“I will praise you, Lord.  Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.  Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.  The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:1-2
I love how God equips us for situations through His word, and then when that situation arises, we are ready. (“…these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.  The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10 )
The morning that I read Isaiah 12:1-2 was one of those moments.
Without being transparent at this moment, let’s just say that this is what I learned about parenting via God:

• Parents do get upset/angry with their children. The Ultimate Parent (God) gets angry with us. We disappoint Him, just like our own children may disappoint us at times…much like we probably did our parents when we were younger.
• When we listen to God (and to the whole story of our children) He gives us peace. The anger shouldn’t last. When we permit anger to settle, that is when human judgment, bitterness, and unforgiveness can inhabit you.
• The peace that comes straight from God turns our words and reaction into comfort for ourselves AND our children. This occurs when we allow ourselves to be filled with God’s words.
• God’s ­­got this! He is our Savior.
• We need to trust in Jesus to show us how to be a parent.
• Even though parenting is often frightening, we don’t need to be afraid if we are relying on Christ.
• When we are weak and don’t know what to say, God strengthens us. He will give us the words to articulate.
• No matter what circumstances will occur, God must be praised.
• And remember…this too shall pass. God always wins.

The morning that Tim and I sat our son down for a parent/child chat, God did turn our frustration into seeing our son’s aggravation.  God turned the words “we” were ready to say to words of compassion and comfort for our son.  God allowed us to see the big picture and share words of wisdom and scripture with our offspring.
Parents, I hope that you will seek God’s guidance first when dealing with and raising your children.  No matter the age, no matter the stage, we all need Jesus’ supervision.
God is The Ultimate Parent.  Let’s learn from Him.  Open the bible and follow His example in parenting. Pray without ceasing.

• “Children are a gift from the Lord; Psalm 127:3

• “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Proverbs 22:6

• “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4

I pray many blessings and much joy for you! Have a wonderful day. – Stephanie
There are more, but here are some journal entries on parenting:
The Joys of Parenting
Being a Parent isn’t for Sissies
Do you have Attitude?
They may get mad but they’ll end up glad