I'm going to have to talk about Ruth Graham some more. Be patient. Soon I'll just quote her to myself, in my own head, instead of here and there. I'm sad I'll never get to have coffee with her, but I can't wait to hug her in Heaven. I think I have a small glimpse into her heart, after having spent these last few weeks with her. And I hope I'm not incorrect in saying that I think she would want me to share this with you, copyright infringement notwithstanding. I hope.
I've talked with so many moms here lately that are struggling, myself including. Motherhood, although the greatest blessing, is also the greatest challenge I face. It's just hard a lot of the times. Of course God is faithful in helping me in my struggles, but honestly, there are times that I want to just say, "Heck, this is HARD." without following it up with some grandiose statement of faith.
I think I had also get these ideas in my mind that not all moms struggle like I do. It's hard to share our problems or issues because of a plethora of reasons. So I was looking for some encouragement from a mom who had 5 kids, and pretty much raised them on her own. Surely there were some lessons that I could learn from her-some practical advice worthy of putting to use here.
This is from her book, It's My Turn.
"Dear Journal,
Reading again from Exodus 33:12-16. This job of training five little grahams to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ is too big for me, who am not a good soldier myself. Feeling particularly distracted (or should I say overwhelmed and confused) this morning, I have been looking to the Lord asking, "Where, from here?"
Bill will be leaving soon for the San Francisco meeting. And I almost have a sinking feeling. Not altogether a left-behind sort of feeling, but a swamped, knowing that all the things I have depended on other to do, I shall have to do myself.
And things have not been going smoothly. There is a terrible amount of fighting amoung the children, ugliness and back talk from GiGi, and peevishness on my part backed by sporadic, uncertain discipline.
I am not walking in the Lord's way at all. I am doing what I feel like doing rather than what I ought to do. These verses hit me hard: "She who is self indulgent is dead even while she lives" (1 Timothy 5:6 rsv), and "The fruit of the Spirit is... self control" (Galations 5:22, 23)
Self-indulgence is doing what we want rather than what we ought. I had always thought of self-control applying to tempter or to drink. But what about the almonds in the pantry, the ice cream and chocolate sauce, the candy which I know will add unnecessary pounds and make my face break out? What about controlling my tongue? My tone of voice? Standing up straight? Writing letters? All these and more more need controlling.
And I don't look well to the ways of my household. Regular family prayers at supper table. Children's clothes kept mended and neat and organized. Getting ready for Sunday on Saturday. Well, there's no use going into it all. It just boils down to the fact that I am not being a good mother.
So I took it to Him this morning. I want above everything to be the kind of person He wants. If He had His undisputed way in me I would be. Everything would solve itself. The place to begin is here, the time to begin is now. And as I reread Exodus 33:12-16, the phrase that jumped out at me, which I had never noticed before, was: "Show me now THY way."
P.S. I could not help but chuckle when I read a quote from Mr. Abba Eban in the London Times (June 13, 1980): "...Israelis are not renowned for any spontaneous tendency to agree with one another."
(Neither were little Grahams.)
Oh, isn't it refreshing, to see how motherhood affects even those we think probably has it all together? And I am inspired by the way she sank into the Word. I mean who turns to Exodus to look for reassurance for parenting worries? Unless you already know what's there. (Actually it makes great sense, on second thought. Moses was parenting all those Israelites, really.) We HAVE to be in the Word. We can't rely on His promises unless we know what His promises are and where they are. I am recommitted to turning to the Word for any and all times that I feel off balance. Oh the joys and balms for the soul that are there.
Okay, one more and I'm done.
" 'There is no situation so chaotic that God cannot from that situation, create something that is surpassingly good. He did it at the creation. He did it at the cross. He is doing it today. ' Bishop Moule
It was early in the morning in another country. Exhausted as I was, I awoke around three o'clock. The name of someone I loved dearly flashed into my mind. It was like an electric shock. Instantly I was wide awake. I knew there would be no more sleep for me the rest of the night. So I lay there and prayed for the one who was trying hard to run away from God. When it was dark and the imagination runs wild, there are fears that only a mother can understand.
Suddenly the Lord said to me, Quit studying the problems and start studying the promises. Now God has never spoken to me audibly, but there is no mistaking when He speaks.
So I turned on the light, got out my Bible, and the first verse that came to me was Philippians 4:6: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." And verse 7: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Or as the Amplified Version has it, "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything by prayer and petition [definite requests] with thanksgiving continue to make your wants known to God..." (my italics).
Suddenly I realized the missing ingredient in my prayers had been "with thanksgiving." So I put down my Bible and spent time worshiping Him for who He is and what He is. This covers more territory than any one mortal can comprehend. Even contemplating what little we do know dissolves doubts, reinforces faith, and restores joy. I began to thank God for giving me this one I loved so dearly in the first place. I even thanked Him for the difficult spots which taught me so much.
And you know what happened? It was as if suddenly someone turned on the lights in my mind and heart, and the little fears and worries which, like mice and cockroaches, had been nibbling away in the darkness, suddenly scuttled for cover.
That was when I learned that worship and worry cannot live in the same heart: they are mutually exclusive."
Tears of joy, giving God thanks for allowing this precious woman to bless and encourage me. I love you, Ruth.
I've talked with so many moms here lately that are struggling, myself including. Motherhood, although the greatest blessing, is also the greatest challenge I face. It's just hard a lot of the times. Of course God is faithful in helping me in my struggles, but honestly, there are times that I want to just say, "Heck, this is HARD." without following it up with some grandiose statement of faith.
I think I had also get these ideas in my mind that not all moms struggle like I do. It's hard to share our problems or issues because of a plethora of reasons. So I was looking for some encouragement from a mom who had 5 kids, and pretty much raised them on her own. Surely there were some lessons that I could learn from her-some practical advice worthy of putting to use here.
This is from her book, It's My Turn.
"Dear Journal,
Reading again from Exodus 33:12-16. This job of training five little grahams to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ is too big for me, who am not a good soldier myself. Feeling particularly distracted (or should I say overwhelmed and confused) this morning, I have been looking to the Lord asking, "Where, from here?"
Bill will be leaving soon for the San Francisco meeting. And I almost have a sinking feeling. Not altogether a left-behind sort of feeling, but a swamped, knowing that all the things I have depended on other to do, I shall have to do myself.
And things have not been going smoothly. There is a terrible amount of fighting amoung the children, ugliness and back talk from GiGi, and peevishness on my part backed by sporadic, uncertain discipline.
I am not walking in the Lord's way at all. I am doing what I feel like doing rather than what I ought to do. These verses hit me hard: "She who is self indulgent is dead even while she lives" (1 Timothy 5:6 rsv), and "The fruit of the Spirit is... self control" (Galations 5:22, 23)
Self-indulgence is doing what we want rather than what we ought. I had always thought of self-control applying to tempter or to drink. But what about the almonds in the pantry, the ice cream and chocolate sauce, the candy which I know will add unnecessary pounds and make my face break out? What about controlling my tongue? My tone of voice? Standing up straight? Writing letters? All these and more more need controlling.
And I don't look well to the ways of my household. Regular family prayers at supper table. Children's clothes kept mended and neat and organized. Getting ready for Sunday on Saturday. Well, there's no use going into it all. It just boils down to the fact that I am not being a good mother.
So I took it to Him this morning. I want above everything to be the kind of person He wants. If He had His undisputed way in me I would be. Everything would solve itself. The place to begin is here, the time to begin is now. And as I reread Exodus 33:12-16, the phrase that jumped out at me, which I had never noticed before, was: "Show me now THY way."
P.S. I could not help but chuckle when I read a quote from Mr. Abba Eban in the London Times (June 13, 1980): "...Israelis are not renowned for any spontaneous tendency to agree with one another."
(Neither were little Grahams.)
Oh, isn't it refreshing, to see how motherhood affects even those we think probably has it all together? And I am inspired by the way she sank into the Word. I mean who turns to Exodus to look for reassurance for parenting worries? Unless you already know what's there. (Actually it makes great sense, on second thought. Moses was parenting all those Israelites, really.) We HAVE to be in the Word. We can't rely on His promises unless we know what His promises are and where they are. I am recommitted to turning to the Word for any and all times that I feel off balance. Oh the joys and balms for the soul that are there.
Okay, one more and I'm done.
" 'There is no situation so chaotic that God cannot from that situation, create something that is surpassingly good. He did it at the creation. He did it at the cross. He is doing it today. ' Bishop Moule
It was early in the morning in another country. Exhausted as I was, I awoke around three o'clock. The name of someone I loved dearly flashed into my mind. It was like an electric shock. Instantly I was wide awake. I knew there would be no more sleep for me the rest of the night. So I lay there and prayed for the one who was trying hard to run away from God. When it was dark and the imagination runs wild, there are fears that only a mother can understand.
Suddenly the Lord said to me, Quit studying the problems and start studying the promises. Now God has never spoken to me audibly, but there is no mistaking when He speaks.
So I turned on the light, got out my Bible, and the first verse that came to me was Philippians 4:6: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." And verse 7: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Or as the Amplified Version has it, "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything by prayer and petition [definite requests] with thanksgiving continue to make your wants known to God..." (my italics).
Suddenly I realized the missing ingredient in my prayers had been "with thanksgiving." So I put down my Bible and spent time worshiping Him for who He is and what He is. This covers more territory than any one mortal can comprehend. Even contemplating what little we do know dissolves doubts, reinforces faith, and restores joy. I began to thank God for giving me this one I loved so dearly in the first place. I even thanked Him for the difficult spots which taught me so much.
And you know what happened? It was as if suddenly someone turned on the lights in my mind and heart, and the little fears and worries which, like mice and cockroaches, had been nibbling away in the darkness, suddenly scuttled for cover.
That was when I learned that worship and worry cannot live in the same heart: they are mutually exclusive."
Tears of joy, giving God thanks for allowing this precious woman to bless and encourage me. I love you, Ruth.
2 comments:
I knew you'd love her. She's been my favorite Graham for many years.
good timing. whewwww.
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