Prayer Encouragement & SkyMoms Retreat: "How to Enter Everyday" by SkyMom, Terrie Chevaillier

How to Enter Everyday

   Enter his gates with thanksgiving

   and his courts with praise;

   give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

Happy Thanksgiving SkyMoms!

I woke up with the reminder of this verse today,  For today, Thanksgiving Day, i would normally enter this day with thankfulness. The holiday observed and all that is a part of that reminds me to do this.  I am thankful, so I gives thanks and praise. My heart is reminded and prepared as I celebrate this day. Thus, i enter the day.

What about everyday? How do I teach my heart and disciple my children's hearts to enter everyday?

Let's Pray God's Word:

Dear Lord, as we gather around the table today with friends and family, we thank You and give You praise for Jesus and all of the blessings this brings.

As moms, we desire to live this out in our homes and not just today.

Help us as we enter.  If we enter our time with You and neglect this spiritual discipline and truth, remind us and teach us so we can teach those entrusted to us.

As our culture seeks to tell our children they need more, help us as moms have a louder voice than the culture's voice.

Give us a voice of praise so we can model to our children what a life of thanksgiving and praise looks like so they too would enter in.

Amen

~Terrie Chevaillier

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Sky Ranch Family Devotional…Jesus Reveals God to You, with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Fun Icebreaker: In your family, who has been a trusted role model or mentor to you?

Question: Why is God trustworthy?

Topic 3: Trust—God Wants You to Know Him

Today’s Big Idea: Jesus Reveals God to You

Share with your family that Jesus, God’s Son, is a trustworthy source and He reveals God, the Father, to you.
The questions give your family the opportunity to share about learning to recognize a trustworthy source. Jesus, God’s Son, was sent by His Father to teach you about God. Jesus was asked to speak very specific things and relay a very important message. Jesus represented His family in a good way. Family members can represent their family in good or bad ways by their words and actions. Talk about the importance of Jesus’ words and actions. Jesus spoke truth, but was careful to read the behavior of His audience and their response to His words. There is wisdom in recognizing when to speak and when to stay silent. Explain how to know when it is safe to open up and how to recognize when it is not.

Talk with God: Read scriptures and questions below.

John 14:6 (NASB): “Jesus said to him, ’I am the way, and the truth,
and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.’”
John 12:49 (NASB) (Jesus is speaking): “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment, as to what to say, and what to speak.”

Walk with God:

Discuss with younger kids: It is good to trust others. You can trust your parents, grandparents, and some friends who want the best for you. You learn to see their hearts and kindness in sharing the truth with you. They can be trusted sources who want good things for you. Jesus is a trusted source who shares the good of God. During your life, not everyone will be trustworthy. There are people that you should not trust. How do you know who you should trust? How do you know a safe person from an unsafe one?

Discuss with older kids: Everyone who has been in school knows there really are bullies and they are not safe to trust. There are clues that tell you when someone is safe and you can trust them. What are the clues when someone is not safe? What are the clues that Jesus is telling the truth about God, the Father, and you can trust Him?

Prayer suggestion: Pray for God to reveal trustworthy friends. 

I will be praying for you!
Stacy

Stacy A. Davis, Author
Sky Ranch Family Devotionals 
© 2013 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Sky Ranch SkyMoms Gatherings!

Sky Ranch SkyMoms Gatherings! 

Our Sky Ranch SkyMom luncheons have been off to a great start!

A special thanks to all our hostesses that help to make each event a huge success by sponsoring tables and inviting their friends to enjoy food, fun, fellowship, and spiritual encouragement! 

Plano, Texas ~ Maggianos Willow Bend

Southlake, Texas ~ Timmaron Country Club

McKinney, Texas ~ Stonebridge Country Club

 Ft. Worth, Texas ~ Ridglea Country Club

Please let us know if you are interested in participating in one of our upcoming luncheons in your hometown!

skymoms@skyranch.org 

Upcoming Sky Ranch SkyMom Gatherings
Maggianos - Northpark Mall Dallas, TX ~  January 14, 2014

Bridlewood Country Club -Flower Mound, Texas~  February 6, 2014
Ricks Chophouse -McKinney, TX ~  February 12, 2014
Stonebriar Country Club- Frisco, Texas ~  April 3, 2014
Houston, TX ~  TBD

Blessings,

Tori 

Tori Miller

SkyMoms Ministry Director

Sky Ranch

Texas | Colorado | Oklahoma

 www.skyranch.org 

Sky Ranch Family Devotional…God’s Direction for You, with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Fun Icebreaker: Who is a famous person that has inspired you in your life? Why?

Question: Why is God trustworthy?

Topic 3: Trust—God Wants You to Know Him 

Today’s Big Idea: God’s Direction for You

Share with your family that God is trustworthy because He clearly provides written directions for the right way to live life. He cares about you and wants you to know His thoughts. He has provided His written Word to be useful and equip you for living your life.
The questions give your family the opportunity to share about how each person grows in wisdom and training through God’s Word. Life is meant to be a journey that allows you to mature at God’s pace. He wants you to grow into the person that you are designed to be. God has worked out a plan for each person’s life and you get to discover the plan that He has put together for you! He doesn’t leave you all alone and confused; He has given you directions in His written Word. Talk to your family and explain that it is normal to have confusion as you discover your life’s direction. Sometimes the path is clear while other times it is not. Be patient and pray. God will give you direction if you ask for help.

Talk with God: Read scriptures and questions below.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NISB): “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

Walk with God:

Discuss with younger kids: God speaks to you through the Bible. He gives you help and instruction. God’s desire to share good direction with you is reason to trust Him. You can understand His message to you. Do you have His message hidden in your heart? What are some of His messages from the Bible that have helped you?

Discuss with older kids: Have you planned out your entire life and know exactly what you want to do? Probably not. It can be hard and confusing with so many possibilities ahead of you. Today there are so many choices it can be confusing—clothing choices alone can be challenging. Future friends, activities, college, career, marriage may seem almost impossible to consider right now. God cares for you and helps you by giving you written direction. This is reason to trust Him. Do you think the Bible is relevant to today? How can scripture written so long ago point you in the right direction now? What scripture have you found helpful direction?

Prayer suggestion: Pray for God’s direction in your life. 

I will be praying for you!
Stacy

Stacy A. Davis, Author
Sky Ranch Family Devotionals 
© 2013 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Sky Ranch Family Devotional…Hope in God’s Writing, with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Fun Icebreaker: What gives you hope? 

Question: Why is God trustworthy?

Topic 3: Trust—God Wants You to Know Him 

Today’s Big Idea: Hope in God’s Writing

Share with your family that God is trustworthy because He wants you to know His heart and character. He has emotions like you do. He gives you His written Word to guide you and give you hope.
The questions give your family the opportunity to share about God’s trustworthiness because of His desire for you to know Him. He has provided, in writing, directions for helping you live life--the Holy Bible. If God didn’t care, He wouldn’t have written anything down for you; however, He does care and did give you written instruction that help you see His heart and read about His thoughts. All people were designed by God, and work in a similar way.
Everyone has good and bad experiences that lead to good and bad feelings. Feelings are normal and very real. Feelings have the power to give you amazing joy and deep despair. Talk to your family about thanking God for the good feelings and turning to God during the bad feelings. God designed you and knows the best way to help or encourage you.

Talk with God: Read scriptures and questions below.

Romans 15:4 (NIV): “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.”
Psalm 130:5 (ESV): “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.”

Walk with God:

Discuss with younger kids: God loves you very much and knows that you will need extra help with how to live your life. God knew that you will have moments that you feel happy, excited and useful. Other times, you will feel sad, depressed or hopeless. All of these are normal feelings that everyone has and God gives instruction of how to handle all of it in scripture. What Bible verse has inspired you, or given you comfort, in your life?

Discuss with older kids: Recognizing God’s truth in your life can be a challenge. You often see it the most in the difficult moments. The good moments can be taken for granted. By now in your life, you have had painful moments. God uses those moments to strengthen you. What scripture has comforted you the most during those times? Why?

Prayer suggestion: Pray for God to show you hope in His word. 

I will be praying for you!
Stacy

Stacy A. Davis, Author
Sky Ranch Family Devotionals 
© 2013 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Lisa Life Lesson- "Christmas Project - Time is of the Essence!!!"

Now is the PERFECT time to start your Christmas Legacy Letters! What are those you might ask?

8 or so years ago, God laid on my heart the need for my girls to know their heritage.  They didn't know how their grandparents met, where their great grandparents grew up, the history, their legacy.  So...

I called each living great grandparent and grandparent and asked them to handwrite a letter to my girls telling "their story."  I asked them to send the letters to me before Christmas Eve, so I could put a red ribbon around the letters and put in each stocking.

Let me just tell you these letters are a TREASURE.  My mom is the only living grandparent now, so these letters are even more special.  

This is a Christmas project you will cherish for years to come.  

These letters led us to another tradition.  Every Christmas Eve, our family of 5 (we added a son this year!) write letters to the other family members.  We recap the year.  Talk about qualities we see in the other.  Love each other in words.  The letters are mounting in my nightstand.  My husband leads this effort every year.  He likes to write.  Words heal, encourage and show value.  Write it down.  

Make everyday count, Moms!

Love,
Lisa
Sky Ranch SkyMom Parenting Mentor

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Prayer Encouragement & SkyMoms Retreat: "Counter Culture" by SkyMom, Terrie Chevaillier

Prayer Encouragement

&

SkyMoms Retreat!

January 25^th and 26^th

Counter Culture

She is clothed with strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future.

Proverbs 31:25

We hope you are making plans to grab your friends and head out to Van for the first Sky Moms Retreat coming up in January.

It is sure to be a cozy weekend filled with truth, good food, fun and fellowship!

During the retreat, we will offer breakout sessions and to give you a hint of what to expect, we thought we would let you know some of the good stuff that will be offered!

Our hope is that while there, you are encouraged about your children’s future and you leave laughing and hoping as you look toward their future without fear!

Two of our breakouts that will be offered are:

A Different Kind of Beauty Queen led by Chrissie Dunham from Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, TX

And

A Different Kind of Hero led by Max Heller, Leadership Camp Manager at Sky Ranch in Van, TX

Moms of boys and moms of girls will have the opportunity to hear Chrissie and Max encourage you on how to guide your girls and boys in the current culture they are living in and the unique struggles that are familiar to boys and girls.

A Different Kind of Beauty Queen will be designed to encourage moms on how to guide their daughters in truth about what God’s Word says about true inner beauty vs. what the world says is beautiful.  Outer beauty at all costs.

A Different Kind of Hero will encourage moms on how to guide their son’s to love and lead in their circles of influence and what God’s Word says about being a man of God vs. how the world defines a man.

Let’s Pray God’s Word:

Dear Father, thank you that you have uniquely designed my children.  You have put into them specific talents and gifts that you want them to use for Your glory and Your Kingdom.

You know what the world is telling them which is opposite to what Your Word tells them.

Lead us to read and learn about Your truth andt what You say regarding beauty, godliness and leadership.

Bring to us other moms to walk with as we seek to learn and grow in Your Word so that we can lead our children to be all that You have created them to be!

Thank You for the ministry of Sky Moms and the Retreat that will encourage us to be clothed with Your strength and dignity as we teach and train our young men and women!

Amen.

~Terrie Chevaillier

Sign up Today!

Sky Ranch Family Devotional…Listen to God, with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Fun Icebreaker: What is a great piece of advice that you are glad you listened to?

Question: How do you know God is real? 

Topic 2: Trust—God is Real

Today’s Big Idea: Listen to God

Share with your family that God has placed other people in your life to be a witness to you that God is real. The witness of their personal experience with God is evidence that He is real.
The questions give your family the opportunity to share about the influence of God’s witnesses in your life. Jesus and the disciples are witnesses to you. Each of us has met people who talk about God today, but some seem more sincere than others. Share with your family that there are two groups of people who claim to have a relationship with God: those who really are in a relationship with God and those who pretend to be in a relationship with God. The key is figuring out who really has a true relationship with Him and learning from the wisdom that they share. Godly people will share godly wisdom. Listening well to godly role models is a learned skill. Learn to slow down and listen. Talk to your family about the value of listening to wisdom. Share the purpose of listening and the benefits of listening well throughout your life. 

Talk with God: Read scriptures and questions below.

John 18:37 (ESV) (Jesus is speaking): “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
1 John 1:3 (NASB) (Jesus’ disciples are speaking): “What we have
seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

Walk with God:

Discuss with younger kids: You know a lot of people! Your family, friends, and Sky Ranch friends are some of the people that you know. Some of your friends have a real connection with God and have told you about their relationship with Him. How has sharing their story of their friendship with God influenced you?

Discuss with older kids: Everywhere you go people attempt to influence you. Some influences are good; others are bad. Everyone wants to be heard. How do you decide the people to listen to or ignore? God has sent, or will send, people into your life that will tell you about their personal relationship with God. How will their personal experience act as evidence that God is real? When you hear God’s truth from others, how well do you listen and respond?

Prayer suggestion: Pray for God to help you listen to Him. 

I will be praying for you!
Stacy

Stacy A. Davis, Author
Sky Ranch Family Devotionals 
© 2013 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.

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