Joy Comes in the Morning

There are days as a mom that are super hard. You know the kind of day. It's the kind where you don't know who has cried more...you or them. The kind of day where work has been so stressful and all you want to do is come home, snuggle your sweet babes, and put your feet up. Unfortunately, you walk into a house in need of cleaning, dinner to be made, baths to be given, a husband to be listened to and laundry to be put away. 

Lately, God has been bringing things to light that have caused me to reflect on various seasons in my life. My current season is by far my hardest but also my most joyous and rewarding of any up to this point. I'm reminded of the importance of savoring the little moments. It is okay to have the laundry sit in the basket a little longer and allow memories to be made. There have been some really long and exhausting nights and days, but God reminds me that joy comes in the morning. These dark moments of worry, stress and exhaustion are fleeting. He that is Light will cast out the darkness in order for us to live an abundant life...the life He has given. 

So Momma, when you feel weary and find yourself crying more than your babes, know that every new tomorrow He gifts is a chance for renewal. Embrace the grace He offers. You were made for this.

MEET KRISTY

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Kristy is the mother of two miracle babies. Her and her husband battled with infertility and their two beautiful children are proof that God is bigger than any medical diagnosis!

She lives in

 Central VA with her family tucked at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

Kristy is a first Grade teacher and also serves as a co- leader of her Church's children's ministry.

Kristy loves to spend time with her family in the great outdoors, cooking and baking and enjoying this amazing journey she calls life.

When God Calls Our Children...

Since the birth of our daughter, I have had this deep rooted belief that God will call her to go far away from us to do His work. I could be completely wrong when the time comes but this feeling of expectancy has yet to leave me. This belief challenges me raise her in a way that will promote independence from us and dependence on Him. I struggle with the fact that one day my child could cross oceans for the sake of God's calling on her life but I am also excited by the possibility. 

This all probably sounds crazy considering she's only about to turn 3. 

At any rate, no matter where her journey takes her, I am going to have to be okay with letting her go. I struggle with that even now. She is almost 3 and I have no idea where the time has gone! It seems like yesterday I was crying out to the Lord in the midst of our infertility struggle for a child and now here we are. She is beautiful, animated, dramatic, loving, kind, defender of her little brother, all things princess, play in the dirt, and above all, independent.

I look at my mini carbon copy and smile. Her personality mimics mine in so many ways. Just as she has a fiery spirit and independent streak, so do I. We both like control, which has made it hard for me to let her do some things without my assistance. I remember the first time she told me she did not want to hold my hand to walk down the stairs. She told me she could do it by herself. ::tears:: No one wants to see their child hurt or fail, but ultimately that's how they learn. Our job is to guide them according to the Word of God. We are to raise them to seek Him in their choices. We are to pour prayer over every aspect of their lives.

I was reminded of this upon reading about King David and Solomon. King David was experienced, prepared and had access to all the resources and provisions necessary to build the temple that God had laid before him. Anyone would agree that it made complete sense for a man such as him to build something so important.

David was ready.

However, God had other plans. He instructed King David to pass the task to his son Solomon.

He said to me: 'Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
1 Chronicles 28:6

Odd, considering Solomon had neither the experience or preparation for such a potentially daunting assignment. Now, I don't know what David initially thought upon hearing this but there is no record of him questioning God's decision.

I think how easily David could have allowed his son to take only part of the job or how he could have done everything for him, but he didn't. From a human stand point, the risk of failure and embarrassment would be huge in this situation. However, he followed God's command and allowed his son make the decisions and follow the plans as he saw fit according to the layout God had provided. Once he passed the torch, we can see him do a couple things that we as parents can do today to help our children without micromanaging so that they to can have the opportunities to grow and learn.

Guidance and Encouragement 
King David provided sound instruction and encouragement for his son. He knew Solomon would need to remain firm in his faith to accomplish the task laid before him.

“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for theLord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”
1 Chronicles 28:9-10

David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.
1 Chronicles 28:20

Prayer
King David communicated regularly with God. It goes without saying that he would indeed take his son and the work that he would be doing and bring it before the Lord. Likewise, we need to place the lives of our children in God's hands and pray for them daily as God works in their lives.

I know for me, this story has served as a personal reminder that as the years go by, it will not be my place to question God's call on the lives of my children, but instead, guide them and pray for their sound judgment and discernment. Letting go will never be easy but it is necessary and can be handled gracefully with the Lord at our sides.

Linking up for Mommy Moments

He does all things well...even when we don't

Being a mother has a lot of different job descriptions. Not only am I the caretaker for my children but I am also a wife, a housekeeper, referee, launderer, dishwasher, decorator, teacher, mess cleaner, cook, organizer, and comforter to my family.

Lately I have really been trying to stay on top of everything and do my job well. I want my husband, my children and God to be pleased with me. I really want to be faithful with all God has given me and if I am brutally honest part of me wants my husband, my children and the world to see that I can do all these things... and do them well.

I get so deflated when I try so hard to do everything and please everyone, and I still fall so short and fail miserably some days. One day I can feel like I am on top of the world as I homeschool my children, meal plan, cook,  keep the house somewhat clean and the laundry under control all with a great attitude. The next day the laundry is overflowing, I have lost my temper with my pupils, and the house looks like it has been through a tornado. I feel like I am in good company and know that you probably go through these roller coaster days also.

On the days when things aren't going as I planned, and not only are my children having attitude problems but I am the biggest baby of them all; I have been asking God to help me to turn my attitude around and not let the rest of the day go in the wrong direction.

Even if I am super organized, have all my meals planned and cooked, keep the house clean, stay on top of lesson planning and homeschooling, pursue my passions and outlets; there are still going to be days when I am just not going to be able to do it all. There are going to be days when my children's and I's sin natures are throwing a protest making it hard to find joy and peace. These are the days when I have to surrender and admit that I am not in control, I am not perfect, I am weak...and He is strong.

When we admit our weakness and our need for Jesus' grace and strength every moment of the day; we will find it, and all the pressures we put on ourselves to perform will be released.

Mama, if you are like me and no matter how hard you try some days, still find yourself messing up; know that it's okay. We are not made to be robots. We are imperfect beings with a perfect Savior. Even if we don't realize our shortcomings and failings, Jesus sees into our hearts and our motives. He is able redeem us and make us more like him every day.

When you have lost your temper, have cleaned up one too many cheerios, have felt the excruciating pain of stepping on a mine field of legos and have been worn out arguing with your strong willed child; call out to the one who made you in his image and is able to use your weakness' for his glory.

When you are scratching your head wondering how your day has turned upside down when you have tried so hard to do everything right; remember that there is grace for you. God wants us to give us and our families our best, but that doesn't mean that everything will always go perfectly. God is not looking down on us only seeing our shortcomings, he sees that we are trying our best and knows that we truly can do nothing without him.

I have been really trying to point out my children's strong points instead of their failings lately. I know that as our Father, God is not focusing on everything we do wrong but wants to encourage us in what we are doing right.

As we go about our day with all our many tasks and plans, I pray that we will allow God to work in us and through us despite our weakness' and help us to see that every failure is an opportunity to cry out to God and admit our great need for him... because he is the only one who does all things well.


                                          "He does all things well." Mark 7:37

Welcome to Mommy Moments! We hope you all had a week filled with wonderful memories!  I have enjoyed getting to know all the new mamas linking up and sharing their lives with us! I can't wait to hear more from you all again this week!

Motherhood has its seriousness and frustration as well as its laughs. That's why we are here. Life is much easier when traveled with companions! So mamas, let's join together in the spirit of motherhood and share our moments together. We want to hear the happy, sad, tough, terrible, hilarious moments that make being a mother the best job in the world!

The top viewed link this week belongs to Michelle from Meeshie's World and her post #TBT Pregnancy Announcements and More! This post is full of great ideas to share both a pregnancy and the birth of a new little one! Her kiddos are adorable and we are so glad she shared her post with us!

The Life Of Faith

Our Family Grace

Arrows and Warriors 

Daily Momtivity 

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Post can include anything related to mommy-hood, children, homemaking, pregnancy etc. If you aren't a mom yet, feel free to link up your preparation for motherhood, your journey as you try to conceive, or even a post that would be encouraging to the other moms in the party!

Then, explore some of the other posts in the link-up and say hello to some new blog friends! 

Please, pretty please, we'd love it if you would tweet or share the link up on Facebook so we can all make even more friends! Use the hashtag #mommymoments to help us all stay connected!

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Colossians 3:17 
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

An InLinkz Link-up

Conveniently Commited?

"As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." 2 Kings 2:2b

Think about what drives you. As a mother, I imagine, if you're like me, you are driven by a fierce love for your children. Your blood, sweat, and tears go into the protecting, educating, growing, and loving of your tiny humans. You pray over their physical bodies, their earthly relationships, their salvation and life choices their after. You dream big dreams for them and you would do anything to help ensure that not only they are happy, but that their lives are continually full of good things.

Initially upon reading 2 Kings 2: 1-18, I connected to Elisha ' s dedication and persistence from a maternal perspective. Several times in the past, our little lady has experienced night terrors and during those challenging moments I just hold her close to me, waiting for the moments to pass and her sweet sleep to return. Countless times I can remember saying, "I'm here. I will never leave you." I've said this for every little heartbreak, frightening moment and cuddle. I am committed to my children, no matter what.

As I dove deeper into the scripture, I realized that my perspective was slightly skewed and my view shifted from maternal to spiritual. Elisha was so persistent in following Elijah because of his commitment to God. He wanted to absorb all that he could from the saintly profit while he was still in his presence. Elisha knew his time with Elijah was drawing to a close and he felt the urgency. 

Elisha knew God had work waiting for him and he was committed to following it through. He was passionate about learning what God had for His people. Despite being told he could stay, he followed anyway.

We need to pursue God with the same commitment and passion. When the world tells us we can become lax, we need to remain steadfast. We cannot be committed to God's purpose when it's convenient. Think of it like this. You start your laundry. You are motivated. All of the clothes are sorted and ready to be washed. You see the first load through, start to finish. You put in the next load and after washing, they are tossed in the dryer. You start another load and you move onto making dinner. After dinner you throw the dried clothes in a basket to fold later. One thing after another begins to occupy your time. You keep throwing in loads to the wash and dryer but the clothes only make their way into the basket or onto the couch. Before you know it, you have mounds of wrinkled good intentions. 

If you had stayed focused and committed to your task, everything would be in order. Our commitment to God is similar. We cannot do His work when it's convenient. We can't say we'll get back to it later. Our missed blessings just pile up and His work that was meant for us doesn't get accomplished. 

I want my children to see me pursuing God wholeheartedly, despite what the world may deem inconvenient. I do not want them to ever think that halfway serving God is okay. I want them to see that my love for Him is a vibrant, driving force and that my commitment to Him is one that I will see through to the end.

Linking up with Mommy Momments

A Mother's work is never done

Just wait one second...Mommy has to do one more thing...I am almost done...I still need to do the dishes...

This is what comes out of my mouth on a daily and hourly basis. I hate that I can't always respond to my children when they want me to. I am desperately asking God to give me wisdom and grace in my time management department. When my children need me to give them my attention I always try to put them first and stop what I am doing; hear them out and then tell them that I need to finish what I am doing before I can play with them or help them in whatever their area of need.

It seems that no matter how hard I try to stay on top of things; new things keep piling up. I wish there was some way I could feed my children and they would never be hungry again, do the dishes and they would not pile up again, put away the laundry and it stay put. But if I am honest with myself; I love caring for my family though of course there are times when I wish they didn't need so much care! There will be a day when all my physical work is done for them and I know I will miss these days.

But right now I am trying to find the balance of caring for their physical needs along with their emotional and spiritual needs. I always feel like I am playing catch up and think if I can just get this done then I can give my kids more of my attention. The truth is now is the time. I don't know the answer to my dilemma but I am learning to lean on Christ and do what I can to the best of my ability. I am learning to incorporate my children in doing those things that must be done. I am learning to cry out to God for help when I just don't feel like cleaning up another mess. I am learning to see beyond this world, when being faithful in the mundane is not always fun.

It's not pleasant to be woken up in the night by a flood of liquid coming from a toddler whose diaper has overflown, it's not fun trying to eat and feel like you are being surrounded by a flock of vultures. It's not always enjoyable to be pestered a thousand times a day for a cup of water. It's hard wonderful work...but oh, the rewards. Our job is not paid in dollar bills or recognition but in kisses, hugs, and sweet indiscernible words of love. This work we have to do does not start and stop at a specific hour, it is constant and around the clock. There are no days off and plenty of overtime. It's a job that is never done and that is how it should be. Because not only are our children learning and growing but so are we; right alongside them. God has so much that he wants to teach us through this labor of love and I am so thankful that he will finish the work he began in us... as mothers.

"He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6

Where are You Christmas?

I'm ashamed to say that I've had a hard time getting into the spirit of things this year. Normally my house is decorated with all that we love to have out this time of year. Every room typically has something that says it's Christmas. This year I managed to get up the tree and our stockings. My heart has been a little saddened by this. Afterall, it's my son's first Christmas and my toddler loves to look at all of the festive décor. #momfail

I've been reflecting a lot on this as of late.

I've been running around like crazy, frustrated with work and peronal matters, and I've lost sight of the very thing I want my children to know and believe in their hearts. I want them to know the love and sacrifice of Jesus. I've lost sight of so much and I have not appreciated His love for me.

The Lord has placed a lot of things on my heart and has helped me to refocus. He has reminded me just how blessed I am. My children are healthy, my home is warm, and God is still good. My joy has been rekindled and my desire to reconnect with the Lord has been refueled.

He even reminded me of just how real He is by a beautiful gift my friend sent. She recently went on a trip to the Holy Land and brought back several items that I'll treasure always. My favorite however is that of three small stones. These stones were brought back from the places that were once traveled by my Savior, Jesus. He did live on this earth. He did minister to the hearts of others and He did give His life to spare mine. These 3 small stones came from the very places His feet walked upon. These were the places He lived and ministered. My Savior was real. He is real.

And...He loves me.

So, as Christmas Day came to a close I realized that it's not a matter of having the "Christmas spirit". The truth is that the Spirit of Christ lives in me and that basically makes Christmas an all day every day thing. It's a way of living, not a season. So, even after my minimal decorations have been taken down and the New Year commences, I will still have the joy that only God can give and that joy is something that can be felt and lived no matter the season.

Santa Isn't Real and That's OK

Before you throw tomatoes and boo me out the door, hear me out.

I love Christmas. I always have, despite not being brought up to believe that Santa was real. My husband,  on the other hand,  was a firm believer for many years. We just assumed the other would have no problem when it came to whether or not we'd share Santa with our kids. Strangely enough, prior to marriage we discussed how we'd compromise on finances, discipline,  etc. Never did we talk about how we would approach the Santa deal.

The time eventually came for our daughter’s first Christmas. My husband assumed we'd throw a few gifts from Santa under the tree. He was a bit surprised when I disagreed...and then came the arguement. Yes. We had an argument over Santa.

He wanted to maintain the Santa tradition he had as a child and I preferred to not teach our child that this fictional being was real (I feel the same about the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and their friends). We put the subject aside but knew it could not be avoided forever.

Late one night I was browsing a blog post that spoke to why a couple decided not to treat Santa as a real person despite the backlash from friends and family. The more I read, the more peace I felt. I realized the reason I felt so strongly was not just my upbringing, but a conviction.

Before I go on, I don't want anyone to think that I believe myself to be the authority on what should or shouldn't be. I am simply sharing what was laid on my heart. First, I felt guilty. Guilty about basically bringing my child up to believe a lie. I became afraid that when she found out the truth, she'd start to question the actual important things that we've taught her. For some this may sound extreme,  but we don't know what type of child she'll grow to be and this could have a big impact.

Secondly, I felt strongly about ensuring that our children had no clouded view of the Savior. By sharing that Santa is also "all knowing", "all seeing" and can be everywhere in one night, I was giving him similar characteristics of God. And let's face it, they will never be close to the same. I want my children to know that God is the ONLY one that can be all of those things.

Finally, I asked my husband how he felt when he found out the truth about Santa. He was a little sad and disappointed. Why would I want to set my child up to purposefully feel those things? I teach 1st grade. I see what that can do to a kid. It can be heartbreaking. I know not all children respond that way, but why take the chance? They will face many more opportunities for disappointment as they grow.

In the end, we came up with, what we feel, is a good compromise. Our children will know that Santa is not real and that's ok. They will know him as a fictional character from their storybooks. They will understand that not everyone will believe the same way they do.

Some people feel we've ruined their childhood. We're awful for crushing the magic of Christmas. However, these people are not responsible for raising our children. We feel accountable for focusing our children's hearts and minds on Christ at Christmas and all year long. We know not everyone shares our views and we know others bring both Santa and Christ into their homes and for them that works. We simply don't want the lines to be blurred. Afterall, Christmas starts with CHRIST.

Linking up with Mommy Momments

Have you done enough?

It has been a rough few weeks in my house. Nothing serious or anything, just my own struggles in parenting two girls who seem to cry a lot. These little hearts I have been blessed to raise are not easy to shepherd, and my sinners heart struggles daily. Let’s just say there were more than a few times I raised my voice at them in frustration.

Then in my bibles study (anyone else doing BSF?) we read from the book of Joel, which basically outlines the desolation that is due to everyone on earth because of their sin (including mine) and the hope we have in repenting our sins because of Christ (though being an old testament book Joel doesn’t mention Christ). I was really struck by this. Reading the wrath that I deserve from God and the results of that wrath was very humbling. Knowing that Jesus takes that wrath for me brings me to my knees.

But then I started to think about my children and the frustration and sometimes anger I have because of their little sinner’s hearts. It was pretty eye opening. Here I am accepting the redemptive power of Christ and escaping the wrath of God, while I turn right around and yell at my kids for frustrating me with their sin.

Oh, how God has a lot of work to do with me.

But then the teaching leader at my bible study said something powerful, “The question isn’t if you’ve done enough, but who you’ve turned to.”

And I realized my problem. I am trying to be a better mom daily, which is a good thing to strive for.  I am trying not to yell at my kids and trying to teach them about Jesus. I am trying to teach them to rely on him when they are frustrated and teach them to deal with their emotions and stubbornness. And while I am doing this I am trying and trying and trying and not relying on Him. I am not turning to him; I am turning to my check list, and that article I read, and Facebook friends for advice. I am constantly wondering if I have done enough.

Have I taught them enough about Jesus? Have I repented enough for my yelling? Have I played with them enough today? Have I focused on my kids enough? Have I spent enough time in God’s word to be a good mom?

You see all of these things are about ME and not about HIM. I keep thinking I have a lot of work to do, but I don’t. I can never ever be enough. I will never be able to change my own heart. But Jesus is enough and that is all that matters.

Where are you trying to be enough? Where do you feel like you are falling short? Maybe it is your job, or your marriage or your parenting. Maybe it is your quite time or your prayer life or your repentance. Whatever it is, take comfort in knowing that you can’t try hard enough, but you don’t have to. All you need to do is turn to Jesus. He did it all already. He won the battle for you, he is the triumphant ending.

Let's stop looking at each other and look to Jesus

Our world is changing... drastically changing. It was only a year ago that I got a smartphone and 2 years ago that I got a computer.( I know I am behind the times) With the rise of social media and the platform of blogging, we can see into each other's lives like never before. The problem is we are not always seeing the whole picture and tend to make quick judgements and assumptions. We need a new lens of discernment as we peruse facebook and instagram and blogs; knowing that behind every perfect looking picture of mamas, homes, children and marriages there is imperfect mamas with imperfect homes, imperfect children and imperfect marriages. One picture can not possibly tell the whole story, nor should it. These pictures are only glimpses into part of the story. No matter how much it might look like they have everything together, the truth is no one does. They just might do life differently than us.

Hiding behind a phone or a computer screen can bring out the worst in us or the best. We tend to say things we would not normally say to someone's face. We need to search our hearts more than ever before we post that picture or jump in on the conversation and make sure that our motives are right.

I have found myself judging others more quickly without even really knowing someone, when they post something that might be better left unshared. Thoughts, beliefs, convictions; we all have them and I know I am guilty of spewing my personal thoughts out there into the interwebs without thinking sometimes. It's good to be bold for the right reasons but I want to make sure that I am not causing anyone to stumble and that I would be willing to share my convictions with someone face to face, instead of cowardly aiming a post at a certain person in mind.

I honestly LOVE instagram! I could do without facebook but give me all the instagram pics! I love looking at beautiful pictures. I am just a visual person. I like pretty things. I am probably on there way more than I should be, but I get so inspired looking at all the pretty mamas with their pretty homes and their pretty babes. I try to follow those who are spiritually edifying and inspiring and share the truth behind their photos. Do I ever get jealous or envious? Yes! Mostly of others homes and travels but I also get really inspired. Some of these cool insta mamas and my real life cool friend mamas make me often think, " How do they do it all?!" But they also have inspired me to do things that I never thought I could do and given me great ideas for my home, homeschool and family. Do I try to do everything they do? No! But I am learning to glean what I admire about them while still knowing what I am called to do.

We need to know our calling. To know that just because someone else seems to be doing everything under the sun doesn't mean we have to, or are less than if we don't. We need to focus on our priorities for our families. What is important to us?  How do we want to make the best use of our time?--->We need to look to Jesus... We need to stand firm in who he has called US to be as mothers, homemakers, wives, daughters, sisters and friends. Let's imitate others as they imitate Christ. Let's get inspired from each other, learn from each other, but ultimately look to Jesus as the example for our lives.

It's so easy to look at other's lives and think it's unfair that they have the perfect body, the perfect marriage, the perfect children or the perfect home.

We don't understand when others remain healthy while we or our loved ones get sick and even die.

We question why the guilty seem to never get justice while the innocent are hurt and murdered.

We argue with God about the hard path he has called us to while others seem to get the easy path.

We wonder why others seem to be able to do it all with a smile and skip in their step while we are barely able to get out of bed and put one foot in front of the other.

We need to stop comparing our lives and start living our lives for Jesus! We need to be confident in what he has called us to do with the lives he has given us.

If God has called you you to send your children to public school, don't feel bad because your friends homeschool. If you homeschool don't feel like you have to keep up with the public school. If you don't decorate your house to the umpteenth degree for Christmas don't feel inferior when you visit your friend's house whose is. If you have 1 or 2 children don't feel like you are less than mom. If you have 4 or more children don't be embarrassed to say yes, when people ask you if you want to have more! etc..etc...

"Lord what about this man?" Jesus said to him, " If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!" John 21:21

As Peter asked Jesus this pointed question, Jesus pretty much said to him, "Don't worry about him, don't look at his life, what does it matter to you? My will for his life is not my will for your life. You---you follow me!"

So it is the same for us. God's will for someone else's life is not the same for ours. We need to stop looking at the other person and look to Jesus... and follow him!

This topic has been on my heart for some time and is the theme of my blog faithful with the little. --- Being faithful with what God has given us to do no matter how big or small; choosing to fix our eyes on Jesus, off of ourselves and off of the world and those around us and hone in on what he wants us to do. We don't need to compare; we need to encourage, uplift and humble ourselves to see that God has not called us all to do the same thing, especially when it comes to things that do not determine our salvation, but to fix our eyes on him..not them and run the race he has called us to.

"Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith..." Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

Are you so occupied looking at someone else's life that you are not looking at Jesus? Are you asking Jesus, "What about them"? When you should be asking him, "What about me? What do you want me to do?"  

Linking up here!

Even your little struggles matter

I have this beautiful bracelet that was made in Haiti by women who use to live in extreme poverty, but because of the bracelet are able to support their families. Often when I wear it I think about the hands that made the bracelet. The women who rolled the beads from cereal boxes and the women who formed the other beads out of clay. I think of the one who painted each bead and the one who put the beads together on the elastic that makes into a bracelet. Usually I think about them and feel blessed to be connected to them through this bracelet and feel joy because I know they are feeding their kids real food and sending them to school because of this bracelet.

But then other times I start to feel frustrate~d with myself for struggling to find joy in the little moment’s some days and for complaining about my endless to-do-list. I feel disgusted at myself for caring that I sometimes feel hurt by a friend or that motherhood feels like too much some days, because after all, I have a roof over my head that isn’t in jeopardy of falling down or being taken away, I have food on the table every day and my kids live in a country with a free education system. I am not at risk for putting my children up for adoption so they can eat a meal every day. I think it is good to gain perspective by becoming aware of other people and their trials and struggles. I think we need to pray for them, support them and love them. 

However, there is a danger in feeling this way. There is a danger in comparing my ‘good life’ to their ‘hard life.’ There is a danger in making others or yourself feel like they have no right to struggle with motherhood because “at least you don’t live in a 4x4 shack with 5 kids”. Because when I start doing this, I start seeing my circumstances as more important than God. I stop needing him in my day-do-day and start reserving him for the ‘big stuff.’ The truth is, whether you have excess money or just enough to barely pay your mortgage, whether you have to share a run-down-car with your husband or have a brand new car sitting in your driveway with all the upgrades, whether you have 1 kid or 10, you are still a mother. You are still a human and you still have struggles that matter to God. 

God wants us to bring it all to him. The big hard days, and the small battles. He wants us to bring our battle with cancer as much as he wants us to bring our battle with the two year old over the appropriateness of her clothing choice for the day. He wants us all.

He doesn’t want us to worry about whether our struggles are big enough. He doesn’t want us to just ‘suck it up.’ He wants us at the cross no matter what. He wants us to come to him with every little detail and every little struggle.

I am not encouraging you to complain about the small things, because the bible is clear about complaining being a sin. But I am saying that when you are having a bad day and you want to try to force yourself out of it because ‘after all it isn’t that bad.’ Give yourself some grace and offer it all up to the God.

He wants you to offer up your frustration over the too long traffic light and your cousin’s battle with cancer. He wants you to offer up your fatigue because of your children’s attitudes as well as your devastation over losing a baby.

He wants all of us, not just the biggest, ugliest, hardest struggles. He wants our little battles too. Because until we give him our little battles we are trying to remain in control.

~Allison~

Remember what God said

I was that mom last week..That mom who was stressed paralyzed. Many times I found myself exhausted, weary, sitting on the couch just wanting to stair at the ceiling and running to chocolate just to find that there was none in my kitchen. Bummer.

I was that mom last week. The mom who felt like she was running out of oxygen and her point of blowing up was slowly making it's way.

I was that mom who let her emotions over run her and I was that mom who let her circumstances define how she felt.

 I was the mom who forgot what God said.

It was a one thing after the other kind of week and somehow in the midst of everything going on I not only lost sight of what God had said but I lost sight of who He is, what He's done and what He's doing.
Instead I was focused on myself and who my actions thought I was and what I was doing.

I've noticed a pattern that I've been struggling with lately. When I feel like thriving I thrive and when I don't feel like it I don't. And on the days I become weary, fearful and anxious I often without a fight forget what God has said to me.

The Bible says "Be strong in courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for The Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."

Isaiah  40:31 says "But those who hope in The Lord will renew their strength. They will  soar on  wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

I believe these verses are for everyone including moms. As wonderful as Motherhood is. As rewarding and as joyful as it is it does take daily sacrifice. And if we try to do motherhood without clinging tightly to God's victorious word, receive it and believe it we will end up  paralyzed by stress. God's word is our oxygen. Our hope. It is life.

Beautiful Mamas. We need to listen for His voice. We need to pray and train our minds, heart and spirit to listen for His still voice in the middle of our busy, chaotic, beautiful life. It is key to Thriving. Because strength comes from Hope and if we don't know any verses to put our hope in how will we hope?

John 10:27-28 says "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.

I have such a desire to be a John 10:27 Mama, don't you? In the midst of the lies being thrown at me telling me who they think I am I  want to hear that still lullaby voice saying I'm a loved daughter who has victory.

When the doubts, anxieties and fears kick in when I feel I'm horrible at motherhood I want to hear who God says I am as a mom. I'm chosen, qualified and strengthened by The most powerful God.

When guilt is filling my cup with regret I want to hear His voice tell me "I do not condemn you" and let Him fill it once again with a pure cup of love.

Because I honestly believe sisters that once we stop letting distractions, excuses, disabilities, chaos, the grumps and business keep us from being a sheep and listening for our Mighty Shepherd's voice to calm our storms, renew our strength and give us wings we'll be unstoppable.

So, can I challenge us this week? Get your journal and when you're doing your Jesus time take a few minutes to practice  and listen for The Lords voice. Don't put limits on what He may sound like. Sometimes He sounds like a Mighty Warrior fighting for you and other times He'll sound like He's singing a lullaby to you as He calms away the burdens of fear and anxieties that have stolen the joy that Christ died to give you. He may even have a way of communicating with you that He doesn't do with anyone else.When you hear His voice or even think you heard it but you're not sure write it down in your journal.

Bible verse meditation is also a way of Hearing His voice because It's His written word that applies to us still today. What I've been doing is taking one verse at a time and meditate on it. I don't do a time limit to when I start a new verse to meditate on. I just keep praying and seeking everything to know about this verse until it's in my heart and I have and receive it. Right now I'm meditating on Zephaniah 3:17 which is one of my many life verses.

My prayer for us this week my sisters is that we not only hear God's voice and word but also receive it. Let it apply to our lives, let it define us and let it be our worth. My prayer is that in the middle of the business of motherhood and the holidays upon us that we will learn to be still in our minds when everything else is going in four different directions.  My prayer this week is that we will have the peace that passes all understanding.

Be blessed Sisters as we raise the next generation together. XO- Heather.

People Pleasers

There is an age old saying that you cannot please everyone...and yet we will run ourselves into the ground trying to do so. I think this is especially true of moms. As a mother who works outside the home, I feel so much pressure to please my family as well as those I work with and for. It can become exhausting. You add that to many nights of restless or no sleep because of little ones and you will end up with one rundown woman. 

Galatians 1:10 is an excellent reminder for those of us that feel the need to please everyone. It reiterates the truth that, while we may think it, we don't keep the world turning. We were made to serve God first and foremost and if we are exhausting ourselves trying to please everyone by doing everything then we are not living our true calling. If we are so wiped out that we cannot offer our best to God then we are doing too much.

Trust me. I will be the first to admit that this scripture steps on my toes a bit. I know I am chosen to be a mom, a wife, a teacher, a friend, etc. The key is finding balance and that may mean saying "no". You may have to say "no" to yet another bake sale, committee position or weekend sleepover. We have to learn how to prioritize in a way that is best serving God.

Let me be clear. This does not mean we stop doing for others. We are indeed supposed to care for and meet the needs of others. However, it has to be done in a way that we are not over extending ourselves. In a world that constantly tells you you're not good enough if you are not a part of or completing 1000 things at once, this idea can seem unrealistic.  We live in a society that encourages the constant hustle and bustle, not rest. Have you ever felt like you were a mediocre mom because you didn't have weekends filled with fun family activities or were not part of the PTO? Take heart. He promises to provide wisdom and offers rest if we ask for and seek it. I believe that includes the wisdom we need to balance our lives. I challenge you to put aside preconceived ideas about how your calendar should look and the people you think you should be pleasing and seek God first. I'm certain you'll find your load a little easier to bear and your heart a little lighter.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, and who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."
James 1:5

Linking up with Mommy Momments
and
Tuesday Talk

Jesus is Enough

I have a measuring stick in my head each day that I use that allows me to add value to how good or bad my day was. I know that most of you probably do to, some sort of mental checklist, that holds our expectations for ourselves and our days. If I get a certain amount of things checked off, then I feel like I had a pretty good day as a mom. My list has things like: 

• Didn’t yell at my children today
• Got the girls dressed and outside 
• Made it to our play date or bible study fellowship on time
• Didn't have to yell "Hurry up, we are late" to my toddler who loves to take her time
• The kids watched less than 2 hours of tv 
• Had dinner started before my husband came home
• Cleaned something (yup my standards are just that low)

I try to accomplish as many of these things a day and if I didn’t I feel pretty frustrated that I didn’t parent well that day. My standards are hard enough without the present day social media. So because we live in the age of shared information and experiences via social media, if I happen to be having a good day and sign in, I often feel like a failure all over again because all of a sudden my list has a whole lot of new things I need to accomplish like: 

• Get doughnuts at a cute local coffee and doughnut shop with my kids
• Bake something from scratch with the kids at least a few times a week
• Do an educational craft with my kids every day
• Take my kids on a nature walk or build a fort 
• Teach my toddler to read
• Involve my young children in cooking dinner
• Go on vacation ASAP 
• Buy that new outfit for myself and those cute shoes for my toddlers 

Most of these things are good things, some of them necessary for all of us to work towards but some of them not really realistic, or even good for everyone. But what they all have in common is that if they become the measure of the value of my day then all of a sudden Jesus isn’t enough anymore. 

All of a sudden my list is more important than Jesus and the fear of missing out overshadows the grace of my savior. 

It is so easy to get frustrated with envy for what others have or desire to be a better parent. We are likely not where we want to be yet, and we will probably spend our whole lives wishing we were better parents. It is a good thing to want to be a better parent. It is a good thing to strive to learn and grow as a person and in your mothering. But if being enough becomes more important than the value you have in Jesus, then it becomes the thing separating you from him.

We will never be good enough, not by our own standards, not by the world’s standards and especially not by God’s standards. But God knew that from the beginning.

John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

He knew when he created us he would need to rescue us from our sin, but he created us anyways. He did that because he loves us so deeply it didn't matter. He was willing to sacrifice everything for us and  He wants to be enough for us.  He wants to be enough for us every day, in every season. He is our life, not all of those beautiful things we put in a square on Instagram to measure our days with. Not the cleanliness of our house or the smile on our faces when we lovingly discipline and correct our children. We are the darkness without him. He isn’t talking about the rest of the wicked world here. He is talking about you and me. We are the darkness without him. But he promises to be the light of men. But he does not let us overcome him. He will overcome us. He welcomes us into the light. 

What measurement are you letting get in the way of Jesus being enough? 

What will change in your life and in your parenting if you allow him to be enough? 

I challenge you today, to allow Jesus to be enough. Nothing else. No other measure, no other checklist. Just him.

~Allison~

Motherhood: The best kind of hard

Today was hard. The kids were extra obnoxious, disobedient and just plain crazy. There were moments when I handled them with patience and authority and other moments when I did not handle them well at all. Some days I feel like a child myself; not wanting to do what I know I need to do. Is there really ever a point where you know what you are doing?  I hope so, but for now I know I have so much to still learn about parenting.

Just when I think I have things under control, my children's and my sin nature throw me for a loop. I wish I could say that knowing the right thing to do was as easy as doing it, but it's just not so. I need God's grace every moment of the day. I need it when I am reacting well to a situation and I need it when I want to lash out in anger at a rebellious child.

I find myself apologizing throughout the day as I do what I know I shouldn't do. Thankfully my children are the sweetest(as well as the craziest.) They continually surprise me and overwhelm me with their forgetful forgiveness and continuous love. It's funny how they can bring me to tears of frustration as well as tears of joy.

Motherhood is hard. There is no two ways about it. Whether you have given birth to your children or God has put them in your heart through adoption or a blended family. The sleepless nights, the endless cleaning, the never ending cries of hunger, the disobedience, the temper tantrums, the whining, the vomit, the poop...

Though there are some rough days in motherhood, I really can't imagine a better kind of hard.

It's easy to get bogged down and overwhelmed by motherhood when we think about all we have to do and is expected of us, but we truly have been given such a great gift...

The gift of dying to ourselves daily for the ones we love.

The gift of learning to put the needs of others above ourselves.

The gift of seeing our great need for the Saviour's grace and strength to make it through each day.

The gift of being loved unconditionally no matter how much we mess up and fail.

The gift of being pushed beyond what we ever thought we were capable of.

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith  in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

When we remember that our lives our not our own and that they have been bought with a price, our perspective changes. It reverts off of ourselves and onto Jesus; allowing us to see through his eyes. When we allow Christ to live through us, ministering to the needs of our children and families we can see even the hardest situations and circumstances as the best possible use of our time and strength.

We are not just cleaning up food off the floor, wiping boogers, comforting hurt feelings and kissing boo boos; we are doing a kingdom work as mothers... that will last on into eternity.

Yes, today and many days of motherhood are hard, but they are the best kind of hard I could ever imagine.

Have you had a hard day in mothering? Know that God's grace is there for you. He is able to make it abound to you in whatever hardship you face. He is able to allow you to find joy in the midst of the chaos and see the gift and blessing that motherhood really is.

How is God refining you and making you more like him through motherhood?

How is motherhood harder than you imagined? How is it better?

Linking up here.

You are doing a good work.

There have been times when I've felt bad about wanting to do more things for The Kingdom. I've always had big dreams to go on missions trips across the world and even here where I am now..  I have great admiration for the women who strap their newborns to their back and travel and bring the good news to those who have no hope and when my time comes I wouldn't mind being one of those ladies myself.

But I want to encourage those who aren't dedicated to Church ministry, or the moms who have to sometimes say no to the church because it would be taking away from their family. You are also doing a good work for our Fathers Kingdom and mission.

One of my life verses is Matthew 6:33 where it says "But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

It has been my study verse for the last few months due to the fact I haven't felt like I've been studying it consistently enough. I try to write down other verses to study at the end of every week however, I find myself writing down this beauty instead.

Until now when I thought of this verse I barely scratched the surface when thinking about the meaning. When it spoke of seeking after His kingdom my first thought was seeking after ministry, sharing the gospel and memorizing and taking His word to heart.  However, after trying my best to meditate on it with two kids The Lord opened my heart to a deeper meaning and how when Seeking first His Kingdom He wants us to seek after His heart. It really has nothing to do with ministry but everything to do with the heart of God and His will for us. To be honest, I think His biggest mission for us is to love people. Believers or not.  1 Corinthians says it pretty clearly "And now these three remain: Faith, hope and loves. But the greatest of these is love."

I believe whenever we're loving people we're doing a good work for the Kingdom which leads me back to Motherhood.. From the moment we see the positive pregnant test our best interests goes to your precious little life growing inside of you. You give up the good things you love to do but can't because it doesn't have your growing baby's best interest. And then you go through hours and hours of labor knowing that it's all worth it. And for you adopting Mamas your waiting process can be just as painful if not more.

And when you look into the eyes of this precious child  you learn a new love that's indescribable. 

From then on you live a humble, selfless life of a mom. Being peed, pooped and thrown up on has become the norm and your lifestyle is washing the feet of disciples from sun up to sun down. That is love. A love that someone who is not a mom could possibly understand because the closest thing to the love of God is the love of a parent but even the love of a parent doesn't come close to justice.

Moms we are doing a good work.. We may not have sold everything we own, strapped our baby's to our backs, traveled the world and bringing hope to those who have none. That is love however, love looks different for everyone. We are called to raise disciples. What we're doing is what Jesus did for His disciples. Love them, teach them, accept them, humble ourselves before them, protect them, be an authority over them and raise them up to love and follow Jesus with all of their heart.

And in that we are also fighting demons. That's what parenting does. Because Satan hates the little children of the world. He always has and always will and history would say the same when we look into it and see that way back even in the Bible days when the Pharoh's of the day would take their fear and hate on  children 2 and under (The most innocent) by slaughtering them. And even now we see it when we read stories on abortion and how babies are being ripped piece by piece out of their mothers womb and when there are survivors they are often left in a room to suffer until dead. I believe out of every human being the devil hates children the most because they hate Jesus. When they destroy "the least of these" ((Matthew 25:40,45) the most vulnerable among us, they're destroying a picture of Jesus Christ Himself.

Which is why our ministry in Motherhood is often much harder than most would think and it's so important to put our hope in The Lord who renews our strength. Because we cannot do this without Him! Our work and influence as Mothers don't just effect us, our kids or our home. They effect our families, towns churches, ministries, generations and our world! Our children are world changers and so are we! And I believe Jesus sees us and is so happy with us as we rock our little world changers saying "Well done daughter, my good and faithful servant."

A Father who sees, hears, knows and loves.

We were at the mall a few weeks ago and after a fun tiring time at the children's place it only made sense to get Chick-fil-a for lunch. So that's where we went. We were a little more than half way through our meal when I noticed a fellow young mom with her two children looking around the same age as my little bears if not a little older. She looked exhausted as if she had just engaged in a series of battles she didn't not win. She looked as though survival was her her only option. Frustratingly she put her two babes at the table and told them to sit there and not get up and that they needed to stop being bad and that she doesn't understand what had gotten into them today. Once the food came she became annoyed even more as the children went crazy over all the drinks and the goodness chick-fil-a brings (I can't say I blame them there, though!) Eventually the three of them continued to stare at each other eating quietly. I must admit. Before I became a mom I was quick to judge other moms. I would see children throw tantrums at target and I would see moms yelling at their kids in public and automatically I'd hand them the worst parent of the year award in my mind along with the stuck up and full of herself thought "My kids will never act that way in public and I would never yell at them!" Now here I am with two babes of my own just 24 months apart. And as reality would have it my feisty, strong-willed Evelynne has had more tantrums in public than I can count on both fingers and toes. One time she even ran behind the cashier station to get away from me (embarrassing!) and I have raised my voice more than I'd like to admit however I'm blessed because I'm a thriving mom under love and grace and not of judgement and perfection. I do laugh sometimes because in those days of tantrum throwing at the store I get those same looks from people. However, I couldn't judge her, I couldn't feel bad for her kids but my heart only felt sameness and love for her. I saw her desire and I saw her need.. She needed to be heard and with the Arrows and Warriors ministry fund I felt The Holy Spirit tell me to go give her money to get herself a coffee. I was a bit hesitant at first.. Mainly because it was kind of an awkward situation. They're not only eating however, I just witnessed her freaking out at her kids. I thought maybe the last thing she wanted was a stranger coming up to her while she was eating and telling her "I know exactly, how you feel!" I know sometimes that saying is more like salt on a wound than helpful. But despite my emotions I knew God had a plan so I got up, took money out of my wallet and with my girls we walked up to her. "Excuse me." I said as she looked up looking fearfully aggravated as if she was expecting the worst judgmental comment from me. "Do you like coffee? I had asked. "Ummmm, yea. I work at starbucks." She replied. "Oh nice! Well, coffee is on me today." With a confused, shock look on her face she said "What? seriously? Are you kidding? Is this real?" As if me buying her a coffee was the last thing on her mind. "It sure is!" I laughed. "I can't believe this. Thank you so much!" She continued to explain to me how she's a full time working mom and her kids usually act up when she's off because they miss her and that she really didn't want to go anywhere today but she had to get them out of the house. That's when I told her "I know exactly how you feel. Motherhood can be so tiring but you're doing an amazing job!" She was a mom.. A mom people have judged and couldn't see. But she was a mom who needed to be seen that day and before anyone else Jesus saw her, He heard her and whether she knows Jesus or not He wanted to love on her and bless her and He used me to do that. This whole experience was just as (if not more) encouraging for me as it was for her. It was God's way of saying He sees, He hears, He knows and He loves. He wasn't looking down at that mom for freaking out at her kids. He wasn't regretting giving her children and He wasn't turning His eyes because her attitude was too much. Instead. She was His target. She needed the love of a Father. A Savior and He wanted to give that to her. Who would have thought that a cup of coffee could make someone's day? Maybe it wasn't the coffee? Perhaps, it was the thought of being seen, heard, loved, and understood? Sisters.. I want to give you the sweet reminder that today God sees you, He knows you more than you know yourself, He hears you and understands you perfectly. He left Heaven to become like us.. To relate to us and understand us and than died on the cross to save us! He doesn't turn His eyes when we're hurting or broken. No. He keeps track of our sorrows and has recorded each one in His book (Ps 56:8) He heals our tired and broken hearts and He covers us with His feathers (Ps 147:3, 91:4) He cries when we cry and rejoices when we rejoice. He is all for you my darling and He knows your wants and needs and more than that He wants to provide each one for you when you come to Him. Moms, I want to encourage you today to not only receive God's blessing but also be His blessing.. I was talking to a friend about how we want to do so much more for the Kingdom such as lay hands on the sick, raise the dead and walk the streets of dangerous cities and show people the love of God. But in the season of having babies that cry, run off, throw tantrums and is still developing their self control to sit still this isn't always possible and it may just not be your season yet, to do so. However, I believe we can do this. I believe we can bless our fellow moms by simply understanding and loving them. I think that's one of the greatest things we can do for the kingdom because they're raising them future and their impact on their children effects their future and how they'll grow up and handle things. I believe when you bless a mom you a blessing an entire generation. You are changing the world and bringing glory to the kingdom. Because the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.