All posts by Hilary Ginn

About Hilary Ginn

Hilary is the children’s coordinator at her church in Gresham, OR. She is a single mom to two daughters. Hilary has a desire to encourage women along their spiritual walk. Her passion is to help women stand firm in their faith with both feet planted in the word of God, setting them apart from the world.

Finding a community of friends is worth it!

Finding Your Community of Friends

MomStrong Sisterhood

As I got older in life I had this idea that friendships were only for the younger me. Once I became an adult, I gained more responsibility, had a busier schedule and I didn’t have any time to invest truly into someone else. I would think friendships were for those who had time, not for those running around with their hands in the air going from one busy thing to the next.

Man, oh Man was I wrong.

In fact it wasn’t until I had kids that I found some of my lasting, strongest, genuine, selfless friendships in life. I remember being a new mom and deciding to stay at home to raise my kids. With this new identity of being a “stay at home mom,” came a lot of lonely days and not a lot of money to go out fill those days with fun activities. Having always worked out of the home, I was at a loss to even know where to begin looking for ways to get out of the house with a newborn, so I searched on my computer… ‘FREE ACTIVITIES IN MY AREA’. The first thing to pop up was the library, (which brought a giggle out of me because growing up I hated reading and thought the library was for nerds). There I was desperate to get out of my house in need of community and all I was getting was the library. I put my big girl pants on and packed up my baby and headed to the next class available.

Little did I know that the Lord was about to reveal to me a group of moms that would change my life forever. These moms from the moment I walked in understood me, they were in the same corner of life as me as new moms, new to staying at home and like me looking for inexpensive ways to get out of the house.

These ladies became my rock, my sounding board and my shoulder to cry on during some very emotional hardships in my life. I never knew the importance of community until I became part of one. I wasn’t the only one to connect to this community but also my girls had started to build strong lasting connection with the other kids in the group. My friends have become aunts and second moms to my girls creating an overwhelming sense of joy knowing that I have women in my life that love on my kids with a genuine love.

We are called to be in community and fellowship with one another. I want to challenge you to get connected if you aren’t already. Get involved with a community group at your church, local library, schools, sports, etc. The opportunities are out there if you are willing to put in the time to search. You will benefit from having solid friendships, your children will benefit and learn the importance of healthy friendships, and your family will thrive because you have a fellowship of ladies who know your heart and are involved in your life during the good the bad and the ugly.

Be bold. Be vulnerable. Be courageous. Be genuine.

Start praying now that God will provide you with everlasting friends and if you already have a group of friends then send praises up for them and pray that your relationships continue to grow to heights unimaginable.

Through His love,

Hilary

Beauty for the Tired Soul

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Beauty for the tired soul

I am tired. Anyone else tired?

Matthew 11:28 says, “I will give you rest.” I take hold of that verse and cling to the promise of it. This world can be hard and tiresome. There are days when I don’t want to get out of bed, but the dog is barking to be let out and the kids are fighting over the remote or expressing their hunger to me. All I want is to crawl under the covers and imagine being alone with only me to take care of, meaning, if I wanted to go back to sleep, I could! Then as I am in my pity party of one, I imagine my life with out my daughters and the emotion of an aching heart overwhelms me. I would miss their kisses and hugs and their “I love yous.”

I might want to go back to sleep to feel more rested, but I am needed. I am loved. That is enough for me to crawl out of bed, let the dog out, break up a fight and get breakfast started. I believe that one day I will get my rest, but for now in the midst of motherhood,  rest isn’t part of the equation. I can’t stop and dwell on all the house work that needs to get done, the dog that needs bathed, the beds that need made, the toys that need to be put away, the toilets that need cleaning, the dishes that need to be washed or the endless amount of laundry that can’t fold itself. I can’t focus on the fact that I am a “single” mom or how hard life is for me at times. If I dwell on the work that needs to be done or my state of singleness, I get tired. And when I get tired I lose what I should be focusing on – Jesus – the very source from which my restfulness comes.

As I run towards the cross of Jesus I am reminded of His love for me. The Bible is full of encouraging truths from God that are meant to lift our spirits and guide us when we are absolutely “tired.” Our rest can be found in the grace that God showed us at the cross.  Sometimes physically, sometimes emotionally… or both, but just knowing what he has done gives me the desire to show that same love without boundaries to my children and others around me.

“My soul finds rest in God alone. My salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress I will never be-shaken.”   (Psalms 62:1-2)

Just reading that verse boosts my spirit and opens my eyes a little wider to the peace promised to me through the cross.

So I encourage you in your busy schedules and unclean homes to take to heart the promise that rest is not found in the amount of sleep you get or how many vacations we take.  Rest is found in our Creator. It sounds easier said than done, I agree. However, if we try and make it a focus point in our lives then it will turn into a habit of always seeking our peace and rest from the Lord in whom we put our trust.

“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”  (Isaiah 26:3)

I will keep praying for peace and rest for all of us who feel tired and unmotivated to crawl out of bed. I pray we hold tight to the truth of God found in his word and I pray that together we can encourage and love on those who need to be lifted up in spirit. We are not called to walk this journey alone, thank goodness for that. So get up with a smile on your face, you are needed and loved.

From my heart to yours,

Hilary