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@aricaheintz Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 041 Arica Heintz Interview Listen to Episode @aricaheintz http://www.aricaheintz.arbonne.com

< Back Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode 020 - Teach Your Children Not to Follow Their Heart Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #020 –Teach Your Children Not to Follow Their Heart 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. Listen to your heart. You’ve probably lost count of the number of songs that have used this line. How many times have you been given this advice? Or maybe you’ve even given it to given it to your child without thinking? Human nature tells us to seek the emotions and thoughts stored inside to lead us. But Galatians 5:17 warns, “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want .” I have a personal story that illustrates these thoughts. When I was a child, we moved a lot. In fact, I lived in 8-10 homes by the time I was 12. One of the first things I would do when we settled into our new place was go get a library card. Books were one of the biggest joys of my childhood, as well as the blank spiral notebooks I would use as journals. Every day of my childhood was spent doing some form of reading or writing. Whether it was poetry, short stories, or simply journaling moments, writing helped me process and understand events. Words have always held life for me. They can also hold death. If we aren’t careful, the words we speak or write can become what breaks or makes the confidence, accomplishment, faith, or eternity of another person. Now that I’m older and my walk with Christ is deeper, I understand the necessity of prayerful reliance on God’s direction and timing. Something just as – or more - important as the tongue is our heart. Or I should say the condition of our heart. Words we speak or write to influence do so in ways we may never know. This world constantly fills our mind with the message that we should follow our heart. We should do what feels right or feels good. If I followed my heart, I would probably still be trying to make it as a mainstream fiction writer. By my early forties, I had written a few novels, and dreamed of one day having them accepted and published. Of course, Oprah would have me on her show and my book would be chosen as the book of the month for her popular book club. I wrote what I wanted, although I had no experience or track-record, so no one was interested in even letting me submit sample chapters. Next I wrote what everyone told me would get published. Every moment I lived and invested by working on that romance book I disliked writing affected the words and storyline I wrote and I know it was quite obvious; I didn’t believe the characters or plot. Neither did the agents who allowed me to submit it for consideration. When I began my next novel, a mainstream romantic thriller, it was obvious by my writing history that I had nothing to guide me clearly. Finally, I began the book heavy on my heart. I was working on a Christian mainstream novel and was far into the characterization, plot, and details. I even drew a map of the city I saw in my head so that I could keep storylines consistent. I found characters that resembled the people I saw in my head and cut them out of magazines and kept them on my desk as encouragement to fuel their storylines. A long index box full of the multiple chapters and storylines, as well as every detail I’d need about the individual characters sat on my desk for reference when needed. I knew their fears, successes, body types, birthdays, memories, and motivations. I was probably about one-third of the way through the first draft (plus had all of my plotting and characterization detailing finished) when I clearly knew God was calling me to put the book away. Unfinished. He didn’t want excuses or bargains. He wanted obedience. Immediate obedience. I was sad to let it all go, but I did. Yet, as I released the dreams and promises of the people who existed not only in my head, but lived in my heart as well, I felt the peace of obedience. Do you know what God had for me instead? After that book was put away, my Heavenly Father showed me a different path for my future. One I previously knew nothing about. In a nutshell, He made it clear that my husband and I had a daughter in China. The Lord didn’t want me focusing attention on crafting a book; His plan called for me to disciple a life. My future was at a cross-roads. I could leave the life my heart told me I wanted or trust what God offered. Writing fiction was not the narration of my story, no matter what my heart felt. It wasn’t until a few years later that I began occasionally blogging sweet and encouraging life stories that mostly had to do with my daughter who was about four years old by that time. Then many years passed before I knew God called me to begin crafting the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast and I began posting and blogging about it. I’m sharing this story because it is so easy for each of us to think we know what we want or we are supposed to do. We think our heart is directing us in one direction. Or sometimes we are led by parents who see something in us, just as you probably see the gifts, interests, and talents your child carries. What is important, however, is waiting on the direction and discernment of our Lord. God crafted such intimate and purposed details into every human on this earth. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” If we are not purposed in following God’s direction, we easily distract our children and forfeit the best God has for them. Even when we see that our child has an obvious talent in some area, we must seek direction from God. How does He desire us to guide our child? Don’t be the one who guides your children down a path that is far from what He desires for them. Who knows the mind or plans of God without careful prayer, discernment, and direction from Him? Reliance on following our heart not only keeps us (and our children) from God’s best, but it can also lead to dangerous situations or decisions we later deeply regret. God knows our heart is untrustworthy. In fact, He warned us in Jeremiah 17:9 , which says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” This world pushes for us (and our children) to follow self . So many speak of self-care and listening to what our heart tells us. All that does is increase the selfishness already existing inside. 1 John 3:20 says, “If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything .” The hardest obstacle to ignore is the language and guidance of this world. Advertisements, books, magazines, movies, television shows, friends, family, teachers, and even strangers love to tell our children to follow their heart. Do what feels right at that time. Our human hearts are fickle and without understanding or discernment from God, our thoughts and feelings are based on what we have experienced in a fallen world. How can this be a moral or godly guideline? Is this what you want for your child to follow or rely on? Luke 6:45 says, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Only through Christ may we acquire a heart that is willing to surrender to God’s purposes. How do we teach our children not to follow their heart? Through the Lords’ strength and Scriptures, we must teach our children 3 important truths. 1. They must seek God’s heart . 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.” 2. They must guard their heart . Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” 3. They must purify their heart . 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Only Jesus can shepherd our children away from the futility of following a haughty heart. It is only through the Lord’s strength that we can rely on His wisdom and direction instead of reverting to self and feelings or emotions and carry the ability to teach our children to rely on Christ. If our children follow what they believed their heart said to do, they would carry no values. Three would be no moral compass, no right or wrong by which to discern actions. Selfishness, heartbreak, embarrassment, and regret will cause division from friends, family, and faith. Our children’s’ hearts were crafted by God to desire Him, to be led and directed by Him. As their parent, we are hand-chosen by God to be the one to disciple and direct them to Him. It is our responsibility and privilege to be the one to guide them to His feet and His heart. 2 Thessalonian 3:5 says, “May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.” As the one in charge of shepherding the hearts of our child to Jesus, we must realize what following heart really means. The words are actually a sentiment with no real substance. The phrase, “follow your heart” is a fluffy, sweet filling that taste good when we swallow it, but causes pain when we live with the consequences of ingesting worldly advice . Dear Heavenly Father, You reign over the heavens and the earth. How great You are. Thank you for Your lovingkindness and grace toward us and the children you have entrusted to us. There is none like You. Help us to follow Your decrees willingly and joyfully. Help us to carefully keep Your laws and never mentor following the human heart. Instead, may our children see us draw near to You, our God, with sincere hearts and with assurance that only faith can bring, teaching that Your will and ways, Your commands and promises offer so much more than we can imagine. 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

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Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #007 – Equipping Children Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed and thrilled to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. The topic close to my heart today is one that is deeply personal. More importantly, it’s special to God. This episode is about children and those who influence them. Although I realize I’m not the only mother in the world who has raised two separate families, I know it’s definitely not the norm. Some people consider us crazy; some admire us and lift us to reside on a pedestal of benevolence. Honestly, we are neither of those. The fact is that two of our children were brought to us biologically. Two of them were brought to us through adoption. Just as women achieve pregnancy and deliver babies through different ways, our family was built by two methods and stretched over a longer period of time than most. It’s honestly that simple. Yet, I still consider my family a miracle and our story one that only God can author. But then, that’s true of all of us. The most urgent desire I have in my heart after raising one set of children and now raising the next, is the absolute necessity of bringing our children up to know, love, and respect the Lord and helping other mothers to understand that importance. To raise our children to love and honor Jesus and to desire to grow their own relationship with Him is the best gift we can give them and the most important job we have. I have found that those of us who claim to be Christians usually want to raise Christian children. But the truth is that many of us depend on the church to raise our child to know God and don’t take active steps at home to nurture the relationship we have with the Lord, let alone foster the growth of our children in Him. Many of us have also been deceived into thinking that once our child accepts Christ as Savior that we don’t have to be as concerned about our child. Both are dangerously blinding us with deceit straight from Satan. How do I know this happens? It happened to me as a young, naive new Christian mother. I had good intentions, but lacked the wisdom I needed to grow and sufficiently nurture my own walk, let alone the heart journey of my children. Our walk was not the straight path I wish it would have been, although I honestly loved the Lord. I’ve also heard stories from others who have similar testimonies to share. Many children from Christian families attend church functions anywhere from one to five hours per week. Families may go to Sunday school and church on Sunday mornings, then either go back to church Sunday night or attend a church function on Wednesday evening, but in our active and fast-paced world, fewer children attend that often. Many churches have stopped Sunday evening services and many children have school or personal activities on Wednesday evenings. Even if children were attending activities at the church at all of the mentioned times, simply being at the church does not make them a growing Christian. You absolutely cannot nurture and sustain a close relationship with Christ on a few hours a week. A true relationship with God starts through a personal relationship with Christ and continues to grow and thrive in the home. It must be nurtured throughout each day. Children learn best when they see a beautiful and godly relationship with Jesus modeled daily in every action, reaction, and interaction they see their parents make. Even our mistakes can draw them nearer to God as they see the ways grace-filled and influenced parents handle living in this broken world. Unless we purposely fix our minds on living with eternal perspective, this world, our pride and lusts, and Satan will distract us with anything to pull us away from Christ. John 10:10 warns, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” When I became a Christian, I foolishly believed that my life would automatically be different, but just as everything else in life, that’s actually when the real work began. I had to learn about releasing my life to the One I now professed to follow. In the meantime, my children were maturing quickly and I missed opportunities to nurture them in and through Jesus the way I should have. It is vitally important to me to teach mothers the importance of maturing your fellowship with Jesus so that He will naturally be breathed into the lives of your precious children from the very beginning. You will never regret it. Seeking the Lord and growing our relationship with Jesus should be as much a part of our existence as breathing. Just as we awaken each day with a craving for food and drink, our mind should instinctively desire Him and automatically draw to fellowship with Him throughout each day. I think of the hymn, “He Lives,” by Alan Jackson. Here are a few of the words. “He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives. He lives within my heart.” We are meant to walk and talk with Jesus through an internal dialogue that beautifully draws us nearer to Him. Jesus knows my innermost thoughts. He knows yours. He intimately cares about everything concerning me and concerning you. No matter where you are in your faith journey, if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit is living within you to guide and move you to a deeper walk with Him. We create distance in our relationship with Jesus just as we do with people in our lives. If we don’t welcome Him and nurture the relationship, it will fade. Jesus won’t leave us, but we can drift away from Him. To grow and sustain our Christian walk, we have to be intentional and not let distractions take the place of commitment, just like with every relationship in our life. Now let’s think about God’s word. When we read the Bible, we clearly see people who were determined to direct their own lives while making unwise choices that drew them away from God. Let’s use the very first example of shattered lives in the Bible as we discuss how cleverly the serpent (Satan) tricked Eve. It’s so easy for us to look back at her and think of Eve as foolish. She (and Adam) clearly understood the instructions God had given them. But we also allow subtleties to distract us from living fully in relationship with Jesus daily. Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, He desires us to allow Him to sit as the Master of our life. It’s easy to say we believe in God and want Him to guide us. It’s harder to actually accept and allow Jesus to transform our life, giving Him direct access to our thoughts, emotions, speech, actions, and attitude. In other words, we are to release everything in our life to Him. In the beginning, Adam and Eve lived in intimate communion with God. He fulfilled their every need, giving them good and perfect gifts. They had peace of mind and deep joy. Gratitude filled their lives. They did not live with hazy minds tinged by lies or twisted truths - until they disobeyed. Then, they became estranged from God and the intimate bond they shared was severed. 2 Corinthians 11:3 states, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” We make the same foolish choices day after day. Either we follow our fleshly and selfish desires or we allow Satan to move in and destroy the good and perfect plans God has established for those of us who love Him. James 1:12-17 is a longer passage, but bear with me as I read the important truths contained. “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” We must not allow anything we think we desire in this world to undermine our growth in Christ. Distractions will always be around us. There is absolutely nothing here on this earth that will ever compare with the beauty of committing to the most important relationship we will ever have and in sharing and teaching Him to our children. The best way we can tell whether we are allowing Jesus to work in and change our hearts is by His promise. Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit as He takes permanent residence within us as a guarantee of security that we are His. We not only believe His word and promise, but we also begin to see changes in the way we live. Our minds, thoughts, actions, and attitudes begin changing and evolving daily. We die to sin and the grip it once held over us. Of course, we will still be tempted, but the way we face temptation begins to change. Because of Christ, nothing should have a permanent grip on us. Temptation is common to all men, even Jesus, but just as the Lord never sinned, He also provides us a way out of temptation. Temptation alone is not a sin, but succumbing to it is. A true, maturing Christian will hear the voice of Jesus daily, instead of looking for ways to get away with sin. A devoted Christian will also follow the path Jesus sets by example, not just doing whatever activity seems entertaining at the time. As we grow in Christ, as we read His word, we crave more of it. We believe His truths and intentionally find ways to implement His instructions and guidelines in our lives. We desire following Jesus and when we fall into sin or make mistakes, we genuinely repent with a sorrowful heart that yearns for restoration and forgiveness. John 10:7-10 says, “Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jesus is our door for eternal life. We are the sheep. He is the shepherd. In Biblical times, the sheep pen had one opening for sheep to enter. The shepherd would herd his flock into the enclosed pen and then actually lie down in the entry so that nothing could get in and the sheep could not get out. Jesus protects us in the same way. When we are His, we are saved from death. We live in intimate communion with Jesus, and are provided with perfect nourishment for our soul. Why is all of this so important when talking about raising children? Because if we are truly committed to seeing our children flourish in their relationship with Jesus, we have to be so in love with Him that He seeps from our soul and spirit. We don’t want to teach our children about Jesus; we want to model a love and relationship so strong that they know Him because they see Him daily through us. We want to be the magnet that draws our children straight to the heart of Jesus. Without our own thriving personal relationship with Him, that will not happen. Let’s stop and consider a few things absolutely vital to our walk with Christ. I believe we should all ask ourselves the following questions. 1. What do I believe about eternity? What I believe directly impacts the life of my precious children. What do I believe? How do I know my belief is true? 2. Am I living my belief? The time I have on this earth is nothing in comparison to eternity. James 4:14 says, “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” I do not know what the next second will bring, let alone the next day. I have to take responsibility for what I believe. The time is now. 3. Do I surrender to Jesus daily so that my child will, too? Am I modeling my beliefs? Do I consider my beliefs important enough to make the sacrifice to die to myself daily and allow Christ full access? 4. What do I believe about the eternity of my children? Do my children know Christ yet? 5. Am I doing everything I possibly can to secure the eternity of my children? Do my children see my love for Jesus daily? Do they hear my prayers? Do we pray together? Do I teach them to rely on God? Do they see me read my Bible? Do we also read the Bible together? Do they see me walk the way God instructs in His word? Do they see me repent and change when I fail? Do I apologize to them (or others) when I do wrong? Do I discuss Jesus with my children? Do I walk and talk with Jesus each day and guide my children to do the same? Do I bring Him naturally into conversations so they see my relationship is real and natural? Just as many people take time to contemplate life goals at the beginning of each year, we must reflect on our walk with Christ daily. Life is not simply about us; it should be a reflection of Christ that spreads out to all we connect with, especially our children. They were not given to us as a burden to raise to adulthood, but as a blessing that God considers a heritage. Our children actually belong to God. They are an inheritance from and for Him. We are caretakers for the Lord. While we have His children in our possession, we must make the most of every moment as we prayerfully guide them to know and love the One they will answer to for eternity. If we are not intentionally living with an eternal perspective as we pursue life and parenting, we are making the choice to raise children of and for the world. We need to live set apart from what this world gives and seek what will truly satisfy the souls of our children. We have to purposely allow God to work through us to intimately know and understand each of our children. We must desire and allow Him to provide what they need to live a life that shines for Him without standing in His way. We must permit God access to our hearts and minds in order for Him to grow us and mold us into the parents our children require so they may be uniquely set apart in this world. True Christian-centered parenting looks and feels unique because we believe, understand, and respect that His children are created in His image for Him. We live to honor Him with those He has lovingly and perfectly entrusted to us. What pleasure we will share with God when we are blessed to proclaim 3 John 1:4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” What does living and raising our children to be “set-apart” look like? We should exist in this world as an active member in it, but not reflect the values of this world. Our beliefs and actions should mirror what God instructs in His word. It also means loving our neighbor as ourselves. We don’t judge or criticize those who do not seem to be following God’s truths as He instructs, but we don’t have to condone their beliefs or actions, either. It is possible to lovingly disagree and treat the person with grace and kindness. We need to see each other through the loving eyes of God. As we strive to live in ways that honor God and display Him to our children, the choices we make are critical. We have to honestly assess whether the selections we make daily and the way we spend our precious time respect the guidelines and values God wants us to live by. We should be a mirror for our children to see Jesus clearly, through what and who we are, and do. Luke 18:16 warns us clearly, “But Jesus called to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” Do not make selfish, ignorant, or naïve choices that will ultimately impede your child’s walk and eternal future with God. Checking the atmosphere of our home is mandatory when we desire to live lives pleasing to God and reflect Him to our children and others around us. It is difficult to control and eradicate some of our unwise choices and habits all at once, but starting with drawing attention to and possibly correcting one at a time will ensure that we are drawing nearer to the life God desires for us and our family. Here are some questions to begin with. 1. Does my speech reflect the way I would speak to God if He were sitting with me? He is, by the way. I just can’t see Him. James 3:10-11 says, “from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” 2. Do my actions represent the way Jesus would handle the joys and distresses of this life? 3. Are my activities pleasing to God? 4. Do my friends share my desire to know and please God more deeply? Are they reflecting Him in their lives, as well? 5. Does the way I dress reflect a modest and godly woman secure in the love my Father has for me? 6. Do I have to hide my occupation or is it a worthy use of my time to provide for my family? 7. Does the music I listen to enable my speech and values to be worthy of what God desires for me? Does it enable my speech and actions to stand against what God word requires of me as I grow my walk with Him? Should I be embarrassed for God to hear me sing the lyrics? 8. Does the entertainment I pay to see or participate in glorify God? Does the entertainment in my home show my children how important God is in our lives? 9. Do the books and magazines I read reflect the values and language God desires? Do the messages they lead me to believe stand against scripture? 10. Do the podcasts I listen to reflect values God desires me to learn and possess? 11. Do I spend more time in God’s Holy word than I do on social media? Do I intentionally spend time with my children to teach them to love God and learn His word? Proverbs 24:3 teaches, “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.” It can be painful to go through this checklist. Life in this world does anything but guide us into the Father’s arms. We will never live a perfect life on earth, but we can strive to live as closely to the way God calls us as possible. We always have more ways we can purposely erase the influences of all this life leads us to believe we need. Strive to lean more closely into God’s beautiful desires for us instead. John 15:9-11 promises, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” Psalm 90:12 instructs, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” As we grow more Christlike, we desire Him even more. People begin to see the Lord through us and are drawn to become more like Him themselves. As we experience sweet fellowship with Jesus and savor the joy we receive when our children walk closely with Him, the attraction to the distractions in this world fade. Matthew 13:44 explains it well; “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” May we all live with the joy, hope, and peace that only Jesus can provide and give our children the treasure of the kingdom of heaven so they can live a lifetime of sweet closeness with their Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you so much 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 007 Equipping Children Listen to Episode Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #007 – Equipping Children Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed and thrilled to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. The topic close to my heart today is one that is deeply personal. More importantly, it’s special to God. This episode is about children and those who influence them. Although I realize I’m not the only mother in the world who has raised two separate families, I know it’s definitely not the norm. Some people consider us crazy; some admire us and lift us to reside on a pedestal of benevolence. Honestly, we are neither of those. The fact is that two of our children were brought to us biologically. Two of them were brought to us through adoption. Just as women achieve pregnancy and deliver babies through different ways, our family was built by two methods and stretched over a longer period of time than most. It’s honestly that simple. Yet, I still consider my family a miracle and our story one that only God can author. But then, that’s true of all of us. The most urgent desire I have in my heart after raising one set of children and now raising the next, is the absolute necessity of bringing our children up to know, love, and respect the Lord and helping other mothers to understand that importance. To raise our children to love and honor Jesus and to desire to grow their own relationship with Him is the best gift we can give them and the most important job we have. I have found that those of us who claim to be Christians usually want to raise Christian children. But the truth is that many of us depend on the church to raise our child to know God and don’t take active steps at home to nurture the relationship we have with the Lord, let alone foster the growth of our children in Him. Many of us have also been deceived into thinking that once our child accepts Christ as Savior that we don’t have to be as concerned about our child. Both are dangerously blinding us with deceit straight from Satan. How do I know this happens? It happened to me as a young, naive new Christian mother. I had good intentions, but lacked the wisdom I needed to grow and sufficiently nurture my own walk, let alone the heart journey of my children. Our walk was not the straight path I wish it would have been, although I honestly loved the Lord. I’ve also heard stories from others who have similar testimonies to share. Many children from Christian families attend church functions anywhere from one to five hours per week. Families may go to Sunday school and church on Sunday mornings, then either go back to church Sunday night or attend a church function on Wednesday evening, but in our active and fast-paced world, fewer children attend that often. Many churches have stopped Sunday evening services and many children have school or personal activities on Wednesday evenings. Even if children were attending activities at the church at all of the mentioned times, simply being at the church does not make them a growing Christian. You absolutely cannot nurture and sustain a close relationship with Christ on a few hours a week. A true relationship with God starts through a personal relationship with Christ and continues to grow and thrive in the home. It must be nurtured throughout each day. Children learn best when they see a beautiful and godly relationship with Jesus modeled daily in every action, reaction, and interaction they see their parents make. Even our mistakes can draw them nearer to God as they see the ways grace-filled and influenced parents handle living in this broken world. Unless we purposely fix our minds on living with eternal perspective, this world, our pride and lusts, and Satan will distract us with anything to pull us away from Christ. John 10:10 warns, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” When I became a Christian, I foolishly believed that my life would automatically be different, but just as everything else in life, that’s actually when the real work began. I had to learn about releasing my life to the One I now professed to follow. In the meantime, my children were maturing quickly and I missed opportunities to nurture them in and through Jesus the way I should have. It is vitally important to me to teach mothers the importance of maturing your fellowship with Jesus so that He will naturally be breathed into the lives of your precious children from the very beginning. You will never regret it. Seeking the Lord and growing our relationship with Jesus should be as much a part of our existence as breathing. Just as we awaken each day with a craving for food and drink, our mind should instinctively desire Him and automatically draw to fellowship with Him throughout each day. I think of the hymn, “He Lives,” by Alan Jackson. Here are a few of the words. “He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives. He lives within my heart.” We are meant to walk and talk with Jesus through an internal dialogue that beautifully draws us nearer to Him. Jesus knows my innermost thoughts. He knows yours. He intimately cares about everything concerning me and concerning you. No matter where you are in your faith journey, if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit is living within you to guide and move you to a deeper walk with Him. We create distance in our relationship with Jesus just as we do with people in our lives. If we don’t welcome Him and nurture the relationship, it will fade. Jesus won’t leave us, but we can drift away from Him. To grow and sustain our Christian walk, we have to be intentional and not let distractions take the place of commitment, just like with every relationship in our life. Now let’s think about God’s word. When we read the Bible, we clearly see people who were determined to direct their own lives while making unwise choices that drew them away from God. Let’s use the very first example of shattered lives in the Bible as we discuss how cleverly the serpent (Satan) tricked Eve. It’s so easy for us to look back at her and think of Eve as foolish. She (and Adam) clearly understood the instructions God had given them. But we also allow subtleties to distract us from living fully in relationship with Jesus daily. Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, He desires us to allow Him to sit as the Master of our life. It’s easy to say we believe in God and want Him to guide us. It’s harder to actually accept and allow Jesus to transform our life, giving Him direct access to our thoughts, emotions, speech, actions, and attitude. In other words, we are to release everything in our life to Him. In the beginning, Adam and Eve lived in intimate communion with God. He fulfilled their every need, giving them good and perfect gifts. They had peace of mind and deep joy. Gratitude filled their lives. They did not live with hazy minds tinged by lies or twisted truths - until they disobeyed. Then, they became estranged from God and the intimate bond they shared was severed. 2 Corinthians 11:3 states, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” We make the same foolish choices day after day. Either we follow our fleshly and selfish desires or we allow Satan to move in and destroy the good and perfect plans God has established for those of us who love Him. James 1:12-17 is a longer passage, but bear with me as I read the important truths contained. “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” We must not allow anything we think we desire in this world to undermine our growth in Christ. Distractions will always be around us. There is absolutely nothing here on this earth that will ever compare with the beauty of committing to the most important relationship we will ever have and in sharing and teaching Him to our children. The best way we can tell whether we are allowing Jesus to work in and change our hearts is by His promise. Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit as He takes permanent residence within us as a guarantee of security that we are His. We not only believe His word and promise, but we also begin to see changes in the way we live. Our minds, thoughts, actions, and attitudes begin changing and evolving daily. We die to sin and the grip it once held over us. Of course, we will still be tempted, but the way we face temptation begins to change. Because of Christ, nothing should have a permanent grip on us. Temptation is common to all men, even Jesus, but just as the Lord never sinned, He also provides us a way out of temptation. Temptation alone is not a sin, but succumbing to it is. A true, maturing Christian will hear the voice of Jesus daily, instead of looking for ways to get away with sin. A devoted Christian will also follow the path Jesus sets by example, not just doing whatever activity seems entertaining at the time. As we grow in Christ, as we read His word, we crave more of it. We believe His truths and intentionally find ways to implement His instructions and guidelines in our lives. We desire following Jesus and when we fall into sin or make mistakes, we genuinely repent with a sorrowful heart that yearns for restoration and forgiveness. John 10:7-10 says, “Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jesus is our door for eternal life. We are the sheep. He is the shepherd. In Biblical times, the sheep pen had one opening for sheep to enter. The shepherd would herd his flock into the enclosed pen and then actually lie down in the entry so that nothing could get in and the sheep could not get out. Jesus protects us in the same way. When we are His, we are saved from death. We live in intimate communion with Jesus, and are provided with perfect nourishment for our soul. Why is all of this so important when talking about raising children? Because if we are truly committed to seeing our children flourish in their relationship with Jesus, we have to be so in love with Him that He seeps from our soul and spirit. We don’t want to teach our children about Jesus; we want to model a love and relationship so strong that they know Him because they see Him daily through us. We want to be the magnet that draws our children straight to the heart of Jesus. Without our own thriving personal relationship with Him, that will not happen. Let’s stop and consider a few things absolutely vital to our walk with Christ. I believe we should all ask ourselves the following questions. 1. What do I believe about eternity? What I believe directly impacts the life of my precious children. What do I believe? How do I know my belief is true? 2. Am I living my belief? The time I have on this earth is nothing in comparison to eternity. James 4:14 says, “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” I do not know what the next second will bring, let alone the next day. I have to take responsibility for what I believe. The time is now. 3. Do I surrender to Jesus daily so that my child will, too? Am I modeling my beliefs? Do I consider my beliefs important enough to make the sacrifice to die to myself daily and allow Christ full access? 4. What do I believe about the eternity of my children? Do my children know Christ yet? 5. Am I doing everything I possibly can to secure the eternity of my children? Do my children see my love for Jesus daily? Do they hear my prayers? Do we pray together? Do I teach them to rely on God? Do they see me read my Bible? Do we also read the Bible together? Do they see me walk the way God instructs in His word? Do they see me repent and change when I fail? Do I apologize to them (or others) when I do wrong? Do I discuss Jesus with my children? Do I walk and talk with Jesus each day and guide my children to do the same? Do I bring Him naturally into conversations so they see my relationship is real and natural? Just as many people take time to contemplate life goals at the beginning of each year, we must reflect on our walk with Christ daily. Life is not simply about us; it should be a reflection of Christ that spreads out to all we connect with, especially our children. They were not given to us as a burden to raise to adulthood, but as a blessing that God considers a heritage. Our children actually belong to God. They are an inheritance from and for Him. We are caretakers for the Lord. While we have His children in our possession, we must make the most of every moment as we prayerfully guide them to know and love the One they will answer to for eternity. If we are not intentionally living with an eternal perspective as we pursue life and parenting, we are making the choice to raise children of and for the world. We need to live set apart from what this world gives and seek what will truly satisfy the souls of our children. We have to purposely allow God to work through us to intimately know and understand each of our children. We must desire and allow Him to provide what they need to live a life that shines for Him without standing in His way. We must permit God access to our hearts and minds in order for Him to grow us and mold us into the parents our children require so they may be uniquely set apart in this world. True Christian-centered parenting looks and feels unique because we believe, understand, and respect that His children are created in His image for Him. We live to honor Him with those He has lovingly and perfectly entrusted to us. What pleasure we will share with God when we are blessed to proclaim 3 John 1:4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” What does living and raising our children to be “set-apart” look like? We should exist in this world as an active member in it, but not reflect the values of this world. Our beliefs and actions should mirror what God instructs in His word. It also means loving our neighbor as ourselves. We don’t judge or criticize those who do not seem to be following God’s truths as He instructs, but we don’t have to condone their beliefs or actions, either. It is possible to lovingly disagree and treat the person with grace and kindness. We need to see each other through the loving eyes of God. As we strive to live in ways that honor God and display Him to our children, the choices we make are critical. We have to honestly assess whether the selections we make daily and the way we spend our precious time respect the guidelines and values God wants us to live by. We should be a mirror for our children to see Jesus clearly, through what and who we are, and do. Luke 18:16 warns us clearly, “But Jesus called to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” Do not make selfish, ignorant, or naïve choices that will ultimately impede your child’s walk and eternal future with God. Checking the atmosphere of our home is mandatory when we desire to live lives pleasing to God and reflect Him to our children and others around us. It is difficult to control and eradicate some of our unwise choices and habits all at once, but starting with drawing attention to and possibly correcting one at a time will ensure that we are drawing nearer to the life God desires for us and our family. Here are some questions to begin with. 1. Does my speech reflect the way I would speak to God if He were sitting with me? He is, by the way. I just can’t see Him. James 3:10-11 says, “from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” 2. Do my actions represent the way Jesus would handle the joys and distresses of this life? 3. Are my activities pleasing to God? 4. Do my friends share my desire to know and please God more deeply? Are they reflecting Him in their lives, as well? 5. Does the way I dress reflect a modest and godly woman secure in the love my Father has for me? 6. Do I have to hide my occupation or is it a worthy use of my time to provide for my family? 7. Does the music I listen to enable my speech and values to be worthy of what God desires for me? Does it enable my speech and actions to stand against what God word requires of me as I grow my walk with Him? Should I be embarrassed for God to hear me sing the lyrics? 8. Does the entertainment I pay to see or participate in glorify God? Does the entertainment in my home show my children how important God is in our lives? 9. Do the books and magazines I read reflect the values and language God desires? Do the messages they lead me to believe stand against scripture? 10. Do the podcasts I listen to reflect values God desires me to learn and possess? 11. Do I spend more time in God’s Holy word than I do on social media? Do I intentionally spend time with my children to teach them to love God and learn His word? Proverbs 24:3 teaches, “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.” It can be painful to go through this checklist. Life in this world does anything but guide us into the Father’s arms. We will never live a perfect life on earth, but we can strive to live as closely to the way God calls us as possible. We always have more ways we can purposely erase the influences of all this life leads us to believe we need. Strive to lean more closely into God’s beautiful desires for us instead. John 15:9-11 promises, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” Psalm 90:12 instructs, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” As we grow more Christlike, we desire Him even more. People begin to see the Lord through us and are drawn to become more like Him themselves. As we experience sweet fellowship with Jesus and savor the joy we receive when our children walk closely with Him, the attraction to the distractions in this world fade. Matthew 13:44 explains it well; “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” May we all live with the joy, hope, and peace that only Jesus can provide and give our children the treasure of the kingdom of heaven so they can live a lifetime of sweet closeness with their Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you so much 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.

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.

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Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #043 – The Art of Conversation 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. Conversation. That’s my topic today. More specifically, dialogue. The ability to communicate with others, giving us the means to exchange ideas or opinions. I enjoy talking to others; I love especially hearing their life stories. Do you? I believe many of us have more in common with one another than we think or imagine we do. Yet, I don’t feel that is reflected in the way we respond to, or act toward, others in our society today. What disappoints me most is when we don’t search for connection or look to see commonalities in those we meet. Most often, those special similarities are hidden beneath the surface like jewels under the rough sand still polishing them. When our youngest came home from China, she had spent most of her life in isolation, did not know English, knew little Mandarin because she had not been spoken to most of her life, and due to neglect, was almost entirely deaf. We had a focused road ahead of us to teach her to socialize, yet as each day passed and our relationship with her deepened and blossomed, we knew she was a perfect fit that completed our family. We each have a past, a chronicle of events that shape and define how we view and interact with the world. Stories define us – our personal tales of hardships, trials, heartache, joy, pain, loss, and love. The most impactful way to recognize or respect the narrative of another is through true, authentic dialogue. Unfortunately, the culture and society of this time leaves conversation to quickly-jotted texts and emails or small blurbs on a social media screen that most often feel and sound like attacks. When I meet someone, I usually wish for the opportunity to sit and talk to them for an extended period, sharing life tales and honestly connecting. Have most of us lost the desire to slow down and connect, to see another human for who they are? I don’t care about what society tells me I need or should be. I honestly get confused when I hear people say they want others to be themselves. I guess that is because I am who I am and I don’t expect fakeness from others. But in reality, I can understand that when we don’t have a grounded relationship with the One who shapes our identity, we do not know who we are, so falseness prevails as we flounder in finding, and in vulnerably, as well as honestly, exposing ourselves. The fast-paced, false society we live in has stolen the gift of discussion, and we have not yet conceived the full damage. Our children do not have the opportunity to experience life and relationships the way we did growing up. As adults, are we making time to teach them how to form authentic relationships? We must be making time to mentor our children through the way we develop those true relations ourselves. If we examine deeper, we see that what has most hurt our society, culture, and relationships is the condition of our hearts. As we move farther away from Jesus, the selfishness of our soul is exposed. Arrogance is born from this self-absorption, we become easily deceived, and we begin making justifications for anything we desire. Through social media, it is easy and convenient to lash out at others in ways most would not do in person years ago, and because of the current political climate driven by the media and much misinformation, many are now fueled by money, rage, hurt, and misunderstandings to begin attacks in person. After taking actions on beliefs, many look for others to agree with the decisions, no matter what they are, then get offended and angry when others dare to disagree. Are people truly looking to understand the viewpoint of the “opposing” thoughts from the person they are speaking to? Many times, no. The art of dialogue is fast diminishing from our culture. At this point, many people just want to be understood and agreed with. Much of the time all this “conversation” is spoken through written forms of communication that I spoke of earlier. No one can hear the tones of the other person and we cannot see or experience compassion or understanding that may be in the heart or eyes of those involved. I’ve been the victim of this type of communication attack and I’ve seen it happen to others. Even when you desire to speak to someone in person, if they choose not to, any hope of resolution fades. So, how do we expect communication to improve? It can’t and won’t, unless we decide to bring back old-fashioned heart to hearts and the ability to respect the opinion of another without taking it personally. Even among those who profess to be believers. What can we do to restore the art of communication? Shift our hearts to abide in the words and thoughts of our Heavenly Father. When we come to know God in an intimate way through Jesus, we are radically changed. Becoming a Christian is not the end, however. It is actually when the work begins. Until we release and commit ourselves to Jesus, we are only spouting personal beliefs and opinions. Once we abide in Christ, we begin a lifetime journey of allowing Him to transform our heart and mind to reflect and shine His thoughts and actions. A personal relationship with Jesus causes us to say and do things that we typically would not think of and would not have the ability to complete in our own free will. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Have you seen much grace on social media? Most people have deep-seated beliefs and do not desire to be persuaded to change. For example, I know no one is going to change my beliefs. They are rooted in what I believe God would have them to be. No one will shift that foundation, except Him, as I mature daily. Still, I respect that others have differing views. I respect that they also have a right to believe what they desire. I’m interested in why they believe as they do, because I like to hear their life story. Quite often, it shows me where there heart is and also exposes new ways I need to move mine more in alignment with Jesus. My desire is that we all have hearts in sync with where He would have us to be, but God gives free will to each of us. People who are seeking to abide in Him and grow daily will come into new viewpoints as they mature. Those who reject Christ will allow a greater chasm to divide them from godly viewpoints and actions. Instead of judgement, we must pray for godly discernment to lead us and form our reactions to others. If the person we are interacting with is not in the place to react in the same manner, we can shake the dust from our feet and nicely move on. God does not expect us to allow attacks to torment us. Remember to pray for the person or people and let God deal with them. The only way to do that is to know Jesus because we are involved in a personal and maturing walk with Him. When we are rooted in and through Him, and we spend time in His word regularly, also studying and applying the wisdom God extends to us through it, we are transformed. Our thoughts become His. His thoughts drive our actions, and then we can better discern what is good and acceptable to Him. Romans 12:2 says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” I am deeply saddened by the viewpoints and arguments I have seen on social media in the last several months. I am weary. I am grieving what I thought I knew about others. Although it sounds as if I am judging others. I assure you, I know my own heart. Judgement is not my job. Only God can judge. My Heavenly Father does, however, allow me the ability through knowing Him and intentionally growing in Him daily, to use discernment. Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” I have so much to learn to ever be the person I know the Lord created me to be, but I have matured much in Him and I can recognize when things grieve His heart, because they now grieve mine, as well. What I am wholly interested in is whether my beliefs and actions are in alignment with scripture. If you truly follow Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I pray that you believe the same for yourself. Hebrews 5:12-14 says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” What does this passage mean? Believers and followers of Jesus should be actively seeking to know Him, and be transformed to resemble Him. The word Christian means “little Christ.” How we let Him down daily. We are so far from where He desires us to be, yet loves us where we are. We have lost that ability in our society. We must look to the example of Jesus to love others where they are, yet not condone their sin. Just as we cannot make excuses for the sin we carry, but seek to be transformed and moved out of the sin through Jesus. I believe the difficulties arise because we are imperfect humans and even in the best of our attempts, we have room for error and those we interact with who do not know Jesus intimately through a personal relationship, simply do not understand our attempts and mistake them as judgement. We must continue to look Up and seek truth and direction from the Lord and allow Him to flow His responses into and out of us. When we do not advance in our maturity as we should, however, we are not able to advance to solid food, but remain ingesting milk, as a baby. If we never progress beyond an elementary relationship with Jesus, how can we discern what He desires? How are we to expect to understand and view the world as He does? How are our opinions and judgements to be trusted? Through our deep and purposeful progression of our personal relationship with Jesus, we gain skill in applying His principles to all areas of life. What a stark difference they are from what we would exercise on our own. My own life included. James 3:13 says, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.” Our thoughts affect our beliefs, which fuel our actions. As we have seen by the looting and other examples of crime and misconduct this year. Or with the anger, animosity, and fabrications exhibited on social media. 2 Corinthians 2:14 says, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” The more time we spend with Jesus, we begin to shine in the same way that He does. We begin to emit the scent of our Lord, either attracting others to Him or repelling, depending on where their relationship and loyalties stand. As believers, it should be our goal to know Jesus, to recognize and understand God’s word, to carry the same mindset as Jesus so that we cannot help but shine Him in our thoughts, words, and actions. In our attitude and conversations. Those in our presence should have no question that we carry the wisdom of God in our daily life. We do not want to attract others to ourselves, but to the Lord, so that they will also rest in His peace, abide in His love, and shine His wisdom and grace for others. So that they will follow Him and His desires and commands. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Doesn’t this make you want to shout, “Hallelujah!” Consider this passage from Exodus 34:29, which says, “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.” This verse is so beautiful it brings me to tears. The experience Moses had with God transformed him. He came away shining the light of our Heavenly Father. How can we look like Moses, with face and life aglow from the living God shining upon our appearance and heart? 1 Peter 2:12 says, “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” One day each of us will stand in front of God. Our Heavenly Father sees what we do and desires to guide us in the ways that are pure. He deeply loves each one of us. Galatians 6:7 reminds us, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” We reap what we sow. Oh, how I have learned this the hard way at various points in my life. Have you? God’s word always proves true. The decisions we make must be in alignment with God. There is only one way to know if they are. Each day must bring us closer to Him. We intimately recognize the One we are close to. We must value the things God values in this life. We must make decisions based on God’s guidance and wisdom, always going back to His word. We must be humble enough to seek Him and follow Him, humbly bowing to His whispers and commands, and seeking forgiveness when we sin. Sometimes the hardest sins are the ones we never knew we were making because we lived in ignorance instead of pursuing God as we should have. God is always waiting to forgive us when we repent, and His mercies and grace are ever-lasting. How do we move on with the gift of communication, especially through electronic form? We must remember that adversity should not rip us apart. Hardships and miscommunication should push us closer to Jesus and cause us to rest securely in His arms as He carries and provides for us. What if we, as a group believers (and individuals) decide to use adversity, even that experienced through communication, in new ways in our personal life and through social media? 1. Decide that difficulties will be used to progress the gospel. Not that we need to share every personal piece of our life, but use the attitude with which we deal with life and hardships, the disagreements we may feel because of differing opinions, to fuel us to focus on how Jesus would have us prove He is within us. Our attitude and words to others show whether we allow Him to work within us. We don’t have to keep talking to try to persuade someone else to understand our viewpoint. We need to remember that people do not and will not ever agree on every point, at least not this side of heaven. 2. Decide to use adversity to purify our motives. When we feel pain or hurt from what someone says to us in person or on social media, we can choose to release it to God or lash out as if we don’t know Christ. What if we decide to allow others their opinion and stop always trying to get others to understand us or agree with us? There is nothing wrong with respectfully expressing our opinions, especially when they are in alignment with Jesus, but none of us will ever receive agreement from all people, including other believers because we are all in different phases of our Christian walk. In fact, often the closer we get to Jesus, the more opposition we will receive from some people, just as Jesus experienced. 3. Decide that difficulties provide opportunities to witness. Especially through the way we handle opposition. People notice our responses more when times are tough. Dealing with difficulties also thrusts us deeper into the arms of God, when we let them. Testimonies are birthed or grown from these times. 4. Decide to allow adversity to mature our faith and reliance on Jesus. We may feel hurt and misunderstood by others, and our opinion or belief may be correct, (yet are being persecuted unfairly), but we can rest assured that Jesus understands us like no one else ever will. He was scorned and hated, misunderstood and ridiculed. He is available to comfort and guide us. 5. Decide that trouble proves the character of our friendships. Difficulties can deepen friendships or destroy them, depending on where and how hearts are directed. Sometimes we need our eyes opened that a person is not the right choice in our life any longer. Other times, we develop stronger ties with friends or relatives through the trials. 6. Decide that complications and obstacles allow us to see life and eternity through God’s eyes. Each day should thrust us closer to viewing life moments as God sees them. We will never have the complete understanding God carries in His infinite wisdom. He is God! We know, however, that everything we do has eternal consequences. Our actions and words should drive us to desire that others would know Him and be influenced through what they see in us. We will not be perfect, but can be perfected as we mature our relationship with Jesus with our eternal mindset daily. God can change our thoughts, words, and actions in a holy, miraculous, and beautiful way. Father God, we need you more than we can conceive. Thank you for Your infinite wisdom and for allowing us this life to know and grow in You. Thank you for the opportunity to know you and be saved through Your astounding gift of Jesus. May we cling to You more and more each moment and truly live in ways that reflect You and attract others to You. Help us to navigate the rocky times our country is traveling, and not be dismayed by this temporary world. Enable us to communicate in ways that honor You. May our journey please You as we move more and more into alignment with Your purposes for us, especially in our thoughts, words, and actions. In Your mighty and loving name we pray. Amen. I deeply desire to allow God to cultivate a strong community of women through the work He has given me. I pray you will be inspired and equipped to live with an eternal perspective and influenced to raise children with purpose for, and identity in, Jesus. If you enjoy the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast, you might like to hear that the terrihitt.com website has launched! Please visit and subscribe so that you gain access to all episodes housed in one convenient location, as well as receive access to transcripts, blog posts, and free resources that will be added to regularly. The Live With Eternal Perspective podcast is currently linked to my new website and also plays on Apple Podcast and Spotify. 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. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 043 The Art of Conversation Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #043 – The Art of Conversation 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. Conversation. That’s my topic today. More specifically, dialogue. The ability to communicate with others, giving us the means to exchange ideas or opinions. I enjoy talking to others; I love especially hearing their life stories. Do you? I believe many of us have more in common with one another than we think or imagine we do. Yet, I don’t feel that is reflected in the way we respond to, or act toward, others in our society today. What disappoints me most is when we don’t search for connection or look to see commonalities in those we meet. Most often, those special similarities are hidden beneath the surface like jewels under the rough sand still polishing them. When our youngest came home from China, she had spent most of her life in isolation, did not know English, knew little Mandarin because she had not been spoken to most of her life, and due to neglect, was almost entirely deaf. We had a focused road ahead of us to teach her to socialize, yet as each day passed and our relationship with her deepened and blossomed, we knew she was a perfect fit that completed our family. We each have a past, a chronicle of events that shape and define how we view and interact with the world. Stories define us – our personal tales of hardships, trials, heartache, joy, pain, loss, and love. The most impactful way to recognize or respect the narrative of another is through true, authentic dialogue. Unfortunately, the culture and society of this time leaves conversation to quickly-jotted texts and emails or small blurbs on a social media screen that most often feel and sound like attacks. When I meet someone, I usually wish for the opportunity to sit and talk to them for an extended period, sharing life tales and honestly connecting. Have most of us lost the desire to slow down and connect, to see another human for who they are? I don’t care about what society tells me I need or should be. I honestly get confused when I hear people say they want others to be themselves. I guess that is because I am who I am and I don’t expect fakeness from others. But in reality, I can understand that when we don’t have a grounded relationship with the One who shapes our identity, we do not know who we are, so falseness prevails as we flounder in finding, and in vulnerably, as well as honestly, exposing ourselves. The fast-paced, false society we live in has stolen the gift of discussion, and we have not yet conceived the full damage. Our children do not have the opportunity to experience life and relationships the way we did growing up. As adults, are we making time to teach them how to form authentic relationships? We must be making time to mentor our children through the way we develop those true relations ourselves. If we examine deeper, we see that what has most hurt our society, culture, and relationships is the condition of our hearts. As we move farther away from Jesus, the selfishness of our soul is exposed. Arrogance is born from this self-absorption, we become easily deceived, and we begin making justifications for anything we desire. Through social media, it is easy and convenient to lash out at others in ways most would not do in person years ago, and because of the current political climate driven by the media and much misinformation, many are now fueled by money, rage, hurt, and misunderstandings to begin attacks in person. After taking actions on beliefs, many look for others to agree with the decisions, no matter what they are, then get offended and angry when others dare to disagree. Are people truly looking to understand the viewpoint of the “opposing” thoughts from the person they are speaking to? Many times, no. The art of dialogue is fast diminishing from our culture. At this point, many people just want to be understood and agreed with. Much of the time all this “conversation” is spoken through written forms of communication that I spoke of earlier. No one can hear the tones of the other person and we cannot see or experience compassion or understanding that may be in the heart or eyes of those involved. I’ve been the victim of this type of communication attack and I’ve seen it happen to others. Even when you desire to speak to someone in person, if they choose not to, any hope of resolution fades. So, how do we expect communication to improve? It can’t and won’t, unless we decide to bring back old-fashioned heart to hearts and the ability to respect the opinion of another without taking it personally. Even among those who profess to be believers. What can we do to restore the art of communication? Shift our hearts to abide in the words and thoughts of our Heavenly Father. When we come to know God in an intimate way through Jesus, we are radically changed. Becoming a Christian is not the end, however. It is actually when the work begins. Until we release and commit ourselves to Jesus, we are only spouting personal beliefs and opinions. Once we abide in Christ, we begin a lifetime journey of allowing Him to transform our heart and mind to reflect and shine His thoughts and actions. A personal relationship with Jesus causes us to say and do things that we typically would not think of and would not have the ability to complete in our own free will. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Have you seen much grace on social media? Most people have deep-seated beliefs and do not desire to be persuaded to change. For example, I know no one is going to change my beliefs. They are rooted in what I believe God would have them to be. No one will shift that foundation, except Him, as I mature daily. Still, I respect that others have differing views. I respect that they also have a right to believe what they desire. I’m interested in why they believe as they do, because I like to hear their life story. Quite often, it shows me where there heart is and also exposes new ways I need to move mine more in alignment with Jesus. My desire is that we all have hearts in sync with where He would have us to be, but God gives free will to each of us. People who are seeking to abide in Him and grow daily will come into new viewpoints as they mature. Those who reject Christ will allow a greater chasm to divide them from godly viewpoints and actions. Instead of judgement, we must pray for godly discernment to lead us and form our reactions to others. If the person we are interacting with is not in the place to react in the same manner, we can shake the dust from our feet and nicely move on. God does not expect us to allow attacks to torment us. Remember to pray for the person or people and let God deal with them. The only way to do that is to know Jesus because we are involved in a personal and maturing walk with Him. When we are rooted in and through Him, and we spend time in His word regularly, also studying and applying the wisdom God extends to us through it, we are transformed. Our thoughts become His. His thoughts drive our actions, and then we can better discern what is good and acceptable to Him. Romans 12:2 says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” I am deeply saddened by the viewpoints and arguments I have seen on social media in the last several months. I am weary. I am grieving what I thought I knew about others. Although it sounds as if I am judging others. I assure you, I know my own heart. Judgement is not my job. Only God can judge. My Heavenly Father does, however, allow me the ability through knowing Him and intentionally growing in Him daily, to use discernment. Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” I have so much to learn to ever be the person I know the Lord created me to be, but I have matured much in Him and I can recognize when things grieve His heart, because they now grieve mine, as well. What I am wholly interested in is whether my beliefs and actions are in alignment with scripture. If you truly follow Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I pray that you believe the same for yourself. Hebrews 5:12-14 says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” What does this passage mean? Believers and followers of Jesus should be actively seeking to know Him, and be transformed to resemble Him. The word Christian means “little Christ.” How we let Him down daily. We are so far from where He desires us to be, yet loves us where we are. We have lost that ability in our society. We must look to the example of Jesus to love others where they are, yet not condone their sin. Just as we cannot make excuses for the sin we carry, but seek to be transformed and moved out of the sin through Jesus. I believe the difficulties arise because we are imperfect humans and even in the best of our attempts, we have room for error and those we interact with who do not know Jesus intimately through a personal relationship, simply do not understand our attempts and mistake them as judgement. We must continue to look Up and seek truth and direction from the Lord and allow Him to flow His responses into and out of us. When we do not advance in our maturity as we should, however, we are not able to advance to solid food, but remain ingesting milk, as a baby. If we never progress beyond an elementary relationship with Jesus, how can we discern what He desires? How are we to expect to understand and view the world as He does? How are our opinions and judgements to be trusted? Through our deep and purposeful progression of our personal relationship with Jesus, we gain skill in applying His principles to all areas of life. What a stark difference they are from what we would exercise on our own. My own life included. James 3:13 says, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.” Our thoughts affect our beliefs, which fuel our actions. As we have seen by the looting and other examples of crime and misconduct this year. Or with the anger, animosity, and fabrications exhibited on social media. 2 Corinthians 2:14 says, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” The more time we spend with Jesus, we begin to shine in the same way that He does. We begin to emit the scent of our Lord, either attracting others to Him or repelling, depending on where their relationship and loyalties stand. As believers, it should be our goal to know Jesus, to recognize and understand God’s word, to carry the same mindset as Jesus so that we cannot help but shine Him in our thoughts, words, and actions. In our attitude and conversations. Those in our presence should have no question that we carry the wisdom of God in our daily life. We do not want to attract others to ourselves, but to the Lord, so that they will also rest in His peace, abide in His love, and shine His wisdom and grace for others. So that they will follow Him and His desires and commands. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Doesn’t this make you want to shout, “Hallelujah!” Consider this passage from Exodus 34:29, which says, “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.” This verse is so beautiful it brings me to tears. The experience Moses had with God transformed him. He came away shining the light of our Heavenly Father. How can we look like Moses, with face and life aglow from the living God shining upon our appearance and heart? 1 Peter 2:12 says, “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” One day each of us will stand in front of God. Our Heavenly Father sees what we do and desires to guide us in the ways that are pure. He deeply loves each one of us. Galatians 6:7 reminds us, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” We reap what we sow. Oh, how I have learned this the hard way at various points in my life. Have you? God’s word always proves true. The decisions we make must be in alignment with God. There is only one way to know if they are. Each day must bring us closer to Him. We intimately recognize the One we are close to. We must value the things God values in this life. We must make decisions based on God’s guidance and wisdom, always going back to His word. We must be humble enough to seek Him and follow Him, humbly bowing to His whispers and commands, and seeking forgiveness when we sin. Sometimes the hardest sins are the ones we never knew we were making because we lived in ignorance instead of pursuing God as we should have. God is always waiting to forgive us when we repent, and His mercies and grace are ever-lasting. How do we move on with the gift of communication, especially through electronic form? We must remember that adversity should not rip us apart. Hardships and miscommunication should push us closer to Jesus and cause us to rest securely in His arms as He carries and provides for us. What if we, as a group believers (and individuals) decide to use adversity, even that experienced through communication, in new ways in our personal life and through social media? 1. Decide that difficulties will be used to progress the gospel. Not that we need to share every personal piece of our life, but use the attitude with which we deal with life and hardships, the disagreements we may feel because of differing opinions, to fuel us to focus on how Jesus would have us prove He is within us. Our attitude and words to others show whether we allow Him to work within us. We don’t have to keep talking to try to persuade someone else to understand our viewpoint. We need to remember that people do not and will not ever agree on every point, at least not this side of heaven. 2. Decide to use adversity to purify our motives. When we feel pain or hurt from what someone says to us in person or on social media, we can choose to release it to God or lash out as if we don’t know Christ. What if we decide to allow others their opinion and stop always trying to get others to understand us or agree with us? There is nothing wrong with respectfully expressing our opinions, especially when they are in alignment with Jesus, but none of us will ever receive agreement from all people, including other believers because we are all in different phases of our Christian walk. In fact, often the closer we get to Jesus, the more opposition we will receive from some people, just as Jesus experienced. 3. Decide that difficulties provide opportunities to witness. Especially through the way we handle opposition. People notice our responses more when times are tough. Dealing with difficulties also thrusts us deeper into the arms of God, when we let them. Testimonies are birthed or grown from these times. 4. Decide to allow adversity to mature our faith and reliance on Jesus. We may feel hurt and misunderstood by others, and our opinion or belief may be correct, (yet are being persecuted unfairly), but we can rest assured that Jesus understands us like no one else ever will. He was scorned and hated, misunderstood and ridiculed. He is available to comfort and guide us. 5. Decide that trouble proves the character of our friendships. Difficulties can deepen friendships or destroy them, depending on where and how hearts are directed. Sometimes we need our eyes opened that a person is not the right choice in our life any longer. Other times, we develop stronger ties with friends or relatives through the trials. 6. Decide that complications and obstacles allow us to see life and eternity through God’s eyes. Each day should thrust us closer to viewing life moments as God sees them. We will never have the complete understanding God carries in His infinite wisdom. He is God! We know, however, that everything we do has eternal consequences. Our actions and words should drive us to desire that others would know Him and be influenced through what they see in us. We will not be perfect, but can be perfected as we mature our relationship with Jesus with our eternal mindset daily. God can change our thoughts, words, and actions in a holy, miraculous, and beautiful way. Father God, we need you more than we can conceive. Thank you for Your infinite wisdom and for allowing us this life to know and grow in You. Thank you for the opportunity to know you and be saved through Your astounding gift of Jesus. May we cling to You more and more each moment and truly live in ways that reflect You and attract others to You. Help us to navigate the rocky times our country is traveling, and not be dismayed by this temporary world. Enable us to communicate in ways that honor You. May our journey please You as we move more and more into alignment with Your purposes for us, especially in our thoughts, words, and actions. In Your mighty and loving name we pray. Amen. I deeply desire to allow God to cultivate a strong community of women through the work He has given me. I pray you will be inspired and equipped to live with an eternal perspective and influenced to raise children with purpose for, and identity in, Jesus. If you enjoy the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast, you might like to hear that the terrihitt.com website has launched! Please visit and subscribe so that you gain access to all episodes housed in one convenient location, as well as receive access to transcripts, blog posts, and free resources that will be added to regularly. The Live With Eternal Perspective podcast is currently linked to my new website and also plays on Apple Podcast and Spotify. 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. 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 #064 – Praying Scripture – Part 2 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. Thank you for joining me for Part 2 of my “Praying Scripture” series. Last week we discussed the importance of prayer, then elevated our desire to pray and communicate with our Heavenly Father to higher ground by using God’s words as the foundation of our prayer life. Praying scripture strengthens our understanding of God’s word and releases His authoritative power into our life. Specifically seeking His word and utilizing it in our prayers is a faithful and trusting act of obedience as we rely on God’s powerful words and truths. To pray His word, we must know it, study it, and claim it. By purposely connecting our heart to God’s and intentionally praying His words, we are beseeching our Heavenly Father to use His will, just as Jesus modeled for us. As I shared last week, in order to deepen prayer time by drawing nearer to God and using His word as ours, we may need to examine and adjust the way we pray. We must pray with intimate devotion by crafting our language to align with scripture. By studying God’s word, we solidify knowledge and understanding of scripture. As I have been working to craft my prayers around scripture, I find God’s words filter through my mind more often. Usually when I go to bed at night or awaken in the morning, my thoughts are focused on the Lord, but now I have His words floating in my consciousness even when I awaken at night. God’s holy word carries privilege and strength as it shapes our heart and mind to mirror His. Even when we follow Jesus with a whole heart, we are incredibly far from where He desires us to be. Each of us struggles in some way with emotions, feelings, thoughts, fears, sadness, depression, lying, idols, mistakes, desires, conflicts, misunderstandings, attitudes, judging, failures, busyness, and the list just continues with no end. No one is perfect. Even when we feel we have successfully submitted ourselves to God to conquer some of what our particular weaknesses are, we are only scratching the surface. New trials or disappointments will come our way to awaken us to the realization that we have so much farther to go. Using God’s living, active word as the foundation for our prayers releases His profound power. Through using God’s word to frame our prayers, our faith deepens and stretches wider, allowing God more access to our heart, mind, and desires. A foundation of faith built on God’s holy word will never crumble. Today I am sharing several verses with prayers to accompany them. These are designed for you to use during your prayer time and are also a guideline for you to craft additional prayers from God’s word as you deepen your prayer time with Him in this manner. Let’s begin with basic prayers to prepare us to step before the presence of the Lord. First I will read the scripture, then a prayer designed around God’s word and truths. Matthew 7:7-8 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Father God, your word assures me that if I ask, I will receive. If I seek, I will find. If I knock, the door will be opened. You lovingly command me more than once to ask, seek, and knock, just as you desire that I remain constant in my faith and prayer life. Thank you for your assurance that if I continue, I will receive, find, and have the door opened to me. I know that Your word is true. I trust that You will give me what You desire as I ask You to help me to pray for what You want for me. My heart yearns for You, Your influence, and provision in my life. Matthew 7:12 says, “In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.” Loving Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your love for me and for Your deep and impartial love for others. Help me to see them with Your eyes and heart and enable me to love others in ways that can only come from You. May I treat everyone You created with a godly love and the same actions I desire them to extend to me. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Father, cause me to remain on the road within Your narrow gate. Keep me far from the path that leads to destruction. Enable me to focus on You, Your provisions, and peace that flows from You as I remain on the road that few will choose to travel. Carry me over difficult roads with joy as I focus on walking in eternity with You. Isaiah 50:4-5 says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me His words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will. The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I have not rebelled or turned away.” Sovereign Lord, I only desire to do Your will. You have deposited Your words of wisdom within me. Enable me to use them to know Your ways and comfort the weary. Each morning I am blessed to have You awaken me with deeper understanding of Your will. I do not wish to rebel, but to remain in Your will and ways. Create within me a desire for You above all else. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.” Father, enable me to be still and know that You alone are God. You are exalted among the nations and over the earth, yet you keep your eye on me. Help my thoughts, desires, and actions to honor You. Psalm 42:1-2 says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?” Gracious Lord, just as the deer waits to drink until it feels safe, You are my refuge. As the deer pants with a deep thirst for water, Lord, my spirit yearns for You in this dry land that offers no relief. Only You know my inner being and can completely satisfy the depth of my needs. My soul thirsts for You, My God. Allow me to humbly approach Your presence as I anticipate Your loving and caring hands. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Father God, how great You are that You beseech me to call upon You so that You can lavish Your loving care upon me. Your promises are certain. I know You desire my reliance and ask for me to trust in You. I call upon Your gracious heart to hear my cries and fulfill Your words to me. Thank you for desiring to be involved in my life. I need You. Show me great and unsearchable things I cannot know and have not seen as I seek Your mighty hand. How beautiful it is to enter God’s presence with His words crafting the desires of our heart to beat in unison with His. As we absorb the beauty of praying God’s words to Him, let’s examine a collection of verses that may be used for family. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.” A prayer of protection from these verses could be: Father, cause me to remain alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Protect my family and I, Dear God, and enable us to resist the adversary as we stand firm in our faith and in the knowledge that all of your children are undergoing the same challenges and suffering. Carry us, Lord, and keep our eyes fixed on You as we rest in Your ability to embrace and encircle us with Your steadfast and powerful protection. Galatians 1:10 says, “Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Father, may the only approval I desire be Yours. When I try to please man, I am not focused on being Your servant. Help me remain steadfast to You and Your ways. 1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.” Heavenly Father, I believe that humble submission is key to living for You. Help me to submit to Your mighty and sovereign hand, despite circumstances, and await the time You choose to exalt me. Matthew 22:37 says, “Jesus declared, “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.” Lord, thank you for allowing Jesus to be the perfect example for us to follow. May His words be carved into my mind and heart so that I do not sin against You. Father, help me to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind. Enable me to see myself as You desire and to love others as I love myself, as You stir compassion, empathy, and godly love in me to extend to them so that You may be glorified. Deuteronomy 6:1-9 says, “These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances that the Lord your God has instructed me to teach you to follow in the land that you are about to enter and possess, so that you and your children and grandchildren may fear the Lord your God all the days of your lives by keeping all His statutes and commandments that I give you, and so that your days may be prolonged. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe them, so that you may prosper and multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of 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 reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” This passage of scripture is one of my favorites in the Bible. How lovingly God has left wise instruction for us to absorb that will allow us to raise children for Him. A prayer scripted from these words will humbly touch our heart as we passionately strive to live for God and set our children on the path to knowing, loving, and honoring Him. Heavenly Father, I accept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You have instructed those who love You to follow. Help my children, grandchildren, and I to fear You all the days of our lives. May we keep these laws because we love You and desire to honor You. Prolong our lives as we submit to Your desires. You, my God, You are One, high above all else. I love You Father, with all of my heart, soul, and strength, just as I desire that my children and grandchildren will. I pray that the words You have commanded us will be upon my heart and cause me to teach them diligently to my children, that I will speak of You, and of Your words when we sit at home or walk along the road, when we lie down, and when we get up. Please tie them as reminders on my hands and bind them to my forehead. Write them on the doorposts of my house and on my gates as I strive to love You with my thoughts, emotions, energy, and purpose and teach my descendants to do the same, for You are worthy of our undivided love and devotion. This passage of scripture speaks to me so deeply because I believe we should all live this way as easily as breathing. God created this world and is in and above and around all we see and experience. It should be easy for us to follow this command. As we seek God moment by moment, speaking of His existence in and through all, allowing our children and grandchildren to see the love and reverence we hold for our Heavenly Father, we are in effect writing Him on our doorposts and gates, and binding Him into their minds and hearts. When we allow God this access, we are truly living with eternal perspective. Gracious and loving Heavenly Father, thank you for Your word and the transforming effect it creates on our life. Your word is alive and powerful, sharper than a double-edged sword, dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow. Through it, our innermost thoughts and desires are exposed so that true spiritual and eternal reconstruction can occur. Next week on the podcast we will finish this series with Part 3 as we delve into our final set of scripture and prayers. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If prayer is a topic you would like to learn more about, you may enjoy listening to episode 18, “Prayer.” 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’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 my website 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 064 - Praying Scripture - Part 2 Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #064 – Praying Scripture – Part 2 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. Thank you for joining me for Part 2 of my “Praying Scripture” series. Last week we discussed the importance of prayer, then elevated our desire to pray and communicate with our Heavenly Father to higher ground by using God’s words as the foundation of our prayer life. Praying scripture strengthens our understanding of God’s word and releases His authoritative power into our life. Specifically seeking His word and utilizing it in our prayers is a faithful and trusting act of obedience as we rely on God’s powerful words and truths. To pray His word, we must know it, study it, and claim it. By purposely connecting our heart to God’s and intentionally praying His words, we are beseeching our Heavenly Father to use His will, just as Jesus modeled for us. As I shared last week, in order to deepen prayer time by drawing nearer to God and using His word as ours, we may need to examine and adjust the way we pray. We must pray with intimate devotion by crafting our language to align with scripture. By studying God’s word, we solidify knowledge and understanding of scripture. As I have been working to craft my prayers around scripture, I find God’s words filter through my mind more often. Usually when I go to bed at night or awaken in the morning, my thoughts are focused on the Lord, but now I have His words floating in my consciousness even when I awaken at night. God’s holy word carries privilege and strength as it shapes our heart and mind to mirror His. Even when we follow Jesus with a whole heart, we are incredibly far from where He desires us to be. Each of us struggles in some way with emotions, feelings, thoughts, fears, sadness, depression, lying, idols, mistakes, desires, conflicts, misunderstandings, attitudes, judging, failures, busyness, and the list just continues with no end. No one is perfect. Even when we feel we have successfully submitted ourselves to God to conquer some of what our particular weaknesses are, we are only scratching the surface. New trials or disappointments will come our way to awaken us to the realization that we have so much farther to go. Using God’s living, active word as the foundation for our prayers releases His profound power. Through using God’s word to frame our prayers, our faith deepens and stretches wider, allowing God more access to our heart, mind, and desires. A foundation of faith built on God’s holy word will never crumble. Today I am sharing several verses with prayers to accompany them. These are designed for you to use during your prayer time and are also a guideline for you to craft additional prayers from God’s word as you deepen your prayer time with Him in this manner. Let’s begin with basic prayers to prepare us to step before the presence of the Lord. First I will read the scripture, then a prayer designed around God’s word and truths. Matthew 7:7-8 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Father God, your word assures me that if I ask, I will receive. If I seek, I will find. If I knock, the door will be opened. You lovingly command me more than once to ask, seek, and knock, just as you desire that I remain constant in my faith and prayer life. Thank you for your assurance that if I continue, I will receive, find, and have the door opened to me. I know that Your word is true. I trust that You will give me what You desire as I ask You to help me to pray for what You want for me. My heart yearns for You, Your influence, and provision in my life. Matthew 7:12 says, “In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.” Loving Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your love for me and for Your deep and impartial love for others. Help me to see them with Your eyes and heart and enable me to love others in ways that can only come from You. May I treat everyone You created with a godly love and the same actions I desire them to extend to me. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Father, cause me to remain on the road within Your narrow gate. Keep me far from the path that leads to destruction. Enable me to focus on You, Your provisions, and peace that flows from You as I remain on the road that few will choose to travel. Carry me over difficult roads with joy as I focus on walking in eternity with You. Isaiah 50:4-5 says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me His words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will. The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I have not rebelled or turned away.” Sovereign Lord, I only desire to do Your will. You have deposited Your words of wisdom within me. Enable me to use them to know Your ways and comfort the weary. Each morning I am blessed to have You awaken me with deeper understanding of Your will. I do not wish to rebel, but to remain in Your will and ways. Create within me a desire for You above all else. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.” Father, enable me to be still and know that You alone are God. You are exalted among the nations and over the earth, yet you keep your eye on me. Help my thoughts, desires, and actions to honor You. Psalm 42:1-2 says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?” Gracious Lord, just as the deer waits to drink until it feels safe, You are my refuge. As the deer pants with a deep thirst for water, Lord, my spirit yearns for You in this dry land that offers no relief. Only You know my inner being and can completely satisfy the depth of my needs. My soul thirsts for You, My God. Allow me to humbly approach Your presence as I anticipate Your loving and caring hands. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Father God, how great You are that You beseech me to call upon You so that You can lavish Your loving care upon me. Your promises are certain. I know You desire my reliance and ask for me to trust in You. I call upon Your gracious heart to hear my cries and fulfill Your words to me. Thank you for desiring to be involved in my life. I need You. Show me great and unsearchable things I cannot know and have not seen as I seek Your mighty hand. How beautiful it is to enter God’s presence with His words crafting the desires of our heart to beat in unison with His. As we absorb the beauty of praying God’s words to Him, let’s examine a collection of verses that may be used for family. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.” A prayer of protection from these verses could be: Father, cause me to remain alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Protect my family and I, Dear God, and enable us to resist the adversary as we stand firm in our faith and in the knowledge that all of your children are undergoing the same challenges and suffering. Carry us, Lord, and keep our eyes fixed on You as we rest in Your ability to embrace and encircle us with Your steadfast and powerful protection. Galatians 1:10 says, “Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Father, may the only approval I desire be Yours. When I try to please man, I am not focused on being Your servant. Help me remain steadfast to You and Your ways. 1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.” Heavenly Father, I believe that humble submission is key to living for You. Help me to submit to Your mighty and sovereign hand, despite circumstances, and await the time You choose to exalt me. Matthew 22:37 says, “Jesus declared, “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.” Lord, thank you for allowing Jesus to be the perfect example for us to follow. May His words be carved into my mind and heart so that I do not sin against You. Father, help me to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind. Enable me to see myself as You desire and to love others as I love myself, as You stir compassion, empathy, and godly love in me to extend to them so that You may be glorified. Deuteronomy 6:1-9 says, “These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances that the Lord your God has instructed me to teach you to follow in the land that you are about to enter and possess, so that you and your children and grandchildren may fear the Lord your God all the days of your lives by keeping all His statutes and commandments that I give you, and so that your days may be prolonged. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe them, so that you may prosper and multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of 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 reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” This passage of scripture is one of my favorites in the Bible. How lovingly God has left wise instruction for us to absorb that will allow us to raise children for Him. A prayer scripted from these words will humbly touch our heart as we passionately strive to live for God and set our children on the path to knowing, loving, and honoring Him. Heavenly Father, I accept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You have instructed those who love You to follow. Help my children, grandchildren, and I to fear You all the days of our lives. May we keep these laws because we love You and desire to honor You. Prolong our lives as we submit to Your desires. You, my God, You are One, high above all else. I love You Father, with all of my heart, soul, and strength, just as I desire that my children and grandchildren will. I pray that the words You have commanded us will be upon my heart and cause me to teach them diligently to my children, that I will speak of You, and of Your words when we sit at home or walk along the road, when we lie down, and when we get up. Please tie them as reminders on my hands and bind them to my forehead. Write them on the doorposts of my house and on my gates as I strive to love You with my thoughts, emotions, energy, and purpose and teach my descendants to do the same, for You are worthy of our undivided love and devotion. This passage of scripture speaks to me so deeply because I believe we should all live this way as easily as breathing. God created this world and is in and above and around all we see and experience. It should be easy for us to follow this command. As we seek God moment by moment, speaking of His existence in and through all, allowing our children and grandchildren to see the love and reverence we hold for our Heavenly Father, we are in effect writing Him on our doorposts and gates, and binding Him into their minds and hearts. When we allow God this access, we are truly living with eternal perspective. Gracious and loving Heavenly Father, thank you for Your word and the transforming effect it creates on our life. Your word is alive and powerful, sharper than a double-edged sword, dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow. Through it, our innermost thoughts and desires are exposed so that true spiritual and eternal reconstruction can occur. Next week on the podcast we will finish this series with Part 3 as we delve into our final set of scripture and prayers. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If prayer is a topic you would like to learn more about, you may enjoy listening to episode 18, “Prayer.” 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’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 my website 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.

Would you like to experience the power of God's word in the life of your child? Download the "Prayers for My Child" resource to learn how to offer God's word to Him as prayers designed to transform the heart of your child or grandchild into the wise and loving hands of our Heavenly Father. Prayers for My Child Would you like to experience the power of God's word in the life of your child? Download the "Prayers for My Child" resource to learn how to offer God's word to Him as prayers designed to transform the heart of your child or grandchild into the wise and loving hands of our Heavenly Father. Download

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< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 060 - Motherhood is Discipleship Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 60 – Motherhood is Discipleship Have you ever pondered how Jesus gathered His disciples? Or how He decided who would become His apostles? When I first became a follower of Christ, I had so many questions. I wondered at how Jesus chose those who were closest to Him. Of course, now I understand more clearly that God has a plan and Jesus was close to the Father and sought the Father’s wisdom, insight, knowledge, and understanding. Jesus simply and immediately obeyed where the Father commanded. He was able to choose the men who would become apostles through deep prayer with, and direction from God. Have you ever thought of yourself as a disciple of Christ? Let’s pause and consider the definition of the word disciple: a disciple is a person who is a pupil of or adheres to the doctrines of another. As a mother, you certainly are His disciple. In fact, as a mother, you are a discipler . As such, your main goal should be three-fold: to worship Christ, serve Him, and witness to your children. Luke 6:12-16 says, “In these days He went out to the mountain to pray, and all night He continued in prayer to God. And when day came, He called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom He named apostles: Simon, whom He named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor .” As you study additional Scripture, you see how Jesus prepared his disciples to become apostles in four ways. In fact, these are the same methods you can use to prepare your children for a life of discipleship under Christ. 1. He shared truth - Jesus shared the truth of God – Jesus, the actual Source of the gospel, the provider of eternal life for each of us, shared God to everyone without excuses, without wavering, and without fear - just as you are to do with your husband, children, or grandchildren. No matter how old they might be, you have the holy privilege and responsibility of bringing your children to God through Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me .” 2. He mentored discipleship - Jesus explained the way to get to God , He modeled the way to live. Jesus mentored complete obedience and love. Just as we are expected to do with our children and others. God gives us the blessing of choice, but why would anyone choose not to share Jesus? The very act of living shows our beliefs and values under Christ. How are you modeling Jesus? John 8:31-32 says, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 1 John 2:4-6 says, “Whoever says “I know Him” but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked .” 3. He modeled prayer – Jesus taught the disciples how to pray . The Lord’s Prayer clearly indicates an order in which to lift requests and recognition to God. Jesus began with praise . Petitions were made after worship had begun and glory given. Instead of reciting a shopping list of needs and desires, Jesus remembered Who He was addressing and gave due honor. When we pray in this way, our focus remains in the right frame of mind. Luke 11:1-13 says, “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.” And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.” So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Did you notice the important aspects of prayer laid out by Jesus: content , persistence , faithfulness, and forgiveness of God ? Jesus prayed because He understood His purpose was to be a disciple of God, to show Him to others, and to obey His will. Without prayer, and learning to know and be like the Father, Jesus would not be able to obey God’s will. Such is your life. So is my life. In order to share the truth of God with our children, they must witness Him in us . In order to be able to see Him within you, you must be in prayer. So much is modeled in this prayer! Forgiveness of self, others, God, and realizing the forgiveness lavished on us by Jesus Himself. This beautiful prayer also modeled realization that God’s provisions are daily . Sure, we love surplus. We want assurance that everything is taken care of today, tomorrow, and forever. Yet, God’s ways are different. His desire is that we are satisfied with trusting Him moment by moment. “Give us this day our daily bread .” When you are worried, dissatisfied, grumpy, lonely, or depressed, are you relying on Him to give what you need in each moment? Are you living in His strength or faltering in your own? Colossians 4:2 says, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving .” Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer .” God’s Word says to be steadfast in prayer. You know I love looking at meanings of words. Steadfast means fixed in direction and unwavering. We are to remain unwavering in our ability to speak to God at any time. No matter the time of day, where you are, how you are feeling, or what is on your mind, take your heart and thoughts to God in prayer. Sometimes you’ll be in a quiet place, sometimes you’ll literally be on your knees or laying prostrate on the floor. At other times, you will lift a quick and quiet prayer from your spirit. Sometimes you’ll speak aloud as you go along your day. There is no required method to prayer, except that you speak from a place of belief, faith, and trust. God is ever-present and He hears. Steadfastness or persistence in prayer changes our heart and mind as we wait for God’s response. It helps us express the needs and desires of our heart and mind and transforms what we long and ask for as we wait. We recognize God’s work more readily as we are changed to desire what He desires and we acquire gratitude that springs from a changed heart. God also tells us to be watchful with thanksgiving . I used to keep a prayer journal. When life became so busy it was difficult to keep it up, I stopped and put the journal away. Even many years later, I pull it out sometimes and read the prayers I spoke to God and I see the answers logged, as well as those that weren’t. I think all of them have now been answered. I highly recommend logging prayers, not only for your records and remembrances, but for family members who will see the log long after you are gone. What a beautiful way to showcase the faithfulness of God and the mother who longed to disciple her children for Him. God’s Word commands us to be constant in prayer. I adore the definition for the word constant : continuing without pause or let-up . I believe speaking to God is also a lifestyle. Our communication with our Heavenly Father is like breathing. Our heart, mind, words, actions, reactions, and emotions should be so tied to His that we are in constant communication in the way we act and speak. This is constant prayer. Speaking to God, letting Him know our deepest desires, our weaknesses, relying on Him to carry us, and calling on Him to do so. 4. He equipped them – Jesus equipped His disciples . Jesus spent purposed time with His disciples. He mentored the way to live a life centered on three very important things: live with God-driven desires, focus on serving others above self, and be a godly leader. Ephesians 4:11-16 says, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work .” Can you see how in the same way Jesus prepared His apostles, Jesus prepares you to disciple His children for Him through the holy Word of God? God has set the knowledge of His moral standards within each of us and our children, but we need His Holy Spirit inside to guide and guard us, to equip us to do live according to the holy standards He has set for us. His Holy Spirit living within your children mentors the way to live a life of morals and values from our Heavenly Father. They need you to teach them the way to Him. Christ sits at the right hand of God interceding with groans when your words are inadequate and your heart longs for understanding, wisdom, direction, and peace. He has equipped you with a perfect template of how to pray to the Father and how to grow your walk moment by moment so you can reflect Him in thoughts, words, actions, reactions, and deeds. Jesus taught men to fish. He didn’t just give them fish. Don’t attempt to walk with Jesus. Let yourself be carried by Christ. Then show your children how to abide in His arms so they will never need to be hand-fed. They will be able to fish and become the generation showing others the way to life through Christ. Dear Heavenly Father, Your goodness is unfathomable. Try as we might, it is difficult to imagine the glory You deserve. Help us each day to grasp Your holiness and mercy in new ways that drive us to our knees before You. Enable us to be the godly women You desire so that our children and grandchildren will carry the knowledge of You into each area of their life, invite You in, and rely on You for all their needs. Father, Jesus chose ordinary apostles with mixtures of backgrounds and personalities, talents and desires. Yet He showed each of them how to use those unique qualities for You. Help us to parent in the same way. May we see our children with Your eyes of love, wisdom, and understanding, and have the patience to show them the way to eternal life with You. Prepare our hearts as You prepare theirs. Lord, we know Jesus prayed before every important event. He took time to abide in You. Help us to seek that time with You and find it. In the midst of hectic days and short nights, our spirit cries out for You without relief. Help us find the Way, the Truth, and the Life and reflect You to our children because we make the time to rest in You. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen. If you connected in some way with this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? The best reviews are by word of mouth, so if you would also choose a friend to recommend the show to, imagine the change we could see in the way mothers parent for Christ. Also, please tell friends and family that the podcast can be found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place. 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 #073 – Be Rid of Sin 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. Earlier this week my daughter Marissa and I went for a long walk together. Sharing a walk is not a new experience. We go out together a lot. Sharing conversation and laughs is a highlight for us. As we are always hopeful that we’ll encounter geese or ducks, my daughter usually carries treats to offer our feathered friends just in case we need them. What made this particular walk different is a new path we tried. I’m not sure when it opened, but our neighborhood added a nature trail for residents to enjoy. Full of winding paths, creeks, slight inclines (for optimum leg exercise), wildlife, fresh air, and sunshine, Marissa and I believed we found a little slice of heaven. Until we got home. Although I brought water with me, I was parched when we returned. For some reason, I was craving grapefruit. I told Marissa I was going to eat before I hopped into the shower. As I was eating, I felt something tickling my skin inside my shirt. I peeked inside my blouse and saw what looked like a tiny spider. After a second look, I knew it was a tick. My reflexive response was to flick it off my skin, but I regretted that move instantly because I didn’t want it to find my two dogs. After my family and I searched the kitchen floor for a bit without finding it, I looked back inside my shirt and saw that I had missed the tick, who was still enjoying walking around my stomach. I started screaming. I know. Screamers are extremely annoying, but I was so grossed out by this tiny blood-sucking bug that I could not help it. My husband grabbed the disgusting creature and smashed it. Ready for a shower now, I left for the bathroom so that I could shower and truly feel clean again. It was going to be a while before that happened. Marissa joined me in the bathroom. She planned to take a bath while I showered so we could both make sure we didn’t have any other creatures ready to suck life from us. As we prepared for our bath and shower, we continued to find more and more ticks. We ended up having so many on the two of us that I lost count. The peaceful woodland setting we had enjoyed together became a dreaded memory we never wanted to revisit. We spent the rest of the evening feeling like we had ticks crawling over our skin and checking under our clothes to ensure we didn’t really have anything to pluck off our body. As I thought about the walk and resulting ticks, I felt God urging me to write this podcast. One message kept coming to mind to share. Sin should have the same effect on us that the tiny eight-legged tick parasites carry. We should be anxious to be rid of any sinfulness touching our life. There was nothing else I could think of when I found each tick. I just wanted them off as soon as possible! The need to remove them was so urgent that it was futile to fathom thinking of anything else. Believers should be so attuned to His thoughts and ways that any sin sickens us and makes us want to escape it immediately. How is sin defined in this world? Basically, sin is an immoral act considered to be a transgression against God’s holy law or an act that is a sin in the eyes of God. Most people, regardless of where they stand in their religious convictions would agree that this is a fair definition of sin. Yet, what is interesting is that we each differ more in what we consider to be a sin in the eyes of God, or more importantly, we seem to forget what God would consider sinful as we habitually fall into practices that feel good or give us pleasure in the moment. 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.” All of humanity is subject to the actions of two men: Adam and Jesus. Do we desire to follow the example of Adam and be content to toy with sin? Or do we yearn to cling to the freedom and hope found through Christ and live with fullness of life because we identify and flee from sin? Genesis 4:7b says, “But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.” Sin is everywhere. We do not experience a day where we can say we were not tempted to sin or we did not encounter some sort of sin. Yet, the miracle is that through the grace of God and the act of Jesus on the cross, we do not need to be a slave to the sinful nature within us. Romans 2:15 says, “They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.” The condition of our heart dictates our thoughts and actions. I believe the easiest way to identify sin in our life is to break it down into two easy to remember categories. 1. Attitude: Are we living with a mind or heartset that strives to please God or be Christlike? Or can we recognize hatred, envy, bitterness, unforgiveness, selfishness, pride, arrogance, maliciousness, and the like in our life? 2. Action: Are we living with actions that are contrary to what God instructs? Are we living in ways that please Him? Does our life draw others to His life-changing or life-giving power or push them away? Or do we secretly live with acts such as negligence, foul language, slander, adultery, stealing, lying, and the like in our life? If we cannot recognize or obey God’s truths, commands, or promptings, we sin. James 4:17 says, “Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.” When we are close to Jesus because we know, love, and follow Him, we allow His sacrificial act to transform our heart, mind, and life. Then we are able to make the powerful decision to put Him before self. It is a decision we will need to make each moment for the rest of our life – not because we have to, but because we love Him and desire transformation into His image. We need to immediately flick any remnant of sin from us with an urgency that conveys absolute obedience to Jesus. Romans 6:12-17 says, “What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires. Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” Remember that our body on its own is not sinful or evil. Yet, we do not want to allow sin to find a place of dominance or power over our body or in our life. Jesus has rendered sin powerless and unless we do not know or follow Him, or we succumb to the allure of sin instead of keeping our gaze focused on the power of Christ, it will not carry a place of power over us. We can either allow ourselves to fall to the evil forces of sin and live in rebellion and regret or claim victory through the sacrifice of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. Satan and sin have no power over us when we are rightfully living under the dominion of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!! We know we have ultimate victory because the power of Jesus lives within us and He has given us a hope and future. We can also believe and claim His power over daily moment by moment activities as well. Our mind and heart can both turn to and rely on the power of Christ to save us every second if we continue to rely on Him. Grace was extended not so that we could continue to sin and experience grace over again, but so that we would be reconstructed into new life that cannot tolerate sin. 1 Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins" in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by His wounds you have been healed." 1 John 3:9 says, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” This verse is spoken in the present tense, meaning a continuous action. It is saying that a follower of Christ will not sin on purpose or make a practice of sinning. When we have been born again through Jesus’s act on the cross, our new nature, born again in the image of a holy God, enables us to follow Him and produce His good fruit. He releases the grip of sin and removes the temptation of bowing to sin when we keep our gaze and heart attuned to and reliant on Him. Sin entered the world through one man and exited the world through one man. Who do you want to follow? Look up to the One who has the authority and grace to render sin powerless. Jesus sacrificed all so that we can live a rich and fulfilling life now and for eternity. Keep your gaze and heart fixed on Him, the One who can do all things. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now to Him who is able to do so much more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” What sin is threatening to grip or deceive you? Render it powerless now through Jesus. Heavenly Father, our good and gracious God. We thank You for the life You gave us through Jesus. Help us recognize the power alive and at work within us as we face life moment by moment. May we always turn to You, enabling Your grace and the gift of new life to lift us above the snares of this world. May our thoughts and behavior be perfected as You are perfect, not to honor us, but to glorify You. Do not let sin reign in our mortal body, or let us obey the lusts of it. Please help us present ourselves as instruments of righteousness, made alive through Jesus with sin carrying no dominion over us in any way. We boldly ask this because we know it is Your intention for us, loving Father. 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 ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 073 Be Rid of Sin Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #073 – Be Rid of Sin 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. Earlier this week my daughter Marissa and I went for a long walk together. Sharing a walk is not a new experience. We go out together a lot. Sharing conversation and laughs is a highlight for us. As we are always hopeful that we’ll encounter geese or ducks, my daughter usually carries treats to offer our feathered friends just in case we need them. What made this particular walk different is a new path we tried. I’m not sure when it opened, but our neighborhood added a nature trail for residents to enjoy. Full of winding paths, creeks, slight inclines (for optimum leg exercise), wildlife, fresh air, and sunshine, Marissa and I believed we found a little slice of heaven. Until we got home. Although I brought water with me, I was parched when we returned. For some reason, I was craving grapefruit. I told Marissa I was going to eat before I hopped into the shower. As I was eating, I felt something tickling my skin inside my shirt. I peeked inside my blouse and saw what looked like a tiny spider. After a second look, I knew it was a tick. My reflexive response was to flick it off my skin, but I regretted that move instantly because I didn’t want it to find my two dogs. After my family and I searched the kitchen floor for a bit without finding it, I looked back inside my shirt and saw that I had missed the tick, who was still enjoying walking around my stomach. I started screaming. I know. Screamers are extremely annoying, but I was so grossed out by this tiny blood-sucking bug that I could not help it. My husband grabbed the disgusting creature and smashed it. Ready for a shower now, I left for the bathroom so that I could shower and truly feel clean again. It was going to be a while before that happened. Marissa joined me in the bathroom. She planned to take a bath while I showered so we could both make sure we didn’t have any other creatures ready to suck life from us. As we prepared for our bath and shower, we continued to find more and more ticks. We ended up having so many on the two of us that I lost count. The peaceful woodland setting we had enjoyed together became a dreaded memory we never wanted to revisit. We spent the rest of the evening feeling like we had ticks crawling over our skin and checking under our clothes to ensure we didn’t really have anything to pluck off our body. As I thought about the walk and resulting ticks, I felt God urging me to write this podcast. One message kept coming to mind to share. Sin should have the same effect on us that the tiny eight-legged tick parasites carry. We should be anxious to be rid of any sinfulness touching our life. There was nothing else I could think of when I found each tick. I just wanted them off as soon as possible! The need to remove them was so urgent that it was futile to fathom thinking of anything else. Believers should be so attuned to His thoughts and ways that any sin sickens us and makes us want to escape it immediately. How is sin defined in this world? Basically, sin is an immoral act considered to be a transgression against God’s holy law or an act that is a sin in the eyes of God. Most people, regardless of where they stand in their religious convictions would agree that this is a fair definition of sin. Yet, what is interesting is that we each differ more in what we consider to be a sin in the eyes of God, or more importantly, we seem to forget what God would consider sinful as we habitually fall into practices that feel good or give us pleasure in the moment. 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.” All of humanity is subject to the actions of two men: Adam and Jesus. Do we desire to follow the example of Adam and be content to toy with sin? Or do we yearn to cling to the freedom and hope found through Christ and live with fullness of life because we identify and flee from sin? Genesis 4:7b says, “But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.” Sin is everywhere. We do not experience a day where we can say we were not tempted to sin or we did not encounter some sort of sin. Yet, the miracle is that through the grace of God and the act of Jesus on the cross, we do not need to be a slave to the sinful nature within us. Romans 2:15 says, “They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.” The condition of our heart dictates our thoughts and actions. I believe the easiest way to identify sin in our life is to break it down into two easy to remember categories. 1. Attitude: Are we living with a mind or heartset that strives to please God or be Christlike? Or can we recognize hatred, envy, bitterness, unforgiveness, selfishness, pride, arrogance, maliciousness, and the like in our life? 2. Action: Are we living with actions that are contrary to what God instructs? Are we living in ways that please Him? Does our life draw others to His life-changing or life-giving power or push them away? Or do we secretly live with acts such as negligence, foul language, slander, adultery, stealing, lying, and the like in our life? If we cannot recognize or obey God’s truths, commands, or promptings, we sin. James 4:17 says, “Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.” When we are close to Jesus because we know, love, and follow Him, we allow His sacrificial act to transform our heart, mind, and life. Then we are able to make the powerful decision to put Him before self. It is a decision we will need to make each moment for the rest of our life – not because we have to, but because we love Him and desire transformation into His image. We need to immediately flick any remnant of sin from us with an urgency that conveys absolute obedience to Jesus. Romans 6:12-17 says, “What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires. Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” Remember that our body on its own is not sinful or evil. Yet, we do not want to allow sin to find a place of dominance or power over our body or in our life. Jesus has rendered sin powerless and unless we do not know or follow Him, or we succumb to the allure of sin instead of keeping our gaze focused on the power of Christ, it will not carry a place of power over us. We can either allow ourselves to fall to the evil forces of sin and live in rebellion and regret or claim victory through the sacrifice of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. Satan and sin have no power over us when we are rightfully living under the dominion of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!! We know we have ultimate victory because the power of Jesus lives within us and He has given us a hope and future. We can also believe and claim His power over daily moment by moment activities as well. Our mind and heart can both turn to and rely on the power of Christ to save us every second if we continue to rely on Him. Grace was extended not so that we could continue to sin and experience grace over again, but so that we would be reconstructed into new life that cannot tolerate sin. 1 Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins" in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by His wounds you have been healed." 1 John 3:9 says, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” This verse is spoken in the present tense, meaning a continuous action. It is saying that a follower of Christ will not sin on purpose or make a practice of sinning. When we have been born again through Jesus’s act on the cross, our new nature, born again in the image of a holy God, enables us to follow Him and produce His good fruit. He releases the grip of sin and removes the temptation of bowing to sin when we keep our gaze and heart attuned to and reliant on Him. Sin entered the world through one man and exited the world through one man. Who do you want to follow? Look up to the One who has the authority and grace to render sin powerless. Jesus sacrificed all so that we can live a rich and fulfilling life now and for eternity. Keep your gaze and heart fixed on Him, the One who can do all things. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now to Him who is able to do so much more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” What sin is threatening to grip or deceive you? Render it powerless now through Jesus. Heavenly Father, our good and gracious God. We thank You for the life You gave us through Jesus. Help us recognize the power alive and at work within us as we face life moment by moment. May we always turn to You, enabling Your grace and the gift of new life to lift us above the snares of this world. May our thoughts and behavior be perfected as You are perfect, not to honor us, but to glorify You. Do not let sin reign in our mortal body, or let us obey the lusts of it. Please help us present ourselves as instruments of righteousness, made alive through Jesus with sin carrying no dominion over us in any way. We boldly ask this because we know it is Your intention for us, loving Father. 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 ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #047 – Preparing for Christ – 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. Can you believe it is almost the end of 2020? No matter what your thoughts are about this year, and you may have many, God has been in control. He was, is, and will remain in control. Nothing has touched us as individuals, as a nation, or in this world that was not already sifted through His capable and trustworthy hands. His eye is on the sparrow. We know He watches over us. As it is the end of the year, many worthy organizations are looking for end of year support, and I want to take a moment today to mention one of my favorite local charities in Kansas City, the “Who Is Carter Foundation.” They have established a worldwide project to provide support, treatment options, and resources to those supporting exceptional children with neurological conditions. That project can be found at thebrainpossible.com, and you can learn more about the foundation at whoiscarter.org. We have personally worked with this organization and truly appreciate their mission and the support they offer. I encourage you to visit their websites and learn more and pass the info on to a friend or family member who might benefit from their various services. Talking about the end of 2020 reminds me that the holiday season is already here! Each year, it seems that Christmas has a way of sneaking up on me. Is it like that for you, too? Life moves so quickly. One moment it’s summer and I’m savoring the heat most other people despise. Suddenly, I’m thrust into leaves falling and winds blowing, bringing cold weather that chills me before temperatures even drop below 50 degrees. I never feel fully ready to jump into the rush of a holiday season because it seems so sneaky. Yet, as I consistently and intentionally purpose to live with my heart and mind focused on Jesus daily through an eternal lens, it enables my preparations for Christmas to be more authentic, although not in the way the world teaches. My attitude and desires are gratefully aware of His presence in my life. To have the honor of creating additional praise in our routine becomes a pleasure, not a chore. Once I release timetables and what our culture pushes on me faster and sooner each calendar turn, I believe I am better equipped to transition into seasons such as Christmas with a full heart and ready spirit. I’ve learned that if my heart is already practicing worship and praise for Jesus through a daily personal and deepening relationship, I won’t feel the stress or pressure to complete preparations by a certain time or rise to expectations I don’t want placed on myself. This is where I want to abide. Social media has shown me photos of the beautiful homes of friends and acquaintances as they prepare for the season, many earlier than usual this year. I love seeing what they do and feel joyous that they are decorating and celebrating in ways that give them pleasure. Yet, it is not for me. There was a time when my middle daughter was younger that we regularly set up five trees in the house, wrapped the stairway railing in holly and bows, placed several nativity scenes in the house, decorated fireplace mantles, and baked many Christmas goodies. In love with the lights and excitement of the holiday season, my daughter excitedly anticipated the preparations and decorating process. I remember when she was a toddler, one of her favorite activities was riding in the cart at Target and Wal-Mart, spending a great amount of time visiting the holiday décor section and exclaiming over the brightly lit trees and blow-ups lawn décor. Nowadays, we are so busy that the thought of decking the house out like that exhausts me and the rest of the family. We still hold tightly, however, to traditions we enjoy and that have become staples in our family, but we strive to keep the meaning of the celebrations high and clear and the emphasis on gifting low. Continually resting in Jesus is the only way to receive the peace and joy we desire. The spirit of Christmas is more than trees, ornaments, holiday baking, and gathering with family to exchange and open gifts. Not that any of those are bad, but remembering and cherishing, celebrating Christ coming to us in human form is meant to linger in our spirit throughout the year. Why does society divide the time? Because Christmas has become so commercial and many are lost, without knowing Christ or celebrating the true purpose. As followers of Christ, we can keep the true spirit of Christmas within our heart and mind if we focus on becoming more like Him daily. The older I get, the less excited I get about the commercialism surrounding such a sacred holiday. Of course, I love to give and receive gifts. Especially when the perfect one is found and I get to experience the delight of giving something personal and special to someone I love dearly. Yet, the assignment of shopping just because it is a certain time of year is a chore I don’t enjoy. I want to sit quietly with Jesus, reflecting on Who He is and wants He is calling me to do for Him. Quiet time with the Lord, in His word, with no sounds or schedule. Just the two of us together as I focus on what He has done and is doing within me. Although I attempt to speak to and listen for Him daily, I know there is nothing as sacred as true, undivided time with nothing to do but hear from Him. No prayers that unintentionally get interrupted with children or spouse calling. No distracted thoughts flitting through my mind as I am speaking my heart. What if Christmas was just each one of us seeking Him with whole hearts? No presents except the ones we offer Him in return? What if we sat in solitude, allowing Jesus to probe our spirit and reveal new mysteries to each of us? What would He say that we are not hearing now? I urge each one of us to carve special time, whether long or short, to rest in the Lord in this time before Christmas arrives, simply and intentionally preparing our hearts for Him. The podcast this week is not in my normal format. I’ve purposely selected several verses to read that are not typically used at Christmas, to slow us down and prepare us to remember the mercy of the Lord, and to seek and be grateful for His good and perfect will for us, to remember Who He is and the enormous gift we have in Jesus. The podcast will be divided into two parts to help us prepare for the arrival of Noel, where we more clearly remember Immanuel. Christ with us. I hope you will rest with me in the beauty and promise of these simple, yet sovereign words as I read verses and speak on each one. I hope it helps you to carve out special time to listen to His words, ponder your relationship, and reflect on Jesus and His immense love for you. For each of us. For God so loved the world! There is absolutely nothing more powerful than words, promises, and wisdom from God found in the Bible and the gift of eternal life we receive through Jesus. Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” God reveals himself to us through creation. Psalm 19:1 declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork.” No one should be able to miss the clear evidence from God of His majesty and sovereignty. John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” How blessed we are to receive these words, and from Jesus Himself! This verse carries some of the most basic and forthright words in the Bible. They are also the most important. Jesus clearly tells us that He is the way to God. Christians do not have to argue with unbelievers or question our relationship through Jesus. For those who believe the way to God is too narrow, in reality, it is the opposite. Jesus came for everyone and clearly states the way with His words. Instead of thinking it is “limited” to say there is only one way, we can be thankful that God makes it very clear. Jesus assures us that He is the way and that no one will come to God, except through Him. Christ is our way to God, and He is also the living reality of each of God’s predictions and promises. Through the Holy Spirit within us, Jesus links Himself to us in this life, and for eternity. Philippians 1:11 says, “May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.” What beautiful and powerful words! They are a promise of all the character traits we will receive when we build a solid and mature personal relationship with God through Jesus. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Through the merciful and unmerited grace of our Heavenly Father, we are created as His masterpiece. It is our honor to serve Him and others with the gifts and interests He individually crafted for each of us. 2 Corinthians 4:10 says, “Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.” Another beautiful promise. Suffering never seems like a gift, but through and because of Jesus, we experience the Lord shining through us when we hurt or suffer in any way. When we are broken, and expectantly reliant on Him, He will work within us and shine His glory from us. How this work prepares us and gifts us with an even clearer view of eternity! My greatest hardships have elevated my view of life to see with eternal perspective every moment. 1 John 4:8 says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Oh, how God transforms us when we truly follow Him! Even as we are changed moment by moment to resemble Him, our love will never reach the heights of His. Jesus is true love. God is the author of love. He is love. Love is rooted in His nature and character. God exhibited true love through Jesus and required absolutely nothing of us, yet He loves us with an everlasting love beyond our comprehension. This world warps love with our selfish and ungodly desires. How much different we would be if we all chose to follow Him and allow His transforming love to radiate through us. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” Again we see how merciful God is! He patiently waits, while allowing the sin He cannot bear, knowing some will still some to repentance. During this time of grace, those who already know Jesus should use the time we are granted to do His work and make Him known to others. Isaiah 40:28 says, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” God understands our every thought and desire. He is ahead of our every need. For those who believe that God no longer cares, we see that He is indeed always with us and never grows tired or weary of caring for us. 1 John 1:5 says, “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.” God is infinitely holy, completely righteous, and pure in absolutely every way. Hallelujah! He is our Father, Provider, and Protector. He is our Guiding Light. We must remain close to Him and allow His light and righteousness to pour into us. 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.” We are blessed to have as our holy Heavenly Father the very same God who created the heavens and the earth, who aligned the stars and moon, and who lovingly created each of us personally. He intentionally loves and cares for us in ways only He can and He yearns to do it. He is dependable and will not change, shift, or leave us. Psalm 18:30 says, “As for God, His way is perfect: The Lord's word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.” Although those who do not follow the Lord may believe those of us who do are weak, we understand that all of us are weak and we glory in that weakness! Hallelujah! He is strong where I am weak! God is infinitely stronger than any of us and we desire His power to work in and through us. He lovingly cares for us as we rely on Him to protect and save us. God certainly shields us with His word and His mighty, loving power. Make me weak, Lord! Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” The very same character traits found in Jesus are available to us through the Holy Spirit as we mature our walk with Christ. They come as a by-product of following Him and are nothing we can gain by our own works or attempts. As we join our lives to Him, we begin to be transformed into new creations that imitate the glorious qualities He embodies. Since God is the author of the law and He sent the Spirit, both align perfectly with the fruits that we begin to possess and exhibit through Him. Micah 7:18-19 says, “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” How God delights in showing us mercy! Our God of love does not hold grudges, is joyful when we repent, and heartily extends forgiveness to us as we return to Him. Hebrews 4:12 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.” God’s word is living and active, not just a compilation of meaningless words. It is holy, life-affirming, and life-changing. God’s word cuts through to our moral and spiritual core, revealing who we are and exposing our intentions. Accept, believe, and live God’s word so that it will transform and shape your life. Philippians 4:8 says, “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.” What we allow access to our mind will determine and shape our present – and our eternity. What we think on forms our attitude, words, and actions. If we have difficulty shaping thoughts that are as God calls: noble, right, pure, lovely, etc., we must assess what we are exposing ourselves to and whether we are in His word to cleanse and support our mind and actions. When we ask God to purify our mind and desires and help us focus on the thoughts He calls us to have, He will enable us to crave and keep wholesome material going in so that holiness will flow out. 1 Peter 1:15 says. “But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.” Our Heavenly Father is a God of mercy and justice who expects His followers to imitate Him, and desire to be holy, just as He is. 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 now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Once we are reconciled to God through Jesus, there is no sin blocking our relationship with Him. This peace with God is only available because of the price Jesus paid for our sins when He died on the cross. We are now complete with Jesus, yet still growing in and through Him. Because we are human, we still struggle with the temptations and sins this life offers, yet we have the privilege of heeding the Holy Spirit within us and taking our battles to the Lord to fight on our behalf. As we mature through Him, we recognize that with each release we grow more intertwined with God and do not grow discouraged by the weights and pressures of this world. We know every trial will carry us closer to Him and should bring Him glory as He works in and through us. Praise God! We are renewed through Him daily! Rest and abide in God’s holy words of scripture as you prepare your heart to worship Jesus in a deeper way this holiday season. No greater gift is available to us in this life than to accept fellowship with God through the sacrifice of Jesus and live with Him for eternity. Place Him before preparations and shopping, wrapping, and movies. May His word be stored in your mind and reflected on as you shape your life after His. Gracious Heavenly Father, we rejoice in the love You have for us and thank you for the gracious gift of eternal life with You through your Son, Jesus. Calm our spirit, our heart, and mind as we reflect on all You are this Christmas season. Help us to seek You in new ways. Open us to seeing this world with Your eyes and desires. Thank you for Your eternal love for us. Help us to move and respond to this world with eternal perspective that mirrors You. In Your precious name we pray. I deeply desire to allow God to cultivate a strong community of women through the work He has given me. I pray you will be better equipped to live with an eternal perspective and encouraged to influence children for Jesus. Future episodes and resources will be geared toward the important duty we have as parents and grandparents to guide and guard children for Jesus. The Live With Eternal Perspective podcast is currently linked to my new website at terrihitt.com, where you can access all the podcasts housed in one convenient location, as well as receive access to blog posts, transcripts, and additional free resources that are added to regularly. Thank you for listening. 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 for new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 047 Preparing for Christ - Part 1 Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #047 – Preparing for Christ – 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. Can you believe it is almost the end of 2020? No matter what your thoughts are about this year, and you may have many, God has been in control. He was, is, and will remain in control. Nothing has touched us as individuals, as a nation, or in this world that was not already sifted through His capable and trustworthy hands. His eye is on the sparrow. We know He watches over us. As it is the end of the year, many worthy organizations are looking for end of year support, and I want to take a moment today to mention one of my favorite local charities in Kansas City, the “Who Is Carter Foundation.” They have established a worldwide project to provide support, treatment options, and resources to those supporting exceptional children with neurological conditions. That project can be found at thebrainpossible.com, and you can learn more about the foundation at whoiscarter.org. We have personally worked with this organization and truly appreciate their mission and the support they offer. I encourage you to visit their websites and learn more and pass the info on to a friend or family member who might benefit from their various services. Talking about the end of 2020 reminds me that the holiday season is already here! Each year, it seems that Christmas has a way of sneaking up on me. Is it like that for you, too? Life moves so quickly. One moment it’s summer and I’m savoring the heat most other people despise. Suddenly, I’m thrust into leaves falling and winds blowing, bringing cold weather that chills me before temperatures even drop below 50 degrees. I never feel fully ready to jump into the rush of a holiday season because it seems so sneaky. Yet, as I consistently and intentionally purpose to live with my heart and mind focused on Jesus daily through an eternal lens, it enables my preparations for Christmas to be more authentic, although not in the way the world teaches. My attitude and desires are gratefully aware of His presence in my life. To have the honor of creating additional praise in our routine becomes a pleasure, not a chore. Once I release timetables and what our culture pushes on me faster and sooner each calendar turn, I believe I am better equipped to transition into seasons such as Christmas with a full heart and ready spirit. I’ve learned that if my heart is already practicing worship and praise for Jesus through a daily personal and deepening relationship, I won’t feel the stress or pressure to complete preparations by a certain time or rise to expectations I don’t want placed on myself. This is where I want to abide. Social media has shown me photos of the beautiful homes of friends and acquaintances as they prepare for the season, many earlier than usual this year. I love seeing what they do and feel joyous that they are decorating and celebrating in ways that give them pleasure. Yet, it is not for me. There was a time when my middle daughter was younger that we regularly set up five trees in the house, wrapped the stairway railing in holly and bows, placed several nativity scenes in the house, decorated fireplace mantles, and baked many Christmas goodies. In love with the lights and excitement of the holiday season, my daughter excitedly anticipated the preparations and decorating process. I remember when she was a toddler, one of her favorite activities was riding in the cart at Target and Wal-Mart, spending a great amount of time visiting the holiday décor section and exclaiming over the brightly lit trees and blow-ups lawn décor. Nowadays, we are so busy that the thought of decking the house out like that exhausts me and the rest of the family. We still hold tightly, however, to traditions we enjoy and that have become staples in our family, but we strive to keep the meaning of the celebrations high and clear and the emphasis on gifting low. Continually resting in Jesus is the only way to receive the peace and joy we desire. The spirit of Christmas is more than trees, ornaments, holiday baking, and gathering with family to exchange and open gifts. Not that any of those are bad, but remembering and cherishing, celebrating Christ coming to us in human form is meant to linger in our spirit throughout the year. Why does society divide the time? Because Christmas has become so commercial and many are lost, without knowing Christ or celebrating the true purpose. As followers of Christ, we can keep the true spirit of Christmas within our heart and mind if we focus on becoming more like Him daily. The older I get, the less excited I get about the commercialism surrounding such a sacred holiday. Of course, I love to give and receive gifts. Especially when the perfect one is found and I get to experience the delight of giving something personal and special to someone I love dearly. Yet, the assignment of shopping just because it is a certain time of year is a chore I don’t enjoy. I want to sit quietly with Jesus, reflecting on Who He is and wants He is calling me to do for Him. Quiet time with the Lord, in His word, with no sounds or schedule. Just the two of us together as I focus on what He has done and is doing within me. Although I attempt to speak to and listen for Him daily, I know there is nothing as sacred as true, undivided time with nothing to do but hear from Him. No prayers that unintentionally get interrupted with children or spouse calling. No distracted thoughts flitting through my mind as I am speaking my heart. What if Christmas was just each one of us seeking Him with whole hearts? No presents except the ones we offer Him in return? What if we sat in solitude, allowing Jesus to probe our spirit and reveal new mysteries to each of us? What would He say that we are not hearing now? I urge each one of us to carve special time, whether long or short, to rest in the Lord in this time before Christmas arrives, simply and intentionally preparing our hearts for Him. The podcast this week is not in my normal format. I’ve purposely selected several verses to read that are not typically used at Christmas, to slow us down and prepare us to remember the mercy of the Lord, and to seek and be grateful for His good and perfect will for us, to remember Who He is and the enormous gift we have in Jesus. The podcast will be divided into two parts to help us prepare for the arrival of Noel, where we more clearly remember Immanuel. Christ with us. I hope you will rest with me in the beauty and promise of these simple, yet sovereign words as I read verses and speak on each one. I hope it helps you to carve out special time to listen to His words, ponder your relationship, and reflect on Jesus and His immense love for you. For each of us. For God so loved the world! There is absolutely nothing more powerful than words, promises, and wisdom from God found in the Bible and the gift of eternal life we receive through Jesus. Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” God reveals himself to us through creation. Psalm 19:1 declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork.” No one should be able to miss the clear evidence from God of His majesty and sovereignty. John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” How blessed we are to receive these words, and from Jesus Himself! This verse carries some of the most basic and forthright words in the Bible. They are also the most important. Jesus clearly tells us that He is the way to God. Christians do not have to argue with unbelievers or question our relationship through Jesus. For those who believe the way to God is too narrow, in reality, it is the opposite. Jesus came for everyone and clearly states the way with His words. Instead of thinking it is “limited” to say there is only one way, we can be thankful that God makes it very clear. Jesus assures us that He is the way and that no one will come to God, except through Him. Christ is our way to God, and He is also the living reality of each of God’s predictions and promises. Through the Holy Spirit within us, Jesus links Himself to us in this life, and for eternity. Philippians 1:11 says, “May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.” What beautiful and powerful words! They are a promise of all the character traits we will receive when we build a solid and mature personal relationship with God through Jesus. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Through the merciful and unmerited grace of our Heavenly Father, we are created as His masterpiece. It is our honor to serve Him and others with the gifts and interests He individually crafted for each of us. 2 Corinthians 4:10 says, “Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.” Another beautiful promise. Suffering never seems like a gift, but through and because of Jesus, we experience the Lord shining through us when we hurt or suffer in any way. When we are broken, and expectantly reliant on Him, He will work within us and shine His glory from us. How this work prepares us and gifts us with an even clearer view of eternity! My greatest hardships have elevated my view of life to see with eternal perspective every moment. 1 John 4:8 says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Oh, how God transforms us when we truly follow Him! Even as we are changed moment by moment to resemble Him, our love will never reach the heights of His. Jesus is true love. God is the author of love. He is love. Love is rooted in His nature and character. God exhibited true love through Jesus and required absolutely nothing of us, yet He loves us with an everlasting love beyond our comprehension. This world warps love with our selfish and ungodly desires. How much different we would be if we all chose to follow Him and allow His transforming love to radiate through us. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” Again we see how merciful God is! He patiently waits, while allowing the sin He cannot bear, knowing some will still some to repentance. During this time of grace, those who already know Jesus should use the time we are granted to do His work and make Him known to others. Isaiah 40:28 says, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” God understands our every thought and desire. He is ahead of our every need. For those who believe that God no longer cares, we see that He is indeed always with us and never grows tired or weary of caring for us. 1 John 1:5 says, “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.” God is infinitely holy, completely righteous, and pure in absolutely every way. Hallelujah! He is our Father, Provider, and Protector. He is our Guiding Light. We must remain close to Him and allow His light and righteousness to pour into us. 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.” We are blessed to have as our holy Heavenly Father the very same God who created the heavens and the earth, who aligned the stars and moon, and who lovingly created each of us personally. He intentionally loves and cares for us in ways only He can and He yearns to do it. He is dependable and will not change, shift, or leave us. Psalm 18:30 says, “As for God, His way is perfect: The Lord's word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.” Although those who do not follow the Lord may believe those of us who do are weak, we understand that all of us are weak and we glory in that weakness! Hallelujah! He is strong where I am weak! God is infinitely stronger than any of us and we desire His power to work in and through us. He lovingly cares for us as we rely on Him to protect and save us. God certainly shields us with His word and His mighty, loving power. Make me weak, Lord! Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” The very same character traits found in Jesus are available to us through the Holy Spirit as we mature our walk with Christ. They come as a by-product of following Him and are nothing we can gain by our own works or attempts. As we join our lives to Him, we begin to be transformed into new creations that imitate the glorious qualities He embodies. Since God is the author of the law and He sent the Spirit, both align perfectly with the fruits that we begin to possess and exhibit through Him. Micah 7:18-19 says, “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” How God delights in showing us mercy! Our God of love does not hold grudges, is joyful when we repent, and heartily extends forgiveness to us as we return to Him. Hebrews 4:12 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.” God’s word is living and active, not just a compilation of meaningless words. It is holy, life-affirming, and life-changing. God’s word cuts through to our moral and spiritual core, revealing who we are and exposing our intentions. Accept, believe, and live God’s word so that it will transform and shape your life. Philippians 4:8 says, “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.” What we allow access to our mind will determine and shape our present – and our eternity. What we think on forms our attitude, words, and actions. If we have difficulty shaping thoughts that are as God calls: noble, right, pure, lovely, etc., we must assess what we are exposing ourselves to and whether we are in His word to cleanse and support our mind and actions. When we ask God to purify our mind and desires and help us focus on the thoughts He calls us to have, He will enable us to crave and keep wholesome material going in so that holiness will flow out. 1 Peter 1:15 says. “But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.” Our Heavenly Father is a God of mercy and justice who expects His followers to imitate Him, and desire to be holy, just as He is. 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 now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Once we are reconciled to God through Jesus, there is no sin blocking our relationship with Him. This peace with God is only available because of the price Jesus paid for our sins when He died on the cross. We are now complete with Jesus, yet still growing in and through Him. Because we are human, we still struggle with the temptations and sins this life offers, yet we have the privilege of heeding the Holy Spirit within us and taking our battles to the Lord to fight on our behalf. As we mature through Him, we recognize that with each release we grow more intertwined with God and do not grow discouraged by the weights and pressures of this world. We know every trial will carry us closer to Him and should bring Him glory as He works in and through us. Praise God! We are renewed through Him daily! Rest and abide in God’s holy words of scripture as you prepare your heart to worship Jesus in a deeper way this holiday season. No greater gift is available to us in this life than to accept fellowship with God through the sacrifice of Jesus and live with Him for eternity. Place Him before preparations and shopping, wrapping, and movies. May His word be stored in your mind and reflected on as you shape your life after His. Gracious Heavenly Father, we rejoice in the love You have for us and thank you for the gracious gift of eternal life with You through your Son, Jesus. Calm our spirit, our heart, and mind as we reflect on all You are this Christmas season. Help us to seek You in new ways. Open us to seeing this world with Your eyes and desires. Thank you for Your eternal love for us. Help us to move and respond to this world with eternal perspective that mirrors You. In Your precious name we pray. I deeply desire to allow God to cultivate a strong community of women through the work He has given me. I pray you will be better equipped to live with an eternal perspective and encouraged to influence children for Jesus. Future episodes and resources will be geared toward the important duty we have as parents and grandparents to guide and guard children for Jesus. The Live With Eternal Perspective podcast is currently linked to my new website at terrihitt.com, where you can access all the podcasts housed in one convenient location, as well as receive access to blog posts, transcripts, and additional free resources that are added to regularly. Thank you for listening. 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 for new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

We live in a world that tells your child to trust feelings to define who they are, but God's Word instructs differently. How to Help Your Child Develop (Godly) Confidence will give you tips and Scripture to equip you to build confidence that will last and strengthen your child (and yourself) through identity in Christ. Help Your Child Develop (Godly) Confidence We live in a world that tells your child to trust feelings to define who they are, but God's Word instructs differently. How to Help Your Child Develop (Godly) Confidence will give you tips and Scripture to equip you to build confidence that will last and strengthen your child (and yourself) through identity in Christ. Download

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< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 074 - Teach Your Children to Test What They Are Taught Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 074 - Teach Your Children to Test What They Are Taught Just this morning I was reading an article about critical thinking in the body of the church. At first the ideas and information seemed valid and accurate. However, I quickly found myself surprised by a slight wording shift in the tone as ideas and information began to sound “off.” I read a little more with my mind intently paying attention. I no longer skimmed the words, but sought to identify whether God’s words and wisdom were being revealed. The longer I read the more I detected the shift away from God’s truth. Instead, a worldly perspective opposite of God’s was exposed. Next, I checked the credentials of the author and found that they supported teachings I have not heard through Bible study or prayer. Thankful that God made the carefully cloaked deceit clear to me, I stopped reading the article. This is an example of the importance of knowing biblical truth. As parents, our careful scrutiny through biblical wisdom and understanding is the only way we can expect to properly present God’s truths to our watching children. It is the way we can have the ability to guide and guard their biblical critical thinking. If you aren’t actively studying God’s Word and intentionally teaching the truths of Christ to enable your children to develop critical thinking skills that pursue His godliness, the world will sway your children away from His truths. Every area of life is affected by whether you and your child have the ability to critically think through the biblical truths and lens of God. Is every area of life truly affected? What do you think? Consider the various areas in which believers should live in alignment with God’s truths. I’ll read through some and as you hear them, think about the validity of my statement. Would eternity be affected if you or your child didn’t have the ability to critically think through a biblical worldview with each topic? Bible Knowledge Family Lifestyle Desires Worship Gratitude Decisions Mindset Marriage Parenthood Deepening walk with God through relationship with Jesus Bible Study Understanding Bible Truths Understanding Bible stories Understanding current worldviews through a biblical lens Conversations/Questions/Personal Reflection Service Prayer Life Integration of faith and studies in school Mentor of Christ As we list these areas of life, do you see how each one carries the need to think with godly, critical, and biblical wisdom? Without this skill, you and your child may slowly conform to the pattern of this world before you realize the change. Romans 12:2 says, “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 .” In a world where society promotes self-interests above all else and encourages doing “what feels good” and “living your own truth,” it is imperative that our children have intimate knowledge of God’s Word and the ability to center His wisdom as the foundation on which they measure and assess cultural messaging and personal feelings or emotions. As parents, we must also possess this ability and live with a biblical worldview daily for our children to witness and be taught with intention. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, “But test everything; hold fast what is good .” Without relation through Christ and the knowledge and understanding of God’s Holy Word, you and your children cannot critically think with the expectation that a biblically wise result will occur. As you navigate this world, hold fast to what is good , as stated in God’s Word. This will allow you to learn and grow in His knowledge, wisdom, and insight as you navigate this culture so opposite to our Heavenly Father’s truths. Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding .” Are you wondering how you can ensure your children develop biblical critical thinking skills? I believe it is first wise to consider that we and our children must realize people won’t stop to think critically with an eternal perspective worldview if we haven’t purposely trained our heart and mind in that manner. Proper biblical instruction and relationship with God through Jesus are the first steps to take in order to ensure that the Holy Spirit is alive within to bring needed discernment for higher level, godly critical thinking. It's also important to note that living a life devoted to slowing down instead of rushing is important. When we are rushed or forced to make fast decisions, we usually move with what is easiest or may react on impulse to save time. Also, teach your children that when something doesn’t make sense, or if they are confused or fearful, it is a signal that they must make time to pray, seek God’s wisdom through His Word, and speak with someone they trust to lead with godly advice. It’s also very important to test guidance with biblical discernment before you or your children allow the influence of another. Watch to see if their actions and words align with not only what they say they believe, but more importantly, what God’s Word says and calls. Matthew 24:4 – “And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray .” Help your children build the framework for establishing biblical critical thinking by teaching them to compare everything heard, seen, or taught against the Bible. Is the source of information godly? Is the source credible – not just through worldly expectations, but God’s? Is the source of information experienced in the Word of God and His truths? What is the motive and perspective of the source? Is the information the opinion of the source or is it fact backed by Scripture and/or biblical values? 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 .” Most of what our children read and learn in school, see on television, hear in music, advertisements, and through peers or social media is worldly opinion clothed as fact. These man-made values often contain liberal, cultural doctrine woven throughout to make them enticing. Sometimes they may even carry a tiny bit of truth as defined by God, just to cause enough confusion in the mind of your child and they view it as fact. Just as Satan twisted God’s truth to Eve in the garden. Overall, public institutions don’t teach critical thinking, but instead push children through like they’re on an assembly line without allowing or encouraging the ability to think critically (and certainly not biblically). Students are graduating without absorbing and processing information through a biblical lens that produces godly discernment. Children and young adults are unable to differentiate between fact, fallacy, or opinion. Without aware parents who set the priority for their children to grasp the ability to think biblically and critically, students become adults living and processing life through flawed, worldly views. 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 says, “The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.” Make a goal to teach your children how to think, not what to think. Especially when it comes to their relationship with Christ. Unless your 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. As you live and mentor God’s truths to your children, and teach them the privilege of applying biblical critical reasoning, you enable them to mature their walk with Christ. You help them find the ability to critically think through a biblical lens, and grant them the privilege of navigating this fallen world with grace and hope bound through eternal perspective. Teach your children to use the mind God created for them to process material with reflective thinking that allows biblical consideration. This will lead to beliefs, actions, and reactions pleasing to Him. Remember, your child must be taught the ability to critically scrutinize ideals instead of passively accepting everything learned at pure face value. What takes residence in the heart has already lived in the mind. Make sure your children learn the truths of God and use them to assess what seems to be truth in this world. This will be a great motivator and protector of their beliefs and actions. John 8:32 says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free .” Your child must be enabled and made aware 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 will be 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. When identity and perspective are formed through the biblical, truth-filled lens of God your child is equipped to navigate this world with joy, peace, and a desire to discover what is good, pure, and true. He will be equipped and encouraged to live in a confusing world which sways him to accept the opposite of God’s desires. He’ll be far less likely to succumb to deceitful and harmful enticements. He shouldn’t be tempted to believe anything just because it’s popular and will use the mind God gave him to assess and extract God’s truths and teachings before making decisions. Firmly set in biblical truths and desires, your child will navigate life in this world with his heart and vision cast on eternity because he was taught to think critically and biblically. Dear Heavenly Father, Your mind is so far above our own. That we can critically think with even a small portion of Your wisdom, knowledge, and understanding is a gift beyond measure. Please help us to know You so intimately through study of your Word, prayer, and close fellowship with You that we raise children who seek and serve You through an eternal lens. Father, protect them and provide the critical thinking skills with a biblically based mindset that will honor and please You. May they walk in obedience to You because they have a love and respect borne from relationship through Christ. May they look at this world with appreciation for all You have given them, but yearn for eternal life with You. May their decisions and actions reflect biblical truths and values from You and show their desire for and knowledge of You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. If you enjoyed this episode and would like more information on how to teach critical thinking, I want to let you know that Purposed Parent/Connect Child Podcast Episode #23, “Teach Your Child Biblical Critical Thinking” is a practical source for godly information on this topic. 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 #131 – An Eternal Perspective Life 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. 1 John 2:25 says, “And this is the promise that He made to us—eternal life.” Eternal life. Forever Alive. No death. It’s impossible for our human mind to grasp the depth of this promise. We cannot comprehend all that God has in store for the ones who humbly love Him, and follow Him with humble faith, love, and obedience. So many believers hear the words eternity, eternal life, or live with eternal perspective and have a moment of gratitude for the gift God promises. How many of us actually grasp those words and apply them to daily living? What does it even mean to purpose to live with a perspective beyond self and this world? 1 John 5:13 says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” When people imagine the end of their life, they hope for something good. Many imagine life with Christ in eternity, but only have our limited human understanding of what it might be like. Many don’t want to dwell long on the thoughts because they begin to feel depressed or anxious. Because of Jesus, we can be assured of life eternal with Him and that it will be far beyond our miniscule expectations. 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.” This promise isn’t based on how we feel, but on truth. If you have confessed and committed your life to Christ, you can rest in assurance through faith that you will have eternal life with Jesus. I want to share four beautiful verses with you that offer hope, truth, and assurance for us now and in the future. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Jesus stresses that He knows how difficult it is to follow Him. Represented by the two gates are the two choices each person must face. Will you purpose to faithfully and intentionally follow Jesus or something else? 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.” This verse captures more about God’s plan than any other I can think of. Who would sacrifice their beloved son? But God’s plans are never what we expect, but somehow they are exactly what we need, even before we know or carry the ability to understand. Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Believers are not saved by our works, but we have been saved for the good works He will accomplish through us. As we mature our personal relationship and grow a godly lifestyle through maturing our Christian walk, the works are an outgrowth, an extension of Christ within us as He works through our humble, obedient spirit. John 14:1-3 says, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” In these precious words from Jesus, we find assurance that our way to eternal life is secure. If your hope and faith are in Him, you can trust that He has personally prepared your way to and in life eternal. Jesus didn’t give specific details, but with faith, we don’t need them. Our trust is in Him and our future is with Him. Obviously, the promise of life eternal is not based on our works, but His Word and His sacrificial act. Why wait for eternity to begin claiming this gift? We can live for eternity in the present. Now. In ways that honor and please Christ. Jesus lived with a heart and mind fixed on eternity – not this world. This place was a temporary holding ground that enabled Him to fulfill the purpose God held for Him. How do you view this world? Do you live for fleshly desires or to fulfill God’s will? Do you live with your eyes fixed above, knowing Jesus could return at any moment? Do you live with a heart that longs to please your Heavenly Father? Do you live with a mind that honors and dwells on thoughts pleasing to God? No matter the suffering Jesus faced, He did not falter or fail because He carried a godly and righteous view of eternity. Jesus lived backwards according to the way most humans live on earth. The Lord looked to the end of His earthly days to plan what He did and relied on in His present. His life was defined by His longing for obedience under God and eternity with Him. When we live with Jesus’s mindset, we carry His mind and strength to cleanse our life of the sin that pulls us away from our Heavenly Father. It is only by His grace and Spirit within us that we can begin to understand and desire a life focused beyond this world. Then we can allow our relationship with Jesus to dictate our earthly walk and fellowship with Him and others. We can allow Him to show us what to count as important or worthy of attention. We consider what our life should look like under God and strive to live in ways that others may detect His presence within us and be drawn to Him because of it. What are ways to ensure you live for eternity now? 1. Cling to Jesus – with an intentionally intimate and deepening relationship. 2. Connect with prayer – With intimate conversation throughout each day, set times to pray, scriptural prayers, and heartfelt musings, remain connected to the Father through this lifeline to Him. Listen for His responses and guidance. 3. Read, study, and share God’s word – Mature your walk and share Him and your testimony with others, whether they be friends, family, or strangers, not only through words, but in your actions, reactions, desires, and integrity. The way we present ourselves must be in alignment with how we live and how we treat family members, friends, and strangers. Our lifestyle must be in alignment with God’s Word. 4. Love the Lord - with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind and expose Him through words, actions, reactions, and desires. 5. Find and follow God’s will – Following and obeying the Lord, studying His word, and conversing through prayer, listening for His voice and direction, and heeding sound biblical advice are ways to find and follow the Lord. 6. Raise children to know and honor Him – As we draw nearer to Him, our children are drawn closer, as well. How do you begin self-development that prepares for eternity with Christ? Self-care is a huge goal for many women. I understand the foundation for it, but believe it is taken to extremes often in our society, especially in advertisements and through influencers. We need to care for ourselves mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and financially. What I have learned through years of following Christ is that when I seek His care first, I lose the desire to obsess over or constantly seek self-care. As I rely on Him and deepen my relationship with Him, He handles the cares I have and the needs that occur. Because the Bible tells us that the body is a temple of Christ, and we want to treat it well in all the areas I mentioned, and of course taking care of yourself is essential. Yet, when we release self to Jesus and learn and grow in Him, our goals and attitude change as we move closer and closer to Him and we lose the focus on caring for self obsessively as we serve others in a holier way. As we submit to Christ, we also move into what I call godly-development. It definitely ties to self-care, but in an organic and Christ-driven way. Growing in and through Christ truly is a moment-by-moment process that transforms who and what we desire and are. Through this development we think less of self, and more about others, with thoughts centered on Christ most of all. As He flows through all that we are, we become more like Him. We see the world more as He does, and realize more of the desires He crafted within us. So often we scan the library and bookstores to find the perfect books to improve and change us or to change others. Books challenge and develop us, but not always in the ways God desires. The Bible is the single most important book ever written, yet so often we pass it by as we seek the newest fad or forget the true wisdom it holds. The keys to healthy, joyful living and the secrets to living with eternal perspective are written in every book the Bible contains. As a book lover and a reader, I understand the value of reading books with godly values, but please don’t overlook the most important and influential book. Don’t place it to be read last or when you think you have time. Make sure to read it first, then include other quality books that align with God’s morals and directives. The focus of your heart behind the desire to change or improve as a believer should be what directs and propels you to act. Place Christ at the forefront of daily thinking and witness the changes He makes in and through you. This self-development is the most important change you can make because the results matter for eternity. 1. Search the Scriptures 2. Humbly submit to Christ 3. Honor the Father 4. Serve how He calls 5. Witness the changes He makes in you and others because of your obedience Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” As you draw nearer to God through Scriptures, prayer, and relationship, your faith becomes a deeper love. One that humbles you to receive what Christ desires to accomplish within and through you. Luke 9:23 says, “And He said to all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Dying to self is not something we can accomplish on our own. By trusting Jesus more each day as you grow your walk with Him, looking upward toward the eternal plan He has established, toward the eternity you will have with Him, you will be drawn to allow Him more access to your heart and home. Galatians 5:22-26 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. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.” Living with eternal perspective takes the sting out of disappointments as we trust the Father. This eternal-driven mindset takes the competition out of daily life. We trust that our personal life holds a purpose no one else has. Likewise, we recognize that the lives of others are unique and purposed by the same Hand that crafted each individual with intention. The fruits we receive from the Holy Spirit thriving and growing within us become focused on serving others over self. Intentionally developing godly character qualities honors the Father who intentionally crafted each one of us with purpose. Jesus placed others before self, yet allowed God full reign over His life. Each step we take toward following Christ moves us closer to eternity as we live for it in the present. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” Dear Heavenly Father, help us in Your Sovereign love for us, to view this world through Your eyes. May our treasures be placed under You because they are what You have deemed worthy of praise. Help us to decrease as we allow You to be increased within us. Lord, You tell us that if we hate our life in this world we will keep it for eternity. May we follow You as faithful servants yearning to honor and please You. May our minds be sober and our intentions pure as we cling to Your promises of tomorrow today. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast. This and my “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” 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. 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 131 - An Eternal Perspective Life Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #131 – An Eternal Perspective Life 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. 1 John 2:25 says, “And this is the promise that He made to us—eternal life.” Eternal life. Forever Alive. No death. It’s impossible for our human mind to grasp the depth of this promise. We cannot comprehend all that God has in store for the ones who humbly love Him, and follow Him with humble faith, love, and obedience. So many believers hear the words eternity, eternal life, or live with eternal perspective and have a moment of gratitude for the gift God promises. How many of us actually grasp those words and apply them to daily living? What does it even mean to purpose to live with a perspective beyond self and this world? 1 John 5:13 says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” When people imagine the end of their life, they hope for something good. Many imagine life with Christ in eternity, but only have our limited human understanding of what it might be like. Many don’t want to dwell long on the thoughts because they begin to feel depressed or anxious. Because of Jesus, we can be assured of life eternal with Him and that it will be far beyond our miniscule expectations. 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.” This promise isn’t based on how we feel, but on truth. If you have confessed and committed your life to Christ, you can rest in assurance through faith that you will have eternal life with Jesus. I want to share four beautiful verses with you that offer hope, truth, and assurance for us now and in the future. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Jesus stresses that He knows how difficult it is to follow Him. Represented by the two gates are the two choices each person must face. Will you purpose to faithfully and intentionally follow Jesus or something else? 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.” This verse captures more about God’s plan than any other I can think of. Who would sacrifice their beloved son? But God’s plans are never what we expect, but somehow they are exactly what we need, even before we know or carry the ability to understand. Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Believers are not saved by our works, but we have been saved for the good works He will accomplish through us. As we mature our personal relationship and grow a godly lifestyle through maturing our Christian walk, the works are an outgrowth, an extension of Christ within us as He works through our humble, obedient spirit. John 14:1-3 says, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” In these precious words from Jesus, we find assurance that our way to eternal life is secure. If your hope and faith are in Him, you can trust that He has personally prepared your way to and in life eternal. Jesus didn’t give specific details, but with faith, we don’t need them. Our trust is in Him and our future is with Him. Obviously, the promise of life eternal is not based on our works, but His Word and His sacrificial act. Why wait for eternity to begin claiming this gift? We can live for eternity in the present. Now. In ways that honor and please Christ. Jesus lived with a heart and mind fixed on eternity – not this world. This place was a temporary holding ground that enabled Him to fulfill the purpose God held for Him. How do you view this world? Do you live for fleshly desires or to fulfill God’s will? Do you live with your eyes fixed above, knowing Jesus could return at any moment? Do you live with a heart that longs to please your Heavenly Father? Do you live with a mind that honors and dwells on thoughts pleasing to God? No matter the suffering Jesus faced, He did not falter or fail because He carried a godly and righteous view of eternity. Jesus lived backwards according to the way most humans live on earth. The Lord looked to the end of His earthly days to plan what He did and relied on in His present. His life was defined by His longing for obedience under God and eternity with Him. When we live with Jesus’s mindset, we carry His mind and strength to cleanse our life of the sin that pulls us away from our Heavenly Father. It is only by His grace and Spirit within us that we can begin to understand and desire a life focused beyond this world. Then we can allow our relationship with Jesus to dictate our earthly walk and fellowship with Him and others. We can allow Him to show us what to count as important or worthy of attention. We consider what our life should look like under God and strive to live in ways that others may detect His presence within us and be drawn to Him because of it. What are ways to ensure you live for eternity now? 1. Cling to Jesus – with an intentionally intimate and deepening relationship. 2. Connect with prayer – With intimate conversation throughout each day, set times to pray, scriptural prayers, and heartfelt musings, remain connected to the Father through this lifeline to Him. Listen for His responses and guidance. 3. Read, study, and share God’s word – Mature your walk and share Him and your testimony with others, whether they be friends, family, or strangers, not only through words, but in your actions, reactions, desires, and integrity. The way we present ourselves must be in alignment with how we live and how we treat family members, friends, and strangers. Our lifestyle must be in alignment with God’s Word. 4. Love the Lord - with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind and expose Him through words, actions, reactions, and desires. 5. Find and follow God’s will – Following and obeying the Lord, studying His word, and conversing through prayer, listening for His voice and direction, and heeding sound biblical advice are ways to find and follow the Lord. 6. Raise children to know and honor Him – As we draw nearer to Him, our children are drawn closer, as well. How do you begin self-development that prepares for eternity with Christ? Self-care is a huge goal for many women. I understand the foundation for it, but believe it is taken to extremes often in our society, especially in advertisements and through influencers. We need to care for ourselves mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and financially. What I have learned through years of following Christ is that when I seek His care first, I lose the desire to obsess over or constantly seek self-care. As I rely on Him and deepen my relationship with Him, He handles the cares I have and the needs that occur. Because the Bible tells us that the body is a temple of Christ, and we want to treat it well in all the areas I mentioned, and of course taking care of yourself is essential. Yet, when we release self to Jesus and learn and grow in Him, our goals and attitude change as we move closer and closer to Him and we lose the focus on caring for self obsessively as we serve others in a holier way. As we submit to Christ, we also move into what I call godly-development. It definitely ties to self-care, but in an organic and Christ-driven way. Growing in and through Christ truly is a moment-by-moment process that transforms who and what we desire and are. Through this development we think less of self, and more about others, with thoughts centered on Christ most of all. As He flows through all that we are, we become more like Him. We see the world more as He does, and realize more of the desires He crafted within us. So often we scan the library and bookstores to find the perfect books to improve and change us or to change others. Books challenge and develop us, but not always in the ways God desires. The Bible is the single most important book ever written, yet so often we pass it by as we seek the newest fad or forget the true wisdom it holds. The keys to healthy, joyful living and the secrets to living with eternal perspective are written in every book the Bible contains. As a book lover and a reader, I understand the value of reading books with godly values, but please don’t overlook the most important and influential book. Don’t place it to be read last or when you think you have time. Make sure to read it first, then include other quality books that align with God’s morals and directives. The focus of your heart behind the desire to change or improve as a believer should be what directs and propels you to act. Place Christ at the forefront of daily thinking and witness the changes He makes in and through you. This self-development is the most important change you can make because the results matter for eternity. 1. Search the Scriptures 2. Humbly submit to Christ 3. Honor the Father 4. Serve how He calls 5. Witness the changes He makes in you and others because of your obedience Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” As you draw nearer to God through Scriptures, prayer, and relationship, your faith becomes a deeper love. One that humbles you to receive what Christ desires to accomplish within and through you. Luke 9:23 says, “And He said to all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Dying to self is not something we can accomplish on our own. By trusting Jesus more each day as you grow your walk with Him, looking upward toward the eternal plan He has established, toward the eternity you will have with Him, you will be drawn to allow Him more access to your heart and home. Galatians 5:22-26 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. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.” Living with eternal perspective takes the sting out of disappointments as we trust the Father. This eternal-driven mindset takes the competition out of daily life. We trust that our personal life holds a purpose no one else has. Likewise, we recognize that the lives of others are unique and purposed by the same Hand that crafted each individual with intention. The fruits we receive from the Holy Spirit thriving and growing within us become focused on serving others over self. Intentionally developing godly character qualities honors the Father who intentionally crafted each one of us with purpose. Jesus placed others before self, yet allowed God full reign over His life. Each step we take toward following Christ moves us closer to eternity as we live for it in the present. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” Dear Heavenly Father, help us in Your Sovereign love for us, to view this world through Your eyes. May our treasures be placed under You because they are what You have deemed worthy of praise. Help us to decrease as we allow You to be increased within us. Lord, You tell us that if we hate our life in this world we will keep it for eternity. May we follow You as faithful servants yearning to honor and please You. May our minds be sober and our intentions pure as we cling to Your promises of tomorrow today. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast. This and my “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” 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. 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.

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< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 104 - How My Daughter Showed Me God's Love Language Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 104 – How My Daughter Showed Me God's Love Language 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, 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. One Sunday morning my husband and youngest daughter came to see if I was ready to leave for church. I was in my bedroom closet finishing getting dressed. After we talked for a bit, then laughed about something silly, my husband started teasing. I don’t remember what his joke was, but as he made a comment, he pushed the closet door closed (with me still in it). As the door was just about ready to shut, our youngest daughter thrust her hand into the crack to stop the door from closing. Of course, you can guess what happened. The door slammed shut, catching part of her ring finger. Redness and a blood blister immediately appeared. I opened the door and tended to her finger as my husband apologized. “I didn’t know you were going to put your hand in there,” he told her. “I’m so sorry you got hurt.” “I didn’t want the door to close on Mama,” she said. Although she knew her daddy was just teasing, our daughter wanted to keep me from being excluded or shut out. Instead of thinking about the consequences of her actions, she acted on instinct with one thought top of mind. In her own words, she wanted to, “Save Mama.” Even though she’s never sacrificed her finger in a door before, my girl has shown sacrificial love often. Any time she thinks family needs to be rescued or defended, she’s always first in line to be the rescuer. I can think of times she has offered the last bit of her food to another, offered her soft robe when I was cold, or a blanket for someone in need of warmth. She doesn’t only see or hear the needs of others, she purposely looks to see if she can quickly get that need filled by something she possesses. Not all people have that skill or desire. Not everyone can offer sacrificial love. Most want to count the cost to self before they act. Of course, I hope my daughter doesn’t thrust her hand before a closing door again, but I never want to discourage her willingness to place others before herself. Sacrificing self for family is one of her love languages. In a much broader sense, God has shown all people this type of love language. Knowing our need for a perfect Savior, God offered what only He could give. 1 John 3:18 says, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth .” There are four things my daughter does consistently that show me her heart for family and Jesus. As I pondered what they were, I realized they are also four ways God shows us His love. Let’s examine those examples of how God exhibits love to us through actions and how those specific steps show us the way to respond to Him and others. Then let’s use them and teach them to our children. 1. Purpose - Before God could offer His beloved Son for our sins, He needed to bring us into existence. Can you believe our Heavenly Father planned every one of us long before we were born? Each of us were crafted with intention and for purposes that are supposed to bring honor back to Him. The Maker of heaven and earth intentionally brought you and me into existence because He yearned for us to live and spend eternity with Him. Psalm 139:13-16 says, “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” Obviously my daughter didn’t craft you or me into existence, but she is very purposeful in seeing how she can serve others with what she has. In Acts 20:35 Paul says,“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive .” As we are purposed in what we do for God we are using the love language He used for us. 2. Sacrifice – John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life .” Some who do not know Jesus believe that there is more than one way to Heaven. God is very clear. He doesn’t want anyone to perish. John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me .” God gave mankind the very best He had. Our human mind simply cannot comprehend the enormous sacrifice God made for us. As a mother who has lost a child, I have lived the pain and crushing grief of my child passing before me. I can’t fathom sacrificing one of my children to take on the sins of others and die in their place. So great is God’s love for us, so great is the love and obedience of Christ that we have the choice to accept this greatest of all gifts. When my youngest daughter steps in to discover how she can serve someone, she often sacrifices an item she greatly desires to keep, yet releases it with a smile and willingness to help someone else experience joy and comfort. Hebrews 13:16 says, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased .” As we sacrifice self for others, we are serving God and using the love language He used for us. 3. Love - God offers us agape love, a pure, unselfish love that is not derived from attraction or obligation, but is a sacrificial choice. I personally describe agape love as 1 Corinthians 13 - mixed with Jesus on the cross, dying for our sins. Matthew 22:37-39 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 .’” When another person offers all they have or something greatly desired by them without selfish motives or intentions, they begin to experience the highest form of love. As we love in ways only possible through Christ, we are using the language of love in ways that serve God and give Him great joy. 4. Obedience – John 3:16-17 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him .” Jesus modeled complete obedience to God. He did not make excuses, try to bargain with God, stall, or turn away in disobedience. Instead, Jesus prayed with all His might that He would follow exactly where God desired Him to go and serve. It wasn’t easy, but Jesus forged ahead where His Heavenly Father called. We’ve all had times in life where we hear the still small voice of God calling us to obey. In that moment we have the opportunity to make a choice. Will we hear and act with godly intentions and to please the Father or do we choose to serve self. The greatest moments in my life have been birthed after sacrificial obedience to God. I bet yours have been, too. As we step out in obedience, even when the future is uncertain or the cost is great, we serve God as He desires and deserves. Through these examples, we remember that we are also to carry purpose, sacrifice for others, offer agape love, and walk in obedience to God. Through Jesus, we see the perfect example of how to walk in faith and live with love. We are also called to model these qualities for our children and teach them that the ability to use them for God will come from a close walk with Jesus. 1 John 4:8 says, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love .” Praise God that we have been given many examples to experience God’s unlimited, everlasting love. What we see dimly here will one day be fully revealed in eternity with Him. Do you see ways your children are loving and serving God through actions, words, desires, and reactions? Let them know you see and appreciate what they say and do. Remind them that God is pleased when we walk in ways that honor Him . Think about how you are teaching your children the methods of seeing , receiving , and offering God’s love languages. Start being intentional in how you model and teach ways of serving God and others. Anticipate the godly growth God will bring into your home (that will last into eternity) as you are purposed, sacrificial, loving, and obedient and teach your children to be the same as they grow in relationship with Jesus. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for Your everlasting love and kindness. Your intentional ways are so far above us that we often fail to understand or even recognize how great You are. Open our eyes and heart so that we are purposed mothers who yearn more deeply for You day by day. Enable us to follow You fully as You call so we can show the way to our children. May we be purposed, sacrificial, loving, and obedient and give You great joy. May we see and use Your love languages effortlessly because we draw nearer to You each moment. 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 ambitious moms 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 #067 – Twisted Theology 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‘d like to start with some crucial questions for each of us to examine. Really think about the answers and not just jump to a response when you hear the questions. I think it is crucially important for each of us to regularly ponder our walk with God, if we want a mature relationship that continues to deepen and widen over time. Do you consider yourself a devoted Christian? The word devoted means to be intensely active or have enthusiastic attachment, loyalty, or affection. Is this the type of passion you carry for Jesus? Do you believe that you exhibit proper character for a believer of Christ? How do we define what is proper in relation to following Jesus? How can we recognize whether we actively display the Lord through the way we live? A woman who believes and exemplifies the teachings of Christ in her life will consistently experience daily alterations to character and integrity, drawing herself and others nearer to Him. Each of us falls short daily. Today I want to address the insidious shift we must be aware of if our hearts belong to Him. Many who profess to be followers of Christ actually follow the world. Theology in our culture is twisted and warped. Historically, the United States has been incredibly blessed, because our nation was founded on Christian principles. How different secular and “Christian” America now look compared to the vision our founding fathers expected and established. I purposely worded what I said in the way I did, because I believe that we do have a visible difference that has caused a division. A standard is being established for the future of our nation and the souls within. Empty, Godless deceit is spreading throughout the entire world. How will unbelievers follow Jesus if He is not seen in a consistent, godly fashion by those who profess to know, follow, and love Him? Does the way we live allow others to see Jesus in us? Are they drawn to Him through our words, actions, and behavior? In order to make Christ known, we must intentionally study, know, and live by God’s holy words. Not because we know we should, but because the passion we hold for Him compels us to. Society is filled with people who use sayings such as, “live your own truth” or “to each their own.” This popular and growing trend of thought is falsely believed and acted upon by both Christians and non-Christians. Based on points of view created through cultural or life experiences (and whims), many in our culture strive to live with no universal or absolute set of moral or ethical principles. Even many Christian churches, which are supposed to be an assembly of believers of Jesus Christ, are missing the mark by removing or ignoring God’s guideline for truth based on the Bible, and exchanging holiness as defined by our Heavenly Father, for twisted or diluted theology fed by man and swallowed by both the secular and Christian world. How can we comprehend God’s word if we refuse to make time to read it? Can Jesus become the thread binding our heart to His and a life committed to viewing this world with His eternal perspective if we do not purposely create time for Him? Many people do not rely on the truth and values commanded by God, relying instead on self and react to life and others based on personal emotions or experiences. Without God’s perfect wisdom and truths, the world’s manmade, false morality warps faith and authenticity into a subjective knot of lies resulting in rebellion and suffering. Hosea 4:1b-3a says, “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another. Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away.” If we are not immersed in a purposeful, honoring relationship with God through Jesus, chances are high that our children will not be. As more churches are shifting away from standing on and teaching biblical truths, our children and grandchildren are suffering. Secular schools (and now many Christian institutions), do not offer the truth and foundation of God’s word and morality. Without the church remaining strong in a truthful, loving, fearful, and consistent fashion established on honoring God’s sovereignty and holiness, current culture based on subjective moral relativism will continue a twisted infiltration through the minds and hearts of our nation and the world. Did you know statistics indicate that over half of young adults in the U.S. believe many religions lead to eternal life and that morality changes over time? Psalm 11:3 says, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Without the unshifting, holy moral compass of God, we do what is right in our own eyes. Unfortunately, the consequences affect not only self, but all, for generations to come. Based on the thought process of those who have rejected God’s truths, many are left with the false belief that morality is relative, but if that were true, there would be no sin. Moral relativism lacks a concept of guiding principles that point the way to spiritual, emotional, physical, mental, and financial freedom and peace supplied by one source only – our omnipotent, sovereign God. As believers in Christ, we know that without sin, there is no guilt. Without culpability, we do not need forgiveness. If we cannot perceive that morality must be guided by a holy source, we will never realize our absolute need for Jesus, therefore, we never seek repentance or forgiveness. 1 John 5:1-8 says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.” Proverbs 4:20-27 says, “My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.” It is crucial that we realize the importance of knowing what we believe and why we believe it. If you have doubts or questions about God or faith, lift them to Him. God desires hearts that seek to know truth. He draws near to those who draw near to Him. If you are a believer, seek and live in the fullness of God’s love and accept the joy and peace He alone delivers. Intentionally spend time alone with Him. Read His word and speak to Him in prayer. Then listen for Him. Continue on a daily basis and you will experience the joyful changes He makes as you live in faith and obedience grounded in the relationship you are building with Jesus. Current events, actions, and attitudes throughout the world will deceive. Even Christians, because we are human and fallible, and because theology has been twisted by all who do not truly know and stand faithfully in God’s word, will make mistakes. Our choices often do not reflect the holiness God desires. We must purpose to walk with Him daily. If we are not consciously committing to building a strong relationship with God moment by moment with a mind and heart preparing for eternity with Him, we have already fallen short. How many around us will miss the mark because of our selfish, fleshly choices? Ephesians 5:15 says, “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.” 1. Read, study, and learn God’s word. 2. Forge a deeper connection through prayer, especially scriptural prayer. 3. Think critically, based on the compass of God’s word. 4. Observe and test what your experiences and others say and live (words, actions, thoughts, emotions, feelings, etc.) and align all against God’s truths. 5. Do not be deceived by what you see or experience, or use them as basis for truth. 6. Place your hope in God alone; do not follow people or self. 7. Remember, God alone is righteous and holy. Deuteronomy 4:9 says, “Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.” The future of our children, grandchildren, nation, and world, as well as our eternity are built or broken by what we choose to believe and model now. We will never focus on eternity unless we purpose to do so with a heart firmly grounded in the truths of God and the sacrifice of Jesus. Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.” John 8:31b-32 says, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Father God, You alone are the Lord. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You. Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be. May we realize the depth of these truths and model every area of our life after Your perfect Son, Jesus. Thank you for allowing us the life we have. May we honor and worship You as You are due. Guide and protect our steps and bring us ever nearer to carrying Your truths into this dark world. Protect our minds so that no deceitful theories or cultural trends infiltrate the truths You have given in Your commandments and holy book, the Bible. Let us seek and recognize what You approve of because we know You well through time spent with You. Give us courage and conviction to stand where You command. In Your precious 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 ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 067 Twisted Theology Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #067 – Twisted Theology 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‘d like to start with some crucial questions for each of us to examine. Really think about the answers and not just jump to a response when you hear the questions. I think it is crucially important for each of us to regularly ponder our walk with God, if we want a mature relationship that continues to deepen and widen over time. Do you consider yourself a devoted Christian? The word devoted means to be intensely active or have enthusiastic attachment, loyalty, or affection. Is this the type of passion you carry for Jesus? Do you believe that you exhibit proper character for a believer of Christ? How do we define what is proper in relation to following Jesus? How can we recognize whether we actively display the Lord through the way we live? A woman who believes and exemplifies the teachings of Christ in her life will consistently experience daily alterations to character and integrity, drawing herself and others nearer to Him. Each of us falls short daily. Today I want to address the insidious shift we must be aware of if our hearts belong to Him. Many who profess to be followers of Christ actually follow the world. Theology in our culture is twisted and warped. Historically, the United States has been incredibly blessed, because our nation was founded on Christian principles. How different secular and “Christian” America now look compared to the vision our founding fathers expected and established. I purposely worded what I said in the way I did, because I believe that we do have a visible difference that has caused a division. A standard is being established for the future of our nation and the souls within. Empty, Godless deceit is spreading throughout the entire world. How will unbelievers follow Jesus if He is not seen in a consistent, godly fashion by those who profess to know, follow, and love Him? Does the way we live allow others to see Jesus in us? Are they drawn to Him through our words, actions, and behavior? In order to make Christ known, we must intentionally study, know, and live by God’s holy words. Not because we know we should, but because the passion we hold for Him compels us to. Society is filled with people who use sayings such as, “live your own truth” or “to each their own.” This popular and growing trend of thought is falsely believed and acted upon by both Christians and non-Christians. Based on points of view created through cultural or life experiences (and whims), many in our culture strive to live with no universal or absolute set of moral or ethical principles. Even many Christian churches, which are supposed to be an assembly of believers of Jesus Christ, are missing the mark by removing or ignoring God’s guideline for truth based on the Bible, and exchanging holiness as defined by our Heavenly Father, for twisted or diluted theology fed by man and swallowed by both the secular and Christian world. How can we comprehend God’s word if we refuse to make time to read it? Can Jesus become the thread binding our heart to His and a life committed to viewing this world with His eternal perspective if we do not purposely create time for Him? Many people do not rely on the truth and values commanded by God, relying instead on self and react to life and others based on personal emotions or experiences. Without God’s perfect wisdom and truths, the world’s manmade, false morality warps faith and authenticity into a subjective knot of lies resulting in rebellion and suffering. Hosea 4:1b-3a says, “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another. Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away.” If we are not immersed in a purposeful, honoring relationship with God through Jesus, chances are high that our children will not be. As more churches are shifting away from standing on and teaching biblical truths, our children and grandchildren are suffering. Secular schools (and now many Christian institutions), do not offer the truth and foundation of God’s word and morality. Without the church remaining strong in a truthful, loving, fearful, and consistent fashion established on honoring God’s sovereignty and holiness, current culture based on subjective moral relativism will continue a twisted infiltration through the minds and hearts of our nation and the world. Did you know statistics indicate that over half of young adults in the U.S. believe many religions lead to eternal life and that morality changes over time? Psalm 11:3 says, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Without the unshifting, holy moral compass of God, we do what is right in our own eyes. Unfortunately, the consequences affect not only self, but all, for generations to come. Based on the thought process of those who have rejected God’s truths, many are left with the false belief that morality is relative, but if that were true, there would be no sin. Moral relativism lacks a concept of guiding principles that point the way to spiritual, emotional, physical, mental, and financial freedom and peace supplied by one source only – our omnipotent, sovereign God. As believers in Christ, we know that without sin, there is no guilt. Without culpability, we do not need forgiveness. If we cannot perceive that morality must be guided by a holy source, we will never realize our absolute need for Jesus, therefore, we never seek repentance or forgiveness. 1 John 5:1-8 says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.” Proverbs 4:20-27 says, “My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.” It is crucial that we realize the importance of knowing what we believe and why we believe it. If you have doubts or questions about God or faith, lift them to Him. God desires hearts that seek to know truth. He draws near to those who draw near to Him. If you are a believer, seek and live in the fullness of God’s love and accept the joy and peace He alone delivers. Intentionally spend time alone with Him. Read His word and speak to Him in prayer. Then listen for Him. Continue on a daily basis and you will experience the joyful changes He makes as you live in faith and obedience grounded in the relationship you are building with Jesus. Current events, actions, and attitudes throughout the world will deceive. Even Christians, because we are human and fallible, and because theology has been twisted by all who do not truly know and stand faithfully in God’s word, will make mistakes. Our choices often do not reflect the holiness God desires. We must purpose to walk with Him daily. If we are not consciously committing to building a strong relationship with God moment by moment with a mind and heart preparing for eternity with Him, we have already fallen short. How many around us will miss the mark because of our selfish, fleshly choices? Ephesians 5:15 says, “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.” 1. Read, study, and learn God’s word. 2. Forge a deeper connection through prayer, especially scriptural prayer. 3. Think critically, based on the compass of God’s word. 4. Observe and test what your experiences and others say and live (words, actions, thoughts, emotions, feelings, etc.) and align all against God’s truths. 5. Do not be deceived by what you see or experience, or use them as basis for truth. 6. Place your hope in God alone; do not follow people or self. 7. Remember, God alone is righteous and holy. Deuteronomy 4:9 says, “Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.” The future of our children, grandchildren, nation, and world, as well as our eternity are built or broken by what we choose to believe and model now. We will never focus on eternity unless we purpose to do so with a heart firmly grounded in the truths of God and the sacrifice of Jesus. Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.” John 8:31b-32 says, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Father God, You alone are the Lord. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You. Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be. May we realize the depth of these truths and model every area of our life after Your perfect Son, Jesus. Thank you for allowing us the life we have. May we honor and worship You as You are due. Guide and protect our steps and bring us ever nearer to carrying Your truths into this dark world. Protect our minds so that no deceitful theories or cultural trends infiltrate the truths You have given in Your commandments and holy book, the Bible. Let us seek and recognize what You approve of because we know You well through time spent with You. Give us courage and conviction to stand where You command. In Your precious 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 ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 011 - Roots of Wisdom Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #011 – Roots of Wisdom 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. My favorite time of year has finally arrived with the weather I love! Spring and the promise of new birth, growth, and warmer weather is such a beautiful season. Although I love fresh air and my walks with one of my daughters, I don’t get out in my yard much. We’ve never been able to grow grass and when it rains a lot like it has this spring, being in our yard means you’re wading in a mud pit. Years ago I discovered that we will probably never have a beautiful yard. Maybe you are one of the people who have thick, beautiful grass that invites you to remove your shoes and walk barefoot safely without stepping on sticks, rocks, or dirt clumps, and you have no idea what it is like to navigate mud or water puddles. I doubt that you are like me with a yard that just cannot grow grass and invites any mole within a two mile radius to settle in for the long haul. My husband and I have had a few discussions about what must be attracting the moles to our yard. Since we have been unable to get rid of them, I often say we just need to figure out the root cause. Then we should be able to begin the journey to finally getting rid of the destructive rodents. The same is true of our children. No matter the type of behavior we see, there is a root cause that has built a foundation for acceptable behavior or a root cause that is prompting the objectionable actions. I believe the children of this generation are bombarded with way too much and roots are growing inside them that will reflect in shown behavior now or in the future. Many children see too much through electronics, accidentally exposing them to pornography, or they may be subjected to online issues on social platforms with strangers seeking them as targets. Schools and universities have been indoctrinating our children for years and the lies they feed them about sexuality, our country, and the sanctity of life are eroding and/or destroying the innocence and beliefs God would have them carry. There is so much to be said on this topic, but I believe the root cause of the destruction of America and godly values this country was founded upon stems back to the condition of our hearts. Unless we purposely examine our relationship with God and our beliefs about Him, then honestly explore what we are doing to draw nearer to our Heavenly Father if we profess to love Him, our choices and inaction will further indoctrinate our children with the belief that God is not important and He is not worth placing first in our life. If this is the message our children see and feel by our inactions and attitude, this is the action they will mimic, despite what our words instruct them to do. Obviously there are many root causes to behavior, but as the Bible instructs us in Luke 6:45 , “The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” When the heart of a mother is full of the truthful goodness of God, built through a personal, growing relationship with Jesus, the overflow will pour into the heart of her children . Does this mean that every day will be smooth for Christian mothers or their children? Goodness, no! In fact, it will probably be harder in many ways. Think of Job in the Bible. Satan targeted Job because of the relationship he had with God. There will be trials, especially if you hold fast to God. Evilness and destruction are the trademark of Satan. Scripture warns us in 1 Peter 5:8 “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour .” In future episodes of Purposed Parent/Connected Child, I want to delve more into behavioral root causes, and how that behavior may manifest, but for now I want to start at the basic truth of the condition of our human heart. I am beginning a Scriptural Summer Series that will air on this podcast, as well as my Live With Eternal Perspective episodes. People are out and about and often so busy during the summer months. I know we are as I try to enjoy every second of the gorgeous weather I look forward to all winter! As I read from the Bible of the podcasts, I pray God’s word will penetrate each of us where we need Him most. I also hope that hearing His word will prompt each of us to seek Him more often and begin a regular reading plan if one doesn’t already exist. Today I would like to start in Proverbs 4. Let this reading prompt you to look up these verses in study Bible and continue learning more on your own. Another suggestion I love to give is to let this selection of verses lead you to a discussion together as a family, or at the very least as mother to children. Proverbs 4:1-27 speaks to the blessing of wisdom. We know true and lasting wisdom only comes from God. Through seeking and walking closely with God because of our personal relationship with Jesus, we come to know and recognize what comes from God and what does not. Without godly wisdom that comes from reading, studying, and practicing God’s word, we are unable to recognize or handle root causes in our own life and the lives of our children. Ignorance and inaction leads to sin and troubles. Every parent needs the wisdom our Heavenly Father wants to supply in abundance if we only ask. “ Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive. When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother, he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you. Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding. Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.” Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many. I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble. My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.” If we carefully search the verses I read, we recognize the setting of a family in verses 1-4. God ordained a family to be established by a man and a woman. Proverbs 4 is not the only book in the Bible that reveals this truth. That statement isn’t popular and is often attacked violently today, however I believe Christian parents have the duty to seek, find, and follow God’s wisdom and teach it lovingly to our children. Society twists the desires of man into whatever shape feels good. Unless we raise our children to revere and honor God, they will follow more and more fleshly ambitions and our children will soon be unrecognizable as they develop ungodly desires and actions due to ignorance and indoctrination. Sharing the truths of God and what He knows is good and proper for us to follow and practice is not condemning. We can love those who do not follow God’s word, but we cannot allow our children to be influenced by remaining silent or succumbing to allowing them to follow others into the pain and heartache that results from sinning against God. The verses I read from Proverbs 4 also reveal to us that obtaining wisdom means realizing that no one carries it in the beginning; only God can provide it to us as we humbly seek Him. God shows no favoritism; anyone who seeks Him, asking for His wisdom, studying His word, and practicing His ways will obtain it. Without the wisdom that comes from our Heavenly Father, each of us is lost. We stumble in our own sinful, ignorant, willful ways causing pain and destruction when we could live with abundant joy, hope, and peace instead. Because our heart is wicked, we cannot achieve the wisdom of God on our own and we definitely do not receive it all at once. Every moment reveals choices we must make, actions we can take that honor God and His desires for us. When we listen to the will and ways of God, we must open our heart, mind, and spirit, then make the choice to forgo pride and stubbornness to allow Him full reign of our emotions, actions, and reactions. That is when true wisdom will be passed to us to hold as treasure and teacher as our walk with God deepens and our behavior is eternally changed. As we continue in the ways of God, we will receive and recognize discernment from Him, then continue to receive that godly insight. One of the riches of obtaining God’s wisdom is that as we walk closely with the Lord, acknowledging and using His wisdom each day, we will be able to discern how to live. The decisions or choices we make will be protected choices God would have for us. If we stumble, we will also be able to discern quickly how to resolve issues or change course to remain steadfastly in the center of God’s good will. In contrast, those who do not seek the wisdom of God will continue falling into the wickedness of their heart or the ways of this world, living with pain and heartache that could have been avoided. I believe the root cause of wickedness and troubles in this world is the condition of our heart. Our children cannot obtain what we do not have to give. It is imperative that we purpose to know and honor God more each day. We never want to be the person we are today when tomorrow arrives. Don’t you desire the same for your children or grandchildren? What we are today shapes who our children become tomorrow. Remember the words of Proverbs 4:13 , which says, “Carry out my instructions; don’t forget them, for they will lead you to real living .” Teach your children to honor God because they see Him in you and recognize the love and honor you hold for our Heavenly Father. Help them seek God’s instructions so lovingly revealed and shared with us so that we can each live for eternity while on earth today. Dear Heavenly Father, How good You are to us! You reveal all we need to know for living life under You. Thank you for allowing us grace and free reign. Thank you for entrusting us with Your wisdom if only we seek and ask. Father, I know each of us hurt You daily. Help us to turn from our wicked ways and humbly submit to You in new ways that draw our children nearer to You. May our character as a mother or parent reveal You so clearly that our children and grandchildren cannot help but please You. Our life is a journey of character development. Thank you for Your grace and patience with us. May we exhibit that to our children, yet remain steadfast in instructing them in Your godly ways. May we exhibit and teach your honesty, gratitude, joy, and peace. May our children receive Your fruits of the Spirit with confidence and character that shines You. May the roots they grow come from time spent with You and a parent who consistently seeks and follows Your will and ways. 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 #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.

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< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast - Episode 062 - Do You Parent to Prepare or Repair? Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 62 – Do You Parent to Prepare or Repair? I still remember that morning. Of course, the day seems more vivid, I’m sure, because as I prepare this episode, I’m coming up on the 15th year anniversary of the day my oldest daughter passed away. Now that she’s gone, memories are either sweeter than before or my thoughts are pensive because there’s no going back. When you’ve lost a child, you tend to view events through a different lens. With maturity and hindsight, I think I still would have handled the situation differently, but of course, it’s easy to say because I don’t have the pressures of having to be at work early every day. When my first two children were young, I worked outside the home in a pretty strict business. Of course, we were expected to be on time, but most people weren’t very understanding if you had to call in sick for yourself or a child. I carried a lot of mom guilt for leaving my kids, especially when I could tell they needed a little extra time on certain mornings. Just like the day I’m about to share with you. My oldest child, Jaime, was about 9 years old or so. She was always mature for her age, so it seemed she was older, but when I look back now, she still seemed so young. On this particular morning, she was trying to get me to let her stay home from school. After checking her temperature to see if she had a fever, which she didn’t, and talking to her and sitting with her for a little bit, I convinced her she needed to get ready to go to school. I didn’t have much time to spare in the mornings as I got ready for work. When she was that age, I had to leave the house before 7:30, which would get me to work with no extra time. My gut feeling told me that my daughter just wanted time with me, and I wanted it with her, too. But I had to leave. Now, as a mature mom, I’d like to believe I would have called in and told my boss I was going to be a little late, but while it’s easy to feel that way now, back then it felt impossible to do. It also didn’t help that my two kids were sick often. In fact, they had both experienced a year or so in which the two of them had strep throat numerous times. My husband and I had to take both of them to get their tonsils removed at the same time before they stopped getting sick. I remember backing out of the garage the morning my daughter was so clingy. It was directly beneath my daughter’s bedroom. Before I drove away, I looked up and saw her watching me leave with her sad expression piercing my spirit. Of course, my mind was on her all day. I expected to get a call from the school saying she needed to come home, but I didn’t. Guess what? That evening at home, my daughter seemed fine. But there were several other mornings that were just as difficult to leave her. In fact, one time she actually placed the thermometer on my curling iron so that it would appear that she had a fever. I could tell by the temperature reading that she had done something, because her coloring looked good, her skin wasn’t clammy, and her eyes were clear. However, the temperature reading was the highest number on the thermometer. Calling her bluff, I placed the thermometer on the bathroom counter and calmly told her I was going to call 911 because her temperature was so high that I was afraid she was going to have a seizure. Then she quickly admitted what she had done and said she just wanted to stay home with me. I also often felt behind as a working outside the home mom. Or I felt like I wasn’t doing enough of what she needed me to do. It made me feel like my daughter needed more from me than I was able to be home to give her. I knew the short time we were together at night helped, because she was always with me, talking about her day and thoughts. But as I look back as a more experienced mom whose daughter has passed away, it’s easier to think about what I’d like to have done differently. Now, as I remember my parenting days with her, it makes me ponder a particular feeling. Did I set myself up to parent to repair , not prepare ? What do I mean by that? All those years I felt like I was a good mom, and I’m sure that anyone who saw or knew me parent would say the same. My grown son testifies to the fact. It’s not something I dispute or feel guilty about. However, I don’t want to be known as a good mom. I now strive to be a godly mom. What’s the difference? Well, a good mom works hard to do the right things, but is hindered by circumstances and her own human flesh. I tried to give my daughter the attention she needed when I was home, but also had to meet commitments that affected the care she wanted from me. I remember praying that Jaime would understand that I had to leave, that she would understand I wanted to be with her, but couldn’t. I remember our talks about my job and how I didn’t want to leave her. At those times, she seemed fine, said she understood, and wanted to be in the moment. A godly mom would hear the words and interpret them another way. A godly mom would definitely pray different prayers. If I were in the situation now, I would pray with her before I left, I would remind her that whatever was making her want to be with me could be comforted by her Heavenly Father. I would set time with her when I got home, no matter how “fine” she seemed so we could read Scripture together and she could share what was bothering her. Was something happening at school? Did she just need extra time with me? Was she not feeling good, although she seemed fine? I would be in the Word with her daily, leading her to lay her feelings, thoughts, and fears at the feet of Christ. I would pray for God to reveal what Jaime needed so that I could reach her exactly where it would help her to feel secure when I had to be away from her. I would probably take a day off work, regardless of the money I would lose, or the trouble it would cause when I returned. I certainly did spend time with her every night, and I did pray for her, but I know my prayers would be different now. How? Because my attitude would be different. Although I was a good mom, I wasn’t a godly mom. A godly mom takes all things, every aspect of life captive for Christ. Her decisions, desires, and dreams are different because of Him. Instead of pressing forward with what I had to do financially, I would carve that time at night, despite my busy schedule, to have family Bible and prayer time. That was a missing piece during those years. One that would have helped me raise children with identities tied to Jesus as children and teens, helping them navigate the world and culture with His Truth. A Biblical worldview and a personal relationship with Christ that is maturing moment by moment would have taken the sadness from the face of a young girl and comforted her during the moments she missed her mom. Despite having a lot of time together at night to talk, my words and wisdom can only carry her so far. I don’t want you to miss what I am saying. We talked a lot about Jesus. In fact, she had accepted Him as her Savior as a young girl, but I didn’t know enough about actually crafting a purposed parenting plan that enabled her to grow wisdom, strength, identity, and desires through Him. Only God’s wisdom and understanding builds a foundation for her life to stand secure and strong. Mothers, you must have a purposed plan that does not sway or stop. So, when I say I feel like I was parenting to repair, not prepare, it probably sounds more obvious now that I’ve included good versus godly parenting. When we rightly place Jesus at the center of everything, and our mind is always focused on Him and the eternal outcome of our parenting years, we are changed. We become a different woman, a different wife, a different mom, daughter, sister, grandparent, friend, or follower of Christ. When a mother is parenting to prepare, she is proactive. Parenting should always be proactively productive for Christ. Your motherhood mindset, desires, and actions should be prepping your children for a lifetime of dependence on and submission to Him. It should teach them that He is always with them. He will care for them, teach them, and carry them. In contrast, when we parent to repair, we are not teaching reliance on Jesus, but self . I call it parenting to repair because training our children (whether we do it intentionally or not) to rely on self (or us) will never be enough. There will always be issues to deal with later, whether it be relationships, habits, beliefs, etc. Of course I prayed with her and talked about Jesus, but the biggest difference is the mindset I now carry and the way I purposely and patiently parent for Him in all ways. Like drawing and releasing breath, I think about how I am affecting my child for Christ and eternity. Not just about the situation we are currently in. Proverbs 22:6-7 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Sometimes parents read this verse and believe that if they tell their child about Christ and take them to church every week all will be well. It’s just not the case and so many parents are hurting. Children are hurting. Mothers have stopped believing God because they believe they trained their child in the way they should go, but their child grows up to walk away from God. Raising a child for Jesus is so much harder than we think. It is a lifetime of training, prayers, laughter, work, and tears. It is a sacrificial lifestyle that brings us to our knees and keeps us there. It is humbly submitting to transformation through Christ moment by moment so we can become the follower of Jesus that we need to be in order to model Him well to our children. It is admitting the ungodliness in ourself that allows us to accept and love the ungodliness in our children, but striving to move each of us into Christlikeness. It is recognizing the privilege and honor of raising the children God entrusted to us, but remembering that they have a choice. Just as we did. When we accepted Jesus as our Savior. No matter how well we may parent for Christ, we cannot force them to choose Him. We cannot make every day perfect. So, we prayerfully place our beloved children in His hands and trust that He will harvest the seeds we have sown. That is when we know we have truly parented to prepare, not repair . My favorite passage of parenting verses come from Deuteronomy 6:5-9 which says, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates .” What are some ways parents can look to Scripture to practice “prepared parenting ?” 1. 1 Corinthians 9:16 says, “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” Evangelism starts in the home. Our children are tiny sponges that are so eager to know Jesus. What an honor to bring their open hearts straight to Him. 2. 1 Corinthians 9:27 says, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified .” Just as Paul speaks of himself and his service for others under Christ, parents have a God-given, ordained obligation to raise children for Him. In order to do so, it is imperative to have relationship with Jesus, to regularly and prayerfully study the Bible to draw nearer to Him. We cannot teach our children to submit to someone we do not follow and mentor well. Remember, He chose you for each child under your influence and care. 3. 2 Corinthians 5:9 says, “So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him .” As believers, our top goal, or aim , should be to honor God. “Aim” comes from the Greek word that means, “to love what is honorable .” It is, therefore, the duty of mothers, to aim to achieve the high goal of maturing our Christian walk, and of prayerfully developing the relationship of our children with Jesus, with full reliance on Him. Once we have experienced the life-changing and life-saving power of God’s merciful gift to us through Christ, we must commit to be accountable to the trust He bestowed to us when He purposed to us the children we have. Parenting is truly a privilege entrusted to every mother. We are expected to be a prayerful, maturing mentor of Jesus to each of the children in our care. As 1 Timothy 3:1 says, “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task .” As overseers of God’s children, we carry the worthiest task of all. 4. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love .” These were words given to the Corinthians by Paul, but it also shows how we should plan our parenting. Paul was watchful of the world, which I call culture, and the dangerous, ungodly influences on our children. Mothers, we must submit to Jesus daily, humbly seeking His direction and transformation. Without doing so, we cannot mature our personal faith or nurture the faith of our children. As we stand in the strength and courage of the Lord, praying for the guarding guidance of the Holy Spirit within us, we will invite His merciful, abiding love for our children to direct our mind, heart, and steps. I appreciate the beauty in hindsight. Thankfully, my kids grew up to tell me that they thought I was a good mother. However, as one now much more mature in my relationship with Christ, I wish they had grown up to tell me how thankful they are to have had a godly mother. Those are the words my younger set of children use and it doesn’t reflect on me. All the glory goes to Christ, without whom I am nothing. What a gracious God I serve that He allowed me to raise a second family for Him. Being a godly mother has been the biggest difference in my parenting style the last nineteen years. I’m thankful to share parenting tips and godly advice with you. I hope you will be an even godlier mother than I can ever be. Dear Heavenly Father, how merciful and loving You are. How blessed we are to parent for You. Thank you for entrusting Your children into our incapable hands. Thank you for flowing Your goodness and mercy through us as we imperfectly parent Your children. What a privilege and honor You have bestowed on us! Show us the way to Your heart. Allow us to see our children with Your eyes, love them with Your heart, and raise them with Your wisdom. Carry us and our children and allow them to come to a full and lasting relationship with Jesus. Help us to view every moment as opportunities to draw ourselves nearer to You and model godly love and grace to our children, bringing them to Your feet. In His precious name 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. Would you like to walk with other like-minded mothers to deepen your walk with Christ, learn a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan? I want to share special news with my podcast listeners. The Set-Apart Collective wait list is open now. Send me an email at info@terrihitt.com to let me know you’d like to receive all the details, as well as a special discount code if you decide you’d like to join the collective. It’s time for 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? The best reviews are by word of mouth, so I’d be honored if you choose a friend to recommend the show to. Imagine the change we could see in the way mothers parent for Christ. The podcast can be found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place. 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 #023 – Discouragement and Disappointment 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. When I was a little girl I felt like I had so many disappointments that caused me to begin expecting less out of life. Like all of us, I learned that nothing is guaranteed. Instead of using that fact to prompt me to appreciate what I did have, I withdrew and became more introverted. I was already attending my second or third elementary school by the time I entered first grade. We were also living in a new state. I remember my dad taking me to my first day in that new school. The year had already started. Even at that age, I understood that meant everyone already had their friend groups and everyone would be staring at the new girl. In my mind, I still see my dad and I outdoors on the playground on that early morning as he knelt next to me. I cried, pleading with him to let me stay home. I didn’t want to go inside that school. Like parents usually do, he promised me that everything would turn out okay. I knew he couldn’t really promise that, but I also understood I had to go in. My personality was already shutting down, knowing that even if I made any new friends, I’d just have to leave them when we moved again and I wasn’t willing to keep investing the time and energy it took to develop and nurture relationships. Aren’t you glad God isn’t like that? Despite the ways we unknowingly or purposely sabotage our lives, push Him away, or live in disobedience to His callings and purposes for us, He remains faithful and merciful. He craves intimate relationship with each one of us and desires that we spend eternity with Him. Revelation 21:3-4 is a beautiful reminder of what is to come for those of us who choose a personal relationship with God through Jesus. “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Life gets bumpy, even when we know and try to please Him, but for true followers of Jesus, there is no way but straight through the disappointment and/or discouragement, allowing the Lord to carry and comfort us. As a child, I did not know Him and could not call upon His help. As an adult, I’m filled with gratitude for the ways I now recognize that He understands and provides for all of my needs. Even when the answers I receive are not at all what I desire, I do recognize and appreciate the way God works out every detail in the circumstances of my life, giving me opportunities to choose whether I will use them to draw nearer to Him and influence others for Him. I remember when our oldest daughter had her first set of seizures. She was in her early twenties and living in her own apartment near us. My husband was sick with a flu virus, and I had worked all day. After showering, I planned to watch television and go to bed. Instead, when I stepped out of the shower and into a towel, the phone rang and I had to head to the hospital. There was no way my husband could go with me, and he remained sick for a couple of days after she was admitted to the hospital. I was disappointed and scared to be caring for our daughter alone. I missed my husband and some of the details of her illness were very serious. I wanted to be able to rely on his wisdom and suggestions. God, in the way He crafts personal relationships with each one of us, knows the intricate ways we are all intertwined with one another and how connected we are to Him. He understands just what is needed for us to draw nearer to Him and He offers opportunities through the events in our lives. As I leaned into the support of God through the terrible illness my daughter suffered, I experienced intimate peace and trust and my faith deepened through the events. If my husband had been present, I do not think my walk would have grown as significantly as it did during that time. God, in His intimate, loving way, knew exactly how I needed to grow in those moments. The Bible offers a variety of life accounts about people who lived before us, providing a catalog of historical and biblical events that enable us to be a spectator viewing the way God warned, promised, cared for, and disciplined His people before us. As I purposely attempt to live each day with more eternal perspective, I appreciate the value in studying the ways God reached out to them before, during, and after each moment in their life, just as He does for us now. God is always present, whether or not we choose to acknowledge Him. Living with hindsight, especially drawn from watching mistakes, setbacks, disappointments, failures, and discouragement experienced by others should be the easiest way to learn. Many times, however, we choose the hardest way to grow, which is from our personal mistakes. Before we fall into traps, lies, or heartaches, we would do well to remember those who left lessons we can all benefit from and avoid hardships and pain to ourselves and others in our lives. The very first human disappointment recorded in the Bible was Eve’s. Disappointment and discouragement can stem from several reasons. Eve must have allowed pride and lust to birth disappointment that she could not eat of the fruit God forbade in the garden. After allowing herself to be deceived by the serpent (Satan), she had to have felt deep despair at the outcome of her disobedience. Her life, as well as Adam’s, were negatively impacted and altered by the actions they chose to take. When discouragement hits so deep, it is sometimes difficult to continue past it. This is where many fall victim to deeper discouragement and disappointment, allowing the feelings to fester and grow into more disobedience. Let’s look at Old Testament Joseph. He did not disobey God, like Adam and Eve. Instead, despite a series of hardships occurring over several years, Joseph continued to look to God through every circumstance and misfortune as they continued to affect him. Recognizing blessings disguised as adversity allows us to focus our perspective on eternity. Joseph understood that this life is not for our pleasure and that God uses everything for His good purposes. What we are allowed to be a part of in this short time on earth, has bigger picture consequences. Without struggle, we cannot develop spiritually in broad or profound ways and others will also miss the opportunity to be reached for and by God through us. Joseph shows us that we must never lose sight of the hidden meanings and plans that God can work through our obedience. Job lived a blameless, upright life, fearing God and shunning evil. In fact, his life was so pious that Satan begged to touch it, believing that Job lived with a shallow, self-serving devotion to God. The Lord allowed Satan to upset Job’s life, with restrictions, because He knew Satan would be proven wrong and that spiritual warfare would not harm the relationship God and Job shared. Job allows us to see that there can be godly purposes at work when we suffer, and that they can be unrelated to punishment or sin in our lives. If we allow disappointment and/or discouragement to rule our emotions and actions, our personal walk with the Lord is damaged and we never see the underlying work He is creating though what we cannot see. Paul, a Pharisee who once hated, punished, and murdered Christians, was shocked, and his life totally transformed when he met Jesus on a road to Damascus. The intensity with which he once massacred Christians then turned into a passion for sharing the gospel and serving others, drawing them to Jesus and helping them to draw nearer to Him. Paul allows us to glimpse the grace, mercy, and forgiveness of our gracious Heavenly Father as we study how Jesus shattered the evil life he followed, and the way God forgave Paul, allowing him the opportunity to reach others for Him. Paul obediently and faithfully stepped through treacherous and painful sufferings and events, proving that the law doesn’t provide freedom. Only grace through the shed blood of Jesus offers us eternity and the forgiveness and transformation we desire and need. Are you able to recognize the types of disappointment and/or discouragement that usually pull us away from God or that causes us to stumble in our walk with Him? How do you define it? To avoid letting disappointment or discouragement from gaining a grip on us, we must recognize when it threatens us. Anything unexpected or unpleasant, whether personal, spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, or financial can affect a change that causes us to be discouraged or disappointed. Those feelings can also be triggered by someone or something. The most common are as follows: 1. Disappointments – Life will carry adversity. 2. Burnout – Trying to please everyone instead of relying only on what the Lord is calling us to do and not releasing our burdens to Him sparks the flame of burnout. 3. Lack of confidence – Relying on self causes false security and fake confidence that will crumble. True confidence comes only from knowing and believing our worth through God. 4. Expectations – Maturing in the Lord means releasing what we want and accepting a higher plan. 5. Comparisons – Not keeping our gaze fixed above and comparing ourselves to those around us is toxic. 6. Timing (delays) – Our timing is never the same as what God follows. 7. Criticism – Constantly viewing life as negative is contrary to God’s plan. Whether it comes from us or others, it never benefits us. 8. Job – Stresses from jobs can be extreme. 9. Family – Relationships are difficult. 10. Friends – Again, relationships can be difficult. 11. Judgement – Just like comparisons, judgements are not something we are meant to do. 12. Spiritual warfare – Satan is out to get everyone of us, especially those who love Jesus. 13. Lethargy – Not standing for something or doing anything causes boredom and gives us time to do nothing but complain and look for things to be disappointed about. To avoid falling victim to disappointment and discouragement we must actively engage in purposing to keep our hearts and minds fixed on God. Always remember to look Up to Him, not around us, and certainly not within ourselves. Exodus 6:8-9 says, “And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord. Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.” Do not allow yourself to focus on the negative. Wait for what God is working behind the scenes of our vision and understanding . Philippians 3:13-14 says, “Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” Circumstances in our lives will change. Practice gratitude by enjoying what you appreciate while you have it. Nothing will ever stay the same. Circumstances, joys, and heartaches will ebb and flow just like the sea. Isaiah 43:18-19 says, “Don’t remember the former things; don’t dwell on things past. Watch! I’m about to carry out something new! And now it’s springing up don’t you recognize it? I’m making a way in the wilderness and paths in the desert.” The Lord is making a way. We must trust and wait with expectation despite circumstances. I will list practical steps to follow to actively combat disappointment and/or discouragement when they threaten to take root. 1. Get enough rest. Everything looks and feels better when we are well-rested. Eat properly. Proper and regular hydration and nutrition affect our minds and body. Exercise. Our bodies were meant to be active and our minds were meant to be challenged. Both need proper exercise. Proverbs 3:5-8 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” 2. Heed your thoughts. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” 3. Pay close attention to attitude. 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.” 4. Notice the way you interact with others, the words you use, the way you treat others. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” When we trust the Lord and release the loads we carry to Him, we are free to truly live the way He desires. 5. Exercise gratitude despite circumstances. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” 6. Read the Bible! God’s words are a medicine and balm for all that occurs in this life. The closer we press to Jesus, the more we respect and appreciate the wisdom contained in God’s Holy word. The Holy Spirit works inside us to communicate and decipher the very intentions and words God gave to us, allowing us more clarity, insight, and understanding. Joshua 1:8 says, “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.” Romans 15:4-5 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” 7. Communicate with God through prayer and actively listening for His guidance and direction. Psalm 55:11 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” 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.” 8. Rely on God, not self, and not earthly friends. Friends, especially godly ones, are true blessings, but do not replace God with a human He created. Psalm 46:10-11 says, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 9. Shift your viewpoint of occurrences to one of eternal perspective. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” 10. Trust God. Let go of personal expectations and follow God’s plan and purposes for your life. Learn to enjoy what happens, instead of what you think should happen or you want to happen. Ephesians 4:27 says, “And do not give the devil an opportunity to work.” 11. Model godly disappointment for our children and grandchildren. When they see us handle discouragement, discontent, or defeat with our heart and mind fixed above, it teaches and encourages them to build the same spiritual strengths. Let them appropriately know your feelings when you are dissatisfied and let them see you pray (or pray with them) about it. Teach them to carry everything to God and share with them as He answers or shifts your heart to the perspective He desires. Remember (and teach our children and grandchildren) Jeremiah 29:11 which says, “ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” And Joshua 1:9 which says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” When we forget or refuse to seek Him and instead fixate on what has disillusioned or disenchanted us, we automatically lose sight of a blessing, joy, or lesson that God has allowed or purposed for our life. Eternal perspective living is born from lifting our gaze above any obstacle this earth gives and allowing that annoyance, setback, failure, defeat, or blow to push us into the arms and care of Jesus. What I call heartitude is revealed when disappointments arise. If we continue worshipping the Lord and living with gratitude despite setbacks and frustrations, we submit to God’s sovereignty over our life. Satan wants Christians discouraged and defeated, hoping that it will cause us to disobey God, not trust God, make wrong decisions, stop believing in God, or cause fear and anxiety. Depression can also stem from discouragement and/or disappointment, draining us of all hope and chipping away at the foundation of our trust and hope in God. When we allow our mind and spirit to become discouraged or depressed, our spiritual life, personal life, prayer life, and obedience suffer. Satan wants to till the soil of our spiritual life and rip away roots of trust to replace them with nettles of distrust and disappointment. He will plant seeds of doubt where the discouragement settled and drip waters of discontent until strong, thorny weeds choke out faith and leave us languishing without hope and filling our mind with lies. Our inner thoughts whisper trash that would never enter God’s thoughts. Satan writes the same dialogue for anyone weak enough to accept the lying words. “God’s not real.” “God is not good.” “If He loved you, He wouldn’t let this happen.” “You aren’t enough for even God to love.” “Christianity is a sham.” “You’re not really a Christian or this wouldn’t have happened.” “God is a liar.” John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Purpose to draw nearer to God if you feel even a stab of discouragement. Remember emotions you experience when you follow His loving guidelines, read His word, or worship Him in song. Expect that life will bring heartache and uncertainty, but it will also shift again. Jesus warned us that in this world we would experience sorrow and troubles. John 16:33 says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Do not allow Satan, this world, or your pride and selfishness keep you from viewing discouragement or disappointment through an eternal lens. God’s word offers the perfect hope, promise, or comfort for any event or experience and for any one of us. The following verses are perfect for memorizing, writing out, praying over, or carrying with you to read when needed to counter the lies this world offers. God’s word truly is the solution this hurting world needs. Romans 5:5 says, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Remember the Israelites and the discouragement and dissatisfaction they suffered on their journey to the promised land and how it prolonged their disappointment, leading to disobedience, and misery? They certainly did not remember God’s past faithfulness to them or the spectacular miracles they had seen Him perform. How different could their journey and life have been if they had remained faithful to trusting and obeying Him? Our discouragement actually proves our spiritual and relational need for God. No one can fill our emotions, heart, and mind as well as the One who created us. Not even ourselves. Only God. We must read His word to know Him and recognize His voice and promptings. We must pray to Him, and make time to seek, talk, and listen to Him. Why? Because that is the only way to nourish and flourish any relationship. What bond is more important than a personal one with the Creator of the universe? Let’s close this episode with the following beautiful verse. Psalm 34:1-7 “I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of his glories and grace. I will boast of all his kindness to me. Let all who are discouraged take heart. Let us praise the Lord together and exalt his name. For I cried to him and he answered me! He freed me from all my fears. Others too were radiant at what he did for them. Theirs was no downcast look of rejection! This poor man cried to the Lord—and the Lord heard him and saved him out of his troubles. For the Angel of the Lord guards and rescues all who reverence him.” Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, would you please make time to leave a review and rating for the show? I pray you find value in our weekly topics. 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. Can you think of a friend who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them so that they will also find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 023 Discouragement and Disappointment Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #023 – Discouragement and Disappointment 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. When I was a little girl I felt like I had so many disappointments that caused me to begin expecting less out of life. Like all of us, I learned that nothing is guaranteed. Instead of using that fact to prompt me to appreciate what I did have, I withdrew and became more introverted. I was already attending my second or third elementary school by the time I entered first grade. We were also living in a new state. I remember my dad taking me to my first day in that new school. The year had already started. Even at that age, I understood that meant everyone already had their friend groups and everyone would be staring at the new girl. In my mind, I still see my dad and I outdoors on the playground on that early morning as he knelt next to me. I cried, pleading with him to let me stay home. I didn’t want to go inside that school. Like parents usually do, he promised me that everything would turn out okay. I knew he couldn’t really promise that, but I also understood I had to go in. My personality was already shutting down, knowing that even if I made any new friends, I’d just have to leave them when we moved again and I wasn’t willing to keep investing the time and energy it took to develop and nurture relationships. Aren’t you glad God isn’t like that? Despite the ways we unknowingly or purposely sabotage our lives, push Him away, or live in disobedience to His callings and purposes for us, He remains faithful and merciful. He craves intimate relationship with each one of us and desires that we spend eternity with Him. Revelation 21:3-4 is a beautiful reminder of what is to come for those of us who choose a personal relationship with God through Jesus. “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Life gets bumpy, even when we know and try to please Him, but for true followers of Jesus, there is no way but straight through the disappointment and/or discouragement, allowing the Lord to carry and comfort us. As a child, I did not know Him and could not call upon His help. As an adult, I’m filled with gratitude for the ways I now recognize that He understands and provides for all of my needs. Even when the answers I receive are not at all what I desire, I do recognize and appreciate the way God works out every detail in the circumstances of my life, giving me opportunities to choose whether I will use them to draw nearer to Him and influence others for Him. I remember when our oldest daughter had her first set of seizures. She was in her early twenties and living in her own apartment near us. My husband was sick with a flu virus, and I had worked all day. After showering, I planned to watch television and go to bed. Instead, when I stepped out of the shower and into a towel, the phone rang and I had to head to the hospital. There was no way my husband could go with me, and he remained sick for a couple of days after she was admitted to the hospital. I was disappointed and scared to be caring for our daughter alone. I missed my husband and some of the details of her illness were very serious. I wanted to be able to rely on his wisdom and suggestions. God, in the way He crafts personal relationships with each one of us, knows the intricate ways we are all intertwined with one another and how connected we are to Him. He understands just what is needed for us to draw nearer to Him and He offers opportunities through the events in our lives. As I leaned into the support of God through the terrible illness my daughter suffered, I experienced intimate peace and trust and my faith deepened through the events. If my husband had been present, I do not think my walk would have grown as significantly as it did during that time. God, in His intimate, loving way, knew exactly how I needed to grow in those moments. The Bible offers a variety of life accounts about people who lived before us, providing a catalog of historical and biblical events that enable us to be a spectator viewing the way God warned, promised, cared for, and disciplined His people before us. As I purposely attempt to live each day with more eternal perspective, I appreciate the value in studying the ways God reached out to them before, during, and after each moment in their life, just as He does for us now. God is always present, whether or not we choose to acknowledge Him. Living with hindsight, especially drawn from watching mistakes, setbacks, disappointments, failures, and discouragement experienced by others should be the easiest way to learn. Many times, however, we choose the hardest way to grow, which is from our personal mistakes. Before we fall into traps, lies, or heartaches, we would do well to remember those who left lessons we can all benefit from and avoid hardships and pain to ourselves and others in our lives. The very first human disappointment recorded in the Bible was Eve’s. Disappointment and discouragement can stem from several reasons. Eve must have allowed pride and lust to birth disappointment that she could not eat of the fruit God forbade in the garden. After allowing herself to be deceived by the serpent (Satan), she had to have felt deep despair at the outcome of her disobedience. Her life, as well as Adam’s, were negatively impacted and altered by the actions they chose to take. When discouragement hits so deep, it is sometimes difficult to continue past it. This is where many fall victim to deeper discouragement and disappointment, allowing the feelings to fester and grow into more disobedience. Let’s look at Old Testament Joseph. He did not disobey God, like Adam and Eve. Instead, despite a series of hardships occurring over several years, Joseph continued to look to God through every circumstance and misfortune as they continued to affect him. Recognizing blessings disguised as adversity allows us to focus our perspective on eternity. Joseph understood that this life is not for our pleasure and that God uses everything for His good purposes. What we are allowed to be a part of in this short time on earth, has bigger picture consequences. Without struggle, we cannot develop spiritually in broad or profound ways and others will also miss the opportunity to be reached for and by God through us. Joseph shows us that we must never lose sight of the hidden meanings and plans that God can work through our obedience. Job lived a blameless, upright life, fearing God and shunning evil. In fact, his life was so pious that Satan begged to touch it, believing that Job lived with a shallow, self-serving devotion to God. The Lord allowed Satan to upset Job’s life, with restrictions, because He knew Satan would be proven wrong and that spiritual warfare would not harm the relationship God and Job shared. Job allows us to see that there can be godly purposes at work when we suffer, and that they can be unrelated to punishment or sin in our lives. If we allow disappointment and/or discouragement to rule our emotions and actions, our personal walk with the Lord is damaged and we never see the underlying work He is creating though what we cannot see. Paul, a Pharisee who once hated, punished, and murdered Christians, was shocked, and his life totally transformed when he met Jesus on a road to Damascus. The intensity with which he once massacred Christians then turned into a passion for sharing the gospel and serving others, drawing them to Jesus and helping them to draw nearer to Him. Paul allows us to glimpse the grace, mercy, and forgiveness of our gracious Heavenly Father as we study how Jesus shattered the evil life he followed, and the way God forgave Paul, allowing him the opportunity to reach others for Him. Paul obediently and faithfully stepped through treacherous and painful sufferings and events, proving that the law doesn’t provide freedom. Only grace through the shed blood of Jesus offers us eternity and the forgiveness and transformation we desire and need. Are you able to recognize the types of disappointment and/or discouragement that usually pull us away from God or that causes us to stumble in our walk with Him? How do you define it? To avoid letting disappointment or discouragement from gaining a grip on us, we must recognize when it threatens us. Anything unexpected or unpleasant, whether personal, spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, or financial can affect a change that causes us to be discouraged or disappointed. Those feelings can also be triggered by someone or something. The most common are as follows: 1. Disappointments – Life will carry adversity. 2. Burnout – Trying to please everyone instead of relying only on what the Lord is calling us to do and not releasing our burdens to Him sparks the flame of burnout. 3. Lack of confidence – Relying on self causes false security and fake confidence that will crumble. True confidence comes only from knowing and believing our worth through God. 4. Expectations – Maturing in the Lord means releasing what we want and accepting a higher plan. 5. Comparisons – Not keeping our gaze fixed above and comparing ourselves to those around us is toxic. 6. Timing (delays) – Our timing is never the same as what God follows. 7. Criticism – Constantly viewing life as negative is contrary to God’s plan. Whether it comes from us or others, it never benefits us. 8. Job – Stresses from jobs can be extreme. 9. Family – Relationships are difficult. 10. Friends – Again, relationships can be difficult. 11. Judgement – Just like comparisons, judgements are not something we are meant to do. 12. Spiritual warfare – Satan is out to get everyone of us, especially those who love Jesus. 13. Lethargy – Not standing for something or doing anything causes boredom and gives us time to do nothing but complain and look for things to be disappointed about. To avoid falling victim to disappointment and discouragement we must actively engage in purposing to keep our hearts and minds fixed on God. Always remember to look Up to Him, not around us, and certainly not within ourselves. Exodus 6:8-9 says, “And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord. Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.” Do not allow yourself to focus on the negative. Wait for what God is working behind the scenes of our vision and understanding . Philippians 3:13-14 says, “Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” Circumstances in our lives will change. Practice gratitude by enjoying what you appreciate while you have it. Nothing will ever stay the same. Circumstances, joys, and heartaches will ebb and flow just like the sea. Isaiah 43:18-19 says, “Don’t remember the former things; don’t dwell on things past. Watch! I’m about to carry out something new! And now it’s springing up don’t you recognize it? I’m making a way in the wilderness and paths in the desert.” The Lord is making a way. We must trust and wait with expectation despite circumstances. I will list practical steps to follow to actively combat disappointment and/or discouragement when they threaten to take root. 1. Get enough rest. Everything looks and feels better when we are well-rested. Eat properly. Proper and regular hydration and nutrition affect our minds and body. Exercise. Our bodies were meant to be active and our minds were meant to be challenged. Both need proper exercise. Proverbs 3:5-8 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” 2. Heed your thoughts. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” 3. Pay close attention to attitude. 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.” 4. Notice the way you interact with others, the words you use, the way you treat others. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” When we trust the Lord and release the loads we carry to Him, we are free to truly live the way He desires. 5. Exercise gratitude despite circumstances. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” 6. Read the Bible! God’s words are a medicine and balm for all that occurs in this life. The closer we press to Jesus, the more we respect and appreciate the wisdom contained in God’s Holy word. The Holy Spirit works inside us to communicate and decipher the very intentions and words God gave to us, allowing us more clarity, insight, and understanding. Joshua 1:8 says, “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.” Romans 15:4-5 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” 7. Communicate with God through prayer and actively listening for His guidance and direction. Psalm 55:11 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” 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.” 8. Rely on God, not self, and not earthly friends. Friends, especially godly ones, are true blessings, but do not replace God with a human He created. Psalm 46:10-11 says, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 9. Shift your viewpoint of occurrences to one of eternal perspective. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” 10. Trust God. Let go of personal expectations and follow God’s plan and purposes for your life. Learn to enjoy what happens, instead of what you think should happen or you want to happen. Ephesians 4:27 says, “And do not give the devil an opportunity to work.” 11. Model godly disappointment for our children and grandchildren. When they see us handle discouragement, discontent, or defeat with our heart and mind fixed above, it teaches and encourages them to build the same spiritual strengths. Let them appropriately know your feelings when you are dissatisfied and let them see you pray (or pray with them) about it. Teach them to carry everything to God and share with them as He answers or shifts your heart to the perspective He desires. Remember (and teach our children and grandchildren) Jeremiah 29:11 which says, “ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” And Joshua 1:9 which says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” When we forget or refuse to seek Him and instead fixate on what has disillusioned or disenchanted us, we automatically lose sight of a blessing, joy, or lesson that God has allowed or purposed for our life. Eternal perspective living is born from lifting our gaze above any obstacle this earth gives and allowing that annoyance, setback, failure, defeat, or blow to push us into the arms and care of Jesus. What I call heartitude is revealed when disappointments arise. If we continue worshipping the Lord and living with gratitude despite setbacks and frustrations, we submit to God’s sovereignty over our life. Satan wants Christians discouraged and defeated, hoping that it will cause us to disobey God, not trust God, make wrong decisions, stop believing in God, or cause fear and anxiety. Depression can also stem from discouragement and/or disappointment, draining us of all hope and chipping away at the foundation of our trust and hope in God. When we allow our mind and spirit to become discouraged or depressed, our spiritual life, personal life, prayer life, and obedience suffer. Satan wants to till the soil of our spiritual life and rip away roots of trust to replace them with nettles of distrust and disappointment. He will plant seeds of doubt where the discouragement settled and drip waters of discontent until strong, thorny weeds choke out faith and leave us languishing without hope and filling our mind with lies. Our inner thoughts whisper trash that would never enter God’s thoughts. Satan writes the same dialogue for anyone weak enough to accept the lying words. “God’s not real.” “God is not good.” “If He loved you, He wouldn’t let this happen.” “You aren’t enough for even God to love.” “Christianity is a sham.” “You’re not really a Christian or this wouldn’t have happened.” “God is a liar.” John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Purpose to draw nearer to God if you feel even a stab of discouragement. Remember emotions you experience when you follow His loving guidelines, read His word, or worship Him in song. Expect that life will bring heartache and uncertainty, but it will also shift again. Jesus warned us that in this world we would experience sorrow and troubles. John 16:33 says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Do not allow Satan, this world, or your pride and selfishness keep you from viewing discouragement or disappointment through an eternal lens. God’s word offers the perfect hope, promise, or comfort for any event or experience and for any one of us. The following verses are perfect for memorizing, writing out, praying over, or carrying with you to read when needed to counter the lies this world offers. God’s word truly is the solution this hurting world needs. Romans 5:5 says, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Remember the Israelites and the discouragement and dissatisfaction they suffered on their journey to the promised land and how it prolonged their disappointment, leading to disobedience, and misery? They certainly did not remember God’s past faithfulness to them or the spectacular miracles they had seen Him perform. How different could their journey and life have been if they had remained faithful to trusting and obeying Him? Our discouragement actually proves our spiritual and relational need for God. No one can fill our emotions, heart, and mind as well as the One who created us. Not even ourselves. Only God. We must read His word to know Him and recognize His voice and promptings. We must pray to Him, and make time to seek, talk, and listen to Him. Why? Because that is the only way to nourish and flourish any relationship. What bond is more important than a personal one with the Creator of the universe? Let’s close this episode with the following beautiful verse. Psalm 34:1-7 “I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of his glories and grace. I will boast of all his kindness to me. Let all who are discouraged take heart. Let us praise the Lord together and exalt his name. For I cried to him and he answered me! He freed me from all my fears. Others too were radiant at what he did for them. Theirs was no downcast look of rejection! This poor man cried to the Lord—and the Lord heard him and saved him out of his troubles. For the Angel of the Lord guards and rescues all who reverence him.” Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, would you please make time to leave a review and rating for the show? I pray you find value in our weekly topics. 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. Can you think of a friend who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them so that they will also find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

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Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #113 – Sharing Prayers for the Battle Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together and live with purposed eternal perspective. Earlier this year I launched my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child.” At the time, I shared that I would begin releasing “Live With Eternal Perspective” episodes every other week so that I could also release the new podcast biweekly. This week I released episode 006 – “Prayers for the Battle” on the “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” podcast. If you are a parent, grandparent, or know someone raising children, this episode will equip you to pray with purposed intention and reliance on our Heavenly Father. It’s so easy for us to rush through life, subconsciously believing we are in control. We keep moving, thinking life will follow. Actually, this world simply does not revolve around us. We must live with purposed hearts that seek our Father with humble reliance on His guidance and provisions. In the “Prayers for the Battle” episode, I share 5 key steps we must take to prayerfully release our child or grandchild to God. Even if you are not yet a parent or grandparent, this episode will enable you to clearly find ways you can live with a more dedicated prayer life. In this episode I also share prayers for the 6 areas parents need to be aware of as they raise children and I offer a new free resource you can find on my website. Have you listened to a “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” episode yet? This generation needs believers committed to following Jesus to battle for them with purpose and love. 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 invite you to go to “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” to listen to this important episode. Nothing we do for the Lord goes to waste. Only what excludes our Father will burn to ash when we stand before Him face-to-face. Thank you for listening to my podcasts. Remember, every other week I will release an episode here, then every other week I will release an episode you can find at “Purposed Parent/Connected Child.” If you find value in what you hear, I invite you to share both podcasts with friends and family and place a rating and review at Apple Podcasts or Spotify to enable others to find each podcast? I pray that what you hear 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 113 - Sharing Prayers for the Battle Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #113 – Sharing Prayers for the Battle Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together and live with purposed eternal perspective. Earlier this year I launched my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child.” At the time, I shared that I would begin releasing “Live With Eternal Perspective” episodes every other week so that I could also release the new podcast biweekly. This week I released episode 006 – “Prayers for the Battle” on the “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” podcast. If you are a parent, grandparent, or know someone raising children, this episode will equip you to pray with purposed intention and reliance on our Heavenly Father. It’s so easy for us to rush through life, subconsciously believing we are in control. We keep moving, thinking life will follow. Actually, this world simply does not revolve around us. We must live with purposed hearts that seek our Father with humble reliance on His guidance and provisions. In the “Prayers for the Battle” episode, I share 5 key steps we must take to prayerfully release our child or grandchild to God. Even if you are not yet a parent or grandparent, this episode will enable you to clearly find ways you can live with a more dedicated prayer life. In this episode I also share prayers for the 6 areas parents need to be aware of as they raise children and I offer a new free resource you can find on my website. Have you listened to a “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” episode yet? This generation needs believers committed to following Jesus to battle for them with purpose and love. 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 invite you to go to “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” to listen to this important episode. Nothing we do for the Lord goes to waste. Only what excludes our Father will burn to ash when we stand before Him face-to-face. Thank you for listening to my podcasts. Remember, every other week I will release an episode here, then every other week I will release an episode you can find at “Purposed Parent/Connected Child.” If you find value in what you hear, I invite you to share both podcasts with friends and family and place a rating and review at Apple Podcasts or Spotify to enable others to find each podcast? I pray that what you hear 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.

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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.

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< Back Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode 015 - Hearing God's Voice Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #015 – Hearing God’s Voice 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. In past episodes of the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast we have talked about raising our children to be set-apart, preparing them for spiritual warfare, helping them find identity through Christ, and other important issues. Much of what we discuss is rooted by the topic we’ll explore today. How do we teach our children to listen for and recognize God’s voice? Every believer wants their children to desire God. We also want our child to know when they hear Him. This is a quality that must be learned, because they will need this skill throughout their life. We must teach them that although God speaks to each person uniquely, He remains consistent in basic qualities . There are two important truths we must help our child to understand and remember: 1. God convicts, but doesn’t condemn . John 16:13 says, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come .” God, in His holiness and loving kindness toward us, will impress us with a sense of guilt or wrong-doing. Our Heavenly Father cannot sin. As believers, we know that the Holy Spirit living within us will not allow us to go against God without some type of conviction pricking us. However, God does not condemn. Condemnation is a tactic used by the devil to pummel us with a pronouncement that we are unfit for God’s use. Condemnation is the place Satan desires us to stay without help or hope so that we do not repent and seek forgiveness, or allow God to cleanse us and move us into service for Him. 2. God is consistent, never contradicting . John 16:7-8 says, “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.” God is Truth . He cannot lie or deceive. However, the world we are a part of is in direct opposition to the Word of God. When God speaks to us, He will never lead us to anything that opposes what His word says. Remember the tactics of the devil in the garden with Adam and Eve? He tricked Eve by taking God’s words, but twisting them enough that confusion reigned. God will never stray from His holy truths and commandments. We can rest in the knowledge that whatever He speaks into our life or however He leads us, it will always be in total alignment with His Word. Once our children understand that God only guides by truth , holiness , and love , they will be better equipped to navigate this world with confidence that they will be able to recognize God’s voice. Now that we know how to instruct them in the basic truths on which to measure God’s voice against that of self, world, or Satan, let’s discuss how to prepare them to recognize God. What are some of the most effective ways to instruct our children to hear and experience fellowship with God daily? I’ll share 9 ways now: 1. Through Scripture – Hebrews 4:12 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 .” and 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “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.” Mentoring God though a strong and growing relationship with Jesus and letting our children see us seek God through the Bible encourages them to do the same. When we teach our children to seek and know God through His word, we are training them to trust the Lord, to follow Him, and to recognize Him. The relationship they grow through this method will also build the foundation for a strong prayer life. Together, they will be encouraged to seek their Heavenly Father and to listen for Him daily. 2. Through godly counsel – Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. ” and Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” Again, what we mentor is key. If we know the Lord and are already in or growing a strong walk with Him, we are better equipped to have godly wisdom to impart to our children. We are also more likely to have other godly leaders or influencers in our life who will be well equipped to counsel with our children, if needed. We will also be able to advise our children regarding godly leaders they can trust. Also, the Bible is our main source of wisdom. Again, if they are in the Word, studying the Word, and receiving godly counsel regarding God’s word, it is the absolute best source they can access. 3. Through experiences – There are incredible stories in the Bible where people saw and heard God through experiences. Jonah in the belly of the whale, Moses and the burning bush or at the parting of the Red Sea, Daniel in the lion’s den, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. The stories are miraculous and many. Just as God worked miracles in days past, He is able to perform miraculous feats in our lives today. We do have to beware as we teach our children that we can see and hear God through experiences, however. Experiences are so closely tied to our feelings and emotions, and those are not trustworthy indicators we want to instruct our children to use. Remember the two basic truths we shared in the beginning of the podcast. Bring everything back to the Bible. God never contradicts His word and He never condemns. 4. Through thoughts – Amos 4:13 says, “He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals His thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the LORD God Almighty is his name.” God’s ways are not typically our ways. Through a deepening, humble relationship with God through Jesus as Savior, our thoughts are transformed to become more like His. Romans 12:2 says, “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 .” Philippians 4:8 says, “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.” 5. Through nature – Romans 1:18-20 says, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Exodus 40:38 says, “ So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.” 6. Through visuals – Acts 2:17 says, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” Joel 2:28 says, “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” God has been known to use dreams or a vision actually seen in minds to give guidance or a message. Through Old Testament stories we hear of God giving revelation in this way. 7. Through faith – Romans 10:17 says, “Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. ” Not all who hear will respond to the Lord. When we hear and believe, we receive new life through Christ. God’s word is clear. When we have a close walk and draw nearer to God through faith, we will hear His guidance and direction more clearly. The same is true for our children as they mature their faith. 8. Through peace – Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” When we and our children bring anxieties and troubles to God through prayer and faith, hope, and trust, we will receive the perfect peace beyond our understanding. 9. Through His still, small voice - 1 Kings 19:12 says, “After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” God works in very powerful ways, but also in gentle ways that we can be assured come from Him. Now that we know how to help our children to live with assurance that they can hear God, let’s uncover what might keep them from hearing Him. Bitterness, jealousy, unforgiveness…the list can go on. Do you understand what I am referring to ? Sin . Job 42:5 says, “My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You.” Equipping our children for a life of closeness and holiness to God through Jesus Christ is a challenge bigger than any of us. In our own strength, we are certainly not equipped to enable our children to live for Him. Through faith and trust, we are able to deepen our walk moment by moment so that we are more discerning and knowledgeable about how to mentor Christ to our children. As our children, draw near to Him so that He will draw nearer to them, the faith they hear and read about becomes real . Their faith becomes individual . It becomes purposed . Their faith becomes life-saving and life-changing . What if your child says they cannot hear from God, but they want to? 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.” It takes time to grow a faith that seeks and hears our Father. Continue to mentor strong and intentional faith for your child. Read God’s word with them, pray with them and for them, ask them to pray for you, study God’s word with them. Successful and maturing faith is a lifestyle. It’s not a Sunday activity or the responsibility of the church. Continue your faith walk and be accessible and loving so that your child sees Jesus in you and desires Him inside himself. Dear Heavenly Father, Your goodness truly overwhelms us. As we draw nearer to You, Your Word promises us that You will draw nearer to us. Father, we long to carry faith that shines, but the work is hard. In order to have that faith, it must be forged, and the process is intensely hard, it can be scary. We desire that faith for our children, yet it can be so hard to see them suffer, to walk through the hurts and hardships with them. Yet, Your word tells us You are with us, and we know You are with them wherever they go. May we not rescue our children when they are in the fires, but guide them to look Up to You. May we set godly examples in every way. Help us to grow and mature in You, not overlooking the furnace we must be refined in. Life is hard, but You told us it would be. Help us keep the faith and shine Your love and light so that You are made attractive and accessible to our children in ways that please and honor You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. The Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast is part of the Spark Media Network and can also be found on the Edifi app. Each episode is also 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

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Do you desire to cultivate deeper conversations with God that carry eternal meaning? Download the Scripture and Prayer Cards Today! Scripture and Prayer Cards Do you desire to cultivate deeper conversations with God that carry eternal meaning? Download the Scripture and Prayer Cards Today! Download

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Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #029 Obedience Through His Word 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. One of the greatest joys in my life is finding ways to obey the Lord. Sometimes it takes patience and prayer. Other times God makes what am to do very clear immediately. Waiting and listening are part of obeying His call and direction for us. At the end of January, 2020, I began producing the podcasts I prepared as my step of obedience to the Lord. I knew that He was calling me to allow Him to work through me in a way unique and special for the interests He placed in my heart. I inderstood that He wanted to work through me to reach more people with His word and truths. What a joy and blessing this has been in not only my life, but in the life of my family as well. My husband and I, as well as my children, have grown even more in the Lord and drawn closer to each other. My husband helps me with the podcast by editing and uploading each one. We've all grown together in and through God by my obedience to Him. All we do for God affects those around us. It definitely takes time and dedication each week to prayerfully consider what God is speaking and to write and produce each episode. While the work is a deep and joyful blessing, and I continue to walk in obedience by allowing my Heavenly Father to work through me, I must also carefully prioritize my daily life activities to place Him first, while still placing my husband and children next. It takes much time and effort. As fall is approaching, school will be back in session and there are things I need to prepare for. Homeschool is a lifestyle for us, which could be another podcast topic. In fact, if you are interested in hearing more about that, please let me know. As I pondered how to create more time to prepare for the upcoming school year and get a little extra housework done completed before the new academic year starts, I prayed about taking a hiatus for a few weeks. God whispered to my spirit that He did not want me to create a break time, but to use the time to read His word to listeners. So, for the next several weeks I will not create new messages, but will be reading the best messages the world has ever had the opportunity to read. I pray that you will be blessed by God's word and encourged to study the Bible even more on your own. I will egin where I find my hope and passion for life and all I do - the book of John. I believe it is the heart of the Bible. I hope it stirs your heart for love and obedience to Him. John 12:1-8 "Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” To me, these verses are so beautiful. I have always loved the book of John. Each chapter is just so special. Let's look a little bit deeper at some of the verses in this passage. As we speak about Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, we need to remember that Jesus had raised their brother from the dead. So, it shouldn't really be a shock to us that his sisters want to hold a dinner in honor of Jesus. You know, whenever God works through us, when we're saved through Jesus Christ, He is bringing something back that was dead, just like He did with Lazarus. He's made us a new person. We have a new life. When we're following Him in the right way and we live with that realization, the natural response is a desire to show Him love, appreciation, thankfulness, and honor with our life. The oil that was used here by Mary, was very expensive. It was nearly an entire year's earnings. Of course, Judas saw this as a waste. But Jesus could see into the heart of Mary. He knew that for Mary, this was worship. I find it really interesting also in this passage that the disciples must have really trusted Judas. He was handling money. We all know that if we trust someone with our money, it means we truly trust them. Here in this passage of 12:6, John is showing the real nature of Judas, that he was a thief, but he is also showing his heart intent because when Judas talks about the cost of the oil, and how it should have been given to the poor instead of being spent on the oil, Jesus knew His true heart, He knew his true intentions and thoughts behind those words. Judas's words sounded very noble, yet it shows that each one of us has the capacity to say things, to give religious sounding reasons that would justify actions that don't have the true intent or purpose that Jesus would have us to have. It shows how selfish we are and can be, When Jesus talks about in 12:8 how there's a constant presence of poor, he's not showing that he's heartless. We know Jesus isn't heartless. He's not saying they should be ignored, but just the fact that they're always there, but He will not always be there. If we look at Deuteronomy 15:11, as a cross-reference here, "for the poor will never cease from the land, therefore I command you, saying "You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor, and your needy in your land. " We see that Jesus does indeed care about the plight of the poor. The last thing that I want to point out with this beautiful passage is something that should strike a chord for all of us. It should infuse the heart of a servant, it should inspire us to do more for Jesus. If we look at Mary, the one who poured the fragrances of Jesus's feet, and wiped His feet with her hair, we see that Mary was humble. She was teachable. She wanted to be more occupied with Christ than to be occupied for Him. It should inspire each of us to stop, to take a look at our lives. Are we just occupied for Christ? Just taking part in activities and "doing" things for Him? Just as Martha was always so busy doing things for Him? Or are we more occupied, more obsessed with knowing Jesus? In loving Him? In obeying Him? In being with Him and spending time with Him? We learn that in Hebrew, sitting at someone's feet means to learn from that person, to submit to their authority and teaching, and ways of life. That's what Mary was doing here as she showed love for Jesus. She put herself at His feet. I mean, my goodness. Can you imagine using your most expensive fragrance that would cost a year's worth of wages, pouring it on His feet, and wiping your hair across His feet. I mean. I know I love Jesus, but I hope I could do that. I hope I could do that if He walked into my home right now. If we look at Mary's example of spending time at Jesus's feet, we begin to worship Him with a heart that is more loving, and kind, and obedient. One that seeks Him. Can you imagine taking your clean hair and using it to clean the dirtiest part of Jesus? Back then feet were pretty dirty. But she loved Jesus so much. He had brought her brother back to life. He had done many things in their life. But instead of using her perfume for the burial that she had been saving for Jesus, she worshipped Him in true devotion. This showed a true submission to Him and a love for Him. As we each go out through the week, let us remember this, not to worship Mary or to put her on a pedestal. She was human, just like the rest of us, but to look at the heart that she used, to use that as a symbol is our own life to remind us, to spur us on, to develop our own sacrificial love and obedient love, and humble love, and servant heart love for Jesus. Dear Lord, may we follow You so closely and strive to know You so well that we would pour our most expensive item, possession across Your feet so that we can get a better glimpse into Your heart. So that we can get a better awareness of You and follow You more closely, Lord, with our whole heart. Help us, Lord, each day, to know You better, to show You more clearly, and to bind our heart to Yours so that You are so evident to all. God, I pray that each one of us can be a light to inspire others to follow You. In Your precious name we pray. Did you enjoy this episode? I hope you did. Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement and to 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 by leaving a quick review and a rating for the show, and by sharing about the show on social media or by word of mouth. Can you think of a friend or family member who might wnjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them. Help them to find it. Help them to tune in. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to live with eternal perspective. Keep sharing your stories with me. I love to hear them. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 029 Obedience Through His Word Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #029 Obedience Through His Word 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. One of the greatest joys in my life is finding ways to obey the Lord. Sometimes it takes patience and prayer. Other times God makes what am to do very clear immediately. Waiting and listening are part of obeying His call and direction for us. At the end of January, 2020, I began producing the podcasts I prepared as my step of obedience to the Lord. I knew that He was calling me to allow Him to work through me in a way unique and special for the interests He placed in my heart. I inderstood that He wanted to work through me to reach more people with His word and truths. What a joy and blessing this has been in not only my life, but in the life of my family as well. My husband and I, as well as my children, have grown even more in the Lord and drawn closer to each other. My husband helps me with the podcast by editing and uploading each one. We've all grown together in and through God by my obedience to Him. All we do for God affects those around us. It definitely takes time and dedication each week to prayerfully consider what God is speaking and to write and produce each episode. While the work is a deep and joyful blessing, and I continue to walk in obedience by allowing my Heavenly Father to work through me, I must also carefully prioritize my daily life activities to place Him first, while still placing my husband and children next. It takes much time and effort. As fall is approaching, school will be back in session and there are things I need to prepare for. Homeschool is a lifestyle for us, which could be another podcast topic. In fact, if you are interested in hearing more about that, please let me know. As I pondered how to create more time to prepare for the upcoming school year and get a little extra housework done completed before the new academic year starts, I prayed about taking a hiatus for a few weeks. God whispered to my spirit that He did not want me to create a break time, but to use the time to read His word to listeners. So, for the next several weeks I will not create new messages, but will be reading the best messages the world has ever had the opportunity to read. I pray that you will be blessed by God's word and encourged to study the Bible even more on your own. I will egin where I find my hope and passion for life and all I do - the book of John. I believe it is the heart of the Bible. I hope it stirs your heart for love and obedience to Him. John 12:1-8 "Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” To me, these verses are so beautiful. I have always loved the book of John. Each chapter is just so special. Let's look a little bit deeper at some of the verses in this passage. As we speak about Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, we need to remember that Jesus had raised their brother from the dead. So, it shouldn't really be a shock to us that his sisters want to hold a dinner in honor of Jesus. You know, whenever God works through us, when we're saved through Jesus Christ, He is bringing something back that was dead, just like He did with Lazarus. He's made us a new person. We have a new life. When we're following Him in the right way and we live with that realization, the natural response is a desire to show Him love, appreciation, thankfulness, and honor with our life. The oil that was used here by Mary, was very expensive. It was nearly an entire year's earnings. Of course, Judas saw this as a waste. But Jesus could see into the heart of Mary. He knew that for Mary, this was worship. I find it really interesting also in this passage that the disciples must have really trusted Judas. He was handling money. We all know that if we trust someone with our money, it means we truly trust them. Here in this passage of 12:6, John is showing the real nature of Judas, that he was a thief, but he is also showing his heart intent because when Judas talks about the cost of the oil, and how it should have been given to the poor instead of being spent on the oil, Jesus knew His true heart, He knew his true intentions and thoughts behind those words. Judas's words sounded very noble, yet it shows that each one of us has the capacity to say things, to give religious sounding reasons that would justify actions that don't have the true intent or purpose that Jesus would have us to have. It shows how selfish we are and can be, When Jesus talks about in 12:8 how there's a constant presence of poor, he's not showing that he's heartless. We know Jesus isn't heartless. He's not saying they should be ignored, but just the fact that they're always there, but He will not always be there. If we look at Deuteronomy 15:11, as a cross-reference here, "for the poor will never cease from the land, therefore I command you, saying "You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor, and your needy in your land. " We see that Jesus does indeed care about the plight of the poor. The last thing that I want to point out with this beautiful passage is something that should strike a chord for all of us. It should infuse the heart of a servant, it should inspire us to do more for Jesus. If we look at Mary, the one who poured the fragrances of Jesus's feet, and wiped His feet with her hair, we see that Mary was humble. She was teachable. She wanted to be more occupied with Christ than to be occupied for Him. It should inspire each of us to stop, to take a look at our lives. Are we just occupied for Christ? Just taking part in activities and "doing" things for Him? Just as Martha was always so busy doing things for Him? Or are we more occupied, more obsessed with knowing Jesus? In loving Him? In obeying Him? In being with Him and spending time with Him? We learn that in Hebrew, sitting at someone's feet means to learn from that person, to submit to their authority and teaching, and ways of life. That's what Mary was doing here as she showed love for Jesus. She put herself at His feet. I mean, my goodness. Can you imagine using your most expensive fragrance that would cost a year's worth of wages, pouring it on His feet, and wiping your hair across His feet. I mean. I know I love Jesus, but I hope I could do that. I hope I could do that if He walked into my home right now. If we look at Mary's example of spending time at Jesus's feet, we begin to worship Him with a heart that is more loving, and kind, and obedient. One that seeks Him. Can you imagine taking your clean hair and using it to clean the dirtiest part of Jesus? Back then feet were pretty dirty. But she loved Jesus so much. He had brought her brother back to life. He had done many things in their life. But instead of using her perfume for the burial that she had been saving for Jesus, she worshipped Him in true devotion. This showed a true submission to Him and a love for Him. As we each go out through the week, let us remember this, not to worship Mary or to put her on a pedestal. She was human, just like the rest of us, but to look at the heart that she used, to use that as a symbol is our own life to remind us, to spur us on, to develop our own sacrificial love and obedient love, and humble love, and servant heart love for Jesus. Dear Lord, may we follow You so closely and strive to know You so well that we would pour our most expensive item, possession across Your feet so that we can get a better glimpse into Your heart. So that we can get a better awareness of You and follow You more closely, Lord, with our whole heart. Help us, Lord, each day, to know You better, to show You more clearly, and to bind our heart to Yours so that You are so evident to all. God, I pray that each one of us can be a light to inspire others to follow You. In Your precious name we pray. Did you enjoy this episode? I hope you did. Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement and to 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 by leaving a quick review and a rating for the show, and by sharing about the show on social media or by word of mouth. Can you think of a friend or family member who might wnjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them. Help them to find it. Help them to tune in. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to live with eternal perspective. Keep sharing your stories with me. I love to hear them.

Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #068 – In Pursuit of Godly Truth – Interview with Professor William Wagner - Part 1 Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed and thrilled to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Colossians 1:10 says, “So that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” As I have been obedient in producing this podcast, God has been faithful, going ahead of me in every way. One of the stirrings He has placed in my heart is the desire to enable others to want and know Him more so that we may all deepen and mature our walk with Jesus, striving to live a life worthy of the gift God offers us through Jesus. In order to please according to His ways, we must live with an eternal perspective that draws us to follow Him moment by moment. I believe God has blessed us today with an interview that will shift perspectives of those listening or spur us into more action so that we may each hear and show Him more clearly. Whether you are living in the United States, or as some of my listeners, in other countries, what ties us together is our bond in Christ, the author and definer of truth. As you listen to this interview with Professor William Wagner, the President of Salt and Light Global, an international ministry preserving and shining truth in the culture, pray for God to expose areas of your life in which you can allow God more freedom to complete His good work in and through you. It takes each of us to stand firmly for the salt and light only Jesus offers. He loves each person, each country, and each soul in our world. He will not forsake us, yet we cannot ignore Him or the work He calls us to allow Him to complete through us. Professor William Wagner holds the academic rank of Distinguished Professor Emeritus. Prior to joining academia, he served with distinction in all three branches of the federal government, including as a federal judge. Professor Wagner knows what he is discussing, but most of all, loves the Lord and strives to honor, obey, and please Him. I pray you hear God’s voice speaking to you as you listen. _____________________ Interview with Professor Wagner _________________ Have you enjoyed the interview so far? I respect the passion and determination God has gifted to Professor Wagner. I split this conversation with Professor Wagner into two episodes because the material is bold and relevant to the culture our world is facing. I pray each of us ponder what was heard today and allow God to stir areas of our hearts where we may be clinging to selfishness or ignorance and prayerfully ask God to expose where we need to shift into action for Him. Are we walking worthy of the manner to which we have been called? Father God, you alone are holy. You are worthy. Please humble our hearts to allow Your work in and through us. You are in Your holy temple, seated on Your holy throne, yet Your eyes roam the earth, they watch us closely as You examine us, the sons of men. I know we are far from You and Your desires for us. May we seek You more humbly and serve You with greater passion as we allow what we learn in Your word, through prayer time with You and through conversations such as the one we have heard today and will complete next week. Show each of us where we need to change and what we need to do to allow our world to be holy as You are holy, and worthy as You desire us to be. Enable us to step out in faith, regardless of fear, and help us to be obedient in every way You call for us. Keep our eyes, heart, and mind centered on You. In Your holy and precious name we humbly pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. I encourage you to listen to the podcast next week as I finish my conversation with Professor Wagner. 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 068 In Pursuit of Godly Truth - Interview with Professor William Wagner - Part 1 Listen to Episode Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #068 – In Pursuit of Godly Truth – Interview with Professor William Wagner - Part 1 Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed and thrilled to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Colossians 1:10 says, “So that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” As I have been obedient in producing this podcast, God has been faithful, going ahead of me in every way. One of the stirrings He has placed in my heart is the desire to enable others to want and know Him more so that we may all deepen and mature our walk with Jesus, striving to live a life worthy of the gift God offers us through Jesus. In order to please according to His ways, we must live with an eternal perspective that draws us to follow Him moment by moment. I believe God has blessed us today with an interview that will shift perspectives of those listening or spur us into more action so that we may each hear and show Him more clearly. Whether you are living in the United States, or as some of my listeners, in other countries, what ties us together is our bond in Christ, the author and definer of truth. As you listen to this interview with Professor William Wagner, the President of Salt and Light Global, an international ministry preserving and shining truth in the culture, pray for God to expose areas of your life in which you can allow God more freedom to complete His good work in and through you. It takes each of us to stand firmly for the salt and light only Jesus offers. He loves each person, each country, and each soul in our world. He will not forsake us, yet we cannot ignore Him or the work He calls us to allow Him to complete through us. Professor William Wagner holds the academic rank of Distinguished Professor Emeritus. Prior to joining academia, he served with distinction in all three branches of the federal government, including as a federal judge. Professor Wagner knows what he is discussing, but most of all, loves the Lord and strives to honor, obey, and please Him. I pray you hear God’s voice speaking to you as you listen. _____________________ Interview with Professor Wagner _________________ Have you enjoyed the interview so far? I respect the passion and determination God has gifted to Professor Wagner. I split this conversation with Professor Wagner into two episodes because the material is bold and relevant to the culture our world is facing. I pray each of us ponder what was heard today and allow God to stir areas of our hearts where we may be clinging to selfishness or ignorance and prayerfully ask God to expose where we need to shift into action for Him. Are we walking worthy of the manner to which we have been called? Father God, you alone are holy. You are worthy. Please humble our hearts to allow Your work in and through us. You are in Your holy temple, seated on Your holy throne, yet Your eyes roam the earth, they watch us closely as You examine us, the sons of men. I know we are far from You and Your desires for us. May we seek You more humbly and serve You with greater passion as we allow what we learn in Your word, through prayer time with You and through conversations such as the one we have heard today and will complete next week. Show each of us where we need to change and what we need to do to allow our world to be holy as You are holy, and worthy as You desire us to be. Enable us to step out in faith, regardless of fear, and help us to be obedient in every way You call for us. Keep our eyes, heart, and mind centered on You. In Your holy and precious name we humbly pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. I encourage you to listen to the podcast next week as I finish my conversation with Professor Wagner. 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. Professor William Wagner holds the academic rank of Distinguished Professor Emeritus. Prior to joining academia, he served with distinction in all three branches of the federal government, including as a federal judge. https://www.facebook.com/SaltLightGlobal/ https://www.slgwitness.com/

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Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast. Episode #008 – A Humble Spirit Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed and thrilled to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. My youngest child loves to create acronyms, especially funny ones. Lately, they have all been about me. The last couple of days she has been calling me “MAP.” We’ll come back to this. This same daughter has told me for years that she wants to be just like me. She is always saying that we are twins. This sweetheart has had a long “I want to be like Mommy” phase. I was shocked when out of the blue last night she told me that she didn’t want to be just like me anymore. I’ll admit. It hurt my ego. She’s growing up too fast, my heart protested. “Oh, no,” I said to her. “We’re not twins anymore?” “No,” she said without a trace of remorse. “Why not?” I asked. “Mommy’s work all the time. I don’t want to.” She laughs, but I immediately feel “Mom Guilt.” I don’t want her to grow up thinking all I do is work around the house. I remind her that I make time to play with her every single day, then we spend the day together in homeschool. She’s good with that; in fact, she’s not guilting me with the acronym. Having only lived a normal family life for the last four years, she is making observations and voicing her feelings. Now let’s go back to the acronym, MAP. Know what she says it stands for? “Mommy’s A Peasant.” As she laughs, the Holy Spirit gives me the best response for her. “Thank you,” I said. “What?” she asked. “You said I’m a peasant, right?” “Yes,” she said. “You think I do things for the family all day?” “Yes.” “Think about Jesus,” I reminded her. “I’m nothing like Him,” I said, “But if Jesus came to serve and not be served, I think I can try to do the same for my family.” She sat up, facing me with full attention and interest. We talked about Jesus and why He came to live on the earth among us. She’s heard most of what I said before, but just as many of us do, she was hearing the same stories in a new context. Fresh eyes and a different perspective gave new life to the tales she thought she had learned. So far today she hasn’t called me a peasant, but she has designed an acronym for herself. It’s PAP. Her nickname is Peanut, and “Peanut’s a peasant.” In fact, she has now christened her Daddy as “DAP” and her sister as “MAP,” as well. Philippians 2:1-11 says, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 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. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” How great God is that He chooses to gift us with such easy ways to draw ourselves and others to Him. How merciful is He that in our fallen nature where our ego threatens to rule us at every turn, the Holy Spirit lives inside those of us who love Him, so that we may be guided to hear His quiet truths and remember that life is not about us. All that we do should lift Him toward the glory and honor He is due. May He increase and I decrease. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” My goodness. I love the way God shows me where my ego gets in the way. Why did my identity feel bruised when she told me that I worked a lot? It’s because I try so hard to be there for her. I make sure we play since she didn’t have time in the important formative years. I purposely create opportunities to grow our bonds with each other. But the key point to remember is that none of it would be possible without the work of my Heavenly Father allowing the good works to come to fruition. He is the One guiding my spirit to desire what to do with her. He is also the One forming the bonds and attachment that occurs. As I bow to Him, relying on His promptings, I allow Him to flow into our lives. Instead of feeling a little wounded with the opinion she voiced, I should rejoice that she shares her thoughts so openly. I should remember that her feelings are not about me. Whenever we allow our personal thoughts or feelings twist around what someone else shares with us, our emotions with always get distorted. Have you ever been humbled by the Lord? I have. Many times. Unfortunately, I’ve been forced to learn hard lessons in the area of humility. Especially in the areas I was most competent or talented. God knows that the areas He blesses us in are sometimes our weakest spots. It’s easier for us to be deceived and think that we can handle something on our own. We tend to look to Him less, until we learn lessons in humility the hard way and learn where our true strength lies. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” God cares for, protects, and lifts the humble. “Oh, Lord, please humble me so that I may be cared for and lifted up as You desire.” James 3:13-18 warns, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” My middle daughter used to participate in pageantry. Now before your mind goes to the glitzy, swimsuit, heels, and caked-on makeup look painted on a five year-old, that is not what I am referring to. If that’s your definition of most of the pageantry world, it’s truly much different. In fact, her favorite pageant system, USA National Miss is founded on, and based on principles pleasing to God. There is competition, of course, but the national director nurtures the girls to know where she stands with the Lord and to exhibit qualities that honor Him. I bring up pageant competitions because the world of pageantry is viewed as cut-throat and shallow. We experienced the opposite. However, what it did for me personally was completely change my selfish ambition of wanting my daughter to be the best and to win everything she entered, even though I never pushed or seemed that way to others from the outside. When we first started, I believed if the judges would see her, they would agree she should be the winner. As time went on, what I noticed that we found friends and that I adored all the girls and families. We began helping others, giving them tips, letting them borrow items they needed, praying with them, traveling with them, and sharing life with them. I saw how worthy they all were. I learned I was seeing them all through God’s eyes and heart. We no longer allowed my daughter in participate in pageantry hoping she would win, but so that she would develop and sharpen skills such as interview, public speaking, service, and the ability to handle obtaining or losing the end result she desired. Pageantry built the same skills as participation in any sport, for both myself and my daughter. She trained and competed maturely and responsibly, and with a gracious and kind heart, and believed that the outcome was in God’s hands. I deeply appreciate the way God used the evolution of her skills to transform my heart to be more in alignment with what He desires. Life is not about competing to be the best. It is simply an individual journey each of us walks to humbly discover, know, and become more Christ-like each day. The way we live should be viewed through that lens. We are each given different gifts and talents that we can employ however, God never wants us to use them to demean, belittle, or crush others. He doesn’t call us to “show-off” skills, but I believe He wants us to use them to work together and to find ways to honor and serve Him through them. God has a plan and purpose for each of us. He loves us all the same. 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 tells us, ”If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.” Imagine a world in which we all humbly bow to God, seeking ways to show Him though all we do. Psalm 25:8-9 tells us, “Good and upright is the LORD; therefore, He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble His way.” Imagine a world in which we all choose to listen to and humbly obey God. Proverbs 15:33 says, “Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord; therefore, He instructs sinners in His ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.” When my middle daughter was younger, she had a dance instructor we were blessed to work with. My daughter respected her and gained so much from the talent and professional skills she taught. There was, however, a quality that I hope this teacher learned from my daughter. I remember one day when this instructor wanted to discuss with me in private that my daughter was meek and submissive to others. I knew the behavior she talked about. I could see in my mind the times my girl would hold us up when we were out in public as she stopped to open doors for others without anyone even noticing she was there. No one stopped to thank her or take the door from her so that she would be able to go on back to us. They simply kept walking through the door, not even noticing it was a child helping them. It used to irritate me a bit because I expected adults to recognize her and at least take the door. My girl still does this for others; in fact, her humble behavior now carries a quiet confidence with it. One that comes from above. She knows not everyone appreciates this simple gesture. She doesn’t need to gain their approval. The kindness is not only performed for them. Her actions are spurred by what she feels God is asking her to do. I know I have personally learned that what sometimes what appears to be weakness is actually strength cloaked in God’s desire for us to humble ourselves before Him and others. As Jesus tells us to live with the faith of a child, I believe we can learn so much from our children. Instead of teaching them to be tougher or to be more competitive, we should be learning from them and taking on the humbleness they intuitively exhibit. As we desire to grow closer to the Lord, there are questions to ponder and answers we must assess about our hearts to ensure we allow Him to shine from within us and guard against the self-sabotage of ego and self-importance. In what ways do I hear God whispering to me to change? Where has pride taken over my spirit? Do I seek to honor God in what I do? Do I seek selfish attention or have self-serving ambitions when I serve others? Is my work an attempt to make myself appear more successful and fill a hole within myself best completed by God? Do I sacrifice my family in an attempt to gain worldly attention? Each of us has areas that we need to allow God to make visible to us so we can allow His holy work to mend from within. Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” The lessons God crafts for each of us are so personal. Whether we choose to learn from them or continue walking without a humble spirit is our choice. Although I am immensely thankful that He allows us the ability to select whether we will allow ourselves to humbly submit to Him and follow His ways, I have also grown thankful for the hard lessons I have learned. Not that I wanted to endure them, or allow others in my life to suffer, but because they have proven to me how great and gracious my Heavenly Father really is. He not only allows us the ability to choose, but the ability to learn through experience. When we fail or fall, He graciously picks us back up and loves us despite the arrogant or ignorant mistakes we make, allowing us the ability and opportunity to learn from Him and extend that grace to others. Humility comes in many forms. Studying the life of Jesus affords us the gift of seeing a grace-filled and beautiful life unfold and the humility and wisdom from our Savior to enrich our life if we accept the responsibility of trusting Him and understanding the definition of a humble life. A modest walk is not something to despise or desire to change. It is a quality that we need to savor as a gift from above and treasure it as we labor to retain and build upon it. It does not mean we have no confidence; on the contrary, it means that we have full confidence in Him and in what He is accomplishing in and through us. As we seek to live each day with more eternal perspective, a humble spirit is essential to develop and grow as we release prideful attitude and actions and adopt a Christlike view of significance. Thank you so much 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 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 008 A Humble Spirit Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast. Episode #008 – A Humble Spirit Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed and thrilled to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. My youngest child loves to create acronyms, especially funny ones. Lately, they have all been about me. The last couple of days she has been calling me “MAP.” We’ll come back to this. This same daughter has told me for years that she wants to be just like me. She is always saying that we are twins. This sweetheart has had a long “I want to be like Mommy” phase. I was shocked when out of the blue last night she told me that she didn’t want to be just like me anymore. I’ll admit. It hurt my ego. She’s growing up too fast, my heart protested. “Oh, no,” I said to her. “We’re not twins anymore?” “No,” she said without a trace of remorse. “Why not?” I asked. “Mommy’s work all the time. I don’t want to.” She laughs, but I immediately feel “Mom Guilt.” I don’t want her to grow up thinking all I do is work around the house. I remind her that I make time to play with her every single day, then we spend the day together in homeschool. She’s good with that; in fact, she’s not guilting me with the acronym. Having only lived a normal family life for the last four years, she is making observations and voicing her feelings. Now let’s go back to the acronym, MAP. Know what she says it stands for? “Mommy’s A Peasant.” As she laughs, the Holy Spirit gives me the best response for her. “Thank you,” I said. “What?” she asked. “You said I’m a peasant, right?” “Yes,” she said. “You think I do things for the family all day?” “Yes.” “Think about Jesus,” I reminded her. “I’m nothing like Him,” I said, “But if Jesus came to serve and not be served, I think I can try to do the same for my family.” She sat up, facing me with full attention and interest. We talked about Jesus and why He came to live on the earth among us. She’s heard most of what I said before, but just as many of us do, she was hearing the same stories in a new context. Fresh eyes and a different perspective gave new life to the tales she thought she had learned. So far today she hasn’t called me a peasant, but she has designed an acronym for herself. It’s PAP. Her nickname is Peanut, and “Peanut’s a peasant.” In fact, she has now christened her Daddy as “DAP” and her sister as “MAP,” as well. Philippians 2:1-11 says, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 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. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” How great God is that He chooses to gift us with such easy ways to draw ourselves and others to Him. How merciful is He that in our fallen nature where our ego threatens to rule us at every turn, the Holy Spirit lives inside those of us who love Him, so that we may be guided to hear His quiet truths and remember that life is not about us. All that we do should lift Him toward the glory and honor He is due. May He increase and I decrease. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” My goodness. I love the way God shows me where my ego gets in the way. Why did my identity feel bruised when she told me that I worked a lot? It’s because I try so hard to be there for her. I make sure we play since she didn’t have time in the important formative years. I purposely create opportunities to grow our bonds with each other. But the key point to remember is that none of it would be possible without the work of my Heavenly Father allowing the good works to come to fruition. He is the One guiding my spirit to desire what to do with her. He is also the One forming the bonds and attachment that occurs. As I bow to Him, relying on His promptings, I allow Him to flow into our lives. Instead of feeling a little wounded with the opinion she voiced, I should rejoice that she shares her thoughts so openly. I should remember that her feelings are not about me. Whenever we allow our personal thoughts or feelings twist around what someone else shares with us, our emotions with always get distorted. Have you ever been humbled by the Lord? I have. Many times. Unfortunately, I’ve been forced to learn hard lessons in the area of humility. Especially in the areas I was most competent or talented. God knows that the areas He blesses us in are sometimes our weakest spots. It’s easier for us to be deceived and think that we can handle something on our own. We tend to look to Him less, until we learn lessons in humility the hard way and learn where our true strength lies. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” God cares for, protects, and lifts the humble. “Oh, Lord, please humble me so that I may be cared for and lifted up as You desire.” James 3:13-18 warns, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” My middle daughter used to participate in pageantry. Now before your mind goes to the glitzy, swimsuit, heels, and caked-on makeup look painted on a five year-old, that is not what I am referring to. If that’s your definition of most of the pageantry world, it’s truly much different. In fact, her favorite pageant system, USA National Miss is founded on, and based on principles pleasing to God. There is competition, of course, but the national director nurtures the girls to know where she stands with the Lord and to exhibit qualities that honor Him. I bring up pageant competitions because the world of pageantry is viewed as cut-throat and shallow. We experienced the opposite. However, what it did for me personally was completely change my selfish ambition of wanting my daughter to be the best and to win everything she entered, even though I never pushed or seemed that way to others from the outside. When we first started, I believed if the judges would see her, they would agree she should be the winner. As time went on, what I noticed that we found friends and that I adored all the girls and families. We began helping others, giving them tips, letting them borrow items they needed, praying with them, traveling with them, and sharing life with them. I saw how worthy they all were. I learned I was seeing them all through God’s eyes and heart. We no longer allowed my daughter in participate in pageantry hoping she would win, but so that she would develop and sharpen skills such as interview, public speaking, service, and the ability to handle obtaining or losing the end result she desired. Pageantry built the same skills as participation in any sport, for both myself and my daughter. She trained and competed maturely and responsibly, and with a gracious and kind heart, and believed that the outcome was in God’s hands. I deeply appreciate the way God used the evolution of her skills to transform my heart to be more in alignment with what He desires. Life is not about competing to be the best. It is simply an individual journey each of us walks to humbly discover, know, and become more Christ-like each day. The way we live should be viewed through that lens. We are each given different gifts and talents that we can employ however, God never wants us to use them to demean, belittle, or crush others. He doesn’t call us to “show-off” skills, but I believe He wants us to use them to work together and to find ways to honor and serve Him through them. God has a plan and purpose for each of us. He loves us all the same. 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 tells us, ”If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.” Imagine a world in which we all humbly bow to God, seeking ways to show Him though all we do. Psalm 25:8-9 tells us, “Good and upright is the LORD; therefore, He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble His way.” Imagine a world in which we all choose to listen to and humbly obey God. Proverbs 15:33 says, “Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord; therefore, He instructs sinners in His ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.” When my middle daughter was younger, she had a dance instructor we were blessed to work with. My daughter respected her and gained so much from the talent and professional skills she taught. There was, however, a quality that I hope this teacher learned from my daughter. I remember one day when this instructor wanted to discuss with me in private that my daughter was meek and submissive to others. I knew the behavior she talked about. I could see in my mind the times my girl would hold us up when we were out in public as she stopped to open doors for others without anyone even noticing she was there. No one stopped to thank her or take the door from her so that she would be able to go on back to us. They simply kept walking through the door, not even noticing it was a child helping them. It used to irritate me a bit because I expected adults to recognize her and at least take the door. My girl still does this for others; in fact, her humble behavior now carries a quiet confidence with it. One that comes from above. She knows not everyone appreciates this simple gesture. She doesn’t need to gain their approval. The kindness is not only performed for them. Her actions are spurred by what she feels God is asking her to do. I know I have personally learned that what sometimes what appears to be weakness is actually strength cloaked in God’s desire for us to humble ourselves before Him and others. As Jesus tells us to live with the faith of a child, I believe we can learn so much from our children. Instead of teaching them to be tougher or to be more competitive, we should be learning from them and taking on the humbleness they intuitively exhibit. As we desire to grow closer to the Lord, there are questions to ponder and answers we must assess about our hearts to ensure we allow Him to shine from within us and guard against the self-sabotage of ego and self-importance. In what ways do I hear God whispering to me to change? Where has pride taken over my spirit? Do I seek to honor God in what I do? Do I seek selfish attention or have self-serving ambitions when I serve others? Is my work an attempt to make myself appear more successful and fill a hole within myself best completed by God? Do I sacrifice my family in an attempt to gain worldly attention? Each of us has areas that we need to allow God to make visible to us so we can allow His holy work to mend from within. Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” The lessons God crafts for each of us are so personal. Whether we choose to learn from them or continue walking without a humble spirit is our choice. Although I am immensely thankful that He allows us the ability to select whether we will allow ourselves to humbly submit to Him and follow His ways, I have also grown thankful for the hard lessons I have learned. Not that I wanted to endure them, or allow others in my life to suffer, but because they have proven to me how great and gracious my Heavenly Father really is. He not only allows us the ability to choose, but the ability to learn through experience. When we fail or fall, He graciously picks us back up and loves us despite the arrogant or ignorant mistakes we make, allowing us the ability and opportunity to learn from Him and extend that grace to others. Humility comes in many forms. Studying the life of Jesus affords us the gift of seeing a grace-filled and beautiful life unfold and the humility and wisdom from our Savior to enrich our life if we accept the responsibility of trusting Him and understanding the definition of a humble life. A modest walk is not something to despise or desire to change. It is a quality that we need to savor as a gift from above and treasure it as we labor to retain and build upon it. It does not mean we have no confidence; on the contrary, it means that we have full confidence in Him and in what He is accomplishing in and through us. As we seek to live each day with more eternal perspective, a humble spirit is essential to develop and grow as we release prideful attitude and actions and adopt a Christlike view of significance. Thank you so much 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 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.

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