1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,620 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:16,030 --> 00:00:19,170 Speaker 2: You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, helping 3 00:00:19,230 --> 00:00:21,729 Speaker 2: you pray God's word for your family in the areas 4 00:00:21,790 --> 00:00:22,510 Speaker 2: you need it most. 5 00:00:22,770 --> 00:00:23,980 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. 6 00:00:24,579 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 2: Here, we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our 7 00:00:27,980 --> 00:00:31,460 Speaker 2: first and best response in parenting. And every day we 8 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,580 Speaker 2: come together to partner with God for the hearts of 9 00:00:33,659 --> 00:00:36,769 Speaker 2: our children. Friends, don't forget it's time to pre-order our 10 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:40,070 Speaker 2: newest devotional, Everyday Prayers for Moms, praying God's word for 11 00:00:40,110 --> 00:00:43,470 Speaker 2: your children from newborn to empty nest. If you pre-order today, 12 00:00:43,870 --> 00:00:47,489 Speaker 2: you'll receive early access to my new prayer course that 13 00:00:47,550 --> 00:00:50,490 Speaker 2: is a great preview or companion for the book. Find 14 00:00:50,530 --> 00:00:53,380 Speaker 2: a pre-order link in our show notes. Today's devotion is 15 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,430 Speaker 2: written in red. by my friend and founder of Million 16 00:00:56,470 --> 00:01:00,410 Speaker 2: Praying Moms, Brooke McLaughlin. Brooke is the author of so 17 00:01:00,450 --> 00:01:04,289 Speaker 2: many books. You can find all of those on our website. 18 00:01:05,630 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 2: She is such a gift to all of us. My 19 00:01:08,750 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 2: new book is so inspired by her and her writing 20 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 2: and I tell the story of when I first encountered 21 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,100 Speaker 2: Brooke's teachings on prayer and the impact that it had 22 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 2: on my own motherhood. So I'm thankful to continue to 23 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:27,230 Speaker 2: have Brooke's voice on the podcast and to continue on 24 00:01:27,330 --> 00:01:31,210 Speaker 2: her legacy of praying for our children. To learn more 25 00:01:31,270 --> 00:01:36,740 Speaker 2: about Brooke or more about our ministry, visit MillionPrayingMoms.com. After 26 00:01:36,780 --> 00:01:39,419 Speaker 2: a quick word from our sponsors, we'll pray together for 27 00:01:39,500 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 2: our families. 28 00:01:45,410 --> 00:01:50,230 Speaker 1: James 3.18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in 29 00:01:50,310 --> 00:01:54,310 Speaker 1: peace by those who make peace. A dear friend of 30 00:01:54,370 --> 00:01:58,130 Speaker 1: mine is estranged from her family. Every year at Christmas time, 31 00:01:58,190 --> 00:02:00,610 Speaker 1: she sends an invitation for them to come to her 32 00:02:00,670 --> 00:02:04,270 Speaker 1: house to celebrate, and every year they don't show up. 33 00:02:05,050 --> 00:02:08,690 Speaker 1: Christmas is a time of peace. It's written everywhere, from 34 00:02:08,790 --> 00:02:11,910 Speaker 1: signs on the road to songs on the radio. Peace 35 00:02:12,090 --> 00:02:15,410 Speaker 1: on earth slogans abound and cause us to hope for 36 00:02:15,450 --> 00:02:18,850 Speaker 1: something we haven't quite found yet. So it is with 37 00:02:18,900 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 1: my friend. If ever there was a time to hope 38 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,970 Speaker 1: for peace in her family, It's at Christmas, so she 39 00:02:26,110 --> 00:02:30,210 Speaker 1: invites and they don't come. I asked her once why 40 00:02:30,290 --> 00:02:34,550 Speaker 1: she keeps asking, keeps inviting, and her answer reminded me 41 00:02:35,030 --> 00:02:38,290 Speaker 1: of the reaping and sowing principle we see throughout Scripture. 42 00:02:39,350 --> 00:02:43,190 Speaker 1: What you put in, you get back out, generally. In 43 00:02:43,230 --> 00:02:47,130 Speaker 1: her case, making peace available to her family, even when 44 00:02:47,190 --> 00:02:49,570 Speaker 1: she knows they may not take it, is her part 45 00:02:49,610 --> 00:02:52,399 Speaker 1: of the job. Her door is open and the offer 46 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,990 Speaker 1: of peace is on the table. She sows and hopes 47 00:02:56,060 --> 00:02:59,130 Speaker 1: that one day she'll reap. Maybe it'll be next Christmas 48 00:02:59,690 --> 00:03:02,750 Speaker 1: and maybe it won't. Maybe each year she's planting a 49 00:03:02,970 --> 00:03:06,410 Speaker 1: seed of peace that will grow until her family's hearts 50 00:03:06,590 --> 00:03:11,510 Speaker 1: are open to reconciliation and forgiveness. That's what she's praying for. 51 00:03:12,050 --> 00:03:15,010 Speaker 1: But if it never happens, she can rest in knowing 52 00:03:15,070 --> 00:03:19,269 Speaker 1: that she's sown in faith and tended in prayer. The 53 00:03:19,310 --> 00:03:23,950 Speaker 1: rest is up to God. James 3, 17-18 says in 54 00:03:23,970 --> 00:03:28,730 Speaker 1: the message version, Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a 55 00:03:28,790 --> 00:03:32,250 Speaker 1: holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. 56 00:03:32,850 --> 00:03:37,390 Speaker 1: It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings. 57 00:03:37,970 --> 00:03:41,030 Speaker 1: Not hot one day and cold the next. Not two-faced. 58 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,580 Speaker 1: You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right 59 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: with God and enjoy its results only if you do 60 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,690 Speaker 1: the hard work of getting along with each other. treating 61 00:03:51,730 --> 00:03:55,620 Speaker 1: each other with dignity and honor. The truth is there 62 00:03:55,660 --> 00:03:58,660 Speaker 1: will be people we can't get along with, at least 63 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: not for more time than it takes to have Christmas dinner. 64 00:04:01,860 --> 00:04:04,060 Speaker 1: But that doesn't mean we don't invite them over for 65 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,460 Speaker 1: Christmas dinner and plant a seed of peace. There will 66 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:11,140 Speaker 1: be relationships in our lives that bear fruit only if 67 00:04:11,180 --> 00:04:13,780 Speaker 1: we do the hard work of getting along, at least 68 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 1: attempting to treat each other with dignity and honor. That's 69 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,230 Speaker 1: the way it is because we're sinners. There will be 70 00:04:20,310 --> 00:04:23,330 Speaker 1: hurts that make us want to hurt back. But God's 71 00:04:23,370 --> 00:04:27,590 Speaker 1: word is clear that we're to make peace instead. What 72 00:04:27,610 --> 00:04:30,650 Speaker 1: does this mean? We have a large garden at the 73 00:04:30,690 --> 00:04:34,650 Speaker 1: back of our property in rural southwest Virginia. Every spring 74 00:04:34,690 --> 00:04:37,750 Speaker 1: and summer, my husband and his dad work themselves silly 75 00:04:38,150 --> 00:04:41,580 Speaker 1: to prepare the earth, soften the earth, plant the seeds, 76 00:04:41,980 --> 00:04:45,860 Speaker 1: tend the seeds, and then, Lord willing, harvest the fruit 77 00:04:45,900 --> 00:04:49,820 Speaker 1: of their labor. They spend hours and hours each year 78 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 1: creating something special that everyone in our community comments on. 79 00:04:54,460 --> 00:04:59,590 Speaker 1: My father-in-law is the mastermind of this endeavor, possessing a 80 00:04:59,670 --> 00:05:04,169 Speaker 1: lifetime of firsthand experience with making things grow. My husband 81 00:05:04,390 --> 00:05:07,420 Speaker 1: is learning. He's the grunt labor guy for now, but 82 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: over time he has picked up on lessons from his 83 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,099 Speaker 1: father and will continue to do so until he plants 84 00:05:13,140 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: a garden on his own. But without that grunt laborer, 85 00:05:16,650 --> 00:05:19,070 Speaker 1: Without the knowledge of the land and the hours of 86 00:05:19,170 --> 00:05:22,169 Speaker 1: sweat equity they've both put in, there would be no fruit. 87 00:05:23,050 --> 00:05:26,729 Speaker 1: What we put in, we get out. It's simple in concept, 88 00:05:27,130 --> 00:05:30,480 Speaker 1: but rarely easy in practice. But even if it takes 89 00:05:30,540 --> 00:05:33,580 Speaker 1: our whole lives, it's worth the effort when we get 90 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: to taste the goodness of God in what's produced. Let's pray. Father, 91 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:42,690 Speaker 1: give me and my family the desire to do the 92 00:05:42,730 --> 00:05:46,989 Speaker 1: right thing, even if the favor isn't returned. sowing seeds 93 00:05:47,070 --> 00:05:50,049 Speaker 1: of peace in the dark, troubled places of our lives. 94 00:05:50,890 --> 00:05:53,510 Speaker 1: Over time, Lord, we pray that you will grow those seeds, 95 00:05:54,190 --> 00:05:57,630 Speaker 1: produce fruit that glorifies your name, and produce a harvest 96 00:05:57,670 --> 00:06:01,690 Speaker 1: of righteousness in your people. In Jesus' name, amen. 97 00:06:02,810 --> 00:06:04,810 Speaker 2: My guess is that if you're here listening to the 98 00:06:04,910 --> 00:06:09,110 Speaker 2: Everyday Prayers podcast, you kind of care about praying for 99 00:06:09,330 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 2: your children. My newest book, Everyday Prayers for Moms, Praying 100 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 2: God's word from your children from newborn to emptiness is 101 00:06:17,339 --> 00:06:21,370 Speaker 2: a great resource for moms who desire to pray for 102 00:06:21,430 --> 00:06:23,529 Speaker 2: their kids. I don't know if you've ever looked up 103 00:06:23,570 --> 00:06:25,450 Speaker 2: at the end of the day and realized that you 104 00:06:25,490 --> 00:06:29,770 Speaker 2: didn't pray at all. So often we have this desire 105 00:06:29,830 --> 00:06:33,090 Speaker 2: to pray, but we may not know how to put 106 00:06:33,170 --> 00:06:37,190 Speaker 2: that desire in to practice. I'm learning in motherhood that 107 00:06:37,270 --> 00:06:40,290 Speaker 2: my prayers adapt and change based on the season that 108 00:06:40,330 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 2: we're in as a family. I'm also learning to give 109 00:06:43,100 --> 00:06:47,610 Speaker 2: myself grace in those different seasons. I know God isn't 110 00:06:47,790 --> 00:06:51,550 Speaker 2: after perfect, polished prayers. He's after my heart and He's 111 00:06:51,730 --> 00:06:55,990 Speaker 2: after yours too. So my plan is to be intentional, 112 00:06:56,410 --> 00:06:59,550 Speaker 2: whatever that looks like in this season. I hope that 113 00:06:59,650 --> 00:07:01,190 Speaker 2: is your plan as well. 114 00:07:02,089 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: God sees our hearts. 115 00:07:03,270 --> 00:07:07,510 Speaker 2: He's honored by our desire to connect with Him. If 116 00:07:07,529 --> 00:07:10,130 Speaker 2: you're feeling stuck in your prayer life, I've got a 117 00:07:10,210 --> 00:07:16,390 Speaker 2: new free download, a five-day prayer reset. It's a great 118 00:07:16,740 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: guide to help you get started, jump back in, stay consistent, 119 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,380 Speaker 2: grow deeper in your prayers for your kids. It's also 120 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,860 Speaker 2: a great tool to share with your friends or with 121 00:07:28,900 --> 00:07:32,780 Speaker 2: your family members that may be seeking to know God 122 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:41,250 Speaker 2: deeper in prayer as they're... copy today at millionfraymoms.com. We'll 123 00:07:41,310 --> 00:07:45,730 Speaker 2: also put a link in our show notes. Until next time, friends, 124 00:07:46,630 --> 00:07:49,910 Speaker 2: may the Lord bless you and keep you. Make His 125 00:07:49,950 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 2: face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May 126 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 2: the Lord look with favor upon you and give you 127 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:57,500 Speaker 2: His peace.