1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:15,170 --> 00:00:18,090 Speaker 2: You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, helping 3 00:00:18,150 --> 00:00:20,590 Speaker 2: you pray God's word for your family in the areas 4 00:00:20,710 --> 00:00:23,509 Speaker 2: you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here, 5 00:00:23,590 --> 00:00:26,420 Speaker 2: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 6 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 2: and best response in parenting. And every day we come 7 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 2: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 8 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:35,690 Speaker 2: Today is Monday, which means we have a new prayer 9 00:00:35,790 --> 00:00:39,470 Speaker 2: focus for the week as we're praying through the nine 10 00:00:39,610 --> 00:00:42,970 Speaker 2: fruit of the Spirit in nine weeks using devotions adapted 11 00:00:43,030 --> 00:00:46,830 Speaker 2: from our Everyday Prayers devotional series. This week's prayer focus 12 00:00:47,030 --> 00:00:49,570 Speaker 2: is faithfulness. This is one of the fruit of the 13 00:00:49,590 --> 00:00:52,130 Speaker 2: Spirit that I think can be a little bit hard 14 00:00:52,310 --> 00:00:55,550 Speaker 2: for us to understand how it works out in our lives. 15 00:00:55,990 --> 00:00:58,260 Speaker 2: So I'm excited to get to pray through it together 16 00:00:58,460 --> 00:01:01,780 Speaker 2: this week. Today's devotion is written and read by Tara L. Cole. 17 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,289 Speaker 2: She's the author of Everyday Prayers for the School Year, 18 00:01:04,410 --> 00:01:06,910 Speaker 2: which is our book club pick for the fall. In 19 00:01:06,930 --> 00:01:09,730 Speaker 2: today's episode, Tara shares a prayer for our children to 20 00:01:09,890 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 2: know the faithfulness of God. and to live faithful lives. 21 00:01:15,390 --> 00:01:17,950 Speaker 2: To learn more about Tara, our ministry, or to grab 22 00:01:18,050 --> 00:01:22,030 Speaker 2: your copy of the book, visit millionprayingmoms.com. Right now, we've 23 00:01:22,050 --> 00:01:24,770 Speaker 2: got a special code going on for our podcast community. 24 00:01:25,150 --> 00:01:28,530 Speaker 2: Use the code FALL20 at our mom shop for 20% 25 00:01:28,530 --> 00:01:31,150 Speaker 2: off your order. After a quick word from our sponsors, 26 00:01:31,190 --> 00:01:32,670 Speaker 2: we'll pray together for our families. 27 00:01:37,810 --> 00:01:41,890 Speaker 1: Psalm 26, 3. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, 28 00:01:42,069 --> 00:01:45,350 Speaker 1: and I walk in your faithfulness. As much as I 29 00:01:45,390 --> 00:01:48,010 Speaker 1: love taking karate with my boys, there are many days 30 00:01:48,070 --> 00:01:50,750 Speaker 1: when I want to quit. I grow weary of picking 31 00:01:50,790 --> 00:01:53,130 Speaker 1: them up after school and listening to them whine about 32 00:01:53,170 --> 00:01:56,270 Speaker 1: going straight to practice. I get tired of keeping track 33 00:01:56,310 --> 00:01:59,980 Speaker 1: of uniforms and weapons. Goodness, some days I don't even 34 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: want to show up for practice. But I remain faithful 35 00:02:02,980 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: to the commitment we made. If I quit, my kids 36 00:02:06,060 --> 00:02:09,169 Speaker 1: would probably quit too, and that wouldn't be good. I 37 00:02:09,210 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: know the friends and community found at Christian Karate Academy 38 00:02:12,300 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: are needed during this season of life for me and 39 00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:18,700 Speaker 1: my sons. The discipline, commitment, and practice learned through karate 40 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,180 Speaker 1: provide a good foundation for the rest of their lives. 41 00:02:21,860 --> 00:02:24,540 Speaker 1: Just the energy they get to release in constructive ways 42 00:02:24,650 --> 00:02:29,829 Speaker 1: is advantageous. Sometimes faithfulness can be hard to understand. The 43 00:02:29,870 --> 00:02:33,530 Speaker 1: Hebrew word for faithfulness in the Psalms is emunah, and 44 00:02:33,570 --> 00:02:38,790 Speaker 1: it means firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness. It means that even 45 00:02:38,850 --> 00:02:41,630 Speaker 1: when something is hard, even when we don't want to, 46 00:02:42,030 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: we do not waver. We stay the course. Don't get 47 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: me wrong. Every activity we join isn't meant to be 48 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:52,020 Speaker 1: a long-term commitment. My boys did t-ball for a few years, 49 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: but when they wanted to try karate the next season, 50 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,900 Speaker 1: we said okay. Teaching our kids to stick to commitments 51 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: they have made and stay faithful is a valuable lesson. 52 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:03,650 Speaker 1: It is a good foundation for learning to stay faithful 53 00:03:03,690 --> 00:03:06,859 Speaker 1: to God. Over and over again in the Old Testament, 54 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: we're told of God's steadfast love and faithfulness. We see 55 00:03:10,220 --> 00:03:13,169 Speaker 1: these aspects of the Lord demonstrated in the Old Testament, 56 00:03:13,310 --> 00:03:16,470 Speaker 1: but they really come alive in Jesus. Jesus is a 57 00:03:16,550 --> 00:03:19,830 Speaker 1: tangible reminder of God's faithfulness to his promise to David. 58 00:03:20,590 --> 00:03:23,630 Speaker 1: Despite hundreds of years of unfaithfulness on the part of Israel, 59 00:03:24,110 --> 00:03:27,769 Speaker 1: God remained faithful, giving them second chances, and finally fulfilled 60 00:03:27,810 --> 00:03:31,020 Speaker 1: his promise to give David a descendant who would reign forever. 61 00:03:31,620 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: It is God's faithfulness that prompts our own. Staying faithful 62 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: to God and His ways can be so hard for 63 00:03:37,700 --> 00:03:40,220 Speaker 1: our kids, especially in the face of everything that goes 64 00:03:40,340 --> 00:03:43,620 Speaker 1: on at school and online. For years, the scripture has 65 00:03:43,660 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: given me hope. If we are faithless, He remains faithful, 66 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:52,810 Speaker 1: for He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2.13 It reminds 67 00:03:52,870 --> 00:03:55,190 Speaker 1: me that even when I mess up, even when my 68 00:03:55,250 --> 00:03:59,570 Speaker 1: kids mess up, Jesus is still there remaining faithful. Jesus 69 00:03:59,630 --> 00:04:04,510 Speaker 1: Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13.8 70 00:04:04,510 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: As your kids struggle with faithfulness this school year, continue 71 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: to remind them of God's faithfulness, no matter what. He 72 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,860 Speaker 1: is always there with open arms, inviting them into His 73 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,300 Speaker 1: presence and His story. Pray for them to be captivated 74 00:04:17,339 --> 00:04:20,530 Speaker 1: by His steadfast love and faithfulness, even as they practice 75 00:04:20,570 --> 00:04:25,669 Speaker 1: being faithful themselves. Let's pray. Father, may our children be 76 00:04:25,730 --> 00:04:29,029 Speaker 1: captivated by Your steadfast love and walk in faithfulness. 77 00:04:30,110 --> 00:04:32,169 Speaker 2: As part of our Fruit of the Spirit prayers and 78 00:04:32,270 --> 00:04:35,950 Speaker 2: everyday prayers for the school year book club, Tara Cole 79 00:04:36,070 --> 00:04:39,570 Speaker 2: and I created a free car conversations guide for your 80 00:04:39,630 --> 00:04:43,150 Speaker 2: family to use this fall. The car is sometimes the 81 00:04:43,190 --> 00:04:47,490 Speaker 2: best place for our most precious conversations with our kids. 82 00:04:47,990 --> 00:04:50,270 Speaker 2: As we are praying through the fruit of the spirit, 83 00:04:50,450 --> 00:04:53,810 Speaker 2: our hope is that you can have meaningful conversations with 84 00:04:53,890 --> 00:04:57,500 Speaker 2: your kids about what living out these fruit looks like 85 00:04:57,620 --> 00:05:00,409 Speaker 2: in their daily lives. Tara and I created a series 86 00:05:00,470 --> 00:05:02,900 Speaker 2: of quick questions. She wrote some for the older kids. 87 00:05:03,100 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 2: I wrote some for younger kids. And we share a 88 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,500 Speaker 2: prayer that you can share with your children about each 89 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,860 Speaker 2: of the fruit of the Spirit. Download your copy for 90 00:05:11,940 --> 00:05:14,490 Speaker 2: free on our website or the link in our show notes. 91 00:05:15,190 --> 00:05:19,190 Speaker 2: Until next time, friends, the Lord bless you and keep you. 92 00:05:20,250 --> 00:05:23,130 Speaker 2: Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. 93 00:05:23,870 --> 00:05:26,670 Speaker 2: May the Lord look with favor on you and give 94 00:05:26,730 --> 00:05:27,330 Speaker 2: you peace.