Memorize-It Monday

 John 10:27 - My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.


Mark 1:14-15 - After John was put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.  "The time has come," he said.  "The kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the good news!"

Let's break this down . . .

This week during our Mothers Together meeting we are going to learn more about being a disciple of Christ and hear about a tool that will help us become better listeners of what God is trying to say to us.  We will call this tool "The Learning Circle".  Being able to more confidently recognize the Lord's voice and know when God is at work in our lives helps us to love Him with our all (our focus for this year in MT) and experience growth.  We are better equipped to:

• Accept His love
• Love Him back with more certainty
• Love ourselves for how God created us
• Love others with more passion

Key words related to the scripture above (as explained in Building A Discipling Culture by Mike Breen and Steve Cockram):

• Disciple:  Jesus followers; involves a lifestyle of learning; involves a daily process of laying down our lives to follow Jesus
• My sheep: Jesus speaking about those who follow him
  
• I know them: evidence of intimacy between Jesus and his followers (his sheep or flock); similar to how God knows Jesus and Jesus knows God and the reason Jesus was willing to lay down his life for us.
• The time has come: a great opportunity is available
• The kingdom of God is near: God's kingdom is within reach for all of us and so is an encounter with God's presence
• Repent: a process to change one's mind; change of heart that results in a lifestyle or behavior change; 'Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" (James 5:16)
• Believe: Having faith that change is possible with God's help; Faith is action (James 2:14; 17-18)

Focus Friday

Go through the handouts from Wednesday and come up with your rallying cry and objectives.  What does your family need to thrive?

Think-On-It Thursday

PARENTING WITH IDOLS

In trying to make myself feel like a better mom, I really blew it with my kids.

The thing about my kids is that, in many areas, they seem to lag behind their peers.  And I let it bother me. While all the other girls in dance class do their perfect renditions of Swan Lake, my six-year-old daughter is chasing feathers from her boa and taking her twirl five seconds too late, skipping three other moves.  At soccer, I actually overhear other parents of soccer stars criticizing my parenting (I don't practice with her enough) because she can't dribble (is that the right word??) as well as their daughters... in voices just loud enough to make sure I hear their disapproval.  And I feel attacked.

While all the other boys are speaking in clear sentences and honing their fine motor skills with precision, my near four-year-old son is struggling to put final consonants on his speech, hasn't picked a hand to favor, and is receiving early intervention. 

Don't get me wrong, my kids have plenty of strengths too. The problem is, I get so caught up on the abilities my kids lack that I let comparison creep in, and I shame myself.  I hear this voice (yes, those soccer parents' voices) saying, "You don't do enough to teach them; it's your fault; if only you were a better parent."  And out of my own self-blame, I get frustrated... at my kids.

It reared its ugly head one day when I was trying so desperately hard to help my daughter overcome her fear of riding a bike that I became Tiger Mom.  She is so close, and yet it's the grip of fear that stops her every time.  I get mad about this.  Mad at her fear, yes, but mostly, mad that she doesn't measure up to my expectations (who's really afraid?), which I've adopted from the expectations and experiences of others.  She needs time, but I'm too begrudging to give it.  And what's meant to be a joy of childhood freedom becomes a battle that binds joy.  And it's not right.  And it's not good.

I apologized to my daughter for being so demanding with the bike, gave her a hug, and told her I would work on being more kind and patient with her.  She didn't seem too battle worn, but my spirit ached inside of me. Why do I yearn so much for the approval of others, especially in the way I parent?

The other day, I heard powerful words that stung me:

"GOD, BAPTISE ME IN THE CRITICISM OF MAN TO INOCULATE ME FROM THE APPROVAL OF MAN."

Can I get an Amen?! (Oh wait... there I go, asking for approval again.)

With a lot of soul-searching, I’ve realized this need for approval stems from two other problems: pride (pride that I’m a stay at home mom, that I write for a parenting magazine, that my husband’s a child psychologist… added pressure that our kids are supposed to be perfect, of course), and the idolatry of misplaced priorities: worrying more about my kids’ talents and nebulous developmental milestones than I sometimes do about the most important thing, their spiritual development. It’s the old “big rocks little rocks” analogy—I fill the cup of life with the little rocks first, and the big rocks are almost squeezed out. 

But slowly, one day at a time, I’m changing my course.  And to hold the rudder steady, I’ve adopted a new prayer:

"I HAVE NO GREATER JOY THAN TO HEAR MY CHILDREN ARE WALKING IN THE TRUTH." ~3 John 1:4

Today, I'm wading into those vulnerable waters; washing off my toxic need for approval; and tearing down parenting idols to give God the throne over my family again.  Because life's too short to worry about dribbling a dang soccer ball.

~Wendy Connelly

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Whose Day Tuesday

Whose Day Highlight: Allison P.
Family Stats: Married with 4 kids
Spiritual Pathways: Relational
Books that you love: The Mark of the Lion series
Can't Live Without: QT diet Dr. Pepper
Favorite Room: Whatever room my denim chair and ottoman is in--my favorite chair for nursing, reading, surfing the web, etc.
Favorite Tradition: Love to throw my kids' towels in the dryer during bathtime in the winter

Memorize-It Monday

Philippians 2:1-5 (NIV)

Imitating Christ’s Humility
 1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Guest Speakers - Dan and Elise Deeble

• Family stats- we are a Jesus-centered, adoptive (& trans-racial) family with three daughters 18-months apart.  We value kindness, forgiveness, and maintaining healthy boundaries and life margin so that our relationships can thrive.  (psst.  this is our “unique statement” that we’ll be teaching on)
• Spiritual gifts –dan:  teaching, creative comm, leadership   Elise:  leadership, discernment, wisdom, administration
• Spiritual Pathways- Dan:  intellect/nature/aesthetic    Elise:  worship
• Passions-  Dan:  waffle ball, Frisbee golf, coffee    Elise:  wearing a tool belt
• Pet peeves-  Dan:  people who call me during the day on the phone will driving in the car, with nothing but time to talk.    Elise:  Dan going through a buffet line.
• Secret shames-  Dan:  my feet.  Ugly, ugly dawgs.   Elise:  never envisioned herself being a pastor’s spouse.  A doctor’s spouse, perhaps, but not a pastor’s.  
• Book that you love-  Dan:  anything by Mark Buchanan.  Elise:  Hunger Games.  (Okay, Beth Moore too).
• “Can’t live without” or “Favorite Things” - unfortunately we’re fans of “A Good Wife”…we can’t condone it, we just can’t stop watching it.  We love the cracked pepper pistachio nuts from Costco.  We love simple spring evenings on our back deck.  We love it when our girls are down.  We love Peet’s coffee, carefully pressed.  We love to roadtrip.  We love bread.   
• Favorite room in your house- family room.
• Favorite tradition- something you do personally or with your family and does not have to be related to a holiday  We love to ask “highs and lows” at the dinner table. 

Whose Day Tuesday

Whose Day Highlight: Kristi S.
Family Stats: husband Dave, 2 daughters Jadyn (5) and Maci (4)
Spiritual Gifts: Mercy, Intercession, Helps
Spiritual Pathways: Worship, Contemplative
Passions: Dance, helping hurting people heal, children and families
Pet Peeves: Whiny kids (especially when they're mine)
Secret Shames: I would eat out at every meal if I could
Books that you love: Redeeming Love, True Faced, Abba's Child, How Children Raise Parents
Can't Live Without: Music
Favorite Room: Living Room

This week

Mothers Together will not be meeting this week, but will resume on Wednesday, April 25.

Focus Friday

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." Prov. 24:12 

What does this verse mean to you?  How can you apply it to your life today?

Think On It Thursday

How do I describe landing on foreign soil,
sitting on an old rusted school chair in the back of an open milk truck,
traveling through a forgotten city,
watching a new world unfold before my eyes?

The heat bore down on my bare arms,
the smell of hot trash overwhelming me,
the city in ruins breaking my heart
and the people…
Everywhere,
Hungry,
Homeless,
Naked,
Forgotten…
they filled the streets.

This is the country of Haiti.

We traveled over an hour before we reached our final destination,
Canaan Community, an orphanage.
We stepped out of our truck,
relieved the old rusted truck didn’t break down before our arrival,
and we waited…
Slowly, little faces appeared,
peaking around corners and standing in doorways.
Curiosity wins over apprehension
and they soon approached us.
It’s not long before I feel little warm hands on my back,
heads in my lap,
fingers through my hair
and hearts entangling with mine.

Here is where I met and fell in love with many abandoned children,
abandoned by their parents, but not forgotten by their God.
They are fought and cared for because
God called his people to love the forgotten,
to fight for the broken hearted…
And a couple, Gladys and Henri responded,
“Here am I Lord, send me.”

As I watched this couple live and love like Jesus,
I wanted to become more like them,
Seeking HIM,
Hearing HIM,
Obeying HIM,
and opening my heart to a world in need.

If you read the Bible, it doesn’t take long understand God’s heart for the forgotten,
the poor, the orphan, and the widow.
He has called us to open our hands, to give generously,
to spend our lives on behalf of them…

However, you don’t have to travel over oceans to love the forgotten.
They fill our neighborhoods, our cities and our countries.
Ask God to open your heart to the world around you in need,

Open your bibles and read these scriptures. They beautifully articulate God’s heart for the forgotten, forgotten by this world…

Not forgotten by their Creator.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11

Isaiah 58:6-11

Ezekiel 34: 2-4

I John 3: 17-20



~written by Rachel McKenna

Wisdom Wednesday

"Journey to the Forgotten"
Speaker: Jami Kaeb

Today Jami Kaeb will be with us helping us take a deeper look at how God asks us to remember and care for those who may be forgotten in our community and world. Included below are some references from her talk.

Jami’s blog: www.lifewithapersonalgod.blogspot.com

Ministry Site: www.theforgotteninitiative.org

Video references:

• “The C.A.L.L.”
• The RUNNER
• Date with Daddy

Read these verses and the surrounding verses. What are the facts about what God is saying in these verses? How do they apply to you, the Body of Christ?
"Once our eyes were opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." Prov. 24:12
"Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help." Isaiah 58:7

Discussion Questions

1. Read PS. 139: 13-18. Have you embraced the fact that you are precious to God? Why or Why not? How does this knowledge influence the way you live your life? How about how you look at or see others?
2. Do you believe it is difficult to be authentic with others? Why or why not? What benefits come with living an authentic life with others and God? Share one road block preventing you from living authentically and identify an action you can take this week to overcome it.
3. There are many who feel forgotten in your own community. Discuss those in our KC area who may be forgotten. What is one tangible way you can reach out to them or more specifically to your local foster care community?
4. Discuss as a group the role Jesus plays in your life and whether you are content in your current relationship with him. If not, define and share one way you are going to pursue intimacy with our risen Christ or learn more about Him.

- Is he a historical figure that was a great leader?
- Is he your savior?
- Do you view him as a God of rules?
- Do you see him as a loving, tender God?

Whose Day Tuesday

Whose Day Highlight: April C.
Family Stats: Husband Mike, kids Macy and Miles (7 yr old twins)
Spiritual Gifts: Leadership, Hospitality, Giving
Spiritual Pathways: Relational and Serving
Passions: Serving, giving, entertaining, travel!
Pet Peeves: When people don't do their part
Books that you love: The Help, The Hunger Games
Can't Live Without: My husband, coffee, friends and family
Favorite Room: Kitchen... love to gather with friends and family
Favorite Tradition: Family Game Night!, Memory Jar-jot down memories throughout the year and read on Christmas Eve

Memorize-It Monday

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
I can't even count them;
They outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
You are still with me!

~Psalm 139:17-18

Guest Speaker -Jami Kaeb

Meet our speaker for this coming Wednesday. She will be speaking to us about how God worked in her life to see others through His eyes and to love the Forgotten among us.

Jami Kaeb has an enthusiasm and passion for the Lord that spills over onto those she meets. She shares from her life with authenticity and humor in a way that others relate to. Jami lives in Bloomington, IL with her husband Clint and their six children, three of whom they are adopting from foster care. She is also founder of The Forgotten Initiative, which is a ministry dedicated to bringing joy and purpose to the foster care community.

Jami’s blog: www.lifewithapersonalgod.blogspot.com

Ministry Site: www.theforgotteninitiative.org

Seder Meal Inspiration

As many of you know we were not able to host our Seder Meal this past Wednesday. In lieu of that we want to offer some background information and inspiration from a free publication put out by Focus on the Family in case you want to learn more about it and maybe even put on a Seder for your family.

From the Thriving Family publication -
"From the Passover Lamb to the Lamb of God"

Thanks Liz S for this tip!!!