One Handed Meals

A couple summers ago, we went to the zoo and there was the cutest little baby gorilla. We loved watching her as she held on to her mama and her mama didn't seem phased by the fact she had an infant holding on to her. She continued to swing and jump wherever she pleased as her little one held on with the jaws of life. That summer, we nick-named our Sadie, who was a baby at the time, our little gorilla baby because she was the same way. If Sadie was awake, she needed to be strapped on to me at all times. as she got older, I could even take my arms away from supporting her weight and she would still be clutching onto my body. Since then, I have gotten pretty good at doing things one handed or planning ahead for when I needed both of my hands. I have gotten back into the one handed groove as my Ellie is also a mama's girl and being baby number 3, she wants to make sure that she doesn't miss out on any of the action, so my one-handed skills have come in handy.

I was thinking about how I know so many stellar mamas, who are also rocking out daily tasks with just one arm and I thought maybe we could collaborate our secret skills when it comes to one of the hardest times of the day - dinnertime. Besides the fact that everybody seems to be COMPLETELY losing it during this time, and we are all desperate for Daddy to come home, in this season in my life, I am not a fan of planning, shopping, prepping or making dinner. I also, don't want to eat take out or frozen pizzas every night so you see my conundrum. I decided to hone in on my craft of one armed meals and I have been quite pleased. I thought I would share a few of my dinner recipes that are family favorites that you can make with one hand doing the cooking and the other hand snuggin' on your sweet babe. I will break down the recipe to tell you what you need to prep with both hands during a nap time or quiet time and how to prepare the meal with just one hand. Alright, let's get cooking!



CROCK POT CHICKEN - I use this for lots of recipes and whenever I make this, I always make a ton so I can freeze in batches for future recipes which also helps with one handed cooking.
Ingredients:
4 Large Chicken Breasts (at least, if you have a large family, maybe cook 6)
2 Cups Chicken Broth (or enough to cover the chicken to keep it moist - sorry for those of you who detest that word)

Directions:
2 Handed Prep:
Cut fat off of chicken and discard fat. Put chicken in a ziplock bag. Put in fridge until morning.
Get Crock Pot out and put on counter (This always helps to my mom brain to remember that I need to put something in the pot in the morning)

1 Handed Prep:
Open ziplock bag (okay, you need to hands for this, but you can still do it while holding a baby) and slide chicken into crock pot. Cover with chicken broth (again, you may need 2 hands to open the can but you are a pro and you totally got this.) Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours. 

When cooked, shred chicken then place back into the pot and stir with the broth. At this point, you can use for your meal tonight or freeze in small batches for future meals.


BBQ Chicken Pizza - this is stupid easy and a family favorite. Double win!
Ingredients:
Shredded Crock Pot Chicken (The above recipe will make about 4-6 pizzas depending on how much chicken you like on your pizza)
Store Bought Pizza Crusts (I usually buy a 2-pack and make 2 pizzas so I can freeze one for a future meal)
1 Bottle of your Favorite BBQ Sauce (We usually use Sweet Baby Rays or if we are feeling fancy, Montgomery Inn BBQ Sauce)
1 Small Red Onion, Chopped
1 - 8 oz bag of Shredded Mozzeralla per pizza
Oregano

Directions:
2 Handed Prep:
Chop red onion

1 Handed Prep:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees or whatever the pizza crust directions say. Put pizza crusts on pizza pans. Squirt a healthy amount of  BBQ sauce all over the pizza crust. (I often have my 4 year old and 2 year old help me. They each make a pizza since I always make 2 at a time. I have found they are more willing to eat a meal that they helped to prepare.) I give the kids a spoon and have them smear the BBQ sauce all over the crust. 
After squeezing the excess broth from the chicken, spread the chicken all over the pizza as well as the onion (I usually do this part because the chicken is messy and I don't want onion juice getting in the kids' eyes.) 
Cover with cheese (I give each kid a bag of mozzarella and they dump the cheese - I just help them spread it to the edges.) 
Sprinkle with oregano and pop in the oven for the amount of time the crust package says, usually about 10-12 minutes.

Serve with a pre-made salad bag and you have a yummy dinner that is a crowd pleaser, which you made almost entirely with one hand AND you included your older children in the process which built life skills for them and patience for you AND counts as quality time AS WELL AS having a hot meal that the husband loves which essentially makes you Mom of the Year or Wonder Woman or both. Probably both.


CHICKEN AND GRAVY w/ MASHED POTATOES- this is soooo good, you will eat until your belly hurts.
Ingredients:
Shredded Crock Pot Chicken (The top recipe will make about 8 servings - we generally have enough to make 2 full meals out of this which feeds 2 adults and 2 children)
1 Small-Medium bag of Russet Potatoes
Sour Cream and/or Cream Cheese
1 Stick of Butter, unsalted
1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
Corn Starch
2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Poultry Seasoning
4 cups Chicken Broth (If you are making your Crock Pot Chicken the same day, you can use the broth that cooked the chicken and then add more chicken broth until you get to 4 cups)

Directions:
2 Handed Prep:
Peel and chop potatoes. Put in a stock pot and fill with cold water until the water covers all the potatoes evenly. Put on the stove until you are ready to cook. (Sometimes I leave the potatoes on the stove like this for hours because I will do this during nap time.)
Cut the stick of butter into 2 - 4 TBSP (or in half). You will use half for the gravy and the other half for the mashed potatoes.  Then cut each of the halves into smaller pads to make the melting processes go quicker.
Measure out the spices and combine in a small bowl. 
Measure out the flour and put in another small bowl.
Unwrap bouillon cubes.

1 Handed Prep:
Turn on burner to cook the potatoes. Periodically, stir the potatoes so that they don't burn at the bottom of the pot. Cook for about 20 minutes on medium high heat or until the potatoes are very soft and break apart easily when you put a fork through them.
Combine the chicken broth and bouillon cubes in a glass measuring cup. Microwave and stir until bouillon cubes are dissolved.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and spices and cook for 1 minute to cook the flour. Slowly whisk in the stock until smooth and bring to a boil. Slowly add a tablespoon at a time of cornstarch until you get your desired thickness. Reduce to a simmer and cook, whisking, until smooth and thick, about 1 minute. Add all the shredded chicken (drain if you did not use the broth from the crock pot for your gravy.)
Once the potatoes are soft, use a slotted spoon and transfer the potatoes from the stock pot into a mixer bowl. Add the remaining 4 TBSP of butter, a healthy tablespoon full of sour cream and/or a half a brick of cream cheese, as well as 1-2 TBSP of salt. Cream together. Mashed potatoes are a taste test process. You may need to add a little bit (like a 1/4 a cup) of milk to make them more creamy. You may want to add more salt or sour cream for flavor. My grandma always said to season lightly; you can always add more but you can't take it out.

Plate this dish with a healthy helping of mashed potatoes and then the chicken and gravy over top. Serve with your favorite steam-in-the-bag frozen veggies seasoned with a little salt and pepper and then snap a picture of your delicious meal to Instagram to all your followers that shows you are a culinary goddess, who just made a slammin' meal for your beautiful family - all while holding your gorilla baby. Sure, you'll need an extra application of deodorant, but your family will praise you and this meal has a pretty good tract record of ending with your husband doing the dishes.




Alright! Here are a couple of recipes to try and you should be able to get at least 2 meals out of both which is a bonus in my book because that is one less meal to plan in the future. I hope you enjoy these meals! Please feel free to send me your favorite one handed meals that I can post here and allow you to bask in the one handed culinary glory. Extra credit goes to those who also send me a picture that I can post along with your recipes.

Advent Story for Kids (with Instructions for Ornaments)

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I love the lights, the garland, the Christmas music, the anticipation my kids have, but I especially love how easy it is to talk about Jesus during this season. After all, he is the birthday boy! We use his birthday as an opportunity to talk about him even more frequently. When we see Christmas lights, we talk about how people are decorating for Jesus's birthday like we decorate for our birthday with streamers and balloons. When we give gifts, we talk about how the wise man gave gifts to Jesus all those years ago and how Jesus is the greatest gift ever. And we love making and eating Jesus's birthday cake for dessert on Christmas day. Zachary has told me, "Jesus won't mind if we eat his cake." We want to make sure that we really focus on what we are celebrating. It is so easy to get caught up in the Black Friday sales, shopping, Christmas lists and eating sweets. None of those things are bad, but we need to make sure we are always shifting the focus back to Jesus.

One way that we do that with our kids is by telling them about God's big love and the how that theme is strung all the way through the Bible. Last year I wrote out 25 short, kid-friendly Bible stories that start at Genesis and go all the way to Revelation. Each day, we open a box from our advent calendar, eat a piece of chocolate (the kid's favorite part) and read the story that goes with that day. Then we hang an ornament that I made that depicts an image from that story. It was pretty successful last year and with the kids being a year older, I am excited to see how it will go this year.

A sweet mama reached out to me and asked if I would tell her how I made my ornaments, but since I made up my own pictures and patterns, I wasn't able to give her a whole lot of direction. I decided to trace out the patterns and write out instructions for each ornament. I thought I would post them to my blog in case anyone would like to make these ornaments as well. Please know, this is a very easy task. I have never sewn anything like this before I started this project, so don't be intimated. You can do it! I am hoping that this will be a meaningful family tradition and bonus point for the fact that they are durable heirlooms.

I am also reposting the stories because last year I found a few typos and I also wanted to adjust the font to make it look more attractive. I tried to format the pages so that the stories would take up only half of a page. My plan is to reprint them on card stock and then use pretty scrapbook paper for a background.

May you and your family have a blessed Christmas season and know how deeply loved by our Savior who we get to celebrate this time of year.

Click Here for Link to Advent Stories

Click Here for Link to Ornament Instructions

Click on Image

Click on Image

Mommin' Ain't Easy

Today has been one of those days when I question everything about my parenting. It has been one of those days when I have been crying right alongside my toddlers. It has been one of those days when I pray I can just make it to nap time. I love my babies but this mommin' stuff ain't easy. My threenager has decided that he wants to run the show and my 18 month old won't let me do anything out of her sight, so much so that we call her a gorilla baby since she hangs on to me like those baby gorillas at the zoo hang on to their mamas. This is a very hard stage for us. The hardest we have had thus far. Some days we come out fairly unscathed, but today was a day that made me put on my war paint and I was tempted to wave the white flag.

Unfortunately, due to temper tantrums and melt downs, I was unable to go grocery shopping yesterday so I had to go today, but this morning was like the movie Groundhog Day and I was doomed to repeat the mayhem of the day before. I buckled everyone into car seats and said a silent prayer that the change of scenery would do us all some good. We made it through the store in record time and fairly good behavior. I went to check out and as the cashier was handing me my receipt, the women behind me asked if my children liked M&M's. Was this a trick question? Then she hands me a bag and tells the cashier she will be purchasing that for us. She told me sometimes people did that for her when her kids were little. Through teary eyes I thanked her. I mumbled about how hard our day was and she smiled and nodded back to me as I tried to corral my toddler posse and head out to the car. I tried to use this as an opportunity to teach Zachary the importance of loving others the way that woman loved on us, but I couldn't help but feel like that bag of M&M's was really an encouraging way for the Lord to tell me that He's got me. It was a way to tell me, that I am doing a good job and to keep pressing on.

Isaiah 40:11 says, "He tends to his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." This has been my favorite verse since I became a parent because basically what Isaiah is saying here in fancy Biblical terms is that God knows that mommin' ain't easy, otherwise why would He be to tender with "those that have young?"

When I woke up today, God was with me. When my son threw a tantrum so big that he wet himself, God was with us. When my daughter pitched a fit on the floor and had herself a diva moment, God was with us. When I started to believe the lies that I can't do this, God was with me.

Truthfully, I have no idea what I am doing. I try new parenting strategies on a weekly basis. I have books on parenting piled on my nightstand. I read blogs and pick my friends' brains on how their families operate. I try to gather all my intel and proceed with a plan of attack but most of the time I feel like I am flying by the seat of my pants and many times, I react out of anger - and if we are being honest, pride. But I have the access to the Most Holy God who empowers me to do the job He has called me to fulfill, being a mama. I need to remember that more often. 

Zachary, Sadie and I shared that bag of M&M's after lunch and Zachary wanted to know why that sweet woman gave them to us. I told him it was because she wanted to show us some love. Sometimes love is hard. Love is not a butterflies-in-our-stomach feeling. Love is not just saying the words. Love is an action. Love is a choice. Buying that candy and handing it to me was an act of love. Disciplining my children is an act of love. Reading books and playing that Blaze and the Monster Machines game with Zachary for the upteenth time is an act of love. Sending someone to encourage me on a hard day of parenting is an act of love.

As I reflected on the day, I realized that though these are hard days, God's got me. He loves me more than I can fathom. God’s got my children too. He loves them more than I do. I can't screw them up if I seek his wisdom because He can right any wrong. 

Today, I wanted to send some love out to those weary mamas who need a bag of M&M's. I know you feel like you aren't seen. I know you selflessly give everything to your families. And I know that you are doing the best you can. I am here in the trenches with you. Mommin' ain't easy, but it is a little better with chocolate and a whole lotta Jesus.

Being Blessed by the Beatitudes

This week has been rough. My almost three year old has been exploring how far he can push boundaries with his parents. My one year old is convinced that she needs to be surgically attached to me for a large portion of the day. To be honest, I feel like I don’t even know who I am these days. I feel like my day consists of protecting Sadie from getting wailed on by Zachary, cleaning up/fixing meals with Sadie attached to me like a kangaroo joey, enforcing time-outs/brain storming disciplinary strategies, and then everything just seems to be on a repeated loop.

There are certainly great things about each day; like when Sadie wraps her little arms around my neck and presses her face close to mine, or watching Zachary and Sadie delighting in a bath time splash session, or hearing Zachary talks about his day enthusiastically, but we are definitely in a season where most of the day is hard and we are trying to find our rhythm again. I seem to be asking myself the same questions over and over again. How many temper tantrums can one toddler throw in a day? Are time outs even effective? Am I making a difference in the lives of my kids? Am I showing them the love of Christ in my parenting? How can I do that when my anger flares up and I lose my patience? How can I live up to the standards that Jesus taught on the Sermon on the Mount as a parent? Even though I lose many battles in a given day, I know that I am equipped by the One who is the Ultimate Parent to guide me in parenting my children well, and you are too. We just need to remind ourselves of this fact, and sometimes we need that reminder multiple times a day. Let’s look at what Jesus taught on the mountainside.

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom and heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Matthew 5:1-12

The Sermon on the Mount was the longest recorded sermon of Jesus.  When the people heard Jesus preach on the Beatitudes, they were, no doubt, confused because each beatitude was – and still is - a contradiction of the world’s way of life. Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit, but the world values pride and personal independence. Jesus said blessed are the meek and those who mourn, but the world says we should strive for power and happiness. Jesus said blessed are the righteous and merciful, but the world says we should pursue personal gain and should do so in any means accessible.  So basically, to be blessed means to be a walking contradiction to what our flesh desires and society deems as acceptable. How then, can we meet the mark that the Lord has set for us when everything in us and around us points us in the opposite direction?

The first is to see yourself as God sees you. The Bible is essentially one big love story between God and his creation, which includes you. The “Cliff Notes” version goes like this: God creates everything and deemed it good, but after he created man, it was then that He said it was “very good” (Genesis 1:31).  God gives Adam and Eve a simple rule: don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17), but Satan tricks Eve into thinking she needs to be able to see both good and evil. Up until that moment, Adam and Eve only knew good, therefore Satan’s offer was to expose them to evil and so Eve is deceived and eats from the tree and gives some fruit to Adam (Genesis 3:6). Their eyes were then opened to sin and they felt naked, ashamed and fearful – all things they never knew or felt until that moment. They also broke their Father’s heart who desperately desired a relationship with his creation but now that relationship was marred, so God made a new plan.  This plan would bridge the gap between His perfect righteousness and his broken children. This plan was his own Son, Jesus, who would come to earth in the most humble way to die as an atonement of our sins and then rise again three days later. That kind of sacrifice shows just how crazy in love with you God is. The Bible is God’s love story written out for you. In it, he tells you truths about who you are in Him. You are worthy (Ephesians 1:4). You are loved (Romans 8:38-39). You are meaningful (Ephesians 1:11). You are God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). You are redeemed and forgiven (Colossians 1:22).

1 John 3:1 says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”  When we start to view ourselves as God views us, we don’t have time to entertain thoughts that devalue us. It doesn’t matter if we aren’t skinny/smart/creative/wealthy/funny/etc. enough for society’s standards. Sometimes, when I am feeling low, I think about this truth. My Father loves me. My Father desires to be in relationship with me. My Father never leaves me. My Father strengthens me. When I reflect on these truths, my self-worth rises and I remember who I am. I am a daughter of the King (John 1:12) and so are you. Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, when God looks at us, he sees us washed and redeemed. It doesn’t matter what you have done in the past. If you have accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, then our Father looks at you and sees righteousness.

However, it is not enough just to bask in your knowledge of how treasured you are; you need to act on that truth. Love is an action. It is a choice. You need to make that choice every day – multiple times a day, and that is hard because our flesh desires the exact opposite of what Jesus taught on the Sermon on the Mount. So then we need to live differently than the world lives and we can do so by trying to be more like Jesus. This may seem like a daunting task, and certainly, we will never be perfect, but we don’t have to do this alone. Jesus told his disciples that he was going to send the Helper for us, who is the Holy Spirit who will be with us always (John 16:7). And we also know that this Helper is greater than “he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4) so we can overcome the traps that Satan sets for us to fail. We will fail but the Holy Spirit will help refine us if we truly desire to imitate Jesus.

The take away here should be that it is possible to be blessed. It is possible to develop the attitudes Jesus taught when we see ourselves the way God sees us because that elevates our self-worth and stirs a desire in us to love others. When we love others we are acting more like Jesus and when we act more like Jesus we make the choice to be righteous which is how God already sees us.

Ephesians 5:1-2 can sum up this lesson beautifully:

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

**Originally written for Emerge Mothers Academy Parenting Class**

Choosing Peace with God’s Calling for You

These past couple of months, I have asked you to do more than just read the words in this blog. First, we talked about identifying who God called you to be. I wanted you to make a list of your skills and learn your spiritual gifts. I requested you to spend time in prayer to earnestly seek your identity in Christ. Next, I challenged you to bravely step into the role God set aside for you. We talked about how you are good enough, strong enough, and grace-filled enough to fulfill a purpose that God designed specifically for you. Now, I am asking you for one final action and that is to choose peace with your God given role.  The homework that I gave you over the course of these past three months is a condensed version of a lesson that God had been teaching me for almost three years.

Before I had children, I was professionally driven. I was finishing up graduate school and had my five year plan all set to go. I even had two teaching positions offered to me before I even graduated. I thought that I was exactly where I needed to be. After all, teaching and molding impressionable youth is important and Jesus loves the little children too, so I thought I was golden. I felt that I was loving my neighbor and serving my community through teaching. I also knew that time was ticking for me to begin having a family, but I figured I could get a few years of teaching in before that and then I would continue to teach since I could enjoy my kids during my summers off. It was a good plan. It was a noble plan. It was not God’s plan.

I came home one afternoon to find my husband, Troy, already there. I figured he came home from work sick but he was just sitting on the couch, waiting for me. He told me to come in and talk with him - never a good sign. He had learned that day that his company’s accounting team would be transferred to Cincinnati and we would be moving within the year. This threw a wrench in my plans. All my teaching ties were in Minneapolis. What was I going to do in a city where I didn’t know anyone? I tried to hit the ground running. I researched hundreds of school districts and filled out many applications as well, but I didn’t have any contacts. I was able to get a job as a classroom aide, which was great because the teacher I worked with gave me a lot of teaching freedom, but it wasn’t my own class – and my biological clock was still ticking. I got pregnant that school year and was hopeful about getting a teaching job in that school for the next year. I figured I was a shoe-in, but once again, God had a plan that differed from my own.

After my son was born, I was home on maternity leave and found out that I did not get the third grade position for which I had applied and interviewed. I was crushed. But my principal told me to be patient and that she felt confident a teaching position would open up soon that would be a better fit for me, so I planned to come back the following year as an aid again and bide my time.

A day or two after that dismal phone call, Zachary was just two weeks old and we were sleeping in the converted attic of our rented Cape Cod cottage when a large limb from the 150 year old Beech tree fell on our house. Being from the upper Midwest, I initially thought there was a tornado as I saw the roof and the wall rip apart. I ran to Zachary, but with the damage being right by the stairs, I didn’t know how to escape. I honestly thought I was going to die that morning and hoped that if I threw myself over my baby, he might survive. Thankfully, both Zachary and I walked away unscathed – not even a scratch on my feet as I walked barefoot through the debris of broken glass and nails.

Needless to say, we moved. We got out of our lease and went out to the suburbs where the commute to my job would be a wash financially, so my husband and I decided I would stay home with Zachary. While I loved being with my sweet boy, I was isolated and what’s worse, I didn’t think I was making a difference – especially with kingdom work. It was hard for me to think about all the money I spent on my Master’s degree, only to see it collect dust as I traded in my dress pants and lesson plans for sweats and Sesame Street. I needed a purpose. What was my calling? I wanted to be obedient to God.

One evening, through prayer and meditation, God gave me my purpose and to be honest, He didn’t seem pleased with my reaction. I felt like our conversation was Him lovingly rebuking me. He very clearly told me that He had given me two healthy children (I was pregnant with my daughter, Sadie, at the time) and my job was to raise them to love the Lord. I am sure He was thinking, “What more do I need to do to get this idea through your head? I moved you to Cincinnati so you could focus on your family, but you focused on your agenda. I took away the teaching job so you could put your energy into Zachary, but still, your eyes were on your plans. That Beech tree fell on your house and forced you to move and only then did you reluctantly stay home with my blessing of Zachary and yet you still don’t know your purpose?!”

After that night, I turned my attitude right around. No longer was I moping around the house, mourning my former life. While I still have days that are hard, I am able to look at my job as a mother as true and valuable kingdom work. Amazingly, after I accepted my role as a mother, the Lord blessed me with more opportunities to serve Him, one of them being writing this blog for you. I learned that the more obedient I was to God, the more He entrusted to me. However, there were a few wrong turns I made and pit falls I fell into that I wanted to share so that you can overcome and identify these obstacles as you live out your mission.

Recognize Opposition. What’s right is not always what is popular and this is even truer when it comes to following God. Whenever we do the will of God, we become a target for evil. Satan doesn’t want us to further God’s kingdom, so believe me; he is going to do his best to derail us, whether by a friend, neighbor, family member or situation. Stand firm and know that following God is far more important than following man. I Peter 3:14 says, “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.”   

Pray to be Equipped. When Sadie was a few months old, I was holding her as she lay sleeping peacefully in my arms and reflecting on that day. I was exhausted just reliving it mentally. Both kids had been so demanding that I felt I was running on fumes. I cried out to God that night. I told Him that I knew my job was to raise these two healthy kids but that I was doing a terrible job of it. I was tired and void of joy. I didn’t want Him to make my days any easier, as I recognize that God is not a genie, but I did want Him to equip me for this role He gave me as a parent. This continues to be my daily prayer. Each day brings new challenges so it is vital when carrying out God’s plans that we are seeking Him for guidance. James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” When you ask the Lord for wisdom in your obedience to Him, it gives Him great joy to know that not only do you what to do the task He has given you - but you want to do it well.

Grab a Buddy, a Group and a Mentor. We were created for community. God has community within the trinity with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and so it was also necessary for man to have community. Genesis 1:18 states, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” This is true for us all. We need people to help build us up with encouragement, present us with teachable moments and sometimes lovingly discipline us when we stray from the path. It is vital that each of us finds “our person.” This is someone who you can completely reveal yourself to. This person is someone who keeps you in check. I have a dear friend from college who loves me so much that she tells me when I am being a bonehead and encourages me when I am low. Next find a group of people with similar interests and needs as you. This will allow you to bounce ideas off each other as well as help you to realize that you are not alone with what you are facing. As an introvert, this was scary for me, but I took a deep breath and joined a MOPS group and a young ladies Bible study. These are all young moms who are on the same path as me and we walk alongside each other in our trials and joys. I am also in a Supper Club group. This is a group of friends who just want to spend time together. Our only agenda is community together. These groups of women encourage each other and by spending time with them, it enables me to recharge my batteries, making me a better mom. Finally, find a mentor. Nobody has all the answers, but why not glean the knowledge from someone who has already walked in our shoes. Find someone who will invest in you and challenge you in your walk with the Lord and your fulfillment of His purpose. I like to describe these people as those who ooze wisdom. Don’t feel strange asking someone to mentor you. They will be impressed with your tenacity to be a better person and a better mom.

Get in the Word. If you want to seek God and you want to find your purpose in His plan, you NEED to grab your Bible and read. This part is not optional. God’s Word is holy and alive and is our owner’s manual for figuring out how to do life. I read somewhere that because the Bible is God’s living Word, when you open your Bible, you should expect something to happen. I love that. It certainly makes reading a whole lot more exciting! Can your latest best seller book say that for itself? I don’t think so. This is the only Book that is God-breathed[1], so why wouldn’t we want to get into it and see what He has to say. The scripture that you read will not only help you overcome everyday obstacles and help you with the oppositions you will surely face, it will also further prepare you for the kingdom work you are pursuing as well as delight the Lord. It’s pretty much a win all around.

Choose Peace. Peace is not sipping a mojito on the beach, listening to the waves gently crash against the shore. (Though, I wouldn’t mind participating in that focus group to find out firsthand.) Peace is a characteristic of the Holy Spirit[2] and therefore contrary to our human nature. We live in a crazy and chaotic world. Peace is something we have to choose because it does not come naturally to us. If it did, the temper tantrums that my toddler throws would be a cake walk. Choosing peace means that when I am second guessing everything I am doing as a mom, I understand that God loves my kids even more than I do and He has got this thing under control. Choose to believe that truth – God’s got this! Nothing is too big for Him. When you choose to believe God, you are actively choosing peace. When you actively choose peace, things will fall into place.

As we conclude our series, I want to tell you how proud I am of you. I know that some of you actually did your homework. Some of you are desperately seeking God’s will and my heart rejoices in knowing that. More importantly, God’s heart rejoices in your desire to be obedient to Him.

“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for every and ever. Amen.”

Hebrews13:20-21

**Originally written for Emerge Mothers Academy Parenting Class**

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[1] 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

[2] Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Bravely Stepping into the Role God Has Planned for You

My son, Zachary, is two and half years old and has recently discovered the movie, The Incredibles. “Mommy! Dada! Snuggle and watch Incredibles?” is what we hear almost every day.  Zachary loves to watch this super hero family because they are the good guys, they save the world, and they are brave. Brave. Sometimes this is a word that we would only use to describe our super hero cartoons. Maybe we would use it to describe someone who puts their life on the line like those in the military, law enforcement or firefighters. Brave might be a descriptor for those who are persecuted, grieving a loved one or fighting cancer. Brave is not always a word we would use to label ourselves in everyday life; however, brave is exactly what we are called to be. Today, we are going to debunk three myths[1] that many of us wrestle with when it comes to stepping into our roles God has planned for us.

Myth #1: I am not good enough.

Oh my, how I have said this to myself so many times. After my son was born, I had a hard time believing that I could make a difference, especially when it came to kingdom work. After all I was “just a stay at home mom” and it was challenging enough just keeping my clothes free from breastmilk, spit-up and that nasty baby poop that smells like sour Greek yogurt. I would image that God’s heart breaks when he sees us feel this way about ourselves. He dearly loves us. He designed us and sustains us so of course we are good enough, but sometimes we have a hard time accepting this truth.  Moses – spoiler alert - wasn’t a mom, but he felt this way too. When God told him to lead His people out of Egypt, Moses actually said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11) God straight up tells Moses what his purpose is, and Moses decides to tell the All-Knowing, All-Powerful, Creator of the universe that he is going to take a hard pass. But our patient Father knew that Moses was nervous – after all, He knit Moses in his mother’s womb[2], so God tells Moses, “I will be with you.” (Exodus 3:12) What can we take from Moses self-doubt? We are absolutely equipped to fulfill the purpose that God has planned for us because HE planned it for US. We ARE good enough.

Myth #2: I am not strong enough.

Everyone is wired with a defense mechanism when we are in trouble. It is called ‘flight or fight.’ When those hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you know something funky is about to go down, you either clench your fists and stand your ground, or you road-runner your rear out of there. I am a flighter, not a fighter. Sometimes this is a good thing, a more safe choice. Other times it means not standing up for what is right which makes me responsible for the wrong. I want to do what is right, but I think that I am just not strong enough. What can I do? Gideon felt this way too. After Moses listened to God’s calling and realized he was good enough, he led the Israelites out of Egypt. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before this people group forgot about how God answered their prayers and delivered them from slavery. They started whining about not getting to their destination quick enough and decided to worship fake gods, which did not sit well with THE God. God figured that since the Israelites didn’t need Him, He would hand them over to a group of people called the Midianites. These people were trouble. They ransacked camps, crops and livestock. The Israelites decided that they needed God again and pleaded with Him to save them….again. God chose Gideon to save the people from the Midianites; however, Gideon gives the Lord the “but God, I am not strong enough” spiel. “How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest and I am the least in my family.” (Judges 6:15) Once again, our patient Father knew that Gideon was scared, because He created Gideon too, so God tells him, “I will be with you.” (Judges 6:16) We were wired to do the job that God calls us to do because God created us. He knows what we can accomplish because He made us. We ARE strong enough because HE planned it for US.

Myth #3: I am not grace-filled enough.

Pride is a sneaky thing. It tells us that we are better than our neighbor because our kids are better-behaved. Pride allows us to look down on others who don’t have as high of an education as we do. Pride gives us permission to deem what others “deserve.” Pride is a sheep in wolf’s clothing. Moms play a part in this ugliness. I have seen (and sometimes, shamefully been a part of) quips on social media about stances on breastfeeding, vaccinations, schooling, discipline, etc. Sometimes we think that we are “helping” others by sharing what we do, but what we are doing is throwing our pride around and making it look like we are extending grace, but that is the last thing we are actually doing. Jonah struggled with this too. Yep, that guy that got swallowed by a whale. He chose not to follow God’s calling for his life, and his reason was pride. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach against the people’s wickedness, but Jonah doesn’t want to save the people of Nineveh because they weren’t Israelites and he knew that if he went there, God would change the hearts of those people. Doesn’t this sound familiar – not wanting to help someone because they may not be like us or make us uncomfortable? Jonah’s heart was hardened to the Ninevites, but three days in the belly of a whale can change a man, so he did in fact go to Nineveh and the people repented as Jonah feared they would. Later, Jonah decided to have a little chat with the Holy One who apparently – in Jonah’s eyes – needed a little hand slap. “But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the Lord, ‘O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.’” (Jonah 4:1-2) Jonah is actually mad that God is so forgiving. God lets Jonah rant and then He says to him, “Have you any right to be angry? (vs. 4) Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” (vs 10-11) God basically tells Jonah, to chill out. He wants Jonah to understand that lives are at stake here - and apparently cattle, maybe He was craving a good burger. God knows it’s hard for us to extend grace because he made us. However, that little fact does not get us off the hook. We have been forgiven for every wrong and so we need to extend that same grace to others. We may not feel that we are grace-filled enough, but we are called to love others as ourselves[3]. Being grace-filled is something that we have to practice. We can ask the Lord to help us love others the way He loves them. By doing so, we CAN be grace-filled enough.

Your homework was to reflect on your skills and gifts. I asked you to group items together to see if any patterns could be made. More importantly, I told you to spend time in prayer, asking God what He wants you to do with the gifts He has given you. Some of you reading this know what your purpose is right now. While it is exhilarating, it can be scary too. Following Jesus is anything but comfortable. Maybe you have been believing the myths above. Maybe you think you’re not good enough, like Moses thought. Maybe you think you’re not strong enough, as Gideon did. Or maybe you think you aren’t grace-filled enough like Jonah.  The big take away from debunking these three myths is that all these guys were equipped by the Lord and none of these guys were alone. God was with them and He is with you. Don’t let Satan come in and convince you that God’s power is not enough. Remember, God sees you as His treasured and precious baby girl. He won’t leave you. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you or forsake you.” You’ve got this! You can do this! You ARE good enough. You ARE strong enough. You ARE grace-filled enough, because you are not alone and you have been created for a specific purpose. God won’t let you fail at what He has called you to do.

Maybe you have done your homework but you feel like you don’t have a clear direction of what God’s purpose is for you right now. I would encourage you to take this time to volunteer in an area that gives you joy. If one of your skills was baking; make some cookies for a lonely neighbor. If you like to read; offer to read with kids at your local elementary school (as a former teacher, you should know that staff loves this! Call the office and tell them you want to volunteer and you will be placed somewhere quickly!) My husband’s aunt grows a garden and its sole purpose is to give the flowers away to spread a little cheer.  If you like to garden, try that! You may find that the giving of your time lends itself to learning your purpose. Stay willing and flexible. Continue to make notes in your notebook and pray for God’s leading. God’s timing is perfect but often not the same as our timeline. He will use you.

The time has come for us to bravely step into our roles. Remember, we were not created with “a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:6) When we exhibit that spirit of power, we get to be super heroes who are fighting for the Lord. Thankfully, this does not entail spandex suits, but it is awe-inspiring to see someone following Jesus. Go on, ladies, be brave.

**Originally written for Emerge Mothers Academy Parenting Class**

 

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[1] Posthuma, P. (2015). B.L.E.S.S. Saying Yes [Sermon] Montgomery Community Church, Cincinnati, Ohio http://www.mcc.us/information/weekly-media

[2] Psalm 139:13 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb.”

[3] Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus replied, “‘Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Identifying Who God Called You to Be

Life is full of surprises, good and bad. As much as that sounds like a lame fortune cookie message, sometimes we forget that it is all a mixed bag. When I look back on my life, some of the surprises I got were awesome, like marring my husband. I honestly thought I would never get married. I thought I was too awkward and self-deprecating to be able to land a stud like the one I married. Some of the surprises were heart-wrenching like when my grandma died. My heart broke into what felt like a million pieces and even though that was over a year ago, I still grieve for her and miss her terribly. Some of the surprises were scary like when we had to relocate from Minneapolis to Cincinnati and we knew nobody. But all of these surprises where part of God’s plan and they all played a role in my life to mold me into the kind of person that He needs me to be to further his kingdom.

You play a vital role in furthering God’s kingdom too. Don’t look behind you, I’m talking about you! Yes, you. I know your life is messy. I know you’ve done things you wish you could take back. I have too. None of us are squeaky clean and yet God views us as valuable. These past few months, I have been learning about how much God loves me - us. Even though we feel, as mamas, that we have to be strong; we still get to be God’s baby girl. Can you just take a minute to let that nugget of truth sink down deep inside you? We are His baby girls. We are treasured by God. Treasured. This fact means that God has plans for our life that will also have value and while our purpose for this life may seem small, the ripple effects are going to be huge. Sometimes those divine plans can seem ambiguous. After all, I am a thirty-something mom who has been out of the work-force for almost three years – you better believe I too have wondered how I can further God’s kingdom. So the question becomes, what does God want to do with my life?

We are going to work through this question with a series of three articles that will unpack information to help us determine what God’s plan for our life is that will honor His kingdom. First, we are going to focus on identifying who God made us to be because we need to know ourselves and our strengths before we can determine how we can be used. This is going to require some self-reflection, so if you are struggling with figuring out God’s will for your life, don’t just hastily read through this. Pour yourself a cup of coffee, grab a notebook, get comfortable and allow yourself to really reflect on the fabulous woman that you are.

In your notebook, I want you to write MY FANTASTIC SKILLS. Yes, put that adjective, ‘fantastic,’ in your title. As women, we have a tendency to belittle our strengths, but God did not create us to be timid. 1 Timothy 1:7 says, “God did not give me a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” You are not “just a single mom” or “just a stay at home mom” or “just not good enough.” Remember, you are God’s baby girl and because of that, you have a lot to offer. I am going to help you get started with your list of skills. Underneath your title of MY FANTASTIC SKILLS, I want you to write “A desire to be a better mama and woman” because that much is already true if you are partaking in this exercise. Now it’s your turn. I want you to take some time and write down attributes/skills/feelings that you positively display. I know it feels strange to write about yourself in this way, but give it a try. I promise there is a method to my madness. If I were to do this exercise, my list may look like this:

MY FANTASTIC SKILLS

-desire to be a better mama and woman

-organized

-empathetic

-good story teller

-welcoming hostess

-easily amused

-make delicious guacamole

-responsible

-nice handwriting

-planning

-writing

After you have made your list, study what you wrote. You should be able to make connections to many of the items on your list. If we use my list as an example, we can gather that I probably have decent administrative skills based on words I used like, ‘organized’, ‘responsible’, ‘planning’, ‘writing’, and even ‘welcoming hostess’. Or you may have looked at this list and thought maybe I have some teaching skills based on many of the same words like, ‘organized’, ‘responsible’, ‘planning’, ‘writing,’ but adding to that, ‘good story teller’ and ‘empathetic’. Group your words together and see what patterns you can make based on what skills you wrote, then give each group a title.

Everyone has skills. Everyone is good at something. Every one of you who did this exercise had at least one thing to write under your skills because remember, I started you off with one. These are things that come from simply being made in God’s image. Genesis 1:27“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” God is good; therefore we have good in us. However, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior also have been given spiritual gifts. Romans 12:6-8 tells us, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously if it is leadership, let him govern diligently, if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” Spiritual gifts are different from the positive qualities that everyone possesses. They are reserved only for those who choose to follow the Lord and should be used to further His kingdom. Some of you are sitting on the fence, wondering what God’s will for your life is and yet you haven’t made that commitment to give your heart to the Lord.

If you want to know God’s will for your life; if you want to receive a spiritual gift; if you want to revel in the grace and forgiveness that only God can give, then consider that our Heaven Father, the One who considers you His baby girl, is calling you to walk more closely with Him. If you don’t have a personal relationship with Him, maybe that nudging you feel is Him pleading with you to let him into your life. In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus wants to take your yolk. He wants to give you rest. But he also want you to make that choice. All it takes is a simple conversation between you and God. You could say is something like this:

Lord, thank you for loving me so much that you consider me your baby girl. Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. Please forgive me for things I have done wrong and help me to make choices that are honoring to you in the future. Please come into my heart and help me every day to walk closer to you and to do your will.

If you prayed that prayer, you need to know that a huge party is going on heaven right now because of you! You are now a permanent part of the family of Christ and you can never be snatched out of the hand of Jesus – no matter what!! The Bible says so! John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” Woo-hoo!!

Now, let’s get on to the gifts! The next part is going to take a little chunk of time, so set some aside in the midst of your busy day to sit down and take the Spiritual Gifts test. (http://www.spiritualgiftstest.com/test/adult) When you are finished you should have at least one gift that is predominate but you may even have two or three. In your notebook, underneath MY FABULOUS SKILLS, I want you to write MY SPIRITUAL GIFTS and then list the gifts that you were given based on the assessment.

Reflect on your skills and your gifts. Maybe even make a list of how you are currently using your gifts and skills or how you would like to use them. Then spend some time in prayer. Ask God to tell you what he wants you to do with what he has given you. It is okay to ask - in fact, it is encouraged! 1 John 4:14-15 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.” He is always pleased when we want to know how to bring glory to Him and to further His kingdom. This is your homework until the next time we meet. Use your notebook to write down nudging that you think may be from God. There are no wrong answers here; just the opportunity to reflect on identifying who God made you to be.

**Originally written for Emerge Mothers Academy Parenting Class**