01Jun

Will You Allow Yourself To Be Led?

All morning the song played in my head, “You’re a good good Father. That’s who you are. And I am loved by you.”

Those words were a balm for my weary soul. Though it doesn’t often consume me, the void I felt in my heart this Mother’s Day was palpable. My mother died when I was just 18 years old. And even before that, her presence in my life was irregular.  So as I sat, heart hurting, wondering how on earth I could even mother my little flock of six, when I had not been mothered myself, God bought me a reminder……READ MORE

 

Today, I’m hanging out again with my friend Katie M. Reid. Katie is a sweet friend, doting sister, loving mama and she’s got a heart for Jesus. Come JOIN US

30May

How Do You Reach A Child’s Heart?

So much of parental life is consumed with meeting temporal needs. Endless piles of laundry, shuttling children to and from activities, cooking meals, you know the drill. Not to mention adding in the amount of time, energy and effort expended in trying to get children to DO things they really could care less about or to get them to STOP doing things they are perfectly content with. Perhaps you’re ready to blow a gasket because you’ve told your pre-teen boy for the millionth time that he needs to shower daily. And you can’t recall how many times you’ve told your toddler not to jump on the furniture. While requests for showering and not jumping on furniture are reasonable, they do not serve as an investment in connecting with the hearts of our children.

 

The job of parenting finds us doing many seemingly important things for our children. But we want to be cautious to not miss out on the needed thing. Just as Jesus affirmed that Mary had chosen the better part, let us choose the better part and that is connecting with the hearts of our children.

 

Shuttling kids to soccer practice, hurrying up to get them to choir rehearsal, and rushing them off to bed, may be required at times but can have a way of choking out meaningful interaction. So how do we connect with our children when most of our daily interactions are moving them through to the next activity? We’ve got to be PURPOSEFUL!

 

Nobel Peace Prize recipient and novelist, Toni Morrison appeared on an episode of Oprah’s Lifeclass. On the show, the prolific author dispensed this wisdom,

“It’s interesting to see when a kid walks into the room… does your

face light up? That’s what they’re looking for…when my children used

to walk in the room when they were little, I looked at them to see if

they had buckled their trousers or if their hair was combed or their

socks were up…so you think your affection and your deep love is on

display cause you’re caring for them, it’s not. When they see you they

see the critical face…what’s wrong now? …But then if you let your face

speak what’s in your heart. Because when they walked in the room I was

glad to see them. It’s just as small as that, you see.”

 

She so eloquently illustrated the difference between meeting temporal needs and maximizing on the opportunity to connect with the heart. Oprah went on to say that one of her biggest learning lessons of the early 90’s was that the common denominator in the human experience is that everyone wants to be appreciated or validated. Given that, what are we teaching our children by spending so much energy on things that may not matter in five years, much less ten? How many moments will we have missed? How many hugs would not have been shared? How many smiles would have been deterred?

 

Will our children feel connected, loved, if the words we dispense are focused on what they haven’t done right, what they aren’t doing or what they’ve done wrong?

“You haven’t…”

“You aren’t”

“When will you ever…”

“You can’t…”

“You won’t…”

“Don’t…”

“Stop…”

“No…”

Yup, I’ve said them all too but I’m learning to do better. It requires reframing the dialogue. “Well what CAN I do then?” That’s what their hearts want to know. Purpose to fill their hearts with what they CAN do. Let us connect in ways they can perceive and receive. Research Professor, Dr. Brene Brown says, “We are hardwired to connect with others, is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.” Will you help minimize suffering by proactively connecting with the hearts of your children?

 

We connect with children by being adults who are vulnerable, humble and gentle.

 

We reach them through open communication, connectedness, inviting them, listening with the heart, knowing them and encouraging them.

 

Let’s pray!

 

Eternal one and lover of my soul, thank you for always extending yourself and seeking to connect with my heart. I pray that you will open the eyes of my heart so that I will be available to my children. Enable me to connect with their hearts through purposeful interactions. May I present myself gentle, humble and vulnerable so that they feel I am approachable. May I keep my eyes and ears open so that I can learn who they are and know them deeply. May my words be filled with grace. May I be intentional in maximizing upon opportunities to communicate with them. Knit me closer to my children now and evermore.

 

For the practical steps on how to reach them, order a copy of my new book PURPOSEFUL PARENTING, available now on Amazon.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Chasing Community, Grace & Truth

23May

Do we ever REALLY know what we’re doing?

[bctt tweet=”Considering people have been rearing children since the dawn of humanity, one would think we’d have mastered parenting by now.” username=”inspiredfully”] And if the theory of evolution that we’ve been taught is accurate, surely we’d all be awarded PhD’s in parenting.

Yet…

~We question our ability to get it right

~We make parenting blunders almost daily

~We can be wracked with guilt for the decisions we make regarding our children

 

We don’t know for certain how they’ll end up so we spin our wheels trying to ensure the best possible outcome. We carefully manufacture every facet of their lives right down to marching into the principal’s office to demand the teacher of our choice. We want them to be “well-rounded” so they must play a sport, speak a foreign language, go on missions trips, and travel on competitive teams. Yup, I know all about it. You’re not the only one. Been there, done that and wearing the t-shirt. . But not only that; they must eat only organic, gluten free, and sugar free. So dinner at grandmas becomes a delicate dance as to not offend her. What are we really doing?

 

I was having a conversation with a woman recently and she posed a very interesting thought. She said, and I quote, “People should learn how to become parents before they have children.” Is that really possible? It made me think of preparing for childbirth. You can read about each month of pregnancy and what to expect. You can tour the hospital where you’ll deliver. You can attend Lamaze classes, practice hypno-birthing or practice the Bradley Method, but when that first contraction hits, it can catch you off guard as if you’ve had no preparation at all. It can take your breath away and sends most women into a panic screaming for an epidural.

 

Parenting is somewhat like that. You can read the parenting manuals. And believe me there are plenty of them on the market. You can read about gentle parenting, conscious parenting, helicopter parenting, free range parenting, Christian parenting and the list goes on. But until you come face-to-face with certain childhood situations, you don’t know how you’ll respond. Your own experiences as a child, your child’s temperament, and your environment all play into how you will respond.

 

What I do know is some days I seem to be lost in the parenting maze.  I’ve been sucked into the vortex of meeting temporal needs that on occasion I’ve left the needs of the heart untended. What about you? And we don’t do that on purpose right? We merely want to raise successful adults and somehow equate having teeth brushed and rushing off to soccer practice as essential components for arriving at the goal.

 

But I say no more! It’s time we reclaim parenting. Let’s turn to the hearts of our children and turn away from our plans to engineer the next crop of productivity robots. We’ll get back to loving and laughing, teaching and training.

 

And this can only be done with the help of the Holy Spirit. He is our Teacher and our Guide.  He gently leads those with young (Isaiah 40:11). Having had broken experiences in being parented and not wanting to pass that onto my children, I rely on the Holy Spirit to partner with me in raising my children.  And He does not disappointment.

 

Could you use some encouragement for your parenting journey? Then check out my new book Purposeful Parenting officially releasing a week from today. But guess what? The ebook is already available on Amazon so download it now, don’t delay. Let us embark on this quest together. Healing humanity, one heart at a time starting within our circle of influence, right with the young people we know.

 

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to partner with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Chasing Community, Grace & Truth

 

 

16May

Would You Dare?

“I triple dog dare ya!”

 

A saying children would make to taunt you, to incite you to take the dare.  Well as a child I didn’t take the dare and as an adult I’m not much of a risk taker still.  No big bold claims, no risky financial investments, no bungie jumping or parasailing. NOPE. I like to keep my feet firmly on the ground with some semblance of control.

 

But what is control? Just an illusion, really. A false sense of security.  The risk taker is willing to surrender control, throwing caution to the wind, thus creating space to catch the current and take flight.  Yesterday I watched a majestic bird in flight.  This bird sailed, dove, rose again and swooped down and up again he went, gracefully catching a current and riding it.  He would have expended much more energy flapping his wings to set about his course.  But the bird knows he can take a risk, catch a current and allow the current to carry him as opposed to fighting against it.

 

Last night I was given a challenge, a dare of sorts. I was asked to write down the ONE thing I needed God to do for me this week.  I was asked to take a risk and take God at His word. I was asked to BELIEVE God for just ONE thing and to write it down.

 

But would I dare. An immediate panic hit my heart. I dare not utter the THING that I really wanted Him to do this week. Let me play it safe. I’ll tuck away the thing I really need to believe Him for in order to choose the safe thing.  I’d rather pick the safe thing because if the true thing that I want to offer up isn’t fulfilled but this other thing is then I won’t be disappointed.  If I pick this other thing then I won’t be let down.  Yeah, let me pick the safe thing.

 

But the Father, in His loving kindness is always close at hand and close in our hearts.  He gently tapped me and asked, “Daughter why do you doubt? More than you know I want to help you. I see the situation and I’m ready to work a miracle.”

 

Even in light of that truth, I backpedaled even further, layer reasoning on top of what the Father already uttered. So off to sleep I went, not writing down that ONE thing. But when I awoke as I do every morning a song played in my heart.  And the song this morning says, “You’re a great God. You are great. Yes you’re a great God. You are great!” As that refrain repeated over and over, my mind began to catch up with what my Spirit already knows. Indeed He is a great God and wants to move mightily in my life and in yours.  But have we tied His hands?

 

Have you, by way of your thinking, restricted God’s mobility? Do you have the Father in a straight jacket?  Have you put the Holy Spirit under house arrest? He wants to lead you, to guide you, to walk you into the fulfillment of His will for your life but are you hampering the process with your hesitation to take a risk?

 

If you’re going to taste and see….it requires you to take a bite.

If you’re going to try Me now in this…it requires you to exercise your faith.

If you’re going to walk in paths of righteousness…it requires you to take a step.

 

I don’t think I’m much of a risk taker. But when I look back over my life I see that I’ve taken many risks. As a child I went all over the city on public transportation by myself. RISK. I left all that was known and familiar to attend college. RISK. I took rides with strangers. RISK. I quit my job to become a homemaker. RISK. I surrendered my womb and as a result have bore 6 children. RISK. I allow Him to lead me daily not knowing where my life is headed. RISK.

 

So I guess I am a risk taker after all.  I challenge you. I double dog dare YOU. Take a risk. Take God at His word.

 

What is ONE thing you need Him to do for you this week? As my sister challenged me, tag, you’re it. I now challenge you. WRITE IT DOWN. Believe. And watch God work a miracle. Would you type that ONE thing in the comments so I can pray with you? I know He’s able to bring it to pass.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Chasing Community, Grace & Truth

 

08May

Ever Been Let Down?

His dress shirt was getting soaked through. The brown leather of the shoes growing darker too as the rain pelted harder and harder. He was supposed to be on the way to a meeting, instead here was my husband, trying to assess why the car wouldn’t start. The school door would be opening shortly so we needed to be going.

 

We got the car to start and I proceeded to head to the school only to have it stop again. Start/Stop, Start/Stop, Start/Stop. So went the morning. But my dear husband, who knows  there’s always a way when I think there’s no way just FIXED it. Because that’s what he does.  He’s a fixer. He’s a doer. He’s reliable. I can count on him. And he’ll in throw some jokes in to keep you smiling through it all.

 

After we fixed the car, two days later, back to the same thing.  Only this time my husband was 20 miles away, at work, unable to run to my aid.  But with my cell phone in hand, he was right there with me. “Put it in neutral, start it, then put it in drive.”  Wouldn’t you know, that worked! I was at least able to make it home safely with a car full of children and not stuck on the side of the road. Again, the hubs came to my rescue.

 

My hero.

My protector.

My friend.

 

Then it hit me. Slammed me in the chest so hard it nearly took my breath away.  It’s something when you get struck with the blinding flash of the obvious…..

 

Day in and day out, God does the VERY same for me.

 

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

 

Day in and day out God comes to my rescue. He stands out in the rain for me, deflecting the enemy’s fiery darts. He fixes the issues in my life.  And He has the ability to bring me joy even in trying circumstances.

 

And not only does He come to our aid, He loves us y’all! He’s smiling over us. He’s rejoicing over us. He delights in us.

 

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

 

So friends be encouraged today. Every step you take, every move you make, your Heavenly Father is with you. He has promised to never leave nor forsake you. He said He is with you wherever you go. He wants you to be reminded that He is with you even until the end of the age. He said that nothing will ever separate you from His love. In your mountain top experiences He is there. In your valley lows He is there. In your jubilation He is there. In your grief He is there. Even at this very second…

 

HE IS HERE!

 

His Spirit dwells within you. Leading you, guiding you, teaching you, comforting you and if necessary correcting you too.

 

Isn’t that good news? So be reassured today that The Father is here. And He won’t let you down.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Chasing Community, Grace & Truth

 

P.S. Have you heard? I’m an author! Click here to find out more about my upcoming book!

PURPOSEFUL PARENTING

 

 

 

 

01May

A Breadcrumb of Faith

FAITH

 

The substance of things hoped for.

 

FAITH

 

The evidence of things not seen.

 

FAITH

 

All is takes is a crumb. This size of a mustard seed is enough.

 

By faith God can perform miracles!

 

Join me over at Breadcrumbs of Faith where I’m sharing my faith story. Be inspired to activate and increase your faith.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired to Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Chasing Community, Grace & Truth

 

17Apr

United For The Journey

My Sweet Friends,

 

You ever have God call you to do the hard thing?

 

You ever have God challenge you to do the needful thing?

 

Well last year He did just that to me.

 

You see, I’ve always been a writer. Ever since I was a little girl, I knew one day I’d write books. I’ve got a purple notebook on my bookshelf that I’ve had for over 20 years with book ideas in it. And last year I was in the process of writing my first book on Honoring The Temple.

 

But God!

 

He has a way of stepping right into your situation. He told me to put that book down. He told me to resurrect the dry bones. Those were His exact words. In that, He was telling me to dust off writing I had done year’s prior when I wrote and facilitated an 8-week course called Raising Godly Children. He said He would put meat on the bones of that work and that that would become my first book.

 

Well I wasn’t really interested in that. It was much more fun for me to write about honoring the temple. It was easy to talk about what God says about proper nourishment, rest and exercise. It was exciting to delve into the scriptures and make parallels between the spiritual temple and the physical temple.

 

But to dive into a discussion on parenting?! Well….not as much fun for me. While I love being a parent, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It’s not so glamorous. It’s not always easy. It’s the thing that keeps me clinging FIERCELY to the cross. Hence, it is the needful thing. But at times I can be a little more Martha than Mary. But in this instance, He was urging me to choose the better part.

 

And for that reason, God said that’s the very thing I need you to write about. That thing that makes you cry. That thing that has you calling out to Me. That thing that you have to believe Me for and trust Me for. Yes that thing that you can only do by My power and only with My grace. Yes, you will address THAT THING said the Lord.

 

Well nearly having a tantrum, I agreed to do that thing. When I went to resurrect that old material, I couldn’t find most of it. That nearly sent me into a tailspin as I panicked that all was lost. And again the Lord eased my worries. He said, “It’s okay. I’ve given you a new perspective and new grace for parenting so some of that old material isn’t applicable anymore. I will give you fresh words for the book”. And that He did.

 

57,000 words later, Purposeful Parenting was completed.

 

It was an arduous journey to complete this project. But through the journey God did an amazing work in my own heart. He softened my heart. He showed me His unfailing love toward me. And now I want you invite you to embark on the journey with me.

 

My book, Purposeful Parenting: Allowing God to Change Your Heart so He Can Reach Theirs will officially be released on May 30th. And I would love for you to experience the life changing transformation that I have experienced in receiving the Father’s love then being able to pass that on to the children in your lives. You will have the opportunity to read the book before it is released and you will be the first to sound the clarion call of Purposeful Parenting.

 

This group of people, the book launch team, will lead the way in loving children of any age wholly and completely. It starts with us. It starts with adults who know the way, go the way, and then show the way. In this group we will learn:

~How our own beliefs impact our ability to parent

~God’s plan and purpose for our children

~How to accept children for who they are

~How to connect with our children

~An extra bonus of how I was able to complete a book as a busy mama of 6

 

And much more!

 

If this sounds like something you’d like to be part of, you can sign up by CLICKING HERE. I’d love to have you partner with me as we directly impact our world for the good by pouring love into the hearts of children. And along the way, we will share laughter and maybe even shed a tear or too but that’s okay because we’ll do it in the safety of community. I thank you in advance for joining me in our quest to parent with purpose on purpose.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been inspired to be a Purposeful Parent!
Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Chasing Community, Grace & Truth

10Apr

A Love Revolution {Spoken Word}

Vile speech, aggressive action, violence and calamity. Our world groans in agony.  Yet there is a cure.

 

LOVE

 

So in light of National Poetry Month, here’s my ode to love.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Chasing Community, Grace & Truth

03Apr

What Every Mama Needs To Know About Balance

With wind and a cold mist peltering his face like a zillion little bullets, daredevil Nik Wallenda became the first person to walk a tightrope directly over Niagara Falls. Taking the 1,800 feet trek, 200 feet above the falls, Wallenda teetered and swayed as he took careful steps in an attempt to maintain balance in order to reach the other side.

 

Mamas, do you ever find yourself perched precariously above treacherous waters, bearing a heavy load all in an attempt to make it safely to the other side?

 

Do you ever bear the weight of caring for your children, meeting your boss’ expectations, satisfying your husband in the bedroom, caring for an aging parent, and bringing food to a neighbor who just had a baby? And all that was happening within the first half of the day. WHEW!

 

Then factor in round two of returning an emails to the teacher, attempting to put a half way decent meal on the table, finding someone’s jersey for practice, pulling beans out of your baby’s ear then remember you forgot to pay a bill and today was the last day before cut off.

 

Mamas, you manage a dozen or more moving parts, ALL at the same time. Where’s the balance in that?

 

The notion of “balance” summons an image of perfectly executing ALL my responsibilities, ALL in perfect order, ALL the time. It looks like being everything to everyone, doing everything for everyone and looking cute and wearing a smile while doing it. And somehow mamas, we’ve bought into this LIE!

 

Yes. There, I’ve said it. The notion of balance we’ve been told is a lie. We’ve been sold a bill of goods that is no good for our mental, physical and emotional health. We’ve been shamed into thinking if we cannot “balance” all of our many responsibilities, all at the same time that we are bad mommies.

 

Well, I’ve come by to shed the light of TRUTH on that lie.

 

You very well may be capable of achieving some super human mommy feats of greatness. But it is unrealistic to believe you have to do ALL things well, ALL at the same time.

 

[bctt tweet=”Trying to achieve balance can become a fruitless pursuit of an elusive goal if you’re not careful.” username=”inspiredfully”] While it is great to have an ideal that you’d like to achieve, ensure that the pursuit is rooted and grounded in seek the Kingdom first. Also ensure that the pursuit is even realistic and attainable given your time, energy and resources. And beware of fall into the pit of perfectionism.

 

It is in embracing our imperfection, in knowing our limitations and in being realistic with our capabilities that we can truly achieve an attainable semblance of balance. Yes, “I’m every woman, its all in me” as Chaka Khan and Whitney sang. But I don’t have to be everything, to everyone all at the same time.

 

So what do you do?

 

Assess Expectations

Reassess your expectations of yourself. Are they realistic? Are you setting yourself up for success or failure with the demands you’ve placed on yourself?

 

Windows Of Opportunity

Have you made realistic goals for what you hope to achieve based on your time, energy and resources? I know you’ve planned to wash, dry, fold and put away 4 loads of laundry today but if you’re only home 4 hours in the evening IT AIN”T GONNA HAPPEN. Realistically there is not enough time so don’t sabotage yourself with unrealistic goals. Now I am a high achiever and believe in setting lofty goals, but we want to position ourselves for success and that requires an accurate assessment of what can truly be done given what we have.

 

Let It Go

Here’s another good one for you to think about. What can I let go? What is a level B or C that I can put off for another day, delegate or eliminate entirely?

 

Mamas, I know first hand the delicate work of trying to achieve and maintain balance. Surrender it all to Him. Allow the Lord to direct your steps as you seek to honor Him with your time and efforts. Free yourself from the trap of perfectionism and walk in the freedom of knowing you’re doing the best you can with what you have. (And to those who could be more disciplined, the Lord can help you too).

 

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9a

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Chasing Community, Grace and Truth

14Mar

Use Your Power

I knew I struck a cord when the enemy retaliated.

 

All year I’ve had a tremendous burden to pray. While I’ve long since considered myself a woman of prayer, God is showing me anew the purpose, procedure and power of prayer.

 

And the past week found me with the full armor of God on, warring in the spirit. There were some MAJOR events occurring in the lives of several close to me that warranted me going before the throne on their behalf. And I went forth with boldness in the power and authority given to me by the Lord. I had a new level of fervor, passion and holy indignation. I was downright ticked off and my spirit was dispatched to do something about it. Within minutes of concluding the prayers, I was seriously burned. I will share those details another day, but suffice it to say, I went into the enemy’s camp to reclaim and recover.

 

You want something to happen in the life of someone you know? Pray for them.

 

[bctt tweet=”Praying for a person is not merely tell God “about” them, but is instead praying God’s will “for” them.” username=”inspiredfully”] God already knows all about them. God knows about the person who has hurt you. God knows about the boss who has wronged you. God even knows about all the things concerning you so don’t merely pray about, but pray specific, targeted prayers concerning His will in all matters.

 

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. 1 Timothy 2:1

 

When we pray, our intent is not to inform God but to petition heaven for God’s will to prevail. When we pray we come into agreement that it is on earth as in heaven. When we pray, we dispatch angel armies to loose our prayers that the prince of the air has attempted to intercept (Daniel 10:12-13).

 

[bctt tweet=”You have the power to move heaven and earth with your prayers.” username=”inspiredfully”]

 

Use Your Power!

 

Your family needs, your friend needs, your neighborhood needs, your nation needs, your world cries out in agony and needs you to exercise your POWER-FULL prayers.

 

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18

 

Let us pray…

 

Father, I thank you that we can come boldly before the throne that we may obtain mercy and find grace. You are truly a Good Good Father. You are ever loving, ever kind and ever true. It is your desire that we know and receive your love for us. Oh your love is so deep and so wide and nothing can separate us from your love. Lord make this love real and tangle not only in our lives but in the lives of our family, our friends, our co-workers and our neighbors. For those that are not in relationship with you, draw them nearer. Let them experience you in an undeniable way. Let them have a life alter encounter with you. For those already in relationship with you, let your fire fall afresh on them, giving them a new zeal, a new hunger and a new thirst for you. Let your children seek you first. Let heavens realities be seen and felt here in the earth. Stir up the gifts in your children that they would use them to bring about radical change to heal the sick, to bring the dead to life and to give hope to the hopeless. May our sons and daughters dream God dreams and obediently follow you so that the dreams manifest. May our sons and daughters prophesy. God may your kingdom come and your will be done. Glory, glory, glory to your name; the name that is above all names. AMEN

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Chasing Community, Grace & Truth