WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:20.399 Well, good morning, Awakening. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:21.600 How are we doing? 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:24.320 Yeah, happy Mother's Day, Mom. 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:26.879 So, like we had one clapper over here. 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:28.079 Can we just get a full clap? 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:30.399 I just uh it'd be a better way to start. 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:31.359 Thank you. 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:34.880 Um Happy Mother's Day, Moms. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:36.799 We're so thrilled to have you join us today. 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:38.159 If you're new, my name's Ryan. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:44.320 Uh, we're doing something a little different today, as you can see, by the setup, and I'll explain it in just a second. 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:49.280 And I was reminded of this passage this morning, um, Proverbs 31. 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:54.000 I don't know if you're familiar with it, but it's often called the Proverbs 31 woman. 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:57.359 And then if you're a woman, you read this, you're like, wow, that's a lot to live up to. 00:00:57.439 --> 00:00:58.399 Um, hello. 00:00:58.719 --> 00:01:00.640 And and one clap again. 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:01.600 Okay, there we go. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:02.640 I guess that's just the day. 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:03.439 I don't know. 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:12.400 Um but here's what's interesting about as you look at that Proverbs 31, it's not like this is a to-do list that you try to achieve. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:14.239 Gee, let's try that again. 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:18.239 This is a to-do list that you're trying to uh achieve. 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:27.840 But as your heart and life leans into your savior, it's who you're formed and who you become. 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:35.760 And I invited three just amazing moms who exemplify this is the verse of the day on you version. 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:40.560 She is clothed with strength and dignity, she can laugh at the days to come. 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:44.480 She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:55.120 And I just want to invite three moms who speak with wisdom and faithful instruction, who have gone through a lot, uh, and who I can literally say laugh at the days to come. 00:01:55.280 --> 00:02:01.680 Like there's just a strength and a confidence in what Jesus has done, is doing, and will do in their life. 00:02:01.760 --> 00:02:03.680 And so today I want to do a little interview. 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:09.280 I would love for you to give a warm welcome to Jenny Ingram, Evita Cass, and Jen Smith. 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:10.159 Come on out. 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:21.439 Thank you all for joining me. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:22.960 I'm gonna scoot forward again. 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:23.520 There we go. 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:24.639 Can I see you guys? 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:26.879 Thanks so much for being willing to do this. 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:27.840 This is awesome. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:28.800 This is no small deal. 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:32.240 Getting up in front and speaking, that's intimidating, that's scary. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:34.560 Serving us on Mother's Day as moms. 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:36.960 Thank you so much for that. 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:40.240 And I thought, let's just start with maybe a softball one. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:47.840 Tell us, you know, names and ages of your kids, um, which one's your favorite, and then uh I'm just kidding. 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:59.680 Uh, but maybe like what is maybe a funny moment as a mom or a favorite moment uh that you can look back on, or what do you enjoy about uh motherhood? 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:03.199 So we'll just start with you since I know you the best. 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:04.319 Yes. 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:11.520 Um I'm Jenny, I'm right married to him, and we have three kids. 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:14.080 So our oldest is Ella, she's 18. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:20.800 She was up here singing, and she didn't she didn't tell me she was doing that this morning, so that was a little sweet surprise. 00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:27.280 Um she's heading off to college, and then we have Ryder, who's 16, and then our youngest is Miles, who's 13. 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:28.639 Fun moment. 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:29.919 Fun moment. 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:38.879 Um, the the first one that came to mind for me was for uh Miles, a Miles story, which is probably because it's the freshest. 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:42.240 And we call him, at least as a kid, Miles of Smiles. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:43.439 Yeah, he just makes us laugh. 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:45.120 He's just so fun. 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:46.719 He loves to laugh. 00:03:47.039 --> 00:04:08.719 And um uh I was just thinking about his first day of kindergarten, and you know, you send your kid off and you're all excited, and then I got a call from the principal, and they were like, Miles went into the hot lunchroom, got the cookies, and passed them out on the playground so that all the kids could have a cookie. 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:11.919 But the Robin Hood of Cookies, yeah. 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:13.280 Yeah, yeah. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:17.759 And I didn't, you know, I had a mix of like laughter and like, oh shoot. 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:19.519 Um, at the same time. 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:23.040 But what I love about that is that it's just so his nature. 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:31.360 He's one of the most like generous people, um, and he just loves to feed people, he loves a party, he loves everything being fun. 00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:34.160 So it was like I could see that when he was five. 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:41.600 My name's Avita, and um I have two kids with my husband, John. 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:45.680 Uh we have Rachel, who's 11, and Nathaniel, who's seven. 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:47.680 Uh funny story I have. 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:50.480 Um, Nathan loves dinosaurs. 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:53.600 He's always thinking about dinosaurs, wondering about dinosaurs. 00:04:53.759 --> 00:05:03.199 And one day we were in the car, they were in the back the back of the car, and Nathan goes, If dinosaurs are all dead, does that mean they're all in heaven? 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:06.399 And I needed a time to process the question. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:10.879 But Rachel stepped in immediately without even thinking about it. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:14.879 She's like, Well, it depends if they believe in Jesus. 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:19.439 So it's these conversations that we're around. 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:22.240 That's so the what I have fun with. 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:28.160 These conversations, I don't even put like heaven and dinosaurs together in my mind, so that was really fun. 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:29.360 And that's so good. 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:38.800 Like not only seeing their personalities, but seeing that childlike wonder and faith, and then I think so often we can learn. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:42.079 Our kids get theology a lot of times even better than we do. 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:45.839 We complicate it and add things to it, and so it's so beautiful. 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:47.120 I'm Jen. 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:49.920 I'm married to Dave, and he's um on staff here. 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:52.800 We're new here, we've just been here since December. 00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:55.680 So, new Californians learning all about California. 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:59.600 This is how California is, it rains all the time. 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:07.759 Anyway, he said it was a softball question, but when you have six kids, it's not so much of a softball thinking about remembering all their ages. 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:11.519 Um, my oldest though just turned 25, so I remember that. 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:17.680 Uh we have we have five boys and one girl and two daughter-in-laws and two grandkids. 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:20.240 So uh Connor, my oldest is 25. 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:24.240 I think they go 23, 21, 19, and then 12. 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:25.360 We have twin boys. 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:30.319 So they were the surprise at the end and a big surprise. 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:32.959 Um, and more boys. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:35.680 So we have a very full house of boys. 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:49.439 And one of the memories, kind of funny, but kind of not funny, kind of scary, uh, was when my first three boys, again, it was just boom, boom, boom, and we lived in a house that like the property was like on an angle. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:55.120 So the house, um, you know, the the way the deck was and everything, I'm trying to paint the picture. 00:06:55.199 --> 00:07:01.920 But basically from the deck, you could climb up to part of the roof, and it was like just easy access. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:03.839 Like they were not thinking about kids when they built it. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:04.800 It was a very old house. 00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:08.720 Anyway, so my oldest began, actually, it might have been the second oldest first. 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:16.720 He's more of a daredevil, but one of them began first climbing up, and it was a pretty, you know, good drop down there with concrete at the bottom. 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:21.920 And then, and the older two, like again, it was dangerous for anybody, but they were a little bit better. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:29.040 But then Riley, who was my third, he was pretty young at the time, and I thank goodness came out right at the time he was about to climb up. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:44.000 So those are kind of like that, it's not really very funny, but it's looking back, you can say it's funny because nobody got hurt, but like lots of stuff like that for me, like just pushing the limits and finding them in all sorts of you know, crazy situations. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:45.759 It's kind of our family. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:49.759 I'm just a little more stressed right now, but uh yeah. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:58.079 But it's it happens all the time, especially with boys, I'm sure, but uh they're climbing, find the highest spot, and yeah, yeah, you get it. 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:03.360 Uh so thought maybe being a mom today is challenging. 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:10.560 There's all sorts of pressures and demands, uh having the picture perfect, Instagram post, family. 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:13.279 Um what are some of those challenges? 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:18.480 What are some of the things that uh are on moms and on you? 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:20.720 How have you navigated those? 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:26.560 Not all at once, please. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:37.360 This is um well, one of the challenges that I see, and it I don't think it's necessarily unique to moms, but we do add our own flavor to it. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:40.720 And it's the formation of standards for ourselves. 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:49.519 Um and and the the challenge to that is there's so many things that want to feed the the standards that we form. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:09:12.879 Not that standards are bad, and I think standards are good to a healthy extent, but then if we allow the world, like worldly ideas, to feed those standards, all too quickly we can believe the lie that we are not good enough or we are too much, and those are not what God intended us to walk with. 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:24.080 And the way I have found a really powerful way to navigate that is through the word of God and letting the word of God be our standard, the standard for our lives. 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:28.960 And an example of that is I love Joanna Gaines. 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:49.519 And if I allowed her life to be to shape the standards for my life, where she's flipping houses one day, attending to her garden the next day, creating a recipe book the next day, and then being on a talk show the following day, I will just be weary, exhausted. 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:53.039 And I was not designed for that life. 00:09:53.360 --> 00:10:03.840 But the word of God says we are his masterpiece, we are created and in Christ Jesus, and he has prepared good works for us that we should walk in them. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:15.600 And for that to be my standard, there's specific things that God designed for me and prepared for me, and how freeing and joy and life-giving is that standard, right? 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:28.799 So, as much as I admire what she does, it's more from a perspective of wow, God, you've designed her amazingly, but also God, thank you for how you have designed me and the good work that you have prepared for me. 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:29.360 Yeah. 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:30.080 I love that. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:32.080 Can we double click on that just a little bit? 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:33.200 Yeah, that is so good. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:33.759 Yeah. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:38.320 Drop the mic, Evita spoke. 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:42.159 But but what you're getting at is comparison. 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:49.519 And and comparison, we know this kills joy, it kills your purpose, it robs you of life. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:51.919 Um, and we have it all the more. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:59.039 And you have twofolds of it comparing up, like two a Joanna Gaines, or comparing down, like, oh, at least I'm better than them, you know. 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:03.440 But talk a little bit more on comparison and and how to navigate that. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:12.320 Yeah, and I think for me, you know, one of the things is realizing that there are lots of good ways to be a mom. 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:16.080 There's lots of good uh choices, and it's not only one. 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:21.039 I think when you first become a mom, especially for me, I think you you want to like, what's the right thing? 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:21.759 What should I do? 00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:22.559 What should I say? 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:28.080 And you kind of see it as more of like a stepping stone type of thing, like that there's kind of one way. 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:41.759 And yes, we have the Bible and it is guiding us, and there are principles and truths in there, but even within that, there are, you know, there's a variation because we're all wired differently, we have different backgrounds, all that type of thing. 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:55.519 And I think for me, having good friends, finding friendships in those moments were really helpful because we would, you know, kind of not compare in the bad way, but compare and contrast, like you know, what is it like for you when your son or daughter does this? 00:11:55.679 --> 00:12:00.399 What you know, and you go back and forth, but you also, like Evita said, we're all made in the image of God. 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:03.840 So there's these good things, the ways God has made us. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:21.360 But being a mom and being like completely for me anyway, I was brought to the end of myself, and I was so desperate and I felt so overwhelmed, and I felt just, you know, I failed and messed up, and I felt so sometimes so ashamed on how I was. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:28.799 But through those friendships and through seeking God, you realize, yes, okay, um He does cover us, right? 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:33.440 He covers us and He helps us, and really that's that's how we are as humans, anyway. 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:48.399 Needy people, and becoming a mom made me very, very needy, but realizing, okay, there's this um just I don't know, there's freedom, there's freedom, and there's not this one way to be a mom, you know, that's big for me anyway, was big. 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:50.159 Yeah, so good. 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:52.320 I keep getting locked into what you guys are saying. 00:12:52.480 --> 00:13:27.759 Um yeah, I actually was really reflective on my own childhood, and I was born in 1979, and you know, the 80s, there's I mean, this is gonna shock you guys, but there's no internet or you know, cell phones, and you just go to your friend's house and you come back when it's dark, and you know, the pace was so different, and our we were it was easier to be present and really where you were, and I think a challenge now is really how to be present and how to slow down our pace. 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:36.320 I think technology and just being able to be connected all the time, it's nuts, it's not good. 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:39.039 So, how do you be present? 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:45.440 Because it is such a challenge, a challenge for all of us, right? 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:49.200 I mean, our phones are constantly calling us, yeah. 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:55.759 You can be just desk scroll on watches, sure, what everything, you know. 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:57.840 Maybe some of you have glasses too, who knows? 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:09.200 Um but but what are some practices of presence in the day and age that we have that are helpful of just enjoying or the small moments with your kids? 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:17.679 I mean, I think for me, part of it is just literally letting something go, letting something that's calling your name go, if you can. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:26.080 Obviously, you know, we juggle a lot, and especially for those of you in families that both uh spout, you know, both are working full-time, then that's even more of a challenge. 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:28.639 But get creative on how you do this, I think. 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:29.919 But is just stopping. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:39.120 Like when my kids were little, I mean, just sitting on the floor, literally sitting on the floor and like playing and just you know, being intentional about stopping, I think, and being with them. 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:41.759 And there's a whole thing about obviously listening. 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:57.360 Um, as they get older, I found that you kind of have to look for those moments and opportunities, you know, as they head into their middle school and high school years, because um they they don't want to hear from you as much, you know, as when they were when they were younger. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:10.159 Um, but there are times, there are times that kind of and you have to pay attention to when those times come and ask God to lead you in that and then put put it down, whatever it is, put the phone down, put the whatever's calling your name. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:14.960 I mean, kind of a little bit obvious, but but I think we don't do it because it's easy not to, right? 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:24.320 Well, I think that's so good and so important, especially as kids get into the teenage stage and we have three teenagers, is teenagers want to talk when they want to talk. 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:29.200 And if we're not ready and present, they're not wanting to talk later. 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:31.440 And we often miss it. 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:41.440 I often miss it as a parent because like I have my time, I have this, and like I actually something you do really well is very present, especially late at night, I'm asleep. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:55.120 Um but that's a great time of just you're being very present because you can't force those conversations and allowing the space of when they're ready to talk, okay, I'm gonna put that away. 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:56.480 I'm gonna be present. 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:01.200 What about for well? 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:13.360 I started kind of tangenting in my head as we were talking, even about how in order to be present with our kids, we actually need to be present with God. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:17.759 Like how also technology takes away from us being present with God. 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:31.519 And I was thinking, you know, we wish we had a book in the Bible that was just all about parenting, where it was like chapter one, you know, when the baby's born, this is what you do, and then chapter two, when they go to school, you know, pack this in their lunch. 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:31.919 I don't know. 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:39.840 There you, you know, there's just things that we wish he would lay out, or if we could email him or text him, like, can you please just help us with this? 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:42.320 But that is not what he gave us. 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:51.600 He really wants us to be present with him and be in relationship with him for us to lead us in the daily, in the moments. 00:16:51.840 --> 00:17:11.359 And I just think it's cool that he designed us not just to give us a playbook or a formula, like you said, there's so many different ways to do things, but that uh he wants us to be in relationship with him and relationship with others in order to really you know do what he has for us. 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:12.720 Yeah, so good. 00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:13.839 So good. 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:35.279 So then what are like some misconceptions maybe you had about um mothering, becoming a mother, or things that you know that are just put upon that you're like, oh that's that's not actually true, or wow, that I believe this, and it I need to actually put that away. 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:40.400 Um what are some of those things that you kind of bought into that you stepping in? 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:43.680 You're like, oh, this is this is actually helpful. 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:45.759 Okay. 00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:47.759 Or he's like, who's gonna go? 00:17:48.000 --> 00:18:03.599 Um so I think um for me, um it really had to do with like a mold, a certain kind of woman, a certain kind of mother, just based on my background, where I grew up, kind of the circles I was in, and it's gonna be different, right? 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:07.279 Compared to you know, your experience and what you have learned. 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:15.440 Because I know I was even just talking to someone recently from a different country, and it was completely different kind of thing that they handed women, like this expectations, right? 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:23.759 But mine was much more motherhood being the pinnacle of a woman, you know, being a woman, and you know, you should focus on your kids. 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:32.400 And you know, really the the message I received that was you know was working outside the home was not the best, you know, that it's fine, but it's not the best. 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:34.559 This is just what I, you know, grew up with. 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:49.279 And so I think some of those things play into like, okay, you think that's a good mother or that's a bad mother, or this person with this wiring, or like, you know, I had someone say to me one time, because I stayed home with my kids for um for most of all the time. 00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:56.559 And she was like, Well, it was another mom actually who said, Well, like, you know, I'm not designed like that, or you're, you know, made differently, or whatever. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:59.839 And there, some of that was true because I did have an education background. 00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:01.440 I loved working with kids. 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:08.559 Um, so some of it was true, but not as much as the way that it was presented, like that she could never do that, you know. 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:15.599 I think we're such a mixture of our wiring, our personality, our background. 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:25.920 Um, but we we can get judgy, you know, we can get judgy and we can kind of think, well, you know, and look at each other and and um think certain things. 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:27.359 And I think we need to move away from that. 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:30.079 And that's not just for moms, that's for all areas, right? 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:45.039 And realize that God, like Evita was saying, God created us, you know, we have things in us that are supposed to shine forth in our certain tasks, our certain jobs, whatever. 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:47.519 And we need to give each other freedom. 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:55.920 We need to give each other freedom and cheer each other on and um kind of move away some of those preconceived ideas and like recognize them when they come up. 00:19:56.079 --> 00:20:00.319 So a lot of mine was about that mold of being like just this one way, you know. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:03.920 And I just think that's just not true, you know, it's just not true. 00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:07.200 Yeah, and that's so good and so hard. 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:12.319 I mean, we I think we've become more judgmental in the last few years, not less. 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:20.880 Um, and one of the questions we ask around here a lot in helping with that is what's the most generous explanation for their behavior? 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:28.799 And just having that posture because we can assume motives or assume upon all these other things, and we have no idea the context. 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:39.759 We have no idea why their kid is going crazy and target, you know, and and yet we've all been there and been that parent there and we're all broken and flawed in some way, all of us, no matter what. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:40.640 Yeah, absolutely. 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:44.480 We need God and we need his help and grace, you know. 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:56.000 Just to add to what you were saying about there's one certain way to be that to be in that role, and then we make that into our identity. 00:20:56.160 --> 00:21:14.640 I think that's a misconception that I'm a mom, this is who I am now, or whatever that means to you, if it relates to your role at work or um your status in life, whatever that looks like, we make that into our identity, and then that overshadows the our truest identity in Christ. 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:23.519 And I think we um because of that misconception, we lose sight of what God, the source of our identity, declares about us. 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:27.279 He says that we are his masterpiece, that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:42.480 We are made in his image, and it's very important that we we drive this truth to our core, that our identity is something that the Lord declares about us and not any role. 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:59.759 The roles that we that we do in life, it doesn't decl it doesn't um define our identity because it's important that we we understand and move forth from from that certainty and security that we have in our identity in Christ. 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:07.200 Um my misconception was a little more personal. 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:17.680 Um, my story, my background is my dad left before I could remember him being around, and my mom was a single mom with me till I was eight. 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:26.799 And there's kind of some of these labels that you can feel can be put on you at times of, you know, this is kind of your projection. 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:36.720 Um and there actually has been some really um sweet moments that I've had with the Lord as I went into being a mom. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:49.599 And um I actually had this one time where Ryan came home from work and Ella ran to the door and she was like, Daddy, daddy, and she gave him this big hug. 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:57.839 And um, it was so powerful for me because I never remember my dad being home, you know, and or I never had that moment. 00:22:57.920 --> 00:23:11.279 And I just was reminded that God is in the business of bringing dead things to life and that he redeems things that are broken, and he brings beauty out of ashes, and that he's always creating new stories. 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:23.119 And so, um so I know there's a lot of people with tough stories, either that they grew up in or that they're in right now, you know, single parents, widows, so many different things. 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:31.839 And I just want to remind you that that God is for you, that he loves you, that he's still writing your story, and um yeah. 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:33.759 So good. 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:52.079 Um and we have a lot of like new moms, we just got to celebrate and uh baby and child dedications, and um, I think uh COVID is then the next baby boom um around here, or at least at awakening, that's true. 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:53.759 I don't know if anywhere else. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:24:02.480 Um but if you could go back in time and and give yourself some advice, what would it be? 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:06.640 What are some of those things as you start out as a new mom? 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:10.240 Uh, and we have moms to be in the room as well. 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:19.440 So, you know, one of the things it's not necessarily advice, but one of the things I would say to myself is it's gonna be okay. 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:20.799 You're gonna be okay. 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:26.799 Because I was so overwhelmed with Can you say that again, just slower? 00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:29.279 Some people just needed to hear that one line. 00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:33.200 Yeah, that it's gonna be okay, and that you're gonna be okay. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:36.720 Uh it's it's hard, you know. 00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:37.519 Parenting is hard. 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:40.079 Having little ones, I mean, here they come and they need everything. 00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:41.920 They need everything from you. 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:45.440 And it's just it's overwhelming, you know. 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:49.039 Um, beginning, sleep deprivation, you know, are they hungry? 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:51.039 Are they um do they need a new diaper? 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:51.839 All the questions, right? 00:24:51.920 --> 00:24:53.119 That you don't know, they can't talk to you. 00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:55.440 I mean, it's just so overwhelming. 00:24:55.680 --> 00:25:00.000 Uh so I would remind myself and say, you know, it's gonna be okay. 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:01.440 And keep seeking God though. 00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:03.839 I mean, seek God, like in your desperation. 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:10.000 I mean, really, motherhood for me brought me to my knees, brought me, I mean, flat out on the floor. 00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:21.759 Um, first time I ever prayed on my face because I so needed it, and then because I heard about, I never even heard of like actually praying on your face, laying straight down until a Bible teacher talked about it. 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:27.359 But in my motherhood, like that was the position that it brought me to because I was so overwhelmed. 00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:31.359 Now, that doesn't mean I didn't have fun moments and good moments as well. 00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:38.960 Um, I, you know, had that education background, um, was a kid person, but I was just really surprised at my weakness. 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:45.920 I was really like caught off guard by how mean I could be, how I just, you know, wouldn't handle situations well. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:56.960 And uh, and so, you know, going to God and just being real open and honest, crying, literally crying, just crying to God, you know, asking him for help. 00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:05.599 And from there, I mean, I developed a really, really tight relationship with God through my brokenness and through my failure as a mom. 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:10.079 And so, you know, I'd be like, keep doing that, that's good. 00:26:10.319 --> 00:26:16.880 And then it becomes an authentic thing for you, you know, as you are, and this can be true, not as a mom, anywhere, right? 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:22.559 Where you're overwhelmed and you just need God's help, but you're crying out in desperation and you want to know, okay, what what do you say? 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:23.680 What do you say about me? 00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:24.880 Wait a minute, what about this? 00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:26.960 And it's like this wrestling dialogue. 00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:32.480 And then he, of course, reminds you of his love and how unconditional it is. 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:39.119 And you get reminded of these truths and you build this authentic relationship uh with Jesus. 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:42.480 That's um, and then your kids watch that, you know. 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:52.799 Yes, you're gonna be telling your kids, you know, yes and no, and and that type of thing, but as they watch you develop this relationship, uh, to me that's you know one of the most important things. 00:27:01.599 --> 00:27:10.480 Um the question was uh giving advice to you know, if you could go back and give yourself advice, moms. 00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:11.359 There we go. 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:19.039 Well, mine is more uh within a context of hardship and suffering. 00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:26.400 Um my husband and I have been parenting in a very long period now of hardship. 00:27:26.559 --> 00:27:29.599 In 2018, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:33.920 Did treatment was declared to be in remission in 2021. 00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:45.839 I was diagnosed with recurrent breast cancer recurrence, and it has been really, really rough for us to parent within that um space of uh hardship. 00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:51.119 And three things I'm learning from that journey that I'd like to share today. 00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:53.759 One is to to ask for help. 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:57.279 I think it's such a brave thing to do to ask for help. 00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:04.720 And also the second is to allow the body of Christ to love you, to let yourself be loved by the body of Christ. 00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:12.960 I think this whole idea of powering through, power through it, it you hit the wall really fast, you get weary and exhausted really fast. 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:20.640 But the love of Christ that's demonstrated demonstrated through his body, it's never running out. 00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:25.599 It's abundant and it's overflowing and it strengthens you. 00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:42.160 And the last um piece of advice that I I've actually learned through If Gathering, which is a conference, um, and this is something that Katherine Wolf had spoken, she said, and this was three days after I received my second diagnosis through the conference. 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:44.880 She said, Steward, you're suffering well. 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:47.440 And I was so surprised to hear that. 00:28:47.599 --> 00:28:49.839 I didn't know suffering was something to steward. 00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:59.359 It seemed to me at before it was a time to just lean into God and you know get through it, but it was something to steward well. 00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:16.559 And really what that meant to me was placing my suffering in the hands of Jesus, and then suffering and hardship and um loss and grief and all of these hard things to become powerful pieces of our story in the hands of Jesus. 00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:21.119 And so I just encourage you all not that not to embrace. 00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:30.960 I'm not saying, oh, I love my suffering now, it's not that, but to trust that there's power in your suffering when you place it in the hands of Jesus. 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:47.839 Um the word that just kept coming up for me as I was just praying for this time that I felt like God wanted me to say was just grace. 00:29:48.559 --> 00:30:00.559 And that's something that we can say flippantly, but I think it's something that there's just so many layers to it and so much depth, and I don't think we'll ever fully grasp it until we're face to face with Jesus. 00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:12.799 But when you're around people that understand grace and that just live in grace and just flow grace to those around them, they're really great to be around, right? 00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:18.960 Like you just know that you're loved and um you're just you're drawn to them. 00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:28.160 And anyway, so just yeah, I think grace in a few different ways, grace with ourselves that I mean, I just had to tell my son this yesterday. 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:29.920 I'm so sorry, honey. 00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:32.640 I blow it every day, every day. 00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:35.359 But just tell me, tell me when I'm blowing it. 00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:36.079 I can take it. 00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:42.240 I'm a grown-up, but like just I want you to tell me because I want to grow and I want to not do it again. 00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:45.200 I just do it out of ignorance and not knowing. 00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:58.079 Um and uh and so asking for grace from our kids, giving grace to our kids, our spouses, all I mean, understanding God's grace for I mean, you know, it goes on and on. 00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:05.359 But I think grace is actually such a key for everything, especially parenting right now with Pinterest and TikTok. 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:15.920 And you know, my mom didn't make gluten-free, dairy-free meals with like a picture perfect home, but she loved me and she like had so much grace with me. 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:24.720 And I think that sometimes our our priorities get out of line and out of whack, and um yeah, so grace. 00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:26.400 Yeah, that's so good. 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:29.440 And I think it's just important, like, take the pressure off. 00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:37.039 Like live under like this immense pressure that we put upon ourselves or culture puts upon us. 00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:43.279 And um, I like how my brother says it, all our kids are gonna need counseling because of our parenting. 00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:45.279 Um, it's true. 00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:50.559 Uh, our goal is just to be friends with them and pay for their counseling, you know. 00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:59.039 I think uh because none of us are gonna be perfect parents, and none of us are gonna do it perfectly. 00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:13.359 Uh, it was a while ago through a conversation Jenny and I were having and with some friends and talking about family of orchids uh things, that I came to realize I really believe this verse is one of the most powerful parenting verses in scriptures. 00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:16.240 Uh Peter talks about it, and it's also in Proverbs. 00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:19.279 Uh that um, oh and I just went blank on it. 00:32:19.440 --> 00:32:20.480 Um thank you. 00:32:20.640 --> 00:32:23.759 Uh love covers a multitude of sins. 00:32:24.640 --> 00:32:26.319 Like, think about that. 00:32:26.480 --> 00:32:35.920 Uh not getting it all right, figuring it all out, doing it just, you know, okay, I ferberized whatever it is, you know. 00:32:36.319 --> 00:32:38.640 Love covers a multitude of sins. 00:32:38.720 --> 00:32:47.039 If your kids really know how much you love them and that they're anchored in that, it covers so much. 00:32:47.519 --> 00:33:01.680 And you just, you know, we just had this conversation getting to see the different aspects of family and homes, and whether you looked at it and it was perfect or great, or all the butt when really understanding love, it's like it just covered all of that. 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:03.039 It's so powerful. 00:33:03.359 --> 00:33:05.359 Jen, you were about to say something. 00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:09.359 I don't know if you remember, but you're I'm not sure. 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:12.400 But yeah. 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:15.680 But I can But you can now. 00:33:16.400 --> 00:33:17.200 Well, here's the thing. 00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:19.359 I was telling them, I have lots to say. 00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:24.880 So it for me, it's more about being quiet and listening and let other people have a turn because I will just go off and off. 00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:26.000 I'm from New Jersey. 00:33:26.079 --> 00:33:27.920 I talk fast, I talk a lot. 00:33:28.160 --> 00:33:35.440 Um, so just I guess just adding on to the whole advice and looking back, um, and the grace piece too. 00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:40.960 I think it's this whole thing of like focusing on learning to get to know your kids. 00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:52.559 We talked a little bit about that the first service, like getting to know them, their wiring, and doing things maybe a little bit differently depending on the child and what they need, and also getting to know if you're married, getting to know your spouse and what they need. 00:33:52.640 --> 00:34:00.000 And I think when you bring kids into the picture, it sort of like throws everything, you know, into a different different orbit, right? 00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:04.000 And you're figuring out, okay, what what does what does my husband need, or what does my wife need? 00:34:04.160 --> 00:34:05.920 And um, and then what do I need? 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:07.920 Like as a mom, what do I need? 00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:11.199 Okay, here I am, and I need a break. 00:34:11.360 --> 00:34:12.480 All right, we'll take a break. 00:34:12.639 --> 00:34:13.920 Figure that out, you know. 00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:19.039 I need, you know, maybe one person needs it more neat and tidy, and another person's okay with mess. 00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:20.639 Like that's one of our things. 00:34:20.800 --> 00:34:26.400 Um, so one of the funny memories that I have is when I um we were preparing. 00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:28.000 Well, no, I forgot to prepare. 00:34:28.079 --> 00:34:31.039 We were having someone come over and I forgot that they were coming over for dinner. 00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:36.880 And literally the house, again, I had four that my first four were four, five, and under, three of them are boys. 00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:38.880 So it was just, and I'm okay with mess. 00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:41.760 So the place, and I'm okay with sitting down, letting things go. 00:34:41.920 --> 00:34:45.039 Other people like might need to do their dishes first before they can relax. 00:34:45.199 --> 00:34:48.159 I'm fine, dishes can pile up, I can relax. 00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:50.320 And well, I forgot this one day. 00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:57.360 So there they come in the door, and I literally remember screaming, like, ha, like, oh my gosh, I was so embarrassed, but not a big deal. 00:34:57.599 --> 00:34:59.039 It ended up not being a big deal. 00:34:59.199 --> 00:35:06.719 But I had another um someone ahead of me, and she had this little saying, and it just stuck in my head, and she was from the south, and she so she said it in a southern accent. 00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:17.360 She's like, she would have college students over, and she would have she had four little kids too, and she's like, she just tells them, just kick a path, just kick a path, find your way, you know, let just come on in my house. 00:35:17.519 --> 00:35:25.280 And so there is something about that, but but it's all based in God's grace because we don't, we don't have to have everything all together and perfect. 00:35:25.360 --> 00:35:29.920 And when we mess up, I love the whole thing about saying sorry, like say sorry quickly. 00:35:30.079 --> 00:35:32.079 Yeah, I I'm sorry, I did this. 00:35:32.239 --> 00:35:36.480 You know, I did this, I own it, and then you own it, and then your kids learn to own it. 00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:43.119 And so um, yeah, it's really beautiful how God really does just does just enter in and his grace. 00:35:43.280 --> 00:36:00.239 Um, even having a picture of like the picture of his blood, um, you know, might sound weird, but you know, when you're thinking about Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, and you think about how weak and just the cracks, the mess, the things that we mess up, and how it just it fills and it covers. 00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:01.119 It really does. 00:36:01.280 --> 00:36:03.679 He covers us and he helps us, like you're talking about. 00:36:03.760 --> 00:36:14.000 So just some other things that um kind of learned along the way and have become real along the way, you know, it becomes real, his grace and his mercy and forgiveness. 00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:15.920 So good. 00:36:16.239 --> 00:36:29.119 I um was just reminded of um I heard this recently that not only are each of our kids so different, but each of our kids were different parents to each of our kids. 00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:30.400 Wait, I didn't say that right. 00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:32.079 They experienced a different parent. 00:36:32.400 --> 00:36:34.159 Yeah, they experience a different parent. 00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:36.559 Each kid experiences a different parent. 00:36:36.880 --> 00:36:38.320 That's what I'm trying to say. 00:36:38.480 --> 00:36:51.039 Um, which was kind of mind-blowing to me because we kind of think, oh, well, this is how my kids think of me as a parent, but we all interact so differently, um, which was kind of cool. 00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:55.679 Like it's so individual, and then learning how we are with that. 00:36:55.760 --> 00:37:17.199 And I think one of the biggest things for us has actually really been always prioritizing dinners with families that are a step ahead of us that we really respect, and that we love their kids, we love their family relationships, and just gleaning and getting as many questions in as we can of just, you know, what do you do? 00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:18.800 So yeah, it's so good. 00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:22.800 You've done actually an awesome job uh at prioritizing that with us. 00:37:22.880 --> 00:37:35.440 And we were just with some mentors a week ago, and we're talking about this empty nester phase that we're heading towards because our daughter's going off to college, and Jenny's going, well, everything um is done, it's over. 00:37:35.599 --> 00:37:39.119 We're uh it's basically everything's dying and going downhill. 00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:40.800 And I'm like, Well, I'm still here. 00:37:41.039 --> 00:37:43.519 Um thank you. 00:37:43.679 --> 00:37:45.039 It's whatever. 00:37:45.280 --> 00:37:58.880 Um but I think even in the parenting, we can put you know so much on a pedestal and others on a pedestal, and some of our mentors were saying, Well, what family in the Bible do you really want to be like? 00:37:59.679 --> 00:38:03.920 And the answer she said is you better say none of them. 00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:12.800 Because they're all screwed up, they're all messed up, and back to grace of like, and God's grace poured in through all of those areas. 00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:17.519 Uh what any last thoughts, anything else before we go? 00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:23.519 Anything that you know God's been laying on your heart that you go, like, man, I really want to say this to our community. 00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:29.920 Uh I guess one other thing that I would add is the prayer piece, which is kind of obvious. 00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:38.719 Uh, but I guess I want to just encourage everyone to pray being persistent, being persistent in prayer. 00:38:39.039 --> 00:38:46.400 And just realizing that a lot of times as we pray, you might not see the answer right away. 00:38:46.559 --> 00:38:49.440 Sometimes it does, sometimes you pray and you get an answer really quickly. 00:38:49.599 --> 00:39:00.880 But when you're praying for your kids and you're pouring in your kids over this long haul, um, to be persistent and to wait and to hope. 00:39:00.960 --> 00:39:13.760 There's a lot of waiting and a lot of hoping as we parent, and to be patient, and to be patient with them and know that God hears, and God knows the exact things you're struggling with as a parent. 00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:19.519 God knows exactly the things that your children are are going through. 00:39:19.760 --> 00:39:33.360 And sometimes you're gonna get it right where you're filling in those needs, and other times you're gonna mess up, but but to continue to seek and pray and ask God and learn how to pray, learn how to pray like with the Bible so that you're praying with confidence. 00:39:33.440 --> 00:39:35.039 I learned that through some older moms. 00:39:35.280 --> 00:39:41.440 How can I pray with confidence, like authority, that this is something I can pray and know that God is gonna answer? 00:39:41.760 --> 00:39:47.280 Might not look exactly, but um, I've seen God answer in different ways over time. 00:39:47.440 --> 00:39:50.639 Um, I'm just so thankful that how He's so faithful. 00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:55.440 So I did not sleep last night. 00:39:55.519 --> 00:39:59.360 I think I just kept getting hot and cold and tossing all around. 00:39:59.440 --> 00:39:59.840 I don't know. 00:39:59.920 --> 00:40:01.920 I just did not Yeah, it was finally a sunny day. 00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:02.559 Our house got hot. 00:40:02.880 --> 00:40:05.039 I know, it was like, oh, fine, yeah. 00:40:05.280 --> 00:40:15.679 Anyways, I woke up with like that brain fog that moms with newborns have, and I was like, Lord, are you trying to remind me how awful this is? 00:40:16.320 --> 00:40:18.880 You're trying to bring me back to that stage. 00:40:19.119 --> 00:40:32.639 But I was thinking back to when I had had Ella and I had a mentor of mine say, I was talking to her about, you know, I I didn't even have any brain power to read a sentence or do anything. 00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:48.159 Um, and she was like, What you need to do is you get a timer and you set it for five minutes, and you get a cute little basket, and you put it by a chair, you put your Bible blanket, a pen, a blanket, and a candle. 00:40:48.480 --> 00:41:10.559 And you make it this space that you, if you have any bit of time, you just go over there, you set your timer so that you just feel like, you know, and sometimes it's gonna go longer, sometimes it's gonna go shorter, but it kind of gave me that grace of it doesn't have to be, it's not gonna be what it was pre-baby, or you know, we have to learn the different seasons. 00:41:10.800 --> 00:41:18.000 But um, that was something that I was reminded of for just those little little years that that was kind of a game changer for me. 00:41:18.079 --> 00:41:39.360 And and even just recently, I heard about this concept of having one-minute Sabbaths throughout your day and just pulling back for one minute and connecting with the Lord and keeping things silent, and we get so extreme in our culture, it has to be like sun, sundown to sundown or sunrise to sunrise, or so extreme that we don't do it, right? 00:41:39.519 --> 00:41:45.280 So I love that idea of how do we have these one-minute Sabbaths throughout our day. 00:41:50.800 --> 00:42:01.599 Well, there was um, as I was preparing for this time, there's one word from Psalm 18 that keep kept um just being at the top of my mind. 00:42:01.679 --> 00:42:03.280 And I'm just gonna read the verse. 00:42:03.360 --> 00:42:08.079 It's Psalm 18, 33, 32 and 33. 00:42:08.239 --> 00:42:12.159 It says, God arms me with strength and he makes my way perfect. 00:42:12.480 --> 00:42:17.920 He makes me as sure footed as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. 00:42:18.079 --> 00:42:22.400 And that word, sure footed, has been stuck in my mind. 00:42:22.639 --> 00:42:34.639 It felt like something that um our church community needed to hear, and that's how intimately the Lord walks with us and he makes us sure footed. 00:42:34.880 --> 00:42:39.840 It's not a common word we use about our journey, about the way we navigate life. 00:42:40.159 --> 00:42:44.159 And he it says he enables us to stand on mountain heights. 00:42:44.239 --> 00:42:58.239 And I haven't really been way up high there, but I imagine it's rocky and it's scary, and it's unstable and slippery, and you can fall, and over it's overwhelming, like all these things. 00:42:58.400 --> 00:43:03.599 It feels like life, but he makes us as sure footed as a deer. 00:43:03.840 --> 00:43:09.760 And so I just wanted to leave that a word with you with and however that relates to your life. 00:43:09.840 --> 00:43:17.920 It's something that the Lord makes you, and he is faithful to make to create that about you. 00:43:18.079 --> 00:43:19.440 So, yeah, sure footed. 00:43:19.679 --> 00:43:20.880 Oh, that's so good. 00:43:21.199 --> 00:43:22.719 Can we thank these moms? 00:43:22.880 --> 00:43:24.239 Uh, thank you all. 00:43:28.079 --> 00:43:32.960 And Jenny, I'm gonna ask you to just pray over everyone in just a second. 00:43:33.039 --> 00:43:35.760 And as we close, why don't you go ahead and stand and we'll stand with you. 00:43:35.840 --> 00:43:37.440 We're gonna continue in worship. 00:43:37.679 --> 00:43:46.320 Uh, the passage that constantly goes through my head, in fact, I write this in my journal probably three, four, five times because I need to be reminded of it. 00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:53.920 I just want to remind you back to what you're saying, Avita, is where it says, His mercy is new every morning. 00:43:54.159 --> 00:43:55.519 Great is his faithfulness. 00:43:55.599 --> 00:43:57.599 Like today, you woke up to new mercy. 00:43:57.920 --> 00:44:01.599 Moms, you woke up to new mercy, and tomorrow you're gonna wake up to new mercy. 00:44:01.679 --> 00:44:07.119 And it's not because of your faithfulness, not because of how well you've done it, it's his faithfulness. 00:44:07.360 --> 00:44:13.280 His faithfulness is over you and for you, and will provide that sure footing. 00:44:13.519 --> 00:44:15.519 And so you have new mercy today. 00:44:15.679 --> 00:44:16.960 Jay, would you pray? 00:44:17.840 --> 00:44:19.519 Yeah, God, I thank you. 00:44:19.760 --> 00:44:21.760 I thank you that you're here with us. 00:44:21.920 --> 00:44:22.480 I thank you. 00:44:22.559 --> 00:44:27.920 We aren't just here gathering, talking empty words, but we're actually in your presence. 00:44:28.480 --> 00:44:31.199 I thank you that you're here to meet with us, Lord. 00:44:31.280 --> 00:44:41.280 And so I just pray that we will just connect with you, that we will have ears that are attentive to your voice and hearts that are just tender to your spirit. 00:44:41.599 --> 00:45:06.960 God, I pray that we'll all leave with just a little nugget from you, something that you just want to say, whether it's just that reminder of grace, that you're loved, you're accepted exactly how you are and where you are, um, that word of sure-footedness, um, that there's no formula, um, or not being judgmental towards others or ourselves, being hard on ourselves as well, God. 00:45:07.039 --> 00:45:15.840 I just pray that we will just be people that are just led by your grace and that people experience you when they meet with us, God. 00:45:15.920 --> 00:45:17.360 And we just pray for these moms. 00:45:17.519 --> 00:45:19.599 We pray they get spoiled today. 00:45:19.760 --> 00:45:26.800 We pray that they get really good sleep tonight, and um, that their kids just give them an extra abundance of love. 00:45:27.199 --> 00:45:33.119 You're so good, you're so worthy of our time, affection, our motives, everything that we are, Lord. 00:45:33.199 --> 00:45:36.079 And so we praise you and we worship you in Jesus' name. 00:45:36.239 --> 00:45:36.719 Amen. 00:45:36.960 --> 00:45:37.440 Amen. 00:45:37.599 --> 00:45:38.079 Amen. 00:45:38.239 --> 00:45:40.239 Let's worship together. 00:45:42.480 --> 00:45:44.800 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:45:44.960 --> 00:45:49.360 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:45:49.519 --> 00:45:51.599 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:45:51.760 --> 00:45:57.679 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.