For the last few Wednesdays I’ve been able to sit in the mid-week service at my church. This is a very rare occurrence for me. My husband and I head up the child ministry department and there always seems to be some need or another that rises up, or a teacher doesn’t show or we don’t have enough volunteers, etc. and we get taken out of service. A lot. This happens on Sundays and Wednesdays and to say it’s taken it’s toll on us would be an understatement. But I digress…..
So, I got to hear the message the last 2 weeks and my pastor is doing a series on the book of Exodus. The last few weeks he’s been preaching on chapters 37, 38 and 39. If you are familiar with these chapters they speak a lot about the tabernacle and the various parts of it as well as the different things inside and outside of it. Normally, I’d skim through these chapters and probably not get much from them (hey! I’m honest!) but my pastor really has such amazing insight and I’ve gotten a lot from these past few weeks. I wanted to share them with you….but it will probably be a little random.
Let me start by saying that I love modern technology. It’s so convenient. As you know I’ve been doing reading plans with She Reads Truth. I get up in the morning, grab my phone, log into Youversion.com and do my devotions and my Bible reading. It’s been working great for me. But, last night in church I ran out to my car to grab my Bible because I wanted to jot down some notes. When I came in and turned the pages it was like a little spark lit up in my heart. I missed God’s Word. I have been reading it daily but there is just something about flipping through the pages of the Bible. Although I have been faithful in my time with Him over the last few months I have not dug in deep like I had earlier this year when I did the James Bible study. I’m thankful that God lit that spark in me again. I grabbed His word this morning and it really made a difference.
Lately I’ve been feeling like it was time for God to bring me to the next level. I have finally gotten a routine down of spending time daily (mostly daily – I do miss a day here and there) but I feel like that’s not enough so for now I’m praying that God would just show me what’s next. Last night in church my pastor said this:
“We are not made for common use; we are made to be consecrated (set apart)”
I’ve felt like I’ve grown this year a lot but I also feel like there is still so much more growth to be done. I’ve been asking God to prune me so we will see what happens. 🙂 Looking forward to more growth this year.
Another thing my pastor talked about a few weeks ago(I told you this post would be very random) was sowing and reaping. He said that when we sow sparingly, we reap sparingly but when we sow abundantly, we reap abundantly. I know this but for some reason hearing it this time something just resonated in me. I thought about my kids (maybe he mentioned children that night? can’t remember)and how I’m sowing into their lives. Am I sowing sparingly or abundantly into their lives? If they are giving me an attitude and I know that I’ve been giving them one, then I’m reaping what I’m sowing into them. I don’t know about you, but I want to start sowing abundantly into my children. I want to be an example of a Godly woman, a loving wife and mother. Enough of this sparingly nonsense. God has given us children as a gift. We are tasked with raising up the next generation for the Lord. What are we doing with that responsibility? What am I doing with that responsibility? I’ve said it before but it’s so worth repeating (and it’s a reminder to me as well because I NEED to be reminded of this constantly):
Our window of opportunity to impact our kids is so small. Before we know it they will be grown and will be making their own decisions and exploring things on their own. Let’s give them a strong foundation and set a Godly example for them so when they are grown, they will continue on in the Lord.
I would LOVE to hear what God is doing in your life or how He is speaking to you or even if you just need someone to pray for you, leave a comment!
XOXO
Diana
www.thegirlcreative.com
Oh my goodness, all the times that my mother has told me I’m reaping what I’m sowing I always thought of it in the context of how I acted as a child, that was what I was reaping from daughter. Never once did it occur to me that this term could be applied to what I am sowing at this very moment, the present. Thank you for sharing your thoughts today, I believe God just gave me a wake up call about the reaping and sowing with our children!
Thanks for sharing She Reads Truth! Just what I needed!
OK, this is definitely a God-thing. I have never heard if you or been on your blog, but I actually came over her based on a 2011 post from “Me Sew Crazy”–about headbands, no less. AND I see this post.
I am a Christian, an RN–that has really had some major issues going on{one of them being a longstanding bout with depression and low self-esteem and unemployment–so no money, etc.}and have just been plodding along, on my own. I have been doing daily time with some Bible reading–being read to me–by the computer, etc….. but had been avoiding going to church until the past 3 weeks….because I don’t like going alone. Have been going, plus meeting with one of the Pastors, too.
Anyway, thanks for your post and will definitely head this way often.
This is a great post – very thoughtful. My children are getting close to grown now (youngest just went off to college), and I can see how the reaping and sowing is very true. Overall, God has really blessed us in our child rearing, and we are so happy with the young men they are becoming. Are there some things we wish we had done differently? Of course. Could major things still go wrong? No question about it. But overall we have been blessed. If I could sum up our approach, I think it has been to try to stay close to God (we have fallen short many times) and to stay in church, to be firm but not harsh, to see them as individuals – not as extensions of us who had to be a certain way or become a certain thing to make us happy/not embarrassed, and to keep family time a priority and not let our schedules get out of control.
Thanks so much for the party, Diana! This is my first time linking up.
Wonderful post…touched my heart. I feel the same way as you do about the written Word….there is nothing like grabbing your Bible and flipping the pages. Some of mine are torn and bent….many written on and highlighted {I love to see the times I’ve dated the highleted items or the notes ~ It reminds me of where I’ve been…how I’ve grown or how I need to go back and re-do}. I have been feeling the same as you about children…my children…they grow so quickly and spending time with them…teaching them the Word and being an example…that can never be taken too lightly. I don’t spend enough time with them…praying with them…for them. My husband is disabled and I’m the breadwinner – I have been for years and it sometimes really gets to me…but I need to lay down all of those thoughts…fears, self-pity and put my children first in all things. Thank you for the beautiful reminder and proding. Have a joy-filled week.
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I post a ‘Life Lessons’ on Sunday as a way to share what the Lord is teaching me on this journey to the cross. I love to decorate and share that on my blog. Because I spend so much time devoted to decorating and blogging, it needed to glorify Him; hence the Sunday devotions! There is so much that I want to teach my children. I started last Sunday doing a series of devotions to share with my children dealing with God’s Truths and dealing with some very difficult topics. Last week, we discussed ‘What your Eyes See,’ because, sadly the statistics are horrific. My children are ages 10,9 and 6 and the average age a child sees things on a computer that parents do not wish for them to see is EIGHT years old. I couldn’t find a devotion, appropriate for their ages, that addressed this topic directly and clearly, but in language they could understand. So, I wrote my own. I gleaned so much information from having this discussion with my children! This next one is on “What does it mean to fear God?” Having become a believer at 21, I wasn’t sure I knew exactly, so I went digging in His word to teach my kids the biblical fear of God. Amazing, the info i learned! If they can understand what it means to ‘fear God,’ as we are called to teach it, all other lessons will fall into place! Over the next several weeks, I will address other topics such as how we are to dress, fear of man, contentment, money, Halloween, thankfulness, friendship and even what God says about drinking! My children attend public school and I want to be a few steps ahead telling them God’s truths to counter what the world will tell them! I am learning so much and can’t wait to dig into His word to search out what He has to say! So, I encourage you in your journey to the cross, too and in teaching your children! I just saw this verse this morning! “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.” 1 Samuel 12:23,24 Blessings to you and I hope you have a beautiful week! Christie
Amazing post. Such a good reminder about the very short time we get to have an impact on our kids. It’s so easy to fall into frustration and impatience with the constant demands of little ones, sometimes I feel so drained and ready for a break. Love your reminder that they are a gift. I wanted my whole life to have kids, I couldn’t wait till the time came. So now that its here and I was fortunate enough to be able to have them, I need to just be thankful everyday, rather than frustrated. Thanks for sharing this post. =)