I have no greater joy than to hear my children are walking in the truth - 3 John 4

The apostle John wrote these 3 epistles in the latter part of his life.  He very likely was in exile on the island of Patmos.  I suppose he was becoming desperate for one last warning to those he considered his "spiritual" children that they not follow false teaching.  I find myself continuing to be the mother around our 25 and 27 year old sons who have very lovely, very smart wives to carry them the rest of the way!  Why do I continue to warn and teach?  Because I love them and I am desperate for them to be following the truth and to avoid the evil the world tells them is just fine.

Stormie Omartian in THE POWER OF PRAYNG FOR YOUR ADULT CHILDREN says why didn't anyone warn her about the challenges of having adult children....we all know the challenges of having young ones, but she says about adult children: "...everyone is silent.  They only smile knowingly and say nothing about what is ahead".  These are the 7 things she wished she had known:

1.  You need to know it never ends.
2.  You need to know you can't fix them.
3.  You need to know God can change everything.
4.  You need to know you must stop blaming yourself.
5.  You need to know you have to forgive.
6.  You need to know there is only one Perfect Parent (and it's not you!).
7.  You need to know you can wholeheartedly say: "for this child I prayed" (1 Sam 1:10)

She says:

"We no longer have control over our adult children.

We can't make them do what we want.  But by praying,

we can help them to hear from God so He can lead them

to do what He wants...we can help them stay on the right

path so they can rise up to become all they were created to be."

 

Truly there is nothing that brings me more joy than knowing our children are walking with the Lord.  His grace has carried us and them to a place of peace.  There will be continuing challenges ahead, but God's grace is sufficient for every one.  That is truth...not what the world tells us, but what the Bible tells us.  What are you praying for your children today? 

 

For further study:  Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 1 Samuel 1:26-28, Psalm 103:17-18, Psalm 127:1-5, Proverbs 20:7, Isaiah 54:13, Romans 12:12, Eph. 6:1-3, Phil. 4:4-9, Col. 3:21, 2 Tim. 2:15, Titus 2:3-5.

 

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

 

Love,

Holly