Be Encouraged

©jb katke

Do you feel as though the world has run amuck and a little encouragement would be refreshing?

I came across the writing that Servant Hearted Sisterhood made public. Maybe you have not seen it—so I present it to you:

“Don’t feel sorry for or fear for your kids/grandkids because the world they are going to grow up in is not what it used to be.

God created them and called them for the exact moment in time that they’re in. Their life wasn’t a coincidence or an accident.

Raise them up to know the power they walk in as children of God. Train them up in the authority of His word. Teach them to walk in faith knowing that God is in control. Empower them to know they can change the world.

Don’t teach them to be fearful and disheartened by the state of the world, but hopeful that they can do something about it.

Every person in all of history has been placed in the time that they were in because of God’s sovereign plan.

He knew Daniel could handle the lion’s den.

He knew David could handle Goliath.

He knew Esther could handle Hamen.

He knew Peter could handle persecution.

He knows that your child can handle whatever challenge they face in their life. He created them specifically for it.

Don’t be scared for your children, but be honored that God chose you to parent the generation that is facing the biggest challenge of our lifetime. Rise up to the challenge. Raise Daniels, David’s Esther’s and Peter’s.

God is not scratching his head wondering what he is going to do with this mess of a world. He has an army he is raising up to drive back the darkness and make him known all over the earth.

Don’t let your fear steal the greatness God placed in them. I know it’s hard to imagine them as anything besides our sweet little babies, and we just want to protect them from anything that could ever be hard on them. But they were born for such a time as this.”

Unknown Author

I cannot think of anything to add, this says it all.

Twisted Mom’s Day

© jb katke

Every year—the same thing. Let’s turn things around.

Mother’s Day comes and we all gather around mom and sing the praises. Can we just for a moment celebrate those who made her a mother? The children.

Not everyone has children, but we all at one time or another were a kid. This is your time to shine, pat yourself on the back for a job well done…or maybe you gave it your best shot.

Motherhood has no previous training. I can say that with certainty because when awareness of the first baby’s arrival, we look at other children and think, “My child will never be like that.” And we mean it with our whole heart. Said with the best of intentions, of course. However, when the baby books entered the house, the baby didn’t read them.

Children do what comes natural to them. First time mothers have a tendency to do likewise. Not to point fingers or anything, but maybe overreact? Or become helicopter parents—forever hovering over said child?

With the birth of our first-born, I was overcome with the responsibility placed in my arms. With every little sniffle I marched him to Sick Bay. That was fine as Dave was in the Navy at the time. His concern was the future:

Dave: “You can’t just run our son to the doctor for every little thing.”

Me: “If our son needs medical care, he’s going to get it.”

Subject closed. Only it wasn’t until I got accustomed to caring for our little one.

Time passes and that is what prompted this photo. Babies grow. Their presence permeates through the entire house. From rattles to homework and shoes, the picture changes while the clutter remains.

All the while we mothers are learning important things. Like unconditional love, patience, and just how strong you have been all along. Children teach us those things. In those early years, mine taught me to discuss my frustration of them to Jesus. After all—he loves them even more than I do.

Can you relate?