Category: Motherhood

Motherhood

Walking By Faith

momsenseblogs

image.png

BY: Betty Predmore

There are some moments in life that are just so sweet they bring you to tears. I had the joy of experiencing one such moment about a week ago with my eldest daughter.

There we were again….another appointment with the eye specialist. My poor daughter’s vision had diminished so much at this point, that she was lucky to read the top letter in the eye chart. (That is 20/400 vision for those that might not know.). But this visit held hope. A contact in the eye was supposed to restore some of the lost vision brought on by Grave’s Disease which resulted in keratoconus. So there we were, getting fitted for the contact which would go in the right eye, and getting the cornea transplant scheduled for the left eye.

The doctors did many tests that day. Then a specialist came in, put some drops in my girl’s eye, and inserted a contact. Another check of the eye chart and she got all the way to 20/50‼! She asked my daughter to wait in the waiting area for about 15 minutes to let the contact settle in. I followed her to the waiting area and sat down beside her. I saw her dabbing at her eyes, even the one that hasn’t been touched. Concerned, I asked her if her other eye was irritated. She turned towards me and I saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. “No, mom,” she answered, “I’m just crying because I can see your face.”

My heart broke for this sweet child who has been missing so much. My heart rejoiced that she could actually make out my face. And my hope soared that finally, FINALLY, this beloved daughter of mine would have her vision restored. I held her in a warm embrace as her tears flowed and I thanked God for walking alongside my daughter throughout this ordeal. Just like we are promised, He never leaves us. He walks through our fires with us, sometimes ahead of us, forging our trail, and sometimes beside us, carrying us when we cannot stand.

I have spent many hours in hospitals and doctors offices over the past couple of years. There are times I have felt exasperated, frustrated, and downright mad. But none of that compares to the simple, pure, and beautiful joy of those precious moments that are gifts from our Father. Those struggles don’t hold a candle to the happy tears of a child….tears of hope, tears of excitement, tears of wonder.

Thank you God that you are ALWAYS there. Thank you that you choose the unexpected moments to bless our socks off. Thank you that You provide healing, even when we feel hopeless. Thank you for loving my daughter even more than I do. And thank you for giving her faith, even when she could not see.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Motherhood

AMother’s Prayer

momsenseblogs

image

By:  Bethany L. Douglas
I sat in church yesterday, not my own home church, but one about 15 minutes away from our town. I was there to pray with and for a fellow family with a Down syndrome baby. We had never met before yesterday, except online through our local Ds chapter, but I had felt the pull to join this sweet family this day and lock-step in prayer over their baby.

Little Stella is only 7 months younger than Anna and is scheduled for heart surgery this coming Friday. We have been blessed in that Anna only had minor heart issues, which God healed over time, and she hasn’t had to go through any major surgeries or procedures. And yet, my momma-heart very much feels for those with little ones that do have to endure these medical procedures. I can imagine only too well the fear, anxiety, and worry that permeates for many of their days. For this reason I wanted to reach out in a very small way and join them before our Great Father.

At the end of the worship time, the leader led a beautiful rendition of Great Is Thy Faithfulness which commenced in the congregation singing Jesus Loves Me in acapella. It was the most powerful time I’ve ever experienced with this song. I think the difference was the position of me, the singer. For the hundreds of times (perhaps thousands?) that I’ve sung this song… from my own childhood to now over my children… I’ve always remained singing it as a child (of God) would. Yesterday for some reason, I sang it as a mother. It was gut-wrenchingly raw and honest for me; as a mother of a special needs baby, joining another mother with a baby getting ready to have major surgery… well, this song transformed into a prayer. A mother’s prayer of acknowledgment and hope, fear and faith.

Man these sweet words hit me so hard. I was a sobbing mess by the end and I literally couldn’t finish singing. (I’m sure those around me thought something was seriously wrong with the stranger holding the baby blubbering to Jesus Loves me in their midst.) “Little ones to HIM belong, (though) they are weak, BUT HE IS STRONG!” Wow. What a simple but powerful message for parents. We only get the honor of shepherding them for a time. Our children are not our own, they are His. They were His long before we ever got custody, and they will be His long after we are gone. We need to not only accept this fact, but rest and find peace in it! And let us take it a step further- we can REJOICE in it!

When our children are weak- weak eyes, weak limbs, weak ears, weak tummies, weak hearts… then He is strong for them. What a comforting thought. Many of our most extra precious children’s bodies are ‘weak’ in multiple ways. Their bodies do not work as strongly as they should… but in that God’s work is being done and He is being glorified in those weak areas even now. Praise the Lord.

For more from Bethany, visit her website http://www.helicoptermom.org

image.png

Motherhood

This Is the Day

momsenseblogs

image.png

By: Betty Predmore

Happy Saturday Mamas!!!! I pray you take this opportunity to cuddle with your little ones, call your older ones, spend some quality time with those the Lord has given you, and make memories full of love and laughter. This is the day the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it! These are the people the Lord has gifted you with. Rejoice and enjoy them!

Motherhood

“She’s a Personality”

momsenseblogs

Lauren Moye

By: Lauren C. Moye

“ Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are!” 1 John 3:1 (HCSB)

My one-year-old daughter wins the heart of anybody she chooses. She’s an entertainer and notices almost everything around her. So if somebody looks at her, even from a distance, the act is on. She’s all wide smiles, fake sneezes, and high-fives. Because of this, I’ve gotten used to responding to compliments with, “She’s definitely a personality.”

People outside only see her best points. They don’t know the more frustrating things about her personality. She is equal parts sunshine and thunderstorms. Sometimes she has meltdowns over being set down, only to get even more upset when she’s picked back up to be soothed.

Just yesterday, I stepped out of the room for a minute to straighten up the kitchen after breakfast. I wasn’t aware that my husband had left an opened pack of sunflower seeds, the shells still on, out. A week ago, it would have been safe from her reach. As it was, when I came back into the room, she had dumped all the contents out in front of her. Since my child is prone to shoving an entire fistful of food into her mouth, I already knew what was coming. She did, too.

Muffled grunts came from her mouth as I walked towards her. She stood up and tried to run. I caught her and sat her on my lap. She wiggled away from me. This time, she was smarter about it. She waited until the last second to duck away from my arm. This time, instead of trying to go gently for her stomach to lift her into my lap, I caught her arm. More muffled wails emitted from her mouth. I pulled her back into my lap and held her securely with one arm. It took almost eight minutes before I successfully wrangled the last of the seeds from her mouth. The whole time, she fought me by twisting her head away, clamping her jaws shut, and blocking my progress with her tongue. She fought me with everything she had over shelled sunflower seeds. And the whole time she fought me, she screamed and sobbed like I was torturing her.

I think when we talk about being God’s children, we’re guilty of imagining the sweet children happily clustered around Jesus. The truth is, parenting is about more than the joyous moments. There’s tears, late nights followed by early mornings, and discipline. There’s rescuing your child from danger – both physical and spiritual – only to be thanked by tears, screams, and hurtful words.

1 John 3:1 tells us that we truly are God’s children. When we look at God’s love, we find He has the love of a parent. I don’t know about you, but I imagine that when God looks at me, He sometimes says, “Yep, that Lauren is definitely a personality.”

Motherhood

Before There Were Car Seats

momsenseblogs

image.png

By:  Diana Manley Rockwell

Before car seats were mandatory, were traveling home from visiting family and Dale was standing in the back seat. He was four years old and he was talking about what he learned in Sunday school the day before. Dale said, “Did you know that Dod (God) made the earth?” I told him that I did, and then I asked him, “What’s your favorite thing that God made?”
Reading Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” According to the Charles Ryrie Study Bible, “In the beginning, is not of eternity but of creation or the world as described.” God’s name here is Elohim, a generic term used to deity as well as the proper name for the true God. Elohim means Strong God, mighty leader, supreme Deity.
God’s creativeness was about to be unleashed. He created light, day and night, evening and morning, land and seas, sun and moon, animals, and Adam and Eve. Joel Osteen says, “God created the world and the first thing he made was light. The sun and moon was not created until day four. He made light so that we would have light without a source. We only need one source, which is God.” When we keep God in first place, our light source is God. In Matthew 6:33, we are directed to seek God first. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Everything God made was good. God is good all the time and all the time God is good. God’s light shines into our life. What is this penetrating shining in your life? Have you been struggling with procrastination? Struggling with health issues? Struggling with a child with autism? Struggling within your marriage? God is the only source to handle your problems. Where there is helplessness we will find hope. Where there is stress we will find peace. Where there is hate we will find love. God said, “God saw all that he had made and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.”
As we arrived home, Dale said, “Mommy, I love Dod, (God) because he made strawberries!”
Beloved, God is good and he is the perfect light source to shine within our problems and concerns. He gives us blessings,such as strawberries, and mercy, peace, grace, forgiveness and his son who gave his life so we could have eternal life.
Daily Challenge: Listen to I Know My Redeemer Lives by Nicole Nordeman and write a thank you letter for your favorite things.

Motherhood

The Good, Bad, & Ugly of Raising a Strong Willed Child

momsenseblogs

image.png

By:  Audrey Huck
Here we were again; another day of seemingly constant battles. Feeling desperate, I glance at the clock. 9:00 am. Only nine in the morning and already we’ve had three knock out battles. Only nine in the morning and I’ve already begun crying, dreading another day of seemingly constant tantrums and battles of wills. Only nine in the morning and my regular mantra of “Lord, help!” has escaped my lips more times than I can count.
When I first became a parent, I naively felt like I had things pretty much under control. After all, as one of nine children and having spent years of babysitting, nannying, and finally educating children I had received a wellspring of hands on experience in the duties of caring for, teaching, and disciplining children. Motherhood felt like a natural fit as I saw the fruition of my greatest dreams come true. In fact, as my husband and I prepared to leave the hospital with our newborn daughter the nurse commented that we were two of the most comfortable first time parents she had ever seen.
And even though there were struggles during that first 18 months, most especially with juggling the challenges of motherhood while working full time, that confidence largely continued. My daughter was an easy baby. She was rarely fussy, began conversing with us early on, and actually asked to be put to sleep when she was ready for nap-time or bedtime. I don’t mean to imply that she was/is perfect, but I understood how to guide and discipline her, rarely feeling I was “in over my head.”
And then 18 months and a few weeks later we were blessed with our precious son. Each child is completely unique and it became apparent early on that he would be radically different from his sister. Almost instantly our little man showed signs of his great determination. He could break out of a swaddle (no matter how tight) by the time he was three weeks old; he rolled over for the first time at 2 months, and was walking at 9 1/2 months old. He remains a bundle of passion and energy, wholeheartedly entering into every emotion he feels and occupation he undertakes. This means he can be the greatest of lovers, the most delightful bundle of giggles and fun, or (more frequently then not) an unmovable force of anger and frustration when things don’t go his way. His little body is literally overcome by his emotions, having to be expressed outwardly in some way what he feels inside. When he’s happy, he is continuously hugging and kissing you, and when he is angry or frustrated he has to strike out at someone or something—even if it’s himself.
Though not even two years old, our son lives by one philosophy: If I try hard enough, it will happen. I’ve seen this time and time again. A few weeks ago he continued to try to climb up the slide for nearly twenty minutes until he eventually succeeded. If someone closes a door on him, he will continue to run into it, like a battering ram, until it either opens or he is physically removed. When put in timeout, he throws out his arms and says, “Why?!” And much to his mother’s horror, we’ve already had to transition him into a big boy bed to prevent him from breaking his neck while climbing up and throwing himself down from the crib. He has no fear; nothing holds him back from achieving his goals.
For me as a parent, this is both awe-inspiring and terrifying all at the same time. I remind myself over and over again that his determination, strength of character, and passion will all be tools that will enable him to succeed in adulthood; that if I can teach him to channel his intensity, rather than trying to stifle it, he will soar; that these are the qualities which characterize great men and women.

image.png
But there-in lies the rub, for it is my job to help him positively express these emotions and qualities; to help him positively channel his emotions. How can I get through to him when his anger engulfs him? How can I communicate more effectively with him, helping him understand the ‘why’ behind the consequence or decision? How can I prevent my own temper from flaring when I feel overwhelmed and grow tired of the fight? In those moments when I desperately want him to just comply, rather than question and struggle.
Perhaps the hardest thing of all about having a strong willed child is what it reveals about us, the parent. Nothing brings out your own hidden vices like a child, especially a strong willed one. There is no room for selfishness, pride, and impatience when raising children; no place to hide our secret vanities. They inevitably come out when we are tired and emotions are flying high. And our children learn far more from these outbursts and ways of dealing with stress than anything else we tell them.
And though I’ve jokingly said, “He’s either going to break or make me,” there is truth to this statement. Raising a strong willed child brings you to your knees like nothing else. In those moments when I feel at an utter loss, or worse those moments when I fail, I go to my Heavenly Father begging for his grace and wisdom. And in the process, I’m forced to battle with my own demons which prevent me from loving and disciplining my child the way he needs and deserves.

image.png
Raising children whatever their natural disposition isn’t easy. We are all works in progress and–because of our fallen nature–we are all born with certain inclinations toward sin. Maybe it’s more obvious in your strong willed little one, but it is there in us all. And truth be told, though I have my moments of feeling defeated and overwhelmed, I wouldn’t have my headstrong boy any other way because then he wouldn’t be my boy. And though tempers can get ugly, and we have our bad days, the good far outweighs the bad. We’re helping each other get to heaven, and that’s what it’s all about.

Motherhood

Rainbows

momsenseblogs

image

By:  Sherry Clair

We were in the car driving home from one of our many activities. The children were sitting contentedly in the backseat staring out the windows.

“Mom, we need to pray!” my oldest, Abi, shouted from her seat. I glanced in the review mirror at her.

“Okay,” I said cautiously, “what are we praying for?”

“We need to pray that those bad clouds over there are chased away by the good clouds over there,” she responded gesturing out the window. I looked at where she was pointing and realized that there were storm clouds moving in. I half listened, nodding in agreement, as she sent up a prayer for ‘no storms and for only good weather’.

We made it home just before the rain hit. Abi and I stood in the garage looking up at the sky. It was full of dark grey fast moving clouds. Every few minutes lightening would flash and thunder would growl low and angry.

“Mom, the bad clouds won,” she said with a sad sigh. I smiled at her.

“I know Peanut, but it’s okay. Maybe God knew we needed the rain today”. She chewed on her lip and asked,

“Mommy, why does it storm?”

“Oh,” I said thoughtfully, “well, you know the plants need a drink, and the clouds need emptying, and….” I was trying to think of something brilliant to explain storms when she turned to face me. She stared up at me, right into my eyes.

“No. Mommy, why does it storm?” I felt my stomach due a huge flip flop and I suddenly knew that this was an important moment and that what came out of my mouth next was going to be significant. I licked my lips and drew in a deep breath.

“Because, if it never stormed, we would never have a chance to see rainbows,” I saw her little body relax and she smiled at me.

“Alright,” she said cheerfully and ran into the house. I stood there absolutely still, my heart pounding in my ears. That conversation was no longer just a little chat about the weather. It was a revelation to me from God. It was an answer to a big question that I had posed to Him several weeks before.

You see back in Genesis when the entire world was so wicked and horrible, God asked a man named Noah to build and ark, gather up his family and the animals and climb aboard for a little cruise. Once they were safe inside God caused it to rain for 40 days and 40 nights flooding the entire earth. When that was done He placed a rainbow in the sky saying, I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Gen. 9:13

The rainbow was a sign of Gods covenant that he would never flood the earth again, it became a symbol of God’s promise. Now, the amazing thing about God is that He will never break a promise. Ever. Psalm 89:34 says, I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered. If the Lord says it, it will be. If that isn’t convincing enough, what about 2nd Corinthians 1:20, for all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. He cannot and will not break a promise, not just the one that He made with Noah, but all the promises in the bible.

Now, there are a lot of promises in the bible. ALOT. But what isn’t promised to us is that there won’t be storms or trials in our lives. Just like Noah and is family, we are going to encounter storms. We are going to face trials. Sometimes you will be able see the clouds in the distance and prepare for what’s coming and some will take you by surprise. Some may be only a sprinkle but some will bring hurricane force winds and shake you down to your very foundation. They are going to come, the bible warns us in 1st Peter 4:12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. And then again in John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.

We will have storms; we will have trials, but with those storms comes an opportunity to see rainbows! Those true and never failing promises to you from your Lord and Savior. What are some of those promises?

He will be your shelter and protection…

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust! Psalm 91:1-2

He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. Psalm 91:4

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:2

He will fight for you…

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:19

The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm. Exodus 14:14

No evil will befall you, Nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, That you do not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:10-13

He never leave you or forsake you…

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged Deuteronomy 31:8

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

He will give you strength and rest…

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:29-31

But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christs power may rest on me. 2nd Corinthians 12:9

He will give you victory…

Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation. Psalm 91:14-16

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. Romans 8:37-39

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1st Corinthians 15:57

I know that some of you might be thinking, ‘Sure, Sherry, these things are all great and stuff, but it’s a lot harder quoting scriptures and trusting God when you’re actually in the middle of a storm.’ I get it, I really really do. Remember back to the moment with Abi in the garage. I said that I knew the answer I had given her had been an answer to a question that I had asked? It was a question that I had been asking for several months. I had asked God why? Why did were we walking through, what I felt, was one of the biggest storms in my life.

In June, I had a miscarriage. We wanted that baby; we were elated to be pregnant again and had felt it was an answer to prayer. A prayer that I had been praying for almost three years. So you can imagine the heartbreak and confusion that came after the emergency room doctor told me that I was pregnant. It wasn’t just a little sprinkle, it was a hurricane. Fear, confusion, anger and grief; all of those swirled around throughout this storm. It was wind so strong and devastating that I risked being torn down to the very bare bones of what I was made of. The thunder and lightning of it got so bad that I cried out in desperation, why dear Lord, why, did this have to happen!

And then it was calmer. It still rained and sometimes the wind would pick back up, but I held firm that solid rock foundation of the Lord and I waited. Praying for an answer. Finally it came, in the form of a question from a little girl, who was just as unhappy about a real storm as her mama was about her spiritual one. Because if it never stormed, we would never have a chance to see rainbows.

I don’t know what is going on in your life right now. Maybe it’s all sunshiny and clear, or maybe you’ve got a sprinkle, or some gale force winds. Whatever it may be the promises of God will always remain and be true and infallible. Hold on to them and remember to cling tight to The Lord, because he will get you through, the skies will part and you will see rainbows.

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27

Motherhood

You Go Left and I’ll Go Right

momsenseblogs

image.png

By: Diana Manley Rockwell

Read Genesis 13: 6-9
For a while we fostered my cousin’s son Aaron who was a year younger than my son Dale. The antics that they would get into often riddled my brain and tested my patience. One day Dale and Aaron came running into the kitchen and Dale had a bb lodged into his hand between his index finger and his long finger. I questioned how this happened and off to the Emergency Room we went. We explained to the doctor the story about the ricochet of the bb.
We read in Genesis 13 about a time when an uncle and nephew lived together. Abraham had left Egypt and returned to Negev. He was very rich, loaded with cattle, silver and gold. He then moved on from Negev to Bethel and while camping at Bethel, Abram prayed to God for a solution, as there was much fighting among his nephew and the cousins. Lot was also traveling with Abraham and he had many sheep and cattle. The problem was the land couldn’t support both of them, so there were fights among everyone.
Many fights were breaking out. Have you experienced fighting in your family? We just recently lost my mother-in-law and there were some tense times when it came to settling the estate. Perhaps, you are at odds with your family now. How can you come to a peaceful solution?
Abraham said to Lot, “Let’s not fight, if you go left, I’ll go right.” Lot looked and saw the whole plain of the Jordan as we read in Genesis 13:10-11 and he made the decision to take this portion of land because it was well watered like the Garden of Eden.
Abraham separated from Lot. Abraham went to Canaan and Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom.
Beloved, sometimes it is not as easy as this and so we find ourselves in our prayer closet crying out to God for his mercy and grace. Perhaps you have received the short end of the stick. Even so, we have to walk in forgiveness. Walking in forgiveness doesn’t mean reconciliation. Abraham and Lot made the choice to reconcile. It takes two to reconcile. Forgiveness is between you and God and is commanded by God. Reconciliation may occur as a byproduct but it may not occur.
Beloved, the truth finally came out about the bb in Dale’s hand and the truth always wins. Dale willingly held the can for Aaron to shoot at for target practice.
Truth will win, even if there is no monumental pay back from the person that has hurt you. Remember Abraham’s wisdom, “If you go left, I’ll go right.”
Daily Challenge: Listen to Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin

 

Motherhood

What Strong Women Really Look Like

momsenseblogs

bethany-douglas-strong-women

By:  Bethany Douglas

Scrolling through Facebook last night, I came across no less than 3 picture memes that all had to do with supposedly “strong women”. These kinds of sayings have been increasing in number over the last few months- at least across my feed. And it has been equally increasing my alarm when more and more of my dear Christian sisters are reposting them.

I’m talking specifically about pictures like these that show the strongest women are those who no one knows what they’re going through, they are suffering in silence, they are fighting battles behind closed doors.

I admit, I have probably fallen prey to ‘liking’ or reposting these type of quotes in the distant past. But I am convicted that we are forwarding a fallacy… a lie of the devil.

A very clever, very understated lie- one that subtlety flatters our pride and aims to keep us sequestered from each other.

Oh my sisters! This is simply and unequivocally a lie straight from hell.

But it is a celebrated notion that we perpetuate!

Please stay with me here and let’s think this through.

First off, WHY on God’s green earth is it ever a good idea to suffer in silence? WHO among us wants to do that or enjoys it? It’s such a bizarre concept when you think about it!

WHAT is the advantage of being behind closed doors, by yourself, battling attacks alone? Have you ever heard of a single-person war? It makes no sense! More often than not, if we want to argue from the ‘battle/war’ standpoint… the army with the most people, the most practice, the latest weaponry… wins. I will put myself out there and venture that not a single battle has EVER been won by one person against many.

And yet, these quotes somehow seem to honor the women who do that.  Their very existence is an online shout-out for those who supposedly are waging behind-the-scenes war.

(Which, as an aside, I GREATLY suspect that no one actually is alone. Unless there’s someone in a far corner of the earth, void of human existence waging some battle, I seriously doubt there’s actually anyone by themselves. And at that point, they have purposefully and intentionally sequestered themselves from help and support.)

But I digress…

We women like the idea that we are invincible, able to do it all, need no one’s help- you know, the whole “I am woman hear me roar” mentality? We like these quotes that we pass along as a subtle (read: passive aggressive or helpless martyr?) message to others… “Yes, I am one of these women… I am fighting the good fight behind closed doors and in back alleys, all by myself, all alone… without a word of encouragement or support. I am strong. I am able. I am capable of doing this on my own! You have no idea what I’m going through and what I’ve done.” You get the idea…

Wow! Do you hear the pride there? Do you see the hypocrisy?

Do you recognize the scheming of the Devil in this idea?

There are 2 main issues here I want us to look at –

The first is this prideful idea that we can do it all. That we are enough.  Or at least we desperately try to convince ourselves of this. And yet scripture tells us over and over again that we can’t (and aren’t meant to!) be the end-all-be-all when things get rough. We are fallible, lacking, weak-  in short, HUMAN. And that’s OKAY! Read that again…. It is okay to be ‘not enough’. In fact, we are wasting our energy if we even try, because we will never be. It is simply not an attainable thing. We’re treading dangerously into God-held territory to think we are able.

The second is the idea that we are going through things and under attacks that no one else has ever gone through and no one can possibly understand our unique situations. Therefore we must fight it along, because “no one will understand.” Wrong again dear one! If there is anything I’ve learned through the school of hard knocks (i.e. my sin and some major warfare I’ve been a part of over the years), it is that Satan loves to try to convince us that we are unique in our sin, in our hard circumstances, in the battles waging around us. This is simply NOT true! He may be fantastic at lying, but I’ve found he’s a bit lacking in creativity. The devil is all quality and no quantity. He uses the same lies over and over again.  But they are super effective and we fall for the same ones time and time again. This lie is one of those- we’re unique in our situation… Satan THRIVES in our isolation! He will do all he can to separate us from the Body of Christ, from church, from our friends, our small group, our personal quiet times.

The following is an excerpt from my upcoming book Helicopter Mom that I want to share with you. This is not intended to plug this book necessarily, but this particular section directly addresses what we’re talking about today. Clearly it is a message that God wants me to start bringing since these words were written 2 years ago now.

The chapter’s subject is about emergencies- both in the helicopter (for those that haven’t read my bio yet, which I’m very sure you all have J, I’m a flight nurse by vocation…) and in real life woman-hood.

 

Helicopter Mom

GET ON THE RADIO!

SOS, 7700, Mayday Mayday

The very last step in this whole emergency is to yell it out loud and clear. We need help and we need it stat, asap, 15 minutes ago, and right now! In helo operations, we get on the radio and start communicating with everyone. And I mean EV.VER.RY.ONE! We contact our dispatch, the aviation company dispatch, the nearest small airport frequency, the nearest big airport frequency, the nearest airport control tower, and even a general air-to-air mayday call. We bring in the cavalry!

You get the idea. We need help and we need everyone to know about it. There is no humiliation, no pride, no hesitation, no embarrassment, no stubbornness involved. We. Need. Help! We need the experts, we need air control, we need ground control, we need anybody and everybody who could possibly help us and we need them now. We need to give out as much pertinent information as possible to those who need it, as soon as possible.

Which, from a spiritual standpoint, is exactly the opposite of what Satan would like us to do. He likes to keep things in the dark, remember? He wants to keep secret fights, battles, scenarios that need spiritual reinforcements. And he will do whatever he needs to convince us that we do not need help and should not reach out. He thrives on our isolation.

So why the hesitation when we Christians face hard times? I don’t get it! This principle should apply to us in every emergency situation, should it not? The enemy will throw a million excuses at us, of every shape, color, and size, just to see what sticks: People won’t understand, they won’t care, we’re too busy, and it is too stressful to find the time to ask; the situation is too scary, too shameful, too embarrassing, too complicated. She will judge me. If I tell him this then he’ll wonder about that. They are too busy to listen to me. The church has bigger, more important things to worry about. The devil is not picky and will use whatever works, whatever you listen to that puts off calling a full-force SOS.

Too often Christians find themselves in dire straits, choppy waters, or downright F5 tornados (literally and metaphorically); too often Christians falter in asking for help when faced with these emergencies. When emergencies arise, whether it be with our kids, our spouses, our families, a friend, a church, whatever, we need support, backup, expert advice, and prayer. We need everybody who could possibly help us and we need them now. And yet so often we hesitate. We balk at giving out too much information, we stubbornly refuse help, we color at the potential shame of admitting that we even need help. Our pride will get us killed!

We moms are the worst! We have no problem anonymously trolling Internet sites about issues or seeking help, but when it comes to face-to-face interactions with others to ask for help, grieve, or get advice, we hesitate, we balk, we avoid. Especially during those dark days. Not good, gals. If we are needing emergency help, then we need emergency help, we need it now, and we cannot get it without telling others what is going on.

If you find yourself in the middle of that thing, you need help and you need it now. Call everyone you know who will pray for you, proclaim a 7700 from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, your blog, your moms groups, your church, your friends, your family. Post it on flyers around town, if necessary. Get people on board, get them praying, get the help you need as soon as you need it. Do not be brave, do not be stubborn, do not be prideful. Be honest, be precise, be concise, be open, and let it all be known.

I have witnessed our battle’s devastation, bewilderment, and loss all too often. I would not wish that on anybody under any circumstances. But it happens, friends—not often, but too often. And I want us prepared for it if it does. I want us to be solidly rooted in Christ alone. I want God set as a firm foundation in our lives—starting right now, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, fully trained up, armored up, prayed up, and ears and eyes looking up—so that no time or energy is lost when those lights and alarms start blinking.

 

I hope my heart touches yours today. I am so alarmed by this culture of isolating ourselves- the very opposite of what we need to be doing… especially if we’re in the middle of a war. If you find yourself in this situation, I pray you reach out and call in reinforcements. If you are in a period of rest in your life, I pray you are keenly looking for opportunities to come alongside and be those reinforcements for your fellow sisters.

 

We are all in this life together and God has given us each other to be His hands and feet for each other- don’t miss out on the tremendous blessing that our Christian sisterhood is!

Start propagating TRUTH dear one!

Motherhood

Hodgepodge of Hearts

momsenseblogs

image.jpeg

By: Betty Predmore

Today is a sweet and special day in our family..a day of celebration. Today we count our blessings as we remember how special the last seven years have been for all of us. This is an anniversary of sorts. Seven years ago today, two little boys….one 6 years and one day old and the other two and a half….walked into the door of our home and became ours. (Their baby sister came 6 weeks later). I till remember waiting, looking out the window and watching for the social worker to pull up with these two little boys who were brothers but had not been able to live together. They finally arrived and we were so excited. In walks these two little guys, not looking at all like we had imagined, and they took over our house and our hearts. They added to our beautifully blended (his three and my four) family in just the perfect way. They were, along with their baby sister, the finishing touch on our big brood of siblings and they have definitely made our lives and our hearts complete.

What a joy it is to be their mama. What a gift it is to teach them about Jesus and watch their love for Him grow. What a blessing it is to be loved by these little people who went without love for so long. What an honor to provide the security and structure that they so desperately needed. What a treasure to be a part of this hodpodge of hearts that makes up this family.

Today I celebrate with joy and gratitude. Today I say “Thank You Jesus” for this undeserved gift. Today I watch in joy as my children love and celebrate each other. Today I am reminded that “family” doesn’t always mean bloodlines. Sometimes it is the heart lines, the ties that bind us together through love, respect, and a commitment to each other. “ Nurture” trumps “nature” in this house….this house that God built and this family that He put together.