Sometimes you have to stop dead in your tracks, pray a really good, long prayer, & call somebody to pray for you before you can move on a very stressful situation. And, stress is indeed an attack of the devil hitting you in one of your most "sensitive & hurtful" spots. One of mine happens to be my children & it seems that he attacks that area in my life the most because that is where he will get the biggest, loudest, sorest reaction from me. Today was no exception.

Many don't know the struggles I have with my daughter & without going into too much "detail" I will just sum it all up with SHE'S GOT SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS"! Almost everyday of my life is a battle with her & most times I have to pick & choose the battles I want to endure. I have given up on the room & decided keeping the door shut is easier than arguing about it. But I won't give in on her laundry. She must do it weekly...and all of it. I have given up on making her do her chore list each day which simply means no allowance & more money in my pocket. But I won't give her the satisfaction of doing absolutely nothing around the house & do each day try to ask her to do a couple little things to help out. But when she really makes an effort every now & then to really do something on her own (like clean the entire bathroom & I mean CLEAN) I reward her.

But those are typical battles most parents have with any teenager right? That is only a 1/4 of the battle for me. Compared to what I have to deal with on a daily basis with her...I dream of those typical battles being my only troubles with her. No, her trouble is much deeper...

Kids lie, cheat, steal, & do some really stupid things sometimes just to see how much they can get away with & for how long. Sometimes they can cause some really big problems in the home with these types of behaviors but most grow up, learn their lessons & move on to be productive, responsible adults. A few remain "bad kids" & stay in trouble most of their lives. But try tying together typical teenage behaviors & that other stuff in with emotional immaturity, unreality (they believe to be real), physical aggression, attention seeking behaviors, hypocondria, tries to run the family,...(and the list just goes on) & all the while swearing they never do anything wrong. I have had that state agency we all just love to hate at my door more times than I can count because of the wild stories she has told to get attention. No matter what punishment you use, nothing works. Time for BOOT CAMP right? Believe me, just such a solution is a few months away (age thing).

There is so much more I could tell you & you would just be amazed that I am still standing & not been institutionalized. In fact I was told just today by just such a state agency that I was to be commended for enduring it as long as I have without having to medicate myself or commit myself. But God has brought me through it all. Oh, I am not gonna lie to you....I have looked up many times & cried out "WHY ME?" or "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING GOD? HOW MUCH MORE OF THIS DO YOU THINK I CAN TAKE BEFORE I ABSOLUTELY LOSE IT?" & the like. But each time He has brought me through it. Yes, there are some sore spots, some scars, some headaches...but all in all, He always helps me to come out on top of it all. He knows that the devil knows what buttons he can push to send me in a tailspin. But when I've got God in the pilot seat it won't be long before He has me flying smooth again.

We all have our battles. We all have our battle scars. We all have those precious little things that the devil likes to come in & attack so that he can get a desired response or reaction out of us. It is in those times of attack that we have to plead the blood of Jesus over those things the devil is attacking so that they can be protected. And keep praying each day after for that same protection & thanking him for doing so. It is a constant prayer we must pray until the devil realizes that He can't attack you there anymore. I won't lie to you here either...the devil won't let go of it so easy because that is his weapon against you. What he hopes will keep your focus off God long enough to do some damage. But you have to keep your Faith in God & know that He will reclaim what is His & that is YOU & ALL you have given to Him.

Stand strong. Fight hard. But most of all pray & have faith in God.

God Bless!

1Peter 5:7