Remember that God is gentle with those who are with young (Isaiah 40:11)-- He is also "El Roi" (the God Who Sees)-- He sees you. He knows you are made of dust. He knows that you are a weak vessel. He loves you and loves to show compassion.
Press on, but do it relying on Him.
In my most difficult moments overseas, I found that it helped me just to realize that God wasn't up in Heaven going, "Come on, just pull your junk together, Jessica!" Instead, He was waiting for me to just humbly acknowledge "I can't pull my junk together. I'm such a mess when I try to go it alone." He is so good to step in and shepherd us... sometimes that means teaching us a lesson but often, particularly when we have little ones, I've found that it just means that He is with us, looking on with loving, compassionate eyes. He is not a harsh slavedriver... He knows that we are frail, and He sees when we are tired and/or burdened, and He invites us:
"Come to me, all who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you,
for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
10 comments:
Thank you so much for this word today. I don't know if it's life circumstances combined with this west Michigan grayness or what but I don't feel like doing ANYTHING today! I know you're life is moving in another direction now but I have enjoyed your posts over the years and look forward to whatever you do put up later.
Jennifer E. mother of 6 in the Reformed Mecca of Grand Rapids
Thank you for these wise, scripture-laden words of encouragement. They are just what I needed to hear today.
I may not be a weary Mama but I am a weary Farmer's wife... and this was so encouraging. Thank you.
Blessings.
Thank you. This weary Mama needed this today.
I am very encouraged . . . and grateful! Thank you!
I wrote more on the blog!
~Tiffany
Awesome. Thanks, Jess. -alice
Dear Jess,
I've been reading your blog off and on since your husband's health crisis in asia. I just had to delurk for this blog entry because it spoke to me again of this same thing that the Lord's been teaching me over the years. Take a look at the December 23 entry in STREAMS IN THE DESERT by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, a daily devotional written in 1925. This poem always speaks to me and is especially relevant to moms with several young children. Thanks! Diana in Seattle (mom of 9)
Wow, thanks, Diana-- here's the link to that for anyone else interested in reading it:
http://books.google.com/books?id=DdkpKlRiQNMC&pg=PA372&lpg=PA372&dq=December+23+STREAMS+IN+THE+DESERT+by+Mrs.+Charles+E.+Cowman&source=bl&ots=dvA1qCzAoo&sig=VhUlxWqMgJt69KiB58_oDxlxtuE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GSdYT_eeC-vMsQK_gcm8DQ&sqi=2&ved=0CGIQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false
Thank you for the post. I needed to hear this at just this moment, living overseas, without family and newly homeschooling with 3 and just knowing that He is the God who sees, brings me peace. Thank you for the reminder.
Thank you for this. I am overseas and newly homeschooling with three young precious gifts and I needed this encouragement today. Just knowing and being reminded that HE is El Roi is not only comforting but provides such peace. Thank you for sharing.
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