Servanthood was the second word that impacted me greatly on my mission trip to Temoaya, Mexico.

Servanthood is defined as “one that serves others, especially one that performs duties for another person or home.” The Word of God has a lot to say about servanthood. The central theme of the Bible is the Servant of all, Jesus Christ.
Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

If Jesus Christ Himself is the greatest example of a servant, and I claim to be His child and give my life to Him, then servanthood—serving others—needs to be the central focus of my life. When we truly give our lives to Jesus, like we talked about last week, and know we are called and accept that call He has placed on our lives, the lordship we give to Him will be expressed through the way we serve others.

Mark 9:35 says, “Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, AND THE SERVANT OF ALL.”:

And then I Peter 4:10, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to SERVE OTHERS.”

Jesus adds in John 15:12-13, “My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

We best demonstrate our lives being dedicated to God when we love and serve others.  True godly leadership is servanthood, and Jesus is our best example. Servanthood is not simply a word that is spoken or a lesson that is taught. It is an attitude. No one exemplifies this attitude greater than Christ. He is the one true living God. He has all the power and domain of the entire universe. Yet He humbled himself and He served God, and He served us. Living for God is giving all we are to God, and serving others.
God served us by meeting our greatest need: the substitute payment for our sins, when Jesus died on the cross. We serve Him when we share this Good News with others.
Servanthood began for me at home, in committing to sponsor a Compassion International child in Temoaya, Mexico. In giving a part of what God has given to us, and choosing to bless someone else, we are serving them in the name of Jesus. Servanthood was lived out on my mission trip when I was able to visit our little girl Jocelin and her family. Compassion International works diligently with these children, securing them a sponsor, and providing medical needs, educational needs, and spiritual needs. I was honored and humbled to walk alongside our Compassion partners and visit our little girl Jocelin and her family in their home. What happened next was not a demonstration of me serving them, but quite the opposite. I saw the sweet little face of Jocelin, that I had seen only in photos on our refrigerator before. She came running up to Jim and me, as our van pulled up as close as it could get, over the potholes, rocks and mud that led to their humble home. They greeted us with big hugs, huge smiles, and exuberant words of thanks for our visit. Her mother, her two brothers, her sister, her grandmother and her uncle all came out to greet us. Jocelin took us by the hand and led us into their meager home. We passed an open stable covered in adobe and filled with flies, that held the one cow that provided milk for the family. To our immediate right was a small adobe dwelling that had a narrow, low doorway covered by a blanket. The mom pulled the blanket aside and asked Jim and me to come in and sit down. We ducked our heads and walked into a room no bigger than the size of our bathroom. In it was their stove, a couch, a table and a cabinet that held their dishes. There was another small door that led to a small bedroom, where the whole family of five slept. They served us cold water bottles, and beautiful fruit they had put in the middle of the table, in a bowl just for us. They shared greetings, thanks, and love over and over through their words, smiles, and nods of their heads. As I looked up, I noticed the ceiling was covered with a piece of blue plastic. This apparently covered their adobe roof. A small wire hung in the center that lit the entire room dimly. We were being served and treated like honored guests by people who basically had nothing materially to give. Yet they gave everything to us they had. I was witnessing Christlike servanthood at its best.

My heart was filled to the brim with emotion that overwhelmed my spirit, and sent tears streaming down my face. I whispered quietly to God, “These people are giving me more than I could ever give back to them. How can I thank them? How can I serve them, God?” And He silently whispered to me, “You can share the only thing that has true worth, value and meaning. You can share me.”

2 Corinthians 4:5, “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as HIS SERVANTS FOR JESUS’ SAKE.”

In order to truly serve God, I have to get myself completely out of the way. As that sweet Mama kept thanking and blessing us over and over, as tears streamed down her face, we looked right back at her and shared Jesus. What more did we have to offer, but prayer and the love of Jesus? So we held hands together in that humble home, and prayed that they would all know Jesus, love Him, and serve Him as their Lord and Savior.
We traveled to two more homes that day, and visited with other sponsored children and their families. Each time we were served with the best they had to give: hot homemade tortillas, right in front of us; guacamole, salsa and beverages.

While I feel unworthy, we traveled a long way to be able to visit Jocelin and her family, in their own home. Jesus calls us to go and meet them right where they live, right where they are at, socially and spiritually. Isn’t that what Jesus did for us?

“Have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being found in human likeness…” Philippians 2:6-7

TRUTH BOMB

Living for God is imitating Him and serving others.

If we are going to be like Jesus, then we are called to SERVANTHOOD. If we are going to walk like Christ every day, then we need to be serving others. Who is it that God is calling you to serve. It may that God is calling you to sponsor a child, with Compassion International. It may mean to meet a need in your local church. It may mean to meet a need of your neighbor. This week, will you pray and ask God who He is leading you to serve, and follow Him in that way? We can all serve someone. We can all make a difference for Jesus, and shine His light to those around us.

Speak Truth Love

 

What do you write when words do not begin to express what you are feeling? For this girl who loves her words, her emojis, and her explanation marks!!!! This is no easy task.  I must heed the advice and example I was given many years ago on some of my very first mission experiences. “Choose three words that mark your mission experience best.” 

So I must keep it to these three simple words: Called; Servanthood; and Rainbows. This week, I’m going to share about being “Called.”

    I was called by God many years ago to serve Him faithfully.  You are called; I am called; and we are all called as Christ followers to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  We are called to carry the good news of His salvation to each and every person we encounter, wherever He may take us.  This trip to Central Mexico reminded me in a very up close and personal way that I was “CALLED” by God over 30 years ago, to not just “go on mission trips”, but to live a mission-and-purpose-minded life.  I was called to be the hands and feet of Jesus in whatever situation He put me in.  On this trip I was to pick up a shovel and dig a hole.  I was to help carry and plant a post in that hole; to pour cement around it and secure it.  In this way it could eventually hold laughing, smiling, happy and excited children as they slid down the slide that was now securely fastened.  As I dug that shovel in the ground and scooped out that fresh earth and threw it to the side to fill a saturated hole under the swings, I was reminded of the swing set I pushed my daughter on in “El Parque Bosque” in San Jose, Costa Rica.  I can still hear Christina’s sweet voice ring out, “The sky is pink, Mom! It’s time to go home.” That was our cue that sundown was near and it was time to go home.  Tyler and Jim were waiting at home for our return.  Tyler was barely 3 months old.  I was an eager young wife when I first answered God’s call on my life.  I started out this quest, excited and ready, to “stand by her man.”  We were willing to go wherever God called us in this big wonderful world He had created.  We were willing to leave behind the conveniences that the United States had to offer, and raise our babies away from family and friends, away from hot running water, away from disposable diapers, and away from McDonald’s Play land.  Yes, I was ready! 

But I had no clue how much I would learn about God’s unending faithfulness to meet our every need and demonstrate that only He is truly what we need.  As I lifted that shovel again and again, full of Central Mexican dirt, I was warmed throughout my entire spirit with a true sense of God’s faithfulness, steadfastness, and amazing provision for all I would need to accomplish the task at hand.  Yes, I was called to be here.  I was called to push through my sinus infection, the fatigue, the rain, because the call that God has placed on my life is there until He calls me home to Him. 

“God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”                      I Corinthians 1:9

   God’s faithfulness alone is enough to keep me steadfast to His call on my life.  But the truth is, He does not call me alone.  He calls all of His children to the same call; to the willingness to be used in any walk of life God places us in.  I was not digging holes, filling holes, carrying playground equipment, cleaning playground equipment by myself. I was shoulder to shoulder with 39 others who  heeded the same call.  Together, we were answering God’s call on our lives, collectively bringing this playground to their kids.  A playground here may seem like a common occurrence, but to these kids, this playground was the only one around for miles.  It would not only be a source of entertainment and exercise for the children at the church, but also a draw for other neighborhood kids to come to the church.  In many ways, we felt that the playground would bring joy and laughter to the children, and potentially a relationship with God and His Son as well.  And not just for the kids, but also for their parents.

    What are you called to do with the life God has given you?  Are you called to be an example in your children’s school, to parents who may not know Him?  Are you called to shine His light in a playground you find yourself in in your neighborhood?  Are you called to serve and be the hands and feet of Jesus at your church?  Are you called to be an example of His love and kindness in your workplace?  In your family?  Or, in line at the grocery store? Wherever He has called you to be, He has called you to be His hands and feet.

TRUTH BOMB

 God is faithful when He calls you.

   One of my greatest blessings on this mission trip to Temoaya, Mexico, was being reminded of the call God placed on my life.  I want to be found faithful to love the way He loves, to serve the way He serves, to be willing to go wherever He calls me to go, and to be His hands and feet, every single day.

  “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” Mark 16:15

We are all called by God to share His good news, whether it is through our deeds, our words, our prayers, or our finances.  Some are senders and some are goers.  But we are all called by God. Let’s be faithful to that call!

Next week, I can’t wait to share with you about Servanthood! Until then…

Speak Truth Love

I have the honor and privilege of serving on a Missions Trip this week in Temoaya Mexico!

This is a picture from the playground that we are building!

I look forward to being back next week, and  sharing about all that God is doing and has put on my heart!

Until then, I leave you with these verses that James shares about our faith.

“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”

James 2:17-18

May God bless you and encourage you this week!

 

Speak Truth Love

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them…and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus is on this earth, becoming human and living among us for 33 years. He grows in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.  He chooses his disciples, he walks with them and talks with them and teaches them, then he gives the greatest gift the world will ever receive–Himself! He suffers and dies a cruel death. But he is God, and death cannot hold him in the grave. He raises on the third day and appears to many. Then, as he is about ready to ascend into heaven to take his rightful place next to his Father, he speaks his last words to his disciples, and to us!

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19

Out of all the words Jesus could have spoke, He chose these specific words to leave us with. These words are vital! When we believe in Jesus Christ, in his ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and accept him as Lord and Savior, we are saved!  We have a eternal life with Jesus Christ in heaven forever. Then why are we still on this planet,  awaiting that glorious day? Because Jesus has given us a job to do. We are to go and shine his light to others and share the good news that he has brought to us and to the world.
There are many ways that we can do that–in our neighborhoods, in our families, in our schools–and on mission trips. I am blessed to be going on a mission trip to Temoaya, in Central Mexico. I leave in less than two days with my husband, and 39 other individuals from my church. We are blessed to partner with Compassion International in a work they have there.  It involves church planting and child sponsorship. My husband and I are excited to get to see our sponsored child Jocelin. And we get to meet her family!  We will also be building a playground, sharing a VBS, leading a marriage seminar, teacher training seminar, and the pastor leadership seminar. If it were not for the sacrifice, generous commitment, and gifts from our family and friends, this trip would not be possible for us. Our hearts are full of love, gratitude and thanks to those who have partnered with us and supported us in going on this trip.

Jesus tells us in his word that there are the Goers and there are Senders. Without the Senders, the Goers cannot go and without the Senders and the Goers partnering together, those who need to hear the good news of Jesus, would not be able to hear it.  

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Good News about Christ…And how can they hear, without someone preaching to them…And how can they preach unless they are sent?”  Romans 10:17, 14

As we leave this week to share the good news of Jesus with those into Temoaya Mexico, I ask for your prayers. We are in this together! Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 “two are better than one,…”  Jesus sent out his followers two by two!  There is so much mutual encouragement and support when we go after God’s mission together!

TRUTH BOMB:

TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE!

I thank you for your prayers, I trust in them, and I know I cannot do this alone! But together and with God, all things are possible!

I look forward to sharing all that God does on this trip with you when I return!

Speak Truth Love

How many of you have ever been thrown a curve ball? You’re walking straight and confident in one direction, and you feel comfortable with that pace. You don’t have to overthink anything, your footing is sure, and your expectations are met. And then, it happens: life throws you a curve ball! You weren’t expecting it; your straight ahead paved path takes an unforeseen turn.

Last week we talked about “trustworthiness.” On being a person who is trustworthy, someone that people can rely on. But let’s be bluntly honest: as hard as we try, as good as a friend as we strive to be, we all fall short. At one time or another, we dropped the ball and let someone else down. There is One, however, who never falters: there is One on whom we can completely depend. There is One and only One whose trust we can take to the bank.

David sure had a lot of curve balls thrown at him. And he didn’t even play baseball! But he was a shepherd. One day, along came a lion. And another day, along came a bear. Totally unexpected curve ball, and very dangerous. Beyond David’s natural ability to overcome. He was a meager shepherd boy, the youngest of his brothers, sent out into the field to care for his father’s flocks. It was certainly not by his own physical strength or natural ability that he was able to overcome these mortal threats. Check out David’s confidence in going to face Goliath:

“I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”  I Samuel 17:34-37

Because David had experienced God’s trustworthiness to come to his rescue and save him before, he had all confidence that God would vindicate this Israelite young soldier to defeat a blaspheming pagan challenger. And you know the story: God came through for him!

In Psalm 28:7 David proclaims, “The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in Him with all my heart.”

“But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3

When I was in college, I used to drive back and forth between my grandparent’s home in Arizona, and Pacific Christian College in Fullerton, California. Basically it was a 7-8 hour drive, with not much but a whole lot of desert in between. On one trip I was returning, alone, from my grandparent’s house. I think I was somewhere in the middle, between Blythe and Indio. My car started to overheat, and steam began to pour out from under the hood. I was frightened and alone. I pulled over to the side of the road, but I didn’t want to lift up my hood, because I was afraid of who might stop and help me. I leaned my head forward on my steering wheel, and prayed,

“God, please help me, and keep me safe.”

Immediately, I looked up into my rearview mirror and I saw a semi truck about 200 feet behind me. No one else was in sight. And then, in my peripheral vision, I caught a small sedan in view that pulled directly in front of me and stopped. It was like it literally came out of nowhere. There was nothing but the semi truck in my rearview mirror. I had a peace that came from my trust in God, and I knew I was safe. There were two people in the front seat. The driver got out and asked me if I needed help. I never saw the passenger, only a shadow. The driver immediately lifted the hood, put his hand straight down in and pulled up a broken belt. He handed it to me and said, “Here is your problem. There is an exit about a mile and a half ahead. Wait till your car cools down, and you should be able to drive over there and get some help.” I was elated! I knew God had sent me an angel! I said, “Thank you so much!” He closed the hood, and said, “May God bless you.” And I said, “He already has!”

We both got back in our cars. He pulled forward and left. I shut the door of my car, locked it, and said, “Thank you Jesus, so much for helping me!” I looked up and back into my rearview mirror, and this same car was behind me again. There was no way he could have driven up to the next exit, turned around, and made it back behind me in such a short time. He pulled around in front of me, and I knew God and sent him back. God taught me a valuable lesson that day: not only to trust Him completely, but also to give Him the glory when He blessed me. The passenger remained a still shadow in the front seat, and the driver came around to me again. He opened up his trunk, and in it he had a tow rope. He hooked it to the back of his car, and to the front of my car, and he said, “I’ll tow you to the station at the next exit.” And he did.

“But when I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

I put my trust in my God when I was 19 years old and afraid. And my God proved trustworthy! He kept me safe and took care of me.

So what about you? What is your bear? What is your lion? What happens when life throws you a curve ball, and the path you’ve been walking takes an unexpected turn? Can you say, like David,
“But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.” Psalm 13:5

“I trust in you, my God. Do not let me be disgraced.” Psalm 25:2

“Commit everything you do to the Lord [even if it is a new way] : trust Him and He will help you.” Psalm 37:5

Truth Bomb:

Bear, lion, or giant; you can trust in the Lord: He will never fail you!

When your bear turns into a lion, or when your lion turns into a 9 foot Philistine, do you put your trust in the Lord? Do you allow Him to be as big and powerful for you in your life as he was for David? As He was for me? You can always truth in the Lord, He has and will continue to prove Himself trustworthy! 

Speak Truth Love

Who do you trust?

When I think of trust, I can’t separate it from “trustworthiness.”
Trustworthiness is a virtue attributed to people.
I can trust in my car when I get in it to take me from point A to point B.
However, there is no guarantee that it isn’t going to break down, or God forbid, I get in an accident and don’t make it to “B” after all. But because my car has been reliable, I trust daily that when I get into it, it will take me where I need to go.

I also trust that when I put my feet on the floor in the morning, I’m going to be able to stand. I trust that when I open my mouth, my vocal chords will work, and sound is going to come out. I trust also that my Cuisinart Coffee Maker, programmed the night before, is going to be brewing my coffee to perfection, and be waiting for me by the time I wake up. The aromatic fragrance hits my nose, even though I’m in the bedroom and it is in the kitchen. I trust and rely on these things each and every morning I wake up. I don’t think about them and their reliability. I just act on them, because they have been reliable.

But putting my trust in people comes at a much higher risk. My coffee pot may stop working, and several times in my life I have had to replace it. It causes me to make an emergency run to Starbucks to kick start my morning. But it does not hurt my feelings; it does not leave emotional scars.

Unlike a personal relationship with family or friends. I get up early, I clear my schedule, I anticipate sharing my cup of coffee with her, and not drinking it by myself. I look forward to the conversation we will have, the laughs we will share, and the fun we will encounter together that day. But then, my cell phone makes that sound that all of our cell phones make: eeehhhhh! Or blooooodooo-dee-doo! I receive a text message, and she cancels on me. Is it a valid reason? Do I get to judge on the validity of her reason? Is this the first time, or does this happen again and again? Is it a trust issue in this relationship? Regardless, I am disappointed. And a piece of me, whether it stems from insecurity or some other issue, begins to lose trust.

We have all been there, and the shoe can certainly be on the other foot. Or more accurately, the shoe can be on my foot. How trustworthy am I?
Within our current culture lies a deep-rooted value: I will do something if it fits into my schedule, if I have had enough rest, and if something “better” doesn’t come along. I mean, I may be speaking boldly here, but truthfully, we can all be “sick” every day in this crazy, busy driven life that we lead. Am I willing to put aside my comfort level to give my best, to give my all, to others? Am I not only expecting a relationship of trust, but am I giving and living a relationship of trust?

We say, “Treat others the same way you would like to be treated.” Am I willing to live the Golden Rule, found in Matthew 7:12, and develop a life of trust?

If any of us have any hope of being that trustworthy friend to another, or being that mom, or being that wife, or being that sister, or being that faithful daughter, we must lean on the One who embodies and defines trust.

Proverbs 3:5-6 is a verse familiar to most of us. For me, recently, this verse has come alive. God was speaking to me clearly when He brought this powerfully into my life a couple of months ago.

“Trust in the Lord will all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”

Our heart in the Scriptures refers to the deepest part of our innermost self. He was asking me, and He is asking you, to trust in Him completely, with every single facet of me that I am. In my spirit, and in my devotion to Him, in my job and in my ministry, and with my family, and every personal relationship. Not because I can clearly see what lies ahead; but because I trust in the God who does see clearly what is ahead for me. My understanding—your understanding—only goes as far as we can figure something out.

God is clearly calling us here to let go of what we can’t clearly figure out, and to put our whole selves—all of our trust—in Him, to work all the details out.
“In all your ways acknowledge Him…”
Start out each and every day, giving Him this day, and giving Him your plans for this day, and allowing Him to make your plans His plans.
Tell Him out loud, or whisper in a prayer, that you trust Him to take care of any situation you find yourself in.
“And He will direct your paths.”
You may not see where He is leading you. But you can trust that the path He is leading you down is the right path for you.
Joseph certainly had his character and trustworthiness tested. In Genesis 39, a beautiful, powerful woman came after him to seduce him, and Joseph had a character-defining choice to make.

He said,
“My master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”     Genesis 39:8-9

Even when Potiphar was away, even when he knew no one else was looking and he might have got away with it, Joseph wasn’t going to fool around with his wife. Joseph knew that by being trustworthy to others, He was being trustworthy to his God. He was that reliable. He fled that unfaithful woman. Joseph let trustworthiness rule his life!
So, let’s go back to our date for coffee…when you agree to go and meet someone, even if it is “just for coffee”, fulfill your commitment. Do your best to demonstrate a life full of trustworthiness.
“Whoever is faithful in little matters, will also be faithful in bigger matters” Luke 16:10

And then, when it’s not just a coffee date, and your friend is in a crisis and really needs you, she will know to call you, because you have proven yourself trustworthy, again and again.

TRUTH BOMB:

Keeping your promises, even when it hurts, builds a character of trust.

Trust is a virtue that our culture may have lost hold of in this “take care of me first” world we live in. Let’s ask God to help us demonstrate trust to those we have a relationship with, by practicing trustworthiness each day. Remember Joseph, who made his goal in life, not to please himself, but to please his God. Even if it cost him a lot in the short run.

I hope you enjoy a lovely coffee date this week, and I continue to welcome your comments from last week, about what or who you are thankful for…

Speak Truth Love

Today, with a heart full of thanks, I want to share on thankfulness. After writing a 4 week series on motherhood, and being thankful for the legacy I was left, and the living legacy that goes on before me, I got to celebrate Mother’s Day. Not being in proximity to all those I love, but loved by all those that are near and dear to my heart, through their words, cards, gifts, phone calls, FaceTime, pictures and memories that will all stay in my heart forever, I find myself THANKFUL!

Thankfulness seems like a simple and possibly obvious topic.  But truthfully, I find myself, and maybe you do too, leaning toward grumbling and complaining far more often than I find myself leaning toward thankfulness.  My Grandma, whom I have shared about in detail, loved to sing, as I’m sure you remember by now.  One of her favorite hymns was “Count Your Blessings.”  The words scroll across my memory in the exact tune she used to sing it to me, in her sweet, high soprano voice.

“Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God has done. Count your blessings, name them one by one…count your many blessings, see what God has done!”

I hear those words in my mind each time that the grumbling and complaining comes. I know I should count my blessings.  I know I have more to be thankful for than I do to complain about.  Yet I often push that sweet voice out of my head, and give in to the grumpy mood that ensues with my grumbling and complaining attitude.  If the words from my grandmother aren’t enough, maybe the words from a song will be. It’s from one of my favorite movies, which occurs during my favorite time of year—Christmas—which occurs during my favorite season of the year—Winter—the Irving Berlin classic “White Christmas.” In this  song Bing Crosby croons to young Rosemary Clooney as he tries to win over her heart:  “When I’m worried, and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings, instead of sheep…and I fall asleep, counting my blessings.”

How many sleepless nights have we had?  How many needed hours of rest have we wasted, by worrying instead of being thankful?

If the words of my dear sweet Grammie and the famous words of Bing Crosby can’t sway me to focus on a heart full of thanks, then my only hope is to turn to my God, where I should always look first anyway!

Let’s do a Bible word search together on “thankful.”

I Thessalonians 5:18 (thanks, or give thanks): “…Give thanks in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Colossians 2:7: “…Rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”  

Ephesians 5:20: “…Always giving thanks to God the Father for EVERYTHING in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  

Colossians 3:15 draws a direct connection to being thankful and having peace. Here within lies the answer to the end of our sleepless nights.  “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace, and BE THANKFUL.”. 

 It is something we must DO.  It’s an action.  Being is not just sitting on the couch, and feeling sorry for myself. It’s not focusing on  what I do not have, or what I wish I had, or what I wish I did not have in my life!  No!  It is a sense of being.  It is who I choose to be, and how I choose to act.  It is something I must DO.  I am not to just give thanks, but I am to actually be thankful.  It calls us to a state of being.

What is our first reaction when something goes wrong?  Are we quick to get angry or complain or grumble?  I can be the first one to have this kind of attitude. So how do I curb it?  How do I “be” or “become” the thankful, peaceful person that God says I can be?

Colossians 4:2 gives us the answer.  “Devote yourselves to prayer, BEING WATCHFUL, [WAITING AND LOOKING FOR GOD TO MOVE], AND THANKFUL [ACTING ON WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR, BY BEING THANKFUL!].”

And then, the ultimate reason that we are thankful: the ultimate reason I can always have a heart of thankfulness and an innermost being that is thankful at my core: is the truth that is in Hebrews 12:28.  This is my truth, and it is also your truth!

“Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, [by anything that happens to me here on earth], let us BE THANKFUL and so worship God acceptably, with reverence and awe.”

 Truth Bomb: Every day, regardless of our circumstances, we can give thanks for our assured eternal hope that we have in Christ.  

Let’s share our thanks together and start a habit of thankfulness.  Statistics tell us that anything repeated over and over becomes a habit.  I have a habit of drinking delicious strong roasted coffee every day.  What if every time I tipped that cup of steaming hot deliciousness to my lips, before I let the flavor settle on my taste buds, I would “be a person who lifts a word of thanks before I took that sip?”

So let’s practice it together this week.  In the comments section, write something, or more than one thing, that you are thankful for. No wrong answer here!  Share it from your heart. Do not overthink it or worry about someone else’s response. Just give thanks!  Be thankful! We’ll do it together!

Speak Truth Love

Motherhood Series: A Four Generational Look at Motherhood

Week Four: ‘The Joy of Being A Mother To A Mother’

The Celebration of Motherhood is right around the corner. In less than one week from now we will celebrate MOTHER’S DAY! For almost 29 years now I have celebrated being a Mom with the two very special Moms in my life, my grandmother Lela, and my mom Linda. I loved being in their “club;” rejoicing with them, crying alongside them, and pulling my hair out asking them to help me regain my dignity. Yet, as wonderful as that time was, NOTHING has been as SPECTACULAR as the last four years have been!

On April 10, 2012, I was asked to do something that I have never been asked to do before. My daughter, with the permission of her husband, asked me to be in the delivery room with her as she gave birth to her first child!

I was truly honored and privileged by both my daughter and my son-in-law, for asking me to take part in such a miracle!  It was truly a gift they were giving me, and I had no idea how big and how special that gift was until the first moment I saw her face! My beautiful Camdyn Kaylyn! She was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on. Her eyes were as blue as the northern sky, her cheeks were porcelain and perfect, and her lips looked like rosebuds! If you think that this Grammie is just exaggerating, you can ask any nurse on the floor in that hospital. They could not get over her, and neither could I! Her disposition matched her beauty. She was happy, content, and peaceful. She loved being held and cuddled-didn’t squirm or become anxious-she just seemed to love the life God had given her! And my life was changed from that moment on! Yes, it was changed in part by this beautiful little girl that would add to the generation of our legacy and become the fifth woman in line. But it was so much more than that, that changed my life forever. It was becoming a mother to a mother.

I’ve never read a book on that, never sang a song written about that, never read a poem about that or saw a print hanging on a wall celebrating that, yet it was, and is my greatest joy as a mother!

My beautiful baby girl, Christina Nicole, was my first born. She came into this world on May 22, 1987. She was beautiful just like her baby girl, and they looked a lot alike. Christina had brilliant blue eyes. In fact, after her birth my mom said, “You should change her name to Crystal, I have never seen such clear blue eyes!”

She had the same porcelain skin, and rose bud lips! Although they looked almost identical, my girl was born with a very different personality! She was bright-no let me change that-she was and is brilliant! From a very early age I knew she was smarter than I was. I just had to not let her know I knew that until she was ready to use the incredible intellect, the bright and brilliant character, and the generous, loving heart that God had given her!

If you think that I am exaggerating, if you think that these are just words from a proud mama, let me tell you a true story. My mother and mother-in-law came to the hospital the day Christina was born. Due to my “strong-willed daughter”, deciding to do a complete 90° flip inside of me the week before she was born, and turn bottom breech, they decided to schedule her arrival into this world with a C-Section. Therefore my mom could not be in the delivery room, but my mom and mother-in-law were anxiously waiting to view the little cherub as soon as they rolled her out from delivery! They both were aghast when they witnessed her roll to the side and grab the sides of her little plastic roll bed. One of them yelled, “Watch out, you are going to lose her!” The doctor had come into my room warning me, that due to my baby being born C-section, she would be more on the lethargic side. If that girl was lethargic, PRAISE GOD she was a C-section baby! This was a tell-talk sign of things to come. I spent the next 13 years making sure I “watched out, so that I wouldn’t lose her!” I was always trying to stay one step ahead of my beautiful, smart, spirited girl!

Then it happened. Something wonderful clicked, and we became best friends! It was the end of her eighth-grade year, and I remember it like it was yesterday. Something clicked in those beautiful crystal blue eyes, and connected in that gorgeous, brilliant brain of hers! She realized the love of a mother! Instead of seeing my boundaries for her as barriers to her will, she saw them as love and protection. The love of a mother, who wanted only the best for her.  Something happened from that point on that set her on a course to become the greatest mother I have ever seen!

The joy of becoming a mother to a mother is inexplicable! My daughter is the best mama I have ever witnessed! Even before her babies were placed in her arms, she began preparing. She never took the gift of motherhood for granted. She gave all the glory to her God, and then lived out her gratitude through her diligence, her commitment, her preparation, her hard work, her kind heart, her discipline, and her boundless love for her children!

She thought of every detail ahead of time, details I would’ve never thought of.  She read every book, prepared not only their outward world, but their inward world as well, with her mother’s heart! From the moment they were placed into her arms, she held them with love, strength, and confidence! This oozed over to her children and has created a secure, confidence in both of them. I watched as she created a kind, loving, secure, and safe environment for her beautiful baby girl. I never saw her panic, even when situations arose. But I did see her pray to her God, cling to her husband, and trust that God would give them all of the right answers. I witnessed as she modeled a Christ-like example of being a wife for her tiny baby girl. She showed respect in asking him, including him, and loving him, as God had called her to do. I witnessed as she embraced his dreams, and joined in them with him, as she took hold of his hand, safe and secure that God was leading them as they packed up their house with a one year old, and moved to a brand new city to pursue a ministry they had been called to. I watched her join in that ministry with him wholeheartedly! Taking packed meals for her little girl as they both joined daddy at his youth group events.

I witnessed as she had her second child, who was double the size of the first! A beautiful boy, who came out with zest and zeal for life, much like his mommy did! Within 24 hours of his birth, he was taken from her loving arms and put into the NICU care unit. I saw firsthand that she leaned on her God in one of her most trying and dark hours! She never doubted His strength and power to heal her son, and she stood beside her baby boy and her husband the entire 9 days in the NICU! God answered her prayers, all of our prayers, and healed that baby boy! I then watched as she became a mother of two. Two very different children, with two very different personalities! I have watched her navigate and find her way through disciplining, loving, and mothering two different children. I have never seen anyone do it any better. She seeks God with all of her heart, trusts in Him completely, and relays on Him to be her strength and her true source of wisdom. I am proud of not only the mother that she is, but the wife that she is and the servant of God that she is. I know that her children will truly rise up and call her blessed, because she has put God first, her husband second, and her children next!

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also and he praises her.” – Proverbs 31:28

Where does she fall into the lineup, you ask? Dead last! She is the most sacrificial, loving, giving, mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister, niece, granddaughter,…I am so proud of her and so happy to call her not just my daughter, but my very best friend! She is my treasure, my priceless jewel beyond compare, and a mother like none other. She has given me a great gift in my two grandchildren! But the greatest gift of all is the gift she has given me to be a part of her life and theirs!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, CHRISTINA NICOLE! You are a beautiful example of a loving, giving, sacrificial Mom!

I love you with my whole heart, FOREVER AND EVER!

Truth Bomb:

It is an inexplicable joy to be a Mother to a Mother!

As we bring this mothers series to an end, I want to wish all of the mothers out there a very happy and blessed Mother’s Day! You all deserve a day to be honored and blessed! No matter what kind of an example of a Mother that you had, or how you feel that you have succeeded or failed at being a mom, ALWAYS REMEMBER, God is Father to the Fatherless, A perfect parent to us all. May this day be a reminder of His love for you!

“A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God, in His holy dwelling.” – Psalm 68:5

Happy Mother’s Day!

Speak Truth Love

A Four generational look at motherhood

Week three: My Treasure, My Heart

Proverbs 24:3–“By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.”

Three words, three words spoken that change your life forever, ready or not…”You Are Pregnant!”
Whether those words come to you long anticipated, or whether those words come to you as a surprise, they truly change your life forever!

I will never forget when I looked at the markings on that magical stick and it had a + sign. Then I went to my first doctor appointment and I heard those words spoken to me, “You are pregnant!” We were ready, we had prayed, and God was giving us a blessing, ready or not! Was I ready? is anybody ever really ready? I grew up playing with dolls and Barbies, dreaming of the day I would be a mom. I had fantasized about it and how I would hold that sweet bundle in my arms, rock her/him to sleep, say prayers at night over them, and cuddle them every chance I could. I was blessed to have been given two great examples of being a good mom, but still the question remained: was I ready?

Well, ready or not, it was happening! Jim and I had been married three years, and had decided together that we were ready to start trying to have a family. Little did I know it would happen so quickly! From all the stories I had heard it would take a while…First time was a charm for us, we were going to be parents, ready or not! I loved my time with Jim, starting a life together, our adventures together, just the two of us, setting up a home together, and beginning our ministry life together. Was I ready to add another? I have a feeling this is how most of us feel, when the daunting reality is finally placed before us, that we are going to be raising another life.

I want to be very sensitive here and acknowledge the fact that many try for years and struggle to hear those words “you are pregnant.” Others struggle for years and never get to hear the words, “you are pregnant.” While others hear the words “you are pregnant,” yet you never intended for that to be the outcome. While yet others of us, you hear the words “you are pregnant,” and are not blessed to carry that pregnancy to full-term. That happened to me at the end of four months with my second pregnancy. It was a painful part of my reality, but God has used it to build His character in me even further. But that is a blog post for another time.

Motherhood: in its truest form is loving, nurturing, and caring for another. We are all called to that in some way, shape, or form. You may be an aunt, you may be a stand-in-mom or grandma to someone in your neighborhood or at your church. All around us, there are children that need to feel the love of Jesus. And we can all fulfill this calling to some point. This calling brings us back to the reality of ready or not, you are responsible for another being.

Was I am ready for this task? No! Was I excited at the possibilities that lay ahead? Yes! But I think if any of us are honest, we are all scared at the possibility of being responsible for someone other than ourselves. It’s scary enough to be responsible for yourself!

There is no greater time in my life that I was drawn to my knees in prayer, to God’s word, to open its pages for wisdom and counsel, knowing that on my own I could not do this, but learning to trust and depend on my God who I knew could do it through me!

My husband and I grew together as a couple, as we learned to look to the other for their strengths and depend on them to complement our weaknesses. It forced us to learn to communicate better and more effectively, so that we could be on the same page as far as discipline, expectations, and values. It drove us to create what we call our family values: SWANEY FAMILY VALUES!

Our overriding verse was Matthew 6:33. We were going to be a family that “Matthew 6:33ed it, “To seek first his kingdom, and his righteousness, and all of these things will be added to you.”

Some simple rules we followed:

“Let your yes be yes and your no be no.” Matthew 5:37.

“You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit,” so be content in all things. Philippians 4:12

“Do everything without arguing or complaining.” Philippians 2:14

Along with our family rules or values, there were overriding truths we believed. According to Scripture, our children are gifts from God, a welcome member to our already existing family. Through marriage God creates a family.  A family begins with the husband and wife, and that is the primary, foundational relationship in any family.  If we are blessed with children, they are welcome family members and beautiful gifts from God. This helped remind this mama that even at the times when I would tend to make them the center of my universe, my relationship with Jim was central, and our kids were welcome members to our already existing family. Yes, there were times when they needed to come first, and things needed to be set aside for their benefit. But it was also equally true that there were times they needed to learn to wait, they needed to learn to give, so that someone else in the family would be first.

Another Family Value we practiced was going to church. Church was a given, not an option. We love God out of His great love for us, and we give back because of what He has done for us, not out of obligation but out of love and our desire to please Him. This meant that we did not use church as a punishment, or a privilege that they could lose. It was simply a lifestyle.

One of our most important family values was instilling the belief that God had created each of them–each one of us–with special, unique, gifts, talents and abilities. We offered many opportunities to discover those abilities to our children. Yes, this may have created a “busy schedule”, at times, but we believed this was an important training ground for our children. Sometimes we need to know what we are not good at something in order to understand what we are good at!  It was a valuable lesson to teach our children that they were not good at everything, and so they would need to work hard at the things they were not good at. It also helped them learn compassion for those who are not gifted in the same way. One of my favorite stories to tell about my daughter–but also one of the hardest stories to live through with my daughter–was giving her piano lessons. So many things came easy to her.  Playing the piano, however, did not! She started with great enthusiasm, and quickly she wanted to quit. But her dad and I told her she needed to continue. She finished out the first year and it was painful for all of us! But she continued on the second year, and the next year after that. After three years of struggling to learn to play the piano, she could learn by perseverance to do something she was not naturally gifted at, but it took a lot of hard work. At the end of that third year we felt she had indeed learned the lesson, and we were all excited when that came to an end!

For my son it was the painful lesson of “hurry.”  When he was in 5th grade, I saw him hurrying through something he was naturally good at, his school studies, but I had to stand back and let him take a lesser grade for not following all of the specific roles in the syllabus, and knew that, in getting that lower grade, he would learn how to slow down, to read over everything carefully, and to do better the next time. To this day I think it was the only C+ he ever received! And since it was only in fifth grade, it didn’t hurt any of his future transcripts! Allowing my children to try, to work hard, and too at times fail, was painful for me as a mom. But in loving them more than life itself, I knew it was the right thing to do for them.

Sports came naturally to our children, but the lessons they learned were invaluable: be a good sport, don’t go bragging and boasting, and be empathetic to all, no matter their skill level or ability.

Colossians 3:13: ” Bear with one another.” 

We worked hard to instill the belief that our children were each other’s greatest cheerleaders. We were to be the encouragers for each other first. God gave Tyler one sister, and God gave Christina one brother, God had made us a family, and we were to be each other’s greatest source of strength and encouragement! It was not an option to attend each other’s games or not: it was a family value and expectation. Not comparing oneself to the other, but celebrating each other in all of their achievements. We avoided the comparison trap!

One of the greatest family values that I haven’t mentioned yet, was being confident in the fact that God had called us into ministry as a family. Knowing and believing that God would not have called dad into full-time ministry, if he had not called mom and his children into full-time ministry as well. Once again living out the belief that we were a family, and the children were welcome members into that Christian, dad-as-a-pastor family. We taught our children what we believed: that we were blessed by God to be a blessing to others.  That everything we have comes from God, “every good and perfect gift comes from above.” And we were thrilled to be able to take them on the mission field at a very young age, and on many mission trips that followed when they were teenagers, to show them firsthand that the rest of the world needs God, and does not live like we do. This mother’s heart was full of joy and pride as she witnessed her children dig in with full hearts and willing hands!

Parenting can be exhausting! And being a good parent is even more so!

It wasn’t just enough to have our family values, and it wasn’t just enough to tell our children what to do. The hardest part of parenting is living it out by example. Taking the time to explain each value and expectation to your child not just once, but over and over and over again. It also meant giving them the “Why.” Why God is calling us to this behavior; why this is best for our family; why this is best for others around them.

Jim and I determined our goal and God-given role in parenting: “To raise a godly heritage,” one that would grow to know Him, to understand His love for them, choose Him for their own, and serve Him in whatever way, to further God’s kingdom. While this was a large goal, it kept our focus centered. When an issue with discipline arose, we acted on it from this focus. When a choice that may have seemed questionable arose, we acted on it from this focus.

The greatest lesson I learned by being a mom was humility! The reality and truth that I did not have all of the answers and that I was not always right! I was the mom and did have God given authority to train up my children in the way He desired for me to train them up to the very best of my ability. But the only way that I could do that was to seek him earnestly through prayer and to learn with His eyes and gain insight as to who my children really were. My daily prayer was for God to give me His eyes to help me be the mom that he called me to be for Christina and for Tyler. For God to help me to be the wife that Jim needed me to be, and for God to please make me a servant, a woman who would love God first, her husband next, her children after that, and then the world that He put before me.

My first child was a beautiful daughter! Her eyes were so crystal blue that after naming her Christina, my mom told me I should have named her Crystal. I learned quickly that she had the character far more like her father’s than mine! She was determined, far more intelligent than me, and very strong-willed! I used to say that James Dobson’s Book, the strong-willed Child, had nothing on my Christina girl! She was bright, and inquisitive, and was sure that she could be the boss and would be in control if I let her. But I was her mom, and I had the final say. However, she needed to be heard, she needed to make choices for herself, and she needed to know that I loved her and I respected her no matter what. God began to clearly show me that she was my treasure! She was a precious gem, priceless and beyond compare!

Tyler on the other hand, had a natural character more like mine. I never had to ask him how he was feeling: he wore his heart on his sleeve. I understood him more easily and readily, yet he was a boy and that was very different! I needed him to learn to respect me, and to let him know that I respected him as well. God clearly demonstrated to me that he was my heart, that I was to love him with all of mine, but I was to allow him to grow and develop on his own. As much as I dearly desire to, I could not hold on too tightly to my children. I had to realize that I was called to train them up in the way that God wanted them to go, and then eventually I needed to let go and let them be God’s!  They were mine for a time, for a very precious time. But our goal as parents–and my goal as a mom–was to raise up a godly heritage that would be strong and confident in Him and in Him alone so that they could go on to accomplish His will and purposes and continue to build His kingdom here on earth in their generation!

We established rules, we told them the “what” (here are the rules) and the “why” (here is why we should obey them). We told them that we were a family, but the most vital part of our call was not to “talk the talk”, but to “walk the walk!” Our children were going to become who they became, to a large degree because of who and what they saw in us. We lived under the same rules and authority that they did, the same rules that govern them under God, governed us under God!

Today, I am a mama with an empty nest! I still get a catch in my throat and a tear in my eye when I say that. I miss my children every single day! But because of God’s grace and wisdom and faithfulness, I do not worry about them. I enjoy them as the adult children that they are! They are both out there in full-time ministry, using their gifts and passions to change their world and bring people to faith in Jesus. I love them with all of my heart. And they remain to this day my beautiful girl Christina, my treasure. And my handsome son Tyler, my heart!

Truth Bomb:

Your kids are yours for a season. You are to raise them, train them and send them!

My children are God’s first and foremost! We have the unique role as Mother’s to train them, build into them, encourage them and love them unconditionally. Remember that they are only yours for a season-truthfully, they are God’s, and you have the blessing of raising them! Pour into them, pray over them, love them like crazy! The time is short, but the impact is eternal!

Proverbs 24:3 “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.” 

See you next week for our final week in our Motherhood series!

 

Speak Truth Love

Four Pictures of Motherhood; A Four generational look at being a Mom.

Week Two: The Devotion Of A Mother’s Heart.

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” -Luke 2:19

Who but a mother could truly comprehend the deep meaning found within these words? Yet God puts them in His word for all of us to read. Demonstrating the depth of a mother’s love, and the devotion that lies with in her heart.

The devotion of a mother’s heart!

The earliest memories of my mother are of us always being together. I never felt alone! I always knew without a single doubt in my mind that she loved me and cared for me and that I never needed to worry about anything. She held my hand, she dressed me, she fed me, she played with me, she laughed with me, she rocked me, she sang to me, and she made me look forward to each and every day. She made me feel like being a child was the best thing ever! She loved me and my sisters more than anything else in this world! I never felt like she wanted to be away from us. I always felt secure in knowing she wanted to be with us. She was an only child, and she was thrilled to have four daughters. I think she loved the fact that we were all together!

One of the songs I remember her singing was on Saturday mornings when it was time to get up. She would pull the curtains back and sing, “Rise and Shine, Merry Sunshine.” She made everything fun, like it was a game. Even though we didn’t really want to get up, she would tell us she was making french toast, we could watch cartoons for 30 minutes, and then we would need to do our chores. She would kiss and tickle us to get us out of bed. Just the memory of it makes me smile! She even made grocery shopping fun. She would let us select fish sticks, one of our favorites, with green beans, if my dad was going to be out of town. Then she would let us get paper dolls or coloring books. We would take them home and play for hours! She would let us turn our room into a village for our Barbie dolls. We would make houses and shops out of shoe boxes, and dress them and play for hours. She also made each vacation and holiday special from beginning to end. From decorating the tree, to making Christmas cookies, to dancing to Christmas music, to decorating Easter eggs, and even making our outfits for Halloween. Each and every tradition was followed, each and every year!

We looked forward to each with great anticipation. We were a family, and we loved being together!

I never felt like I didn’t matter, or she didn’t have time for me. She never treated one of us any more special than another, yet she was able to uniquely pull out our individual differences and talents. She taught us style and grace by the way she dressed, by the classy way she wore her make up, by the way she did her hair, and by the way she carried herself and talked to other people. She was kind and she was loving, and she was gracious with her speech. My mom didn’t use cuss words, she didn’t smoke or drink, and she cared about the way she looked. Not to an obsessive state, no; but to have pride in herself and the way she presented herself to others. She did the same for us. She always dressed us nicely, taught us how to dress modestly, always did our hair, and with four girls, that is saying a lot!

She always took us to Sunday school. This was not always easy for her, because my dad was not always there with us. But she still took us! She taught us to pray at each meal and at bedtime, and always made Christmas and Easter revolve around Church.

She loved our dad so much, and always demonstrated a great love and desire to be with him, and to have him be with us. She shared in activities with him, some that would not have been her first choice. But she graciously made them a family event. She would take us to each and everyone of his baseball games; we would go out on his boat, which he lovingly named, ‘My Linda’; we would watch football games together on the weekends, and she would make us delicious food to go along with them. She joined in his desire to have horses in our backyard, even though she was frightened by them. We would go deer hunting together on trips that would take us far from home–at one point, clear to Colorado!  She genuinely loved my father, and sacrificed a lot for him.

One of the things that stands out in my memory demonstrating her commitment and love to my father, and our family, was that she worked outside of the home, even though her desire was to be a “stay at home mom.” Her family came first, and it was clear in everything she did.

When I entered my teenage years, I could sense the tension between my mom and dad. It was something I didn’t want to admit was there, but it became evident that it was. My dad was home less and less. His construction business seemed to take him away from home more than ever. I knew my mom wasn’t happy with this, but she never let on to us about it. She would tell us that everything was fine, and that she loved us very, very much! When he was away, she would make it fun for us. She would let us choose what we wanted for dinner; she would pick movies and we would watch them together. We would go places like the Crocker Art Museum in downtown Sacramento, or the public library. She didn’t sit on the couch and sulk, and she didn’t cry in front of us, feeling sorry for herself. She truly made the best of every day and brought love and joy into our lives despite the circumstances. As I look back on those times now, I see the strength she demonstrated out of her devotion to us, her children.

She taught me more about unconditional love through those long days, then I could have ever learned any other way. She loved her daughters with all of her heart. And even though her own heart was breaking, her devotion to us remained steadfast! I know that we are all the mothers that we are today, because of her example.

When my dad was going through his struggle to stay faithful and committed to his family, money became a big issue. He would get angry at my mom and tell her that she demanded too much, spent too much, and was always asking for money. As the oldest, I could see that she was just trying to take care of her daughters. I remember one time asking my father for a dress for the prom. It was not one of his good seasons, and he yelled at me. My mom found a way to save up enough money to buy me a dress at an outlet. She did my hair, and she made me feel beautiful. I was her little girl and she held me in her heart.

My mother loved my father and her children with a strong devotion. She never wanted a divorce from my father, but he was unfaithful and ultimately that is what happened. Changes came after my mother and father divorced, and they were hard.

My mother remarried eventually and that brought in another family. There were adjustments, difficulties, and at times pain and tears. But through it all my mother kept her daughters near and dear to her heart. We knew no one would really ever take our place in her mother’s heart. As I look back over those past 38 years, I am thankful, humbled, and honored by the amount of love and dedication she has shown to her family. She has stayed married, loyal and faithful to her husband for these past 38 years. Even after the divorce, she accepted my dad into our family holidays and activities, including him with grace. Remarkably, over time my dad and her husband actually became good friends. She never badmouthed my dad to his daughters, and even when I was angry and didn’t want to be around him, she told me he was my father, and he deserved my love and respect. And she made sure I knew he always loved me! She demonstrated loyalty by being a good daughter-in-law to my father’s parents, and sister-in-law to my father’s sisters.

She loved and reached out to her uncle Art, and both sides of her parent’s family.  She was a faithful, loving daughter to her parents all of their lives! She graciously cared for them when they were sick, always having them be a part of all of our holidays and events. She truly showed us how to respect and love your parents, through the way she loved hers. She and her husband paid for many family vacations for all of us to be a part of, and opened their home for big family gatherings. She always opened her home, and still does to this day, for any visitors to stay in.

She accepted and welcomed her stepchildren into the family, and worked hard to make everyone feel an important part of the family. She always supported her children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren, by babysitting, helping out, and buying gifts. She set the bar high for being a grandma! One I can only hope to attain. She loves them all dearly, and they all dearly love her! She truly holds each and everyone of them in her heart as well as her children. Her grandchildren still request her world famous french toast, every time they are at her house! She was always there when you needed a phone call for advice or support. She accepted her son-in-laws as her own sons and even her grandkid’s spouses have come to love her and even call her “Grammie.”

She speaks the truth in love, and sometimes says what you need to hear, even if you don’t want to hear it. She did not take sides in her kid’s marital squabbles, but always assured us that it was worth working it out. She has a wisdom for pointing out the good traits about each person.

My mom is truly extraordinary! She demonstrated that family comes first and that love is unconditional! That a family member always deserves forgiveness and is never beyond restoration. Because of her forgiveness and restoration with my father, we were all able to heal and have a right relationship with him.

I am confident of this one thing: my mother holds me in her heart and is devoted to me. I am never truly farther than a heartbeat away.

Truth Bomb:

An ordinary Mother who loves her family unconditionally becomes extraordinary.

I have an extraordinary Mom. She has always held me close to her heart and loved me unconditionally. Perhaps you haven’t had a Mom like that, and this description doesn’t make any sense to you. The truth is, whether you’ve had an amazing example of a Mom or a disappointing one, God wants you to be the Mom He created you to be! One that leaves your children loved unconditionally, so they can get a glimpse of how their Heavenly Father loves them unconditionally. You have the opportunity to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary through God’s strength!

Speak Truth Love