1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 2: You're listening to every Day Prayers with Million Praying Moms, 3 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 2: helping you pray God's word for your family in the 4 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 2: areas you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. 5 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 2: Here we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our 6 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 2: first and best response in parenting, and every day we 7 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 2: come together to partner with God for the hearts of 8 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 2: our children. This fall, we are praying through the nine 9 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 2: Fruit of the Spirit in nine weeks using devotions adapted 10 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 2: from our Everyday Prayers devotional series, and we're reading along 11 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,599 Speaker 2: in our featured book for the month, every Day Prayers 12 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 2: for the School Year. This week's prayer focus is love. 13 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 2: We're praying all about love in our homes and our families, 14 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 2: for our children, for ourselves this week together on the podcast. 15 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 2: Today's devotion is written read by me. It's exerted from 16 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 2: my new book releasing in October. You've heard it here first, 17 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,040 Speaker 2: every Day Prayers for Moms. It's now available for pre 18 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 2: order wherever books are sold. To learn more about our 19 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 2: ministry or to grab copies of our Everyday Prayers devotionals, 20 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 2: visit Million Praying Moms dot com and click shop. We 21 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 2: have a special code for our podcast listeners. Use code 22 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 2: Fall twenty for twenty percent off your order. After a 23 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 2: quick word from our sponsors, we'll pray together for our children, 24 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,199 Speaker 2: first John for sixteen and so we know and rely 25 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,320 Speaker 2: on the love God has for us. God is Love. 26 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 2: Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 27 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 1: The other night, my. 28 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 2: Husband came out of our daughter's room after tucking her 29 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 2: into bed, and he looked smitten, tired from the weight 30 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 2: and responsibility of his day, but gleaming somehow. I asked him, 31 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 2: what are you grinning about. He told me about his 32 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 2: bedtime exchange with our four year old girl. After they 33 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 2: had prayed and sang songs, Josie asked her dad, can 34 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: you just stay and be with me for a minute. 35 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 2: As she held his hand, she said, I love you 36 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:14,519 Speaker 2: so much, Daddy. I love your eyes, I love your hair, 37 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,839 Speaker 2: I love your teeth, I love your ears, I love 38 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: your feet. I love everything about you, Daddy. I can 39 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 2: never stop loving you, Daddy. As my husband shared this 40 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 2: with me, I got a tear in my eye. He 41 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 2: had been keeping a crazy schedule over the last few 42 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 2: weeks in the cardiac care unit. In early mornings, late nights, 43 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 2: and weekends, and Josie had just been really missing him, 44 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 2: and President was a complete puddle. She had melted his 45 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 2: daddy heart in just the way that he needed. I 46 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 2: reflected on this as I drifted off to sleep that night. 47 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 2: I kept thinking, this is how the Lord sees me. 48 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 2: He loves every single thing about me. He knows every 49 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 2: hair on my head. He loves all parts of me 50 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 2: because he made them. And when was the last time 51 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 2: that I remembered that simple but profound truth. He loves 52 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 2: us and wants to spend time with us. He looks 53 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 2: at us and loves everything about us. This type of 54 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 2: love is mind blowing. And just like Josie told her 55 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 2: daddy he asked, will you just sit with me a minute, 56 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 2: God desires the same thing from us. 57 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: Our father invites us to. 58 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 2: Just be with him, not because of what we have 59 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 2: accomplished or how we've impressed him. He just wants us 60 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 2: because we are his. He wants us to be unhurried 61 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 2: in his presence, to slow down and let him speak 62 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 2: his love over us. The last phrase that our daughter 63 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 2: used really stood out to me. She told her dad, 64 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 2: I can never stop loving you, my husband and I 65 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 2: both immediately knew where that phrase came from. We often 66 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 2: read to her the Jesus storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones. 67 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 2: It repeatedly says, the love of God is a never stopping, 68 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 2: never ending, never giving up, always and forever love. I 69 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 2: was humbled that this delicate truth had been tucked away 70 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 2: in our girl's heart and she was able to express 71 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 2: this in the love that she shared with her Daddy. 72 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 2: Not only did this experience help me to slow down 73 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 2: and receive love from the Father and let him speak 74 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 2: his truths over me, it also convicted me as moms, 75 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,559 Speaker 2: when is the last time we have lavished that type 76 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 2: of love on our children? First John three to one 77 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: tells us, see what great love the Father. 78 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: Has lavished on us. 79 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 2: That we should be called children of God, and that 80 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 2: is what we are. When is the last time I've 81 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 2: slowed down and told Josie all the things that I 82 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 2: love about her? How much more often do I tell 83 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 2: her all the things that she needs to do differently 84 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,679 Speaker 2: or to improve on. Of course, it is my job 85 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,479 Speaker 2: to discipline and correct her, but it is also my 86 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,720 Speaker 2: job to model and show her the lavish love of 87 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 2: Jesus through the way that I show an ex express 88 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 2: love to her, her brother, and her dad. Additionally, it's 89 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 2: important that our children see us loving others outside our homes, 90 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 2: that they witness our serving and loving the world around 91 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 2: us his conversation. In his conversation about abiding in the Vine, 92 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 2: Jesus tells his disciples, as the Father has loved me, 93 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,360 Speaker 2: so have I loved you, abide in my love. If 94 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 2: you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, 95 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 2: just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide 96 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 2: in his love. John fifteen nine through ten. Today, I 97 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 2: want to abide in the love of God, Jesus tells 98 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 2: us we do that by keeping his commandments. When asked 99 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,840 Speaker 2: about the commandments, Jesus tells his followers that the greatest 100 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 2: one is to love God with all your heart, and 101 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,479 Speaker 2: the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor 102 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 2: as yourself. When we love God and seek Him with 103 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 2: our whole hearts, we can receive his love from the 104 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 2: vine and extend that love as fruit to those around us. 105 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 2: Our key verse today from First John chapter four reminds 106 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 2: us that God is love. It is his character, his 107 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 2: very nature. When we live in love, we live in God. 108 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,479 Speaker 2: This scripture also promises us that we can know God's 109 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 2: love and rely on it. We can depend on it. 110 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:24,720 Speaker 1: It can be. 111 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: A source of strength in our lives. Loving in the 112 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 2: way that God's loves is hard. It can be challenging 113 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 2: to live out the type of love that God shows us. Thankfully, 114 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness and is 115 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 2: the agent for our learning to receive and express God's love. 116 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,719 Speaker 2: I want to be intentional about lavishing love on my 117 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 2: family and those around me the same way that the 118 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 2: God of the universe has lavished. 119 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: His love upon me. 120 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:57,920 Speaker 2: Let's pray, Father, help me to slow down today and 121 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 2: truly hear the words of life love that you speak 122 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 2: over me. Remind me that I can't earn or deserve 123 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 2: your love. You love every single part of me, from 124 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 2: my teeth to my feet, just because I'm your daughter. 125 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 2: Help me to be quick to share this lavish love 126 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 2: with my children in the same way that your words 127 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 2: of love encourage me and build me up. May my 128 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 2: words of love to my children be a buoy for 129 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 2: their hearts in a world that seeks to tear them down. 130 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 2: May my love for them in the world around me 131 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 2: be a shining example of your love for me. I 132 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 2: need your help in Jesus' name. 133 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: Amen. 134 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 2: As part of our Fruit of the Spirit prayers and 135 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 2: everyday prayers for the School Year book Club, Tarah Cole 136 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 2: and I created a free car Conversations guide for your 137 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 2: family to use this fall. The car is sometimes the 138 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 2: best place for our most precious conversations with our kids 139 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 2: as we are praying through the Fruit of the Spirit. 140 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 2: Our hope is that you can have meaningful conversations with 141 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 2: your kids about what living out these fruit looks like 142 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 2: in their daily lives. Tara and I created a series 143 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 2: of quick questions. She wrote some for the older kids, 144 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 2: I wrote some for younger kids, and we share a 145 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 2: prayer that you can share with your children about each 146 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 2: of the Fruit of the Spirit. Download your copy for 147 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 2: free on our website or the link in our show notes. 148 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 2: Until next time, friends, the Lord bless you and keep you. 149 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 2: Make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. 150 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 2: May the Lord look with favor on you and give 151 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 2: you peace.