Abundant Life Conference for Women

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I came that [you] may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance. John 10:10b

November 4-5, 2011


Lexington George Washington
500 Merrimac Trail
Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757)220-1410

Featuring:

Angie Williams
as the Keynote Speaker
&
Debbie David
as Worship Leader

Breakout Session Topics Include:

Care-Taking
God in the Details
Fasting
Financial Fitness
Forgiveness
Fruit Development
Love is a Choice
Missions
Time Management

Topics subject to change


Sponsored by:
Smith Memorial Baptist Church

Find more information at:
757-869-1605

themommyanswer@verizon.net

Weary Moms

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31

Do you ever grow weary? Do you ever get to the end of the day and crash onto the sofa next to your husband, or slump off to bed to have sleep take over in seconds?

I think all moms go through times like this. I went through about seven years of it, due to having and nursing four babies and medical issues. Recently, I switched from Vitamin D capsules to liquid vitamins, and for the first winter ever am not pregnant or nursing/sleep deprived. I spent a couple weeks with more energy than I've had in years. Then I crashed again. And I asked, "Why?"

Why is it I can't live off of five hours of sleep and keep moving all day? Why is it that if I actually sit and do nothing I'm asleep in two minutes flat? Why when I actually take a day to sleep in, exercise, keep my blood sugar under control, and remember my Vit. D do I still get tired? Well, because I'm human. And there's always things to do!

So, okay, even God's holy Word says we young (yes, I think 34 is still young) will grow weary. And what's the answer to this bone-dragging weariness? To rely on the Lord.

Okay, Lord, could you give me super strength and help me function on less sleep?

Sometimes, yes. But for some reason, he likes to keep me humble and remember that to rely on Him is not always to gain the supernatural ability to do things. Sometimes He wants to teach me something.

It could be to slow down.

It could be to do it even if I'm tired.

It could be to reevaluate my obligations and activities and cut something out.

No matter what it is, though, the answer is always the same: hope in the Lord.

Hope, meaning live in the expectation

~ that He will provide strength when I need it.

~ that He will guide me to make the right decisions

~ that He will bring help to me at the right time

~ that He is always with me no matter what

~ that He knows infinitely more than me and my job is simply to rely on Him

While not always the tangible answer I'm looking for, it reminds me of the times He's been faithful to take care of me. Then, weary or not, I know that the answer, strength, and anything else I need is there waiting for me. I simple have to look to the right source.

Keys to Contentment

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

I'm fortunate enough to be part of a Sunday School class that aims to get closer to God and walk deeper with Him. We are currently going through Living on the Edge, which is a study/book based on Romans 12. In going through, this verse stuck out to me.

Our circumstances are always changing, whether it's of our own doing or because of things out of our control. New children arrive and join our family. Children grow up and change. Jobs come and go.Family members move or live in disfunction or die. Responsibilities for housework, service at church, and school obligations ebb and flow. The only thing that stays the same (other than God's unfailing love) is that things are always changing.

We often question, "So, how do I deal with this situation?" ~ How do we cope with a husband who doesn't do everything we want him to? ~ How do we keep up with the messes made by several small children? ~ How do we cope with the lost job that was needed? ~ How do we deal with the disappointments of people who aren't faithful to their word? ~ What do we do when we're hurt or discouraged?

We remain JOYFUL in HOPE. We are PATIENT in AFFLICTION. And, we are FAITHFUL in PRAYER.

No matter what, we can be joyful in hope. True? You think not? That depends where you hope lies. If it lies in the Lord, you can always cling to it and be joyful. God promises to never leave us of forsake us and that He always has our best interest at heart. If these things are true, we have no reason to ever lose hope. Even when what we see is hard. If we turn our eyes from what we see, to God, we can soak in the joy that comes from hope in His omniscient control and unfailing love.

Affliction will come. There will be difficult times. Trials happen. Discomfort, pain, and things we dislike are a part of life. God never promises othewise. Time and time again, He tells us what to do during those times, which lets us know they will come. This scripture tells us to be patient. In James, we are told to count it joy when we go through trials. How do we do that? By knowing that it will end. By knowing that we can get through it with God's help. And by knowing that if we cling to Him and stay focused on His purposes, He will work them out for our good. Then, we can hang on until the trial, affliction, discouragement, heartache, passes or diminishes.

Lastly, we are to stay faithful in prayer. We are to pray about everything. We are to praise God in everything. We are to be still and listen to Him. That's how we get through and know what step to take next - even if that step is the same one we've been taken for eons. Sometimes, God calls you to make your next step to stay right where you are. Sometimes, He calls you to move to the next thing. To be assured and gain divine support on that next step, it must be taken in prayer - not for what we want, but for guidance to do what He wants. That's how we hand over our family members we are worried about or disappointed in. That's how we stay connected to God and His love, and overflow that love to others in our lives.

So, no matter what you're facing at this time, be JOYFUL in HOPE, PATIENT in AFFLICTION, and FAITHFUL in PRAYER.

Get Encouraged

Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. (MSG) 2 Corinthians 4:1

I absolutely love this version of this verse! How many times as a mom have I wanted to throw my hands up and walk off the job? I can't count them. Occasionally, I declare a Mommy-vacation where everything is let go for a day or a week, then I return to normal.

It's not because I don't love my children. No, loving them is the easy part. Snuggling with them. Talking with them. Playing with them. Those are the fun things. But, they are not the things that make up the bulk of motherhood (as if I had to tell you that!) It's all the work that comes with motherhood that is repititious, redundant, and unappreciated that makes me want to throw my hands up and quit.

There are hard times in motherhood. For some reason, I was totally unprepared for these hard times. I was also unprepared for the constancy of hard work and lack of control of my own time. These three things sometimes rush in all at once, crashing over my head and overwhelming me. Like being caught under a wave in the ocean, with another on the way and undertoe trying to pull me down, I struggle to catch my breath, much less make headway.

I am more than grateful for verses like this one found in 2 Corinthians that can speak to me and act like a hand pulling me above the wave, helping me to get my footing, and hang on until the deluge is over. God is there waiting, He never moves, and all I have to do is continue to reach up and rely on Him to provide everything I need. He has given me this task of raising these four invaluable gifts and He will equip me to do so. And for that, "thank you" doesn't seem adequate.

Moms Working Together for God

to be sensible, chaste, domestic, kind, and submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be discredited. Titus 2:5 (RSV)

This verse continues from the previous one about the things that older women are supposed to teach the younger women. By proxy, this means that the older women are expected to exhibit these characteristics, too.

I am sure that many reading this verse cringe at the phrase "submissive to their husbands." This is, in part, due to the lies we've been fed and eaten ravenously about what submission means. The other part of this is our flesh desiring to be selfish and independent of anyone else. However, we are commanded time and time again to be submissive to our husbands (Eph. 5:22, 24; Col. 3:18; 1 Peter 3:1, 5.) We are not the only ones told to submit, though. Slaves are told to submit to their masters, masters are told to submit to God, children are told to submit to their parents, and all belivers are told to submit to each other out of reverence to Christ. So, women are not the only ones told to submit.

Secondly, submission does not mean being a doormat. Submission means exhibiting the characteristics described in the beginning of the verse: sensible, chase, domestic, kind. It doesn't mean take a beating, put up with emotional abuse or blackmail, or think of yourself as less worthy in God's eyes. It means to maintain a relationship with your husband by being self-controlled, pure, busy at home, and kind (NIV.)

Trust me, these characteristics are harder to learn for some people, especially naturally dependent, strong-willed personalities like mine. But, as God has convicted me about my attitude and lack of submission to His will and encouraged me to be a kinder, gentler wife, I've been the one to benefit. And, as the last portion of this verse says (as well a the other verses that talk about being submissive), it is all to make sure that God is glorified - that I don't do anything to bring discredit to His name. It is true of how I treat my husband, how I treat my children, how I treat my extended family, and how I treat my friends. That is why I need God to help teach me these lessons on a constant basis.

Moms Working Together

and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, Titus 2:4

Have you ever thought about having to learn to love your husband and children? Or that we as women have a responsibility to each other? According to this one verse, we do.

Titus 2 focuses on conduct as Christians and mirrors many other verses in many other books of the Bible. Romans 12:16 tells us to live in harmony with one another, Romans 15:7 tells us to accept one another, 1 Corinthians 1:10 tells us to agree with one another, 2 Corinthians 13:11 tells us to encourage one another. When we train each other to love our families, we do each of these.

So what does that mean, practically speaking? First, it means talking positively about your husband and children. This doesn't mean that you can never be honest or get support for things you're struggling with, but it means loving them with words even when they're not around.

It also means being willing to spend time with other moms. Life can get crazy quickly and is very busy, but spending time with other moms (older ones to learn from, ones in the same life stage to share with, and younger ones to pass on lessons to) is essential to healthy, balanced living. It may mean joining a ladies Bible Study, play groups, MOPS group, etc. It may mean inviting another mom over for lunch, going out for coffee after the kids going to bed. However it happens, time spent is relationship built.

Teaching also involves listening. Often, we learn by talking things out and just having someone to bounce things off of. Being that sounding board, the one who calls and never gives up, the friend who cares, teaches love - to our girlfriends, and to us.

New Beginnings

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:22-23

It seems appropriate to talk about new beginnings at the start of a new year, however, God has reminded me that we have an opportunity to make a new beginning each day. And boy, am I glad!

I don't know about others, but it seems that I struggle with doing the right things, exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit of God, on a daily basis. No matter how much prayer I put into it, how much time I spend in Bible reading/study, no matter how much praise music I listen to, I constantly fall short. Now, on the days I do have my quiet prayer/Bible study time and turn up some inspirational music, I notice improvement. But I don't experience perfection.

I'm reminded through scripture that I'm not the only one, though. Romans 3:23 tells us that ALL fall short. I'm glad that I'm not alone. But I'm more grateful that God has redeemed me from being a slave to the sin that reaches out to ensnare me and delivers me through His Son. Through Him, I am more than a conquerer. Which means that I don't give up. I continue to keep my eyes fixed on Him and rely on Him to help me discipline my flesh and practice making holy choices instead of fleshly ones.

And He gives me that option every day! I've made some new beginnings and gotten back to some disciplines I've let slip, with the new year motivating me. But there are still others I need to work on. As I start the process (again), I will continue to remind myself that I can't, but He CAN!