The story is told of a Roman army returning to the Capital following a strategic military victory at an imperial outpost.  Crowds lined the highways.  Suddenly a little boy broke through the ranks and ran toward the chariot of the emperor.  A soldier caught him. “You cannot do that.  He is the Emperor!”  Without hesitation the boy replied, “Your Emperor, but my father!”

I arise early in the morning for several reasons, and one important reason is to pray after I have heard a sermon, and read some Biblical articles. This is a daily ritual I have to start my day.  Always remembering the task which is before me, and they keep me focused on where I am going,  which is heaven.

I have a place I return time after time to pray fervently.  I seem able to concentrate while praying.  It is in the stillness of the morning, before the rush of the day,  I address my Father, asking forgiveness of sins, thanking Him for providing me with another day, food, and shelter, warmth when I am cold, cool when I am hot, for His protection from the storms, good friends, and many other blessings He has very richly given me.  I pray for the well being of others, for their struggles and concerns in their lives.  I tell Him all which concerns me, frightens me, or makes me happy.  I pray for the Lord’s church, and her leadership.  Giving thanks always to Him for His Son Who died for me.

“If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”     John 15:7

“Be careful for nothing;  but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”     Philippians 4:6

“Pray without ceasing.”     I Thessalonians 5:17

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:  for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:  but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”        Romans 8:26

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;  and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.  Matthew 6:6

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; . . . . .”  Ephesians 6:18

“And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; . . . . ”     Luke 18:1

“The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”       Psalms 34:17

Prayer is where I get my strength.

“She’s strong as steel forged in the fire.  Fighting through the scared and the tired. Strong enough to bend, but never breaking.  Strong in the face of the battle raging.  Till all the weak is gone.  She’s strong.”

Eileen Light

“But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing” (2 Thess. 3:13).

Do you dread to get up in the morning and face a kitchen where your middle child has already raided and trashed the fridge?

Maybe your baby has climbed the white wire shelves in the pantry to find the chocolate and has helped herself most generously. You know she will refuse an egg or oatmeal today. Any attempt at making her eat a nourishing breakfast will result in a battle of the wills. Maybe your older child has stayed up late listening to audio books while constructing a Lego spaceship—all the while grazing from snacks purchased for your planned picnic. He is not hungry nor is he ready to get up at 6:30 AM to start his school day.

What do you do? Where do you begin? Your kitchen already looks like a war zone, and you find yourself in a bad mood before you ever start the day. Scenes like this can mar the entire day. What if your kids are not only picky eaters, but strong willed too? Where might you turn for help? Has your preschooler refused to eat anything other than chicken nuggets for the past two days? Or would your toddler rather play than eat anything at all?

If children’s nutrition is a sore topic in your household, you’re not alone. Many parents worry about what their children eat — and don’t eat. However, most kids get plenty of variety and nutrition in their diets over the course of a week. Until your child’s food preferences mature, consider the tips for preventing mealtime battles offered by the Mayo Clinic Staff. We think these will help save your sanity.

Read “CHILDREN’S NUTRITION: 10 TIPS FOR PICKY EATERS” here.

Sometimes just knowing there are other mothers out there who deal with the same issues can be a comfort. Having a ‘shoulder to cry on’ might be another key, but better than that is comfort and direction from our Heavenly Father, who knows and loves us all.

Since Scripture is always where mothers need to turn for help and comfort, how does one apply Scripture to this situation? We well remember the proverbs about training children (Prov. 22:6). Keep in mind that the children are there for our training as much as they are given to us to train. New Testament passages such as Ephesians 6:1-4; Colossians 3:20 are only the beginning. It is hard to forget those verses which apply to the children if you attend church services or read your Bible regularly, but what about a mother’s own encouragement under pressure, under trials dealing with strong willed children? The children’s food habits are not always the real issue.

Hebrews 4:13-16 is wonderful encouragement if you read carefully and ponder each separate thought. Philippians 4:6 is a reminder that God is still in control and our job is to make supplication to Him for our needs.

Finally, let us always remember to be thankful for our blessings and pray for our own and our children’s needs according to His will. We surely can find comfort in the promises he has made (Psalms 27:14; Psalms 37:34; Proverbs 20:22).

—Beth Johnson