Today I begin a series aimed at helping you to build self esteem or what I like to call God confidence in your children.
Step One: Speak positively into your child's life.
There is a story in the Bible which involves a fathers words or lack thereof.
Esau and Jacob were both sons of Isaac. According to the covenant God made with Abraham, who was Isaac's father, it was required that they pass on the blessing of God to their eldest son.
Now Isaac had every intention of doing this, but Isaac's younger son Jacob and Jacob's mother Rachel, tricked Jacob into giving this birthright to Isaac.
Esau was distraught. So much so that he hated his brother Jacob.
In this situation, Isaac could have diffused the situation by speking up. Instead he chose to remain silent and docile. As a result Esau spent many years in turmoil.
A parents encourging words can propel a child to greatness while a careless remark or lack thereof can send a child into a life long tail spin. As parents our words can shape our child's view of the world and their place in it.
The Bible teaches us that we have the power of life and death in ou rown tongues. Choose to speak life into your children. Avoid words and criticisms that lead to ridicule and shame. Be generous with praise. Catch your chidren doing good rather that seeking to catch them doing bad.
Your words make a difference in what your children believe about themselves
What were the last words you said to your child today? How can you use your words to build up and encourage your children each day?
Cheryl Lacey Donovan is an author, talk show host and inspirational speaker. Her new book The Minsitry of Motherhood will be released in May 2009. To learn more about Cheryl visit www.cheryllaceydonovan.com
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Accept Your Children as They Are: God Does
One of the greatest needs our children have is that of acceptance. Believe me, the world is full of instruction on how to achieve it. But the ways of the world are not the ways of God. God's way is not about conforming, it's about being transformed. The only way this transformation can happen is by studying His word and letting it renew our minds.
Our children need to know that they were fearfully and wonderfully made in God's own image, as such, when they see themselves as God sees them, they will develop a healthy sense of self worth.
They will better understand that the only one from whom they need acceptance is God.
As a parent, don't try to mold them into what you want them to be. Instead help them to look for and become what God wants them to be. Understand that we are just steward to whom God has entrusted these little souls. When they don't meet your expectations, remember it's not your expectations they must meet. Our job is to nurture them and guide them into the acceptance of Christ and His plan for their lives.
Cheryl Lacey Donovan is the author of the soon to be released book the Ministry of Motherhood. She is also an inspirational speaker and talk show host. To learn more about Cheryl or to have her speak at your next event visit www.cheryllaceydonovan.com
Our children need to know that they were fearfully and wonderfully made in God's own image, as such, when they see themselves as God sees them, they will develop a healthy sense of self worth.
They will better understand that the only one from whom they need acceptance is God.
As a parent, don't try to mold them into what you want them to be. Instead help them to look for and become what God wants them to be. Understand that we are just steward to whom God has entrusted these little souls. When they don't meet your expectations, remember it's not your expectations they must meet. Our job is to nurture them and guide them into the acceptance of Christ and His plan for their lives.
Cheryl Lacey Donovan is the author of the soon to be released book the Ministry of Motherhood. She is also an inspirational speaker and talk show host. To learn more about Cheryl or to have her speak at your next event visit www.cheryllaceydonovan.com
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Loving Yourself
The Bible teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves. It goes on to say that this is one of the greatest commandments. You see, God knew that if we loved our neighbors as we love ourselves, our only choice would be to be kind to one another. The problem is many of us don’t love ourselves. Consequently, we can’t love anyone else.
So, you may be wondering, how do I begin to love myself? Well, there are many solutions we can employ to begin to love ourselves. I have listed several of them below.
1.) Remember that you have the power of life and death in your own tongue. Stop criticizing yourself. Be aware of your self talk. Speak to yourself in ways that are kind. Stop being your own worst critic. Criticism breaks the inner spirit and never changes anything. Release the old critical voices from the past and learn to keep them from impacting your future.
2.) Learn to speak positively about yourself. Use affirmations and speak of yourself the way God speaks of you. “You are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ.” “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” “You are the head and not the tail.” “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.”
3.) Treat yourself well. I firmly believe that we teach people how to treat us, but when we don’t treat ourselves well, we can’t teach others to do the same. Find ways to pamper yourself and replenish your soul. Strengthen your inner self by reading the Word and meditating on it to find comfort.
4.) Understand that the love must come from you. Others cannot affirm or love you the way you can. Stop looking to parents, significant others, and even children to do what only you can do yourself.
5.) Accept yourself for who you are. Good, bad, or ugly, you are who you are. Come Understand yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually. Start there and move on. If you find that there are some things about yourself that you don’t like, begin changing them. Acknowledge that you created your negative attitudes about yourself for a reason. Now you need to find new, more positive ways to fulfill those needs. If necessary, come to terms with those aspects of yourself that you cannot change.
6.) Be your own best friend. Like, trust, and respect yourself. See yourself through compassion the way you would a friend. Cut yourself some slack.
7.) Don’t judge yourself harshly. Try to understand where the judgment is coming from and deal with it head on.
It is important for each of us to remind ourselves that we are not perfect.
Cheryl Lacey Donovan is an author, educator, inspirational speaker, and talk show host. Visit her at www.cheryllaceydonovan.com
So, you may be wondering, how do I begin to love myself? Well, there are many solutions we can employ to begin to love ourselves. I have listed several of them below.
1.) Remember that you have the power of life and death in your own tongue. Stop criticizing yourself. Be aware of your self talk. Speak to yourself in ways that are kind. Stop being your own worst critic. Criticism breaks the inner spirit and never changes anything. Release the old critical voices from the past and learn to keep them from impacting your future.
2.) Learn to speak positively about yourself. Use affirmations and speak of yourself the way God speaks of you. “You are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ.” “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” “You are the head and not the tail.” “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.”
3.) Treat yourself well. I firmly believe that we teach people how to treat us, but when we don’t treat ourselves well, we can’t teach others to do the same. Find ways to pamper yourself and replenish your soul. Strengthen your inner self by reading the Word and meditating on it to find comfort.
4.) Understand that the love must come from you. Others cannot affirm or love you the way you can. Stop looking to parents, significant others, and even children to do what only you can do yourself.
5.) Accept yourself for who you are. Good, bad, or ugly, you are who you are. Come Understand yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually. Start there and move on. If you find that there are some things about yourself that you don’t like, begin changing them. Acknowledge that you created your negative attitudes about yourself for a reason. Now you need to find new, more positive ways to fulfill those needs. If necessary, come to terms with those aspects of yourself that you cannot change.
6.) Be your own best friend. Like, trust, and respect yourself. See yourself through compassion the way you would a friend. Cut yourself some slack.
7.) Don’t judge yourself harshly. Try to understand where the judgment is coming from and deal with it head on.
It is important for each of us to remind ourselves that we are not perfect.
Cheryl Lacey Donovan is an author, educator, inspirational speaker, and talk show host. Visit her at www.cheryllaceydonovan.com
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