children — Page 2 — Woman to Woman Mentoring

My 2x “COVID” Survivor Story Has a Message for Everyone!

I was in shock! I slammed down my hand on the exam table exclaiming, “No way!”

My doctor had just told me I tested positive for Covid for the SECOND time!!

Yes, you read that right. I already had Covid and was living under the false pretense, as many of you might be, that I had antibodies to protect me against any recurrence.

But there’s more . . .

Not only did I have antibodies, I also had made the choice to be vaccinated to protect my hubby who didn’t get Covid when I had it the first time. When we originally heard the horror stories about Covid earlier this year and he was 75 years old with shortness of breath issues, he got the vaccine at the VA. A couple months later when it was available in our remote area, I decided to get the vaccine also and have double protection for him.

Or so I thought . . .

For a week at the beginning of October 2021, Dave and I thought we had “colds” because how could it be anything else?! We’re protected right?! Our symptoms were each a little different: mine was like a sinus headache with sniffles and a tummy ache; he had congestion and a cough. No fever, no body aches. We both were tired, but got up every morning, dressed, and continued our day sniffling, sneezing, Dave coughing, and me complaining of a pressure headache behind my right eye and food tasted blah like it does with a cold.

We took Musinex for our “colds” along with other supplements we’d been taking all year: Vit. C, Vit. D3, Beta Glucans, Elderberry, plus our handful of daily vitamins and supplements. We beefed up our Vit. C, Zinc, and added Quercetin with Zinc and stayed home.

But we weren’t getting better and my granddaughter’s 16^th birthday was coming up. She and I were going to get pedi’s together, so I decided I had better go to the doctor.

Imagine my surprise when I was positive for Covid!! After I recovered from my shock, my doctor explained it was because this time I had Delta, which is what most new cases of “Covid” are now.

Dave went in the next day to confirm and he also tested positive for “Covid,” which we now knew was Delta.

So to recap: we were both vaccinated and I had Covid-19 antibodies. Now we had Delta!

Delta Changes Everything

Here’s what the government doesn’t tell you or want you to know as Biden continues to make false statements like “mounting data shows that they (vaccines) work” and “they (vaccines) move the dial to eliminate this disease.”

That’s not true! We’re proof that they’re not telling us the whole story because I believe they want the power of controlling people by corruptly, ruthlessly, and insanely mandating these vaccines. If they actually admitted that the vaccines don’t work well against the new Delta variant, then people would be hesitant to get them or fight even harder against the mandates. Oh yes, Biden has now changed the terminology from mandates to “requirements.”

And speaking of changing terminology . . . to explain away all the people who are getting “Covid” in spite of being vaccinated, they’re calling it a “breakthrough.” Breakthrough minimizes and makes it sound like it’s the same original Covid-19 but a “lighter case.” Even though thousands of “breakthrough cases” are ending up in the hospital and many are dying.

Breakthrough doesn’t explain how I got “Covid” twice, which I just heard a doctor say on a podcast is impossible. So like us, many breakthroughs are probably Delta! Why don’t they want us to know there’s a difference?

Dave and I both received vaccines months apart and I had antibodies so the chances we would get sick on the same day with “breakthrough” cases are slim to none.

96% Fully Vaccinated in Israeli Hospital Delta Outbreak.

It was explained to me that my original Covid antibodies are useless against the new Delta variant and the vaccine was designed to fight Covid-19, which explains why I actually got Delta this time. Not “Covid again.” Even though they’re calling everything “Covid” like it’s all the same thing. It’s NOT!

Instead of revealing that many new cases are Delta, a new mutated Covid virus, “breakthrough cases” insinuate they’re from the original Covid-19. I believe they don’t want to admit that the vax and antibodies from Covid-19 aren’t effective against Delta. I think you’ll hear about more cases like mine but probably not for a while until the media catches up and they’re forced to talk about it. That would put a damper on their unconstitutional vaccine mandates.

The “booster” is also just a lower dose of the original vaccine, which did not help us.

Most people tell me they’ve never heard of anyone getting Covid twice like I did or they feel “safe” because they have antibodies or have the vaccine. That’s all a false since of security the government is spreading. I can only think it’s because they either haven’t “followed the science” and studied the Delta variant or they have studied it but aren’t telling the truth about their findings. They’re making too much money with the vaccines.

A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it. Pr. 29:4

Covid is becoming like the flu, which has variants every year. At least with the flu shot they tell you it’s not good for all the variations of flu. With Covid they’re lying and mandating something they know won’t work for every mutation!!!

When in reality, people like us are getting infected now with Delta, which isn’t going to be as responsive to the vaccine. I’ll concede that the vaccines may have kept us from having harsher cases and kept us out of the hospital, but we also did our part by taking protective supplements all year to boost our immune system.

Just tonight as I’m finishing this blog, the following panic article posted: J&J Vaxxers Being Urged to Get Another Shot ASAP! “Experts are hurrying to persuade those who received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine to go out and get the booster shot as soon as possible following a new study that showed a drop in its effectiveness during the Delta variant surge.” The drop was to 3% effective!!! “Vaccine protection fell among other vaccines as well—with Moderna’s falling from 92% to 64 percent, and Pfizer’s from 91 percent to 50 percent.”

For Dave and me the drop was to zero percent effective against Delta variant! Would you get a vaccine that’s only 50% effective? Would a sane legitimate government mandate it?

My Revealing Research

Joe Biden is trying to convince everyone that the vaccine is going to wipe out all Covid, completely ignoring what sources are saying . . .

“Just when the world thought that the COVID-19 pandemic was ending, a variant of the original virus has surfaced. The Delta variant is basically the same basic symptoms as COVID-19, but it is just different enough to slip past the vaccine and infect people yet again. Another new factor of the Delta variant is that it seems to be affecting and spreading in children, whereas the original virus mainly affected older adults.”

In other words, the Delta variant is NOT the same as the original Covid!

“The Delta variant, virtually non-existent in January, now accounts for most current infections. Several studies have already demonstrated the higher infectivity and virulence of the Delta variant. It is also more likely to escape the vaccine: the efficacy of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines dropped significantly with this variant, compared to the original virus.” [Canadian Study Shows the New Variant is 133% More Deadly Than the Original Virus.]

Labs aren’t routinely testing the variant, but they admit: “The highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19 is behind the vast majority of new cases in the United States, and the country is logging over 100,000 infections daily. Due to the volume of COVID-19 cases, sequencing is not performed on all viral samples. However, because the delta variant now accounts for the majority of COVID-19 cases in the United States, there is a strong likelihood that a positive test result indicates infection with the delta variant.”

Right now, the Delta variant makes up 98% of COVID-19 cases in the US. “If you’ve gotten COVID recently, you’ve gotten it from the Delta variant,” William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells Health.

Why Would God Let Me Get This Plague Twice?

You have to dig to find the information I’m sharing here because you’re not going to hear anyone in the Biden Administration, Dr. Fauchi, FDA, CDC, or Mainstream Media talking about this. Instead, it seems for some nefarious reason, they want to keep it quiet. They want Americans vaccinated whether it helps or not. Why?

“But you! You have eyes only for greed and dishonesty! You murder the innocent, oppress the poor, and reign ruthlessly.” Jer. 22:17 NLT

When something unusual happens to me, I always ask the Lord how He wants to use it. When I had breast cancer, I asked Him “For what purpose?” He led me to write Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey, which has allowed the Lord and me to bless many of my breast cancer sisters and I’m now a 3x breast cancer survivor.

So with this anomaly of getting Covid then Delta even with antibodies and vaccine, again I asked the Lord what should I do as a “Covid” 2x survivor? What should I say about it? This blog was my answer.

I’m not trying to influence you about getting the vaccine. There should never be vaccine shaming among God’s people. But what I am saying is do not take at face value everything/anything you’re being told about Covid or vaccines. Ask questions. Do research. If you follow me, you know that I believe we should have a choice and the government should not be allowed to desecrate our freedoms, especially medically! That’s socialism at its worst.

⁸Don’t be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy. Ecc. 5:8 NLT

For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all. Luke 8:17 NLT

There is nothing Joe Biden has done that I agree with or that is in the best interest of the American people! So why would we let ourselves by subjugated to his tyranny of mandates that are resulting in so many people losing their jobs resulting in a failing economy, inflation, shipping delays, empty shelves, reduced healthcare workers, first responders and police . . .?

Why is the military being purged and debilitated, even dishonorably discharged, if they won’t take the jab? Why is our country’s protection being weakened?

Why isn’t more research and progress being made into treatments? When have you ever gone to the hospital or doctor with a possible deadly illness and been told just go home and come back if you get worse or feel like you’re dying? No prescription? No antidote? Just leave!

Why are they lumping Delta in with original Covid-19 and calling it all “Covid”?

Why are they forcing a vaccine on children that is currently proving not to be effective against the Delta variant, which is what children are getting? My thirteen year-old granddaughter and some of her friends got what was most likely Delta, but they were over it in a week.

Why are we letting the government use “Covid” as the excuse for stealing elections and everything they’re doing to destroy our country?

Why aren’t more doctors and scientists who know the truth speaking up?

Why are questions or opinions posed on social media censored by Big Tech?

Why are we buying into and accepting a lie?

“You can’t comply your way out of tyranny. You must learn to disobey.” Emerald Robinson, Newsmax White House Correspondent

“Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder.” George Washington

“Love of money, power, and control is at the root of forced vaccines.” Pastor George Pearsons, Eagle Mountain International Church

Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frameinjustice by statute? Ps. 94:20 ESV

“A breed of Christian is coming to turn America away from destruction. We are running out of time. They will be bold, creative, compelling, and express the deep love of God like a light in the darkness.” Mario Murillo

“Don’t underestimate the power of the church and prayer. The mountain of faith will uproot the mountain of corruption.” Pastor George Pearsons

The foundations of law and order have collapsed.
    What can the righteous do?”
⁴But the Lord is in his holy Temple;
    the Lord still rules from heaven.
He watches everyone closely,
    examining every person on earth. Ps. 11:3-4

¹⁰A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹²For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Eph. 6:10-12

NOTE: Dave and I have recovered and are out of quarantine. We’re still taking all our immunity builders, getting extra sleep, and regaining our energy. Thank you Lord for the amazing healing powers of prayer and the love of friends and family!

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

October 18, 2021

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An Expert Explains Why Critical Race Theory Must Be Kept Out of Schools!

The Biden Administration is trying to claim it was an “error” that the U.S. Department of Education’s handbook published in April 2021 promotes the radical “Abolitionist Teaching Network’s handbook “Guide for Racial Justice & Abolitionist Social and Emotional Learning” that advocates for educators to “disrupt Whiteness” and accuses the U.S. educational system of “the spirit murder of Black, Brown and Indigenous Children.”

Critical Race Theory included in a federal teacher’s handbook! Who is responsible?

Betsy DeVos, former Secretary to Education under President Trump, said in interviews that someone high-up in the Department of Education had to sign off on the citation to this radical activist group being included in the handbook. It couldn’t have been an oversite. Who included it in the first place?

“This notion that it was a mistake is an absolute falsehood,” said DeVos, who served under President Trump. “Having been there at the department for four years and working through the approval processes for anything that is put out from the department, I know full well that there were eyes on and full knowledge of this going on.”

Earlier this month, I wrote a blog “Never Poke a Mama Bear” in which I encouraged parents to know what their children are being taught and to especially protest critical race theory indoctrination in schools.

Last week, Judith Rolfs, a professional marriage and family counselor, responded to my blog Do You Know the Difference Between Misinformation and Disinformation? She sent me a copy of an article she had written on the dangers of CRT being introduced into our schools. I asked her if I could share it with you and she said absolutely. We all need to become educated, forewarned, and motivated to combat the enemy within education.

As I’ve said before, Satan wants the next generation. Whether or not you have children in school, you can’t deny the impact this will have on our culture. Our country. Our families.

So here’s Judith Rolfs’ article on this topic . . .

Dear Readers,
I’ve been asked to share my thoughts about race in America and how the topic impacts school children based on my experience as a professional marriage and family counselor. This seems a timely topic with all the discussion in our news currently.

The truth is that race discussion does not belong in our public or private schools. Yet the National Education Association is promoting teaching a theory that imposes guilt on children and creates division among our children.

Here is why this is wrong. Witness children at play. Children accept others in play without regard for the color of another child’s skin. Feelings and friendships are developed naturally by the way each child interacts. They realize that there are differences in many things regarding color, flowers, sky, water, trees, toys, and yes, people.

In a child’s mind, the color of one’s skin has no bearing on their friendships or acceptance UNLESS they’re taught that one color is better than another color.

Prejudices are taught. They don’t come naturally to children. Being white, or whatever color one is born, is the Creator’s decision and no race is superior or inferior to another. It’s horrific to hang guilt on a child because of their white skin color.

I came across this shocking statement! May 27, 2021 — Says Becky Pringle, President of the NEA. “Our children need to understand the painful truth of racism.” “(NEA) believes that, in order to achieve racial and social justice, educators must acknowledge the existence of white supremacy culture as a primary root cause of institutional racism, structural racism, and white privilege.”

I want to be quite clear about CRT race discussion at any level of schooling. It’s incorrect for a teacher or school system to infer students are racist or that students should bear guilt for the way people were treated in the past. This can harm innocent children. They shouldn’t experience guilt over something for which they have no responsibility. To do so is child abuse.

The Bible makes this very clear in Ezekiel 18:20 “The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”

Our country was founded on the truth that all men are created equal and founded with the intent to provide religious freedom and equal opportunity for ALL. It was not founded to promote slavery. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

So then what should older children learn about race? The facts. Historically, some races have been ill-treated tragically at times. Slavery was wrong. Imposed segregation was wrong. Whites, blacks, and people of every color have equal opportunity given by God. No individual and no government has the authority to deny this right to any other human being.

Sadly, self-serving politicians spread the lie that blacks are inferior, of lesser intelligence, incapable of achieving success, or ridiculously that blacks could not complete voter ID forms. Such deceitful individuals want black people to believe these untruths about themselves and feel inferior and dependent on government for their well-being.

No race or skin color is inferior or superior to any other. God created all men and women equal!

Parents make sure your children are not damaged by misled teachers who are misinformed or have an evil agenda to cause division and hate. Be certain your school boards do not accept this harmful NEA agenda.

These so-called educational “strategies” do not belong in our schools. Teachers are hard pressed enough teaching basic academic subjects. Since teachers were pressed into social agendas, our students have fallen woefully behind other countries academically.

It’s helpful to keep in mind that Jesus is the great unifier. Every family black, white, brown, or yellow, has the opportunity for acceptance and love in Him and through Him for one another.

Instead of distressing children with “white privilege guilt” teachers should promote values like a good work ethic and build the esteem of every student by empowering them through solid academic learning.

Unity can exist when it’s based on strong moral principles of respect for one another as God’s creation. Race theory doesn’t belong in our schools.

Dr. Judith Rolfs has been a marriage and family therapist, speaker and author for almost three decades. She’s passionate about helping couples have joyful, strong marriages and families. As a Christian woman, wife, and mom of four, grandmother of seven, she knows firsthand the challenges of life in this often chaotic world. Judith teaches biblical principles from Scripture and always encourages dependence on God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for living one’s best life.

On Judith’s YouTube channel you can find Marriage and Parenting tips plus Judith reading short stories to children from her modern fairy tales book Unforgettable Stories for Kids.

Her Amazon Author page reveals what an eclectic author she is of over twenty books from five star mystery novels, marriage and family how-to books to her Tommy Smurlee/Grella Weller children’s series for ages eight and up – creative mystery fantasy books with solid moral values.

Her website is www.judithrolfs.com

Judith lives in a hidden woodland garden in Wisconsin with her husband who is the popular author of family inspirational books, Words For Today, Thoughts For Tomorrow

Recent Family Book Release: Man in Command, 52 Ways To Be A Great Husband and Dad

Thank you Judith for sharing your article with us!

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment for Judith or me here.

July 26, 2021

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Breaking News: Life Isn’t Always Fair!

“I never thought that this would be easy, but I thought it would be fair,” said [Meghan] Markle. “And that’s the part that’s really hard to reconcile.”

“If things are fair, that completely tracks for me if things are fair,” said Markle. “If I do something wrong I’d be the first one to go, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. I would never do that,’ but when people are saying things that are just untrue and they’re being told they’re untrue but they’re allowed to still say them, I don’t know anybody in the world who would feel that that’s OK. And that’s different than just scrutiny. That’s, what would you call that? That’s a different beast. It’s really a different beast.” [Meghan Markle admits she ‘never thought’ royal life ‘would be easy, but I thought it would be fair.’]

This week the news is full of stories about Meghan Markle and her husband Prince Harry leaving the royal life to live as civilians. What struck me the most about their decision was Markle’s comments about fairness.

She also reportedly said in a reply to her British friends telling her before she married Harry that the British tabloids would destroy her life, “And I, very naively — I’m American,” continued Markel. “We don’t have that there . . . .

[Tweet “Tabloids lie and try to destroy people’s lives, so does mainstream media. And they don’t care if it’s fair or true as long as it makes headlines!”]

I would say she definitely was naïve but also forgetful because not only do the American tabloids lie and try to destroy people’s lives, so does mainstream media. And they don’t care if it’s fair or true as long as it makes headlines! She’s right, it is a beast . . . The Beast!

The point of this blog is not to discuss Harry and Meghan’s reasons for their decision, but to point out that expecting life in a fallen world to be fair is terribly naïve of anyone.

[Tweet “As long as Satan, the father of lies, is allowed to be the ruler of the earth there will be unfairness, lies, gossip, and people who want to destroy lives for the fun of it or for political and financial gain.”]

Life should be fair. I wish it was. But as long as Satan, the father of lies, is allowed to be the ruler of the earth there will be unfairness, lies, gossip, and people who want to destroy lives for the fun of it or for political and financial gain.

Oppressors intentionally hurt people from their own lack of self-worth. If they can make you look bad in some distorted way, they think they might look better. It’s a twisted way of thinking and acting, but see it for what it is, evil.

[Tweet “How have we become a society that thrives on tearing down people with words and actions?”]

How have we become a society that thrives on tearing down people with words and actions? There’s little to no civility in the way people talk about others in the media, late night talk shows, politics, or entertainment. Kindness is weakness and meanness is strength in our perverse culture.

What can we do as Christians when life isn’t fair?

Live our lives so that no one has a reason to lie about us, and if they do, their deception will eventually be exposed. They will look the fool.

But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 1 Peter 3:16 NLT

Repay unfairness with kindness.

This will confuse and disarm the aggressor. Don’t match their bad behavior with more bad behavior. Don’t be lured into that trap.

If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Luke 6:29 NLT

Don’t receive negativity or react to it.

It’s hard to do, but ignore falsehoods or mean words said about you. They sting and hurt but don’t let the person saying them receive the satisfaction of knowing they hit their mark.

This is what the Lord says: “Be just and fair to all. Do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue you and to display my righteousness among you. Isa. 56:1 NLT

Don’t take unfairness seriously or dwell on it.

Replaying unjustness over and over in your mind like an old movie gives the incident more power and robs your joy. Cast it off and carry on with the Lord as your strength.

⁶For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
⁷He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
⁸for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful ones.

⁹Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
¹⁰For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Proverbs 2:6-10 (NIV)

Don’t be unfair or unjust to others or participate in gossip or untruths.

This is what the Lord says: Be fair-minded and just. Jer. 22:3 NLT

Surround yourself with like-minded people who lift you up and don’t tear you down.

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. 1 Thess. 5:11 NLT

[Tweet “Prepare your children and grandchildren that life isn’t always fair and they will experience injustice, but God is just and trustworthy.”]

Prepare your children and grandchildren that life isn’t always fair and they will experience injustice, but God is just and trustworthy. Make sure they have a relationship with Jesus and not the world.

It’s a mistake today to teach children that everyone wins. Everyone doesn’t win just ask any competing athlete. To try and keep children in safe spaces where they never learn how to confront opposing views or ideas is not good parenting, but teaching them that Jesus is their protector and provider will help them face the inevitable unjust times in their life.

When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 118:5-6

[Tweet “”He [God] will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness.” Psalm 9:8 NLT”]

“He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness.” Psalm 9:8 NLT

January 13, 2020

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7 Tested Tips for Moms of Teens by Letitia Suk

Letitia Suk is a guest on the Monday Morning Blog today with some great advice for moms of teens and tweens from her book Need-to-Know Tips for Moms of Tweens and Teens. This is a delightful and practical guide for grandparents too. As I was reading, I thought about my thirteen-year old granddaughter who was coming with her friend to stay with us for a week. Our tendency is to fall back on our own parenting style with the next generation, but I knew I could learn a few tips, and I did. Leave a comment for a chance to enter the drawing to win this precious book!

My new book Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith is now available for preorder on Amazon. Mothering tweens and teens is a courageous and brave endeavor that I know we would all agree we couldn’t do without the help of God. Chapter 7 is “Brave Mothers.”

7 Tested Tips for Moms of Teens

by Letitia Suk

Parents and teens will clash, often! If you are a parent of a teen, you have been on both ends of the clash at some point in your life. Remember?

As much as it feels challenging to get through this roller coaster season of parenting, choose the long view. This current crisis will pass but your relationship with your teen lasts the rest of your life.

[Tweet “One of the primary tasks of parenting teens is to establish a bond of closeness that can be drawn on for the long journey ahead.”]

Your pediatrician might not have mentioned it, butone of the primary tasks of parenting teens is to establish a bond of closeness that can be drawn on for the long journey ahead.

Hard as it is to believe, most of the years spent with our child in our lifetime will be in an adult-adult relationship that will outlast these exciting, fun-filled, and often challenging years.

[Tweet “Most of the years spent with our child in our lifetime will be in an adult-adult relationship”]

Looking for help?

If you need some help today, 100 Need-to-Know Tips for Moms of Tweens & Teens is a grab and go guide to read along the way. Each short, stand-alone tip provides an immediate opportunity to strengthen your relationship with your teen for both now and for the decades ahead.

Here is a sample of some of the tips you can try right now.

Keep Texts Friendly.

Chances are your teen prefers texting to most other forms of communication. Choosing to use this tool in a friendly way is a great way to stay in touch. Tell them you love them and are praying for their test. Ask them if they need anything from Walmart or send fun tidbits of information. TM can also be used to ask questions like when will the car be back? Will you be home for dinner? Could you please pick up a gallon of milk?

Decide that you will only use this creative tool for positive thoughts or simple questions. This is not the vehicle to complain (the kitchen is a wreck), criticize (you never leave gas in the car), or accuse (you were out too late last night). Keep it upbeat and they’ll want to keep opening their inbox.

Ditch the Dread.

“Wait till they’re teenagers!” was the foreboding warning that awaited me on almost every turn of the stroller. “Wait till they start mouthing off” or “Wait till they get to high school” or “Wait till they get their driver’s license” have been part of the mom to mom network from the playground to the boardroom. It was never clear what the wait was for, it didn’t have the same hopeful note as waiting to go on vacation.

[Tweet “Instead of expecting the worst, start the day with a hope and a prayer that your teen is going to be OK.”]

Instead of expecting the worst, start the day with a hope and a prayer that your teen is going to be OK.

Talk back to your inner critic and tell her you’re doing just fine as a mom. Don’t let moments of doubt turn into dread-fests. Be the voice of the yay-sayer instead of the naysayer to other moms. Expect the best and wait for it to come!

Wave the White Flag.

If you are the parent of a teen, you have engaged in some conflict. In fact, you might have instigated it or inflamed it. It is never too late to wave the white flag and start a round of peace talks in your family. Someone needs to step up and stop yelling, door slamming, or silent treatment. Might as well be you!

Calling for peace is not glossing over incidents but acknowledging your part in the current conflict. “I was angry, and I insulted your character, I’m sorry.” “I was tired, and I yelled at you. That wasn’t fair.” Asking for forgiveness is also a huge step but necessary to move on.

[Tweet “Conflicts will come and go but the relationship is forever.”]

Conflicts will come and go but the relationship is forever.

What your teen sees from you in the way of how to do resolution will shape their future interactions as well.

4. Leave on a positive note.

When your teen leaves the house for an outing with friends, make a point to say have a good time, you look great, I love you.

[Tweet “The last few minutes of your interaction with your teen can set the tone for the rest of the evening.”]

The last few minutes of your interaction with your teen can set the tone for the rest of the evening.

If your teen leaves the house feeling good about you and about themselves, they will carry those positive feelings with them. Likewise, if they leave home angry, feeling misunderstood, or belittled, those feelings may shape their evening. If you really want to make a lasting impression, occasionally slip a little unasked-for cash!

Avoid Micro-Managing Your Teen’s Faith.

It has been said that “God has no grandchildren” meaning we each have our own faith experience separate from our parents. In our spiritually aware culture, most teens are searching for something/someone to believe in. Your teen’s faith journey might parallel yours, lag behind, or leap ahead. Most likely, it will not be identical just as your faith experience is not the same as your parents.

[Tweet “Your role as a parent is to provide spiritual training for your children, but not to force their faith development.”]

Your role as a parent is to provide spiritual training but not to force their faith development.

In these teen years, you can nurture your teen’s faith by your prayers, your example, your encouragement, and trust God to work out the big picture. Keep in mind, his timing is rarely the same as ours.

Differentiate Between Rules and Policies.

Try less rules, more policies. A policy has flex to it, a rule is fixed. Use policies for the minors of life such as room cleaning, late phone calls, attendance at family events, established study times, etc. A policy can be changed by request, “I need to talk to Sara tonight, but she won’t be home till 10:30. Can I call her later?” You: “OK, thanks for asking.” Exception given, policy still in place.

Rules, however, cover the majors and are not flexible. No point in your teen asking if they can have a party when you’re out of town. Ditto, there won’t be an exception as to whether they can drink and drive or have a sleepover with their boyfriend/girlfriend. Policies can be created on the spot and revised often. Keep the actual rules very few and very clear.

Remember, rules without relationship can lead to rebellion.

[Tweet “Remember, rules without relationship can lead to rebellion in children.”]

Bless their Friends, Even the Ones You Don’t Like.

You won’t like all your teens’ friends. Usually announcing that you don’t like a friend quickly elevates this person into sainthood in your teen’s life. The secret is not to let your feelings be known unless your teen is in danger or serious risk from a “friend.”

Find something, anything to comment on positively about the friend. “I like the way ____ is passionate about causes, knows a lot about music, isn’t afraid to be different.” then you might say something casually like, “I am a little concerned about his/her ____(driving?, ditching school? lying? poor relationship with parents, etc.” (choose only one) then follow with, “What do you think about that?” Listen and don’t comment. Very hard tactic to follow but so worth it. Wait it out and see if your impression was wrong or your teen recognizes it’s not a healthy relationship. It almost always happens.

Interested in reading more?

Ninety-two more tips are available in 100 Need-to-Know Tips for Moms of Tweens & Teens (Ellie Claire/Hachette, 2019.) Beautifully designed with inspirational quotes on motherhood interspersed throughout, this book makes an excellent gift for yourself or a friend.

Which of these tips did you need today?

Have you used any of these tips successfully?

Please leave a comment here for a chance to win a free sign copy of 100 Need-to-Know Tips for Moms of Tweens and Teens.

About the Author:

Letitia Suk invites women to chase the intentional life. She is the author of 100 Tips for Moms of Tweens and Teens, Getaway with God: The Everywoman’s Guide to Personal Retreat & Rhythms of Renewal. Letitia’s Amazon page

She and her husband, Tom, live in the Chicago area and are parents of four grown children. Letitia’s Website

August 5, 2019

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Remembering the Reason for the Easter Season

Easter cross

My Easter post is coming to you a little early, but since I blog on Mondays, next Monday will be too late so hopefully you’ll have a week to ponder on the thoughts I share with you today.

A common aphorism at Christmas time is “Remember the Reason for the Season.” It’s a great reminder that Jesus, Our Savior, was born on Christmas day to come into the world as a baby to die as a man on a cross and resurrect three days later on Easter. So at Easter season, why don’t we say: “Remember the Reason for the Easter Season”?

[Tweet “At Easter season, why don’t we say: “Remember the Reason for the Easter Season””]

I don’t recall ever hearing that slogan used at Easter. Do you? It’s not on flags, banners, buttons we wear, or even Easter cards or mentioned in Easter sermons. I wonder why not?

[Tweet “The “Easter season” has similar distractions as Christmas that can take our focus off Jesus”]

Easter commemorates the foundation of our Christian faith. Without Easter, there would be no hope. And yet most sermons about the joy of Easter are relegated to Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. Why don’t we talk about such a glorious day all year long?

[Tweet “Easter commemorates the foundation of our Christian faith. Without Easter, there would be no hope.”]

Easter is the reason we have forgiveness for our sins and the assurance of eternal life. As the apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians:

Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.—1 Cor. 15:1-4

In my book Forsaken God?:Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, in the chapter on Remembering His Sacrifice, I wrote:

As Christians, we understand the extreme sacrifice God and Jesus endured: God gave his One and only Son who became the last sacrificial lamb dying in atonement for our sins. Jesus died a painful and horrific death on a cross for you and for me. At Easter, we celebrate Jesus’s resurrection three days later, and he lives today at the right hand of God—preparing a place for his followers who will someday join him in eternity. And he lives within the hearts of believers.

How could we ever forget such a sacrifice, but we do.

crucifixion

The “Easter season” has similar distractions as Christmas that can take our focus off Jesus and His sacrifice for you and for me. Our focus can turn to church services, performances, cantatas, pageants, new clothes, brunch, family gatherings, special dinners, decorating, egg hunts, Easter baskets . . . all good things. But before we know it . . . one of the most meaningful days of the year is over.

We probably went to church, said a prayer before meals, maybe even read some Bible passages about the Last Supper, Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. But did we take time to solemnly remember and praise God for the ultimate sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ . . .

39 lashes

A crown of thorns

Hands and feet nailed to a cross

The 10,000 angels he could have called to rescue him

The world’s sins he took on himself

Feeling forsaken

The torn veil

Shed blood

The final cry, “It is finished!” (Pg. 217, Forsaken God?)

[Tweet “I pray this Easter season finds you refreshed and renewed in your relationship with Christ”]

I pray this Easter season finds you refreshed and renewed in your relationship with Christ, and the purpose He has given each of us to keep the memory of Easter alive and vibrant, every day in our hearts, speech, and actions. Let us never forget:

“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14 (NLT)

Hallelujah!

Happy Resurrection Day!

Janet

Other Easter Posts:

What Does the Moon Have to Do with Easter?

Share the Good News of Easter

How to Share the Easter Message with You Children and Grandchildren

If you received this post by email, leave a message here.

April 15, 2019

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Ways to Remember Your First Love!

Jesus Loves You

I don’t have to tell you that yesterday was Valentine’s Day—the universal day for showing and sharing love. Red and pink hearts were everywhere and it was fun to see many of the women, and some men, at church wearing red and pink. The bouquet of red roses next to the Bible at the front of the church, reminded me of how appropriate it was that Valentine’s Day was on a Sunday this year, because we were in church honoring our First Love: Jesus Christ.

The children of our church will never forget this Valentine’s Day either, and Who we should love above all others. When the congregation walked out of the sanctuary into the fellowship hall, the children’s ministry during Sunday school had decorated the entire ceiling with heart shaped balloons and streamers. At the end of each streamer was a card with a handwritten note from the children: “Jesus loves you” and “God loves you.”

The children were so excited to see us all walk into the room and ooh and ah over how beautiful the room looked.

My heart swelled as I thought about the precious Sunday school teachers who helped these children focus on Jesus as our First Love and serve the congregation. In Forsaken God, Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, I stress how important it is for the next generation not to just hear about the love of Jesus, but to experience His love personally and then to share it.

What’s Love Got to Do With It?

Love is a word we use freely….

I love pizza!
I love pink!
I love my husband!
I love my kids!
I love my new vacuum!
I love my new shoes!

Obviously, if we were prioritizing that list, we love our husbands and kids more than we love pizza or shoes. But would we put Jesus at the top of the list?

If you’re married, how could you possibly differentiate between your husband and your children as your first love? If you have more than one child . . . how could you determine which one of them you love first? You can’t.

But when you make Jesus your FIRST love . . . He gives you the ability to have limitless love for Him and for others.

[Tweet “when you make Jesus your FIRST love . . . He gives you the ability to have limitless love for Him and for others. “]

Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.” —Matthew 22:37-40 The Message

Remembering Jesus, Your First Love

Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 21 in Forsaken God?, “Remembering His Love”:

************

One of the first verses we learn as children or new believers is John 3:16. This verse emphasizes how much God loves the world and wants everyone to have an opportunity to trust in him and his Son, Jesus Christ, and have eternal salvation. It’s hard to imagine how anyone would turn down this kind of sacrificial love, but you and I both know people who don’t accept God’s love invitation. Sadly, they don’t understand the consequences of rejecting God’s love. The Message translation of John 3:16-18 clearly states their fate:

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

[Tweet “Loving God is a lifetime relationship. He never falls out of love with us.”]

Loving God is a lifetime relationship. He never falls out of love with us; but believers who have fallen away from God, or who don’t love him the way they did at first, are cautioned in Revelation 2:4-5 to remember and repent … or else:

But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love]. Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent. (AMP).

Do you remember the zeal and excitement you had as a new believer? How grateful you were for salvation and Jesus’ love and the intensity of your love for him … the thrill of feeling forgiven. You wanted to tell everyone about Jesus, until you realized not everyone was receptive to hearing about your new love. You became more cautious about sharing your faith for fear of rejection or ridicule. Your enthusiasm waned and soon you didn’t talk about Jesus unless you were with believers, and maybe not much then either.

In the beginning of your faith walk, you had enthusiasm without knowledge. Don’t let knowledge and time diminish enthusiasm. Spiritual maturity should intensify adoration, not spawn complacency. Otherwise, your light will dim, as will your relationship with Christ, and you won’t effectively share Christ’s love with others. Remember, Jesus extinguishes lights that don’t shine brightly for him (Rev. 2:5).

God wants us to maintain the passion and excitement we had when we first fell in love with His Son, Jesus Christ and He wants that love to motivate everything we do and say and never forget how much He love us and we love Him. Only when we place Jesus first in our life and heart, can we love others with a genuine Christ-like love. His love fuels us to be better wives, mothers, and grandmothers. Jesus helps us serve our families—and Him—lovingly, not dutifully.

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Ways To Return To Our First Love

[Tweet “Periodically, we have to rekindle and reignite first-love fire in our relationship with Jesus. “]

Periodically, we have to rekindle and reignite first-love fire in our relationship with Jesus. The following acrostic for L O V E helps me keep Jesus in first place in my life and I hope it helps you too

L-inger with Him!

“Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long.” —Psalm 119:97 NLT

Let’s find ways to have a quiet time with the Lord daily and talk to Him all day long as we go about our life.

O–bsess Over Him!

“I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.” —Psalm 34:1-3 NLT

The dictionary describes obsession as:

Preoccupied
Dominated
Fixed
Immersed in
Gripped by
An Infatuation
A Passion

Let’s be deliriously, madly, obsessively, and passionately in love with Jesus!

V-alue Him!

“Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods.” —1 Chronicles 16:23-25

Synonyms for value:

Worthy
Worship
Love

Let’s show Jesus how worthy He is of our love through our worship and praise.

E–njoy Him!

“I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence.” —Proverbs 8:30 NIV

Let’s enjoy being a Christian and let the world know we LOVE Jesus!

[Tweet “Let’s enjoy being a Christian and let the world know we LOVE Jesus!”]

When we L O V E Jesus Christ with total abandonment, our hearts change—we can then love others as Jesus commanded:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

—John 13:34-35 NIV

Share with us ways you’ve found to keep Jesus first in your life!

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*Excerpts of this blog are from my new release Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten.

February 15, 2016

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Mother’s Day: Happy or Hurting

“I hate Mother’s Day!” said my dear friend who is longing for a baby. “You know that women struggling with infertility don’t go to church on Mother’s Day.” Kris agrees, “I was that mom-in-waiting for 16 years; I stayed away from baby showers, church, and friends who would get pregnant. I didn’t stop praying, but it WAS the worse pain.” Lisa concurs, “I am guilty of having skipped church a few years before we adopted my son.”

In my book, Dear God, Why Can’t I Have a Baby? A Companion Guide for Couples on the Infertility Journey, my own daughter wrote about her painful Mother’s Day experience:

Dear God,

It’s almost Mother’s Day and I don’t know if I can handle seeing all those happy moms at church and brunch. I’m trying to focus on my mom and not think about how I’m missing out on being a mommy on yet another Mother’s Day. This year is especially hard since we’ve been trying to be parents for so long and so hard, only to be repeatedly disappointed. At the store looking for a card for my mom, I see the cute cards at the end of the aisle “To Mommy”…oh God, I wish I were someone’s mommy! I look away and continue focusing at the task ahead, getting my mom and mothers-in-law their cards.

Today’s the day, it’s Mother’s Day. I don’t think I can bear it. It’s just begun and already I want this day over. I pull myself out of bed and get ready for church. I’m not looking forward to the sermon about children being a blessing and honoring mothers. God, help me focus on my mom.

We met my parents at church and I put on my happy face, when inside I was crying watching all the mothers with big smiles dressed in pretty spring dresses and children running all around. This was a day of celebration and I just wanted to go back to bed. The pastor started the message with asking all the mothers to stand up. Hundreds of women stood and everyone applauded. I couldn’t take it any longer and sat slouched over in my seat quietly crying. Toby put his arm around me and my mom held my hand, but nothing took away the pain. I barely heard the rest of the message.

After brunch, I came home, collapsed on my bed, and cried myself to sleep where I remained the rest of the day. God, please don’t make me go through another Mother’s Day with this hole in my heart. I want to stand up in church with all those other mothers beaming from ear to ear and have everyone applaud me. God, please let me stand up next year.

Mother’s Day is especially hard for mommies-in-waiting, but for most of these women, every day is hard. With 1 in 6 couples experiencing infertility, you are, or know, a woman experiencing this heartache. Often we don’t know what to say to them, so we say nothing, or maybe unintentionally say something that makes them feel worse. Kris, who I mentioned in the opening paragraph, says, “We cannot ignore them [women longing for a child]. I know how hard it was for people to talk to me. But I would have loved it if they did.”

In Dear God, Why Can’t I Have a Baby?, I offer tools to help you know the “Top Fifteen Things Not to Say or Do And To Say or Do to Someone Experiencing Infertility.” This list is also on the Infertility Support page on my website.

When I was writing the book, women often told me that the place they felt the loneliest was the church. That breaks my heart. Jesus said he came for the sick, and that includes heartsick. The church should be a safe place for the hurting, not a place where they feel shunned or outcast. How does your church comfort mommies-in-waiting on Mother’s Day and every day?

Mothers of Prodigals

Another group of women who will be hurting on Mother’s Day are the mothers of prodigals. They may not even know where there child is, or know all too well where they are and what they are doing that breaks a mother’s heart and the heart of God. These moms also need comforting, a hug, a reminder that this day is for them too and they are not forgotten or ignored.

I was that hurting mom and in Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents, I tell the story of praying daily that my daughter would find her way back to God, and six years later, she did. This Mother’s Day weekend she and I will be sharing our story at a Mother/Daughter tea. I’ve had a vision of us doing this for many years and prayed expectantly that God would bring my dream to life, and He has.

And Kim who was that heartsick mommy-in-waiting on Mother’s Day is now blessed with a family, but when we speak to the women God brings to this Mother’s Day Tea, neither of us will ever forget what it felt like to be hurting on Mother’s Day. We will speak with caring and compassion a comforting message of hope in God’s plan and timing. We won’t ignore these women, we will love on them!

I hope that you will do the same for the mommies-in-waiting, the moms of prodigals, or the moms who have lost a daughter or a son who may need a shoulder to cry on . . . a prayer . . . an understanding hug. If you’ve been where they’re at, mentor them like only someone who has been in their shoes can. If you haven’t been in their shoes, just let them know you can’t possibly understand, but you’re there for them and God is too!

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”—1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

NOTE: Besides not knowing what to say, many of us don’t know what to give a mommy-in-waiting or a mom of a prodigal, and so we usually give them nothing. The books I have written for these women are full of hope and encouragement from the voices of other women who have walked the same journey, as well as from God’s Love Letter. So for the month of May I’m running a sale on my website for Dear God, Why Can’t I Have a Baby? and Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter. Another helpful book might be Face-to-Face with Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah: Pleading with God. I will sign and personalize each book.

May 6, 2013

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