5 Days with God amid Ordinary MotherhoodSample

Day One: Connecting with God in the Car Line

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Whenever I drop my kids at school or soccer practice or anywhere away from me for a while, I always smile and say cheerily, “See you after school!” or “Have a great practice!” or “Love you guys! Be safe!”

But that’s not all I really want to say. That’s not what I want to press into them as they leave me for friends and classmates and teachers and coaches and schoolwork and pressure and LIFE.

I want to say . . . I know it’s hard sometimes. I know you struggle. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to be the most popular. You don’t have to be top of the class or best on the team. You don’t have to pretend, sweetheart. Please just be kind and do your best and be YOU and know that is ALWAYS enough.

I want to wrap my arms around them until they struggle and press my love into each one, so he knows how precious and loved and adored and perfect he is to me.

But clinging tightly to them every time they leave isn’t a possibility, and I realize they will just look at me like I’m crazy and say, “Moooom. Stoooop.”

So instead, as they step from the car, I give each a kiss on the forehead with my generic goodbyes, and as I drive away, I pray . . .

God, soften their hearts. God, fill all the holes. God, lead them and guide them and hold them every single moment of every single day of their lives.

The truth is, we can provide all our love and a safe, clean-ish home and healthy food and an avenue for exercise and rules and consequences and expectations and medical care and a great education . . .

But try as we might, LIFE happens. There will be pain and loss and failure and sadness. There will be cracks and holes and broken pieces because we are human. And our children are human.

We cannot make life perfect. And we cannot prevent pain. Oh, how we wish we could!

But every day, we CAN pray, “God, fill the holes. Because in YOU they can be whole.”

• Do you struggle to turn the lives and well-being of your children over to the hands of God, trusting He will love and care for them? Believing He has good plans for their lives?
• How can you relinquish control and connect with God today?

At the next school drop-off, hug your kiddos goodbye and consciously ask God to lead them and guide them and hold them through whatever the day may bring.