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.

Cucumbers and Parenting

Week 26.

 I am in week 26 of my pregnancy right now. 

Saturday I will hit week 27, that is the third trimester! 

Every week that I am pregnant I get an email introducing my "new week". And every week the baby's size is compared to some food. How on earth they choose the foods that they do I will never know. Week 26 was a  English Hothouse Cucumber. What the heck is the difference in that and a regular cucumber? 

 

They are using the picture more to depict the length not the mass (thank God!). I am thankful for the quarter in the picture because I have no way to know how long that is. It truly makes me laugh every week and is probably the NOT the most endearing thing you could compare a baby to. "Hey you cute little 'English Hothouse Cucumber' you!" 

PalEAse! 

It's fun to joke about the fact that my baby boy is compared to strange food on a weekly basis but in all reality he is not cucumber. He is a real life, breathing, in the flesh, coming in three months whether I am ready or not,

BABY!

 HUMAN!

 OUR RESPONSIBILITY! 

Eck! 

Am I excited? Yes! 

More excited than a kid on Christmas! More excited than someone who just won a gazillion dollars!  More excited than getting 100 English Hothouse Cucumbers! 

Seriously excited! 

Am I scared? Yes.

When I think of the responsibility it is at times overwhelming. And it's not like I am an old pro at this parenting thing. Sure, I have said the classics: "I will never do that to my kids", "My kid will NEVER act like that", "THIS is how WE would handle this situation". Those are all cheap words now. Sure I thought that was realistic then. I can say "THIS is the kind of parent I will be" but what am I basing that off of? I can assure you it is NOT years and years of experience. When it comes down to it I don't know a whole lot. 

So here I am. This person who really doesn't know what I am truly getting myself into yet all of that aside it does not alter the fact that Britt and I are 100% responsible for raising this child. 

Wow. 

So today I realized how stinking grateful I am that it actually is NOT just Britt and I. Just like it is NOT just Britt and I in our marriage. There is another factor. 

God. 

SO thankful for the fact that I never walk through any new, scary, challenging situation on my own. SO thankful that my success is not based on my knowledge (although I totally know that seeking wise council from people will help a TON). SO thankful that I can say my dependence on the Lord as a believer, a wife, a MOM is what will determine my success. SO thankful that I am aware of how incapable I am and that I TRULY need the Lord's help. I could never do this without Him. How do people do this without Him?

With that in mind is there still a little fear? Yes. But there is an aspect of adventure, anticipation, not being able to wait to see how God works through this completely incapable vessel to raise a child. Raise a child that loves the Lord and fears Him. Raise a child that has a heart for the lost. Raise a child that calls my God-MY Abba Father, by the same name. Wow! I could NEVER do that alone but I cannot wait for the opportunity to be used by God to help lead my little man in that direction. 

So much wisdom needed here! 

So thankful for my Lord!

Children

Being married means that there are times I cannot help but think about having children. How fun it will be to have a child of my own; to see Britt and myself through/in a child. Is it all a cake walk? I am not so naive to believe so, but I am still looking forward to it in so many ways.

I would like to put on record that I am NOT pregnant. I hesitate to post anything about kids because I am leery of the conclusion that people might draw.

I am ready to be a mom though. It is something that I believe God puts in every woman. The desire in me is so great right now. It is not the Lords time for Britt and I to have children but I am looking forward to that day with great joy!

I cannot help but wonder what kind of mom I will be. I hope to be the “fun” mom of course and I think that I will be fun. I love adventure and creativity. I thrive on spontaneity and laughter. I know that those are gifts from the Lord and things that I can use to bring laughter and create wonderful memories in our home.

When I think about kids being the good mom is not my greatest concern. I am worried about the responsibility I will have to be a Christ like example and a spiritual leader to my children. Britt, of course, if the spiritual leader in our home and he does, and I know will do, a wonderful job! I know though, that he will be a work during the day and the face my children will see the most, the character (good or bad) they will see the most will be from me.

Wow!
What a responsibility.
What a privilege!

My parents did an awesome job of raising my three brothers and myself. They were amazing and spent hours upon hours talking to and teaching us. I learned from them what it meant to love the Lord with all my heart. I saw in them what it looked like to love others more than myself. I saw what it looked like to stand for what is right no matter the cost.

As I result I experienced for myself a relationship with the Lord and good relationships with other believers. I also felt the sting of persecution for standing alone. I scares me at times to think of people hurting/mocking my children some day. I want my kids to be cool, have tons of friends but even more I want them to do the right thing and often that eliminates “coolness” and so called “friends”.

I was reading a ladies blog today and she was touching on a similar subject. She has the following quote on her blog:

"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something in your life."

I am working towards having this mindset for my children. I am not even a mother yet, I have not met the precious baby the Lord will bless us with, but I already feel that protective instinct of “No one hurts my kid.” But the thing is that people, other children, WILL hurt them. I will be there to encourage them and wipe their tears, but I also want to say “I am glad you are persecuted.” That sounds so harsh but it is not. Jesus told us “Blessed are the persecuted”, “In this world you will have trouble..”. I want my children to experience the blessing of the Lord and if they choose (Lord willing!) to follow Him then they will experience the hurt and persecution that comes with it but the blessing on the other side will be FAR greater!

Our Children! haha...

Britt and I went to a website and uploaded pictures of the two of us and it gave us "What your children will look like". haha... Too funny! We had fun doing it. Although it may not be accurate it was still a lot of fun! :)

So, what do you think of our kids? Aren't they just the cutest thing you've ever seen? haha