The past fifteen hours....

I was drill sergeant mom this morning when I woke the kids fifteen minutes early reminding them I had an appointment on the other side of town at eight am and  we needed to leave early.

I was encourager/reminder mom when the kids piled out of the car at school and I say, "do good on your science test! I love you!"

I was forgetful and figure it out mom when on the way to my counseling appointment Hannah calls. "Exactly where on the parkway are you because we forgot to send a note so I can stay after today for basketball practice."

I was counselee mom as I sit across from my counselor and she shares the hard things with me about life...and the sweetness of the Father...in those hard places.

I was investigative mom as I phone my cousin in Powder Springs, Georgia to inquire about college for Mary. Three of her four children have all finished high school and her husband in athletic director at Shorter College in Rome. I, as a single mom, have no clue as to how to get my daughter recruited....Of course I think she is a phenomenal athlete and every school would be tremendously blessed to have her!

I was a thoughtful mom as at approximately 10 am I text my friend in Birmingham who is on my mind. I tell her I am praying for her and thinking of her.

I was planning mom as I phone my step mom to arrange tutoring time for the afternoon with my niece.

I was working mom as I served the "Farmer's Market Plate" today at Lyn's  for lunch.

I was take care of myself mom as I met my girlfriend for coffee around 2:30 and we spent an hour and half catching up.

I was push over mom as I stop at GAMESTOP against my better judgement and use John's birthday momey to putrchase a new game.

I am figure out the dinner plan mom before any one leaves for youth.

This only brings me to twelve hours of today and I am tired of remembering all the roles I have as I am most certain you are tired of reading.

As women we have multiple roles every day we find ourselves playing out. Being a mother requires flexibility, intuitiveness, and strength at a minimum. Switching from role to role as our day plays out can often leave us discontent especially if mothering requires us to drop our own agenda to step into the life of one of our children who needs attention, encouragement, direction, or a listening ear.


As a mother of five ranging in age from nine to nineteen many days I find myself switching back and forth between corrective discipline with the younger ones to late night counseling sessions with the older.

 Needless to say, the role swapping can be wearysome. Often we as moms also can't wait until one season changes thinking that as soon as "we arrive" at another time we will find contentment such as waiting for a child to finish potty training or surviving the rough arena of middle school.

In chapter four of Calm my Anxious Heart, the author states, "We grow up when we see life and our role from God's perspective: when we thank God for the role He has assigned us and begin to see our cup as a gift instead of a cross; when each morning we ask, 'God, how can I glorify You today in my given role?'"

Thankfully, the author shares God's requirement for us as believers in our many roles assigned by Him, the blessed controller: the requirement is faithfulness.NOT perfection or success. i Corinthians 4:2 says, "Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."

Will you trust Him that what roles you are walking in today are from Him, orchestrated by  Him for His glory. How is your present situation conforming you to the image of Christ or causing you to be more dependent on HIm for your every need.

My " Two Birthday " Week

This week we celebrated two birthdays. Hannah Rosie was 11 on Wednesday the fourteenth and Lawren turned 19 on Friday. They are as different as daylight and dark yet have shared a bedroom since Lawren returned from Europe in March. Hannah only wears Nike and Under Armour while Lawren is a fashion diva and accents every outfit with either earrings, a big belt, or scarf. Hannah is athletic playing soccer, basketball, and fast pitch softball while Lawren lights the floor with dance or periodically breaks out in song. The two bring so much diversity to our little nest. Idealistic Lawren thinks big thoughts, dreams big dreams, and embraces truth in a manner that continues to stretch me and inspire me.  Hannah is by far my most joy filled child. She is compassionate and thoughtful knowing just what words to say or action to take to bring joy in a painful moment. Parenting these two polar opposites brings great blessing into our lives on a daily basis. Happy Birthday girls from  your biggest fan!

Chapter Three "Content to be me"

I wonder if every woman embraced the truth that the Creator of all the universe "breathed the breath of life into them" would they hold their head higher?

I wonder if every woman knew their immeasurable value before God would they no longer condemn or criticize themselves?

I wonder if every woman knew their purpose on earth would they continue searching for something else to define them?

Psalm 139 speaks to these three truths. 

Verses 13 through 15 attest to God creating us...specifically stating, we are fearfully and wonderfully made; the psalmist speaking about God says, "Wonderful are your works (you and I  are the work he is referring to), and my soul knows it very well."

I am constantly thinking about people I value...how I can bless them or encourage them or minister to them. Well verses 17 and 18 let us know that God is valuing us by thinking of us.....ALOT! The writer says, "How precious are your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I could count them, they would outnumber the sand."

My daughter is at the beach right now....I hope she walks along the sand and realizes that her heavenly father has her on his mind in a big way.

Finally, regarding our purpose, God lays it out as well in verse 16 "And in your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them." In other words, God has eveything planned out for us before it ever happens...nothing catches Him off guard. He knows past, present and future.

So I am made by Him, for Him, and am deeply loved by Him. These truths should produce great contentment in my heart. Then why is it that often I I still feel either inadequate or overwhelmed by my life circumstances producing discontent in my heart?

Maybe it's because I have never fully embraced the truths form the time they were taught to me. Maybe I have never given much thought to what God really says about me but rather have listened to the world with its distorted view of what makes one valuable, successful, and beautiful. Maybe even my parents didn't know these truths so they could not pass them down to the next generation.

Regardless of the reasons the truth is now out. It is inviting to me. And embracing the truths of scripture produce contentment and peace. Why? Because I am choosing to trust in Almighty God...the blessed controller of all circumstances (1Tim 6:15) who is "for me" and has my best interest at heart...who has given me a future and great hope (Jer 29)...plans to prosper me....and not to harm me. Over the past nineteen years I have trusted  little by little and found God faithful so today it is much easier to go back to what I know to be true...His word, His nature, and His character.

I am most assuredly discontent at least once a day if not more. I am only human. The most beautiful part is I now know how to recognize it, who to give it to, what truths to appropriate in my discontented circumstances, and can then rest and be at peace. And what an enormous difference it has made in my life.

Do you believe you are valuable in God's eyes....that He is constantly thinking about you...His creation and how He can bless you?

Do you know God has ordered your days to operate in the passions and giftings He has bestowed to you. It is in that place of corporate businesswoman, doctor, or homemaker that we find contentment. Are you operating in your giftings?

We are commanded in Genesis 1:28 to subdue...or bring to productivity that which is in our domain. Are you bringing to life and productivity what is under and around you?

First though you  must believe that you were created by God and in the image of God. We as believers are the image bearers of God. Are you properly presenting Him in and through your life to those around you.

My prayer for you today is that you WILL walk with your head higher because of who made you, that you will relish the idea of God thinking about you ALL the time when so often our love tank is empty from disappointment in personal relationships and life, and finally will you ponder your giftings and abilities questioning whether  you are content...I would love to know your thoughts regarding these truths.

Content in my circumstances

Learning and practicing contentment will be in the forefront of my journey for this year as our book study group works through Calm my Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. So exactly how does one find contentment in the midst of horrific circumstances?

If Paul, who penned the majority of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, had learned contentment in the midst of chains, assaults, near death experiences, to name a few....can't I too find this contentment?

I believe we can. The answer is given in Philippians 4:6-8. "Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God." This command is easier said than done when one is in the midst of incredible trials...right now I can think of three people off the top of my head who are walking through unfathomable hardship. One young adult in our youth developed spinal meningitis last summer from a virus. He is now in rehab due to a fall and is experiencing seizures baffling the doctors. My pastor just had to bury his own brother who died from cancer after the brother just lost his wife tragically last November during a routine surgery. A young man, 23 years old, attended the Alabama game on Saturday only to be killed in a car accident on the ride home from the game. One only need to look around momentarily to find someone in a desperate situation of pain be it emotional, physical, or spiritual. This exercise has worked everytime for me. The moment I begin to feel sorry for myself I only need turn on the news to see that someone is in significantly worse shape than I. Remember that old song  "I Sure could use a little good news today?

Once we've embraced the command from verse 6, God's word follows with a promise for us..."and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Isn't peace of mind what many of us long for the most? As one of my moms said, "this means all the irrational thoughts stop flying around in my head!"

As we give our problems over to the Lord in prayer, we must practice replacing the negative thoughts about our current circumstances with positive. The Father does not leave us hanging alone in that area as well. He tells us. in verse eight.."whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about those things."

Proverbs 23:7 says, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" Our thought life is usally the last to give up as a believer. It is fairly simple to know the biggies...don't steal, don't use coarse language, etc...but no one knows my critical thoughts or judgemental spirit right??....except for God who knows everything and loves us enough to show us our faults. It is these very things for myself that cause me to lose my contentment. Your weaknesses may be different. But we all have them because we live in a fallen world. We take these thoughts (the negative ones) to the obedience of Christ  (2 Cor 10:5) and are commanded to be transformed by the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2).


Today I know of women who are struggling with whom to ask to do their $1000 hair weave and families who are longing for their son to get off drugs. Regardless of your social strata, we choose to be content in our circumstances because we believe God is the blessed controller. The author reminds us that, "ultimately, contentment is more a shift in attitude than a change in circumstances."


We renew our mind by learning God's word and using it to replace any faulty thinking we have...The product of this application: CONTENTMENT..why? Because we are appropriating the truths of Christ to our individual life circumstances so we see Him at every turn.

Finally, although the author does not mention it...I want to add the importance of community. When we walk through these hard times, it is imperative to have a group of people around you that love and support you. They are the ones pointing you back to the truths of God's word which sustain you and bring contentment to you in your painful place. They are Jesus with skin on...not one who necessarily can change your circumstance but will walk through it with you always pointing you to the all sufficient one who may not rescue you out of your hard place but promises to be enough and walks through it with you as well. Remember He said, "I will never leave you or forsake you. Hebrews 13:5)

That's why I love my MomHeart group. We can meet and share and be there for one another to point one another to Christ but support each other by our presence.

Who do you have? Will you ask the Father to bring you someone to journey with? Will you dive into the truths of scripture that will sustain you during your darkest moments because they are the bread of life.