During one of my recent Bible studies, I read this and wanted to share it with you. "..., a thirteen-year-old Hebrew boy could not even get out of bed in the morning without remembering to whom he belonged. As he wound the straps of the phylacteries around his head and arm, he was reminded of his binding relationship to his Creator.... The law of the Lord was his life." The left arm was chosen because it was usually the weakest. The Hebrews were to wear God's Word as a banner and shield over their weakness. (To Live is Christ; Paul's Journey of Faith by Beth Moore, pg 16)

We would be wise to consider our relationship with God with such importance. If we could find ways to constantly remind ourselves that we belong to the Creator of the universe (our Creator), then we would find it easier to follow Deuteronomy 6:4-9. It would be easier to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength. Remembering God's Words would become more natural. Impressing them on our children would not be difficult. We would naturally talk about God and His Words every day, at every opportunity. Then we would just simply make them part of ourselves, our homes, and our property. His Words would become a banner and a shield to cover our weaknesses and give us strength for the journey ahead.

Please pray for me as I try to not only make God first in my life, but as I also allow His Word to become my banner and shield. I have many weaknesses that need to be covered by God's love. How about you? Do you need someone to pray the same thing for you? I am ready and willing. May God's Word become your banner and shield. He is always there for you!

During the month of January, Bryson was inspired to start writing poetry. Since that time, he has presented one poem to our home congregation, written several more, recorded a few, and video-taped one.

If you are interested in listening to or watching him in action, here are some ways to do that. You can go to our home page (sonnychilds.com) and click on the link in the left-hand column to watch his video. Or you can go to YouTube.com, type in Bryson Childs Poetry, and find it there. He also has a page on Facebook where you can listen to a couple of his poems. If you type in Bryson Childs Poetry, then click on "BandPage" in the left-hand column, it will bring you to his audios. Just click on what you want to hear.

Please feel free to share any or all of these with your friends and family.

As you can probably tell, we are very proud of him and his willingness to use the talents that God has given him. We would ask that you keep him and all other teenagers in your prayers as they try to find purpose in this life. Please ask God to give them wisdom and direction.