Listen in as Betsy, Emily, Jen, and Stephanie untangle our partnership with God. This could easily be misconstrued or misunderstood, but it affects us daily, so we need to know what The Bible says! What is God's role in drawing our kids to Him and what is our responsibility as Christian mothers? As we seek to parent biblically, we need to make sure we don't try to control our children's behavior or take on more ownership than God has called us to. So what should we do? This lesson connects with Entrusted with a Child's Heart: Lesson 7, The Nature of A Child.

Scriptures Mentioned:

1 Cor 3:6-7

Psalm 127:1

Proverbs 22:6

Book Recommendation: "Parenting" by Paul David Tripp

They're the joyful agains our children

shout on the swings, the exhausting

2

agains of cooking and laundry, and

the difficult agains of discipline.

3

So much of what we do

as mothers is on repeat.

4

So what if we woke up with clarity,

knowing which agains we were called

5

to, and went to bed believing we

are faithful in what matters most?

6

We believe God's Word is

the key to untangle from the

7

confusion and overwhelm we feel.

8

Let's look up together to embrace a

motherhood full of freedom and joy.

9

Thanks for joining us

for the, Again, podcast.

10

This is brought to you by

Entrusted Ministries and I'm

11

your host, Stephanie Hickox.

12

Today, I am joined by Jen Freckman,

Emily Diehl, and Betsy Corning.

13

You have all three of these wonderful

women, because we are untangling a

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topic that could easily be misconstrued.

15

Today we are talking about

untangling our partnership with God.

16

We realize that there is a danger of

thinking that we have more control than

17

we do, and there's also a danger of

thinking we have less control than we do.

18

When we understand God's role

and we embrace our role, there

19

is a peace that comes from that.

20

This episode will connect with lesson

seven of entrusted with a child's heart

21

and the inherent nature of a child.

22

And we are going to just bring you

the first half of our conversation

23

today because it is such a deep

topic and we really want to

24

give you time to reflect on it.

25

In our culture, We so often just consume,

consume, consume information, but we feel

26

that this is so important that mothers

understand this so they don't take on more

27

of a burden than the Lord intended, but

that they're also faithful to what He's

28

called them to be and to do as mothers.

29

We want you to be so blessed by

this conversation And I think the

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word at the end from Betsy is one

of the most encouraging moments

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we've had on the whole podcast.

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let's get to it.

33

Stephanie: Alright, ladies, what

is a struggle in parenting you've

34

experienced that you didn't expect?

35

I'm sure we all went in knowing it

was going to be hard in some ways and

36

delightful in many ways, but what's

something that caught you off guard?

37

Emily, how about you?

38

Emily: Well, I can speak right now where

we are in life, and you know those sweet

39

little children that you had tucked in

bed by eight every night, and you read

40

them a nice little bedtime story and

prayed with them, and then you just

41

had your evening and it was lovely.

42

Well, now...

43

I, I find that the biggest struggle in

parenting right now is getting them where

44

they need to be and it's all everywhere.

45

So the struggle that I didn't know

we would have is that we would spend

46

a good portion of our time in the

47

car and so that's where we're at right

48

now.

49

Jen: Yeah.

50

That's so interesting.

51

I, I think that for me, there's two.

52

Actually, Emily brought up a good point.

53

I feel like I didn't realize how

hard it would be to have alone time

54

with my husband or downtime by myself

without kids as they got older.

55

Like you had said, you know, if they

go to bed at seven or eight, You

56

had the rest of the evening and now.

57

the kids are older and they're up later.

58

And so there really is

not as much downtime.

59

So I didn't really anticipate that

as much, but also I think one of

60

the biggest struggles that I didn't

realize was how deeply I would feel

61

the weight of their decisions or my

decisions and how they affect them.

62

For instance.

63

Something even just as simple as we

were on vacation and one of my kids,

64

mouth brace for their braces came off

and it was kind of flapping around.

65

It was causing pain and I

was kind of worried about it.

66

Like, well, what if it breaks?

67

What do we do?

68

And so we went to, this random.

69

orthodontist, or actually it was

just a dentist on the island that

70

we were staying and had them help.

71

Well, they had to do a

certain kind of cement.

72

And so immediately I was like,

what if they can't get it off?

73

And all the, the worries of

my decision it can affect him.

74

And so the weight of that, I

didn't realize that I would

75

still feel this as they got

76

older.

77

Stephanie: I can

definitely relate to that.

78

Betsy: Yes, and I can relate.

79

to all of those things you said

because I was thinking, I don't know

80

what I'm, say here, but then all of a

sudden you both made me think of one.

81

It's just sort of an

expansion of what you had.

82

Since my kids are older, Emily, I

thought you were going to say that you

83

don't know when they're going to bed

because that's how it is when they're

84

older or they come home from college

and you think, are you going to go

85

to bed because we are going to bed.

86

And, That's kind of a sometimes

a struggle adjusting to when

87

kids come back from college.

88

So I don't know how many relate to that,

but that I definitely remember that.

89

And what you're saying about decisions

that you make, I can certainly remember

90

making some very serious decisions with

our kids and you do carry the weight

91

of, you know, the outcome of that.

92

The two I'm thinking of majorly

is when you help them, um, marry.

93

They've chosen someone and, and there's

a, there's a heavy weight in that because

94

it's ultimately their choice, of course.

95

And then the other one is having

to choose a course of treatment, a

96

treatment protocol for one of our kids.

97

And just, I remember that.

98

There was struggle in the weight

of that because it's long term

99

and they spend so much time giving

you the possible side effects that

100

can affect them of their lives.

101

And so it's weighty.

102

And I didn't mean to get so tragic

here, but, it seems that, you know,

103

when they get older, those things

are a little bit More serious, I

104

Jen: hmm.

105

Yeah,

106

Betsy: Of course, you

107

can have those serious times with

children at any age, but we experienced

108

them when they were a little bit older.

109

remember the first thing that came

to my mind really was when they

110

don't seem to think the way that you

think on something because you feel

111

like you've trained them and this.

112

That's how we think about this and

obviously they're forming their own views

113

and you hope they're completely in line

with, you know, your Christian worldview

114

and then sometime they might just

shock you and you think, well, really,

115

why, why are you thinking that way?

116

And it's a challenge.

117

I wouldn't say it's a struggle so

much, but it's great opportunity to

118

talk things through and understand

them and where they're coming from.

119

And I really would.

120

It hasn't been a major struggle, but

it is, it is a great opportunity to

121

explain things, you know, using the

122

scriptures and, you know, why we

123

think a

124

certain way.

125

Emily: Mm

126

Jen: that's

127

great.

128

What about you, Steph?

129

Stephanie: Oh, those

are all such great ones.

130

I can relate a lot.

131

I think The heaviness of medical

decisions, I can relate to that so much,

132

and I think that that has been one of my.

133

biggest struggles in parenting, but

I, I think I would have anticipated

134

that one a little bit more.

135

I'm gonna say I did not realize the

probability that all of my children

136

and all of my family members would

be in a great mood at the same time.

137

I didn't realize that that was going

to be much lower than my my hopes.

138

And, and sometimes I think like,,

man, when you have four kiddos and

139

then you throw yourself in the mix

and your husband in the mix and , how

140

often are we all, you know, really

in a great mood at the same time?

141

I think that also reveals

that it's not about us, right?

142

as a mother, you can make these wonderful

memories, you can bring the word, bathe

143

it in prayer, and still, Each child

is going to choose their own response

144

to that, I think that that's been a

humbling thing where you're like, Hey, I

145

thought I'd be able to steer this attitude

ship a little bit better sometimes.

146

Or, we had one of those moments

last night and with three of my

147

children, it was like, idyllic.

148

They're being kinder than

I've even taught them to be.

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Like, this is incredible.

150

And one of my sons is reading to my

daughter, this sweet picture book

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about the Lord, and he's explaining it.

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And it was just beautiful.

153

And another one mom, can

I empty the dishwasher?

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And then he was organizing things in the

cabinet and just so proud of himself.

155

And then another was a little frustrated

that I had given him a consequence that

156

he deserved and I'm just gonna, you

know, be thankful for the fruit and

157

trust you Lord that Even that there's

fruit in this decision as well that I'm

158

making with this other one, even though

he's not pleased about it right now.

159

And also another one that's coming

to mind is, asking permission

160

to take a shower so often.

161

All right, I'm at the helm.

162

I need to know someone else

is going to be at the helm.

163

Can I leave?

164

Betsy: You cannot be Out of

165

view for more than 30 seconds,

because then you'll start hearing Mom,

166

where did she go?

167

Where did she go?

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Emily: True.

169

Stephanie: I think a Lot of what

we're saying, even in this, relates

170

well to what we are going to talk

about today, one of our topics, that

171

we are in a partnership with God.

172

We know God is faithful, and

we know that He loves our

173

children even more than we do.

174

And we're entrusted with them, and

we want to be faithful to the role

175

that the Lord has called us to.

176

And so even as we're talking through

these things, it's very evident

177

that we desire to have, a positive

influence upon our children, but we

178

don't have complete control, do we?

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Betsy: No.

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Stephanie: Aunt Betsy, you've, in

Entrusted and then also just through

181

me knowing you, you've really impressed

upon me the freedom that that brings.

182

When we're not carrying a burden that

the Lord didn't intend for us to carry,

183

when we're really taking it to Him

in prayer, when we know what we're

184

called to and we're faithful in that,

then we can just rest in the Lord.

185

So could you talk to us a little bit

more about this idea of what God calls

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us to and then what He is faithful to do?

187

Betsy: Okay, well, I did use

the word partnership, but it's

188

not really an equal partnership.

189

And I use the verse from 1 Corinthians 3,

6, and 7, which says, I planted, Apollos

190

watered, but God was causing the growth.

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So neither the one who plants

nor the one who waters.

192

is anything but God who causes the growth.

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Salvation is God's work of grace.

194

And so we say that God's part, which

is massive, is not only to sustain us

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on this earth and give us breath that

we breathe, but also to providentially

196

control the universe so it's an

environment in which we can grow.

197

And he Saves and Sanctifies.

198

Those are the main two

spiritual influences that happen

199

supernaturally within the person.

200

But then we have a role,

we have a responsibility.

201

It's not necessarily on par with,

you know, providentially Controlling

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the universe, you know, creating

food to be grown for all the people

203

on the, the earth, all these things.

204

But we do have a part because this

verse says, Paul is saying that he

205

planted, he planted seeds of the gospel.

206

Apollos came along and he, you know,

elaborated on things, expounded

207

on things, but it was really

God that was causing the growth.

208

It's God that brings the fruit.

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It's God that um, draws Our

children to salvation by his grace.

210

And that's nothing that we could do

because it says, so neither the one who

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plants nor the one who waters is anything.

212

We're not really anything.

213

We, we don't, We can't do it,

but we definitely do have a role

214

that he gives us to perform.

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And the role that he has us perform

in our children's lives is to

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Evangelize them and edify them.

217

So, they hear the words of

the gospel from us as parents,

218

but it's not a one time thing.

219

We don't presume upon God about

when this supernatural action

220

may take place in their spirit,

but we can see the fruit of it.

221

And I always say that we, we continue

to share the gospel with our children.

222

Daily, weekly so that we know

that they really understand it.

223

They're not gonna understand it

the same at age three, five, or

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seven, as they will at age 15 or 18.

225

it's not a one time, oh, did it.

226

Yay, we're done.

227

No, it's just a constant bringing the

word of God, , and really making it

228

applicable, making them understand

how it connects to their life.

229

So that's what I, I say.

230

I say Salvation is God's work of grace.

231

And our job is edify our children,

grow them up in the Lord.

232

I love the word edifice.

233

Edify comes from the word edifice.

234

We're building great things

in our children's lives.

235

We're, we're building into them,

but it's not going to amount

236

to anything without the Lord.

237

And of course, our theme verse

of entrusted is unless the Lord

238

builds the house, the edifice.

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We labor in vain who build it, and

unless the Lord guards the city,

240

the watchman keeps awake in vain.

241

But that verse alone tells us that we have

a responsibility, and I won't keep talking

242

on here, but we have in that Lesson 7,

we can probably come back to in a little

243

bit, a chart of how this works, and how we

break down in Entrusted the parents role

244

and responsibility towards their children.

245

And even the children, the

children have a responsibility also

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Stephanie: I find that truth so refreshing

when we feel like we're doing it with the

247

Lord, onto Him, that we're not carrying

that burden on our shoulders, we can do

248

it just With a lightness, it feels so

249

much more joyful, the opportunity.

250

Betsy: With the relief that we don't

have to have this come about in our

251

own strength, because that won't

happen, because it says nothing.

252

We can't make that happen.

253

And I think that's interesting, because

my husband and I met with a family

254

one time, and the man could give his

children, his grown children, anything

255

material that they could possibly desire.

256

But what he wanted them to have,

because he came to faith later in

257

life, was for them to be saved.

258

So he brought them to this gathering

for them to listen to the gospel.

259

But see, this was the ache of his heart.

260

I can give you anything except this

one thing that I want you to have

261

more than anything in the whole world.

262

But they hadn't had this message implanted

in their lives since they were young.

263

So they didn't really, they thought,

well, that's fine for you, dad.

264

We're happy for you.

265

But it takes a miracle in

their heart from the Lord

266

Emily: Hearing you talk on this,

Betsy, takes me back to sitting in

267

your class and hearing you say this

and how much life was poured into our

268

lives when, when I first heard this.

269

And just reflecting back our

children were much younger then.

270

And, I'm thinking, you know, the fruit

that I saw then is so different than the

271

fruit I'm seeing now as they're aging.

272

And it's so encouraging to to

understand this and the earlier,

273

the better that we understand that

we aren't the ones doing the saving

274

and we're not their Holy Spirit.

275

But that we evangelize and edify, but

the Lord does the changing and I can

276

just look back and see little, little

fruit along the way, and as they've

277

grown, it's gotten just sweeter.

278

And so, being consistent and

sticking with it and committing it

279

to prayer that's where it all lies.

280

And so, thank you.

281

I just want to say thank

282

you for being faithful to share

283

this.

284

Betsy: Well, praise God for that

fruit because those are such

285

encouraging things for moms to see.

286

Because we plant these little apple trees

and we water them and we fertilize them

287

and we, try to make them grow straight

and then it may be, you know, a long time.

288

You know, you, you plant a little

seedling, you're not going to see

289

an apple the next year, but when

you start to see those apples, it's

290

such a joyful thing to a mother's

heart to know that, these things have

291

really taken place in their heart.

292

I mean, to see fruit is a wonderful.

293

Wonderful thing.

294

And I think, you know what you

said there, Emily, that we aren't

295

the sanctifiers of our kids.

296

It's God's Holy Spirit in us

that's transforming us day by

297

day to be more like Christ.

298

And we're not the sanctifiers

of our husbands too.

299

And that's an important lesson.

300

That was an important lesson for me

to figure out when I was early, early

301

married and, and even as raising my

kids, and even especially as they got

302

to those college ages to think, wait a

minute, You know, you're not a complete

303

package to leave home yet until I've

got this one more thing said in you

304

and really I've seen my kids grow so

305

much out of the home and wait How did

that happen without me right there?

306

You know the the the work that he begins

in them He's faithful to complete it and

307

that's another fruit of that truth And

it's just a wonderful thing to behold

308

so praise God that he is working in

309

all of

310

us

311

Emily: yes.

312

Mm-hmm.

313

Stephanie: It's almost difficult to keep

a balanced perspective of it, because

314

on a daily basis we want to feel the

weight of the importance of our role,

315

and then we also don't want to take

on too much, and so it just takes this

316

continual checking back with the Lord

and seeing how faithful he is in every

317

story we read in scripture, that helps

keep it balanced, but I can, I feel

318

like it's a teeter-totter balancing act

to keep the proper perspective on it.

319

Betsy: Part of that teeter totter

is, you know, if we think, well,

320

I don't have to do anything,

God's in control of everything.

321

I don't really have control

over their salvation and I

322

don't take my responsibility.

323

I mean, what did God say to Eli?

324

He rebuked him.

325

He took the priesthood away from him.

326

He said, because you didn't rebuke your

sons because you let them go waywardly and

327

the sacrifices and the house of the Lord.

328

And so he.

329

Required of Hophni and Phineas their lives

and took the priesthood away from Eli.

330

So I think there are certain things

in the Bible that really tell

331

us that it's important our part.

332

But if we don't do our part and we

just have this sort of fatalistic

333

attitude that, you know, hands

off and, Everything will turn out.

334

I've definitely spoken with parents that

think, well, this is just what kids do.

335

This is just what they go through.

336

And they don't really have an

intentionality to their parenting.

337

But, another memory versus more

of us for me, far be it from

338

me that I would sin against the

Lord by ceasing to pray for you.

339

But I will instruct you

in the good and right way.

340

That is one of our

scripture memory verses.

341

So, there's the fatalism, that

part like, oh, I don't have to do

342

anything, but that's not biblical.

343

And the other one is like,

I have to do everything.

344

This is all on me.

345

Their salvation is on me.

346

And that's obviously not biblical either.

347

So, we want to have a balance, but

in that balance, we can just relax.

348

We don't have to be so stressed, because

the burden, the ultimate burden is

349

Actually, it's on our kids.

350

The Lord will bring them.

351

But they have that free will.

352

That's the opposite side

of the fatalistic coin.

353

Stephanie: Hmm.

354

Mm

355

Jen: I find so much peace in the portion,

about all the different people that

356

watered and planted and that it's not

just me, that, the Lord, obviously in

357

his sovereignty and in his providence

is working all things together, not only

358

for my good, but for my children's good.

359

And so we get the joy and we get the

pleasure and The duty of raising up our

360

children in the way that they should go

in the way that we feel would be pleasing

361

and glorifying to the Lord, but we don't

have to feel the weight when they choose

362

unwisely or they choose differently.

363

Because that is ultimately, like you

said, it's their decision, but it's also.

364

As unto the Lord to change their hearts.

365

And so we can be on our knees and praying

and asking the Lord for them to, for

366

their hearts to be surrendered to him.

367

But I find a little bit of peace in the

fact of the Lord isn't just working in

368

just my heart to work in my kids hearts,

but he's also having other people water.

369

And I think that's a beautiful part

of the body of Christ together.

370

Emily: Mm-hmm.

371

Stephanie: Paul David Tripp in his book

Parenting, 14 Gospel Principles That Can

372

Radically Change Your Family, he talks

about this principle as well, and he

373

says we're either owners or ambassadors.

374

Our children are the Lord's but

sometimes we act like we're owners and

375

we can act like owners in four ways.

376

Either our identity, if we're looking

to get our identity and our purpose

377

and our sense of well being from

our children, or, from our work.

378

if we think our job is to turn

our children into something.

379

Or if we define success as how

our children are turning out.

380

This can be academically, or musically,

or behavior, or in our reputation.

381

It says owner parents unwittingly turn

their children into their trophies.

382

They tend to want to be able to

parade their children in public to

383

the applause of people around them.

384

But he says ambassador parents

understand that parenting sinners will

385

expose them to public misunderstanding

and embarrassment somehow, some way.

386

They've come to accept the

humbling messiness of the job

387

God has called them to do.

388

And they understand that if their

children grow and mature and life in

389

godliness, they become not so much

their trophies, but trophies of the

390

savior that they have sought to serve.

391

For them, it's God who does the

work and God who gets the glory.

392

They are just gratified that they are

able to be the tools that God used.

393

Betsy: Well

394

said.

395

Jen: Yeah,

396

Stephanie: I think It complements so

well, even that you named it Entrusted,

397

that, yes, we are doing this unto the

Lord and with Him I thought that was

398

a neat, complimentary way to say it.

399

That was, convicting as well and and I

thought even of my example the other night

400

where, three of my children are just,

sweet and once disappointed in me, if I

401

looked at that moment and was owning it,

would I give myself a 75 percent then?

402

How do you measure that or do

I give myself a pat on the back

403

for the fruit I'm seeing of my

son, witnessing to my daughter?

404

No, I can't do that.

405

That was his choice.

406

And I'm so, I'm so pleased, but I'm not

going to own that and the same way I don't

407

have to own the other child's attitude.

408

And I also don't have to say

that this moment is indicative.

409

that this moment isn't necessarily

telling me the fruit that's coming.

410

That son might look back and say, Mom,

you know, that night that you gave me

411

that consequence and I was disappointed

with it I'm so glad you didn't give

412

in because I really needed that check.

413

Emily: hm.

414

Stephanie: You can't even judge in

the moment the fruit that's being born

415

Betsy: hmm.

416

Emily: hm.

417

Mm

418

Jen: I find the, the verse

that talks about train up a

419

child in the way he should go.

420

And when he is old, he

will not depart from it.

421

it's not a promise that if you do

A B equals C, you will get this at

422

the end, but almost as a warning of

you doing your part of training up

423

that child in the way he should go.

424

Because even when you're not

training, even when you're not.

425

You know, Trying to train

them in a certain way.

426

You are training them.

427

You're training them to either obey

all the way right away with a happy

428

heart, or you're training them to delay

obedience or to have a bitter heart

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and, and have a bitter root growing up.

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And so if you're training them up in

the way they should go, even when they

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are old, they will not depart from it.

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That's a really scary place to be if you

haven't done your portion of training

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them up in the way they should go.

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Because then, even when they are old.

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They will not depart from it.

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And that's not saying that, Oh,

if you do nothing, like God is all

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in control of all of this in a way

that we can't understand as humans.

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He's allowed us and commanded us

to take part in it, to have foot

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in the game of doing our job, to

discipline them, to teach them, to

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turn their affections toward him,

to be the watchman for them, to, be.

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Changing their hearts and their minds

towards the Lord and, and as many

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times as we can but also I look at

that as if I'm not doing this, if I'm

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becoming lazy in this area, if I don't

really want to discipline that child

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again for the same thing, and I just

kind of let it go, I am training them

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up, but not in the way they should go.

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Emily: hm.

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Stephanie: hmm.

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Emily: And as they get older,

you put all these years in, in

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consequences and all of that work.

450

But as you're training them, you're

training them towards discernment.

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and you're training them to, to

shift at some point so they are

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discerning and self evaluating,

wrong, right, all of that.

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That is what we're training them

towards discernment And when we see

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those fruits of those little moments

of discernment, those are like small

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hallelujah moments because you're just

thanking the Lord, but never parking there

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because you, you just are ever vigilant

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Betsy: Yes, and when you think of

the Lord giving us, you know, we

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use the word entrusted because it

means given over for safekeeping.

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Jen: Hmm.

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Betsy: So we are

safekeeping God's children.

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Says in Ezekiel, all souls belong to God.

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So we are being stewarded, these children

to raise them in a way that glorifies

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and worships the Lord so that they in

turn will be worshipers of the Lord.

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So there's gonna take some effort

there and some diligence and I think

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it's pretty cool that the Lord gives

us these little ones as babies.

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And, , we have them for about

20 years because it's going to

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take a while to train that well.

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What a

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great privilege it

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is.

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Stephanie: hmm.

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Emily: yes.

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Stephanie: Aunt Betsy, could you offer

some encouragement to the moms who might

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be listening and thinking, I didn't

know about this when they were babies.

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I didn't know about it

when they were toddlers.

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I came to faith later, or maybe

I just didn't understand my role.

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Is it too late for me train them?

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Jen: Hmm.

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Betsy: It is never, ever too late.

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God is the God of hope.

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And even if you raised a child who

is 25 and absolutely not walking

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with the Lord, there's still hope.

483

I have a chapter, chapter 13.

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A mother never gives up, never

gives up on her children.

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Always prays, always loves,

but we also don't condone.

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We don't encourage.

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We are always there with open

arms and should they, like

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the prodigal son, return.

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But you know, I've had a lot of

moms say, Oh my, I've got a 15

490

year old I just took entrusted.

491

And, you know, I feel like we

never, set this foundation.

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Well, sometimes you just need to sit

down with the family and say, we're

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going to have a family meeting because

things are going to change a little bit

494

in our, in our home, and we're going to

start living by biblical convictions.

495

And then we go way back and we talk

about what those are and particular

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family standards for their protection.

497

And it can be, harder on a child that's

older and used to having a lot of freedom.

498

But that's not necessarily the

case, it might be that they just

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came to faith and they just are

learning how to do things biblically.

500

But I would say that for myself when I

had my first child, I was pretty green

501

and I give entrusted to mothers as a gift.

502

So they are way ahead of

where I was in my life.

503

And I would say that even with our oldest,

we went through a lot of challenges and

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struggles, but those are the things that

helped me be able to encourage women in.

505

In big struggles, in

big struggles in life.

506

that's why I say, I wrote

Entrusted to encourage moms.

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And I was so privileged to be around such

godly women in my early years of marriage.

508

And they helped me immensely.

509

And I feel like it's a luxury

for women to have that.

510

So if Entrusted can be that for

somebody, if it can be that community

511

of encouragement, and I tell you

that if you're struggling and

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you're thinking that certain thing,

so are many, many other women.

513

And so when we get together as

a group, we can encourage each

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other and we can, you know, make

some mid course corrections too.

515

And I think that, you know, one of

the biggest things that I say is

516

tenderness and connection with your kids.

517

We're not going to suddenly be a

controlling parent because it's

518

really not about controlling behavior.

519

It's really about getting a hold of

their heart where they surrender their

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heart and they want to obey the Lord.

521

And that's the process that we go through,

through several of these chapters.

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I would certainly want moms to be hopeful.

523

I think that is the

perfect stopping point.

524

We are going to bring you the second

half of our conversation next week.

525

I want you to know that with each

podcast episode, I feel the Holy Spirit

526

working in my heart, prompting me

for a tune up I hope that you don't

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ever feel condemned, but that you feel

encouraged that the Lord is bringing you

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wisdom that you can put into practice

529

it's evidence of his

faithfulness in your life.

530

We have been so encouraged by

your faithful listening and we

531

have a couple favors to ask of

you to help spread the word.

532

Our desire is that this podcast

would encourage mothers who desire to

533

parent biblically and you can help us

534

the first way is you can write a review.

535

Podcast platforms are more likely to

recommend this podcast to mothers if

536

we have a greater number of reviews.

537

So we would really appreciate that.

538

You can also like us on social media.

539

Our Facebook page is Entrusted

Ministries and our Instagram is

540

Entrusted with a Child's Heart.

541

We would still love it if you sent us

a question to answer on the podcast.

542

And lastly, did you know that we would be

more than happy to speak at your church

543

and encourage moms in your community?

544

So reach out to us.

545

You can fill out a contact form on the

Entrusted Ministries website and we'll

546

try to get something on the calendar.

547

We know you're busy, Mama, so

we are truly grateful you joined

548

us for this episode of Again.

549

If you're looking for more information

about building your home on the

550

foundation of Jesus Christ, head to www.

551

EntrustedMinistries.

552

com to learn more about our study for

moms, Entrusted with a Child's Heart.

553

This scripture saturated study

has blessed families around the

554

world, and we want it for you, too.

555

Before you go, I want to pray

this benediction over you

556

from 2 Thessalonians 1, 11 12.

557

We're rooting for you.

558

To this end, we always pray for you,

that our God may make you worthy of His

559

calling, and may fulfill every resolve

for good, and every work of faith by

560

His power, so that the name of our Lord

Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in

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Him, according to the grace of our God.

562

And the Lord Jesus Christ.

563

Amen.

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Until we meet again.