How Can We Practically Rest in Him?

We've talked a bit about in this series getting away and having some quiet time with the Lord in order to make your relationship stronger with the Lord. 

I believe in the power of God's word. I believe it has the power to strengthen God's voice in our life and defend us against the enemy. 

I believe in the power of prayer. That God wants us to come to him with our needs, wants and desires. I believe that the answers to our troubles are found on our needs in prayer and communion with God.

I believe in worshiping the one true God who died for you and for me. I believe that his death covered my sins and brings freedom to my life. 

In the past I've really gotten caught up in the "amount of time" I spent with the Lord. As if spending a certain amount or more meant that he was listening better or that I was a better Christian for it. Which is so not true. Over time God has really softened my heart towards the things of Him and I no longer am caught up in those details.

Now, what's most important is that I am spending time in his presence. 

Sometimes I pray in my car as I sit through rush hour traffic. 

I get up early some days and get my Bible out and spend time with the Lord, if I can't do it in the morning I sit in my office at night after my kids have gone to bed and read my Bible. 

I play worship music throughout my house during the day while my kids are playing and we are living life. Hoping that positive messages rub off on me and my kids. 

Some of my favorite sounds is the sound of my four year old singing worship songs she's heard on the radio or at church. It brings this mama's heart so much joy.

I use Bible reading plans when I don't know where to start. 

I pick just a few verses sometimes and pray and rest on those for a few days. 

I read commentaries on books of the Bible, my husband and I have discussions about what we're learning and what God is teaching us.

The point here?

I'm doing it, and God's showing me more of himself as I grow in Him. As I rest in Him. The more I do this, the more God is near to me. 

A Perspective Shift in Mothering

We're on the homestretch in my series of #31DayofRestinginHim. As we're coming to the end I wanted to share with you a post that I wrote last year on Mother's Day. I thought it was worth sharing again here on the new blog. Motherhood and parenthood in general is so tough sometimes but as I learn to rest in the Lord he guides me and gives me wisdom. He even surprises me a little. 

I hope you enjoy this encouragement today. It encouraged me again today as I read it. 

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I've had some really hard weeks these past few months. Days when I for sure thought I was going to lose my mind, days when I felt like giving up on this whole parenting thing.

Pretty sure I wasn't doing a good job.

Pretty sure I wasn't getting through at all to my toddler who seems to test my will more than ever these days.

Days when I've sat and cried for a few minutes while they are tucked in their beds for nap time. A few times that I've snuck into the pantry alone and sat there for a few small moments reminding myself to breath, and come out with a smile on my face.

Wouldn't it be awesome if there was a definitive handbook on how to raise children? A handbook that told you exactly every single scenario that was going to happen and how to handle it? Yup, that would be awesome sometimes.

And just when I'm sure my child hates me, and doesn't like me at all she says something that forever changes my perspective on mothering and parenting.

My husband knows just how much of a hard time I've been having lately and does a great job of checking in on me throughout the day.

Sunday night (mother's day) my husband did the bed time routine with Ava while I was doing my best to calm my screaming 4 month old.

He came down after tucking her in and told me this story;

He was reading Ava a book before bedtime and it was about friendship and best friends. He asked Ava at the end;

"Ava, who's your best friend?"

Ava replied; "Mommy is."

This little two second conversation to me has completely changed my perspective. I realized that how I see myself as a parent my failures, my short comings, etc. Isn't how my child sees me at all. To her I'm her best friend!

Even though I discipline her, and loose my patience sometimes, and cry over the fact that she isn't listening and think about how hard this parenting gig is she doesn't see that at all.

Now matter how many times we mess up or think we fail, or feel like we just can't do another day remind yourself as a mom that your children think you're amazing, you're their hero and they love you so much.

I will repeat this to myself when she's tired and cranky.

When she's being disobedient and needing me to teach her.

When we have hard days.

When I have a hard day.

Sometimes all we need is a little perspective shift and a little encouragement to get us back on track.

As I learn to rest in the Lord this includes resting in Him to give me wisdom as a parent. Patience to take on each day and it's challenged and joys. Resting on the fact that he's given me all the tools and talents I need to be their mom. And when I don't know what to do he's there to help.

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He Never Runs Out.

My second child has always been my wild card, he turned my whole parenting upside down when he came into our family. When you only have one child all you know is that one child and what worked for them. So when I had my second and he wasn't at all anything like my first I didn't quite know what to do with myself. 

All my best mom tricks weren't working. 

He's never been the best sleeper. It took him 13 months to sleep through the night. When he finally did he started some good sleep habits. Every now and then he has an off day. A day when he doesn't nap. A day when he's just off and needs some extra attention. 

Today was one of those days. 

I'll admit that as a mom running on little sleep and a million things that I want to get done during the day, nap time is my golden hour now. Those two precious hours are what I need during the day to get my chores done, eat lunch myself, shower....... ahem! 

But today when I heard screams coming from my son's room that didn't end after twenty minutes I knew that today was going to be a day that everything else was going to have to wait. 

When I peaked into his room he was standing up in his crib just sobbing. Reaching out for me. I scooped him up and sat down in the rocker. His little body all tired and heavy burrowed into my neck. I could feel his heavy soft breaths on my neck and I knew it all could wait. 

He just needed to be held. He just wanted to know that I was there. He wanted to know that I was going to come back. He wanted security in those moments. 

So I sat. And we rocked until he feel asleep in my arms.

I'm pretty sure all most of us want those same things from God. We want someone to care, we want to know that someone is always there. We want to know that he still loves us even when we mess up, even when we aren't perfect parents, even when we've ran out of patience for the day.

He never runs out of patience for us.

He never runs out of grace.

He's always there.

Ready to scoop us up into his arms. 

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Making Time to Rest in Him.

A couple days this week I woke up in a panic when I saw that it was almost 7 am! You see because my kiddos are usually both awake by 6:30 am on any normal given day. A couple days this week they slept in really late, completely unusual for them. 

I sat there in my cozy bed and warm covers and contemplated drifting back to sleep myself. Then I realized that this was the perfect opportunity for me to get up and spend time with Jesus and practice resting in Him in a tangible way.

One morning this week I made Trader Joe's pumpkin rolls grabbed my coffee and opened the shades in my kitchen. It was already bright and beautiful outside. I sat and read my Bible, journaled a bit and sipped my coffee while it was still hot.

It was kinda magical. :)

I've quickly come to realize over these last few months that if I'm going to Rest in Christ and really do that I have to make time for it. I have to clear my schedule and make time for it. I have to be intentional about it. No one else is going to make it a priority but me.

And I've already seen how this practice really starts my day well. I feel more patient with my children. I feel more focused when I do this. 

In what ways are you making practical efforts to Rest in the Lord? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Pure and Blameless.

I read this scripture in Philippians last week and it really humbled me. Let me share it with you.

Be pure and blameless until Christ's return. Filed with the fruit of righteousness. 1: 10-11

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, pure, lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is praise worthy think about these things. 4:8

Be pure and blameless. 

Sometimes we get in situations we aren't sure what to do, or what the next step is. Sometimes those situations are sticky and we feel like there's no graceful way out. Or maybe we got stuck in the middle of something we never should have been in the first place but here we are. 

What do you do?

When I read be pure and blameless it was honestly God just saying in a small way;

"Here's what you do, you remain pure and blameless."

Some might call this as taking the high road. You've heard that before haven't you? I have many times and honestly there's times when I don't always want to do that.

But reading these scriptures reminded me that God has a much bigger plan than my own, he's got a much bigger purpose for me. And I need to remain pure and blameless. I need to remain a light of hope for those who don't know Him. 

I rest in him by resting on these virtues.