Let’s be real. It’s not easy being a Christian mom in today’s culture.
There are tons to deal with in this #momlife.
Have you ever come across those cute, funny little definitions of a “mother” with about a hundred different “hats” she wears daily, like nurse and taxi driver and coach and chef and maid?
Mom: Role model, coach, nurse, accountant, teacher, chef, taxi driver, maid, bodyguard, stylist, mentor, referee, event planner, janitor, comedian, dentist, lifeguard, cheerleader, judge, storyteller, nutritionist, police, friend, therapist, secretary….
Yeah, that’s pretty accurate.
We really DO have a lot to juggle!!! (Can I get an Amen?!!)
Well, I would want to add to that definition, the job of a firefighter.
Big Stuff That Adds Up
I figure you are the same, but with me, it seems like as soon as I’ve put out one “fire,” another one has started.
Right now, with six kids under our roof, I’ve got every kind of potential “fire hazard” that I may have to direct my attention to.
As moms, we all have potential sparks that could start something big at any moment (and I’d say if you have toddlers or teens, that is worse!).
This week seems like there has been a theme of frustration at our house.
Do any of you ever experience weeks that just seem like you are running in circles, putting out fires, let alone instilling some good into these people’s lives?
With my toddler this week, he’s just been cranky. The little guy is getting so frustrated in an instant.
And my 9-year-old daughter seems to be getting a little more frustrated when we tell her no, and it’s resulting in a pout session that appears to be unending (I never really got a lot of pouts from my boys LOL).
I know it’s not that bad, right?!
It just all adds up…
One of my teens has been just down and not his usual chatty self the past few days. I figure life has given him something to be concerned about.
Hopefully, soon he will open up, and I will be there.
Real Life
For me, I like a happy home.
I genuinely want us all to be happy, or at least joyful.
Maybe that’s why I always feel like I’ve got to be the firefighter.
I’m sure you feel like you too are THE ONE that’s got to head that sort of thing up also…at least at times.
We are really like the head firefighter or Captain or even “lead investigator.”
See a fire. Suit up. Don’t wait. Put everything else on hold. Put the fire out. Figure out the reason. Clean up—comfort victims. Write a report. Well, maybe scratch the report part. Let’s just make a mental note.
And repeat several times throughout the day, depending on how many kids you have and how long they are with you each day.
Would you agree that there are fires that seem to come and go pretty regularly?
It may even be with your spouse or with a friend or at work.
What are the “fires” that come in your life and home a lot?
A big fire at our house that I have to deal with, and feel lead by God to NOT ignore, is the significance of outside influences on the kids.
Like it or not, peers (even adult ones) have lasting imprints on our kid’s hearts and minds.
Unless your kids are with you and only you 24/7, they hear and see different views and beliefs that don’t always line up with what your family values.
I mean, I homeschool, but my kids play with neighborhood kids and play sports and go to church and youth group and go hang out with friends, but they still get repeated exposure to other’s worldviews.
And I don’t just mean kids.
I mean adults too….and screens.
WOAH! Screens and music are BIG influences on our kids.
How We See the World
Anyway….what do I mean by “worldview”????!!
I mean, we are talking about kids here!
Well, every person has a view of the world—even a baby.
A worldview is how someone views the world or how they see the world through a certain kind of lenses.
As a firefighter mom, we’ve got to be watching out for fires to begin or grow more significant.
No, we can’t live in fear and obsess about this every minute of every day (been there, done that, and it’s no way to live).
As a Christian mom, this is one area WE CANNOT IGNORE.
I’ve talked before about how important glasses are for me (as I’m almost legally blind), but really, how we see the people and places and culture and ideas and events going on around us are viewed through our unique lenses, and it’s how we see our world.
You can’t go order a pair of glasses that will make you “instantly see” the world as Jesus does.
I wish.
So for us “firefighter” moms with a thousand other jobs on our resume, our first job is in this world is to raise our kids to know ALL about Jesus.
If you disagree with that, you probably won’t like anything else I suggest.
Sharing Jesus With Our Kids
Our kids don’t come born with these “Jesus glasses”.
We must share with them the Jesus that:
- Has a wonderful plan for their life, including a place in Heaven after life here is over
- Has set a perfect example for us to follow
- Wants them to live on this earth according to this design to live, which we find in His Words in the Bible
- Desires to be the one that they come to for every decision, every sorrow, every failure, every obstacle, every dream they will have
- Will guide them through their lives filled with joy and peace
- Can show them how to sacrificially love the people of this world while also being a witness to this same redemptive plan
Picture this: you, dressed as a firefighter with a microphone in one hand, two large speakers on stands in your living room, with your family sitting on the couch looking at you while you scream into the mic.
Is that how we tell our kids about Jesus?
Aaaaa, NO!
Okay, mom, that picture is NOT what I want you to do to get your voice heard.
In a way, if that worked, it would make it easy. But it won’t work, will it?
We know we need to see the world from Jesus’ point of view, right?
And as moms, we have all these roles or jobs or duties we must perform day in and day out 24/7.
We already have a lot to do.
There is SO MUCH to juggle.
Just the duty of firefighter alone keeps us busy. No wonder I hear moms say, “I can wait to go back to work Monday morning. The kids are driving me crazy!”.
In all seriousness, we should want to have an impact for Christ in our home. It’s important.
OOOOO, it is crucial.
All the Ways to Share Jesus
Were you in the generation(s) raised to learn everything about God only from inside the church building? I’m going to guess that most reading this will fall under that category.
Maybe you took all the preachin’ and teachin’ in and didn’t stumble too much.
Or maybe not…
Maybe you needed some good ole preachin’ and teachin’ at home.
If you were blessed enough to have Godly parents shared Jesus at home, that’s awesome. And I mean not just “talking Jesus stuff”, but walkin’ that walkin’ every day and every night, ya know?
Or maybe, you didn’t find out anything about Jesus from your parents at home or at church.
I’m sure there are lots of scenarios we could tell…some sad and some good (let’s just virtually hug right now).
Where Do We Start?
As Christians that are also parents, we all want to share that love of Jesus with our kids. But life is busy, and sharing Jesus seems hard sometimes…maybe a lot of times.
And then you’ve got this super-loud world literally screaming how there are all different ways to get to heaven and how they can just go by what’s “in their heart” to find their way in this world and all kinds of false teachings.
If you think passing on your faith to your family is essential, you are in the right place.
And I’m not going to tell you that you have to take on another “role” as a mom.
You be you.
Really.
You be you.
God gave you those kids, knowing you would be you.
Yes, busy, distracted, trying-so-hard-to-do-a-lot-but-fail-a-lot YOU 🙂
My answer to how we can be heard: Relationships
Over the 20 years of being a mom, I’ve learned that I must have some good deep relationships in places to be heard.
I’m married, so having that deep relationship with my husband is extremely important. Without that relationship, will he listen to me much?
I’m Christian, so having a deep relationship with my Lord is of the most importance. If we want to know what God wants me to do with my life, including raising my kids, I have to spend time with him.
And I’m a mom, and I can’t really be much of a mom, if I’m not engaging and spending time with my kids.
How else do we have any sort of deep relationships? We must put time into them.
They will NOT happen without it.
How do you “spend time” with God?
You pray.
You read His Word.
You get quiet and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to you (yeah, that voice in your head, Christian mama).
You praise Him.
…….I could go on.
When you are grounded in God’s Word daily and covering everything in prayer, God knows how to meet your needs and your kid’s needs.
This almost sounds too simple….I’m just telling you to be you and for you to get close to God.
As life will prove, when you do take the time to get close to God and then let everything He’s teaching you spill over into your life (including marriage), it will be a very sacrificial kind of love.
We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Roman 15: 1-6, English Standard Version
Don’t try to be someone else.
Be you with God.
And be that same way with your kids.
God will have a LOT to say to you. You will need to listen.
Will you grasp and do every single thing that He speaks of every single day?
No.
But you will listen and you will know and those words will come back to you.
And spending time with the Lord will let Him remind you of things that YOU specifically need to here.
Yes, you can ignore His words and do your own thing. But you WILL know the truth.
Here’s the key: THE EXACT THING HAPPENS WHEN YOU SPEND TIME TEACHING YOUR OWN CHILDREN!
By your new found wisdom that is continually being fueled to you by God, you’ll have the power and authority of Jesus Himself to overcome the obstacles of teaching your kids.
As you draw near to God, you can also draw nearer to your kids.
Your kids will listen.
And just like you, they may not always do what you have taught them, but they will know the truth.
God on YOUR Side
The unique relationship between mother and child linked with the power of God will be the perfect recipe for you to to encourage and instruct your child.
Relationships suffer when we don’t spend time with them.
Look at just the COVID-10 situation. We all have stories of not spending time with those we love and how badly we have missed that time.
And yes, I realize there are situations that people must be apart (I have a son that is in the military, so I know).
Here on my blog and in my newsletter, I share the struggles I’ve faced trying to be a busy mom but trying hard to put some Jesus into their hearts and minds.
I’ve been the mom that wondered if her voice was being heard.
I wondered that with teenagers as well as toddlers.
I love to share practical tips on how you can fit in time to be with God and lean on Him every single day PLUS do all you are supposed to do AND be a terrific momma whose kids will listen to her words and notice what she does.
Don’t believe the lie that you can’t do it.
You can.
I genuinely believe that if you invest in spending time with the Lord and with your kids, your impact for God’s Kingdom will be profound!
Don’t you want that?
I know God does!
Let’s get started today, okay? Click here to go on the journey with me!
