Young Mothering

Dear young mother,

It seems like everyone wants something from you. And you’re probably already giving way more than you ever thought you could give. But even with all your giving, you might struggle with guilt—lingering, joy-drenching, energy-sapping guilt—that you should be doing more, giving more, accomplishing more.

Don’t waste that guilt. Pay attention to it. Use it. Take it out of the shadows and examine it in light of Scripture. Is this a godly grief that leads to repentance or a worldly grief that produces death (2 Cor. 7:10)? Is it life-giving or life-depleting? Ask yourself, does this bring fresh joy and peace to those nearest me, or does it add unnecessary stress and strain to my home?

Don’t feel guilty over making your children your primary ministry investment in their early years. Your availability, sensitivity, affection, and unhurried attention are irreplaceable.

There are no neutral moments in a young child’s life. Someone is going to be influencing your children, inculcating values and imprinting standards on their impressionable young minds. Let it be you!

Accept your calling from God to serve your family. As a mother, you are helping to shape the souls of your children for Christ and ultimately influence the world. Your children are your gift to the future.

Does this mean you will never invest in others outside your family? Goodness, no. But if you are a young mother, stay on mission. Use your primary ministry of mothering to serve Christ now. Don’t let anything diminish your unique role as a wife and mother. It is not godly guilt that would call you away from a wholehearted investment in your little ones for his sake.

This season in your life is just that—a season. And each season is a divine calling from our creator and king. Organizing a new event at church is important. Teaching your little boy to be kind to his sister is also important. But which one can best be done by you during this season? Serve God well by ministering to your children first. Very soon they will be grown and gone, and you will be unable to recapture the teachable moments you have now.

Mothers, listen to Psalm 78:4-7: “We will . . . tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders he has done . . . that the next generation might know . . . so that they should set their hope in God.”

taken from The Resurgence Blog

Bible Reading for Children

The Bible is full of sex.

That's kind of a shocking statement but it's actually really true. When my children were little and I wanted them to start reading the Bible I had a difficult time figuring out where it was "safe" for them to read. I carefully chose books and passages after I scanned them to make sure that I wouldn't have them reading stories about sex before they were mature enough. I didn't want Bible reading to bring up the topic earlier than I was prepared to have "the talk" with them.

As I scanned the Bible for books they could read I was actually quite shocked at how much sex is in the Bible. Wow. I hadn't looked at it through those eyes before. Even with carefully chosen passages I had to do some explaining....I came up with some vague explanations so that my kids could still read Scriptures. I gave them definitions that I could later expand upon.

Mom, what's a virgin? "a girl who isn't married yet" (in the Biblical sense this is true)

Mom, what's a prostitute? "a woman who is always chasing after men and isn't faithful to have one husband."

Mom, what's an adulterer? "a person who doesn't stay faithful to their own spouse. They flirt with other men/women and don't love just their own spouse. They usually end up divorced."

There have been many questions like these that I have tried to handle with truth and care. I'm not on the bandwagon of explaining reproduction to young children just because I'm worried that other people will tell my children first. Instead I've tried to protect them from being told too soon. I think that's part of my job as a parent...to protect my children not just physically but with information as well. I don't want them to worry about something or think about something longer than they have to before actually being married. Too much information too early can cause unnecessary worry or curiosity.

Oh be careful little eyes where you go.

Single and frustrated about it.....

Pray for single men and guard against bitterness. Society hardly encourages men to take initiative. Rather, they are told to shirk responsibility. Sitcom dads act like their children, and their wives treat them as such. No man wants that kind of family, so many fail to see the benefit of marriage. Today’s world works against Christian men who want to act biblically.

As their sisters in Christ, guard against resentment and bitterness. Instead, pray for these men. Pray for strong leaders to encourage them toward godliness. They need to be inspired to think outside of themselves and provoked to care for and lead others. They need courage. Pray that the Lord will give you wisdom to show appropriate love for them that will somehow encourage that very leadership they need to exercise. Pray, pray, pray.

Remember God’s providence. It may seem typical for me to tell you to pray and trust the Lord. But there’s no escaping reality: this is where our theology is put to work, when we see if it’s made of the right stuff. Let’s be thankful that the last word on your singleness is not left to guys who have too little courage, but to the God of the universe who has planned out its beginning to its end. Your singleness does not surprise God. It’s not a dilemma he needs to work around. It’s the very means to your holiness.

Whether single, dating, or married, pray that your heart is bent on complementing God’s means for your holiness and not kicking against it. Nothing better prepares you to trust the Lord in submitting to the leadership of your future husband than to trust the Lord when you are single.

Guard what you read and watch. Lots of books and movies marketed towards single women provoke selfishness, self-pity, and emotional indulgence. Guard your heart against being swept away with unbiblical emotions. Read books that promote a big vision of God and the gospel. Read books that prompt you to service. Encourage other single women in this as well.

Above all, pray for thankful hearts, because as far as the East is from the West, so far he has removed your sins. With hearts thankful for the good news of the gospel, you will be slow to think poorly of timid, single men and trust God’s good intentions for your life. As the Lord has been gracious and patient with your sin, be patient and gracious to single men, who are battling against the world’s enticements in order to be godly and courageous.

Taken from this post by John Starke

why a daughter needs a dad

A daughter needs a dad...

1. to show her that true love is unconditional
2. to teach her that her value as a person is more than the way she looks
3. to teach her that family is more important than work
4. to show her that a man can be trustworthy
5. to be the safe spot she can always turn to
6. to teach her that a man’s strength is not the force of his hands or his voice, but the kindness of his heart
7. to be the standard against which she will judge all men
8. to help her take risks that will build her confidence
9. to hold her when she cries
10. to teach her she is important by stopping what he is doing to watch her

Why A Daughter Needs A Dad: 100 Reasons by Gregory E. Lang

your wedding dress

Don't ever get rid of your wedding dress.

What a treasure of memories. Nothing more symbolizes the day of your unity to your daughter than your wedding dress. It represents the new identity you are clothing yourself to be in your husband. Your wedding dress conveys all that is feminine and represents your role as a woman. Your wedding ceremony is a foundation of godly marriage for the generations to come after you. At the alter you repeat the vows that generations of others before you have promised. You stand with others before you who have upheld God's design for marriage. By these vows you are united not only to each other but to the institution of marriage that God designed to represent His relationship with us. Becoming one flesh you set aside your previous identity and become this one man's helpmate. You wear a white dress to present yourself spiritually pure to the new leader of the home you will diligently manage. You wear a white dress adorned with beautiful elements to display your own beauty...the gift that you are to your husband. He will treasure that image of you in your wedding dress for the rest of his life.

Treasure your dress.
Preserve it.
Bring it out from time to time to remind yourself of that momentous day.
Show it to your daughters.
Let your daughters dress up in it and imagine themselves one day taking the vows that generations before them have girded themselves up with.
If you don't have daughters you may not know what it may one day mean to your daughter-in-law...

If you can't afford to have your dress preserved, the best thing you can do is to store it in black trash bags. This way it is protected from the light. This will help it not turn yellow with age. Keep it stored in a dry place where it can not mold. Keep bugs and moths away from it by storing it in a cedar chest or by placing cedar blocks around it. If you can afford to, you should at least have it cleaned after your wedding. Take it to an experienced dry cleaner.