Caught Up in God's Time

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I figure we have all been there as moms. Hectically trying to keep to a schedule. Time. The clock. In these moments, we get stuck in all we have to do. All we have to remember. There is not enough time, not enough sticky notes to remind us, not enough hands, not enough energy. Not enough. This anxiety, this worry, this fear of imperfection, captured my mind, heart and soul only a few weeks ago as I busily readied myself and my 8 month old son for our first Mother’s Together of this year. What to wear, what to dress him in, what to eat, what to pack things in, what to pack and more. All to accomplish within an hour or so, and would I remember it all? My mind was so intently focused on these things… as if they actually mattered. And do they? Really? It was only once I had everything in the car, including my son (don’t want to forget him) and was driving down the road, I realized the answer. These things didn’t matter. I took a deep breath and sighed. Phew!  

You see, as I took the gravel road on my lengthy drive to church, I was blown away by something I hadn’t seen yet this summer. Not sure how I missed it. I must not take this route as often as I thought. Sunflowers. Bright yellow faces pointing upward. Basking in the light that poured upon them from the sun. Not just a few but acres of them. Fields of them. Hundreds of thousands of sunflowers. My favorite flower. I was captivated by God in this moment. I stopped. I had to capture this moment with a picture. As I continued down the road and the hills continued to spill out yellow, I recognized God’s kairos timing. You see, I was caught up in chronos - clock time. In their book Building a Discipling Culture, Mike Breen and Steve Cockram discuss the difference between kairos time and chronos time (ch. 6). His breakthrough moments versus our constantly-counted minutes. 

Five minutes to do my hair (that is a joke), two minutes to pick out an outfit, fifteen minutes to feed my son, three minutes to pack the diaper bag, forty minutes to get to church etc.  But God’s timing, kairos, is not bound by the clock that my life is so devastatingly driven by. He interrupts our lives to speak to us. To help us grow. And if we hurry and worry and fret we will miss it. We will miss the opportunity to observe His beauty, His movement in our life, His work. We will miss the opportunity to reflect upon what he is saying and doing in our lives. We will miss the opportunity to look up to Him desperate for His love and grace and peace and allow Him to pour into us His word, His compassion, His will. Just as the sunflowers do with the sun. I almost missed it! 

Since this morning, I have seen this field a few more times and it is interesting how downtrodden they seem when the sun is not shining and contrastingly, how uplifted they are when it is. This observation led me to ask a metaphorical question; are we sunflowers with God? When we are not receiving His light are we downtrodden? When we are so busy with the details of the life this world thinks we should live and miss His voice, His touch, His plan do our faces seem to hang low? And yet, just like the sun, He is always there. Sometimes we allow things in our lives to become the clouds that keep us from receiving His light. We allow them to become the darkness that keeps our faces from Him. Keeps us from hearing His voice, feeling His touch, seeing His will. Yet He is always there. 

 “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (NIV, Hebrews 4:7). Soften our hearts then? Allow His voice to speak into us. His word to speak into us. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (NIV, Hebrews 4:12).  When God interrupts our lives, an opportunity presents itself for us to grow. Kairos. It can seem scary to open our hearts to God in these moments, especially when these moments evoke negative emotions. Scary to begin the learning process. Scary to find out what is deep in our hearts, that really, He already knows. We are just unaware. Yet in these kairos moments, we can observe, we can reflect. We can talk with others we trust and who are walking with God to learn more about what God is saying to us and then figure out what He wants us to do about it. Also scary.  

God is good though. He gave us the great Comforter. The holy spirit of Jesus. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet was without sin” (NIV, Hebrews 4:15). Jesus has gone before us. Jesus understands us. Jesus has been there too. Therefore we can fully rely on Him in our brokenness because He is without sin. So as we lift our faces like sunflowers to God, in these kairos moments, resting in Jesus, we can find confidence to approach God and soften our hearts to hear His voice. “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (NIV, Hebrews 4:16). In our time of need. Approach Him. The sunflower needs the sun to grow. We need God to grow. It is in our time of need that we can grow the most. This chronos time of need, this time based on our clock, can become His time to shine. His grace upon our faces so we can be uplifted. Uplifted for His glory. It is my prayer to be caught up in His time. The kairos. To let go of my time. Chronos. To lift my eyes to Him in confidence of finding mercy and grace. And grow. Like the sunflower. 

- Tami I.

Breen, Mike, and Steve Cockram. Building a Discipling Culture. 

Pawleys Island, SC: 3 Dimension Ministries, 2009. Print.

Fall Fun

Fall is by far my absolute FAVORITE time of year.  I love everything about it, from the yummy fall foods to the crisp, cool weather (although we aren’t totally there yet…) to the beautiful colors of the foliage.  There are also so many creative, fun activities you can do with your children and as a family, just another one of my many reasons for loving this time of year!

In case it’s not your favorite time of year or you are stuck for ideas, here are a few to get you started:

*Rake leaves just for the sake of letting your children jump in the piles. It’s definitely more work for you (just consider it extra exercise!) but so much fun for the kids.  Who doesn’t remember jumping into a pile of leaves as a child and loving it?!

*Visit an apple orchard.  We really like Cider Hill Family Orchard, butthere are loads around the metro area.  I think there is something super cool and special about traipsing around an orchard, picking your own apples, tasting them along the way, and then bringing them home to make yummy treats with.  A few apple recipes we enjoy are apple crisp, homemade applesauce, apple muffins (I particularly like this one from Spark People http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=488687), and simply slicing them up for an afternoon snack.  You can also taste test different kinds of apples or do apple print making…the possibilities are endless!

*Go on a hayride

*Take a nature walk and collect different leaves from your neighborhood. Make leaf rubbings or a giant graph displaying the different kinds of leaves you found.  You can also make a collage by ironing the leaves in between two pieces of wax paper.  Sprinkle shaved crayon in and around the leaves before ironing for added fun!  

*Campout in your own backyard…or at least make smores over a campfire!  If you don’t want to, or have the means to campout, lay out a blanket, bundle up and stargaze while sipping hot cocoa or tea instead.

*Visit a pumpkin patch.  Again, just like apple picking, visiting a real pumpkin patch is a unique and entertaining activity the whole family can enjoy.  Once you’ve chosen pumpkins, head home to continue the fun. Pumpkins are math and science excitement waiting to happen…weigh, measure the circumference, count the lines, try a sink or float experiment, generate comparisons between each family member’s pumpkin.  Eachperson can make an estimate first, then actually find the correct answer.  What a fun, non-threatening way to be competitive as a family!  Don’t forget to buy a few extra pumpkins for the sheer pleasure of decorating.  Whether it’s carving, painting, glittering, or another option, it’s bound to get creative juices flowing and bring out lots of smiles too!  Go online to KCParent.com for the low down on all the area pumpkin patches.

*Since October is Fire Safety Month take the opportunity to develop, review, and discuss your own emergency plan at your house.  Visit your local fire station for a tour as well.  In fact, take them some of those apple muffins you’ve made by now, or a freshly and creatively decorated pumpkin!

I hope you’ll have some fun this fall and maybe try one new activity whether it be from this list or not.  I’d love to hear how you celebrate fall with your family too, so come and find me sometime!

Happy Fall!

Julie Collett

Faith Over Fear

Faith Over Fear

It takes some serious courage to live out your life in faith and not fear.  The author of Chase, Jennie Allen, brings up a great point, “Fear has so captivated our minds we don’t even recognize it anymore.  It’s just how we think.” 

In 1 Samuel 17: 36-37 we get a glimpse into a faith over fear moment in David’s life.  In Verse 37 David declares, “the Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine.”  David trusted God and trusted in who God created him to be when he stepped in the path of a blood-thirsty giant.  Imagine the many fears that could have kept David from acting on his faith. 

In what areas of your life is fear trumping faith? Imagine what those situations might look like if you were to seek God’s wisdom and obediently step out in faith on His promises. Start praying today and asking God to uncover those deep rooted fears and invite a friend to join along in praying for you. 

Psalm 27

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

Whom Shall I fear?

Jena M.

Building into Tomorrow's Wives and Mothers

Recently I attended a conference, and during one session the presenter quoted some research about the experiences from our youth that shaped our adult faith lives.  Looking around the room, I recognized surprise and shock on many of the faces around me.  The statistic that impacted the crowd the most, probably because it was found to be the biggest faith shaping factor, an adult (other than mom and dad) pouring into and supporting them.  

The shock was lost on me.  For some reason, when I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior just a few short years ago, I recognized and even grieved that my teenage self hadn’t known the Lord.  Almost instantly, I was convinced that if someone near me had been modelling a faith filled life, been loving on me, and sharing the Good News, then I wouldn’t have struggled with depression, my identity, and peer pressure so much.  

I felt so convicted of this fact, that it ignited a fiery passion deep in my heart for the youth today.  It isn't lost on me that my oldest son is embarking on this stage of life also.  Due to our heavy involvement in Boy Scouts, I have already witnessed the power of a man, other than his father, speaking into his life.  I felt the call to be that other woman speaking into the lives of tomorrow’s wives and mothers.  

For the last 3+ years, I’ve walked alongside a core group of 10 young ladies.  Honored to have watched them grow in every facet of their being, I've helped them navigate many questions and circumstances over the years.  I love them; they are family to me, and I to them, family God has provided for us.  Yes, it’s hard to see them struggle with who they are and who God is calling them to be, but because of the investment I’ve made, they trust me to speak into those places.  

The shock, to me, is that people overlook this age group.  Everyone enjoys loving on the infants and toddlers, or maybe singing and dancing with the preschoolers and elementary age kiddos, but the hormone enraged tweens and teens?!?!  People wonder what exactly can they do with them?  Let me tell you!  Being the only girl in my nuclear family, I have enjoyed an annual sleepover, painting nails, watching girly movies, and many many hours of great conversations that have brought me much laughter and a few sweet tears.  It never ceases to amaze me that this group of teenage girls actually wants to hang out with thirtysomething me!  It’s fun, often heartbreakingly sweet and vulnerable, and proven to be life changing for us all.

I am blessed to be in this stage of life that allows me to have the time to invest in them and when many do not have the same opportunity.  My hope is that my story would inspire us all to encourage these types of relationships for our own children and to anxiously await the call to be this person to a teenager in the future.  

- Nanette H.

Covenant Prayer

The Wesleyan Covenant Prayer

Last week, our family meandered the trails behind Deanna Rose Farmstead to visit the mysterious fairy houses sprouting up among the trees. To the east of Switzer, a fairy house boasts a mailbox where kids leave messages that the fairy, R.T., dutifully answers back. To the west of Switzer are two more fairy homes. When we explored the second to the west (just past the bridge and behind the golf course), we opened the tiny red door to discover a basket inside with the fairy's favorite prayer on an emerald green card. It just happened to be my favorite prayer too, and the one I say everyday. The kids were delighted as together we knelt down mid-walk, and read these words aloud:

I am no longer my own, but thine

Put me to what thou wilt

Rank me with whom thou wilt

Put me to doing; put me to suffering

Let me be employed by thee, or laid aside for thee

Exalted for thee, or brought low for thee

Let me be full, let me be empty

Let me have all things, let me have nothing

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal

And now, O glorious and blessed God

Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Thou art mine, and I am thine

So be it

And the covenant which I have made on earth

Let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

I should have guessed that this mysterious sprite bringing such joy and wonder to the children of Overland Park loved our God, too.

-Wendy Connelly

Walking Prayer

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¹⁸ Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 

Deuteronomy 11:18-19

The walk to school is short one.  We only live a block from our elementary school.  But over the years, I’ve come to realize that those five minutes with my boys can be a time that God can use in our lives.  I have those five minutes between the frantic morning route and releasing them into our neighborhood school to pray with them.

Pray and walk.  Talk and pray.  My prayers aren’t long and if you were watching us as we walk up the hill, you most likely wouldn’t even know that we were talking to our Heavenly Father.  We don’t bow our heads and we never stop moving forward.  However, God says in Deuteronomy ”to teach our children as we walk along the road”, so that is what we do.  And, now that I drive my middle schooler, we pray and drive too.  You can thank me later for not bowing my head or closing my eyes.  We just talk to God and invite him into our day.

Here is what I pray:

Father, be with us today.  Help us to love those around us as You love us.  Build into us the fruit of your Spirit:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self control.  Be with the teachers and principal and help them do their best.  Use us today to be your hands and feet in this world.

This leads to other conversations too. I find that by quieting our hearts in the morning, the boys open up their thoughts to me so that I can pray for them and continue to raise them into the young men that God designed them to be. 

So together we walk: God, the boys and me.

- Liz S.

Why We Gather

Psalm 105: 1-4

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations what he has done.
 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
    tell of all his wonderful acts.
  Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
  Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek his face always.

Since we are starting off our year studying the life of King David and how he lived chasing the heart of God I thought it fitting that we look at this Psalm.  It reminds me of why we set aside Wednesday mornings to come together, and what our ultimate purpose is as a community. 

Our ultimate purpose, like David, is to seek God. 

We seek Him by calling upon his name.

We seek him through worship.

We seek him and our hearts rejoice.

We seek him and gain spiritual strength.

We...his beloved daughters...have the intimate privilege of seeking his face.

Whether tomorrow will be your first step into Mothers Together or the start of your sixth year, David reminds us that we are to seek his face always.  Always.  In case we grow stagnant, in case we assume our own righteousness, in case we fear he doesn't want to be near us, David reminds us that we can step into the presence of the Creator of the universe, Redeemer of our lives, and Heavenly Father and come face to face with him.  I love it when I can look into the eyes of my children and remind them of how loved and adored they are and I think God desires to do the same with us. 

So let's journey together this year and see how this renewing and transformational relationship God is offering us through his own son, Jesus, has ties to a shepherd boy named David, who when God looked at his heart, saw not a father's last choice or a boy fit for sheep tending, but a mighty warrior king purposed to rule God's people.

Excited to seek alongside each of you!

Jena Meyerpeter