1992

LETTING GO

PART 2



Happy Thanksgiving! Don't you just love this time of the year, with all the gorgeous colors, the crisp feel of cool air, and the time set aside for us to focus our hearts on the blessings God has given us and give Him thanks? We all have so much to be thankful for, especially if we have the privilege of being moms. I am so grateful to Him that He allowed me to raise 4 wonderful kids, and to have the joy of watching them raise their kids! It is indescribable joy!

In the last blog we opened the door to one of the hardest aspects of being a mother----letting go of them as they grow up. It is a difficult process, but one that must be done in order for our kids to become the successful, independent, productive adults we hope they will be. So let's jump into the next discussion of this important aspect of successful parenting.

There is no question that God loves kids. After all,  He was the first parent! If anyone ever had the toughest experience in letting go of a child, He surely wins first place in my mind. He had to let His only Son go so that man could receive forgiveness and eternal life with Him. He knew what was ahead for Jesus, and yet He sent Him to earth to accomplish what He was created for. I just cannot wrap my head around how great a love He has for you and me and all mankind, that He would sacrifice His Son. But He did, and I am so glad He did, and I know He understands our pain in letting go, better than anyone possibly could.

There is a special place in God's heart for children. They are His to begin with and they are His forever. He entrusts them to us and they are not mistakes, but creations of Him with a purpose on this earth. Their lives are ordained by God, just like yours and mine were. I confess, however, that I don't understand why kids are born to abusive, incompetent, horrible parents. I do know that He knows the big picture and the consequences of their actions toward the precious gifts He has given them WILL be suffered.

Matthew 18: 6-7 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!"

v. 10 "Take heed that you do not desise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven."

Psalm 127:6 "Behold, children are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is His reward."

Matthew 19:14 "But Jesus said, Let the little childre come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven"

Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you;----"

Psalm 139: 13-16 "For you have formed me in my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."

Wow!! If there was ever doubt in anyone that children have life even before they are formed in the womb, that last verse puts that to rest! God ordained our lives before we were ever born and He has a plan for us, including our kids. Knowing that they are His to begin with, He knew their every part before they were on our radar, and that He was there when they were formed in our bodies, do you think for a second He can't take better care of them than we can? If we truly grasp that He ordained their lives and has a plan for them, letting go is not an option, but a privilege in releasing them to Him to accomplish His plans for them. The bottom line is this----children are precious in His sight and He blesses the womb with them. However, they are never to be held in a tightly gripped fist, but as anything that God has blessed us with, they are to be held in open hands, releasing them back to Him. Asking Him for His help to do this, and leaning on His strength, you can do it! We will talk more about this when we "meet" again! For now, hug those babies,(no matter how old they are) hold them tight to your heart, and point them to Jesus, for He loves them, this I know.

                                                                    LETTING GO

As our kids have grown into adults, married, and now have kids of their own, I am still amazed at how quickly the time flew by. One day they were all under foot, needy and dependent. Then I looked up and they were adults and their needs had outgrown what momma could meet! Now, as our family of six has expanded to 23, I am still amazed at how time takes wing and flies away. Our precious grandkids are growing up at a rate that takes my breath away, and I can't seem to suck it back in!

Let me ask you a question. Can you describe the first time you held each of your children, or heard their first cries? I would guess that you can see an instant flash of replay of that incredible moment! I would love to hear you describe the joy, exhilaration, and ecstasy of laying your eyes on, to you,  the most beautiful creature God ever created. This gorgeous little helpless person belonged to you and he or she was yours to love, care for, nurture, train, meet all his needs, and raise to be a productive adult!

The first time I held our first baby will forever be etched in my mind. The nurse placed that adorable punkin with his round, orange, fuzz-covered head in my arms, and as she left us alone to get to know one another, he turned his chubby little face toward me and looked me straight in the eyes, as if to say,"Hello, mommy! Get ready, 'cause here I am!" I promise you, I had to put my head back on the pillow because I was about to faint! And I "heard" him correctly; it is 41 years later and there has never been a dull moment being his mother!

I wonder if you had the same feelings that began to creep into my mind and heart---a silent fear of losing him in one way or another. How many times did you get up in the night to make sure the baby was still breathing? Yep! I thought so; too many to count. Me, too. For some, that natural fear did not grow dim as the baby grew up. A small amount of healthy fear is good when raising kids, but for too many there is a fear that is so strong and so fierce that it becomes a destructive, crippling stronghold that steals, kills, and destroys the joy of  having kids. If you are experiencing this kind of fear, there is hope for freedom.

In addition to the fear of physically losing a child, there is a fear of having to one day let go and let your kids grow up. From the very moment we became mothers, the "letting go" process began. Even though your baby was totally dependent on you, the little thoughts of his "firsts" began in your mind: the first time he will smile, roll over, crawl, reach for you or a toy, crawls, says his first word, walks, stops wearing diapers, and on and on with other firsts to come. These are all stages of developing independence and requires our letting go in small degrees. For the first five years there are so many "firsts" to experience, in addition to those just mentioned--the first time you leave him with a sitter, the first time he plays at another's house, first time he goes to nursery, preschool, then kindergarten. For some of you, this a natural, easy process. For many, it is a heart-tearing, crushing process. On top of that, there is that nagging fear of losing them, of serious injury, illness, etc. This kind of fear is NOT the way the Lord intends parenting to be, or any other aspect of our lives, for that matter.
.
In the next couple of blogs we will explore this "letting go" process. There is just too much to talk about in one entry. It is my hope and intent that as we explore this aspect of growing kids, we will gain insight into realizing that letting go isn't a negative thing. It is a step in the parenting process among a lifelong series of steps. Each phase of your kids' lives requires different responses from you and helping them pass from one phase to the next is really what "letting go" means. Our goal is to help them become strong, competent, vital, independent, Godly adults, and if we don't release them each step of the way, it will only serve to make it harder for them to get that place. It is actually one of the best things we can do for our kids.

For now, I will leave you with the following thoughts on being a mother that appeared on my desk. I don't know where it came from, but I think it is worth posting. It doesn't have a thing to do with letting go, but I think you will identify with it, and will have a little chuckle, too!

"Murphy's Law for Moms"
1. If you wear black, they will have a runny nose.
2. If you wear white, they will have muddy hands.
3. If you change their diaper, they will immediately poop in the new one.
4. If you mop the floor, they will spill something.
5. If you put on fresh socks, you will immediately step in whatever was spilled.
6. If it is perfect, they will fix that for you.
7. If you say it, they will repeat it.
8. If it's important, they will forget it.
9. If you're tired, they will not be.
10. IF YOU LOVE THEM, YOU WILL SEE THE BEAUTY IN IT ALL!

                                                                                              

WHERE IS YOUR YOUR LINE THROWN?

As I sit here in the beauty and majesty of the Colorado mountains, my eyes soaking in the glory of the golden, orange, and red leaves of stately aspens set against snow-capped mountains, I can’t help but praise God for His incredible gifts of creation! Larry and I are blessed to have friends who have a home in Colorado, and a couple of times a year they invite us to visit them.

They are incredible friends who not only share their home with us, but also continually point us to Jesus by the way they live their lives for Him and others. They have been married almost 50 years, and theirs is a relationship that is one to be patterned after. They have endured hardships like everyone does, but have looked to God for help in any and all trials that they have walked through. If I could choose a couple who I would say is the “poster couple” for how to have a successful marriage, it would be these two! As I ponder what is the most obvious reason that they have such a beautiful relationship, what speaks loudest to me is that they both find their strength, worth, and satisfaction in God. They have a blast together, and after 50 years, they are crazy about one another. They laugh, they play, and they love one another more than ever. Why? Because God is their source for all they need. God has blessed them with three kids whose marriages are strong and have given them a whole passel of grandkids! But with all of the many blessings they have been given, they find their joy and strength in God first and foremost. Their marriage is, and has been from the beginning, built on the solid foundation of God and His Word! We can all do well by following their example.

As I told you in the last blog, one of the biggest problems in our marriage was that I didn’t respect my husband, not until God revealed my attitude toward him and cleansed my heart from that destructive disrespect. Another of the greatest sources of my struggle in our relationship was that I looked to him to fulfill all my needs and wants. There are times when we all look to someone or some thing to make us happy and give us value. However, no one thing or person can ever give you what you want—acceptance, identity, security, purpose, joy, happiness, etc. We often turn to jobs, friends, spouses, children, money, social status, or ourselves (I DON’T NEED ANYBODY) to find our self-worth. Ultimately, what we find is disappointment and emptiness.

There is only ONE who can fill all the needy holes of your being---God! We all have God-sized holes that only He can fill. If you continue to turn to anything or anyone but Him, you will set yourself up for disappointment and your spouse for failure. Let your husband off the hook! He can’t be your identity and worth. He just can’t! He is only human. Instead, throw that line out to Jesus! He will never disappoint you or let you down. He will fill all the holes in your heart and give you purpose, value and worth.

You may be wondering what in the world this has to do with growing kids!

Kids learn and live by example and right now you and their daddy are the ones they learn from. Jeremiah 17:5-6 tells us, “Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inherit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” What a clear picture of the consequences of putting your trust and value in anything but God, and the blessings of looking to Him for everything! Isn’t this what you want for yourself? For your kids? I can assure you, you will do well by them to set the example, teaching them to be fulfilled and successful throughout life by looking to God for their worth and fulfillment. The world has such a negative influence on us, especially our children. They are taught that to be popular and worthy of the attention of the “in crowd” they must have facebook, cell phones with all the newest  apps, unlimited texting; they must be skinny, cute, handsome, muscular, rich, and wear the “right” clothes. You get the picture, and probably know better than I do what kids today struggle with in being accepted and belonging. The only thing that can combat these lies from the pit of hell are loving parents and knowing that their worth and value lies only in God.

So, moms, if you are one who struggles with trying to make your husband meet all your needs, I challenge you to start today to take that hook out of his mouth and turn to God and His word for all your needs. As you do that, you will be able to love and respect him the way God intends for you to. This will also release him to love you the way he is supposed to and to be the husband God calls him to be. Psalm 107:9 tells us, “For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.”  Philippians 4:19 promises “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Trust Him, girls. He wants to be your all in all and He will never ever let you down. I ask you again, "Where is your line thrown?"  

                      






Hi, you wonderful mommas! I hope you all had a great weekend and a wonderful start to a new week.

D-Daddy wrestling with Kinsey, Truman, & Kade!
                                                                   R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

 

D-Daddy and I spent 3 1/2 days in the Dallas metroplex with our daughter and her family. With four kids ages 6 to 13, their daddy unveiling his new business at the Dallas market, a birthday celebration,
      soccer, football, volleyball, & baseball games, it was a whirlwind weekend! Makes me tired to think  
      about it and all that we packed into such a short time. There were some really sweet moments---ones
      we will forever cherish. After hugs, hugs, and more hugs, those sweeties pleading with us not to
      go,and even some shed tears, the time came that we had to head home. Emblazoned in our minds is  
      a picture of all four kids and their momma running after us down the sidewalk as we drove away! We
      marveled at God's grace and unmerited favor, that He has blessed us with such a precious family in our
      four birth kids,  four in-love kids, and 13 grand kids. And they actually seem to like to spend time with
      these two old gray-haired people! The incredible thing is that it so easily could have turned out
     differently. We experienced some long, hard years and had it not been for the grace of God, we could 
     have easily lost our marriage and consequently not been blessed to enjoy this wonderful family He has 
     given us, which brings me to the message of this blog.

    I asked you to read scriptures in the last blog, but just in case you didn't get to they are as follows:
    Genesis 2:18; 21-25 which tells us that marriage was ordained and instituted by God, one man, 
     one woman, created from man's rib. Hebrews 13:4 says that, "Marriage is honorable among all,
     and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge." Matthew 19:6 "So, they are
     therefore not two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

    The last blog established that kids should not come before God and the marriage relationship and 
    that knowing Mom and Dad love one another creates more stable, secure kids. Let's look at some
    other vital aspects. The three previous verses speak to the creation of man and woman, the
    ordination of marriage, and the permanency of marriage according to God. I know how hard
    marriage is, and I know there are some of you who are in very difficult situations. I just want to
    give you some hope. There is nothing that is impossible for God; the same power that raised Jesus
    from the dead is the same power that can raise dead marriages from the dead! From personal 
    experience, I can tell you that with God ALL things are possible. In His Word, God clearly lays out
    the order of marriage and the relationship between man and wife, and if followed they will lead to
    success and happiness if both parties work toward the same goal. Sometimes, it takes one or the
    other to step out and begin doing the right thing long before the other one gets on board.
   Ephesians5:21-33 speak very strongly to the order of marriage. Submission, one to another, 
   is a very important key in the relationship; one not lording over the other, but basically, esteeming
   the other as better than oneself. I am going to leave the husband's responsibility alone, because I  
   am talking to women and the last thing we should do is focus on what he should do, rather than
   what we should do.

  Let me give a little testimony to illustrate just how powerful God's word and the Holy Spirit are.
  When Larry and I had been married about 10 years and had three kids at that point, we had a stinky,
  knock-down drag-out----an ugly "fight"! I stormed off bawling to my bathroom and perched myself 
  on the edge of the tub screaming my woes to God. "Why don't You change him?" was my biggest
  complaint and gripe. In the midst of my fit throwing and crying to God, suddenly I "heard", "And
  let the wife see that she respects her husband." What???? RESPECT???? Where did THAT come
  from?

  I had never heard or read those words before, but there they were, being spoken into the
  ears of my heart and spirit! Well, let me tell you, my tears of anger and self-pity immediately turned
  to broken repentance. I knew the words were from God, telling me that I didn't respect my husband.
  Even though I felt at that moment that I didn't want to respect him, I knew my sin was not only
  against my husband, but worst of all, against God. I cried out for cleansing and a change of heart
  and that is exactly what my God did! Right then and there He performed heart surgery on me and let
  me begin to see my husband through HIS eyes rather than my own. And let me tell you, he looked
  quite a bit better than what I had been focusing on! Although that moment was life changing, it
  wasn't instant daisies and daffodils. Slowly but surely, He began changing my attitude toward Larry
  and our marriage, and I began a quest to learn how to be the wife God had called me to be. It wasn't
  my idea, but God's. Ephesians 5:33 says, "Nevertheless, let each one of you in particular so love his
  own wife as himself, and LET THE WIFE SEE THAT SHE RESPECTS HER HUSBAND." I know
  without a doubt, that encounter with the Lord on the side of my bathtub saved our marriage from
  destruction. Girls, satan does not want your marriage to succeed---he is after total destruction and
  failure in your family and he will use whatever means he can to destroy it. God got through to me
  that day and convicted me of my sin in the relationship. It didn't relieve Larry of his responsibility to
  be the man and husband God called him to be, but as I continued to turn to God to meet my needs
  and change me, He began to change Larry. The result is 43 years of a precious God-blessed
  marriage. If we had continued down our paths of self-centered, selfish demands on one another, we
  would have not made it as a family. We wouldn't be sharing the joy of watching our kids grow in
  their relationships with God and their spouses, nor having our socks knocked off by the joy of 13
  wonderful grand kids! To God be the glory!

  I know that many of you are facing seemingly impossible situations in your marriages, and I want
  you to know that I have the deepest compassion for you, because I understand. As I said before, I
  want to give you hope again---with God, all things are possible and nothing is too hard for Him! So,
  where do you start? Start with the basics. Instead of praying, "Lord, change him", pray, "Lord,
  change me," and be willing to change as He shows you the areas that He is working on. Lay your
  husband at HIS feet and let HIM take him from there and do with him as HE sees fit, HIS way, not
  YOURS! The end result will be better than you could have ever imagined!

  You are not in this alone. I am praying for you as you seek to be the woman God has called you to
  be! He sees you, He knows, you, and He loves you, and He is with you ALWAYS!!

                                                                  Order in the Home


Hey girls! This is a repost of the blog that was posted last week. For some reason it "fell off" of the internet.Here it is again but without Cousin Camp pictures.


It has been a whirlwind of 4 weeks since I last posted---so many events in the Harris family that time has flown! Our girls returned from Kenya totally changed by what they saw and experienced and their experience has been used by God to change those of us left behind.
Larry and I held the second "Cousin Camp" for 9 of our 13 grandkids(they have to be at least 5 before they can attend)---- two grandparents and the kids! If there are any grandparents reading this, I strongly encourage you to try it! We had a blast and each time we do this we grow to know the kids in deeper ways than before. School has begun and 3 of the grandkids began the long haul of education for the first time! These events are just a few of those that have rocked and rolled the Harris family. No doubt each of you have stories of your own to tell.

The message behind "Growing Kids, Not Grass" is obviously to encourage you to be purposeful in prioritizing and taking seriously the assignment and privilege of raising the children God has given you. There are myriads of ingredients that blend together to create successful parenting. Foremost is having a relationship with Jesus as Your Savior and Lord. The next ingredient is the husband-wife relationship. I realize that some who read this may be divorced and this will hopefully not discourage you, but help you to teach your children how they should live when and if they marry. My intent is certainly not to bring guilt and condemnation to those who are divorced or those who were raised in broken homes, but this is a subject that cannot be ignored.

Statistics show that 5 out of 10 marriages end in divorce and sadly, the divorce rate is higher among Christians than non-Christians. With churches on every corner, teachings on marriage, counseling, etc, what is going on? It is not the message of the Word on marriage that is wrong, it is that one or both in broken marriages have chosen to do things their own way, not God's way. That statement is true in any aspect of life---not living according to God's word sets us up for failure.

See if this scenario rings a bell of truth to you. Most girls, from childhood, dream of becoming a beautiful bride, walking down the aisle in a gorgeous gown, eyes fixed on a handsome hunk of a man waiting for her at the altar. He is her knight in shining armor, her prince charming, the one who will whisk her away into a perfect world of marital bliss and happily ever after. Soon, reality begins to blow its icey cold gusts between the walls of her dreamworld and she wakes from the dream of marital perfection to find her prince charming has warts! It becomes evident that love is not enough to maintain this dream marriage. So, what does she do? She sets out to change him and mold him into the man SHE wants him to be, the one who will meet all her needs, love and cherish her, and be at her beck and call. After all, wasn't HE supposed to make HER happy? Well-----actually----NO!!! He wasn't supposed to make her happy nor was she supposed to make him happy. NO human being can fulfill her and meet all her needs other than God. Most of us enter marriage with the wrong motives---it's all about ME! The truth is marriage is to be a reflection of God's glory and to bring HIM glory.

You may be wondering why I am talking about marriage in a blog about raising kids. It is because the best securtiy blanket and healthy environment we can give our kids is one in which they know that mommy and daddy love God first, each other second, and them third. It is extremely important to put your kids high on the list of priorities of your life, but they must not come before your relationship with God and your spouse. When we put our kids first in the family, we create spoiled, insecure kids because the order is OUT of order. When the kids are placed above any one of these---God, wife, husband----then the marriage, kids, and family will suffer. Some parents put more effort into their relationship with their kids than they do their marriage because they feel they have such a short time with the kids and they want to do all they can with them while they are still at home. This will set the stage for rotten, self-centered kids and realizing, after only the two of you occupy a once child-centered home, that you don't "know" one another and the one thing that held you together is now gone.

Today serves as an introduction to the messages on marriage. I would ask you to diligently ask God to prepare your heart and mind to hear and receive what He wants you to reap from this part of our journey in successful parenting. Before we meet again in the blog world, please prayerfully read the following passages from God's Word: Genesis 2:18 & 21-25; Hebrews 13:4; Matthew 19:6.
See you soon and may God make His face to shine upon you today, and give you peace!

Headed Home!

Thank you to all of you who are praying for the girls who went to Nairobi, Kenya on the mission trip. It has been very heartwarming to know so many have prayed. They begin the last leg of the trip tomorrow as they head back home and should arrive in Dallas Wednesday night. Please keep praying!

The "Letting Go--Again" blog begs a follow-up! This week has been one full of learning and trusting experiences for all of us. For the team who went to Nairobi, it has been amazing and heart-wrenching all at the same time. They have seen untold heartache, disease, poverty, and despair. But they have also seen the Hand of God in places that seem so desolate and despicable. On one of their trips outside the orphanage(only the adults went to the really tough places) they visited a place of prostitution where they shared the Lord and prayed with some of the women there. On Sunday morning, the group went to the first church service of a newly planted church, and there were two of the women that they prayed for, in the service! The Texas girls were very grateful for God allowing them to be in on what He is doing in the lives of these women!
Courtlyn, our 13 year old granddaughter, has had an amazing experience with the children in the orphanage. They love her and are in awe of her braces---can't understand them! She has had such a great experience that she says she could stay a year. We may have a missionary in the making!

Here at home, God has shown Himself strongly! The "letting go" process was used by Him to show His faithfulness, His keeping power, His comfort, and His love. He IS to be trusted and CAN be trusted to be there for us when we are down or up! I am unable to put into words the gratefulness I feel to Him for putting the call in the hearts of Carri and Courtlyn and the women they are ministering with, and the call extended to their husbands and families, because this journey greatly involved those left behind. There are small children who had to say goodbye and there are husbands who stepped up to the plate to be Mr. Moms and have risen to the challenge! And, I will add, with a greater appreciation for what their wives do as moms!

The story is yet to be completed as to the far-reaching results of this Kenya ministry trip! One thing I know for sure----this was a spritual journey ordained by God and His purposes will be accomplished.

Larry and I will be at that airport when the airplane sets down and we will wait our turn in the lineup of Carri's and Courts's loved ones who want to shower hugs and kisses on them. We will praise the One and Only God Who is faithful to "perfect that which concerns us." We will praise Him for what He is doing in the lives of those who went on that trip, and for those whose lives He touched through them, and for those here at home who prayed for them. I will praise Him for reminding me once again that my family is His family and they are not mine to hold onto. I will praise Him for answering my prayers: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth." 3John:4

PRAISE BE TO GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!!

My daughter in law, Carol, suggested that I add a picture of our sweet Franky, the kitty that I wrote about last month. So here he is! Our cute and lovey Franky! Every evening, he would come in and lay on the rug in front of us. When he rolled over out of a deep sleep he would look up at us with a dreamy-eyed look, purr, give us a short meow as if to say "I love you", and stretch out his paws toward us! We still miss him so much and look for him to run out to us every time we drive into the driveway, his usual ritual when he heard our cars coming. And believe it or not, he recognized the sounds of our truck and car and would come running when we rounded the corner of our street! We miss you, Franky!

In Need of the Savior

Rivers of water have flowed under the bridge of life since I last posted, some clear and easy drifting, some dark and treacherous. Through it all, God has been faithful and helped me through. As soon as I wrote in the last blog and warned you of the schemes of the devil against us and how we need to be on offensive alert against him through the power of the Holy Spirit, I fell under attack so viciously that it took me a while to come out of the attack. Walking this spiritual journey can be hard at times, but I wouldn't want to do life any other way. I am so grateful that I have a heavenly Father who loves me enough to let me reel out just so far, then reel me back in to take care of the yuckies in my heart. I truly, truly do not know how I would survive without His presence in my life. I have thought often during this valley, of those who read the blog and whether or not all truly know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. If there are some who do not know Him, I don't know how you successfully do life, and especially as a mother and/or wife. When you and I became moms, we didn't have a clue what it would be like. There is nothing that can totally prepare a woman or man for parenting. Sure, there are courses to take, books to read, and others who have walked the path before you to glean from, but nothing totally prepares us for what we experience as mothers and daddies. I think often about Mary, the mother of Jesus. How in the world did she do what she did?
Her journey to motherhood didn't begin in the usual way. She was a young maiden, born to a devout Jewish family, planning a wedding to a man of the same faith, Joseph. As she expectantly awaited their marriage, her life was loudly interrupted one unsuspecting day when the angel of the Lord, Gabriel, appeared to her with a loud greeting. "Rejoice, highly favored one, for the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" He then proceeded to tell her not to be afraid, that she had found favor with God and was chosen to be the mother of the Savior of the world, Jesus, the Most High Son of God! Whoa!!!! Now this news didn't take her totally by surprise, because, since Gabriel first spoke of the coming Messiah to Daniel in Daniel 2:44, the Jews were awaiting His arrival--over 400 years! And Mary had been faithfully taught of His coming. BUT she certainly didn't expect to be the chosen one to bring Him into the world! And now, here was the ancient angel, Gabriel, standing before her, telling her SHE was the one to give life to the Son of God and raise Him until the time He would step into His place of reigning over the Kingdom of God forever and ever! Now remember, Mary was just a young maiden, probably no older than 14 or 15, and had never "known" a man. Standing before her was an angel telling her she would miraculously conceive the Christchild! After a 'how can this be?' first response, she exlaimed, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:26-38) Talk about a woman of faith! I should only hope to be that kind of woman! Knowing that hers was a high and treacherous calling, she wholeheartedly answered the call to a motherhood that none of us would want. To be the mother of a child that would one day be persecuted, ridiculed, tortured and crucified, all for the sake of mankind, would be a task that not another woman in this world could handle. How did she do it? Only by the grace of God, available to her because she was His child. She believed in His sovereignty, that He would provide a way of forgiveness and salvation to those who believed in His Son, One to be borne by her. She trusted Him and knew that His plan was perfect, though incredibly hard. She actually was grateful, humbled, and delighted to be called to be the mother of Jesus. Mary trusted God and knew where her strength and courage came from. Mary is an amazing example to you and me as to where our motherhood must begin and end---at the Cross with Jesus. Without Him in our lives, your role as a mom, or any other role for that matter, will be so much harder. One who does not Jesus as Savior is "on her own" so to speak. With Him, He provides all we need to be the successful parents we are called to be and desire to be. The road to success as a parent begins at the Cross of Christ. He is the beginning and ending of all things. Mary spent her days as the mother of the Messiah, leading, guiding, and praying for Him, pointing Him to His destination---to fulfill the plan of God for Him and all mankind, that the Father would be glorified through the Son. Likewise, your role as a mother is not to fix everything, right the wrongs, make your kids happy, give them all the "right" things, push them to be popular, accepted, etc. It is simply to point them to Jesus and help them to look to Him in every situation. Your kids do not belong to you. God gave them to you on loan in a sense--but they are His. To be all we need to need to be as mothers, we must first trust Him as Savior, call on Him as Helper, and call on Him in pointing our kids to Him. We do this through prayer and reading His word, the Bible. Mary knew the scriptures and she was able to recognize truth when she heard it. She knew her heavenly Father intimately because she spent time in prayer. With His love, His power, His guidance, His strength, she was able to answer the call to give birth to the Messiah of the world, Jesus Christ. Do you know Him? Is He the One you run to, cling to, and pray to, for help in times of trouble or guidance when you need it, or just because He is your Lord and Savior? If not, I encourage you to turn your life and your heart over to Him, and receive His cleansing and healing power in your life. Trust Him as the One and Only Savior of your soul. I can promise you, your life and the lives of those around you will never be the same. The love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control you need to be a successful mother will be yours through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) If you have trusted Him as your Savior, I can say to you, as Elizabeth said to Mary, "Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord." Luke 1:45.

I was one who was raised in church and thought I was a Christian because of that. Not until I was in my early 20's and a mother did I realize I needed Jesus as my Savior.( If you haven't already, you can go to the "My Story" tab to read a short testimony of my journey to Jesus.) He saved my soul and set me free!! Praise His Holy Name!
Maybe you are one who has a saving relationship with Jesus, but you have wandered away from Him. Possibly you have, in a sense, lost your first love. You are trying to do this thing on your own and it just isn't working. All you have to do is turn back to Him and He will welcome you with open arms.
Don't waste another minute of another day--you KNOW where you belong--tucked up under His wings of love! As one of my favorite songs says, "Come home running. His arms are open wide. His name is Jesus, and He understands. He is the answer, you are looking for. So come home running, just as you are."