WAVES

WAVES

  • Encouragement, Fear

WAVES

Many of you are feeling waves, and I want to validate that it is okay to be processing this season in waves. Many of us have to wade through the wave of fear, anxiety, and worry. I am used to feeling something, processing it, and having a breakthrough. It is odd to have the wave come, walk in peace, and then have it come again when I least expect it. I reached out to my team and asked how they were doing. One mom said, “If you were to ask me last night, I would have said AWESOME, but this morning I am a mess.” How many can relate? One minute you feel like Mother of the Year, and the next wave, you feel like a massive failure. One minute you have the faith of a haystack, and the next, you can’t seem to find the mustard seed. One minute you feel energized and confident, and the next, you feel so defeated. This is OKAY, but what you do with it is significant. You either use those waves to make you stronger or let them pulverize you. 

Each time the wave comes, may I encourage you to pause and process your heart by asking yourself: #1. Is this wave in my mind, body, or spirit?

**Our MINDS are dealing with many facts which aren’t always true.

**Our BODY has had to switch gears significantly from busyness to rest (which can be extremely challenging physically). Others are worn out from having the busyness of children 24/7.

**Our SPIRITS are experiencing so much right now, and not all of it is the right Kingdom.

#2. What does my mind/body/spirit need right now? Each time you STOP and process your heart and meet the need, your CAPACITY to handle the situation increases. The next time the wave comes, you will be STRONGER. Enjoy the peace, process the weight, and allow this to increase your capacity to become stronger in the midst of hardship.

TEACHING CHILDREN TO OVERCOME FEAR WITH THEIR AUTHORITY

“I had been wondering if what I was teaching my 18-month-old was even working. Over the last month, I have noticed he walks into the room when the light is off and starts to cry. He runs to me and says, ‘Momma, it’s dark. I am scared.’ As he was running away, something rose up within me, and I told him to go back in there and tell the dark, ‘I AM NOT AFRAID,’ and I stomped my foot down. We did this for a whole month. He would cry, and I would remind him, and then he would tell the dark he wasn’t afraid and walk in and grab a toy. Finally, I turned the lights on for him after he walked through the door. But this morning, he walked into the dark living room, and I heard him say all on his own and stomp his feet, ‘I AM NOT AFRAID!’ He came to me so proud, stomping his feet, and said, ‘I am not afraid.’ Needless to say, we had a party in the kitchen when he told me this. Lisa, I thought you should hear this… What you do for parents even when their kids are too young to comprehend. They do, and I’m so grateful to see my son stomp on the floor to say he is not afraid!”

MODEL HIS LOVE

My friend said it beautifully: “God showed me that the purpose of my parenting is not to turn my children into models (in whichever field), but for me to model His love to them. After that, the rest will fall into place automatically.”

PARENTING MISTAKES

My friend shared this golden testimony: “My mother was highly emotionally volatile and sometimes physically abusive. God has healed so much in me, but having a volatile kid has brought me to new places I didn’t know I needed healing. One of which was a fear that my daughter and I wouldn’t have a close relationship if I made mistakes. Part of this I realized was that my mother died before there was any reconciliation and refused to clean up her mess before her passing. I am quick to repent, own my mistakes, and show what healthy reconciliation looks like. Anyway, I began to dialogue with the Holy Spirit about my parenting mistakes – and I heard Him ask me to ask Him what my mistakes look like when I bring them to Him. So I did. And I saw that each time I made a mistake and owned it to my kids and brought it to Him – it was a form of intercession. He would tuck it like a piece of paper in His pocket for later when it’s needed. There is SO much about my daughter’s healing and process that I cannot fix for her. He reminded me that my best is good enough, and the revelation of what my mistakes look like to Him was priceless.”

I AM LOVED

I woke up to find a note slipped under my hotel room door informing me I had a gift waiting for me at the front desk. It was a box of chocolates from a precious friend. I was greeted with many sweet messages from friends who wanted me to know they loved me. One friend messaged me wondering if Valentine’s Day was hard for me being a single woman, and I responded NO. Not at all, because it has always been a day about love, and I feel so well-loved. Romantic love is one thing, but love is universal between parent and child, siblings, friends, mentors, and spiritual children, and I have a life packed with love. However, this morning I was struck by my emotions. I slipped out of bed early like I always do and sat quietly before the Lord with my hot cup of coffee. My mind drifted to my mom. Tears began to flow. I have lived my life longer without her than with her, and suddenly I felt like a little girl wanting my mommy again. It overwhelmed me. Losing a parent at an early age has a profound impact on you and forces you to fill those parenting needs and longings elsewhere. God has been so good and faithful to me over the years by always planting me in a community where I am seen and loved well. But today, I am a little girl who was able to connect to the love of my mom, and it touched me so deeply. 

Moms, no matter what you have done, no matter what your journey looks like, no matter how many times you have blown it, you are still the one and only one who gets to be called their mom. Go hug your children today and remind them of your deep and fierce love for them.

IT IS POSSIBLE!

Do you long to be the parent you dreamed of when you were younger? Do you desire a deeper connection with your children? Is peace in your home something you crave? I declare it is possible as I have seen it in the lives of parents across the globe!

TIPPING POINT

There has been an ongoing issue we talk about in our family. The kids want one thing, and I want another. I have prayed, processed, and pondered, and my heart has not changed much on the subject. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to. It was just that I didn’t feel led. Finally, my daughter made a statement about it one more time, and I could physically feel a grace lifting off of me. Since then, we have been moving in that direction as a family. Her last comment was the TIPPING POINT. Tipping point – the point at which a series of small changes or incidents become significant enough to cause a larger, more important change. The Bible talks about a woman who asked, asked, and re-asked without much avail. But she went to ask one more time and finally got her answer. She is known as the Persistent Widow in Luke 18:1-8. 

DO NOT GET COMFORTABLE in this season. Many of us will find a new groove, embrace the new pace and rise to the occasion, but we cannot let that shrink our passionate prayers and crying out for God to reveal His glory in this hour. Your prayer – the one you have prayed 101 times – could be the tipping point that creates action and change. Keep praying!

FEELING AFRAID?

Are you feeling afraid of something? STOP! Turn around, face the fear and use the sword of the Word! Declare over your fear, “So we can say with confidence, the LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6). “So, with Him on my side, I’m fearless, afraid of no one and nothing.” (Psalms 27:1 – MSG). Fear is not to be managed. It is to be dealt with using the Word of God and the authority Christ has given you.

EXTRA TOUCHES

Testimony from a mom taking our online parenting class: “I often feel that I struggle so much with my son’s behavior, and I’m starting to truly believe that it’s mainly because his love tank isn’t getting filled. I’ve been wondering this for a little while, to be honest, and I always kind of thought it to be random thoughts, but after reading this lesson, I think it was more of the Lord speaking to me. I care for him, give him gifts, speak loving things over him and give him lots of hugs and touches… I know that I struggle to spend quality time with him; he’s young and just wants to play with me. I love the idea of having a morning date with him after breakfast. Really encouraging stuff.”

WE ALL NEED HIM

I often hear comments about how ‘easy’ it is for me to partner with God in my parenting, as if somehow I have an easy button in parenting because of it (huh?). Yep! I have pressed into hearing Him for my children. Yep! I have some history with Him. Yep! I have faith that He will show up, reveal, and help me. Yep! I have a partner in parenting. But I STILL have to: Exercise that muscle! Make a choice to go to Him! Intentionally listen to Him! Be uncomfortable in the waiting! Trust that He knows more than I do! Surrender my children! I am in a season now where I feel utterly clueless, do not know what to do, and have Mama Bear emotions over my child’s choices. I, too, can often feel like I am at square one in my parenting. My history serves as evidence that He is faithful, but I still have to choose Him and do my part over and over and over again. That is how we build HIStory and partner with Him.

HE IS ALIVE

We were on the road, and I woke early like I usually do, so I snuck out to get some coffee. It was still dark out, and I enjoyed the quiet moment to myself. This profound wave of deep joy and gratefulness came over me (like you feel on Christmas morning), and I began to ponder what TODAY has meant in my life. Yesterday was BRUTAL. It was the day my Savior was beaten and whipped for my sins. As I tell the kids, He took their spanking. It is hard to picture my Jesus nailed to a cross with spikes piercing His hands and feet. Tomorrow is full of JOY. Death is defeated. He IS alive! But TODAY is the day Jesus was in hell. From death to resurrection, He spent His time in hell. Doing what? Gathering ALL of the keys that the enemy stole. He has a key for your relationships, finances, decisions, parenting, attitudes, transitions, desires, conflicts, dreams, problems, heartbreak, and destiny. There isn’t a single thing you are walking through that Christ doesn’t hold the key to. He died naked but rose with the keys – ALL of them.

Teach your children they are never without a solution to their problems. No matter how big or small, Jesus has a KEY for it! When your child is struggling with something together, ask, “Jesus, what is the name of the KEY You want me to use in this situation?” You might be surprised how easy yet powerful the keys unlock your situation. Matthew 16:19.