I will truly miss reading the inspiring and moving articles that have touched my heart. I will continue to be in touch and drop an article from time to time. I pray everyone is blessed and continue to thrive in your God given destinies.

Be blessed,

Professor Sherita Smedley

by Laura Moore

Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

My eyes were scanning the screen when I saw another article about how budget cuts would affect our military community. Blood started to boil as this article described a potential cut in military pay. It drew my attention as it portrayed people in the military as living a lavish lifestyle.
I quickly pushed the computer aside and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water.

I began praying for our community, and as the anger bubbled inside of me I realized things are going to be worse before better as the budget cuts are defined. There is a lot of pressure on military families, and it always amazes me the way we have learned to roll with the punches. But that doesn’t make the pressure any easier.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
Matthew 5:14

As followers of Christ we are still called to be a light in this dark world. How do we as military wives shoulder this new burden?

Simply said, we commit to trusting a sovereign God. He is not caught off-guard by the things that surprise us or disrupt our lifestyle. He will make our path straight when we place our trust in him. He may not do things in the way we expect, but he will work in ways that will be good for us and for his glory.

If you’re feeling discouraged about the latest news for our military community, take some time away from the news and dig deep into God’s word today. There is always reason to hope!

Many people view February as a throw away month. Worn out from winter and desperate for spring, some see it with too few days of sunshine, while others see it as just too few days. I, on the other hand, consider February my absolute favorite month of the year. This heart healthy “love” month has been quite generous to me and I hold it extra close to my heart. It is my annual reminder of the power of God’s grace and healing, having endured multiple restorations of my heart both physically and during times of trial along with countless spiritual restorations. It is also the month, almost seventeen years ago, when my husband proposed to me. I must clarify it was the last day of the month, and a leap year at that, but still February. It is also the time of year I love to search and workout the spiritual chambers of my heart. This is not just surface cleansing, but real deep cleansing, searching every nook and cranny for barriers to the heart of God.

During this time of reflection, I am asking God to refine and cleanse my heart. Keep in mind when you ask God to do something that is in alignment with His heart, be prepared for Him to do it. God knows when you are serious about getting serious with Him. God is familiar with all of our ways. When I ask God to search and test my heart and bring to my attention any offensive thing that I have hidden in the darkest chamber of my heart, He always brings it to light! It may be painful or even surprising, but He loves those who ask for His help, wisdom and direction. He wants us to fully depend on Him in all we do, especially while we seek Him while searching ourselves.

In order to grow and move forward in our relationship with God, we may need to step back and take inventory of our heart. Many of us have experienced the pain of having an unhealthy heart: feelings of guilt, fear, rejection, shame, bitterness, anger, feeling unloved, and feeling unworthy. Many people fail to find the root of the issue; they just know something isn’t right. Most of these issues have deep roots which can only be brought to the surface through the love of God.

In my recent fitness classes, I have been incorporating reverse lunges; it is a great illustration of how to cleanse our hearts. As we take the kettle-bell back in the reverse lunge, I encourage the students to take a step back and inventory the heart. As the right arm goes back, the left leg moves back in perfect balance. The smooth and fluid motions demonstrate the importance of the balance that is essential between God and man. Break the balance and a fall can occur. We cannot be one with God’s heart until we turn our hearts completely over to Him. God desires every nook and cranny be made available to Him for testing and cleansing.

There are times when circumstances may reveal issues that have been deeply rooted. A few years ago I struggled with serious heart issues rooted in guilt and shame. One of our children made horrible decisions and found himself in jail. My feelings of guilt, embarrassment, and shame enveloped me and I felt paralyzed. I felt like a failure as a mother and wondered to myself if my own past mistakes had contributed to this. This record played over and over in my head. My heart was crushed and my spirit was almost broken.

Maybe you have experienced or are experiencing this crushing sensation in your life. Here’s the good news, God will not tolerate a broken spirit! As I cried out to Him, He spoke to my heart and assured me that His perfect love was sufficient. God had a cure for my diseased heart, His love. Like a child crossing a treacherous intersection, God held my hand with His righteous hand and spoke to my heart His revelation of truth. He inspired me to take action and speak His Word into the life of my son and family. I relied upon 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.” I began to activate my power house and walk in God’s power and truth instead of fear and shame.

One of the first action steps I took was to type Jeremiah 29:11 into my phone to replace the word “jail.” Then each day when my son would call from the jail I would see God’s Word and His truth appear on the phone. “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and to give you hope.” Every time I saw God’s Word on the phone, I felt freedom and experienced His supernatural power, which inspired me to endure and pray. It broke my shame, embarrassment, and guilt. I was filled with God’s hope for my son and began to trust Him instead of what I saw in the natural world. God helped me see beyond the circumstance and into His dimension. Most importantly, I am no longer ashamed of my son.

I have a lot of great exercises that help your heart remain healthy and strong, but the best exercise I can offer is for you to allow God full access. Once you invite Him in, you will want Him to search every chamber. You will want to know everything that is hindering or separating you from God’s plan and purpose for your life. Mother Theresa once said, “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in the world than for bread.” Repent and be set free. Ask and you shall receive. His love endures forever.

We Need …..

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Identifying problems has never been the issue. We identify, dismiss, mull over, argue about, do studies, but rarely resolve, or solve, the problem. I, on the other hand, when presented with a problem, make every effort to solve it immediately. So today, I speak at the behest of back pain, and more specifically, to the politics of posture and the strength of stability. After a very personal and scientific study last week, I am making a stand; we need to be sitting on stability balls!

The old adage, “The mind can only absorb what the bottom can endure” is so true, and the very reason I considered taking my stability ball to the two day conference in Franklin, TN. I seriously considered packing my ball, but at the last minute decided to let it rest at home in my office. Honestly, can you imagine the group of 30 strangers looking at some lady walking into a conference room called the “Sanctuary” carrying a big blue stability ball? I didn’t want anyone to think I was some “ball carrying weirdo” trying to draw attention to myself; it may give the wrong first impression.

It had been over ten years since I had sat in a real chair for over eight consecutive hours. Thank goodness Dan Miller’s Coaching with Excellence seminar was well worth the pain in my posterior. Dan Miller, of 48Days fame, was a wellspring of wisdom. As we listened you could almost see the dreams of those in attendance growing wings. (There’s a good reason why he has an eagle in his logo!) His training was great, the people interacting were great, even the food was great! But, heading back to the hotel I began to notice something that wasn’t so great. The effect of ten hours sitting in a chair was manifesting itself in low back pain, and surprisingly, my right hip. My body yearned to stretch and re-align itself.

I now had great appreciation for those who serve the public in occupations that require them to sit in a traditional chair. No wonder back pain is so prevalent in America. Waking the next morning, my back was stiff and I just felt a little achy all over. I was really second guessing myself about the decision to not bring the ball. I thought, “I could have left it in the car and after getting to know the people, I could have brought it in.” There I was, surrounded by wise people, and my decision would leave me miserable for another 12 hours. I couldn’t help but think of the scripture Proverbs 13:20 which reads, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”

As I made my way into the conference room, a wise gentleman to my right side, named Royce, made an announcement to the group. He then surprised me by going to the back of the room to retrieve a large stability ball, which he delivered to my location. Everyone laughed and I thanked him for his thoughtfulness. Royce is retired and full of life, and he wanted me to know that this stability ball was the one he used at home. He also shared that he had already completed his early morning kettle bell workout and was ready for the day. His enthusiasm for working out and living life to its fullest made for a motivating and inspiring atmosphere. It was easy to see why others were drawn to him for advice and career counseling. He listened and took wise action.

The ball was a comfort for most of the day. Sitting on the ball relieved the pressure on my spine and helped with my posture and alignment. My core and legs felt stronger, as I was more aware to scoop my belly and engage my legs. The others in the room, besides Royce, didn’t realize I was exercising throughout the day. Around 4 pm I noticed Royce was getting a little antsy and appeared to be stiffening up. At the break he said his body needed a good stretching. I gave up the ball for him to use and thanked him once again for bringing it for me.

I know some of you may be skeptical, but I promise you it will make a difference. Start slowly for 30 minutes. See how different your body feels and work your way to using it all day long. Your body will thank you at the end of the day.

The Coaching with Excellence seminar was a wonderful experience. It truly helped me visualize the scripture in Proverbs by “walking with the wise.” It also helped me to further realize that dreams without wisdom will never be a reality. Wisdom comes from God, and He, along with my big blue stability ball, will be with me wherever I go.

Theresa Rowe is a faith-based wellness coach, author, motivational speaker and radio guest on 90.3 Bridge FM in Columbus Indiana and 1490 WOMI each Friday morning. She is also a writer for Christian Military Wives Magazine, Wives in Bloom and Fit Christian Magazine. Visit her at www.shapedbyfaith.com, facebook, twitter account @TheresaLRowe or contact theresa@shapedbyfaith.com.

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Relating my sudden headache to the drastic weather change, I cleared my thoughts and re-focused my energy on setting up the Total Body stations for the Thursday evening class. After warming up the students with squats, jumping jacks and lunges, I started my stop watch to time each exercise. Thank goodness my headache seemed to be easing. Then, when I glanced down at my stopwatch, a new issue arose. The large numbers on my watch were fuzzy and almost impossible to read. As I lifted my eyes to look around the gym, my students seemed misshapen and distorted. Immediately closing my eyes, I squinted and tried to clear my vision.

My vision did not improve after opening my eyes; in fact, it was even more blurry and presented the feeling of being in a mirrored fun house at the amusement park. Composing myself, I tried not to appear discombobulated in front of the class. Relying on my instincts as an instructor, I sensed it was time to move to the next station. Until my vision decided to return, it was going to be a stopwatch free night.

I spent the rest of the class time in silent prayer, asking God to restore my vision, while reciting memorized scriptures to the students. Thank God He had prepared me for difficulties like this one. Listening to His lead, station changes worked properly and students enjoyed the class. Time was passing and I knew it was time for the cool down. Out of habit I glanced down at the stopwatch and could clearly see that nearly forty five minutes had passed and it was time to stretch and cool down.

The lack of vision during the class had been unsettling, but God stretched me out, and I thanked Him for clearing my vision.

Ironically, I have focused my prayer time this entire year on my eyes–more specifically, the eyes of my heart. My heart’s desire is to grow and expand the platform for Shaped by Faith. My focused vision is to help people shape their bodies and hearts for God’s purposes. My question and prayer has been, “Enlighten my eyes Lord and help me understand how to do this?” Just like Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:18, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you.”

God has given each of us specific gifts and talents to be used for His glory. Have you thought about your specific purpose on the earth? How are you reaching others for Christ with what God has given to you?

These are the questions I have asked myself all year. After much prayer and wise counsel, I recognized the need for a life coach. I needed the help of someone to challenge me to reach the next level for God. These last few months have been more challenging than expected, especially re-focusing priorities and time management. Shaped by Faith has been moving in uncharted waters, and sometimes outside my comfort zone, but by depending on God and His direction, the destination is right where He wants me to be.

I have already put together the 2013 Vision and Plan for Shaped by Faith. My coach has reminded me repeatedly, “It will only happen if you put in the work.” With God, the guidance of my coach, lots of prayer and hard work, these plans will succeed.

What are your plans and vision for 2013? Not your resolution but the plan to be what you are called to be. Have you prayed and asked God about a plan?

Here are a few thoughts that may be beneficial to helping you plan for 2013.

Put God in your daily planner. He desires a relationship with you and wants to help you plan things out. Consider rising earlier than your family and spending time alone with Him. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

How do you plan on spending time with the ones you love? If you are married you may want to plan a weekly date night. Healthy marriages are built on quality time spent alone together. As the scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” Ephesians 5:28

What are your plans to stay healthy? Do you have an exercise partner(s) or a group fitness class to keep you accountable? Plan 3-5 days a week to exercise and then do it! “Honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:20

How are you developing the platform God has given you? Consider meeting with a small group of wise individuals who will help mentor and encourage you. Ask God to provide a wise individual to help you. “Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed.” Proverbs 15:22

All of us can have clear vision in 2013 when we keep our eyes focused on God’s purposes. And to each of you, may the New Year bring peace and prosperity!

Theresa Rowe is a faith-based wellness coach, author, motivational speaker and radio guest on 90.3 Bridge FM in Columbus Indiana and 1490 WOMI each Friday morning. She is also a writer for Christian Military Wives Magazine, Wives in Bloom and Fit Christian Magazine. Visit her at www.shapedbyfaith.com, facebook, twitter account @TheresaLRowe or contact theresa@shapedbyfaith.com.

by: Sherita Smedley

New Year is a great time to re-evaluate and get pumped for what is ahead. I have to admit I do New Year’s resolutions, but often put the list aside once the year moves into high gear. This year I’m starting a new tradition of not only writing a “list” but to pray over the list to see where the Lord will have me go. I want to make my year full of highs, which include promoting my new romance novel, to lows which include a 4th deployment. This past year I have enjoyed great Bible studies that have helped equip me for what 2013 will bring. Relying on tools we have aquired can help us prepare for future storms in our life. Remembering to make the Lord first in each day is pivotal in your 2013 starting off right.

I pray that the Lord gives each of you strength to embrace your New Year with mountain moving faith and to receive abundant blessings.

From all of us here at Wives In Bloom we wish you a happy New Year!!

Be Blessed,

by

Lisa Phillips

Was this year especially difficult? Was it a deployment year or a year filled with numerous training missions with a demanding schedule? Or was it a year of financial worries, health issues or concerns over children? It’s no surprise that some years the trials come one after another with no peace in between. Early in my marriage and my husband’s military career, I experienced a very long season without peace. I struggled with infertility. With my husband, Ray underway at sea more than he was home, the years swiftly rolled by. When he was home we resumed infertility treatments, but to no avail.  By the sixth year, I could barely muster a laugh. My spirits had hit rock bottom.  In desperation, I cried out to God many times, asking, “How long, Lord? How long before a season of better times come  again?” It seemed as if I was living between two realms – between a time filled with fond memories of good experiences, and another time waiting and hoping for good times to return again. A new kind of longing settled into my heart – a longing to laugh again.

Psalm 126 describes this concept of living between two realms. In the first three verses, the psalmist is rejoicing over something God did that was so wonderful it seemed like a dream.

Many scholars believe this psalm describes the Israelites when they were set free from their captivity from Babylon. They were so astonished in their new found freedom they sang songs of joy and laughed.

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.

Psalm 126:1-3

                James Limburg describes this time perfectly. “Psalm 126 comes from a people who are living between the times, between a good time remembered and another good time hoped for.” The Israelites reflected on a period in their history where God turned the tide of their circumstances. They had been captives, but King Cyrus freed them. In complete elation, they concluded that only something this good had to be from God.  What about you? Can you think of an event that seemed too good to be true? For me, it was the day I learned I was finally pregnant. After six grueling years of on again – off again infertility treatments, the unbelievable happened. It seemed too good to be true! Even my husband, when he called home from the ship was hopeful, but skeptical.  Later that year, our son, Lawrence was born.  Nothing strengthens our faith more than when we recall former instances of how God ended our season of troubling circumstances and brought better times.

In the second half of Psalm 126 the Israelites find themselves again living “in between the two realms.”

                Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.  Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

Psalm 126:4-6

                The psalmist emphasizes God’s ability to show Himself mighty to usher in a fresh season of good times by using the Negev metaphor. If God can send floods down on the drought stricken beds of the region of Negev, He is fully able to fill our weary spirits with joy by doing something remarkable for us.  Does this psalm describe the place you are in right now? Your heart has reflected on some wonderful things God has done for you in the past and now as we enter a new year you could really use something wonderful from God now.

It is in the difficult places, when we’re sowing our sorrow that we must not forget that our present misery will not last forever. In fact, it is just the opposite! It is the means to the end. “If there were no sowing in tears there would be no reaping in joy,” says British Pastor Charles Spurgeon.  How can we appreciate a new season of laughter if we’ve never tasted the sting of difficult times? Our tears are the seeds that in God’s time will produce a harvest of joy. Have you ever noticed that a harvest takes time? God doesn’t move any faster just because we live in a world that resists the training ground of difficult seasons. However, when the harvest does come, we’ll find ourselves in “that good time hoped for.”

God is so incredible. He doesn’t do great things for us out of obligation, but because we are His delight! All we have to do is tell God that we trust that He will do something wonderful in our lives again because “…He is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20).

Lisa Phillips is a retired Navy wife. She and her husband, Ray have been married 25 years. For five years, Lisa led a women’s ministry at her church and facilitated a women’s Bible study. She is a mother of two children. Her daughter, Megan, 24, is serving in the Army National Guard and getting ready to deploy. Her son, Lawrence, 17, is a high school junior. Lisa works alongside her husband in their business in Marysville, Washington as the company bookkeeper/HR/Benefits Administrator, and enjoys writing devotionals and articles on faith. Her web site, www.HisWords2GrowBy.com  will launch in early 2013

Fake it till you make it! As a military wife you’ve probably heard this saying often, especially during deployments. But just exactly how do we ‘fake it’ when we are so desperately missing a loved one? I thought back to how I have “faked it” during holiday deployments to make it through and here’s what I came up with:

Count Your Blessings. Counting one thing to be thankful for everyday can make the worst of days a little better. My family made a “count your blessings” jar.  It made a year of separation add up to a year of blessings.

Deck the Halls. You may not feel like it but getting the decorations out and up may lift your spirits. I went to an extreme while my spouse was gone and was “that” person with the crazy lights on the block. All the lights made me feel cheerier and I was able to bring joy to others through decorations.

Care Packages. Shower your spouse with goodies and gifts from home. Have the kids make art projects. You’ll have a connection with your spouse when they can taste all the goodies you’ve made them.

Bake It Till You Make It! Try new and fun recipes. Take this opportunity of the extra time you have with the kids while your spouse is gone to try new recipes together.

Travel/Have visitors. As most military spouses know- nothing breaks up a deployment like a good visit with friends and family.

Schedules.  It’s a balance!  Make a weekly schedule and try to fit in some fun time like play dates or social outings for you.  Take advantage of programs that allow parents a ‘day out.’

Be good to YOU.  If you’re not happy, no one is happy.  Take time for yourself and get involved in activities like exercising and treat yourself to massages. Go easy on yourself and set realistic expectations. It’s okay to pamper yourself!

Easy does it.  If life gets too stressful, don’t be afraid to cut something out!  If you can’t bake ten dozen cookies for the cookie drive, cut it back to two dozen.  Give yourself permission to take short cuts.

Ring a friend.  Is there someone you haven’t been able to connect with while your spouse is there?  Deployments are a great time to catch up with friends or family members.

Start something new.  Is there a class you’ve wanted to take?  Something new you’d like to try?  A group you’d like to join? Go for it! Starting a new group, volunteering for something or trying a new skill are great distractions while a loved one is gone.

Here are just a few things I’ve done to get through deployments during the holidays. It made me realize our family is stronger than we thought. We also recognized that this time of separation brought us closer and strengthened our dedication not only to our family but to the country we serve.

Whole Person Healing

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Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon I arrive 45 minutes early to set up the Total Body Challenge class in the gym. Setting up for this class is time consuming as each station is prayerfully planned to offer both variety and challenge to the student. Each station employs an exercise and a unique piece of exercise equipment, that when engaged, will work the entire body. Some of the equipment is simple and easy to set out, while other pieces are heavy and bulky, and more difficult to position. Thank goodness a few of my students show up early and are willing to help with the set up.

One of the students helping put weights in the Lunge station turned and introduced her sister to me. The two ladies had been attending the class for some time and I was embarrassed that I hadn’t known they were sisters. Magnifying my embarrassment, I couldn’t remember the young lady’s name who had been helping me set up. I always thanked her for helping me, but like a lot of other folks, I was embarrassed to ask her name, especially knowing she had probably told me multiple times. I know I’m terrible, but with 80 to 100 students in the class it’s been challenging to remember everyone’s name. I am trying, and doing a little better, but there’s still room for improvement.

Recognizing the look on my face, she re-introduced herself and told me she was the one who had sent the email earlier in the summer. She was very kind and said she did not expect me to remember her name with so many students in the class. I made a mental note to get to know everyone personally, and soon. This would be my most challenging exercise, but well worth the effort, particularly in the embarrassment department.

As we stood and talked, mentally I was racing back through my emails. I then remembered receiving her heart-wrenching email towards the end of summer. I also remembered answering the email, but at that point was clueless to the identity of the writer. Now the puzzle was coming together and she was about to share the rest of the story. She reminded me that her father had passed a little over a year ago in a sudden, tragic death with no answers or closure. She explained seeing a grief counselor, talking with a priest, and sharing with close friends, searching for answers and direction. Nothing was helping her move forward. In June of this year, one of her friends decided to sign her up for my 6-week Total Body Challenge.

She wanted me to know that being in the class had brought more healing than anything else she had experienced since her dad’s death. Continuing to work out in this challenging class had made an impact on both her and her sister. They wanted me to know they had gained physical strength, wisdom and healing as God’s Word impacted their bodies, minds and souls. I thanked them for sharing their story with me and for stepping up to the challenge of pressing forward. I then thanked God for allowing my once broken vessel to be used to help someone else who was broken.

We are all vessels in some state of brokenness. Some glaze over, hardened by life experiences. Others place themselves in the Potter’s hands and are reconfigured, vessels mended by God’s grace and healing. We are all called to share the story of our personal experience of hope through Jesus Christ. Our stories reach out and touch the hearts of broken people, offering hope and strength to press forward in the face of adversity and challenges. It is most important to share with others the great things He has done for us. Psalm 66:16 says “Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.”

It is both humbling and gratifying to know that He loves us so much He will take time to work things out for us, even in something like a simple fitness class, for His glory and our good.

Theresa Rowe is a faith-based wellness coach for Owensboro Christian Church, author, motivational speaker and radio guest on 90.3 Bridge FM in Columbus Indiana and 1490 WOMI each Friday morning. She is also a writer for Christian Military Wives Magazine, Wives in Bloom and Fit Christian Magazine. Visit her online at www.shapedbyfaith.com.

A Mother’s Treasure

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Our home has become a Christmas Carol as we have “Decked the Halls” with splashes of Christmas everywhere. The Christmas tree stands like a proud grandmother decorated with sentimental ornaments that span the decades. Gazing at ornaments bearing our children’s names brings back so many fond memories. Like most moms, Christmas prompts memories only a mother can remember. The season is a time of reflection and remembering. It seems to trigger countless emotions and memories in everyone–some good, some bad and some, well, not so pretty.

As the mother of seven, each Christmas shared with my children holds a special place and is treasured in my heart. Some of our children do not get to come home for Christmas and we miss them terribly. Most of our children are grown, with families and children of their own. One of this year’s treasured memories is of Candice’s three year old son picking out his mother’s ornament on our tree. She made the ornament when she was his age and it shows her preschool picture. I love watching his face light up when he points to her picture and announces, “That’s my mom!” One day he will have her ornament hanging on his own tree. While it is a future memory for him, it’s a treasure for me today.

Our family is a “special blend” full of unique personalities. As with all families, we have experienced our share of personal ups and downs. Sometimes it feels as though I am riding backwards on a roller coaster, holding on for dear life as it continues looping over and over again.

Even with the not so good memories of our family, I am reminded that God works out all things for His glory and our good. Each child is in their own special walk with the Lord, some just a little further down the road than others. My husband, Robin, reminds me of this biblical truth all the time. He always seems to know how to say just the right words when life starts to make me feel overwhelmed or dizzy. He reminds me that everything is going to be all right. These simple words of wisdom always soothe my soul and bring me back to balance.

For me, the key is to look at my children the way God sees them. It is important to remember that God has made each person, family member and child, unique and special. Just because they are not you or think like you does not make them wrong, just different. God has a special purpose for each of us.

Here’s a great exercise for you before your family has their first get-together. Take some time this season and write down the good qualities you see in your children and other family members. When I did my own list I discovered some wonderful things about my children that I had taken for granted.

For instance, Ethan, the oldest, loves a good adventure and is always stepping outside the box, while making his own way in the world. Adrian is a natural born salesman with a beautiful smile and a servant’s heart. Christina is articulate and loves to please the Lord. Candice has a special heart for children and is a terrific mom. Layla is a caring soul who uncovers the very best in every person she meets. Carter is spirited and a hard worker. Good looking too! Hunter is tender-hearted and gives to others like every day is Christmas.

Regardless of the way things may appear right now in your family, try the exercise and remember to thank God for each person. After you have written down their good qualities and thanked God, proclaim out loud these words from Lamentations 3:57, “You came close when I called out. You said, ‘It’s going to be all right.’” It really is going to be all right; God says so!

While Christmas may only be one day a year of celebration, the birth we celebrate has changed lives every day and forever. Mary recognized quite early the significance and purpose of Jesus’ birth. In one verse, Luke 2:19, we see the magnitude of her earthly understanding and the value of God’s children revealed. “But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Let us all ponder the magnitude of our responsibility for the welfare of our world, and then, take action.

Theresa Rowe is a faith-based wellness coach, author, motivational speaker and radio guest on 90.3 Bridge FM in Columbus Indiana and 1490 WOMI each Friday morning. She is also a writer for Christian Military Wives Magazine, Wives in Bloom and Fit Christian Magazine. Visit her web site online at www.shapedbyfaith.com or contact theresa@shapedbyfaith.com