Speak to Me

My oldest son Marty has Down syndrome. He is mostly non-verbal, but that doesn't mean he doesn't communicate. In fact, he can be most "vocal" with what his non-verbal cues are telling us. 

Pointing, grunting, yelling, a few sign language words, jumping up and down with a smile on face, taking your hand and pulling you in the direction he wants you to follow him to--just a few of the ways he "talks." Last night he was laying next to me and I kept tapping him on the nose which was followed by his own giggles and squeals of delight. I stopped for a moment and he grabbed my hand, pushed down all my other fingers except my pointer and then he tapped on his nose with his own pointer finger because the game was far from over!

He has been in speech therapy for four years now and his speech seems like it needs deciphering or decoding at times. I  tend to give in to frustration instead of stopping to take the time to "listen" to what he's saying. The problem isn't with his lack of communication--he's often speaking loud and clear if I would simply take the time to stop and hear him.

And it is the same with God. We beg God to speak to us, we're all ears until listening requires some effort. If He's not fast enough or the message isn't what we want to hear or how we want to hear it we stop listening and claim He's the one with the communication problem.

Slow down and wait. He's speaking. Listen with your whole being. Quiet your mind and heart. Seek out the quiet space to hear Him loud and clear. You'll get the unfiltered message what God is really saying instead of the poor translation of what you think He's trying to say. You'll find that He's been speaking all along.~*

Whom Shall I Fear?

The morning of our Moms + Kids event God was speaking to me about a lie that I had begun to believe. It was so freeing to see the lie for what it was and yet so maddening at the same time. I had been douped. Instead of a sharing a feel good devo on enduring as a mom and a wife at our play date, God was leading me to share freedom with His bride. 

Doing the Breaking Free study by Beth Moore (it's awesome, pick it up if you haven't yet or do it again--truth is timeless). God uncovered a lie, one that He had freed me from, but I had let it take hold again.

The lie? It's ridiculous. I've even heard it in Christian circles before: I am supposed to have a healthy fear and respect of the devil. 

The truth: the enemy of my soul--who hates me and God, who has no respect for me or my God--the one who only comes to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10) deserves a healthy fear and respect? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Where is it written?! The Bible says to "Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only..." (Deut. 6:13). 

It is a sick and twisted lie. Think about an abusive, demented kidnapper who demands respect from those they've taken captive. Our enemy doesn't play fair. He's unmerciful and bent on seeing us fail. Why would I ever have a healthy fear and respect for anyone like that?

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me" (Psalm 23:4). He is with us--we do not have to be afraid. I think of the Israelites and the countless times they were outmatched by their enemies. God did not tell them "just have a healthy fear and respect for your enemy" He told them "do not fear, for I am with you" (Isaiah 41:10)! In fact, the only ones who had reason to be afraid were the ones not on God's side!

Read Psalm 3. Be encouraged, be bold. Know God is with you and you have nothing to fear!

Jesus, Our Bridegroom

So with Palm Sunday and Easter approaching I thought it would be good to do a themed devotional for our Moms Night Out meeting. I sat with a book on Jesus, a compilation of various writings about His birth, life, death and resurrection. Lots of great writings and insights from various authors over hundreds of years. But God lead me in a very different direction. 

I put my wedding bands back on after cutting up some raw chicken. 

"...Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5:25-27)

Christ, our ultimate Bridegroom. Before we even knew Him or wanted Him, He knew us and wanted us. He wanted us. He pursued us. One of our moms drove this point home last night. It's so true! How can we not help but respond to this kind of love that draws even the hardest of hearts?

"I delight greatly in The Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10)

If God would have made us slaves of the King that would've been enough. But we don't have to cower when we come before Him! We deserved death and He gave us life. He clothed us in His own glorious righteousness and made us His bride. He desires more than just our redemption, He desires a relationship built on the intimacy and trust a husband and wife would share.

"As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over His bride, so will your God rejoice over you." (Isaiah 62:5)

"The bride belongs to the bridegroom..." (John 3:29)

Just as a husband and wife would enter a life-long marriage covenant so God desires to establish an everlasting covenant with us. He is excited to share this with us as His beloved! He belongs to us, and we belong to Him. 

Whether we are married in this life or not, Jesus is our ultimate--the perfect Husband who gave His life for His bride. He is the best example for what a godly husband should be. Our earthly husbands will fail us but it was never their place to completely fulfill us the way that our Heavenly Bridegroom can. This certainly doesn't excuse poor behavior on our husband's part but it puts them in the grace-filled realm the rest of us are a part of instead of on a lofty pedestal they were never meant to occupy.

Take time to reflect on the beautiful reality that Jesus is our Bridegroom! He is so much more than Redeemer. He's the Lover of our Souls.

Mary's Better Choice

In Luke 10:38-42 you will find the story of Martha and Mary.

And Jesus.

He was there--and Mary knew it. Martha of course knew also, she was busy preparing His meal, was she not? I mean, it was all for Him anyway and why should she be the only one making food and setting tables? An honorable guest arrives at a moments notice with a group of hungry men in tow and she is stuck with the brunt work while her sibling sits there at His feet.

At His feet.

One Bible commentary said "Martha honored Christ as a Guest, but Mary honored him as a Teacher" as shown in the posture she took (at his feet).

Martha took Him into her home. Mary made herself at home with Him.

Martha was busy with her tasks while Jesus was near and wanting to speak life-giving words. She didn't have time. Mary paused and listened to her Lord.

Martha, while well-meaning, was distracted with prep work to serve her Lord. Mary allowed herself to be interrupted--to pause and sit, to learn of Him who had finally come. Finally. The long awaited Messiah was now here and she could sit and be with Him. She recognized Who was in her midst. Whatever else needed doing could wait a moment--HE had come. 

But hold on! Martha was supposed to be serving Jesus and who else was going to feed that full house? "Jesus, make my sister help me! Can't you see I'm working my tail off over here?" But Jesus pitied her. "Oh Martha, Martha..."

Our commentary has this to say:

Our Lord's rebuke is not aimed at hospitality, nor at a life full of energy and business. It is intended to reprove that fussy fretfulness which attempts many unneeded things, and ends in worry and fault-finding.

If anything is needed, Jesus is needed. Martha was preparing a meal where the guests would go hungry again. Jesus Himself is the meal--our Bread of Life.

And Mary's reward? "and it will not be taken away from her" (vs. 42, emphasis added).

My challenge to you mamas is this--allow God to interrupt your day. Sit at his feet and learn from our Good Teacher. Be fed by the Bread of Life so that you can turn and feed your family with His goodness. We are filled to feed others and our families (and beyond) are hungry.

Choose that which is needed.

Jesus.

He has come.

Are you weary?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." 
(Matthew 11;28)

I think most moms can relate to being weary at one time or another. Physically or emotionally--sometimes the daily duties of being 'mom' can take its toll on us.

Are you physically weary? Why?

Do you stay up too late? Do you have irregular sleep patterns during the night for one reason or another and deny yourself a needed nap? If you're physically exhausted or even getting sick, rest can help tremendously. And to get that rest you might have to say 'no' to some people or things in order to block in more sleep.

Seriously? Take a nap without feeling guilty about it, especially if you have littles who get up in the middle of the night or who rise before the dawn. I know I have a happier disposition when I am well rested and lose patience faster when I am sleep deprived. And sleep is a gift from God! The Bible says, "he grants sleep to[a] those he loves" (Psalm 127:2). Accept that gift with open arms and a soft pillow!

Some other ideas to help curb physical weariness include:

• exercise
• making better food choices (read up on some men in the Bible who reaped the benefits of choosing better eating habits in Daniel 1:3-15)

Are you emotionally weary? Why?

Are you at your 'wits end'? Are you worn out from constant power struggles with your kids and feel like you are failing miserably as a parent? 

A Focus on the Family devotional asks, 

"Do you look at other families and struggle to believe you measure up as a parent? One problem may be that you're comparing your blooper reels with other people's highlights."

You're doing a good job, mama. Beating yourself up for past mistakes is pointless. When I mess up with my kids, I am thankful that God's "love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). His loving kindness is what keeps me going as a mom and when I fail, He is there with grace and wisdom to teach me a better way (James 1:5; 3:17). He is the ultimate parent, after all.

Does the monotony of repeating the same routines everyday make you feel like more of a robot and less of a person? Have a night out with your husband without the kids. Go out for coffee with a friend. Go out by yourself, even! Plan 'you' time; you are more than just a mom (and definitely not a robot). 

We can tend to emotional weariness through prayer, solitude, having a quiet time, and gaining perspective. Seeking the council of older moms who've been in your shoes and sharing your struggles is helpful as well (Galatians 6:2).  

The demands and duties of being a mom can sometimes wear us down in one way or another. Know that you are not the only one and you weren't meant to do this on your own. God knows and loves our kids more than we ever could. Take care of yourself so you can take care of your kiddos to the best of your ability and "Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

Persevere, mama!

Meditate on these encouraging scriptures in your quiet time this week or post them where you can see them for great daily reminders to keep going strong: 

• Hebrews 10:36
• James1:2-4 & 12
• 2 Peter 1:5-8

Solitude: Green Pastures in Chaos

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
   He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
   he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

This past Sunday John Opalewski was speaking at The Well. I couldn't help but relate everything he said to being a mom because that is where I naturally go in my head when I picture daily chaos. (Anybody there with me? Let's get real...) I've heard Psalm 23 read at many funerals, but the author David wasn't prepping for his eulogy when he wrote it! He was running for his life, hiding in caves to escape a madman, his king! How could he have painted such a serene and peace-filled picture during such a time of great turmoil in his life?

Solitude. David as a young man used to spend much of his time alone as a shepherd; just himself, some sheep and his God. We too can have the Psalmist's outlook as we steal away to meet with our Savior, the Good Shepherd.

I took some notes during John's sermon about the importance and benefits of solitude with God. As I already mentioned, I related it to being a mom. See if you too can relate! Here they are:

David uses two metaphors about God in Psalm 23: God as a Shepherd and as a Provider.

As a Shepherd God will never fail you; you will never lack anything that is necessary and good for your life. He will lead you to solitary places of refreshing. Disconnect from daily duties to meet with God. In your quiet times with God you will find restoration of the soul; rejuvenation, strength, and direction from God that brings him glory. (And all the moms said, "Amen"...)

As a Gracious Provider God prepares a table for me in the presence of your enemies. Eating a meal surrounded by foes--doesn't this sound like the lioness and her family described in chapter 9 of Lisa Bevere's Lioness Arising?

God anoints us with oil--usually this was done in David's time for a welcomed guest or a priest. Have you ever considered the hospitality of God? He enjoyed spending time with David. God didn't merely 'put-up' with him; He actually liked David. Some of us think that God just tolerates us. But He LOVES spending time with you!

Provision that came from solitude provided David with everything that he needed.

As human beings we are prone to anxiety and we need constant refreshing. You will find this in quiet time spent with God.

God doesn't want us to be in a hurry. His Word, His presence, prayer and worship is green pasture for our soul. He wants you to linger there, to park yourself there. It is in those alone times that He refreshes us.

God dispels fear in places of solitude. Getting alone with Him helps you feel closer to Him and when you are closer to God, fear is put in it's place--under your feet. He grants us supernatural peace in solitude. When you live out of the overflow of time spent with God it is possible to have peace amidst chaos. The more stressful the season, the more alone time you need with Him--not the opposite.

God gives us clear direction in places of solitude. He clarifies what it is He wants us to do and when we do what He wants us to do it brings Him glory. God doesn't make us guess and go it alone. Let God speak to you. You will hear His voice when you quiet yourself before God. You can talk to other people till the ends of the earth but you need to hear from God. If you seek first His Kingdom then everything else you need will be added.

God builds our confidence in places of solitude. We discover that God's goodness and love is with us, that we can walk hand-in-hand with Him. We we know that God is with us it gives us courage.

All these things come to us in abundance when we follow God to green pastures. He saved you to have a relationship with you. When you respond to that, there is rejuvenation for your soul. But you have to draw near.

Doesn't solitude sound wonderful? It's not easy. John warned us ahead of time that it is counter-cultural. We are constantly surrounded by busy and noise and solitude is ever fleeting for a mom. There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day at times. But it's so crucial! Make every effort to meet with Jesus. The time and place will vary differently for every person and you may need to ask God for guidance in finding that quiet place. Think of the people in the Bible who did this and the impact they had on their world because of it: Moses, Mary (Martha's sister), Jesus. We can make all the excuses in the world but in the end, you know we always make time for what matters. Make this a priority and I guarantee you will find treasure in the secret place that will greatly enrich your life and those around you.

A Lineage of Grace

At last week's Moms Connect we had talked about Ruth's noble character. I had mentioned a novel by Christian author Francine Rivers that covers Ruth's story called Unshaken. It is one book in a series by Rivers called A Lineage of Grace, which covers five important women in Jesus' lineage: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathesheba, and Mary. These books used to be sold separately but now it is sold as one complete book. Here is an excerpt from Unshaken:

Ruth rose and hugged her arms close to her body, shivering slightly. Mount Nebo stood in the distance. Naomi had told her this morning that Moses had gone up onto that mountain and died there after putting Joshua in charge of God's people. They had crossed the Jordan River soon afterward and claimed Canaan. She loved it when Naomi talked about what God had done for the Hebrews. She felt a strange stirring within her as she learned of His mighty feats and His unfailing love.

If you like Bible history and want to learn more about Ruth (and the rest of these women), I have a copy of this great book and will bring it to the next Moms Connect meeting if you would like to borrow it.