Devotions for Busy Moms

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart

Psalm 37:4

As moms we understand what it means to delight ourselves in another person. We may have begun to experience this phenomenon when we met our child's father, but most likely the concept of delighting ourselves in someone other than ourselves became evident when our first child was born.

As we wake up we begin thinking about our children. What will we feed them? What will they wear? Do we have enough laundry done? And more than that, we find ourselves telling people about them constantly. They make us smile. Their antics cause us to laugh out loud!!! They drive us crazy, but when we don't see them for a couple of days because they'd rather stay at Grandma's or a friend's, we start to miss them. Even those of us who aren't as "dedicated" as some of our friends who are "super-moms," find ourselves making sure our schedules and itineraries will fit in their little lives.

We definitely understand the "delight yourself" concept. However, when was the last time we delighted ourselves in the Lord? Perhaps it's because of our children that we neglect this verse of scripture. They take up a lot of our time. And the older they get, the more we enjoy the time that we spend with them (yes, it can happen, I promise!). We'll drop everything for them.

How would our lives change if our first thought every morning was Christ and His needs for the day? What difference would it make if we dropped everything for our Creator? Can you imagine how it would mold our children for them to see us carving out time for God and talking about him as if we were excited about our relationship with Him?

By now most of you are thinking, "I wish I could do that, but I can't see it happening in my busy life." But wait! Look at the second half of the verse. This is a directive with a promise. God wants to give us the desires of our heart. When we truly delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the time we need to spend with our families. When Christ is our heart's delight, we start to see the things we love and desire come to pass.

And I believe we can take this verse in two ways. As we delight ourselves in the Lord, He puts into our hearts desires that will honor and glorify Him. He will give us direction in regard to those things we've been unsure of. You know, you're wondering if you should spend the money on that new pair of shoes. You start to delight yourself in the Lord, and all of a sudden you don't even want the shoes anymore. That's because your Heavenly Father has given you, placed within you, the desires that are in your heart. He's helped you see you didn't really want that pair of shoes.

I know the shoe analogy seems a bit trite, but I really think this verse can work for us in bigger ways. When we struggle with God's will for our lives, delighting in the Lord can help clear up our confusion. Truly making Christ our heart's delight will not only make us better Christians, it will make us better parents.

It will take some time, but with practice this spiritual discipline can become as natural as breathing. So, go ahead, take some time and concentrate on Jesus Christ. Make Him your heart's delight . . . He wants to give you the desires of that very heart!

© 2009 Lynne Modranski
www.LynneModranski.com
www.squidoo.com/momdevotions

The kids are home everyday. Currently it's snow, but sooner or later it will be Summer vacation. Either way, these days offer a tremendous opportunity.

When school is in session, it's so difficult to spend much time helping our children grow closer to Christ. By the time they go to school, come home, do homework, spend any time at all at some sort of practice and then have a bit of free time to wind down, there's little time left for anything.

But even if you have to work all day, the lack of homework and other extra-curricula activities offer some time to spend implementing this piece of scripture.
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.

Of course in order to truly carry these words out to the end, you'll need to be sure to work on verse 18. "Fix God's Word in your heart and mind." How do you do that? God suggests you tie them on your hands and foreheads. Do you have a piece of jewelry that reminds you to fix yourself on Jesus Christ? Perhaps post-its on your refrigerator or cubicle would help. I have a friend who used to (and may still) hang scripture all around her house (and our work place). The mirror in the restroom at the work would have random verses that changed every couple of weeks.

After you find a way to fix God's words in your heart, then you can teach them to your children. God's recommendation is to talk to your children about His word every time you sit down, when you're walking along the road (or driving), just before they go to bed and as soon as they get up in the morning. In other words find ways to work a message of Jesus Christ into every moment of your life.

They key to really make this work is to not make it a chore, but an enjoyable part of your day. When your child does something that makes you laugh ask him, "Do you think you made God laugh?" Talk about the fact that we are precious to God. He calls us His children. So obviously what makes our parents laugh must make God laugh! When your child won't go to bed ask her what God must think about it. Remind her that the Bible says to honor our parents, so it must make God very sad and disappointed when we don't do what Mom and Dad asks.

God gave us an awesome responsibility when He gave us children. The greatest gift we can ever give to them is to help them find true love and freedom in Jesus Christ. Use these slower paced days to build that foundation.

Photo by Monica Lynne Photography

I remember a time more than 20 years ago. All three girls were in school and I was working full time. I had taken on starting a children's church in our home congregation and "Crossroads to Glory" was in her 2nd or 3rd year (which meant I was rehearsing at least 4 hours a week and performing at least 2 weekends each month). Looking back, I'm thinking to myself, "were you CRAZY or what?!?"

One Friday or Saturday evening, the band had made arrangements to go to a Christian concert in Pittsburgh. We were all really looking forward to going, except I was exhausted and really didn't see much end to my hectic life anywhere in site. Part of me just wanted to say, "go on without me, I'm just going to hang out here tonight." But I didn't want to miss the fellowship and didn't want Steve and the girls to miss just because of me.

I remember on the day of the concert I woke up not feeling too well and by mid-afternoon I knew for sure that I had a serious case of the stomach flu. I wasn't going anywhere. Everyone left and at one point I found myself sitting on the floor in the bathroom with my head over the toilet. That's when it hit me (I have these crazy revelations at the strangest times). There was a purpose in the Sabbath.

Now, don't get me wrong, I NEVER missed church, almost to the point I was terribly prideful of the fact. But as I sat there on the floor getting nothing done, (because as you can imagine, when I'd originally thought about staying home, it was so that I could catch up on all the things that weren't getting done) I realized it had been a long time since I'd had a Sabbath.

When we read about the Sabbath in the Old Testament, it sounds like God is being pretty demanding and even a bit unrealistic. However, after spending a good bit of time pondering this Sabbath thing (much of it while I was hanging my head over the toilet), I realize that God's severe threats in Exodus were only to emphasize how important it is for us to have some time for rest and relaxation. My musing also causes me to wonder if "put to death" isn't more a warning of what we are doing to ourselves when we ignore our need for a Sabbath.

And now, the snow is falling again as I write this. There's a good chance that meetings will be postponed, lessons will be cancelled and you may even have be able to call off work with little to no repercussions. By now, I realize we're all pretty tired of the snow, but perhaps, much like my flu, this snow is really a beautiful gift from God so that we may experience Sabbath.

Jesus reminded the legalistic Pharisees that God created Sabbath for us. God obviously didn't need Sabbath, but He knew we would. He knew, He knows, that we work hard, love big and serve others. Our Savior understands that there are many who depend on us, and much won't get done if we don't do it. But even more, our Brother wants us to be healthy, blessed, relaxed in a low stress life. God created us for His pleasure, and if we don't take some Sabbath time to enjoy life and praise Him, our Creator can't really enjoy us. So, be thankful for the snow. Enjoy the quiet. Make your snow day your Sabbath.

Photo by Monica Lynne Photography

2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Romans 5:1-8 - Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

On Monday I heard an old Dean Martin song I'm sure most of us are familiar with, "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You." It made me think about how many folks feel unloved. Those same people either have low self-esteem or have become bitter over the years. In the way of the world, Dean Martin's words ring somewhat true.

Maybe it is true that we're nobody until somebody loves us. The good news is God loves you. Even when we feel like the whole world is against us, Jesus loves us. In God's economy each of us is "somebody." You are precious to your heavenly Father. In addition to those verses above, Luke Jesus reminds us that God never forgets us. Isaiah says He knows your name. Over and over again God tells us of His great love for us. When you're having a bad day, take a deep breath and remember that Jesus loves you. Just tell yourself that you are important to the Almighty God. The Creator of the entire Universe thinks you are special! You are somebody!
I wonder, too, how might the world be different if people began to understand 2 Peter 3:8 and Romans 5:1-8? If we can somehow share with the world that they are somebody because they are loved, how might lives be changed? Would the crime rate go down? Would abuse happen less?

But let's face it. Sharing this concept with the world is a difficult task. It's nearly impossible. However, what IS possible is making sure our children understand the endless love that God has for them. In Deuteronomy God tells parents to teach their children when they are home, on the road, when they lie down and when they get up. If we really spent that much time helping our children learn how much God really does love them, if they could begin to grasp at a young age that they are "somebody," and learn what serving this loving God means, imagine the possibilities. We may not change the world, but consider how we will change our children.

Judges 2:1-15

The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, "I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, `I will never break my covenant with you, [2] and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.' Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? [3] Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you."

[4] When the angel of the LORD had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, [5] and they called that place Bokim. There they offered sacrifices to the LORD.

[6] After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. [7] The people served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel.

[8] Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten. [9] And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

[10] After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. [11] Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. [12] They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the LORD to anger [13] because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. [14] In his anger against Israel the LORD handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. [15] Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the LORD was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.

Verse 10 says "After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel." As I read that I wondered how a generation could serve the Lord throughout their lifetime and the next generation all completely turn away from God. For parents and those who minister to children, this passage proves the awesome responsibility we have to our children. We can't assume just because we serve the Lord, they will figure it out.

We can't really tell from these few verses what went wrong in the Israelites' lives that made it so difficult for their children to learn to serve and love God. However, one can assume they probably were so busy following the rules, being good people and "serving" that they forgot to teach their children the greatest commandment, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul and all your strength."

And in our lives we have even a greater love to teach our children. Paul tells us in Ephesians that Jesus "abolished the law" in His flesh. He did away with all the regulations. Not that there aren't standards that followers of Christ should follow, but if we can teach our children to love Jesus first, the standards He set with the way He lived his life will automatically follow.

As parents, we teach our children to love Christ with our actions even more than our words. Our priorities about worship, work and family will train those young ones much more quickly than even what they hear in their Sunday School teachers' lessons. It's up to us to make sure they see us earnestly worshipping and loving our heavenly Father so our children aren't part of that "next generation" that falls away from God.

As we prepare to raise these precious young ones that God has put in our care, look closely at your relationship with Christ. Do you love Him with all your heart, soul and mind? Or are you serving Him by following the "regulations"? Is you life a reflection of one that the "next generation" will want to imitate? And if they do, will they also be imitating Christ?

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. [25] Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. [26] Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. [27] No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

As I sit here and watch the Olympic Games, it's difficult not to think about this verse from 1 Corinthians. Paul reminds us that everyone competes, but only one gets the prize. Then Paul tells us to run in such a way as to get the prize.

So, I thought it was time to ask ourselves, "Are we living life in such a way that we might win the prize?" And "are we training our children to run in such a way to win?" Often life gets so busy that we forget we're in the race for the long haul. It's easy to begin to just "go with the flow" and become content with the status quo.

But God wants more for us than merely the "status quo." Just like the folks in the stands are routing for their home country's Olympians to win the Gold, God has nothing than the best in mind for us. In fact, in Hebrews 12:1, God reminds us that we too have a cheering section. He says, "since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses" meaning the saints who've gone on before us. And because those onlookers are rooting for us, we should get rid of everything that holds us back and run never giving up.

God wants us to succeed, to become the very best we can possibly be! Christ is our championship trainer. He gives us all the advice we need. He is our choreographer and the one who watches our moves and tells us how to perfect them.

The problem arises when we forget we can't win the medal without the strict training. We often think because we personally know the trainer and have read the instruction book, we don't need the strict training required. Even more sad is that this lack of training has probably reinforced the idea for our children. When they don't see us reading the Bible, they don't think they need to. If they never see us praying, they'll believe it's not necessary. It doesn't matter what we do in private. They only know what we do in public (or at least in from of them).

So, what kind of training are you in? Does your spiritual training meet the Olympic standard or is it more haphazard? Or perhaps it's really non-existent. Spring is in the wind. These warmer days are giving us hope of something new. Take this opportunity to begin or beef up your "training." Become a Christian Olympian!

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

I can't help but wonder how many of us take these words of Christ personally. When Jesus says "you," He means YOU! So often we underestimate our value as well as our range of influence.

"You are the salt of the earth." You have the power and responsibility to add flavor and goodness to every situation you are in. Not only that, but if you choose to take on the challenge that Christ has given, you have the potential to be the enhancer that keeps things fresh! Salt was used as a preservative for thousands of years before Christ walked on the earth. As the "salt of the earth," you are privileged to be able to be the one who preserves life, love and Christ's message.

"You are the Light of the World." You, yes you, have the capacity to bring light into dark times. You can be a bright force in a world that seems dismal and hopeless. The light shines, brings hope and creates a positive mood. Just like a bright sunny day somehow gives a better outlook, our light can be a transforming force to everyone around us.

Maybe you're wondering how it is that we keep our saltiness. After all, we don't want to be "thrown out." And how exactly do we manage to let our light shine with everything that comes into our lives everyday to snuff out the flame?

Our "saltiness," the ability to keep things fresh and be a seasoning to our family and friends, as well as the gleam within us comes from our relationship with Jesus Christ. After all, Jesus did say that He was "the light of the world." Every time we spend quiet time with Christ, read and meditate on His word and take the time to really pray, our saltiness and light grows. And it's this saltiness and light that makes us the best moms possible.

As moms in the 21st century, the hectic pace of every day life can often keep us from truly growing in Christ. We want to do everything we can for our children. So much so, that we sacrifice some of ourselves for their sake. We give of our energy, our resources and our time. And that nearly always robs the time we spend investing in ourselves, the time needed to become the very best we can be.

Your children deserve to have a parent who is the "salt of the earth," a mom who brings flavor and seasoning to their lives and keeps them safe from being spoiled by the evil in the world. If we seriously want the best for our kids, then taking the time to be sure our light is able to shine is not only for our benefit, it's for theirs as well.

Salt and light, they make things better. When you are the salt and light, you, too, will be able to make things better, your children, your homes, your jobs and more. So spend time this week with Jesus. Focus on your relationship with Him above all else and ask Him to make you the salt and the light.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
1 John 3:1

We are so blessed that we are the "children of God." John reminds us that God loves us so much that He calls us His children. But I'm not sure I completely understood the enormity of that love until I had children myself. I mean, I loved my parents and siblings, my grandparents and aunts. When I fell for Steve, I thought that I'd never love anyone more than that. And I always knew that I couldn't love as much as God did, I still know it. But then I had children.

I don't think I even knew I had the capacity to love that much. Children changed everything. But they also began to teach me more than I would have ever imagined about the nature of my heavenly Father. Yes, being a parent was one of the best things that ever happened to my Christian walk.

One of the first things I learned was how much God loved me. As I mentioned, I thought I knew about
God's love, but I was in total awe when I began to realize that my Creator loved me even more than I loved my children. I couldn't even imagine a love that big.

When my girls were young, I learned lessons about God's nature at least weekly. Each time one of them did something to make me proud, it made me consider, "Am I making my Father proud?" When their arguing caused me to feel anxious, and I just wanted them treat each other with love, I wondered if the way I treated others may have caused God to be disappointed in me.

Have you ever wondered what an adult fit looks like? My girl's stubborn times, when they talked back or were obstinate, those times made me look at my life and my attitudes. Of course, I never layed on the floor and kicked my feet, but how often was I defiant when God showed me something He wanted me to do? Parenting a strong willed child forced me to evaluate my actions in light of scripture.

I could go on and on sharing the lessons Christ has taught me through my children, lessons about truth, integrity, spending time with Him and priorities. But the best part is the fact that these lessons have not only made me a better person but a better Christian.

So, how are you doing as a child of God? Have you considered His love for you based on how much you love your children? How does the way you forgive your children or discipline them help you understand God's forgiveness and discipline for you? Never forget you are a child of God. He loves you more than you can ever imagine!

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. Romans 8:28

For those who know me even relatively well, you're already aware that this is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. My personal translation is, "I can't mess up anything so bad that God can't fix it." That's a pretty ro/ugh interpretation and a bit too simple, but those few words often help push me forward.

"In all things God works for the good . . ." That doesn't mean that everything that happens will always be good. But it does mean that even the bad things that do happen can work in our favor, including the things we mess up ourselves.

How might your attitude be different if you really believed that? Would you be more likely to try something new? How often do you miss out on an opportunity because you're afraid you'll make a mess of it? What are you not doing for fear of looking silly or failing? Will truly believing that God will fix all of those mistakes and mess ups give you the courage to step out of your comfort zone and do something new?

There are also a lot of things we go through in life that this verse can help us through. We wonder what good can come from our children being tormented at school. How can losing our job possibly have a good outcome? What can God do with our illnesses, overspending or bad choices?

Those are really good questions! And perhaps you have even more examples of situations that hold very little promise of "good" anywhere in the future. Does the hope God gives us in Romans 8:28 help you go through those times? When you're in the midst of the hopeless, will remembering that God has something good in store help you?

There are a couple of things we need to remember about this good news that God gives us. First, He doesn't promise the good will happen immediately or even in our time frame. He just assures us that we can be confident good will come. Don't be impatient, trust that God is at work! Second, we have to realize that the Bible says God works good for "those who love Him and are called according to His purpose." This isn't a promise for everyone who lives. These words of hope are conditional. They're only for those of us who love Christ and are living for Him.

So, if the good is difficult to find, do a self check to determine if you're truly living your life like you love God. Just saying we love Him isn't enough. God doesn't look at our actions or our words, He looks at our heart. He knows whether or not we truly love Him, whether we are living out His purpose in our lives.

If you pass the self-check, then be patient. Have faith that God has everything under control. Use this assurance to give you the courage to move forward into the things that Christ is calling you to. Remember, if you act out of love for Christ and your heart is truly focused on Him, even if you don't get it quite right, He'll work it out for your good!

That's got to be one of the most difficult lines in the Bible for a busy mother. We generally can't even find time to visit the toilet alone. God must be kidding when He says, "Be still and know that I am God." How is that going to help me? It's more likely that meditating on this verse will cause me more stress instead.

It's been more than 10 years since I first meditated on this verse. My children were in 2nd, 4th and 8th grades. We had just moved. And for some reason each time we moved caused me to have to find a new routine for my daily devotion. For several weeks, this was the only verse I read each day. There are several lessons. I learned while meditating on these few words.

- I learned that my day goes so much better when I begin with just a few moments of being still and just remembering that God is God. It seems so obvious and so simple. However, because of its simplicity, it's also a concept we often take for granted. This week start each morning with a simple moment of quiet reflection. Even before you get out of bed, breathe slowly and take just a moment to remember that God is in control

- I learned that stressful moments can be overcome or at least "managed" when I stop for a moment and reflect on God being God. Before I yell at the kids, when I'm ready to blow my top, I take a deep breath and for a moment just praise God and enjoy Him. Often I'm only able to devote a few seconds to this practice; however, when I allow it, this small discipline gives me a peace that otherwise I'd have never known.

- I learned that when I make time for Christ, even if it's just a few moments, Christ blesses my time.

Being a mom is a difficult and rewarding calling. It's hard enough to keep up with things when our lives DO revolve around Christ. Without Him it's an assignment that is more than I can imagine. If your heart's desire is to raise Godly children and come out somewhat sane on the other end, and at the same time become the best you God created you to be, take time to Be Still. Make time to be sure, without a doubt, that you know God is in control . . . that He is God.

I've begun to upload the PDF version of these devotions so that leaders of Mom's/Women's groups can come here and download copies that are easier to print. If I don't get more here fast enough, be sure to add a comment above to nudge me on.

Children of God
You Are Somebody
More Influence than You Might Imagine
Be Still and Know that I Am God
Delight Yourself in the Lord
Even I Can't Mess it Up That Bad
Win The Gold

Lynne Modranski has also written more than 40 Inspirational Readings designed for church leaders and small groups. Although all are available here on Squidoo, she's compiled them into a print version for those who still like to have a book on their shelf, carry it to a meeting or just prefer paper and ink. You'll find it here:

"Devotions for Church Leaders and Small Groups"

Just click that link above to go to the page at Lulu.com to order.

And NOW
This devotion book is available on Amazon

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