Encouragement for Today

August 23, 2023 Let’s Get This Party Started EVIE POLSLEY Lee en español

“No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.” Revelation 22:3 (NLT)

My two daughters, though very different from each other in more than age, have one thing they share: It is next to impossible to get them to talk about their day.

Have you ever experienced this?

“How was your day?”
“Fine.”
“What did you learn?”
“Nothing.”
“What was your favorite part?”
“I didn’t have one.”

I love talking to my daughters! They have great insights and senses of humor. But no matter the hoops I jump through, there are times I just can’t get them to open up.

This invites deflating self-talk: Am I failing as a mom, or worse, failing to help them in their walk with Christ? If I can’t get them to share about their normal day, how am I going to get them to talk about eternal matters?

When we feel the most defeated, there is still hope. We are not failures. We are not alone. So many moms are struggling just like we are. And we have a God who gets it. He, too, has children who often ignore Him.

To encourage open dialogue during one of our family Bible times, I shared how I continue to struggle to understand the “why” and the pain I still feel after losing my dad. He died of cancer when he was in his mid-50s. At the time, my older daughter had been just a toddler, and my younger one was not yet born. Years later, I told my children that I wished they had known him but that there are times when we don’t understand and just have to trust God.

The next day, my youngest hugged me, saying, “Mom, I miss Grandpa too. Will there ever be a time when I can meet him and talk to him?” We pulled out her Bible and read Revelation 21-22, soaking in the assurance found in Revelation 22:3: “No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.”

Alongside the passage was an activity prompt to create a “New Jerusalem party.” We decided to give it a try.

We used graham crackers, cookies, frosting and candy to create the walls and gates of our “New Jerusalem” and made lemonade to represent the streets of gold. But most importantly, we talked about what we thought this heavenly place would be like. We decided this activity would be our early welcome-home party to start celebrating this gift of hope, the anticipation of coming home to the beautiful city where there will be no more tears.

As we laughed in the kitchen, my older daughter popped in and asked if she could join. My daughters shared what they will ask Jesus when they meet Him face to face. We talked about what they will tell Grandpa. And together, we realized we are part of the real New Jerusalem-party-planning committee. Just like we each had jobs to prepare our homemade New Jerusalem party, we also have important roles in preparing for the still-to-come celebration in the real New Jerusalem.

I rejoiced as the conversation overflowed. They asked deep questions, and we looked for answers in Scripture as we paged through the Bible with our sticky, frosting-covered fingers.

Staying connected in God’s Word, inviting deep conversations, and looking for different ways to engage — even if that includes a tremendously messy kitchen — is transformative not only for our kids but also for you and me. God loves our kids even more than we do. So let’s look for ways to celebrate Him and keep the New Jerusalem-party planning going!

Dear heavenly Father, You are the giver of all good gifts. Thank You for the children in our lives and how we get to share Your love with them. Help us to be sensitive to Your Spirit and Your leading as we talk to our kids about the big and the small things. Thank You for the hope of the New Jerusalem and for the joy of being part of Your party-planning committee even now. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Sometimes starting the conversation is the hardest part. The Hands-On Bible is filled with full-color pages and fun activities, games, crafts and more so you and your kids can experience the Bible together. It opens doors to conversation, making God’s Word come alive in a kid’s world. Together you will read, taste, feel and smell Bible truths so you can go deeper into God’s Word. Learn more at thehandsonbible.com!

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FOR DEEPER STUDY

Deuteronomy 11:19, “Teach [God’s words] to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up” (NLT).

How do you try to break down the communication roadblocks with your kids? Why do you think it’s important for families to grow together in their understanding of Christ?

© 2023 by Evie Polsley. All rights reserved.

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