When Your Child Makes a Bad Choice {& Giveaway of Hoodwinked!}
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Welcome to you joining by finding your way here from my Proverbs 31 Ministries devotion today called When Your Child Makes a Bad Choice {To read it, click here but be sure to come back for the giveaway!}
Tweet ThisIf you preorder the book by midnight November 2, you get tons of freebies including sample chapters of the book, screen savers for your phone, a collection of retro family recipes, life planning sheets to help you get your act together, a short ebook on praying for your kids, and more! AND if you order it from Proverbs 31 Ministries, you get an additional bonus downloadable PDF entitled “On My Knees & In My Heart; 5 Mini-Retreats for Moms.” This resource provides moms with five different, guided sessions to get alone with God in order to rest, reflect, renew, and get back at the difficult yet oh-so-holy job of motherhood. Features include prayers, scripture study, reflection questions, journaling sections, and practical, doable ideas for deepening a mom’s relationship with her heavenly Father. This downloadable PDF will enable you to go from crazy to calm, helping you to better love and care for your family. {And remember– it is only available to those who purchase through Proverbs 31.}
Now for the details.
Be sure to follow them carefully because you need to email/forward a copy of your receipt to claim your free bundle and do it again to a second address if you ordered from Proverbs 31 to get your bonus PDF with the mini-retreats for moms.
Are you a mom? Do you need a little help and encouragement? Well, have we got a deal for you! Simply order my new book Hoodwinked: Ten Myths Moms Believe and Why We All Need to Knock It Off from Proverbs 31 and you will receive a tons of freebies. Let me explain.
First, if you pre-order the book anywhere and send a copy of the receipt to [email protected] from now until Midnight, Pacific Time, on Monday, November 2, 2015, you get these freebies:
- Two free chapters to Hoodwinked:
- “The Mythical Mosiac of Motherhood”
- “Everything Depends on You”
- The mini e-book, A Guide to Praying from Your Children
- Five downloadable Hoodwinked screensavers for your phone
- Link to Hoodwinked Curriculum Session 1
- Life Intentional Daily Planner
- Five Family Favorite Retro Recipes
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!!
If you order it from Proverbs 31 Ministries, you also get another bonus freebie: a PDF journal entitled On My Knees & In My Heart: 5 Mini-Retreats for Moms. This resource provides moms with five different, guided session to get alone with God in order to rest, reflect, renew, and get back at the difficult yet oh-so-holy job of motherhood. Features include prayers, scripture study, reflection questions, journaling sections, and practical, doable ideas for deepening a mom’s relationship with her heavenly Father. This downloadable PDF will enable you to go from crazy to calm, helping you to better love and care for your family.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You will need to email your receipt two places if you want all the freebies–to the email address above {[email protected]} and also to the one on the Proverbs 31 page. If you want to get it from Proverbs so you get all the freebies, click here.
If you’d like to get it from another retailer and get all the freebies except the PDF journal-mini-retreats, here are the links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
ChristianBook.com
I hope these free resources will encourage you in your mothering and strengthen your relationship with God.
Giveaway!
Now, leave a comment here telling us about your mothering. How many kids do you have? Their ages? One winner will be chosen to receive a free copy of Hoodwinked!
I have 3 children (27, 16, and 14). There’s always something going on with those ages! Thanks for the giveaway
Good morning! I have two children a daughter age 16 and a son age 13. I saw a lot of myself I. The devotion for today. My son, although I believe he is saved, is always negative. He complains about everything and thinks the world owes him something. I ask myself all the time what have I done wrong in the way I’ve raised him. He is a sweet kid, has manners, but is, for a lack of better word, spoiled! And when we try to correct this way of thinking he throws something back at us, either we do too much for his sister or we don’t let him ever do a thing. I’ve labeled myself a bad mom because I must have done something in raising him to make him feel and act this way. I know God doesn’t want this way of thinking to continue so I’d love to win a copy of your book! :)
I am an empty nester of 2. I raised them on my own, through good times, lean times and amazing times! I didn’t always have patience and grace and really did feel guilty about so many things.
I am now helping my single daughter raise her now 3 yr old son. We could both use a bit of Hoodwinked!
When I raised my kids I was searching for the truth in Jesus.
Now my daughter and I believe and know Jesus and vow that this little man will know Him too!
I have one son who is 18. I have sat in many principal’s offices through the years. I have tacked on myself the label of a “bad” mom, because surely if I had been a good parent he wouldn’t be making these bad choices. Oh how I could use some encouragement during this time.
I have 3 beautiful children – my daughter Kennedy is 7, my son Sawyer is 5 and my other daughter Journey Faith is 14 months. Today’s devotion really struck a personal chord with me as I struggle with those inner feelings of guilt and failure anytime I ‘think’ whatever wrong-doing my kids have done is a direct cause of how poorly I mother. I’m learning daily to let the small things go and realize that when I struggle to have them listen, it’s often because we haven’t had enough time together to just be together doing what they want and not what we have to do.
I have 8 children!! Ages 19, 17, 14, 12, 9, 6, 4, almost 2. I home school them and enjoy being an involved mom. There are many challenges to raising this many children with many different personalities and attitudes! Would LOVE to win a copy of this new book!
I have one much-wished-for six-year-old son. He is a people person extraordinaire, super-bright (as in likely gifted–I had him evaluated) and can’t imagine why anybody would not want to be a Christian.
However, he is also very stubborn, can be argumentative and loves to try to talk his way out of consequences (at least he tries, and can have very sound reasoning sometimes). He can make some bad choices, indeed.
I definitely could use the wisdom in this book. :)
Blessings!
Carissa in eastern Iowa
Together my husband and I have 4 children. Ages 21,22,23,11 and 2 grandchildren 18mths and 4. I feel like life as a blended family is challenging even in the best scenarios. There are times when I feel totally responsible for my birth children’s actions and behaviors. Of course, these are the times when things are not going as “smoothly” as they should. My husband is very supportive of me and ALL of our children; yet when they make a “not-so-good” choice I place all the blame on myself. I feel guilty for something I haven’t even done! It can literally suck the life out of a person! I am a work in progress trying to remember the very things this devotional is telling us! Today my prayer is to find that “imaginary” line between raising children and taking The responsibility when they make bad choices.
I am a single parent of two boys ages 11 and 15. I am thankful that I am also an educator of special needs students, yet work in the general education atmosphere. Working with a variety of students and famiies allows me to see that children make all kinds of choices, and some of those children belong to families that most moms would consider have great strong Christian parents. I also have an adopted brother who is 19 and although we have had him since the age of four months and he has been raised in a strong Christian home, he has not always made the best choices. There are times when I still want to be embarrassed or play the “if only I spent more time in the word with them” type of scenarios; but last week’s sermon at my church, scenarios at school, and devotionals like today help remind me that God doesn’t want us to feel guilt. We are to do the best we can with the tools God has given us, pray without ceasing, and move forward. We aren’t any good to ourselves or others if we are busy worrying about what others think or are beating ourselves up. God is a God of grace and mercy and the best thing we can do is tell our child how we feel, pray with them, and move on. Tomorrow is a new day!
Walked that path many years ago and now have 3 grandchildren,36,32 & 5!
Expecting 1st great grandchild any minute now, a boy. Thanking God daily for the blessed privilege of being a Mother and Meme and daily praying for each of them as parents. It’s a tough, sometimes thankless job but oh what a privilege. I tried to instill into each of them how God loves them, we love them, BUT to think each time they need to make a choice as one has to live with the consequences of their choices/decisions. Some are reaping the consequences of bad/wrong choices today but God forgives and with His help they will move beyond these and have a productive life. God bless each Mother today and may each time she’s feeling frustrated remember what a gift He has given her with each precious child and yes, on her knees thank Him asking for His guidance daily in each “little” decision,etc.
Hi, I am a mom of 3 ages 11, 8 and 7. The devotion today really spoke to my heart as have been struggling with oldest daughter in her behavior, speech and efforts in school. After reading your post and examining my heart, I feel like as I judge her actions the finger comes back pointing at me making me feel like I am responsible for her choices and then I frantically try to figure out a plan to “fix” her. The thoughts of not doing enough haunts me. All my efforts in raising my kids have good intentions to please God. But along the way I find I can focus on the outward actions vs getting to the heart. My prayer for myself as well as anyone who feels the same way is to stop worrying and feeling guilty of not doing enough. I need God’s grace to let things go and trust that he is in control of all things. I need to learn how to cast all my cares and burdens as it is too much for me to carry and I feel the weight of my worries which can hinder my relationship with the Lord as well as my children.
I actually don’t have any kids yet, but my husband and I are preparing to start trying for kids, and I would love to start our family with a heart that’s focused on God and what he can do instead of me and my successes or failures.
Two boys- 12 years old going on 13 in couple months and 9. Already got an email from teachers complaining about my oldest not respecting and not turning in assignments. I raised him better than that! And worse….someone told me I failed my kids. So I guess I am truly a failure.
I have one son age 13. I am so thankful for him. For a time I wondered if I would ever have a child and finally he came along. I love being his mom. Being a wife and mom brings me a lot of happiness. It is not without trials at times, but even during those times I would not trade it for anything.
We have 4 children: 14 yr daughter, 12 yr old son, 10 yr old son, and a 8 yr old daughter. I have already seen some bad choices made by my children which have caused us all pain. I can so understand better what you are talking about.
Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy of Hoodwinked.
I have four children. 12, 7, 5 and 3 mos. I am terrified of what your devotional talked about. Mostly about my children wandering from God. I pray about it, but still worry. Thank you for your encouraging words.
I have 6 kids, 34, 32, 29, 25, 17, 12. That’s a lot of opportunity for bad choices! Each bad choice breaks my heart and I rejoice with each good choice! It’s always a battle with “mother shame”. It helps keep me humble and on my knees.
Karen,
I found myself in this exact situation just two days ago with my teenage daughter. Thank you so mic for your words! They truly encouraged this mama’s heart!
God bless you, your family and your ministry!
Cindy
From Indiana
I have five little blessings, ages 8, 7, 6, 3, and 2. They are the light of my life! Life is super busy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything! I’m always looking for inspirational books to help me on this mothering journey…I fail so often, but I know that with God on my side, I’ve got this! Thanks so much for mentoring to mothers like myself! It truly helps to know that we aren’t alone on this journey!
I have 2 young children-my son Dylan, who is 6 and my daughter Aubree, who is 2. They make me want to pull out my hair sometimes, but I thank God for these 2 big blessings in my life! —Thank you for the devotional and blog post. I’m constantly beating myself up over the choices my kids make, as if they reflect my level of parenting. I could really use your book!
I am a mother to 2 boys. They are 4 and 8 months old. I love being a mother! They bring so much joy into my lives. But I am feeling a little frustrated this morning as my 4 year old loves to hear himself talk. I need earplugs this morning.
I have two boys ages 10 & 17. We have a blended family and I am the common denominator in all. Therefore I catch all of the grief, problems to fix, blame etc. from all sides. Which I have realized is definitely wearing myself and my self confidence very low. I feel as if all the blame for bad choices my boys make falls on me. A part of me knows that is not accurate but doesn’t change the blame and guilt I carry for not being the perfect super mom. I need to seriously “feed” the part of me that does know it’s not all my fault and stop letting others and my own self blame me. I think this book would be a great place for me to begin this journey. Thank you for your inspiration and this opportunity to win a free copy of your book.
I have a 3 year old son and a 2 month old son. Now I understand when people say that parenting is the toughest job you will ever love. I’m counting on God to help me be the mom that He wants me to be. I know I cannot do this without Him.
I am the mother of 3 daughters 22, 17, and 15 and honestly have been struggling with feeling like a failure lately. Much of their lives I have spent focused on work and career growth and feel like I’ve missed out on so many important moments.
My sons are Asher (6) and Joel (3). I also sat in the headteacher’a office yesterday….
You’re so intimately involved with your kids that it’s easy to feel they are just an extension of yourself. I’m learning (slowly! And so grateful for today’s reminder) that they are a separate and distinct person with their own choices. I’m afraid I’ll see all my own failings and character flaws mirrored in their lives and I’m helpless to stop it- but it’s not true. As you reminded us, God is dealing with them- they are His sons and He will use this imperfect vessel to teach and train them and then His grace more than covers the gaps I leave. Thank you so much for the life-giving reminder.
I have 4 kids-18,16,13,9. And it is so easy to believe their bad choices are a reflection of our parenting. This devo and verse are such a great reminder that their behavior is their choice.