Mom Strong Life
Empowering Women Through God's Word
God’s Word Intervenes
Disclaimer: When I talk about my daughter’s struggles, I am deliberately vague. Not to be annoying as I know it can be, but to protect her privacy. Her story is hers to tell and if and when she chooses to share the yucky stuff, I will fully support her. She had a heart to help others but when I am writing about some of her struggles, I try to respect the parts that are hers to tell.
In yesterday’s post, I wrote about how hard October is for us and that she was struggling and suffering through something. This thing gets a grip on her mind. Her mind becomes tormented by a spirit of fear and nothing I can do can break through this fear. No logic, no reasoning, no promises of reward or thoughts of consequences will break through. It’s heartbreaking and frustrating and painful and… I’m not sure I can put into words what it’s like.
Read MoreA Safe Place
I had a rough day yesterday… my daughter was hurting and it was the culmination of the month of October… it’s just not a good month for us. When I say I was angry, I was angry. Angry at past people who hurt us, angry at God, angry that my daughter suffers from certain things… angry. I think I used the words “foul mood” and “pissed off” in a few conversations. Not to mention what was going on in my head.
Read MoreBe an Example
Hello, Darling. You have a purpose here on Earth. No matter how old or young, how educated or not, no matter your financial status, your history, what you’ve been through or what you’ve done… God has a plan and a purpose for your life right now.
Read MoreWorship
Monday, on the way to school, my daughter told me the most precious thing, the thing that melted my heart and made me proud and teary and like maybe, just maybe I’m doing some things right.
If you’ve followed me at all, you know I’ve been through trauma… avoided church for about 9 years… and a few months ago, God started reeling me back in. He reached for me, has loved on me, has broken chains off of me, and I am growing, growing so much!
The most amazing part of growing though is seeing my daughter grow with me. She has always known God because I have always loved God, even when not going to church. But I was not actively living out my faith and now that I am growing and beginning to, she is just as much in it as I am.
She is hungry. She wants to know and she hears me when I talk. She hears what is being taught in kid’s church.
We’ve started doing devotions in the morning together just this week and the time is invaluable. We’ve talked about the upcoming election with a God view of the issues, and she gets it.
And on Monday morning, she told me, “Mom. Since we’ve been going to church… now when we sing, I put my hands up and close my eyes.”
Tears were already filling mine at the vision. “Why do you do that?” I asked.
“I’m sending love to God.”
And that right there is worship, my friends. To set everything else aside and send love to God. Whether it’s through music or prayer or heartfelt gratitude, just send love to God and you are worshipping.
Through the eyes of a child…
Thank you, God, for my daughter, my little love of my life. Thank you for helping me to grow during her most formative years so that she can grow to know you also. Thank you that she has a heart for you and for truth and for love and goodness and kindness. Help me to always nurture and encourage her heart to seek You. In Jesus name, Amen.
It Will Make a Difference
Any act of kindness or generosity WILL make a difference! I love this quote and love the girls in their Wonder Woman pose! It’s important to be both fierce and kind, both strong and generous.
I love the emphasis on no matter how small…
The smallest act of kindness can make a difference in someone’s life.
So what can you do? What types of acts of kindness? Let’s brainstorm!
- A hug, a handshake, a fist bump – acknowledging someone is a simple way make someone feel seen, feel heard, feel noticed
- A phone call, email, or conversation – send something positive, check in with someone, just say hi!
- Smile, hold the door, and look people in eye
- Thank someone you appreciate
- Donate to a charity
- Send flowers or chocolate to someone… for no reason
- Send a song to someone! This always makes me feel so special when I am on the receiving end!
- Talk to your server, your cashier, your bagger… ask how THEIR day is going and really listen!
- Pray for someone, offer to pray for someone with them, pray in secret and out loud
- Invite someone to church, to a playdate, for coffee
- Bake cookies or make a meal for someone
- Pass your favorite book on to someone else
- Let someone cut in front of you in line
- Sign up to volunteer somewhere
- Clean up a mess you didn’t make
- Tell a manager about a great employee
- Offer to take a picture of a family/couple
- Set your phone aside during conversation
- Make someone laugh
What would you add to this list?
My Favorite Quotes and Verses
I LOVE photographs and I love quotes! It was the original inspiration for this blog – to take my pic/quote creations and write about them. I decided to put a bunch in one place on my blog because, why not? Actually, I was inspired by Vanessa from Brave Blessed and Beautiful just seeing her beautiful digital art that she’s been doing lately.
Read MoreTime Together
Ahhh my lil punkin. Isn’t she the cutest? I love pictures and I love that Facebook pops up with memories every year. It made it easy to create this collage of my punkin at the Fall Festivals through the years.
The last two years, we didn’t go to many. October is a hard month for me and the last couple years I think it just got the best of me. I adore festivals though! (Not fairs, just to be clear.) I love the atmosphere, the holiday feels you get, the sights of seasonal things whether it’s pumpkins, Thanksgiving, or Christmas themed. Basically I love the months of October – New Years!
Read MoreIt’s Just Talking
Prayer, that is. It’s just talking to God. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. Sometimes I think I should sound more spiritual… but really that’s not my style. It’s just not how I do it. And then I remind myself that everyone can sound different when they pray because there are no rules when it comes to prayer!
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