{A letter to my children} ~ This world is not our home… I remember the days when you never left my side. Those baby days when you wanted no one but me. The multiple feedings. The helpless cries. The toddler years when we played and sang and read and got the mail together every day just like clockwork. The exhausting days and sleepless nights. And the sweet, sweet joys of watching you learn things for the very first time. And God was with us. I remember the days when I couldn’t leave your side. When you got into everything. Climbed on everything. Threw everything. And couldn’t be trusted -not even for a moment – out of my sight. I remember scary hospital stays. Your first time riding a bike without training wheels. When you were too timid to walk into a room full of people you didn’t know. And oh, that overwhelming, alarming feeling of how one so small and helpless could fill my heart – and every waking minute - with such an intense love and desire to protect. And God was with us. I remember more experienced, wiser moms telling me that those were the simple years. And I mustered up a half-smile and let out a weary laugh and quickly dismissed their claims as I wiped spit-up off my shoulder and longed to – just once - use the bathroom all by myself. And then you began growing up, and I realized that they were right. You slowly began tip-toeing into the waters a few feet away from my reach, and waves came crashing in without warning, leaving a bad taste in your mouth. You started to realize that living in this world sometimes hurts. People sometimes fail you. The good guys don’t always win. The right thing to do isn’t always the popular thing to do. Not everyone loves Jesus. Selfishness and sin live here in abundance. And while we fight against all of this alongside our own hang-ups and sinful tendencies… God is with us. So sweet children, hear me now… When no one else is doing the right thing, with His strength, do right anyway. When you’re persecuted for your faith, in His boldness, live out your faith anyway. When fear and doubt creep in, trusting in His wisdom, run to the truth of God’s Word anyway. When you fight selfishness, following His example, love and serve like Jesus anyway. When darkness seems to surround you, because of His grace, shine His light anyway. When the world fails you, rest in the One who always, always keeps His promises. I find myself longing for those simple days again. But as much as I want to scoop you up and pull you far, far away from the rough waters of the world, Jesus is calling us to live out loud for Him. One day you will grow enough to leave my side, but Jesus will always be with you. So stand up. Stand out. Stand confident of who you are in Him. And know that you have a momma, down on her knees, praying that you’ll find enough joy in your days to drive you to worship your beautiful, risen Savior, and just enough tension in this world to keep you running to Jesus, and longing for the day when we’ll see Him face to face. It’s a good tension, really. After all… This world is not our home. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. Stand firm, and you will win life. ~ Luke 21:14-15, 19 At His feet,
Posted on: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 22:41:50 +0000
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