Lysa TerKeurst

Wednesday, March 7

When you don’t feel like Mother of the Year

Just in case you aren’t feeling like mother of the year today, let me make you feel better. While I was packing lunches this morning my daughter said with great urgency, ‘Mom, just please make sure none of the food you are packing in my lunch is rotten.’ Alrighty then. A statement like that will just build your mommy confidence ALL DAY LONG.”

I posted this in Facebook the other day and just cracked up over people’s comments. So, I thought it might be fun to share with each other today something like this that’s happened in your home recently.

Oh do tell…

And just for taking time to leave a comment I’ll enter you for a chance to win two Mommy encouragement packs — one for you to keep and one to give to a friend.

Here’s what’s included:

A pre-release copy of my upcoming new book Unglued
A $10 Starbucks gift card
And a 1 free ticket to an upcoming EWomen conference! Click on the EWomen button in my sidebar to see a complete list of events to pick from. So fun!

I can’t wait to read your comments today. Winners will be posted tomorrow!

When Ordinary is Best

A few weeks ago I had the best seat in my church to see one of the praise bands. They performed a song I love during my webcast and I was seated on the stage!

It was the best seat in the house to see them.

But it wasn’t the best seat in the house to hear them.

They were amazing but from where I was seated the thump of the drums and the screams of the electric guitar were so loud I couldn’t hear the beautiful blend everyone else was hearing. So, what I thought was the best seat wasn’t all I thought it would be.

I’ve thought about this many times since then.

Because sometimes we jockey awfully hard for what we think is the best seat in life. But sometimes the best seat isn’t front and center. It isn’t the seat everyone else is going for.

It’s the more ordinary spot.

Several rows back.

One where the music comes together just right.

This is where I can praise God most authentically, purely, and without distraction. The place of the ordinary. This is true in my church’s worship center and it’s true in my life as well.

Oh how I thank God for the very common and ordinary spots of my life.

Standing at the sink watching the kids do their homework at the sticky farm table.

Sitting on the front steps to welcome home my husband.

Cutting flowers from the bush that just bloomed in my front yard.

Oh what the world calls ordinary, I call the best.

God, I’m a little mad and a lot confused

If you are here from my Encouragement for Today devotion, welcome.

Kick your shoes off and get ready to get gut honest. When God doesn’t seem to be answering our prayers it can be hard. Sometimes, down right awful.

One minute I’m determined to trust God.

In the next, I feel myself slipping. The “why” questions tumble in so hard. My heart hurts. My eyes leak. And in those raw moments I just feel a little mad and a lot confused.

Ever been there?

I don’t want to oversimplify what to do in these times. I know from the prayer requests you’ve been leaving in the comments this week, many of you are facing really tough issues. Situations where the answers aren’t easy or clear cut.

But I have discovered a few things that help me when God seems silent…

* Press in to God when you want to pull away.

When I really want to hear from God but He seems silent, I sometimes find I want to disengage from my normal spiritual activities. Skip church. Put my Bible on my shelf. And let more and more time lapse between prayers.

But the Bible says we will find God if we seek Him with all our heart. Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” All my heart includes the parts that are broken. Bring it all to God.

He can handle your honesty and will respond. But we have to position ourselves to go where truth is. Go to church. Listen to praise music. Read verses. Memorize verses. And keep talking to God.

* Praise God out loud when you want to get lost in complaints.

In the midst of what you’re facing, find simple things for which to praise God. I don’t mean thank Him for the hard stuff. I mean thank Him for the other simple, good things still in the midst. A child’s laugh. A bush that blooms. The warmth of a blanket. The gift of this breath and then the next.

Psalm 40:3 reminds me God will give me a new song when I make praise the habit of my heart and mouth. “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD.”

* Put yourself in the company of truth.

That friend that speaks truth? Listen to her. Stay connected to her. Let her speak truth into your life even when you’re tired of hearing it. Stand in the shadow of her faith when you feel your own faith is weak. Let her lead you back to God time and time again.

Proverbs 12:26, “One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor…”

It’s okay to feel a little mad and a lot confused. Our God is big enough to handle our honest feelings. But don’t let your feelings lead you away from God or away from His truth. Press into Him. Praise Him. And put yourself in the company of truth.

As you stay with God in these ways, you will become ready to receive His answer when it comes.

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