My Heart to Yours

Well, yesterday I think I heard the best sermon I have heard in a very long time. It was so refreshing to hear a preacher that was not afraid to preach the truth or preach about things that are “sensitive”. Yesterday’s lesson was titled, “Counter Culture” and was about how Christian parents are being pulled and distracted in every corner by the culture. For example, media, government, the marketplace, education and even the church.

The pastor told us that everything, such as music, tv, movies, education, etc. should be supporting the framework of our family. These things should support the values that we are trying to instill in our children at home. A good verse to contrast our choices of music, entertainment, education, etc. is Phillipians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.” If your choices don’t measure up to this verse then you need to get rid of it. He did point out that we should not isolate our children from the culture but insulate them. Great point!!!

The pastor talked about MTV and Nickleodean and the values and morals that are usually NOT depicted on these stations. He told a story of seeing a commercial on Nickleodean that had children telling the viewer that we should love everyone no matter who was married to who. (Basically, telling the viewer, the children, to accept homosexual marriage.) The pastor said with authority what the bible defines marriage as and it is a man to a woman!! He said we should love our homosexual brothers and sisters but we cannot make exceptions for what the word of God says.

He posed 4 questions for us to ask ourselves as parents:
1. Do the entertainment choices of my family meet the guidlines of Ph. 4:8 ?

2. Am I regularly discussing with my kids the core values that are being transmitted through my family’s entertainment choices? He gave this example, “If your teenager is listening to Shania Twain’s, “Who’s bed has your boots been under?” then you might want to sit down and have a talk with them about what that means.

Psalm 101:3 “I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me.”

3. Am I taking advantage of the assistance of the local church? He was very quick to point out that it is NOT the church’s place to teach and train the children, that is our job as parents. He did say though to use the resources that the church has to offer. Let the church come along side you as a parent to support what you are trying to do at home.

4. Am I making a difference in my corner of the world? In what way is my family making a difference in the kingdom of God? (excellent question)

Overall, I thought the lesson was awesome. It was very bold of the preacher to step up and preach the truth when many preachers in today’s world are worried about offending someone. We need to hear more of the truth more often. It’s about time!!!!

I will post the link to the sermon when they get it up on the web this week in case you would like to go and listen to it.

It can start so subtly. A glance. An engaging conversation. A teasing-bordering-on-flirting comment. It all seems so harmless, except that he’s married, or you are, or you both are—and your interactions provide something you’re not getting at home. And the interactions get more frequent … and flirty … and dangerous.

With the increase of the destruction of marriages and families today, I thought this article was an excellent testimony of how affairs begin and what to do if you find yourself in this situation. It is amazing how easily these things happen and how unexpectedly they can sneak up on you.

Read on here. “Playing With Fire.”

There are many important matters facing the nation today. Legislators are debating over crucial issues such as gay marriage, gay rights, partial-birth abortion and the true meaning of the separation of church and state. Government agencies are seeking ways to help individual states recover from the battering they received recently during multiple hurricanes. The president is trying to bring a conclusive and triumphant end to the war in Iraq. It’s time for believers everywhere to rise up and PRAY! We must come into unity with on another and with the heart of God.

THE PROPER USE OF WORDS

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29).

How do we express our perceptions of people? Primarily by what we say to them. Studies have shown that in the average home, for every positive statement, a child receives 10 negative statements. The school environment is only slightly better; students hear seven negative statements from their teachers for every one positive statement. No wonder so many children are growing up feeling they are losers. Parents and teachers are conveying that perception every day in how they talk to their children.

These studies go on to point out that it takes four positive statements to negate the effect of one negative statement. You probably verify that finding every time you wear a new suit or dress. A number of your friends may say, “Oh, what a good-looking outfit.” But it only takes one comment like “It’s really not you” to send you scurrying back to the store for a refund. We affect others significantly by what we say about them, and what we say is significantly determined by how we perceive them.

If we could memorize just one verse from the New Testament, put it into practice and never violate it, I believe we would resolve half to three-fourths of the problems in our homes and churches. The verse is Ephesians 4:29. Isn’t it amazing that you and I have the power to give grace to others through the proper use of our words? If we said nothing to put others down, and only built up others as Ephesians 4:29 commands, we would be part of God’s construction crew in the church instead of members of Satan’s wrecking crew.

Father, I know my tongue is capable of blessing or cursing others. Guard my words today so I may edify others through what I say.

Babies show ripple effects of mothers stress from 9/11 trauma
Pregnant women present during the September 11 World Trade Center collapse have passed on markers of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to their unborn babies through transgenerational transmission. The findings strengthen the evidence for in utero or early life risk factors for the later development of adult mental or physical disorders. The study will be published online today in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, one of the four journals produced by The Endocrine Society.

Previous studies led researchers to believe that reduced cortisol levels observed in the adult children of Holocaust survivors could be attributed to mostly environmental factors, such as the stress of living with a parent who is depressed or anxious, or the experience of vicarious traumatization based on hearing stories of how parents suffered, rather than a ‘transmitted’ biological trait. “In the current study, reduced stress hormone levels were observed in infants, suggesting a larger role for very early environmental, genetic, or genetic-environmental interactions than previously thought,” explains Rachel Yehuda, Ph.D., principal investigator of the study.

It began yesterday when I was sitting with a new client during her initial interview and I asked her the question, “What is your occupation?” Her answer was, “I don’t have one, I am just a mom.” For some reason that question has resonated with me over the last twenty four hours. “Just a mom, huh?” She went on to say that she used to have dreams and felt like she was someone but now she is just someone’s mother. “Just someone’s mother?” Ouch!! Why is this resonating with me so much?

Is it because I often think about the gifts and talents that God has given me that I am not using to my full potential? Is it because I want to write more, want to speak more, want to dance, and complain to myself about not being able too? My husband reminded me not long ago that my biggest and most rewarding job right now is being a mother.

There is something special about being called Mother. I used to be just, Laura Kuester. Now I am Laura Kuester, mother of two. I am Dylan’s mom and Olivia’s mommy. Something happened six and a half years ago, some kind of transformation. I am not talking about just stretch marks and lactation either. Several things have changed since then. First, motherhood has mellowed me. I am not as concerned about having a messy house as I used to be. My husband will agree to that. I am not as concerned with material things. For example, I am quite happy with my 8 year old car, 25 year old house and shopping at Walmart. This is definitely against the grain for I was raised with the finest things. My mom made sure I had the best of the best, Gucci purses, guess jeans, etc. I am not sure when the last time was that I had anything designer, probably when my mother bought something for me last.

More transformations, I now have the “healing power of a kiss”, the ability to pray for all kinds of booboo’s (even hang nails). I can now take care of dirty faces and roster tails with my own spit. I can read, “I’ll Love You Forever” with my eyes closed and cry almost every time. I can play battle with light sabers just like Luke Skywalker. I can sing the theme song to Vege Tales. I can make the meanest bowl of mac and cheese out there. I can play in the dirt and dig up earth worms and have a ball doing so, WHY? Because I am Just a Mother!!

Because I am “Just a Mom”, I can stay up all night with a feverish, vomiting child. I have had the privilege of having throw on me, poop in my bed, boogers on my shirt and spit up down my back. I have worn out my knees from prayer for my children, their futures, their spouses, their salvation. I can take care of their needs before mine and even go all day without eating. I can watch my son play with his daddy and hope that he grows up to be just like him. I can read just one more book, sing just one more song, tell just one more story, Why? Because I am JUST a mother.

So, why does this resonate with me so much? When I am feeling guilty about not being a good friend, or not serving enough, or not taking enough time for myself, or not being a good sister or daughter, I am reminded that the Absolute most important things to me are the “things” that make my family a family. The 4 of us! That is what season I am in right now and that is ok because one day there won’t be any toys to clean up, and baths to be given, any lunches to be made, any driving around to be done. There won’t be any stories to be told, or songs to be sung, or noses to be wiped. There will be time then to write, to speak, to dance, to travel. Why? Because I am JUST a mother!!

So, what have I learned this last twenty four hours? I am blessed! I will sell all my possessions before I had to take a full time job, I will have more patience, I will continue to put me and my desires aside for the time being, even when I am tired and worn out I will read just one more book and sing just one more song. I will continue to pray and seek guidance for my children. I will work harder at being a Christlike example for them. I will quit complaining about what I am not getting to do. Why, because I am JUST a mother and proud of it. “For Such A Time As This”.

Here’s the link to the sermon I posted about earlier this week. If you have 35 minutes I highly recommend listening to this.

Click on the May 1st sermon titled “Counter Culture”

Dear Prayer Warriors:

Today is the National Day of Prayer and thousands across the nation are gathering to pray for our country. The Bible says, “If My people which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked way; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” See II Chron. 7:14. We begin our focus by praying for the body of Christ in America. We will not see our nation changed until we see change in the church. In a word, our churches need REVIVAL.

Prayer Points

Repent for the complacency, worldliness and greed that permeates many American churches.
Ask God to raise up leaders who have been tried in the fire and have no personal agendas but to glorify the Lord and bring many into His kingdom.
Ask God to create a hunger and thirst in His people so that they would be satisfied with nothing less than an intimate transforming relationship with Him.
Ask God to increase discernment in His body so that false teaching is easily identified and rejected.

We, as a nation, have committed grievous sins against the Lord. We have allowed death and violence to permeate the land. We have expelled God from our culture, practiced greed and idolatry, and given in to complacency, indifference and a spirit of entertainment even in the church. Dutch Sheets, who traveled with Chuck Pierce praying in every state says, “Saying we need a release of the river of God is another way of saying we need a fresh outpouring of His Spirit. Nothing else will break the spirit of death.”

Prayer Points

Repent individually, corporately and identificationally for the sins of the nation.
Ask God for a release of His river of life to break the spirit of death.
Pray that God will give us grace to humble ourselves with fasting. See Isaiah 58:6
Speak the Word over the nation and pronounce biblical decrees and declarations during your personal and corporate intercession.
Ask God to move on our government to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Pray that the President will continue to stand for righteousness, make godly decisions at home and abroad, and be protected from harm.

There have been a number of prophetic words spoken against the nation, but particularly Florida and California because of the ungodly choices made by the judicial system and the entertainment industry. Even as God spared the wicked city of Ninevah when they repented at Jonah’s word, we need to pray that repentance will come and God will have mercy on the people even in the midst of judgment.

Prayer Points

Pray that God will bring repentance, revival, renewal, and restoration to these areas.
Pray that the Governors will encounter God in a personal way and desire to do His will.