School Is Where the Home Is: A Devotional for Parents by Anita Mellott

» Posted on Oct 28, 2011 in Blog | Comments Off on School Is Where the Home Is: A Devotional for Parents by Anita Mellott

This week I’m hosting Colleen Coble with Lonestar Angel, Ginger Garrett with Desired, and Anita Mellott with School Is Where the Home Is. If you want to enter the drawings for the books, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don’t want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (October 30th) evening.

Excerpt from School Is Where the Home Is:

He’ll Catch You

I will trust and not be afraid. (Isaiah 12:2)

“How do I know you’ll catch me?” Seven-year-old Caleb peered down from a tiny ledge five feet off the ground, a deep gorge behind him.

“Look at us,” yelled a homeschool co-op buddy. A dozen kids and adults faced each other as their intertwined arms formed a safety net.

Caleb had been the first in line for Trust Fall, a team-building exercise for our co-op kids at camp. Now he took a half step backward, bringing his back up against the solid tree trunk.

“Well, I trust you with my secrets,” his voice faltered. “But not to catch me.”

“But we’re your friends,” a chorus of voices replied.

“You can do it, Caleb,” the adults encouraged.

He sighed and turned around to face the tree. He closed his eyes, leaned backward, and with clenched fists, dropped off the ledge to our cheers.

Seconds later, a redhead popped up from the carpet of intertwined arms.

“That wasn’t too bad.”A huge grin spread across his face as he jumped down.

I’m so much like that, I thought, as we walked away. I trust God with my deepest longings and struggles. Yet when he leads me to step out, I pull back.

Isaiah 12:2 is a simple but profound reminder that God is trustworthy. The word “trust” implies a place of security. The remainder of the verse gives the reason not to fear: “The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” Trusting is a choice to find strength in the Lord. It’s faith in action. When God calls, I can leap knowing that “underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27).

Digging deeper: Can you leap with abandon into God’s arms?

Excerpted from School Is Where the Home Is: 180 Devotions for Parents by Anita Mellott, copyright © 2011 by Anita Mellott. Used by permission of Judson Press, www.judsonpress.com.