In This Issue:

The Godly Mother
1. The Godly Mother
     Loves the Lord God
2. The Godly Mother
      Loves Her Husband and Children
3. The Godly Mother
      Teaches and Trains Her Children

Recommended Resources
• NorthStar Academy and NorthStar HomeSchool
• Doctors Network & Associates


Happy Mother's Day!

     Motherhood truly is a wonderful gift from our Creator, bringing us fulfillment, blessing, and joy.

     As Christian mothers, we want to obey and please the Lord by being Godly mothers. As such, we are a model before a watching world — and our watching family — of a truly unique specimen today.

     Is this an impossible dream, or something that should make us feel bad because we are not now in our perfected state? No! It is the natural outgrowth of loving and following our precious Lord and Savior.

     We trust that the challenges, practical suggestions, and encouragement in this issue will help you on your way to becoming a Godly mother.

     May the Lord bless you and your family for His glory.

Cordially,
The Pat Welch Family, Publishers
Pat, Sue, Heather, Holly, and Brian

The Teaching Home is a home-school, family-run business operated in our home since 1980.

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The Godly Mother Loves the Lord God      The Godly mother loves the Lord above all and puts Him first in her life. "'What commandment is the foremost of all?'      Jesus answered, 'The foremost is, you shall love the Lord your God      with all your heart, and with all your soul,      and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'" Matthew 12:28-29 How You Can Do This      The more you know about the Lord, His love, and His promises to you, the more you will love Him. You will grow to love Him more as you spend time with Him in meditating on His Word, His wonderful attributes, and His goodness to you. Keep a Consistent Quiet Time      Schedule time to be with the Lord and make it a high priority. A regular private time and place is a necessity.  •   Read: Proverbs 31, Titus 2, I Peter 3, James 3, Colossians 3, Phillipians 4, Romans 7, Ehpesians 5, Galatians 5:22-23, I Corinthians 13, I Corinthians 7. Focus on the Lord throughout the Day      You can also read, quote, or meditate on Scripture with your family throughout the day, and fill your home with godly music. These things will help you focus on the Lord and help prevent the world from pressing you into its mold in so many ways. Find Support and Accountability      It often helps to have a friend that will pray for you and provide accountability for you if you have not already established this all-important habit of spending time with the Lord. ____________________________________________ NorthStar Academy and NorthStar HomeSchool      Two options enable homeschool students to study at their own pace.      NorthStar Academy is a teacher-led, nationally accredited, online school.      NorthStar HomeSchool is a parent-led, homeschool and independent study program.      See NorthStar's website or the accompanying e-mail to learn more about these two programs! ____________________________________________ The Godly Mother Loves Her Husband and Children      The Godly mother loves, submits to, and is faithful to, her husband.      The Godly mother loves her children in a way that includes, but goes beyond, natural affection.      When the home is filled with love, God is glorified and the entire family benefits and thrives. "Wives, be subject to your own husbands,      as to the Lord." Ephesians 5:22 "That they may encourage the young women      to love their husbands, to love their children." Titus 2:4 How You Can Do This Forgive      If you hold grudges, you cannot really love. In Ephesians 4:32 the Lord tells us to "Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another."      The Lord knows others will do and say things to us that we need to forgive "just as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you." Show Love      Love is shown by sacrificing yourself and your needs to meet someone else's need.      Gary Chapman, in " The Five Love Languages," suggests the following practical ways of showing love. 1. Words      Regularly write notes or tell your husband and children out loud how much you love them, how important they are to you, and how much you appreciate certain of their attributes or actions. •  The more specific your words, the more meaningful they are. •  Establish the habit of saying something kind to each member of your family every day. •  Let your family hear you praising them to others as well. 2. Time      Spend time focusing on your husband, or one child at a time, and his needs and interests. •  Spend a few minutes with your husband when he gets home. •  Schedule time alone, even 5-10 minutes, with each of your children each day (as they help you with one of your chores or errands, etc.). •  Enjoy time together as a family. Find 18 ideas in Newsletter #60. 3. Gifts      Small, thoughtful gifts can show and remind your family that you love them. 4. Acts of Service      Do one of your husband's or children's chores, run an errand, or do something small like sewing on a button, noticing something he needs and bringing it to him, etc. 5. Physical Touch      Hugs, kisses, and other physical demonstrations of affection are appropriate and meaningful between family members. Renew Love      Dr. Willard F. Harley, author of "His Needs, Her Needs," identifies the most common "love busters" in marriage (or any relationship): selfish demands, disrespectful judgments, angry outbursts, annoying habits, independent behavior, and dishonesty.      In Dr. Harley's Marriage Builders website, you will be introduced to some of the best ways to overcome marital conflicts and some of the quickest ways to restore love. ____________________________________________ Doctors Network & Associates Wanting To Hire Stay-at-Home, Part-Time Search Specialist • 2 hours per day, 5 days per week; $15 - $20 per hour + Bonus; 90% Telephone Work, 10% Computer Skills. • Pleasant phone voice, up-beat personality; Independent, good work ethic, dependable. Minimum word processing skills required, sales acumen desired. Disc test required/provided. • Send Resume to jwt.dna@mindspring.com or FAX to 1-800-804-8203 • Contact JW Taylor, President, or Lynn Kaiser, Assistant to the President at 1-800-933-1884 ____________________________________________ The Godly Mother Teaches and Trains Her Children      The Godly mother recognizes the priorities of spiritual training and character development amid her many duties and the urgent demands of physical needs and crises. How You Can Do This Lead Your Children to Christ through Knowledge of the Scriptures      Teach your children the truths of the whole Bible, starting in Genesis with creation and ending in Revelation with the new heaven and earth.      Introduce your children to the Lord Jesus through His own words and actions in the Gospels to lead your children to the Lord so that they may accept His salvation. "And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures,      which are able to make you wise for salvation      through faith which is in Christ Jesus. II Timothy 3:15  •   Pray that your children will accept the Lord as their Savior as soon as they are able and that you will know when and how to talk to them about salvation.  •   At the right time, speak to your child about his need of a Savior and how he can personally accept the Lord Jesus Christ. Teach Your Children To Love and Obey the Lord      Teach your children to love and obey the Lord by helping them get to know Him and what He tells them to do in His Word.  •   Schedule regular Bible reading and discussion -- more than once a day if possible. For example, read a Psalm at the breakfast table, work on a memory verse after lunch, and have family Bible reading with Father.  •   As soon as your child can read, encourage him to read from God's Word on his own at a certain time each day. (You could have him read it aloud to you for a while until he establishes the habit.)  •   Model Bible reading by letting your children see or know when you are reading God's Word.  •   Most importantly, show that you love God and desire to know Him better and respond to His message to you. Your attitude will make a life-long impression.  •   Pray for your children's spiritual growth and strength throughout their lives. Teach Your Children To Honor Their Parents      Teach your children to honor and obey their father and mother in obedience to the Lord so that they will receive His blessing of a long and good life.      You might be tempted to think that it is self-serving to teach your children to obey and honor you, but it is for their benefit. You do yourself, your children, and their future families a grave disservice if you do not teach and require obedience and respect.  •   Teach your child what God says about obeying and honoring their parents. (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-3)  •   Have your children memorize pertinent verses. For example, "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord." (Colossians 3:20)  •   Discuss ways of honoring parents in word and deed.  •   Model honoring your own parents by your actions and words, even if they live far away or are no longer living. Discipline and Train Your Children      The discipline and training of our children is clearly ordained by God as duties of both parents. "My son, observe the commandment of your father      and do not forsake the teaching of your mother."      Proverbs 6:20 "The rod and reproof give wisdom,      but a child who gets his own way      brings shame to his mother." Proverbs 29:15  •   Establish child discipline and training in agreement with your husband.  •   Study what God says about requiring obedience and then present to your children a set of clear rules along with reasons and consequences. Resources for Child Training and Discipline  •   See "How To Establish Child Training and Discipline" in Newsletter # 45.  •   "What the Bible Says about Child Training," is an excellent book by J. Richard Fugate. Also available is a video set, an audio set, and a Spanish translation. To order and read excerpts see www.rfugate.org/bookstor.htm#What.  •   Doorposts offers sound and practical helps in applying Scripture to the discipline and training of your children.  •   Video and audio tapes by Dr. S.M. Davis deal with all types of family problems and biblical solutions.  •   See "The Advantages of Habits" and "17 Ways To Form Good Habits" in Newsletters #89 and #90. and Resources for Teaching Your Daughters To Be Godly Women and Your Sons To Be Godly Men      "Keepers at Home" is a program providing a system for children (at home or in a group) to learn new home and family skills, with an emphasis on Christian values.      "Polished Cornerstones: Projects for Daughters on the Path to Womanhood" and "Plants Grown Up: Projects for Sons on the Road to Manhood" from Doorposts offers hundreds of ideas for Bible study, reading, and everyday activities to help prepare your daughters and sons.

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Sent by publisher@teachinghome.com