Brigette Wagner Ministries

“In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” ~Proverbs 3:6 (emphasis added)

I’m in the midst of completing a CD series called, “Got Kids, Now What?: Growing Kids God’s Way”. It’s been an absolute joy to work on this series! I can hardly wait to make it available to you, so be watching my website to see when it’s released (should be available in about 6 weeks).

Dave and I give God all the credit for teaching us how to parent our children. It’s been amazing to experience God’s wisdom – first hand – as we’ve overcome challenges, turned negatives into positives, and worked together to mold and shape our girls for God’s glory.

Elizabeth George, in her book “A Woman After God’s Own Heart”, writes, “Commit yourself to actively choose God and His ways….in every decision, word, thought, and response.”

In order to “grow our children” for God, we must first learn to “CHOOSE God and His ways in every decision, word, thought, and response.” That seems like an awefully tall order. But the truth is, we can learn to do this – step by step, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day.

The first place to begin on this journey is simply learning to create boundaries for our own actions. Years ago, I had an EXPLOSIVE temper! I was 108 pounds of pure dynamite! With the birth of our first baby, Faith, came the realization that I had to change. The birth of our second baby, Hope, brought the acknowledgement that I still needed more change.

I had to admit my failures, submit my mind and emotions to God, and be willing to study His Word, read books, and pray more fervently so that I could learn to calm my temper and allow God to shape me into a better mother.

With God’s grace – and a lot of determination on my part – I did change! Because I was willing to allow God to change me, I am now a better woman, better wife, better parent, and better servant of God!

Be encouraged today: If you’ve got issues you need to work on – and we all do – don’t allow the enemy to defeat you. Determine today to begin making changes in your life. Get into God’s Word, read Christian books (about your area of challenge), pray, and CHOOSE to submit to God’s authority. YOU WON’T REGRET IT!

“….If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” ~John 8:31-32 (NKJV)

My husband, Dave, is always “getting on to me” about the oil in my car. You see, I have this very bad habit of “extending the mileage” of the life of the oil. I try to explain that I simply get busy and forget to go have it changed; but he reminds me that I drive by the “Jiffy Lube” almost every day. Needless-to-say, keeping up with the oil changes in my car is not on my list of top priorities.

Oil, though, if not replenished regularly, will evaporate and eventually dry up. If it is not renewed on a regular basis, the viscosity (thickness) of the oil changes, which alters it’s ability “to withstand heat and pressure and to reduce friction or stress”. When the viscosity of the oil is altered, it cannot protect the engine “under certain levels of pressure.”

Sounds a lot like our walk with Christ, doesn’t it? When we accept Christ into our lives, the Holy Spirit dwells within us. The more time with spend in God’s Word, in prayer, and in worship, the closer we become to Him. The closer we become to Him, the more we are willing to submit our lives to his guidance, direction, correction, and will.

Sometimes, though, we get “too busy”. We pass by our Bible every day. We “see” it but simply are too involved in all the other things going on around us to “recognize it”. A day goes by, then two, then five…..before we know it, we’ve gone an entire week without spending time with God.

This “time away” allows the enemy to cause changes in our thoughts, our actions, and our words. Then – like my car – we find ourselves “running a little rough”, needing some “much overdue maintenance”.

When the oil sits for too long in my car, it becomes dirty and the very thing that helps protect my car from damage actually begins causing damage itself. It’s no different for you and me.

The Holy Spirit is our oil! As long as we go to God on a regular basis, He keeps our oil clean, which allows Him to use us for His glory.

So my question to you today is this, “Is it time for an oil change?”

Friends, I encourage you today: If it’s been a while since you’ve allowed the Holy Spirit to pour new, fresh oil into your life, don’t wait another second. Go the Lord right now, and ask for His forgiveness. He is faithful to fill you with His goodness, mercy, grace, and love!