Perseverance -

Continued, patient effort. Persistence. To continue in some action in spite of difficulty, opposition, etc. To be steadfast in purpose.

Galations 6:9

Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

I'm always amazed at the Godly wisdom and encouragement I receive from my dear friends. I am so thankful God has surrounded me with other moms that love Him and seek to challenge me to grow spiritually. A few months back I was lamenting my parenting frustrations to a friend, who very wisely shared this verse, and encouraged me to not grow weary. The verse really stuck with me, and I began to really spend time praying that I would look for the harvest, and not focus on the weariness. A short time after that another friend sent me a note, and this same verse was printed on the card! So a couple of weeks ago, I printed the verse up and put it on some pretty paper, and put it on my kitchen window (yay rubber cement!).

Last week Campbell and I had a rough day. Neither of us had slept well, since she had been up a lot that night. I was helping her get buckled into her car seat, because she had disobeyed and not done it herself as I'd asked her.  All day we'd been having to go through the process of correction, and I was at the point of not knowing what to do, since it didn't seem like anything was getting through to her. She was whiny and grumpy. I was frustrated and angry. I remember saying to her "Campbell, why do you continue to disobey me when you know the right thing to do?" She replied "Mommy, I'm only a little girl, and little girls don't know how to always obey." I had to confess my own sin to the Lord, and ask my daughter's forgiveness for being impatient with her, and having unreasonable expectations. I had to stop myself and focus on the end result of all the correction, instead of how tired I was of saying and doing the same thing over and over.

Ryan and I have some very dear friends who we have watched go from the brink of marital destruction to a loving, Godly marriage. They aren't perfect, but they continue to strive toward growth. They are bringing up their children in the fear and love of the Lord. I spoke with her the other day, and she talked about the need for them to have a parenting philosophy that is based not on the desire to have well behaved children, but on the desire for their correction to penetrate their children's sinful hearts, and direct them to their need for a Savior.  This is something Ryan and I have talked about a lot as well, and talking with her was a wonderful way for the Lord to remind me WHY I am here. Yes, I'm here to make sure they have clean clothes (that match if we're out in public!), food to eat, and are loved and cared for. However, that is not the ultimate purpose God has given me as a mother. As a follower of Christ, my highest calling as a Mom is to direct my children to the Lord. Noelle Piper, in her book Treasuring God in our Traditions says "You can't bequeath God to your children. You can leave them the fur coat from your mother,...but they can't inherit God from you. God can only be inherited from God." I can't cause them to believe-that is the work of the Holy Spirit. I can "help them to know Him and understand Him in ways that prepare them to believe in His name." This is my purpose, the gift God has given me as a mother. I can rest in the fact that He will not give me more than I can bear, and that in my weaknesses (which are many!) HE is strong! My children need to see my Savior's love through my actions. I must have a steadfast purpose as I direct them to Him.

What's your word of the year? What has God laid on your heart to focus on as we travel our way through 2009? I'd love to see any comments on what the Lord is impressing upon your heart. Join me the first Tuesday of each month as I continue my journey in perseverance.