It all began on Thursday morning, and continued into Friday. That little .... pleading whisper to take action now! I wasn't sure what or why, but I knew that God was calling me to make a stand and change a few things in our home, beginning with the oldest (and only daughter).
As time passed, the urging became more fervent and the path made more clear. I was about to take the steps to give the gift of a lifetime. The gift of life ~ to be lived as God intended. The gift of purity in childhood. The gift of learning about and being able to accept oneself in a way that is NOT taught in our society to these precious children. In fact, society now a days really want to rob our children of this gift ~ and make them reliable on total strangers to find their oneness and acceptance from.
I remember being 13. It wasn't an easy time in life. Compared to today ~ it was a piece of a cake. Sure I sought out acceptance from people, longing for their approval. I probably said things I wouldn't have ... had I not had this so deep within me. I probably did things that I wouldn't have, if I just solely desired the approval of God and my parents alone. Teens, preteens, and even young youth now face a whole different world. They are constantly bombarded with what society things not only of them ` but of what it thinks they should be. I am not one to give in to raising our kids in a superficial world. I don't WANT them to long to "fit in". And quite frankly I am tired of "letting" society have this freedom with my own children.
Sadly one used to be able to distinguish when a writer used the word "society" it often referred to a standard in the world. As Christians we are NOT to be living the standard of this world, and who would want to? It is so empty, vile, dark, lonely, and sadly headed in a downward spiral more with each passing year. Even your typical "Christian" falls into the trap of living one way on Sunday, but living completely different the rest of the week. They say one thing, but do another. So often, we fall into the trap of wanting to fit in so bad, that our choices effect our character, decisions, and even .. our testimony.
I want more for my daughter! She is at a tender age, and I feel like she has been robbed! I feel like her innocence, purity, and just simple child like faith has been tested in more ways then she should ever have to experience before the age of 20, let alone before the age of 16! Teenagers, especially girls are NOT nice! I see it, and I praise God for the gift of discernment He has given me! Just this week I realized so many of these girls just want to be "accepted" that they will do anything to get it. Gossip. Slander. Even to the point of vandalism, threatening of one's safety, and beyond our wildest imaginations. What's left to do? Fight back? At what standard?
I want my daughter to know who she is ~ not by what society/her friends/ even her family thinks ~ but truly to KNOW what her desires are in this life. I want her to get a solid foundation in Christ. When your living a life that is a double standard, and is constantly battling each other ~ it hinders HIS doing! I want more for her then I ever had ~ and I had it pretty good. NOT in a materialistic way, but in life in general. I am blessed to say that she had a solid firm family at home. Her father and I are united ~ and will remain that way. I LONG more and more each day to stay up under the authority of my husband for this very reason. I am tired of hearing my children base their desires on what other's desires are. Too many times they look to what others have or what they are doing to base their decision on their own.
It is this world of comparison that gets us in deep. We begin comparing what we have, what we do, how our lives are lived based on those around us. Guess what?! God does not desire that to be! Sure, we are instructed to look to those older (or wiser) then we are (not by age ~ but by faith) NOT just anyone. This is an area that God has really been working on me in my own life ~ and I am honored to be challenged to bring it to the children next. I am tired of being involved in a "look at me" or even a "look what i can do better then you" world! Social media THRIVES off of this. I am going to be bold enough to say that when we live this way (and stop telling me it's "natural"), we are sinning in a big way. Like breaking a ten commandment kind of way.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:17
This is big!! This is HUGE! And I am broken to my core! I am tired of living my life to "fit in".... and be something that I am not! This means so much, and if we think about it ~ our world is full of "coveting" or .... comparing and compromising! Removing the ability to have my daughter subject herself to this kind of living is BIG. It's taking everything I have to not give in to her "compromise" but I see this very minute that there is no way I can. As soon as I saw it begin, God grabbed a hold of me. I must do what He is commanding, and I need to act on it WHEN He asks ~ not when it's convenient. And I can no longer compromise myself either.
I am looking forward to having my "little girl" back. As she see's herself ~ 13 is not "little" but I can tell you one thing. I am almost 40 and I can't imagine being 13 again! I am looking forward to experiencing watching her discover who she is, and what she one day wants to do with her life without the outside false influence of the world. Right now, there is a whole generation of girls who are desperately unhappy, and looking for affection and attention. Lord let my daughter seek YOU to fill that gap if there is any.
I am looking forward to the way God fills our days ~ and what lessons we must learn in order to grow in the way in which He is calling us to learn. Reflecting today (and last night) on the pregnancies and births of our children, just made me realize how fast time is going ~ and how it won't be long before they are off living their lives. I need to make sure they have a strong foundation in which to live on ~ so that when difficult times come, they can stand and not get swept up in the world wind of defeat.
This Mother's Day I am giving my children a gift. The gift of being able to be kids with no expectations of growing up faster then they need to. I pray that they accept this gift of wholeness. It truly is the biggest thing I have ever given them. I hurt this evening for mother's who have lost their children to this cold dark world. Children ~ who are slaves to prison of comparison and the guilt that they can't live up to false expectations. I am weeping for mother's whose children have taken their own lives, out of "not living up", or even being given the chance to overcome this painful lonely walk of living up society's idea of "life". I pray that even though it is hard for my daughter this evening, that she will see my heart, and understand that it is the BIGGEST gift I truly can give her. Freedom to be herself ~ without fear of judgement, or not living up. She is a beautiful girl who loves life! I just want to make sure the life she loves is her own ~ not the desire to be someone she isn't.


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