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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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Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #130 – Practicing Gratitude While Life Happens 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. Have you ever wondered what God thinks when He hears your inner thoughts? What about your spoken words? Are you ever embarrassed by or ashamed of what resides in your mind or comes out of your mouth? Our Heavenly Father surely evaluates the intentions of what we say or think with a different perspective than we do. In fact, we know He views what we think and say, (especially the grumbles and attitudes we carelessly let slip out) with a much higher standard and purpose than we can imagine. Think about times you verbalize or imagine complaints or dissatisfaction each day. I bet each of us have much more than we realize. To our Holy and Perfect God, those thoughts and words sound far worse than the scratch of fingernails on a chalkboard. Here ae some examples from my own life: When I think: “Every time I sit in my desk chair while wearing my warm blanket, the arm hole cut-outs grab the back of the arm rests on the chair and I become trapped until I stand to remove the blanket.” God probably says: “I blessed Terri with a sturdy, ergonomic chair for her workspace and a warm blanket to wear on cold days since I know she does not appreciate cold weather.” When I think: “Most of the time when I throw something away, I miss the trashcan and I have to get up to throw the trash away before my dog eats it.” God probably says: “I blessed Terri and her family with a new puppy when they lost their beloved dogs last year. What a joy it must be to have a new puppy to train.” When I think: “As I lay in bed and try to sleep at night, I always feel the tiniest wrinkle in the sheet and I can’t fall asleep until it is smooth.” God probably says: “I blessed Terri with a special level of sensitivity.” When I think:” Sometimes I leave my mug in the microwave too long and my cup of tea is too hot to carry.” God probably says: “Terri is blessed to have that mug that is so special to her and I’m sure she appreciates the ease of quickly and easily heating tea to enjoy.” When I say: “Every time I clean, the house is already dusty again the next day.” God probably says: “What a blessing I gave my children. The house they are in is everything they prayed for at one time and although the forest around them makes the house get dusty quickly, I’m sure they appreciate the joy of living in the midst of my beautiful creation.” When I say: “When we had trees removed from our yard, the tree service workers accidentally shattered my front storm door.” God probably says, “If the workers hadn’t shattered the door, Terri’s family would have had to purchase a brand new door when they had their house resided. Instead, they are having it replaced by Me.” When I say, “The workers putting on our new siding this summer have taken a lot longer to complete the job than we thought it would take.” God probably says: “I have enjoyed the process of watching the siding job I provided take longer than expected. I ordained the meeting of the workers with the Hitt’s. Many blessings have come from knowing the workers and sharing the stories of My love and provision and the experience has grown Terri’s awareness of me in even smaller details.” Like me, what are the things you can choose to grumble about or show gratitude for? How can you change the way you do it? I wonder whether God will have a list for us to view when we meet Him in heaven. Can’t you imagine documents that reflect an attitude or gratitude? Delays, disappointments, and demands that we complained about or grew bitter about may be what saved a life, brought an unexpected blessing down the road, or caused another to come to or fall away from Jesus by the way we reacted. Do you practice gratitude during the events of each day? Do you live life with an expectation that what happens is for your good and the betterment of His kingdom? It takes humble, intentional actions and true thankfulness to adjust our mindset to live with the high level of gratitude God desires. Have you noticed that when you tend to pout or complain about something, it’s much harder to feel grateful? Instead, when you immediately look to the Lord in all circumstances and give praise, whether situations are good or bad, exciting or disappointing, thankfulness causes an uplift to your spirit and joy is sustained or grown. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says,” Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. “ The joy in our life should not be dictated by circumstance. It’s challenging not to let what happens around us, or sometimes what doesn’t happen, affect our mental or emotional state, but prayers and thankfulness don’t have to be tied to feelings. If we look at the verse I just read from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 with a heart to seek what God desires, we notice that we are given three commands. 1. Be joyful 2. Pray continually 3. Give thanks Every time we make the decision to follow what pleases God, we begin to view life with His perspective – an eternal perspective. Each time we follow His commands, especially with gratitude, we find it becomes easier to live with true joy and thankfulness. The truth is that when we complain, whether it be in thought, word, action, or reaction, we are choosing to place self over situation. We are silently voicing the fact that we what we want is more important than what is happening around us, or what God has allowed in our life. Each time we criticize, we place our idea of what should occur or what we should receive over the process of perfection. When we trust God to provide, we understand and appreciate that He is in control. Knowing that His perfect timing, guidance, provisions, and protection are far better than what we can envision allows joy to replace the bitterness, disappointment, and anger that threaten deeper relationship with Him. 2 Corinthians 4:15-18 says, “For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 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.” Trials and disappointments help to work all things for God as promised in Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose.” Even small inconveniences may be used to strengthen our faith and trust. Without hardship could we really understand true joy and gratitude for the protection and provisions of God? Conforming to the image of Christ comes with cost. Our human flesh will always find cause to complain. In contrast, the Holy Spirit living within believers recognizes and appreciates the redeeming, unselfish cost of grace and the joy of living within the protection of abundant gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7 says, “Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Because of the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit residing within, believers have the ability to see their inner self changed. Our moral and ethical behavior, as well as the way we view the inconvenient challenges in life can be shaped into the image of the mind of Christ. As we set our mind and heart on things above, we shift the way we view daily occurrences and begin to see them with eternal eyes instead of through selfish or temporal viewpoints. This different and eternal perspective allows room for gratitude to grow and be expressed far more readily than dissatisfaction or disappointment as we look at events through the eyes of Jesus and the heart of God. Colossians 3:1-2 says, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Dear Heavenly Father, You alone are good. You alone are Holy. You alone can lift us from the depths of selfish sin and desires and hold us close to the desires of Your heart. Lord, as we grow closer to You and allow You to shine more brightly through us, help us to change, help our gratitude to expand, overtake our selfish hearts, and craft the beauty of thankfulness within us. May the mystery of the resurrection sweep over us and change our fleshly hearts into the beauty of Christ’s. May we please and honor You with our appreciation for the good, the easy, the tears, and the joys of living the life You gave to us. May Your peace, which surpasses all understanding abide within us and guard our hearts, and multiply our appreciation. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. 1 Chronicles 16:34 says, “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.” Lord, may our gratitude fill You with thanksgiving and praise! Thank you for listening to this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Additional episodes may be heard at terrihitt.com, but the podcast is also a part of the Spark Media Network. Now the podcast may also be found on the Edifi app, where you can find thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed this podcast on Apple Podcasts yet? If you haven’t, would you please consider doing so? When you review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen to this new podcast, especially if you are raising children or influencing grandchildren. Please follow and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 130 - Practicing Gratitude While Life Happens Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #130 – Practicing Gratitude While Life Happens 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. Have you ever wondered what God thinks when He hears your inner thoughts? What about your spoken words? Are you ever embarrassed by or ashamed of what resides in your mind or comes out of your mouth? Our Heavenly Father surely evaluates the intentions of what we say or think with a different perspective than we do. In fact, we know He views what we think and say, (especially the grumbles and attitudes we carelessly let slip out) with a much higher standard and purpose than we can imagine. Think about times you verbalize or imagine complaints or dissatisfaction each day. I bet each of us have much more than we realize. To our Holy and Perfect God, those thoughts and words sound far worse than the scratch of fingernails on a chalkboard. Here ae some examples from my own life: When I think: “Every time I sit in my desk chair while wearing my warm blanket, the arm hole cut-outs grab the back of the arm rests on the chair and I become trapped until I stand to remove the blanket.” God probably says: “I blessed Terri with a sturdy, ergonomic chair for her workspace and a warm blanket to wear on cold days since I know she does not appreciate cold weather.” When I think: “Most of the time when I throw something away, I miss the trashcan and I have to get up to throw the trash away before my dog eats it.” God probably says: “I blessed Terri and her family with a new puppy when they lost their beloved dogs last year. What a joy it must be to have a new puppy to train.” When I think: “As I lay in bed and try to sleep at night, I always feel the tiniest wrinkle in the sheet and I can’t fall asleep until it is smooth.” God probably says: “I blessed Terri with a special level of sensitivity.” When I think:” Sometimes I leave my mug in the microwave too long and my cup of tea is too hot to carry.” God probably says: “Terri is blessed to have that mug that is so special to her and I’m sure she appreciates the ease of quickly and easily heating tea to enjoy.” When I say: “Every time I clean, the house is already dusty again the next day.” God probably says: “What a blessing I gave my children. The house they are in is everything they prayed for at one time and although the forest around them makes the house get dusty quickly, I’m sure they appreciate the joy of living in the midst of my beautiful creation.” When I say: “When we had trees removed from our yard, the tree service workers accidentally shattered my front storm door.” God probably says, “If the workers hadn’t shattered the door, Terri’s family would have had to purchase a brand new door when they had their house resided. Instead, they are having it replaced by Me.” When I say, “The workers putting on our new siding this summer have taken a lot longer to complete the job than we thought it would take.” God probably says: “I have enjoyed the process of watching the siding job I provided take longer than expected. I ordained the meeting of the workers with the Hitt’s. Many blessings have come from knowing the workers and sharing the stories of My love and provision and the experience has grown Terri’s awareness of me in even smaller details.” Like me, what are the things you can choose to grumble about or show gratitude for? How can you change the way you do it? I wonder whether God will have a list for us to view when we meet Him in heaven. Can’t you imagine documents that reflect an attitude or gratitude? Delays, disappointments, and demands that we complained about or grew bitter about may be what saved a life, brought an unexpected blessing down the road, or caused another to come to or fall away from Jesus by the way we reacted. Do you practice gratitude during the events of each day? Do you live life with an expectation that what happens is for your good and the betterment of His kingdom? It takes humble, intentional actions and true thankfulness to adjust our mindset to live with the high level of gratitude God desires. Have you noticed that when you tend to pout or complain about something, it’s much harder to feel grateful? Instead, when you immediately look to the Lord in all circumstances and give praise, whether situations are good or bad, exciting or disappointing, thankfulness causes an uplift to your spirit and joy is sustained or grown. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says,” Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. “ The joy in our life should not be dictated by circumstance. It’s challenging not to let what happens around us, or sometimes what doesn’t happen, affect our mental or emotional state, but prayers and thankfulness don’t have to be tied to feelings. If we look at the verse I just read from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 with a heart to seek what God desires, we notice that we are given three commands. 1. Be joyful 2. Pray continually 3. Give thanks Every time we make the decision to follow what pleases God, we begin to view life with His perspective – an eternal perspective. Each time we follow His commands, especially with gratitude, we find it becomes easier to live with true joy and thankfulness. The truth is that when we complain, whether it be in thought, word, action, or reaction, we are choosing to place self over situation. We are silently voicing the fact that we what we want is more important than what is happening around us, or what God has allowed in our life. Each time we criticize, we place our idea of what should occur or what we should receive over the process of perfection. When we trust God to provide, we understand and appreciate that He is in control. Knowing that His perfect timing, guidance, provisions, and protection are far better than what we can envision allows joy to replace the bitterness, disappointment, and anger that threaten deeper relationship with Him. 2 Corinthians 4:15-18 says, “For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 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.” Trials and disappointments help to work all things for God as promised in Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose.” Even small inconveniences may be used to strengthen our faith and trust. Without hardship could we really understand true joy and gratitude for the protection and provisions of God? Conforming to the image of Christ comes with cost. Our human flesh will always find cause to complain. In contrast, the Holy Spirit living within believers recognizes and appreciates the redeeming, unselfish cost of grace and the joy of living within the protection of abundant gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7 says, “Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Because of the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit residing within, believers have the ability to see their inner self changed. Our moral and ethical behavior, as well as the way we view the inconvenient challenges in life can be shaped into the image of the mind of Christ. As we set our mind and heart on things above, we shift the way we view daily occurrences and begin to see them with eternal eyes instead of through selfish or temporal viewpoints. This different and eternal perspective allows room for gratitude to grow and be expressed far more readily than dissatisfaction or disappointment as we look at events through the eyes of Jesus and the heart of God. Colossians 3:1-2 says, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Dear Heavenly Father, You alone are good. You alone are Holy. You alone can lift us from the depths of selfish sin and desires and hold us close to the desires of Your heart. Lord, as we grow closer to You and allow You to shine more brightly through us, help us to change, help our gratitude to expand, overtake our selfish hearts, and craft the beauty of thankfulness within us. May the mystery of the resurrection sweep over us and change our fleshly hearts into the beauty of Christ’s. May we please and honor You with our appreciation for the good, the easy, the tears, and the joys of living the life You gave to us. May Your peace, which surpasses all understanding abide within us and guard our hearts, and multiply our appreciation. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. 1 Chronicles 16:34 says, “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.” Lord, may our gratitude fill You with thanksgiving and praise! Thank you for listening to this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Additional episodes may be heard at terrihitt.com, but the podcast is also a part of the Spark Media Network. Now the podcast may also be found on the Edifi app, where you can find thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed this podcast on Apple Podcasts yet? If you haven’t, would you please consider doing so? When you review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen to this new podcast, especially if you are raising children or influencing grandchildren. Please follow and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

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

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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #088 – Godly Instruction 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. Proverbs 4:7 says, “Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do. Whatever else you get, get insight.” Proverbs 4:1-2 says, “Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding; For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.” Proverbs 4:10-13 says, “Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.” The very first instruction a child receives comes from parents. God has ordained and established this right and privilege to us. Entrusting us to care for His precious, hand-crafted children is a gift none of us are worthy of. Remembering that it is an honor to influence and raise a human God has purposed to be in this world for exact purposes should be at the top of our mind as we make choices, educate, instruct, and correct our children. Raising them to know, love, honor, and obey Jesus is a process that demands we know Him first and love Him well. To be the greatest influence and tie to God that our child will experience is incredibly humbling and we should never take that responsibility for granted. Psalm 78:1-8 reminds us, ”My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which He commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands. They would not be like their ancestors—a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to Him.” Educating my two youngest children from home has been one of my most treasured blessings. Without question, humbly asking God to work through me as I homeschool my daughters has been an obedient step of faith and trust that has made the scriptures I’ve read in this podcast come alive in new ways. Choosing to hear His call to home educate my girls and sticking to the commitment has opened my eyes and heart to new depths of relationship with God and heightened my desire to hear, trust, and obey my Father. Being with my daughters to educate them at home has enabled God to work through each one of us to widen and deepen our personal walks with Him and one another. Scripture has been made alive in our lives in ways that only come from intentionally seeking and following God. We not only speak, read, and learn of Him together, but we make Him alive throughout each day, weaving the Creator of the Universe into every subject we teach. Can a parent foster the same spiritual strength without home educating their child? Of course-with much concentrated effort and intentionality. Yet, for my family, the sacrifice and honor to be at home to homeschool is one I never take for granted as I strive to praise God for the glorious ways He has and is still allowing us the privilege to do. I enjoy taking each step of obedience to honor my Lord with the children He has graciously entrusted to me. Beginning the education of your child is easier and is a more natural progression than most people believe it to be. Many adults believe or are fearful of myths. The top one being that homeschooling prevents children from being socialized. Truthfully, I have found that lie to be one of the easiest to debunk. My children receive a much superior socialization than they would if they were sitting in a classroom with teachers and peers all day every day. Especially when I think of socialization in the widely accepted definition, which is: a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position. Which leads me to the next definition: social position, which is described as: ascribed status typically based on sex, age, race, family relationships, or birth. No matter which status we discuss, I seek to choose a godly social position for the child God has placed under my authority and in my loving care. That is not found in a public school setting, especially in these times. There is so much I could share about homeschooling children. Often, people contact me for support or with questions about beginning a home education for their children. I remember when I was in the same position. Scared, full of questions, and humbly seeking God for guidance and direction, I questioned others who taught their children at home and attended conferences and seminars to absorb and digest as much information as possible. The time came when I just needed to jump in and trust God to protect and carry us. I knew what God was impressing upon my heart. Be at home to raise and train my daughters in righteousness and truth. Days have been easy. Days have been hard. Every one of them has been well worth the time, financial, spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical investment. Without a doubt, my girls have flourished, and our relationships with God and each other have been eternally changed. After trying a few different educational methods, I have landed on what I believe to be the best choice for our family. The Charlotte Mason style of teaching encompasses all that is good and pure about home education and godly formation of character and soul. I rest in knowing that the Lord faithfully led me to what has been an enormous blessing in our home, as well as one of the foundations of our relationship with God and each other. Over the new several episodes, I will be airing interviews that focus on home educating children. Whether you are a homeschool parent, a grandparent of a home educated child, or a friend or relative of someone home educating, someone curious about how homeschool works, or perhaps you are a parent thrust into the homeschool arena due to Covid, I believe you will find interesting and life-changing information over the next several weeks. Perhaps you may even have some basic questions answered. Since I stated that I lean more toward the Charlotte Mason method of teaching my girls, I’d like to list a few of the hallmarks of the Charlotte Mason education, which I believe transcend teaching from home and cross into every area of life, imparting general knowledge, developing the ability to reason and critically think, nurturing and maturing spiritual health and depth, strengthening family bonds, and intellectually, emotionally, financially, and spiritually preparing children for a mature adult life. Habits – Charlotte Mason believed that if parents work to instill the development of good habits within a child, a solid foundation is being built for early education. I’d also like to add that a firm foundation is also erected for the biblical sturdiness which undergirds all areas of life. Charlotte Mason wrote that, “The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days.” There are no habits more important or crucial to the life and eternal future of our child than to instill godly habits that draw our child to the Father who created them, loves them, and has a good and perfectly tailored future for them. Style of Lessons – Charlotte Mason style lessons are typically short (at least in the younger years). By limiting the time spent per subject, the parent is training the child to focus fully on the work set before them. It is an easier goal to attain because the parent pays attention to the age of the child and considers what they are developmentally capable of. This is especially important as each child is unique and as Charlotte Mason taught, the educator must respect the child as a unique person. This also applies to children with special needs and best enables parent and child to work according to their abilities and builds the trust needed to stretch capabilities further. Mother and child come to know one another well. Charlotte also recommends switching subject styles. Exercise the mind and change to another topic to keep the mind energized and awake for learning. For example, do not study reading, then spelling. Instead, study math, then handicrafts or handwriting, then music study. Use different areas of the brain to keep the mind stimulated. One exception I add is that we always begin our day with Bible Study. It allows our heart and mind to focus on God first, just as we should do in life. Establishing this habit has allowed tremendous blessings on our relationships with God and each other and set the framework for smoother and easier days. Living Books – When I speak of using “living books,” I do not mean reading textbooks used in the traditional education most of us experienced. Instead, “living books” can be fictional or non-fictional literature of quality, written by an author with a passion for the particular topic. The passion, interest, and expertise that the “living book” author injects into the topic and book births “life” instead of giving your child a dry textbook that simply recites facts and details about a subject. This way, your student is drawn into the experience, giving them a reason to care, read, and learn. When your child engages with the topics through the “living book” experience, they are introduced to people and characters who inspire, teach, and present positive models to mirror. Make no mistake, there is a severe lack of quality literature for our children to read. Take a walk through bookstores and look at the young adult and children sections. Be very particular and oversee what your child reads, both in school and private time to protect their character, thoughts, heart, and mind for eternity. Narration – Narration is one of the central methods used in the Charlotte Mason education. Through narration, a child proves his ability to absorb and use what he has learned, as well as learning to think and express those thoughts clearly. Eventually, when the world hits your child with ideas and examples that are not from God’s values, she will recognize them. Of course, we teach our children to love everyone as God does, but we also train them to examine everything in light of the gospel. Our child learns to respect others, yet use critical reasoning that allows him to follow Christ and not culture. Through the process of narration, the home educator may assess what the child is catching and enable them to continue deeper learning day by day. Dictation – Spelling and grammar concepts are reinforced through repeated dictation exercises. Charlotte Mason enjoyed and recommended using quotations that inspire or scripture verses for dictation exercises. First, the child studies the passage until he is certain he can spell the words and use proper punctuation. Next, the teacher reads the dictation passage slowly as the child writes it. I personally enjoy using scripture for dictation, but also use well-written literature and fun sentences. Art and Music –Charlotte Mason believed that children should be exposed to greatness in several forms. Both music and art appreciation were intentionally introduced in her schools. One composer or artist would be studied during each term, allowing children to experience them through both music and art. They would also listen to the music, read living books about the artist or composer, and attempt to reproduce the style of the artist or composer through art and music lessons. Classical music and early hymns may also be used beautifully during periods of rest, handicrafts, or art. I have also had fun at school when playing popular, meaningful American patriotic songs and marches that are seldom heard in society now. Nature Study - Charlotte Mason strongly believed that children should spend as much time as possible outdoors, especially when they are young. She encouraged the use of personal journals used for nature study, drawings, and notes, which greatly helped the children to learn and identify the world of nature around them. We personally do not experience enough time outdoors. While one of my daughters and I take walks together, it is difficult for the other to do so, and I have to intentionally try to get her out of doors in other ways. Since she enjoys observing insects and birds very much, I sometimes set goals of sketching or observation times for her to experience nature and I have her orally narrate what she sees, feels, smells, etc. as she views creation. Charlotte Mason asked students to keep detailed nature journals and we have also used nature journals over the years. I also keep one and sketch when the girls render their drawings. I’ve even enjoyed looking back over my own sketches over time. Nature studies have changed each of us in multiple ways. When Charlotte Mason first developed her educational ideas, she ignited quite a revolution in education because she believed that a child, no matter what class of society they were born into, held a God-given right to be recognized and respected as a unique person. It was her desire that education would give each child the opportunity to acquire qualities and develop into the person God created them to be and that would reach opportunities unknown to them before. One of my favorite Charlotte Mason quotes, which is very telling of her intuition and insight is, “The question is not how much does the child know when he has finished his education, but how much does he care?” I would like to add, “How has my child deepened and widened her relationship with God? How has she formed a desire to learn for the simple sake of using the mind, gifts, and talents given to her when God thought of her and formed her? How often does she persist in learning, knowing she should expect to fail and not grow discouraged, but rely on the strength of her Heavenly Father to sustain and guide her?” As Christian parents educating our children in such a manner that respects our child as a unique person planned, created, and set apart by God for a specific journey and life, we must intentionally plan the course set before us. What is the goal we have for the life of our child? What is the goal our Heavenly Father has set for our unique child so loved by Him? We must submit to God, ask Him for guidance for each child, and allow Him to lead and inspire us to cultivate and mature strong character and spiritual formation in our children. I hope you will join me over the next several episodes to learn more about the gift of homeschooling and the eternal blessings it brings. Even if you are not homeschooling your child, the basic thoughts and principles that should be the foundation of home education are wise lessons for each of us to absorb and ponder the ways we can incorporate these treasured bits of wisdom into daily life at home with our children. Father God, I praise You for Your mighty and sovereign ways. Thank you for the wisdom, understanding, insight, and knowledge You impart to us when we ask for it. Thank you that we can trust that we will never be enough and that You fashioned us to humbly bow to You for our needs. Thank you for the gift of caring for our precious children. In reality, we recognize that they are truly Yours and are entrusted to us for such a short time, but also for just this time. You know the times we live in and the experiences and concerns we face, but You planned this time in advance for us. Please go before us. Show us the way to You and how to navigate this world and the education of our children. Let us choose what is pleasing to You. Carry us through each day in Your strength, for it makes an eternal difference in the lives of Your children. In the precious name of Jesus we humbly pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 088 Godly Instruction Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #088 – Godly Instruction 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. Proverbs 4:7 says, “Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do. Whatever else you get, get insight.” Proverbs 4:1-2 says, “Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding; For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.” Proverbs 4:10-13 says, “Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.” The very first instruction a child receives comes from parents. God has ordained and established this right and privilege to us. Entrusting us to care for His precious, hand-crafted children is a gift none of us are worthy of. Remembering that it is an honor to influence and raise a human God has purposed to be in this world for exact purposes should be at the top of our mind as we make choices, educate, instruct, and correct our children. Raising them to know, love, honor, and obey Jesus is a process that demands we know Him first and love Him well. To be the greatest influence and tie to God that our child will experience is incredibly humbling and we should never take that responsibility for granted. Psalm 78:1-8 reminds us, ”My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which He commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands. They would not be like their ancestors—a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to Him.” Educating my two youngest children from home has been one of my most treasured blessings. Without question, humbly asking God to work through me as I homeschool my daughters has been an obedient step of faith and trust that has made the scriptures I’ve read in this podcast come alive in new ways. Choosing to hear His call to home educate my girls and sticking to the commitment has opened my eyes and heart to new depths of relationship with God and heightened my desire to hear, trust, and obey my Father. Being with my daughters to educate them at home has enabled God to work through each one of us to widen and deepen our personal walks with Him and one another. Scripture has been made alive in our lives in ways that only come from intentionally seeking and following God. We not only speak, read, and learn of Him together, but we make Him alive throughout each day, weaving the Creator of the Universe into every subject we teach. Can a parent foster the same spiritual strength without home educating their child? Of course-with much concentrated effort and intentionality. Yet, for my family, the sacrifice and honor to be at home to homeschool is one I never take for granted as I strive to praise God for the glorious ways He has and is still allowing us the privilege to do. I enjoy taking each step of obedience to honor my Lord with the children He has graciously entrusted to me. Beginning the education of your child is easier and is a more natural progression than most people believe it to be. Many adults believe or are fearful of myths. The top one being that homeschooling prevents children from being socialized. Truthfully, I have found that lie to be one of the easiest to debunk. My children receive a much superior socialization than they would if they were sitting in a classroom with teachers and peers all day every day. Especially when I think of socialization in the widely accepted definition, which is: a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position. Which leads me to the next definition: social position, which is described as: ascribed status typically based on sex, age, race, family relationships, or birth. No matter which status we discuss, I seek to choose a godly social position for the child God has placed under my authority and in my loving care. That is not found in a public school setting, especially in these times. There is so much I could share about homeschooling children. Often, people contact me for support or with questions about beginning a home education for their children. I remember when I was in the same position. Scared, full of questions, and humbly seeking God for guidance and direction, I questioned others who taught their children at home and attended conferences and seminars to absorb and digest as much information as possible. The time came when I just needed to jump in and trust God to protect and carry us. I knew what God was impressing upon my heart. Be at home to raise and train my daughters in righteousness and truth. Days have been easy. Days have been hard. Every one of them has been well worth the time, financial, spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical investment. Without a doubt, my girls have flourished, and our relationships with God and each other have been eternally changed. After trying a few different educational methods, I have landed on what I believe to be the best choice for our family. The Charlotte Mason style of teaching encompasses all that is good and pure about home education and godly formation of character and soul. I rest in knowing that the Lord faithfully led me to what has been an enormous blessing in our home, as well as one of the foundations of our relationship with God and each other. Over the new several episodes, I will be airing interviews that focus on home educating children. Whether you are a homeschool parent, a grandparent of a home educated child, or a friend or relative of someone home educating, someone curious about how homeschool works, or perhaps you are a parent thrust into the homeschool arena due to Covid, I believe you will find interesting and life-changing information over the next several weeks. Perhaps you may even have some basic questions answered. Since I stated that I lean more toward the Charlotte Mason method of teaching my girls, I’d like to list a few of the hallmarks of the Charlotte Mason education, which I believe transcend teaching from home and cross into every area of life, imparting general knowledge, developing the ability to reason and critically think, nurturing and maturing spiritual health and depth, strengthening family bonds, and intellectually, emotionally, financially, and spiritually preparing children for a mature adult life. Habits – Charlotte Mason believed that if parents work to instill the development of good habits within a child, a solid foundation is being built for early education. I’d also like to add that a firm foundation is also erected for the biblical sturdiness which undergirds all areas of life. Charlotte Mason wrote that, “The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days.” There are no habits more important or crucial to the life and eternal future of our child than to instill godly habits that draw our child to the Father who created them, loves them, and has a good and perfectly tailored future for them. Style of Lessons – Charlotte Mason style lessons are typically short (at least in the younger years). By limiting the time spent per subject, the parent is training the child to focus fully on the work set before them. It is an easier goal to attain because the parent pays attention to the age of the child and considers what they are developmentally capable of. This is especially important as each child is unique and as Charlotte Mason taught, the educator must respect the child as a unique person. This also applies to children with special needs and best enables parent and child to work according to their abilities and builds the trust needed to stretch capabilities further. Mother and child come to know one another well. Charlotte also recommends switching subject styles. Exercise the mind and change to another topic to keep the mind energized and awake for learning. For example, do not study reading, then spelling. Instead, study math, then handicrafts or handwriting, then music study. Use different areas of the brain to keep the mind stimulated. One exception I add is that we always begin our day with Bible Study. It allows our heart and mind to focus on God first, just as we should do in life. Establishing this habit has allowed tremendous blessings on our relationships with God and each other and set the framework for smoother and easier days. Living Books – When I speak of using “living books,” I do not mean reading textbooks used in the traditional education most of us experienced. Instead, “living books” can be fictional or non-fictional literature of quality, written by an author with a passion for the particular topic. The passion, interest, and expertise that the “living book” author injects into the topic and book births “life” instead of giving your child a dry textbook that simply recites facts and details about a subject. This way, your student is drawn into the experience, giving them a reason to care, read, and learn. When your child engages with the topics through the “living book” experience, they are introduced to people and characters who inspire, teach, and present positive models to mirror. Make no mistake, there is a severe lack of quality literature for our children to read. Take a walk through bookstores and look at the young adult and children sections. Be very particular and oversee what your child reads, both in school and private time to protect their character, thoughts, heart, and mind for eternity. Narration – Narration is one of the central methods used in the Charlotte Mason education. Through narration, a child proves his ability to absorb and use what he has learned, as well as learning to think and express those thoughts clearly. Eventually, when the world hits your child with ideas and examples that are not from God’s values, she will recognize them. Of course, we teach our children to love everyone as God does, but we also train them to examine everything in light of the gospel. Our child learns to respect others, yet use critical reasoning that allows him to follow Christ and not culture. Through the process of narration, the home educator may assess what the child is catching and enable them to continue deeper learning day by day. Dictation – Spelling and grammar concepts are reinforced through repeated dictation exercises. Charlotte Mason enjoyed and recommended using quotations that inspire or scripture verses for dictation exercises. First, the child studies the passage until he is certain he can spell the words and use proper punctuation. Next, the teacher reads the dictation passage slowly as the child writes it. I personally enjoy using scripture for dictation, but also use well-written literature and fun sentences. Art and Music –Charlotte Mason believed that children should be exposed to greatness in several forms. Both music and art appreciation were intentionally introduced in her schools. One composer or artist would be studied during each term, allowing children to experience them through both music and art. They would also listen to the music, read living books about the artist or composer, and attempt to reproduce the style of the artist or composer through art and music lessons. Classical music and early hymns may also be used beautifully during periods of rest, handicrafts, or art. I have also had fun at school when playing popular, meaningful American patriotic songs and marches that are seldom heard in society now. Nature Study - Charlotte Mason strongly believed that children should spend as much time as possible outdoors, especially when they are young. She encouraged the use of personal journals used for nature study, drawings, and notes, which greatly helped the children to learn and identify the world of nature around them. We personally do not experience enough time outdoors. While one of my daughters and I take walks together, it is difficult for the other to do so, and I have to intentionally try to get her out of doors in other ways. Since she enjoys observing insects and birds very much, I sometimes set goals of sketching or observation times for her to experience nature and I have her orally narrate what she sees, feels, smells, etc. as she views creation. Charlotte Mason asked students to keep detailed nature journals and we have also used nature journals over the years. I also keep one and sketch when the girls render their drawings. I’ve even enjoyed looking back over my own sketches over time. Nature studies have changed each of us in multiple ways. When Charlotte Mason first developed her educational ideas, she ignited quite a revolution in education because she believed that a child, no matter what class of society they were born into, held a God-given right to be recognized and respected as a unique person. It was her desire that education would give each child the opportunity to acquire qualities and develop into the person God created them to be and that would reach opportunities unknown to them before. One of my favorite Charlotte Mason quotes, which is very telling of her intuition and insight is, “The question is not how much does the child know when he has finished his education, but how much does he care?” I would like to add, “How has my child deepened and widened her relationship with God? How has she formed a desire to learn for the simple sake of using the mind, gifts, and talents given to her when God thought of her and formed her? How often does she persist in learning, knowing she should expect to fail and not grow discouraged, but rely on the strength of her Heavenly Father to sustain and guide her?” As Christian parents educating our children in such a manner that respects our child as a unique person planned, created, and set apart by God for a specific journey and life, we must intentionally plan the course set before us. What is the goal we have for the life of our child? What is the goal our Heavenly Father has set for our unique child so loved by Him? We must submit to God, ask Him for guidance for each child, and allow Him to lead and inspire us to cultivate and mature strong character and spiritual formation in our children. I hope you will join me over the next several episodes to learn more about the gift of homeschooling and the eternal blessings it brings. Even if you are not homeschooling your child, the basic thoughts and principles that should be the foundation of home education are wise lessons for each of us to absorb and ponder the ways we can incorporate these treasured bits of wisdom into daily life at home with our children. Father God, I praise You for Your mighty and sovereign ways. Thank you for the wisdom, understanding, insight, and knowledge You impart to us when we ask for it. Thank you that we can trust that we will never be enough and that You fashioned us to humbly bow to You for our needs. Thank you for the gift of caring for our precious children. In reality, we recognize that they are truly Yours and are entrusted to us for such a short time, but also for just this time. You know the times we live in and the experiences and concerns we face, but You planned this time in advance for us. Please go before us. Show us the way to You and how to navigate this world and the education of our children. Let us choose what is pleasing to You. Carry us through each day in Your strength, for it makes an eternal difference in the lives of Your children. In the precious name of Jesus we humbly pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

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< Back Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast - Episode 002 - Mentor God's Heart Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #002 – Mentor God’s Heart Are you yearning for greater connection with your child and Christ? Would you like to parent beyond the moment with eternal perspective? Do the days seem long, but you know the parenting journey is short? Let’s grow together now with practical tips, scripture, and stories geared to draw your heart to Jesus and guide your child into His arms. When we brought our youngest home from China at the age of nine, there was nothing I could do to convince her that my intentions for her were good and loving until she spent time with me and learned my heart for her. Some of our earlier days were shared battling hours of tears and meltdowns, language confusion, and misunderstandings. Once she had consistently observed my temperament, action, and reactions, she was able to know what lay within my heart and whether or not she could trust that I had her best interests in mind. True bonding, attachment, and attunement occurred once she had a foundation of trust on which to firmly stand. Just as she had to learn to understand and trust me, unless we spend time in God’s word, learning His heart and intentions for us, we cannot know Him, show Him, and likely will not see Him grow within our child. The Bible gives us the way to follow the heart of God. Scripture allows us to be mentored by Jesus, so that we are equipped and empowered to do the same for our children. As we submit to God and allow Him to work within us, our children witness the power of Christ so that they desire Him in their life, as well. A heart must be prepared to accept God’s word. Just as we can’t expect seeds to flourish when thrust into soil that hasn’t been cultivated, God’s word cannot penetrate our spirit if we are not ready to welcome it. The same is true for our children. If we do not have a loving, trusting relationship established with them, they are less likely to trust a God they cannot see. You are the first image of Christ your child will see. James 1:21 says, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls .” Sin not only prevents us from receiving God’s word, but the practice of sin also actually prevents the word of God from penetrating our heart. I find it interesting that the Greek word for receive is translated several times in the New Testament as welcome . When we read or hear God’s word, we must be ready to hear and receive it, to welcome it into our life. We are only changed when the transformative power of God’s words and holy truths penetrate our heart, mind, and soul. It is then that we are filled with His desire to obey and practice what He has revealed to us. God’s word must penetrate the heart of your child for true change to occur. Simply hearing us preach about God has no effect, no power behind the words. True change and relationship blossoms when we have been transformed through the holy power of a saving God. Because of relationship with Jesus, God’s word comes alive in ways a non-believer cannot see. As we spend more time in the word, we begin to crave God more. True heart and life transformation occurs after we read , study , process , and apply His word. Character is changed or created anew when our heart is pierced with the word of God as the Holy Spirit enables us to know and follow His heart. Receipt of God’s word moves us to pattern our life after Jesus, to follow the footsteps of His teachings. James 1:22-25 says, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does." If we read the Bible, then simply lay it aside to think and do whatever we please, God’s word brings no permanent value to our life. God calls us to go beyond mere listening to doing . Diligent hearers of the word intentionally dig through God’s word, searching for truths and treasures. They understand and trust that lives do not change without careful study and application of the material they read. In fact, passages in the Bible are more than words they study; scripture is God-breathed and inspired instruction just for them. 2 Corinthians 3:18 , one of my very favorite verses says, “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” Every new day offers a choice to believers. Do we follow our fleshly will and desires or do we obediently choose to seek Jesus and draw nearer to Him? Now that we are united with Christ, the veil is gone. We see Christ face to face. His lives within us, transforming us more and more into His glorious image…if we allow Him to do the work He started. God word is truth . A truth that testifies through the holy transformation of God with us. Jesus is the work that moves hearts and changes lives; ours and our children. Christ’s transformative work within us allows us in turn, to mentor the heart and mind of Jesus to a watching world, and most importantly, the children He has entrusted to us. Parents are to: 1. Love unconditionally 2. Love sacrificially 3. Love personally 4. Love holy This type of love is impossible without the saving power of Christ within us. Only Jesus can mentor and fill us with the love He possesses. 1 John 3:1 says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” What amazing, powerful love we have within us! Agape love is not a term we use much in our time. Yet it is the most splendorous love imaginable. This is the type of love God holds for us. This love is extended to us freely with nothing expected in return. A purer, holier love will never be found. None of us are able to fathom this type of love without it abiding within us. Agape love is what we want to carry for our child. It is a love that should be directed to them for the purpose of expressing Christ to them and guiding them to His feet. John 21:15-17 says, “When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these? “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.” Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.” Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep .” This passage of scripture occurred after the resurrection of Jesus. In it, Jesus asked Peter to tend to His sheep, meaning lead His people to Him. Once Peter realized he had turned from Jesus and followed his own flesh, he repented and was able to embrace the gentle, yet powerful grace of God and step into the role of the powerful leader God equipped him to become. God also calls us to feed His sheep, but parents have a special calling , a high responsibility to nurture the children God has entrusted to us. Jesus commanded not to hinder the children from coming to Him. When our lives are intertwined with Jesus and we humbly allow Him to guide and equip us, He will work within and through us to reach the hearts of our children. When we submit, He crafts us to become the parents He desires, yet graciously allows us the responsibility and privilege of being the first witness of Christ our children will see. How often do you ponder that you are the first witness of Jesus your child experiences ? Focus on your personal relationship with Christ to bless your life and the life of each of your children . Once we acknowledge the agape love and power of Christ living within us, how do we begin to mentor the Master to our children? Here are 10 important tips to remember as you parent with the intention of mentoring the Master. 1. Mentors train to teach as they live . Just as an athlete trains, we must purpose to train our heart and mind to pursue Christ. Even when we don’t feel like it. Bible reading and study, exploration of passages to find how they apply to our life, solitude with God, prayer, seeking the plans God has for us and obeying them, and fellowship with other believers will enable us to train our children for their eternal future. As our lives authentically point to Christ, He will genuinely shine Him into them. 2. Know and show Jesus through the agape love we receive from Him. As our children witness our life in humble submission and calling to Christ, they begin to pursue Jesus for themselves with dedication and obedience. 3. Give testimony . If you have experienced the changing power of Christ, tell what Jesus has changed in your life. Show the ways He has transformed you. Share how you and your life are different. 4. Embrace Christ within you . Your words , actions , reactions , and lifestyle reveal all your child needs to know about whether Christ can be trusted. If you profess to be a changed person through the power of Jesus, yet live like every other person, believer or not, your child will not see the difference he or she needs to commit to a relationship with God through Christ. However, if your child sees that you are set-apart and continuing to embody Jesus more each day, they will notice and be drawn toward the love and power of Jesus themselves. Your faithfulness also builds their courage to live a set-apart life. 5. Foster connection with your child through the discernment of Jesus . God created your child for a purpose . He or she was placed with you for this time. Nothing is a mistake or accident. God chose you to parent the child or children entrusted to you. God knows you are not enough. No matter what society tells us, we were not made to be perfect. We do not have all the answers or do all things well. Only God can give you with the discernment , knowledge, understanding, wisdom, guidance, direction, insight, and love that your particular child needs. Pursue God’s best for your child as you prayerfully acknowledge God’s authority and wisdom . Petition His will for your child’s present and future. 6. Make specific prayer request lists . Pray them daily. Pray for God to give you the prayers He desires you to raise for your child. Our Heavenly Father has a good and perfect plan tailor made for your child. Imagine the godly future you desire for your child. Pray for the specifics that come to mind. Ensure that they align with God’s will. For example, don’t pray for your child to become a millionaire. You can pray for God to equip your child with a strong passion for Him. You can pray that God will provide for all of the needs of your child. Pray for a godly spouse if your child is to be married. Prayers like these are surely heard and honored by God. 7. Be mindful of the talents and interests of your child . Knowing that God has created each person uniquely with specific gifts, talents, interests, and desires, we must honor the unique person God made and placed in your care. Our children are not our mini’s. They do not have to carry the same goals and dreams we did. They are not the indicator of our success. Attunement to our child and a strong connection built through Christ will show you many glimpse of the future He may have for them. 8. Offer Biblical encouragement . As you travel a journey toward Christ together, you must remember the individuality of your child. Your faith is not theirs. Your precious child must develop a personal faith and relationship with Jesus on their own. It may be while they are living with you. It may be when they are an adult. Either way, the end goal is to restrain from judging, yet be discerning and observant as to the progress your child is making so that you can continue to parent a wholesome, genuine relationship with Jesus. 9. Pursue Jesus together . Make sure your child sees that you have a desire for Jesus and that you follow through with personal Bible and prayer time. Pray alone in front of your child. Pray with your child. Pray for your child. Ask your child to pray for you. Pray for your parenting in front of your child. Honestly, the list is endless. There are many ways to pray for your child and with your child. Maintain regular Bible study with your child. Discuss the verses you read together, as well as the study points. Allow them to hear study notes from the Bible and teach apologetics and critical thinking so that they understand the basics of Christianity and can defend their faith. The key is to involve your children so that they develop the habits of Bible study and prayer. Then a strong desire is rooted within them and a sturdy foundation is built beneath them. 10. Do not pressure your child to follow Jesus . God Himself does not demand that we follow Him. Our Heavenly Father allows us free will. Our children deserve the same. This doesn’t mean we allow disrespect, rather that we regularly fertilize, cultivate, and water the soil of their heart with the way we live, God’s word and truths, prayer, and connection built daily by wise parenting and attachment. John 16:13 says, “However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come .” Never forget or undervalue the powerful Holy Spirit alive within you. Submit to Christ, pursue Him moment by moment, obediently follow where He leads, nurture your child in and through Jesus, and experience a relationship with Him and your children that only comes from the gracious, agape love our Heavenly Father can bestow. Life will never be perfect this side of heaven, but it can be glorious when rooted and built on a firm, authentic foundation of Christ. Gracious, loving Heavenly Father, we come to You in humble submission and adoration. Thank you for the precious gift of Your Son for us so that we can see You, know You, and follow You more clearly. Thank you that through Jesus, we can approach Your throne of grace with confidence and clarity. Enable each of us to embody You in our parenting. Please extend to us Your wisdom, Your knowledge, Your insight, and Your understanding of each of our precious children. For we know they are truly Yours on loan to us for such a time as this. God, we cannot know them, cannot reach them without You. Anything constructed in this world without a foundation purposely built on and through You will not stand. We humble bow to Your guidance and agape love in every area You know we need. Protect our heart and minds so that they seek and reflect You and Your desires and ways. May our children run to Your arms because of the nurture and grace we pour into them and guide them straight to You. In the precious name of Jesus we humbly and lovingly pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. The Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast will soon be available at terrihitt.com, where you can access the episodes housed in one convenient location, receive access to blog posts, read transcripts, and find additional resources designed to mature your walk with Christ and equip you to raise or influence connected children through Him. God knows that we are not capable of successful parenting on our own. As we rely on Him, as we release doubts and expectations, and humbly bow to His guidance and experience, we find greater clarity in parenting and a wondrous walk with our Creator that will extend to our children and those around us for generations . I pray this podcast helps you parent with purpose and deepen your connection to Jesus and your children. Intentionally place Christ above culture or self. Allow Him to work through you for true connection that will draw your children to Him and build a maturing relationship with Christ and your children that lasts for eternity. Previous Next

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Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 010 Vickie Bennett Interview Listen to Episode http://@vickiebennettministries

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

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

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< Back Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode 019 - How to Help My Child Find and Live God's Biblical Truths Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #019 – How to Help My Child Find and Live God’s Biblical Truth 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. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, when I raised my first set of children, the majority of Americans considered themselves Christians. Now only an approximate 65% of Americans identify as Christian. Even worse, I recently heard nearly 70% of born-again Christians disagree with the biblical position that Jesus is the only way to God. Haven’t they ever read John 14:6-7 , which says, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him .” Times have certainly changed. To be honest, although it sounds judgmental, and I certainly do not mean it that way, the truth is that many who label themselves as Christian simply do not live a biblical lifestyle that supports their claim. I often tell my teenaged daughters that they are living in a generation that needs to be able to defend their faith. In this current day, not only are Christian beliefs ridiculed, but Christians carry (or should carry) a reflection of holiness, through the Holy Spirit within us, that those who do not believe are offended by. If a Christian convicts the world simply by carrying the morals and truths of Jesus, we know that the world is actually repulsed by Christ because darkness exists in their soul. In fact, the Bible warned us of this happening. If the virtues we carry are found offensive, causing us to be hated, those in disagreement will lash out in fear or shame, whether they realize it in the moment or not. As the world moves deeper into sin and away from the solid foundation of Christ, the more justified those living in transgression feel about themselves and their choices. The kingdom of darkness rules this world, and the words found in 1 Peter 5:8-9 are eternally true. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings .” Our children are growing up in a world that does not seek truth . Look around at programs enticing our children and luring them to the world of sin such as the new cartoon, “Little Demon.” Our culture is desensitizing adults and children with television shows, movies, books, magazine, music, and even phone filters, such as one I saw this week. It actually turns the face of the viewer into a devil. What parent would ever allow their child to use such an app or filter? Obviously more than we probably think. Whether the parents realize it or not, every choice they make (or don’t make) that isn’t purposely done for Christ through an eternal perspective, their child is drifting closer to Satan. Relative truth reigns in our culture and is extracted from whatever anyone wants to believe (or hopes is real), and actually stands for nothing. Even schoolrooms promote anti-biblical agendas that are destroying the fabric and soul of our children and nation. God’s truth is the only authentic and lasting source of integrity. Authored by Truth, God’s words and ways show us and our children the only way to live with hope, love, trust, faith, and purpose. Do you desire to raise a child who walks with Jesus in truth and confidence? Or would you rather parent a confused child who will never experience the love, joy, or peace of one following the Lord? In John 15:18-19 Jesus said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” Do not misunderstand. As God warned that the devil is prowling this world looking for victims to deceive, we must be ever mindful or we will fall prey to his schemes. Our nation and the families within it are more divided than I have seen in my lifetime. If we are not reading, studying, practicing, and teaching God’s commands and warnings of the Bible, we are walking in step with the deceiver of this world and playing directly into his hands. Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” This verse is one of several lines of Scripture in the Bible in which God clearly allows us to hear exactly how He wants us to live and direct our children to Him . 1. Act justly – People will try many things in an attempt to please God, but in the ways they desire. Living with an eternal perspective, however, and mentoring that mindset to our children will lead us (and them) straight to God’s word . Instead of guessing what God desires or selfishly doing what we want, His commands clearly show us the way to please and honor Him. 2. Love mercy – When we live in ways that honor God, and we treasure His word, we will become more Christlike in character. To walk justly and love mercy means that we are fair in dealing with others and show mercy, even when it is not deserved. Our actions reach and teach our children more quickly than our words . We truly begin to live more like Jesus did. 3. Walk humbly with God – As we know God more clearly through time spent in His word , in prayer and fellowship with Him, and we listen to His voice and direction , we will step in alignment with His desires. As we obediently submit where He calls, we humbly walk with our Father. As our children see this example, and we communicate the importance of living in this way through loving ways, they will be drawn to the same attitude toward God and much more likely to choose an eternity-driven mindset and lifestyle. We cannot live in this manner through our own strength. Our children cannot live like this without knowing Christ, hopefully through our patient and loving mentorship. Only Christ can equip any of us to live in ways that please and honor our Heavenly Father. Godly influence must be present in our home or our children will follow the leadership of the world . They must have the moral compass of God existing in their heart and mind to be able to recognize the lies of this world. They must wear the armor of God to be protected from the trappings and lures of this world. That means we must be a true north that keeps our child connected to the true compass, God. Throughout the Bible, God makes the way to a joyful life that is pleasing to Him clear for us to follow. As pursue the Lord’s ways and truths, we are able to direct our children to an abundant life. Micah 7:1-2 says, “What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster of grapes to eat, none of the early figs that I crave. The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains. Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets.” What will become of our children and their children if godly influence disappears entirely in the world? Micah 7:3-4 says, “Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire—they all conspire together. The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day God visits you has come, the day your watchmen sound the alarm. Now is the time of your confusion.” What will become of our children and future generations if we continue with escalating violence, along with business and political corruption? Micah 7:5 says, ”Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips .” What will our world be like when future generations live with unfaithful friendships and no allies? Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Strength is in numbers and a threefold cord is not broken.” Micah 7:6 says, “For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.” Through all of the indoctrinations and deceit in our world today, we already see children dishonoring parents. When public schools and government officials seek to remove parental rights, teach radical thoughts and lies, remove history from schools, and introduce perverted lifestyles and values to minors, more and more families will be broken, hurting, and separated from each other and our Lord. Micah 7:7 says, “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me .” Our only hope comes from a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. As the world continues down a slippery slope of our own selfish and distorted making, nothing will change hearts except Jesus and the truths of God. Actions stem from what is already held in the heart and reflect what is ruling the mind . Christ came to deliver us from self and sin. 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.” John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Trust in the Lord. Seek Him and His ways. Know His teachings so that you and your child can follow a life of abundance, peace, and love that this world cannot know without Christ. Dear Heavenly Father. There is none like You. Your love for us is greater than we can ever imagine. Your truths are for our good and protection. Forgive us for forgetting You. Forgive us for letting our children down when we seek to raise them in our own strength instead of relying on Your truths and commands that lead to life eternal with You. Father, keep pursuing us. Do not let us lead our children astray. Help us to raise them in the image of Christ and allow You to build up the foundation beneath them that will weather the future of this nation and the plans You have for them. Help them to make a difference for You because they carry Your joy, peace, love, and truths within them. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen . Thank you for listening to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast. Both of my podcasts may be found at terrihitt.com, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and are also 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 this podcast 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. If you believe the content you hear should be heard so that more people can raise or influence children for Christ, would you please write a review and rate the podcast for me? Please also follow and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #087 – Secrets To a Joyful Marriage Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. This week my husband and I celebrated our 43th wedding anniversary. The fact fills me with such joy. Does it make me feel old? Not at all! I feel extremely blessed to be able to live with the person I was created to be with for so many years and although I selfishly desire more years, but gratefully and humbly offer gratitude for what I have received. People have asked me what I believe helps people to stay married. People have also asked me how to cultivate close relationships. I don't have the perfect answer to either question. But I know what I rely on. Does my answer make all my relationships perfect? Not even close. But it strengthens the good ones and it carries me through misunderstandings, giving me hope and promise that all can be made new. Christ is the secret. Psalm 16:11a says, “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence." God does fill me with joy! As His word says, when I seek Him, I find Him. He enables me to react to situations in ways that are directed by Him, not me. I am certainly not perfect, but I am perfectly led when I choose to listen and obey. The guidance I receive from above carries me beyond the initial human response I may desire to exhibit and allows me to rest in His ways. Am I able to do that perfectly each time? No. Good relationships also offer grace, especially when all people involved strive to follow the only One who can transform us. It is my hope that others, especially those closest to me - my husband, my children, and my grandson will see light and love in my reactions to them. I pray they see joy and delight in my eyes when I look at them and in my responses to them. God chose me to be the life partner for my husband. He chose me to parent each of my children. It is not by accident that any of us are together. We are together on purpose, for a purpose. When I live in the presence of the Lord, I learn and grow each day. He enables me to see what He does and what He has given me more clearly daily. The Holy Spirit continuously works to cleanse and transform me. I am not the person I was yesterday and am not the person I will be tomorrow. Praise God!! Our Heavenly Father does the same for each one of us who allows Him to work through and for us. Joy. Gratefulness. Faith. Love. Peace. Patience. Hope. These are the qualities I choose to allow into my life. These are the qualities I pray for. These are the qualities I have in abundance. These are the gifts He still grows in me daily. These are the gifts He wants to bestow on you. Even if you have no desire to marry or have children, He will give you the desires of your own heart when you allow Him to direct your life. After all, He desired you, made you, and filled your heart with the yearnings you possess for a purpose. When I am no longer living on this earth I want those who knew me to remember Him. I want people to believe in Jesus because they saw Him at work in me and know that I gave the honor and glory to Him. I want my children to grow up with the certainty that they are cherished and valuable. I want my husband to know he is a gift, a treasure. I want my family to find their identity, purpose, and passion for life through the One who created them. God. What do you want? It's not too late to put in the effort to make it happen. It's not too late to thank the Lord for the opportunities He has given you. It's not too late to get to know Him so that you can have joy and the peace that passes all human understanding. It's not too late to share what you have been given with others. Life brings hard circumstances, disappointments, failures, tears, and fears - even when you follow Jesus. We live in a messed-up, broken, sinful world. There is only One who can carry you through it. There is One who can wipe away the bitterness that threatens to take root in your heart or the pain that betrayal or hurts have caused. Sometimes we are swallowed by grief or fear. There are countless reasons to shrink inside of self and believe the lie that nothing can change. But it can. Through Jesus. 2 Cor. 4:8 says, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." All the pain, loss, humiliations, trials - whatever this world can throw at us - are openings for Christ to demonstrate His power and mighty presence through it. Whether it be a mistake we made, a lesson to transform us, or for the purpose of growing others, it doesn't matter. We learn, change, and grow despite and through the cause or reason. Prayerfully, what we face and endure through seeking the Lord will create a willingness in us to grow closer to Him and to allow Him to shine through us. 2 Cor. 4:16-18 says, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Look Up. Not inside. Not around. Don't compare. Wear invisible “blinders” to the world, self, or others, and look Up. To Jesus. Let Him produce a life of fullness, love, and grace, through the valleys and the mountain moments. When I am asked for the key to a blessed and joyful long marriage, I know that I have been blessed far beyond what I deserve. Marriage takes work from both spouses. It is not a breeze to be permanently linked to one human who is also imperfect. As perfectly matched as I believe my husband and I are, we are both flawed and only through allowing Jesus to work His transforming, sanctifying power through us are we altered daily and able to walk through differences of opinion, disagreements, or disappointments. In fact, we see more alike than different and recognize the beauty of God’s hand carrying us together. What if you are struggling in a marriage with a spouse who does not know Christ? Continue to follow the Lord. Trust and know Him more intimately. Loyally commit to mature your walk with Him. But don’t nag your spouse or flaunt your relationship with Jesus, yet don’t ignore Jesus, either. Allow Christ to flow through you as a sweet fragrance as He works His gift of transformation in your life. God warns and instructs us in His word, 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?” When my husband and I married we were not both Christians. Through the grace of God we have both come to know and mature in Jesus. The Lord has made all the difference! Instead of resolving issues by our own flesh, I see the mighty work God does in both of us and I feel and recognize Him allowing me the honor of serving Him and allowing Him to strip “Terri” away and transform me into the wife and mother He created me to be. Ephesians 4:22-24 says, “to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Even if you and your spouse both have a developing or strong walk with the Lord, each of you is only human. The following steps are good prompts for every married couple to purposely practice. 1. Mature your personal walk with Jesus – Hebrews 5:13 says, “For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.” Growing in the knowledge and understanding of the Lord, relying on Him to carry loads, and trusting that He is good and present takes a lifetime to fully mature. The closer we get to Jesus, we realize how far away we really are. Intentionally make a goal to grow in depth and maturity through Jesus moment by moment or you will realize you are moving away from your true source of light and strength. 2. Pray – Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God can perform miracles we never even dreamed of. What He transforms is always far better than we could imagine it to be. Never give up praying for others, even those who persecute you. Also remember to pray for yourself. I treasure not only praying for others over the years, but remembering that I need many prayers, too. Good works have been completed in me and I know there are far more to come. If you don’t know how to pray for yourself or others, start with God’s word. He will always honor you praying His word to Him and seeking to become more like His image. Prayer humbles and remodels us. It pleases the Father and the Son. 3. Let Christ be seen and known through His transformation in you – Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.” Our words can have a strong impact on others, however, a life lived in ways that prove that the Holy Spirit is alive and working speaks much louder than we can. 4. Make your spouse your priority (after Jesus) – Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Romans 12:9-10 says, “Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.” The Lord should always be placed first in our life and we should always be improving ways to mature our walk with Him. However, in God’s eyes, our spouse is one flesh with us. We must place our spouse directly beneath God. Make time for God. Make time for your spouse. Mark 10:7-8 says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.” 5. Allow your children to know Jesus – Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” Proverbs 22:6 says, “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says, “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.” God commands much from us as parents. He especially desires and commands that we are godly and intentional parents. If your spouse is not a Christian, do not let that stop you from making Jesus known to your children. Our attitude and thankfulness show much about our walk with Jesus. Jesus can be made real in so many different ways each day. Always make sure you tie actions and mindset back to the reason you carry the hope, light, and love you do. 6. Realize your marriage won’t be perfect, even if your spouse finds (or already knows Jesus), but it will be a union blessed by God as you both mature your walk with Jesus and each other - Ephesians 4:1-3 says, “As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received: with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Revelation 21:5 says, “And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.” As you work to know and make Jesus known in your personal walk, your spouse will see the difference. Although it is your desire that your spouse come to know Christ, it is not your responsibility. God alone does the good work in and through us. Do all you can to know, love, obey, and show the Lord in a strong and growing relationship, while honoring your spouse without removing Jesus from the throne in your heart. Continue to pray and make God known in your actions and attitude. Humbly continue to pray and trust God for results. Father God, You are the Great I Am. You desire good things for all your people. You ordained marriage. You want it to be good. We thank you for the gifts You give us, even the many we never recognize and the ones we cast away. Please help us to see ourselves and see our spouse the way You see us. Help us to love our spouse and ourselves the way You do. We know we are a treasure to You. So is our spouse. May my walk with You draw my spouse to You in deep ways and bless the marriage we share. Help us to walk with humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love. May our children and grandchildren know You clearly through their walk with us. We thank You, Good Father for the gift of marriage and the ways You grow us through the union. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 087 Secrets to A Joyful Marriage Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #087 – Secrets To a Joyful Marriage Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. This week my husband and I celebrated our 43th wedding anniversary. The fact fills me with such joy. Does it make me feel old? Not at all! I feel extremely blessed to be able to live with the person I was created to be with for so many years and although I selfishly desire more years, but gratefully and humbly offer gratitude for what I have received. People have asked me what I believe helps people to stay married. People have also asked me how to cultivate close relationships. I don't have the perfect answer to either question. But I know what I rely on. Does my answer make all my relationships perfect? Not even close. But it strengthens the good ones and it carries me through misunderstandings, giving me hope and promise that all can be made new. Christ is the secret. Psalm 16:11a says, “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence." God does fill me with joy! As His word says, when I seek Him, I find Him. He enables me to react to situations in ways that are directed by Him, not me. I am certainly not perfect, but I am perfectly led when I choose to listen and obey. The guidance I receive from above carries me beyond the initial human response I may desire to exhibit and allows me to rest in His ways. Am I able to do that perfectly each time? No. Good relationships also offer grace, especially when all people involved strive to follow the only One who can transform us. It is my hope that others, especially those closest to me - my husband, my children, and my grandson will see light and love in my reactions to them. I pray they see joy and delight in my eyes when I look at them and in my responses to them. God chose me to be the life partner for my husband. He chose me to parent each of my children. It is not by accident that any of us are together. We are together on purpose, for a purpose. When I live in the presence of the Lord, I learn and grow each day. He enables me to see what He does and what He has given me more clearly daily. The Holy Spirit continuously works to cleanse and transform me. I am not the person I was yesterday and am not the person I will be tomorrow. Praise God!! Our Heavenly Father does the same for each one of us who allows Him to work through and for us. Joy. Gratefulness. Faith. Love. Peace. Patience. Hope. These are the qualities I choose to allow into my life. These are the qualities I pray for. These are the qualities I have in abundance. These are the gifts He still grows in me daily. These are the gifts He wants to bestow on you. Even if you have no desire to marry or have children, He will give you the desires of your own heart when you allow Him to direct your life. After all, He desired you, made you, and filled your heart with the yearnings you possess for a purpose. When I am no longer living on this earth I want those who knew me to remember Him. I want people to believe in Jesus because they saw Him at work in me and know that I gave the honor and glory to Him. I want my children to grow up with the certainty that they are cherished and valuable. I want my husband to know he is a gift, a treasure. I want my family to find their identity, purpose, and passion for life through the One who created them. God. What do you want? It's not too late to put in the effort to make it happen. It's not too late to thank the Lord for the opportunities He has given you. It's not too late to get to know Him so that you can have joy and the peace that passes all human understanding. It's not too late to share what you have been given with others. Life brings hard circumstances, disappointments, failures, tears, and fears - even when you follow Jesus. We live in a messed-up, broken, sinful world. There is only One who can carry you through it. There is One who can wipe away the bitterness that threatens to take root in your heart or the pain that betrayal or hurts have caused. Sometimes we are swallowed by grief or fear. There are countless reasons to shrink inside of self and believe the lie that nothing can change. But it can. Through Jesus. 2 Cor. 4:8 says, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." All the pain, loss, humiliations, trials - whatever this world can throw at us - are openings for Christ to demonstrate His power and mighty presence through it. Whether it be a mistake we made, a lesson to transform us, or for the purpose of growing others, it doesn't matter. We learn, change, and grow despite and through the cause or reason. Prayerfully, what we face and endure through seeking the Lord will create a willingness in us to grow closer to Him and to allow Him to shine through us. 2 Cor. 4:16-18 says, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Look Up. Not inside. Not around. Don't compare. Wear invisible “blinders” to the world, self, or others, and look Up. To Jesus. Let Him produce a life of fullness, love, and grace, through the valleys and the mountain moments. When I am asked for the key to a blessed and joyful long marriage, I know that I have been blessed far beyond what I deserve. Marriage takes work from both spouses. It is not a breeze to be permanently linked to one human who is also imperfect. As perfectly matched as I believe my husband and I are, we are both flawed and only through allowing Jesus to work His transforming, sanctifying power through us are we altered daily and able to walk through differences of opinion, disagreements, or disappointments. In fact, we see more alike than different and recognize the beauty of God’s hand carrying us together. What if you are struggling in a marriage with a spouse who does not know Christ? Continue to follow the Lord. Trust and know Him more intimately. Loyally commit to mature your walk with Him. But don’t nag your spouse or flaunt your relationship with Jesus, yet don’t ignore Jesus, either. Allow Christ to flow through you as a sweet fragrance as He works His gift of transformation in your life. God warns and instructs us in His word, 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?” When my husband and I married we were not both Christians. Through the grace of God we have both come to know and mature in Jesus. The Lord has made all the difference! Instead of resolving issues by our own flesh, I see the mighty work God does in both of us and I feel and recognize Him allowing me the honor of serving Him and allowing Him to strip “Terri” away and transform me into the wife and mother He created me to be. Ephesians 4:22-24 says, “to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Even if you and your spouse both have a developing or strong walk with the Lord, each of you is only human. The following steps are good prompts for every married couple to purposely practice. 1. Mature your personal walk with Jesus – Hebrews 5:13 says, “For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.” Growing in the knowledge and understanding of the Lord, relying on Him to carry loads, and trusting that He is good and present takes a lifetime to fully mature. The closer we get to Jesus, we realize how far away we really are. Intentionally make a goal to grow in depth and maturity through Jesus moment by moment or you will realize you are moving away from your true source of light and strength. 2. Pray – Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God can perform miracles we never even dreamed of. What He transforms is always far better than we could imagine it to be. Never give up praying for others, even those who persecute you. Also remember to pray for yourself. I treasure not only praying for others over the years, but remembering that I need many prayers, too. Good works have been completed in me and I know there are far more to come. If you don’t know how to pray for yourself or others, start with God’s word. He will always honor you praying His word to Him and seeking to become more like His image. Prayer humbles and remodels us. It pleases the Father and the Son. 3. Let Christ be seen and known through His transformation in you – Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.” Our words can have a strong impact on others, however, a life lived in ways that prove that the Holy Spirit is alive and working speaks much louder than we can. 4. Make your spouse your priority (after Jesus) – Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Romans 12:9-10 says, “Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.” The Lord should always be placed first in our life and we should always be improving ways to mature our walk with Him. However, in God’s eyes, our spouse is one flesh with us. We must place our spouse directly beneath God. Make time for God. Make time for your spouse. Mark 10:7-8 says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.” 5. Allow your children to know Jesus – Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” Proverbs 22:6 says, “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says, “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.” God commands much from us as parents. He especially desires and commands that we are godly and intentional parents. If your spouse is not a Christian, do not let that stop you from making Jesus known to your children. Our attitude and thankfulness show much about our walk with Jesus. Jesus can be made real in so many different ways each day. Always make sure you tie actions and mindset back to the reason you carry the hope, light, and love you do. 6. Realize your marriage won’t be perfect, even if your spouse finds (or already knows Jesus), but it will be a union blessed by God as you both mature your walk with Jesus and each other - Ephesians 4:1-3 says, “As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received: with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Revelation 21:5 says, “And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.” As you work to know and make Jesus known in your personal walk, your spouse will see the difference. Although it is your desire that your spouse come to know Christ, it is not your responsibility. God alone does the good work in and through us. Do all you can to know, love, obey, and show the Lord in a strong and growing relationship, while honoring your spouse without removing Jesus from the throne in your heart. Continue to pray and make God known in your actions and attitude. Humbly continue to pray and trust God for results. Father God, You are the Great I Am. You desire good things for all your people. You ordained marriage. You want it to be good. We thank you for the gifts You give us, even the many we never recognize and the ones we cast away. Please help us to see ourselves and see our spouse the way You see us. Help us to love our spouse and ourselves the way You do. We know we are a treasure to You. So is our spouse. May my walk with You draw my spouse to You in deep ways and bless the marriage we share. Help us to walk with humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love. May our children and grandchildren know You clearly through their walk with us. We thank You, Good Father for the gift of marriage and the ways You grow us through the union. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 078 - Does Upbringing Affect Motherhood: Understanding the Influences of Past Experiences Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 078 – Does Upbringing Affect Motherhood: Understanding the Influence of Past Experiences When you’re a child, you look at the world and the adults in it through eyes of innocence and trust. Children see parents, especially their primary caregiver, which is usually their mother, as someone they trust and love. A mother is usually the first window to the world. Because of her vast experience and devotion, a mother carries great importance and influence over her children. Whether it be affection, character, actions, reactions, words, education, or faith, what the mother believes and lives will adhere to her children and usually become their governing beliefs and convictions. Because I’ve been blessed to parent two sets of children over two generations, I’ve experienced the difference a strong walk with Christ makes when parenting. If you’ve listened to the podcast for long, you probably know I often speak of being a godly mother over a good one. That’s because when I raised my first set of children, I loved Christ, but ignorantly and unknowingly parented more in my strength than I have during the second round of parenting. Deepening my relationship with Jesus has been the strength I’ve used to craft strong ties with my children and God. The Lord has been merciful with me. Through God, Scripture, and the gift of the Holy Spirit residing within me, I have been transformed moment by moment and continue to be. Praise God! When I was a child, I never wanted to grow up and become a mother. I didn’t have a great relationship with mine. We had a dysfunctional home, and my mother loved me, I know. But she had heavy things on her mind and heart and it was hard to break that shell surrounding her. By God’s grace, I did eventually become a mother, and am in awe that He chose me for this holy privilege and blessing. Somehow, God saw fit to bless me with not one, but four of His children. One of the things I always focused on as I raised every one of my children was developing a close relationship with them. How beautiful that God desires strong relationship with each of us. Motherhood allows women the honor to lead children to the Lord and see them mature in Him as they utilize gifts and talents bestowed to them by and for their Heavenly Father. As a child, my gifts and interests weren’t nurtured for God. I knew what I liked to do, but my parents rarely complimented my talents or encouraged my desires, and never in ways that gave glory to God. I’m not faulting them, but they were involved in their own lives and didn’t understand how to do so. When I got married, insecurities came with me to my marriage. Beliefs about how all men must be were finally erased by the difference in my husband. Thankfully, he patiently loved me and showed me that he saw gifts and beauty in me that I couldn’t recognize myself. He led me to follow the dreams God crafted in me when I was formed. It was a gift to build our family with my husband. Together, we looked for the abilities God gave our children and encouraged them to follow those passions. Although I had found Jesus as my Savior after having children, I wasn’t discipled well, and it wasn’t until years later that I looked upon my first parenting journey and saw cracks in the life we built. Although we were a Christian family, many of the things we did came more from the world than what God would call. Movies we watched, books we read, and songs we listened to were part of that, but more importantly, our attitude – what resided in our heart and mind was more of self rather than full dependence on Christ. Our first years of parenting weren’t bad. We were very good parents. But we weren’t focused on being godly parents, as called by God. That is His desire for every family. Believing parents shouldn’t be able to look back on years and say that they were good rather than godly. Of course, we draw closer to godly actions and desires as we draw nearer to Christ, but our daily goal should be to show Him with increasing ability as we live the honor of loving and following Jesus. Did my husband and I love Jesus? Absolutely! However, humbling submitting to Christ moment by moment and yearning to be more like Him day after day, looking at the world through a heart and mind set on seeing it as He did, and placing Scripture and prayer as a leading guide for godliness in your home was not a priority as it is now. We thought we were following Jesus, but the closer I am to Him, the more I see how far away we were. We loved Jesus, but didn’t humbly submit moment by moment as we now strive to do. I wasn’t raised in a Christian home, but came to know Jesus as Savior later. I can look back on all of the mistakes I made in ignorance. Every parent comes from different backgrounds and homes. When you look back on your years as a child, what events shaped you? Were you in a religious family? Or were you in a godly home that prioritized relationship with Christ? Did your family know and humbly follow Jesus? Was your family secretly dysfunctional? There is so much that happens when a person is growing up that forms character and beliefs. Can a child grow up to forge their own way to Christ? Definitely. But wouldn’t you rather build a relationship with Jesus early and form that foundation for your child to do the same? A set-apart woman intentionally deepens her walk with Christ moment by moment. Love propels her through excuses or set-backs. She remembers others may come to, or walk away from Jesus, based on what they see of Him in her. You may have heard me share about the Set-Apart Collective™ on this podcast. Today I want to uncover a little more of what I teach. One of my favorite components of the group is the Motherhood Mindset Model™. This piece of the collective trains your mind, heart, and mouth to react with godly responses. The model was created to be a helpful tool that identifies areas in which you can work to submit to Christ, God’s Word, and invite holy transformation, so you will be increasingly pleasing to God. No matter the past experiences you lived, no matter what hardships you face today, there is freedom and peace in Christ. You can live with joy despite circumstances. Do you realize that your daily actions carry holy importance? Actions stem from what resides in your heart and mind. Your words, activities, and responses expose whether you are a faithful or unfaithful witness of Christ. They will form the ways your child sees God and the importance they may come to place on knowing Christ as Savior. What you lived in the past when you were growing up or even last week can be transformed through Christ. Romans 8:5 says, “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires .” Do you recognize that each of us need transformation? Are you able to recognize some of the ways you need to be transformed? 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ” Your thoughts, beliefs, emotions, responses, and behaviors will affect or infect people in your life . Being a wife and mother stretches you. As you grow in Christ these roles expose your heart in ways that you may never have realized without the assignment. God has not placed your children with you for the purpose of becoming their best friend or because He thinks you are worthy of being a parent. He hasn’t given you a spouse because you deserve the relationship. Many reasons play into what God purposes. Although I can’t pretend to know all the reasons God does the things He ordains, I do believe that He places our children under our stewardship because of the divine objective He desires to work through us and in them. God is molding parent and child, as well as families together as He guides and grows and works through you at the same time. Parenting, or relationships for that matter, are not about or strictly for us. God has gifted each of us in the roles to allow participation in an eternal purpose with far greater significance than we can see or imagine. He is entrusting His precious minors in your care so that you will lift them up to Him as you seek His wisdom and guidance. He is using your past, the hard, bad, ugly, and beautiful to help you seek and serve Him as you submit, inviting His redeeming work in you and your family. Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the Lord protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain .” Another important aspect of your walk with Christ and parenting journey is covered in The Set-Apart Collective™. In order to leave the trash of your past, you must first reflect on, strengthen , and respect your holy position to parent for God. That begins with the importance of crafting your identity through Christ. Before you can become a godly spouse or parent, the circumstances of your past must be reconciled with the Truth of your present and your eternity . 1. Where do you find and shape your identity? 2. Where do you find your hope, peace, and joy? 3. How do you define yourself? 4. Where do you find success? 5. Who or what do you rely on? 6. How do you plan to mold the mindset of your children? 7. What is your parenting objective? Without you fully accepting and moving past circumstances of your past and allowing Jesus to craft your present and eternal future, your children most likely will not be able to receive the spiritual foundation they need to flourish. Christ calls for every aspect of your children’s experiences with you and your life together to press them into His arms . 3 John 1:4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth .” Jesus is calling you to be His Truth . As you allow relationship with Jesus to sculpt the pains and mistakes of your past into secure salvation, your children will learn of an eternal future with Jesus. The foundation of your child’s eternity is your responsibility. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates .” As you release hurts, misunderstandings, trials, pain, and heartache to Jesus as Savior, you will find that God’s wisdom and provisions are enough. Your future is secure in His hands. Your child’s future is secure in His hands when you trust in Him to fill, transform, and guide you in leading them to Him. In the passage we read from Deuteronomy 6, we see that God has given very specific instructions. 1. Know and keep His words as a treasure in your heart. 2. Teach His Words to your children through relationship and mentorship. 3. Discuss the Lord and His ways. 4. Ponder Him and His teachings. 5. Fix your thoughts on Him. 6. Talk to God throughout your day as your Father and your friend. 7. Remember God’s faithfulness and promises and make sure to teach them to your children. 8. Show God to your children and to others through the way you live. In Matthew 22:36 Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is. He answered with a verse found in Matthew 22:37 and in Deuteronomy 6:5. In Matthew 22:37 , Jesus relays the following words. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind .” The heart, soul, and mind are representative of an entire person – our heart, brain, and spirit. We are to cherish, know, love, and serve God, to represent and seek Him with all we are. When we do that, we allow Him to naturally flow from us and into others, especially our children. But we must also purposely teach and model God to them. How? By making time to read, know, understand, and respect the Word of God. His words are to be in our heart. We don’t simply read and gain head knowledge without heart acceptance. We seek God, savor His Word, ponder, and reflect His wisdom and guidance as we allow Him to transform us. We purposely reflect the work God is completing within us to our children. We draw attention to the changes God is making within us, giving Him the glory. We also demonstrate the characteristics our changed life has brought. We draw attention to Him in creation, in daily activities, and in the works He completes in our families and lives. Nothing you have been through in the past or are going through now is too far from the power of transformation through God. Nothing you have said or done is too hard for Him to love. But our perfect, sinless God doesn’t want us to stay where we are. He made a way through Christ for us to be reconciled, and healed, forgiven, and transformed. Relationship with Christ isn’t a one-time occurrence where we accept Him as Savior and continue living the way we desire. It is a humble release of self that allows us to see life through an eternal lens with a perspective defined by God. We trust and believe that all things, good, bad, hard, easy, surprising, or unexpected are opportunities to cleave to Him and draw others to Him. As we speak, our words are scripted by Him, our actions formed as we become more like Him moment by moment. He is as much a part of us, flows as naturally from us as taking our next breath. In fact, did you know that in Hebrew the term, “love ” doesn’t only refer to feelings or emotions ? The word, “heart ,” as Jesus uses it, focuses on the intellect , affection , and inclinations or desires of the person. Jesus is commanding us all to cling to God with devotion in every way and at every moment . Jesus is calling us to seek God in everything, to ponder His requirements of us, His sacrifice for us, to live within His guidelines for us, to seek His heart instead of our own, and to model a life for our children that does not strictly follow laws, but the heart of Jesus. We are to lovingly teach our children to desire God through Christ and a pattern of His love and Word represented in our lives. That doesn’t mean following our whims, succumbing to our past experiences, or listening to thoughts that pop up. It doesn’t mean following others because majority rules. It means reading the Word of God and discerning it through the Holy Spirit inside and through prayerful communication with and requests to your Heavenly Father. The culture we live in, our experiences, desires, thoughts, emotions, and feelings are not accurate gauges. Only God alive within us through relationship with Jesus should lead the way you live and influence your children for Him. Your children are not saved by following your authority. They are saved through submitting to His. Your are the bridge they will travel to Him. Don’t remain in your past. Don’t let trials or tragedies shape the future of your child. There is hope and redemption through Christ. He is a Master at relationships. Craft yours with Him so you can help the lives of your children be transformed. Dear Heavenly Father, You are so good to us. Thank you for Your everlasting love and the gift of Jesus. You desire that all our children be taught by You. You give us the tools and the hope we need to bring our children to a saving knowledge of You. Prepare their hearts and our tongues. Examine our motives and desires so that they are pleasing to You. Bring the results You desire. Allow our families to shine for You. Show us the way to change. Help us to know that when we belong to You, our past is forgiven and forgotten. It is washed new. Help us be pleasing to You and help our children to do the same. Show us where we must humbly bow before You in all areas of our life. We need You so much. Thank you for rescuing us. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Supporting and encouraging mothers to rest in Christ and pursue a holy relationship with Him so they purposely raise set-apart children is the cry of my heart. I believe godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset a mother carries. That’s why I’ve created the Set-Apart Collective. Have you decided peers and culture won’t be the main influence over your child? Would you like to parent to prepare your child for eternity with Christ, not to repair a relationship? In the Set-Apart Collective, you will deepen your walk with Christ, learn a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family. The Set-Apart Collective is open now. The next group of women is forming. 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

< Back Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode 005 - Battle for Your Child Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #005 – Battle for Your Child Are you yearning for greater connection with your child? Would you like to parent beyond the moment with eternal perspective? Let’s grow together now with practical tips, scripture, and stories geared to draw your heart to Jesus and guide your child into His arms. On the last Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast episode number 004, we discussed Arming Your Child Spiritually. As I stressed in the episode, we must intentionally mature our walk with Jesus so that He pours from us and fills the heart and mind of our child. Are you aware that there is an unspoken, evil agenda in this world? It’s always been present, but I believe it is more apparent now. Our enemy, the devil roars like a prowling lion seeking whom he can devour. His eyes are on your child . Satan actively engages in battle against your child, and he entices others to desire and make ungodly choices that affect your child and family. 1 Corinthians 16:13 reminds us, “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. ” We must remember that we are to stand strong in the armor of God , not in our own professed strength. No matter how strong we may be, we are nothing against the enemy, Satan. Thankfully, God didn’t design us to fight our own battles, but to submit to Him along in humble obedience. 1 Peter 5:7 commands, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you .” This world is far from what God originally created for us to live in. His perfect world would have no sin or brokenness. Because we live in a fallen world, we are painfully aware of sin and brokenness. God sees our damaged, defective world and the ugly effects we, and our children suffer. It is imperative that we seek the Father to guide and protect those He has entrusted to our care. When we have a maturing relationship with God, we seek what He desires and we will inherit characteristics from Him that shine the image of our Heavenly Father to our children. We begin to exhale the fragrance of our Lord for our children to inhale. They need us to lead them with the guidance and wisdom only God can provide. He is the source of wisdom and strength we need to pass on to the next generation. As I have shared on Live With Eternal Perspective podcast episode number 110, “Armed for Spiritual Warfare,” one way to do that is by wearing the armor of God. To be armed for warfare, we must stand strong, wearing armor as God has specifically prepared it to be utilized. Have you listened to that episode yet? If so, do you remember that almost all of the pieces of God’s armor are used for offense ? When we wear God’s armor in life, and as we raise our children, we must obediently and intentionally cling to the Lord, growing and deepening our relationship with Him moment by moment as we seek His direction and sovereign understanding to raise the individuals He chose to entrust to us. We humbly trust Him to be our protection and strength instead of floundering hopelessly and ignorantly in our own defense. Our children must see us apply God’s clear, strong offense through accepting His protection and allowing Him to be the voice we teach them to hear and follow . Communication is key. We must let our children know of our trust in and reliance on the Lord for every provision, then live out our profession as a witness for them to emulate as they build their own faith. As they see us allow God to go before our trials and tribulations, as we submit to His work, guidance, and protection in our life as He lovingly carries us through each battle, they are more apt to do the same. This is the example we must mentor to our children so that they learn the blessing of an obedient life and grasp the power of God’s protection plan. God’s armor also carries an important weapon for defense . Scripture tells us in Hebrews 4:12 , “The word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires .” God’s holy word allows us the privilege of strong defense against not only the devil, but this world and our own flesh. Nothing carries the power or wisdom of scripture. Absolutely anything that challenges the word of God will fall short and be exposed in light of His truth . Finally, just as Jesus spent time alone with God, despite His extraordinarily demanding schedule, we must seek the face of our Father. We must allow our children to see that we prioritize time with the Father. As we come to know Him intimately through time spent with Him, we recognize His voice. We seek His wisdom and ways and trust His direction, even when we do not understand. Our child sees the difference our time with God makes in our life. There is a definite assault against our children and the only way to rise above it and protect the heart , mind , and soul of our most precious gifts is to live in step with Jesus and teach them to desire and do the same. I believe that one of the best outcomes of Covid is that the ways this world is after the heart of children was exposed more clearly to parents. Many lived in ignorance of the indoctrination in educational institutions prior to school shut-downs. Even the radical library story hours and topics of paranormal, gender-confused, drug and sex filled books for children and teens that line the shelves of libraries and bookstores have come to light during lock-down. We’ve seen how many churches have altered doctrinal truths to suit what they believe crowds want to hear or what they believe will fill the pews. Unless we know God’s truths through carefully reading and understanding the bible, we are easily swayed or fooled. Parents must stay connected to the issues our children face and are being fed by others, many those we thought we could trust. We must be a godly example our children can rely on for truth and wisdom taught by God alone. Your walk with Jesus and the home life you create are the most important influences your child will have . Parenting is hard . You must strive to stay ahead of what influences the world is creating and thrusting upon your child and hold everything up in comparison to God’s words and instructions. Teach your child to do the same . The Bible is the compass of truth and morality, which will never get old or outdated. God’s holy word will never steer you, or your child wrong. Let’s look at 6 areas of attack parents should be aware of and how the Bible clearly guides us in God’s holy and sovereign wisdom . The bible is just as relevant and practical as it was when it was divinely inspired by our Heavenly Father many years ago. 1. Satan – The roaring lion who seeks whom he can devour delights in planting false teachings and ideas into our world and mind. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God .” Do you want your child blinded by the deception of Satan? Or do you want your child living in the fullness a life submitted to God experiences? They must study and understand God’s word in order to know God and desire to please Him. You are the one God selected to lead the way. 2. Culture/Society – One way Satan deceives is through our fleshly, selfish nature. It didn’t take much for the serpent to confuse Eve or convince her that God said something different than what He truly instructed. The devil knows our patterns and ways of life, he recognizes our pride and ego and knows exactly how to tempt and sway us away from the best that God has for us. Unless we are closely walking with the Lord, seeking His face and purpose or desires for us, the interests we pursue, the way we spend our money, or what we are influenced by are all led by what feels good or what others tell us we should want or do. If we do not know or follow God’s moral codes and instructions, we fall victim to what society tells us is right instead of knowing and following God’s holy truths. James 1:13-15 says, “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” This world is influenced and corrupted by Satan and fleshly desires. Every area of our life from home to schools and institutions, churches, religions, relationships, gender, literature, movies and music, speech, attire, sanctity of life, marriage, parenting, politics…any area that can be touched has been influenced by the wicked lies of the evil one. While God desires goodness, life, and light for us, Satan destroys and deceives. Galatians 5:16-17 says, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.” When we do not know God’s word, we do not have the power and godly direction or protection set within our mind to live according to the principles God has established. Our culture calls for us to form our own truths and morals based on what we have experienced, what others tell us, or what feels good or right in the moment. Following our fleshly instincts will lead to disaster and heartache. Step by step, we are deceived and confused, and led farther from God. This will happen to your child unless you purpose to raise them knowing God’s truth, so they will recognize evil and deceit. Teach your child God’s love for him and study His word together, explaining scripture and weaving God’s truths and morals into everyday living. Use godly morals with daily occurrences and make sure you live up to the standards you are teaching your child to obey. 3. Parental – Because we can easily revert to parenting according to what we have experienced, what others instruct us to do, how we were raised, or what seems to be the easiest, instead of seeking the leading of the Holy Spirit’s guidance and protection for each individual child, our children eventually look to what the world says and teaches to be their guideline of absolute truth. Without a godly moral compass built within them through intimate relationship with Jesus, our child will always lead opposite of the truths God has established because that is the way our world operates. Satan seeks to destroy your child and family. He will utilize enticements that have worked throughout the course of history. Prideful and deceitful, the devil knows his time is short. He seeks to carry as many as possible with him straight into darkness. Our minds are easily influenced by what is easy and appealing, such as trying to be a best friend to our child, or presenting gifts and opportunities we never instead of teaching them of our perfect Creator who cherishes them with an everlasting love that will perfectly fill them. Satan’s influence in this world through those who do not follow God or who meekly sit in ignorance of God or in lukewarm relationships devoid of the knowledge of truth, grooms our children for disaster. Unless we know and humbly seek God’s word for wisdom, insight, and guidance, we fall to the low estimation and expectations of the deceiver, meekly and ignorantly allowing him governance over the mind and life of our child. Deuteronomy 6:6-8 says, “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 .” Another area where we fail our children is accepting old sayings such as, “they’re just being a teen,” or “they all go through that,” as we look at what society and culture offers our children in light of what God desires for them. Our children can absolutely be raised “set-apart” and do not have to follow the societal limitations allowed through history. God desires so much more for your child. So should you. Philippians 4:6-8 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.” Imagine the godly qualities your Heavenly Father desires for each of your children. Make a list, petition the Lord to add or subtract from it and carry it to Him with prayers that honor Him and allow you to raise the children He has loaned to you for such a time as this. 4. Self-worth – Now that you understand there is a battle for the mind and the soul of your children, what are you going to do? Not only is your child fed lies about what God thinks of them, but also about what He calls for them. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, “For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Our culture seeks to influence parents and children with lies that we can be and do all that we want, even change the sex God implanted at conception. Instead, we should be convinced of, and teach our children to seek what desires, strengths, talents, and gifts God has crafted into them. Society influences the way we look at our faces, figures, and minds through advertisements, publications, movies, books, and music, twisting truth and implanting lies and impossibilities that tear our children down and instill confusion. The last two years have pitted God’s children against each other, with culture causing problems with about skin tone and superiority. God purposed to make each of us unique and beautiful. In His eyes no one is higher or lower than another. God created the uniqueness of varying skin colors and hair types, just as He made different eye colors, heights, and bone structures. The Creator of the Universe desired variety . In His eyes, we are all beautiful. We are all worthy. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the Lord does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the Lord sees the heart .” We must teach our children to seek God’s word to learn on how to view others, as well as himself. Our children must know that what they think, what others say, what society or media preaches, or what their friends tell them are simply worldly opinions biased by fleshly desires, failings, sin, and corruption. Only the word of God will truthfully guide them. God created each person purposely with a loving hand, eye, and heart that specifically wanted them uniquely as they are. In fact, God views them as a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. It is our responsibility to guide our children to be exactly what God desires for them and to teach them to seek and want that, as well. 5. Attitude/Speech – Jesus taught that character, which springs from the condition of our heart, matters more than any spiritual act or word we utter. It is vitally important that we conduct our lives in a way that models godly character qualities for our children. When we possess (and teach them to carry) love for Jesus, confidence through who He says we are, generosity, compassion, honesty, integrity, resiliency, and gratitude despite circumstances, our children are mentored in the values that lead to eternal perspective and fullness of life. Psalm 49:13 says, “My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.” Speech is another area in which we must remember that God created us with two ears and one mouth. We must learn to listen more than we speak and when we use our tongue, use it with the modest and honest submission God calls for us to carry. Our children will likely become what they see and hear. How do you expect your child to be living 5 years from now? James 3:9-12 says, “With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be! Can both fresh water and saltwater flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen .” Psalm 141:3-4 says, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips. Do not let my heart be drawn to any evil thing or take part in works of wickedness with men who do iniquity; let me not feast on their delicacies .” 6. Calling – One of the deep joys of parenting comes from watching and knowing our child; interests and talents are usually exposed when children are young. How wonderful it is that we are entrusted by God to help our child discover what He calls for them in life. Why did He create them just as He did? What can they do to bring honor and glory to God in their lifetime? Matthew 6:33-34 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.” It is our responsibility to help our child seek the very heart of God to see where He will lead and guide them in the world. Direct and pray with them. Serve with your child. Be at the feet with your children. 1 Peter 4:10-11 says, “As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another. If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen .” Life is not about us. God doesn’t desire for our children to seek fleshly recognition or fame. Teach your child to find what He is purposed to do in this world to honor God and use the life he has been given for the glory of Jesus, instead of selfish ambition that fades away and leaves him empty. We must know and show God in order for our child to seek Him. One of the most loving acts we can offer our child is to obediently love God so wholly that our child experiences Him fully through our life and they seek Him for themselves because they desire what we are experiencing. Today we have talked about the ways we can battle for and prepare our child to withstand the battles of this world and be equipped by God to lead lives that honor and obey Him. We see that the true way to battle for them is to be equipped by the armor of God and teach them to rely on Him. Remember the offensive piece we discussed earlier? Prayer. On the next episode of Purposed Parent/Connected Child, we will list specific prayers that will enable you to bring your child to the feet of Jesus so you will both be able to stand against the wicked schemes of Satan, flesh, and this world. Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You for all that You are and call us to be. Help us to live in ways that honor and please You. Enable us to mentor our children as You desire. May we so love and obey You that our children cannot help but seek and find You. God, we humbly ask that you protect our children from the evil desires and influences of this world. We pray that You guide us in the ways we need to bring our children to a good and strong knowledge of and love for You. Battle for us. Encourage us in Your ways. We need You Father, and so do our precious children. Thank you for entrusting them to us for this time. May we please You in our decisions for them and guidance of them. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. The Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast will soon be available at terrihitt.com, where you can access the episodes housed in one convenient location, receive access to blog posts, read transcripts, and find additional resources designed to mature your walk with Christ and equip you to raise or influence connected children through Him. God knows that we are not capable of successful parenting on our own. As we rely on Him, 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

Break the LIE That GOOD Parenting Creates GODLY Kids GET THE PAPERBACK VERSION GET THE KINDLE VERSION Say goodbye to the LIES culture tells mothers Make mom guilt go away Learn the difference between being a GOOD mom and a GODLY mom Help your children grow with confidence AND stay connected with you Leave a legacy of godliness for generations MEET TERRI, THE AUTHOR MEET TERRI, THE AUTHOR MEET TERRI, THE AUTHOR MEET TERRI, THE AUTHOR MEET TERRI, THE AUTHOR MEET TERRI, THE AUTHOR MEET TERRI, THE AUTHOR MEET TERRI, THE AUTHOR Doing the “right” things WON'T lead your kids to Christ ...written by a mom who tried I wanted my kids to have a childhood that was COMPLETELY different than mine... In doing so, I showed my little ones the world instead of The Way. Sure, I would've said we were a Christian family, but I was doing so many things wrong... with good intentions, of course. What happened? I raised "typical" teens instead of Christians who were set-apart. My adult daughter chose culture over Christ. I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO THROUGH THE SAME STRUGGLES. STOP BEING A "GOOD" MOM... BECOME A GODLY MOM. "This is going to set some mamas FREE. Terri Hitt is a mom who’s been refined by fire. A woman who doesn’t teach from a pedestal but from her knees. And a writer who keeps pointing us back to Jesus, again and again." CAROLYN WILEY, FOUNDER OF ROSE AND PEARL PUBLISHING Do you want to break free from the LIES? The Good Mom Trap is a godly tool to bring into your life. GET THE PAPERBACK VERSION GET THE KINDLE VERSION

What’s the best way for children to see the light of Jesus? It begins with you. How can you help your children desire relationship with Him? The answer? When you crave Him in your personal life and reflect that fellowship in all you do. The most loving gift you can offer your children is to personally love God in a maturing relationship through Jesus. As you inhale Him, you will effortlessly exhale Him onto your children through actions, reactions, words, and desires. This FREE resource will help you: Pray intentionally Encourage you with the fact that God cares about the concerns of your heart Ask God for specific requests for your children Memorize Scripture to carry you - no matter the season of life you and your children face Equip you to be a prayer warrior...and your children, too GET YOUR FREE RESOURCE First name* Last name* Email* I WANT PURPOSED PRAYERS

To become a set-apart woman, you must ensure your personal identity is rooted in Him. You know life assigns many labels - Wife, Mom, Grandma, Sister, Daughter, Employee, Homemaker, Beautiful...and some not very flattering...or Christlike. Are your labels helpful or harmful? This free resource answers that question. Who does God say you are? This FREE resource will help you: View your identity through God's eyes Equip you with Scriptural identity truths Learn who God says you are Overcome the lies you've been told (or that you're telling yourself) Identify your talents, without tying your accomplishments to your identity Uncover what God has purposed for you Find out how your burdens can become blessings for multiple generations Become a set-apart woman equipped to help her children build godly identity GET YOUR FREE RESOURCE First name* Last name* Email* I WANT TO BE SET-APART

Hi, I'm Terri HItt. I inspire women to live with eternal perspective and equip them to raise children with purpose for Jesus.  Christian Podcast, free downloads, scripture and blog. LIVE WITH PERSPECTIVE Read the Episodes

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You may also provide this information by participating in various activities associated with Our site, including, but not limited to, responding to blogs, contacting Us with questions, participating in training(s), etc. Your decision to disclose this data is entirely voluntary. You are under no obligation to provide this information, but Your refusal may prevent You from accessing certain benefits from Our website or from making purchases. Derivative Data: Derivative data is information that Our servers automatically collect about You when You access Our website, such as Your IP address, browser type, the dates and times that You access Our website, and the specific pages You view. If You are using a mobile application, Our servers may collect information about Your device name and type, Your phone number, Your country of origin, and other interactions with Our application. Financial Data: Financial data is data that is related to Your payment methods, such as credit card or bank transfer details. We collect financial data in order to allow You to purchase, order, return, or exchange products or services from Our website and any related mobile apps. We store limited financial data. Most financial data is transferred to Our payment processors, [Shopify, ThriveCart, Stripe, Paypal, and Apple Pay], and You should review these processors’ Privacy Policies to determine how they use, disclose, and protect Your financial data. Social Networking Data: We may access personal information from social networking sites and apps, including [Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest], or other social networking sites or apps not named specifically here, which may include Your name, social network username(s), location, email address, telephone number, age, gender, profile picture(s), and any other public information. If You do not want Us to access this information, please go to the specific social networking site and change Your privacy settings. Mobile Device Data: If You use Our website via a mobile device or app, We may collect information about Your mobile device, including device ID, model and manufacturer, and location information. Other Data: On occasion, You may give Us additional data in order to enter into a contest or giveaway or to participate in a survey. You will be prompted for this information and it will be clear that You are offering this kind of information in exchange for an entry into such a contest or giveaway. Use of Information Your information allows Us to offer You certain products and services, including the use of Our website, to fulfill Our obligations to You, to customize Your interaction with Our company and Our website, and to allow Us to suggest other products and services We think might interest You. We generally store Your data and transmit it to a third-party for processing. However, to the extent We process Your data, We do so to serve Our legitimate business interests (such as providing You with the opportunity to purchase Our goods or services and interact with Our website). 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Disclosure of Information We may share Your information with third-parties in certain situations. In particular, We may share Your data with third-party processors as needed to serve Our legitimate business interests, which include administration of Our website, administration of Your account, entering into contracts with You, communicating with You, taking orders for goods or services, delivering Our goods and services, identifying trends, protecting the security of Our company and website, and marketing additional goods and services to You. The legal basis for Our disclosure of Your data is both Your Consent to this Privacy Policy and Our own right to protect and promote Our legitimate business interests. The following are specific reasons why We may share Your information: Third-Party Processing: We may disclose Your information to third-parties who assist Us with various tasks, including payment processing, hosting services, email delivery, mobile messaging delivery, and customer service. For more information, see the “Other Third-Parties” Section, below. By Law: We may share Your data as required by law or to respond to legal process, including a subpoena, or as necessary to protect the rights, property, and safety of others. This includes sharing information with other parties to prevent or address fraud and to avoid credit risks. To Protect Our Company: We may use Your information to protect Our company, including to investigate and remedy any violations of Our rights or policies. We may also disclose Your information as reasonably necessary to acquire and maintain insurance coverage, manage risks, obtain financial or legal advice, or to exercise or defend against legal claims. 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External Links: Our website may include hyperlinks to other websites not controlled by Us. We suggest You exercise caution when clicking on a hyperlink. Although We use reasonable care in including a hyperlink on Our own web page, We do not regularly monitor the websites of these third-parties, are not responsible for any damage or consequences You suffer by using these hyperlinks. We are not bound by the Privacy Policies of any third-party website that You access by a hyperlink, nor are they bound by Ours. We encourage You to read the Policies of those third-party websites before interacting with them or making purchases. They may collect different information and use different methods than We do. With Your Consent: We may disclose Your personal information for any other purpose with Your consent. Other Purposes: We may disclose Your personal data as necessary to protect Your interests or the vital interests of others or Our company. Tracking Technologies Cookies, Log Files, and Web Beacons: Like many other websites, We make use of log files. These files merely log visitors to the site – usually a standard procedure for hosting companies and a part of hosting services’ analytics. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and possibly the number of clicks. This information is used to analyze trends, administer the site, track users’ movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. We also use cookies—small text files sent to Us by Your computer—and web beacons to store certain information. We may use cookies to authenticate Your identity, to determine if You are logged onto Our website, for personalization, for security, for targeted advertising, or for analysis of the performance of Our website and services. For example, cookies allow Us to recommend blog posts to You based on what You have read on Our site in the past. We use cookies that are not specific to Your account but unique enough to allow Us to analyze general trends and use and to customize Your interaction with Our website. Most browsers are set to accept cookies by default. By continuing to use Our website and not disabling cookies on Your browser, You are consenting to Our use of cookies in accordance with the terms of this Policy. In addition, We may use third-party software to post advertisements on Our website or mobile app to oversee marketing or email campaigns, mobile messaging campaigns, or manage other Company initiatives. This third-party software may use cookies or similar tracking technology. We have no control over these third-parties or their use of cookies. For more information on opting out of interest-based ads, visit the Network Advertising Initiative Opt-Out Tool or Digital Advertising Alliance Opt-Out Tool. Website Analytics We may partner with third-party analytic companies, including, but not limited to, Google Analytics. The analytic companies may also use cookies or other tracking technologies to analyze visitors’ use of Our website or mobile app to determine the popularity of the content and better understand online activity. We do not transfer personal information to these third-party vendors. Processing Your Information In most circumstances, We do not process Your information in-house but give it to third-party processors for processing. For example, when PayPal takes Your payment information, they are a third-party payment processor. They process Your payment and remit the funds to Us. We may, from time to time, process Your data internally for legitimate business interests. Our purposes in processing this information are to administer, maintain, and improve Our website and offerings, to enter into contracts with You, to fulfill the terms of those contracts, to keep records of Our transactions and interactions, to be able to provide You with goods and services, to comply with Our legal obligations, to obtain professional advice, and to protect the rights and interests of Our company, Our customers (including You), and any third-parties. We may process the following data: Data associated with Your account, such as Your name, address, email address, telephone number, and payment information; Data about Your usage of Our website, such as Your IP address, geographical information, and how long You accessed Our website and what You viewed; Data related to Your personal profile, such as Your name, address, profile picture, interests and hobbies, or employment details; Data that You provide Us in the course of using Our services; Data that You post on Our website, such as comments or responses to blogs; Data that You submit to Us when You make an inquiry regarding Our website or offerings; Data related to Your transactions with Us, including Your purchase of Our goods or services. This information may include contact details and payment information; Data that You provide to Us when You subscribe to Our emails, mobile or SMS messaging, or newsletters, including Your email address, telephone number, and contact information; Data that You submit to Us via correspondence, such as when You email Us with questions; and Any other data identified in this Policy, for the purpose of complying with Our legal obligations, or to protect the vital interests of You or any other natural person. Data Retention We retain personal data as long as it is needed to conduct Our legitimate business purposes or to comply with Our legal obligations, or until You ask Us to delete Your data. For example, We will retain certain personal information indefinitely for the purposes of maintaining Your account, unless and until You delete Your account. Data that We gather for a specific and particular purpose, such as assisting law enforcement or analyzing trends, will not be kept for longer than is necessary for that particular purpose. Data that is no longer needed by Us for any of the purposes listed above will be permanently deleted. You may request that We delete Your data at any time. However, note that We cannot control the retention policies of third-parties. If You wish to have any third-parties, including those to whom We’ve transmitted Your data, delete that data, You will need to contact those third-parties directly. You may request from Us a list of all third-parties to whom We have transmitted Your data. Minors Our website is intended solely for users who can form legally binding contracts under applicable law and are of legal age of majority in their place of residence. By using the site, You represent and warrant that You can form a legally binding contract under applicable law and are of legal age of majority where You reside, and that You agree to abide by all of the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy. This website is not designed for use by children under the age of 13, and We do not knowingly solicit personal data from anyone under the age of 13. If You are under the age of 13, do not access or use Our website or related products or services. If You become aware that We have collected data of anyone under the age of 13, please contact Us so that We may delete that data. Your Rights You have certain rights with respect to Your personal data, as outlined within this Privacy Policy. We may charge You a reasonable fee for actions that You ask Us to take with respect to Your data. We also reserve the right to request that You provide Us with evidence of Your identity before We take any action with respect to the exercise of Your data rights. Further, Your rights may be restricted or nullified to the extent they conflict with Our compelling business interests, the public interest, or the law. Update Account Information: You have the right to update or change any information You have provided to Us. To update or delete Your information, please contact Us at: info@terrihitt.com Confirm Personal Data and Its Use: You have the right to request that We confirm what data We hold about You, and for what purposes. You also have the right to confirm whether We process Your data or deliver Your data to third-party processors, and for what purposes. We will supply You with copies of Your personal data, unless doing so would affect the rights and freedoms of others. Change Consent: You have the right to change Your consent to Our use of Your information. In such cases, We may require You to delete Your account with Us, as described above, and You may not have full access to Our website. Request a Copy of Data: You have the right to request a digital copy of the data that We hold about You. Your first request for a copy of Your personal data will be provided free of charge; subsequent requests will incur a reasonable fee. Transfer Your Data: You have the right to request that We gather and transfer Your data to another controller, in a commonly used and machine-readable format, unless doing so would cause Us an undue burden. Delete All Data: You have the right to request that We delete all data that We hold about You, and We must delete such data without undue delay. There are exceptions to this right, such as when keeping Your data is required by law, is necessary to exercise the right of freedom of expression and information, is required for compliance with a legal obligation, or is necessary for the exercise or defense of legal claims. Such a request may result in a termination of Your account with Us and You may have limited or no use of Our website. Marketing Communications: You may opt-out of receiving any third-party marketing communications or having Your personal information used for marketing purposes. Processing: In some circumstances, You may restrict the processing of Your data, such as when You contest the accuracy of Your data or when You have objected to processing, pending the verification of that objection. When processing has been restricted, We will continue to store Your data, but will not pass it on to third-party processors without Your consent, or as necessary to comply with legal obligations or protect Your rights or those of others or Our company. In addition, You may opt-out of any processing of Your data altogether. Doing so may result in the termination of Your account and loss of access to Our website. Newsletters and Email Marketing You may volunteer certain information to Us that is used for email marketing purposes, such as newsletters and other promotional emails. This information includes, but is not limited to, Your name and email. You can unsubscribe from any future communications via email, but We reserve the right to maintain a database of past email subscribers. We reserve the right to use this information as reasonably necessary in Our business and as provided by law. Your information may be shared with reasonably necessary parties for the ordinary course of conducting Our business. Data Breach Procedures We take all reasonable steps to protect Your personal data and keep Your information secure. We use recognized online secure payment systems and implement generally accepted standards of security to protect against personal data loss or misuse. However, no security measure is foolproof, and no method of data transmission can be guaranteed against interception or misuse. We cannot guarantee complete security of any information You transmit to Us. By consenting to this Privacy Policy, You acknowledge that Your personal data may be available, via the internet, around the world. We cannot prevent the use or misuse of Your data by other parties. In the unlikely event customer data has been lost, stolen, or potentially compromised, Our practice is to alert Our customers via email no later than 72 hours after Our Company becomes aware of the event. We will also report such incidents to any required data protection authority. We will work closely with any customers affected to determine next steps such as any end-user notifications, needed patches, and how to avoid any similar event in the future. Notice to California Residents[TLP9] Residents of California may have certain rights regarding Your personal information under the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). If applicable, Company will provide You with the categories of personally identifiable information that is collected through this website and the categories of third-party entities with whom such personal information may be used at Your request. California law allows You to control who We can and cannot share your personal information with. To obtain any information You are entitled to under California law, please send a request by email to: info@terrihitt.com . There is no charge for requesting this information from Company. International Privacy and GDPR Disclaimer This website’s servers are located within the United States. Thus, if You are visiting this website from outside the United States, You agree that You are sending information to the United States. If you are a member of the EU, Your data is protected by appropriate safeguards, namely the EU-US Privacy Shield and GDPR. We are dedicated to remaining compliant with GDPR regulations when it comes to individuals it applies to. We will not track, sell, or otherwise use Your information unless You have opted-in to do so. You have the right to object to the processing of Your data at any time. Your information will not be shared with any third-parties in the EU. Your personal data is primarily used to provide You with the services and products You opt into. It may also be used to comply with legal obligations We are subject to or to fulfill Our legitimate interests, such as to develop and improve Our services or to detect illegal activities, or through contractual necessity. With Your prior consent, it may also be used to send You custom offers and promotions. You have several rights, including the right to request access to, change, or remove and delete Your personal data, or to change Your marketing preferences. To obtain any information You are entitled to under the GDPR, please send a request by email to: info@terrihitt.com . There is no charge for requesting this information from Company. How To Contact Us For any questions, or to request further information regarding this Privacy Policy or Our use and disclosure of collected personal information or data, please contact Us at: info@terrihitt.com

Are you ready to influence your children for eternity? Please fill out the Set-Apart Collective application. Godly parenting is challenging, but oh, so important ! If you want to deepen your walk with God by growing your identity through Christ and taking your mindset captive for Him , please fill out this application. I will prayerfully read your answers to see if it's a good fit for us to work together in the Set-Apart Collective or through one-on-one coaching. If working together would be a good fit, I'll reach out right away with the link to get started. If we work together, you can expect to be mentored into a deeper walk with God through relationship with Christ . We'll begin with the basics, and examine how you live and mentor your children for Jesus. You'll learn how your identity in Christ and the mindset you carry will negatively or positively affect your children . You'll be equipped to purpose your problems, be armed for battle , and teach Truth so you can captivate your kids toward lifetime pursuit of Christ. I'll share my unique Motherhood Mindset Model™️ and proven Purposed Parenting Plan™️ for you to use in your home. My coaching program can't guarantee your children will follow Jesus, but I can guarantee that if you do the work you will mentor the way to Him with clarity and confidence . You will stop being a good mom and become a godly mother. You will be a set-apart woman raising your children to chase Christ over culture . Begin influencing the eternity of your children today . First Name Last Name Phone Number Email Address Do you know Jesus as your personal Savior? Are you already a mother? If so, what ages are your children? On a scale of 1 - 10, how important is it to you to raise children to chase Christ over culture? Are you married? If so, is your spouse a believer? What is your biggest parenting concern right now? Do you have particular fears for raising your children? Are you committed to investing in the eternity of your children? What do you hope to gain from our time together? How did you discover the opportunity to work with Terri in the Set-Apart Collective? Submit Let's Chase Christ Over Culture ! I will be in touch soon via email.

Do you wish you could parent with certainty that you're doing enough to build strong connection to Christ and your child? Maybe you need clarity on a parenting issue. I can help you identify your goals, then prayerfully and purposely guide you to get there. MENTORSHIP Purposed Christian Mother Mentorship After we work together you'll... Know how to raise kids to chase Christ over culture Build connection with your children so they value your opinion over peers Teach your kids to form identity through Christ because yours is secure through Him Equip your children to combat cultural lies with God's Truths Parent to prepare , not repair, connection with you and Christ Parent with eternal perspective Stop being a good mom and become a godly one ...if you commit , do the work , and seek Him first. Got questions? Let's Chat! Raise kids to walk in biblical truth. Teach your children to form identity through Christ and combat lies with God's truth. Are you yearning to raise kids to walk in Biblical truth? Do you want your children to form identity through Christ and combat cultural lies with His truths? You're not alone. TELL ME MORE! Connect with a Complimentary Strategy Call Have you decided that peers or culture won't be the main influence over your children? Do you need assurance that you're doing enough to build strong connection with Christ and your child? Maybe you need biblical clarity or godly guidance on an identity or mindset issue. I can help you set your goals, then prayerfully and purposely guide you to reach them.

A lot of Christian moms ask me about discipline. Isn't it biblical to discipline kids? Of course, but discipline won't be effective if it's not done with intention. Correction should lead to connection... it doesn't always have to end in tears, tantrums, and tense relationships. Discipline can be redeeming, because discipline should be discipleship. Jesus commands us to make disciples, and our children must be discipled... especially when they make mistakes. This FREE resource will help you: Discover the meaning of biblical discipline Avoid reacting in the moment (e.g. stop yelling) Learn what "spare the rod" in Proverbs 13:24 really means Parent your kids' hearts, not just their behavior How to guide your child to seek God in the hard times GET YOUR FREE RESOURCE First name* Last name* Email* I WANT TO DISCIPLE MY KIDS' HEARTS

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

If you're a good mom who desires to become a godly mom and raise kids to chase Christ over culture, you've found the right place. You were never called to perform your way into good motherhood. You were called to abide in Christ and allow Him to transform you into a godly woman and mother. Instead, you strive. You carry pressure. You worry about your children’s futures. But God never asked you to chase the world’s definition of good. He calls you to rest in Him, to be formed by Him, and to parent from His strength, not your own. I equip women to walk that Way, anchoring their identity in Christ so their motherhood flows from His truths. GOD IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS God reveals Himself through Scripture, in the Old Testament and New Testament. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to bear the weight of our sin, and through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are offered hope, not fear. Our eternity is secure when we place our trust in Him. CHRIST OVER CULTURE Because our allegiance belongs to Christ, we do not allow culture to define our standards. We pursue holiness over approval and fruitfulness over performance. We are not perfect, but we are daughters of a perfect King who offers peace, clarity, and truth. YOU HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED If I were refining at the micro level, I would only consider one small cadence adjustment: Your children are on loan. God has entrusted them to you for this time—to lead them to Him. Look beyond the “now”—the right crib, the right school, the limited years you have with them—and fix your eyes on what lasts. Let eternity shape the way you lead them today. Values Values Values Values Are you ready to build generational faith with intentional community and mentorship? APPLY TO THE SET-APART COLLECTIVE MEET YOUR GODLY MOTHERHOOD MENTOR! Terri I am a mother of four who raised two “sets” of children across two generations. My first two were born in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Decades later, my husband and I raised our younger set of girls with a deeper, more intentional vision. Through profound loss and lasting joy, including losing my firstborn daughter, navigating the pull of secular culture, and intentionally discipling both older and younger children to grow in Christ, God has given me a rare perspective on motherhood across seasons of life. I mentor women because I have lived through the consequences of performance-driven motherhood, and the transformation that comes from anchoring identity in Christ and discipling with intention. Motherhood changes when a woman’s identity is anchored in Christ. Peace steadies her heart, and her influence shapes generations for Jesus. I am here to remind you of this truth: You were chosen by God to parent the children He has entrusted to you. You long to build deep connection with your children, yet you may not know how to pursue that connection in ways that honor Christ. So you strive to be a “good” mom—and slowly find yourself shaped more by the world than by the Way. But Scripture calls you higher. God calls you to godly motherhood. And I will teach you the difference. One of the hidden fears of motherhood is getting it wrong. You see how culture shapes young minds. You sense how quickly values drift. Raising children in this world requires more than protection. Parenting requires intentional discipleship. Without clarity and conviction, children do not remain neutral. Their identity and beliefs are shaped by what surrounds them. Do you desire to raise children whose hearts belong to Christ, set-apart in a culture that competes for them? You were not called to do this alone. Would you like a clear and intentional path to parent with eternity in view? Inside the Set-Apart Collective™, I teach my Purposed Parenting Plan™️, a Christ-centered framework that moves mothers from reaction to intention, equipping them to disciple with clarity, conviction, and generational vision. Apply to the Set-Apart Collective If you’re wondering, “Will this really work for me?”—I get it. I was there, too. But here’s what I’ve learned: if you’re ready to stop chasing perfection and start pursuing Jesus more deeply, then this is exactly where you need to be. Terri doesn’t just teach parenting— she walks with you, shoulder to shoulder, as you become the woman and mother God created you to be. Carolyn Mom of 3 Terri Hitt has been an absolute blessing to me as a mother. Her practical and insightful guidance on how to shepherd a child in a way that can foster their spiritual growth has transformed my perspective. I am so grateful for her wisdom and the way she pours her heart into helping families thrive in their faith. Linzie Mom of 1 What are moms saying? As I matured, God gave me clarity—and I intentionally developed a plan. But that clarity did not come from confidence. It came from experience. I have been the young mother with little direction, hoping I was making the right choices, often parenting the way I was raised or according to what others advised. I know what it feels like to want to do well and still feel unsure. Over time, conviction replaced confusion. I had to decide what I wanted the future to look like for myself, for my marriage, and for my children. Then I prayerfully worked backward, implementing intentional steps instead of reacting to the moment. Motherhood cannot be left to instinct or cultural influence. Parenting must be led with vision, prayer, and intentional discipleship. I equip women to choose Christ over culture and parent with clarity, confidence, and connection. I help you move from surviving motherhood to leading it, building godly strength in your own heart so you can cultivate it in your children. If you are not intentionally discipling your children in Christ, culture will disciple them instead. But motherhood anchored in eternity changes everything. You can raise your children in biblical truth and with deep connection rooted in joy, purpose, and eternal perspective. You can cultivate influence that steadies their hearts more than peer pressure ever could. If you are ready to take your next intentional step, I invite you to begin with a complimentary 30-minute strategy call. This focused conversation will help you discern whether the Set-Apart Collective™ is the right next step for you. SCHEDULE MY STRATEGY CALL CONTACT Submit We'll connect soon!

Do you feel like you say the wrong things to your kids? Or maybe you say the right things, but you're frustrated at how your tone sounded. Here's the thing: A lot of mothers struggle with this. How can we discipline kids, while also making sure every word disciples them to Christ? This FREE resource will help you: Absorb Scripture to shift your mindset about the words you choose Understand why yelling doesn't help in the long run Help you break the habit of yelling Understand why your children aren't listening Build a stronger connection with your kids Pray intentionally about your words GET YOUR FREE RESOURCE First name* Last name* Email* I WANT GODLY WORDS SPOKEN IN MY HOUSE

Self confidence isn't the same as GODLY confidence. A self-confident person relies on self. Godly confidence looks to the One Who created them. So, how do you help your kids build a GODLY confidence? This FREE resource will help you: Debunk the myth of parenting perfection Go deeper with a biblical worldview of free will Know what to do if your child doesn't accept a biblical identity Be aware of culture, without being afraid of culture Guide your child to decipher feelings vs. biblical truths Gain practical advice on how to lead your child back to Him GET YOUR FREE RESOURCE First name* Last name* Email* I WANT MY CHILD TO HAVE GODLY CONFIDENCE

Mothers are the front line to mentor Jesus. You're the first Jesus your child sees. The Purposed Parent Connected Child podcast will lead you to parent with Christ in the center of your heart and home as you prayerfully parent with purpose. Purposed Parent, Connected Child Transcriptions Godly Motherhood Podcast - Episode 139 - How to Respond to Kids From a Biblical Perspective Read More Godly Motherhood Podcast - Episode 138 - How to Raise Kids Who Think Critically and Biblically Read More Godly Motherhood Podcast Episode 137 - How to Parent Kids to Be IN the World, But Not OF It Read More Godly Motherhood Podcast - Episode 136 - Losing Myself in Motherhood Read More Godly Motherhood Podcast Episode 135 - Godly Motherhood Will Transform Your Parenting for Jesus Read More Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 134 - Change and Rest Read More Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 133 - Stop Getting in God's Way: Let Him Parent Through You Read More Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 132 - What My Teen Taught Me About Raising Kids Read More Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 131 - How to Teach Children to Find Security through Scripture Read More Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 130 - Are You Living With Eternal Perspective? Read More Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 129 - How to Live With Joy That Lasts Read More Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 128 - How to Help Children Form Godly Habits Read More

It's never too early to start parenting your little ones to choose Christ over culture. Even if they can't understand everything you say, you're preparing a firm foundation. Think of the nursery rhymes you heard as a small child, and how those songs are still memorable. That's why I wrote this free devotional for the tiny heart (or hearts) that God has entrusted you to steward. Because you're building a firm foundation now - for them to construct their personal house of faith. This FREE resource will help your child: Spend one-on-one time with you Feel your peace as you read biblical truths Start learning foundational facts that they can remember forever Begin memorizing Bible verses Understand the gospel Learn to pray GET YOUR FREE RESOURCE First name* Last name* Email* I WANT A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR MY CHILD

GET YOUR FREE RESOURCE First name* Last name* Email* BECOME A GODLIER MOM

Mentor. Author. Speaker. Host of the Godly Motherhood Podcast. LEARN MORE Equipping Christian women to disciple the next generation for Christ. CLICK TO LEARN MORE BESTSELLING BOOK Most women strive to be good moms: meeting expectations, managing behavior, and measuring success by standards shaped by society. The Good Mom Trap exposes the hidden cost of that pursuit and calls Christian mothers to something deeper: godly motherhood rooted in abiding in Christ and parenting from His strength, not their own. I EQUIP MOTHERS TO CHOOSE CHRIST OVER CULTURE... I mentor mothers to raise generations of Christ-followers with eternity in view. This mission is marked by urgency—a deep, Spirit-led conviction to help women uproot lies about identity, success, and what truly forms a child’s faith. From strengthening a mother’s identity in Christ to intentionally discipling her children, I equip women to lead their families toward the Way instead of the world. My passion is personal. I was once the woman striving to be a “good” parent—meeting expectations, managing behavior, and measuring success by standards that looked acceptable but lacked eternal weight. I raised two children before realizing that good parenting does not automatically produce godly conviction. “Typical” was not the legacy I desired. Before our third child came home, my husband and I made a defining decision: we would parent with purpose. We committed to raising children who love, honor, and reflect Christ. Through family losses, job changes, medical challenges, and unexpected seasons—including welcoming our fourth child at nine years old—we remained anchored to that intentional plan. When our firstborn daughter passed away in her twenties, eternity became unmistakably real. Grief refined my faith, sharpened my perspective, and forever clarified what truly matters. Mothers are easily distracted by the urgent—schools, schedules, milestones, and cultural pressures. But our children are entrusted to us by God. Stewardship requires intentionality. Eternity requires vision. That is why I speak, mentor, write, and partner with media platforms—to help women move beyond “good” motherhood and embrace godly formation that builds generational faith. If you are ready to deepen your walk with Christ and intentionally disciple the next generation, I invite you to pursue godly motherhood with clarity and conviction. Featured On FROM CHAOS TO CHRIST REPLAY → CIRCLE 31 PODCAST EPISODE 70 → CIRCLE 31 PODCAST EPISODE 28 → KINGDOM LIFE COACHING PODCAST → OUT OF THE DARKNESS PODCAST → COUNTER CULTURE MOM PODCAST → HOMESCHOOL HINTS PODCAST → BOLD JOURNEY ARTICLE → JUDY WEBER PODCAST → REDEEM HER TIME PODCAST → MYKC LIVE NEWS FEATURE → APPROVED BIO FOR PRESS & MEDIA Terri Hitt equips Christian women to move beyond performance-driven parenting and intentionally disciple the next generation for Christ. As the author of The Good Mom Trap , host of the Godly Motherhood Podcast, and founder of The Set-Apart Collective™, Terri challenges cultural motherhood narratives and calls women to build generational faith with eternity in view. A mother of four who raised two “sets” of children across two generations, and married to her high school sweetheart for 47 years, Terri speaks from lived experience marked by joy, loss, perseverance, and enduring conviction. Her teaching strengthens identity, refines mindset, and equips women to raise children who chase Christ over culture. Terri is available for speaking engagements, media appearances, and private mentoring. From High Performance to Holy Stewardship: Redefining Success in Motherhood Beyond Behavior Management: Discipling Hearts That Desire Christ Choosing Christ: Forming Unshakeable Conviction in a Culture of Compromise Your Children Are Eternal Investments: What Return Are You Building? Strategic Motherhood: Building Generational Faith in a Culture That Competes for Their Hearts Leadership Begins at Home: Aligning Identity in Christ to Secure Eternal Influence Don’t Raise Typical Kids: Forming Set-Apart Children in a Culture of Compromise When Eternity Interrupts Your Ambition: How My Daughter’s Death Reframed Success Influence Over Imitation: Raising Children More Formed by Parents Than Peers From Immediate Outcomes to Eternal Impact: Shifting Your Generational Vision Beyond Today On stages or through podcasts: SUBMIT A MEDIA INQUIRY I speak to Christian women who carry the weight of leadership at work, yet question whether they are faithfully discipling their children in Christ. Through biblical truth and intentional strategy, I help women anchor their identity in Christ, refine their mindset, and intentionally disciple their children, building generational faith that endures for eternity. Terri partners with conferences, churches, organizations, and media platforms seeking biblically grounded teaching that strengthens identity, refines mindset, and equips women to build generational faith. To inquire about booking Terri for your event or podcast, please include: • A brief overview of your event, audience, or platform • Proposed dates and location (if applicable) • Your media proposal and budget range • The selected topic of interest Please title your email: MEDIA Our team will prayerfully review your request and respond promptly. info@terrihitt.com

Have you decided peers and culture won't be the main influence over your children? Are you ready to replace "good" parenting with godly parenting and connection? Would you like to chase Christ over culture with your children? Are you ready to raise kids who choose CHRIST instead of CULTURE? Are you ready to connect with your kids on a DEEPER level? Are you ready to parent with a CONFIDENCE that only comes from God? You know that you need to confidently parent for Christ without fear or regret... Except there's SO much darkness in the world. Have you decided you WON'T let today's culture be the main influence over your children? You need to learn how to stop being a good mom and become a godly parent . SHOW ME HOW! Anchor 1 Did parenting feel like it would be a lot easier... before you became a mother? Remember, you're NOT meant to parent in your strength. If you feel…inadequate, GUILTY, discouraged, or OVERWHELMED in motherhood... you’re not alone. The days go by so quickly and you feel like you're not being a "good Christian mom." God calls you to raise SET-APART kids, but you can’t, until YOU ARE set-apart through Christ. Are you ready to move from overwhelmed to overjoyed? I NEED THAT CONFIDENCE! The overwhelm? The worry? The stress? Those thoughts and feelings DON'T come from God... Through Christ, you can raise children with a strong mind, heart, and identity defined by Him . Introducing Chooses CHRIST over CULTURE for herself and her family Has JOY and PEACE while parenting her children Builds an unshakable CONNECTION with her kids A community of moms AND 1:1 mentorship that makes you a GODLY (not just "good") Mom who: APPLY NOW How you'll transform in 12 weeks: In The Set-Apart Collective you'll: Receive one-on-one AND group mentorship You'll get heart-to-heart mentorship in two private sessions, while also having weekly mentorship calls with like-minded mothers. Create a Family Vision/Mission Statement Your Family Vision / Mission Statement will help you pray intentional prayers for your child and your family. The God-ordained vision and mission will help you find even more joy in motherhood. Learn to parent the heart, so discipline becomes DISCIPLESHIP You will learn how to use your kids' behavior as an opportunity to parent the HEART not just the behavior . PREPARE your kids to follow Christ in their MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS, TEEN YEARS, and BEYOND You don't have to be worried about your kids being influenced by culture, peers, or mental struggles. When you parent to PREPARE and not REPAIR, you will have the tools you need to build their identity in Christ. Do life with like-minded mothers on the same mission for Christ You get to connect with other moms with the same values as you. Together, we can share struggles with one another, pray for one another, and encourage each other. Lifelong friendships will be made. I NEED THIS! Bonus An EXTRA free 1:1 MENTORSHIP CALL How we'll sanctify your life, together : WEEK 1 WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 Introduction: Set-Apart Parenting Seek God First Establish Identity Teach Truth Lay the groundwork to break free from relying on self and be equipped to allow God to CARRY you in parenting. Make the Lord a priority in motherhood in ways you've never considered... until now. Your actions, thoughts, AND reactions... they either point to Christ or a fallen world. What are you modeling to your children? You'll find out how to seek God like never before. Before you help your children find and grow their identity, YOU have to have a solid identity. You'll understand your PURPOSE on a deeper level, stop questioning your worth, and find the TRUTH about your identity according to His Word. In a world that is SO fixated on teaching your children lies, what do you do? You teach them HIS TRUTHS. You'll learn timeless, biblical tools to teach your children... so they won't be swayed by a secular culture. WEEK 4 WEEK 5 WEEK 6 WEEK 7 A Set-Apart Woman Being set-apart begins with our hearts and minds. If your soul and conscience are set on God, your ACTIONS and REACTIONS will point your children towards Him. Parent Set-Apart Kids Do you want your kids to look more like the WORLD or THE WAY? Are you tired of being concerned about the middle school, teen, and adult years? You will be able to parent set-apart kids with God's confidence. Arm for Battle A set-apart mom knows TIME IS SHORT. The devil seeks to devour her, her children, and her family. She trains for earthly battles the way God instructs, with a peace that surpasses understanding. Relationships Your relationship with God is the STANDARD for all your relationships. Whether it's that one difficult person or the child you want an even deeper connection with, you'll know how to flourish with family and friends. WEEK 8 Training You will be equipped to train your children to be set-apart... such a skill becomes a blessing that can be passed down for GENERATIONS. By building a legacy of faith, you'll be a GODLY mom. "Terri Hitt has been an absolute blessing to me as a mother. Her practical and insightful guidance on how to shepherd a child in a way that can foster their spiritual growth has transformed my perspective. I truly appreciated the thoughtfulness and care she put into every detail, from the beautiful course design to the live trainings and recordings that gave me a real sense of community. Terri's Bible reading plans were a wonderful addition to the Collective, as it is so important for me to deepen my own walk with the Lord while nurturing my children's spiritual lives. I am so grateful for her wisdom and the way she pours her heart into helping families thrive in their faith." Emily "I was so grateful for God's perfect timing in leading me to be a part of the Set-Apart Collective. As a momma who parented four kids into their teen and young adult years and suddenly found herself in 'round two' with a baby as an adoptive mom, I feel like this was the perfect season to re-focus on my calling as a mom. The information and wisdom Terri shares in this collective is just what my heart needed to give me strength and conviction to start back at square one and be intentional once again to raise young people who love and seek Jesus. I recommend this information to new moms, seasoned moms and all those in between. The information is concise yet deep and will encourage women to live up to our highest calling - motherhood that points to Jesus." Sammie It wasn’t until we connected in person at a LIVE event that I truly saw the depth of Terri's calling. I was immediately drawn to her love for the Father, her gentle wisdom , and—if I’m honest—her best “calling card”: her daughter Marissa. The joy and light of Christ that radiated from her made it clear Terri wasn’t just teaching godly parenting—she was living it out, and it was bearing beautiful fruit. Before joining the Set Apart Collective in January, I thought being a godly mom meant adjusting what I was doing with my daughter —finding the right Bible study or correcting behavior with Scripture. But the longer I tried that approach, the more I felt like something was missing . It wasn’t clicking the way I thought it should. Through Terri’s guidance, I realized the true shift wasn’t about changing what I was doing with my child—it was about changing what I was doing that drew me closer to Jesus. When I started focusing on intimacy with Him, everything else began to overflow from that place. That was the missing link I didn’t even know how to name before. Inside the Set Apart Collective, I found more than just a parenting program—I found a home. A sisterhood of godly women walking through the same questions and struggles I had . I found a mentor in Terri who doesn’t sugarcoat or pretend to have all the answers, but who shares from her own wins and wounds, always pointing us back to Christ. I received tools that helped me root my identity in Him—and model that process for my daughter. Now I have language to express what had been stirring in my spirit all along. I’m parenting from overflow instead of striving. I feel nurtured, supported, and equipped in a way I never did before. If you’re wondering, “Will this really work for me?”—I get it. I was there, too. But here’s what I’ve learned: if you’re ready to stop chasing perfection and start pursuing Jesus more deeply, then this is exactly where you need to be. Terri doesn’t just teach parenting—she walks with you, shoulder to shoulder, as you become the woman and mother God created you to be. Carolyn Wiley Founder of Rose and Pearl Publishing Being a "Christian" isn't enough. You long to nurture active, lasting faith but wonder how. A hectic once-a-week trip to church isn't enough to cultivate the relationship you dream of with Christ and for your children. You feel like there isn’t enough time through the week to dig deeper in your personal walk with Jesus or disciple your children the way you thought you would. You wonder how to find TIME for Him yourself and question how to lead your children to Jesus. Fears or concerns arise when you see kids follow the influence of friends or listen to society more than parents. You don’t want that to happen in your home. You're not the only woman who wants more for her children NOW and for ETERNITY. SHOW ME HOW You could listen to another podcast... or you could start putting GODLY PARENTING into ACTION. You could keep going to therapy... but it's not rooted in biblical principles. You could keep talking to your friends and getting advice from other moms... but they haven't parented two sets of children over two generations. You can only bring your family closer to Christ with time and commitment... and you're not alone. You can only bring your family closer to Christ with time and commitment... and you're not alone. You can only bring your family closer to Christ with time and commitment... and you're not alone. You can only bring your family closer to Christ with time and commitment... and you're not alone. An investment of ETERNAL value 12 weeks 8 weeks The sanctification of becoming a GODLY mom is the same as polishing a diamond that was always there... Here's what life will look like AFTER: You're going to grow closer to the Lord, You're going to find out what's holding you back in parenting (in ways you never thought of before), You're going to grow closer to your child, Church won't feel like the only solution to keep your kids connected to Christ... you'll find new, unique ways to INHALE Christ so you can EXHALE Him to your children. You'll STOP being a GOOD mom... and become a GODLY mom Are you ready to be a Set-Apart mom? APPLY NOW One of my favorite things about the Set Apart Collective was learning that we are the first version of Jesus that our children will see . That's weighty , convicting , and absolutely changes the way I interact with and disciple my son." Darby GODLY OVER GOOD GODLY OVER GOOD GODLY OVER GOOD GODLY OVER GOOD Losing my adult daughter was THE hardest experience as a parent... The loss of my daughter was a wake-up call... Mom to mom? I DON'T WANT YOU TO ASK YOURSELF THE SAME QUESTION I DID... "What went WRONG?" I thought I was a good mom - doing it all the right way. But I wasn't focused on being a GODLY mom. Your kids need you to lead the way to Christ. You can't exhale what you don't inhale. Are you ready to be a set-apart mom leading your children straight to Christ? I'm mom of four who raised my children in two “sets,” and over two generations, allowing me a unique perspective about parenting. I've learned... Nothing is more important than raising the children God ENTRUSTED to you - for Him. YES! This program isn't for everyone... but it is for you if you know these truths... You won't get worldly advice, You'll get a wisdom-filled, biblical perspective You won't know how to just parent for today... You'll learn how to parent your kids for today AND for their ETERNAL LIFE You won't get common parenting critiques, You'll get intentional, personal, Christian mentorship that always points to Him Like most moms, you probably plan for the temporal (e.g., the right baby crib, the right school, the right finances for their future...) . But how quickly do those plans fade to memories? How are you planning for the eternity of your children? I WANT TO START! In The Set-Apart Collective™, you’ll be strengthened to live a life that pursues Christ in every way. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord .” Isaiah 55:8 You desire: Deeper relationship with Christ and your children To stop using worldly wisdom Be more prayerfully purposed To raise “godly ,” not "good" or “typical” children To raise your children with faith that thrives even after they are grown To parent the heart , not the behavior Discipline to disciple , not punish To stop overwhelm and become overjoyed “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 .” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 Have you planned for your home to be a foundation for eternity? “Where there is no vision, the people perish .” Proverbs 29:18a FAQs Do I have to be a Christian to join? Yes... This mentorship is for you if you're a Christian so our foundational values are in alignment. What if this is above my budget? I understand... but I also KNOW how ESSENTIAL it is to teach our children (and future generations) TRUTH. And if you've read this far? You probably do, too. You don't want anxiety to be passed down. You don't want to be concerned about the middle school and teen years. Peace that surpasses understanding? A stronger relationship with Christ? The surety that you *and* your family are choosing Christ over culture? That's an investment of ETERNAL value. Can't I get this kind of mentorship at my church, from a family member, from a friend, by reading the Bible, etc.? Yes and NO... I teach DIRECTLY from God's Word (i.e. When I mentor you, I'm not adding or subtracting from Scripture). HOWEVER, the Bible shows how VITAL it is for women to mentor and be mentored (Titus 2:3-5). We will go DEEP and address SPECIFIC ways you can (or can continue to) show your kids The Way... instead of the world. I pray before - and during - EVERY call. In Christ, I mentor you. ↑ YES... HELP ME DO THIS! What would your life look like if you said YES to GODLY, set-apart parenting? What would your child's life look like if you taught them how to be in the world... but NOT of the world? What would your life (and your family's life) look like if you became a wise mentor who purposely guides godly growth . "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down ." Proverbs 14:1 I WANT IN!

I'm Terri Hitt, Christian Motherhood Mentor. I equip women to STOP being good moms - and become GODLY moms who parent with a heart for eternity and raise kids who chase Christ over culture. a Purposed Parenting Plan™️, learn a Motherhood Mindset Model™️, parent the heart of your child, not just the behavior, and learn to disciple, not punish. I also offer a weekly podcast, Purposed Parent Connected Child. Ignite a godly legacy that fuels generations Life is short. How are you using the moments entrusted to you? Do you ever wonder if you're the only woman lying in bed with “should haves” keeping her awake long after the lights turn off? Or wonder if other moms carry secret shame over words yelled in the heat of the moment? Or whether anyone else carries fears about how their kids are turning out? You want your family to choose Christ over culture, but you don’t see how that will happen when your minutes are spent checking the next item off the list and transporting kids who prefer peers over parents. Other women may have close connection with their kids, but it’s all you can do to keep yours feed and clothed. You secretly wonder what God was thinking when He put you in charge of raising kids . How are you supposed to steward them toward godliness when you can’t even make time to open the Bible? There is hope. It’s here when you’re ready to invite peace, grace, and transformation into your home. Through my mentorship, you’ll receive eternity-focused methods that equip and encourage. Become the set-apart mom God entrusted you to be for His children. I WANT GOD TO MOVE IN MY FAMILY Become the woman who seeks Him moment by moment Parent to affect generations for Jesus Raise girls to become godly women I WANT TO HAVE A SET-APART GIRL In a few days, she'll know that her Heavenly Father can give her confidence . In a couple of weeks, she'll have a deeper connection with you, her mom. And by the end, she will be a godly girl who knows how to choose Christ over culture . YOU HOPE YOUR DAUGHTER WILL LIVE WITH REVERENCE FOR GOD But wonder whether she will follow the world instead of the Way. Research shows that at least 70% of young Christians leave their faith after high school. Without purpose and prayer, your daughter will be one of them. Discover ways to foster the connection with Christ you crave for your child through The Godly Girlhood Set-Apart Collective program and on-stage mentorship in a group setting. Draw your daughter to the heart of Jesus and foster connection that will spread across generations. I WANT TO BE A SET-APART WOMAN In a few days, you'll know where to find your purpose (no matter your season of life). In a couple of months, you'll have a strong identity through your Heavenly Father. And by the end, you will be a godly woman who relies on His strength no matter what. YOU WANT TO PLEASE AND HONOR GOD But need to release fear, guilt, or shame. Do the words or actions of others impact your attitude more than truths in the Word? Be equipped to release guilt, fear, shame, or perfectionism in the Godly Womanhood Set-Apart Collective. Strengthen mindset, identity, and relationship skills. Learn how to live beyond moment-to-moment activities and view life with an eternal perspective. Through group and one-to-one mentorship, you’ll receive support and guidance to uncover lies and identify traps that keep you from discovering the godly woman you are purposed to be. About Godly Womanhood I WANT TO BE A SET-APART MOM In a few days, you'll know how to parent to PREPARE not REPAIR . In a couple of weeks, you'll be equipped with practical ways to connect with your kids - no matter their age . And by the end, you will be a godly mom who knows how to steward a legacy . YOU YEARN TO PARENT YOUR KIDS TO THE FEET OF JESUS But you’re unsure how to lead them there. When you rest your head on the pillow at night, what are your last thoughts before sleep? If you wrestle with “should-haves” or wonder how to integrate your faith into daily parenting, The Godly Motherhood Set-Apart Collective will take you from conflict to Christ. The children God entrusted to you need a mother who consistently and confidently mentors them in developing biblical critical thinking skills. They need guidance to grow a godly identity that will carry them from life in your home to life in the world without losing faith, hope, or truth. If you don’t want to raise kids the world calls “typical,” The Set-Apart Collective will enable you to trade overwhelm for overjoy and raise children who are set-apart for Christ. About Godly Motherhood The Set-Apart Collective Christian Community Spiritual investments that extend generations . Group mentorship, a Christian community, + 1:1 mentorship starting at $297 (less than the average mom spends on extra curriculars per year) starting at $297 (less than the average woman spends on clothing per year) starting at $297 (less than the average mom spends on coffee per year) YES, I WANT GOD TO MOVE IN MY FAMILY DO YOU WANT TERRI TO SPEAK TO YOUR GROUP? Some of the topics that will touch your audience: Stop Being a Good Mom and Become the Godly Parent God Entrusted You to Be Disciple the Heart, Not Discipline the Behavior How to Raise Kids to Choose Christ over Culture Children Are on Loan – What Heavenly Deposit Are You Multiplying in Them? Purposed Parenting through Christ to Build Generational Faith How Your Identity Is Sabotaging Your Kids Find Your Identity and Purpose in Christ Don’t Raise Typical Children Don't Raise Typical Teens How My Daughter's Death Changed My Life How to Raise Children More Influenced by Parents than Peers How to Stop Living for Today and Focus on Eternity Contact info@terrihitt.com with "Speaking Engagement" in the Subject line. Please state your budget. Statement of Faith Terri Hitt believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. At Terri Hitt Co., LLC, we seek to know Him more clearly and humbly depend on Jesus more each moment. We joyfully strive to equip women to leave a legacy of Christ for their family and future generations. We believe in the truth and inerrancy of God’s Holy Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and strive to follow Jesus in life and in our mentorship.