“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
Dearest Mama,
Many years ago, when my children were in our home, I worried about messing them up. I wasn’t raised in a Christian home, and I made lots of mistakes before becoming a Christian, so trying to raise our children for Jesus felt overwhelming, to say the least.
I had no idea what I was doing, and I felt lost and afraid. Can you relate, friend?
But the most beautiful thing I could ever tell you is the fact that God was with me every step of the way. He was there during the many middle-of-the-night emergency room trips for my son’s painful ear infections, the season we thought he had leukemia and had to go to the pediatric oncologist each week, all the instructional times where we tried to help my daughter learn to stop arguing with everyone and become more gracious and kind (I am happy to say she did learn and has become a very kind and caring woman, wife, and mom), and teaching our children the ways of the Lord. He was always there helping and giving wisdom and peace.
Even navigating the teen years was a joy because we had Jesus with us every step of the way. Yes, I still worried because I was afraid of my kids repeating the same mistakes I made before I was a Christian, but Jesus knew my heart and helped me. I am so happy to say that both of our children have sweet memories of their imperfectly wonderful childhood, and, by the grace of God, they both love Jesus and live their lives for Him.
Do you feel as I did—lost and afraid? Dear one, you can rest assured that when you walk with Jesus one day at a time, staying close to Him, spending time reading the Bible, and simply having a continual conversation with Him, you will have everything you need to raise up your children in a wonderful, Christ-centered home. Even if your kids are older and you are just now learning about having a Christian home, you can still count on the Lord to help you right now. No matter what age you begin with your kids, He will help you and can even make up for any sad times before you knew Jesus if you ask Him. Jesus loves to “do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us…” (Ephesians 3:20 ESV).
As it says in our key verse for today, we don’t have to do anything apart from Jesus. The great news is that John 15:5 says that we will bear much fruit when we stay close to Jesus as we walk on this earth. What this means is when you walk with Jesus one day at a time, trust Him to help you, and do what He tells you to do each day, your life will be beautiful. It won’t be perfect. Nothing will be perfect until we get to heaven, but it will be so sweet. Your home will reflect the love of Jesus, and as your family looks back on their memories with you, they will be so happy they have you as their mama. And the mistakes that we all make, well, the grace of Jesus covers over those as well. He is so good!
I am really thankful to be on this journey with you, my dear one. May the Lord bless you!
Love and Blessings,
Deb and the Help Club for Moms Team
Take one day at a time. Today, after all, is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. Rev. Billy Graham
I remember going into my daughter's room night after night and kneeling beside her bed and crying my heart out to God because I didn’t know how to be a Christian mom; I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. You know what? God is so faithful! He answered me and simply said, “Spend time with me, Deb.” And so I did. I began arising 15-30 minutes earlier each day so I could read my Bible and pray, and plan out my day with my family.
If there was one thing I would love to share with you is that God is personal and loves you as you are. You don’t have to be perfect to be loved by our amazing God! Come as you are! His loving presence can be practically known and experienced. He is not a God who is far away, He is near and easily found. He longs for you to come to Him!
Randy and I have been married for 33 years and we have two grown children, Christie, and Jack, and one answer to prayer son-in-law named Alex. And now I get to be a Gigi to my sweet little grandbabies, Aspen and Skylar, and Piper. Yay!
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