Scary Beautiful

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As women we know how important friendships can be.  As Christ-followers with a posture of authenticity to foster discipleship we know how scary friendships can be - they require you to open up your heart, your mind, your soul, and your home to another person.  The beautiful thing is that precious fruit can come from that kind of vulnerability.

Lysa TerKeurst, author of Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions, recently wrote about The Friendship Challenge over at Proverbs 31 Ministries.  Her insightful piece acknowledges the risk inherent in friendship, but challenges us to look for someone in our lives we can, "make an investment in."  Someone, "who might benefit from seeing a little more of your tenderness, transparency, and authenticity."  Isn't that what we've said discipling relationships are sustained by?

So, I challenge you - read her post.  Find "someone who might be worth a risk."

50 Simple Ways to Show Your Daughter You Love Her

                         www.kcparent.com

This week head over to KC Parent and learn 50 Simple Ways to Show Your Daughter You Love Her from our lovely Jena Meyerpeter.  She has some amazing suggestions that will work with a variety of ages.  How do you show your daughter you love her?

Naomi Finished Well

Sheaves of wheat / © Dnkstudio | Dreamstime.com

The book of Ruth in the Bible is a story of God's grace in the midst of difficult circumstances and Ruth and Naomi are at the heart of this particular story.  Their lives occurred during the time of judges - a period of disobedience, idolatry, and violence.  Even in times of crisis and deepest despair, there are those who follow God and through whom God works.  Naomi was one of those even though she endured great hard ship.  She loved and cared for Ruth, her widowed daughter-in-law.  Ruth loved Naomi and was drawn to her and to the God Naomi worshiped.  ". . . Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God."  (Ruth 1:16).  Naomi's life was a powerful witness to the reality of God.   

Ruth and Naomi's story is one of faithfulness, kindness, integrity, protection, and blessing.  Join us today as Frann takes us deeper into this story.  Then read it for yourself and be encouraged that God is at work in the world, and he wants to use you.  God could use you, as he used Naomi, to bring family and friends to him.  

Lesson from Ruth and Naomi's lives:

God's living presence in a relationship overcomes differences that might otherwise create division and disharmony.

Romans 8:28:

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Philippians 4:8

8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Click HERE for today's scripture reference sheet and discussion questions. 

Source:  Life Application Bible NIV, Summary of the Book fo Ruth and Profile of Ruth and Naomi

Connection through Suffering

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We as human beings, are connected through our pain and suffering. Though I don’t want to watch my children suffer – and I pray for healing and know that God moves and answers prayer and that prayer is powerful – I hear Him say suffering is necessary. Why? Although God will work all things together for the good for those who love him, (Romans 8:28 (NLT) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.) He does not exempt us or our children from suffering because, after all, that is how we connect and that is how character is built.

My daughter, 8, has struggled with self esteem for quite awhile and although God is guiding me in new ways to help her, he has shown me recently, that her self-esteem problem is not a failure in my position as her mother (which I felt deeply and to my dismay that it was), but a character building difficulty that will produce in her empathy, compassion, and love for others who are struggling. Although her past has not been perfect, due to my mistakes and the mistakes of others, it’s Satan who would like me to believe I’ve failed – it’s God who is telling me to trust that He has her in His hands and knows what He is doing in her life. God knows her future and is preparing her even today for the purpose for which he has called her. (2 Timothy 1:9 (NKJV) who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.) She will not be a “mean girl” – but already has compassion for those who are hurting.

 

As women, we feel connected to each other when we are vulnerable. When we hear that each other’s marriages aren’t perfect, house is chaotic, and insecurities in all areas are running rampant, that's our connection. No one feels a deep connection to someone else because they seem “perfect” and their life looks put together. We connect through pain. “You had a father that suffered from psychosis? Me too.”  “You wonder if you have any real gifts or talents to share? Me too.” “You wonder if anyone really cares to hear you talk about your pain? Me too.”

The foundation for our connection to each other is the commonality of human suffering. Even Jesus came to connect with us through our common suffering. Why should we be any different? (Hebrews 2:10 (NLT) God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.)

Our children and our lives are in God’s hands when let them be. God is showing me, through my daughter, that life is not to be overcome through perfection and peace, but overcome through pain and conflict. Pain is the affliction that builds our character to endure our battles – and our battlefield is life. Pain brings connection, endurance, compassion, thankfulness, and draws us to God and each other. 

Watching our children suffer is not easy. It’s heart-breaking. Suffering ourselves is not easy, it’s heart-wrenching. But God whispers in the most difficult moments some of the most profound lessons and the most needed attributes in our personhood are formed. Knowing who God is and how He works, I cannot wish away this pain for my daughter, but just be there for her and in prayer with her through her pain. I can connect with my daughter through her suffering because I too struggle with self-esteem. “You struggle with self-esteem? Me too.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NLT)  Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.)

God Forgive Me When I Whine

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My great-grandmother, Lela, passed away this year at 106 years old. Everyone who knew her spoke of her grace, strength, faith, and how she carried herself with dignity, whatever her circumstance. Lela outlived all four of her children and two husbands. Her first husband died when he was 29 years old. She raised her children on her own and did not remarry until her last child was out of the house. Her youngest son died of scarlet fever at age 10. 

She was a hard worker and taught herself to type after her first husband died, and she worked as a court reporter until she retired. Those who knew her best, said you would have never known all the trials she faced, and although they thought she had to be in pain - they said she never complained - never. Her second husband passed away over 30 years ago. She lived on her own, until the day she died. She renewed her driver's license at age 104. She was a remarkable woman.

She was a private person and did not talk about herself often. She did not have many possessions and didn't keep most anything. However, going through her things, after she had passed away, the poem below was found in her drawer, yellow and worn. She was a woman of faith and I think it's worth sharing that after 106 years on this earth, this poem was one of her few possessions - and might give a little insight into how she lived her life and the legacy that carries with it. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

- Tara Godard

Finishing Well

Source: http://beginningandend.com/rahab-profile-courage/

 Today we will learn about Rahab, a woman who finished well in God's eyes, from Frann Wohlers.  Frann is a dear friend of Heartland and Mothers Together and we so appreciate and cherish her God-given wisdom and ability to teach His word to us.

This is the first of three teachings about different women in the Bible who maybe didn't have so much going for them from the world's perspective but God had a mighty plan to use them and he most certainly did.  We hope these teachings will give you courage to embrace God's plan for your life no matter what is in your past and to embrace who God created and intended you to be . . . not the world or anyone else. 

Joshua 6:17, 20-25

17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 20 When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city. 21 They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it-men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. 22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the prostitute's house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her." 23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel. 24 Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD's house. 25 But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho-and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

Click HERE for today's hand out and discussion questions.

 

Choices

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As moms, we make choices every day. These choices may include whether to buy cloth or disposable diapers, choosing between full or half-day kindergarten, or deciding to let our teenager have the car for the afternoon to run errands. I have a three-year-old and a one-year-old, so the latter two options completely elude me. And the thought of my children going to kindergarten, let alone driving a car, nearly bring me to tears in front of my computer. But that is an entirely different blog entry.

The point here being, we have an opportunity to make choices everyday. Some choices are big, and some are little. And because the business of daily life often throws us from one playdate or activity to another, we forget to make one of the most important daily decisions of our lives. We forget to choose God. Not just choosing Him once and forgetting about that life-altering decision; but rather, I'm talking about the concept of choosing Him over and over again, everyday. Not because we have to, but because there is so much we will miss out on if we don't let Him become a part of our daily lives.

And sometimes it's not the business of life that keeps us from deliberately choosing God each day. Sometimes we're suffering from a pain so raw, that we can't imagine how we'll ever move on. Or quite the opposite, sometimes we're riding on a superficial blessing so completely that we forget we're seeing God's glory and not our own achievements.

In the midst of life, we often forget to choose God. The Good News is, though, that even when we forget to choose God, God continually chooses us. We can easily forget about God throughout the craziness of life, but God never forgets us. And although we may, at times, feel separated from God, He is never separated from us.

Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

And to choose God, that means we let go of the things of this worlds that are exhausting, depressing, tired, fearful and lonely. Mathew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

And when we choose to accept what God has to offer, we choose to accept, "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control," Galatians 5:22. And the best news yet, no matter where we are in life, it is never too late to choose God. After all He's been choosing you since before you were born.

- Rebekah H.

Enough is Enough - Control that CHAOS

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Join our own Wendy Connelly over at KC Parent where she walks us through her family's journey back from a life of CHAOS in her article Enough is Enough.

How have you put your foot down to crush the clutter in your life?

Jesus Created Us Specifically to Disciple Our Children

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Being a mom is like playing a game of Chutes and Ladders.  One day it's three steps forward and up the ladder of progress you go. Your daughter, for example, aces a test she's been studying so diligently for or your son asks Jesus to live in his heart.  Those are the days where we know what we're doing is making a difference and we're winning the game, so to speak.  

Another day, it's six steps forward but you end up sliding down a slide of setbacks. Sometimes that looks like trying to get to Bible study on time to find that your baby has rubbed shampoo all over her clothes and your 3 year old peed the bed.  Other times, it's more serious.  All of those slides leave us irritated, frazzled or defeated.

It's too bad you can't get a degree in "Successful Parenting" before you become one because it's an ambiguous and high pressure job that doesn't afford days off.  It requires persistence, an abundance of patience, preplanning all the while an ability to adapt at any given moment, unconditional love and humility.  Not to mention, we're accountable to God.  No pressure, right?

Who knew we'd be called to such a responsibility the day we became a Mom and yet are we surprised?  He created us to love and be empathetic. He knit us together after His own heart and made us to be the soft, fluffy pillow our children can fall into and nuzzle against.  He made us to withstand nine rounds in the ring of pregnancy with all of the crazy stuff our bodies and emotions went through. Or, the long and oftentimes messed up process of being a "forever mommy" to a little one loved as much as if they were from inside us so we'd come out fighting for what's best for them, our little peeps.  He made us to have a pretty exterior with a grizzly bear in hiding on the inside that appears when protecting our cubs' hearts.  He made us with wings to shelter our little chicks from the wind and rain and an endurance to run the race for which He's called us to as Moms.  

By Christy Drummond

Cultivating a Love of Reading...in the Digital Age

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I am the first to admit that I have nerd-like tendencies.  My love of reading is one of the manifestations of my inner nerd.  I don't remember when I learned to read, but I have very clear memories tied to specific books I read (where I was, what I felt, etc.).  I moved a lot growing up...I mean 13 different schools K-12 kind of a lot.  Books were one of the constants in my life.

Fast-forward 30-some-odd years and my love of reading has turned digital.  I am rarely without ready access to a book in some form, be it an audiobook on my iPod (which actually contained no music until recently), an e-book on one of the many (yes, many) e-reader apps on my phone or iPad, or a good old paperback.

One of the greatest joys I have experienced as a parent is watching my oldest learn to read and, more importantly, develop a love for reading.  As a homeschooling mom, it has been amazing to use books to make our school time special for both of us.  We read to each other every day - school books, fun books, informative books, you name it.  This time spent reading has been the most important part of developing that love of reading in my daughter.  We finished our "read-aloud" book list from our school work weeks early because she begs for, "just one more chapter, mom."  I love it!

Whether you are a digital fan or a paper and ink kind of girl, we are blessed with an amazing wealth of options for getting our reading fix around here.  Luckily major retailers know we crave books so the selection at places like Target can be pretty good.  Even with the shrinking footprint of big box book stores, there are many retail options out there to buy books, paper and on CD (even Sam's, Costco, and most grocery stores).  Smaller, boutique bookstores are hanging in there as well and can be a special outing to take your kids on - there is nothing like browsing the shelves at a cozy bookstore to get you excited about reading.

For e-book and audiobook options the internet is wide open...truly, the sky is the limit.  Amazon.com is a favorite of mine for e-books because they have thousands of books for free or very little cost.  You can even borrow books library-style if you own a Kindle (not the app) and have an Amazon Prime account.  You can also lend some Kindle books to other Kindle users - this is open to all users, even those with just the free app.  There are many sites out there that send out lists of the free or low-priced Kindle books of the day - Inspired Reads is a nice list because they send only faith-friendly titles.

Some of the other major players in the e-book arena are Apple with iBooks through the iBookstore, Barnes and Noble with Nook app, readers, and books, Books-a-Million, Kobo with Kobo app, readers, and books, Sony readers and books, and Google with books on Google play.  I know there are many I am missing, but these are some of the bigger options.

I often find it hard to actually sit down immerse myself in a good book with three small kids - I am constantly on my feet or in the car.  Enter audiobooks - let me tell you, I am obsessed.  Again, there are quite a few options out there, but fewer big players in this arena.  Audible.com is my go-to source.  They are now owned by Amazon I believe and when you are searching for a book on Amazon.com you are often presented with a choice of purchasing hardcover, paperback, Kindle, or Audible versions.  Audible books play on most mp3 devices and there are apps for Apple and Android phones/tablets for searching and listening.  Of course, Apple wouldn't be left out - you can purchase audiobooks through the iTunes store to play on your i-(pod, phone, pad, etc.).

I discovered something last year - we are fortunate in Kansas City that we live in a metro area that spans two states.  Our public libraries have relationships!  You can sign up for a Johnson County Library Card, as a resident of Johnson County, and walk yourself into a Mid-Continent Public Library in Missouri and be issued a library card tied to your JCL card.  I mean, this is life-changing people!  Not only does this give you access to the paper and ink beauties across the Metro, but their digital catalogs as well.  Yes, my friends, you can check out e-books and audiobooks through Johnson County Library, Olathe Public Library, and the State Library of Kansas (you can get a card at any library in Johnson County) - all without leaving the comfort of your home.

I know I don't need to extoll the virtues of reading to your kids, but as a reminder, there is no downside to spending precious time with your kids exploring a good book, whether you are reading to them, they to you, or you read and discuss book club style.  What are you reading with your kids?
- Katrina K.

A Pediatrician's Take on Nutrition: New Research. New Advice.

This week during Mothers Together please join us to welcome a guest speaker who is coming to enlighten us on the ever-popular topic of nutrition.  She attends Heartland Community Church but is also active in and around our city in various ways.  Natasha Burgert is a pediatrician who is passionate about establishing good communication with her patients and developing a strong partnership with them.  You can read all about her and her experiences below.  She also has special interest in the use of Social Media as well to interact with her patients and has been featured on both CBS This Morning and the NBC Nightly News.  A link to a clip of her on the CBS This Morning show can be found on her Linked In page so be sure to check that out.

Today's topic and focus is Nutrition because when we polled a few of you in Mothers Together, this was the most common topic that was requested or asked about so here we go - get ready to learn about some new research and gain some new advice on this important aspect of our families' lives.

Natasha Burgert, MD, FAAP
Pediatrician, Blogger, Shot@Life Champion
Pediatric Associates
4400 Broadway, Ste. 206
Kansas City, MO  64111

816.561.8100
kckidsdoc@gmail.com
 
Summary
Dr. Natasha is a Board-Certified general pediatrician in Kansas City, MO. Her primary focus is direct patient care in a dynamic suburban private practice. She shares her pediatric expertise, blended with parenting experience, on kckidsdoc.com.

Dr. Natasha believes that best patient care cannot be achieved without a true partnership with a health care provider. This partnership includes access, availability, and communication.

In order to optimize her patient care, she began to take an active interest in communicating with patient families in unique ways. This dialog turned to social media venues to keep up with the pace of medial information online, and to add to the active online conversations that influence health care decisions.

Her efforts have been recognized by many media outlets; including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Associated Press, CNN.com, and Forbes.com. She has also been featured on CBS This Morning and the NBC Nightly News.
 
Experience
Pediatric Health Blogger at KCKidsDoc.com
July 2010 - Present (2 years 9 months) Sharing evidence-based pediatric medicine in a real way, in order to influence positive heath care decisions for children.
 
Community Preceptor at Children's Mercy Hospital
July 2010 - Present (2 years 9 months) Regularly contribute to the education of pediatric residents.
 
Social Media Community Manager at Pediatric Associates
2009 - Present (4 years) Creating and curating the online social media presence of our private pediatric practice.
 
Private Medical Practice Partner at Pediatric Associates
July 2006 - Present (6 years 9 months)
 
Shot@Life Champion at United Nations Foundation
February 2013 - Present (2 months) Public promoter and educator for global child vaccine access.
 
Pediatric Expert at parents.com
January 2013 - Present (3 months) Available to answer common parenting questions submitted to parents.com.
 
Education
Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center
Pediatric Residency Training, 2003 - 2006
 
University of Nebraska College of Medicine
MD, 1999 - 2003
 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
BA, Psychology and Biology, 1993 - 1997
 
Honors and Awards
Sharecare.com Top 10 Online Influences in Children's Health
Golden Apple Mentorship Award

Contact Natasha on LinkedIn : www.linkedin.com/pub/natasha-burgert-md-faap/33/2b/62b/