In His Strength

I am half laughing to myself as I sit to write this latest post. This blog is for me to be transparent and to encourage other mom's. Well, sometimes it isn't easy to be transparent. But I made a promise to myself and God that I would work at that more... so here goes.

This week was not the easiest for me. It wasn't the worst week ever, but it was one of "those" weeks. You know what I am talking about! It was the kind of week where you wake up in the morning and pray that you would love your children more. That you will be more patient, never raise your voice, and actually play with your children and enjoy it. And then the children wake up and, boom it is like all those prayers vanish and your nasty old self shows its ugly face and you wonder what in the world happened between 6 and 7 am! I think I have felt that way every day this week! Just worn down and frazzled and wondering what happened to my joy.

Today God reminded me it isn't about feelings. Sometimes we forget that feelings and faith are not intertwined. Oh if you ask me, I will always say faith is not about how one feels, but about who God is. But if you look deep in my heart? Well, faith is a whole lot easier if you feel the joy and hope and love! This week I felt anything but joyful! All the encouragement I had been feeling lately, the closeness of God's love, the depth of His word in my heart, it all seemed to melt away. I began to question things I had felt God was speaking to me. I began to doubt the direction I felt God leading me in my life. I had begun to forget that this is a new start for me, a new phase in life, a year of Jubilee so to speak.

Today God reminded me that it is all about Him, not about me. He is the God of all creation. He is the Almighty. He is ever faithful, full of mercy and grace and strength to help in my time of need. He is everlasting, holy, righteous and just. He is so much bigger than I give him credit for! God spoke a word to my heart today from Isaiah 40&41. I wanted to share it with you today.

"Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint... Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness... For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear Not; I will help thee... When the poor and needy see water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water."

God is eternal and almighty. He created the stars in the heavens and all that we see. He is so far above all we know and imagine. And he promises to give us strength. He says that we shouldn't fear. That he will revive us, fill us and keep us. That he has water for the thirsty, strength for the weary and hope for the hopeless. He is not a man that he should lie! If he promises it to us, then it is true and we can stand on it. Oh how I needed to hear that today!

This week I have been weary. I have been worn down and frustrated with my lack of joy and confidence in the Lord. I need to stop looking through the eyes of my feelings, and lift my head up! He is GOD. He is faithful when I am not. He is eternal and from everlasting to everlasting, who am I to doubt his word? So today I stand in faith that he will renew my strength, fill my wilderness with pools of water, and strengthen me in heart and spirit.

If you are weary in your walk, if you are tired and worn down, join me in lifting your eyes up to the eternal God who loves you and promises to be your strength.

God bless you this week. Let me know if you need prayer! And say a prayer for me as well. Thanks for your friendships.

This too shall pass

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Eccl 3:1

Last night my husband said something to me that so encouraged and yet saddened me. My oldest daughter had whacked her sister in the head with a baby doll "on accident". It, of course, ended up being a big ordeal (when isn't it?). My husband looked at me and said "You know, someday there will be a last time she does that". I didn't quite understand what he meant. He continued by explaining that someday there would be a last time that our girls hit each other. We won't recognize it at the time, but someday they will stop hitting each other. That is when it hit me. To everything there is a season.

I know we moms like to encourage each other with the thought that "this too shall pass", but do we really think about what that means? There will be a day when your toddler wets his pants for that last time. There will be a day when you get up in the middle of the night with a sick child for the last time. There will be a day when you face that last childish argument and heave that sigh of frustration for the last time. And though that thought brings us great hope in the midst of the battle, last night it also brought me a bit of sadness. Someday they will be all grown up and I won't be able to call back all these days I have with them. They will be half forgotten memories that I will have to cherish.

So remind yourself today that it might just be a "last day" for something. Maybe a moment that you won't mind seeing the last of, like my girls hitting each other. But maybe it will be a moment you will miss when it is gone. Like a last time your little child wants to climb in your lap and be held close instead of going to bed. Or the last time you read a story to your child. Or the last time your child runs to you with tears over a scraped knee. Those moments might stress us out now, but someday they will be just memories that we long for.

So enjoy your children today. And cherish that "last time" if you recognize it for what it is. Our children are a precious gift from God. A gift meant to bless us and fill our lives with joy and meaning. Embrace those difficult moments knowing that someday "this too shall pass".

May I remember my own words today!

One Mom to Another

I want to hear from you.
What are you struggling with?
What has God encouraged you with lately?
Do you have practical advise for other moms?
Are you in need of prayer?

Please feel free to leave a comment, story, thought, or prayer request!

Be encouraged you aren't alone!