Running On Empty? Take Time To Fill Your Tank!

In the past few months I have had several Moms come to me with their feelings of being overwhelmed with the circumstances of their lives so I felt it is an appropriate time for this post.

We Moms have a gift for loving people. With that love comes the desire to serve. Especially when it comes to our spouses and children. We do everything in our power to make sure their needs are met. We get up early and we stay up late to meet those needs. For some reason, we feel pressured to be perfect. For some of us it comes down to the need to be needed. And if we compare ourselves to the woman in Proverbs 31 we can really feel pressured.

But what about the needs of a Mom?

When is the last time you made sure your own needs were met? Please don’t misunderstand me here, I’m not talking about becoming self centered and putting our own needs first. What I am talking about it this ~ we Moms have got to put aside a little bit of time to take care of ourselves. If we don’t, eventually we find ourselves running on empty.

I have been parenting for a long time; twenty nine years to be exact. Our youngest son, who has special needs is still living at home. I have had up to six children living in the home at a time while we were doing foster care. Believe me, I have learned this lesson the hard way. 

I say that to say I know how hard it is for a Mom to find time for herself. In fact, at times it can seem virtually impossible. I know what it feels like to have so many things that have to be done in a day that you put aside your own need for replenishment. But, I also know it is absolutely vital to make it happen. 

I’ll share with you an analogy that helped me with a proper perspective when my children were younger. 

First picture the gas tank on a car. Imagine that you fill it up and begin driving. If you continue driving the car without ever going back to the gas station for a refill, eventually you run out of gas and end up stranded on the side of the road somewhere.

Our lives are the same way. Picture your life as having the following three tanks:

~ Spiritual tank 

~ Physical tank  

~ Emotional tank  

In order to function at our best we must make sure to fill these tanks on a regular basis. 

There was a point in time when my children were younger and my husband was traveling a lot that I became so overwhelmed with the circumstances in our life that I ran out of gas and stalled out. Literally, I reached a point where I had absolutely nothing left to give. For the only time in my life, I became paralyzed with depression for a couple of weeks. It was at that point I realized that my putting my own needs on a shelf & meeting everybody else’s needs was definitely NOT WORKING. Like I said, I learned this lesson the hard way. Hopefully you won’t have to.

I want to encourage all of you Mom’s to take time to take care of yourself. For your family’s sake as well as your own. 

Begin by answering the following questions:

When is the last time you spent time alone with God?

When is the last time you put aside time to exercise?

When is the last time you spent time with girlfriends?

I know we all lead busy lives, but if it has been too long, then I encourage you do something to change it. 

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

First of all, if you are feeling overwhelmed, please do yourself a favor and find someone you trust to talk to about it. 

Make sure to spend time alone with God to replenish your spirit daily. If you don’t know where to start and it sounds overwhelming, you can click here and follow PURSUEGOD  on Twitter or click here to follow on Facebook. Each day they post a simple daily reading plan and a daily declaration of faith for your life. You can even buy one of the Pursue God Journal’s through the Generation Unleashed Store if you like. 

Make time to get some exercise a few times each week. A simple walk through the neighborhood several times a week can be very therapeutic. If you have little ones just put them in a stroller and take them along. The fresh air is good for them, too. If you live here in Portland, you may have to improvise when it’s raining and take your walk indoors at the mall ;). But you can still make it happen if you set your mind to it.

It is vital to spend time with girlfriends. We meet a social and emotional need in each other that our husbands will never be able to. Not because they don’t want to, but because they aren’t made that way. You can always fill two tanks at once by getting together with girlfriends and walking together. You can create a network with other Moms and take turns trading childcare so each of you can get out and have a date night with your hubby or alone time. 

I hope that in some small way this helps. 

Have a great Saturday!!

O Lord, hear me as I pray;
pay attention to my groaning.
Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
for I pray to no one but you.

Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

Psalm 5:1

A Sign Of Things To Come

I got really excited  (so excited that I actually stopped and took a picture :)) the other day when I saw this outside of my grandson's preschool: 

The reason is that this is a sign of things to come. It's only February and already signs of Spring are popping up before my eyes. Before we know it, Spring will be here and we will be surrounded by the beautiful colors of God's amazing creativity.  Once again, it reminds me that things that once appeared lifeless begin to show signs of a rebirth.  

Have you ever found yourself in a season of winter? A season where you felt dormant, forgotten? A season in which you felt like you had no life left in you? If you haven't yet, I assure you that at some time during the course of your life you probably will. Some of us we will experience it more than once. Not very encouraging, I know. But, the good news is that God's plan is to be our constant source of life during these seasons. He wants to use these seasons to perfect His character in us. It's up to us to let Him. If you are finding yourself in one of these winter seasons of life, call on Jesus today to give you strength and show you what He wants to work in you and through you.

Be encouraged and remember that Spring ALWAYS comes after winter. And when it arrives it brings with it a renewed sense of hope. And Spring comes, we get beautiful flowers as proof of new life...

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 

Mary, A Woman of Courageous Faith

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

Luke 1:26-38 (NIV)

Can you even imagine what that moment must have been like for Mary? Here she was, this young peasant woman, being approached by an angel. She must have been wondering what on earth was about to happen in her life that the Lord felt she needed an angel to walk her through it. The angel, sensing that, was quick to quiet those fears and reassure her that she had found favor with God.

And then he went on to tell her that although she was a virgin, was going to give birth to the Son of God. The SON OF GOD! Seriously, can you imagine???

The fact that God chose Mary tells us what a remarkable person she was. We can see by her response why God chose her. Even though she was stunned, and probably a little self-conscious to have such a conversation with an angel, when she asked the question, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?", it wasn't the message from God she was questioning. She was just wondering how on earth this was going to happen, since she was a virgin?

I am always impressed and challenged by Mary's response to this news. "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. She didn't try to convince the angel why this would be a bad idea. Rumors would be circulating once the news became public. Her reputation was going to be ruined. She would be ridiculed. She could even be stoned for getting pregnant while engaged to someone else. And yet, her response was one of total willingness to do whatever God called her to do.

She would tell about the visit from the angel, but who in their right mind would believe such a story? Her parents? Joseph? Her in-laws? The Rabbi? It wouldn't matter to Mary if no one believed her. That would not stop her from believing. She was willing to take whatever came her way as a result of believing God. Even if it cost her everything, including the man she loved, she would be obedient. What a courageous faith she had.

I wish I could say that I have always responded just like Mary did. But, the truth is, there have been times have tried to reason with God before I obeyed Him. But as I've gotten older, I realize that everything God does in my life is good. And I've learned that obeying Him immediately and completely is always the best choice to make. I pray to have a heart like Mary's. A heart that never questions God's plans for my life, a heart that immediately and completely obeys His every call.

Imperfect People ~ God's Perfect Plan

Ah, December. What a wonderful time of year.

I’m one of those people that likes to celebrate Thanksgiving. And then move on to Christmas. I know a lot of people who put up their tree before Thanksgiving. But, just so you know, I am not one of them. You will never see my Christmas decorations up until the smell of that fabulous turkey no longer lingers in my home. Not that either is right or wrong, it’s just my tradition.

Once that turkey smell is gone, however, I kick into high gear for the next week. For me, the week following Thanksgiving is always busy with getting the church decorated, which is a great way to work off all of those yummy garlic mashed potatoes from the week before. Between all the moving of heavy buckets containing tree parts, moving huge wreaths out of storage and hoisting them to the top of a 12 foot ladder to hang them above doorways, not to mention all the walking involved, etc. etc., I feel that I have succeeded in working off the extra Thanksgiving calories I consumed.

Once all of that is done, I then move to decorating my home. Yesterday the tree went up and today I will hang garlands and put out all the other miscellaneous decor I have collected over 29 plus years of marriage.

But before I get back to the busyness, I pause. I just need to sit and spend a few moments with Jesus, reflecting on the amazing story of how and why he came to earth. Each December I am drawn to reread the gospels as they tell the story of the life of Jesus and the humbling story of His birth.

If you’ve read the gospels you know that Matthew’s account starts with the genealogy of Christ. I used to just skim over this part quickly without really absorbing the importance of it all. Now I realize that it is there as evidence for us to know that God uses imperfect people to produce even the most amazing of miracles. A few stood out to me this morning as I read.

First there was Abraham, who we know as a man of faith. But he also lied. He sent his wife into Pharoah’s arms, putting the promise of his future into jeopardy.

And then we have David, whom scripture tells us, was a man after God’s own heart. But he definitely got sidetracked when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. Not only that, he committed murder so he could take her as his own.

Rahab was a harlot.

Ruth was a foreigner who was grafted into the family tree, even though foreign marriages were forbidden by Jewish law.

Bathsheba, the adultress who married David, was Solomon’s mother.

Sometimes it’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that God used so many imperfect people to bring forth His perfect plan ~ the birth of His own Son. But, this shows us that God’s purposes are not stopped by our humanity, no matter how weak and imperfect we are; no matter how far we have strayed. He is continually at work in us and through us, and a good deal of the time he works in spite of us. It is evidence of His Grace.

Thank you, God, for the grace you have poured down through the generations, reaching me. Your grace is so amazing that it leads me to turn from my own sinful, selfish ways and look to you and our will for my life. Help me go through this Christmas season with my heart focused on the true meaning of it all, Jesus.

My prayer is that each one of you would find the grace of God evident in your life as we spend this month celebrating the birth of His Son, Jesus.

Matthew 1:16 ~ Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah. (NLT)

Thankful Thursday

I just can't help but be thankful this morning. Thankful for a God who looks beyond all outward appearances and talents and goes straight to the heart of His people.

Last weekend Pastor Frank continued his series entitled 'Psalms ~ Desiring God'. In order to better understand the author, David, he took us to the book of Samuel; all the way back to when David was still a boy, working in his father's field. The Lord had sent Samuel to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be the future King of Israel. After Samuel assumed it would be Eliab, the obvious choice, comes this verse:

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a persons thoughts & intentions.” 1Samuel 16:7 New Living Translation

I don't know about you, but that is very encouraging to me.

God sees things inside of not only me, but each one of us that we can't even think or imagine. Take David for example. Of all the sons that Jesse had, David was the one least likely to be a candidate to be anointed as the future King of Israel. He was so unlikely a choice that Jesse didn't even call him out of the field when Samuel had him call his sons in. After all, he was the youngest. And it's not like he was already out leading people, showing his leadership skills at an early age. He worked out in the field, watching over sheep. And yet God saw in him a heart that would follow hard after God. He didn't see one who would be perfect or who wouldn't make mistakes. But, God saw something that no one else saw. He saw a future King.

The truth is, it's the outward appearance and abilities one has that impress people. But it's the thoughts and intentions within the heart that impress God. People have the ability to look ahead and see where someone's abilities may take them. But it's what is deep in a person's heart that can take one to places that only God can fathom.

I think this is a great lesson for all of us Moms. To not only be open to God using us in ways we can't imagine, but also being aware of this thought as we raise up our children. It's a great lesson as to how we should be as parents, not just noticing what is obvious in our children, but also seeing into their hearts and recognizing things within them that they don't see for themselves.

Let's let today be a day of believing God for things that seem unimaginable!!

Psalms ~ Desiring God

Seven Weeks In The Book Of Psalms

As Karen mentioned yesterday, Pastor Frank started a seven week series this past Sunday on the Psalms. It doesn't matter how many times I've read through the Psalms, I still find something new each time I read them again. No matter what any of us are going through or dealing with in our personal lives today, there is a Psalm that can minister to us. This is because David spoke from the depths of his heart and soul out of what he was experiencing at the moment. His words prove to us that he was just as human as each one of us. He sinned. He felt lonely. He felt betrayed. He felt abandoned. He felt forgotten. He felt forgiveness. He felt relief. He felt overwhelming joy. You get the point. No matter what we feel, there is a Psalm we can relate to.

John Calvin said it like this:

Psalms are an anatomy of all the parts of the soul. For no one will find in himself a single feeling of which the image is not reflected in this mirror.

I encourage you to join with us in reading through the Psalms over the next 7 weeks by reading a Psalm or two each day. If you read three Psalms a day you will make it through the book of Psalms in just over seven weeks. The other option is to read through the same Psalm each day for the week prior to Pastor Frank preaching on it. I personally like this option. I am looking forward to meditating on one chapter all week to see what God speaks to me personally, and then hearing Pastor Frank preach about it the following Sunday. (You can click here to listen online and subscribe to these messages.)

Week One ~ Psalm 63

1 O God, you are my God;

I earnestly search for you.

My soul thirsts for you;

my whole body longs for you

in this parched and weary land

where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in your sanctuary

and gazed upon your power and glory.

3 Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself;

how I praise you!

4 I will honor you as long as I live,

lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

5 You satisfy me more than the richest of foods.

I will praise you with songs of joy.

6 I lie awake thinking of you,

meditating on you through the night.

7 I think how much you have helped me;

I sing for joy in the shadow of your protecting wings.

8 I follow close behind you;

your strong right hand holds me securely.

9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.

They will go down into the depths of the earth.

10 They will die by the sword

and become the food of jackals.

11 But the king will rejoice in God.

All who trust in him will praise him,

while liars will be silenced.

(New Living Translation)

Prayer is the breath of my relationship with God. It is what brings life to that relationship. This morning the words from verse 1 jump off the page at me. "I earnestly search for you." Webster's Dictionary defines 'earnestly' as: "characterized by or proceeding from an intense and serious state of mind." Today I am challenged to come to God, not just in casual prayer, but to come with an intensity; to come with a seriousness, calling on the name of the Lord. To come not just as one coming for a quick little drink at the brook, but to come as one who's very soul is thirsty. To come into His presence as one who is serious about meeting with my God. And to come as one who depends on God to sustain me.

Lord, today I search earnestly for you ~ I thirst for you ~ I long for you ~ I honor you ~ I think about you ~ I praise you ~ I follow close behind you.

We'd love to hear feedback from you. Leave us a comment and let us know what it is that God is speaking to you as we read through the Psalms together.

Psalm 1

Not that we would post all 150 Psalms on the blog...I just woke up this morning excited about being in a church with a Pastor who seeks after the heart of God.

In case you were not able to attend City Bible Church the past weekend, over the next several weeks, Pastor Frank will be teaching out of the Psalms. (Click here to subscribe to these messages.) He is exhorting us to have a passionate desire for God, the way David did in the Psalms. He asked everyone to read at least one Psalm a day during this series.

Here is Psalm 1 from the New Living Translation:

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not

follow the advice of the wicked,

or stand around with sinners,

or join in with mockers.

2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,

meditating on it day and night.

3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season.

Their leaves never wither,

and they prosper in all they do.

4 But not the wicked!

They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.

Sinners will have no place among the godly.

6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,

but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

The verse that stands out to me today is verse 3. I want to bear fruit in every season. Whether summer or winter...I want to bear fruit.

We are so fortunate to live in the Pacific Northwest because the trees and shrubs do actually bear fruit year round. We have an abundance of rain and mild temperatures. Other areas of the world are not so fortunate. Climates can be very harsh and there are seasons NOTHING grows.

By purposefully planting myself in the House of the Lord, I can know that He will always supply an abundance of His Spirit. And where His Spirit is...there is freedom and peace. I can be in the darkest season of my life, yet He will come through for me.

Thank you Jesus that I can trust Your love for me will never run dry. When I plant myself near you, I will never have to fear a drought. I can count on the fact that You will provide for me, even in the darkest of times. Allow my life to soak up every word You have for me. Yes, let me bear fruit no matter the season. Let this be a witness to Your faithfulness and love.