Thursday, August 21, 2008

Who's On My Side?


My sister-in-law, Kris, and I are in the process of writing a book entitled Things Your Mother May Not Have Told You...A Practical Guide for Moms and Their Adolescent Daughters. It has been a fun project that we've been told is very needed as so many moms are not talking their daughters through this traumatic time of their lives. Today I wrote the following in the book and thought it would be so helpful for anyone going through any type of struggle, that I decided to share it in my blog. As I read the forums on Etsy I see so many discouraged due to lack of sales, etc. What a great comfort to know that God is for me; He's not only on my side, He is all of the helps listed below! Enjoy!
(The picture is Kris' daughter, Ruth (l), and my daughter, Carissa (4) at Carrissa's 21st birthday party last year.

Encouragement from Psalm 18:3
Carefully study the following definitions of the words which define God in Psalm 18:3. They will be an encouragement to you and a source of comfort and hope as your realize how much God is on your side through the rockiest (no pun intended!) times of your life. God is there for you and your daughter and your family through the teen years! Notice the personalization of each of these words which are preceded by "my." We have a very personal God...a "very present help in time of need."
"The Lord is my rock (God is my ‘refuge where we are safe from enemies; He is my security.’),
and my fortress (God is my ‘strong, mountain castle for my defense; He is a net to capture the enemy.’),
and my deliverer (God is my ‘escape from danger to bring to security.’);
my God (He is ‘my Hero! It is very personal with the understood My God!’ WOW! He is my own personal Hero! I have my very own genuine Hero whose abilities and powers are so great they cannot even be compared to the counterfeit powers of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and all of the Hollywood super heroes combined. They are completely impotent weaklings compared to my very real and present God!),
my strength (God is my ‘refuge and protection; my rock where I find refuge.’),
in whom I trust (‘"Where I will flee to find refuge.’);
my buckler (God is my ‘shield as a protector.’),
and the horn (God is my ‘instrument of liberation, taken from the image of horned animals, which use their horns as a defense.’)
of my salvation (God is my ‘safety.’),
and my high tower (God is my ‘lofty place, a rock affording shelter and security, a retreat.’)"