Another thing

I was sitting in one of the sessions and Jeff Myers was the speaker.  He is a VERY gifted speaker!  If you ever have a chance to hear him, go!  He is a professor at Bryan College and the founder of Passing the Baton ministries.   Wow!  Talk about catching a vision for raising your children!  His heart is to see children raised in a Godly home where us parents pass the baton of Godly faithfulness on to them.

  One of the things he said that really stuck with me, (and made me laugh cause it's so true) is this, "You come to a conference like this and get all these great ideas.  Then you go home and everything is still the same!"  Ah he is sooooo right!  I did get all these great ideas and yet I come home to the same life, same husband, same kids that I left.  They didn't change just cause I got some ideas!

  So Jeff taught us from God's Word about how to pass the baton.  How did Jesus do it?

1. Jesus led based on his TOTAL OBEDIENCE to God.  He did everything God told him to do and NOTHING else.  

  Whoa!  That alone was convicting for me.  Then to make it even more gut wrenching, he asked this, "How many things do you do everyday because you think people expect you to?"  Ummm, let me just say ALOT of what I do everyday is for this reason. I have some serious work to do in this area.  Part of my struggle is that I absolutely love serving others.  But often I don't stop to consider if God is directing me to do the tasks.  I just assume I have His blessing and do it!  Foolish!

2. Jesus led based on His anointing

  We all have a calling.  He suggested we develop our own personal board of directors to consult about our calling.

3. Jesus led based on his deep love for his followers

 Love this one!  He said Jesus never called the disciples, disciples, he called them brothers and friends.  

 We all have a deep love for our children.  Man, I hope my love starts to win out over my selfishness more and more.

  And so many of us have little nick names for our kiddos.  Doesn't that communicate a deep love for them?  Gracie is boog and Piper is Pipes.

4. Jesus led based on his intercession for them

  Another punch in the gut!  I don't pray for my children near enough.  I have been working on that lately, but there is still much change needed here.  I want to pray for them really specifically, not just help her to obey...

5. Jesus led based on his trust in GOD'S WORK  in them

  Again, ouch!  I am so self-reliant! My poor children.  Like I have any ability to change their hearts and give them salvation.  Only God can do that.  I need to pray more for God's hand on their lives.

6. Jesus led based on his transparent with-ness

 We must involve our kids in our lives.  Jesus spent 14 months having the disciples doing nothing but going with him everywhere.

  Gracie is with me at all times.  She loves to follow me wherever I go.  In fact, she has decided that she doesn't even want to go to Gamma's without me.  Hmmm, I can't believe that one. Anyway, I need to make a point to make this time with her, which comes so easily, more profitable as I have said before.  And then of course, I need to take the same time with Piper.

7. Jesus led based on a primary concern for character development

 Isn't that our goal moms and dads?  Now it needs to be my primary concern.

So there you have it!  This time was sooooo full of meat for me.  I am so grateful for it.  I hope you will notice lasting change in my life as I seek to apply these messages that so gripped my heart.