Here is my sister's lastest devotion for the month of March. I'm so proud of my sis. I think her devotions just keep getting better and better. Enjoy!
We recently decided to refinance our home. Part of the process is that you must have an appraiser come and check your home out to see what it is worth. I had no idea how God was going to use such a simple thing as our home to bring glory to Him.
As the man walked around the inside of our house he first noticed the “21 Rules of the House” that are posted above the breakfast bar. He started reading them to himself, and then he asked the first older kid that passed by about them. He wanted to know if this helped them obey. He said that they were “neat” and continued on with his appraisal.
Next, he overheard me giving instructions to Marcus about mailing an international letter. He asked Marcus whom he was sending his letter, too. I told Marcus to show him our little board in the homeschool room that has our list of Voice of the Martyr Prisoners on it. He had all kinds of questions about them and Marcus did a great job explaining them.
After he was done, he came into the kitchen and asked me why we write the letters to the prisoners. He asked if they were missionaries from America. I told him that we write them because they are natives of their homeland that are persecuted terribly, thrown in prison, tortured and sometimes killed because they are Christians. He just couldn’t believe it! He thought it was awesome that we were encouraging our kids to write to them. I also spoke about the fact that when we write letters to these prisoners it makes them a celebrity in the eyes of the guards and wardens. They know the West is watching and they sometimes treat them a bit better or give them an early release because of the political pressure.
He then asked if we homeschooled. He had his own opinions about it, some good and some not so good. He was concerned that children would not have the same opportunities that public school kids have. I told him that it wasn’t true. We get to go and do a ton of field trips as a family and that everything we do in life is learning. I basically told him that it was important for us that our children followed God’s Will for their lives and it is our job to try to help facilitate those opportunities. He then said that he was “not a religious man”. He went on to tell me about his beliefs and his family.
I listened for quite awhile and would respectfully put my two-cents in when I felt I could. Before the man left, he thanked me for talking with him and said to me, “Thank you for raising such great kids for our society. You are doing an amazing job!”Wow, I certainly wasn’t expecting that! After he left, I just kept praying for him and thinking about our conversation. Who knows what seeds were planted in his heart? I was extremely moved by his “appraisal” of our family and our home.
It made me think of how God might “appraise” our homes? Does He see the love, consistency in disciplining, the teaching of His truths and the time spent investing in young lives? You bet He does.You keep mothering and trust that your “Great Appraiser” is watching you and is taking notes on all those eternal things that will not perish in the fire.
From One Mom to Another,
Stacie
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