Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
We are having a little big problem with lying in my house. Most of the time, it really makes absolutely no sense. Last night after tears and wanting attention after being reprimanded for lying about not having homework, Daniela tried to sleep on her floor, so I calmly told her to please come sleep in my room with Jessica. Only after I prayed and had to let go that her lying and deceit is not against me was I able to go back in her room and say lets go to bed. She got up immediately, just wanting attention in the first place. The first time she hid homework, she waited until I went to my night Bible study and told my sitter that I don't let her do homework, so she has to do it when I leave. Can I say when she lies against me, it hearts my heart a bit? I've learned to toughen up. This was Wednesday, too, but last night I let my sitter leave and I stayed home. By then it was 6PM and she had already hid the fact that she had homework. When we lost power after showers at 730P, she was trying to do it by candlelight/flashlight. "It's just practice." Nope.
Anyway, I went back out to the dining room and just felt a nudge to call her back out after 30 minutes. I contemplated that she was already sleeping and I was going to wake her up, but it wouldn't pass, so I called to her and she was still up. I told her to grab her Bible and look up this verse and to read through and practice. We have talked about this verse before and how Jesus can help her stop lying. She practiced it and I kissed her to go to bed, again.
When we picked her up from school, one of the first things she said was that her teacher was talking about this verse today. "How weird!" I told her that that is God speaking.
She told me the other day that she wasn't sure sometimes if God was saying anything to her. I explained people say all the time He doesn't speak or they can't hear Him. I said, "that's a lie from the Devil." They can hear Him, if they read His word. They are probably not reading His Word or they don't think it is Him. If my language allowed for it, I would have explained that many people dismiss Him talking at times with coincidences, chances, and by accident, etc.
We were cooking dinner tonight and Daniela mentioned it again with wide eyes--saying how RARO it was. I told her that He wants to teach you that you must use this verse to overcome what is going on. He is speaking to YOU! Listen. No, you can't stop lying, but He can. The hard part is, even though He is going to do it in His power, you must take a step in NOT lying. The thought comes in, don't listen.
She must believe. In Christ, in Power.
Being a CHRISTIAN parent has made me a little nutty. Her Christian views/ways/thoughts of God are all going to reflections of what I taught and what SHE SAW me do/react/follow. High five if she follows my suit, I am good with that, but that ain't going on right now! Can I say that I am scared for my kids lives to turn out like "most Christian kids?" Not in a pride way, but in a "on my knees, please, Lord, give me the wisdom to always point to you in a very real way." I want them to always say, "wait, I watched my mom pray for ____ and God always provided our daily needs. I watched my mom get up early in the morning everyday and read the Word because it was important to hear God. I can't deny God's hand because I watched my mom ....WHATEVER." Daniela once started a sentence with, "One day if my boyfriend hits me..." WHOAAAAA. No way. Helllooooo, God is never, ever going to tell you to date someone that hits you. Never. Freaking. Ever. Never!! Things like that, that she thinks, need to be erased and replaced with truth. She tells me random things all the time and I think OH MY what else is in that head or what else you think is okay.
I do not know where these lies stem from. A life of lying. Result of trauma and trust. I actually wrote this post 2 nights ago and I have dealt with many more lies since this was written. The scary part is she is so calm and normal lying. It was so hard to tell when she was lying because she is so convincing!! I take the day as it comes, no more. I get frustrated, which my Bible study book calls a sin. I am taking a really hard look at why and how I can remain in the Spirit to talk her through these things.
As I wrote tonight, God brought this to my mente... Imagine if I ignored that prompting to get Daniela out of bed because it was "too late?" She would never have "heard" God speak to her today because of my disobedience.
Dont ignore the nudges in life. He's talking. Listen.
