1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 2: You're listening to every Day Prayers with million praying moms 3 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:19,799 Speaker 2: helping you pray God's word for your family in the 4 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,280 Speaker 2: areas you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here, 5 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 2: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 6 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 2: and best response in parenting, and every day we come 7 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 2: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 8 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: Happy April, friends. 9 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 2: I'm so excited because this month we are hosting the 10 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 2: Everyday Prayers for Gentleness book Club on the podcast to 11 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 2: celebrate our newest devotional release by Christy Thomas. I am 12 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 2: so excited for this journey that we are going to 13 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 2: take together, and I wanted to take a minute to 14 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 2: tell you a little bit about it to make sure 15 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: that you know all of the details. We're going to 16 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 2: begin this journey together on Monday, April the sixth, the 17 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 2: Monday after Easter. You're going to let everybody get through 18 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 2: their Easter celebrations and then we're going to start reading 19 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 2: the Gentleness Book together. I do want to tell you you're 20 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 2: not going to want to miss our episode this Friday. 21 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 2: That's kind of the kickoff to this because Christy Thomas 22 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 2: and I are going to talk about how Jesus's death 23 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 2: on the cross is the ultimate gentle answer that turns 24 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 2: away wrath. And it really this conversation with Christy really 25 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 2: shaped and changed the way that I'm looking at the 26 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 2: Crucifixion this year and the gift that Jesus gives us 27 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 2: through his death and resurrection, and I believe it's going 28 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 2: to encourage you as well. So we're going to kick 29 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 2: that off on Friday, and then on Monday, we're going 30 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 2: to get going on our book club of spending thirty 31 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 2: days reading through everyday prayers for Gentleness. You want to 32 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 2: go ahead and grab your copy get it sent over 33 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 2: to your house so that you can begin to read 34 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: with us on Monday. 35 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: We're hosting this book club on. 36 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 2: The free tier of our Patreon account, and so what 37 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 2: I want you to know about that is it is 38 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 2: completely free to you this month only. We're offering to 39 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 2: everybody and anybody all of the perks of our normal 40 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 2: paid members on our Patreon account. 41 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: So you're gonna want to check that out. 42 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 2: We've got information about that on our website about all 43 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 2: that's included in that. But one of the main things 44 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:17,399 Speaker 2: you need to know is there's our reading gud who 45 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 2: doesn't love a checklist that you can follow along with 46 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 2: what we're reading this month on the podcast, and I 47 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 2: want to give you a quick preview. We're going to 48 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 2: be reading on Monday through Wednesday. Christy's going to be 49 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,920 Speaker 2: taking us through excerpts from the book that we're reading 50 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 2: that day in the reading plan, following along together. And 51 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:38,519 Speaker 2: then on Thursdays, we're going to do something a little 52 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: bit different because Christy, believe it or not, is a 53 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 2: fantastic Family Disciple Show coach. Christy's background is in kids 54 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 2: ministry and family ministry and she brings a wealth of 55 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 2: knowledge to us on those topics, and so I wanted 56 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 2: her to share with us some of her tools around that. 57 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 2: And she wrote a book a couple of years ago 58 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 2: called Fruit, and it's a family devotional about the fruits 59 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 2: of the spirit. I could not recommend it more. And 60 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 2: on Thursdays she's going to be sharing devotionals from that 61 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 2: book for the whole family on gentleness and so on 62 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 2: those days, I invite you to play the podcast out 63 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 2: loud to your family, maybe in the carpool line, maybe 64 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 2: at the dinner table, that you can share in that 65 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 2: devotional together as we're all aiming to grow in gentleness 66 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 2: and those are aimed for families. And then on Fridays, 67 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 2: we're hosting Christy and I are hosting some conversation around gentleness, 68 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 2: because gentleness is something that we often can misunderstand, specifically 69 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 2: when we're talking about biblical gentleness and really broadening our 70 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: definition around that and our understanding around that. So Christy 71 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 2: and I will have interview episodes on Friday where we're 72 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 2: digging into some of these topics together. 73 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: Y'all. 74 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 2: They were such rich conversations and I cannot wait for 75 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 2: you to hear them, so make sure you're tuning in 76 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 2: on Fridays. You can listen to it here on wherever 77 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 2: you listen to podcasts. You can also watch the interviews 78 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 2: on YouTube. It's going to be such a great month 79 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 2: of April reading through Everyday Prayers. Grab your book on 80 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 2: Amazon or on our mom shop and start reading with 81 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,039 Speaker 2: us this Monday, and tune in Friday for our special 82 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 2: Good Friday episode to learn more about the Million Praying 83 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 2: Mom's ministry. As always, visit Millionprayingmoms dot com. You can 84 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 2: find a link in our show notes. Today's devotion is 85 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,919 Speaker 2: written and read by Britt Eaton. She's a mom and 86 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 2: the co author of Uncovery Understanding the Power of Community 87 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 2: to Heal Trauma. To learn more about brit Or. To 88 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 2: learn more about the ministry of Million Praying Moms, visit 89 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:44,040 Speaker 2: our show notes or Millionpraying Moms dot com. After a 90 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 2: quick word from our sponsors, we'll pray together for our families. 91 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 3: Genesis Chapter one, Verse twenty seven. So God created mankind 92 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 3: in his own image, in the image of God. He 93 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 3: created them male and female. He created them. 94 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: When my daughter was. 95 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 3: Little, she loved to draw pencils, crayons, and paint to 96 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 3: fresh paper. Produced countless originals, stick figure impressions of schoolyard besties, 97 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 3: a menagerie of flufy animals and smiley suns, floating over 98 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 3: dream houses, dream horses, and dream husbands. In those precious 99 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 3: early years, her creativity knew no bounds, partly because she 100 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 3: didn't know there were any. Genesis one twenty seven tells 101 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 3: us God created mankind in his own image, in the 102 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 3: image of God. He created them male and female. He 103 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 3: created them. That truth is richer than we realize. Our 104 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:56,280 Speaker 3: creator made us creators, too. He gave us imagination, vision 105 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 3: and the ability to shape the world around us. It's 106 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 3: so easy to forget the creative element of our divine Dna. 107 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 3: We are all creative by nature, but the world teaches 108 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 3: us early on that creativity is a commodity to exploit. 109 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 3: Even career creatives like me can be tempted to believe 110 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 3: the lie that we are only as valuable as what 111 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 3: we produce. And let's be honest, by those terms, none 112 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:29,599 Speaker 3: of us will ever be good enough. Our kids deserve better. 113 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 3: We deserve better too. You may not think yourself a 114 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 3: creative type, but artists, musicians, writers, and designers aren't the 115 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 3: only ones who get to lean into God's gift of creativity. 116 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 3: Thinkers and dreamers, adventurers and innovators, visionaries and workers of 117 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 3: all kinds are included, especially moms like you, who are 118 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 3: shaping the hearts, minds, and souls of your family tree 119 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 3: by grace. Creativity is a gift. It can be honed 120 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:08,600 Speaker 3: and strengthened, and as moms, we get to practice it 121 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 3: in the most ordinary of extraordinary places. We're making safe 122 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 3: haven homes where peace reigns. We're stimulating and shaping our 123 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 3: children's imaginations. We're building rhythms of faith that will echo 124 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:28,119 Speaker 3: for generations, and we're raising up a generation that will 125 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 3: God willing surpass us in every way. When we engage 126 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 3: in these intensely creative endeavors with God, we get to 127 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 3: co create a future that's far better than we could 128 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 3: ask for or imagine. And as our children grow, we 129 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 3: begin to see outlines of grace forming guiding them as 130 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 3: they learn to co create with God in their own way. 131 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 3: My daughter's god giving creativity looks different at sixteen than 132 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 3: I did at six oh Her strokes cut clean lines 133 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 3: through water. As she grows into a leader on her 134 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 3: high school swim team. She's traded crans and paper for 135 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 3: a blush pink MacBook, using words instead of colors to 136 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 3: craft thoughtful essays and spirited debates for English class. She 137 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 3: still dreams big, and those dreams now carry strategy, intention, 138 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 3: and brilliance that makes me marvel at the woman she's becoming. 139 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 3: The most beautiful part she needs no applause. Somewhere along 140 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 3: the way she learned the truth that who she is 141 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 3: matters far more than what she produces. She knows she 142 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 3: is deeply delighted in by God and by us. 143 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 1: There's nothing more she needs to do. 144 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 3: And when a person knows that kind of deep belonging, 145 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 3: they can freely participate in a holy creativity that has 146 00:08:56,040 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 3: no beginning and will have no end. Let's pray God, 147 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 3: thank you for creating us in your image, an image 148 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 3: that reflects your beauty, your imagination, and your delight. Thank 149 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 3: you for the ways you place creativity in each and 150 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 3: every one of us, and for the unique ways it 151 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 3: unfolds in our lives and in the lives of our children. 152 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:26,559 Speaker 3: Help us remember that our worth and theirs is never 153 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 3: found in what we produce or accomplish. Teach us to 154 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 3: rest in the deeper truth that we are already fully known, 155 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 3: fully loved, and delighted in by you. Amen. 156 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 2: As part of our book called this Month, we are 157 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 2: making all of the wonderful perks of our paid Patreon 158 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,959 Speaker 2: members available at the free tier. That's right, The daily 159 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:53,439 Speaker 2: divisionals in written form, bonus material, special previews, and more 160 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 2: free to you this month only. See the link in 161 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 2: our show notes are on our website to get connected. 162 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 2: Next time, friends, the Lord bless you and keep you, 163 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 2: Make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. 164 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 2: May the Lord look with favor upon you, and give 165 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 2: you peace.