Raising a Man of Faith by Sheri Rose Shepherd

Article 14
	Article 9 ▶ Article 10 ▶ Article 11 ▶ Article 12 ▶ Article 13 ▶ Article 14 ▶
			Raising a Man of Faith
			By Sheri Rose Shepherd Bestselling Author and Bible Life Coach
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			She made this vow: "O LORD of Heaven's Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime." 1 Samuel 1:11 I was invited to write a book for mothers of sons titled Preparing Him for the Other Woman: A Mother's Guide to Raising Her Son to Love a Wife and Lead a Family. To be honest, this topic intimidated me on many levels. I had my own insecurities and fears of failing as a mom, and I grew up in such a messed-up family that I couldn’t see how I would ever be qualified to write a book on this subject. As I always do before I write any book, I put this message to the test. I gathered a group of young men ages twelve to twenty and asked them if they felt they would be good husbands when they grew up. Sadly, their comments reflected their fear of women; in fact, they felt marriage was something to be avoided. Many talked as if marriage were a death sentence that caused a lifetime of pain. Others asked why they should get married since marriage usually ends in heartbreak, adultery, or divorce. My mother's heart broke for these boys and all our sons, and their answers were enough for me to fight my fears and write that book for the sake of the next generation of marriages. As I began writing, I reflected on one of my favorite “mommy memories.” It took place on a gorgeous summer evening on a California beach with my husband, Steve, and our son, Jake, when he was three. As my husband tended the campfire, Jake and I snuggled together under a blanket and watched the sun set over the sea. A young couple walked past us hand in hand, with eyes only for each other. My little boy watched them for a couple of minutes before turning his sweet face toward mine and asking, "Mommy, will you marry me when I grow up?" I gently explained that mommies can't marry their sons. I'll never forget the ache I felt as I saw tears well up in his big blue eyes and roll slowly down his cheeks. In that moment it hit me: not only was I raising a son, but I was raising someone's future husband. I decided that day to dedicate my time with Jake to helping him become a good husband when he grew up. I knew I needed to stop focusing on my fears that I would fail him and begin to focus on the fact that God appointed me as the first lady in his life, his mother. Later that night I got down on my knees and prayerfully committed my son's life to God once again. I felt a new sense of peace about being a mom as I realized that Jake ultimately belonged to the Lord and that my faithful God would cover my son where I could not. Years later, just a few weeks before my son would marry his beautiful Southern bride, Amanda, I found myself in a reflective mood. On the one hand, I felt as if I'd done everything I could to encourage him to keep following Christ and to prepare him to be a good husband. I knew I needed to officially release Jake to his new life with his bride-to-be. On the other hand, I wondered, Have I done enough? I feared the years my husband and I struggled in our own marriage might affect Jake's marriage. In my inward battle to believe I had done a good job raising him, God gave me the desire to write Jacob a very personal letter the week before his wedding. With his permission and in my hope to bring some relief to your momma's heart, I want to share it with you now: To my son, Jake, This morning as tears fill my eyes, I reflect on the past twenty years of life with you, from Winnie the Pooh, goody plates, and snuggles to late-night talks when you were a teen. I remember when I first heard your heartbeat in the doctor's office and the doctor saying, "You are going to have a son." Joy and fear flooded my heart at that moment. What kind of mom would I be, coming from a broken home with no foundation? And could I take on the task of raising a son in this perverse world? I was so afraid of failing you, and I became desperate for God, which kept me in a constant state of prayer for you, knowing that our God would cover you where I could not and cover me where I failed. What I did not know is that I was not just raising a son; I was raising a warrior and a world changer! Today I look at your fearful heart for your future, and I see a man who seeks God's face with humility, knowing your God is faithful. I see a man who is passionate to do something great for God's Kingdom. I see a hope in your heart that screams, "I will not settle for less than God has for me!" Jacob, in all my imperfections and insecurities, I am honored God chose me to raise a mighty warrior like you. I know you don't know how your story will be written, and it seems unclear how you will fulfill your calling. Remember, you are not the author of your own life; therefore rest in Him. . . . He is writing your life right now. Any and everything you are about to walk through, good or hard, will prepare you for His ultimate plan. So as I wipe the tears from my eyes and say good-bye as "Mommy," once responsible for your care, I now give you away to care for your bride. And say hello as a friend. I will always hold the memories of my little son as a hidden treasure in my heart. I pray that all you have seen and heard these past twenty years, "good and bad," will become building blocks, as you will now lay the foundation of faith and life for your new family. Jacob, you will fight the good fight, you will finish your race, and your faith will be passed down to many generations long after you’re gone. I love you, Son. Mom For more teaching videos from Sheri Rose, go to www.biblelifecoaching.com. Watch the trailer:

A Letter to Our Men

Article 11: A Letter to Our Men

	A Letter to Our Men
	By Sheri Rose Shepherd Bestselling Author and Bible Life Coach
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	A few years ago I was invited to address over five thousand men at a conference. I was asked to express the heart of a woman and to show the men how to better love and understand their wives. The topic they requested was "What Women Want." To be honest, this particular invitation seemed very strange to me since I am in women's ministry and had been writing His Princess books. I remember sitting at my desk and just staring at the e-mail invitation, battling to believe God would open this door for me to address five thousand men. Even harder for me to believe was that I could ever convince these men to listen to me about what women want. I fell to my knees and cried out to God, "Who am I to speak into these men's lives about loving their wives? What right do I have?" As I prayed, I felt my inward battle to believe being conquered by an overwhelming desire to make a difference. I dared to believe God would do something bigger than I could ever do on my own—birth a new beginning between men and women. My heart began to break as I reflected on the countless women who had shared with me the painful places they had walked through with the men they loved. These good women of faith had wonderful hearts and believed in their marriages. Yet they had been left alone to defend themselves and their children after their marriages were destroyed by infidelity, neglect, or abuse. Even the women who were determined to remain married struggled to believe their marriages could ever be truly meaningful and reflect real love. As I continued to pray about accepting this invitation, God brought back to my memory the painful night in my childhood when my dad stumbled into my room with tears in his eyes and fear on his face. He knelt at the foot of my bed and broke the news that he and my mom were divorcing. I realize now that he had lost his will to fight and had no idea how to save his marriage or our family. Next I thought about my own marital struggles and the years of tears and trials it took for my husband, Steve, and me to rebuild a solid foundation for our marriage. In spite of my insecurities, passion and compassion compelled me to take a step of faith. I surrendered to this invitation in an effort to bring transformation to these men and their marriages. Once I committed to the speaking date, I became desperate for God to give me the words, kindness, courage, and wisdom I would need to stand before these men. To my surprise, God gave me much more than that. He gave me a letter of repentance I was to deliver before my message. With that said, I invite you to read the opening letter on forgiveness I delivered with fear and trembling before these men, which I believe opened their hearts and ears to my message: Dear Men of All Ages, Now more than ever, we need you to rise up and fight for us, fight to remain faithful, and fight to finish strong! We need you to fight to leave a legacy of faith for the sake of our children and the foundation of marriage. I know this seems almost impossible in a society that screams, "You have failed us in every way!" so I stand here today on behalf of all women and girls and ask that you forgive us for the following: Forgive us . . . for blaming you for all that has gone wrong in our lives and for making you pay the price for all the men who hurt us—even if it was not your fault. Forgive us . . . for holding on to the past and making you feel like you don't deserve to be forgiven or have a fresh start. Forgive us . . . for trying to conquer and compete with you—when we were created to complete you. Forgive us . . . for the way our words and our actions have publicly dishonored, discouraged, and disrespected you. Forgive us . . . for using our beauty and our bodies to weaken your flesh and control you. Forgive us . . . for all the mind games we have played with you and the manipulation we have used to get your love and attention. Forgive us . . . for forgetting to make you feel like the heroic men we desire you to be in our lives! The reaction of the men astonished me. As I shared these words, the room was completely silent; it was surreal and a little scary. I had one eye on the paper and one eye on the men. It was as if each sentence lowered their defenses, and by the time I said the last word, many of the men even had tears in their eyes. Their faces seemed to say, "Please unlock the hero inside me" and "Show me how to become the man I long to be for my wife and family." I took a deep breath and then respectfully asked their permission to speak into their lives about their relationships with their wives. I asked if I could help them understand the heart of a woman; to attempt to explain how we are wired and what we need from them to feel safe, secure, and loved. I assured them my goal was to give them Christ-centered, creative ways they could rescue, romance, replenish, and repair the women they had possibly hurt. I was taken aback by their response: the men stood to their feet and gave me a standing ovation before I even began sharing my message. For more teaching videos from Sheri Rose, go to www.biblelifecoaching.com. Watch the trailer:

Building Up the Men in Our Lives

	Article 8: Building Up the Men in Our Lives
	Article 8 Article 5 ▶ Article 6 ▶ Article 7 ▶ Article 8 ▶ Building Up the Men in Our Lives He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. (Proverbs 17:9, NIV) By Sheri Rose Shepherd Bestselling Author and Bible Life Coach learn more ▶ When our husbands let us down, it's hard not to voice our anger and disappointment. We don't do it to hurt or embarrass our husbands. We are women, and we're wired to share our hearts with another person. We definitely need one another to become the women we want to be, but we need to be careful not to cripple our men by uncovering their weaknesses to everyone. Obviously we all need someone to help us sort through our feelings. I think it is best to find one or two trustworthy people who are in favor of our marriages and won't repeat our conversation to others. I have two best friends to whom I tell everything because they help me see things from my husband's perspective and help me fight for my marriage by praying and sharing wisdom from the Word. I am careful, even with them, not to overshare in a way that would humiliate my husband, Steve. Think about how we would feel if our husbands talked about our weaknesses at their workplaces. Let's commit to covering our men and not exposing them, and let's pray for them to grow as leaders. Don't Enable . . . For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her. (Ephesians 5:25) Because we women are so good at leading, many times we leave our men in the dust or allow them to become weak leaders. How are they ever supposed to learn to lead if we do everything for them? We are not their mothers; we are their wives. Christ asked them to love, lead, and take care of us the way He loves the church. It's important that we not try to do things that are our husbands' responsibility unless they are absolutely necessary. Even if we can do their job better than they can, we're not helping them become the men they long to be; we are enabling them. They will see us as their mothers and not their wives, which will make us bitter toward them and produce the fruit of self-hate in their lives. Do What You Can to Empower Him . . . Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do. (1 Peter 3:6) I used to think it was strange that Sarah called her husband "master." I thought maybe she was even putting her husband before God. But today I realize she was a wise woman. She was empowering her husband to find his place as her leader. We can also help our husbands become godly leaders for us. Even if they do not rise up right away, we shouldn't give up on them. We can keep praying and empowering them. Whatever they do, big or small, let's encourage them. Let's be like Sarah and do whatever it takes to empower our men to be great. For more teaching from the Your Heart's Desire book and Bible study, visit www.biblelifecoaching.com. Watch the trailer:

Review for Change the World Before Bedtime by Mark Kimball Moulton, Josh Chalmers, and Karen Good

Book Description

Written in simple, engaging rhyme, this story takes an inspirational look into how the little things in life a smile, a kind word, a simple deed can help change the world in a big way. Through 18 stunning illustrations, children will read about eating right, cleaning up the Earth by recycling and conserving, helping the sick and those less fortunate, and working in a group to make bigger miracles. Even an ordinary kid can be a superhero before bedtime! Grades Pre-K to 2.

My thoughts:

Change the World Before Bedtime is a great book for children. It is filled with colorful pictures and rhyming words. The great graphics will interest a child. A positive book that teaches children how to make the world a better place; from eating healthy and learning to take care of the Earth. And most importantly, to speak kind words to others.

This is a great book to add to your childrens collection, because it will enforce a caring attitude towards the Earth, world, animals, and towards others.  This book helps a child see that he/she can be a positive change on this Earth. Don't forget to let your children know that this book is made out of recyclable materials; which goes perfect with the message of this book.

Fighting to Find the Benefits and Blessings of Purity

	Article 5:Fighting to Find the Benefits and Blessings of Purity
	Article 5 Article 5 ▶ Article 6 ▶ Article 7 ▶ Article 8 ▶ Fighting to Find the Benefits and Blessings of Purity Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18) By Sheri Rose Shepherd Bestselling Author and Bible Life Coach learn more ▶ When I was a new Christian, it never occurred to me to change the way I dressed or flirted; after all, I was single, so why shouldn't I dress the way I wanted and get whatever attention I could? I had worked hard to lose over fifty pounds and get in shape. I was finally thin for the first time. Then one day, about a year into my walk with God, my young singles pastor came up to me after our church service and politely asked me if I could come to church dressed more modestly. He told me I was distracting him and some of the young men in our group from focusing on God. I know it took every ounce of courage he had to confront me and help me understand how men struggle, and even though I was a bit embarrassed and slightly offended, I'm glad he took a chance and told me the truth. We have no idea the major internal battle that goes on inside our men when it comes to women. The truth is, sex and women hold the key to unlock a beast inside of them. Deep down inside, our men are screaming for some relief from all the overstimulation and sensual battles that war against their souls every day. Even those men who desire purity are forced to fight for it because of all the women who flirt and flash their flesh to get attention. Even our beloved King David, a warrior who was strong enough to stand before a giant, could not withstand temptation when he saw Bathsheba naked in the bathtub. The interesting thing about this story is that Bathsheba was unaware she was even tempting David. Bathsheba was in her own home, taking a bath in her own yard, but when David's eyes saw her flesh, he lost his strength and forgot who he was: a God-appointed king. Once he lost his moral compass, he lost his senses. He caved to his craving for her and then set up her husband to be killed on the battlefield so his own sin wouldn't be exposed. David's moment of weakness had tragic consequences as the baby conceived by Bathsheba died. But even more tragic was that a piece of David's soul died that day, and the passion he once had to be a heroic man never did fully return. Our hearts' desire is for men to know how to connect to our hearts, but we make it difficult for them when we blind them with our bodies. We know how to grab their attention, but in the process are we trading what we want most, which is a real love relationship with them? Feeling sexy is fun, but what is the cost when we force men to fight temptation? Somehow it seems the price that we pay to get attention is not worth it. And it's really out of control when a man cannot even attend church because the women are distracting him from worshiping. Look at the influence the first lady in the human race had. Her craving led Adam to follow her into disobeying God. Eve saw something that was pleasing to the eye, and she wanted it more than she wanted to obey God. She ended up taking her husband down with her, and the Fall occurred. Today the "fall of families" is an epidemic. We are losing our moral men of faith by the masses while pornography and human trafficking are out of control. Our men are forced to look at our flesh, whether they want to or not. They don't even have to seek it on the Internet; all they have to do is walk out their doors. Is it any wonder they are struggling to remain pure? Something has to change, and it has to start with us. How will our sons and daughters find the strength to remain pure and experience a pure love if no one leads the way? For more teaching from the Your Heart's Desire book and Bible study, visit www.biblelifecoaching.com. Watch the trailer:

5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Son

I truly enjoyed reading 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Son, it's a must have book for every mom of boys. Dads, you should read this too. Vicky Courtney does an outstanding job in addressing the social and spiritual issues that boys face.  She uses real life examples, biblical quotes, and quotes from other books.  She brings an excellent Christian approach to it.

The main focus of this book is Courtney address the importance of raising  boys to be Godly men.  She helps mothers understand the world of boys; boys are adventurous by nature.  They are naturally more energetic;  hence TESTOSTERONE!!!

She offers a quote from Wild Things, a book by Stephen James and David Thomas - "The male brain has more spinal fluid in the brain stem, which makes boys more physical than girls. Add to that high level of testosterone in a boy's brain, and it's easy to see that he is programmed to be more aggressive than girls and more of a risk taker."

As mothers, we have an important role in communication with our boys.  It is a necessity to start taking to them as soon as possible ( pre-teen years ).  As parents we must be aware of all the issues that boys face. We must put an effort to talk with them, and be their primary teachers on the topics of sex, spirituality, and so forth, before they choose an alternative that will lead them to the wrong path.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (KJV)

 ^"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes."

Synopsis:

From the cradle to college, tell your sons the truth about life before they believe the culture's lies. For parents with boys newborn to eighteen, the book 5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Son is as essential as those Legos you're still finding under the sofa cushions and the garage full of sports equipment. Award-winning youth culture commentator Vicki Courtney helps moms and dads pinpoint and prepare the discussions that should be ongoing in their sons' formative years. The book also offers invaluable tips on having these conversations across the various stages of development: five and under, six to eleven, twelve and up.

To fully address the dynamic social and spiritual issues and other influencers at hand, several chapters are written for each of the conversations, which are:

1. Don’t define manhood by the culture’s wimpy standards; it’s okay to be a man!
2. What you don’t learn to conquer may become your master. (PORN)
3. Not everyone’s doing it! (And other naked truths about sex you won’t hear in the locker room.)
4. Boyhood is only for a season. P.S. It’s time to grow up!
5. Godly men are in short supply—dare to become one!

* * I was provided a digital copy by B&H Publishing Group. 

Receiving God's Love by Sheri Rose Shepherd

	Article 7: Receiving God's Love
	Article 7 Article 5 ▶ Article 6 ▶ Article 7 ▶ Article 8 ▶ Receiving God's Love By Sheri Rose Shepherd Bestselling Author and Bible Life Coach learn more ▶ Think how powerful it would be if we spoke the truth about how God feels about us at least as often as we silently said negative things about ourselves or replayed in our minds all the hurtful things that have been said about us. The truth is, we are not what others say about us, and if the men we love speak hurtful words to us that make us feel unworthy, we don’t need to repeat them any longer. Instead we can learn to rest in God's unchanging love for us. Even if no one has ever said anything kind to you, your Prince Jesus longs for you to breathe in the tender love, compassion, and kindness He feels for you. If you're ready to have Jesus, the lover of your soul, become reality to you, I invite you to do the following . . . Breathe In His Love . . . For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (Job 33:4) You know that feeling of exhilaration that sticks with you after you've spent time with a guy you know you're falling in love with? As you part, you take a deep breath and feel waves of delight washing over you. Or you know the joy that wells up inside when your man unexpectedly says something so sweet that you feel treasured? You replay those words over and over in your mind because doing so gives you a lift. Breathe His truth in; allow the words of your true prince Jesus to echo in your heart and soul. After you consider God's words to you—"I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3)—whisper toward heaven, "I love You, Lord." Sing about His Love . . . Each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. (Psalm 42:8) When I was learning to let myself receive God's love, I would actually sing love songs to Him. Though they had been written for a woman to sing to a man here on earth, I began to understand that if I would crave God's love first, He would meet my needs. Only then would I be able to give and receive love. Today I love worship songs that sing of God's love for us. I blare them throughout my house in the mornings so Satan will not be able to whisper lies to me any longer. Consider doing the same. Write Love Letters to Him in a Journal . . . Connect your heart to heaven by writing love letters to your Lord. It is amazing what happens to your heart as you begin to express your love in writing to the only One who will never walk away from or reject you. Hang on to this treasure of truth: how you feel about yourself will never change God's love for you. Let Us Pray . . . Dear God, I confess I do not feel worthy of your love. It is hard for me to believe that You even love me. Help me, Lord, to look to You for my worth. Forgive me for not allowing myself to receive Your love. Forgive me for looking to others to make me feel like I have value when You are the only one who can validate me and love me the way I long to be loved. From this day forward, I choose to let You love me so I can love others. In Jesus' name. Amen. I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath! May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. (Psalm 104:33-34) For more teaching from the Your Heart's Desire book and Bible study, visit www.biblelifecoaching.com. Watch the trailer: