Discipleship As A Mother

I was recently talking to a friend who shared with me a bit of a conversation that she had with another
mother/wife. My friend was asking her what she thought about incorporating discipleship in her home
while being a wife and mother and the reply was: “My Husband and I feel like right now my ministry is to
our children and they should be my sole focus.”

Your initial thought in hearing this comment might be admiration. I would never deny the fact that being
a wife and mother is beyond admirable and one of the greatest callings we as women can have. (Psalm
127:3) To neglect the gift that God gives through children is foolish. However, when I hear comments
like the one made my initial thought is not admiration but sorrow. Somewhere along the way that
couple missed the mark of what God has called us to do first and foremost - To make Him known!

If you make your children your ONLY focus what are you teaching them? That they are the most
important thing and nothing is more important. Once again, another statement that can so quickly
sound admirable but is not biblically correct. We need to be teaching our children that the kingdom of
God and His glory is the most important thing. “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and
honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Revelation
4:11

If you create a “Holy Huddle” within your family you are making the goal of advancing Christ and His
kingdom impossible. Are you teaching them to reach the world by focusing on nothing but them? I
would dare to say no.

People often ask my parents what they did to raise us. They see my parents as successful because
they have four children who all love the Lord and desire to make Him known above all else. One of the
greatest things my parents ever did for my walk with God is opening their home to the lost and having a
continuous ministry. They protected us when necessary but they were also not afraid to get their hands
dirty. We had many talks on what we believe and why we believe it. These talks did NOT keep us from
reaching people who did not believe what we do.

Because of the choices my parents made to reach a lost world I saw firsthand Jesus in them. I saw what
it looked like to reach a lost world. “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let
him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but
whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.’” Matthew 16:24-25.

My parents continually denied themselves and followed after Christ. They recognized the impact a

family could have for the kingdom. As a result, my love for discipleship and the lost was born. This
change in my heart did not take place by hearing one amazing sermon, reading a great book or reaching
adulthood. This happened in my heart and life as a result of seeing it lived out in my parents’ lives.

To feel like you should not be making disciples because you are a mom is really not a favor to your
children. You are doing your children a HUGE disfavor. They are missing a part of Jesus that they could
see in you!

The past school year I discipled 4 college age girls by meeting with them during my lunch break and in
the evenings. I know that when my son arrives this summer things will look different for me. My life will
change in drastic ways. However, discipleship will be incorporated into that life. When my son arrives I
will be having girls come to my home and they may be there while I am feeding Brightson, changing his
diaper, cooking dinner, doing laundry, etc… But the meeting will still take place. You see, the method of
how I disciple will change but the principle remains.

The principle that we are ALL called to make disciples (there was no clause in the great commission for
mothers) is there. (Matthew 28:18-20) But everyone’s method may look different because discipleship
is “life-on-life” and every life is different. What is your method? If you don’t have a method what could
your method be?

I believe with all my heart that as you reach the world for Christ your children will watch, learn and
mimic what you do. They will see firsthand the principle of discipleship. They will know what it means
to “Go!” and make disciples. It happened in my life and a lot of the credit for that is due to my parents.
God willing my son will see a heart to reach the world and make Christ known because of my example.

So don’t let statements like the one that mother made make you think that it is ok to not be reaching
the lost and making disciples. It sounds good to the ears but it is not the way Christ intended the
Christian home to be used. We should not withdraw as believers and create a “safe”, “Holy Huddle” with
our children. We should prepare our children while we have the ability to influence them in the greatest
way possible - By showing them the love of Jesus as we reach a lost world.

God's Leading in Our Life

‎‎"To change the world we must first change the way we see it; we must see it from a different perspective. A cultivated mind can see the universe in a falling leaf, an orchard in a seed, an ocean in a drop of water, eternity in a grain of sand. A cultivated mind produces more insight, possesses a richer sense of the world and enjoys a more attractive experience of reality." - Scripture By Heart - Joshua Choonmin Kang

Perspective.  Seeing things differently.

God has brought Britt and I on an incredible journey over the last 2 ½ years that we have been married. He has taken us places and we have looked around saying “God, why here?” only to see His perfect plan unfold, to see how he uses where we are to take us where He wants us. He is still doing that in our life and I don’t anticipate it stopping anytime soon.

Faithfulness.  Seeing God work through any circumstance.

The place God has brought us to for now is different than what I would have ever expected. If you asked me a year ago if we would be here I would look at you like you are crazy.

We are still, and continuing to, be at the OU BSU. That is a HUGE part of our life, and ministry. The biggest part in fact. But even through the big picture there are little details, circumstance, experience that truly make up the big picture. Without them the picture would be lacking.

Of course an obvious change to our BIG picture is parenthood. Wow! Will that change our lives? Truly I believe it will be only for the better. I cannot WAIT to hold my little man, my sweet Brightson James. A little guy that already amazes me and I have never even looked into his eyes. I cannot wait to look into those eye. Are they blue, brown, green, gray? I know they are beautiful.

Another change that many people don’t know about is our church. The body of saints that we are a part of. The place we go to be filled and to give equally.  God brought Britt and I to River Church when we were a little less than 2 months away from marriage. We joined right after we were married and we have loved it ever since. The people, the vision, the purpose of that church are incredible. God used River to bring us on staff at the BSU, He used River to give us dear friends for life, He used River to help us grow.

Over the past few months God has strongly laid on our heart the possibility of going somewhere else. We didn’t know why God was calling us here. In fact, we did not even anticipate it. But He was without a doubt calling and we could not ignore it. I love that we were able to leave River just as encouraged as when we came and just as much, if not more, in support of what they do. No hard feelings. No hurt. Just gratitude.

God has brought us to Western Hills Church. I grew up there. I honestly never thought I would go back. We hesitated as God was leading. Wondering if we were thinking these things just because our families go there. We were able to answer that our reason for going, although it is a perk, was not our families. Why then? Why would God lead us there?

In short, you should read the quote at the top of this page again. Over the last three years the way I see the world has changed. The way that this church, this body of beliers, sees the world has truly changed. People are coming to know the Lord, lives are forever being changed, discipleship is key.

 Those of you who are familiar with this church may know that at one time it was not always the most comfortable welcoming place. Now, I believe that anyone who walks through those doors is loved and not rejected. I brought a little girl from my neighborhood there last Sunday, she has hardly ever been in church, and she felt comfortable and loved. She was also taught truth. Truth from God’s word that I truly believe will not return void.  I anticipate what God will do in her life.

So now, we find ourselves in a place we did not think we would be, excited to be there and anticipating how God will use us. It has taught me to not quit. Don’t stop praying for the lost yes, but to not stop praying that we, the body of Christ, will truly catch the vision of disciple making and make it happen. Although in most cases it does not, it CAN happen in the local church.

River has this vision. Western Hills has this vision. I have this vision.

Do you?

Are you willing to change the way that you see the world? To see it the way that Jesus does? 

Turn it into praise!

Britt and I have been attending a new church on Sunday nights called River. It is located in Norman. It is some what of a new church (Started within the last 5 years). Britt and I believe that God is calling us to go to this church. We are excited to see all that God will do. It is so much smaller compared to First Southern. It probably averages about 150 people. They have Sunday night service and then you can pick a night of the week that you would like to go to "Community Group" (Kind of like Home-Churches). We are really enjoying the small personal feel.

We know several of the elders because they are also on staff at the BSU. The senior pastor, Dave Edwards, we did not know but I am quickly growing to respect. I guess when it comes to pastors he is the type that you would call a teacher. I like pastors like that. Sometimes the pastors who are "Preachers" can be more entertaining but when the man is a teacher I walk away with so much. Last night Dave talked about Worry. It was so convicting for me. If you struggle with worry then I encourage you to take the time and really read this verse below...

25"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28"And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' 32"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:25-34

God really convicted me. As Dave put it last night, "I am a world class worrier!" Yap! That would be me. For me it might be more of the fact that I am a control freak. If I feel like I am not able to control a situation then I worry about it. Normally this falls under the category of finances. I am REALLY good at worrying about money!

As most of you know, Britt and I both need to find jobs by this June. With both of us being "jobless" there is a tendency to worry about money. Ok, maybe for me there is more than JUST a tendency. Lately, I have been freaking out about it. Although, I don't know if I realized just how much I have been freaking out until the Lord began to convict me last night.

Following the message we sand the song "Blesses be your name. Part of the lyrics go like this:

"Blesses be your name when I'm caught in the desert plan though I walk through the wilderness blessed be your name......

Every blessing you poor out I'll, turn back to praise. When the darkness closes in Lord still I will say.

Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be your name. Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be your name....

You give an take away. My heart will choose to say, Lord blesses be your name."

Tears came to my eyes as we sung that. I know that God is blessing us. When I stop to look I am overwhelmed by the blessing and yet I focus on things that I think we need and don't have, and then I worry. I had to ask the Lord to forgive me for that heart. I am giving it to Him and trusting Him with it ALL. My job is to pray and then watch. watch for the blessing that I know He will being and then turn it into praise!

disclaimer: Sorry it is all meshes together like this. I can not get the paragraphs to space in between. Don't know why.