Encouragement for Christian moms to live in the joy and strength of faith

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
    who daily bears our burdens.”

Psalm 68:19 (NIV)

Some seasons of life are just hard. I’ve heard one definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

I’ve had seasons where that felt too close to home for me. Life can be tedious. Motherhood can be tedious.

I start the mornings with the best of intentions. Yet, some days – especially in hard seasons – those intentions get away from me. I start dwelling on all the hard stuff.

Just when I’m ready to throw in the towel and give up, God pokes my heart with reminders of His presence. He fills me with His strength when I so desperately need it.

Because while I may lay my burdens at His feet when I pray in the mornings, I often start picking them back up as I go throughout the day. I guess I think that God needs my help carrying them – as if He isn’t strong enough.

When I think of it in those terms, I laugh at myself. I’m not a strong person. I’d never win a weight-lifting challenge. Who am I to think the God of the universe needs my help to carry anything?!

Today, I will rest in the reminder that He is strong enough to bear our burdens daily, and we can let them go. We don’t have to carry them around with us.

Prayer:

Dear God, help me to truly lay my burdens at your feet and leave them there. I praise you for your strength, faithfulness and love for me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Encouragement for Christian moms to teach their kids about who God is

We will not hide them from their descendants;
    we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
    his power, and the wonders he has done.

Psalm 78:4 (NIV)

Throughout my decades as a Christian, I have been encouraged time and again by stories of God’s faithfulness in the lives of others. In fact, seeing God work in the lives of those around me helps me to keep my heart and eyes open to seeing more of Him at work in my own life.

Of all the things I want to teach my kids, I want most to teach them to rely fully on God. We started reading the Bible to them and praying with them when they were still babies.

Many of us come up with habits of faith to encourage our children and help them grow in their walk with God. But it can be easy to forget to share with them the things God has done in our lives – both in the past and the present.

One of the greatest testimonies we can share with our children is our experiences with God in real life. Not only does this demonstrate God in action in daily life, but it also helps them to be more open to seeing God at work in our lives.

Prayer:

God, give me the right words to say to my children to tell of your goodness and how you have worked in my own life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.