Have you ever wished you had a treasure trove of great ideasfor those days when motherhood feels draining and mundane?
Ever longed forjust one tried and true tipthat has actually been used successfully by REAL MOMS with REAL KIDS?
Me, too!
That’s why I’ve created Tuesday’s Tips– a weekly post designed to reduce frustration and multiply inspiration in the wacky and wearisome trenches of
motherhood.
Of course, a good idea is meant to be shared.So don’t keep those jewels for yourself! If you discover something that makes motherhood a little easier, a little more exciting, or a bit more meaningful, please let me know. (Just leave a comment after this post or email me at rbruxvoort@iowatelecom.net). I’d love to feature your idea on an upcoming Tuesday.
A Must-Have Mother’s Day Gift
If you were here yesterday, you read a bit about my struggle to see God in the muck and the mess of motherhood. I knew in my head that He was with me, but I couldn’t seem to find Him when I was wiping dirty bottoms, dirty floors, and dirty dishes.
For years, I wondered how my heart could feel so empty when my hands felt so full.
But thankfully, God was not playing hide-and-seek. In fact, over the past fourteen years, He has graciously placed in my path other moms who understand my struggles.
And their wise words, prayers, and stories of faith from the trenches have encouraged me to keep seeking Him in the diaper pail and beyond.
Today, one of my favorite parts of motherhood is spying Jesus in the ordinary moments of life and pointing Him out to the five growing ones that call me Mom.
Perhaps, what you need most this Mother’s Day is the gift of encouragement. (I mean, seriously, who doesn’t need a little hip-hip-hooray now and then?) Maybe you need a friend who can walk along the road of parenting with you for a while and point out Jesus where you least expect to find Him.
If that kind of gift is at the top of your list, then the newest release from MOPS International is just what you need. I read this delightful book from cover to cover last week and when I finished, I felt like I’d just found 51 new friends who really understand.
Here’s a teaser from the back cover…
God is with you…
…in the excitement of first steps, first words,
and the first day of school …when you are frustrated, overwhelmed, or alone …in the middle of the night and
the middle of the unpleasant …in your most important relationships
God is there in every busy, exhausting, and exhilarating moment of being a mom. It’s one thing to know in your mind that God is everywhere. It’s quite another to feel in your soul that he is by your side, holding you up, sustaining you.
In Always There you’ll find an inspiring combination of real-life mothering stories and Scriptures that assures you of God’s abiding presence, written by popular voices such as
Ann Voskamp Alexandra Kuykendall Kathi Lipp Tracey Bianchi Kim Hill Renee Swope
Alicia Bruxvoort and many more
No matter where you are in your mothering journey, Always There offers you hope and encouragement along the way. From the humorous to the solemn, these fifty-two short devotions will capture your heart as you reflect upon your important role as a mother and upon your ever-present and steadfast Source of strength.
If you’re ready to wrap up this great read and tie it with a bow for Mother’s Day (yeah, go ahead, just buy your own gift and let your husband off the hook!), you’ve come to the right place. This week, I’ll be giving away TWO BRAND NEW COPIES of Always There.
All you need to do is leave me a comment and share about one moment when you have experienced God’s presence smack dab in the midst of motherhood. It doesn’t have to be something life-changing or dramatic, just a glimpse of His Glory in the grit. Have you seen it?
You have until 11:59 on Thursday night to enter this marvelous give-away. Once I’ve collected all the comments, I’ll toss all the commenter’s names in a hat and randomly pull out the two lucky winners.
Please come back on Friday to see if an early Mother’s Day gift is headed your way!
Thanks for sharing, friends! YES, prayer always opens my eyes to His presence, too. And why is it that complaining seems to blur my awareness of Him here?
And Darath, I LOVE IT when God invades our days through our little ones.. praise songs, prayers, and joy.
Oh, count me in. Sounds lovely. You know I am continuing to learn to see him in the sink full of dirty Jesus with a praise instead of a grumble… when I am wondering why the laundry basket is empty and the floor is receptacle of choice for clothes, both dirty and clean…I am learning to pray instead of complain throughout the day at these opportunities of choice. Daily I am learning…to surrender My will for His. I see Him! Thanks for visiting my blog, and leaving a comment! So glad to find you, here!
My kids bring me back to the constant presence of the Lord in our lives even when I’m not thinking about it. It might be my 4 1/2 year old singing his own made up praise songs on the swing set or my almost 2 year old requesting that we pray at least 4 times during each meal. Their minds always seem to remember so much better than mine! darath fisher
Thanks for sharing, friends! YES, prayer always opens my eyes to His presence, too. And why is it that complaining seems to blur my awareness of Him here?
And Darath, I LOVE IT when God invades our days through our little ones.. praise songs, prayers, and joy.
Wishing you both MORE of HIM in the madness 🙂
Oh, count me in. Sounds lovely. You know I am continuing to learn to see him in the sink full of dirty Jesus with a praise instead of a grumble…
when I am wondering why the laundry basket is empty and the floor is receptacle of choice for clothes, both dirty and clean…I am learning to pray instead of complain throughout the day at these opportunities of choice. Daily I am learning…to surrender My will for His. I see Him! Thanks for visiting my blog, and leaving a comment! So glad to find you, here!
My kids bring me back to the constant presence of the Lord in our lives even when I’m not thinking about it. It might be my 4 1/2 year old singing his own made up praise songs on the swing set or my almost 2 year old requesting that we pray at least 4 times during each meal. Their minds always seem to remember so much better than mine!
darath fisher