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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

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March 25, 2012

Praying for your Kids series…Part 4 and a Guest!

This is the final week of our series:



We have spent the last four weeks being encouraged by the words of some very special moms as they have shared their wonderful insights into how prayer has impacted their families.


This week we are capping off the series with another very special guest!
Kristin of Sweet Country Life has been a lovely friend to us since even before our Picket Fence days. Her blog is filled with charming, honest and sincere snippets from her Sweet Country Life but more than anything, her love for the Lord and her family shine through in every word. 


Let’s welcome Kristin now as she shares with us from her heart…


 


~Filling In The Gaps~

When Vanessa and I first spoke of her new series. I was so excited to be a part of it!

What a great topic….

Praying for our children.

And right away. I felt and had the need to share that one of the most powerful ways that I can and have prayed for my children is to pray that God will “fill in the gaps.”

What does that mean exactly?

Well, we all know…that the moment they place that new baby in our arms. Whether born to us or adopted. That we are so utterly sure that we will love this child unconditionally. That we will do our best and that we will be the mostperfect parents…Ever.

And as you well know.
Perfection is a myth.
And no matter how much we desire to do our best with the raising of our children. We are human. And so are they. We will stumble and we will fall.
And at times…we will fail.
We will fail them.
We will fail ourselves.
And we will need help.

We will need Him.

And whether you are a seasoned mother.
Or a new mommy.

It’s so very important that you know this.

You are not alone.
And the successes and failures of your children do not rise and fall with you.
Oh yes.
It’s extremely easy to pat ourselves on the back when our children are successful!

But, what about when our children….fail at something?
Do you also feel the failure in your job as parent.
Most likely.
And it can be extremely painful.
However….
You have a very important and much needed tool at your disposal. And my friend, it is the most powerful tool of all.

The power to pray that God will fill in the gaps.
It will change your life.
And that of your children.

Isn’t that amazing?

Many, many times I have asked Him, begged Him, to fill in the gaps of my parenting choices.
To stand in the middle of where I think I may be succeeding or am sure that I am failing.
I pray that He draws them near.
That He lifts them up and pulls them forward.
That it is He who changes their heart.
Who convicts them between right and wrong.
That bathes them in peace.
That shows them the path.
That beckons righteousness and humility.

Despite my most well meaning of intentions.

Oh sure, I may think that I am doing all of the molding and shaping.
Bending their lives in the directions that I think are best with my limited knowledge of the future.
But the truth is…
I have zero knowledge of their future.
And I need Him.
Because He is the one who knows.
He is the only hope and trust that I have, because He loves these children, my children, His children. More that I can ever imagine.

And that is powerful, powerful stuff, isn’t it?
And so freeing.

There is freedom in giving up the control.
Freedom in knowing that although I do my best.
And sometimes not so best.
He is better.
He will see them through.

And so for me, when I think of the way that praying for my children has shaped me, challenged me, and nurtured my heart and soul.
Or my children for that matter.

This is what I wanted to share with all of you.

May God bless you on your journey, with hope and peace.
Be encouraged…
You are doing a wonderful job of loving your children.
God knows our hearts and desires and He will give us the strength, love, tools and help that we need!

Psalm 37: 3-6

Kristin

Wow! We thank you so much Kristin for this wonderfully encouraging and truth-filled message today. What a relief it is to know that God will fill in the gaps for us and for our children if we are willing to trust Him!

picketfence_20010_thumb[18]

And now for the final list of Biblical Virtues to pray for your kids!
Sunday: Contentment~ “Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength.” (Philippians 4:12-13)
Monday: Faith~ “I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them.” (Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40)
Tuesday: A Servant’s Heart~ “God, please help my children develop servants’ hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men.” (Ephesians 6:7)
Wednesday: Hope~ “May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
Thursday: Willingness and Ability to Work~ “Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work at it with all their heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23)
Friday: Passion for God~ “Lord, please instill in my children a soul that ‘followeth hard after thee’ (Psalms 63:8), one that clings passionately to you.”
Saturday: Self-Discipline~ “Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.” (Proverbs 1:3)
*adapted from Pray! Magazine*


When we first discussed doing this series, we knew it would never be a blockbuster by “blogging” standards. It wouldn’t receive the most comments, emails, “pins”, etc.
It wasn’t likely to be tweeted about or tagged on Facebook.
But, that’s OK!

Our desire for all of our Simply Sunday posts, is that you might come here and find encouragement, support and maybe even some words of wisdom as you journey through this crazy life.
And, as mothers ourselves, we deeply desire that our children know and feel the love of God from us and through us. We can’t think of any greater legacy we could leave them than an understanding of His love and grace and the sacrifice He made for them…for us…for you!
As we enter into the Holy Season of Good Friday and Easter, we pray that this love would be more real to you than ever and that you will feel it in a new and fresh way.
We are so grateful to all of our Special Guests for being apart of the Praying for Your Kids Series!
If you missed the previous installments you can find them by clicking here.
May your week be richly blessed and thank you so much for joining us on this Simply Sunday,
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7 Comments Filed Under: Devotionals, Good Thoughts, Guest Posts, Simply Sundays

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Comments

  1. Sue says

    March 25, 2012 at 1:31 PM

    Wow. I clicked your link from The Polka Dot Closet to find some new DIY ideas and found this post instead. I SO needed this today, not just for my family but for myself. Thank you so much for doing this and to Kristen, your post was amazing and so inspiring to me. He tries so hard to reach us, no matter how many distractions we throw in his path 🙂

    Reply
  2. NanaDiana says

    March 25, 2012 at 1:37 PM

    What a beautiful, eloquent, heart-warming, inspiring (did I miss anything) post! Beautifully said! xo Diana

    Reply
  3. Alicia Robicheaux says

    March 25, 2012 at 3:09 PM

    I had no idea about this. I’m anxious to see the whole series. (hugs)

    Reply
  4. Amit and Heather says

    March 25, 2012 at 3:57 PM

    I loved this series!!! My husband and I don’t have kids yet, but I have saved all the virtues, so I can pray for them when we do! I’m also sending this to a friend who just had a baby – she’ll love it! Thanks so much!

    Reply
  5. White Ironstone Cottage says

    March 25, 2012 at 10:58 PM

    I have enjoyed this so much what a Blessing
    xxoo
    Pam

    Reply
  6. Amy Kinser says

    March 26, 2012 at 5:04 AM

    What a blessing to read this today. I have prayed many times for God’s grace to “catch” my children when they fall because of my mistakes or something I didn’t teach them. Does that make any sense at all? I love praying for God to fill in the gaps.

    blessings to you all…

    Reply
  7. Susan (My Place to Yours) says

    April 3, 2012 at 11:48 AM

    Once again, God’s timing is perfect! I’m waaaay behind on blog visiting, but this morning I finally read this post, and Kristin has beautifully written what I have so often prayed and claimed in my heart for my children. They are now in their late 20s, and I still pray that God will fill in the gaps (but I never used those words until now). What wonderful imagery. Thank you Kristin, Heather, and Vanessa — and I wish a blessed celebration of our risen Lord for each of you. Happy Easter!

    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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