The other day we were traveling in the RV and I fixed some food.  I offered Timothy some and he politely turned it down.  He is a growing teenage boy and is almost always hungry.  He is a hard worker though and many times puts his work before his stomach………smile.  So, when he is not in the middle of something and still turns down food, I knew that something was up.

Timothy – 16 Years Old!!

“Are you fasting?” I questioned him.

“Yes,” he meekly replied.

“OH!!!” I responded with admiration.

I watched him see food go by all day long in our tight quarters and firmly pass it by without so much as a nibble.  At one point I even began to display my admiration of his decision to the other children and he shushed me.  He wanted this decision to be between him and God.  The next morning I asked Timothy if he had eaten.

“Yes,” he replied. “I ate 5 pieces of toast!  It’s amazing how hungry you get when fasting!” he expressed with intrigue and new awareness of the sacrifices fasting/praying people make.

Timothy had chosen to fast about his future as he approaches his adult life in the next couple of years.  He wants God’s direction and peace about exactly what God would have him to do once he graduates from high school.  He has his sights set on some specific things for his future, but he does not want to press ahead without his parents or without God’s approval.  I was THRILLED beyond measure to see Timothy’s desire to draw nigh unto God in his own personal walk.  He continues to have fasting as a part of his weekly schedule now.

Now, I must encourage Moms out there that may be reading this.  I do NOT say this to put my Timothy down, but he has been our most stubborn child by far!!!  He was a chronic whiner and whined his way through the toddler age.  He connived his way through childhood and was always looking for ways to look out for number one and what HE wanted out of life.  Needless to say, sometimes it drove my husband and I crazy!

YET……….even when David and I felt bone weary and could not believe we were having to deal with yet another “strong – willed” moment in our son, we would (by God’s grace and power) consistently correct it every time.  We tried not to let the “little errors” go by, but rather show him the error of his ways with each and every small and big thing.

With some children, you feel that you just correct a few times and they magically just “catch on”.  With others, consistency time and time again is crucial!!  As they grow, you should see a growth in them in their understanding of their erroneous ways and you should see growth in their spiritual lives.  It has NOT come easy in the life of our Timothy, but I can say, he brings us SO much joy now.

He is still a very driven young man and is very self-motivated and hard-working.  These are character traits that are his strength and areas we have had to do very little training in.  However, our goal with our children is not just to see them achieve success in areas the world would deem as important, but MOST IMPORTANTLY, in areas our God deems important!!  The issues of the heart is where we know our God is looking.  Pr 20:27 ¶ “The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.”   Also………… Ro 7:22 “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:”

Timothy is growing into such a wonderful young man that brings us joy and delight.   3Jo 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

I think of other teenage boys I know that seem like the best thing they have to do is hang in front of the TV, act flirtatious around the pretty girls, act indifferent towards adults, and really act as if they could “care less” about spiritual things.

I do NOT want to boast myself of tomorrow, for Timothy is young yet (as I well know), but I do know this, as a handsome, strapping 16 year old young man, I am VERY pleased with his desire to seek the face of God in his life.

He is so gentle and kind to his younger siblings and looks for ways that he can make their lives more pleasurable.  He will “rig” up a fun ride for them and he is constantly fixing things for all his siblings.  He is very patient with his sometimes giddy, teasing teenage sisters and responds to them with a smirk.  He inspires and encourages his younger brothers to keep their room always neat and tidy and is his Dad’s “right arm” when it comes to projects.

Bud, Mama loves you more than you will ever know.  I know that you will not want this kind of public praise, but I wanted to let you know how THRILLED I am with your desire in life to do the right thing.  You do NOT have perfect parents (as you well know……..smile), but I am thankful that you have taken the training and advice we have given you throughout your childhood and are now actively applying it to your life!!  You are a greater blessing in our home than you will ever realize!  Thank you for seeking God with your life!!

Mamas, do you have a stubborn child?  Do you finally say, “It’s not worth the battle.  I’ll just throw the dice in a gamble and hope to God they will turn out!”

Remember, if raising children was just a “gamble” and we had no SURE hope that they would turn out for God, then I will tell you right now, that would take all the “wind out of my sails”.  We MUST rise up and claim God’s promises from His Word!!  There IS a recipe for success, but too few parents are willing to take that road.  It is a “weary to the flesh” road; but, the reward in the end is ……….well………….worth it all!!

I have met a handful of families that have had this success and they were absolute PASSIONATE about raising up their children for Christ.  My parents for example (Tim &

(My Dad on the back tree) Tim Noyes

Pat Noyes) are my awesome role models!  My Dad and Mom were ridiculed so many times for sheltering us too much or for homeschooling us or for being too strict…………yet in the midst of all that, they tastefully mixed in LOADS of love, support, fun, and trust!  These critics would look to my parents and wag their heads in judgement that my parents should “wait until we got older………..and then we would see how we would for sure all rebel and go astray.”

Somehow though (because my parents followed and practiced God’s principles) that day never came.  PRAISE THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS!!  He NEVER fails us!!

Amy Foster

How is it that my (Jill’s) sister can go on in life as a crippled quadriplegic and inspire many as she continues on with no bitterness towards God??  Because she had a Mom and Dad that were fervent in teaching us to NEVER forsake our God…………..because – Heb 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”  He is God Himself and He never forsakes us…………so why should we forsake Him?  Thanks, Amy, for choosing right in your life……..even when you have faced one of life’s hardest trials ever!

At the end of the day, the decision to do right will land in the hearts and minds of your children.  However, God does not leave us without hope, but promises success when we follow HIS principles.  NO……………..it is not our good works that inspire success, but action upon what he commands us to do.  Are you willing to rise up and give it your all??

3 generations of men that fear God!

Timothy just turned 16 years old and we told him he could pick out any “boy” friend to take out to dinner with us and to then go do some fun “guy” thing (like go-carting / or something like that).  Well, he could not think of a friend (near us) that he felt close enough to that he could relate to spiritually, so he chose Grandpa!!  Wow!  That alone blessed my heart!  Old Mom (me) bought him these “cool” sunglasses to use on his baby                                                                                             blues when driving, etc.  

We are on the brink of our children starting to leave home, and we truly want to cherish each moment with them, for these precious moments surely fly by so swiftly.

I love you, Timothy.                                Hugs, Mama