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Welcome, Karen!
A MESSAGE FOR MOMS
In the wake of Mother’s Day, as we tuck away those treasured handmade cards and get back to the business of mothering, I wonder how many of us might be feeling a little deflated by all the hoopla. I wonder about the moms who woke up this morning overwhelmed, under-rested, and hoping they can keep all the balls juggling for another twenty-four hours.
My four kids are grown now, and I’m about to enter the
mysterious “empty nester” season. But it seems like not long ago at all that I
was knee deep in dirty laundry, homeschool curriculum, and caffeine dependence.
Those were wonderful years. Chaotic, silly, intimate,
daunting—and for me, sometimes disappointing. Not because of my children or
their behavior. But because, deep down inside, I never felt I was doing as well
as I could, or should.
Have you been there?
I’ll never forget one morning in particular. It started like
every other morning, with music blaring from the older girls’ rooms as they
completed their morning chores, a mishap involving our long-haired dog and a
manure pile from a neighboring pasture, several spilled cereal bowls, and my
toddler’s colorful creation using Sharpies and my one decent kitchen towel.
Desperate for a moment of sanity, I retreated to the only place
I could be alone for two minutes—my bathroom. After a few deep breaths, I
picked up my Bible from the stack of books in the corner (don’t judge me—when
you have four kids at home all day sometimes the only time you have to read the
Word is on potty breaks). I let the book fling open to a random page in a hail
Mary effort to squeeze in my pledged one chapter per day of scripture reading.
To be honest, the ritual was often out of obligation—fulfilling my Christian
duty—rather than in response to a longing to sit at the feet of Jesus. There’d
be plenty of time to linger in God’s Word later, I’d tell myself—when the
dishes were done, the piano lessons finished, and all the boxes of my
responsible life checked off.
As I rested on the only empty seat in my house (the
commode), and began to skim through the verses my big leather book had opened
to, I recognized the story.
Gideon.
That timid, beaten-down guy who lived in an oppressed town,
worked his tail off just to keep afloat, and believed he was unworthy of much
else. Gideon, who the angel of the Lord took time to pay a visit to.
Gideon, a mighty warrior in God’s eyes.
Tears welled up as the words of my Lord reassured me that
morning. With a two-year old banging on the bathroom door, I slowly read the story
again, this time replacing Gideon’s name with mine. I’m paraphrasing, but the
message God laid on my heart that morning went something like this:
Karen, my daughter, my mighty warrior. You are precious and
valuable to Me and to My mission. You are raising up strong, fearless young
girls who will become part of my army one day. Your efforts are not forgotten.
I see every game that you play with them, every story you read, and every
peanut butter sandwich you make. But more than that, I see your heart—and it is
good. I hear your prayers—and they are not in vain. I promise to stay with you
and give you wisdom and strength for the days and years ahead—for the times
when you won’t know what to do. You are important to Me and to the kingdom, and
we are on this mission together. Now get up off of that toilet and go lead your
tribe!
Okay, so maybe that’s not
exactly what how the translation read, but the message stayed with me for
many years, through good times and bad, through joys and sorrows.
You are my mighty
warrior.
Any other label I allowed the devil to slap on me was a lie!
My imperfections were made perfect in Christ. My weaknesses strengthened
because of His steadfast love for me!
Mothers of young children, moms of pre-teens and teens, may
I encourage you today to claim your true identity—that you are a mighty warrior
for the King of Kings. Will you receive His love and acceptance today, and
truly believe that you
are precious to the Lord?
Even though your house may not be neat and tidy, your meals
not always made from scratch, or your temper not always kept in check, He
adores you just as you are—and your children do, too.
ABOUT KAREN:
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a Rafflecopter giveawayABOUT KAREN:
Karen Pashley writes and speaks with wit and candor
about relevant, often gut-wrenching topics that resonate with women of all
ages. Her new novel Precious in His Sight is hailed as “a story of betrayal,
heartbreak, and reconciliation with unrelenting themes of grace, forgiveness,
and Christian duty” by Publishers Weekly. A mother to four amazing young
women, and grandmother to one perfect toddler, Karen lives with her husband and
youngest daughter in Nashville, Tennessee, where they enjoy the rich culture,
glorious landscapes, and the occasional celebrity sighting. Read more at
http://www.karenpashley.com/
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