1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: Life Audio. You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying 2 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: Moms helping you pray God's word for your family in 3 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 1: the areas you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. 4 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: Here we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our 5 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 1: first and best response in parenting, and every day we 6 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: come together to partner with God for the hearts of 7 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: our children. Today's devotionion is written and read by Tara L. Cole, 8 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 1: author of Everyday Prayers for the School Year. Today, Tara 9 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: shares a prayer for our children to find their identity 10 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: in Christ alone. To find out more about Tara or 11 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 1: to learn more about the ministry of Million Praying Moms, 12 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: visit Millionprayingmoms dot com. You'll find a link in our 13 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: show notes after a quick word from our sponsors, prayed 14 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: together for our family. 15 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 2: After two years of being bullied daily, I finally made 16 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 2: friends in seventh grade. The first day of school, Christy 17 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 2: leaned over to my desk during homeroom and said, Hi, 18 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 2: that one little gesture opened the door to a whole 19 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 2: group of friends. Each morning, before the school doors opened, 20 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 2: we would huddle together in a tight circle, trying to 21 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 2: stay warm during the frigid Pennsylvania fall and winter. The 22 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 2: circlement some were in and some were out. One girl 23 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 2: in particular was frequently out. I don't know why. Her 24 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 2: status in school had been determined long before middle school, 25 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,399 Speaker 2: but along with my new friends, I closed the circle 26 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 2: and left her out. She was my neighbor who I 27 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 2: played with during the summers in elementary school. I had 28 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 2: felt the scene of rejection for the previous two years 29 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 2: and knew what it felt like, and yet I left 30 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 2: her out. I should have known better. I should have 31 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 2: reached out. I should have, but because of my fear, 32 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 2: I didn't. I left her standing out in the cold, 33 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: peering over our shoulders, her eyes begging first spot in 34 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 2: the circle. At that time, I knew God, but I 35 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: wasn't a friend of God. I was a Christian, yes, 36 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 2: but I certainly didn't act like one. As First John 37 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,639 Speaker 2: for says, if anyone says I love God and yet 38 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 2: hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For 39 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 2: the person who does not love his brother or sister 40 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 2: whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has 41 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 2: not seen. I wish I had the courage of Jonathan, 42 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:25,919 Speaker 2: the son of Saul, who was willing to risk everything 43 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: for his friend David. Jonathan was a prince of Israel 44 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 2: and had every reason to close the circle against a 45 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 2: shepherd from Bethlehem whom his father had hate relationship with. Yes, 46 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 2: David defeated Goliath and others, but Saw was jealous of 47 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 2: the people's love for David. Despite this conflict of interest, 48 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 2: Jonathan risked everything to be David's friend and help him, 49 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 2: even to the point of warning him to run when 50 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 2: Saul again was looked for a way to kill David. 51 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 2: Instead of seeking to police his father, Jonathan believed what 52 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 2: God said specifically about David and supported his friend. Jonathan 53 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: believed God. When we are God's friend, we believe him. 54 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 2: We believe what he says about himself. That he is 55 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 2: present Hebrews thirteen five. He is loving Lamentations three twenty 56 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 2: two through twenty three, and he cares for us one 57 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:16,519 Speaker 2: Peter five seven. And we believe what he says about us. 58 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 2: We are made in his image genusis one twenty six 59 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 2: through twenty seven. We are precious Isaiah forty three four. 60 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,639 Speaker 2: And we are a wonderful creation Psalm one thirty nine fourteen. 61 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 2: When we believe God, we allow him to fill up 62 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 2: the holes we so often try to fill with people. 63 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 2: If I had believed God in middle school, this story 64 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 2: would have had a different ending. I would have had 65 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 2: the confidence to invite my neighbor into the group. I 66 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 2: wouldn't have worried about the group's approval because I would 67 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 2: been confident in God's approval. Instead of fleeting friendships that 68 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 2: lasted four or ten years, I would have had a 69 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 2: lifelong friend. When we pray about friends for our kids, 70 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 2: we often pray that others will reach out to them. 71 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 2: We want someone to see our kids and invite them 72 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 2: into the circle. What if instead we help them become 73 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 2: a friend of God. What if our kids spend the 74 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 2: time waiting for friends instead with God and learning to 75 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 2: believe what He says about himself and them, then they 76 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 2: could seek God's approval instead of the kids around them. 77 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:17,479 Speaker 2: Let's pray, Father, as our kids pray and wait for friends, 78 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 2: help them to spend this time deepening the relationship with 79 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 2: You and believe what you say about them above all 80 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 2: others and Jesus' name. 81 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: Amen, I hope you are following along with us in 82 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 1: our summer book club featuring the book When Mothering his 83 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: Heart and no one sees by Scheline Roberts. If you 84 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 1: have not joined us yet, it's not too late to 85 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: jump in. Head to the homepage of our website to 86 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: find out more. Until next time, friends, the Lord bless 87 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: you and keep you. Make his face shine upon you, 88 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: and be gracious to you me. The Lord look with 89 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: favor on you, and give you his peace.