete interview transcript is available in the how notes on Apple Podcast.) OUTRO What a wonderful conversation with Lissa. I’m sure you found at least one insightful tip to help you redeem time in your life and home. If you’d like more information, please be sure to visit Lissa’s website where you may also grab a copy of her “Fill Your Cup First” Guide. All the info on how to connect will be in the show notes. Dear Heavenly Father, we come before You in awe of Your glory and goodness. Thank you for Your loving mercies for us. Time is such a gift from You that is so easily taken for granted. You graciously give us abundance and we just want more. Please allow the words we shared in this podcast today to reach our hearts in new ways. Equip us to seek You first with the time we are allotted each day, and help us envision what we have with an eternal perspective that leads us first to Your feet and heart, then to see what is important through Your eyes and desires. Help us to be redeemed in and with Your time. We thank you for all You give us. Help us to instruct and mentor time stewardship in our lives, actions, and words so that our children learn the way to have more than enough time for You and the purposes You have created them for. 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. I work with professionals who care about making Jesus known to their children. Are you a high-achieving woman who loves Jesus, but is so busy with the rush of work and daily life that you feel like you’re being drained like the water in your bathtub? Do you yearn to get closer to Jesus and show Him to your kids so you will create a love that will last into eternity? The desire is there, but your days spiral out of control before you even think about opening your Bible. Do you ever stop to think that you are the first Jesus your child will see? Let me remind you there is hope. There is a way you can be equipped to raise kids who chase Christ over culture. If you want a connected relationship with Christ and your children that leads them to your side and His feet, instead of them seeking validation from peers, I have an 8-step program to move you from frustrated to fulfilled. I will show you how to reflect Jesus in a way that attracts your family to a connected relationship that lasts into eternity. Remember, godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset you carry. 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 arm you with a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You’ll also deepen your identity in Christ so you can mentor the way for your children to do the same. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family and you will have the tools to raise set apart kids as you parent the heart, not simply the behavior. Does this sound like a lifeline to help you be that set-apart mom God has entrusted you to be? Visit terrihitt.com/coaching and click the link for a free, no obligation conversation call with me. This is a strategic call where I will hear your biggest struggle and show you how to turn it into a blessing that will bring you closer to Christ and your children. 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. 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. To connect with Lissa: Lissa’s Website: https://redeemhertime.com Lissa’s “Fill Your Cup First Guide”: https://redeemhertime.com/fill FREE “Redeem Your Time Masterclass”: https://redeemhertime.com/masterclass GUESS WHAT? – Lissa’s REDEEM Her Time Planner launches November 12, 2024! But it’s NOT just another planner. It’s a planner + a personal coach that will daily remind you of the truth: YOU. HAVE. TIME. This tool will help you stop MANAGING TIME as a limited resource and start STEWARDING TIME as an abundant gift. Check it out at https://redeemhertime.com/planner Previous Next

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 077 - Understanding the Unique Needs of Each Child - Why Parenting Can't Be One Size Fits All Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 077 – Understanding the Unique Needs of Each Child: Why Parenting Can’t Be One Size Fits All When my mother was alive, she adored Christmas. I know one of her love languages was gifts, because she enjoyed shopping and buying lots of presents at Christmastime. She loved Christmas festivities and no one could decorate a tree as beautifully as my mother did. Whether you saw a store-bought or handmade ornament hanging from her tree, you could barely tell the difference, if at all. Her work was so detailed and well done. My mom was one of the most talented women I know. She could do anything from roofing a house to making her own sewing patterns. When Christmas arrived, she wrapped so many presents the gift pile would reach across the room as she continued placing items under the tree. The presents weren’t just wrapped either. She used gift tags and hand-made bows so that the person would have the experience of opening something that felt special. My mom loved buying lots of gifts, but she made sure she was fair. Usually she would spend the same amount on each of my siblings and me. One way she was able to do that was by often buying us the same gifts in different styles or colors. Many times I knew what I would get simply because I saw my sister open a gift earlier and I knew from experience that I probably had something like it under the tree. For example, one year my sister received a blue pants outfit. When I opened my next gift it was the same outfit in a berry color. This technique worked well for my mom. She was able to buy those presents she loved to give, yet feel like she was a fair mom who kept things equal between children. While this idea can make gifting easier, it’s not a wise choice for parenting. I’ve heard parents remark before that although they raised all of their children the same they sure did turn out differently. This remark is a pet peeve of mine. Why? God, in all His glory and wisdom made each person alive unique. If every person is special and created for a purpose, there is no way they should be parented the same. Did you notice I said should? I also mean can . The two words carry different, but meaningful distinctions. Children should not be parented the same because each one is unique and responds to different methods. No child can be parented the same because every parent is evolving, or they should be. As women we should not be the same person tomorrow that we are today. As mothers, when we mature in godly understanding, our parenting techniques should evolve, as well. Do you see what I mean? Think of how long it takes to raise a child. Let’s just say that your child is in your home for eighteen years. That’s a span of almost twenty years. Are you going to be the same person every year or are you going to change? Is your financial situation going to remain the same? Are your friends and family going to remain the same? Is your child going to remain with the same vulnerabilities and characteristics? Or are they going to mature and develop? Life and families are filled with many variables and uncertainties. The only thing you know without a doubt will stay the same is God. Our sovereign, holy Heavenly Father doesn’t change. Although, having said that however, your walk with Him will change. Or at least it should . As you deepen and mature your walk with Jesus, you are transformed. Not just your thoughts, but your beliefs, desires, actions, and reactions. Let’s say you have a few children, each spaced a few years apart. If you are actively and intentionally growing your relationship with Christ aren’t you going to be a different woman, a different mother for each child? In addition, each child brings their own personality, interests, and challenges. What works with one child won’t necessarily be the best choice for another child. Also, times change, culture changes, technology changes. Do you understand all the different variables involved with parenting? Even when children are raised in the same house by the same parents, each child is unique and to an extent , should be parented differently. I believe that when parents speak of raising children the same, what they usually mean is that they disciplined them in the same way or that they used the same basic household rules , consisting of expectations and corrective measures . But we know that each person is mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually unique. They also arrive in the family in a specific birth order and at different times in the lives of the parents. Your firstborn’s birth generally receives much excitement and attention. As a parent, you are usually less confident and more attentive. The firstborn is usually given more expectations than the following children, at least for a time. The eldest may be asked to help more, especially with younger siblings. They are also expected to lead and set a good example for others. The eldest usually also receives more one-on-one attention from parents, at the very least from the primary caregiver. As each child arrives, parents sometimes become more relaxed in expectations and requirements. Mothers often become more confident in parenting abilities and are less anxious about their role. Children, as they grow, tend to find their “position” in the family, whether it be the clown, the entertainer, the studious one, etc., and often match behaviors to that role, sometimes without intending to do so. As time passes, events like jobs, deaths, life choices, education, financial situations, spiritual growth (or lack thereof), and other circumstances also contribute to the way parents respond to and raise their children. Mothers are human. We carry past experiences, disappointments, hurts, personalities, and interests. Those desires and traits often play a role in the way we respond to our children. The dynamics between parents also affects their relationship with their children. If one parent shows partiality to a child, the other parent may over-compensate with the rest of the children. Each of these factors touch the varying personalities and developing actions or reactions of the children, which then feed into the parents and the cycle continues. Do you see how it’s impossible for parents to state they are raising all of their children the same? If that’s the case, how should you strive to raise your children? Make your intention to parent for God , not to raise your children the same. Don’t focus on fairness . Discipling children for Jesus is where your attention should remain. God intentionally gifted you with unique children. He brought them to you at different times and in specific orders. He has blessed them (and you) with gifts and talents. Your Heavenly Father doesn’t desire that you try to evenly raise everyone the same, but He does call you to disciple your children to know, love, honor, serve, and obey Him. He will equip you and provide the ways to do so with each child. Show them the way to Christ as Savior and mentor the way for them to nourish a lifetime relationship with Him. Creating a plan to parent with purpose is the first step. This is a critical piece of your parenting journey. In my Set-Apart Collective™, I teach mothers a method to parent each child for Christ called the Purposed Parenting Plan™ which enables them to construct one plan that is customizable for every child they are privileged to raise. Motherhood is a holy position, assigned by a loving God. Unless you intentionally craft a plan that will keep you focused and accountable and directs them to the heart and truths of Jesus, you risk flowing with the direction life takes you and missing opportunities to bring your children the fullness of life God intends for them. While it is not possible to raise children exactly the same, there are ways to parent each of your children with the same purpose . 2 Timothy 3:14-17 says, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work .” While the world shouts at parents to raise children to be kind, empathetic, well-mannered, responsible, and educated, a mother following Christ understands that raising her children to know and obey Jesus will develop those qualities and others. Instead of focusing on equally raising children with the characteristics endorsed by culture, raise children by the truths instilled in God’s Word . Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control flow from those with the Holy Spirit abiding within and who humbly submit and mature their walk with Christ intentionally. As you raise your children in the truths of Scripture and show them a pure and humble love for Christ, you will see the characteristics God crafted within them in the womb and help mold them for service and obedience to Christ. Ephesians 6:1-4 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise—so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord .” Parent with godly purpose, not positive parity. Dear Heavenly Father, How blessed we are to fellowship with You through Jesus and the Holy Spirit within us. Help us to remember the power You have invested within us to parent for You. Lead us on Your purposed path to disciple children who know, show, and obey You with humble love and adoration. Enable them to set an example of You for others by their speech, conduct, love, faith and purity . Help us as mothers to see the uniqueness You crafted into each of the children You have entrusted to us. May we disciple them for You as they mature and show them the way to Jesus as Savior. Father, may they love You with joy and fervor. May Your light shine forth from them all the days of their lives because we have led them to you purposely and parented with a plan that clearly showed You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. 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. I believe godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset a mother carries. That’s why I’ve created the Set-Apart Collective. Have you decided peers and culture won’t be the main influence over your child? Would you like to parent to prepare your child for eternity with Christ, not to repair a relationship? In the Set-Apart Collective, you will deepen your walk with Christ, 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. The Set-Apart Collective wait list is open now. The first group of women is currently growing together. Please send me an email at info@terrihitt.com to let me know you’d like to receive information. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. If you connected in some way with this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? It only takes a minute or so and makes a big difference in people finding the podcast. You and I know that the best reviews are by word of mouth, so would you please choose a friend to recommend the show to? Let them know that the podcast is found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Imagine the change we will see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they learn to be intentional, too. 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. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #040 – Personal Mission 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. This morning Brooklyn, my youngest, and I were working together in the kitchen. As I diced vegetables, we discussed the pattern inside the cut head of cauliflower. Have you ever scraped off the top layer and viewed the detailed pattern underneath? It reminded us of a snowflake, which led us into a discussion of how intricately God formed all things and how much intelligent thought and purpose is witnessed in all of creation. Beauty in cauliflower? Yes, the curiously-shaped vegetable! God is the expert in originality. I am awed by such unique and original creations of God. We see Him through all of nature, in animals, in humans. Throughout science and math, in His plan for humanity, His sovereignty, and in His plan of redemption. Everything holds the thumb print and signature of our glorious God. Even cauliflower. Do you love those moments where we can find God’s glorious artistry in something so simple? Naturally including God in simple life events is crucial to growing our walk and advancing the journey of our children for Jesus. Ephesians 1:17 says, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” God has not only extended us beautiful spiritual riches. Our Heavenly Father also gifted us with the ability to intimately know Him through Jesus. We can seek and reach God through His Son, allowing us access to the intellect, emotions, and will of God. When we acknowledge and exclaim the beauty in something as simple as a vegetable, we allow ourselves and those around us, in the circle of our influence, to proclaim the majesty of God for themselves and carve a deeper understanding and appreciation for themselves. I believe it causes us to yearn more for our Heavenly Father and His presence in our life, even in the smallest of details. We recognize the abilities and style of God in new and personal ways. On the podcast last week, we discussed the specifics my family worked together to establish in creating our set of “Hitt Family Principles.” The activity held a very special and eternal significance for each of us. It seemed a small task, but brought us together as we prayerfully considered and verbalized what we wanted to use as a template to move our family forward on a united path to God. Establishing such a set of principles is not necessary for a family to grow together in Christ or to have a strong relationship with God, but it is a very intentional move in ensuring that each of us clearly knows and understands what our family believes and how we desire to accomplish specific Christian growth. I bring this activity up again this week because I believe it is also a beautiful and significant exercise for each of us to do individually, as well. Yes, it can be argued that the family principles should be personal principles, as well. However, I expect that any of us who spend time working on such a task with our family would also want to elevate and clearly keep personal goals in the forefront of our mind and heart, as well. Let me pause here and do a recap for those who listened to the podcast last week and give a brief rundown of what we did for anyone who did not listen to last week’s episode. If you would like to listen to the full podcast where I discuss what we did in full, please refer Episode #039 Family With A Mission. My family and I brain-stormed together to design a set of what we call the “Hitt Family Principles.” We used a business model to generate the framework we build for spiritual goals in our relationship with Jesus. We created it to guide and keep us connected with the same purpose in deepening our walk with God and reminding ourselves and others who and what our family stands for as a united group. I will share what we established. Core Value: We strive to live with eternal perspective through Jesus. Vision Statement: To love, trust, honor, and obey Jesus and grow in faith through Him. Mission Statement: Our family strives to honor God, intentionally pursue God, and show love and respect to Him, and others, while remaining obedient to Him. Key Verse: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5 Again, going from how a business usually works to create how they want their business to grow and exist, our family used the same basic framework to pattern the direction of our principles. Let’s begin with the vision statement. It describes what the organization will look like in the future. A mission statement, on the other hand, describes what an organization does, and for whom. How greatly these tools can be used to guide and grow families together in the same, eternal direction! If the vision statement describes what the family will look like in the future, it offers us an opportunity to establish exactly who and how we want to be for Jesus. It gives us the ability to have a clear vision to move forward, enabling us to advance our walk with purpose. How often do we set goals, but fall short because we do not set a clear vision for how to get there? We definitely have a much greater chance of pleasing God with this clear plan in the front of our mind and heart. It serves as a guiding compass straight north to the heart of our Father. Next, is the mission statement. It is used to establish what the family does and for whom, and we know that there is no greater “whom” than the Great I AM! Also shaped at the same time were the core values that completed the statements we created. Core values are what support the vision, shape the culture and reflect what our family values. Our core values also educate others outside our home, those we come into contact with during the course of different days, showing what our family holds dear. The core values also help to clarify the identity of our family, hopefully brightly shining Christ and our desire to be more like Him. We also chose to add a key verse that we each agree sets the heart and tone for our family, as well as for each of us, as individuals. Although we have printed out our set of principles, I am looking for a special way to beautifully display them in our home so that the words, like promises to God, are visible and noticeable for each of us daily. Because constructing the principles together was an enjoyable and blessed activity for each of us, I want to go further in depth with personal principles. Although I have been a Christian for many years, I have never set my heart on a purposed set of standards that I have prayed over and recorded as a guide to deepen my relationship with God. I know in my heart what to do and purposely work toward that goal with intention, yet I want to experience time alone with God to see what He may reveal to me as what He has individually purposed for me. I desire for my family to do the same. Quiet time with God is never wasted, and I wonder what deeper treasures He may offer us in our walk with Him. How much deeper will we know our Heavenly Father through intentioned pursuit in this special, detailed way? Just as some people make new year resolutions, our family usually starts the new year with a word for the year. I love how it causes us to focus with determination on experiencing God in new ways through that word. But now I desire to take that deeper with a set of personal principles. I plan to use the same basic guidelines with finding a private core value, vision, mission, and key verse. How will God work through this? I don’t know yet, but I’m excited and know that I will be blessed to discover what He does. Will He give me words that I will use forever or will He have me change yearly as I continue to progress in my walk with Him? How about you? Let me know if you have already done this and how you set your standards or constructed your personal principles. I urge you to make time to sit with God and let Him guide you in selecting your own set of family and personal principles. I suspect that what I think might be the words and verse I choose may be quite different after prayerful consideration. Who knows what God might lead me to. I’m excited to see and growth in spiritual and personal depth with my Heavenly Father. Luke 2:52 tells us, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Jesus, even as a boy, intentionally increased and strengthened His relationship with God in every area: mental, (with His wisdom), spiritual, (with His favor from God), and social, (as He displayed God in every way). Jesus advanced His walk with God daily and purposefully. What a perfect role model we have in Jesus. What a gift God gave us through His Son, His Holy word, and our lifeline of prayer. Developing personal principles seems such a simple action. Jesus always took common and simple aspects of life that should have been obvious to the Jewish people and made short stories, or parables, to teach and reach people as nothing else could. Jesus worked and still works, through divine, but straightforward methods that cause us to pause and ponder, and often be convicted. I pray I am convicted in new ways as I delve into creating this personal set of principles. He looks for those of us with hearts open to seek Him, who desire to be influenced, and changed by Him. As I pray for His guidance and truths to craft a personal principle framework to specifically guide me in new ways, I believe God will unveil new realizations or perceptions to me in unique means specifically tailored for me and where I am in my journey with Him. I am ready for more growth. How about you? Would you join me in seeking Him for a set of personal principles that exist to advance your relationship through Jesus? I would be blessed to hear what you allow God to create through you. Father God, please work through each of us to expose more of what You desire from and through us. Help us to crave you in the way Jesus did. May we allow You to shine in all areas of our life. Please peel away layers of humanity and shine Your holiness through us. Help us to realize daily how far we are from You and may we intentionally advance our dependence on, and wisdom through You. May we honor You with every thought, word, and action and continually find new ways to live with our mind set for eternity with You in ways that are pleasing to You right now. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy this podcast, you might like to hear that the terrihitt.com website launches within the next few days! Please visit and subscribe to be a member so that you gain access to all the podcasts housed in one convenient location, as well as receive access to blog posts, and free resources that will be added to weekly. I deeply desire to allow God to cultivate a strong community of women through the work He has given me. May we all be inspired and equipped to live with an eternal perspective and be influenced to raise children for Jesus, not this momentary world. Did you enjoy this episode? Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement and learn how to live with more eternal perspective? Can you think of a friend or family member who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them and take time to leave a quick rating and review wherever you listen to this podcast. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 040 Personal Mission Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #040 – Personal Mission 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. This morning Brooklyn, my youngest, and I were working together in the kitchen. As I diced vegetables, we discussed the pattern inside the cut head of cauliflower. Have you ever scraped off the top layer and viewed the detailed pattern underneath? It reminded us of a snowflake, which led us into a discussion of how intricately God formed all things and how much intelligent thought and purpose is witnessed in all of creation. Beauty in cauliflower? Yes, the curiously-shaped vegetable! God is the expert in originality. I am awed by such unique and original creations of God. We see Him through all of nature, in animals, in humans. Throughout science and math, in His plan for humanity, His sovereignty, and in His plan of redemption. Everything holds the thumb print and signature of our glorious God. Even cauliflower. Do you love those moments where we can find God’s glorious artistry in something so simple? Naturally including God in simple life events is crucial to growing our walk and advancing the journey of our children for Jesus. Ephesians 1:17 says, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” God has not only extended us beautiful spiritual riches. Our Heavenly Father also gifted us with the ability to intimately know Him through Jesus. We can seek and reach God through His Son, allowing us access to the intellect, emotions, and will of God. When we acknowledge and exclaim the beauty in something as simple as a vegetable, we allow ourselves and those around us, in the circle of our influence, to proclaim the majesty of God for themselves and carve a deeper understanding and appreciation for themselves. I believe it causes us to yearn more for our Heavenly Father and His presence in our life, even in the smallest of details. We recognize the abilities and style of God in new and personal ways. On the podcast last week, we discussed the specifics my family worked together to establish in creating our set of “Hitt Family Principles.” The activity held a very special and eternal significance for each of us. It seemed a small task, but brought us together as we prayerfully considered and verbalized what we wanted to use as a template to move our family forward on a united path to God. Establishing such a set of principles is not necessary for a family to grow together in Christ or to have a strong relationship with God, but it is a very intentional move in ensuring that each of us clearly knows and understands what our family believes and how we desire to accomplish specific Christian growth. I bring this activity up again this week because I believe it is also a beautiful and significant exercise for each of us to do individually, as well. Yes, it can be argued that the family principles should be personal principles, as well. However, I expect that any of us who spend time working on such a task with our family would also want to elevate and clearly keep personal goals in the forefront of our mind and heart, as well. Let me pause here and do a recap for those who listened to the podcast last week and give a brief rundown of what we did for anyone who did not listen to last week’s episode. If you would like to listen to the full podcast where I discuss what we did in full, please refer Episode #039 Family With A Mission. My family and I brain-stormed together to design a set of what we call the “Hitt Family Principles.” We used a business model to generate the framework we build for spiritual goals in our relationship with Jesus. We created it to guide and keep us connected with the same purpose in deepening our walk with God and reminding ourselves and others who and what our family stands for as a united group. I will share what we established. Core Value: We strive to live with eternal perspective through Jesus. Vision Statement: To love, trust, honor, and obey Jesus and grow in faith through Him. Mission Statement: Our family strives to honor God, intentionally pursue God, and show love and respect to Him, and others, while remaining obedient to Him. Key Verse: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5 Again, going from how a business usually works to create how they want their business to grow and exist, our family used the same basic framework to pattern the direction of our principles. Let’s begin with the vision statement. It describes what the organization will look like in the future. A mission statement, on the other hand, describes what an organization does, and for whom. How greatly these tools can be used to guide and grow families together in the same, eternal direction! If the vision statement describes what the family will look like in the future, it offers us an opportunity to establish exactly who and how we want to be for Jesus. It gives us the ability to have a clear vision to move forward, enabling us to advance our walk with purpose. How often do we set goals, but fall short because we do not set a clear vision for how to get there? We definitely have a much greater chance of pleasing God with this clear plan in the front of our mind and heart. It serves as a guiding compass straight north to the heart of our Father. Next, is the mission statement. It is used to establish what the family does and for whom, and we know that there is no greater “whom” than the Great I AM! Also shaped at the same time were the core values that completed the statements we created. Core values are what support the vision, shape the culture and reflect what our family values. Our core values also educate others outside our home, those we come into contact with during the course of different days, showing what our family holds dear. The core values also help to clarify the identity of our family, hopefully brightly shining Christ and our desire to be more like Him. We also chose to add a key verse that we each agree sets the heart and tone for our family, as well as for each of us, as individuals. Although we have printed out our set of principles, I am looking for a special way to beautifully display them in our home so that the words, like promises to God, are visible and noticeable for each of us daily. Because constructing the principles together was an enjoyable and blessed activity for each of us, I want to go further in depth with personal principles. Although I have been a Christian for many years, I have never set my heart on a purposed set of standards that I have prayed over and recorded as a guide to deepen my relationship with God. I know in my heart what to do and purposely work toward that goal with intention, yet I want to experience time alone with God to see what He may reveal to me as what He has individually purposed for me. I desire for my family to do the same. Quiet time with God is never wasted, and I wonder what deeper treasures He may offer us in our walk with Him. How much deeper will we know our Heavenly Father through intentioned pursuit in this special, detailed way? Just as some people make new year resolutions, our family usually starts the new year with a word for the year. I love how it causes us to focus with determination on experiencing God in new ways through that word. But now I desire to take that deeper with a set of personal principles. I plan to use the same basic guidelines with finding a private core value, vision, mission, and key verse. How will God work through this? I don’t know yet, but I’m excited and know that I will be blessed to discover what He does. Will He give me words that I will use forever or will He have me change yearly as I continue to progress in my walk with Him? How about you? Let me know if you have already done this and how you set your standards or constructed your personal principles. I urge you to make time to sit with God and let Him guide you in selecting your own set of family and personal principles. I suspect that what I think might be the words and verse I choose may be quite different after prayerful consideration. Who knows what God might lead me to. I’m excited to see and growth in spiritual and personal depth with my Heavenly Father. Luke 2:52 tells us, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Jesus, even as a boy, intentionally increased and strengthened His relationship with God in every area: mental, (with His wisdom), spiritual, (with His favor from God), and social, (as He displayed God in every way). Jesus advanced His walk with God daily and purposefully. What a perfect role model we have in Jesus. What a gift God gave us through His Son, His Holy word, and our lifeline of prayer. Developing personal principles seems such a simple action. Jesus always took common and simple aspects of life that should have been obvious to the Jewish people and made short stories, or parables, to teach and reach people as nothing else could. Jesus worked and still works, through divine, but straightforward methods that cause us to pause and ponder, and often be convicted. I pray I am convicted in new ways as I delve into creating this personal set of principles. He looks for those of us with hearts open to seek Him, who desire to be influenced, and changed by Him. As I pray for His guidance and truths to craft a personal principle framework to specifically guide me in new ways, I believe God will unveil new realizations or perceptions to me in unique means specifically tailored for me and where I am in my journey with Him. I am ready for more growth. How about you? Would you join me in seeking Him for a set of personal principles that exist to advance your relationship through Jesus? I would be blessed to hear what you allow God to create through you. Father God, please work through each of us to expose more of what You desire from and through us. Help us to crave you in the way Jesus did. May we allow You to shine in all areas of our life. Please peel away layers of humanity and shine Your holiness through us. Help us to realize daily how far we are from You and may we intentionally advance our dependence on, and wisdom through You. May we honor You with every thought, word, and action and continually find new ways to live with our mind set for eternity with You in ways that are pleasing to You right now. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoy this podcast, you might like to hear that the terrihitt.com website launches within the next few days! Please visit and subscribe to be a member so that you gain access to all the podcasts housed in one convenient location, as well as receive access to blog posts, and free resources that will be added to weekly. I deeply desire to allow God to cultivate a strong community of women through the work He has given me. May we all be inspired and equipped to live with an eternal perspective and be influenced to raise children for Jesus, not this momentary world. Did you enjoy this episode? Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement and learn how to live with more eternal perspective? Can you think of a friend or family member who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them and take time to leave a quick rating and review wherever you listen to this podcast. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 015 Rachel Hauck Interview Listen to Episode http://www.rachelhauck.com

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #039 – Family With A Mission 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. I’m so happy to bring this episode to you today. Before I get to the real news in the podcast, though, I want to share what I believe to be very exciting news! My website is about to launch! If you visit terrihitt.com today, you go ahead and enter your name and email address so that you will be notified when the site is fully launched. At that time you will be able to receive some beautiful and helpful free resources to encourage and equip you to walk in a more mature relationship with God. The best part? You also easy get access to my blog and past podcasts through the website and more resources and material will continue to be added. I am truly thrilled to be able to begin presenting material that I believe God prompted me to write that I pray will speak to your heart as it has mine. Time spent with God is never wasted. Now, back to the episode. Today, I have something a little different to discuss. I think I’ve shared before how much I love to listen to podcasts. Long before God called me to begin the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast, I was already listening to a variety of others when I got ready in the mornings or cleaned house. Quite a few months ago, I was listening to the Building A StoryBrand podcast, and was inspired by one of the business episodes I listened to, to create a personal set of Core Christian Family Values, as well as Vision and Mission statements. During the time we were stuck at home during Covid isolation in March or April, my family and I sat together and brain-stormed about what we wanted our statements to be. The idea is to use them to help us move more closely together, in unison, to the goal that we feel Jesus has set for us as a family unit. I want to mention that our family has made very intentional steps to make Jesus known in our home and to mentor our daughters to know Him. While our girls each have a personal relationship with Jesus, it is our goal to enable them to continue growing and deepening their walk with God through Jesus and to establish strong faith that shines and follows where God leads them in life. However, we are always looking for ways to make not only their walk stronger, but the faith and walk of our entire family, including our extended members, such as my son and grandson. With this end goal as my deepest desire, I often ponder new ways to establish eternal and permanent steps to walk more closely with our Heavenly Father in very constructive ways. Just like a business model will institute core values, as well as a vision and mission statement, families can greatly benefit from the guidance this set of tools provides. I believe Christian families who deeply desire to pattern an eternal lifestyle for their children and home will benefit enormously from this small step. What gets super exciting for me is the reason for them. Listen to this. The vision statement describes what the organization will look like in the future. A mission statement, on the other hand, describes what an organization does, and for whom. Did you catch that? When I thought about it, I was really fired up! How greatly these tools can be used to guide and grow families together in the same, eternal direction! If the vision statement describes what the family will look like in the future, it offers us an opportunity to establish exactly who and how we want to be for Jesus. How amazing! Of course, we will have a greater chance of pleasing God with this clear plan in the front of our mind and heart. It serves as a guiding compass straight north to the heart of our Father. Next, is the mission statement. It is used to establish what the family does and for whom, and we know that there is no greater “whom” than the Great I AM! Also shaped at the same time were the core values that completed the statements we created. Core values are what support the vision, shape the culture and reflect what our family values. Our core values also educate others outside our home, those we come into contact with during the course of different days, showing what our family holds dear. The core values also help to clarify the identity of our family, hopefully brightly shining Christ and our desire to be more like Him. We also chose to add a key verse that we each agree sets the heart and tone for our family, as well as for each of us, as individuals. We chose to call our completed project, “Hitt Family Principles.” Of course, you can choose your own name, and some may select to call theirs a creed or something similar. I prefer “principles” because the meaning of the word speaks to my heart. The definition of the word principles means “an accepted or professed rule of action or conduct, a person of good moral principles, a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived.” I felt this definition perfectly explained what we are trying to put together to ensure that we live for God in the highest ways we can. Although there are many ways families could use this exercise, I will share what we did. Please feel free to change things to suit the style and needs of your family. While the wording of our mission and vision statements could have been reworked or edited to sound better, I am pleased to present them now as statements the four of us crafted together. How important that is! The words reflect the heart and desires we want to craft together in our journey through life. I was truly filled with joy to do this activity together and to peek inside the hearts of my husband and children while we worked. These are the principles our family came up with. Core Value: We strive to live with eternal perspective through Jesus. Vision Statement: To love, trust, honor, and obey Jesus and grow in faith through Him. Mission Statement: Our family strives to honor God, intentionally pursue God, and show love and respect to Him, and others, while remaining obedient to Him. Key Verse: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5 When a family has worked together to set core values, a vision and mission statement, and a key verse that signifies a command or promise from God that sets the tone for you as individuals and a unit, it becomes a permanent guide to check your heart and actions against. No matter how old your children get, if you are a family that works to grow in the Lord together, you will face challenges and opportunities with wisdom and strength, wearing the armor of God as protection against the storms of life. There is nothing more important than setting a firm foundation for our children and family. Creating a clear set of family principles together is one step in forming an atmosphere of love, worship, and reverence for God in your home. The set of principles you create will be a template on which decisions will be made that determine the direction of your family, keep individual goals aligned with what is pleasing to God, and for evaluation and improvement of individual journeys with the Lord. Ecclesiastes 6:12 says, “For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?” None of us know the number of our days. Every moment we use to praise God with our family and instruct our children and grandchildren to know, love, honor, and obey the Lord is like depositing gold in a treasure chest. There is nothing better we can devote our time to. I’d love to share a few verses that speak to the importance of focusing our intentions and actions in eternal ways. James 4:14 says, “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” Psalm 39:5 says, “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.” Psalm 144:4 says, “Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.” 1 Peter 1:7 says, “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Father God, only You know the number of our days. Help us to make each one we have count as blessings to You, bringing us nearer to Your heart and purpose for us. We thank you for the relationship You crave with each one of us. Help us focus on knowing and loving You more and modeling the joy You place inside us for others to be attracted to You. Give us Your fullness of joy as we seek and abide in You. Help us grow our families in the way You desire and let us mentor and protect the gentle spirit you place in our children so that they long for and follow You above all else. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Did you enjoy this episode? Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement and learn how to live with more eternal perspective? Can you think of a friend or family member who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them and take time to leave a quick rating and review wherever you listen to this podcast. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 039 Family With A Mission Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #039 – Family With A Mission 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. I’m so happy to bring this episode to you today. Before I get to the real news in the podcast, though, I want to share what I believe to be very exciting news! My website is about to launch! If you visit terrihitt.com today, you go ahead and enter your name and email address so that you will be notified when the site is fully launched. At that time you will be able to receive some beautiful and helpful free resources to encourage and equip you to walk in a more mature relationship with God. The best part? You also easy get access to my blog and past podcasts through the website and more resources and material will continue to be added. I am truly thrilled to be able to begin presenting material that I believe God prompted me to write that I pray will speak to your heart as it has mine. Time spent with God is never wasted. Now, back to the episode. Today, I have something a little different to discuss. I think I’ve shared before how much I love to listen to podcasts. Long before God called me to begin the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast, I was already listening to a variety of others when I got ready in the mornings or cleaned house. Quite a few months ago, I was listening to the Building A StoryBrand podcast, and was inspired by one of the business episodes I listened to, to create a personal set of Core Christian Family Values, as well as Vision and Mission statements. During the time we were stuck at home during Covid isolation in March or April, my family and I sat together and brain-stormed about what we wanted our statements to be. The idea is to use them to help us move more closely together, in unison, to the goal that we feel Jesus has set for us as a family unit. I want to mention that our family has made very intentional steps to make Jesus known in our home and to mentor our daughters to know Him. While our girls each have a personal relationship with Jesus, it is our goal to enable them to continue growing and deepening their walk with God through Jesus and to establish strong faith that shines and follows where God leads them in life. However, we are always looking for ways to make not only their walk stronger, but the faith and walk of our entire family, including our extended members, such as my son and grandson. With this end goal as my deepest desire, I often ponder new ways to establish eternal and permanent steps to walk more closely with our Heavenly Father in very constructive ways. Just like a business model will institute core values, as well as a vision and mission statement, families can greatly benefit from the guidance this set of tools provides. I believe Christian families who deeply desire to pattern an eternal lifestyle for their children and home will benefit enormously from this small step. What gets super exciting for me is the reason for them. Listen to this. The vision statement describes what the organization will look like in the future. A mission statement, on the other hand, describes what an organization does, and for whom. Did you catch that? When I thought about it, I was really fired up! How greatly these tools can be used to guide and grow families together in the same, eternal direction! If the vision statement describes what the family will look like in the future, it offers us an opportunity to establish exactly who and how we want to be for Jesus. How amazing! Of course, we will have a greater chance of pleasing God with this clear plan in the front of our mind and heart. It serves as a guiding compass straight north to the heart of our Father. Next, is the mission statement. It is used to establish what the family does and for whom, and we know that there is no greater “whom” than the Great I AM! Also shaped at the same time were the core values that completed the statements we created. Core values are what support the vision, shape the culture and reflect what our family values. Our core values also educate others outside our home, those we come into contact with during the course of different days, showing what our family holds dear. The core values also help to clarify the identity of our family, hopefully brightly shining Christ and our desire to be more like Him. We also chose to add a key verse that we each agree sets the heart and tone for our family, as well as for each of us, as individuals. We chose to call our completed project, “Hitt Family Principles.” Of course, you can choose your own name, and some may select to call theirs a creed or something similar. I prefer “principles” because the meaning of the word speaks to my heart. The definition of the word principles means “an accepted or professed rule of action or conduct, a person of good moral principles, a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived.” I felt this definition perfectly explained what we are trying to put together to ensure that we live for God in the highest ways we can. Although there are many ways families could use this exercise, I will share what we did. Please feel free to change things to suit the style and needs of your family. While the wording of our mission and vision statements could have been reworked or edited to sound better, I am pleased to present them now as statements the four of us crafted together. How important that is! The words reflect the heart and desires we want to craft together in our journey through life. I was truly filled with joy to do this activity together and to peek inside the hearts of my husband and children while we worked. These are the principles our family came up with. Core Value: We strive to live with eternal perspective through Jesus. Vision Statement: To love, trust, honor, and obey Jesus and grow in faith through Him. Mission Statement: Our family strives to honor God, intentionally pursue God, and show love and respect to Him, and others, while remaining obedient to Him. Key Verse: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5 When a family has worked together to set core values, a vision and mission statement, and a key verse that signifies a command or promise from God that sets the tone for you as individuals and a unit, it becomes a permanent guide to check your heart and actions against. No matter how old your children get, if you are a family that works to grow in the Lord together, you will face challenges and opportunities with wisdom and strength, wearing the armor of God as protection against the storms of life. There is nothing more important than setting a firm foundation for our children and family. Creating a clear set of family principles together is one step in forming an atmosphere of love, worship, and reverence for God in your home. The set of principles you create will be a template on which decisions will be made that determine the direction of your family, keep individual goals aligned with what is pleasing to God, and for evaluation and improvement of individual journeys with the Lord. Ecclesiastes 6:12 says, “For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?” None of us know the number of our days. Every moment we use to praise God with our family and instruct our children and grandchildren to know, love, honor, and obey the Lord is like depositing gold in a treasure chest. There is nothing better we can devote our time to. I’d love to share a few verses that speak to the importance of focusing our intentions and actions in eternal ways. James 4:14 says, “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” Psalm 39:5 says, “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.” Psalm 144:4 says, “Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.” 1 Peter 1:7 says, “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Father God, only You know the number of our days. Help us to make each one we have count as blessings to You, bringing us nearer to Your heart and purpose for us. We thank you for the relationship You crave with each one of us. Help us focus on knowing and loving You more and modeling the joy You place inside us for others to be attracted to You. Give us Your fullness of joy as we seek and abide in You. Help us grow our families in the way You desire and let us mentor and protect the gentle spirit you place in our children so that they long for and follow You above all else. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Did you enjoy this episode? Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement and learn how to live with more eternal perspective? Can you think of a friend or family member who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them and take time to leave a quick rating and review wherever you listen to this podcast. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #054 – Parenting His Purpose Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. A few days ago I was working on the podcast, but stopped and began listening with a smile when I heard my daughters giggling together over something in the kitchen. Their carefree laughter brought such joy to my spirit. It brought to mind how God must feel each time we eagerly seek His presence and take joy in learning more of Him. Just as the girls were authentically sharing moments together, God wants us to invite Him to share both large and small memories with Him. Our Heavenly Father created us for special fellowship together. Since the fall of creation, this world we live in has been warped and broken. Our spirits have been yearning to reconnect with God in the intimate ways He designed for us. The Good Father created us on purpose with a purpose. As we know, before Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, they shared a very unique and special relationship with God that carried privileges we have never experienced. 1. Adam and Eve were privileged to walk and talk with God daily. 2. Adam and Eve saw God through the pure lens God desired. They were not confused or misled by sin, as it had not yet entered their lives. 3. Adam and Eve lived with a richness and fullness that God intended for their spirits and minds, unaffected by our now-fallen world. After disobeying God, sin damaged and severed their perfect relationship with God. The intimate bond and communion Adam and Eve shared with God was destroyed. After they chose to believe Satan, and made choices that tore them from God’s perfection, their knowledge and understanding of God became twisted. Although they once walked with God in abundant life, they now hid in the shadows of their once peaceful world, as death entered their world and altered their existence. Our lives are now positioned on what occurred through Adam and Eve’s choice and what the world became after the Fall. Every man and woman has been separated from God, we are not wise to the truths of God, and we are each condemned to not only a physical death, but a spiritual death as well. Thankfully, because of Jesus, we have a Redeemer and Rescuer who has brought us back into a beautiful fellowship with God. We don’t have to live alienated from God, ignorant of God, condemned to death, or without hope or purpose. So why do so many Christians who rejoice in the fact that they are saved through Jesus and proclaim to love the Lord neglect to live a lifestyle that focuses on eternity with a heart and mindset like Jesus? Why don’t we teach our children to live with a mindset and purpose that is set for eternity and raise them for Jesus? Because, just like Jesus said in Luke 23:34a, “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Just as Satan’s words to Eve contained partial truth (although it was twisted), the devil uses the same tactics with us today. Satan tempts humans by appealing to our desires. Often, mothers want so much for their children that we forget how very little they really need. We are so busy trying to do and get all we can for them. All they really need is a firm foundation set on Jesus and a life that seeks and reflects Him. The same truth applies to us. Our life should not be defined by how much our children have or what they do. Stop trying to present them with the best or the most and commit to loving them as God calls. Help them build a firm and solid foundation on Jesus. God will equip and lead you to give them what they truly need and He will also surprise you with blessings beyond as you follow Him with a joyous and honoring heart. As a woman who has raised two sets of family over a span of forty-two years, I’ve watched fads come and go, and I’ve seen the way current culture affects home and family. I’ve experienced the consistency of a firm foundation settled on Jesus, as well as life without much thought to Him. No strategy, no amount of love or attention, no hope, no plans, no relationship with a human, nothing carries the value and hope that a maturing relationship with God through Jesus holds. When we live a life connected to Jesus, it builds a lifeline between our children and the Lord. Philippians 3:8 says, “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.” If we really believe that verse, why don’t we live like it? Why don’t we ensure that our children know Jesus and teach them that nothing in this life lasts, nothing matters but a firm foundation built on Him? Do you understand what the word foundation means in relation to our child and his relationship with and dependency on Christ? Really take a few moments to soak in the importance of the word and meaning. A life built on the foundation of Jesus will have a life-affirming, truthful basis for a belief system, stability, support, and a life patterned after the Authority and Creator. For a year I have written podcasts set to build our relationships with God through maturing our walk with Jesus. Without Him, this world has no hope, no peace, and cannot offer love or understanding. Look at the way our culture continues to change and the effects it has on us, let alone our children. Media, shows, books, magazines, fashion, education, celebrities, and superstars all desensitize our precious children and we are to blame, as we ignorantly or lazily let it continue. Many kids grow up wanting fame at the cost of anything, including morals, reputation, relationships, and life. Instead of humbly following the Lord, they follow strangers who lead them far away from where a true believer and follower of Christ should be. Our children have time for phones and social media, but make no time to invest in growing and deepening a walk with Jesus. We have ourselves to blame if we have not allowed Christ to rule our life and modeled Him humbly and purely to them daily. Most of the time, our children pattern themselves and their life choices after what they see us do. I hope that if you are listening to this podcast you are either already maturing your walk with Jesus through an intentional, continuous basis or that you are very interested in doing so. I have known Jesus for 39 years. My walk with Him has not been perfect, but Jesus has never left my side. It is my honor, and frankly my duty, as I know where God is calling me, to teach you what God has shown to me, as well as to lead you straight to Him through the practical ways I’ve shared over the last year. Heavy on my heart at this time, as I know God has laid it there, is the knowledge that He is calling me to walk with you in the way our children are raised. Am I saying I have all of the perfect answers to raising children? Absolutely not! But I know Who does and how to guide you to Him. I have seen the truth of God’s word come true over and over again. Everything in the Bible is truth and God is not mocked. We do reap what we sow. Our children are affected by what we believe and the actions we choose. As you raise and provide for your precious children, be certain of what you believe and stand for, how you represent Jesus, and what you model for your children. I’m going to list questions that each of us should regularly remember to ask ourselves and evaluate honestly. These are vitally important, not only for us, but for those around us, especially for the children God entrusted to our care. 1. What do I believe? Do I know my beliefs and how they affect my eternity? Have I thought about how they shape the eternity of those around me? If I am a believer in Jesus, it is imperative that I am clear in these areas and striving to grow in Him daily and make Him clearly known to my children. 2. Is it apparent that I am a Christian? What does that word mean to me? Have I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior? How do I represent Christ each day? Do I say one thing and do another? Am I consistent in my attitude and heartitude, making my maturing relationship with Jesus loving and evident? 3. What are my children learning? Do they know Jesus as Savior? Are they lovingly and intentionally maturing their walk with God through Jesus each day or are they Christians in name or claim only? Do I see fruits of the spirit continuously ripening in them? 4. Am I actively helping my children grow in Jesus daily or expecting the church or someone else to help them grow in maturity? How are they seeing me intentionally grow my walk with Christ? What kind of relationship do they see? Am I making Jesus known to them in real and personal ways? Do I regularly model and mentor them in Jesus in a loving and godly way? Let’s think back to the points I made at the beginning of this podcast when I discussed Adam and Eve in the garden. 1. Adam and Eve were able to walk and talk with God daily. As mothers who believe in Jesus, it should be our deepest desire to see our children walk and talk with God daily. 2. Adam and Eve saw God through the pure lens God desired. They were not confused or misled by sin, as it had not yet entered their lives. We should desire that our children know the word of God and His love through Jesus so that they are not confused by sin and are not attracted to what this world shoves at them. 3. Adam and Eve lived with a richness and fullness that God intended for their spirits and minds, unaffected by our now-fallen world. Godly parenting looks for ways to fill the minds of our children with the fullness of joy God intends for them and looks for ways to help our children mature and shine fruits of the Spirit. 4. Adam and Eve looked forward to spending time with God. Getting to know the Lord should not be a chore or something we barely make time for. Our relationship with God should be a priority so that it becomes one for our children. How can we, as humans, fill these demanding roles? Only through the power and presence of Jesus in our life. Parenting is hard. I think of our loving Heavenly Father, who always stands ready to carry us. God never leaves our side. If you are a parent, grandparent, or person of influence over a child’s life, I urge you to acknowledge that there is nothing more important you can do for the one you love than to allow God to work through you to form their soul and eternal relationship with Him. God did not pick you because you have it all together. He is allowing your influence on His child, because God trusts that you will allow Him to work through you. When I became a mother at the age of 18, I did not have a relationship with Christ. I thought I was so mature for my age, and I was to a point. But as Jeremiah 9:23 says, “This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches.” Likewise, Proverbs 3:13 says, “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.” And listen to this wisdom from Job 28:28, which says, “And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.” One of my favorites is Luke 2:52, which says, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” How blessed we (and our children) are if God can proclaim that our children are growing in favor with Him! It is up to each one of us to have such a close, honoring, and obedient relationship with the Lord that we must equip our children to develop deep and wide-spread roots of faith. When the storms of life come, and they will, our children will be able to withstand the trials of life because the soil they embed their life in is rich and their roots are straining to the depth and width strong faith requires. Trees with weak root systems and poorly cultivated soil will weaken and “hollow-out” as life attacks them. Storms and winds, pestilence and disease are strong when the tree is not lovingly watched over and provided for. When the root system of a tree is not carefully guarded, the tree fails to thrive and often dies. In contrast, a healthy root system can even sprout new trees when the above ground part of the tree is burned. It is imperative for our children to have strong faith roots in order for them to know, honor, follow, and shine Jesus. We are the gardener, working directly for the Master to ensure that His trees are raised to bloom healthy and strong in and through Him. Life in this world will not prepare our children for a lifetime of following Jesus and living a rich life blessed with the fruits of following Him. As the mothers entrusted to protect, nurture, and train God’s precious child, we must grasp the weight of the holy work our Heavenly Father God has allowed us to participate in. Jesus is our strength and guide. In order to properly guard and counsel our children, it is imperative that we are attuned to Him through a close and maturing walk ourselves. We live in a world that is in direct opposition to what God desires for and requires of us. An example of this comes to mind when I think of how our schools have taught a warped science that excludes God and religion. How can you teach a subject without including the author of that subject? Science and religion are not separate. Educators use textbooks that teach subjects without divine inspiration from the author of creation, and they are unable to speak His word or truths in school. Our children are victims, living without wisdom or values from God and striving for the emptiness of this world system, which will never fulfill them. Mothers, it is imperative that we take a stand. One day each of us will stand before God and be held accountable for the way we influenced His children. Your future relationship with your child and their eternal future depends on the decisions and priorities you establish and adhere to right now. As you may know, I homeschool. It has made a critical difference in my ability to reach my children for the Lord. An education at home has allowed me the benefit of studying and understanding my children at a depth I would not have been privileged to observe and discover if I sent them away for hours to go to school elsewhere each day. I see the character and attitudes of my girls clearly and honestly, and the same is true in reverse. They see the passion I have for Jesus, and my loving desire and reasons for them to know, honor, love, and obey Him. My children are receiving an education based on morals and integrity taught from God’s Holy Word and learning the basis for what we hold to be standards for right and wrong. Character formation is a difficult, but worthy and holy task. I am blessed to work at it at great lengths daily in our time together. I have also raised children through the public school system. I also know many Christians who have. I pray that each of us will trust God to provide and guide, and not make decisions based out of fear or ignorance. Allow Him to choose where and how your child will be educated, but understand that the decision will influence how much “clean up work” you will be involved in. Many children have been raised through the public school system or private schools and they have stayed true to the faith taught by diligent parents, however, I know it is becoming more and more difficult to combat the lies and unbiblical actions thrust at our children every day for years. When I was a young mother and a new Christian, I foolishly believed that the church was where my children learned about God. I thought that if they know I loved Jesus and we went to church each week, that they would be raised as followers of Jesus. How naïve! This world, school systems, peers, social media, strangers, and others have much access to the ones we love most and we must have a plan in place to teach them the truths and joys God desires for them. God provides freedom from this world, not restriction. He bestows grace, not condemnation. Teach the truth because it is absolutely certain that others are filling your children with deceit. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for lovingly entrusting your precious, specially-crafted children into our hands. I pray we have the mindset you desire to raise them and lovingly teach them of You. Help us to perfect our walk with you more and more daily, mentoring the way for our children to have an even stronger walk with You. May each generation become stronger and deeper in faith and reach many as You work through them. Show us the way You desire us to love and teach each unique child you have allowed us. Make it clear where we need to change and grow in You ourselves, and may we admit our mistakes and change our course. May we shine You so well that our children cannot turn away. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. The Live With Eternal Perspective podcast is currently linked to terrihitt.com, where you can access the episodes housed in one convenient location, as well as receive access to blog posts, transcripts, and additional resources designed to mature your walk with Christ and equip you to raise or influence children with love and purpose through Him. If you would like another episode specifically about parenting children, you may like listening to “Equipping Children,” Episode #7 of the Live With Eternal Perspective podcast. I pray you intentionally continue to draw nearer to Jesus and cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 054 Parenting His Purpose Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #054 – Parenting His Purpose Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. A few days ago I was working on the podcast, but stopped and began listening with a smile when I heard my daughters giggling together over something in the kitchen. Their carefree laughter brought such joy to my spirit. It brought to mind how God must feel each time we eagerly seek His presence and take joy in learning more of Him. Just as the girls were authentically sharing moments together, God wants us to invite Him to share both large and small memories with Him. Our Heavenly Father created us for special fellowship together. Since the fall of creation, this world we live in has been warped and broken. Our spirits have been yearning to reconnect with God in the intimate ways He designed for us. The Good Father created us on purpose with a purpose. As we know, before Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, they shared a very unique and special relationship with God that carried privileges we have never experienced. 1. Adam and Eve were privileged to walk and talk with God daily. 2. Adam and Eve saw God through the pure lens God desired. They were not confused or misled by sin, as it had not yet entered their lives. 3. Adam and Eve lived with a richness and fullness that God intended for their spirits and minds, unaffected by our now-fallen world. After disobeying God, sin damaged and severed their perfect relationship with God. The intimate bond and communion Adam and Eve shared with God was destroyed. After they chose to believe Satan, and made choices that tore them from God’s perfection, their knowledge and understanding of God became twisted. Although they once walked with God in abundant life, they now hid in the shadows of their once peaceful world, as death entered their world and altered their existence. Our lives are now positioned on what occurred through Adam and Eve’s choice and what the world became after the Fall. Every man and woman has been separated from God, we are not wise to the truths of God, and we are each condemned to not only a physical death, but a spiritual death as well. Thankfully, because of Jesus, we have a Redeemer and Rescuer who has brought us back into a beautiful fellowship with God. We don’t have to live alienated from God, ignorant of God, condemned to death, or without hope or purpose. So why do so many Christians who rejoice in the fact that they are saved through Jesus and proclaim to love the Lord neglect to live a lifestyle that focuses on eternity with a heart and mindset like Jesus? Why don’t we teach our children to live with a mindset and purpose that is set for eternity and raise them for Jesus? Because, just like Jesus said in Luke 23:34a, “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Just as Satan’s words to Eve contained partial truth (although it was twisted), the devil uses the same tactics with us today. Satan tempts humans by appealing to our desires. Often, mothers want so much for their children that we forget how very little they really need. We are so busy trying to do and get all we can for them. All they really need is a firm foundation set on Jesus and a life that seeks and reflects Him. The same truth applies to us. Our life should not be defined by how much our children have or what they do. Stop trying to present them with the best or the most and commit to loving them as God calls. Help them build a firm and solid foundation on Jesus. God will equip and lead you to give them what they truly need and He will also surprise you with blessings beyond as you follow Him with a joyous and honoring heart. As a woman who has raised two sets of family over a span of forty-two years, I’ve watched fads come and go, and I’ve seen the way current culture affects home and family. I’ve experienced the consistency of a firm foundation settled on Jesus, as well as life without much thought to Him. No strategy, no amount of love or attention, no hope, no plans, no relationship with a human, nothing carries the value and hope that a maturing relationship with God through Jesus holds. When we live a life connected to Jesus, it builds a lifeline between our children and the Lord. Philippians 3:8 says, “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.” If we really believe that verse, why don’t we live like it? Why don’t we ensure that our children know Jesus and teach them that nothing in this life lasts, nothing matters but a firm foundation built on Him? Do you understand what the word foundation means in relation to our child and his relationship with and dependency on Christ? Really take a few moments to soak in the importance of the word and meaning. A life built on the foundation of Jesus will have a life-affirming, truthful basis for a belief system, stability, support, and a life patterned after the Authority and Creator. For a year I have written podcasts set to build our relationships with God through maturing our walk with Jesus. Without Him, this world has no hope, no peace, and cannot offer love or understanding. Look at the way our culture continues to change and the effects it has on us, let alone our children. Media, shows, books, magazines, fashion, education, celebrities, and superstars all desensitize our precious children and we are to blame, as we ignorantly or lazily let it continue. Many kids grow up wanting fame at the cost of anything, including morals, reputation, relationships, and life. Instead of humbly following the Lord, they follow strangers who lead them far away from where a true believer and follower of Christ should be. Our children have time for phones and social media, but make no time to invest in growing and deepening a walk with Jesus. We have ourselves to blame if we have not allowed Christ to rule our life and modeled Him humbly and purely to them daily. Most of the time, our children pattern themselves and their life choices after what they see us do. I hope that if you are listening to this podcast you are either already maturing your walk with Jesus through an intentional, continuous basis or that you are very interested in doing so. I have known Jesus for 39 years. My walk with Him has not been perfect, but Jesus has never left my side. It is my honor, and frankly my duty, as I know where God is calling me, to teach you what God has shown to me, as well as to lead you straight to Him through the practical ways I’ve shared over the last year. Heavy on my heart at this time, as I know God has laid it there, is the knowledge that He is calling me to walk with you in the way our children are raised. Am I saying I have all of the perfect answers to raising children? Absolutely not! But I know Who does and how to guide you to Him. I have seen the truth of God’s word come true over and over again. Everything in the Bible is truth and God is not mocked. We do reap what we sow. Our children are affected by what we believe and the actions we choose. As you raise and provide for your precious children, be certain of what you believe and stand for, how you represent Jesus, and what you model for your children. I’m going to list questions that each of us should regularly remember to ask ourselves and evaluate honestly. These are vitally important, not only for us, but for those around us, especially for the children God entrusted to our care. 1. What do I believe? Do I know my beliefs and how they affect my eternity? Have I thought about how they shape the eternity of those around me? If I am a believer in Jesus, it is imperative that I am clear in these areas and striving to grow in Him daily and make Him clearly known to my children. 2. Is it apparent that I am a Christian? What does that word mean to me? Have I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior? How do I represent Christ each day? Do I say one thing and do another? Am I consistent in my attitude and heartitude, making my maturing relationship with Jesus loving and evident? 3. What are my children learning? Do they know Jesus as Savior? Are they lovingly and intentionally maturing their walk with God through Jesus each day or are they Christians in name or claim only? Do I see fruits of the spirit continuously ripening in them? 4. Am I actively helping my children grow in Jesus daily or expecting the church or someone else to help them grow in maturity? How are they seeing me intentionally grow my walk with Christ? What kind of relationship do they see? Am I making Jesus known to them in real and personal ways? Do I regularly model and mentor them in Jesus in a loving and godly way? Let’s think back to the points I made at the beginning of this podcast when I discussed Adam and Eve in the garden. 1. Adam and Eve were able to walk and talk with God daily. As mothers who believe in Jesus, it should be our deepest desire to see our children walk and talk with God daily. 2. Adam and Eve saw God through the pure lens God desired. They were not confused or misled by sin, as it had not yet entered their lives. We should desire that our children know the word of God and His love through Jesus so that they are not confused by sin and are not attracted to what this world shoves at them. 3. Adam and Eve lived with a richness and fullness that God intended for their spirits and minds, unaffected by our now-fallen world. Godly parenting looks for ways to fill the minds of our children with the fullness of joy God intends for them and looks for ways to help our children mature and shine fruits of the Spirit. 4. Adam and Eve looked forward to spending time with God. Getting to know the Lord should not be a chore or something we barely make time for. Our relationship with God should be a priority so that it becomes one for our children. How can we, as humans, fill these demanding roles? Only through the power and presence of Jesus in our life. Parenting is hard. I think of our loving Heavenly Father, who always stands ready to carry us. God never leaves our side. If you are a parent, grandparent, or person of influence over a child’s life, I urge you to acknowledge that there is nothing more important you can do for the one you love than to allow God to work through you to form their soul and eternal relationship with Him. God did not pick you because you have it all together. He is allowing your influence on His child, because God trusts that you will allow Him to work through you. When I became a mother at the age of 18, I did not have a relationship with Christ. I thought I was so mature for my age, and I was to a point. But as Jeremiah 9:23 says, “This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches.” Likewise, Proverbs 3:13 says, “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.” And listen to this wisdom from Job 28:28, which says, “And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.” One of my favorites is Luke 2:52, which says, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” How blessed we (and our children) are if God can proclaim that our children are growing in favor with Him! It is up to each one of us to have such a close, honoring, and obedient relationship with the Lord that we must equip our children to develop deep and wide-spread roots of faith. When the storms of life come, and they will, our children will be able to withstand the trials of life because the soil they embed their life in is rich and their roots are straining to the depth and width strong faith requires. Trees with weak root systems and poorly cultivated soil will weaken and “hollow-out” as life attacks them. Storms and winds, pestilence and disease are strong when the tree is not lovingly watched over and provided for. When the root system of a tree is not carefully guarded, the tree fails to thrive and often dies. In contrast, a healthy root system can even sprout new trees when the above ground part of the tree is burned. It is imperative for our children to have strong faith roots in order for them to know, honor, follow, and shine Jesus. We are the gardener, working directly for the Master to ensure that His trees are raised to bloom healthy and strong in and through Him. Life in this world will not prepare our children for a lifetime of following Jesus and living a rich life blessed with the fruits of following Him. As the mothers entrusted to protect, nurture, and train God’s precious child, we must grasp the weight of the holy work our Heavenly Father God has allowed us to participate in. Jesus is our strength and guide. In order to properly guard and counsel our children, it is imperative that we are attuned to Him through a close and maturing walk ourselves. We live in a world that is in direct opposition to what God desires for and requires of us. An example of this comes to mind when I think of how our schools have taught a warped science that excludes God and religion. How can you teach a subject without including the author of that subject? Science and religion are not separate. Educators use textbooks that teach subjects without divine inspiration from the author of creation, and they are unable to speak His word or truths in school. Our children are victims, living without wisdom or values from God and striving for the emptiness of this world system, which will never fulfill them. Mothers, it is imperative that we take a stand. One day each of us will stand before God and be held accountable for the way we influenced His children. Your future relationship with your child and their eternal future depends on the decisions and priorities you establish and adhere to right now. As you may know, I homeschool. It has made a critical difference in my ability to reach my children for the Lord. An education at home has allowed me the benefit of studying and understanding my children at a depth I would not have been privileged to observe and discover if I sent them away for hours to go to school elsewhere each day. I see the character and attitudes of my girls clearly and honestly, and the same is true in reverse. They see the passion I have for Jesus, and my loving desire and reasons for them to know, honor, love, and obey Him. My children are receiving an education based on morals and integrity taught from God’s Holy Word and learning the basis for what we hold to be standards for right and wrong. Character formation is a difficult, but worthy and holy task. I am blessed to work at it at great lengths daily in our time together. I have also raised children through the public school system. I also know many Christians who have. I pray that each of us will trust God to provide and guide, and not make decisions based out of fear or ignorance. Allow Him to choose where and how your child will be educated, but understand that the decision will influence how much “clean up work” you will be involved in. Many children have been raised through the public school system or private schools and they have stayed true to the faith taught by diligent parents, however, I know it is becoming more and more difficult to combat the lies and unbiblical actions thrust at our children every day for years. When I was a young mother and a new Christian, I foolishly believed that the church was where my children learned about God. I thought that if they know I loved Jesus and we went to church each week, that they would be raised as followers of Jesus. How naïve! This world, school systems, peers, social media, strangers, and others have much access to the ones we love most and we must have a plan in place to teach them the truths and joys God desires for them. God provides freedom from this world, not restriction. He bestows grace, not condemnation. Teach the truth because it is absolutely certain that others are filling your children with deceit. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for lovingly entrusting your precious, specially-crafted children into our hands. I pray we have the mindset you desire to raise them and lovingly teach them of You. Help us to perfect our walk with you more and more daily, mentoring the way for our children to have an even stronger walk with You. May each generation become stronger and deeper in faith and reach many as You work through them. Show us the way You desire us to love and teach each unique child you have allowed us. Make it clear where we need to change and grow in You ourselves, and may we admit our mistakes and change our course. May we shine You so well that our children cannot turn away. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. The Live With Eternal Perspective podcast is currently linked to terrihitt.com, where you can access the episodes housed in one convenient location, as well as receive access to blog posts, transcripts, and additional resources designed to mature your walk with Christ and equip you to raise or influence children with love and purpose through Him. If you would like another episode specifically about parenting children, you may like listening to “Equipping Children,” Episode #7 of the Live With Eternal Perspective podcast. I pray you intentionally continue to draw nearer to Jesus and cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 106 - How to Listen So Your Child Hears You Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 106 – How to Listen So Your Child Hears You Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast gives you the awareness and tools you need to STOP being a GOOD mom and BECOME the GODLY mom God entrusts you to be. Then you will be the SET-APART woman PURPOSELY raising children to chase CHRIST over culture. Just a quick reminder as we start, if you enjoy Purposed Parent Connected Child podcast episodes, would you please share this episode or others with a friend or family member? When you graciously take a moment to do that, and leave a rating or review at Apple Podcast, you are ensuring that others will find the podcast. You’re helping affect generations for Jesus. Now on to the episode... How blessed we are that God gave us the intelligence and capacity to speak. We’re able to formulate and share thoughts, ideas, express opinions, love, and emotions. Yet, with the ability to speak, share, and feel, an alarming percentage of teens feel unheard by parents. On the flip side of this 27% of kids who feel like parents don’t support them by listening, 71% of parents believe they’re supporting their teens in the way they need. Studies indicate that teens stop listening to their parents or seeking their approval around the ages of 13 to 14. It’s reported that studies include MRI brain scans that providing neurological proof explaining how kids begin to separate from their parents. These researchers say that before the age of 12, children experience pleasure form the sound of their mother’s voice. After this age, the attraction and rewards felt internally begin to come from new voices. The researchers compare this shift as similar to the way a newborn instinctively becomes attuned to the sound of mother’s voice for survival. Researchers believe teens are attracted to voices distinctly different from their parents as they move toward separation and autonomy.The researchers claim that kids are supposed to shift away from parents because they are hard-wired to prioritize the voices and opinions of others. I disagree. I believe that the only voice any of us are pre-wired to receive is the voice of God. This is why it’s crucial that we steward the time we have with our children with eternal perspective . The years we have with our children, although seemingly long at times, are actually very limited . Combined with the distractions of life, the time we actually have to nurture our children in Christ and mentor the way to Him should be protected and purposed with intention . So, back to communication . If children don’t feel loved, seen, and heard, evidence proves they will go elsewhere for validation and connection . Most parents want healthy connection with their children, which starts with communication. If most parents believe they’re good listeners, why do so many teens believe they’re not heard? On the flip side, how many parents complain that their children don’t listen to them? One reason is that we live in a microwave culture. Fast. Easy. Give it to me now. If you don’t, I’m moving on. Too many distractions attack us from every side – both as parents and for our children, and we continue to allow, even invite those distractions entrance to our home and hearts. Yet, with all the changes we’ve seen in the way of life over the last generation or two, something hasn’t changed. What is it? A need for love and acceptance. The need to be heard and to feel understood. As Christian mothers, we must realize the need for security in our home. It starts with God and should end with Him. Let me explain. The way you see yourself, your identity in Christ is the beginning point. If you are secure in your relationship with God through Jesus, you will realize the importance of instilling that security and trust in your children. In order to help your child know , not just feel they’re seen, you must be intentional in the way you help your child craft identity in Christ and the way you model how that relationship should look. I have several episodes in the Purposed Parent Connected Child podcast that give instructions on how to build this type of relationship. Today we’ll focus on how to listen so your child feels heard - and hears you in return. Life is busy . However, there are steps you can take in this fast-paced lifestyle that will help you begin a pattern of listening that would otherwise be lost in the shuffle of life. Although I referenced statistics of teens in the beginning of this episode, I want to be clear that the steps I’ll list now will help build connection and restore relationships in that age group. Yet, as you utilize them with younger children in age appropriate ways, you will also build the foundation you need to avoid or lessen separation as they mature. God doesn’t desire that you or your family maintain what the world calls “typical” relationships or lifestyle. Our Heavenly Father is the author of love and family. He desires that you build strong connection through Him, even when it is time for your children to build a life outside of your home. 1. Phones/Electronics – We all know this one is a major culprit and divider in the home. Often moms claim to never have time for God’s Word, yet have more than enough time to scroll for hours. Our children see the prioritization and recognize when what we do doesn’t match what we say. They see where our priorities rest and will likely pattern their life in the same way. 2. Lectures – How often do you have conversation with your child/teen versus lecturing ? Often parents think they’re conversing with their teen, yet are really only spouting another lecture, then moving on. Conversations are meant to be a back and forth dialogue that builds connection, communication skills, intelligence, and wisdom. Instead of cramming a years’ worth of information into a twenty minute lecture, think of how to have a true conversation that shows your child you respect what they have to say (even when you don’t always agree) and show them how to share thoughts and emotions without being reprimanded on the spot. 3. Reprimands – Which leads us to this next topic. Teens often feel that parents only talk when it’s time to reprimand. Who wants to be around people who only shame or correct? When you listen to your child or teen talk, are you trying to understand what they’re conveying or are you interrupting often to point out what they’ve done wrong - or should have done differently? Teens often shut down communication when they believe parents only correct and never listen. 4. Convenience – As kids grow older, conversations can be less convenient for parents. Somehow, right when mom feels like it’s time for bed, the teen is ready to open up about something huge. Whether it’s in the middle of your busy day at work, right when you’re closing your eyes to sleep, or sitting on the toilet, kids and teens rarely pick convenience as a priority. Listen or eventually they will stop making the effort to talk at all. 5. Topic Blocks – Does your child ever come to you with topics that make you uncomfortable? I hope they do. It can be embarrassing to discuss certain topics with your child or teen. In today’s society especially, children are exposed to topics adults even find uncomfortable. If it’s not you explaining topics or answering questions in age appropriate language, your child will find other sources that may not be truthful, safe, godly, or healthy. 6. Interruptions – How well do you really listen when your child speaks? Do you hear what your children say or are you interrupting to interject your own thoughts and wishes? Even when you want to jump in and share your thought, allow your child or teen the courtesy of finishing what they are trying to communicate. Repeat back what you’ve heard to ensure you understand what they mean, and pause before you offer your own thoughts. Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance for connection with your child so you can connect them to Christ. 7. Eye-Contact – Over time, eye-contact has suffered due to schedules, distractions, and the big culprit I mentioned at the beginning of this list – electronics. Multi-tasking is a way of life. It may be when you’re cooking, driving, reading, scrolling, working, or doing another activity that requires your attention that your child or teen comes to you for connection and communication. If you make the effort to stop what you’re doing - or if needed, schedule time right after you finish a task, you’ll ensure your child you’re looking forward to hearing what they have to say and value what they think. Remember, communication is a gift from God. It should be used for His glory and to guide not only your own heart to Him, but to shepherd the hearts of the precious children He has entrusted to you. If you’d like more information and practical steps in strengthening communication and listening with your children, Purposed Parent Connected Child Episode 091, "Ten Ways to Get Your Child to Listen," shares ways to connect with your child so they hear what you say. You can listen to this episode or read the transcript on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on my website at terrihitt.com. Dear Heavenly Father, You alone are good. Holy. Loving. Kind. Thank you for the precious gifts you have entrusted to us. Your children. Father, we are human. We make mistakes. We need Your wisdom and direction each second. Help us to remember to listen for Your voice and to heed Your Words. Enable us to carry Your wisdom as we hear and speak to our children. At whatever age our children are, equip us to mentor them straight to You by the way we react and speak. May our lives and obedience to You sow Your love and truth so clearly that we have close connection with You and our children. Carry us, Oh Father in the ways only You can. Restore what we may have damaged and make Your mercies shown. 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. I work with professionals who care about making Jesus known to their children. Are you a high-achieving woman who loves Jesus, but is so busy with the rush of work and daily life that you feel like you’re being drained like the water in your bathtub? Do you yearn to get closer to Jesus and show Him to your kids so you will create a love that will last into eternity? The desire is there, but your days spiral out of control before you even think about opening your Bible. Do you ever stop to think that you are the first Jesus your child will see? Let me remind you there is hope. There is a way you can be equipped to raise kids who chase Christ over culture. If you want a connected relationship with Christ and your children that leads them to your side and His feet, instead of them seeking validation from peers, I have an 8-step program to move you from frustrated to fulfilled. I will show you how to reflect Jesus in a way that attracts your family to a connected relationship that lasts into eternity. Remember, godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset you carry. 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 arm you with a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You’ll also deepen your identity in Christ so you can mentor the way for your children to do the same. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family and you will have the tools to raise set apart kids as you parent the heart, not simply the behavior. Does this sound like a lifeline to help you be that set-apart mom God has entrusted you to be? Visit terrihitt.com/coaching and click the link for a free, no obligation conversation call with me. This is a strategic call where I will hear your biggest struggle and show you how to turn it into a blessing that will bring you closer to Christ and your children. 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. 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

Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 017 Tara Dickson Interview Listen to Episode http://www.taradickson.com

< Back Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode 036 - Knowing When to Rest Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #036 – Knowing When to Rest This past week has been beautifully exhausting. My middle daughter, the one God used to move my husband and I into a second season of parenting, graduated from high school. Just today I was working in our homeschool room and found the file folder I used for her kindergarten curriculum receipts. How can it be that she has now graduated from high school? I just started teaching her what seems like a few years ago! Mothers, time flies faster than people warn you! That’s why reason it is especially important to be intentional about parenting. Parenting your child with a godly mindset and lifestyle will be one of the easiest decisions you will ever make. However, planning how to do it and carrying that plan out are some of the hardest choices and actions you will ever make. At every chance, the world will throw you curves. The Bible warns us that the devil prowls looking for whom he can devour. Time with your precious children is short! Even if they don’t know it yet, they are counting on you to grow your walk with Christ and steady them in this world. I knew from parenting one set of children that the time with them would pass much more quickly than I would desire. How can it be that it seemed to go even faster this second time around? People tried to make us feel old when we professed that God was calling us to bring our precious baby home from China when we were 44 years old. Even some family members tried to convince us that it was not a good idea. Later we found out it was because they had their own struggles and/or fears that they needed to move through. Following God to bring our girl home was one of the biggest steps of faith my husband and I had taken together. We knew with total certainty that God was calling us to China and we knew that the sweet baby He said was ours was a gift that would bring eternal blessings now and into eternity. We were so right. We knew God was calling us on a mission of faith that would take our relationship with Him deeper than it had been before. Faith is not a word. Faith is not a feeling. Faith is action. Faith is moving with trust. Faith is believing in the Savior with a blind love that enables you to move without bravery or fear because you lock your gaze and place your hope above . Faith is what brought us two of the biggest gifts of our lives. A more mature walk with our Savior and a precious daughter He brought all the way from around the world. Our graduate has been such a gift . When God formed her inmost being and knit her together in her birthmother’s womb, He created all those delicate inner parts to perfectly fit into the grafting that would take place into our family. The intricacy of her limbs shaped like mine, her talents, interests, grace, loving nature, everything He pressed into her fits perfectly with us. With God there are no mistakes. I am forever grateful that the God of the Universe created me to begin parenting again when I thought my journey was complete. I’m thankful He knows so much more than I, the girl who never even thought she would be a mother to one child, let alone four. I’m thankful He entrusted me with His children, and even though I didn’t understand the importance of living with an eternal perspective at the ever-growing depth I do now, or where I hope He will take me, He still allowed me to be the one impressing values and character into those He holds so dear. Mothers, you stand in the same place. Our stories may be different, but our God is the same. He is allowing you the privilege of raising His children. Will you fulfill His deep desire and expectation that you raise them for Him? The purpose of the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast is to encourage and equip you (and me) to raise children to know, love, hear, and obey Jesus. My heart is so tender for this mission. I deeply desire to use my skills to help you to have such a strong relationship with God through Christ that He flows from you into your children. This summer I am developing a special Set-Apart Woman/ Set-Apart Mom Collective. I’m excited to share details as soon as I can. I’m also launching one-on-one and group coaching to help you move from one goal to the next to enable you to be a set-apart woman raising set-apart kids. Together, we can raise children who know and honor God. Children who crave Christ over culture and walk against what society thinks a “typical teen” should do or be like. Remember, there are no “typical teens.” It breaks my heart when people experience difficulties and believe that children must go through certain hardships as they develop. With God as your resting place, my hope is that your children will not be typical, but atypical, as they conform to His image and not the image of the world. Am I saying they will be perfect and life will be, too? No. Because the sin within the fallen world will penetrate your home and children in some way. My hope and prayer is that you will be equipped and guarded for those times through your rested purpose through Jesus so that the effects of culture and sin are light and you are mightily equipped through the Lord. If you’d like more information, please feel free to connect with me at info@terrihitt.com . I have been writing and releasing podcasts since 2020. That’s a lot of content! During the coming summer months, my format for the Live With Eternal Perspective podcast and the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcasts may look lighter. I may use replays of older episodes at times. It is my goal that you will receive value, despite the content of both podcasts being a little different or shorter at times. While I am working on the collective, I must ensure that I set a pace that honors my family and my Father. At my age, I’ve learned to seek rest, knowing that I can pace myself before I get exhausted as I look to Jesus to guide and carry me. I hope I can mentor that skill to you as you raise children who bring you joy and peace through the journey. Mothers, on those days you are exhausted, overwhelmed, cranky, or burdened, seek Him. When you think you don’t have time to put aside for the Father, I hope you will use that as a signal to remind you to stop and run to Him. Sit at His feet and delight in His Word. Ask for His guidance and let His sweet spirit be a balm that soothes and protects you, enabling you to meet the needs of your family and self. His desire is not for you to be overwhelmed by the world, but to be overjoyed through Him. Proverbs 4:5-9 says, “Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown .” Seek Him above all things. Allow God to shape your character, mindset, opinions, decisions, marriage, and parenting. He alone can remove pride, fear, and other insecurities or failures you may have. His desire is that you rely fully on Him and allow Him to transform you into the woman He created you to be. He desires that you allow Him to parent through you. He desires you to rest. Abide in Him. Do you know when to rest? Before you realize you need Him, seek Him. Each day brings the opportunity to decide to rest in Him. His capable arms are waiting to carry you. Dear Heavenly Father, may Your voice be the one we hear the loudest. We thank you for all You are, for all You have been, and all You will be in our lives and the lives of our children. May we always seek You first and mentor the way to do so to our children. Enable us to follow You with hearts that seek Your purity, love, peace, and joy. Equip us to rest in You before we are overwhelmed. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” podcast. This and my “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast may be found at terrihitt.com, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and they are part of the Spark Media Network. Both podcasts may also now be found on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed my podcasts on Apple Podcasts yet? Did you know that when you review my podcasts on Apple, it helps to elevate the standing of the podcasts online so that more people are allowed to find and hear them. Will you please take a moment to follow the shows and think of someone you can share the podcasts with and encourage them to follow and share, as well? Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will sway them away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Parent and Connect With Eternal Perspective. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #114 – Why Bad Things Happen Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. Someone outside my immediate family has recently faced some difficult situations. While processing the events as she dealt with loss and disappoint, and many emotions, she posed the question asked by vulnerable people at various times over the history of the world. Why do bad things have to happen? It wasn’t that she thought she was better than anyone else or more deserving of escaping tragedy or hardship, but because she truly desires that good always exist and brighten the lives of people. Especially when they follow Jesus. Life is painfully difficult at times. For example, this week, my thoughts focused more on my first daughter, who passed away 13 years ago in January. Yesterday was her birthday and even though I carry Christ’s joy within me because of my relationship with Him, my heart will always be tender and my mind wistful, longing for the day I will see my daughter again. Even when I’m not talking about her, she’s present in my heart. I wish the pain of child loss on no one. Grief, disappointment, sadness, and agony exist in this world, along with dozens of other dreadful effects of this fallen world. There is no fast easy word besides sin to explain why such suffering exists, but we have a trustworthy name that will bring an end to it. Jesus. I admire the way Jesus taught with parables. I have personally prayed that I would have the wisdom and words to speak as Jesus did. Sometimes I might have a good story to tell, but mostly I feel that I fall short, looking to Jesus and others to bring the right phases and teachings to situations. Jesus taught the way I wish I could, piercing the heart where it needs to be exposed, but doing so in ways that made the person think and resolve the situation with their mind and heart so that true change would occur. What a blessing His teachings and wise words are to us. Although this is not from the Bible, I want to share an ancient Chinese parable that explains the mindset of good and bad, because the story reminds me of the directness of Jesus and the way we must allow Him to reframe our mindset. “A Chinese farmer gets a horse, which soon runs away. A neighbor says, "That's bad news." The farmer replies, "Good news, bad news, who can say?" The horse comes back and brings another horse with him. Good news, you might say. The farmer gives the second horse to his son, who rides it, then is thrown and badly breaks his leg. "So sorry for your bad news," says the concerned neighbor. "Good news, bad news, who can say?" the farmer replies. In a week or so, the emperor's men come and take every able-bodied young man to fight in a war. The farmer's son is spared.” Author Unknown Humans often try to define what is good or bad. How do we define what is good? Or what is bad? Usually by our feelings. The way what happened makes us feel. Or how it affects us. What causes discomfort, loss, pain, suffering, confusion, hardship, etc. must be defined as bad. Right? God is sovereign. He makes no mistakes. His knowledge and wisdom far exceed our understanding. We have to understand that our feelings may not necessarily be truth. Although they are a true representative of what we are experiencing and processing at that moment, they are biased and affected by our past, present, worldview, and many other factors. God gave us the ability to feel, but emotions and feelings cannot be used as an objective or truthful compass for His unequivocal truth. Feelings represent what is going on inside us at any given time, but are not a true compass of God’s authoritative truths. Our mind may question why God allows bad things to happen. Does He purposely inflict us with evil and chaos? Why does He let pain occur? When we are in the midst of suffering it can be extremely difficult to understand why God didn’t change our circumstances. We can easily wonder where He is or if He really cares. Even though our feelings are justified in our eyes, do we want to remain in that emotion indefinitely? How long should we dwell in the emotions, anger, heartache, or disappointment? While living in the midst of pain and suffering, it can be difficult to see beyond or through it. In a yard of weeds, it seems impossible that a four leaf clover is present. This world is full of tribulation. Each person experiences hardships. In fact, since we usually can’t see behind the curtains of another’s life to see what they endure, it’s easy to think others don’t live with problems or that they haven’t been hurt like we have. Humans care more about self and we usually get stuck in the hardships we personally have to handle. But the reality is that no one is exempt from the evils or corruption of this world. What are some of the ways people suffer? 1. Dreadful Decisions – Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” People make mistakes. The old saying, “we don’t know what we don’t know,” does carry truth. Often, we have to make mistakes to find truth or discover what not to do. In fact, that’s the way some people live and learn. Other times, we depend on self or listen to wrong advice from others. Maybe we trust the wrong people. Also, inexperience and pride can cause many issues. We must constantly seek God’s knowledge and wisdom to guide us. 2. Discipline for Disobedience – Deuteronomy 8:5 says, “So know in your heart that just as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.” Just as sin first entered the world through disobedience, we have the ability to make choices and decisions that can either honor and obey God or turn our back on what He says in His word. We may willfully neglect or ignore what we know He calls us to do. God cannot ignore sin and He will deal with it. 3. Satan’s Schemes – John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.” Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Satan never ceases to work against God or us. The devil delights in finding ways to throw disappointments, damages, and disaster our way. He revels in seeing us miserable and hopes he can find ways to turn us against God or at the very least encourage us to live with lukewarm tendencies toward our Heavenly Father. What are some of the truths about suffering? 1. God is present, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Matthew 28:20 says, “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Psalm 139:7 says, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” Jeremiah 23:24 says, “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.” 2. God is sovereign. Our Heavenly Father, the Great I Am, has ultimate authority; He has Lordship over all. All of creation, all beings, the devil, even nature come under His dominion. Revelation 21:6a says, “And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.” Colossians 1:16 says, “For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him.” Romans 11:33 says, “O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!” Psalm 103:19 says, “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.” 3. Man brought sin into the world, not God. Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned. Romans 8:23 says, “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” 4. Pain has a purifying purpose. Hebrews 12:4-6 says, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” 2 Timothy 3:12 says, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 5. Suffering allows us a choice. Will we turn to God or away from Him? Luke 14:11 says, “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." James 4:7-10 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” If we can force ourselves to look past our experience or emotions, we will cling to the truth the Bible promises: God is always with us. What are ways to find help during or after suffering? 1. Get in or remain in God’s word. You don’t remove your oxygen mask when the plane is crashing. Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” God’s word is truth and in it, we find rest for our souls and truth that will allow our mind to stay connected to and maturing through Him. 2. Prayer. Communication with God combined with true study of His word will allow your relationship to deepen and your heart to find rest in His truths and mindset. Speaking to God and listening for Him will guide you in humble obedience to where He calls you next. Sometimes disappointment send us on a beautiful path for new ways to honor and serve our Heavenly Father. Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and he will act.” 3. Don’t become a “stuck victim.” It’s normal to process emotions and disappointments. Then a time arrives when you must choose whether to believe God’s truths and accept what has happened or remain in misery that will suck you into a miserable pit. James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” 4. Find a believer with a listening ear and sound biblical advice who will speak God’s truths. Romans 8:18 says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Pastors, family, or friends who follow the truths of God and will empathize with you without allowing you to stray from developing your walk with God during your situation are blessings. 5. Look Up instead of wondering or listening to opinions from others about why you suffer. Job 2:3 says, “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” Sometimes suffering does not have anything to do with us. God works in such mysterious ways. We pridefully speculate as to why something happened to us, but God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose for them. What we endure is watched by others and our reaction to suffering may be just what they need to forge an eternal relationship with Jesus. 6. Enlist Christian counseling if needed. 2 Corinthians 4:17 says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Only a strong, bible-believing Christian counselor will be able to guide you in the right ways that honor God and deepen your walk with Him. Take time to find the right one through recommendations from others you trust, if you need to speak with a professional counselor. Remember what Jesus spoke in John 16:33, which says, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” God never intended for us to feel or be alone. 1. God calls us to humble ourselves before Him. 2. God calls us to worship only Him. 3. God calls us to trust Him. How much do you trust Him? Nothing touches our life without God allowing it. If our Heavenly Father permits something in your life, it doesn’t mean He is evil. He’s not ruthless. We must each look beyond self, past our selfish fleshly nature that craves stability and ease, and look at this world with eternal eyes and heart. If our lives were always perfect, we would already be in heaven. Your life is not about you. Mine is not about me. Each of us exist to bring glory and honor to God. What He allows in our lives is not meant for harm or evil, but offers us the choice to bow to Him in faith and trust that there is a larger action occurring than we can see. This is exactly why stories of the Bible are so applicable today. Reading the sufferings of Joseph and others, especially Jesus should help us live with the eternal perspective that life is much more than we can bear on our own. There is a bigger picture being created. We exist for much more purpose than what we see or imagine. Jesus is our hope. In Him we place our trust. Christ has experienced the thoughts and feelings we do, He willingly died for us, then rose from the grave, conquering death. Jesus is a man of sorrows and He understands ours. Isaiah 53:1-7 says, “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. Out of the anguish of His soul He shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” Jesus knew that what He experienced was to glorify the Father. From His lips came no pleas of innocence or cries for relief. Jesus is our model for hope and relationship with God that can only be achieved through Him. May His dignified obedience on the cross be the personal light we use to redeem our mindset for trials and disappointments. Dear Heavenly Father, You alone are good. What we feel does not define truth. This world cannot change truth or define it in new ways that fit agendas. Only You create and define truth. Father, thank You for Your care. Even when we hurt, when we don’t understand, when we are angry or unforgiving, cause us to draw near to You so that You will draw nearer to us. Allow us to experience life with Your eternal mindset. Help us to rejoice in the hope of the glory of Jesus. Not only that, but may we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. May we remember that You work all things together for the good of those who love You, and are called according to Your purpose. We know that one day You will wipe away every tear from our eyes. You promise us that there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, for the former things will have passed away. God, we trust in Your word and promises to us. We know Your thoughts are higher than ours and Your ways far beyond anything we can imagine. May we always remember and rely on the fact that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength for we know that Your grace is sufficient and your power is perfected in our weakness. May we boast all the more gladly in our weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest in us. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, and you would like more information on the topic we discussed today, I invite you to listen to previous episodes. You may find them on the terrihitt.com website. Click on podcasts and type in the topic or title you wish to hear in the search bar at the top of the page. Let me offer 3 suggestions: episode 002, Protecting Our Thoughts, episode 005, Handling Hardships, and episode 038, Who Masters my Emotions. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen, follow it, and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 114 Why Bad Things Happen Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #114 – Why Bad Things Happen Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. Someone outside my immediate family has recently faced some difficult situations. While processing the events as she dealt with loss and disappoint, and many emotions, she posed the question asked by vulnerable people at various times over the history of the world. Why do bad things have to happen? It wasn’t that she thought she was better than anyone else or more deserving of escaping tragedy or hardship, but because she truly desires that good always exist and brighten the lives of people. Especially when they follow Jesus. Life is painfully difficult at times. For example, this week, my thoughts focused more on my first daughter, who passed away 13 years ago in January. Yesterday was her birthday and even though I carry Christ’s joy within me because of my relationship with Him, my heart will always be tender and my mind wistful, longing for the day I will see my daughter again. Even when I’m not talking about her, she’s present in my heart. I wish the pain of child loss on no one. Grief, disappointment, sadness, and agony exist in this world, along with dozens of other dreadful effects of this fallen world. There is no fast easy word besides sin to explain why such suffering exists, but we have a trustworthy name that will bring an end to it. Jesus. I admire the way Jesus taught with parables. I have personally prayed that I would have the wisdom and words to speak as Jesus did. Sometimes I might have a good story to tell, but mostly I feel that I fall short, looking to Jesus and others to bring the right phases and teachings to situations. Jesus taught the way I wish I could, piercing the heart where it needs to be exposed, but doing so in ways that made the person think and resolve the situation with their mind and heart so that true change would occur. What a blessing His teachings and wise words are to us. Although this is not from the Bible, I want to share an ancient Chinese parable that explains the mindset of good and bad, because the story reminds me of the directness of Jesus and the way we must allow Him to reframe our mindset. “A Chinese farmer gets a horse, which soon runs away. A neighbor says, "That's bad news." The farmer replies, "Good news, bad news, who can say?" The horse comes back and brings another horse with him. Good news, you might say. The farmer gives the second horse to his son, who rides it, then is thrown and badly breaks his leg. "So sorry for your bad news," says the concerned neighbor. "Good news, bad news, who can say?" the farmer replies. In a week or so, the emperor's men come and take every able-bodied young man to fight in a war. The farmer's son is spared.” Author Unknown Humans often try to define what is good or bad. How do we define what is good? Or what is bad? Usually by our feelings. The way what happened makes us feel. Or how it affects us. What causes discomfort, loss, pain, suffering, confusion, hardship, etc. must be defined as bad. Right? God is sovereign. He makes no mistakes. His knowledge and wisdom far exceed our understanding. We have to understand that our feelings may not necessarily be truth. Although they are a true representative of what we are experiencing and processing at that moment, they are biased and affected by our past, present, worldview, and many other factors. God gave us the ability to feel, but emotions and feelings cannot be used as an objective or truthful compass for His unequivocal truth. Feelings represent what is going on inside us at any given time, but are not a true compass of God’s authoritative truths. Our mind may question why God allows bad things to happen. Does He purposely inflict us with evil and chaos? Why does He let pain occur? When we are in the midst of suffering it can be extremely difficult to understand why God didn’t change our circumstances. We can easily wonder where He is or if He really cares. Even though our feelings are justified in our eyes, do we want to remain in that emotion indefinitely? How long should we dwell in the emotions, anger, heartache, or disappointment? While living in the midst of pain and suffering, it can be difficult to see beyond or through it. In a yard of weeds, it seems impossible that a four leaf clover is present. This world is full of tribulation. Each person experiences hardships. In fact, since we usually can’t see behind the curtains of another’s life to see what they endure, it’s easy to think others don’t live with problems or that they haven’t been hurt like we have. Humans care more about self and we usually get stuck in the hardships we personally have to handle. But the reality is that no one is exempt from the evils or corruption of this world. What are some of the ways people suffer? 1. Dreadful Decisions – Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” People make mistakes. The old saying, “we don’t know what we don’t know,” does carry truth. Often, we have to make mistakes to find truth or discover what not to do. In fact, that’s the way some people live and learn. Other times, we depend on self or listen to wrong advice from others. Maybe we trust the wrong people. Also, inexperience and pride can cause many issues. We must constantly seek God’s knowledge and wisdom to guide us. 2. Discipline for Disobedience – Deuteronomy 8:5 says, “So know in your heart that just as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.” Just as sin first entered the world through disobedience, we have the ability to make choices and decisions that can either honor and obey God or turn our back on what He says in His word. We may willfully neglect or ignore what we know He calls us to do. God cannot ignore sin and He will deal with it. 3. Satan’s Schemes – John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.” Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Satan never ceases to work against God or us. The devil delights in finding ways to throw disappointments, damages, and disaster our way. He revels in seeing us miserable and hopes he can find ways to turn us against God or at the very least encourage us to live with lukewarm tendencies toward our Heavenly Father. What are some of the truths about suffering? 1. God is present, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Matthew 28:20 says, “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Psalm 139:7 says, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” Jeremiah 23:24 says, “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.” 2. God is sovereign. Our Heavenly Father, the Great I Am, has ultimate authority; He has Lordship over all. All of creation, all beings, the devil, even nature come under His dominion. Revelation 21:6a says, “And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.” Colossians 1:16 says, “For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him.” Romans 11:33 says, “O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!” Psalm 103:19 says, “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.” 3. Man brought sin into the world, not God. Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned. Romans 8:23 says, “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” 4. Pain has a purifying purpose. Hebrews 12:4-6 says, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” 2 Timothy 3:12 says, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 5. Suffering allows us a choice. Will we turn to God or away from Him? Luke 14:11 says, “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." James 4:7-10 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” If we can force ourselves to look past our experience or emotions, we will cling to the truth the Bible promises: God is always with us. What are ways to find help during or after suffering? 1. Get in or remain in God’s word. You don’t remove your oxygen mask when the plane is crashing. Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” God’s word is truth and in it, we find rest for our souls and truth that will allow our mind to stay connected to and maturing through Him. 2. Prayer. Communication with God combined with true study of His word will allow your relationship to deepen and your heart to find rest in His truths and mindset. Speaking to God and listening for Him will guide you in humble obedience to where He calls you next. Sometimes disappointment send us on a beautiful path for new ways to honor and serve our Heavenly Father. Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and he will act.” 3. Don’t become a “stuck victim.” It’s normal to process emotions and disappointments. Then a time arrives when you must choose whether to believe God’s truths and accept what has happened or remain in misery that will suck you into a miserable pit. James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” 4. Find a believer with a listening ear and sound biblical advice who will speak God’s truths. Romans 8:18 says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Pastors, family, or friends who follow the truths of God and will empathize with you without allowing you to stray from developing your walk with God during your situation are blessings. 5. Look Up instead of wondering or listening to opinions from others about why you suffer. Job 2:3 says, “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” Sometimes suffering does not have anything to do with us. God works in such mysterious ways. We pridefully speculate as to why something happened to us, but God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose for them. What we endure is watched by others and our reaction to suffering may be just what they need to forge an eternal relationship with Jesus. 6. Enlist Christian counseling if needed. 2 Corinthians 4:17 says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Only a strong, bible-believing Christian counselor will be able to guide you in the right ways that honor God and deepen your walk with Him. Take time to find the right one through recommendations from others you trust, if you need to speak with a professional counselor. Remember what Jesus spoke in John 16:33, which says, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” God never intended for us to feel or be alone. 1. God calls us to humble ourselves before Him. 2. God calls us to worship only Him. 3. God calls us to trust Him. How much do you trust Him? Nothing touches our life without God allowing it. If our Heavenly Father permits something in your life, it doesn’t mean He is evil. He’s not ruthless. We must each look beyond self, past our selfish fleshly nature that craves stability and ease, and look at this world with eternal eyes and heart. If our lives were always perfect, we would already be in heaven. Your life is not about you. Mine is not about me. Each of us exist to bring glory and honor to God. What He allows in our lives is not meant for harm or evil, but offers us the choice to bow to Him in faith and trust that there is a larger action occurring than we can see. This is exactly why stories of the Bible are so applicable today. Reading the sufferings of Joseph and others, especially Jesus should help us live with the eternal perspective that life is much more than we can bear on our own. There is a bigger picture being created. We exist for much more purpose than what we see or imagine. Jesus is our hope. In Him we place our trust. Christ has experienced the thoughts and feelings we do, He willingly died for us, then rose from the grave, conquering death. Jesus is a man of sorrows and He understands ours. Isaiah 53:1-7 says, “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. Out of the anguish of His soul He shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” Jesus knew that what He experienced was to glorify the Father. From His lips came no pleas of innocence or cries for relief. Jesus is our model for hope and relationship with God that can only be achieved through Him. May His dignified obedience on the cross be the personal light we use to redeem our mindset for trials and disappointments. Dear Heavenly Father, You alone are good. What we feel does not define truth. This world cannot change truth or define it in new ways that fit agendas. Only You create and define truth. Father, thank You for Your care. Even when we hurt, when we don’t understand, when we are angry or unforgiving, cause us to draw near to You so that You will draw nearer to us. Allow us to experience life with Your eternal mindset. Help us to rejoice in the hope of the glory of Jesus. Not only that, but may we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. May we remember that You work all things together for the good of those who love You, and are called according to Your purpose. We know that one day You will wipe away every tear from our eyes. You promise us that there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, for the former things will have passed away. God, we trust in Your word and promises to us. We know Your thoughts are higher than ours and Your ways far beyond anything we can imagine. May we always remember and rely on the fact that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength for we know that Your grace is sufficient and your power is perfected in our weakness. May we boast all the more gladly in our weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest in us. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, and you would like more information on the topic we discussed today, I invite you to listen to previous episodes. You may find them on the terrihitt.com website. Click on podcasts and type in the topic or title you wish to hear in the search bar at the top of the page. Let me offer 3 suggestions: episode 002, Protecting Our Thoughts, episode 005, Handling Hardships, and episode 038, Who Masters my Emotions. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen, follow it, and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #061 – Seeking and Seizing Teachable God Moments Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Before we start the podcast today, I’d like to mention the upcoming Who Is Carter Foundation third annual Gala fundraiser on April 9th at 6:00 PM. The Brain Possible Podcast is fully funded and operated by this wonderful, nonprofit organization. Who Is Carter would love for you to be there in person or online! Your support at the gala ensures the ability to continue to bring you their podcasts, resources, and more into the coming year. There are two ways to attend: If you live in the Kansas City area, attend in person at The Bardot Luxury Event Space at 1616 Grand Avenue in Kansas City, MO. There will be great food, an inspiring program, live music, and unique auction items such as a stay at the Ritz Carlton, Cancun or a Guatemala fishing resort trip, and even a VIP meet-and-greet with Chiefs’ wide receiver Tyreek Hill! Of course, every available COVID-19 precaution will be in place to ensure the safety of everyone in attendance. If you don’t live in the Kansas City area, or are more comfortable staying in, you can join the activities virtually! Tune in online on the evening of the 9th; you’ll even have full access to bid on silent auction items online! Visit whoiscarter.org/gala for more information and to purchase tickets. This wonderful organization I have mentioned on the podcast before looks forward to being with you on April 9! Thank you for considering attending the Who Is Carter Foundation Gala. Now, on to this week’s episode. Have you ever wished you knew more about Jesus? His days growing up? Imagine if He had kept a diary for us to read. I would treasure reading His day to day thoughts. At least we can learn so much about how to live through reading Jesus’s words recorded in the Bible and I am incredibly thankful for that. Of course, the more we study His words, really dig in theologically, the better we understand and can model our lives after His. Jesus must have sought and seized simple daily opportunities as teachable God moments. Just as I am sure our Heavenly Father would like us to do. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” Capture all moments of life for Him. Loving Jesus is like breathing; He is the air we need to survive. The Lord cannot be compartmentalized; Jesus flows into every area of our life. As we shift our focus to continuous living with an eternal mindset that is aware of how we respond and how it affects others for Jesus, we live with a gentleness and respect for the Lord, people, and the world around us. We desire to share the hope that is in us through the Holy Spirit and the sacrifice of Jesus. Today I simply want to share a few stories of everyday life with you. I often get comments from people saying they enjoy these glimpses into our life the best. I think people just like to see how other people use daily moments to love and honor God. I would love to hear your stories, as well. After listening to the podcast, feel free to email me through the link on my website at terrihitt.com. I would treasure hearing your stories of seeking and enjoying the teachable God moments with your children or of how God has matured you personally in your walk with Him. He tenderly and intimately personalizes special moments with each one of us who have eyes to see and hearts to experience and believe. This first story happened with my youngest about three years ago. I’m going to read it as I originally wrote it, almost in a diary form. Brooklyn admired my rings as I was putting on jewelry today. Remembering that I have other rings I don't usually wear anymore, she went to my jewelry box, hoping she could wear one of them. I've never been one to want big, fancy, expensive pieces, but what I have has sentimental value. She pointed to a blue ring and got it out to look at. With excitement, she discovered that it fit her middle finger. "Oh, that ring is special," I told her. "You picked out a good one. Bring it over to the light," I said. She followed me to the bathroom and we stood under the vanity lights. Still not quite bright enough for what I wanted to show her, I swiped my phone screen and brought up the flashlight. Shining it toward the top of the ring, we looked again. The blue surface now had a brilliant white star on top. "Oh, pretty!" she exclaimed. "That's a star sapphire," I said. "That ring is the first gift Daddy ever gave Mommy. He gave me that ring when we were dating," We went upstairs to a skylight and looked at the ring again in the bright sunlight. "Another reason that ring is so special is that it reminds me of Jesus," I said. "When the ring doesn't have light on it, you can't see the star inside. When you flash the light on it, the beautiful star shines." Brooklyn looked at me as I continued talking. "When people go out in the world, we all look the same. But when Jesus shines His light through us, other people can see it. They see Him in us, just like we see this star in the ring." She smiled, absorbing more truths that were unspoken to her for too long. We left for speech therapy together - a mommy with one of her special daughters and a little girl wearing a ring that will never outshine the beauty Jesus is growing inside of her. When I was driving later, tears gathered in my eyes as I thought about how God knew long ago that the ring Dennis gave me for Christmas when I was 17 would be a tool in our future daughter, Brooklyn's life to help shape and grow her in Him. We will continue looking for miracles and living in His grace. I deeply appreciate the way God goes before us. How beautiful, merciful, and good His ways are. We simply cannot fathom the love and care He has for us. I did not know Jesus when I was a teenager, yet God knew me and loved me enough to use a gift from my boyfriend to set a plan in place for our future youngest child to learn of Him in a special and deeper way over half a century later. Psalm 139:5-6 says, “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!” Psalm 136:16 says, “Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness. His faithful love endures forever.” This next story is one I shared on my blog. I will read it as I shared there. Earlier this week I heard words that I knew might one day be said. In 15 years of adoptive parenting, they had never been spoken to me. “You’re not my real mom.” Instead of pain, my first thoughts were “How can I help her? What is going on inside her mind and spirit?” Always so good with eye contact, my youngest did not meet my eyes this time. Even when we received her as ours after meeting for the first time in China, she had perfect eye contact. In fact, her gaze was so impressive that I knew we had a fireball in our family. I remained calm and kept my voice gentle. “Why do you say that?” I asked. “Why do you say I’m not your real mom?” “Because you are wearing make-up today,” she said. I began to laugh. I couldn’t help it. My youngest loves to stay home. Her perfect day includes me waking her up in the morning wearing no makeup and my “stay home” clothes. Yes, there is a distinct difference in the way I look at home and when I go out in public. Comfy clothes are all I wear at home. Not pajamas, but close – soft and warm clothes. Brooklyn wears her pajamas all day – every day, unless we go out. This was her unique way of telling me how dissatisfied she was with me. After hugging, I explained to her that I knew she didn’t like to go to the doctor. I promised her it would be an easy visit and that we could stay home – without makeup – the next day. The next morning after awakening her (of course in my no makeup, stay home attire), I asked her if her “real mommy” was back. She smiled and told me, “Yes. Mommy likes to stay home with me.” It’s so important for us to dig deep into the messages we hear. This world sends so many false messages. As I have matured in my walk with Christ, He has enabled me to get better at letting Him discern what I believe and how I control my responses. It is so important for us to read and study His word daily so that we are not controlled by our flesh. We can make time for what we deem important, and even fifteen minutes of study will increase our desire to know and follow where God calls. As we make His word a priority, we establish Him as a priority. Life can be so difficult and confusing. The only anchor we have is Jesus. Our responses, desires, and attitude, as well as actions are all a direct result from the time we spend with Him. We have to know our beliefs in order to live them. Our Savior must be alive inside of us in order for us to reflect Him. Things are not always what they appear to be. Words are not always defined by our interpretation. Let Jesus be the One to guide and influence what you prioritize, believe, and how you respond. He alone will keep us from being deceived in this world full of lies. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” So often we think we know what others mean or we project our thoughts onto them. Children teach us how beautiful simple conversation and honesty are. No wonder Jesus wants the children to come to Him. I remember writing this next piece because I was deeply touched by how God ministered to and taught me through my middle daughter. Before I begin reading it, let me share that I’m the kind of person who wants to help people. When I know someone is hurting, I immediately want to help them find a way to make things better. Yet, God often needs to do a work in or through us before pain can be erased. Often, our trials may not be just for us to learn and grow, but for the others who will see or participate and learn and grow through them. Our Heavenly Father is sovereign. God used a dishwasher to help me remember that sometimes we just need to stand in the pain with others as we trust and allow Him to work. Here’s the next story: Our family washes dishes by hand (after our dishwasher stopped working several years ago). People actually get anxious when I admit that we didn’t run out to replace this appliance immediately. They say they couldn’t imagine living without a dishwasher. Do I miss it? Sometimes I definitely do! On the days we are in and out of the house with just enough time to eat and spread dirty dishes everywhere, I really miss it. Most days, no. Why? I cherish the time spent with my family while completing chores together. We have a system. Usually, I wash and rinse dishes, and Marissa dries and puts them away. Many times, my husband will join in to help dry and put the dishes away, too. While we take care of dishes, Brooklyn folds and puts away the laundry we washed that day (she brings it to the kitchen to work on). May I share that she doesn’t just fold it. The items look professionally pressed. She “hand irons” pieces as she folds, lovingly forming soft creases in the fabric that express her deep gratitude for us, her beloved family. My mother’s eye observes and treasures special qualities God blessed us with in our home, and the way we commit their use to one another in His honor. We usually have the best discussions while everyone is gathered together without distractions. Often, we sing and dance while music is played and we always find something to laugh about. Even the dogs join in. Can you believe our Mini Schnauzer loves us to sing to her? One day last week, the girls and I were listening to a variety of songs as we worked. Naively, I chose one that I had not listened to in years. Instruments sounded the opening chords of a piece I used to enjoy with my oldest daughter, Jaime in her teen years. A realization pierced me. I have officially lived twice as long as Jaime. My age is 58 years. My beloved daughter died at age 29. Then, another thought occurred. Jaime was born when I was 18. It has been 10 years since she passed away. That means I have now lived a total of 28 years of my life without her. Now I have lived a little over half of my life without her. My heart seized at the realization. I wept. My pain wasn’t expressed in a loud, sobbing cry, but with a quiet, resigned sadness that understands I cannot change anything, yet accepts that sorrow will always line my soul with the painful loss only God has carried me through. Soon, the years will begin adding up so that I have lived more and more of my life without her. It’s not supposed to be that way. Children are supposed to live longer than parents. The imperfections in this world could rip apart our relationship with God. Yet, He doesn’t desire it to. “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.” Psalm 91:4 He created us to desire Him. Not only in the good times. A best friend cradles and carries you. They never leave your side in the hardest moments. That is Jesus. My best friend. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed. Because His compassions fail not, they are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 As my silent tears exposed my grief, Marissa tightly hugged me. We shared the longest embrace I can remember. Wishing she could erase my pain, yet understanding that I had to embrace this season of it, my daughter simply and bravely stood with me in it. She acknowledged my grief and loved me in it. Just like Jesus does. Our broken dishwasher was a catalyst for the continued work the Lord was crafting in my personal journey, as well as in our family connection. The multi-faceted mystery of God is so much more than we see or imagine. Faith continues growing in our home. In our lives. In our hearts. In the actions of my children. I am immensely thankful for the love we share each day. I’m also grateful for the tears. “Jesus wept.” John 11:35 Just like me. Just like you. “You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in your book?” Psalm 56:8 Jesus is so concerned about our pain that He lovingly keeps track of what we do and what happens to us, storing our tears in a bottle, personally and intimately caring about every single event that occurs in our lives. Beautiful examples are modeled for us to follow for others. Marissa couldn’t store my tears or pain in a bottle, but she could stand with me. In the pain. No words needed. Just like Jesus. Living with eternal perspective means that we must condition ourselves to look for Jesus in the ordinary pockets of life. Hopefully, the more get accustomed to living that way, we get better and eventually live more with that mindset than without. My next piece exposed my desire to protect my daughter, but without the mind and heartset that Jesus would have me model for her. We must strive to adjust and keep all areas in our life focused on Him properly. Yet, even through our mistakes, Jesus knits good together despite the tattered threads of our unraveling attempts to be like Him. Let me expose my mistake and the way God redeemed it through working a good work in me for my daughters to see. Last week, I specifically asked God to humble me and allow me to become more like Him. As I whispered the words I truly meant, I knew that I was “asking for trouble.” Sometimes the prayers we offer to God can be scary. Just like when we pray for patience, I knew I would encounter both “painful” and “blessed” experiences ahead. I forgot to add the adjective, “embarrassing” to my list. As my Creator, God knows exactly what I need to become more like Him. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” James 4:10 It didn’t take long. Just a few days later I went to the county fair with my family. God was at work. I often reflect on my calling as a Christian and how that pertains to how I act and react to others daily. But, as at the fair, sometimes our emotions get the best of us, and we don’t think before we react. In Ephesians, Paul reminds us to walk worthy of the calling with which we are called. Sometimes, it’s hard. Obviously, it was for me that day at the fair. “Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1b-3 I had a few frustrating things happen, but the incident that triggered me to react the opposite of how I wish I would have…was…at the kiddie airplane ride. I’m not proud of my reaction. We stood in line while the multi-colored airplanes twirled, lifting small children high and low into the air. I watched my youngest daughter as she waited first in line. This was her fourth full summer with us. Almost four years of her life had now been spent in the company of a forever family who adores her instead of in a tiny crib with no human interaction. She adores family time. Absolutely treasures time with us. Going to fairs and carnivals is a delight for her. After waiting for the planes to stop spinning and letting other riders out, the operator opened the gate for her to enter the ride area. Then he stopped and asked her to measure her height at a sign near the entrance to the ride. A sign we had not seen. My girl was about an inch taller than the maximum height requirement. “She is wearing tennis shoes that make her about an inch taller,” I informed him. He shook his head. “No ride,” he said in limited English. “But she’s not really that tall,” I insisted. “The shoes make her taller.” “No,” he insisted as he continued shaking his head. “Are you serious?” I asked. “Whatever,” I remarked with frustration. “Let’s go,” I told my daughter as we got out of line. I couldn’t believe that he had let us wait in line all that time and then told her she was too tall, when she really wasn’t. Also frustrating was the fact that he wouldn’t admit that it was clear her shoes made her taller. My kids (and my husband) watched me as we left the line. They were a little surprised at my reaction. Actually, I was too. No one else was as frustrated as I was. Immediately, I thought about what a bad example I was being to my family and to the ride operator. “When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2 I had a choice as to whether I wanted to be frustrated or to realize that this silly airplane ride didn’t really matter. I was acting like foolishly. My frustration began to evaporate. How could I remain frustrated when God was already speaking to me? Of course, the conversationalist that I am, I discussed the experience and my reaction with my kids while we were still at the fair. I want to think about how what I do affects others around me. My responses can draw someone to or push them away from Jesus. Drawing others to Him, just by allowing Him to shine, means everything to me. I’m so glad I prayed to be humbled. I wonder what is next… My prayer is now that I will handle being humbled with more visible grace and light as I allow Jesus to continue transforming me moment by moment. How often do you jump in to rectify a situation or protect a loved one without waiting to see what God may have planned? His mercy is never ending. I am incredibly thankful for the work He has done and is doing in me. I’ll share one more story today. I hope my mistakes and joys allow you to cling more closely to God and perfect your ability to see His grace, wisdom, and provisions in each moment of your day. When I gave birth to my two biological children, I never considered bonding and attachment. The gift naturally occurred. In my defense, I was not a seasoned mother. I was only 18 when I delivered my first child and 21 when my second child was born. Yet, I wonder if all older mothers give much consideration to the fact that not all babies have the same beginnings in life. Even when a child stays with their birth family, there is still a need for intentional and purposeful bonding and attachment. When we adopted an infant from China 26 years after having our second child, we had obtained many years of parenting experience, as well as ongoing early childhood education on trauma, bonding, and attachment. Our eyes and hearts were opened wide by our innocent baby girl and the needs she carried. Then, we adopted again ten years later, and brought home an older child. We were as prepared as we could be. That doesn’t mean we had all the answers, but we knew where to go. God has made all the difference. Each child is unique. Each family is unique. Each situation is unique. But I knew; God is always the same. He has carried us every step of the way. Our eyes and minds have been fixed on Him for wisdom, guidance, understanding, peace, love…everything. He makes all things possible. But not all things are easy. What undeserved blessings we have received! We've witnessed miracles. Loss and grief have mingled with new beginnings that only God could orchestrate. What brokenness we have watched God heal. Shortly after our youngest child was home, she was overwhelmed by emotions that could not be expressed, except through tears. Although she was unable to tell me what she was feeling, I wanted to stay near – and I sat on the floor of her bedroom with her. Our language was strange; she had never heard it before coming to America. Everything was completely different: the language, smells, foods, sounds, home, people, animals, and even the way we responded to her. Used to no attention, she was now cherished by strangers. Her emotions told me she was frightened, overwhelmed, and she was grieving all that she knew and understood. Although I knew this was completely normal for the situation we were in, I just wanted to be close to her, for her to realize that I wouldn’t leave her in the hard places. She would never be abandoned. She was treasured. It was hard. She wouldn’t let me hold her. She didn’t want to hear my voice. But she did let me sit near her. In fact, if I tried to move away, she wailed louder, confirming my instincts to stay. As I stayed close, the lyrics of the Casting Crowns song, “Just Be Held,” flowed through my mind, intermixed with fervent prayers as I begged my Heavenly Father to help her. “Hold it all together. Everybody needs you strong. But life hits you out of nowhere and barely leaves you holding on.” Yes. Both of us were trying to hold it together. She was struggling to find a way to keep her control. I was definitely praying as I sat with her or I would not be able to hold it together for her. It was extremely difficult to sit through all the wailing and not be able to do anything. My heart was breaking for all she was fighting and going through. I thought of how God sees us when we hurt and struggle. Song lyrics continued in my mind. “And not a tear is wasted. In time, you’ll understand. I’m painting beauty with the ashes. Your life is in My hands.” “Your world’s not falling apart, it’s falling into place. I’m on the throne, stop holding on and just be held. Just be held. Just be held.” If only she could just let go and be held, I thought. But there was no way she could understand the changes her life was undergoing or the depth of our love for her already. I had to make sure I let go and let God handle the situation. I had no answers. I had to rely on Him to comfort her, unique to her needs, and individual to the plan He had for her life. I wanted her to realize that she was safe. That she could trust me - trust us. That with time, she could trust our love. God's love. Our family didn’t even know the way our love would deepen and evolve as we all bonded, attached, and grew together. Just as we cannot possibly fathom the love our Heavenly Father has for each one of us. He has a special love and relationship with each of us. We need to just let go and simply be held. Just accept. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1 How many of us resist God and struggle for years? How many still do not release control and allow themselves to be held? How many do not realize their worth through Him? As we believe we have released control in one area, there is always another to work on. Nothing we experience in life is wasted. Not even one tear. “Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll – are they not in your record?” Psalm 56:8 “Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red, brown, yellow, black, or white. They are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” Just as he adores them as grown-ups. No matter what we think or do. Let yourself be held. Experience transformation through Him. He truly is (more than) enough for all of our needs. Seek and seize the teachable moments God places before you and your children. Wear His eyes to see and experience His heart to believe. Father God, we thank you that you love us through our imperfections, but You don’t leave us there when we seek You. Thank you for offering a bridge for us to come straight to You through Jesus. Father, help us be more aware of Your presence in our life daily. Without You, we are nothing. God, we need You desperately! Help us to please You more each moment as we see and show You more clearly in our lives. Thank you for revealing Yourself through daily life, in the large and small moments that speak to us so intimately. Help us use those times, hard and easy, to cling more closely to You and shift our behaviors and thoughts to match Yours. In Your Precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. I’m thrilled to share that my latest free resource, “Scattering Seeds: Planting Character and Faith in Your Child” has released! This eBook is an excellent encouragement and support for mothers or grandmothers of young children. I encourage you to visit terrihitt.com to access and download it soon. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 061 Seeking and Seizing Teachable God Moments Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #061 – Seeking and Seizing Teachable God Moments Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Before we start the podcast today, I’d like to mention the upcoming Who Is Carter Foundation third annual Gala fundraiser on April 9th at 6:00 PM. The Brain Possible Podcast is fully funded and operated by this wonderful, nonprofit organization. Who Is Carter would love for you to be there in person or online! Your support at the gala ensures the ability to continue to bring you their podcasts, resources, and more into the coming year. There are two ways to attend: If you live in the Kansas City area, attend in person at The Bardot Luxury Event Space at 1616 Grand Avenue in Kansas City, MO. There will be great food, an inspiring program, live music, and unique auction items such as a stay at the Ritz Carlton, Cancun or a Guatemala fishing resort trip, and even a VIP meet-and-greet with Chiefs’ wide receiver Tyreek Hill! Of course, every available COVID-19 precaution will be in place to ensure the safety of everyone in attendance. If you don’t live in the Kansas City area, or are more comfortable staying in, you can join the activities virtually! Tune in online on the evening of the 9th; you’ll even have full access to bid on silent auction items online! Visit whoiscarter.org/gala for more information and to purchase tickets. This wonderful organization I have mentioned on the podcast before looks forward to being with you on April 9! Thank you for considering attending the Who Is Carter Foundation Gala. Now, on to this week’s episode. Have you ever wished you knew more about Jesus? His days growing up? Imagine if He had kept a diary for us to read. I would treasure reading His day to day thoughts. At least we can learn so much about how to live through reading Jesus’s words recorded in the Bible and I am incredibly thankful for that. Of course, the more we study His words, really dig in theologically, the better we understand and can model our lives after His. Jesus must have sought and seized simple daily opportunities as teachable God moments. Just as I am sure our Heavenly Father would like us to do. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” Capture all moments of life for Him. Loving Jesus is like breathing; He is the air we need to survive. The Lord cannot be compartmentalized; Jesus flows into every area of our life. As we shift our focus to continuous living with an eternal mindset that is aware of how we respond and how it affects others for Jesus, we live with a gentleness and respect for the Lord, people, and the world around us. We desire to share the hope that is in us through the Holy Spirit and the sacrifice of Jesus. Today I simply want to share a few stories of everyday life with you. I often get comments from people saying they enjoy these glimpses into our life the best. I think people just like to see how other people use daily moments to love and honor God. I would love to hear your stories, as well. After listening to the podcast, feel free to email me through the link on my website at terrihitt.com. I would treasure hearing your stories of seeking and enjoying the teachable God moments with your children or of how God has matured you personally in your walk with Him. He tenderly and intimately personalizes special moments with each one of us who have eyes to see and hearts to experience and believe. This first story happened with my youngest about three years ago. I’m going to read it as I originally wrote it, almost in a diary form. Brooklyn admired my rings as I was putting on jewelry today. Remembering that I have other rings I don't usually wear anymore, she went to my jewelry box, hoping she could wear one of them. I've never been one to want big, fancy, expensive pieces, but what I have has sentimental value. She pointed to a blue ring and got it out to look at. With excitement, she discovered that it fit her middle finger. "Oh, that ring is special," I told her. "You picked out a good one. Bring it over to the light," I said. She followed me to the bathroom and we stood under the vanity lights. Still not quite bright enough for what I wanted to show her, I swiped my phone screen and brought up the flashlight. Shining it toward the top of the ring, we looked again. The blue surface now had a brilliant white star on top. "Oh, pretty!" she exclaimed. "That's a star sapphire," I said. "That ring is the first gift Daddy ever gave Mommy. He gave me that ring when we were dating," We went upstairs to a skylight and looked at the ring again in the bright sunlight. "Another reason that ring is so special is that it reminds me of Jesus," I said. "When the ring doesn't have light on it, you can't see the star inside. When you flash the light on it, the beautiful star shines." Brooklyn looked at me as I continued talking. "When people go out in the world, we all look the same. But when Jesus shines His light through us, other people can see it. They see Him in us, just like we see this star in the ring." She smiled, absorbing more truths that were unspoken to her for too long. We left for speech therapy together - a mommy with one of her special daughters and a little girl wearing a ring that will never outshine the beauty Jesus is growing inside of her. When I was driving later, tears gathered in my eyes as I thought about how God knew long ago that the ring Dennis gave me for Christmas when I was 17 would be a tool in our future daughter, Brooklyn's life to help shape and grow her in Him. We will continue looking for miracles and living in His grace. I deeply appreciate the way God goes before us. How beautiful, merciful, and good His ways are. We simply cannot fathom the love and care He has for us. I did not know Jesus when I was a teenager, yet God knew me and loved me enough to use a gift from my boyfriend to set a plan in place for our future youngest child to learn of Him in a special and deeper way over half a century later. Psalm 139:5-6 says, “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!” Psalm 136:16 says, “Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness. His faithful love endures forever.” This next story is one I shared on my blog. I will read it as I shared there. Earlier this week I heard words that I knew might one day be said. In 15 years of adoptive parenting, they had never been spoken to me. “You’re not my real mom.” Instead of pain, my first thoughts were “How can I help her? What is going on inside her mind and spirit?” Always so good with eye contact, my youngest did not meet my eyes this time. Even when we received her as ours after meeting for the first time in China, she had perfect eye contact. In fact, her gaze was so impressive that I knew we had a fireball in our family. I remained calm and kept my voice gentle. “Why do you say that?” I asked. “Why do you say I’m not your real mom?” “Because you are wearing make-up today,” she said. I began to laugh. I couldn’t help it. My youngest loves to stay home. Her perfect day includes me waking her up in the morning wearing no makeup and my “stay home” clothes. Yes, there is a distinct difference in the way I look at home and when I go out in public. Comfy clothes are all I wear at home. Not pajamas, but close – soft and warm clothes. Brooklyn wears her pajamas all day – every day, unless we go out. This was her unique way of telling me how dissatisfied she was with me. After hugging, I explained to her that I knew she didn’t like to go to the doctor. I promised her it would be an easy visit and that we could stay home – without makeup – the next day. The next morning after awakening her (of course in my no makeup, stay home attire), I asked her if her “real mommy” was back. She smiled and told me, “Yes. Mommy likes to stay home with me.” It’s so important for us to dig deep into the messages we hear. This world sends so many false messages. As I have matured in my walk with Christ, He has enabled me to get better at letting Him discern what I believe and how I control my responses. It is so important for us to read and study His word daily so that we are not controlled by our flesh. We can make time for what we deem important, and even fifteen minutes of study will increase our desire to know and follow where God calls. As we make His word a priority, we establish Him as a priority. Life can be so difficult and confusing. The only anchor we have is Jesus. Our responses, desires, and attitude, as well as actions are all a direct result from the time we spend with Him. We have to know our beliefs in order to live them. Our Savior must be alive inside of us in order for us to reflect Him. Things are not always what they appear to be. Words are not always defined by our interpretation. Let Jesus be the One to guide and influence what you prioritize, believe, and how you respond. He alone will keep us from being deceived in this world full of lies. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” So often we think we know what others mean or we project our thoughts onto them. Children teach us how beautiful simple conversation and honesty are. No wonder Jesus wants the children to come to Him. I remember writing this next piece because I was deeply touched by how God ministered to and taught me through my middle daughter. Before I begin reading it, let me share that I’m the kind of person who wants to help people. When I know someone is hurting, I immediately want to help them find a way to make things better. Yet, God often needs to do a work in or through us before pain can be erased. Often, our trials may not be just for us to learn and grow, but for the others who will see or participate and learn and grow through them. Our Heavenly Father is sovereign. God used a dishwasher to help me remember that sometimes we just need to stand in the pain with others as we trust and allow Him to work. Here’s the next story: Our family washes dishes by hand (after our dishwasher stopped working several years ago). People actually get anxious when I admit that we didn’t run out to replace this appliance immediately. They say they couldn’t imagine living without a dishwasher. Do I miss it? Sometimes I definitely do! On the days we are in and out of the house with just enough time to eat and spread dirty dishes everywhere, I really miss it. Most days, no. Why? I cherish the time spent with my family while completing chores together. We have a system. Usually, I wash and rinse dishes, and Marissa dries and puts them away. Many times, my husband will join in to help dry and put the dishes away, too. While we take care of dishes, Brooklyn folds and puts away the laundry we washed that day (she brings it to the kitchen to work on). May I share that she doesn’t just fold it. The items look professionally pressed. She “hand irons” pieces as she folds, lovingly forming soft creases in the fabric that express her deep gratitude for us, her beloved family. My mother’s eye observes and treasures special qualities God blessed us with in our home, and the way we commit their use to one another in His honor. We usually have the best discussions while everyone is gathered together without distractions. Often, we sing and dance while music is played and we always find something to laugh about. Even the dogs join in. Can you believe our Mini Schnauzer loves us to sing to her? One day last week, the girls and I were listening to a variety of songs as we worked. Naively, I chose one that I had not listened to in years. Instruments sounded the opening chords of a piece I used to enjoy with my oldest daughter, Jaime in her teen years. A realization pierced me. I have officially lived twice as long as Jaime. My age is 58 years. My beloved daughter died at age 29. Then, another thought occurred. Jaime was born when I was 18. It has been 10 years since she passed away. That means I have now lived a total of 28 years of my life without her. Now I have lived a little over half of my life without her. My heart seized at the realization. I wept. My pain wasn’t expressed in a loud, sobbing cry, but with a quiet, resigned sadness that understands I cannot change anything, yet accepts that sorrow will always line my soul with the painful loss only God has carried me through. Soon, the years will begin adding up so that I have lived more and more of my life without her. It’s not supposed to be that way. Children are supposed to live longer than parents. The imperfections in this world could rip apart our relationship with God. Yet, He doesn’t desire it to. “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.” Psalm 91:4 He created us to desire Him. Not only in the good times. A best friend cradles and carries you. They never leave your side in the hardest moments. That is Jesus. My best friend. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed. Because His compassions fail not, they are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 As my silent tears exposed my grief, Marissa tightly hugged me. We shared the longest embrace I can remember. Wishing she could erase my pain, yet understanding that I had to embrace this season of it, my daughter simply and bravely stood with me in it. She acknowledged my grief and loved me in it. Just like Jesus does. Our broken dishwasher was a catalyst for the continued work the Lord was crafting in my personal journey, as well as in our family connection. The multi-faceted mystery of God is so much more than we see or imagine. Faith continues growing in our home. In our lives. In our hearts. In the actions of my children. I am immensely thankful for the love we share each day. I’m also grateful for the tears. “Jesus wept.” John 11:35 Just like me. Just like you. “You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in your book?” Psalm 56:8 Jesus is so concerned about our pain that He lovingly keeps track of what we do and what happens to us, storing our tears in a bottle, personally and intimately caring about every single event that occurs in our lives. Beautiful examples are modeled for us to follow for others. Marissa couldn’t store my tears or pain in a bottle, but she could stand with me. In the pain. No words needed. Just like Jesus. Living with eternal perspective means that we must condition ourselves to look for Jesus in the ordinary pockets of life. Hopefully, the more get accustomed to living that way, we get better and eventually live more with that mindset than without. My next piece exposed my desire to protect my daughter, but without the mind and heartset that Jesus would have me model for her. We must strive to adjust and keep all areas in our life focused on Him properly. Yet, even through our mistakes, Jesus knits good together despite the tattered threads of our unraveling attempts to be like Him. Let me expose my mistake and the way God redeemed it through working a good work in me for my daughters to see. Last week, I specifically asked God to humble me and allow me to become more like Him. As I whispered the words I truly meant, I knew that I was “asking for trouble.” Sometimes the prayers we offer to God can be scary. Just like when we pray for patience, I knew I would encounter both “painful” and “blessed” experiences ahead. I forgot to add the adjective, “embarrassing” to my list. As my Creator, God knows exactly what I need to become more like Him. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” James 4:10 It didn’t take long. Just a few days later I went to the county fair with my family. God was at work. I often reflect on my calling as a Christian and how that pertains to how I act and react to others daily. But, as at the fair, sometimes our emotions get the best of us, and we don’t think before we react. In Ephesians, Paul reminds us to walk worthy of the calling with which we are called. Sometimes, it’s hard. Obviously, it was for me that day at the fair. “Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1b-3 I had a few frustrating things happen, but the incident that triggered me to react the opposite of how I wish I would have…was…at the kiddie airplane ride. I’m not proud of my reaction. We stood in line while the multi-colored airplanes twirled, lifting small children high and low into the air. I watched my youngest daughter as she waited first in line. This was her fourth full summer with us. Almost four years of her life had now been spent in the company of a forever family who adores her instead of in a tiny crib with no human interaction. She adores family time. Absolutely treasures time with us. Going to fairs and carnivals is a delight for her. After waiting for the planes to stop spinning and letting other riders out, the operator opened the gate for her to enter the ride area. Then he stopped and asked her to measure her height at a sign near the entrance to the ride. A sign we had not seen. My girl was about an inch taller than the maximum height requirement. “She is wearing tennis shoes that make her about an inch taller,” I informed him. He shook his head. “No ride,” he said in limited English. “But she’s not really that tall,” I insisted. “The shoes make her taller.” “No,” he insisted as he continued shaking his head. “Are you serious?” I asked. “Whatever,” I remarked with frustration. “Let’s go,” I told my daughter as we got out of line. I couldn’t believe that he had let us wait in line all that time and then told her she was too tall, when she really wasn’t. Also frustrating was the fact that he wouldn’t admit that it was clear her shoes made her taller. My kids (and my husband) watched me as we left the line. They were a little surprised at my reaction. Actually, I was too. No one else was as frustrated as I was. Immediately, I thought about what a bad example I was being to my family and to the ride operator. “When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2 I had a choice as to whether I wanted to be frustrated or to realize that this silly airplane ride didn’t really matter. I was acting like foolishly. My frustration began to evaporate. How could I remain frustrated when God was already speaking to me? Of course, the conversationalist that I am, I discussed the experience and my reaction with my kids while we were still at the fair. I want to think about how what I do affects others around me. My responses can draw someone to or push them away from Jesus. Drawing others to Him, just by allowing Him to shine, means everything to me. I’m so glad I prayed to be humbled. I wonder what is next… My prayer is now that I will handle being humbled with more visible grace and light as I allow Jesus to continue transforming me moment by moment. How often do you jump in to rectify a situation or protect a loved one without waiting to see what God may have planned? His mercy is never ending. I am incredibly thankful for the work He has done and is doing in me. I’ll share one more story today. I hope my mistakes and joys allow you to cling more closely to God and perfect your ability to see His grace, wisdom, and provisions in each moment of your day. When I gave birth to my two biological children, I never considered bonding and attachment. The gift naturally occurred. In my defense, I was not a seasoned mother. I was only 18 when I delivered my first child and 21 when my second child was born. Yet, I wonder if all older mothers give much consideration to the fact that not all babies have the same beginnings in life. Even when a child stays with their birth family, there is still a need for intentional and purposeful bonding and attachment. When we adopted an infant from China 26 years after having our second child, we had obtained many years of parenting experience, as well as ongoing early childhood education on trauma, bonding, and attachment. Our eyes and hearts were opened wide by our innocent baby girl and the needs she carried. Then, we adopted again ten years later, and brought home an older child. We were as prepared as we could be. That doesn’t mean we had all the answers, but we knew where to go. God has made all the difference. Each child is unique. Each family is unique. Each situation is unique. But I knew; God is always the same. He has carried us every step of the way. Our eyes and minds have been fixed on Him for wisdom, guidance, understanding, peace, love…everything. He makes all things possible. But not all things are easy. What undeserved blessings we have received! We've witnessed miracles. Loss and grief have mingled with new beginnings that only God could orchestrate. What brokenness we have watched God heal. Shortly after our youngest child was home, she was overwhelmed by emotions that could not be expressed, except through tears. Although she was unable to tell me what she was feeling, I wanted to stay near – and I sat on the floor of her bedroom with her. Our language was strange; she had never heard it before coming to America. Everything was completely different: the language, smells, foods, sounds, home, people, animals, and even the way we responded to her. Used to no attention, she was now cherished by strangers. Her emotions told me she was frightened, overwhelmed, and she was grieving all that she knew and understood. Although I knew this was completely normal for the situation we were in, I just wanted to be close to her, for her to realize that I wouldn’t leave her in the hard places. She would never be abandoned. She was treasured. It was hard. She wouldn’t let me hold her. She didn’t want to hear my voice. But she did let me sit near her. In fact, if I tried to move away, she wailed louder, confirming my instincts to stay. As I stayed close, the lyrics of the Casting Crowns song, “Just Be Held,” flowed through my mind, intermixed with fervent prayers as I begged my Heavenly Father to help her. “Hold it all together. Everybody needs you strong. But life hits you out of nowhere and barely leaves you holding on.” Yes. Both of us were trying to hold it together. She was struggling to find a way to keep her control. I was definitely praying as I sat with her or I would not be able to hold it together for her. It was extremely difficult to sit through all the wailing and not be able to do anything. My heart was breaking for all she was fighting and going through. I thought of how God sees us when we hurt and struggle. Song lyrics continued in my mind. “And not a tear is wasted. In time, you’ll understand. I’m painting beauty with the ashes. Your life is in My hands.” “Your world’s not falling apart, it’s falling into place. I’m on the throne, stop holding on and just be held. Just be held. Just be held.” If only she could just let go and be held, I thought. But there was no way she could understand the changes her life was undergoing or the depth of our love for her already. I had to make sure I let go and let God handle the situation. I had no answers. I had to rely on Him to comfort her, unique to her needs, and individual to the plan He had for her life. I wanted her to realize that she was safe. That she could trust me - trust us. That with time, she could trust our love. God's love. Our family didn’t even know the way our love would deepen and evolve as we all bonded, attached, and grew together. Just as we cannot possibly fathom the love our Heavenly Father has for each one of us. He has a special love and relationship with each of us. We need to just let go and simply be held. Just accept. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1 How many of us resist God and struggle for years? How many still do not release control and allow themselves to be held? How many do not realize their worth through Him? As we believe we have released control in one area, there is always another to work on. Nothing we experience in life is wasted. Not even one tear. “Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll – are they not in your record?” Psalm 56:8 “Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red, brown, yellow, black, or white. They are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” Just as he adores them as grown-ups. No matter what we think or do. Let yourself be held. Experience transformation through Him. He truly is (more than) enough for all of our needs. Seek and seize the teachable moments God places before you and your children. Wear His eyes to see and experience His heart to believe. Father God, we thank you that you love us through our imperfections, but You don’t leave us there when we seek You. Thank you for offering a bridge for us to come straight to You through Jesus. Father, help us be more aware of Your presence in our life daily. Without You, we are nothing. God, we need You desperately! Help us to please You more each moment as we see and show You more clearly in our lives. Thank you for revealing Yourself through daily life, in the large and small moments that speak to us so intimately. Help us use those times, hard and easy, to cling more closely to You and shift our behaviors and thoughts to match Yours. In Your Precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. I’m thrilled to share that my latest free resource, “Scattering Seeds: Planting Character and Faith in Your Child” has released! This eBook is an excellent encouragement and support for mothers or grandmothers of young children. I encourage you to visit terrihitt.com to access and download it soon. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 090 - How Christ Can Help You and Your Children Discover True Identity Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 090 – How Christ Can Help You and Your Children Discover True Identity 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. Today I’m sharing an older episode from my previous podcast, Live With Eternal Perspective. Because this episode is a hit with the ladies in my Set-Apart Collective when we study identity, I thought it would be beneficial to share it on the Purposed Parent Connected Child podcast. Here’s the episode: At a recent family gathering, I listened to my adult son share childhood recollections with my younger daughters and grandson. It was a pleasure to hear how he remembered events and what his opinions were. I’ve always been fascinated by how people can live the same experiences and have such different emotions and memories. Listening to his recollections and thoughts allowed me to know him in a new way and appreciate the unique ways God wired him to view and participate in life. So, we’re going to start with memories. Let’s relax and think back. Do you remember something about your childhood that was always a pleasure to do? I don’t mean something you had to do. Did you have an interest that stirred you, motivated you, or set you apart from others? A passion? Was there a gift or calling you had to pursue because it seemed to complete you? What about your child? Is there something she does that is a type of identity marker? When my middle daughter was young, there were two things anyone who knew her would mention if they spoke of her. Dance and painting. Those who know my youngest daughter well would say designing and building with Legos. My oldest daughter had such wit and a quick sense of humor. I am a believer that it is a privilege and responsibility for parents to observe the inclinations and interests our children have. There is a connection between youth and exploration into what we are naturally drawn to. Observant parents will pay attention to these clues, along with the personality of their child. Through prayer and connection to them, we should find joy in assisting them to find what brings light to their spirit and could also be a source of income in the future, as well as an offering they can use to honor God with what He has bestowed to them. My adult son uses skills God gave him to be able to listen well, read body language, and connect with people as he serves them in sales. My youngest daughter crafts intricate designs and constructs buildings and cities with Legos and also has an amazing ability to streamline processes. My middle daughter is gifted visually and artistically with graphic design and through the use of paper, paint, and a brush, brings light and joyful artwork to others. She sees the world through the eyes of an artist and everything is more beautiful because of her vision. One of the biggest parenting joys I have is seeing and recognizing the passions, interests, and abilities God has crafted into each one of my children. Do you find it easier to observe and understand the God-gifted abilities your children possess, but perhaps not what you have yourself? I know it is more challenging for me. Although I always understood what I enjoyed and where I found peace and motivation, I was never able to comfortably or confidently acknowledge that I might have a talent in writing. To be very raw, I still don’t see a great ability, but I am leaning on the trust I have in God and the stirrings He places in my heart to accomplish through Him. I trust God will equip me to humbly follow where He leads to write simply and honestly about Him. What many people find challenging is to balance finding gifts or passions and connecting those talents and interests to enable them to fully express and use them for God. Even more important than finding and using the gifts God has given is learning to see ourselves as God views us and to understand how to navigate life in this world as He desires and calls us to . God wants us to learn the Truths He says about us. His desire is that we mature our walk with Him through deep relationship with Christ. As we build our esteem and life around who He says we are and what we can do through Him we discover godly identity. Psalm 139:14 says, “I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well .” If you don’t know who you are through Christ, you can’t model to your children where to find their identity. Instead, they will likely search and chase the culture and influences of this world. They’ll establish their identity based on who or what they see and hear the loudest. These days, by the time children are in middle school, and often grade school, many deal with suicide rates, nude photos, chat with dangerous strangers who attract and lead them away, and many have been exposed to pornography. These are topics we never want to hear associated with any person, let alone children. When a child (just like an adult), does not have a moral compass built on Christ, he is much more prone to seek whatever this world or his tell him . He will never find satisfaction or live with joy, hope, or peace. Matthew 6:33-34 says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own .” You must have a true and maturing relationship with God through Jesus in order to recognize the need for your child to have the same. Psalm 63:1 says, “O God, You are my God; I earnestly search for You. My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water .” We were created for beautiful fellowship and communion with God . Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end .” God created us to desire Him . When we don’t seek Him, our spirit is never satisfied. Our beloved children have the same need for God created in them . If you do not intentionally nurture and instruct your children in a healthy and growing relationship with Christ, they will subconsciously absorb and become what others in this world show and tell - to value and believe. They will also likely find unhealthy ways to cope with stresses and disappointments in life. On the other hand, children who are raised in healthy, God-filled environments at home contain more joy and contentment, and are more optimistic, encouraging, resilient, and flexible. They are also less likely to be promiscuous, use drugs or alcohol, or be lured into or tempted by unsafe encounters, and are closer to parents and family than the average child. Your children, when raised to honor and follow Jesus in a thriving relationship, are also more likely to have wise self-control, habits, and behaviors. They are also more likely to seek godly wisdom over worldly advice. A growing concern today is the sexual orientation of children. Our educational system, as well as books, movies, television shows, music, and celebrities, push a godless agenda of choice and change on our innocent and naïve children. When we raise our children to know, respect, and understand God’s sovereignty, values, and truths, they will understand their God-given sexual identity and carry a sacred view of life - while maintaining respectful tolerance for family and community, even those who carry differing opinions. Children patterning life after Jesus do not look down on others who disagree and can have a conversation without harsh accusations or anger. Instead, they show empathy and respect while allowing others to make personal choices. However, children raised to know God’s views and values respectfully ask God to guide their choices so that He is the one they please and honor. Children who concentrate on growing a relationship with God through Jesus have a deeper respect for authority, are more likely to uphold truthfulness and integrity, dress modestly, respect self, and learn to view set-backs or hardships as opportunities to grow closer to God. They also establish and reinforce healthy and thriving coping behaviors or life skills. It is essential that you build your personal relationship with Jesus moment by moment. When He is important to you, when you delight in Him, His teachings, and your walk with Him, your child will also begin to place importance on relationship with Christ. Once you are growing our faith journey in genuine and fruitful ways, how do you encourage and enable your child to build their identity in Christ? There are multiple ways, but I will list 13 easy methods to begin with. 1. Let your child see you build relationship , not watch you follow a religion . Connections are built through authenticity, joy , and commitment . 2. Share why you hold certain beliefs. Back up your faith with God’s word and stories of His faithfulness. 3. Look for, and point out God, in simple moments of life. Include Him in all you are and do. Nature walks, Bible stories, and tying Him to life events are all easy ways to begin. 4. Develop routines and traditions that guide the entire family to the Lord. Our family made a Family Vision and Mission Statement. You can listen the Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast episode 039 “Family With A Mission,” to hear more about it. It’s also a portion of my Set-Apart Collective. 5. Create your own Family Mission Statement together. Listen to the input of your child and incorporate it into the statement. 6. Read the Bible and pray together daily. I don’t mean rote prayers that you check off your list at the end of the day, but develop relationship with each other and God through prayer together. 7. Let your children see you read your Bible during personal time, as well. Encourage them to do the same. 8. Pray for your children alone, but also in front of them. Encourage them to pray for you, too. 9. Show your children how you look to God in times of trouble so that they will do the same. 10. Let your children see you praise God in good times, too. 11. Teach them (by example) how to serve and honor God. Let them come with you when you serve (where appropriate) and let them choose places to serve so that you can work together. 12. Spend time with your children doing their love language. Work with the schedule of your family to create moments your child will remember. When they are attached and feel close to you, they will be more willing to desire a relationship with God. You will also be able to guide them more easily, because they will let you be privy to thoughts and feelings since you have a strong relationship they trust. Your opinions and guidance will be more important than that of peers. 13. Listen to your child. When you share a close relationship, they will be more likely to entrust questions, fears, joys, and doubts about God with you so that you can help them navigate faith, pray specifically, and help them flourish. Two verses from Proverbs give great hope for parents. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Proverbs 29:17 says, “Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire .” We cannot guarantee that our children will choose to follow Jesus, but we can ensure that we give them sincere, natural, positive, and faith-filled truths, experiences, and biblical scriptures to make Jesus known and to guide them straight to His feet. Godly character and integrity can be imparted to them through consistent, purposeful mentorship when we personally know, love, and strive to honor the Lord with our children. Then we prayerfully and consistently pursue Jesus in these ways over and over each day. Through easy and difficult times, through tears and smiles, we inhale Christ and exhale Him in beautiful ways moment by moment. Then we prayerfully and obediently trust God to do the work in their hearts. 1 Peter 5:2-3 says, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock .” What a purposed privilege to parent children for God. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Remember, God did not allow you to parent His unique child because He knows you are fully equipped. God demands and desires that you trust in Him and allow Him to lead and equip you in every aspect of your parenting journey. Be on your knees daily with mind and heart turned to His every lead. God knows and understands everything about you and your child. He is the only one who can guide you in the ways you should go. He is fully equipped and able to handle every need that you, or your children, have. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ” One of my favorite parental instruction passages is Deuteronomy 6:6-9 , which says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates .” God makes the holy importance of purposeful parenting for Him very clear. Psalm 78:1-7 says, “My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, His power, and the wonders He has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which He commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands .” Jesus speaks the instruction so clearly in Matthew 19:14 . “But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven .” Likewise, Mark 9:42 says, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Our glorious Father God, we need You so desperately. Thank you for Your guidance, love, and instruction. Parenting is the greatest and hardest joy You bestow on us. May we be more worthy of Your great gift because of our steadfast pursuit of You and our obedience to You. Help us understand Your desires and see the blessing of our children with Your loving eyes. Enable us to seek and find You in deeper ways daily and show us how to reach each child with Your heart and truths. May our children please and delight You, Father. May they find their identity through and in You. Keep them close and in Your perfect care. Give them Your wisdom and desires. May they be equipped and eager to show You, so that Your truths and commands will be known to, and followed by, future generations. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. I hope you enjoyed this episode from Live With Eternal Perspective. This is a sample portion of the coaching you receive in the Set-Apart Collective. Have you heard me talk about the Set-Apart Collective in this podcast? Do you wonder why I share it so often? It’s simply because I know the program works. If you’re ready to invest in the future of your children, contact me at info@terrihitt.com for more details or visit terrihitt.com/setapart. Because you are a podcast listener, let me know you heard about the special price I’m offering you. I deeply want you to experience results and live a set-apart life with a set-apart family. 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. Why? Because 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 your matter for eternity. If you connected in some way with this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? It only takes a minute or so and makes a big difference in people finding the podcast. You and I know that the best reviews are by word of mouth, so would you please choose a friend to recommend the show to? Let them know that the podcast is found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Imagine the changes we will see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they learn to be intentional, too. 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. Previous Next

Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 143 - Prayer (replay) Listen to Episode

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #118 – Biblical Friendship and Connection Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. As my middle daughter has grown, it has been a joy for me to witness the types of friends she chooses. Over the last year, I’ve delighted in the depth of her friendships with people, especially those who love Jesus and are also trying to grow a life that honors and pleases Him. Would you agree that friendship is a blessing? Close friends are an extraordinary gift. I’ve always been intrigued by people, their stories, their dreams, their backgrounds, and beliefs. Listening to others enables us to grow individually and display empathy, sympathy, and feel a sense of connection, even if for a brief period of time. Experience has taught me that some people are meant to stay acquaintances, some are friends for a season, and some are God-sent companions who become family as our relationship spans many years and distances. One of my greatest joys in relation to long friendships is that whenever we have been apart for a great many months or sometimes years, whenever we talk again, it feels like there was never a separation. We are able to pick up where we left off, and although time has passed, and we have continued developing as individuals while away from each other, our hearts are still intertwined. God certainly values friendship. Have you ever noticed how many friendship stories the Bible contains? Just to name a few, I think of David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel 18, 19, and 20. Then, 2 Samuel 1 and 9 show us how their relationship endured even after the death of Jonathan. The story of Ruth and Naomi has always been special to me, and in Ruth 1:16-17, we see the love Ruth carries for her mother-in-law and close friend, Naomi. Daniel 2:49 shows us a way Daniel looked out for his friends. 2 Kings 2:2 shows Elisha looking out for Elijah. Although his friends were imperfect and didn’t always offer godly perspective, Job 2:11-13 shows that Job’s friends did the best they knew how as they came to be with him in his time of need. Philippians 2:19-23 shows how highly Paul thought of his younger friend, Timothy. Friendship is obviously biblical and is of great importance to our Heavenly Father. John 15:13-15 speaks of the greatest friendship in history as it says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know His master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you.” This passage of scripture shows us that Jesus considers His followers to be His chosen, beloved friends. By laying His life down for us, Jesus has already proven that He is our ultimate best friend. As we step forward in obedience and spread His love to others through the Holy Spirit working within us, we can draw closer to the type of friend He desires us to be to Him and to others. What a miracle that as our friend who loves and cares deeply for us, Jesus makes everything the Father has taught Him known if we care to pay attention to Him. Jesus said in Mark 12:30-31, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.” Obviously, Jesus calls us to care for others, not just our friends. Besides, if we didn’t extend love to those we come into contact with, how would we ever find new friends? Those who have built deep friendships with people understand that what they have together is a treasure, and if your friends are also believers, there is a depth and purity that cannot be found by those who don’t pursue Christ. There’s also a spirit-led ability to see from the perspective of the others if difficulties arise. Without Christ, we are unable to handle disagreements in ways that genuinely please the Lord each time. Imagine your best friends and the relationships you have shared over time. Just as each person is unique, our closest friends will bring out different aspects of our personality. You know who you think of calling if you want to discuss biblical or political issues, who will help you deepen your walk with Christ, who will make you laugh, who will tell you when you are wrong, and who will simply listen when you need a shoulder to cry on or a sympathetic ear. Jesus is able to do all of this, but also much, much more. I often imagine what it must have been like for the disciples as they walked this earth with Jesus at their side. Christ’s inner circle of men were privileged to learn from and fellowship with Him directly. The relationship we have available to us now through salvation in Christ is even more intimate, because Jesus inhabits followers through the deposit of the Holy Spirit within us. This guarantee of eternal worth and value allows us to abide with Jesus now and live with anticipation of a glorious fellowship to come. Although I much prefer the Holy Spirit residing within me, and I know how desperately I need Him, I’m still intrigued by the relationship Jesus held with his disciples. The term “disciple” in Christianity refers primarily to a dedicated follower of Jesus. We see this term used in Acts, within the New Testament, and of course, in the gospels. In that time period, being a disciple meant the “follower of a teacher.” The student would actively imitate the life and teachings of their master. They deliberately desired, and took action to become, a replica of their teacher. Are you actively trying to become a replica of Christ? Isn’t that what we are supposed to do as we follow Him as believers? If you are not purposely leaning into and relying on Christ, what is stopping you? Through the blessed benefit of the resurrection, we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, abiding within to enable us to become more like Christ as we release self and allow Him to disciple us. It sounds so easy, yet our pride and ignorance make it so hard. How do we maintain and deepen this great friendship we have been blessed to receive with Jesus? How do we live as a student who becomes a replica of Jesus, our teacher and friend? Connection is the answer. In John 15:1-27, Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in Me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you keep My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in My name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of My name, for they do not know the One who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates Me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both Me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’ “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of Truth who goes out from the Father—He will testify about Me. And you also must testify, for you have been with Me from the beginning.” What are 9 truths we receive from this passage of scripture? 1. Jesus, the true vine, is the Source of all life. 2. Jesus tells us of two types of branches, those that bear fruit and those that are barren. Just as we cannot tell the character of a person by simply looking at them, branches may appear the same until one fails to yield fruit. 3. No branch is able to bear fruit unless it remains connected to the vine. Christians cannot survive and mature in their faith unless we remain connected to the true vine, Jesus. Abiding in and continuing to seek Jesus, deepening our walk with Him moment by moment, is the only way to bear fruit that honors and glorifies God. 4. As we remain connected to the vine through Bible study, prayer, worship, and seeking Jesus in all we do, we view the world through an eternal lens as Christ did, expectant of the work the holy Spirit is unfolding within and through us daily. 5. Joy and love are natural grown through abiding in deepening relationship with Jesus. Jesus desires us to have full, abundant lives! 6. Christ tells us that His followers are His beloved friends. Because He has already laid His life down for us, Jesus has proven His love for us. We must choose whether to serve the Lord and allow us to love one another in the ways He has taught through humble, obedient, sacrificial lifestyles. 7. The love and sacrifice of Jesus calls us to bear fruit, to live out the gospel through obedience to the Holy Spirit within us, and to share the gospel with love and humility. Believers have a strong calling to become lifelong disciples of Jesus, not merely superficial believers, and to endure what the world may throw at us with the grace of Christ, knowing He is our shield and strength. 8. Persecution should, unfortunately, be expected. If the world hated Christ, it will certainly hate those who exemplify Him. 9. Just as Jesus promised and sent His disciples the Spirit of Truth to testify through the oral and written testimony of the apostles, we have the provision of the Holy Spirit within us to disciple, embolden, and equip us for the purpose we are to serve under Christ. Jesus, our best friend, loves at all times and gave the greatest sacrifice a friend can give for us, whether we choose Him or not. As we draw nearer to Jesus, He draws nearer to us and we begin to understand the depth and width of His everlasting, sacrificial love. Jesus calls us His friend, but He is actually so much more. Knowing that moment by moment we must release self and choose to become a clearer version of Christ daily, let’s look at 6 practical facts that help ensure we remain maturing on the vine of Christ. 1. Choose friends wisely, especially your closest ones. As we are reminded in this episode, friends are incredibly important. If we tend to become like those we are around, we want our friends to reflect Christ and for our friendships to stretch and grow us in godly ways. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 2. Although we can be away from good friends for a time and still pick up where we left off, we must remain connected to Christ. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” Jesus spoke of being the vine because He knew the disciples would understand the concept He was trying to make clear. Vines were common in that day as the economy was based on producing and maintaining healthy crops. Vines grow from a central branch which is rooted deep in the soil. Smaller branches then spread from this deep-rooted main branch and bear the fruit. Just as fruit on the vines cannot live apart from the source of sustaining life, we cannot live healthy, productive, godly lives without remaining connected to our central branch, and Source of Life, Jesus, who enables us to thrive through His love and nourishment. 3. Keep His commands. This world has no power over us unless we allow it. Rely on the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit within you in every way. 1 John 2:27 says, “But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in Him.” The word abide is used in the Bible more than 100 times. Nineteen of those references are used in 1 John alone. Abide in this verse is calling us to continue or remain in relationship with Christ – abide in Him. If we do so, we are empowered to believe and obey the truth that sets us free and also enabled to love Him and others. In this verse from 1 John we are also reminded of the power of abiding in Christ. The powerful, life-giving word of God, is sufficient for the wisdom from Christ that we need and the application of all things. The Holy Spirit reveals the truths of God for those who seek and abide in Christ. 4. Love with a sacrificial love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Only through the strength and empowerment of the Holy Spirit within us and a strong, connected life with Christ can we begin to offer the unselfish and sacrificial love of Jesus. 5. If the world hates us, it hated Jesus first. If they see Him in us, they will hate us. Matthew 10:22 says, “And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Only through abiding in Christ will be able to withstand the hatred and persecution of this world. Even when we abide in Him, our flesh calls to retaliate or condemn others, especially when they hurt us or those we love. As we remain connected to the vine of Christ, the Holy Spirit reproduces the life of Christ within us, transforming us into a clearer vision of His image, enabling the Spirit to conquer our fleshly nature. 6. Jesus leaves us two important weapons - the Holy Spirit within us and the Holy Spirit-inspired Bible will enable us to remain connected to Him and to be able to receive and communicate His love as we obediently follow Him. John 14:15-21 says, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.” Friends are such a blessing and I have several godly women in my life that I cherish. Like you probably do, I feel it is a gift to sit down and talk with friends of the same mindset and encourage each other as we travel life in this world. Each friend I have is a treasure and a gift that I know God has placed in my life for specific reasons. I pray we always seek God together and reveal Him to each other more clearly as time marches on. Yet, Jesus is the very best friend any of us can have. Whether you have several friends or you feel like no one understands you, know that Christ does. Trust His word and the sacrifice Jesus offered willingly for you. Seek greater connection with Him as you choose to remain connected to the vine, our Source of Life. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus. We praise You for Your goodness, generosity, and sacrifice to and for us. Help each of us listening to this podcast episode to seek and follow You with a sacrificial love that allows us to begin a deeper walk with You and to become a clearer image of Christ each day. Help us to be fruitful as we remain attached to Your vine. Produce more fruit within us and use it for Your good pleasure. May we draw ever nearer to You and trust that You are drawing nearer to us, enabling us to shine You more clearly and sincerely, drawing others to You. Thank you for being our guide, advisor, and friend. You are all we need. Help our lives to reflect that truth. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, and you would like more information on the topic we discussed today, I invite you to listen to previous episodes. You may find them on the terrihitt.com website. Click on podcasts and type in the topic or title you wish to hear in the search bar at the top of the page. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen, follow it, and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 118 - Biblical Friendship and Connection Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #118 – Biblical Friendship and Connection Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. As my middle daughter has grown, it has been a joy for me to witness the types of friends she chooses. Over the last year, I’ve delighted in the depth of her friendships with people, especially those who love Jesus and are also trying to grow a life that honors and pleases Him. Would you agree that friendship is a blessing? Close friends are an extraordinary gift. I’ve always been intrigued by people, their stories, their dreams, their backgrounds, and beliefs. Listening to others enables us to grow individually and display empathy, sympathy, and feel a sense of connection, even if for a brief period of time. Experience has taught me that some people are meant to stay acquaintances, some are friends for a season, and some are God-sent companions who become family as our relationship spans many years and distances. One of my greatest joys in relation to long friendships is that whenever we have been apart for a great many months or sometimes years, whenever we talk again, it feels like there was never a separation. We are able to pick up where we left off, and although time has passed, and we have continued developing as individuals while away from each other, our hearts are still intertwined. God certainly values friendship. Have you ever noticed how many friendship stories the Bible contains? Just to name a few, I think of David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel 18, 19, and 20. Then, 2 Samuel 1 and 9 show us how their relationship endured even after the death of Jonathan. The story of Ruth and Naomi has always been special to me, and in Ruth 1:16-17, we see the love Ruth carries for her mother-in-law and close friend, Naomi. Daniel 2:49 shows us a way Daniel looked out for his friends. 2 Kings 2:2 shows Elisha looking out for Elijah. Although his friends were imperfect and didn’t always offer godly perspective, Job 2:11-13 shows that Job’s friends did the best they knew how as they came to be with him in his time of need. Philippians 2:19-23 shows how highly Paul thought of his younger friend, Timothy. Friendship is obviously biblical and is of great importance to our Heavenly Father. John 15:13-15 speaks of the greatest friendship in history as it says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know His master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you.” This passage of scripture shows us that Jesus considers His followers to be His chosen, beloved friends. By laying His life down for us, Jesus has already proven that He is our ultimate best friend. As we step forward in obedience and spread His love to others through the Holy Spirit working within us, we can draw closer to the type of friend He desires us to be to Him and to others. What a miracle that as our friend who loves and cares deeply for us, Jesus makes everything the Father has taught Him known if we care to pay attention to Him. Jesus said in Mark 12:30-31, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.” Obviously, Jesus calls us to care for others, not just our friends. Besides, if we didn’t extend love to those we come into contact with, how would we ever find new friends? Those who have built deep friendships with people understand that what they have together is a treasure, and if your friends are also believers, there is a depth and purity that cannot be found by those who don’t pursue Christ. There’s also a spirit-led ability to see from the perspective of the others if difficulties arise. Without Christ, we are unable to handle disagreements in ways that genuinely please the Lord each time. Imagine your best friends and the relationships you have shared over time. Just as each person is unique, our closest friends will bring out different aspects of our personality. You know who you think of calling if you want to discuss biblical or political issues, who will help you deepen your walk with Christ, who will make you laugh, who will tell you when you are wrong, and who will simply listen when you need a shoulder to cry on or a sympathetic ear. Jesus is able to do all of this, but also much, much more. I often imagine what it must have been like for the disciples as they walked this earth with Jesus at their side. Christ’s inner circle of men were privileged to learn from and fellowship with Him directly. The relationship we have available to us now through salvation in Christ is even more intimate, because Jesus inhabits followers through the deposit of the Holy Spirit within us. This guarantee of eternal worth and value allows us to abide with Jesus now and live with anticipation of a glorious fellowship to come. Although I much prefer the Holy Spirit residing within me, and I know how desperately I need Him, I’m still intrigued by the relationship Jesus held with his disciples. The term “disciple” in Christianity refers primarily to a dedicated follower of Jesus. We see this term used in Acts, within the New Testament, and of course, in the gospels. In that time period, being a disciple meant the “follower of a teacher.” The student would actively imitate the life and teachings of their master. They deliberately desired, and took action to become, a replica of their teacher. Are you actively trying to become a replica of Christ? Isn’t that what we are supposed to do as we follow Him as believers? If you are not purposely leaning into and relying on Christ, what is stopping you? Through the blessed benefit of the resurrection, we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, abiding within to enable us to become more like Christ as we release self and allow Him to disciple us. It sounds so easy, yet our pride and ignorance make it so hard. How do we maintain and deepen this great friendship we have been blessed to receive with Jesus? How do we live as a student who becomes a replica of Jesus, our teacher and friend? Connection is the answer. In John 15:1-27, Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in Me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you keep My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in My name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of My name, for they do not know the One who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates Me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both Me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’ “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of Truth who goes out from the Father—He will testify about Me. And you also must testify, for you have been with Me from the beginning.” What are 9 truths we receive from this passage of scripture? 1. Jesus, the true vine, is the Source of all life. 2. Jesus tells us of two types of branches, those that bear fruit and those that are barren. Just as we cannot tell the character of a person by simply looking at them, branches may appear the same until one fails to yield fruit. 3. No branch is able to bear fruit unless it remains connected to the vine. Christians cannot survive and mature in their faith unless we remain connected to the true vine, Jesus. Abiding in and continuing to seek Jesus, deepening our walk with Him moment by moment, is the only way to bear fruit that honors and glorifies God. 4. As we remain connected to the vine through Bible study, prayer, worship, and seeking Jesus in all we do, we view the world through an eternal lens as Christ did, expectant of the work the holy Spirit is unfolding within and through us daily. 5. Joy and love are natural grown through abiding in deepening relationship with Jesus. Jesus desires us to have full, abundant lives! 6. Christ tells us that His followers are His beloved friends. Because He has already laid His life down for us, Jesus has proven His love for us. We must choose whether to serve the Lord and allow us to love one another in the ways He has taught through humble, obedient, sacrificial lifestyles. 7. The love and sacrifice of Jesus calls us to bear fruit, to live out the gospel through obedience to the Holy Spirit within us, and to share the gospel with love and humility. Believers have a strong calling to become lifelong disciples of Jesus, not merely superficial believers, and to endure what the world may throw at us with the grace of Christ, knowing He is our shield and strength. 8. Persecution should, unfortunately, be expected. If the world hated Christ, it will certainly hate those who exemplify Him. 9. Just as Jesus promised and sent His disciples the Spirit of Truth to testify through the oral and written testimony of the apostles, we have the provision of the Holy Spirit within us to disciple, embolden, and equip us for the purpose we are to serve under Christ. Jesus, our best friend, loves at all times and gave the greatest sacrifice a friend can give for us, whether we choose Him or not. As we draw nearer to Jesus, He draws nearer to us and we begin to understand the depth and width of His everlasting, sacrificial love. Jesus calls us His friend, but He is actually so much more. Knowing that moment by moment we must release self and choose to become a clearer version of Christ daily, let’s look at 6 practical facts that help ensure we remain maturing on the vine of Christ. 1. Choose friends wisely, especially your closest ones. As we are reminded in this episode, friends are incredibly important. If we tend to become like those we are around, we want our friends to reflect Christ and for our friendships to stretch and grow us in godly ways. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 2. Although we can be away from good friends for a time and still pick up where we left off, we must remain connected to Christ. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” Jesus spoke of being the vine because He knew the disciples would understand the concept He was trying to make clear. Vines were common in that day as the economy was based on producing and maintaining healthy crops. Vines grow from a central branch which is rooted deep in the soil. Smaller branches then spread from this deep-rooted main branch and bear the fruit. Just as fruit on the vines cannot live apart from the source of sustaining life, we cannot live healthy, productive, godly lives without remaining connected to our central branch, and Source of Life, Jesus, who enables us to thrive through His love and nourishment. 3. Keep His commands. This world has no power over us unless we allow it. Rely on the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit within you in every way. 1 John 2:27 says, “But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in Him.” The word abide is used in the Bible more than 100 times. Nineteen of those references are used in 1 John alone. Abide in this verse is calling us to continue or remain in relationship with Christ – abide in Him. If we do so, we are empowered to believe and obey the truth that sets us free and also enabled to love Him and others. In this verse from 1 John we are also reminded of the power of abiding in Christ. The powerful, life-giving word of God, is sufficient for the wisdom from Christ that we need and the application of all things. The Holy Spirit reveals the truths of God for those who seek and abide in Christ. 4. Love with a sacrificial love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Only through the strength and empowerment of the Holy Spirit within us and a strong, connected life with Christ can we begin to offer the unselfish and sacrificial love of Jesus. 5. If the world hates us, it hated Jesus first. If they see Him in us, they will hate us. Matthew 10:22 says, “And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Only through abiding in Christ will be able to withstand the hatred and persecution of this world. Even when we abide in Him, our flesh calls to retaliate or condemn others, especially when they hurt us or those we love. As we remain connected to the vine of Christ, the Holy Spirit reproduces the life of Christ within us, transforming us into a clearer vision of His image, enabling the Spirit to conquer our fleshly nature. 6. Jesus leaves us two important weapons - the Holy Spirit within us and the Holy Spirit-inspired Bible will enable us to remain connected to Him and to be able to receive and communicate His love as we obediently follow Him. John 14:15-21 says, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.” Friends are such a blessing and I have several godly women in my life that I cherish. Like you probably do, I feel it is a gift to sit down and talk with friends of the same mindset and encourage each other as we travel life in this world. Each friend I have is a treasure and a gift that I know God has placed in my life for specific reasons. I pray we always seek God together and reveal Him to each other more clearly as time marches on. Yet, Jesus is the very best friend any of us can have. Whether you have several friends or you feel like no one understands you, know that Christ does. Trust His word and the sacrifice Jesus offered willingly for you. Seek greater connection with Him as you choose to remain connected to the vine, our Source of Life. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus. We praise You for Your goodness, generosity, and sacrifice to and for us. Help each of us listening to this podcast episode to seek and follow You with a sacrificial love that allows us to begin a deeper walk with You and to become a clearer image of Christ each day. Help us to be fruitful as we remain attached to Your vine. Produce more fruit within us and use it for Your good pleasure. May we draw ever nearer to You and trust that You are drawing nearer to us, enabling us to shine You more clearly and sincerely, drawing others to You. Thank you for being our guide, advisor, and friend. You are all we need. Help our lives to reflect that truth. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, and you would like more information on the topic we discussed today, I invite you to listen to previous episodes. You may find them on the terrihitt.com website. Click on podcasts and type in the topic or title you wish to hear in the search bar at the top of the page. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen, follow it, and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #083 – Allowing Christ to Shine Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Last week I spoke about the peace of God surrounding me despite trials we have endured this summer. Of course, you know what usually happens after a declaration like that, right? This week has been full of situations happening that would cause me to lose that peace if I didn’t know the secret to authentic peace that lasts. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” No matter what happens, we must keep our eyes, mind, and heart lifted Up. Forming the habit of regularly hearing, studying, and absorbing God’s word, as well as making time to prayerfully be in the presence of God, listening for Him, and speaking to Him is essential. The “Live With Eternal Perspective” Podcast Episode 18, simply entitled “Prayer” is a good source to help us focus on a life of meaningful prayer and reverence for God. Would you like to listen to it or read the transcript, both available on terrihitt.com? Deuteronomy 10:12 says, “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases Him, and love Him and serve Him with all your heart and soul.” Our life does not amount to anything if it does not include forming and maturing a deep relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the definer and refiner of life. Ephesians 5:2 says, “and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God, into an aroma of a sweet smell.” As I type this podcast my shoulder is numb and I am applying an ice pack for relief. There have been many obstacles I could list, but James 12 comes to mind and fills me with greater peace and clarity of mind. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” What can you do to change the direction of your life so that you honor Christ and live with greater peace? Deuteronomy 30:20a says, “and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.” As I mentioned earlier this month, I am using the month of August to encourage listeners and equip you through previous episodes of this podcast that you may not have listened to. Have you heard Podcast Episode 46 – Maturing Character Like Christ or Podcast Episode 49 How Do We Love Christ? Both are useful for instruction and for training, then maintaining a pure and deepening walk with God through Jesus. Father God, we thank you for Your holy and sovereign presence in our lives. Without you we are absolutely nothing. From the dust of the ground we were formed, and to the ground we will return. Our hope is in You through Jesus. Thank you for the dearest sacrifice You could have made for us. Please enable us to desire and know You so well that we cannot help but be obedient to the stirrings and calls You personally place on our life. Father, may we know and love You more each day because we make the time to cherish You. Until we stand before You and gaze into Your eyes, help us cling to You and allow You to shine more brightly through us each and every moment. In the name of Your precious Son, Jesus, we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 083 - Allowing Christ to Shine Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #083 – Allowing Christ to Shine Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Last week I spoke about the peace of God surrounding me despite trials we have endured this summer. Of course, you know what usually happens after a declaration like that, right? This week has been full of situations happening that would cause me to lose that peace if I didn’t know the secret to authentic peace that lasts. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” No matter what happens, we must keep our eyes, mind, and heart lifted Up. Forming the habit of regularly hearing, studying, and absorbing God’s word, as well as making time to prayerfully be in the presence of God, listening for Him, and speaking to Him is essential. The “Live With Eternal Perspective” Podcast Episode 18, simply entitled “Prayer” is a good source to help us focus on a life of meaningful prayer and reverence for God. Would you like to listen to it or read the transcript, both available on terrihitt.com? Deuteronomy 10:12 says, “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases Him, and love Him and serve Him with all your heart and soul.” Our life does not amount to anything if it does not include forming and maturing a deep relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the definer and refiner of life. Ephesians 5:2 says, “and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God, into an aroma of a sweet smell.” As I type this podcast my shoulder is numb and I am applying an ice pack for relief. There have been many obstacles I could list, but James 12 comes to mind and fills me with greater peace and clarity of mind. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” What can you do to change the direction of your life so that you honor Christ and live with greater peace? Deuteronomy 30:20a says, “and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.” As I mentioned earlier this month, I am using the month of August to encourage listeners and equip you through previous episodes of this podcast that you may not have listened to. Have you heard Podcast Episode 46 – Maturing Character Like Christ or Podcast Episode 49 How Do We Love Christ? Both are useful for instruction and for training, then maintaining a pure and deepening walk with God through Jesus. Father God, we thank you for Your holy and sovereign presence in our lives. Without you we are absolutely nothing. From the dust of the ground we were formed, and to the ground we will return. Our hope is in You through Jesus. Thank you for the dearest sacrifice You could have made for us. Please enable us to desire and know You so well that we cannot help but be obedient to the stirrings and calls You personally place on our life. Father, may we know and love You more each day because we make the time to cherish You. Until we stand before You and gaze into Your eyes, help us cling to You and allow You to shine more brightly through us each and every moment. In the name of Your precious Son, Jesus, we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 092 - The Master Blueprint: Exploring the Life of Jesus and What it Means for You and Your Family Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 092 – The Master Blueprint: Exploring the Life of Jesus and What It Means for You and Your Family 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. Jesus . Just saying the name of my Savior name brings me peace , joy , and assurance . Try it. Stop and say His name . Jesus . What feelings or emotions does speaking His name bring to you? I wish we knew more about the life of Jesus from Bible. Wouldn’t It be a beautiful blessing to know more of the day to day moments of His childhood? How about when He was going through puberty? How did He act, what did He think? How did He treat His parents, His siblings? We know Jesus was fully God and yet fully man. Surely, He wrestled with insecurities and fears, or wondered about His future? Or did He? As fixed as He was on the Father, I believe He led a glorious life that reflected how to function with godliness in this world. Although it would be wonderful to know even more details about the life of Jesus, I trust that God gave us exactly what we need to know. While I wish there were more detailed accounts of the life of Jesus, I believe we have just what we need to construct a blueprint of the life Jesus lived here on earth. The first place we should start to know more about Christ is the Bible. My favorite books to read are usually found in the New Testament. With the exception of Genesis, which is the standard for how God wants us to live, I think most people might agree that New Testament books are easier to understand and more enjoyable to read overall. That being said, compare what I just stated with foods. Isn’t it much more enticing to eat desserts instead of the main course? Or, if you’re not really into sweets, at least you may agree that fruits carry more interest than vegetables. Now let’s compare the Bible to these thoughts about foods. While the New Testament, the story of Jesus, and how our lives are changed because of Him is easier and more interesting for many to read, we still need the foundation and direction found in the Old Testament. In fact, it has been said that the Old Testament is the blueprint , while the New Testament is the building . Why? Blueprints show the inner workings of what is to be built . A blueprint explains what is being constructed . The blueprint exposes what is to come . The Old Testament is God’s blueprint to us. Think about this amazing truth I’m about to share. The Old Testament was the beautiful Scripture Jesus Himself read and used. For us, the Words in the Old Testament set a foundation and expectation for what was to come . The Old Testament also exposes problems and promises . Without these truths and prophecies , we cannot understand God’s heart or the healing that is to be offered ; we can’t begin to fathom the sovereignty and holiness of our God. As important as the entire Bible is, there are major differences between the old and new testaments. Have you ever considered this thought? The Old Testament offers the framework that the New Testament is built upon . God reveals Himself in both testaments; through prophets in the Old Testament, and through Jesus in the New. In the Old Testament, God exposes the depravity of sin and how far it is from His holiness . In the New Testament, we learn the importance of repentance and how far our loving, merciful God will go to set us free from the bondage of sin and death. Jesus revealed that the Old Testament pointed the way to Him . He stressed that He came to fulfill the law , and to set us free from it. However, now that we have the grace and mercy of God to save us through the acts of Christ in the New Testament, we must realize that it is impossible to understand faith, love, grace, or mercy without studying the framework God established for us within the Old Testament . Like a balanced meal with all food groups, we must study both old and new testaments in order to grasp the reality of who God is, what He has done for us, and what is to come . Because of Jesus, we can experience abundant life without fear of death. We can live with assurance that we will stand before Him without shame, with sins cleansed . If you’re a believer and follower of Jesus and have proclaimed Christ as your personal Savior, you can know with certainty that you will one day face Him with joy as He welcomes you into eternity . What a gift! Are you living like one redeemed by the King? In the meantime, we have the blessing of God’s Word to help us envision and understand the life of Jesus in deeper ways. Unless we intentionally use the Bible to study Him, we fail to grasp the fullness of what God offers us through Christ. Earlier I shared that Jesus came for many reasons, yet the most important one was to save us from sin and death. In our human mind, it is impossible to grasp the holiness or forgiveness of Jesus. We don’t understand the richness of His mercy, love, or grace. Many adjectives can describe our Savior, but while using them, we still fail to comprehend exactly what each description means or how it affects us. Today we’ll draw nearer to Jesus and attempt to see Him as a Holy Savior, Best Friend, Comforter, King, and so much more. Why is exploring the life of Jesus so important for you and your family? Jesus changed everything . Without Him, this world, you, and your family would have no hope. You would remain entangled in sin and death. As you absorb more of what the life of Jesus means to you, as you better understand His sacrifices and sufferings, you are more equipped to live a godly life pleasing to our Heavenly Father. Then you’re better able to mentor a godly lifestyle and mindset for your children. As we explore the life of Jesus, I think we need to highlight ten very significant details of His life. 1. Birth – Jesus was born of a virgin. Yes, followers of Christ know this fact. But how often do we think on it? What a miracle! Have you pondered the fact that if Jesus were not born of a virgin, we would not have a sinless Savior? As fully God and man, Jesus had to be born of a virgin overshadowed by God to become fully God and fully human. Also, if Jesus had not been born of a virgin, he would have been born as a descendant of Adam and God’s Word is clear that “in Adam all die.” When you look at the birth of Jesus, you also see that His life fulfilled prophecies proclaimed in the Old Testament. All Scriptures point to Christ, even when they are not specifically prophetic. The law is perfectly kept by Christ, yet all sins of humanity are poured out on Him , proving the law is not the way to righteousness and eternal life, only Christ. The miraculous birth of Jesus fulfilled prophecies and build the foundation for the purpose of His life . 2. Baptism – Jesus was about thirty years old when He was baptized by his relative, John the Baptist. This is the time His ministry began. Although Jesus was holy and righteous, He chose to be baptized to fulfill requirements we needed to see and learn. He chose to be baptized not to turn from sin, as He carried no sin, but to dedicate Himself to fully following God’s will on this earth. He chose to show us the way to live as a follower of God. Now we are able to be baptized into Him as we submit to Christ as Savior. In return, He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. At the time of Jesus’ baptism, we also learn that Jesus’ act of obedience confirmed His identity as Messiah in three key ways. After Jesus was baptized, we see from Scripture that the Spirit of God descended on Jesus like a dove from heaven. This simple act was a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 11:2 that the Messiah would have the Spirit of God resting on Him. Also, the voice of God from heaven said after the baptism, "This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased ," which confirmed Jesus' identity as the Son of God . We also have the testimony of John the Baptist, who had been proclaiming that the Messiah was greater than Him. When Jesus came to be baptized, John immediately recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God and the Son of God. The baptism of Jesus showed all three persons of the Trinity at the same time: the Son being baptized, the Holy Spirit descending, and the Father speaking from heaven . The act of baptism confirmed Christ's deity as Jesus perfectly submitted to the will of His Father . 3. Miracles – There are around 37 recorded miracles of Jesus in the Bible. Of course, we know that there were many more unrecorded . In fact, John 20:30-31 says, “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name .” Likewise, John 21:25 says, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written . 4. Teachings – Jesus left the world with many teachings, but two of the most popular that readily come to mind are the Sermon on the Mount and the parables He used. How I wish I had to wisdom to teach with parables the way He did. Jesus caused others to think and assess their life, desires, and motives. He loved each person where they were, but called them to change. He doesn’t want any of us to stay immersed in sin. In fact, He calls us to go and leave our life of sin. 5. Sufferings – In fulfillment of Isaiah 53 and other prophecies, Jesus suffered persecution, was arrested, beaten, and nailed to a cross to die. Jewish leaders evilly handed Him over to a death sentence approved by the Roman leader Pilate. 6. Death – We often hear that Jesus paid the ultimate price. He suffered, was pierced for our transgressions. He cried out as He was crucified and slowly died a painful death. Yet do we really absorb these facts? I think the truth is so far from what we can humanly comprehend. It’s too ugly and barbaric for our minds to really go there. But our heart needs to. Jesus died for you. He died for your husband, your children, those you love, and those you don’t. Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. 7. Burial – After His death, Jesus was embalmed with around seventy-five pounds of spices, and laid alone to rest in a tomb for three days. The miracle was about to happen ! 8. Resurrection – After three days, Jesus conquered death as He rose from the tomb. New Testament records show that many people witnessed His empty tomb. They relayed the miracle that Jesus was seen alive . 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 says, “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time .” 9. Ascension – After forty days Jesus ascended, leaving with a promise that He would return again (as spoken in Matthew 28, Luke 24, and Acts 1). Praise the Lord for His promise to us ! 10. Predicted Return – Several New Testament teachings write of the promised return of Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is one example that speaks to this certainty. “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words .” Jesus gave hope to encourage followers to live for Him, share testimonies and faith, and so they would look forward to the certainty of eternity with Him . What a miraculous gift that we can come to Christ through His abundant grace and love. Because God sent His son, our Savior to earth to be born from a virgin, live as fully God and fully man, and to be humbly raised by a human mother and adoptive father, everyone can relate to Christ. He came for all and all can know Him. Jesus also clearly relayed to us how to live fully for God. His teachings were direct and truthful. He spent His life abiding in and pursuing the Father. As a child, Jesus craved and considered deep understanding, insight, and wisdom from God’s holy Word. He maintained prayerful communication with the Father. Through His teachings, Jesus showed us how to do the same. Jesus was able to converse and consult with temple teachers, even as a preteen. Through this act of dedication and desire for more, He modeled His miraculous ability to absorb and comprehend complex theological questions, answers, and truths. His insight and understanding were clear, concise, and correct. Jesus’ teachings serve as a foundation for our life and relationship with God . Not only do we have access to how Jesus lived through the Word, but we also learn His focus, priorities, and teachings. We can see that He demonstrated the power of God, as well as the heart and hope of our Heavenly Father. Jesus understood that His life purpose was to fulfill Scripture, mentor to us how to live and reach God, and how to deepen faith and relationship with God and others. He also taught how to please our Heavenly Father. Jesus’ life showed us we do not have to fear death . He secured and showed us the way to eternal life, and He asked us to help others do the same. Jesus was a living example of hope, love, mercy, forgiveness, joy, and compassion. He lived on this earth with us as a man, but died in His rightful place as a King who taught us how to find the true treasure in life. When we submit to Him, we find the key to unlock to secrets of our heart and live a fulfilling, godly life that lasts into eternity. Can you see how exploring the life of Jesus means joy , peace , and life for you and your loved ones? Christ came so that we might live abundant lives in humble obedience to the Father. He came so that we could live with assurance and grace . What does that mean for you and your family? What will you do to follow the blueprint of Jesus’s life and make relationship with Him more meaningful for your children and family? Dear gracious and merciful Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us Your Son. We have limited words to express what Your gift means because our human minds cannot fully grasp the depth of Your love. We humbly thank you for giving us eternal life through Jesus. Please guide and guard us as we journey through life. Give us a strong yearning for You and Your ways. Equip us to grow nearer to You moment by moment and show our children how to do the same. Lord, as we ponder the life of Jesus help us to become stronger in our determination to live for you and to live a godly, pleasing life . We ask this in the precious and holy name of Jesus. 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. 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, I have two suggestions. First, consider the Set-Apart Collective. I guarantee this program will deepen your walk with Christ if you let it. 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 Jesus and your family. Let me know if you’d like more information on this 8-week program where my heart, mind, and prayers support your walk with Christ and godly parenting growth. Second, like most moms, you may have questions or doubts about the way you’re parenting. I invite you to visit terrihitt.com/coaching and click on the link for a call. This is a private one-on-one complimentary session so that I can get my heart and experience on your needs. We’ll pray together and see what God-led strategy will ensure you stop being a good mother and become a godly parent. This is my gift to you and I have a very limited number of spots. Claim yours today and see the difference purposed parenting for Christ makes in your home as you prepare your children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. It’s true that the parenting days are long, but the years are short. Make both matter for eternity. 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. 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. Previous Next

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 037 - Life Lessons From my Teen Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #037 – Life Lessons From my Teen Thank you for listening to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast. My prayer is that you and I will parent with purpose and confidently connect with Christ and our children moment by moment. Since my middle daughter recently graduated from high school, I enjoy listening to her thoughts on childhood and her upbringing. While sharing a walk in the neighborhood recently, I spontaneously asked her to share 3 things she thought I did well while raising her. Would you like to hear her response? The top 3 things my daughter believes helped shape the morals she holds as a young adult were: 1. Church/Service – Because she was raised going to church out of reverence and love for God, and we were very active in many activities and committees as she was growing up, my daughter believes it taught her to make God a priority and that serving in the areas He calls you to at church is an act of love and obedience. Every committee meeting I could bring my daughter to, I made sure she was present. Sometimes my husband took her to his. My daughter helped set up for events, she danced at meetings and programs, and she helped make decorations. When I prepared materials for VBS, she helped. When I had to clean up after VBS, she helped. When we opened our home several times to house out of town college students, she was part of the conversations we had. Everything she could take part in, we allowed. Now she is a four-time Presidential Gold Service Award winner and has hours logged in other years that she never submitted for awards. Serving is natural for her and now, as an adult Christian she knows that she is serving for Him above all. 2. Awareness – Because we taught her to be selective and careful about what clothing she wore and what types of music she listened to, my daughter believes she learned a foundational understanding of being conscious of how she presents herself and what she allows to reside in her mind. She believes that how she learned to manage what she allowed into her mind taught her to carefully consider what she listens to or watches. For example, we taught her not to wear a bikini out in public as we did not want her to desire wearing scanty clothing when she was a tween or teen. We didn’t allow short shorts or shorts and sweats with writing on the bottom. Looking forward to the future with present decisions made a huge difference in what she came to desire as she matured. 3. Respect – Because my daughter feels that my husband and I respected the gifts and talents God placed within her, and that we helped and encouraged her to find and pursue them, she feels very blessed for our support. My daughter believes that when parents truly respect the child as a whole and unique person created by God, it makes it much easier to find the passions He crafted within and allows a stronger parent/child relationship. She felt that we actually paid attention to who she is and not what we wanted her to be or become. I enjoyed hearing her answers so much. I want to state that I didn’t know what she would say and truly, her answers surprised me. They weren’t the answers I thought she would give, but I’m so thankful for the ways God spoke to us while raising her. I thankful for the tiny acts that we made consistently over the years. They paid off for her and us in the best ways now that our daughter is facing young adult years. Please mothers, use what I shared to remember that what you do matters ! Continue to seek God’s Word and use it in practical, godly ways. Proverbs 4:5 says, “Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them .” Ask God for the wisdom to raise your children wisely. Ask Him to lead you in raising godly children who know and honor Him. Ask Him to keep you consistent in pursuing and shining Him to your children and family. Making God a priority and remaining in Him over the years will teach your children that your faith is real because God is. If you’d like to hear more, I will release an interview with my daughter this summer. I’ll be sure to let you know when it airs. Remember, I’m not sharing this with you because I think I’m the greatest mother. I share because anything that worked well came from God. I know anything I did well came from His wisdom. Mothers, continue looking Up and seek Him in all decisions. Although I fall short, He still lifts up what I offer and multiplies beyond my wildest dreams. He will absolutely do the same for you. Dear Heavenly Father, Your goodness to us is overwhelming. Your love is beyond what we can comprehend. How faithful You are. I thank you for all You are and do in our lives. Father, even when we absolutely do not deserve Your best, You still offer it. Thank you. Lord, please help me, help each of us to continue to seek You through Your Word, prayer, and service in all the ways You call and desire. Help us to hear You clearly because we seek You consistently. May we, and our children, please You more each day. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” podcast. This summer the episodes will be shorter and I may occasionally offer favorite replays as I spend time with my family and follow a special collective I believe God is calling me to complete for Him. Remember, this podcast, and the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast, may be found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and they are part of the Spark Media Network. Both podcasts may also now be found on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed my podcasts on Apple Podcasts yet? Did you know that when you review my podcasts on Apple, it helps to elevate the standing of the podcasts online so that more people are allowed to find and hear them. Will you please take a moment to follow the shows and think of someone you can share the podcasts with and encourage them to follow and share, as well? Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will sway them away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Parent and Connect With Eternal Perspective. Previous Next

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast - Episode 076 - Do You Make it Difficult for God to Give You His Best? Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 076 – Do You Make it Difficult for God to Give You His Best? When I was young I kept several journals. Sometimes they were fancy, some were just a spiral notebook, but from the earliest recollections of my childhood, I always had something to write in. Whether it was fiction, poetry, or simply my thoughts, placing words on paper cleared my mind and enabled me to survive challenging times. Although my parents loved me and did the best they knew how to do, our home life was sometimes difficult. Placing my deepest thoughts on paper and allowing creativity to flow allowed me a type of escape and release I wasn’t able to find elsewhere. God obviously created me with a love for words and books. After I got married at 17, my husband became my biggest supporter. His encouragement to follow my dreams was consistent. I remember the Christmas he presented me with my first laptop. The joy in his eyes when I opened that gift still touches me so deeply it brings tears. During my twenties and thirties I wrote several novels, and would have continued to polish, perfect, and submit each one to agents and editors. What stopped me? I knew in my spirit that God was telling me it wasn’t His plan. In my late thirties, God made it clear to me that this was not the path He wanted me to walk. I was shocked. Writing felt like the air I breathed. The thought of stopping felt like a death in a deep place of my soul. But I couldn’t ignore that I knew I was hearing Him clearly. To continue to pursue a writing career would be direct disobedience to God. So what did I do? I packed away every manuscript. Even the one I was enjoying writing more than any of the others. It was a Christian fiction novel that was growing my faith as I wrote it, but I couldn’t deny that obedience to what God was calling would deepen my faith even more than putting words on paper. As God directed me to stop writing altogether, I realized He was calling me to sacrifice what I had unknowingly placed higher than Him. I never really felt like I loved writing more than Him, but in hindsight, I can see that the way writing filled my spirit could be considered a form of idolization. My new life without writing began to shape me in higher ways for Him as I allowed God to fill me and give me release. Instead of stealing the air I breathed when I quit writing, I began to inhale and exhale God with greater depth of faith, trust, and obedience. Many years later, God whispered to me that it was good for me to write again. At first, I resisted, knowing that He had previously directed me not to write. But that still, small voice was persistent. The difference was that now God filled me with different writing desires. I no longer yearned to publish fictional stories, whether Christian or mainstream. My writing became about the ways God had carried me through loss, through trials, and into obedience. My stories were crafted from a heart full of love and awe for Jesus and the way He had changed my life and family. My stories were gifts of praise and hope for others to build a foundation of truth and salvation through Christ. My writing was all for Him. Just last week, I thought about my writing journey. I had been reminded of how God transforms each of us who trust in Jesus. How? By watching the actions of our two year old Golden Retriever, Beau. On this particular day, I was washing Beau's “Chewys,” which are a rubberized toy with a carved out center to hold food of whatever sort you want to fill it with. Then the “Chewy” is placed in the freezer so the item freezes and your dog gets to enjoy licking the iced treat. Since our dog tends to get bored through the day and sometimes begins licking himself out of that boredom, we purchased the “Chewys” with the hope that they would be a distraction to lessen the habit. As I was preparing to put treats in Beau’s “Chewys” and freeze them for him to enjoy later, he watched me, highly concerned because I had his toys. My dog circled the kitchen, panted, and tried to see what I was doing. He peered over the countertop with upleveled anxiety as watched me place a few pieces of his food in the center of the toy. He whined and paced again, then returned to sit next to me with concern stretched across his usually joyful golden expression. Do you ever get anxious or worried when you can’t get something? When something you want badly is just out of your reach? Beau’s behavior made me think about what we must look like to God sometimes. How must our Heavenly Father feel when He knows He’s preparing a beautiful tailor-made gift for us, but we refuse to wait in peace and trust. Instead we try to make what we want happen and of course, always in the timing we desire. Have you ever wondered how much you might miss out on just because you’re so concerned with getting something you think is best? Have you ever desired something so deeply because of the way it made you feel ? Can you think of a time that happened to you? Mine would be my writing. I never asked God whether I was supposed to write. I just knew the desire was in me. How could it be wrong if the desire seemed to be part of the very core of me? Giving up writing was painful. If I hadn’t clearly heard God tell me to stop, I certainly wouldn’t have. Now, on the other side of that process, God lovingly allowed me to write again, but changed my reasons for doing it. He changed my heart and thought process. I see how false my sense of peace was years ago when I strived to write those novels that would propel me into a multi-city book tour. When I wrote simply because I loved creating characters and plots, I didn’t experience the same peace-filled joy that I have now when writing for God. What I do now isn’t to impress or gain accolades, but simply to live in obedience and to show what the Lord has done for me, what He continues to do, and what He is doing for others. He’s given me a calling to help younger mothers raise children to chase Christ over culture and to help mothers parent to prepare, not repair. He’s given me a yearning now to let mothers know to stop being a good parent, and become a godly mother. So much meaning and joy has blossomed from writing for Him. Not only for me, but for my family. When we study the Bible we see many stories of humans who made mistakes, like you and me. We may not think so at first glance, but at the core, the people we read about in the Bible are just like us. As you read their stories, you notice that there were many times God had better plans for them than they had for themselves. Or He desired to give them better than they could conceive. Because we all fail, because we are so far from God and His sovereignty, we are prone to easily sway from God’s best or to expect less than He intends to give. Think for a moment about God’s provisions for the Israelites when He led them out of captivity. Remember the way they responded with sin and rebellion, fear and complaints? They missed seeing the beautiful, promised land God had for them. They forgot His promises of a hope and a future. We also have Adam and Eve, the very first in a long line of sinners who missed what God created for them. Think of Esau losing his blessing to Jacob. Esau didn’t value God’s Word and promise like his brother, and allowed Jacob to steal it from him. Each person thought they knew more than God or had a better idea of what would be best for them. Humans following self instead of a loving, giving Father. Genesis 25:29-34 says, “Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom). Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright .” There are several ways we can lose the blessings God has in store. Let’s look at some of the ways you can miss out on God’s best for you, and in turn, your family. 1. Feelings/Emotions – What we feel and how those feelings affect us. Although people often use the terms feelings and emotions interchangeably, they have distinct, but similar meanings. Emotions involve our feelings, but stem from an event or circumstance that evoke a feeling, such as fear, sadness, happiness, surprise, anger, or disgust. Feelings are our reactions to those emotions and how we interpret them. For example, if you are shopping and you get mugged, that situation causes emotions such as fear or anger. You may feel like it is unsafe to shop in that store again. You may feel like there are no nice people anymore because bystanders didn’t react the way you needed at the time. Sometimes life circumstances and/or situations evoke emotions that cause feelings that bring reactions and actions that pull us away from trusting in God. Or those reactions bring actions that aren’t honoring to God and cause problems or heartache. 2. Past Experiences – Past experiences can linger in our heart and mind. It is truly only through the life-changing power of relationship with Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit living within that we are able to live in freedom. If we don’t submit to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and instead live by reacting to emotions and feelings, we cheat ourselves and our family out of blessings God desires to bring to us. 3. Pride/Stubbornness – Sometimes we know we shouldn’t react with the actions and/or words we do, but because of pride and stubbornness we do what we want regardless of consequences. Our Holy God doesn’t bless rebellion. 4. Jealousy/Greed – When we look at how God has blessed another or we believe that we have less than others, we aren’t living with the thankful spirit God desires we carry. Our Heavenly Father carries no partiality, but He does honor humility, faith, trust, and obedience. He sees into our heart at the very core of what we think, feel, believe, and desire. God won’t bless a heart set against Him or one that lives without gratitude. 5. Disobedience/Sin – When we live in ways that go against God, His desires for us, and His teachings, we walk in disobedience. God wants the best for His people, but He is sovereign and holy. He will not bless sin or disobedience. James 4:1-6 says, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Your walk with God is such a blessing when you follow Him in the ways He deserves and calls. Don’t set yourself up to miss out on the blessings He wants to pour on you. Don’t let your children miss the blessings He desires they receive. Your walk influences the walk of your children. The God you show them, and the way you respond to Him, will be engraved in their mind and heart. Don’t let them be led astray by your circumstances, emotions, feelings, past experiences, ego, stubbornness, jealousy, disobedience, or sin. Know and show the God of the Universe, the One who made a way for you to know and show Him. Help your children see and claim Jesus as their Savior. Allow them to be blessed in the mighty ways God has for them. Your life will be immensely blessed when they are blessed by Him. Psalm 46:10 says, “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth .” Dear Heavenly Father, there is truly none like You. The closer we walk with You the more joy, peace, and love we carry. Thank you for making a way straight to You through Jesus. Your Word tells us that we are Your handiwork, that we are created in Christ Jesus to do good works which You have already prepared for us in advance. Father, thank you for loving us so much that You crafted us with purposes that come from You and are designed to honor and please You. Help us live in ways that honor and fill You with delight. Help us to make You known to the children You have entrusted to us. Allow them to find You and be blessed by all You have for them. May they let Jesus shine from them and bring You honor. Thank you for loving us so much and for having a heart that only wants the best for us. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. 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. I believe godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset a mother carries. That’s why I’ve created the Set-Apart Collective. Have you decided peers and culture won’t be the main influence over your child? Would you like to parent to prepare your child for eternity with Christ, not to repair a relationship? In the Set-Apart Collective, you will deepen your walk with Christ, 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. The Set-Apart Collective wait list is open now. The first group of women is currently growing together. The second group is about to start. Please send me an email at info@terrihitt.com to let me know you’d like to receive information. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. If you connected in some way with this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? It only takes a minute or so and makes a big difference in people finding the podcast. You and I know that the best reviews are by word of mouth, so would you please choose a friend to recommend the show to? Let them know that the podcast is found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Imagine the change we will see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they learn to be intentional, too. 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. 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< Back Purposed Parent/Connected Child Episode 008 - Building Character Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #008 – Building Character Are you yearning for greater connection with your child? Would you like to parent beyond the moment with eternal perspective? Let’s grow together now with practical tips, scripture, and stories geared to draw your heart to Jesus and guide your child into His arms. Whether you are a parent of young children, have children who are about to leave for college, or have grown adults raising their own children, it’s always a humbling blessing to see them reflect the Lord in their words and actions. Being a parent is such a layered gift. We can easily tend to parent in our own strength, look for ways our children are like us, and in fact, call them our “mini me.” Most of us have been there at some time; viewing our children as tiny extensions of ourselves, finding ways they are like us, and basking in their accomplishments that reflect well on us. What I’ve learned by maturing my walk with Jesus is that each child in this world was miraculously and individually formed with intimate and personal care. For God so loved the world that He brought my child into it with a purpose in mind. He brought your children to this world for special purposes only they can fulfill as they allow Christ to work through them. 1 Chronicles 16:8-11 says, “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always .” With hindsight gained from raising one set of children and now well into my years of mentoring my second set in Christ, I know the importance of intentionality . Living with eternal perspective applies to everything we do and how we view life. Like decay that spreads unless addressed, if we are not purposeful in our walk with Jesus, our children will most likely follow the world and the desires taught by those who do not know Jesus. Our walk with Christ and the truths we teach because of the Holy Spirit alive within us is the shield that will offer protection from this world and make Jesus known to them. A mature relationship that builds Christlike character cannot be formed without a deep desire for Jesus to be reflected daily for our children. It’s easy to raise them in ways that produce the morality taught in this world, but we must desire and do more for the children God has entrusted to us. When we imagine the character we want them to hold, let’s not confuse the holiness Christ seeks with morality . Worldly morality prompts our child to conform to rules or standards for conduct, but who sets the boundaries? Many preach living your own truth and doing what feels right. God’s word teaches His truths, which are the only holy, living, active truths that serve all and honor our Lord. Holiness is a transformation only realized through relationship with Christ . When we are lovingly following the Lord and what He calls good or holy, Christlike character is formed in us and then, our children as they witness the Holy Spirit at work within to transform us. As they follow Jesus, developing their own faith, they recognize the Holy Spirit inside, beckoning their spirit to humbly please and honor Christ, and character training begins. When our children look to Jesus instead of the morals advertised by friends, influencers, celebrities, or culture, they will respect the instruction shown and given by us. Holy character is forming. 1 Chronicles 22:19a says, “Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God.” As we live in a world increasingly hostile to the gospel of Christ, we must remember the basics of a strong foundational relationship with Jesus and our children. As we draw nearer to God, our character matures and transforms to one that attracts our children and causes them to draw nearer to us and their Heavenly Father. We know the basics, done with a loving and consistent spirit makes a dramatic difference in the spiritual life of our children. Reading our Bible , making time for quiet study and reflection of God’s word and spending time in prayer with Him, speaking and listening for His guidance, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding builds a strong connection that withstands the trials life will bring. When we extend that same purpose with our children, reading and studying the Bible together, praying together and looking for the ways God is working and teaching, a solid groundwork is laid on which to mentor and help them to build a mature relationship with their Heavenly Father. I’d like to offer a suggestion: when you finish this podcast episode, I recommend listening to Live With Eternal Perspective podcast episode 046, “Maturing Character Like Christ” to hear practical and encouraging tips for living under pressure with heart and mind fixed on Jesus. When we allow our gaze to rely on Him despite difficulties, the Lord moves us to character mirroring His , and through character, to a hope that endures and reflects His grace, hope, and love. Our children see and absorb exactly how we process and react to life. We want to do all we can to ensure we live the way Jesus calls and continue growing in Him moment by moment so that our children will, too. You can find “Maturing Character Like Christ” on the terrihitt.com website. Simply click on the podcasts page and type the information in the search bar. It’s so simple to listen on your phone or iPad as you work, exercise, or travel. Beyond the basics of our walk with Jesus, what else can we do to guide our children to Him? How do we enable them to desire and grow Christlike character that pleases God and deepens their walk with Jesus? The Holy Spirit is the enabler of character like Christ. When our children or grandchildren are taught to know and love Jesus, to view the world as Christ does, their drive for ungodly behavior or worldly pleasures that do not please God diminishes. They must love and honor Jesus. The same applies to us. So how do we ensure that we raise our children or influence grandchildren with the ability to view the world as Christ does? How do we instill godly character that gives God joy? By teaching them God’s holy word and applying His truths to life. We make Him real to them. We show them the difference Christ makes in a life submitted to Him. Each of us pass through this world quickly. We are here for such a short while. Isaiah 40:7 says it best. “The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people.” Our life can be proof that we can live in this world, yet not be a part of it. We can live set-apart with thoughts and character . We can examine and process where we are in our life at this very moment and where we want to be. Is it where He would have you go? Ponder ways to submit to God and allow Him to take you where He desires and has purposed. What differences would it make in the life of your child or grandchild to witness you asking for and submitting to the changes God makes in you ? The world tells us that integrity is adherence to moral and ethical principles. But whose principles? As believers in Christ, we know that His standards are the only ones we should esteem. The world tells us that we must hold good character, evident through characteristics such as persistence, self-control, honesty, optimism, intelligence, gratitude, integrity, and leadership. But who is the judge of the level of our character? Why do they choose these specific qualities? I believe there are 3 higher objectives we must keep at the forefront of our mind as we raise our children to view this world as Jesus does and live as He would call. 1. Heart for Christ – Prepare the soil of our child’s heart to make them ready for the gospel seeds to sprout and flourish. 2. Submission to Christ – Exhibit personal submission to Jesus in ways that draw our child nearer to Him. 3. Separation from World – Live a life that is set-apart and more attractive than what this world advertises as desirable. How are we able to do these steps? The answer is the same for each objective: mentor the behavior of Christ . 1. We consistently apply the foundational Bible and prayer basics we discussed earlier in this episode. 2. We allow the Holy Spirit to work within us and transform us to react like Christ. 3. Listen to your child, empathize, but don’t turn away from discipline when needed. 4. Discipline as correction, not punishment. God holds us accountable, but He does not shame us. 5. Don’t reflect or condone the behavior of this world, instead allow the Holy Spirit to continue renewing you moment by moment. As you live consistently with behavior that reflects the teachings of Jesus, you are showing character that will be noticed. 6. Be consistent in godly thoughts, actions, and reactions. 7. Take life moments as they come and use as teachable times. Don’t ignore the hard moments that often appear when families are in a rush or during very active times. Think of these as opportunities (that have been expressed through the trials of life) and use them to bring ungodly behavior up for discussion (yours included). Address consequences or ways to change. The way we exhibit Christ when we use parental authority over our children can be a magnet that attracts or repels them to our Savior. Remember, the nearer we draw to Jesus, the more we allow the Holy Spirit authority to reconstruct our heart and mind. As our children see the change within us reflected in daily actions and words, they witness, learn, and recognize the power of Christ and their character will change. Ezekiel 36:26 says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh .” Allow Christ to multiply in and through us while we are in the midst of trials and tragedy. Teach your children to do the same. 1 Peter 1:3-7 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Christ sustains and grows us during trials and persecution. Nothing lasts forever, the cruelty or trials will end, but the fruits of Christ’s transformation within us brings us to an eternity with Jesus. Romans 5:1-5 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us .” Seek and exhibit character that shines Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8 says, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ .” As the Holy Spirit works within us, as it works within our children, godly character forms new traits that are impossible for humans to possess apart from Christ, such as: fruits of the spirit, discernment, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, patience, self-denial, mercy, humility, pureness of heart, honesty, loyalty, and godly integrity. Galatians 5:22-24 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit.” As godly parents, we must search the heart and mind of our child and reflect on the following questions: 1. Who am I when no one is watching? 2. Who is my child when no one is watching? 3. What do I do when the right action will hurt me, but benefit another person? 4. What does my child do when the right action will hurt him, but benefit another person? 5. Are my actions consistent when I am watched by someone and when I am not? 6. Are my child’s actions consistent when he is watched by someone and when he is not? Abe Lincoln said, “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing . As followers of Christ, we know Jesus is the real thing. We must stand in His shadow, praying for His light to pass over and remove the darkness from us. We must also pursue a genuine and strong walk with Him. As life mentors for our children and grandchildren, we must think of our leadership in terms that are simple enough to remember and follow daily: 1. If we are a godly, trustworthy, consistent leader, our children will see Christ in us and trust Him. 2. Good mentors follow excellent leaders. Keep your eyes and heart on Jesus so your child will, too. 3. Shift praise and accolades to Jesus and remember where your strength and wisdom is established so your child will do the same. 4. Counsel others to look to and lean on Jesus. It’s easier to speak in general as you share about God, but it is imperative to narrow down to Christ . Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Your child needs to see your faith in action. 1 Chronicles 28:9 says, “And you, My son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever .” I’m sometimes asked what I believe makes the biggest difference in a child’s life. I would say introducing our children to Jesus by the way we live our relationship with Him and joyfully studying the Bible together is key. Shoot for daily. Hebrews 4:12 reminds us, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Nothing will reach our children for Jesus and build godly character better than God’s holy word and seeing their parent and or grandparents lovingly and joyfully live by it . Dear Heavenly Father, You are the biggest blessing to us. Thank you for the Holy Spirit within believers. Thank you for the access we have to You every moment. You are so, so good. Father, You have entrusted such precious gifts to our care. You search us, know us intimately, and still place them with us. How we need You! Draw us ever nearer to You daily. Enable us to seek You in clearer ways, in more godly ways. Help us to recognize our needs and release ourselves to You fully. May we please You greatly with the way we raise and influence our children and grandchildren for You. We are not worthy. But You are. We want our children to love You with joyful and godly hearts. Give them character that pleases and shines You. May they walk ever more closely with You than we have. May each generation draw nearer to You than the last. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you pray for your child, please look for my free ebook, “Prayers for My Child,” available on the website under the “Resources” page and is designed to guide the heart of your child to the feet of Jesus through scripturally-based prayer. The Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast is now available at terrihitt.com, where you can access the episodes housed in one convenient location, receive access to blog posts, read transcripts, and find additional resources designed to mature your walk with Christ and equip you to raise or influence connected children through Him. God knows that we are not capable of successful parenting on our own. As we rely on Him, releasing doubts and expectations, and humbly bow to His guidance and experience, we find greater clarity in parenting and a wondrous walk with our Creator that will extend to our children and those around us for generations . I pray this podcast helps you parent with purpose and deepen your connection to Jesus and your children as you intentionally place Christ above culture or self. Allow Him to work through you for true connection that will draw your children to Him and build a maturing relationship with Christ and your child that lasts for eternity. Previous Next

< Back Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode 023 - Teach Your Child Biblical Critical Thinking Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #023 – Teach Your Child Biblical Critical Thinking Are you yearning for greater connection with your child? Would you like to parent beyond the moment with eternal perspective? Let’s grow together now with practical tips, scripture, and stories geared to draw your heart to Jesus and guide your child into His arms. Since my youngest daughter came to be a member of our family when she was already at the age of nine, her personality was well-formed. Despite extreme neglect and isolation in her early years, certain mannerisms, habits, and temperament were well-formed. I recognized that character was still a very pliable area, and we focused on teaching her what love looked like, that she could trust us, that she was safe, and let her see the type of character we, her family members carried. After those things became real, understandable, and valuable to her, and she formed a stronger grasp on the English language, we were able to begin showing and teaching her the character of God. Although she was not taught to think critically, we noticed early on during our time with our daughter that she carried an amazing ability to observe situations and quickly provide solutions that improved activity flow or processes. Although she had almost no human contact during critical developmental periods, she was somehow able to gather information, understand connections, question, recognize inconsistencies or errors, and offer solutions. She was also adept at predicting the way an action or decision would impact her future, and her foresight is developed beyond her years or experience. How does this happen? Does she think in reverse? Is her thought process affected by years of neglect, so it is sharpened by the necessity for survival? Despite her gifting in this area, she still lacked one critical piece that carried high importance. What was it ? The ability to examine the information she gathered against God’s Holy Word . Just as each of us needs to build and strengthen biblical critical thinking, our girl now knows to hold what she observes, hears, and learns against God’s truths. In order to analyze information, digest material, and produce godly discernment over fleshly judgement, your child must hone the ability to think with a mind influenced and directed by the Lord. Most of what our children read and learn in school (and also on social media) is opinion clothed as fact, with liberal, cultural doctrine woven throughout. Public institutions can’t be teaching the skill of critical thinking. Students are graduating without the necessary ability to absorb and process information, then produce godly discernment that clearly differentiates between fact, fallacy, and opinion. But the final truth is that it is the responsibility of mothers and fathers. We must set this goal foremost in our mind as we parent. Our children must be taught how to think, not what to think. Especially when it comes to their relationship with Christ. Unless our children are taught to stand on the firm foundation of Jesus as the support on which to mature their walk with God, they will not learn the process of claiming faith through Christ and experience true freedom to live a holy life. Teaching your children God’s truths and allowing them the privilege of applying biblical critical reasoning as they mature in their walk with Christ will release them from the pitfalls of this fallen world and provide escape from pursuits that can entrap and enslave. Godly parenting is the key to ensuring our children grasp the need for this ability and for ensuring that they develop it. Since the mental and biblical health of children (thoughts process, actions, reactions, and self-worth is strongly connected to their parents, especially the primary caregiver, each mother must examine what we receive and believe closely. Are you carrying and applying this critical skill for your children to see? Or are you allowing fear, depression, anxiety, poor coping mechanisms, untrue or incorrect biblical beliefs, and ungodly reactions influence your child’s ability to think critically and in a way that honors God? The self-thoughts of children can be strongly influenced by or learned from parents, whether it be spoken or observed behavior. The influence and opinions of teachers, doctors, peers, friends, and bullies, or of society in general, through cultural practices and advertisements also lend high authority in the way our child shapes thinking. Coupled with negative internal thoughts, such as: “I’m stupid.” “I’m not pretty enough.” “No one likes me.” “I can’t do this.” “No one understands me.” “They don’t really love me.” “I’m not as good, smart, pretty, etc. as…” will cause our children to build far from where God desires them to construct their thought patterns. Add in social media influences and dangers, including inappropriate content, predators, bullying, and divulging personal information, as well as cultural and societal changes, fear, and uncertainty can bring about depression, anxiety, loss of independent thinking, lack of critical thinking, loss of resiliency, and irrational fears. While negative thoughts are usually rooted in fears, lies, regrets, or misconceptions, our children usually lack the experience and ability to overcome these lies with biblical critical thinking. They must be taught that negative thoughts are feelings , not God’s truths . Instruct your child so their thoughts do not become a stronghold of the devil. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control .” Public schools, as well as some private institutions, like to teach children to memorize or repeat facts learned through the instructor or read in a classroom textbook. Homework and drills enforce the ideas and trap the student to live a life of moving from one subject to another without needed time to absorb material and build a framework for critical thinking. Proverbs 14:15 – “ The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.” If you desire your children to use the mind God created for them and process material with reflective thinking that allows consideration of the knowledge leading to beliefs, actions, and reactions pleasing to Him, your child must be taught to carry the ability to critically scrutinize ideals instead of passively accepting everything learned at pure face value. This enables your child to use the mind God created for His good, to draw upon, and reflect His wisdom when receiving information, identifying problems, analyzing ideas, creating solutions, and making connections. Your child is empowered to use biblical discernment in complex and everyday challenges and not be swayed by peers, social media, cultural beliefs and practices, or fleshly desires. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – “But test everything; hold fast what is good.” How can you help your children develop biblical critical thinking skills? 1. Encourage Questions 2. Enjoy Answering Questions 3. Enforce “No Question is Dumb” 4. Seek Answers Together 5. Ask Your Child Questions 6. Allow Time to Think and Process 7. Practice Critical Thinking Together 8. Inspire Creativity 9. Read the Bible Together Teach your children that people don’t stop to think critically when : 1. We Are Rushed – When forced to make fast decisions, people usually move with what is easiest. 2. We Are Confused – Teach your children that when something doesn’t make sense, they must make time to pray and seek God’s wisdom through Scripture and speak with someone they trust to lead and advise them in God’s truths. 3. We Are Selfish – When we follow only selfish desires, we usually make decisions we regret later, decisions that hurt others, or decisions that go against God’s desires. 4. We Are Apathetic – If children are allowed to remain indifferent or uninterested, they will not make time to seek and follow God’s values and commands. Matthew 24:4 – “ And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.” Help your children build a framework for establishing biblical critical thinking by teaching them to: Compare everything heard, seen, or taught against the Bible . 1. Is the source of information godly? 2. Is the source of information credible? 3. Is the source of information experienced? 4. What is the motive of the source? 5. What is the perspective of the source? 6. Is the information opinion or is it fact backed by Scripture and/or biblical values? 7. Is the information backed by biblical evidence? 1 John 4:1 – “ Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” It takes time, effort, and much prayer to teach children to think biblically and critically. Without this valuable skill, they will never experience fullness of intimate relationship with Christ. Invest in the present and future of your child by modeling critical thinking that is backed by Scripture and teach your child how to think with critical and biblical thoughts in order to allow them to learn how to apply the skills to life issues they will continue to face in their lifetime. As you express delight now when your children explore life with the questioning mind God has gifted to them, they will delight you later when they apply biblical critical thought processes to every experience they face. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain .” Dear Heavenly Father, Your goodness and Holiness overwhelm us when we sit and ponder Your many ways and mercies. Thank you for Your steadfast, loving kindness toward us and the children You have entrusted to us. God, we know Your grace is sufficient for our needs and trust that as we look to You, that You will show Your power in our weakness. That You will help us model biblical critical thinking skills to our children and allow them to form those skills for themselves in ways that honor and please You. Lord, please keep the minds of our children in perfect peace as they learn and grow because they learn to crave Your Word, learn the habit of staying in Your Word, and learn to follow Your Word. Please help them apply it to every situation and trust that Your Word is timeless and true. Sanctify them in Your truth. Father, please keep our children in Your perfect peace because they have sought you, keeping their mind fixed on You because they trust in You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” podcast. This and my “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast may be found at terrihitt.com, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and they are part of the Spark Media Network. Both podcasts may also now be found on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed my podcasts on Apple Podcasts yet? When you review my podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing of the podcast online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Will you take a moment to follow the shows and think of someone you can share the podcasts with and encourage them to follow and share, as well? Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Parent and Connect With Eternal Perspective. Previous Next

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 117 - Should Kids Be Spanked? Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 117 – Should Kids Be Spanked? Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast gives you the awareness and tools you need to STOP being a GOOD mom and BECOME the GODLY mom God entrusts you to be. Then you will be the SET-APART woman PURPOSELY raising children to chase CHRIST over culture. Just a quick reminder as we start, would you please share this episode with a friend or family member who would enjoy learning more about raising kids for Christ? Also, many have promised to leave a rating and review for the podcast, but life happens…and they don’t. So, if you haven’t already, would you please take a moment to leave a rating or review at Apple Podcast? Sharing episodes and leaving a review ensures that others will find the podcast. Then guess what? You’re helping affect generations for Jesus. Now on to this episode with an important and controversial question with an often divided answer…should kids be spanked? First, I want to start with a story. 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? As you know, the topic of this episode is spanking, so you might wonder why I opened with this story about a dog. You could 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 episode one that shames, 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. 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. 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? As we ponder these questions, it leads me to the next ones. 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? Or last resorts when they grab the belt, hair brush, or use their hand in an effort to teach their child? Most parents who spank were spanked as a child. It’s the way they were raised, so it’s what they 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 will occur. 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? The common phrase, “boys will be boys” seems appropriate in this application. 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 does a relationship of teaching and connection make the necessity to spank disappear? The answers to these questions are what parents should seek before deciding to spank. We’ve talked about some of the reasons parents choose to spank. The 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. 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. Dealing with the situation we need to address doesn’t mean to beat or spank. 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. 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 our children means to instruct and guide 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 given 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. If a parent still intends to spank, I do not 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 consistently misbehaves or disobeys, it’s important to locate theroot 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, and 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. Our method of correction should do the same and build a foundation for our 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. Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You for Your mercy and goodness to us. Thank you for gifting us with the honor and privilege of raising Your children. Thank you for Your patience and forgiveness in our lives. Please show us the way to mentor our children with Your loving kindness. Don’t let us forget the holy authority You entrusted to us with the responsibility of parenting Your precious children, even on the most challenging days. Help us to seek You in every way, including the way we discipline to disciple. Help us keep You in the forefront of our mind so we remember the truth that discipling should be correcting and directing, not punishing. Help our children love, trust, honor, and obey You because they see us do the same. Show us the way to the hearts of the children in our care. Transform us daily because we continue to seek You and rest and abide in Your capable arms. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. This is the part of the episode that you usually hear me talk about the Set-Apart Collective. Today I want to share about my new mini program called “Establish Identity.” Why? Your identity is a major force behind what you do. Who you believe yourself to be, and who you find your identity through affects the way you live, parent, love, serve, and discipline. Your identity is one of the lifelines, a pulse point of your home. Do you ever stop to think that you are the first Jesus your child will see? Even if they are grown, your identity affects your child. The way you think, speak, and react is rooted in your identity. Send me a message at info@terrihitt.com if you’d like details or go to terrihitt.com and join my email list. You’ll get updates before anyone else and hear a little about what makes this so important. If you join the email list you’ll also be able to access free resources such as my new Good to Godly: A 31 Day Scripture and Prayer Guide for Moms. One last thing to remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will 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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #078 – Interview with Dr. Georgia Purdom, AIG Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Today I share my conversation with Dr. Georgia Purdom. Dr. Purdom holds a PhD in molecular genetics from The Ohio State University. She formerly served as an assistant and associate professor of biology at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University. Dr. Purdom is the director of Educational Content and actively speaks and writes for Answers in Genesis. I pray you hear our hearts unite and seek the Lord as we discuss and share topics relevant to the culture and topics we face in this world. Time is short. As we seek to live with eternal perspective, we must take each moment captive for Jesus and discover new ways to use His wisdom learned through scripture and prayer time to allow Him to work through us to impact our life, as well as the children and adults around us. ------------------------------------------------ INTERVIEW ------------------------------------------------- Sovereign, Faithful Heavenly Father, there is none like You. Your light is the only beacon we need in this world. Please pierce the darkness within our hearts. Help us to seek and find You, to live in pleasing ways that draws others to You. May this upcoming generation find You now, Lord, despite the fleshly and cultural challenges and obstacles they face because our hearts turn to You and we guide and direct them into Your loving, holy arms. May the hearts of this world be changed through the power of Your word and precepts because we allow Your good work to be done within us and shine for others to see. May we not back away from Your truths, but allow You to transform us moment by moment. In Your precious and holy name we pray. Amen. As Dr. Purdom expressed in the interview, “Light shines a lot brighter in the darkness. We have opportunities now that lead us to be for or against Christ. There is no middle ground.” Seek Him now and allow the power of Christ to change you and others for eternity. If you’d like to connect with Dr. Purdom, please visit her page at Dr. Georgia Purdom on Facebook. I pray you intentionally seek new ways to rest in Jesus and cause yourself to cling to Him in deeper ways that test your faith and understanding. Allow Him to bring you to a new level of trust and abandonment of self. I invite you to visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture as You rely on God to direct your steps. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to the Lord and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 078 Interview with Dr. Georgia Purdom, AIG Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #078 – Interview with Dr. Georgia Purdom, AIG Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Today I share my conversation with Dr. Georgia Purdom. Dr. Purdom holds a PhD in molecular genetics from The Ohio State University. She formerly served as an assistant and associate professor of biology at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University. Dr. Purdom is the director of Educational Content and actively speaks and writes for Answers in Genesis. I pray you hear our hearts unite and seek the Lord as we discuss and share topics relevant to the culture and topics we face in this world. Time is short. As we seek to live with eternal perspective, we must take each moment captive for Jesus and discover new ways to use His wisdom learned through scripture and prayer time to allow Him to work through us to impact our life, as well as the children and adults around us. ------------------------------------------------ INTERVIEW ------------------------------------------------- Sovereign, Faithful Heavenly Father, there is none like You. Your light is the only beacon we need in this world. Please pierce the darkness within our hearts. Help us to seek and find You, to live in pleasing ways that draws others to You. May this upcoming generation find You now, Lord, despite the fleshly and cultural challenges and obstacles they face because our hearts turn to You and we guide and direct them into Your loving, holy arms. May the hearts of this world be changed through the power of Your word and precepts because we allow Your good work to be done within us and shine for others to see. May we not back away from Your truths, but allow You to transform us moment by moment. In Your precious and holy name we pray. Amen. As Dr. Purdom expressed in the interview, “Light shines a lot brighter in the darkness. We have opportunities now that lead us to be for or against Christ. There is no middle ground.” Seek Him now and allow the power of Christ to change you and others for eternity. If you’d like to connect with Dr. Purdom, please visit her page at Dr. Georgia Purdom on Facebook. I pray you intentionally seek new ways to rest in Jesus and cause yourself to cling to Him in deeper ways that test your faith and understanding. Allow Him to bring you to a new level of trust and abandonment of self. I invite you to visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture as You rely on God to direct your steps. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to the Lord and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaPurdom

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #129 – Don’t Let Lies Keep You From Living in the Fullness of Christ Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. After high school, most of the kids I studied with headed off to college. Although my parents and I never formulated a plan for my continued education, my father always told me he desired me to become a lawyer. Being an attorney was not a profession I would enjoy at all! I wanted to be the next big journalist and interviewer – like Barbara Walters. I could envision myself interviewing everyone – from famous to infamous, especially those no one knew publicly, but were greatly loved by family and friends and influential or impactful in the world. Everyone has a history with intimate stories to tell that inspire and bond most of us together. Despite backgrounds or history, I like to think most of us are more alike than different. I wanted to explore and share those stories. During my senior year of high school, I did complete some advanced classes, which would have given me high school and college dual credit. Nowadays, families plan and prepare for university years in advance. Back then, my family and I didn’t know how to plan in advance, and we voiced no thoughts about where I would attend college or how I would pay to obtain a degree. When I discovered I was pregnant that summer, the news changed the direction of my life. No longer did I daydream about ivy league schools or how I’d amaze every Language Arts professor there with my prolific prose that would surely bring rave reviews and awards. Instead, I was faced with telling my parents they would soon be grandparents and I was terrified to share the news I could barely comprehend. I was about to be a mother. Before I told them, my steady boyfriend and I decided that since we were already planning to get married in the future, we would just do it sooner. Surprisingly, his parents were very supportive, which made it easier to gather the courage to tell my parents and begin to stand up for what I wanted. In the end, my husband and I hurried to marry before I started showing. He had turned 18 just a month and a half before we were married. I was 17 years old. Although I did not yet know Christ as my Savior, and I was not raised with discussions about the reasons a girl should wait to have sex after marriage, I felt a tremendous amount of guilt. I praise God that my husband and I truly loved each other, although at the time I wasn’t really sure what true and lasting love between a man and a woman was. Looking back on those early years of our marriage, I can now see ways I wish I would have been able to remove myself from the burden of guilt, but I didn’t know how without Christ. It wasn’t that I thought about my sin every day. In fact, I was usually happy. I loved my husband and our baby girl when she arrived. Yet, I didn’t live a peace that passes understanding and only comes through relationship with Jesus. As I think back on those years, I can easily remember the emotions and guilt I carried, thinking I wasn’t as good as those who graduated from college or those who remained sexually pure until after marriage. Happiness isn’t the same as deep and lasting joy. I wonder how much joy I cheated myself out of. What did I miss by allowing lingering thoughts far from what God would have me thinking? Are you missing out on a special life Christ has for you? After I found new life through submission to Jesus and a new life through relationship with Him, I was able to let go of guilt. Now I strive to walk with Him moment by moment. He is present to guide and guard and to protect and provide my every need. He is ready to do exactly the same for you as you are covered by His sacrifice and grace. Philippians 4:6-8 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Through Jesus, we can live with freedom from sin and guilt. Because of Christ, we can know and believe the truth, but how do we escape our past and stop living in the bondage of guilt from sin? I believe there are several feelings that cause us to miss out on the life we could experience through God. Please remember that feelings are important. God allowed us the capacity to feel emotions and thoughts. However, we don’t have to stay stuck in them. It’s important to look at the definition of the word “feelings” to allow us to move past remaining in our emotions. The word “feelings” is described as sentiments, attitude, and opinion or an emotional perception. Keep that definition in mind when you allow words to flow through your mind or define you or your life, so you can process and destroy those feelings that keep you from living in the fullness Christ intends. Let’s expose some of the “fears” feelings can craft within you: 1. Fear of inadequacy 2. Fear of failure 3. Fear of trust 4. Fear of disappointment 5. Fear of comparison 6. Fear of judgement 7. Fear of separation 8. Fear of hope 9. Fear of positivity God’s holy Scripture reveals truth to us that is often contrary to what we feel. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” When we live by feelings, emotions, experiences, and comparisons, we rely on self. It’s similar to the Old Testament practice of keeping laws and traditions or relying on ceremonies. But those formalities pointed the way to Christ. They expose our need for Him. Because of Jesus and the Holy Spirit alive within believers, freedom from sin and guilt is provided freely. When we trust in Jesus, the burden of pleasing Him is removed. The inevitable guilt is gone. We will always fall short of perfection, but by trusting our lives to Jesus, we find that “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Christ enables us to look to Him and be renewed each moment. Ephesians 3:14-21 says, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Let’s examine the difference in our life before and after Christ. In our life before Christ we are: 1. Against God 2. Dead in sin 3. World and flesh followers 4. Under bondage to Satan 5. Victims of our thoughts and feelings In our life after Christ, He lives within us, and we are: 1. God’s child 2. Reborn through Christ 3. Following Jesus’s truths 4. Freed through Jesus 5. Living in fullness and freedom The fullness of God can only be known through Christ. Through Jesus and the Holy Spirit alive within us, we are complete. God love reaches within every corner and crevice of our being. His love and forgiveness is deep and wide, immersing within where we think He won’t look or could love and extending far beyond us. It is high and low, reaching above and below what we deserve, expect, or imagine. As we live for Him daily, reliant on Him, we are transformed moment by moment. Scripture, faith, prayers, and obedience keep us connected to the Holy Spirit who fills every need we carry and allows us to experience freedom and fullness. Commit to believe, follow, and claim the Lord Jesus. Every single moment. Galatians 5:1says, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” 1 Peter 2:16 says, “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” Dear Heavenly Father, Your steadfast love surrounds and abounds within us. We welcome You and the Holy Spirit to cover and complete us. According to Your promises, we have hope and peace in the fullness of life that comes from You. Help us keep Your laws and obey Your truths and purpose for us because we live fully within the freedom only found through You. Help us to delight in Your commands and meditate on Your statutes because we adore time in Your presence. Enable us to let go of bondage of sin or guilt and rely on You to pull us from the depth of self-reliance and into Your sacrificial love and presence. Help us to believe and build a life on Your truths. May Your word not be contrary to what we believe because our mind and heart are fixed on You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Additional episodes may be heard at terrihitt.com, but the podcast is also a part of the Spark Media Network. Now the podcast may also be found on the Edifi app, where you can find thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed this podcast on Apple Podcasts yet? If you haven’t, would you please consider doing so? When you review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen to this new podcast, especially if you are raising children or influencing grandchildren. Please follow and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 129 - Don't Let Lies Keep You From Living in the Fullness of Christ Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #129 – Don’t Let Lies Keep You From Living in the Fullness of Christ Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. After high school, most of the kids I studied with headed off to college. Although my parents and I never formulated a plan for my continued education, my father always told me he desired me to become a lawyer. Being an attorney was not a profession I would enjoy at all! I wanted to be the next big journalist and interviewer – like Barbara Walters. I could envision myself interviewing everyone – from famous to infamous, especially those no one knew publicly, but were greatly loved by family and friends and influential or impactful in the world. Everyone has a history with intimate stories to tell that inspire and bond most of us together. Despite backgrounds or history, I like to think most of us are more alike than different. I wanted to explore and share those stories. During my senior year of high school, I did complete some advanced classes, which would have given me high school and college dual credit. Nowadays, families plan and prepare for university years in advance. Back then, my family and I didn’t know how to plan in advance, and we voiced no thoughts about where I would attend college or how I would pay to obtain a degree. When I discovered I was pregnant that summer, the news changed the direction of my life. No longer did I daydream about ivy league schools or how I’d amaze every Language Arts professor there with my prolific prose that would surely bring rave reviews and awards. Instead, I was faced with telling my parents they would soon be grandparents and I was terrified to share the news I could barely comprehend. I was about to be a mother. Before I told them, my steady boyfriend and I decided that since we were already planning to get married in the future, we would just do it sooner. Surprisingly, his parents were very supportive, which made it easier to gather the courage to tell my parents and begin to stand up for what I wanted. In the end, my husband and I hurried to marry before I started showing. He had turned 18 just a month and a half before we were married. I was 17 years old. Although I did not yet know Christ as my Savior, and I was not raised with discussions about the reasons a girl should wait to have sex after marriage, I felt a tremendous amount of guilt. I praise God that my husband and I truly loved each other, although at the time I wasn’t really sure what true and lasting love between a man and a woman was. Looking back on those early years of our marriage, I can now see ways I wish I would have been able to remove myself from the burden of guilt, but I didn’t know how without Christ. It wasn’t that I thought about my sin every day. In fact, I was usually happy. I loved my husband and our baby girl when she arrived. Yet, I didn’t live a peace that passes understanding and only comes through relationship with Jesus. As I think back on those years, I can easily remember the emotions and guilt I carried, thinking I wasn’t as good as those who graduated from college or those who remained sexually pure until after marriage. Happiness isn’t the same as deep and lasting joy. I wonder how much joy I cheated myself out of. What did I miss by allowing lingering thoughts far from what God would have me thinking? Are you missing out on a special life Christ has for you? After I found new life through submission to Jesus and a new life through relationship with Him, I was able to let go of guilt. Now I strive to walk with Him moment by moment. He is present to guide and guard and to protect and provide my every need. He is ready to do exactly the same for you as you are covered by His sacrifice and grace. Philippians 4:6-8 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Through Jesus, we can live with freedom from sin and guilt. Because of Christ, we can know and believe the truth, but how do we escape our past and stop living in the bondage of guilt from sin? I believe there are several feelings that cause us to miss out on the life we could experience through God. Please remember that feelings are important. God allowed us the capacity to feel emotions and thoughts. However, we don’t have to stay stuck in them. It’s important to look at the definition of the word “feelings” to allow us to move past remaining in our emotions. The word “feelings” is described as sentiments, attitude, and opinion or an emotional perception. Keep that definition in mind when you allow words to flow through your mind or define you or your life, so you can process and destroy those feelings that keep you from living in the fullness Christ intends. Let’s expose some of the “fears” feelings can craft within you: 1. Fear of inadequacy 2. Fear of failure 3. Fear of trust 4. Fear of disappointment 5. Fear of comparison 6. Fear of judgement 7. Fear of separation 8. Fear of hope 9. Fear of positivity God’s holy Scripture reveals truth to us that is often contrary to what we feel. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” When we live by feelings, emotions, experiences, and comparisons, we rely on self. It’s similar to the Old Testament practice of keeping laws and traditions or relying on ceremonies. But those formalities pointed the way to Christ. They expose our need for Him. Because of Jesus and the Holy Spirit alive within believers, freedom from sin and guilt is provided freely. When we trust in Jesus, the burden of pleasing Him is removed. The inevitable guilt is gone. We will always fall short of perfection, but by trusting our lives to Jesus, we find that “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Christ enables us to look to Him and be renewed each moment. Ephesians 3:14-21 says, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Let’s examine the difference in our life before and after Christ. In our life before Christ we are: 1. Against God 2. Dead in sin 3. World and flesh followers 4. Under bondage to Satan 5. Victims of our thoughts and feelings In our life after Christ, He lives within us, and we are: 1. God’s child 2. Reborn through Christ 3. Following Jesus’s truths 4. Freed through Jesus 5. Living in fullness and freedom The fullness of God can only be known through Christ. Through Jesus and the Holy Spirit alive within us, we are complete. God love reaches within every corner and crevice of our being. His love and forgiveness is deep and wide, immersing within where we think He won’t look or could love and extending far beyond us. It is high and low, reaching above and below what we deserve, expect, or imagine. As we live for Him daily, reliant on Him, we are transformed moment by moment. Scripture, faith, prayers, and obedience keep us connected to the Holy Spirit who fills every need we carry and allows us to experience freedom and fullness. Commit to believe, follow, and claim the Lord Jesus. Every single moment. Galatians 5:1says, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” 1 Peter 2:16 says, “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” Dear Heavenly Father, Your steadfast love surrounds and abounds within us. We welcome You and the Holy Spirit to cover and complete us. According to Your promises, we have hope and peace in the fullness of life that comes from You. Help us keep Your laws and obey Your truths and purpose for us because we live fully within the freedom only found through You. Help us to delight in Your commands and meditate on Your statutes because we adore time in Your presence. Enable us to let go of bondage of sin or guilt and rely on You to pull us from the depth of self-reliance and into Your sacrificial love and presence. Help us to believe and build a life on Your truths. May Your word not be contrary to what we believe because our mind and heart are fixed on You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Additional episodes may be heard at terrihitt.com, but the podcast is also a part of the Spark Media Network. Now the podcast may also be found on the Edifi app, where you can find thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed this podcast on Apple Podcasts yet? If you haven’t, would you please consider doing so? When you review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen to this new podcast, especially if you are raising children or influencing grandchildren. Please follow and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #055 – Discover Identity Through Christ Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. At a recent family gathering, I listened to my adult son share childhood recollections with my younger daughters and grandson. It was a pleasure to hear how he remembered events and what his opinions were. I’ve always been fascinated by how people can live the same experiences and have such different emotions and memories. Listening to his recollections and thoughts allowed me to know him in a new way and appreciate the unique ways God wired him to view and participate in life. So, in this episode today we’re going to start with memories. Let’s relax and think back. Do you remember something about your childhood that was always a pleasure to do? I mean something you had to do? Did you have an interest that stirred you, motivated you, or set you apart from others? A passion? Was there a gift or calling you had to pursue because it seemed to complete you? What about your child? Is there something she does that is a type of identity marker? When my middle daughter was young, there were two things anyone who knew her would mention if they spoke of her. Dance and painting. Those who know my youngest daughter well would say designing and building with Legos. My oldest daughter had such wit and a quick sense of humor. I am a believer that it is a privilege and responsibility for parents to observe the inclinations and interests our children have. There is a connection between youth and exploration into what we are naturally drawn to. Observant parents will pay attention to these clues, along with the personality of their child. Through prayer and connection to them, we should find joy in assisting them to find what brings light to their spirit and could also be a source of income in the future, as well as an offering they can use to honor God with what He has bestowed to them. My adult son uses skills God gave him to be able to listen well, read body language, and connect with people as he serves them in sales. My youngest daughter crafts intricate designs and constructs buildings and cities with Legos and also has an amazing ability to streamline processes. My middle daughter is gifted visually and artistically with graphic design and through the use of paper, paint, and a brush, brings light and joyful artwork to others. One of the biggest parenting joys I have is seeing and recognizing the passions, interests, and abilities God has crafted into each one of my children. Do you find it easier to observe and understand the God-gifted abilities your children possess, but perhaps not what you have yourself? I know it is more challenging for me. Although I always understood what I enjoyed and where I found peace and motivation, I was never able to comfortably or confidently acknowledge that I might have a talent in writing. To be very raw, I still don’t see a great ability, but I am leaning on the trust I have in God and the stirrings He places in my heart to accomplish through Him. I trust that I have what God needs for me to humbly follow where He leads and write simply and honestly about Him. What many people find challenging is to balance finding gifts or passions and connecting those talents and interests to enable them to fully express and use them for God. Even more important than finding and using the gifts God has given is learning to see ourselves as God views us and to understand how to navigate life in this world as He desires and calls us to. Psalm 139:14 says, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” If we don’t know who we are through Christ, we are not showing our children where to find their identity. Instead, they will likely search and chase the culture and influences of this world, and establish their identification based on who or what they see and hear. These days, by the time children are in middle school, and often grade school, many deal with suicide rates, nude photos, chat with dangerous strangers who attract and lead them away, and many have been exposed to pornography. These are topics we never want to hear associated with any person, let alone children. When a child (just like an adult), does not have a moral compass built on Christ, he is much more prone to seek whatever this world or his tell him to. He will never find satisfaction or live with joy, hope, or peace. Matthew 6:33-34 says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” We must have a true and maturing relationship with God through Jesus in order to recognize the need for our child to have the same. Psalm 63:1 says, “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” We were created for fellowship and communion with God. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” God created us to desire Him. When we do not seek Him, our spirit is never satisfied. Our beloved children have the same need for God created in them. If we do not consciously nurture and instruct our child in a healthy and growing relationship with Christ, she will subconsciously absorb and become what others in this world show and tell her to value and believe. She will also likely find unhealthy ways to cope with stresses and disappointments in life. On the other hand, children who are raised in healthy, God-filled environments at home contain more joy and contentment, and are more optimistic, encouraging, resilient, and flexible. They are also less likely to be promiscuous, use drugs or alcohol, or be lured into or tempted by unsafe encounters, and are closer to parents and family than the average child. Our children, when raised to honor and follow Jesus in a thriving relationship, are also more likely to have wise self-control, habits, and behaviors, as well as seek godly wisdom over worldly advice. A growing concern today is the sexual orientation of children. Our educational system, as well as books, movies, television shows, music, and celebrities, push a godless agenda of choice and change on our innocent and naïve children. When we raise our child to know, respect, and understand God’s sovereignty, values, and truths, she will understand her God-given sexual identity and carry a sacred view of life while maintaining respectful tolerance for family and community, even those who carry differing opinions. A child patterning her life after Jesus does not look down on others who disagree and can have a conversation without harsh accusations or anger. Instead, she shows empathy and respect while allowing others their choice, but respectfully asking God to guide her choices. A child who concentrates on growing a relationship with God through Jesus has a deeper respect for authority, is more likely to uphold truthfulness and integrity, dress modestly, respect herself, and will learn to view set-backs or hardships as opportunities to grow closer to God and also use them to establish and reinforce healthy and thriving coping behaviors or life skills. It is essential that we build our personal relationship with Jesus daily. When He is important to us, when we delight in Him, His teachings, and our walk with Him, our child will also begin to place importance on Jesus. Once we are growing our faith journey in genuine and fruitful ways, how do we encourage and enable our child to build their identity in Christ? There are multiple ways, but I will list the easiest methods with which to begin. 1. Let your child see you build relationship, not watch you follow a religion. Connections are built through authenticity and commitment. 2. Share why you hold certain beliefs. Back up your faith with God’s word and stories of His faithfulness. 3. Look for, and point out God, in simple moments of life. Include Him in all you are and do. Nature walks, Bible stories, and tying Him to life events are all easy ways to begin. 4. Develop routines and traditions that guide the entire family to the Lord. Our family made a Family Vision and Mission Statement. You can listen the Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast episode 039 “Family With A Mission,” to hear more about it. 5. Create your own Family Mission Statement together. Listen to the input of your child and incorporate it into the statement. 6. Read the Bible and pray together daily. 7. Let your child see you read your Bible during personal time, as well. Encourage her to do the same. 8. Pray for your child alone, but also in front of her. Encourage her to pray for you, too. 9. Show your child how you look to God in times of trouble so that she will do the same. 10. Let her see you praise God in good times, too. 11. Teach her (by example) how to serve and honor God. Let her come with you when you serve (where appropriate) and let her choose places to serve so that you can work together. 12. Spend time with your child doing her love language together. Work with the schedule of your family to create moments your child will remember. When she is attached and feels close to you, she will be more willing to desire a relationship with God. You will also be able to guide her more easily, because she will let you be privy to her thoughts and feelings because you have a strong relationship she trusts. 13. Listen to your child. When you have a close relationship, she will be more likely to entrust questions, fears, joys, and doubts about God with you so that you can help navigate her faith, pray specifically, and help her flourish. Two verse from Proverbs give great hope for parents. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Proverbs 29:17 says, “Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.” We cannot guarantee that our child will choose to follow Jesus, but we can ensure that we give her sincere, natural, positive, and faith-filled truths, experiences, and biblical scriptures to make Jesus known and to guide her straight to Him. Godly character and integrity can be imparted to her through consistent, purposeful mentorship when we personally know, love, and strive to honor the Lord with our child. 1 Peter 5:2-3 says, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” What a lovely and significant purpose we have to parent our child for the Lord. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Remember, God did not allow you to parent His unique child because He knows you are fully equipped. God demands and desires that we trust in Him and allow Him to lead and equip us in every aspect of our parenting journey. We should be on our knees daily with minds and hearts turned to His every lead. God knows and understands everything about each of us and our child and is the only one who can guide us in the ways we should go. He is fully equipped and able to handle every need that we, or our child, has. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” One of my favorite parental instruction passages is Deuteronomy 6:6-9, which says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” God cannot make the importance of purposeful parenting for Him clearer. Psalm 78:1-7 says, “My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.” Jesus speaks the instruction so clearly in Matthew 19:14. “But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Likewise, Mark 9:42 says, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Father God, we need You so desperately. Thank you for Your guidance, love, and instruction. Parenting is the greatest and hardest joy You bestow on us. May we be worthy of Your great gift. Help us understand Your desires and see the blessing of our children with Your loving eyes. Enable us to seek and find You in deeper ways daily and show us how to reach each child with Your heart and truths. May our children please and delight You, Father. May they find their identity through and in You. Keep them close and in Your perfect care. Give them Your wisdom and desires. May they be equipped and eager to show You, so that Your truths and commands will be known to, and followed by, future generations. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. The Live With Eternal Perspective podcast is currently linked to terrihitt.com, where you can access the episodes housed in one convenient location, as well as receive access to blog posts, transcripts, and additional resources designed to mature your walk with Christ and equip you to raise or influence children with love and purpose through Him. Be sure to sign up for my email list to be notified when my next resource, “Scattering Seeds: Planting Character and Faith in Your Child” releases soon. This eBook is an excellent encouragement and support for mothers or grandmothers of young children. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to Jesus and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 055 Discover Identity Through Christ Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #055 – Discover Identity Through Christ Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. At a recent family gathering, I listened to my adult son share childhood recollections with my younger daughters and grandson. It was a pleasure to hear how he remembered events and what his opinions were. I’ve always been fascinated by how people can live the same experiences and have such different emotions and memories. Listening to his recollections and thoughts allowed me to know him in a new way and appreciate the unique ways God wired him to view and participate in life. So, in this episode today we’re going to start with memories. Let’s relax and think back. Do you remember something about your childhood that was always a pleasure to do? I mean something you had to do? Did you have an interest that stirred you, motivated you, or set you apart from others? A passion? Was there a gift or calling you had to pursue because it seemed to complete you? What about your child? Is there something she does that is a type of identity marker? When my middle daughter was young, there were two things anyone who knew her would mention if they spoke of her. Dance and painting. Those who know my youngest daughter well would say designing and building with Legos. My oldest daughter had such wit and a quick sense of humor. I am a believer that it is a privilege and responsibility for parents to observe the inclinations and interests our children have. There is a connection between youth and exploration into what we are naturally drawn to. Observant parents will pay attention to these clues, along with the personality of their child. Through prayer and connection to them, we should find joy in assisting them to find what brings light to their spirit and could also be a source of income in the future, as well as an offering they can use to honor God with what He has bestowed to them. My adult son uses skills God gave him to be able to listen well, read body language, and connect with people as he serves them in sales. My youngest daughter crafts intricate designs and constructs buildings and cities with Legos and also has an amazing ability to streamline processes. My middle daughter is gifted visually and artistically with graphic design and through the use of paper, paint, and a brush, brings light and joyful artwork to others. One of the biggest parenting joys I have is seeing and recognizing the passions, interests, and abilities God has crafted into each one of my children. Do you find it easier to observe and understand the God-gifted abilities your children possess, but perhaps not what you have yourself? I know it is more challenging for me. Although I always understood what I enjoyed and where I found peace and motivation, I was never able to comfortably or confidently acknowledge that I might have a talent in writing. To be very raw, I still don’t see a great ability, but I am leaning on the trust I have in God and the stirrings He places in my heart to accomplish through Him. I trust that I have what God needs for me to humbly follow where He leads and write simply and honestly about Him. What many people find challenging is to balance finding gifts or passions and connecting those talents and interests to enable them to fully express and use them for God. Even more important than finding and using the gifts God has given is learning to see ourselves as God views us and to understand how to navigate life in this world as He desires and calls us to. Psalm 139:14 says, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” If we don’t know who we are through Christ, we are not showing our children where to find their identity. Instead, they will likely search and chase the culture and influences of this world, and establish their identification based on who or what they see and hear. These days, by the time children are in middle school, and often grade school, many deal with suicide rates, nude photos, chat with dangerous strangers who attract and lead them away, and many have been exposed to pornography. These are topics we never want to hear associated with any person, let alone children. When a child (just like an adult), does not have a moral compass built on Christ, he is much more prone to seek whatever this world or his tell him to. He will never find satisfaction or live with joy, hope, or peace. Matthew 6:33-34 says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” We must have a true and maturing relationship with God through Jesus in order to recognize the need for our child to have the same. Psalm 63:1 says, “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” We were created for fellowship and communion with God. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” God created us to desire Him. When we do not seek Him, our spirit is never satisfied. Our beloved children have the same need for God created in them. If we do not consciously nurture and instruct our child in a healthy and growing relationship with Christ, she will subconsciously absorb and become what others in this world show and tell her to value and believe. She will also likely find unhealthy ways to cope with stresses and disappointments in life. On the other hand, children who are raised in healthy, God-filled environments at home contain more joy and contentment, and are more optimistic, encouraging, resilient, and flexible. They are also less likely to be promiscuous, use drugs or alcohol, or be lured into or tempted by unsafe encounters, and are closer to parents and family than the average child. Our children, when raised to honor and follow Jesus in a thriving relationship, are also more likely to have wise self-control, habits, and behaviors, as well as seek godly wisdom over worldly advice. A growing concern today is the sexual orientation of children. Our educational system, as well as books, movies, television shows, music, and celebrities, push a godless agenda of choice and change on our innocent and naïve children. When we raise our child to know, respect, and understand God’s sovereignty, values, and truths, she will understand her God-given sexual identity and carry a sacred view of life while maintaining respectful tolerance for family and community, even those who carry differing opinions. A child patterning her life after Jesus does not look down on others who disagree and can have a conversation without harsh accusations or anger. Instead, she shows empathy and respect while allowing others their choice, but respectfully asking God to guide her choices. A child who concentrates on growing a relationship with God through Jesus has a deeper respect for authority, is more likely to uphold truthfulness and integrity, dress modestly, respect herself, and will learn to view set-backs or hardships as opportunities to grow closer to God and also use them to establish and reinforce healthy and thriving coping behaviors or life skills. It is essential that we build our personal relationship with Jesus daily. When He is important to us, when we delight in Him, His teachings, and our walk with Him, our child will also begin to place importance on Jesus. Once we are growing our faith journey in genuine and fruitful ways, how do we encourage and enable our child to build their identity in Christ? There are multiple ways, but I will list the easiest methods with which to begin. 1. Let your child see you build relationship, not watch you follow a religion. Connections are built through authenticity and commitment. 2. Share why you hold certain beliefs. Back up your faith with God’s word and stories of His faithfulness. 3. Look for, and point out God, in simple moments of life. Include Him in all you are and do. Nature walks, Bible stories, and tying Him to life events are all easy ways to begin. 4. Develop routines and traditions that guide the entire family to the Lord. Our family made a Family Vision and Mission Statement. You can listen the Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast episode 039 “Family With A Mission,” to hear more about it. 5. Create your own Family Mission Statement together. Listen to the input of your child and incorporate it into the statement. 6. Read the Bible and pray together daily. 7. Let your child see you read your Bible during personal time, as well. Encourage her to do the same. 8. Pray for your child alone, but also in front of her. Encourage her to pray for you, too. 9. Show your child how you look to God in times of trouble so that she will do the same. 10. Let her see you praise God in good times, too. 11. Teach her (by example) how to serve and honor God. Let her come with you when you serve (where appropriate) and let her choose places to serve so that you can work together. 12. Spend time with your child doing her love language together. Work with the schedule of your family to create moments your child will remember. When she is attached and feels close to you, she will be more willing to desire a relationship with God. You will also be able to guide her more easily, because she will let you be privy to her thoughts and feelings because you have a strong relationship she trusts. 13. Listen to your child. When you have a close relationship, she will be more likely to entrust questions, fears, joys, and doubts about God with you so that you can help navigate her faith, pray specifically, and help her flourish. Two verse from Proverbs give great hope for parents. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Proverbs 29:17 says, “Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.” We cannot guarantee that our child will choose to follow Jesus, but we can ensure that we give her sincere, natural, positive, and faith-filled truths, experiences, and biblical scriptures to make Jesus known and to guide her straight to Him. Godly character and integrity can be imparted to her through consistent, purposeful mentorship when we personally know, love, and strive to honor the Lord with our child. 1 Peter 5:2-3 says, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” What a lovely and significant purpose we have to parent our child for the Lord. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Remember, God did not allow you to parent His unique child because He knows you are fully equipped. God demands and desires that we trust in Him and allow Him to lead and equip us in every aspect of our parenting journey. We should be on our knees daily with minds and hearts turned to His every lead. God knows and understands everything about each of us and our child and is the only one who can guide us in the ways we should go. He is fully equipped and able to handle every need that we, or our child, has. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” One of my favorite parental instruction passages is Deuteronomy 6:6-9, which says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” God cannot make the importance of purposeful parenting for Him clearer. Psalm 78:1-7 says, “My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.” Jesus speaks the instruction so clearly in Matthew 19:14. “But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Likewise, Mark 9:42 says, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Father God, we need You so desperately. Thank you for Your guidance, love, and instruction. Parenting is the greatest and hardest joy You bestow on us. May we be worthy of Your great gift. Help us understand Your desires and see the blessing of our children with Your loving eyes. Enable us to seek and find You in deeper ways daily and show us how to reach each child with Your heart and truths. May our children please and delight You, Father. May they find their identity through and in You. Keep them close and in Your perfect care. Give them Your wisdom and desires. May they be equipped and eager to show You, so that Your truths and commands will be known to, and followed by, future generations. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. The Live With Eternal Perspective podcast is currently linked to terrihitt.com, where you can access the episodes housed in one convenient location, as well as receive access to blog posts, transcripts, and additional resources designed to mature your walk with Christ and equip you to raise or influence children with love and purpose through Him. Be sure to sign up for my email list to be notified when my next resource, “Scattering Seeds: Planting Character and Faith in Your Child” releases soon. This eBook is an excellent encouragement and support for mothers or grandmothers of young children. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to Jesus and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode 032 - Teach Your Children to Live in the Power of the Spirit Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #032 – Teach Your Children to Live in the Power of the Spirit Thank you for listening to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast. My prayer is that you and I will parent with purpose and confidently connect with Christ and our children moment by moment. When I think back on my life before Christ, I remember things I did as a child or young adult that broke God’s heart. Even now, as a believer of over 40 years, I regret how I still cause God pain. So much more so before I became a believer, of course, but at that time I had no idea life could be different. When I think of how my life was before I knew Jesus, I also sometimes stop to think of the world before He lived on earth. Can you imagine living before Jesus came? Trying to learn and keep all of the laws would be so hard, and of course, impossible. Remembering to dress a particular way, not eat certain foods, sacrifice animals, and so on must have been so stressful. It’s another thing we can thank Jesus for. Through Christ, we are delivered from the law . Now we are able to serve Him with a new Spirit . You see, in the past, we bore fruit to death , but now we bear fruit to God . What does that mean? Because of Jesus, our relationship with the law is broken. We are free. Through faith in Jesus, we now submit to Him and are able to bear fruit for Him. Praises be to God that He gives us a way to Him through Jesus so we may repent, submit, and live with Him for eternity. Even better, we don’t have to wait until He brings us home. Through the Holy Spirit inside, we can experience life changes right now . Praise God for His mercy and lovingkindness toward us. Have you lived a perfect life? No. None of us have. Because of Christ, we can exist with new life through Jesus. It comes with an assurance that we are a new creation . Not only is our life renewed , but so are our minds and desires . If we choose to follow Him with humble repentance, we can also look to Him for transformation, guidance and provision. Isn’t this what you desire for yourself, but also for each of your children? As believers, we want nothing more than what 3 John 1:4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth .” What can we do to ensure that our children walk in the truth? Galatians 6:7-9 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up .” When believers sow to desires of the flesh instead of the Spirit inside, the sin we succumb to will always make us progressively worse in character if we continue to engage in it. This happens whether or not we are believers. Sowing to the Spirit means that we walk under or by the Holy Spirit. It means we walk in truth . We strive to please and submit to Him . There is no personal truth, as the world today likes to promote. Truth is truth and only comes from a holy and righteous God. By submitting to Christ, we gain everlasting life. This transformational truth and benefit is a by-product of the adoration and obedience we naturally offer our Lord as we honor Him. Through following God, we obtain a life that lasts forever, but we can also receive an excellent quality of life while we are on this earth. This transformed life is what our children witness . It is the life that will influence them more greatly than this world will. It is imperative that we allow the Holy Spirit to change us to be more Christlike daily as we seek and submit to Christ. That means we must intentionally pursue Him. He must be at the top of our agenda daily. Our children must see and experience what a joyful life transformed by and through Christ looks like so they will know and desire Jesus. As Galatians 6:10 says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers .” Let us begin with our own home. Our precious God-given children. It is no accident or coincidence that you are entrusted with the children you have. Whether by birth or adoption, God has blessed you with the privilege of influencing them for Him. Instead of viewing specific moments in which to try to influence our children (or others) for Jesus, we must understand that our entire life is an opportunity to make Him known. The consistency by which we obey and honor Him with joy, allowing His nature to be the directing force of our actions, reactions, words, and desires directly affects those we live with and come into contact with each day. It is the lifestyle we adhere to, and it becomes what is advertised and advanced for others to emulate as they come to view Jesus as they see Him appear through us . Ephesians 5:15-20 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ .” Viewing life moments (hard and easy) with a perspective beyond this world enables us to remember that life is not about us. Life in this world is about maturing in Christ and if you are a parent, teaching your children to seek God through everything that occurs. During experiences of daily life, we should ask these questions: What lessons can be learned? What truths are being exposed? What mindset shift must happen? How can I ensure this draws me nearer to Christ? How can I be obedient to God through this? How can I influence my children for Christ through this? Teaching your child these truths and questions from a young age enables them to begin seeing this world with a vision more like Christ’s. They begin to understand that they are being raised to be set-apart for service to Christ . Not as a method of bondage, but freedom . If you are new to the podcast, you may not have heard a story I shared about my youngest that illustrates what I mean when I say to train your children to view this world with eyes, heart, and mind focused on eternity. When my youngest had been home with us for a couple of years, she was looking through my jewelry box one day. As I shared stories of the pieces, she picked up a star sapphire ring. “It’s so pretty!” she exclaimed. I told her that the ring was a present from her daddy the first year we were dating. “Come here,” I told her. As I waved my hand for her to follow me, I took the ring to stand under light. “Look. The ring is pretty on its own, but now under light, you can see a beautiful white star.” As she oohed and aahed over the star I continued, “It’s like our life. We can choose to stand in the light of Jesus and allow Him to be reflected in what we do and in who we are.” She gazed at me intently with the ring shining on her finger. “Or we can choose not to shine Him in our actions and the way we live.” As we choose to take each moment in life captive just as we are instructed to take our thoughts captive, we live with eternal perspective. This viewpoint of life will transform our relationship with Christ and our children. It becomes the foundation they will build to choose whether to accept Christ as their Savior and live in ways that honor and please Him. Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will .” As they see Christ living through you, your children will allow Him to live through them . Children accept the gospel with innocent confidence and clarity of heart. Instructing them in the Lord from a young age allows them to begin allowing Christ to be their guide and foundation before they have even accepted Him as Savior. Helping them to seek Jesus through trials, tragedies, triumphs, and success all set their heart and mind, as well as their spirit, to be more in alignment with His. Mentoring your child in this way allows your child to live with less stress, fears, anxieties, and also sets them up with an important confidence built through the Lord and not on self. Colossians 3:1-2 says, “Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things .” Setting a goal for your child to live with this eternal perspective means that you are also living with a perspective set on eternity, rather than this world. As you grow in your walk with Christ and view every opportunity life brings you as one that enables you to mature in Him, you will also set this high goal for your parenting . Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the gift of Your perfect Word. In Your infinite love and guidance You left us everything we need through Jesus, Scripture, and the Holy Spirit alive inside believers. Guard us, Father, so that we do not sow to please our spirit, but to honor and follow Yours. Help us never to grow weary of doing good, simply because we deepen our love for You with great intention daily. Thank you, Father for loving us and showing us the way to eternal life with You and great fruits of the Spirit now. May we long for You more each moment and allow our children to see what it means to truly follow You through our mentorship. Enable us to view this world and our life through your eternal mindset. Help us, Father. We need You so much more than we know. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen . Thank you for listening to the “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” podcast. This and my “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast may be found at terrihitt.com, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and they are part of the Spark Media Network. Both podcasts may also now be found on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed my podcasts on Apple Podcasts yet? Did you know that when you review my podcasts on Apple, it helps to elevate the standing of the podcasts online so that more people are allowed to find and hear them. Will you please take a moment to follow the shows and think of someone you can share the podcasts with and encourage them to follow and share, as well? Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will sway them away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Parent and Connect With Eternal Perspective. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #030 – Are You Wearing His Armor? 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. The past week has been full of distractions. It has not been an easy time of focusing on what I planned for. Preparing for our upcoming school year, trying to clean my house before school begins, reading God’s word and praying for discernment on what to reflect on and read for the podcast this week were what I wanted to do, but instead, life has interfered. So, I have been working on medical necessities for my youngest, going to important medical visits, advocating, writing a letter, and speaking to departments at the local children’s hospital to ensure that her unique needs are not forgotten during this Covid season. It has been draining, but I will gladly do as much as I need to if it ensures her needs are met. When our visit to cardiology last week alerted her physician to look at our girl a little more closely, several tests were scheduled and more blood work was ordered to be drawn. God has truly carried our girl through a time of extra tests during a season where both parents cannot go to visits unless exceptions are made, and it is a time that would have thrown her into a two-hour crying spree a few years ago. The difference in her is truly astounding and brings me once again to my knees to watch God work. Her joy, trust, and hopeful attitude has been an inspiration to me as we await these test results and I know that her future is certainly in God’s hands. As I walked through thoughts of what her future holds this week, I was forced to consider realities I don’t usually ponder. I know her medical conditions and I trust that God is in control and will carry and provide for her. When things took a slight turn last week, I was forced to ponder the fact that her future may change faster than I expected. While I do not want that scenario, I can say that all is well with my soul. God has carried me through hard before and He will never stop. He has carried our precious daughter through hard before. He is still with her – and she knows Him now. The hardest season in my life was the death of our oldest daughter. During that heart-shattering time, I buried myself in God’s word and strapped His armor on tight. In fact, it was super-glued to my body. I like to think I still wear it daily, but last week I was reminded to keep it polished and shining for others to see. If you have listened to this podcast for long, you know my thoughts on eternal perspective. I firmly believe that everything I do affects those round me for eternity. I want others to see the way God carries and encourages me. The way He loves me, because He will love you the same, too. But last week was so emotional for me. I had to let myself process emotions and feel the possibilities, but then look firmly back to the Lord and know that none of what we discovered at the cardiology office was a surprise to Him and that He still holds each of us in His firm grasp. I know it is our time to curl up in His lap together and wait for Him to shower blessings. For it is always in the toughest seasons that we grow in Him if we only allow Him to cradle and carry us. That back story must give you a hint of why I chose to read from Ephesians 6:10-19 this week. This is where I drew my deepest strength during my greatest time of heartbreak and where I continue to go to remind myself that I do not need to be strong in myself. When we are weak, make no mistake, the devil finds ways unique to what he has observed works in our life and tries to wiggle in and distract us from seeking God or tries to discourage us. These are the times we must stand strong and know where to turn. We need to remember Who my God is and allow His mighty and powerful armor to cover me as I rest in His arms. Ephesians 6:10-19 says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Let's take a look at some of the verses in this passage. Now we know that when we are in a battle, a spiritual battle, we definitely need to have spiritual weapons. God has given us absolutely everything that we need to remain strong in Him. I'd like to look at some notes written by Dr. David Jeremiah and I think they are beautifully written. I could not say things any better. Bear with me as I turn to this in my Bible. People think of war as something glamorous until they, or someone they know, becomes a casuality. The same is true in the spiritual arena. Spiritual warfare seems to be a popular subject for movies, lectures, books, and preaching. But many believers are casualties of Satan's schemes. Make no mistake. Whether they are aware of it or not, all Christians are engaged in a very real spiritual battle between two opposing kingdoms. Those least in the know are often the first casualties. Thankfully, Paul provides believers with a self-defense course in Ephesians 6, and Jesus equips us with all six dimensions of our spiritual armor. He is our truth, our righteousness, our peace, the object of our faith, the source of our salvation, and the living word of God. When we put on Jesus Christ, we are protected by the only person Satan has never defeated. Using the armor of a Roman soldier as a model, the apostle Paul described how a Christian can stand strong in the midst of this ever-present, but unseen spiritual battle: 1. The belt of truth - verse 6:14. The soldiers belt served as the foundation of his armor, holding his sword and his breastplate. Because Satan is the father of lies, he cannot stand against the truth. Jesus said, "I am the truth.Victory in spiritual warfare starts with truth. 2. The breastplate of righteousness - verse 6:14. The breastplate guarded the heart, the source of the soldier's life. In a similar way, righteousness protects the spiritual life of the Christian. Our righteousness comes not from ourselves, but from Christ. 3. Feet protected by the gospel of peace - verse 6:15. The soldier's heavy, armored sandals gave him traction and security in the heat of the battle. So our peace with God through Jesus Christ gives us security. in the face of Satan's accusations. 4. The shield of faith - verse 6:16. The soldier's leather-covered shield could be soaked in water to extinguish the flaming arrows of the enemy. Faith in God's promises deflects and extinguishes the lies of Satan. 5. The helmet of salvation - verse 6:17. The aromored helmet protected the soldier's brain. Since the primary battlefield in spiritual warfare is the Christian's mind, assurance of salvation defeats the doubts Satan uses to attack us. 6. The sword of the Spirit, the word of God - verse 6:17. Paul noted ony one offensive weapon, the soldier's sword. For the Christian, the sword is the Word of God. Thankfully, our spiritual armor is to be used in a war that has already been won. It is said of Napoleon Bonaparte that as he attempted to conquer all the kingdoms of the known world, he spread out a map on a table, pointed to a specific place, and said to his lieutenants, " Sirs, if it weren't for that red spot, I could conquer the world." The spot to which he pointed was the British Isles, the very nation that met Napoleon at Waterloo in Belgium and defeated him in league with a group of nations. There is no doubt that when Satan talks with his minions about conquering the world, he says the same thing about the red hilltop of Calvary where Christ's blood was spilled. "If it were not for that red spot, I could rule the world." But that red spot is what makes all the differnece in our spiritual battle. We do not have to live in fear of the devil. We need enter only the spiritual battle to which we have been called, aware of its reality and its subtlety, and armed with the truth that the ultimate vistory against Satan has already been achieved, Therefore, right now at this moment we are "more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Personal experience in my life has seen how true that what Dr. David Jeremiah just wrote about in these verses has proven Ephesians to be so true. How about you? Have you put on the armor of God and seen the difference that it makes in your life? Have you read those words and been so inspired by what God has done, how he has carried you and protected you? I'd like to read some more notes that Dr. David Jeremiah has written. I simply cannot write these any better and they are so powerful and so promising and so true. I want you to be inspired. Verses 6:10-12 Christians live in a spiritual war zone where the enemy - Satan - uses many tactics in his attempts to defeat them. Those tactics are evidenced by some of the descriptions of Satan in scripture: he is called the deceiver, a murderer, the tempter, a liar, the accuser of the brethren, and the wicked one. Satan's war against God's people follows an organized strategy. Principalities refers to his head officers; wiles refers to clever plans, crafty deceptions, and cunning methods. Like a military general, Satan plans his attacks and directs his demonic forces. Paul mentions six pieces of armor, of which five are defensive. Paul's list mentions nothing for a Christian's back because God expects no deserters in His army. When Christians put on the armor of God they are putting on Christ Himslef. He is the one who fights Satan on their behalf. How glorious it is for us. when we realize that fact. We don't have to fight Satan. God does the battles. More notes here from 6:11-12 say: Every time Paul mentions another class of spiritual beings, he reaffirms that we wrestle against them. The word against appears six times in these two verses. Think of a Christian rowing a boat against the current, trying to make spiritual progress in one direction while Satan turns the current of the world in the opposite direction. You guys know what that's talking about. People, flesh and blood, may persecute, betray, or hurt God's children, but Christians must never forget that the real battle is against Satan, he is the one who brings evil into their lives and tempts them to sin. Believers who view other people as the enemy will not be able to vanquish the true foe. Let's see some more notes here. How about 6:13. Christians need all the armor God has provided to defend against Satan's attacks. They must not choose one piece of armor over another to suit their preferences; they must be proficient in using every piece. Amen to that. 6:14-17, the notes read: Spiritual battles must be fought with spiritual weapons. God's people do not fight with arguments or violence but with truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. God promises that such weapons will defeat the enemy. The only weapon for offense in the Christian's armor is the word of God. Two Greek words are commonly translated word in English: "logos," which describes the Bible as a whole, and "rhema," the term here, which refers to a particular "saying of God" that has special application for a given situation. The Bible as a whole is an armory from which to select swords for specific battles. Jesus illustrated the use of the "rhema of God" in His victory over Satan in the wilderness. Verse 6:18 reads: A study of Old Testament wars reveals that when the armies of Israel fought in their own strength, they always lost. But when they cast themselves upon God's mercy, victory always followed. Supplication means to ask God for whatever one needs. Asking is the rule of the kingdom and the rule of the church. How true are these notes? As you listen, I pray that you can use these notes in so many of the areas of our culture, of our personal lives, of things that we are going through right now as a nation, and as individuals. Also, at the very end, we will end with this passage that I read in verse 6:19. The notes here say: Paul did not pray for a release from jail, or for an improvement in his situation, or for his own health. He asked his friends to pray for boldness to unveil the mystery of the gospel of Christ. Paul wanted to be an ambassador that he could speak boldly, as he ought to speak. Just as each of us need to do through the way we live each day. Living with an eternal perspective that draws us nearer to God, and draws others nearer to Him at the same time. We don't want the armor that we wear to reflect us. We want it to reflect Christ. We want the words we speak, the actions we do, the thoughts we make, all of those things to have one commonality, and that is, living with an eternal perspective. That we recognize that all we do matters, for us, for others, and for Christ. Lord, help us to live with an eternal perspective that draws others to You and makes You boldly known. Help us to keep our armor on at all times, diligently waiting for You to fight our battles. God, we just thank you so much for all You are and do in our lives. Help us to be bold and to show You clearly in all ways. 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 cannot find it unless they specifically know the name to search for. You can help 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 030 Are You Wearing His Armor Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #030 – Are You Wearing His Armor? 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. The past week has been full of distractions. It has not been an easy time of focusing on what I planned for. Preparing for our upcoming school year, trying to clean my house before school begins, reading God’s word and praying for discernment on what to reflect on and read for the podcast this week were what I wanted to do, but instead, life has interfered. So, I have been working on medical necessities for my youngest, going to important medical visits, advocating, writing a letter, and speaking to departments at the local children’s hospital to ensure that her unique needs are not forgotten during this Covid season. It has been draining, but I will gladly do as much as I need to if it ensures her needs are met. When our visit to cardiology last week alerted her physician to look at our girl a little more closely, several tests were scheduled and more blood work was ordered to be drawn. God has truly carried our girl through a time of extra tests during a season where both parents cannot go to visits unless exceptions are made, and it is a time that would have thrown her into a two-hour crying spree a few years ago. The difference in her is truly astounding and brings me once again to my knees to watch God work. Her joy, trust, and hopeful attitude has been an inspiration to me as we await these test results and I know that her future is certainly in God’s hands. As I walked through thoughts of what her future holds this week, I was forced to consider realities I don’t usually ponder. I know her medical conditions and I trust that God is in control and will carry and provide for her. When things took a slight turn last week, I was forced to ponder the fact that her future may change faster than I expected. While I do not want that scenario, I can say that all is well with my soul. God has carried me through hard before and He will never stop. He has carried our precious daughter through hard before. He is still with her – and she knows Him now. The hardest season in my life was the death of our oldest daughter. During that heart-shattering time, I buried myself in God’s word and strapped His armor on tight. In fact, it was super-glued to my body. I like to think I still wear it daily, but last week I was reminded to keep it polished and shining for others to see. If you have listened to this podcast for long, you know my thoughts on eternal perspective. I firmly believe that everything I do affects those round me for eternity. I want others to see the way God carries and encourages me. The way He loves me, because He will love you the same, too. But last week was so emotional for me. I had to let myself process emotions and feel the possibilities, but then look firmly back to the Lord and know that none of what we discovered at the cardiology office was a surprise to Him and that He still holds each of us in His firm grasp. I know it is our time to curl up in His lap together and wait for Him to shower blessings. For it is always in the toughest seasons that we grow in Him if we only allow Him to cradle and carry us. That back story must give you a hint of why I chose to read from Ephesians 6:10-19 this week. This is where I drew my deepest strength during my greatest time of heartbreak and where I continue to go to remind myself that I do not need to be strong in myself. When we are weak, make no mistake, the devil finds ways unique to what he has observed works in our life and tries to wiggle in and distract us from seeking God or tries to discourage us. These are the times we must stand strong and know where to turn. We need to remember Who my God is and allow His mighty and powerful armor to cover me as I rest in His arms. Ephesians 6:10-19 says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Let's take a look at some of the verses in this passage. Now we know that when we are in a battle, a spiritual battle, we definitely need to have spiritual weapons. God has given us absolutely everything that we need to remain strong in Him. I'd like to look at some notes written by Dr. David Jeremiah and I think they are beautifully written. I could not say things any better. Bear with me as I turn to this in my Bible. People think of war as something glamorous until they, or someone they know, becomes a casuality. The same is true in the spiritual arena. Spiritual warfare seems to be a popular subject for movies, lectures, books, and preaching. But many believers are casualties of Satan's schemes. Make no mistake. Whether they are aware of it or not, all Christians are engaged in a very real spiritual battle between two opposing kingdoms. Those least in the know are often the first casualties. Thankfully, Paul provides believers with a self-defense course in Ephesians 6, and Jesus equips us with all six dimensions of our spiritual armor. He is our truth, our righteousness, our peace, the object of our faith, the source of our salvation, and the living word of God. When we put on Jesus Christ, we are protected by the only person Satan has never defeated. Using the armor of a Roman soldier as a model, the apostle Paul described how a Christian can stand strong in the midst of this ever-present, but unseen spiritual battle: 1. The belt of truth - verse 6:14. The soldiers belt served as the foundation of his armor, holding his sword and his breastplate. Because Satan is the father of lies, he cannot stand against the truth. Jesus said, "I am the truth.Victory in spiritual warfare starts with truth. 2. The breastplate of righteousness - verse 6:14. The breastplate guarded the heart, the source of the soldier's life. In a similar way, righteousness protects the spiritual life of the Christian. Our righteousness comes not from ourselves, but from Christ. 3. Feet protected by the gospel of peace - verse 6:15. The soldier's heavy, armored sandals gave him traction and security in the heat of the battle. So our peace with God through Jesus Christ gives us security. in the face of Satan's accusations. 4. The shield of faith - verse 6:16. The soldier's leather-covered shield could be soaked in water to extinguish the flaming arrows of the enemy. Faith in God's promises deflects and extinguishes the lies of Satan. 5. The helmet of salvation - verse 6:17. The aromored helmet protected the soldier's brain. Since the primary battlefield in spiritual warfare is the Christian's mind, assurance of salvation defeats the doubts Satan uses to attack us. 6. The sword of the Spirit, the word of God - verse 6:17. Paul noted ony one offensive weapon, the soldier's sword. For the Christian, the sword is the Word of God. Thankfully, our spiritual armor is to be used in a war that has already been won. It is said of Napoleon Bonaparte that as he attempted to conquer all the kingdoms of the known world, he spread out a map on a table, pointed to a specific place, and said to his lieutenants, " Sirs, if it weren't for that red spot, I could conquer the world." The spot to which he pointed was the British Isles, the very nation that met Napoleon at Waterloo in Belgium and defeated him in league with a group of nations. There is no doubt that when Satan talks with his minions about conquering the world, he says the same thing about the red hilltop of Calvary where Christ's blood was spilled. "If it were not for that red spot, I could rule the world." But that red spot is what makes all the differnece in our spiritual battle. We do not have to live in fear of the devil. We need enter only the spiritual battle to which we have been called, aware of its reality and its subtlety, and armed with the truth that the ultimate vistory against Satan has already been achieved, Therefore, right now at this moment we are "more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Personal experience in my life has seen how true that what Dr. David Jeremiah just wrote about in these verses has proven Ephesians to be so true. How about you? Have you put on the armor of God and seen the difference that it makes in your life? Have you read those words and been so inspired by what God has done, how he has carried you and protected you? I'd like to read some more notes that Dr. David Jeremiah has written. I simply cannot write these any better and they are so powerful and so promising and so true. I want you to be inspired. Verses 6:10-12 Christians live in a spiritual war zone where the enemy - Satan - uses many tactics in his attempts to defeat them. Those tactics are evidenced by some of the descriptions of Satan in scripture: he is called the deceiver, a murderer, the tempter, a liar, the accuser of the brethren, and the wicked one. Satan's war against God's people follows an organized strategy. Principalities refers to his head officers; wiles refers to clever plans, crafty deceptions, and cunning methods. Like a military general, Satan plans his attacks and directs his demonic forces. Paul mentions six pieces of armor, of which five are defensive. Paul's list mentions nothing for a Christian's back because God expects no deserters in His army. When Christians put on the armor of God they are putting on Christ Himslef. He is the one who fights Satan on their behalf. How glorious it is for us. when we realize that fact. We don't have to fight Satan. God does the battles. More notes here from 6:11-12 say: Every time Paul mentions another class of spiritual beings, he reaffirms that we wrestle against them. The word against appears six times in these two verses. Think of a Christian rowing a boat against the current, trying to make spiritual progress in one direction while Satan turns the current of the world in the opposite direction. You guys know what that's talking about. People, flesh and blood, may persecute, betray, or hurt God's children, but Christians must never forget that the real battle is against Satan, he is the one who brings evil into their lives and tempts them to sin. Believers who view other people as the enemy will not be able to vanquish the true foe. Let's see some more notes here. How about 6:13. Christians need all the armor God has provided to defend against Satan's attacks. They must not choose one piece of armor over another to suit their preferences; they must be proficient in using every piece. Amen to that. 6:14-17, the notes read: Spiritual battles must be fought with spiritual weapons. God's people do not fight with arguments or violence but with truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. God promises that such weapons will defeat the enemy. The only weapon for offense in the Christian's armor is the word of God. Two Greek words are commonly translated word in English: "logos," which describes the Bible as a whole, and "rhema," the term here, which refers to a particular "saying of God" that has special application for a given situation. The Bible as a whole is an armory from which to select swords for specific battles. Jesus illustrated the use of the "rhema of God" in His victory over Satan in the wilderness. Verse 6:18 reads: A study of Old Testament wars reveals that when the armies of Israel fought in their own strength, they always lost. But when they cast themselves upon God's mercy, victory always followed. Supplication means to ask God for whatever one needs. Asking is the rule of the kingdom and the rule of the church. How true are these notes? As you listen, I pray that you can use these notes in so many of the areas of our culture, of our personal lives, of things that we are going through right now as a nation, and as individuals. Also, at the very end, we will end with this passage that I read in verse 6:19. The notes here say: Paul did not pray for a release from jail, or for an improvement in his situation, or for his own health. He asked his friends to pray for boldness to unveil the mystery of the gospel of Christ. Paul wanted to be an ambassador that he could speak boldly, as he ought to speak. Just as each of us need to do through the way we live each day. Living with an eternal perspective that draws us nearer to God, and draws others nearer to Him at the same time. We don't want the armor that we wear to reflect us. We want it to reflect Christ. We want the words we speak, the actions we do, the thoughts we make, all of those things to have one commonality, and that is, living with an eternal perspective. That we recognize that all we do matters, for us, for others, and for Christ. Lord, help us to live with an eternal perspective that draws others to You and makes You boldly known. Help us to keep our armor on at all times, diligently waiting for You to fight our battles. God, we just thank you so much for all You are and do in our lives. Help us to be bold and to show You clearly in all ways. 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 cannot find it unless they specifically know the name to search for. You can help 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 022 - Mature Your Child Toward Perfection in Christ Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #022 – Mature Your Child Toward Perfection in Christ Are you yearning for greater connection with your child? Would you like to parent beyond the moment with eternal perspective? Let’s grow together now with practical tips, scripture, and stories geared to draw your heart to Jesus and guide your child into His arms. Do you ever stop to think about the fact that: Every decision you make impacts the life of your child. Every decision you make exposes your relationship with God. When my husband and I told our family we were going to China to adopt our third child, a ten-month old baby girl in China when we were 44 years old, we weren’t met with approval. In the beginning we didn’t have the support of either set of parents. Although we were not old, we weren’t near the age we were when we began raising our first two children, and we weren’t the young age at which our parents began parenting, either. Since everyone in our family had children at an early age, the idea of beginning what was basically another family in our early forties (since our first two were completely raised and no longer living in the home with us), seemed crazy. Nowadays, it’s not at all uncommon to begin having children in your late thirties or early to mid-forties. In fact, even though our parents didn’t quickly approve, I think my mother was forgetting that her very own mother raised two biological children with her husband, my grandpa, then after the girls (my mother and my aunt) were raised, grandma got pregnant two more times, which brought my aunts. One is two years older than me and one who is one month older than me. In hindsight, as we’re now 17 years past bringing home our baby, and we’ve returned to China ten years later to bring home our then 9 year old daughter, I can see that the process of adoption grew my husband and I, as well as our parents. Our first two children also moved closer toward the perfection of God through lessons they learned. Each of us was transformed in ways only God can measure through our obedience to Him through this beautiful and holy step of love. Every decision you make can bring you closer to or away from the mirror image of God. Every decision you make can move your child closer to or away from reflecting the image of God. 1 Corinthians 15:49 says, “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. ” I treasure knowing that as we establish close relationship with Jesus, and move in humble obedience to His Word and ways, we are being crafted into image bearers of the Lord. As this transformational process continues, followers are able to grasp the special, specific purposes God individually desires for each of us. Matthew 5:48 reveals the words of Jesus, “’Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect .’” Obviously, no one on earth is or can be perfect. As much as we love our children, we know that they can sometimes be very far from perfect as they follow fleshly desires. So can we. How do we guide them? Let’s examine this verse spoken by Jesus. 1. Jesus is speaking of character . None of us will ever be flawless, so obviously our children won’t, but Jesus calls us to aspire to a character like Christ. As we react to and raise our children, we must be mindful of how our responses and training, as well as our example of daily living reflects the character of Jesus. 2. Jesus is speaking of holiness . In a world of sin and enticement that claims to fulfill our fleshly desires, we must remember to teach our children about the holiness of God. This doesn’t mean hammering them over the head with their unholiness each time they make a mistake, but living as examples of holiness for them to emulate. As we seek and follow the Lord in obedience, our children see what we desire and do. As we are devoted to the desires God carries and shows to us, we are better able to be examples of His mercy and light for our children to learn. The closer we are to Christ, the nearer they will be drawn to Him . 3. Jesus is speaking of maturity . Although it takes time and devotion to grow our maturity in Christ, as we seek and follow Him moment by moment, the changes made to our life become more and more evident. As our children grow and mature, they are able to witness the effects of submitting to holy living under God and see the level of love and devotion we offer Him. 4. Jesus is speaking of love . 1 John 4:18 tells us, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. ” Our children will mature toward perfection as they submit to Jesus and experience and exhibit the love He carries for them. As we mature in our faith and obedience to the Lord, we are better equipped to mentor our children . Obviously, each day brings more opportunities to live and grow in Christ, but as we humbly submit to Him, we can live with assurance that we are growing in perfection through His strength. Are we perfect? No, but - Our character, holiness, maturity, and love are reflecting His perfection within us. Perfection, in the way we and our children can develop, doesn’t mean perfect as the world describes the word. To develop a more godly or Christlike character is the goal for each of us as parents and to set for our precious children to follow. Only Jesus can fulfill the ultimate perfection. Only He can set the example of what perfection consists of or looks like. As we follow Him, submit and cling to Him, draw our children nearer to Him, obey Him, and proclaim Him, they will be able to witness the Way, the Truth, and the Life and be drawn to Him for a true, deep, and eternal relationship. 1 John 3:2-3 says, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure. ” Our life under Christ is a process that transforms us to become more and more Christlike as we submit and follow Him through personal relationship . Our process of transformation won’t be complete until we stand face-to-face with Christ one day, but while we are on earth, we have the opportunity to continue growing in and through Him, striving toward His perfect purity of character and holiness. As we change, our children are changed. Their present and future are altered. As we draw nearer to Christ, and desire our children to mature in perfection with Him, we cannot ignore the effects of culture around us and the negative way these values and lies affect our children. On the last podcast, “Say NO to Ungodly Influences in Your Heart and Home,” we looked at a list of ways we may be allowing ungodly influences to penetrate our heart and the home of our children. In turn, this sets our children up to accept or ignore the ungodliness we tolerate. In fact, what we permit in the lives of our family now will become accepted and applauded in the future. Don’t let what culture pushes or idolizes affect your decisions. Only God’s Word and values should be used to discern what will touch and teach your children. One item I forgot to add to the list we reviewed in the last episode is the way culture has accepted and pushed LGBTQ agenda in recent years. While I believe this subject needs to be addressed with love and respect, because each person is made in God’s image and with His utmost care, I recognize and honor that the only guide to offer authentic truth and direction is the Bible, God’s Holy Word. If God says marriage is between one man and one woman, that is what we should build our life upon and teach to our children. As believers, we must focus on God, pleasing and following Him. To those who do not know Him, this is viewed as an act of hatred or aggression, however, if we treat those who do not agree with love as God would do, we do not need to agree with or condone what they do. Neither do we need to shrink away in fear or embarrassment as society would have us do. Each person in the world makes mistakes and sins against God in some way daily. To the Lord, those transgressions are not large or small in the way humans tend to categorize them. Sin is sin. Our Almighty, Sovereign Holy Father allows each of us to make our own decisions about whether or not we follow Him and how we will live our life. Keep looking to Him for guidance and direction. Our heart desire should be to please, honor, and obey Him and to teach our children to do the same. The acceptance of gay marriage in our culture was a slippery slope that has branched to include much more. Each step moves closer to the next thing, like a chain with many attached links. Although most gay individuals do not accept the agenda that is currently being pushed in our schools, such as transgenderism and sexual fluidity, the movement to accept gay marriage did start the process for more inclusion along the same lines. We need to remember that God does not command us to follow His guidelines simply to impose rules we may not understand, but to protect and provide for us. Whether we tell a lie, rob a bank, entertain impure thoughts, or lust after another of the same sex, God sees the sins as the same. While some say that “love is love,” their human opinion does not matter. The truth is that loving another person’s spouse, a person of the same sex in a sexual way, or an adult loving a minor in an impure way is simply and obviously not the same as the beautiful way a mother loves a child or a man loves his wife. Humans can label whatever we want to do in whatever fashion makes us feel good, but it does not change the truth of how our Holy God views and categorizes the act. Our children must be taught to know, love, honor, and obey Jesus in order to follow Him all the days of his or her life. This means respectfully and lovingly educating them in the words of the Bible - and first and foremost, modeling a genuine love and humble respect for and relationship with Jesus and others. Another topic I did not address in the recent podcast episode is abortion. I don’t understand how this is a touchy subject within the Christian community, but somehow, even believers are divided. God created and values life. Each fearfully, wonderfully made person was knitted together in the womb and the days of our life are seen and numbered for specific purposes. Who knows, perhaps the cure for cancer will never be found because the individual who would have found the prevention or cure was not allowed to live and was killed in the womb. Our children must read , study , and know the words in the Bible to begin to understand the mind of God and live within His holy commands to experience the freedom and joy only Christ can bring. In order to do so, we must be on the frontlines, learning and growing through Christ ourselves. We must value the Lord and cultivate a right and righteous relationship with Jesus so that we are able to instruct our children in the ways of the Lord. There is no greater honor than to be entrusted by God Himself to be a godly parent for the children He has entrusted to us. Proverbs 17:6 says, “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. ” Proverbs 23:22 says, “Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old .” Do not look at your life or the ways of culture through worldly eyes and heart. Entrust your child to God alone and strive to be a mirror image of Him more and more each day so that you can mature yourself and your child to perfection through Christ. Dear Heavenly Father, only You are holy. Only You are good. This world feeds into the human need for more, for popularity, for acceptance, for riches, for indulgences. All we crave or pursue is actually found in and through You alone. When we trust in You, we find that You , the One who conceived and knitted us together knows the deepest needs of our heart and can fulfill us like no other. Please enable each of us to be the parent You desire. Equip us to be pleasing in every way to You and to help our children become a mirror image of You. Dear Father, help us to stay on the path You chose for us and to guide our children on the path You have carved for them. May they be holy, as You are holy. Help us to excise things from our life that displease You or harm our children now or in the future. We thank you for the loving care You are able to give to each one devoted to following You. Help our children to be one of them. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” podcast. This and my “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast may be found at terrihitt.com, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and they are part of the Spark Media Network. Both podcasts may also now be found on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed my podcasts on Apple Podcasts yet? When you review my podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing of the podcast online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Will you take a moment to follow the shows and think of someone you can share the podcasts with and encourage them to follow and share, as well? Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Parent and Connect With Eternal Perspective. Previous Next

Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perpective Podcast Episode #004 – Eternity Driven Hearts Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective podcast. Thank you for entrusting and investing part of 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. We’ve been experiencing such beautiful winter weather where I live. I would be absolutely delighted if the weather would continue to stay this mild for the remainder of the season. I’m definitely not a cold weather girl, but I’ve made peace with winter this year because it’s been so good to me…at least this far. I live in an area with several hills and trees. Wooded areas surround our homes and a lake is in the center of the subdivision. I often see deer, raccoons, foxes, and even bobcats and coyotes. I can now reluctantly admit that although I don’t care for winter, when the snow comes, it looks absolutely beautiful. When I stand in my kitchen and look outside, I feel like I’m looking into a snow globe. Sometimes it’s easy for us to think of all the gorgeous views God gives us in this world (with the crystal white snow, lush trees, rainbows, brilliant skies, blue waters, exotic flowers…and all the unique and adorable animals, and think that this is as good as it can be. Except that we know God has promised in His word that there is so much more to come. He actually tells us in one of my favorite verses, found in 1 Corinthians, that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him. Listen to this verse from Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.” Just ponder those verses. God promises us that what He has planned is far better than anything the greatest imaginative minds ever born could fathom and His timing is perfect and appropriate, even though we don’t understand and cannot grasp all that He is, has done, or can do. God has placed eternity in our hearts. This craving will not be satisfied through any experience in this world. Even the happiest person on earth who believes they are “living their best life” will never have complete fullness of joy without Christ as their Savior and center of it. Romans 8:18-25 is a long passage, but listen to the beauty and promise contained. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” Placing eternity in our hearts is so important to God that all of creation, even nature and animals, yearn for restoration with God. As humans made in God’s image, our Heavenly Father presents each of us with opportunities to serve Him and access His redemptive gift daily. Our eternity is secure with Him once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, yet He continues to bless us by allowing participation in His redemptive experience when we are watchful for, recognize, and seize moments to allow Him to flow through us and minister to others. One aspect of living with eternal perspective means caring for others enough to ask God to work through us and to be open to His prompts. Remember, God sometimes speaks softly. At times, we only hear His gentle whispers prompting our spirit. Sometimes He presses firm, persistent reminders in our thoughts. Other times, we might sense an almost audible voice. Just as we are all unique, the way God communicates is tailored specifically to each of us, His beloved children. Our personalities, our situations, our communication style, and relationship with the Lord must play a factor in how He talks to and shows Himself to us. When my oldest daughter died, I experienced God’s personal and intimate voice and touch through smell. I awakened at about 7:30 one Sunday morning. As I passed through our great room on my way to the kitchen, I was struck by an intense aroma. As most mothers can do, I recognized the scent as my oldest child. I still remember kissing her on the forehead at her hairline and smelling her unique smell when she was a baby. That very personal aroma stayed with her as she grew older. That morning it filled our great room all the way to the ceiling. There was absolutely no mistaking that it was my daughter. I actually stopped and looked up to the ceiling as I spoke. “God,” I said. “Why do I smell Jaime? Is something going to happen to her?” It scared me just because it was such an intense smell. Without going into the entire story right now, our daughter did pass away from complications of a genetic disorder that we discovered later in her life. The disorder had caused a thimble-sized blood clot in the left frontal lobe of her brain and she passed away from a seizure caused by the remaining scar tissue, even though she was still taking her blood thinner and anti-seizure medications. I believe God warned me with her scent 24 hours in advance. She died the next day about 7:30 in the morning. As my daughter was in her 20’s and living in an apartment, police officers came to tell me the news. As I stood in the doorway, I held my then youngest daughter, who was four years old. After absorbing the initial information, my thoughts turned to remaining calm and not disrupting Marissa’s life. I knew what the officers were going to tell me because God had warned me, probably for reasons I don’t understand, but also so that I could keep a posture of calm and peace for my child who had lived with enough upheaval in her short years. Inside, I was devastated, but grateful for the forewarning I had received. God speaks so personally to us. What an intimate relationship God desires with each of us. When the Lord called my husband and I to bring our middle daughter home from China, He whispered to me in a firm voice I readily recognized. I was getting into the car at the shopping mall. My husband was starting the vehicle as I sat in my seat and looked at him. “God just told me that I’m going to have another baby before I’m 45,” I told him. Since I underwent a hysterectomy at age 22, my husband asked, “Am I going to die and you’re going to marry a man with kids?” “No,” I shook my head. “We are going to have a baby.” He accepted my response so easily. We had two children, and had never planned to have another, and obviously we could not. Yet, he accepted what I said and we drove home. A few years later, God spoke to both my husband and me through visions at the same time. When we told each other about them, we called them dreams. They were about adopting a little girl from China. We knew God was at work. My last example today, although there are many others, is the year I awakened on New Year’s Day, 2013. The first thought on my mind that morning was that someone in my family was going to die before the year was over. It disturbed me to have this thought penetrate my mind as I started the day and a new year. Once you lose a child, fear can so easily overtake your life. It would be incredibly easy for me to let fear control me. Once a death this deep has invaded your world, you cannot forget that it exists. You cannot turn away from the knowledge that it visited once and has a foot in the door of your life. Yet, I am His. That glorious fact equips me with the privilege of intentionally handing the burden of that fear to Jesus daily. Any time fear begins to creep inside my thoughts, I immediately allow Him to carry my thoughts and emotions. His death and resurrection has released me from the bondage of fear. Because of the cross, nothing in this world should have a grip on me, except Jesus Christ. The longer I rely on His strength, the less time it takes to willingly release my weakness to Him. I actually became angry at God when he warned me of another death that morning in 2013 and I wrestled with God over the news. I told Him I didn’t want His warnings. I told Him I was tired of all the years of advance knowledge He had presented to me. I cried and later mourned the sweet connection I had with my Heavenly Father that I feared would now be forever gone. I became ashamed by my attitude and the fact that I had been bold enough to presume that I could tell God what He could or could not do in my life. Then, I repented and asked for forgiveness. I knew that God understood and already knew my feelings. He could handle them, but I wanted Him to know that I respected His authority in my life. I knew that He had presented me gifts that I would need. I was simply letting fear rule my emotions and I did not want to lose another loved one. Later that month my father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. He died in September. The year was long and especially difficult, but I was thankful that God had forewarned me of trouble that was forthcoming. He knew I needed to prepare again. He is rich in mercy. It is up to me to accept responsibility to desire God and allow Him to grow my maturity as I seek Him through prayer and scripture. He graciously allows me to desire Him and be willing to let Him take control as I permit Him to carry me. I don’t believe God walks beside me. We are not partners. He is my Lord and I want Him to carry me through everything life delivers. I include Him in all areas of my daily life and enjoy knowing that He is ever-present in times of need and in times of joy. He does the very same for you. The craving God places in each of us is not a spiritual fix easily satisfied by inspirational words or quotes, meditation, or a walk in the woods, but a deep craving for more than this world offers. As we seek Him and continue developing all areas of our life through Him, He also places in each of us the desire for others to seek and find Him. That doesn’t mean we are all meant to be missionaries in far-off countries, but it does mean that we are created to care for others and their eternity. I believe that my biggest mission field is striving to live more like Christ daily. I have realized that the way I show Him in my words, actions, priorities, and lifestyle will either draw others to Him or pull them away from a relationship with Christ. Colossians 4:5 instructs us, “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.” This makes my heart ache as I think of the variety of people I meet each time I go somewhere. Do any of my deep longings for Jesus or my love for Him show at all? I don’t want them to think I am a nice person, or a spiritual person. I pray they see a light shine within me that pulls them straight to Christ. We do not know when Jesus will return. Not even Jesus knows! We understand that through this verse in Mark 13:32, “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” We are also told through Matthew 24:36, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” We can’t fathom what God has planned for us individually or as the collective world before His return, but we have faith and we trust, because of His word. We know with certainty that He has, and will make, everything occur appropriately in His perfect timing. We cannot see the work He is doing from beginning to end and much of what He does is such a mystery, as it should be. He is God. Yet, the closer we draw to Him gives us deepened clarity and understanding that we truly do have a hole in our hearts that is placed and shaped for Him alone. Ephesians 5:15-16 warn us, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” This verse should pierce our hearts as we think of our daily routines and the business we have let society push at us. I find my greatest peace when I deliberately slow our family activities down. It takes skillful balance to maintain joy and calm. I want my children and husband to live in a home filled with the peace and calm of Jesus, not a busy schedule that leaves us hoping for time with Him. Days flash by and turn into months and years before we realize we never made the time to do what really matters. God doesn’t wait. He knows that we will accomplish what we think is important. I want my priority to be a legacy of a giant sign flashing the name, “Jesus” for all to see. When I die, I want those who love me to mourn seeing Him through me daily, but be strengthened and encouraged to continue maturing their own walk with Him. Then I know I have modeled an eternity-driven heart and have lived with eternal perspective. Thank you for listening to 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 004 Eternity Driven Hearts Listen to Episode Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perpective Podcast Episode #004 – Eternity Driven Hearts Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective podcast. Thank you for entrusting and investing part of 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. We’ve been experiencing such beautiful winter weather where I live. I would be absolutely delighted if the weather would continue to stay this mild for the remainder of the season. I’m definitely not a cold weather girl, but I’ve made peace with winter this year because it’s been so good to me…at least this far. I live in an area with several hills and trees. Wooded areas surround our homes and a lake is in the center of the subdivision. I often see deer, raccoons, foxes, and even bobcats and coyotes. I can now reluctantly admit that although I don’t care for winter, when the snow comes, it looks absolutely beautiful. When I stand in my kitchen and look outside, I feel like I’m looking into a snow globe. Sometimes it’s easy for us to think of all the gorgeous views God gives us in this world (with the crystal white snow, lush trees, rainbows, brilliant skies, blue waters, exotic flowers…and all the unique and adorable animals, and think that this is as good as it can be. Except that we know God has promised in His word that there is so much more to come. He actually tells us in one of my favorite verses, found in 1 Corinthians, that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him. Listen to this verse from Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.” Just ponder those verses. God promises us that what He has planned is far better than anything the greatest imaginative minds ever born could fathom and His timing is perfect and appropriate, even though we don’t understand and cannot grasp all that He is, has done, or can do. God has placed eternity in our hearts. This craving will not be satisfied through any experience in this world. Even the happiest person on earth who believes they are “living their best life” will never have complete fullness of joy without Christ as their Savior and center of it. Romans 8:18-25 is a long passage, but listen to the beauty and promise contained. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” Placing eternity in our hearts is so important to God that all of creation, even nature and animals, yearn for restoration with God. As humans made in God’s image, our Heavenly Father presents each of us with opportunities to serve Him and access His redemptive gift daily. Our eternity is secure with Him once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, yet He continues to bless us by allowing participation in His redemptive experience when we are watchful for, recognize, and seize moments to allow Him to flow through us and minister to others. One aspect of living with eternal perspective means caring for others enough to ask God to work through us and to be open to His prompts. Remember, God sometimes speaks softly. At times, we only hear His gentle whispers prompting our spirit. Sometimes He presses firm, persistent reminders in our thoughts. Other times, we might sense an almost audible voice. Just as we are all unique, the way God communicates is tailored specifically to each of us, His beloved children. Our personalities, our situations, our communication style, and relationship with the Lord must play a factor in how He talks to and shows Himself to us. When my oldest daughter died, I experienced God’s personal and intimate voice and touch through smell. I awakened at about 7:30 one Sunday morning. As I passed through our great room on my way to the kitchen, I was struck by an intense aroma. As most mothers can do, I recognized the scent as my oldest child. I still remember kissing her on the forehead at her hairline and smelling her unique smell when she was a baby. That very personal aroma stayed with her as she grew older. That morning it filled our great room all the way to the ceiling. There was absolutely no mistaking that it was my daughter. I actually stopped and looked up to the ceiling as I spoke. “God,” I said. “Why do I smell Jaime? Is something going to happen to her?” It scared me just because it was such an intense smell. Without going into the entire story right now, our daughter did pass away from complications of a genetic disorder that we discovered later in her life. The disorder had caused a thimble-sized blood clot in the left frontal lobe of her brain and she passed away from a seizure caused by the remaining scar tissue, even though she was still taking her blood thinner and anti-seizure medications. I believe God warned me with her scent 24 hours in advance. She died the next day about 7:30 in the morning. As my daughter was in her 20’s and living in an apartment, police officers came to tell me the news. As I stood in the doorway, I held my then youngest daughter, who was four years old. After absorbing the initial information, my thoughts turned to remaining calm and not disrupting Marissa’s life. I knew what the officers were going to tell me because God had warned me, probably for reasons I don’t understand, but also so that I could keep a posture of calm and peace for my child who had lived with enough upheaval in her short years. Inside, I was devastated, but grateful for the forewarning I had received. God speaks so personally to us. What an intimate relationship God desires with each of us. When the Lord called my husband and I to bring our middle daughter home from China, He whispered to me in a firm voice I readily recognized. I was getting into the car at the shopping mall. My husband was starting the vehicle as I sat in my seat and looked at him. “God just told me that I’m going to have another baby before I’m 45,” I told him. Since I underwent a hysterectomy at age 22, my husband asked, “Am I going to die and you’re going to marry a man with kids?” “No,” I shook my head. “We are going to have a baby.” He accepted my response so easily. We had two children, and had never planned to have another, and obviously we could not. Yet, he accepted what I said and we drove home. A few years later, God spoke to both my husband and me through visions at the same time. When we told each other about them, we called them dreams. They were about adopting a little girl from China. We knew God was at work. My last example today, although there are many others, is the year I awakened on New Year’s Day, 2013. The first thought on my mind that morning was that someone in my family was going to die before the year was over. It disturbed me to have this thought penetrate my mind as I started the day and a new year. Once you lose a child, fear can so easily overtake your life. It would be incredibly easy for me to let fear control me. Once a death this deep has invaded your world, you cannot forget that it exists. You cannot turn away from the knowledge that it visited once and has a foot in the door of your life. Yet, I am His. That glorious fact equips me with the privilege of intentionally handing the burden of that fear to Jesus daily. Any time fear begins to creep inside my thoughts, I immediately allow Him to carry my thoughts and emotions. His death and resurrection has released me from the bondage of fear. Because of the cross, nothing in this world should have a grip on me, except Jesus Christ. The longer I rely on His strength, the less time it takes to willingly release my weakness to Him. I actually became angry at God when he warned me of another death that morning in 2013 and I wrestled with God over the news. I told Him I didn’t want His warnings. I told Him I was tired of all the years of advance knowledge He had presented to me. I cried and later mourned the sweet connection I had with my Heavenly Father that I feared would now be forever gone. I became ashamed by my attitude and the fact that I had been bold enough to presume that I could tell God what He could or could not do in my life. Then, I repented and asked for forgiveness. I knew that God understood and already knew my feelings. He could handle them, but I wanted Him to know that I respected His authority in my life. I knew that He had presented me gifts that I would need. I was simply letting fear rule my emotions and I did not want to lose another loved one. Later that month my father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. He died in September. The year was long and especially difficult, but I was thankful that God had forewarned me of trouble that was forthcoming. He knew I needed to prepare again. He is rich in mercy. It is up to me to accept responsibility to desire God and allow Him to grow my maturity as I seek Him through prayer and scripture. He graciously allows me to desire Him and be willing to let Him take control as I permit Him to carry me. I don’t believe God walks beside me. We are not partners. He is my Lord and I want Him to carry me through everything life delivers. I include Him in all areas of my daily life and enjoy knowing that He is ever-present in times of need and in times of joy. He does the very same for you. The craving God places in each of us is not a spiritual fix easily satisfied by inspirational words or quotes, meditation, or a walk in the woods, but a deep craving for more than this world offers. As we seek Him and continue developing all areas of our life through Him, He also places in each of us the desire for others to seek and find Him. That doesn’t mean we are all meant to be missionaries in far-off countries, but it does mean that we are created to care for others and their eternity. I believe that my biggest mission field is striving to live more like Christ daily. I have realized that the way I show Him in my words, actions, priorities, and lifestyle will either draw others to Him or pull them away from a relationship with Christ. Colossians 4:5 instructs us, “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.” This makes my heart ache as I think of the variety of people I meet each time I go somewhere. Do any of my deep longings for Jesus or my love for Him show at all? I don’t want them to think I am a nice person, or a spiritual person. I pray they see a light shine within me that pulls them straight to Christ. We do not know when Jesus will return. Not even Jesus knows! We understand that through this verse in Mark 13:32, “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” We are also told through Matthew 24:36, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” We can’t fathom what God has planned for us individually or as the collective world before His return, but we have faith and we trust, because of His word. We know with certainty that He has, and will make, everything occur appropriately in His perfect timing. We cannot see the work He is doing from beginning to end and much of what He does is such a mystery, as it should be. He is God. Yet, the closer we draw to Him gives us deepened clarity and understanding that we truly do have a hole in our hearts that is placed and shaped for Him alone. Ephesians 5:15-16 warn us, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” This verse should pierce our hearts as we think of our daily routines and the business we have let society push at us. I find my greatest peace when I deliberately slow our family activities down. It takes skillful balance to maintain joy and calm. I want my children and husband to live in a home filled with the peace and calm of Jesus, not a busy schedule that leaves us hoping for time with Him. Days flash by and turn into months and years before we realize we never made the time to do what really matters. God doesn’t wait. He knows that we will accomplish what we think is important. I want my priority to be a legacy of a giant sign flashing the name, “Jesus” for all to see. When I die, I want those who love me to mourn seeing Him through me daily, but be strengthened and encouraged to continue maturing their own walk with Him. Then I know I have modeled an eternity-driven heart and have lived with eternal perspective. Thank you for listening to 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.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 129 - How to Live With Joy That Lasts Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 129 – How to Live With Joy That Lasts Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast gives you the awareness and tools you need to STOP being a GOOD mom so you can BECOME the GODLY mom God entrusts you to be. Then you’ll be the SET-APART woman PURPOSELY raising children to chase CHRIST over culture. I’ve got a few reminders as we start. First, if you enjoy Purposed Parent Connected Child podcast episodes, would you please share this episode or others with a friend or family member? When you graciously take a moment to do that, and leave a rating or review at Apple Podcast, you are ensuring that others will find the podcast. When you do, you’re helping affect generations for Jesus. If you’re ready to become the godly mom God entrusts you to be for Him and His children, you’ll love my free “Good to Godly: A 31-Day Scripture and Prayer Guide for Moms.” Visit terrihitt.com to receive this resource. Are you ready to ensure you don’t waste moments this summer? If you’re ready to purposely strengthen connection with Christ and your children, I invite you to email me at info@terrihitt.com . Summer is a perfect time to partner with me in my $197 summer renewal mini-program. It’s perfect for the busy mom who loves Jesus and wants to equip herself and her children with deeper connection with Christ and each other. Now on to this episode that covers an important topic with a goal everyone desires - how to live with joy that lasts . After high school, most of the kids I studied with headed off to college. Although my parents and I never formulated a plan for my continued education, my father always told me he desired me to become a lawyer. Being an attorney was not a profession I would’ve enjoyed at all! I wanted to be the next big journalist and interviewer – like Barbara Walters. I could envision myself interviewing everyone – from famous to infamous, especially those no one knew publicly, but were greatly loved by family and friends and were influential or impactful in the world. Everyone has a history with intimate stories to tell that inspire and bond most of us together. Despite backgrounds or history, I like to think most of us are more alike than different. I wanted to explore and share those stories. During my senior year of high school, I completed some advanced classes, which would have given me high school and college dual credit. Nowadays, families plan and prepare for university years in advance. Back then, my family and I didn’t know how to plan in advance, and we voiced no thoughts about where I would attend college or how I would pay to obtain a degree. When I discovered I was pregnant that summer after high school graduation, the news changed the direction of my life. No longer did I daydream about ivy league schools or how I’d amaze every Language Arts professor with my prolific prose that would surely bring rave reviews and awards. Instead, I was faced with telling my parents they would soon be grandparents and I was terrified to share the news I could barely comprehend. I was about to be a mother. Before I told them, my steady boyfriend and I decided that since we were already planning to get married in the future, we would just do it sooner. Surprisingly, his parents were very supportive, which made it easier to gather the courage to tell my parents and begin to stand up for what I wanted. In the end, my husband and I hurried to marry before I started showing. He had turned 18 just a month and a half before we were married. I was 17 years old. Although I did not yet know Christ as my Savior, and I was not raised with discussions about the reasons a girl should wait to have sex after marriage, I felt a tremendous amount of guilt. I praise God that my husband and I truly loved each other, although at the time I wasn’t really sure how to define true and lasting love between a man and a woman. Looking back on those early years as we built our marriage and strengthened our relationship, I wish I would have been able to remove myself from the burden of guilt I carried, but I didn’t know how without Christ. It wasn’t that I thought about getting pregnant before I got married every day, but it did affect the way I viewed myself and my worth. Usually, I was happy. I loved my husband and our baby girl very much. Yet, I didn’t have a peace that passes understanding and only comes through relationship with Jesus. As I think back on those years, I can easily remember the emotions and guilt I carried, thinking I wasn’t as good as those who graduated from college or those who remained sexually pure until after marriage. I said I was happy, and while that’s true, happiness is far from deep and lasting joy. As I sat in my self-shame, I wonder how much joy I cheated myself out of. What did I miss by allowing lingering thoughts far from what God would have me thinking? Are you caught in guilt or shame from something in your past? Or in your present? Are you missing out on the special life Christ has for you? After I found new life through submission to Jesus and a maturing relationship with Him, I was eventually able to let go of guilt as I deepened my trust and faith. These days, I strive to walk with Him moment by moment. The Holy Spirit within me is present to guide and guard and to protect and provide my every need. I want you to hear that He is ready to do exactly the same for you when you’re covered by His sacrifice, mercy, and grace. Philippians 4:6-8 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things .” Through Jesus, you can live with freedom from sin and guilt. You can live with joy that is present regardless of circumstances. You can live free from guilt and shame. Through Christ, we receive forgiveness and truth, but how do we move forward to escape our past and stop living in the bondage of guilt or shame? Remember, there are several feelings that cause us to miss out on the life we could experience through God. Feelings are important. God allowed us the capacity to feel emotions and thoughts. However, we don’t have to stay stuck in them. It’s important to look at the definition of the word “feelings” to allow us to move past remaining in our emotions. The word “feelings” is described as “sentiments, attitude, and opinion or an emotional perception .” Keep that definition in mind when you allow words to flow through your mind or create a definition of you or your life, so you can process and release those feelings that keep you from living in the fullness Christ intends. Let’s expose some of the “fears” and lies your feelings can craft within you: 1. Inadequacy 2. Failure 3. Distrust 4. Disappointment 5. Comparison 6. Judgement 7. Separation 8. Hopelessness 9. Negativity Yet, remember, God’s holy Scripture reveals truth to us that is often contrary to the deceit we feel. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ” When we live by feelings, emotions, experiences, and comparisons, we rely on self . By relying on self, whether intentionally or not, we live in ways similar to the Old Testament practice of keeping laws and traditions or relying on ceremonies. But remember, those formalities pointed the way to Christ. Those laws and traditions expose our need for Him. Because of Jesus and the Holy Spirit alive within believers, freedom from sin and guilt is provided without cost. When we trust in Jesus, the burden of pleasing Him is removed. The inevitable guilt is gone. We will always fall short of perfection, but by trusting our lives to Jesus, we find that “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Christ enables us to look to Him and be renewed each moment we humbly submit to Him. Is there anything you need to release to Him this moment? Ephesians 3:14-21 says, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen .” Let’s examine the difference in our life before and after Christ. In our life before Christ we are: 1. Against God 2. Dead in sin 3. World and flesh followers 4. Under bondage to Satan 5. Victims of our thoughts and feelings In our life after Christ, He lives within us, and we are: 1. God’s child 2. Reborn through Christ 3. Following Jesus’s truths 4. Freed through Jesus 5. Living in fullness and freedom The fullness of God can only be known through Christ. Through Jesus and the Holy Spirit alive within us, we are complete . God’s love reaches within every corner and crevice of our being. His love and forgiveness is deep and wide, immersing within where we think He won’t look. Exposing what we think He can’t love. God’s grace and mercies truly are new every morning, going high and low, reaching above and below what we deserve, expect, or imagine. As we live for Him moment by moment, humbly reliant on Him, we are miraculously transformed. Scripture, faith, prayers, trust, and obedience keep us connected to the Holy Spirit who fills every need we carry. We experience complete freedom and fullness we will never find on our own. Have you committed to believe, follow, and claim the Lord Jesus? Every single moment? If not, why? What is keeping you from entrusting your life to the One who crafted you will precision, skill, and agape love? As you submit and release these pieces to the Lord, you will mature your faith and preparing to be the mentor your children need to live in truth and with fullness of joy. Galatians 5: 1 says, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery .” Let me know if you need more guidance in this area. You can reach out on my website terrihitt.com. We can pray together and I can guide you on your next step for the Lord so you and your family can live in the fullness of joy God desires for you. Dear Heavenly Father, Your steadfast love surrounds and abounds within us. We welcome You and the Holy Spirit to cover and complete us. According to Your promises, we have hope and peace in the fullness of life that comes from You. Help us keep Your laws and obey Your truths and purpose for us because we live fully within the freedom only found through You. Help us to delight in Your commands and meditate on Your statutes because we adore time in Your presence. Enable us to release bondage of sin or guilt and place them in Your Hands. Help us to rely on You to pull us from the depth of self-reliance and keep us in Your sacrificial love and presence. Help us to believe and build a life on Your truths. May Your word not be contrary to what we believe or how we live because our mind and heart are fixed on You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Remember, you are the first Jesus your child will see. Your relationship with Christ is the light that shines Him to your children. If you want a connected relationship with Jesus and your children that leads them to your side and His feet, instead of them seeking validation from peers, my Set-Apart Collective program can show you how to reflect Christ in a way that attracts your family to a connected relationship that lasts into eternity. 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 arm you with a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You’ll also deepen your identity in Christ so you can mentor the way for your children to do the same. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family and you will have the tools to raise set apart kids as you parent the heart, not simply the behavior. If you’re the mom of an adult child and in need of strengthening connection with them, you can also visit terrihitt.com/coaching and click the link for a free, no obligation conversation call with me. This is a strategic call where I will hear your biggest struggle and show you how to turn it into a blessing that will bring you closer to Christ and your children. 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. Remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will 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

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 081 - Summer Fun - One Activity That Can Make a Big Difference for Your Child Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 081 – Summer Fun: One Activity That Can Make a Big Difference for Your Child Onions, green beans, strawberries, peppers…my youngest daughter loves each of these foods. My girl might be pocket-sized, but she has a big appetite! For a few years, she has wanted her own garden. We actually tried to care for a vegetable garden a couple of years ago, but the effort was a complete failure. My husband had helped my daughter plant seeds of her choice in a specific area of our yard, but it turned out to be way too shady for a garden. I take credit for the lack of success. I’m the one who selected the spot. Because we live in a neighborhood with an active HOA, I thought the area would work because the garden would be placed in ground that wasn’t highly visible. Because our daughter never let us forget her desire to garden, my husband chose the spot this year. In fact, he built her a garden area on the other side of the yard – one right out in the open and supported by full sun. So far, this garden is thriving. It’s doing well enough that we’re praying deer and rabbits don’t come eat everything God is growing. It's been a joy to hear my husband and daughter pray for their garden at night during family prayers. This week our daughter experienced weeding for the first time. She’s also been watering the garden well and collecting more roly polys for her indoor habitat. I enjoy seeing our youngest outdoors. She’s not one who likes to play outside. With health limitations, she can’t do much activity, and the sun, heat, and humidity take quiet a toll on her. Because she loves nature, she does like to go outside with her camera and specimen jars, collecting memories and documenting plants, animals, and insects at her pace and in the cooler times of the day. The garden helps her understand and appreciate nature at a deeper level as she works in the soil and experiences God work before her eyes as the plants flourish. With so many children and teens using electronics for great portions of the day, I am thankful for the choices and pace we choose, especially in the summer. As my youngest connects with nature, she also connects with God at a level my words can’t teach her. She actually experiences God at work in the ways she appreciates, because of the way He created her. She hears God more clearly and praises Him more vocally. I often remind her that when God created Adam and Eve, He placed them in a garden. We were meant to be outdoors. When I was a child, we played outside a lot. As I became a young mother, I didn’t take much time to be outdoors. My in-laws were big gardeners and lived in a home with five acres in the city. I didn’t really try to get outside there much, because of other things to do, but when I slowed down and walked their land, I always felt great peace. I believe God intentionally built each of us in this same way. Slowing down and connecting with Him, especially outdoors with our feet in the grass allows us a new connection that can’t help but sooth our spirit and lift our thoughts higher toward Him. Last year at about this time, my other daughter was watering plants at a neighbor’s yard. I remember watching her as she moved around the perimeter of the gardens. There, I saw a decorative metal pinwheel. When the wind blew gently, the blade slowly moved, but when the wind increased, the pinwheel quickly spun without stopping for a several minutes. The action of that cute garden accessory brought to my mind how challenging life can be. When the pinwheel blades stood still, which didn’t happen often, it reminded me of times when we have little going on. Perhaps things feel easy or we aren’t over-scheduled and moving from activity to project. In the moments the wind increased and the pinwheel began moving, it was mindful of the action of life. How quickly we move through the hours, not always realizing the precious eternal moments quietly presented to us daily. When the blades furiously spun, it made me think of moments that feel uncontrollable or eternally long. Those moments when we’re faced with difficulties and trials easily become hardships that can break or define our faith. They’re the times that cause us to fall to our knees in surrender and prayer or remind us to remain bowed before the Father, depending on the level of the humility we already possess. I remember being thankful for those moments spent watching the pinwheel. I sat doing nothing except observing the cycles of the blades, pondering faith and cherishing the quiet time that might bore others. Yet, without boredom how are we to deepen thoughts, explore feelings in light of truth, or hear the voice of God speak? If adults can’t face boredom, how can we mentor embracing a simpler life to our children? How can we mentor a life that makes time to ponder what we see, what we’ve lived, and how it measures up to God’s standards and expectations? I believe that as parents, we need to remember to teach our children to embrace boredom. First, we need to develop our personal ability to stare boredom in the eye while remaining comfortable. This is an important ability that needs to be mentored to our children. We also need to give boredom a new definition. Instead of teaching our children that the word means, “a feeling of being wearied by dullness or tedious repetition,” relay to them that the word boredom means, “the opportunity to examine and search, to grow and learn .” Children cannot experience all that God has for them if they close their mind and heart to what this world teaches as boredom. We need to make sure we don’t treat boredom as a dreaded disease. Instead, view boredom as a slot of time to think, explore, or reflect. It’s a time to learn new skills, serve, or simply rest in God’s Word and the depth of our relationship with Christ. Because adults can be uncomfortable with silence or stillness, we tend to teach our children to feel the same. Sometimes we even make ourselves feel guilty when we don’t have another activity to jump into. But there’s a difference between laziness and utilizing time. I remember times I felt bored as a child. In fact, those were the moments that my parents never rescued me from. Those feelings taught me to find something constructive to do, which usually involved creativity. Now, as a Christian mom, I have taught my children that if they feel they have nothing to do, take time to stop complaining and start being creative or constructive for the Lord. Of course, there is the chance that too much quiet time can be harmful to children. As wise parents, we strive for a balance that allows our children to develop and mature life skills they will carry and teach to the to the next generation. We monitor their activities, have insightful discussions and suggestions, and let them see us using time wisely in ways that stretch us, yet also allow time for creativity and glory for God. I always kept supplies on hand for activities my children could do when in need of projects or entertainment. I use the word “entertainment” loosely, meaning that it is something that they can do and grow from. Yet I don’t want to imply that children need to be entertained constantly. Again, they – just as we do – need time to simply “be.” However, knowing that I kept items on hand helped spur creativity and the desire to try something new. Many of the items I held on hand went unused, but helped to spark new ideas and desires while other items continue to be used after many years. As you observe your unique children, you will learn what items to keep on hand to spur what you see they are passionate about or skilled at. We’ve also supplied an area – ours is a table that can be used for projects and dreams to be birthed. Since we have a breakfast bar in the kitchen and a separate dining room table, our kitchen table really is the go-to spot for creativity in our home. As my middle daughter grew from age one to about eleven years of age, this was her spot. The table was always full of papers from plain white to cardstock to construction paper. The table was littered with glue, scissors, pens and pencils, markers, and paints. There she designed paintings, books, and characters that still live on in my mind. Memories of those beautiful early creative years became the beginning of the online business she runs today at nineteen. After my youngest daughter came home to us as a nine year old, my middle daughter moved her favorite area to another spot and the table was passed on to our newest child. Since that time, our youngest has discovered her massive love of building. The table is now home to the creativity that flows through her hands as she constructs Lego masterpieces. It’s also where we enjoy most of our playtime together. See what area would work best in your home and create a place dreams can be investigated or experimented, so your children can find the aspirations and plans that bring joy to their spirit and honors the individuality God gifted to them. Earlier in the podcast when I spoke about my youngest, I gave an example of how she also loves to study nature. She especially enjoys categorizing insects and animals. Using a camera, magnifying glass, and several mini terrariums she has created from jars and other containers, she has collected and observed many insects, yet the roly poly is her favorite. When she’s outdoors viewing nature, she feels closer to God and His creation and she has grown her understanding of science and nature. As she continues viewing God’s creation in this fun way, I see her knowledge, faith, and confidence increase while the usage of the word “boredom” has reduced to zero. When your children change the way they view boredom, they master a life skill that enables them to reach the potential God has uniquely crafted inside . Colossians 3:23 says, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men .” Isn’t this a beautiful and applicable verse to use for the occurrence of boredom? Kids (and adults) should learn to foster a cheerful heart despite their level of activity or interest in life situations. With that cheerful heart, we carry the privilege of honoring God in all we do, through our actions and our attitude. Would you like to know the one activity that makes a big difference for your child – not only for this summer, but for life? Teach them that new definition of boredom that I shared earlier. Mentor the way for your children to approach boredom as an opportunity to examine and search, to grow and learn . Remember, when you teach your children to look at boredom through a different perspective, their brains get the opportunity to build critical thinking and problem-solving skills , as well as learn delayed gratification . Each of these offer important, long-term benefits. When you teach your children to change their mindset regarding boredom, they gain the privilege of learning to adjust to, andembrace the quiet . Without learning this skill , they may never be still enough to hear God speak to their spirit. When you allow your children to be bored, they learn to confront and be joyful in unpleasant or uncomfortable feelings and to seek the truth of God , as well as His understanding and guidance of emotions . When you allow your children to be bored, they learn the important lesson that they don’t have to enjoy every activity they do , enabling them to develop discipline and commitment , skills they will carry into adulthood. When you allow your children to be bored, they receive the opportunity to deepen attachment and connection with you and Christ . While sometimes children need to sit in silence to discover self and God, this time can also become a beautiful way to find and enjoy simple activities together that may lead to meaningful memories and constructive conversation . The more comfortable you are with silence and boredom, the more comfort your children will find. Embrace being bored and find the purpose behind silence. Let your children find new activities and interests. Help them develop the unique personalities and talents God purposed into them when they were fearfully and wonderfully made. Dear Heavenly Father, You are the Great I Am, the maker of Heaven and earth, as well as us and our children. You are so kind to allow us the time and space to embrace both the quiet and the busy. Please equip us and our children to honor You with both. Please help us as mothers to mentor the way to enjoy boredom so that our children seek You for guidance and ideas when they find themselves desiring more than what they have been given. Help them to look at boredom as opportunities to know and follow You more closely. Help them to carry the ability to sit well in silence, but to do so with godly balance and not with laziness. Help them to find beauty and opportunity in each new day and help us present that attitude to them in the way we approach life. Thank you that You give us beautiful seasons of life with busyness and quiet. Help us to learn how to use each in ways pleasing to you and thank you that we can see You in all things. Help our children use the beautiful minds and interests and talents You have bestowed within them in ways that fulfill the purpose You have for them. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. 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. That’s why I’ve created the Set-Apart Collective. Have you decided peers and culture won’t be the main influence over your child? Would you like to parent to prepare your child for eternity with Christ, not to repair a relationship? In the Set-Apart Collective, you will deepen your walk with Christ, 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. The Set-Apart Collective is open now. Please 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 15 minute call to chat about details. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. If you connected in some way with this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? It only takes a minute or so and makes a big difference in people finding the podcast. You and I know that the best reviews are by word of mouth, so would you please choose a friend to recommend the show to? Let them know that the podcast is found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Imagine the change we will see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they learn to be intentional, too. 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. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #132 – Am I Hearing You, God? Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. January, 2018 was the last time I spoke to my father-in-law. Sadly, he passed from cancer shortly after his 80th birthday. One of his best qualities and one of the things I loved most about him is that he was always ready to talk about Jesus to anyone at any time. Beyond the gospel or how Christ has changed my life, I also enjoy sharing what I call God-stories. The Lord has done so much in my life, changing me from the inside, and has provided for me beyond my wildest dreams. One of the ways He has done this is by speaking directly to me and helping me learn to love, worship, and obey Him. People have often asked me how I know when God is speaking to me. How do I know I am hearing Him through the noise, distractions, and fleshly desires that seem to be so much louder in this world? When I think about hearing from God, I think of our perfect example, Jesus. What a beautiful mentor for showing us how to hear God! I’m far from the example Christ set, but Jesus surely showed us the way to mature every aspect of our Christian walk and our relationship with the Father; especially how to hear the voice of God and respond in obedience to Him. Did you know that Jesus did not begin His earthly ministry until He was 30 years old and filled by the Holy Spirit? Philippians 2:5-7 says, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” If we pay attention to and study Scripture, we see that Jesus showed us how to walk with and hear from God. Through Him, we learn that the Holy Spirit, who lives inside every believer will guide us in the Truth. John 16:13 says, “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.” When we become believers of Christ, the Holy Spirit living within us will help us to hear from and to speak to our Heavenly Father. Romans 8:26-27 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Jesus teaches us that: 1. God desires personal relationship. John 8:47 says, “Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” 2. God calls us to repent and listen. Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” 3. God calls us to connect through prayer. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” 4. God calls us to know Him. Psalm 119:160 says, “The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous rules endures forever.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 5. God wants us to get rid of distractions and focus on Him. Proverbs 3:5-7 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.” 6. God calls us to renew our mind so it is in alignment with His. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” 7. God calls us to humble ourselves before Him. John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” 8. God calls us to seek His wisdom, discernment, and guidance. Psalm 27:11a says, “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path.” Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” 9. God speaks in different ways to each person, but always in alignment with Scripture. Isaiah 30:21 says, “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Deuteronomy 13:4 says, “You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.” 10. God assures us that those who love and follow Him will hear His voice. John 10:4-5 says, “When He has brought out all his own, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from Him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” How Can You Ensure You Hear From God? 1. Study His Word – Read and study the Bible so you know God’s Word, His character, commands, promises, holiness, sovereignty, and love. Then you will recognize and respond to Him. We make time for what we want to do. 2. Recognize His Voice – Once you recognize His voice, remember that God can speak loudly, as a warning to keep you from danger or to provide and protect – or He can speak softly, depending on the need and situation. He also finds personal ways to speak to each believer and follower. Situations, people, and whispering in your spirit may be some of the ways. He may speak differently to you, but God will never speak anything to you that goes against His holy Word. Know His Word and know Him, then you will recognize Him speaking to you. 3. Focus on God – Thoughts, desires, hurts, confusion, and a variety of other things can keep you from centering your mind on Him. Staying in His word, studying God’s Word, consistent prayer with Him, and intentionally maturing your walk are ways to quiet your spirit and prepare to meet and hear Him at any time. 4. Pray Scripture – Even if you have to read verses from the Bible as you speak to God, pray His powerful words to Him. As you read and pray about the splendor, holiness, sovereignty, and love of God or read His promises and truths, it becomes easier to focus on pleasing Him, praising Him, serving Him, and obeying Him. 5. Talk to God and Listen For God – Spend quiet time with the Lord, but also abide with Him through each day. Share with God. Ask Him to speak to you. You must have the desire to hear God before you will listen for Him. Be prepared to listen, pray, and obey. Make sure to check what you believe God is saying to you against Scripture and the character of God. God does speak to His children. Sometimes He fills our mind and heart with His desires, sometimes He whispers gentle commands for us to obey. Other times, God places people in our path to direct us. At other times, God may issue loud warnings in our spirit. Sometimes a Bible verse or passage may be the exact word we need. Sometimes events happen that are so personal and unique that we know the finger of God has extended to earth. These are not the only ways God works or speaks. I know the ways He usually reaches me. I’m forever thankful for my Father and pray that I am always able to hear His voice and follow His commands more clearly and quickly each day of my life. What are some benefits of making sure you clearly hear God? God’s Word and Voice Give Peace. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God’s Word and Voice Hold Wisdom. Proverbs 11:14 says, “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.” and Ecclesiastes 7:12 says, “For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.” God’s Word and Voice Convict. John 16:8 says, “And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” God’s Word and Voice give Rest. Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” God’s Word and Voice Remove Fear. John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” God’s Word and Voice are Truth. John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” God’s Word and Voice Discern. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” God’s Word and Voice offer Strength. Psalm 73:26 says, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” God’s Word and Voice offer Hope. Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” The closer we draw to Christ, the clearer we hear our Father speak. Jesus shows us the way to God and the way to clearly hear His voice. Our patient Father waits for us to seek His wisdom, guidance, and discernment. Know He personally speaks to each of us, but also remember that His voice always aligns with Scripture and His character. Dear Heavenly Father, You are so good. Your patient guidance calls to us to seek You and follow where You lead. Thank you for the personal and intimate care You long to offer each of us who know and follow You. God, Your loving kindness is overwhelming. We pray that Your voice is the one we seek and hear. We pray that we hear You more clearly than our desires and demands. May we draw ever nearer to Christ and allow You to carry us to the heights You have purposed for us because they glorify You and draw others even nearer to You and Your ways. Father do not exalt us, but fill us with Your beautiful promises and provisions. Bring others to You. Help us walk and stay within Your guidelines and grow in the ways You purpose so that we may hear Your voice. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast. Remember that you may find transcripts online at terrihitt.com. On the website you may also find my “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” podcast and transcripts. Both podcasts are also available on iHeart Radio, Spotify, and they are part of the Spark Media Network. Both podcasts may also now be found on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed my podcasts on Apple Podcasts yet? When you review my podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing of the podcast online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Will you take a moment to follow the shows and think of someone you can share the podcasts with and encourage them to follow and share, as well? Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 132 - Am I Hearing You God? Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #132 – Am I Hearing You, God? Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. January, 2018 was the last time I spoke to my father-in-law. Sadly, he passed from cancer shortly after his 80th birthday. One of his best qualities and one of the things I loved most about him is that he was always ready to talk about Jesus to anyone at any time. Beyond the gospel or how Christ has changed my life, I also enjoy sharing what I call God-stories. The Lord has done so much in my life, changing me from the inside, and has provided for me beyond my wildest dreams. One of the ways He has done this is by speaking directly to me and helping me learn to love, worship, and obey Him. People have often asked me how I know when God is speaking to me. How do I know I am hearing Him through the noise, distractions, and fleshly desires that seem to be so much louder in this world? When I think about hearing from God, I think of our perfect example, Jesus. What a beautiful mentor for showing us how to hear God! I’m far from the example Christ set, but Jesus surely showed us the way to mature every aspect of our Christian walk and our relationship with the Father; especially how to hear the voice of God and respond in obedience to Him. Did you know that Jesus did not begin His earthly ministry until He was 30 years old and filled by the Holy Spirit? Philippians 2:5-7 says, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” If we pay attention to and study Scripture, we see that Jesus showed us how to walk with and hear from God. Through Him, we learn that the Holy Spirit, who lives inside every believer will guide us in the Truth. John 16:13 says, “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.” When we become believers of Christ, the Holy Spirit living within us will help us to hear from and to speak to our Heavenly Father. Romans 8:26-27 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Jesus teaches us that: 1. God desires personal relationship. John 8:47 says, “Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” 2. God calls us to repent and listen. Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” 3. God calls us to connect through prayer. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” 4. God calls us to know Him. Psalm 119:160 says, “The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous rules endures forever.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 5. God wants us to get rid of distractions and focus on Him. Proverbs 3:5-7 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.” 6. God calls us to renew our mind so it is in alignment with His. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” 7. God calls us to humble ourselves before Him. John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” 8. God calls us to seek His wisdom, discernment, and guidance. Psalm 27:11a says, “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path.” Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” 9. God speaks in different ways to each person, but always in alignment with Scripture. Isaiah 30:21 says, “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Deuteronomy 13:4 says, “You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.” 10. God assures us that those who love and follow Him will hear His voice. John 10:4-5 says, “When He has brought out all his own, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from Him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” How Can You Ensure You Hear From God? 1. Study His Word – Read and study the Bible so you know God’s Word, His character, commands, promises, holiness, sovereignty, and love. Then you will recognize and respond to Him. We make time for what we want to do. 2. Recognize His Voice – Once you recognize His voice, remember that God can speak loudly, as a warning to keep you from danger or to provide and protect – or He can speak softly, depending on the need and situation. He also finds personal ways to speak to each believer and follower. Situations, people, and whispering in your spirit may be some of the ways. He may speak differently to you, but God will never speak anything to you that goes against His holy Word. Know His Word and know Him, then you will recognize Him speaking to you. 3. Focus on God – Thoughts, desires, hurts, confusion, and a variety of other things can keep you from centering your mind on Him. Staying in His word, studying God’s Word, consistent prayer with Him, and intentionally maturing your walk are ways to quiet your spirit and prepare to meet and hear Him at any time. 4. Pray Scripture – Even if you have to read verses from the Bible as you speak to God, pray His powerful words to Him. As you read and pray about the splendor, holiness, sovereignty, and love of God or read His promises and truths, it becomes easier to focus on pleasing Him, praising Him, serving Him, and obeying Him. 5. Talk to God and Listen For God – Spend quiet time with the Lord, but also abide with Him through each day. Share with God. Ask Him to speak to you. You must have the desire to hear God before you will listen for Him. Be prepared to listen, pray, and obey. Make sure to check what you believe God is saying to you against Scripture and the character of God. God does speak to His children. Sometimes He fills our mind and heart with His desires, sometimes He whispers gentle commands for us to obey. Other times, God places people in our path to direct us. At other times, God may issue loud warnings in our spirit. Sometimes a Bible verse or passage may be the exact word we need. Sometimes events happen that are so personal and unique that we know the finger of God has extended to earth. These are not the only ways God works or speaks. I know the ways He usually reaches me. I’m forever thankful for my Father and pray that I am always able to hear His voice and follow His commands more clearly and quickly each day of my life. What are some benefits of making sure you clearly hear God? God’s Word and Voice Give Peace. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God’s Word and Voice Hold Wisdom. Proverbs 11:14 says, “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.” and Ecclesiastes 7:12 says, “For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.” God’s Word and Voice Convict. John 16:8 says, “And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” God’s Word and Voice give Rest. Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” God’s Word and Voice Remove Fear. John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” God’s Word and Voice are Truth. John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” God’s Word and Voice Discern. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” God’s Word and Voice offer Strength. Psalm 73:26 says, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” God’s Word and Voice offer Hope. Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” The closer we draw to Christ, the clearer we hear our Father speak. Jesus shows us the way to God and the way to clearly hear His voice. Our patient Father waits for us to seek His wisdom, guidance, and discernment. Know He personally speaks to each of us, but also remember that His voice always aligns with Scripture and His character. Dear Heavenly Father, You are so good. Your patient guidance calls to us to seek You and follow where You lead. Thank you for the personal and intimate care You long to offer each of us who know and follow You. God, Your loving kindness is overwhelming. We pray that Your voice is the one we seek and hear. We pray that we hear You more clearly than our desires and demands. May we draw ever nearer to Christ and allow You to carry us to the heights You have purposed for us because they glorify You and draw others even nearer to You and Your ways. Father do not exalt us, but fill us with Your beautiful promises and provisions. Bring others to You. Help us walk and stay within Your guidelines and grow in the ways You purpose so that we may hear Your voice. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast. Remember that you may find transcripts online at terrihitt.com. On the website you may also find my “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” podcast and transcripts. Both podcasts are also available on iHeart Radio, Spotify, and they are part of the Spark Media Network. Both podcasts may also now be found on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed my podcasts on Apple Podcasts yet? When you review my podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing of the podcast online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Will you take a moment to follow the shows and think of someone you can share the podcasts with and encourage them to follow and share, as well? Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 012 - Values in a World of Immorality Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #012 – Values in a World of Immorality Are you yearning for greater connection with your child? Would you like to parent beyond the moment with eternal perspective? Let’s grow together now with practical tips, scripture, and stories geared to draw your heart to Jesus and guide your child into His arms. On the last “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” podcast episode we discussed “Roots of Wisdom.” We read from one of the best sources of wisdom in the Bible, Proverbs. Today I’d like to share about another type of wisdom in our life – morality constructed on the foundation of godly wisdom. What is the best definition of wisdom? If we turn to the dictionary, we see the definition the world gives: the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting . It is also described as common sense and good judgement . Yet, we have to stop and ponder who defines what is good or can label something as common sense. Let’s turn from our human-written dictionary and refer to the Bible to see what 1 Corinthians 3:18-21a says, “Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness” and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” So then, no more boasting about human leaders!” In order to build and maintain godly values in this world of immorality, we must stand firmly on God’s truths. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” God offers wisdom to any who seek it from Him. Our Heavenly Father desires that we receive His wisdom and use it for His glory, as well as the good of others . It’s so easy to rely on what we believe is good or true. Growing up, I always considered myself mature for my age, yet I remember mistakes made because I followed self and what felt right, rather than allowing God to penetrate every decision or choice I made. We each desperately need the Holy Spirit within us to guide and transform us daily; we need God’s truths and guidelines to firmly direct and protect us. As believers, we understand through God’s word that a human’s definition of righteous will never reach the height of God’s holiness . Man’s law is in direct opposition to God’s law; desires of our flesh and the righteousness of God will never align with our sinless Heavenly Father. God is so high above us, yet through His holy, personal love for us, He established a way to experience Him intimately, a way that allows Him to fill and transform us more into His image. This is not a likeness that lifts us to become like God, but one that peels away the layers of our selfish, sinful hearts, and presents us with a foundation of holiness only available through Jesus, one that penetrates what feels good or seems to be right in our mind. One that allows us His wisdom, the true source of knowledge and discernment. 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 , says, “And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love Him—these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ .” In this world we live in, people try to preach that truth is relative, that we each carry personal truths. Nowadays, it’s common to hear people say that we should all get along and yet, if someone doesn’t agree with what they say or believe, somehow their stated belief that we can each have our personal truths goes out the window and they angrily attack the ones who disagree. In my lifetime I’ve witnessed generations of people who disagreed, but agreed to do so without conflict, respecting each person’s right to freedom of choice or belief, but now, the opposite is often true. People attack and accuse while also proclaiming about getting along and accepting everyone. The truth is that those who act this way only want to get along with those who agree with them and offer no challenge to what they profess. Why? Because they don’t understand that truth is not relative. What is the only way for us to know truth? Attunement with God and a close, maturing relationship with Him that searches and studies the scriptures and invests in prayer. We are living in a time of rapid moral decline. Although many proclaim that truth is relative, strong believers know that God’s truth is truly the only moral compass. How do we live by and teach our children or grandchildren godly values in a world filled with immorality and confusion? Beginning in preschool, children are bombarded by lies shared in direct opposition to the truths of God. The days of enjoying Saturday morning cartoons on television like I did as a child are long gone. Most programming, as well as books, music, toys, and educational institutions, even the local library are filled with what I will simply call trash . Indoctrination camps are what I call learning institutions today and I believe that most parents are finally waking up to the lies and the evilness our precious children are actively being subjected to. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Everything our children are exposed to will shape their mindset, beliefs, and actions. Parents cannot wait to teach the godly values and faith God desires that we mentor to our children. We must begin from the earliest time we have with them. As our walk with Christ is purposely strengthened daily, our desire to inhale Jesus and exhale a holy walk with Him becomes evident in all we do. Our children will accept and build from the relationship they see us build and carry with Christ, but we have to be purposed . Those out to steal and destroy the innocence in your child and fill their minds with wisdom of this world are intentional with each step they take. As I always say, the first step in teaching our children the good news about Christ and helping them to form a personal walk with Jesus is by establishing a strong walk with Him ourselves. Once we have that intimate connection with Christ, and we are purposely maturing it moment by moment, we have the foundation and the desire to ensure that our children have the opportunity to do the same. Once our children have built their worth and shaped their world views through Christ, they understand that truth is not relative . Beyond what we have already discussed in past episodes, (most importantly, that your walk with Jesus be personal and maturing) how do parents help their children build a strong relationship with Jesus, and not only recognize , but live by His truths? What do we teach them to look out for? How do we help them to live in this world without following everything the world professes as good and right? Our generation of Christian parents must face hard, confusing topics with their kids early. Children are learning subjects such as relative truth, racism, abortion, sexuality, identity, and love viewed through the opinions of the world , instead of on what God’s word teaches. Each of these subjects will play a part in whether your family is built up with an ungodly or godly foundation. In other words, a foundation that crumbles or one that stands. God’s word is the only truth that should be taught throughout the life of your child. Because of what our educational institutions have and are teaching our children, because of the negligence of the church, because of parental confusion or ignorance, moral relativism has a grasp on our culture and thus, our children. Moral relativism, or the belief that morals are not based on an absolute standard, is destroying family, spiritual relationships, education, the church, our legal system, and our country. Once belief in God, or the absolute truths He teaches are shaken, and truth is considered relative, we live with the devastating assumption that there must be no authority. If no authority is present, society has no moral compass to establish right from wrong; we (and our children) are left with worldly wisdom and morals to lead us. Isaiah 5:20-21 says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!” What 6 steps must we follow to ensure we teach our children God’s truths? 1. Read God’s word . Read your Bible in your private time and read the Bible with your children. Help your children to establish times to read the Bible themselves, as well. If your child is too young to read, let them see you read your Bible so that the importance of God’s word is mentored to them and they can mirror the habit. Invest in a good study Bible for older children and keep investing in new editions as they grow. When your child is young, read story Bibles and act out, draw, or sing the adventures together. Let them know how important you consider God’s word to be and begin telling them from infancy that God’s word is truth and light for our lives. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2. Discuss scripture and fold God’s word into daily life. Don’t wait to teach about topics at a certain time. Weaving God’s truths into the daily life and routine of your child sets the foundation for beliefs that stick. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 3. Teach your children to understand what culture is. Help them see the fallen values and norms a society accepts without the wisdom of God to direct them. Society is the resulting behavior of the people’s beliefs, as we see in our world today. Discuss current events and compare events, culture, and society in light of God’s word in age appropriate ways. Proverbs 12:1 says, “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.” 4. Pray scripture in your prayers alone and with your children. Pray for your children in accordance with God’s desires daily. Cover your family and your guidance to your children in prayer. Help your children incorporate prayer into their personal time. John 14:15 says, “If you love me, keep my commands .” 5. Surround yourself and your family with godly influences – personally, in music, literature, shows, movies, lessons, friends, etc. We must live the lifestyle God has chosen for us and show that we honor and believe Him in the way we live. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” 6. Know the Bible well and discuss it with your children often. Much of the degradation of society comes from not knowing the word of God or practicing it. Proverbs 10:9 says, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” We can only walk in integrity when we step in the paths God has directed for us to follow . Why is it so important to know God’s word? When we are familiar with God’s word, we are blessed with the ability to recognize falsehoods and twisting of His holy truths. The Bible lays a clear groundwork for our walk with God. If we listen and obey, we find how to construct the foundation for a life of peace, joy, and fellowship with Him and others and we learn important basic life lessons that are meant to form the foundation for everything we believe and do as individuals and as a society . Through the Bible God establishes facts that prove His truths and warn against about destructive beliefs. Our society has been constructed on sand that is eroding beneath poorly laid foundations and our children and future generations will pay the price. Although society tries to make us believe that we are able to do what feels good, or what we desire instead of following the commandments of God, the following verses prove what God truly calls for us. Let’s look at 10 ways our culture is deceiving our children and what God’s wisdom says. As I read each point, listen prayerfully and ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you in directing your children or grandchildren in His truth and light. So many people want to be loving, so they accept what society does without mentioning God’s truths. We can love without condemning, as God gives each of us free will and the ability to choose how we want to live. It is not our place to judge another person, however, we also have the responsibility to know, practice, and teach God’s truths and commandments to our children and to live in ways that honor God. 1. God’s Sovereignty - God created the heavens and the earth, and all things in them. In Hebrew, the word created is associated only with God – and the word speaks of something that only our holy, sovereign Heavenly Father can do – establish something out of nothing. In Genesis we see that God, the Father, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, co-existing in the Trinity, was present before time began. He is our true Creator. Genesis 1, 2 2. Sin - Sin created separation between God and man. Before the fall when Adam and Eve had not yet disobeyed and sinned against God, they walked and talked with our Heavenly Father. Their minds were not clouded by lies and confusion. Adam and Eve were alive physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. After they chose to follow the evil lies of the serpent and went against God’s commands, sin entered the world and intimacy with God was broken. Instead of living in the fullness of life with their Creator, they hid from Him and the whole world was covered in sin. Genesis 3:4-7 3. Salvation - God is sovereign; He already knew what would happen with His creation and already had a beautiful plan for eternal life through Jesus in place for us. Genesis 3:15 4. Racism – Those who focus on skin color to identify race miss the point that God created and sees each of us as members of one human race . Each person is uniquely planned, formed, and made as His beautiful creation with purpose and love. Acts 17:26, Genesis 1:26-28, Genesis 11:1-9 5. Sexuality and Identity – God created male and female, the only two sexes that are to be identified and accepted, per our Heavenly Father, the Creator of sexuality and identity. No matter what surgeries or medication might be completed, a body will never fully become another sex. Genesis 1:27 6. Marriage - God created one man and one woman to come together through a spiritual, physical, emotional, mental, legal, loving bond, and union. This basic, simple truth is the foundation for what our beliefs about same sex marriage should be. Genesis 2:23-25 7. Abortion – Each life is precious to God, who planned and formed every single person, unborn or born. No matter the circumstances under which a person came to be formed in the womb, they are known and loved by our Heavenly Father. Psalm 22:10, Psalm 49:15, Psalm 139:13-16 8. Love – Even in relationships that are not united in holy matrimony, such as dating, God ordained opposite, not same sex relationships. Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5:25 9. Truth – Despite what society tries to push, truth is not relative. Without a strong moral compass following God’s truth, humans divert to selfishness, ambition, pride, deceit, idolatry, and wickedness. John 1:14, John 8:32, John 14:6, John 17:17, 1 John 1:6, Psalm 51:6, Psalm 119:142, Hebrews 4:12-13 10. Deceit – Satan is the father of lies. There is no truth in him. Anything that is in opposition to God’s word will harm us. Our loving Heavenly Father wants to protect and prosper us, if only we listen and obey. He will fill the true desires of your heart that He placed inside you when you were formed in the secret place. Beware of living apart from God’s commands. Live inside His desires and find true peace, life, joy, and love. So many people are being harmed by the morals and values our society has confused. John 10:10 It is up to each believer to spread the gospel and live a life that is in step with our Heavenly Father so that we reflect Him in the proper ways. Sinfulness, and disobedience have not made the beauty of Jesus evident or attractive to those who do not know Him. It won’t make Jesus known to our children, either. I also believe that it is up to each of us to know and follow the will of God without condemning those who do not. I have nothing against those who chose to live a different lifestyle. I can still love them with a holy love from God, even if they do not believe or accept it because I may not agree with their choices based on what God’s word teaches. However, each of us (including me) have made many mistakes in our lifetime and have sinned more times than we can measure. Because some may live what God considers sin out in the open for all to see does not make them less loved. We all fall short of what God calls for us. Please know if you are listening to this podcast episode and hearing something you are doing being identified as sin or you have lived some of the topics I mentioned, I am not judging you. You are loved. There is healing in and through Jesus when and if you desire. If you find your identity in Him and truly realize how much He treasures you and that there is forgiveness found through Him, He can totally transform your life. If you need information about living fullness of life through Him, please let me know. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have and help you find freedom through Christ. Listeners, remember to read and study the word of God. Each of us will grow more like the image of God and honor Him more and more clearly as we learn and obey what our Heavenly Father commands. Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Dear Gracious and Loving Heavenly Father, You are so good. Thank you for Your patient, unending love. Even when we turn from You and follow our own ways, You are present, waiting for us to repent and turn to You. Thank you for giving us free will and loving us despite what we choose, yet still holding us accountable as You must. Father, prepare our heart and mind, help us to be sober-minded, as You call. Equip us to be obedient to You and help us to not conform to the passions of our own ignorance. Help us to be holy, as You are holy. May our love for You and our knowledge of You be so great and unyielding that we keep Your commandments with pleasure and never consider You to be a burden. Help us not to satisfy the desires of our heart, but Yours instead, dear Father. Help our bodies to be living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to You, despite what this world teaches or allows. May we seek to be transformed by Your renewal of our mind and carry the ability and desire to test and approve Your good, pleasing, perfect will and teach the values to our children that You desire. Carve out the immorality from this world and replace it with Your truths and morals, for we need You so much more than we realize. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you would like to hear more about the condition of our heart, the root of all issues, please listen to the Live With Eternal Perspective podcast episode 001, Heart Conditions or episode 046, Maturing Character Like Christ. If you pray for your child, please look for my free ebook, “Prayers for My Child,” available on the website under the “Resources” page and is designed to guide the heart of your child to the feet of Jesus through scripturally-based prayer. The Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast is now available at terrihitt.com, where you can access the episodes housed in one convenient location, receive access to blog posts, read transcripts, and find additional resources designed to mature your walk with Christ and equip you to raise or influence connected children through Him. God knows that we are not capable of successful parenting on our own. As we rely on Him, releasing doubts and expectations, and humbly bow to His guidance and experience, we find greater clarity in parenting and a wondrous walk with our Creator that will extend to our children and those around us for generations . I pray this podcast helps you parent with purpose and deepen your connection to Jesus and your children as you intentionally place Christ above culture or self. Allow Him to work through you for true connection that will draw your children to Him and build a maturing relationship with Christ and your child that lasts for eternity. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #016 – Gratitude 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. Living with eternal perspective drives us to develop qualities that mold us into the person we were designed to be when God created us from nothing but His longing for us. One of the things I am so thankful for is the gift of time with my youngest child, who adores playing with me. We make it a point to devote a portion of each day to dedicated play time. She chooses what we do, and guess what it is 99% of the time. Legos. Knowing we will share these moments together daily allows my girl to rest in the truth that she is treasured. She is worth my attention. As we spend these moments together, I watch for areas she may be struggling with. Play time is especially important because it allows the creativity of our children to flow while also supporting their ability to process life, emotions, fears, and joys. When we play, I look for questions that are presented through conversation, as well as shown through her actions. I enjoy this simple method of forming thought processes and habits within my girl through a fun and unchallenging environment. My favorite times are when she allows her Lego figures to speak the truths she has learned, and that prove she has absorbed and is digesting, the messages she was taught. Yesterday, she devised a new plot in our ongoing storyline. Several baby dragons matured into full-grown creatures who were supposed to help save Lego city. Three of the four dragons grew beautiful wings, except the one I was supposed to play with. She built mine with tiny wings made of bricks instead of flowing, colorful wings. I looked at the other dragons and wondered why I didn’t get the opportunity to enjoy a pretty one. Before I began pouting, because who really wants to play with a whiny mother, I probed her with questions about when my dragon was going to grow a better set of wings. “She already has wings,” my daughter told me. “Why are they little ones?” I asked. “They aren’t little. They’re special,” she insisted with conviction. I looked at the dragon I held in my hands, then glanced at hers. Mine had bricked wings almost two inches long. The winged creatures she played with wore colorful, delicate attachments spanning eight to ten inches. “These wings look little compared to the other dragons,” I protested. “She is special. Trust me,” she replied with assurance. Her words struck me. Trust me. That is when I heard God whisper to my spirit. “Be grateful for this time with my beautiful child,” He spoke to me. “Look at these creations she has made with her eyes, as I look at you with my eyes of love.” I thought of God’s words, then replayed in my mind the words my daughter spoke so confidently. I remembered the love she shows me every day and how she gives of herself so unselfishly. Mentally, I began processing the past days we had played, those that built up the foundation of this storyline. All of a sudden, moments clicked into place. I understood the plot line she was creating with this tiny-winged dragon. “Special” is what she called this creation made for me. I believed this one was made to be a water dragon. “Did you make this one with tiny wings so that it can fly and swim,” I asked her. “Yes,” she answered with excitement. “I love it,” I assured her, seeing the unique abilities this animal possessed. “It’s the only one who can do both.” “Yes,” she said. Such special qualities this dragon held, and she entrusted it to me. In fact, it was designed for me. How often do we not understand what God crafts especially for us? How quickly do we when or complain that we don’t receive what we want or think we should? As we played out her story, I purposely made my dragon comment that she was the last one to develop into a larger dragon and that she was the only one with little wings. Finally, I made the creature realize that her wings were special and could switch to fins that carried her into an underwater land, where none of the other beasts could travel. Understanding that they were each uniquely created with special gifts given as God appoints according to His purposes was the main theme of playtime that day. Sharing time together in this way has helped my child understand and accept so much of life. It has undoubtedly deepened our relationship. Playing with my girl daily challenges my creativity and my compassion. It helps erase selfishness and desires that threaten to move me away from what is ultimately important in life. Entertaining my child with Legos may seem trivial, but devoting time together shows her how important she is and drives home the truth that God created her with an incredibly special set of skills and qualities that no one else has. As we played her creative storyline underscoring God’s truths and the importance of not comparing gifts and abilities, or complaining about what we receive, she was reminded without being told, that each person is conceived in the mind of our Heavenly Father for a specific purpose, just as each dragon was. Just as she was. Although she has heard this many times, as we built the truth into our story, she acted it out with a new sense of confidence that I had never seen. Her imagination had built a complete tale from core beliefs we helped shape, and I seized the opportunity to applaud and confirm what she was living and releasing. Gratitude filled my heart and spirit for the abundance of lessons my daughter had learned and now applied, and for the lessons God was still crafting in both of us. Gratitude is built on a foundation of trust. Our Heavenly Father knows what He is doing. When we trust Him, we can be thankful no matter our circumstances. Have you noticed that life brings so many unexpected events and turns? In fact, days rarely run smoothly. As I prepare to air this podcast, many of my friends are struggling or living through hardships and I am lifting many prayers for them. My family is personally enduring months of zero salary and no medical insurance, due to the COVID-19 work restrictions. Heartache touches each of us in different ways and at various times. None of us are immune to trouble or pain. How do we keep gratitude constant in our hearts and on our lips? The key is to maintain gratefulness. There is a definite difference between living with gratitude and without. I view living without gratefulness as falling from a ship in the middle of a raging ocean without a life vest. Maintaining an attitude of praise and appreciativeness, despite hardships, sustains and increases our faith. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reminds us, ”Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” What does this verse mean? Those of us who know and follow Jesus should reflect a prayerful life. We don’t walk around in a trance praying every moment, but live with a prayerful attitude and mindset. We converse with Jesus as easily as we breathe and unconsciously think of and speak to Him. Our life reflects an attitude of prayer which easily raises acknowledgement not only for the good gifts we receive, but also in times of hardship, because we understand and acknowledge that God is in control and He does work all things together for good for those who are called according to His purpose, just as we are taught in Romans 8:28. Everything is an opportunity for us to choose to accept a blessing, even when it is disguised. My prayers often include pleas to God, asking Him to allow me to always live with a heart that carries thanksgiving and that worships and relies on God no matter my circumstances. Does that mean praise always flows from my heart and lips? Not on its own. For me, it is similar to training to be an athlete. I have to work my gratitude muscles, intentionally strengthening them so that if I don’t feel like being thankful when hurtful or difficult trials come, I’m equipped to rely on the training that automatically reverts my thoughts and heart to praising God during that particular load. The truth is that nothing should separate us from praising and worshipping God. When I want to complain that I have sacks of grocery items to disinfect before putting them away, my spirit immediately erases the burden mindset and writes thankfulness in its place. By constantly looking for areas in which I may praise God, my mind and heart begin to subconsciously search for all the blessings I have. Even in the worst of times, God bolsters my faith to enhance my relationship with Him and change the way I view this life. When my oldest daughter died, I focused on the way God carried and equipped me to maintain joy despite tremendous heartache. We must realize we have been given this moment to allow God to shift our attitude and perception into a Holy alignment with His. My youngest child is releasing more of her history to me. The moments come in broken spurts of memories. Each time she confides in me, I recognize the bravery and trust she is releasing as she allows herself to relive a time she rarely remembers with happiness. My job as her mother, her mentor in Christ, is to direct her pain and heartache to Him. As I watch and listen to her, as I rely on Him to lead me to help her purge the old trauma and disappointment from her soul, I am thankful that He has sent her to me to parent. What a gift I have been presented. Despite a difficult and disappointing past, she is being taught to voice her emotions, walk through the hurt, and find hope and trust in Him. I am teaching her to live with praise and gratefulness, even when she does not understand. Romans 5:3-5 says, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Peace and joy come to us, despite difficulties and hurts, rejections and failures, when we exercise gratitude. At first, we may not be able to thank God. As we draw nearer to Him, we recognize God’s sovereignty in our life and allow Him to shift our mindset to peaceful expectation of His provision. He will never fail us when we take the steps that lead us to be thankful despite suffering or pain, disappointments and failures. The answers are not always what we desire, but they are always what He needs to accomplish His purposes and that will eventually, if we allow it, bring us to our knees before Him in humble thanksgiving and praise. Not always for the tragedy or hardship, but for the closeness we find with Him through it. The hardest times in my life have been soothed by Him. Although I never want to live the circumstances again, especially those carved by deep loss, I am overwhelmed by the measures the Creator of the Universe went to in order to move me exactly where I am the most effective for Him and where I unite in deeper communion with Jesus. Although I will never be exactly where I should be this side of Heaven, I see the changes He makes in me daily. I know He is real. I know He is for me and never against me. 2 Corinthians 4:15 says, “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” The ways the Lord has impacted my life, carrying me each moment and replacing a shattered heart with joy that surpasses earthly understanding, the way He has performed miracles as I step out in obedience to Him, forces my heart to desire pleasing Him above all else. Hebrews 12:28 reminds us, “ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and to worship God acceptably, with reverence and awe.” What would be the greatest blessings God could bestow on each of us? The ability to see each other and the world through His eyes, to love one another as He does, to acknowledge the new mercies we receive from Him every morning, to purposely renew our spirit through Him each moment, to keep our eyes and hearts focused on Him, and to react in situations as He would, even through persecution and sacrifice. If we ask Him and seek to build these qualities daily through Him, He will honor our prayer because it is in alignment with how He would desire us to live. Romans 6:13 instructs, “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to Him as an instrument of righteousness.” How do we shift from our selfish, fleshly, self-absorbed mindset to one that desires a Christ-like perspective in all ways? Only through a deep relationship with Jesus Christ. What are ways we can strengthen our walk with Jesus through abundant praise and thanksgiving? 1. We must release fear. When we are anxious or worrisome, or hold onto fear, we are placing our trust in self, not our Heavenly Father. 2. We must realize how we worship the clock. Time has become another master in our lives. In order to savor moments with God and our loved ones, we simply need to slow down. As we relax, we begin to hear our Father and can acknowledge the gifts we have received with praise and thanksgiving. Once we allow gratitude to enter our mindset, we build the capacity to see adversity with a new measure of appreciativeness, for we believe the work God will do through us if we allow Him to. 3. We must desire abundance. If we allow thoughts and emotions to rule our attitudes and actions, we may never receive the blessings of living with a grateful heart and spirit. Do you know people who never seem appreciative of anything? Do you want to be around them? What about those who complain constantly? Do you want to live like that? Neither do I. In order to desire abundance, we must release our selfish expectations at the foot of the cross. What does Jesus desire for me? How can I please Him? What do I need to shift in my life to acquire the skills to follow where He calls? Those are steps to walking with abundance. Only through allowing Him to carve the life we were created to live, will we truly live with abundance. 4. We must be obedient. When we trust the Lord to execute the plans He has for us, we step out in faith, knowing that beyond the fear lives joy. With joy, we freely offer thankfulness and gratitude. How do we train ourselves to live with abundant gratefulness that ignores circumstances or disappointment and focuses on God’s abundant love and mercy? 1. Ask God to fill us with the recognition of His blessings and a grateful heart and spirit. 2. Cling nearer to Jesus through a prayerful life that includes Him in all we are and do. 3. Develop a deeper relationship with Him because we desire sweet fellowship. 4. Listen to praise music that helps us to recognize the attributes and actions of our Heavenly Father. 5. Wear our Bible out through study and reflection in God’s word. Use this gift as a tool to strengthen all areas of our life and as the manual it was presented to be. The life of Jesus should be our mentor and God’s promises, our hope. 6. Memorize God’s word. If memorization is difficult, write His word or read and reflect on it, so that it is easy to recognize anything counter to His truths. 7. Journal prayer requests and God’s answers to them. This is a practice I stopped making time for, although I used to write in journals quite a bit. I sometimes miss the wonder I once felt when I read old entries and remember long-forgotten recorded prayers and the ways God answered them. 8. Add service to your routine. When we forsake our needs or desires and serve others with genuine joy, we receive so much more than we give. Find an organization you believe in or simply offer kindness in ways unique to the individuals you want to bless. God will show you who He wants to touch through you if you ask Him to. 9. Monitor the words and tone you extend to others. When we live with an awareness of how we are perceived by others and how what we show them of Jesus through our words and actions can affect their eternity, we begin to care much more about how we spend our time and treat our loved ones, as well as strangers. 10. Forgive. Living with gratitude is not possible when we harbor a bitter spirit or hold unforgiveness closer than we hold onto Jesus. When we live contrary to what God calls for us, we cannot step into freedom through what He has done for us. When we cannot forgive, we live counter to the sacrifice Jesus made for each one of us. If He can love enough to offer complete forgiveness through His death for you and for me, how can we justify neglecting absolution to others? Gratitude is an emotion and an action. The closer we live to Him, the more thankfulness resides in and seeps from us, just as every quality He desires for us continues to grow through our eternal relationship with Him. When our days are hard and no relief seems to be in sight, we cling to the words penned in the diary of our soul, the Bible. Meditating on the verses God offers for every need brings us closer to true worship and abundant living, leading to extravagant recognition of all we have been given. Psalm 7:17 says, “I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness; I will sing the praises of the Lord Most High.” Psalm 9:1 says, “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” James 1:2-4 calls us to, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Offering praise in the most difficult times, when the pain life in this world exceeds joy, we discover the higher purpose and benefits of a grateful heart. Living as though we already carry a heart of gladness, forces it to sprout. As Jesus hung on the cross, separated for a time from His Heavenly Father, bearing the sin of each one of us, He no doubt still carried gratitude in His heart. As he had dined with his disciples at the Last Supper, He knew what faced Him, yet offered divine gratitude as He broke bread and drank from the cup He had been assigned. Psalm 28:7 says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song, I praise Him.” When we realize and deeply understand that all we have and are comes from God for a divine purpose, and recognize the love He carries despite anything we do, we are able to lift pure praise as David did in 1 Chronicles 29:12-13, “Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all. In Your hand are power and might, and in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.” or offer praise as Paul did in Ephesians 5:19b-20, “Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Is it your desire to live your life with a bitter, selfish spirit and angry demeanor? Then live without with gratitude. Or do you desire to cultivate and plant contentment and gratitude that grows God’s joyful spirit in your soul, that exhibits your joy and thankfulness for the sacrifice Jesus made for you? Offer gratitude to God and others daily and watch your spirit attract more joy and contentment with each praise you lift and share. Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. Have you found value in our weekly topics? I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you want to hear more from 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 hear about Jesus through Live With Eternal Perspective, I need the support of listeners who will invest a few minutes in subscribing and reviewing to lift this podcast higher on the charts so that the platform shows it to everyone. Right now, because the podcast is new and the following is small, listeners won’t find it unless they specifically know the name to search for. Please share this podcast with a friend. I want everyone to hear encouragement in Jesus and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 016 Gratitude Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #016 – Gratitude 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. Living with eternal perspective drives us to develop qualities that mold us into the person we were designed to be when God created us from nothing but His longing for us. One of the things I am so thankful for is the gift of time with my youngest child, who adores playing with me. We make it a point to devote a portion of each day to dedicated play time. She chooses what we do, and guess what it is 99% of the time. Legos. Knowing we will share these moments together daily allows my girl to rest in the truth that she is treasured. She is worth my attention. As we spend these moments together, I watch for areas she may be struggling with. Play time is especially important because it allows the creativity of our children to flow while also supporting their ability to process life, emotions, fears, and joys. When we play, I look for questions that are presented through conversation, as well as shown through her actions. I enjoy this simple method of forming thought processes and habits within my girl through a fun and unchallenging environment. My favorite times are when she allows her Lego figures to speak the truths she has learned, and that prove she has absorbed and is digesting, the messages she was taught. Yesterday, she devised a new plot in our ongoing storyline. Several baby dragons matured into full-grown creatures who were supposed to help save Lego city. Three of the four dragons grew beautiful wings, except the one I was supposed to play with. She built mine with tiny wings made of bricks instead of flowing, colorful wings. I looked at the other dragons and wondered why I didn’t get the opportunity to enjoy a pretty one. Before I began pouting, because who really wants to play with a whiny mother, I probed her with questions about when my dragon was going to grow a better set of wings. “She already has wings,” my daughter told me. “Why are they little ones?” I asked. “They aren’t little. They’re special,” she insisted with conviction. I looked at the dragon I held in my hands, then glanced at hers. Mine had bricked wings almost two inches long. The winged creatures she played with wore colorful, delicate attachments spanning eight to ten inches. “These wings look little compared to the other dragons,” I protested. “She is special. Trust me,” she replied with assurance. Her words struck me. Trust me. That is when I heard God whisper to my spirit. “Be grateful for this time with my beautiful child,” He spoke to me. “Look at these creations she has made with her eyes, as I look at you with my eyes of love.” I thought of God’s words, then replayed in my mind the words my daughter spoke so confidently. I remembered the love she shows me every day and how she gives of herself so unselfishly. Mentally, I began processing the past days we had played, those that built up the foundation of this storyline. All of a sudden, moments clicked into place. I understood the plot line she was creating with this tiny-winged dragon. “Special” is what she called this creation made for me. I believed this one was made to be a water dragon. “Did you make this one with tiny wings so that it can fly and swim,” I asked her. “Yes,” she answered with excitement. “I love it,” I assured her, seeing the unique abilities this animal possessed. “It’s the only one who can do both.” “Yes,” she said. Such special qualities this dragon held, and she entrusted it to me. In fact, it was designed for me. How often do we not understand what God crafts especially for us? How quickly do we when or complain that we don’t receive what we want or think we should? As we played out her story, I purposely made my dragon comment that she was the last one to develop into a larger dragon and that she was the only one with little wings. Finally, I made the creature realize that her wings were special and could switch to fins that carried her into an underwater land, where none of the other beasts could travel. Understanding that they were each uniquely created with special gifts given as God appoints according to His purposes was the main theme of playtime that day. Sharing time together in this way has helped my child understand and accept so much of life. It has undoubtedly deepened our relationship. Playing with my girl daily challenges my creativity and my compassion. It helps erase selfishness and desires that threaten to move me away from what is ultimately important in life. Entertaining my child with Legos may seem trivial, but devoting time together shows her how important she is and drives home the truth that God created her with an incredibly special set of skills and qualities that no one else has. As we played her creative storyline underscoring God’s truths and the importance of not comparing gifts and abilities, or complaining about what we receive, she was reminded without being told, that each person is conceived in the mind of our Heavenly Father for a specific purpose, just as each dragon was. Just as she was. Although she has heard this many times, as we built the truth into our story, she acted it out with a new sense of confidence that I had never seen. Her imagination had built a complete tale from core beliefs we helped shape, and I seized the opportunity to applaud and confirm what she was living and releasing. Gratitude filled my heart and spirit for the abundance of lessons my daughter had learned and now applied, and for the lessons God was still crafting in both of us. Gratitude is built on a foundation of trust. Our Heavenly Father knows what He is doing. When we trust Him, we can be thankful no matter our circumstances. Have you noticed that life brings so many unexpected events and turns? In fact, days rarely run smoothly. As I prepare to air this podcast, many of my friends are struggling or living through hardships and I am lifting many prayers for them. My family is personally enduring months of zero salary and no medical insurance, due to the COVID-19 work restrictions. Heartache touches each of us in different ways and at various times. None of us are immune to trouble or pain. How do we keep gratitude constant in our hearts and on our lips? The key is to maintain gratefulness. There is a definite difference between living with gratitude and without. I view living without gratefulness as falling from a ship in the middle of a raging ocean without a life vest. Maintaining an attitude of praise and appreciativeness, despite hardships, sustains and increases our faith. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reminds us, ”Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” What does this verse mean? Those of us who know and follow Jesus should reflect a prayerful life. We don’t walk around in a trance praying every moment, but live with a prayerful attitude and mindset. We converse with Jesus as easily as we breathe and unconsciously think of and speak to Him. Our life reflects an attitude of prayer which easily raises acknowledgement not only for the good gifts we receive, but also in times of hardship, because we understand and acknowledge that God is in control and He does work all things together for good for those who are called according to His purpose, just as we are taught in Romans 8:28. Everything is an opportunity for us to choose to accept a blessing, even when it is disguised. My prayers often include pleas to God, asking Him to allow me to always live with a heart that carries thanksgiving and that worships and relies on God no matter my circumstances. Does that mean praise always flows from my heart and lips? Not on its own. For me, it is similar to training to be an athlete. I have to work my gratitude muscles, intentionally strengthening them so that if I don’t feel like being thankful when hurtful or difficult trials come, I’m equipped to rely on the training that automatically reverts my thoughts and heart to praising God during that particular load. The truth is that nothing should separate us from praising and worshipping God. When I want to complain that I have sacks of grocery items to disinfect before putting them away, my spirit immediately erases the burden mindset and writes thankfulness in its place. By constantly looking for areas in which I may praise God, my mind and heart begin to subconsciously search for all the blessings I have. Even in the worst of times, God bolsters my faith to enhance my relationship with Him and change the way I view this life. When my oldest daughter died, I focused on the way God carried and equipped me to maintain joy despite tremendous heartache. We must realize we have been given this moment to allow God to shift our attitude and perception into a Holy alignment with His. My youngest child is releasing more of her history to me. The moments come in broken spurts of memories. Each time she confides in me, I recognize the bravery and trust she is releasing as she allows herself to relive a time she rarely remembers with happiness. My job as her mother, her mentor in Christ, is to direct her pain and heartache to Him. As I watch and listen to her, as I rely on Him to lead me to help her purge the old trauma and disappointment from her soul, I am thankful that He has sent her to me to parent. What a gift I have been presented. Despite a difficult and disappointing past, she is being taught to voice her emotions, walk through the hurt, and find hope and trust in Him. I am teaching her to live with praise and gratefulness, even when she does not understand. Romans 5:3-5 says, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Peace and joy come to us, despite difficulties and hurts, rejections and failures, when we exercise gratitude. At first, we may not be able to thank God. As we draw nearer to Him, we recognize God’s sovereignty in our life and allow Him to shift our mindset to peaceful expectation of His provision. He will never fail us when we take the steps that lead us to be thankful despite suffering or pain, disappointments and failures. The answers are not always what we desire, but they are always what He needs to accomplish His purposes and that will eventually, if we allow it, bring us to our knees before Him in humble thanksgiving and praise. Not always for the tragedy or hardship, but for the closeness we find with Him through it. The hardest times in my life have been soothed by Him. Although I never want to live the circumstances again, especially those carved by deep loss, I am overwhelmed by the measures the Creator of the Universe went to in order to move me exactly where I am the most effective for Him and where I unite in deeper communion with Jesus. Although I will never be exactly where I should be this side of Heaven, I see the changes He makes in me daily. I know He is real. I know He is for me and never against me. 2 Corinthians 4:15 says, “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” The ways the Lord has impacted my life, carrying me each moment and replacing a shattered heart with joy that surpasses earthly understanding, the way He has performed miracles as I step out in obedience to Him, forces my heart to desire pleasing Him above all else. Hebrews 12:28 reminds us, “ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and to worship God acceptably, with reverence and awe.” What would be the greatest blessings God could bestow on each of us? The ability to see each other and the world through His eyes, to love one another as He does, to acknowledge the new mercies we receive from Him every morning, to purposely renew our spirit through Him each moment, to keep our eyes and hearts focused on Him, and to react in situations as He would, even through persecution and sacrifice. If we ask Him and seek to build these qualities daily through Him, He will honor our prayer because it is in alignment with how He would desire us to live. Romans 6:13 instructs, “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to Him as an instrument of righteousness.” How do we shift from our selfish, fleshly, self-absorbed mindset to one that desires a Christ-like perspective in all ways? Only through a deep relationship with Jesus Christ. What are ways we can strengthen our walk with Jesus through abundant praise and thanksgiving? 1. We must release fear. When we are anxious or worrisome, or hold onto fear, we are placing our trust in self, not our Heavenly Father. 2. We must realize how we worship the clock. Time has become another master in our lives. In order to savor moments with God and our loved ones, we simply need to slow down. As we relax, we begin to hear our Father and can acknowledge the gifts we have received with praise and thanksgiving. Once we allow gratitude to enter our mindset, we build the capacity to see adversity with a new measure of appreciativeness, for we believe the work God will do through us if we allow Him to. 3. We must desire abundance. If we allow thoughts and emotions to rule our attitudes and actions, we may never receive the blessings of living with a grateful heart and spirit. Do you know people who never seem appreciative of anything? Do you want to be around them? What about those who complain constantly? Do you want to live like that? Neither do I. In order to desire abundance, we must release our selfish expectations at the foot of the cross. What does Jesus desire for me? How can I please Him? What do I need to shift in my life to acquire the skills to follow where He calls? Those are steps to walking with abundance. Only through allowing Him to carve the life we were created to live, will we truly live with abundance. 4. We must be obedient. When we trust the Lord to execute the plans He has for us, we step out in faith, knowing that beyond the fear lives joy. With joy, we freely offer thankfulness and gratitude. How do we train ourselves to live with abundant gratefulness that ignores circumstances or disappointment and focuses on God’s abundant love and mercy? 1. Ask God to fill us with the recognition of His blessings and a grateful heart and spirit. 2. Cling nearer to Jesus through a prayerful life that includes Him in all we are and do. 3. Develop a deeper relationship with Him because we desire sweet fellowship. 4. Listen to praise music that helps us to recognize the attributes and actions of our Heavenly Father. 5. Wear our Bible out through study and reflection in God’s word. Use this gift as a tool to strengthen all areas of our life and as the manual it was presented to be. The life of Jesus should be our mentor and God’s promises, our hope. 6. Memorize God’s word. If memorization is difficult, write His word or read and reflect on it, so that it is easy to recognize anything counter to His truths. 7. Journal prayer requests and God’s answers to them. This is a practice I stopped making time for, although I used to write in journals quite a bit. I sometimes miss the wonder I once felt when I read old entries and remember long-forgotten recorded prayers and the ways God answered them. 8. Add service to your routine. When we forsake our needs or desires and serve others with genuine joy, we receive so much more than we give. Find an organization you believe in or simply offer kindness in ways unique to the individuals you want to bless. God will show you who He wants to touch through you if you ask Him to. 9. Monitor the words and tone you extend to others. When we live with an awareness of how we are perceived by others and how what we show them of Jesus through our words and actions can affect their eternity, we begin to care much more about how we spend our time and treat our loved ones, as well as strangers. 10. Forgive. Living with gratitude is not possible when we harbor a bitter spirit or hold unforgiveness closer than we hold onto Jesus. When we live contrary to what God calls for us, we cannot step into freedom through what He has done for us. When we cannot forgive, we live counter to the sacrifice Jesus made for each one of us. If He can love enough to offer complete forgiveness through His death for you and for me, how can we justify neglecting absolution to others? Gratitude is an emotion and an action. The closer we live to Him, the more thankfulness resides in and seeps from us, just as every quality He desires for us continues to grow through our eternal relationship with Him. When our days are hard and no relief seems to be in sight, we cling to the words penned in the diary of our soul, the Bible. Meditating on the verses God offers for every need brings us closer to true worship and abundant living, leading to extravagant recognition of all we have been given. Psalm 7:17 says, “I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness; I will sing the praises of the Lord Most High.” Psalm 9:1 says, “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” James 1:2-4 calls us to, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Offering praise in the most difficult times, when the pain life in this world exceeds joy, we discover the higher purpose and benefits of a grateful heart. Living as though we already carry a heart of gladness, forces it to sprout. As Jesus hung on the cross, separated for a time from His Heavenly Father, bearing the sin of each one of us, He no doubt still carried gratitude in His heart. As he had dined with his disciples at the Last Supper, He knew what faced Him, yet offered divine gratitude as He broke bread and drank from the cup He had been assigned. Psalm 28:7 says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song, I praise Him.” When we realize and deeply understand that all we have and are comes from God for a divine purpose, and recognize the love He carries despite anything we do, we are able to lift pure praise as David did in 1 Chronicles 29:12-13, “Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all. In Your hand are power and might, and in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.” or offer praise as Paul did in Ephesians 5:19b-20, “Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Is it your desire to live your life with a bitter, selfish spirit and angry demeanor? Then live without with gratitude. Or do you desire to cultivate and plant contentment and gratitude that grows God’s joyful spirit in your soul, that exhibits your joy and thankfulness for the sacrifice Jesus made for you? Offer gratitude to God and others daily and watch your spirit attract more joy and contentment with each praise you lift and share. Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. Have you found value in our weekly topics? I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you want to hear more from 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 hear about Jesus through Live With Eternal Perspective, I need the support of listeners who will invest a few minutes in subscribing and reviewing to lift this podcast higher on the charts so that the platform shows it to everyone. Right now, because the podcast is new and the following is small, listeners won’t find it unless they specifically know the name to search for. Please share this podcast with a friend. I want everyone to hear encouragement in Jesus and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode 004 - Arming Your Child Spiritually Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #004 – Arming Your Child Spiritually Are you yearning for greater connection with your child and Christ? Would you like to parent beyond the moment with eternal perspective? Do the days seem long, but you know the parenting journey is short? Let’s grow together now with practical tips, scripture, and stories geared to draw your heart to Jesus and guide your child into His arms. As an adult believer, you are aware of the wickedness Satan causes, but can focus on Jesus so that you truly know , love , and obey Him. You understand that God has already defeated Satan. But how well does your child know this truth? How well are you guarding your children, teaching and instructing so that they are equipped against the devil who prowls like a roaring lion seeking to destroy them? Do you intentionally mature your walk with and belief in Jesus so that He pours from you? Are you guarding your mind and heart so that your child is lovingly mentored to do the same? For example, although it’s not a popular opinion, I’ve never been a fan of the Harry Potter series. Many parents insist that they read the books as children and “they turned out okay,” or that they “don’t see anything wrong with them.” I don’t pretend or profess to be a parenting expert, but I do know Who is. My intention on this podcast is to point my listeners to Jesus and discuss methods and tips that will ensure you do not lead your child into a slippery slope of temptation or away from you or our Heavenly Father. I believe that the Harry Potter books are part of the alarming trend of literature intended for harm, not sanctification. We should desire that our life and the life of our children honor God in every way. Protecting our mind is one of the biggest ways to ensure that we carry the thoughts and desires of Jesus and instruct our children in His ways. We must purposely stay ahead of trends and popular culture and above what this world calls good. We must dissect and analyze what touches our child in light of how Jesus would view them. Would you agree that what you are frequently exposed to usually becomes what you think on or believe? When our children are repeatedly subjected to the witchcraft and demonology in the Harry Potter series, it can easily open their mind, imagination, and musings to further interest in the occult, which God’s word strictly and clearly forbids . This series of books and movies create a world that desensitizes children to God’s clear command that they should stay away from anything close to the occult. How is letting them be involved with the Harry Potter series any different than if you let them use a Quija board or play with Tarot cards? Couldn’t your children just as easily have exposure to those items, yet say that they don’t really believe in what they are doing, so it is okay? Please, don’t tread on the slippery slope that leads to destruction. Wouldn’t you rather build a fence several hundred feet away from the cliff than next to it? Take care that nothing becomes an obstruction between your child and Jesus. Luke 18:16 says, “But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these .” Witchcraft is not fantasy, but a sad and scary reality of our sinful world. What we allow our children to ingest becomes what sustains them . It can also become the stumbling block that hinders them from growing a beautiful, maturing relationship with Jesus that carries them into eternity. Although the subject of this podcast today is not witchcraft or the occult, I mention it now because these topics are directly tied to arming children spiritually. Satan knows how to lure and tempt each of us. His methods are used over and over because we continue to fall for them. Past hurts and behavior, attitude, thoughts, lusts, pride, so many things can be touched on by the great deceiver. Culture is touched by many who do not follow Jesus. There is an arsenal of ways that Satan reaches our precious children. We must be aware and diligent in protecting our children, but also preparing them to have the skills and knowledge of how to look to God for ultimate protection. Proverbs 13:20 says, “He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed .” Christians know that the enemy of this world is Satan. Jesus warned us that we would face trials and persecution, but He also reminded us that He has already overcome the world. The devil knows his time is short. Believers of Jesus should follow Him in one direction, but the devil schemes and works to lure believers and non-believers in the opposite direction. Because of the power of the Holy Spirit within followers of Christ, we are more than conquerors and through Jesus, we have His strength within us to stand against the wiles of Satan. It is our obligation and honor to guide our children to Jesus so that they can stand in the power and strength of Christ. In order for them to stand, we must ensure that they are aware of the evil influence targeted against them in this world. This world is a battlefield for the mind and heart of you and your child. Today we will discuss scripture and ideas to help you start or continue conversations with your children and enable you to remain diligent and consistent in this critical area of raising your child to know, honor, love, and follow Jesus with joy and stand against what the unseen enemy seeks to destroy. 2 Chronicles 20:15b says, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s .” As we know, children see and respond to Christ much easier than adults. It’s usually more difficult for an adult to accept Jesus as Savior than it is for our open, loving children. We do such an injustice to children when we do not love Jesus with a deepening maturity and disciple them as we should. I have a biblical example from the gospels showing the ease in which children recognize and honor God. Matthew 21:15-16 says, “The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.” But the leaders were indignant. Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “’From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” Although the children who chanted this praise may not have understood the full significance of what they were saying, their words forced religious leaders to understand that the cries of the children indicated they recognized the awaited Messiah before the adults did. Children want to know God. Remember, just like you, the mind of your child controls their thoughts, beliefs, actions, reactions, and words. Their heart controls their truthfulness, obedience, kindness, service, and acceptance of Christ. Activities, such as games, movies, books, shows, and music all contribute to the mind and heart your child will grow and mature. What they ingest will be reflected because it becomes who they are . Friends and teachers also have a huge influence. Of course, the fleshly nature of your child impacts their behavior, but that is also beautifully sculpted by the way you disciple, train, and love them through Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Bad company includes more than friends. All of the entertainment areas I mentioned earlier also shapes character. Sometimes games, books, and movies are the main company some children desire. There are companies and individuals with ungodly agendas who I believe live under the influence of Satan and seek to influence our children in impure ways through the items mentioned earlier. We must be diligent, wise, and alert. 1 Corinthians 16:13 says, “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.” Since we desire to grow the knowledge of Christ in our child as early as possible, we need to ensure that we also teach them the truths about spiritual warfare. Even from a young age, we can let our children know that there is an enemy they cannot see who seeks to do harm in the world through experiences and people. Children love stories. I believe one of the most effective ways to share the truths of Jesus is through story telling. Of course, I recommend a good children’s bible. In fact, you will most likely purchase several as your children grow. We have multiple bibles in our home so that the girls are able to hear about the Lord and read about Him for themselves at any age. Beginning with picture books and ultimately progressing to adult study bibles, your child must have access to the word of God at any stage and be able to absorb, process, understand, and articulate what they have learned in order to believe and live it. In our home we read the bible together often; daily is our goal, and the girls also study God’s word in private, as well. When my youngest came home to us at the age of nine and could not understand English, it took creativity and persistence to help her begin to understand God. It was a sacred process to carry the honor of making God known to her. Once I looked at the challenge of teaching her as if she were just an infant, because it really was the beginning of everything for her, it was easy to introduce God to her naturally. We spoke about God throughout the course of our day, weaving Him through the center of everything, as we normally do. We read the bible together, even when I knew she wouldn’t yet understand. We used a children’s bible with attractive illustrations that kept and heightened her interest and helped her to understand what we were discussing. I used a whiteboard to draw pictures of what we discussed to help her better understand. I would go step by step with drawings to re-enact what we had read together. My youngest is very creative and we would sometimes act out scenes like we were in a play. Whatever way you know will connect with your child is the right way to teach them about their Heavenly Father. When teaching awareness of spiritual warfare, start with a basic story foundation you can easily share with your children in the same ways I mentioned, and do it from a young age. An easy story to remember and recite is one similar to the following: Once upon a time, God created this beautiful world for each of us to live in because He loves us so much. Our Heavenly Father made people in His own image, and He wants to have a special relationship with each one of us. Just like God made the people, trees, flowers, oceans, animals, insects, planets, and everything else, He also created heavenly creatures we cannot see, called angels. These angels were created to love and honor God, just like we were, but they are different from people. We cannot usually see angels, but there are times in the bible where some of the angels God sent were actually seen by humans! One of the important things angels were made to do is carry out special jobs on earth for God, like helping and protecting humans. Once upon a time one of God’s angels made terrible choices. He decided he wanted to be more powerful than God. He was prideful and rebellious. He didn’t want to love or honor God. He wanted to be better than the Heavenly Father who created him! Instead of loving and obeying God, this angel started a battle against God with other disobedient angels. God, who is always stronger and wiser, threw the devil and his demons out of heaven. Now they fight against God and all people, especially those who love Jesus. God already knew what they were going to do, so He had a plan to use all the bad things they try to do and turn those into good things. The best plan was that God sent His Son, Jesus to the earth to save all people who choose to follow Him. We must learn all we can about Jesus now and stay away from things that Satan, the disobedient and wicked angel likes. One day God will stop Satan and his followers forever. Satan and his followers will be gone and those who love and follow Jesus will live with God forever. Children need to learn the basic truths and deep love and grace of God. Build upon that foundation. Then increase their awareness and understanding of the unseen spiritual world. I will now share 7 important points that each child should know from an early age in order to increase their knowledge and understanding of spiritual warfare as they age and mature. 1. The devil is a liar. 2. The devil hates God. 3. The devil is active. 4. The devil is tricky. 5. The devil doesn’t want you to follow God. 6. The devil cannot control you. 7. The devil is not your main focus. 2 Peter 1:3 says, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” Now we will share the other side, which is the truth , hope , and promise of each of the points we just mentioned. Just as we ended with letting children know that Satan is not their main focus, we direct them to learn and remember the way to stand against darkness in this world. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 says, “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” 1. God is truth. 2. God loves you. 3. God is always with you. 4. God is mighty. 5. God loves you and wants relationship with you. 6. God is sovereign. 7. Focus on Jesus. 1 John 5:3-5 says, “Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” My other podcast, “Live With Eternal Perspective” features additional information about this topic in Episode 110, “Armed for Spiritual Warfare.” This episode relays the necessities needed to arm and equip yourself against Satan, flesh, and the unseen forces ruling this world. Without a knowledge of this yourself, you will not be able to equip your child to stand strong in the power and protection of Jesus. If you look at Ephesians 6:10-18, you will see all that we need to stand against the evil schemes of the enemy and it is already supplied by God. These verses are also a wonderful passage of scripture that makes an excellent storyline for you to play or act out with your child or make into a beautiful story to remind them that each of us, no matter how young or old, must do to be equipped for any battle we face in this world. These verses in Ephesians have helped me at my most vulnerable and heart-broken. I have experienced God’s supreme and loving power through them, and I know from experience that they are proven, reliable, and effective. Just like His word proclaims. I am currently working on a short ebook with a storyline for teaching children how to arm themselves for spiritual warfare through God’s armor. It will be available soon on my website at terrihitt.com. If you would like to receive this free resource, please visit the website and sign up to my email list so that you will be notified when it is available. I would love to share it with you! “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power .” Ephesians 6:10 instructs us with these two commands. First, w e must rely on God , and second, we must allow His mighty strength to fill us , not so that we will fight, but so that we will allow Him to battle through us. We want to mentor this for our children to grow in and rely on throughout their lifetime. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you that you love us with an everlasting love that we cannot comprehend. We think we begin to with the deep, wide, incredibly immense love we feel for our children. But we know that Your love is so much more rich and complicated than our mortal minds can fathom. You are so good to us, even when we do not understand Your ways or want what You desire. We thank you that Your word warns us there is an unseen world we know little about. Thank you for preparing us for the heartaches and injustices we will face in this broken world. Thank you for the armor you have prepared in advance for us. We know there is no protection like Yours and that You go before us, making a way to withstand the attacks we will face. Enable us to stand firm in Your arms and battle gear, letting You fight the battles for us. Help us to teach and mentor our children to do the same, and to rely on You in all areas of life. Grow our heart for You so that they cannot turn from You, because they know and see You so well through us and they love You with an everlasting, maturing love. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. The Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast will soon be available at terrihitt.com, where you can access the episodes housed in one convenient location, receive access to blog posts, read transcripts, and find additional resources designed to mature your walk with Christ and equip you to raise or influence connected children through Him. God knows that we are not capable of successful parenting on our own. As we rely on Him, as we release doubts and expectations, and humbly bow to His guidance and experience, we find greater clarity in parenting and a wondrous walk with our Creator that will extend to our children and those around us for generations . I pray this podcast helps you parent with purpose and deepen your connection to Jesus and your children. Intentionally place Christ above culture or self. Allow Him to work through you for true connection that will draw your children to Him and build a maturing relationship with Christ and your children that lasts for eternity. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #028 – All Is Vanity 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. Would you agree that life in this generation is so convenient? We carry and rely on so many gadgets and items never deemed as necessary in previous eras. But I have to admit that digital photos are definitely convenient and I truly adore the fact that I no longer have to carry a camera and or video recorder with me to events. We usually forgot them half of the time anyway. The sheer fact that our cell phones can do everything we want is mind-boggling and amazingly convenient. They also make it much easier to leave the house because I rarely forget my phone. Although we can store photos on our phone, tablet devices, or computers so easily, I must admit that I really do miss sitting down and flipping through photo albums. Last week the girls asked me about high school yearbooks. They wanted to know if I knew where mine were and they asked to see them. Talk about embarrassing! In their eyes, I must have been the most beautiful teen in the book. Ha! I honestly hated shattering their image. To their credit, they were honest, but kind in their opinion. Looking at all the photos, writings from friends, and talking about stories of old boyfriends and best friends from my high school years was very entertaining for them. Do you want to hear what they enjoyed the most? It was seeing photos of me and their daddy. Since we met during our senior year of high school, they had a ball looking at photos of the two of us throughout the yearbook, and they were absolutely captivated by more stories of our dating adventures. Reviewing those old photos, hearing their excited voices, and seeing their eyes light with love at my narrations brought joy to sweet memories tucked within my heart and just felt good. Are you like me? Do you view memories almost as digital snapshots of life? That’s actually the way I see them in my mind. Oddly, I have found that I don’t always get to choose which photos end up in my album. Life is full of numerous moments we long to remember, but the images that store themselves in our brain for easy retrieval are sometimes not what we expect. It’s especially interesting to talk to people who have lived and experienced the same event. The recollections can be so different! We know it is because we all experience and react to events based on what we have encountered or endured, so our opinions will be formulated through the lens of our past. I’m often surprised by what I remember. Not so much how I recall it, but which events of my life somehow get selected and placed in the album of my consciousness. Some of my memories appear to me as videos in my mind. Instead of flipping through photos, I see whole scenes that play as a movie. One of those times was when I was in my mid-twenties. My husband was driving me and our two children home one night. I don’t recall where we had been, but it was late and as he drove, the kids were quiet or sleeping in the backseat. As I watched out the window, I noticed all the bright stars in the clear night sky and began thinking about eternity. I wondered what heaven would be like, when I would be there, if my children would lose me as they grew up, or whether I would be on earth at least until they reached adulthood. I had numerous thoughts about God and then I wondered whether I would be bored when I got to heaven. I didn’t have any desire to leave this world soon. Can you believe that? That thought shows me how much deeper my relationship with God is now. Without a doubt, I now know that I will never be bored in heaven. I am excited to one day sit with Jesus and learn all I can. Can you imagine the love we will experience, the peace and joy, we will feel when we see Him face-to-face? I’m ready to embrace Him and be embraced by Him. I can’t wait to see my parents, loved ones, and especially my daughter. My first born child. So why does the memory of that night stick so highly in my mind? I think maybe it is because I was genuinely curious. I had not known Jesus for too many years and I truly did not want to leave my children or husband. I hoped eternity was a long way off. I wanted to raise my kids and experience life. I still do. Unbelievably, I’ve raised those children and am now raising another set, so of course, I prefer to be able to stay and raise them at least to adulthood, but I am also fully prepared to meet my Heavenly Father whenever His timing may come. While there is nothing wrong with desiring to be here with family, the Lord has grown me enough by this point that I now hope He returns soon for all of us who love and follow Him. I want Him to rescue us from this place. I want to go with my family and loved ones and experience heaven as God promises. I see the futility in our daily life here. I know nothing here will ever satisfy any of us. We were intentionally created for more. When I remember who I was at that time, I see how little I knew and how hollow much of what I did was. I am thankful for who I have become and who I am becoming. While I once loved this world more than God, I now love Jesus, who lives in me, more than what this world offers. If we study the definition of vanity, we see excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities, and achievements. It also means the character or quality of being vain, and conceited or something about which one is vain or excessively proud. The definition I want us to focus on today is a lack of real value, something hollow, or worthless when compared to eternity. Life is empty and meaningless without God. What we chase in this life is vanity. Do you know who the wisest man who ever lived was? Besides Jesus, of course. The book of Ecclesiastes reveals the life of Solomon, who searched for deeper meaning in the world and found nothing could satisfy but God, despite the fact that Solomon had deep, wide wisdom from God, material wealth, goods, and property. He learned that nothing he sought after offered meaning in life or filled the empty holes in his spirit. Ecclesiastes 3:11b says, “He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” God placed eternity in our hearts, but we get distracted and confused in this broken world. We seek everything but what satisfies the deepest parts of our souls. What God placed in us to desire and need cannot be found or quenched through encounters, experiences, or possessions in this world. Solomon offers us valuable insight into what he learned during his life journey of seeking frivolous enjoyment, and material possessions. He found that absolutely none of them filled him with joy or offered meaning to his life. There are three main themes that run though the book of Ecclesiastes. 1. Solomon shares about carrying a fear of God. Living in awe and respect of our Heavenly Father is crucial. So many do not keep a reverent fear of God that drives us to recognize His sovereignty and guides us to worship Him with a humble love and obedience and causes us to recognize that our life has no meaning without Him. 2. We are all created by God for a purpose. Life on this earth is over so quickly when viewed with an eternal perspective. Living with the knowledge that God lovingly gave each one of us a purpose that speaks to our heart and soul when we obey Him, should cause us to focus on the goal of eternity. Jesus counseled us against laying up treasures on this earth. All we do should be directed by keeping our heart and mind fixed on God and preparing ourselves and others for eternity with Him. Solomon speaks of the brevity of life and living in ways that please our Father and guide us toward focusing on what matters to Him. 3. Living in a world affected by the fall and the curse of sin is shown in Solomon’s words through Ecclesiastes. After we labor through our life, we all return to the ground, just as we first began. Solomon reveals how hollow life is without God and that joy and contentment are found only through Him. Without an eternal perspective lifestyle, we each fail to find satisfaction or meaning in life on earth. If we search without finding God, we can fall into deeper despair and will continually look for substitutes to fill the void inside. Those replacements never satisfy fully or can ever take the place of the joy and peace that only God can give. That is exactly why there are so many hurting and hurtful people living on this earth. What made King Solomon, known for his wisdom and knowledge seek out the meaning of life? Didn’t he already possess anything a person could want? Solomon was a man on a mission to discover the true meaning of life. He had tasted all life offered, but found that without truly seeking and knowing a close relationship with God, he had nothing. Solomon learned that all of life is meaningless if we do not acknowledge God. In order to acquire true joy or fulfillment, we must recognize and acknowledge God as the Creator, Giver, and Source of all. Because Solomon left the God he knew and followed in his youth, he lost the ability to enjoy the gifts God had bestowed to him. Despite the wisdom God gave to him, Solomon made significant errors in judgement and lifestyle choices that finally offered him awareness of the futility of life without God because wisdom and knowledge alone do not satisfy the desire God placed within us to know and fellowship with Him. Ecclesiastes 1:14 says, “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.” So many truths about living the life God wants for us are found in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon had all a man could want and still made many dreadful mistakes. Without walking with and obeying the Lord, he found that his worldly wisdom, regarded highly by humans, was way beneath that of God’s. Wisdom without knowledge, understanding, and obedience to God is worthless. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 says, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” How could Solomon, who was regarded as the wisest man who ever lived, make such drastic mistakes? Although He was incredibly intelligent, he did not remain faithful to God throughout his lifetime. Later in Solomon’s life, he actually became disobedient to God and instead of becoming contrite and repenting to his Heavenly Father, Solomon instead continued in transgressions that led to his destruction and the fall of the kingdom he ruled. How often do we make the same missteps? We may not rule a kingdom like Solomon did, but we all rule over something. We each desire to be the Lord of our life unless we are fully submitted and committed to Jesus. Without Him, we run the risk of making many of the same mistakes as the wisest man who ever lived. Upon his deathbed, Solomon’s father, David left important instructions with his son, reminding Solomon of the only way to live successfully and prosper. 1 Kings 2:1-3 says, “When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to Him, and keep His decrees and commands, His laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.” David’s dying words left Solomon with instructions he should have heeded, but did not. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Solomon drifted far away from where he started. Instead of focusing on intentionally drawing nearer to God each moment, he delighted in obtaining things of this world and believed the wisdom that God bestowed on Him was greater than what God Himself possessed. As king, attaining pleasures was easy for Solomon and he was more captivated with earthly lusts than heavenly afterlife or the God he once loved with a passion. 1 Kings 8:61 says, “And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.” Devotion to anything or anyone is difficult. Our minds and hearts stray so easily and usually fall back to self needs or desires. It takes great resolution and dedication to remain devoted, especially to a God we cannot see. Solomon wanted God at one time. He just valued and wanted other things more. What should we glean from studying the life of Solomon? 1. Humbly bow before the Lord and ask for grace, mercy, and faith. 2. Ask God to bless your walk and relationship with Him. 3. Find ways to change your course to be in right fellowship with Him or continue deepening your journey with Him. 4. Place God above all else, even the blessings in your life. 5. Do not stray. Remain dedicated to knowing and trusting God more deeply daily. Jeremiah 17:5-10 says, “This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” I find the following to be an interesting verse. The Bible speaks several times of circumcision of our hearts. Deuteronomy 10:16 says, “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.” To circumcise means to purify spiritually. Only the Holy Spirit can purify our heart. The Holy Spirit comes to us through Jesus Christ as our Savior. The Holy Spirit then lives within us to continually alter and purify us as we allow His work in and through us. Just what does God look for in us? What would a circumcised heart look like? 1. Pure hearts that want to know Him. 2. Obedient hearts that follow where He leads. 3. Dedicated hearts that do not drift from Him. 4. Believing hearts that trust Him. 5. Servant hearts that spread Him. 6. Praising hearts that honor and thank Him. 7. Loving hearts that share Him. Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.” God wants us to love Him with all our heart, mind, and soul and love others enough to educate and equip them to do the same. Matthew 22:37-40 says, “Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Ecclesiastes is filled with such wisdom from God. The life of Solomon could leave us filled with sorrow for what he lost, for what could have been, but I hope we use it to spur us on so that we do not fall prey to the same mistakes. What are other important takeaways we should remember from the book of Ecclesiastes? 1. We are but a vapor, regardless of what our earthly status may be. 2. Life in this world is not fair by our standards. 3. Do not trust in the emptiness of this life. 4. Toil and achievement that we produce because we envy another is pointless. 5. Whomever loves money will never have enough. 6. Our earthly wisdom is vanity and far beneath that of God’s. 7. Seeking nothing but pleasure is futile. 8. Everything we toil after is trivial. 9. Life is meaningless without God. Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Thankfully, we can rest in the assurance and provision of the gift God offered us through Jesus Christ. We know that Jesus is the same from beginning to end, first to last, alpha to omega. We know the plan God had for each of us, if only we accept. Dear God, please help us make the most of this wonderful opportunity to seek and find Jesus, to draw near to You, and to embrace the moments You allow us here. May we look forward to eternity with You and keep the proper perspective while we roam this land that will never satisfy like You will one day. Help us to recognize and extract what is meaningless and treasure what will last for eternity. May we please You with our circumcised heart and show others the way to You because we allow You to shine so brightly within and before 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 028 All is Vanity Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #028 – All Is Vanity 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. Would you agree that life in this generation is so convenient? We carry and rely on so many gadgets and items never deemed as necessary in previous eras. But I have to admit that digital photos are definitely convenient and I truly adore the fact that I no longer have to carry a camera and or video recorder with me to events. We usually forgot them half of the time anyway. The sheer fact that our cell phones can do everything we want is mind-boggling and amazingly convenient. They also make it much easier to leave the house because I rarely forget my phone. Although we can store photos on our phone, tablet devices, or computers so easily, I must admit that I really do miss sitting down and flipping through photo albums. Last week the girls asked me about high school yearbooks. They wanted to know if I knew where mine were and they asked to see them. Talk about embarrassing! In their eyes, I must have been the most beautiful teen in the book. Ha! I honestly hated shattering their image. To their credit, they were honest, but kind in their opinion. Looking at all the photos, writings from friends, and talking about stories of old boyfriends and best friends from my high school years was very entertaining for them. Do you want to hear what they enjoyed the most? It was seeing photos of me and their daddy. Since we met during our senior year of high school, they had a ball looking at photos of the two of us throughout the yearbook, and they were absolutely captivated by more stories of our dating adventures. Reviewing those old photos, hearing their excited voices, and seeing their eyes light with love at my narrations brought joy to sweet memories tucked within my heart and just felt good. Are you like me? Do you view memories almost as digital snapshots of life? That’s actually the way I see them in my mind. Oddly, I have found that I don’t always get to choose which photos end up in my album. Life is full of numerous moments we long to remember, but the images that store themselves in our brain for easy retrieval are sometimes not what we expect. It’s especially interesting to talk to people who have lived and experienced the same event. The recollections can be so different! We know it is because we all experience and react to events based on what we have encountered or endured, so our opinions will be formulated through the lens of our past. I’m often surprised by what I remember. Not so much how I recall it, but which events of my life somehow get selected and placed in the album of my consciousness. Some of my memories appear to me as videos in my mind. Instead of flipping through photos, I see whole scenes that play as a movie. One of those times was when I was in my mid-twenties. My husband was driving me and our two children home one night. I don’t recall where we had been, but it was late and as he drove, the kids were quiet or sleeping in the backseat. As I watched out the window, I noticed all the bright stars in the clear night sky and began thinking about eternity. I wondered what heaven would be like, when I would be there, if my children would lose me as they grew up, or whether I would be on earth at least until they reached adulthood. I had numerous thoughts about God and then I wondered whether I would be bored when I got to heaven. I didn’t have any desire to leave this world soon. Can you believe that? That thought shows me how much deeper my relationship with God is now. Without a doubt, I now know that I will never be bored in heaven. I am excited to one day sit with Jesus and learn all I can. Can you imagine the love we will experience, the peace and joy, we will feel when we see Him face-to-face? I’m ready to embrace Him and be embraced by Him. I can’t wait to see my parents, loved ones, and especially my daughter. My first born child. So why does the memory of that night stick so highly in my mind? I think maybe it is because I was genuinely curious. I had not known Jesus for too many years and I truly did not want to leave my children or husband. I hoped eternity was a long way off. I wanted to raise my kids and experience life. I still do. Unbelievably, I’ve raised those children and am now raising another set, so of course, I prefer to be able to stay and raise them at least to adulthood, but I am also fully prepared to meet my Heavenly Father whenever His timing may come. While there is nothing wrong with desiring to be here with family, the Lord has grown me enough by this point that I now hope He returns soon for all of us who love and follow Him. I want Him to rescue us from this place. I want to go with my family and loved ones and experience heaven as God promises. I see the futility in our daily life here. I know nothing here will ever satisfy any of us. We were intentionally created for more. When I remember who I was at that time, I see how little I knew and how hollow much of what I did was. I am thankful for who I have become and who I am becoming. While I once loved this world more than God, I now love Jesus, who lives in me, more than what this world offers. If we study the definition of vanity, we see excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities, and achievements. It also means the character or quality of being vain, and conceited or something about which one is vain or excessively proud. The definition I want us to focus on today is a lack of real value, something hollow, or worthless when compared to eternity. Life is empty and meaningless without God. What we chase in this life is vanity. Do you know who the wisest man who ever lived was? Besides Jesus, of course. The book of Ecclesiastes reveals the life of Solomon, who searched for deeper meaning in the world and found nothing could satisfy but God, despite the fact that Solomon had deep, wide wisdom from God, material wealth, goods, and property. He learned that nothing he sought after offered meaning in life or filled the empty holes in his spirit. Ecclesiastes 3:11b says, “He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” God placed eternity in our hearts, but we get distracted and confused in this broken world. We seek everything but what satisfies the deepest parts of our souls. What God placed in us to desire and need cannot be found or quenched through encounters, experiences, or possessions in this world. Solomon offers us valuable insight into what he learned during his life journey of seeking frivolous enjoyment, and material possessions. He found that absolutely none of them filled him with joy or offered meaning to his life. There are three main themes that run though the book of Ecclesiastes. 1. Solomon shares about carrying a fear of God. Living in awe and respect of our Heavenly Father is crucial. So many do not keep a reverent fear of God that drives us to recognize His sovereignty and guides us to worship Him with a humble love and obedience and causes us to recognize that our life has no meaning without Him. 2. We are all created by God for a purpose. Life on this earth is over so quickly when viewed with an eternal perspective. Living with the knowledge that God lovingly gave each one of us a purpose that speaks to our heart and soul when we obey Him, should cause us to focus on the goal of eternity. Jesus counseled us against laying up treasures on this earth. All we do should be directed by keeping our heart and mind fixed on God and preparing ourselves and others for eternity with Him. Solomon speaks of the brevity of life and living in ways that please our Father and guide us toward focusing on what matters to Him. 3. Living in a world affected by the fall and the curse of sin is shown in Solomon’s words through Ecclesiastes. After we labor through our life, we all return to the ground, just as we first began. Solomon reveals how hollow life is without God and that joy and contentment are found only through Him. Without an eternal perspective lifestyle, we each fail to find satisfaction or meaning in life on earth. If we search without finding God, we can fall into deeper despair and will continually look for substitutes to fill the void inside. Those replacements never satisfy fully or can ever take the place of the joy and peace that only God can give. That is exactly why there are so many hurting and hurtful people living on this earth. What made King Solomon, known for his wisdom and knowledge seek out the meaning of life? Didn’t he already possess anything a person could want? Solomon was a man on a mission to discover the true meaning of life. He had tasted all life offered, but found that without truly seeking and knowing a close relationship with God, he had nothing. Solomon learned that all of life is meaningless if we do not acknowledge God. In order to acquire true joy or fulfillment, we must recognize and acknowledge God as the Creator, Giver, and Source of all. Because Solomon left the God he knew and followed in his youth, he lost the ability to enjoy the gifts God had bestowed to him. Despite the wisdom God gave to him, Solomon made significant errors in judgement and lifestyle choices that finally offered him awareness of the futility of life without God because wisdom and knowledge alone do not satisfy the desire God placed within us to know and fellowship with Him. Ecclesiastes 1:14 says, “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.” So many truths about living the life God wants for us are found in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon had all a man could want and still made many dreadful mistakes. Without walking with and obeying the Lord, he found that his worldly wisdom, regarded highly by humans, was way beneath that of God’s. Wisdom without knowledge, understanding, and obedience to God is worthless. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 says, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” How could Solomon, who was regarded as the wisest man who ever lived, make such drastic mistakes? Although He was incredibly intelligent, he did not remain faithful to God throughout his lifetime. Later in Solomon’s life, he actually became disobedient to God and instead of becoming contrite and repenting to his Heavenly Father, Solomon instead continued in transgressions that led to his destruction and the fall of the kingdom he ruled. How often do we make the same missteps? We may not rule a kingdom like Solomon did, but we all rule over something. We each desire to be the Lord of our life unless we are fully submitted and committed to Jesus. Without Him, we run the risk of making many of the same mistakes as the wisest man who ever lived. Upon his deathbed, Solomon’s father, David left important instructions with his son, reminding Solomon of the only way to live successfully and prosper. 1 Kings 2:1-3 says, “When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to Him, and keep His decrees and commands, His laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.” David’s dying words left Solomon with instructions he should have heeded, but did not. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Solomon drifted far away from where he started. Instead of focusing on intentionally drawing nearer to God each moment, he delighted in obtaining things of this world and believed the wisdom that God bestowed on Him was greater than what God Himself possessed. As king, attaining pleasures was easy for Solomon and he was more captivated with earthly lusts than heavenly afterlife or the God he once loved with a passion. 1 Kings 8:61 says, “And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.” Devotion to anything or anyone is difficult. Our minds and hearts stray so easily and usually fall back to self needs or desires. It takes great resolution and dedication to remain devoted, especially to a God we cannot see. Solomon wanted God at one time. He just valued and wanted other things more. What should we glean from studying the life of Solomon? 1. Humbly bow before the Lord and ask for grace, mercy, and faith. 2. Ask God to bless your walk and relationship with Him. 3. Find ways to change your course to be in right fellowship with Him or continue deepening your journey with Him. 4. Place God above all else, even the blessings in your life. 5. Do not stray. Remain dedicated to knowing and trusting God more deeply daily. Jeremiah 17:5-10 says, “This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” I find the following to be an interesting verse. The Bible speaks several times of circumcision of our hearts. Deuteronomy 10:16 says, “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.” To circumcise means to purify spiritually. Only the Holy Spirit can purify our heart. The Holy Spirit comes to us through Jesus Christ as our Savior. The Holy Spirit then lives within us to continually alter and purify us as we allow His work in and through us. Just what does God look for in us? What would a circumcised heart look like? 1. Pure hearts that want to know Him. 2. Obedient hearts that follow where He leads. 3. Dedicated hearts that do not drift from Him. 4. Believing hearts that trust Him. 5. Servant hearts that spread Him. 6. Praising hearts that honor and thank Him. 7. Loving hearts that share Him. Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.” God wants us to love Him with all our heart, mind, and soul and love others enough to educate and equip them to do the same. Matthew 22:37-40 says, “Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Ecclesiastes is filled with such wisdom from God. The life of Solomon could leave us filled with sorrow for what he lost, for what could have been, but I hope we use it to spur us on so that we do not fall prey to the same mistakes. What are other important takeaways we should remember from the book of Ecclesiastes? 1. We are but a vapor, regardless of what our earthly status may be. 2. Life in this world is not fair by our standards. 3. Do not trust in the emptiness of this life. 4. Toil and achievement that we produce because we envy another is pointless. 5. Whomever loves money will never have enough. 6. Our earthly wisdom is vanity and far beneath that of God’s. 7. Seeking nothing but pleasure is futile. 8. Everything we toil after is trivial. 9. Life is meaningless without God. Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Thankfully, we can rest in the assurance and provision of the gift God offered us through Jesus Christ. We know that Jesus is the same from beginning to end, first to last, alpha to omega. We know the plan God had for each of us, if only we accept. Dear God, please help us make the most of this wonderful opportunity to seek and find Jesus, to draw near to You, and to embrace the moments You allow us here. May we look forward to eternity with You and keep the proper perspective while we roam this land that will never satisfy like You will one day. Help us to recognize and extract what is meaningless and treasure what will last for eternity. May we please You with our circumcised heart and show others the way to You because we allow You to shine so brightly within and before 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 010 Vickie Bennett Interview Listen to Episode http://@vickiebennettministries

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #086 – Guidelines for Living Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss intentional changes we must seek to be well-equipped to concentrate on Jesus, and live with heart and mind focused on eternity, as we seek more ways to live with eternal perspective. As I shared on a previous podcast, our home is now filled with the curious and innocent love of a brand new furry family member. Puppies are notorious for biting, exploring, and learning their place in the family. Ours is no exception! Since it is so much easier to watch over our new little one in a confined area, and we spend so much time in our kitchen, I like to keep our new baby fenced in the kitchen with us. Using baby gates, we have blocked the two doors in our kitchen so that we know our boy is safely enclosed on the hardwood flooring, which is so much easier to clean if accidents happen, plus it is much easier to limit his exposure to distractions or dangers. Because we have the fences blocking Beau’s escape, he often goes to the gate and begins to whine. Plenty of toys, items to chew, and we, his family are inside the kitchen and around him, yet he longs to explore the rest of the house. Curiously, when the gates are open and he has free reign to come and go into the space as he desires, he is perfectly content to stay in the kitchen with us. While watching our puppy’s behavior one day, I was reminded of how often our behavior is similar to Beau’s concerning our relationship with God. Our Heavenly Father gives us guidelines, which I like to call guardrails to keep us safe. God also gives us the ability to choose to live in accordance with His good and perfect desires for us. Think of how often humans try to step outside His boundaries just because we don’t want to feel fenced in. We want to be able to do what we want just because we desire it. Just like Beau. It really doesn’t matter how many chew toys and belly rubs we give our furry boy; He still likes to run over to the gate to see if he can escape any time he has a second of time alone. It doesn’t matter how much freedom God allows us; sometimes we just want what feels good in the moment. Just like we all have rules to follow, whether it be personal rules we have set, family rules, work rules, school rules, or rules set by society, we know what is expected and we have the ability to choose whether we will obey. Obviously, as believers, we should understand that God’s precepts are the most important, and govern above anything else set. God, in His goodness and through His sovereign and holy grace, allows us to choose whether we will obey Him or turn our back on His laws and guidelines. Not only does He offer us the Ten Commandments, but a Bible full of promises and guidelines to hear, listen, and obey, if we choose. If we don’t, God clearly warns there will be consequences, yet He loves us enough to set a fence around us for our own protection in many ways. Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” Because His love for us is so great, God promises His followers biblical wisdom as we seek relationship with Him, learn His word, and follow the guidelines He has set for us. Isaiah 30:21 says, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” When we are near to the Lord and seek His presence and protection in our life, we are sensitive to His commands and desires, and we listen for and recognize His voice. The Lord is merciful to those who seek Him. The Lord is delighted when our soul longs to fellowship with Him and follow His commands, not because He is a dictator who wants His way, but because He deeply loves us. God created each one of us for relationship with Him; He alone knows the desires He created us to long for and how they fit into the good and perfect plans He has lovingly set for us. Listen to these beautiful verses. Psalm 147:11 says, “The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 25:9 says, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way." Psalm 25:4-5 says, “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; all day long I wait for You.” Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” As my puppy longs to escape the pen we created to keep him safe and to teach him guidelines to train him properly, he cannot realize that in time, his boundaries will increase. As he matures, he will be ready for more and our relationship will be close from the time we spent together as we pour love and attention into Him. He will learn the rules of safety and obedience to become all He can to ensure a happy and fulfilled life. Isaiah 48:17 says, “This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” Psalm 143:8 says, “Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me the way I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul.” Psalm 73:23-24 says, “Yet I am always with You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and later receive me in glory.” As we continue to pursue our relationship and walk with God, our maturity increases. We see more clearly the life He has set for us and we long to please Him in new ways. We begin to seek Him and His ways, instead of seeking to escape the fence we once felt surrounding us. We respect and long for God’s protection and guidance from the Source of all things pure, good, and worthy. Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to Your word.” Psalm 119:35 says, “Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.” How can following guidelines bring us closer to God? 1. Obedience - Just as we maintain guidelines for Beau and begin our bonding and attachment process, God sets limitations or rules for us to abide by. When we chose to accept those limitations, we focus our gaze more clearly on the truths of God and His goodness and provisions. We internalize His everlasting love for us, exhibit our love for Him, and begin the transformation process needed to become a reflection of Him. 2. Intimacy – As we realize more clearly who God is, we respond to His love by seeking an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father. Making His word a priority in our life, and communicating with our Father through prayer (both speaking to Him and listening for Him) allow us to cultivate a connection that transforms from who we were to who He is calling us to become. 3. Wisdom – As we transform into a likeness of Christ, we obtain more of the wisdom God generously bestows to those who love and seek His counsel. We are able to hear and respond more intimately with the Holy Spirit living inside us. 4. Gratitude – When we live with thankfulness despite circumstances, such as being penned into an area of life we do not choose, or when we live with a gratefulness for who we are through Christ and the work God is crafting inside us, our attitude and responses no longer reflect a broken human in need of grace, but of a Savior who sacrificed all so that we could live full lives of love, mercy, peace, and joy. Allowing the power of Christ control in all areas in our life, realizing that we are His and His plans are far greater than we can imagine, allows us to truly live with an eternal perspective that seeks Jesus moment by moment and transforms lives around us as we are beautifully altered. Gracious, merciful Heavenly Father, there is none like You. You are perfect, holy, and sovereign. I marvel at how You look upon us as we seek our own way, yet still desire relationship with us, exhibiting the most beautiful and sacrificial love. Thank you for modeling the way to a healthy lifestyle, a peaceful home, a joyful attitude, and a grateful heart. You crafted us, You know us, and You can fill every empty place within us if we only seek You above all else and follow Your generous guidelines. Teach us, O Lord, the way of Your statutes so that we may keep them to the end. Give us Your understanding that we may obey Your laws, and direct us in the path of Your commandments so that we may be filled with delight. Help us to meditate on Your laws with love and appreciation for all You desire for us. Keep our mind and feet free from every evil path, help us to keep Your word. Be near to us, O Lord and allow us to be ever nearer to You moment by moment. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 086 - Guidelines for Living Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #086 – Guidelines for Living Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss intentional changes we must seek to be well-equipped to concentrate on Jesus, and live with heart and mind focused on eternity, as we seek more ways to live with eternal perspective. As I shared on a previous podcast, our home is now filled with the curious and innocent love of a brand new furry family member. Puppies are notorious for biting, exploring, and learning their place in the family. Ours is no exception! Since it is so much easier to watch over our new little one in a confined area, and we spend so much time in our kitchen, I like to keep our new baby fenced in the kitchen with us. Using baby gates, we have blocked the two doors in our kitchen so that we know our boy is safely enclosed on the hardwood flooring, which is so much easier to clean if accidents happen, plus it is much easier to limit his exposure to distractions or dangers. Because we have the fences blocking Beau’s escape, he often goes to the gate and begins to whine. Plenty of toys, items to chew, and we, his family are inside the kitchen and around him, yet he longs to explore the rest of the house. Curiously, when the gates are open and he has free reign to come and go into the space as he desires, he is perfectly content to stay in the kitchen with us. While watching our puppy’s behavior one day, I was reminded of how often our behavior is similar to Beau’s concerning our relationship with God. Our Heavenly Father gives us guidelines, which I like to call guardrails to keep us safe. God also gives us the ability to choose to live in accordance with His good and perfect desires for us. Think of how often humans try to step outside His boundaries just because we don’t want to feel fenced in. We want to be able to do what we want just because we desire it. Just like Beau. It really doesn’t matter how many chew toys and belly rubs we give our furry boy; He still likes to run over to the gate to see if he can escape any time he has a second of time alone. It doesn’t matter how much freedom God allows us; sometimes we just want what feels good in the moment. Just like we all have rules to follow, whether it be personal rules we have set, family rules, work rules, school rules, or rules set by society, we know what is expected and we have the ability to choose whether we will obey. Obviously, as believers, we should understand that God’s precepts are the most important, and govern above anything else set. God, in His goodness and through His sovereign and holy grace, allows us to choose whether we will obey Him or turn our back on His laws and guidelines. Not only does He offer us the Ten Commandments, but a Bible full of promises and guidelines to hear, listen, and obey, if we choose. If we don’t, God clearly warns there will be consequences, yet He loves us enough to set a fence around us for our own protection in many ways. Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” Because His love for us is so great, God promises His followers biblical wisdom as we seek relationship with Him, learn His word, and follow the guidelines He has set for us. Isaiah 30:21 says, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” When we are near to the Lord and seek His presence and protection in our life, we are sensitive to His commands and desires, and we listen for and recognize His voice. The Lord is merciful to those who seek Him. The Lord is delighted when our soul longs to fellowship with Him and follow His commands, not because He is a dictator who wants His way, but because He deeply loves us. God created each one of us for relationship with Him; He alone knows the desires He created us to long for and how they fit into the good and perfect plans He has lovingly set for us. Listen to these beautiful verses. Psalm 147:11 says, “The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 25:9 says, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way." Psalm 25:4-5 says, “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; all day long I wait for You.” Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” As my puppy longs to escape the pen we created to keep him safe and to teach him guidelines to train him properly, he cannot realize that in time, his boundaries will increase. As he matures, he will be ready for more and our relationship will be close from the time we spent together as we pour love and attention into Him. He will learn the rules of safety and obedience to become all He can to ensure a happy and fulfilled life. Isaiah 48:17 says, “This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” Psalm 143:8 says, “Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me the way I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul.” Psalm 73:23-24 says, “Yet I am always with You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and later receive me in glory.” As we continue to pursue our relationship and walk with God, our maturity increases. We see more clearly the life He has set for us and we long to please Him in new ways. We begin to seek Him and His ways, instead of seeking to escape the fence we once felt surrounding us. We respect and long for God’s protection and guidance from the Source of all things pure, good, and worthy. Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to Your word.” Psalm 119:35 says, “Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.” How can following guidelines bring us closer to God? 1. Obedience - Just as we maintain guidelines for Beau and begin our bonding and attachment process, God sets limitations or rules for us to abide by. When we chose to accept those limitations, we focus our gaze more clearly on the truths of God and His goodness and provisions. We internalize His everlasting love for us, exhibit our love for Him, and begin the transformation process needed to become a reflection of Him. 2. Intimacy – As we realize more clearly who God is, we respond to His love by seeking an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father. Making His word a priority in our life, and communicating with our Father through prayer (both speaking to Him and listening for Him) allow us to cultivate a connection that transforms from who we were to who He is calling us to become. 3. Wisdom – As we transform into a likeness of Christ, we obtain more of the wisdom God generously bestows to those who love and seek His counsel. We are able to hear and respond more intimately with the Holy Spirit living inside us. 4. Gratitude – When we live with thankfulness despite circumstances, such as being penned into an area of life we do not choose, or when we live with a gratefulness for who we are through Christ and the work God is crafting inside us, our attitude and responses no longer reflect a broken human in need of grace, but of a Savior who sacrificed all so that we could live full lives of love, mercy, peace, and joy. Allowing the power of Christ control in all areas in our life, realizing that we are His and His plans are far greater than we can imagine, allows us to truly live with an eternal perspective that seeks Jesus moment by moment and transforms lives around us as we are beautifully altered. Gracious, merciful Heavenly Father, there is none like You. You are perfect, holy, and sovereign. I marvel at how You look upon us as we seek our own way, yet still desire relationship with us, exhibiting the most beautiful and sacrificial love. Thank you for modeling the way to a healthy lifestyle, a peaceful home, a joyful attitude, and a grateful heart. You crafted us, You know us, and You can fill every empty place within us if we only seek You above all else and follow Your generous guidelines. Teach us, O Lord, the way of Your statutes so that we may keep them to the end. Give us Your understanding that we may obey Your laws, and direct us in the path of Your commandments so that we may be filled with delight. Help us to meditate on Your laws with love and appreciation for all You desire for us. Keep our mind and feet free from every evil path, help us to keep Your word. Be near to us, O Lord and allow us to be ever nearer to You moment by moment. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #091 – Interview with Charlene Notgrass of Notgrass History – Part 1 Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. I hope you have enjoyed this home education series that is continuing these last few podcast episodes. I know I have been reminded of tips and have enjoyed hearing the hearts and intents of pioneers in the home school industry. Even if you are not a home educator, I pray that you are absorbing just what God calls for you, so that you may better understand the needs of someone you know, you may support or pray for them, or that you will be enlightened in some way with the information presented here about educating children or grandchildren at home and the eternal lessons, blessings, and perspective found through obediently and intentionally taking responsibility for teaching school at home. Many life lessons focused on eternity are found through home education. I thank God daily for the gift and blessings of being the one who molds and shapes the godly values and morals my child should be exposed to. Remember that home education does not have to be perfect, but a successful school will honor Jesus, construct and execute clear educational goals based on respecting the child as a person made by God for a purpose, and a plan for shaping the heart of our child for eternity. The best mind and heart attitude for parents in the homeschool journey might be that we are helpless, but we are not hopeless. When we remember that we can choose to remove pressures from self or culture and look to God first for affirmation, guidance, support, and encouragement, He will carry us and lead us to the best choices for our family and season of life. This should be the heart intention of every parent, not just those in the homeschool journey. Today I’m thankful to have one of the founders of Notgrass History on the podcast. Charlene Notgrass is a Christian, the happy wife of Ray Notgrass, a veteran homeschool mom, and an ecstatic “Little,” (at least that’s what her grandkids call her). Charlene is the co-author, (along with her daughters), of Our Star Spangled Story for children in grades 1-4. She is also the author of America the Beautiful and co-author of From Adam to Us and Uncle Sam and You for students in grades 5-8. Charlene also loves to encourage homeschooling mothers through her blog called, Daily Encouragement for Mothers. I will leave the links for her website and blog at the end of the program and in the transcripts on my website. Charlene, welcome to the Live With Eternal Perspective podcast. -------------------------------------------------------- INTERVIEW ----------------------------------------------------------- I hope you found information that informed or encouraged you today. Please come back to the podcast next week for Part Two of this interview with Charlene as we continue our discussion about homeschool, history, our Heavenly Father, and what main objectives Charlene has found to help her to live with an eternal perspective each day. Dear God, our precious, holy Heavenly Father, how we need You. You are never-changing, omnipotent, and full of the wisdom we need. Help us cling to You as we journey through life. May we put You first in all things. Help us listen to Your plans for our children. Enable us to live our lives in such ways that we are ready and able to take on the tasks You set before us. May we rely on Your strength, Your will, and Your perfect plans. Please help those who may be looking for a way to homeschool. Carry those who have no strength left for the task. Comfort those who are overwhelmed. Encourage those who are weary, and bless each of us who follow the journey into home education as You set it before us. May we value Your children and influence their hearts for You in every way You desire and deserve. Thank you for the privilege of raising the children You created for just this time and with purposes only You can fathom. Infuse us with all we need, yet keep us on our knees looking to You for everything we must possess to be successful in Your eyes. In Your precious, holy, and loving name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 091 - Interview with Charlene Notgrass - Notgrass History - Part 1 Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #091 – Interview with Charlene Notgrass of Notgrass History – Part 1 Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. I hope you have enjoyed this home education series that is continuing these last few podcast episodes. I know I have been reminded of tips and have enjoyed hearing the hearts and intents of pioneers in the home school industry. Even if you are not a home educator, I pray that you are absorbing just what God calls for you, so that you may better understand the needs of someone you know, you may support or pray for them, or that you will be enlightened in some way with the information presented here about educating children or grandchildren at home and the eternal lessons, blessings, and perspective found through obediently and intentionally taking responsibility for teaching school at home. Many life lessons focused on eternity are found through home education. I thank God daily for the gift and blessings of being the one who molds and shapes the godly values and morals my child should be exposed to. Remember that home education does not have to be perfect, but a successful school will honor Jesus, construct and execute clear educational goals based on respecting the child as a person made by God for a purpose, and a plan for shaping the heart of our child for eternity. The best mind and heart attitude for parents in the homeschool journey might be that we are helpless, but we are not hopeless. When we remember that we can choose to remove pressures from self or culture and look to God first for affirmation, guidance, support, and encouragement, He will carry us and lead us to the best choices for our family and season of life. This should be the heart intention of every parent, not just those in the homeschool journey. Today I’m thankful to have one of the founders of Notgrass History on the podcast. Charlene Notgrass is a Christian, the happy wife of Ray Notgrass, a veteran homeschool mom, and an ecstatic “Little,” (at least that’s what her grandkids call her). Charlene is the co-author, (along with her daughters), of Our Star Spangled Story for children in grades 1-4. She is also the author of America the Beautiful and co-author of From Adam to Us and Uncle Sam and You for students in grades 5-8. Charlene also loves to encourage homeschooling mothers through her blog called, Daily Encouragement for Mothers. I will leave the links for her website and blog at the end of the program and in the transcripts on my website. Charlene, welcome to the Live With Eternal Perspective podcast. -------------------------------------------------------- INTERVIEW ----------------------------------------------------------- I hope you found information that informed or encouraged you today. Please come back to the podcast next week for Part Two of this interview with Charlene as we continue our discussion about homeschool, history, our Heavenly Father, and what main objectives Charlene has found to help her to live with an eternal perspective each day. Dear God, our precious, holy Heavenly Father, how we need You. You are never-changing, omnipotent, and full of the wisdom we need. Help us cling to You as we journey through life. May we put You first in all things. Help us listen to Your plans for our children. Enable us to live our lives in such ways that we are ready and able to take on the tasks You set before us. May we rely on Your strength, Your will, and Your perfect plans. Please help those who may be looking for a way to homeschool. Carry those who have no strength left for the task. Comfort those who are overwhelmed. Encourage those who are weary, and bless each of us who follow the journey into home education as You set it before us. May we value Your children and influence their hearts for You in every way You desire and deserve. Thank you for the privilege of raising the children You created for just this time and with purposes only You can fathom. Infuse us with all we need, yet keep us on our knees looking to You for everything we must possess to be successful in Your eyes. In Your precious, holy, and loving name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. http:// https://history.notgrass.com/ https://notgrass.com/dailyencouragement/ https://www.instagram.com/notgrasshistory/

As a Christian mother, you're commanded to raise your children to know and love Jesus. Your influence doesn't end when they're grown. Even if they choose to turn away from God. Or not obey His commands. How do you push through the pain and keep looking Up through the trials and tribulations? This FREE resource will help you: Believe that God can change hearts no matter the circumstances Receive heart-to-heart encouragement from a mom who has been through the fire Cling to His truths, even when your child doesn't Incorporate Scripture into prayers for your older kids Learn practical tips for connection Remember that your prodigal is still His child GET YOUR FREE RESOURCE First name* Last name* Email* BE ENCOURAGED + EQUIPPED FOR CONNECTION

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast - Episode 010 - Do They See Jesus? Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #010 – Do They See Jesus Are you yearning for greater connection with your child? Would you like to parent beyond the moment with eternal perspective? Let’s grow together now with practical tips, scripture, and stories geared to draw your heart to Jesus and guide your child into His arms. Exhilaration swept through me this morning as I crowned the top of one of the largest hills around our neighborhood. No one was beside me on the road, and for a second, I could see nothing but sky from the other side. Uncertainty was present, but didn’t overwhelm me as I trusted the process that my car and I would make it safely to the other side and cruise to the bottom of the hill. As I drove, I wondered why so many people love roller coasters, thrill rides, motorcycles, sky-diving, or the uncertainty of these various types of activities, yet we lose patience when God doesn’t answer prayer right away or we have to wait for other types of answers in life. We don’t mind, in fact we crave the unclear ending of moments of fear done in fun, yet our expectations for regular life are much more demanding. Especially where God is concerned. The moment of glee I felt driving over that hill today brought the innocence I felt as a young child. Matthew 18:3-4 says, “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven .” As I drove, I thought of the week I had just experienced, filled with busyness and unexpected demands and trials. I knew God had given me this particular hill and a revelation about blind faith as a reminder that He saw me; He knew I was trying to wait on Him with the hope, belief, and patience of a child. Just as you may be doing right now. Every burden or annoyance (and there have been so many) that has arisen this past week was not on my schedule, and some were not pleasant to deal with, yet God was present every time. I saw His perfect timing, His provisions through the hardships. He enabled me to react with grace and without fear or worry. The Lord offered me several opportunities to praise and reveal Him to others, and He allowed me a chance to choose to remain with eyes fixed on Him, waiting to see how He would resolve every issue or to have faith that He would do so. I didn’t always look at problems like this. I didn’t always teach my children to view life in this way. My 18 or 21 year old self wouldn’t have been able to rely on Christ to carry me through difficulties. It’s been a process of release and repeat over years of drawing nearer to Jesus so that He would draw nearer to me. To truly live with eternal perspective and be a purposed parent who connects with their child through Christ and with personal attention, we must be a mentor who knows Jesus so deeply and allows Him to shine so well that we become a magnet that attracts our child to Christ. It’s the littlest of details that our children see and absorb. When we make Jesus our foundation, and also the core of our existence, knowing that as Colossians 1:16 says , “For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him,” we are called to live in this world, but not be a part of it, our children joyfully begin to do the same. This week I was unable to finish drafting this podcast. Every single time I tried to write, something pressing came up. I asked my husband and both girls to pray for me. I questioned whether I was hearing God correctly. I thought that maybe I was writing the wrong podcast this week, and that was what was making it difficult to get it completed. Each day I tried to accomplish (without success) what I usually do so easily. Yet I kept pressing on each day, knowing it somehow didn’t feel like it would be used, but writing with the faith that it would all come together. This week is a little different. Instead of relaying to you what I originally thought God pressed on my heart to teach, I’m simply sharing an experience, but one that impresses exactly what God calls for us each moment as we walk with Him. Last week we were supposed to have a lot of yard work accomplished at our home. We had several trees to remove, several to trim, and stumps to grind away. When we first moved into this home years ago, we removed shrubs and trees, yet because our yard needed so much more work done, and the costs for this type of labor can tend to get very expensive, we waited…and waited…and waited. Finally, this year, I had enough. I knew it was time. After receiving several bids, I found a company I thought we could trust, they had the right price, and the company representative said he was a believer. We were ready to get the work done. It rained all day on the Friday they were supposed to begin working. We waited through the weekend, and they were supposed to arrive at 7:30 am Monday. Because of the rain, they were very late, in fact they didn’t arrive until almost 1:00 in the afternoon. Because we liked the representative who gave us the quote, we called them since we hadn’t heard from them, and forgave the tardiness. We certainly understand that jobs can get backed up. It would have been nice to receive a call explaining things, however. Once the crew arrived, it was obvious that they wouldn’t complete the job in that afternoon. Promising to come back the next day, they left. Early the next morning the crew arrived and the work was completed shortly after noon. When I did the walk through with the owner, I didn’t notice anything wrong and I had a great chat with him, then paid him. Before he left, as we were still conversing, I asked if he was a believer, like the co-owner of the company was. He said that he wasn’t, but that he did believe in a higher power. We chatted for several minutes about Jesus, reading and studying the word, how God gives us free choice, and I told him I would be praying for him. He shared some things with me, thanked me with what seemed to be a genuine smile and expression, and told me that he hoped he saw me again. I immediately went in the house to share the story with my girls. It is such a joy to me to share God stories with them. As they grow up, I want them to learn to search for God in the ordinary moments and to hold every thought captive for Christ. The three of us marveled at what God must be working and prayed for the man together. Mothers, every opportunity must be used for God. Weaving Him into every conversation is easy when we allow Him to guide us, to reach those around us. If our life is centered around Christ, it is as easy as breathing to remember that He is present and concerned with every circumstance in our life. Numerous times this past week I was afforded opportunities to speak about Jesus or praise Him to others in various ways. It was fun to capture those moments and see how God worked. After the owner of the tree company left our home, I took the girls to pick up pizza. When we returned home, I noticed with my peripheral vision (as we drove into the garage) that our glass storm door looked very dusty and dirty, like it was covered in sawdust or something. Since we were all so hungry, I forgot all about it until later in the afternoon when I went to open the front door to go outside. As I pulled open the front door, the air between the main and storm door made a suction force that sucked glass inside, allowing it to fall in on me. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing as the glass barely missed me. Like my youngest said, it was like it came toward me, but fell against something unseen right in front of me. I looked at the pile of shattered glass pieces at my feet and also scattered across my entryway, then at the heap of tiny pieces at the foot of the door. My gaze raised to the actual door and I saw that none of the glass was salvageable. A web of cracks wove throughout the entire door with hundreds of pieces missing in a giant heart-shaped design missing at the center and hundreds of shattered pieces still somehow precariously hanging together inside the frame. I was stunned. At first I didn’t move. After praising God that I miraculously hadn’t been cut or injured, I wondered exactly how I was supposed to begin cleaning the mess up and how I would safely remove the remaining glass from the frame. After putting my puppy in his kennel, I warned the girls to stay back so that no one could ingest glass (the puppy, not the girls) or step on the pieces that stretched for several feet across the floor. After the puppy was safe and warnings were issued to the girls to stay out of the area, I called the tree company. Our door had been fine earlier. I wondered what in the world could have happened that would cause this damage while they were working. The co-owner was on his way out of town and said he would have the owner call me. I took photos of the damage to the door and of the glass in my home, then began cleaning everything up. As I was finishing cleaning up the mess inside my house, the owner drove up to our home. He inspected the damage to the door and didn’t think they could have harmed it. After a few minutes, he remembered that his crew had worked right in front of our door that morning, and he agreed to check with his crew to see which direction the chipper was facing when they used it. He gave me his cell number and said he would get back to me. Now it’s the next evening. I haven’t heard from him and my text to him inquiring whether he had an opportunity to speak with his crew has gone unanswered. My check has been cleared, so the company has been paid. I did take more photos of my porch. Last night when my husband came home and inspected everything, he noticed many wood chips covering areas of our porch and doorbell. He knew they wouldn’t be there if the chipper hadn’t been facing our front door. Through this situation, a passage in Matthew 5 fills me with a peace that doesn’t come naturally to any of us. Regardless of what happens in this situation, I deeply desire for Christ to be honored and for this man to see the difference I told him Jesus makes in a life. When we talked yesterday I praised Jesus and assured the owner of the company that Christ changes people in every way. I want to be an example of one who places worries and trials in Christ’s hands and allows Him to carry me through to a resolution that pleases Him, regardless of what the cost is to me. As I had shared with the owner yesterday, relationship with Jesus is the key. It’s not a religion or a belief in something, but a personal commitment that changes lives. Matthew 5:13-16 says,“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven .” As the passage relays to us, believers are the salt of the earth. Salt preserves . We must allow Christ to work through us and seek Him in and through absolutely everything that happens in our life. As the Holy Spirit works within us, He preserves the world from the evil inherent in the ungodly men and women chasing the world instead of Christ. In all honesty, that is every single one of us when we let our mind and heart slip from Him. Salt is also a flavor enhancer. As we allow Christ to flavor our thoughts, actions, words, and reactions, we humbly submit and allow Him to draw others to Himself. Romans 8:8 says, “Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.” It’s easy to say we follow Christ, except when the road is difficult. Unless we face trials with His mindset and live with the expectancy of a faith-filled child, we will never carry the eternal perspective our child needs to connect with Jesus with authenticity and joy. They will never live with the hope, peace, and freedom found in Christ alone. As believers, and parents to children we deeply desire to become believers, we must be appealing, like the saltiness found in delicious foods, if Jesus is to work through us. Mark 9:50 says, “Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Many could argue that I shouldn’t let the company take advantage of us. We don’t plan to, but instead of thinking about the situation in that way, I want to prayerfully believe that God is in control. He knew when I was speaking with the man about Christ that this would happen, and I feel it set the stage for our interaction now. I choose to believe a miracle is happening and I get to choose whether to be a part of it. If we, as individuals or parents allow the world to dictate our reactions, we will succumb to selfish desires or pure stubborn selfishness, ruining our witness to our children and the rest of the world. Just as salt preserves, we must stabilize our walk with Jesus through a strong, intimate, personal relationship that transforms our character and maintains His for the world to witness, especially the eyes of those most important to us, who are entrusted to us for such a time as this. Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the week I’ve had. You know the funny and painful stories I have faced. I know I’m not alone. Each listener has faced trials and pain, heartache or denial. So many issues face us in this world. Only You know the way through them. You sent Him in human form and show us the way to Him with Your word. Father, guard our hearts! Guard our minds! Thank you for every opportunity that allows us to be the people You purposed and the parent You desire. Carry us because we submit to You. Cause our face to glow with the expectancy of submission and delight when we face You each day. May we think of You in every moment and mentor the way for our children to do the same. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you pray for your child, please look for my free ebook, “Prayers for My Child,” available on the website under the “Resources” page and is designed to guide the heart of your child to the feet of Jesus through scripturally-based prayer. The Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast is now available at terrihitt.com, where you can access the episodes housed in one convenient location, receive access to blog posts, read transcripts, and find additional resources designed to mature your walk with Christ and equip you to raise or influence connected children through Him. God knows that we are not capable of successful parenting on our own. As we rely on Him, releasing doubts and expectations, and humbly bow to His guidance and experience, we find greater clarity in parenting and a wondrous walk with our Creator that will extend to our children and those around us for generations . I pray this podcast helps you parent with purpose and deepen your connection to Jesus and your children as you intentionally place Christ above culture or self. Allow Him to work through you for true connection that will draw your children to Him and build a maturing relationship with Christ and your child that lasts for eternity. Previous Next

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast - Episode 083 - How to Establish Consistent Family Devotions and Change Your Family Dynamics Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 083 – How to Establish Consistent Family Devotions and Change Your Family Dynamics I don’t remember the exact date my husband and I committed to daily Bible reading together as a family. Before we brought our baby home, praying together was a highlight for my husband and me at the end of our day. When our daughter was a baby, my husband and I made sure we added Bible study to our prayer time, and we made it a family priority. As she grew older, we continued meeting together after my husband got home from work in the evenings and everyone had eaten dinner, had baths, and was ready to relax. For some reason, we loved gathering in the master bathroom. I smile as I remember the days we sat on the floor between the closet and the bathtub. Our two dogs, a Miniature Schnauzer and a Golden Retriever used to run ahead of us to the area we sat in, as they knew the family routine. Their actions clearly proved they knew where we were going and they were trying to beat one another to the spots that would allow them to cuddle with their favorite humans. Their sweet faces and eagerness made us feel like they wanted to digest God’s Word along with us. Ten years later when our youngest daughter came home to be with us, my husband’s job had changed and because of his long work hours, it was very difficult to get that family Bible time together. Although my husband and I could still read the Bible on our own, we understood how imperative it is to study God’s Word as a family. Even if we were unable to make time together in the Word daily with him, my daughters and I continued to meet and study. I share this because families should not wait for a perfect time to study and worship together. That time may never arrive. Don’t let excuses or schedules get a grasp on your growth in Christ together. Unfortunately, because of my husband’s job, the rest of us usually have to read the Word without him, but our family still has a commitment to pray together after he arrives home at night. My Bible time with my girls and our family prayer time at night remains the two sweetest times of my day. Make the most of the season of life you are in. Point your children to Jesus and ask God to show you the way to make Bible Study together a priority. Without parents lovingly modeling the reading of God’s Word and prioritizing it for children to emulate, without parents teaching the wisdom of God’s Word, and without parents explaining Scripture and ways to apply it to life, how will children begin to value the Word? How will they place it as a priority if they don’t see their parents placing God first? When your family has spent time intentionally reading Scripture together and discussing the applications and truths of God’s Word, your children learn to honor and respect God and listen to the wisdom He offers. When they witness you placing God first and see you lovingly walk in His ways through trials and triumphs, giving Him honor and glory through all things, they learn to do the same. Children believe what you teach when they see you consistently live what you preach. Do you remember the old saying, “A family that prays together stays together?” What a cute, rhyming statement. It’s also a powerful truth proving the power of God. What about the family that reads God’s Word together? Studying Scripture and learning His truths, commands, His values, and desires forms character and godly values in your child from a young age. As they grow, if you continue helping them construct a house of faith upon the firm foundation you built in their younger years, you will likely see them mature Christian faith and relationship with Jesus. Why do I say, “likely?” Life has many unexpected twists and turns. Complications arising from deaths, illnesses, accidents, job losses, and much more make consistency difficult. God knows the curves life throws. He is present and wants you to remain committed to drawing near to Him and showing your children how to do the same. That decision to remain consistent no matter what life brings is crucial. God will honor your dedication in more ways than you can imagine as He works all things together for His glory and your good, if you have been called according to His purpose. Just what would make a family that reads God’s Word together actually stay together and grow in the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord? God’s holy, powerful Word. Using Scripture as a groundwork for all your family stands for , is , and becomes isn’t easy. It begins with a decision to mature your relationship and that of your family. Whether you are in a season of sickness, health, good times, or bad, remain committed to your decision. God’s Word promises that He will never leave you or forsake you. You must choose to trust that no matter what, if you remain in pursuit of Him, relying on His guidance and wisdom to provide and protect, your family will experience the fruits of faithfulness and you will prosper in Him. Several benefits bloom from a family united under God’s Word. But before you can reap the harvest, you must do three things: Decide – Every action and the resulting fruits begin with a decision. When you decide to believe, trust, and humbly submit, your family reaps the benefits from your choice. Commit - A family that joins together in pursuit of Christ has made a choice to commit to God. Life is busy and distracting. The family that places Jesus above desires or schedules and regularly comes together to humbly bow before Him as a unit becomes stronger. Not only as individuals walking in faith, but as a family that serves and praises together. Prioritize – As you make time for Bible study together, your family learns about the importance of sacrifice and service for the Lord. Excuses are easy to lift, but true faith and commitment to God overrides feelings or emotions. Like working out or learning a new skill, it may take time to see the benefits or experience the blessings, but your Heavenly Father is faithful. Through God’s Word, your consistency, and your training, God will begin to transform character, desires, beliefs, and actions in your family members. As you purposely draw near to the Lord and teach your family to do the same, God sees and will bless your work for Him. You may wonder how to start consistent family Bible study. 1. Decide. Commit. Prioritize. Those are the first steps. 2. Choose a time that works to bring each family member together. There is no bad time. Use what works for your home to allow you to experience God’s Word together. 3. Give grace to one another. If you find that changes, don’t forgo coming together. Remember that life has seasons. Just as seasons change and life evolves, your Bible time together can do the same. Remain consistent, even if you have to change schedules sometimes. Just as I make sure I meet with my girls, and my husband joins when he can. Make the most of the time you are given. Ask God to show you the way to worship Him together. 4. Be age appropriate. Whether your children are babies or teens, as long as you consistently meet and study together, you will grow individually and as a unit. Keep ages and mental levels in mind as you plan when and what you will study. You are planting seeds with younger children and thrusting into deeper ground with older children. 5. Don’t think that your time together has to be perfect. Your family may choose to purchase a study to do formally together or you may simply use a good study Bible. Just make sure you get started and keep growing together. 6. Remember that God isn’t looking for perfection, but He is calling you to begin. Keep in mind that the important areas to include are easy to remember. They are: Scripture reading, discussion or question time, and prayer. 7. Know that your family is unique and the way you craft your family worship time can be, too. Make sure you include the basics I listed earlier, but you may also make time for worship in song with singing or instruments, add personal request and intercessory prayer for others, and add time for confession or the Lord’s Supper if you desire. Your time can be as short or long as you choose. It can be as simple or complicated as you wish it to become. Knowing your children or family, the seasons you are in, the interests and talents of your family members, and the relationships you share with God and each other are guideposts that will lead you. 8. Make sure that your time honors God, respects one another, is stress-free, and brings you and your family closer to God and each other. This should be a sweet experience, not a dreaded time of day. It may take a little time to get into the schedule, but don’t let these moments cause division or strife. 9. Incorporate what you read into areas of your lifestyle and experiences. As you study God’s Word together, you’ll find opportunities to refer to Scripture or what you learned during your daily time together. As these situations arise, the Word of God becomes a real and believable tool your child will use to shape beliefs, character, and to make decisions into eternity. Let me know if you need help with age appropriate resources. I’ll be happy to email you a listing of the items that have worked well in our home. Remember, you don’t have to be elaborate and your family worship doesn’t have to be long. Just come before God with your heart and mind ready to receive His truths and let your children see that you place their Heavenly Father first in your priorities. When you practice what you preach with love and patience, godly results are inevitable. Dear Heavenly Father how blessed we are to have relationship with You through Jesus. How good You are to give us Your Son as a guide, to give us Your holy Word, and to have the lifeline of prayer that goes directly to You. How deeply You have proven Your desire to be known to us. Thank you for giving us such unlimited access to You. Help us establish family devotions or grow our devotions into what You desire them to be. Don’t let our family worship become stale and help us to remain consistent and committed. Enable us to desire You more each day and to help our children see the blessings of growing under and through You. Help us never turn from You. Help us to see the many ways You choose to bless us through consistent time with You individually and as a family. We thank you and praise You! In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. 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. That’s why I’ve created the Set-Apart Collective. Have you decided peers and culture won’t be the main influence over your child? Would you like to parent to prepare your child for eternity with Christ, not to repair a relationship? In the Set-Apart Collective, you will deepen your walk with Christ, 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. The Set-Apart Collective is open now. Please 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 15 minute call to chat about details. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. If you connected in some way with this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? It only takes a minute or so and makes a big difference in people finding the podcast. You and I know that the best reviews are by word of mouth, so would you please choose a friend to recommend the show to? Let them know that the podcast is found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Imagine the change we will see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they learn to be intentional, too. 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. Previous Next

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 101 - Three Qualities You Must Teach Your Children Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 101 – Three Qualities You Must Teach Your Children Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast deepens your walk with Jesus and your children, and equips you to become a set-apart woman raising children to chase Christ over culture. Hey, as we get started today, I want to remind you that if you like this episode or have been encouraged by other episodes of Purposed Parent Connected Child, please make the time to leave a rating and review. The truth is that the more ratings and reviews the show gets, the easier the algorithm makes it to find the show. So, please take action and leave that rating and review on Apple podcasts or share the show with friends. My family thanks you along with me because every show is a family endeavor for Christ. Now, on to today’s episode about important qualities you need to teach your children. As a mom, you probably know there are many characteristics God requires believers to carry. Today, I want us to focus on three important qualities He desires we teach our children . First, let’s look at a important verse - Psalm 56:4 , which says, “In God, whose Word I praise—in God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me ?” As we begin, I’d like to share a story that highlights the first quality God requires us to teach our children. Trust . As a mom to two born from my womb and two born from another, who all miraculously became mine through God’s mighty and loving ways, I understand very well the necessity for trust . As a very young bio mom, I took for granted that my children would trust and love me. Ignorant of the effects caused by neglect and deprivation in early years, I never realized how different relationships might be when a child was adopted vs. being a bio baby. Thankfully, my husband and I wisely took several classes, read books, articles, blogs, and spoke to others who had paved the way before us as parents, adoption facilitators, and counselors in the field when we adopted. When we stepped in faith to bring home our ten month old baby girl from China, we were ecstatic! Just like when I was pregnant, my husband and I already had a deep love blooming and spreading inside us. Then, when we were face to face with our brand new daughter, that love immediately cemented. Even though our girl was just ten months old, she had a life with many experiences before she came to be with us. Because of the nature of adoption, she had suffered neglect, trauma, heartbreak, and many other emotions and occurrences before we met her. After a cycle of broken trust in her life, it was foremost in our minds and hearts to ensure that she would feel safe, loved, and grow the ability to fully trust us. Ten years later, my husband and I brought home a nine year old from China. The amount of suffering and neglect she had already experienced was heartbreaking. After nine years of deprivation, she now had to learn to live with a family fully ready to love and nurture her. Our youngest daughter had to face emotions, thoughts, feelings, and actions to allow herself to be cared for. Of course, that took time. For her to move from someone who felt unseen or like an inconvenience to accepting that she was now a cherished daughter, the first step was to learn to trust us. This example is such a beautiful reflection of our walk with Jesus. Trust is the first step in relationship with Christ. Trust is also the first of three qualities God requires you to possess - and to lovingly train your child to carry. When your children develop a strong, connected, trusting relationship with you , it is easier for them to be able to trust in Jesus . So let’s look at the word, trust . For some, trust is an easy gift to give others. For some, trust will have to be earned. Because of background, experiences, and formed beliefs, trust is simply not easily given by all. How is trust built with someone who hasn’t known trustworthy people in their life? You may not have adopted children or parent children who have experienced trauma or neglect, but simply desire to lay the groundwork for a strong foundation of trust in your home. There are simple, yet effective ways to build trust in any of those circumstances. Let’s go over the best ways to build trust. These are not listed in any particular order, but as they come to my mind. 1. Play – If you’ve listened to other Purposed Parent Connected Child episodes, you may have heard me speak often about my youngest daughter and I having a scheduled daily play date. This has been one of the top ways we have connected and cemented our relationship with each other. It has also led to her trusting me enough to trust Jesus. What does you child enjoy? How can you intentionally incorporate time together daily enjoying an activity that fuels your child’s interests? 2. Listen – Make eye contact with your children. Hear what they are saying. This means you may have to slow down your schedule. Be available so they can share what is going on in their life and thoughts. This leads to open and enjoyable conversations that deepens your relationship with each other and lays the groundwork for a walk with Christ. 3. Validate – Show that you hear them (this doesn’t mean you have to agree). Let them see that you understand they have emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Respect them, and also teach your children biblical truth throughout their life so that they will use God’s Word as a compass against which they measure those feelings, thoughts, and emotions. 4. Honor/respect them as a person. Yes, you are in authority over your child, but God is trusting you to love, guide, and build relationship that will lovingly lead your children to Him. 5. Agree on expectations together (when possible). Your child will probably not agree with your parental decisions one hundred percent of the time, however, as you build relationship and trust, you are able to communicate in ways that continue to foster and build higher trust. 6. Honor/foster independence – don’t try to make all decisions for your children. Know that they are on a journey of growth, just as you are. As they grow, times, situations, and abilities change. You must allow your child to grow while seeking God to guide you with biblical insight and wisdom in helping your children mature to become godly adults. 7. Ask open-ended questions – As your child matures, ask open-ended questions in discussion to see where their mind and heart are residing. This helps guide you in parenting and allows you to see where they may need additional help maturing. 8. Moderate your reactions – As you continue to purposely mature your walk with God through Christ, you are better equipped when surprises come. As you raise your children to know and reside in Jesus, your will also experience less surprises. When those do happen, moderate your reactions. Don’t fly off the handle or react too harshly. Trust continues to grow when hard times or surprises are handled with insightful wisdom. 9. Uphold commitments – Just like the old saying, “make promises sparingly and keep them no matter the cost,” trust is built when you uphold commitments you have promised your children. If emergencies arise, the relationship you have built will keep your trustworthiness safe, but if you never keep promises, you will not build trust or a strong connection. You will push your child away, as well as any positive influence to trust in Jesus. There are many factors that create trust. I hope this list is one you can say you’ve already established in your home. If not, use this listing as a guide to help you establish intentional methods to multiply trust in your home and for Christ. The next quality God requires you to carry and teach your child is Praise . When people think of praise, they often think of being thankful for something. Of course, that is part of what I mean here. But in reality, since we are speaking of God, our Heavenly Father, the Maker of all things, simply being thankful isn’t enough. Praise should have an element of thankfulness and gratitude, surely, but also carry a recognition of Who God is. God is Holy. God is sovereign. God is The Great I Am . In order to train your child to carry the attitude of praise , you must clearly exhibit true praise around the recognition of your Heavenly Father and all He is. This begins with an eternal perspective centered on God . 1. Set an example - Identify where your walk with God is strong and where it is weak. What is your impression of God? Do you carry an attitude of praise despite circumstances? Does it come across to your children? The best way to mentor praise to your children is to make sure they see it modeled by you . 2. Prayer – Is it possible to praise God without prayer? No. What a blessing that God left us a hotline straight to Him. This personal line never expires and is never out of service. The more you use it, the more you want to. The more you use it, the more your children will want to if you lovingly and consistently model strong relationship with God through Christ from your earliest time together. Use prayer with your child as soon as you have them. Let them get accustomed to hearing you rely on and praise the Lord. 3. Service – One of the most effective ways to praise God is by serving others through and for Him. Even better is when you serve with your children and let them experience the blessing of helping others. 4. Compliment others – Looking for ways to compliment others is simple and fun! When I’m out with my girls we always like to compliment people. It gives me so much joy to see the faces of those we compliment light up with surprise and a smile. It’s also a gift to hear your children find beautiful ways to compliment others. I’m sure God feels joy when we bring delight to the hearts of others He created with love and purpose. As we do it, we are actually praising Him as we praise His creation. 5. Gratitude/Praise Journal – If you enjoy writing in a journal, it’s a delight to write prayer requests, answers, and thoughts in a journal to read years later. When your children see you record these words, they may also want to begin keeping a journal for themselves. If you have a child who is too young to write, teach him or her to draw pictures or you can talk together and write the words. Teaching your children to look for blessings, answers to prayer, or to record the progress of their relationship with Jesus is a gift they may continue for life. 6. Teach – The way you react to God – your walk with Him, the way you pray, the way you live, your desires, actions, and reactions all expose your belief system and where it is weak or strong. God’s sovereignty and holiness must be evident in the way you live and in the way you train your children to see and react to Him. Psalm 27:4 says, “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple .” “Gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek Him .” How well do your children see you live with that posture? In order to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, we must know Him through His Word and recognize His character. To love Him with a humble heart, fear God with a holy reverence, respect God's holy commands and instructions, serve God with a humble heart, and obey God with respect for His sovereignty, we have to be present with Him, maturing a relationship He paid a dear price to offer each of us. Everything we’ve discussed about trust and praise flow into the next quality God requires. Submission . In this world, submission isn’t always a word that commands respect or admiration. Of course, the kingdom of God is contrary to this world. Relationship with God requires humility. In the eyes of the Father being humble is not a weakness, but an act of trust, praise, and submission. Submission isn’t meant to be oppressive. In fact, just the opposite. Submission to God offers eternal freedom. John 4:34 says, “Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” Jesus, our perfect mentor showed us the ways to please and obey God. Draw nearer to God moment by moment. Allow Him to change your heart, mindset, attitude, actions, reactions, and desires. Trust . Praise , and Submit . These three qualities form a firm foundation that leads to obedience. Luke 1:38-39 says, "For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her." Without trusting God, praising God, and submitting to Him, Mary would never have stepped forward in obedience. Consider these questions: Do you trust , praise , and submit to the Father so you will step forward in obedience no matter where or when He calls? Are you mentoring the way for your children to do the same? What ways are you teaching trust, praise, and submission to your children in order that they will have the foundation to obey God in all He calls? As the blessed woman God chose to raise His children, you don’t have to be perfect. But you do need to love Jesus and intentionally deepen your walk with God moment by moment. What is one step you will purposely take to ensure you model the way to Him for your children? Dear Heavenly Father, Your ways are good. Your holy Word tells us so. We trust in You. We praise You. We submit to You. Help us continue to move ever deeper into Your arms and abide in Your care. May we be beautiful mentors for our children to see Christ and follow You through relationship with Him. May our love for Jesus shine ever brightly and in ways that You must bless because we humbly obey where You call. May our children do the same with joy and gladness. 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. I work with professionals who care about making Jesus known to their children. Are you a high-achieving woman who loves Jesus, but is so busy with the rush of work and daily life that you feel like you’re being drained like the water in your bathtub? Do you yearn to get closer to Jesus and show Him to your kids so you will create a love that will last into eternity? The desire is there, but your days spiral out of control before you even think about opening your Bible. Do you ever stop to think that you are the first Jesus your child will see? Let me remind you there is hope. There is a way you can be equipped to raise kids who chase Christ over culture. If you want a connected relationship with Christ and your children that leads them to your side and His feet, instead of them seeking validation from peers, I have an 8-step program to move you from frustrated to fulfilled. I will show you how to reflect Jesus in a way that attracts your family to a connected relationship that lasts into eternity. Remember, godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset you carry. 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 arm you with a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You’ll also deepen your identity in Christ so you can mentor the way for your children to do the same. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family and you will have the tools to raise set apart kids as you parent the heart, not simply the behavior. Does this sound like a lifeline to help you be that set-apart mom God has entrusted you to be? Visit terrihitt.com/coaching and click the link for a free, no obligation conversation call with me. This is a strategic call where I will hear your biggest struggle and show you how to turn it into a blessing that will bring you closer to Christ and your children. 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. 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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #081 – Christ Alone Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Do you love music? I have found it to be such a universal way for people to connect and a unique method for engaging emotions and memories. When my youngest came home from China at nine years old, music was one of the ways we connected with her. After all, music and smiles are universal. I enjoy catching my youngest daughter singing. It’s not often that she actually sings aloud for anyone to hear. I do suspect, however, that if she had been living with us since she was a baby, she would most likely be involved in musical theater and would be singing for everyone to hear. Because she is deaf in one ear and almost completely deaf in the other ear, plus English has only been acquired over the last few years and it is her second language, she has a hard time understanding song lyrics and the words are said so quickly during a song that she has insufficient time to process what anyone is saying. When I do catch her singing, I try not to make a big deal out of it because that just makes her immediately stop with embarrassment. Like her sweet disposition, her voice is pleasant, and she carries a tune well. My girl often listens to Christian music, both classics and contemporary songs and sometimes recommends music for me to listen to. One of the songs we’ve heard together inspired me to include the beautiful lyrics in this podcast. When I listen to Christian music with my daughter I try to explain the words and meanings of songs. It has deepened her walk with Christ in new ways. As she matures her relationship with God through Jesus, it has also strengthened our bond with each other. There is no better way to grow together than bonding with the Lord. Listen as I read the lyrics for “In Christ Alone.” Music and lyrics are by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty. In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song; This Cornerstone, this solid Ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, When fears are stilled, when strivings cease! My Comforter, my All in All, Here in the love of Christ I stand. In Christ alone! – who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe. This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save: Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied – For every sin on Him was laid; Here in the death of Christ I live. There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain: Then bursting forth in glorious day Up from the grave He rose again! And as He stands in victory Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me, For I am His and He is mine – Bought with the precious blood of Christ. No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me; From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand: Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand. Strength, foundation, light, love, peace, comfort, sacrifice, sinlessness, resurrection, freedom, truth, promise, eternity, and scriptural truths all found in one song. Music carries an influential power over our emotions, thoughts, beliefs, attractions, attitude, and actions. What we allow to influence our life and/or the life of family members, especially children should be considered very carefully. Just as the lyrics from “In Christ Alone” cover a wide variety of topics, the music we listen to affects us in a multitude of ways. Consider using music as a way to draw nearer to God, and allow Him to draw nearer to you. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” I know that no imagination can come close to what God has prepared for those of us who love Him, but I still enjoy thinking about how beautiful heaven will be. I like to think that perhaps the rustle of the angel wings will usher the magnificent chords of instruments or sound like sweet and soulful music from the most clear and beautiful voices we will ever hear. Let music you listen to on earth set the tone to prepare yourself and your family for God. Podcasts can also be an extremely beneficial way to grow our walk with the Lord. I have several I listen to regularly and I am always left feeling encouraged, strengthened, and renewed in my Christian walk after listening to Bible verses, testimonies, and encouragement from hearing the experiences of others as they share how God has worked in their life. During the month of August, I am going to list several “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast episodes that will help us to live with the purposed intention of drawing nearer to the Lord. As I will be busy preparing for our new school year to begin, and because we have several new listeners, I would like to use this time to remind others of previous episodes that may offer new insight into a closer walk with Jesus. Have you listened to any of the following episodes yet? 21 – Peace That Passes Understanding 26 – Mind Fixed for Eternity 30 – Are You Wearing His Armor? 46 – Maturing Character Like Christ It is said that some of the top questions Christians ask are in these areas: How to better trust God How to find guidance in what God desires them to do How to understand the Bible more clearly How to keep Jesus as the center of their life How to control affections and be more thankful How to avoid sin How to be more Christ-like How to support God’s work How to share the gospel How to connect deeply with other Christians I hope that during the month of August, several of these questions will be answered through the podcast episodes I suggest. There is absolutely nothing better we can commit our life to than living in expectation of seeing Jesus face to face and preparing ourselves for Him. As Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright said in one of my recent podcast episodes, “We can’t anything with us when we leave this world, except for other people.” Set your heart to know, love, and obey Jesus here more and more with each passing moment and bring as many people as you can to know, love, and obey Him with joyful hearts, as well. Father God, may you be exalted as the center and authority of our lives. Help us to realize that Your will is the best path for my life and help us to welcome You and Your ways. Thank you for the provisions and promises you give us daily. Help us to become more like You in every way, even when it hurts or is embarrassing. You carry the power and the mercy we need. Thank you that through Jesus we are never without You. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. I invite you to visit terrihitt.com to access additional podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture as You rely on God to direct your steps because you are in love with Him. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to the Lord and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 081 Christ Alone Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #081 – Christ Alone Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Do you love music? I have found it to be such a universal way for people to connect and a unique method for engaging emotions and memories. When my youngest came home from China at nine years old, music was one of the ways we connected with her. After all, music and smiles are universal. I enjoy catching my youngest daughter singing. It’s not often that she actually sings aloud for anyone to hear. I do suspect, however, that if she had been living with us since she was a baby, she would most likely be involved in musical theater and would be singing for everyone to hear. Because she is deaf in one ear and almost completely deaf in the other ear, plus English has only been acquired over the last few years and it is her second language, she has a hard time understanding song lyrics and the words are said so quickly during a song that she has insufficient time to process what anyone is saying. When I do catch her singing, I try not to make a big deal out of it because that just makes her immediately stop with embarrassment. Like her sweet disposition, her voice is pleasant, and she carries a tune well. My girl often listens to Christian music, both classics and contemporary songs and sometimes recommends music for me to listen to. One of the songs we’ve heard together inspired me to include the beautiful lyrics in this podcast. When I listen to Christian music with my daughter I try to explain the words and meanings of songs. It has deepened her walk with Christ in new ways. As she matures her relationship with God through Jesus, it has also strengthened our bond with each other. There is no better way to grow together than bonding with the Lord. Listen as I read the lyrics for “In Christ Alone.” Music and lyrics are by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty. In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song; This Cornerstone, this solid Ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, When fears are stilled, when strivings cease! My Comforter, my All in All, Here in the love of Christ I stand. In Christ alone! – who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe. This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save: Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied – For every sin on Him was laid; Here in the death of Christ I live. There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain: Then bursting forth in glorious day Up from the grave He rose again! And as He stands in victory Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me, For I am His and He is mine – Bought with the precious blood of Christ. No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me; From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand: Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand. Strength, foundation, light, love, peace, comfort, sacrifice, sinlessness, resurrection, freedom, truth, promise, eternity, and scriptural truths all found in one song. Music carries an influential power over our emotions, thoughts, beliefs, attractions, attitude, and actions. What we allow to influence our life and/or the life of family members, especially children should be considered very carefully. Just as the lyrics from “In Christ Alone” cover a wide variety of topics, the music we listen to affects us in a multitude of ways. Consider using music as a way to draw nearer to God, and allow Him to draw nearer to you. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” I know that no imagination can come close to what God has prepared for those of us who love Him, but I still enjoy thinking about how beautiful heaven will be. I like to think that perhaps the rustle of the angel wings will usher the magnificent chords of instruments or sound like sweet and soulful music from the most clear and beautiful voices we will ever hear. Let music you listen to on earth set the tone to prepare yourself and your family for God. Podcasts can also be an extremely beneficial way to grow our walk with the Lord. I have several I listen to regularly and I am always left feeling encouraged, strengthened, and renewed in my Christian walk after listening to Bible verses, testimonies, and encouragement from hearing the experiences of others as they share how God has worked in their life. During the month of August, I am going to list several “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast episodes that will help us to live with the purposed intention of drawing nearer to the Lord. As I will be busy preparing for our new school year to begin, and because we have several new listeners, I would like to use this time to remind others of previous episodes that may offer new insight into a closer walk with Jesus. Have you listened to any of the following episodes yet? 21 – Peace That Passes Understanding 26 – Mind Fixed for Eternity 30 – Are You Wearing His Armor? 46 – Maturing Character Like Christ It is said that some of the top questions Christians ask are in these areas: How to better trust God How to find guidance in what God desires them to do How to understand the Bible more clearly How to keep Jesus as the center of their life How to control affections and be more thankful How to avoid sin How to be more Christ-like How to support God’s work How to share the gospel How to connect deeply with other Christians I hope that during the month of August, several of these questions will be answered through the podcast episodes I suggest. There is absolutely nothing better we can commit our life to than living in expectation of seeing Jesus face to face and preparing ourselves for Him. As Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright said in one of my recent podcast episodes, “We can’t anything with us when we leave this world, except for other people.” Set your heart to know, love, and obey Jesus here more and more with each passing moment and bring as many people as you can to know, love, and obey Him with joyful hearts, as well. Father God, may you be exalted as the center and authority of our lives. Help us to realize that Your will is the best path for my life and help us to welcome You and Your ways. Thank you for the provisions and promises you give us daily. Help us to become more like You in every way, even when it hurts or is embarrassing. You carry the power and the mercy we need. Thank you that through Jesus we are never without You. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. I invite you to visit terrihitt.com to access additional podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture as You rely on God to direct your steps because you are in love with Him. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to the Lord and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.