Welcome to my podcast, Live With Eternal Perspective, I'm Terri Hitt. This podcast is for women who want to learn more about how to raise godly children and deepen their walk with the Lord. EPISODE TRANSCRIPTIONS Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 153 - Change From a Good to Godly Woman and Mother Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 146 - Praying Scripture - Part 1 replay Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 145 - How to Know Truth in a Mixed-Up World of Pride Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 144 - Life Lessons Through my Dog Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 143 - Prayer (replay) Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 142 - How Do My Actions Reflect God to Others? Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 141 - Why Should I Seek Jesus Early in the Morning? Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 140 - How to Identify False Teachers Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 139 - Are You Really a Christian? Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 138 - Christ, The Master Builder Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 137 - Renewing Inwardly Through Christ Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 136 - How to Thrive as a Christian in a World of Unbelievers Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 135 - May It Be As You Desire, God Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 134 - You've Trusted God with Eternity - What About Today? Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 133 - The Power of Your Story Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 132 - Am I Hearing You God? Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 131 - An Eternal Perspective Life Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 130 - Practicing Gratitude While Life Happens Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 129 - Don't Let Lies Keep You From Living in the Fullness of Christ Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 128 - Living to Flourish through Christ Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 127 - Living Fully in the Moment Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 126 - Developing a Humble Attitude Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 125 - Willing Steward Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 124 - Solace in Silence Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 123 - Engaged With Eternity Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 122 - Trials and Tragedies Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 121 Facets of Faith Reading of Hebrews 11 Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 120 - What the Lord Requires Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 119 - Conquer Overwhelm Read Now Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 118 - Biblical Friendship and Connection Read Now

Sometimes we each need someone to reach out, place an arm around our shoulder, and lead us to a resource that meets us where we are. On this page you will find materials mentioned in the podcast, and other helpful resources created to deepen your personal walk with God, designed to help you choose Christ over culture, and parent with godly confidence and connection. RESOURCES Subscribe to get exclusive updates Email* Join Our Mailing List I want to subscribe to your mailing list. Sometimes we each need someone to reach out, place an arm around our shoulder, & lead us to a resource that meets us where we are. I hope you find that embrace here. On this page you will find materials mentioned in the podcast, & other helpful resources created to deepen your personal walk with God, help you choose Christ over culture, & parent with confidence & connection. When you select “download now,” you'll be asked to sign up as a member of my email list. It doesn't have to be a long commitment; you can unsubscribe at any time. Once you've signed up, you'll have access to all current and future free resources. The goal of my heart is to continue sharing resources that reveal the joy of living with your eyes & heart focused on eternity and help you choose Christ over culture with a purpose that allows you to live & parent with confidence & connection. GOOD to GODLY: A 31-DAY SCRIPTURE & PRAYER GUIDE FOR MOMS I invite you to begin this 31-Day Scripture study designed to equip your mind and heart to shift from being a good mother to become a godly mother. The Scriptures included in this guide are shared for the purpose of drawing you closer to Christ. Discover How Your Identity is Sabotaging Your Children Do you ever get frustrated, angered, or hurt by the behaviors of your children? Is busyness reflected in your relationships and reactions? You may have unknowingly built identity on self, rather than Savior. The way you build identity will likely be passed to your children. Remember, little eyes and ears know your identity is exposed through all you do and say; how you act and react. This resource is a sample of my Set Apart Collective program for mothers who desire to parent with eternity in mind. When you discover how identity in Christ equips you to be the set-apart mother God created you to be, you'll be equipped to teach your children to be set-apart in Christ with identity built on Truth. HELP YOUR CHILD DEVELOP (GODLY) CONFIDENCE We live in a world that tells your child to trust feelings to define who they are, but God's Word instructs differently. How to Help Your Child Develop (Godly) Confidence will give you tips and Scripture to equip you to build confidence that will last and strengthen your child (and yourself) through identity in Christ. PRAYERS FOR MY CHILD Would you like to experience the power of God's word in the life of your child? Download the "Prayers for My Child" resource to learn how to offer God's word to Him as prayers designed to transform the heart of your child or grandchild into the wise and loving hands of our Heavenly Father.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 098 - The Holy Role of Parental Authority - Who Sets the Guidelines in Your Home Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 098 – The Holy Role of Parental Authority - Who Sets the Guidelines in Your Home? Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast deepens your walk with Jesus and your children, and equips you to become a set-apart woman raising children to chase Christ over culture. When we brought our youngest daughter home from China, she was nine years old. For most of her time in the orphanage, she was isolated from speaking to or eating with others. This was because they kept her in a smaller than American porta-crib in what was called, “the crib room.” During this time, she was also harboring ear infections that deteriorated her congenitally small bones and nerves. Because a urine bacteria microbe festered untreated for nine years in her ears (on top of other health issues), we’ve been told more than once what a miracle it is that she is still alive. Sadly, this is only a small portion of her story. It's said that the most difficult language to learn is Mandarin Chinese because of the linguistics, complex characters, and tones used. Our precious daughter was not exposed to enough Mandarin or any language to learn it. When she came to the United States, she had several medical issues that needed to be taken care of as quickly as possible, and one of them was her ear infections. After finding out which antibiotic to use from the Mayo Clinic, we ere able to finally rid her body of bacteria that had festered for years on top on oral infections and a severe heart condition. Again, she truly is a miracle. Once she had ear reconstructive surgery, she was able to hear better, but then after receiving hearing aids, her ability to hear and produce speech was much improved. She still doesn’t have wonderful hearing, but I am amazed at how much she was able to learn by sheer perseverance and the blessings of God, good medical care, and technology. Her favorite period of history is pioneer times, but I’m thankful that she lives now - in the 21stcentury, so she can receive the medical care she needs. Why do I share this bit of her medical history? I believe it’s interesting because of the amount of words in our English language. Can you imagine suddenly being immersed in another language? Whether it be English or Mandarin, not many of us have been forced to move out of the only environment we know and fully jump into another culture and language. The amount of words, slang, sentence structure, punctuation, and all that goes into communication would make that jump overwhelming for most of us. It is reported that there are approximately 170,000 English words currently in use with around 47,000 obsolete words. That’s so many, yet I still thought there were much more. However, it is noted that there are around 600,000 definitions published in the Oxford English Dictionary. I’m sure that includes more words no longer in use or perhaps even slang that wasn’t included in the “real word” count. As you may know from listening to this podcast, I love to look at definitions. One I want to share today is simple, but interesting and powerful. It’s the meaning of the word authority. “The English definition is, “a power or right delegated or given; or authorization.” Remember that definition. Now here’s where I think this gets more interesting. There are two words used in modern Hebrew for the word “authority .” First, let me remind you that I’m not an expert in Hebrew, so my pronunciation may be awful, but please forgive that and focus on the meanings I’m sharing. Both Hebrew words are said to have originated from the Bible. Sahm-khoot is used more commonly and means, “placement .” Lees-mohkh means to “rely upon .” Let’s review. We have the English definition of authority meaning “a power or right delegated or given .” We also have the Hebrew word meaning, “placement .” The other Hebrew meaning is, “rely upon .” Why do I find these words so intriguing? When you think of parenting, remember God purposed the children you have to you for this very season . The maker of heaven and earth and all people chose you and issued authority to you over His children . Deuteronomy 11:18-20 says, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates .” As you ponder the various meanings of authority in English and Hebrew, you see God’s intentionality. Your Heavenly Father delegated His precious children to you . He placed them in your care, giving you the power and rights to raise them to know and love Him . He relies upon you to do so, and in return those children rely upon you to make godly, loving choices as they rest in your care. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it .” As you think of the power and privilege God has bestowed upon you to parent His children, consider these four questions: 1. Do you set the expectations and rules in your home or does God? 2. What influences do you allow to affect your children? 3. Are you following worldly values? 4. What guidelines are you using to evaluate your answers? Let’s start with the first question. Do you set the expectations and rules in your home or does God ? As you evaluate your home, meaning your lifestyle, personal desires, and choices think about what is currently happening. Think about what is going on in your personal life and the life of your home. How would God view those events and innermost thoughts? Think about the way you live, the activities you pursue, and the words you use. Do they honor God? Or do you and your family members cause God to mourn as He watches your daily activities? Is God the one in charge of what transpires in your home ? Or are you and your family furiously moving from activity to event that you barely have time to talk to each other, let alone make time to know God intimately? Do you and your husband purposely teach your children to seek God first? Does your family know God’s desires and the way He would guide you to live and act because you study His Word together? Do you or your husband impose rules on your children because of expectations set on you as children? Or are you seeking God first and asking Him to parent through you? Are you praying for God to reveal the purposes He set in your children so you can teach them God’s Truths and help them find His purposes for their lives? Questions two and three go well together, so we’ll consider both of them now: What influences do you allow to affect your children? Are you following worldly or biblical values? As you continue to evaluate your home life and the people God has purposed as your family, can you see what influences are attracting and affecting your family? Are you aware of them in day to day life? Or are you neglecting to safeguard your children from the cultural and societal effects of this world? Do your children set family expectations because you’re lenient in monitoring devices and activities? Or do you or your spouse find inspiration and direction from God’s Word and set godly authority in your home? Are you ignorantly chasing the world’s standards to dictate your parenting style? Or do you proactively learn about shifting trends and potential dangers so you don’t let them into your home? Proverb 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. ” Now, our last question: What guideline are you using to evaluate your answers? Do you understand the difference between godly values and those of the world? Do you think the phrase “of this world ” is outdated? Do you strive to continue studying God’s Word so His Truths are foremost in your mind with your relations and in your communication with your spouse and children? Does God’s Word set the standard for how you discipline and raise your children? Do His truths build the behaviors and actions between you and your spouse? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work .” Is the Bible your source of Truth and direction? Is God’s holy Word what you rely on for protection and provision as you seek and follow His ways and truths? Do you teach them to your children? I know these are a lot of questions. They all stem from the four I originally asked. But each is so important for digging deep to evaluate where your heart and mind reside. Make time to consider your answers. Learn where you need to work and ask the Holy Spirit to do a good work in you and your spouse. You may want to look at the transcript of this episode after listening so you can read the questions again. Allow yourself time with God so you will hear Him speak to areas He may be calling you to release to Him. If you find places where He is speaking in your heart, be thankful, not ashamed. Know that God forgives a repentant heart and desires to cradle you in His capable arms and keep you and your precious family in alignment with His will and purposes for you. It is then that you will experience true freedom and joy that will last into eternity. Dear God, You alone are the Good Father. We thank you for Your everlasting love. Thank you for generously offering us all we need to live lives that reflect You and carry great purpose and love. Please help us to establish Your guidelines of Holy Authority in our home. May we seek You first in all things, especially our personal lives so that we inhale and exhale You to our children and spouse. Please cause us to be aware of the subtle ways we neglect You. Help us recognize the times we fail to seize opportunities you have given us to deepen our walk with You or lead our children to Your arms. Equip us to stand in bold declaration that we will make time for You regularly and help us do it. Help our lives match what our lips profess and help our children to be even closer to You because we are purposeful in leading them to the feet of Jesus. It is in His precious name we pray. Amen. Raising children is challenging. No one has all the answers because each child is unique as are parenting styles and family dynamics. By connecting with and knowing your children as you maintain purposed growth in Christ, you will be better prepared for any situation you face. That’s why you hear me share about the Set-Apart Collective in this podcast. I work with professionals who care about making Jesus known to their children. Are you a high-achieving woman who loves Jesus, but is so busy with the rush of work and daily life that you feel like you’re being drained like the water in your bathtub? Do you yearn to get closer to Jesus and show Him to your kids so you will create a love that will last into eternity? The desire is there, but your days spiral out of control before you even think about opening your Bible. Do you ever stop to think that you are the first Jesus your child will see? Let me remind you there is hope. There is a way you can be equipped to raise kids who chase Christ over culture. If you want a connected relationship with Christ and your children that leads them to your side and His feet, instead of them seeking validation from peers, I have an 8-step program to move you from frustrated to fulfilled. I will show you how to reflect Jesus in a way that attracts your family to a connected relationship that lasts into eternity. Remember, godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset you carry. If you don’t want peers and culture to be the main influence over your child, if you desire to parent to “prepare” your child for eternity with Christ, not repair your relationship with them, the Set-Apart Collective will arm you with a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You’ll also deepen your identity in Christ so you can mentor the way for your children to do the same. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family and you will have the tools to raise set apart kids as you parent the heart, not simply the behavior. Does this sound like a lifeline to help you be that set-apart mom God has entrusted you to be? Visit terrihitt.com/coaching and click the link for a free, no obligation conversation call with me. This is a strategic call where I will hear your biggest struggle and show you how to turn it into a blessing that will bring you closer to Christ and your children. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. Time is short. Make yours matter for eternity. One last thing to remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will likely sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection with your children and Christ. Previous Next

Do you yearn for greater connection with your child and Christ? Would you like to parent beyond the moment with eternal perspective? Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, < Back Episode #001 – Introduction Do you yearn for greater connection with your child and Christ? Would you like to parent beyond the moment with eternal perspective? 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. Let’s work together now with practical tips and truths crafted to draw your heart to Jesus and guide your child into His arms. I’m Terri Hitt, a believer and follower of Jesus. I’m a wife, mother to four children, (three on earth with one in heaven), grandmother to one, homeschooling mama, online business owner with my middle daughter, and I’m the creator and host of the Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast and now the Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast. Have you heard the old saying, “the days are long, but the years are short?” Those true and insightful words apply to parenting . Most of us yearn for more time with our children after they are grown. Sometimes we look back and wish we had done things differently. We hope we’ve instilled godly character and wisdom to withstand the culture and pressures of this world. You might wonder why I care so strongly about purposed parenting. Because my husband and I married right out of high school, had our first child when we were still teens, and I didn’t know Jesus when we married, our parenting style reflected the ways we were parented or things that we made sure to change about the way we were raised instead of seeking and allowing God to guide us in parenting the exact children He sent to us. Since we started so young, both of our children were out of high school and living on their own by the time we were 40 years old. We had no idea that God had another plan for us that involved adoption and a second opportunity to parent with Him at the center and leading the way to honor the relationship we now had with Him. Connection is also very important. Do you yearn for greater connection with Christ and your child? Are you ready to stop reacting to life or stressors and begin an intentional parenting journey? Would you like to parent beyond the moment with an eternal perspective? I can help you learn new ways of viewing your walk with God through relationship with Jesus and equip you to recognize the precious, unique individual entrusted to your care. Just as God has a plan for your life, your child was created for a reason . Let’s submit to the Lord together to enable our children to find and live His purpose as we parent with eternal perspective . As I’ve matured my walk with Jesus, I have experienced the Lord in personal, intimate ways, and I can promise that there is none like Him. Jesus is everything His word proclaims and more . Even though I continue to purposely grow my walk with Him daily, I will never know Him well enough, never reflect Him brightly enough, and never fulfill everything He has for me. Now that I understand the truth that the better I know Him, I realize how far I am from Him, I don’t try to measure my walk. I just try to draw nearer to Him in purposed relationship, continuing to release self, and allow Him to lead and guide me. What joy, hope, peace, and relief I have found through Jesus. There is no need for perfection. No need for worry. As my eyes and heart are fixed on Him, I simply strive to draw nearer, listen, and obey so that I hear Him much more clearly than the loud, warped lies of this world, and clearly show Him to my children. As an older mom who has raised two generations of children, experienced the loss of one, and been blessed with bio and adopted children, I am also an advocate for special health needs and abilities, and I am familiar with parenting through trauma and neglect. I’m a teacher through our homeschool, a business owner with one of my children, a ministry leader, and someone who has learned much from studying God’s word, walking with Jesus, and surrendering my life to Him. I’d treasure walking beside you to educate, equip, encourage, and empower you in your walk with Jesus and your parenting journey. There is no greater legacy to leave your child than an authentic, strong faith that equips and carries them through this life. I truly believe that every answer we need is found in God’s word. Any strength we desire is found through Him . He works miracles in surrendered lives. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says, “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 .” In the verse I read, we hear God commanding us to love Him. Not just feel a love for Him, but to passionately care for Him, and deeply desire Him with all our heart, all our soul, and with all our strength. In Hebrew, love is not restricted to just feelings . The word, “heart” is the core of our will , intellect , interests , and emotions . If we understand the word command in that context, we see that when God commands us to love Him, He expects us to surrender and cling to Him completely with our soul, or our spirit essence, meaning the whole of us at the core. God also commands that we love Him with all of our strength , meaning absolutely everything we have. How beautiful it is that God asks us to keep the words in our heart , which directs all of our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. What is within us gets expressed or expelled out, especially in times of stress, heartache, disappointment, or trouble. Did you know that in biblical times, people would carry verses written from Deuteronomy on a small scroll that was placed in two small leather boxes? The boxes were to be attached to the person; one tied onto the forehead and the other wrapped around one hand. Similar boxes were used at gates and doorposts and enabled one to keep the commandments close to remember what God required. Thankfully, we can now read and digest God’s word with greater depth of understanding through our relationship with Jesus. We understand with greater clarity what God expects, and why . We are able to study and memorize His words, to hold them within us to help guide us in our walk and relationship with Him. They help us remember what a weighty responsibility He has granted us when He ordained our responsibility as parents. All that we become, all that we share and show, the way we live, react, and speak is seen, evaluated , and absorbed by our children. With great clarity, they see all we proclaim to be and all we actually are . What we do and show will bring them to the heart of Jesus to sit at His feet or drive them in the other direction. If you are not purposed in allowing God access to everything in your life and intentionally living for Him and teaching His truths to your children daily, the world will erode your dreams of your child walking in submission to Jesus. Our culture makes it extremely difficult for your child to draw nearer to God moment by moment because it is in direct opposition to what God desires for them. When Jesus was asked (in Matthew 22) what the greatest commandment was, he did not respond with one of the Ten Commandments. Instead, He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 , “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, will all your soul, and with all your strength .” As Jesus walked this earth, His lifetime was wisely spent teaching the way to Him. As He mentored how we are to think , respond , and react , what we are to seek and find important, Jesus lived the perfect example. As we draw nearer to Him , we find the ways to teach our children how to find, respond, and love God. Every part of our being is to know , seek , honor , and obey the Lord through our attitude , thoughts , words , emotions , hope , trust , purpose , and talents . God’s very image is crafted within each of us, whether we seek and know Him or not. Because of that, we are designed to worship Him. When we do not honor Him in the way God desires, when we do not listen and obey, or sacrifice our time and life to Him, we never find the joy and peace we crave. A sense of purpose and belonging will always be lacking within us. None of us want that outcome for our precious children. I want to share some questions that you might like to ponder. How do you desire to impact the life of your child or grandchild? Is leaving a legacy of faith a priority? God promises that repercussions for certain sins may extend into the third and fourth generations, but that He keeps a promise, a covenant for those who keep His commandments that extends for a thousand generations. Which do you prefer for your family? What is your attitude when teaching your child or grandchild? What habits, words, or actions do you possess that they are or will be mimicking in the future? Is it pleasing to the Lord? Do you follow the whims of your child or respond to their behavior, parent in the moment, or expect to be their best friend? Are you constantly soliciting the opinion of your child or finding your worth through them and their accomplishments instead of in the Lord? Would you like to discover positive, connected parenting instead of resorting to authoritative or reactionary discipline? Children suffer a variety of issues unique to this generation. Only the Lord and a God-directed parent and parenting style will reach their heart and soul. Some of the topics and issues we will discuss in future “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” episodes will include how to: Recognize each child as a unique individual from God (not your “mini me” or bff) Release control Parent under submission to God and for each of your unique children Have relationship with Jesus Enjoy relationship with your child Dig deeper (beyond behavior) with your child Create Connection Express Emotions and help your child to do the same Model Christ (in words, actions, and reactions) Pray for each other and with each other Be a living example of grace Be the mentor for your child that leads to the Master Protect your feelings and emotions (find the reason behind behavior instead of taking everything personally) Correct, not punish Teach obedience, love, and trust for God, and guide your child to love, trust, and obey you Nurture attunement with Jesus , yourself, and your child Avoid gender Confusion Prevent childhood depression Handle cultural trends and the effects on your child I invite you to reach out to me at info@terrihitt.com to let me know what you would like to hear. One of my favorite topics to discuss are ways to recognize and reach the unique individual under your care. God specifically planned that you would parent each of your children. Nothing is a surprise to 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. Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You! There is none like You. Thank you for the love You pour on us, even when we don’t feel it or when we doubt or forget You. You are constant. You are steady. Help us to be purposed in our relationship with You. Help us to be the mentor You purpose us to be for our children. Generation to generation can shine or hide You, Father. We have failed in many ways to let our children and grandchildren see and intimately know You. Rectify our mistakes and cleanse our spirit. Renew our intentions for self and our offspring under You. Show us the way to shining You with a pure heart. Allow us to live on guard, with an intense passion for You so that we seek and follow You in visible ways that do not provoke our children or cause them to turn from You, but draw them ever nearer to You with joy and depth. May their character shine You and their heart mimic You. Keep us from turning from You and press us into You with intention and love. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. The Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast is 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. I pray this podcast helps you parent with purpose and deepen your connection to Jesus and your children. Strive to 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 that lasts for eternity. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #092 – Interview with Charlene Notgrass of Notgrass History – Part 2 Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Have you learned tips or training during our homeschool series? Perhaps you’ve been encouraged in new ways or learned how to support a home educator you know. Today we will listen to Part Two of my conversation with Charlene Notgrass of Notgrass History. If you didn’t hear Part One yet, I encourage you to listen to the episode from last week. Charlene has such a heart for following Jesus and allowing Him to lead the education you shape for your child. Now, let’s listen to Part Two, as we continue where we left off in the last episode. -----------------------------------------------------------INTERVIEW ------------------------------------------------------------- It is such a blessing to listen to veteran homeschool parents who have stayed the course and are able to encourage and inspire as we continue in the journey or begin for the first time. You can connect with Charlene Notgrass at www.notgrass.com or follow her daily encouragement at www.notgrass.com/daily. As always, please feel free to let me know if you have specific questions I may be able to answer or if you need information or encouragement about a specific topic related to the podcast or interviews. You can reach me at info@terrihitt.com. Father God, thank you for Your holy presence in our life. Thank you for creating and knowing us, yet still desiring an intimate relationship with each one of us. We want that closeness with our families and for our children to know You well and choose You over culture. Father, we are grateful for the privilege of homechooling our children. We thank you that there are numerous resources to equip and encourage us, that there are women who follow You closely and can guide us straight to You. Help us to know and follow the good and perfect will You established for us and for our children when we were known by You in the secret place. Help us to be more pleasing and obedient to You daily. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 092 - Interview with Charlene Notgrass - Part 2 Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #092 – Interview with Charlene Notgrass of Notgrass History – Part 2 Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Have you learned tips or training during our homeschool series? Perhaps you’ve been encouraged in new ways or learned how to support a home educator you know. Today we will listen to Part Two of my conversation with Charlene Notgrass of Notgrass History. If you didn’t hear Part One yet, I encourage you to listen to the episode from last week. Charlene has such a heart for following Jesus and allowing Him to lead the education you shape for your child. Now, let’s listen to Part Two, as we continue where we left off in the last episode. -----------------------------------------------------------INTERVIEW ------------------------------------------------------------- It is such a blessing to listen to veteran homeschool parents who have stayed the course and are able to encourage and inspire as we continue in the journey or begin for the first time. You can connect with Charlene Notgrass at www.notgrass.com or follow her daily encouragement at www.notgrass.com/daily. As always, please feel free to let me know if you have specific questions I may be able to answer or if you need information or encouragement about a specific topic related to the podcast or interviews. You can reach me at info@terrihitt.com . Father God, thank you for Your holy presence in our life. Thank you for creating and knowing us, yet still desiring an intimate relationship with each one of us. We want that closeness with our families and for our children to know You well and choose You over culture. Father, we are grateful for the privilege of homechooling our children. We thank you that there are numerous resources to equip and encourage us, that there are women who follow You closely and can guide us straight to You. Help us to know and follow the good and perfect will You established for us and for our children when we were known by You in the secret place. Help us to be more pleasing and obedient to You daily. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. https://www.notgrass.com https://www.notgrass.com/daily

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 121 - Are You Raising Good Kids? Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 121 – Are You Raising Good Kids? 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 that asks an important question…Are You Raising Good Kids? When I was young, a common expression used by my parents was, “Be good!” Whether I was going to school, a social function, or they were leaving for work, one of them would always offer that directive. When I became a young mother at the age of eighteen, my goal was to become a good mother and raise a good daughter. When my son arrived a few years later, I was determined to raise a good boy. I had a good job, a good home, and a good marriage. Finally, after all the years of being good and striving for more good, I realized that good isn’t God’s objective for our lives. We know He desires the absolute best for us. Our Father in Heaven doesn’t command us to be good, but He does call us to be godly. The term, “good” is described with a variety of adjectives: honorable, righteous, favorable, responsible, dependable, well-behaved, and socially proper to name some of the descriptors. When I raised my first set of children to be good kids, teens, and adults, I believed teaching them to be good would give them strong self-esteem and confidence. I thought it would help them to strive to do the best job in whatever they completed, be lifelong learners, be polite, grateful, kind, responsible, and it would help them learn from mistakes. After I deepened my personal relationship with Christ, I realized I didn’t want good kids. Instead, I began desiring what Scripture showed me God wanted. To raise my kids to be good would actually cheat them of growing Christlike qualities. Striving for good would cause them to miss what was godly . I realized that in my quest to raise good kids, I wasn’t mentoring Christ effectively to mine in order for them to construct identity through relationship with Jesus. They needed to be shown how to craft identity purposed through Christ that reached their heart and changed their desires, behavior, and words. I didn’t want to continue to raise kids who were good for the sake of not getting into trouble around me. I wanted kids who chose to intentionally pursue Jesus and become more like Him through every part of their character, actions, and reactions. They would be transformed through Christ because only He can create holiness and Christlike character. Goodness can’t. If I set the goal for my kids at goodness, they’d never pursue godliness. I’d be cutting them short of a standard that would bring them great joy and a lifetime in eternity with God. The world we live in tells us we’re good, and that we should raise good kids, but then why are children and teens experiencing more identity and character problems than ever before? Why do we have such a mental health crises? While we settle for raising good kids, their hearts long for godly. God’s Word is clear in Deuteronomy 6:5-7 , “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise .” In the pursuit of goodness, mothers have forsaken godliness. Are you heeding the words of Scripture and placing God first, not the “goodness” this world offers? Are you loving Him for your children to witness? Is your love for Jesus evident with your heart, mind, and soul? Do you teach His way, His holiness, His godliness daily as you sit at home or go out, from the time you rise until you go to sleep? Do you know how to shine Him? For too many moms, the answer is no. Because of that, how many children are becoming their own idol? How many kids find celebrities or influencers to fill vacant spots inside that only God can fill? Are you striving to instill holy values and character that is in alignment with God’s will? Are your children learning to nurture and showcase His purposes for them? Are you teaching them to live a lifestyle of integrity authored by God and view this world through the lens of eternity? These are the godly truths God commands each of us to teach our children instead of what the world calls good . Instead of agreeing with the values and strivings of society that leaves us and our families empty and more in alignment with the world than the Word, mature your personal walk with God moment by moment. Become a godly woman who parents with godliness, not goodness. Purpose to raise godly, not good kids. As you find yourself growing in the ways of God rather than the world, your child will grow in wisdom and stature like Jesus. Dear Heavenly Father, how great You are. Please show us the way to Your heart. Help us live like we will be with You in eternity today. We don’t know if we are here for today or ten more years. We don’t know when we will stand before You, but we know we will one day, and so will our children. Please equip us to bring them straight to the heart and feet of Jesus. Help us be worthy of the high calling you’ve entrusted to us as women and mothers. May we be the mother You call us to be. Help us favor eternity rather than the present, but let us also rejoice with You and honor You with the time we have now. Help our children do the same because they love, honor, and serve You with open, willing hands and hearts. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. If you’re ready to become the godly mom God entrusts you to be for Him and His children, you might like my free “Good to Godly: A 31-Day Scripture and Prayer Guide for Moms.” Visit terrihitt.com and enter your email to receive this resource. You are the first Jesus your child will see. Your relationship with Christ is the light that shines Him to your children. If you want a connected relationship with Jesus and your children that leads them to your side and His feet, instead of them seeking validation from peers, my Set-Apart Collective program can show you how to reflect Christ in a way that attracts your family to a connected relationship that lasts into eternity. If you don’t want peers and culture to be the main influence over your child, if you desire to parent to “prepare” your child for eternity with Christ, not repair your relationship with them, the Set-Apart Collective will arm you with a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You’ll also deepen your identity in Christ so you can mentor the way for your children to do the same. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family and you will have the tools to raise set apart kids as you parent the heart, not simply the behavior. Visit terrihitt.com/coaching and click the link for a free, no obligation conversation call with me. This is a strategic call where I will hear your biggest struggle and show you how to turn it into a blessing that will bring you closer to Christ and your children. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. Time is short. Make yours matter for eternity. Remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection with your children and Christ. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #026 – Mind Fixed On Eternity Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. This episode is beginning a little differently. I want to start with a specific request. Right now I want you to concentrate on where your mind is focused. Search beyond this podcast to what was on your mind before it started. Have you ascertained what is engaging your attention? Now think about what is attracting your heart. Deep questions, I know. But ponder your conclusions. Do your answers cause you to fumble or to seize opportunities to draw nearer to God today? We know it takes concentrated effort to live a life pleasing to God. What about a life protected for God with a mind fixed on eternity? Proverbs 4:20-23 says,“ My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life.” The springs of life. Some Bible translations say the “wellspring” of life. What does that mean? A wellspring is the head or source of a river, stream, or a spring. It is the source or supply of something that is considered inexhaustible. Who is our wellspring of life? Our Heavenly Father. Does your heart contain what the Father’s would? What He desires for you? Now let’s look at water that flows from a wellspring. Have you ever thought about the purpose of a river? From the mountaintop down to the delta where the river flows into a lake, ocean, or reservoir, the river doesn’t just flow. It changes the surface of the earth as it moves. Just like Jesus did and still does. The water cuts rocks, moves boulders, and permanently changes the land in its path. The river continues on to create a wide and flat valley where it can flow smoothly toward the ocean. Water movement has purpose. Our lives must be as intentional, not just flowing along without a course. As we stay connected to God, our wellspring, life has purpose. We access mighty strength and abilities through the Lord as He works through us, permanently altering and influencing not only us, but those we come into contact with as they witness Him alive and flowing through us. Deuteronomy 11:18 says, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.” If we are to fix His words in our hearts and minds, and bind them on our foreheads, it means we must diligently keep our heart with all vigilance, we are to guard it. To place barriers around it. When we think of protecting something precious to us, we imagine setting a barrier that keeps the item far from harm. Imagine if you lived next to a cliff with a drop of 500 feet. Your curious two year is toddling around the yard. You are distracted and take your eyes off them for just a few moments. As your toddler heads toward the cliff, you continue with your task, unaware that they are almost to the edge. At the last second you look up. Are you devastated that you can’t reach them before they plunge off the side? Or are you relieved that you had the foresight to place guardrails to protect from disaster? Did you build your fence at the edge of the cliff? Or did you build an extra tall, secure, and strong barrier many hundred feet away from the cliff so that your child would never be at risk? Examining our heart inclinations and desires, then placing proper guardrails to protect and nourish our relationship with God is essential if we wish to stay connected to the wellspring and maintain a healthy passage. Instead of feeling restricted, as we place godly boundaries on our heart and mind, we draw nearer to God. We become more sensitive to His heart, ways, and desires for us, and expose ourselves to become attuned to what God is showing and speaking to us. We are to keep God’s words, instructions, and promises to us within our heart and on our mind. We are to be attentive to them, to see and listen to them as we complete our days. They are healing life to us when we obey. Our heart, the feelings we hold in it such as what we love or desire, will govern how we live because we always make the time to do and follow what we think about and enjoy. In Proverbs, Solomon instructs us to make sure we concentrate on what will guard our heart and keep us directed toward God. We are to keep our focus fixed above, with blinders on to what would distract us, and not be sidetracked or detoured by the sin that so easily rules and entangles us in this world. In order to positively influence others for the Lord, we must be living with a mind fixed on eternity, focused with the purpose of making each moment we experience now count for eternity. We live in the present, but our motives are not fixed here. We know our life is a fast blink compared to everlasting days with God. Christians understand that we are supposed to live our lives and manage our priorities in ways that honor God and take each moment captive for Him. Jesus could return at any moment! It’s easy to be caught in the rush of the world we live in and allow the thought of eternity to be shoved into the recesses of our mind, never becoming a thought that causes us to act. Or change. How do we ensure that we purposely seize our moments and days captive for the Lord? How do we make them matter for eternity? How do we ensure that all we experience draws us nearer to Him? How do we focus on living with a mindset fixed on eternity? How do we set on minds on things above, not on earthly things as instructed in Colossians 3:2? We must release ourselves in order for God to transform and revive us. 1. Focus our heart on Jesus. He is the destination and the way simultaneously. 2. Accept God’s sovereignty. 3. Own a study Bible and absorb His word. 4. Follow the Spirit of the Living, Holy God inside us. 5. Pray. 6. Live with an abundant gratitude attitude. 7. Serve Jesus by serving others. Each one of these steps serves a very important purpose in building a strong foundation for living with an eternity-focused mindset and growing and deepening our walk with God through Jesus. Self-evaluation is crucial when we truly desire God to lead our life. Some live with the mindset of having additional time to do what we want and reflect on God later. Or often we think we have released expectations, desires, unforgiveness, bitterness, heartache, dreams, plans, and more to God, but our Heavenly Father is a Master at knowing what is deep within our heart. He understands exactly what we need to surrender and the timing and actions in which He must allow us to do so. One question we need to be brave enough to regularly ask ourselves is, “What am I clutching that I need to release?” Seek the ways you experience emotions or feelings that are contrary to God’s. Feel them and surrender them to Him. Once they are removed, fortify your mind to keep them out. We simply cannot draw nearer to God in a deep and full relationship without trusting His supreme power and authority. While it is beneficial to know that He is good, capable, and in control, it is different than trusting absolutely everything in our life by yielding to God and His dominion over us. We must choose to place our confidence in God in order to fully release our life to Him. It is the only way to begin living with minds fixed on eternity rather than what we experience now. What steps can we take to enable us to surrender ourselves to Him? 1. Read His word. Take that best-selling book off the shelf and invest precious time learning His commands and promises. We cannot recognize deceit and imposters if we do not know the truth. God’s truth. We cannot prepare, strengthen, or protect our mind without modeling His. 2. Pray. Talk to our Heavenly Father. He allows us to call Him father for a reason. He intentionally created each of us and deeply desires intimate relationship with every single one of us. Listen for Him to respond and instruct you. Listen for His discipline. We need both. 3. Pray His words. Mighty power flows through the words of our Father as we pray scripture back to Him with trust and faith. 4. Live with gratitude. Doesn’t it feel good to gift someone and receive their grateful acceptance? Our Father offers us so much, even blessings we fail to see, and we can never give Him enough credit for all He does or has sacrificed for us. Living with gratitude despite circumstances prepares our heart and mind to consistently live with an attitude of gratitude that He richly deserves. 5. Visualize the relationship you want with God and the eternity you would love to share with Him. We must keep our mind focused on what truly matters to create and sustain the lifestyle we need to achieve it. If you want to live a life that will please the Father, you must create and live it today. 6. Seek and Share Him. As we live in ways that honor God and we grow and deepen our walk with Him, He will automatically make a difference in the way we live, speak, and react. He will shine through us in ways that attract others to His light and love and He will direct us to step outside the safety of our comfort zone to serve Him and discover His strength flowing through us. Psalm 143:8 says, “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” How much joy each new morning should bring when we commit our ways to Him. Though the days be harsh or afflictions in this life press against us, we can still choose to place our hope and trust in Him. Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” God is our shelter, our protection from danger. Run to Him. Cry out to Him. Place your hope in Him. Trust Him. Even when we perceive what is happening in our life as good or bad, right, or wrong. Remain full of hope and confident that the Lord is present through any emotion or feeling that may feel otherwise. Recall past faithfulness of God or seek His trustworthiness from His word or the testimony of others. He loves all of us the same. He will be just as steadfast to you. Work to build trust just as you would with any other relationship. It takes effort and desire to grow healthy communication and faith. A person growing a strong relationship with God finds joy in viewing eternity as our final destination and perceives this world as one piece of their life journey. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” We cannot live in true freedom through Jesus if we do not view every moment through our Father’s eternity-driven motives. Even on the cross, Jesus was not centered on Himself, but His Father’s will. He was focused on our eternity. 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 says, “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.” Most of us believe we are alive and here for a purpose. We must remember the purpose should be centered in God’s will. We must strive to know and obey what He directs for our life. Pivot is such a popular word in our culture right now. Let’s use it for eternity-driven lives. Shift or pivot your mindset and heartset to pattern the life of Jesus and what He came to model for us. Allow Him to teach you how to follow the eternity-driven purposes God has tailor-made for you. If we authentically, with our wounds, scars, pivots, and heart pursue God, then we will also develop the ability to authentically show Him to others. As we deepen and grow our love for Jesus, we are able to genuinely serve Him through the gifts and talents He graced us with for the purpose of serving Him and others. We don’t have to say, “yes” to everyone or everything in order to serve, but a close and obedient relationship with God prompts our response for Him to be, “yes.” Living with eternal perspective encompasses every aspect of our life, as well as those around us. Absolutely everything we do or say, our attitude, gratitude, and mind or heartset, impacts those others for eternity. Our heart, whether purely fixed on following Jesus or corrupt through our flesh and this fallen world, will direct our life. We must guard our heart, allow God to set boundaries, and follow Him through faith, trust, and obedience. Our mind and thoughts become our will and affections. Where are yours directed? How are you affecting others today? How is your life affected by Jesus today? Where are you placing your boundaries? How far are you from the ledge? Where is your mind fixed? Luke 9:25 says, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” Jesus calls us to crucify this temporary life to gain eternal life with and through Him. 1 John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” This verse is speaking to three important ways the word, “world” is used in the Bible. We have the system of this world, which opposes the Lord and follows Satan. We see the world of creation, which would mean false gods or idols that this world serves so well, and we know the love of the world, meaning human beings, which might mean that a person has never experienced salvation through Christ. Guard your heart and fix your mind beyond this world. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” God is so clear in these verses. Our Heavenly Father urgently instructs us to fix our minds upon Him and to teach of Him diligently at all times. Our thoughts are to remain fixed on Him, through Him, in every way, safeguarding and preserving our minds for Him while we live in this temporary stopping point. Isaiah 40:6-8 says, “The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” His word stands forever. John 12:24-25 says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” We must fix our minds and hearts on eternity. Revelation 21:1-4 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Our present will pass away. He will dwell with us. Will our hearts and minds be ready? Build your security now. Fix your mind for eternity and drive your actions and attitudes with it. Build that fence far from the cliff. Did you enjoy this episode? Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement to learn how to live with more of an eternal perspective? Right now, because the podcast is new, listeners can’t find it unless they specifically know the name to search for. You can help by leaving a quick review and rating for the show and by sharing about the podcast on social media and word of mouth. Can you think of a friend or family member who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 026 Mind Fixed On Eternity Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #026 – Mind Fixed On Eternity Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. This episode is beginning a little differently. I want to start with a specific request. Right now I want you to concentrate on where your mind is focused. Search beyond this podcast to what was on your mind before it started. Have you ascertained what is engaging your attention? Now think about what is attracting your heart. Deep questions, I know. But ponder your conclusions. Do your answers cause you to fumble or to seize opportunities to draw nearer to God today? We know it takes concentrated effort to live a life pleasing to God. What about a life protected for God with a mind fixed on eternity? Proverbs 4:20-23 says,“ My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life.” The springs of life. Some Bible translations say the “wellspring” of life. What does that mean? A wellspring is the head or source of a river, stream, or a spring. It is the source or supply of something that is considered inexhaustible. Who is our wellspring of life? Our Heavenly Father. Does your heart contain what the Father’s would? What He desires for you? Now let’s look at water that flows from a wellspring. Have you ever thought about the purpose of a river? From the mountaintop down to the delta where the river flows into a lake, ocean, or reservoir, the river doesn’t just flow. It changes the surface of the earth as it moves. Just like Jesus did and still does. The water cuts rocks, moves boulders, and permanently changes the land in its path. The river continues on to create a wide and flat valley where it can flow smoothly toward the ocean. Water movement has purpose. Our lives must be as intentional, not just flowing along without a course. As we stay connected to God, our wellspring, life has purpose. We access mighty strength and abilities through the Lord as He works through us, permanently altering and influencing not only us, but those we come into contact with as they witness Him alive and flowing through us. Deuteronomy 11:18 says, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.” If we are to fix His words in our hearts and minds, and bind them on our foreheads, it means we must diligently keep our heart with all vigilance, we are to guard it. To place barriers around it. When we think of protecting something precious to us, we imagine setting a barrier that keeps the item far from harm. Imagine if you lived next to a cliff with a drop of 500 feet. Your curious two year is toddling around the yard. You are distracted and take your eyes off them for just a few moments. As your toddler heads toward the cliff, you continue with your task, unaware that they are almost to the edge. At the last second you look up. Are you devastated that you can’t reach them before they plunge off the side? Or are you relieved that you had the foresight to place guardrails to protect from disaster? Did you build your fence at the edge of the cliff? Or did you build an extra tall, secure, and strong barrier many hundred feet away from the cliff so that your child would never be at risk? Examining our heart inclinations and desires, then placing proper guardrails to protect and nourish our relationship with God is essential if we wish to stay connected to the wellspring and maintain a healthy passage. Instead of feeling restricted, as we place godly boundaries on our heart and mind, we draw nearer to God. We become more sensitive to His heart, ways, and desires for us, and expose ourselves to become attuned to what God is showing and speaking to us. We are to keep God’s words, instructions, and promises to us within our heart and on our mind. We are to be attentive to them, to see and listen to them as we complete our days. They are healing life to us when we obey. Our heart, the feelings we hold in it such as what we love or desire, will govern how we live because we always make the time to do and follow what we think about and enjoy. In Proverbs, Solomon instructs us to make sure we concentrate on what will guard our heart and keep us directed toward God. We are to keep our focus fixed above, with blinders on to what would distract us, and not be sidetracked or detoured by the sin that so easily rules and entangles us in this world. In order to positively influence others for the Lord, we must be living with a mind fixed on eternity, focused with the purpose of making each moment we experience now count for eternity. We live in the present, but our motives are not fixed here. We know our life is a fast blink compared to everlasting days with God. Christians understand that we are supposed to live our lives and manage our priorities in ways that honor God and take each moment captive for Him. Jesus could return at any moment! It’s easy to be caught in the rush of the world we live in and allow the thought of eternity to be shoved into the recesses of our mind, never becoming a thought that causes us to act. Or change. How do we ensure that we purposely seize our moments and days captive for the Lord? How do we make them matter for eternity? How do we ensure that all we experience draws us nearer to Him? How do we focus on living with a mindset fixed on eternity? How do we set on minds on things above, not on earthly things as instructed in Colossians 3:2? We must release ourselves in order for God to transform and revive us. 1. Focus our heart on Jesus. He is the destination and the way simultaneously. 2. Accept God’s sovereignty. 3. Own a study Bible and absorb His word. 4. Follow the Spirit of the Living, Holy God inside us. 5. Pray. 6. Live with an abundant gratitude attitude. 7. Serve Jesus by serving others. Each one of these steps serves a very important purpose in building a strong foundation for living with an eternity-focused mindset and growing and deepening our walk with God through Jesus. Self-evaluation is crucial when we truly desire God to lead our life. Some live with the mindset of having additional time to do what we want and reflect on God later. Or often we think we have released expectations, desires, unforgiveness, bitterness, heartache, dreams, plans, and more to God, but our Heavenly Father is a Master at knowing what is deep within our heart. He understands exactly what we need to surrender and the timing and actions in which He must allow us to do so. One question we need to be brave enough to regularly ask ourselves is, “What am I clutching that I need to release?” Seek the ways you experience emotions or feelings that are contrary to God’s. Feel them and surrender them to Him. Once they are removed, fortify your mind to keep them out. We simply cannot draw nearer to God in a deep and full relationship without trusting His supreme power and authority. While it is beneficial to know that He is good, capable, and in control, it is different than trusting absolutely everything in our life by yielding to God and His dominion over us. We must choose to place our confidence in God in order to fully release our life to Him. It is the only way to begin living with minds fixed on eternity rather than what we experience now. What steps can we take to enable us to surrender ourselves to Him? 1. Read His word. Take that best-selling book off the shelf and invest precious time learning His commands and promises. We cannot recognize deceit and imposters if we do not know the truth. God’s truth. We cannot prepare, strengthen, or protect our mind without modeling His. 2. Pray. Talk to our Heavenly Father. He allows us to call Him father for a reason. He intentionally created each of us and deeply desires intimate relationship with every single one of us. Listen for Him to respond and instruct you. Listen for His discipline. We need both. 3. Pray His words. Mighty power flows through the words of our Father as we pray scripture back to Him with trust and faith. 4. Live with gratitude. Doesn’t it feel good to gift someone and receive their grateful acceptance? Our Father offers us so much, even blessings we fail to see, and we can never give Him enough credit for all He does or has sacrificed for us. Living with gratitude despite circumstances prepares our heart and mind to consistently live with an attitude of gratitude that He richly deserves. 5. Visualize the relationship you want with God and the eternity you would love to share with Him. We must keep our mind focused on what truly matters to create and sustain the lifestyle we need to achieve it. If you want to live a life that will please the Father, you must create and live it today. 6. Seek and Share Him. As we live in ways that honor God and we grow and deepen our walk with Him, He will automatically make a difference in the way we live, speak, and react. He will shine through us in ways that attract others to His light and love and He will direct us to step outside the safety of our comfort zone to serve Him and discover His strength flowing through us. Psalm 143:8 says, “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” How much joy each new morning should bring when we commit our ways to Him. Though the days be harsh or afflictions in this life press against us, we can still choose to place our hope and trust in Him. Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” God is our shelter, our protection from danger. Run to Him. Cry out to Him. Place your hope in Him. Trust Him. Even when we perceive what is happening in our life as good or bad, right, or wrong. Remain full of hope and confident that the Lord is present through any emotion or feeling that may feel otherwise. Recall past faithfulness of God or seek His trustworthiness from His word or the testimony of others. He loves all of us the same. He will be just as steadfast to you. Work to build trust just as you would with any other relationship. It takes effort and desire to grow healthy communication and faith. A person growing a strong relationship with God finds joy in viewing eternity as our final destination and perceives this world as one piece of their life journey. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” We cannot live in true freedom through Jesus if we do not view every moment through our Father’s eternity-driven motives. Even on the cross, Jesus was not centered on Himself, but His Father’s will. He was focused on our eternity. 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 says, “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.” Most of us believe we are alive and here for a purpose. We must remember the purpose should be centered in God’s will. We must strive to know and obey what He directs for our life. Pivot is such a popular word in our culture right now. Let’s use it for eternity-driven lives. Shift or pivot your mindset and heartset to pattern the life of Jesus and what He came to model for us. Allow Him to teach you how to follow the eternity-driven purposes God has tailor-made for you. If we authentically, with our wounds, scars, pivots, and heart pursue God, then we will also develop the ability to authentically show Him to others. As we deepen and grow our love for Jesus, we are able to genuinely serve Him through the gifts and talents He graced us with for the purpose of serving Him and others. We don’t have to say, “yes” to everyone or everything in order to serve, but a close and obedient relationship with God prompts our response for Him to be, “yes.” Living with eternal perspective encompasses every aspect of our life, as well as those around us. Absolutely everything we do or say, our attitude, gratitude, and mind or heartset, impacts those others for eternity. Our heart, whether purely fixed on following Jesus or corrupt through our flesh and this fallen world, will direct our life. We must guard our heart, allow God to set boundaries, and follow Him through faith, trust, and obedience. Our mind and thoughts become our will and affections. Where are yours directed? How are you affecting others today? How is your life affected by Jesus today? Where are you placing your boundaries? How far are you from the ledge? Where is your mind fixed? Luke 9:25 says, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” Jesus calls us to crucify this temporary life to gain eternal life with and through Him. 1 John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” This verse is speaking to three important ways the word, “world” is used in the Bible. We have the system of this world, which opposes the Lord and follows Satan. We see the world of creation, which would mean false gods or idols that this world serves so well, and we know the love of the world, meaning human beings, which might mean that a person has never experienced salvation through Christ. Guard your heart and fix your mind beyond this world. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” God is so clear in these verses. Our Heavenly Father urgently instructs us to fix our minds upon Him and to teach of Him diligently at all times. Our thoughts are to remain fixed on Him, through Him, in every way, safeguarding and preserving our minds for Him while we live in this temporary stopping point. Isaiah 40:6-8 says, “The voice said, “Cry out!” And he said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” His word stands forever. John 12:24-25 says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” We must fix our minds and hearts on eternity. Revelation 21:1-4 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Our present will pass away. He will dwell with us. Will our hearts and minds be ready? Build your security now. Fix your mind for eternity and drive your actions and attitudes with it. Build that fence far from the cliff. Did you enjoy this episode? Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement to learn how to live with more of an eternal perspective? Right now, because the podcast is new, listeners can’t find it unless they specifically know the name to search for. You can help by leaving a quick review and rating for the show and by sharing about the podcast on social media and word of mouth. Can you think of a friend or family member who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 065 - How to Strengthen Connection to My Child and Christ Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 65 – How to Strengthen Connection to My Child and Christ Motherhood is defined in the scary moments. It highlights who we are and molds us into who we will become. Do you know one of the scariest things I’d ever done in my life at the time I became a mother? Hold my newborn baby girl when I was 18 years old. Can you believe that I was more frightened of holding and caring for her than I was of delivering her? Of course, I had all the normal questions about what the delivery would be like. But when it came time to give birth, the delivery came naturally. Caring for my newborn left me feeling overwhelmed, unsure, and alone. What if I dropped her? Would I know what to do when she cried? What if something happened to her at night? Would she stop breathing when she was alone in the crib? When my daughter was born, she weighed six pounds, but felt even tinier. Her little head flopped back and forth so quickly! Her body curled into a ball. You see, I had never held a newborn baby before. My sister and brother were five and six years younger than me, and although I had responsibility for a portion of their care when they were growing up, I never carried that duty when they were babies. I sat on a couch and held them while my mother was around, and helped her with little duties, but that is far from caring for an infant day and night. I really was scared when I thought about caring for my baby after she was born. After my daughter had a week-long hospital stay in intensive care after her birth, my thoughts switched from worry to gratitude that she was going to be fine. The biggest help for me was that while she remained in the hospital, the nurses taught me tips and tricks to care for a newborn. They showed me how to hold her on my lap to burp her, instead of on my shoulder, so that I could better support her head and neck. That position made my daughter feel more secure, and made me feel more capable as a mother. By the time I took her home, I was better prepared to parent our girl. After we were home, the “on the job training” began. It surprised me that it didn’t take long to know my daughter, to understand her cries, and to know what she needed. Now, decades later, when I look back on my early parenting years, I see other areas I wish I had done differently. Number one, I wish I already knew Jesus when I became a mother. Second, I wish I had allowed myself to be better discipled soon after I came to know Him. Next, I wish I had known about attachment parenting when I raised my first set of children. There’s a lot of research about attachment parenting. To be honest, I’m not an expert. I’m not a psychologist. But I am an experienced mother and a follower of Christ. I’m not advocating for particular theories or practices you may read about. However, I do believe that a mother who closely follows Christ, is intentionally maturing her relationship with Him daily, and is attuned to her unique and individual child is practicing what I refer to as attachment parenting. When people ask me what I think the greatest parenting obstacles are, one of my responses (beyond raising your child for Christ) is attachment. Children carrying weak or no attachment to Christ and parents has damaged this generation. If a child and parent are not connected in a close, respectful, growing relationship, the child will most likely not follow the parent’s model for a relationship with Christ. If they have one. Before my husband and I began raising our second set of children, I realized things I wanted to change. It wasn't because I felt my first set of children weren't good . It was because God impressed on me the holy need to forget good and raise children to be godly . I recognized areas in which I felt convicted that I had not been a godly mother, and had only been a good mom. I think when they stop to think about it, most parents would agree that there are universal thoughts related to “good parenting” or “good children.” Do you sometimes feel like you just want your children to behave? Have you ever been embarrassed by something your children did? Were you afraid their actions made you look like a “bad parent?” Have you ever just wanted your child to make you look good by being a “good” child? I also believe some people parent for convenience. In fact, anyone can easily fall victim to it. When those hard moments of parenting arise, it takes great effort and skill to parent for eternal purposes rather than succumb to whatever is easiest in the moment. Mothers, we must resist cultural influences of this society. Instead, we must look to God to equip us to raise the unique children He purposely entrusted to us. Raising another human being (or beings) is never going to be easy. Why do we ever expect it to be? Raising another person from infancy to adulthood is a daunting task even to think about. When you’re in the trenches and things go backwards or sideways, it can be hard to think of the job as a privilege or blessing from God. We just want it to be easy, or at the very least, we want to feel successful and loved. If you’ve ever felt powerless, hopeless, frustrated, or confused about what to do with your child, you’re not alone. A great majority of parents thought parenting would be different than it is. The truth is that parenting seems different than it was for previous generations. And don’t get me started on “typical” childhood or teen behavior. I’m not a part of that mindset. I believe God calls believers to raise kids who are set-apart, and that means far from “typical.” In fact, if you’ve listened to previous episodes of this podcast, you’ve probably heard episode #063, which was all about not raising typical teens. I believe children have replaced attachment with mom and dad for attachment to peers . That’s a concerning thought, because when parents lose the status of mentor or influencer in the life of their children, the home, then in turn, the world, is altered. That’s the result we are seeing in America today. Cultural (meaning society) influences have a stronger attraction than traditional family values and is more important to teens. As kids follow kids, traditions, morals, values, and relationships suffer. Most importantly, parents lose the blessing of teaching their child the way Deuteronomy 6:5-9 , instructs, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates ." What a beautiful image this passage offers! God gives specific instructions on how to make Him known to our children. When people complain about not receiving a parenting handbook, I like to remind them that our merciful Father gifted us a complete volume of instructions for life and parenting in the Bible . Deuteronomy offers beautiful, godly insight into how to build a firm foundation under our children, as well as how to continue constructing a heart of faith and obedience to Christ for a lifetime. If you're like I was when I raised my first set of children, time slipped by SO quickly each day. Even though I tried so hard to be a good mom, working full time combined with life activities always left me wondering how I could do more. I felt inadequate at times, unknowingly following worldly wisdom and hoping what I did was right. I knew I was a good mom, an excellent one in the eyes of culture. But as I listened to quiet stirrings in my soul through a deepened walk with Christ, I later recognized parenting areas I wish I had built differently by purposely constructing them on the foundation of Christ. Ignorance allowed me to think I was already doing that, but hindsight exposes the opposite. The closer we move to Christ, the more He opens our eyes, heart, and mind to His truths. May we never be the person or parent we are today when tomorrow arrives! Years later, I sat at work, envisioning how I would parent for the Lord if I was a new parent again. In hindsight, I now understand God was preparing me for the parenting journey He had in store, because a few years later, my husband and I adopted a precious baby girl and a new generation of parenting began. This time, our matured walk with Christ led my husband and I to plan parenting years much like people should plan for retirement or saving . We purposed our path and prayed over every step. We took classes on attachment parenting for adoption, and I realized this was the type of parenting I should have done years ago. So what is the secret to strengthening connection with your child and Christ? Being purposed with connected parenting . Through prayer and a purposed parenting plan, you and your child will experience relationship with God and one another that will last into eternity. Although none of us can be perfect parents this side of Heaven, I know the steps we planned and implemented pleased the Lord and allowed us to enjoy a second generation of daughters who chose Christ over culture. I want to encourage and equip you to do the same with your children. Despite what society shows or says, the greatest privilege a mother can receive is the blessing of raising children to know and love God through relationship with Jesus. To be entrusted to raise a child for Him, and to help that child come to the saving knowledge of Jesus as Savior, then to discover and step into the purpose for which God designed them is indeed a sacred honor! Have you thought about the future God wants for your child (or grandchild)? God is trusting you to follow His commands. He allowed the children in your life to be with and influenced by you. One of the most important sacrifices we can make for our children is surrender . When we humbly bow before God, ready and willing to allow Him full reign in our life, we are setting the path for a purposed parenting journey that will model Jesus to the little people so important in our life. When we realize that attachment to Christ also fosters a strong attachment between self and child, we are better equipped to model the lifestyle we want our children to emulate. As we mature our walk with Christ, we are better able to mature the walk of our child. So with a busy lifestyle, how does a woman begin to move from a good mom to godly mother? Even with the best intentions, each day only has 24 hours, and if you’re like me, you hope to get at least 7 hours of sleep. That cuts the day even shorter. That’s why I named this podcast Purposed Parent/Connected Child. No matter how well intentioned you may be, the dreams in your mind or love in your heart are not enough. Hours blend into another so fast, but months and years slip by without you even noticing. Without purposed plans and actions, your children will grow up following peers and culture before you know it. The truth is that you can never force your child to accept Christ. Just as God gave you free will to follow Him, your child receives the same choice. Yet if you live in humble submission to Christ and intentionally pursue deeper relationship daily, modeling the life of Jesus in your own passions and pursuits, your child will witness godly love in action and be drawn to Him. When you study and follow the words in the passage from Deuteronomy 6:5-9 that I read earlier, you will take the next step in purposed parenting for Christ. There is nothing more important you can do for your children or grandchildren. When we were preparing to adopt our first daughter from China, we were required to complete a certain number of parenting course training hours. Because our daughter was living in an orphanage, she had already had less than optimum care. No matter the heart of the nannies in charge of child care, their lack of resources, training, caregivers, and time, left the overwhelming number of children in need lacking attention, attachment, and basic needs fulfillment. The training was meant to equip us as parents to understand what this need may present itself like in our child, and show us how to be proactive in our care. The information I learned enabled me to see that all parenting, whether the child be adopted or biological, should strive to attach children and parents through purposed methods. Life isn’t smooth. Events happen that cause division and stressors in any home. Deaths, divorces, job losses, and so many other triggers combined with individual needs and personalities leave parents and children vulnerable. Through our courses, I saw the pattern of parenting with the purpose of connecting to the heart of the child, and understood that in a Christian context, we would never reach the heart of a child unless we know Christ and were led by the Holy Spirit. Likewise, a child must see the heart of Christ within their parent in order to ever see the need for Him in their personal life. As we parent, we must be purposed and prayerfully pursue connection with the heart of our child, while at the same time connecting their heart to Christ. Please feel free to reach out to me if you need resources on how to parent with strong, godly connection at info@terrihitt.com . There are also several early episodes of this podcast dealing with purposed parenting for Christ. Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing us the privilege of raising children for You. Our heart desires to grab hold and keep them to ourselves, but in reality, they are Yours and only loaned to us for a short time. Lord, the years fly by faster than we even think they will. What a gift those precious years are, even when we don’t realize it at the time. May every mother listening to this podcast realize the beauty of the purpose of motherhood and strive to raise godly children who are set-apart from this culture and connected to You with purpose. Help us to be pleasing in our walk with You and through our parenting practices. May we and our children bring You great joy. In the precious name of Jeus we pray. Amen. Supporting and encouraging mothers to rest in Christ and pursue a holy relationship with Him so they purposely raise set-apart children is the cry of my heart. I believe godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset a mother carries. That’s why I’ve created the Set-Apart Collective. Would you like to walk with other like-minded mothers to deepen your walk with Christ, learn a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan? I want to share special news with my podcast listeners. The Set-Apart Collective wait list is open now. Send me an email at info@terrihitt.com to let me know you’d like to receive information and a special code to receive a discount if you find you’d like to join the collective. It’s time for mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. If you connected in some way with this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? The best reviews are by word of mouth, so if you would also choose a friend to recommend the show to, imagine the change we could see in the way mothers parent for Christ. Also, please tell friends and family that the podcast can be found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place. Remember, if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will likely sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #058 – Building Biblical Self-Esteem Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. I have been blessed over the last five years that we’ve had our youngest daughter home, to help her build self-esteem through who God desires her to be. Neglected for most of her life, learning to view herself with a higher esteem was not easy, and did not come naturally to her. However, once she knew whose she was through the sacrifice of Jesus, viewing herself through His eyes and building worth based on Him became tangible for her. How do we build biblical self-esteem? Many of us can think of someone with offensively high self-esteem. We know that often that conceit really masks low esteem of self. Or sometimes that inflated ego is because the person has been gifted with looks, wealth, or power that takes the place of God in their life. A person can begin to wrap identity in items, instead of who God created them to be through Him. Instead of a godly, biblical humility, they can achieve isolation, heartache, suffering, and mistakes or regret. In the book of Genesis, we learn the story of Cain, who was the first child born to Adam and Eve. Cain’s selfish, jealous heart is revealed when we read about the weak offering he made to the Lord. In contrast, his brother, Abel gave the best he had, exposing his contrite and grateful heart. Cain clearly did not give from a heart full of love and devotion to God. I find it interesting that in Hebrew, the name Cain sounds like the verb translated “I have acquired.” Cain wanted to achieve and collect all he could for himself, then pass the leftovers to God. Cain carried a secular, inflated self-esteem. 1 John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” Had Cain built his inflated self-worth and confidence on God and His provisions, he may have carried an attitude and heartset like his brother, Abel, who desired God to receive the very best he had. Abel was pleased to offer a sacrifice made on God’s terms and desires because he held a respectful, honoring, and humble mindset of his position with his Heavenly Father. Jeremiah 17:7 says, “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.” 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 says, “I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.” But can our self-esteem drop too low? Then, there’s the flip side - those who build their worth on what they have learned the world expects. Some people have self-esteem so low that they are critical of every detail about themselves. Neither type of person is very enjoyable to be around for an extended time. Yet, I understand how easy it is to fall victim and get into the habit of harsh judgement on yourself. When we place more value on what others think of us (or what we perceive them to think), we will never “feel” good enough. Self-esteem built through this method can be formed through many means. Sometimes it is the way a person is raised. Often it comes from the experiences we had with people we thought were our friends, our accomplishments, talents, financial worth, opportunities, appearance, relationships, spouse, or children. Living with confidence, appeal, and worth created through a worldly perspective pulls us away from God as we rely on life experiences, people, thoughts, feelings, and emotions to build and inflate our self-esteem. We know culture and trends change quickly. Esteem for self through this method finds few highs and usually settles into depressing lows. When we do not cling to the Lord and view or respect ourselves as He sees us, we miss the opportunity to experience life with the fullness God purposed for us. We are each specially designed by God. He highly values us, no matter what we think of Him. Psalm 139:13-16 says, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” What do we do if we do not want to possess or project a bloated self-esteem, yet we do not desire to live with low or no confidence? How do we build esteem for self that biblically follows what God desires for us? Jesus was the perfect example of living with confidence in God, not self. Romans 12:3 says, “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” Jesus lived with the humble mind and heart of a servant. His only desire was to bring glory to the Father. Jesus placed the truth of who God is foremost in His life and obeyed every call made for Him. Glory was not something He craved or chased. Jesus lifted all praise, worship, honor, and glory to God. Yet, Jesus is worthy of living a life of high self-esteem. As the word is defined, self-esteem means a favorable impression of oneself or an inordinately or exaggeratedly favorable impression of oneself. Jesus could never live with an over-inflated ego, because He is worthy of everything. Yet, Jesus is our perfect model of exactly how God desires our esteem to be built. Philippians 2:3-11 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 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.” 2 Corinthians 10:17 says, “As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” Through the life model Jesus left for us to follow, He demonstrated perfect humility, love, and obedience that can only exist through the strength of God. Esteem others more highly than yourself. Ephesians 4:17-32 says, “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. “That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” This can seem impossible. People will always let us down somehow. They hurt us, offend us, and betray us. It isn’t always strangers. Sometimes it is our spouse, child, parent, extended family member, a co-worker, or someone we considered to be a best friend. Yet, there is hope and healing through Jesus. Apart from Him we can do none of this. Jesus is our model for forgiveness. If He forgave each one of us, you and me, for all we have or will do, we can learn to forgive others. Eventually, we can even view them as worthy in Christ’s eyes and heart. Only through a personal relationship with Jesus can we achieve the mindset of Christ, which removes the “self” from our esteem and shifts it to Christ and all He made. We then understand the following important life shifts. 1. Only God is perfect. 2. Each one of us is a sinner who can only be saved by the grace of Jesus. 3. As we mature in Christ, we will model our life after Him and see ourselves as He does. 4. Because Jesus extended grace to us, we can offer it to others, and allow ourselves grace when needed, as well. 5. We can construct personal esteem through humility modeled by Jesus and strengthened by a healthy relationship with God and the value He places on us. Unless we honor, love, and obey God through an intentional, growing relationship, we cannot understand or appreciate the worth God sees in us and purposed for us and cannot build godly self-esteem. When we study the word and connect through prayer, praise, and worship, we set God in His rightful place and honor what He values above this world or ourselves. We see the worth in others and build a healthy esteem by fruits of the Spirit, and God’s values and expectations that drive us to seek Him for fulfillment, value, and worth. Through this strong and maturing relationship we allow God to fulfill us with the desires He placed in us. Esteem is built by a committed, consistent, Creator who yearns for each of us to shine for Him, not selfish personal glory. Romans 12:1-8 says, “Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another. We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” 2 Corinthians 12:6-10 says, “If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Ephesians 3:12 says, “Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” Construct your worth and esteem of self on God’s view of you. Allow Him to work through you to hold that esteem to a biblical value and use God’s heart and mind to penetrate your life and carry you to do the work He has purposed for you. Father God, thank you that none of us should have to search this world for our worth . Help us not to build our self-esteem on secular values and keep us from forming warped opinions of ourselves or others, but let us strive to view all You have created with the love and worth You deem us to hold. Enable us to seek and worship You with the praise You deserve and please You with the value we place on You first, others next, and then self. Thank you for sending Jesus to model exactly what we need to do to live a life pleasing to You. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. 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 Christ and encourage you to raise or influence children to chase Jesus instead of this world. Be sure to sign up for my email list to be notified when my next resource, “Scattering Seeds: Planting Character and Faith in Your Child” releases soon. This eBook is an excellent encouragement and support for mothers or grandmothers of young children. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to Jesus and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 058 Building Biblical Self-Esteem Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #058 – Building Biblical Self-Esteem Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. I have been blessed over the last five years that we’ve had our youngest daughter home, to help her build self-esteem through who God desires her to be. Neglected for most of her life, learning to view herself with a higher esteem was not easy, and did not come naturally to her. However, once she knew whose she was through the sacrifice of Jesus, viewing herself through His eyes and building worth based on Him became tangible for her. How do we build biblical self-esteem? Many of us can think of someone with offensively high self-esteem. We know that often that conceit really masks low esteem of self. Or sometimes that inflated ego is because the person has been gifted with looks, wealth, or power that takes the place of God in their life. A person can begin to wrap identity in items, instead of who God created them to be through Him. Instead of a godly, biblical humility, they can achieve isolation, heartache, suffering, and mistakes or regret. In the book of Genesis, we learn the story of Cain, who was the first child born to Adam and Eve. Cain’s selfish, jealous heart is revealed when we read about the weak offering he made to the Lord. In contrast, his brother, Abel gave the best he had, exposing his contrite and grateful heart. Cain clearly did not give from a heart full of love and devotion to God. I find it interesting that in Hebrew, the name Cain sounds like the verb translated “I have acquired.” Cain wanted to achieve and collect all he could for himself, then pass the leftovers to God. Cain carried a secular, inflated self-esteem. 1 John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” Had Cain built his inflated self-worth and confidence on God and His provisions, he may have carried an attitude and heartset like his brother, Abel, who desired God to receive the very best he had. Abel was pleased to offer a sacrifice made on God’s terms and desires because he held a respectful, honoring, and humble mindset of his position with his Heavenly Father. Jeremiah 17:7 says, “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.” 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 says, “I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.” But can our self-esteem drop too low? Then, there’s the flip side - those who build their worth on what they have learned the world expects. Some people have self-esteem so low that they are critical of every detail about themselves. Neither type of person is very enjoyable to be around for an extended time. Yet, I understand how easy it is to fall victim and get into the habit of harsh judgement on yourself. When we place more value on what others think of us (or what we perceive them to think), we will never “feel” good enough. Self-esteem built through this method can be formed through many means. Sometimes it is the way a person is raised. Often it comes from the experiences we had with people we thought were our friends, our accomplishments, talents, financial worth, opportunities, appearance, relationships, spouse, or children. Living with confidence, appeal, and worth created through a worldly perspective pulls us away from God as we rely on life experiences, people, thoughts, feelings, and emotions to build and inflate our self-esteem. We know culture and trends change quickly. Esteem for self through this method finds few highs and usually settles into depressing lows. When we do not cling to the Lord and view or respect ourselves as He sees us, we miss the opportunity to experience life with the fullness God purposed for us. We are each specially designed by God. He highly values us, no matter what we think of Him. Psalm 139:13-16 says, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” What do we do if we do not want to possess or project a bloated self-esteem, yet we do not desire to live with low or no confidence? How do we build esteem for self that biblically follows what God desires for us? Jesus was the perfect example of living with confidence in God, not self. Romans 12:3 says, “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” Jesus lived with the humble mind and heart of a servant. His only desire was to bring glory to the Father. Jesus placed the truth of who God is foremost in His life and obeyed every call made for Him. Glory was not something He craved or chased. Jesus lifted all praise, worship, honor, and glory to God. Yet, Jesus is worthy of living a life of high self-esteem. As the word is defined, self-esteem means a favorable impression of oneself or an inordinately or exaggeratedly favorable impression of oneself. Jesus could never live with an over-inflated ego, because He is worthy of everything. Yet, Jesus is our perfect model of exactly how God desires our esteem to be built. Philippians 2:3-11 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 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.” 2 Corinthians 10:17 says, “As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” Through the life model Jesus left for us to follow, He demonstrated perfect humility, love, and obedience that can only exist through the strength of God. Esteem others more highly than yourself. Ephesians 4:17-32 says, “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. “That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” This can seem impossible. People will always let us down somehow. They hurt us, offend us, and betray us. It isn’t always strangers. Sometimes it is our spouse, child, parent, extended family member, a co-worker, or someone we considered to be a best friend. Yet, there is hope and healing through Jesus. Apart from Him we can do none of this. Jesus is our model for forgiveness. If He forgave each one of us, you and me, for all we have or will do, we can learn to forgive others. Eventually, we can even view them as worthy in Christ’s eyes and heart. Only through a personal relationship with Jesus can we achieve the mindset of Christ, which removes the “self” from our esteem and shifts it to Christ and all He made. We then understand the following important life shifts. 1. Only God is perfect. 2. Each one of us is a sinner who can only be saved by the grace of Jesus. 3. As we mature in Christ, we will model our life after Him and see ourselves as He does. 4. Because Jesus extended grace to us, we can offer it to others, and allow ourselves grace when needed, as well. 5. We can construct personal esteem through humility modeled by Jesus and strengthened by a healthy relationship with God and the value He places on us. Unless we honor, love, and obey God through an intentional, growing relationship, we cannot understand or appreciate the worth God sees in us and purposed for us and cannot build godly self-esteem. When we study the word and connect through prayer, praise, and worship, we set God in His rightful place and honor what He values above this world or ourselves. We see the worth in others and build a healthy esteem by fruits of the Spirit, and God’s values and expectations that drive us to seek Him for fulfillment, value, and worth. Through this strong and maturing relationship we allow God to fulfill us with the desires He placed in us. Esteem is built by a committed, consistent, Creator who yearns for each of us to shine for Him, not selfish personal glory. Romans 12:1-8 says, “Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another. We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” 2 Corinthians 12:6-10 says, “If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Ephesians 3:12 says, “Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” Construct your worth and esteem of self on God’s view of you. Allow Him to work through you to hold that esteem to a biblical value and use God’s heart and mind to penetrate your life and carry you to do the work He has purposed for you. Father God, thank you that none of us should have to search this world for our worth . Help us not to build our self-esteem on secular values and keep us from forming warped opinions of ourselves or others, but let us strive to view all You have created with the love and worth You deem us to hold. Enable us to seek and worship You with the praise You deserve and please You with the value we place on You first, others next, and then self. Thank you for sending Jesus to model exactly what we need to do to live a life pleasing to You. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. 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 Christ and encourage you to raise or influence children to chase Jesus instead of this world. Be sure to sign up for my email list to be notified when my next resource, “Scattering Seeds: Planting Character and Faith in Your Child” releases soon. This eBook is an excellent encouragement and support for mothers or grandmothers of young children. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to Jesus and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #060 – Communication With Passed Loved Ones Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Today we are going to discuss a topic that will most likely catch the attention of every listener. I pray that God will take each of my words captive for His truth. Two questions are routinely asked after people hear that I have lost a child. 1. How I kept joy after such a depth of pain and grief? 2. Have I received signs from my daughter after her death? I’ve never tackled the topic of life after death or receiving signs from loved ones. Honestly, it is an enormous and very important subject and I’ve had to pray for God’s great discernment and guidance. For those who have experienced loss, I am deeply sorry for your pain and heartache. Grief is extremely personal and demanding. Heartbreak can alter a person at the core. Loss takes our breath away. Mourning changes our present, as well as future, steals dreams, and rewrites plans without our consent. No one will experience loss the same; sorrow is as unique as fingerprints. I offer my sympathy, hope, and prayers to you. Through my journey of losses, I have found that even at the deepest and most distressful level, God was waiting there. He carried me, ministering to me in supernatural ways that tenderly express His love and personal care before and after my loved ones left. God placed the ability to love and grieve within us; He understands the immense pain and heartache we suffer once those we love are gone. Losing someone we love is complex and agonizing; bereavement is intense. It can be very tempting to seek any connection we can continue. Sometimes, after the loss of a loved one, people look for any sign of communication from the one they are grieving. It makes many feel comforted to imagine their precious one watching over them or that they have become a guardian angel tasked to protect them. Believers must strive to understand what God’s word has to say about this topic. Just because we can be comforted by what we wish to be true does not mean our perceptions are true. Although I cannot profess to know all of the answers, I am going to carefully seek what we can glean from God’s word because we don’t know exactly what happens to loved ones after death. The Bible doesn’t specifically tell us everything. It is certain, however, that we do not become angels. Many times people will attempt to offer comfort to those grieving by stating that their loved one will now watch over them as a protective angel. The Bible, however, clearly states that humans and angels are different beings. Psalm 8:4-8 says, “What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority—the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.” 1 Corinthians 6:2-3a says, “Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? Don’t you realize that we will judge angels?” Another topic associated with death that the Bible offers clear instruction on is to not look for contact from dead loved ones. There is no information that tells us they are willing or able to message us. God’s word is also clear that we are not to attempt to communicate with the dead through any means. Although we cannot correspond and we don’t know all details about loved ones after they die, scripture does contain interesting clues in several verses and parables throughout the Bible. One of the most informative Bible passages to read regarding the life of loved ones after death is found within Luke 16:19-31, which contains the story of Lazarus and the rich man. This is what it says: “Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side. “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’ “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’ “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’ “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’ “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.” It is believed that Jesus actually spoke these words to expose the way the Pharisees were living with a religion based on status, laws, wealth, and appearance, not a true and lasting faith. The Pharisees believed that wealth was a sign of the righteousness of a person. When Jesus spoke this story, it startled those listening because the poor and diseased beggar receives the reward and comfort, while the rich man is thrown into hell with eternal separation. Jesus’s story teaches about wealth versus poverty and compassion for the poor and needy. The Lord was not speaking to specifically instruct or teach what the afterlife would be like, yet I believe this passage offers details that carry meaningful hints. The Bible clearly teaches that everyone will go to one of two places after we leave this earth. Each of us will either experience a joyful eternal life of fellowship with God or we will brutally suffer through affliction and live in agony forever in hell. As we study the passage in Luke, we read that Jesus tells us the two men are eternally separated by an extensive, insurmountable gulf. The rich man is bound forever in hell while Lazarus has immediately been carried to heaven. In the story, the rich man can see Lazarus. He cries for mercy and asks if the poor man can assist him, but is rejected and told that there is a great chasm with no way for anyone to pass in either direction. Next, the rich man pleads to have Lazarus sent to his father’s house to testify so that the rich man’s brothers may be warned and not end up in the place of torment. He is told that Moses and the prophets have already issued warnings and that his brothers have not heeded them, thus they would not pay attention to one raised from the dead." Now when we study verse 26, we see that the great abyss is fixed. No one passes from one side to the other. This passage of scripture demonstrates that although we yearn to continue some type of communication with the deceased, death separates us. At least for now. Some could argue that the rich man and his family did not know or follow God during life, so that could be why they were not allowed to communicate. Perhaps if the rich man had obediently known and followed God in his lifetime, he would be able to warn relatives about their eternity and convince them to change their ways. Scripture never says or addresses this point specifically. However, with many strong scriptural warnings throughout the Bible that clearly instruct and forbid us against attempts to communicate with the dead, it is highly likely that if our loving Heavenly Father desired us to receive communication from loved ones, He would provide clear information telling us how in the Bible. Yet, God does not offer that instruction. What is offered in the Bible is the truth that none of us are given a second chance at what our eternal future holds after death. Listen to these reminders from Hebrews and Romans. Hebrews 9:27 says, “Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment.” Romans 14:11-13 says, “For it is written: “As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.” Another area in which to completely steer clear of is those who proclaim to be able to speak to the dead or who encourage you to take part in seances, Quija board sessions, or other items and activities of this nature. God’s word warns that if someone claims to communicate with the dead they are not. In fact, they may be associating with evil spirits. Leviticus 19:31 says, “Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the Lord your God.” 2 Corinthians 11:14b says, “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” 1 Chronicles 10:13 says, “So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord. He failed to obey the Lord's command, and he even consulted a medium.” 1 John 4:1 says, “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.” 1 Timothy 4:1 says, “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.” There is no place in scripture that states loved ones, even when present with the Lord, can communicate with those they left behind. Non-believers are cast into hell and eternal torment, where they will await their final judgement. We read in 2 Peter 2:4, “For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.” Revelation 20:12-15 says, “I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” What we do know through scripture is that our loved ones remember us. This knowledge does not reveal whether they can see us, and the passage we read from Luke does not say whether the rich man could see his family. Yet, what a comfort to know that loved ones remember us and we will remember them. We also learn in Mark 9:2-6, that the disciples were even able to recognize Moses and Elijah, even though they had never met. The passage says, “After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. His clothes became radiantly white, brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them. And Elijah and Moses appeared before them, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” For they were all so terrified that Peter did not know what else to say.” Peter, James, and John had known enough about Moses and Elijah to recognize who they were. I find this extremely interesting! How many people will we automatically know in Heaven? Isn’t that thought exciting? I believe the best lesson we can learn from the verses and passages we have discussed today is to ensure that we do not look for assurance in the wrong places. Life should be centered around God, just as death should be. Any assurances about life and death should be found in Him alone. Eternal life found through Jesus Christ should be the comfort we seek and the treasure we hold dear. John 8:12 says, “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Many people have earthly experiences in which they feel that their loved one is connecting with them. I am not making this podcast to credit or discredit them. Their walk is individual and they are accountable to God, not me. I appreciate knowing they feel peace and joy from what they believe comes from their loved one. However, I want to emphasize that everything we need to know or understand is found in God’s Holy Word. As we read and study what He has divinely left for us to search, we find nothing that encourages us to place hope and faith in our loved ones, but rather everything points to Him as the only one who can fill that role for us. Perhaps our reasoning is distorted when we believe loved ones are reaching out to us. I believe our Heavenly Father knows the exact times and ways we need reassurance, love, faith, and light in our hearts and He absolutely delights in giving us those pure and good gifts. God knows how to reach us in intimate, unique ways that prove we are not forgotten and that He understands the pain we are experiencing. Rather than claiming that those we grieve carry the ability to minister to us, we should acknowledge that God is there, as He always has been, and always will be. James 1:17 says, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” Our Heavenly Father gave us the ability to connect with others and to love incredibly deeply. As strong as our connections are, they are shallow compared to what He feels for us. We only love because He first loved us. God placed the ability to care, feel, and love into us when He formed us. Varied are the ways He proves His love for us. Each one of us is blessed to have the hope that one day we will be reunited with those we love. If we submit to Jesus now as we live our life on earth, we have the certainty that we will be with Him eternally and have the ultimate reunion with our loved ones who made the same choice to follow Jesus. Because humans often look for sensory experiences, it is easy to be persuaded to search for reassurance with something we can understand, touch, or hold. Sometimes it is doubt or guilt that can cause us to try to connect with those passed on. Most of the time it is simply grief. We miss those we knew and loved, shared life and dreams with. Flesh is weak. As we battle grief, we may yearn for instant connection instead of relying on faith and the hope and trust of the unseen. I pray we each recognize that God is in the details of every moment of our life. As we seek God in the ordinary, He proves Himself in the extraordinary. Although we believe our loved ones will remember us when we see them again, I don’t think our loved ones are pining over us, but rather, they are enjoying the only One who ever fills spaces within us with exactly what we need. All of life and death is about Him. God is calling us to mature our thought process and live with an eternal perspective that seeks Him through each detail of life. Perhaps this verse from Luke 24:5, is the best example. “The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?” We are the dead ones, while our loved ones soar with eternal life. Why would they be found among us? Loved ones who chose to follow Christ are alive in ways we can only imagine. As God’s word makes so clear in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” Gracious and loving Heavenly Father, how we long for You. Thank you for the people You so lovingly place in our life with purpose. Comfort us as we grieve for them, carry us when we are overwhelmed with the intensity of pain born of separation. We know You understand. Fill us with the hope of Your promise of resurrection. May we long for You as we do our loved ones and seek to follow You in this life we have been granted for such a short time. We know all of our days are numbered, but we have the hope and promise of eternity with You and a blessed reunion with those we grieve. May we please You in the ways we live without them and may we draw nearer to You as we recognize the gifts You place before us in the midst of our pain and grief. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. I pray you find the peace and hope only Jesus can deliver through the words in each episode. 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. My latest resource, “Scattering Seeds: Planting Character and Faith in Your Child” has released! This free eBook is an excellent encouragement and support for mothers or grandmothers of young children. I encourage you to visit my website to access and download it soon. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 060 Communication With Passed Loved Ones Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #060 – Communication With Passed Loved Ones Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Today we are going to discuss a topic that will most likely catch the attention of every listener. I pray that God will take each of my words captive for His truth. Two questions are routinely asked after people hear that I have lost a child. 1. How I kept joy after such a depth of pain and grief? 2. Have I received signs from my daughter after her death? I’ve never tackled the topic of life after death or receiving signs from loved ones. Honestly, it is an enormous and very important subject and I’ve had to pray for God’s great discernment and guidance. For those who have experienced loss, I am deeply sorry for your pain and heartache. Grief is extremely personal and demanding. Heartbreak can alter a person at the core. Loss takes our breath away. Mourning changes our present, as well as future, steals dreams, and rewrites plans without our consent. No one will experience loss the same; sorrow is as unique as fingerprints. I offer my sympathy, hope, and prayers to you. Through my journey of losses, I have found that even at the deepest and most distressful level, God was waiting there. He carried me, ministering to me in supernatural ways that tenderly express His love and personal care before and after my loved ones left. God placed the ability to love and grieve within us; He understands the immense pain and heartache we suffer once those we love are gone. Losing someone we love is complex and agonizing; bereavement is intense. It can be very tempting to seek any connection we can continue. Sometimes, after the loss of a loved one, people look for any sign of communication from the one they are grieving. It makes many feel comforted to imagine their precious one watching over them or that they have become a guardian angel tasked to protect them. Believers must strive to understand what God’s word has to say about this topic. Just because we can be comforted by what we wish to be true does not mean our perceptions are true. Although I cannot profess to know all of the answers, I am going to carefully seek what we can glean from God’s word because we don’t know exactly what happens to loved ones after death. The Bible doesn’t specifically tell us everything. It is certain, however, that we do not become angels. Many times people will attempt to offer comfort to those grieving by stating that their loved one will now watch over them as a protective angel. The Bible, however, clearly states that humans and angels are different beings. Psalm 8:4-8 says, “What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority—the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.” 1 Corinthians 6:2-3a says, “Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? Don’t you realize that we will judge angels?” Another topic associated with death that the Bible offers clear instruction on is to not look for contact from dead loved ones. There is no information that tells us they are willing or able to message us. God’s word is also clear that we are not to attempt to communicate with the dead through any means. Although we cannot correspond and we don’t know all details about loved ones after they die, scripture does contain interesting clues in several verses and parables throughout the Bible. One of the most informative Bible passages to read regarding the life of loved ones after death is found within Luke 16:19-31, which contains the story of Lazarus and the rich man. This is what it says: “Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side. “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’ “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’ “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’ “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’ “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.” It is believed that Jesus actually spoke these words to expose the way the Pharisees were living with a religion based on status, laws, wealth, and appearance, not a true and lasting faith. The Pharisees believed that wealth was a sign of the righteousness of a person. When Jesus spoke this story, it startled those listening because the poor and diseased beggar receives the reward and comfort, while the rich man is thrown into hell with eternal separation. Jesus’s story teaches about wealth versus poverty and compassion for the poor and needy. The Lord was not speaking to specifically instruct or teach what the afterlife would be like, yet I believe this passage offers details that carry meaningful hints. The Bible clearly teaches that everyone will go to one of two places after we leave this earth. Each of us will either experience a joyful eternal life of fellowship with God or we will brutally suffer through affliction and live in agony forever in hell. As we study the passage in Luke, we read that Jesus tells us the two men are eternally separated by an extensive, insurmountable gulf. The rich man is bound forever in hell while Lazarus has immediately been carried to heaven. In the story, the rich man can see Lazarus. He cries for mercy and asks if the poor man can assist him, but is rejected and told that there is a great chasm with no way for anyone to pass in either direction. Next, the rich man pleads to have Lazarus sent to his father’s house to testify so that the rich man’s brothers may be warned and not end up in the place of torment. He is told that Moses and the prophets have already issued warnings and that his brothers have not heeded them, thus they would not pay attention to one raised from the dead." Now when we study verse 26, we see that the great abyss is fixed. No one passes from one side to the other. This passage of scripture demonstrates that although we yearn to continue some type of communication with the deceased, death separates us. At least for now. Some could argue that the rich man and his family did not know or follow God during life, so that could be why they were not allowed to communicate. Perhaps if the rich man had obediently known and followed God in his lifetime, he would be able to warn relatives about their eternity and convince them to change their ways. Scripture never says or addresses this point specifically. However, with many strong scriptural warnings throughout the Bible that clearly instruct and forbid us against attempts to communicate with the dead, it is highly likely that if our loving Heavenly Father desired us to receive communication from loved ones, He would provide clear information telling us how in the Bible. Yet, God does not offer that instruction. What is offered in the Bible is the truth that none of us are given a second chance at what our eternal future holds after death. Listen to these reminders from Hebrews and Romans. Hebrews 9:27 says, “Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment.” Romans 14:11-13 says, “For it is written: “As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.” Another area in which to completely steer clear of is those who proclaim to be able to speak to the dead or who encourage you to take part in seances, Quija board sessions, or other items and activities of this nature. God’s word warns that if someone claims to communicate with the dead they are not. In fact, they may be associating with evil spirits. Leviticus 19:31 says, “Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the Lord your God.” 2 Corinthians 11:14b says, “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” 1 Chronicles 10:13 says, “So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord. He failed to obey the Lord's command, and he even consulted a medium.” 1 John 4:1 says, “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.” 1 Timothy 4:1 says, “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.” There is no place in scripture that states loved ones, even when present with the Lord, can communicate with those they left behind. Non-believers are cast into hell and eternal torment, where they will await their final judgement. We read in 2 Peter 2:4, “For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.” Revelation 20:12-15 says, “I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” What we do know through scripture is that our loved ones remember us. This knowledge does not reveal whether they can see us, and the passage we read from Luke does not say whether the rich man could see his family. Yet, what a comfort to know that loved ones remember us and we will remember them. We also learn in Mark 9:2-6, that the disciples were even able to recognize Moses and Elijah, even though they had never met. The passage says, “After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. His clothes became radiantly white, brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them. And Elijah and Moses appeared before them, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” For they were all so terrified that Peter did not know what else to say.” Peter, James, and John had known enough about Moses and Elijah to recognize who they were. I find this extremely interesting! How many people will we automatically know in Heaven? Isn’t that thought exciting? I believe the best lesson we can learn from the verses and passages we have discussed today is to ensure that we do not look for assurance in the wrong places. Life should be centered around God, just as death should be. Any assurances about life and death should be found in Him alone. Eternal life found through Jesus Christ should be the comfort we seek and the treasure we hold dear. John 8:12 says, “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Many people have earthly experiences in which they feel that their loved one is connecting with them. I am not making this podcast to credit or discredit them. Their walk is individual and they are accountable to God, not me. I appreciate knowing they feel peace and joy from what they believe comes from their loved one. However, I want to emphasize that everything we need to know or understand is found in God’s Holy Word. As we read and study what He has divinely left for us to search, we find nothing that encourages us to place hope and faith in our loved ones, but rather everything points to Him as the only one who can fill that role for us. Perhaps our reasoning is distorted when we believe loved ones are reaching out to us. I believe our Heavenly Father knows the exact times and ways we need reassurance, love, faith, and light in our hearts and He absolutely delights in giving us those pure and good gifts. God knows how to reach us in intimate, unique ways that prove we are not forgotten and that He understands the pain we are experiencing. Rather than claiming that those we grieve carry the ability to minister to us, we should acknowledge that God is there, as He always has been, and always will be. James 1:17 says, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” Our Heavenly Father gave us the ability to connect with others and to love incredibly deeply. As strong as our connections are, they are shallow compared to what He feels for us. We only love because He first loved us. God placed the ability to care, feel, and love into us when He formed us. Varied are the ways He proves His love for us. Each one of us is blessed to have the hope that one day we will be reunited with those we love. If we submit to Jesus now as we live our life on earth, we have the certainty that we will be with Him eternally and have the ultimate reunion with our loved ones who made the same choice to follow Jesus. Because humans often look for sensory experiences, it is easy to be persuaded to search for reassurance with something we can understand, touch, or hold. Sometimes it is doubt or guilt that can cause us to try to connect with those passed on. Most of the time it is simply grief. We miss those we knew and loved, shared life and dreams with. Flesh is weak. As we battle grief, we may yearn for instant connection instead of relying on faith and the hope and trust of the unseen. I pray we each recognize that God is in the details of every moment of our life. As we seek God in the ordinary, He proves Himself in the extraordinary. Although we believe our loved ones will remember us when we see them again, I don’t think our loved ones are pining over us, but rather, they are enjoying the only One who ever fills spaces within us with exactly what we need. All of life and death is about Him. God is calling us to mature our thought process and live with an eternal perspective that seeks Him through each detail of life. Perhaps this verse from Luke 24:5, is the best example. “The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?” We are the dead ones, while our loved ones soar with eternal life. Why would they be found among us? Loved ones who chose to follow Christ are alive in ways we can only imagine. As God’s word makes so clear in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” Gracious and loving Heavenly Father, how we long for You. Thank you for the people You so lovingly place in our life with purpose. Comfort us as we grieve for them, carry us when we are overwhelmed with the intensity of pain born of separation. We know You understand. Fill us with the hope of Your promise of resurrection. May we long for You as we do our loved ones and seek to follow You in this life we have been granted for such a short time. We know all of our days are numbered, but we have the hope and promise of eternity with You and a blessed reunion with those we grieve. May we please You in the ways we live without them and may we draw nearer to You as we recognize the gifts You place before us in the midst of our pain and grief. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this episode. I pray you find the peace and hope only Jesus can deliver through the words in each episode. 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. My latest resource, “Scattering Seeds: Planting Character and Faith in Your Child” has released! This free eBook is an excellent encouragement and support for mothers or grandmothers of young children. I encourage you to visit my website to access and download it soon. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #013 – Change 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. As I prepare this podcast, what I consider the most beautiful time of year is unfolding outside. As spring draws near, I make time to look out the window in my master bathroom, in anticipation of seeing blooms bursting free from winter slumber on a nearby neighbor’s tree in their front yard. Always the first in my area to awaken, it gives me great joy when I view the tiny blooms release. I observe it daily just to see the progression of spring unfold in elapsed time. In contrast, my next-door neighbor has a tree that is last to arouse to new life and thus, their tree has the very last leaves to drop away in the fall. As you can see, I am an observer of seasons and I always have a deep and bittersweet sense of lost love every year when it’s time to say goodbye to spring and summer months. Nothing God does is by chance. The seasons He created represent how our lives constantly change. All of creation was intelligently formed with wisdom only God possesses and is tied together in a subtle, perfect fashion, just as the changes I described and that we all experience are, although they don’t always feel good or positive in the moment. God has blessed me with plenty of opportunities to rely on Him to get me through transitions in life. Let me list just the highlights, meaning this is not everything, of what God has enabled us to rely on Him for over during just the last fourteen years. I quit my job to stay home, we brought home our infant daughter from China, began an extremely difficult journey as my mother battled Alzheimer’s, our oldest daughter battled health issues and passed away unexpectedly, placed my mother in a nursing home for better care, visited my mother daily and managed her bills and care team instructions, helped my father navigate health care as he received news that he had terminal lung cancer, suffered through my husband’s job loss of almost two years, lost my father, lost my mother, adopted a nine year-old daughter with significant health and special needs from China, lost my father-in-law to cancer, helped my youngest through many surgeries and procedures as she adjusted to living with a family in a new country, helped our daughter through her second open-heart surgery, and became a strong advocate for her health care. These are just the highlights that chronicle the time span mentioned. As excruciatingly hard as moments were, I never forgot that God is in control. It didn’t always make the struggles easier, but it shaped my faith deeper and wider. What does that mean? My faith was strong because I already had a relationship with Christ, however, the trials we endured thrust the roots of my relationship farther into deeper fertile ground and spread those roots across the soil of my life. It implanted my feet solidly on living with eternal perspective and spread around me to attempt to allow Him to shine. I am always aware of the fact that others are watching to see how Christ works in the life of a believer. I want them to experience the joy He brings and understand the difference He makes in the life of one trusting Him. One lesson God has taught me is that no matter what I am living through, no matter how easy or difficult the situation or trial may be at the time, I am to look up to Him. Most definitely, it is a beautiful thing when friends and family are around to help and comfort us, but He has proven to me that I am not to rely on the strength of another human to do what He can. While He gives loved ones to us, we are not to find our identity or strength through them. They are a blessing in our life for other purposes. One way in particular that God strengthened my endurance to look to Him was years ago when our oldest daughter showed the first sign of the seriousness of her health condition. It was New Year’s Eve, 2001. Just a few hours before 2002 rang in, I received a phone call. I had just stepped out of the shower. My husband was extremely sick with the flu and could not move anywhere but to the toilet. In fact, he was laying on the floor near it. When I got home from work, I expected to shower and watch a movie, then go to bed. When I heard the phone ringing as I stepped out of the bathtub, I wrapped a towel around myself and quickly ran to answer it. It was a police officer. He told me our daughter had experienced a seizure. The only information she could give him was our phone number. She was 22 years old and living in an apartment about four blocks from our house. A friend was in town from Texas and they had been sitting in the apartment drawing while they figured out where to go for dinner when our daughter’s hand began to tremble, and her body reacted with a full-blown seizure. That is when her friend called 911. I told the officer where to take her and after quickly getting dressed, I raced to tell my husband what had happened, then left for the hospital. I remember thinking how terrible it was that I had to go to the hospital alone. I desperately wanted my husband with me. I felt like it seemed that major events in my life happened when I had to handle things by myself. My thoughts started shooting to several memories as I grew upset. As soon as I thought the words and began the mental movie, I felt God’s firm assurance and reprimand that I had never been alone. I grew calmer as I prayed for Him to take care of Jaime and to guide the doctors. A few years later when police officers came to our home to tell us that our daughter had passed away, my husband was at work. In a time I wanted him home with me, God was my refuge and strength. The way it should be. Because He planned for each of us before we were even formed in the womb, God knows exactly what each of us needs. He doesn’t waste anything that happens to us. Everything we endure or enjoy is a gift from our Heavenly Father. All is designed to reach us in ways nothing else would for specific purposes only He understands fully. My husband and I are very close, and God may know that it would be easy for me to rely on my husband, instead of Him. I trust that the way events occur and the timing with which they happen is as it should be. Thankfully, my Heavenly Father sees the whole picture, not the small snapshot I do. Nothing stays constant in life. Life is fluid, always shifting, bringing highs and lows that I could not survive without God. Yet, while some who do not know Jesus might believe I am weak because of my reliance on Him, I know that I am strong, but in the right ways. In the best ways. On my own, I am a naturally strong person, but the strengths this world reveres is not the quality that gives fullness of life. Before I knew Christ as my Savior, I would describe my personality as stubborn, and prideful, yet with low confidence. After releasing myself to Jesus and submitting to Him, I have become persistent, yet not stubborn because I know I can do all things through Christ. I am becoming humbler daily as I look to Him and His examples, and my confidence has grown, not in self, but through Him and His mighty works through me. I don’t have to look to self for definition or endurance, strength, wisdom, or provisions. He is enough. God is my everything. I remember feeling extremely concerned for my middle daughter when she was younger because she was living her formative childhood years under such pressured days. I wanted to raise her for God and deeply desired smooth, easy days to teach her about Him. God, in His infinite wisdom, knew what was in store for us. I trust that He holds all details in His hands and that what we walk through, as devastating as it feels during the moment, serves a great purpose, not just for us, or those around us, but for eternity. I prayed diligently every day for Him to use what we were enduring for good for His purposes. I pleaded with God not to let Satan get a foothold in her life because the days were so painful, and I could recognize attacks on our family. What I’ve learned (and each of us must remember) is that changes that arrive at our doorstep invite us to lay a welcome mat for Jesus to enter our hearts, minds, and spirits to guide us and carry us in His capable arms, if we choose to let Him through each moment. Remember, absolutely nothing in life is exempt from change. Often, instead of embracing that fact, we dread it. Routines are so important to human nature. We like the expected in daily life. We want our routines and schedules to flow exactly the way we desire. Why do we live with a false sense of control? It makes us feel secure. False security feels better than facing the knowledge that nothing is permanent. Why do we fear change? It is unpredictable. We cannot control it or anticipate it. Change can cause fear, resentment, anxiety, anger or bitterness. God already knows every change we will ever encounter. In fact, He wants to work all things for good for all who love Him and are called according to His purpose. He is already steps ahead of us, paving the way if only we will allow Him to pick us up to carry us over the stumbling steps we experience when walking on our own. Everything in life serv es a purpose and has its time. As it is said in Ecclesiastes 3, “to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Although we have the head knowledge of these truths, we still sometimes find it hard to embrace Him when situations call for it. Hebrews 13:8 offers the hope, assurance, and promise we need. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” When life swirls around us and we feel as though everything is different or frightening and that we are alone or without hope, why is it so difficult to remember the words from Joshua 1:9? Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Or this promise from Psalm 18:2-3, “I will love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in Whom I will trust, My Shield and the Horn of my Salvation, My Stronghold, I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised.” It becomes difficult to remember and call upon the promises of God in troubled times because we are so prone to falling back to reliance on self. As with everything else of great importance in deepening our dependence on, and our abidance in God, we remember hope if we shift our mindset and heart to view life as an evolving gift from Him that is intended to grow and deepen our walk. Our life is not meant to be what we have made it in our fallen world. Our life was meant to be one of intimate and pure communion with God. It is still meant to be that way. We are not meant to abide in Him during troubled times. We were created for permanent residency in and with Him. I enjoy imagining what God originally designed this world and our relationships to be. When we study Eve in the book of Genesis we can begin to understand the perfect love, grace, and provision God extended to her and Adam. They truly lived in God-created paradise without anxiety, bitterness, jealousy, strife, misunderstandings, guilt, hurt, or envy. None of the hurtful, hateful, harmful emotions, words, or actions so strong in our present world existed. Change was probably not a word in their vocabulary or thoughts. Life was perfect. Stop for a moment and ponder the ways our world was so different from what we now experience. If none of us had ever lived under the crushing pain of betrayal, abuse, neglect, or any of the terrible truths of this current world, our hearts, minds, actions, and lives would not suffer from the horrendous effects of such abuse. No wonder change can be so terrifying. We are undoubtedly prone to sin and failure when we shift our attention from God for even a moment. Our lives were meant for complete submission and reliance on Him. Not in an ugly, twisted enslaved way, but in a beautifully complete provisional and intimate exchange of love and reliance on Him because we recognize His authority and attention to us personally. God planned and created each of us for a specific purpose. He deeply desires to provide for us and simply love us. Life is so complicated because of the prominent sin we invited into this world. It was never the way God intended for us to live. I know the separation we feel is so profoundly undesired by God, who created us for such deep intimacy with Him. Thankfully, Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us, “Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” As I studied chapters in Luke this past week in preparation for Easter, I read a verse that touched me in a new way as I was also preparing this podcast. Although I have read the verse before, it never captured my attention the way that it did this time. As it is written in God’s Holy Bible in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The Bible holds such unique power through God’s word, truths, and will that enables us to be reached through different verses and stories at just the right time in our life for His good purposes. Luke 22:32a states, “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail.” These words were spoken by Jesus to Simon Peter as the Lord warned his disciple that Satan had requested to sift the follower as wheat. Instead of heeding Jesus’ warning, the always zealous and over-confident Peter ignored the meaning behind Jesus’ words. He told Jesus He was ready to go with the Lord to prison and to death. Jesus replied that Simon would deny Him three times that day. What strikes me in this passage as so vitally important to remember is that we know Satan must request permission to tempt us. Job 1:12 shows us that God granted the devil certain access to Job. “And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.’” We also know that God already knows everything that will happen in each of our lives. He knows who Satan will target and when that will happen. The verse from Luke 22 proves that we are prayed for before the events occur. The Lord Himself prays for and intercedes for us, strengthening us with His mighty power when we need it most. What could be more effective than a prayer spoken for us by Jesus? This is our reminder that no change comes to us that God has not authorized. This gives me such hope and peace when things around me swirl with uncertainty. It fills me with mighty strength and trust in Him. Change may bring uncertainty and make us uncomfortable, but we don’t have to stay in those feelings. Human emotions are beautiful and I’m so thankful God allows us to experience such complex thoughts and feelings. Yet, He never intended us to remain fixed in or paralyzed by emotions. His desire has always been for us to look and turn to Him for every need. Jesus modeled ultimate obedience for us when He went to the cross. As He prayed in the garden before His arrest, He was aware of the biggest change in His life about to come. Jesus had such a love for us and for His Heavenly Father that He could not deny His purpose. As He knelt in prayer, he spoke these words from Luke 22:42, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not my will, but Yours, be done.” Jesus knew what change was coming. He carried such severe emotional and physical stress that He actually produced sweat, and if that isn’t hard enough to imagine, the sweat looked like great drops of blood. Jesus knew what had to be done. He faced tremendous change with courage found through His relationship with His Heavenly Father. He did not rely on self, but was diligently prayerful and intensely focused above. Jesus knew He could not face the coming change alone. He looked to the Only One who could carry Him. Jesus modeled perfect love and obedience for us. Fixing His trust and focus on God is the only way He would be able to do what was written for Him. Jesus left us with the perfect example of how to handle anything we ever endure. Isaiah 26:3 is a reminder for all of us. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Change is a fact of life for all of us. Change will continue to happen. Sometimes it arrives as a joyful surprise, sometimes with tragedy, with hardship, or because of disobedience, or simply because we live in a broken world. No matter the cause, we know that it is no surprise to the Lord, who is already praying for us and ready to shoulder our burden. Change means to “give up something in exchange for something else.” Jesus sacrificed His life for us to receive eternal life through Him. Change means to “make or become different.” Through Jesus, we are a new creation. Change means to “make or become a different substance entirely; transform.” When we accept Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit resides in us to transform us to be more like Jesus moment by moment. Change means “the act or instance of becoming different.” Every time we experience something different in our life, we can let it be the catalyst that prompts us to embrace it as another opportunity to draw nearer to God and rely on Him to work new miracles in our life. 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. I would also appreciate it if you would share this podcast with a friend. Tag me if you share it on social media. I want everyone to hear the messages Jesus lays on my heart so they will find encouragement from Him and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 013 Change Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #013 – Change 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. As I prepare this podcast, what I consider the most beautiful time of year is unfolding outside. As spring draws near, I make time to look out the window in my master bathroom, in anticipation of seeing blooms bursting free from winter slumber on a nearby neighbor’s tree in their front yard. Always the first in my area to awaken, it gives me great joy when I view the tiny blooms release. I observe it daily just to see the progression of spring unfold in elapsed time. In contrast, my next-door neighbor has a tree that is last to arouse to new life and thus, their tree has the very last leaves to drop away in the fall. As you can see, I am an observer of seasons and I always have a deep and bittersweet sense of lost love every year when it’s time to say goodbye to spring and summer months. Nothing God does is by chance. The seasons He created represent how our lives constantly change. All of creation was intelligently formed with wisdom only God possesses and is tied together in a subtle, perfect fashion, just as the changes I described and that we all experience are, although they don’t always feel good or positive in the moment. God has blessed me with plenty of opportunities to rely on Him to get me through transitions in life. Let me list just the highlights, meaning this is not everything, of what God has enabled us to rely on Him for over during just the last fourteen years. I quit my job to stay home, we brought home our infant daughter from China, began an extremely difficult journey as my mother battled Alzheimer’s, our oldest daughter battled health issues and passed away unexpectedly, placed my mother in a nursing home for better care, visited my mother daily and managed her bills and care team instructions, helped my father navigate health care as he received news that he had terminal lung cancer, suffered through my husband’s job loss of almost two years, lost my father, lost my mother, adopted a nine year-old daughter with significant health and special needs from China, lost my father-in-law to cancer, helped my youngest through many surgeries and procedures as she adjusted to living with a family in a new country, helped our daughter through her second open-heart surgery, and became a strong advocate for her health care. These are just the highlights that chronicle the time span mentioned. As excruciatingly hard as moments were, I never forgot that God is in control. It didn’t always make the struggles easier, but it shaped my faith deeper and wider. What does that mean? My faith was strong because I already had a relationship with Christ, however, the trials we endured thrust the roots of my relationship farther into deeper fertile ground and spread those roots across the soil of my life. It implanted my feet solidly on living with eternal perspective and spread around me to attempt to allow Him to shine. I am always aware of the fact that others are watching to see how Christ works in the life of a believer. I want them to experience the joy He brings and understand the difference He makes in the life of one trusting Him. One lesson God has taught me is that no matter what I am living through, no matter how easy or difficult the situation or trial may be at the time, I am to look up to Him. Most definitely, it is a beautiful thing when friends and family are around to help and comfort us, but He has proven to me that I am not to rely on the strength of another human to do what He can. While He gives loved ones to us, we are not to find our identity or strength through them. They are a blessing in our life for other purposes. One way in particular that God strengthened my endurance to look to Him was years ago when our oldest daughter showed the first sign of the seriousness of her health condition. It was New Year’s Eve, 2001. Just a few hours before 2002 rang in, I received a phone call. I had just stepped out of the shower. My husband was extremely sick with the flu and could not move anywhere but to the toilet. In fact, he was laying on the floor near it. When I got home from work, I expected to shower and watch a movie, then go to bed. When I heard the phone ringing as I stepped out of the bathtub, I wrapped a towel around myself and quickly ran to answer it. It was a police officer. He told me our daughter had experienced a seizure. The only information she could give him was our phone number. She was 22 years old and living in an apartment about four blocks from our house. A friend was in town from Texas and they had been sitting in the apartment drawing while they figured out where to go for dinner when our daughter’s hand began to tremble, and her body reacted with a full-blown seizure. That is when her friend called 911. I told the officer where to take her and after quickly getting dressed, I raced to tell my husband what had happened, then left for the hospital. I remember thinking how terrible it was that I had to go to the hospital alone. I desperately wanted my husband with me. I felt like it seemed that major events in my life happened when I had to handle things by myself. My thoughts started shooting to several memories as I grew upset. As soon as I thought the words and began the mental movie, I felt God’s firm assurance and reprimand that I had never been alone. I grew calmer as I prayed for Him to take care of Jaime and to guide the doctors. A few years later when police officers came to our home to tell us that our daughter had passed away, my husband was at work. In a time I wanted him home with me, God was my refuge and strength. The way it should be. Because He planned for each of us before we were even formed in the womb, God knows exactly what each of us needs. He doesn’t waste anything that happens to us. Everything we endure or enjoy is a gift from our Heavenly Father. All is designed to reach us in ways nothing else would for specific purposes only He understands fully. My husband and I are very close, and God may know that it would be easy for me to rely on my husband, instead of Him. I trust that the way events occur and the timing with which they happen is as it should be. Thankfully, my Heavenly Father sees the whole picture, not the small snapshot I do. Nothing stays constant in life. Life is fluid, always shifting, bringing highs and lows that I could not survive without God. Yet, while some who do not know Jesus might believe I am weak because of my reliance on Him, I know that I am strong, but in the right ways. In the best ways. On my own, I am a naturally strong person, but the strengths this world reveres is not the quality that gives fullness of life. Before I knew Christ as my Savior, I would describe my personality as stubborn, and prideful, yet with low confidence. After releasing myself to Jesus and submitting to Him, I have become persistent, yet not stubborn because I know I can do all things through Christ. I am becoming humbler daily as I look to Him and His examples, and my confidence has grown, not in self, but through Him and His mighty works through me. I don’t have to look to self for definition or endurance, strength, wisdom, or provisions. He is enough. God is my everything. I remember feeling extremely concerned for my middle daughter when she was younger because she was living her formative childhood years under such pressured days. I wanted to raise her for God and deeply desired smooth, easy days to teach her about Him. God, in His infinite wisdom, knew what was in store for us. I trust that He holds all details in His hands and that what we walk through, as devastating as it feels during the moment, serves a great purpose, not just for us, or those around us, but for eternity. I prayed diligently every day for Him to use what we were enduring for good for His purposes. I pleaded with God not to let Satan get a foothold in her life because the days were so painful, and I could recognize attacks on our family. What I’ve learned (and each of us must remember) is that changes that arrive at our doorstep invite us to lay a welcome mat for Jesus to enter our hearts, minds, and spirits to guide us and carry us in His capable arms, if we choose to let Him through each moment. Remember, absolutely nothing in life is exempt from change. Often, instead of embracing that fact, we dread it. Routines are so important to human nature. We like the expected in daily life. We want our routines and schedules to flow exactly the way we desire. Why do we live with a false sense of control? It makes us feel secure. False security feels better than facing the knowledge that nothing is permanent. Why do we fear change? It is unpredictable. We cannot control it or anticipate it. Change can cause fear, resentment, anxiety, anger or bitterness. God already knows every change we will ever encounter. In fact, He wants to work all things for good for all who love Him and are called according to His purpose. He is already steps ahead of us, paving the way if only we will allow Him to pick us up to carry us over the stumbling steps we experience when walking on our own. Everything in life serv es a purpose and has its time. As it is said in Ecclesiastes 3, “to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Although we have the head knowledge of these truths, we still sometimes find it hard to embrace Him when situations call for it. Hebrews 13:8 offers the hope, assurance, and promise we need. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” When life swirls around us and we feel as though everything is different or frightening and that we are alone or without hope, why is it so difficult to remember the words from Joshua 1:9? Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Or this promise from Psalm 18:2-3, “I will love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in Whom I will trust, My Shield and the Horn of my Salvation, My Stronghold, I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised.” It becomes difficult to remember and call upon the promises of God in troubled times because we are so prone to falling back to reliance on self. As with everything else of great importance in deepening our dependence on, and our abidance in God, we remember hope if we shift our mindset and heart to view life as an evolving gift from Him that is intended to grow and deepen our walk. Our life is not meant to be what we have made it in our fallen world. Our life was meant to be one of intimate and pure communion with God. It is still meant to be that way. We are not meant to abide in Him during troubled times. We were created for permanent residency in and with Him. I enjoy imagining what God originally designed this world and our relationships to be. When we study Eve in the book of Genesis we can begin to understand the perfect love, grace, and provision God extended to her and Adam. They truly lived in God-created paradise without anxiety, bitterness, jealousy, strife, misunderstandings, guilt, hurt, or envy. None of the hurtful, hateful, harmful emotions, words, or actions so strong in our present world existed. Change was probably not a word in their vocabulary or thoughts. Life was perfect. Stop for a moment and ponder the ways our world was so different from what we now experience. If none of us had ever lived under the crushing pain of betrayal, abuse, neglect, or any of the terrible truths of this current world, our hearts, minds, actions, and lives would not suffer from the horrendous effects of such abuse. No wonder change can be so terrifying. We are undoubtedly prone to sin and failure when we shift our attention from God for even a moment. Our lives were meant for complete submission and reliance on Him. Not in an ugly, twisted enslaved way, but in a beautifully complete provisional and intimate exchange of love and reliance on Him because we recognize His authority and attention to us personally. God planned and created each of us for a specific purpose. He deeply desires to provide for us and simply love us. Life is so complicated because of the prominent sin we invited into this world. It was never the way God intended for us to live. I know the separation we feel is so profoundly undesired by God, who created us for such deep intimacy with Him. Thankfully, Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us, “Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” As I studied chapters in Luke this past week in preparation for Easter, I read a verse that touched me in a new way as I was also preparing this podcast. Although I have read the verse before, it never captured my attention the way that it did this time. As it is written in God’s Holy Bible in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The Bible holds such unique power through God’s word, truths, and will that enables us to be reached through different verses and stories at just the right time in our life for His good purposes. Luke 22:32a states, “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail.” These words were spoken by Jesus to Simon Peter as the Lord warned his disciple that Satan had requested to sift the follower as wheat. Instead of heeding Jesus’ warning, the always zealous and over-confident Peter ignored the meaning behind Jesus’ words. He told Jesus He was ready to go with the Lord to prison and to death. Jesus replied that Simon would deny Him three times that day. What strikes me in this passage as so vitally important to remember is that we know Satan must request permission to tempt us. Job 1:12 shows us that God granted the devil certain access to Job. “And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.’” We also know that God already knows everything that will happen in each of our lives. He knows who Satan will target and when that will happen. The verse from Luke 22 proves that we are prayed for before the events occur. The Lord Himself prays for and intercedes for us, strengthening us with His mighty power when we need it most. What could be more effective than a prayer spoken for us by Jesus? This is our reminder that no change comes to us that God has not authorized. This gives me such hope and peace when things around me swirl with uncertainty. It fills me with mighty strength and trust in Him. Change may bring uncertainty and make us uncomfortable, but we don’t have to stay in those feelings. Human emotions are beautiful and I’m so thankful God allows us to experience such complex thoughts and feelings. Yet, He never intended us to remain fixed in or paralyzed by emotions. His desire has always been for us to look and turn to Him for every need. Jesus modeled ultimate obedience for us when He went to the cross. As He prayed in the garden before His arrest, He was aware of the biggest change in His life about to come. Jesus had such a love for us and for His Heavenly Father that He could not deny His purpose. As He knelt in prayer, he spoke these words from Luke 22:42, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not my will, but Yours, be done.” Jesus knew what change was coming. He carried such severe emotional and physical stress that He actually produced sweat, and if that isn’t hard enough to imagine, the sweat looked like great drops of blood. Jesus knew what had to be done. He faced tremendous change with courage found through His relationship with His Heavenly Father. He did not rely on self, but was diligently prayerful and intensely focused above. Jesus knew He could not face the coming change alone. He looked to the Only One who could carry Him. Jesus modeled perfect love and obedience for us. Fixing His trust and focus on God is the only way He would be able to do what was written for Him. Jesus left us with the perfect example of how to handle anything we ever endure. Isaiah 26:3 is a reminder for all of us. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Change is a fact of life for all of us. Change will continue to happen. Sometimes it arrives as a joyful surprise, sometimes with tragedy, with hardship, or because of disobedience, or simply because we live in a broken world. No matter the cause, we know that it is no surprise to the Lord, who is already praying for us and ready to shoulder our burden. Change means to “give up something in exchange for something else.” Jesus sacrificed His life for us to receive eternal life through Him. Change means to “make or become different.” Through Jesus, we are a new creation. Change means to “make or become a different substance entirely; transform.” When we accept Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit resides in us to transform us to be more like Jesus moment by moment. Change means “the act or instance of becoming different.” Every time we experience something different in our life, we can let it be the catalyst that prompts us to embrace it as another opportunity to draw nearer to God and rely on Him to work new miracles in our life. 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. I would also appreciate it if you would share this podcast with a friend. Tag me if you share it on social media. I want everyone to hear the messages Jesus lays on my heart so they will find encouragement from Him and find new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #141 – Why Should I Seek Jesus Early in the Morning? 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. Last summer we replaced siding on our house. From the month of April, when we decided to start this huge endeavor and I began collecting quotes from various contractors to the end of October when our entire home was clothed in new siding guaranteed to keep the woodpeckers away, a total of 6 months had passed! That’s half a year! During that time, we had contractors in the yard at any moment as they dropped by to check progress on the house. Workers were almost always present ripping off siding, hammering, and stomping on the roof carrying supplies and making repairs. Throughout each day I’d receive texts or phone calls with multiple questions or updates. I learned very quickly that it was important for me to prioritize anything I needed to get done each day. It was also essential that I let them know certain times that I would be unavailable. Even when they could see me through the windows of the house. For example, first thing every morning after my youngest daughter awakens, she and I have a date to play. This is a non-negotiable in our schedule. Unless she has surgery or there is an appointment beyond our control, our time together takes priority. How frustrating it was for both of us when the siding replacement brought disruption to her one-on-one time with me every day. Since she’s been home with us in August of 2015, we have made our time together something we both look forward to. It has bonded and attached us and allowed her freedom to explore interests and share passions. It has allowed me to know her sweet nature and understand what she may need to process. It became apparent early on that I needed to tell the workers (and she needed to hear me say the words) that I had a play date in the morning. The time I devoted to my daughter was important enough to dictate that I was not to be disturbed, even when they saw me at the kitchen table playing. This is the way we should set aside time to be with God. Just as my daughter can see whether I seem to place importance on our time together, and whether I uphold my word that we will have time together for just the two of us, God sees directly into our hearts. He knows the level of desire we carry for Him. He knows the battles we face and the effort we exert to overcome obstacles just to be with Him. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.” Seeking and following God mattered to Jesus. It was a time He prioritized and set-apart. In order to be a person of godly integrity, in order to carry godly wisdom, in order to know God and make Him known, we must seek to do the same. Jesus was willing to make Himself rise early in the morning. Jesus was willing to step away from others and privately enjoy time alone with the Father. His pursuit of God even though He was already fully God, yet fully man, models how to live in a way that is set-apart and sanctified for the Kingdom of God. The way we prioritize our time, even our lack of time, shows our character and desires. What we set-apart to complete first becomes habit if we are consistent over time. New patterns in our thoughts, actions, and reactions are established when we arrange the time we are given for eternal purposes. If we examine the life of Jesus, we see that He spent His life actively pursuing what would bring Him closer to God. Jesus intentionally prioritized what He needed to do in order to mature His faith and obedience. You may wonder if you must seek God early in the morning. If you don’t will you offend God? Does not seeking Him early constitute a sin? I am not aware of a specific Scripture that commands we must seek God only in the morning or early each day. Actually, Scripture tells us that God is waiting for us whenever we come to Him. However, Scripture does expose a pattern of early morning risers for God. What we prioritize exposes what we pursue. If we plan to prepare for time with our Heavenly Father through praise, prayer, and the Word, we are most likely to be most successful in those aspirations if we attempt to complete our time with God in the morning. What we prioritize is less likely to be pushed aside or rescheduled, thinking we’ll come back to it later. But it depends on the schedule we currently keep and the season of life we are in. Psalm 119:147 says, “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your word.” Early morning time with God through prayer and Scripture align our spirit and mind with His, allowing God’s strength, wisdom, and endurance to guide our thoughts, words, actions, and reactions throughout each day, and it instigates important growth that attaches us to our Father first thing in the morning before we face trials or tragedies. I remember when my oldest daughter passed away in 2009, I later found out that at the very time she passed from this earth, I was studying Scripture and completing a Bible Study I was in at the time. I was incredibly thankful my day had started with Jesus and He was carrying me into the worst day of my life so far. Isaiah 33:2 says, “Lord, be gracious to us; we long for You. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.” Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Just as Scripture says, we must remember that we carry free will. We can choose the best time to study and pray with God. Life has seasons. God knows what demands we face. He sees and understands our deepest desires. God knows when we long for deeper relationship with Him and He recognizes if we simply push Him away for later. Our Heavenly Father searches our heart and sees into the brightest and darkest areas we may not even know exist. He lovingly blesses those who seek Him with deep love and longing and He knows which of us long to do whatever we need to in order to develop a holy desire for Him. Psalm 88:13 says, “But I cry to you for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before You.” Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” The more we seek our Father, the closer He draws to us. As we draw near to Him, our hunger and thirst miraculously multiplies. Seeking Him early and often allows us a fellowship sweeter than any this world offers. Psalm 42:1 says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, my God.” Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” There is nothing that will ever satisfy your heart and mind like intensely seeking and finding God through a personal relationship with Jesus that allows you to know Him more intimately daily. Psalm 63:1-5 says, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise You.” I’m going to share a verse that reminds us no one, not even Jesus found it simple to break away from the distractions and busyness of life to pray. People often mobbed him. He had disciples around and people needing attention and healing. But Jesus was diligent. He knew what He needed and what the Father desired. Mark 1:35-37 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for Him, and when they found Him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for You!” The passage of Scripture reminds me of Luke 2:48-52, which says, “When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. “Child, why have You done this to us?” His mother asked. “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.” “Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand the statement He was making to them. Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Jesus recognized and respected the necessity of being with the Father. He ensured that His day was scheduled to accommodate the Father’s wishes to spend time with Him, to instruct and guide, to pursue and protect. Do you regularly consider how deeply God yearns to spend intimate time with you? Consistent prayer time and time to read and study Scripture is vital for believers. You cannot know the mind and desires of God without knowing His Word. You will not recognize lies from this world if you do not know the truths of God. Think of the demands Jesus dealt with daily! Yet He made it a priority to make time to get away and enjoy solitude with His Heavenly Father. Jesus made sure He broke away from everyone and everything first thing in the morning to converse with and hear God. He knew where He received strength, wisdom, guidance, protection, insight, and clarity of mind, as well as so many other qualities and blessings. This short verse reminds each of us that it is imperative for us, no matter what time of day we use, to find time with God daily. It is not surprising that the last act Jesus completed on this earth was to rise from the grave. Of course, He prioritized this miraculous feat and completed it early in the morning. John 20:1 says, “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.” May you and I strive to become more like Christ daily. He understands the seasons and demands of your life this very minute. If you ask Him to enable you to find the right times to meet with Him, He will honor that prayer. Dear sovereign, holy God, who resides in Heaven above, yet within and around us, great is your mercy and love for each one of us. Thank you for Your grace and pursuit. Thank you for leaving us the greatest example through Jesus. May we see all He did more clearly and may His words and actions bring us humbly to our knees before You. Help each of us to evaluate our lives and obligations through Your eyes and heart. Help us to see where we can alter our schedules to allow more time for crafting deeper relationships with You. Enable us to allow transformation of heart, mind, and soul from spending quality time in pursuit of You. We thank you for allowing us free will to choose You, but ask that You help us stay in pursuit of You now and forever. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast. You can find this and other transcripts online at terrihitt.com. Remember that both of my podcasts are available on the website. You can also find them on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and they are part of the Spark Media Network. Both podcasts are also found on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed my podcasts on Apple Podcasts yet? When you review my podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing of the podcast online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Will you take a moment to follow the shows and think of someone you can share the podcasts with and encourage them to follow and share, as well? Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 141 - Why Should I Seek Jesus Early in the Morning? Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #141 – Why Should I Seek Jesus Early in the Morning? 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. Last summer we replaced siding on our house. From the month of April, when we decided to start this huge endeavor and I began collecting quotes from various contractors to the end of October when our entire home was clothed in new siding guaranteed to keep the woodpeckers away, a total of 6 months had passed! That’s half a year! During that time, we had contractors in the yard at any moment as they dropped by to check progress on the house. Workers were almost always present ripping off siding, hammering, and stomping on the roof carrying supplies and making repairs. Throughout each day I’d receive texts or phone calls with multiple questions or updates. I learned very quickly that it was important for me to prioritize anything I needed to get done each day. It was also essential that I let them know certain times that I would be unavailable. Even when they could see me through the windows of the house. For example, first thing every morning after my youngest daughter awakens, she and I have a date to play. This is a non-negotiable in our schedule. Unless she has surgery or there is an appointment beyond our control, our time together takes priority. How frustrating it was for both of us when the siding replacement brought disruption to her one-on-one time with me every day. Since she’s been home with us in August of 2015, we have made our time together something we both look forward to. It has bonded and attached us and allowed her freedom to explore interests and share passions. It has allowed me to know her sweet nature and understand what she may need to process. It became apparent early on that I needed to tell the workers (and she needed to hear me say the words) that I had a play date in the morning. The time I devoted to my daughter was important enough to dictate that I was not to be disturbed, even when they saw me at the kitchen table playing. This is the way we should set aside time to be with God. Just as my daughter can see whether I seem to place importance on our time together, and whether I uphold my word that we will have time together for just the two of us, God sees directly into our hearts. He knows the level of desire we carry for Him. He knows the battles we face and the effort we exert to overcome obstacles just to be with Him. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.” Seeking and following God mattered to Jesus. It was a time He prioritized and set-apart. In order to be a person of godly integrity, in order to carry godly wisdom, in order to know God and make Him known, we must seek to do the same. Jesus was willing to make Himself rise early in the morning. Jesus was willing to step away from others and privately enjoy time alone with the Father. His pursuit of God even though He was already fully God, yet fully man, models how to live in a way that is set-apart and sanctified for the Kingdom of God. The way we prioritize our time, even our lack of time, shows our character and desires. What we set-apart to complete first becomes habit if we are consistent over time. New patterns in our thoughts, actions, and reactions are established when we arrange the time we are given for eternal purposes. If we examine the life of Jesus, we see that He spent His life actively pursuing what would bring Him closer to God. Jesus intentionally prioritized what He needed to do in order to mature His faith and obedience. You may wonder if you must seek God early in the morning. If you don’t will you offend God? Does not seeking Him early constitute a sin? I am not aware of a specific Scripture that commands we must seek God only in the morning or early each day. Actually, Scripture tells us that God is waiting for us whenever we come to Him. However, Scripture does expose a pattern of early morning risers for God. What we prioritize exposes what we pursue. If we plan to prepare for time with our Heavenly Father through praise, prayer, and the Word, we are most likely to be most successful in those aspirations if we attempt to complete our time with God in the morning. What we prioritize is less likely to be pushed aside or rescheduled, thinking we’ll come back to it later. But it depends on the schedule we currently keep and the season of life we are in. Psalm 119:147 says, “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your word.” Early morning time with God through prayer and Scripture align our spirit and mind with His, allowing God’s strength, wisdom, and endurance to guide our thoughts, words, actions, and reactions throughout each day, and it instigates important growth that attaches us to our Father first thing in the morning before we face trials or tragedies. I remember when my oldest daughter passed away in 2009, I later found out that at the very time she passed from this earth, I was studying Scripture and completing a Bible Study I was in at the time. I was incredibly thankful my day had started with Jesus and He was carrying me into the worst day of my life so far. Isaiah 33:2 says, “Lord, be gracious to us; we long for You. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.” Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Just as Scripture says, we must remember that we carry free will. We can choose the best time to study and pray with God. Life has seasons. God knows what demands we face. He sees and understands our deepest desires. God knows when we long for deeper relationship with Him and He recognizes if we simply push Him away for later. Our Heavenly Father searches our heart and sees into the brightest and darkest areas we may not even know exist. He lovingly blesses those who seek Him with deep love and longing and He knows which of us long to do whatever we need to in order to develop a holy desire for Him. Psalm 88:13 says, “But I cry to you for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before You.” Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” The more we seek our Father, the closer He draws to us. As we draw near to Him, our hunger and thirst miraculously multiplies. Seeking Him early and often allows us a fellowship sweeter than any this world offers. Psalm 42:1 says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, my God.” Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” There is nothing that will ever satisfy your heart and mind like intensely seeking and finding God through a personal relationship with Jesus that allows you to know Him more intimately daily. Psalm 63:1-5 says, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise You.” I’m going to share a verse that reminds us no one, not even Jesus found it simple to break away from the distractions and busyness of life to pray. People often mobbed him. He had disciples around and people needing attention and healing. But Jesus was diligent. He knew what He needed and what the Father desired. Mark 1:35-37 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for Him, and when they found Him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for You!” The passage of Scripture reminds me of Luke 2:48-52, which says, “When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. “Child, why have You done this to us?” His mother asked. “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.” “Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand the statement He was making to them. Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But His mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Jesus recognized and respected the necessity of being with the Father. He ensured that His day was scheduled to accommodate the Father’s wishes to spend time with Him, to instruct and guide, to pursue and protect. Do you regularly consider how deeply God yearns to spend intimate time with you? Consistent prayer time and time to read and study Scripture is vital for believers. You cannot know the mind and desires of God without knowing His Word. You will not recognize lies from this world if you do not know the truths of God. Think of the demands Jesus dealt with daily! Yet He made it a priority to make time to get away and enjoy solitude with His Heavenly Father. Jesus made sure He broke away from everyone and everything first thing in the morning to converse with and hear God. He knew where He received strength, wisdom, guidance, protection, insight, and clarity of mind, as well as so many other qualities and blessings. This short verse reminds each of us that it is imperative for us, no matter what time of day we use, to find time with God daily. It is not surprising that the last act Jesus completed on this earth was to rise from the grave. Of course, He prioritized this miraculous feat and completed it early in the morning. John 20:1 says, “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.” May you and I strive to become more like Christ daily. He understands the seasons and demands of your life this very minute. If you ask Him to enable you to find the right times to meet with Him, He will honor that prayer. Dear sovereign, holy God, who resides in Heaven above, yet within and around us, great is your mercy and love for each one of us. Thank you for Your grace and pursuit. Thank you for leaving us the greatest example through Jesus. May we see all He did more clearly and may His words and actions bring us humbly to our knees before You. Help each of us to evaluate our lives and obligations through Your eyes and heart. Help us to see where we can alter our schedules to allow more time for crafting deeper relationships with You. Enable us to allow transformation of heart, mind, and soul from spending quality time in pursuit of You. We thank you for allowing us free will to choose You, but ask that You help us stay in pursuit of You now and forever. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast. You can find this and other transcripts online at terrihitt.com. Remember that both of my podcasts are available on the website. You can also find them on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and they are part of the Spark Media Network. Both podcasts are also found on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed my podcasts on Apple Podcasts yet? When you review my podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing of the podcast online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Will you take a moment to follow the shows and think of someone you can share the podcasts with and encourage them to follow and share, as well? Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #072 –Faith That Perseveres 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. Sometimes our best laid plans are not what God has crafted for us. Just as true is the opposite! What God offers to us is sometimes not our first choice. As I have walked the journey of podcasting, this is even clearer to me. It has been an honor to bow before the Lord weekly as I prayerfully consider topics, scriptures, and themes. As with everything in life, this podcast is held very loosely. Joy fills me weekly, honestly, daily as I watch where the Lord takes me and what He requires of me. There have been days of union with Him where I feel His hand guiding every word crafted in the podcast. What a joy I have lived as I see Him work in me to continue forming me into an image more suited for Him, as well as allowing Him to humble me and lift me up into a new creation. There have been moments of absolutely nothing to say as I wait on Him to fill me with His presence and promise that a podcast will be provided. This was one of those weeks. For the first time in 16 months, I had nothing to offer. It’s not that I didn’t have anything to say. Just ask my youngest, who always tells me that one of my best qualities is talking. Yet, by the grace of God, she also tells me that the quality she thinks I hold the best is the ability to love. I love the Lord and I deeply desire to only say on this podcast what I believe He calls me to. Thus, this week, I had to be patient. I had to wait. There was no doubt He would give me something to say. God’s timing is always pure. It is always present. It is always perfect. I wanted to wait until I knew for sure what God wanted my words to be this week. As I have shared before, I always thought I was living with a heart for eternity. Until I lost my oldest daughter, I believed I was living the way God desired with a heart and mind fixed on Him. Yet, her death caused me to look so much deeper into life, death, and eternity. Which is one of the reasons I believe God called me to begin this podcast. Where are you today? What is your viewpoint of eternity? Do you believe a single moment of your life is yours alone? God gives us time on earth. He fills our lives with blessings we rarely see for what they truly are. Even the air we breathe, the breaths we take, the ability to speak, to think, to walk, to bend over, to see, to hear, a safe bed to sleep in, a house to come home to, a family that loves us. Each one a blessing. I know there are broken homes, families that are falling apart, bitterness, envy, strife, arguments, loss, and so much more in this world. Yet, when we turn our thinking inside out, we more closely match the way God thinks. Can I tell you all His thoughts? No! But I know they are not my own. His are not the reasoning or understanding we have, yet through our relationship with God through Jesus, we have the ability and the blessing to begin each moment to think and reason and act more like He does, more like He desires. Each problem we have can be conceived as a blessing. We must know God so well that we use each opportunity to draw us nearer to Him. How would He desire us to handle it? How would He call us to react? Where are we faltering? How can we stretch our faith and ability to trust that God has a plan and that nothing is a surprise to Him? If He is allowing us to go through it, there is opportunity for eyes and hearts to turn to Him because of it. If we are struggling because we are dealing with the repercussions of sin or mistakes, are we going to continue making the same ones or grasp this moment to shift our live onto a God-glorifying journey that changes self and others for eternity? What can you do this day to begin anew in seeking to understand the world and others, the situation you may be living in, the way you respond to life, and so much more? This moment was crafted long ago. God knew you would come to it and He is waiting for you to surrender it to Him. Beauty and sweetness abide in the bitter pain of surrender. Look Up to the only One who can rescue and sustain you. Spend time with Him. Get in His word and converse with Him daily through prayers and listen for His voice. He will not lead you astray. Place your hope and trust in Him. Psalm 40:1-17 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He lifted me up from the pit of despair, out of the miry clay; He set my feet upon a rock, and made my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, who has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done, and the plans You have for us— none can compare to You— if I proclaim and declare them, they are more than I can count. Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require. Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll: I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.” I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; behold, I do not seal my lips, as You, O Lord, do know. I have not covered up Your righteousness in my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and salvation; I have not concealed Your loving devotion and faithfulness from the great assembly. O Lord, do not withhold Your mercy from me; Your loving devotion and faithfulness will always guard me. For evils without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, so that I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed within me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; hurry, O Lord, to help me. May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated. May those who say to me, “Aha, aha!” be appalled at their own shame. May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; May those who love Your salvation always say, “The Lord be magnified!” But I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my helper and deliverer; O my God, do not delay.” So much truth and hope in this passage of scriptures! Blessed is the man who makes the Lord His trust. The Lord’s thoughts of us are more than can be numbered. The Lord is our help and deliverer. Live each moment in expectation that God is present. He is prepared. He is personal. Privately and publicly proclaim His goodness and faithfulness as you purposely grow your walk with Him. Let others see the difference He makes in one surrendered life. There is none like Him. Gracious and loving Heavenly Father. There is none like You. We thank you for Your goodness, Your presence in our lives. Lord, please make us to know our end, the measure of our days. Help us to remember our frailty and live with the knowledge that our days are as handbreadths. Our time is short. At our best, we are but vapor. Yet, you love us with an everlasting love. Help us to wait patiently for You. Enable us to hear Your calls for us and see our life as You do. May we honor You with the appreciation You are due for all the good gifts You allow in our life. May we see them with eyes, minds, and hearts that acknowledge Your goodness and grace and humbly extend it to others as You desire and call us to. Your loving kindness and truth is a precious gift to us. May we offer it back to You with humble spirits that allow the Holy Spirt free reign and may we thirst for You, our Living God, more than what this world offers so that our lives are a reflection of You. Help us keep a growing faith that shines to this empty world and draws others closer to You as we abide in Your arms. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 072 Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #072 –Faith That Perseveres 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. Sometimes our best laid plans are not what God has crafted for us. Just as true is the opposite! What God offers to us is sometimes not our first choice. As I have walked the journey of podcasting, this is even clearer to me. It has been an honor to bow before the Lord weekly as I prayerfully consider topics, scriptures, and themes. As with everything in life, this podcast is held very loosely. Joy fills me weekly, honestly, daily as I watch where the Lord takes me and what He requires of me. There have been days of union with Him where I feel His hand guiding every word crafted in the podcast. What a joy I have lived as I see Him work in me to continue forming me into an image more suited for Him, as well as allowing Him to humble me and lift me up into a new creation. There have been moments of absolutely nothing to say as I wait on Him to fill me with His presence and promise that a podcast will be provided. This was one of those weeks. For the first time in 16 months, I had nothing to offer. It’s not that I didn’t have anything to say. Just ask my youngest, who always tells me that one of my best qualities is talking. Yet, by the grace of God, she also tells me that the quality she thinks I hold the best is the ability to love. I love the Lord and I deeply desire to only say on this podcast what I believe He calls me to. Thus, this week, I had to be patient. I had to wait. There was no doubt He would give me something to say. God’s timing is always pure. It is always present. It is always perfect. I wanted to wait until I knew for sure what God wanted my words to be this week. As I have shared before, I always thought I was living with a heart for eternity. Until I lost my oldest daughter, I believed I was living the way God desired with a heart and mind fixed on Him. Yet, her death caused me to look so much deeper into life, death, and eternity. Which is one of the reasons I believe God called me to begin this podcast. Where are you today? What is your viewpoint of eternity? Do you believe a single moment of your life is yours alone? God gives us time on earth. He fills our lives with blessings we rarely see for what they truly are. Even the air we breathe, the breaths we take, the ability to speak, to think, to walk, to bend over, to see, to hear, a safe bed to sleep in, a house to come home to, a family that loves us. Each one a blessing. I know there are broken homes, families that are falling apart, bitterness, envy, strife, arguments, loss, and so much more in this world. Yet, when we turn our thinking inside out, we more closely match the way God thinks. Can I tell you all His thoughts? No! But I know they are not my own. His are not the reasoning or understanding we have, yet through our relationship with God through Jesus, we have the ability and the blessing to begin each moment to think and reason and act more like He does, more like He desires. Each problem we have can be conceived as a blessing. We must know God so well that we use each opportunity to draw us nearer to Him. How would He desire us to handle it? How would He call us to react? Where are we faltering? How can we stretch our faith and ability to trust that God has a plan and that nothing is a surprise to Him? If He is allowing us to go through it, there is opportunity for eyes and hearts to turn to Him because of it. If we are struggling because we are dealing with the repercussions of sin or mistakes, are we going to continue making the same ones or grasp this moment to shift our live onto a God-glorifying journey that changes self and others for eternity? What can you do this day to begin anew in seeking to understand the world and others, the situation you may be living in, the way you respond to life, and so much more? This moment was crafted long ago. God knew you would come to it and He is waiting for you to surrender it to Him. Beauty and sweetness abide in the bitter pain of surrender. Look Up to the only One who can rescue and sustain you. Spend time with Him. Get in His word and converse with Him daily through prayers and listen for His voice. He will not lead you astray. Place your hope and trust in Him. Psalm 40:1-17 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He lifted me up from the pit of despair, out of the miry clay; He set my feet upon a rock, and made my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, who has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done, and the plans You have for us— none can compare to You— if I proclaim and declare them, they are more than I can count. Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require. Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll: I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.” I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; behold, I do not seal my lips, as You, O Lord, do know. I have not covered up Your righteousness in my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and salvation; I have not concealed Your loving devotion and faithfulness from the great assembly. O Lord, do not withhold Your mercy from me; Your loving devotion and faithfulness will always guard me. For evils without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, so that I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed within me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; hurry, O Lord, to help me. May those who seek my life be ashamed and confounded; may those who wish me harm be repelled and humiliated. May those who say to me, “Aha, aha!” be appalled at their own shame. May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; May those who love Your salvation always say, “The Lord be magnified!” But I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my helper and deliverer; O my God, do not delay.” So much truth and hope in this passage of scriptures! Blessed is the man who makes the Lord His trust. The Lord’s thoughts of us are more than can be numbered. The Lord is our help and deliverer. Live each moment in expectation that God is present. He is prepared. He is personal. Privately and publicly proclaim His goodness and faithfulness as you purposely grow your walk with Him. Let others see the difference He makes in one surrendered life. There is none like Him. Gracious and loving Heavenly Father. There is none like You. We thank you for Your goodness, Your presence in our lives. Lord, please make us to know our end, the measure of our days. Help us to remember our frailty and live with the knowledge that our days are as handbreadths. Our time is short. At our best, we are but vapor. Yet, you love us with an everlasting love. Help us to wait patiently for You. Enable us to hear Your calls for us and see our life as You do. May we honor You with the appreciation You are due for all the good gifts You allow in our life. May we see them with eyes, minds, and hearts that acknowledge Your goodness and grace and humbly extend it to others as You desire and call us to. Your loving kindness and truth is a precious gift to us. May we offer it back to You with humble spirits that allow the Holy Spirt free reign and may we thirst for You, our Living God, more than what this world offers so that our lives are a reflection of You. Help us keep a growing faith that shines to this empty world and draws others closer to You as we abide in Your arms. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 068 - Are You Teaching Your Child to Fall Victim to Emotions Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 068 – Are You Teaching Your Child to Fall Victim to Emotions? Goodness! I remember when we brought our youngest daughter home from China, life was a whirlwind. So many beautiful and hard times intertwined. We had just lost my mother and at the time, I keep my gaze lifted to God, waiting for Him to carry me through each moment. Although everything went very well considering the pressures I had been under, and the history of my child, my youngest was in a situation where absolutely everything was new and scary. Think of how that would feel! She had no control over anything happening to her. So, of course she tried to take control when she could, and I tried to make sure she felt control when I could. Our girl tended to cry when things seemed overwhelming. Those tears or what we called, “meltdowns” usually weren’t too often, but when they came they were loud – and lasted a long time. One meltdown could last at least two hours. When emotions, thoughts, or feelings get too big and you don’t have the words or trust to describe what is happening, it’s easy to cry loud and long. Emotions can certainly overwhelm, as was the case for my youngest daughter. It doesn’t matter whether you’re young, old, or in between. Emotions are big at any age. For some children, however, emotions become so large and scary that it becomes easy to resort to undesirable behaviors. In fact, it’s not only children wo are affected by these behaviors. Many adults have learned to cope with emotions by hiding them behind actions that ward others off. Do you have any behaviors that your child is beginning to mirror? Your core beliefs as a woman and mother impact your thoughts, emotions, responses, and behavior. These are passed on to your children through your words, actions, and reactions. When your emotions produce bad habits, your child experiences a learned response that will most likely stick for life, unless you work to correct it within yourself now. As a believer, there should be a noticeable difference in the way you act. Your core beliefs, thoughts, emotions, responses, and behavior should be guided by a higher, holier measure. Your emotions shouldn’t be guarded by reactive or protective responses, but from a relationship with Jesus that believes and teaches truth from the ultimate Source. The best ways to teach your child not to live by emotions is by godly example . Consider yourself as I pose a few questions. In what ways do you help your child respond emotionally in godly ways? Are you modeling godly emotional responses? What steps are you taking to ensure your beliefs align with God’s truths so you will mentor emotions and actions correctly to your children? How often do you mentor the following lifestyle choices to your children? 1. Gratefulness/Thankfulness – Do you teach your child through words (such as prayers and conversations), attitude, and actions? Being thankful means carrying and exhibiting gratitude for the things we want or like and the things we don’t. 2. Thought Patterns – Do you teach your child that you choose to dwell on the positive, not negative aspects of life, situations, and problems – including people? 3. Emotions – Do you teach that it is good and natural for feelings to be expressed, but also mentor appropriate ways to do so? 4. Critical Thinking/Problem Solving – Do you look for ways to teach your child critical thinking skills when dealing with emotions? Do you help them identify emotions and problem solve to see what will best help them before overwhelm occurs? 5. Service – Do you serve with your child? There is always someone in a harder situation or with less of what we desire. Do you teach your child to find ways to be of service to them. 6. Victim Mentality – Have you taught your child that Jesus warned we would face tribulation? This world isn’t fair, but knowing that Jesus went before us and purposely told us what to expect, and also promised to carry us through the difficulties should set a strong mental foundation built on truth. Do you remind your child that Jesus is there to carry and console them? Do you point the way to God through trials? 7. Tantrums – Do you teach your child how to regulate emotions? They often don’t have words to express what they feel, think, fear, or believe. Do you help them work through issues or leave them to deal with emotions alone? 8. Reactions – Do you allow everything you think or feel to show on your face or in your reactions? Are you training your child to attract overwhelm by your habits or reactions? They see and hear every word and reaction. Without knowing it, they absorb and evaluate what you do, catalog your behavior in their memories, and eventually mirror your consistent, continued habits. Let what they learn from you lead them to Christ and you. When kids don’t have control over emotions, it may lead to school, friendship, and trust issues, illnesses, mental health problems, or self-harming behaviors. Children are sensitive. They react emotionally and physically to stress, fear, illness, confusion, and more. When this happens, instead of melting down with your child, look at the situation as an opportunity to help them (and yourself) form godly reactions and character. I’ve learned that as I help my children identify and express emotions, I learn right along with them. It allows us to move nearer to God and each other. Remember, acting out is a response to your child’s emotions. Teaching children how to respond in new ways takes time, just like it does for new habits to form for adults. However, working with your child to express feelings, emotions, and fears in these new ways will decrease the need for tantrums and tears or whatever behavior your child acquires. Instead of simply seeing the way your child responds as negative, view it as a time for godly instruction. Just as God patiently guides you, your child is literally crying out in various ways for your help. Don’t let your emotions or fears guide your response. Instead, let them be a godly guide that molds character instead of an impulsive reaction to silence noise and discomfort. Partner with your child to find beneficial ways of expressing thoughts and feelings. What are some of the ways you can best respond to your child during times of high emotions? 1. Look them in the eye 2. Kneel to their height 3. Maintain calm, no matter what you feel inside 4. Hold your child close or sit next to them 5. Speak softly 6. Validate what you are seeing. For example, “I see that you seem sad.” Or “It seems like you might feel lonely.” 7. Let them respond without interruption. 8. Listen without correcting when they relay feelings or thoughts. 9. Encourage them to try to identify what emotion they are feeling and when it started. What are the best methods to help with self-regulation? First, you have to remember that children may not know why they feel a certain way. Or they may not know how to label that feeling. One of the keys to self-regulation is to teach your child to replace how they feel with an emotion they know . Emotions will begin as a sensation in the body, while feelings originate from thoughts . An example might be when they begin to get a headache after certain events or they notice they are clenching their teeth at certain times or their muscles tighten just before they get mad. If you teach your child to feel a sensation begin, you can then instruct them on different options to reduce or prevent meltdowns or disruptive, inappropriate behavior. Teaching your child to approach the emotion they recognize with a new strategy empowers them with the ability to self-regulate before emotions overwhelm them. Remember, first, talk to your child about emotions. Ask them to discuss the emotion they’ve felt, then identity an approach that would work for them. For example, if your child finds that when they are in a room with a lot of noise it is difficult to think or it makes them feel abandoned, help them brainstorm about what will work for them before the feelings that trigger the meltdown arise. Perhaps they could come to you and take your hand to let you know they need to move to a quiet area. Finding a strategy that works for your child and family may take several attempts as they learn to assess and identify emotions and what triggers them. Be patient. Work with your unique child. There are many emotions and strategies that could be applied. Consider the age of your child, their experience, their background, the behavior you are trying to stop, and find what will work best. The strategies you choose may also be changed over time. Finally, teach your child to observe how they feel when emotions hit, then how they feel after applying the strategy to avoid overwhelm. Over time, they will be able to overcome overwhelm and may no longer need the strategies. Above all, as you teach your child to recognize emotions and apply approaches, teach them to pray . Teach them to talk to God, to ask for His wisdom and help. Help them realize that God is giving ideas as you both ask for guidance. Teach them that God knows their innermost thoughts and feelings, their emotions because He created them with a beautiful purpose. Let them know that God cares and will guide you to answers as you trust and follow Him. Let your child know you are praying for him, and pray for your child with them. Working together to curb the big emotions your child carries and to lay your own emotions in God’s capable hands is a journey of trust and faith you can walk together. Dear Heavenly Father, You are so good to us. We are thankful for Your grace, Your mercy, and Your love. We know You are a God of emotions, because we are created in Your image. You have so generously allowed us to experience emotions, but we need You to carry us through them. Sometimes they can feel so big or overwhelming and our children need us to mentor godly ways to express emotions so they will learn to do the same. Carry us, Father, when life doesn’t run smoothly and our children are overwhelmed. Draw nearer to us and keep us on Your path for godly homes and training that honors You and sets our children up for a lifetime pursuit of You with joy. Jesus said that with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. We know our families are in Your capable hands. Please help us release self and children to You. You tell us that those who wait for You shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Help us to have Your strength in life and the ability to help our children with an eternal viewpoint that parents for the future, not just the ease of today. We know that we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed because our hope and trust are in You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Supporting and encouraging mothers to rest in Christ and pursue a holy relationship with Him so they purposely raise set-apart children is the cry of my heart. I believe godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset a mother carries. That’s why I’ve created the Set-Apart Collective. Would you like to walk with other like-minded mothers to deepen your walk with Christ, learn a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan? I want to share special news with my podcast listeners. The Set-Apart Collective wait list is open now. Send me an email at info@terrihitt.com to let me know you’d like to receive information and a special code to receive a discount if you find you’d like to join the collective. It’s time for mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. If you connected in some way with this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? 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, iHeart Radio, and Spotify. Imagine the change we could see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they are 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 134 - Change and Rest Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 134 – Change and Rest 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. Before we start today’s episode, I want to invite you to work with me. If you’re feeling overwhelm instead of overjoy, or you simply feel you don’t know how to do the things you think will help your kids know Christ, send me a message at info@terrihitt.com . There is a way to alleviate frustration or fear and find freedom as a godly mom. No matter the age of your kids, from infant to adult, your relationship can improve and you can find greater connection with Jesus that will affect theirs into eternity. Send me a message today for info about how easy it is to work together and begin experiencing change with my summer special for only $297. Don’t wait. As a bonus, I’m offering the first five women accepted into the program a one-on-one session plus four weeks of individualized group coaching. Over the last several months I’ve been experiencing health issues. In fact, since September of 2024, I’ve been sick more than well. But one thing hasn’t changed. The presence of Christ and the power He works through me. That same power works within you when you belong to Jesus. Everything experienced in this temporary world should bring us nearer to Him. Praise God that when we are His, we can live with the assurance that He is present, and that all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Through this time I have many God stories, glimpse of hope and assurance that indeed God is with me. He carries me and He carries you. Despite what feelings or thoughts tend to make us believe. We can rest in His truths. I’m sure some of my stories will make their way into future episodes. God has been busy. He’s working new projects and giving me changes to make for Him. Such as changes to this podcast. In the near future, you’ll notice Purposed Parent Connected Child changing to the Godly Motherhood Podcast with a tagline of Chasing Christ Over Culture. It has taken me MONTHS of prayer to discern whether I was hearing God correctly. Now it’s time to move forward in obedience. Future episodes will focus on biblical truths and encouragement for moms, spiritual and emotional training for mothers and children, and Christian parenting. We’ll discover together how to become godly moms who purposely chase Christ over culture with our children. If you’re a mom, you’ve been entrusted with great treasure. The Great I Am, the God of the Universe designed your children with extreme care and great purpose and meant for them to be discipled by you. Join with me to discover ways to be equipped to please God as we travel through life, preparing for eternity. As for now, I plan to take some time off for summer. I’m in the final phase of book edits on “The Good Mom Trap: Break the Lie That Good Parenting Creates Godly Kids.” It’s been a beautiful journey I’ll probably share with a guest on the podcast sometime in the future. In fact, I’ve got more guests to be introduced to you after the podcast resumes. In the meantime, I plan to make the name change this summer. So when you return to listen, it will be with the new name, but same photo in a slightly different form. As long as you subscribe, you’ll know when new episodes are released. In the meantime, remember that there are MANY episodes already recorded and available to hear, as well as episodes from my former podcast, Live With Eternal Perspective. My prayer is that you enjoy your summer with family and I hope you’re here for the newly named podcast before fall arrives. Dear Heavenly Father, Your love is such a gift. Thank you for Your grace, mercy, and lovingkindness. The longer we cling to You the more we stand in awe of You. Please help each of us to follow where You lead. May we move closer to You despite trials or triumphs. May we cling to Your truths and promises. May the ground below us be a solid foundation built on Christ, not the shifting sands of this world. Help us draw nearer to You and feel You draw nearer to us. In the precious name of Your Holy Son, Jesus we pray. Amen. If you have questions after this episode, please reach out to me at info@terrihitt.com . I’m happy to help you discover the ways you can ensure you trust and submit to God to lead your parenting. I also have a resource that you’ll find helpful as you navigate your daily routine as a mom. If you’re ready to become the godly mother God entrusts you to be for Him and His children, you’ll love my free “Good to Godly: A 31-Day Scripture and Prayer Guide for Moms.” Visit terrihitt.com to receive this resource. Time is short. Make yours matter for eternity. Remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection with your children and Christ. Previous Next

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 095 – Self-Care for Busy Moms: Strategies for Prioritizing Your Well-Being through Christ Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 095 – Self-Care for Busy Moms: Strategies for Prioritizing Your Well-Being through Christ Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast deepens your walk with Jesus and your children, equipping you to become a set-apart woman and mother. Self-care. It can mean many things to different people. I’ll be honest. After years of targeted advertisements and big box stores wanting my money, I got tired of hearing the term “self-care.” Since many ads tell women to place themselves first, to escape with bubble baths if they can’t handle stress, or a spa experience after every hard day of work, or shirts that call women to drink a glass of wine each night because parenting is so difficult, I cringe when I hear “self-care.” But advertising agencies shouldn’t dictate the definition of self-care. What does the term mean to you? Is it biblical? I believe the answer lays in how we personally define the expression. If we think of the answer with a secular mindset, the term isn’t Christlike. However, if we define the phrase self-care through the lens of caring for self so that we receive the rest and care we need , then we preserve ourselves for what God calls us to complete, I believe we move with biblical intentions. Life can be challenging. Tiring. It can be stressful. Demanding. Meeting the expectations of others – or even sometimes our own hopes or dreams - can feel overwhelming or impossible at times. That is why true self-care should start with residing and resting in Christ. In reality, none of us have come close to experiencing the burdens Jesus carried. If anyone needed self-care, it would be Him. Because Jesus was burdened, yet led a model life, we are blessed to observe His life and learn from how He lived. As we do so, we see Jesus placed God first no matter the cost, yet He still made time to care for self. During His ministry, Jesus carried a burdensome schedule. He could have continued to serve others, neglecting self. Between healing, teaching, traveling, drawing nearer to God, prayer, and more miracles, Jesus was fully God. He could have found the stamina to continue non-stop work. Yet, remember that Jesus was also fully man. He was a man who loved God with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength. He desired to serve God in ways that were fruitful, yet holy . He knew God called Him to rest, just as He Himself stopped to do when creating the world. Although Jesus knew He needed rest, He prioritized God. He ensured that knowing, serving, and honoring God were top of His mind and heart moment by moment day after day. Jesus understood that nothing was as important as placing God over everything . When Jesus wanted time alone , He spent it with the Father first . Jesus understood that without resting in God, He would not receive the rest His Spirit craved. Listen to this verse from Matthew 22:34-37 , which says, “Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind .’” Jesus’ words teach these truths: Biblical self-care begins with God . Place God first by studying His word – even if you can only manage ten or fifteen minutes a day in your current season, your intentionality will produce huge results over time. If you simply can’t find time to read the Word, listen to the Bible. The more intimate your walk with God becomes, the trials and tribulations of this world lose their sting. You see God at work and recognize His hand in your life - in the way you think, respond, and speak. Biblical self-care doesn’t feel entitled . If you place the Lord first, you’re still allowed to want time for activities such as going out for coffee with friends, a date with your husband, or pursuing a hobby. Because you place the Father first, the time you’ve already spent with God deepening your relationship will keep you from feeling like you’re falling apart without those “extras” you desire. Being refreshed in the Lord helps you maintain joy despite irritations. The time you spend with husband, children, and friends – or even the solo pursuits you follow will be sweeter as you allow God access to areas only He can fill. You begin to hear and respond to His callings and purposes for your life. Biblical self-care doesn’t over-indulge. When you make time to pursue friends, family, and fun, you appreciate the blessings, but don’t let them overtake your life. When God is in His rightful place at the center of your heart and mind, He graciously fills your day with His perfect timing and desire that are pleasing and honoring to Him. Now let’s expand on the 3 points we just discussed by looking at 7 ways to keep God first, avoid self-entitlement, and prevent over-indulgence: 1. Make it your goal to be in God’s Word daily . Study, not just read. When women hear the word “study,” they are often fearful that they don’t have time to read the Bible. When I say study, I mean read and ponder God’s words. Really absorb them by using a good study Bible that gives deeper exploration and expansion on what you are learning. Pray about what God wants you to see, hear, and understand. Ask Him to help you apply His words and teachings in your life in ways that honor Him. You can never outstudy God. But if you are in a season where you can’t spend much time per day, use the time you have to wisely craft relationship with your Heavenly Father. By purposing time with Him, you will see a difference in the way you submit to the Lord and the way His presence is noticed in your actions, reactions, words, and desires. 2. Be Thankful . No matter your circumstances, view life events with a thankful heart. Allow what you consider “bad” to shape and mold your character, heart, and mindset for Christ. If you belong to Jesus, what happens to you or those you love has already been sifted through God’s hands. What happens is not meant for evil or to harm you. Jesus warned us that we would face tribulations in this world. The best is not yet here…it is to come. Let God work through you to let circumstances, (even the hardships) bring you nearer to Him and the person He purposed you to be. Never forget you are mentoring the watching eyes and listening ears in your home. 3. Form a prayer circle of family and friends . Prayer is vital . Gather trusted prayer warriors to lift you, your family, your husband, or your children. Do the same for your prayer partners. Prayer is a mighty fortress and strength. 4. Get wise nourishment . Eat and drink wisely. Make sure you get plenty of liquids. Eat healthy foods. You know the drill. Think of caring for self as an act of gratitude to God and for those who love you. 5. Exercise 5-7 days a week . Exercise is one of those things that you know you have to do, but don’t want to do it until you actually do – and realize how much better it usually makes you feel. Just get started . Even if it is only ten minutes a day to start, go for that walk. Hit the gym. Ride that bike. Do whatever interests you. If it’s outside, it’s an added bonus. Being in nature brings an extra calm and joy to exercise benefits. Don’t think of it as exercise, but as caring for the body God gave you. As you care for your body physically, you also reap benefits mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. 6. Get enough rest . I know it can be challenging to get enough rest. As an adult, you really need 7-8 hours of rest. Even as I tell you this fact, I know it’s difficult for me to get enough rest. In all transparency, I don’t like to sleep. I always wake up in the night and look at my clock to see if I can get up yet. I’m excited to start the day. I usually get about 61/2 to 7 broken hours of sleep. I yearn for a night I don’t have to get up to use the restroom at least once and remember those days I used to sleep without awakenings for at least 8 hours. But try your best to get enough sleep. Your mind and body will thank you today and in the years to come. 7. Spend time with those God gave you . What a gift that God gives us people to love. He hand-chose each of your family members. Be prayerful about your relationships. Strive to honor God with them. Don’t let this list of items make you fret. It may sound like a lot as you listen, but as you incorporate these steps into your lifestyle, they become second nature. You won’t always have time to do every item daily, but as you incorporate them into your lifestyle, you create a flow that is pleasing to God, your family, and yourself. Now that we’ve talked about how to keep God first, avoid self-entitlement, and prevent over-indulgence, let’s look again at the life of Jesus and the examples He set for us. Through Him, we learn how Jesus accomplished self-care while remaining in pursuit of God and how we can do the same. 1. Teach – Jesus wasn’t formally trained as a Rabbi, but people recognized His gifts. Christ is called a teacher over forty times in the New Testament. As He taught, Jesus used many methods to reach people exactly where they were, such as parables, proverbs, riddles, and more. His radical words caused people to challenge the kingdom of this world and view sin and eternal life through new eyes and heart. Do you know Jesus well enough to show Him to others? 2. Serve – Jesus was motivated by love when He served. Love for God and others was always His influence. Obedience to God kept Him focused on love, even when it cost Him His life. Are you motivated to obey God through your love for Jesus? 3. Retreat – Jesus chose stillness. When He retreated to be with God, He didn’t think about time He might be wasting because there were other things He needed to do. He allowed God to quiet His mind. Jesus remained at the Father’s feet so He could easily and clearly hear His voice. He allowed the Word of God to keep Him close as He studied and trusted the commands His father gave. Jesus regularly retreated to a quiet place to pray and prioritize the plans of His Father. He taught His disciples this example, and He clearly mentored how we can do the same. Do you regularly pursue the Lord through time with Him? 4. Rest – At the beginning of His Word to us in Genesis, God set the example of work and rest. Jesus, following the Father’s footsteps, also left a perfect imprint for our heart to follow in obedience. First, we are instructed to come to Jesus. Without relationship with Jesus, we cannot know the way to God. We cannot please Him. Without Christ, we never experience true rest or peace. Jesus calls to each of us when He says, “All you who labor and are heavy laden.” Every living person experiences trials and hardships, burdens that we are unable to carry in our strength. If we desire deep and lasting joy, peace, and rest, we can heed the promise in His words, “I will give you rest.” Jesus also instructs us to “Take my yoke upon you.” He means for us to remove the yoke, or burdens we carry and give them to Him. Allow Him to shoulder the load. Jesus tells us to “Learn from Me,” as He shows us how to rest in God through intimate relationship. He promises we will “Find rest into your souls.” Jesus truly gives “peace that surpasses all understanding.” Are you able to receive what He offers by heeding His actions and words? Are you resting in God as you rest in Christ? 5. Repeat – Maintain and mature the relationship you are building with God through Christ. Follow the loving examples Jesus set for you. It can be distracting to listen to all the self-care advice offered by the world. Television and magazine ads, billboards, and more tout taking care of self as the most important aspect of life. Except we know they just want to sell self-care products or experiences. However, as we’ve heard on this episode, there is truth to the idea that we need to care for self in order to care for others well. Most importantly, we need to care for self in godly ways that honor Christ. The most important ways to care for self are simple. We strive to be healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. As you care for yourself physically, you practice the habits of eating, hydrating, exercising, and sleeping well. As you care for yourself emotionally, you come to know self through emotions and your past and current habits. As you care for yourself mentally, you think and speak to self with love and respect. Most importantly, you study and practice God’s truths and allow them to shape your thoughts and desires. As you care for yourself financially, you work to keep money and the way you accumulate and spend it, in order as God would call. The Bible actually gives much insight into how God calls us to hold and spend money. Of course, He also instructs us how to carry it in our heart in God-honoring ways. As you care for yourself spiritually, you allow self to seek God, not man-made religions. You draw strength from His truths and practice His commands in humble obedience and love. Your spiritual health is the most important component of self-care as it affects all other areas. As you deepen your self-care journey in Christlike ways, I urge you to consider the areas of your life such as sleep, eating and drinking, exercise, relationships, Bible study and prayer, and journaling, if you enjoy getting thoughts out on paper. Keeping a prayer journal or a gratitude journal are also ways of strengthening your spiritual, emotional, and mental health. Pursuing the passions God created within you, serving others, allowing yourself to loosen up and laugh often, caring for a pet, and continued learning to broaden passions and interests, whether through classes, podcasts, reading, or a mentorship are all ways to relax and utilize talents endowed to you. Asking yourself questions such as: What energizes me? What drains me? What do you feel you need to do to be a godly mom? A godly woman? A godly wife? How can you get there? Ask God to build you a strong foundation of self-care that then extends to care for others in your life. Prayerfully consideration of where you feel your life is lacking, what is difficult, or where you feel over-stretched, will enable you to know where to begin pursuing the questions I mentioned. Also prayerfully consider your schedule and season of life. Ask God to show you how to fit His idea of self-care into your lifestyle. Start small if needed, but continue to pursue the Lord first as you incorporate stronger relationship with Him into any area of self-care you choose. Dear Heavenly Father, You are the One who created the heavens and the earth just as You purposely created each of us. Help us to honor You with the care we give self and others. Help us to see where we are lacking in caring for the body, mind, and spirit You crafted for us. Help us seek You first and incorporate Your ideas of care into self and home. May we remember the model life Jesus set for us and know how to apply His lifestyle and teaching into our home. Father, You are truly good. You desire us to care for self, just as You call us to care for others. But it all stems from relationship with You first. May we begin a better routine of self-care today. May we make it godly, not good. May we give you joy as You flow through and guide us. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Raising children is challenging. No one has all the answers because each child is unique as are parenting styles and family dynamics. By connecting with and knowing your children as you maintain purposed growth in Christ, you will be better prepared for any situation you face. That’s why you hear me share about the Set-Apart Collective in this podcast. Supporting and encouraging mothers to rest in Christ and pursue a holy relationship with Him so they purposely raise set-apart children is the cry of my heart. Godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset a mother carries. If you don’t want peers and culture to be the main influence over your child, if you desire to parent to “prepare” your child for eternity with Christ, not repair your relationship with them, the Set-Apart Collective will deepen your walk with Christ. You’ll learn a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family. Send me an email at info@terrihitt.com to let me know you’d like to receive information or look online at terrihitt.com/setapart. We can also set up a no obligation, strategic 15 minute call to chat about your needs to see if the program is a right fit for you. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. Time is short. Make yours matter for eternity. Also, if you appreciated this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? It only takes a few minutes and makes a big difference in whether people are able to find the podcast. Also, you and I know that the best reviews are by word of mouth, so please choose a friend to recommend the show to. Imagine the changes we will see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they learn to be intentional, too. One last thing to remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will likely sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection with your children and Christ. Previous Next

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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #074 – Brandon Janous Interview 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. Believers in Christ often think we live with an eternal perspective, yet we don’t comprehend the depth and weight of eternity until we face death in some form. Whether it is through the passing of a loved one, or the impact of an illness, we each encounter moments where we must confront the truth of our mortality. On today’s podcast, I share a conversation with Brandon Janous. Because Father’s Day is coming soon, I knew this was the perfect time to introduce you to Brandon. As you hear the story of his family, you will meet a man who made the choice to allow God to carry him through the most difficult season of his life. Brandon is living the definition of what a godly and committed father practices. Placing his family before himself and allowing God to have center place in his life. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” A believer does not grieve as one without hope. I think you’ll be encouraged by this episode and see the difference the faith of one woman made in the lives of those left to navigate this uncertain world. Because of his relationship with Jesus, Brandon is continuing the legacy left by his wife, Rachel and allowing others to be drawn nearer to Christ by his testimony. The truth is that we are here to point the way to Jesus. You’ll hear that in the podcast today. ----------------------------------- Interview with Brandon Janous --------------------------------------- I hope you enjoyed this episode and that you will ponder the words of Rachel Janous, “I know that I’m dying, and I’m at peace with that. At this point, all I have left to give is Jesus and that’s more than enough.” Rachel’s words are a truth that we each need to intentionally put into perspective each moment of our life. Allow the viewpoint she shared with Brandon to remind you of the basic fact that Jesus is more than enough and our focus should never stray from striving to live in ways that point others to Him and allow us to be ready to meet Him in eternity. Life is full of heartache and beauty, mixed with pain, grief, and suffering, but a peace that passes understanding is available any time we look to Him and release our burdens into His capable and willing hands. 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 074 Brandon Janous Interview Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #074 – Brandon Janous Interview 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. Believers in Christ often think we live with an eternal perspective, yet we don’t comprehend the depth and weight of eternity until we face death in some form. Whether it is through the passing of a loved one, or the impact of an illness, we each encounter moments where we must confront the truth of our mortality. On today’s podcast, I share a conversation with Brandon Janous. Because Father’s Day is coming soon, I knew this was the perfect time to introduce you to Brandon. As you hear the story of his family, you will meet a man who made the choice to allow God to carry him through the most difficult season of his life. Brandon is living the definition of what a godly and committed father practices. Placing his family before himself and allowing God to have center place in his life. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” A believer does not grieve as one without hope. I think you’ll be encouraged by this episode and see the difference the faith of one woman made in the lives of those left to navigate this uncertain world. Because of his relationship with Jesus, Brandon is continuing the legacy left by his wife, Rachel and allowing others to be drawn nearer to Christ by his testimony. The truth is that we are here to point the way to Jesus. You’ll hear that in the podcast today. ----------------------------------- Interview with Brandon Janous --------------------------------------- I hope you enjoyed this episode and that you will ponder the words of Rachel Janous, “I know that I’m dying, and I’m at peace with that. At this point, all I have left to give is Jesus and that’s more than enough.” Rachel’s words are a truth that we each need to intentionally put into perspective each moment of our life. Allow the viewpoint she shared with Brandon to remind you of the basic fact that Jesus is more than enough and our focus should never stray from striving to live in ways that point others to Him and allow us to be ready to meet Him in eternity. Life is full of heartache and beauty, mixed with pain, grief, and suffering, but a peace that passes understanding is available any time we look to Him and release our burdens into His capable and willing hands. 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. https://www.instagram.com/brandonjanous/ https://www.facebook.com/brandon.janous

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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #035 – Dark Pain 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. Yum! I was eating a plum just a few moments ago and it was sweet, juicy, and flavorful! It’s very common to buy a batch of fruit at the store and not really get any pieces that are tasty. Then every so often you can pick up a batch that comes in at the right time and we know that God certainly created the fruit for our pleasure. This plum was perfection! As I ate it, I was reminded of the verse from Psalm 34:8, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Living with eternal perspective draws us to find the Lord in all things. This lifestyle shift propels us to examine all we see and do with eyes and a heart that recognizes the majesty of God and His provisions in all areas. This mindset prepares us for eternity with Him and draws those we come into contact with to make that journey with us. Christian relationship and growth must start with the basics of milk, just as a newborn baby drinks, but stretches us through adolescent years and carries us into maturity. Where are you on your journey? The number of years we have known the Lord doesn’t matter. It is the walk, the road we have and are traveling that counts. It is the living “in the trenches” with our faith, allowing and trusting God to supply and protect, to sustain and grow us and maturing in and through Him as He does so. Life can be exquisitely beautiful. Or our lives can be incredibly painful. After we’ve been hurt by the battles in this world, trusting that God is good can be extremely difficult. Where was He when the bad things happened? Is He really with me now? Can He really carry me? Des He truly care? No one is immune to the destruction and evil this world can bring. Believers and non-believers experience hardships and tragedies. Some experience pure evilness. Yet, when we read about creation in Genesis, we see that God said what He made was good. After He added man and woman, God said that what He created was “very good.” Even after the fall of creation, and sin was conceived in the world through disobedience, God remained faithful to His creation. He did not abandon us or wipe away what He had made. God already knew what would happen before He created us. Some ask, “Why trust a God who allows such horrendous activities to happen?” The Bible tells us that God did not create evil. But He does allow it. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” John 10:10a This fact has caused some to doubt His existence or fail to trust God. Yet, from the very beginning of creation, He has set boundaries. Adam and Eve chose to disobey. God gives His creation free will. Although He sets guidelines for us, He never forces us to follow them. We each choose daily whether to sin or obey God’s commands. Just as ripples in a pond affect the surrounding water, my sin affects others. Most often, those I cherish and would never desire to hurt. What we need to remember is that while we feel that some acts of disobedience are more horrendous than others, God sees all sin the same. Consequences of trespasses affect us personally, just as our sin affects people we know and even some we don’t. The sins we choose (or turn away from) today affects future generations. It touches the way we act and react, to those we love, molding our relationships. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 warns us, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” God allows us free choice, yet He still enables the Holy Spirit to restrain the full force of the evil that exists in this world. Satan and evil are real. From the time sin entered the world, mankind and nature have felt the brutal effects of our disobedience. Yet, God still loves us. He never wanted this choice for us. In fact, He even made a way for us to be relieved from sin through Jesus. Even His son was not immune to the evil in this world. Jesus warned us of what to beware of. “These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 When we have been deeply hurt by sin, especially in an act committed by another, our natural inclination can be to curl into ourselves. Or to lash out at others. Sometimes we get angry at God or turn away from Him for not stopping the event. While these can be considered natural reactions to the pain and suffering, none of the responses help us or resolve the deep emotional, physical, or mental wounds we endured or now carry. But Only God can heal. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 God does keep His promises. We cannot always comprehend God’s ways, or what He allows. Faith is not total understanding, but a complete confidence or a strong belief. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:19 God never wanted sin to enter our world, but He knew it would. He uses it, without controlling our free will, to draw us nearer to Him, when we allow Him access to our pain through faith, trust, and hope in Him. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 He also allows and equips us to minister to others through our experiences. “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 God’s promises are certain. He wants His people to believe and claim His promises. He desires to be the Lord of our lives. But God waits for us to invite Him to be the center of everything we are and do. Call upon Him, so He can respond. Allow Him to create beauty where there were ashes, as only He can. Trust. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God. to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 He will heal you. “I have come that they may have life, and that may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10b Open your heart and let Him. Pray for Him to do the same with others. Today I want to continue reading where we left off on the podcast last week. I’ll share 1 John 3:1-24, which says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” As we examine the verses I just read from 1 John 3, we see that humans will always struggle with sin. So much of what we see in the culture of the United States, and actually, the world right now reflects empty hearts which do not follow the Lord. Many sin in ignorance, because they do not know Jesus or God’s word. They will still be held accountable, but here I want to focus on those who intentionally and consciously violate what God says in His word and they live a lifestyle of sin that disregards or defies God’s will and commands. We are not concentrating on the struggle our human flesh has with sin, but on the practice of sin. We are each very vulnerable to being led astray, even when we profess to know Jesus as our personal Savior, as we see so clearly at this moment in time. False teachers, organizations and corporations that appear to be for the good and are backed by values contrary to God’s commands, and leaders who stand for practices that God condemns, should alert us to the importance of our need to place God first on our personal list of daily priorities. We must crave God and His word and know Him so well that we instantly recognize what is not in check with the Holy Spirit living inside of us. Do not be deceived! The devil does prowl among us, seeking whom he may devour. Satan twists and manipulates everything, using a small bit of truth to catch us in his snare. Once the evil net is upon us, we get pushed farther down with more deceit piling atop us. When we embrace sin or lawlessness and look at others with hatred or distaste, placing only our own needs and desires first, every time we think we cannot disagree with someone and still be civil, or that someone who does not believe in the same way must be wrong and we treat with dishonor or distaste instead of compassion, or we chose not to extend grace to another because our feelings may be hurt, we limit our ability to allow God to shine through us and we place a wedge between ourselves and God. Remember, We cannot serve ourselves and God. Jesus did not agree with what was contrary to God’s word and teachings, but He did not react with hatred or violence. He was able to speak into the heart of the person and pinpoint their issue with heart and loving compassion. We obviously do not have the same gifts that God’s Son carries, but as we grow more and more like Him through learning His word and mindset, our ability to react should mirror His more and more. I am appalled by the violence, hatred, and disrespect in our country. Especially when it is directed toward innocent people. I cannot help but mention the brave men and women in our country who place themselves in the line of danger every single time they go to work, and now, even in their off-duty hours. I stand behind our police officers and the sacrifices, they and their families make daily. Just as not all teachers, coaches, priests, pastors, parents, and others are not evil, not all police officers are bad. Most of them make sacrifices we could never make. I am incredibly thankful for the officers I have met and I have been helped by their ability to do the job we expect them to without bias. May God bless and protect them and their families, as well as weed out the ones who are corrupt, just as I wish that for every other profession. As Jesus exemplified, love is sacrificial. Sometimes even unto death. Many of the officers I know are Christians who want to make a difference and willingly serve each day, knowing it could be their last. As Christians, we must serve the Lord and continue growing and deepening our walk, maturing it so that we do not vote by a political party, but by the values and love that the Holy Spirit convicts us with. We should not look at the person, but the policies and practices they promote. Are they following what God calls us to support in His Holy word or are they dividing and pulling in the opposite direction? When we, as a nation, are on our knees and in the word of God, I believe things will change. God answers prayer. Not always on our timetable, or in the ways we desire, but He always answers. As we grow the right relationship and deepen in moral character reflective of Him, we will begin to pray with hearts attuned to His and expectations that align more closely with what is good and pleasing to our Heavenly Father. Only then will the dark pain that comes from sin and lawlessness evaporate and allow us to freely walk in grace and love with one another. Our children and the generations after us deserve to receive an inheritance of hope, love, faith, and grace. Then we will truly be living with a focus on eternal values and perspective. We will all taste and see that the Lord is good. He and He alone fills us with the peace and joy, the hope and light we all desperately seek. Father, God, I thank you for your Holy word to guide us and show us your heart and commands. Father, thank you for sending your son, fully God and fully man to live among us, showing the way to You and the way to live. God, we are so far away from where You desire us, from where You created us to be. I humbly beg you, please help us. Carry us back to You. We need to recognize our need for You, Please help us to do so and to admit our sin and surrender it to you. You have already paid the price. Help us to please You with the way we treat each other, what we stand for, and the way we live. We need You more than we know. Help us to find You. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen. Did you enjoy this episode? Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement and learn how to live with more eternal perspective? Can you think of a friend or family member who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them and take time to leave a quick rating and review wherever you listen to this podcast. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 035 Dark Pain Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #035 – Dark Pain 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. Yum! I was eating a plum just a few moments ago and it was sweet, juicy, and flavorful! It’s very common to buy a batch of fruit at the store and not really get any pieces that are tasty. Then every so often you can pick up a batch that comes in at the right time and we know that God certainly created the fruit for our pleasure. This plum was perfection! As I ate it, I was reminded of the verse from Psalm 34:8, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Living with eternal perspective draws us to find the Lord in all things. This lifestyle shift propels us to examine all we see and do with eyes and a heart that recognizes the majesty of God and His provisions in all areas. This mindset prepares us for eternity with Him and draws those we come into contact with to make that journey with us. Christian relationship and growth must start with the basics of milk, just as a newborn baby drinks, but stretches us through adolescent years and carries us into maturity. Where are you on your journey? The number of years we have known the Lord doesn’t matter. It is the walk, the road we have and are traveling that counts. It is the living “in the trenches” with our faith, allowing and trusting God to supply and protect, to sustain and grow us and maturing in and through Him as He does so. Life can be exquisitely beautiful. Or our lives can be incredibly painful. After we’ve been hurt by the battles in this world, trusting that God is good can be extremely difficult. Where was He when the bad things happened? Is He really with me now? Can He really carry me? Des He truly care? No one is immune to the destruction and evil this world can bring. Believers and non-believers experience hardships and tragedies. Some experience pure evilness. Yet, when we read about creation in Genesis, we see that God said what He made was good. After He added man and woman, God said that what He created was “very good.” Even after the fall of creation, and sin was conceived in the world through disobedience, God remained faithful to His creation. He did not abandon us or wipe away what He had made. God already knew what would happen before He created us. Some ask, “Why trust a God who allows such horrendous activities to happen?” The Bible tells us that God did not create evil. But He does allow it. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” John 10:10a This fact has caused some to doubt His existence or fail to trust God. Yet, from the very beginning of creation, He has set boundaries. Adam and Eve chose to disobey. God gives His creation free will. Although He sets guidelines for us, He never forces us to follow them. We each choose daily whether to sin or obey God’s commands. Just as ripples in a pond affect the surrounding water, my sin affects others. Most often, those I cherish and would never desire to hurt. What we need to remember is that while we feel that some acts of disobedience are more horrendous than others, God sees all sin the same. Consequences of trespasses affect us personally, just as our sin affects people we know and even some we don’t. The sins we choose (or turn away from) today affects future generations. It touches the way we act and react, to those we love, molding our relationships. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 warns us, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” God allows us free choice, yet He still enables the Holy Spirit to restrain the full force of the evil that exists in this world. Satan and evil are real. From the time sin entered the world, mankind and nature have felt the brutal effects of our disobedience. Yet, God still loves us. He never wanted this choice for us. In fact, He even made a way for us to be relieved from sin through Jesus. Even His son was not immune to the evil in this world. Jesus warned us of what to beware of. “These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 When we have been deeply hurt by sin, especially in an act committed by another, our natural inclination can be to curl into ourselves. Or to lash out at others. Sometimes we get angry at God or turn away from Him for not stopping the event. While these can be considered natural reactions to the pain and suffering, none of the responses help us or resolve the deep emotional, physical, or mental wounds we endured or now carry. But Only God can heal. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 God does keep His promises. We cannot always comprehend God’s ways, or what He allows. Faith is not total understanding, but a complete confidence or a strong belief. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:19 God never wanted sin to enter our world, but He knew it would. He uses it, without controlling our free will, to draw us nearer to Him, when we allow Him access to our pain through faith, trust, and hope in Him. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 He also allows and equips us to minister to others through our experiences. “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 God’s promises are certain. He wants His people to believe and claim His promises. He desires to be the Lord of our lives. But God waits for us to invite Him to be the center of everything we are and do. Call upon Him, so He can respond. Allow Him to create beauty where there were ashes, as only He can. Trust. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God. to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 He will heal you. “I have come that they may have life, and that may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10b Open your heart and let Him. Pray for Him to do the same with others. Today I want to continue reading where we left off on the podcast last week. I’ll share 1 John 3:1-24, which says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” As we examine the verses I just read from 1 John 3, we see that humans will always struggle with sin. So much of what we see in the culture of the United States, and actually, the world right now reflects empty hearts which do not follow the Lord. Many sin in ignorance, because they do not know Jesus or God’s word. They will still be held accountable, but here I want to focus on those who intentionally and consciously violate what God says in His word and they live a lifestyle of sin that disregards or defies God’s will and commands. We are not concentrating on the struggle our human flesh has with sin, but on the practice of sin. We are each very vulnerable to being led astray, even when we profess to know Jesus as our personal Savior, as we see so clearly at this moment in time. False teachers, organizations and corporations that appear to be for the good and are backed by values contrary to God’s commands, and leaders who stand for practices that God condemns, should alert us to the importance of our need to place God first on our personal list of daily priorities. We must crave God and His word and know Him so well that we instantly recognize what is not in check with the Holy Spirit living inside of us. Do not be deceived! The devil does prowl among us, seeking whom he may devour. Satan twists and manipulates everything, using a small bit of truth to catch us in his snare. Once the evil net is upon us, we get pushed farther down with more deceit piling atop us. When we embrace sin or lawlessness and look at others with hatred or distaste, placing only our own needs and desires first, every time we think we cannot disagree with someone and still be civil, or that someone who does not believe in the same way must be wrong and we treat with dishonor or distaste instead of compassion, or we chose not to extend grace to another because our feelings may be hurt, we limit our ability to allow God to shine through us and we place a wedge between ourselves and God. Remember, We cannot serve ourselves and God. Jesus did not agree with what was contrary to God’s word and teachings, but He did not react with hatred or violence. He was able to speak into the heart of the person and pinpoint their issue with heart and loving compassion. We obviously do not have the same gifts that God’s Son carries, but as we grow more and more like Him through learning His word and mindset, our ability to react should mirror His more and more. I am appalled by the violence, hatred, and disrespect in our country. Especially when it is directed toward innocent people. I cannot help but mention the brave men and women in our country who place themselves in the line of danger every single time they go to work, and now, even in their off-duty hours. I stand behind our police officers and the sacrifices, they and their families make daily. Just as not all teachers, coaches, priests, pastors, parents, and others are not evil, not all police officers are bad. Most of them make sacrifices we could never make. I am incredibly thankful for the officers I have met and I have been helped by their ability to do the job we expect them to without bias. May God bless and protect them and their families, as well as weed out the ones who are corrupt, just as I wish that for every other profession. As Jesus exemplified, love is sacrificial. Sometimes even unto death. Many of the officers I know are Christians who want to make a difference and willingly serve each day, knowing it could be their last. As Christians, we must serve the Lord and continue growing and deepening our walk, maturing it so that we do not vote by a political party, but by the values and love that the Holy Spirit convicts us with. We should not look at the person, but the policies and practices they promote. Are they following what God calls us to support in His Holy word or are they dividing and pulling in the opposite direction? When we, as a nation, are on our knees and in the word of God, I believe things will change. God answers prayer. Not always on our timetable, or in the ways we desire, but He always answers. As we grow the right relationship and deepen in moral character reflective of Him, we will begin to pray with hearts attuned to His and expectations that align more closely with what is good and pleasing to our Heavenly Father. Only then will the dark pain that comes from sin and lawlessness evaporate and allow us to freely walk in grace and love with one another. Our children and the generations after us deserve to receive an inheritance of hope, love, faith, and grace. Then we will truly be living with a focus on eternal values and perspective. We will all taste and see that the Lord is good. He and He alone fills us with the peace and joy, the hope and light we all desperately seek. Father, God, I thank you for your Holy word to guide us and show us your heart and commands. Father, thank you for sending your son, fully God and fully man to live among us, showing the way to You and the way to live. God, we are so far away from where You desire us, from where You created us to be. I humbly beg you, please help us. Carry us back to You. We need to recognize our need for You, Please help us to do so and to admit our sin and surrender it to you. You have already paid the price. Help us to please You with the way we treat each other, what we stand for, and the way we live. We need You more than we know. Help us to find You. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen. Did you enjoy this episode? Would you like others to hear weekly encouragement and learn how to live with more eternal perspective? Can you think of a friend or family member who might enjoy encouragement? If so, please share this podcast with them and take time to leave a quick rating and review wherever you listen to this podcast. Until next week, keep looking Up and finding new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #121 – Facets of Faith – Reading of Hebrews 11 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. This summer I am alternating podcast episodes with Scripture readings. We can never read enough Scripture. God has been impressing on me to read Hebrews 11 this week and I hope that you enjoy this reading from the NKJV Bible. Perhaps our next episode we will dig deeper into the passages you hear today. Hebrews 11 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” This chapter of Hebrews 11 delves into three aspects of faith: our mind, our emotions, and our will. Our faith is intertwined with our mind and emotions, and our intellectual understanding must lead to trust and action on what we hear. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 I hope you’ll join me next time as we delve into the meat of this chapter. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to choose Jesus and for the faith You grow as we draw nearer to You and ask for the gift of faith. We know that faith is pleasing to You and that the actions we take because of faith bring obedience to You. May our walk with You become deeper as we study Hebrews 11 and each passage of Scripture we read. Thank you for Your word, an intimate gift You freely offer every person with love. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, and you would like more information on the topic we discussed today, I invite you to listen to previous episodes. To hear episodes that deal with Scripture, I suggest the following: Episodes 63-66 is my series on praying Scripture. Episode 107 is Scripture and Solitude, and Episode 117 is The Bible – Life, Hope, and Truth. You may find each of these on the terrihitt.com website. Just click on “podcasts” and type in the topic or title you wish to hear about in the search bar at the top of the page. Have you rated or reviewed this podcast on Apple Podcasts yet? For those who have, I thank you so very much! If you haven’t, would you please consider doing so? It is getting more difficult to keep from being shadow-banned on social media. Podcasts and social medias posts about Christian material simply do not get the same reach as secular topics. For instance, when I make a post on my Live With Eternal Perspective FB page, I am fortunate to receive 15 views. It is evident that FB is not allowing the posts to be viewed. I believe it is the subject matter because even the people who have signed up to see the page posts do not get to see what is posted. 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 begin to deepen their walk with Jesus and live with eyes set on eternity, would you please write a review and rate the podcast for me? I also want to ask if you 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 121 Facets of Faith Reading of Hebrews 11 Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #121 – Facets of Faith – Reading of Hebrews 11 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. This summer I am alternating podcast episodes with Scripture readings. We can never read enough Scripture. God has been impressing on me to read Hebrews 11 this week and I hope that you enjoy this reading from the NKJV Bible. Perhaps our next episode we will dig deeper into the passages you hear today. Hebrews 11 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” This chapter of Hebrews 11 delves into three aspects of faith: our mind, our emotions, and our will. Our faith is intertwined with our mind and emotions, and our intellectual understanding must lead to trust and action on what we hear. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 I hope you’ll join me next time as we delve into the meat of this chapter. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to choose Jesus and for the faith You grow as we draw nearer to You and ask for the gift of faith. We know that faith is pleasing to You and that the actions we take because of faith bring obedience to You. May our walk with You become deeper as we study Hebrews 11 and each passage of Scripture we read. Thank you for Your word, an intimate gift You freely offer every person with love. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, and you would like more information on the topic we discussed today, I invite you to listen to previous episodes. To hear episodes that deal with Scripture, I suggest the following: Episodes 63-66 is my series on praying Scripture. Episode 107 is Scripture and Solitude, and Episode 117 is The Bible – Life, Hope, and Truth. You may find each of these on the terrihitt.com website. Just click on “podcasts” and type in the topic or title you wish to hear about in the search bar at the top of the page. Have you rated or reviewed this podcast on Apple Podcasts yet? For those who have, I thank you so very much! If you haven’t, would you please consider doing so? It is getting more difficult to keep from being shadow-banned on social media. Podcasts and social medias posts about Christian material simply do not get the same reach as secular topics. For instance, when I make a post on my Live With Eternal Perspective FB page, I am fortunate to receive 15 views. It is evident that FB is not allowing the posts to be viewed. I believe it is the subject matter because even the people who have signed up to see the page posts do not get to see what is posted. 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 begin to deepen their walk with Jesus and live with eyes set on eternity, would you please write a review and rate the podcast for me? I also want to ask if you 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.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 108 - Your Home is the Key to Safeguarding Your Children Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 108 – Your Home is the Key to Safeguarding Your Children Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast gives you the awareness and tools you need to STOP being a GOOD mom and BECOME the GODLY mom God entrusts you to be. Then you will be the SET-APART woman PURPOSELY raising children to chase CHRIST over culture. Just a quick reminder as we start, if you enjoy Purposed Parent Connected Child podcast episodes, would you please share this episode or others with a friend or family member? When you graciously take a moment to do that, and leave a rating or review at Apple Podcast, you are ensuring that others will find the podcast. You’re helping affect generations for Jesus. Now on to this episode about how your home is the key to safeguarding your children… Home is supposed to be a safe place. Comfortable. Loving. Kind. Christlike. When my youngest came home to be with us at the age of nine, she had no idea what was in store for her. Fear was all she felt when we brought her home to the United States from China. Life was uncomfortable. Our sweet girl wondered what would happen next. Now, praise God! Each night when we say prayers together, she consistently thanks God for one thing first. Night after night she begins her prayers like this, “Dear God. Thank you for my family.” Every single night. Every single prayer. Home. A place that should be a refuge. A place children should lovingly learn about Jesus from godly parents who mentor Christ intentionally with grace, joy, and patience. Yet, parents are human. Life isn’t perfect. Days flash by. Schedules get changed. Emergencies arise. Still, in the midst of tragedies, trials, or triumphs, one thing parents should provide for their children is a home that safeguards . Children deserve to be raised in a home where parents pursue relationship with Jesus and making Christ known to their children. A home that gives them joy, hope, and truth. Meaning God’s truths as written in His Word, the Bible. In fact, God commands parents to take this approach in parenting. He even instructs us in how to accomplish this monumental task. I know you probably already know which passage I’m going to refer to, because I say this often, but one of my favorite verses related to parenting is Deuteronomy 6:5-9 . “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 .” God is very clear in His instructions to parents. There should be no doubt as to how we are to raise the children He has entrusted to us. His children are purposely in our care. If you profess to know and love Jesus, how can you not seek and offer God’s truths? Too many parents are good as by the world’s standards. We must stop being good! We must become godly parents who seek and shine Jesus and the truths of God for our children. If we do not, we risk our children falling for the deceits of this world and losing eternity with God. It’s a sobering fact . More and more kids are turning away from relationship with God. They see a walk with God as religion, not as relationship with Jesus Christ. One of the latest statistics I saw mentioned that about thirty percent of high schoolers reject religion. What if they were never taught to follow religion, but instead, were taught how to develop a close and abiding relationship with Jesus from the youngest possible age? What would that percentage become? I definitely think it would be lower. We must obediently pursue the Lord with love and honor and equip our children to do the same because of a growing love for God, not an obligation they see no need to follow. Be intentional. Every moment counts for eternity. In order to create a home that safeguards your children, there are several actions you must prioritize. 1. Relationship with God through Jesus. Ideally, you and your husband are equally yoked. If not, prayerfully pursue God’s Word and pray for your husband. Show Christ in your personal life. Your words, desires, actions, and reactions must be submitted to Christ. A lasting relationship with Jesus ideally begins in a home where both parents love, honor, and obey God. 2. Build a strong home/family unit . Love , biblical teachings with grace , patience , and joy are cornerstones to building a home that is safe and peaceful. When your child feels safe and loved by you, and they see Christ in you, they are more apt to seek, follow, and obey Him. 3. Godly love . When you know and trust Jesus, when you invite Him to transform your life, you are a magnet of godly love that will also transform the life of your child as you show Christlikeness in your desires, words, actions, and reactions. 4. Communication/Connection . When you create a home that fosters connection and communication, your child feels safe. They feel seen. Heard. Appreciated. Loved. When they feel close to you, as they see you purposely pursue Jesus with passion, they will seek Him, too. 5. Discipleship – not punishment . We will never have perfect kids or families. We are each imperfect adults raising imperfect children. Your kids are kids. Just as you made mistakes, they will. Guide and guard them – direct them to Jesus, and show Christ in your life. Remember that discipline should be discipleship , not punishment. It is critical to parent the heart, not seek to simply eradicate the behavior . 6. Godly mentorship (in actions – not just words). Remember that you are seeking to disciple God’s children who simply reside in your care. As you deepen your walk with Jesus, you are better equipped to mentor how your children can do the same. They see and know more about you than you might think. Little eyes and ears watch and hear. Show them Jesus as they examine you . 7. God’s Word . The way to know the Lord in intimate relationship is through His Word. Help your child see you study it and be in the Word with them. Not because you have to, but because you crave it. The only way for you to develop a taste for God’s Word is to read it. Do it whether or not you want to. Do it whether you feel you have time. Keep doing it. You can make time to read or listen each day. 8. Prayer . How gracious God is to give us a lifeline straight to Him. Use it often and regularly . Teach your children to do the same. Pray Scriptures, pray Scripture-based prayers, pray for yourself, your children, your spouse, those in authority. The list can be endless. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the opportunity to pray, pray for what you know is in alignment with God’s desires. Ask God for guidance in what else He desires you to pray for. If you’d like deeper discussion and training on prayer, you may listen to Purposed Parent Connected Child episodes. Simply go to terrihitt.com/podcasts and click on Purposed Parent Connected Child. Type prayers in the search bar and you can choose between about five episodes on this topic. You may also visit the website and click on Live With Eternal Perspective. Do the same by typing prayer in the search bar and you will see several choices about prayer. 9. Forgiveness . A home filled with the love and joy of Christ follows His model. Forgiveness. As you craft and deepen your walk with God through relationship with Jesus and grow your identity in Christ, you will live with mercy and forgiveness. Teach those characteristics to your children and extend them to your spouse and family. You safeguard your children when you teach them the act of obedience through forgiveness. The nine steps I mentioned are tips to begin building a foundation for Christ that also safeguards your home and children. Begin with these basics. Send me a message if you’d like to hear additional ways in future episodes. A godly home is a gift and blessing you will never regret building for your children. Your home will become one they will return to, one in which they will be able to find close relationship with Jesus and connection with you. Dear Heavenly Father, how great You are to give us Your Son and all the keys to Your heart. Thank you for the truths You teach us, the commands you give us, and the love you shower upon us. You are truly SO good. Work within us to enable us to create homes that lead our families to You. Help our children to be safe, loved, and brought to you because we are diligent to grow our walk with You and show You in ways that delight Your heart. Make our home a place that safeguards the children You have entrusted to us. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Because your home is key to safeguarding your children, I want to share a sweet and innocent company that has the same mission to safeguard the hearts and minds of children - Melane & Co. This shop was created by my middle daughter, who is the artist behind the watercolor creations available. Are you disgusted with book illustrations that honor darkness, not light? Have you ever taken your child to a gathering or been in the home of another person who has art hanging on the walls that simply isn’t God-honoring? Whether you’re looking through magazines, visiting a gallery, or a friend’s home, your kids have probably been exposed to artwork that you just wish they hadn’t seen. Has this happened to you? If it hasn’t yet, it probably will. But your home can be a place of refuge. Remember, under God’s command, you are responsible for safeguarding the heart and home of your children. If you’re looking for home décor that your child can grow up with and that won’t cause a flush to spread across your faces, Melane & Co. has gentle, beautiful watercolor prints, cards, and custom floral or pet paintings that bring joy and delight to young and old. Raising children is challenging. Don’t let artwork be another stumbling block. I invite you to visit Melane & Co. at www.melaneandco.com for a variety of pieces to bring a smile to your faces and walls. You’ll find fine quality watercolor cards you can use for gifts to family, friends, or teachers. If your home has a furry family member or two, you’ll also see a way to include them in your décor. A custom portrait of your pet is a timeless way to remember the joy they give so effortlessly daily. Any way you can honor God in your home with classic pieces that are sweet to the eyes and soul help you mentor Christ in beautiful ways. Visit Melane & Co. today. One last thing to remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection with your children and Christ. Previous Next

< Back Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode 021 - Say NO to Ungodly Influences in Your Heart and Home Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast Episode #021 – Say NO to Ungodly Influences in Your Heart and Home 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. As I look back in review of my life, I recognize ways I was been deceived and sometimes followed self instead of my Savior. Especially in my 20’s and early 30’s, when I was younger in the faith, I grew well in some areas and was ignorant in others. I was not discipled properly, and because of that, like each of us, I followed the propensity to follow what looked or seemed right due to lack of biblical training. Don’t let this happen to you or your child. Everyone needs proper discipleship. Whether you have a son or daughter who has confessed Jesus as their personal Savior and is beginning a walk with Him or have a child who has been following Jesus for some time, godly mentorship is crucial . Since I desire to intentionally seek God’s wisdom and direction so that my intentions and actions will be pleasing to Him, I am focused on maturing my faith daily. I’m sure you desire to do the same. If not, please listen to the influences we will discuss today. Perhaps one or more has become a stumbling block that hinders your walk and in extension, will do the same to your precious child as they watch and learn from you. Each one of us is susceptible to falling daily and need to keep our eyes on Jesus. As we purposely look for things that need to be eliminated from our lives to gain godly wisdom and grow our Heavenly relationship, we experience the truth that the Christian walk is a lifestyle that evolves as our faith and obedience stretches and deepens. On this episode today, I want to draw attention to ungodly influences or practices that might reside in your heart and home. Some have become so ingrained in our culture that it is hard for people to recognize they are coasting in a walk with Jesus or drifting away from God. If left unaddressed, these things will affect your walk with Christ, separating you from strong relationship with Him, but also touch and shape those you meet, as well as those you love. Please pray that as you listen, your spirit will be pricked in areas God may be calling you to submit or obey by removing them from your life, so you may humbly please and follow Him as He desires. As I write this podcast, I’m also asking God to alert me to areas I need to remove from my life or repent to Him. This episode is heavy on Scriptures, because God’s Word is our hope and strength, a gift from the Almighty to us, a lifeline of hope, guidance, and strength. Please take notes if you desire and remember that you may also visit terrihitt.com to print a transcript of this episode to save the verses you hear for future reference, because God’s word to us is so powerful and healing. It simply is the sustenance we need daily. Of course, Scripture is the way our heart and mind hears the gift of salvation. It allows us to grow our relationship with God through Christ. God opens us to His truths and exposes the deception of this world through His holy Words. Every believer has heard that truth, but not everyone believes and practices what God shares and commands. A person will never be convicted and transformed apart from the power of God and His holy Word. I’ve compiled a list that I believe touches every human in some way. As you listen, prayerfully seek God’s direction and guidance to see if He may be calling you to remove, repent, or restructure your walk with Him in some way. Ask Him to guard your children, your parenting, and guide you to clearly follow Him so your children will witness the way you honor and obey God. Pray that your children will humbly and willingly live within His boundaries with joy. Ungodly Influences That May Exist in Your Heart or Home: 1. Attitude – 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths .” Without humbly seeking and clinging to Jesus, our attitude is subject to a roller coaster of emotions. Only a steady focus on Christ can protect believers from a wash of emotions or thoughts that move far from where our Heavenly Father calls us to abide . 2. False Preachers – 1 John 4:1-6 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore, they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.” Our world is full of false preachers and those who proclaim to follow Christ yet lead others far from what His Word teaches and commands. It is imperative to be in God’s holy Word daily, and to purposely grow your knowledge of, understanding of, and obedience to Scripture moment by moment. When you walk through each day, your thought process should revert to what God says about topics and situations . Study His character and commands so that you recognize false teachings immediately – from others and within your thought process. Just as the serpent deceived Adam and Eve by twisting God’s truths, he is out to swindle each human and rob us of a joy-filled, obedient life here and for eternity. 3. Influencers - Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another .” Just because someone has a strong social media presence, is a Hollywood star, a famous athlete, or a popular pastor it does not mean they practice what they preach. I have found that not everyone with a social media account lives the way they show online. Neither does everyone without an online presence. Each of us are influencers to another in some way. Especially if you are a parent. Strive to be a genuine reflection of Jesus . The way to do so is to know Him intimately through the Bible and prayer. Our walk with Christ grows stronger by seeking and abiding in Him . Let His influence be the guiding factor and influence in your heart and home. 4. Activities – (Language, Alcohol, Drugs, Pornography, Adultery, or Addictions – too much of something or anything done with the wrong intentions – food, shopping, exercise, etc.) - Proverbs 3:32 says, “For the devious person is an abomination to the LORD, but the upright are in His confidence .” So many people struggle with secret sin. God sees and knows all. Whether it is an addiction or something that is threatening to become one, or if it something that a person is doing despite what God’s Word commands, freedom is only found once we submit and humbly ask forgiveness from God. It is only when we realize we are hurting the Lord through our sin that we can rely on His strength to follow Christ through the steps to freedom . It may be a moment-by-moment submission to God or a one-time release, but He is present. He cares. God’s strength is enough for anything . 5. Entertainment (Books, Movies, Music, Magazines, Games) -Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect .” Just as in #4, Christ has paid the price for our sins; He is more than enough to release any of us from what He calls unpleasing or sinful. Most of the entertainment available in our society is filthy. If you even look at advertisements, you see how far from Christ we have moved. Our children see what is available as normal unless they are taught to seek what is godly and holy. They will likely desire what you are drawn to. This includes, not only entertainment, but characteristics, morals, and dedication to growing their relationship with Jesus. 6. Friends - 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals .” Those we surround ourselves with become heavy influences on our beliefs, attitude, actions, and reactions. In extension, they affect those we love. Our lives influence others. Be careful to lead others to Christ through your beliefs, words, attitude, motives, and actions . 7. Décor and Decorations – John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Our homes should be a godly place of refuge for all who enter, especially for those who live within the walls. The type of décor we use silently expresses our belief system, memories, morals, and desires . Decorations used for holidays show our character and exposes where our walk is with Christ. Do you showcase items that would be pleasing to Him if He were visiting unexpectedly? Remember, He is within the walls of your home and sees into your heart. What joy our homes can be filled with if we let His heart speak to ours and we allow the light of the Holy Spirit within to guide us in our décor and decoration choices. 8. Addictions - James 4:4 says, “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God .” Addictions are the ways humans in need of healing look for fulfillment in excessive and sometimes hurtful, damaging, or neglectful ways . When we desire too much or fall into habits that draw us away from God’s best for us or His holy commands, it is time to focus on strengthening our personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Only Jesus and His omnipotent strength can rescue and release us from the pain and bondage of any type of addiction. Only He can fill the gaps or hurts in our character or emotions that we desperately seek and try to fill with other things. 9. Relationships - Proverbs 12:26 says, “One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray .” Sometimes we simply need to let go of the past, forgive, and enjoy relationships with those in our life. At other times, we need to let go of the past by releasing people from our life. Because God knows motives, hearts, and situations, our relationship with Jesus is a beautiful and godly guide to whether we should be growing or going. Our identity in and through Jesus is where we find our strength and wisdom to treat ourselves and others as He would direct . Model godly relationships for your children and let them witness Christ work in your life through them. 10. Bitterness – Hebrews 12:15 says, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled .” When we stop to practice true thankfulness for what we do and what we do not receive because we trust in God and His sovereignty, we are able to find identity and recognition through Him, instead of this world . When we center our thoughts, feelings, and emotions on Him, bitterness does not find soil to plant roots. 11. Unforgiveness – Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger. ” Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we have seen perfect forgiveness modeled. When we practice what He proclaims, we can draw upon His strength to endure what this life brings without allowing unforgiveness to overtake our spirit . 12. Ungodly Character – Ezekiel 36:26 says, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Our belief system, values, motivations, and attitude form and expose the character we exhibit . If we trust in God and continue to seek personal relationship with Jesus, respect God’s Word and authority in our life, and seek to please and honor Him, the ungodliness we naturally turn toward will transform more and more into a reflection of Christ. Ephesians 5:3 says, “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints .” 13. Pridefulness – Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall .” Our culture celebrates pride while God despises the practice. Each human must battle the fleshly inclination to follow and exalt self. The key to conquering pride lies within whether we rely on self or Christ to eradicate it . While some suffer more from pride than others, even the smallest form can lead to devastating destruction. 14. Indifference - Revelation 3:15-16 says, “’I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth .’” God yearns for our heart but gives us free choice. Within that freedom, He desires that we be cold or hot. Either desire Him or not. God does not want a lukewarm spirit that claims to love Him yet does nothing to mature in Him, exhibit that love, or serve Him with a cheerful heart. 15. Idleness - 1 Timothy 5:13 says, “Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.” As we draw nearer to God in our personal relationship through Jesus, we are more prone to use our time wisely for Him and serve others more freely in His name . 16. The Occult - Leviticus 19:31 says, “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God .” I recognize more of this in our culture and world daily. Don’t you? As the forms are sometimes clearly visible and sometimes sneakily creeping into our lives or the lives of our children through various forms, the devil wastes no time seeking to steal, kill, and destroy as God’s Word warns. Horoscopes, most young adult books and even children’s books, especially the popular the Harry Potter series, which desensitizes us and our children to the practice of evil and witchcraft, astrology, communication with the deceased, crystals, mediums, and those who offer healing through mediums, Quija boards, seances, channeling, magic, tarot cards, psychic hotlines, and evil décor all are an abomination to the Lord and through His word. Our sovereign and Holy Father instructs us to stay far from the occult without compromise . The list is long; I pray I highlighted most of what we need to watch out for. Where do you find your hope? Your guidance and strength? Proverbs 3:5-8 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me .” God is not willing that any should perish, as Scripture clearly tells us. His guidelines are a fence of protection to keep us far from harm and safe in His perfect protection. Galatians 5:19-24 says, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires .” Dear Heavenly Father, God only You are holy. Only You are worthy. How far we are from You! Help us to find our way to You in deeper and godlier ways. Carve the impurities from our life and equip us to be the mentors and guides our children and grandchildren need. Father, we need You! Thank you for Your holy Word and the difference it makes in the life of one committed to You. May we reflect You so lovingly and accurately that our children passionately seek and follow You. 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? 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 and purposely connect with your child and Christ. Previous Next

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

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 124 - The Most Important Job of a Parent Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 124 – The Most Important Job of a Parent 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 that makes us consider an important question…What is the most important job of a parent? Every job you hold has a description. Think back to any position you’ve ever held. Even if it was your first job, which may have been babysitting, or working at a fast food restaurant, you had a requirement of duties. You had certain responsibilities you were to carry out while performing the job. Motherhood is no different. With this prestigious position, we have certain requirements we must meet. We also have someone we report to and we are expected to meet their requirements for the job they entrusted to us. Today we’ll discuss this holy job description. I remember becoming mother to each of my children. Even though two were biological and two were adopted, the day I met each of them holds a uniquely special place in my heart. I remember my son locking gazes with me as soon as they placed him in my arms. I recall the way my youngest was nine years old, yet a toddler in her actions due to her background. The day we met, she was wary of us, yet hopeful, standing in front of us with hands on hips and bravery etched in her posture. The day each of us have our precious children placed in our arms is obviously different for everyone. It’s a moment forever etched in our mind and heart. For most, in that instant, your heart expands beyond any capacity you knew was capable, and this person becomes someone you love so deeply that you’d die for them, even though you just met. Many of us enter parenthood ready for the responsibility. However, when I was a first time mother, I didn’t feel ready, except that I loved my husband, and together we were bringing our child into the world. Not yet a Christian, my thoughts were to learn and become the best mom I could be. I did everything to become a good mom, wife, and homemaker. I fell short in some ways, but I also grew and succeeded in other ways. Yet, aspiring to be the good mom was actually opposite of the direction I should have headed. It would have given me such relief if I could have been given a manual with each child. Something that would tell me how each of them were wired, and what their interests would be. This guide could prepare me for how to handle their temperament and how to walk them through trials or temptations. How welcome this book would have been for a young mother. As an older mom now, I look back at those early parenting years and wish I could have known things I do now. But the truth is that just like Dorothy with the ruby red slippers, I’ve always had the power. I’ve always held a weapon for success that isn’t secret. God’s Holy Word, the Bible gives us everything we need to know to parent successfully and live a life of joy. The Bible instructs us in how to carry out our most important job. God’s instructions are very clear. We are to teach our kids to love God with all their heart, soul, and might because we do, too. God’s Word shall be on our heart, honored and obeyed, and lovingly shown to our children. We are to weave God and His commandments into everyday conversation and life whether we sit in our house, when we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise. We are to inhale Him so we effortlessly exhale Him as a sweet fragrance that attracts our children to Him. Everything begins with where you place your identity. If it’s not deeply, widely woven by Jesus, your child’s won’t be crafted by Christ, either. Your greatest goal should be that your children love, follow, and obey Jesus. You must be a mirror mentoring Christ over culture. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 makes it very clear that every act of parenting should ultimately point to building a foundation of love and trust in Christ that is strong enough for your child to construct their own solid house of faith that lasts into eternity. If God’s Word makes what our biggest parenting goal should be so clear, why do most parents falter in this area? When asked what they are most concerned about when parenting, most parents respond with different answers. Instead of sharing that they desire to make God clearly known as their first, second, or third answer, many parents remark that they are concerned with entirely different issues. Responses such as strong mental health for their children (specifically addressing depression or anxiety), protecting against bullying, safety concerns, helping their child achieve academic success, and finding ways to better manage screen time are top of mind. When we look at this list of parental concerns, there’s one clear solution to each point. Everything points back to instilling a heart for Jesus and establishing strong identity though Him. When our children build personal identity through relationship with Christ, integrity, character, and habits are formed that protect against what parents are worried about . As they grow in depth and breadth of maturity in their relationship, they learn to take thoughts captive for God and begin daily habits that bring them closer and closer to Him with each moment. As your children witness you seeking God first in daily life, reading His Word and utilizing what you learn in your thoughts, words, desires, and actions, then teach them how to do the same, you are exchanging fleeting treasures of this world for eternal security in the next. When your children see you continue to build and strengthen your identity in Christ, then teach them how to do the same, you are investing in eternal insurance that will bring great dividends for eternity . When your children are taught God’s Truth from you, the first Jesus they will experience, you will mold their heart and mind with eternal treasures that will combat depression and anxiety as they grow in Him. You will fill them with understanding of their purpose in life as they continue to mature. As your children uncover purpose through Christ and use the gifts and talents God crafted within them, they will have less use for mindless screen time and the fleeting interests of this world. As you become a set-apart woman who intentionally parents set-apart kids, your children will stop looking like typical children and teens as they become uniquely equipped to navigate life in this world in ways that will bring peace and security in Heaven. Why is it that believing women raise typical kids who grow into typical adults? Because we fall into the trap of living life day to day with the same patterns we’ve used in the past. Instead of relying on the power of the Holy Spirit within , we mindlessly live in the easiest or most convenient ways. Sometimes we think we’ll get to training about God later or that our kids aren’t mentally ready for certain topics, but the truth is that the devil deceives. It’s way too easy to follow his ways of the world instead of purposely pursuing the only One who can give us and our children or families what we truly desire in the depths of our spirit. If you desire your children to carry peace that passes understanding, love, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control, as is promised in Galatians 5:22-23, you must be purposed in making Christ known moment by moment in your life in order to mentor to your child how to show Him in their lives. A once a week trip to church together won’t secure your child’s walk with Christ. It’s a day in, day out process of submitting self, moment by moment, and mentoring Jesus to your watching children. It’s knowing, showing, and experiencing the power of Christ together with the joy and peace that comes from an intentionally close relationship with Jesus. Parents are merely human. We don’t carry special powers or traits that allow us to do everything ourselves, as much as we would like to think we can. We must submit to the Father and receive the Son. Through the Holy Spirit within, you can attract your child to Jesus. Because of free will, none of us can guarantee that our children will accept Jesus as their personal Savior, but we can rest assured that we have done everything to lead them to His feet and heart. Dear Heavenly Father, You reign over us from Heaven, yet you live on earth and within our heart. Anywhere we go, You are present. Thank You for that hope and truth. May we live with ever more awareness of who You are and whose we are. May our children see the love and dedication we have for You because we passionately pursue You moment by moment and show our reliance on You. May we never draw our children, spouse, or others to self, but to You. May we honor You with purpose that exalts You and brings us into alignment with all You have for us. Thank you for including us in Your plans and showing us the way to You. May we climb in Your arms and rest there as we abide in Your glory, care, and love. May our children follow with even more desire for You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. If you’re ready to become the godly mom God entrusts you to be for Him and His children, you might like my free “Good to Godly: A 31-Day Scripture and Prayer Guide for Moms.” Visit terrihitt.com to receive this resource. You are the first Jesus your child will see. Your relationship with Christ is the light that shines Him to your children. If you want a connected relationship with Jesus and your children that leads them to your side and His feet, instead of them seeking validation from peers, my Set-Apart Collective program can show you how to reflect Christ in a way that attracts your family to a connected relationship that lasts into eternity. If you don’t want peers and culture to be the main influence over your child, if you desire to parent to “prepare” your child for eternity with Christ, not repair your relationship with them, the Set-Apart Collective will arm you with a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You’ll also deepen your identity in Christ so you can mentor the way for your children to do the same. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family and you will have the tools to raise set apart kids as you parent the heart, not simply the behavior. Visit terrihitt.com/coaching and click the link for a free, no obligation conversation call with me. This is a strategic call where I will hear your biggest struggle and show you how to turn it into a blessing that will bring you closer to Christ and your children. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. Time is short. Make yours matter for eternity. Remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection with your children and Christ. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #096 – Open Hearts for Orphans – Interview with Lisa Murphy Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Last week I began a series of conversations to bring awareness to National Adoption Month and the miracle of adoption. When we adopted from China, several people asked why. Not only were they inquiring as to why we were adopting after we had already raised two children, but they also wanted to understand why we were not adopting from the United States. Some people asked why we were going all the way to China for our baby. Our answer is honest and quite easy. We went where God called us to go. We never considered adopting, let alone traveling to a foreign country to do so until God changed our hearts and let us know His plan. What a glorious life we have lived because of heeding His call and stepping forward in obedience. My guest today is Lisa Murphy, a wife of 29 years to her husband, Jim, and mother to five unexpected and beautiful children through adoption - four living on earth and one residing in Heaven. Lisa is the Founder and CEO of Open Hearts For Orphans Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization created to care for orphaned and abandoned children around the world through medical intervention, meeting basic needs, and providing their "Say Yes" adoption grants to families in the process. Open Hearts For Orphans especially believes that children belong in loving families and to date has issued over seventy adoption grants to families adopting children with special needs from fifteen different countries. Lisa’s adoption story began when she embraced the unexpected grace of our Heavenly Father who crafts desires and dreams within us during our creation. He weaves lives and stories together in beautiful ways that prove His existence, love, and provision for us. I pray you will see Him at work as you listen to Lisa’s tragic, yet hope-filled story and see how God used tragedy and hardship to bring awareness, love, provision, and change for orphans because our Great God cares for what society may consider “the least of these.” Life is never just about us alone; it is about each person God created in His image with a love so deep and wide that He offered the greatest sacrifice of His son, Jesus. God uses our lives, as well, for bigger purposes than we can imagine. Stepping out in faith to follow where He directs brings blessings for so many more than just ourselves and crafts a portrait of devotion and pure, holy love that is more beautiful than any piece of art we will see this side of heaven. ----------------------------------------------------INTERVIEW------------------------------------------------ Isn’t God wise to protect us from knowing our future? What fears and insecurities we are guarded from simply because He asks us to trust Him, to join Him on the journey of crafting a life that allows His sturdy, strong arms to carry us. His mighty works are evident in Lisa’s life as God crafted her family together in the ways He desires and that give Him joy. He knew the deepest desires of Lisa’s spirit, hopes that were not even realized by her yet, would be touched through His unexpected plans. For more information about Open Hearts for Orphans, please visit their website, Facebook page, Instagram, and YouTube channel. You may reach Lisa at openheartsfororphansorg@gmail.com. Lisa’s book, With An Open Heart their family's personal account of love, loss, and unexpected blessings is a deeply moving, true story that lovingly chronicles her family's shockingly short, yet profoundly powerful experience with their son Daniel and his zest for life. All royalties for Lisa's memoir are directed to Open Hearts for Orphans. Father God, we humbly bow before You. You are the Great I Am, the Beginning and the End, and our Great Provider. Father, we thank You for Your gracious, lavish love. Thank you for the ways You carry us, and for the multitude of things You do that we never notice or realize. Thank You for the plans You crafted for us before we were even born. Heavenly Father, You are good, Your plans are good. Even when we do not understand them or see them, we trust in You. Our hope is in You. Help us to see and desire You more clearly, more intimately each day. 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 096 - Open Hearts for Orphans - Interview with Lisa Murphy Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #096 – Open Hearts for Orphans – Interview with Lisa Murphy Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Last week I began a series of conversations to bring awareness to National Adoption Month and the miracle of adoption. When we adopted from China, several people asked why. Not only were they inquiring as to why we were adopting after we had already raised two children, but they also wanted to understand why we were not adopting from the United States. Some people asked why we were going all the way to China for our baby. Our answer is honest and quite easy. We went where God called us to go. We never considered adopting, let alone traveling to a foreign country to do so until God changed our hearts and let us know His plan. What a glorious life we have lived because of heeding His call and stepping forward in obedience. My guest today is Lisa Murphy, a wife of 29 years to her husband, Jim, and mother to five unexpected and beautiful children through adoption - four living on earth and one residing in Heaven. Lisa is the Founder and CEO of Open Hearts For Orphans Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization created to care for orphaned and abandoned children around the world through medical intervention, meeting basic needs, and providing their "Say Yes" adoption grants to families in the process. Open Hearts For Orphans especially believes that children belong in loving families and to date has issued over seventy adoption grants to families adopting children with special needs from fifteen different countries. Lisa’s adoption story began when she embraced the unexpected grace of our Heavenly Father who crafts desires and dreams within us during our creation. He weaves lives and stories together in beautiful ways that prove His existence, love, and provision for us. I pray you will see Him at work as you listen to Lisa’s tragic, yet hope-filled story and see how God used tragedy and hardship to bring awareness, love, provision, and change for orphans because our Great God cares for what society may consider “the least of these.” Life is never just about us alone; it is about each person God created in His image with a love so deep and wide that He offered the greatest sacrifice of His son, Jesus. God uses our lives, as well, for bigger purposes than we can imagine. Stepping out in faith to follow where He directs brings blessings for so many more than just ourselves and crafts a portrait of devotion and pure, holy love that is more beautiful than any piece of art we will see this side of heaven. ----------------------------------------------------INTERVIEW------------------------------------------------ Isn’t God wise to protect us from knowing our future? What fears and insecurities we are guarded from simply because He asks us to trust Him, to join Him on the journey of crafting a life that allows His sturdy, strong arms to carry us. His mighty works are evident in Lisa’s life as God crafted her family together in the ways He desires and that give Him joy. He knew the deepest desires of Lisa’s spirit, hopes that were not even realized by her yet, would be touched through His unexpected plans. For more information about Open Hearts for Orphans, please visit their website, Facebook page, Instagram, and YouTube channel. You may reach Lisa at openheartsfororphansorg@gmail.com . Lisa’s book, With An Open Heart their family's personal account of love, loss, and unexpected blessings is a deeply moving, true story that lovingly chronicles her family's shockingly short, yet profoundly powerful experience with their son Daniel and his zest for life. All royalties for Lisa's memoir are directed to Open Hearts for Orphans. Father God, we humbly bow before You. You are the Great I Am, the Beginning and the End, and our Great Provider. Father, we thank You for Your gracious, lavish love. Thank you for the ways You carry us, and for the multitude of things You do that we never notice or realize. Thank You for the plans You crafted for us before we were even born. Heavenly Father, You are good, Your plans are good. Even when we do not understand them or see them, we trust in You. Our hope is in You. Help us to see and desire You more clearly, more intimately each day. 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. https://openheartsfororphans.org/ https://www.facebook.com/openheartsfororphans https://www.instagram.com/openheartsfororphansorg/ https://www.amazon.com/Open-Heart-Revised-unexpected-blessings/dp/151707536X/ref=sr_1_15?crid=MKVZNEFQ5GTZ&keywords=lisa+murphy+books&qid=1637244467&sprefix=lisa+murphy%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-15

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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #127 – Living Fully in the Moment Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. Do you ever wish for an exciting change in your life? Guess what? Each morning I get to live a new adventure in the world of Legos. Like clockwork, my youngest expects me to play with her before her day officially starts. As soon as she is out of bed with teeth brushed and medicine taken, we are connected in a world of make-believe. We’ve held this date for 7 years. Do you wonder whether it’s hard for us to maintain this schedule? Without fail, unless we have an errand that presses into our time, we do not deviate from our special time together. Sure, I think some might look at this as a trapping of sorts. To be honest, on days when I have a pressing schedule, it’s sometimes tempting to skip. Often many other things are pressing for my attention, and I’d have a valid reason (in my eyes, anyway) to say I’m just not able to play that day. Yet, God has shown me the importance, the blessing, and the privilege to connect with my girl in this special one-on-one way. Maybe it’s because I’m an older, or “do-over” mom, or maybe it’s because my heart has been pierced with loss and grieves for more time with my oldest daughter, but I understand the eternal value in these simple moments. Without a doubt, I believe that the communication we share and the trust my daughter has placed in me stems in a very large part from this simple, but dedicated time, to just sit together and play. Because I have proven myself reliable and we have bonded through this important way, my girl knows she can believe other things I tell her, ask her to do, or teach her. I’ve grabbed the opportunity to know her better through the very best way a child communicates – play. In a way, I’ve been gifted lost time, as well. Because I missed 9 years with my precious daughter, I recognize that God has miraculously gifted me the honor of being the one to teach her to play. Watching her learn the basics required for play were the beginning of a miracle that only He could supply. Although no one gave her time or recognition before, she has the most amazing imagination and ability to create. I’ve come to see facets of her personality and skills I would not have known otherwise. Because I appreciate our time together very much, a comment she made one day that she is glad I “am childishly playful” was one of the best compliments I have ever received. As I pondered what this opinion meant to her, the worth she received from the time I dedicated to her, and how it made me feel, I thought of God at the beginning of creation. Think of every animal, insect, bird, fish, human, continent, and on and on. Do you think God could have made all He has so superbly unique without being childishly playful? My point is that God wants us to enjoy life, to live in full appreciation of the moment, lest we miss it altogether and yearn a missed opportunity forever. Yet, He also wants us to view our moments with a heart that craves our eternal home with Him and seeks the value of what we are doing for His kingdom and our walk with Him. He desires that we view what we are living now with eyes and heart for how He will use it for eternity, whether we consider what we are going through to be good or bad, easy or hard. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Our love for God should saturate our heart so that our motives always seek His glory. Our walk with God should build up the walk of another for Him. Knowing the relationship I am crafting with my daughter is not just for my joy and benefit, but is a mentorship for her and her relationship with Christ, I look at the time spent as an investment in her eternity. I believe there are 5 tips to help each of us to remember to live in the moment, yet be directed by a mind set on eternity. 1. Seek God’s direction for your life. Unless you are actively and humbly submitting to Christ moment by moment, you will be deceived by fleshly desires. • Commit to daily Bible Study – If daily reading or study is your goal, it will become a habit like brushing your teeth or making your bed. If an unexpected event happens and you are unable to read one day, you have a supply built inside to sustain you until the next day or you will miss it so much that you will look at even a few lines of the Bible to quench your thirst for truth. • Keep an open dialogue of prayer through each day and stop to speak and listen to your Heavenly Father. Through study of His Word, we come to know our Heavenly Father in new and authentic ways. As we pray to and listen for the Father, we are even more attuned to the Holy Spirit within us. 2. Pray for discernment in your commitments and activity level. • Let simplicity have more room in your life. When our schedules are too packed or we haven’t be led by the direction of our Father, we cannot hear the Holy Spirit or recognize His guidance. • Be purposed in what you commit to. Our regular activities make life busy, but balanced. What we commit to has been prayed over and is used for Christ. 3. Cultivate a grateful attitude. Look for reasons to be joyful. Everything serves a purpose in your life. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Rest in the arms of your Heavenly Father. Trust His timetable and that He is present through what you consider set-backs. Look for Him at work and ask God to help you see Him clearly. 4. Practice living with a mindset like Christ. • Let no grudges, bitterness, hatred, unforgiveness, or hurts take hold of your mind, heart, or spirit. • Don’t take anything for granted. Take moments captive for Christ. How would God desire you use what happens in your life? • Don’t expect perfect days. I’ve learned and matured more during hardship than have in ease. Look for God’s hand in everything you encounter. 5. Pay attention to the world. • Look at culture, your life, clothing, interests, etc. through the eyes of Christ. • Evaluate whether you are living for more of this world or living for the purpose you hold here. Ask God to show you where He desires you to change. Balance your view of life with appreciation and a heart centered on God to ensure you make the most of every opportunity. Ephesians 5:15-20 says, “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, 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 reckless indiscretion. 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.” Don’t live for moments, but in the moment God has gifted you. James 4:14 says, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” We each have a choice. Are we living in the moment or for the moment? When you live in the moment, we can appreciate what God has gifted to us. We know time is short. This moment is all we are guaranteed. Proverbs 27:1 says, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” If we are living for the moment, we tend to look only at that time, but not remember that the moments we have in this world are a gift; they are a time for serving the purposes our Father desires for us. It’s easy to live for moments. Births, weddings, celebrations, vacations, the list goes on. Never let the focus on milestones or desires overshadow your need to live in the moment you now possess. Jesus celebrated, too. Yet even in the midst of big events, He kept His eyes and heart on the eternal. Nothing was more important than serving His Father and knowing that God’s desires for Him were completed. 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.” Dear Heavenly Father, You are our Savior and we place our trust in You. Help us to remember that You are good. You call us to You, to come in good or bad times, and to center our thoughts on You. Father, Your Word shows us the way. Your love carries us. If we let You. Help us to set our minds on You, not the things of this world. Let that mindset penetrate each area of our life. The only way we can do that is to continue to seek Your face, heart, and mindset in all ways. We must be at Your feet, humbling ourselves under You. We must seek Your face first and last each day, and in the moments between. You know the plans You have for us. May we look forward to the future You have set for us with endurance and joy that comes only from You and a close relationship with You. Help us to look to You, Lord, and use Your strength as You guide us in Your truth and ways. Help our hope remain in You as our face seeks Yours. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Additional episodes may be heard at terrihitt.com, but the podcast is also a part of the Spark Media Network. Now the podcast may also be found on the Edifi app, where you can find thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed this podcast on Apple Podcasts yet? If you haven’t, would you please consider doing so? When you review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen to this new podcast, especially if you are raising children or influencing grandchildren. Please follow and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 127 - Living Fully in the Moment Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #127 – Living Fully in the Moment Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective. Do you ever wish for an exciting change in your life? Guess what? Each morning I get to live a new adventure in the world of Legos. Like clockwork, my youngest expects me to play with her before her day officially starts. As soon as she is out of bed with teeth brushed and medicine taken, we are connected in a world of make-believe. We’ve held this date for 7 years. Do you wonder whether it’s hard for us to maintain this schedule? Without fail, unless we have an errand that presses into our time, we do not deviate from our special time together. Sure, I think some might look at this as a trapping of sorts. To be honest, on days when I have a pressing schedule, it’s sometimes tempting to skip. Often many other things are pressing for my attention, and I’d have a valid reason (in my eyes, anyway) to say I’m just not able to play that day. Yet, God has shown me the importance, the blessing, and the privilege to connect with my girl in this special one-on-one way. Maybe it’s because I’m an older, or “do-over” mom, or maybe it’s because my heart has been pierced with loss and grieves for more time with my oldest daughter, but I understand the eternal value in these simple moments. Without a doubt, I believe that the communication we share and the trust my daughter has placed in me stems in a very large part from this simple, but dedicated time, to just sit together and play. Because I have proven myself reliable and we have bonded through this important way, my girl knows she can believe other things I tell her, ask her to do, or teach her. I’ve grabbed the opportunity to know her better through the very best way a child communicates – play. In a way, I’ve been gifted lost time, as well. Because I missed 9 years with my precious daughter, I recognize that God has miraculously gifted me the honor of being the one to teach her to play. Watching her learn the basics required for play were the beginning of a miracle that only He could supply. Although no one gave her time or recognition before, she has the most amazing imagination and ability to create. I’ve come to see facets of her personality and skills I would not have known otherwise. Because I appreciate our time together very much, a comment she made one day that she is glad I “am childishly playful” was one of the best compliments I have ever received. As I pondered what this opinion meant to her, the worth she received from the time I dedicated to her, and how it made me feel, I thought of God at the beginning of creation. Think of every animal, insect, bird, fish, human, continent, and on and on. Do you think God could have made all He has so superbly unique without being childishly playful? My point is that God wants us to enjoy life, to live in full appreciation of the moment, lest we miss it altogether and yearn a missed opportunity forever. Yet, He also wants us to view our moments with a heart that craves our eternal home with Him and seeks the value of what we are doing for His kingdom and our walk with Him. He desires that we view what we are living now with eyes and heart for how He will use it for eternity, whether we consider what we are going through to be good or bad, easy or hard. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Our love for God should saturate our heart so that our motives always seek His glory. Our walk with God should build up the walk of another for Him. Knowing the relationship I am crafting with my daughter is not just for my joy and benefit, but is a mentorship for her and her relationship with Christ, I look at the time spent as an investment in her eternity. I believe there are 5 tips to help each of us to remember to live in the moment, yet be directed by a mind set on eternity. 1. Seek God’s direction for your life. Unless you are actively and humbly submitting to Christ moment by moment, you will be deceived by fleshly desires. • Commit to daily Bible Study – If daily reading or study is your goal, it will become a habit like brushing your teeth or making your bed. If an unexpected event happens and you are unable to read one day, you have a supply built inside to sustain you until the next day or you will miss it so much that you will look at even a few lines of the Bible to quench your thirst for truth. • Keep an open dialogue of prayer through each day and stop to speak and listen to your Heavenly Father. Through study of His Word, we come to know our Heavenly Father in new and authentic ways. As we pray to and listen for the Father, we are even more attuned to the Holy Spirit within us. 2. Pray for discernment in your commitments and activity level. • Let simplicity have more room in your life. When our schedules are too packed or we haven’t be led by the direction of our Father, we cannot hear the Holy Spirit or recognize His guidance. • Be purposed in what you commit to. Our regular activities make life busy, but balanced. What we commit to has been prayed over and is used for Christ. 3. Cultivate a grateful attitude. Look for reasons to be joyful. Everything serves a purpose in your life. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Rest in the arms of your Heavenly Father. Trust His timetable and that He is present through what you consider set-backs. Look for Him at work and ask God to help you see Him clearly. 4. Practice living with a mindset like Christ. • Let no grudges, bitterness, hatred, unforgiveness, or hurts take hold of your mind, heart, or spirit. • Don’t take anything for granted. Take moments captive for Christ. How would God desire you use what happens in your life? • Don’t expect perfect days. I’ve learned and matured more during hardship than have in ease. Look for God’s hand in everything you encounter. 5. Pay attention to the world. • Look at culture, your life, clothing, interests, etc. through the eyes of Christ. • Evaluate whether you are living for more of this world or living for the purpose you hold here. Ask God to show you where He desires you to change. Balance your view of life with appreciation and a heart centered on God to ensure you make the most of every opportunity. Ephesians 5:15-20 says, “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, 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 reckless indiscretion. 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.” Don’t live for moments, but in the moment God has gifted you. James 4:14 says, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” We each have a choice. Are we living in the moment or for the moment? When you live in the moment, we can appreciate what God has gifted to us. We know time is short. This moment is all we are guaranteed. Proverbs 27:1 says, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” If we are living for the moment, we tend to look only at that time, but not remember that the moments we have in this world are a gift; they are a time for serving the purposes our Father desires for us. It’s easy to live for moments. Births, weddings, celebrations, vacations, the list goes on. Never let the focus on milestones or desires overshadow your need to live in the moment you now possess. Jesus celebrated, too. Yet even in the midst of big events, He kept His eyes and heart on the eternal. Nothing was more important than serving His Father and knowing that God’s desires for Him were completed. 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.” Dear Heavenly Father, You are our Savior and we place our trust in You. Help us to remember that You are good. You call us to You, to come in good or bad times, and to center our thoughts on You. Father, Your Word shows us the way. Your love carries us. If we let You. Help us to set our minds on You, not the things of this world. Let that mindset penetrate each area of our life. The only way we can do that is to continue to seek Your face, heart, and mindset in all ways. We must be at Your feet, humbling ourselves under You. We must seek Your face first and last each day, and in the moments between. You know the plans You have for us. May we look forward to the future You have set for us with endurance and joy that comes only from You and a close relationship with You. Help us to look to You, Lord, and use Your strength as You guide us in Your truth and ways. Help our hope remain in You as our face seeks Yours. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Additional episodes may be heard at terrihitt.com, but the podcast is also a part of the Spark Media Network. Now the podcast may also be found on the Edifi app, where you can find thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Have you rated or reviewed this podcast on Apple Podcasts yet? If you haven’t, would you please consider doing so? When you review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, it helps to elevate the standing online so that more people are allowed to find and hear it. Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen to this new podcast, especially if you are raising children or influencing grandchildren. Please follow and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #001 Heart Conditions Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective podcast Episode #001 – Heart Conditions. Thank you for entrusting and investing part of your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed and thrilled to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. In the last podcast, #000, the Introductory podcast, I explained a little about why I started this show. The main points I shared are the great joy I experience in sharing and hearing God stories, in encouraging others to live with an eternal perspective for Jesus, and that I consider myself a “girl” in love with Jesus. I hope each episode encourages and inspires you to mature your walk with Christ and allow Him to transform your heart, as well. I pray that each personal experience and lesson I share with you points your heart and mind upward to Him. I have a husband, one daughter in Heaven, one son, a grandson, and two daughters on earth. My youngest daughter is always on the hunt for hearts. She spots the shape in flowers, in artwork, in cereal, rocks…really the list is very long. I enjoy looking for them with her. Finding hearts together feels like a special gift from God to make us smile. One Christmas morning, I found a perfectly shaped heart in the foam on top of my orange juice. Our sweet girl came home from China to be with us at the age of nine. Brooklyn had survived a lonely existence in the crib room at a Chinese orphanage. The bed she was confined to was smaller than an American port-a-crib. No one talked to her, ate with her, or played with her. Because of her heart condition, no one thought she would survive, except for God. At the age of 7, Brooklyn was able to have open heart surgery. There was actually a first step in this procedure that should have been have been performed on her when she was just an infant, and the surgery she had in China should have been performed when she was around the age of 2. We will never know why or how she finally received the operation, but it enabled her to experience life with much better quality, and she was abruptly released from the crib room to join regular orphanage life at 7 years old. There’s a deep and detailed story behind that release, but I’ll save it for another podcast. Because our girl has several heart defects, the surgery she had wasn’t a repair, but she definitely did have a better quality of life than before. Knowing that Brooklyn’s health was much improved, but that it was still imperative she have another open heart surgery, the orphanage finally prepared documents for her to be eligible for adoption. Most couples, however, did not want to take a risk on a child who could not have her heart repaired, even after the next surgery. Because her future was uncertain, her prepared adoption records sat mostly unnoticed. I believe God was holding her for us to find. I had been praying for various children, both domestically and internationally, to find forever homes for over ten years at the time I saw Brooklyn’s face online. While scrolling through photos and offering prayers for several of the children I viewed on my computer screen one morning, I literally stopped when I saw her. I could not scroll past her face or expression. I immediately began praying for her, yet instead of moving on to other children to pray for them, she remained embedded in my memory. I told my husband about her and asked him to pray for her, too, but instead of releasing thoughts of her, I continued day dreaming about her each day. After a couple of weeks, I contacted the adoption agency that listed her and inquired about her history. I also asked for more information to be gathered. Before long, I memorized every fact they had on her and I was receiving updates from China. The agent I worked with said I knew her file better than anyone. The only concern that kept rearing an ugly question was her health. I sent her medical file to top pediatric cardiologists at several major hospitals in the United States. They all reported back with the same information. Any repair would be palliative. Her heart could not be fixed. At some point, a heart transplant would be needed. It was such deep news to process. My husband and I went straight to the Lord. The major hesitation in my heart was that we had already lost a daughter. I didn’t want to experience that pain again. I also didn’t want my then nine year old daughter or my grown son to experience losing a sibling again. Marissa was four when Jaime died. It had been brutally hard. Even harder on her and the whole family was losing Jaime, then also dealing with the gradual decline of my mother’s health due to Alzheimer’s disease, and walking through almost a year of lung cancer with my father. My father died six years after Jaime, but dealing with me managing the care of my parents in the interim was excruciating for my then youngest child. We spent almost every day with either my mother or father and it had been one hard battle after another for years by this time. My mother was still alive and I knew her health would only decline. Even thinking of caring for a palliative child who had lived in isolation most of her nine years in an orphanage on top of everything made no sense. But one question kept pressing in my mind. Would it make sense to God? My husband and I prayed for three months before knowing it did. This was His plan. God doesn’t call us to seek a life of ease; He calls us to obey. Once we knew God was requesting us to bring Brooklyn home to our family, we moved as quickly as possible to submit documents to begin the adoption process. After we received pre-approval, we completed our home study, began completing all of the required paperwork, and gathered much needed funds. In our case, I spent hours locating, completing, and submitting grant applications. God provided absolutely everything we needed. We were blessed to be recipients of several matching grants and experienced the generosity of many friends and family. There is never an excuse for us to ignore the calls that God places in or on each of us. Where God leads, He does provide. It is our responsibility to take the step of faith that creates obedience and opens the door for God to supply. One special friend held a huge garage sale for us and donated all the money toward the adoption fund. On top of that, she contributed $500 to the adoption. Another dear friend donated $800 towards the adoption. God was clearly calling others to invest in His work and in the life of His dear daughter who deserved a family to love her. It only took eight months from the start of our paperwork that began the process, until we actually traveled to China. We were on a mission to get our girl home, and then quickly get her as healthy as possible. After she was home, Brooklyn had so many doctor appointments. There were many health issues and as I said before, this subject would be another podcast on its own. Following other surgeries that she had to undergo to rid her body of multiple infections, we were finally able to focus on her second heart surgery. Due to several heart defects, our girl basically lives on half a heart. But let me tell you that her heart explodes with love as full as several whole hearts. That’s actually the focus of our podcast today: the condition of our heart. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 4:23, which warns, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Do you ever just stop and look around? It seems everyone is always in a hurry. We’re so used to immediate gratification, and over-scheduled lives. We’ve jam-packed kindness right out of the picture. No one has time for it. In reality, we make time for what we care about. This world – and all of us in it – will not change until we change the condition of our hearts. I truly believe the problems of this world would be solved if we all allowed a heart adjustment from Jesus. Before Jesus left His disciples, He warned them that He would not talk with them much longer. “The ruler of this world is coming,” He said. “He has nothing in me.” Jesus was letting them know that Satan had nothing over Him. There was absolutely no handle with which Satan could get a hold on Jesus or persuade Him to sin. Here’s the important point for us to remember. Satan actually needs fertile ground to plant and grow his damage and destruction. This means that when we have an area of our life that has not been surrendered to the Lord, we invite Satan into the garden of our hearts to begin preparing for a harvest. Do you realize that God’s word is actually full of warnings for us? The Bible holds wise and seemingly simple advice to steer us straight to Jesus and away from the clutches of Satan. Here are a few: Don’t let the sun go down on your anger. Give to those who have need. Be kind to one another. Be tenderhearted. Forgive one another. Walk in love and be imitators of God. They are all such simple directives. What is the key? We have to follow these commands with a pure and willing heart that is submitted to Jesus because we love Him and we have surrendered our lives to Him as our Savior. The works we do are acts of love and obedience – they’re not done to attempt to gain favor or to look good to others. Everything circles back to the condition of our heart. Ephesians 4:30 instructs, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” What I find so fascinating is that the verses right before, and also following this verse, warn extensively about the inappropriate use of anger, fighting, slander, bad attitudes, and our tongue. This proves that the Holy Spirit is deeply grieved by sins committed daily by those of us who profess to love Him. Matthew 12:34b says, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” If you skip down to verses 36 and 37, Jesus warns, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words, you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” The excess in our hearts - both good and bad - will eventually spill out of our mouths. When it happens, it reveals our core nature. Colossians 4:5 offers a wise solution. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Simply translated, this means that the words of believers must be spoken with the intention of being useful for helping others and for building them up. Help others and build them up. So incredibly hard to do when we’re angry. Hard to do when we have been abused or misunderstood. Almost impossible when we’ve been wrongly accused. Just like Jesus was. Yet, every single action He took was intentional. Jesus didn’t react according to how He felt. Jesus longed to fulfill His Father’s plans for Him. He longed to please the Father. Jesus loves us so much that He kept His focus on what He knew with a certainty God was calling Him to do. Jesus didn’t put himself on the throne of His life. Because He knew His life wasn’t His own. Neither is ours. We know it, but don’t always keep it in the forefront of our mind and heart. Abiding in Jesus means we are to allow every bit of ourselves to abide in Him. We are here on this earth for such a short time. There’s a purpose to the personal suffering each one of us has endured. No one else is created exactly as you are. No one else is created exactly as I am. We are called to use our lives for Him and let that overflow to each other. Each of our stories, each of our glories and disasters are sifted through His hands before they touch us and have been allowed for a divine purpose. Our hearts cannot help but be radically transformed when we remember that truth. In turn, our transformation affects everyone around us. This then draws others to Jesus, as we allow His heart and mind to radiate and work through us. Our hearts begin to love others as Jesus does and our words and actions prove it. This is living with true eternal perspective. It changes everything about us, beginning with our heartitude. It’s my made-up word, but I think you know what I mean. It’s what God refers to as our “core nature.” Heartitude vomits what we’ve got stored inside. We suddenly expel what is, and has been, buried deep within. For example: What about when we are tired at the end of a day and we just want to run into the grocery store and get out quickly with what we need for dinner. The lines are looong! One cashier works as quickly as they can to process everyone in the store through one line, and of course, everyone suddenly wants to leave at the same time. The scowl on our face and the impatience in our body language tells everyone around us just how much we love Jesus, right? What about when we’re dealing with customer service or a medical representative on a phone call, and after we’ve been transferred again, and have repeated our story for about the fifth time, but we’re still no closer to getting direction or resolution on our issue? The tone of our voice and choice of our words lets the person on the other end of the phone hear how much we love and follow Jesus, right? What about when someone, an adult, or even another child, intentionally treats your child unfairly or unkindly? Even after you rationally discuss it with them, they continue to harass or harm your beloved child. What about when they make fun of your child with special needs? Our reaction reflects how we respond just like Jesus, right? I have lived through each of these triggers. Sometimes I have responded in a way that I believe Jesus would approve of, and I believe I have shown Him to others through the way I handled my reaction. But at other times, I know I have saddened Jesus with my response. I immediately regretted the choices I made. It grieved my heart to know that I intentionally caused sorrow for Jesus. When we live by reaction or for what is easiest for us at the time, we are choosing to live for our own flesh, whether that is because we are simply being selfish, or because we lost our temper, or because we became frustrated, it doesn’t matter. We are intentionally making a choice to hurt Jesus, whether we recognize it or not. We all have different triggers and strongholds. Instead of living in shame or embarrassment when you react in an ungodly way, praise God for it! I am always humbled after responding in a manner unworthy of a daughter of the King. I apologize to God (and the person I offended, if I can) and I look at my weakness as a reflection in a mirror that has clearly shined my area of need. God has shown my frailty with a distinct clarity because He loves and He understands me completely. He is expelling “me” so He can fill all of the spaces. As we abide in God and allow Him to fully reside in us, the changes are permanent and visible. “More of Him, less of me” becomes the chant we hear internally and respond from when we are thrown off balance, disturbed, or hurt because Jesus and His reactions and replies are permanently embedded in the pulse of our being. We are then truly living with an eternal perspective. Thank you for listening to the Live With Eternal Perspective podcast. God has impressed so much on my heart to share. Living with an eternal perspective affects absolutely everything in my life. I am thrilled to delve into different areas with you. Since everything affects our eternity, we will have a lot to discuss! I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you found value in this podcast, please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. I also encourage you to leave a review. In order for others to be able to find this podcast, I will need the support of listeners who will invest a few minutes in subscribing and reviewing to lift Live With Eternal Perspective higher on the charts so that the platform shows it to everyone. Thank you again for sharing part of your day with me. Until next time, keep looking Upward and finding new ways to live with an Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 001 Heart Conditions Listen to Episode Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #001 Heart Conditions Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective podcast Episode #001 – Heart Conditions. Thank you for entrusting and investing part of your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed and thrilled to be back with you today to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. In the last podcast, #000, the Introductory podcast, I explained a little about why I started this show. The main points I shared are the great joy I experience in sharing and hearing God stories, in encouraging others to live with an eternal perspective for Jesus, and that I consider myself a “girl” in love with Jesus. I hope each episode encourages and inspires you to mature your walk with Christ and allow Him to transform your heart, as well. I pray that each personal experience and lesson I share with you points your heart and mind upward to Him. I have a husband, one daughter in Heaven, one son, a grandson, and two daughters on earth. My youngest daughter is always on the hunt for hearts. She spots the shape in flowers, in artwork, in cereal, rocks…really the list is very long. I enjoy looking for them with her. Finding hearts together feels like a special gift from God to make us smile. One Christmas morning, I found a perfectly shaped heart in the foam on top of my orange juice. Our sweet girl came home from China to be with us at the age of nine. Brooklyn had survived a lonely existence in the crib room at a Chinese orphanage. The bed she was confined to was smaller than an American port-a-crib. No one talked to her, ate with her, or played with her. Because of her heart condition, no one thought she would survive, except for God. At the age of 7, Brooklyn was able to have open heart surgery. There was actually a first step in this procedure that should have been have been performed on her when she was just an infant, and the surgery she had in China should have been performed when she was around the age of 2. We will never know why or how she finally received the operation, but it enabled her to experience life with much better quality, and she was abruptly released from the crib room to join regular orphanage life at 7 years old. There’s a deep and detailed story behind that release, but I’ll save it for another podcast. Because our girl has several heart defects, the surgery she had wasn’t a repair, but she definitely did have a better quality of life than before. Knowing that Brooklyn’s health was much improved, but that it was still imperative she have another open heart surgery, the orphanage finally prepared documents for her to be eligible for adoption. Most couples, however, did not want to take a risk on a child who could not have her heart repaired, even after the next surgery. Because her future was uncertain, her prepared adoption records sat mostly unnoticed. I believe God was holding her for us to find. I had been praying for various children, both domestically and internationally, to find forever homes for over ten years at the time I saw Brooklyn’s face online. While scrolling through photos and offering prayers for several of the children I viewed on my computer screen one morning, I literally stopped when I saw her. I could not scroll past her face or expression. I immediately began praying for her, yet instead of moving on to other children to pray for them, she remained embedded in my memory. I told my husband about her and asked him to pray for her, too, but instead of releasing thoughts of her, I continued day dreaming about her each day. After a couple of weeks, I contacted the adoption agency that listed her and inquired about her history. I also asked for more information to be gathered. Before long, I memorized every fact they had on her and I was receiving updates from China. The agent I worked with said I knew her file better than anyone. The only concern that kept rearing an ugly question was her health. I sent her medical file to top pediatric cardiologists at several major hospitals in the United States. They all reported back with the same information. Any repair would be palliative. Her heart could not be fixed. At some point, a heart transplant would be needed. It was such deep news to process. My husband and I went straight to the Lord. The major hesitation in my heart was that we had already lost a daughter. I didn’t want to experience that pain again. I also didn’t want my then nine year old daughter or my grown son to experience losing a sibling again. Marissa was four when Jaime died. It had been brutally hard. Even harder on her and the whole family was losing Jaime, then also dealing with the gradual decline of my mother’s health due to Alzheimer’s disease, and walking through almost a year of lung cancer with my father. My father died six years after Jaime, but dealing with me managing the care of my parents in the interim was excruciating for my then youngest child. We spent almost every day with either my mother or father and it had been one hard battle after another for years by this time. My mother was still alive and I knew her health would only decline. Even thinking of caring for a palliative child who had lived in isolation most of her nine years in an orphanage on top of everything made no sense. But one question kept pressing in my mind. Would it make sense to God? My husband and I prayed for three months before knowing it did. This was His plan. God doesn’t call us to seek a life of ease; He calls us to obey. Once we knew God was requesting us to bring Brooklyn home to our family, we moved as quickly as possible to submit documents to begin the adoption process. After we received pre-approval, we completed our home study, began completing all of the required paperwork, and gathered much needed funds. In our case, I spent hours locating, completing, and submitting grant applications. God provided absolutely everything we needed. We were blessed to be recipients of several matching grants and experienced the generosity of many friends and family. There is never an excuse for us to ignore the calls that God places in or on each of us. Where God leads, He does provide. It is our responsibility to take the step of faith that creates obedience and opens the door for God to supply. One special friend held a huge garage sale for us and donated all the money toward the adoption fund. On top of that, she contributed $500 to the adoption. Another dear friend donated $800 towards the adoption. God was clearly calling others to invest in His work and in the life of His dear daughter who deserved a family to love her. It only took eight months from the start of our paperwork that began the process, until we actually traveled to China. We were on a mission to get our girl home, and then quickly get her as healthy as possible. After she was home, Brooklyn had so many doctor appointments. There were many health issues and as I said before, this subject would be another podcast on its own. Following other surgeries that she had to undergo to rid her body of multiple infections, we were finally able to focus on her second heart surgery. Due to several heart defects, our girl basically lives on half a heart. But let me tell you that her heart explodes with love as full as several whole hearts. That’s actually the focus of our podcast today: the condition of our heart. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 4:23, which warns, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Do you ever just stop and look around? It seems everyone is always in a hurry. We’re so used to immediate gratification, and over-scheduled lives. We’ve jam-packed kindness right out of the picture. No one has time for it. In reality, we make time for what we care about. This world – and all of us in it – will not change until we change the condition of our hearts. I truly believe the problems of this world would be solved if we all allowed a heart adjustment from Jesus. Before Jesus left His disciples, He warned them that He would not talk with them much longer. “The ruler of this world is coming,” He said. “He has nothing in me.” Jesus was letting them know that Satan had nothing over Him. There was absolutely no handle with which Satan could get a hold on Jesus or persuade Him to sin. Here’s the important point for us to remember. Satan actually needs fertile ground to plant and grow his damage and destruction. This means that when we have an area of our life that has not been surrendered to the Lord, we invite Satan into the garden of our hearts to begin preparing for a harvest. Do you realize that God’s word is actually full of warnings for us? The Bible holds wise and seemingly simple advice to steer us straight to Jesus and away from the clutches of Satan. Here are a few: Don’t let the sun go down on your anger. Give to those who have need. Be kind to one another. Be tenderhearted. Forgive one another. Walk in love and be imitators of God. They are all such simple directives. What is the key? We have to follow these commands with a pure and willing heart that is submitted to Jesus because we love Him and we have surrendered our lives to Him as our Savior. The works we do are acts of love and obedience – they’re not done to attempt to gain favor or to look good to others. Everything circles back to the condition of our heart. Ephesians 4:30 instructs, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” What I find so fascinating is that the verses right before, and also following this verse, warn extensively about the inappropriate use of anger, fighting, slander, bad attitudes, and our tongue. This proves that the Holy Spirit is deeply grieved by sins committed daily by those of us who profess to love Him. Matthew 12:34b says, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” If you skip down to verses 36 and 37, Jesus warns, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words, you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” The excess in our hearts - both good and bad - will eventually spill out of our mouths. When it happens, it reveals our core nature. Colossians 4:5 offers a wise solution. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Simply translated, this means that the words of believers must be spoken with the intention of being useful for helping others and for building them up. Help others and build them up. So incredibly hard to do when we’re angry. Hard to do when we have been abused or misunderstood. Almost impossible when we’ve been wrongly accused. Just like Jesus was. Yet, every single action He took was intentional. Jesus didn’t react according to how He felt. Jesus longed to fulfill His Father’s plans for Him. He longed to please the Father. Jesus loves us so much that He kept His focus on what He knew with a certainty God was calling Him to do. Jesus didn’t put himself on the throne of His life. Because He knew His life wasn’t His own. Neither is ours. We know it, but don’t always keep it in the forefront of our mind and heart. Abiding in Jesus means we are to allow every bit of ourselves to abide in Him. We are here on this earth for such a short time. There’s a purpose to the personal suffering each one of us has endured. No one else is created exactly as you are. No one else is created exactly as I am. We are called to use our lives for Him and let that overflow to each other. Each of our stories, each of our glories and disasters are sifted through His hands before they touch us and have been allowed for a divine purpose. Our hearts cannot help but be radically transformed when we remember that truth. In turn, our transformation affects everyone around us. This then draws others to Jesus, as we allow His heart and mind to radiate and work through us. Our hearts begin to love others as Jesus does and our words and actions prove it. This is living with true eternal perspective. It changes everything about us, beginning with our heartitude. It’s my made-up word, but I think you know what I mean. It’s what God refers to as our “core nature.” Heartitude vomits what we’ve got stored inside. We suddenly expel what is, and has been, buried deep within. For example: What about when we are tired at the end of a day and we just want to run into the grocery store and get out quickly with what we need for dinner. The lines are looong! One cashier works as quickly as they can to process everyone in the store through one line, and of course, everyone suddenly wants to leave at the same time. The scowl on our face and the impatience in our body language tells everyone around us just how much we love Jesus, right? What about when we’re dealing with customer service or a medical representative on a phone call, and after we’ve been transferred again, and have repeated our story for about the fifth time, but we’re still no closer to getting direction or resolution on our issue? The tone of our voice and choice of our words lets the person on the other end of the phone hear how much we love and follow Jesus, right? What about when someone, an adult, or even another child, intentionally treats your child unfairly or unkindly? Even after you rationally discuss it with them, they continue to harass or harm your beloved child. What about when they make fun of your child with special needs? Our reaction reflects how we respond just like Jesus, right? I have lived through each of these triggers. Sometimes I have responded in a way that I believe Jesus would approve of, and I believe I have shown Him to others through the way I handled my reaction. But at other times, I know I have saddened Jesus with my response. I immediately regretted the choices I made. It grieved my heart to know that I intentionally caused sorrow for Jesus. When we live by reaction or for what is easiest for us at the time, we are choosing to live for our own flesh, whether that is because we are simply being selfish, or because we lost our temper, or because we became frustrated, it doesn’t matter. We are intentionally making a choice to hurt Jesus, whether we recognize it or not. We all have different triggers and strongholds. Instead of living in shame or embarrassment when you react in an ungodly way, praise God for it! I am always humbled after responding in a manner unworthy of a daughter of the King. I apologize to God (and the person I offended, if I can) and I look at my weakness as a reflection in a mirror that has clearly shined my area of need. God has shown my frailty with a distinct clarity because He loves and He understands me completely. He is expelling “me” so He can fill all of the spaces. As we abide in God and allow Him to fully reside in us, the changes are permanent and visible. “More of Him, less of me” becomes the chant we hear internally and respond from when we are thrown off balance, disturbed, or hurt because Jesus and His reactions and replies are permanently embedded in the pulse of our being. We are then truly living with an eternal perspective. Thank you for listening to the Live With Eternal Perspective podcast. God has impressed so much on my heart to share. Living with an eternal perspective affects absolutely everything in my life. I am thrilled to delve into different areas with you. Since everything affects our eternity, we will have a lot to discuss! I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you found value in this podcast, please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. I also encourage you to leave a review. In order for others to be able to find this podcast, I will need the support of listeners who will invest a few minutes in subscribing and reviewing to lift Live With Eternal Perspective higher on the charts so that the platform shows it to everyone. Thank you again for sharing part of your day with me. Until next time, keep looking Upward and finding new ways to live with an Eternal Perspective.

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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #095 – Through the Shadow of Death – Interview with Johanna Cannelongo Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Today I am honored to begin a new series of interviews in recognition of National Adoption Month. What a blessing it is to be able to converse with several people regarding the topic of adoption. As you probably already know, our family has added to our family through adoption twice and we are deeply blessed, of course, through bringing our daughters home, but also through the relationships we’ve built in the adoption community. National Adoption Month is an initiative that seeks to increase national awareness of adoption issues and bring attention to the need for adoptive families for teens in the U.S. foster care system. I also believe the movement includes awareness for international adoption. Although some adoptions abroad are closed due to Covid at this time, I pray the time will quickly come that all children, no matter where they live, will be able to live in loving, nurturing, permanent families. God doesn’t care where a child is adopted from. Whether domestic or international, children need homes. They are meant to live in attentive, loving homes. It breaks my heart that any child would be neglected, abused, or forgotten. Imagine how it makes God feel. Every person should know that someone cares about them and their well-being because they are deeply cherished. Our own journey with adoption began in China simply because that is where we knew God told us we had a daughter waiting. Over the ten years that followed our first adoption, we advocated and prayed for many children, both domestic and international. We worked with organizations, began an adoption ministry at church, and held seminars and conferences. I have lost count of the number of children I have prayed for as I viewed their photos and also shared them with others to pray and advocate for, as well. We also took courses to be approved to adopt domestically, but that was not God’s plan for us. Instead, He sent us back to China for our youngest child, and I will never forget the day I first saw her adorable face. It was the moment I fell in love with her. Today, I am beginning a series of interviews by introducing you to Johanna Cannelongo, a 4-time repeat adopter from China. Johanna is a wife and homeschooling mama of eight children, ages 5-21. She says she lives with her heart anchored in eternity, but her feet planted in Maryland on a little farmette with her amazing and funny husband of 23 years, Brian. Johanna’s passion is to raise children who love Jesus and to advocate for the most vulnerable. Now you will hear Johanna share the hope of Jesus through her story of His faithfulness in her life during tragedy and triumph. ----------------------------------------------------INTERVIEW------------------------------------------------ The goodness and faithfulness of God and His intimate provisions to each of us is clearly evident in the story Johanna shared with us. Johanna says that Jesus is her best friend, her light, and her song of living hope that saves her every day. His intimacy is free to each of us and He awaits our release of self so that He can freely minister and guide in the personal and loving ways He desires. Even through the valley of the shadow of death, Jesus can cause us to fear no evil, for He is right with us, carrying us each step of the journey, when we allow Him to. You can learn more about Johanna through her foundation, Live Gia Grow Forever on Facebook or Instagram. You can reach Johanna at johanna@wildflowerhope.com. Father God, we call upon Your name. You are the Great I Am, the Most High, our Creator and Sustainer, our Provider and Great Comforter. We need you so much more than we even realize. Father, thank you for the ways You carry us. You do not walk beside us. You intentionally and intimately desire to carry each load and carry us through the pain and trials. Heavenly Father, You are good, yet this world is not. Help us to crave You over culture and turn to You with every pain and heartache, every question and stumbling block. May we please You and fulfill the purpose You have set for us. May we give You honor and praise through easy and hard. When our deepest fears come true, may we not turn from You, but to You as we trust and rest in Your arms. Soothe our pain and show us Your tender mercies. 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 095 - Through the Shadow of Death - Interview with Johanna Cannelongo Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #095 – Through the Shadow of Death – Interview with Johanna Cannelongo Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Today I am honored to begin a new series of interviews in recognition of National Adoption Month. What a blessing it is to be able to converse with several people regarding the topic of adoption. As you probably already know, our family has added to our family through adoption twice and we are deeply blessed, of course, through bringing our daughters home, but also through the relationships we’ve built in the adoption community. National Adoption Month is an initiative that seeks to increase national awareness of adoption issues and bring attention to the need for adoptive families for teens in the U.S. foster care system. I also believe the movement includes awareness for international adoption. Although some adoptions abroad are closed due to Covid at this time, I pray the time will quickly come that all children, no matter where they live, will be able to live in loving, nurturing, permanent families. God doesn’t care where a child is adopted from. Whether domestic or international, children need homes. They are meant to live in attentive, loving homes. It breaks my heart that any child would be neglected, abused, or forgotten. Imagine how it makes God feel. Every person should know that someone cares about them and their well-being because they are deeply cherished. Our own journey with adoption began in China simply because that is where we knew God told us we had a daughter waiting. Over the ten years that followed our first adoption, we advocated and prayed for many children, both domestic and international. We worked with organizations, began an adoption ministry at church, and held seminars and conferences. I have lost count of the number of children I have prayed for as I viewed their photos and also shared them with others to pray and advocate for, as well. We also took courses to be approved to adopt domestically, but that was not God’s plan for us. Instead, He sent us back to China for our youngest child, and I will never forget the day I first saw her adorable face. It was the moment I fell in love with her. Today, I am beginning a series of interviews by introducing you to Johanna Cannelongo, a 4-time repeat adopter from China. Johanna is a wife and homeschooling mama of eight children, ages 5-21. She says she lives with her heart anchored in eternity, but her feet planted in Maryland on a little farmette with her amazing and funny husband of 23 years, Brian. Johanna’s passion is to raise children who love Jesus and to advocate for the most vulnerable. Now you will hear Johanna share the hope of Jesus through her story of His faithfulness in her life during tragedy and triumph. ----------------------------------------------------INTERVIEW------------------------------------------------ The goodness and faithfulness of God and His intimate provisions to each of us is clearly evident in the story Johanna shared with us. Johanna says that Jesus is her best friend, her light, and her song of living hope that saves her every day. His intimacy is free to each of us and He awaits our release of self so that He can freely minister and guide in the personal and loving ways He desires. Even through the valley of the shadow of death, Jesus can cause us to fear no evil, for He is right with us, carrying us each step of the journey, when we allow Him to. You can learn more about Johanna through her foundation, Live Gia Grow Forever on Facebook or Instagram. You can reach Johanna at johanna@wildflowerhope.com . Father God, we call upon Your name. You are the Great I Am, the Most High, our Creator and Sustainer, our Provider and Great Comforter. We need you so much more than we even realize. Father, thank you for the ways You carry us. You do not walk beside us. You intentionally and intimately desire to carry each load and carry us through the pain and trials. Heavenly Father, You are good, yet this world is not. Help us to crave You over culture and turn to You with every pain and heartache, every question and stumbling block. May we please You and fulfill the purpose You have set for us. May we give You honor and praise through easy and hard. When our deepest fears come true, may we not turn from You, but to You as we trust and rest in Your arms. Soothe our pain and show us Your tender mercies. 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. https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=live%20gia%20grow%20forever%20foundation

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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #077 – Easing Heartache 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. Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those mourning, for they will be comforted.” June 18th and June 21st were beyond difficult days in our family. Grief hit our home and the impact was hard. Before I married a dog-loving man I never would have imagined the depth of relationship a person could have with a household pet. My parents never allowed us to have an inside dog as I was growing up, and an outside dog, although still cared for, is certainly not the same as a loving furry family member who knows everything about you, follows you everywhere inside the house, and adores you despite whether you're made-up or in need of a bath. Your schedule is known and if you deviate in any way, they may offer a question with a slight tilt of their head, but all-in-all, accept the change as long as you are still with them and they have the honor of remaining in your presence. Since marrying a man who has always had to have a pet in our house, I have slowly become accustomed to an ever-present dog. While we have had absolutely amazing pets over the years, and some that took a giant piece of my heart with them after they passed, I have never been as affected by the death of a pet as I was last month. On June 18th we lost Max, our ten year old, exquisitely handsome Golden Retriever. While Max truly loved every family member deeply, he was the first family dog that chose me as his favorite. He was a mama's boy to the core. Whenever I petted him, he purred his favor and satisfaction like a cat and slapped me with his clumsy giant paws, proving his devotion as he tagged me as his. Max followed me everywhere, becoming my four-legged shadow who was always up in an instant and ready to go whenever and wherever I was headed. Max often carried a football around the house. Never mind that he could not catch! Whatever we tossed his way would land awkwardly on the floor beside or behind our boy, but rarely in his mouth. He was my baby, my friend, my warm cuddle-buddy, and my blessing, for time with him always brought a smile and warmth to my heart. On June 21st, a few days after losing Max, we lost his sister, our thirteen year old Miniature Schnauzer, Misty. Just as Max loved everyone, but chose one favorite to shadow, Misty loved each of us well, yet claimed my husband as her special family member. We used to laugh at the adoration in her eyes whenever she looked at him. We called Misty our "little girl," because she always seemed to envy Marissa as they grew up together. It seemed she wanted to be a person, not a canine, and the depth of desire and love in her eyes for all of us seemed to confirm our thoughts. Misty loved music and whenever we would sing to her, she would stop whatever she was doing and come to sit in front of us so that we would continue a special personal concert designed for her. Our "little girl" also grew up attending family worship and prayer time with us, and she and Marissa used to race each other for a seat next to me when they were younger. In her mature years, Misty still came to school with us and almost never missed Bible or prayer time. My youngest, Brooklyn loved feeding and brushing the dogs and spending quiet time with them as she slept near both of them. Marissa and I loved the way Misty always raced upstairs when she knew I was headed to Marissa's room to do something with her. Misty knew she would get to sit with us and receive a special time of cuddles and hugs that Max would never know about. After losing Max, we spent three days trying to save Misty, gently feeding her baby food from our fingertips, gently wrapping cool washcloths on her paws in an attempt to reduce her fever, and carrying her outside to enjoy the breezy sunshine weather when she could no longer walk. I never imagined we would lose both of our precious babies within days of each other. The emergency veterinarian told us it was a rarity to have a family come in with two critically ill dogs at the same time. We aren't sure what happened. Suddenly both of our furry family members became very sick. Misty had declined the previous summer and after we urgently prayed for a miracle for her health last year, we received one. Misty had seemed healthier, stronger, and going on regular walks with Marissa daily. Just days after Max suddenly got sick, she did as well. Our regular vet could not figure out what was going on and referred us to the emergency clinic. Without hospitalizing both of them and spending what could amount to ten thousand dollars for the next few days (on top of what we had already spent), neither of our babies was going to make it. In the end, the vets believed that Max's kidneys had failed and Misty had underlying cancer, perhaps in her pancreas. At least they lived without symptoms until the very end, and even then, neither of them complained. As we tried to nurse both of them ourselves, praying for improvement, they loved and trusted us with their usual tenderness. love, and compassion. I will never find animals quite like them this side of heaven, where I pray I meet with them again. God amazes me that He crafted these sweet babies, knowing they would be ours, and instilling just what I needed, we each needed, in both of them. Pure love, gentleness, acceptance, and peace emanated from them with ease, reminding me daily of what the Father desires from each of us. Without them, I also think of the Father's gentle spirit when He created them and it allows me to grieve with hope that I will see them in eternity. Although animals do not have a soul that can choose to accept Christ as their Savior, and nothing biblically proves that animals will be in heaven, I pray that because Adam and Eve were stewards over animals in the beginning, that God will allow the beautiful four-legged family members we loved to have a final resting place with Him for eternity. Grief is tricky, but also a beautiful mechanism of the love that God must have for us. For if I, a mere sinful human, can love with an intensity that allows me to deeply miss the animals I called a part of my family, imagine the extreme and passionate love God holds for each of us, His creation made with a purpose. As we said goodbye to our beloved pets, I told the emergency vet that I had lost a daughter and many close family members, and that loss was a million times worse, yet the pain of losing my precious pets was still extremely painful. I carry the sweet memories made with them very close, thinking of their precious faces often throughout each day. I feel emptiness in my schedule because they are not here to make me laugh, sing, play hide and seek, or marvel at the way they join every activity with excitement and love simply because we are there with them. The way we each are to rejoice in our time spent with the Lord. It’s okay to take life slower for as long as I need to and I should not feel guilty because I am grieving pets. If you are not a dog or pet lover, I understand. I honestly thought that I wouldn’t want any more pets after these were gone. I failed to understand the depth of the devotion I had for them. Although I am admittedly not a puppy person, it’s like having a newborn in the house, and that means a lot of work. Yet, I truly and deeply loved our dogs. They perfectly fit into each day and situation, even with quirky habits that made them even more a part of the family. Losing pets also proves that pain is pain. Loss is loss. Who understands the depth? Jesus. Remember John 11:35? “Jesus wept.” I remember the first days after losing my daughter. The depth of anguish was chasm-sized, relentless, and I had to force myself to breathe through the crushing pain weighing on my chest. I didn't want to cry in front of others because it felt too personal and I also wasn't sure that I could stop the tears. I wanted to grieve in my own way, plus I didn’t want to upset my four year old daughter or leave her burdened with a mother who couldn’t care for her. So I grieved in private times and allowed God to offer the peace only He can. But the years of loss after her, filled with many others I loved, have made me ultra-tender to grief. Also knowing that I have a young daughter who could experience decline at any time, and seeing the losses of so many parents I know who have children with similar conditions has marked my spirit in a way that has left me more vulnerable to grief. I've cried or thought of them daily since my sweet, furry companions have been gone and I feel like they must have felt when they used to lay on the floor, with underbellies exposed. But I don't care. God offers me peace and calm when I ask, just like with the losses before. He is ever-present and I feel Him near. He tells me that He holds my tears and each one is recorded. He understands as no one else can. What is gone had been a gift from Him and the preciousness is a reminder of each loved one I have been with, yet lost, and those I still hold and treasure. Any or all of them could be gone in an instant; another reminder that living with eternal perspective is the only way to fully live in this world. About two weeks before Max got sick, I remember hearing a voice in my spirit one day that concerned me. It said, "Max will be attacked." Just as my Heavenly Father sent me a warning twenty-four hours before I lost my first child, I think God must have sent me a sign to trust Him again. He always watches over us in ways unique to each of us, and for the purposes He intends. I am glad He prepared me in this way. Losing both of our beloved and precious furry family members at once was truly very difficult. I feel like our culture sometimes dismisses the loss of pets as insignificant, but we the ties and bonds we have with our pets can be as strong and intense as some we have with humans. Our pets trust us implicitly, they love unconditionally, and spend almost every moment with us. The loss of their presence leaves a giant hole in our daily routines and lifestyle, as well as our ability to laugh and love in the same way we previously experienced. Yet, it makes everything sweeter still. One of the gifts of God is the ability to continue to peel away layer after layer of humanity and heal that exposed area with not new flesh, but the ability to hold and feel life more like He does and how He desires – with our mind and heart set for Him. Eccesiastes 1:14 says, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Love trumps possessions or power. In the Bible, even Solomon’s special wisdom granted by God did not provide meaning that satisfied his soul. God continues to burden my heart with an ache that nothing in this world can satisfy. I truly desire for everyone to know Him and the peace that God alone brings us through a maturing relationship with Christ. My heart yearns for each of us to make time to rest in Him. Change your schedule. Slow your life. Make time to not only read the word, but digest it. Ponder God’s words and ways. Apply His teachings, promises, and love to your life and those around you. Do not harbor bitterness or anger, jealousy or hatred, unforgiveness or sadness. Truly examine your heart and lay it before God so that He can heal the areas you need. Even when we already feel those areas have been released to Him, God and His words have mighty power that is living and active. Just as Hebrews 4:12 says, “Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Cling ever tighter to Jesus, beginning now. Although I don’t enjoy the hurts of this world, God never fails to be the steadiness that is exactly what I need and He draws me ever nearer through all that occurs. May it always be so, and true for each one of us. Father God, may we allow You to examine our thoughts and heart. We need You so much more than we know. Despite heartache and difficulty in this world, we become closer to You when we allow troubles and disappointment to draw us ever nearer. The only way we can do that is to be building a relationship with You consistently as one lays a firm foundation on solid ground so that we are ready before the storm hits. Thank you for being calm, peace, and steadiness that our minds can grasp, yet also so much more that we can only begin to fathom through the hope and trust You leave us in Jesus. You are all we need, dear Father. Thank you. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. This week I pray you find new ways to rest in Him and cause yourself to cling to Him in deeper ways that test your faith and understanding. Allow Him to bring you to a new level of trust and abandonment of self. 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 as You rely on God to direct your steps. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to the Lord and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 077 - Easing Heartache Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #077 – Easing Heartache 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. Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those mourning, for they will be comforted.” June 18th and June 21st were beyond difficult days in our family. Grief hit our home and the impact was hard. Before I married a dog-loving man I never would have imagined the depth of relationship a person could have with a household pet. My parents never allowed us to have an inside dog as I was growing up, and an outside dog, although still cared for, is certainly not the same as a loving furry family member who knows everything about you, follows you everywhere inside the house, and adores you despite whether you're made-up or in need of a bath. Your schedule is known and if you deviate in any way, they may offer a question with a slight tilt of their head, but all-in-all, accept the change as long as you are still with them and they have the honor of remaining in your presence. Since marrying a man who has always had to have a pet in our house, I have slowly become accustomed to an ever-present dog. While we have had absolutely amazing pets over the years, and some that took a giant piece of my heart with them after they passed, I have never been as affected by the death of a pet as I was last month. On June 18th we lost Max, our ten year old, exquisitely handsome Golden Retriever. While Max truly loved every family member deeply, he was the first family dog that chose me as his favorite. He was a mama's boy to the core. Whenever I petted him, he purred his favor and satisfaction like a cat and slapped me with his clumsy giant paws, proving his devotion as he tagged me as his. Max followed me everywhere, becoming my four-legged shadow who was always up in an instant and ready to go whenever and wherever I was headed. Max often carried a football around the house. Never mind that he could not catch! Whatever we tossed his way would land awkwardly on the floor beside or behind our boy, but rarely in his mouth. He was my baby, my friend, my warm cuddle-buddy, and my blessing, for time with him always brought a smile and warmth to my heart. On June 21st, a few days after losing Max, we lost his sister, our thirteen year old Miniature Schnauzer, Misty. Just as Max loved everyone, but chose one favorite to shadow, Misty loved each of us well, yet claimed my husband as her special family member. We used to laugh at the adoration in her eyes whenever she looked at him. We called Misty our "little girl," because she always seemed to envy Marissa as they grew up together. It seemed she wanted to be a person, not a canine, and the depth of desire and love in her eyes for all of us seemed to confirm our thoughts. Misty loved music and whenever we would sing to her, she would stop whatever she was doing and come to sit in front of us so that we would continue a special personal concert designed for her. Our "little girl" also grew up attending family worship and prayer time with us, and she and Marissa used to race each other for a seat next to me when they were younger. In her mature years, Misty still came to school with us and almost never missed Bible or prayer time. My youngest, Brooklyn loved feeding and brushing the dogs and spending quiet time with them as she slept near both of them. Marissa and I loved the way Misty always raced upstairs when she knew I was headed to Marissa's room to do something with her. Misty knew she would get to sit with us and receive a special time of cuddles and hugs that Max would never know about. After losing Max, we spent three days trying to save Misty, gently feeding her baby food from our fingertips, gently wrapping cool washcloths on her paws in an attempt to reduce her fever, and carrying her outside to enjoy the breezy sunshine weather when she could no longer walk. I never imagined we would lose both of our precious babies within days of each other. The emergency veterinarian told us it was a rarity to have a family come in with two critically ill dogs at the same time. We aren't sure what happened. Suddenly both of our furry family members became very sick. Misty had declined the previous summer and after we urgently prayed for a miracle for her health last year, we received one. Misty had seemed healthier, stronger, and going on regular walks with Marissa daily. Just days after Max suddenly got sick, she did as well. Our regular vet could not figure out what was going on and referred us to the emergency clinic. Without hospitalizing both of them and spending what could amount to ten thousand dollars for the next few days (on top of what we had already spent), neither of our babies was going to make it. In the end, the vets believed that Max's kidneys had failed and Misty had underlying cancer, perhaps in her pancreas. At least they lived without symptoms until the very end, and even then, neither of them complained. As we tried to nurse both of them ourselves, praying for improvement, they loved and trusted us with their usual tenderness. love, and compassion. I will never find animals quite like them this side of heaven, where I pray I meet with them again. God amazes me that He crafted these sweet babies, knowing they would be ours, and instilling just what I needed, we each needed, in both of them. Pure love, gentleness, acceptance, and peace emanated from them with ease, reminding me daily of what the Father desires from each of us. Without them, I also think of the Father's gentle spirit when He created them and it allows me to grieve with hope that I will see them in eternity. Although animals do not have a soul that can choose to accept Christ as their Savior, and nothing biblically proves that animals will be in heaven, I pray that because Adam and Eve were stewards over animals in the beginning, that God will allow the beautiful four-legged family members we loved to have a final resting place with Him for eternity. Grief is tricky, but also a beautiful mechanism of the love that God must have for us. For if I, a mere sinful human, can love with an intensity that allows me to deeply miss the animals I called a part of my family, imagine the extreme and passionate love God holds for each of us, His creation made with a purpose. As we said goodbye to our beloved pets, I told the emergency vet that I had lost a daughter and many close family members, and that loss was a million times worse, yet the pain of losing my precious pets was still extremely painful. I carry the sweet memories made with them very close, thinking of their precious faces often throughout each day. I feel emptiness in my schedule because they are not here to make me laugh, sing, play hide and seek, or marvel at the way they join every activity with excitement and love simply because we are there with them. The way we each are to rejoice in our time spent with the Lord. It’s okay to take life slower for as long as I need to and I should not feel guilty because I am grieving pets. If you are not a dog or pet lover, I understand. I honestly thought that I wouldn’t want any more pets after these were gone. I failed to understand the depth of the devotion I had for them. Although I am admittedly not a puppy person, it’s like having a newborn in the house, and that means a lot of work. Yet, I truly and deeply loved our dogs. They perfectly fit into each day and situation, even with quirky habits that made them even more a part of the family. Losing pets also proves that pain is pain. Loss is loss. Who understands the depth? Jesus. Remember John 11:35? “Jesus wept.” I remember the first days after losing my daughter. The depth of anguish was chasm-sized, relentless, and I had to force myself to breathe through the crushing pain weighing on my chest. I didn't want to cry in front of others because it felt too personal and I also wasn't sure that I could stop the tears. I wanted to grieve in my own way, plus I didn’t want to upset my four year old daughter or leave her burdened with a mother who couldn’t care for her. So I grieved in private times and allowed God to offer the peace only He can. But the years of loss after her, filled with many others I loved, have made me ultra-tender to grief. Also knowing that I have a young daughter who could experience decline at any time, and seeing the losses of so many parents I know who have children with similar conditions has marked my spirit in a way that has left me more vulnerable to grief. I've cried or thought of them daily since my sweet, furry companions have been gone and I feel like they must have felt when they used to lay on the floor, with underbellies exposed. But I don't care. God offers me peace and calm when I ask, just like with the losses before. He is ever-present and I feel Him near. He tells me that He holds my tears and each one is recorded. He understands as no one else can. What is gone had been a gift from Him and the preciousness is a reminder of each loved one I have been with, yet lost, and those I still hold and treasure. Any or all of them could be gone in an instant; another reminder that living with eternal perspective is the only way to fully live in this world. About two weeks before Max got sick, I remember hearing a voice in my spirit one day that concerned me. It said, "Max will be attacked." Just as my Heavenly Father sent me a warning twenty-four hours before I lost my first child, I think God must have sent me a sign to trust Him again. He always watches over us in ways unique to each of us, and for the purposes He intends. I am glad He prepared me in this way. Losing both of our beloved and precious furry family members at once was truly very difficult. I feel like our culture sometimes dismisses the loss of pets as insignificant, but we the ties and bonds we have with our pets can be as strong and intense as some we have with humans. Our pets trust us implicitly, they love unconditionally, and spend almost every moment with us. The loss of their presence leaves a giant hole in our daily routines and lifestyle, as well as our ability to laugh and love in the same way we previously experienced. Yet, it makes everything sweeter still. One of the gifts of God is the ability to continue to peel away layer after layer of humanity and heal that exposed area with not new flesh, but the ability to hold and feel life more like He does and how He desires – with our mind and heart set for Him. Eccesiastes 1:14 says, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Love trumps possessions or power. In the Bible, even Solomon’s special wisdom granted by God did not provide meaning that satisfied his soul. God continues to burden my heart with an ache that nothing in this world can satisfy. I truly desire for everyone to know Him and the peace that God alone brings us through a maturing relationship with Christ. My heart yearns for each of us to make time to rest in Him. Change your schedule. Slow your life. Make time to not only read the word, but digest it. Ponder God’s words and ways. Apply His teachings, promises, and love to your life and those around you. Do not harbor bitterness or anger, jealousy or hatred, unforgiveness or sadness. Truly examine your heart and lay it before God so that He can heal the areas you need. Even when we already feel those areas have been released to Him, God and His words have mighty power that is living and active. Just as Hebrews 4:12 says, “Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Cling ever tighter to Jesus, beginning now. Although I don’t enjoy the hurts of this world, God never fails to be the steadiness that is exactly what I need and He draws me ever nearer through all that occurs. May it always be so, and true for each one of us. Father God, may we allow You to examine our thoughts and heart. We need You so much more than we know. Despite heartache and difficulty in this world, we become closer to You when we allow troubles and disappointment to draw us ever nearer. The only way we can do that is to be building a relationship with You consistently as one lays a firm foundation on solid ground so that we are ready before the storm hits. Thank you for being calm, peace, and steadiness that our minds can grasp, yet also so much more that we can only begin to fathom through the hope and trust You leave us in Jesus. You are all we need, dear Father. Thank you. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. This week I pray you find new ways to rest in Him and cause yourself to cling to Him in deeper ways that test your faith and understanding. Allow Him to bring you to a new level of trust and abandonment of self. 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 as You rely on God to direct your steps. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to the Lord and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #105 – God is Present in the Darkness 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. Psalm 112:4 says, “Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.” One evening last week I dropped my middle daughter off at an event and told my youngest we would do something special together while we were waiting for her sister. We were quite a distance from home, so we didn’t know the area at all, but I was confident we could find something to do together. After leaving Marissa, I plugged in the name of a local place to get food or drink, but the navigation system said the nearest location was 200 miles away. Knowing that my system, or “Navi,” as we like to call it, is often simply wrong, I typed in another destination I thought would bring up results. After receiving info, I selected an option and drove off, knowing Brooklyn and I would share some fun over the next 90 minutes. After driving away, I followed exactly where “Navi” guided me to go, and ended up with uncertainty surrounding us on an unfamiliar, one-lane gravel road. Light barely shined from my headlights as they attempted to pierce the blackness. Although it wasn’t all one-lane, almost all of it was in total darkness, except for the “too-bright” lights of occasional other cars headed in the opposite direction. Driving in the country on unlit gravel roads and highways are not my idea of fun or relaxation. Wanting to be calm in front of my daughter, so that she did not worry, I shifted my priority to remaining in prayer along the journey. Deep in thoughtful conversation and petition, I kept hearing myself ask God to keep us safe, show us the way to civilization, keep us from hitting any deer, and keep any deer from hitting our car. Prayer and connection with the Lord was all that separated me from fear. Instead of building anxiety, my level of peace began rising with each word spoken to my Father. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” After about 15 minutes of concentrated connection through prayer, especially concerning deer, I passed a large buck just standing on the side of the road. Only about six feet separated us. As our car passed by him, the creature watched us, yet his body remained in place. I knew with certainty that God had stilled him until our car moved by. At that moment, I felt the peaceful, intimate voice of God whispering to my spirit, “I see you. I hear you. I am always with you.” Romans 8:26 says, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” I believe the Holy Spirit impressed the importance of praying about deer specifically. During the drive I felt a quiet urgency to pray for protection. Because it was constant and steady without being alarming, I chose to heed the call and obey through prayer. Seeing the deer standing by the side of the road, I felt the animal was a symbol of the protection God supplied because I obeyed and cried out to Him. Although He didn’t need to prove Himself, God allowed me a special glimpse of the personal care He intimately chose for us that night. Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. He is merciful and His provisions are perfect for our needs. God is gracious to us in our times of need, distress, or confusion. He is the Light in the Darkness, our Beacon of Hope. Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” How often God provides for us. Daily, He goes before, around, and behind us, without our knowledge. He is constantly at work. The Lord knows each second of our day, what every need is and will be, and how He will provide. God understands where we are weak, where we need to be weakened, and when we will humbly submit to His providential care. Lamentations 3:25 says, “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.” As unease began to seep into my consciousness that night, I remember thinking that fear never comes from God. My prayers immediately began, forming a wall of spiritual protection between the devil’s schemes and God’s promise as spoken in Jeremiah 1:8, which says, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.” It is so easy for our eyes to slip from the Lord. Don’t allow it to happen. We must live with purpose, each moment, with invisible blinders on, guarding our vision, just as trainers do with horses, for example. With blinders on, our gaze is directed up, singled to, and fixed on the Lord, who is able to calm us, protect us, and comfort us. With our attention on Him, it is diverted from a world of chaos and confusion. Nothing in this world or within our spirit is able to comfort or calm. Left alone, our weak fleshly body and mind will spiral to fear, doubt, anxiety, depression, worry, or a host of other emotions. Yet, with God, we have hope. We have release. We have relief. With God, we have promise. Even if we do not feel him, He is present. 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.” In order to remember and draw from His strength, we must be and stay connected. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” Purpose to spend time with the Father this week. Remain connected. Sit with Him in prayer and reflection. Read His word. Let Jesus know He is a priority. Ask Him to enable you to live the life He has purposed for you. Watch for the quiet ways He is at work in your life. It does not matter how busy our lives are. Excuses are easy to find. Peace, hope, joy, and love, as well as any other fruit of the Spirit, will not abide within us unless He does and we allow His mighty work within us and our life. Make an appointment with Jesus each day. Before you realize it, you will walk with Him intimately each moment. Prayers will easily slip from your mind, heart, and lips without realizing the thoughts or words because your spirit is intertwined with His. Time with Jesus is a gift, an honor we cannot forget to embrace each day. Look for new ways to spend moments with Him today, soak in His word, apply it in your life, and allow the Lord to expose to you new ways to live with eternal perspective. Dear Heavenly Father, our good and gracious Lord, thank you for Your help and comfort us to us. We have seen Your goodness. We watch for and hope in you. We trust that Your ears are open to our cries, calls, and pleas for help. Enable us to live in ways that show our devotion to You. Grow our walk with You so that we never leave Your presence. Grow our walk so that others will seek Your presence because of the way they see You in our lives. You are good. Help us to see You in each day and sing Your praises to those around us. May they see You in our words, actions, reactions, and in any circumstance we find ourselves in. Show us the ways You desire us to live with an eternal perspective beyond this world and help us to shine them to others through the way we embrace living with You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening. If you find value in what you hear, I invite you to help others find the podcast. Please share Live With Eternal Perspective episodes with friends and family so that they can begin to listen each week. I’m very excited to share that my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” will release February 3. I hope you will listen and share with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. You can find more details on my website at terrihitt.com. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. I pray 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 105 God is Present in the Darkness Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #105 – God is Present in the Darkness 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. Psalm 112:4 says, “Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.” One evening last week I dropped my middle daughter off at an event and told my youngest we would do something special together while we were waiting for her sister. We were quite a distance from home, so we didn’t know the area at all, but I was confident we could find something to do together. After leaving Marissa, I plugged in the name of a local place to get food or drink, but the navigation system said the nearest location was 200 miles away. Knowing that my system, or “Navi,” as we like to call it, is often simply wrong, I typed in another destination I thought would bring up results. After receiving info, I selected an option and drove off, knowing Brooklyn and I would share some fun over the next 90 minutes. After driving away, I followed exactly where “Navi” guided me to go, and ended up with uncertainty surrounding us on an unfamiliar, one-lane gravel road. Light barely shined from my headlights as they attempted to pierce the blackness. Although it wasn’t all one-lane, almost all of it was in total darkness, except for the “too-bright” lights of occasional other cars headed in the opposite direction. Driving in the country on unlit gravel roads and highways are not my idea of fun or relaxation. Wanting to be calm in front of my daughter, so that she did not worry, I shifted my priority to remaining in prayer along the journey. Deep in thoughtful conversation and petition, I kept hearing myself ask God to keep us safe, show us the way to civilization, keep us from hitting any deer, and keep any deer from hitting our car. Prayer and connection with the Lord was all that separated me from fear. Instead of building anxiety, my level of peace began rising with each word spoken to my Father. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” After about 15 minutes of concentrated connection through prayer, especially concerning deer, I passed a large buck just standing on the side of the road. Only about six feet separated us. As our car passed by him, the creature watched us, yet his body remained in place. I knew with certainty that God had stilled him until our car moved by. At that moment, I felt the peaceful, intimate voice of God whispering to my spirit, “I see you. I hear you. I am always with you.” Romans 8:26 says, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” I believe the Holy Spirit impressed the importance of praying about deer specifically. During the drive I felt a quiet urgency to pray for protection. Because it was constant and steady without being alarming, I chose to heed the call and obey through prayer. Seeing the deer standing by the side of the road, I felt the animal was a symbol of the protection God supplied because I obeyed and cried out to Him. Although He didn’t need to prove Himself, God allowed me a special glimpse of the personal care He intimately chose for us that night. Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. He is merciful and His provisions are perfect for our needs. God is gracious to us in our times of need, distress, or confusion. He is the Light in the Darkness, our Beacon of Hope. Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” How often God provides for us. Daily, He goes before, around, and behind us, without our knowledge. He is constantly at work. The Lord knows each second of our day, what every need is and will be, and how He will provide. God understands where we are weak, where we need to be weakened, and when we will humbly submit to His providential care. Lamentations 3:25 says, “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.” As unease began to seep into my consciousness that night, I remember thinking that fear never comes from God. My prayers immediately began, forming a wall of spiritual protection between the devil’s schemes and God’s promise as spoken in Jeremiah 1:8, which says, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.” It is so easy for our eyes to slip from the Lord. Don’t allow it to happen. We must live with purpose, each moment, with invisible blinders on, guarding our vision, just as trainers do with horses, for example. With blinders on, our gaze is directed up, singled to, and fixed on the Lord, who is able to calm us, protect us, and comfort us. With our attention on Him, it is diverted from a world of chaos and confusion. Nothing in this world or within our spirit is able to comfort or calm. Left alone, our weak fleshly body and mind will spiral to fear, doubt, anxiety, depression, worry, or a host of other emotions. Yet, with God, we have hope. We have release. We have relief. With God, we have promise. Even if we do not feel him, He is present. 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.” In order to remember and draw from His strength, we must be and stay connected. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” Purpose to spend time with the Father this week. Remain connected. Sit with Him in prayer and reflection. Read His word. Let Jesus know He is a priority. Ask Him to enable you to live the life He has purposed for you. Watch for the quiet ways He is at work in your life. It does not matter how busy our lives are. Excuses are easy to find. Peace, hope, joy, and love, as well as any other fruit of the Spirit, will not abide within us unless He does and we allow His mighty work within us and our life. Make an appointment with Jesus each day. Before you realize it, you will walk with Him intimately each moment. Prayers will easily slip from your mind, heart, and lips without realizing the thoughts or words because your spirit is intertwined with His. Time with Jesus is a gift, an honor we cannot forget to embrace each day. Look for new ways to spend moments with Him today, soak in His word, apply it in your life, and allow the Lord to expose to you new ways to live with eternal perspective. Dear Heavenly Father, our good and gracious Lord, thank you for Your help and comfort us to us. We have seen Your goodness. We watch for and hope in you. We trust that Your ears are open to our cries, calls, and pleas for help. Enable us to live in ways that show our devotion to You. Grow our walk with You so that we never leave Your presence. Grow our walk so that others will seek Your presence because of the way they see You in our lives. You are good. Help us to see You in each day and sing Your praises to those around us. May they see You in our words, actions, reactions, and in any circumstance we find ourselves in. Show us the ways You desire us to live with an eternal perspective beyond this world and help us to shine them to others through the way we embrace living with You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening. If you find value in what you hear, I invite you to help others find the podcast. Please share Live With Eternal Perspective episodes with friends and family so that they can begin to listen each week. I’m very excited to share that my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” will release February 3. I hope you will listen and share with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose. You can find more details on my website at terrihitt.com. Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. I pray 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 071 – Does Your Family Think You’re a Complainer Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 071 – Does Your Family Think You’re a Complainer? I adore the witty personality of my youngest daughter. Being with her is such a delight. Because she didn’t come to live with us until she was nine years old, she didn’t begin the phase of copying my actions until she was about ten. Although that’s later than most daughters try to “be like mommy,” it was perfect timing for her developmentally. Since she was older when we were able to become her parents, I can’t take credit for the joy she carries. It’s such a deep blessing to be able to tell people that it is totally a gift from God to watch her dimpled smile and hear her sweet words. For example, if she drops a Lego creation it has taken her days to complete, she will shrug and say, “Well, I’ll built it again.” How many children do that? How many adults can shrug that disappointment off that easily? Mothers understand that most children observe and mimic what their parents do. Unlike teens, they want to be just like mommy or daddy and enjoy repeating actions as well as words. It’s cute to see how they interpret their parents. That is, unless what those adults do is annoying, mean, or a chronic habit. Have you ever been around someone who seems to enjoy complaining? What a relief it is to escape their company! But what if the culprit is your mother? Or maybe you might be the complaining mother. A mother’s habits will likely become the habits of her children. Her interpretation of life forms the way her watching children shape theirs. Take a moment to think about the answer you would give to the following questions: What does your child learn and begin doing by watching you? When troubles or trials arise, does your family hear you complain? If that answer is yes, what can you do to flip to praise and teach your child to do the same? A woman who can’t stop certain negative traits becomes known as a “complainer” to others. While those around her still love her, they tend to spend less time with her or often change the subject when around her to alleviate disagreements or discomfort. They don’t want to give her cause to gripe about anything else. It’s especially difficult when that person is your mother. Think of how this affects your children if that is the case in your household. Most complaining mothers seem to carry basic habits. Let’s highlight some of the most common characteristics of mothers who complain. I’ll also list the ways people view the complaining mother and the effects of her negativity on the family. As you listen, honestly assess whether you see yourself in any of these descriptions. 1. Stubborn – The stubborn mother might hear what others say, but will let no one change her opinion. In her mind, she’s always right. Relationships may fracture around her, but she never ties it to her behavior. It’s difficult for anyone to try to explain another point of view to her, because she just ends up explaining her position again. The bossy mother would rather be right in her own mind than learn a new viewpoint or way of doing something. She’ll sacrifice relationships and happiness just to prove a point, even if she would begin to question herself. Her husband and children may begin constructing walls to guard against the pain she causes or they may become stubborn themselves, causing even more tension in the household. 2. Angry – Life can be hard. The angry mother shows it on her face, in her attitude, and her actions. When anything happens that is below her expectations or desires, she doesn’t mind letting everyone know how she was wronged. Somehow she doesn’t notice people backing away from relationship with her. They need respite from her to enable themselves to maintain joy. Others in the household become angry, as well. It can be almost impossible to maintain peace or quiet in a home of angry people. 3. Bossy – Most everyone knows what a bossy kid on the school playground is like. Sometimes those kids don’t change. They grow up and become your mother. The bossy mother has a need to maintain control over events and lives. She’s confident her way is always best. Children with bossy mothers often grow up to be bossy. A bossy mother also finds it difficult to maintain a close relationship with her spouse. Her attitude affects everyone around her, leading to shattered relationships and broken connection. 4. Selfish – When most people become a parent, they understand the privilege and blessing they have been given. Some see raising children as a hardship and can’t let go of selfish desires. Whether it be time, love, attention, or sometimes even necessities, a selfish mother just can’t forget what she wants or place the needs of others above herself. It doesn’t matter who suffers around her. She really doesn’t see the needs of others as important. 5. Critical – People often have a natural critic living in their head. It takes a maturing walk with Jesus to silence that voice speaking deceit into their life. However, sometimes a critical mother is the culprit placing negativity in the minds of her children or spouse. The critical mother most likely had someone criticize her often in life and that fueled her unconscious need to continue the line. When a mother picks apart what a child or spouse wears, says, or does, when she nags about relationships, friends, choices, or simply can’t say anything nice, you may know a critical woman who can’t escape the need to criticize. Like the other complainer qualities we’ve been discussing, this trait tends to break down the family unit and the confidence of those the complainer lives with. 6. Controlling – Often the critical, controlling, and bossy mother are one and the same. When a woman feels that she has little or no control over her own life, the need to control others will surface or become more prominent. Whether it is over a particular issue or a major character trait apparent often, the controlling mother usually pushes her husband and children away. They will resort to trying to claim peace, joy, and freedom in other ways that may be harmful, because those fruits of the Spirit feel stripped when they are in her presence. 7. Explosive – Have you ever been around someone who seems fine one moment, but can explode like a triggered bomb was just detonated inside them the next? The explosive mother is adept at holding in feelings and emotions until she simply can’t tolerate it any longer. She is an expert at inflicting damage to those around her when the shards of her behavior hit. 8. Shaming – This is when a mother constantly makes her child feel guilty, confused, or humiliated for thinking, feeling, wanting, or needing something. Or it could be that the mother constantly criticizes and causes her child to feel bad for making choices different than she would make. Shaming seems to go even further than criticizing as it strips confidence when they may not be able to change what the mother is shaming. Children expect mothers to be protectors, not predators. 9. Mouthy – When a mother can’t stop voicing her opinions, advice, or criticisms, she is what is defined as a “mouthy” mother. She may be motivated by stubbornness, criticism, bossiness, envy, or a host of other traits, but she doesn’t know when to stop talking. Her words become hurtful and begin to feel like personal attacks. When family members have a mouthy mother, they spend less and less time with her. Daily life or family gatherings are a chore instead of a delight. Instead of creating joyful memories and influencing her children or spouse for Christ, the mouthy mother drives wedges between herself and those God has gifted to her. Did you see yourself in any of the descriptions? If not, wonderful! Why don’t you go an extra step and ask your family whether you fit any of the traits mentioned in the podcast. Sometimes we don’t recognize the problems we cause for those around us. If you do recognize yourself in any of the descriptions, your family might secretly think you’re a complainer. Talk to them. Let them know you want to work to erase those toxic traits and better honor Christ in your home. Ask God to restore relationships that have been damaged. Ask God to point out where to begin and ask Him to carry you through the process of transformation. Maybe you didn’t see yourself in any of the descriptions because you are purposely allowing the Holy Spirit to transform your mind, heart, and character moment by moment. Continue allowing God to carry you through the trials and triumphs of life. Continue allowing Him to examine the places in your heart that may have been hurt or neglected so you don’t hurt or neglect others. Just as we can look at certain trees and expect a particular fruit to bloom on the buds of the branches, others notice the fruits of the spirit within believers who submit to Christ and allow transformation of mind and heart. When a mother relies on her strength or places her desires and will above God’s purposes, she loses the gift God provides through the fruits of the Spirit. She also damages the relationships of those God entrusted to her circle of love and influence. Galatians 5:22-26 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other .” In order to influence your family for Christ, they must see Jesus alive in you. Matthew 22:37-39 says, “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself .’” The Holy Spirit working within you to administer fruits of the Spirit guides your character , conduct , and communication . Let Him fill you with the godly love of Christ that seeks others above self. If you are seen as a complainer now, through His strength you will soon be recognized as one who unselfishly models the love of Christ. Dear Heavenly Father how blessed we are to have the gift of fellowship with You through the sacrifice of Jesus. Thank you for Your everlasting love, mercy, and grace. You have made a way where there was none before and given us instant access to You at any time. Help us use that privilege to submit to the Holy Spirit You deposited within us. Help us allow it to transform our character, conduct, and communication. May we be aware of the way we represent You and use that knowledge to humble our actions and reactions so that they mirror what You would do. Help us to be seen as godly and unselfish modelers of Jesus who place you first and the needs of others next. May we love others as You desire and allow You to fill the empty places inside of us that need a godly overhaul to erase those remnants of the old person we were before You brought us the gift of eternal life with You. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Supporting and encouraging mothers to rest in Christ and pursue a holy relationship with Him so they purposely raise set-apart children is the cry of my heart. I believe godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset a mother carries. That’s why I’ve created the Set-Apart Collective. Have you decided peers and culture won’t be the main influence over your child? Would you like to parent to prepare your child, not to repair a relationship? In the Set-Apart Collective, you will deepen your walk with Christ, learn a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family. The Set-Apart Collective wait list is open now. The first group of women is currently growing together. Please send me an email at info@terrihitt.com to let me know you’d like to receive information. In fact, when you email me, use the word: PREPARE in the heading and I’ll extend a special offer to you. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ together. 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 few minutes and makes a huge difference in people finding the podcast. You and I know that the best reviews are by word of mouth, so would you please choose a friend to recommend the show to? Let them know that the podcast is found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Imagine the change we will see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they learn to be intentional, too. Remember, if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will likely sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #064 – Praying Scripture – Part 2 Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Thank you for joining me for Part 2 of my “Praying Scripture” series. Last week we discussed the importance of prayer, then elevated our desire to pray and communicate with our Heavenly Father to higher ground by using God’s words as the foundation of our prayer life. Praying scripture strengthens our understanding of God’s word and releases His authoritative power into our life. Specifically seeking His word and utilizing it in our prayers is a faithful and trusting act of obedience as we rely on God’s powerful words and truths. To pray His word, we must know it, study it, and claim it. By purposely connecting our heart to God’s and intentionally praying His words, we are beseeching our Heavenly Father to use His will, just as Jesus modeled for us. As I shared last week, in order to deepen prayer time by drawing nearer to God and using His word as ours, we may need to examine and adjust the way we pray. We must pray with intimate devotion by crafting our language to align with scripture. By studying God’s word, we solidify knowledge and understanding of scripture. As I have been working to craft my prayers around scripture, I find God’s words filter through my mind more often. Usually when I go to bed at night or awaken in the morning, my thoughts are focused on the Lord, but now I have His words floating in my consciousness even when I awaken at night. God’s holy word carries privilege and strength as it shapes our heart and mind to mirror His. Even when we follow Jesus with a whole heart, we are incredibly far from where He desires us to be. Each of us struggles in some way with emotions, feelings, thoughts, fears, sadness, depression, lying, idols, mistakes, desires, conflicts, misunderstandings, attitudes, judging, failures, busyness, and the list just continues with no end. No one is perfect. Even when we feel we have successfully submitted ourselves to God to conquer some of what our particular weaknesses are, we are only scratching the surface. New trials or disappointments will come our way to awaken us to the realization that we have so much farther to go. Using God’s living, active word as the foundation for our prayers releases His profound power. Through using God’s word to frame our prayers, our faith deepens and stretches wider, allowing God more access to our heart, mind, and desires. A foundation of faith built on God’s holy word will never crumble. Today I am sharing several verses with prayers to accompany them. These are designed for you to use during your prayer time and are also a guideline for you to craft additional prayers from God’s word as you deepen your prayer time with Him in this manner. Let’s begin with basic prayers to prepare us to step before the presence of the Lord. First I will read the scripture, then a prayer designed around God’s word and truths. Matthew 7:7-8 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Father God, your word assures me that if I ask, I will receive. If I seek, I will find. If I knock, the door will be opened. You lovingly command me more than once to ask, seek, and knock, just as you desire that I remain constant in my faith and prayer life. Thank you for your assurance that if I continue, I will receive, find, and have the door opened to me. I know that Your word is true. I trust that You will give me what You desire as I ask You to help me to pray for what You want for me. My heart yearns for You, Your influence, and provision in my life. Matthew 7:12 says, “In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.” Loving Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your love for me and for Your deep and impartial love for others. Help me to see them with Your eyes and heart and enable me to love others in ways that can only come from You. May I treat everyone You created with a godly love and the same actions I desire them to extend to me. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Father, cause me to remain on the road within Your narrow gate. Keep me far from the path that leads to destruction. Enable me to focus on You, Your provisions, and peace that flows from You as I remain on the road that few will choose to travel. Carry me over difficult roads with joy as I focus on walking in eternity with You. Isaiah 50:4-5 says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me His words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will. The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I have not rebelled or turned away.” Sovereign Lord, I only desire to do Your will. You have deposited Your words of wisdom within me. Enable me to use them to know Your ways and comfort the weary. Each morning I am blessed to have You awaken me with deeper understanding of Your will. I do not wish to rebel, but to remain in Your will and ways. Create within me a desire for You above all else. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.” Father, enable me to be still and know that You alone are God. You are exalted among the nations and over the earth, yet you keep your eye on me. Help my thoughts, desires, and actions to honor You. Psalm 42:1-2 says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?” Gracious Lord, just as the deer waits to drink until it feels safe, You are my refuge. As the deer pants with a deep thirst for water, Lord, my spirit yearns for You in this dry land that offers no relief. Only You know my inner being and can completely satisfy the depth of my needs. My soul thirsts for You, My God. Allow me to humbly approach Your presence as I anticipate Your loving and caring hands. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Father God, how great You are that You beseech me to call upon You so that You can lavish Your loving care upon me. Your promises are certain. I know You desire my reliance and ask for me to trust in You. I call upon Your gracious heart to hear my cries and fulfill Your words to me. Thank you for desiring to be involved in my life. I need You. Show me great and unsearchable things I cannot know and have not seen as I seek Your mighty hand. How beautiful it is to enter God’s presence with His words crafting the desires of our heart to beat in unison with His. As we absorb the beauty of praying God’s words to Him, let’s examine a collection of verses that may be used for family. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.” A prayer of protection from these verses could be: Father, cause me to remain alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Protect my family and I, Dear God, and enable us to resist the adversary as we stand firm in our faith and in the knowledge that all of your children are undergoing the same challenges and suffering. Carry us, Lord, and keep our eyes fixed on You as we rest in Your ability to embrace and encircle us with Your steadfast and powerful protection. Galatians 1:10 says, “Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Father, may the only approval I desire be Yours. When I try to please man, I am not focused on being Your servant. Help me remain steadfast to You and Your ways. 1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.” Heavenly Father, I believe that humble submission is key to living for You. Help me to submit to Your mighty and sovereign hand, despite circumstances, and await the time You choose to exalt me. Matthew 22:37 says, “Jesus declared, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Lord, thank you for allowing Jesus to be the perfect example for us to follow. May His words be carved into my mind and heart so that I do not sin against You. Father, help me to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind. Enable me to see myself as You desire and to love others as I love myself, as You stir compassion, empathy, and godly love in me to extend to them so that You may be glorified. Deuteronomy 6:1-9 says, “These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances that the Lord your God has instructed me to teach you to follow in the land that you are about to enter and possess, so that you and your children and grandchildren may fear the Lord your God all the days of your lives by keeping all His statutes and commandments that I give you, and so that your days may be prolonged. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe them, so that you may prosper and multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” This passage of scripture is one of my favorites in the Bible. How lovingly God has left wise instruction for us to absorb that will allow us to raise children for Him. A prayer scripted from these words will humbly touch our heart as we passionately strive to live for God and set our children on the path to knowing, loving, and honoring Him. Heavenly Father, I accept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You have instructed those who love You to follow. Help my children, grandchildren, and I to fear You all the days of our lives. May we keep these laws because we love You and desire to honor You. Prolong our lives as we submit to Your desires. You, my God, You are One, high above all else. I love You Father, with all of my heart, soul, and strength, just as I desire that my children and grandchildren will. I pray that the words You have commanded us will be upon my heart and cause me to teach them diligently to my children, that I will speak of You, and of Your words when we sit at home or walk along the road, when we lie down, and when we get up. Please tie them as reminders on my hands and bind them to my forehead. Write them on the doorposts of my house and on my gates as I strive to love You with my thoughts, emotions, energy, and purpose and teach my descendants to do the same, for You are worthy of our undivided love and devotion. This passage of scripture speaks to me so deeply because I believe we should all live this way as easily as breathing. God created this world and is in and above and around all we see and experience. It should be easy for us to follow this command. As we seek God moment by moment, speaking of His existence in and through all, allowing our children and grandchildren to see the love and reverence we hold for our Heavenly Father, we are in effect writing Him on our doorposts and gates, and binding Him into their minds and hearts. When we allow God this access, we are truly living with eternal perspective. Gracious and loving Heavenly Father, thank you for Your word and the transforming effect it creates on our life. Your word is alive and powerful, sharper than a double-edged sword, dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow. Through it, our innermost thoughts and desires are exposed so that true spiritual and eternal reconstruction can occur. Next week on the podcast we will finish this series with Part 3 as we delve into our final set of scripture and prayers. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If prayer is a topic you would like to learn more about, you may enjoy listening to episode 18, “Prayer.” Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I’m thrilled to share that my latest free resource, “Scattering Seeds: Planting Character and Faith in Your Child” has released! This eBook is an excellent encouragement and support for mothers or grandmothers of young children. I encourage you to visit my website to access and download it soon. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 064 - Praying Scripture - Part 2 Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #064 – Praying Scripture – Part 2 Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Thank you for joining me for Part 2 of my “Praying Scripture” series. Last week we discussed the importance of prayer, then elevated our desire to pray and communicate with our Heavenly Father to higher ground by using God’s words as the foundation of our prayer life. Praying scripture strengthens our understanding of God’s word and releases His authoritative power into our life. Specifically seeking His word and utilizing it in our prayers is a faithful and trusting act of obedience as we rely on God’s powerful words and truths. To pray His word, we must know it, study it, and claim it. By purposely connecting our heart to God’s and intentionally praying His words, we are beseeching our Heavenly Father to use His will, just as Jesus modeled for us. As I shared last week, in order to deepen prayer time by drawing nearer to God and using His word as ours, we may need to examine and adjust the way we pray. We must pray with intimate devotion by crafting our language to align with scripture. By studying God’s word, we solidify knowledge and understanding of scripture. As I have been working to craft my prayers around scripture, I find God’s words filter through my mind more often. Usually when I go to bed at night or awaken in the morning, my thoughts are focused on the Lord, but now I have His words floating in my consciousness even when I awaken at night. God’s holy word carries privilege and strength as it shapes our heart and mind to mirror His. Even when we follow Jesus with a whole heart, we are incredibly far from where He desires us to be. Each of us struggles in some way with emotions, feelings, thoughts, fears, sadness, depression, lying, idols, mistakes, desires, conflicts, misunderstandings, attitudes, judging, failures, busyness, and the list just continues with no end. No one is perfect. Even when we feel we have successfully submitted ourselves to God to conquer some of what our particular weaknesses are, we are only scratching the surface. New trials or disappointments will come our way to awaken us to the realization that we have so much farther to go. Using God’s living, active word as the foundation for our prayers releases His profound power. Through using God’s word to frame our prayers, our faith deepens and stretches wider, allowing God more access to our heart, mind, and desires. A foundation of faith built on God’s holy word will never crumble. Today I am sharing several verses with prayers to accompany them. These are designed for you to use during your prayer time and are also a guideline for you to craft additional prayers from God’s word as you deepen your prayer time with Him in this manner. Let’s begin with basic prayers to prepare us to step before the presence of the Lord. First I will read the scripture, then a prayer designed around God’s word and truths. Matthew 7:7-8 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Father God, your word assures me that if I ask, I will receive. If I seek, I will find. If I knock, the door will be opened. You lovingly command me more than once to ask, seek, and knock, just as you desire that I remain constant in my faith and prayer life. Thank you for your assurance that if I continue, I will receive, find, and have the door opened to me. I know that Your word is true. I trust that You will give me what You desire as I ask You to help me to pray for what You want for me. My heart yearns for You, Your influence, and provision in my life. Matthew 7:12 says, “In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.” Loving Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your love for me and for Your deep and impartial love for others. Help me to see them with Your eyes and heart and enable me to love others in ways that can only come from You. May I treat everyone You created with a godly love and the same actions I desire them to extend to me. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Father, cause me to remain on the road within Your narrow gate. Keep me far from the path that leads to destruction. Enable me to focus on You, Your provisions, and peace that flows from You as I remain on the road that few will choose to travel. Carry me over difficult roads with joy as I focus on walking in eternity with You. Isaiah 50:4-5 says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me His words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will. The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I have not rebelled or turned away.” Sovereign Lord, I only desire to do Your will. You have deposited Your words of wisdom within me. Enable me to use them to know Your ways and comfort the weary. Each morning I am blessed to have You awaken me with deeper understanding of Your will. I do not wish to rebel, but to remain in Your will and ways. Create within me a desire for You above all else. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.” Father, enable me to be still and know that You alone are God. You are exalted among the nations and over the earth, yet you keep your eye on me. Help my thoughts, desires, and actions to honor You. Psalm 42:1-2 says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?” Gracious Lord, just as the deer waits to drink until it feels safe, You are my refuge. As the deer pants with a deep thirst for water, Lord, my spirit yearns for You in this dry land that offers no relief. Only You know my inner being and can completely satisfy the depth of my needs. My soul thirsts for You, My God. Allow me to humbly approach Your presence as I anticipate Your loving and caring hands. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Father God, how great You are that You beseech me to call upon You so that You can lavish Your loving care upon me. Your promises are certain. I know You desire my reliance and ask for me to trust in You. I call upon Your gracious heart to hear my cries and fulfill Your words to me. Thank you for desiring to be involved in my life. I need You. Show me great and unsearchable things I cannot know and have not seen as I seek Your mighty hand. How beautiful it is to enter God’s presence with His words crafting the desires of our heart to beat in unison with His. As we absorb the beauty of praying God’s words to Him, let’s examine a collection of verses that may be used for family. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.” A prayer of protection from these verses could be: Father, cause me to remain alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Protect my family and I, Dear God, and enable us to resist the adversary as we stand firm in our faith and in the knowledge that all of your children are undergoing the same challenges and suffering. Carry us, Lord, and keep our eyes fixed on You as we rest in Your ability to embrace and encircle us with Your steadfast and powerful protection. Galatians 1:10 says, “Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Father, may the only approval I desire be Yours. When I try to please man, I am not focused on being Your servant. Help me remain steadfast to You and Your ways. 1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.” Heavenly Father, I believe that humble submission is key to living for You. Help me to submit to Your mighty and sovereign hand, despite circumstances, and await the time You choose to exalt me. Matthew 22:37 says, “Jesus declared, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Lord, thank you for allowing Jesus to be the perfect example for us to follow. May His words be carved into my mind and heart so that I do not sin against You. Father, help me to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind. Enable me to see myself as You desire and to love others as I love myself, as You stir compassion, empathy, and godly love in me to extend to them so that You may be glorified. Deuteronomy 6:1-9 says, “These are the commandments and statutes and ordinances that the Lord your God has instructed me to teach you to follow in the land that you are about to enter and possess, so that you and your children and grandchildren may fear the Lord your God all the days of your lives by keeping all His statutes and commandments that I give you, and so that your days may be prolonged. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe them, so that you may prosper and multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” This passage of scripture is one of my favorites in the Bible. How lovingly God has left wise instruction for us to absorb that will allow us to raise children for Him. A prayer scripted from these words will humbly touch our heart as we passionately strive to live for God and set our children on the path to knowing, loving, and honoring Him. Heavenly Father, I accept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You have instructed those who love You to follow. Help my children, grandchildren, and I to fear You all the days of our lives. May we keep these laws because we love You and desire to honor You. Prolong our lives as we submit to Your desires. You, my God, You are One, high above all else. I love You Father, with all of my heart, soul, and strength, just as I desire that my children and grandchildren will. I pray that the words You have commanded us will be upon my heart and cause me to teach them diligently to my children, that I will speak of You, and of Your words when we sit at home or walk along the road, when we lie down, and when we get up. Please tie them as reminders on my hands and bind them to my forehead. Write them on the doorposts of my house and on my gates as I strive to love You with my thoughts, emotions, energy, and purpose and teach my descendants to do the same, for You are worthy of our undivided love and devotion. This passage of scripture speaks to me so deeply because I believe we should all live this way as easily as breathing. God created this world and is in and above and around all we see and experience. It should be easy for us to follow this command. As we seek God moment by moment, speaking of His existence in and through all, allowing our children and grandchildren to see the love and reverence we hold for our Heavenly Father, we are in effect writing Him on our doorposts and gates, and binding Him into their minds and hearts. When we allow God this access, we are truly living with eternal perspective. Gracious and loving Heavenly Father, thank you for Your word and the transforming effect it creates on our life. Your word is alive and powerful, sharper than a double-edged sword, dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow. Through it, our innermost thoughts and desires are exposed so that true spiritual and eternal reconstruction can occur. Next week on the podcast we will finish this series with Part 3 as we delve into our final set of scripture and prayers. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If prayer is a topic you would like to learn more about, you may enjoy listening to episode 18, “Prayer.” Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I’m thrilled to share that my latest free resource, “Scattering Seeds: Planting Character and Faith in Your Child” has released! This eBook is an excellent encouragement and support for mothers or grandmothers of young children. I encourage you to visit my website to access and download it soon. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 075 - Embrace Being an Imperfect Parent but Don't Stay There Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 075 – Embrace Being an Imperfect Parent But Don’t Stay There Godly over good parenting. Have you heard that term before? I speak of it often. In fact, it’s become one of my favorite ways to connect with someone when we talk about parenting. Why? One of the greatest joys of my life has been finding out the truth about parenting. It wasn’t until I began to see the holy privilege bestowed by God when He allows one to become a parent that I also felt one of the deepest sorrows of my life. How did something so joyous bring such sorrow? Sorrow is described as a type of grieving or regret . The fact that the definition labels sorrow as a form of grief speaks to the depth of remorse. But did you know that there are different types of sorrow ? One is a human , fleshly sorrow , the other a godly sorrow . 2 Corinthians 7:10-11a says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. ” What exactly is godly sorrow? The Bible refers to godly sorrow as sorrow that is prompted or produced by the Holy Spirit and aligns with the will of God . It is God, by His grace, who grants our saving faith, which includes repentance from sin. 2 Timothy 2:25 says, “He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth .” The repentance I felt over parenting brought a godly sorrow that was brought by my deepening walk with Christ. Knowing Christ more intimately dropped the ego from my parenting skills. By the world’s standards I was an excellent parent, but by God’s measure, I was not the godly parent He calls each believer to be. Believers know that true repentance cannot occur unless genuine sorrow for the sin committed is felt. In fact, godly repentance identifies the salvation of a believer. One following Christ as Savior and in a maturing relationship with Jesus will continue to repent of sins as awareness of fleshly desires and actions are recognized and committed. This allows a deepening walk and the fruit of the Spirit to flourish in the life of the believer. On the other hand, what is referred to as human sorrow is simply remorse that is not in alignment with God’s will . Perhaps the person becomes remorseful because they were caught in an act or they didn’t reach an intended result. Perhaps their pride is wounded by the actions of another or by something they personally did or didn’t complete. When someone carries this type of human sorrow, joy, peace, hope, or any of the fruits easily identifiable in the life of a believer aren’t identified. Instead, the person may experience feelings such as depression, despair, hopelessness, self-pity, embarrassment, or anger. When we are genuinely repentant, however, our attitude changes. Righteousness is pursued eagerly. We desire Christ to cover and carry us. No longer indifferent to sin, evil, or deception, our character and desires shift closer to Christ’s as the Holy Spirit continues redeeming work within us. We grieve that our actions and desires once brought pain and dishonor to our Heavenly Father. We are filled with gratitude for the work Jesus performed on the cross, allowing us to approach the Father and restore relationship with Him. As the Holy Spirit continues a transforming work within, we long for holiness to define our nature and realize it can only come through the life-saving power of Christ as we continue to humbly submit with love and reverence to Him. This is what happened to me after raising my first set of children. My husband and I were good parents when we raised our first set of children, very good in the eyes of the world. Beginning our family at the age of 18, we were often told that we were mature for our years and wise in many areas. While it felt wonderful to receive the praise of others, their words didn’t bring the joy that I later learned came from purposely parenting to please and honor the Lord. I learned how sorrow can pertain to parenting. As humans, none of us are perfect. No one can claim 100% skillful parenting the way God would call. First, humans will never reach the perfection of Christ. Second, we live in a fallen world, and no matter how well a person attempts to parent, human desires, meaning the parent’s, the child’s, siblings, family, friends, or strangers, events, needs, wants, mistakes, etc. will interject or interfere in some way. Life isn’t easy and raising humans to adulthood is not a task to embark on without seeking and remaining steadfast to God and His will for the parents and the child. If I was such a good parent, why would I feel sorrowful about parenting? Am I blaming my first set of children or saying that they turned out to be “bad” kids? Definitely not. My thoughts don’t reflect on them at all, but totally on my husband and me. On this side of raising my first set, I can see how we were young and spiritually immature. In fact, I didn’t know Jesus as Savior until years later, and even then, it took me a while to really understand what being discipled meant. If you think about it logically, if I wasn’t growing in relationship with God through an intentionally deepening and maturing walk with Christ, how could I expect my parenting skills to draw my children to Him? I couldn’t exhale to my children what I hadn’t yet inhaled. As I grew in Jesus at the time, it was through sporadic readings of my Bible. There might be times I read often, then times of just seeing my Bible on the nightstand, letting it remind me of how much I loved Jesus, but I thought I didn’t have time to read. Just because I had a Bible in my house, that didn’t mean I was absorbing God’s holy wisdom and learning to use it is ways that drew my children to His feet. Did they know Jesus? Yes. We talked about God, but were they learning to depend on Him for every need as they grew a strong walk with Him? There’s a massive gap between children knowing mom and dad love and follow Christ and hearing their words of wisdom to train them versus seeing mom and dad live a maturing faith moment by moment and instilling God’s morals and truths to build a lifetime of trust and obedience to Christ and build their identity through Him. The tricky part is that I thought I was building that faith and trust in Christ. I’ve learned that without a purposed plan to raise each child in the truths of the gospel and the joy of the Lord, you are building your house on shifting sand. Matthew 7:24-26 says, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand .” When my kids were raised and my husband and I knew God was calling us to begin a second round of parenting with our baby girl from China, I felt the sting of repentant, godly remorse. Our Heavenly Father was speaking to my heart, telling me He had plans far different for this child than I ever imagined when I became a first time mom at eighteen. When He placed a desire within my husband and me to raise a baby after our first set of children were out of the house, I knew He had a purpose I had yet to understand. Growing up, I never even wanted children. Now I knew God was calling us to begin a second generation of parenting. My husband and I shared very specific desires and goals for what we would do the same and what we would do differently. We assessed our first parenting years in the ways we believed God’s eyes and heart would, then considered and prayed about what grieved and pleased Him. Our new baby would purposely see our faith and Jesus through our words, actions, reactions, desires, and deeds. We were committed to consistently raising her in ways that we prayerfully believed would delight the Lord as we sought and depended on Him. Exodus 20:12 says, “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you .” How can your children honor God if they don’t see you making that choice. As a parent models humble submission, love, and obedience to God, a natural extension of your child’s blossoming walk with God will be obedience and love toward you. We deeply desired our daughter to love God first through a relationship with Jesus, then we knew she would love and respect us, as well. In my Set-Apart Collective, I teach mothers a Motherhood Mindset Model and how to construct a Purposed Parenting Plan much like the one we created that enables them to parent and live with godly purpose and take thoughts and actions captive for Christ as they model the way for their children to do the same. Do you feel areas of godly parenting remorse? Whether you are a long time or new parent, you will never feel you have every aspect of parenting down. Even if your ego tells you how well you are doing, unless you are purposed in mentoring a lifetime of love and obedience to Christ in tangible ways that draw your child to Him and training your child how to live for Jesus, your parenting is in vain. The child in your care is on loan. The God who created the heavens and earth and knitted your child together in secret with a purposed plan for their life has entrusted that child to your care to raise for Him. Are you up to the task? What are ways you can embrace being an imperfect parent without staying there? Knowing God entrusted His children to your care, you must remember that He didn’t haphazardly choose you or your child. With loving, trusting intentions, He placed you and each child you parent with you. Of course He knows you’re not able to raise children without Him. He is calling for you to give Him the sovereign place He deserves and allow Him to protect and provide moment by moment as you call out to Him. As you know, Adam and Eve were the first parents. They were also the first imperfect parents. You and I come from a very long line of imperfect caregivers. No one is able to raise children as God would call without reliance on Him in every aspect of the journey. The Bible recounts story after story offering examples of imperfect parenting and children who neglected to follow or obey God. In fact, Adam and Eve were the first disobedient children and they actually did have a perfect Father. Two imperfect parents did happen to raise a perfect Son, Jesus. No doubt, Mary and Joseph knew Jesus was special, but they were human. They would not know how to rear a child to become the Savior of the World, even if they had known God’s plan. God, in His goodness knew their hearts when He chose them. God knew the plan and purpose Jesus carried. God, in His Sovereignty chose the exact parents for Jesus to be raised by, knowing they would obediently, yet imperfectly choose to honor God and raise their Son for Him. God carried, guided, and guarded. You and I don’t know the plans God has for our children. We don’t know the eternal purpose they have on this earth. But it is through our God-given authority that we must prayerfully and humbly seek God’s arms to carry us moment by moment to raise His children for Him. Just as Jesus replied in Luke 2:49 which says, “Why were you searching for me?” He asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house ,” you and I must constantly, prayerfully, and humbly be about our Heavenly Father’s business and show our children how to do the same in their life. This world doesn’t honor the gift of motherhood through eyes like God. The heart of the world doesn’t beat for mothers staying home with children. It doesn’t know the value of a mother working a long day at work to provide for her children, then praise that mother for intentionally finding a way every evening to draw the hearts of her children to the feet of Jesus. As a mother rests in the arms of God, she mentors the way to Christ for her children instead of ignorantly or accidentally teaching the ways of the world. Your sacrifice, obedience, prayers, Scriptural teachings, and godly actions taken moment by moment will be the seeds God will use to harvest in His time. To prepare the soil of your child’s heart for teachings to take root for God, there are important steps purposed mothers and fathers must take. 1. Realize that you are not enough. Praise God! You’re not meant to be. 2 Corinthians 3:5 says, “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God .” God waits to carry you. His desire is to breathe Truth and light into your life and family. Place Him at the center of your family. 2. Become closer to God through a maturing relationship with Christ. It’s one thing to love God. It’s different to have communion with Him through Jesus. 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. If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him .” 3. Know and love your spouse and children through eyes and heart like God. To do that, you must first know and follow the Lord in humble obedience. John 13:34 says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another .” 4. Put God first, then spouse, then children, then work. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength .” 5. Humbly honor God by reading or listening to His Word. Share His Word regularly, both individually and as a family. Speak truths to others, share the gospel, but also live in ways that show you follow Christ and give Him honor when people talk to you about the differences they see in you. Teach your child to pray and talk to God. Let your children hear you pray for them and ask them to pray for you. Pray together as a family daily. People often say they don’t have time, but I have found that when you place God first, you find you discover more time for Him. Proverbs 15:29 says, “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. ” 6. Let your child hear you bring God into daily conversations. Whether you’re in nature, at the store, in the car, in conversation, invite God in. Showcase God’s work in the events you are experiencing and help them form biblical critical thinking skills early in life. Set the groundwork for this process and see their skills grow as they do. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him .” 7. Teach God’s Truths and let your child see you live those truths with joy , not simply preach God’s Word to them. Isaiah 54:13 says, “All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace .” 8. Parent with God-honoring authority, humility, and grace. Ask God to guide and guard your mind, heart, family, and decisions. Matthew 19:14 says, “Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these .” This verse will pertain to your children, whether young or grown. It’s never to late to mentor a life that honors Christ for your child to see and learn from. I urge you to make time to assess your parenting . Assess your relationship with Christ. You may be like I was the first time I parented. Without knowing it, I was training my children to love Jesus, but rely more on self. Although we discussed Christ and knew we loved Him as Savior, looking back, moments weren’t held captive for Christ. Days slipped by without godly over good parenting to mold and shape my children into the image of Christ. Ask God to show you the way to His heart. Ask Him to guide your mind to think as His does and to show you how to reach the minds of your children for Him. Know that as you inhale Christ, you are able to exhale Him for others to breathe. Deepen and widen the roots of your maturity through relationship with Jesus and watch God work as only He can as you ask him to carry you. Dear Heavenly Father, there is none like You. How merciful and loving You are to seek us and never let us out of Your firm grasp. Through Jesus we know we have eternal life and that nothing can pluck us from Your mighty hand. How we need You! In our wisdom we sometimes think we are following You without knowing how far we begin to stray. Father, keep us near. Draw us closer when You see us begin to wander. Don’t let us rely on worldly wisdom or fleshly thoughts. Take our minds captive for Christ and allow us to see with Your eyes and feel with Your heart. We want to parent for You! We want to see the results of children raised to know, love, and honor You. May we be able to proclaim Your mighty works and show others the way to trust Your guidance in parenting. Help our children lead the next generation in deeper faith in You and a holy obedience. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. There’s so much more to dig into on this topic. If you find you’d like more information, please let me know. Send your questions and requests to info@terrihitt.com . Supporting and encouraging mothers to rest in Christ and pursue a holy relationship with Him so they purposely raise set-apart children is the cry of my heart. I believe godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset a mother carries. That’s why I’ve created the Set-Apart Collective. Have you decided peers and culture won’t be the main influence over your child? Would you like to parent to prepare your child for eternity with Christ, not to repair a relationship? In the Set-Apart Collective, you will deepen your walk with Christ, learn a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family. The Set-Apart Collective wait list is open now. The first group of women is currently growing together. Please send me an email at info@terrihitt.com to let me know you’d like to receive information. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. If you connected in some way with this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? It only takes a minute or so and makes a big difference in people finding the podcast. You and I know that the best reviews are by word of mouth, so would you please choose a friend to recommend the show to? Let them know that the podcast is found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Imagine the change we will see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they learn to be intentional, too. Remember, if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will likely sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection. Previous Next

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #067 – Twisted Theology Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Today, I‘d like to start with some crucial questions for each of us to examine. Really think about the answers and not just jump to a response when you hear the questions. I think it is crucially important for each of us to regularly ponder our walk with God, if we want a mature relationship that continues to deepen and widen over time. Do you consider yourself a devoted Christian? The word devoted means to be intensely active or have enthusiastic attachment, loyalty, or affection. Is this the type of passion you carry for Jesus? Do you believe that you exhibit proper character for a believer of Christ? How do we define what is proper in relation to following Jesus? How can we recognize whether we actively display the Lord through the way we live? A woman who believes and exemplifies the teachings of Christ in her life will consistently experience daily alterations to character and integrity, drawing herself and others nearer to Him. Each of us falls short daily. Today I want to address the insidious shift we must be aware of if our hearts belong to Him. Many who profess to be followers of Christ actually follow the world. Theology in our culture is twisted and warped. Historically, the United States has been incredibly blessed, because our nation was founded on Christian principles. How different secular and “Christian” America now look compared to the vision our founding fathers expected and established. I purposely worded what I said in the way I did, because I believe that we do have a visible difference that has caused a division. A standard is being established for the future of our nation and the souls within. Empty, Godless deceit is spreading throughout the entire world. How will unbelievers follow Jesus if He is not seen in a consistent, godly fashion by those who profess to know, follow, and love Him? Does the way we live allow others to see Jesus in us? Are they drawn to Him through our words, actions, and behavior? In order to make Christ known, we must intentionally study, know, and live by God’s holy words. Not because we know we should, but because the passion we hold for Him compels us to. Society is filled with people who use sayings such as, “live your own truth” or “to each their own.” This popular and growing trend of thought is falsely believed and acted upon by both Christians and non-Christians. Based on points of view created through cultural or life experiences (and whims), many in our culture strive to live with no universal or absolute set of moral or ethical principles. Even many Christian churches, which are supposed to be an assembly of believers of Jesus Christ, are missing the mark by removing or ignoring God’s guideline for truth based on the Bible, and exchanging holiness as defined by our Heavenly Father, for twisted or diluted theology fed by man and swallowed by both the secular and Christian world. How can we comprehend God’s word if we refuse to make time to read it? Can Jesus become the thread binding our heart to His and a life committed to viewing this world with His eternal perspective if we do not purposely create time for Him? Many people do not rely on the truth and values commanded by God, relying instead on self and react to life and others based on personal emotions or experiences. Without God’s perfect wisdom and truths, the world’s manmade, false morality warps faith and authenticity into a subjective knot of lies resulting in rebellion and suffering. Hosea 4:1b-3a says, “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another. Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away.” If we are not immersed in a purposeful, honoring relationship with God through Jesus, chances are high that our children will not be. As more churches are shifting away from standing on and teaching biblical truths, our children and grandchildren are suffering. Secular schools (and now many Christian institutions), do not offer the truth and foundation of God’s word and morality. Without the church remaining strong in a truthful, loving, fearful, and consistent fashion established on honoring God’s sovereignty and holiness, current culture based on subjective moral relativism will continue a twisted infiltration through the minds and hearts of our nation and the world. Did you know statistics indicate that over half of young adults in the U.S. believe many religions lead to eternal life and that morality changes over time? Psalm 11:3 says, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Without the unshifting, holy moral compass of God, we do what is right in our own eyes. Unfortunately, the consequences affect not only self, but all, for generations to come. Based on the thought process of those who have rejected God’s truths, many are left with the false belief that morality is relative, but if that were true, there would be no sin. Moral relativism lacks a concept of guiding principles that point the way to spiritual, emotional, physical, mental, and financial freedom and peace supplied by one source only – our omnipotent, sovereign God. As believers in Christ, we know that without sin, there is no guilt. Without culpability, we do not need forgiveness. If we cannot perceive that morality must be guided by a holy source, we will never realize our absolute need for Jesus, therefore, we never seek repentance or forgiveness. 1 John 5:1-8 says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.” Proverbs 4:20-27 says, “My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.” It is crucial that we realize the importance of knowing what we believe and why we believe it. If you have doubts or questions about God or faith, lift them to Him. God desires hearts that seek to know truth. He draws near to those who draw near to Him. If you are a believer, seek and live in the fullness of God’s love and accept the joy and peace He alone delivers. Intentionally spend time alone with Him. Read His word and speak to Him in prayer. Then listen for Him. Continue on a daily basis and you will experience the joyful changes He makes as you live in faith and obedience grounded in the relationship you are building with Jesus. Current events, actions, and attitudes throughout the world will deceive. Even Christians, because we are human and fallible, and because theology has been twisted by all who do not truly know and stand faithfully in God’s word, will make mistakes. Our choices often do not reflect the holiness God desires. We must purpose to walk with Him daily. If we are not consciously committing to building a strong relationship with God moment by moment with a mind and heart preparing for eternity with Him, we have already fallen short. How many around us will miss the mark because of our selfish, fleshly choices? Ephesians 5:15 says, “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.” 1. Read, study, and learn God’s word. 2. Forge a deeper connection through prayer, especially scriptural prayer. 3. Think critically, based on the compass of God’s word. 4. Observe and test what your experiences and others say and live (words, actions, thoughts, emotions, feelings, etc.) and align all against God’s truths. 5. Do not be deceived by what you see or experience, or use them as basis for truth. 6. Place your hope in God alone; do not follow people or self. 7. Remember, God alone is righteous and holy. Deuteronomy 4:9 says, “Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.” The future of our children, grandchildren, nation, and world, as well as our eternity are built or broken by what we choose to believe and model now. We will never focus on eternity unless we purpose to do so with a heart firmly grounded in the truths of God and the sacrifice of Jesus. Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.” John 8:31b-32 says, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Father God, You alone are the Lord. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You. Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be. May we realize the depth of these truths and model every area of our life after Your perfect Son, Jesus. Thank you for allowing us the life we have. May we honor and worship You as You are due. Guide and protect our steps and bring us ever nearer to carrying Your truths into this dark world. Protect our minds so that no deceitful theories or cultural trends infiltrate the truths You have given in Your commandments and holy book, the Bible. Let us seek and recognize what You approve of because we know You well through time spent with You. Give us courage and conviction to stand where You command. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on ways to Live With Eternal Perspective. Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 067 Twisted Theology Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #067 – Twisted Theology Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to grow in Jesus together. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss more ways to live with eternal perspective. Today, I‘d like to start with some crucial questions for each of us to examine. Really think about the answers and not just jump to a response when you hear the questions. I think it is crucially important for each of us to regularly ponder our walk with God, if we want a mature relationship that continues to deepen and widen over time. Do you consider yourself a devoted Christian? The word devoted means to be intensely active or have enthusiastic attachment, loyalty, or affection. Is this the type of passion you carry for Jesus? Do you believe that you exhibit proper character for a believer of Christ? How do we define what is proper in relation to following Jesus? How can we recognize whether we actively display the Lord through the way we live? A woman who believes and exemplifies the teachings of Christ in her life will consistently experience daily alterations to character and integrity, drawing herself and others nearer to Him. Each of us falls short daily. Today I want to address the insidious shift we must be aware of if our hearts belong to Him. Many who profess to be followers of Christ actually follow the world. Theology in our culture is twisted and warped. Historically, the United States has been incredibly blessed, because our nation was founded on Christian principles. How different secular and “Christian” America now look compared to the vision our founding fathers expected and established. I purposely worded what I said in the way I did, because I believe that we do have a visible difference that has caused a division. A standard is being established for the future of our nation and the souls within. Empty, Godless deceit is spreading throughout the entire world. How will unbelievers follow Jesus if He is not seen in a consistent, godly fashion by those who profess to know, follow, and love Him? Does the way we live allow others to see Jesus in us? Are they drawn to Him through our words, actions, and behavior? In order to make Christ known, we must intentionally study, know, and live by God’s holy words. Not because we know we should, but because the passion we hold for Him compels us to. Society is filled with people who use sayings such as, “live your own truth” or “to each their own.” This popular and growing trend of thought is falsely believed and acted upon by both Christians and non-Christians. Based on points of view created through cultural or life experiences (and whims), many in our culture strive to live with no universal or absolute set of moral or ethical principles. Even many Christian churches, which are supposed to be an assembly of believers of Jesus Christ, are missing the mark by removing or ignoring God’s guideline for truth based on the Bible, and exchanging holiness as defined by our Heavenly Father, for twisted or diluted theology fed by man and swallowed by both the secular and Christian world. How can we comprehend God’s word if we refuse to make time to read it? Can Jesus become the thread binding our heart to His and a life committed to viewing this world with His eternal perspective if we do not purposely create time for Him? Many people do not rely on the truth and values commanded by God, relying instead on self and react to life and others based on personal emotions or experiences. Without God’s perfect wisdom and truths, the world’s manmade, false morality warps faith and authenticity into a subjective knot of lies resulting in rebellion and suffering. Hosea 4:1b-3a says, “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another. Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away.” If we are not immersed in a purposeful, honoring relationship with God through Jesus, chances are high that our children will not be. As more churches are shifting away from standing on and teaching biblical truths, our children and grandchildren are suffering. Secular schools (and now many Christian institutions), do not offer the truth and foundation of God’s word and morality. Without the church remaining strong in a truthful, loving, fearful, and consistent fashion established on honoring God’s sovereignty and holiness, current culture based on subjective moral relativism will continue a twisted infiltration through the minds and hearts of our nation and the world. Did you know statistics indicate that over half of young adults in the U.S. believe many religions lead to eternal life and that morality changes over time? Psalm 11:3 says, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Without the unshifting, holy moral compass of God, we do what is right in our own eyes. Unfortunately, the consequences affect not only self, but all, for generations to come. Based on the thought process of those who have rejected God’s truths, many are left with the false belief that morality is relative, but if that were true, there would be no sin. Moral relativism lacks a concept of guiding principles that point the way to spiritual, emotional, physical, mental, and financial freedom and peace supplied by one source only – our omnipotent, sovereign God. As believers in Christ, we know that without sin, there is no guilt. Without culpability, we do not need forgiveness. If we cannot perceive that morality must be guided by a holy source, we will never realize our absolute need for Jesus, therefore, we never seek repentance or forgiveness. 1 John 5:1-8 says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.” Proverbs 4:20-27 says, “My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.” It is crucial that we realize the importance of knowing what we believe and why we believe it. If you have doubts or questions about God or faith, lift them to Him. God desires hearts that seek to know truth. He draws near to those who draw near to Him. If you are a believer, seek and live in the fullness of God’s love and accept the joy and peace He alone delivers. Intentionally spend time alone with Him. Read His word and speak to Him in prayer. Then listen for Him. Continue on a daily basis and you will experience the joyful changes He makes as you live in faith and obedience grounded in the relationship you are building with Jesus. Current events, actions, and attitudes throughout the world will deceive. Even Christians, because we are human and fallible, and because theology has been twisted by all who do not truly know and stand faithfully in God’s word, will make mistakes. Our choices often do not reflect the holiness God desires. We must purpose to walk with Him daily. If we are not consciously committing to building a strong relationship with God moment by moment with a mind and heart preparing for eternity with Him, we have already fallen short. How many around us will miss the mark because of our selfish, fleshly choices? Ephesians 5:15 says, “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.” 1. Read, study, and learn God’s word. 2. Forge a deeper connection through prayer, especially scriptural prayer. 3. Think critically, based on the compass of God’s word. 4. Observe and test what your experiences and others say and live (words, actions, thoughts, emotions, feelings, etc.) and align all against God’s truths. 5. Do not be deceived by what you see or experience, or use them as basis for truth. 6. Place your hope in God alone; do not follow people or self. 7. Remember, God alone is righteous and holy. Deuteronomy 4:9 says, “Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.” The future of our children, grandchildren, nation, and world, as well as our eternity are built or broken by what we choose to believe and model now. We will never focus on eternity unless we purpose to do so with a heart firmly grounded in the truths of God and the sacrifice of Jesus. Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.” John 8:31b-32 says, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Father God, You alone are the Lord. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You. Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be. May we realize the depth of these truths and model every area of our life after Your perfect Son, Jesus. Thank you for allowing us the life we have. May we honor and worship You as You are due. Guide and protect our steps and bring us ever nearer to carrying Your truths into this dark world. Protect our minds so that no deceitful theories or cultural trends infiltrate the truths You have given in Your commandments and holy book, the Bible. Let us seek and recognize what You approve of because we know You well through time spent with You. Give us courage and conviction to stand where You command. In Your precious name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Please visit terrihitt.com to access podcast episodes housed in one convenient location, read blog posts, transcripts, and access additional resources designed to mature your walk with Jesus through an eternal perspective and encourage you to raise or influence children to choose Christ over culture. I pray this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

< Back Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 091 - Ten Ways to Get Your Child to Listen Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 091 – Ten Ways to Get Your Child to Listen Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast deepens your walk with Jesus and your children, equipping you to become a set-apart woman and mother. I often repeat myself when I talk to my youngest daughter if she’s not wearing her hearing aid. Because she’s deaf in one ear and almost deaf in the other, that hearing aid is a necessity. For a very long time, my daughter didn’t want to wear it. Finally, she realized how much it helps her to hear, understand, and respond to life much more easily. However, sometimes children can clearly hear , but don’t listen . There are various reasons your children may fail to respond when you speak, but I’ll share four of the most common. 1. Kids like the feeling of being in control . When they purposely don’t listen, they’re likely asserting control. The ability to “shut you out” gives them that feeling of control. 2. Kids are often too busy . What they value more than your directives are the thoughts pressing in their mind. 3. Kids can be overscheduled . When schedules are tight, focus on you is limited or divided. 4. Kids move fast . If you have a busy family with lots of coming and going, it can be difficult to catch what you say. Now that I’ve shared some of the most common reasons your children may not listen , I’ll share ten ways to attract their attention and help them hear what you say. 1. Responsibility –Parents often make demands instead of directing their children in the way they desire them to act. Instead of hurriedly tossing words your child perceives as a demand, make your directives clear, but respectful. When the task is something your child should know to do, yet isn’t consistent, ask your child what their plan is for the chore they need to complete. Kids appreciate the opportunity to share their thoughts and accept responsibility. Giving them an option for the order of duties or a time limit on the task allows them to have some control and accept responsibility for the action. 2. Comprehension – Humans, whether young or old, need a chance for our brain to comprehend what we have been instructed. When you stop to ask your children to narrate back what you have required of them, you help them build stronger brain pathways and ensure they hear and understand your instructions. 3. Eye Contact – When you purposely connect with eye contact, you ensure your children notice you are speaking to them . Stand at a level you can meet their eyes and touch their shoulder or arm as you speak. 4. Trust – When you make requests, show that you trust they will complete your instructions by thanking your child in advance. Thank them again after the chore is completed. 5. Keep it Short – Don’t set your children up to fail by shooting ten commands at them at one time. Keep requests simple and age appropriate. Offer your directives clearly by using the points already mentioned in this episode. Depending on the age of your children, chore lists may also be used. 6. Options – When the tables are turned and your child is asking you for something, don’t automatically respond with a “no” that sets your child up to become frustrated and stop listening. Instead, make a suggestion that allows them to participate in planning and also gives them a feeling of control. “That doesn’t work today, but how about Sunday?” or “We’ve already made plans for today, but that sounds like something fun. Would you rather do that Friday or Saturday?” are good options . Use what works best in your family and with your children. 7. Clarity – Instead of saying, “Don’t leave your dirty clothes on the floor again,” you can give a directive such as, “I put the hamper in your room for those dirty clothes.” Your reminder will clearly come across without resorting to nagging. 8. Be Quiet – If you want your child to hear, sometimes you need to speak more quietly . When you yell commands, you automatically set your child up for a negative feeling and response. A quiet voice offers respect and should receive the same with practiced use. 9. Kindness – Instead of saying, “you always,” or “you never,” treat your children as you desire to be treated. Set them up to succeed with joy and connection to you and the family. 10. Praise – When you child completes the tasks you have assigned, praise them for listening well and obeying you with respect. It is my hope that some of these suggestions will enable your child to develop better listening skills and for your communication together to be stronger . Isn’t it humbling to know that the closer we become to God through our walk with Christ, the stronger our parenting skills become? Let God be the leader in your home and heart as you prayerfully and purposely raise each child to know and honor Him. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for Your lovingkindness. Thank you for the hope and joy You give us through the children You have entrusted to us. You are the Great I Am, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, yet You know each of us personally and love us with an everlasting love. Help us to heed Your whispers in our spirit as we raise our children in ways that honor You. Help them to listen and obey us with respect and joy because they love, honor, and obey You. Fill our hearts with godly insight for each child in our care. Help us to see and love them as You do. Make our homes a place of rest and respect. Thank you that we are always welcome in Your mighty presence. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Raising children is challenging. No one has all the answers because each child is unique as are parenting styles and family dynamics. By connecting with and knowing your children as you maintain purposed growth in Christ, you will be better prepared for any situation you face. That’s why you hear me share about the Set-Apart Collective in this podcast. Supporting and encouraging mothers to rest in Christ and pursue a holy relationship with Him so they purposely raise set-apart children is the cry of my heart. Godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset a mother carries. If you don’t want peers and culture to be the main influence over your child, if you desire to parent to “prepare” your child for eternity with Christ, not repair your relationship with them, the Set-Apart Collective will deepen your walk with Christ. You’ll learn a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family. Send me an email at info@terrihitt.com to let me know you’d like to receive information or look online at terrihitt.com/setapart. We can also set up a no obligation, strategic 15 minute call to chat about your needs to see if the program is a right fit for you. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. Time is short. Make yours matter for eternity. If you’re ready to invest in the future of your children, contact me at info@terrihitt.com for more details or visit terrihitt.com/setapart. Because you are a podcast listener, let me know you heard about the special price I’m offering you. I seriously want you to experience results and live a set-apart life with a set-apart family. Instead of a $997 value, I’ll give you a discount code that enables you to pay only $247. If you are serious about parenting with eternal perspective and raising children to chase Christ over culture, I’m making this very affordable and easy to do. If you appreciated this episode, would you please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify? It only takes a few minutes and makes a big difference in whether people are able to find the podcast. Also, you and I know that the best reviews are by word of mouth, so please choose a friend to recommend the show to. Imagine the changes we will see in the way mothers parent for Christ if they learn to be intentional, too. Remember, if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will likely sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection. Previous Next

Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 034 A New Beginning Listen to Episode

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

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.

< Back Godly Motherhood Podcast Episode 137 - How to Parent Kids to Be IN the World, But Not OF It Welcome to Godly Motherhood Podcast – Episode 137 – How to Parent Kids to Be IN the World, But Not OF It Welcome to the Godly Motherhood podcast. If you’re a mom, you can’t parent in your strength. The Good News is that you aren’t supposed to. On this podcast I’ll mentor how to rest and abide in the Father’s arms. Through Him, you’ll be carried - and capable of raising each unique child entrusted to your care as you teach them to chase Christ over culture moment by moment. This is Episode 137 – How to Parent Kids to Be IN the World, But Not OF It Before we start, I want to share that my new book deals with the topic we’re discussing on this episode. In my book, “The Good Mom Trap: Break the Lie That Good Parenting Creates Godly Kids” I share Biblical truths, personal stories, and what I’ve learned about raising kids to follow the Way instead of the world - to help you avoid traps. The book releases December 2, 2025. To be among the first to hear updates and hear the latest news and updates, visit https://www.terrihitt.com/book Now on with this episode. Just last week, Christian influencer, podcaster, and activist Charlie Kirk was murdered. While Heaven rejoices, many in this world grieve and weep. I keep thinking of Charlie’s precious children and wife, and the tremendous loss they face. But the world has also suffered a great loss. While not as intimate a loss as those who personally knew and loved him face, we have lost a man of courage and conviction. It grieves my heart to hear slanderous comments about Charlie and the work he did. I’ve seen countless quotes by him twisted and taken out of context. So, if you’re hearing to lies swarming on social media, go listen to his full recordings. There are videos being passed that have been edited or shortened to cause division, and I’ve never heard Charlie make the horrible remarks people are sharing at this time. You must make your own decision about this man, whom I’ve only heard use his life to bring people together, not tear them apart. Who based his beliefs off God’s Word, and used his time to bring others to know the words and principles of God - and use them well in daily life. While I didn’t know Charlie personally, I respected his ability to invite anyone to debate, encouraging civil discussion with wisdom – even with those who often spewed hatred. Charlie remained calm, pointing others to God’s truths, Word and commands. Charlie had a crucial ability to think critically. This is a non-negotiable necessity not being taught in schools or even in many homes nowadays, and it is the first step in preparing children to be IN the world, but not OF it. Every Christian parent should intentionally raise children to carry the ability to think critically – and biblically. We must mentor how strong conviction in God’s truths. We must raise our kids to have deep desire to know God and pursue Him through a relationship with Jesus. To work to make Him known to the world. To know and understand the Word and point others to it. One of the most important qualities Charlie Kirk had was to pursue knowledge and use biblical, critical thinking to ascertain whether that knowledge matched Scripture. If you’re a Christian mom worried about secular culture, don’t focus on shielding your kids FROM the world . Equip them to shine the light and truth of Christ IN it. But the question moms carry is “how?” How do we raise kids to honor God in a world far from what He commands? The last quality I mentioned Charlie carrying is one of the top priorities parents must carry and teach as they raise kids to stand against culture and for Christ. If you aren’t using biblical, critical thinking yourself - and mentoring to your children how to use it, you’re already behind. Unless you and your children can easily understand and verbalize why they believe what they do, they’re likely to become a victim of indoctrination, be easily swayed by peers, teachers, society, or be swayed to follow any sort of “religion” (in quotation marks) the world offers. It is IMPERATIVE to know WHY we stand - for WHO we stand for. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” These words must be taken seriously. When I looked at the instructions in these words from God, I took a good look at how I was parenting. Although I professed to love the Lord, and I called Jesus my Savior, I realized how I fell short of digesting the urgency of God’s commands when I raised my first set of kids. How about you? Are you consistently parenting the way these verses command? Your love for God, your desire to honor and obey Him must be evident in your actions, reactions, words, and desires. Your fears, your praises. In the way you teach your children of Jesus and how to follow Him. To place Him first. So many parents believe they’re doing a good job because they go to church each week and they tell their kids to read their Bible. They talk about being a Christian family, but how is that faith being exhibited in the home? In society? At work? At school? Do actions, desires, words, and reactions match how Scripture calls? Is Scripture studied enough to know? Many people think they follow Jesus, but what they believe and the way they live and vote are actually in opposition to what God’s Word says. Many Christians take the Bible to the other extreme and shut off contact with anyone who does anything the Bible calls sin. Listen to this passage from John 8. “but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and He sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” How powerful this verse is! Jesus boldly stayed true to Scripture. He knew each person dealt with personal sins. However, He didn’t choose to stay away. He shared Truth and Life. Yet, He didn’t condone the sins. He was in their midst, yet commanded them to go and sin no more. In modern day context, this could be adultery or homosexuality, as two examples. Society, with hearts not seeking and following Scripture fails to see sin in front of them. However, Jesus would assert that both are sins God hates. He would share God’s truths and commands, yet tell them to go and sin no more. He wouldn’t accept and agree. He would call out the sin, love them, yet not condone what they did. He wouldn’t accept the lifestyle into policy or persuade others it was the way God made them. Or make excuses. Your kids need to hear you speak the truths of Scripture – and witness you live the commands of God. Deuteronomy 4:9 also carries clear instructions on how to please and honor our Heavenly Father and raise the children He entrusted to us. This verse says, “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children .” Remember God’s Truths and commands as found in Scripture. Cling to them as guidance for your soul and life. For your parenting. Again, putting Him first. How well are you doing that? How well are you mentoring and guiding your children in this command? How are you exhibiting your identity in Jesus as Savior? Each one of us must secure identity in God through Jesus. We must live in complete assurance of WHOSE we are - and let everything that pours from us flow through His eternal lens. Use the way God has provided for you, strengthened you, carried you. Use everything that’s wrapped up in your relationship with God this far. Remember how He has provided, where you have faltered, and how God has carried you. Use your trials, your failures, your triumphs in ways that strengthen and mature your relationship (with God and your kids) and the foundation you’re laying for your children and the house of faith they are building. Of course, be age appropriate. Weave God effortlessly into your days and nights. He is present. Don’t hit your kids over the head with rules and regulations, but with gentle love and grace, with discipleship born from love and understanding of God’s Word, and adherence to His commands. Don’t neglect discipline. Use it to disciple for Him. Continue your growth moment by moment, so they will, too. Inhale Christ so you exhale Him with ease and clarity. 1 John 4:13 says, “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit .” Scripture tells us the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The more you study His Word, the better you live and teach the Word. The more you soak His Word into your being, the way you act and react is transformed, the way you seek the Father’s wisdom in how to parent for Him is refined, and the way you hear His instructions is clarified. He fills you with the strength and stamina you need to parent His children for His ways, and not the world. Matt. 10:28 says, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell .” There is nothing on this earth that is worth giving more attention than God or family. Learn to treat your family the way God desires you to treat them. Being the best friend of your children, giving them too many material goods, or depriving them so you don’t spoil them are ways that we over or under-indulge. As you deepen your knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and practice abiding in His capable arms, as you capture a mindset like Christ, you parent kids who are in the world, but not of it. Kids who seek Him first and are thankful for what they have. Your kids must live in the world. Teach them to BE and STAY secure and strong in the Word. Parent with godly confidence to instill godly confidence in your kids. This comes from purposely studying God’s character, will, and ways. Purposely consider and PLAN what you want the end of your life and the life of your children to look like, or you won’t receive godly results. You must intentionally reflect on what God would desire for your children. Seek His discernment , knowledge , wisdom , and understanding on how to parent the children He has entrusted to your care. He created them with a purpose and purposely entrusted them to you at this time. In order to raise kids who are IN the world, but not OF it, YOU have to be a set-apart woman. First you must understand what the term, set-apart means. The basic definition is “to do something that makes someone, or oneself, noticeable, remarkable, or distinct in comparison to someone or something else.” That means distinctively different or set-apart from this world we live in. Set-apart also means to be sanctified . In simple form, it means something or someone is sanctified when it’s used for the purpose God intends. So, when you live according to the purpose or design God intended for your life, you’re sanctified. More clearly defined, that means when you’re pursuing and following Jesus - and His ways and will . The Greek word translated “sanctification” means holiness . This means that when we’re sanctified, we’re made holy. As believers and followers of Jesus, we know that He is the one sanctifying us. God calls us to know Him, to become more like Him, to become holy, as He is holy and He allows us to be transformed by Him and through Him by our relationship with Jesus. Obviously, we never reach the holiness of God, but through the transforming sacrifice and sanctification of Jesus, we can become more Christ-like moment by moment. Then you are able to make Christ known to your children. To equip your children to be set-apart. To be sanctified. The deeper you pursue , know , and follow Jesus, the more He is shown to your children. The first Jesus your children see is the Jesus they see within you. Your children will desire whatever is appealing to them. Make a life lived with Jesus appealing. Your relationship with God through a maturing and deepening walk with Jesus matters very much. Since you desire your children to know and grow in Jesus, you must raise them to be set-apart, to be what God intended for them. This can only be accomplished with intentional parenting reliant on the holy power and direction of Christ within you. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God .” The New Living Translation version makes understanding the importance of this verse for a set-apart life much easier. The NLT version translates the same verse this way, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect .” To be a set-apart parent raising a set-apart child, you must purpose to think and live differently . You can’t seek, mimic, or prioritize the behavior, customs, or culture of this world. You must purpose to allow , and invite God to transform you into a new woman, a new parent, moment by moment, day by day. Over and over again with a humble, submissive heart and spirit. You have to be present in the day to day, making hard choices about friends, limits, gaming, television - and the list goes on. For example, one of the top complaints I hear from moms is how their pre-teen and teen girls dress. We must lay a foundation for our girls to desire modest dressing. In fact, if this is an area, you struggle with, I recommend sending me a message at info@terrihitt.com In my Set-Apart Collective Program, we discuss issues just like this one. Remember, your strength, discernment, and guidance for parenting will be found through the sanctification of Jesus and the Holy Spirit alive within you. His power exists to live a set-apart life and be a set-apart parent. His will within you changes the way you think , what you crave , what you believe , and how you react . Through His life-changing, set-apart power, you are able to raise children who will be set-apart and sanctified for Him. Kids who live a power testimony of His love and grace. Also, use Scripture to guide your prayer life. Here are 4 verses crafted into Scriptural prayers. Use Bible verses to submit to - and invite the powerful presence of God to reside within you as you prayerfully live and parent. Galatians 5:16 - Heavenly Father, my great and glorious God, Your Word instructs me to walk by the Spirit, and I won’t gratify the desires of the flesh. How I need Your power. Equip me, Father. Carry me so that you reside strongly within me. Keep me from shifting to the left or the right. Keep me in Your perfect will and strength to shine you in ways that draw my children and spouse to You. Ephesians 2:10 – Precious Heavenly Father, You say I am your masterpiece. You assure me that I am created anew in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah! Enable me to do the good things You planned for me long ago. May my life influence and instruct my children in all of Your ways, not the world. Galatians 2:20 – Precious Father, I know that my old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. May all I do bring glory and honor to You and teach my children to desire and follow You. 1 Peter 2:9 – Merciful Heavenly Father, You assure me through Your Word that I am chose n. Carry me, enable me to intentionally and bravely show others Your goodness because You have called me out of the darkness and into Your wonderful light. May my life truly reflect You in all I am and do. May my children do the same. Show me how to make You clearly known to them in ways they cannot resist. Rest in His power. Parent in His power. Your walk with Jesus matters . The way you love Him and present Him to your watching children reflects the way you feel about Him, the way you trust Him. Your set-apart walk affects the way you present Jesus daily. With the power of Christ working within you, your child will begin to shine the light of Christ and live a life set-apart from others in ways that are pleasing to God and your heart. 3 John 1:4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” I don’t strive to have what society considers “typical children” or “typical teens.” I would feel I failed God if I heard those words spoken to me. My heart would be shattered. Don’t settle for what this culture cheapens. Life is meant to be so much better than what this broken world offers or tempts us with. Your child, our children deserve what God purposed them to be, do, and have. Their calling is higher than this unstable and sinful world can give. Here are five basic steps to help you build a lifestyle that sets your children up to follow the Way, instead of the world. 1. Show Jesus – Your joyful relationship with Jesus, the way you seek and follow Him with obedience and love will attract your child. The level of depth and maturity in your walk with Jesus will guide your life as it influences your child’s. As you read God’s word, share His word with your children through reading the Bible and discussing it together, and make it applicable to life situations, your child begins to assimilate the mind and desires of God. 1 Peter 1:16 says, “For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy .” 2. Make Time – Make time to be with the Father alone and with your family. Be attuned to your child, each precious and unique child you have been gifted. Be present. Put down your phone. Stop working. Delay chores. Look them in the eyes. Wrap your arms around them often. Love them in their language. Do your children need to be invited into your space or are they always welcome? Do they know it? Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.” Even teens who act like they only want to be with friends cherish a close relationship with parents. It’s never to late to mend and strengthen yours. 3. Tame your Tongue and Tone – Does joy or aggravation shine from you? Does your child see love in your eyes and actions? Are you a constant complainer? Or do your days radiate gratitude? 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.” 4. Be Consistent – In character, relationship, parenting, integrity, and pursuit of Jesus. Let them see your loving pursuit of Jesus and the ways He continues to mature you and transform you. Humbly give God the glory. Romans 12:1 says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.” 5. Stay Involved – Guide, don’t hover. Allow maturity at proper times. Don’t hold on too long, but don’t push too fast. Know friends and set examples for the type of friends to connect with and the type of friend to be. Make godly life and parenting choices and guide your children to put God first when making decisions, not as a chore, but because they love and honor Him and desire to please their Heavenly Father. Set Jesus as the example for both of you to follow. John 17:15-18 says, “I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth. Just as You sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world .” In order to raise set-apart children who are in the world, but are not worldly , you must set that as a priority to achieve. Before work, school, or any other obligation or desire you carry. You must be the example of Christ your children see. A set-apart parent grows depth of love for and maturity in the Lord and seeks to pass that legacy and blessing to their children and grandchildren. If your children are already grown, you continue in maturing your Christian walk and relationship with God through Jesus. Breathe Him in and breathe Him out. Once you’re living a set-apart life, it becomes your family lifestyle. Again, if your child is older or already a teen or adult, remain steadfast in your pursuit of Christ and in living a godly life that reflects Jesus and gives honor and glory to the changes He is making in your life daily. Remain prayerful and consistent. James 5:16b says, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results .” Christ’s work within you will attract your child to Him. His ongoing transformation of your life will help your children to see their need for a Savior who transforms and mends relationships. Only the sanctifying power of Jesus will transform the desires and life of your child as he or she turns and submits to Him. With anxiety and depression in kids and teens at an all-time high, this next verse should give assurance. Isaiah 54:13 says, “All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.” Remember, your conviction and connection to God’s Word will affect your children, young or older, day by day. You cannot lead your children to the Way unless YOU live the Word. Equipping your kids to be IN the world, but not OF it begins with YOUR walk with Christ. May this be your prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, gracious and glorious God, equip me to follow Your example. Enable me to walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. Extract any hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Help there be no obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving and praise. Don’t let me partner with darkness, as I am now a light for You. May I live as a child of light in goodness, righteousness and truth, and what pleases You. May I be very careful how I live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Take away foolishness that takes me from Your good and perfect will. Help me be filled with Your Spirit, always giving You thanks for everything. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen. I have a free resource you’ll find helpful as you navigate your daily routine as a mom. If you’re ready to become the godly mother God entrusts you to be for Him and His children, you’ll love my free “Good to Godly: A 31-Day Scripture and Prayer Guide for Moms.” Visit terrihitt.com to receive this resource. Time is short. Leave a legacy that lasts into eternity. Unless you’re purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will sway your children away from Christ. Focus on eternal purpose and connection with your children and Christ. Previous Next

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

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #108 – Jesus Desires Three Responses Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together and live with purposed eternal perspective. When my youngest daughter came home to us at the age of nine, it took time for her to adjust to her new life, and most importantly, to us. Because we were strangers to her when we received her, then she moved to a foreign country where nothing looked the same, smelled the same, sounded the same, or tasted the same, and routines and expectations were different than anything she had experienced, it took courage for her to wake up and face us each new day. Bravery became trust and over time, she bonded with each of us, especially me, her primary caregiver. Our connection process was delicate, sacred, intense, and surprising. It took energy, time, and commitment; our bonding and attachment could not be forced or hurried. I needed to ensure that my girl felt safe, heard, and valued. With Christ, the act of attaching ourselves to Him as Savior should be a quicker process. Jesus doesn’t want to prove Himself to us over time. Just as I needed to accept my daughter as she was, and love her there, Jesus never expects or asks us to change before we enter into His presence. He simply asks us to trust. To come to Him. To believe He is Who He says. To follow Him. Mark 8:34-35 says, “Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.” Jesus sought to teach his disciples, and longs for each of us to know, that a life in pursuit of trusting and following Him means denial and sacrifice of self. The world we live in now is in direct opposition of the heart or mindset of Christ. Trusting Jesus means we experience a radical change in the patterns of our life. We purposely step into a new identity, a follower of Christ. The word Christian combines two Greek words, Christ, meaning anointed, and tian, meaning little. So the word, Christian literally means “little anointed ones.” The new label we receive automatically sets us apart, as we are to live. Being set apart for Christ allows us a heart and mindset shift to focus on seeking Jesus first. John 12:25 says, “Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” Don’t blindly pursue the riches this world offers over the agape love and eternal blessings Christ allows. He who loves this temporary life, following our selfish and fleshly will and desires will miss what God longs for us to experience with Him for eternity. John 10:27 says, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” As Jesus selected and walked with His disciples, He desired three responses from them. Just as He does from us. 1. Trust - In all circumstances. Psalm 22:4 says, “In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them.” Psalm 13:5 says, “But I have trusted in Your loving devotion; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation.” 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.” 2. Listen - Carefully hear His words and truths. John 8:37-38 says, “I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you. I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” Because the Holy Spirit abides within true followers of Christ, His spirit and truths live within us. God’s holy words will change the heart, actions, and reactions of true followers of Jesus or inflict torment and internal conflict for those who do not know Him. John 8:47 says, “Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” As Christians, followers of Christ, we are given the Holy Spirit to abide within us! Through the power of Christ living in us, the power to become more like Jesus exists within us. We are able to hear and discern what Christ says and calls us to. 3. Obey - Act promptly. Luke 6:46-49 says, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them: He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid his foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the torrent crashed against that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears My words and does not act on them is like a man who built his house on ground without a foundation. The torrent crashed against that house, and immediately it fell—and great was its destruction!” John 12:26 says, “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” Humans tend to complicate life, but through releasing ourselves to Christ, submitting to His authority, we find sanctuary and relief from the burdens this world throws on us. We also abide in a covenant relationship with Christ that covers all sins, thoughts, emotions, feelings, and actions as we submit to His mindset and truths. What do you trust, hear, and obey? Who do you trust, hear, and obey? The values and morals taught and followed in this world conflict with the holy truths God established and mentors. It is only through a maturing walk with Jesus that we find the response Jesus requires and deserves, and the peace, joy, and love He longs for you to carry within you despite circumstances. Just because we follow Christ, it does not mean we live a holy life that honors Him. We must purposely examine ourselves each day in light of scripture and prayer time with the Father, and allow Him to work within us as we submit in trusting, hearing, and obeying each call He gifts to us. Dear Heavenly Father, as the deer pants for water, may my heart long for You. Thank you for the holy grace and love You bestow on Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. May we be led by the grace and sacrifice of Jesus instead of the shallow distractions this world offers. May we place our hope and trust in You and intentionally purpose to follow Your ways more brightly and joyfully each day. Help us to come to You boldly through the sacrifice of Jesus, dear God, but may our hearts seek You because we trust, listen, and obey from a pure heart of growing and deepening love for You. May we walk in the obedience You deserve. We pray these things in the precious name of Jesus. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, I invite you to share Live With Eternal Perspective episodes with friends and family so that they can begin to listen each week. Would you please also place a rating and review at Apple Podcasts or Spotify to enable others to find each episode? I’m very excited to share that my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” has released! I hope you will look for it, follow it, and share both 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. Right now the podcast is on Spotify and iHeart Radio, but will be available on other platforms soon. These podcasts are important steps of obedience that I pray bless you. 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 108 Jesus Desires Three Responses Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #108 – Jesus Desires Three Responses Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together and live with purposed eternal perspective. When my youngest daughter came home to us at the age of nine, it took time for her to adjust to her new life, and most importantly, to us. Because we were strangers to her when we received her, then she moved to a foreign country where nothing looked the same, smelled the same, sounded the same, or tasted the same, and routines and expectations were different than anything she had experienced, it took courage for her to wake up and face us each new day. Bravery became trust and over time, she bonded with each of us, especially me, her primary caregiver. Our connection process was delicate, sacred, intense, and surprising. It took energy, time, and commitment; our bonding and attachment could not be forced or hurried. I needed to ensure that my girl felt safe, heard, and valued. With Christ, the act of attaching ourselves to Him as Savior should be a quicker process. Jesus doesn’t want to prove Himself to us over time. Just as I needed to accept my daughter as she was, and love her there, Jesus never expects or asks us to change before we enter into His presence. He simply asks us to trust. To come to Him. To believe He is Who He says. To follow Him. Mark 8:34-35 says, “Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.” Jesus sought to teach his disciples, and longs for each of us to know, that a life in pursuit of trusting and following Him means denial and sacrifice of self. The world we live in now is in direct opposition of the heart or mindset of Christ. Trusting Jesus means we experience a radical change in the patterns of our life. We purposely step into a new identity, a follower of Christ. The word Christian combines two Greek words, Christ, meaning anointed, and tian, meaning little. So the word, Christian literally means “little anointed ones.” The new label we receive automatically sets us apart, as we are to live. Being set apart for Christ allows us a heart and mindset shift to focus on seeking Jesus first. John 12:25 says, “Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” Don’t blindly pursue the riches this world offers over the agape love and eternal blessings Christ allows. He who loves this temporary life, following our selfish and fleshly will and desires will miss what God longs for us to experience with Him for eternity. John 10:27 says, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” As Jesus selected and walked with His disciples, He desired three responses from them. Just as He does from us. 1. Trust - In all circumstances. Psalm 22:4 says, “In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them.” Psalm 13:5 says, “But I have trusted in Your loving devotion; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation.” 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.” 2. Listen - Carefully hear His words and truths. John 8:37-38 says, “I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you. I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” Because the Holy Spirit abides within true followers of Christ, His spirit and truths live within us. God’s holy words will change the heart, actions, and reactions of true followers of Jesus or inflict torment and internal conflict for those who do not know Him. John 8:47 says, “Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” As Christians, followers of Christ, we are given the Holy Spirit to abide within us! Through the power of Christ living in us, the power to become more like Jesus exists within us. We are able to hear and discern what Christ says and calls us to. 3. Obey - Act promptly. Luke 6:46-49 says, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them: He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid his foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the torrent crashed against that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears My words and does not act on them is like a man who built his house on ground without a foundation. The torrent crashed against that house, and immediately it fell—and great was its destruction!” John 12:26 says, “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” Humans tend to complicate life, but through releasing ourselves to Christ, submitting to His authority, we find sanctuary and relief from the burdens this world throws on us. We also abide in a covenant relationship with Christ that covers all sins, thoughts, emotions, feelings, and actions as we submit to His mindset and truths. What do you trust, hear, and obey? Who do you trust, hear, and obey? The values and morals taught and followed in this world conflict with the holy truths God established and mentors. It is only through a maturing walk with Jesus that we find the response Jesus requires and deserves, and the peace, joy, and love He longs for you to carry within you despite circumstances. Just because we follow Christ, it does not mean we live a holy life that honors Him. We must purposely examine ourselves each day in light of scripture and prayer time with the Father, and allow Him to work within us as we submit in trusting, hearing, and obeying each call He gifts to us. Dear Heavenly Father, as the deer pants for water, may my heart long for You. Thank you for the holy grace and love You bestow on Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. May we be led by the grace and sacrifice of Jesus instead of the shallow distractions this world offers. May we place our hope and trust in You and intentionally purpose to follow Your ways more brightly and joyfully each day. Help us to come to You boldly through the sacrifice of Jesus, dear God, but may our hearts seek You because we trust, listen, and obey from a pure heart of growing and deepening love for You. May we walk in the obedience You deserve. We pray these things in the precious name of Jesus. Amen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. If you find value in what you hear, I invite you to share Live With Eternal Perspective episodes with friends and family so that they can begin to listen each week. Would you please also place a rating and review at Apple Podcasts or Spotify to enable others to find each episode? I’m very excited to share that my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” has released! I hope you will look for it, follow it, and share both 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. Right now the podcast is on Spotify and iHeart Radio, but will be available on other platforms soon. These podcasts are important steps of obedience that I pray bless you. If we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #084 – No Worry Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss intentional changes that will equip each of us to concentrate on Jesus and live with heart and mind focused on eternity to seek more ways to live with eternal perspective. Let’s start growing together now. I’ve got big news to share! Just a few days ago my family brought home a new puppy! Saying those words feels so surreal. As much as I loved our dogs, Max and Misty, which you may know passed away this summer, I am joyful to have this new baby. But I am not crazy about the puppy stage. At least I haven’t been in the past. God is doing a new work in me. Let me back up a little. If you have been listening to this podcast for a while, you know about us losing both of our dogs in June of this year. If you are a new listener, I’ll add a little background. Max was our ten year old Golden Retriever and the biggest Mama’s boy! Max was what we called a “Velcro dog” who was always in the middle of whatever we were doing. He was a 70 something pound baby who thought he was the size of our Miniature Schnauzer, Misty, who left us at 13 years old. Misty loved music and would melt when you sang to her. Her eyes were so beautiful with long sparkly eyelashes and her gentle gaze was full of love and trust, somehow even more so when she gazed at my husband. Both of our dogs were sweet and loving. They went to school with us and participated in every activity we had going at home. They were deeply loved and it was a hard blow when they both suddenly turned ill and passed away; Max on June 18th and Misty on June 21st. One death was hard, but then just three days later, the other was gone. Although it wasn’t significant at the time, the importance of the number between the days of loss is special to me. God knows every detail. Nothing is overlooked. Max passed, then three days later, Misty was gone. Unknown to us at the time…a litter of puppies was born three hours away from us three days after Misty passed away. Three days later. Guess what time the first one was born? Three in the morning. Why is this so important? That first puppy born in that litter at 3:00 am was the runt and is now our baby. A sweet baby boy who was exactly what we love. He is handsome, loving, smart, sweet, and a big softie. Just like the two goldens we have had before. Why do I keep mentioning the number three? In the Bible, the number three is very significant. Numerous times (and for a variety of reasons) God’s word mentions the number 3 in scripture with mighty importance. Waiting periods, times of important spiritual actions, purity, healings, and most importantly, the resurrection of Jesus are all examples of the noteworthy moments the number 3 is used. Think about this truth. My family never would have been looking for a dog if our precious pets were still alive. Our adults dogs were well trained and loved us! We cherished them. Our sweet babies are deeply missed and have left a mark on our hearts forever. Yet God allowed a plan that none of us understand or wanted at the time. and the bittersweet situation has brought us a darling baby who has brought new love and life into our home. God blessed us with a puppy who reminds me of a mini Max, yet has his own special characteristics. We’re so happy to watch him grow into the dog meant exactly for us when he was woven together in secret. God’s eyes saw his unformed body and all the days ordained for him were written in His book before He ever came to be. Nothing is overlooked by our Heavenly Father, who lovingly cares for our every need and goes before us in all ways. As we train our new baby, we recognize his curiosity and readiness to explore everything. Yet he is very easily distracted, and we remember that at just eight weeks old, his mind and actions are like those of a toddler. It makes me ponder how easily humans tend to sway from our intentions to live with eternal perspective focused on our relationship with Jesus. Just as our efforts to train our puppy are important, because everything he learns will add up to who he becomes, each moment we purpose for eternity matters. Just as these following questions are important to ensure that we stay on course to run the race God has set before us and to equip us to finish well. 1. Do I switch interest to something easier or more convenient at that moment or am I committed to living a life that honors and pleases my Heavenly Father? 2. Do I twist theology to meet or match my interests or sins? 3. Do I remember to capture the mindset and thanksgiving of Jesus despite what each day brings? Yesterday I was on the phone for hours in preparation for our youngest daughter’s upcoming medical procedures. I lost count of the number of departments that called me. Toward the end of the day, another person called to talk about what our financial obligation will be. As I felt my frustration growing inside, I wanted to make snarky comebacks to the words she said. It would have been so easy and I felt justified in the moment. But God. He reminded me that what I was feeling in the moment was not of His mindset. It was not within His plan. There was a reason this particular person was responsible for calling me at this very moment. Instead of lipping off to her with the thoughts and emotions I felt inside, God asked me to gently explain why I wouldn’t be paying the over three thousand dollar portion of what was expected that insurance would not cover after the procedure next week, during our phone call today. As I spoke with her, gently allowing her to see me as another human whose child was about to undergo a procedure, she confided in me the details of her own life, assuring me that she understood. She had lost her grandchild six years ago and understood what it was like to have a child who needed medical care. We were able to talk about the peace only God can give, opening the door to discussing the mighty ways only He provides. We live in a time where not many get along if our viewpoints seem to be different. Yet everyone has a story and the bottom line is that we are all human sinners in need of grace and repentance. Too many people are full of hatred for others right now if they disagree with their choices, instead of accepting that God formed us with free will and the right to live in accordance with it, deciding what is best for our body and our family. We have been talking about the peace only Jesus can give over the last few Live With Eternal Perspective episodes. The Lord has been so intimately concerned with the details involved with what my family has faced the last few weeks with different responsibilities, procedures, and incidents. But isn’t He always this way? God’s word promises us how much He cares. It assures us that He is always present. The more we look for and to Him, we see His mighty compassion, concern, love, and provision in both miraculous and sometimes simple ways. Next up on our family schedule is the heart catherization and liver biopsy scheduled next week for my youngest daughter. Just as perfect peace surrounded me with my recent biopsy, which returned with a benign report, He is carrying us with a peace only He provides. It’s not easy to remain peaceful when issues concern our children, yet God is the ultimate provider. His complete and perfect peace really can rest on and through us when we fix our minds on Him. Our level of peace really rests on whether our trust is centered on Him. Statistics show that approximately 77 percent of people feel stressed or carry worries. Polls also show that approximately 65 percent of people claim to be Christians. God’s word is very clear about releasing our stressors to Him. The New Living translation of 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” This Bible translation is easy to comprehend, yet listen to the Amplified Version. “Casting all your cares, all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all on Him, for He cares about you with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully.” He cares for us with deepest affection. Did you let that truth penetrate you? He watches over us very carefully. Not just me. Not just your neighbor. Not just the lady across the street. He watches over you very carefully. Knowing God loves us with an everlasting and intimate love is comforting if we have a personal relationship through Jesus. Then we are able to walk more and more closely moment by moment and focus on Him with an eternal perspective that drives us ever closer to the Lord daily. Philippians 4:6-9 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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” God allows us free minds to pursue what we desire. Not all that we search for or chase is profitable or worthy. Nothing can fill us with the everlasting sense of peace and satisfaction that Jesus can. Through the scripture I read, Philippians 4:6-9, we are reminded that God is ready for our petitions to Him and is waiting to hear from our heart. He desires to offer each of us a peace that surpasses any understanding and will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ. He also offers instructions on how to begin to achieve that peace and promises that He will be with us. So what happens if we don’t feel that peace? Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.” When we feel peace is absent, we can trust that God is not. When peace is not felt, we must consider our relationship with God through Jesus. James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 29:11 says, “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” Continue with a strong focus on repentance and relationship with God through Jesus. Know that His word is true. Isaiah 55:11 says, “So My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.” Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.” Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” Invest time in the Lord. Place Him first in your daily schedule. Everything else will fall into place behind Him. Gracious and loving Heavenly Father, how we try so hard to carry loads on our own shoulders when You boldly and lovingly invite us to hand them to You. Forgive us for our unbelief or pride that keeps us from following You in the way You desire and request. Lord, Your word is so true. You re all You profess, plus more than we can imagine. You have such good and perfect gifts for us, yet You desire that we love you for the sake of loving You. We do, Father. Help us to discover a deepening love for You moment by moment as we pursue You and find You in new ways that will carry us into eternity with You, bringing many with us because we allowed You to work through us as we stepped out of Your way and allowed Your perfect peace and humility to cloak us. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. As we finish the month of August with episodes suggesting past Live With Eternal Perspective episodes, I suggest that you might like to listen (or re-listen) to a few of the first recorded episodes last year. Episode 001 Heart Conditions Episode 003 Obedience Episode 004 Eternity Driven Hearts I pray these episode will encourage you afresh as you purposely seek the Father and renew or deepen your walk with Him daily. 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 084 - No Worry Listen to Episode Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode #084 – No Worry Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me. I am blessed to be back with you to discuss intentional changes that will equip each of us to concentrate on Jesus and live with heart and mind focused on eternity to seek more ways to live with eternal perspective. Let’s start growing together now. I’ve got big news to share! Just a few days ago my family brought home a new puppy! Saying those words feels so surreal. As much as I loved our dogs, Max and Misty, which you may know passed away this summer, I am joyful to have this new baby. But I am not crazy about the puppy stage. At least I haven’t been in the past. God is doing a new work in me. Let me back up a little. If you have been listening to this podcast for a while, you know about us losing both of our dogs in June of this year. If you are a new listener, I’ll add a little background. Max was our ten year old Golden Retriever and the biggest Mama’s boy! Max was what we called a “Velcro dog” who was always in the middle of whatever we were doing. He was a 70 something pound baby who thought he was the size of our Miniature Schnauzer, Misty, who left us at 13 years old. Misty loved music and would melt when you sang to her. Her eyes were so beautiful with long sparkly eyelashes and her gentle gaze was full of love and trust, somehow even more so when she gazed at my husband. Both of our dogs were sweet and loving. They went to school with us and participated in every activity we had going at home. They were deeply loved and it was a hard blow when they both suddenly turned ill and passed away; Max on June 18th and Misty on June 21st. One death was hard, but then just three days later, the other was gone. Although it wasn’t significant at the time, the importance of the number between the days of loss is special to me. God knows every detail. Nothing is overlooked. Max passed, then three days later, Misty was gone. Unknown to us at the time…a litter of puppies was born three hours away from us three days after Misty passed away. Three days later. Guess what time the first one was born? Three in the morning. Why is this so important? That first puppy born in that litter at 3:00 am was the runt and is now our baby. A sweet baby boy who was exactly what we love. He is handsome, loving, smart, sweet, and a big softie. Just like the two goldens we have had before. Why do I keep mentioning the number three? In the Bible, the number three is very significant. Numerous times (and for a variety of reasons) God’s word mentions the number 3 in scripture with mighty importance. Waiting periods, times of important spiritual actions, purity, healings, and most importantly, the resurrection of Jesus are all examples of the noteworthy moments the number 3 is used. Think about this truth. My family never would have been looking for a dog if our precious pets were still alive. Our adults dogs were well trained and loved us! We cherished them. Our sweet babies are deeply missed and have left a mark on our hearts forever. Yet God allowed a plan that none of us understand or wanted at the time. and the bittersweet situation has brought us a darling baby who has brought new love and life into our home. God blessed us with a puppy who reminds me of a mini Max, yet has his own special characteristics. We’re so happy to watch him grow into the dog meant exactly for us when he was woven together in secret. God’s eyes saw his unformed body and all the days ordained for him were written in His book before He ever came to be. Nothing is overlooked by our Heavenly Father, who lovingly cares for our every need and goes before us in all ways. As we train our new baby, we recognize his curiosity and readiness to explore everything. Yet he is very easily distracted, and we remember that at just eight weeks old, his mind and actions are like those of a toddler. It makes me ponder how easily humans tend to sway from our intentions to live with eternal perspective focused on our relationship with Jesus. Just as our efforts to train our puppy are important, because everything he learns will add up to who he becomes, each moment we purpose for eternity matters. Just as these following questions are important to ensure that we stay on course to run the race God has set before us and to equip us to finish well. 1. Do I switch interest to something easier or more convenient at that moment or am I committed to living a life that honors and pleases my Heavenly Father? 2. Do I twist theology to meet or match my interests or sins? 3. Do I remember to capture the mindset and thanksgiving of Jesus despite what each day brings? Yesterday I was on the phone for hours in preparation for our youngest daughter’s upcoming medical procedures. I lost count of the number of departments that called me. Toward the end of the day, another person called to talk about what our financial obligation will be. As I felt my frustration growing inside, I wanted to make snarky comebacks to the words she said. It would have been so easy and I felt justified in the moment. But God. He reminded me that what I was feeling in the moment was not of His mindset. It was not within His plan. There was a reason this particular person was responsible for calling me at this very moment. Instead of lipping off to her with the thoughts and emotions I felt inside, God asked me to gently explain why I wouldn’t be paying the over three thousand dollar portion of what was expected that insurance would not cover after the procedure next week, during our phone call today. As I spoke with her, gently allowing her to see me as another human whose child was about to undergo a procedure, she confided in me the details of her own life, assuring me that she understood. She had lost her grandchild six years ago and understood what it was like to have a child who needed medical care. We were able to talk about the peace only God can give, opening the door to discussing the mighty ways only He provides. We live in a time where not many get along if our viewpoints seem to be different. Yet everyone has a story and the bottom line is that we are all human sinners in need of grace and repentance. Too many people are full of hatred for others right now if they disagree with their choices, instead of accepting that God formed us with free will and the right to live in accordance with it, deciding what is best for our body and our family. We have been talking about the peace only Jesus can give over the last few Live With Eternal Perspective episodes. The Lord has been so intimately concerned with the details involved with what my family has faced the last few weeks with different responsibilities, procedures, and incidents. But isn’t He always this way? God’s word promises us how much He cares. It assures us that He is always present. The more we look for and to Him, we see His mighty compassion, concern, love, and provision in both miraculous and sometimes simple ways. Next up on our family schedule is the heart catherization and liver biopsy scheduled next week for my youngest daughter. Just as perfect peace surrounded me with my recent biopsy, which returned with a benign report, He is carrying us with a peace only He provides. It’s not easy to remain peaceful when issues concern our children, yet God is the ultimate provider. His complete and perfect peace really can rest on and through us when we fix our minds on Him. Our level of peace really rests on whether our trust is centered on Him. Statistics show that approximately 77 percent of people feel stressed or carry worries. Polls also show that approximately 65 percent of people claim to be Christians. God’s word is very clear about releasing our stressors to Him. The New Living translation of 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” This Bible translation is easy to comprehend, yet listen to the Amplified Version. “Casting all your cares, all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all on Him, for He cares about you with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully.” He cares for us with deepest affection. Did you let that truth penetrate you? He watches over us very carefully. Not just me. Not just your neighbor. Not just the lady across the street. He watches over you very carefully. Knowing God loves us with an everlasting and intimate love is comforting if we have a personal relationship through Jesus. Then we are able to walk more and more closely moment by moment and focus on Him with an eternal perspective that drives us ever closer to the Lord daily. Philippians 4:6-9 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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” God allows us free minds to pursue what we desire. Not all that we search for or chase is profitable or worthy. Nothing can fill us with the everlasting sense of peace and satisfaction that Jesus can. Through the scripture I read, Philippians 4:6-9, we are reminded that God is ready for our petitions to Him and is waiting to hear from our heart. He desires to offer each of us a peace that surpasses any understanding and will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ. He also offers instructions on how to begin to achieve that peace and promises that He will be with us. So what happens if we don’t feel that peace? Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.” When we feel peace is absent, we can trust that God is not. When peace is not felt, we must consider our relationship with God through Jesus. James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 29:11 says, “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” Continue with a strong focus on repentance and relationship with God through Jesus. Know that His word is true. Isaiah 55:11 says, “So My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.” Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.” Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” Invest time in the Lord. Place Him first in your daily schedule. Everything else will fall into place behind Him. Gracious and loving Heavenly Father, how we try so hard to carry loads on our own shoulders when You boldly and lovingly invite us to hand them to You. Forgive us for our unbelief or pride that keeps us from following You in the way You desire and request. Lord, Your word is so true. You re all You profess, plus more than we can imagine. You have such good and perfect gifts for us, yet You desire that we love you for the sake of loving You. We do, Father. Help us to discover a deepening love for You moment by moment as we pursue You and find You in new ways that will carry us into eternity with You, bringing many with us because we allowed You to work through us as we stepped out of Your way and allowed Your perfect peace and humility to cloak us. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. As we finish the month of August with episodes suggesting past Live With Eternal Perspective episodes, I suggest that you might like to listen (or re-listen) to a few of the first recorded episodes last year. Episode 001 Heart Conditions Episode 003 Obedience Episode 004 Eternity Driven Hearts I pray these episode will encourage you afresh as you purposely seek the Father and renew or deepen your walk with Him daily. 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 133 - Stop Getting in God's Way: Let Him Parent Through You Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 133 – Stop Getting in God’s Way: Let Him Parent Through You Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast gives you the awareness and tools you need to STOP being a GOOD mom and BECOME the GODLY mom God entrusts you to be. Then you will be the SET-APART woman PURPOSELY raising children to chase CHRIST over culture. Before we start today’s episode, I want to invite you to work with me. If you’re feeling overwhelm instead of overjoy, or you simply feel you don’t have time to do all the things you think will help your kids know Christ, send me a message at info@terrihitt.com . There is a way to alleviate frustration or fear and find freedom as a godly mom. No matter the age of your kids, from infant to adult, your relationship can improve and you can find greater connection with Jesus that will affect theirs. Send me a message today for info about how easy it is to work together and begin experiencing change for only $397. Now, let's talk about how to stop getting in God's way, so you can let Him parent through you. One of the best revelations a follower of Christ can make is jumping into and abiding in the arms of God. People often remark that they’re walking with God, or holding His hand. I want you to be intentional. Go deeper. Our Heavenly Father never belongs by our side. The Lord of All, Prince of Peace, Author and Perfecter of our Faith, and the Alpha and Omega holds out His strong and capable arms, ready for us to rest and abide within His arms. This means He isn’t behind or beside us. Instead, He is the One carrying and sustaining you through every disturbance, disruption, and delight. Where are you now? Are you abiding in the Father’s arms? Or are you choosing to trust Jesus for eternity, but not for each moment? Matthew 14:22-33 says, “Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. And after He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God .” What a decision Peter made! He chose to step out of the boat and into the choppy, stormy waters to walk toward Jesus. While His eyes and mind were centered on Jesus, Peter actually walked on the water! When his focus slipped away from Christ and fell to self and surroundings, Peter experienced fear, panic, and difficulties. Jesus had not moved; He had not changed. Jesus remained centered on Peter and ready to care for him. Peter’s mind moved away from Jesus and he began to sink. Focus marks the distinction between faith and fear. Are you choosing to focus on self, the world and those around you, or on the Only One who can carry you? While it is easy to blame Peter and belittle his faith, he was willing to be the one who walked toward Jesus. Peter was willing to leave the other disciples, leave what he knew, and venture alone into the turbulent waters toward Jesus. The other men remain unchanged and unmoving inside the boat while Peter took the risk of trusting Christ. Why did the others remain in the boat? Why didn’t they walk with Peter? Why is it so difficult to place and keep our mind, heart, and focus on Christ? What do people struggle to trust God with each occasion and stage of life? There are actually multiple reasons. Let’s look at what the most common causes are and how we can turn to Scripture to battle them. 1. Trust – It can be difficult to trust or believe in what we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen .” John 20:29 says, “Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed .” 2. Worry/Anxiety – It’s easy to imagine what might happen and allow our thoughts to spiral out of control. Anxiety and stress are products of this world, not by-products of the Way. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because He cares for you .” Matthew 6:31-34 says, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble .” 3. Control – We don’t want to relinquish our perceived control. Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest .” Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God .” The only One who holds control is our Father. You weren’t meant to be in charge. Release the need and trust as you lay in His hands. 4. Doubt – When things don’t go the way we desire or think they should or if we begin to wonder why there is hardship and evil in the world, doubt can begin to creep in. Hebrew 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen .” Matthew 6:30 says, “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith ?” 5. Sinfulness – I also like to call this selfishness. When we don’t want to give up sin, we are choosing self over Christ. We’re also choosing self over our family. Personal sin always affects those who love us. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body .” Romans 7:22-23 says, “For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members .” 6. Arrogance/Pride – Pride rears up in each of us through different ways. Whether it be entitlement, perfectionism, bragging, if we think we are superior to someone or deserve something more than another, the root of each thought ties back to arrogance or pride. James 4:6 says, “But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble .” James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you .” 7. Unworthiness – Each of us was bought with a price. The life of Jesus was exchanged so that we could begin to understand our great worth to God. Isaiah 43:18 says, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old .” Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope .” Matthew 6:26 says, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they ?” 8. Fear – When fear creeps in, it’s because we’ve taken our mind and eyes off of God and centered them on self or surroundings. Every time I have felt fear even begin to touch me I stop and focus on Jesus (and in my mind I actually picture blinders on my face that force my vision upwards on God). As I rest in His presence and pray to Him about the situation I am fearing, He takes the burden and calms any fears. It is said that God leaves the message “Do not fear” 365 times in the Bible. I'm not sure whether that is an accurate count, but I trust that the Lord gives us the command as many times as needed. He knows our thoughts can easily be distracted and move from His sovereign holiness and perfect provision and protection. Psalm 34:4 says, “I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears .” Psalm 115:11 says, “You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.” John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid .” 9. Faith – Perhaps our belief doesn’t feel real or big enough. Maybe difficult times in the past, unanswered prayers, or present hardships may cause us to feel like God has forsaken us or that He isn’t real. Each of the points we discussed can arguably return back to the thought of faith that is too little. But remember, God’s Word tells us all we need is a faith the size of a mustard seed. Plant that seed and let it grow and mature through Christ. James 1:2-4 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing .” Romans 8:18 says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us .” We each know how easy it can be to allow self or situations to distract us and move our eyes off Christ. Being aware of this offers us the opportunity to purposely prepare to be ahead of our next season of trials. Intentionally living in ways that set us up to trust God gives us assurance that our focus will not be easily swayed this moment or tomorrow. That’s the only way to be able to mentor this behavior full of faith and trust to your children. Without you living in ways that magnify the Lord and His mighty work in your life, your testimony won’t influence generations for Jesus. How can you live in ways that set your family up to trust God for eternity and the everyday? 1. Know Jesus through a personal relationship. 2. Read and study God’s word. 3. Prayer – speak to God and listen for God. 4. Pursue close relationship with God daily. 5. Invite and allow Christ to transform your life. 6. Decide to rest and abide in His arms. Take your thoughts captive for Christ and see the difference He makes to your surrendered soul. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me .” Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places .” As you study God’s Word and think about or pray about the verses we read today, ponder the following questions: Teach these question and habits to your children to continue. 1. What does this verse promise? 2. What does this verse command? 3. Where do I need to apply this in my life? Ask God to carry your cares and deepen your faith and trust. He alone is able to reach the crevices of your body and spirit and remedy what troubles you. He alone can use your faithfulness to influence your whole family for Him. Dear Heavenly Father, Your love for us is so great! Your glory fills the earth and yet we fail to experience Your love and power as You desire. Help us to see You clearly as Your word instructs and to love us with a love that fills us in the deep and dark spaces of need we each carry. Thank you for loving us first and for making a way straight to You through Jesus. Help our faith to be full, alive, and active. Enable us to cling to You through every moment we face and trust in Your provision and protection despite what happens in the world around us. Fix our eyes and our heart on You. Help us mentor our children to do the same. In the precious name of Your Holy Son, Jesus we pray. Amen. If you have questions after this episode, please reach out to me at info@terrihitt.com . I’m happy to help you discover the ways you can ensure you trust and submit to God to lead your parenting. I also have a resource that you’ll find helpful as you navigate your daily routine as a mom. If you’re ready to become the godly mother God entrusts you to be for Him and His children, you’ll love my free “Good to Godly: A 31-Day Scripture and Prayer Guide for Moms.” Visit terrihitt.com to receive this resource. Time is short. Make yours matter for eternity. Remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection with your children and Christ. Previous Next

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