I grew up with Santa.  I was a complete believer until the second grade when schoolmates enlightened me.  One of my brothers was mentally handicapped so our family ‘believed’ in Santa for his sake all the way into his adulthood.  Like most, I thought of Santa as a fun tradition.  It wasn’t until I accepted Christ at 28 that I started to question whether it was great idea to teach kids to believe in someone that doesn’t exist only to come clean about it later.

Many children cry when they are told the truth about Santa.  Others feel embarrassed to have believed longer than their siblings or classmates and some even feel angry to learn that their parents and other family members lied to them.  All of these reactions are completely understandable.

Of course Santa isn’t the only lie we tell our children when they’re young, don’t forget about the tooth fairy.

Today, I’m against teaching children to believe what isn’t true.  It’s not that I have a specific problem with Santa – it’s just that I think it is possible to make Santa part of Christmas without lying. Children know how to use their imagination and have fun with stories after all.

What do you think?

I have a friend who says that she often hears the audible voice of God talking to her but I have to admit that I have never experienced this.  In 15 years of faith – not one single word in my ears… should that discourage me?

It’s not that I don’t hear from God at all.  I hear from him through the Word, through Christian music and books, through messages at church, through everyday happenings… but it’s not audible – it’s more like moments of just ‘getting it’ about something.

But how reliable is this?

Last fall I felt like God spoke to me about something important but in the time since, I see very little to support it and it makes me wonder if I heard from Him at all.  It’s not that circumstances created doubt.. I’ve dealt with that before.  In this case, let’s just say that everything changed.

This is a season in my life when I would really like to hear from God in a plain way.

Ever felt that way?  Do you have any advise?

Many years ago I wrote an article about why I wasn’t celebrating Halloween with my son. Originally it was just a handout that my friends at church passed around to others who were curious about their decisions to abstain from the holiday but eventually I posted the article online here at Women By Grace.

You can read it here: Why We Don’t Celebrate Halloween

The web article brought me an unusual last minute opportunity to speak about the topic on a national radio program. (A liberal program!)  The host, Alan Colmes treated me with respect but you could tell he expected me to come off like a crack pot.  I’m pleased to say that I didn’t – come off like a crack pot that is.

I’ve had dozens of opportunities to talk about the issue one on one with friends and family and I’ll have to admit that the majority of believers are not in agreement with me.  Many of the Christians I talk to maintain the position that Halloween is ‘just for fun’ and not anything to worry about.

This is not an issue about what a ‘Good Christian’ should or shouldn’t do.  This is about raising our kids with a consistent message about the world around them.  If you want your children to grow up with a healthy respect for God’s Word, this is a powerful issue to take a stand on.

If you can teach them at a young age to make a decision based on God’s Word (see my article for scriptural support about avoiding Halloween observance) and not based on what everyone else is doing – you’re setting a standard that they’ll be able to rely on in the future.

There are going to be so many issues to help your kids sort through in the future.  Sex. Drugs. Alcohol. Relationships. Ethics.

Why not lay a foundation today by saying no to Halloween?  Train your kids to trust in God’s way, not the World’s way.

What do you think?  Do you have kids at home right now who will or will not participate in Halloween activities on the 31st?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K4fveLQZZQ

Ok, so some of you may be offended by this tongue in cheek video – but I have to tell you that I laughed out loud a few times!  I remember what it was like to be brand new at my church and feeling like I was out of the loop.

Of course there’s no right or wrong way to enter into praise and worship.  Clap if you want to or don’t, I’m not going to judge you.

I asked the women on our mailing list today what they are looking for from Women By Grace and this is what I’ve heard back:

They want:

• Short, easy to consume daily devotions.
• Testimonials of women who have overcome obstacles.
• Encouragement for daily Christian living.
• Brief, chunked up Bible Studies.
• Resources to help them with issues of Self Esteem.
• Resources to help them build and keep a Godly Home.

Thanks for all of your input – and keep an eye out for content designed to meet these needs!

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