How God Uses Momma Preachers

Two weeks ago, I was in the throws of sermon preparation.  Our church was going through a summer sermon series on the Parables and My husband asked me if I would share on the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  Years ago, I read the book, The Prodigal God, which changed my perspective on this very familiar parable.  After reading the book and studying the parable further, a sermon message was birthed.

Since kids came along, I don't have the opportunity to preach very often.  Oddly enough, preaching is something I enjoy doing.  So when Mike offered the opportunity, I didn't hesitate.  What I forgot when I readily agreed to preach was the fact that I would have to prepare the message while corralling children all week.  Suffice it to say by Wednesday of that week, I was regretting having said, "yes".

For those of you who are moms, you know how difficult it is to gather your thoughts into "higher" planes when you are cleaning up food off the floor and your children are jumping all over you.  To top things off, my dear husband is a pastor which means he is gone the majority of the time, leaving me to parent alone most of the day. As you can imagine, my frame of mind was not in the place to craft thoughts that would inspire others in their faith journey.

One of the things that helped me get through that week was the knowledge and experience of how God has held me in the past.  The preaching experience for me is like jumping off a cliff.  Once I speak that first word, there is no turning back.  I am all in, for better or worse.  The beautiful reality of taking the leap is seeing how God shows up, catches me, and leads me through the experience.  I've leaped enough times to know that He will show up. Every time.

So as the weekend rolled around, I found myself with great peace.  I diligently used the time that was available during the week to prepare, and I trusted God to fill in the gaps that remained.  When I stood up to speak, I knew God was there.  The words that refused to come earlier that morning when I was practicing were now flowing effortlessly through my lips.  I felt confident about what the Lord was going to do.  It's difficult to explain how it feels to live in a moment where God's presence is literally carrying you from sentence to sentence.  It is a dance of trust, a profoundly intimate experience that is hard to put into words.

After the message, there was a man that came up to me with much emotion in his face.  He was visiting from out of state.  As he started to talk, words seemed to evade him. After a few moments, he simply told me that God ministered to him during the message.  He said he wanted to put his words in writing and send me a letter so that I could understand the deep significance of what took place in his heart during the sermon.  I cried with him because I experienced the same grace that touched his heart.  What a humbling experience this was for me.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a masterfully told story of the gospel message.  God's love and grace  toward the lost son and the elder brother is profound.  The call to action in this parable is significant, a call that if ignored causes a terrible gap in the Kingdom of God.  If you have about 35 minutes and want to listen to the sermon I preached, I have included a link here.

This story is changing my life in more ways that I can share here.  I hope that as you listen, the Lord will speak to your heart and challenge you to reach out to the lost among us.  I thank God that He has thousands of ways to minister to His people.  He uses well seasoned pastors as well as stressed out mommas.  What a gracious God!

Blessings!

A Year of Blessing with Zach

 Yesterday was Zach's first birthday.  It is hard to believe how fast time passed this last year.  Zach has brought so much joy to our lives! This kid fills my heart.  From his birth until now, God's faithfulness has shined brightly through the eyes of this little one.  He is the sweetest kid you will ever meet.  From teenage boys to little old ladies at the grocery store, his easy smile captures the heart of anyone who sees it.  He has such a fighting spirit.  Most of his life he has fought multiple food allergies that have made him break out in rashes all over his body.  Even at the worst of his allergic reactions, he has giggled easily and smiled brightly.

He's passionate but easy going.  Relaxed most of the time but is bored easily.  He loves interacting with others but can spend time alone piecing blocks and objects together. He tolerates the pestering of his older brother but clenches his little fists in protest when he's had enough.  He dances with his hands, he loves you through his eyes, and he fills your heart with his smile.  Zach is a wonderful child who completes our family in thousands of ways.

Here are some of my  favorite pictures of Zach's first year of life:

                             

                                 

                                  

                                 

                                  

What a year of blessing with this little man!  Even though there are aspects of this last year that were difficult, God used this sweet boy to fill my heart with so much love.  I am grateful to God for this precious life.

 Lord Jesus, I pray that Zach would come to know you and love you with all of his heart.  You have given him a joyful spirit, may he use it to comfort those that are broken hearted.  Call him to a life of humble devotion to your kingdom.  Use his eyes to see those in need, his hands to serve, his smile to encourage, his passion to inspire, his voice to share your love, his heart to love those that hurt him, his ears to hear the words of your Spirit, and his feet to pursue your ways.  Bless his life more than abundantly!  Thank you for the joy he brings to our family. Thank you for this beautiful grace you have so freely lavished on us. Amen.

Remarkable Women Part 4

I have one more remarkable woman to share with you!  Although, I have many wonderful women in my life, these last two weeks, I have focused on sharing about the four women who are fulfilling the scripture found in Titus 2:4.

Darchelle W.

I've known Darchelle for about 16 years.  She was my English teacher in high school.  I normally do not keep in touch with many of my teachers but she has been the exception.  Darchelle connected with many of her students and is one of those people that has the ability to maintain those relationships even if we don't see her that often.  When you are with her, she is present with you in that moment.  At alumni gatherings, you will find her engrossed in conversation with many of her former students,  genuinely interested in hearing about their lives.

There is grace, elegance, excitement, and humor in the way Darchelle communicates.  She laughs easily but is never satisfied with superficial interactions.  She asks questions that make you think deeper.  I have received many emails from her over the years that were very encouraging to me.  There was one recently that literally had me in tears.  Her words touched my soul and inspired me to believe in myself and the work God is doing in my life.  I love receiving book recommendations from her because we tend to share some of the same spiritual interests.

I've learned many things from Darchelle.  Here's some of what I have gleaned over the years:

On God's Will:  When we reach crossroads in life, it is easy to get stressed out because we think that there is only one way to fulfill God's will.  We worry that the other path is clearly outside of His blessing.  As God's children, we are always under His blessing, even if we choose a less than ideal path.  The key is to head in the direction of righteousness.  When we are choosing between several good options, we can rest assured that God's blessing will follow us.  I don't remember what crossroads I was at when Darchelle explained this to me (I know I was in high school).  She drew a diagram which has always stuck in my head.  I see it everytime I come to a point of decision on important matters.  It looked kind of like this:

On Self-Confidence: In high school, Darchelle wore many hats, one of which was being my drama teacher.  I am an introvert at heart and drama did not come easy for me at first.  I remember her working with me and coaching me on how to expand out of my "box".  She wanted me to feel free on stage.  I was limiting myself because I didn't want to draw undo attention to myself.  Her encouragement helped me to blossom out of my shell and come to love expressing myself through drama.  To this day, it is something that I enjoy and do with much confidence.  The last two years, I have directed our church's Easter production.  This is something I never thought I would have the confidence to do.

The Borrowed Tomb 2012

The Borrowed Tomb Cast  2012

Drama Team in High School (Darchelle-Top left)

Because of my experience with drama and obtaining the self confidence to stand in front of an audience, I am also able to preach God's word without reservation.  I don't think Darchelle knew the magnitude of the gift she was giving to me through her drama coaching.  It truly has extended and touched thousands of people over the last sixteen years.    

I can certainly share many other life lessons I have learned from this woman but I am afraid I would make this a very long post!  Darchelle is a remarkable woman in my eyes because she is not afraid to invest in people.  She is a busy woman but even through brief encounters and quick emails throughout the years, she has continued to make a difference in my life.  Darchelle is a fellow journeyer with me on the spiritual path.  She does not shy away from telling others what she's learned and what God is currently doing in her life.  Her openness, encouragement, and genuine spirit has added much blessing to my life.  I am so thankful to God for her witness.

Over the last couple of weeks, you have met four remarkable women: Cherri C, Cora G, Cheryl C, and Darchelle W. My life is BLESSED because of how these women have chosen to share themselves with me.  I am different because of them. I think it is amazing when women mentor a younger generation of women when there are no family ties between them.

When women extend their reach to bless younger women who are not their daughters, there is something sacred about those interactions.  There is a beautiful strength, a dignified presence that is evident as they share of themselves with you.  You know they are giving to you, not because you are their daughter, but because they understand at a deep level the bond that connects you to them in Christ.

It is my prayer that you, the reader, are connected to Godly women.  They are a source of life to a young woman's heart.  We need their experience, their faith, their wisdom in order to become better wives, daughters, and mothers.  Take some time to reflect on how Godly women have added blessing to your life.  Write it down and thank God for His mighty provision.  If no one comes to mind, pray that God will send a wise and spirit-filled woman into your life.  You can rest assured that He will answer the prayer of your heart.

Blessings!

Remarkable Women Part 3

Over the last couple of weeks, I have shared about some of the remarkable women in my life.  For those of you who haven't read the previous posts, I was inspired to write about them after reflecting on the scripture found in Titus 2:4 where it talks about how older women are to encourage younger women in loving their husbands and children.  Four women in particular came to mind.

I've shared about two of these women in previous posts: Cherri P and Cora C.  Today, I want to write about the third.

Cheryl C.

I've known Cheryl for about five years.  We met through Cherri C.

Cheryl is a fun-loving, 
                      insight-filled,  health-minded, 
           prayer-geared woman.  


She has filled my life with hundreds of thoughtful and prayerful moments.  Time with Cheryl is always too short.  Getting together with her is always exciting because I know God will reveal something during our encounter.  There is always a sense of expectancy on my part when I am with her.  How I have missed our time together since we moved away!

Although, we live far from each other, we are still in contact.  She will out of the blue send me emails that speak directly to whatever it is I'm struggling with.  How she senses these things is truly Spirit breathed. My life is richer as a result of knowing Cheryl.

As I was thinking about the lessons I have learned from her, I can't seem to put them into specific categories.  When you are with Cheryl, you feel God's peace and presence.  Time with her is truly a spiritual experience.  What Cheryl has taught me is that it's possible to live a life so full of Christ's peace that when others are with you, they experience the very same peace that is in your heart.  I want to live a life where others feel God's presence around me and receive blessing as a result.

God has used Cheryl to minister to me and help set me free from strongholds that were chocking out God's truth in my life  She has helped me face some of my fears as a parent, wife, and daughter of God.  She has spoken wisdom into me about my struggle with self-sufficiency and desire to feel in control.  We have spent many hours in prayer together, seeking God's face.

Cheryl's Family

Cheryl is a remarkable woman of God because Christ's peace flows through her and blesses those around her.  Her warmth, caring, and insight make her an incredible mentor and friend.  I love this woman for the beautiful person she is and for the powerful ways she has ministered to me over the years.

If you are an "older" woman who has younger women around you, ask God how you can minister to them.  There is a generation of young moms that are in desperate need of seasoned Godly women to come alongside of them. We need prayer, friendship, and someone to model for us what it looks like to raise a family unto the Lord.  Pray that God will lead you and connect you to a younger woman in your part of the world.

Be Blessed!

Remarkable Women Part 2

I've known Cora for as long as I can remember. When I was six-years-old, I was the flower girl at her wedding.   She was present at my baptism, my graduations, and my wedding. Over the years, I have relied on her for much wisdom in various areas of my life.  Cora is a woman whose faith rests solely on the Lord.  Despite the many trials she has faced over the years, her heart has grown in courage, strength, and deep beauty.

Here are some of the lessons I have learned from Cora:

Lessons on Marriage

• Make every anniversary special.  Plan an overnight trip even if it's just one night.  Make it a priority even when circumstances may make it seem difficult.  Mike and I have faithfully followed this advice with the exception of last year when I was on bed rest.  It was really hard to break away once the boys came along but we have made it a priority.  The practice of going away once a year has blessed our marriage immensely. 

• Honoring my husband means to trust his leadership in my life.  When I force my way, when I disrespect him, when I usurp his authority, I weaken him.  When I choose to trust him, when I  depend on him, when I respect him, he becomes a stronger man.  My children need a strong father, a man that I openly respect and admire.  When I honor my husband in faith, God will produce rich fruit in my marriage.  He will give me the desires of my heart. 

Lessons on Parenting

• Parent with faith and confidence.  Entrust your children to God and believe in the fruit He will grow in them through your parenting.  Our children receive blessing because of our faithfulness to God.  If I am faithful, they will benefit as a result.

• Pray, pray, pray for your children. 

It's difficult to capture most of what I have learned from Cora.  There is just too much.   She has listened and counseled me through some difficult times in my life.  Whenever I go back home to visit family, I usually call her up and schedule a "talk".  Even if I don't have something I need to talk to her about, it's just nice to hear what the Lord is doing in her life.  She's an amazing storyteller which makes her easy to listen to.  Cora is a remarkable woman in my eyes because of the way she has allowed God to transform her heart and mind.  She is always willing to share with others what God is working in her life. I thank God for placing her in my life path and for blessing me with her friendship.

I can't seem to find any pictures of her and I.  I know I have a few but can't seem to locate them :-(
Nevertheless, I will share these two lovely pictures because they capture the love she has for her kids so well.

As you go about your week, remember the women who have mentored you, prayed for you, and showed you the love of Christ.  Thank God for them.  If you don't have Godly women in your life, pray that God will send one your way.  They are a precious gift to a young woman's heart.

Blessings!

My Apologies

The Remarkable Women posts last week were an epic fail on my part!  I apologize for dropping off the face of the earth.  I was super busy with family in town, attending the the Global Leadership Summit (more on that on future posts!), and preparing to preach this next weekend.  Suffice it to say, I have barely even sat at a computer during the last week.

I will continue the Remarkable Women posts as time allows this week and next.  Once things settle down in the next week, I will return to posting more regularly.  Thanks for your patience!

Blessings!

Four Remarkable Women Part 1

This last week, I was reflecting on the scripture found in Titus 2:4 where it talks about how older women are to encourage younger women in loving their husbands and children.  The verse also adds how they are to mentor the younger generation in the areas of character and work ethic.

As I thought back on my life, four women came to mind as ones who have added much wisdom, beauty, and love to me.  This week, I want to give you a little glimpse into what makes them remarkable women in my eyes.  I thought of just telling you about them all in one post but quickly realized that it would end up being a very long post!  So I've decided to spread it out and do a week of posts featuring these four remarkable women.


Cherri P.  

I've known Cherri for five years.  We met while Mike and I were pastoring in Nebraska.  Her husband pastored a non-denominational church in the town were we lived.  Our friendship grew as we worked together in planning an area wide, interfaith, women's ministry called Mia Bella. 

       

Moving away from Nebraska was difficult because of the deep friendship and connection I formed with Cherri (and another remarkable woman...more on her later this week :)  We met up for a girl's type weekend last summer.  It was so great to laugh, pray, and worship together again.

I have learned many things from Cherri but there are three main lessons that stick out in my mind.

What I Learned About Prayer:

 I learned what it looks and feels like to pray believing that God's very presence is in the room.   Many times our conversations would naturally transition into prayer sessions.  I grew up with formal transitions into prayer.  Phrases like: "Let's pray..." or "Let's bow our head and close our eyes...." or "Who wants to pray?" For me, prayer was a neatly packaged nugget of time that you entered into and exited out of at clearly appointed times.

At first, when Cherri would start to pray without any sort of transition, it caught me off guard. I thought it a bit strange.  I would literally finish a sentence and then moments later, without saying anything, she would start to pray. As I got to know her better and prayed with her more often, I saw the beauty in the way she so naturally included God in the conversation.  Prayer for her was fluid.  It was a continual state of being.

What I Learned About Marriage:

 Cherri modeled what it looked like to honor your husband.  She taught me the beauty of seeking your husbands counsel and wisdom.  This was a hard one for me because I am a fairly independent person who knows how to make decisions.  I remember the first time I realized how freely I made decisions without consulting my husband first. Cherri and I were meeting with a group of women to talk about the new ministry we were starting.  During our conversation, I shared my "counsel" on a particular issue.  Cherri asked me what Mike thought about it.  At first, I didn't know what to say because I had never discussed it with him.  I told her that I was pretty sure he would think it was a good idea.  Our meeting ended soon after but her parting words stuck with me.  She said, "Why don't we talk it over with our husbands and hear their wisdom on the topic..."  Driving home, I couldn't shake a convicting feeling in my heart.  I realized that I needed to start seeing my husband as a wise man who had the God given ability to lead our family.  It was truly a huge moment for me.

What I Learned About Parenting:

 Cherri was open with me about the joys and struggles of parenting.  From her I learned that parenting is one of God's more powerful tools in chiseling away selfishness.  Parenting is a continual calling to surrender self. That's why it feels so hard at times.   Cherri has six children whose lives testify of a mother who taught them about Christ.   The way she interacts with her children has inspired me to strive for a more gentle, patient, and firm spirit with my own children.


Cherri's life, one that is hidden in Christ, has truly encouraged me in my journey.  Her obedience to the scripture in Titus has added great blessing to my life.  I thank God for placing her in my path and for using her to show me more of Him.  She is truly a remarkable woman of God.

This week as I share about some of the remarkable women in my life, I encourage you to think about the great women God has placed in your life.  How has God blessed you through them?  What have you learned by being in relationship with them?

The Life Lesson I Learned From a Food Blog

I am not a dedicated follower of food blogs. I'll pop in every now and then, especially if I know the people who write them or if I happen to be looking for a recipe. But it's not something I gravitate to naturally.

The other day I happened to stumble upon a fairly popular food blog, The Wicked Noodle. I wasn't looking for anything in particular but since the name intrigued me and I like noodles, I decided to see what it was all about. Little did I know that after reading one of the blog entries, I would find myself in tears and truly inspired.

The post was entitled, One Simple Thing That's Changing My Life. There was something about the way it was written that connected to my soul. Her honesty and genuineness made me realize how important it is to share our struggles with each other. It's easy to see the success of others and assume they must have wonderfully easy lives. I know how tempting it is for me to highlight the strengths of others (especially when they appear to have it all together) while minimizing my own.

Kristy's post reminded me that we all struggle in our life journey. We all make mistakes. We all doubt ourselves more than we should. We all long for meaning and purpose. We all want to make dents of influence in our world. Why not help each other by sharing honestly about the joys and struggles that we encounter along the way? This type of dialogue can be a tremendously powerful way of infusing hope into someones life.

I love the way Kristy has integrated this life principle into her food blog. She summarizes it beautifully here as she describes why she blogs:

"I blog for hope. I blog for meaning and joy and friendship and love. The recipes? The recipes are just a bonus. I blog because I’m grateful for my life and I’m grateful for you, my readers who make my day brighter with every interaction. I blog so that I can share these personal thoughts and doubts and experiences and achievements with you on the off chance that maybe you’ve been there, too. You, the one reading my words right now, who may be one of my dearest friends or you may be someone I’ve yet to meet. Either way, I’m grateful for you and for this life that we’re all figuring out together."

This post reminded me of the Bible text in Hebrews that talks about Jesus understanding our weaknesses because he himself lived in a body of flesh. I love that despite our weakness, we are called to live a life of confidence, mercy and grace.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16 (NASB)

Blessings!

A Three-Year-Old's Version of Grace

Today was a tough day for me.  To put it simply, I harbored a bad attitude most of the day.  I was distracted, half played with my boys, and didn't get a shower in until three this afternoon.  Have you ever had those days when nothing clicks?  When you know your thinking stinks, but you don't have the energy to switch mental gears?  I find those days make it difficult for me to feel God's presence.  All the negativity blocks out the beauty around me and my focus turns inward.

At the end of the day, I was sitting at the computer trying to figure out what to blog about and realized I had very little to say.  Since I had spent the day focused on all the aspects of my life that seemed bad, I failed to catch even the slightest glimpse of God. As I sat there wallowing (again!) over my computer, something happened.  My three year old came over to me and said:

"Mommy, put your computer down and come sit next to me. 
 I saved a spot just for you."  

I went over to him and sat.  We shared a few sweet moments and then it was time for him to go to bed. As I was walking him over to his room, I noticed that earlier in the evening, he had placed his shoes right next to mine.

It was in that moment when I caught a glimpse of God.  My sweet son only received pieces of me today.  I certainly did not earn any gold mom stars, by any means. But he still wanted me close.
                                                                      This is grace.

God saves a special spot for us.  It doesn't matter if we are having a bad day or if we have ignored Him for days.  He desires closeness.  He wants to make Himself known.  I am humbled yet again at God's redemptive work in my life.  The depth of grace healed yet another piece of my heart today.

Thank you Lord, for showing up and helping me see how much you desire a close relationship with me.  I am grateful for your forgiveness. I thank you for speaking grace through Matthew today.  Bless his little heart.  I pray he would one day experience the depth of you.  Fill the gaps I leave in the wake of my parenting.  May my words and actions toward my children always breath life into them.  Amen.