A Joy Filled Home

By Nicole VanGelder

A Devotional for Moms: Grace & Wisdom

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Verse Highlight: 

Proverbs 4:6-9 “Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life; love her—she keeps her eye on you. Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Get understanding! Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won’t regret it; never let her go—she’ll make your life glorious. She’ll garland your life with grace, she’ll festoon your days with beauty.” (The Message)

Here is the sam passage in the NASB: “Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you.“The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding.“Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her. “She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

Dear Moms, 

I said to my husband just the other day, “I think I’m starting to get this whole motherhood thing down.” I was saying it tongue in cheek, but there was also a grain of truth to it. It was tongue in cheek because I have actually learned a thing or two in the past nineteen years (thankfully!!), but also because I recognize that I am not quite there yet. My motherhood journey is not over and I have a feeling that I will be growing and learning, being refined, for all of it! 

Sometimes I’m learning because I am actually encountering a new situation, one that I’ve never faced before. In those moments, even if I have head knowledge, experiencing it personally is a whole different thing! (For example, it’s helpful to learn what to expect during childbirth, but no matter how much you learn about it, actually going through it is a much different experience for most of us!) Other times I’m learning a lesson I’ve already learned! This is because I have known something in part, but never actually put it into practice. 

It doesn’t really matter why I need to learn, the important thing is that I do. It’s also important that I recognize this. When I recognize that I am not perfect, my journey not yet complete, I remain teachable. I seek wisdom and understanding. This is put in practice this way: I pray & ask the Lord what to do. I ask Him to teach me. I listen for His voice. I spend time in His Word with an open heart and mind. I ask questions and learn from others. And so on. 

It also looks like this: Change. Repenting for areas I haven’t lived wisely. Sometimes this requires apologizing to my kids or others and then learning new values and behaviors. Even good change can be painful because it stretches you. It requires proaction and practice. You can’t be lazy. This is why, by the way, that wisdom is all too often rare. (You’ll notice in the passage above that it requires action on your part!)

But, the good news is this: the effort is worth it! When you put forth the effort, you will change. And, not only that, but your life will change! For the better! And, more good news? The Lord will give you wisdom! (See James 1:5.) Earthly wisdom can be helpful, but heavenly wisdom? That is of incomparable worth. Not only will that change your life, but it will impact the world because the seeds of heaven are contained within it.

I don’t know what you specifically need wisdom for today. Maybe you are a new mom, facing the challenges of of motherhood for the first time. Trying to figure life out as a mom—while you are exhausted—can feel overwhelming. Maybe you are facing an entirely different challenge as you are learning what motherhood looks like as you experience an “empty nest” for the first time. Or, perhaps it is one of a billion other things that face moms. I don’t know, but I know there is something because your journey isn’t over yet either! And, the best news of all? The Lord knows and He is with you!

Today’s Action Step: 

First: Pray! Ask the Lord for wisdom. Welcome Him into your heart and life to teach and guide you. Repent in any area where you haven’t been teachable. Ask the Lord to give you one specific action step. This could be a way to seek wisdom, or it could be a specific action step of wisdom to take in the area you have been needing wisdom. (Make sure to spend some time listening!)

Then: Act! It is important to not put this off. Acting on what the Lord says as soon as possible is often key to actually putting His wisdom into practice. 

Finally: Repeat this daily, as often as needed. 

Be encouraged! The Lord is not far off. He is with you and He has all the wisdom you could possibly need. No situation you are facing is even a little bit difficult for Him. As you seek wisdom, not only will you find it, but you will find Him. So, take heart! Gather your courage, and let the Lord give wisdom and grace to your day.

 

Family Devotional: Through the Bible Series: Genesis

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This devotional is not created to replace a Bible Reading plan or your personal daily connection time with the Lord. Instead, they are meant to be a short, easy time of connection between both your family and the Lord. If you’d like, read the entirety of the scripture focus as a family. You can do this out of a “regular” version of the Bible, or you can find it in a Children’s Bible. In either case, I encourage you to find a version that you are comfortable with and is easy to understand for you and your children. If your children are old enough, have them read along in their own Bibles! If the reading is too long, you can do the devotional by reading only the verse highlight instead.

Also, it can be helpful to reiterate the value for the Bible each time you read from it, as well as ask the Lord to speak to you and help you to understand and know Him. You can do this through a simple prayer like this, “Thank you Lord for giving us your words in the Bible. We know that your words are true. Please help us to understand them. Help us to know you and your ways and live according to them. Amen.”

Scripture Focus: Genesis 4

Verse Highlight: Genesis 4:6 “Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” (NASB) 

Introduction Questions: Have you ever done something wrong because you were mad about something? Did that make you feel better or worse? How do you get out of an “angry mood”? What about when you do something good? How does that feel? Does it make you want to do more good things?

Discussion: It is easy to mistakenly believe that God stopped relating with Adam and Eve after they had to move out of the Garden of Eden. But, we know that this isn’t true because their sons knew the Lord! They knew Him to the point that Cain wasn’t surprised that God was speaking to him.  So, it would seem like this story should be a happy one. Unfortunately, it isn’t. It is actually very sad. 

Cain and Abel offered sacrifices to the Lord—which is good. But, something about Cain’s offering wasn’t as pleasing to the Lord as Abel’s offering and this made Cain angry! It wasn’t Abel’s fault that his offering was accepted and Cain’s wasn’t, but he still bore the brunt of Cain’s anger. In fact, he paid for it with his life. This is the problem with anger! When you allow anger to be in control of your actions, it hurts! It hurts you, it hurts the people around you. Unchecked anger can be very destructive! But, there is good news: we don’t have to give it control! 

The Lord, in His kindness, tried to help Cain. “Why are you so angry?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” (Genesis 4:6 NLT) 

When we don’t do things right, it is easy to get angry. It’s silly because we are the ones at fault, but in our anger we get mad at those around us! And if we act in anger, we make a big mess! But, the good news is that the Lord is kind to us, just like He was to Cain. He gave us the Holy Spirit to teach and correct us! If we pay attention, He will let us know that we are starting to think or do things that aren’t right. When that happens, it is up to us to choose to listen and change our behavior. 

Cain could have simply made a new sacrifice, one that was acceptable to the Lord. He should have done this. But, instead, he allowed the anger he had inside to sit and simmer until he did something even worse. Unfortunately, this is usually what happens when we don’t make things right—things get worse. But, if we “subdue” it—by choosing to do what is right!—than it no longer has control. Instead, we do. When we do what is right (even before we might “feel like it”!) it brings us freedom from the messes of sin. 

Closing Activity: Ask each other if there is a specific area where you have been struggling to do the right thing. If someone has something to share, spend time together talking about what “right” action they could take to make sure they aren’t giving sin control. Then, pray as a family, thanking the Lord for the Holy Spirit and asking Him to guide and correct and comfort you.

Bonus Activity: Note: This activity can be messy! I suggest having a baking dish to “catch” the overflow, as well as to do this someplace that a mess won’t be a problem. 

In today’s devotional, we learned about how sin and anger can make a mess if you let them sin inside of you. We are going to do an activity to sho an example of what this is like: 

Get a glass and fill it about half full with vinegar. Then add a squirt of dish soap into it. Finally, add a heaping spoonful of baking soda. Then, watch what happens!
This is what sin and anger can be like if we allow it to remain in our hearts and lives. It overflows and makes a mess! But remember—it doesn’t have to be like this! Instead, we can choose to listen to the Lord and do good. After all, this is a fun activity, but not a fun way to live!

A Devotional for Moms – Accessing Grace Through Prayer

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Verse Highlight: 

Matthew 15:29-31 “Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there. And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them. So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”

Dear Moms, 

I am in awe of Jesus for so many reasons, but the fact that He was continually interrupted and pulled on by people who needed things from Him and He never lost His mind? Well, that is certainly a wonder. At least to me. I love my kids. All of them. More than I ever knew was possible. My heart feels like it has literally grown because of them! It is almost overwhelming sometimes. But even with all of that being true, I sometimes just want to say, “Leave me alone! Don’t touch me! I don’t know! Please just be quiet!” even when they are not doing anything at all except simply trying to be with me. In those moments I know that they are not the problem, but I still struggle to respond to them with kindness. Most—if not all—moms can identify with moments like this. (I may even know a mom that used to “hide” for a moment of quiet in her closet. I know this, because it was me!*)

It can be difficult to have the unending pressure of someone else needing you—especially if they aren’t considerate of even your basic needs! That is why it is so amazing to me that Jesus would look at the crowds of people interrupting His life with such compassion and care. Always. How did He do this? And, can we be like this too?

I do think that there is a key to this: Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer. He would go off by Himself & spend time with His Father. And while I think these times contained talking, listening, and probably just being with the Father, we do have a blueprint for creating the same type of experience in prayer. 

Matthew 11:1-13 “It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” And He said to them, “When you pray, say:

‘Father, hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

‘Give us each day our daily bread.

‘And forgive us our sins,

For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And lead us not into temptation.’”

I learned this prayer when I was young, and the older I get, the more I understand the wisdom it contains. If I shape my prayers—and my life—by these principles, the more connected I am to the Father and the more I change to be like Him. (Just recently I’ve started praying this each night with my youngest girls and it’s been amazing!) So, let’s take some time to ponder these words. 

Give us each day our daily bread  = Thank you Lord, that you provide everything we need each day! That means there is no reason to worry or try to make our own way. Instead, we can trust confidently in your care for us and ability to provide all that we need every single day!

Forgive us our sins = Forgive me, Father for all the ways I have failed and fallen short. Thank you for the mercy and grace you extend to me every single day.

We forgive everyone who is indebted to us = Right now we forgive everyone who has wronged us and extend them mercy and grace. We trust You to cover and make things right and we completely release the need for justice, knowing you bring good out of every situation on our behalf. 

Lead us not into temptation = We trust you to lead me on the path we should go. We ask you to help us to know you and your ways, that we may live according to them all of our lives.

Do you see how letting these words into your heart could change the way you see? Do you feel the hope in them? They lead us into rest because we are free from sin, bitterness and worry! Instead, we have received forgiveness, offered it to others & been reminded that God is our guide and Provider. From that position, it becomes so much easier to respond to others with grace, compassion, and genuine love and care! 

Today’s Action Step:

Pray! Take time to pray the Lord’s Prayer. You can use your own words or the ones above. The important thing is to allow the meaning of the Words to connect deep inside of you and to connect your heart with the Lord in the process. 

May these words be filled with life and refreshment for you, and may these days be filled with great joy and love!

Family Devotional: Through the Bible Series: Genesis

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This devotional is not created to replace a Bible Reading plan or your personal daily connection time with the Lord. Instead, they are meant to be a short, easy time of connection between both your family and the Lord. If you’d like, read the entirety of the scripture focus as a family. You can do this out of a “regular” version of the Bible, or you can find it in a Children’s Bible. In either case, I encourage you to find a version that you are comfortable with and is easy to understand for you and your children. If your children are old enough, have them read along in their own Bibles! If the reading is too long, you can do the devotional by reading only the verse highlight instead. 

Also, it can be helpful to reiterate the value for the Bible each time you read from it, as well as ask the Lord to speak to you and help you to understand and know Him. You can do this through a simple prayer like this, “Thank you Lord for giving us your words in the Bible. We know that your words are true. Please help us to understand them. Help us to know you and your ways and live according to them. Amen.”

Scripture Focus: Genesis 3

Verse Highlight: Genesis 3:20-21 “Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.”

Introduction Questions: How do you feel when you do something wrong? How does it feel to get in trouble?

Discussion: This is a terrible chapter of the Bible. It is hard to imagine what life in the garden of Eden would have been like. Not only was everything “good” but God Himself was in the garden with Adam and Eve! (See verse 8.) But, in what seems to us like one short moment of weakness, everything suddenly changed. Now instead of walking with God, Adam and Eve hid from Him! Not only that, but life itself would change. They would even have to leave the garden. Everything was not good anymore. 

And this didn’t just impact Adam and Eve! The whole world was changed. 

But, all was not lost. This was a sad and terrible day, to be sure. Sin brought terrible things into the world—it still does! But the good news, the most important thing, is that God didn’t change! He was remained good! (And He still does!) Sin can bring change. It can cause heartache and pain. But, it can never overcome the goodness of God. Even when sin first came, God continued to care for Adam and Eve. He clothed them. He moved them out of the garden so that they wouldn’t eat of the tree of life and forever stay in their sin marred stated. 

And, even though Adam and Eve had disobeyed the Lord and brought terrible consequences to themselves and the world, Eve was still the mother of all the living. All descendants on earth would come from them. Their lives and purpose were not taken away!

Sin is bad. It causes all kinds of pain and problems. It doesn’t feel good to do things wrong because we were created to live like God. But, the good news is that when we do things wrong, God’s goodness remains for us, just like it did for Adam and Eve. We may have consequences to face, but no sin can overcome God’s goodness!

So, when we do something wrong, it is important that we confess and do what we can to face the consequences and make it right. But, we don’t need to be afraid. God’s goodness and care will be with us always. And nothing can ever change that!

Closing Activity: Close in prayer together, thank the Lord for His goodness & for Jesus coming and brining forgiveness for sin. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind any unconfessed sin that needs to be made right. After you close the prayer time, let people share if there is something that the Lord brought to mind. (Make sure to be gracious and patient, helping them to walk through forgiveness and any next steps with care!)

Bonus Activity: Take a roll of toilet paper or a tube of toothpaste and have your kids help you to unroll it all or squeeze it all out of the tube. (If you have a larger family, you may want to offer both so that each person can participate.) Have fun while you are doing this! But, after you are done, ask your kids to roll the toilet paper back up and/or put the toothpaste back into the tube. Offer a reward to anyone who can make it just like it was to start with. 

The point is: you can’t. Once sin occurs, it is impossible to be undone. The good news is that Jesus overcomes sin! The goodness of God and the light of Jesus overcomes any and all darkness! 

1 John 2:1-2 “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” (NLT)

A Devotional for Moms: Grace is Found in Perfection

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Verse Highlight: 

Matthew 5:48 “Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Dear Moms, 

This verse can put quite the pressure on a person! Especially because it was spoken by Jesus Himself, right after He shared quite a few impossible instructions on how to live. Among other things, He compared anger to murder (vs. 21-22), lust to adultery (vs. 27-28), and commanded that His followers love their enemies! This was radical teaching then—and it still is! While the words are no longer new, truly living this way remains a challenge. Was Jesus commanding the impossible? Is this something that can only be fulfilled in heaven? 

Well, yes. And no. Jesus certainly was instructing us to live in a way that can only truly happen through supernatural transformation. But, part of the reason we have such a hard succeeding at this is because of the way we understand perfection.  We think of it as something you start off with, or that it is attained baby keeping something without blemish. When we do something perfectly, we do it correctly the first time, making no mistakes. In this way, a drive for perfection can be detrimental because a) we quickly grow discouraged when things don’t remain perfect (which can cause disillusionment & quitting); and b) it limits our life to a superficial version. We feel pressured to present a specific image to the world around us.  We are reluctant to get involved in things that are beyond our ability to control or contain them. 

But, when Jesus says, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” He is saying, “be complete, fully mature”. And as a Christian, this happens supernaturally through Christ. Because of Him, we are finished & fully mature, lacking nothing. It would be impossible for us to be in need of more than Him! He provided the way to be healed and whole, fully redeemed. 

Yet, we all experience lack. We all can see areas of immaturity in our lives. Places we need to grow. Character that does not quite reflect that nature of the redeemed. How can both be true? 

The truth is that we are saved through faith in Jesus. Immediately. Supernaturally. But, we spend the rest of our days working out our salvation. We spend the rest of our lives becoming more and more whole and complete—being transformed in His Presence, yes. But, also growing as we follow Him & learn His ways. Becoming more like Him through the process of repentance. The more you grow to be like Jesus, the better you will be. For yourself and for everyone else—especially your family! So, my message for you today is twofold:

First, change your definition of perfection. Realize that you and your family are on the journey toward wholeness together and there is no shame in the journey! You are more mature this year than you were last. The same will be true next year. This is reason to be encouraged because it means that the best will always remain ahead of you. You are going from glory to glory, so celebrate growth and make that the standard of your home, not perfection!

Second, recognize that the Lord is deeply invested in your process and your wholeness happens only because of Him! His grace on your life—His kindness—to you will lead you into maturity, if only you will follow Him. Because He gives you such grace, you should also give grace to yourself! (In other words: Be kind to yourself!!) And, give grace to others too. Intentionally cultivate grace in your home and you will be amazed at how far a little kindness will go. 

Today’s Action Step: 

Celebrate growth! Take some time to recognize areas where you / your family members have grown and celebrate it! Acknowledge it with some kind words and maybe even a celebratory dinner or fun family night. If you have had more value for perfection than growth, this is a good time to reset that. It won’t take long before an atmosphere of grace will grow!

You’ve got this! Lead by example by receiving grace from the Lord and extending it to others—starting with yourself. 

Blessings to you as you do!

Family Devotional: Through the Bible Series: Genesis

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This devotional is not created to replace a Bible Reading plan or your personal daily connection time with the Lord. Instead, they are meant to be a short, easy time of connection between both your family and the Lord. If you’d like, read the entirety of the scripture focus as a family. You can do this out of a “regular” version of the Bible, or you can find it in a Children’s Bible. In either case, I encourage you to find a version that you are comfortable with and is easy to understand for you and your children. If your children are old enough, have them read along in their own Bibles! If the reading is too long, you can do the devotional by reading only the verse highlight instead. 

Also, it can be helpful to reiterate the value for the Bible each time you read from it, as well as ask the Lord to speak to you and help you to understand and know Him. You can do this through a simple prayer like this, “Thank you Lord for giving us your words in the Bible. We know that your words are true. Please help us to understand them. Help us to know you and your ways and live according to them. Amen.”

Scripture Focus: Genesis 1-2 

Verse Highlight: Genesis 1:31 “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

Introduction Question: What is something in your life that you would describe as “very good”? 

Discussion: It’s hard, if not impossible, to imagine what it would have been like to witness the creation of the world. Most of us have made something in our lives—a picture perhaps or a lego building. When we cook, we take ingredients and form them into an entirely new dish or product. But, we all start with something. Art materials, ingredients, blocks, and so on. It is beyond our understanding to make something from nothing. Yet, that is exactly what God did! The Bible tells us that God created everything out of nothing. He spoke and out of His words life came! He spoke the earth and all that is in it—plants, animals, the sea, and dry land—into being. He spoke and the earth and planets and stars were born. He spoke and time itself was created! All the Lord had to do was speak and things came into existence. That is difficult to understand, but it helps us to know how powerful the Lord actually is!

And, no only that, but when He was done, everything God was created was very good. Nothing God created was not good. This is because God is powerful, but (thankfully!) He is also good! His ideas are good. His ways are good. And his Because of this, we can trust Him. 

One last thing: Just like God created the world around us, He created people! In fact, it was people that He created in His own image. That means that He created each of us to be like Him. Because of this, we should have great value for ourselves and others because we all were created in the image of a God who is  both powerful and good. 

What is one way you see the goodness of God in the people in our family? What is one way you see the goodness of God in the way you were created?

Closing Activity: Close in prayer together. Have each person in your family thank the Lord for the person on their right. 

Bonus Activity: Color the giraffe coloring page and share the following facts about the way that they were created. 

giraffee coloring page

giraffee coloring page

Did you know that scientist can’t figure out how giraffes were created? In fact, each giraffe can be considered a mini miracle! This is because of the way their heart pressure works. Your heart pumps blood through your whole body. This is important because blood carries nutrients that your body needs. The force your heart is pumping with helps to determine your blood pressure. A giraffe needs high blood pressure to get blood all the way around its body. Do you know why? Because it has such a long neck! If it didn’t have high enough blood pressure, the blood would not make it up to its head. So, it makes sense that God would create the giraffe to have high blood pressure. But, there is one thing that could be a big problem. In order to drink water, giraffes need to bend down. Because of their high blood pressure, when they bend down, this could (and should!) cause them problems! In fact, with their rate of blood pressure, it their heads could be expected to explode when they bend down! Yet, we don’t hear about exploding giraffes. (And, if it were to happen, we can be sure that not only would we hear about it, but there would probably be some viral videos, too.) We also don’t hear about fainting giraffes. Have you ever gotten light headed when you stand up real fast? This is related to your blood pressure and your body adjusting as you go from sitting to standing. This is the miracle part: God created giraffes so that their blood pressure would adjust so that they could safely bend down to drink water and then stand back up without problems, but no one can figure out how He did this! Scientist are starting to understand a little, but they still have a long way to go to decoding this mystery. Yet, God easily created this unique and beautiful animal. This is because God is much smarter than we are. He is powerful. He is smart. And He is good. He created giraffes and all the rest of the animals and world, even people! So when we look around us we can see God’s beauty, wisdom and creativity. 

A Devotional for Moms: “Suddenly” happens on the Journey–so does Grace!

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Verse Highlight:

John 1:17 “For of [Christ’s] fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.  For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized [or came into being] through Jesus Christ.”

Dear Moms, 

My husband recently shared a story about what childbirth has been like for me. I don’t know what your process has been like, but I’m do know that it has had beauty and pain unique to you and your journey. In my case, my body doesn’t go into labor on its own and when I am in labor, it is back labor that doesn’t easily progress. As a result, my labor is induced and tends to be lengthy without much progress at all until, suddenly. Suddenly! Things start to happen. I once had a nurse check me because of the pain and urge to push that I was experiencing. She was doubtful that anything had happened, but checked me because I asked. She quickly told me to close my legs and not push, as she rushed to get the doctor because I was “suddenly” completely dilated and ready. 

The truth is that none of my labors, personally, were sudden. They all took hours of time (and Pitocin and other help) to occur. Yet, they often felt “sudden” when it was time for the baby to actually come. This is a lot like motherhood—and life in general, for that matter. A lot of motherhood is made up of small moments and the mundane interactions and tasks of daily life. But, then big moments come “suddenly”. Suddenly your infant is a toddler, who suddenly becomes a Preschooler and so on until you are looking at your baby in adult form! 

This is why it is important to make the most of every season. Every season matters. The small moments are what form the basis for the big ones. The relationships that are formed in daily life will become the foundation for your life-long connection. Every season matters and I’ve heard people say that you don’t need to enjoy them all. That it’s enough to simply get through them. And, I understand that. However, I want to challenge that notion. 

The word enjoy has joy right in it! And joy is not merely a fleeting emotion based on circumstances—and thank goodness! Joy is something that you cultivate in your inner life. It is possible to have joy no matter what is happening around you. Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying that some (maybe even all?) seasons don’t contain grief or the stress of trials. I’m not talking about a surface smile that betrays the inner struggle or pain that may be happening in your heart. Part of your journey is learning how to experience the fullness of emotions without letting them shipwreck your journey! But, it is possible to have joy in every season. I think it is actually important! It is part of growing your character. Learning how to be content in every season. Learning how to live with peace and joy in your daily life—always. 

The good news is that there is grace for this. The bad news is that grace is received in a process. 

John 1:16-17 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”

Of Jesus’s fullness we have received, and grace upon grace. Of Jesus’s fullness you have received, and grace upon grace. This passage isn’t talking about motherhood or daily life. But, His grace works the same way. You have already received everything you need through Jesus. He is the key to joy, peace, love, contentment, mercy, grace, provision, and so on. He is the key to everything! So, today, I want to challenge you to find in Him all that you need to face your day with grace. And even with joy. Before you know it, this season will have passed and you will “suddenly” find yourself in a new one, so don’t miss the treasures this season contains while it is here!

Today’s Action Step:

Start a habit of thankfulness. Each day, spend time genuinely thanking the Lord for specific people, opportunities, and so on. You will find that as you do this, your heart will change. You will find it grows with affection and true gratitude to the Lord for His Presence and the gifts He has given in every area of your life. 

I don’t know what your day faces or what this season is like for you. I know these past two years have created some sort of weariness in all of us. But, this is a new year filled with new opportunities to find grace and joy in it all. You’ve got this, Mama! Grace to you! May you find joy in each season, starting with today! ❤️

Family Devotionals — Tips & “How Tos”

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I can (faintly) remember regular uninterrupted quiet times: early morning prayer times, late nights in the Word. In depth Bible studies & rich community life around them. Then I had children. 

It would be an exaggeration to say that this completely stopped, but the form it took certainly changed. I’ve since discovered that—like most things—my “quiet times” or personal “devotion” times change from season to season. In some ways this has created a much deeper & more authentic connection with the Lord for me. I have learned how to connect with Him throughout my days, not just in uninterrupted time blocks. The result of this is a relationship that is much more “real” than religious. And sometimes (for example: adjusting to a new baby, going through a sickness, etc.) it is all you can do to maintain any type of connection to the Lord because there is no capacity for more than the whispered prayers of your heart. And the good news is that the Lord remains constant even in seasons like this! He is gentle & kind, faithful & full of mercy & grace. 

But, those seasons should be temporary. It is important to find ways to prioritize your connection with the Lord in more proactive ways. One way that I do this is by having consistent “Family Devotionals”. Let me warn you: this is not for the faint of heart! Kids (especially younger kids) are not built to sit quietly for long periods of time. Life doesn’t stop simply because you open your Bible or turn your heart towards the Lord in prayer. But, let me also encourage you: not only does it grow better over time, but the rewards of this time are immeasurable (both here & now & in eternity someday)!

So, today I am going to share a few things I’ve learned over the years with hopes that it will help you to create special times of connection between you, your family, and the Lord. 

  1. Create a Consistent Time, Place & Name

First, it is very helpful to create a consistent time and place to have family devotionals. Notice that I said “create” not find. Rarely will you find time for anything. Life is usually too busy for that! Instead, you will need to create time for the things you value. And this should be something you value greatly! So, create time in your schedule for regular “Family Devotions”. Also, you don’t need to call it “Family Devotions” but do create a name for this time! That way your family will begin to understand the expectations around this experience. I also recommend stocking up on Bibles (children’s versions if you have younger kids), journals, coloring supplies, worship music & any other supplies that will be helpful to have on hand during this time. (Create a space to keep these, too. That way each time your Family Devotional is set to begin, everything you need is on hand already.)

Also, it is okay to start small and work your way up. What I mean by this is that you don’t need to find hours of time each day in order to feel like you are successful. Instead, maybe you start once a week and work your way up from there. It’s also okay if you don’t ever do it every day! The point is to create consistent points of connection between you, your family & the Lord; to show value for the Lord; and to create space to help your children learn practical skills for connecting with the Lord in His Word, in prayer, and in times of worship. 

  1. Consistent Values, Various Methods

Determine from the beginning what values are driving your Family Devotional time. Why is this important for you & your family? Once that is clearly answered you may need to experiment a little bit to find the best way(s) to accomplish your goal. Also, as your children grow in age & in their understanding of & relationship to the Lord, the way this time is structured should changed, too. Also, it can simply be fun to use different methods from time to time. Perhaps you want to use a devotional book where everything is already prepared for you. Maybe you will read through a specific book of the Bible together. Whatever method you use, I recommend that you make sure your time includes:

  • Prayer—Make sure to start your time together with prayer. It can simply be a “Thank you, Father that you are with us. We turn our hearts to you right now & ask for you to speak to us & help us understand your heart & words. Draw us close to you & each other during this time. Amen.” It is also good to spend time in prayer for people or situations that you know that need prayer, as well as to regularly spend time thanking the Lord and worshiping Him with your words. I do recommend that you find ways to let everyone participate (out loud), though not everyone needs to participate each time. Also, remember that prayer should be talking & listening! (And I highly recommend sharing what you are hearing the Lord say with each other & taking note of what is said in a journal or something. I have had the Lord speak powerfully in my life by listening to what my young kids were sharing during times like this!)
  • Worship—Worship is often associated with music and for good reason. This was true even in Biblical times. If you are able to lead worship musically yourself, that can be helpful for this time! My husband sometimes does this for us on the guitar. Otherwise, I will play different worship music (using my phone) and the kids & I will lead worship that way. There are some very powerful songs that can help create special moments in God’s Presence this way! It is helpful also to play the same music often enough that you are familiar with it & can easily sing along & have a general understanding of what the song is about. I also allow my kids to dance or draw & color during times of worship, encouraging them to make sure what they are doing is in connection to worship of the Lord. I don’t enforce any specific rules over standing or sitting, etc. as I long ago learned that what was happening outwardly may not accurately reflect what is happening inwardly. However, I do make my kids participate with this time. Also, it is important to note that music is not necessary for times of worship! Reading a Psalm, sharing prayers of worship, writing a poem in praise of the Lord, etc…there are many ways to worship. So don’t feel constrained by what your picture of “worship” may be. The important thing is to connect your heart in awe & wonder of the Lord and then express that awe to Him!
  • The Word—One of the main ways that the Lord connects with us & teaches us is through the Bible. It can be difficult for us to understand how precious this book truly is, simply because we have such easy access to it. But, the Words in it are of such great value that people in other nations will risk their lives for it! That isn’t because it is a religious text, but because it contains the very words of God—the words of life. But, with that said, getting through it can be difficult. It was written in other languages, to people of other cultures and time periods so it shouldn’t be surprising that it can be difficult to understand! The good news is that there are a lot of tools to help. If you are new to reading the Bible, I encourage you to find a devotional book that can help you understand as you read. It is also helpful to start reading in one of the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John (at the beginning of the New Testament). Also, I personally love to read in different translations. (There are apps that make this possible for free too, like Bible Gateway.) 

Our family uses a Bible Reading Plan for our family devotional now, as so many of our children are now old enough to read on their own. We open in prayer, spend some time in worship, then will read on our own (the little ones read in a children’s Bible, color or look at books during this time) then come back and share what stuck out to us as we read, and then close in a time of prayer. However, for years, this wasn’t the case. Instead, I shared a Bible story or passage & we had discussion / activity around it. (Sometimes these were from a devotional book, but often we just created them on our own as we went.) Whatever method you use, take some time to learn about the Bible a bit/use tools to help you & your family grow comfortable & confident reading the Bible personally. 

  • Connection—This may go without saying, but the point of doing Family Devotionals is to create connection with God and also each other! It is helpful to keep this in mind because that will change the way you approach this time. It isn’t about you simply connecting with the Lord. You also want to connect your hearts with each other too. This means that you value what is happening with your family during this time too! As you patiently listen to them & invite them into the process, you will find that your relationship with both them and the Lord deepens as a result!
  1. Keep Little Hands Busy

Practically speaking, it is always helpful to have a plan to keep little hands busy! The ultimate goal is for your kids to learn how to (quietly, when appropriate!) connect with the Lord themselves. But, younger children may have difficulty sitting quietly for the duration of your Family Devotional time. To avoid frustration at this, be prepared to keep them busy! Provide coloring materials, books to look at, or other “quiet” activities to keep them busy. Let them move around (as quietly as possible). Encourage them to dance & participate when possible during times of worship. Include them in short prayers. The point is to make them a part of this time, but don’t get frustrated if they are not at the development level needed for your ideal devotional time. Instead, find ways to engage them & then let them be. As they grow the way they engage will grow too, and you don’t want this time to be one that is filled with conflict or dread for either of you. 

  1. Teach, model, then let your kids make it their own. 

There are many benefits to creating consistent Family Devotionals. You will find it is good for your heart and relationships! However, one of the purposes of this time is to empower & equip your children to connect with the Lord personally themselves—long after they are no longer living in your home. This means that you need to find ways to help them to “do the stuff” themselves so that they grow comfortable and confident in their own prayer lives and connection with the Bible, etc. Because of this, it is extremely helpful to teach them but not try to control them! Their relationship may look different than yours! Their expressions of worship may look different! Perhaps they dance before the Lord or use other creative expressions. Their time in the Bible may look different! Maybe they find life in a Bible Translation you don’t. And so on and so forth. With this in mind, consider the values you are trying to instill in your kids: a love for the Bible? A personal connection with God? A heart of worship? A fruitful prayer life? (And so on.) Ask the Lord to help draw your kids into those thing, then do your best to lead, but trust Him to be the One to actually establish that firm foundation in your children’s hearts & lives. Also, it is important to note that your children will learn from you both as you intentionally teach them and as you live. So do your best to live and grow in these values in your personal life, too. 

  1. Family Devotionals are not a task but a value, so stick with it!!

You are growing a relationship not merely passing down a religion. So, value the experience & use the experience to practice your values! Remember, children loved Jesus! And He loved them. This is just as true today as it was then! So, these times should be fun & full of life, light & connection. Keeping this in mind during your Family Devotional times helps you to value the right things and let go of the things that maybe seem important but actually aren’t. What a bummer if your Family Devotions end up bringing out the worst in your family as you struggle to control behavior and people. That is a sign that something is off. Unfortunately, this time won’t always go the way you hope or want. Some days will be better than others. Sometimes you will see amazing fruit & sometimes you will wonder if anything good is happening. But, if you stick with it, it will be worth it. You will do far more than pass down a religious practice or family value. You will connect your hearts firmly to one another and the Savior Himself. 

Blessings to you!

Devotional for Moms: January Week One: Grace

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Verse Highlight: 

2 Cor. 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed “

Dear Moms,

A long time ago, the Lord promised me that there would always be enough grace for me. This is quite a promise if you understand what it means. Grace means kindness, specifically God’s kindness. It is not something you earn or deserve. You don’t (can’t!) work your way into it. Instead, it is based wholly on the character of the Lord. On His goodness & faithfulness. On His love for you. It is much like the most pure moments of love that you have had for your own child, when you are not thinking of yourself, but are overflowing with unselfish love—ready & willing to do whatever you can on their behalf. In those moments, you can almost feel your heart grow, just like the Grinch’s did that Christmas in Whoville. 

But, the kindness of the Lord is even better because it isn’t fleeting! It is steadfast & sure—just like He is. There are no nights of not enough sleep or character issues that are being worked out. There is no lack of resource or patience or wisdom. There is no selfishness mixed in with His love or kindness. His love is pure. His kindness is dependable. But, there is a secret to it! 

The secret is this: Receiving it depends on you. Moreover, you must open your heart to receive it each day. Sometimes moment by moment. 

Being a mom is not easy. Nor is it for the faint of heart. And, the truth is, you are not prepared for what it requires of you! It’s not possible to be—at least not completely—because you develop the “muscles” (skills, character, wisdom, love, etc.) on the job. You grow as you go. But, this is a lot easier and more fun and more rewarding and better all the way around, if you don’t do it on your own. To be honest, I don’t know how people without faith do it! It is only the grace of God that has allowed my journey to be so full of life and beauty and joy. I shudder to think of what it would be like without Him.

That doesn’t mean it’s always easy, even with Him. But, it means that I have confidence that He will see me through. That He will see my kids through. That He will provide everything we need, as we need it. That He will cover us and teach us and guide us. That His kindness will be found true. 

And it is. Every single time. 

Sometimes I don’t see it right away so I have to blindly trust that it’s there. (And, in hindsight, it does become clear!) Sometimes, I forget. I do things in my own strength. I get proud and forget how much I need Him. Or things will go wrong & instead of trusting His Kindness, I throw myself a pity party. Even in those times though, His Kindness is never far away. 

It isn’t far away from you, either. So, with a new year still stretching out before us, all sparkly with possibilities, I have a challenge for you. One that is actually a promise. Trust that His grace is enough. Start each day with it. Receive it fresh as often as needed as you go throughout your day!

Prove 2 Corinthians 9:8 true “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (emphasis mine).

Today’s Action Steps:

Start each day with this prayer:“Father, thank you that your Kindness is with me today, in moments big and small. Help me to depend on You, trusting that Your kindness will be there to guide, comfort, and provide for me. I open my heart to receive fresh grace today and I ask you to empower me to be a source of grace for others, too—especially my family. Thank you for your faithfulness to me. I love you. Amen,” Then, repeat this (or a version of it) as often as needed. 

You may not realize it, but you’ve got this, Mama! Grace to you as you go about your day & week!

Proverbs 5:1-2 Family Devotional

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family devotional

Supplies needed: 1 egg, your family, this devotional

Optional: Bible, Journal, Pen/Pencil

Begin with a short prayer thanking the Lord for this time & asking Him to speak to you & teach you.  Then read and discuss the following: (Note: encourage everyone to participate as appropriate for their age level! This is important for retaining and understanding the material.)

Proverbs 5:1 – 2 “My son, give attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my understanding; That you may observe discretion And your lips may reserve knowledge.” (NASB)

“Give attention to my wisdom” “Incline your ear to my understanding”

What does it mean to do those thing? How do you do it? To understand, let’s think about the words used. Give attention. What is something that you pay attention to? 

Incline your ear. What do you use your ears for? How do you listen?

Another way to say this is, “My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel.” (NLT) 

Pay attention! Listen carefully!

When you are doing something carefully, you are taking care with it.  We have an activity to do that will help us to remember what it means to be careful. 

Have everyone stand up in a circle. Take the egg and pass it around the circle. Then take a step back & pass the egg again. Repeat this as long as you are comfortable. The goal is to not break the egg. (If it does get broken, that is a lesson too! So, simply clean it up & use it as an example during the rest of the devotional.)

We treated the egg with care, because we didn’t want it to get broken. If we are trying to be careful with something, it changes how we treat it. How do you think we can treat God’s Words with care? 

One reason we are supposed to treat God’s Words with care, is because of what it will lead to. According to this verse, if we do that, then we will “observe discretion and our lips will reserve discretion”. What in the world does that mean? 

Well, let’s read it another way. In the Message Bible, it says it this way: “Then you’ll acquire a taste for good sense; what I tell you will keep you out of trouble.”

We were careful with the egg because we didn’t want to break it. We should be careful to pay attention to God’s Words because we want to live well. He knows best how to live. He knows what actions and values will lead us into good lives—and He wants us to live good lives! He wants things to go well for us! So, it’s important that we listen to Him so we can learn His ways. If we do, the result will be that we live good lives. 

Close in prayer. Thank the Lord for teaching you and leading you all into connection with Him. Pray over your family that you all would know Him and walk according to His ways all your days.