I just returned from a conference that gave me so much more knowledge and action items to take back with me when I return to the office. That being said, my future remains on my mind. While I am trying to remain open minded and open handed, I often drift off into what I think will be the best choices for the years ahead. I wrote this piece after having multiple people I highly respect bring an alternative dream to my attention. I can sometimes get caught up and don’t truly pause to process. So this is my attempt…
To hold this precious child in your arms as they doze off into dreamland.
To be so tired but unable to sleep because you are still in so much awe that you have the honor and privilege to nurture and love this child for the rest of your days!
Oh yes those are the easy to remember blessings but also…what a blessing it is:
To have a messy home
To have a child who is able to throw fits and food and toys since they can’t quite yet explain what they need or want but are at least communicating the best they know how.
To have a child who cries and screams because they feel safe enough to know you will be their rock and find a way to solve their problem and comfort them like only you know how.
To have a child finally settle down enough to cuddle with you and end up drooling all over your chest.
To be so sleep deprived because you’ve had to become Super Woman too many nights to count, yet you keep pushing past the exhaustion because deep down you know what you do matters.
So many blessings even when they don’t always feel like it.
Yes, what a blessing it is:
To be living in the reality that you dreamed of as a little girl. To watch in amazement how your little one grows up too fast and learns new things each and everyday.
To know that you once prayed to be able to wrap your arms around this soft yet strong little gift that means the whole world to you.
To have living proof that you are stronger than you ever imagined, all because God called you to Motherhood and he will never leave your side.
So when you feel like you’re drowning in laundry and like you’re about to lose your mind over yet another sleepless night, remember that you are living out answered prayers and that these hard times are only a season but oh what a precious season it is, so don’t miss out on soaking in how much of a blessing each moment has been and will continue to be for the rest of your life as you will forever hold the title of “Mom”
And that is a beautiful blessing from our Heavenly Father up above!
As of the day I am wrapping up writing this post, I officially have a 13 month old who is not only walking but RUNNING around my house trying to tell me all sorts of stories that I’m still trying to decode. I’ve been battling sleep deprivation and as a full time working first time mom, it’s A LOT to juggle to say the least. I’m extremely grateful for our village! I’m so glad I’ve been able to encourage and be encouraged by other mothers during this season of being a “new” mom but also over a year postpartum. So when exactly does the newness wear off? I feel like each day is something new. Whatever label we add in front of our role ultimately “Mom” is your name once you have/become pregnant with/adopt that first child.
My goal in this season is to honestly and confidently say that I feel blessed even when my house is a mess!
I know what will last is my son’s feelings of safety and love. May the laughter outnumber the tears and may my heart continue to grow bigger with gratitude each day!
This is my prayer for every Mom who reads this post:
Heavenly Father,
You are the Master Creator. You have blessed us with a child of our own and we are beyond grateful! Please give us strength to be the best mothers we can be! You are so kind to us and we praise you! May we not forget that we are your daughters and you have placed a wonderful calling on each of us!
the first season of the Christian church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays.
the coming or second coming of Christ.
So we celebrate the Birth of Jesus during the Christmas season, but we also wait expectantly for his return. When Christ returns, all will be made right in this world because it will be completely made new. In order for this to happen, the final judgement must take place. Those who follow Jesus and believe in their heart that he is the Son of God who died for our sins because we need a Savior do not have to fear his return. For we will live for eternity in God’s presence with no pain, sadness, or evil of any kind. We will be blessed to live the lives God originally intended at Creation before sin entered the world.
With the recent rapture predictions from September and October of this year, this topic became more front and center for me to write about…
For months, I have had a lot on my mind in regard to those who are hurting around me. When I find out someone I know doesn’t know Jesus or isn’t interested in knowing him, it breaks my heart. I always try to ask questions without seeming to pry too much. I just want to get to the root of the reasoning. I know that if I live my life as a faithful follower of Christ that the seeds are being planted. I just know that sometimes I might not be the most fruitful, in that I don’t always represent my faith well…
When someone reveals to me that they don’t consider themselves a Christian, my first couple of questions are, “Do you believe in Jesus, and do you believe that he died on the Cross and rose back to life 3 days later?” Their answer typically gives me a starting point. If they say that they don’t believe, my next question is, “what is it that keeps you from believing in Jesus?”
My grandmother used to sew EVERY day. She had a whole room dedicated to sewing machines, fabrics, thread on spools covering 2 of the 4 walls. I spent a lot of time as a child in her sewing room. There wasn’t much I didn’t watch her make over the years! All the planning, measuring, cutting, piecing together, threading machines, actually sewing, surging, and depending on the creation, stuffing! She made me many outfits over the years! I have photos of me wearing vests with my name and a design embroidered on them with matching pants at an early age.
When you see a heart-shaped locket, there’s a photo or two inside. The idea is that you place pictures of people you love dearly close to your heart, wearing it around your neck as a reminder that those you love are always near—even when they seem far away.
Marriage has been the intention for man and woman from the beginning. God created Adam, and for the first time, said that something was NOT good.
“Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” -Genesis 2:18-24 NLT
The Sunday before a special weekend full of students (6th-12th grade) serving the community called, MyNeighbor Mission Weekend, the second message in the Lent: The Life of Surrender series entitled, Stay Compassionate, was given as the students and leaders were commissioned for the following weekend.
The third message in the Lent: The Life of Surrender message series was about building your life on the firm foundation of God’s Word. When we are filled with the Word, we are able to build up not only the Body of Christ but share the love of God to those who are far from him due to not knowing or no longer wanting to know the Truth of who he is and how he loves us.
We are CALLED to spend time with our Father doing what he loves. Our Father loves to seek and save the lost. Those who don’t know the love of the Father, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the hope that comes from the Holy Spirit are lost. BUT there is HOPE for them!
Living Life Loving Others & Shining the Light of Christ into a Dark World 