Good morning…

Last week I enjoyed a special experience. I co-taught my first Christian Active Parenting (CAP) class. For the past several years, my close friend Melody and I have collaboratively worked on adding scriptural underpinnings beneath the lifetime work of her husband, psychologist Dr. Michael Popkin. Over thirty years ago, Michael created his first Active Parenting program, a video-based program created to empower parents to raise thriving children who will positively impact our world. In August 2015, the Popkins and I birthed Christian Active Parenting: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Children of Joy, Character, and a Living Faith. This week, Christa Groves, Laura Currie, and I taught our first small group of moms interested in the program. What a joy to see these wide-eyed women seeking God’s guidance as they raise their kids in the ways of faith.

I must tell you it was hilariously humbling to see myself on video, oddly layered with make-up, trying my best to follow the instruction, “Smile while you talk on camera.” Melody texted later, “We should have put a warning on our introduction, ‘These are real people, they are not paid actors!'” When I got beyond my initial sheepishness, I sat back, amazed, at what God has done, is doing, and will continue to do through us ordinary people surrendered to the LORD’s purposes.

God is in the business of using ordinary people to do His extraordinary work. Acts 4:13 (NIV) explains, When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. The hope for all of us down-to-earth people is that we spend time with Jesus, being schooled in God’s extraordinary ways, so that people will be astonished at the LORD’s thriving power impacting our world. Melody and I have spent time with Jesus as we have prepared this CAP curriculum and this week I was astonished and encouraged as a few of us began teaching the wisdom to moms for the very first time.

The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him, 2 Chronicles 16:9a,

Sue