God's Song

Who Will Be My Mother?

Who will be my mother?

Watching children grow up in today’s world can be a frightening thing.  The addictions, crime, war, disease, divorce, abuse, stress, depression, anxiety, poverty, bad advice and sexual indecencies our children are exposed to from an early age should bring sadness to our souls. 

So who will be the real mothers? The ones who will guard their hearts, hold their hands, set the example, protect their minds? Who will be the mothers who prioritize their spiritual lives, stand for purity, sacrifice their own desires and build foundations built on absolute truths? Who will be the real mothers who contradict culture, who will say “enough is enough”, who pray, who read the Word of God and teach what it says? Who will be those mothers? Who will be the mother that teaches young men it’s more important to love others than his selfish desires and to her daughters teaches real beauty comes from within. WHO WILL BE THAT MOTHER?

You see, the world is full of women who can give birth to beautiful babies. The miracle of new life, so fresh from heaven is breathtaking… But it is duplicated thousands of times a day in hospitals, homes and birthing centers. The ability to give birth is not unique to you or me…or the next woman.

But what is unique is the ability to be a spiritual mom to this generation of searching young people. This ability to rise up, hold this generation up in prayer, in presence and in the power of Jesus, declare that you will be that mother…the advocate, the protector, the hope-giver, the prayer warrior, the foundation builder, the truth seeker, the loving example of a strong, determined, enemy fighting warrior for our future generations.

And that, my friend, has nothing to do with your biological clock, your empty nest, your childless womb, or your empty arms. 

It has to do with your heart. Your mother heart…that God has given you. Whether you’ve birthed children, adopted children, buried children, fostered children or have a barren womb…you can be a spiritual mother. 

And I wonder, in this world today, if that’s not what we really need more than anything. Will you be the one…the one who loves beyond the womb? Will you be that mother?

Summary- Reclaiming Everyday

Here's what we've been talking about over on facebook the last few days. 

I'd love to have you join me over at RECLAIMING EVERYDAY

You're Invited

Sometimes God calls us to do things we feel unqualified to do. In fact, in my life, that seems to be the norm. I’ve never felt exceptionally qualified to do much of what He leads me to, and honestly, that has probably been a good thing. Pride can rear its ugly head when we begin thinking we can handle everything on our own.

For quite a long time I have felt God preparing the way for me to share the stories He has written on my heart. The stories of how He’s reclaimed the broken pieces and helped me reclaim the things the enemy meant for harm. So this is the official beginning of just laying it all out there. It’s my step of obedience toward Him, and whatever, however, He blesses is in His hands. 

Some of you have been reading my blog and other devotional writings for over 10 years. I can’t even begin to thank you for your loyalty and for your encouragement. Writing has been an outlet for me to write about all the things in life that are important to me…family, ministry, missions and hobbies. I’ve blogged about them all and more! As I transition to this author Facebook page, I ask that you continue to follow and comment and share as much as you feel led. It is enormously uncomfortable for me to ask you to help promote me….so that’s not what I am asking for…I am asking that you promote the message of Jesus Christ. If something I write speaks to you or you know someone who could benefit from hearing it, please share the message. That’s how lives are reclaimed. 

I’ve been working with a writing coach the past few months. We have plans in the works for all sorts of things, including some book ideas, which of course, falls somewhere between exciting and mortifying for me…but again, I am walking in obedience to whatever the Lord wants. 

So, real quick….like and follow this page if you want to keep in touch. Share the page with others who might be interested and come back often for encouragement and to say hello! Thanks for joining me!

Wordless Wednesday

Lost and Found

Have you ever lost something, and after days of looking for it, just gave up? Maybe it wasn't important or maybe it was so important that you ended up having to replace it immediately. Either way it is so frustrating...the wasted time, energy and money. And maybe what's even more frustrating is that sometimes much later, we find what we were missing. The lost is finally found. It's been right there all the time, and yet we missed it. While there's the excitement over finding the lost object, there's regret that we didn't find it sooner.

I find myself spiritually contemplating this same concept. I lose momentum in my walk with the Lord. I lose joy in serving Him. I treat someone carelessly. I speak out of anger or jealousy or frustration. I lose my testimony. I lose my joy. I lose the compassion that has been so freely given. And one day, I wake up and realize I am not the person I intended to be; I'm not who God intended me to be. I've lost myself in the rubbish of the world.  It's frustrating, the wasted time, energy and yes, even money.

And like the lost item, it's even more aggravating to see how easy it would have been to reclaim those lost things. God's redeeming mercy is new each and every day.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) …” Ephesians 2:4-5.

But God....oh how thankful I am for those two words...He's always in the redeeming business. Redeeming each day that I mess up. Redeeming each moment that I waste. Redeeming relationships that I've ruined. Redeeming my marriage, family, job, health....

Because of His great love for me...He saves me. And He keeps saving me....everyday He's forgiving and drawing me closer to this reclaimed life He has designed for those who call on Him. I am the lost thing, found. I am the prodigal running home. I am the ultimate sinner. And He is loving me, making me more alive in Him, reclaiming me as His own. 

I don't have to live in regret. I don't have to live in guilt. He's covered all that. Now I can walk in new mercy because I have been found. 

Scarred Up

I'm pretty scarred up... real scars from childhood injuries,
2 c-sections, some dermatology scars...
And each scar has a story...
Of how I survived. Each scar is a reminder that although there was pain and hurt there was also a time of recovery...
That in every situation I have healed and that scar is just a reminder of the healing that has taken place.
The same is true spiritually speaking... I have scars, hurts,
Bumps and bruises...
some my own fault and some, honestly, the fault of others. And yet, I'm learning I can pick at the scar and reopen the wound or I can use my story to help others heal too. I've often thought staying quiet about my scars was the key, but I'm realizing more and more that when the time is right to tell your story, God will make a way for you to tell of His healing, his recovery process,
His therapy for your soul... and His glory will be revealed in places and spaces you've never dreamed of. And that makes the scars worth it.