Hi. This is Victoria. Thank you so much for downloading a podcast. I believe God has amazing things in your future. I hope you enjoy this message. Maybe I just want encourage all of us today to keep healthy connections with our families, going forward in twenty seventeen. We need to make sure that we're I mean I personal investment into our family members that were and strong bonds and we're creating trust and security in our families. It's So easy in this culture, where there thing that we have to do and all the technology that we have to get things done more quickly. We have to make sure that we don't just bring.

By one another and not make personal connections there's so much to do there. So many people to see it's up to us to make the choices and priorities to. Connect with those that we love. You know Joel, and I have to make it a priority to spend personal quality time today. There now Joel and I are together a lot. We work together, I'm not talking about coexisting in a home, I'm not talking about working in attack together, I'm talking about making investments in the life of people that you love, making personal time too so uh find out what they like to be. Apart of what they like to enjoy their gifts enjoy their talents. So Julie. Now we love to take walks together. We loved at our bikes will go on a date night every now and then so

and we just get in the car and we drive nowhere, but these are times that we have created to just be together, not to talk about work, not to necessarily talk about a problem or an issue that we're facing, but to just be together, maybe not even talk at all, maybe just connecting in the presence of the moment. You see, we've got to take the time and set the priorities and standards in our life to connect with those we love you see if Joe and I just work all the time if we're together, but we're just existing and working, and under the load of life, we're not in mature in nurture relationship. That's going to flourish. That's going to stay connected, and we've got to join our hearts together and build bridges on those things that we connect with, on a personal basis,

you see, I know what to expect from Joel, because I've spent time quality time connecting with him. He knows what to expect For me, we know what we think. I know I'm leaving Malone. I know when he wants to sit in his big chair and watch will afford. I know the things he likes to do to unplug. And those are the times I go in with all of the things that I want to talk about. You see, I've learned him when I have an intimate and personal relationship with him, knowing what he likes, what he dislikes, what I expected him, what he expects of me those boundaries that we like in our life. When I know these things, I can work with him better when you've created something not just done like together. Not just

doing life together, but creating a life together. That's when things will change in your life see, I believe it's the same way with our children, We can't always be on the job raising our children. We've got to enjoy our children We need to learn to communicate with our children, see their gifts and talents. Enjoy their individuality except variance their ideas, you see, we've got to get to a per relationship with our children. We've got to create a connection so that our connection will grow and flourish through the years I enjoy my children as much today as I did when they were little when they used to say the cutest things and do the craziest things You see I enjoy them as adults in college right now. In fact, I learn from. I enjoy them.

We allow them to have their their ideas tell you sometimes time, seems so short and we only get a certain time with our children. So we fall into this trap of Making these moments a lesson in life, a teaching moment, you're spending time with your child, and you can see maybe something that could happen or something that you've. And you want to insert this life lesson I can tell you I am so guilty of that. I am like super guilty of that, but I have learned- and you know children have helped me learn this, but not every moment has to be a teaching moment yeah. Yes, we want to teach our children, we want to train our children, but we also want to enjoy our children. We want to develop a relationship with them. We want to connect with them, so we have two. Ninety in the future. Well, you may have you know chill

and that are out of your house. That's, ok! You can still connect with your children, see it takes work to form good relationships. They don't just happen. They must be created. We have to sacrifice our personal time to have quality time with. As we love it takes a commitment. It takes an availability, see if we're going to build strong families and strong relationships. We're going to have to do our part and sherry milk together is a great way to spend quality time. Maybe dinner doesn't work there soccer practice. Maybe you've got commitments, but can you share breakfast? Can you share lunch? Can you have conversation over a snack? You see. Study after study has proven that when you time to build a relationship over a meal that you're chilled less likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol

that creating this atmosphere over a meal four to five times a week, or as often as you can it bills such a bond of trust and so much self esteem and character that they are less likely to. To go off and allow their peers to direct their life, because you've made investment in their life, I believe it's our responsibility and it's well worth the time and effort. To enjoy our family as a whole. You know this. Then just a quick fix. This is along Term investment see what you client now you're going to reef later, you're going to enjoy the benefits of your family. So it's well worth it, and single parents can, tell you that you're more than enough God

and you are a majority there's nothing that God won't help you with. I do share with your family as you make some sacrifices, even though it's tough, maybe your children are out of the house. I encourage you call volume up on the phone invite him over for dinner, meet him at a restaurant, not to tell him they're doing wrong, not to tell him what they can do better, but just to tell him that you're, proud of them to tell him how great they are. You see, sometimes we want to mold our family members into the shape that we want them to be. We want to fix all their problems but I'm telling you right now. We can't fix their problem. Only God can all we can do, is love. How shall I conditional love, spend quality time and make personal investments just take time to have fun with your

maybe you want to go to the movies play some games. What ever you do just make sure that your lawn see that you're having fun the life is not so serious and such as struggle. Did you forget the joys of life, making, memories and laughing you know. Laughter is a medicine talks about. A merry heart is like a medicine I'm telling you it will fix a lot of things: I was reading in the Bible about Sarah and Abraham. In many of you know the story, God had made a promise to for him and Sarah that they would have a child and years and years had passed and I'd struggled through but I'm sure it was weary, I'm sure some from some of the mistakes they had made. They were born ten day on when they got showed up at Abraham's tent, and he said Abraham this time next year, you're going to have this son and you know what Abraham did Abraham laughed now, the Bible doesn't tell us why he laughed, but you know,

I believe I believe he laughed because he needed a stress. Reliever. Hey man, it's just say: oh god, ok, you know the Bible talks about You know when you look into your future, you had to be able to laugh. You have to be able to trust God with your future. Laugh at those things to come. Laughter helps when Sarah heard she was going to have a child which she did she let out a giggle herself. You see, That stress reliever, but the great thing about it is that time next year they had that son they had that son. I can't help to believe that laughter is a medison laughter, lightens the load. Listen, let there be laugh

let there be fun! Nothing! Is that serious that we can create this atmosphere of laughter, see we have to set our families up to win and I believe when we take the necessary steps to build connections were placing value on our family and when our family feels valued when they feel loved. When you spend quality time, you know it it does. It feels respect it builds character within the family and again, when you face those challenges, you've got bridges to one another's heart: you've got each other you're linked, see. We all love to have the people in our life give us time and attention we love to be taking care of his warms our heart. So we have to remember if it's good for us

It's good for them. This is, let's create unity in our home. The Bible says with there's unity, there's a command the blessing every one of your family members to walk in blessing. You've got the power and ability to be the one who brings in the fun who is the spice of life. Nothing is at Sirius, create laughter and know that where there is community, God has come, the blessing. I want to pray for your family right now, lift your hand right now, if you, if you represent family, if you have a family, if you will of God to intervene in your family because he I think he sees your hands and you, may not be connected to some of those family members. You may be I want this connection. Can I have it back I tell you one of the greatest ways you can be connected in isn't prayer, you see, there's no distance in prayer

You may not be able to be in the presence of that person that you want that connection with. But can I tell you this gods in their presence and if you're praying to God, God will do the work because see if we pray and we don't give up- God honor our prayer works faith. He works by person, right. So now, when you pray the moment, you pray that I did the battles beginning to turn. God is on your side. He wants that unity in your home. I believe all we have to have is a willing heart and when were willing and obedient will eat the good of the a father. I thank you for every family represented here today. All those who are listening are viewing, Father. I thank you that we are commit. In our family afresh in a new to you, God. I thank you that we will build bridge. And not walls? I thank you, father that we will make a sacrifice to spin. Quality time with our family and Lord, you will give us a

She is in resources in the time Father. I thank you that we're going to look at calendar we're going to say. Is that really important and we're going to put our family on the calendar God? I thank you that you will Father draw our family together that there is anything that hasn't been done or anything that's been in the past father. I thank you, but you are covering those past mistakes We are covering that and father we are moving forward with. You were not walking in guilt or condemnation, but father we know with you every day is a new beginning that your mercies are fresh and new, and I think that you're blowing the mercy of your favor on our at least right now, father. I thank you that we will love our families. We won't try to shape them into people that look like us, but whether we will enjoy who they are as individuals, we will from them and grow from them father. I thank you that, when we're tempted Father to say the wrong thing that you'll just zip up our lips and allow us Father to just

to just take time to know, there's always time for correction, there's always time to get our message in there, but father that we will create tons of memories, strong connection, for the future, the Father God, you will do this for us. You will help us as we look to you. Thank you for blessing our family members. We see unity in our family, whether it's there or not, we're looking through our eyes of faith, and we see our family, united and strong walking in the commanded blessing in Jesus Name and everyone said, amen. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for listening to the jewels dean, podcast, helpless continue to share the message of hope with those all over the world. Thilosteam, dot, com, slash, give hope to give a gift today, thanks for listening to the podcast be sure to subscribe,

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