Be strong and courageous Mom

Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9

We as mothers need to be strong and courageous to get through the tasks and jobs brought about in our life.  God wants us to step out of our OWN life and have courage to do it. He wants to bring about change. We are going to need a willing heart to do that AND it needs to be strong.

I have been reading in the Old Testament about the Israelite’s. In the book of Numbers, these people were afraid of what lie ahead of them. Even though God had spoke to them and told them what it is He was leading them to, among  their own anxiety and trials they wanted to turn back to Egypt. They would have rather subjected themselves to the bondage and slavery that the Egyptians would put on them again, then to endure and MOVE FORWARD with what God had for them.

We are not of those to go back!

Do we want to stay small forever?  Well if you are speaking of physical skinny then maybe yes (*smiley) —-but no we are talking about spiritual size.  We grow by having God stretch us from the inside. Just as our physical bodies also have to stretch to grow taller or wider—our spiritual bodies must do the same. When life feels uncomfortable and we feel a little hesitant to do what God chooses—– we oftentimes go back to bondage just as the children of Israel did because it is easier.  We operate out of FEAR instead of FAITH.  We need to recognize that it is God working through us to help GROW us.

What if you feel like your tasks are so mundane and life seems boring. Let’s face it, sometimes doing the SAME chores and the SAME routines over and over again can be boring. Think of Moses, where did God put him? He was a shepherd in the desert for 40 years!!! I would have to think caring for sheep on a mountaintop would become rather mundane after doing it for so long.  Sure you would have your trials—the occasional wolf trying to attack your sheep or carefully trying to navigate them safely on the mountain.  Just as we as moms have the usual mundane tasks of daily care sprinkled in with trials and issues that comes with raising children.  What was happening here?  God was molding and stretching him to become a shepherd of  people in time.

God will bring you out and move you up to an even greater place then what you expected.

Don’t be like the children of Israel who began to give up on the inside. They gave up because of their impatience.  They grew tired of not seeing results and figured they would return to what they knew. God’s words sounded great but because it did not happen today, they gave up.  How many of us get frustrated because the weight didn’t come off this week, you fell farther in debt this week, or your children took a step backwards in their walk with the Lord?

Don’t lose heart—- take heart, take courage.  Just as He led the children of Israel out…….God will lead you out of your situations.

Do first things first…..stop COMPLAINING.  Stop complaining because it is taking too much time to accomplish things.

DON’T:

• look at the entire house filled with clutter
• that teenager slowly slipping into rebellion
• those hips and think they will never get smaller
• your husband and wonder if that spark will return

Look at ONE thing you can begin changing today.  Start small.  Things in life WILL take time.  Weight loss takes time.  Simplifying a home takes time.  Children’s hearts need to trust and that takes time. Romance needs to be rekindled and takes time.

Work diligently in ALL that God has for you and be patient!!!

Take courage, be encouraged.

Adjust your time to His clock. Ask the Lord to show you what things you NEED improvement upon in your life.  Seek what it is He has for you.  Have the courage that is necessary to bring about change.  Courage comes when your awareness of Gods presence comes up.  When you do what God has for you, the courage comes for you to be bold and you do it.  You won’t stress that you might mess something up because you are operating with the courage and strength from the Lord.

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord  in the land of the living!   Wait for the Lord;  be strong, and let your heart take  courage!

Psalm 27:13-14

The world needs us to be brave, we NEED to be brave for our children for our husbands and for whomever the Lord brings about in our life.  If God wants you to improve something in your life….do it!!! Be COURAGEOUS, start with something, and be PATIENT.  He will do the rest.