Light in the Night

One super-early Sunday morning I felt like God was calling me out of bed.  The previous Friday and Saturday mornings He called me but I didn’t go!!  (Shame, Laura.)  I reasoned my way “out” of it.  But on Sunday morning around 4 a.m. I finally obeyed. (Hallelujah!) All I heard was God saying, 

“Trust Me.  I’ll show you.”  And as a true disobedient child I replied, “But it’s dark and if I make noise or put a light on it will surely wake someone (Jordan) and I’ll have company this early…” 

“Trust Me” was all I kept hearing.  So I plodded forward through my house and into the kids room where the light was dimly on.  “But I’m going to hurt my eyes in this light” was what I told the Light of the world.  God continued to say, “Trust Me.”  So I turned into the room and He turned me right toward the night light.  I was so awed at God!  The night light was bright enough for my little tender eyes to see the Word I was about to be shown. 

James 1:2-4 was where I began but then He nudged me to read on to verses five and six.  Oh, how blessed I felt!    Even though I had been a tough cookie in all my disobedience, He continued to have great compassion on me.  His perseverance in love just overwhelmed me.  His confidence in what He had planned for me was remarkable – this is our God.

Lately I’ve been reading through 1 & 2 Chronicles and specifically about the wisdom God gave Solomon to lead His people, Israel.  And here in James 1:5-6 He shows that His wisdom is available to us, for the asking!  Just ask in faith, without doubting and He is faithful to supply. 

As we desire to lead our children in this world, let us do it with His wisdom.  

Who sees? He sees...

Sometimes I feel inadequate to even share a thought here on this parenting blog. My kids aren't toddlers anymore and I feel like the lessons God has been showing me lately are a bit heavy for a blog that is suppose to encourage moms.  (Just being real here.)

Yesterday, I came across this video again and knew I had to share.  It blessed me the first time I watched it and it blessed me again.  No matter what season we are in as moms and wives, we need to remember that we are serving the King and He sees us.  This is just a few minutes and a great reminder.

Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YU0aNAHXP0

Worry Less & Pray More

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. 

Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers,

 letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, 

a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, 

will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful 

what happens when Christ displaces worry

 at the center of your life. 

- Philippians 4:6-7 MSG

What are you worrying about today, ladies?

In my quiet time this morning I read the verses above and was reminded of Truth. It was refreshing. Let all my fretting and worrying be honed into prayer with my heavenly Father. Allowing Him to be a part of the process. God knows how many hairs are on my head, thinks of me more than sand on the shore and desires to grow in a deeper relationship.  Some hurdles in life, when we are unsettled, cause us to depend on the Lord more and strengthen our dependence on Him. 

Whether it's debt, kids, marriage, church, friends, trying to please people, school choices, balancing a overly crowded life, running on empty, or just weariness...it is worth taking  time to unload it all onto His plate. He is stronger. He is wiser. He is the One who gives supernatural peace when we are frozen with fear. 

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, 

all whose thoughts are fixed on you! 

- Isaiah 26:3

Allow yourself a few moments of quiet today to get before your Maker. Ask Him for wisdom in those areas of weakness. Ask Him to shine light in areas of your life that need strengthening. Then act in obedience to His prompting. An unknown path isn't so scary when you walk hand and hand with your Savior who is guiding your every step. 

I want to worry less and pray more. How about you??

A King's Example

"And David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God—my God—will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord." 1 Chronicles 28:20

Chapters 28 and 29 of 1 Chronicles taught me something about being a mom.  “How?!” you may ask.  As moms we would like to think we hold some level of control concerning our children.  Don’t get me wrong, we have a great responsibility to train them up in the way of the Lord but we ought not to fall into wrong thinking that we can control all of our children’s choices.

I think, as a parent and leader of the people of Israel David learned something by the end of his time here on earth.  He learned that the reigns were not really in his hands, but God’s.  There was nothing David could do to control what his son, Solomon was going to do after David died.  He could ordain Solomon to be king and anoint him as the one who God chose to build the house of the Lord but after he was gone he had no more say.

Mighty God, it’s only by Your grace and patience with us that we can grow and learn more about putting our full trust in You.  Please help us encourage our children to walk in Your ways and then watch as they make choices that would honor and glorify You.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."  Proverbs 22:6

"You ARE Seen" by Courtney

“Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak outside Bethel. So it was named Allon Bakuth.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭35:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I was so blessed by this today. We hear of Rebekah's nurse when she leaves her family to go to Isaac and here when she is named and set apart as special to this family buried under an oak they name oak of weeping. She was a nurse to many generations, probably often overlooked as she cared for the children of this family and loved them. But never insignificant.  She was so significant to God that he mentions her by name here in the Bible to be remembered forever.

The number of days I get overlooked for all I do as a mom far out way the number of days anyone seems to notice. But God always notices. He is the one I am serving as I serve my family. And here I was encouraged in that and in the love this family had for Deborah.

Love you girls. You are valued and loved for all you do even when you don't feel seen, you are by the Most High. 

Trusting Tomorrow Will Be Better Than Today

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[a]
    his mercies never come to an end;
 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

-Lamentations 3:22 - 23-

A breath of fresh air. Refreshment for my soul. Truth reminding of how His love never fails. Never leaves me. Never ends. Faithful and full of mercies. As that Word is etched on my heart today it tells of how I am to parent my kiddos as well. Loving well, forgiving much, and living today as if yesterday never happened. Wiping the slate clean, giving hugs, with excitement, trusting tomorrow will be better than today.

If we were completely honest, some days are hard to let go of. Hours of exhaustion in parenting sometimes leads to moments of doubt. Wondering if all my effort is in vain. Will I see a harvest of integrity in my children someday even if it seems nonexistent today?

God knew I would doubt. God knew I would need daily reminding. God gives me His Spirit that presses on when my flesh wants to give up. God encourages me with the Word when I wrestle with the whispers from the enemy. HE gave us.....

Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (NIV)

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (NKJV)

So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith. (MSG vs. 9-10)

Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in. (AMP)

This couples so well with the verse we started with. Don't give up and continue to give mercy. We will reap if we continue to forgive, as HE does. If we are steadfast and faithful to seek His face in every struggle and trial...mercy will flow from our lives. 

I can honestly say that these verses were for me today. For a week that has been emotionally and physically exhausting...refreshment only came when I looked to the Source that never ends. The One who reminds me who I am and tells me what I can look forward to if I don't give up. Don't give up, ladies. HE will strengthen your weary heart and empower your feeble hands. HE loves. HE sees. HE knows. 

What has you weary and exhausted this week? 

Are you discouraged in your parenting? 

Seek the One, who is continually parenting YOU - for wisdom and strength on how to equip your little one for the great and awesome plans HE has for them. 

Steeped in His Word

Do you enjoy sharing tea time with a friend?  I do.  Every now and then our kids and I have some tea time using beautifully painted dainty tea cups and saucers.  (Pinky out and everything.)  No matter who you are spending tea time with it seems to be a special time, like a time-out that’s good.  J

As you may know, to experience a good cup of tea you need to steep the tea bag well enough to make the water transform into tea.  The color of the water changes, the smell changes, and the taste becomes something delightful – all due to the length of time the bag is steeped in hot water. 

I was reading a book by a fellow momma Karen DeBeus over the weekend and one of the lines in chapter six was like this, “When we are steeped in the Word, we are transformed.”  This reminded me of tea time!  When our tea bag is well-steeped it transforms the taste, look, and smell of water into calming tea.  When we are well-steeped in God’s Word, we are transformed too!  Our thoughts change, our speech changes, our aroma to the Lord is sweeter. 

As fellow mommas, may we keep each other accountable to stay steeped in God’s Word each day of this new year.  Let’s not just write and read a blog about it, let’s do it!  Let’s train up this next generation to be steeped in His Word as well.  Our world will be transformed as a result.  To God be the glory!!