It Takes a Village
They say it takes a village. You have been more than supportive and encouraging to yesterday's post in letting me know I'm not alone. I don't want to be a Pinterest mom. I want to be an authentic one. Not the kind posting hypothetical scenarios of perfection and poise but the one covered in muck and mess down and dirty in the trenches...because that's where you are too!
So, thank you! Thank you for being honest and transparent in your struggles of this failed pursuit of perfection and the feelings of unworthiness that surround us all at the end of weary days of potty training, wiping noses, and correcting behaviors. Thank you for being willing to stand with me in the gap, to remind me this is but a fleeting season (that one day we will surely miss!), and for holding me accountable in seeking godliness as we seek to model Christlike behavior to the children He's entrusted us with. Today's post is just for us.
"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:3-6 (bold emphasis mine)
Mamas, don't miss this! As surely as there is an ever-present enemy lurking around seeking whom he may devour, so is the power of the conquering Savior available to us who believe and call upon HIM! With reassurance of faith, I thank God for you. I pray with joy over you because we are PARTNERS in this journey together. We are in the trenches together. We are doing this thing called motherhood together - we aren't alone. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Here's the best part - while He's called us to this place, this journey, we can be certain He's going to complete the work He's begun. He won't leave us stranded midway through the sleepless nights, the snotty noses, the defiant behaviors. He's right there with us through it all working it out for not just our good but for the good of these little ones He's entrusted us with. He didn't just plan each of our days, He planned theirs too. And while some of those days stretch well into the long nights of sleeplessness and weariness, He's right there too.
I love this...
"It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me." vs. 7
Our present chains may not be literal. They may take a very different form while bound at home with little ones but we are doing the work He's called us to. We are drudging through the days of disasters and diapers and for this reason, I keep you close in my heart.
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God." verses 9-11
Don't miss this! It's the best part! May our prayer for each other be that our love would abound more and more - when these little testers of our character bring us to the end of ourselves, when we feel like we don't have anything left to give, may that be the place where the love of God supernaturally steps in. May we be able to discern what is BEST - not always what's popular or trending or what every other mother is posting and doing but what the Lord reveals is best for each of us individually, for our families, for each child alone. May we be filled with the fruit of the Spirit - oh boy, this is where I drastically fall short. The promise here is that it comes through Jesus Christ! It doesn't have to come from me because on my own I will fail every time. And this, all this, is to the glory and praise of God. Yes, EVEN THIS.
So don't lose heart, today, mama. I'm with you in the trenches but more importantly, I'm standing with you in the gap. We're coming off a 4 day holiday weekend and facing possible snow days so I know we may be close to losing our minds and our cool but we've got the ability to call on strength that's not our own even at the point of our own inabilities.
Today you lack NOTHING. Every good and perfect gift from above is yours to claim. So this is my prayer for you, mama.
So, thank you! Thank you for being honest and transparent in your struggles of this failed pursuit of perfection and the feelings of unworthiness that surround us all at the end of weary days of potty training, wiping noses, and correcting behaviors. Thank you for being willing to stand with me in the gap, to remind me this is but a fleeting season (that one day we will surely miss!), and for holding me accountable in seeking godliness as we seek to model Christlike behavior to the children He's entrusted us with. Today's post is just for us.
"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:3-6 (bold emphasis mine)
Mamas, don't miss this! As surely as there is an ever-present enemy lurking around seeking whom he may devour, so is the power of the conquering Savior available to us who believe and call upon HIM! With reassurance of faith, I thank God for you. I pray with joy over you because we are PARTNERS in this journey together. We are in the trenches together. We are doing this thing called motherhood together - we aren't alone. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Here's the best part - while He's called us to this place, this journey, we can be certain He's going to complete the work He's begun. He won't leave us stranded midway through the sleepless nights, the snotty noses, the defiant behaviors. He's right there with us through it all working it out for not just our good but for the good of these little ones He's entrusted us with. He didn't just plan each of our days, He planned theirs too. And while some of those days stretch well into the long nights of sleeplessness and weariness, He's right there too.
I love this...
"It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me." vs. 7
Our present chains may not be literal. They may take a very different form while bound at home with little ones but we are doing the work He's called us to. We are drudging through the days of disasters and diapers and for this reason, I keep you close in my heart.
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God." verses 9-11
Don't miss this! It's the best part! May our prayer for each other be that our love would abound more and more - when these little testers of our character bring us to the end of ourselves, when we feel like we don't have anything left to give, may that be the place where the love of God supernaturally steps in. May we be able to discern what is BEST - not always what's popular or trending or what every other mother is posting and doing but what the Lord reveals is best for each of us individually, for our families, for each child alone. May we be filled with the fruit of the Spirit - oh boy, this is where I drastically fall short. The promise here is that it comes through Jesus Christ! It doesn't have to come from me because on my own I will fail every time. And this, all this, is to the glory and praise of God. Yes, EVEN THIS.
So don't lose heart, today, mama. I'm with you in the trenches but more importantly, I'm standing with you in the gap. We're coming off a 4 day holiday weekend and facing possible snow days so I know we may be close to losing our minds and our cool but we've got the ability to call on strength that's not our own even at the point of our own inabilities.
Today you lack NOTHING. Every good and perfect gift from above is yours to claim. So this is my prayer for you, mama.
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