Reflective Thoughts--for MOMS of Young'uns

When my kids were little, I often felt like I was all alone in my distressed moments. Even though I had a community of other moms and great friends around me, I'd hold back. Share just enough, but keep my deeper wonderings and issues to myself.

Down the road, I can't imagine how beneficial it would've been to be more authentic and vulnerable with others. It was pride and insecurity that kept me from doing so, because I lacked confidence to accept the advice or suggestions from others. I wanted to seem like the all-together one.

I wonder how many of those around me were doing the same thing?

Mamas, we may not always agree about what age to potty train, whether we nurse or bottle feed, rock 'em to sleep or let 'em cry...home school, public or private, how long to let 'em suck their thumb or the pacifier, to stay at home or go to work...and on and on. Let's face it. We're all unique and will never agree on all these issues, cuz God's made us all so uniquely, 'pinions and all.

But we all need encouragement to persevere, to put God first, to be willing to change our minds or learn to accept the decision of another. We can benefit from crying out to a friend when we're stressed and feel like the worst mom on planet earth, by admitting our failures and weaknesses and regrets. Can we confess when our spiritual well has run dry or when we can't stop running to the tv or the mall or the pantry or the fast food window to fill our souls?

Maybe, and I'm thinking backwards here...maybe if we can stop debating the "issues," we can spend our time praying for one another and leading each other to the true Source for all the hard days in our lives as moms. If we can learn to let our little differences go, then we can get to the real stuff, the nitty gritty behind each and every decision we make anyway.

As iron sharpens iron,

so one mama sharpens another.

(Prov. 27:17, my paraphrase)

What do you think? Are you able to be transparent as a mom of young ones? What do you find most difficult about this season? If you could be gut honest with any other mom, what would you say? How do you respond to admonishment or advice from other moms?

Keep it real. I'll be praying for you.

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God's Poster Child

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine.”

Isaiah 43:1b

One night, while talking to another mom at a sporting event, our tongues got a little loose while we chatted—especially mine. Free-flying words turned to gossip. After I left, I felt sick to my stomach. I emailed an apology as soon as I got home.

Her response caught me off guard. She said, “It’s okay, Laura. Actually it’s kind of nice to know you make mistakes too. You’re like the super Christian, super Mom and everything. It kinda makes me feel better to know you’re human.”

Okay, WoWzer. How could this woman not know that I’m a mess?!? Super Christian…not! Super Mom…be a fly on the wall of my home, and you will strip the big red letter “S” off my chest in a hurry. For whatever reason, she had the impression that I was “put together.”

For years, I tried to be. And I know many women that are struggling to do the same thing. We want to be it all, don’t we? Think about it…

We wanna be…
*Confident, fashionable and fit.
*Incredible moms who never have to raise our voices.
*Women who can cook and clean, whistlin’ while we’re doin’ it.
*Scheduled, structured and in-control.
*Available. I can drop everything to help a friend in need.
*Double available. They need my help at church.
*Wise and discerning…able to counsel others.

On and on—and all of these are further complicated by that which we think others expect us to be. The harder we try, the harder we fail. And if we’re not careful, we’ll end up just like the rest of the world—helpless, hopeless, desperate and dependent.

If you’re already set free from this way of living, that is awesome. Celebrate by helping me share this good news with the rest. Ready?

You—precious believing sister in Jesus Christ—YOU—are God’s poster child. Not the kind that shouts out, “Look at me—I’m something!” But one that shows others what God has done in and through You as you’ve thrown your hands in the air, surrendering to His awesome ability. “Lookie at what God did. He saved me for His name’s sake, to make His mighty power known!” (Psalm 106:8)

Over the years, I have learned how deeply and perfectly God loves this daughter of His. But it’s not because of anything I’ve done, but because of who He is in me. Believe me, I don’t have it together. Just as Paul said, “I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.” It is when my heart stays in a constant stance of prayer that the fruit of the Holy Spirit spills out and behaves like a loved daughter of the King through me.

The same is true of you, sister in Christ. He lavished His love on you and called You his child. And that is what you are! (from 1 John 3:1)

Nothing you do or don’t do will cause Him to love you more or less. You may have those days where you feel like the least qualified person on the planet to hold the title of Christian, Woman, Wife, Mother, Sister, Daughter, Friend. But because He holds the title of Sovereign Lord and Master of the Universe, He will help you to accomplish what He’s asked you to do, as you willingly hand all titles over to Him.

“The One who calls you is faithful, and HE will do it.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23, NIV (emphasis mine)

So what’s your story? Do you think you’re too much of a mess to make a difference for God in this world? Do you look around at other Christians and think you’ll never be as good as they are? Do you listen to a message, only to hear to condemnation instead of hope? (See Romans 8:1).

The Lord is saying just the opposite. He wants you “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep” His love is for you, confident that He will fill you “to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Not so we can have a grand title for ourselves, but so that He can receive the glory and honor that belong to Him.

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory,

which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 3:18

We are HIS poster daughters, mess and all.

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