Motherhood is an opportunity to provide. 

Here’s the truth; we have a good, good Father and he provides all we need, “…for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8). As mothers, it is important to remember we have a heavenly Father that loves us and wants to give us good gifts, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17). Sometimes we don’t know what we are given are gifts. Our idea of gifts can be way off base compared to what God has planned! I think of the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” We may not understand that our gentleness in a difficult situation as a gift, but it is! The gift of  the Holy Spirit in our lives allows us to be full of fruit, not on our own strength. The gifts God gives us may not be what the world understands as a gift. It may be a closed door, pain or loss. God will use those trials to refine us and if we can allow God to teach us how to use the trial as a gift, we will become more like him! This is a daily surrender to him with our needs, wants, hopes and plans. How can we do this? Romans 8: 10-11 says,  ^“But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

This is a powerful reminder with Christ in us, the Spirit gives life and we can, with God’s strength, live out a Spirit-filled life (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control) in our homes. We will lose our patience, be less kind,  or be unwilling to show love. This is apart of our fallen, sinful nature. Acknowledging our sins, we can have forgiveness and be restored to one another. I’m sorry, please forgive me is a beautiful gift to offer one another,  “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). Share with your kids how important it is to come to him with sin and provide a safe place to fail and overcome, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). God will forgive, he is faithful! Providing the example of asking forgiveness is a great start. I know I need to do that daily.

 

Some honestly here…we are in another stay-at-home lockdown. This is just hard. We are struggling. School – gone, seeing friends and family-gone, church-gone, people we know have covid and that can cause worry. I have messages from friends that are struggling with anxiety and depression. THIS IS HARD. Add to the fact I have not been able to drive since December 31st and completely dependent on my family for needs that I usually care for is…hard. We are fighting a battle here for our hearts, minds, souls and bodies. We want this pandemic to be in the past with hope for health tomorrow. What I keep thinking of is that we are not promised tomorrow. As I type the sun just came out, I asked for the T.V to be turned off and to bathe one of our very stinky dogs. It struck me again that it is the small and simple tasks done well that help us navigate the overwhelming stress of the large and complicated.

He will provide through the dense fog of our fears

We have, at times, been impatient with one another, the underlying stress making an unwelcome appearance. I asked one of my kids how they were doing and they looked at me and said with sadness, “Should I tell the truth?”.  My answer was a massive YES! Tell me your heart because I feel it too. THIS IS HARD. Without Christ in me I am doomed. Today, my selfishness bubbled to the surface, floated and burst over the ones I love. My heart is full of angst and frustration after hearing we are home AGAIN for weeks. I am left to explain to my kids that we will remain here, at home, together until further notice.

But we are together

The sadness at times shadows the light. But I have to remind myself that he has overcome the world, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). One little ray of light pressing through the layers of darkness is all we need, just a little light. In him we have peace, he has overcome.

That is enough.

Many have lost so much during this year long pandemic and my prayer is we would see God redeem this time through moments we recognize as gifts. I broke my leg New Years, and for me I rest in moments to thank God: I woke up today healthy, I can walk, I was able to be cared for by incredible hospital staff, my family has served my needs for months, family loves us, friends care and call, my husband has a great team at work, a church that cares. I am counting my blessings.

Counting every blessing.

Take a listen to Rend Collective = Counting Every Blessing Official Music Video

My prayer now is to remember what he has done! God knew this was going to happen and will carry us, even through the dense fog of fears.

God blesses, protects, enables and PROVIDES- let’s tell of his goodness!

Yes, he does! Just as he did for my youngest recently through her BFF. Friends are such a blessing and we can look to him with thanksgiving. Celebrating birthdays in new ways has become what we have to do, not what we want. Katie’s BFF created a surprise birthday box they will unveil over zoom. Then they will create, snack, talk and laugh. This is hope in a bag! Katie was a having a tough day and then a bag arrived at her door (before the stay-at-home advisory was in place) and it made her day! Will post more on that after the ‘party’ happens! Thankful for a creative friend that helped her daughter celebrate her birthday and Katie just soaked in the fun! Together, they made the best of it. I am taking notes from her today!

Little video about her BFF!

 

 

God provides and he has given us the ability to uniquely provide for our children.

Today worship with this song by Cliff Cline (my cousin) – Where My Hope Comes From and remember that God provides, he is so good!