7 Day No More Yelling Moms DevotionalSample

CHALLENGE 1:  Only speak what will build up your child and give grace to those who hear. 

I used to be a yelling angry mom. I hate to admit that, and if you relate, I bet it breaks your heart too. 

Today, let’s confess it. Now, we begin to turn from it. 

We don’t want to just say, stop yelling. We need to REPLACE the yelling with  something NEW. Today, we begin by speaking life where we have since been stealing joy and peace.

This verse in Ephesians was one of the verses I put on my phone as a reminder of the NEW HABIT of speaking words of life and affirmation that I was asking the Holy Spirit to help me with when I first began to become a gentle mom. This doesn’t mean we ignore our child’s behavior today. It just means that when we speak to them, we are going to breathe, become calm before speaking, and only talk when we can be sure that the correction we give or the words we say will not be “corrupt” (like screaming) but instead will be for our child’s good. We want our words to "give grace to those who hear" today!

ONE LAST THOUGHT: 

In my book TRIGGERS: Exchanging Parents’ Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses, co-authored with Wendy Speake, I write that I don’t respond well when I am being yelled at. How can we expect our kids to respond well when we yell at them? 

Yelling does NO good. None. Today, we get to do better!

LET’S PRAY: 

“Father God, I don’t want to be a yelling angry mom. I am sorry for the way I speak to my children. Please forgive me. Help me today to stop this habit. Help me to be calm and kind when I speak to my kids. I know that when they do wrong, I can still do right! Give me self-control and create in me a new heart--and tongue--that breathes life into my children. Stop me from yelling when I feel myself getting frustrated, and remind me of your grace toward me so I can then extend that grace to them. In Jesus’ name, Amen! 

Consider: Fill in the blank: Today, I will breathe life by saying ________ to my child.