mom Archives - 61 Isaiah

septiembre 23, 2022 por Nelsy Paz Deja un comentario

Wonderfully Made

Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

These have been some of my favorite verses for a long time, but they took on a whole new meaning for me when I became a mom. When I look at my daughter, I cannot help but be in awe of God’s craftsmanship. I take great comfort knowing that God created her exactly how He wanted her to be. I look at her and see God’s beautiful, perfect creation. It is easy for me to see all of these things in her. It is much more difficult, however, for me to see myself in this light. If I make a mistake, thoughts can creep in that I am not good enough, or that I’m not worthy of God’s love. I begin to doubt that God could really love me. I surely don’t deserve it! But I do not love my daughter because of what she does or how she acts. Instead, I love her because of who she is– my daughter.

If I, as a human parent, can feel this much love for my child, how much more must my heavenly father love His children? He loves me because I am his child, not because of what I do. I am also God’s beautiful creation. Just like my daughter, God made me exactly how He wants me to be. I am a child of God. Nothing can change that. And because of this, nothing can separate me from his love.

febrero 4, 2022 por Michelle Holloway 9 Comments

The Balance of Life

I am often at a loss of what to write in blog posts. I do not feel I have any great truths to share or knowledge to bequeath to others. Many times, I simply write about my everyday life and how God reveals truths to me in this way.

This past December, we traveled back to the U.S. to spend Christmas with our families and to get some necessary medical procedures. It was a busy and full trip, but the time with our family was truly priceless. One of our goals on this trip was to gather some items that had been donated for the ministry. As such, we had several bags that we were returning with to Honduras. I knew the allowed weight limits and baggage sizes and I was pretty sure I had it all worked out. I wasn’t able to find my luggage scale, but I figured they weren’t too heavy as I could pick them up.

Well, I guess the workouts have paid off, but I overestimated my strength. When we arrived to check in our bags, I had one that was quite a bit over the weight limit. Panic ensued, but thankfully I had somewhat prepared for this. There was a bit of juggling of items, rearranging, and reweighing, but I finally got it all worked out.

I didn’t mention that the day we left Texas, it was in the low 30s with a lovely wind blowing and we checked our luggage in at an outside kiosk. So, there I was, with several open suitcases in the cold and wind trying to get everything to balance out just right so that we wouldn’t get charged extra. I am sure you can imagine this sight. I probably should have had Jeff video this fiasco, it felt like we would have won America’s Funniest Home Videos.

But regardless of my embarrassment at that moment, I walked away thinking how much this juggling of items in my luggage resembled my life. With the new year often comes New Year’s resolutions. I am going to read my Bible more, pray more, lose weight, eat healthier, start a new hobby, etc. We live life as a juggling act, and we are desperate to keep all the balls up in the air. I am always afraid of dropping the ball in some form or fashion.

But as I looked back at the cold concrete where I had just rearranged my suitcase items, I pondered how often I do that in my own life. I put so much on my plate and then must balance it all perfectly to get everything done. I could have easily avoided my problem at the airport had I just found my luggage scale. I realized that I could easily avoid the juggling of things in my life if I just consulted the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Scripture tells me exactly how to balance my life, but if I am being completely honest, I lean way too much on my own understanding and often don’t ask God’s direction before adding one more thing to my plate. It isn’t until I am panicking because I can’t get everything done that, I finally ask God for help.

As I walked through that airport, I realized I had things completely out of order. I must seek the Lord in the things HE has for my life, not the things I think He wants in my life. I must trust the Lord and not lean on my own understanding. I just bet if I consulted Him before adding things to my plate, I would have a much easier time balancing everything.

So, as we start this new year, I want to challenge myself to stop and ask the Lord before I commit, to trust Him, and commit everything to Him. I look forward to seeing how He shapes and molds me and how life balances in a way a never would have dreamed!

enero 14, 2022 por Kristi Hopkins 2 Comments

Guard the Calling

As any parent will tell you, silence is rare and golden. I am not saying that I don’t enjoy my kids because I do, but I also enjoy waking up and having a few quiet minutes before being “mom.” Sometimes though it doesn’t happen and I have had to learn to carve out quiet time elsewhere. Why you may ask, is this such a big deal?

I have been doing a study of 2 Timothy (which I highly recommend) and this is what God has impressed on my heart over the last several weeks: God has called me for a purpose (2 Tim. 2:21). I will lose sight of that purpose or miss when God calls me to do specific things within this calling if I do not guard this calling with the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 1:14).

He can not correct, guide, and empower me if I am not taking time to listen; stop the inner dialog, and focus on the higher dialogue. Ideally, this happens in those early moments but sometimes it happens after dropping off a kid at their activity, watering my flowers, or cooking dinner.

This is when God confirms my calling to love my students the way He loves them, this is when he shows me how to make decisions like Him. This is when he renews my passion to help others “obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:10.) This is when my heart can cry “Abba, Father,” otherwise translated as the irreverent “Dad” instead of Lord (Romans 8:15).

I encourage you to find silence to listen to Dad. He has a calling on your life too (2 Tim. 2:21). I would love to hear what that calling is and how you guard this calling in your life.

2 Timothy 1:14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

2 Timothy 2:21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

agosto 20, 2021 por Kristi Hopkins 1 comentario

Understanding Unconditional Love

“I am a woman. I am invincible. I am tired.” These are the words that resonated with me as I read a book a friend gave me. I have spent my life looking at what needs to be done around me and doing it. And now I find myself with a list of roles both professionally and personally: teacher, counselor, supervisor of 19 people, academic director of an additional 21 people, lead missionary with a growing team, librarian, mom, wife, daughter, sister, mentor, doctoral student, and the list goes on. I am sure your list looks similar. I don’t think there is anything wrong with fulfilling the needs you see around you. But I am having to take a hard look at whether I apply these same “roles” to my spiritual life. Do I think God needs me to fulfill roles instead of believing he loves me even when I am unproductive? Of course in my head I believe this. But in my heart, way, way down deep, do I think I have to do certain things to be loved unconditionally? Isn’t this a contradiction? And yet, how many times do I check off certain boxes believing God is proud of me fulfilling my duties. Friend, I am here to tell you that unconditional love really doesn’t come with the conditions of teaching Sunday school, leading Bible study, mentoring, volunteering, or whatever you fill in the blank with.

“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.” Matthew 11:28-30

Culture tells us that we have to hold everything together. But is this what is expected of us spiritually? He doesn’t ever say to get our lives together then go to Him. Or be all things to all people so we are viewed as the perfect Christian. No, when we go to Him for rest not only does He take our burdens but He makes clear that His burden is not heavy. He does not require that we put more work on ourselves so that we can be a “good Christian.” Quite the opposite. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Get rid of the expectations that you have placed on yourself or perhaps others have placed on you. When we rest in him, we relieve ourselves of religion and get to enjoy relationships. An unconditional acceptance and love without a checklist of productivity.

To be quite honest, I stink at this. School started for teachers this week. My to-do list is a mile long. I feel I have to fulfill all my duties flawlessly. I try regularly to give him my burdens only to find that I have taken them back later in the day. I get scared that if I am not perfect and not productive then I will disappoint the Father. But I am trying. And I am relieving myself of the guilt when I don’t measure up. Realizing that he loves me through my failure to perform. He desires to help us rest. Pray with me that I (and maybe you) will truly understand unconditional love and that perhaps we will even extend this love without expectations to others.

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