1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,620 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:15,270 --> 00:00:18,490 Speaker 2: You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, helping 3 00:00:18,590 --> 00:00:20,950 Speaker 2: you pray God's word for your family in the areas 4 00:00:20,989 --> 00:00:24,029 Speaker 2: you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here, 5 00:00:24,110 --> 00:00:26,810 Speaker 2: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 6 00:00:26,930 --> 00:00:29,860 Speaker 2: and best response in parenting. And every day, we come 7 00:00:29,900 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 2: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 8 00:00:33,300 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 2: This fall, we've been praying through the nine for the 9 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 2: spirit in nine weeks. I hope that it has blessed 10 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 2: you in the same way that it has blessed me. 11 00:00:41,659 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 2: If you haven't been with us, it's not too late 12 00:00:43,180 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 2: to jump in. This week, our prayer focus is goodness. Goodness. 13 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,340 Speaker 1: I am so thankful for the. 14 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:57,630 Speaker 2: Powerful truth that goodness and mercy are following all of 15 00:00:57,780 --> 00:01:00,490 Speaker 2: us all the days of our lives. 16 00:01:01,900 --> 00:01:04,259 Speaker 1: What a promise we can rest in today. 17 00:01:05,140 --> 00:01:07,780 Speaker 2: Today's devotion is written and read by me, excerpted from 18 00:01:07,819 --> 00:01:10,970 Speaker 2: my new book, releasing next month, Everyday Prayers for Moms. 19 00:01:11,090 --> 00:01:14,149 Speaker 2: It's now available for pre-order wherever books are sold. To 20 00:01:14,190 --> 00:01:16,830 Speaker 2: learn more about our ministry, to grab copies of our 21 00:01:16,890 --> 00:01:22,260 Speaker 2: Everyday Prayers devotionals, which this series is adopted from, visit millionprayingmoms.com, 22 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 2: click shop, use the code FALL20 for 20% off your order. 23 00:01:26,260 --> 00:01:28,540 Speaker 2: After a quick word from our sponsors, we'll pray together 24 00:01:28,700 --> 00:01:35,300 Speaker 2: for our children. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me 25 00:01:35,940 --> 00:01:38,980 Speaker 2: all the days of my life, and I shall dwell 26 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:44,140 Speaker 2: in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23, 6. 27 00:01:44,140 --> 00:01:47,310 Speaker 2: A few years back, my brother got an Australian Shepherd 28 00:01:47,350 --> 00:01:52,610 Speaker 2: puppy with an auburn coat and piercing blue eyes. Australian 29 00:01:52,630 --> 00:01:55,210 Speaker 2: Shepherds are herding dogs, and my brother was told that 30 00:01:55,270 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 2: Sidney would have herding traits and may try to herd 31 00:01:58,580 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 2: his humans. When Josie was a baby and my brother 32 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:03,820 Speaker 2: went out of town, I got to puppy sit Sidney. 33 00:02:04,420 --> 00:02:07,140 Speaker 2: We joked that Sidney thought Josie was his little lamb. 34 00:02:07,660 --> 00:02:10,780 Speaker 2: I have a vivid memory of Josie toddling about while 35 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,859 Speaker 2: Sidney was nosing her heels, herding her along. He was 36 00:02:14,980 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 2: so gentle with her, but kept up with her every step. 37 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:22,180 Speaker 2: When she was napping, he would lie down right outside 38 00:02:22,220 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 2: her door and wait for her to wake up. When 39 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 2: she cried, he would come and get one of us 40 00:02:27,340 --> 00:02:31,730 Speaker 2: and bark. When I read this verse from Psalm 23, 41 00:02:31,730 --> 00:02:34,950 Speaker 2: I think about Sidney herding Josie along. It's how I 42 00:02:34,990 --> 00:02:38,130 Speaker 2: picture goodness and mercy following me, right at my heels, 43 00:02:38,630 --> 00:02:41,410 Speaker 2: leading me in the right direction, showing me where to 44 00:02:41,460 --> 00:02:43,700 Speaker 2: turn and when to stay straight ahead. 45 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:46,340 Speaker 1: David's use of. 46 00:02:46,340 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 2: The word surely in this psalm really resonates with me. 47 00:02:51,100 --> 00:02:55,370 Speaker 2: It is a promise, something we can count on. As moms, 48 00:02:55,910 --> 00:03:00,790 Speaker 2: we can take comfort, that wherever our children go, goodness 49 00:03:00,990 --> 00:03:06,310 Speaker 2: will follow them. God will pursue them continually. We can 50 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:10,300 Speaker 2: rest assured that no matter where they are, He will 51 00:03:10,340 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 2: be right on their heels in the best way. In 52 00:03:14,780 --> 00:03:18,900 Speaker 2: my son's room, I have framed the Lord's promise to Joshua. 53 00:03:19,860 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 2: For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. 54 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:28,929 Speaker 2: Joshua 1.9 My sister's oldest son has very extreme food 55 00:03:29,030 --> 00:03:31,250 Speaker 2: allergies that she has been able to stay on top 56 00:03:31,389 --> 00:03:34,670 Speaker 2: of most of his life. He was admitted into their 57 00:03:34,750 --> 00:03:39,910 Speaker 2: state college, which is allergy friendly, accommodates food allergies during 58 00:03:39,950 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 2: dorm assignments, and has a dining hall that is free 59 00:03:42,790 --> 00:03:47,300 Speaker 2: of top allergens. But he chose to attend a university 60 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:50,500 Speaker 2: he had dreamed about since childhood, and it is not 61 00:03:51,020 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 2: allergen friendly. He was placed in the dorm lotto, and 62 00:03:55,130 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 2: they would not allow special selection based on allergies. Additionally, 63 00:03:59,460 --> 00:04:01,860 Speaker 2: they did not offer many foods that were safe for him. 64 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: His diet consisted of pizza, chicken strips, and cereal, which 65 00:04:06,580 --> 00:04:09,100 Speaker 2: is really not all that different from most college students. 66 00:04:11,140 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 2: Not only did my sister feel all of the normal 67 00:04:13,620 --> 00:04:16,740 Speaker 2: feelings a mom feels when letting a child go away 68 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:21,930 Speaker 2: to college, she also felt an increased anxiety surrounding his allergies. 69 00:04:22,990 --> 00:04:24,940 Speaker 2: What if he kissed a girl who ate a food 70 00:04:25,150 --> 00:04:27,780 Speaker 2: he was allergic to? What if he had too much 71 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:30,700 Speaker 2: to drink and ate something he shouldn't without realizing it? 72 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 2: His allergies are so severe they could kill him. Sissy 73 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 2: had a choice. Let fear consume her or submit my 74 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:43,650 Speaker 2: nephew into the hands of Jesus. With a lot of prayer, 75 00:04:44,210 --> 00:04:47,430 Speaker 2: Sissy released her boy to God and trust him to 76 00:04:47,490 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 2: keep her son safe. Well, She would say she has 77 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:54,060 Speaker 2: to do this continually because we moms like to pick 78 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 2: worry back up, don't we? 79 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: Something to think about. 80 00:04:58,820 --> 00:05:02,730 Speaker 2: A few Psalms later, Psalm 33, 5 reminds us, The 81 00:05:02,810 --> 00:05:06,090 Speaker 2: earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. This 82 00:05:06,150 --> 00:05:09,429 Speaker 2: may seem hard to believe with the current headlines. However, 83 00:05:09,850 --> 00:05:12,589 Speaker 2: we as followers of Jesus have to keep looking for 84 00:05:12,650 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 2: His goodness. He never changes. His goodness never goes away, 85 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 2: but our awareness of Him can. We have to keep 86 00:05:21,660 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 2: pointing out the goodness of God to our children. Anything 87 00:05:25,860 --> 00:05:30,109 Speaker 2: good in us or our kids is directly from God. 88 00:05:31,610 --> 00:05:34,050 Speaker 2: There is a reason the subtitle of this book is 89 00:05:34,550 --> 00:05:38,470 Speaker 2: Praying God's Word for Your Children from Newborn to Empty Nest. 90 00:05:39,850 --> 00:05:44,340 Speaker 2: Our kids will never outgrow our prayers for them. Motherhood 91 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 2: is a continual submitting and surrendering our kids to the Lord. 92 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:52,860 Speaker 2: From the time we first hold them to the time 93 00:05:52,900 --> 00:05:55,360 Speaker 2: we send them off on their own, we are in 94 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:59,270 Speaker 2: constant surrender and trust that in a world that seems dark, 95 00:05:59,950 --> 00:06:04,270 Speaker 2: God is pursuing them with His goodness, seeking to lead 96 00:06:04,330 --> 00:06:08,810 Speaker 2: them to the light. Father, thank You for Your goodness. 97 00:06:09,779 --> 00:06:13,339 Speaker 2: Please help me to know and believe that in Your goodness, 98 00:06:13,700 --> 00:06:19,450 Speaker 2: You pursue my children. You are after their hearts. and 99 00:06:19,630 --> 00:06:22,810 Speaker 2: I can count on this. Help me to submit my 100 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 2: children into your caring and capable hands, knowing there is 101 00:06:26,940 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 2: nowhere they can go that you aren't right there with them. 102 00:06:31,660 --> 00:06:36,539 Speaker 1: I put my full trust in you. In Jesus' name, amen. 103 00:06:38,610 --> 00:06:40,670 Speaker 2: As part of our Fruit of the Spirit prayers and 104 00:06:40,750 --> 00:06:44,450 Speaker 2: everyday prayers for the school year book club, Tara Cole 105 00:06:44,550 --> 00:06:48,070 Speaker 2: and I created a free car conversations guide for your 106 00:06:48,130 --> 00:06:51,659 Speaker 2: family to use this fall. The car is sometimes the 107 00:06:51,700 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 2: best place for our most precious conversations with our kids. 108 00:06:56,500 --> 00:06:58,780 Speaker 2: As we are praying through the Fruit of the Spirit, 109 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 2: our hope is that you can have meaningful conversations with 110 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 2: your kids about what living out these fruit looks like 111 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:08,909 Speaker 2: in their daily lives. Tara and I created a series 112 00:07:08,970 --> 00:07:09,850 Speaker 2: of quick questions. 113 00:07:10,010 --> 00:07:12,130 Speaker 1: She wrote some for the older kids. I wrote some 114 00:07:12,170 --> 00:07:12,930 Speaker 1: for younger kids. 115 00:07:13,290 --> 00:07:15,690 Speaker 2: And we share a prayer that you can share with 116 00:07:15,710 --> 00:07:17,260 Speaker 2: your children about each of. 117 00:07:17,210 --> 00:07:18,270 Speaker 1: The fruit of the Spirit. 118 00:07:18,890 --> 00:07:21,900 Speaker 2: Download your copy for free on our website or the 119 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:22,980 Speaker 2: link in our show notes. 120 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: Until next time, friends, the Lord bless you and keep you. 121 00:07:28,740 --> 00:07:31,620 Speaker 2: Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. 122 00:07:32,380 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 2: May the Lord look with favor on you and give 123 00:07:35,220 --> 00:07:35,820 Speaker 2: you peace.