For moms who suffer a bruised heart/ 5 things to do as you wait for your prodigal

He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in His bosom (close to His heart), and shall gently lead those that are with young.”   Isaiah 40:11 

Maybe you are crippled with fear over a prodigal child’s choices.  Or maybe the anger of a family member is coming out in sarcastic digs and you are the target. Maybe your child is struggling physically in a hospital bed or perhaps with peer pressure and/or dangerous behaviors.  So many of our young sons and daughters struggle with low self-esteem, depression and anxiety.

Being a mother is not for the faint of heart dear sister  and that’s Okay because you. are. Not. made. of. sugar.

First of all, you have the spirit of the living God living in you. The same one that Raised Christ from the dead.  You have the Word of God aka The Bible (which is the sword of the spirit) and you have the power of a mother’s fervent and persistent prayers.  (and the gift of Sweet sisters who will pray with you and for you if you will be honest and let them know your needs)

So many resources that often go unused because we wring our hands with anxiety and fear.  We can even be pulled down by our child’s mood or situation. Which does. not. help. them. at. all. 

Focus on these five truths Sister Mom:

  1. God did Not cause these hurtful situations
  2. However, God is So Big and Powerful that He will work this All out for good and bring some purpose out of the pain
  3. God loves you and your child more than you could ever imagine
  4. He is in control and anything that happens has been allowed to filter through His loving hands
  5. God  is working on our character as His goal is for us Sister Moms to become more like Christ and for our Children to turn back to a close relationship with the Lord.

We know that All things work for good for those that Love God, who are called according to his purpose, For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that he might be the first born of many brothers. (Sisters too:)             Romans 8:28-29

Our Good Shepherd  is allowing this pain for a purpose. Can we trust Him that He is Loving and good and in control and allowing this to enter into our lives and our child’s life for good?  And isn’t the ultimate good that we will become more like Him? That we and ultimately our children cling more tightly to our Lord?

What can you do as you wait for your child to come back?

  1. Praise God! Yes, one of our greatest weapons is praise. Thank God for what He is doing, has done and plans to do to intervene. Look up praise music on utube or turn on the local christian radio station. (Mine is 95.1 shine FM for Baltimore)
  2. Prayer. Talk to the Shepherd. You are SO close to His heart as He is suffering with you and carrying you in His arms.  The best book I have found and my go-to book for any parental concern is Stormie Omartian’s book, The Power of a Praying Parent. (and for your adult Children) find  it, Read it….She has thought of every trial/temptation possible and has written the perfect prayer and the scripture sword to fight back.
  3.  Wake up early to pray and Listen. Write in a journal what is on your heart. Always end your journal time with three things you are thankful for. The best way to not be pulled down into the pit of pity or depression is to write what you are thankful for. If you are already down in the pit?  Climb out of the pit by thanking God and writing out all the good that you see in your child. Write out 10 good things about your child and share it with them.
  4. Find a prayer partner. Find a friend to prayer with. Use the phone if you don’t live close to each other and pick a set time to chat and pray. If you live close by go for a prayer walk.  Chat while exercising and then end with prayer and a drink.
  5. Write out the promises of God. The Word of God is a weapon. Use it! Speak the truth out loud when you have a negative or anxious thought. You can’t have two emotions at the same time so focus on speaking out truth, and listening to truth…….Perhaps start with writing out the verse Isaiah 40:11 at the top of this post. God promises to hold you close to His heart. You are not alone. He is carrying you and He. will. Not. let. you. fall.

I start out my mornings with my time with Jesus: (Date time:)

1. Contrition: I write what I am sorry for that I did or failed to do the day before (do I need to follow-up and apologize or show I am sorry to someone?) Our hearts need to be clean before we worship and ask for help.

2. Adoration: I write out a character/Name  of God (ex. You are the good shepherd, You are love, You are good, You are my provider) and/ or I play a praise song and worship.

3. Thanksgiving: I write out three things I am thankful for.

4. Supplication: I write out 10 people I am praying for. (Be sure to pray not only for your family members but for the friends/significant others of your child)

Keep knocking, Keep trusting, Keep looking forward and expecting God to work this out for His Good and Glory.

I close with a poem I wrote about how the Good Shepherd sometimes allows our child or ourselves to become broken or bruised so that we would realize our need for God.  May we choose to turn to Jesus, His promises and to His people when we suffer. Then too, may we turn to Him in rejoicing when our suffering has turned to joy and our prodigal has returned home and the banquet begins.

 

Day #5 and #6 Life is as test, a trust and temporary The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

So tell me Sweet Sister, what is weighing on your heart today? A messy relationship in your family or at work? An Illness? A struggling or hurting family member?  Rick Warren says that “Life is a Test, Life is a Trust and Life is a temporary assignment” 

I wrote the poem Pieta’s Peace during a time when I grieved the loss of my brother Billy and my daughter struggled as well at college. When we grieve for ourselves or for a loved one who is struggling we have a choice to pass the test of trusting God and surrendering with open arms those people God has put in our lives for a short time.  

I couldn’t stop gazing at her hands. Carved from white marble, her hands did not tightly grip her dead Son, but instead gently cradled his limp body upon her lap. Her left hand lay open with its palm facing upward as her beautiful, serene face admired her lifeless son.

One of the highlights of our trip to Rome consisted of my husband and I touring St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. St. Peter’s Basilica Catholic Church is one of the largest churches in the world as well as a masterpiece of architecture containing numerous chapels and altars lavishly decorated with renaissance paintings, mosaics, and sculptures. Such a large collection of beautiful art overwhelmed me, as I knew I could never take it all in within a single visit.     

Despite the numerous pieces of religious art on the ceiling, walls, and even the floors in the massive cathedral that holds the tomb of St. Peter, I felt drawn back to those marble hands. The hands were Mary’s in the masterpiece The Pieta by the world-renowned sculptor, painter, architect, poet, and engineer Michelangelo.

The Pieta depicts the moment when Jesus was taken down from the cross and his mother, Mary, was able to hold him one last time. I stared in awe that a sculpture chiseled out of stone could mesmerize a crowd 1500 years later as we stood in silence taking in the heart-wrenching scene. When I had left our home for our trip, my heart felt heavy with concern over one of my children who was going through a rough patch, and this masterpiece seemed to specifically whisper to me through the ages.

After watching her son suffer and be crucified, Mary’s hands still rested open as Jesus lay on her lap. Meanwhile, my heart and hands were gripped tightly with fear and anxiety as I worried about our daughter who just recently started college. She did not seem to be thriving socially and wanted to transfer to a larger school that offered more classes in her major. She was attending the school where her father and I had met. A place filled with great memories, but where I initially struggled, too. During my own freshman year, I endured tough hallmate and professor situations and felt that I benefited from these refining challenges. I later thrived as I found like-minded friends and classes that I enjoyed.

So while I was on this trip, many questions continued to linger in my mind; “Should we make her stick it out and insist that she stay? Would this put her behind if she were to come home and/or transfer? Wouldn’t the best thing long-term be to make her stay and allow her to adapt in due time?

As I looked pensively at The Pieta, I felt as it contained a special message from above, so I decided to read up about Michelangelo and his timeless Pieta. I googled his name and learned that at early age of six, after losing his mother to a long period of illness, Michelangelo was then sent to stay with his uncle who was a stone cutter. After suffering such a tragic loss at a tender age, Michelangelo obviously knew the agony of grief. Perhaps, though, he also learned how God can reconcile loss as he began his career as an artist using the skills he learned at his uncle’s workshop.

The word “pieta” literally means “pity, compassion, and suffering.” Michelangelo wrote later, however, that he did not want his Pieta to represent death, but rather to show “the religious vision of abandonment.”  Abandonment. Yes, that is what those open hands are demonstrating.

I interpreted the scene as Mary trusting in God’s love and goodness and giving back to God the gift that was given to her so many years before. I wondered if the sculpture that took two years to complete was Michelangelo’s gift back to God. Maybe he learned as a young boy the secret of abandonment and found the serenity reflected in Mary’s face. Perhaps he wanted to share with others the peace found when one holds onto people and things loosely.

Later in our trip, I reflected on perseverance and remembered the times in my life when not giving up had actually become a detriment. When my children were younger, I wanted us to be a musical family so badly I insisted that me and all three children take piano lessons. I had visions of us all around the piano playing Christmas carols. Each night, I faithfully spent time playing songs over and over, hoping that I would be able to start a musical tradition for our family.  Playing with two hands did not come easily, yet I faithfully practiced for two years as I encouraged my children to do the same. I remember one day my piano teacher turning to me and asking, “Do you enjoy playing the piano?” I realized then that I no longer enjoyed it, and that I had hit a standstill in my progression. I asked myself what did I enjoy doing? My answer was writing poetry. I loved the satisfaction of creating a poem – spending hours mulling over each syllable and line, and the inevitable joy when my poem finally came together.

Why was I spending my time on what I struggled with instead of spending my time on what I enjoyed  doing? Why wasn’t I sharpening the gifts that God had given me instead of trying to force the gift of music he hadn’t given me? Then I asked myself: “Am I doing the same thing now to my daughter?”  It must not have been easy for her to ask to leave after one semester.  Did she need a fresh start and a new direction?  A redo?

So I took my hands out with palms up and pretended my daughter was in my arms and lifted them up to the hotel ceiling as I kneeled beside the bed. I released her to God and said, “I give her back to you. She is Yours.” I continued to pray this “prayer of abandonment” whenever an anxious thought gripped me. As my husband and I discussed options, I kept releasing my own expectations as we sought God’s will for her. As I handed over my daughter into His loving, strong arms, I felt peace. Peace as beautiful as Mary’s serene Pieta face as she calmly gazed upon her son.

My husband and I decided at the end of our trip to work on helping our daughter to withdraw so she could have a fresh start at a new school. She began anew at a closer, larger school that contained more classes that fit the major that she enjoyed. She now thrives in classes designed specifically for her desired major, as well as socially with the sorority she joined when she transferred. And I am trying to each day to hold my hands with palms open facing up and intentionally release any concerns up to God, trusting that He cares about every little detail.     On the entire six hour plane ride home from Italy I joyfully penned The Pieta’s Peace, my small gift presented back to God with open hands and a grateful heart.  

Confessions of a Survivor Application Addict

 

Locked in our small powder room, I cling to the phone as my three children knock on the door.
“Mom, she hit me!”  They whine.
“Jacob won’t let me use the computer.”
My husband chimes in with “Amber, have you seen my shoes?”
Ignoring the interruptions I ask my friend on the line, “Have you ever wanted to go to an island and just get away?”  

So begins one of the many videos I have submitted to the reality show, Survivor. If you think I am crazy for wanting to go to a remote location for thirty-nine days and live off the land, eat bugs, wear no makeup (yikes!) and put myself in a situation of possible ridicule and failure, I don’t blame you. I have wondered the same thing time and time again.

The producers must have thought the same thing after seeing the second part of the video we submitted.  My ‘director’ husband created a scene in which I suddenly emerge out of blue sparkling water similar to the scene with Bo Derek in the movie 10. After my exaggerated surprise at being in a beautiful tropical scene, I start to walk toward the shore complete with beaded hair. Boom! My three children run into me and try to knock me down.  As I seek to upright myself I laughingly state, “Make that without children” correcting my fantasy wish.

After some reflection, I realize that the contrast between Bo Derek and me was probably too much for the judges to handle.  I still wonder if they laughed out loud or simply moved their fingers like I was crazy.

Yes, I confess to submitting videos and applications to be on the show. The poor video judges must have held their ears as I sang the Gilligan’s Island theme song complete with new words, “Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, the tale of a homeschool mom…” While the words might have been clever, my singing voice has never been one of my assets.  Nevertheless, creating the videos was always great family fun.

In contrast to the light-hearted videos, the application process forced me to dig deep. One question in particular made me stop and ponder more than the others:

“Who is your hero and why?”

Quickly, I realized that my hero was not a former winner of their show or a famous actor on television.  Instead, I thought of all the unrecognized people serving and caring for God’s people.  My heroes included: parents who care for a terminally ill child or parent, an abused woman who allows her anger and hurt to dissolve into forgiveness, a husband who turns away from temptation, a woman who regrets a past decision and now helps others from making the same mistake, a family who says yes to one more child, a couple who seeks counseling to reconcile a dying marriage, an addict who throws away his addiction because it is destroying his family, the single parent who must play the part of both mom and dad…  the list goes on and on. These people give and forgive when no camera crews are watching. These true survivors endure hardship and heartache often lasting much more thirty-nine days. No odds of winning a million dollars or being a guest on The David Letterman Show. They are not ‘models’ but they model for me who I hope to become.

Despite our family’s best efforts, I never received a call to come and audition. As time went on though, my desire to try again continued. I tried to rationalize and justify my desires. Since the sociology of putting such diverse people in this situation appealed to me, I reasoned they needed a Christian homeschooling mom on the show. I mean, how many homeschooling moms have been on Survivor?  Zero! Of Course, it’s questionable how many have actually applied. I also desired justice, and hated to see someone who lied and cheated win.  I thought perhaps I could show them that the best strategy is to be trustworthy. Perhaps my mission field would consist of millions of viewers.

It was then that I recalled Mother Teresa’s famous saying, “Do small things with great love.”  I was grounded once again as I thought of all the unsung heroes listed above.

I would pray “Lord, take this desire away if it is not of you.”  I would also ask, “Is this just me?”  No, this drive seemed not to be a push from within but a pull from beyond.

Then it happened. My desire to get away became a reality when I went on a silent women’s retreat with a friend. During the 48 hours I began to refocus.  

“What is reality?” The priest asked.  

“Reality is the love of Christ.”  

We were reminded that we are on this earth such a short time in relation to eternity, and we are all called to make the most of the time we have to know, love, and serve Him. My silent retreat was away from the busyness of the day, and far from any Hollywood cameras. What a wonderful and refreshing weekend! I felt spoiled as I enjoyed the delicious food (no bugs) and listened in the peace and quiet. I will never forget how the priest began the first meditation.

“You think that you worked hard to scheme and put together this weekend, but Jesus for all of eternity has been planning this time to be with you.”  

Yes, He had been planning the weekend all along and in it I found once again the reality of His love for me.    

After a short time however, I realized that this time away was not all going to be a romantic bed of roses.

Sometimes God loves us so much that He convicts of something that is harming our body or a relationship with others or with God. 

God convicted me of something that culturally most Christians would not consider a sin.   Slowly God had been bringing others in my path who were walking counter-cultural and I started questioning this choice I was making. Out of obedience I finally surrendered this crutch and realized that I needed to trust God more. As a priest said who walked by and saw my many tears. “God is pruning you, to make you stronger.” When I arrived home I still had work to do to fully to free of this sin, but the relief and joy of being releasing from this hindrance was the best gift that God could ever give. As Jesus proclaimed in John 3: 34

“Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits a sin is a slave to sin.  A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains.  So is the son frees you, they you will truly be free.”

Jesus Christ is the truth. He came so that we could see reality of how sin slowly destroys our relationships. Sin poisons our bodies and souls.

The only way we can know Truth is to spend time in the presence of Jesus. For He is the way, the truth and the life.

Randy Alcorn explains, “Jesus is the source of all truth, the embodiment of truth and therefore the reference point of evaluating all truth-claims.”

The more time we spend in His presence and reading His word, the more we can know what “truth is” and to be protected from the lies of the enemy.

How mind blowing is this: The King of Kings wants to sit and chat with you. You don’t need to go to a deserted Island or even a weekend away. I suggest  sitting with a pen and paper and start reading from the Gospel of John.  A  10 minute retreat each morning will change you from the inside out.

You don’t need to escape your life, you need to allow the eyes of your heart to be opened to the Reality of God’s deep love for you.