YOU are the Panelists: What About Love?

By on February 28, 2011 in connection with boys, the heart, your turn

You have just become a panelist for today’s post. Are you ready?

Here’s the scenario…

I’m in the car with my four-year-old and the subject of love comes up. We talk for a little bit, until he asks…

“What does love mean?”

Uhhh….how exactly DO you answer that question?

It seems so easy, but I couldn’t find the right words to explain it to him, beyond “It means you really like or care for something.” It just didn’t seem adequate.

We’ve been talking about love all month here at the MOB, so to wrap it all up, we want to hear your thoughts…

How would you answer my four-year-old’s question?

How do you explain love to your boys at the age they are at now?

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Growing Godly Men Link-Up!

By on February 25, 2011 in growing godly men, your turn

That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace. Psalm 144:12 (KJV)

Today’s the day!

Let’s all benefit from each other and share our struggles and insights about raising godly men!

If you have a post on that subject please link it up below. It can be a recent post, or a (not so) recent post. No restrictions except that it be based on the Truth of the Word and be specifically about your attempts to raise godly men.

Be sure to share as much of the title in your link name as possible so that other moms can look for what they need!

(Looking for a great resource on raising godly men? We recommend Plants Grown Up, by Doorposts.)

We’ll be doing this link-up every month, so please join in!

Can’t wait to learn from you!

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Laying Kindling :: Teaching Our Boys the Gospel :: Part 1 – For God So Loved the World

By on February 7, 2011 in growing godly men, Life Lessons, Prayer, the heart, The Word, your turn

I’ve heard it put that our job of teaching our children the Gospel is like gathering kindling for a fire. Sticks, twigs, bits of straw here and there- all preparing for the Holy Spirit to come and light it all on fire! This is absolutely true for those of us with little ones who have yet to place their faith in Christ. However, I think we must also see the importance of continually talking about and pointing our children’s hearts (as well as our own) to the basic truths of the Gospel, even well after they first put their faith in Christ.

We first need to be clear in we want them to KNOW, so that we know what sticks, twigs, and bits of straw we need to gather around our children.

Truth #1: “For God SO LOVED THE WORLD, that…” John 3:16

The word love used here, in the original Greek language is agapao. It is a verb; love in action. It is the expression of God’s compassion for us.  Agapao used in John 3:16 is used the same way in these verses:

  • “But God DEMONSTRATES His own love TOWARD us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NAS
  • “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which HE LOVED US, even when we were dead in our trespasses, MADE US ALIVE together with Christ–by grace you have been saved” Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV
  • “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who LOVED US and GAVE US eternal comfort and good hope through grace” 2 Thessalonians 2:16 ESV
  • “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that HE LOVED US and SENT his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10 ESV
  • “…To him who LOVES US and HAS FREED US from our sins by his blood” Revelation 1:5b ESV

His love is ACTIVE. His love for us is the REASON He sent Jesus.

I want my kids to know that “for God so loved Kenneth…“, for God so loved Anna…”, “for God so loved Michael…” that He gave, sent, demonstrated His love for each of them. Before they can understand the depth of the rest of the Gospel, they must begin to understand the depth of God’s specific love for them.

Next, we need to PRAY and TRUST God to do the work of changing the hearts of our children.

“So we have come to KNOW and to BELIEVE the love that God has for us.” 1 John 4:16a

It is not enough to know that God loves you. Our children must believe it. We must believe it. Here are some Scriptures to pray over the hearts of our children:

  • That they would come to know and believe the love God has for them. 1 John 4:16
  • That they would be rooted and grounded in the knowledge of His love for them. Ephesians 3:17
  • That they would have the strength to know the breadth, length, height, and depth of His love for them, the love that surpasses all knowledge. Ephesians 3:18-19
  • That the love of God would be poured into their hearts through the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5
  • That the love of Christ would control them. 2 Corinthians 5:14
  • That they would be kept by the love of God, waiting for the mercy of Christ that leads to eternal life. Jude 1:21
  • That they would see that His steadfast love for them endures forever. Lamentations 22:23

**UPDATE** Download free prayer card here

Now, let’s put this in to action! Here are some ways we can point our children to the truth of God’s love for them.

  • Do you believe in God’s personal, deep love for you? We cannot impart something we do not posses. Pray for the Lord to reveal to your own heart the depth of His love for you. Ask Him for the faith to believe it, and the grace to live it out.
  • Talk about God’s love throughout the day. Point to His fingerprint in this world, and how it is all an expression of God’s love for us.
  • Go over the “agapao” verses with your kids. Memorize them as a family. Post them around the house.
  • …What are some ways that you are laying bits of the truth of God’s love as kindling?

I would love to hear your ideas!

How have you pointed your boys to God’s deep, specific love for them? Craft ideas? Activities? Teachable moments?

Stay tuned next month, for Part 2 of Laying Kindling.

*The four main points of this series follow the outline of The Four Spiritual Laws.
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Science and the Word {And Some Vlog Fun!}

By on January 26, 2011 in a little fun, connection with boys, homeschool, your turn

We’re excited to share this with you today…


Doesn’t this sound fun?! So let’s get to the details…

The lessons you can choose from (which are geared towards elementary students) are…

#1 – Orange You Going to Map the Earth?

#4 – Earthquake

#6 – Volcanoes

#10 – Growing Crystals

#12 – Rocks That Fizz

#14 – How Little, Tiny Things Settle Out of Water to Become Rocks

#15 – How Rocks and Dirt Catch a Ride

#16 – Physical and Chemical Weathering

#17 – Holes in Rocks

#18 – Caves, Sinkholes, and Geysers

Please email us at themobsociety {at} gmail {dot} com to sign up to vlog one of these experiments with your boys! Please put “Science Project” in the subject and include the lesson number AND name in your email.

A few extra notes:

1. Lessons will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you would be willing to do another lesson, please say so in your email!

2. If you are assigned to a lesson, please make a vlog of you and your children doing the experiment and lesson. All vlogs are due by Wednesday, February 9th.

3. Submitted vlogs will be used by Master Books and New Leaf Publishing Group on their YouTube channel and may even be featured here! Please do not apply unless you are ok with your video being used in this manner!

4. You do not need to be a homeschooler to participate! Any boy mom is welcome to join in!

Let’s help our boys turn their natural curiosity into learning and loving science based in the Word of God! Can’t wait to see your entries!

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