25 Encouraging Scripture Verses for Back to School

back-to-schoolIt is true that I am not walking a child to a school bus, or fretting over school lunches, or monitoring uniform infractions, or ensuring my child is adequately prepared for the first day of school.  It comes with having an Empty Nest.  However, most of my friends (and my daughter), will already be planning, preparing and then perhaps pushing that child out the door to start another school year.  Parents, have you also thought that to adequately prepare your child and YOU for that first day back that both of you should ponder upon scripture?  Might make that first day and the rest of the school year go by a little easier.  Just sayin’ 🙂

John 14:26  “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

James 4:8  “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

1 Samuel 16:7  “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Psalm 68:19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.”

Proverbs 15:5  “A fool spurns a parent’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.”

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Psalms 34:19  ” The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.”

Hebrews 13:5  “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Matthew 11:28-30  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Proverbs 22:6  “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

Joshua 1:9  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Psalm 56:11  “In God I trust and am not afraid.  What can man do to me?”

Philippians 4:6-7  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Isaiah 30:21  “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Isaiah 48:17  “This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”

Matthew 19:14  “Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Colossians 3:20  “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”

I Peter 5:6  “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

1 Timothy 4:12  “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

Psalm 56:3-4  “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.  In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?”

Philippians 4:13  “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Proverbs 3:5-6  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17  “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

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Encouragement for a Discouraged Author

As an author, I have certainseal of approvally experienced my ups and downs, disappointments and joys.  From five-star reviews to a one star scathing review a year ago from a Satanist who read my book and “hated it”.  I know, I know…it’s a “duh moment”; of course a Satanist would hate my books that are Christ-centred but still it’s tough to have someone trash a book that I’ve spent so much time and energy on.  Every author, no matter how famous and well-known you are, will experience a bad review.  It’s inescapable.

But this week has been an unforgettable week for me personally as an author, and I can honestly say I had nothing to do with it, it was all God. 

It started out with an email from Literary Classics saying my book, Love the Wounded, had received a five-star review and the “Seal of Approval” from them. Literary Classics is “an organization dedicated to furthering excellence in  children’s and young adult literature, takes great pride in its role to help promote classic literature which appeals to youth, while educating and encouraging positive values in the impressionable young minds of future generations.”   To learn more about Literary Classics, you may visit their website at www.clcawards.org or www.childrensliteraryclassics.com

This recognition came right out of the blue for me.  I was shocked, humbled and honoured and immediately I praised God because it was only last week I had begged God to give me some kind of “sign” that He still wanted me to write because I was so discouraged about it all that I was seriously considering giving up writing entirely and getting a “real” job.

I received another email that very same day, from a man in Saudi Arabia.  He had read my story, “Do Angels Wear Glasses?” in the Chicken Soup for the Soul book: Parenthood.  He said the story, “touched my heart and soothed my soul in a very positive way” and just wanted to write to me and tell me that.  How cool is that?

But I have found that God always speaks to me in threes.  Don’t ask me why.  I’m like Peter, I guess.  (John 21:1-25)

I received an email yesterday from a blog writer whom I had never met, who said he thought my writing was “great” and he wanted to feature my books on his Facebook page.  I was flattered, I’ve had my books featured on lots of Facebook pages before, but I had no idea the exposure THIS page would give them.  What Christians Want to Know is wildly popular and has a HUGE fan audience with 146 K followers.  Within minutes of my books being posted on the page there were a hundred “likes” and shares.

Things like this don’t just happen by accident or coincidence…

So today, I am praising God for encouraging a discouraged author.

 

 

 

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Empty Nest Lessons – First Week

imagesMy husband and I have been empty nesters now for one week.

Unlike other empty nesters we’ve talked to over the past week, we have not been jumping for joy, nor have we been immediately renovating bedrooms to make spaces that are suited to our new lifestyle (and to discourage children from moving home)…no, we’ve been quietly contemplative about this new “season” in our life.  We haven’t quite embraced it yet, but we haven’t been depressed either.

Now don’t get me wrong…I LOVE each and every one of my children, even the son and son-in-law, who spend more time in my fridge than they do talking to me 🙂  I adore my two girls, even though the youngest one still has what I would call a condemned bedroom and bathroom that still needs her attention before I will call her officially moved out; and the oldest one still sneaks snacks from my cupboard after each visit.  She gets away with it because she is only weeks away from delivering our second grandbaby 🙂

Still, it is decidedly pleasant to have the house to ourselves, my husband and I, and to enjoy the peace and quiet that comes with having an empty nest (house).

Here are a few things my husband and I have discovered over this past week:

* We are no longer confined to a set schedule each day.  (We can eat when we want to, and we can eat what we want to.)  My menu was always catering to children’s likes and dislikes, now we can eat foods we like that they would have turned their noses up at.

* We can watch T.V. shows that we like rather than watch their shows all the time.

* We can have uninterrupted conversations and lately we’ve even had conversations that were NOT about the children!

* We can keep a neater house without clothes, and shoes littering the entranceway and unwashed dishes piled up in the sink.

* We reminisce about all the ways our children bring us joy rather than focus on rebelliousness and past activities that may have brought us grief.  Selective memories I guess, and they’re all good!

* When the children call or text or show up unexpectedly, it’s like a special event.  I enjoy every precious moment with them and look forward to the next time I hear from them.

But the biggest thing we’ve learned this past week, is that we wish we could have figured all of this out when the kids were growing up…

After all:

We made the schedules not the kids.

The T.V. shows we watched together were not as important as spending precious time with them.

Interrupted conversations meant there were always teachable moments.

A cluttered house meant a house that was well-lived in.

We spent an inordinate amount of time fretting over rebelliousness rather than focussing on pure joy.

And lastly, our children were then, and always will be our gifts from God to enjoy and cherish for a lifetime!

 

 

 

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