Family Shield

Prayer is powerful because God wants us to pray, and answers our prayers. He tells us we can move mountains when we believe and pray. In Matthew 17, we read “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there, and it will move.’” Pretty amazing, isn’t it? So let’s pray. We pray individually, and we pray in small groups of two or three. One small group is our family. Jesus says “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst.” He is with us when we pray. This spring, Family Shield has been sharing resources, and encouraging you to pray with your family as you take a family prayer walk together. This is our second radio program on our series about family prayer walking. Today I’ll present Family Prayer Walking Leadership Training.

There you are, at the edge of the diving board - will you take that plunge, or will you stand there, paralyzed by fear? How do you handle fear? What about worries and insecurity, pride, bitterness, and anger? How do you step out from those feelings and emotions into life of grace, reconciliation, and peace? It’s a fact - we can’t handle those feelings and emotions on our own. When we try to step out alone, we fail. But because Jesus steps in, we can step out. Today I’m interviewing Deb Burma. She’s the author of Stepping Out to a Life on the Edge.

If you’re a parent, you never expect to have your children die before you do; it's just unnatural. Yet parents do lose children. Join us today as I interview Reverend Jerry Hayes. He and his wife have lost two sons--one in a tragic helicopter accident, and the other to SIDS. How have you, Rev. Hays, learned to deal with the death of your sons? What have you learned about grieving through this process? And how has God used you to serve others? What are some of the stages of grief, and how can we still have hope? These are some of the questions we’ll talk about today.

This is Family Shield Ministries, and I’m your host, Coreen Jander. For those of you that frequently listen to the show and know Kay Meyer, that lovely lady is my mom. She’s back in Missouri today and I'm coming to you from Minnesota, and today we’re talking with Kate Meadow, author of Faith to Follow: The Journey of Becoming a Pastor's Wife. Kate is a published writer, editor, teacher, and speaker, and her work has appeared in Writer's Digest, Chicken Soup for the Soul, USAA Financial Magazine, and many other publications and media outlets. Kate and I have this shared experience of walking alongside our husbands in their journey to become pastors. In fact, we became friends during our time at the seminary, and we quickly realized that we were not the only two women longing for a road map that clearly outlined who we are in this process, and where do we fit. Today we're going to begin a much-needed dialogue based on Kate's book about the commonalities in the stories of these women and how the church can lift them up throughout their journey and how they can have faith to follow the Lord's lead into ministry.

How do you share your faith in the home? Would short Bible studies help if appropriate for families? Then join us today as I interview the author of "5-minute Bible Studies for Families." The book uses relevant Bible passages to address questions, and challenges faced by today's families. It includes three brief studies each week for one whole year. Whether you are driving to soccer practice or waiting with your child to see the dentist, the brief Bible readings, practice questions and prayer prompts will allow your family to spend quality time with the Lord, strengthening your faith and spanning their desires to serve Him. This book is for all families whose calendars are overflowing with events and obligations. Reverend Jay Bickelhaupt is a parish pastor in Billings,Montana. He's married to Melissa and they have three children.

Cancer is a word no one wants to hear from their doctor, but cancer occurs in many people’s lives. What is the cancer journey and treatment like? How does knowing our Savior, and prayer, give us courage on this journey? My guest today is Rev. Michael Hackbardt, CEO and Executive Director of God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. We’ll talk about his current journey with cancer, and about God’s Word to the Nations. Our topic -- Cancer: Courage through Christ.

Family Shield Ministries invites you and your family to take a family prayer walk together. What is a family prayer walk, and how can you and your family participate? A family prayer walk is a time to pray together and talk about your needs and the needs of others. Pray for those you know going through a challenge or someone that needs to know Christ. Stop at times to pray alone or pray together. Enjoy your time together and enjoy God's wonderful creation. God’s Word says, "Where two or three are gathered in my name there I am in their midst."  The Lord wants us to talk to Him. He encourages us to equip our children and families to grow in faith and pray. What could we pray for? Pray for your faith to grow or your family, friends, neighbors, church community, and our nation. How should we pray? The Bible tells us a lot about prayer. Jesus taught His disciples the Lord's Prayer. In Acts 7:59, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit.” We sometimes called this an arrow prayer. God always answers our prayers. Family Shield Ministries family prayer walk initiative has two phases. Phase one helps families feel comfortable praying together and equips them to pray. Phase two offers family members an opportunity to share their faith and witness. Today we're going to focus on Phase One. My guest is Jane Haas. Jane is a prayer warrior. Prior to her retirement she was an editor for Concordia Publishing House and a teacher.  We'll focus on how parents and grandparents can help children learn to pray, and learn more about prayer walking.

How can we keep our family spiritually, emotionally, and physically healthy? Why are mothers often the ones that take on the responsibility of keeping the family healthy? Why is getting enough sleep, exercising, and eating a balanced diet important? How do we handle life when we are stressed out and overwhelmed? Why do we need to also keep our spiritual life healthy, and how do we do this? Join us today as I interview Marty Lindvedt, a pastor's wife, mother, and a professional counselor. We’ll talk about Christian Family Health.

Jesus said, “I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life." He also said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. What do these verses mean, and what did the author of Philippians mean when he wrote, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain?” Today our topic is Heaven is Our Home. We’ll discuss God's Word and what it says about death and heaven. My guest today is Reverend Randy Asburry of Hope Lutheran Church in St Louis Missouri. Today's program is in memory of Rev. Dr. Otto Hintze.

Have you ever made a promise to yourself or another person? Maybe you made a vow to love and honor your spouse when you were married. Or you promised to be the best mom or dad ever. Or maybe you promised God you would never fall away from your relationship with Him. How are you doing at keeping your promises? It’s a fact - we don’t always keep our promises, but God does. Today we’ll discuss God’s promises for families.