At Home With Sally

At 68, I can see that somehow, as I literally cried through these life storms, as I begged God for help and wisdom, He was there, even when I could not feel or see him. This week, I am gently sending Help, I'm Drowning out into the world. I pray you will be encouraged.

If a child grows up serving, it will become natural to them. Making " I love you" cards, plates of cookies for neighbors, and serving meals at the homeless shelter helped our children to learn to give time and effort to ease someone else's life. We are called the serve one another, just as Jesus called his disciples to serve along beside him and in this practice.

People are always asking us, “How did you do it? How did you inspire your children to be authors, movie makers, composers, college instructors, podcasters?” This was the way — imagination, nightly discussions over great meals, close, delightful relationships every day. This is how their hearts, minds, and lives were shaped into adults who could imagine influencing their worlds for good.

Training a child to choose to love by showing kindness, gentleness and respect will prepare them to go before kings or paupers and to become leaders in their generation. It starts with an attitude that says, "God has designed me to love people, to be humble like He was, to show respect and kindness."

Cultivating habits that sustain our lives and fill us with joy is one way we have learned to move forward every day, to find how to make life sustainable. Join Joy and me as we share some of our thoughts.

We have an incredible capacity to be strong, grow in intellectual excellence as we exercise the muscles of our minds, to leave a legacy of faith and integrity — but it requires that we also exercise our will, submit to God's discipline, and strain after His ways by following His heart.

In writing 'Help, I'm Drowning' I wanted to share some of the storms I faced and how walking with God led me to a life of flourishing and one in which He was building my life on the rock of eternal values. I hope you will be encouraged right where you are in your own storms and difficulties in life.

Staying strong and faithful through all the years is what built my own precious one into the woman she has become. And though you can’t see it yet, your thousands of moments of faithfulness is shaping that child into what will become a strong, loving, faithful adult.

Honor comes with humility—the ability to see others as more important than ourselves. To teach honor and obedience means we will have to occasionally cross our children’s wills. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary.

Today, I’ll talk about what it looks like to find God’s strength, with Him lifting the load with me, no matter what I am carrying. I share some of my favorite verses about His strength. I pray that it will encourage you along your own path, and pray you will know God’s love in your journey.