Sobering

I'm breathing in their smells, enjoying their giggles and smiles, feeling their soft skin and extending cuddling time. 

When you walk through a difficult journey with friends who are struggling it can't but change your life. 

Here is the website for little Phoebe. She is a sweet two year old battling AT/RT cancer. Her parents and I served together in Youth With A Mission many years ago. She is the youngest of four children. Please keep her in prayer as her little body struggles through extreme chemo therapy. Please keep her three older brothers in prayer and her mom and dad, Amey and Nathan Fair. They are missionaries and are currently relocating for the  best care of their daughter.

And for your own sake, enjoy your children, no matter what season of life they are in, enjoy them. Love on your children, affirm them, uplift their hearts and spirits with your love, affection, words and touch. Choose today to love your children and to show them God's love in abundance.

(If you do not know how to show God's love to your children I encourage you to ask Him to show you His love. As you learn of His love for you it will overflow to your children. If you would like prayer, please feel free to send us a message. We would LOVE to pray with you!)

I Can't Do It!!

I can't do this!
I can't tend to everyone's needs, keep the dishes and laundry clean, teach all the lessons, do everything that a perfect mom would do!!! 

I can't do it! 

This reality is really difficult to come to but I think it's really, really good. 

It's good because it brings me to a choice. 

Will I depend on God to do what He has called me or will I strive in my flesh? 

Will I draw from Him or will I dry up trying with all my might to be something I will never be. 

God reminded me today how simple it really is. 

Strength comes from Him. 

It comes from waiting and resting in the (mentally and sometimes physical) quiet place with God.

Every day we need to draw into Him, wait on Him and rest in Him.

When we are overwhelmed with too many needs to meet and too many demands of the day we know that our God is never weary and He never faints. He gives strength and power to those who have no might and those who are weak. (Is. 40)

When we feel like we don't understand our child or husband or anything in life we know that our God has unsearchable understanding. He is the giver of wisdom. He will reveal secrets to our hearts to give us understanding. 

Oh, what relief to hear, "You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to do everything. You are human. I am God. I love you and I will uphold you. I will show you how to meet the needs of your family. I will show you how to bring them to me. I will strengthen you to do all that I ask of you. You don't need to carry a burden. My burden is light. Take mine. I have already taken yours. I love you. I cherish you. I have called you. Mothering is a blessing. It is not a curse. I will show you the way. Walk in Me. Rest in Me and see that I will do great and mighty things. Trust Me enough to let go of your control and put your husband, your children, your home, your life into my hands. I love you and I always have the best for you. I love you. Your free...." 

We don't have to be everything to everybody. 

We can't do it all. 

Jesus can.

We only need to do as He calls us and when He calls us to do something He will uphold us to do it. 

Rest in Him, wait on Him, walk in Him.

I Caught Myself Whining

Stop it. 

Would you please stop hitting!

Wa, Wa Wah.....

I caught myself whining just like my children. 

What an ugly encounter that was. 

I thoroughly dislike whining. It's like the dripping faucet, the annoying ring, anything that grinds the nerves. I'm sure my husband and children don't enjoy me speaking to them in a whiny tone either. 

Remember Proverbs 19:13 says, "the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping." I think it pertains to a mother too. 

God is giving me grace. He's giving us grace. 

He's reminding us to correct, rebuke, speak words of life, remind our children that they are heroes and heroines created for a mighty purpose but we have to choose not to whine at our children especially if we don't want them whining at us or each other. 

Today, as we march through life weary from lack of rest and sleep, unnecessarily burdened by that which is beyond our control, living with and loving sinners; let's love Jesus more. Let's seek Him more and let's be sensitive to the Spirit's prompting when our voices become as dripping water. 

Let our voices, our tone, our faces be as honey, sweet to the souls around us (Proverbs 16:24).

Like Apples of Gold

Do ever find overcome by hormones, moodiness or blah? Oh....that's right I'm talking to women ;) of course you have!
I have been in a funk, fragile and feeling unstable. Oh, the joys of a woman's body. In the midst of my busy week I've been easily overwhelmed and sensitive to everyone else's sin; quick to stumble and quick to react.

I don't think it's coincidence that I just shared with lots of beautiful women about walking in the Holy Spirit and responding in the Spirit instead of reacting in the flesh. I find it quite real and awesome that God would allow me the very opportunity to live out exactly what He was speaking to my heart in the heat of daily life. He's so good.

He was reminding me this week the importance of my countenance and words. Are my words life giving, affirming, encouraging, grace filled and gentle? Am I advocating for my children (as Sally Clarkson shared at the Mom Heart conference last weekend) or am I an adversary?

Proverbs 15:30 says, "The light of the eyes [of him whose heart is joyful] rejoices the hearts of others, and good news nourishes the bones."

We can bring nourishment to their lives as we walk in joy. That joy comes from the presence of Christ! "In Your presence is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11). Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Have you been adopted into His family and now a child of God? Then, sweet sister, you have the presence of Christ with you every moment of every day! You are never alone! He surrounds you, dances over you, sings over you and upholds you every moment! It's only as you walk in the reality of His presence that you experience His joy!

Today, no matter what we are facing; hormones, health problems, financial issues, sin of others and everything under the sun we can walk in His very presence, enjoying Him and bringing joy to the lives around us.

May our words be fitly spoken like apples of gold in settings of silver (Proverbs 25:11)!

Training

We are given our children for a short time to shape and mold their hearts for the Lord. Each day consists of opportunities to pour into their beings truth and life or lies and deception. We have one chance and one life to do this. We don't get to go back and do everything over. With this reality in mind it should change the very words that proceed from our mouths, the things that we choose to consume our days and to realize the importance of pouring into them each moment that we have their very attention. The Lord does cover us in grace as we seek His face and His leading in our lives but that does not mean we sit back and do nothing. Our lack of involvement will bring consequences into our life and theirs. When you think about the verse to train up a child in the way he should go.... that involves action. Think about the act of training for something... consider for a moment all that is involved... let us consider the example of training for a marathon. You can not just get up one day and run miles upon miles without any preparation or training. It takes practice and preparation. To prepare takes time and discipline. If we want our children to leave our home ready to run the race that God has set before them with victory and endurance; we must consider that right now we are the ones training and preparing them for the race, we are their trainer. Our actions and words will be what they see and follow. The reality of the Lord in our everyday lives will be what they model. I don't say this to condemn or judge, but there is a reality to our actions, in light of eternity, as we live our days here on earth. I encourage you to seek the Lord for wisdom and to walk in His Spirit, in the power of His might and understanding, as you train the sweet children that God has entrusted to your care. Blessings my dear ones.

"By the Blood of the Lamb"

My eyes burn and my body aches with tiredness. The days have been long and demanding with daily needs of all my little ones and daily life requirements. My mommy cup is full to overflowing after this weekend at Whole Heart Ministries, Mom Heart Conference in Southern California. Oh, I have so many nuggets that I want to share with you and I intend to but tonight my heart is  pondering the spiritual realm. 

Revelation 12 gives us a look at the heavenly battle that took place when Christ was born. We don't read about it in Matthew but oh it was very real and very aggressive. In our daily lives there is a battle. If you seek Christ you better bet there is a heavenly battle taking place. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. As Pastor Tom Lance recently said, "God has a plan for you and so does the enemy." So true. God has a wonderful plan, full of excitement and beauty and life and the enemy.....well, he wants to destroy that which God wants to do and is doing. 

The reality that is ringing in my heart tonight is that the enemy does not have victory. We do! We do through Christ. He is the victor! He won the battle on the cross and in the resurrection! He has won the battle for our children, our spouse, our friends and family. He has won it for us. Now it's our choice to walk in the victory! Will it always be easy? 

Revelation 12:11 says,
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."

To the death? 

To the death. 

But these dear saints and you and I are covered by the blood of the Lamb and by the testimony of Jesus Christ. This life is a vapor.

Let's see life through an eternal lens.

Let's love our children and guide them with eternity in mind. 

Let's love and bless our husbands because we are heirs together of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7).

What areas of your life are you believing lies? 

Subtle. Simple. Half truth-lies. 

God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind. (1 Tim. 1:7)

Fear and confusion are not from God. 

Let the blood cover whatever it is. Let the blood cover it.

Choose not to believe in the lies.

Walk in victory.

Let Him renew your mind (Roman 12:2) moment by moment, day by day. 

Speak truth, pray truth, take your thoughts captive and walk in the freedom that He has already given.

Ladies, our Lord has power that is immeasurable, unlimited and surpassing greatness for us who believe--the very power that raised Christ from the dead!!! (Ephesians 1:19)

May we enjoy His Spirit, His power and the wonderful freedom He has given us. Do not allow the enemy a foothold! Pray with me. Pray with other sisters and keep accountable.

Our God reigns!