God Who Faithfully Whispers His Message to My Beloved Child

 

My sweet, wonderful adult daughter Joy, will always be "Little Joy" to me--even when she is 60. But to everyone else, in the past few years, she has become known as Joyness, the Brave.

She is my treasure, the child who came as an answer to prayer when I was already in my forties. It just didn't seem like our family was complete without another girl. I would love to hold on to her and keep her near--wish I had been able to keep her small. But God has whispered into my heart that I am merely a steward, a temporary guardian angel to take care of His children trusted into my care,  for Him, and then to release them into the world, so that they might live their own story for Him.

Amidst the first Isis attacks, and the threat of English journalists being the next victims, I did have to release her into His hands,  amidst the first part of this story of terror, believing that He would be in England when she got there. Release has been a constant practice through all the years of my life. it never comes easy, but it is always what He asks--even as He asked Abraham to release his only son, Isaac.

But now comes the rest of the story. God did meet her there. Whispering a truth that was her own about His power over all of history, over all the moments. And so, Joy wrote an article today, that sums up a part of what God did for her in making this truth--that His ways are unshakeable, that He who holds the stars, holds her--and holds every second of history. Here is a part of her story--and the ways He taught her some of the lessons she would need for her own life.

I give you Joy, and her story!

This is the church I am going to be a part of.

The words crossed my mind as we exited, organ music ringing in the rafters. It is an architectural mix of cathedral and California with its high ceilings and frosted windows letting in the coastal sun. After returning from Oxford, and having been gone from California for nearly 9 months, this place felt like a crossroads of my experience of church in England and my current abode. What a rejuvenation and relief to have a church.

My friend and I shuffle out of the church. My soul gently descending from the power of the last hymn.

Thou of life the fountain art,

Freely let me take of Thee;

Spring Thou up within my heart;

Rise to all eternity.

 The last lines of the hymn stick with me. I think every church service plays out a small version of the drama of history. Rejoicing, repenting, praying, receiving. Members before me have lived and died by this rhythm. Saints and martyrs and sinners alike have tread this path of life through grace. And beneath all the ancient rhythms is the tight held hope of coming glory. The cornerstone of the risen Christ.

I look around and laugh to myself as I look at those around me. This church most certainly has a target audience: Students from my university, of the academic bent. I suppose I fit in... sort of. But we are here to love and serve the Lord together.

This is the church I am a part of.

 After curry bowls and conversations, Elena and I return to the important task of nail painting. Finally, I sit down to begin my work for the evening, but before, I look at the news. My stomach drops. 21 Christians dead. grief. fear. anger. prayer.

This is the church that I am a part of.

 If I allow myself, these stories seem distant and strange. I could separate them from myself, not feel their heaviness in my spirit. But I cannot separate. Their God is my God. As they pray, rejoice, repent and believe, so do I. Together, we rejoice in love and renewal. Together we sorrow in persecution. Together, we wait in readiness for Christ.

 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19)

This is the church I am a part of.

 I went to Ireland last fall. While we were there, I was able to see the Book of Kells. It is the oldest gospel manuscript in Ireland, magnificently illuminated with designs so beautiful one could hardly attribute them to human hands. The Book of Kells came from a time when the monasteries of Ireland, England and Scotland were frequently pillaged and burned by the Vikings. The manuscripts themselves had traveled a great deal due to the fact that, if I recall the exhibit correctly, the abbey at which they were kept was burned down something like 17 times in 50 years. But in that destruction, the monks and scribes preserved and created the beautiful manuscript. The worst happened, but their response was to create one of the most beautiful manuscripts of scripture which, more than a thousand years later, encouraged my own faith.

This is church I am a part of.

 Lent begins on Wednesday. Lent is a time of penitence, waiting, withdrawing distractions that we might love God and one another better. Like Advent, in Lent we practice and rehearse the tension of life on earth: awaiting the redemption of our souls. And the redemption of our souls and the restoration of all things is no small hope. Not only that, the church is depicted in Revelation as being gloriously redeemed, all wounds healed, all wounds made beautiful.

This is the church I am a part of.

 The world is not redeemed yet, but what unites me with the church I attend, the church I mourn with, and the church that has gone before me, is the pulsing, thriving hope of glory. Our faith is based on the belief that God will make all things new. Therefore, I do not interact with the world based in fear, but in fearsome hope of the renewal of all things. When I encounter darkness, I want to do as the monks and scribes who created the Book of Kells; I want to bring light to darkness, beauty to ugliness, to live in a way that acknowledges the coming hope we truly have. We are the church that, as Jesus said, the gates of hell will not overcome.

Let us live with fearless love knowing God will redeem all.

This is the church I am a part of.

When Darkness Threatens Your Soul, Look Up

“Mama, the world seems like a very scary place, and it makes me feel insecure and powerless. I am afraid I will be so lonely without friends and family to face the difficulties ahead.”

Joy, my daughter, was a senior in college, and was leaving the next day for a semester of study in Oxford, England. Yet, the day we were packing, the second American journalist had his head cut off by ISIS displayed everywhere on international media. Friends sent messages and news stories with photos to Joy, wondering if she had seen the news...

News storms the sensibilities of our hearts daily. A man burned alive in front of the cameras.

Coptic Christians having their heads chopped off, ready for all of us to see on facebook and publicized everywhere on the news.

Fragile young girls being trafficked and forced to prostitution.

The economy falling apart.  Immorality declining at an alarming rate. Wars, earthquakes, diseases, all a common part of our daily news.

What is happening in our world? What is our future? How can we make this a secure place for our children and promise them a future with hope.

It is a natural response to be afraid, to be angry, to feel abused or downcast. There is nothing wrong about feeling fearful. Emotions are neutral. Emotions are a part of the make up of the body that God gave to us to respond to life.

Somehow it comforted me to realize that when Jesus was tortured and crucified, Hebrews tells us, "He despised the shame." (Hebrews 12:2)

He was the one who cried at the death of Lazurus. He understands our grief and our fear.

But it is what we do with these emotions that will determine if we become victims or victors in the circumstances of our lives.

Fear not or do not be afraid is used around 110 times in scripture. Why? Because God knew that we would be tempted to be afraid often in our lives and that the darkness of this world would threaten our inner peace and security.

We know that Satan, knowing his time is short, is throwing out his wrath.

Yet, Jesus told us that in this world, we would have tribulation. He left no doubt about what challenges our lives would hold.

He who faced crucifixion, a brutal killing from his enemies, has never asked us to live in faith in a way that he has not already faced.--And yet he encouraged us to "Take courage!"  As He took courage and went to the cross amidst the greatest evil.

Embrace courage, sow courage, live by faith into the courage the Holy Spirit provides.

What if we are getting closer to the end of the world, a time when we know that all evil and wickedness will be at its pinnacle?

What if God chose for you to be born in this time, because He thought you worthy to stand strong for Him in one of the most difficult times in history? What if you were called to be a brave and courageous testimony to your children of how to live generously, faithfully, boldly in hard times, so that they would have the courage to live boldly in their lifetime?

What if this is the time given to you to exercise your faith so that He might be glorified in your world, through your faithfulness, in your lifetime?

Each of us is given one day at a time to be faithful--that is this day. It is time to put away pettiness, selfishness, mediocrity, conformity. This day is the day you have been given to love generously, to live joyfully, to bring light into darkness, to forgive generously, to show compassion and a servant heart. There is no better time than now.

My own precious Joy had to face her own fears before she went to England in the fall. And now circumstances are even worse.

But these stressful moments when we are with our children, become the training grounds for them to grow strong in spiritual muscle and personal faith.

The times we whisper the reality of God into their fears, into their challenges and tell them they are chosen by God to live in this time--that they are called to be His witness, because He has trusted them with "these times."

I wrote about this story in Own Your Life because it was occurring as I finished my book.  I had a test before me with my sweet daughter, of my own philosophy that I had been writing about--and how I would live into it.

As she prepared  to go to Oxford to be a student, the day before she was to leave, the first British person was threatened to be murdered in front of television cameras. Her friends suggested surely England would go to war while she was there,. "Do you really think you should go to the UK right now? What if they wage war? What if you are separated from your family in another world war?"

My final words to her, as we nestled together in the chill mountain air on our lawn, looking up at the stars were,

"The God who holds the stars, holds you." (You may read the rest of my story with Joy, as I am sharing at Proverbs 31, where I wrote about this  today. Tyndale is giving away 10 copies of Own Your Life on Proverbs 31.)

But, what about you?

Do you know that God is supreme, sovereign above all wickedness and He never loses control?

He is the light over all the universe. Psalm 139 tells us, even the darkness is not dark to Him.

He knew all of our days, when there was not one of them--and He planned to be with us each day, to strengthen us, to guide us, to help us live faithfully in hard times. Those who have lost their lives for their testimony of faithfulness have entered into God's presence and they have finished their course and now are at peace.

May our precious Lord give each of us strength, faithfulness, wisdom and love with the courage to live our lives well, because we have this day to live for His glory.

I would love to know what you do to strengthen yourself in the Lord, and how you keep your heart centered. I would love to pray for you in your struggles. I did pray for each of you tonight, that you would know how precious your heart is to God--whatever your fears, whatever your pain. He is with you.

Celebrating the Miracle of My Moments Today: Innocence over Evil

Carl Larsson One of my favorite artists

(Don't you just love the red, contrasted with the green and blue?Reminds me of my lovelies when they were small.)

"Being in a hurry. Getting to the next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me. I cannot think of a single advantage I've ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing.... Through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out I was throwing it away."

Ann Voskamp 1000 Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You  Are

Evil is lurking and tempting in a fury around every corner. Yet, the celebration of innocence, light, goodness dispels the darkness. Taking time to celebrate life builds deep patterns of goodness, the sacredness of life, the beauty of love into the brains and souls of our children. We must take time to worship by giving time to notice and celebrate what matters.

Today, my plan was to not get up early, to not work a lot, to avoid feeling like I had to meet deadlines or other's expectations.

When I surveyed my soul upon awakening, I saw a few alarming issues bubbling there and knew that there were steps to take to make myself better. The first thing I did was to call a friend who I always look to for lifting me up. I know that because she walks with the Lord every day, she holds ideals in her heart, she lives by integrity--as well as she can manage. From experience, I know that I will be blessed just by being with her. It never fails. The excellent self she has become by practicing holiness for so many years causes her to be a source of wisdom, strength, comfort, life, love, encouragement to all who are with her.

Everyone should try to find a friend who has this kind of influence and everyone of us should seek to be this kind of friend.

I started out with candles, hot tea and music. Reading out of two different devotionals lifted my thoughts. "They Found the Secret" and "Christ Plays in 10,000 Places" were at the top of my list today. And reading some of Daniel. I pondered how the 3 companions to Daniel must have felt being bound and thrown into a fire that was so hot, it killed the soldiers who put them there. This seemed very similar to what happened to the person being burned to death last week. Some things have not changed much.

My friend served me a salad and wisdom--"You need a brain cleanse and I know just what book would encourage you."

Putting my stressful and draining issues into a proper place helped to settle some questions in my soul. A coffee on the way home at a favorite local cafe as I met Joel. A long  sunset walk and a warm talk in the chill of the winter, sitting in rocking chairs wool coats around our shivering bodies, in the  setting sun, satisfied more holes in my heart. Salmon, salad for dinner, probably a short show on Netflix with exactly 5 dark chocolate salted almonds, (my current diet quota) while lying on the couch will be fun.  My day will include a hot bath with salts tonight before I go to bed.

Restoring can look different for everyone. I look for art, music, books, stories, people who feed my soul, and whose life serves to feed my mind and heart long after I have left them. And so, I love how God has crafted sweet Ann Voskamp, (one of my soul-feeders),  into such an artist. Her words feed and deeply touch my dry places. I am so grateful she leans her ear toward His voice and then faithfully paints word pictures that express my heart. If you haven't bought her book, you must be sure to do so. Here is where you may order it.

This season, I am teaching myself to linger.

It is not natural for me, one who is and has been in a hurry for so long. But in the hurry, I have missed the miracles of moments.

Now, however, since so many are away from home, pursuing their own adventures, my every day, every phone call, every skype with my children is a gift. They are vibrant, strong, idealistic, godly, loving, fun and wonderful. They still make messes and even sin once in a while, but oh, what life and beauty permeates my home and hours with their ever-presence. But when they give me a whole day, I am blessed. Only one is full-time home right now, Joel, and he is just on loan, and so I am trying to groom myself to listen, to look, to love and to really see the miracle of my son before me. They all seem to come and go but always come back home and to me, for a "linger."

I learned this lesson of celebrating the ordinary moments many years ago on the occasion of a birthday.

On Joy's fifth birthday, I planned a party that I thought I would please her. Too much effort to clean the house so that the moms of the kids I invited would see an orderly house, kept me from focussing on my precious birthday child. I was Martha-ing about putting out cake, balloons, favors, making finger sandwiches, planning what I thought she would like--all the while looking at the day from the grid my adult eyes.

The children came and in just two hours, they fought over the toys, spilled the red punch on another little girl's favorite dress, one little boy threw a toy across the room and hit another little girl in the head and made her cry. It was a memory of messes, crying, friction, stress and Joy was unhappy the whole time, feeling that she was trying to please me by staying at the party.

When the all the guests finally left, I heard a "pound, pound, pound of feet running across our deck. I walked out of our kitchen door and glanced into the afternoon shadows playing tag with the fading sun over our mountain, and there was sweet Joy.

Dressed in her old, slightly stained and torn favorite ballet suit, she was running, giggling across the deck with a bubble wand at her head level with bubbles flying out behind her. I stopped and sat on our picnic bench and just gazed at her as the sun went down. For an hour she played and ran and delighted in the beauty of her bubble parade. I took it in, I cherished the picture in my mind, and chastised myself for missing the glory of her beauty and youth in the busyness of my tirades to fulfill my expectations of the party I thought would make her happy.

"Oh, Mommy!" she exclaimed, "This is my favorite time of my whole day! I am having sooooooooo much fun. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful present."

She climbed into my lap with milk mustache sprinkled with  cupcake crumbles, sticky bubble juice on her hair, and snuggled up with a happy sigh.

And so, I melted into her little body, breathing in the atmosphere of her pure-hearted, innocent love. I did then cherish the moment and took the time to take a soul photograph whose imprint will be there forever.

Tomorrow, again, I will live in every moment, celebrate all the sweet fellowship that is right in front of me, no matter how many dishes used or messes are made, or whatever noise is created through the moments of my day. All of it will be precious and priceless as I redeem the moments for memories to visit in my next season when they will all be gone.

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice--and act of our will--we will rejoice and be glad in it.

For a little more refreshment, I have written about the art of life in Own Your Life.

Restore to Nurture a Heart of Joy

A very long time ago, at least 15 years ago, I fell in love with a friend who was immediately a kindred spirit. Her heart was so like mine, and we shared ideals in a love for books for our children, a love of family, a love of our precious Jesus, a love of words--and her beautiful words always inspired my heart. 

Last summer, this friend, Elizabeth, came to my home for several days, with a few other friends, and we celebrated our friendship again, but this time in person. She has been through seasons of littles, elementary, middle school ages, high school and having married children. We both hope to end the next seasons well, but we both know it takes intentionality. I think you will be so blessed by this amazing course she has put together. And just for my readers, she has provided a wonderful gift and printable.

My heart in writing Own Your Life was to help women restore a vibrant vision for life and for the kingdom and for your relationships. This wonderful seminar will lead you to restore your inner self, your true self--emotionally and spiritually so that you will have an overflow from which to live your vision and ideals. I am going to be going through it myself.  Will you please share about this with your friends, and move toward refreshment and peace as you restore and nurture a refreshed heart. I give you Elizabeth.

When we first come to a relationship in Christ as an adult, whether that's through maturing in faith or through a conversion, we are on fire. There is no lukewarm, mediocre feeling. There is fire. There is an urge to shout for joy, to do His work, to join the choir and sing His praises from the rooftops. And then, we settle in. We commit. We live the Christian life day in and day out. We know joy, but sometimes, we grow weary and the fire grows a little cooler. Life happens. We are asked to take turns we didn't know were there and climb hills that seem steeper than we even knew possible. Calm confidence evades us and though we are joyful deep-down, we're not exactly dancing a happy dance.

Because we are committed to a life in Christ, our hearts are restless. We want to rest in Him. We want to feel joyful. Still, our souls are hungry and our spirits are weary.

I've been there.

The first time I was there, I had four young children and a major case of burnout. As I battled back, I kept notes. I shared those notes in a talk at a conference. Strangely enough, those notes became the foundation upon which a a book was written--a whole book about education and twelve years later readers still tell me that the most dog-eared chapter is the one on burnout.

We give and give and give and then we crash because we've nothing left to give and nothing left with which to restore ourselves. Burnout is a real thing for mothers. 

I have nine children now. Only two of them can be considered "young." The rest are teens or twenties. I have learned some strategies along the way as these children grew and it's a good thing, too, because I'm finding that mothering older children is stretching me in new ways.

That burnout chapter all those years ago? I've discovered so much since then. I'd like to share those things with you. Last year, I offered an online retreat -- a closed community where women could come together and restore themselves--body, mind, and spirit. This short video gives me a chance to better explain what it was all about:

This year, the time together has been expanded to include all of Lent and Easter week. When we begin, it will be mid-winter February. We'll stay together throughout March and emerge victorious in early April. We've added new written content and new podcasts (in addition to all the wildly popular original podcasts). There will be some beautiful new printables joining the ones we offered last year. The space online is one of quiet calm and beautiful inspiration. It's not something else on your to-do list--it's a gift that makes doing all those important things possible.

We've created a printable just for Sally's readers. It's a sneak peek at Restore, but it's also a tangible reminder that you can print and frame in your own home if you'd like to take some time and prayerfully discern whether to join us. It's a gift--right now!

Download SCRestore2015

Still not sure this is for you? Perhaps it would help to hear from women who traveled the path last year.

I'm so glad I invested in the workshop. I initially found it hard to justify spending money on myself, and questioning whether I was really experiencing burnout. From the very first essay, I was in tears realising this was exactly what I was experiencing and I wasn't alone. Every aspect of the workshop ministered to my soul and I'm so glad I now have all the resources available to revisit when I recognise the triggers of burnout resurfacing. I can't thank you all enough for your faithfulness in putting all this together - and I have a friend in mind that I will be recommending the workshop to. --Annette

Restore changed my life. I did not realize that there were other women out there with the same struggles of keeping God in the forefront. During this retreat, I found myself more calm and focused on what really mattered. I am so looking forward to getting back to that place as the accountability with the group really keeps me on track --Ashlee

Restore was such a gift for me. Coming off of the holidays and major changes in my life, I didn't realize how weary and spiritually parched I had become. Restore did exactly what it's name says, it helped to restore my joy, re-set my priorities, and renew my relationship with the Lord. Knowing a new devotion, video, and focus was in my inbox actually gave me courage to face the day and the community of women that formed was precious and sweet. Elizabeth and Joy are one of us--moms that have been in the trenches for quite a few years, who have weathered storms of motherhood, and who fight for their own joy daily. They put together a workshop that truly reached my heart and blessed. Can't wait for the next one! --Betty

Because I already felt like I was drowning, adding Restore to my packed schedule felt impractical and pointless. In fact, during the entire workshop, I was unable to implement any of Elizabeth's wise advice beyond the first few days. Nevertheless, just reading her gentle words daily was like a healing balm to my soul, and over the next several months following the workshop, I began to find balance in caring for my family and myself. Elizabeth has blessed me with a new understanding of my own dignity and worth and countless practical strategies to live out my vocation as a wife and mother with peace and joy. --Jenny

Although I'm not a wife or mother (yet), I have benefitted so much from Restore. After becoming broken in every aspect of my life (right down to broken bones), I needed help to put even the most basic parts of my life back into perspective. This retreat gave me the daily guidance and traction that I needed to begin to care for myself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The lessons from Restore continue to inspire me and remind me that I glorify God when I make time for things that bring me life and joy. --Kate

Click here to take the first step.

Elizabeth

Mentoring and Friendship: Necessities for Living & Thriving!

 

Two years ago, Sarah Mae and I launched our book together, Desperate: Hope for the Mom who Needs to Breathe

We felt that mamas needed to know that all of us feel desperate, alone, inadequate, lost and want to run away--at times! Even though we dearly love our children and want the very best for them.

Since that time, we have both received hundreds of letters from sweet mamas who have been inspired, encouraged and instructed through the book as they move toward becoming the mama God created them to be.“

Consequently, we are so very happy to be able to share this radio show with you today, where we met with Jim Daly of Focus on the Family to prepare a webcast interviewing Sarah Mae and me, sharing our journey together in life, friendship and in our relationship of mentorship.

In light of this radio show celebration, our publisher, Thomas Nelson, has agreed to give away 5 books to readers to keep for themselves or to give to a friend. All you have to do to enter is to leave a comment below about your biggest struggle, delight or desire of what kind of mama you want your children to remember. And we will pick 5 winners from the comments. To find your radio show, go HERE.

To listen to the webcast, go HERE.

Hope you enjoy our show today. We always have lots of fun together.

Here are some of the quotes from the book.  

I always wanted to be a hero--to sacrifice my life in a big way one time--and yet, God has required my sacrifice to be thousands of days, over many years, with one more kiss, one more story, one more meal.” 

― Sally Clarkson

“Going at it alone is, without a doubt, one of the most common and effective strategies that Satan uses to discourage moms.” ― Sarah Mae, 

“We can’t get away with anything with children. They are keen and attentive, and they will eventually grow up to tell the story of their home.”  

Sarah Mae

“One of the marks of a godly woman is that she takes responsibility for her soul's need for joy and delight. A woman is a conductor, who leads the orchestra of her surroundings in the songs and music of her life. God is a God of creativity and dimension, and so He is pleased when we we co-create beauty in our own realm, through the power of His Spirit.

Sally Clarkson

LEAVE YOUR COMMENT BELOW TO WIN A COPY OF DESPERATE!

On Cultivating Quiet Places

 

When I give out at conferences and in ministry, I become not just weary, but empty, depleted, spent. It is then I know that I have to stop in order to be able to sustain the demands on my very busy life. If I do not stop regularly, then I get to the empty place, it is dangerous to my heart, mind and soul. That is what owning my emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health is about, and I will be back when I think I am close to being filled up again. The more often I stop, the less time it takes to refill. So, excuse me please for a couple of days while I take some time to breathe.

My gifted, sweet kindred friend, Kristen, has written a beautiful post that gets to the heart of what mamas need so much to remember. She lives in beautiful, downtown Manhattan with her family and has constant life adventures as she walks this mama journey with her family of 6.

Kristen Kill

The sink in our kitchen has been overflowing with life; with yeast and eggs and remnants of pumpkin sticking to the edges. The floors trampled with feet heading to the sofa, ready for a rest; bodies needing to shake off the city and be still with a cup of tea in hand. Guests sitting round the table with bellies to be filled; children with minds eager to learn and lips longing to be heard; small ears aching for encouragement…it all consumes my attention.

And my body is weary, my mind wandering, my heart remembering to focus the rest of me, to embrace the small joys and soak in the life around me…the full to bursting, messy whirlwind in my apartment happening right now.

And what I am learning in these busy hours that weave into days and weeks around me, is that I must stop. I must find some place to be still and to follow opportunities to quiet places. Early morning walks in the first glow of sun, tea and candlelight waiting after prayers are said and kisses are smooched onto foreheads; an hour here or there to spend with pens and crisp new paper, spilling out my thoughts and prayers; these places of calm are essential to remaining the woman I want to be.

I have been waiting for these moments to come upon me, expecting them to appear and then take hold of them,

but I am also learning that I have to build them in to the foundations of this life our family is making.

I have to create time set apart to be filled with the Word of the Scriptures, to confess my own depravity, to seek grace in quiet places so that I can cultivate grace in the busy ones.

Today, I am road building, brick-laying; making grooves in my routine to fill my own heart;

establishing anchors in my life that allow me to stop and rest and grow.

A mother, I am finding, who does not take time to fill her own soul, has very little to offer the souls in her care.

 May you rest in grace today too sweet friends,

Kristen

www.hopewithfeathers.com

Photos tell the story......

Pre-conference Fun

Yummmm.....Sandra's pre-conf feast!

Time with my favorite peeps--our yearly beach walk.

Mom Heart Conference

By Sandra Maddox, February 7, 2015

Hello from the Mom Heart Conference in Irvine, California. I always enjoy being with these lovely women and leave feeling refreshed. My favorite part of the conference is encouraging  leader’s to be the best they can be.

Sally Clarkson recently released her newest book, Own Your Life. As such, the conference is focused on owning your life- living a legacy of faith.

With Valentine’s Day on the way, the decorations are absolutely darling! Placing red or pink heart shaped doilies on a simple table cloth is any easy way to decorate your table for a larger gathering.

It is beautiful to see all of these mamas make connections and get encouragement throughout the weekend.

An after coffee, falling apart, sharing space and love and having fun with my one of my most precious bf's.

If you are hungry for more, I encourage you to consider readingOwn Your Life. You could even gather a small group of mamas and read it together. This is a wonderful way to establish new connections and find likeminded friends.

I would love to see some of you February 6-7 at the Mom Heart Conference in Dallas.

Thanks, Sandra Maddox. So thankful we have walked this road together for many years.

The Making and Shaping of Heroes in a Home Profoundly Shapes the Future of the World

 

When there are no heroes, no sense of nobility, there is nothing to fight for, to preserve, to hold sacred. Sarcasm becomes the norm and everything is open for ridicule. When all the heroes and even the character qualities required to be a hero--courage, loyalty, integrity, love, patriotism, self-sacrifice, compassion, generosity, bravery, endurance--are disparaged and ridiculed as "out of date" and "old fashioned", then a culture will fall apart from within.

Cynicism, the mistrust of anything virtuous, has taken over our culture. Innocence is ridiculed, submission and humility is despised. And so there is no place to understand the holiness of God.

Unless we build a sense of heroism and sacrifice into the very values, nature, love and oxygen of our homes, we will not have heroes in the next generation--those whose imagination is captured by investing their lives for the benefit of others.

Heroes are built in their own homes. Heroes are made in the training moments of life, those times when we inspire our children that they were made for something more, they were chosen by God to bring light, to preserve beauty. Heroes are made by mothers who have the foresight to understand that the soul shaping work, invested in the quiet moments of life when no one else sees, are the very seeds that are planted into the future character of a nation, and a world.

Today, understand that all of the invisible moments are the places where heroes begin to imagine themselves to become soldiers of righteousness in their own generation, the place where darkness is spreading, but where they are called to bring the very redemption and power of God.

A post worth sharing with your older children! And inspiration to Read Read Read!

Senioritis: 8 Reasons to do Your Homework

JANUARY 30, 2015 / 2 COMMENTS

I graduated high school when I was 16; I hardly had time to have senioritis. No sooner did I have my driver’s license than I was walking across the stage in Gryffindor colors humming Pomp and Circumstance.

Not so with college.

Coming back with only one semester left I find myself in an odd spot. I’ve just returned from Oxford, which is easily one of the most amazing experiences of my life, both academically and personally, and I only have one semester left. It would be easy to be apathetic; there’s only a short time left here to invest in people and professors, the academic rhythm and challenge is vastly different, and the pulsing possibility of the future is ever before my waking eyes.

Reading assignments and multiple choice assignments can seem a bit frivolous.

There’s a world to be explored. Graduate applications to be filled out. Road trips to be gone on.

 DREAMS TO BE DREAMED!

I’m being a bit dramatic. But, you get my point. Perhaps you’ve felt the same.

I’ve heard this sort of sentiment from some of my fellow Seniors. Indeed, preoccupation with the future and dis-interest in our present educational experience seems to be a theme with many college students. This, however, has gotten me to think about how I want to live my last semester, and how I want to engage with my education.

And how I’m going to motivate myself to complete the multitudinous reading charts, worksheets, and surveys I have recently been assigned.

So, below I have compiled a list of reasons for doing homework, engaging in classes, and battling off to old foe of Senioritis.

So, without further ado….

8 Reasons you should do your homework.

1. You are Privileged:

Did you know that 775 million adults are illiterate? And 500 million of that number are women? On Wednesday, I was speaking with an old spiritual director of mine and she was telling me about some work she had been doing in Kenya. She said that in Kenya most students are not able to progress in school past 8th grade. 8th Grade. This creates a cycle of poverty because to obtain opportunities that might lift individuals from poverty, they would need further education which they cannot get because they are too poor to afford it, and must work to support their families.

And I don’t want to do my reading for class.

Thinking about this could seem like a guilt trip, but I don’t like to think of it that way. Rather, it puts into context for me the incredible gift of education. Education liberates, empowers, broadens perspective, and edifies. Education has the power to make a difference between poverty and opportunity. Often, I think we think of college as a mandatory post-highschool pre-real life intermediary step, but let us never let the beauty and honor of education grow old to us. The fact that I (and you!) can get an education, and spend years of our lives devoted to studying and being mentored, being exposed to ideas, books, stories, theories and concepts is a gift that many people around the world can’t even begin to imagine.

Let us not waste this gift.

I, by no merit of my own, have been given the gift of education. It seems to me a pretty good reason to take my college career seriously, think about how I can give this gift to others, to get the most out of it that I can, and to be faithful with the gift I’ve been given. Today, that could simply mean completing my reading assignment and realizing that my “homework problem” is a sign of the incredibly privileged life I am allowed to live.

2. It will improve your GPA:

Let’s talk pragmatics:

If you do your homework, you will probably get a better grade in the class.

This will probably increase your GPA.

If you get a better GPA, it will be easier for you to do exciting things in the future without the hindrance of a cringeable GPA.

It’s easy. It helps. Just do it.

3. You will probably learn something:

Math and I have never been friends. In most things I am pretty quick to adapt. Give me paper; I can write. Give me music; I can sing. Give me books; I can read. Give me calculators; I can cry.

I took a condensed Math course over this interterm. That meant that not only did I get to do math, but I got to do a LOT of it, in a verrrryyy short amount of time. Algebra one day and trigonometry the next! Wohoo!!!! (please read the sarcasm in this statement.)

But, you know what? I learned a lot from that class. The professor was hilarious, engaging, and understanding. I realized that he knew that most of the people in his class weren’t math people, and he was okay with that. He just wanted us to be exposed to the order and beauty he saw in math for one class, even if we never used that sort of math again.

He’s great. Also, he has a Youtube channel with hilarious pranks he plays on his students. Check this out:

Through that class I learned that the only thing that will keep you from learning is an attitude which assumes you will not learn anything. When I complain, I shut down the possibility of learning because I assume it’s not possible. However, if you honestly engage your mind with a subject, you are bound to learn. Even if you profoundly disagree with the professor! Engaging your mind means you will be wrestling with new thoughts, trying out arguments, and yes, even learning.

Again, it is helpful to remember: learning is a gift.

4. You probably paid a lot of money for this class:

The fact of the matter is this: Whether from your own pocket, the pocket of your parents, or the pocket of scholarship foundations galore, your education is one of the most valuable and expensive commodities. Why waste all those hard earned dollars not doing well? It nothing else, let that money go towards a good grade, a more educated mind, and a semester of learning.

5. Because you could be influential in shaping education:

We have all had a bad class. It is a reality of college education. In these classes it is easy to check out and shake our fist at the system. However, what I’ve come to realize is that if I disengage, the system which created the shoddy learning environment I encountered will continue. If you do not like elements of your education the best thing to do is to be involved in changing it. Talk to the professor, fill out evaluations of the course, raise awareness for ways you think it would be more beneficial to learn by. If you don’t like what you are getting in your education, then be a part of changing it.

6. It will impact your integrity:

How you are acting today determines who you will be tomorrow. This is not a selective reality; I cannot pick and choose which areas of my life will determine who I will be because they are all shaping and making me.

Jesus’ words are true: “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.”

This moment, this assignment, this professor. How I take hold of, respond to, faithfully own these situations will determine who I will become. Because of this, even if I find a class frustrating or inane, being faithful and working hard in the class is a matter of my own integrity and thus I should put my heart into it.

7. You owe it to your professors:

Professors are some of the most under appreciated people. It is easy to criticize teaching habits, unreasonable assignments, and boring lectures without remembering that professors spend an incredible amount of time and effort without a great deal of compensation to invest in your education. The paper that you spend all weekend writing, they spend all weekend grading. It is motivating to me to recognize and honor the work professors put into my education, and in turn doing my best to use the tools they give me well.

8. Ultimately, YOU are responsible for your own education:

The old maxim has been tried and found true: what you put in is what you will get out. No matter what the class, whether that is at a community college, a private university, or Oxford University, you have the ability to invest your mind, do research, invest time and come out having grown as a person. You also have the ability to learn nothing. I firmly believe that I could have emerged from Oxford learning very little if I had chosen to not invest my heart and mind in growing.

As the ever pithy Mark Twain notes: “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.”

What this quote made realize is: I am the one responsible for my own education. I cannot blame a professor, a university, or a political leader for my apathy. For me, if I feel like I’m not being challenged by a class, rather than complaining about how easy it is or how exasperating the homework is, I want to invest further in reading, growing and challenging myself. Why wait for someone else to challenge me? In the words of my Mama’s new book… Own your life!

So, with that, I’m off to Lunch and homework!

Good luck, my friends!

Here’s to quickly rising word counts and spiritual gifts of speed reading.

Just remember: Education is a gift.

Peace out!

Joyness

Listen to This

Having fun in California! See many of you sooooo soon!

From Snowy Oxford to Sunny California! Stories of Life

 My Sarah, A Midnight Snow Walk in Oxford

Tomorrow morning, I will be up at 5:00 a.m., leaving for a plane to California--one of my favorite Mom Heart conferences. After all, I am leaving snowy, cold Colorado for 70's degrees and beaches. I will be the whitest person around with freckles instead of a tan, but I will also be so happy to have a few days of sunshine, seeing my precious children and getting to see close friends. Wanted to give you some great blogs while I take a day or two off to be fully present at our conferences.

FEBRUARY CATCH UP FROM THOROUGHLY ALIVE WITH SARAH CLARKSON

To my shock (and slight panic), it’s already the third week of term, and my, but it’s off to a swift start!

I find it difficult to compose long contemplations amidst the here-and-there schedule of lectures (the required ones and the half dozen I attend just because, good grief, it’s Oxford and I can – I mean, could you resist attending a talk by Rowan Williams, or a lecture on Caravaggio combined with a study of the Bible as literature, or a meeting of the C.S. Lewis society with John Garth speaking on the Great War? – because I sure can’t). Between lectures, I tromp the cobblestones down to the Radcliffe Camera to cram in a few desperate hours of essay composition, I stop in every bookshop I can, haunt the Evensong services, and on Saturdays, I go for long walks in the fields and coffee-sipping, letter-writing sessions at a slower pace.

My goal is to return to a more regular rhythm of creative, contemplative writing in the next weeks, which should find its gradual way here. Though there is the constant, never-ending possibility of another social or academic activity here, there is also, to my mind at least, a daily invitation to step aside. I find the invitation, as you know, in morning and evening prayer, in the half hours set aside to kneel or watch in silence, to speak the old words of Scripture. A life this demanding isn’t sustainable without silence. I’m learning that, and learning how to fight for my quiet as an element necessary to the flourishing of soul and mind. I need hush in which to meet the one voice echoing at back of all the others, the one great Love whose pulse make every word and thought discovered here a grace. And to write about it all is, for me, a sort of prayer.

Soon.

For now, in lieu of contemplations, I offer a brief summary of my current study focus, and the books stretching heart and thought and mind as I go.

My current work is on an extended essay in doctrine. When I glanced down the essay title possibilities page and spotted “Christology Explored Through Literature” guess what I chose? I’ve spent the past several weeks exploring various doctrines of Christology, focusing particularly on the Incarnation. I want to understand exactly what happened when Christ took on flesh, what redemptive quickening took place by the mere fact of his present, human life. Jesus proclaimed the kingdom come far before he died, and I want to understand, in rather technical terms, the salvific nature of the Incarnation as something distinct from the Atonement, and what this means for human relationships, and for our interaction with physical creation. God took on flesh. He hallowed the world with his presence. How should we then live?

I’ve been reading T.F. Torrance’s Incarnation, a magisterial work of systematic theology that deeply explores the nature of the Incarnation. I’m fascinated by the concept of the Old Testament as pre-Incarnation history, by the realization that God began a process of incarnation in his dealings with Israel that culminated in Christ. And I’m challenged by the realization of what was accomplished by Christ’s human life as it was lived, and lived to the full in an active, loving obedience that offered every duty and goodness that humanity owed to God, but had, until Christ’s coming, failed to give. Torrance’s knowledge is a little staggering to a beginning student, but there is a wonder, a current of excitement thrumming through his writing. He uses superlatives to explain the beauty of what God has offered and accomplished. Sometimes, when I realize the intricacy of the plan that led to God taking human flesh, I get all bright-eyed and quiet right in the middle of the library.

FOR MORE BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS AND THE REST OF THE BLOG, GO HERE AND TELL SARAH HI!

A lovely post from a dear friend--Holly Pakiam

My Two-Year Old, My Mentor, and the Gift of Motherhood

Sometimes your 2 year old has to wait, just for a while.

Through batting eyelashes, my two year old daughter looked up at me.  Struggling to get the final things together to leave for the weekend, her words seemed a distraction. “Mommy, tell me a story about when you were little.” What mother’s heart wouldn’t melt at the sound of these delightful words? But in the moment, I was distracted with tasks that seemed non-negotiable. I settled down for a minute and looked into her deep, blue eyes. It did not last much longer than a second as I quickly shifted to the next task. I was off to gather my notes, my luggage, my coat. I wish I could say I responded in the moment and took the time to tell her a story from my childhood, about some magical day lived on my family’s Iowa farm. But I didn’t. I was overwhelmed, frazzled, just trying to get out of the house in one piece, semi-put together.

I needed some space, to step away, to be surrounded by other women who are walking along a parallel path. I was looking forward to thoughtful conversation and a night’s sleep with no children in my bed. Yes, this would nourish my soul.

——————–

My mentor and friend, Sally Clarkson was leading a conference, ‘Own Your Own Life’. I was grateful to participate as a speaker on a panel, and to attend with friends and fellow moms from our church. Sally truly lives what she teaches. I know this because she has invited me into her home, her groups and her family for almost the past decade. Gently encouraging me to seek a vision for my family, for motherhood, for my life since the day we first met, Sally is a gift and her message is a rarity.

Here are a few themes that resonated with me at her conference:

Your home is a place to live, but is it a place of life? Life looks like taking the time to cuddle, pray and read with our kids each night.  Life looks like taking a fifteen minute nap with my two year old at 8:30PM. After all, in this stage, a late-night cat nap with my sweet daughter will only last for a short season, and these precious moments of lying down with her will be gone before I know. Plus, this little nap gives me just the amount of energy I need to stay up a few more hours!

If you are faithful in the hidden places, these places will become the foundation of your story The very place you are is where God is building character. I hope and pray my character has been and is continuing to be shaped as I have been quietly and freely giving my life to my children. I pray that my persistence, my patience, my diligence in motherhood for years is part of the foundation from which I can now give from and lead from.

For the rest of these mama thoughts, go HERE to Awakening Wonder

Meanwhile everyone else, stay warm and have a lovely Wednesday--I will be having lunch with my Joy, so I will be quite happy.

Be inspired today by thoughts to shape your new year!