A Call, a Question, and an Answer

A Call

God has been speaking to me – challenging me, encouraging me, and convicting me – about the kind of wife and mother He wants me to be.  Everyday, I’m learning something new about my role as a Christian wife and mother, and I’m so excited about what God is teaching me.  For a while now, I’ve felt a desire to share these words of encouragement and challenge with other moms.  It’s hard to explain exactly how I’ve been feeling, but it’s as if I had a craving (for lack of a better word) to share what God is teaching me and to minister to other moms.  Don’t get me wrong, I do NOT think that I know so much that I can teach other moms how to be godly.  I just want to share with them what God is doing in my heart, and I hope it encourages them or challenges them the way it has me.

 

Also, for a while, I’ve been wanting to be a part of a prayer group for moms where we pray together for our children, our families, and our roles as mothers.  I pray for my family everyday, but I would love to be able to pray with and for other moms who understand what I’m going through.  I know it seems silly; but when I’m praying for help dealing with temper tantrums, I want others praying for me who know exactly how difficult it can be to respond to tantrums in a godly manner.

 

Finally, I’ve been feeling another “craving” in my soul.  I’m longing for ministry!  In the past, I’ve been very involved in our church.  Of course, in the last year, God has given me a different type of ministry assignment.  Since having Landon and being a stay at home mom, I’ve been focusing on ministering to him.  Now that he’s a little older and now that I have a year of motherhood under my belt and feel as though I might be able to take on another responsibility, my spirit is longing to minister to others.

 

A Question

I’ve been having these feelings for a while now, and I didn’t really know what to make of them.  I wasn’t sure if it was just my human nature wanting some adult conversation or some “mom-to-mom” interaction or if God might be calling me to start a prayer & devotional time for moms.  Because of that uncertainty, I haven’t acted on it.  However, every time God would teach me something new, I would think, “Oh, this would be great to share with my other mommy friends!”

 

Today, I had a life group leaders meeting at church (for a couples group Craig and I lead).  While I was there, listening to a quick run-through of a Bible study on stewardship, I felt that familiar tug again.  I had trouble focusing on the scriptures we were reading because I kept thinking about what moms might be interested in participating in a mom group and what day of the week we could do it and how I would get childcare for the kids and the kinds of things we might share and do during our time together.  On the way home from the meeting, I finally decided to take the matter before the Lord...not sure why I waited so long.

 

I prayed something like this, “Lord, I feel very excited about this possibility; and I think it is something I would really enjoy.  I also think that the moms involved (myself included) would really benefit from it.  However, I do not want to do it unless it is YOU calling me to do it.  Even if I did it with good intentions and we saw positive results, I know that anything I choose to do that is not Your will takes me away from the things You have called me to do.  Also, I know that if You call me, You will empower me – giving me the time to prepare, the words to say, the women to invite, etc.  I do not want to take on more than I can handle.  I have a tendency to do that, and when I do, I end up just doing many things.  I would rather do few things well - with Your power - than do many things in my own power.  I know that You want me to know Your will; so I ask You to reveal it to me.  Remove all my human desires so that I can clearly know Your will, not mine.”

 

An Answer

Before I get to God’s answer, I have to say that I am not very good at just being quiet and listening for God.  I usually try to go over the pros & cons or try to think of verses that might deal with what I’m praying about or I just keep praying without shutting up and listening.  So, I had to force myself to shut down my thoughts and just clear my mind and be still before the Lord.  When I did, His answer was quick and clear. (It doesn’t always happen this way for me, but today it did.)

 

God clearly showed me that He had, indeed, been laying this on my heart, calling me to answer.  He brought to mind something I studied in our Experiencing God study we did with our life group.  In that study, we learned that there are some things that only God can do.  If I were wanting to start this group for selfish reasons (such as pride or so I could have some adult time or so others would see me doing it or something like that), it would be sinful; but my human/sinful nature is not capable of wanting to minister to others or share God’s word with others or pray for my family and others’ families.  Nor is that something Satan would want me to do.  That is God’s spirit in me, leading me in His way.

 

Immediately, I said a prayer of thanks to the Lord for His quick, clear reply and for His personal involvement in my life.  (Isn’t it wonderful that the God of the universe, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is intimately involved in the details of our little lives?!?!) 

 

In Conclusion

I knew I wanted to add this to the blog so that I would not forget how God called me and answered me today.  Also, I’m hoping that I’ll be able to report soon about a new mommy devotion & prayer group.  Check back...if it’s been a while and you haven’t seen anything about it, ask me about it.  Hold me accountable.

 

Has God called or answered you lately, I’d love for you to share a comment below! :)

 

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!