When a Stepmom Praysনমুনা

My phone chimed with the familiar sound of a text message delivery. A quick glance at the notification caused me to stumble. It was the sender that caused a reaction. This text would be related to my blended family in some way.

It did not matter if the messages were positive or negative. Experience had caused a raising of my pulse and an increase in anxiety. While these instant interruptions are fantastic in an emergency and keep us connected to loved ones, they have a downside.

Our culture puts communication right at our fingertips. Messages related to the other home can arrive and be read at a moment's notice. We can be reached instantly. However, the other party can also receive our immediate reply, whether or not we are prepared spiritually and emotionally to properly respond.

I know I have received a text or email and quickly shot off a response, only shortly afterward to have an unsettled feeling in my gut. Was that the correct response? Or was I harsh, missing the mark? Taking a little more time to ponder my response may have garnered a different approach.

In the book of Nehemiah, Chapter 2, we read about an interaction between Nehemiah and King Artaxerxes of Persia that resonates in these situations. The king asks Nehemiah a question. Look closely at verse 4 to see how Nehemiah responds. I imagine him taking a deep breath, saying a quick prayer, “Lord, help me!” And he dives into his conversation with the king.

The Bible says, “with a prayer to the God of heaven” Nehemiah replied to the king. He prays first, then responds and interacts. I wish I could tell you that is how I act all the time. Oh, how my life would be far richer for it. Think of the countless ways we communicate as stepmoms. Our hearts, and the family around us, would be vastly improved if we prayed and then dived in.

Let’s pray together: Lord, teach me to pause and turn to you before responding to those around me. I want to know the gift of reaching for your hand before diving in. Amen.