Posted in Titus 2 Moments

Psalms 121:5-8
The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
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Our friends Paul and Pam invited us over for dinner last weekend, and while the men were downstairs playing video games, we women-folk decided to chat it up a bit and talk about homeschooling, life, joys, sorrows, family background etc.  Ya know . . usual woman-to-woman talk.

It was in the course of our discussions that the topic of dating vs. courtship, and marriage came up; particularly the plan for our daughters.  Now mind you, my daughter is only 10, but Pam has two daughters. One is in her early 20's and the other is at the wee age of 5.  Their testimony is nothing short of beautiful, and the history of both girls quite touching.  Their older daughter, Dianna, is now married and has a baby on the way.  I marvel at Dianna's walk with the Lord and her beauty as a wife and now-to-be Mom.  I asked Pam how it was that Dianna turned out so incredible after having a public school education?  I know that may sound like a prejudice statement, but it was more of an inquisitive contemplation.  Pam is now teaching her other  3 children at home, so it is great to hear the differences after raising one child in public education. 

Her response was quite inspiring and really shed light on how to raise Godly daughters in an unGodly world.  She said to me, "Dianna's relationship with the Lord has everything to do with how she turned out, I really can't get the credit for it. When Dianna was young she accepted the Lord and was completely 'sold out' to Him from then on."  My friend began to tell me how her eldest daughter made good choices and chose to court instead of date, and refrained from peer pressure (with God's help), and that is why she is now married to a Godly man, and they are both passionately serving the Lord. 

I was in awe of this considering Dianna's background as a public school student. It really made a statement to me that it isn't necessarily  the environment of education that  can make or break a girl (although it definately is a contributing factor), but the foundation of a young lady's relationship with the Lord.  Whether a girl is homeschooled, private schooled, or public schooled it is all about their personal relationship with the Lord.  It is what will ultimately bring them from beautiful girlhood into beautiful womanhood.  Temptations may surround, but a Godly woman always knows from wence cometh her help, and it starts with a Godly foundation deep within the soul & spirit.

I am beginning to realize that even though I am raising my daughter as  a home-educated student, ultimately the real thing that will keep her hands from evil is nurturing her relationship with the Lord, and establishing a true, committed covenant with Him, before she can have a covenant union with her husband.  I truly believe parents can do all the right things and take their children to church every Sunday, and home-educate their children, but if that child has not allowed the knowledge of God to become the living word deep inside, then it is all in vain. 

Proverbs 31:30
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD,

she shall be praised.

We hear stories of christian children falling from the faith once they become adults, and turning their backs on God.  Some say that they are just testing the waters and "sowing their wild oats," but my response to that is did they ever truly have their own relationship with God or was it solely lived through their parents?  It is easy to let them slip through the radar because they are going through all the right motions.

I am made passionately aware through my conversation with Pam, and other Mother's who are seeing their children grow from beautiful childhood into beautiful adulthood that there is a common thread, and that thread is an individual experience with God. 

Loving His Truth & Wisdom,

<>< Kelly