Candy Gibbs

candy gibbs, praying for my teen, praying for your teen

I would like to spend a concentrated amount of time in the remaining weeks of 2015 in prayer–specifically praying for my teens.  Will you join me and pray for yours?  I don’t want to let the craziness of the holiday season or the fearful world news get me off track.  I want to focus in on what God has in store for our family in 2016.

Let’s start today by thinking about how to pray for them with boldness and believing in HIS promises.  He says to pray with peace–even when we don’t feel at peace battling the outside world, or even in our own homes. Let’s steady ourselves, be still, and dive into six weeks of prayer together…

“As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them. They were terrified.…Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still…. Then the Lord said to Moses….” Exodus 14:10, 13-15

I’ve always wondered what Moses was thinking at that point. Right between “you need only to be still” and “Then the Lord said.”   Moses had just led the Israelites out of captivity; the sand from all the Egyptian brick making was still in their eyes and under their fingernails. Moses must have still been trying to gather his thoughts enough to determine what they might eat and how on earth he would manage the starts and stops with this multitude. When he found himself with his toes up to the water’s edge of the Red Sea and Pharaoh and his army on his heels, how did he feel in that moment?

I wonder, because as parents of teens, we will often find ourselves caught between an approaching enemy and a raging sea. While I may not truly be able to relate to how Moses felt, I have a keen understanding of the sensation that “there is no good and perfect way out of this one and someone may get hurt.” What I am asking the Father, for you and me both, is that rather than being overcome by dread when our toes feel that cool sensation of the sea, we would realize that those moments—the ones that are hopeless and overwhelming—are the perfect backdrop for the miraculous.

Lord Jesus, thank you that you are in the business of calming the wind and the waves. We come against fear and apprehension in your mighty name and we thank you that we can face these crazy seas of the teen years as long as we follow you! Make us strong and wise. We love you. 

Isaiah 40:1;3-4—“Comfort, comfort my people says your God….Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.”

Isaiah 40:11—“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

Isaiah 40:31—“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”

Luke 21:25-27—“On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

Matthew 14:27-29—“But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.”

Mark 4:37-40—“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.  Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”

Mark 4: 41—“He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’”

Parenting is not about how our children respond to us; it is much more about how we respond to the Lord.

My love,

candy gibbs, rescue parenting, teen parenting amarillo, parenting help amarillo, parenting teens amarillo

 

Be sure to check out the Rescue Prayer Journal available here!  This would make a great Christmas gift for any praying parent!

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