1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:15,230 --> 00:00:18,690 Speaker 2: You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, helping 3 00:00:18,750 --> 00:00:21,350 Speaker 2: you pray God's Word for your family in the areas 4 00:00:21,530 --> 00:00:25,020 Speaker 2: you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here 5 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:28,500 Speaker 2: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 6 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 2: and best response in parenting. and every day we come 7 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:35,020 Speaker 2: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 8 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 2: This fall, we are praying through the nine fruit of 9 00:00:37,659 --> 00:00:41,140 Speaker 2: the Spirit in nine weeks using devotions adapted from our 10 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,919 Speaker 2: Everyday Prayers devotional series. This week's prayer focus is kindness. 11 00:00:46,340 --> 00:00:49,410 Speaker 2: Today's devotion is written and read by Rachel Adams, author 12 00:00:49,420 --> 00:00:52,210 Speaker 2: of Everyday Prayers for Love and host of the Love 13 00:00:52,310 --> 00:00:56,750 Speaker 2: Offering podcast. Today, Rachel shares a devotional about sharing love 14 00:00:57,090 --> 00:01:00,730 Speaker 2: that is kindness. To learn more about Rachel, our ministry, 15 00:01:00,810 --> 00:01:06,179 Speaker 2: or to grab copies of our Everyday Prayers devotionals, visit millionprayingmoms.com. 16 00:01:06,700 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 2: And just for our podcast community, you can visit our 17 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:12,860 Speaker 2: mom's shop and use the code FALL20 for 20% off 18 00:01:12,900 --> 00:01:15,900 Speaker 2: your order. After a quick word from our sponsors, we'll 19 00:01:15,940 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 2: pray together for our children. 20 00:01:21,390 --> 00:01:26,330 Speaker 1: Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe 21 00:01:26,350 --> 00:01:35,550 Speaker 1: yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3, 12. 22 00:01:35,550 --> 00:01:39,310 Speaker 1: You're going to need a full hysterectomy. My doctor delivered 23 00:01:39,350 --> 00:01:42,690 Speaker 1: this statement over the phone the day before Thanksgiving. Before 24 00:01:42,730 --> 00:01:45,610 Speaker 1: we hung up, she also shared that my recent blood 25 00:01:45,670 --> 00:01:48,750 Speaker 1: test results were concerning, and she was referring me to 26 00:01:48,770 --> 00:01:53,270 Speaker 1: a surgical oncologist. While I was not thankful for this news, 27 00:01:53,370 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: my heart still understood the need for gratitude. especially in 28 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,820 Speaker 1: light of the upcoming holiday. As I told my friends 29 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,330 Speaker 1: and family about my prognosis, they interceded on my behalf. 30 00:02:04,870 --> 00:02:08,210 Speaker 1: They prayed for my healing, for me to feel God's presence, 31 00:02:08,270 --> 00:02:10,330 Speaker 1: and for my mind to be at peace in the 32 00:02:10,389 --> 00:02:14,910 Speaker 1: days leading up to the operation. Their prayers worked. From 33 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 1: the moment I opened my eyes the morning of my 34 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,299 Speaker 1: surgery until the nurses wheeled me into the operating room, 35 00:02:20,540 --> 00:02:24,540 Speaker 1: I felt a peace that surpasses all understanding, as described 36 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,050 Speaker 1: in Philippians 10. Later, when I recounted my health journey 37 00:02:28,090 --> 00:02:50,390 Speaker 1: to a friend, I had an epiphany. I told her 38 00:02:50,410 --> 00:02:54,460 Speaker 1: never had I been in such pain, but never had 39 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:58,620 Speaker 1: I felt more loved. What a strange tension this was, 40 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: but one I was oddly grateful for. During this experience, 41 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:08,889 Speaker 1: I was showered with prayers, emails, texts, calls, social media messages, cards, 42 00:03:08,990 --> 00:03:13,370 Speaker 1: and gifts. My loved one's gestures truly brought me joy 43 00:03:13,430 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: in the midst of my sorrow. Their acts of benevolence 44 00:03:16,740 --> 00:03:19,399 Speaker 1: helped me to realize that God's kindness is not only 45 00:03:19,500 --> 00:03:22,510 Speaker 1: offered by our Heavenly Father to His children, but it 46 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:27,169 Speaker 1: is often displayed through His people. The outpouring of generosity 47 00:03:27,210 --> 00:03:30,630 Speaker 1: continued well after my surgery and sparked a new appreciation 48 00:03:30,710 --> 00:03:34,380 Speaker 1: for the beautiful community God had given me. It reminded 49 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:39,620 Speaker 1: me what a difference our service to others through word, prayer, presence, gift, 50 00:03:39,820 --> 00:03:43,700 Speaker 1: or deed can make. Even on the occasions when I 51 00:03:43,740 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: was unkind to myself, the people in my life displayed 52 00:03:47,660 --> 00:03:51,770 Speaker 1: tangible reminders of God's affection for me and eased the 53 00:03:51,830 --> 00:03:56,130 Speaker 1: pain of my recovery. Knowing the difference their love offerings 54 00:03:56,250 --> 00:03:59,030 Speaker 1: made challenges me to do the same for others who 55 00:03:59,090 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: are struggling. I'm beyond grateful that my biopsy results were benign. 56 00:04:04,030 --> 00:04:06,230 Speaker 1: But I also want to be sensitive to the fact 57 00:04:06,330 --> 00:04:09,710 Speaker 1: that you might not have received the desired answer to 58 00:04:09,810 --> 00:04:13,530 Speaker 1: your prayer or weren't surrounded by such a generous community. 59 00:04:14,290 --> 00:04:17,030 Speaker 1: If that is the case, my heart hurts for you. 60 00:04:17,730 --> 00:04:22,610 Speaker 1: As my experience shows, God's intervention may result in your healing, 61 00:04:23,050 --> 00:04:27,270 Speaker 1: but it might not. Regardless of the outcome, His divine 62 00:04:27,370 --> 00:04:30,570 Speaker 1: provision always comes in the form of His presence and 63 00:04:30,630 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: peace amid your trials. And as illustrated earlier, his involvement 64 00:04:35,500 --> 00:04:40,099 Speaker 1: is often displayed through his people. Could his kindness also 65 00:04:40,180 --> 00:04:47,390 Speaker 1: be expressed through you? God exhibits this everlasting, compassionate amiability 66 00:04:47,510 --> 00:04:51,890 Speaker 1: towards us, and we are responsible for continuing his example 67 00:04:51,950 --> 00:04:55,989 Speaker 1: within our relationships. While we know we must be kind 68 00:04:56,070 --> 00:05:00,380 Speaker 1: and compassionate to one another, sometimes that's easier said than done. 69 00:05:01,260 --> 00:05:07,110 Speaker 1: Showing kindheartedness doesn't always come naturally. It takes practice. Through him, 70 00:05:07,190 --> 00:05:09,849 Speaker 1: we can exhibit this fruit of the Spirit because his 71 00:05:09,950 --> 00:05:15,030 Speaker 1: power is at work within us. A beautiful example of 72 00:05:15,110 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: compassion is illustrated in 1 Samuel through the relationship between 73 00:05:19,540 --> 00:05:24,250 Speaker 1: Jonathan and David. Their relationship is one of the deepest 74 00:05:24,430 --> 00:05:28,929 Speaker 1: and closest recorded in the Bible. Jonathan was the prince 75 00:05:29,050 --> 00:05:32,350 Speaker 1: of Israel and should have been the next king, but 76 00:05:32,450 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: God chose David instead. However, this did not diminish Jonathan's 77 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 1: love for David. Jonathan's father Saul became envious as people 78 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:47,950 Speaker 1: became devoted to David. In a jealous rage, Saul attempted 79 00:05:47,990 --> 00:05:52,370 Speaker 1: to murder David, forcing Jonathan to deal with conflicting allegiances 80 00:05:52,450 --> 00:05:56,659 Speaker 1: to his father, the king, and his best friend. Regardless 81 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:00,500 Speaker 1: of the consequences, Jonathan decided to alert David of Saul's 82 00:06:00,540 --> 00:06:04,719 Speaker 1: diabolical plan, and as a result, David's life was spared. 83 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:09,780 Speaker 1: Years later, because of their sworn friendship, David took great 84 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:14,990 Speaker 1: pains to invite Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, into his palace to live. 85 00:06:15,970 --> 00:06:19,730 Speaker 1: David was generous partly because of his loyalty to God's 86 00:06:19,850 --> 00:06:24,170 Speaker 1: previously anointed king, but mainly because he vowed to show 87 00:06:24,230 --> 00:06:29,890 Speaker 1: benevolence to Jonathan's descendants. Jonathan and David's friendship was based 88 00:06:30,089 --> 00:06:33,890 Speaker 1: on their commitment to God, not just each other. They 89 00:06:33,930 --> 00:06:38,390 Speaker 1: allowed nothing to come between them. Their relationship grew closer 90 00:06:38,529 --> 00:06:43,330 Speaker 1: through every test and their friendship endured until death parted them. 91 00:06:44,110 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: Let's pray. Father, thank you for your kindness. I'm grateful 92 00:06:49,420 --> 00:06:52,330 Speaker 1: you don't expect me to repay it. How could I? 93 00:06:53,100 --> 00:06:56,300 Speaker 1: Help me to recognize the kindness of others toward me 94 00:06:56,779 --> 00:06:59,820 Speaker 1: and not take it for granted. Prompt me to be 95 00:06:59,900 --> 00:07:02,870 Speaker 1: sensitive to the needs of those around me and through 96 00:07:02,900 --> 00:07:07,490 Speaker 1: your spirit, enable me to be kind. In Jesus's name, amen. 97 00:07:08,620 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 2: As part of our Fruit of the Spirit prayers and 98 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,460 Speaker 2: everyday prayers for the school year book club, Tara Cole 99 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,060 Speaker 2: and I created a free car conversations guide for your 100 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 2: family to use this fall. The car is sometimes the 101 00:07:21,700 --> 00:07:26,010 Speaker 2: best place for our most precious conversations with our kids. 102 00:07:26,510 --> 00:07:28,770 Speaker 2: As we are praying through the Fruit of the Spirit, 103 00:07:28,970 --> 00:07:32,330 Speaker 2: our hope is that you can have meaningful conversations with 104 00:07:32,410 --> 00:07:35,700 Speaker 2: your kids today. about what living out these fruit looks 105 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,550 Speaker 2: like in their daily lives. Tara and I created a 106 00:07:38,610 --> 00:07:41,390 Speaker 2: series of quick questions. She wrote some for the older kids. 107 00:07:41,610 --> 00:07:43,890 Speaker 2: I wrote some for younger kids. And we share a 108 00:07:43,950 --> 00:07:47,010 Speaker 2: prayer that you can share with your children about each 109 00:07:47,090 --> 00:07:50,350 Speaker 2: of the fruit of the Spirit. Download your copy for 110 00:07:50,450 --> 00:07:52,970 Speaker 2: free on our website or the link in our show notes. 111 00:07:53,670 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 2: Until next time, friends, the Lord bless you and keep you. 112 00:07:58,740 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 2: Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. 113 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 2: May the Lord look with favor on you and give 114 00:08:05,220 --> 00:08:05,850 Speaker 2: you peace.