
Friday, January 31, 2020
See Our Great God Who is Able to Do What He Has Promised

Train Up the Ones We Love

January Book of the Month - Grandparenting with a Purpose
There are many ways for us as grandmas (and grandpas/parents) to become equipped and ready to hand down the faith, one of these is by using books and resources which will help us better understand what this means, takes and how to do it effectively. While you may not find many books and resources to help grandparents - and parents - hand down the faith, there are some, and some of these are excellent titles written by grandmas.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Hold Their Hearts Forever
Shape Their Lives with True Faith

Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Make a Difference "in the Space Between What's Said & What's Heard"

A Month of Love - Show Love by Speaking with Grace

As we think about showing love, one big way we do this is with the words we do say. Look at Colossians 4:6 - "Your speech should always be gracious and sprinkled with insight so that you may know how to respond to every person." (CEB) This verse tells us the words we say should ALWAYS be gracious and insightful. The dictionary defines, "grace" as; "A controlled, polite and pleasant way of behaving" and "gracious" as; "marked by kindness, courtesy, tact and charm". So, how do we show this with the words we say and how do we teach our grandchildren to speak with grace? Consider the following . . .
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
A Month of Love - Show Love by NEVER Gossiping

Today I want to think about showing love in a way you may not typically think of; by being a grandma (or grandpa/parent) who does not gossip. Gossip is insidious. Far too often we do it without even thinking. But gossip is evil and vile. It causes damage and hurts people, deeply. If we gossip around our grandchildren we lay the groundwork for them to mistrust us. We absolutely MUST have a zero tolerance for gossip and MUST be people who will NOT gossip; ever.
How does gossip lay the groundwork for our grandchildren to mistrust us? It does so in the following ways -
Hand Down the Faith with Mystery Bags - Live a Life Which Builds Others Up

With this in mind, I thought I'd share with you a fun activity - another Mystery Bag activity which you may use with your grandchildren to engage them in learning about the power of their words. You will need . . .
Monday, January 27, 2020
Engage Your Grandchildren in Showing Love - Give Bunnies!

Bunnies, you ask? Yes! Bunnies! For just $20 you are able to give a pair of bunnies to a family in need. This pair of bunnies very quickly becomes more bunnies . . . and will not only be used to provide much needed nutrition, but may be sold and traded for things families need as well.
And since a pair of bunnies is only $20 through WorldVision at this link, it makes bunnies a very affordable project . . . grandchildren are able to work to see how many pairs of bunnies they earn! And, it is so easy to make this a fun project! Consider the following . . .
Get Better
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Our Sacred Trust

Prayer for Our Relationships with Our Adult children

We humble ourselves, asking Your forgiveness for the demands and errors we make when parenting our adult children and their spouses. Remind us, as often as necessary, it isn’t our role to judge their hearts or minds; it isn’t our role to fix them; and it isn’t their role to make us happy.
Saturday, January 25, 2020
An Essential Part of Handing Down the Faith

Remember the Blessings & Give Thanks

Friday, January 24, 2020
No Matter What

Reasons to Pray

But, I love how Philip Yancey writes about a wonderful reason for us to pray - "When I pray for another person, I am praying for God to open my eyes, so I may see them as God does, and then enter into the stream of love God already directs toward them." Certainly this is a reason for us to pray for others - especially the children and grandchildren God has given to us. We want . . .
Thursday, January 23, 2020
All of God's Ways Are Loving & Faithful

I love Jeremiah 29:11 where God promises He has good plans for us which bring us hope and a future. When the ones you love are showing faith and walking with God, it is very easy to believe this verse and have hope. But, if someone you love is not showing faith and walking with God you may feel almost desperate for hope. This is where Psalm 25:10a comes in. In this verse God promises all of His ways are loving and faithful - ALL of them.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Make a Difference Which Lasts Forever

We do not know what life holds for the ones we love, so it is essential for us to lay and then build upon a firm foundation where we tell, teach and show the children we love some essential truths . . .
Comfort = True, Strengthening Love
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Use What You Have to Hand Down the Faith

Now, yes, if you have a budget to spend on resources, books, conferences, etc, those things are able to help you be more equipped, but a budget is not required. Take a look at the following things which are required for you to hand down the faith . . .
Make 2020 a Year of Blessings

So, I am challenging you to do this as well; "bless" your grandchildren whenever they leave your home. The Bible has many blessings in it and giving a blessing to your grandchildren is a really powerful thing. You may choose your own blessing to give from a favorite Bible verse or use this one from Psalm 86 to try . . .
Monday, January 20, 2020
Do the Will of God

Equip Them to Be People Who Pray

Sunday, January 19, 2020
Faith = Taking the First Step

God Has Promised to Leave You "Stunned & Amazed"

Are you a grandparent/parent who has a heart which breaks for a grandchild/grown child you love who has turned away from their walk with God? It is all too easy to feel despair, be discouraged, heartbroken and fear they will not turn back. For you I want to say the same thing; continue to pray for them. Continue to pray for them. Continue to pray for them.
Prayer of Protection Against Bullying
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Tell the "Whys" - New Discoveries Continue to Point to God's Creative Handiwork

Day Four of their VBS they introduce children to the Immortal Jellyfish. In their "Islander Assembly" book, they say; "Have you ever seen a jellyfish? How about a jellyfish which is only able the size of an adult's pinky fingernail? That's the Immortal Jellyfish, an intriguing creation from God. This amazing animal is called 'immortal', because it has the incredible ability to live forever if not attacked or diseased. When it becomes an adult, it reverts back to the infant stage - over and over again. It doesn't die of old age. Of course, this is an awesome reminder of how our souls are immortal and we will live with God forever someday if we admit, believe and forever receive the Lord." They go on in their closing assembly to share how the Immortal Jellyfish shows God's amazing creativity and how this creativity has allowed this tiny jellyfish to survive and thrive in waters all over the world.
You will find out additional information about the Immortal Jellyfish at this link, but just think about the following information - and be sure to share it with your grandchildren/children . . .
In Our Post-Christian Culture, Provide Reasons, Relationships & Rhythms

Today I am sharing another article with research by Barna on building lasting faith in Gen Z (you will find the full post at this link.) Look at some of what Jonathan Morrow has to say . . .
Friday, January 17, 2020
Who Is Most Responsible to Hand Down the Faith?

Send the Most Important Message to the Generations Who Follow

Thursday, January 16, 2020
Handing Down the Faith in a Post-Truth World

This information is not meant to discourage you; quite the opposite is my intent. We need to see it, take it to heart and allow it to re-energize and motivate us to renew our focus upon being faithful to hand down the faith to our children and grandchildren. Just because the stats are heartbreaking - and they are, it does not mean we should give up. No! Not at all; as grandparents we are still the second most influential people in the lives of our grandchildren and as parents we are the most influential people in the lives of our children. We are able to make a difference - we just need to choose to not be defeated and to stop saying we don't know what to do to hand down the faith. Then buckle down, equip ourselves and be intentional when it comes to handing down the faith.
Make a Difference & Put Feet to Their Faith . . . Care for Children in Your Community

Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Equip Our Grandchildren to Know Their Real "Super Power"

Now as grandma I know how to talk with God and I understand how absolutely vital it is for me to help my grandchildren learn to be people who talk with God, watch for how He answers and remember what He does. Many grandmas and grandpas I know often ask me what the are able to do to help their grandchildren know, love and walk with God. They do not want their grandchildren to turn away from a walk of their own with God, but do not know what they are able to do to hand down the faith to them.
I understand this, as it is where I was as a mom; but no more. Today I want to encourage you to do a simple thing to help equip your grandchildren ages four to fourteen learn to be people who talk with God, watch for what He does and remember. Then I want to ask for your help to let as many grandparents - and parents, too, know what to do as well.
Help Them Make the Faith Their Own

We may be careful to do all we are able to do to teach the children we love the truth of God's Word and how they are able to talk with, love, know and walk with Him, but at some point in time, someone will say or do something which will cause them to question the things we taught them. It is inevitable.
For example, think of Adam and Eve. They actually talked and walked with God in the garden every evening. Just imagine! They were surrounded by God's glory and lived in a world untouched by sin, yet even there, even then, Satan got to them and caused them to question what they knew to be true with the lies; "Does God really love me? Is He keeping something amazing from me?" Which led them to the questions we all face at some point; "Should I obey what God asked, or do what I want?"
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Grandmas with Heart January Book of the Month - Grandparenting with a Purpose

We also do it by recommending books and resources which you are able to add to your own "tool box" and which will equip you to hand down the faith. To this end, each month we will recommend our "Book of the Month" to help you. While it may be difficult to go out and buy every book/resource we have recommended, if you commit in 2020 to just buy one book/resource a month, you will find at the end of the year you are well equipped to hand down the faith.
So, for the month of January, our Book of the Month is Grandparenting with a Purpose by Lillian Penner. Today I want to share with you some of the things Cavin Harper, from the Christian Grandparenting Network, had to say about Lillian's book . . .
Trust God's Timetable

The Top Five "Do-Not's" for Grandparents

Monday, January 13, 2020
Make Them Your High Priority

The Five Most Important Things I Want My Grandchildren to Know

At any rate, as I think about the conversations I've been blessed to have with my grandsons over the years, I'm also thinking about the five most important things I want them to know. They are . . .
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Choices Which Matter Now & For the Generations Who Follow

The Five Most Important Things on My Grandma's To-Do List

It would take all day to list the "grandma things" I do, but of this long list, there are a few which are essential. Things which are the most important things for me to do and today I'm sharing with you my Five Most Important Things on My Grandma's To-Do List. They are . . .
Prayer for Our Grandchildren's Health & Wellbeing

You are “our refuge and our fortress, our God, in whom we trust. You deliver us from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence” (Psalm 91:2-3, paraphrased).
Today, we pray for our grandchildren’s physical health and wellbeing. Please safeguard them against the multitude of illnesses, which are prevalent during the winter months. Give them strong immune systems capable of combating even the most aggressive germs.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Top Five Prayer Requests for My Grandchildren

So, about what do I pray? Certainly the list has a number of things on it and changes depending on the situations they are facing, but the main prayer requests I have for them are as follows . . .
Be Equipped to Grow in Your Prayer Life & Equip Those You Love to Do the Same

We also need to be intentional when it comes to passing on this essential message to the ones we love. Just as we need to hold tightly to God in prayer, so do our children and grandchildren. We must model what it looks like to be people who pray and we must equip them to be people who pray. To help you with this I am going to share three sources for resources designed to help you pray and equip those you love to do the same.
Friday, January 10, 2020
My Top Five Ways to Show Love to Grandchildren!
Trust God for Something Unexpected, Amazing, Beautiful and Surprising in Your Life

One day as I was watching the local weather show, they showed what happened in this frigid weather out in the local apple orchards - Ice Apples! The ice covered the apples which were still hanging on the trees - then the remains of the apples dropped out the bottom leaving an incredible ice apple. Unexpected, amazing, beautiful and surprising!
Thursday, January 9, 2020
My Top Five Reasons I Listen to My Grandchildren

As adults it is far too easy to be busy with the things we are doing or with our tech and just not listen to children. Children do tend to talk a lot and it is not always "earth-shattering" things they have to say; but when it comes to my grandchildren, I feel like if it is important to them and they want to tell me, I want to hear it! I'm so glad they have noticed this!
So, as I thought about this conversation, I came up with five reasons I listen to my grandchildren and today I'm sharing them with you. They are . . .
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Welcome to "Grandmas with Heart"!
Welcome to "Grandmas with Heart"! We (Linda Ranson Jacobs, Debbie Guinn, Joani Schultz, Sherry Schumann, Nohemi Murray, Cathy Ja...

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Recently during my grandsons' weekly sleepover I made cookies. My youngest grandson "sneaked" a fresh baked cookie and said;...
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A few days ago I shared the link where you will find Deeper In 4 Grandparents & Parents, Too! Praying the Scriptures for the Children Yo...
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Linda Ransom Jacobs is one of our "Grandmas with Heart". You may know her from DC4K - Divorce Care 4 Kids. This morning she sent m...
