Freedom in our homes

We, as women, have power.  We are created for great things and we are meant to walk in them.  God wants us to walk in freedom, freedom to be who God created us to be, freedom to walk in our destiny, freedom to just be ourselves.  He wants us to dream big dreams and see them fulfilled.  Ephesians 3.20-21 says

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.

He wants to do MORE than what we can ask or even think!  That is powerful!  He wants to use us to change the world.

But first, we must bring freedom to our own homes.  We must be the light to our spouses and children before we can go out and do great things.  We have the power to bring change to the environment around us just by carrying Jesus Christ within us. 1 John 4.4b says

Because greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world.

But what are some practical ways we can bring change to our environment?

• By watching what we say. Our words have the power of life and death in them.  But we tend to take them so lightly, not thinking of the effect that they may have on our children or our spouses.  Proverbs 18.21 says

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

          And Proverbs 16.24 says

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Just those two verses alone say so much as to the power of our words.  Your words have the ability to take a situation that looks dire and turn it into something wonderful or vice versa.  Take for instance the difference between reprimanding and getting angry at your child because they spilled some milk verses taking a nonchalant attitude and saying something like "oh well, that happens, let's clean it up together".   What affect will your words and attitude have on your child?

• Another way we influence our homes is by our attitudes. Are we positive and cheerful?  Or do we complain and whine?  Being thankful and having a positive attitude changes our whole environment.  And we have the power to change it.  Ten percent of life is what happens to you, ninety percent is how you react to it.  (Sound familiar?  It's true. Only you have the power to change you.)  Try smiling when all you want to do is frown and see what happens.

• Give yourself and others around you grace.  Grace is getting what you don't deserve.  Another definition I found on Merriam-Webster.com is  

d : disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency e : a temporary exemption : reprieve

We can do this for ourselves.  We need to give ourselves a break.  We are human; we will fail, mess up, fall flat, make mistakes.  And so will our children...it's how they learn.  We need to be gentle with them and with ourselves and allow ourselves a do over.  God has all ready led the way in displaying and giving abundant amounts of grace. 

There are so many more ways we can begin to bring freedom to our homes, but it all starts with ourselves.  We must find freedom for ourselves before we can walk it out.  Jesus brings freedom and wholeness.  Meet with Him, spend time with Him and read His word.  He will meet you and you will be changed.

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