Celebrate Well-Behaved Women Making History!

Morgan Farr is a woman of strength and wisdom. I always enjoy her unique insights. In this Biblical Womanhood UPGRADE during Women's History Month, she points to women in biblical history who have made a difference."Did you know," Morgan says, "that one of the most famous women’s empowerment quotes is actually a twisting of praise for Christian women?"

That question certainly piqued my (Dawn's) interest!

Morgan continues . . .

We are in the middle of the month of March, which means that if you hop onto any social media platform you will likely be bombarded with the celebration of women from across the globe. It's Women’s History Month.

Quotes from famous women, quotes about world-changing women, and quotes celebrating women are flying across social media at the moment.

But one in particular stands out to me:

“Well-behaved women seldom make history.”

We see this quote on pins, stickers, and water bottles. It is often used as a sort of rallying cry for women to behave badly, which is a bit ironic, given the source.

This quote actually came from an academic paper published by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. She was talking about the funeral sermons of Christian women.

I want to share how to upgrade your walk with well-behaved women who made history.

The idea behind Ulrich’s quote is that the women who live quiet lives tend to be overlooked by history, not that women should be poorly-behaved in order to make history.

At first, we want to react against this, but even in the Christian culture, it is the women who stepped out of line that are most often remembered.

In preparation for this article, I did a social media poll and asked my followers to name five women in the Bible.

These were the names I got and who they are:

• Eve ate the fruit from the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:6).
• Sarah laughs at the idea that she would get pregnant in her old age (Genesis 18:10-15).
• Rahab was a prostitute (Joshua 2:1).
• Bathesheba was married when she was taken by King David, who then murdered her husband (2 Samuel 11:2-17).
• Mary was pregnant out of wedlock (Luke 1:26-35).
• Ruth bucked tradition by following her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:8-22).
• Esther challenged a king (Esther 4:1-14; 5:1-8; 7:1-10; 8:1-16).

All of these women stand out in some way because of their stories.

Initially I was going to use the word salacious or maybe scandalous stories, but really, these women just had big stories. They are the major names that people think of with the term “women in the Bible.''

After that things start to get a little fuzzy and people really have to stretch for the names of other women.

Understanding Bible history and how women interact with it matters.

I find that knowing the Bible helps me in my everyday walk with Christ. Being a constant student of the Word is a crucial aspect of our faith. We are told in Ecclesiastes 1:9 that there is nothing new under the sun. If I am struggling with something in my life, looking to the Bible can help me see next steps and to make decisions.

Consider some examples of faithful women who followed God’s call for their lives, even with the threat of death.

These women do not often have entire Bible studies written about them unlike many of the women listed above, but their contributions to Christianity show that God’s plan is perfect, even if it doesn’t seem like it.

1. Shiphrah and Puah

These ladies were midwives who bravely stood up to Pharaoh when he ordered the murder of children (Exodus 1:15-21).

2. Deborah

She was a prophet and a judge who led Israel with honor and integrity when she stepped into a leadership vacuum (Judges 4:4-24; 5:1-31).

3. Priscilla

She was a tentmaker who traveled with her husband to share the gospel and invited Paul into her home (Acts 18:1-3, 18-19, 26).

4. Lydia

Lydia was a gentile woman. She was at a prayer gathering when Paul and Timothy came to preach, and she converted to Christianity. She led her family to Christ and used her wealth as a textile merchant to support the early church (Acts 16:12-15, 40).

5. Joanna

She followed Jesus after He healed her, she supported the apostles, stayed with Jesus when crowds turned against him, stayed during the crucifixion, and went to the tomb where she was one of the first to learn of Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 8:1-3; 23:49, 55-56; and 24:1-10).

What can we learn from these ladies?

• When a boss asks you to do something that goes against your scruples? Shiphrah and Puah.
• When you want to be involved in the church but you don’t know how? Take a note from Priscilla and open your home.
• Does your church support missions? Lydia would tell you to give generously.

Of course, none of this is to say that we as women cannot learn from men in the Bible, or that men can’t learn from women in the Bible. But when my four-year-old daughter asked why the stories in her children’s Bible are mostly about boys, I am now able to tell her of the women who have made a difference in our faith—women she can look up to, women she can follow as they followed God.

For all of the women we listed today, there are thousands, millions even, who faithfully lived out the call that God had for their lives without ever having their name recorded.

It can be easy in the drudgery of everyday life to wonder if your life has meaning, if you are making a difference.

Remember:

When you are loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength while loving your neighbor as yourself, you are working for the Lord.

Your daily walk with Him matters.

In this month of celebrating women’s history, we celebrate the well-behaved women who are making history today.

What woman in your history made a difference in your life?

Morgan Farr is a succulent-cultivating, book nerd, aspiring author. She spends her days homeschooling her four young children and training her working dogs. As an Army wife, Morgan has learned to lean heavily on Jesus as she walks out military life. She is the Director fo Publishing at Planting Roots, a minitry for military women and wives. You can connect with Morgan on all major social media channels using her handle: morgandfarr.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Aaron Burden at Unsplash.

7 Powerful Ways Gentleness Benefits You

Debbie W. Wilson is an encourager, faithfully pointing readers to the powerful and refreshing Word of God. In this Character UPGRADE, Debbie explores gentleness and how it not only honors God, but benefits us in powerful ways.

"Do you value gentleness or view it as weakness?" Debbie asks. "Some people think volume and coarseness show strength. The Bible teaches the opposite"

I (Dawn) have never had much of a problem with gentleness . . . or so I thought. Reading Debbie's post, I realized I've seldom been gentle with myself. Others are far from gentle with others. In whatever way we struggle with gentleness, this is enlightening.

Debbie continues . . .

Gentleness is powerful. Are you gentle?

How do you treat your weaknesses?

• Do you chastise yourself when you fall short of your standards or impose stringent disciplines to overcome your weaknesses?
• Or, do you treat yourself with compassion?

How do you treat those who disappoint you, are caught in sin, or don’t share your views?

• Do you raise your voice and pound the table to hold their attention?
• Do you hope to win them through quarreling or intimidation?

Using gentleness to combat sin and weakness may seem counterintuitive. Yet, it can change a king’s heart and break a bone.

It may not be your natural response, but this supernatural choice carries divine power.

The Gifts of Gentleness

1. Gentleness helps us experience Jesus.

Gentleness is powerful because it is godly.

Jesus describes Himself as gentle. When we're gentle with ourselves and with others, we represent and experience Him.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart (Matthew 11:29 NIV).

Consider how you talk to yourself. Are you kind? Do you allow time for rest, room for growth, and grace for mistakes?

Your gentleness makes me great (Psalm 18:35 GW).

2. Gentleness moves hearts.

Gentleness is more powerful than yelling, arguing, or using harsh discipline.

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare (Proverbs 15:1 NLT

Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone (Proverbs 25:15 NIV).

3. Gentleness helps restore those who’ve fallen away.

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path (Galatians 6:1 NLT).

4. Gentleness empowers speech.

With gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:25 NASB).

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15 NIV).

5. Gentleness reveals wisdom.

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom (James 3:13 NASB).

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others (James 3:17 NLT).

6. Gentleness empowers godly leadership.

He [a church leader] must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money (1 Timothy 3:3 NLT).

7. Gentleness is beautiful and precious to God.

Beauty expresses itself in a gentle and quiet attitude which God considers precious (1 Peter 3:4 GW).

What if I'm Not Naturally Gentle?

We can't manufacture a gentle spirit. However, as we surrender each aspect of our lives to God, His Spirit fills and empowers us to look like Jesus (Galatians 5:16).

We ask Him to fill us, and then by faith, we live as His Word instructs.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: ... gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT).

As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient (Colossians 3:12 GW).

Let your gentleness be evident to all (Philippians 4:5 NIV).

Be humble and gentle in every way (Ephesians 4:2 GW).

Have you experienced the power of gentleness extended either to you or by you? What is your favorite verse or story showing the power of gentleness?

Debbie W. Wilson, Bible teacher and former biblical counselor, combines insight and encouragement to inspire people to trust Christ with their lives. Her books include Little Faith, Big God, Little Women, Big God, and Give Yourself a Break. She and her husband Larry founded Lighthouse Ministries, a nonprofit biblical counseling and Bible study ministry. Debbie enjoys dark chocolate, a good mystery, and the antics of her two standard poodles. Find free resources and connect with Debbie at RefreshingFaith.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesty of Olivia Snow at Freely Photos.

"Show Off!"—Lessons in Humility

In this Biblical Thinking UPGRADE, Dawn writes about the subtle but destructive problem of pride.

As a high school freshman attending a school on a Naval base in Keflavik, Iceland, my family had the unique opportunity to live off-base in a quonset hut. We loved it, but it was terribly tight living quarters! We joked that we could touch all the walls at the same time—not exactly true, but funny.

One day, I put one hand on a kitchen counter, and another on a nearby dining chair, and swayed my legs back and forth in an exaggerated swing. I imagined I was an Olympic gymnast on the parallel bars.

"Hey, look at me!" I yelled to my family. "I'm going for the gold!" (I was such a show off at that age, always wanting attention.)

Suddenly, my hand slipped from the counter and I crashed to the hard floor.

My rear end hurt, but the embarrassment was far worse. My normally reserved dad could not stop laughing!

And oh, how my dad loved to share that story with others, sometimes adding, "Pride goes before a fall, right, Dawn?"

The actual scripture he quoted is Proverbs 16:18: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." But I like the way The Message states it:

"First pride, then the crash—the bigger the ego, the harder the fall."

That pretty much sums up my freshman year in high school. Big ego. I thought I was "all that."

Sinful pride is all about Me, Myself, and I. It crowds out God and others.

Over the years, the Lord used a number of other embarrassing circumstances to teach me humility.

• Once I fell off a big trampoline at the base gym, showing off in front of a bunch of sailors.
• Another time I cracked my head on an icy pond while playing "Crack the Whip" on ice skates. Looking at my "admirers," I didn't notice the big rock in my icy path.

Years later, God saved me from myself and brought me into His family, and I learned that terrible pride was the cause of Satan's big downfall when he was cast from Heaven (symbolically described in Isaiah 14:12-14).

I also read about many biblical characters who were sinfully proud:

• Nebuchadnezzar was a proud pagan king (Daniel 4:28-35).
• Haman was proud in his hatred of Queen Esther and the Jews (Esther 5:11).
• Uzziah was a good king, but he fell with religious pride (2 Chronicles 26:16-19).
• The proud Pharisee was rebuked for his superiority attitude (Luke 18:11-13).
• Jesus exposed the proud Jewish "teachers of the law" (Mark 12:38-40).
• And the Laodicean Church struggled with spiritual pride (Revelation 3:14-17).

Signs You Might Be a Sinfully Proud Person

The Hebrew word for pride is zadown, which means insolence and arrogance. The Greek word is alazoneia, which means empty, bragging, and insolent.

In any language, pride is not a pretty picture!

There are both blatant and subtle signs of pride—and clearly, Christians can be proud people!

Here are just a few ways Christ-followers exhibit this sin.

1. Bragging
2. Acting superior
3. Perfectionism
4. Entitlement
5. Playing the "Martyr"
6. Fault-finding
7. A Harsh Spirit
8. Superficiality
9. Defensiveness
10. Presumption before God
11. Being desperate for attention
12. Neglecting others

The Bible says arrogance, or pride, is a sin within our heart that defiles us (Mark 7:21-23). In pride, a wicked person does not seek God—in fact, there is no room for God! (Psalm 10:3-4).

I've often asked God to help me love the things He loves, and hate the things He hates. Clearly, God DETESTS the "proud of heart" (Proverbs 16:5).

How to Avoid the Sin of Pride

1. Learn Humility

First, we have to acknowledge that pride is sin and that we desperately need to learn humility.

We need to arm ourselves with truth about pride and humility, such as:

"Pride of life" is worldly; it does not come from God (1 John 2:16-17).

Pride brings disgrace, but humility brings wisdom (Proverbs 11:2).

Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor (Proverbs 29:23).

God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).

God will humble those who exalt themselves (Matthew 23:12).

Choose humility, and God will lift you up at the right time (1 Peter 5:6).

2. Boast Only of the Lord

We need to stop boasting about ourselves and cultivate a healthy, sin-free way to boast!

Paul said, "may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...." (Galatians 6:14a). And he practiced the right kind of boasting: "Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God" (Romans 15:17).

In 1 Corinthians 1:31, Paul says we should "boast in the Lord" too.

Note: This is not sinful boasting. It actually means boasting OF the Lord.

This kind of boasting has nothing to do with trusting in worldly possessions—the "chariots and horses" of our day (Psalm 20:7); and it's not about speaking blessings into existence (as some preachers like to say).

So what are we suposed to boast about?

• We can boast of God's attributes.
• And we can boast of what God has done, is doing, or will do for us.

In these things, we can boast of Him "all day long" (Psalm 44:8).

In 1 Corinthians 1:31, Paul was actually quoting from Jeremiah:

Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:24).

The truth is, in ourselves we have no reason to act "puffed up" or superior. We have nothing that we did not receive from God (1 Corinthians 4:7).

We cannot even boast about our salvation, because it is a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9), and God chose us for His own purposes (1 Corinthians 1:26-30)—not because of anything good He saw in us.

All glory must go to God alone.

God told Isaiah, I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other (Isaiah 42:8a).

That's especially hard for people who minister on platforms and stages to remember, right? It's too easy to steal His glory. Preachers, teachers, and others in ministry must never forget we are to do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

3. Serve Others in Humility

Whereas pride can lead to fault-finding, the humbe person will attend to the log in his own eye instead of nit-picking about the speck in a fellow-believer's eye (Luke 6:42).

Prideful thinking can keep us from humble serving!

 When we serve others, we get our eyes off ourselves. But first, we need to get our eyes on Jesus to see what He sees!

Jesus was humble (Philippians 2:5-11), and when we see through our Savior's eyes, we will begin to value people above ourselves, and we we will notice ways we can help and serve them (Philippians 2:3; Mark 10:45)—just like Jesus did!

Humility was one of the characteristics emphasized in the early church, because the Apostles knew  humility would lead to loving service. Peter exhorted believers to love others, be compassionate, and be humble (1 Peter 3:8). Paul encouraged Christians to "with all humility and gentleness," bear with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2).

When we learn humility, we will be better prepared to serve God and others.

God doesn't want us to show off—unless we are showing HIM off to the world. As some have said, "Make God famous!"

Can you say with the Psalmist, "My soul will make its boast in the Lord; the humble will hear it and rejoice" (Psalm 34:2)? Which of the three ways to avoid the sin of pride would be most helpful in your life?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Chad Madden at Unsplash.

The Shelf Life: How Long 'til I Expire?

Kolleen Lucariello always surprises me with her fresh approach to pracitcal Christian living. In this Spiritual Life UPGRADE, she points us to three biblical examples to help us meditate on the length of our lives and how we might upgrade what is left of them."When life came to a standstill in March of 2020, I decided there was no better time to rip apart a closet," Kolleen says. "That's when it hit me—expiraton dates are sneaky."

Normally, I (Dawn) think of an "expiration date" as painful—or at the least, unpleasant; but there is a certain wisdom to thinking about it when it comes to life, as Kolleen explains.

Kolleen continues . . .

I’d always wanted a pantry, and the closet in the mudroom had become a catchall for any and every item. It was packed full of food, serving platters, and anything out-of-season; or anything without a proper home.

 Based upon the expiration date stamped upon the bottom of many spices, jello packages, and canned fruit, once an item entered through the bi-fold door, chances were good they might never find their way out again. They had become SHELF-SITTERS, just waiting to be used. 

Waiting on a shelf.

I can relate.

I recall seasons in my life when I found myself sitting upon the shelf of God’s time—waiting for Him to reveal the expiration date indicating my time was done. 

Waiting is difficult.

• I grow restless.
• I question God.
• I repent.
• Sometimes, I even beg.

Waiting is not my favorite thing to do. Is it yours? Probably not.

Yet, it is often a non-negotiable participant somewhere in our story, isn’t it?

Why does God allow us time on the shelf?

Of course, God alone knows His reasons for all that He does; but I think shelf life leads to upgrades.

Here’s how.

1. TRUST

Sometimes, God finds it necessary to place us on the shelf when our disobedience gets in the way of His plan.

Jonah became a shelf-sitter in the belly of a whale when he decided to run from what God asked him to do—go and share His plan of judgment with the people of Nineveh.

Sure, Jonah’s disobedience to God gave him peace—for a moment; but, it had a great impact on the sailors whose boat Jonah boarded. They feared for their lives, lost wages, and finally were put in the miserable position of needing to toss him overboard with the rest of what they’d already lost.

(Have you ever wondered why Jonah didn’t just jump when he realized He was indeed the reason for the storm?)

It’s just awful when a disobedient Jonah enters our boat. I costs us peace, finances, and may even lead to extremely difficult decisions.

No matter how hard you row, God may move people to the shelf when they can’t be trusted to follow His instruction, or don’t have the courage to remove "Jonah" from the boat.

2. TIMING

Shelf-sitting befalls us when we find ourselves waiting upon God’s timing.

While we may be more than ready for our dream or plan to come to fruition, God has His own agenda and time-table in mind.

It’s always been far different than mine. 

Hannah was a woman who endured the pain and frustration of waiting on God’s time.

She lived through a long, out-of-reach wait, while suffering intense longing over her barrenness. Barrenness is a heartache that, unless you have walked through it, is difficult to understand.

Hannah’s husband, Elkanah couldn’t; he thought she should be happy she had HIM!

“‘Why are you crying, Hannah?’ Elkanah would ask. ‘Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?’” (1 Samuel 1:8 NLT).

Ummm… no. Just no.

It’s difficult enough to remain patient and trust God hasn’t forgotten us sitting on the shelf, but when those closest to us question our emotional moments—

• “Why are you…?"
• "Just because you don’t have …. Be grateful for what you do have.”

Ouch!

There’s a time to just sit beside someone as they wait and wrestle it out with God.

3. TESTING

Remember the Israelites and their time in the wilderness? Scripture says the Lord led them through the wilderness for forty years to humble and test them—in order to prove their character and to find out whether or not they would obey his commands (Deuteronomy 8:2).

They grumbled. They complained.

I doubt they were thinking about character development as they set up camp year after year.

During my own wilderness wanderings—those dry seasons when God feels distant—I’ve grumbled. I’ve complained. I’ve hoped God would lift me up and notice the expiration date was soon approaching.

How often I fail to recognize God might have a bit of character development in store for me.

Paul reminds us,

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment” (Romans 5:3-4, NLT).

Our time on the shelf of waiting might not be so exasperating to us if we remember, God is rarely early, never late, and always shows up right on time. He’s going to add us to the mix at just the right time.

As we wait, we might ask:

• Can I be trusted?
• Can I trust His timing? 
• What can I learn during the test? 

Have you thought much lately about your "expiration date"? What life upgrades can you make to create a better Shelf Life?

Kolleen Lucariello is a writer, speaker, and the author of the book, #beYOU: Change Your Identity One Letter at a Time. Kolleen also co-directs Activ8Her, Inc., a woman’s ministry endeavoring to Activ8Her potential to influence, affect and unite the world for God’s glory. Kolleen advocates for others to live the abundant life Christ died for them to have by understanding their true identity is found in Christ. Kolleen lives in Central New York with her husband, Pat. She is mom to three married children, and Mimi to her six grandchildren. Learn more about Kolleen at her website.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Samantha Gades at Unsplash.

5 Tips to Building Resilience in Children

Morgan Farr continues to challenge us with her positive, biblical, life-motivating posts. In this Parenting UPGRADE, she shares five ways to build resilience in children—but parents may find they need to build their own resilience first!

"In the chaos that has happened in the last year, resilience has been an essential part of our family dynamic," Morgan says. "Being able to adjust quickly and easily with small children is no easy feat!"

I (Dawn) think resilience is something I learned as a "Navy brat," so I totally agree with everything Morgan shares here. I was blessed to learn resilience, though—unlike Morgan—I didn't always appreciate what God used to teach me this character quality.

Morgan continues . . .

We are a military family. My husband is a veterinarian in the Army. That means we are built on resilience. We have to be, because with the military, you have no idea what they are going to throw at you or when it might happen.

Resilience is defined in the Oxford English dictionary as the ability to recover quickly from difficulties, or toughness.

For military families, that could mean a surprise TDY—temporary duty travel—and extended deployment, or finding out you are PCSing (getting a permanent change of station) a year early. 

None of it rattles us because we are resilient.

In the last year, we have had our resiliency put to the test with COVID-19 and the shutdowns.

Here are my "5 Tips to Building Resilience in Children" that have helped us cope through these unprecedented times.

1. Let them see you WORK.

Children need to see that everything they have comes from the hard work of their parents.

Whether it is the money coming in to purchase things or the chores done to keep the home running, everything has a cost.

Don’t be afraid to include children in CHORES—basic chores for younger kids and more complicated chores for older children.

This helps kids to learn to work hard and be appreciative of the things they have. It also helps to prevent entitlement.

2. Let them see you PLAY.

Children are not meant to be little adults. They are unique individual little beings that have to learn how to exist in this world.

Children learn best through play.

• Let them get dirty.
• Let them explore nature.
• Let them splash in puddles.
• Let them be children.

Then, join in and show them that having fun and enjoying the life that God has blessed you with is a good thing.

3. Let them see you SUCCEED.

Do you have goals you want to achieve? Share them with your kids.

For example, I wanted to run a 5k after my daughter was born. The kids were much more understanding when I wanted to jump on the treadmill when they understood I was working towards a goal.

They also got to see that not everything happens as soon as you want it to!

Tell them about your goals and why you set them.

Let them watch what it looks like to work hard and succeed at something that isn’t easy.

4. Let them see you FAIL.

I set a goal this year to be able to do double-unders—a move with a jump rope when a person needs to jump up higher than usual while swinging the rope twice under his or her feet.

My legs are torn up, and it hurts to miss with a jump rope.

It has been a humbling experience to keep failing at this goal.

My kids have been watching me try again and again to get this movement.

I have 9 months left in 2021. How much will they learn about not giving up before I get this down? 

5. Let them see you ON YOUR KNEES.

Big win this week? Praise God! Major failure? Praise God!

Whether in success or failure, show your children that you praise the Lord.

Let them see that you don’t just go to God when you have a problem, but also when you win.

Show them that absolutely everything you are is due to the mercy of God.

As a bonus tip, I challenge you to memorize 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 which says,

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Then teach it to your children.

When the good or the bad happens, recite this verse and praise God for His infinite mercies!

How can you help your children be resilient this week?

Morgan Farr is a Texas-loving, succulent-cultivating, book nerd and aspiring author. Stationed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this Army wife is learning to train dogs, developing her four young children, and tackling homeschool life… while moving all over the country. You can find more of Morgan’s thoughts on her blog.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Wokadapix at Pixabay.