Mandi Hart's Blog, page 4

Five ways to stay the ’emotional tsunami’ from Covid-19.

Our future leaders are in our homes today. Love them well and see our children thrive.

A clinical psychologist, Suntosh Pillay, working in the public sector in KwaZulu-Natal expressed a view in an article on City Press that the Covid-19 has caused an “emotional tsunami”, which places another stress on an already tense society.

“We must never talk about keeping people physically healthy without a parallel conversation about keeping people emotionally well. We need to keep [the] conversation around mental health alive on all levels,”

Physical and mental well-being needs necessary attention. Mental health wellness signs

Increasingly, the conversation is turning to care for families on all levels. The fallout since this pandemic took hold is more than just the virus; it includes trauma, increased depression, a marked rise in gender-based violence and a global economic crisis. How does this affect the way we rebuild our communities? How can we support our children, their teachers, the healthcare workers and poor or marginalized?

There are no straightforward answers, but I’d like to offer a few suggestions. When we work together, we can rise stronger than before.

Five ways to stay the ’emotional tsunami’.

It is said that the need to strengthen children’s psychosocial support is vital to their moving forward. A psychosocial approach looks at individuals in the context of the combined influence that psychological factors and the surrounding social environment have on their physical and mental wellness and their ability to function.

Put your oxygen mask on first.

We would do well to look at ourselves first. Consequently, what do we need to do as parents to lead our families during this time? On every single flight, they give a safety briefing. One instruction is that if oxygen is needed and the masks drop, then put it over your face first before you try to help others around you. Put your oxygen mask on first

Isn’t this so true? Take care of yourself so that you can offer your children the support they need. Put your oxygen mask on.

Do you need to increase your exercise?

Are you spending time in prayer?

Are you investing in your relationships?

Let your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.

Secondly, look at your choices. Mandela was quoted as saying, “May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” Are you making choices reactively and out of fear? If so, what you afraid of? Turn your heart to the Lord and trust Him because He will lead you and guide you out of fear and into courage.

Take stock.

Thirdly, look at children and see what they need. Therefore, watch their body language, behaviours and habits. Take stock of their routine, diet and sleep patterns? Are they doing some exercise? What are they consuming, not only nutritionally, but online too?

Mental wellness is vital.

Fourth, consider the mental wellness of your children. Are they anxious? How can you get them to talk about what they are feeling and experiencing? What are their hopes for the future?

Please encourage them to talk about how they feel. Keep communication and conversation flowing by asking questions and listening to your child.

On a side note, help your child find someone to talk to if they don’t feel comfortable talking to you.

Facts not assumptions make a difference.

Fifth, work with the facts. Children often confuse information with truth or reality. Help them understand facts but keeping the lines of communication open and answering their questions with kind honesty. I’ve found that assumptions can mess things up, so encourage your children to listen to the facts.

If you’re a parent of a school-going learner, keep in contact with the school and support the staff. Don’t give in to fear-mongering or sharing news that might not be accurate. When we listen to facts, it will help us and our children feel in control.

A great conversation to keep going is one of staying healthy. Teach kids that staying healthy and having good hygiene habits can help them stay strong and well. Explain that regular hand washing also helps stop viruses from spreading to others, but that now you are going to be extra careful and do it a little more often.

A little bit of grace, tenderness mixed with facts will go a long way to keeping fear at bay and hope alive.

Extraordinary times are history-making times. Flower and sign, you are loved

Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. I want to leave you with one request: Can you reach out to someone today to encourage them – consider a colleague, a child, a teacher, a frontline worker or someone you pass by on the street.

The world needs a little more kindness right now, would you join me in spreading kindness and love. Encouragement is fuel for the soul and hope for the heart.

I’m passionate about encouraging families. If you need some of that, message me, and I’d love to talk with you or pray for you.

Follow me on Instagram or Facebook. Check out my books or some of my other free resources here .

Who am I?

I’m passionate about inspiring people to live courageously. As a speaker, mentor and author, I work with families and women around the globe to help pursue their dreams and raise children with love and courage. As a mother of two, I long to see families restored and equipped. I serve locally in our communities and regularly speak on the radio on Courageous Living. Read more about my latest book here.

Images courtesy of Unsplash

Search for:

Follow
.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 li,.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle ul li i.et_social_icon { background: #7a9d96; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rounded .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rectangle .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle .et_social_icons_container li:hover i.et_social_icon { background: #dcae1d !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_rounded.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count, .et_monarch .et_social_rectangle.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; }

List of blogs

Five ways to stay the ’emotional tsunami’ from Covid-19.

Top 30 ways to keep fit, focused and fearless

Courage to dream again is possible.

Talking about racial injustice with your children

Going back to school? Six essential things to consider.

Lamenting, an invitation to honesty

Dear COVID 19, we are stronger than you think.

Powerful prayers to pray over your sons & daughters

Adapt to survive and thrive after setbacks

Duncan Stewart – a man after creativity

Lessons from riding the waves

Can you think beyond COVID-19?

Life’s journey is not just about the destination

What’s the big deal about Courage in the Fire?

Now is the time. What are you going to do?

Love, connect and give: 3 ways to thrive

Fear & anxiety fueled by Corona Virus news

Why did I write a book on fear?

Food for living fearlessly

Your happiness is not directly proportional to your child’s happiness

Categories
FearLess

Guest Post

Parenting with Courage

The post Five ways to stay the ’emotional tsunami’ from Covid-19. appeared first on Mandi Hart.

View more on Mandi Hart's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on July 07, 2020 00:34

Top 30 ways to keep fit, focused and fearless

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” – Vincent Van Gogh

Are you able to keep fit, focused and fearless all throughout the year? That’s a tough ask, especially during 2020. I think we all started out with high hopes for a memorable year, but it certainly is turning out differently than we all expected.

As we progress through the second half of 2020, I thought to share thirty ways to do just that. Now, why would I do this? I think we all need encouragement to keep our chins up and move forward; me included. Therefore, for each area, I offer you these suggestions.

Consider it an invitation to conquer fear, fight for joy and a way to thrive.

TEN WAYS TO KEEP FIT

We all know that keeping fit is essential to health, managing stress levels and our overall mental wellbeing. Sometimes it’s easier to think it than getting dressed for action. But, this I know, keeping fit is one of the best ways to live a healthy life.

What’s the reason?

After the armed robbery, when I was struggling with the trauma, getting fit was key to my healing. It was one avenue that I prioritised and still do. A thirty-minute cardio workout three to four times per week is incredibly helpful for your life.

Did you know that a cardio workout is a natural mood stabiliser, natural antidepressant and anti-anxiety all in one?

Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity. – John F Kennedy

Clean your home – yup, you read correctly. Get moving, mopping and dusting. A few hours of substantial housework involves many squats, stretches and some cardio too.
Do some gardening. There’s nothing like digging up a bed, weeding or planting to build strength. Download a fitness app and follow the instructions by signing up for an online class or programme.
If you’re like me, find a friend, and begin an accountability fitness plan.
Walk, run, cycle, or hike. Get some fresh air and vitamin D for the win.
Chase a toddler around the house or garden. That’s sure to get the heart rate moving.
Play a game of tennis, squash, or kick the soccer ball around.

If you’re a parent and have a trampoline at home, jump on that one like you did when you were a child.
Enter a virtual race and begin training. The Women For Change Virtual Race is a good one to try. The proceeds go towards raising awareness of Gender-Based Violence.
Set a goal, put it up where you will regularly see it and get going. Don’t forget to celebrate every victory as that will keep you motivated.
Hire a personal trainer or coach.

When I run, I do my best thinking and praying. Maintaining fitness is an innate gift and great joy.

Consequently, if you have some more ideas, please send them my way. I’d love to share them.

TEN WAYS TO KEEP FOCUSED

“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.” – Zig Ziglar

With all that’s going on, it is easy to get distracted and discouraged. These ten ways to remain focused might be just what you need to take the next step in your life. The words of Bruce Lee are simply inspiring, “The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.”

Learn to say ‘no’. So much of life is about saying no to certain things so that you can say yes to very best. Focus is often about saying ‘no’.
Download an app to help you focus. Have you heard of the Pomodoro technique? Tucker Cummings had this to say in her article on the Pomodoro Method, “[It] is a time management philosophy that aims to provide the user with maximum focus and creative freshness, thereby allowing them to complete projects faster with less mental fatigue. The process is simple: For every project throughout the day, you budget your time into short increments and take breaks periodically.”
Schedule a session or two with a coach to help you set goals and direction.
Plan your day and establish a routine that is helpful and life-giving. Ten ways to keep focused

Meditate on the Word of God and take time to pray.
Go to bed a little earlier and wake up earlier. Have you considered that if you wake up 30 minutes earlier, you will gain 3,5 hours per week? This adds up to 14 hours per month. And around seven extra days per year. Imagine what you could accomplish during this time.
Figure out what keeps you distracted and take stock of your life.
Because we are tripartite beings, we need to focus on body, soul and spirit. The one affects the other so cultivate self-control and discipline in your life.
Make sure you have something fun to look forward to. Celebrate life.
Decide on your priorities and keep the main thing the main thing.

TEN WAYS TO A FEARLESS LIFE

Confront your past and reconcile yourself to what happened.
Face your fears and seek allies to help you conquer them and move forward.
Decide that you won’t let “False Evidence Appearing Real” affect your life any longer.
Live in your own lane. Be content with where you are headed. Don’t look at anyone else and what they are up too.
Seek first God’s Kingdom and trust Him with your life.
Build relationships in your life that are encouraging and loving. Invest in the right places.
Embrace sound thinking because a fearless life is one where wisdom abounds.
Dream big.
Fear and laughter are never friends, so lighten up and laugh. Choose joy because when you do, it infuses your life with courage and hope.
On this last note, cultivate hope. Keep faith alive in your life because hope, by nature, is future-focused. Hope breeds a fearless life.

“I think I’m like most people – we fear the unknown and the things that have yet to come to pass, which are the very things that don’t deserve to be feared. When you give God complete control, it’s very hard not to be fearless.” – Rihanna

So, dear friends, please let me know which one of these tips stands out to you. Better yet, which one will you implement today?

Follow me on Instagram or Facebook. Check out my books or some of my other free resources here .

Who am I?

I’m passionate about inspiring people to live courageously. As a speaker, mentor and author, I work with families and women around the globe to help pursue their dreams and raise children with love and courage. As a mother of two, I long to see families restored and equipped. I serve locally in our communities and regularly speak on the radio on Courageous Living. Read more about my latest book here.

Images courtesy of Unsplash

Search for:

Follow
.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 li,.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle ul li i.et_social_icon { background: #7a9d96; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rounded .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rectangle .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle .et_social_icons_container li:hover i.et_social_icon { background: #dcae1d !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_rounded.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count, .et_monarch .et_social_rectangle.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; }

List of blogs

Top 30 ways to keep fit, focused and fearless

Courage to dream again is possible.

Talking about racial injustice with your children

Going back to school? Six essential things to consider.

Lamenting, an invitation to honesty

Dear COVID 19, we are stronger than you think.

Powerful prayers to pray over your sons & daughters

Adapt to survive and thrive after setbacks

Duncan Stewart – a man after creativity

Lessons from riding the waves

Can you think beyond COVID-19?

Life’s journey is not just about the destination

What’s the big deal about Courage in the Fire?

Now is the time. What are you going to do?

Love, connect and give: 3 ways to thrive

Fear & anxiety fueled by Corona Virus news

Why did I write a book on fear?

Food for living fearlessly

Your happiness is not directly proportional to your child’s happiness

Fresh wineskins for the new wine

Categories
FearLess

Guest Post

Parenting with Courage

The post Top 30 ways to keep fit, focused and fearless appeared first on Mandi Hart.

View more on Mandi Hart's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on June 24, 2020 12:29

Courage to dream again is possible.

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” Michelangelo

Every single person is born with gifts and talents. As a result, this unique combination is not only your contribution to this world but also a clue to what makes you come alive. Imagine what you can do? These seeds of potential lie dormant until cultivated, but our lives often head in a direction where we find these seeds hidden so deep inside that all seems lost.

I feel lost and don’t know where to start

“I have absolutely no idea what to think about or dream about.” Does this sound like you? If it does, take courage, you are not alone, and I hope that this post will inject you with a glimmer of hope to begin to dream again.

In Courage in the Fire, I wrote: “Inside of every one of us, from the time of conception, God planted seeds of purpose. These are seeds of promise, hope and potential. In Christ Jesus, healed from the crippling effects of fear, we can let those seeds grow and blossom into what He has prepared for us to do.

Many people live merely to exist, and they die with the seeds of potential buried deep within. The lonely graveyards scattered across the continents are often the wealthiest places on our planet. Why? Well, many people died and were buried with the dreams still lying dormant inside of them: dreams that could transform society, ideas to cure diseases, businesses to become established, children to be loved, songs composed and paintings created. These are now lying amongst the dust and cobwebs in these desolate graveyards.”

Courage to dream again?

Firstly, practice kindness towards yourself and others.

“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” Christopher Germer

Moreover, self-care involves keeping your body, soul and spirit healthy. The reason is that thereby you can stay not only motivated and function effectively but also be able to help others positively.

Secondly, ask questions.

Think about what makes you mad, sad and glad? In addition to these questions, ask yourself if you couldn’t fail, what would you do or initiate? After that, take stock of how you are feeling. While you are doing this, you begin to open your heart to fresh opportunities. Thus, you now have a clue to what stirs your heart.

Thirdly, cultivate self-awareness.

Similarly, think way back to when you were a young child. What did you want to become and why? Consider taking some personality assessments, chat to a coach or mentor. Above all, figure out why you do some of the things you do. What makes you come alive? What drains your energy?

Fourthly, what about forgiveness?

Do you need to offer or receive forgiveness? The reason I write that is that forgiveness is often a key to unlocking healing and freedom in our hearts. When we become locked in, we unintentionally lock so much out.

Fifth, what words have you spoken?

Have you made any inner vows or promises? For example, I will never succeed, or I can’t do this, I’m not good enough. Think about that for a bit and pray through what comes up.

Finally, give yourself room.

Give yourself the gift of permission to dream again or to begin dreaming about what stirs your heart. Certainly, begin to think bigger than you have ever done before.

“Great, you might say. Easier said than done. I don’t even know what my dream or purpose is in life?”

I had to figure it out too. For instance, a while back, I spent over 30 minutes writing out 100 statements linked to my purpose. I was trying to refine what I’m called to do and focus on it. Consequently, I wrote and wrote, but what emerged was helpful and insightful. Give it go. Keep working at it. Look at what you search? What you post on social media, create a vision board. But start somewhere.

What can you do to build the courage to pursue your dream?

Real courage is the ability to overcome fear. It’s not the absence of fear but rather taking the first step despite what you are afraid of. Courage is the ability to do something that frightens one, which then begs the next question, “How do I build courage in my life to pursue my dreams?”

Make a list of what you are afraid of at the moment. This might be difficult, but it’s a worthwhile exercise.
Think about how you can practice courage in small things. Courage becomes a habit, and the more you practice it, the more it grows.
Do you have allies in your life? Is there someone you can chat to about your fears, dreams and hopes? Think about the direction you want your life to take, then adjust your focus.
Start small. Take one step today. Perhaps print this post out and begin answering some of these questions. Or, you could simply sit with a cup of coffee in your hand and think about what you’ve just read.
Courage can grow, but it takes time to build that muscle.

Read these words out loud to encourage you.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God, I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4)

“They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” (Psalm 112:7)

“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” ~ Billy Graham

In conclusion, let me know if this has been helpful and how I can support you on your journey to living courageously and with purpose.

Follow me on Instagram or Facebook. Check out my books or some of my other free resources here .

Mandi Hart

I’m passionate about inspiring people to live courageously. As a speaker, mentor and author, I work with families and women around the globe to help pursue their dreams and raise children with love and courage. As a mother of two, I long to see families restored and equipped. I serve locally in our communities and regularly speak on the radio on Courageous Living. Read more about my latest book here.

Talking about racial injustice with your children

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

Talking about racial injustice with your children in loving, courageous conversations can lead to revolutionary thoughts that can change the world. They will imitate you far before they realize that their opinions differ from yours. And remember, it’s never too early to talk about race.

In an insightful article on, Here’s How To Raise Race-Conscious Children, Erin Winkler wrote, “Adults often think they should avoid talking with young children about race or racism because doing so would cause them to notice race or make them racist. In fact, the opposite is true.”

Questions are necessary.

What do you speak about when you sit around the dinner table? Have you engaged in complex conversations with your children where there are no simple answers? Are you able to sit in the discomfort? Have you ever asked, “Why do you think that is?”

These questions and more are ones that I think about when I encourage moms and spend time with my children. I am raising adults. My children will soon leave home, and all the hours I’ve spent in prayer, conversation and doing life with them will hopefully begin to bear fruit. But, they have to figure out what they believe for themselves. I hope that all the courageous, uncomfortable conversations we have had will continue into adulthood as we unlearn and learn together.

Racial discrimination and injustice is something that we have to speak about at home. We coach our children to think in particular patterns from when they are young. It is a parent’s privilege and also a sobering reality. Encourage your children to engage in awkward and complex conservations with the heart of a learner. Actively seek out anti-racist role models in your community and in the broader society, and expose young children to these people.

Courage to have uncomfortable conversations

This blog post is here to encourage you to ‘go there’. Parents are sometimes quiet on topics such as racial injustice because they fear saying the wrong thing. Take courage and initiate a discussion. Fear can hold you back from speaking about your growing journey or biases. Preconceived ideas also fill our minds with thoughts that hinder healthy, robust conversations around the dinner table.

Show respect with humility

Chatting with Sean Collard recently, he mentioned that respect is to find value in someone. “Value is guaranteed, and when we respond to others with humility, we show respect.” Treating someone with respect means that you interact with them in a way that shows that you care about their well-being and how they feel. Let us listen to our children, to the surrounding voices that highlight racial injustice.

In my previous post on lamenting, I explained how untransformed pain becomes transmitted pain. Would it not follow that transformed love, becomes transmitted love? Start in your home and see how love can spread beyond your walls.

How can you as a parent prepare yourself to speak up about racial discrimination and injustice? I’d like to propose a few ways:

The kingdom of God is an upside-down kingdom, and His primary currency is love. Check your heart. How is your love quotient doing? What is the condition of your heart? Take time to pray and think about these things first.
Do your research by reading reputable blog posts, news sources and, of course, Scripture. Watch documentaries and talk about your learnings.
Then begin the conversation at home if you haven’t done so already. Ask open-ended questions, listen to your children. They are probably already having these conversations with your peers. If you approach them with the heart of a learner, they will most likely open up to you about what they think and feel.
Spend time grieving about the hurting, neglected and broken people of this world. Keep your heart soft with empathy.
We have to speak out, and I believe it starts in our home. If enough families talk about racial injustice, inequality and what’s going on, we can begin a transformation.
When your children notice racial and cultural variances in other people, teach them to appreciate the cultural difference and celebrate the beauty in diversity. It starts with you.

“Shutdown and quarantine have given way to crowded streets filled with masked gatherers, holding riotous vigils, in the waiting room of hope. The Church is being invited to leave the side-lines and take her place, joining God on the front lines of racial injustice and inequality. To speak truth to power while working to dismantle systematic racism deeply rooted both in the world and in the Church. To become peacemakers, bridge builders and agents of reconciliation in the long-ignored fields of pride and prejudice.” Wrote Lisa Koons on the 24/7 blog.

Journal prompts for you as a parent to process your thoughts:

What can I do to better educate myself of the historical context of race in my country? Talking about racial injustice with your children

Talking about racial injustice with your children

What do I need to unlearn? For example, societal biases or perceptions that are not based on fact or evidence.
What is the condition of my heart? How can I pray with empathy and discernment
What do I need to do now?

What about asking our children these questions and leave room for conversation:

What are you feeling right now about racial injustice? (Speak about specific examples)
This an emotional time, the world over. How are your friends handling the conversation about race? What are they saying?
What questions do you have? Invite them to watch a movie or read a book together. Keep the door open and the conversation growing. Based on their age, offer them resources to discover for themselves.

May God give you the grace to parent during these history-making times. May He empower you with love and wisdom to raise children who will change the world we are living in, for His glory and Name’s sake.

This is simply a starting point. I’d love to hear from you. Please share your opinions and helpful resources in the comments below.

.

Going back to school? Six essential things to consider.

Stay curious, remain in love and guide your children through unchartered territory with your compass focused on true north.

Going back to school isn’t as simple as it was a few months back. The world looks unfamiliar and our children will have to navigate unchartered territory with courage and lots of support. Change is sometimes scary for children and adults. In South Africa, we’ve been in lockdown for almost two months at the time of writing this post. Did you know that it takes on average 66 days for a new behaviour to become a habit? This fact alone means that your children have had the time to develop other ways of doing life and schooling.

New routines became the norm Going back to school after being home for 2 months

They have had the time to readjust to waking up possibly a little later, having mom (or dad) help them with their schooling and not leaving home. Did you perhaps try to become the teacher in the first days of lockdown only to discover that it was hopeless? And then settled into a routine of trying to navigate your eight-year-old and 12-year-olds zoom calls amongst your own business and doing all the housework by yourself? We had to adapt, and so we did, but now things are changing again.

Kids have learned new skills at home.

But, us moms can be incredibly ingenious and resilient. How many of you incorporated Maths into baking and simply figured out an alternative way of doing life. Lockdown hasn’t been all negative. We’ve had deep conversations, moments of laughter and frustration. Even my teens have increased their skills. My son learned to make bread, make spaghetti bolognese, clean toilets, chop wood and made his own knife. My daughter discovered the joys of baking huge chocolate chip cookies and finished her novel. She is also trying to figure out what to do after matric as her first choice fell through because of COVID-19. All great lessons in resilience.

Going back to school means another change for your families

But now we face a change. The matrics and grade 7’s are returning to school next week. Unless you are homeschooling, this change has provoked a nationwide outcry. If you can send your children back into school, even though it is scary, it is still a privilege. Thousands of children around the world will never return to finish their schooling.

In a sober article in The Washington Post, Valerie Strauss writes, “Because so many of the children who are out of school are the most marginalized, once they are out of school, they are likely to be out for good,” she said. “It is not easy to revert.”

Mixed feelings from parents are normal.

From the UK to the US to Africa, parents are not convinced that sending children back to school is the safest thing to do. Not only are they worried by about their children, but the safety and the availability of educators are a concern. It is an unprecedented time for our children.

Dr Tara Quinlivan explained how children might feel in her article, Return to school. A trauma informed approach: “For many children the return to school will be a delightful experience. It will mean reconnecting with friends and school teachers and they will race out the front door ready to get back to normal. This however won’t be everyone’s experience. In fact, I imagine that it won’t be a lot of families experience. The return to school is likely to stir up some anxiety for our kids, ourselves and our teachers. Emerging from the sanctuary of our homes and back out into public spaces is likely to be a little confronting.”

Parents feel uncertain.

Parents of a learner in high school said that although it’s necessary to go back to school, they are feeling scared and uncertain. Their child is in a school that is in an impoverished area, and they cannot access the data necessary for their child to learn online.

A mom of a matriculant remarked that it is time for them to go back. “We need to get back to some kind of normality. My son has his future ahead of him, and I want him to finish this year well, even though it’s under difficult circumstances.”

“I feel it’s very premature. I am worried about the safety of wearing a mask for 6 hours and breathing in stale air. I don’t understand why they are shutting off sectors but allowing kids to go back. Each family has to see where their children are at psychologically. I’d much rather keep my kids home until it’s safer to go back,” explained a mom of an 8- and 16-year-old.

Therefore, irrespective of our own fears, we still need to help our children prepare for school or university. A side note here, confront your fears. Cast out your fears and banish them for good. It’s not always easy to do, but this very point will help you parent your children well and guide them into the unchartered territory with grace and wisdom.

Miranda, a mom of an 11-year-old, said that she is torn. She is aware of the dangers as her husband and father-in-law are at risk, but her daughter needs company. This mom mentioned that she’s not an adept teacher, and it’s tough at home.

Jonathon, dad of two girls including a special-needs daughter mentioned that he thinks, “It’s time to return to some sense of normalcy. I think we as a nation are ready for the children to go back to school. We cannot live in fear and have to face our fears our head-on and move forward.”

Whatever your take is, your children will have to face the reality of re-entering society again. How can you help them thrive?

Here are six essential ways you can help your children prepare to re-enter school

Stay calm and be accurate in your explanations.

Ensure that you are educated about COVID-19 and your child’s return to school. Talk to them in detail about what they can expect. If you don’t know what will happen, then contact your child’s school or institution and ask clarifying questions. Stay connected to your child’s school. Have your child practice wearing a mask at home for a growing period. Teach them how to wash their hands (don’t just assume that they know how). Discuss what will happen when they arrive at school when they come home. Give them time to digest it all. Above all, speak with calmness and knowledge.

Help them navigate seeing their friends again.

They haven’t seen their friends for over two months, and if your children are anything like mine, they will want to hug, high five and sit close to their friends. Have a conversation with your children about social distancing and how they can actually do it. In addition, role model this change with them. I found that role modelling over the years has helped my children navigate many awkward moments.

For example, encourage your child to take the initiative such as when they arrive at school to do the following: “Hey guys, remember no touching but….” And they respond in a way that they can relate to their friends.

Listen and acknowledge their feelings.

Acknowledge their fears and insecurity. Don’t dismiss your children’s mildest comment. Listen to them and pay attention to their body language and behaviours. Just as we care for our own mental health, we need to do the same for our children. Focus on them and really listen to what they are saying.

This video is a great exercise to help you, children, to learn to breathe deeply and self-regulate if they will feel afraid or overwhelmed.

Be honest and up-to-date.

Know what’s going on with Covid-19 and be honest with your children in age-appropriate language. Stay calm and help them do the same. Educate yourself and them. Know what your options are regarding schooling. For example, one mom who is paralyzed and at extremely high risk explained: “My daughter doesn’t want to live with another family so we will do live streaming tutoring. Her teachers have been incredible and hugely supportive and praised her for her bravery and care.” Use helpful language that conveys a positive attitude. Be aware of how you speak about your country and what is going on in the world because your children will imitate you. Fear increases stress levels and lowers one’s immune systems.

Prepare beforehand new classroom

What will make going back to school easier for your children? Now, I know it might seem obvious, but getting my daughter ready for school takes preparation. Do you need to make sure you have school snacks on hand, enough washing powder? Remember, you will have to wash their clothes, masks and iron them every day. A prepared mom is a calm mom. Even if this isn’t your forte, it will help in stressful and uncertain times.

Maintain a sense of humour

Life is severe enough without us needing to make it even more serious. Help your children laugh and lighten the atmosphere in your home. If a home is a safe place, and you fill the atmosphere with grace and smiles, your child can navigate a tough time at school. When they get home, help them process the day and do something special to make them smile. That might mean a cup of hot chocolate as a treat or a spontaneous movie night.

To encourage you further, here are a few extra pointers in list form to help you prepare your child for school:

Wake them up a little earlier a few days before to get them used to going back to school.
Be prepared for emotional responses and tired children when they come home from school.
Give them something positive to look forward to after a school day.
Check their books and stationery and refill what they need.
Sport is most likely cancelled – plan something for when they get home. Movement helps destress our bodies.
Pray for your children, their teachers and educators.

I hope that this helps you as you prepare for next week. I’d love to hear any other tips you might have on getting your children to return to school or college amidst COVID-19.

.

Have a look at my free resources page for many downloads to help you in your parenting. Also, Hart & Soul Blog is in the top Top 200 Mom blogs on the web

Have you signed up to receive monthly updates from me regarding my latest blog posts, special offers and news? Please sign up here is you haven’t done so yet.

NOW ON SPECIAL! COURAGE IN THE FIRE: OVERCOMING A FEAR-DRIVEN LIFE
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND HERE

Search for:

Follow
.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 li,.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle ul li i.et_social_icon { background: #7a9d96; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rounded .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rectangle .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle .et_social_icons_container li:hover i.et_social_icon { background: #dcae1d !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_rounded.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count, .et_monarch .et_social_rectangle.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; }

List of blogs

Going back to school? Six essential things to consider.

Lamenting, an invitation to honesty

Dear COVID 19, we are stronger than you think.

Powerful prayers to pray over your sons & daughters

Adapt to survive and thrive after setbacks

Duncan Stewart – a man after creativity

Lessons from riding the waves

Can you think beyond COVID-19?

Life’s journey is not just about the destination

What’s the big deal about Courage in the Fire?

Now is the time. What are you going to do?

Love, connect and give: 3 ways to thrive

Fear & anxiety fueled by Corona Virus news

Why did I write a book on fear?

Food for living fearlessly

Your happiness is not directly proportional to your child’s happiness

Fresh wineskins for the new wine

Practice courage and see your life thrive

Love-based vs fear-driven parenting shapes families

Grief changes us and so does love

Categories
FearLess

Guest Post

Parenting with Courage

The post Going back to school? Six essential things to consider. appeared first on Mandi Hart.

View more on Mandi Hart's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on May 25, 2020 07:27

Lamenting, an invitation to honesty

“He that lacks time to mourn lacks time to mend. Eternity mourns that.” – Sir Henry Taylor

Until recently, I never truly understood lamenting. This invitation to honesty is, in fact, God’s gift to us, and it reminds us that we are human. It is a beautiful way to express our suffering, cry for help or at injustice and lean into trusting God. Most often, as humans, try to run away from our pain. “It’s much better to avoid my pain, that’s my natural tendency,” remarked a friend the other day.

Twenty-five years ago, I broke up with my boyfriend. It wasn’t a healthy relationship as he never treated me well. I remember sitting next to the surf, writing in huge letters in my journal my complaint and cry to the Lord. Without realizing it, I poured out my aching heart to God, asked Him to intervene and allowed Him to speak comfort to my soul. That was the lament of a teenager.

We know that there is a book in the Bible called Lamentations, and over a third of the Psalms are laments. Consider that lamenting is a verbal expression of our regret, disappointment, sadness or grief. It’s a way of mourning and expressing sorrow. But, more than that, lamenting gives us the language for living between the poles of hard life or suffering and trusting in God.

Lamenting is us coming to a place of brutal honesty. We don’t pray what we think we should say, but at that moment, we remove the outer layers and speak what we honestly feel. For some, that isn’t easy. But try it out. It might set you on a journey of freedom and healing.

Courage to lament lament

We need the courage to lament. Why do I say that? Well, many of us don’t like being honest about our pain or express the injustices we see in our lives or that of our community. We cover it up because we have the fear of being exposed or making a mistake. This then keeps hidden and don’t express what we truly feel or want to say.

Lamenting is like that tightrope, but it can also be a lifeline. For too often, we deny our pain or worse, get stuck in that place of sorrow.

Stuck in grief

There is this story of a woman who, on her wedding day, found out that her husband died on his way to the church. Overcome with grief; this woman remained in her wedding dress in her house, decorated for the festive day. She never, ever really lived. Now, I can’t verify this story, but it illustrates how unresolved grief can lock us in. If we never lament or grieve well, we cannot mend well.

In the words of Richard Rohr, “If you do not transform your pain, you will transmit it.” When we lament, we can transform our pain and heal. Lamenting has the potential to carry us through this time of global suffering and uncertainty.

The outline of a lament

Click on this photo to download a free lamenting printable outline

Generally, a lament takes this form. This is helpful to shape our prayers when we cry out to God is this way. Now, I’m not at an expert in this and am learning along with you, but I have found it helpful at the moment.

Turn to God

Here, you turn to God, and you can remember His faithfulness in the past.

Bring your protest

At this point, you bring your groaning or complaint to God. Pain is pain, and it is here that you express it, rawly, honestly, without pretense. You tell God what you are angry about – for yourself, your family, community or globally. Don’t hold back.

Ask boldly for help

After you’ve shared the deep groaning of your heart, you begin to petition. You ask God for help. Hebrews 4:16 urges us to do so with words: “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

Choose to trust

After you’ve asked God for help, you return to praise and that place of trusting Him to act, comfort, restore or bring peace.

Just this morning, I led a prayer meeting via Zoom (as we do these days) and spent 30 minutes lamenting as a group. It was one of the most intense prayer times I’ve had recently. One man remarked that he is learning that prayer doesn’t have to be boring. It was a fresh experience and so transparently real.

Ways for you to express what’s going on deep inside

Firstly, spend time reading the Psalms. Examples of laments are in Psalm 10, 13, 22, 25, 60,73, 77, 79, 80 and 90. There are many more, but this is a start. Familiarize yourself with the Psalmist honest expressions and ways of lamenting. Start speaking out your own laments.

Secondly, you can lament through journaling. Try writing out your cries to God.

Thirdly, lament through tears and groans. Another way of saying it could be, feel your feelings and turn them to prayer.

Fourth, create a song around lamenting. Sing your prayers or give expression through your music.

Fifth, creativity is there for you to embrace. Consider doing a piece of artwork to express your lament or if you’re wired like me, go for a run and pray on the move.

We do not find growth in comfort. It comes when we feel pain, hardship, endure to the end, push and heal. Growth comes in the least likely of places. My prayer for you today is this:

May you find the courage to lament.

May you find healing in expressing your deepest sorrows.

And may you know the grace of the invitation to honesty today and always.

I’ve also created a free lamenting printable template. You can download it here.

Have you signed up to receive monthly updates from me regarding my latest blog posts, special offers and news? Please sign up here is you haven’t done so yet.

NOW ON SPECIAL! COURAGE IN THE FIRE: OVERCOMING A FEAR-DRIVEN LIFE
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND HERE

Search for:

Follow
.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 li,.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle ul li i.et_social_icon { background: #7a9d96; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rounded .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rectangle .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle .et_social_icons_container li:hover i.et_social_icon { background: #dcae1d !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_rounded.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count, .et_monarch .et_social_rectangle.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; }

List of blogs

Lamenting, an invitation to honesty

Dear COVID 19, we are stronger than you think.

Powerful prayers to pray over your sons & daughters

Adapt to survive and thrive after setbacks

Duncan Stewart – a man after creativity

Lessons from riding the waves

Can you think beyond COVID-19?

Life’s journey is not just about the destination

What’s the big deal about Courage in the Fire?

Now is the time. What are you going to do?

Love, connect and give: 3 ways to thrive

Fear & anxiety fueled by Corona Virus news

Why did I write a book on fear?

Food for living fearlessly

Your happiness is not directly proportional to your child’s happiness

Fresh wineskins for the new wine

Practice courage and see your life thrive

Love-based vs fear-driven parenting shapes families

Grief changes us and so does love

Five things to remember when life feels too much

Categories
FearLess

Guest Post

Parenting with Courage

The post Lamenting, an invitation to honesty appeared first on Mandi Hart.

View more on Mandi Hart's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on May 20, 2020 06:08

Dear COVID 19, we are stronger than you think.

A guest post by my 17-year-old daughter, Emily Hart, who wrote this letter for Rhenish Girls High School’s newsletter (published with her permission) May 2020

Dear COVID 19, we are stronger than you think.

This ‘letter’ is written to COVID 19, not for coverage, not to give you any more undeserving attention, but to tell you that us, humans, are not as easy to break as you might have thought.

You see, initially, you, COVID 19, thought you had us by the neck. You saw us stockpiling and thought we’d turn on each other, fighting in the isles over toilet paper and soap. But, what you were unaware of is that behind the scenes of this frenzy and after the initial shock of you, we’ve been stockpiling in something else.

It’s not canned goods, it’s kindness.

We’ve been gathering up all the kindness and compassion in our veins and began to build a stockpiled-tower of it. Now it is our turn to be the virus, we are spreading kindness like a wwildfire;we are the new you and the confetti of our kindness cannot be contained.

Initially, we feared you, COVID 19. But now, we’ve learnt that the damage of what you do does not just lie within the physical harm, but social and psychological damage. While that may just scare us even more, we’re learning to conquer our fears. When you appeared, we were seeking answers about who you were and how we would handle this new infection in our society. But since then, we’re moved onto other, bigger questions. Now we ask what we can do to help each other, what can we do to build the human race up in unity? Have you seen the solidarity funds, or the prayer groups, or the online school support systems? Have you seen how we’ve outgrown you?

You tried to break us; you thought social distancing would tear us apart. But you’re wrong! Even though our bodies are distant from each other, our hearts are connecting. Instead of taking something from us, you’ve taught us a precious lesson. You’ve given us an education on what it means to be human. You can take away our physical touch, but never our hearts’ desire to keep in touch with loved ones. You’ve taught us that all we have in this world that truly matters, is each other. All that matters is phoning our grandparents, checking up on family or face-timing friends to keep the connection alive. In a time where materialistic things like clothing shops, restaurants and driving around aren’t available, we’ve remembered what is actually essential – each other. You’ve given us perspective.

Oh, and by the way COVID 19, if you thought that separating us humans would tune us out of the world, you’re wrong. We’ve turned into something you didn’t expect – our creativity, our conscience, our soul. All this time in isolation made us find connections within the part of us that we forgot were there. You’ve given us days worth of time to simply sit in front of a blank canvas and slowly apply bold specs on colour on it. You’ve allowed us time to pick up the guitar and learn how to play a song in front of the fire. You’ve given us the chance to bake, learn a new skill, or even simply just to sit with our eyes closed and listen to the birds while soaking up the sun. Our traditionally busy schedule of a ‘normal’ day didn’t give us this time, so I would like to thank you, COVID 19. You’ve taught us how to reconnect with our inner selves.

Lastly, COVID 19, we know you thought you’d crush our souls and fill us with despair. While at some stage we might have thought no good would come from you, we’re fast learners and now know different. You see, something unpredicted is happening. Nature is healing. You’ve stopped us from continuing to emit those horrible carbon emissions or pollution. Our planet is coming alive, in a time when you thought you’d kill it. You’ve given mother nature the chance to bloom and spring forth new vivid colours of life. Ecosystems are mending and coming out of hiding. The atmosphere is filling up with clean air for a change. You may try to damage us, but you’ve given us the chance to return to a greener, healthier world when this is all over.

Now, this isn’t all to say you haven’t caused any form of destruction. We’re not ignorant to the suffering, pain, and loss that you’ve caused. We’re not ignorant of the fact you’ve made us forget what it feels like to wear jeans, or shoes, or go out to restaurants with a group of friends. However, we’re also not ignorant to the fact that you’ve given us something – a chance to reconnect and slow down. You may be a thief of some of our freedom, but you’re an educator on teaching us to live at a slower pace.

So, if you thought you’d break us. You thought wrong.

from,

Emily (Class of 2020)

Emily says that she was born with a passion for story telling, and after moving to Cape Town, she began my quest to find the best life moments that are worthy of these stories. “When I’m not writing, one might find me playing around with the camera lens, trying new ice-cream shops with friends or painting while humming to some music in the studio. I’ve traveled to over half a dozen African countries, including Mission trips to orphanages in Mozambique, and working with Syrian refugees in Jordan – these all influencing my writing.”

Read her blog here as she shares experiences from the eyes of a young girl and tells the stories of humanity, our common similarities, and the inspiring stories of both bravery and suffering.

Search for:

Follow
.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1 li,.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1.et_social_circle ul li i.et_social_icon { background: #7a9d96; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1.et_social_rounded .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1.et_social_rectangle .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1.et_social_circle .et_social_icons_container li:hover i.et_social_icon { background: #dcae1d !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1 .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1 .et_social_networks .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1 .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1 .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1 .et_social_networks .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_1 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_rounded.et_social_shortcode_1 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count, .et_monarch .et_social_rectangle.et_social_shortcode_1 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; }

List of blogs

Lamenting, an invitation to honesty

Dear COVID 19, we are stronger than you think.

Powerful prayers to pray over your sons & daughters

Adapt to survive and thrive after setbacks

Duncan Stewart – a man after creativity

Lessons from riding the waves

Can you think beyond COVID-19?

Life’s journey is not just about the destination

What’s the big deal about Courage in the Fire?

Now is the time. What are you going to do?

Love, connect and give: 3 ways to thrive

Fear & anxiety fueled by Corona Virus news

Why did I write a book on fear?

Food for living fearlessly

Your happiness is not directly proportional to your child’s happiness

Fresh wineskins for the new wine

Practice courage and see your life thrive

Love-based vs fear-driven parenting shapes families

Grief changes us and so does love

Five things to remember when life feels too much

Categories
FearLess

Guest Post

Parenting with Courage

The post Dear COVID 19, we are stronger than you think. appeared first on Mandi Hart.

View more on Mandi Hart's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on May 19, 2020 06:56

Powerful prayers to pray over your sons & daughters

Powerful prayers are often simple, heartfelt prayers from a mother or father to the heart of God.

Prayer is a gift you can give your children all the days of their lives. I like what Guigo II, a Carthusian monk who lived in the 12th century, wrote concerning Scripture and prayer. He said that “reading puts food into the mouth; meditation chews it up; prayer extracts its flavor; contemplation gives us delight in its sweetness.”

If you are uncertain where to start, then here are a few handles for you to consider.

In an excerpt from my book, Parenting with Courage, I wrote: “Always pray about your parenting, trusting God to lead you. As I was going through my prayer journals to prepare for writing this book, I found an entry I had written in 1999. In it I had written: The battle is fought in prayer, not later on. Prayer changes things. Prayer gives us the ability to face anything calmly and with God’s wisdom. For with God, nothing is impossible. I believed it then and I believe it now. More than ever, we need to pray over the lives of our youth. One of our greatest challenges is to continue to pray for our children in faith and in a positive manner.”

Prayer need not be boring.

I’ve been part of the 24-7 Prayer Movement for a few years, and one thing I’ve discovered is that prayer isn’t dull. There is a myriad of ways to pray, and I would encourage you to do just that. In other words, get creative as you pray. To help you pray powerfully for your children here are a few innovative examples:

Firstly, look a photo of them and pray what you sense the Lord is saying.

Secondly, go into their rooms when they are out and pray over their space – be specific. You can also pray with them in their bedrooms.

Thirdly, join with a friend in praying for each other’s children. I’ve loved doing this at different times over the years.

Fourth, walk around your garden, praying for them.

Fifth, write or draw your prayers for our children, praying Scripture, and prophetic words over their lives.

Sixth, pray as you make them a special meal (while you are cooking or baking) while doing their washing or doing other housework. Praying family

Powerful prayers to pray

Bring your fears and concerns to the Lord. One way to combat anxiety is to say, ‘yes’ to Jesus every single day. “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer your prayers and requests to God,” says Paul in Philippians 4:6 (CEV).

It was Amy Carmichael who penned the words, “Holy Spirit, think through me ’till your ideas are my ideas.” Fire your words with hope-fuelled prayers. Hope anchors our soul and keeps us steady, helping us to hold on course.

Be encouraged to pray out of the pit of despair and into praise. Just we go through hard times, so too will our children – and that’s when prayer is oh so needed. Praise and thanksgiving can lift one’s spirits. If we are to cultivate a heart of gratitude, it will lift us out of the pit of despair. When our children or we go through trials, thanksgiving and praise are two keys that will encourage us to pray and intercede for them. Hold one in each hand and don’t let them go. Learn to practice appreciation and remember joyous times and moments with your children.

Beautiful prayers that a parent can use regularly
Provision

Ask God to provide for your children – here, you can pray about their specific needs, their future spouses, their physical growth, mental development, friends, spiritual encounters, and emotional life. The list could be endless.

Specific, arrow prayers

Pray specific, arrow-like prayers. These are prayers that are like arrows aimed at a target. You are not shooting the prayers aimlessly into the heavens. Be as specific as you can be:

To know the scriptures and be made wise (2 Timothy 3:15)
That they will grow in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52)
To remain pure and obey God’s word (Psalm 119:9-11)
To love one another (John 15:17)
To not give in to fear (2 Timothy 1:7)

Different developmental stages

Throughout your children’s growing years, you can bring their different developmental stages before the Lord. Don’t underestimate the power of these type of prayers.

From the womb: Pray for protection, growth, and healthy delivery for both you and your baby.

Through infancy: To develop trust and security as you bond with your baby. Think about those prayers you have prayed or can pray in the night watches when you feed and comfort your infant. Pray into the physical and emotional development of your infant.

Taming the toddler: They are learning at a rapid rate. Pray not only for their rapid growth but for them to have the heart to love the Lord, for friends, for their future and more.

Young childhood: We seem to always pray for protection, choices, and the life skills that they need to be taught. Pray about what you need to teach them and for your children to grow in every way. Pray for their talents and giftings to emerge. Speak purpose and life over them.

Preteens: Your praying changes a little here. There are different topics and concerns. Bring them all before the Lord, from social media usage, body changes, wisdom, choice of friends, and their education.

Teenagers: The teen years are sometimes tricky to navigate and provide plenty of material for prayers. Pray for your child’s physical and emotional changes, future plans, possible spouses, their sexuality, and their relationship with the Lord. Ask God for wisdom for you and for them.

Adulthood and beyond: As a parent, you never stop praying for your children. My one friend started praying for her children’s future partners from when they were little. She also now prays for her grandchildren and of course for her adult kids.

Releasing Prayers

A beautiful prayer to pray is one of release; this begins from when your child is born. I often say to my friends that no-one told me I would receive the gift of tears when I gave birth to my children. The moment your child is born, there is a type of release, then (if you have been breastfeeding or even with a bottle) and stop there is another bit of letting go. When your child starts school, puberty, boarding school, holiday camps, university, and getting married. Each stage is different and marks a little of letting go.

Scriptural Prayers are powerful

You can also pray God’s Word. Find passages that stand out to you. Write them out, memorize them and pray them. I even write my children’s names next to particular verses in my Bible, and whenever I stumble across them, I pray them.

Pray for yourself

Lastly, don’t forget to pray for yourself (and your spouse). Even though your focus is on your family, you can also pray for yourself. You and I both have things to deal with. You cannot change anyone else, but you can change yourself.

How have you spent time in prayer for your children, especially over this time we are in? Do you have any questions about prayer? Please let me know, I’d love to hear from you.

For a free 31-day prayer chart, click here to download it and print it out.

Search for:

Follow
.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 li,.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle ul li i.et_social_icon { background: #7a9d96; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rounded .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rectangle .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle .et_social_icons_container li:hover i.et_social_icon { background: #dcae1d !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_rounded.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count, .et_monarch .et_social_rectangle.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; }

List of blogs

Powerful prayers to pray over your sons & daughters

Adapt to survive and thrive after setbacks

Duncan Stewart – a man after creativity

Lessons from riding the waves

Can you think beyond COVID-19?

Life’s journey is not just about the destination

What’s the big deal about Courage in the Fire?

Now is the time. What are you going to do?

Love, connect and give: 3 ways to thrive

Fear & anxiety fueled by Corona Virus news

Why did I write a book on fear?

Food for living fearlessly

Your happiness is not directly proportional to your child’s happiness

Fresh wineskins for the new wine

Practice courage and see your life thrive

Love-based vs fear-driven parenting shapes families

Grief changes us and so does love

Five things to remember when life feels too much

Anxiety and depression interrupted in four simple ways

Why parents matter

Categories
FearLess

Guest Post

Parenting with Courage

The post Powerful prayers to pray over your sons & daughters appeared first on Mandi Hart.

View more on Mandi Hart's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on May 08, 2020 03:10

Adapt to survive and thrive after setbacks

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” Albert Einstein

Everything is different. The world is not the same place today and every single person and family has had to adapt over the past few months. My hope is that this blog post will give you a handle on how to navigate setbacks and continue not only to endure but to thrive.

Metanoia.

What a beautiful word… roll it around not only in your head but on your tongue. It’s the kind of word that needs to be said out loud. Met-uh-noi-uh Adapt

Metanoia transliterated from the Greek word to mean a transformative change of heart, a profound, usually spiritual, transformation; conversion.

If we are going to thrive in this new world, we need to change our thinking. Now, this word first appears in Mark 1, where Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of God and of repentance. A complete change of mind

Reading is something I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed. Give me a delightful book and my I’m immediately captivated. I recently read Ted Dekker’s novel, The 49th Mystic and I love this quote: “Instead, look with new eyes. Change your cognitive perception, your thinking. Yeshua called this practice metanoia as written in ancient Greek. Meta, which means ”change” or ”beyond,” and noia, meaning ”thinking” or ”knowing.” Metanoia.”

How to adapt when you face a setback.

And so with this in mind, let’s look at how to face setbacks with confidence and boldness. How can you also help your children think about their future with hope?

Recognize your disappointment

First, recognize the disappointment and uneasiness that you (or your children) are feeling. What happened? What did you hear? In life, we will all experience disappointments and setbacks in ways we cannot control, but we do have a say over our response.

Online connections, meetings enable us to continue to learn, keep in touch and adapt

Then set a time limit for that disappointment. Feel it and express it (give yourself a limited time). Our emotions are meant to be felt but not lead us. I was also thrilled to read something that I’ve been saying for a while. In the 49th Mystic, Dekker writes: “All negative emotions are rooted in fear, most commonly fear of loss, my father said. The fear of losing worthiness created jealousy, fear of losing honor created anger, fear of losing security created anxiety, and so it went.” I guess another word for all of this is self-awareness.

Gather information to process it.

Secondly, get more information about what happened and process it. We see in Scripture that David when overwhelmed by disappointment and heard that his own men were talking about stoning him, he first strengthened himself in the Lord and then sought counsel. Can you take your frustration to the Lord and strengthen yourself there? After that, speak to someone. If you are a parent, consider praying with your children and help them unpack to the Lord in prayer what happened. Every conversation with your child is an opportunity for discipleship.

What question can you ask?

Thirdly, instead of dwelling in a downward spiral of ”why?” Consider asking “What now?” You can process this any number of ways. Write your options down, talk it through with a coach or mentor, or pray about it. Feel free to make a list or even take time to think about what now. This is a brilliant question to teach your children to ask when they face a setback.

Adapt is the next step.

Fourth, what do you need to do now to adapt? In adapting, we make something suitable for a new purpose or even become adjusted to new conditions.
Does it require a routine change, an alternative business plan or minor adjustment to your lifestyle? In the time of COVID-19 and when we go back to work, school, university and move around freely, how will you have adapted? What changes have you put in place in your personal life and family to thrive?

In the words of Charles F Glassman “There is only one way to survive and thrive when faced with circumstances out of our control and for which we are unprepared: ADAPT.”

Can you let me know what you have done to adapt and how have you handled setbacks in your life and family? I’d love to hear how you help your children process disappointments too.

If you’ve read all the way to the end and would like to know more about how to adapt, order my book, Courage in the Fire, here. The online versions are available for immediate download, but the hard copy will be on preorder till the printers return to work. To sweeten the deal, you can buy my book at a 25% discount by typing in the code: ADAPT2020 in the coupon code box.

Search for:

Follow
.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 li,.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle ul li i.et_social_icon { background: #7a9d96; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rounded .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rectangle .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle .et_social_icons_container li:hover i.et_social_icon { background: #dcae1d !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_rounded.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count, .et_monarch .et_social_rectangle.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; }

List of blogs

Adapt to survive and thrive after setbacks

Duncan Stewart – a man after creativity

Lessons from riding the waves

Can you think beyond COVID-19?

Life’s journey is not just about the destination

What’s the big deal about Courage in the Fire?

Now is the time. What are you going to do?

Love, connect and give: 3 ways to thrive

Fear & anxiety fueled by Corona Virus news

Why did I write a book on fear?

Food for living fearlessly

Your happiness is not directly proportional to your child’s happiness

Fresh wineskins for the new wine

Practice courage and see your life thrive

Love-based vs fear-driven parenting shapes families

Grief changes us and so does love

Five things to remember when life feels too much

Anxiety and depression interrupted in four simple ways

Why parents matter

Curiosity quest leads to conquering fear

Categories
FearLess

Guest Post

Parenting with Courage

The post Adapt to survive and thrive after setbacks appeared first on Mandi Hart.

View more on Mandi Hart's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on May 01, 2020 06:33

Duncan Stewart – a man after creativity

“My life and artwork are more than a message.” Duncan Stewart

“My life and artwork are more than a message; I hope that when people view my work, they recognise within themselves an unlimited potential to be creative to take more risks and for my work to evoke courage and a sense of hope in individuals. I would like for people who see my work, to want to get home as soon as possible to begin something they have always wanted to and now have had the initial kick start through seeing my work,” enthused Duncan.

A collaboration in creativity

When I first broached sharing a singular piece of artwork for my book, Duncan’s response was immediately positive. We both prayed about it to see if it could work. I was thrilled when we peace settled in our hearts, and we began the discussions about fear, healing and creativity.

My dream for Courage in the Fire is that people are inspired to grow and heal from fears that hold them back in life. Because creativity is a high value for our family, I thought that hope and healing can come not only through my words but through the images scattered throughout the book. Duncan’s work is both profound and deeply spiritual. His artworks can act as a catalyst to the reader’s heart and mind.

When I asked Duncan about creativity, he had this to say: “I am passionate about creativity because I believe there is a very real, and largely overlooked correlation between creativity and living well or well being. I believe the relationship between creativity and imagination mirrors faith. As every person has a measure of faith in something or someone, to greater and lesser degrees, so this is true for every person having a measure of creativity. But just as faith with works is dead or empty…so too imagination without any application is completely fruitless. You can be the most imaginative person, but if nothing comes from your imaginings, what’s the point? However, when we apply our imagination – these original ideas, in a way that adds value – we are being creative. Creativity is applied imagination. Faith without works is therefore like imagination while faith with works-application is creativity. To put it the other way around, creativity is faith with works.”

Have a look at some of the images below. You will find these in Courage in the Fire as they reflect the intention of the chapters they precede.

Chapter 3 Types of Fears: Thought Kinesis

Conversations at Sea (at the front of the book)

Duncan Stewarts images in Courage in the Fire

Excavation

Duncan’s inspiration

Duncan says that the miracle of salvation inspires him. “It is the ultimate impetus for all my work. Sometimes overtly using a literal language but more often than not, I prefer to employ common, everyday imagery and subject matter in an attempt to express the gospel, using visual parables. Beauty, as found in God’s creation is another source of inspiration for me – in particular where the energies of nature intersect with the existence and ingenuity of humankind – where man and nature co-labour for the greater good. AN example is sailing – wind and water harnessed in an explosive relationship of speed and adrenalin through human technology.”

When I spoke to Duncan about the title, and he read the manuscript, he immediately identified with it and expressed a heartfelt desire to see people freed from fear. He and I both experienced the power of fear and anxiety and could walk into freedom from it over time. Courage to conquer fear!

Here is some of Duncan’s story of how he experienced courage in one of life’s fires:

I proposed to the wrong girl. Or rather, I asked a girl to marry me whom God had set apart for someone else, and the minute I did the peace of God left me. This was not something I had entered into lightly either, but rather had faithfully fasted and prayed about this huge decision. For eight months, I wrestled with God, myself, thoughts, outside opinions, friends and family….a real cauldron of anxiety. Ultimately, God’s pressing conviction on my heart gave me the courage to call off the engagement, facing the family fallout and unbearable pain that my actions would, and did, cause.

But God gave me this supernatural wisdom and courage to navigate that fire in a way that I can only testify was by his grace and power. It wasn’t a year after that that I met and married my soul mate and one of God’s very best daughters.

Just the other day, I shared how, inside of each one of us, we carry the seed of potential and dreams embedded in our hearts. We only need to water those seeds, nourish the dreams and have the courage to risk trying it out.

Duncan expressed that somewhere deep inside of him resides a belief, a boyish sense of adventure that sees a man, an artist becoming a vessel used by God to reconcile the lost to the Father. “My dream is to bring God maximum glory through my heart and art and life. And that starts with maximum obedience, which ofttimes comes through suffering…or the fire. I can say more definitely than ever before in my life, that nothing compares to the all-surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus.”

Chapter 9: Making Silent Waves

To follow Duncan’s story and life, go to his website and social media pages. Better yet, buy some of his art!

Based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, the incredible diversity and scope of Duncan Stewart’s art is a good indicator of what inspires this artist. Duncan works across various media but predominantly in painting, drawing and sculpture. He developed his visual language early on by studying design. He has a National Diploma in Graphic Design. After that, Duncan moved to Italy to train further with the equivalent of a B.F.A. from the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute in Florence.

He describes his art as a holy discontent that ceaselessly fuels his creative exploration into the life lived by faith in Christ. Duncan has shared his growing understanding of the relationships between imagination and faith not only through his art but also through engaging individuals and organisations on various platforms.

For more about Duncan, visit his website at https://duncanstewart.co.za/

Search for:

Follow
.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 li,.et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle ul li i.et_social_icon { background: #7a9d96; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rounded .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_rectangle .et_social_icons_container li:hover, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0.et_social_circle .et_social_icons_container li:hover i.et_social_icon { background: #dcae1d !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; } .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_icon, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_networks .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_network_label, .et_monarch .et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_networkname, .et_monarch .et_social_rounded.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count, .et_monarch .et_social_rectangle.et_social_shortcode_0 .et_social_icons_container li:hover .et_social_count { color: #ffffff !important; }

List of blogs

Duncan Stewart – a man after creativity

Lessons from riding the waves

Can you think beyond COVID-19?

Life’s journey is not just about the destination

What’s the big deal about Courage in the Fire?

Now is the time. What are you going to do?

Love, connect and give: 3 ways to thrive

Fear & anxiety fueled by Corona Virus news

Why did I write a book on fear?

Food for living fearlessly

Your happiness is not directly proportional to your child’s happiness

Fresh wineskins for the new wine

Practice courage and see your life thrive

Love-based vs fear-driven parenting shapes families

Grief changes us and so does love

Five things to remember when life feels too much

Anxiety and depression interrupted in four simple ways

Why parents matter

Curiosity quest leads to conquering fear

Parenting with expectations – helpful or not?

Categories
FearLess

Guest Post

Parenting with Courage

The post Duncan Stewart – a man after creativity appeared first on Mandi Hart.

View more on Mandi Hart's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on April 23, 2020 01:10