The week before last, my husband Keith and I were talking to our 9-year-old daughter Megan about some of the choices she's been making lately. When she left the room to do something we had asked her to do, I told Keith I believe many of the behaviors we're seeing in our children are outward symptoms of heart conditions that only God (working together with the kids themselves) can really change. We can teach and lecture and punish and reward all we want, but true change is going to come from our kids choosing to agree with God and pursue Him. I told him my belief is that prayer should always be a vital part of any discussion we have with our children, and he said, "You're absolutely right." (Or something to that effect...)

So when Meg came back into the room, we talked a little while longer, and then we prayed together. It was a powerful prayer time, and God's presence was there in a very intimate, very real way. Keith and Megan both cried, and I felt like it. (I'm ashamed to say I don't cry very often--usually only when I'm hurt, angry, frustrated or feeling sorry for myself.) It was a very emotional experience.

After she went to bed, Keith and I listened to some Christian music together for about 45 minutes. During that time, we both had the urge to hear the same exact song at the same exact moment. That might not seem like much, but when there are literally tens of thousands of songs to choose from (Keith has a 1400 plus Christian CD collection), being led to the same song at the same time is quite significant. The song was "The 4 Horsemen" by Glen Campbell. While it was playing, God's presence in the room was so powerful that my body could actually feel it.

It was so great to experience God's personal working in our lives that evening. Keith has been working really long hours lately, and it's been hard to find time to talk together about spiritual things. Or about anything else, actually. So to have this evening of spiritual, emotional and relational connection was like finding an oasis after having been in the desert for a long time.

There's so much more I want to say, but it'll have to wait for the my next post...