Need direction and prayer ..... please

[Jessi]

Ann- I think God speaks to our hearts and when you opened CtC and were moved to tears just looking at the first week, it appears God was whispering to your spirit that this might be the best placement for your son. You know what he struggles with and what would hopefully speak to him Lord willing, so go with your gut.

And I believe that finding a church family is very important during this time too. We must fellowship with other believers...iron sharpens iron and so forth. If you bathe your search in prayer, God will go before you to prepare the way and you will find the right church for your family. Your ds needs to see your commitment to sound teaching and worshiping with other believers.

[anniam]

Jessi- Thank you for the confirmation of my decision. I feel my son will benefit from CtC and that is where we should start .... at the beginning.

My 20 yo dd is helping at VBS next month and she is bringing my 8.5 yo dd. She has participated in various youth/young adult activities for the past several years at that church and I thought I would bring my ds and maybe we could get involved.

[flydena]

I have not read all of the posts in this thread, so I apologize if I am repeating anything.

This is what I think...
First of all PRAY fervently for your child(ren) and your husband. I'm sure you are, but don't stop! And, secondly, Creation to Christ is chock full of FOUNDATIONAL Biblical worldview. We are NEW to HOD, but have used many of the same books that HOD uses in CtC so I am familiar with them. I think taking your son through Genesis especially (which HOD seems to do) will be a great way to make sure he is grounded Biblically as Genesis is the foundation of the ENTIRE GOSPEL! I'd also highly recommend Ruth Beechick's book Adam and His Kin. It is a fantastic book for reading aloud and discussing and will probably add to the CtC material quite well. It will help form a great Biblical worldview, yet it is very living and promotes great discussion! And, I just read today that a great book for boys is Created to Work. This might be a great addition as well. Especially since that goes right along with God's command to Adam in Genesis!

I understand your thoughts on the character in RtR with Boyhood & Beyond and the other "boy options", but he will need those things when he gets to that in a year. I'd truly focus on the foundations in Genesis and the story of redemption that the Lord provided because of Adam and Eve's sin. I don't think you will regret it.

Lastly, I'm sure it is very difficult for you, as the wife of a man that is not a spiritual leader, and as a mom of a child that isn't even sure they believe in God. But, it is very important, even in your discouragement, that YOU remain faithful and live out your faith. Your character is extremely important for your children. You must remain faithful to your times with the Lord, your prayer life, and your daily walk and character. Find support from other mom's or a mentor that will be bold with you and hold you accountable. It's easy when our own family is not living Christ-like to become negative ourselves, or to begin thinking we are better than them. Pride sneaks in, so try to remain humble knowing that we each struggle in our walk at one time or another. I'm not trying to be harsh, but I am speaking from experience. We have been in this same place, but thankfully the Lord has brought us through and things are much better now.

I will keep you in prayer.

Dena

[anniam]

I have not read all of the posts in this thread, so I apologize if I am repeating anything.

This is what I think...
First of all PRAY fervently for your child(ren) and your husband. I'm sure you are, but don't stop! And, secondly, Creation to Christ is chock full of FOUNDATIONAL Biblical worldview. We are NEW to HOD, but have used many of the same books that HOD uses in CtC so I am familiar with them. I think taking your son through Genesis especially (which HOD seems to do) will be a great way to make sure he is grounded Biblically as Genesis is the foundation of the ENTIRE GOSPEL! I'd also highly recommend Ruth Beechick's book Adam and His Kin. It is a fantastic book for reading aloud and discussing and will probably add to the CtC material quite well. It will help form a great Biblical worldview, yet it is very living and promotes great discussion! And, I just read today that a great book for boys is Created to Work. This might be a great addition as well. Especially since that goes right along with God's command to Adam in Genesis!

I understand your thoughts on the character in RtR with Boyhood & Beyond and the other "boy options", but he will need those things when he gets to that in a year. I'd truly focus on the foundations in Genesis and the story of redemption that the Lord provided because of Adam and Eve's sin. I don't think you will regret it.

Lastly, I'm sure it is very difficult for you, as the wife of a man that is not a spiritual leader, and as a mom of a child that isn't even sure they believe in God. But, it is very important, even in your discouragement, that YOU remain faithful and live out your faith. Your character is extremely important for your children. You must remain faithful to your times with the Lord, your prayer life, and your daily walk and character. Find support from other mom's or a mentor that will be bold with you and hold you accountable. It's easy when our own family is not living Christ-like to become negative ourselves, or to begin thinking we are better than them. Pride sneaks in, so try to remain humble knowing that we each struggle in our walk at one time or another. I'm not trying to be harsh, but I am speaking from experience. We have been in this same place, but thankfully the Lord has brought us through and things are much better now.

I will keep you in prayer.

Dena

Dena - Thank you for the encouragement. You are right about CtC, I'm sure that is where we a supposed to begin. You are also right about not letting negativity creep in and to remain faithful. I haven't been able to pray for dh because I've felt so much anger and resentment towards him, but I started praying for him yesterday. It was difficult, but it was a start. I really feel it is because of the prayers and encouragement from the ladies on this board that I was able to put aside my anger long enough to pray for dh.

I feel blessed! Thank you ALL!

[my3sons]

Ann - I responded to your other thread, having not even read this one yet, and my feeling was that CTC would be a great fit for your ds, too. I think you are going to have some pretty amazing talks with your ds this year in CTC, I know my ds and I did. It was really a special year for both of us, as I had never learned Bible history and world history meshed together. We really both learned so much, and it just was a foundational year.

I truly understand what you have shared about your dh as well. Finding a church home where the Word is truly preached is very important to do, and if you have to visit 15 churches to find that, then it is worth it. So, I believe that is very good advice that we have found to be true as well. Personally, I have found the best way to soften a hardened heart is to love that person anyway, to the best of my ability, even though it is oh so hard sometimes... to be slow to anger... to be quick to say I'm sorry... to give in when it's not something God cares about... to forgive and forget and move on... In fact, I actually wrote out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a to remind myself of this...
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.

I read it before bed, when I got up in the morning, and right before my dh came home at night. Now I only have to read it occasionally, as I have it in my head to whisper to me when I need it. I also think that it is important to think back to a time earlier in our Christian life, a time when we really weren't ever praying or reading our Bible, a time when we did believe in the Lord but we didn't quite know how to learn more or maybe didn't have a true desire to learn more. That may be the point a person we love is at, and that person needs grace and encouragement, however hard it may be to give that. I realized only just a handful of years ago that the only person I can truly change is me. And maybe if I strive to personify those characteristics in Corinthians, just maybe it will begin to make a difference - for sure in me, as I have to work hard to have many of those traits as they do not come naturally to me - but then maybe also in those around me. It has slowly and steadily worked in both of our hearts. I have truly felt the Lord's strength holding me up and helping me along. I pray that same may be true for you, and I think you have made some excellent decisions by having your dc do HOD! It has helped me hold on to my dc's hearts, as we are in the Bible every day together having good, meaningful discussions. I have been able to be a strong influence on my dc in this way, and I think you will too. Praying for you, Ann, but you are headed in the right direction, and the Lord is definitely on your side!

Love in Christ,
Julie

[anniam]

Ann - I responded to your other thread, having not even read this one yet, and my feeling was that CTC would be a great fit for your ds, too. I think you are going to have some pretty amazing talks with your ds this year in CTC, I know my ds and I did. It was really a special year for both of us, as I had never learned Bible history and world history meshed together. We really both learned so much, and it just was a foundational year.

I truly understand what you have shared about your dh as well. Finding a church home where the Word is truly preached is very important to do, and if you have to visit 15 churches to find that, then it is worth it. So, I believe that is very good advice that we have found to be true as well. Personally, I have found the best way to soften a hardened heart is to love that person anyway, to the best of my ability, even though it is oh so hard sometimes... to be slow to anger... to be quick to say I'm sorry... to give in when it's not something God cares about... to forgive and forget and move on... In fact, I actually wrote out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a to remind myself of this...
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.

I read it before bed, when I got up in the morning, and right before my dh came home at night. Now I only have to read it occasionally, as I have it in my head to whisper to me when I need it. I also think that it is important to think back to a time earlier in our Christian life, a time when we really weren't ever praying or reading our Bible, a time when we did believe in the Lord but we didn't quite know how to learn more or maybe didn't have a true desire to learn more. That may be the point a person we love is at, and that person needs grace and encouragement, however hard it may be to give that. I realized only just a handful of years ago that the only person I can truly change is me. And maybe if I strive to personify those characteristics in Corinthians, just maybe it will begin to make a difference - for sure in me, as I have to work hard to have many of those traits as they do not come naturally to me - but then maybe also in those around me. It has slowly and steadily worked in both of our hearts. I have truly felt the Lord's strength holding me up and helping me along. I pray that same may be true for you, and I think you have made some excellent decisions by having your dc do HOD! It has helped me hold on to my dc's hearts, as we are in the Bible every day together having good, meaningful discussions. I have been able to be a strong influence on my dc in this way, and I think you will too. Praying for you, Ann, but you are headed in the right direction, and the Lord is definitely on your side!

Love in Christ,
Julie

Thank you Julie! That was very good counsel and something I need to be reminded of often. I love 1st Corinthians.

I got yet another confirmation for CtC! My mom was a very talented watercolor artist, but since her dementia she hasn't been able to paint. My sister and I had to move her into a nursing home last year and we cleaned out her house. I took all of her painting supplies and was praying that one of my dc would develop an interest in watercolor and would use my mom's supplies. Well, I checked to see the supplies I would need for CtC and lo and behold, I have ALL the painting supplies and more!! That was just so God!

Ann

[DHT1999]

Ann, I just want you to know that I am praying for you and I will continue to pray for you. That is really sweet that you have your Mother's watercolors and now your son will be able to use them! I remember right after I first found HOD, I suddenly began to see God's Hands everywhere! He made it very clear to me that He was in control of everything and that He was present and active in my life. It sounds like you are experiencing that same thing. I also found that my own heart became very tender towards the Lord during that time, I mean especially so. We didn't use HOD this past year (we used it the year before for the first time) but we are coming back to it for this year. When I received CTC in the mail (this morning!!) I felt the same strong emotions that I felt before, when I received Little Hearts & Preparing. As soon as I opened the box and took a look at it, I felt very emotional and I knew the Lord was with me. I know the Lord is with you too! I will be praying that He ministers to you and blesses you for your desire to see your son come to Him & for your husband to grow in Him.

I believe that your son will definately, definately grow close to God as a result of doing Creation to Christ. I truly believe that the Word of God is so full of power, that as the Bible says, faith comes by hearing & hearing by the Word of God... it will be your job to make sure that your son is hearing the Word of God & it will be the Holy Spirit's job to bring him to Christ through that hearing. It will happen!! Just pray, bring the Word of God to your son, and praise Him for the work He is going to do!! I would even suggest that you not use a Bible storybook for the Bible readings, but use the actual Bible, your son is old enough to know that the Bible is special and no storybook Bible can replace it.

Praying for you!

[3sweeties]

I got yet another confirmation for CtC! My mom was a very talented watercolor artist, but since her dementia she hasn't been able to paint. My sister and I had to move her into a nursing home last year and we cleaned out her house. I took all of her painting supplies and was praying that one of my dc would develop an interest in watercolor and would use my mom's supplies. Well, I checked to see the supplies I would need for CtC and lo and behold, I have ALL the painting supplies and more!! That was just so God!

I am just now reading this thread, but this gave me shivers up my arms!!! Isn't God so good?!?! Praying you have a wonderful year with HOD and I will also be praying for your DH and DS. Our God is a big God and can do beyond anything we can ask, think, or even imagine!!!

[anniam]

I would even suggest that you not use a Bible storybook for the Bible readings, but use the actual Bible, your son is old enough to know that the Bible is special and no storybook Bible can replace it.

Praying for you!

I was just trying to decide whether to use a regular bible or The Illustrated Family Bible I think you are right, he needs to use an actual Bible. Thanks for your prayers!