A Word of Encouragement...

I want to sweetly encourage each and every woman who is reading this blog to remember that these writings are not passing any judgement.  I had planned to continue dissecting Proverbs 31 this morning, but I feel that the Lord wants me to say this today.  He calls each of us, men and women alike, to fulfill His Will for us uniquely distinct from each other's.  I believe that, when lived out, our callings work together for His good, but none of us have the exact same calling on our lives, in the exact same timing, with the exact same people.  How amazing is that design that He has created!  If you are a mother of young children working outside the home, and you and your husband have a peace that this is where God has called you to be during this particular season of life, then I truly commend you for following His direction!  If, however, you are working outside the home and you have deep, heart-wrenching desires to stay at home or just a very small feeling that something "isn't quite right," I encourage you to prayerfully take your feelings to the Lord.  The Spirit-led postings about financial organization, along with preparing your heart and your priorities, may prove to set you on your Godly calling of being a homemaker.


I don't know what God has called you particularly to do.  I know what He has called me to do...to encourage women to take a first, second, or even third look at this profession of homemaking.  Has he called every mother to do this?  I honestly don't know.  God cannot be confined, He cannot be put into a box, and many of His ways are a mystery to us while we are on this Earth.  I love all women who make all types of choices.  I learn from each and every one of them.  Some of my best friends are mothers who work outside of the home.  They are beautiful, loving, devoted wives and mothers who have made a choice to something different than what my husband and I have decided to do.  But, I have also seen the incredible blessings, benefits, and opportunities that have come from this profession.  My honest goal is to motivate women to look at all of their options.  Maybe you desire to stay home, but the season isn't right.  I desired to start a family long before my husband shared that desire with me.  Though I was frustrated, I learned patience, preparation, and respect for my husband during that season.  Now, we are able to enjoy this time of our lives because we allowed the Lord to patiently prepare our hearts, our attitudes, and our finances to make this time possible.


There usually isn't a "quick fix" for preparing your lives to embark on a major change, but it's the culmination of small changes that bring about amazing finishes.  A favorite scripture of mine shares a fascinating truth for each of us.  While sometimes it feels that we are taking a laundry list of wants to the Lord in our time of prayer with Him, meanwhile expecting all of our wants and dreams to magically manifest, God has another way of granting those things that we so desperately want.  Psalm 37:4 (NIV) says, 

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."  

What is this scripture saying?  We first must focus our attention on Him, the Giver of all good things.  In doing so, over time, His desires become our desires.  What He wants for us in our lives sweetly unfold into what we want for our lives.  If it is His desire for you to be a stay-at-home wife and mother, then honestly focusing your heart, mind, and spirit on Him will faithfully bring about the necessary steps to make that dream a reality.  Again, does that mean it is for every mother?  I don't know.  But, how can anything but good come out of time solely devoted to the One who created us.


I encourage each one of you to make time daily for quiet moments with him, even if it's just five minutes!  If you are unfamiliar with the Christian lifestyle of walking daily with the Lord, I invite you to contact me at the bottom of this blog.  I would happy to share the steps with you in developing a relationship with the Lord of the universe, Jesus Christ.