A Moment for Your Monday: Momma Prayers

Some things you know, but you have to relearn then a few times - or a million. One of those things I'm relearning yet again is the power of parents' prayers. Did you know that your prayers as a momma are powerful on behalf of your children? We don't always see results right away. Some of us haven't seen results yet, in fact. But I want to encourage you to persist in your prayers like the neighbor who continuously knocks until he gets an answer (check out Jesus talking about it in Luke 11:5-10).

Stuck on what or how to pray? Here are a few ideas to get you started from a book I read recently, Praying Circles around Your Children, by Mark Batterson.

1. Pray the Promises of God. You probably know a lot of the things God promises to his children: "I will never leave you or forsake you," "I will be with you always, even to the end of the age," "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation," and the list goes on. Start with ones you know, and dig into your Bible for more - try the Psalms as a starting point. Then, pray those things for your children. Ask God to fulfill those promises in their lives. 
2. Make Prayer Lists. As you pray those promises of God, make lists of them. Write down the verses and promises and dreams you are praying over your children. Then, pray through that list over and over again. Some days you will feel like a broken record, but remember the persistent neighbor!
3. Create Prayer Mantras. Your prayers are powerful. Your children hearing those prayers can also be incredibly powerful! Think about the things you most want for your children and most want them to know you want - and pray them out loud! At our house our son hears us pray every night, "We pray that he would grow to be a strong man who loves You with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength and never goes a day without hearing Your voice." 
4. Form Prayer Circles. Recruit other people to pray with you! Ask close friends, your children's mentors, family members, etc., to both pray what you are praying as well as ask God to reveal things directly to them to pray. We are strengthened in our faith through community, and praying for our children is definitely a marathon - not a sprint! 
5. Pray Through the Bible. The Word of God is living and active! Why not tap into that power and pray the same things God wants for our children? As you read your Bible, ask God to make certain verses stand out to you - things he would love you to pray over your children. Insert their names into those verses and pray them very specifically. You may even want to get a Bible for each of your children. As you read through it, circle the verses you pray and make notes. Someday, this will be a great gift to each of them to show them what you have been praying all this time!

Don't try to implement all of these things all at once, but pick one (or something else not covered in this book!) and try it out. Work it into your routine before trying another one. For some other resources, check out Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys in the Areas They Need it Most and 31 Days of Prayer: For Our Daughters.

How about you? What have you learned about praying for your kiddos? What other resources would you love to share?

Recipe: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

So how many of you died a thousand deaths of amazingness over the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread that our hospitality coordinator, Elizabeth, provided for our spa day yesterday? Seriously, how can you squeeze more awesomeness into one baked good?!

Because we know a lot of you have been asking, here's the recipe for your own home enjoyment:

2 c flour
1 c sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c mashed bananas (about 2 medium ones)
1/3 c milk
1/3 c peanut butter
3 Tbsp veg oil
1 egg
3/4 c milk chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350. Spray bottom of loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then add bananas, milk, peanut butter, oil, and egg. Mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in chocolate morsels. Spoon batter into pan. Bake 60-70 minutes or until toothpick comes put clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely on cooling rack.

A Moment for Your Monday: Patience

Have you ever caught yourself doing something for, saying something to, or teaching your own child something that you can just feel God giving right back to you? I think it's incredible the things we learn about God as our Father by being mothers ourselves.

I shared with you a couple weeks ago about my screaming match with God. Later, as I still struggled with my range of emotions and hurt, life was going on as usual. My husband was working late and I was trying to get dinner ready for my son and me. Little man starts to lose patience pretty quickly when daddy doesn't come home at a normal time, which means I often start to lose my own patience on such nights. Please tell me I'm not alone in this...

As I was trying to finish dinner, my son was pitching a pretty good fit over waiting. I tried to reassure him that I was working on it and food would arrive in front of him shortly. My reassurance didn't seem to be doing much. Finally, in an attempt to get his attention, I took his sweet little face in between my hands and put my face very close to his. Softly, I told him, "I see that your frustrated and I know you don't like to wait. But please try to be patient."

I suddenly realized that God could be doing the same thing for me. "I know you're frustrated. I know you don't understand. I know you don't see the big picture. Please try to be patient. I really do know what you need and what the deepest desires of your heart are. I'm working on the best possible thing for you. Just please be patient while I work."

Do you believe that God has the best possible plans for you? Do you believe that he knows what you need and what you want most deeply? Are you willing to trust him? Are you willing to try to be patient?

What is God asking you to wait patiently on?

Pssst!

(Hey, I know this is early, but you definitely want to be clearing your calendar for our next MOPS meeting on February 26th. In fact, clear all your mothers-of-preschoolers friends' calendars too. Because it's going to be SPA DAY! There's going to be some serious pampering going on up in here! So make sure you and all your worn-out momma friends are there.)

Spa Day

February 26

9:30-11:30 am

Two Rivers Church

Recipe: Taco Soup

Had anyone else noticed how many soups we like to feature around here? Maybe it's because it's so nice to just throw everything in one big pot, not have a lot of dishes to clean up, and not have a million different things to prepare. Balanced meal + no fuss = Mother of Preschoolers gold! Here's a favorite recipe from our hospitality coordinator, Elizabeth:

2 cans pinto beans (undrained)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can whole kernel corn (drained)
2 cans rotel (if you don't want soup to be spicy you can used petite diced tomatoes instead)
1 1/2 lbs. Ground chuck
1 pkg dry ranch mix
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 1/2-2 cups water

Brown meat thoroughly in a skillet then drain and transfer to crock pot.
Add all other ingredients. Simmer for 2 hours on low.
Garnish with Tostidos, cheese, and sour cream.

Enjoy!

A Moment for Your Monday: Letting it all Out

I had a shouting match with God today. 

Ok, so I did most of the shouting. Or all of it. I got to a point where I just didn't feel like I could sit quietly and patiently any more. Just like our toddlers pitching fits when we most need them to sit still, I blew up.

I grew frustrated with myself, and then with God. "Why can't I just get it right? Why can't you, God, help me get it right? Why am I always messing something up? Why did you even make me this way? What was the point? Why do I want so badly what you have no intention of doing for me? Can't you just take it away? Can't you just shut down the longings in my heart? Couldn't you have just made me differently in the first place? Why?!?!?"

I screamed. I cried big tears for a long time. I pouted. Everything that exasperates us when our own kids do it - I did all of that. But here's what's different:

I am not God, and God is not me. 

I know most of you are thinking, "um, duh?" But let me explain. God is patient with me far beyond my own ability to be patient. God is gentle with me long after my own kindness for others wears off. God isn't threatened by my anger and frustration and doubts. He is bigger than all of that. He can handle it. And deep down inside - somewhere beyond all my anger, I still know and believe that he loves me and is holding me through it.

I wish I could tell you that I heard a clear answer to my shouting and have learned a great, succinct lesson today. But that's not the case. These things aren't always so quick to resolve - we've all experienced the waiting. But tonight I know that my God is big enough, strong enough, gentle enough, patient enough, good enough for me to vent to - and to know that he is still with me through it all.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. - 1 Peter 5:7

A Moment for Your Monday: Beyond Myself

We all make the best decisions we can for our children. We do everything we can that we think will keep them healthy, happy, growing, learning, and thriving. And we rejoice when we see the fruit of those things!

My son has been extremely healthy his whole life. I have actually only had to take him to the doctor for illness once in his almost-two-years, and it was overseas on a trip. Sure, he gets colds once in a while, but a week of saline spray and humidifiers usually gets him through it just fine and he really never gets fevers. I realize I have been spoiled, but I love it.

But over the last few years I've grown proud, too. I have slowly attributed his extraordinary health to my choices: feeding him as a newborn, the foods he eats now, how he was weaned in between those two things, the way I treat the first signs of illness, how I keep our home, our routine... you name it. I was proud of how I had made mothering choices and how this had clearly led to a superiorly healthy, thriving child.

Until one night last week, when I held my poor, whimpering, feverish boy at 3:30 am, at a total loss. He had had a low-grade fever for three days and a mild runny nose, but no other obvious symptoms. I had treated him like I always do: lots of water, lots of rest, tylenol for his fever, saline spray and humidifier for his nose, warm baths for all of the above. And after three days of this, he suddenly spiked a fever around 102 in the middle of the third night - the highest he has ever had in his life. I didn't know what else to do to help him. As we snuggled, my heart cried out,

"Jesus, I am beyond myself right now. I have been so proud. I have let my pride run wild. All this time I have contributed my own actions and decisions to keeping my son healthy. But clearly all those things are of no use right now. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I tried to take credit for this incredible little creature that you have knitted and fashioned so amazingly. I need you now. Please, please heal my baby. Jesus, help him feel better. I can't do that - only you can."

I finally went back to bed feeling very small, indeed. Humbled. Silly. Helpless.

In the morning, there was no sign of fever. I could have cried, I was so relieved. It was like Jesus nudging me and saying, "I'm here with you. I love this little guy more than you know. I've entrusted him to you, and you're doing the best you can, but ultimately I am in control. Remember that. And when you come to the end of yourself, I will still be there continuing on where you can't. I don't end. I will never let him go."

Have you ever come to the end of yourself? Maybe you are there right now, and you don't know where else to turn as you try your best to mother. Remember that Jesus is there - beyond the end of you - and is watching over your sweet babies. Will you hand it over to him?