Tag Archive for: Zion

I’m Raising Future Men not Little Boys

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Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6, AMPC)

I love being a mom of two boys, but at times it’s tough to think that I’m basically working myself out of a job. My job is to help them be strong, independent, brave young men. My goal is to teach them to follow the Lord with all their heart, soul, and strength. I want them to need Jesus more then they need me. I want the Holy Spirit to be their constant companion and I often pray that they will have such a sensitivity to Him that they can’t get away with anything. I won’t be able to go to those future spots they choose to go to. But the Holy Spirit will be in them when they surrender their lives to Jesus. That’s my prayer! They haven’t made that decision yet, but my hope is that they will never know a day without Jesus. I pray daily that God will capture their hearts at an early age and help them understand their need for a Savior. And that God will equip me to see and understand their natural bent in life, so that I can nurture them to use it wisely for God’s Kingdom purpose!

So right now, I embrace their independence. Sure it drives me crazy when I’m trying to get somewhere and they take their sweet little time. But I want them to do it on their own. I want them to learn that they are independent and strong. Sometimes that means slowing down and giving them the time to stretch their muscles. They are still growing and they need patience from me as their mom. They need me to be loving and kind even when we are running late.

In my heart, I try to keep in mind that I am raising future men not little boys. Little boys don’t last forever, but grown men do. Every word I speak to them, to encourage them in who they are and embrace their strengths will equip them for the future God has for them. Every time I slow down to let them stretch their independent muscles, I encourage them to be their own man. It’s so worth it!

I love watching my little four year old Zion. He has had a slumber party at his cousin’s house and his grandparents house. He was so proud of himself and took great effort to let me know that I didn’t even need to walk him to the door. He had this. He was confident and that brought great joy to my heart! I love watching him bloom and become the man God has designed him to be. I think to myself, if he is this independent and confident at four years old, how confident will he be in his 20s, 30s, etc. I embrace the fact that I have the opportunity to raise a strong and independent man. It’s a gift and I’m thankful daily that God gave me this gift to unwrap.

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Please share with me your thoughts on this. How does it feel to be working yourself out of a job? Do you enjoy the growing independence you see in your children? How are you teaching them to make their moments count? I would love to hear your thoughts in a comment below.

Dear Father God, please continue to teach me what it means to raise future men. May I embrace the beauty of the job You have entrusted to me and always look at it as a gift. I pray that my boys will grow up to be strong, independent, and brave men! May they be valiant warriors for Christ! And may I accept with grace what my role looks like in each season with them!

Making the Moments Count,

How to Make Your Moments Count

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So be careful how you act; these are difficult days. Don’t be fools; be wise: make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good. (Ephesians 5:15-16, TLB)

These are difficult days! Now that can be an understatement for moms. LOL! We have many difficult days. Days we wonder what we did to ourselves and how we got here. You are not alone! I’ve been there and I’ve talked to many moms who are right there with us. But here’s the truth of it, these days are going to pass. They will not last forever! Whatever difficult thing you are facing right now, I promise and I guarantee that it has an expiration date!

So what do we do in the meantime. How do we handle the crazy? How do we make the most of these moments that we have with our children? That is something I hope to share with you in the pages of my new book for moms. I invited 20 moms to join me in sharing the number one lesson they would want their children to learn before leaving home. You can hear my heart on this book and how it came together by clicking on the above radio interview.

My prayer is that you will feel equipped to enjoy these days. That you will find joy in the mundane tasks and tackle the day’s difficulties with ease. My prayer is that we will become a community of moms who support one another and speak life to one another. Will you join me in this endeavor? Please share in a comment below how you are making the moments count in your home. I would love to hear what tricks work for you and your family. Let’s learn from each other and embrace this beautiful season of motherhood!

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Buy my new book Make Your Moments Count to get geared up for the task at hand. It will encourage you. You will laugh with these moms, you will cry, and you will find the joy of being a mom once again. If you have already read the book, please consider leaving a review for it. I will send you a coupon code for a future purchase in the store when I receive your review!

Lord, I pray that every mom who reads this book will feel encouraged and embrace the joy of motherhood. May we find Your grace to be big enough for the tough days that we face and more than anything may we point our children to Jesus!

Making the Moments Count,

I’m Not a Perfect Mom and that’s Perfectly Okay

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But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, AMPC)

Daily, I come to grips with the fact that I’m not a perfect mom. I never have been and I never will be. That title died the moment my children were born. I make mistakes all day long. I say the wrong thing, respond in the wrong way, and neglect to use my time wisely. But here’s the thing… God has not called me to be a perfect mom. He has called me to depend on Him with every breath I take and with every day I live. He wants my dependence to be on His perfection. His power is truly made perfect in my weakness and in that I can rejoice. I don’t have to be a perfect mom. I don’t have to have it all together. I know the One who is perfect and I can point my children to Him. Yes, I’ll never be a perfect mom, but I am the perfect mom for my children and so are you.

So as I accept that I’m not the perfect mom, I can laugh at my failures and learn from them. I can look throughout my day and rejoice that God had mercy on me. I’m thankful for the continual grace that my children show me. More than anything I’m thankful that through my weakness, His power is made perfect!

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15 Ways to Discover Joy in Motherhood of Toddlers

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You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11, AMPC)

I’m learning there are several ways to enjoy motherhood. Yes, it can be a daunting task at times. But often if I change my mindset and look for ways to enjoy it… I discover that there is joy in motherhood. More joy than I can possibly comprehend. I want to share some of the things that have brought joy to this journey for me. I pray that you will discover the joy that the Lord has for you as you embrace this adventure called motherhood.

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Having Fun Grocery Shopping with Kids

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You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy. (Psalm 30:11)

It’s time to remove the sackcloth and start dancing with joy at the grocery store.

I use to dread taking the kids to the grocery store. I thought it would be torturous to bring 2 kids under 3 into that kind of atmosphere. Who knows what they would do? Would they choose this moment to go crazy? I had the scenarios played out in my mind and I was making it much more complicated than it needed to be. I’ve found ways to make it fun. Ways to enjoy grocery shopping with my kids. In fact, I now look at it as enjoyable to bring them because it gives me an opportunity to teach them. I’m teaching them what produce to pick out, how to know what’s ripe or not ripe, what foods are good to eat and what ones aren’t good for us. I use it as a vehicle of learning and my kids seem to enjoy it.
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