“What Really Happened at the Hagan House” (God card #14 – Floaties)

We are plunging in to God card #14 – floaties this week. I believe God holds me up. I am not sure if you call them floaties in your house, so here are a few pics to show you what I am talking about! I told Maya, Ada and Carson to go find a picture of themselves with floaties. These are the pics they found.

As we were finishing breakfast, Ron asked them to explain “floaties.” What do they do? Why did you use them? And do you have any stories about them or a time you felt like you were sinking? At this point, we are just talking literally and getting used to the idea of having something that would hold us up. Ron and I shared the stories of their pictures and the days at the pool when they were young. All 3 of our kids loved their floaties, depended on them and asked for them before they went jumping in the pool. We also shared stories and feelings of times we have felt like we were sinking and didn’t have something like a floatie to hold us up.

Then I asked: if the God card says that he holds us up, how does that work? How does God hold us up? Why would he need to hold us up?

Everyone picked a verse from the card, marked it in their Bibles with a highlighter and wrote next to it: God card #14. This step is important, because you are giving them time to put the Language in their Bibles and showing them how it all fits. Not only for this time but for next time when they are looking through his Word, and they will see all throughout verses highlighted and words marked. Verses reminding them that he promises to hold us up! A cool thing happened yesterday morning when they got to Isaiah 43:2. I think Ada was looking it up, and she noticed 2 other verses marked in that chapter – Isaiah 43:1 (God card #21 – God knows my name.) and Isaiah 43:4 (God card #40 – Valentine. God loves me.) So, we had a great conversation about Isaiah 43 and the power of these promises. He knows us, and promises to hold up, because he loves us. It all tied together! Cool moment.

After we marked up our Bibles, we had each one explain their verse. What did the verse have to do with floaties? What is God promising to you?

Last, we made the connection or the so what? What are times in your life that you were sinking? What are situations that you will need to remember the truth of these verses? What stories do you have already? Ron and I shared our stories too. We talked about the road to having them and the many years of infertility. There were tough days, and Father did not take the pain or struggle away immediately. It is important to help them remember that this is not a promise of circumstantial happiness or a “free pass” from pain. There will still be days of tears and questions. We held to Father’s truth and despite our feelings or justification that he wasn’t showing up when we wanted him to show up or how we wanted him to show up, we chose him. We fell into these promises and continued to walk forward believing he was listening, he was working and he had our best in mind. Why? He said in Isaiah 43:4 that he loved us, and we aren’t willing to chunk the Bible out the window. It in these moments that we determine our belief by our actions.

I talked specifically to Maya who is an emotional being, thinking first with her heart and then her mind comes later. I reminded her that Father has given her this gift, but the enemy will tempt her through her feelings. I have seen it happen. She needs to know that many times, she is going to have to put her feelings aside and think through the truth. It isn’t discounting how Father has made her but an understanding of how that personality fleshes out and the way the enemy might try to get her guessing or just plunge her into a pit of emotion.

We had some prayers responding back to Father and off we went into the details of our day! Praying for the great conversations at your table!