Food can fill our stomachs but never our souls.

Possessions can fill our houses but never our hearts.

Sex can fill our nights but never our hunger for love.

Children can fill our days but never our identities.

It’s easy to say these things.  But it’s stinkin’ hard to make our heart catch up to these realities. And I think when we get any of this out of whack, we start living Mick Jagger’s famous song, “I can’t get no satisfaction”.

Because real satisfaction can’t ever be found absent of God.  There are deep places within our soul that God hand designed and reserved only for Him to fill.

I’d love your thoughts.  Let’s talk about this today.  Where do you find yourself turning, trying to get those deep soul needs met?

For each person who joins in the conversation by leaving a comment today, I’ll enter you to be one of five winners who will get both a Made to Crave book and a the new Made to Crave 60 day Devotional.

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts today.

She withdrew from traditional school.  Applied with the state to homeschool. Enrolled in on-line college courses that would allow her to get both high school and college credit simultaneously. And planned to spend the month of January serving in Nicaragua doing missions.

This didn’t surprise me really.  Because Hope has always liked charting her own course.

When she was really little I was scared to death I was the world’s worst mom, because Hope was never one to be contained.  And I honestly thought all her extra tenacity was a sign of my poor mothering.

One day I took her to the mall to meet several of my friends with toddlers to grab lunch.  All of their kids sat quietly eating cheerios in their strollers.  They shined their halos and quoted Bible verses and used tissues to wipe their snot.

Not Hope.

She was infuriated by my insistence she stay in her stroller.  So, when I turned away for a split second to place our lunch order, she wiggled free.  She stripped off all her clothes.  She ran across the food court.  And jumped in the fountain in the center of the mall.

Really nothing makes the mother of a toddler feel more incapable than seeing her naked child splashing in the mall fountain.  Except maybe that toddler refusing to get out and said mother having to also get into the fountain.

I cried all the way home.

Not because of what she’d done that day.  But rather because of how she was everyday.   So determined.  So independent.  So insistent.

I would beg God to show me how to raise a good child. One that stayed in her stroller.  One that other people would comment about how wonderfully behaved she was.  One that made me look good.

But God seemed so slow to answer those prayers.  So, over the years, I changed my prayer.  ”God help me to raise Hope to be who you want her to be.”  Emphasis on, “God HELP ME!”

I think I changed my prayers for her because God started to change my heart.  I started sensing He had a different plan in mind for my mothering of Hope.

Maybe God’s goal wasn’t for me to raise a good rule following child.  God’s goal was for me to raise a God-following adult.  An adult just determined and independent and insistent enough to fulfill a purpose He had in mind all along.

I don’t know what mama needs to hear this today.  But let me encourage you from the bottom of my heart with 3 simple mothering perspectives you must hang on to:

1.  Don’t take too much credit for their good.

2.  Don’t take too much credit for their bad.

3.  Don’t try to raise a good child.  Raise a God-following adult.

And all the mamas of fountain dancing children said, “Amen!”

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Thanks to all who left comments on the Mark Batterson posts.  The winners of the signed books are: Joy Crile, Tammy Monroe, Christine Marie, Raquel Waters, Julie McD, Kim Cokern, and Kayla Turner. Please email Holly@Proverb31.org to obtain your book.

And the 2 Circle Maker curriculum winners are: Charlotte Askew and Kate Semer. Please email Holly@Proverbs31.org to obtain your curriculum set.

And there’s no more powerful way to pray for our kids than praying through the Word of God on their behalf.  That’s what I’m talking about with Mark Batterson in today’s video.

What a fun week it’s been hearing from Pastor and author of The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson.  He is not only a dear friend to my family but also one of the most passionate people I know on the subject of prayer.

Every time I have the privilege to spend a little time with Mark, I walk away inspired and equipped to have a more vibrant prayer life.  That’s why I’ve been so excited to share these interviews with you.  Today is the third and final conversation with Mark.

If you missed day 1, click here.

Day 2, click here.

And if you are viewing this from your email, click here to pop over to my actual site where you can view today’s video.

Lastly, we’re wrapping up this week with a tremendous giveaway. Not only will  your comment today enter you to win one of Mark’s books, but I’m also giving away a couple of sets of the Circle Maker small group curriculum. All winners will be announced Monday.

So, leave a comment about something you are praying for your child, or a verse from the Bible you’ve chosen to weave into their life through your prayers.  Throughout the weekend, Mark and I will be reading your comments and praying with you!

Watch the video.  If you are seeing this blog entry via an email, you may have to click here to pop over to my actual blog site.

After watching this short video, leave a comment about a bold prayer you are committing to pray today.  Mark and I will be praying for you.

And I have more signed copies of Mark’s book, “The Circle Maker,” to give to three commenters today.  The Circle Maker is available from Amazon here, or wherever books are sold.

Oh God that I can stop praying so safe!

But it wasn’t what you asked Him to do.

Or maybe God seems silent.  And you don’t know what to do next.

On the one hand you try to be all spiritual and sing the Garth Brooke’s song, “Thank God for unanswered prayers.”  But something deep within feels disappointed.  And afraid.  And a little off.

Maybe a lot off.  With God.

What do you do with that?

My friend, Mark Batterson, knows what this feels like.  He’s the pastor of a hugely influential church on Capitol Hill, National Community Church.  But this wasn’t the first church he started.

Before coming to Capitol Hill, Mark started a church in Chicago… that failed.

How did he press through the disillusionment?  How did he get past the fear?

He didn’t just pray about his situation.  He prayed through it.

But, why don’t I let Mark explain this concept to you.  And after you watch this interview with Mark, leave your prayer request below and both Mark and I will be praying for you today.

Also, you’ll be entered to win one of 3 signed books I’m giving away written by Mark on this topic.  His book is called, “The Circle Maker.”  It’s one of my favorite books of this New Year! You can find The Circle Maker on Amazon here ,  or wherever books are sold.

I distinctly remember the day my Dad brought home a typewriter.  His office had gotten these new machines called ‘computers.’  Something within me stirred and went wild at the thought of possessing a typewriter.

I loved the way it could strike and letter up a page of nothing and make it something.

Maybe, I could one day write a book?  The thought came and delighted me until I placed my hands on the keyboard.  And the only words that came to me were all the reasons I couldn’t possibly write a book.

The dream was silenced.

The same thing happened to me when the high school choir director announced we’d be doing a musical.  I got so excited.  I could see myself playing the lead role. Until I heard my friend practicing with bold assurance and booming accuracy.  Suddenly every note I sang felt painfully hollow.

The dream was silenced.

And then in my mid twenties I dared to tell a friend of mine I thought I might want to speak at the women’s event we were planning.  Originally, I was just going to help plan the event.  But the stirring to speak wouldn’t leave me.  So, I gave voice to my crazy thought.

She just tilted her head and said, “No.  I feel certain you aren’t supposed to speak.”

The dream was silenced.

Has this ever happened to you?  Voices within remind us of all the reasons we’re incapable.  Voices around us all seem more confident.  And the voices of the naysayers are just flat out rude.

Oh how impossibility loves to scream into gaps of silenced dreams.

But here’s the thing about impossible- there is some part of what we’re attempting that isn’t impossible.  All impossibilities have a weak spot.  And that’s the exact place where we must attack.

A book might seem impossible.  But that’s not where writers should start anyhow. There’s an article that could be written.  Or in today’s world a tweet that could be crafted.  Or a blog posted.

Write there.  In the weak spot of impossibility.

Maybe it’s your marriage that seems impossible.  Go against the grain of your hurt feelings and silent brush-offs.  Think on just one thing you do love about that man of yours today.  Send him a text about how much you appreciate that one thing.  Praise him for that one thing. Tell someone else about that one thing you noticed today.

Start there. In the weak spot of impossibility.

I don’t know what impossibility you might be facing today.

But remember- all impossibilities have a weak spot.  It’s there.  Ask God to show you where it is.  Ask God for just enough strength to attack there. Tear it down one good decision at a time.

And soon you will see, inside every impossible is the word “possible”… if only we dare to see it.

But then the reasons you can’t start coming. They suit up, start marching and aim their weapons of discouragement right at your heart.  So, in the end the amazing thought becomes a fleeting thought.

And you think to yourself, “Yeah, it was a dumb idea.”  Then as quickly as the stir of passion started, it fades.

Too many of us live in the depressing grey shades of a thousand faded passions that might have been.

Because we’re afraid.

We’d rather stay safe and under the radar – then go big and possibly flop big.

But every now and then someone rare comes along.  They would rather die than say, “I wish I would have…”  Instead, they grit their teeth, lift their raw souls to God, and scream above all the naysayers, “I will!  By God I will!”

That’s my pastor.

Never have I seen someone so willing to FEARLESSLY make known the mystery of the gospel than this 31 year old preacher man, named Pastor Steven Furtick.  He walks, talks, eats, sleeps, and breathes Ephesians 6:19, “Pray that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.”

So, my Pastor had a crazy thought fly into his brain last summer to do an old school revival for 12 nights at the beginning of 2012.  One where it wouldn’t be about a church and a preacher but one that would be about THE CHURCH with many preachers.  One that would be all about getting the hope of Jesus to the masses.

It was a good idea.  But it was a crazy idea. What about the expense?  What if it burned the staff out?  Would people really show up for all 12 nights?  So many questions begging the idea to just fade away.

But Pastor Steven didn’t let it fade.  He didn’t let it die.  He ignited it.  Not because he didn’t feel the pull of fear- but rather because he pressed into God and chose to be unafraid.

This crazy thought turned into an amazing reality-  Code Orange Revival.  Twelve straight nights.  Twelve amazing messages.  Twelve passionate preachers.  One awe-inspiring purpose- to fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.

My husband and I have had the privilege to attend much of this revival live and in person.  And though I’m a woman of many words, I can’t possibly begin to describe what God is doing.

There is an igniting of souls happening extending all across the globe.  People are coming to know Jesus.  People are getting baptized. People are finding hope again.

And people are seeing what can happen when one person dares to say, “I’m going to say yes to God’s wild invitation.  I’m going to do this!”

And then does.

So, I thought maybe you’d want to see it for yourself.  Click here.

“Mrs. TerKeurst, I think I might have just seen your dog running down the street.”

“Mrs. TerKeurst, this is one of your neighbors just letting you know we’re about to drop off your dog we saw running around our neighborhood.”

“Mrs. TerKeurst, this is the animal clinic, I believe we have your dog.”

“Mrs. TerKeurst, do you own two dogs?”

Y’all, I own three dogs.  But my two outside dogs are sometimes delinquent dogs- Champ and Chelsea.  I love them.  They love me.  But they love running away more.

I can’t tell you the number of sleepless nights I’ve had fretting over my dogs.  Several times we’ve enlisted our friends to pray for Champ and Chelsea.  But this sort of backfired on us once.   One of our friends knew Champ had gone missing and miraculously found him in a yard miles from our home.

He was amazed Champ had run so far.  He pulled into the driveway, coaxed Champ into his car, and called me with breathless excitement to announce he’d found my beloved dog.

But 5 minutes before my friend got to my house, Champ came home.  When my friend pulled into my driveway carrying a Champ look alike, we both about fell over.  My friend had just kidnapped someone else’s dog- right from their front yard!

Oh my glory be.

It was time to do something.

I used to think invisible fences were very cruel.  I just couldn’t stand the thought of my dog getting a shock.  So, I looked into getting a regular fence.  But we live on 12 acres of land and installing a regular fence was simply out of the question.

So, an invisible fence it would have to be.  After all, a shock to keep them inside the safe boundary is a lot better than what might happen outside the boundary.

Boundaries aren’t cruel barriers meant to keep my dogs from freedom.  They are protective restrictions meant to define where safe freedom can be found.

And my dogs aren’t the only ones who need to remember this lesson.  I need to remember this.  And apply it to the protective restrictions God has for me.

Why?  Because there’s usually some sort of boundary my wild heart tries to push against.

Have you ever found yourself rationalizing some situation in your life where you know you aren’t doing what God said we should do?

Does God really want us to love our enemy?  Is it really important to not let the sun go down on my anger?  Do I really need to pray and read my Bible everyday?  Oh, grumbling isn’t so bad… I mean everyone finds something to complain about.

I push against the boundary.  Sometimes I even break through it.  But what’s waiting on the other side isn’t freedom.

Oh Lord, let my wild heart always remember…

Your instructions, your boundaries, aren’t cruel barriers to keep me from freedom.  They are protective restrictions meant to define where safe freedom can be found.

And Lord, if you can teach this same lesson to my dogs, my neighbors and I would be ever so grateful.

An ordinary Tuesday might seem like a strange day to think of something special to do for your wife.  But this ordinary day really is the perfect day because you’re not supposed to do anything today. And that simple fact alone will capture your wife’s heart.

I know women sometimes seem complicated and overly sensitive at times. But really we’re not. We just want to be thought of in a way that makes us feel special.

One kind act by you can cover a multitude of everyday stresses.

I’m serious.

Now before you head off to Victoria and her store of secrets… that’s not it. Her secrets are scratchy and too small in areas we feel are too big. We’ll save that for another ordinary Tuesday when I write a note to wives.

The special thing I’m talking about doesn’t have to take a lot of time or cost money. It just has to say you thought of her… you paused to notice her… she’s special to you.

Maybe tuck a little note in her purse that simply says some version of that last sentence.

Or, write the word “Perfect” on a piece of paper and tape it over the numbers on her scale.

Or, finally get around to doing that avoided item on the honey-do list.

Or, send her a text message telling her three things you think she does better than any other person you know.

The possibilities are endless.

But the point is this… One simple dandelion on a no-name day means more to your wife than a dozen roses on a Hallmark holiday.  

The heart of a woman longs to be thought of, adored, and noticed. Not because you’re obligated to do so because a date on the calendar demands it, but rather just because you love her. Don’t let today slip by.

It’s the perfect day to give her what she can’t get from any other person – the love of her husband.

“Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church- a love marked by giving, not getting.  Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her…”  Eph. 5:25-27 (MSG).

Exercise is such a big part of having and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, not just losing weight. It increases your metabolism, keeps your heart healthy, and even helps you sleep better at night.

Here are a few reasons why I love a Bootcamp type setting for a workout:

• A group setting provides a fun environment, as well as increased accountability

• Trainers who teach, push, encourage and motivate you

• Peers who push, encourage and motivate you

• You learn how to push your body to get the results you want

• Work at your fitness level-no matter where you are at

• Variety in workouts-keeps your body guessing and your mind from getting bored!

• Get more bang for your buck! With everyone’s busy schedule, your time is valuable. Maximize fat loss in shorter, high-intensity workouts.

At Body By Buck, while we do use weights and other equipment, we really believe in teaching proper form in basic bodyweight exercises. There is so much you can do right from your home with no equipment and no gym membership. You’ve just got to have the motivation, make the time, and be able to push yourself, which I know you can do!

Here is a simple workout to try today, no matter what fitness level you are at, right there in your living room! No more excuses! Try it and post your time in the comments section!

TENS

10 Sets of:

10 Pushups

10 Sit-ups

10 Squats

This is for time so finish as fast as you can, always still with great form.

*If you’re advanced or really want to get after it, repeat for a second round.

If you want to learn more about Body By Buck, you can check us out at www.bodybybuck.com!

Here is a check-in with our M2C Challenge peeps!

Congrats to our winners from our last post: Marsha Warden, Tara Frazee, and Elaine Segstro. You have each won a copy of: Made to Crave book, Made to Crave Devotional book, the Made to Crave Action Plan DVD, and the Made to Crave Action Plan Participant’s Guide! Please email Holly@Proverbs31.org to obtain your giveaways!