Feature story for April's issue of A Bundle of THYME www.thymemag.com
“Don’t
ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it.
Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~ Howard
Thurman“
And in the end it is not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
I
am incredibly humbled to write this month’s feature story. I feel like
my journey in motherhood, marriage, and life has just begun. I know of
so many others that have experienced much more, gained higher
perspectives, and offer a wealth of wisdom and knowledge. I am just a
young woman, (Wait! Is 30 young anymore?) who is trying her best to follow Jesus, love her family, and pursue the person I was created to be.
Can I be real for a minute?
Okay,
so I am crazy in love with my three, amazing children. Anna Ruth is
one, Elijah is two, and Grace is four. Their personalities are beginning
to form, they are learning and growing rapidly and they make me so
proud. There are many moments I am full with elated joy and thanksgiving
and then there are other moments when I want to hide in my closet and
eat ten chocolate bars. This past winter, I had more consistent moments
of the latter. My husband is a basketball coach and does an amazing job
balancing work and his family, but during basketball season much is
required of him. This time of year has always been rough, but for some
reason, this season was the most difficult yet. I felt completely burned
out as a mom. I didn’t feel like I had anything to give my children. I
fell into the redundancy of diapers, laundry and picking food off the
floor; so much, that my mind became mushy and unengaged. I was
exhausted, overwhelmed, and had lost perspective. On top of that, I
began to feel guilty that I wasn’t strong enough to push through the
fog.
I know I am not alone.
Moms
of young children need a lot of encouragement. If you see one, give her
a big hug and tell her she is doing a great job even if her toddler is
having a meltdown in Target. As moms, we can walk around with so much
guilt because we fed our child cookies for breakfast, forgot to brush
their teeth, or got angrier than we should have when they dumped the
entire dog bowl all over the floor for the 49th time. God’s grace is so
big for us, and He designed for us to thrive in every area of our life
even when it feels mundane, and even when we lose perspective.
But how do we thrive? Where do we find inspiration when we hit a wall?
As I
was walking through this funk, my husband and I started learning about
an organization that was built by a mom who had a huge heart for the
poor. She held a trunk show in her home selling accessories from Uganda,
as a means to raise money to adopt her son from Rwanda. The response
was overwhelming. She knew God wanted her to make this a business, and
shortly after, Noonday Collection
began. Today, Noonday is affecting over 500 families in third world
countries by lifting them out of poverty, providing forever homes for
orphans, and breathing hope into their lives. She has followed God’s
calling on her life and now she is empowering hundreds of women around
the world.
My
husband encouraged me to learn more about Noonday and get involved. I
was hesitant, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized God
was showing me a way to both provide for my family, and thrive while
doing it. Through Noonday, God was providing a way to inspire my heart
by allowing our family to connect with God’s love for the poor and needy
around our world. So after much prayer and my husband’s encouragement, I
took the plunge and I joined Noonday Collection as an ambassador.
What’s really cool is my family gets to share this journey with me. They
get to see how important it is to care for the vulnerable. And I think
they are getting it. In just this first month, God has breathed new life
into my spirit.
When
I read about the Proverbs 31 woman, I admired her because she really
understood what it meant to thrive. She learned to love the work God had
placed in her life…all of it...from loving her husband and kids to
working diligently with her hands. It kept her light burning at night
and kept her up early in the morning. She was hungry and inspired to do
everything required. This kind of life is attainable. I believe it. God
reminds us that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for
good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10.
I
am learning to be an inspired mom, wife and friend. I have a long way
to go but I believe I am on the right path. And the best part of walking
an inspired life is to watch it trickle down to the ones I love most.
What inspires you?
God has created YOU in your unique PLACE with a unique CALLING and purpose. Dream big and get started.
We might be pleasantly surprised with the women we become!
