What...I'm a Stay at Home Mom Now?

With the birth of our second child, Elianna Michelle, I transitioned to being a "stay at home mom" in November of 06. It has been quite an adjustment for me, but has been oh so good. Before I decided to stay home, I questioned why it had to be me to stay home. I mean after all, I went to college and worked just as hard as Tim to get my degree. I was doing full time ministry just like Tim and loved my job….so why did it have to be me who had to stay home? As much as I was wrestling with these questions before God, I couldn’t deny the tug on my heart to stay home. However, I wanted to make sure it was the Holy Spirit and not just guilt as it is so easy to compare yourself to other moms around you. I didn’t want to stay home simply because it was the “Churchy” thing to do or because I felt pressure from other stay at home moms. I wanted a vision for motherhood. I wanted to own this decision. I began to ask God to make this real in my heart...to change my views of motherhood. Let me tell you, he has done just that. I am realizing that being a mom is both the toughest job I will ever have and the highest position I will ever hold.

The work is never done—it requires more hours than the 24 that are given to us each day
It requires more patience than the average person possess
You don’t get time off
You don’t get paid vacation
You always work overtime
You don’t get a pat on the back or a raise for a job well done
You are never first, but always last
You don’t carry a fancy title like CEO or Director Of.....and the world does not esteem you

The sacrifice is steep…but the rewards are so great! Being a mom is the highest position I will ever hold because no one on this planet can love my children the way I do. No one can fill this role except for me. Because of that, God is showing me that I am able to be the greatest influencer in the lives of my children. Wow!! This is a job description that only I can fill...that’s a huge responsibility and one that I don’t take lightly.

LESSONS FROM THE PROVERBS 31 WOMAN

Recently I have learned a few new things about the Proverbs 31 woman that I found to be so relevant for the season that I'm in. For those of you who know me, you know that I love to read. I go on and on about this book called "Taking Care of the Me in Mommy" by Lisa Welchel because she is awesome and has an amazing insight into motherhood! In this book as well as her other book "Speaking Mom-ese," she shares insight into the proverbs 31 woman that I have never heard before. It was really profound! Here are two new principles that I have learned that have been so significant in my journey.

1.) We all know that the Proverbs 31 woman sets a high standard for us all, but what I am beginning to understand more and more is that over the course of our life God brings us through different seasons. I am convinced that she did all of those awesome things over the “course of her entire life,” not all in one sitting. And with every new season she had different priorities. Some took precedence over previous priorities depending on the season that God had her in. The key for her as it should be for us is prioritizing!
Realizing this really helped relieve a lot of unnecessary stress as I struggled to balance it all career, family, and etc... This revelation was instrumental in helping me make the decision to stay home. For my family and I, we saw this season as a time where my first and primary priority would be to be at home full time.

2.) The Proverbs 31 woman appears "flawless" to us because her beauty and accompishments are not only done over many different seasons, but they were unveiled through the loving eyes of our heavenly father. You see, he sees his beautiful daughter who is perfect before him because of the blood of Jesus Christ. And as any loving parent would respond when asked about their child, he tells of all the good and the beauty of his child because that is how he truly sees her. Isn't that a beautiful picture of his mercy and grace that is extended to us....His beautiful daughters!

Today, I have a greater vision in partnering with God to raise little passionate followers that know, love and obey his word. What a great calling…it’s a different definition of success than what I’ve always known…and I’m constantly battling old voices in my head. But I am becoming increasingly aware that God wants to use this season of motherhood as the backdrop by which He“makes a way in the desert,” to bring about “springs in the wastelands” of my life. I’m excited at where God has me and embrace this season with a surrendered and expectant heart!