Kathy Howard's Blog: Unshakeable Faith for Life, page 33

This Certain Hope

The daffodil bulbs I planted in the fall have raised their fresh green blades above the ground. This morning’s discovery was a touch bittersweet.

Late last spring, I dug up those same bulbs from the back yard of my childhood home – right after all my parents’ belongings rode off down the street in a moving van.

Because of their health, Mom and Dad needed to be close to either me or my brother. They now live a mile from my brother, in a comfortable duplex, with round-the-clock help.

Honestly, I had not been optimistic that the bulbs would live. First, it wasn’t the best time of year to dig them up. But I didn’t have a choice, the house was going to be sold. Second, we soon moved ourselves and the bulbs weren’t constantly stored in a “cool, dry place.”

But I did hope they’d grow.

I dug them up with hope. And I planted them with hope.

When I saw those green stems this morning I also thought about my dad and the future hope God says is his. Really, it’s the hope that belongs to all of us who belong to Jesus.

Since that first sin in the Garden, sin has been taking its toll. This world, our souls, and our bodies have been held in bondage to sin, broken by corruption, and groaning under sin’s burden.

Jesus paid the price of our redemption. And while we are no longer slaves to sin, all creation still waits for the full, future consummation of our redemption. That day when God will restore all things, including our bodies (Romans 8:18-25).

For in this hope we were saved. Romans 8:24

Groaning while waiting with certain hope

Parkinson’s has taken a terrible toll on Dad’s body. Once athletic and strong, age and disease have robbed him without mercy. Now he struggles to rise from a chair and needs a walker to get across a room.

But one day… one day Dad will have a resurrection body that is whole and strong.

Like the daffodil bulb that went into the ground brown and dry has been raised green and supple, our weak bodies will one day be raised in glory and power. One day, all those who know Jesus will be raised imperishable (1 Corinthians 15:35-49).

 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:42-43

Do you have this sure hope? The secure and certain hope that one day your weak, perishable body will be raised strong and imperishable? If you’ve never entered into a saving relationship with Jesus, don’t spend another hopeless day. Find out How to Know Jesus now.

What is your deepest “groaning?” Remember God will restore all things. Where do you need to apply this certain hope?

This Certain Hope by Kathy Howard.

The Leper, His Pride, and a Humble Healing

Today’s blog is a guest post from author Kathy Collard Miller. This post is also a GIVEAWAY! Keep reading to the end for how to enter.

Has your own pride ever gotten in the way of something good God wanted to do in your life? Or maybe your own version of self-protection blocked something good God wanted to give you?

Does your #pride ever get in the way of something #God wants to do in your life?
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It happens all the time. There’s a story in the Bible that shows how a prideful man with leprosy almost rejected God’s healing because of the way God chose to heal him. For the entire story, read 2 Kings 5:1-14.

Naaman was an important man of high regard in Aram. He was an army commander and a valiant soldier. But Naaman also had leprosy, a disease that, in his time, brought shame and isolation.

A Jewish servant girl told Naaman about God’s prophet Elisha who could heal. Naaman agreed to make the journey to see Elisha and took much gold and silver with him, expecting to pay a high price for his healing.

But God’s instruction to Naaman for healing, through the prophet Elisha, was simply to wash his body seven times in the Jordan River.

Naaman stormed off in a fit of anger. Why didn’t God’s prophet wave his hand and cure me? Besides, we have better waters to be cleansed in than these here in Israel!

The Wisdom of a Servant

But Naaman’s servants who were with him were wiser than he. They gently asked him to consider his motives. Here’s a paraphrase:

“What does it matter which river you wash in? What are you trying to protect? You are the same person regardless of where you wash. See yourself the way Jehovah God sees you as important and valuable. Elisha has promised God will heal you. Why would you spoil that?”

Perhaps Naaman’s pride was an attempt to protect himself from the shame of leprosy. Elisha’s humble instructions for healing may have felt like disrespect to Naaman. And the situation was out of his control, threatening to tear down the prideful wall of protection he had built around himself.

Admittedly, I may be reading between the lines of this story. But, sometimes, God does allow us to experience difficulty so we will learn humble dependence on Him (2 Corinthians 1:9). “Even if obeying me puts you in a position of emotional danger, will you let me heal you as I walk with you through dirty waters?”

From Humility to Healing

Finally, Naaman willing humbled himself. He faced the rebellion of his pride, and subjected himself to what he feared—being viewed as someone only worthy of washing in a dirty river. And he was healed!

So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean (2 Kings 5:14).

Child of God, do you wish to be healed and delivered from the lies which create a lack of self-control, hurting both yourself and others? Be willing to be exposed to what you fear. Take hold of God’s power to obey. Use his power to reject your sinful inclinations and trust him enough to know He will define your value and wipe away your shame.

Kathy, today’s guest blogger, is giving away a copy of her new book, Pure-Hearted: The Blessings of Living Out God’s Glory. For a chance to win, comment on this post. (US addresses only please.) Earn a second chance to win but sharing this post on Facebook. Leave a separate comment that you shared. The winner will be drawn on Friday, January 12th at 8am central time.

Kathy Collard Miller is an award-winning author of over 50 books that include Christian living topics, women’s Bible studies, and Bible commentaries. She has spoken in 8 foreign countries and over 30 US states. Kathy and Larry have been married for 47 years. They have two grown children and two grandchildren. They live in Southern California and often write and speak together. Visit her at www.KathyCollardMiller.com. She would love to hear from you. (This guest blog is adapted from Pure-Hearted: The Blessings of Living Out God’s Glory) Kathy would love to connect with you on social media. Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

 

The Leper, His Pride, and a Humble Healing by Kathy Howard.

Do I Love God as Much as My Grandson Loves His Daddy?

My 19-month-old grandson Theo loves his daddy. I know what you’re thinking. All boys love their fathers. And yes, they do. But Theo loves his dad so much he can’t stop talking about it. In fact, I witnessed a scene recently between Theo and my son-in-law that prompted me to wonder if I love God like that.

It was Christmas Eve and all our family had gone to church together at 9am. After church we went to a local coffee shop to visit. My son-in-law Jeremy is on the church staff and had to meet us there a little later.

When Jeremy arrived, Theo ran to him calling “Daddeee, Daddeee, Daddee.” But what got me is what happened next. After Theo climbed in Jeremy’s lap and hugged him, he hopped down and ran to my husband, his grandfather. Theo touched Wayne on the leg, glanced back at Jeremy, then looked up at Wayne and joyfully said “Daddeee.” Then ran back to his father and climbed up in his lap again.

Theo did this 3 or 4 times before he finally settled down in his daddy’s lap. Each time he ran to Wayne, Theo’s “Daddee” included joy, excitement, and just a bit of a question. And all of us sitting there caught it. It was as if Theo wanted to make sure Wayne knew his daddy had arrived.

Theo not only adores his father and wants to be near him, he wants to share the wonder of his father with the other people he loves. As I watched this touching scene, God nudged my heart. I felt Him ask: Do you love me like this? So much you can’t help but tell others about me?

Why Do I Share Jesus?

Honestly, most of the times I’ve shared Jesus with others have been acts of obedience. I tell others because God has commanded us to tell. In recent years, I’ve been praying that God would give me a burden for the lost, that He would give me a heavy awareness of their eternal condition, so I would share out of a desire to help them.

What motivates you to #shareJesus with others?
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But this is a different, deeper motivation. Do I love God so much I can’t help but share this joy with others? 

I wish I had a video of that day I told you about. I wish you could see the sheer joy on Theo’s face at his father’s arrival and his exuberance at sharing his presence with Wayne. Sadly, I don’t. But I do have another video that will give you a rough idea of Theo’s unbounded love for his dad.

My daughter Kelley took this video one day while Jeremy was out of town. Theo had been missing his daddy and couldn’t stop looking for him and asking about him. His 5-year-old brother tried to explain, but it wasn’t enough for Theo.

What about you? Do you love your Heavenly Father so much that you run to tell others how wonderful He is?

I pray we both grow in our love for God in this New Year. If you want to love God more, add your prayer in the comments! 

If you liked this post, these may be helpful:

4 Ways to Foster a Thirst for God

Top 10 Bible Verses for Evangelism

 

 

Do I Love God as Much as My Grandson Loves His Daddy? by Kathy Howard.

5 Tips for Setting Spiritual Growth Goals for 2018

This time of year, many of us reflect on the condition of our lives. We may evaluate the health of our bodies, our relationships, or our work situation. We may even “resolve” to change things. But if we’re really serious about improvement, we will set some goals and establish a plan to move forward. But have you ever considered doing the same with your spiritual health? The New Year is the perfect time to do some “spiritual evaluation” and set some goals for spiritual growth.

We can’t cause our spiritual growth. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to transform us into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). But God does expect our obedient and active cooperation (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). One way we can purposefully “train ourselves to be godly” (1 Tim 4:7-8) is through spiritual evaluation and goal setting.

Tools to help you #evaluate and set #SpiritualGoals for #2018
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This post includes both a “Discipleship Evaluation” tool and a “Spiritual Goals Worksheet” for you to do just that. But keep in mind, resolutions and goals are often hard to keep. Statistics show that, at best, only 46% of New Year’s resolutions are still kept six months into the year. People lose their resolve quickly because they set unattainable goals.

Settng #goals for 2018 can foster #spiritualgrowth
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First, use this free Discipleship Evaluation form to honestly evaluate your current spiritual condition. This tool covers 17 different key discipleship areas. Your weakest areas can be great growth areas in 2017.

Next, set spiritual growth goals using the five tips below. Planning is not “unspiritual.” Living a life that glorifies God will not happen by accident. This free “Spiritual Goals Worksheet” walks you through specific areas of discipleship such as time with God, ministry, service, and Christian education.

Most importantly, ask God to guide you as you evaluate your spiritual health and set goals for growth. He will bring the spiritual transformation as you strive to live a live that pleases Him.

5 tips to help you make #Spiritual #resolutions for #2018
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5 Tips for Setting Goals for Spiritual Growth

The following five tips will help us set personal discipleship goals that will keep us growing through the year:

Concentrate your efforts. Set just one, two, or three goals at a time. Don’t spread yourself too thin. When you experience success then add another goal.
Be realistic. Set attainable goals. If you don’t read your Bible regularly now, don’t set a goal to read the entire Bible in three months. Instead commit to read it 3 to 5 times per week.
Think concretely. Set goals so progress can be measured. For instance, this goal is too ambiguous: I’m going to spend more time with God. Instead be concrete: I will read one Bible chapter and pray for 10 minutes five times a week.
Include strategies. Develop strategies designed to move you toward your goals. If one goal is to memorize Scripture, determine how you will do that. What verses you will memorize? How often you will tackle a new one? What memorization techniques you will use?
Create manageable steps. Break your overall goal into a series of smaller goals that are doable and will foster success.

How do you feel about setting spiritual goals? Have you ever set spiritual goals in the past?

This last group of resources focuses on a specific area of discipleship like quiet time, prayer, Bible reading, or Scripture Memory.

Quiet Time Tips
5 Bible Reading Plans to take You through 2018
5 Probing Questions to Meditate on Scripture
Scripture Memory Tips
7 Activities to Help You Memorize Scripture

5 Tips for Setting Spiritual Growth Goals for 2018 by Kathy Howard.

A Christmas Devotional for You and Your Family

Christmas is just four days away. I hope we will all get a chance to take a break from the busy holiday preparations to prepare our hearts to celebrate our Savior. The following Christmas devotional can help us do just that. Use it alone in your quiet time or use it with your family. Some of my favorite Christmas ornaments inspired these thoughts. If you’d like, gather a few of your own Christmas ornaments to add a hands-on element to your Christmas devotional! ( in PDF for your use!)

The real reason we celebrate Christmas can easily be lost in our culture’s version of the holiday. But, many of the ornaments we use to decorate our trees and homes today remind us of the real Christmas story.

The Christmas Angels

God’s messengers played a vital role in our Savior’s birth. The angels did not take God’s good news to kings or rulers or religious leaders. Instead, these mighty messengers visited the humble. The lowly. Those willing to hear, to believe, to receive.

The angel Gabriel appeared to the virgin Mary and gave a greeting that would change her life forever:

“Do not be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” (Read Luke 2:29-38 for the whole encounter.)

Gabriel also visited Joseph, the carpenter betrothed to Mary:

“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” (Read Matthew 1:18-25 for the whole encounter.)

On the night Jesus was born, an angel of the Lord also appeared to shepherds in the fields surrounding Bethlehem:

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord!” (Read Luke 2:1-20 for the whole encounter.)

Question for reflection: How would you have reacted to the angel? Would you have run in fear? Listened with skepticism? Or humbly and joyfully accepted God’s great news about our Savior? 

The Christmas Star

Stars at Christmas remind us that God longs for us to know Jesus. The Christmas star appeared to magi in the east and led them far away to Bethlehem so they would find the baby King.

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. …The star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” (Read Matthew 2:1-12 for their story.)

But the star also reminds us of Jesus Himself, the bright, morning star who lights our hearts.

Time of Thanksgiving: Thank God for the guidance He gives to bring you to Himself. And thank Him for Jesus, the true and eternal Light.

The Christmas Crown

The crown reminds us that Jesus – that tiny babe born in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago – is our glorious, eternal Lord and King.

Centuries before Jesus’ birth, the prophet Isaiah foretold His eternal reign:

“Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever” (Isaiah 9:7)

The magi from the east endured that long journey for one reason – to worship the King:

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star when it rose and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:3).

Yet many failed to acknowledge Jesus as the divine, eternal King. Thirty-three years later, when He was arrested, beaten, and condemned to die, the Roman soldiers ironically mocked Him:

“And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head and put a reed in His right hand. And kneeling before Him, they mocked Him saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!'” (Matthew 27:28-30).

But God’s truth, will, and purposes prevail. Jesus was, is, and will always be our King eternal!

“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever’” (Revelation 11:15)

Time to worship the King eternal! Alone or with your family, sing a favorite carol, hymn, or praise song that acknowledges Jesus as King!

Here is this format for easy printing!

I pray that you and your family have a joyful Christmas and a year ahead experiencing the glory of Jesus our King!






You and your family might also enjoy this Christmas Trivia Quiz! Find out how well you know the real Christmas story! 
If joy is hard to find this Christmas, you may be encouraged by this post, Messy Christmas. 

A Christmas Devotional for You and Your Family by Kathy Howard.

It’s Not Too Late to Help a Child This Christmas

Last week, my husband and I did something new together and had a blast! We volunteered our time at a shoebox processing center for Operation Christmas Child.

When our children were growing up, our family packed three Christmas shoeboxes every year. Each of our kids got to pick boy or girl, the age category, and the items for one of the boxes. Since they are all grown, it’s been a few years since we packed one. So this year, we helped our 5-year-old grandson pack a shoebox.

When I went online to print a trackable label, I was drawn to the opportunity to volunteer. Since we moved last summer, we now live close to one of the processing centers. So I signed us up. We spent the better part of a day working and felt as if our time truly made a difference in the effort.

Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, delivers more than 9 million shoeboxes each year around the world. These boxes are checked and sorted in one of 8 processing centers across the United States. Volunteers are responsible for removing financial contributions, checking boxes for inappropriate items, adding additional items if needed, and sorting and packing the donations into shipping boxes.

4 Ways to Help a Needy Child this Christmas

It’s too late to volunteer at a Shoebox processing center this year, but it’s not too late to give to a child in need this Christmas. (FYI, in case your interested in volunteering next year, here’s the link to the Operation Christmas Child volunteer page.) Here are 4 opportunities to give now:

Build a Shoebox online at Operation Christmas Child
Help the child of someone in prison through Prison Fellowship’s ministry, Angel Tree
Share the love of Jesus with a child in poverty through Compassion International
Give a gift that helps a family in need through World Vision

4 ways to help a needy child this #Christmas
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Because of the most precious gift ever given to us – Jesus Christ our Savior! – let’s give back. I’d love to hear about ways you’re giving back this year!

Some other Christmas posts you may be interested in:

6 Ways to Impact Your Children with the Real Meaning of Christmas
How Well do You Know the Christmas Story? – Take the trivia quiz!
8 Tips for the Perfect Regift
4 Christmas Gifts from Jesus

 

It’s Not Too Late to Help a Child This Christmas by Kathy Howard.

Less Than Perfect Christmas

Christmas often comes with high expectations. We think everything has to be just so. Perfect decorations. Perfect family. Perfect gifts. Perfect meal. Perfect Christmas.

Our culture perpetuates this fantasy. In the dozens of made-for-TV Christmas movies, the girl always finds her soul mate, the estranged father is always reunited with his family, the boy always gets the puppy, and the table is always laden with beautiful food (which must have been made by Christmas elves because you don’t see anyone slaving away for hours in the kitchen).

But here’s the problem with high expectations: many of us will be disappointed. Life will never be perfect – not even at Christmas. Maybe especially at Christmas. The arrival of December 25th does not magically heal broken relationships or ease the pain of loss or pay the bills.

In fact, Christmas tends to magnify any grief, anxiety, and sadness we feel because we compare our imperfect, messy lives to that unrealistic perfect image. When our lives don’t measure up, we lose hope. Without hope, Christmas becomes a time we have to get through instead of a joyful celebration.

Here’s the good news: Real hope for Christmas is not in a golden turkey or a new iPad or a happy family gathered around a gorgeous tree. Real hope is in a babe in a manger. God come to earth to be with us. Immanuel.

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us… In Him was life and that life was the light of men… We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth… To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become the children of God.  John 1:4, 12, 14

This life is messy and will be messy until Jesus comes back for His children. While we wait, we will encounter trials, pain, death, sickness, divorce, heartache and more. However, in the middle of all our mess we can find strength, joy, and peace in the Savior. The birth of that one tiny baby long ago provides hope – for this life and eternity.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

Are you facing a less than perfect Christmas this year? Does your life feel especially messy? Lay it all at the manger. Find your Christmas joy and peace in the Child of Christmas. In your Savior.

Are you struggling with a messy life this Christmas season? Share a thought about the hope, joy, and peace you can find in Christ!

The post Less Than Perfect Christmas appeared first on Kathy Howard.

6 Ways to Impact Your Children with the Real Meaning of Christmas

A couple of years ago, while speaking at a ladies’ Christmas event, something significant happened. I had planned to read portions of the Christmas story from Matthew 2 and Luke 2. But as I began to read from my open Bible, I discovered I did not need it.

The words flowed from memory – KJV style. “Being great with child… They were sore afraid.”

Here’s the truly amazing part: I’ve never worked to memorize those sections of Scripture. The passages were embedded in my heart simply because my father read them to our family every Christmas Eve. My dad desired to keep our hearts and minds on the real meaning of Christmas. And God honored his commitment to impress God’s truth on his children (Deuteronomy 6:4-7).

We can all have the same kind of positive spiritual influence on the children in our lives. Whether a parent, grandparent, aunt, babysitter, or Sunday School teacher, we can point them to Christ in Christmas with purposeful intent. Even in the midst of the commercialization of the season, we can help them understand the real meaning of Christmas.

Make #Christmas purposeful: People over things. Spiritual over physical. Lasting over temporary.
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People over things. Spiritual over physical. Lasting over temporary.

6 ways to impact #children with the real meaning of #Christmas
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6 Ways to Help Your Kids Focus on the True Meaning of Christmas

Although you can probably come up with a longer list, here are 6 ways you can help impact the children in your life with the truth of Christmas. We used them all with our own children!

Tell the story of the 1st Christmas – And not just once! Let’s use various ways to share it with them again and again. For instance, do daily Advent devotionals with your family. (These are offered free from BillyGraham.org.) For younger children, use a childproof nativity to tell the story and then leave it out for them to play with. And don’t forget the most basic way – read the biblical account to your family.
Give to someone in need – It is so easy to get caught up in the “getting” of Christmas. But the season is the perfect opportunity to teach our children the joy of helping others. When our children were young we involved them in filling shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Since they’ve been grown, my husband and I have given in multiple ways including World Vision gifts, Angel Tree, and more.
Sing the faith songs of Christmas – Most of our kids know Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowman, but do they know Silent Night and Away in a Manger? The “religious” Christmas songs tell the real story! Play these great songs of faith while baking cookies, driving to school, or making the trip to Grandma’s house. Carol on your street or in a local nursing home.
Tell someone about baby Jesus – I used to have one of those “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” pins. And I wore it too. But I don’t remember anyone ever asking me about it. We must look for opportunities to tell others about the reason for the season!
Christmas Eve Service – Taking the time to attend church on Christmas Eve sends an important message to our children. “Jesus takes priority.” “Christmas is about Him.” Plus, the time in worship and fellowship helps put our focus where it belongs.
Birthday Cake for Jesus – We began this tradition when our children were little. They always looked forward to helping make the cake, singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus, and of course, eating it!

I would love to hear how you help your children focus on the real meaning of Christmas. Please share your ideas and traditions with us in the comments!

The post 6 Ways to Impact Your Children with the Real Meaning of Christmas appeared first on Kathy Howard.

Pumpkin Bread, Peanut Brittle, and Lies

Thanksgiving seemed to come early this year. I bought fresh cranberries to make my traditional cranberry pumpkin bread, but I didn’t get to it before Thanksgiving. So, I made it yesterday. The Libby’s recipe is below!

I guess I call it “my” bread because I’ve been making it for years. But in all honesty, I took it off the back of a can of Libby’s pumpkin more than two decades ago. It’s probably safe to call it “mine.” But, I really try not to claim recipes unless I created them. Particularly since the peanut brittle incident.

I make peanut brittle every Christmas. I got the recipe about twenty years ago from a dear friend, Kelly, when our family lived in Wyoming. Then we moved to Canada and Kelly moved to Houston. Over time and among new friends the recipe became “mine.” Everyone loved it and I often gave it as gifts to friends at Christmas.

Years later, when we moved from Canada to Houston, Kelly and I picked up our friendship. Well, when two Canadian friends came to visit me in my new home Kelly joined us for an evening out. Over dinner we began to talk about food. One of my Canadian friends, Glennie, asked Kelly if she had ever had “Kathy’s famous peanut brittle.” Before I could even speak Kelly quietly said, “I believe that would be my peanut brittle.”

I never claimed that the recipe was mine. I just never gave the credit to Kelly. I liked the praises I received when I made the candy. So even though I didn’t blatantly and intentionally lie, I never corrected the assumption. Then came that fateful day when my omission caught up with me.

I know this particular situation is silly and pretty harmless. But it did remind me that we always reap what we sow. All sin has consequences. Sometimes it just may take a little while to catch up with us.

Here’s Libby’s recipe for the Pumpkin-Cranberry Bread. Enjoy it!

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

2 slightly beaten eggs
2 cups sugar
½ cup oil
1 cup Libby’s Solid Pack Pumpkin
2 ¼ cups flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries

Combine eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin; mix well. Combine flour, pie spice, soda, and salt in another large bowl; make well in the center of the dry mixture. Pour pumpkin mixture into well; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in cranberries. Spoon batter into two greased and floured 8 x 3 ¾ x 2 ½ inch aluminum loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

What’s your favorite fall or Christmas recipe?

 

The post Pumpkin Bread, Peanut Brittle, and Lies appeared first on Kathy Howard.

God’s Design for Spiritual Heritage

Want your children to love God and follow Him? God does too. His plan for our children’s faith begins with us. God’s plan includes a design for spiritual heritage, where each generation passes our faith to the next.

God’s Spiritual Heritage Design in Scripture

We see God’s design scattered all throughout Scripture. The most familiar passage is probably Deuteronomy 6:4-9. (For more on this passage see this post.) God tells His people to teach His Words diligently to our children. To talk about them when we sit at home, when we go out, when we rise, and when we lie down. His Word should be woven into the fabric of our family.

Timothy’s spiritual heritage is my favorite New Testament example. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he highlighted the younger man’s “sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice” (2 Timothy 1:5). Timothy’s mother and grandmother faithfully taught him God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:14-15) and modeled godly lives.

Even in the Psalms we find God’s design for His people to pass faith to the next generation. Not long ago, I “discovered” a prescription for spiritual heritage in Psalm 78:1-8:

My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—

3 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.

4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation

the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.

5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children,

6 so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.

7 Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.

8 They would not be like their ancestors— a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.

“Do this… So that…”

I noticed a “do this… so that…” format in the psalm. If we as parents follow God’s design for passing down our faith, then our children will be impacted in these ways. Here’s what I found in the passage:

“Do this…”

Teach our children God’s law
Tell our children about the hope we have in the Lord
Tell our children about God’s mighty works
Encourage our children to obey God

“So that…”

Our children will know God’s commands
Our children will obey God’s commands
Our children will be steadfast and faithful to God
Our children will have hope in God

We don’t have to merely hope that our children will claim God as their own. We can take purposeful action to encourage them to find their eternal hope in Him.

What are some ways you’ve seen in Scripture that we can instill a spiritual heritage in our children?

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