beautiful – Oh Lord Help Us

restoration, healing, beautiful, beauty, create, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Restoration: Allowing The Lord to Heal Our Brokenness with Beauty

DevotionalsMay 28, 2019May 28, 2019

When we hand over the broken pieces of our hearts to the Lord, we can expect restoration. We emerge from His mending with even greater beauty and value.

A few years ago, I found myself in one of the most lovely places I’ve ever seen: Duck, North Carolina. A tiny barrier island at the northernmost tip of the Outer Banks, Duck is nestled between the peaceful sound on one side and the mighty ocean on the other. It was such a blessing to spend a week in this coastal paradise.

I made the trip with a group of eight close friends who were walking intimately with the Lord and with one another. One of the women in our group had a friend who owned this gorgeous beach house, and she allowed us to use her home for our annual girls’ getaway.

The place was palatial! Beautiful balconies off of each bedroom provided perfect perches for sipping coffee and savoring quiet time in the bright morning sun. Sprawling wrap around decks with rocking chairs and hammocks offered comfy spots for leisurely reading or napping in the afternoon shade.

The rooftop deck invited early evening musings as we took in stunning sunsets over the ocean. And incredible waterfront views on every side lent a picturesque backdrop for sweet conversations or time alone with the Lord.

A Sisterhood of Believers

In this place, we were surrounded by such magnificent beauty; yet each one of us had brought broken pieces of our hearts that needed mending. (For the sake of anonymity, I will not use my friends’ real names).

Nancy’s husband had been in and out of the hospital for over a year with repeated major surgeries and life-threatening infections. Rosalynn’s daughter was struggling with anxiety and other mental health issues. Sara’s husband had a severe health problem that forced him to indefinitely halt his career as a commercial airline pilot. She was also heartbroken over her son’s battle with alcohol and drug addiction.

Ana was dealing with severe exhaustion from issues related to her diabetes. I was in the middle of a very deep financial wilderness season where I could barely keep my kids fed and a roof over our heads.

Each one of us had arrived with so much brokenness, suffering, and strife. Our hearts longed for restoration and peace. Throughout that week, the Lord refreshed our souls with the natural beauty of the island. He comforted our hearts with the sweet fellowship of this sisterhood of believers.

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
1 Thessalonians 5:11

Three Artists

One of our dear friends almost didn’t make the trip. The previous year, Mary had suffered a tragic loss in her family–a loss involving the ocean. Reeling from the emotional aftershocks of the incident, Mary was still trying to find her bearings. She was not sure if her heart could handle returning to the sea. Shortly before we left for the trip, however, the Lord gave Mary the courage to go.

One afternoon, I was standing in the kitchen visiting with Mary and Sara. To set this up properly, I should mention that–in very different ways–all three of us are artists. Mary is an amazingly gifted painter, Sara is a wonderful poet, and I am a songwriter. As the three of us gathered around that kitchen island, the Lord did something beautiful for our broken artist hearts. He gave us a glimpse of the tender beauty and care that He so lovingly uses to mend the hearts of His beloved daughters.

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
Psalm 147:3

A Poem…

Sara had brought a poem that she wanted to share with Mary. The piece described the Japanese art of Kintsugi, which means “golden joinery or repair.” This ancient art form involves the restoration of broken pottery with a lacquer that’s mixed with powdered gold. The resulting pieces–the mended vessels–hold even greater beauty and value than the originals.

As Sara recited the sweet poem, we beheld a beautiful depiction of the way the Lord heals our hearts. Just like the Kintsugi artisans, He carefully considers and deftly handles each delicate and fragile shard. And with His loving touch, He gently puts us back together again. Restoring us, He fills our seams and our scars with something even more precious than gold–His love is the bond that makes us whole. Under His master hand, we emerge even stronger and more beautiful for the mending.

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Job 23:10

Restoring us, God fills our seams and our scars with something even more precious than gold–His love is the bond that makes us whole. We emerge even stronger and more beautiful for the mending. Click To Tweet

A Painting

As Sara finished reading the poem, Mary was in tears. Mary shared how she had just returned from a long walk on the beach with the Lord. She had been so reluctant to return to this place of such heartbreak and loss. Yet the Lord–in His tender and merciful way–had softly touched her heart by opening her eyes to the beauty surrounding her.

As she took each step on the soft sand, He guided her gaze to a new colorful sight. Each one contained uniquely beautiful tones and hues. The soft pinks and subtle blues of the seashells were like watercolors. Puffs of white foam on the grey sand strewn with black sea bark–a black and white rendering. Stark streaks of marigold and turquoise across the sky–a bold acrylic abstract. Wisps of bright green sea grass gently waving from the breezy dunes–a simple yet alluring landscape scene.

Like a palate resting on her arm as she made brushstrokes on her canvas, this natural array of color offered new creative possibilities. Her Creator was reawakening her painter’s heart. All of this splendor was right there in front of her, on magnificent display.

Through the beauty of this simple seaside setting, the Lord was showing His beloved daughter one of His most treasured works. It was not the physical scenery that lay before her–it was her very own heart. She was a daughter after His own heart. A painter, gifted and trained by the Master. And she was His masterpiece.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

A Song

As Mary finished sharing, I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Earlier that day, the Lord had taken me on a similar journey on the beach, and He was speaking to me through all the broken seashells along the shore.

I had been pouring out my heart to Him. Desperately seeking peace and assurance that my family would survive this wilderness season of deep hardship and lack. And as He often does, He brought me solace through the lyrics of a new song. I sang it there in the kitchen for my friends, as I knew it was meant not only for me but for their hearts as well. It’s called Broken Seashells:

Broken seashells, on the seashore: works of art, strewn in the sand.
In this masterpiece, He has created, even the refuse is grand. O even the refuse is grand.
We all long for beauty, the desire’s built in.
Made to reflect His glory, we’re hewn by a master hand. Yes we’re hewn by our Master’s hand.
With a blueprint on every fingertip, and a light in every eye,
a love in each heart, and a story to live by. It’s His story we live by.
We all long for meaning, for a purpose within.
Made to trust His leading, and follow a master plan. Yes we follow our Master’s plan.
With a blueprint on every fingertip, and a light in every eye,
a love in each heart, and a story to live by. It’s His story we live by.
Broken people, on the seashore: works of art strewn in the sand.
In this masterpiece, He has created, even the refuse is grand. Yes, even the refuse is grand.
Broken seashells, on the seashore…
Hope Anderson, “Broken Seashells”

Restoration

So the Lord used a poem, a painting, and a song to bring restoration to our hearts. And although not every wound was completely healed in that week, He touched our hearts in such beautifully unique ways that we could not deny the goodness of our Creator.

What has the Lord used to bring restoration to your broken heart? Do you know that your heart contains the bonds of His love, which is far more precious than pure gold?

Olivier Mesnage

All scriptures are from The King James Version of The Bible.

brokenness, broken, beautiful, beauty, redemption, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Beauty: Allowing the Lord to Restore Our Brokenness

DevotionalsMay 6, 2019May 6, 2019

When we allow the Lord to restore the brokenness in our hearts, He makes us into something beautiful. Indeed, He makes all things beautiful in His time. Beauty for ashes.

A few weeks ago I attended a friend’s beautiful birthday celebration. But this was no ordinary birthday party! It was a Girl’s Day (and night) of epic proportion. I’m talking lunch, coffee, pedicures, shopping, cocktails, and a gourmet dinner. It was truly a fairy tale kind of afternoon.

But like any beautiful fairy tale, brokenness emerged as part of the story. At one point, we were all sitting around a table on a warm, breezy veranda. That’s when the birthday girl suggested we play a get-to-know-you trivia game.

Bits of Brokenness…

As my friend read off the unique facts about each woman, we were to match the descriptor with each woman’s name. As she read the descriptions, bits of brokenness revealed themselves. One woman survived breast cancer. Another woman served in the military in Afghanistan. Someone else had just given birth three weeks ago. And another’s husband almost died twice last year….the incredible list went on! Given that I was new to the group, I had no idea which description matched which woman.

And as I looked around the table at all their beautiful faces, pretty clothes, and newly painted nails, I was still at a loss. Honestly, I found it hard to believe that this group–of such outwardly put together women–could have experienced such deep depths of brokenness. When my friend revealed the answers to the questions, I looked at each woman at the table. Each one was a testament to the amazing beauty that emerges when we allow the Lord to restore our brokenness.

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3

A Therapeutic Process…

A simple illustration of how the Lord has turned my brokenness into beauty is through the craft of jewelry making. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved making jewelry. As a little girl, I would sneak into my mom’s sewing kit, hunting for colorful embroidery floss. It took some doing to unwrap the threads from the pokey pincushions and other sewing supplies. But once I had my assortment of colors, I’d spend hours making elaborate macrame friendship bracelets.

Amid the emotional chaos of my parents’ unraveling relationship, the slow straightening, pulling, and knotting of the long strings became a therapeutic process. I remember feeling so satisfied when I’d finally finished a bracelet.

Slowly yet surely, I would transform the once tangled, stringy mess into a tightly fashioned pattern of beauty. And doesn’t this mirror how the Lord works in our hearts? Under His patient and steady hand, the once seemingly hopeless, jumbled mess of a broken heart is mended into a beautifully woven masterpiece.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted….

Isaiah 61:1

Castaways…

A few years ago, I found myself in need of some jewelry therapy once again! My husband and I were in the middle of a financial wilderness season–which posed a problem for someone whose love language is gift giving! I simply couldn’t bear the thought of allowing a friend or family member’s birthday to pass without giving her a gift. Because I couldn’t afford to buy anything, I decided to make jewelry to give as presents.

The only problem was, the pretty new beads from the local bead store were pricey. But the Holy Spirit gave me an ingenious idea for how to get my hands on free jewelry supplies. I began asking friends and family to give me any old, broken, or castaway jewelry that they were willing to part with. Then, I’d take apart the old pieces and make them new jewelry from the supplies I received. Upcycling at its finest!

Their Trash, My Treasure…

It was only a matter of time before the floodgates of jewelry supplies opened. Soon, women were bringing me bags of broken or unwanted jewelry, and their trash truly became my treasure! Amid my fear and uncertainty about our family’s financial future, once again, I was able to find comfort in the simple physical process of making jewelry.

After putting my baby and toddler to bed, I’d sit for hours sorting through all the broken pieces, dismantling and organizing the beads, playing around with different color combinations, and exploring new designs. As I delved into that creative process, the Creator was sorting through the broken pieces of my heart–untangling knots from old wounds and refashioning me into His original design.

Broken to Beautiful…

Fast forward a few years, and the Holy Spirit began to show me how this creative process–of taking something broken and making it beautiful–has tremendous potential as a tool for ministry. That’s when the Lord gave me the idea to host guided jewelry making parties as a form of ladies’ fellowship. I presented the idea to my pastor’s wife, and our ladies’ Bible study group decided to host our first Broken to Beautiful event.

The evening was such a blessing! My pastor’s wife shared a powerful message about Christ’s restoration; we enjoyed a time of food and fellowship, and I shared my testimony of how the Lord has taken me on a journey from a place of brokenness to one of beauty.

That night, I shared with those ladies something that I know to be true: We are not beautiful despite being broken; rather, we are beautiful precisely because we have experienced brokenness. And when we allow the Lord to restore our broken parts, He puts us back together perfectly, making us even more beautiful than before. When that evening ended, two new souls were added to the kingdom, as two women handed their broken hearts over to the Lord. He is now making them beautiful.

We are not beautiful despite being broken. We are beautiful because we have experienced brokenness and allowed the Lord to restore our broken parts. Click To Tweet

Precious Jewels…

Before long, our ladies group began to take Broken to Beautiful events to the young women living in a nearby orphanage. The girls sort through the broken, dismantled jewelry, choose their favorite beads, and create beautiful new pieces of jewelry. Through this hands-on activity, they experience a physical picture of the spiritual process that the Lord wants to do in each of our hearts.

He sees their broken hearts. Not as accidents or mistakes to be discarded and thrown away. But as precious jewels, full of splendor and worthy of honor in His kingdom. Each time we finish an event with these young ladies, their countenances change–from dark and sullen to light and hopeful. And their bracelets serve as a powerful outward reminder of the inner beauty and worth that they possess.

Oh Lord Help Us…

Recently, the Director of Oh Lord Help Us, Rachael, invited me to begin holding Broken to Beautiful events in our community. We hosted our first one last week and plan to host many more. We’re inviting women to bring their old, broken, and castaway jewelry to the events, and they will leave with a beautiful new piece that they have created.

Pieces from their broken jewelry will eventually show up in the new designs created by women at future gatherings. Their beads could also be incorporated into beautiful pieces created by the young ladies in our Hope + Vine artisans program.

So, Beloved, our brokenness becomes our beauty. Literally and spiritually. Because we are women who serve a God who gives us beauty for ashes. A God who truly makes all things beautiful in His time.

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

How has the Lord turned your brokenness into beauty? Would you like to host or attend a Broken to Beautiful event? If so, contact us: events@ohlordhelp.us

Debby Hudson

All scripture references from The King James Version of The Bible

You Are Beautiful

Stay SaneJanuary 22, 2017

I acknowledge that my life has been blessed. I was raised by a mom and dad who loved each other, and loved all four of us kids. I still have good relationships with all of my siblings. I married a man who adores, supports, and encourages me. He is hard working and has provided well for our family. My children are healthy, and (most of the time) fun to be around. I wonder at times if others see my life, and think that I have it all together. I’m not sure what they see, but I know that they don’t see it all.

What others may not see…

People didn’t see me when my mom died, and how I lost it at work having to excuse myself from a patient because the tears just would not stop. No one saw the chasm that was growing between my husband and I during that time because we were both so steeped in self-pity. They didn’t see the guilt I carried because I was the only one of my siblings not present when she died. Others didn’t see the whirlwind of busy work I was doing because I wanted to avoid dealing with the grief.

Others also didn’t see me grow bitter when my husband’s job wasn’t enough to support us. Or when he was out of work. They didn’t see the bitterness grow to anger against God when we stepped out in faith to begin a business, only to have years of financial hardship follow.

No one saw the hurt I held on to when rejection from others happened, and then happened again, and then yet again. They didn’t see me sitting in church alone because I was told “no” when I asked to sit next to someone. People didn’t see me crying in the car, begging my husband to not ask me to go back to church.

They didn’t see me as a new mom, completely unsure of myself, not knowing what I suppose to do. Wasn’t I suppose to love this little person, half me/half my husband, right from the start? I didn’t. I felt trapped. I screamed, and cried, and had melt downs. And when the second child came, it all started over again. People didn’t see the bruises on my legs from where I hit myself repeatedly because I hated who I was. It’s hard when you don’t like yourself, there’s nowhere to go to get away. Unless I chose to drink. Yeah, they didn’t see that either.

People don’t see the days that I can’t seem to do anything other than lose myself in mindless activities, trying to find things to do so I can ignore the things I need to be focused on. No one sees me struggle with certain aspects of my faith, questioning in silence because I’m afraid of the response from others.

My life is kind of like my house. It looks clean when you walk in, but please don’t go into my closet, or try to open a drawer. It’s the inside where the mess lies. My life, like my house, can be quite messy.

No matter how good the lives of others may seem, we don’t know what mess there is inside of them. Inside of all of us there is a mess, but… Oh friends, I am so thankful to have a “but” in my life story. I am messy, but God… thinks I am beautiful. When he sees me, he sees someone who is perfectly imperfect. He has taken my messed up life, redeemed it, and is making it beautiful.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6, ESV

How about you?

The Lord also tells us, through the prophet Isaiah, that He will replace our mourning. He will give us beauty. His healing and redemption is what makes us beautiful.

Mourning involves admitting that there is, in fact, a mess. It’s acknowledging the reality of our situation. When we stop pretending, stop running, stop lying to ourselves and others, then we give the Lord the freedom to transform it into beauty.

So… What kind of messes are in your life?

Messy, but God… thinks you are beautiful.

(And I think you’re beautiful too!)

Replacing the Lies

Love, Stay SaneMay 22, 2016May 22, 2016

After months of brainstorming, planning, critiquing there is now a shop of items offered through this little blog. I’m excited to tell you more about it, because it is more than pretty jewelry, or cute apparel. Please allow me to share my heart with you.

We have all had encounters and experiences in our lives that have planted a seed of doubt. They have made us question our purpose, our value, ourselves. These are lies that have been whispered to us repeatedly, and if we don’t acknowledge them, they can make us less effective and destroy our influence. These lies feed our defensiveness to protect ourselves from feeling weak. Our weaknesses can hinder us and cause insecurities, but those same weaknesses, if we acknowledge and address them they can bring us strength and give glory to God. Let’s change the repetition of lies. Let’s replace them with the truth of God.

Afraid, but GOD…has loved you.
Running, but GOD…has pursued you.
Broken, but GOD…has redeemed you.
Messy, but GOD…thinks you are beautiful.
Striving, but GOD…says you are enough.

I believe in a God, and that He is good. As C.S. Lewis wrote in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe:

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “… Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

I also believe that there is an enemy that wants to destroy our influence and ultimately our lives.

This message that I want to share I believe is from God, and I believe the enemy wants to keep me silent and to keep you from hearing it. This past week, I felt completely under attack mentally and emotionally. To make it worse, I was attacked with each of these lies that I am telling others to replace with truth.

I felt afraid that people would reject me. I wanted to run away from this project. I felt defeated and broken in my spirit. I felt like my life was out of control and messy. I felt like I needed to strive to be different and felt envious of others. And when I realized that I was struggling with the very thing I was speaking against, I felt like an imposter. Who am I to be sharing this? This is the exact response the enemy was looking for.

The morning after I realized all of this, my oldest son woke up and wanted to tell me about a dream he had. In his dream, he was with Jesus and they were fighting demons. He wanted to know what it meant. I told him that I believe we are constantly in a battle. And that is why it is important to put on the armor of God that he has been learning about at church.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Ephesians 6:10-18, ESV

Shortly after this, my middle child woke up and he started talking about his dream. In his dream he was standing in our living room and people were trying to break in and attack us. Yikes.

After sharing this with my mother-in-law, she shared with me:

…Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Revelations 12:10, ESV

The enemy accuses us of being imposters, of being weak, of being sinful. BUT, he has been thrown down!! He has been defeated!! Hallelujah, there is a NEW truth!

Yes, I would say that the enemy doesn’t want you believe the truth. The enemy wants you to be afraid, running, broken, messy, and striving…

but GOD….

Oh ladies!! This is where it gets good!

but GOD…

That means the story changes!

but GOD…

It means there is hope!

Afraid, but GOD…has loved you.
Running, but GOD…has pursued you.
Broken, but GOD…has redeemed you.
Messy, but GOD…thinks you are beautiful.
Striving, but GOD…says you are enough.

Here is the truth: You are loved by the Almighty, and He is pursuing you in order to redeem you. He has made you beautiful, and because he has loved you, pursued you, and redeemed you; you are enough!

I wish you could hear the excitement in my voice! I wish I could tell you to your lovely face! I wish I could rejoice with you right now as you are reading this!

The items in the shop are simply to help remind us of the truth and to change the repetition of lies that we have listened to. I pray for us all to change the dialogue in our minds and to live the abundant life that Jesus told us about.

Here are several of the items.

Click on any picture to take you to the shop to see all of them.

I will be in the Louisville, Kentucky area Memorial Day weekend. If you live in that area, and would like to eliminate shipping cost by picking them up from me while I am there, simply select “Pick up” when checking out and send me a note. xoxo

Legacy of Beauty

Love, Parent, Stay SaneMarch 13, 2016March 13, 2016

It’s normal for a baby to smile at themselves in the mirror. It’s even listed as a developmental action that babies do around 4 months old. So I know that my baby girl is not the first to do this, but my goodness, she sure is cute when she does. Her little face just lights up. She is happy to see that other little person smiling back at her.

When she first started doing this, it struck me, when did we stop smiling at ourselves in the mirror?

Stop It!!

I’m my own worst critic. Standing in front of the mirror, examining, critiquing, judging. I’m too pale, too flat chested, too much skin around my belly, and my hair has too many cowlicks. This is not the example I want to be for my daughter. It is not the legacy I want to pass on. I want her to know that she can accept herself for who she is, and even like who she is without feeling guilty. There is nothing wrong with her or her appearance. I want her to know that beauty is not defined by the way we look, or the comments of others.

It is ridiculous how many voices we listen to in our heads. First we tear ourselves down, thinking that we are not “enough.” And then when we start to change the voice in our head, and feel good about who we are, we feel guilty for being confident and worry that we sound arrogant and conceited.

This past week I was holding my daughter and looking in the mirror. At first I said, “Look at that pretty girl.” And I felt troubled, knowing that I want to pass on a legacy of beauty. So I said, “look at those pretty girls. They are beautiful, and healthy, and strong!”

Epiphany

I don’t fix myself up to become beautiful. I fix myself up because I am beautiful.

I don’t make myself look pretty because I need to feel confident. It is simply that I am worth spending time on. I do not want my daughter to think she needs makeup and perfect hair to be deemed beautiful. I want her to see her outward appearance as an expression of the beauty within her.

I don’t eat good things to become healthy. I eat good things because I am healthy.

I don’t deny myself doughnuts because I need to lose weight. I make healthy choices because my body is worth taking care of. I do not want my daughter to become obsessed with food, neither over-indulging, nor over-denying. I want her to see food as nourishment, not as a comfort or as something to control.

I don’t exercise to become strong. I exercise because I am strong.

I don’t run to prove myself to others. I run because God created me with the ability and desire to do so. I do not want my daughter to feel pressure to be someone she is not. I want her to be confident and strong, knowing who God has created her to be.

If we are always striving to become something, we never experience the freedom of being what we already are.

Quick! Go find a mirror and smile at yourself. It’s ok to like that beautiful person smiling back at you. She is pretty remarkable!

xoxo

Do you know other beautiful, healthy, strong mommas that need to know their worth?

You Are Loved, Fiercely

LoveDecember 11, 2015

Numerous times I have been speaking to my boys and I “feel” a tap on my shoulder. I know what I said to them was actually the Lord speaking to me. He is the perfect parent, so it makes sense that He would use our parenting to instruct us as well.

Examples

“You are expecting it to do something it was not made to do.”

To my children: Several years ago I said this to my oldest child when he was getting frustrated with a toy.

To me: The Lord was telling me that I had been expecting more out of my child than he was able to do at that time. I still hear this. Now it is in the context that I am expecting my children to be someone other than who they were created to be.

“You can trust what I say. Because I love you, I will keep my word.”

To my children: This was just this past week. My 4 year old was throwing a fit (again) and I told him there would be a consequence if he didn’t stop. He stopped for a while, but then decided to test me. So I had to follow through. Which resulted in lots of crying and then lots of hugs.

To me: Whether or not it is what I want to hear, I know I can trust the Lord. Because He loves me, He will keep His Word.

“Doing your best is all that matters.”

To my children: Both of my boys get frustrated with themselves when they make mistakes and want to give up when learning something new.

To me: Often my own best doesn’t feel good enough. I think I need to be more and do more. Thankfully this is not truth.

“There is nothing you can do or not do that will make me love you more or love you less. I love you fiercely.”

To my children: My oldest was upset he didn’t pass the swim test, and was scared to try again. He actually asked me what I would do to him if he didn’t pass. Gasp. My heart broke.

To me: I struggle with trying to impress others to gain approval. Thankfully there is nothing I can do to change how much the Lord loves me. This is a beautiful thing.

“I am not disappointed in you, I am disappointed for you.”

To my children: This was also after he didn’t pass the swim test. I was still trying to confirm that it was alright. He absolutely had the skill and ability to pass the test, but it had become a mental battle for him. I wanted him to experience the confidence and satisfaction that comes from accomplishing something he had been working so hard to achieve.

To me: When I mess up (said something rude, lost my temper, been critical, etc.) I feel so ashamed and want to beat myself up for it. The Lord was gently whispering in my ear that I am not a disappointment. But I have done some disappointing things.

“Don’t make it a bigger deal than it needs to be. That’s called being dramatic.”

To my children and me: Umm, yeah. Pretty much my entire life right here.

“Don’t get frustrated. Just try again.”

To my children: My four year old gets frustrated so easily. He tries to draw the letter “A” and starts crying because the lines are crooked. It takes a lot of encouraging from the whole family to get him through it.

To me: I do this too. I love starting things, but get discouraged when it doesn’t come easily to me. So I usually end up starting and then stopping. And then starting and then stopping. And then… Thankfully I am also surrounded by encouraging people that help me through these times.

Final Thought

As you are in the day to day grind be aware of the moments the Lord is using your own voice to teach you.

There is one more I want to share with you. This was not from me, but what a friend said to her daughter. It was a punch in my gut, and something I desperately needed to hear.

“You are beautiful just the way you are.”

Oh dear mommas, please hear this, “You are beautiful just the way you are!”

xoxo

You Are Loved, Fiercely

Parent, Stay SaneDecember 8, 2015December 11, 2015