1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 2: You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, helping 3 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 2: you pray God's word for your family in the areas 4 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 2: you need at most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here 5 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 2: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 6 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 2: and best response in parenting, and every day we come 7 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,520 Speaker 2: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 8 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 2: Today's devotion is written and read by Brooke McLoughlin, founder 9 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,880 Speaker 2: of Million Praying Moms. She's the author of so many 10 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 2: wonderful resources, including Everyday Prayers for Peace and Everyday Prayers 11 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 2: for Patients. To find out more about Brook, or to 12 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 2: learn more about the ministry of Million Praying Moms, visit 13 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 2: Millionprayingmoms dot com. You can find a link in our 14 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 2: show notes. After a quick word from our sponsors, will 15 00:00:58,360 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 2: pray together for our families. 16 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: Colossians three one through four. So, if you have been 17 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: raised with Christ, seek the things above where Christ is 18 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,119 Speaker 1: seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind 19 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 1: on things above, not on earthly things. For you died 20 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 1: and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, 21 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: who is your life, appears, then you also will appear 22 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: with him in glory. I knew it was coming almost 23 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: two months before the day arrived, sixty days. I had 24 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: to prepare myself for the blow. I could sense was coming, 25 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: and prepare I did. But when it came, it still 26 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: felt like I'd been punched square in the face watching 27 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: her child get hurt by mean people will do that 28 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 1: to a mom. And suddenly I found myself in an 29 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: intense Colossians three battle. The heading for chapter three in 30 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: my Bible reads the Life of the New Man, and 31 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: the words of Paul in this letter urge the believers 32 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: to put off things like anger, wrath, malice, slander, and 33 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: filthy language. Put on instead, he says, the new self, compassion, kindness, humility, 34 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: gentleness and patience, and above all love. I've read and 35 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: studied Colossians many times, and I knew what I needed 36 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: to do. I actually wanted to do what I needed 37 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: to do to walk as a new woman in Christ. 38 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: The problem was that I couldn't do it by myself. 39 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: As I went to sleep on a Thursday night that week, 40 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: I confessed it to God. I texted trusted friends, confessed 41 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 1: it to them and asked them to pray for me. 42 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: I wanted to lay my anger and bitterness aside, but 43 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: I simply couldn't manage it alone, so I asked for help. 44 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: The next morning, I woke up physically sick. My stomach 45 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: was upset, and I felt nauseous. On the agenda for 46 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: that day was an almost eight hour round trip to Richmond, 47 00:02:55,919 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: Virginia to minister to moms. Friends. Please don't think less 48 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: of me when I confess to you how much I 49 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: did not want to go. My heart was broken, my 50 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: spirit wasn't cooperating, and my body had just jumped on 51 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: the bandwagon. I felt betrayed and just couldn't figure out 52 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 1: how I was supposed to share hope when it felt 53 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,080 Speaker 1: like I didn't have any myself. So I did the 54 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 1: only thing I knew to do, opening my Bible yet again, 55 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,919 Speaker 1: to Colossians three. I re read the words of Paul 56 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: about putting off and putting on, except this time my 57 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: eyes tuned in to verses one through four, our passage 58 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 1: for today. And as clearly as I'd be able to 59 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: hear you speak to me if we were chatting over coffee, 60 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: I felt the Lord whisper to my soul, sweetheart, we 61 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: have more important things to do today. There is Kingdom 62 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: work to be done. I asked you to go and 63 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: share what I've taught you about the power of praying 64 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: for your boys, because there are moms who will hear 65 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: that I want to teach to pray for the first time. 66 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: I want to use their prayers to impact their children 67 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: and their children's children generations. So let's go. And I 68 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: can't explain it, but in that moment, my sickness lifted 69 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: as I embraced the truth that I needed to be 70 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 1: about my father's work. I was instantly relieved of the 71 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: nausea and the bitterness and anger i'd been fighting, and 72 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 1: felt joy returned to my heart. I was reminded of 73 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 1: my greater mission, and then it all shifted into place. 74 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: I don't know what you're fighting today, mom, I do 75 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: know that it's easier to handle when people attack me 76 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: directly than it is for me to watch my childhurt, 77 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: and I imagine you feel the same. But let my 78 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: words today serve as a living testimony that even when 79 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 1: you feel you don't have the strength or ability to 80 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: live out the put off, put on life, God has 81 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: all the strength you need. Turn to Him, turn to 82 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: trusted friends, and don't be ashamed to ask for help. 83 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 1: Set your mind on the things above, and walk forward 84 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 1: in the joy of the Lord you have caingdom work 85 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: to do. Let's pray, Father, we are weak, but you 86 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 1: are strong. Thank you for giving us your words so 87 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: we can know how to live in a way that 88 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 1: honors you. But more than that, thank you for giving 89 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: us a real relationship with you that breathes life into 90 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: us when we can't do it on our own. We 91 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: love you. Help us to keep our eyes on the 92 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: things above. In Jesus' name. Amen. 93 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 2: I hope you are following along with us in our 94 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: summer book club featuring the book When Mothering is Hard 95 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 2: and no One sees by Scheline Roberts. If you have 96 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 2: not joined us yet, it's not too late to jump in. 97 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 2: Head to the homepage of our website to find out more. 98 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:44,479 Speaker 2: Until next time, friends, the Lord bless you and keep you. 99 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 2: Make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. 100 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 2: May the Lord look with favor on you and give 101 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 2: you his peace.