Celebrating the Ordinary Liturgies of Life

“Let us remember that the life in which we ought to be interested is “daily” life. We can each of us only call the present time our own.  Our Lord tells us to pray for today, and so He prevents us from tormenting ourselves about tomorrow." ~Gregory of Nyssa

During the past month, I have been working on a new book that celebrates the life of a healthy home. Seems that in order to have a home brimming over with life, there must be a conductor of that life! Nothing meaningful happens without work, subduing, and endurance. My sweet friend, Holly Packiam, and I share so much of the same philosophy about home and I know you will love her fresh look at a home with her precious littles all about.

******************************************************

I so desperately want my life to be meaningful. Mothering often happens in the hidden places, and so sometimes I can feel unseen. I know that God knows me intimately and knows the number of hairs on my head. And yet, it’s so easy to lose sight of the truth that He is with me, really with me.

It’s just that His voice is sometimes drowned out by, well, the sounds of my younger two children fighting in the background, yet again, over a toy. I want to ignore it, to stare out my window, or to sit down and lose myself in an engaging book. Why can’t they just be kind, be sweet? Their gradually escalating argument only fueled my desire to throw my own fit. And then my head continues to turn to the sink full of dishes, and just beyond, to the baskets of laundry overflowing.

We can’t escape the daily life— the changing of diapers, the feeding of ourselves and our families, the dishes and the laundry. No matter what our stage of life, the menial and mundane will always be with us.

How will I respond to these tasks set before me? My children turn to observe me. There are moments where I sit down and cry and others where I choose to shift my perspective.

Just as I engage (or try to!) in the liturgy of morning or evening prayer, can I also choose to see the menial and mundane parts of life as moments He wants to engage us?

The menial and mundane tasks of life are opportunities to turn our hearts and mind toward the Lord. 

Folding piece after piece of my children’s laundry, an ancient breath prayer comes to mind.

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” It is sometimes shortened as, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy” or simply, “Jesus, mercy.” Known as the “Jesus Prayer”, Christians would repeat this prayer or other simple prayers to the rhythm of their breath.

When engaging in the mundane is difficult, these prayers can ground me in the midst of the daily struggle, the chaos.  These simple prayers can invite the Holy Spirit in when my temptation is to let my mind wander to how much I dislike a mundane task or how I’m struggling to find the meaning in serving my family. Joy can be replaced by feelings of apathy or despair. By repeatedly praying breath prayers, these phrases can become rooted in my heart. I’m in the midst of learning to make this a more natural practice.

Here are some other breath prayer ideas:

Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)

Holy Wisdom, Guide me.

Jesus, let me feel your love.

O Lord, Show me your way.

Abba Father, I Am Yours. 

In the book, The Quotidian Mysteries by Kathleen Norris, she says, “When humans try to do everything at once and for all and be through with it, we court acedia, self-destruction, and death. Such power is reserved for God, who alone can turn what is “already done” into something that is ongoing and ever present. It is a quotidian mystery.”

What if there is a kind of spirituality vitality that would help us see menial tasks as holy work? I’m daily asking the Lord to help me to see His work through His eyes.

Join me, as I seek to dwell with God in the the midst of the mundane.

Holly Packiam at: http://awakeningwonderblog.com/

"If you are the Son of God, Get Down From Your Cross!"

“If you are the Son of God, get down from your cross.”

Saint Matthew says the mockers said it as they passed by, wagging their heads and hurling insults like punches.

Who passes by a crucifixion? One can only think they came on purpose to mock, spit, humiliate. Did they know as they taunted that they tempted? Could they know this was the plan? He knelt, rocking, sweat mingled with blood as he prayed. “If it is possible, let this cup pass from me. But not what I want, but what You want.”

And so He stayed.

“He saved others; He cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross and we will believe him…”

These were the chief priests and leaders. These were the men that touted scrolls and begged questions, seeking to tangle him in the chords of the law, proving his unrighteousness. Here at last, though in jest, they ask for a sign to prove once and for all that he was the Messiah. They shrug to eachother with I-didn’t-think-so smirks. How could they know?

Twice He had asked if there was another way. Twice he found himself grieved even to the point of death. But, this was the way. He was to be given into the hands of sinners.Not what I want, Father, but what you want.

And so He stayed.

He stayed on His cross for six hours. Broken and bleeding, surrounded by those who hated him, by those who cheered to see his demise. It was no shallow suffering. These were no ketchup stained hands. There was no magic trick. And in the dark He cried:

“Eli Eli Lama Sabachthani! My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?”

He quoted from the Psalms:

My God my God! Why have you forsaken me?

Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning?

Oh my God! I cry by day but you do not answer, by night, but I have no rest.

Yet, You are Holy.

And so he stayed.

He cried out.

He gave up his Spirit.

I find myself at the foot of His cross this Maundy Thursday. This ministry of His did not make sense. The Jews wanted a conquering King, parading the restored righteousness of Israel back through the gates. A King to cut down their oppressors. A King to give them back their land entirely. Instead, the Lord’s servant came. The man who healed, and was gentle and humble and meek. The despised and rejected of men.

When I look to the cross, I must bow my head, because I cannot bear to look. In the cross I see the white lies and the blood of the centuries, wars between brothers and gossip, refugees and rejectees, innocence lost and antidepressants. It tells me something true about this war torn world of ours that I don’t like to think of: We’re dying.

We are so afraid of death. When our grandparents get old, we hide them away in nursing homes so not to see their lives fade into death. Death makes a fool of all men, and we are not to be made fools of. So we create business markets with fast expanding profits aimed to make us live forever. We want Spring but never Autumn.

We find ourselves saying, Get down from the cross.

But did He not say: “Truly, truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds.”

And so he fell to the ground.

The seed of David fell to the ground.

(Based off of Psalm 22, Isaiah 53, Matthew 26-27)

From my sweet daughter, Joy.

From:https://joynessthebrave.wordpress.com/

Patience at Easter: The Grace of Covering Over Sin

Our own little Easter Egg Tree

“For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.” 

Psalm 103:14

April was abloom with tiny buds beginning to burst, daffodils pushing through the cold ground and all the promise of spring was pulsing through our home. Many years ago, on a Saturday before Easter found my girls and me, working together, preparing our traditional Easter feast. A dozen people would join us, so we bumped into each other, scurrying around the kitchen island, preparing sumptuous recipes that would feed a crowd. Joy, grasping for her own place in our kitchen as the youngest, had decided to make the special deviled eggs we had enjoyed as a family for many years. She had peeled 24 hard boiled eggs and then got a bright idea of how to make it easier, even though I had already explained to her the best way to fill the eggs.

She had good inclinations and she was attempting a new idea---(great attitude at the end of all of us working so hard), but her effort to stuff a flimsy, plastic sandwich bag with egg filling resulted in a mess everywhere–I have never seen so much egg yellow on the hands of any one individual! How in the world had she managed to fumble such an easy task, I thought, in my mama bad attitude irritation, neglecting how hard she had been trying. Of course, this situation struck at the end of a long afternoon of cooking and counseling another teen. My adrenalin was at an all-time low. She could surely sense how irritated I was.

The Lord poked my heart and suddenly gave me eyes to see this precious, young woman--my sweet little girl--in the throes of growing up. Insecurity and frustration flashed from her dark eyes as she watched me clean up her mess. Choosing how to respond and what I wanted to leave in her heart’s memory ran across my mind. After taking a couple of minutes to ponder what I was going to say, I took her to our den couch and gave her a cup of tea.

“Joyness,” (our nickname for her) “you have been so exceedingly helpful and thoughtful today. The table you set looks lovely; the groceries are all put away, and you have labored by my side for hours. I don’t know what I would do without your help. Many times I have baked bread and then burned it or grilled something outside that ends up tough as nails. Frustration temps me to rage inside sometimes, because I hate to waste time and ruin the food I have cooked. So, I know how you must feel when the bag kept breaking and the mess just poured out. I am so sorry if I offended you in any way. You are such a treasure to me and I know you were trying to do a good job. Thanks so much for all the ways you have helped me this week!”

Suddenly, a sheepish grin crossed her face. She climbed into my lap; long, gangly, teenage legs and all, and said, “I am so thankful that you always love me, mommy.” A kiss on the cheek … and she was gone.

Time and age has convinced me of my propensity to be selfish and immature. Consequently, my gratitude has grown immensely, knowing that I don’t have to perform for the Lord. He is mindful that I am but dust, and yet He still calls me His own special child. The amount of times He has had to bear with me, love me and give me grace has made me so much more apt to love and forgive and bear with my sweet, but immature children and husband and friends.

I know they will make mistakes and be selfish and sinful-- just like me!-- but I know that I can only please God and have peace in my own heart when I choose to love them back. And in practicing loving them, my own heart swells with more love, good thoughts and a generous heart.

This is how it works in my own life: Sometimes, I will have a critical thought toward Clay or the kids or a friend. If I foster the thought, it nurtures self-righteousness and resentment and anger. When I choose to look at the relationship with eyes of love, to take the thought or attitude captive, I can get perspective. This is a person dear to me, and we have history together. They have a personality that comes with many flaws as mine does. I am not primarily the focus of their lives, and they do not live to hurt my feelings!

I need to remember that love covers a multitude of sin. (Or I remember that this person is an immature toddler or exhausted baby or hormonal young woman or middle aged hormonal woman or somewhat immature, irrational, waiting-for-his-frontal-cortex-to-connect "teen" young man or a tired, worn-out husband who’s had too many days of work.) Then I remember how much I need grace in all of my own fragile times. I also remind myself that I will please my precious, patient Lord Jesus if I obediently act in love.

So, I cover the person with grace, say words of patience and kindness and then I am amazed that my feelings of love usually follow and the relationship improves rather than being broken. Good feelings often accompany obedience.

This is not a formula that always works--I am not looking for always having the right results--but it is a way of life, that practiced over many years, has turned my heart more towards loving, resting and accepting those valued relationships. In return, I find I am blessed in ample love that the Lord pours out into my heart. If I sow love, I will reap love. My love becomes a blessing to me in return.

We are all constantly confronted with a multitude of opportunities to choose to love or to choose to stir up strife. Loving on a consistent basis is a choice that becomes a habit and eventually changes our heart’s response. We all get frustrated sometimes with our children’s mistakes. The important thing is to correct our own bad reactions before we hurt their precious hearts!

Indeed, in the end, how we loved will be a measure of how we lived.

#OwnYourLifebook

And now, she is coming home and I simply cannot wait to be with her and squeeze her every moment. May not let her go back!

We do have a serious heart for worshipping our Lord through out the season, but then we totally celebrate his rising from the dead for restoration to Him. We  feast and play and have fun all day on Easter, celebrating His great victory over sin, death and condemnation.

One final fun little Easter tradition we practiced. Each year we find out how many will be in our home for Easter brunch, (this year we are going out!). For each adult, adult child or friend, young children, we buy a different color or size of plastic egg. Each person is given their own color or size (small green, large green). We plant the eggs all over hills and dales near our home and each one searches only for his color or size egg. That way we can hide the eggs for the littles in places they can find and for the adults, we placed them in more difficult places. Little ones had prizes or little candies-it is a holiday, afterall! And bigger ones may have gift cards, dark chocolate and more appropriate prizes. (Sometimes quarters or dimes and nickles or occasional eggs, dollar bills.)

May God give you grace today to love well and to walk on His pathway of love and grace.

***If you have the desire to go deeper today, take a few moments to complete the reflection and application below:

• “Love is patient, love it kind, it does not take into account a wrong suffered.” I Cor. 13: 4, 5 These words describe God, who tells us that He actually is love! Too often, it doesn’t describe me. Do patience and kindness come easily to you?

• “Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another.” James 5: 16 Is it hard for you to apologize to your children when you’re wrong?

• “Above all, love each other deeply, for love covers a multitude of sin.” I Peter 4:8 How can you remind yourself to think of your child’s feelings before you react to their childishness and sin?

Motherhood is Shaping Souls and Hearts for Eternal Purposes

11037565_10206170956018012_7472938861006285286_n

The shaping of souls happens little by little by the values believed, love given and truth embodied in the home every day.

We cannot pass on what is not alive in our own hearts. How we cultivate our own souls, practice our own faith, live in obedience to God will be the source that feeds our own children. Their faith is fed by the integrity of our own lives.

Grow in grace today and your children will draw grace from your soul.

Holiness is not Law-keeping, but Love-keeping

Janis Rozentals

"Let the children come to me."

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15

There is something in our flesh that wants to try to earn God's love.

We love to check off mental lists of what we have done for Him to be good little Christians. We measure ourselves by others who do not look as "Christian" or do as much as we do. We feel guilty when we misbehave and do something that makes us feel "bad" or sinful.

And sometimes the narrative we tell ourselves over and over again is, "God is probably disappointed with me."

"I haven't had enough quiet times."

"I have been lazy, or neglectful or idolatrous, or impatient, or critical, or wicked, or gossipy, or or or."

The truth is, because we could never be holy or perfect on our own, he had to save us. We could never attain to His standards. Never.

No matter how good you try to be, you are going to blow it, disappoint someone you love, somehow, some way, multiple times. And you are going to make some mistakes in judgment that have consequences--even the very best and most disciplined of you.

You are just never, ever going to be perfect or always good.

And so, "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

But, you say, holiness must exhibit an excellent life. Yes, I agree. But holiness, being willing to be set aside for God's purposes, to seek to follow His biblical ideas, to seek to be moral, to make Him known, to proclaim His kingdom and kingdom ways,  spills over into our behavior, from a loving heart.

When our  heart is so grateful to God for His gentle, humble mercy on all of us who are so likely to be selfish and sinful,

His redeeming grace that wipes our faults and sins away as though we have never sinned,

His affirmation of our worth, because He has adopted us,

Then,  out of deep appreciation, a well of humble gratefulness for his generosity, we have an overwhelming desire to obey Him, to please him, to serve Him.

It is significant to me that it was Peter, the wonderful, outspoken, imperfect, passionate lover of God, who so publicly failed, admonishes us to "Be Holy as I am holy."

Peter was not in any way telling us to perform holy deeds, but, to, from our hearts, be His, love His ways, serve Him wholeheartedly.

Peter also says, "But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" I Peter 2: 9

When Jesus was asked what the most important law was, his response was, "You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart."

When one understands that it is God who created this beautiful place for us to live--the stars, the vast and powerful oceans, the thousands of flowers that bloom in the spring, the vibrant reds, oranges, yellows of dying leaves in the fall, then worship is a natural response. Praise for what is good.

Jesus said of the woman, weeping and washing his feet with her tears, "She who is forgiven much, loves much."

Why do we stay moral and pure in marriage? Because we know it pleases Him. He calls marriage sacred because it is a picture of our bridegroom Jesus loving and serving and committing himself to preparing us for the wedding feast. And so out of wanting to honor this sacred picture, we love and serve and give of ourselves generously to our marriage, so that our lives can reflect to others the beauty of committed, gracious love.

We serve our children and give up our own time to sacrifice for them, not out of works or duty, but because Jesus himself gave his love and blessing, even his life, to us, His children.

And he gave a definitive picture to us in his own journey amongst the crowds surrounding him, pushing, pulling in the path of ministry. When children ran up to embrace Jesus, to crawl into his lap, touch his beard,the disciples tried to turn them away as insignificant, not worthy of the "time" of the Master.

Jesus, winsomely, gently embraced, caressed the precious little ones and said, "Let the children come to me, of such is the kingdom of God."

We understand that God said children are a blessing and the fruit of the womb is a reward, and so we cherish them, and serve them as Jesus served His disciples, because we deeply revere Him, love Him and want to honor Him.

A holy life will reflect the character of Christ because it springs out of the heart whose life flows out from knowing Him.

And so excellence, sacrifice, hard work, loyalty, love, joy, peace, patience, will be the virtues that grow in and through our holy lives, but it will come from being connected to Him, the vine, the source of all goodness. Not a harsh, "I will gut it out sort of works oriented law-keeping," but a graceful, growing, developing character of grace as seen through the lives of Jesus's disciples.

God reminds us that holiness is His work.

We read in Hebrews, "For they (our parents) disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness."

God, as a good Father, is committed to slowly but surely, training us to become holy, like Him. But He does it through loving us, serving us, teaching us, calling us, providing for us. A lifetime of loving Him will produce a life that is holy.

Even in his last prayers, Jesus shows us how much He wants us to know His Father's love, "I pray that they may know the love with which you have loved me from the foundation of the world."

Love and holiness cannot be separated. Loving Him, will produce serving Him from a grateful heart and the process of holiness will overtake our character as we seek to know and love Him. Holiness spills out of an overflow of a heart in love with God.

The Back Story: What's a Mama to do? Prodigal Son Movie

 

"Mama, I think God wants me to invest my life in the entertainment industry and be an actor or something!"

After raising my "out of the box" son, having him push against me, knowing he was bigger than life since he was born, I knew I had some battles ahead.

"He who is faithful in small things, will be faithful in much," I quipped. You need to be faithful right where you are and we will pray about it and see if God opens doors for you." Buying a little time, I was sure his "dream" would go away.

But next, he won a talent competition, a small scholarship to New York Film Academy, moved to New York City, at 19, (with our blessing, I must say--he was faithful in small arenas, after all! But I was on my knees and the phone with him almost every day.) and then, "Mom and Dad, I want to move to Hollywood."

"Mama, what would it be like for an athlete to train his whole life and never get into the ring to compete?!"

"You trained us our whole life to live by faith, to believe in God's dreams for our lives, to work hard and to make an impact for the kingdom. That is what I am trying to do."

Here we go again! Boy oh boy, have I earned my gray hairs! And depended a lot on prayer and faith.

Nate moved to Hollywood, moved from temporary job to job, then began securing his own jobs doing extras work, joined a church, lived with 5 boys in a tiny apartment, and pushed all of my mom buttons.

I was sitting in my quiet time chair, praying my heart out, asking God to just get him a job that would pay his bills--please, God, provide for my son.

When you are a Christian in Hollywood, you have to say "no" to more opportunities than yes, if you maintain your boundaries as a believer.

As I was praying, he was praying, too. God impressed on his heart, "Write the kind of story that you think would bring light and my message to the screen."

"I wrote a screenplay and am getting some help with the editing and I think I will produce it into a movie," he told me in a phone call.  (From my son who has never been able to spell.)

"Where will you get the money for such a venture?"

"I will try to raise it."

And so he began, and as loyal parents, we prayed and tried to help him get the word out. He gathered a crew from amongst friends, most of whom did their work for free, asked Kevin Sorbo to play the father, and Kevin graciously said he would. Nathan and Rachael put out some messages to actors in Hollywood they did not even know.

"Want to have a credit in a film? Come be in a crowd scene, no pay, just a movie credit."

People showed up. Cafe owners volunteered their places to be filmed, for free! Lots of free footage in a park. A home of a friend for some scenes. Friends played parts, Nathan and Rachael played the main roles, (they came cheap! :)) and friends filmed it, all in 9 days, no make up, no costumes, just raw, lots of good heart and first time tries.

God has big plans for our little Davids when they face their giants by faith. After it was all finished, great friends on the editing crew made it look its best, and out of the blue, a distributor picked the film up!

Miracles--low budget, first timer, no previous experience at writing a script, producing, raising money, gathering a crew or assigning actors, taking a risk of faith, praying every day, shooting in the dark--and God showed up.

And that is part of the back story.

Now Nathan says, "I learned a lot, and hope I can even do better the next time. I already have a story in mind."

God gets all the glory for how far this work of faith has come. And Nathan's prayer? That somehow, someway, many prodigals will want to go home, and find the open arms of their loving heavenly Father.

Help us spread the word! Thanks for everyone who is so generously supporting this great movie. We appreciate you. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Releasing Confessions of a Prodigal Son and Great Giveaway!

"And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him." Luke 15:20

Surrounded by Pharisees and sinner, we read in Luke 15, Jesus told 3 stories to help those who were listening to understand the amazing love He had for those who were lost. This story shows Him, the Father, filled with love and compassion--he is hoping for the return of all of his children. Our God is the Father who would run to meet us and embrace us and kiss us and celebrate our hearts turning to Him. Simply amazing. Every time I read this story, it overwhelms me with the profound, humble, generous love of God.

Since the he was a wee child, cuddling next to me, my son, Nathan, has been the one who loved stories, he loved to watch, hear, read and act out stories. They spoke to his heart, inspired him, and gave him a picture of what a life of a hero looks like.

Nathan, as the prodigal, returning home.

"Mama, I want to be superman and change my world some day," he would say over and over again. Nathan has always wanted to change the world, just like the heroes he would read about in those stories. So it is no surprise that he is now trying to change the world by telling them.

Nathan my wonderful out of the box, ADHD, OCD, ODD, boy,  wrote, produced, and starred in a film called Confessions of a Prodigal Son, a modern day retelling of the story Jesus told.  I was sitting in my home in Colorado, praying that Nathan would find a job to pay his bills. But God had a much bigger challenge for him. During his quiet time, God whispered to Nathan's heart, "I want you to begin writing scripts that would reach teh hearts of others with my messages."

And so with a dream in his heart, no budget, Nathan wrote, raised money, secured actors, and produced Confessions of a Prodigal Son. His hope is that the powerful message will reach out to a broader world and offer a picture of God's redemption and a picture of his love and open arms to those willing to come home to Him.

Nathan stepped out in faith into a dark world with a desire to bring light and in this film to change lives.

It stars Nathan as the lead, opposite Kevin Sorbo as the Father (Hercules, God's Not Dead, Soul Surfer) and Rachael his then fiancee and now beautiful wife.

Today this amazing film comes out on DVD and digital and I so encourage you to watch this to support the story that so needs to be told.

Will you please help me spread the word of this movie and Nathan's story and share with your friends, and help me spread this movie as far as God will take it?

To celebrate the film's release, I am giving away 5 prize packs which include.

 - 1 DVD of the film

- 1 Music  cd inspired by the Motion Picture with popular Christian artists (Ellie Holcomb, Andrew Peterson, JJ Heller, a song by Nathan himself, and more)

- 1 Instrumental Soundtrack from the film composed by Joel Clarkson

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter now, and share this movie and it's message with all who need to remember God's power to tell amazing stories with our lives through his amazing grace, love, and redemption.

You may purchase your own copy, HERE!

We would so appreciate it if you could help us get this faith-based film in the hands of people all over the world! Thanks so much for your support, prayers and love!

--

Home: The Place where Heroes are Made.

 

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:13-16

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews reminds us of the stories of men and women who lived in the warp and woof of the trials of life, but instead of giving in to the cultural norms of compromise, kept their eyes on heaven and lived exceptional lives because they made decisions to trust God in all the hard places. These are our Christian heroes--the ones who made the story of the Bible worth knowing, the men and women who set a pattern for us to follow.

Heroism starts with a heart shaped by a passion to love and serve God, through actions, stewardship, relationships and obedience.

A Hero  deals with his sin, pettiness on a regular, daily basis.

The heart of a hero takes instruction and believes in accountability and humbly works on his weaknesses.

The heart of a hero is in the habit of serving others as the self-realization of his duty to give as Jesus gave. And when a sacrifice of ultimate giving of courage or laying down life for another comes as a choice in the moment of his life, the hero has already been imagining this to be his service of worship to God--to obey, love, give, submit, fight the spiritual battles as they appear.

Heroism is learned at home from watching models of parents loving, giving, having courage, refusing to complain about hardship, confessing sin, asking for forgiveness, practicing having integrity from a proper appreciation of Jesus' righteousness.

When a family culture has no heroes to inspire, no models of integrity to capture their imaginations, the level of dignity, decency and nobility declines.

But when a mom or dad determines to live the most noble life possible, to be the most like Jesus in every situation, to choose to live righteously, the child's soul is planted with seeds of truth and nobility, the child's appetites grow from tasting goodness and excellence in the oxygen of his home, and the vision in the child's heart is to want to become the best person for Christ he can be, because this is the truth lived in his home.

That is how important the work of home is today, tomorrow and forever. What is lived and cherished and taught determines the future of any culture, family or individual.

May all of us capture a vision for being a hero committed to Christ's purposes every day until we see Him face to face.

You Can Find and Create Great Community!

 

Can you see it in their faces, in their mannerisms toward each other?  These women have found community.

(Photo from September 1918)

I think a movement is shaping up! Thrilled about it,  hardly defines the way I feel about the life I see happening around mom heart groups--new friends being made, groups being forged, hope being given, confidence being built as women step out to invite others into their homes and are finding inspiration as they share life together!

Sweet Jennie Nelson is heading up our groups and organizing women all over the world! We are partners in Mom Heart Ministries and I am soo grateful for the ways God is using her through our ministry. I think you should become a part of this movement! Her words ring so true to my own life! See what she says! Sally--(off writing my next book! )

*******************************************

Sometimes, we feel so lonely that we cannot see that we are surrounded by other lonely people.  Someone must take the initiative.  It might be a smile, a friendly question or an invitation to attend an event together.  Sally often says that, “Every group I’ve ever been a part of, I’ve had to start myself.”  Her words were ringing loudly in my ears when I moved to Idaho where I did not know a soul.  Idaho?  Do people even live there?  They do indeed!  In order to find community for myself, I had to invite individuals into my life.

Whenever I met a friendly mother on a playground or at the grocery store or buying items on craigslist (!), with heart pounding and hands shaking, I would invite that woman to join me in reading through one of Sally’s books together.  After several attempts, one woman said that she’d join me!  That’s all it takes to start community: one other person.  You can meet together in a home while your children play around you, in a coffee shop, at a park.  It doesn’t matter.  All that matters is that you are friendly and welcoming and you keep the focus on Jesus in your conversations.

Reading through a book together gives your conversation focus and challenges you to think differently.  It stimulates your mind and engages your heart.  It gives you ideas and ideals to pursue in your daily life.  Currently, many groups are reading through Own Your Life together.  Women are maturing in their faith and in their mothering together.  Gradually, God may then bring other women to join you in this community that you built together, beginning with just one other person.

Gretchen Roberts' Group

Here is Gretchen Roberts' experience leading a Mom Heart Group in Wilmington, North Carolina.

"Our Mom Heart group began after a friend and I prayed throughout the summer. Our group meets once a month in the evening from 8-10 pm.  We share tea and goodies and then read aloud a chapter from one of Sally and Clay’s books, discuss it and pray together.  Reading aloud the chapter together has led to great discussion since the content is fresh on everyone’s mind.  It has also been a great reminder as moms for how wonderful it is for someone to read aloud to you, which is a gift we can give our children every day.  We created Mom Heart cards for moms to give to other moms they meet at the park, church, or sports activities to invite them to our gatherings.  Our heart is to truly give moms a refreshing time where they can come as they are, be encouraged, prayed for, listened to, and fed physically and spiritually.  God meets us there as we pray, read and seek to learn how to love our families."

Tea Party by Louis Moeller (1905)

Sally and Clay have provided many resources to make the process of facilitating a Mom Heart Group easier.  Most of their books include discussion questions at the end of each chapter or in the back.  The newest book, Taking Motherhood to Hearts, is a complete manual of WHAT makes a Mom Heart Group, HOW to start a group, and even WHO to invite.  It includes chapters on how to nurture a group once formed.  There are some planning forms included to make the process even simpler.  I highly recommend this resource to anyone who would like to lead a group and is nervous about taking the first step.  I also recommend it to women already leading a group that would like some fresh insight or ideas for nurturing their group.

Do you lead a Mom Heart Group?  We’d love to have you join our community on Facebook called “Mom Heart Groups.”  This is a place for you to find fellowship amongst other Mom Heart Group leaders.  It is also a place to post about your group so that lonely or unconnected women can find an existing community to join.  (Note: if you are not on FB and would like to find a group or let women know about your group, please ask a friend to post that information for you.  She can then leave the group anytime.)  There are also plans being made for other ways to connect leaders to one another.  We will let you know here when those come to fruition.  We are excited as over 600 women have joined us already and connections are actively being made all over the country and even the world!

I'd love to meet you there!

~Jennie Nelson

How Nurture Shapes Your Child's Future

God has kissed me by giving me some sweet friends who are kindred spirits, right where I am here in Colorado. About 10 years ago, 5 sweet young moms, all in full time ministry, came to me and asked if I would go through Mission of Motherhood with them in a mentoring group. Each of these women became very dear to me and have become heart-friends in the last ten years. Holly Pakiam, one of these moms, has become like a part of our family. She has 4 children and is a great researcher, and I love her encouragement to so many moms in her own arena. I wanted to share her blog with you today. (I think 60 year old's futures are shaped by nurture, too! So if anyone wants to nurture me, just feel free!:))

Holly writes at: awakeningwonderblog.com

Of course you love your children! 

Isn’t that why you take them to fun places, let them choose activities or sports, give them the best education you know of and buy them lovely clothes? All of us love our kids but sometime our best intentions fail to translate to our children’s’ minds and hearts. I’m continually asking myself as a mom,

Do my kids perceive the love I am trying to communicate?

Recently— in the late hours of the night— I have been reading over some research by Dr Stella Chess & Dr Alexander Thomas on the effects of nurture in the life of the child. In this study, they conclude that a child’s choices and adult outcome is largely determined by a combination of the home environment and personal traits of that specific child. It’s true: some children are more difficult to parent than others. Chess and Thomas describe nine temperaments observable in a newborn nursery that tend to stay with them as they grow, though these characteristics can change in the home environment. But the best news from the study is that the atmosphere a nurturing mother provides often contributes to a well-adapted child. Even in situations where mothers had difficult babies or toddlers, nurture was a huge factor in determining how the child ultimately adapted in society.

I’ll be honest: our children have been easier to nurture in some seasons, and more difficult in others. A couple of our kids were very difficult babies and it took digging into the depths of my heart and lots of prayer to give them all the nurturing they needed. And one of my more difficult babies is now a toddler. Her long bouts of crying as a baby have turned into lots of wonderful verbal and physical energy. (I would add that she also barely sleeps these days which equals one tired mama. I thought these days were over, but I guess I was wrong!) One of our children was an easy babies but now her quietness is challenging to interpret. I’m now asking the Lord for daily patience as I ask question after question to my sweet, quiet daughter who I long to know deeply.

If we hope to maintain continual relationship with our kids throughout their life, a bond of true unconditional love must be present during their foundational years. Without it, whatever activities, programs, discipline, ideas, relationships we present will likely not be received with openness.

Every child is different so finding a way to the heart of each child is a non-formulaic unique process. My oldest craves quality time. She cannot wait for the next opportunity to sit alone with me and just talk about all that is going on in her heart or to read a book together and discuss it. A listening ear and an empathetic spirit are what she needs most from me. And my five year old son will share his heart over activities he loves, like building legos, or during a pre-bedtime back scratching routine. Even if there is little conversation between us, connecting with him through the things he loves fills up his little heart. Discipline seems less necessary when I give him the individual time he needs. All of our kids crave individual time and as you might imagine can be challenging to achieve with four.

Each family has their own unique puzzle with unique personalities. Ask the Lord to show you how to connect with each of your children. I believe He will be faithful to meet you in your struggle, in your questions, and in the ever-changing seasons of a child’s heart. Ask Him to help you sense how to love your children well as you continue to build the relational foundation that will last your entire life.

After all, we will never stop being parents. Love well.