Overwhelmed by My Blessings: Encouragement for Moms Part 7 Sýnishorn

I had developed a pattern in my young mama days. While my first born child was napping, I’d flip on the TV while I was folding laundry. Day after day I’d watch soap operas as the drama and on going stories sucked me in. One day, when my oldest was a little older, she asked me, “Mama, is that a good show?” Good? Um….well... I’ll never forget how her innocent question slammed my heart with conviction. What would I say? I had to humbly admit to her that no, it was not a good show. That day I stopped watching soap operas.  

My daughter had spoken words that taught me! The Holy Spirit was using my child to get my attention, to get to my heart. 

We shouldn’t be surprised when things like this happen. It’s no accident that our mighty, Sovereign God chose this very time in history to make us mother to our children. And possibly more importantly, He chose them for us! 

Parenting is a partnership, if we allow it. We can learn from our children if we are open to receiving their thoughts and words. We can also learn as we speak words of instruction and encouragement to them. Will we believe what we say? Is our own heart challenged as we challenge them? This parent-child association is part of God’s master plan to make us more like Him.

On any given day, we can be convinced that God made a big mistake by giving us our children, or our children their mom. We face many hard issues, some trying times. These situations are often where the enemy shoots his lies and we take the bait, spiraling into either self-contempt or lording it over our children.

Instead, let’s celebrate who we are becoming through Him because of our children. Let’s champion the connection of parent and child, a team! His mighty purpose is at work in this relationship, for them, for us. 

Parenting my children taught me infinitely more about myself and Jesus than anything I was able to teach them. 

Today, I’m still learning from that oldest daughter and all my kids. As we all grew and matured, our relationship evolved and expanded. Now, they are some of my closest friends who love and encourage me, and who are still not afraid to bring their thoughts and ideas into our relationship. God continues to use them to make me more like Him, and I am better because of them.

Father, some days I really question why You gave these particular personalities to my children. You and I both know that often, I just don’t deal very well with them. Today I determine to see them as your incredible, Sovereign plan to shape and mold me into a daughter worthy of You, my Father and my Lord. May I be open to the Holy Spirit through the words and thoughts of my children. Help me remember that parenting isn’t just about what I teach my children, but also what I learn from them!