WAR!!!

"Nobody likes me"

"They always make fun of me"

"She did this to me"

"He did that to me"

"Why are you doing that?"

"Stop it!"

UGH! Sometimes I really don't like being the parent...especially those times when it seems you play more of a referee than you do anything else. This morning was one of those mornings! Negativity everywhere you turned...when does it stop? And poor Princess {S} is really struggling with self worth...the joy she has can be stripped away so easily...why do we do that to ourselves? I reminded them this morning {funny, because God had to remind me first!} that we are to compare what we are hearing from others to the truth...God's truth! If someone tells you that you are worthless...what do you know to be truth? That the Creator of the entire Universe has, not one, but many thoughts of you during the day Ps 139:17...that He loved you enough to send His only Son to pay the price of our sin so that He could have a relationship with you John 3:16...THAT is truth...hold tight to it!

In the midst of the frustration of trying to mend broken hearts and send contenders to their opposite corners, it occurred to me~~we are not simply dealing with attitudes gone wrong...we are smack dab in the middle of a war! Satan will use any means to destroy us from within...within our minds, within our hearts...at some point it's like we won a little battle and then just laid down our armor to rest a while in the shade and then, while we were resting, the enemy snuck in and caught us off guard. He would just love to come in and steal our joy, rob us of our confidence, and turn us against one another...and we have let him do it at times...Oh, Listen Mister...NOT today! I am just as guilty as the kids of letting Satan into my day...just laying down my contentment and my joy right at his feet...that's not a victory for him; that's a blatant surrender from me! {God, thank you for showing me that...I needed to hear that from You today}

This morning was unique...the realization hit me so hard that even though we had already started our journey to school; we stopped the car, met the Lord in prayer; took the time to strap back on our armor and fight this one today...Oh thank you God for giving us the chance to do this...with armor on and a good pep talk, they were off to school. I checked on each of the kids at break time and they each said they are doing great...for this moment they have their smiles back and they are getting along well, but this is only one battle won in this mighty war...may we be ready for the next one!

This is our charge:

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles {schemes} of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; **Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

**Please note here that we are to be praying for one another as we are all in this war together in the name of Christ!**

I was unsure about sharing this with you, but it's like God said, "Go ahead, someone out there is struggling with the same issues...they need encouragement just as I have given to you this morning." I am trusting that God will use the story of our morning to meet you where you are today. I know that I needed His today because I was fighting a loosing battle on my own! I was led to these verses in Joshua...it's God's encouragement to Joshua as he was entering into leadership after Moses' death...there would be many battles to fight, but God encouraged him with these words:

(Joshua 1:3-9) Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and the Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I swore unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever, thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever, thou goest.

My Bible also tells me that "Jesus Christ (is) the same yesterday, and today, and forever" and that means that the same God who was with Joshua, David, Gideon, etc is the same God that is with me today. That strong and mighty God is MY God and just as He said to Joshua, He also says to me; (vs 5) "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."

I ask you to join with me in taking back this day from the enemy...it was never intended for him...Stand firm, fight well, and be strengthened in the fact that you are not alone...I know I have been!