– Today’s Community Scripture – 12/13/2024

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.

                                Proverbs 3:5–12 (MSG)

– Reflection:

                               Don’t Assume You Know It All

How in the world did I get here?

Why me?

Why now?

What’s next for them?

During what I call my “dark times” while raising my children, many important questions weighed heavily on my mind and heart. My children are the greatest blessing I could have ever received. It’s disheartening to see any of them struggle, and it can make me feel a bit defenseless. They have also blessed us with grandchildren, and we love them. The daily struggles are real for everyone, including our kids. As parents, we want to improve their lives, but as a coach told me years ago, “I can’t go in the game and play for you.” Being a spectator in their lives allows me to see firsthand how each person’s choices can cause ripples throughout their lives.

Where do we go from here?

Reflecting on the past, I can now see God’s hand clearly in the people He placed in our lives, the doors He opened for us, and the positive directions they seem to be heading in now. Listening to my heart daily about where to be and how to guide each of them is becoming easier. It is not my life, as I have often been reminded while they were growing up. The decisions we all had to make now rest on them, and their choices will determine their future. As parents, we only want the best for our children, just as God wanted for His. This is why I rely on the abovementioned scripture whenever they come to mind.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, We thank You for how You have guided us and the people You have placed in our lives. We see Your hand in the paths we’ve walked and trust in Your wisdom as we continue forward. Grant us peace and clarity as we listen to the guidance of our hearts in shepherding those we love. As our children grow and make their own decisions, surround them with Your love and wisdom. Help them to choose paths that align with Your will and into futures filled with hope and prosperity. We entrust their lives to You, knowing that Your plans for them are good and that You desire the best for them just as You do for all Your children. Give us strength and grace as parents to support them with love and understanding. May Your scripture provide comfort and guidance whenever they cross our minds. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen