[SPEAKER_00]: Hey friends, welcome back to part in the mess.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm your host Courtney Defeo, and I really have tried to record this intro three times because I might do I be honest.

[SPEAKER_00]: Should I be honest?

[SPEAKER_00]: But y'all, that was rough.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not gonna lie.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sending out your first kid off to college or your second or third, and also sending them through Russian the SEC is not for the faint of heart.

[SPEAKER_00]: I have had so many tears, but y'all, she's doing great.

[SPEAKER_00]: She's happy, it all works out, but it is really, it's like an out of body experience.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's why when our kids are little and you watch somebody else in their kid off, you start crying just even thinking about it, which is natural.

[SPEAKER_00]: Y'all, we birth these humans.

[SPEAKER_00]: We raise them.

[SPEAKER_00]: They've been in our home for eighteen years, so to watch them drive away and start their lives outside of your home is emotional.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so don't feel bad about that.

[SPEAKER_00]: but also be happy and be excited.

[SPEAKER_00]: I had to rally several times and pull it together just so she didn't feel bad.

[SPEAKER_00]: I found her starting to feel bad that I was sad and [SPEAKER_00]: needed me just to be supportive and happy.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so it's a blend of all those.

[SPEAKER_00]: But what I know is that God is good and I'm already saying his faithfulness and just who friends he brought around her early on, some disappointments that happen that turned out to be the best thing for her.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so it's just like God is good.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he actually cares for our kids.

[SPEAKER_00]: Imagine that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we're going to talk all about prayer today.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we've got the perfect guest is Jodie Bird.

[SPEAKER_00]: And she's a friend of mine.

[SPEAKER_00]: Y'all have probably read some of her books.

[SPEAKER_00]: She's got an entire series that is so incredible.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're called praying the scriptures for your dot dot dot dot.

[SPEAKER_00]: It started with kids, praying the scriptures for your kids.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now she has marriage, praying the scriptures for your marriage and teens and adult kids and there's been in your life.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's just been so many versions of it because basically it's pretty simple.

[SPEAKER_00]: She's taking scripture and putting that and merging that with prayer.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm like, yeah, why aren't we all doing this?

[SPEAKER_00]: Just taking guys of word and submitting that as a prayer and [SPEAKER_00]: If you're like, what do you mean by that?

[SPEAKER_00]: You will hear her in today's episode talk about the cutest practical ideas about not just pray every week, like we're gonna do on here on part of the mess.

[SPEAKER_00]: But could you pray in annual prayer?

[SPEAKER_00]: She traces the hands of her kids and now her grandkids and prays about Lord what scripture would be best for them for this year?

[SPEAKER_00]: What do you want for them?

[SPEAKER_00]: What do you want to do in their lives?

[SPEAKER_00]: And then she traces their hand, writes the little verse and their name and puts it in her Bible.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so you'll see that in the episode today if you want to go on over [SPEAKER_00]: to you too, but I wanted to start off the school year by just reminding us that this is one of the things we can control is how often and when and how we are praying for our kids and it just got me so far out for the school year.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you're new here on Mondays at part in the mess, we pray together.

[SPEAKER_00]: And this is what that means.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's a journal written by the team here at Christian parenting that is called a great cloud of witnesses.

[SPEAKER_00]: And it's all about how we're going to carry on a legacy of faith.

[SPEAKER_00]: And there's different characters in the Bible and what we know about Jesus through their stories.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we're going to pray extraordinary things for ordinary people like me and you and my kids.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so you take the journal, you order it at cpgive.org.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then you can write prayers and go along every Monday of the school year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's do it together.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is where we might third year.

[SPEAKER_00]: doing it here on part of the mess and we just kind of talked through it on Mondays short and sweet episodes and I would love for you to send the link at cpgive.org the link for the journal to your friends to your small group and say hey, as moms we all have a lot going on, but let's commit to doing this little thing together on Mondays and see what happens on the other side of those prayers.

[SPEAKER_00]: So y'all just enjoy Jodie, go check out her site, JodieBurt.com.

[SPEAKER_00]: She's got amazing books, like I said, free printables.

[SPEAKER_00]: She's also the host of a show called Mom Life Unscripted that is on focus on the family.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's on YouTube and it links right there at her site, JodieBurt.com.

[SPEAKER_00]: She has some incredible conversations around parenting with many people I love.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so enjoy this chat and get fired up for praying together this year.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll be starting that the Monday after Labor Day September AIDS.

[SPEAKER_00]: So here we go with JodieBurt.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hey, Jodie, welcome back to part of the mess.

[SPEAKER_00]: How are you?

[SPEAKER_00]: Hey, chords so glad to be with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm great.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm so happy to see we did.

[SPEAKER_00]: You were on a previous version of the prayer version, but I knew we had to have you back for the longer form because you have so much wisdom to share.

[SPEAKER_00]: So introduce yourself to everyone personally, professionally, all the things that you're up to these days.

[SPEAKER_02]: Golly, let's see, introduce myself.

[SPEAKER_02]: I am married to my husband Robby.

[SPEAKER_02]: For forty years, we were college sweetheart.

[SPEAKER_02]: So we've got four adult children who are all starting families of their own now.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I've got six grandchildren and I have written books.

[SPEAKER_02]: You probably know the praying, the scriptures, series for children and teens and adult children and also for [SPEAKER_02]: your marriage and your life and I've gotten to do some TV work too.

[SPEAKER_02]: I've loved hosting a show for focus on the family called Mom Life unscripted so we can talk about any of this stuff but I'm mostly just a gal who like you is passionate about the Lord passionate about his word and passionate about equipping moms because we just love our kids.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's right.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's right.

[SPEAKER_00]: I watched a little bit of your mom life unscripted this morning.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm behind.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's like, sixteen shows I need to catch up on, but they're so good.

[SPEAKER_00]: But where I when you start, I'm like, oh man, is she perfect for this?

[SPEAKER_00]: So tell us your broadcasting background.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, this isn't your first time being in TV, right?

[SPEAKER_02]: No, when I got out of college, I was working for the seven hundred club and doing some of their shows, writing the show and doing some on air stuff.

[SPEAKER_02]: And [SPEAKER_02]: I really enjoyed it.

[SPEAKER_02]: I know some people feel like a camera is a roadblock to real connection or intimacy.

[SPEAKER_02]: I can look in a camera and feel like we are connecting.

[SPEAKER_02]: I just love to meet people that way.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: Love it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, so, Reagan, I'm question, but you said, is this okay to share with your sixth screen child as in Manhattan?

[SPEAKER_00]: So, how does that work?

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm like, if you're in labor, you just hail a cab.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, I'm so confused.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't help you.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, it is.

[SPEAKER_02]: It is popping to me.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, you, you're in labor and you call the Uber and you bring your towel with you just in case your water breaks, you know, on the way to hospital and Uber drivers flooring it.

[SPEAKER_02]: My daughter has had two children there and actually this second time they live just four blocks from the hospital.

[SPEAKER_02]: So she wanted to walk, but it was the middle of the night and she didn't think that would be very safe.

[SPEAKER_02]: So she did Uber over, but she walked home.

[SPEAKER_01]: from the hospital with the baby in the stroller.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, are you sure?

[SPEAKER_01]: Because, you know, in my day, we stayed in the bed for a week.

[SPEAKER_01]: And she was like, she's like, mom, the nurse says I can do it.

[SPEAKER_01]: So we've got a video of her walking herself home from the hospital.

[SPEAKER_00]: That it's amazing.

[SPEAKER_00]: I've always been up around there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like how do people do normal life with a city like this?

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, you confirm some of my curiosity there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, so you sent me a picture when it takes to do the other day.

[SPEAKER_00]: You were at VBS and you were in costume.

[SPEAKER_00]: Tell me.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, this is from today here.

[SPEAKER_02]: We would probably be so arrested for appropriating other cultures, but we're really trying to be like [SPEAKER_02]: You know, an ancient Israel.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is my Bethlehem outfit went from today.

[SPEAKER_02]: We're going back or meeting David or meeting Goliath.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's a whole week and it is wonderful.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm just a huge VBS fan.

[SPEAKER_02]: I love the children.

[SPEAKER_02]: I love the lessons.

[SPEAKER_02]: And we have more than two hundred kids that come to our church.

[SPEAKER_02]: So it's the place to be in the summer.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's amazing.

[SPEAKER_00]: So tell me about, these are another questions I said to you.

[SPEAKER_00]: But so before we got on, you talked about how God really pressed on you to kind of lean in locally.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I know that to you are like, you're not gonna just be in the world in that care about your local church or the local mom's vote.

[SPEAKER_00]: Tell me about that moment and what that looked like for you because you've been ministry to S mom's through thousands and thousands of copies of that book and just all of your ministry.

[SPEAKER_00]: What did that look like that transition for you or just that moment where you're like, I think he's asking me to do something different this year.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, um, good.

[SPEAKER_02]: Good question.

[SPEAKER_02]: And honestly, one that I don't think anybody's ever asked me on a podcast, but yeah, I was writing the books.

[SPEAKER_02]: They were selling well.

[SPEAKER_02]: I was doing a ton of Instagram stuff and popping up on podcasts and things.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I had a lot of friends.

[SPEAKER_02]: I realized, but they were all over the country and a lot of digital friends and people I would, you know, text and things, but the local [SPEAKER_02]: ties seemed a bit thin and I did love my church and I just remember it was during the summer and God really impressed on me to lean in, particularly to the women's ministry in our church.

[SPEAKER_02]: And that felt a little bit unfamiliar.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, I love Bible studies.

[SPEAKER_02]: I love church.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm a huge fan of [SPEAKER_02]: finding yourself a local community, whether it's a giant church or a tiny church, but a place where you can plug in.

[SPEAKER_02]: And so I kind of hated that voice, and I wrote a few Bible studies, one on women of the Bible, and one on the book of James, and some others, and began teaching there.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it wasn't just me.

[SPEAKER_02]: Like, I don't mean to say that, but God, I think, called a whole bunch of women.

[SPEAKER_02]: just whispering to us, kind of lean in, lean in, and people with all different strengths and talents.

[SPEAKER_02]: Like, I'm a teacher, but there were people who were great at communication and great at smogger bleeding, and everyone just sort of came together, and we have seen a really flourishing women's group.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, like, love it.

[SPEAKER_02]: And this is like a little episcopal church.

[SPEAKER_02]: We are not a mega church.

[SPEAKER_02]: We are very traditional.

[SPEAKER_02]: People still dress up, and you see, nobody's showing up in their, well, some people come in their t-shirts, but [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, we're kind of old school and yet the Holy Spirit has broken out and it's really fun.

[SPEAKER_00]: That is so encouraging.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think for a lot of us, this is a great venue podcast is a great venue to connect and learn, but it can be super isolating if this is your means of community.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so as I was sharing with you, I felt that a few years ago that I was encouraging, you know, moms of girls.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then I actually had a small group of girls.

[SPEAKER_00]: It changed my whole life.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so I think for all of us, it's like, yes, learn and read books and podcasts, but also just not forget.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I love that you said not forget to connect.

[SPEAKER_00]: I love that you said each gift because like, maybe you're sitting here thinking like, why don't I have anything to offer?

[SPEAKER_00]: It's like, no.

[SPEAKER_00]: You do, they need you.

[SPEAKER_02]: You're going to take it out and make a cinnamon roll.

[SPEAKER_02]: You are a spiritual leader.

[SPEAKER_02]: You bring your, you have to have a thing.

[SPEAKER_02]: And the other thing, you know, Courtney, we moved a ton with my husband's job when our kids were young.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, we had four kids in six years and one of them went to elementary school in four different states and so everywhere we would go.

[SPEAKER_02]: Um, you know, I'd have to do that thing where I'm like, hi, do you want to be my friend?

[SPEAKER_02]: And sometimes it was like, no, they didn't want to be my friend.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I would just encourage anybody who's listening and longing for those local connections because I think that's really, really common.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, to keep trying ask somebody ask another person ask a third person.

[SPEAKER_02]: And don't give up because God's got your people there.

[SPEAKER_02]: You just have to kind of look for them and be willing to be a little vulnerable.

[SPEAKER_00]: I love it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I love when God does this.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're like, this was nowhere on the list, but I think it's what we needed to say today.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I love how he does that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So let's go back.

[SPEAKER_00]: I wanted to get super practical today because you are such a prayer where and taught us all, which should not be a new idea, but it's like how often do we actually pray this scripture for our kids in your book?

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, how often is anybody [SPEAKER_02]: teach us to pray.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think we've got become Christians.

[SPEAKER_02]: A lot of people think that should just come naturally, but if you think we're going to home where people were modeling that or in a church where they prayed outside of the, you know, clergy led prayers, I mean, a ton of women who, you know, even sixty year olds and seventy year olds going, I just didn't really know how to do.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, how did that first one come about?

[SPEAKER_00]: And then when I want you to share kind of from the early years how even the little hands that you taught us about.

[SPEAKER_00]: So how did how did the beginning come for you as a mom going like, I actually need to pray the scripture for my kids and my mothering.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, I did grow up in a home where prayer was part of our existence.

[SPEAKER_02]: But when I had my own kids, I realized my prayers were [SPEAKER_02]: A little bit, I hate to use the word dull, but they began to feel kind of repetitive, you know, less them in their schoolwork, give them friends, you know, if they were sick, I'd pray for them to get better.

[SPEAKER_02]: All good prayers, but they sort of lacked creativity or power even.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_02]: When our children were very little elementary school, I heard about moms in prayer.

[SPEAKER_02]: It used to be called moms in touch back in the day.

[SPEAKER_02]: But now it's moms in prayer.

[SPEAKER_02]: And this is a group of women who meet once a week in all over the country, all over the world, actually, they're international.

[SPEAKER_02]: And you just pray for one hour for your children and their school, their teachers, their friends, all of that kind.

[SPEAKER_02]: I sent away for their information.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I was a little bit like, wow, this is really intense.

[SPEAKER_02]: But what I loved about it was that it really helped you stay accountable in the hour.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_02]: And they're really big on scripture prayer as in looking at the Bible as not just something you read, but as something you pray.

[SPEAKER_02]: So say, and this was my big one Ephesians for twenty nine.

[SPEAKER_02]: I read that.

[SPEAKER_02]: It says, [SPEAKER_02]: let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what it's helpful for building others up that it would benefit those who listen.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I remember reading that one day and thinking, oh my gosh, the Lord has been spying on our family because, you know, my kids would be like, mommy, why are you so nice to the lady in the bank window and so mean to us?

[SPEAKER_02]: And you know, we would get the car and everybody be picking on each other.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I was like, okay, I'm turning that.

[SPEAKER_02]: into a prayer Lord.

[SPEAKER_02]: No one else can talk come out of my mouth, my kids mouths, let everything we say build one another up that would benefit our family and that really shifted the climate for us, just taking God's words and turning them into a personalized prayers.

[SPEAKER_02]: I got excited about doing that and I began to see God answering some prayers in some pretty neat ways and I saw my friends experiencing the same thing.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I'd already been writing some books in another life.

[SPEAKER_02]: He did some financial planning books for some people who know about money.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know about money.

[SPEAKER_02]: I was just in the writing.

[SPEAKER_02]: And so I had a relationship with the publisher and I reached out and I said, I'm a mom.

[SPEAKER_02]: I've got all these little kids.

[SPEAKER_02]: I need a ton of help, but I'm seeing God come through as I [SPEAKER_02]: And as I used the promises and the principles in his word to shape those prayers, any interest in a book.

[SPEAKER_02]: And they said, yes, you know, send it on.

[SPEAKER_02]: And so I did.

[SPEAKER_02]: And that's was the first one was praying the scriptures for your children.

[SPEAKER_02]: I sent out surveys.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is before Facebook, before survey, monkey or whatever they call this thing.

[SPEAKER_02]: This was like an actual piece of paper.

[SPEAKER_02]: Courtney, and if I saw you in the preschool carpool line, or if you were on my Christmas card list, you got that survey.

[SPEAKER_02]: And you know, I would have loved that.

[SPEAKER_02]: Like, yes, please.

[SPEAKER_02]: Marketing girl Courtney, what, you could have upgraded me.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I said, okay, if you could ask God to do anything for your family, for your children, what would it be?

[SPEAKER_02]: And you can imagine the things moms and dads wanted, you know, character traits like wisdom and kindness.

[SPEAKER_02]: People wanted their kids to be safe and protected, faith, salvation, all of that.

[SPEAKER_02]: Some people, even in the preschool line, we're already praying about their kids marriage partner.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I just took all of the answers and kind of saw the themes that kept repeating themselves and I put them together as the table of contents and then began poking in scripture going, okay, what does God have to say about having an others centered outlook instead of being selfish or what does he have to say about your relationships with your parents and your friends and the Bible, as you know, [SPEAKER_02]: is chapped full of that stuff.

[SPEAKER_02]: There's not any need.

[SPEAKER_02]: Any concern will have that God had naughty thought of and provided for in the pages of scriptures.

[SPEAKER_02]: I just did some digging.

[SPEAKER_02]: And again, this is the foreign Google.

[SPEAKER_02]: I would have loved if I Google saying, you know, tell me a verse about friendship, but put it all together in the books and that's how they started.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, I love it because not that marketing is not bad.

[SPEAKER_00]: As you know, I love it and not that finding a good hook isn't bad.

[SPEAKER_00]: But it started as you, a mom, literally realizing how important prayer is and then it was working in unique and specific ways.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then your friends were experiencing it.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you're like, hey, it's almost like having a great recipe.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're like, why would I not?

[SPEAKER_00]: Why would I not share this with my other mom friends?

[SPEAKER_00]: And then what I guess that sometimes that [SPEAKER_02]: We think we're praying for our kids and for the outcomes in their lives and certainly we're asking God to bless and protect it all of that.

[SPEAKER_02]: But for me, it also really unlocked the door to peace and security as a mom.

[SPEAKER_02]: Because when I felt like the Lord was doing the work and that he cared about my kids and he had the power to accomplish things I never could, it was like the weight lifted off of you.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, our friend, Jeannie Kahnion, what does she say?

[SPEAKER_02]: You're significant in your children's lives, but you're not sovereign.

[SPEAKER_02]: So often we think it's all up to us and that can just be like a burden.

[SPEAKER_02]: But when we pray and ask God to do it, [SPEAKER_00]: It's like, oh, thank you.

[SPEAKER_00]: I speak to the mom who's like, I've been praying for the whatever verse.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm just not seeing traction.

[SPEAKER_00]: How did you, how did you do that in your walk with Jesus?

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm sure there was times where he answered it differently or maybe at a different time.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're like, oh, that's a need.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to bring that verse for ten years and it just came through.

[SPEAKER_00]: So encourage the mom that's maybe not seeing kind of the outcome they wish they would see.

[SPEAKER_02]: And so they're just wondering.

[SPEAKER_02]: I definitely have been there.

[SPEAKER_02]: Sometimes God answers like a vending machine request and answer out.

[SPEAKER_02]: Sometimes it takes a long time.

[SPEAKER_02]: And sometimes it comes in ways, as you know, that are not at all what we expected.

[SPEAKER_02]: I love what Tim Keller says.

[SPEAKER_02]: He says, when we pray, God will either give us what we ask for or what we would have asked for if we knew everything.

[SPEAKER_02]: Wow.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, and that is such a relief.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I'll tell you, I have had that.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I remember praying about something, and this was actually when my kids were a bit older, but I think it could apply at any age.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it was, it was a few things that I thought were really good, wholesome, right things that I was confident that would be what my children needed.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it wasn't happening in at least one case.

[SPEAKER_02]: It was a clear no from the Lord.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I remember crying out, I'm just saying, God, you know, I trusted you.

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, and what are you doing?

[SPEAKER_02]: And I said not only that, but I feel bad.

[SPEAKER_02]: I feel bad for my kids that they're missing out on these blessings.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I feel bad for myself because I, you know, I write and I speak about prayer.

[SPEAKER_02]: I should be happy and trusting you.

[SPEAKER_02]: And instead, [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, what noodle of confusion and sadness, and God showed me two things then.

[SPEAKER_02]: One was that my grief and my sadness were real.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, we moms do have disappointments and uncertainty and all that.

[SPEAKER_02]: And he said, you know, bring them to me, bring them to me the way you want your children to come to you when they have hurts and questions and it's no good woman.

[SPEAKER_02]: bring them to me, God said, and let me love on you and comfort you.

[SPEAKER_02]: And that was a warm and wonderful invitation.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_02]: But then the second thing he said was a little bit harder.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, he's still said it with love.

[SPEAKER_02]: He said, Jodie, you know, you're not trusting me.

[SPEAKER_02]: You have been trusting in an outcome or a result that you want to see.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, you thought you had it all lined up how you think it should go.

[SPEAKER_02]: And when that didn't happen, you felt like you couldn't trust me.

[SPEAKER_02]: But guess what, you were trusting in your agenda.

[SPEAKER_00]: Wow.

[SPEAKER_02]: My provision.

[SPEAKER_02]: I want you to want me not, you know, I want you to want the giver not the gift really is kind of what he was saying.

[SPEAKER_02]: And he even uses her.

[SPEAKER_02]: But you know, we've heard that and and that was kind of a wake up call to me that I was praying as though I had kind of a to do list for God and God was saying, okay, you can talk to me, but guess what I'm sovereign and I've got a plan.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's so good.

[SPEAKER_00]: How did he speak to you?

[SPEAKER_00]: I think people often will say, like, how do you hear from God like that?

[SPEAKER_00]: Was it during a walk or during prayer?

[SPEAKER_00]: And he just whispered that to your heart like how did that come through?

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that was actually kind of a heart whisper of just that nudge.

[SPEAKER_02]: But he also uses scripture so often for me as a way, I like black and white.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, I'm not as good at feelings and sensations.

[SPEAKER_02]: I really like to see it written there.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I remember at the time looking at God and pointing out Psalm eighty four eleven which says the Lord God is a son and shield the Lord bestows favor and honor.

[SPEAKER_02]: No good thing.

[SPEAKER_02]: will he withhold from those who walk up rightly.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I was like, you know, Jesus has covered me in the robe of righteousness.

[SPEAKER_02]: I am looking at you.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it says, no good thing will you withhold.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it seems like you're withholding.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then he was like, OK, Jody, read the next verse.

[SPEAKER_02]: I just felt that little prompt as my eye was on the page.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm probably not going to quote Psalm eighty four, twelve exactly right.

[SPEAKER_02]: But it says something like blessed are the ones who [SPEAKER_02]: trust.

[SPEAKER_00]: Wow.

[SPEAKER_02]: Wow.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it was like that said you missed the most important part.

[SPEAKER_02]: You, you're thinking, oh, don't withhold any good thing.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then he's like, yeah, but read on get reading.

[SPEAKER_00]: That is amazing.

[SPEAKER_00]: Gosh.

[SPEAKER_00]: I love this story.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, Jodie, I [SPEAKER_00]: Just think as we, and you know at part in the mass, we do a prayer journal, and we're moving into that school year.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I just wanted you to kind of kick this season office.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're getting prepared just to say, like, this is something to make time for.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, it's one of those things that, hi, if I'm honest before I was the host of this, probably fell short.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, I would pray the things, like you said, protect that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Every now and then there are spoused, but just the regular rhythm of this for me has changed my parenting.

[SPEAKER_00]: And like you said, just left it awake for you.

[SPEAKER_00]: So as you look back, how long have you been a mom?

[SPEAKER_00]: Pretty?

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's see, Elvis is thirty six, almost six.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you have to say this because it's your book, but I think you'll say this because you're a Jesus far as you look back like, is that something you would never change?

[SPEAKER_00]: It's like I am so thankful if I did anything right that I actually prayed for right kids because we know we can't dictate all the ways it's going to happen.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, and I will tell you the older I get, the more I would say that because prayer to me is the answer to the feeling that it's all up to us as parents.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, to make our kids think this way act, this way speak this way.

[SPEAKER_02]: And yes, we can create that climate in the things we teach them and the things we model for them, absolutely.

[SPEAKER_02]: But at the end of the day, it's the Lord, you know, I love my go-to prayer for me.

[SPEAKER_02]: is Philippians two verse thirteen and it says it's for Paul writes he said is is God who works in you to will and to act another translation says to desire and to do that which pleases him that which is according to his good purpose and so I'm like okay guide work in me work in my kids giving us the desire and the power to do the things that please you because I can't do that in my children any mom knows that yeah yeah I think or do things [SPEAKER_00]: When that be nice, sometimes as they opposite, you're like if I just reverse psychology this thing.

[SPEAKER_00]: They'll do the opposite.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, tell us about your little hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: Something I remember you shared years ago, but I just love giving moms practical things that they can do through the seats.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you can start anywhere you want from the little years to elementary anything.

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, yes, I come prayer hands and they developed because I began realizing that there were some prayers.

[SPEAKER_02]: I was praying on movement by movement basis just as needs popped up.

[SPEAKER_02]: But then there were other things where it was very clear.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I think back to my financial books that I, you know, sometimes they're like, and one of the things I learned was, you can't just make an investment and check the next day to see if it were.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I think sometimes prayer is like that where we speak a prayer.

[SPEAKER_02]: think of prayer and it unfolds over weeks and months and even years sometimes and God is shaping it and changing it and answering it.

[SPEAKER_02]: And so I began to do yearly prayers for our kids and I would do them January first for the new year but I think back to school time is really another great opportunity or maybe if you're feeling overwhelmed right now you could do it.

[SPEAKER_02]: for each child at their birthday.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I would spend a little time thinking about each of my children.

[SPEAKER_02]: And now I do this for my grandchildren thinking about where they are, you know, socially and intellectually, emotionally, physically, spiritually kind of the whole package.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then I think, God, what might you want to do in their life in the coming year?

[SPEAKER_02]: What is, you know, one thing you want to accomplish in their character or their physical growth or their intellectual abilities?

[SPEAKER_02]: Any of that.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then I kind of go [SPEAKER_02]: poking around in the Bible again.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I just am alert to verses that might speak to whatever that need is.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I have had mom say to me, how do you know if you found the right one?

[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm like, well, number one, they're all good.

[SPEAKER_02]: And number two, you know, if you find one you like better, you can always change.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's not like that.

[SPEAKER_02]: But like for example, well, I'll give you a short one.

[SPEAKER_02]: Our little granddaughter is trying to learn to speak.

[SPEAKER_02]: And she is getting there getting some words, but her name is Indy, short for Indiana.

[SPEAKER_02]: I just prayed some nineteen verse fourteen for her.

[SPEAKER_02]: I traced her little hand and I'll show it to you in just a minute.

[SPEAKER_02]: I traced her hand and then I wrote some nineteen fourteen as a prayer made the words of Indie's mouth and the meditation of her heart be pleasing in your sight.

[SPEAKER_02]: So as she's learning to talk, I wanted to have those words and thoughts that are pleasing to the Lord and I just traced her little hand to one of these colored paper and wrote her name in the year and the verse on there.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then I laminated it because I eliminate everything.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's kind of a love language.

[SPEAKER_02]: And so this is my prayer for her this year as she learns to speak.

[SPEAKER_02]: And another great back to school one.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is another grandchild.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm as Daniel one verse four.

[SPEAKER_02]: And this says, May Brooke show aptitude for every kind of learning be well-informed, quick to understand and qualified to serve.

[SPEAKER_02]: Now we know that's what was written about Daniel and his friends.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I just took that and appropriated it for a grandchild so that as he goes off to preschool, he can be, you know, [SPEAKER_02]: have aptitude for every kind of learning and be qualified to serve all of those things.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I think you can pull prayers out of all different pages of scripture.

[SPEAKER_00]: I bet it's a real for your kids to look back at their little hands and realize that you've been praying for them that long.

[SPEAKER_02]: I just I have a small in a baggy and I'll tell you it's the thing I would grab if the house got on fire just for me.

[SPEAKER_02]: And once they got too big, you know, their hands got big, so they take the whole egg on piece of paper.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm like, that's creepy.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not putting that on the refrigerator.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I began making bookmarks as my children kind of hit their young adult years or even their teen years because I thought the hands were just too big.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I would do that annually, just give a bookmark.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I'd keep one copy and give one to them, so they knew what I was praying.

[SPEAKER_00]: So cute.

[SPEAKER_00]: I needed to give this idea to my mom.

[SPEAKER_00]: She is a bookmark.

[SPEAKER_00]: She loves the laminated.

[SPEAKER_00]: She's been making bookmarks with dried flowers and they're gorgeous.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like everybody wants one whenever people go to her house.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's a firner.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's a, you know, hydrangea leaves or whatever.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm so I'm like, oh, she could flip it over and write a little prayer action on that.

[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_02]: Let me just add [SPEAKER_02]: Because of the long-term view on these prayers, for the mom who is going, much odd is filling the blank, you know, to angry, to impatient, to anxious, to scared, to, you know, physical.

[SPEAKER_02]: Whatever it is, there was a year when our son, Robbie, who was in kindergarten, he was just having a hard time controlling his temper to the point that I gave up [SPEAKER_02]: wanting to pray for them because I felt like I exhausted all my words and all my energy and really I was coming to the end of my faith in a way just because I'm thinking you go to the parent teacher conference in kindergarten you're sitting on the tiny little stool and you're wanting to cry your eyes out because the teachers telling you things you don't want to hear that was a year two things happened one I was part of that mom's in prayer group and my other moms [SPEAKER_02]: Um, said, you know what, we will carry that burden for you.

[SPEAKER_02]: And Mama, if you don't have a prayer partner, this is my public service announcement.

[SPEAKER_02]: Get one, just ask God to give you somebody who will be there with you in the good, the bad and the ugly and lift up your children in a judgment free zone because we all need that.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then the second thing was I went through scripture and I found a verse and I think it's in Proverbs, twenty three.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not even sure if I have, oh, yeah, I might have a hand here.

[SPEAKER_02]: I prayed out of Proverbs twenty three versus twenty three and twenty four and I paraphrased it this way and this is a hand from two thousand one so that we're looking at a twenty four year old hand.

[SPEAKER_02]: Help Robby get wisdom, discipline and understanding.

[SPEAKER_02]: Let him be the righteous man who brings his father and I put in mother great joy, the wise son in whom we delight.

[SPEAKER_02]: So here's a kid that didn't have self-discipline.

[SPEAKER_02]: He didn't have self-control.

[SPEAKER_02]: And this prayer for wisdom and discipline and all these things in his life is one that I prayed all year long and continued to pray as he grew and [SPEAKER_02]: By the end of that kindergarten year, the teacher actually said, you know, I've seen an amazing transformation.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm looking at the kids report card.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm thinking what I next to behavior, I'm like, that's a zero.

[SPEAKER_02]: And she goes, no, no, that's an, oh, for outstanding because he's really become, you know, a bright spot.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it continued as he grew.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it wasn't instantaneous, like for the mama's who were having to hang in there.

[SPEAKER_02]: Like he's still when he was like in third grade, got ejected from a lacrosse game because he was waving that stick a little too hard.

[SPEAKER_02]: But the transformation from that anger to composure, I feel like it has been miraculous.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's because of what the Lord has done.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, not because anything I did.

[SPEAKER_02]: And if you met him today, he's married.

[SPEAKER_02]: You would say, [SPEAKER_02]: that is a kind and actually tender young man and a tender husband.

[SPEAKER_02]: And again, it was the Lord working.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think an answer to that proverb's prayer and it and it answered to so many of our friends prayers.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, so many moms need to hear that and not to throw a voice under the buzz, but I hear that more from, you know, sister who has an effused like if I hear called one more tough.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's like, God, you created up to be these wild and fun and gregarious humans and girls do, but that is such a good reminder.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for sharing that.

[SPEAKER_02]: Girls have their own stuff.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, I've got three girls in one boy, so I can fill your ear with all the stuff you have to pray for for your girls.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe more of those words, the words and emotions.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, so tell us for, and this is a personal question, but as I'm watching, Ellis off to Auburn and you know all the feels with that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So what did that look like and their college years did you?

[SPEAKER_00]: And maybe speak to the mom like me that's going dang it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I didn't do the hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like I did on one year, but I forgot.

[SPEAKER_00]: So it's never too late.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm like, I can pick a verse for her for this school year for her.

[SPEAKER_00]: freshman year of college is specifically prey kind of that long-term prayer.

[SPEAKER_00]: So any thoughts for us high school college?

[SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[SPEAKER_02]: And you know what?

[SPEAKER_02]: I love that you thought to ask that because I think there's so many of us who do think dang it.

[SPEAKER_02]: Like my own mother when my book came out.

[SPEAKER_02]: She's like, man, I wish I had that.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm thinking, did you think we turned out that bad?

[SPEAKER_02]: You know what I see?

[SPEAKER_02]: And she's like, follow me on ahead the prayers.

[SPEAKER_02]: Um, but I do think [SPEAKER_02]: You know, for the mom who didn't start out that way, when your child is in high school or in college, you can absolutely begin praying the scriptures for, you know, my books are for your teens or for your adult children.

[SPEAKER_02]: And honestly, I think there is something to be said for [SPEAKER_02]: doing that for these young, you know, these teens and these young adults, because they understand it, like my young children, they love the feeling of having their hand traced.

[SPEAKER_02]: They want to be traced their, you know, everybody part.

[SPEAKER_02]: They thought it was so fun to have the pencil go around them.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I think for the older kids to know that this is a verse that you really feel like or a couple verses that you really feel like God's put on your heart to pray for them.

[SPEAKER_02]: And if your teenagers roll your eyes, let me just tell you, or roll their eyes minded too, you know, they were just like, mom, you know, you pray about everything.

[SPEAKER_02]: And they just thought it was a little strange.

[SPEAKER_02]: In fact, one time when I was at a speaking engagement, my daughter Virginia [SPEAKER_02]: came with me.

[SPEAKER_02]: She was a young adult and somebody said, I've got a question for you.

[SPEAKER_02]: How'd you feel about having this brain mom?

[SPEAKER_02]: And she said, I didn't like it.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, she was praying about everything.

[SPEAKER_02]: She was praying we'd get caught.

[SPEAKER_02]: We were always getting caught.

[SPEAKER_02]: But what has our kids grow up now with my young adult children?

[SPEAKER_02]: They are delighting to hear what I'm praying for.

[SPEAKER_02]: And when they have kids of their own, they're wanting me to pray for those children.

[SPEAKER_02]: So hanging their mom with your kids will come around right now.

[SPEAKER_02]: They might be giving you the stiff arm and the side eye.

[SPEAKER_02]: But keep that prayer is going because you know what?

[SPEAKER_02]: That gives your kids security.

[SPEAKER_02]: There's nothing like knowing your earthly parent is talking about you with love.

[SPEAKER_00]: Wow.

[SPEAKER_00]: So good.

[SPEAKER_00]: I even thought about this morning.

[SPEAKER_00]: I was driving here.

[SPEAKER_00]: I thought I have been praying these journal for two years.

[SPEAKER_00]: This will be our third season.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I didn't really tell my girls.

[SPEAKER_00]: I thought they knew about it, but the one of mine had lunch for the mentor.

[SPEAKER_00]: And she said, you know, I pray with your mom a Monday.

[SPEAKER_00]: She was like, what?

[SPEAKER_00]: And she's like, no, your mom prays for your own Monday's in by name.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so it was news to them.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I thought that such a good encouragement for us, even if they roll our eyes to say, hey, I'm praying this for you this week or whatever.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if they don't come back with like, I'd love you, Mom.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're just the most committed.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, they're still good for them to know.

[SPEAKER_02]: Um, that's what they probably won't.

[SPEAKER_02]: Mom, they probably won't come back and say, [SPEAKER_02]: Wow, that was so great that you prayed for me or you did such a great faithful job at that.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, there have been times when my adult children have said that, thanks for you to God.

[SPEAKER_02]: But Mama's one of the things I want us to do for each other is to say, good job, Mama, or it was a delight to pray with you today or for you today.

[SPEAKER_02]: God, put you on my heart today.

[SPEAKER_02]: because I think we're not always gonna get it from our kids, so we need to give that to each other, saying hang in there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so good.

[SPEAKER_00]: You are, I talked to our buddy Elizabeth this morning, and she was like, you're a girls girl, but you are a mom's mom, Jody.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, you just champion moms in the most beautiful way, and it's really a part of who you are.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so, thank you for being here.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're the perfect guest to kick off this school year, and I'm just so thankful for our friendship.

[SPEAKER_02]: Thank you so much, and I just want to say, Lord bless your listeners.

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, may the Lord bless you and your children.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's Psalm one fifteen says, May he cause you to flourish both you and your children.

[SPEAKER_02]: Thank you.

[SPEAKER_00]: I hope you enjoyed this episode of Part in the Mass.

[SPEAKER_00]: As always, we've got more encouragement and resources over at ChristianParenting.org.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you can also stay connected with us on social media at Part in the Mass.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if you liked this episode, I'd love for you to do two things.

[SPEAKER_00]: Press follow on whatever podcast platform you love, and also be sure to leave a rating so other parents can find this.

[SPEAKER_00]: Remember, you're never alone in this beautiful Mass of Parenting.