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Two thoughts I had this week...

Gabrielle@houseofroberts.com (Gabrielle Roberts) — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:19:02 GMT

HEY MOM,

Two thoughts I had this week...

1. Peace was the GIFT Jesus left us. My Pastor preached on Peace two weeks ago, and it has stuck in my head and heart. I can’t shake how sweet it is that Jesus could have left us with anything on his departure, but he left us with Peace. In John 14:27 NIV, it says, “Peace I leave you with; MY peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid!” and notice it’s not just any kind of peace. He says MY PEACE I give you! His peace is all-sustaining and all-encompassing no matter what’s happening in life. Peace is a KNOWING of WHO is with you. When you know God is WITH you, you can have peace in all circumstances. My Pastor shared an acronym that was so good in how to handle moments of anxiety and stress.

E- Embrace Hope: Embrace the promise God has given you (Rom 8:31)
R- Release Worries: Cast your cares to the one who cares for you (Philip 4:6-7)
A- Ask for Grace: Find Grace in Christ to hold on in the hard moment (Heb 4:17)
S- Seek Direction: Acknowledge God and ask him for wisdom (Prov 4:15-16)
E- Enjoy God: Rejoice and Praise your way through the hard! (Philip 4:4)

What a great step-by-step strategy to use when facing a moment of anxiety! I am so grateful for the GIFT of PEACE Christ left us so that the world wouldn’t overcome us, but we would overcome it!

2. Ok, my less spiritual thought - don’t get weary in looking good! Ha! Ok, this is a quick reminder to get ready in your days! Take a shower, do your hair, put on some makeup, and a cute outfit! This self-care routine is SO POWERFUL. It can propel your day forward personally, and for those of us with husbands, it can remind them WE ARE HERE and STILL GOT IT! I think sometimes wives like to make this a point of irritation that their husbands are always asking them to try a little bit more with their appearance, and truly, if this is said in a harsh, demeaning way, then yeah, that’s a sign that some counseling is needed, BUT to our husband's defense it is ok that they would want to see us continue to put effort into our physical appearance. First and foremost, always do it for yourself, but it’s also important that we continually please our husband's visuals of us. I promise it's POWERFUL for the productivity of your days! When I get ready and put myself together, it inspires me to do something with my day, not just lay around or hide out! Culture has told us, “you do you” and while I agree with aspects of this, I don’t agree that it gives us a license to not care or put effort into how we present ourselves daily to our husband, family, workplace, etc.. So, just a little friendly reminder to ALL of us to get up, get ready, feel good, and do good in our days!

I am praying for our weeks! That God’s peace would invade our life in a rich way! That we could cast off concerns to the one who cares for us! That we would take hold of the gift Jesus gave us in peace and not let one thing in this world bring fear or timidity. That God would invigorate us with a new drive and desire to show up in our days physically! That we would feel good and be prosperous and productive because of it! God with us! Believe nothing else!!

Obey...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:18:46 GMT

HEY DAD,

Obey...

When was the last time that someone told you to obey? I bet it has been a minute. As dads we expect our children to obey us, and so we are comfortable with the concept of obedience but I think we rarely see it as our job to obey. Actually obedience is one of those things that you can tend to think that you grow out of and yet Paul instructs us men with this last charge. In 1 Timothy 6:13-14, Paul says, “And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.”

I mean he really amps it up here…He is using terminology like “I charge you before God…” My man Paul is getting intense! However, I get it! Having lived enough life following Jesus I would say that there Is not a more powerful practice than that of being obedient to what the Spirit of God is telling you to do.

Maybe to help us better understand obedience, let me call it a muscle. Obedience is a muscle that you must build up in this journey of following Jesus. The moment you made Jesus the Lord of your life, you were then able to hear God’s voice speaking to you. When you read the Bible, it will now come alive to you. Desires will begin to change in you, and you will want to know what God thinks and do what God wants you to do. At some point though, you are going to find out that following Jesus will require you to be obedient and that is again a muscle you have to build.

And why? Because sometimes God will ask you to do something that you don’t want to do. Maye that is to start tithing to your local church. Maybe that is to pray for a coworker who drives you crazy. Maybe that is to love your wife sacrificially. It is only a matter of time until God will ask you to do something that you don’t want to and what you do at that moment matters.

There will be other times where you feel like God is asking you to do something that you don’t fully understand. When you read your Bible, you will see that God asked the early Christians in the book of Acts to do some crazy stuff. So many times, these Christians did not fully understand why, what, or who but they obeyed. Scripture is full of men and women who obeyed God even when they did not fully understand, and the same will happen to you.

Unfortunately, obedience has become a muscle that is underdeveloped in dads. Some of us walk around life like those gym rat dudes who have biceps that are bigger than our heads but whose legs are the size of a teenage girl. In other words, we have a lot of Biblical knowledge or we serve a lot at church, or we are always raising our hands during worship but we struggle with being obedient to what God is telling us to do. Don’t be that guy Dad. Grow the muscle of obedience in your life and watch what that does in you and how God begins to use you.

If you don’t know where to begin, start with your Bible. God is always speaking to you through your word, and there is plenty in there that you can submit to. Also ask the Holy Spirit the question, “What is something that God has asked me to do, but I haven’t done it yet?” If there is anything, He will tell you. And if He does then start there.

In his final thoughts on this idea, Paul mentions Jesus. Why? Because Jesus is the ultimate example of obedience to God. Jesus obeyed unto death, even when He didn’t want to go to the cross, His response in the garden should be ours as Dad, “God, not my will but yours be done.” Hit the gym today Dad and grow that muscle of obedience.

They become who we are...

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:17:53 GMT

HEY MOM,

They become who we are...

Motherhood and Fatherhood are a wild privilege. Like the Lord in His divine order, plan, and wisdom said, “Go in multiple in the earth” aka have a family and fill the earth.” Rule and take dominion” aka teach them how to be powerful in the earth. In the New Testament, He makes a qualification in order to be a leader in the church “You must rule your house well FIRST.” I mean it wasn’t that God couldn’t have been the one to teach us all how to love him and do life well and side note He still does teach us these things. However, he delegated authority to the moms and dads of the earth to help Him lead creation well. Think about THAT! The God of creation and most powerful all in all, made SPACE for US to help him rule. Even from Adam, he was training us, making space for us, and showing us how to lead. When I look at this I see His nature-- a kind communal Father wanting and not needing to do life with His kids.

It’s with that delegated authority we have been given from God that WHO we are gets multiplied into the next generation. This thought holds me accountable as a mom. I am very aware that who I am gets transferred into them. That the battles I am unwilling to fight in my own life, they will have to! Some may say this is a sad or slightly condemning thought but I actually think there are things we should have a HOLY FEAR about. A reverence and honor for that holds us accountable to a HIGHER way of living. This is one of those thoughts for me! Ok to lighten the mood, let me remind all of us that God’s goodness and grace is with us always, and where we fail or fall or are weak He is always right there covering and helping. It’s who He is!

Let me also remind you that until Jesus comes back or we are with Him in heaven we will constantly be being formed into His image. It’s a continual work that never ends and truly that is kind of the fun and adventure of it all. The work is never complete in me until that day. I remember I had the thought years ago “I wish you would just do all the work you need to in me all at once Lord.” Very quickly the Holy Spirit responded “You couldn’t handle it” Ha! He is so right! It’s his gracious and merciful way of forming us into His image. It’s a day-by-day, season-by-season work in us that we have to surrender and yield to, knowing that WITH HIM we have the strength, grace, and wisdom to do it.

I’ve decided as a mom IT’S WORTH IT! It’s worth the continual sanctification so that what I transfer to my children is good! Not perfect but good! They will have their own journey to take with God but I believe that because I will do mine they will do theirs because I will have TRANSFERRED that!

If we want them to be brave WE have to show them how to be brave!
If we want them to be kind WE have to show them how to be kind
If we want them to obey God WE have to show them how to obey God
If we want them to be generous WE have to show them how to be generous
If we want them to love the presence of God WE have to show them how to love the presence of God

You get the point. This is the authority and commission God has given us and the channel He put in place for generations to come to learn who He is and how to do life with Him well and powerfully. Now, in God’s goodness and love for us, He will always step in and do these things in the next generation in spite of us, but I’d rather Him do it WITH US!

Praying for us all this week! That we would say yes to the continual work of God in our lives! Allow a Holy Fear to settle in and call you higher and keep you accountable to a whole way of living. I pray you will sense the goodness, grace, and love of God that is with you! He is with you!

Don't let go...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:17:35 GMT

HEY DAD,

Don't let go...

If you’re a dad then you’ve had that experience where one of your kids is holding onto you for dear life. Maybe it’s when you had to drop them off at their new classroom on the first day of school or when they met their favorite cartoon character for the first time in real life at Disneyland. Who knew that Bluey would be scary in the real world?! When that happens, you can barely peel your kid off of you. Well in 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul gives the same advice to us men when he says, “Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.“

Let’s break this verse down for a second. Christianity is a new way to live. It is abandoning the old way, experiencing forgiveness and freedom, and going in a different direction with God leading the way. We experience this new life by grace, through faith. In other words, we could not earn this on our own, someone had to pay the price for our sins and that person was Jesus. We then have to believe or we could say have faith that God is our Father, He knows what is best, and so we choose to make Him the Lord and leader of our lives. This new way of living Dad, is not forced upon you; each of us must make the decision to follow Jesus.

With that said, Paul tells us to hold tightly to this one truth about the gospel, and that is that God also chose you. Yes, you chose God, but He first chose you. You weren’t a second thought to God, you weren’t thrown into a deal that He made. No, God has a plan for your life and you have to hold onto that truth. That’s important because sometimes as we go through life, we can lose grip on the truth that our life matters and there is a purpose to it. Dad, you were created for a reason, you have the family that you have for a reason, you have that job for a reason; please don’t lose sight of that. Hold tight to the truth that God chose you to live a different life, and you said yes to that.

The life that you have ahead of you Dad is a good life, and it will be good because God is with you and He chose you. If you’re struggling with purpose right now or are facing a difficult season, then daily remind yourself that you were chosen by God. Hold tight to that truth and allow the Holy Spirit to make that not just something you know in your head but what you know by experience. Hold tight Dad and don’t let go, because on the other side of this moment or season is something really good. Praying for you today!

Let's be real...

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:17:03 GMT

HEY MOM,

Let's be real...

Ok I promise to only ever be real with you. I am not the kind of girl to be unrealistic or not give it to you straight but here is what you should know about me, if you haven’t caught it yet…With all my REALNESS there will always be a big BUT after and let me go further after any realness I share there will always be a BUT GOD after. So now that, that’s clear and you know where I stand let me just say….LIFE IS HARD right now haha! I wish I could put an emoji here with the little sweat mark running down its face.

Yeah, I like to share the hard because sometimes we just think when we obey God it's going be all “skipping through the daisies" and well, it’s not always! Actually, the bible never promises that either. In our human nature, we crave comfort, we crave familiarity, we crave stability, we crave control, and a feeling of competency with all that’s in our hands. It’s all good, there is no shame in it and I have felt so many times in this season the Lord empathized with me about how uncomfortable it can be to follow him. He is never shaming or harsh, making you feel like a fool for feeling the way you do. He is so kind and gentle and I am telling you that I have this inner picture of me and him sitting on the floor, me weeping in discomfort and Him with His arm around me saying “ I know, I get it, it’s hard, but together we’ve got this Gab.” The very thought of this picture always humbles me, comforts me, and encourages me to stand up and keep moving forward WITH HIM.

Nothing feels cozy yet about being here in our new home of Ohio. We are so happy to be here, there is so much peace and joy in knowing that this is what God has for us, we have the sweetest friends and family all around us but so much of this faith step still requires God. Change is never easy, it's why most won’t do it. Everywhere you look you feel incompetent. Where to grocery shop, who your kid’s friends will be, where you will live, who will be your doctor, how to learn your new job, where will you fit in your workouts, how you will manage school pickups while still working, and the list goes on and on and on. It’s never easy as a grown adult to throw yourself into deep discomfort and uncertainty making you feel like you’re not a rock star at life. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND DOES THIS?

Well, those who want to follow Jesus do. See the Lord only ever calls you into places that require Him more, not less. The Bible is filled with stories of people who left what they knew to follow God. Moses, Abraham, Noah, Ruth, Joshua, David, Nehemiah, Mary, Mathew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, and the list goes on. As you read your word, all of these people’s stories are riddled with moments of hard, uncomfortable, and uncertain from earthly standards but they were compelled to follow God. Even at the expense of their own comfort and esteem.

When I start feeling bad for myself or sad about my current discomfort, I’ll hear the Lord encourage me with, “Gabby, my girl, your name is on that list too.” All of a sudden, I sense myself in the company of heaven and it brings courage and strength to my life.

I share this not to pat myself on the back or make you feel bad for me. I share this to inspire and encourage you. I share this to motivate us to FOLLOW God no matter what the cost. I share this because sometimes we want to think that if we follow God, then it won’t hurt, but sometimes it does! Hebrews 11 tells us, “Without faith, it is impossible to God.” Faith is the substance of things hoped, the evidence of things not seen.” That means when God calls us into spaces of faith, it will FULLY require Him and His constant presence and guidance in our lives to fulfill what He has for us. It will mean that He will ask you to do something that maybe hasn’t been done before or believe in something that you haven’t seen before, others may not get it or believe it. But will we still obey God? The answer is, and I say it in faith for all of us, YES, WE WILL! Let’s be women who believe in God, women who obey God, and women who, even when it hurts or we don’t fully understand, will still fully obey! Amen? Amen!

I am praying for you all this week! Pray for me too! God is so good! Believe it!

FIGHT!

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:16:41 GMT

HEY DAD,

...Fight!

I think that there are a few words that are synonymous with a guy, and I would argue that one of those words would be “fight”. If you had brothers or close friends growing up, I guarantee that you guys fought. I’d also bet that it started off fun then it turned serious, eventually someone cried, and then it was over. It’s the one thing that my two boys do consistently right now, they fight. It’s not even bad or mean fighting, it’s just that at least twice a day, usually when they are getting ready for school and when it’s time for bed the two Roberts boys can be found wrestling, and usually one of them is naked. Don’t ask me why, it’s just how things roll with the Roberts boys right now.

Fighting is not an abnormal thing for most boys, and I would say that it’s not a bad thing. I believe that God created males with the capacity and the strength to fight. Why? Because we are called to be leaders, and as a leader, you have to be able to take hits and fight in order to pioneer new ground. When you’re young, you fight other guys for the wrong reasons, but as you grow older that instinct to fight is supposed to evolve and be purified so that you would fight the God-directed opponents, for the right reasons.

That is where the problem lies for most dads. We take that God-given instinct to fight and direct it at the wrong opponent for the wrong reason. We think our fight is with a boss, an industry, a church, life in general, or even our spouse. And when you fight the wrong opponent for the wrong reasons there is always collateral damage. For dads, that damage can be your health (mental, emotional, or physical), it can be your marriage or your relationship with your kids. With that said, what or who do we fight?

The apostle Paul gives us a target in 1 Timothy 6:12 when he tells us to, “Fight the good fight for the true faith.” When you decide to truly follow Jesus, it will lead you to go against the cultural norms. This faith has you talking differently, treating people differently, handling your money differently, managing your schedule differently, and to do that will require a fighting spirit. Decide to put God first in your life and watch the resistance come.

Some people think that something is wrong if they experience any type of resistance in this Christian walk, I would argue the opposite. I think that when you find yourself in a fight to follow Jesus, you’re headed in the right direction. Why? Because there is a devil out there who does not want you to become the man of God you were created to become, and he is scared to death of what will happen if you fully surrender to the creator of the universe. Therefore, he places obstacles and resistance in your path to discourage you, or he tries to distract you by giving you something or someone else to fight.

Following Jesus is not for the weak of heart, it will take that fighting spirit that may be lying dormant on the inside of you Dad. What do you feel like the Holy Spirit is asking you to do? Or as you are reading your Bible, what do you feel like it is asking you to do or change? That is your fight and that is a good fight. Fight for that, dad.

Did I mention that in this fight you’re not alone? You have the Holy Spirit on the inside of you, who is going to strengthen you, and who will fight alongside you. So fight! Fight the good fight of faith!

Let's talk prayer.

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:16:03 GMT

HEY MOM,

Let's talk prayer.

When I was young in the Lord I always thought “Prayer Time” was a 30-minute time block that I set aside each day to meet with the Lord. Now don’t get me wrong, a block of time set aside to pray is absolutely a necessary discipline and absolutely a part of having a prayer life. HOWEVER, if you think a prayer life is confined to this block of time I would absolutely beg you to challenge this thinking.

I have always been a prayer girl. I can remember at a young age always having a desire to talk to God and having a deep belief that He was truly listening to me. When I was younger, I would get so discouraged that if I didn’t pray for 30 minutes, then I was such a lousy Christian and really didn’t love God. It was that kind of belief system that led me to constantly quit this spiritual practice before I even got started because I knew I would flake out. I can remember when I was a Sophomore in High School, the Holy Spirit coached me with the idea to write with pen “TTG” (Talk to God) on my hand. Yes, say what you want, but the Lord told me to write on myself with PEN HA! Oh no, He must know He is bigger than ink poisoning Ha! Anyways, He said to my heart, “Every time you see that on your hand, take a minute and talk to me, cast your cares, ask me my thoughts, tell me what makes you happy, or ask me what I need from you this day.” This practice SET ME FREE! I became so aware of His presence and His voice leading my life. I started to have a REAL relationship with Him because our interactions were constant. This practice disciplined me to include Him in ALL things! I remember starting to believe at that age that He was my “Secret Weapon.” That if I were taking a test, He would remind me what I had studied, or if I was working, He would help me with a customer. He was with me, and we were partnering together to do life!

Paul instructs us in 1 Thessalonians 5: 17-18 AMP saying “Be unceasing and persistent in prayer, in every situation (no matter what the circumstances) be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

Unceasing defined- Not coming to an end; continuous.

Persistent defined- Continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.

Paul tells us our prayer life should never come to an end, and that no matter what opposition comes our way we should continue firmly in our prayers. Prayer is talking to God. So this means our conversations with God should be continual and without ending. I have found that the Lord loves this continuous dialogue. I have experienced His JOY in having an unending conversation with me all day.

Now I am not telling you to write with pen “TTG” on your hand but if it works do it! Or maybe it’s your phone screensaver, or alarms set on your phone or watch to remind you to stop and talk to the Lord. I challenge you in this New Year to conversate all through your days with God more. I promise you will see the fruit of it and experience God’s presence, wisdom, understanding, grace, peace, joy, and soooo much more! It will become for you like it is for me a secret weapon for life!!

Praying and believing your week is filled with so much goodness from the Lord!!

PURSUE!

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:15:24 GMT

HEY DAD, PURSUE!

We are camping out in 1 Timothy 6:11-14 for a bit and in this study, we are looking at the instructions that the Apostle Paul gives to men. Notice that all these instructions begin with a verb, reminding us that this walk with Jesus is not meant to be passive or stationary. We are called to be men of forward motion. Dad, you weren’t meant to be passive, you were created to conquer, to take ground, and in that forward motion, your relationship with God is formed and strengthened.

The next phrase we are looking at is to, “Pursue righteous and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness…”

As guys, we are pursuers by nature. How did you get your wife? You pursued her. How did you make the team in high school? You pursued it by training and practicing like a crazy person. Pursuit is a good thing. The problem for guys is many times we pursue the wrong things, that is stuff that doesn’t really matter or stuff that when we you actually get it, produces negative results in our lives. In 1 Timothy, we are given what we are to pursue…a Righteous and Godly Life, Faith, Love, Perseverance, and Gentleness. These are words that are meant to be synonymous with manhood.

Righteous and a Godly Life. Dad, you were meant to be in a relationship with God. It is the submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ that makes us righteous. Without it, we cannot be who God called us to be, and we cannot accomplish what God has created and called us to do. Dad, you are righteous not because of what you have done, but because of what Jesus Christ has done, and you receive this righteousness by faith through faith. With that said, once you are in a relationship with God, He calls you to live a Godly life and that means living a life where you become like God. We live as He instructs, we follow His lead, we allow Him to define what is good and what is bad for us. Pursuing a Godly life is not about being perfect, it is about allowing your will to be conformed to God’s will and pursuing holiness.

Faith. Dad, you were called to pursue a life that requires faith. Many times, men become passive because we are pursuing a life that we can make happen on our own, and that gets us off track. Remember, the goal of following Jesus is not becoming more independent of Him but rather becoming more dependent on Him. That life is a life marked with faith. When was the last time you stepped out in faith to go after something that God put in your heart?

Love. Dad, love should mark your life. Your life should reflect the love that Jesus has for us. One that moves you to put others first, and that compels you to lay your life down. This love is full of patience, it is kind, it is not boastful or proud, it is not haughty or selfish or rude. This love does not demand its own way, it is not irritable or touchy, and it overlooks the offenses of others. That is the love we are called to pursue!

Perseverance. Jesus never promised us that a life with Him would be without problems, but He did promise that He would be with us in those moments. We are even promised that when we are weak God’s power is made perfect. Dad, that means you can endure through hard moments, and you can persevere even when things get challenging. I think pursuing perseverance is living a life that is not afraid to confront your humanity and weakness. Instead, you embrace those moments and turn to a God who will give you strength to persevere until the end.

Gentleness. You are meant to be a man of strength but that does not mean that you have to be harsh or overbearing. We do not leverage our strength to intimidate others, instead, because we are strong we are able to be gentle to those around us. That does not mean that you are a pushover, it just means that you know who you are and as a result, it produces a strength in you that causes you to treat people with gentleness. Dad, be gentle with your wife, be gentle with your children, be gentle with those who you lead.

Pursue these things, Dad, and watch God produce something incredible on the inside of you!

He is a God of the details!

Gabrielle@houseofroberts.com (Gabrielle Roberts) — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 21:08:08 GMT

HEY MOM,

He is a God of the details!

I just started into the book of Daniel in my daily bible reading…Honestly, I can’t express enough how important it is to be in your Bible, sometimes we are mad at God because we feel like He hasn’t spoken to us in a while but I’m telling you more times than not the way I hear God speak to me regularly is through my daily Bible reading.

One of the things I love most in the Bible is how often I see God’s eye for detail…When He made creation, when He constructed the temple, when He wanted the wall rebuilt, when He wanted the temple rebuilt, how He wanted land divided up between the tribes, and the list goes on and on. HE HAS A PLAN for it all. It’s made me so many times stop and stare at what that says about God's nature. He is not a God that is winging it or a God that is good at being creative but not at organization or execution. He is ALL in ALL, He knows exactly what He is doing on all fronts BIG and SMALL, He has a plan and He knows how it should be executed from beginning to end. When I look at how He led Abraham, Moses, Noah, David, and Nehemiah, It causes me to think and say to Him, “Well if you led them that way you will lead me the same way!” This thought now has become a default in my everyday life. I have become fixated on wanting His way and plan over mine. I am just cocky enough in our relationship to keep Him accountable to that kind of partnership in life.

I don’t know if I ever told you about how I started in Interior Design, but it is nothing short of miraculous. During Covid, my responsibilities at the church became pretty nonexistent due to all the restrictions. I was really sad about this and can remember going on multiple prayer walks lamenting to the Lord about what I could put my hand to in such an intense moment in humanity. I went to my husband's office one day; he was dealing with major “Big Picture” issues trying to keep the church healthy and whole during the pandemic. I looked around and saw he had samples of materials layered all throughout his office. A generous church member who owned a reconstruction business had offered to help us renovate during lockdowns, so Michael was also overseeing this. When I saw some of his material picks, I told him, “Babe, you cannot be choosing this stuff, this is totally not your gifting ha! Let me help you with this!” I saw deep relief come over his face, but also I was like, “Wait, Gabby…what makes you think you know how to do this?” Instantly, I felt the Lord whisper to my heart, “It’s ok, I do, I’ll show you how.” QUE THE TEARS! He really did, you guys. He showed me how. He gave me plans and a strategy and put words and understanding in my mouth that there was no way I could have known. He gave me the confidence to work with contractors and architects and ask questions that were smart and inspiring. HE MADE ME LOOK SO GOOD! It was such a partnership, and I could sense that just as excited as I was to learn this new art, He was just as excited to show me and do it with me. There was such synergy. I depended on Him and asked Him every time I didn’t know what to do. “God, what should I do?” and when I did know, “God, what do you think?” I am telling you He taught me how and continues to teach how.

Every project I take on before I ever start designing, I say, “Lord, you know exactly what needs to happen here, you know what color, what layout, what furnishings, and details will best fit and bless this client. Help me do that, Lord.” He coaches me the whole time, every time. He is my secret weapon for sure, and I wouldn’t want to do it any other way!

I don’t know what’s in your hands right now, or what details you’re working through in work or family but here is what I know...God wants to be involved deeply and if you let Him tell you His thoughts on whatever problem you are trying to solve, He will totally download a plan and strategy that you couldn’t have thought up on your own, and it will blow your mind.

Engage him, stop and ask him what He thinks, wait, and give space for Him to respond. I pray this week that we would lean not to our own understanding but in all our ways acknowledge Him knowing that HE will make our paths straight (Prov 3: 5-6).

...RUN!

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 21:07:56 GMT

HEY DAD,

... RUN!

I was reading 1 Timothy in my personal time with God and I came across this passage that I think is for you, Dad.

1 Timothy 6:11-14, “But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses 13 And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.”

It first caught my attention because of what Paul, who wrote this letter, called Timothy…A man of God. There a lot of things that it would be good to be called, but probably the first label we should carry as fathers is “Man of God.” Not only that, but after Paul calls Timothy that he precedes to break down what a man of God does and he does so by using all these verbs.

I think that is important for us to understand because being a man of God is not just a state of mind, it is not just a label that is bestowed on us, it is a life that is full of action. You’re a man and God created you to do things in this world. The problem with a lot of guys is we don’t give ourselves to doing the things that God instructs us to do, and as a result, we give ourselves to stuff that doesn’t really matter or stuff that actually has a negative impact on us and our family.

With that said, over the next few posts, I am going to highlight the different verbs that I see in Paul’s charge to Timothy and ultimately us. The first one is found in verse eleven when Paul tells Timothy to. “run from all these evil things.”

Being a man of God is running toward what God has called us to as well as running away from what God says is evil. How do most men get into trouble? Let me say this, it doesn’t happen in a moment. No one wakes up one morning and just decides to have an affair or to be an alcoholic. No, it starts by just hanging around that which you should be running from. The life of a man of God is not about how close can we get to sin without giving in, it’s about how close can we get to God so that Christ might be formed in us. That pursuit has us running from sin and that which would eventually bring compromise into our lives.

Let me ask you a question, “What’s the sin that seems to trip you up the easiest?” Is it lust? Is it anger? Is it a substance? Once you’ve identified it, let me ask you a follow-up question, “Are you running from it or are you letting it hang around?” If you find yourself in close proximity to it, then run! Run away, Dad! You don’t want that anywhere near you. It’s not worth it. It doesn’t matter if it inconveniences your life or if other people in your world won’t understand. You are a man of God, and you need to run away from that and run toward the life God called you to live.

I believe this one verb will keep you away from most things that will eventually bring regret into your life. Not sure how to do that? Sit down with your Pastor or your Small Group Leader, talk about a strategy that will have you running from evil, and allow them to keep you accountable.

As we head into the New Year, you are probably making some resolutions. Can you add one more? Let’s all run from evil this year…You man of God!

I'm going to keep this one short and sweet...

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:07:39 GMT

HEY MOM,

I'm going to keep this one

short and sweet...

We are in the last week of our season living in Ventura, CA. What a joy this season has been, even in moments of hardship here God has been so good to us, giving and being all we needed all along the way! It’s not an easy goodbye by any means, however, we press on towards the goal in Christ Jesus to lay hold of what Christ lay hold for us! Pray for us! When you think of us pray for us!

Ok Ok enough of that, what I really wanted to take a moment to encourage you on this week is to “Cling” to one another. The word cling means to “ Hold on tightly to, adhere or stick firmly or closely to, remain very close to, remain persistently or stubbornly faithful to. Do you get the picture? For whatever reason this time of year brings out a lot of emotions in people. Whatever is weak or broken gets magnified in the light of “Christmas Cheer” and begins to try to give way. In ministry, I have noticed that I get a lot more calls this time of year from marriages and families in trouble and in need of intervention. I am bringing this up not to be a downer but to help you see this is a “seasonal” time of year when the enemy tries to move and bring deeper wounds and disunity in the home unit. Whether it be with immediate family or extended the devil loves to move about stirring up trouble.

So what do we do?

1. There is power in just KNOWING he does this. I know for me if I am aware of the enemy strategy at play in my life…he already loses ground with me because now I SEE him and can see scenarios that pop up through the lenses of that.

2. Have an offensive strategy. Once I know the enemy's strategy I can now build a strategy of my own! I can make sure I am prayed up and praying for those family members who can tend to trigger me. I can prepare my heart ahead of time for potential disappointments and rehearse in my heart to love and expect nothing in return. I can allow God to show me ways to build bridges with my spouse and kids and help me not tear them down. God will give you a plan. He will give you a detailed strategy because He knows just how to do it!

3. Cling HARD. Be committed to clinging to one another. Create moments over the next couple of weeks that bond and bind. The enemy can’t separate what God has brought together if we are clinging intentionally to one another. God is for your family; His heart is undoubtedly rooting for the unity of your house! Cling hard! Speak and declare life, and pray the Lord guards your mouth and that He shows you the fun and creative things to bring you all together! Cling, Cling, Cling!

4. Lastly whatever comes up-allow the Lord to show you, if further steps are necessary to help you heal in this area. Most times things can be worked out without help but every once in a while and as the Holy Spirit reveals things, sometimes help is needed from a counselor, pastor, therapist, etc..This is ok! This is spot on and not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength when you are willing to get added help. You are worth working on! Your marriage is worth working on! Your family is worth working on!! IT’S WORTH IT!!

I am praying for you all! That you would CLING HARD at the close of this year and all the days to come. I pray Romans 15:13 TPT over you all “May God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!

There is one dad in the Biible that I don't think gets enough attention...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:07:16 GMT

HEY DAD,

There is one dad in the Bible that I don't think gets enough attention...

Around Christmas time, we all hear the story of Jesus being born a lot. In that story there are some pretty compelling characters, but there is one that is very key to the story and who at times I think flies under the radar a bit. That person would be my man, Joseph, the father of Jesus. As a father, I appreciate this man’s role in his home and in the grand picture of God’s plan. I think we as dads can learn a lot from Joseph; so may I give you a few observations from his life that I think if we apply to our own will help us lead our families well.

Joseph responded well to adversity. Upon hearing that Mary was pregnant, and not with his child by the way, it says this about Joseph in Matthew 1:19, “Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.” I don’t know how you wrap your mind around your fiancé telling you that she is pregnant by God, but you can tell a lot about a man when he is faced with adversity. How Joseph responded is how I want to respond when life throws a hard moment your way, with honor and integrity. Dad, life won’t always be easy or fair so may we be righteous men like Joseph and respond well.

Joseph obeyed God immediately when he spoke to him. At one point in the account of Jesus being born, Joseph has his own moment with God and He is instructed to do something that will not make sense to those around him. In fact, it will actually bring criticism and judgment from friends and family. With that said, I love what how Matthew 2:24 records Joseph’s response to an angel telling him what to do. It says, “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.” When God spoke, Joseph obeyed right away. That’s the type of man and father that I want to be. Dad, we are called to be men who when God speaks to us, we obey immediately and fully. Is obedience easy? No, but it is a muscle that if you continue to exercise will get stronger until you become as Joseph was.

Joseph didn’t let fear stop him from doing something new. Generally, us guys don’t like change, especially when you become a dad. There is so much chaos and crazy that goes on in a home when you have kids that dads tend to find solace in our routines and consistent patterns. Don’t get me wrong, routines are good and have a part to play in the development of who God wants us to become, but I have found that it is easy for those things to become ruts that are hard to get out of. So what happens then is it us dads that become resistant to any type of change, and the line is always, “Good luck convincing dad to do that…” Think of what God asked Joseph to do throughout his life. Multiple times, he is told to move after he has established a life for his family. He has to leave Bethlehem for Egypt, and eventually, he has to move his family from Egypt to Nazareth. That’s a lot of change for a guy, but Joseph does it. Dads, let’s be men who aren’t afraid to follow the Holy Spirit into the unknown, you never know where that will take you.

I like Joseph, he played a role in salvation coming to the world and what’s interesting is you don’t know how it ends for Joseph. There is no account of his death, but I don’t think that is the point. Joseph was a good dad and most importantly God trusted him. So much so that He gave Joseph His only son to watch over. I pray that you would live such a life that would provoke God to trust us more.

Don't forget that you're a team...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 21:05:25 GMT

HEY DAD,

Don't forget that you're a team...

One of the things that I have had to work on as a husband is not going about life as a solo act. As a husband and a father, I feel the weight of providing for my family and that is not a bad thing. God has given us that great responsibility and so we should feel that Godly burden. With that said, many times I respond to that pressure by taking it all on myself and just trying to make things happen. When that is my posture, I find that I struggle with more stress, I am short with my wife and kids, and normally I don’t execute anything very well. Does anyone else struggle with this?

As I said, it is good that I feel the weight of leading my family, but I must remind myself that God gave me a helpmate, my wife. That’s actually what God called wives in Genesis 2:18. That word helpmate, in Hebrew, actually means to supply that which is lacking. That means when God created you, He gave you talents, abilities, and passions but He also didn’t make you so that you didn’t need anyone. That is why He sent you your wife. She is not better than you, she is not worse than you, she is different. Created with her own talents, abilities, and passions and she is meant to come alongside you so that you both can work together as a team to accomplish what God has put in your hands.

To not bring your wife into how you handle life handicaps you and your ability to do everything that God has given you. Life is a team sport, and you have the best teammate in your wife, so I think it is time we all started to get better at being a team in our own homes. Here are a few thoughts for you as you endeavor to work together with your wife:

Your wife has a lot of wisdom. There is a reason why in scriptures, when it speaks of wisdom, it gives it the pronoun “her”. Your wife is smart, most likely she is also a discerner, and she has valuable input into the decisions you need to make.

Your wife can handle it. I know that wives are generally weaker when it comes to physical strength but sometimes I don’t bring my wife into something hard that I am working through because I think that she cannot take it. But that’s not true, she has the same spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead, and so she can handle it. You can depend on your wife.

Choose to cherish her. Many times, we want to try to change our wives because they are not like us. This means that they have different perspectives and thoughts, and that can be frustrating for us husbands. Why? Well if we are honest, it is probably because we don’t want their input, we just want our wives to agree with us. But is that what you really want? Do you want to be right or do you want to get it right? You want to get it right, which means that you need different perspectives and types of people to add input to make a good decision. That’s why you shouldn’t want anything less than for your wife to become the best version of who God made her to be. So choose to cherish her differences and don’t try to change them.

Keep yourself humble. I said it once, but I’m going to say it again. In any decision that you have to make as a parent, the goal is not to be right but to get it right. So as you and your wife work together, lean into humility. Be willing to hear her side, be humble to admit you are wrong or that her way is better. Don’t forget you are working together, not competing against one another.

Dad, you are not meant to go about life alone, God sent you your wife, and she is a valuable teammate. Finish this year being more intentional about working together.

As we head into December...

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 21:04:55 GMT

HEY MOM,

As we head into December...

I love the holidays, they are full of warmth, sweets, time spent with loved ones, lots of joyous occasions, generosity, and yes oh yes gifts! I love to savor the whole month and create moments throughout the days and weeks to share moments together with us and the kids. For Mike and I we have really tried to create a culture in our home where MOMENTS are more valuable than THINGS in our hearts. This is the same reason why every other birthday we go on an adventure rather than have a birthday party. Don’t get me wrong, we never “boo hoo” or shame the desire of wanting “things” but we just try to proactively make it not the main point of life. That being said we intentionally plan time together, little moments all month long to enjoy. I want to share a few of them and maybe it inspires…

We do a Christmas Checklist: My kids LOVE this one! I will share ours with you here! It’s our goal each year to accomplish as many as we can on the checklist. It’s a fun little challenge that our kids get into and definitely holds us accountable. Things like: drink hot chocolate, go look at Christmas lights, take a family photo, bake Christmas cookies, finish an advent calendar. I find that the checklist is really good at encouraging MOMENTS rather than THINGS. I really feel that the checklist helps you savor and enjoy the whole month, helping it not go by too fast or be wasted! Click here to access our list!
We watch Christmas movies every night! We loooove movies, popcorn, and hot chocolate. We turn the fire on and start enjoying one of our classics. Here is a list of the family-friendly ones we like:

1. Christmas with the Kranks

2. Elf

3. The Grinch

4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

5. Miracle on 34th Street

6. Santa Clause 1

7. Santa Clause 2

8. Deck the Halls

9. Fred Clause

10. Home Alone 1

11. Home Alone 2

12. Christmas Chronicles

13. The Princess Switch

14. Falling for Christmas

15. The Christmas Prince

16. 8-bit Christmas

17. A Christmas Story

18. A White Christmas

19. Daddy’s Home 2

20. Arthur Christmas

What we do on Christmas Morning:
Before we open gifts we read the story of Jesus’s Birth and Pray.
We open one round of gifts and then stop and let the kids enjoy it for a bit before moving on. Mike and I early in parenthood hated how it felt like the kids tore through everything without really appreciating each gift they would open. This didn’t mean they were ungrateful in spirit, it just became an obvious area that we needed to parent and approach differently on Christmas morning. We found that stopping and letting them play for a bit, it gave them time to look, play, enjoy, and be grateful before moving on to the next item. This makes for a way less chaotic moment and also slows it down so you can savor it all.
After opening gifts, we eat Christmas breakfast. This has become one of our favorite meals, we look forward to it each year! Michael sets the menu for this moment and it never disappoints. It’s a tradition we have been doing ever since we have been married and now we share it with our kids!

The Christmas season is such a sweet time! A time to start new rhythms and traditions. A time to savor sweet moments and make memories with each other. I am praying over your December that it will be marked with so many beautiful moments with each other and that there will be laughter, love, and a deep sense of gratitude for all the Lord has given us! I am praying that as you give your eye to it, the Lord will show you something new to start and that you will savor the month with the ones you love! It’s going to be a great month, in Jesus name!!

Finish strong this year...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 21:04:17 GMT

HEY DAD,

Finish strong this year...

I bet we have all heard that one saying, “It’s not how you start, but how you finish.” Why does that phrase get used all the time? Probably because it is easy to start something, but a lot harder to see it through to the end. It’s even more challenging to finish strong. And yet, I believe that God’s will for your life, Dad, is to finish strong in anything that you start. You weren’t meant to just barely get by or make it by the skin of your teeth. The same spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells on the inside of you, and because of that you have what it takes to finish what you start.

So as we head into December, what if this year you ended it strong, Dad? What if you pursued God hard this December? What if you gave your marriage and your family your very best this month? What if you hit the gym consistently this month? What if you put accountability software on your phone this month? What if you did excellent work and didn’t just mail it in at your job this month? I believe you can do it!

The apostle Paul had this to say about finishing strong in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” Wouldn’t it be great to say that as 2024 ends?! You fought the good fight and you remained faithful. I believe you can do this dad, and it doesn’t matter how 2024 started for you, let’s finish this year in strength.

Consider Jesus and his life as well. The greatest thing that Jesus did was the last thing He did. He did so many great things throughout His life, but giving His life for the world at the end was the most important. So even if 2024 got off to a rocky start, press on and finish it well. Or if you had some great wins this year, don’t just settle and coast the month of December. Finish this year strong!

Many times, how you finish a season will play a big role in your next season. So instead of seeing January 2025 as a clean slate, see December 2024 as a pivotal month to setup the New Year for success.

This week, meditate on 2 Timothy 4:7 and ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to finish this year strong and to empower you to follow through on it. You got this Dad! I believe in you!

Three quick tips I want to share...

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 21:04:00 GMT

HEY MOM,

Three quick tips I want

to share with you...

I was thinking this week of some really practical tips the Holy Spirit has coached me to do over the years of being a wife and mom, I know I’ve said it before but honestly the Holy Spirit is the greatest teacher, He will give you personalized tips and tricks all week long on how to strengthen your marriage and kids if you let Him! So today I just want to encourage you with 3 things the Lord has showed me…

A few months ago the Lord asked me to start praying for my kids more. It wasn’t like I wasn’t praying for them but sometimes there are seasons the Lord wants us to lean in greater in areas and I could sense that’s what He was asking of me here. I remember thinking “Ok I need to figure out how to make my thoughts trigger to them more, so that all through the day I would think and pray for them!” immediately without travail the Lord spoke to my mind and said “Put a picture of one of them as the wallpaper on your phone and every time you click on it (it’s almost like He knows I am on my phone A LOT ha!) you will see them when you see them pray for them! WOW so simple Lord. For the last 4 months I have rotated my kid’s faces through the wallpaper of my phone and every time I click on my phone and see their faces, I stop for 30-60sec and pray for them! I declare God’s blessings and promises over them, I pray strength to them, peace to them, the heart of God to be released in them, the mind of Christ to equip them. I pray for their gifts to be released, their future spouses and kids, I pray for greater wisdom on how to lead them as their mom, and so many other things I pray. I don’t pray these things all in the 60 seconds, but I choose one that I sense I need to pray and I pray into that for them. The Bible says in James 5:16 “The prayers of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Our prayers change everything! My mom used to tell me there is nothing like the prayers of mother and honestly, now that I am a mom I FULLY and DEEPLY believe this! Even since I have done this, I have sensed God give me a greater heart towards my kids, I feel the wisdom to lead and correct them, I have a deep discernment and patience to work with them and manage their thoughts and emotions, I’ve felt a greater bond with them and sense that I have more of their heart and trust. OUR prayers are powerful and effective! This week I want you to try this and lean into a greater level of prayer and declaration of God's promises over your kids…Test it and see!

So if you follow us on our socials, you know that Mike and I about a year ago started doing trending couples challenges. We started doing these to be so honest because we saw that viewers enjoyed content like this but man it quickly became one of our favorite posts of the week. We found that trying new things and being playful together was a POWERUL bonding agent. Our ability to work together, solve a fun problem, fail, and laugh so hard that our sides hurt became an atmosphere changer in our relationship at a greater level than it already had been. Mike and I quickly observed that if couples could just laugh, play, and enjoy each other this practical tip in and of itself could be a game changer and healing agent in marriages. Life, marriage, and family can get so serious. Without realizing it, it’s easy to become all business and no play. It’s easy to lose our childlike spirit, playful nature, and laughter in life. The Bible says in Proverbs 17:22, “ A cheerful heart is good medicine.” I agree and I have experienced this! I wish I could tell you that every week when Mike and I do these challenges, I “feel” like doing them but the truth is some weeks I really don’t, and some days I don’t feel playful or like I want to laugh, but its wild because we have committed to this rhythm in our content I come to those moments no matter what and every time they shift our whole mood and instantly connect us to one another afresh. I can’t express enough how important It is to enjoy and laugh with one another. If you have lost this—Find it! If you have never had this cultivate it. It will feel awkward at first but let the awkwardness bring laughter and bond you! Keep your hand to it, and commit to it once a week. Maybe do a couples challenge, maybe play a game of slap jack and looser puts kids down that night, maybe it’s doing something random and crazy together like jumping into the ocean or a lake. Maybe a funny story happened in the day SHARE it! A Merry heart is Medicine and it will be medicine to your marriage as you intentionally inject in.

The last tip to share is “ If you think it, say it.” Create a culture in your home where you very commonly say encouraging and uplifting things to one another, “just because.” One of my favorite things about the culture of our home is, is how unprompted and quite randomly we express how we feel about each other to each other. It’s common for my kids to come up to me and say something sweet or tell me how they feel about me. I really don’t believe this just happens. I believe it started with Mike and I setting the example of this. We tell our kids all through the week randomly what we see in them and how amazing we think they are. In turn, they, too, do the same thing! I have found it doesn’t even just stop with us; they are really good at using their words to encourage others even beyond our house! My rhythm is if I think the encouraging thing about Michael or my kids, I don’t let it just stay in my head and heart I say it…right then and there I say it! I think it’s important to be able to encourage for no reason at all; sometimes, if we aren’t careful, we can attach our encouraging words to being shared only when there are actions that provoke them, making our loved ones believe only when they do something great, they get our words. This week, practice it! Try it out! It may feel awkward at first, but it will get more familiar and easier, and over time, you will see the fruit of it!

I am praying for you all this week! God is with you, He is for you, and He is working all things together for your good! I am so grateful for his constant voice in my life teaching me how to be the best wife and mom! He wants to be the same for you!

When was the last time you made a moment?

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 21:03:37 GMT

HEY DAD,

When was the last time

you made a moment?

I know that I talk a lot about making moments with your children, but that’s because I really believe in them. Notice as well that I didn’t ask, “When was the last time you HAD a moment?” I said make, because I believe that life-impacting moments don’t just happen, they are intentionally created. I’m not saying that there won’t be moments that just happen and you can embrace with your family, I’m just suggesting that we shouldn’t leave it all up to chance. Yes, we need to embrace the moments that just come upon us, but let’s also be dads who intentionally plan out moments to have with our children.

God, actually modeled this for us. We see a few times when God had “a moment” with Jesus. Matthew 3:13-17, is one of the accounts where Jesus is baptized. After he comes up out of the water, a dove descends upon him, and the voice of His father is heard saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” What a moment that a father has with his son?! He publicly declares his love and pleasure for his boy. God is all about having moments with His children, and we need to follow His lead.

I think this on my mind right now because I am in the process of creating a moment for my first born. He turns ten this week, which is crazy to think about. I have been a parent for ten years already. It is said that as a parent, the days are long but the years are short, and how true that is. Anyway, Gabrielle and I feel like this birthday is meant to be a moment for us to leverage. This is a big deal; he will be going into a new decade and not just any decade. This is a decade where his body will begin to change, where how he feels about girls will change. In this decade, he will have to learn how to guard his purity, where he will make the decision to follow God not because of his parents but because he has decided to. He will drive this decade, graduate this decade, and get his first job in this decade. This will be the last decade where I will have the most influence in his life. Don’t get me wrong, I know that my voice will always carry weight in his life, but by the time he turns twenty, hopefully, I have led him to a place where his Heavenly Father is the one who has the most influence on him. Excuse me while I weep for a second…Okay, I’m back.

I have ideas of what I want to do, and when I have it flushed out I’ll share with you what I did, but in the meantime, I want to encourage you Dad to see a moment coming up for your sons and daughters, and to take some time to make a plan to celebrate it. As you do, let me give you a few tips and advice.

Pray about it first. You’re probably like, “Mike, I have no idea what to do. I’m not that type of person.” Well God is, and He gave you His Holy Spirit to teach and guide you. So pray and ask God what you should do, and then listen.

Get advice from other dads. This may be a new concept to you, so don’t be afraid to get some earthly wisdom. Ask other dads, who have already raised sons and daughters, and see what they did. Then you can steal the idea or adjust it a bit to better fit your family.

It doesn’t have to be expensive. Moments don’t have to cost a lot. They may require some investment but you do not have to break the bank to make a meaningful moment.

Leverage moments that life has already given you. You don’t have to manufacture a moment, life already gives you organic ones so play off of those. For me, it is my son turning ten, but it could be the first day of middle school or when your child turns thirteen. It could be their last day of school or the day they get their driver’s license. It could be after the opening night of the play that they are in, or after their first day of work. Life is full of meaningful moments, so look ahead and build off of one of those.

Have fun with this. This isn’t mean to be a chore, homework, or something that you are guilted into doing. These will be moments that you will cherish and smile at when you look back on them.

Go out there and create a moment, Dad! It will become a bonding moment for you and your children, and neither of you will be the same afterwards. Now, I pray that the Holy Spirit gives you a vision for this, that He would give you ideas and insight on what you are to do, and that He would be present during that moment. Have fun!

I am going to rant for a minute...

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 21:03:04 GMT

HEY MOM,

I am going to rant for a minute...

Ok I may step on some toes with what I’m going to say here but hear me out…

I have SO much beef with where the feminist movement has taken women’s perspectives and thoughts on womanhood. In the spirit of fairness and equality somewhere along the way women have forgotten, suppressed, belittled, and devalued the very beauty and essence that makes us who we are!! Believe me, I have drank that Kool-Aid once or twice in life too, so NO JUDGMENT! But I have gotten to a place in life where I don’t want anything or anyone defining who I am but the word of God! I have had moments in my womanhood, wifehood, and motherhood where I have felt myself responding or making decisions out of cultural norms rather than asking myself and God, “God what was your original intent for women when you made her? What was her role to be? What was her part to play? What did you want her pace to be?” It has become paramount for me in my faith journey to allow the Lord to set that narrative for me.

Our goal as faith-filled, Jesus following women is to be formed into the IMAGE of CHRIST! It’s very easy and subtle to allow culture to define us and set our perspectives. I have sensed the Lord in the last two years specifically, bringing me back and making me curious about “original intent.” Making me more concerned and aware of what God wants from me and my womanhood than what anyone else wants or even what I want. I have found myself in dialogue with Him saying “I truly just want what You want, and I want to function how heaven created me to function, so if I have overstepped, or been controlling, or have been culturally taught how to think in ways that don’t line up with You. I repent, I lay it down right now! I submit afresh! I yield! I want Your way more than mine!” That’s actually a really powerful moment because how much of your life you are willing to lay down for the Lord reveals how much you really do trust Him with your life.

I don’t enjoy that womanhood has gotten to a place that seems like one GIANT HUSTLE that defines us. That if we aren’t as strong as, working as many hours as, or have equal roles as a man then that makes us less of a woman. I don’t enjoy that there has been a massive swipe in my generation to devalue the gift and hard work of marriage and family, two things that if not intentionally and daily worked at will become unhealthy and impact every other area in life. I don’t enjoy that we think it’s a more important work to build our business than to build what matters most to God and that’s family and people! I don’t enjoy that we have lessened and diminished the role of creating and cultivating a home that is full of consistency, peace, responsibility, love, warmth, equipping for life and health as a lesser job roll in life. I would dare argue that because we have done this it is one of the main reasons there has been a major breakdown in society and in the struggling generations behind us.

I looked around a couple of years back and REALLY didn’t like what I was seeing in culture and all the things that kids were struggling with. I wanted to point so many fingers (and there are fingers to point) but I felt like the Lord said to me “Gabby if you don’t like, who your kids are becoming the only one to blame is you.” WOW Lord, thanks, but honestly the tone He said to me was so kind and honestly like He wanted me to understand the authority I have over my kids. Now I know our kids have freewill and their lives are not going to be perfect and without struggle or mistakes and God knows us as parents are not always going to be perfect-- but as a whole, who they are or aren’t becoming absolutely is a responsibility we hold in our hands. That’s weighty huh? You're right it is, and I sensed the Lord tell me when he said, "It was a GOOD thing that we feel that weight—because we should honor the role, and that only with HIM could we carry it—that’s how it was designed.” It’s like the craziest most kind and generous thought to me that God allowed us to co-create and co-reign with him in the earth! It’s the greatest honor that we have the ability to create and raise more image-bearers on the earth. The enemy hates this mandate and blessing God gave us and since the garden has been working in our hearts to try to get us to lay down our blessing and call it a burden.

I guess my point of this rant today ( and thanks for letting me do it), is to encourage us to evaluate where our truths are anchored when we think about our womanhood. Is it anchored in Christ? Do we believe He gave us a purpose from the beginning and that He knows what is best for us? Would we allow Him to tell us no or allow Him to rearrange our lives for His glory and the glory of our homes? Do we believe that He is our promoter and as we submit to Him he will cause our lives to flourish in every area? It’s important for us to be anchored in Christ in this area as moms and allow Him to define, teach, and correct us because if we are not we will be tossed around, fear mongered, and taught by culture on how to think on these things.

Pray and consider. Sit quiet and mediate. Allow the Lord to reveal whatever He wants to you and strength and define you as a women, wife and mom. You won’t regret it…I know I haven’t!

Love you all and are cheeeeering deep and wide for you and your homes!!

Here is a prayer that I have for you...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 21:02:35 GMT

HEY DAD,

Here is a prayer that I have for you...

In 2 Thessalonians 3:16, it says, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” Paul, the guy who wrote this letter to a church, ends with a payer and it is one that I feel like I need to pray for you, Dad. It is a prayer for you to have peace. I think peace can be undervalued by most dads. I bet if we were to ask ten guys give me your top five things that you want for your life, I bet very few would have peace in their top five. I get it, I’m not really sure if it would even make it in my top five. With that said, let me make a case for why I think you and I need peace more than we know.

Peace is needed to make good decisions. As a dad, you make decisions all the time. Sometimes they are small and sometimes they are big, but whatever the decision is you have a better chance of making the right decision if you are experiencing peace. When peace does not exist in your life, you will make shortsighted, fearful, and tired decisions that will impact yours and your family’s life negatively. Watchman Nee said, “When my emotions are stirred up, my conscience is robbed of its normal standard of judgment.” Dad you need peace and I pray the same as Paul prayed for you, that in “every situation” or in every decision you would be given peace so that you could make wise decisions.

Peace is needed to be and stay healthy. The opposite of peace is called by many names. Names like stress, worry, or anxiety and there are plenty of studies out there proving that if those are present in your life they will drastically impact your health. They are often the catalyst for a lot of diseases, they reduce your testosterone production, and they drain you of your energy. Dad, your family needs you around, and not just present but active and healthy. A life that experiences peace is a life that is both mentally and physically healthy, it is a life that can work hard to provide for your family, while still having the energy to love your wife and love your children.

Lastly, and this is very important to know; peace can be experienced no matter what the situation. God-given peace is not the absence of something, but the presence of someone. Most of us think that if we didn’t have that job or that boss that our lives would be more peaceful. Maybe we have thought that if the economy was different or if we moved out of our state that our lives would be more peaceful. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that if a job or relationship is toxic that you shouldn’t walk away from it, because maybe you should. That aside, the peace that I believe that you need is not some state of mind to get to, it is a person you need to encounter. That person is God, the Lord of peace, and is able to give you peace at all times and in every situation. And He sent the Holy Spirit to be a channel for your to encounter that peace.

So today I pray peace over your life. I pray you encounter the Lord of Peace. I pray that it would be peace that passes all understanding. I pray that you would have peace every day and in every situation. I pray peace to you, peace to your marriage, and peace to your home.

Good doesn't even scratch the surface...

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 21:02:16 GMT

HEY MOM,

Good doesn't even scratch the surface...

One of the things that resounds in my head and heart daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly is the goodness of God. If you know me, if I have been a leader in your life, or have counseled you over the years, you know that one of the most repetitive things that comes out of my mouth is the phrase “God is good, HE IS! Get your hopes up with him! He is with you, He is for you and He loves you!” Almost obnoxiously I have probably been like a broken record in some of your ears reminding you of this simple truth! Well….SORRY NOT SORRY because it's true and I have found that the way you think about God is so key to the way you interact with Him!

I can say this with deep conviction because I have lived enough like with the Lord now! My life has not always been easy, it has been laced with struggle, pain, disappointment, rejection, health battles, confusion, and the list goes on! If you are alive then you too have had similar or different struggles. Struggle is inescapable in life—it’s part of breathing and being alive, but you know what I have found about every moment of struggle? If you allow it, it will reveal to you the goodness of God in a deeper and wider way that you haven’t seen before. I have seen him come through every time! Even if it wasn’t how I thought it would turn out. I have seen Him heal, restore, encourage, make a way, provide, be present in my time of need, change the desires of my heart, and the list goes on…He always shows up! He is GOOD!

I have this moment of inner dialogue every time a hard season comes, I say, “Well, Lord, I am about to know You greater, I am about to love You deeper, and I am about to become a little bit more legit than I was before.” It’s like I know it’s about to get painful, but I know He is going be right with me, coaching me through, burning out what needs to go, and building up what He wants to build up in me because HE IS GOOD like that! Hard seasons have a way of taking your roots down deeper in Him and His goodness if you allow it! It purifies your love for Him! It’s easy to think He is good when all is going right, when there is overflow in the bank account when you prayed today, and it was answered the next day, when the promotion came, when the greatest man of God walked into your life, when your kids are healthy and thriving when you are moving about like with clarity and boldness. But is He still good when things look lean, when you're battling health issues, when there is a struggle in marriage, when your kid is a battle, and when you feel confused in life? Can you still see His goodness, can you love and seek him when it “feels like” He is far off, can your mouth still praise and declare His truth even though lies surround you?! This is territory where the reality of His goodness can take off in your life, where you become stronger in your love for Him because you are still able to praise His name and say He is good even in the face of deep pain and struggle. This is where you gain ground from the enemy and are formed more in the image of God.

I always have this image in my head, in these moments where I can see the enemy at the doorway of my pain, and I can hear him asking me, “Is your God still good? If He was with you, why would this have happened? Will you still praise His name?” Passionately, my spirit rises up and says YES! Yes, He is still good, and I still love him, and my life will serve Him, and my mouth will praise Him all the days of my life! Immediately in these moments, I see the enemy flee, and I now own the ground he was standing on when he was taunting me!

David in Psalms 103, spoke to his soul and commanded it to Praise the Lord and recount all of His benefits. To recite every good and perfect thing about the Lord, everything he knew and had experienced about the Lord up to that point in life. He says it three times “Praise the Lord oh my soul.” He must have needed to repeat it, till his soul caught up with his spirit and believed it! This is beautiful, powerful, and is the way! Sometimes you are going to have to repeat and command your soul multiple times in a day to recall the goodness of God. To think on His goodness, His faithfulness, His might and power, His healing, His forgiveness, His patience, His kindness…Till every part of you BELIEVES IT! This practice will make you a weapon in the hand of God and a threat to the gates of Hell.

So I am going to remind you what I remind myself and what I would remind you of, if you were sitting across from me having coffee, God is good, HE IS! Get your hopes up with him! He is with you, He is for you and He loves you! Wherever you find yourself today, let your mouth declare His goodness, and if you are struggling to see it, tell Him, ask Him to help you! He will! He will bring His goodness in your life to mind! I am praying for you, I am cheering for you, and believing for the goodness of God to hit your life in a fresh new way this week!

Do you have a strong-willed child? Pt. 2

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 21:01:41 GMT

HEY DAD,

do you have a strong-willed child? Pt.2

We’re talking about how we best parent our children who have a strong will. I have a few of those myself and on one hand, I am super grateful that I do because I know that they are going to do some really cool things with their life. Now do I struggle to see that sometimes? Of course, I do! When you’re in the thick of it and are trying to parent them, it can be very difficult to see what will be down the road. That’s why what I said last week is very important. You have to be praying for your children because not only will God give you a specific strategy to parent them, He will also give you a glimpse of what He sees when He looks at your child.

With that said, here are a few more tips to parent those strong leaders of ours…

Get energy out. These types of children need to exert their energy. I know all kids need that, but these specifically do. If you start to see them really getting out of control, don’t yell at them or express your frustration with them. Take them out to the trampoline and jump with them, get on the ground and wrestle with them, play catch with them, play an epic game of hide-and-go-seek with them, and do a kid-friendly workout with them. These kids have a lot of energy and that is so good, but you need to provide them with some outlets.

Set discipline ahead of time. These types of children will need strong boundaries and discipline. If not, then they will run wild and what is meant to be strength will eventually hold them back in life. That means these children need to be taught, choice and consequences at an early age, but with that said you should pre-determine those consequences. Many times, in an interaction with a strong-willed child, we escalate and drop a massive punishment on them that probably isn’t fair, and honestly, we don’t even want to happen. Does anyone else immediately regret a punishment sentence that you gave your child? So pick a specific behavior you want to address with your child, choose the appropriate punishment, and then during a normal time talk to your child about the behavior they need to work on and the consequences that will happen if they choose to do it anyway.

Don’t get emotional in the moment. Strong-willed kids can tend to get you more fired up than other types of kids, so things can escalate very quickly. With that said, it’s okay to walk away if you’re starting to lose your cool; it’s even okay to tap in your spouse for them to take over. Disciplining when you’re angry will not produce good results. Colossians 3:21 says, “Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.” For me, when I let my emotions get the best of me, I can see the impact it has on my kids. So do your best to not get there, and the moments of discipline will produce good results in the life of your child.

Watch your words. You will always need to address the behavior of your children, just make sure that you are always speaking life to their identity. Saying things like, “You are so hardheaded.” Or “What’s wrong with you?” Will begin to break down their identity and I know you don’t want that. Now don’t get me wrong, I have messed up in this area so I’m not judging you, but I do realize how important this point is so when I say something like that to my child, I will go right back to them, apologize, and then speak truth and life over them in that moment. Your words matter, especially to your children, so speak life over them!

Win their heart. This type of child, if you can connect with them will become your most loyal child. With that said, you need to win their heart. You need to spend time with them. You need to create positive moments with them. They will, at times, require more attention than the other ones during different seasons and that is okay. And I don’t mean buy them stuff either, don’t give them money, give them moments with you, don’t give them toys, give them your time. That will win their heart, and over time you will see a drastic change in them.

There you go, that child of yours is a blessing, and you were graced to parent them will. Make it happen, dad!

Do you have a strong-willed child?

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 21:44:34 GMT

HEY DAD,

Do you have a strong-willed child?

Any of you have a child who has a will like Rocky Balboa had when he fought Apollo Creed on them? Not sure if you do, but let me give you some signs of a strong-willed child. They will be the ones who will sit at the dinner table until 8:00 pm because they won’t eat the dinner you made but they can’t leave until they do. They are the one who lives by the code, everything is a negotiation. They are persistent, that is if they want something they won’t let it go until they get it. They will probably be the child where you have thought and maybe even said the words, “Man, nothing is ever easy with them…” I have a few of those myself, and the reason why I am writing about this today is because a lot of times these types of children have a lot of interactions with “discipline daddy.”

I’d like to say that I have navigated the raising of these types of children very well but honestly, I have failed horribly at times. But I came across this verse in my daily reading that stood out to me, it is found in Colossians 3:21 and it says, “Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.” It echoes another verse in Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”

I am finding that with strong-willed children, there is a way of parenting that is Godly and helpful to their development, but there is also a way of parenting that will frustrate them, make them angry, and even discourage them. So a great temperature check on how my parenting is going is if I see my child getting angry or discouraged rather quickly (and they normally don’t) then there is a chance that my parenting is playing a part in that.

If you can relate to any of this, let me give you some thoughts that will help better parent them.

1. Pray for them. Prayer is such an important part of raising kids, especially when they have a strong will. The thing about prayer is it does so much for the person praying. When you consistently pray for someone, you get God’s perspective on them, which you desperately need when you are a parent. You can’t just see who your child is now based on how they are behaving in a season, you have to see them as God sees them. You have to see them with their gifts, talents, abilities, and the possibility of who they will become and what they can do with their life. As Ephesians 6:4 says, we have to bring our children up with discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord, and to get that you need to be consistently reading your Bible and praying. You are going to need some unique strategies to parent that child throughout their life and you will need grace to do it, so pray and you will get it!

2. Change your perspective on them and their behavior. Let me tell you how God sees that strong-willed child of yours. When He sees your son or daughter, He says to Himself, “Man, they are going to accomplish so much with their life!” “There will be very little that they won’t be able to accomplish if they set their mind to it.” “That is a special young man and young woman that I created there.” I bet you struggle to see that right now, and I get it. No condemnation here, you have been in the trenches with this one and they are making you work for it. With that said, your child is special. That will is God-given and if pointed in the right direction, they will accomplish so much with their life. That child isn’t a problem, they aren'’t bad, they are just a frustrated leader. In other words, God made them to be a leader but they just don’t know how to channel it and use it for good. So when you have to correct them, obviously address the bad behavior but please make sure that you speak to who they are as well. Speak words like, “You are a leader.” “How God made you is good.” “You are going to accomplish a lot for the Kingdom of God.” Dad, your words have life and death in them, so once you see what God sees with your child, speak it over them.

I’ve got a few more thoughts on this subject, but I will stop here and give you more next week. You got this Dad!

There is something about traditions...

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 21:44:22 GMT

HEY DAD,

There is something

about tradition...

One of the things God gave us such a desire to do with our family was to start traditions. Traditions are powerful to the family rhythm and the unity of your home. They are sweet intentional injections into the week and year that aren’t common enough to be taken for granted. They become time together that the family can look forward to, where technology and normal pace are cleared out and bonding and memories are made.

Some of my sweetest memories as a kid were the traditions we had as a family. Family Vacations every year in South Carolina, Christmas Eve always spent with cousins having a big meal, baking non stop the moment fall hit to the moment Christmas came, harvest party at church every year (because we weren’t allowed to trick or treat haha), Pancakes every Sunday after church, Sauce every other Sunday. However big or small the tradition was, they all stand out in my heart even to this day and have had an impact on creating my own with my family.

Traditions are sometimes just naturally born but it always takes intentionality to keep them! Mike and I at the top every year have a moment of prayer and fasting to dedicate this next year to the Lord. We always ask the Lord to help us plan our year and set our goals. It’s always at this time when we have conversations about what we want to start and stop in the house and what we want to accomplish with the kids this next year. We have learned if we don’t plan and purpose in our hearts to do something it doesn’t just naturally happen in full family life. The bible says “Man makes plans but God orders the steps.” Mike and I do our best to make plans and be intentional with our traditions as a family but always keep a loose grip and open heart to the things God wants to bring into our home in a year.

Some traditions are weekly and some traditions are yearly. Our weekly ones have adjusted over the years but some of the special ones are “Pasta Sundays” where Mike and I make sauce every week for us to enjoy an Ode’ to our Italian heritage. Then there is “Homemade Pizza Fridays” where we make our pizzas and watch a movie all together. Pancake Saturdays when Michael makes his PERFECT pancakes. We have done this one ever since Ford was able to eat real food. Oh shoot I am just realizing our weekly traditions are all built around FOOD haha! We do love our food! Some of our yearly traditions have been, A trip to Palm Desert every year before school starts, hosting Thanksgiving at our house, not watching Christmas movies till Thanksgiving day, doing all the items on our Christmas Checklists, ….My kids look forward to each of these moments, they anticipate and actively participate in these times. There have been funny, sweet, chaotic, imperfect, tearful, and blissful moments in each of these traditions. Traditions are not always perfect but they don’t have to be—the point is time spent, intentionality, and anticipatory moments injected into your family rhythm that bring surprise, fears conquered, laughter, and ultimately a stronger bond between us all.

Some of you may be the first ones in your family to start these moments for your house but you can do it! Pray ask God for inspiration for something that fits and would bless your family's passions and style. Choose one thing to start and stick to it no matter what! Make it a part of your yearly discipline to schedule and plan it out at the top of the year. If you have older kids get them in on it, get their ideas, and cast a vote! Make it fun! It’s not too late, you can be the first one to do this. Pray, make a plan, and commit to it!

Praying for you guys as you pray and consider what traditions to add to your family!

Here are three things...

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 21:44:05 GMT

HEY MOM,

Here are three things...

My oldest Ford is about to be 10 years old and entering the second decade of his life. SO HUGE! When I tell you that the strength and willpower in this one is going to the next great level…I MEAN IT! Was that a positive enough way of describing this new season with him? Ha! Truly it has felt like a battle of the wills at times and I’m telling you like the Ford Automobile slogan my Ford is “Built Tough” haha in every way! I wouldn’t change him for annnnything! I literally look at him and think “Dear God this boy is a BOSS.” I see strength upon strength in him and even though some of those strengths operate sometimes as a weakness for him right now I see the potential, I see the gold!

The other day Mike and I were so bothered by some of our recent moments with Ford and in our time of prayer in the mornings, we just began to pray and ask the Lord for grace and strategy on how to parent Ford in this next decade. I want to share with you what came of this prayer moment because the Lord was so in the moment guiding and coaching us and I know He wants to do the same for you.

The first thing the Lord led us to do was PRAY in the spirit for Ford! That’s right, we are Holy Spirit people loud and proud and truly I don’t know what I would do without the coaching of the Holy Spirit in parenthood! The Bible says in Romans 8:26 “And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words.”

Let’s be honest sometimes we don’t know how to pray…that’s OK! The Holy Spirit does and he will lead you and guide you and give you the words to speak and pray out! This happened in our time of prayer! God began to have us declare His promises over Ford and speak to Fords God given purposes. He began to give us exact words to pray heaven into his life and Hell out of it! He gave us fresh perspective and a renewed heart to see him the way God sees him. Prayer works and sometimes even if you have to wait to see it unfold (like we talked about last week) pray keeps you steady and fresh believing God!

Second thing He did was give us strategy. I am telling you the Lord desperately wants to be included in our parenting. He never meant for us to do this absent from Him. It requires Him! He has alllll the tips and tricks and knows exactly where your kids are emotionally, physically, and spiritually and He will give you insight and keys to unlock their hearts toward Him, you, and life! One of the specific things He pointed out to us for Ford was “He is entering a new decade and it’s time for MORE to be required of him.” When He spoke this to my heart it literally was like truth rang through my body! I knew this was not a me thought but a God thought and a KEY to Ford's next steps in equipping! It was brilliant and made perfect sense! He told me “Ford is stepping into one of the most significant decades of his life soon, his spirit knows it and so does his flesh. He said the fight and the struggle are actually a cue for you (as parents) and him for MORE…He is hungry for more, he is ready for MORE and even though his flesh cries out for it for natural things it's actually his spirit wanting more. More equipping, more adventure, more responsibility, more discipleship, more laughter, more community, more trust, MORE! YOU GUYS this is SO BRILLANT! All of a sudden some of Ford’s attitudes made sense and actually felt HOLY instead of SINFUL. Now don’t get me wrong his attitudes need to be parented, adjusted, and consequences or they will turn sinful but the hunger he feels for more is actually a HOLY hunger from God, and in a place of prayer for him, God showed us this! Now instead of feeling beat up by this parenting moment, I feel invigorated, curious, prayerful, and eager to mom this moment well with Ford! Only God does this!!

The third thing He did was encourage us! He said “Don’t be overwhelmed by this I am with you! This is a GOOD season! Be faithful and consistent with him. Stick to your word peacefully. Don’t let your mouth speak evil but continuously speak to the Man of God in him!” Life came back to us! Now don’t get me wrong literally later that night all this was put to the test and we know it will be tested again Ha! But God has spoken! He has brought us the next steps and strategy and He is with us and this is truly all we need to raise our kids well!

I am praying for you and your houses this week! Wherever there is struggle, confusion, weakness in marriage or parenting take it to the Lord! He will show you how to pray like heaven is praying, He will give you strategy that will blow your mind, and He will encourage you in a way that brings fresh breath to your lungs!

You got this!

Do you need help?

haley@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 21:43:44 GMT

HEY DAD,

Do you need help?

I’m not someone who likes to journal. I’ve tried to pick up that discipline many times throughout my life, but I’ve always struggled to stay consistent with it. I’ve even bought cool-looking journals to help motivate me. It didn’t by the way, but I do have a good collection of blank journals now. With that said, I started 2024 with a conviction to try to journal again. Gabrielle and I would be entering a year like none other for us, and I felt like I would need an outlet. So I grabbed one of my cool yet manly-looking journals from my shelf and I started to write.

It’s now October and I would say that most days I write something. Sometimes I write out prayers that are in my head, sometimes I write out requests that I have for God, sometimes I write out my doubts, fears, and frustrations. But some of the words that I find myself writing consistently is, “God help me.”

I think that is one of the most genuine and spiritual things you can write and prayers you can pray. Yet I wonder how often you personally make that request of God? I get it, generally, it’s hard for guys to ask for help, I know I don’t like to. I struggle to ask for help so much that if I’m in a store and can’t find something, I’d rather walk out than ask an associate for help. Ever done that?

Here is what I think. One, most dads struggle to ask for help, and two most dads need it pretty badly. It’s okay to need help, in fact, if you’re authentically following Jesus, you will find that He will lead you to places where you need Him more not less. In fact, a sign of spiritual maturity is more dependency on God, not less. And guess what you are going to have to pray a lot on that journey? “God help me.”

It’s good to need God’s help at work, in your marriage, and when it comes to raising kids. It’s good to need God’s help to walk free from an addiction or to add a new healthy discipline in your life. Needing God’s help is a good thing, so ask for it. Pray it. Whisper it under your breath before you are about to give that presentation at work. Think it while you are in the middle of an argument with your son. Repeat it after me now, “God help me.”

God won’t fail you Dad; He loves you and is for you. So this week, pray that prayer as many times as you need to. I leave you with what Psalms 121 says about the God that you pray to.

Psalm 121:1-8, “I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! 3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. 6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. 7 The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. 8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.”

It's good to wait...

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 21:43:24 GMT

HEY MOM,

It's good to wait...

Who wrote that ^ line?… Surely not me! Ha! I hate to wait…I am a mover and a shaker in all things in life, tending to move at clip speed always. I want to get to where I am going with no delays and start enjoying the final destination I arrive at ASAP. I don’t linger or procrastinate on anything I want to make happen, it’s like why wait till tomorrow to make the call or ask the questions when you can do it today? A common phrase out of my mouth in life is a cheerful, encouraging “LET’S GO” with !!! and a dance emoji! I want to make things happen today and not have to wait till tomorrow. Is anyone else like me in this?

I love this about me, I really do! This drive has led me to some cool places, spaces, and people! I have done and accomplished A LOT with this and I really do believe this is a part of the way the Lord made me to be! That being said, it also SUCKS ha! If you are alive you know that life is FULL of waiting, if you have read your bible you can clearly see that it is FULL of waiting. Being in times or places of waiting is inevitable in life. It’s even harder these days because of how “instant” life has become! We can have so many things right now at just a click of a button! This is not real life and is a false reality to how the most important and meaningful things in life actually come to us.

Thank goodness for the help of the Holy Spirit that saves us from ourselves and teaches us a better way than “earthly-minded living.” He has coached me and taught me over the years the goodness and the discipline in waiting. The character and the humility that is built in waiting and most importantly the intimacy with Him that is built in times of waiting. God is a God of the process, He is never trying to just get you to a destination overnight (even though He could). He is always using time and circumstances to form more of Christ on the inside of us! God is always planting so much vision in our hearts, a fresh idea, a hunger to become more, or a transition into something fresh, and the same God who plants that vision in our hearts is the same God who knows exactly the timing it needs to unfold and all the He wants to build in us along the way.

It takes faith to wait. It’s easy to believe God when we have all we want but when God puts something in our hearts and we have to wait for it…We have to contend for it…We have to stick close to Him to discern it…when no one else gets it but God…Yet we still stand up and hold our ground for it…Well, that’s the grounds where DEEP and RICH faith is created. You can’t get that faith any other way than in the waiting. When we think of waiting it can feel at times like a boring or passive phase, like riding out time till we get to where we are going. However WAITING UPON THE LORD is incredibly intentional, purposeful, it’s a posture of inclining, clinging, dependency, and I believe what we do in the waiting determines how long we stay in the waiting.

One of Mike and I’s favorite verses for fifteen years now is Lamentations 3:23-26

“Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”

25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
26 So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord.

A line in my heart always is “Gabby it is good to wait upon the Lord” and I truly have found it is. I know God deeper and wider in His nature and character because of times of waiting and contending for His promises to come to pass. I know Him greater for waiting upon Him for timing and strategy on things rather than leaning on my own understanding! So I say to you today “It’s a good thing to wait upon the Lord” Whatever you are and have been believing God for keep seeking him, keep fixing your eyes on Jesus, keep asking for His strategy. He is faithful and He will do what He has promised. And lastly, enjoy the process there really is so much joy and fulfillment in the waiting! I am praying and believing with you this week for all God is doing in and through your life! He is so intimately involved and knows exactly what He is doing!! You got this!

It takes time...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 21:43:04 GMT

HEY DAD,

It takes time...

There's this story that was told to me that I think about often. It goes something like this…There once was a farmer who got into his truck to head into town to grab some supplies. On his way, he passed by his neighbor’s property and saw him putting up a fence with his two sons. After a few hours, the farmer headed home and when he got close to his property he noticed that his neighbor and his sons had barely made any progress on the fence. He was so perplexed by their lack of progress that he parked his truck on the side of the road, and made his way to where they were. When he got there, he remarked to his neighbor that at the pace they were moving it would take forever to build that fence. His neighbor’s response was, “Oh you are mistaken…I’m not building a fence right now, I’m raising sons.” See the goal for the neighbor was not to build the fence quickly, but to teach his sons how to build a fence correctly and that was going to take time.

The truth is, fathering cannot be done quickly. It takes patience and time to raise sons and daughters, and often it also takes time to see the results. I think it is important for you to read that because our culture rarely puts an emphasis on things that take time. We hate to wait. We like results right away, we like shortcuts, and if something is taking time we usually think that something is wrong. I get it, I feel the same way about waiting and so I am working on rewiring my brain to see fathering with a different perspective.

The reason is because fathering is not just telling your children what to do and not to do. It’s also about instructing them on how to do it, and modeling before them what it looks like. That takes time and it also requires your presence. I need to be around my kids enough for them to see me treat their mother with respect and love. They need to see me get frustrated but keep my cool. They need me to let them try putting their bike chain on their bike with me instructing them, and not me doing it for them. They need me to encourage them as they try to do a front flip on the trampoline and then watch me try it and fail horribly. They need to sit next to me while I read my Bible out loud to them.

Listen, you are raising sons…You are raising daughters…You’re not just “building a fence.” This will take time, it will take intentionality, it will take patience, it will take self-control, but it is necessary and so worth it! I know you might feel overwhelmed at the thought of doing all that, but don’t forget who you have on the inside of you. You have the Holy Spirit! And because of that, you have access to what is found in Galatians 5:22-23. It says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

You can do this Dad! Whenever you start getting frustrated, remind yourself that you are raising sons and daughters, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Then watch how you begin to father at another level, and how your children will be prepared for all that God has for them. So go build a fence with them…

What have you done for yourself lately?

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 21:42:26 GMT

HEY MOM,

What have you done

for yourself lately?

I am asking this question to you but also to me. I am not so good at intentionally taking time for myself! Our neighbor, Mr. Ray, is the biggest champion in asking me this question. He sees me doing all the things that make up my life, the comings and the goings of all we do, and always right when I haven’t thought about the question for a while, he will send a gentle reminder by asking “What have you done for YOU lately?” HA! I always feel so judged and sweetly seen all at the same time. Motivated and irritated all at the same time! I am so grateful for it because it almost seems like that question shakes me out of the “hustle trance” and reminds me that making sure that I am healthy and thriving is important to my holistic health.

Sometimes…and don’t judge me for this…I will get so irritated with Michael when he asks me for time away to go golf or go see a movie, or whatever. I have this quick moment where I want to be so mad at him for asking this question. I’ll never forget this one day He asked me to go golf and I said yes but in my heart I was irritated because I knew that would mean me in the thick of it with the kids for 4.5 hours by myself. I remember huffing and puffing about it and the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said “You could ask him for time away too…but you don’t” Weeeeellllll shoot, THAT is accurate. I immediately was aware that I never ask for time away and if I did Michael would graciously and supportively say "Yes, go, have fun!" All of a sudden this became a ME issue and not a MICHAEL issue! Hate when that happens…Ha! I really am so grateful for the Holy Spirit who calls me out on my stuff so that I don’t live in an unhealthy and darkened way. He will do the same for you if you let Him!

I’d love to tell you this revelation instantly jolted me into a place of self-care and immediately I became the happiest YES ma’am to Michael when he asked….but no! This is still a tension I manage. What it did do was open my eyes and give me a healthy perspective that I can’t deny. A perspective that calls me higher when I want to live lower. When he asks me, my lower self still kicks in but my higher self reminds me quickly this is good for him, as well as compels me to set the time aside for me as well.

Maybe some of you are like me and this does not come naturally to you. Maybe you never saw your mom taking time for herself, or having hobbies, maybe you are a massive worker bee and never think to stop and enjoy life; this will be new territory to step into. It’s WORTH IT! Sometimes we get so mad at other people for knowing what they need simply because we don’t take enough time to stop and ask OURSELVES what do you need?

This week pray and ask yourself (just like my sweet neighbor asks me) “When was the last time I did something for me?” “If I had to do something for me, what would I do?” Maybe it’s a hike, maybe it’s painting, maybe it’s learning something new, maybe it’s time with a special friend, maybe it's reading somewhere lovely, maybe it's shopping. Whatever it is schedule it out, take the time for yourself to fill up, get inspired, and be refreshed so that you can go back into marriage, family, work, and activities full and ready!

Let's get practical...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 21:42:02 GMT

HEY DAD,

Let's get practical...

Last week I wrote on connecting with your kids and hopefully after reading it you were encourage and not discouraged. I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I read content on fatherhood I feel like more of a piece of crap than a good dad…But that is not true of me and it is not true for you either. If you’re reading this then it means that you desire to be a better dad which tells me that you already are a good one. Don’t get down on yourself!

For this week, I thought I’d share some of the content that went on the “cutting room floor” of my last post. Sometimes I write too much for a post, and I have to cut good but not necessary content out. There was some content from last week that I cut that I actually think will help you continue to get better at connecting with your kids. With that said, here are some additional thoughts and tips on connecting.

Think in quality not quantity. Don’t feel the pressure to have a million moments with each kid, just try to have meaningful ones because certain moments carry more weight than others. With that, look to leverage certain days to create those quality moments, like: birthdays, first and/or last days of school, making the honor roll at school, after their school play performance, turning thirteen, their first day of their first real job, etc.

Connecting is unique to the makeup of your child. Some of your kids connect best by doing something with them like throwing a football around. Some will connect best if you go shopping with them, others if you let them get some ice cream and play a card game with them. Ask the Holy Spirit, and your wife, to figure out what is the best way to connect with each kid and craft that moment to best setup you and your kid for success.

They need your words. When you spend time with them, leverage that time to talk to them. Ask them questions, and respond with follow-up questions after they answer. Speak life over them in those moments and beyond. They will hear your voice when you bring corrections, just make sure they also hear your voice speaking something positive over them.

They need your attention. Do not multi-task when you spend time with them. Put the phone away, and don’t do something like watch TV together because that is not connecting with them, that is just being in the same room.

These moments are more likely to happen if you plan them. You’re busy, I get it, so these moments don’t happen organically, they usually only happen if you plan them.

Some kids you might have to connect with more for a season. For example, right now I feel like I need to spend more time with Ford but that might not always be the case. Down the road it will be another one of my kids. This isn’t a socialistic approach, it is a spirit-led strategy to help you best father all of your kids.

Whatever you do, be consistent with it. Nothing will frustrate your child more than starting and stopping something. With that said, if this is new for you then don’t go big right away. Small consistent steps are the best way to establish routines that will stick.

Okay hope that helps you become a Rockstar at connecting with your kids. You got this dad, go make some cool memories with them!!

Your marriage is the most important...

Gabrielle@houseofroberts.com (Gabrielle Roberts) — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 02:41:51 GMT

HEY MOM,

Your marriage is the

most important...

This is for all my married mama’s and if you are a wife in waiting this is for you too…read and consider for the future! I am writing this as Mike and I celebrate 15 years married today! All I keep thinking to myself today is “Marriage is such a gift!” It’s not easy and you never arrive and yet it’s proven to be one of the greatest adventures and one of the greatest ways I continue to know and grow in God daily. The Catholic Church considers marriage a holy sacrament because they believe it is one of the ways Christ is formed in us greater. If our spouse was perfect and if we always felt like loving them and serving them there would be no need for God in it but as all of us know this is just not the case. Marriage is a continual opportunity for us to tap into our greater nature, our God nature, and to love and serve our spouse like Christ served us, thus providing us the opportunity to have Christ formed DEEPER in us! We can’t do it by ourselves we were never supposed to!

Mike and I have a mantra that we always say not only to ourselves but anytime we get the opportunity to speak to married couples. We say “The greatest thing you can do for your kids is love your spouse.” Sometimes we get it so backward and it’s so easy to do. We tell ourselves the greatest thing we can do for our kids is LOVE THEM with all we have, and in some ways yes that’s correct, but it can’t be at the cost or in place of loving our spouses first (Well second after God of course)! Every time Mike and I leave for date night the kids always say “Please don’t leave us!” Michael always tells them “You want us to go, it’s good for us to go, Mommy and Daddy are better at being a mommy and daddy when we go on dates and spend time together.” It’s true! We really are! As Michael and I have endeavored to keep each other a priority through the years it has kept us being the best versions of ourselves as we parent our four kids. Our marriage health directly affects the health at which we parent. It affects the unity and the spirit in which we parent, and it impacts the way our kids think about marriage or if they think about it at all.

I have had this awareness over the last few years that I believe is from God, an awareness that our kids our watching our marriage. That they are observing if it looks like we like and enjoy each other, they are figuring out appropriate affection through the way we physically handle each other, they are seeing what humility looks like through how we serve one another, what forgiveness looks like when we fail one another, what honor looks like in the midst of a disagreement, what communication looks like through our interactions. This awareness holds me accountable! it compels me to keep working at my marriage so that it is authentically growing. NOT PERFECT but authentically in a continual, intentional way, becoming a marriage that is thriving to be in and reflects Christ to my kids!

Healthy Marriages produce Healthy Kids! The best thing we could do for our kids is love our spouses fiercely! I am praying for our marriages! I am praying this week that the Lord would point out one thing we can do to better to love, serve, and honor our spouse! That He would turn our hearts deeply towards one another and that we would see each other through the eyes of Christ! That if there is pain or disunity that this week healing would come and forgiveness and freedom would take over! I am praying our marriages reflect heaven itself and make it the most beautiful thing for our kids to catch vision for in life! In Jesus name!!

How can we get better at connecting with our kids?

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 02:41:34 GMT

HEY DAD,

How can we get better at

connecting with our kids?

I had this conversation with my wife the other day about our firstborn, Ford. She made this comment that she felt like it was important for me to make sure that of all my kids, of which we have four, I am having enough bonding moments with him in particular right now. I started to think about that and I knew that she was right…Shocker. See my firstborn is the one that I butt heads with the most. I love the crap out of that kid; he made me a dad, and I can still remember the first time me and him locked eyes in the hospital room. But he tends to be the one that I have to correct the most right now, and if I’m honest the one that I tend to overreact to the most.

After a deep dive into why that is, I think it is a combination of things. One, he is my firstborn, so whatever he is walking through for the first time, I am fathering for the first time and that makes me feel inadequate more times than I like to admit. So sometimes I react to him, not necessarily because I am mad at him but because I feel uncomfortable and unprepared and so I respond out of my own insecurities. Another reason why we butt heads a lot is because we are just different. When you have multiple kids, you will begin to see that there are some kids that it is easier for you to understand and figure out than others, and the reason for that is there are some who think and see the world more like you and others that think and see it differently than you. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of ways Ford is like me but there are enough differences where it can trigger me if I’m not careful.

Okay so where am I going with this? In Proverbs 13:22 it says, “Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren…” The verse is speaking in terms of wealth, it says that good people store up extra money that can be passed on so that it can be withdrawn at the right time. So how does this relate to me connecting with my kids? I propose that a good dad not only stores up financial capital for his kids but also emotional capital knowing that at times, withdrawals will have to be made. What does an emotional capital withdrawal look like? It’s when you have to correct them, even if it is necessary and you do it the right way, that still pulls on that bank account. When you overact and raise your voice or say something that is not life-giving, you make a withdrawal. When you make a promise but have to go back on it, you’ve made a withdrawal. With that, just like a normal bank account you can overdraw your emotional account, and there are signs that you are beginning to do that. For example, if you make a promise but your kid doesn’t trust it, then you know you’ve overdrawn. Or have you ever just called your kid by his or her name and the first thing that comes out of their mouth is, “I didn’t do it!” And that’s because they just assume that you are going to yell at them about something, and then you know you have overdrawn the account.

But I know you, you’re a good dad, or at least you want to be better at it. So how do we keep making deposits into the emotional bank accounts that we have with each child? That’s where my wife’s advice comes in. You make deposits by the time you spend with your kids and the words that you speak over them. So anytime you have a one-on-one moment with your kid, you are making a deposit. Anytime you speak a life-giving, identity-shaping word over them, you are making a deposit. Anytime you do what you said you would do, even though you're exhausted, you are making a deposit. Listen, you’re not perfect, and neither am I, and that means we are going to make mistakes/withdrawals, so the goal then is to make sure that we are also making deposits as well.

Take a moment and look at the week ahead of you. Is there any time scheduled when you are just connecting with your kids? Any one-on-one time on the calendar? If not, then schedule some. If your calendar has you coming home late every night this week, change it to come home early. It may not be easy but it is worth it! This week, let’s make some deposits with our kids. You got this!

Let's train up rulers...

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 02:41:15 GMT

HEY MOM,

Let's train up rulers...

One of the best pieces of marriage advice I got from one of Michael’s great Aunts was, don’t start a habit in your home that you’re not willing to do for the rest of your life. I know it seems kind of intense and a downer but she said it in joy with love and wisdom. When she said it, I knew she meant, “Hey there are some things we start in love that aren’t necessarily helpful to the marriage or the family dynamic long term. Things we start in the beginning that seem cute but then 10 years down the road seem not so cute.”

I’ve met with lots of women over the years in ministry and one of the things I have observed is that some of the things that seemed cute in the beginning of marriage and family no longer seem so cute 10-15 years down the road. For example, you used to love that he lets you call the shots and plan all the things you did together, but now you think he should do more, plan more, and speak up more about these things. How about with kids? You used to love taking care of all your kid’s needs, cleaning their rooms, doing their laundry, and taking their dirty plate to the sink, but now that your kids are teenagers you’re frustrated that they don’t offer to help you with anything. And you feel like more of a maid than a mom. I have observed this through the years and have wondered how can we prevent these “habits” or “rhythms” from forming in our family.

See at the core of us all is the same DNA as Christ, we are “Rulers.” Destined to reign and take dominion in the earth to subdue all of creation and tend to it (Genesis 1:28). It was a part of the original intent of our lives when God created us! We are all created to have authority in the earth and lead in the areas assigned to us by God with strength, wisdom, discipline, and power.

Over the years the Lord has called me out so many times about needing to be in control and trying to do too much for my kids. I know that sounds so ridiculous because I know we are to serve one another well and like Christ served us. I truly endeavor and aim to always do this in my days, but I have felt the Lord caution me to not over serve them in ways that take the fight out of them. In ways that try to diminish the “reigning” in their blood, that keeps them from feeling the discomfort or disciplines of life, and that really ultimately leads them deeper into Christ.

Proverbs 22:6 says, “TRAIN up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” As moms we are called to “TRAIN UP” and this isn’t easy or quick work. I actually call this a “longsuffering” work! This a work that requires time in with them, constant patience, and a teaching spirit. Which for some of us who like things to be in order and done ever so beautifully (my hands up) is a massive sacrifice to our own ways that bring us pleasure. But remember one day that cute way you used to make their lunch ever so beautifully for them every day won’t seem so cute when they are a young adult and they have no skill or desire to make themselves or one-day family something to eat.

I’ll never forget a couple of years ago the Lord was calling me out MAJOR for this. The girls who are SO HELPFUL would always ask to help me in the kitchen with dinner, or help me clean the house, or make my bed and I would always so sweetly decline their offer but tell them they could sit with me while I did whatever I was doing. I remember the Holy Spirit left and right was telling me “Listen to them, they want to help, that’s ME in them, that’s their RULER in them wanting to be trained, TRAIN THEM!” He would say, “When you tell them no it's taking the hunger out of them. ONE DAY when you want them to ask to help you, they won’t and you will be mad. There will be no one else to blame but YOU, you TRAINED them to not ask!” DAAAAAANG LORD! I wanted to be mad but He was right, and I knew it! I repented and said Lord HELP ME get out of my way of doing things and TRAIN THEM in life to rule and reign in whatever phase they are in. This is a major conviction that rules the way I parent in life now. I’d love to tell you it was an overnight easy change but to be honest, it took a couple of months of me dying to myself to change my ways and habits. However, soon it got easier and became my new normal. It meant their lunches wouldn’t look so perfect, it meant the dishes would be stacked a little less straight in the dishwasher, it meant I may have to go back over the floors because they missed a spot, it meant making dinner would have to be a slower process because it would take them more time measure a spice out, but if the end game is to TRAIN UP then there is no other way. If it is to equip them to RULE in the earth then there is no other way!

What an HONORED seat of responsibility in the earth right? That we GET TO train up a generation for God in the earth that will rule, reign, and subdue just as they should, just as we are! I am praying for us this week that we would partner with the Holy Spirit to change habits, set new ways, try new things, get out of our way, take the time, and answer the questions necessary to TRAIN up our kids!

What does success look like for you?

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 02:40:56 GMT

HEY DAD,

What does success look like for you?

How do you define success right now? For me, I’ve found that over the course of the 42 years I’ve been on the planet my definition of success has evolved. When I was a teenager, success was being able to dunk a basketball and eventually play in the NBA; a big dream for a short, stocky, Italian boy. When I got older and had my first job as a Youth Pastor, success was doubling my youth ministry in six months…By the way, it actually shrunk at first. Later on, success was marrying my wife, getting promoted, making more money, and so much more. Then we had children and I began to wrestle with what success really looked like for me.

Enter our man Philip who we have been looking at these past few weeks. There is one more time that Philip is mentioned in the Book of Acts. It is Acts 21:8-9, “The next day we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.”

As a reminder, Philip enters the scene of scripture by being chosen to help build a newly birthed church. Out of thousands, only seven men were chosen for a certain task, and Philip was one of those men…That’s success. Then he travels to a city called Samaria and begins to tell the people there about Jesus and what happens? We see crazy miracles taking place and the salvation of many… That’s success. Then we see him traveling to a remote road in the desert, simply because God told him to do it. And what happens next? He has this sovereign meet-up with an Ethiopian Official, he tells the man about Jesus, baptizes him, and then God supernaturally transports him to another town. Yes, you read that right, God straight Star Trek beamed him out of there. Having something happen to you that we only see in Sci-Fi movies…Success.

Then we have Acts 21 and I think this is where we see Philip experiencing true success. Yes, he was given opportunities to lead…Yes, he was someone that people would travel to hear speak…Yes, God did some supernatural things through him and for him…But most importantly, all four of his daughters knew God personally and were operating in the gifts that God had blessed them with. As a father, that is true success.

What is it, if we hit a certain level of success only to see our children live lives that are less than what God has for them? How would it feel to attain success only to have our sons and daughters struggle? All I know is that that type of life is not what God has for you, Dad. It is never in His plans for your life to find success at the expense of your children.

Maybe you already have come to that realization like me, if so then good. My next question then is what are doing to help them succeed? It’s this crazy tension we all must manage because, on one hand, we need to keep pursuing what God has put in our hearts, but we must do it in such a way that we are parenting our children to do the same. I want my children to go farther than me, but in order to do that they must see me go far. And the only way they will see their dad go far is if I am intentional in bringing them along the way.

My kids are still pretty young so I am now wrestling on how to do this. Below are some practices that I have observed fathers do whose kids are older than mine and are succeeding in life:

They make sure that you are spending quality time with their sons and daughters.
They observe and ask God to show them the talents and abilities that He has gifted them with.
They invest in the gifts and talents that they see in their children.
They model an authentic pursuit of Jesus.
They make in-person church a priority.
They serve in their local church and have their children join them.
They teach their kids early on about money.
They are intentional about the friends that their children have.

There are many more, but I know that if you ask God the best way to lead and parent your children He will show you. Also, never be intimidated to ask dads who are farther along than you for wisdom. My prayer for you this day is that your life would not only be filled with success, but you would also see your sons and daughters flourish as well.

You set the temp...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 02:40:36 GMT

HEY MOM,

You set the temp...

I’ve heard it said that the mom sets the temperature of the house. That her presence has the power to direct the mood of the home. I really have found this to be true and I have lived with a conviction and sense of authority to help direct my home in a strong, hopeful, peaceful, and joyful way. I have found that my kids will meet the same temperament I bring to the room. So If they come home from school and I am low-energy, frazzled, overwhelmed in nature, irritable, or melancholy, I promise you they will become the product of that environment in some form. On the flip side of that, if they come home from school and they are met with joy, engagement, energy, peaceful direction, and soundness of mind they will become a product of that environment.

This is not just theory, I have played around with this thought multiple times to test it. God brought my eyes to this as a younger mom when all my babies were at home, He would show me how when I was overwhelmed and leading the house in that way how the kids would act and behave. He wasn’t showing me this to make me feel shameful or discouraged. He was showing me this because He had a better way and He wanted to teach me. A couple of things He has taught me over the years in this:

- Worship sets the mood- This one wasn’t a hard one for me to implement because worship has always been one of the main ways I connect with God but the Lord would have me start the kids days with worship on. When they were eating breakfast and I was getting them ready for the day worship was in the background and as we listened we would sing, and praise and lift our hands in between bites to start our days with praise. THIS injected joy into my family to start our days. I would also use worship as a weapon, if the kids were cranky or having trouble napping, or fighting I would put a gentle worship song on and let it work its goodness into the space. NOW this didn’t always change the mood of the room right away but it always gave me as mom fresh breath to press on in spirit and not in flesh! Also, it was teaching my kids (even if they weren’t taking the tip at 3yrs) that worship was a weapon to use in hard moments.

- Multi-tasking is for the birds- Ha! Truly I used to wear this as a badge of honor but once I became a mom I couldn’t spin as many plates and still have peace of heart to lead my kids. I remember the Lord was all over me about this one and it was painful because in a sense my life became simpler for seasons. I mean I was still “momin” hard so let’s be honest life was full just with that but He slowed me down with all the peripheral tasks, I wasn’t as involved in all the things and trying to take charge and command in a bunch of other areas of life. This was painful because I truly am a worker bee, a dreamer, I have a go-getter personality, but for my life to have only one job description (a BIG one) to my life didn’t always mesh with my flesh. It was a sacrificial season with young ones, full of hard no’s but obedient yes’s to God and how He was setting the pace.” I found as I yielded to what God was asking of me and allowed him to trim back things for a time. I learned to operate with greater levels of peace and JOY in the season I was in. Having more energy and concentration for my greatest work. My family!

- Feelings are great indicators but terrible leaders- Oi this is a big one for setting the mood. In motherhood, you feel A LOT of things constantly. It’s a constant vulnerable place to be because there are stressors, sleep deprivation, fears, the kids are sick again, you don’t know what to do about something, and the list goes on and on. If you are not careful you can begin to lead your life and thus your kids' life based on all the feelings you are feeling. This is so dangerous! Not everything that pops in our head is truth and not everything that pops in our heart should be said, and if we don’t discipline ourselves to manage these things properly there is no way for us to not project these feelings on our family. Man me and the Lord taaaaaalk in the days ha! I would say Lord I can’t do this and He would say “With me you can”, I would say Lord I am going to lose it and He would say “No you aren’t, take a deep breath”, I would say Lord I need it to be quiet and He would say “one day you miss the noise” back and forth and back and forth I and the Lord would banter in the days and He would pep talk me! I became the “Queen” of Pep talking myself into motherhood. I would look at myself in the mirror or whisper under my breath multiple times in the day “Gabby, you got this! Gabby your mind is good, Gabby the Lord is with you, Gabby the joy of the Lord is your strength, and the peace of Christ rules in your heart!” This helped me cultivate not living enslaved to my “feelings” but speaking a better word to them! I found doing this helped me set a stable peaceful atmosphere in my home.

Now hear me, I am not saying you can’t have hard days or give in to your feelings sometimes, HELLO we are only human and God's goodness and strength fill in our cracks when we miss it! What I am saying is this should be the exception and not the rule! What I am saying is we as mama’s have way more power than sometimes we know and we should intentionally use that power and authority to build and set the tone for how our homes breathe and function!

I am praying that this week the Lord will make us more aware of the temperature of our homes. That we would see and feel empowered by the Holy Spirit to help set the tone. That we would intentionally bring his presence into it all, we would slow down and be focused in heart in the moments, and we would allow the Lord to strengthen us and not be led by our feelings but only him!

Are you working out the right muscles?

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 02:40:06 GMT

HEY DAD,

Are you working out the right muscles?

As a dad in his 40s, I have learned that working out is necessary for my physical and mental health. I have also learned that I have to stretch before and after otherwise I will be making awkward noises when I get up from our couch. Muscles are one of those things in life that need to be worked out. They don’t just appear, especially the older you get. I’ve also learned that this is not only true for your physical development but also for your spiritual development. Dad, there are spiritual muscles that you need to build that are necessary for you to accomplish all that God has for you, and like natural muscles they won’t develop on their own, you will have to train them. One of those “muscles” is the muscle of obedience and Phillip is a great example of a man who was shredded out in that area.

In Acts 8, we see Philip now living in Samaria and because of his obedience to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel” revival is coming from a group of people that no one thought could receive the message of Jesus. Then this crazy thing happens. In Acts 8:26, it says, “As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” The part that gets me is the first part of verse 27, “So he started out…” Doesn’t it seem pretty crazy what that angel asked Philip to do? He doesn’t tell him why he needs to go to the road, he doesn’t tell him what he needs to do when he gets there, he just tells Philip to go to some remote area, period.

What is Philip’s response? He asks no questions, he gives zero pushback; instead, he simply obeys. Philip had developed a necessary muscle and that is the muscle of obedience. When that muscle is developed in the life of a Christian, you don’t ask for more details, you don’t compromise on what you think God is speaking to you. You simply obey. This account of Philip tells us that we don’t need to understand completely to obey immediately.

Dad, I promise you that as you continue to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit will direct you to do things that you won’t fully understand. It won’t make sense in the natural, you might not know fully why you are doing it or how you will do it, but if God told you to do it then you must obey. And like training in the natural, you won’t always “feel it”, remember you are building a muscle, and that only happens when you introduce resistance. Now some guys have done some stupid stuff because they thought God told them to do it, and I get how that would be easy to do. If you are newer to this life of following Jesus then you might still be unsure if what you hear/feel is the Holy Spirit or yourself. I’ve learned that the longer I follow Jesus and have built this muscle the more confident I am to be able to discern the voice of God from the feelings of Michael.

With that said, if you are still unsure let me give you these two filters to work your “Word from God” through. The first is the Bible. Listen, the Holy Spirit will never tell you to do something that is contrary to His Word. The second filter is Biblical authority. If you are still learning how to hear the voice of God, you should go to a trusted leader in your life and tell them what you are feeling and ask what they think. Now ultimately you are responsible for your decisions but a good leader will ask you questions that will help you figure out if what you are hearing is from God or not.

Wrapping this up, what we see happen in Acts 8 is Philip obeys, goes to the road, and has an interaction with an Ethiopian Government official. Philip ends up telling the official about Jesus, prays the sinner’s prayer with him, and water baptizes him. Then the man goes his way. What’s cool is some historians believe that it was this government official who brought the message of Jesus to the country and it was all because of Philip simply obeyed what God told him to do.

Dad, you never know what is on the other side of your obedience. Let me ask you this question, “What do you feel like God is telling you to do right now?” Work out that muscle of obedience and do it. It’s okay if you don’t fully understand why or what will happen after. Remember your responsibility is to be obedient, God’s responsibility is the results. So go for it!

Let there be ORDER...

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 02:39:13 GMT

HEY MOM,

Let there be ORDER...

So when I used to consider whether or not “routines and order” were a personality trait I would say “to each their own”. There was a time I would say that routine was more of a preference rather than a necessity but NOW ---Get ready for this…I would say it is BIBLICAL. Routines, disciplines, intentional processes, and order is littered all throughout the Word. When God was building anything, He had intention and details in place. Think of creation, God had an order and intention to which He unfolded creation. He built the environment before He brought life into it. In most cases, before He built something in the earth He downloaded his plan. Think about the plan and the details at play when He had Noah build the Ark. Think about the plan and the details at play when he had Solomon build the temple. Think about the plan and details at play when he led Elijah to the brook. How about when He lead Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness? See God is not winging it EVER, He knows exactly what He wants to do and exactly how He wants to have it articulated. He is a God of order and intentionality. He is a God of forethought and is in the details. I believe He models this for us time and time again in the word, not so that we just look at Him and say “Wow look at what a brilliant intentional planner our God is!” and of course He is, but I believe He models this for us so that we to take His lead and follow in His intentional footsteps with all we are building out in the earth with Him. I believe He knows that ORDER and INTENTIONAL living bring peace and stability to the scene of what you are building. I believe the disciplines we create in our days display a stewardship and honor of our time. I believe He wanted to show that if that was HIS NATURE it could be ours too because His spirit lives in us.

I feel this is the moment to confess to all of you that I am a recovering addict of “disorderly living”. HA! I make it a joke but truly it wasn’t in my nature to be organized and overly intentional. I am a BIG THINKER and a VISIONARY and I had the habit of not wanting to get too caught up in the details of “HOW” in life. I really do believe that this is how the Lord gifted me to flow and operate. That being said I think it’s easy to make this an excuse for not having to live intentionally and thoughtfully in life and Lord knows I did this.

Now in this moment, I want to say thank you to the kind Holy Spirit and thank you to my brilliant husband! Both of which helped call me out, up, and crafted in me a better more “superhero” version of me!

The Holy Spirit began to craft disciplines in my life such as:

- Having me give my first words and love to Him before leaving my bed in the morning

- Having me make my bed first thing because this would be an easy, quick powerful task that would propel into other ones.

- Telling me to get ready for the day because this would make me feel good and confident.

- Coaching me to give decisions time—If it was Him it would only get stronger in me not diminish in time.

- Reminding me that I could be a planner because He was a planner and He would show me how.

- And so so SO many more things…

Michael strengthened me in this area by:

- Asking questions like “How, When, Where, How much?” At one point this did make me mad but The Lord spoke to my heart and reminded me that Michael was my “help mate” and he would make me better if I allowed it. Michael and I had honest dialogues about when and how he should bring his questions up and we wrestled out a new beautiful process that helped make us both better.

- Michael is gifted in organization. His mind naturally thinks that way, when I was able to see, appreciate, and not be intimidated by this gift it was easy to submit under it so that I could learn from him.

- His habit is execution—Michael doesn’t start anything He won’t finish. For a dreamer, this is our downfall. I began to deeply dislike this trait in me. It made me want to copy the behaviors and patterns of the Lord and what Michael modeled for me.

It’s incredible to think that I feel like I am both a dreamer and executor now! I believe both are in the nature of God and I believe that we do have our natural leans but that is not to say we can’t build, grow, and develop the weaker nature. The weaker one is the space where we need the Lord's strength, wisdom, help, grace, discernment, correction, etc..

I want to challenge all of us in the area of “Order”. I believe God works and moves through order and He has an opinion on your current order. This week Invite him in to speak to it, to challenge it, to encourage it, to change it up, or order it up from scratch. Praying for you all this week.

Let's talk about a guy names Philip (pt.1) ...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 02:38:35 GMT

HEY DAD,

Let's talk about a guy

named Philip (pt. 1) ...

For quite a few years I taught in the Bible College at our church. One of the classes that I taught for at least five years was the Book of Acts. I learned a lot while teaching that class, and I’m grateful I did it. In Acts, there are so many amazing people whose life and accomplishments are recorded in it, but there is one who has always stood out to me. His name is Phillip and you find him come up at different points throughout the entire book (Acts 6, Acts 8, and Acts 21).

As I have meditated on Philip and the moments of his life that are recorded, I don’t think they are random. I actually think that these were strategic moments in his life and because of the sovereignty of God, they were recorded in scripture so that you and I could learn from them. With that said, over the next three posts I am going to focus on these times that we see Phillip in scripture, and as we do I believe that if we apply what we learn from his life, we will become better dads.

In Acts 6 we see the early church experiencing explosive growth, and with that came some growing pains. One of the issues that arose was the outreach to the widows of their community. Now the Jewish way of taking care of the poor (specifically widows) was that you always took care of your own. It was not the government or church’s responsibility to take care of your family, it was your responsibility. With that said, for the widows who did not have family to take care of them, the church would assume responsibility for helping them. As the church grew, there came an increase in the number of widows that needed help and it seemed as though the Jewish widows were getting preferential treatment over the converted Jewish widows.

The Apostles' answer to this problem was to empower seven men to oversee the feeding of this group of widows. These couldn’t just be any men though, Acts describes the type of men that the Apostles were looking for in Acts 6:3, “And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom…” Now in the natural, you would think that essentially overseeing a food program is not that big of a deal or honor but it was to the apostles and so they needed the right type of men. Phillip was one of those men that were chosen. He was a good man, he was well respected, He was full of the Holy Spirit, and he was full of wisdom, and what do we see this incredible man of God doing? Serving tables to widows.

I think this is such an important moment for us to consider. If you don’t much of Acts, you wouldn’t know that in a few chapters, you will see this same Phillip become a traveling minister where people would be healed and an entire city would hear the message of Jesus. Philip would actually pioneer the gospel going to a group of people that no one thought would ever be saved. Philip was a great man, and yet he got his start serving widows at his church. Dad, I believe that you have a great call on your life. I believe that there is something strategic and important that God has for you to do, but I also believe that the journey to greatness begins with the serving of others.

Jesus said that as well, He said that if you want to be the greatest then you have to learn how to serve. You’re a man and a dad and that means you are called to lead, but the goal is not to look for opportunities to lead but rather to look for opportunities to serve. Those are strategic moments for you Dad. They help form and shape who you are, which is necessary for what God has for you. We can’t look at moments to serve as beneath us or not worthy of our time, rather we must see them as necessary to the development of our character and leadership. What if you started to consistently serve in your local church? Maybe it’s helping in the parking lot or in the children’s ministry, maybe it’s helping people find a seat or holding a camera. Whatever it is, begin to inject moments of serving in your week and watch what God does in and through you. Also, this week, read Acts 6 and allow it to challenge you and your viewpoint of serving.

We’ll talk Acts 8 next week…

Desires are good...

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 02:37:46 GMT

HEY MOM,

Desires are good...

A few years ago, the Lord was teaching me a little more about how to look and listen to His voice that was guiding my life. He started bringing my attention to “my desires.” He said to me, “I work within the desires of your heart to guide you in my will.” I knew this was a verse so I looked it up. Philippians 2:13 “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” I responded to Him and asked, “How can I trust that my desires are from you and not just me?” He said, “Gabby if you are truly putting Me first in your life, seeking me with all your heart, and submitting to my ways, YOU CAN TRUST the desires in your heart.” It’s the process and strategy of God to direct the desires in your heart, and I love that this verse says not only does He give you the desires but also the POWER to do it!

I felt so empowered by the Spirit of God to trust His spirit at work in me, leading me through my desires. That it wasn’t a shameful or scary thing to “Follow the desires in my heart” but it was actually a key way of hearing and doing within the Kingdom of God. All of a sudden my eyes were so aware of the things that I felt a deep and rich passion for. Whether it was for someone I needed to have coffee with, a group I was supposed to start, or a project I was supposed to create. I was really aware of where I felt desire and power at in my life.

I think it can be easy to fill our lives with doing things that God has not asked us to do. Things that He has not given us a desire and power for. We can tend to do it out of obligation, fear of man, and routine. There is no life in this way. Isn’t it amazing to know that where God calls us, even if it’s hard, even if it’s scary, even if we are unqualified, He gives us the desire and power to do it? It’s become a filter for me in my life. A question that I ask myself before I take on anything new is, “Do I have a desire and do I feel a power to do this?” It’s not a selfish or weak-minded way of making decisions its actually a biblical and an intentional way to see if God is in it, asking you to do it.

I found this process to be true in the “fun” yes’s and even the “not so” fun yes’s! For example, when God was leading me into interior design I couldn’t stop thinking about design. Every space I went into I was designing it. I would get ideas at every turn and I was constantly dreaming in my heart of all the places and spaces I wanted to create. I had a deep clear DESIRE to pursue it and a POWER to run after it even though I had technically no formal training in it. The same was true when God was asking me to mentor a girl who was in a really broken place in life. I couldn’t stop thinking about her and praying for her. It was my joy to get time with her even though I knew our time would be heavy and hard. I had a deep desire to see her free and walking in God’s fullness and I had power and a vision to help her get to this place!

Where God calls you He gives you a desire and power to do it! This is why I never fear whatever God has in store for me, because I know wherever He calls me He will give me a desire and power to do it!

What are you desiring? What has been stirring in your heart for a while? Who is someone you can’t get off your mind? What’s an idea that amps you up just thinking about it? Remember, if God is truly at the center of your life then you can trust your desires because He is leading them! My prayer is that you take a step out this week! That you would run after some of what God has been putting in your heart, both the big and the small.

Let's talk about a dad who did some good and bad stuff...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 02:36:54 GMT

HEY DAD,

Let's talk about a dad who

did some good and bad stuff...

One of the things that I love about the Bible is how it allows us to see the totality of the people that are in it. We don’t just see the good stuff about them, we also see some of the bad stuff. Especially when we look at the fathers in the Bible. Now for the record, there is only one perfect and good father and that is our Heavenly Father, so take a deep breath if you feel the pressure of having to be perfect. The truth about the dads that we see in the Bible is that there were a lot of bad dads. Some were really messed up, others did some pretty crappy things but also did some good stuff as well. Let’s take a look at one, David the warrior/poet/king. David had a lot of kids and he made quite a few mistakes. I mean, have you ever so offended one of your kids that he led a coup and tried to kill you? Me neither, so I think you are doing okay Dad.

Now one of the things that David did, that I really liked as a father is how he prepared his son Solomon to take over the thrown. He did a couple of really good things. First, he actually recognized that there were things that he would start in his life that Solomon would finish. David really wanted to build a temple for God, but that was not for him to do, that was for his son Solomon to accomplish. So instead of fighting that, David accepted it and did the next best thing a father could do. He prepared Solomon for the task that was on his life. David would begin to gather a ton of material that would be needed in order for the temple to be built, and he would begin to instruct Solomon on who he would need to become in order to build this temple.

Dad, you have a really great call on your life but so do your sons and daughters. As a result, not everything that God has for you will be accomplished in your lifetime but it will be accomplished through your lifeline. So like David, you and I need to begin to help prepare our children to accomplish the call of God that is on their lives. Now, we might not be needing to gather physical materials, but we can make sure that we are equipping our sons and daughters to set them up for success. So yes, you should put them in sports, get them music lessons, place them in schools where they will be challenged, and get them connected into a good youth group. It’s not a bad thing to get them good one-on-one coaching or take them to sports camps. Like David, who was gathering materials for the outside, you are equipping your children with skill sets and mindsets that they will need. The key is to not just focus on the outside, like David, we also have to be concerned with who are children are becoming. What is it if our sons and daughters accomplished much in this life, but their character, who they became, fell short?

You’re a good dad, so commit to preparing your children now so that they will be fully prepared to accomplish all that God has for them. Begin to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight on who your children are, how He has gifted them, and what is on their life. I promise you, He will tell you some good stuff about them. Also, ask for wisdom on how you can begin to develop those gifts, and finally don’t neglect their character. Who they are becoming is just as important as what they will be doing. Praying for you!

Community is KEY...

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 16:39:52 GMT

HEY MOM,

Community is KEY...

I have been an extravert my whole life. Always needing and loving to be around people! I love rooms filled with people I don’t know because it's full of new opportunities and fresh conversations. I am the person that talks to you if you are waiting in line with me. I have no problem inviting you to church even though you just met me one minute ago. It’s one of the reasons being in full-time ministry has been one of my greatest joys because it's working with, meeting new, and loving on people full time…which is my JAM!

Que Motherhood-aka the greatest relational shift of my life. When I became a mom, I wish I could tell you it was an easy adjustment for me BUUUUT it wasn’t. I felt in over my head, unqualified, frustrated, and lonely. All the sudden my time was not my own and I was now ruled by a 21in long 11lb human calling the shots on how my days would go. Don’t get me wrong I say all these “sad” words but I was also obsessed, deeply madly in love, and wouldn’t ever change becoming a mom. It really was a diverse amount of feelings I felt. Motherhood was all-consuming and although my soul ached for community I was also exhausted thinking about hanging out with anyone. I am so grateful for the “seasoned” moms who rallied around me in motherhood. That called me multiple times a week, that stopped in with coffee, prayed with me, that talked me off the ledge thinking that somehow Ford had contracted the rare rash only found in the deep parts of the Amazon, that told me to go for a walk, or shave my legs, or go make out with my husband. People that I had always loved being around in the “big rooms” now become my community in the “small rooms”. Really that’s where they became family. See real community isn’t just formed in the cute, sweet, fluffy moments of life, it’s also formed in the hard, tearful, confusing moments that you walk through life with people.

Motherhood has made me so uncomfortably aware of how I needed people in my life. I mean I knew (head knowledge) we needed community because I see in the word, how God set us up to do this life with each other and in families, but all of a sudden in motherhood I KNEW (heart knowledge) I needed community. It’s truly been a game changer in motherhood to have other mom friends around me to share my heart with, to ask for prayer from, to go and laugh with, to bounce ideas off of. I couldn’t do it without the women around me praying and cheering me on!

In fact, when I meet a new mom anywhere I ask them two things: 1. How are you? And typically I ask this with a tearful, deep empathetic tone ha! 2. I ask do you have a good community around you? I try to always share this because it has been such a powerful way the Lord has taught me to do life. I am convinced we aren’t meant to do this life by ourselves. We need the people to cry with, laugh with, pray with, and reason with, the friend who will speak truth to you when the enemy is trying to get you to believe a lie. We need each other! Proverbs 27: 9 TPT says, “Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence.” YES YES YES! Amen!!

So I ask you, Mom…How are you? Do you have community? Think and pray on this. Allow the Lord to encourage you in this, change your heart, change your desires in this area. Pray and ask Him to send the right people to you, to do life with! He will! Even if it takes a minute…Don’t lose heart, He is aligning your feet right where they should be. Put yourself out there, join a group at church, ask someone to coffee, or go for a walk, and thank God all along that He is bringing you those friends that are going to sharpen you and refresh your soul all at the same time! Praying this for you! You got this Mom!!

Live for the audience of One...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 16:39:32 GMT

HEY DAD,

Live for the audience of One...

There are a few ingredients that I think make a great dad, one of those is the ability to do what you do for no one else except God. It is the ability to live and sacrifice for God’s approval that I think sets up a dad’s life up to have a significant impact on his family and the world around him. The problem for some of us dads is we are living our lives for others to see and approve of, which sets us up for a rollercoaster ride of a life. If all we live for is the approval of our spouse, our kids, our boss, or our customers then we will have ups and downs and seasons where we don’t get much accomplished. However, if we commit to living a life where what we do we do because of and for God, then our lives will take on a whole new level of meaning and purpose.

I have a few tattoos, but my first one is this pomegranate with the Hebrew word for remember in the middle of it. I know what you’re thinking, “Who in the world gets a piece of fruit as their first tattoo?” It’s not because I am a big fruit guy, in fact, I don’t really care for pomegranates, but this tattoo is a reminder of the truth that I am talking about right now.

The building of the Lord’s temple is recorded in part of 1 Kings. King Solomon, commissions a man named Huram to help craft all the artifacts and intricate work in the temple. Among the many things that he created were these two pillars in front of the temple. The pillars were around 30 feet high and on top of them was this intricate work of chains, lilies, and 200 pomegranates (100 on each pillar). Huram paid special attention to these objects that would find themselves on the top of these pillars. Here is the thing, with these objects being 30 feet from the ground they could never be truly appreciated by the people who would walk by them. However, Huram did not do that work for others to see; he did that work so that God could see. He was a man, who lived his life to please the audience of one, his God. That idea so resonated with me that I got a tattoo to remind me of a truth that can easily be forgotten. I cannot live my life for anyone else, but for God, and ultimately it is Heaven’s approval I am looking for and no one else’s.

Don’t get me wrong, I want to please my wife; I want to make my family happy. I feel good when I do something that my boss approves of. So that is okay to want that, but we can’t allow other people’s approval to trump God’s. Why? Well, sometimes God has you do things that others don’t understand and it is in those moments that you have to remind yourself that you ultimately live for God’s approval. There will be times that the devil will try to discourage you by saying that no one around you sees your sacrifices or appreciates what you do, and that is when you have to remember that God sees all that you and God is proud of the sacrifices that you have made.

Why spend time with God early in the morning when everyone else in the house is asleep, because you are doing it for God. Why send that tithe in when no one knows what you do with your bank account because you are doing it for God. Why change the channel when something inappropriate comes one even though you are the only one in the room, because you are doing it for God.

Dad, I pray that we all would live lives where we create and build things for the audience of one. May you be a Huram in your home, your neighborhood, and your workplace. May you never forget that even if no one else sees what you do, God does and you actually have the attention of Heaven. So don’t quit and don’t give up. I’m praying for you.

Enjoy them...

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 16:39:08 GMT

HEY MOM,

Enjoy them...

I’ll never forget this one time when I was a new mom and I had only Ford. Ford went through this season of being a very “passionate” playmate ha! Everywhere I went with him I was always apologizing to other moms because Ford in some shape or form was always getting too passionate with the other kids. This one day I went to a moms group and Ford was making so many kids cry that I pretty much followed him around the whole time saying “gentle, gentle..” internally wanting to die and cry from embarrassment. I ended up leaving and crying in the car, praying under my breath Lord is there something wrong with him? A question I really didn’t want to know the answer to. So quickly the Lord responded to my heart and simply said “No” He followed that answer up with a statement that, to this day, still grips me and has come up in my heart frequently in motherhood. He said, “Gabby, I made him for your enjoyment, he is a gift from Me to you. So just enjoy him.” HOLY SMOKES teeeears flowed, fear left, and my desire to ENJOY who the Lord made my son to be was all-consuming. When I tell you that this phrase from the Lord has been a cornerstone in motherhood for me I am not kidding. Throughout the years there have been so many moments in motherhood when things were hard with the kids when I was in place I didn’t know what to do, when I was too tired to see clearly, and when life was getting too serious that the Lord would remind me, “Just enjoy them, they're a gift from Me to you.”

Psalms 127:3 says, “Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a reward from him.” A gift is always given to bring joy, to enhance your life with something greater, they are something that you didn’t have before. Life will always try to get you caught up, busy, stressed out, confused, and distracted from being able to look at your kids for what they are - “A Gift” for your enjoyment. Hard seasons in motherhood will try to shape your perspective on your child and get you to feel scared about who they are or what they will become. But it’s in those moments we must remember “No, they are Gifts from God for my enjoyment.”

This phrase always calls me higher. It makes me not want to miss the moments, even the hard ones. It makes me stare at the hard moments and dig deeper to find out the strength I see in my kids even when they are driving me wild. It makes me want to appreciate them for who they are and help develop who they are at a greater level! Not just looking at the face-value annoyance they are causing me in the moment but seeing the strength in them and calling it out! Since we are on the topic of Ford let me give you an example of what I mean. Ford almost 10 years later is still SO PASSIONATE, he has obsessive qualities to him about whatever gets his heart. He is fiercely relentless and has the endurance to make what’s in his heart come to life. His persistence is inspiring TRULY. Michael and I often think MY GOD he is going to build something great one day! He is amazing, right? The truth is, practically in life right now, those amazing qualities also get him in the most trouble at times. You can look at those qualities and think is there something wrong with him, or he is annoying, or maddening, or why God why won’t he stop asking me the same stinking question HA! OR you can look at him through the lens of “He is a gift for your enjoyment” to unwrap slowly, appreciate, enjoy, and take care of! This perspective calms your heart and allows you to see the gold in them even if right now that gold is under the surface of their youth.

The Lord is so kind to give us our kids, not just to take care of and train up but also to enjoy! I am praying that this week you will have these moments with your kids. That you wouldn’t get caught up in starring at the current weak spot in them but with the help of the Holy Spirit He would cause your eye to see the gold in that immature spot in their life and you would call it out greater and enjoy them just where they are at! You got this Mom!! Praying for you!

Your words matter...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 16:38:47 GMT

HEY DAD,

Your words matter...

What If I told you that your words are a big deal in your family? What if I told you that you could change your future by what you say in the present? I think a lot of us dads underestimate how powerful and necessary our words are in our homes. Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” This verse tells me that I can do some incredible things or some serious damage with just the words that come out of my mouth. Now this verse is true for every area of our lives but let’s just focus on what it can do in the context of your home.

Dad, your voice is needed more than ever before in your home. Your wife and your children need to hear you speak words of life over them. Dad, your wife needs to hear you speak loving and kind words over her. She needs to consistently hear you say that you love her and tell her how beautiful and appreciated she is. She needs to hear you say what you see on the inside of her and how you feel about her. She needs to hear you say things like, “You can do this.” When she is struggling with something.

Dad, your kids need your words. Yes, you do a great job providing for them and protecting them. Yes, you have sacrificed so that they could get into the right school and onto that travel team, but they need more than that. They need words of life spoken over them. They as well need to hear you say that you love them. They need to hear you speak to what you see on the inside of them and affirm who they are. They as well need to hear words like, “You’ve got this.” Your boys need to hear you call them men of honor, your daughters need to hear you tell them that they are smart and beautiful.

Don’t believe the lie that speaking such things over your family is not your personality. Speaking words of life is a choice and every day you can choose to say them. Now do I think that just speaking positive words over family is the only thing they need? No, but it is a necessary part of their physical, emotional, and spiritual growth and it is one of the areas that guys tend to struggle with.

Some of us don’t say enough, others you’ve gone the opposite way and have been speaking death over your home. Can I encourage you to stop speaking negativity and start speaking Biblical life over your home? I know it may not be what you “see” right now, but that can all change if you start to speak life. You may not “feel” like saying anything but don’t let that stop you. For the record, if you are waiting to feel it before you say it, the devil will make sure that your surrounding circumstances never let you feel it.

And I get it, you may have grown up in a home where your dad never talked to you or maybe he was verbally abusive with you and if that is the case, I’m sorry that was your experience. For you, I’d encourage you to read your Bible and hear some of the life-giving words that your Heavenly Father is speaking over you. Allow His word to set right that which is deformed by another man’s words. The hope for you though is that that does not need to be your son's and daughter’s experience. You can change that and it starts with your words.

Never forget this, your voice can actually change the environment and culture in your home because your words have power. So choose today to start speaking “life” over yourself, your marriage, your children, and your home. As you do that, watch how you will soon reap the benefits of what you are saying. You can do this Dad, and I am praying for you.

You're in charge...

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 16:38:29 GMT

HEY MOM,

You're in charge...

As we head back into the new school year and the craziness of family activities I am reminding myself of this truth. No one else gets say over my family's time and pace besides Jesus and Us! It’s really important to remember this because somewhere along the line, if you’re not intentional it’s really easy to say “Where did it all go?” and blame it on other things and people! At the end of the day, WE are in charge of our yes’s and our no’s and it’s no one else’s fault when we dish out too many yes’s!

Mike and I are trying, INTENTIONALLY to get better at asking Jesus what He thinks about every yes we give out. We have become really convicted and obsessed about the fact that God cares about our time, and actually, the Bible says that God Himself has ordered every one of our days in advance in Psalms 139:16,

“You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed."

I am SO CURIOUS about that verse! It keeps me saying daily, “Lord I want what YOU have written for me today.” I believe the Lord is aching for people to let Him take the wheel and set the course and speed of their lives. This way is slower, this way is more intentional, this way from the “man” standard doesn’t seem as lucrative or productive but if it’s HIS way…It’s better and it will cause us to prosper holistically!

I think to do this we have to change some of our defaults.

Before we say yes first let's pray. Ask God, “Should we say yes to this sport? Should we say yes to leading this group? Should we say yes to the event or the work promotion?” Give Him space, time, and an invitation to weigh in on the decisions.
Before you say yes to more see how your greatest priorities are doing. I.e. Your marriage and your kids. If these relationships are hurting then give your love, time, and effort there first.
Before we say yes give it time. Who said you have to make a decision right now? In most cases, you don’t have to make an immediate decision. If the answer isn’t clear in the moment walk away from it, pray, and give yourself time to hear and evaluate before you make the call. Bad decisions can be avoided by just giving yourself a little time. I never make decisions quickly when I am tired. No good comes of this. Get a good night's sleep, wake up fresh, and make the call.
Before we say yes look at where you have already said yes. Look at the whole picture of your time and month's schedule before you commit to more.
Before we say yes KNOW your kids will always want more. They will always have the energy and desire to take themselves and ultimately you beyond what you can or should do with your time. They don’t understand how to manage time or energy yet, that’s why you are the parent. Teach them how to say no, teach them how to manage time and energy, and teach them it’s okay to be bored!

Okay, Mom - you've got this! I am praying for you as you dive back into the school year that you will find peace, grace, and discernment at a higher level to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and your family's days just as heaven has written them out.

What do you do when you've hit a wall?

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 16:38:09 GMT

HEY DAD,

What do you do when

you've hit a wall?

I’m sitting here writing in an airplane at a cruising altitude of 30,000+ feet, sandwiched between two little people who seem to have to go to the bathroom every ten minutes. Oh, and I have two more behind me who must think I need a back massage because they keep kicking my seat. It’s amazing what you can endure when you are a parent and especially a dad. However, what do you do when you feel like you’ve hit a wall? What do you do when you feel exhausted, hit your limit, and have no emotional margin? We’ve all been there at some point; some of us may be there right now. You’re not a bad dad if you feel that way, but I think what you do when you have those moments is a big deal.

For some, we handle these moments in an unhealthy way. We disengage from our families or we throw ourselves into work. Others, this is when we turn to destructive behaviors like excessive drinking or pornography. It’s never a fun place to be when you’ve come to the end of yourself, but it’s not necessarily a bad place either. I came across this verse that I pray helps those of us who are at that place today.

2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” I love the thought that God is searching for us. It’s not that God lost us and now is on this mission to find us, but it speaks to his posture. God is not a disengaged God. He is not up in Heaven unaware of what is going on in your life, Dad. He is very aware, and He is not far away from you, He is actually leaning in and searching for you. Not only that, but His heart is to strengthen you. God doesn’t need you to be strong all the time Dad; He is okay if you’re tired or if you’ve come to the end of the inner strength that you have. God’s heart is to come alongside and strengthen you. Sometimes you don’t have certain experiences with God until you come to the end of yourself, so embrace this moment you are in and don’t pray it away.

With that said, there is something that you can be doing right now so that you can experience the strength of Heaven. Stay committed. Don’t back down from your pursuit of God. Don’t give up on Him. Don’t stop spending time with God. Don’t stop reading your Bible, praying, and worshipping Him. Don’t stop consistently attending church and serving God’s people. The Bible says that those of us who are committed to Him and do not wane in times of crisis will experience the strength of God. And Dad, that’s what you need right now. You don’t need to numb yourself right now, you don’t need to look at the crap on the internet, and you don’t need to disengage from your family. What you need is the strength of Heaven, and the beautiful thing is that it is available to you. So today stay committed, and when tomorrow comes choose to stay committed again and watch how each day God will strengthen you. Will you always “feel it”? Probably not, but you’ll get through it without seeing your soul deformed or relationships damaged. And you will get through this Dad. Trust God. Depend on Him. Stay committed to Him.

God is searching for you today, Dad. I pray that He would find you fully committed to Him and that today you would experience supernatural strength for the day. I’m praying for you.

TIME IN is everything...

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 16:35:49 GMT

HEY MOM,

TIME IN is everything...

In motherhood, it’s so easy to get caught up in “all the things.” You could not sit all day if you allowed it, you could not eat once if you didn’t notice, and you could hold your pee till the next day if you wanted. My point is, it’s really easy to fill the space. Motherhood and all we have to accomplish is never truly done, in reality, and if left unchecked it can make us run around endlessly filling our time. In the last few years, I have felt the Lord over and over again tell me to “STOP” in the middle of a task at hand. He would call me out and say stop doing what you’re doing and go color with your kids, go chalk on the walk with them, or go play their favorite game of kicking a ball in the air (endlessly ha!) so they can take turns catching it. I have sensed Him release me from things I think “matter” to get wrapped more around what HE KNOWS matters. He very quickly whispers to my heart “They won’t always want to do these things with you—it goes fast” and within an instant I’m sobered up out of the daze of “life”, putting down all my tasks and running to get time with them.

Mike and I have this saying “He who gets the most time in, WINS” meaning “Time in” is formidable in a person’s life and heart. There are seasons in parenthood that are more forming than others. Toddler and Elementary-age kids are like little sponges soaking up their surroundings every day. That’s why it’s important to watch what they are watching, listening to, and who they are surrounded with. It’s also why you should be intentional in this season to PUT IN what you want in them. Scripture, family values, healthy routines, small responsibilities, a love for dried mango…ANYTHING! Why? Because they are SPONGES! Mike and I have a deep conviction in this hour that the most forming person or thing in our kid's lives must be us! In order to do that, we have to make time!

Time for conversation: Conversation is so key in life, right? How can you truly know anyone without good communication in place? Creating space and time to be able to sit, hear, listen, and respond to someone is the foundation of forming a real relationship. It’s not always convenient, you don’t always feel like it, but wow is it always powerful. My kids love to talk ha! I have not one quiet one in the bunch, and I won’t lie it’s sometimes so exhausting to hear all their thoughts but I never want to squelch their desire to share with us. I love that even now where they are at they share safely and freely all their hopes and fears with us. I want this to be normal, common, and a natural habit in their life rhythm to share and open up with us. I want their trust and honesty. I want to KNOW them and they KNOW me. This only happens with TIME IN with conversation.

Time for Adventure: Oh man we have found this to be true time and time again, that every little and big adventure we take as a married couple and as a family BINDS US together deeper. Whether we are all doing something for the first time, or get a flat tire on the way, or jump into the freezing cold river together, or learn a new skill, whatever it is TIME IN exploring, laughing, being vulnerable in the new, and creating moments together is shaping and binding in a way a book or class can never teach how to do by just reading. The lie is, if you don’t do it big or spend a lot of money it’s not worth it but I have found the size or price of the adventure doesn’t matter it’s the TIME IN that counts.

Time for Building: Working together has become a newer conviction for us over the last 2 years. Mike and I are a little OCD and just a taaaad controlling over whatever our hands are working on. We want it to be done well, in excellence, and it’s really hard to turn that off in family life. Now we aren’t these fear-mongering parents who are putting unrealistic expectations on our kids from age 2. No, we simply were just doing everything for them. Cleaning their rooms, plating their dinner like it was being served to the president, making their lunches, putting their things away, and the list goes on. Now what we found was, that it wasn’t that our kids weren’t wanting to help, we just weren’t letting them. OUCH! The Lord began to open our eyes and bring conviction to this 2 years ago. He said, “ I have called you to TRAIN them in all things in life! Learning and training come by doing you have to let them DO!” Woah another light switch was turned on! All of a sudden I realized that if I kept telling them I didn’t need their help making dinner or cleaning the house I was actually hurting them and training not to contribute to family and LIFE. Now understand this is a messier way, this is a slower way, this is “Lord give me grace” way, but this is the training way. This is a way that goes from just doing a “task” at hand to a moment of bonding and building together. This is necessary to the dynamic of your home, creating mutual contribution and a culture of working together that will bless your home (eventually, after you get over yourself ha!) and overflow into the world around them.

It takes TIME IN to do this! There may be some no’s you have to say in order to make these adjustments but it’s worth it! That we could have our kids' hearts and train them up in the way they should go so that when they get older they will not depart from it! Praying for you as you read this God would highlight to you maybe even just one thing to become more intentional with, with your TIME IN with your kids!

There is one person that I think you should listen to more...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 16:35:21 GMT

HEY DAD,

There is one person that I think you should listen to more...

I’m going to let you in on a little secret about my life and how I have navigated it for the past 14+ years. A lot of my good ideas in work and in life have not come from me but from my wife. I’d like you to think that I am this pinnacle of wisdom for my family and every move that we have made has come from my genius, but that would be a lie. Now do I have some good ideas? Of course, I do. Am I the leader of my home? Yes. As the man in my home, I am instructed by God to lead it. Does that mean though that it is all on me to do that? No. It is not all on me and that is why God sent me what the book of Genesis calls “a helper” in my wife, Gabrielle. Dad, your wife is supposed to be a helper to you and she is a gift to you, from God, to help lead your family.

I think a lot of guys don’t access the gift that is their wife and as a result, they are not operating in full capacity as the leader of their home. Here are a few observations that I have made about our wives, now these are generalities and not absolutes so your wife might not be like this but I think most are. Our wives are full of wisdom. I don’t think it's a mistake that in the book of Proverbs, when it refers to “wisdom” it calls it a “she.” Dad, your wife is really smart and she is full of wisdom so you need to see her for the resource that she is and actually ask her for help, and when she speaks, listen to what she says. Yes, she may use a lot of words to explain her point and you will have to fight to stay focused but what she has to say is what you need to hear. I can’t tell you how many times, my wife has given me a thought or an idea concerning my work or our children that was the wisdom of God, and I’m grateful that I actually had the humility and good sense to listen to what she had to say.

Dad, your wife is discerning as well. Most women are feelers, they sense things in the spirit. They pick up on ideas or opportunities, they can also make a good read on a person. It is how God made them! Most guys are logical and see things for what they are, God has gifted women to feel and see beyond what is in front of them. Many times, when we make moves in our home, it starts with Gabrielle sensing something. Now do we move right away when she “feels something?” No. However, when she does, she communicates it to me and then we pray about it, discuss it, and wait on it for a bit and if it seems like something we should do, we act on it. It’s an incredible way to lead your home and has kept us on God’s path for these 14+ years.

Great leaders surround themselves with the right people who will help make their company or division successful. They also work to create a healthy culture of collaboration within their company. As a dad, you are the leader of your home and you should want nothing less for your family. You want your home to be full of love and life. You want your children to be growing, spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically. Therefore, you have the responsibility to create that, but you can’t do it on your own. Yes, you should have mentors in your life that will speak into you. Yes, you need to surround yourself with a good group of guys to keep you accountable. You also need to work with the most important person in your home, your wife, to lead your family to where God wants it to be.

Will this be easy? No, especially if you have not operated in this way before, but nothing is easy when you start at it for the first time. However, it is worth the growing pains to create a beautiful synergy between you and your wife. Will your wife need to grow in her gifting? Yes. So give her space to grow and give her encouragement along the way. Could it be that what you have been asking God for, He has already sent you in the form of your wife? I think he has, so enjoy the journey with her!

Discipleship starts with you...

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 17:27:43 GMT

Discipleship starts with you...

One thing I have observed in my years of motherhood is how often and how easy it is to delegate the discipleship of my own children. It’s so easy to do for a number of reasons: I am tired, I am busy, I feel unqualified, someone could do it better than me, and the list goes on and on. However, it’s become very clear and apparent to me through the help of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that God has asked and purposed me as the mom (dad too) to do this first and foremost before anyone else gets a chance to do it. A couple of thoughts on this:

You can’t take them where you haven’t gone. Man, this convicts and holds me accountable to keep growing, learning, and becoming more like Jesus every day. In order for me to be able to teach my kids how to be like Christ, I MYSELF have to become more like Him. In order for me to teach them forgiveness, I myself have to learn how to forgive. In order for me to teach them humility, I myself have to learn to be humble. In order for me to teach them how to fear the Lord, I myself have to learn how to fear Him. So much in life is caught more than it is taught. There is an osmosis process that happens with the people you spend the most time with- for the good or the bad. An authority only comes from the areas of our life that we have gained God's revelation and are then living out. I can see in my kids’ lives all the God parts of me that I am truly living out because by spending time with me they too are becoming that.
Discipleship requires time. Man o man does it. It’s the part of love that is LONG SUFFERING and requires sacrifice. It won’t just happen overnight or even in one glorious God moment. It’s the small, every day, consistent, seemingly insignificant moments in the morning wake-up conversations, dinner time chats, car rides home, on a walk to the mailbox to get the mail moments where you are present with them sharing your thoughts and heart with each other on simple things. The moments where their friend hurt their feelings, or they didn’t get the position they wanted on their team and you have time and energy to sit and be with them, teaching and bringing hope and perspective back to their hearts. It’s not convenient, it requires you to say no to other things, and from the world perspective you could be doing better, more productive, more lucrative things with your time, but think about this. Who or what is getting those moments? Is their nanny getting those moments, is their coach getting those moments, is their youth leader getting those moments, are their devices getting those moments, or are they alone to themselves in those moments? Someone or something is shaping our kids in these moments. Listen to me, it’s meant to be us! God meant for the God inside of us to be the God inside of them and this only happens with TIME.
It’s not about perfection. I think for a lot of us discipleship seems intimidating. Like what would even say to them? How do we even do this? So we don’t. The devil loves this! One of the things the Lord has taught me is to make His presence comfortable to them. When I say this I mean, bring Him up as often as possible. I know for some of us who grew up in the faith we cringe and we roll our eyes at this thought because our parents did that and it was obnoxious or they did it in a way that was shameful, hurtful, and condemning. For the latter one, I am sorry that happened and that’s totally not the way or the spirit of what I am talking about, but the “obnoxious way” I am okay with. My parents were these parents everything came back to Jesus and the word of God. EVERYTHING! When I was young and did not get it yet I rolled my eyes but let me tell you now me and my two brothers thank God this is who my parents were. They were creating a God-centered way of thinking in us. Teaching us to refer to the Word when confused, pray when we were hurting, ask God what He thought about the show we were watching, or how about starting our day with prayer and worship to start our days in the right order. What was obnoxious then I am DEEPLY grateful for now, so don’t let their eye rolls scare you, BE OBNOXIOUS! Start with praying on the way to school, or sharing with them one thing you got out of your bible reading, or worship in the mornings with them, or get in the habit of learning a scripture together. It’s not about perfection it’s about planting seeds of God in their hearts little by little and trusting God to water them.

I am praying for us all this week that we will get a deeper conviction to become the main people who disciple our kids. That we would lean into God deeper and take our kids along with us. That we would say no to more commitments to have more time and energy for our family and that we wouldn’t disqualify ourselves from being the greatest influence in our kid’s lives. Praying the Holy Spirit will give us a strategy from heaven to shape our homes into a little more of what looks like Him, In Jesus' name Amen!

How do you handle not being in control?

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 17:27:07 GMT

HEY DAD,

How do you handle

not being in control?

The more I live my life, the more I come to terms with the fact that there are more and more things that are out of my control. I can’t control my wife, I can’t control my kids, I can’t control the economy, I can’t control the mood that my boss is in, I can’t control the cost of grass…Should I go on? Let’s be honest, feeling like you have no control is not a great feeling, especially for those of us who have control issues (which my wife kindly tells me that I have).

If you don’t know how to handle those moments, they can bring severe worry and stress into your life as well as cause you to become paralyzed in living your life. They can make you physically sick as well as provoke you to make poor decisions. The question then is, how do we deal with these moments and feelings? I’m no expert on these situations, but it seems like God is taking me on a crash course on how to get better at them. Here is what I am learning: first, in every situation that you find yourself in, there are things you can control and things you cannot control.

When it comes to the things, people, and situations that you can’t control you give those to someone who can do something about them - God. The Bible actually tells us that there are things in this life that only God can do something about it. For example, the Bible says that only God can change a person’s heart. That means you can’t change your wife, boss, or children, but what you can do is pray to God about them and ask Him for help. The moment you try to take on something that you cannot do, it will open the door to worry, stress, and disappointment. Dad, God has the things that you don’t, and though your life may feel out of control, remind yourself in those moments that God is in control. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxieties onto the Lord, for He cares for you.” God cares for you Dad, and what you call “impossible” He calls “easy.” Daily I have to give to God that which is important to me, but I have no control over. I choose to see God as one who cares about me, and who can do things that I can’t. Now how about what I can control?

Yes, there are things in your life that you can’t control but there are things in your situation that you can control. Don’t get so focused on what you can’t control that it disables you. In every situation, in every relationship, in every obstacle, there are responsibilities that you can embrace. If you are not sure what that is, then I would make that a point of prayer between you can God. He will show you what you can do. I’d also make sure you’re reading your Bible because it gives clear instructions on what you can do in every situation. For example, you may not be able to make your boss give you a raise or promotion but you can continue to work hard, get better, and continue to be integrous. You may not be able to save your marriage, but you can become a better husband. You can commit to praying daily for your wife, you can pursue her again, you can get counseling to work out your own personal issues.

At the very least, in every situation and circumstance, you can choose to daily make God first in your life. In Matthew 6:33 Jesus says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and live righteously…” At the very least Dad, model a life that puts God first. Daily spend time with Him, tithe, and serve at your local church. These are all outward activities that demonstrate an inward commitment that God is first in your life.

I don’t know what you are dealing with or walking through right now, but I do know this. There are things in that situation that you can control and other things that you can’t. Give to God what He says is His, embrace the part you are to play, and watch how it impacts your life. Peace will flood your heart and mind, you will make progress, you will become more like Jesus, and you will see the miraculous throughout your lifetime. You got this Dad!

You scare the devil...

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 17:26:14 GMT

HEY MOM,

You scare the devil...

I had this moment back in 2018 when I was beyond grieved about how schools were creating informational forms for elementary students to fill out asking them what gender they “identified” with. At this point, I had 3 kids and when I heard of this my heart was struck with fear. I remember standing in my kitchen holding on to the counter and saying, “God I’m scared, I don’t want my kids to ever be confused with how you made them, and God please don’t let anyone breed confusion into their lives.” I was scared and angry all at the same time and I remember very quickly the Lord spoke two things to my heart. He said:

Where Sin abounds, Grace abounds all the more (Romans 5:20)! He said when the enemy tries his hand to destroy ALWAYS EXPECT that I am right there abounding ALL THE MORE with MY presence and grace. He said I AM GREATER in those moments than even the deepest darkest sin and actually where there is darkness MY LIGHT shines even brighter! He said “Gabby my presence and grace is going to abound towards your children. They will know ME even greater in this hour.” Breathe and Faith came to me. Fear left and a conquering spirit settled in! He spoke His word to me and I BELIEVED it!

Second, He said, “I want you to pray that your kids would EXPERIENCE me at a young age and therefore never be able to be talked out of me.” He said “A lot of people know of me but have never experienced me. Once you have experienced me it’s hard to leave me or be talked out of me.” He said “Pray that I will encounter kids at a young age and I will”

He not only encouraged me with the first thought but He put a weapon in my mouth with this prayer! I have prayed this prayer EVERY DAY over my kids since!

He spoke this to me before all the crazy would unfold over the last 7 years. Every time I see things that try to terrify me for my kids I remember these two things and out loud speak them out. When I feel like outside forces are in control and are going to harm my child, I remember that GOD is in control and that Michael and I are the greatest authority in their life. I speak out loud to the enemies of this earth that try to defile who God has made our children to be and I say FLEE, I say GO, I say HANDS OFF in Jesus' name! I don’t back down or shrivel in a corner, or give the enemy one inch of my emotional real estate I STAND UP and remind him what God has said and I begin to declare God encounters to happen left and right in my children’s lives. I declare they experience HIM and never be able to be talked out of him, I declare that they will fulfill all God has marked out for them for their generation like David did! I declare they will use every gift, talent, and ability God has given them for the GLORY of God! They will love him deeply with a whole heart and a willing mind.

You know what happens as we do this? The enemy flees and no longer are we terrified by a weaker force than the Lord. Since Adam and Eve, the enemy has been trying to destroy generations. THIS isn’t a new tactic but we as Jesus' people have nothing to fear, actually, we should be invigorated and with joy and tenacity STAND UP and fight in place of prayer knowing that when sin is greatly present HIS GRACE is even GREATER! I pray these words would cause a faith and a fight to rise in you, and that you would catch courage, strength, and perspective to operate fiercely for the kingdom and your home in this hour. We got this Mom!!

Get back up...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 17:25:48 GMT

HEY DAD,

Get back up...

I think one of the most underrated skills that a dad has to have is the ability to get back up. I’m not talking about physically, I’m referring to the ability to pick yourself up after failing at something…Specifically when you blow it as a husband or a father. For me, I love being a dad. It’s one of my favorite things I get to do, but it is also something that I find myself failing at a lot. Have you ever had one of the moments with one of your kids where after it you think to yourself, “Well that moment is going to come up in a therapist chair for them someday.” I know I have thought that! It’s those moments that knock you down and when that happens you have two choices, you can stay down or you can get back up.

Staying down means that you have allowed that discouragement to keep you from apologizing and getting better. Staying down is bringing things into your life that distract you from focusing on what you need to grow in. Staying down is medicating yourself in some way so that you don’t feel that moment of failure. Have you ever found yourself there before Dad? It’s not a good place to be, and the scary thing is if you stay down there long enough you will start to get comfortable there.

However, that is not what God has for you and that is not what your family needs from you. They need a dad who is tough, and not just physically but one who has a resilient spirit that when he fails, he doesn’t stay down, he gets back up. Proverbs 24:16 says, “For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up...” If you have made Jesus the Lord of your life then you are righteous and that means that God’s spirit dwells inside of you so that you can get back up, even when you fall.

Getting back up is owning what you did or didn’t do and apologizing for it. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to look my children in the eyes and apologize for yelling or overacting to something they did, but that is necessary. Getting back up is realizing the areas that you are struggling in as a man and growing in that area. That may mean reading some books or listening to some podcasts; it probably means that you need some mentorship and accountability in that area as well. Getting back up is recognizing what you use to cope when you are discouraged (i.e. media, porn, drinking, etc.) and getting rid of it or staying away from it. Getting back up also recognizes that you can’t do this on your own, it requires a dependency on God and the help of the Holy Spirit. If you could do it on your own, you would have already done it but the truth is you can’t and that is okay. You weren’t meant to do this on your own anyway, so stop trying. Submit to the discipline and the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life, and watch how He helps you get back up.

Getting back up is tough at the beginning, but keep at it, and over time you will find yourself having built the necessary muscles, discipline, and partnership with the Holy Spirit to get back up with ease. There is so much more that God has for you Dad, and what He needs from you right now is to get back. Get up. Don’t stay down. Get back up. I know it seems hard. Get back up. I know it feels like you can’t do it. Get back up. I know you think that you don’t know how. Get back up. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. There is too much at stake, and there is much that God has for you to do. Get back up, Dad. You can do it!

Consider it garbage...

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 17:09:17 GMT

HEY MOM,

Consider it garbage...

This past weekend at church the Pastor in his message said “The best of you is in front of you not behind you.” He was calling us to keep our eyes ahead of us in the present with the Lord and stop looking behind. It wasn’t the main point of his message but man did the Holy Spirit highlight it to me. A couple of weeks ago at our church’s Thursday Night prayer, I was in worship and the Lord spoke this phrase to my heart “Lay hold” I knew this was a Biblical word so I went right to my Bible.

Philippians 3: 12-14 says, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

A few verses before this in Vs. 7-11 it says, “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”

I consider ALL I have acquired up to this point GARBAGE that I may GAIN Christ. Okay, that’s my paraphrase but that’s essentially what He is saying. Paul is saying, “Hey from an accolade standpoint of things I have done A LOT for Christ in the past, but I don’t boast in that, actually I consider it garbage so that I may keep in leaning to know Christ greater to follow him deeper.” What he is saying is, “THE BEST ME IS IN FRONT OF ME.”

I think it is really easy to build a trophy case of things we have done and acquired along the way in serving Christ. It’s really easy to gain so much pride for the things our hands have built with Christ up to this point. Although I don’t think this is bad AT ALL because we should feel good about the things we have done with him. I do think it becomes bad when we LIVE in that place and stop pressing in and LAYING HOLD of what Christ Laid Hold for us! The “Laying Hold” never ends for us, at least not until we are back with Jesus in heaven.

Paul uses such strong language here “I consider it garbage” that I may know Christ more. I know it’s intense but I sense it’s how it has to be so that we don’t elevate our “trophy case” over knowing God deeper. It’s easy to do this because the line can feel blurry. Sometimes God will ask you to walk away from things He helped you build. He will ask you to give away something that He put in your hands, He will ask you to stop doing something He once asked you to do. It’s easy in life to serve the hand of God over the voice of God. I believe it’s why God asks us at times to put things down that He gave us. Why? Because He wants to know which one you serve. He wants to know that you are committed to “Laying Hold” of him more than what He has placed in your hand.

I had this moment at the beginning of the year when we went to a Pastors' Conference we have gone to for years with our staff and Pastors. I knew this year was going to feel different because we had just recently obeyed God and let go of our positions of Executive Pastor that we had held for so long. To be honest the very conference I was looking forward to most years I was dreading this year because I knew it was going to hurt to see what once was. The first night of the conference I had this hard moment where I was sitting high up in the auditorium looking down on the front row seats I once had. In my heart and with tears in my eyes I said, “Wow Lord, so this is where I am now… all the way up here?” Immediately He responded to my heart and said “You laid it all down for me, and I couldn’t be prouder.” I’m not telling this story to brag about how good we are. I am sharing this story because sometimes we think God only calls us out of bad places into the good, but sometimes He calls you out of the good to make sure your heart wants Him more. He challenges you to believe that when this is the case, what He is putting into your hands now is better than the “good” you once had.

Hey Mom… Consider it Garbage… Forgetting what is behind to lay hold of what lies ahead for you and your family. I am praying for a Holy conviction to encompass us so that our eyes would be fixed on the present and what God is doing right now in and through us. That we would want HIM more than anything that He put in our hands yesterday. Remember the best of you is in front of you, not behind you.

Here's what God really cares about...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 17:08:50 GMT

HEY DAD,

Here's what God really cares about...

As guys we are doers, we find value in what we build and accomplish. Don’t believe me? Walk into a new environment with a bunch of dudes that you don’t know and within the first 2 minutes of a conversation that you are in one of you will ask the other, “What do you do for a living?” This is not a bad thing, God made us this way. With that said, we have to place the proper amount of importance on that part of our lives. For some, that is the most important part about us, and it is the only thing that we place value on and find worth in. God, however, places a higher value on something else in your life and that is who you are becoming.

See God is more concerned with who you are becoming, than what you are doing. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” God was speaking of a man named David, who would one day be king. David would accomplish all these great things for God, but what God placed most value on, is who David was and who he was becoming.

Is life then all about becoming someone and not accomplishing anything? No. I’m proposing it is both, but you have to place these two goals in the proper order. If “doing” is placed first before “becoming” then in our pursuit of accomplishing the goals we will become someone God did not intend us to be. However, if we place becoming the person God made us to be first, then we can go at those goals without having to sacrifice our integrity. Even consider Jesus’ great commission to the apostles in Matthew 28; he said to go and make disciples, in other words, help my people become something different than what they currently are.

Dad, God cares about you. He has placed an incredible call on your life, and He wants to see you accomplish all that He has for you. God also cares for the condition of your soul, He desires to see Christ formed in you. He doesn’t just value what you are doing on the outside, He also values what you look like on the inside.

Becoming is started in daily decisions. As you daily decide to spend time with God by reading your Bible, praying, worshipping Him, and acknowledging the Holy Spirit’s role in your life you will start to see yourself growing. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit leads us into a new season where not much is accomplished on the outside, but a renovation of the soul is happening on the inside of us.

I personally find myself in a season of life where I don’t see a ton of accomplishing on the outside which has been tough to work through, but I’m becoming something different. I feel the Holy Spirit sharpening me, refining me, forming Christ in me. Has this been easy? No. Has it always felt good? Nope. Is it necessary? Yes. Look I’m no masochist, and I don’t believe that walking through a tough season of “suffering” makes Jesus love me more. I just believe that these moments are necessary so that I can become more like Jesus and accomplish all that God has for me.

Dad, when was the last time you evaluated who you are becoming? How are you doing as a husband, a father, a leader, a friend, a coworker, a neighbor? Invite the Holy Spirit to search your heart and help you pinpoint areas where you need to grow. Bring in Godly counsel and give them permission to speak into your life and point out areas where you could grow, and not areas of leadership but in areas of character and integrity. It’s good to have goals, it’s good to build great companies, movements, and churches. It is also necessary to become the best version of who God made you to be. So get to work on that, I’ll be praying for you!

Let's talk about breath...

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 17:08:03 GMT

HEY MOM,

Let's talk about breath...

One of the most repeatable sayings I say in motherhood DAILY is “Take a Deep Breath” or “Just Breathe.” If my kids are angry, crying, or don’t understand something and are trying to communicate with me, I first stop them and say “Okay, stop and take a nice deep breath.” I am not sure if this is more for me or for them in those moments but what I will say is, it certainly helps both parties in a moment of tension. I love that the Holy Spirit has taught me how to do this in my life, and now I am teaching my kids and others the same. Here is what I like about it:

Oftentimes in life, we can be SO driven by our thoughts and emotions and if not regulated this can result in wild emotional outbursts. When you are little you can SOMEWHAT get away with this but as you get older this is a habit that doesn’t display so cute in life. Having the muscle built to STOP in an emotional moment and regulate your breath, heartbeat, and let’s be honest your MOUTH before responding to whatever life has handed you will serve you well!

Breath allows oxygen to come to the brain and helps you think CLEARLY. I am sure we have all been in a moment of tension and emotion and it feels like we can’t even think straight. Typically, the heart is always racing at this moment as well. Deep breaths slow your heart and allow oxygen to actually get to the brain which helps you think clearly. This is why in these moments the only thing our mouth should be doing is breathing NOT TALKING. Moments like this are when we get ourselves in trouble because we start spouting off insanities and hurtful things. Nope! Stop and Breathe. It takes more discipline to breathe but this is the muscle we want in life. Discipline is the muscle that allows us to not be ruled by our emotions but by our spirit.

I also hear the Holy Spirit when I stop and breathe. If I had to count all the times the Holy Spirit has talked me off some crazy ledge in ONE MOMENT we’d be here all day. I remember this one time years ago when all four of my kids were under five all at once. The day had been utter insanity and I felt I literally had no control over anything. The kids wouldn’t nap, the girls were teething and angry, Ford had energy for days and wouldn’t stop making his siblings cry, Crew was overly tired and wanted to do nothing but nurse, the house was a mess, dinner turned out gross, Michael was late coming home from work, should I go on? It was bad! I literally couldn’t think and could hear all my thoughts all at once (is that possible?). I remember I walked to the garage to get a new bottle of ketchup. From my kitchen to my garage (maybe 30 steps) I thought “I am going to lose it. I can’t do this!” My heart was beating faster than it ever had and tears welled DEEP in my eyes, and my soul ached. By the time I reached the garage fridge the Holy Spirit responded to my thoughts and said “No you aren’t, I am right here with you. He said to me, “Where does it hurt? Close your eyes and see it.” The pain was in my heart. As soon as I saw it, no lie, I felt a warm peaceful pressure over my heart almost like someone placed one finger there and peace came IMMEDIATELY. All He needs is a moment and when we can slow our emotions and breathe we give Him that one second, He needs to get in there and deliver truth to our pains and pressures of the day.

Psalms 34: 17-18 MSG says, “Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you. If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.”

Today and always Mom, the Holy Spirit wants to help you catch your breath! Breath is a discipline, a muscle that has to be built. It’s easy to breathe when things are good but it’s a discipline to breathe when tensions settle in. Practice it! When you’re mad, stop and breathe before you act. When you’re sad, stop and breathe before you act! When you’re confused, stop and breathe before you act. Give the Holy Spirit room to help you catch your breath. Your husband will thank you, your kids will thank you and really YOU will thank you!

Keep your eyes on the stars and your hands in the sand...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 17:07:32 GMT

HEY DAD,

Keep your eyes on the stars

and your hands in the sand...

In the book of Hebrews 11:12 it says this about a man named Abraham, “And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.” God gave Abraham this promise that one day he would have children and eventually through his lineage an entire nation would be born. In order to help Abraham visualize just how big his family would be God gave him two examples, stars and sand.

Dad, I bet that there are things that you are dreaming about right now. You probably have a vision for you and your family’s life, you have goals that you want to accomplish, and maybe even a dream board or two. I know I do, I have a big vision for my life and for my family. It’s a dream that I believe is from God, and as a result, it is one that is beyond my ability to accomplish on my own. With that said, we have to talk about the tension of pursuing a God-given dream. What parts am I responsible for, and what parts is God responsible for? Is living by faith, like Abraham, all about doing nothing and just trusting God? Am I supposed to just keep my head down, work really hard, and hope that God blesses it? What is the posture that we need to have to pursue what God has put in our hearts? To answer that I give you what God gave Abraham, stars and sand. We must live our lives with our eyes on the stars and our hands in the sand.

What do I mean by eyes on the stars? Stars represent something beyond your reach. They cause you to get out of your house, pick up your head, and look up. Eyes on the stars means that we must not lose sight of the vision or dream that God has given us. Sometimes we can get so focused on what we are doing that we live with our heads down, and if we never look up at the stars and remember that vision that we are going after we will struggle to follow through and see that dream realized.

What do I mean about hand in the sand? God-size dreams come with parts that only He can do. If you can accomplish on your own what is on your heart to pursue then that vision is not from God. God always leads us to the pursuit of a dream that requires a dependency on him. With that said, there is always a part that we are to play in that pursuit as well. We are not called to live a life where we don’t do anything and just wait for God to do something. No, there is something that God has put in your hands and we are meant to keep our hands in the sand by working hard with what He has given us. The Bible calls that stewardship.

My observation is that we all have a lean as to which one comes easier to us. Some of us are eyes on the stars people, we have no problem dreaming and imagining new ideas, products, or businesses. Often though, eyes on the stars people don’t keep their hands in the sand and work with what they have so they tend to have all these dreams but they are never realized. They are then frustrated with life and God because they don’t see any of these dreams come true. On the other side, hands in the sand people tend to get so focused on working that they forget to look up and remember that the vision that they are pursuing will require God’s help. They tend to over-work and struggle with stress and anxiety because they are trying to make it happen on their own.

Pursuing a God-given vision requires us to look up at the stars and to keep our hands in the sand. That means that you should be dreaming, Dad. Keep that vision in front of you, but remember that you can’t do it all on your own. There is a God who is with you, and He will help you, He will provide for you, and He will make a way where there seems to be no way. That also means that you have to work with what God has given you right now. Your dream might have a different job in it, which is great, but work hard at the job you have right now. Don’t just wait for opportunities to present themselves, take some risks, do your best, and get better.

Dad keep your eyes on the stars and your hands in the sand. Keep dreaming and keep working hard, and like Abraham, you will see the faithfulness of God in your life. Things will begin to open up for you, opportunities will present themselves, and most importantly you will have the joy of knowing that you accomplished something great in partnership with your Heavenly Father. You got this Dad!

The word woooooorks!

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 17:05:13 GMT

HEY MOM,

The word wooooooorks!

Alright, Summer Week 2….How are you doing? Breathing deep? Counting how many summers you have left out loud? It helps, truly! I personally have had to do it maaaaany times over the last week but every time it sobers me up!

I’ve been thinking so much about the power of the Word of God in our lives. I grew up in church my whole life but truth be told I never was much of a reader so the Bible was always a bit of a struggle for me. I mean I would read it but it was like checking a box for a lot of my growing up. When I gave my life (truly) to Christ in High School it was still an up-and-down journey in my faith because my lean was always worship and prayer. I connected with God in those places the easiest, taking the pieces I KNEW of the word and maximizing it there. This approach only took me so far in my faith. Eventually, I got stuck because this approach was malnourished. I mean, HOW could I really know God without knowing His word? How could my faith take root and go deeper, without HEARING the word of God? How could my character possess the attributes of Christ without knowing WHO He was and His nature? How could I stand firm against the enemy’s lies and troubles of life without the belt of truth and the sword of the spirit to fight with?

I remember before the Lord called me to go to bible school, Michael and I had broken up. The Lord had told me that He needed time with me, that there was a call on my life, and that I needed to KNOW Him deeply in order to do it. I WANTED THAT! The Lord gave me such a DEEP hunger to KNOW Him greater in that season, that it surpassed my desire to be Michael’s girlfriend. We broke up and so began the journey of me KNOWING God! You know the first place He took me on that journey with Him? To His Word… And for the first time in my life, I wanted it…BAD! I became consumed with the Bible and sensed the Holy Spirit so close teaching me what it meant. I went to bible school with such a hunger and focus to UNDERSTAND His word, not just in a head knowledge way but in my heart. I wanted it to be real and make sense so that I could truly live it out. You want to know the biggest tangible change that came to my life in getting God’s word in me. STABILITY! Stability in my thoughts, in my emotions, in my decisions, in my reactions. I was no longer living out of “my truth” or “my personality” but out of HIS. I was now hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit constantly REMINDING me of what His word says and how I should then handle whatever was at hand. It brought such a solidness to who I was in all fronts of life. I was no longer easily persuaded by my feelings or emotions because the truth was at home in me and it called me higher. I was always such prayer girl and so now knowing the WORD was like taking steroids for this gift because now I was so aware of His word constantly coming to my heart, coaching me, and leading me to share with others.

Psalms 119 is one of my favorite pieces of scripture. The Psalmists creates a compelling, convicting argument for the POWER of the WORD in our life. The word God is like medicine…You ingest it and you can’t SEE the work it’s doing to HEAL you but as you take it, it's bringing back alignment to your body. It’s the same with the Word of God as you read the word and get it in your heart it's correcting that which is hurt, out of order, immature, lacking, preparing you, strengthening you, encouraging you, teaching you…it’s doing far beyond what you can see.

I’m not sure where you are at with the Word of God but I am praying even as you have read this that the same Spirit that changed my heart to LOVE and DESIRE it is changing yours! I pray and impart my hunger to KNOW Him and His Word to you right now in Jesus' name! That when you open His word it will come alive to you in a greater way through the help of the Holy Spirit at work in you! That you would see the fruit of His Word spring forth in a great way emotionally, physically, spiritually, and financially as you do not just HEAR it but DO it! In Jesus name!!

You need a thick skin but a soft heart...

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:58:21 GMT

HEY DAD,

You need a thick skin

but a soft heart...

I think having to be tough comes with the territory of being a dad. You have to be tough in one sense because you carry a lot of pressure. You have to provide for your family, which means working at jobs that are hard or that you might not like. You have to wake up early, go to bed late, and deal with the middle-of-the-night drama that happens with the kids. You also have to show those boys of yours that you can still dominate them in sports and wrestling matches, and you definitely need to be able to intimidate that young punk who is coming to take your daughter out for her first date.

The tension we have to manage is to have that thick skin but to make sure that our hearts remain soft. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” In other words, the condition of your heart is a big deal to God and has a huge impact on your life. So yes, it is good to have a thick skin, but as a man you have to make sure that you don’t allow your heart to become hard. That is, you don’t become a man who lacks compassion, and you are open to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It also means that you aren’t apathetic about life or people, and you choose the “narrow road” as scripture says of following God daily and submitting to His will.

How’s your heart dad? I know you have a lot on you right now. I know that there is a lot of pressure in your life and you have had to be tough, but has that begun to mess with your heart?

In the Bible, David the Shepherd King, is a perfect example of a man who had a thick skin, but also had a soft heart. So much so, that God said of David that he was a man after His own heart. David killed giants, defeated mighty warriors, and lead the deadliest group of warriors found in scripture. There is actually a chapter in the Bible, 2 Samuel 23, that lists out his most famous warriors and what they accomplished. David was a tough dude, he had a thick skin, and he could take on hard tasks and accomplish them. Yet, he had a soft heart. All you need to do is read some of the chapters in the book of Psalms that he wrote to see a man whose heart remained tender. What was his secret?

David never took the credit for his victories, He always gave glory to God. The journey to a hard heart is to start thinking that your success is all because of you. A man who has a soft heart is one who understands that God gets the glory for his life. God made you, He gifted you, He sent you His Holy Spirit to empower you, and He should get all the glory for it. Yes, you worked hard, and yes you stepped out in faith, but don’t keep the praise; give it to where it belongs.

When David was confronted with a shortcoming, he didn’t cover it up or make excuses. He accepted the punishment, asked God for forgiveness, and prayed that God would change His heart. I think this alone will revolutionize your life. What do you do when the Holy Spirit, himself or through someone else convicts you of something? The road to a hard heart is one paved with unrepentant sin. It’s not easy to ask for forgiveness or to admit you are wrong, but it is necessary to guard your heart.

David understood that he could not accomplish everything on his own and that he would need the help of God. David did crazy things in his life. He went from being a shepherd to a king. However, he knew that he could not do it all on his own, and that’s why many of David’s Psalms are of him asking God for help. When you feel like it’s all on you, your survival instincts begin to kick in and you begin to harden your heart. Dad here is the truth, it isn’t all on you. God has a part that He wants to play in your life, and what He asked you to do, you can’t do on your own anyway. Therefore, don’t try; acknowledge where you fall short and ask the Creator of the Universe for help. He won’t let you down.

Dad, keep being tough; we need strong men like you in this world but fight to keep your heart soft so that you can also be someone who God says, “That is a man after my own heart.”

Count 'em out loud...

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 22:20:21 GMT

HEY MOM,

Count 'em out loud...

A few years ago, our Pastor was talking to us about how quickly the season of parenting goes. He made a statement that I’ll never forget and sobers me up as a mom every time. He said, “Count how many summers you have left with your kids.” As I sat there in that meeting I could have fallen dramatically on the floor and cried thinking about how with my oldest we only had 11 left! LIKE HOW? How is that possible? Sometimes when you are in the thick of it with your kids it feels like where you are will last forever, you lose all concept of time because you truly are living moment to moment or day to day in parenthood. It happens…there is no shame in it! That’s why I am forever grateful for this very practical tool that comes up in my heart many times in the year. It instantly brings me back to the present and makes me squeeze my kids and embrace the time we have been given.

Since that moment, Mike and I have determined to make our summers count. Now this doesn’t mean we have to spend an exorbitant amount of money or be running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to make a book of memories in 2 months, but this does mean we have become very intentional with time spent and memories made. We make it a point to be in the sun a lot together, to learn something new together, to travel somewhere fresh together (even if it’s only a 1hr drive away), to play till the sun goes down, to eat outside as much as we can, to hang and make memories with friends, to have the greatest time at summer camp, to start new or follow through with summer traditions made. TOGETHER is always our goal!

Truth be told this year Mike and I didn’t get to mapping our summer out until days before break started but we did it! We sat down, prayed, and planned for how our days would look with the kids! We made a list of things we wanted to do and how we wanted our days to look and we mapped it out. We make plans for most other areas of our lives so that they will succeed, right? Our business, our clients, our finances, our ministries, so in order for our summers with our kids to succeed there must be a plan in place. Luke 14:28 says “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost…” IT’S NOT TOO LATE!! Do it! Sit down, pray, make a plan, map it out, and commit it to the Lord. This doesn’t take money it just takes time!

Alight, WE GOT THIS!! Count how many summers you have left! First week into summer and believe me there have been moments already where I want to screeeeeam wildly. Everyone is adjusting and the first couple weeks are always the hardest. Breathe deep! Ask Jesus for help and ask Him for your summer plan! Believing this is going to be the sweetest summer yet for all of your families!!

You're a farmer...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 22:19:46 GMT

HEY DAD,

You're a farmer...

I grew up in the Midwest but I’m no farmer; I don’t know how to plant crops or butcher a chicken. I’m not that handy, though my wife wishes I was, and I’m not a big fan of the smell of manure. Now with that said, if you are a dad then you are a farmer. Not in the traditional sense, but how we approach and steward our children, is very similar to the way a farmer handles his crops. In Genesis 22:18 God is speaking to a man named Abraham and he makes this promise to him about his children, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Notice how God describes Abraham’s children, He calls them “seed”. I don’t think God does anything by mistake or chance, if He calls children “seed” then that makes us dads, farmers. What then can we learn from farmers that will help us parent the “seeds” that God has given us?

First off, farmers are concerned with the soil. If the soil is bad, even if they plant the seed, it won’t grow to its potential. Dad, where you plant your kid matters. For us, that is why church is such a priority because we need to plant our kids in good soil. They might not always like going to church, and that’s okay but they will go because we are farmers and it matters where we plant our children. Friends for us, is soil. Can I tell you one thing that can mess up good parenting? Bad friends. Scripture says that bad company corrupts good character; that is why we are particular in who we allow our kids to spend time with. Our home is soil, that’s why we try to not overschedule our kids so that they are always out of our home. That’s also why my wife and I work together to make sure that our marriage is healthy, because in doing that it keeps the soil of our home healthy. You’re a farmer dad, and it matters where you plant your kids.

When a seed is in the early stages of growth, a farmer is more concerned with its roots than its fruit. He knows that if the root system of that plant is healthy and well established that it is only a matter of time before that plant will produce the fruit it is supposed to. When it comes to parenting it is so easy to be overly focused on the outward growth of our kids. We put them in team sports, get them coaches, hire tutors, and sign them up for all kinds of activities. Don’t get me wrong, those aren’t bad things to do, but where these activities fall short is they focus on the outside stuff. Yes, I want my kids to do well in sports, of course, I want them to succeed in the classroom, and have skills and abilities that will set them apart in life. However, who they are becoming is so much more important than what they are doing, and I think that is where some of us neglect growth. We want to raise young men and women who have integrity and compassion, who are resilient, and who have an inward confidence because they know who they are. Those are the root systems of our children. That’s why we have our children memorize Bible verses and why we talk about them. That’s why we celebrate them failing at something and getting back up just as much as we celebrate a win on a field. Coaching is good, tutors are good, but they are helping your kids with the fruit of their life, not the roots. You’re their dad, and you’re a farmer so inspect the roots of your children and ask the Holy Spirit on how you can help them grow.

Lastly, a farmer knows that planting seeds takes time and that he won’t see a harvest from that seed right away. However, that doesn’t stop him from caring for and protecting that seed. Dad, parenting is the long game and a lot of what you will do with your kids will be in faith. You might not see a lot happening right now but don’t forget, you’re a farmer and they are seed. Keep caring for your children and keep protecting; every once in a while, evaluate the soil they are in, and focus on their root system. Then trust God to do the rest. A farmer knows that he can only do so much and that there is a point where he has to trust the growth cycle that God established long ago to kick in. We can’t do it all, but we can do our part and trust that God will do His part. You can do this Dad, so get out there and get your hands dirty!

If you are making mistakes then you're ALIVE...

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 22:20:12 GMT

HEY MOM,

If you're making mistakes

then you are ALIVE...

I read something somewhere that said, “You know when you have become a healthy and mature adult when you are able to look at your parents and see them as mere women and men.” What they were getting at with this statement was we are ONLY human mom and dad. Trying and endeavoring (for most) to do the best job we can. When our kids are little they see us as superheroes, perfect in every way, unable to sometimes comprehend that we too don’t have it all together, and that surely we are never scared or intimidated by life. And although I think it good for our kids to see us as strong, healthy, consistent, brave, and steadfast individuals I think it can be just as powerful for them to see us fall and get back up in life, ask for forgiveness, see us do something scared, and see us overcome in an area.

One of the things we tell our kids OFTEN is that it’s okay to make mistakes, it’s okay to fall short, it’s how you get back up that counts. In fact, one of the statements in our daily confession we have them say is “When I fall, I get back up.” We do this because falling in life is inevitable, it’s a part of our humanity, it’s why Jesus had to come and thank God he did—to make a way for our fallen nature. When Jesus did what He did, it didn’t eradicate our fallenness, but it did give us the POWER to be able to get back up and walk in a better way next time. Until Jesus comes back we will make mistakes and fall short so we have to get good at getting back up.

I don’t think our kids have to wait until they are older or make some really major mistakes to get good at this. I believe they can learn now…In the small ways. By our instruction and our demonstration. By teaching them about humility and showing them how to ask for forgiveness. By teaching them that they can do all things through Christ Jesus and then showing them how to do something scared. By teaching them that God's word in them makes them wise and showing them when you make an unwise decision. By teaching them that a righteous man falls seven times and gets back up and showing them how you had to get back up in your business.

Now I am all about shielding my kids from certain things. There are battles that they will fight but not until they are older. However, sometimes I think that out of love we shield our kids from too much. We play into this false, ego-stroking reality that we are superheroes never making mistakes and therefore making falling short an uncommon, shameful reality for them and us. I want to raise kids that are good at getting back up! Resilient, Enduring, Hopeful, Humble…That know Christ is with them and for them, not based on how “good or perfect” they are but HE IS! Kids from toddlerhood to adulthood are gracious to others and themselves, forever cheering and believing for themselves and others to GET. BACK. UP!

Choose the Gap over the Platform...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 22:19:44 GMT

HEY DAD,

Choose the Gap over

the Platform...

I came across this verse, and I thought about you Dad. It’s found in Ezekiel 22:30, “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.” I know kind of an intense verse, but track with me here. First, do you see what God is doing? He is looking for people who He can use to rebuild that which has been broken down. Second, He is looking for people who see the holes and gaps in the walls and don’t mind stepping into them so that they can be rebuilt. Third, and what is really unfortunate, He couldn’t find anyone to do it.

Dad, God wants you to do some significant things on this earth. Could God do it himself? Of course He could, He’s God! If He couldn’t then He wouldn’t be God, but God chooses to use people to accomplish His will on the earth. That means He has chosen you to rebuild that which is broken down in your life, in your family, and in your culture.

Now the question you have to ask yourself is, “Where do you see gaps in the walls?” Do you see gaps in your family? Do you see gaps in your church? Do you see gaps in your school system, neighborhood, or community? Gaps can be discovered in different ways. A gap can be discovered by a statistic, for example, there is a statistic that says the average age for a boy to encounter porn for the first time is 9 years old…That’s a gap. A gap can be brought to your attention by someone else like your Pastor announcing that the Youth Group needs more help during their Wednesday night service…That’s a gap.

The next question is, “When you become aware of a gap, how do you know if it is something you are supposed to help with?” When you become aware of a gap, if it evokes some kind of emotion out of you, that’s a good indicator that the Holy Spirit is tapping you in to help fill that gap. That means, if you get happy, sad, and/or mad about it, then I think you should do something about it.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of gaps in our culture and not enough gap-fillers. Could it be, that more people are looking for platforms to succeed in rather than gaps to fill? What a sad verse to read in Ezekiel that God could find no one. Let that not be said of us during our time on the earth Dad! Let it be said, that God found men who weren’t perfect, who weren’t fully qualified, but who were men of integrity and faith and who were willing to step in and fill the gap. I think you are a gap-filler dad, and when you step into that gap you are going to experience a new level of purpose in your life. You are going to feel a new intimacy with God because this gap-filling life requires a deeper level of dependency on God.

Is it your job to do it all? No. God is not looking for someone to handle the whole thing on their own. God is looking for partners. Willing men, who He can do great things through. Don’t feel the pressure to make it all happen on your own; just shake off the apathy and feel the weight of the call to fill that gap. We need you to fill that gap, and I know you can do it!

Be a prayer girl...

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 22:20:05 GMT

HEY MOM,

Be a prayer girl...

Ok so I am totally a prayer girl, ever since I was little! My mom was a prayer girl so I grew up hearing her pray for me, our family, and for others. In the morning, in the evening, and in the afternoon ha! Prayer was such a natural and normal way for me because I saw it constantly at work in and through my mom’s life. Prayer was not a plan B or C in our life it was always a plan A. It was always the answer to anything we were facing…Before school each morning, our friendship pains, not making a sports team, when we were sick, when we ate dinner, before we would take a test, when we would have bad dreams, when a boy would hurt my heart, or when I was making a decision the answer was always “Gabby have you prayed? Have you asked the Lord for His help?” When I was younger I won’t lie this drove me nuts at times. I just wanted someone to tell me what to do or to make it okay instantly. However, now I say, “God thank you that I had parents that pointed me to Jesus and prayer.” It was shaping me and building in me a natural default to have a mind and heart of prayer. A posture of always reaching to Him. They were teaching me then and I wouldn’t fully appreciate till later; that God was with me and that he wanted to help me ALWAYS. That He is always the answer to whatever Life brings my way, good and bad!

Because of this I grew up so aware of His presence in my life even when I was doing wrong and didn’t want Him there I would sense Him with me and doing wrong just never felt right because of it. I remember multiple times in my teens when I was going through a hard time and partying, I would be drunk and I would hear the Lord whisper in my ear “Gabby what I have for you is better than this.” Holy agitation would hit my heart and bring a deep disdain for the way I was living and a hunger for more of Him would sweep through me. I know my mom was praying for me in these moments…She’s a prayer girl.

I am leading my kids this same way, continuing this “prayerful posture” forward in their lives and in Jesus' name the generations to come from us. That His presence would be normal to them, that they would joyfully include Him in their days, that they would see their dad and I praying in all things, at all times, on every occasion, persistently (Ephesians 6:18) inviting God to help, teach, train, heal, provide, and to be with us.

They may not get it FULLY right now, they may even fight you on it, but believe me PLANT the seed of prayer in their hearts, and tell them constantly that God is with them and will always help them! Together with them pray about everything and know and trust God to water that seed you plant in them all the days of their life.

What's your pace looking like?...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 22:19:34 GMT

HEY DAD,

What's your pace looking like?...

A long time ago, I ran a half-marathon with my wife, and on the day of the race, I noticed something interesting. They had these different individuals that held this sign up with different time-stamps on them and people grouping around them. Having never run in an organized race, I was curious as to why they were doing that. After asking around I found out that those were mile pace times. In other words, if a person was holding a sign that said 6:30 that meant that they would be running a 6:30 mile pace. When running a race, going at your correct pace is very important; if you go faster than your practice pace then you will burn out and not finish the race, or if you don’t run at the pace you have been practicing then you won’t finish when you planned on.

Life is made up of different seasons, and different seasons require different paces. A key to living a healthy, holistically successful life is to understand the season you are in and identify the pace that it requires of you. There is this account in the Bible where we see a father adjust his pace to reflect the season that he and his family were in.

In Genesis 33 we see a man named Jacob who is making his way back to his hometown. Jacob has been living with his Uncle Laban for over 14 years. When he came there he was single and had nothing, but now he has wives, children, and a successful business. As he is making his way home, his twin brother Esau along with 400 other guys comes to meet him. They settle some family drama, which is why Jacob left in the first place, Esau meets his nieces and nephews, and then he tells Jacob to come back with him, but Jacob’s response has always stood out to me. He says in verse fourteen, “Please, my lord, go ahead of your servant. We will follow slowly, at a pace that is comfortable for the livestock and the children.”

In other words, “Esau I know that you and those 400 dudes can go at a fast pace, but I’m not by myself. I have a wife and I have children, and so I have to travel at a different pace.” Dad, what kind of pace are you living life at right now? I think we all face the challenge of identifying the season we are in and the pace we must live. A temptation we all have is to live life at a pace we used to live at. I bet that when you were single or it was just you and your wife that you could live at a fast pace; and you know what, that was appropriate and good, but I don’t think that pace works anymore.

I know you long for the pace you once ran at, but you’re in a new season, and if you want to bring your family along you have to make some pace adjustments. By the way, that is not a bad thing, there is something beautiful and necessary about the pace you need to be living at right now. Don’t resist it, embrace it!

What is that pace for you right now? I have no idea, but I do know that the Holy Spirit wants to teach you what that is. In fact, I bet you have been feeling it for a while but you quickly dismiss it because that’s not how your mentor lives or that’s not how “successful people” live their lives. Now am I saying stop everything? No! You do have a race that you are to run and finish, but you need to run that at the right pace.

What would it be, if we finished life’s race and created that business, started that church, made a bunch of money, but we lost our wives and children along the way? I think we could eliminate a lot of regret in our life’s journey if we moved at the correct pace. There is a lot that God has for you Dad and your family; bring them along with you at a pace that they can keep up with. You can do that!

You're doing a Great Work and can't come down...

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 22:19:58 GMT

HEY MOM,

You're doing a Great Work and

can't come down...

Isn’t it funny how when you endeavor to make changes in life or walk in a fresh direction God is leading you in, immediately enemies pop up in the land? Is funny the right word?

Enemies come in all shapes and sizes and can even sometimes look good. Enemies could be discouragement, past struggles, insecurities, unhealthy relationships, fear of man, hopelessness, lack of purpose, and so many more. Enemies can even look like opportunities that pop up in the wrong seasons. Have you ever heard it said, “The right thing in the wrong season is still wrong”? I find these opportunities love to present themselves right when you have made a resolve in your heart to move in a better direction. You have a conviction to become a better steward of your money and all of a sudden your friend group wants to plan a vacation. You have a conviction to be more present with your family and all of a sudden you get a “promotion” that causes you to travel more.

I have found in this season where God has been challenging Mike and me to become more intentional with our family there have been ENDLESS opportunities to try and distract us from the work God is calling us to. Whether it’s our schedule trying to get too busy, insecurity trying to take control, a fight trying to bring division, or discouraging thought trying to waste my time…The enemies in the land are ever present and always working overtime to prevent us from accomplishing the work God has called us too. So how do we overcome it?

I love the book of Nehemiah, if you haven’t read it before, I challenge you to. You will find courage, resolve, and determination in it. See Nehemiah caught a burden from the Lord and this burden caused him to leave the comfort of his position in life to go and rebuild the wall in Jerusalem. As beautiful as it was for him to have this holy moment with the Lord—This assignment came with all kinds of discomfort, learning, opportunities to build faith, and enemies in the land. There is a moment in Chapter 6 where enemies of Nehemiah’s work were scheming to meet up with him and harm him. Nehemiah discerned these intentions and replied to them with this in Nehemiah 6:3, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down.” Four more times the enemies tried to distract him from the work God called him to and four more times Nehemiah replied this way. Nehemiah had a conviction from the Lord, and this conviction held his focus steady when trials came, when faith was fainting, when provisions seemed tight, and when enemies tried to distract. His burden kept his eyes fixed!

Understand this Mom, YOU ARE DOING A GREAT WORK IN YOUR HOME, and the enemy of your family’s life KNOWS IT! He will never stop trying to distract you, or get you all up in your emotions, or busied up in life, bring “good” looking opportunities in the wrong season, or exhaust your energy so that you slowly but surely put that work down. That is his goal because he cannot stop you, he can only try to make it so that you will get distracted or quit.

Because we know this, our eyes and hearts have to be CONTINUALLY and INTENTIONALLY focused on the work God is calling us to in our homes: Creating the God pace for them, prioritizing time together, discipling our kids in the Lord, eating dinner together, imparting identity, speaking words of strength and courage in moments of fear, correcting wrong behavior, adventuring and experiencing life together, building healthy sons and daughters for generations to come—THE GREAT WORK.

My prayer for us this week is that we as moms would have a fresh GOD understanding and conviction of the “Great Work” He is calling us to in our homes. That when distractions and enemies come that are contrary to the work HE is calling us to, we would SEE it and that we would have a response like Nehemiah “We are doing a GREAT WORK and can’t come down!” No one else can do for your family what you can Mom! Believe it! See it! Value it and Use it!

Whose side are you on?

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 22:19:09 GMT

HEY DAD,

Whose side are you on?

In the Bible, there is this interaction that a man named Joshua has with God. It is found in the book of Joshua 5:13-15. Joshua has become the leader of the Hebrew people; he was the understudy of a great leader named Moses and he was also a warrior. He had already led the Hebrew army in a few battles, and now he faces a new challenge to lead these people into a new territory, conquer the existing nations, and settle there.

Chapter five finds him on the precipice of this great military endeavor, but the night before it begins he has this crazy interaction. He sees this armed warrior walking toward him, and he does what I think we would all do. With his hand on his sword, he asks, “Are you a friend of foe?” The man replies, “Neither one…I am the commander of the Lord’s army.” All of a sudden Joshua realizes that it is God and he quickly bows down and says, “I am at your command…What do you want your servant to do?”

Let me give you the Michael paraphrase on this section of scripture. When Joshua encounters God, he wants to know if God is with him or not, but God’s response is, “Joshua you are asking the wrong question.” “It’s not, am I with you, the question is are you with me?” In other words, I’m not along for this ride Joshua; you don’t get to do what you want and just expect me to accept and bless it. I called you Joshua and I have a plan for how I want you to go about this phase of your life, but it is going to take you humbling yourself, submitting to my Lordship, and following my lead. If you do that, then what you are attempting to do will be a success. Joshua bowing, is him saying, “I’m with you God, I will follow your lead.”

Whose side are you on Dad? I think sometimes our approach to God, is one where we do what we think is best and then expect Him to be okay with it. We’ve all been at places where something is not working out in our lives and we have asked that cosmic question, “God are you even with me?” The book of Joshua says that we are asking the wrong question. Life is not about asking God if He is with us, but asking ourselves if we are with God. Dad, you have this call on your life. Like Joshua, you have been commissioned to lead your family, to take ground, and to make a life for them and the future generations that will follow. With that, our posture should not be one with his hand on his sword, seeing who is with us and who is against us, but rather, kneeling before God and submitting to his Lordship in our lives. The greatest posture you can have Dad is one of kneeling. I know that is not easy to do, because sometimes God asks you to do things that culture says are wrong or outdated. The Bible, God’s Word, will at times even offend and irritate you, but that doesn’t matter if you have made the decision to be on God’s side.

All I know is that when I follow God and His ways, I tap into His supernatural empowerment, fellowship, and blessing. Life with God is so much better than life without Him. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be hard times or obstacles to overcome, but it does mean that you have the creator of the universe with you. Dad, you need to be on God’s side, your wife and children need you to daily kneel before the Lord and say the words that Joshua said, “I am at your command…What do you want your servant to do?”

Your family has a purpose and YOU are a key player in it...

Mon, 27 May 2024 20:17:35 GMT

HEY MOM,

Your family has a purpose and

YOU are a key player in it...

As Michael and I have gone on this journey with God about family, we have learned it is undeniable that family, since the beginning of creation, was the way God wanted to build on the earth. The family was given authority and power to reign with God over creation. Think about it…God could have given his creation to be ruled over by a non-profit, or a church, or a corporation but NO he gave it to a family. God built and rebuilt nations through families, made covenants with families, created priesthoods through families, and gave HIS one and only son to be nurtured and protected by a family. It’s wild because now when I read my bible I can’t help but see FAMILY everywhere in it. Even in the genealogies, I used to blaze past but now I look at them and see God putting an emphasis on the way He builds generationally through the pipeline of family. See your family is not random to God, your family is a tool in the hand of God that He wants to use to build something in the earth. It’s a weighty responsibility, one that should compel us and draw us closer to the Holy Spirit to figure out what He has for us.

As wives and moms, I believe God has given us a very sensitive and discerning voice in our family’s lives. We have a way of seeing things in our homes beyond what the natural eye can see; sensing that something has to change, or something has to grow. We can see things in our kids, gift mixes, talents, personality traits, and where that could potentially lead them in life. This is not some “cute sensing” we have that should be taken lightly or forgotten about quickly. This is God’s voice in our lives trying to help lead and direct us in our homes, helping us to see where we need to pray, encourage, correct, and equip them.

There have been so many times in motherhood where time stands still in a seemingly simple moment but where I hear the Holy Spirit say “Look, I’ve gifted them in that...that’s not random, that’s me in them and I want to show you how to cultivate it in them.” Or “Gabby, look she is struggling in that, give your attention to that, I’ll help you.” See God is always speaking to us as parents trying to be a part and at the center of leading our homes. Truly He is trying to teach us how to do our families well. I have found that daily as I give space and leadership to his voice- He speaks and every time He coaches and leads me and I obey, the VOLUME of His voice increases in my life.

He wants to build through our homes DEEPLY. He wants to create on the earth and work with us instead of despite us! He wants to show us our mission and where to focus more than He wants us to get our cues from the next global trend or influencer account. Your family is not random, and it doesn’t matter how it started GOD wants to use it for HIS GLORY!

My prayer this week is that we would invite the Holy Spirit into our homes afresh, and allow him to bring focus and definition to our purpose in our families. Helping us as moms have an ear to HEAR, an eye to SEE, and a heart to PERCIEVE, what the Spirit of God is doing in your homes and that we would LISTEN and OBEY His voice!

You have to fight the lions and the bears first...

Mon, 27 May 2024 20:17:33 GMT

HEY DAD,

You have to fight the lions and the bears first...

I grew up in the flannel board era of children’s church, so I learned a lot of the Bible by looking at cutouts that were stuck to a board. One of the most common stories that you would see up on that board would be the story of David and Goliath. You know the shepherd who knocked out a giant with a slingshot and then proceeded to cut his head off? I don’t know why they never had the image of David holding Goliath’s decapitated head on the flannel board…Anyway, in the telling of that story, we learned that before David would ever step onto the national scene and become a giant killer he was a shepherd who once killed a lion and a bear when no one was around. Why kill the lion and the bear? They were a threat to his flock and his life; that fight wasn’t for glory or to win some prize, it was part of his responsibility as a shepherd. I think those two fights were important because those private battles with the lion and the bear prepared David for his public battle with Goliath.

That battle with Goliath changed everything for David, it was his next step in what God had for him, and He was ready for it because he had fought the private battles first. Dad, there is greatness in you and maybe you have even sensed that. You know there is something on your life, or at least you desire to do something great with it. I know that feeling, and when you sense that you sometimes think that all you need is just an opportunity. You need that moment where a “Goliath” shows up and you take it out. As a result, you wait for that break to come, but it doesn’t seem to be coming.

Let me propose something to you. David didn’t need Goliath to make him a warrior, he needed the lion and the bear. It was the lion and the bear, the private battles, that made David the warrior that He was. Goliath was a moment for everyone else to see publicly what David had become privately. I wonder if there are some private battles that you need to be fighting right now. They are battles for your purity, for your integrity; they are battles against your anger issue or your substance abuse problem. These are lions and bears that are trying to take you out Dad; they are trying to mess with your marriage and children, and they need to be confronted and killed.

How you go about that will be unique to your circumstances, but I do know some basic fighting principles that will help you confront the lions and the bears. One, don’t fight alone, part of the reason this thing has been allowed to stay is because you’ve tried to fight on your own. Include your spouse, a close friend, a pastor, a leader, someone who will stand with you. Two, confession is necessary for healing. I know that it will be scary to do that, but know that you are only as sick as your secrets and you won’t kill that thing without this step. Three, find scriptures to help you. The Bible is powerful and active, and part of your problem is you lack the supernatural help in your life that you need. Partner with God’s Word and with the help of the Holy Spirit you will be able to fight and win.

There are some public Goliaths out there for you to fight Dad, but first start with the private lions and bears. You can do this!

It's worth the fight...

Mon, 20 May 2024 20:17:32 GMT

HEY MOM,

It's worth the fight...

I ended last week’s letter with “It’s Worth It”. When I wrote those words, I sensed heaven SO strongly behind that “fight song”. I sensed the Lord say YES! TELL THEM! Tell them it’s worth it! It’s worth the adjustments that need to be made, it’s worth the self-discipline that needs to go deeper, it’s worth facing your demons of the past, it’s worth forgiving your spouse, it’s worth saying NO to the promotion of man, it’s worth waiting when I tell you to wait, it’s worth every penny of getting good martial counseling, it’s worth every dinner time moment together, it’s worth every date night and family vacation, it’s worth learning a new way that you didn’t know, IT’S WORTH IT!! I hear heaven saying THIS IS MY WAY, THIS IS MY HEART!

See in the beginning (Gen 2:26-28) God created man and women and joined them together in MARRIAGE and commissioned them with their FAMILY to fill the earth and rule over it! When sin entered the earth, this did not cancel that first great commission from God to humanity—it simply just made it harder to accomplish. It’s no coincidence that God blesses Adam and Eve giving them the greatest honor ever to co-create with Christ and have authority in the earth and then a few moments later Satan enters the garden to get them to question what God has said to them. You have to know that when Satan heard all that God wanted to do through Adam and Eve and their family that Satan was terrified. Now not only would Satan have God to look at in the earth but now He would have an earth FILLED with what looked like and acted like God in humanity. Satan’s plan from that moment on was to stop this plan, to stop the family, to deform it, to ruin it, to distract it from the work God wants to do through it.

Here is the truth GOD wants to do something beautiful through your family in the earth…PERIOD. There is territory He has for you to take together, there are businesses he wants you to create together, and there are things no eye has seen nor ear has heard that God wants to birth through your home. There is a bond He wants you to build together, a unity He wants you to function in together, a love He wants you to have for one another, and an awareness and dependence upon God. He wants to be at the center of your four walls; and here is the good news, it doesn’t matter what state your family is in right now. GOD himself wants to heal it, and HE CAN HEAL IT! He can do it! I have seen it with my own eyes… Moms and Dads’ hearts come back to each other, parents repenting to their kids and turning in a new direction to lead their family in. Adult kids coming home and turning from brokenness; parents healing from their abusive home past to forge a new way for their family…Too many times I have seen it. HE CAN DO IT! We just have to be willing and open for Him too!

Believe me, I know and sense the road has been hard for some of you, family has been a source of deep pain and disappointment, and even as I write this I know some of you want to buck me and say “You don’t know, and you can’t understand Gabrielle” and you are right I cannot, but I am not writing this to draw you to me, I am writing this to draw you to the one who DOES understand. You are here reading these words for a reason! For such a time as this actually, and I hear heaven cheering for you, I hear heaven inviting you to Believe God! On your own you cannot do it, on your own your family cannot be healed, on your own your husband will not change, on your own your teenager’s heart will not be softened towards you…BUT WITH GOD…IT IS POSSIBLE. He is not asking you to believe in you to do it, He is asking you to BELIEVE HIM to do it! It’s worth the fight mama! It’s worth every inch, mile, and penny of it and you are not alone, GOD IS WITH YOU!

I am believing for our homes to be and accomplish ALL that God has marked out for us! That God would continue to build His Earth through our homes like He’s wanted to since the beginning of creation! That as moms and dads, we would see where the enemy has tried to disrupt, corrupt, distract and deform us and we would run fiercely back toward what God has for our homes. That we would hear heaven's fight song “IT IS WORTH IT” and we would take steps of faith in prayer, in counsel, in action, and in relationship this week out of the heart of “IT IS WORTH IT”.

You need a coach...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 20 May 2024 20:17:31 GMT

HEY DAD,

You need a coach...

My oldest son is an athlete and I love watching him play; I even enjoy watching him practice. The funny thing about your kids playing sports is it’s a place where you are okay with another adult yelling at them. Honestly, is there any other arena in society where you would give permission to a grown man or woman to scream at your child? Why is that not an issue? For me, it’s because they are coaching my son, I recognize that though he might have a natural ability in a sport he still needs someone to come alongside and teach him techniques, strategies, and mindsets so that he can be the best version of himself.

Now my son gets coached, I don’t. Why is that? I’m on the sidelines and not on the field; my son is the one who gets the benefit of being coached because he is actually on the field. Spectators don’t have access to the coaches, but to those brave souls who have stepped onto the field of play the coach is now at their disposal.

Jesus said in John 14:26, “…the Holy Spirit, whom my Father will send in my name, will teach you all things…” In other words, the Holy Spirit is this divine coach that has been sent from Heaven to help coach and teach you. The Holy Spirit actually dwells on the inside of you Dad, and you have access to Him whenever you need Him.

Why is it then that many of us dads struggle to be taught and trained by this great coach? Could it be that some of us are on the sidelines of life, just spectating and as a result, there is no coaching happening? Right now, I am in the middle of this massive step of faith that my wife and I took because we felt that God was leading us to do it. To be honest, when I took this step I expected all this miraculous stuff to break out, but do you know what I feel happening more than anything else? I feel like I am being coached at another level. I can feel the Holy Spirit coaching me on what I need to start doing, and what I need to stop doing. I can sense Him challenging my perspectives and changing my desires. Why? I think it’s because I am on the field; I’m not just spectating. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I was doing nothing with my life before this, but the Bible does say that God takes us from glory to glory. In other words, we are always on a journey where God calls us to play at a higher level than we are right now, or sometimes He even calls us to play on a different field. Whatever the case, we need a coach to help us, we need the Holy Spirit.

Dad, is there an area of your life where you feel like you’re losing? An area where you are dissatisfied with the results and frustrated because you’re not sure what to do about it? Is there an area that feels like you are just spectating? Maybe it’s as a husband or a father, maybe it’s at work, or just life in general. Take that brave step and get back onto the playing field. You may not know what to do or how to operate in this new playing field but lean into the Holy Spirit and He will teach you. If you don’t know how to listen to the Holy Spirit then get around some Godly men who know how and they will teach you. There are more fields to be played on for you Dad; there are higher levels for you to operate in. Get back on the field of play, you won’t be alone, and I am rooting for you!

It gets worse before it gets better...

Mon, 13 May 2024 20:17:30 GMT

HEY MOM,

It gets worse before it gets better...

So when Mike and I started making adjustments with our pace and how we were structuring our family time I remember it was an incredibly hard adjustment for a moment. All of a sudden we were with each other more than we were used to and although we KNEW this was what God was wanting for us it was still a bit overstimulating at first. It required the Lord’s grace and the Holy Spirit’s voice coaching us the whole way. He would speak to my heart and say things like—Take a deep breath, the irritation will pass soon, or put down your phone, you have to build the muscle of focus to be a truly present parent and your phone is KILLING that. Another time He said stop multitasking when you are with your kids, teach them how to be fully present in one moment at a time. You would think that it would feel like He (The Holy Spirit) was nagging me but honestly, every time He brought my eye to a new adjustment that had to happen, it brought me so much peace because I knew he was WITH me TEACHING me how to do it.

John 14:26 says “ But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you EVERYTHING and remind you of everything I have told you.”

The Holy Spirit was sent to us to be our teacher in EVERYTHING and He truly wants and is able to do so—we just have to let Him! He has reminded me often in motherhood that I can’t do it without Him and when I try to do it on my own I fail, tire out, and have no grace for the role. Motherhood REQUIRES Him. He wants to shape us into the best wives and moms for our family…not perfect but authentic. He wants to show us how to pray for our husbands and kids, how to bring proper correction, and how to unlock their gifts. He wants to give us the grace and breathe for the role. He wants to train our eyes to see what we need to see. He wants to continue to heal our wounds so that we don’t transfer them…It REQUIRES HIM!

You’re right, you won’t be able to make these adjustments to your pace, values, and family dynamic on your own—you will tire out, you will give up, it will be too hard…BUT…WITH God you can DO ALL THINGS and if HE is for you, who or what can be against you?!

Know this, IT WILL be hard for a moment, IT WILL take sacrifice, IT WILL take commitment, IT WILL take partnership with your spouse or accountability with a trusted friend but let me encourage you with this—IT IS WORTH IT!

My prayer is that we would give the Holy Spirit permission, space, and the place to correct and teach us a better way in our homes. That when He says stop, we stop, when He says go, we go! That we would hear his voice coaching us and we would obey right away. I believe if we did this as Moms and Dads there is no stopping what God would do in and through our families!

There is hope...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 13 May 2024 20:17:28 GMT

HEY DAD,

There is hope...

I read through my Bible every year, I believe in that discipline, and God speaks to me through my Bible reading; with that said, there are a few books in the Bible that are very challenging for me to read through. I’m looking right at you Leviticus! Another one of those books for me is Job, there is a lot going on in that book that messes with me, but with that said there is a verse that I came across that I wanted to share with you.

Job 14:7-9 says, “At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant.”

This verse paints this picture of a tree that is in bad shape. It should be this massive tree with branches and leaves. It should be providing shelter for those who need it, it should be producing fruit and seeds that can be used to plant other trees. It should be playing a part in the ecosystem that it finds itself in. Yet that is not the case with this tree; this tree has been completely cut down, and its roots are all dried up. There are no branches, no fruit, no purpose; it’s just a stump. However, there is still hope. It’s not over for this tree, in fact, the verse says that at even the scent of water, it will begin to grow back.

Dad, you were meant to be this incredible tree in your family. One that provides protection and nourishment for your family. One that would produce little seedlings called children that will become their own trees someday. You are here because you are part of this bigger plan that God has for the earth. Some of you though, don’t look like that. You look or feel more like a tree that has been cut down, whose root system has been dried up. You lack purpose for this life, and you struggle to be what your wife and children need you to be.

I’m not sure how you got there, maybe it’s because of what someone did to you or what someone did not do for you. Maybe it’s because of horrible words that were spoken over you or because of what you saw growing up. Maybe it’s because of some bad decisions that you made. No matter the reason, if you feel like you are living less than your God-given potential, then these words are for you, “…there is hope…”

There is hope for you Dad, and your life doesn’t have to stay like this. There is so much more that God has for you, and all you need is the scent of water. Throughout the Bible Jesus talks about water, He says things like, “Whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty…” and, “Whoever believes in me will flow rivers of living water…” Bottom line, a relationship with Jesus is necessary if I want to be the man/tree that I need to be.

Why do I read and live my life according to the Bible? Why do I go to church? I’m a tree, and my roots need the water that comes only through a relationship with Jesus. I don’t know all that you’ll need to do in order to grow into a tree again, but I do know that it starts with Jesus. There is more for you, Dad. Keep fighting, keep believing, keep going…There is hope!

There is a way...

Mon, 06 May 2024 20:17:01 GMT

HEY MOM,

There is a way...

I think often on the fact that when we took all that time off almost 2 years ago that God could have said anything to us in that time. He could have given us a brand-new idea, or an invention or showed a better way to minister and pastor people more effectively. He could have said and dropped anything in our hearts we were so hungry and so open—But you want to know what He said…what He brought us back to…what he broke our hearts for…what he dropped inspiration for…our FAMILY. He brought us back to family. He broke our hearts in the best way possible for our home rhythm, for our kids, for each other. He called us out graciously on where we were so off and so missing the point. He said things like “You’ve delegated things that you’re not supposed to delegate” or posed questions to our hearts like “What if I told you the greatest seed I’ve placed in your hands is those four children, and how you plant them in the earth matters most to Me”. Like a light switch being turned on “our way” just didn’t fully seem right anymore.

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to death.” I think it’s really easy to get to a place in life where we are living out “our way”. It’s so subtle…so sneaky and it can truly seem right. It’s not outright evil things we do or malicious things with ill intent, it's living life in a way that is ordered of us and not of God. Saying yes to all the things, choosing to build and start businesses and projects, mapping out all the extracurriculars for our kids and social events calendar for our lives ALL ABSENT of asking God “Hey what do you think? How would you have me do it? Lord, are you asking me to say yes to this?” Believe me I know we do this with good heart intentions, to build a better life and future for our families, to expose our kids to all the greatest things, to set them up for success right? One of the things The Holy Spirit impressed on our hearts so clearly was “What if I told you, you were the KEY to the unlocking of all the good in your kid’s life (with His spirit of course)? I made YOU the Key and want to guide you in unlocking the gifts and talents that I have placed on the inside of them. Your presence and guidance in their life is THE most important thing you could expose your kids to—don’t give that spot away to other people and things!” Again, I want to emphasize other people and things involved in your kids’ lives aren’t bad but when those things are getting more of your family’s time than you it is! They weren’t designed to be the key you were!

There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end leads to death. My prayers and conversations with God have become “God I want your way, forgive me for not asking you what you thought…Where I’m off little or big show me because I want the Roberts to be on the path that leads to LIFE.” I want to encourage you to pray the same—invite God in to call you out and up so that our families are led in a pace and rhythm straight from heaven that yields a fruit straight from heaven.

This is no way to go about it...

Michael@houseofroberts.com (Michael Roberts) — Mon, 06 May 2024 20:16:59 GMT

HEY DAD,

This is no way to go about it...

I know, a real positive way to start my first letter to you Dads out there, but hang with me for a second. These aren’t my words; these words were spoken thousands of years ago by a man named Jethro and were recorded in Exodus 18:17. He spoke them to his son-in-law Moses when he came and visited him. You know, the Ten Commandments guy? Moses was charged to lead the Israelites, out of Egyptian slavery and into a land that God had prepared for them. Moses had a wife, two kids, and a massive calling! At some point in all of this, Moses had sent his family back to where Jethro lived, probably a smart play since at different points, people were threatening to kill Moses.

Now, though, it was time for Moses to be reunited with his family; Jethro brought Moses’ wife and children back to him. Jethro hears all that God put on Moses’ heart to do, then he takes a day and observes how Moses structured his schedule. After all that he comes to Moses with these words, “This is no way to go about it…” In other words, Moses you have this incredible call, but how you are structuring your life is not healthy, and you won’t be able to maintain this pace especially now that I have brought your family back to you. The bottom line is the way Moses was approaching his life, energy, and time needed to change.

Here is what I know about you Dad; you have an incredible call on your life. You were born with a destiny and greatness dwells on the inside of you, and if you’re reading this, you probably have a wife and kid(s). I’m also guessing that you’re struggling to do all of that well. You’re trying to make something of yourself and create a better life for your family, but it seems as though your family isn’t in the picture. May I be a Jethro to you for a moment? May I bring your family back to you and suggest that how you are going about life right now is not the way? That if you continue with this pace, it will burn you out and negatively impact your wife and kids.

Now I know that’s easy for me to say, I don’t know the specifics of your life, but I can relate to the way you feel. I’ve been there, shoot I’m still there; wrestling with how to live the life that God has for me as well as be an awesome husband and father. However, there came a point in my life where I had to acknowledge that the way I was stewarding my time, energy, and schedule had to change and I brought in some “Jethros” to give me Godly counsel on what I needed to do.

“This is no way to go about it…” Does that resonate with you? If so, then invite Godly counsel into your life. That might be a Pastor, Small Group Leader, father figure, or someone you have admired from afar. Share with them your frustrations and desires for your life, and then let them see how you manage your schedule. Ask what they think you should adjust, then listen to what they say. Whatever they recommend, pray about it, and if you feel like that is what you need to do then make the changes. They may be small changes, they may be big ones, but God is with you and I am cheering you on.

135e179b

Two thoughts I had this week...

HEY MOM,

Two thoughts I had this week...

Obey...

HEY DAD,

Obey...

They become who we are...

HEY MOM,

They become who we are...

Don't let go...

HEY DAD,

Don't let go...

Let's be real...

HEY MOM,

Let's be real...

FIGHT!

HEY DAD,

...Fight!

Let's talk prayer.

HEY MOM,

Let's talk prayer.

PURSUE!

HEY DAD, PURSUE!

He is a God of the details!

HEY MOM,

He is a God of the details!

...RUN!

HEY DAD,

﻿ ... RUN!

I'm going to keep this one short and sweet...

HEY MOM,

I'm going to keep this one

﻿ short and sweet...

There is one dad in the Biible that I don't think gets enough attention...

HEY DAD,

There is one dad in the Bible that I don't think gets enough attention...

Don't forget that you're a team...

HEY DAD,

Don't forget that you're a team...

As we head into December...

HEY MOM,

As we head into December...

Finish strong this year...

HEY DAD,

Finish strong this year...

Three quick tips I want to share...

HEY MOM,

Three quick tips I want

﻿ to share with you...

When was the last time you made a moment?

HEY DAD,

When was the last time

﻿ you made a moment?

I am going to rant for a minute...

HEY MOM,

I am going to rant for a minute...

Here is a prayer that I have for you...

HEY DAD,

Here is a prayer that I have for you...

Good doesn't even scratch the surface...

HEY MOM,

Good doesn't even scratch the surface...

Do you have a strong-willed child? Pt. 2

HEY DAD,

do you have a strong-willed child? Pt.2

Do you have a strong-willed child?

HEY DAD,

Do you have a strong-willed child?

There is something about traditions...

HEY DAD,

There is something

about tradition...

Here are three things...

HEY MOM,

Here are three things...

Do you need help?

HEY DAD,

Do you need help?

It's good to wait...

... RUN!

short and sweet...

to share with you...

you made a moment?

It takes time...

for yourself lately?

most important...

connecting with our kids?

What does success look like for you?

Are you working out the right muscles?

named Philip (pt. 1) ...

did some good and bad stuff...

Community is KEY...

Live for the audience of One...

Enjoy them...

You're in charge...

you've hit a wall?

TIME IN is everything...