A little bit of faith (and a step in the right direction}

At the moment, I am going through a season which is requiring me to rethink things that we do, and work out if  they are, in fact, the best way for us.   I'm trying to plan more, and think "outside the box".

However, this is a challenge for me.  Deep down inside, and right near the surface, I like things to be familiar.  Change slightly freaks me out.  The "norm" suits me just fine, but it doesn't always work out for the best.

Sometimes, we need change.

*gasp*

Yup.

I think that my mind struggles with change for a few reasons. For a start, I take a lot of time to make choices in the first place.  I have to know that something is right, in order to do it.  Change somehow implies that I have maybe failed in my original plan. I kind of beat myself up, with thoughts of "well, if you had done better with the first plan, change wouldn't be needed".

That's just my sinful pride, though.

Change isn't always to do with me.  In fact, with eight children, and two adults, in a home, it's pretty much likely to be the result of another.  More specifically, trying to better meet the needs of others. Change is really, then, about improvement.  Betterment.  Not failure.  Pushing yourself to do better, think better, be better organised. Saying that something doesn't work isn't failure!

The next reason struck me full in the face in my devotions this morning.  I'm still reading through Hebrews, and I came to chapter 11 today.

LOVE.

IT.

It's a chapter that never ceases to bring me fresh challenges.   This morning, it hit me in a "you're the Mummy" kind of way.

With so many changes and adaptations to make all the time, life can feel a bit daunting.  The whole "Am I doing the right thing, here?" mentality, can creep in. "Am I REALLY doing a good job?"  "Will I ever able able to achieve this?"

The Mummy mentality.  It's true.  We all ask ourselves questions like that! Don't we?.... (At least, I THINK it's not just me!)

Question after question can assault my mind. Regularly.

Ladies... Mummies... Wives....

Here's the thing.

Listen to this list of accomplishments from Hebrews 11.

(Ok, read it.)

"subdued kingdoms, 

wrought righteousness, 

obtained promises, 

stopped the mouths of lions, 

Quenched the violence of fire, 

escaped the edge of the sword, 

out of weakness were made strong, 

waxed valiant in fight, 

turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 

Women received their dead raised to life again: 

and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; 

that they might obtain a better resurrection: 

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 

They were stoned, 

they were sawn asunder, 

were tempted, 

were slain with the sword: 

they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; 

being destitute, 

afflicted, 

tormented; 

(Of whom the world was not worthy:) 

they wandered in deserts, 

and in mountains, 

and in dens and caves of the earth."

Hebrews 11:34-38

Read it again.

REALLY read it.  Soak it in.  Think about your life, and see if something in that list feels familiar.  I almost guarantee it will! 

Now, here's the punch.  I missed the first bit out.  It's only a few words, but it's the key.

"Who through faith"

Faith.

That's it.  We don't even need an ocean filled with faith.  Not even a bucket full, or a teaspoonful.   Faith, as a grain of mustard seed. Teeeeeeeny, tiny faith.  But, we NEED faith. We won't please God without it.

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

Hebrews 11:6

Our faith is rewarded by God's promises - by His presence, His peace, His strength, His wisdom. 

IF we diligently seek Him.  

IF we follow after Him.  

IF we DO!

That's the other thing.  I am never going to accomplish ANYTHING if I don't step out in faith, and attempt it.  I need to do my part, and follow diligently after God, and His ways, by DOING what He has led me to do.  A little bit of faith, and a step in the right direction - that's all it takes to accomplish great things for God.

That list - look at it again, just one more time.

It starts with subduing kingdoms.  Who am *I* to subdue a kingdom? Well now, I just happen to have my own little kingdom RIGHT HERE! My family, my home, my homeschool.  Right here, right now, I have a kingdom - we all do! Wherever God has placed you, is YOUR kingdom.  It's a BIBLICAL pattern to "subdue" your home, as a wife and mother.  Look at Proverbs 31! Right there, you have it.  Raising our children, too.  It's all about being in charge, and taking control.  It's what we should be doing, but we need FAITH, too.  

It's a two-fold thing.  Faith, plus works.  If you read through Hebrews 11, there is a verb attached to every "by faith".  (verb - that's the "doing" word - grammar lesson for the day, over!)  By FAITH - believing that God would lead, guide, and help them - they all DID something.  Go through and highlight them, if you do highlighting.  Underline.  Jot them down.  Whatever you do, do it.  Remind yourself that we can accomplish much by faith, but we still need to go out there and DO something. You don't read, in that whole list "By faith, Abraham sat back in his tent, with his feet kicked up, and watched while God just did everything for him".  No siree.  By faith, Abraham did something incredible.  He went on a long journey, faaaar, far from home.  He headed for a promised land, and trusted God for a promised future.  He was promised a family more numerous than the stars - he and Sarah had ONE son. One.  (And, we all know, when he ditched the faith part, and went in his own strength on the whole family part, it didn't work out too well.  Nope. Not one bit.)  We have to do, but we mustn't lose the faith part, either.  

We need to step out this week. Step out in faith, even just a teeny, tiny baby step.  But, step out, we must.  Trusting in our all-sufficient and all-powerful God, who is able to do ANYTHING.  Stepping out to please HIM, by demonstrating our faith and trust in His leading and guiding. 

The other little phrase, before I finish (because I could just go on and on, with this one - I'm finding it so inspiring!), look at the other phrase, in that list.

"out of weakness were made strong,"

WOOHOO!

Weak??? You betcha.  Weak as dishwater.  (Don't ask - it's a British phrase, when referring to a naff cuppa!)  I feel weak, REGULARLY.

Well, there's news.  These people, "who through faith", stepped out for God, were made strong out of their weakness.  Strong.  Proper STRONG strong.   God's kind of strong.  The only strong we need.

With a little bit of faith, and a step in the right direction, we will have weakness made strong, and then, OH, what we can achieve for God! 

Let's go forward in faith this week.  Whatever God has led you to be doing, faith, and action, will get you to amazing places!

God's way, the high way {making beauty, from the mess}

Today was the day.

The day I had been busily planning for, for weeks.

Today was December the first.  The day we would start our month of giving. All of our fun activities.

Our giving.

Our focussing on the Saviour.

The greatest Gift of all.

It wasn't quite the day I had planned.

We all slept in, then the children had jobs to do, then I had jobs to do.

Before I knew it, it was only 30 minutes until lunch.  I wanted, desperately, to start well, so we read our scripture, and we read our "Giving" challenge for today.  We were planning to make a gift for some family we are visiting.

We also planned to sort the clothes from last season, to get stored away, and thin out what we had, to give to charity, when we put them away in boxes.  It was a job we planned to begin today, but knew it wouldn't get finished until Wednesday. That was fine.  The boys brought it all to the dining room, and the girls sorted it out.  Success!

I planned to read Jotham's Journey in the evening, before bed.  I had it all organised, in my mind. My mother-in-law also gave us an Advent Candle, that we planned to light whilst we read.

The afternoon held a trip out to the shops.  I needed some craft supplies for our home-ed group on Thursday, and we needed to pick up some new shirts for the boys, for our photo session tomorrow.  As with all plans involving a trip out with eight children, it never takes as little time as you expect.  ALWAYS more.  We had a lovely wander around The Range, but it just took longer than I planned.  By the time we got home, it was almost time for dinner, so the craft didn't get started.

Dinner, clear up, messing around, and FINALLY we began the craft activity, whilst I read Jotham's Journey.

Candle lit, reading started - then began the interruptions.

Children asking for help with the craft, little ones getting tired and cranky, and me not being very patient.  Then I noticed the time, when my patient husband phoned, wondering when he should come home to eat.... it was 8pm!

So, Jotham was paused , and I told them we would read extra tomorrow.

Then came teeth brushing, children crying and having accidents, and finally, bed.

It was not the way I planned it.  There had been tears, tantrums, impatience, and a complete deviation from things being the way I hoped.

It was messy.

It was imperfect.

It was REAL.

Yet, there was still beauty at the end of it all.  We had still learnt of God, and His plan for salvation.  We had thought upon giving and generosity.  Seeds were sown in their hearts.

We had created gifts, that I KNOW the recipients will love, because they were created by children, longing to love others.

There was mess, and plans which didn't work, but beauty came, in spite of my plans failing.

It pointed me to my Saviour.

It pointed me to a truth I read, just this morning.

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD,he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:7-9

Our lives our ruined by sin.  All our ways are nothing, because the imperfection of sin taints them.  No matter how hard we try, we will fail.  We are sinners by nature, and our heart is inclined toward sin and self.

Yet, God has mercy.  He ABUNDANTLY pardons. He makes beauty, out of our mess.

Why?

Because His thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours, in that place that forgives, despite what our puny minds can understand. It's not dependant on our perfection, but upon His greatness, mercy and grace.

Despite our messy, broken days, we can start again the next day, back on track, because He abundantly pardons.  We turn from our sins, turn our back on what we have done - on the mess, the failings, and the imperfections - and start over again, through His ways, higher than ours. Through His mercy.

Oh, how thankful I am, that despite the mess I can make, and the days, spiritually, which don't turn out how I planned, God's ways are higher.