Parents Breakfast Devotional

January 5, 2022.

Genesis 33:13 NLT:

But Jacob replied, “You can see, my lord, that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too. If they are driven too hard, they may die.

Being an overly strict parent is not a good thing. However, not having some strictness in your parenting “tools box” is a disaster!

You must know when not to drive the “children and flock” so they are able to get “home” before it’s “nightfall” !

We must make sure we are “Incharge”, were mustn’t completely leave our children’s lives in their hands, else they are going to make a mess of it! We must be careful and apply strictness with tact!

For instance, your child is feeling very ill, with temperature running as high as 120°f, and there are prescribed drugs for him/her somewhere in the cupboard, but your son doesn’t want to take those pills because they are bitter or taste awkward.

Are you going to throw your hands in the air and say; “well, after all it’s his life and his body?” Or you are going to put your feet down and insist with everything you have that he/she takes his/her drugs? I suppose you will do the latter.

Throughout this journey of parenting, we are going to be severally faced with situations similar to these, it is at such times that we must put our feet down and insist. The reason is this; our children are yet immature and do not completely understand the far reaching effects and consequences their decisions actions and decisions.

Think & Act:

…not having strictness in your parenting “tools box” is a disaster!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, give me grace and wisdom to find balance and act right in my parenting journey. In Jesus name, Amen!

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January 4, 2022

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT:

There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven.

There are gifts and potentials locked up in our children, and largely it depends on us to help them discover what potentials and gifts they have on their inside. We are even expected to go a step further to create the right atmosphere for them to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives.

However, we must know when to turn the heat on, and when to turn the heat off! Now, I agree that’s difficult, and that’s why not too many parents are able to find that perfect balance. It is either they leave the heat on a little longer than necessary and the “chips” are all burnt, or they turn it off too early, and the “chips” come out undone!

The result of these kind of situation must times is that it produces exactly the opposite of the desired results, and leaves our relationship with our children quite strained.

Now, before you decide to either turn the heat on, or leave it a minute longer or shorter as the case maybe, ask yourself “why?”

Why am I wanting to turn the heat on now? Do I want to teach my child how not to quit and stay true to the end, or I am just turning the heat on for some selfish reasons?

Being able to ask and answer this question sincerely will help you decide when to push it, and when not to.

Think & Act:

The result of this kind of situation must times is that it produces exactly the opposite of the desired result.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help me to take the right parenting decisions per time. In Jesus name, Amen!

Do you have anything to say?

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January 3, 2022

2 Samuel 1:20 NLT:

Don’t announce the news in Gath, or the Philistines will rejoice. Don’t proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon, or the pagans will laugh in triumph.

The Journalist parent is that kind of parent who is ever poised to tell every and anyone who cares to listen the weaknesses and mistakes of his/her child! Take the advice contained in 2 Samuel 1: 20 and stop publishing the money mistakes of your child.

You might actually think you are being a disciplinarian or a no nonsense parent, or you just want neighbours to know that you are talking or you don’t support evil. Well, I don’t know if what you think is right or wrong, but one thing I do know is that you are doing irreparable damage on the self-esteem of your child.

Use the time you spend on broadcasting the weaknesses of your child to do your home work and help your child do better.

Think & Act:

… take the advice contained in 2 Samuel 1: 20 and stop publishing the mistakes of your child.

Prayer:

In the name of Jesus, I declare that my child is good, my child will fulfill destiny, my child is for signs and wonders. Amen!

Have you got questions, comments or contributions?

Call: +2348038679652

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January 2, 2022

James 4:11 NLT: Don’t speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God’s law. But you are not a judge who can decide whether the law is right or wrong. Your job is to obey it.

One skill set every parent must learn today is to love what his/her child or children loves. Love their kind of movies, love their kind of movies, love their kind of TV and Radio shows, love their kind of music, love their kind of books. Like the pay of one terrestrial TV provider in my country puts it; “live it, love it” , indeed there is no alternative to this. Most parents make the mistake of being overly critical of the kind of things their children love, I think they even purposely make effort to find fault in it, that’s not fair! That sounds like what your child will say right? Well, I agree with your child, and I repeat it’s not fair!

Now, it’s okay if you don’t completely understand why your child likes certain things, but being overly critical of what your child likes will make your child feel unloved and misunderstood.

As long as what your child is doing is not against the laws of the land and that of God, don’t hate it and don’t be critical about it. Instead, try to pay a little more attention, you might end up liking it too.

Think & Act:

As long as what your child is doing is not against the laws of the land and that of God, don’t hate it….

Prayer:

Dear Lord, teach me to have patience with my children in Jesus’name. Amen!

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January 1, 2022

Colossians 3:14 (NLT)

And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Let me begin by saying there is no ‘Mr. Right’ or ‘Miss Right’ anywhere! Anyone who sold such to you sold lies to you. The earlier we understand this fact, the better for our homes, the better for our marriages.

Let me tell you what’s true; what’s true is that:

* You got married to an imperfect human.

* You don’t even know who you got married to. He or she is a stranger!

* You are not going to get completed by the person you got married to, at best you are going to get helped.

* You are going to get lots and lots of disappointments.

Now, if the above are true (of course they are), them we must approach marriage with a ‘giving’ mentality, we must approach marriage expecting nothing, but willing to give everything!

You must give yourself and all you have and are to love the stranger you have gotten married to, while expecting nothing in return. You must learn to love the person who have married how he/she is and not how you wish or wished he or she should be or ought to have been.

Think & Act:

Love that stranger you have gotten married to, while expecting nothing in return.

Prayer:

Thank you Lord for my spouse, I love my spouse and that love grows daily by the grace of God.

Have you got anything to ask or say?

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27th October, 2021.

For everything there is a season,  a time for every activity under heaven

Ecclesiastes 3: 1 (NLT)

You are not going to have all the time in the world with your children. From the the time they are born, you have approximately 18 years to do your job. Give it your best shot.

Every second spent doing something trivial and mundane is a time taken and wasted from the 18 years you have to spend with and impact the lives of your children! I am sure you know that time wasted can never be gotten back.

We may not all have equal financial resources, but we all have equal “time resources”, use it wisely. Interestingly, it is how we use time that will make all the difference.

I employ you today to sit down and do a time audit, that will help you understand where exactly your time is going.

After that, draw a time budget, this will help you completely make the most of your time.

DO IT NOW!

Think & Act:

…how you use that (time) is what will make all the difference.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, teach me to manage my time well,

in Jesus name.

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Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

Proverbs 21: 5 (NLT)

Parenting demands focus and focus is difficult if not impossible without goals. This the reason many of us parents aimlessly and achieve little year in year out!

This year is gradually drawing to an end, did you set goals for you intend to achieve this year, are you on course to achieve them?

One other huge benefit of goals setting is that it makes it possible for us to measure success and possibly re-strategize.

As we approach the end of 2021, it is about time you begin to put down your parenting goals for next year. No, it’s not too early. Make sure that the goals you set are both measurable and achievable.

“What kind of goals should I set?” Someone might be asking right now! Let me give you an idea.

* Set goals that will help promote family bonding.

* Set goals that will improve your relationship with your kids.

* Set goals that encourage family values.

* Set goals that encourage you to take care of your health.

* Set goals that teach and promote responsibility.

* Set goals that promote the health of your kids.

* Set goals that promote better management of family resources.

* Set goals that draw your family closer to God.

Begin with these ones, the result you will get will surprise you!

Think & Act:

This is the reason many of us parent aimlessly and achieve little.

Prayer:

Dear LORD, give me undivided focus, in Jesus name.

Amen!

For prayers and counseling:

+2348038679652

Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.

1 Peter 5: 3 (NLT)

Every parent is a leader, and the best way we can lead is to lead by example. I have said time and again; do not tell your children what to do or how to do, show them what to do!

Do not think your children are not aware, they are watching our every step. Do not think you can deceive your children, they are wiser than we give them credit for.

There are for critical areas we must as parents lead by example, and they are:

1. In taking responsibility.

2. In managing family finances.

3. In matters of faith.

4. In values.

Think & Act:

Do not tell your children what to do, show them what to do.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help me to be a godly example to my children, in Jesus name.

Quote for the day:

 “Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.” — Robert Fulghum, author

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19th July, 2021.

Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction.

Proverbs 18: 20 (NLT)

Say to your children; “I love you” a thousand times a day! Now this may sound like something impossible, but is it really impossible?

Assuming a contest is organized where the first parent to tell his child “I love you” at least a thousand times a day gets a $100, wouldn’t you at least give it a try?

That’s it!

Give it a try today. You may not be able to say it a thousand times before the day ends, but you should be able to say it probably a hundred times or tens of times. That should be a good start!

You know why this is important? It will have a lasting impact on your children, particularly on their self-image.

Also, it will do a whole lot of good to your relationship with them. Believe me the benefit is more than $100.

Think & Act: …it will have a lasting impact on your children.

Prayer: Holy Spirit of God, enable my lips to speak the right words to my children, in Jesus name. Amen!

For prayers and counseling:

+2348189585529

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Don’t fail to discipline your children. The rod of punishment won’t kill them.

Proverbs 23: 13 (NLT)

I am all for the discipline of children as long as it is done properly, and one very sure way to do discipline properly is to do it in private

I have discovered that a good number of parents who become mad and very emotional when their children go out of line in public are those who do not do the hard work in private.

Here is my little piece of advice to all of us parents; when next your child goes out of line in public, resist the temptation of shouting or using the rod right there on the spot.

Why? You will be embarrassing not just your child, but yourself as well.

Rather, wait till you get home, or in the car, or if you can use eye contact and facial expression to communicate with your erring child, then that’s fine.

Save yourself the embarrassment.

Think & Act:
…one very sure way to discipline properly is to do it in private.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, teach me how best to discipline in Jesus’ name.

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