I experience guilt on many levels in my motherhood. I feel guilty when my house isn’t clean, organized, or I don’t have the energy to design all these glorious organizing tools (thanks Pinterest! . I feel like a failure when I don’t spend enough quality time with my children or waste too much time on my phone or computer browsing this and that. I feel guilty when we don’t do family devotions as if my children’s salvation was all dependent upon me. I feel like a terrible homemaker when I don’t get anything done on my to-do list. So in response to my guilt, I get frustrated and the cycle continues. It’s a dangerous pit of self focus that destroys my joy.

The only means through which we can find deliverance out of this battlefield of guilt, condemnation, and anger is through the power of the gospel. The only lasting freedom can come through acknowledging what Christ has done on my behalf.

We have to steep ourselves in the power of the gospel. We have to soak it in.

I have to remind myself that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Yes, you and I will surely fail. But we have a glorious Savior who bore our condemnation. He bore our guilt. It was nailed to the cross. So in our failure, we can have hope. Christ Jesus has replaced our sinful record with His perfect righteous record.

As Elyse Fitzpatrick says, “When you are tempted to slide down into a miry pit of self-condemnation, you can remember Jesus’ sinless life and the perfect record that is now yours. Yes, it’s true that you sin heinously and consistently, but you have a perfect record before God, the only one who opinion really matters.”

“Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. (Romans 3:24)”

You have a perfect record.

Colossians 1:16-17 says, “The Father…has qualified you [past tense; it's finished] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us [past tense again; the deliverance is completed] from the domain of darkness and transferred us [past tense once more: the transferal is already concluded] to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have [present tense; this very moment we possess it] redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

My outbursts of anger were nailed to the cross before I even walked this earth. My fear of failure is a waste of my energy. He paid the greatest price for them. In order to experience true freedom from guilt, I must stop focusing on all that I need to do in order to become a better mother. I must first turn my gaze upon what He has already done for me.

The only way to become a better mom is to preach the gospel to myself every day. It’s not by behaving that makes me a better mom, it’s by believing- believing more deeply in what He has accomplished.

God doesn’t call me to be perfect. He calls me to embrace my standing before him, and to run in that freedom he has already granted to me! I am adored by Christ! I am redeemed! I am accepted!

Ultimately, when I enslave myself by guilt I am mocking what He did on the cross, I am disbelieving the grace and mercy purchased for me through his sinless life. This guilt is witness to the fact that I am depending upon my own strength. I am believing that my children will only grow, flourish, and follow Christ if I do this certain set of practices.

So when you are tempted to put another brick of guilt on yourself, may I encourage you to stop, and declare with me:

“Because Jesus was strong for me, I am free to be weak;
because Jesus won for me, I am free to lose;
because Jesus was someone, I am free to be no one;
because Jesus was extraordinary, I am free to be ordinary;
because Jesus succeeded for me, I am free to fail.” -Tullian Tchividjian

Praise God for the full and abundant life I have in Christ!

Jesus loves me just as much today as He did yesterday!

Many of these insights have been gleaned through Tullian’s powerful book, Jesus + Nothing = Everything.

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by contributing writer Ann Dunagan of Harvest Ministry.

Finding God’s balance for motherhood and ministry is sometimes a difficult (and continually changing) tug-of-war; but I believe the struggle is healthy. As a homeschooling mother of seven, I place a high priority on God’s calling to care for our own children; however, I also feel a call of God’s heart for the needs of world missions. Multitudes across the globe desperately need God’s salvation and millions of orphan children are in need.

God cares about my kids and God cares about the lost. As a mission-minded mom, how can I keep these two “pulls “on my heart in balance — in a way that will truly please the heart of the Lord?

Most of the time, just doing another load of laundry, or drilling the kids on grammar, or reading a bedtime story . . . doesn’t seem very important. But God sees the big picture. He highly esteems motherhood and He values a faithful mom who is willing to lay down her “big dreams” . . . to serve her family.

At the same time, He sees the lost and the reality of heaven and hell. The blood of Jesus is the only way of salvation and the “unreached” must hear the gospel. Over 1.6 Billion people are still waiting to hear of the cross. According to UNICEF, there’s a minimum of 143,000,000 orphans in the world and many of these children are in desperate need. Unsaved people. Unborn babies. And so many real-life needs.

How can we balance this two-sided pull?

“Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him.”

―Hudson Taylor, Missionary to China

The “healthy” motherhood & missions tug-of-war

If you’re a mission-minded mother (a Christian mom with a heart for others), I’m sure you’ve felt this tug-of-war between motherhood and ministry. Our children need to know that we love them; but they also need to know that we have a heart for others. Our kids need to know that we care about their needs, but they also need to know that they’re not the center of the universe, and that others have needs too. Finding the balance can be a struggle; but I believe the process of finding God’s daily divine balance is a healthy evaluation process, both for ourselves and for our family.

We all face this struggle . . .

Perhaps the phone rings, and your friend begins pouring our her heart about a desperate situation. Maybe a fragile marriage is falling apart, or someone at church was just rushed to the hospital. These needs are real, and often urgent. How do we find the right “combo” for each day, and each season of our lives? How do we balance these pressing needs with the ongoing “everyday” needs of our own family?

This personal testimony of “The Praying Mommas and the Screaming Babies” is from one of our Africa mission trips years ago. The story has continually reminded me to seek the Lord’s divine calling for each day. I have found that the key to finding God’s balance is to stay in communication with God through prayer; however, He sees the full picture of both motherhood and ministry.

God sees the world’s needs, and He also sees the needs of our children. He can help us to see both in His divine daily balance, and God can speak to us . . . as a mom.

The Praying Mommas and the Screaming Babies

About five thousand women gathered for a week of ministry, teaching, and worship. The accommodations for our East African village conference were humble. Bamboo awnings covered with tarps provided shade from the hot sun, and most of the women simply brought straw mats for sleeping. Many women also brought little children and nursing babies, whom they cared for as they listened to the sessions.

One morning, I got up and took an early morning prayer-walk, and I was blessed (and challenged) to see hundreds of women gathered for a time of fervent prayer.

As I walked quietly behind the group, I noticed a few women who were praying very hard and loud, but then I noticed that these women were totally oblivious to the needs of their little babies–sitting with bare bottoms in wet little puddles in the dirt, screaming at the top of their lungs. As I watched for a few moments, I wondered what God thought about their fervent prayers. One by one I picked up the babies and tried to help them stop crying, handing each one to his or her momma.

Later that day I shared with the women about the importance of balancing our ministry with our family priorities. Yet I was also challenge on a personal level.

How many times does God see my own out-of-balance efforts, like when I’m at work on the computer or busy with a mission project–and my little kids are plopped down in front of one-too-many videos?

I want God to hear my prayers, and I want my efforts to be actions of obedience. I need to keep balanced; but it’s not a one-time solution. Every day, we need to come to God to allow Him to tune each string of our instrument. Each heart-string needs to be stretched to just the perfect sound . . . that will be pleasing to the heart of God.

Let’s pick up our babies and love them.

And together with our kids-in-tow, let’s get a family-vision for world missions!!!

“Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.”
–Proverbs 4:26

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So we’ve talked about just why rest is important and what true rest includes.  A time for reflection and for leisure, this daily rhythm of separating morning work from evening work by a 15 to 30 minute pause is quite beneficial to our days.

I didn’t always practice this.  Like several commenters in the first post, I felt slightly guilty.  But, I was approaching it all the wrong way.  Instead of thinking ‘I deserve this’, my mentality shifted to ‘God created rest for me and wants me to enjoy it’.  The truth of that statement led me to further study God’s example and commands to pause and rest in regular intervals.

The result was a fresh appreciation for God’s design and a new desire to honor His ways instead of my own.  A daily pause is one way to stop the work, reflect upon God’s goodness and refuel a little.

Here are a few tips I’ve found helpful:

PREP & PLAN AHEAD

Remember the first step is to believe this pause is a priority!

Assign a time to your rest :: this doesn’t need to be exact, unless it’s helpful to you, but even to the hour such as ‘sometime between 3-4 p.m.’

Decide if anything needs to be adjusted :: what will the children be doing?  are there other chores usually done now that should be moved to morning or evening? Figure out potential hindrances and work at adjusting the routine in order to pause.

A note about children:  I’ve found following the lead of the youngest child’s needs helpful.  Whether you follow a consistent schedule or a more open routine, babies and toddlers usually have some pattern of napping in the afternoons.  Arrange for other children to enjoy quiet time or a nap themselves while you pause for 15-30 minutes.

Note from Lindsay: With three little ones you may agree that it can be challenging to get them all to nap together. But I can testify that with a little work, it is possible. My two older ones nap/rest between 1-3pm each day (anywhere from 1.5-2 hrs). To get my infant to rest during the same period, I shorten her morning nap and waken her by 11:30am (which adjusts as she grows), so that she has a sufficient awake period before she gets tired again when the older two go to sleep. During the transition period from two to one nap, I try to stretch the baby and endure a little extra fussiness to be able to put them down again together. It’s worth it. Sometimes this might include putting the older ones down 30 minutes earlier. Every day is a bit different, sometimes this rest period is shorter or longer, but overall it is worth the effort when your house is full of little ones. My mom always encouraged me to keep a good nap routine as long as possible (I remember my siblings napping till they were 6 years old!).

Designate a space :: find a spot in your home (or outdoors!) that feels restful; I like going to the same place each day — the couch or kitchen table.  Resist the temptation to clean while you’re there!  Also gather all you’ll need to enjoy:  a pen, journal or other paper, book you’re reading, knitting or other handwork, etc.  Place these in a basket or container and have them ready so time is not wasted searching.

Remove distractions ::  say no to the phone, voicemail, email, social media, etc.

ENJOY THE MOMENTS

Decide on a treat :: a cup of tea or coffee, a sweet…something that feels like a treat to you!  Or maybe resting in itself is the treat?

Light a candle or play relaxing music :: okay, this is not a necessity but simply a way to separate these moments from the rest of the day.  I’ve also found it helpful for my children to know when Mommy’s time is up — when the candle is blown out!  No music handy?  Try David Nevue’s station on Pandora.

Reflect on the morning :: for a few minutes, celebrate 2-3 things that went well; I’d encourage writing these down in a journal or notebook.

Rest!  Either physically by taking a power nap or by enjoying a leisure activity.  You might want to set a timer, most of us can’t take the whole afternoon!

Need some resources for keeping your kids busy during a quiet rest time?

- Check out these quiet time bins (with great ideas for keeping your kiddos playing quietly in their own space after they have transitioned out of taking naps)
- More ideas for quiet time bins
- Invest in a CD player with headphones and allow them to listen to books on tape (many great classic books can be borrowed from your local library for your children’s enjoyment)

So, what you do think — possible?  Feel free to add other ideas or thoughts.

I bless you with restful, rejuvenating daily pauses!

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I began a journey nearly 14 months ago to become a radically thankful woman (thanks to the inspiring read One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp). In this process, I have recorded over 900 sweet and precious gifts that I have seen in the everyday mundane moments of life. I have witnessed a merciful God display His glory through the simple beauties around me. There have certainly been times when I didn’t feel like recording my gifts. There were many a night when I struggled to sleep, was crying out for mercy, and the Lord gently reminded me to count my blessings. I opened up my list and began again. There have been many a day when everything seemed to fall apart, and yet there was still grace on display to be observed.

I have observed the treasures of…

…the joyful giggles from my little girl

…the ability to dream

…taking a nap in the sunshine

…my daughter’s sweet attempts of catching snowflakes on tongue

…the warmth of a down comforter on cold winter nights

…the blue dawn to awaken my body in the morning

…Daddy snuggling up with little ones reading stories

…The ability to extend nourishment to my child at my chest

…Seeds lying dormant beneath my feet preparing to sprout in a few short months

In the progress of this journey, my heart has been radically changed. I have been less susceptible to discouragement and depression. I am less inclined to a spirit of negativity, which is my destructive pessimistic self. I am enjoying life at a whole new level. I am seeing how precious and sweet this life is. There are gifts to be discovered in this adventure, even amid the trial and pain.

Being a loving mother can be such a challenge, but when I stop and pray for eyes to see the treasures, I will be able to dig deep in God’s goodness, and see the cute dimple on my baby’s cheek even amidst the late night feedings. I can see the sincere blue eyes and gentle reminder “It’s okay, Mommy”, from my daughter’s lips even when I am crying in frustration at my failure. I become more free to throw out the to-do list and romp around with my little ones and treasure the moment.

Being a supportive cheerful wife can be one of the most difficult pursuits especially when you may think he has made a stupid decision or he has thoughtlessly forgotten your request or overlooked your need. But when I stop and pray for grace to see, I see a faithful man who diligently provides for all our needs. I see a man that will love me to the day I die. I see a man who willingly romps around with the kids playing dinosaur, dragons, and hide & seek even after a long day of work.

This journey has been hard…but so good. It has been a gift of grace in my life. It has been a gentle reminder that I have only one life to live. I want to make every moment count for eternity. It has caused me to slow down, to observe, to express my thanks, and to see the joy of the Lord abound in my heart.

I cannot stop. I am a work in progress. I still have my days. Today, I am losing my voice due to a cold, my miserable attempt at a craft project with the kids ended in disaster, my little man (who was potty trained 7 months ago) continues to have frequent pee-pee accidents when he gets distracted or excited leaving me beyond frustrated. But when I stop, rest, reflect, and observe, I see the gift of the blessing of staying home to nurture my little ones, healthy food to nourish our bodies, a daddy close by to help in a disaster, and three little munchkins who never cease to make me laugh.

This year my goal is to record 1,000 gifts over the duration of this year on top of my 900+ list. I want to have a record of 2,000 gifts by the close of 2012. Care to join me on the journey? Ready to find true joy among the mundane? I find it works best to record my gifts every morning during my devotions as I reflect upon the previous day. You may prefer buying multiple little journals and scattering them around your house to record the moments.

Check out A Holy Experience every Wednesday where Ann shares her gifts and you can link up with yours too!

Oh that we might be like Darcy, the little Irish girl, who observed the sweet beauties…to be able to stop and think about the gifts that surround us even when life gets difficult. Would you care to join me? Ready to have your mindset transformed?

I love how the Message translation puts Ephesians 5:4, “Let no crude language or foolish joking be on your lips. Christians have better use of language. Thanksgiving is our dialect.”

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening” (Psalms 92:1-2).

“Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord, it is fitting for the pure to praise him” (Psalms 33:1).

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Alright, I know what you’re thinking.  Maybe you’re even laughing.  Listen to the…quiet?

And you’re wondering just where this post is going.  We could probably agree that a daily spa moment of sorts is helpful to our well-being.  But just how to make this happen may seem a mystery.

So, hear me out and offer your thoughts as well?

I know Mama.  I know.  A household full of little ones, homeschooling, cooking, cleaning, ministry, training, teaching, being a wife, a friend, a sister — where in the world does a daily pause fit in!?

May I suggest today that it naturally doesn’t?  At least not all on its own.  This time will not just happen…it must be created.

The WHY

First, we must embrace the necessity of pause, of rest.  Rest is not man’s idea, it’s God’s.  Man takes it farther than ever intended and makes it laziness, but true rest was designed and demonstrated by a loving God from the beginning.  He knew just what people, Moms like you and me would need.

Rest honors God’s way and design; we give glory to Him when we follow His command to rest.

***

The WHAT

True rest includes pausing to reflect upon our work.  For we were also created for purpose-driven Christ-honoring work, yet not without pause.  Stepping back before moving on is simply wise.  It’s not waiting until we’re completely exhausted and burnt out, then finally collapsing.  God’s example in Creation offers a daily rhythm of reflection to think upon and consider our work — to name what is good.

We Moms have trouble with this, at least I do.  I lean more towards thinking on all that still needs doing instead of celebrating what has been accomplished.  But still, we should think on what is lovely, excellent and praise-worthy :: yes, this includes our work!

Because the nature is reflection, a midday or late afternoon break is what I’m suggesting.  A short time of 15 to 30 minutes to separate morning work from evening work, to refuel a little before going on.

Now, no need to cancel vacation plans, a visit with a friend, or digging into a good book.  Rest can and should also include leisure; engaging in pleasurable activities or interests provides refreshment as well.  Jesus often took his disciples away and on one occasion fixed breakfast on the beach for them — sounds nice and leisurely to me!

The HOW

What if you did just that?  Created a space and time for moments of daily pause, of quiet?  With the purpose of reflection upon your work, and for a bit of leisure as well.  But, let’s be very real.  Many of us are in a season of fullness, of numerous responsibilities.  Just how do we accomplish such a task?

I’m sounding like a broken record, but the first step is believing that you should.  Then quickly following up with believing that there is a way, that it is possible.  Before we get to the nitty gritty and some suggestions (that’s an upcoming post!), may I encourage your heart?  Too often, we jump on a band-wagon thinking…

“Yeah, this is just what I need!!  Tomorrow, right now, I’ll start this daily pause thing! WHOOP!, Whoop, whoop….fizzle, fizzle.  Oh, well.  I guess that just didn’t work for me.”

End of story.  That’s living intensely, not intentionally.

Maybe you’re ready to start now, by all means…move forward!  But, maybe you just need to take a baby step, to consider just how this all might work.  To prepare and plan for making room.

Begin with prayer.  Asking God to convince your heart of this need.  Stretching your faith muscles to believe it can happen.

Take an inventory of your days.  Nothing fancy, just be more aware of how things flow, thinking about when and where a pause would most benefit your schedule and routine.

In the comments, feel free to offer thoughts :: do you see a need for this in your days?  what would you view being a hindrance to taking time for a daily pause — where could you use suggestions or help?  

We’ll seek to answer or address questions in the next post.  I absolutely do not have all of the answers!  But, I’m convinced we can learn and grow together in this community.

To God be all glory….

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I am eager to keep my focus this year on continuing to strive to treasure the little moments, the blessings of each and every day. I don’t want to get caught up in doing so many things, that I miss out on the gifts of my little ones. I want to make our home a gift of grace for others through our hospitality. By God’s grace, my prayer is that I “shall not fall into the falsehood that this day, or any day, is merely another ambiguous and plodding twenty-four hours, but rather a unique event filled, if I so wish, with worthy potentialities. I shall not be fool enough to suppose that trouble and pain are wholly evil parentheses in my existence but just as likely ladders to be climbed toward moral and spiritual womanhood.” (thanks to 10 Steps to Stay Alive to the Beauty of God’s World) And as the article continues later on, “I shall not allow the devilish onrush of this century to usurp all my energies but will instead, as Charles Williams suggested, ‘fulfill the moment as the moment.’ I shall try to live well just now because the only time that exists is just now.”

My theme this year I feel is pursuing GRACE in my daily interactions with my children. I find I am so easily succumbed to anger and frustration at their many needs, questions, and demands. I want to be able to stop what I’m doing and meet them with love and graciousness. I’m embracing Proverbs 31:26 as my verse for this year, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”

1. Read 12 books (one per month)
2. Start my day by getting dressed
3. Take a daily 30 minute pause/rest each midday to simply read or nap as needed
4. Re-establish weekly planning retreat (have gotten out of this routine a bit due to my husband’s crazy work routine – but as we enter a new season, I think it will work to get back on track!)
5. Record a daily highlight, blessing, or memory from each day in my Mom’s One Line a Day journal (to treasure God’s goodness, my children’s progress and humor, and all the other little blessings since I am so prone to forget!)
6. Continue recording 1000 gifts and beyond! (This exercise has certainly been life-changing! I can’t stop! I want to make thanksgiving my dialect! I’m joining the Joy Dare to record 1,000 gifts in 2012! I’ve completed my first 900 over the past 14 months, so I’m going for 2,000 gifts by the end of 2012.)
7. Find a workable exercise routine for this season
8. Convert all my crockpot recipes to freezer meal adaptions (to simplify my meal preparations!)
9. Work on seasoning my speech with more kindness toward my children
10. Plan one way to bless, serve, or encourage my husband on a weekly basis
11. Plan a bi-monthly outreach opportunity for our family (to our community, at Elderly home, or local public school)
12. Begin reading more classics to further my education and improve my vocabulary and writing. Join classics book study group for accountability. Want to always be pursuing the joys and delights of learning!

In all our goal making, let’s embrace this simple reminder: (thanks to the lovely ladies at GirlTalk for the following encouragement)

In her book, Keep A Quiet Heart, Elisabeth Elliot encourages us to focus on the most important of New Year’s hopes:

“Will the young woman find a mate? Will the couple have a child? Maybe this year will be the year of desire fulfilled. Perhaps, on the other hand, it will be the year of desire radically transformed, the year of finding, as we have perhaps not yet truly found, Christ to be the All-Sufficient One, Christ the ‘deep sweet well of Love’” (page 49, emphasis mine).

This year, let us ask God to dissolve all our hopes (however good they may be!) into a single hope: to know Christ and to be found in Him. May this be a year of desire radically transformed, a deeper, truer, knowing of Christ as our All-Sufficient One.

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:7-8a).

And may we remember that the only guarantee of lasting change in our lives is through the power and grace of our Savior. We can strive in our own strength to make the goal, but without God’s empowering grace we will never succeed. Let’s make sure to embrace His gracious work that was accomplished on the cross and walk in that beauty day by day as we seek to be transformed into His likeness.

For help with your own personal goal making, check out Simple Mom’s helpful list of questions.

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I have been mediating on the life of Rebekah from Genesis 24 lately. Abraham’s servant has been sent to his hometown to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Abraham’s servant asks this young lady to come with him to marry Isaac. Rebekah simply says, “I will go.” In a moment, she was willing to say farewell to all that she had ever known. She knew that potentially she would never she her family and home country again. She was willing to marry a man that she had never met. That is amazing faith. I want that faith. To be so at rest in my Father’s arms that I could willingly walk the unknown path before me.

I don’t know what lies behind the next corner of our lives as we let go of my husband’s job and walk by faith and not by sight. We simply don’t know what it will look like this year. The only thing we can do is strive to be faithful in the knowledge that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Am I willing to take a leap of faith into this unknown? For it is in the unknown that fellowship with my Lord is sweetest. It is in the unknown that God’s mercy is most beautifully manifested. It is in the unknown that our faith is refined and comes forth shining more brightly. Am I willing to simply say with Rebekah, “yes, I will go?” Am I willing to follow my man, to faithfully stand by his side, as I committed to at the altar nearly six years ago?

We can be confident in one thing. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He holds me by the hand and walks before me. I am not alone.

I am excited about the new adventures that life brings with it as we set forth in this new year. We will certainly be living more frugally until his new business gets off the ground. Our budget is being trimmed down significantly. I love how God seeks to stretch our faith and get us out of our comfort zone so we can see His beautiful majesty in a whole new light.

Life is full of new adventures saturated with God’s gifts to be observed and recorded and if I stayed in my comfort zone I surely would not be able to experience them.

In addition to it all, during these past few weeks, I have honestly been really struggling and wrestling with the future of this blog. At the start of a new year I want to get all my ducks in a row, have a wonderful inspiring plan for my writing. I wanted to have amazing themes for this new year. I felt pressured that I need to be this professional, organized blog. But the Lord wasn’t opening these doors. No amazing creative ideas. Was this a sign that this season of blogging was coming to an end? I was willing if God wanted to close these doors. But then I felt the Lord speaking to be gently: “Lindsay, I just want you to be faithful in sharing your messy self with these women. I just want you to share My messages. I don’t want you to be about overwhelming women in all the little things they “should” be doing, but rather encouraging them to press in to know the Lord right where they are at.”

I believe in the importance of sharing my real life messes with you. I’m far from perfect. Daily I must cry out for grace and mercy to walk this rode of mothering and homemaking. I want our team of writers (many thanks to my awesome contributing writers) to be about encouraging you in your homemaking, mothering, and wife-hood. We want to see you grow to see the beauty of your work. It is a glorious task that we have been assigned. We need each other in standing strong even when our culture seeks to make us seem invaluable. But ultimately this is all about Jesus. Everything here is for Him. I want this new year to be flowing with His Spirit in everything that is shared here.

So there you have it. The dawn of a new year. You will still find practical simple living tips and healthy recipes sprinkled here and there. These are part of my day by day passions to live by our family mission to live simply in order to give generously. We’ll be sharing practical ways that you can live a generous missional life in the sphere that God has placed you. But ultimately, our writing will be Spirit led, sharing the day by day struggles to kneel humbly before our Master and offer up our hands and feet to his service.

Will you join us and step into the unknowns of God’s amazing grace for you today?

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It has been one of those demanding days with frequent cries of neediness from my little brood. “Mommy, can you wipe my bottom?” “I can’t do it,” cries from my 4 year old trying to spread the peanut butter, to my 2 year old trying to pull up his pants. “I am hungry Mommy.” “My belly hurts Mommy.” And it all seems to happen simultaneously from every different corner of the house. I was ready to scream as I scrambled from her to there meeting every need.

Then the thought struck me…Aren’t you thankful that God is never ready to scream at me? Here I stand in all my own neediness. Desperate for grace to do this mothering thing. Desperate for help to get up in the morning and cultivate joy in the tasks ahead of me. I am constantly laying my requests before him. “God, give me grace to discipline this child in love.” “God, give me strength today when I am weary.” “God, please take away this pain.”

It was a gentle reminder to my heart that we serve a gracious, all-knowing, merciful God, who never grows weary or tired. He is one that loves us intimately. He knows our every need and often meets them before we even ask. We are helpless, dependent creatures. We cannot do our mission without His daily renewal. We can’t get up and work in whatever sphere he has called us to without first crying out with our dependence upon Him.

Do you need help today?

Let’s embrace our need for Him. How often do I try to labor each day on my own strength? Who wants to ask for help? No, I am here to prove myself to the world that I can do this thing. I am strong. I am tough.

I am going to embrace my neediness today. For when I depend, grace is given to fill my cup to overflowing. And grace will be given to meet that one more cry of neediness from my little ones. Grant me grace, O Lord, to love them as you have loved me.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7)

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• Paula's Bread -Kitchen appliances and safe tools for all your homemade health adventures
• Tell Your Time - How to Schedule Your Time to Live Your Life Fulfilled eBook

Written by monthly contributor, Natalie Didlake.

Sometimes I’m in the spiritual dumps.

Sometimes I’m a lousy mom.

Sometimes I am tired of living in a place I don’t think I belong.

Sometimes someone I love dies.

Sometimes I have a habitual sin I don’t understand and can’t conquer.

Sometimes my relationships are in shambles, and I can’t see how to help them along.

Sometimes I am too depressed and discouraged to go to bed; the next day isn’t much improved by a sleepless night.

Sometimes my day-to-day life feels aimless and purposeless.

If I ever tell you I’m having one of those “sometimes,” don’t tell me to be thankful for what I have. Don’t remind me to remember all the good things God has already done for me. Don’t tell me to enjoy the little things, or cultivate gratitude.

Because it won’t help.

When I’m full of angst, deep questions, and frustrations, they can’t be swept aside and replaced. Problems and sin cannot be amended by attempts at thankfulness.

Problems and sin can only be amended by crying out to God. Sometimes He takes his time….a long time. Even the waiting can be painful and frustrating, a grief in itself. Trying to be thankful doesn’t even give me the bit of comfort I so crave, especially in that “waiting room.”

In the Waiting Room

As in, the doctor’s waiting room. I remember as a child being miserably sick, sitting there in a grimy, hard plastic chair, in a public place. Oh, for the quiet of your own room, instead of noisy children and the whine of a soap opera in the background. The temp was always 10 degrees below comfortable, so your teeth chatter while you imagine snuggling under a blanket on the couch. You just feel awful, and sit there.

But you have to, in order to see the doctor. Which, of course, you want to do, because that’s where you hope to find some relief.

And then, I remember the nurse coming through a heavy swinging door, calling my name. She’d meet your eyes, nod, and say, “The doctor will be with you in just a few minutes.” Oh, for joy! The long wait is almost over.

Sometimes we are in the waiting room, and we so desperately need someone to pop their head through the door to remind us the wait’s almost over. Sometimes we can’t push a trouble aside, but we can be eased and comforted in the midst of it by remembering the “doctor” will see us soon.

When my soul is in that waiting room of unfinished business, I love this precious promise God gives me in Philippians. He sweetly pops through the door to remind me he is still working in me and has not forgotten about me:

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Phil 1:6

A simple, small verse. But it always gives me the strength I need to sit and wait a little longer. My God is the Great Healing Doctor, and he made our appointment. He knows what is wrong with me, and as long as I follow his prescription, I will get well!

And for that, I am always…yes,  thankful. Truly, deeply, thankful. I can be sure God will finish the work he started in me. Thankful, dare I say happy? Even in the waiting room.

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• Paula's Bread -Kitchen appliances and safe tools for all your homemade health adventures
• Tell Your Time - How to Schedule Your Time to Live Your Life Fulfilled eBook

Turning the calendar page to the autumn-leafed splendor of November momentarily brought slight pangs of “mommy guilt” to this homeschooling mama.

“What?! Thanksgiving is approaching, and I haven’t prepared a “thankfulness unit,” complete with Bible verses, family activities, and crafts?”

Then I heard my little boy’s voice at the table behind me lisping, “Yeth please. Thank you.”

And I remembered.

It’s the intentional, everyday thankfulness that I seek to cultivate in my children’s hearts; illuminating the awe of everyday blessings amid both trials and goodness.

Yes, we’ll still celebrate Thanksgiving. We’ll eat turkey, sweet potatoes, and pie (they’ve already put in their requests).

But real thankfulness isn’t limited to one day; albeit how special the “National Holiday”, or how creative a schooling curriculum may be.

The real joy to this mama’s heart is when we’re celebrating moments.

(I’ve been journaling my thankfulness for daily gifts, since reading One Thousand Gifts last year.)

• The family “assembly line,” picking the bucketfuls of apples before frost arrives.
• My brave little girl spontaneously giving her testimony for the first time to another girl at the library.
  
• Warm chocolate chip cookies from the oven (from Nana’s well-worn recipe).
• Memorizing our weekly Bible verses together.
• Savoring a visit from a special friend. (“It’s ok the dog ate my present; I just wanted to see her.”)
  
• A soothing bedtime medicine on a rough night.
• New snow boots for the coming winter.
  
• Giggles & hallelujahs from the playroom; singing along to a (very loud) worship CD.
  
• Pennies saved to sponsor an international AWANA club.
  
• My little boy with his favorite library book, carrying it around town.
  
• The joy at choosing special items for our Operation Christmas Child shoebox.
• Sweet smiles from a friend’s baby.
  
• The whole family (including the kicking littlest one in my belly!) snuggling in the cozy flannel sheets of Daddy & Mama’s bed on an early, chilly morning.
  
• Warm milk and a big bowl of popcorn on a Sabbath afternoon.
  
• Sharing a huge pot of homemade soup with friends.

¹⁷ Pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)

What are you giving thanks for today?

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Current Sponsors:

• Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique - Where green comes naturally - free shipping on cloth diapers and more!
• The Willow Store - Reusable diapers, dryer balls, and natural resources for your home
• Jenuinely Pure -Organic products for the body, face, home and baby
• Paula's Bread -Kitchen appliances and safe tools for all your homemade health adventures
• Tell Your Time - How to Schedule Your Time to Live Your Life Fulfilled eBook