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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

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March 19, 2012

Praying for your Kids series…Part 3

 
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We are so thrilled to have the lovely Richella from Imparting Grace with us here for Part 3 in our Praying for your Kids series. Before we get to her wonderful insights about how prayer has impacted her family, we want to take a minute to announce a great new linky party that Richella is starting.

We’ll let her tell you about it in her own words…

My blog’s purpose is to do what the title says–to impart grace.
I want my home to be full of grace, too. I want it to be a place where my family, my friends, and my guests feel special and loved and welcome. I’m betting you feel the same way about your home.

To celebrate all the things we do to make our homes places of grace, I’m starting a new weekly linky party: Grace at Home.

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This party will be a place for you to share anything related to making your home a place of grace. I invite you to link posts about DIY Projects, decorating, recipes, hospitality, homemaking tips, parenting, marriage, faith, self-care.
Whatever you do to make your home a place of grace, I’d like to hear about it.
The party will take place every Thursday, beginning March 22.

We love this idea and we hope you will meet us at Richella’s Grace at Home party this week!
Now, let’s hear what she has to say about:

Praying for your Kids
Prayer is a complex and multi-faceted subject. If you’re like me, you’ve read and heard a lot about prayer. Sometimes it seems that we can spend so much time learning about prayer that we struggle to find time to pray! While this is obviously not a complete definition of prayer, one of my favorite teachings about prayer is very simple: “Prayer is talking with God about what you and He are doing together.”
Surely there’s no activity that more clearly demonstrates our working together with God and our dependence on Him than that of parenthood. “Children are a heritage from the Lord,” we read in Psalm 127, and we know it’s true. Being part of the miracle of creating and sustaining life is one of the greatest privileges God gives us; we know we could never do it on our own.
We love our children so much, and we always want the best for them. But sometimes we find ourselves faced with particularly trying circumstances, and our prayers take on special meaning. For my family, those trying circumstances have often come through the challenges of illness. My husband and two of my sons have a genetic condition called Marfan Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder which can involve great difficulty and even danger.

I remember so well the month of April 2008, when our then-14-year-old son Preston had to have major open-heart surgery. For years we had hoped and prayed that medication and monitoring might prevent his needing surgery, but that was not to be. Surgery was necessary to replace his ascending aorta with a polyester graft and his aortic valve with an artificial valve.

I’ll never forget one particular scene from the day of Preston’s surgery. For weeks I had held things together pretty well, doing all the big and little things required of me. And I kept a smile on my face in pre-op, staying calm when they wheeled Preston away and quiet as we took our seats in the waiting room. Several friends had gathered there to wait with Jack and me. We were all chatting cheerfully when one of the nurses called the waiting room from the Operating Room. The receptionist matter-of-factly relayed the message: “The surgeon wants you to know that Preston is safely under anesthesia and they’ve made the incision,” she said. “Thank you very much,” I answered. Then I burst into tears.

As I sobbed, my friends circled around me. My friend Anne took my hand and said, “Let’s pray right now.” Right there, in front of the whole waiting room, loud enough for everyone to hear, my friends prayed. They lifted Preston and the medical team and Jack and me to God, and they asked for every good thing. Five days later, Preston went home from the hospital.
That crisis was one I couldn’t have weathered by myself. I was helpless to heal Preston, helpless to affect the outcome of the surgery, helpless even to keep myself calm and peaceful. God alone could provide what was needed.

Of course, the time of Preston’s surgery was really just a special example of what God does for us every day. Most days we don’t feel as helpless and dependent as I felt that day, but the truth is that we wouldn’t even have air to breathe if it weren’t for the goodness and grace of God. Were it not for God’s grace, we wouldn’t have our children, much less be able to care for them. Oh, yes! Parenthood is definitely something that we and God are doing together!

But to tell the truth, God doesn’t always answer prayers as we’d like. Sometimes terrible things happen to children of parents who pray for them earnestly and faithfully. Theologians of different persuasions offer various explanations for this; they refer to it “the problem of evil.” Some of their explanations are helpful; others are not. The humbling reality is that we don’t understand exactly how God works. We don’t know why some prayers are answered “yes” and some are answered “no.” Some things are a mystery to us.

One thing we can know for sure, though: God loves us. “We know and rely on the love God has for us” (I John 4:16). When it comes to our children, we struggle. We cry. We’re afraid. Sometimes the things we fear come to pass. But when we pray for our children, we’re staking a claim. We’re saying that we trust God. We’re depending on Him for the very best for our children. God alone is strong enough overcome the most difficult of circumstances. 


Not even the things we fear most can separate us from God’s love in Christ (Romans 8:38-39).

As we pray for our children, we’re becoming people who know–really know–that God is good. We thank Him for blessing us with our kids. We humbly rely on Him as we do the work with which He’s entrusted us. We humble ourselves before Him and spend time with Him, and He changes our hearts to be more like the heart of Christ. As we become more Christlike, we want to spend more time with him. Then when we spend more time with Him, He changes our hearts some more. Just like parenting, our growth in Christlikeness is completely dependent upon God–but God has given us work to do. We are working together with God. We have a lot to talk with Him about, don’t we?


Thank you so much for sharing from your heart Richella! You have given us a lot to think about as we continue to grow in our understanding of how much more God loves our children than even we do. It seems impossible and yet that is the same love he feels for each and every one of us!

Now, here are the Biblical Virtues to be Praying for your Kids this week:

Sunday– Generosity: “Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.” (1 Timothy 6:18-19)
Monday– Peace-loving: “Father let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace.” (Romans 14:19)
Tuesday– Joy: “May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 1:6)
Wednesday– Perseverance: “Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them.” (Hebrews 12:1)
Thursday– Humility: “God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all.” (Titus 3:2)
Friday– Compassion: “Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion.” (Colossians 3:12)
Saturday– Responsibility: “Grant that my children may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load. ” (Galatians 6:5)
A big thank you again to Richella from Imparting Grace for being our special guest here today and thanks to all of you for joining us for another Simply Sunday at the Fence!






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Comments

  1. LDH says

    March 18, 2012 at 3:09 PM

    Such a great post from Richella written with faith and a tender heart.

    My post this week on Think on These Things is also about praying for our (older) kids. I would love for you to share this with us there.

    Kindly, Lorraine

    Reply
  2. marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says

    March 18, 2012 at 6:34 PM

    Praise the Lord for His Love, Mercy and Grace. Beautiful post and such a touching story. I will keep her son in prayer. God has much ahead for him. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  3. Dayle @ A Collection of This and That says

    March 18, 2012 at 6:59 PM

    Beautiful post.

    Reply
  4. Linda says

    March 18, 2012 at 7:17 PM

    I love the Lord and I love how He works everything together for our good! Even,…and especially,… the hard things. I love Richella…and I loved her post. She always encourages me. Thank you for asking her to be your special quest!

    Linda @ Truthful Tidbits

    Reply
  5. Ange says

    March 18, 2012 at 10:40 PM

    I recently discovered RichellA’S BLOG AND lovE HER HEARt. sorry for the cRAZy typing, my laptop IS ON ITS LAST LEGS. i LOVE YOur hearts and how you share the Lord AND HIS LOVE FOR US ON YOUR BLOG AND ALSO INTRODUCTING US TO NEW BLOGS WHO SHARE THE SAME LOVE. THANKS FOR BLESSING ME TODAY, LOVE YOU GUYS!

    Reply
  6. elizabeth says

    March 18, 2012 at 11:30 PM

    I really needed and appreciate this post today. My daughter, son in law, and two grandchildren leave Tuesday as missionaries to Ghana.

    Reply
  7. Richella says

    March 18, 2012 at 11:58 PM

    Heather and Vanessa, thank you so much for letting me participate in this series! Parenting is such a privilege, but it’s definitely not something we can do our own, is it? God intends us to lean on Him and help one another. Thank you for making your blog a place for people to connect and encourage one another.

    I appreciate the two of y’all very much!

    Reply

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Yesterday on the way home from school I had the ra Yesterday on the way home from school I had the radio tuned to my daughter's favorite station and a song that was playing had a line in it that really stood out to me. It made reference to a 'season of the sticks' which I think its safe to say must mean winter. I thought that was such an accurate, albeiet kind of depressing, picture of this time of the year.

While we definitely have more than our fair share of evergreen trees here in Oregon, we also have plenty of trees and bushes that are reduced to sticks during the cold months. But, this morning as I looked out my kitchen window, greedily sipping from my mug of coffee, I marveled at the beauty of the winter sunrise. The sky was all pinks and oranges with frost on the rooftops and a little bit of fog. And, I realized that part of why it was so amazing is because I could see it more clearly through the sticks. The bare branches allowed me a view that I wouldn't be able to see if those same branches were covered in leaves. Being stripped down to almost nothing revealed something magnificent.

We have seasons of the sticks in our lives too, don't we? Times when we feel as though we've been stripped bare and left exposed. It's easy to think that this is a place where all is ugly and dark. And yet, just like the winter sunrise was more visible because of the bare branches, the vulnerability we feel in the winter season of our souls allows us to get a glimpse of beauty that we wouldn't see otherwise. In the lush, warm seasons it's so easy to become comfortable. But in the bare, cold seasons we recognize just how much we need to rely on the One who placed the stars in the heavens and is sovereign over all.

If you feel like your soul has been stripped bare and you've been left exposed and vulnerable, may I encourage you today to ask the Lord to help you to see the beauty in this 'season of the sticks'.

“Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:7
I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake a I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake and grabbed a banana out of the freezer and was about to put it into my shake before I realized it was a frozen egg roll. Sooooo that's how my day is going so far! 🤪How about you?

It's honestly fairly representative of my state of mind these days as I can't seem to make the date on the calendar match the date in my spirit because it feels like it should be January 45th. Every year this month drags on and every year it seems to surprise me for some reason. In addition, my heart just feels heavy as I witness a lot of darkness and sadness around me. So, I'm choosing to control what I can control by making my house feel as cozy as possible, relishing the sunshine whenever it dares to peek through the clouds, gathering inspiration for warmer weather projects and, most importantly, resting in the comfort of the sovereignty of my Father.

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone he has made may know his work..." Job 37:5-7
What if you could do something at the beginning of What if you could do something at the beginning of your day that would be a gift to yourself later on? That’s what we’re talking about on this week’s Tip Tuesday! #tiptuesday
The sun decided to make another appearance today! The sun decided to make another appearance today! It’s been such a lovely Sunday. Chocolate croissants for breakfast followed by church then naps/football/reading/etc and soon we’ll be heading out to dinner with friends. These are my favorite kind of weekends. Hope yours has been lovely too! 🌿
Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshi Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshine is breaking through the fog and my house just seems happier. We definitely needed to see that light streaming in through the windows and it’s a gift I don’t take for granted.

And yes, there are still twinkle lights on my mantle because those help when the sunshine goes away again. ✨
Happy weekend! The rainy and gloomy weather here i Happy weekend! The rainy and gloomy weather here in the Willamette Valley has me feeling less frustrated about my migraine forcing me to just snuggle up indoors and these flowers in my kitchen are lifting my spirits. What are you up to on this holiday weekend?
It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offe It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offering a gentle reminder from my own parenting experience after feeling my heart pricked with conviction about what was waiting for my daughter every day after school. I hope it will encourage you! 🌿#tiptuesday
The day after Christmas I found myself laundering The day after Christmas I found myself laundering and folding all of the linens we used the previous night as we hosted my husband's side of the family for dinner and other festivities. As I laid out each cloth napkin and folded them one by one, I couldn't help but be struck by what a simple, yet meaningful, task it was. It's such an honor and privilege to be the hostess and, at this stage of my life, I realize that this has almost one hundred percent become my role now. Our parents are in their 70's and have either downsized significantly or simply don't have the energy to take on hosting duties for a large group. I could resent this. I could feel overwhelmed by it. But, instead, I'm choosing to embrace it knowing that, someday, I too will pass the hosting torch and I hope that I will be welcomed with love and attentiveness. So, I fold the linen napkins, taking pleasure in the way all of the creases line up and how neat and tidy they look in the drawer of my dining room buffet. These seemingly simple chores are part of the lifeblood of homemaking and my attitude towards them can either be one of gratefulness or grumbly-ness (yes, I'm making up words now). 

And I’m choosing gratefulness. 

“This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness.” (Elisabeth Elliot⁣)
Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kic Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kicking off the year with a brand new series! Each weekly installment will feature a tip for everything from your home to faith to parenting to family life and so much more. My goal for 2023 is to have far more personal interaction with this community while continuing on with the mission of weaving together all things heart and home. I hope you enjoy this first tip and I’d love to hear from you about whether or not you decorate for winter! 
#tiptuesday #organizing #winterdecorating
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. H “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” 

Here’s to beginnings. Happy new year friends! May you experience the majesty and sovereignty of the Lord in 2023 like never before! ✨
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