Truth
be told, sometimes I just wish everybody could just get settled and I could
rest a while. I’m so tired. Yes, they are adults now, living their own
lives. But that doesn’t mean I have stopped being their mama. I'm pretty sure that with five children,
I'll spend the rest of my life on my knees praying for God's hand on their
lives. And that’s okay. It’s something I’ve come to realize is woven
into the tapestry of my life. It is one
of the single most important tasks I am faced with on a regular basis. Honestly, prayer keeps me centered, keeps me
sane, and keeps me from completely giving up.
Why? Well, it’s like this. I am a list-maker because it keeps me from
feeling overwhelmed and it helps me accomplish many tasks in a timely
manner. It may seem a strange analogy,
but when I have a lot of things on my mind, it really helps to write all of
those things on a piece of paper. And I
do mean literally write them down. I don’t
do note-taking on my tablet or other electronic device. It has to be written in ink on a piece of
paper. It’s how I de-clutter my mind,
and thus de-stress. It’s like I can just
let go of it all if it’s written down, and by letting go, I’m prepared to do
what needs to be done because it’s no longer a distraction. I don’t have to keep thinking about it. Somehow, by writing it down, order seems to
come into my thoughts and actions. Prayer
is much the same. God says that we are
to be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Essentially He is telling us not to be full
of care, not to be distracted, and not to take thought for even one tiny little
thing. He also instructs us in “casting
all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” He’s pretty much telling us to deliberately
throw all of our anxious concerns and all of life’s distractions on Him because
we matter to Him. Anything that causes
us care or concern, He wants to take that from us at our offering and in
exchange give us quietness and rest of the heart and mind. In actuality, He wants to set the heart and
mind at one again. Think about what goes
on in your mind and the anxiousness of your heart when faced with burdens and
trials! Such turmoil! It’s like a war inside. And, as we talked about last time, so much
noise! God wants to quiet that noise, be
at the forefront of your battles, guarding and protecting you, and bring
calmness into your life. That’s like
list-making to clear the mind. When we
pray, we are clearing the heart and mind of all the burdens that weigh us down.
Through
all of our trials in the past few years, I have learned to pray like never
before. Having little ones around was
nothing compared to having adult children, I can assure you! Dirty diapers, clutter, and the constant
hovering over them as they got into everything under the sun was nothing as I have
witnessed them become independent from their daddy and me. It is during these times, though, that I have
learned to trust more, let go more fully, and watch God work in their
lives. I have to say that I have seen
God do some amazing things during these difficult days when so much effort was
put into praying for them. So much so
that one of the kids that lost his job now has a job in a great department and
has been shown great favor by those he works under. He is married now and is buying a house for
his new bride. A house and FIVE acres! All of this has happened within about five
month’s time and it’s amazing to look back at those days back in December when
it seemed like his world was crashing down around him. This brings me to fully realize what David so
passionately declared, and that is yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,
nor his seed begging bread. The
Lord has also provided for every need, every bill, and every bed to lay a head
on. And, sometimes, a little extra thrown in. As my grandma used to say, they were
never broke, just badly bent! God did
not, has not, nor will He ever retreat from them, leave them behind, nor give
up on them. He is not in the habit of
giving over control of the lives of the righteous over to anybody or
anything. He won’t ever loosen His grasp
on them even one tiny bit, fail them, nor leave them destitute.
There
are still many needs facing our children and I am certain that as they continue
to mature into responsible adults and, more importantly, spiritually mature
Christians, the trials and tribulations they face will continue and may become,
well, more severe. But that’s something
to address another day because we are told to take therefore no thought for the
morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Regardless of what tomorrow may bring, I know
that I can trust the lives of my children to His care and that is why I pray
for them.
Love
in Christ,
Julia
