Life with Sally

Little by little, we must strengthen our children's muscles of brining hope to their world by giving them the opportunity to be sources of hope and comfort and love to those in need.

Words have influence over who a human being becomes. That is why we must consider how to invest words of love, hope, truth, and encouragement, practice saying them regularly, and why we must teach children to ponder what words of life are and how to give them to others.  

Through almost seven decades of life, I found myself tossed about in overwhelming life storms through many different seasons. In Help, I'm Drowning , I reflected on challenges that took me by surprise. Though there are no easy answers, I would like to help lead you to the One who is with us and will see us through.

At 68, I can see that somehow, as I literally cried through these life storms, as I begged God for help and wisdom, He was there, even when I could not feel or see him. This week, I am gently sending  Help, I'm Drowning  out into the world. I pray you will be encouraged.

If a child grows up serving, it will become natural to them. Making " I love you" cards, plates of cookies for neighbors, and serving meals at the homeless shelter helped our children to learn to give time and effort to ease someone else's life. We are called the serve one another, just as Jesus called his disciples to serve along beside him and in this practice.

People are always asking us, "How did you do it? How did you inspire your children to be authors, movie makers, composers, college instructors, podcasters?" This was the way — imagination, nightly discussions over great meals, close, delightful relationships every day. This is how their hearts, minds, and lives were shaped into adults who could imagine influencing their worlds for good.

Training a child to choose to love by showing kindness, gentleness and respect will prepare them to go before kings or paupers and to become leaders in their generation. It starts with an attitude that says, "God has designed me to love people, to be humble like He was, to show respect and kindness."

Cultivating habits that sustain our lives and fill us with joy is one way we have learned to move forward every day, to find how to make life sustainable. Join Joy and me as we share some of our thoughts.

We have an incredible capacity to be strong, grow in intellectual excellence as we exercise the muscles of our minds, to leave a legacy of faith and integrity — but it requires that we also exercise our will, submit to God's discipline, and strain after His ways by following His heart.

In writing 'Help, I'm Drowning' I wanted to share some of the storms I faced and how walking with God led me to a life of flourishing and one in which He was building my life on the rock of eternal values. I hope you will be encouraged right where you are in your own storms and difficulties in life.

Staying strong and faithful through all the years is what built my own precious one into the woman she has become. And though you can't see it yet, your thousands of moments of faithfulness is shaping that child into what will become a strong, loving, faithful adult.

Honor comes with humility—the ability to see others as more important than ourselves. To teach honor and obedience means we will have to occasionally cross our children's wills. It's not easy, but it's necessary.

Today, I'll talk about what it looks like to find God's strength, with Him lifting the load with me, no matter what I am carrying. I share some of my favorite verses about His strength. I pray that it will encourage you along your own path, and pray you will know God's love in your journey.

The habit of coming to God every day, taking time specifically to seek Him, to listen to Him, to ponder His ways and engage in His truth is the most profound action that will shape your life.

For a long time, I have wanted to do a weekly podcast that was just fun and informative, about what we are doing in the UK and tidbits of this and that. Today, that's just what Joy and I talked about.

I am seeing how much kindness means to me — to be served so sweetly, without any malice or resentment, through the loving acts of my family. It is the kindness of God I have experienced, and now I am more than ever moved to learn to become more kind, considerate in active ways to others who need my attention.

Millions of people all over the world have been brought closer to Christ through this transforming story so beautifully presented in full color through episodes that draw us into the intimacy of the stories Jesus lived. I hope you will watch The Chosen, directed by Dallas Jenkins, with your family.

In This Beautiful Truth , Sarah Clarkson shares her encounters with beauty in the midst of her decade-long struggle with mental illness, depression, and doubt. In a voice both vulnerable and reflective, she paints a compelling picture of the God who reaches out to us in a powerful way through the 'taste and see' goodness of what He has made and what continues to create amid our darkness.

Preparing to become mature at loving God or preparing my children to become adults who knew how to love started with teaching them God's most important commandment: to love Him with all their hearts, souls, and minds.

If we live breathing the depth of God's love for ourselves, we come to understand that God's love is essential to our understanding of Him, what drove Him to the cross, what He longs to share with us. Love is the essence of God's character. Join me today as I elaborate on verses that speak about God's steadfast love as a model for what we are to grow into.

Many years ago, Clay and I dreamed up the idea of Our 24 Family Ways as we discussed our desire to disciple our children as we walked along the path of life together. As parents of young children, we wanted them to have strong foundations of godly character and an understanding of what it meant to please God so that they could develop integrity.

What if God designed home, motherhood, & family to be the foundational community upon which society was to emerge from — a place of truth, goodness, & wholeness? What if we were designed to be caretakers of such a task because of the sacredness God placed on women because of His great esteem for them?

I have realized over the years that the most important element to a Christian parent, in regards to discipline, is not the method, but the heart attitude towards God as a Father of us. When we become our children's advocates, always for them, defending them, protecting them, we are helping them grow as we extend the mercy, kindness, and teachings of God.

Your faithfulness matters. The moments of lifegiving relationships, truth discussed, virtue modeled, happens over thousands of days, many years, lots of laying down of life. You are writing your own story of faith and faithfulness. Join me today and be encouraged in your own life to live faithfully.

Your children long to see you as their heroes — those who inspire, live with courage, bring truth to bear in your generation. Each of us has a part. You will love the tales we talk about today and perhaps someone will be telling your faithful tale to others who need courage to live as women of valiance and light. Enjoy and be inspired.