Thursday, February 26, 2009

Faith Muscles

I haven't been inspired anything that has come into my own head these days.  I have been inspired by so many other people and things that I've read though!  My next few posts will probably be excerpts from things that I've heard or read lately.  I hope they inspire you as well.  

I get the magazine "Mom Sense" through my MOPS group.  It is always great!  Here are some excerpts from an article that was in there this month.

"As if we don't wrestle with enough guilt, we moms tend to beat ourselves up for not being as committed to our spiritual life as we think we should be.  But connecting with God can happen in all kinds of mothering moments.  Here are a few ways to stretch your faith muscles at every age and stage:  

The warm-up years:

...Notice how you're changing, how your heart is opening up.  Watch the ways your child is growing and marvel at the work God is doing in him or her.  Give yourself grace when you mess up and know God has plenty for you, too.  Let these be the years you discover how to lean on God.

The aerobic years:

As your child moves into the preschool years, he enters a stage of incredible discovery.  You can join in and uncover a new appreciation for God's goodness.  ...Perhaps part of what it means to have faith like a child is to recapture a child's awe and joy for being alive.  Pump up your faith as you develop a new appreciation for all God's provisions.

The stretching years:

...These are the years when our patience is tested, our tempers get fired up and our dreams become dashed a little.  But out of these challenging years can come tremendous strength if we turn to God for help.  Spend time each morning asking God for the patience to parent well.  Make time to talk to other moms and get their support.  Be willing to apologize when you lose your cool and offer grace when your kids lose theirs."

I thought this analogy was a wonderful one and made me stop and realize that I am growing closer to God every day - even if it's not spent with hours of bible study and prayer.  My children are helping me every step of the way!


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