Teach Them To Your Children

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth." - Deuteronomy 11:18-21

I have been so frustrated lately with being a mom . . . I love my children, but I just haven't LIKED them very much.  I think all parents can relate, although they might not ever admit this.  The day in and day out of parenting can really wear you down.  I don't know how parents do it without the love and strength of Jesus behind them, guiding them through His Word in the way they should go.  I know I certainly depend on Him sometimes moment by moment in my parenting challenges and struggles.  I have to keep reminding myself that there is a reason I am teaching my children these things . . . not just to do right because they should and that is what is expected, but because that is what God commands us to do, so that our days, their days will by MANY.  I have to remember that these kids have been entrusted to ME for only a short time, shorter than I even realize now.  I can't give up on teaching them God's words and commands.  It is my main JOB to teach them how to fix these words in their hearts and minds, to talk about them when we sit at home and when we walk along the road, and when we lie down and when we get up . . . ALL THE TIME!  I also should WRITE them in our house to be seen by myself and my kids.  Our church is doing a church-wide study on the basics of being a Christian and walking with the Savior.  One way to do that is by memorizing verses in the Bible.  This is so much harder for me to do as an adult!  Other people who wrote the study must've known this fact, as they gave each person scriptures written out on cards and with a stand up placard to put them in front of us, where we would see them the most to remember them.  It is a discipline I learned as a child, but must relearn and reteach myself to do as an adult.

My prayer is that as I continue to fix God's words in my own heart and mind, that I will be the mother that my children need me to be, so that they can grow in their understanding and knowledge of Him.  I know I am so far from the perfect mother, although I strive to do my best, but I know God forgives me for the many times I mess up, the times I let my frustration with the circumstances get the best of me, the times I say something I shouldn't have said to my kids, the times I don't say something that I should've said, . . . the list goes on.

Thank you, Lord, that You have given me Your Word, the Bible, to teach and instruct me in the way I should go.


"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." - Psalm 32:8

Depending on God Like Never Before

I am depending on God like I never have before. 

I'm at a new phase in my life, with the recent birth of our third child, a child we were not expecting in our own plans (but planned all along by God), my life has taken a different turn than I thought it would.  I am still adjusting to the newness of a new schedule with three children, the balancing act of it all.  Getting one child to school all day, one child to preschool, one child on a routine of feeding and napping and sleeping through the night, and going back to work part time, keeping up with a household and all the chores that entails, working on my relationship with my husband to keep my marriage going strong, prioritizing time to read my Bible and grow as a Christian, fitting in exercise to keep my body and mind in shape, and the list could go on and on and on!  Any other moms out there feel the same way I do with the never ending list?  In my every day lists in my head, on paper, on my calendar reminders on my phone that pop up at me to remind me 30 minutes before a doctor's appointment for someone in the family (otherwise I am afraid I would forget it if the reminder is any earlier than 30 minutes away.  I blame the post-pregnancy brain for my new increasing lack of memory at this time! . . . my complete dependence is on HIM, my SAVIOR, my LORD, my HELPER, my COMFORTER, my FRIEND.  He really does care about the "tiny trust steps" that you take each day in trusting in Him to get you through.  

Do you have a complete dependence on Him?  Do you desire a deeper dependence on Him?  I know I do.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." - Isaiah 26:3-4

TRUST ME

From "Jesus Calling", pg. 380, by Sarah Young

"TRUST ME with every fiber of your being!  What I can accomplish in and through you is proportional to how much you depend on Me.  One aspect of this is the degree to which you trust Me in a crisis or major decision.  Some people fail miserably here, while others are at their best in tough times.  Another aspect is even more telling: the constancy of your trust in Me.  People who rely on Me in the midst of adversity may forget about Me when life is flowing smoothly.  Difficult times can jolt you into awareness of your need for Me, whereas smooth sailing can lull you into the stupor of self-sufficiency.


I care as much about your tiny trust-steps through daily life as about your dramatic leaps of faith.  You may think that no one notices, but the One who is always beside you sees everything-and rejoices.  Consistently trusting in Me is vital to flourishing in My Presence.


Psalm 40:4; Psalm 56:3-4; Psalm 62:8; Isaiah 26:3-4"""""""""

I couldn't have said it any better.  Almost every sentence above stands out to me.  I looked up the verses from which this devotion was based above, and I am so encouraged.  It is very true that sometimes in the "easy" times of our lives, we don't depend on God as much as we should.  It's comforting to know that Jesus does care about our "tiny trust-steps through daily life" just as much as the "dramatic leaps of faith."  What tiny trust-steps am I taking in my life?

Why Start a New Blog?

It's amazing that I've gotten to this first post, as it has taken me nearly 2 hours just to set up the design and format of this new blog!  There is still so much more I want to do, but I figured I better get in a post, which is the whole purpose of a blog in the first place.  I will come back later (hopefully) to work some more with adding the things I want to add on the sidebars, more links, etc.  The other night I found one of my old journals.  I haven't written in a journal since before I had kids, and my oldest is now 7.  Somehow with the art of technology, I lost the art of writing.  I thought about taking it up again, but then after an hour of journaling the "old fashioned" way with pen and paper, my hand really hurt!  I decided I would try using the technology to my advantage and blog.  I have another blog I keep as a history for my family - special events we do, pictures, memories.  But I am starting this blog to journal my journey to a deeper dependence and trust in Jesus, my Lord and Savior.  I hope to share what's on my heart, "pour out your hearts to him" (Psalm 62:8).  It may not always be easy and it may not always be joyful.  But God is there for me and for everyone to depend on no matter what situation they are going through.  I happened to flip through a new devotional book I received for my birthday recently, "Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace in His Presence" by Sarah Young, and found the perfect entry detailing my purpose in starting this new blog.  I will share this entry in my next post.