It is a new year and the Lord has really been impressing on me the need for consistency and discipline in the little and big things in life, especially as it pertains to the rearing of my girls. Over the last year I have felt defeated and frustrated and sorrowful over the weaknesses and sins in my life. I have, more often than not, allowed myself to become lazy both in my home and in my heart. The point of complete failure and the desire to stop trying to do and be better always just before me.

But that is where God wants me, right? He wants me at the end of myself so that I know that He is enough! He is sufficient! He is the ONLY ONE who can change me. He gave me the picture this morning of the hardened lump of clay on the potter's wheel. The potter must chip off the hard edges, wet the clay, push hard into it to form anything distinguishable. But as his skillful hands work the clay it becomes pliable and yields to his hands. He is able to mold definition into the piece of dirt and create a work of beauty. ("For we are God's workmanship (work of art), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Eph 2:10)

Am I yielded to the Potter's hand? Or do I just want to do things my own way, in my own time? Why do I try in my own strength to do better, to be better? Sometimes I am frustrated with who I am and my continual struggles because of the weaknesses I have, but then God showed me this verse...Romans 9:20-21 "But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? 'Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?" ' Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" Isn't it in my weaknesses that His power is made perfect (2 Cor. 12:9)? Paul said, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." I am weak, but the power of Christ and His resurrection are in me. His grace is sufficient for me.

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3

How as a homeschool mom do I tap into this power so that my day is ordered by His will and not my own? How do I stop failing? How do I demonstrate a life yielded to Christ to my children? I can't, but He can through me!

• Know His love.
• Know how deeply He cares for me. (Rom. 5:6&8 "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.") 
• Know that nothing can separate me from His love. (Romans 8:38) 
• Know that His power and grace are sufficient.
• Know that the Spirit of God is in me. (Rom. 8:26 "...the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.")
• Remember throughout the day that it is His life and not mine that I am living. (Col 3: 1-4) 
• Remember it is through His sacrifice that I can have access to the throne of God at any time during the day. (Rom 5:1-2 & Heb 4:14-16) 
• Remember that it is by His sacrifice that I am holy and am being made holy. (Heb 10:5-18)
• Remember that this life is temporary and the best is yet to come. (1Peter 1) 
• Remember that my children are really His children and He cares for them more than I ever could. (Isaiah 40:11)

So, as I am going through my day with the girls, when I am overwhelmed and needed to breathe the air of freedom...REST!

• Rest in the loving arms of my Savior who knows my weaknesses and has rescued me from my sins. 
• Cling to the grace of God. Cry out to the Father and allow the Spirit to pray for me in my weakness. (Rom 8:14-17 & Gal 4:6-7)
• Submit to His loving hands that are molding me and my children to become the works of art that He has predestined me to become before the creation of time. (Eph 1:3-10)

He is faithful regardless of my faithlessness.

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