Get the Brush Out of Your Life

By Teresa G. Lusk –

My middle child has hair just liker her mom’s, thick and long. Brushing her hair is an ordeal daily. To make the hair brushing process smoother, I asked her not to bring me the little blue brush she likes so much and instead use only a large squared brush that hurts less and gets tangles out quicker.

The explanation to why she should use the large brush had been something she heard several times and there was no doubt to why she should use it, to keep her from pain.  Still, she often chose to bring the little hurtful brush and all I heard was crying and complaining as was the ritual.

In our home, we try to use simple opportunities to teach life lessons as we did that day when I had had it. Again, she brought the little blue brush shortly after the tears rolled in. I began to explain that the brush was like sin in our life. That we have a choice to do the right thing or the wrong thing according to the expectation God has for us. If we continue to choose the wrong thing, then we will have pain in our life. That brush was like sin in her  life and when something is causing her pain, she needed to do something about that.

Then, the big question proceeded. I said, “If your brush is causing you to hurt, what should you do with it”? She said, “Get rid of it”! That is right! Get rid of the brush that causes pain in your life. To the trash the brush went and we added on more life lesson to her little heart and mind.

Teresa G. Lusk is the author of Good Enough to be a Homemaker and CEO and a Motivational Speaker. Visit www.teresalusk.com for more information.

The Mother Lost a Child

By Teresa Lusk –

A mother I knew of lost a child. She would be one to deliver a child out of what some would consider wedlock. Had the community found out she was pregnant with no husband, she would have been a disgrace. Because of the fear of rejection, she moved away.

The woman left her town to avoid all the gossip. She delivered a baby boy and little did she know that many would love him. She raised him as best she could. He was different, though, and seemed to be quite the spiritual young man as he grew older. The mother knew he had a great purpose for which he came into this world. Though this was one of the greatest feelings the mother felt, there was something deep down inside her that confirmed that this greatness was beyond her understanding.

Once a baby, now a young man, he began to tell the world that was the Son of God. He told His community, friends, and family. Certainly, many thought he was a nut, and his closest relatives may have had the hardest time hearing this. He exclaimed that He would be the reason for people to live eternally with God if they simply received Him as the Savior of the World.

Unfortunately, he was surrounded by many who despised Him for claiming to be Savior of the World. We would have thought the same way if one of our friends began to claim a high position themselves.

The difference between His story and the claims of others is that He actually took a drastic, incomparable step to prove His sonship. God, His Father, our Father, required Him to allow human beings to harm him physically, as a representation of human sin so that when He died and rose again, we would have the gift of forgiveness and never have to go to a place called hell.

Numerous other events occurred but the final result was that this man, who was once someone’s little boy, once breast fed, cuddled, kissed, cried loudly, this precious being, who was once someone’s little boy, gave His life for us to have an eternal relationship with the Father.

The Pharisees, judgmental religious people, hated Him. Jesus had preformed miracles, healed the sick, drove out demons, turned water into wine, and more. The Pharisees knew their power was about to be ripped from them, and in turn, people would look directly to God instead of to them. The Pharisees demanded that this son be hung on a cross.

His mother knew her little boy was being beaten, enduring 39 whips, being spit on, punched, mocked, insulted, and having a crown of thorns pushed onto his head and forehead that caused blood to burst forth. This mother got to watch the brutal treatment of her child. The one little person, whom she once nurtured and loved, who brought her smiles daily, was hanging on a cross for a greater purpose.  He died! For what? Why would anyone hang from a cross and endure such torture? For you and me to have everlasting life with God through this Son whose name is Jesus Christ.

Though God sent His Son to die for us, it hurt Him. Yes, it pleased God to know that Jesus represented sin and Jesus defeated it for all who believe in Him. Jesus was raised on the third day from death and is now at the right hand of the Father. Because of Him, you, through your pain, anguish, mourning and loss, can come to the One who understands life and death of a child. God by His own will gave up His own child. Would you? Probably not, and neither would I.

God knows your pain, and you, like the mother of the boy who didn’t fully understand the reason her child had to be taken away, can rest in assurance that there will be things we can not understand but all understanding will come to fruition at its proper timing.

Nothing can make you feel better about losing your baby whom you loved; the little one who brought you smiles, giggles, laughter from the heart, the soul, hope and aspiration for more. Yet, the One who is waiting on you to rest in Him knows every detail of the pain you are feeling. He is waiting for you to hold out your hand so He can put it in His and move you forward. Do you want Him to cuddle, nurture, restore and comfort you?

Teresa G. Lusk is the author of Good Enough to be a Homemaker and CEO and a motivational speaker and has a Bachelor of Science with an emphasis in Psychology, Religion and Christian Counseling. www.teresalusk.com

Get Your Weapon Out!

By Teresa Lusk –

Recently my 7-year-old daughter came to my husband and me and told us that she wants to be cool like the other kids. In addition, she despised for a moment her God-given personality because, as she stated, she makes jokes halfway through her sentences and, “No one else does that.”

Of course it broke my heart. It’s my child we’re talking about, but more than anything, it angered me. It angered me that she already believes the nonsense this world and the enemy of her soul throw at her. So immediately, we gave her the truth and the pep talk about how great she really is. It didn’t take long before her eyes lit up and she got a hop in her step.

And then, I pulled out my weapon! You know that weapon that can demolish strongholds and things unseen (2 Corinthians 10:4 NIV)? The weapon of God’s Word. She not only reads her Word daily as she has been doing for some time now, but she has been equipped with Scriptures that were made especially for her to speak out loud to remind her daily of her worth in Jesus Christ.

Sure she will hear lies for the rest of her life, but she can take comfort in knowing truth to demolish the lies. As parents, we do our best to protect our children from the seen, so why wouldn’t we do what we can to protect them from the things not as evident. Don’t delay; get your weapon out too.

Teresa G. Lusk has passion to empower individuals to move beyond their past and present circumstances and into a better life. She is also the author of Good Enough to be a Homemaker and CEO, and is a Motivational Speaker. You may find out more at www.teresalusk.com.

How to Pray for Your Kids

By Teresa Lusk –

Every parent’s knees should hit the floor on behalf of our children, young or grown. What should you pray for them other than their safety? What you pray for you kids is unlimited (Ephesians 6:18, NIV) but there are seven prayer suggestions I’d like to share.

Pray that your children (1) Love the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind (Mathew 22:37, NIV). If they love the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind, they will have received salvation and have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

We are not promised to be spared heartaches and disappointment, but we can ask God (2) to put a hedge of protection over our kids. Many of us get caught at the wrong place at the wrong time. If you have ever been in a “that was close” situation, we could contribute that to God watching over us and possibly someone praying for our safety and protection. Why not cover our own kids with prayer for protection from harm, danger and people’s carelessness.

So much is put out in the world for our kids to fall astray: porn, drugs, alcohol, out-of-control friends. Asking the Lord (3) to build them up in purity of mind, soul, body and spirit will give them a weapon they can use against the world’s pressures. If they are pure in mind, they are less likely to fall into porn or lustful desires. If they have purity of soul, their mind, will and emotions will be covered, and purity of body means they keep it clean as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Lastly, their purity in spirit will allow them to walk by the spirit and not by the flesh.

How many times do we hear on the news about a passionate criminal who was recently brought to justice? Well, if our kids (4) know how to submit to authority, problems with the law, with their bosses and any other government authority will not be a challenge for them. Wrap them in petitions for their ability to submit to their higher ups.

Most of us have gone in and out of many relationships and career choices. What if you would have heard God’s calling on your life since you were young? It may have saved you time, effort and heartache. (5) Hearing God’s calling on their life is essential. Why not ask God to reveal Himself to them at a young age so they can start pursuing their calling?

If we could all pick our children’s spouses I bet we would. We are in America and that will not be happening! The Lord Himself can (6) pick and set apart our kids’ spouses for them, though. Divorce rate is already high. Let Him be the One who picks and sets apart that special person for your child.

Finally, Americans are in serious debt with no savings, and when one looses a job there is nothing to sustain them except hopefully their faith. If our children are equipped with financial wisdom from a young age (7) they may be able to escape the financial sins of our of generation and our society.

All of these points are only a tiny view of what we can pray for our children. One way to discover what we can pray for them is to look back at our own mistakes, the mistakes of our family generations before, and the happenings of the world around them. Entrust them to the Lord and be faithful in our concession to pray at all times and about all things!

Teresa G. Lusk is the author of Good Enough to be a Homemaker and CEO and is a Motivational Speaker. Visit www.teresalusk.com for more information.

I Will Not Bless That Behavior

By Teresa Lusk –

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord” (Colossians 3:20, NIV). This is what I keep telling our daughter when I have to discipline her.

First, I explain that God gave her parents to prepare her to obey Him when she becomes an adult living without our direction and we are simply her training ground. Then, I tell her God expects her to honor her father and mother (Deuteronomy 5:16, NIV).

Recently, she gave me attitude and was very sassy about a situation. I got onto her about the behavior but did not punish her. However, not long after this incident she came to ask if she could play computer games. This is her favorite pastime, by the way. When she was done requesting a reward for her disobedience, I responded with, “No, absolutely not! I will not bless your behavior.” At the same time I said this, I happened to be on the phone with a friend who commented about the power of that statement.

I know that as a parent, I find myself saying NO a whole lot, and I bet you do as well. The conclusion I came to that day was that from now on, my answer will not only be NO, but when applicable, it will be followed by, “I will not bless that behavior.” I know that my God loves me and forgives me, but He also disciplines those He loves (Proverbs 3:12). Our children must be taught that the ultimate obedience is to Jesus Christ and obedience brings blessings (John 15:7-14, NIV).

Teresa G. Lusk is a public speaker and the author of Good Enough to be a Homemaker and CEO. Visit www.teresalusk.com.

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