The Greatest Adventure

"Our children's hearts long to be a part of a great cause. Training our children for ministry is at the center of everything we are attempting to do in their lives. Serving God is not about knowing all the right rules and keeping them; it is about cultivating compassion in the hearts of our children for a lost world and showing them how they can practically be a part of His plans to reach the world." -The Mom Walk

This year, my 25 year old son, Nathan, got married, had his first feature film picked up, and just finished shooting a Sci-Fi film adventure in Canada! Living in Hollywood, his heart has been drawn to bring light to LA, the place where many of the messages of our world are crafted and promoted. Today, Nathan is sharing some of his thoughts about how God created us for an amazing, imaginative journey. Enjoy reading his message below!

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Growing up, I would often hear a couple of titles constantly ascribed to me; things like “out of the box” and “imaginative” (most likely synonyms for “a handful”). But what they ultimately meant was, I had a curiosity for life, and a wonder that reached beyond the mundane of the every day. Very little interested me more than stories, which naturally lent itself to me spending hours inside my own mind wandering the fantastic lands I would hear of in books, fighting the battles I would see in movies, and taking on the image of leading a life within a story of epic proportions. The books, films and games I would find myself caught up in, each told a story of a place more beautiful, epic, and grandiose than my reality in the moment. Filled with thought, beauty and whimsy, they invited me into the magical tales they were weaving in my heart.

So now fast-forward fifteen years as my newly found adventure-partner (wife), and I, climb into our ship (car) and head to something magical called Wonder-con. I had always wanted to go, but had never been able to for various reasons such as time, money, schedule, and other such limitations. As we landed in the land of Wonder-con (Orange County) and began to walk into the Wonder-con stronghold (convention center), I could feel the boy within me begin to fill with the magical excitement of entering a beautiful and epic story.

Wonder-Con is a convention held every year where thousands upon thousands of fantasy, sci-fi, superhero and all-around story lovers- convene to hear, see, taste, and touch the newest and most beautiful stories being told.

It is a place where you can walk booth to booth, doing things like picking up swords, previewing a new video-game, and my favorite, seeing up-close the beautiful works of original art and meeting the artists who brought them to life.

All of this, not to mention getting to witness the countless heroes passing by  (people who dress up as their favorite characters) dressed in their handmade, intricate and beautiful costumes. How intriguing to walk by a Storm Trooper, Aragorn, a Transformer, or even Superman as we walked through the hall. It’s a place where people have discovered and loosed the gift of their imagination upon the world. A place where people have realized the power of story and let its beauty effect, transform and invite us into a world beyond ours.

So naturally, as I walked past the miles of food-trucks closer to the convention center, my anticipation only rose. That was until we came upon the doors to the convention center. It was there I saw something that squelched my excitement.

There, in front of us and the thousands of excited story-lovers, were a group of men and women dressed in khaki slacks, tucked in white shirts, a countenance of mild disdain on their face, and large black and yellow signs in their hands that read “Sin brings God’s wrath” and “After death, the judgement” and the one that caused my heart to sink the most “Repent! and believe in Jesus.”

Now at this point you might ask what it was that made me so upset upon seeing these devout followers. After all I love Jesus with my whole heart, and I do think we (all) should repent and believe in Jesus. But it was less the words on the signs that bothered me, and more the context and way they were being thrown at people.

Hear me out… Here you have thousands of people, each person loves story, art, beauty, and imagination. All at the same place to give to and draw from the beautiful energy that each of these aspects can bring. And as they walk into something so beautiful, they are immediately confronted words representing Jesus, in a, guilt producing, fear inducing, people separating, coldly uniform way, and ultimately ugly way.

I don’t know about you, but this deeply bothered me. It bothered me because the “truth” they were espousing about my Jesus was the opposite of the message he gave his life to tell.

The Jesus I know is the teller of stories and the dreamer of dreams. He is the Jesus that told us of a beautiful land for which we were destined and that should we follow Him to that Kingdom. This land left John desperate for words beautiful enough to describe this place after seeing only a glimpse of it.

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb  through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river,the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever."

(Revelation 22:1-5)

The Jesus I know, is the artist who, every night paints the sky with the very colors He imagined into life. He is the Jesus that hand crafted all of nature with it’s intricate beauty in flowers, trees, animals, mountains, crystals, eyes, storms, water, and all living things.

(Psalms 19)

The Jesus I know, is the master story-teller who invites us into a new narrative of life, adventure and overcoming. He is the Jesus that’s helps us and gives us the chance to tell a more beautiful story than we ever could on our own.

(Ephesians 2:10)

So when I saw those people there, standing back to the the convention, yelling, judging and condemning… My heart sank because I so desperately wanted everyone there, to know the Jesus I know.

I couldn’t help but see of the irony of a group so desperately trying to get the most creative people in the world to respond to Jesus, in perhaps the most uncreative way possible.

But it got me thinking… What would happen if: When we begin talking to the people who best love stories, beauty and imagination… We, instead of communicating fear and guilt, we start introducing them to the author, artist, and dreamer, of story, beauty and imagination? I don’t know, but I would be willing to guess, that maybe, just maybe some of these story/art/beauty lovers might actually want to know the creator of story/art/beauty.

So, today if you do know God, and want to share him with the world, perhaps start by showing the beauty of the God we follow.

And if you DON’T know Jesus, know this: God is the original storyteller, master artist, and the one who perfectly designed you with the desire to share in his pleasure. And he wants YOU- NO MATTER who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done to join in the story of EPIC proportions He is telling.

-Nathan

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***If you have the desire to go deeper in your quiet time today, take a moment to complete the reflection and application below:

-How can you inspire greater purpose in the hearts of your children today? Remind your children that they are a part of God's grand adventure. -What could you do today to ignite creativity and imagination in the minds of your family? -Stories are powerful. Read heroic, epic stories to your children...stories of heroes, beauty, and big dreams.

My Tiny Part Makes a big difference

The Girls, Joy, Sally, Sarah, Rachael

"I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth."

Tomorrow, Joy is off to Oxford, and once again, we are washing clothes, packing, giving last advice, having one last dinner of favorite food, and praying amidst the hearts that always dread the parting.

Yet, from the beginning, I knew clearly that God wanted me to send my sweet ones into the world to play their part in Christ's kingdom work. But, we also all believe that family, marriage, mothering and fathering are the anchor. As a mom, I saw my role as one in which I would inspire my precious children to love Him and to serve Him as the most important work I would do in my home.

Though I am just a tiny part of the influences in the lives of my children, my part makes a big difference in their faith and perspective of the world when purposefully pursued.

God has indeed taken our children to the far ends of the earth in their desire to love and serve Him, but one of the commitments Clay and I made was to bring them all together 3 times a year to build memories, to continue to grow the foundations of our love and friendship and to remind them of our part in His story.

Earlier this summer, we gathered the kids on a date all could come to remind them or the invisible strings of faith and love that ties each of us together.  The rituals have all become familiar and are mostly the same after all these years.

After a whole package of bacon, a loaf of homemade bread toasted and swimming in bubbling butter, scrambling cheese eggs and pouring countless cups of tea and coffee, I gathered my 5 children into the living room together, for one more moment to point all of them, at one time, to Him--the one who is my life and strength.

When they are all over the world--Oxford, Hollywood, Boston, New York City, Mexico, Colorado Springs, Etc, I often wonder, while on my knees, "Are they still walking with God? Are they being influenced by the world? Are their hearts loyal?" It is such a hard world they live in.

I do not always like what I have to walk through. I am Pollyanna and want life to be easy, neat, clean with no issues--(I always wanted an Ann of Green Gables neighborhood with them living close.)

but my life has never been that way, and I still have to walk through the messes and stresses that each day and each child brings.

But as their mom, they look to me to see how I am walking through them and what choices I make, a moment at a time, to live in faith amidst it all.

But in the four days when are together, I must steal this moment, one more time to be intentional, to point them to the One who is truth. I do what we did every day for years and years and take them with me before the throne of God and look into the heart of God and into His word.

And so I begin, "I know you have heard all of this before. But I have only this morning, while all of you are home together, to share my heart with you and to pray for you."

It is a rare moment for me--to have a 30 year old, 27, 25, 23 and 19 all in one room, all sipping, munching and together--wondering--did the work of my life take root. Is this motley crew, this group called Clarkson, attuned to what we have always held fast to--together, one day at a time.

But, this intention to not waste the opportunity to one more time document the eternal One who holds our lives, is the focus and strength of all that I am as a mother.

And so I ask, "What is the anchor, the verse, the foundational focus of your life right now? What is giving you strength to hold fast to the ideals we have always cherished in our home?"

And then, all five, in the midst of chatter, antics, even still the wiggling like they did when they were little, pour out their hearts honestly, naturally, comfortable still with our habit of gathering to talk about what really matters--

and the comfort and miracle for me is that each one is holding fast to the Word of God.

The boys--Clay, Joel, Nathan

Nate--"Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for a friend--it is my model, my goal, to lay down my life and serve."

Joel, "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Sarah, "Ephesians 1, "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of your calling, ....."

Joy, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God, ....., and the heroes of faith who followed hard after Him."

Rachael, "Nothing can separate me from the love of God." Romans 8

And so I sit here, in my small room, exhausted from making all the meals, the dishwasher that decided to break just before they all got home making my burden a little more, putting up with the stress of 5 young adults straining towards life with differing personalities, always issues of finances, health, love interests, life decisions--honestly it all wears me out and I feel so small and inadequate at times.

But in my living room, this weekend, amidst all the messes of our lives, I saw eternity in their hearts, faith that informs and leads and gives strength and the God who is leading them all. There was a miracle in this quiet moment, unobserved by the world, but celebrated in heaven,

5 children seeking on their own, to follow hard after Him--that is the miracle I have always hoped for and here amidst jammies and tossled hair, I saw the hand of God.

"With God, all things are possible."

It is all too much for me to handle or control because at times, my heart is faint and my faith challenged, knowing I do not hold all the answers

--but in His hands, and by His faithfulness, somehow they were all listening, they all took heart nad believed, and I know as they all go back to their arenas and lives today, God will already be with them, ahead of me and waiting for them, and ready to show His faithfulness.

There is an illusion out there that some women have it all together--but really, it is only women who trust God to have it all together, that will ever have the hope that their labor of love will ever amount to anything--

Nothing is impossible for Him.

I am not and have never been up to the task, as I fail and fall short every day--but the miracle is that he took my paltry offerings, my little basket of fish and loaf faith, and made it, in His hands, enough,

So today, this early morning, as I prepare to send the first two away at the airport, I again come, begging before the throne of grace,

"Please, Father, you keep them. You hold them. You lead their hearts back to you every day--and unless you provide for them--they will have no hope. But I know that you are the one who provides and so I leave it all in your hands."

And now, I again move slowly to the tea kettle and toaster to send them off with all the love I can muster, but with the knowledge that I have never been enough, but He is always enough and in Him, I rest it all and wait to see, one more time what He will do.

Never, not one day in my whole life have all of my ducks been in a row. But one more time, I see that He is the one who holds it together and who makes it work, and one more day, my life will move on in His strength and in His abundant faithfulness.

"My grace is sufficient for you. My power is perfected in your weakness."

My squirrelly, fun, always adventuring children.

Choosing Courage in Fearful Times (Mentoring Mondays coming back!)

COURAGE

CHOOSING TO BE BRAVE DURING FEARFUL TIMES,

BRINGING HIS LIGHT INTO DARK TIMES.

Fear has been a threat to people over all of history. This week as Joy is preparing for her semester at Oxford, several people have sent her articles about ISIS and the increased danger of terrorism in England. We have had to talk through the issues and reality of living in a fallen world. We all have to make decisions for our lives based on wisdom and discretion. Yet, God has opened amazing doors for Joy to study in Oxford. He has ordained this path for her to take. She feels called to the studies she has been led to pursue, and so she is taking firm steps of faith to prepare herself spiritually, emotionally and mentally to go to England this week, and to cultivate a heart of trust in her companion God.

All of us have choices of how we will face our circumstances--the days in which God ordained that we would live. Our only choice as believers, is to hold His hand to believe in His reality and to walk our days by faith, and to seek to choose courage.

And so we are arming Joy with courage, faith, strength and wisdom as she prepares to walk the road God has set before her. None of us have control over all of the circumstances of our lives, but we do have the choice to hold God's hand and allow Him to companion us well through the days of our lives.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

JOSHUA 1:9

Moms have the unique opportunity in this time, to model to their children what faith looks like in the face of fear. We show by the way we live what it looks like to seize this moment that God has ordained for us to live in, to praise Him, trust Him as the one who holds control over the universe, and the one who will reign forever.

Today is the day for courage.

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you have tribulation, but TAKE COURAGE! I have overcome the world!

I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS! John 16:33

Five Things to do to help you and your family.

1. Write out Joshua 1: 9 on a small poster board or white board and memorize this verse this week as a family.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

2. Don't watch the news with your children in the room. Images create fear and are difficult to take away from the brain.

3. Stop looking at the feed on facebook that has articles that are fear oriented. Whatever you water will grow. If you feed your mind on images, newscasts, terrible happenings in the world, the natural consequence is that you will grow more fearful. I quit watching and listening to the world news, (except for the exceptional times when it involved my family directly.) about 20 years ago. I rarely watch images of violence, war, cruelty, as I know that for me to be a steward of my mind is to stay away from things that bring about false fears.

4. Read hero tales and stories of people who served others in difficult times. Define on character trait of each person you read and make a list of the character traits, with definitions, that you want your children to understand and the ones you want your family to exhibit. (Daniel--courage in the midst of lions; Mother Theresa--compassion for those who needed comfort; etc.)

5. Read through the heroes in Hebrews 11, one person at a time in the weeks ahead, and talk together with your family about how you will live the circumstances of your lives, the days of your own history, by faith--to bring His light, goodness and hope to a world that needs to know the hope of Christ. Talk of how your family might be a picture and words of hope and comfort during this time and use the difficulties that opens peoples hearts as a place of ministry and comfort to others.

Today, sweet friends, Jesus admonished  us to choose to take hold of courage, to face fear with His light, to choose to be strong, giving, redeeming in a time that needs to see His reality. May He give you peace of mind and the courage to live well during each day He has granted you.

Listen, listen, He whispers secrets every day

 

This small framed verse stands on my small hall table to remind me of what really matters, daily taking time to listen, to understand His guiding love.

Today, thunder boomed while mist rolled in amidst winds and rain pounding our grass. Joy and I wrapped ourselves in warm wool throw blankets, carried steaming cups of tea, and sat under our front porch together, lost in the grandeur of the summer storm--together enjoying the company of shared moments, stolen from the duties of our day.

All the dishes in the sink did not get washed, there were still piles to be dealt with--but later. His voice reminded me that next week, she will be in Oxford and I will have more time to wash dishes, straighten piles. But I will not be able to look into her large brown eyes to see the wonder and excitement deep within, waiting to spill out her deepest thoughts,  as she adventures to her future days with an unknown ending ahead of her.

Today, I have the peace that comes from knowing the moments were invested in each other, not spilled on the busyness of life to be lost forever.

How often do we allow the noise of the world to overwhelm His voice. Do we take time to listen? It is only as we quiet our hearts amidst the moments of our days that we will hear His whisper, walk in His ways. But the quiet of His leading always takes us to the eternal treasures, the hearts that are waiting for us to listen, the memories that are waiting to be lived now to impress what is precious on our minds.

What is His voice whispering to you today in the midst of the noise of your life? Only you can respond to what secrets He has prepared uniquely for you to celebrate and to enjoy.

Creating Your Own Cozy Corner

"Because my life is rarely neat and together, I attempt to make my devotional spot a regular place where I can spend my quiet, holy moments resting in beauty and having a sense of civility. I needed to have a place that was ready--and that would give peace to my soul--even if for a few moments. This gives a sense of order to the rest of my life, even when the other edges of my life are seemingly out of control. Life in our home with four kids, a dog, and people in and out rarely provides composure.

Yet when my inner life is composed, my outer life feels manageable." -The Mom Walk

Often times, the way we begin our day sets the tone for how the rest of it will look. It's crucial that we counter the loud, stressful alarm clock or toddler with some peace and quiet prior to jumping straight into the chaos of the day. Some mamas I know do this at night before they go to bed. Whatever your habits, intentionally decide to breathe peace into your soul before you go out into your day. I spend a lot of time straightening my house and attempting to keep a peaceful, orderly environment that soothes and blesses my family.  And so I have understood that I need to continually seek to bring peace and centeredness to my soul, which is constantly being tested and getting in disarray! I am a passionate, philosophical, artistic person.  I am very relational but love, hunger to have time to think, read, write, and drink lots and lots of tea and coffee and to do it all alone! It doesn't always happen, but when I fight to find a place for a few minutes of this kind of centering with my heart, mind, and to give the day to God, then a habit is built and a foundation is laid over days and days of practice.

Don't allow your desire for perfection to rob the joy out of this day. Each day is filled with it's own set of tasks and troubles, but try to find the beauty in this morning. Even if it's just a cozy corner, for a very few moments, it is important to sit down, create your own little place that's in your control in the midst of chaotic life. Cozy devotional corners can include:

-Candles -Hot cup of tea or mug of coffee -Comfy pillows -Flowers -Journal -Bible -Artwork  -Beautiful music ready to go at the push of a button

A basket full of devotionals or inspiring books that can be picked up for short bursts of inspiration.

When you take a moment to invest time and energy in your own sense of calm, you will find the rest of the day much easier to manage. Peace begins inside of our hearts, and only when we are filled with it can we pour it out into the various areas of our lives. As you prepare to do this week's mini bible study with the scripture and questions below, go find your comfortable, quiet, devotional spot (your cozy corner!).

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." -Isaiah 26:3

"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house." -Luke 10:5

"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble." -Psalm 59:16

Ask yourself: -Which spot in your home can be the safe haven for your morning devotional? -How can you make time to have a moment to yourself? Does this mean waking up earlier? Setting aside a special quiet time during the afternoon? Enjoying a quiet evening on the porch at sunset? -How much more efficiently do you think you will be able to handle the rest of your day if you had your very own quiet time each morning?

Beach, Great Food, Friends, Retreat--Sarah & I would love to see you!

Calling all North Carolina Moms and those near by!

September 19-20

Start your school year off with inspiration, fun, sharing with friends and a retreat. For all of you who have attended our Raleigh Mom Conferences in the past, this is for you., as we will not be able to have the spring Mom Heart Retreat there this year.  I miss being there the past couple of years but now, I have been invited to speak in Wrightsville Beach, nearWilmington, North Carolina--the darling, artistic town, at a retreat just for mamas--to fill them up, spoil them and give them a sense of grace, peace and wisdom as they enter another school year.

Sarah will be speaking about her newest book, Caught up in a Story, about the importance of winning your children's hearts through great literature, intentional mentoring and strong foundations. She will also be speaking about her favorite books, lists of the best books we used in our home, and the ways we inspired boy and girl alike. Our own practices of reading, discussion, and cultivating a high standard of education in our home will all be a part of our story for you. And of course we hope to have some of these books available for purchase--though we will be giving some away!

I hope to inspire you about the rhythms you set up in your home to cultivate learning as a way of life. On my heart is helping moms to learning to inspire your children to love education, to become critical thinkers and to be passionate about becoming leaders in their generation is all a part of the message on my heart. Discipling your children to have a strong faith in God in a challenging culture is essential.

Finally, I wanted to end our time together to encourage all of you precious moms how to stay fresh, to take care of your own soul, to rid yourself of performance guilt and comparison, and how to refresh your own heart, mind and soul so that you can stay resilient in your ideals while enjoying educating your children.

I hope to be at the retreat center early so that there will be time to visit with all of you in a more casual setting and to provide time for questions and answers with Sarah and me.

We will also be giving away some books during our talks!

Please pass the word around. Please share this with all of your friends and we shall make a grand weekend of it all.

Can't wait--I have wanted a mini-vacation at the beach for a long time!

But hurry, the deadline is coming soon and the retreat is almost full. For more information, and to register,

go HERE.

http://www.nche.com/nche-moms-retreat-sally-clarkson

Hope to see many of my old friends there!

Created to be artists of Life

A snack dinner, recently celebrated in our home when I did not want to cook!

"Ideals and the desire for beauty are simply the echoes of God's design in our hearts. He was the one who designed the world to be a masterpiece of wonder and life. The yearning for peace, health, and comfort is natural to our souls and comes from the depths of our hearts where we can still feel and imagine what God created life to be before the fall."    The Mom Walk p. 58

In the beginning, God created.....

One aspect to being created in God's image is that even as the first thing he did was to create, so we are made to be creators.

God placed his first children, Adam and Eve, in a vast, splendid garden with variety of color, sound, texture, light, taste--all for the pleasure of His beloved Adam and Eve.

As women and as mothers, we long to follow this design and make masterpieces out of the everyday things in our lives. We sometimes forget that masterpieces are the work of a lifetime--we create, bring light, prepare food, build traditions--just as God did when he crafted the garden and will prepare a meal for us in the new world. He brought the light of stars, the sun, constellations, we illuminate our homes with the ambience of soft reflections of firelight, lamplight, candles.

When the real world comes crashing in on us, by rumors of war, killings, earthquakes, the fall of Godly leaders, we can quickly become overwhelmed and walk down  pathway of fear and despair.

And yet it is important for us to persevere and create beauty in our world. When the walls within our home bring safety, the music brings comfort, the food satisfies the body, the touch brings affection, the words bring hope, we are like the Holy Spirit--bringing the reality of God into the dark places of this world. 

When we give up, we are submitting to the darkness that surrounds us- and in giving in to fear gives darkness to our own soul.

I believe mothers are widely capable influences in this world for good. They have an incredible capacity to be strong, faithful, life-giving. Even lighting a candle will influence our surroundings and bring soothing comfort to our souls. The dancing flicker of light gives hope that we are making a difference in this dark world.

In reading Genesis 1, what words did God use at the end of days 1-5? He said, "It is good."

Creating beauty, light, as God did, is a "good" work of our own lives.

On day 6, God pronounced his work very good.  How did he summarize all of creation?

When a mom is overworked, she may think this work of beauty if frivolous. But I have found that creating beauty actually has an inspiring, peaceful influence on my own well-being. Creating brings an energy to our lives. It doesn't have to be difficult or comprehensive, but it is a glorious process of bringing the art of God into the moments of life.

What is one thing you can do today to make your home more beautiful? Stop to think about it and make 3 ways you will beautify or tame your home this week. How can you make it more peaceful? Just a tiny effort every day can bring a legacy of comfort to your children's perceptions of life, memories, sense of belonging to a place.

It can be as simple as picking a wildflowers and putting them in a vase. Let your children gather a bouquet for you. They will love picking flowers for Mommy.

How does making your home beautiful and peaceful glorify God? How can you glorify God as a mom today?

As you look into the eyes of each of your children, pray that the Lord will help you see the masterpiece he is creating in them. Give them a gift of God's life art through the acts of worship of your life and you will bring a sense of peace into your home.

I pray God's beauty will permeate your life today!

Our Children Need Heroes!

God spoke to us in a lightening storm last night.

You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from the remotest parts, And said to you, "You are my servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you, Do not fear for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." For I am the Lord you God who upholds your right hand, who says to you, Do not fear, I will help you." 

Isaiah 41: 9-10, 13

Mamas were imagined in the heart of God, because He knew that when world events would happen in the lives of his children, they would need someone to light a candle in the darkness, to sing their fears away, to assure them of God's presence. Filling my children with stories of heroes, those who were courageous in the midst of difficult times, was a way I wanted to fill the treasure chest of their hearts so that when challenging life fell upon them, they would have resources to draw from--stories told, verses memorized, life lived above the darkness, so that they would know how to face their own fears and trials.

The way we choose, by faith, to face these difficult days, has great worth in the future faith and faithfulness of the children who live in our home. A glory to God, is for us to choose to believe in His presence so that our children will seek His presence. As Joy and I were talking about hard times tonight, she read me a blog she has just written. It encouraged me so much to see her own heart amidst all of the challenges facing all of us, that I thought I would share it with you. Be sure to go to Joy's page and read it and leave her a comment. And be sure to practice mama bravery and heroism in your own home. Enjoy!

I Need a Hero by joynessthebrave True. Story. “Aragorn is just not a realistic character.” Said my friend as we sat at lunch. “Really?” I said, “What do you mean?” “Well,” he said, holding his french fry a few inches away from his mouth in a contemplative manner, “He’s just too... Resolute... Too good. Nobody is that noble.” I hmphed and picked at my grilled cheese, he ate his french fry, and our conversation turned to complaints about homework and other serious The conversation did not turn into much more that day, but the comment always stuck with me. Not realistic. Too Resolute. Too Good. Nobody is that noble. I have always loved Aragorn. Heavens, I think there are few girls in my generation that have not gone through a stage of Aragorn admiration, and, were we honest, few of us have made it out of that stage. For evidence, see the meme included in this post. Tales like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Narnia, or to go back further, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the Odyssey, David and Goliath, and countless others have gone deep into the psyche of countless generations. We love stories for their adventure and delight, but I think there is a deeper down reason for our love of these tales. We love them because a good story gets to the heart of the struggle of good and evil that every age has had to deal with. Though it wears different masks-- war, oppression, slavery, nuclear war, facism-- every age has had its darkness to fight. We tell stories to make sense of the world, and to give us an ideal for how to live in evil times. That’s where the Aragorns of the world come in. Every good story has its hero. If stories help us make sense of our beautiful, broken and cruel world, Hero’s teach us to live in it. In our favorite heroes, we see people who face the same sorts of hardships and doubts that we do, yet somehow, miraculously come out the other side. We love heroes because they are brave, and because they make us believe that, perhaps, we could be brave too. Not Realistic. Too Resolute. Too Good. Too Noble. I believe our generation has lost some of its hope in heroes. We are wary of people who seem “too good,” and I do not think this wariness is totally unfounded. The last score of years have been full of media demagogues: politicians who promise and do not deliver, pastors who preach but do not practice, stars who shine but do not bring light. The rapid growth of social media has engendered a marketing based culture where everything and everyone is claiming to fill a need, and the emptiness of those promises has become quickly evident. As a generation, we have grown weary of people claiming to be heroes. As a result, many people have rejected the idea of heroism altogether, and have replaced it with the ideal of “being real” or “authentic.” This rejection of heroism and embrace of “authenticity” is evident in the proliferation of anti-heroes in literature and film. Take for instance the popular example of the “real” antihero Katniss Everdeen, who is only willing to do the right thing once she is coerced and harrowed into it. I am not wholeheartedly condemning all antiheroes, but I think it is worth noting their presence and influence in the 21st century imagination. There is something truly valuable in the pursuit of authenticity and humility, but what bothers me is the idea that true heroism is, as my friend put it, “not realistic.” But what do we mean by “not realistic?” We have forgotten to define our terms. To assume that a character can only be “authentic” “real” or “humble” if they are antiheroic means that we have assumed that no one can truly be heroic.  After all, there are no pure motives... And that is the assumption that bothered me about my friends statement. Is Aragorn’s bravery and heroism truly unrealistic? I recently finished reading Lord of the Rings over the summer, and was profoundly encouraged by it. The story is peppered with heroes of all shapes and sizes, and that is perhaps what I love most about the series. Be they hobbit or high elf, many a character comes to the edge of peril and decides to press on, to conquer, and to be brave. Time after time characters are faced with certain death, many meeting it, but press on for the love of goodness and the understanding that their decisions are a part of a story much bigger than themselves. Consider Aragorn. In the story, Aragorn is 80 years old. He has spent many years as a ranger in hiding-- a job without appreciation and without forgiveness. By the time the book begins, he has fought many bitter battles and spent years in obscurity, but he knows that He-- and he alone-- is meant to be king. It is not that he is infallible, but that he has spent his life preparing and training for his part. When finally the day comes for Aragorn to take his place as King, it is in a battle almost sure to be lost, but he goes forward bravely, knowing that this was his time to be brave, whether it ended in death or life. It was what he had prepared for all his life. It was the summation of his character. It was his part in the story. Not realistic. Too Resolute. Too Good. Nobody is that noble. I wonder if the reason we have lost our trust in heroes is because we have lost our sense of story. All good heroes know that there acts of bravery are not about them, but about the people, the values, and the goodness they believe in and want to preserve. Heroes seem supernatural, because in their actions they affirm that there is a true and even supernatural narrative that is worth protecting, and even worth laying their lives down for. Heroism is not about glory, it is about story. Perhaps more people would be real and authentic heroes if, rather than making themselves out to be great and noticed, they spent their lives, like Aragorn, in silent preparation of character, daily building spiritual muscle to fight, making decisions in quiet moments to walk towards the light and dispel the darkness, so that when their time came to lay down their lives for what is right, they would be ready. As I write this, there is a breath stealing heat lightening show happening outside my window. It is like nothing I have ever seen. The clouds are piled miles high and the stars a guarding the clear air around them. Inside the towers of clouds there are great silent flashes of light flashing, as though Gandalf himself is fighting Saruman. I feel small.   And I am. I am grateful for these moments, because in their inaudible and yet articulate way they remind me of the Great Storyteller, and the Great Story that I am a part of. I want to be hero. The story is not over yet, and more than ever we need heroes. A cursory glance at your newsfeed or will reveal that light and goodness are being challenged, and sometimes seemingly darkened, every day. But just like Aragorn, I want to know my place in the story, prepare my heart, stretch my spiritual muscle to be ready for my part in the story. We need to believe in heroes. We need to read stories about heroes. We need to become heroes in ready wait for the true King and Hero. "Suddenly Faramir stirred, and he opened his eyes, and he looked on Aragorn who bent over him; and a light of knowledge and love was kindled in his eyes, and he spoke softly. 'My lord, you called me. I come. What does the king command?' 'Walk no more in the shadows, but awake!' said Aragorn. 'You are weary. Rest a while, and take food, and be ready when I return.' 'I will, lord,' said Faramir. 'For who would lie idle when the king has returned.'" -Return of the King Find Joy at: http://joynessthebrave.wordpress.com/ Joy--getting ready to leave for Oxford next week! I will miss her, but she will be blessed, I know!

Anyone want to see Sarah Mae and me at Focus on the Family?Tuesday !

Hi, Friends, Sarah Mae and I will taping a show for Focus on the Family to discuss Desperate this coming Tuesday, August 26, at 9:30 a.m. and we would love to have you in our audience and will be available to say hi after the taping. If you would like to join us, you have to register, as they have limited seating. Here is the information:

Here's info from FOTF: If you would like to attend a taping, please note the following information:
Seating is reserved. Please call (719) 531-3400 and ask for extension 1907 to reserve a seat.
Children under the age of 10 are restricted from attending broadcast tapings. Additionally, there are occasions when the subject matter is not appropriate for anyone under the age of 18. If this is the case, the information will be available when you make your reservation to attend a taping.
Please call a day or two before your planned visit to learn of any schedule changes.
If you are not able to attend, please call the above number to let us know. We appreciate your thoughtfulness.

It would be so fun for us to see you and have a full house! Hope you can join us! Tell your friends! See you soon!

Remembering That I Am Not God

"I am imperfect and no matter how hard I try, my children will never be perfect. But when I am resting in the life I have in Christ, my children, in spite of me, still have the opportunity to turn out okay. God is their true source of life, just as He is my source of life, and I am just a tool in His hands that He uses to communicate His life to them. In the end, He is in charge of their souls' destinies. I have learned to live freely in this knowledge, balancing the tension of ideals and reality by enjoying His constant love and help." -The Mom Walk

While striving to maintain ideals in your household is important, no mother will ever be capable of perfection (no matter how hard we try). The hard work you accomplish matters--every meal, each candle lit, the stories read, the morning devotions, the hugs and kisses, many prayers--it is the most valuable work. However, allow yourself grace and remember that while you are their mother, you are not their God.

God has trusted you with these sweet children who will look to you as the example, giving your children a healthy pattern that they can follow.  When they become adults and are living on their own, they will have memories and examples of how to face their own problems because they have a godly picture of it from the life of their mother. While your great influence in their lives is significant, it is crucial that you remember to rest in the love of Christ, knowing that at the end of the day, He is in charge. Take a deep breath, and don't put too much pressure on yourself today.

Take a moment today to have a quiet time and bible study, reading over these verses and meditating on them, as well as the questions below.

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." -Proverbs 19:21

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28

"In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind." -Job 12:10

Ask yourself: -Am I putting so much pressure on being the perfect mother that I am attempting to take on the role of God? -How can I better allow God to help and take control in my life, as well as the lives of my children? -How can I allow myself to rest in the help and love of God today?