Let Love Bring in Your Best Year Yet
Can love make a difference this year?
Can love really make this our best year yet? Love, apple pie, and puppy dogs are all words that evoke pleasant images and feelings. Love is a topic so familiar and so basic that we are tempted to roll our eyes and tune out. We’ve heard the admonition that we should love one another so many times that it can feel trite. Snore-zzzz……
Until we trip over the sins and shortcomings that make relationships hard. Until the kids are screaming in the grocery store. Until misunderstandings and irritations weave in and out of relationships with harsh words and snippy retorts. Until rejection or betrayal kicks us in the gut, leaving us floundering for solid ground in a sea of emotion.
How can love bring in our best year yet?
What we do is far more powerful that what we say.
Maybe this is why the word love is almost cliche’ in modern culture–too much talking and not enough real loving. Too much hype on romance and not enough unselfish giving.
And yet, love is our greatest need and our bravest quest.
“Love me” is the cry of every heart that beats. “Am I loved? Am I worth loving?” These are the questions that plague us in the dark of the night and on the days that ache with loneliness.
[tweetthis]Love is a thermometer revealing the condition of our souls, where we really are as followers of Christ.[/tweetthis]
Love is the gap between what we say we are and how we act on our worst days:
- If we have a patience problem, we have a love problem.
- If bitterness lurks behind a false smile, we have a lack of love.
- If I have to be in control or have the last word…
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#loveoneanother”]Love is the acid test of authenticity. Not perfection, but authenticity.[/tweetthis]
Love keeps it real.
Do we have loving relationships that are deep enough, candid enough to confess our sins to one another?
Do we know one another well enough to know the needs of the soul and the frailty of the body? How many times have we not wanted to “bother” someone by asking for prayer? Prayer comes generously and naturally when we love one another. Prayer is a vibrant and real aspect that marks the relationships of friends who follow Jesus.
Confessing our sins and admitting our faults doesn’t come easy.
Yet when we have a relationship securely anchored with love, we can let down our guard. We can put aside our pretending, the empty smiles we hide behind, and we can be real with one another. Vulnerability with our problems comes easier in the warm embrace of a loving, accepting friendship.
When love is present, we can risk confessing the hard issues we struggle with.
- The selfish words we’ve spoken.
- The prideful attitudes that erode our service.
- The addictions and indulgences that leave us stuck.
The soul comes out of the shadows of the fear of rejection, of being “found out.” This is the blessing of love that gets real enough to confess our hard things. Real enough to pray with a heart to lovingly come along side our shaky steps.
We need deep and transparent relationships with a few trustworthy friends who will pray, encourage, and support. Life has some really hard days when we need that loving friend who will listen and pray without judging, fixing, or correcting. These are the friends we want to have.
This is the kind of friend we need to be.
Receiving the love of Christ frees us to love one another.
We all have our moments, and sometimes those trusted friends make mistakes. Ever blow it with a trusted friend? The words came out wrong. We spoke out of frustration. They let us down. Family or friends, we don’t always get along. Can we love one another in such a way that kindness wins out in the end. Forgiveness is more important than the wins or losses of an argument. Love that looks like this makes every day a good day and every year special:
God doesn’t need us to fix one another, yet how easy it is to respond with our answers and corrections rather than a love that listens and prays.
This is the prayer that accomplishes so very much.
Let love make this your best year ever by cultivating a few close relationships. Let’s be brave enough to be real about our hard things, to confess and pray with loving hearts. Let’s forgive and be kind.
Let’s let love make this our best year yet.
Sharing this post at Coffee for Your Heart.
When I Feel Alone
A Guest post from Jaimi Erickson:
I have not always been the most patient person.
Some who know me as a mom of 4 (including twins), illness who see how patient I can be (operative words CAN BE) juggling my children, may think I am lying, but I am not naturally a patient person. At the age of 8, while doing homework one night, I asked my mom for help on a math problem. At the end of her helping me through a stressful lesson, I said, “I think I will have to learn patience in my life.” At eight I knew patience was my weakness.
God had plans for me.
I make a career of waiting. I am a military wife–hurry up and wait is part of my life.
I am alone a lot.
I often wait for my husband to get home after 3 weeks away at a field operation or return from a 6 month deployment.
I wait a lot.
Add in being a mom–you know how that goes–and I pretty much have to wait for everyone. Patience does not come easily.
I wait alone.
Every evening during a deployment it is just me after the kids go to sleep. Hopefully they stay asleep because I have had quite the exercise in sleep deprivation over the last few years. I basically am alone as the only adult running the show. Om In the antrums, the spilled cheerios, and the toy mess that rivals the aftermath of a tornado–I am alone.
I find myself full of envy over friends who have close girlfriends . The kind of friends that help them in every tough situation. They got through the hard things together-not alone.
I get impatient when I cannot find that type of support when I want it. It is nice to be part of a group, to have close friends and a support system.
During deployment I often go a few days without talking to another adult. I am a stay-at-home mom, so that is not totally odd given my daily situation. I am surrounded by little people who really are great fun most moments of the day. Since having twins, I have not been able to reach out and start playgroups or host playdates as often as in the past. This is hard because I feel a need to meet other moms and be social, to not feel so alone.
It is frustrating trying to develop new friendships when they seem to take forever to grow.
Hitting a point in my season of motherhood-when I went from two children to four with the twins’ birth-where I could not even manage to find the time to host a playdate, I really became isolated. It was depressing. But my focus was not in the right place. I was being impatient.
I wanted to cling to mom friends who could be there when I needed them. Instead, I had to dig deep and cling to God.
God had me right where he needed me. I was forced to rely on the strength He provided. His words of encouragement and prayer became my internal voice. They helped me get through the tough days of single parenting.
[tweetthis]When I embrace being alone to truly feel the presence of God in my life, that’s grace.[/tweetthis]
I don’t always like that I learn to trust and cling to God more when I am alone. God knows how I learn, He knows what I need to fully commit to Him. He knows that I need to learn to wait for His guidance.
The reality is, I am never alone. There are 4 little ones who eagerly want me with them much of the day. They remind me that I have my place, and it is firmly planted on the path that God wants me traveling.
I know I am not alone.
I walk with God so I work to maintain patience while following His lead.
What do you do when you feel alone?
Jaimi Erickson is a Christian stay-at-home mom to 4 (2+twins), a military wife, and former teacher. She shares faith-based motivation for moms, frugal homeschool activities for infants, toddlers, preschool and school-age kids, and homemaking tips on her blog The Stay-at-Home Mom Survival Guide. Grab a cup of coffee and connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
When It’s Time to Let Go of Our Children
There are moments when we need reminders to relax and trust God with worries for our children. At least I do. When it’s time to let go of our children–this is one of those moments.
These are the days we need to settle our hearts and sink into the truth of God’s presence and sovereign care. Days we need to be still and know through the experience of our souls that He is God.
The morning my daughter was set to leave for Australia, I woke with a heavy heart. That one-way ticket, the reality of saying goodbye pressed hard against the joyful knowledge that she is following God’s lead.
I wanted to whine, “Why a country so far away? Wasn’t there someplace closer You could send her?”
I wanted to complain, “Two years seems like forever.”
I wanted to worry, but I remembered how God had recently spoken to my fears for her safety.
Mostly, I felt tender and small, sad about saying goodbye.
God spoke to my heart through His word and the impressions that work themselves onto the page of my journal.
Be still and be in this moment. Know that I am your God–your helper and strength. I am your source and your blessing.
Open your hands–to let go as well as to receive.
In response I wrote these words.
I open my heart to what God is doing in my life and in my family. I ask for strength to release my child into His hands with joy rather than sadness.
Open, I will keep trusting and resting. This is the position to receive confidence for the future.
I will open my hands to hold onto God rather than cling to what I cannot keep…my children and the way things were when they were younger. In a way, this is hoarding the past and today is a time for something new.
I will try not to hold onto the past in an attempt to ensure happiness and security for the future. I cannot store yesterday’s grace and blessing to bank for tomorrow.
[tweetthis]Faith is an open hand, trusting that God is sufficient for each day and every need.[/tweetthis]
I open my mind to receive grace for a new season. Grace to let my children go in faith.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
In an unexpected turnaround, my girl puts me on the plane. Due to a delay with her visa, she does not leave when we planned. My husband and I have a flight to Hawaii. Her visa has come through and she will leave tomorrow. This feels strange to me–she takes us to the airport.
Cars and taxi’s crowd the departure lane in the chill of the early morning. Rushed, we say our goodbyes and my heart wants to cling, thinking it is likely to be a year before I hug her again. There is a part of me that cannot even take that in and I force myself to take a breath.
Chest tight and watery eyes leaking love, I whisper in her ear, face pressed against her hair, “So proud of you, I love you so much.” A car horn honks. Words cannot express what is inside-the wonder, excitement, joy, fear, love, and loss all tied up together in a tangle of emotions and faith. I hug her tight and release.
It is the letting go that is hard.
It is the distance that weighs heavy. And yet it is the possibilities and the faithfulness of God that empower me to loosen my grip. I have this tangible sense of releasing her into God’s great care as she steps out into the wide adventure of calling and faith. Truly, there is no better place to be.
She is ready. Ready to fly. Ready to go.
And so am I.
Parenting involves a series of letting go moments, milestones of growth and maturity. How has the “letting go” process worked out in your life?
Read more about trusting God in every moment, including raising our children in Ginger’s award-winning book.
Other posts about letting our children go:
Powerful Truth Gives Direction to Our Children
Powerful Prayers for God’s Direction for our Children
God’s Powerful Dreams for Our Children Give Direction
Praying Through the Milestones in Our Kid’s Lives
How I Know God Cares About Our Fears
Do you ever wonder if God cares about your fears? Fear and worry often plagues mothers at every stage of parenting. Regardless of the age of our children, God is continually teaching and challenging us to trust Him. Do you ever wake up and...
Coming and Going With Faith and Joy
Sunlight dances on her head and the fire in her soul radiates joy and passion through her eyes. It bounces through her voice. This is my daughter, the one who just returned from a six month Discipleship Training School in Australia. My heart is...
Prayer is a Gift of the Heart This Christmas
With all of the hustle and bustle of the season, it can be challenging to maintain a practical focus on the birth of Christ. Amid the parties, shopping, wrapping, baking, and fun activities, Christ can fade into the background if we aren’t...
Traditions Build Strong Families: 50 Ways to Celebrate Christmas
Join me for a story from our first year living in Japan. I wrote this post for Planting Roots: Strength to Thrive in Military Life, but the content can apply to every family!
We may be wearing flip-flops and eating with chop-sticks, but it’s still Christmas!
“I miss Virginia—my friends and our house.” Seems like I heard this comment sighed from the lips of one of my children every few days.
It is 2007 and our family is still adjusting to life in Japan.
The weather is humid and unseasonably warm for December, even for Okinawa. Though we are excited to be living in a different country, the reality of the transition isn’t easy.
It doesn’t feel like Christmas, but the calendar begins the countdown of December days. My ten-year-old bursts through the front door with a wail, “Mom, I heard they are not getting any Christmas trees at the store on base this Christmas! Something happened to the shipment!”
Normally this news would not be a big deal, but this year is different.
There’s no place like home.
This year we are still getting settled in unfamiliar territory, and this year Dad is deploying right after Christmas. With a 4,000-pound weight limit for household goods, Christmas decorations didn’t make the packing list. We assumed we could buy a tree in Japan.
The ache of unfamiliarity hangs heavy. This is our first move with teenagers who have an iron grip on their friends “back home.” Our cement-block-typhoon-ready base house doesn’t yet look or feel like home. Not having a Christmas tree isn’t going to help anyone feel we are “home” for the holidays.
A few days later, my friend Cathy asks my girl, “What do you want for Christmas?”
My heart sinks as my daughter responds with a telltale tremor in her voice, “All I want is a Christmas tree.”
I worry about how to make Christmas special in a new place so far from family. Prayerfully I ask God, “Please help my kids get settled. How can I make this place feel like home this Christmas?”
Celebrating Christmas in New Places
[tweetthis]The heart of Christmas is not in the decorations and festivities.[/tweetthis] Yet there is a certain feel to the atmosphere and ambiance that we have become accustomed to. Balmy beach days don’t feel like Christmas when we are used to the crisp, cold air of Virginia. My kids lament Facebook posts showing it is already snowing “back home,” even as we are heading to the beach for the afternoon.
It just doesn’t seem like Christmas…
The cherished rituals of celebrating Christmas are not limited to decorations or addresses. Even before Christmas arrives, the familiar routines of baking cookies and practicing for the school concerts are getting us in a more positive outlook.
I talk with my kids about how Christmas will be a little different this year, “but we can enjoy exploring new places and customs.” Sipping hot cocoa one afternoon, my youngest is cutting out snowflakes as we chat about the true meaning of Christmas.
I think I’m making headway with the whole Christmas-in-a-new-place thing.
“The baby Jesus is the most important thing about Christmas,” this sweet one chirps as she snips bits of white paper that litter the floor.
“But I still want a Christmas tree.”
“It won’t feel Christmas-y without one.”
I take a deep breath and put on my peppiest Mom voice, “We don’t need a tree, we will still celebrate Christmas with many of our family traditions we enjoy each year. Maybe you don’t feel like this place is home yet, but we can make a home for Christ in our hearts wherever we go.”
[tweetthis]Traditions help build strong families.[/tweetthis]
As December days pass, each one bringing us closer to Christmas, we enjoy many of the things we usually do at Christmas—some festive and others sacred.
Until this move, I have never considered the power of family traditions to help create continuity in the midst of changes and transitions of life.
Read the rest of the story and a practical list of 50 ways to celebrate Christmas here.
Christmas comes in the midst of life as it is. This particular Christmas for our family was a blessing despite the adjustments we all faced. The next year, 2008, I faced a much more significant challenge. If you are grieving loss this year, I hope this post will encourage you.
What unexpected blessings have you found when your face challenges at Christmas? How have traditions strengthened your family?
Subscribe to get Ginger’s emails and receive a free printable of verses and prayers for Christmas.
How to Create a Christmas Memory Book of Faith
In this post I’m sharing one of my favorite Christmas craft projects I’ve made for my family. Start a Christmas memory book of faith, a small photo album or scrapbook dedicated to family Christmas memories. Add a few pictures, Bible verses, or memories each year! This family Christmas scrapbook also makes a very special gift.
Too much Christmas activity can turn festive into frantic all too quickly. Good intentions pile up as we shop for gifts, decorate the house, enjoy special events, and work on all the details that add that special touch to Christmas.
The joy of the Christmas season beckons and we don’t want to miss a single memory to be made with family and friends. But at the same time, we don’t want to brush past the true meaning of Christmas on our way out the door to the next event.
How do we keep faith from fading into the background, overshadowed by preparations and festivities? I’m learning to be intentional about creating space to keep Christ the center of Christmas in the way our family celebrates Christmas.
Though we have many fun traditions like the tree, cookies, and the Grab Bag (a family activity), my favorite traditions keep our focus on faith and family.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#Christmasactivities #faith”]Begin a new tradition of keeping a Christmas memory book of faith.[/tweetthis]
How to create a Christmas memory book of faith:
One simple and meaningful tradition involves creating or adding to a scrapbook or journal devoted to Christmas. I keep the focus on faith and family, but you can also incorporate any aspect of your family Christmas season. Each year collect a few photos, verses, or devotional thoughts in your book. Add a few faith memories each year, creating a special family book of memories and inspiration.
There are many possibilities and variations in making your family Christmas scrapbook. The family can work together to create one book or you can make a small book for family members. You can be crafty with paper and decorations. I keep mine simple, using a photo album and some ribbon to decorate the cover. My adult children love having their own small Christmas photo album to remember sweet Christmas memories through the years.
Incorporate a few of these ideas in your Christmas memory book:
Photos Ideas for a Christmas Scrapbook:
A family Christmas Eve picture
Decorating the tree
Making a gift or craft
Lighting advent candles
Giving a gift
A service project
Reading the Christmas story
Christmas photos of parents or grandparents growing up
A first Christmas photo for each child
Faith Ideas for a Christmas Memory Book:
Write a Christmas prayer each year
Make a Gratitude List of blessings from the year
Write a letter to Jesus
Write a note to your family
Write a prayer for each person for the coming year
Give a gift of a prayer verse for each family member
Highlight one special achievement, growth, or victory for each person in the family
Choose a Christmas verse each year
Let each child write an entry (could cover any of the above)
Get a free printable with verses and prayers for your family
Memories to Include in a Christmas Photo Album:
Add the family Christmas card or photo each year
Memorabilia from a special Christmas event
Let kids add small drawings of a scene from the Christmas story
Kid drawings of a favorite Christmas memory
Photos of child’s artwork
Photo of a homemade gift given
Invite special guests to write a brief note
Basic Supplies to Make a Christmas Memory Book:
Blank book of some kind–a journal, sketchbook, or scrapbook of a preferred size.
Photos and memorabilia
Craft paper or index cards
Adhesive
Pens, markers, colored pencils, crayons (as desired)
Optional Embellishments for Your Christmas Scrapbook:
Stickers
Stamps
Ribbon
Washi tape
Gift tags
Enjoy making this Christmas scrapbook that includes family traditions, special memories, and meaningful prayers or Bible verses for a treasure you and your family will enjoy for years to come.
How do you keep faith a special part of Christmas with your family? Share you ideas in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!
The Christmas Grab Bag: A Fun Family Activity
Discover a fun Christmas tradition with the ‘Grab Bag’ a family Christmas activity, where family members draw surprise gifts, blending humor and joy into your holiday celebrations. Family traditions are a memorable part of Christmas....
