The Start of a Story and a Song
We win when we can look back at our childhoods and see glimpses of the unique talents and gifts that God gave us. We win when we thank God for the special people in our lives. We win when we notice how God’s been with us through the years—through the good times and the hard ones.
We win when we remember prayers answered over the years—our prayers and the prayers of others. We win when we slow down and use music as a way to connect with God. When we worship God, we lift our eyes off our problems and instead gaze at his goodness. We are reminded that God is with us, just as he’s always been.
Young and (Mostly) in Love
We win when we’re willing to put the work into our marriages. You can overcome hard things together. We win when we realize love is a choice, not a feeling. We win when we show up for our spouses, even when we want our way. We win when we don’t make rash decisions and instead realize that time can heal wounds. We win when we surround ourselves with people who will encourage our marriages and pray for us.
We win when we turn to God for help, even when we don’t feel like it and doubt anything can change. We win when we turn back during the times we think we’ve gone too far to ever go back. Even if you’ve made a bad decision, you can turn things back around. We win when we put ourselves second. The daily decisions we make to care for our spouses lead to big wins. We win when we see our differences as things that can help our marriages, not as things that can pull us apart. We win when we find special moments in the middle of ordinary days.
Ministry Minded
We win when we understand that we don’t have to be fully equipped to be called into ministry. God will equip us along the way. We win when we use our strengths and trust God to bring others to help where we are weak. We win when love is a verb. People need to feel our love before they understand God’s love. We win when we show up. e win when we trust God. He always has more in store for us than we think.
Bringing Our Girls Home
We win when we understand God’s heart for adoption. We win when we step out in faith to follow God’s call to support orphans, whether by opening our homes or helping adoptive families. We win when we pray for those impacted by adoption. Birth parents, foster parents, adoptive parents, adoption workers, kids and their siblings—they all need our prayers.
We win when we understand that sometimes we have to break to make another person whole—that’s true love, true sacrifice. We win when we understand God’s sacrifice to make us a part of his family. Adoption takes sacrifice for families to be joined together—both physical families and spiritual ones.
Lord, Why Don’t You Answer My Prayer?
We win when we place our kids in God’s hands. We will never fully be able to protect our kids or make sure they’re healthy. We win when we turn to one another for support. Even when we don’t have all the answers, we can help and encourage one another. We can hold one another up.
We win when we dare to have real emotions with God. He understands when we’re disappointed or angry. He doesn’t love us any less. e win when we believe in God’s healing powers. He doesn’t always choose to heal, but we can trust that he is able.
We win when we walk in faith, even when we don’t have immediate answers.
The Valley of the Shadow of Death
We win when we listen for God’s voice, for life and peace, instead of listening to fearful thoughts. We win when we can share our struggles with others, when we can help them see that they are not alone. We win when we learn to overcome and not just settle for an easy fix.
We win when we learn to battle our negative thoughts, when we cut them out before they take root. We win when we choose to think about all the good things God has given us; doing so brings faith and joy. We win when we see our battles as opportunities for victory, opportunities for God to grow us and teach us.
Discovering Ourselves
We win when we look at what interests us and what brings us joy. God put those things within us for a reason. We win when we become comfortable with who God made us to be instead of trying to hide our true selves from other people. We win when we work toward wholeness. Small, positive changes can make us whole in ways we never expected.
We win when we become our authentic selves; people are drawn to that. We win when we help other people experience God’s love through us. We win when we offer people the love of Jesus, knowing he can bring wholeness to them too.
Going Viral
We win when we confess our mistakes as parents. We win when we fight for our kids when things get hard. We win when we make ourselves available to help and support our kids. We win when we find others who can help in ways we can’t. Sometimes a counselor, teacher, or coach can be a lifeline for our kids. We win when we celebrate what our kids are doing well, even when we see other areas where they’re struggling. We win when we ask our kids, “How can I help you?” We win when we talk with our kids and listen. We win when we teach our kids to follow God’s ways above all else.
Minor Disappointments, Major Victories
We win when we discover good comes out of hard seasons. We win when we choose to be grateful. We win when we understand that sometimes God chooses us to bring hope to others. We win when we can be trusted with the small things.
We win when we realize God’s plan is always a we thing, not a me thing. We win when we trust that, after sowing tears, we will reap joy. We win when we understand that both the valleys and the mountains are part of God’s story for us. We win when we discover the goodness of God where we least expect it.