Category Archives: Faith

Finding Peace in the Storm

Life is hard. In recent months our family and our church family has dealt with a lot. Many of you are finding yourself in the same place. Overwhelmed. Grieving. Struggling. Tired.

I wanted to share with you something that has been on my heart in the midst of these trials. This comes from a place of deep trust in the Lord and in His ways. This comes from a place of faith in the midst of struggle.

I believe that peace is possible even in the most difficult of circumstances.

In writing more and more on my blog about depression, I have been so blessed to have conversations online with many women who reach out to me that have never talked about their struggles before. There have been those that are just waiting for God to heal them or are desperate for their life circumstances to change.

And here is the difference in the kind of peace I’m talking about, this kind of peace, the kind that surpasses all understanding, it can be found even in the most difficult of circumstances. We don’t need our circumstances to change to find peace. Because peace is a Person. His Name is Jesus.

Sweet friends, peace is possible no matter what is going on around us because we have a living hope in Jesus.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:3-7

The Word of God is living and powerful and this passage is one of those times that I get a little excited about what we are learning.

A living hope! Did you catch that? Our hope is ALIVE, not dead. When something is alive it is still breathing, there is still a heart beat, there is still LIFE. This is the hope in us. INSIDE you and me is a living hope! This living hope is Jesus.

Friends, our hope is not in our circumstances. Our hope is not in the doctor’s report, how our spouse behaves or doesn’t behave, how our kids turn out, whether or not we get that new job, none of these things. When our hope is in these things, we will be disappointed.

But, hope in God never disappoints. He has our best interest at heart. Even though we may not like it, through the difficult circumstances He is forming us to His image. He is sanctifying, cleansing and purifying. If we can just hold onto Him through the storm, on that day when we meet Him face to face, all the tears and doubts and trials will fade away. He is preparing us for an eternity with Him and we can look forward to that day knowing that our every tear will be wiped away. No more death. No more suffering. No more sickness.

What if you’re reading this and you are thinking, that sounds great, but HOW do I find my hope and peace in Jesus and not other places?

Well, I can share some of the things that help me. I read a quote once that “hope takes practice” and I believe this to be true. {Edward Welch.} Sometimes we have to FIND joy, we have to COUNT our blessings, we have to PRACTICE hope. This isn’t a works based gospel, this is readying our hearts for the Lord to do His thing. This practicing hope is confessing and repenting and surrendering to the will of the Father. There is peace in surrender.

Finding Peace

Do not neglect the Word of God. I am so passionate about the Word of God, I share a lot about PRAYING His Word, memorizing it, meditating on it. Why? Because when our mind is fixed on Him, He fills us with His perfect peace. Isaiah 26:3

Breathe prayers. When you don’t have words because of your discouragement and suffering, just whisper breath prayers up to the Lord. All day long. “God, I need you…” “Lord, I’m desperate for You…” “God, You alone are my hope!” Speaking the gospel, even aloud, is very good for our hearts!

Don’t isolate yourself. As hard as it is, God, in His sovereignty, God gave us the Body of Christ. We were meant for relationships. Don’t stop going to church. Worship is a powerful thing. When we take our eyes off ourselves and place them onto praising Jesus, our problems begin to diminish. Also in this category would be the idea to get help if it’s needed. Don’t suffer alone. Often, in our shame, we don’t tell people we are hurting. You may even need to speak with a doctor. Don’t keep it all inside. We were made to communicate and give and receive encouragement.

Use reminders. We are human, we need reminders of God’s love and the hope He gives. Print off pretty verses, like the one below. Write on notecards and place them around your house. Set a timer on your phone to go off every hour, have it say “be thankful.” Whenever your phone alarm goes off, name 3 things you’re thankful for.

Free Scripture Printable

Just like you, I often need the reminder that CHRIST ALONE is my hope. I must stop looking in all the wrong places for my hope, my peace and my joy. He alone satisfies.

In Christ Alone TheBusyMom.com PDF

Trusting God When Life Is Hard

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Do you ever allow yourself to get carried away with worry? I sure do! It can be overwhelming trying to homeschool 3 children (one of whom is severely autistic and another who has Asperger’s), keep the house clean, get the laundry done, feed everyone, be a loving wife, take care of church obligations, and work from home. The list looks so long when I stop to think about it! Your list may look a lot like mine, or it may look completely different. When you are a wife and mother, though, it’s almost certain that your list is long!

Recently, I’ve had several days during which I was literally on the verge of panic. I felt overwhelmed, tired, stressed out, and had trouble focusing on any of the things I needed to do. When I feel that way, it’s hard not to question God. After all, God could change my circumstances if He chose to do so. He could cure my children of their autism and Asperger’s. (He could cause them to be a little more compliant while He’s at it!) He could bless us with more money so I could hire a housekeeper to help with the work. There are so many ways He could change things to make life easier for all of us!

For a long time, I couldn’t understand why He didn’t do something. But lately I’ve started to realize that I need to choose not to worry about why God doesn’t change my circumstances. I don’t think it’s wrong to pray and ask God to heal my special needs children or help me identify ways to help keep the house clean, but I do think I must stop allowing myself to become frustrated and unhappy when He doesn’t do it my way. In other words, I have to learn to truly trust God. To understand that, even though I may not be able to see past my current situation, God can. Not only that, but He will make sure that whatever happens works out for the best!

Romans 8:28: 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.

At times it is literally impossible for me to know how a certain thing can possibly work out for my good or anyone else’s. When something tragic occurs, it seems as if no good could ever come out of it. To be honest, I would never voluntarily go through adversity, but I know there will be times when these situations will happen anyway.

How can God use my daughter’s autism for good? How can God work it out for everyone’s best when He allows my son to have Asperger’s? And how can my inability to keep my house clean possibly ever work out for the best? Yet no matter what, I can know that at the very least God will use these situations to allow me to know better how to comfort and support others who are experiencing similar circumstances. And He can use these situations to teach me to rely on Him and not myself.

2 Corinthians 1:4, Paul wrote that “God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

For now, I’m taking it one step at a time. I’m praying that God will help me obey and trust Him whether or not I understand what’s going on in my life. I’m choosing to remember that God will work things out for my good (and the good of my family members too). I’m choosing not to try to “help God out” by doing things my way. (That never really works out very well anyway, does it?) And I’m believing that God will honor my efforts to trust Him without question and that He will keep His promises.

What about you? Do you have trouble allowing God to be in control? Do you get depressed or upset when your situation is difficult? Maybe you can agree with me that God will take care of us. That He loves us. That He will do what’s best for us. If you’re in that situation and you’d like to leave your prayer request in the comments, please do that. I’ll be happy to agree with you in prayer that God will work each situation out for His glory and our good!

Grace for the Anxious Mama {Free Printable}

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A note from Heidi:
I really appreciated this post from Candace. Many moms suffer from anxiety—mine was diagnosed as “clinical” when I was twenty-one. I grew up in a home where we were always, always at “Defcon 7,” and I took my childhood anxiety with me into my adult life. I thought that being out of that environment would solve it—but by that time, fear was deeply engrained into my spirit.

This has been something I have had had to struggle with for as long as I can remember—but God has used it to teach me that He is a safe place. His Word calms anxious hearts and reminds us that fear is not from God. I love that Candace takes anxious moms back to the Word—because grace really is new there. We don’t have to live with constant fear and anxiety. God’s mercies really are new each morning.
_______

The anxious mama. Yep, that has been me more times than I’d like to admit. Worrying over silly things, worrying over big things. I didn’t use to think of myself as a worrier, but I realize I was just calling it something else, I think. My “worries” were usually fears over my kids’ futures, fears that I had ruined them, fears that I was messing up. Worry. Fear. They both go hand in hand, don’t they?

When I’m feeling anxious, the very best thing for me to do is spend some time with the Lord and in prayer.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

God tells us right here in His Word that when we are anxious and come to Him in prayer, with thanksgiving, the peace of God will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. What a gift!! Dig in to God’s Word and your heart will fill up with His peace.

10 Verses for the Anxious Mama

1. 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.”

2. Proverbs 12:25 “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”

3. Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

4. Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

5. Psalm 27:1 ” The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? ”

6. Isaiah 35:4 “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come…”

7. Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”

8. 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…”

9. Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

10. Psalm 91

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,

no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

How can these 10 verses help our anxiety?

My suggestions for you are to write these verses out on notecards and carry them with you, place one by the kitchen sink, memorize them one at a time, when you feel anxiety coming on, repeat one of them aloud, repeat it again and again. Meditate on the passage. Pray through the verse asking God for help. He will comfort you through His Word!

Print out this verse from 1 John and frame it, place it in your bathroom or by your bed as a constant reminder of His perfect love. Let this verse bless you and not condemn you. This verse doesn’t mean that if you fear you must not have the love of Jesus in you. God knows that until we meet Him face to face, we are human and in our humanness we stumble, fall and even fill with anxiety and fear. This verse gives me such hope because when I GO TO HIM, His love is perfect. I am not perfect, HE IS. For that perfect love to cleanse me, renew me, sustain me, I must be WITH Him. Spend time with Him today, dear ones, His perfect love will cast out the fear in your heart.

{Click on this PDF link OR the graphic to download your PDF and print!}

Perfect Love Printable PDF

How to Make Peace With Family This Christmas

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Christmas is right around the corner. All of our preparations – the gifts, the decorations, the cooking and baking – will soon culminate in some sort of family gathering meant to inspire faith and fellowship. While family gatherings at Christmastime can be a great source of joy, in some circumstances they can become a source of stress, or even in extreme cases, dread. Childhood memories may be fond but as we grow and become independent adults, often our viewpoints and values take different paths. This can cause a lot of friction, but with some careful thought and the preparation of our hearts we can make peace with our families this Christmas.

While none of us will achieve perfect peace with our families this side of heaven, there are some simple and practical things that we can do until then, to be able to enjoy our time together.

Pray Ahead of Time

Pray for the days that you will be together. Ask others to pray. Pray that God would give you a heart like Jesus; a heart that loved and served and forgave and a heart of humility that understands that we humans are a broken and sinful lot. We all need grace! Pray also for the hearts and souls of everyone gathered (but not over the Christmas dinner!). Pray for unity of mind and spirit for all.

Set Boundaries

If debating politics causes aggravation, agree to leave those discussions for another time. Remember, Christmas is a time of rejoicing and, for kids, making lots of happy memories and showing them what family is all about. If religious beliefs are vastly different, agree to disagree and let. it. go. People will be more impressed by your behavior than your words.

Focus on the Positive

One of the things that is so difficult about family gatherings is that family members know one another so very well. We know each others’ strengths and weaknesses. In treating one another as we would like to be treated, is it possible to overlook another’s faults and focus on the things that you like about each other? What do you have in common? Focus on the things you both enjoy or find interesting. Smile and choose to be joyful.

Show Respect

If, despite your best efforts, the conversation turns towards things that cause conflict, show one another the respect that all human beings, especially family, deserve. Many a lively (yet respectful) conversation has been the cause of new understanding and changed hearts. Insults and put downs will only serve to alienate the other person from you and your ideas anyway. Is it all about being right? Or is there a bigger picture?

Be Thankful

I would rather use caution in my conversations and overlook an insult than not spend time at all with family. Isn’t that a large part of what Christmas has become? We are celebrating the birth of our Savior, yes. The tradition of spending this special day with family is a large part of that experience. Sharing the joy of the season with family is a blessing. If we are going to insist on only spending time with those that think and feel exactly like us, there is a good chance that we will spend much of our lives, including the holidays, alone.

If you want a joyful celebration this Christmastime, it may take some care, but not only is it doable, it is totally worth it!

What tips do you have for making peace with your family this Christmas?

Praying the Scriptures

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You’ve heard it said that the Lord can make beauty out of ashes. I’ve seen so much evidence of this truth in my own life, and I’m sure many of you have also.

When the Lord took me through the valley of depression, starting 8 years ago or so, I never quite expected what the Lord would do through those difficult seasons. There were times, hopeless times, when I didn’t expect *anything* good to come from those hard times. And honestly, I can still get caught up in looking back and dwelling on the negative if I’m not careful.

But, the Lord is slowly, but surely, changing those negative thought patterns and teaching me, one day at a time, to focus on Him, take every thought captive, to fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith. He is so faithful, friends.

Teaching me to pray the Scriptures has been one of the most transformational spiritual acts that God has used in my life.

Sweet women, the Lord loves you so and He will gently take your heart and draw you close to Him if you will let Him. He longs to bring comfort and healing and encouragement to our deepest hurts. I have felt, more tangibly, the love of God through these sweet moments with Him as I speak His Words right back to Him more than just about anything.

Praying the Scriptures isn’t some super-spiritual act that only the super-spiritual are capable of. Oh, so far from it, friends!!

Praying the Scriptures is for the desperate, like me, who often don’t have the words to speak. Praying the Scriptures is for the weak, like me, who don’t have the strength to utter a word. Praying the Scriptures is for the broken, like me, who are in desperate need of a Word from God.

Sometimes, praying the Scriptures looks like me opening my Bible to a Psalm and repeating the words right up to God. Sometimes, praying the Scriptures looks like me coming across a verse that I long to see happen in one of my children’s lives and I echo the words, “may it be so, Lord!” Sometimes, praying the Scriptures looks like tears falling onto Psalm 23 as I say, “Lord, You really are my shepherd. You have given me all I need. I am content in You. This world has nothing for me.” Sometimes, praying the Scriptures looks like me repeating a phrase all day long so that my thoughts will stay fixed on Him, a phrase like, “I will bless You at all times, Lord…” from Psalm 34:1.

So, you see, praying the Scriptures isn’t for the strong in Christ. Praying the Scriptures is for the needy, the broken, the ones who can’t find the words to speak. Praying the Scriptures is for all of us.

Sweet busy moms, I have put together 31 Scriptures pertaining to LIGHT from God’s Word for us to pray together through the Advent season! I would love for you to join me in praying the Scriptures with my brand new ebook, Jesus, Light of the World: Praying the Scriptures through Advent.

When Pressure Mounts

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Lately, I’ve felt the pressure mounting. Things that would normally roll off my back seem to just—you know—sit there.

Bills to pay. Kids to school. Doctor appointments. Cars to fix. Phone calls. Emails. Family pressure—be present more. Be more. Do more. Say more.

Mothers carry so much. Mothers are the gatekeepers of the next generation—and the next generation is up against a lot. How we respond to the pressures of this world is shaping an entire generation. It impacts our marriages. Our response to fear and pressure speaks for our faith.

I wonder: What does my life say about where I have placed my trust?

A few days ago, as I was struggling with a painful circumstance in my life, I realized something. I have a hard time trusting God. I’m not talking about faith here. My faith is as real to me now as it was when I first realized the truth of the Gospel. In that moment, I wept for the price that Christ paid for me. My heart was broken and my resolve was clear; I wanted to serve the Lord. I trusted Him. At least, I thought I did. But what does a six year old know of the trials this life can bring?

A child has no frame of reference to even consider the struggles that are coming. As a 44 year old mother of seven, I’m discovering that I still have a lot to learn about what trust looks like. As the pressure builds, I see clearly that I struggle to trust God’s heart toward me. I want to lean in, but I find I lean away—into my own strength and my own “solutions.”

Not a very good example, am I?

I turned to the Psalms, but God’s offer of “peace” alluded me. I searched for it, but struggled to see it as images of Americans losing their lives at the hands of ISIS flooded the news.

“Though war rise against me, I shall be confident…”
Psalm 27:3

Heard of any wars lately?

I praise God for His Word! In His Word, I discover again that my hope is never going to be found in my government, or my husband or myself. David makes this clear. The source of the psalmist David’s confidence and stability was not in his own strength—but in God. The example that David set for us resounded in my heart. This man, whom God called “the apple of his eye” struggled with fear. One minute he was praising God, and the next, he was crying out for rescue—and the undertones were often full of fear and worry!

“Do not hide … do not run … do not abandon or forsake me …”
Ps 27:9

I asked myself what David asked. “Has He ever failed me?” No. Even in my darkest moments, He has been there. My life is not unlike David’s life. He experienced the trials and triumphs of this life. He was falsely accused. He was in mortal danger. He lacked wisdom. He made wrong choices.

But here’s the thing the Psalms teach us loud and clear: we can’t do this life on our own. When we give God our fear, He gives faith in return. Notice the interaction Jesus with the father of a boy Jesus was preparing to from the affliction of an evil spirit:

“Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”
Mark 9:23-24

I love the raw honesty of this father before the Master. He laid down his pride and just blurted it out … “I want to trust You, but I’m struggling!” Jesus didn’t point a finger or rebuke the man—instead, He healed the boy. It was always in His heart to do so.

If you struggle with unbelief, if you wonder if it’s safe leave your pain and fear in His hands, it’s okay. God understands. He knows we are dust. Today, you can lift your empty hands to Him with me—and choose to let your struggle draw you closer to the One who made you.

In the end, we have two choices to make as we navigate the uncertain waters of this world: we can trust Him or we can trust ourselves. If we trust Him, the Bible says our trust is well-placed. When the walls are falling down on us, we can confidently repeat the words of David:

“Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear;
Though war rise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident.
…I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.”
Psalm 27

Pressing into God’s heart,

Gird Up! Christian Blogging Moms Under Pressure

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I’m praying for the Christian blogging community today. I think we’re in trouble.

Not long ago, I got a text message from a blogging friend. I love this woman of God. She’s awesome. Raising her kids. Making dinner, doing laundry, romancing her husband when she can—and trying to manage a huge blog and social media presence in the midst of it all. Like me, she started blogging some years ago because she wanted to encourage moms by sharing her journey. She liked to write. She had never heard of SEO or “monetizing” when she opened her little blog. She was just looking for a place to relax and share her thoughts before she forgot them.

Maybe you can relate. By the way, motherhood makes you forget things. I’ve still got five kids at home, ranging in age from almost 4 to 17. I can hide my own Easter eggs at this point in my mothering journey. It’s not for sissies, this task of raising the future generation. It’s exhausting—even without all the social media, blogging pressure.

I’ve observed something troubling in the past few years of getting to know the Christian blogging community a little better. I believe we’re going through something we don’t like to talk about. We’re treading on thin spiritual ice. I can hear it breaking from different spaces in the ocean of bloggers currently writing about such spiritually charged things as marriage, abortion, motherhood, homosexuality and education.

We’re in a battle—but I am seeing us woefully unprepared to fight.

When I started getting “out there” more in the blogosphere and social media, I didn’t mean to draw fire from the enemy of my soul. I never meant to be on the front lines of an unseen but very real battle—and yet—like you, I find myself here.

On the front lines.

Did we think for a moment that writing about light in the darkness was not going to catch the eye of our enemy? I can almost hear him in a mocking, evil voice: “Oh yeah? You want to play? Let’s go.” Bam. It’s on.

More often than not, the darts from the enemy are not like the scud missiles that take out families and end marriages—at least not at first. At first, we just step excitedly onto the social media treadmill—and then one day, we realize the truth: we’re addicted to the treadmill. We learn that if we stop posting, if we lived our life “for real” and quit Instagramming every precious moment, our stats will drop. Another voice will take the place we held for a brief moment.

It’s not what you want to hear, I know. But SEO doesn’t care if your family gets dinner or not. Pinterest isn’t gonna read a book to your kids. Your blog subscribers will quit reading if you quit writing… so I need to ask: WHY ARE WE WRITING?

My thoughts go back to my friend. While things looked great online, in real life, she was struggling to manage it all. The pressure was unbearable. Her life was unraveling. Her marriage was in trouble. Big trouble.

I guess I wouldn’t be so worried except that this was at least the fourth such call or private message I’ve received about this in the past year. I am beginning to see that the devil really IS “in the details.” All these little distractions are adding up to big distractions. We’re in trouble.

I fear we have not taken seriously Paul’s admonition that we are in a spiritual battle.

Ephesians 6:12 – For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

The term wrestling is a very personal word. It implies that this is not a team sport. It’s a very personal battle between us and the enemy of our souls—an enemy, that the Bible says has one purpose: to kill, steal and destroy. Do you know any bloggers or pastors or leaders who that has happened to lately? My hunch is that we can all name a few in no time flat. Christian leaders and bloggers are dropping like flies. Gird up! This.Is.War!

Please understand: I’m not suggesting that you quit blogging. I’m not saying social media is evil. I just want to remind you that this.is.war. If you’re writing for numbers, quit. If your marriage is in trouble, step away. If your blog or social media is getting more of your “face time” than your family is—consider this a warning from a friend.

If you’re still with me, then let’s strategize a little. If this is war, and you want to be in it, gird up.

Be in the Word of God. We can’t be strong in the Lord if we don’t know His Word.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Be honest. Check your motivation. Is your purpose God’s purpose? If you’re doing His work by His power, your marriage and family will thrive. God will not guide you where you cannot stand in His strength.

“For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.” I Thessalonians 2:4
Trust God. Sounds simple, I know—but at the end of the day, we either trust Him or we don’t, and we show that trust by living out obedience to Him. Worried about your SEO? Trust God. If you’re writing while your family is suffering, you’re not trusting God. Your blog will still be there after you love on your kids and husband. And if it’s not? Maybe God is saying “not now.”

That’s the part that’s the hardest thing to say. Maybe God is saying, “Not now.” If He is saying now, gird up. Put on the full armor of God and write like the warrior that God says you are.

Too many battles are being “won” in the blogosphere while the war at home is being lost. Don’t win the battle and lose the war, precious friend.

It’s not worth it.

Gird up,

Heidi St. John

Speaking the Truth in Love