A Message for Young Moms

Young christian Moms listen to me - It's good to want to do "it all right" (but you won't), to desire the very best for your children (you would be abnormal if you didn't want their best),to teach your little ones about Jesus, God's Word and to train them up in the Lord. It's all part of God's plan for us as parents. We should do these things, but remember nothing is "textbook"!

Today in the church and in our society we want everything to be programmed and packaged nice, neat, tidy and clean that sometimes we get the message that if we follow the "rules" and "do it right" we will produce these godly little people or big people who will always follow Christ, always love Him and serve Him. Have we forgotten that we are dealing with little people who are born to sin, chose to sin and live (for the most part) for the flesh. Why do we expect them to behave perfect or "godly" when we are made out of the same stuff they are? Why do we become shocked when our precious little ones act well "sinful"? When they argue with their siblings, or hit their friends? It doesn't shock God, after all His children behave the same way, yes even those "righteous", "rule keeping" "good" children.

After being a Mom for 25 years - (the first three of which I was living in and for the world lost as a goose!) What I have learned after reading scores of good books on parenting, attending several bible studies and digging into His word for insight, is this...ready? GOD is Able, He is big enough to cover all the gaps we leave. To repair the damage we have done or will do. He is ABLE! YOU will NOT do it all right neither will your friends, don't look to another Mom to follow. Mentors are NOT to be our idols. One time I heard a young Mom say "I'm going to look for a Mom whose kids have turned out "godly" and hook myself up with her and follow what she did". I get that, after all Titus 2 tells the older women to teach the younger....I get that. We all need mentors but we aren't to be carbon copies of any person other than Jesus Christ. Most of my mentors have been through tapes, CD, books and I've been fortunate to be a parent long enough to walk along side some awesome mothers and friends. These mentors have pointed me to God.

So, Look to God The Father. Cling to Him and love Him with all your heart, soul and mind. Let your words be few but let them be full of grace. If you err - err on the side of mercy. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your child's heart, dont' control!!! When you blow it confess it to the Father and to your children they need to see vulnerability and transparency in this area. Laugh alot, laugh at your mistakes, laugh with your children NOT at them. Guard your relationship with your children. Ask God to do what ONLY HE can do. Don't stop doing what you are called to do as christian Mother.  Keep on but keep trusting and turning it all over to God. 

One very important and I truly believe one of the last things even "good christian parents" dont' do enough of is to Bathe them in prayer. As a friend's face book post reminded me this morning "when was the last time you were driven to your knees?" The daunting and often demanding role of parenting should drive us to our knees or like Beth Moore says, "nose to carpet", that's desperate, that's dependent!

Every one has heard about St. Augustine but few have heard about his mother. She was a prayer warrior on her sons behalf. She saw him going the wrong way, the way of the world and went to her pastor and begged him to speak to Augustine, to which he replied, "no, he is not ready to hear", the pastor told Augustine's mother to pray, to let God do what only He can do. The rest is history! Intercessory prayer will not always result in the outcome we desire. It will however keep us devoted & dependent upon God Almighty!

Lastly, be there when they fall, if they live long enough you can bet your bottom dollar they will. Trust in His plans NOT in your plans no matter how spiritual they are. God knows how to get our children's attention and He knows the plans He has for them you don't. He loves them more than you do!

Enjoy your children they grow up so quickly! They will still need you but in very different ways as they grow up and out. If you have an open and honest relationship built on trust in each other and in the Lord Jesus Christ you will become some of your grown children's trusted advisers. God bless you in this wonderful journey!

Learning at His Feet,

Ministering As We Go!

Do you believe in divine appointments?  I believe divinely directed appointments or maybe a better word would be "interruptions" are placed on our path each and every day; if only we would have the eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart that would respond to the Holy Spirit's nudges! 

Over the past several weeks God has put people in my path at unexpected places.   Not in a homeless shelter setting or during a scheduled "ministry" event, but just as I am going about my day.  Yesterday was such a day.  I took my 16 year old to get her hair highlighted and cut. We were there for a long time, normally I would have been very frustrated and anxious but while there I met an odd little woman who  told me her life story.  She was so proud of so many things: her big house, how beautiful she once was, how talented she had been as a ballerina, how smart, successful and beautiful all her family was.   She talked about herself for at least 45 minutes.   I just sat and listened and made a few comments here and there, when she would come up for air!. 

Since my daughter was still in the salon chair, I ended up giving the lady a ride home because she hinted that she didn't know how she would get home! During the ride to her house I sensed how lonely, hurt and empty she really was.  My heart broke for her.  When we arrived at her driveway she asked me if I wanted to exchange numbers; now to be completely honest, my flesh wanted to find a way NOT to give her my number but the Holy Spirit nudged me so we exchanged numbers and went on my way. 

I couldn't get her off my mind all night and prayed for her that God would go to her and reveal His amazing love for her in the quietness of her home and life.  Then this morning God reminded me of the way Jesus ministered to those around him; with these words, "as he went", or "as he was going".  God revealed to me this was no chance encounter.  It was indeed a divine interruption.  This lady needs Jesus!  I am to be the channel of His love and grace to her. I am to "minister as I go". 

We are such busy people.  We don't have time to sit and listen to some one's life story.  If we do listen, it is usually not with attentive hearts and ears.  I know I don't, as a mom of four with my plate running over with things to do, plan and places to be; my schedule is usually so full of me, mine and scheduled ministry appointments that I just don't see those divine interruptions that God places in my path each day.  Because of the distractions and yes sometimes the "to do list" I miss out on being His eyes, arms, hands and feet in this world.  I miss out on being a blessing and receiving His blessing.

There are so many broken hearted people all around us.  So many lonely, isolated people who just want a friend.  Someone to listen to their story.  Someone to care.  Jesus, our Savior, our Shepherd looked at the multitudes and had compassion on them because they were, "sheep without a shepherd".  He took the time to minister "as he went along his way" to see their need, to hear the cries of the brokenhearted, sick and blind.  Jesus "as he walked along the way", didn't walk aimlessly through life, even though he was headed to the Cross of Calvary to die for our sins; he took the time to see people, to look into their eyes, to hear their stories, to "minister as He went". 

Help us Lord to see people with your eyes and hear them with your heart.  Help us to see that those seemingly insignificant interruptions that so irritate and frustrate our busy schedules are actually divine appointments.  Help us to "minister as we are going".  I love you Lord Jesus.  Thank you for not seeing me as an irritating interruption to your kingdom agenda but as a lost sheep who needed a Shepherd! Thank you for reaching out to me through others, for healing my broken heart and for setting me free.  Help me to point others to You!

Renee

"It's only an hour"

One Sunday morning I heard someone say when they were trying to decide if they would go to church or stay home and do some yard work, "Well, it's only an hour". Those words penetrated my heart and hurt down to my core! The first thing I said to them was, "Jesus hung on a cross for us for 6 hours, the least we can do is honor Him by going to worship." I ended up in my prayer closet, crying crocodile tears over the condition of hearts. When I came out my anger, hurt and tears were gone. Worship was great for me. I enjoyed every song, every word the pastor preached from Colossians 2:1-5! I realized in my prayer closet, that God can handle the other person's heart condition, I can't make anyone love God. No amount of preaching or prodding on my part will make a difference in the lives of others. What I can do is worship my Lord, give myself away to Him daily. Live out His purpose in my life, day in and day out. He is plenty BIG enough to handle the others.

I have asked God for years to break my heart with what breaks His. This morning was a sweet and painful reminder that He has heard my prayer and He is indeed breaking my heart with what breaks His. It literally broke my heart to think about how callous and flippant that comment was..."It's only an hour". To think of all my Savior went through for us. To think of how that must make God feel after He gave His most precious Son to redeem a sinful world. How that must be a slap in His holy face? The Holy Spirit gently reminded me not to judge for I too have had those thoughts here and there over the years when I was tired on Sunday or had lots on my to do list. 

What if God had the same attitude towards? What if He didn't give us the time of day unless He needed something? What if God only talked to us when He had no one else to call on? What if God had the attitude of,  "It's only six hours", then it's done and I'm through? What if God said, ok I've done my part, I gave you the six hours I sent my son to die isn't that enough already, you are on your own now. I've got more important things to do today?

What if God had such a flippant attitude towards you and I? Wow, what trouble we would be in, what turmoil, anguish, darkness we would be in. But God, is long suffering, merciful and full of compassion. I am so thankful that God is not like us.