I love to read, and I am currently reading a book I've had for a while. I was given a copy of Rachel Cruze's Love Your Life, Not Theirs. I LOVE it. Ever since right before marriage I've been a big Dave Ramsey fan (thanks to an accountant husband who listens to Dave). I'm not far into her book yet, but I'm really really loving it. Rachel has not even begun to speak of financial principles yet, but is delving into a huge problem in the world today. The problem of comparison.
This is such an easy trap to fall into. We see everyone's highlight real on facebook and instagram. Pinterest is a social media platform I would not have said opens the door for comparison. I use pinterest mainly to gather new recipe ideas depending on how my husband and I are choosing to eat at any given moment. However, I do occasionally pin décor ideas and "pretty" things and food. While it does not always lead me down a road of comparison, it definitely can leave me a little unsettled. I'll pin DIY ideas that I never DIY. Later, the thought of what I left undone makes me feel like a failure.
Why do we compare ourselves to each other? To our friends, or the professional blogger just a click away?
I am learning much about the Lord through time spent in his word, and the theme of today's lesson in Discerning the Voice of God is that God is truth. Everything he says is true because that is his nature. Priscilla makes the point that Ice is Water. Ice cannot exist apart from water. God is truth, he cannot exist apart from truth. Therefore, what God says about me must be true.
I have become the righteousness of God in Christ:
God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places:
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).
I could go on, but I'll stop there. Because it MUST be true that I have become the righteousness of Christ and have received spiritual blessings, there is NO room for comparing myself with others.
Striving to do my best and live as a good steward of my resources is valuable. Comparing myself with others is not.
I find myself falling into that trap as a mom. However, I am learning to rest in the truth found in God's word.
Thursday, April 5, 2018
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Blessings in Disguise
A few years ago I was in a terrible car accident and sustained a severe traumatic brain injury TBI. I did not know what a TBI was before that fateful day, and there is still much to know about brain injuries. What I did learn is what a complex and amazing organ the brain is. There must be a God and he must have created us. You could not convince me otherwise now that I have learned how amazing the organ in my head I had always taken for granted really is.
Without going into too much detail about the car accident, it left me out of work for an extended period of time, with no promise of when I could return to work, or normal life.
In the interim time period between the accident and waiting to see what our new normal looked like, my husband and I learned to live on his income. As I was beginning to step back into work, we learned I was pregnant! As the accident occurred right as we were hoping and planning for kids, this was welcome news. Because we were already living on 1 income, and I had not yet returned to full time work, we decided I would stay at home with our kiddos.
Being a stay-at-home-mom was never something I aspired too. I LOVE kids and have been desiring children for as long as I can remember. However, I learned that I receive much of my worth and validation from being successful in the work place. Being a successful, working mom has always been my plan. If anything I'd given thought to working only part-time if finances allowed. Being home full time was NOT my plan.
It was God's plan.
Through it all I have LOVED and cherished all the time I have with my son and all the ways we can bond as I care for him on a day-to-day basis. Staying at home with him is something I will never take for granted. I may not have chosen this role, but it is better than any "career" plan I would have chosen for myself.
Another HUGE blessing of the accident/staying home etc. is my relationship with the Lord.
I'll never forget the day I asked Jesus into my heart and truly believed in him as my savior, but I've never devoted true time to learning about God's character. I've devoted lots of time to learning "things" or leaning about biblical history or stories, going on mission trips, etc., but not time basking in his presence. Staying home with my son has opened up doors I would not have imagined. I'm currently in a bible study with some other amazing stay-at-home mom's. We are walking through Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God. Yesterday's lesson was eye opening for me. Priscilla is talking about hearing from God and I love this piece of wisdom:
"When God chooses to speak to us, His Word will always in some way be designed to point us to Him and open up our understanding so that we can experience Him more fully.Without knowledge of the nature of God, obedience to Him becomes more difficult, if not impossible. The more you know and believe to be true about who God is and what He can do, the more willing you become to obey what He commands."
She continues talk about how it is more important to seek God, in order to know him more fully, as opposed to just seeking the answer to our problem.
This season of life has allowed me the opportunity to read through the Bible. While I have often felt it was futile as I was not really studying as I was reading, I am learning, through Priscilla's teaching, that just sitting in God's presence is helping me to grow in relationship with Him.
There is ALWAYS a silver lining.
Without going into too much detail about the car accident, it left me out of work for an extended period of time, with no promise of when I could return to work, or normal life.
In the interim time period between the accident and waiting to see what our new normal looked like, my husband and I learned to live on his income. As I was beginning to step back into work, we learned I was pregnant! As the accident occurred right as we were hoping and planning for kids, this was welcome news. Because we were already living on 1 income, and I had not yet returned to full time work, we decided I would stay at home with our kiddos.
Being a stay-at-home-mom was never something I aspired too. I LOVE kids and have been desiring children for as long as I can remember. However, I learned that I receive much of my worth and validation from being successful in the work place. Being a successful, working mom has always been my plan. If anything I'd given thought to working only part-time if finances allowed. Being home full time was NOT my plan.
It was God's plan.
Through it all I have LOVED and cherished all the time I have with my son and all the ways we can bond as I care for him on a day-to-day basis. Staying at home with him is something I will never take for granted. I may not have chosen this role, but it is better than any "career" plan I would have chosen for myself.
Another HUGE blessing of the accident/staying home etc. is my relationship with the Lord.
I'll never forget the day I asked Jesus into my heart and truly believed in him as my savior, but I've never devoted true time to learning about God's character. I've devoted lots of time to learning "things" or leaning about biblical history or stories, going on mission trips, etc., but not time basking in his presence. Staying home with my son has opened up doors I would not have imagined. I'm currently in a bible study with some other amazing stay-at-home mom's. We are walking through Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God. Yesterday's lesson was eye opening for me. Priscilla is talking about hearing from God and I love this piece of wisdom:
"When God chooses to speak to us, His Word will always in some way be designed to point us to Him and open up our understanding so that we can experience Him more fully.Without knowledge of the nature of God, obedience to Him becomes more difficult, if not impossible. The more you know and believe to be true about who God is and what He can do, the more willing you become to obey what He commands."
She continues talk about how it is more important to seek God, in order to know him more fully, as opposed to just seeking the answer to our problem.
This season of life has allowed me the opportunity to read through the Bible. While I have often felt it was futile as I was not really studying as I was reading, I am learning, through Priscilla's teaching, that just sitting in God's presence is helping me to grow in relationship with Him.
There is ALWAYS a silver lining.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)