Skydiving: Taking the plunge
And on the days when I don’t take time for devotions, I lay my Bible out somewhere in my kitchen where I will see it often. Just having the Word of God open in our home reminds me of where my strength comes from.
Finally I end in prayer and I write out my prayers in a journal – I have to do this or else my mind wanders to what I have to do and that leads me to something else and so on. I usually write down a Bible verse that has spoken to me during my reading so I can focus on it or pray it to God. This prayer journal has become amazing to go back over and reread at times to remind myself of how God has worked in my life.
Another important factor in my free fall into motherhood was involvement in our church. Just as in skydiving, you need good instruction – the same is true with mothering. We chose to be involved in a church where we could worship God, learn to live life for the purposes God created us for and where we would be surrounded by others who cared about honoring God and cared about us.
What does going to a church look like – well probably not what you think.
It is not about how you dress or how your kids dress, you do not have to have your life perfectly in order to come to church (as a matter of fact – the church is for messed up people), you don’t have to carry a Bible or even know anything about the Bible. Instead the church is a place bring your family to belong, a place to come together to get to know God and be involved with real people who are struggling with issues just like you and to learn what it means to be a Christ-follower.
I know that many of you have had bad church experiences – so have I. But God created the church for you – to be alive in your life. It can happen … but you have to come.
And finally, there is no way you can do any of this if you do not understand what a saving relationship with God. If you have any questions about this – feel free to ask me.
Remember all of this is what I have grown into doing after many years in a relationship with my Lord. I don’t always have devotions each day but I have come to really miss it if I don’t do. I don’t always come to church with the right attitude. But I do need time with my Heavenly Father so He can assure me that He loves me, that I am not a failure, that He has plans that He is working out and I can trust Him. I need to share with Him my fears as well as my delights and sometimes I need to just cry out to Him.
“There has never been a perfect skydive and there never will be.” — Bill Purdin
Again let me change it…
“There has never been a perfect mother and there never will be.”
But with a relationship with God, time in His word and connection to His people – you will handle this “adventure in Mothering” that we each have been called to.
