Today I have a devotion on Crosswalk and at Proverbs 31 about the day I almost quit being a mom. It was a really hard day. But it really was the day I started “becoming” the mom I always wanted to be. One thing I learned is that I couldn’t become that kind of mom until I understood God’s perspective of me as His child.
When I finished writing in my journal that day, I sat down to do some work and happened upon a story about Andrew Carnegie that completely changed my perspective as a mom and as a child of God. Andrew Carnegie was the wealthiest man in America in the early 1900s, so wealthy that he employed over 42 millionaires. When asked how he developed these men to become so valuable that he would pay them that much money, Carnegie explained that “men are developed the same way gold is mined. When gold is mined, several tons of dirt must be moved to get an ounce of gold, but one doesn’t go into the mine looking for dirt — one goes in looking for gold.”
Zig Ziglar tells this story in his book, Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World, and then challenges moms and dads to look past their children’s mistakes and mine for gold in them, fully convinced that every child has gold hidden in their hearts just waiting to be discovered.
I was buried in the dirt that day. I felt like a failure as a mom. I was discouraged and so disappointed in myself. And I was convinced that God felt the same way about me. Then I started wishing I had a “gold-miner” in my life who would see beyond my mistakes and mishaps and find the gold in me. I almost inflated some black balloons and threw a little pity-party.
It was then that I sensed God whisper to my heart, “I am that Gold-miner.” He reminded me that I was the one who was being so critical of myself. I was the one who was so focused on what I didn’t do right. I felt like He whispered, “Renee, I see the gold of My image in you, and I want to bring it to the surface in your heart so that your kids could see Me in you.”
He also reminded me of stories and verses in the Bible that tell me He sees beyond who I am to who I can become. I knew this was God speaking because I didn’t think like that 10 years ago. I didn’t believe Him in an instant, either. No, it would take time for me to really let those truths sink in. But that day He used His thoughts to give me a new perspective of Him, and of myself. Then He challenged me to look for ways to have that same perspective with my children.
As a mom, it’ so easy to get buried in the dirt of discontentment, disobedience and mommy discouragement. That day I wondered: where is the gold in it all?
But after reading Ziglar’s challenge and hearing God challenge my heart, I thought about the difference it could make for my children to know I was intent on finding the gold within them. I wasn’t sure what the gold would look like but I figured if it was there, God could help me find it. So, I asked Him to show me and then I started writing down my thoughts. Two things came to mind – golden attitudes and golden actions.
I made a column for each and listed character traits like kindness, obedience, honesty, thankfulness, and compassion. I decided to look up Bible verses that tied in with the traits and wrote them down beside each one. Those not-so-golden traits needed to be addressed too, so I made a column for the dirt that buries the gold – anger, selfishness, whining, arguing, jealousy, pride, etc.
That night I went to bed thinking about what happened that day. For the first time in months, I was excited about my role as a mom. I felt like God was telling me to take my eyes off of my children’s habits and focus on their hearts. Finally I felt like there may be some meaning in the monotony! I had a goal and hope for some progress as a parent. Tomorrow I’ll share more. For now, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Copyright 2009, Renee Swope – All rights reserved.
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Today’s Mom Give-Aways
Today we are choosing winners from the comments and giving away two D6 mom resources – a copy of my “Mining for Gold in the Heart of Your Child Chart and CD and George Barna’s “Revolutionary Parenting”. We’ll be giving away gifts every weekday, so be sure to come back for more mom encouragement and resources from D6 and Proverbs 31 Ministries!
To be part of today’s give-aways, click on the words “comments” below this post. I’d love to know how old your kids are, and PLEASE include your email in your comment so we can get in touch if you win!
God certainly sent your message to me this morning. I am a disabled mom of a 13-yr old and a 3-yr old, and it happens this week I am in the middle of potty-training the 3-yr old. This morning began with nothing but whining and no!s from my little one in addition to a high pain level and I just wanted to sink in my chair and pretend I never woke up this morning. I am not eloquent so I simply want to say thank you to you. And certainly thank you to our Heavenly Father who communicated to me what I completely needed this morning through your post. I feel energized and confident now.
Thank you again!
with love,
Jennifer
Renee,
Thank you, thank you … for this beautiful devotional. I am a single mother to an 11 yr old boy. There are some rather serious behavior issues with him. I often feel completely discouraged and like a failure as a parent. I admit also to feeling sorry for myself and resentful, because I am divorced and doing this all on my own. Parenting truly is the one thing that stretches me and constantly challenges me like none other. I pray to God daily for His strength and courage and the wisdom to raise this young boy(man)on my own.
Sometimes I feel so alone, often the bathroom is the only place I feel I can escape to, its there that I cry my heart out, and God’s precious love always reminds me that I am never alone in His Presence.
Your devotional today brought tears to my eyes. God will bless and take care of all of our children in this crazy world we live,the enemy will not win with God’s children, I truly believe that. But He did not promise that the journey would be easy. But instead throughout He does promise to be with us every step of the way.
Thank you again for this wonderful devotional, your honesty, and the personal experience that you have shared touched my heart.
God Bless You, Your Family,
and Us All !!
Bev
Hi Renee, thanks for sharing your wisdom and insight. =)
We have a son Jonah who’s 2 and as sweet as pie (most days). =)
Lisa
Thank you so much for the devotional today..I have a Son 11 and a Daughter who is 7….I try so hard and always fall short of “My” goal…after reading today…it’s because its “my” goal and not GODs! I always look at the things that went wrong instead of the things that went right…thanks for helping me have a new eyes! [email protected]
I loved this devotional! I too struggle with seeing the negative in myself and my children. I went through a Sunday School with Shepherding A Child's Heart and that was a great start in helping me see to the "heart" of the issue. I am going to mine for gold around the house with my children ages 9, 6, & 5. Thanks for the encouragement!
Thank you for today’s encouragement. I am a mother of one son, age 10.
Blessings,
Debra
[email protected]
After another tense morning getting my son of to school, I acually came home and was wondering how fast it would take me to pack my bags and run to the Bahamas! Thank you so much for today’s encouragement. It is truly so much easier to pick ourselves apart than it is to realize that God is working in our lives and that we are such important people in His work. My children are 19, 17, 11 and 8. Thanks for always starting my day off with something to think about and prayer to get me going!
Email: [email protected]
I have a daughter (11) and son (8).
I really appreciated the thought today about mining for gold – in my struggle with perfectionism, I’m always focusing on what MORE could be done, or how we could do things better without ackowledging what I or my kids have already accomplished. I need to look past the dirt for those nuggets of gold – thanks for the encouragement.
Lee
Brunswick,OH
Renee, thank you for being so honest and saying what many will not say out loud. I am in my 40’s. I am a stay at home mom with a 4 yr old precious and active boy. I also attend school part time. There are day’s I feel I have taken on more than I can handle. I needed to hear your words today.
A change of attitude and perspective is needed. I need to look for gold and not focus on the dirt so much. Thank you for being real.
Peace, [email protected]
Renee, thank you so much for sharing your stuggles and triumphs! I am sitting at work thinking about how I can just disappear, and just give up being a mother and wife!! I have just gotten so tired and overwhelmed. It seems the harder I try to be the best mom and wife the less my family appreciates it. I came from a home that was just exsiting, no love, no support, nothing. So I have tried to make sure that my girls(14, 11 and 7)and husband have everything and then some. I have just come to a point that I just don’t want to do this anymore, and I feel like I am just going through the motions out of obligation and not love. I want out. I am not happy, joyful, or even thankful about having a family anymore. And I am scared, I need help. How do I get pass this, and love and want my family again.
WOW! Thank you so much for this devotion!!! I am a mom of 6 boys ~ ages 20, 19, 16, 14, 10, and 3. I love them all dearly and I can definitely relate…
I go through the “What kind of mom am I?” thoughts every few months. Mostly because of the age differences. Each of boys are going through different stages in their lives that I have now realized to put on a different hat for each age. That has helped me alot. Step back and realize which one I am talking to and put on the appropriate age hat.
Your devotion has given me another angle to work from. Pastor has been doing bible studies on winning the hearts of our children and this really ties in with it. But you really brought it home to me. “Don’t look at their faults…look at their hearts!”
I have fully surrendered to God and I looking forward to becoming a Gold-Mining Mom ~ with the guidance and strength of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Thank you for being a blessing me today!
Kelley
Thank you so very much for speaking so honestly and from the heart. I started my trek in to Mommmyhood with twins! It has been awesome and exhausting. I had to work parttime, and became a terrible Mom. After another in a seemingly endless stream of bad behavior, God showed me all that i had let slip in my focus of what wasw important. My God supplies all my needs; and He gave me these 2 precious gems when the world said I would never conceive. They are my priority,and He can fix anything I may have messed up. I am in the hope that their gold is still buried in a shallow spot at their tender ages of 7 yrs. (on Feb. 10) I know God can unearth their gold, and I know He will unearth mine as well along the way. He is a mighty God, and a tender God. Tilling the soil of our hearts as only He can do; full of grace and mercy; guiding me with His loving hand. God can do this!! I know He can…I just have to keep ME out of the way!! thanks again for sharing your heart! God has made this way for you, and we’re all so glad you stepped up to the challenge! Blessings to you! Allison, [email protected], 281.256.7193
Renee,
I don’t know why, but yesterday was one of those discouraging days for me. Well, I take that back, I do know why. I was not able to have any time in The Word yesterday. The closest I got was your blessing of a blog! Anyway, my young children (age 5,4,2, and 10 months)deserved better yesterday and I did not measure up. I want so much to apply the parenting advice that I have been following each day on your blog! Yesterday was not that day. Frustration and aggravation erupted in harshness all day long. I love my children so much and I know I am blessed to be a stay-at-home mom but yesterday I felt extremely overwhelmed!
But God is so good! He always knows just what I need and today it was that very reminder posted! Thank you again for the encouragement. It was SO needed this morning.
[email protected]
Renee,
I am so blessed to be reading your words of encouragement. Just a few weeks ago, I too, was at that place in my life where I wanted to give up on parenting. Through my prayers and petition, God began to speak to me. He lined up people at my church to speak words of wisdom to me through my Beth Moore Bible study, through the sermon, through my Christian parenting class, and now through P31 and your website. Oh, how great is our God!!! He has given me a new heart for parenting and the role that He wants me to take throughout their formable years. My boys are age 14 and 4. My oldest, I have a lot to catch up on before he goes off to college. I know, with God’s hand in all of this, I have this time that’s left here at home to change his destiny. Thanks to you and so many others in God’s will, I will now be “mining for gold” and not for the dirt that just gets all over me! I have a new focus and that’s to teach them and show them the love of Jesus! Thank you Jesus! God bless you Renee!
In Christ,
Laura
Hi Renee,
Thanks for the GREAT devotion. As mothers I think we all need to be reminded that its not an easy job for any of us. Especially when we are trying to do the best job we can. I know my girls have gold in them. sometimes though its easy to forget to look for it. Thanks for the reminder.
[email protected]
Renee,
This was just what I needed today. Why do I still have to check my 11 yr old’s teeth to see if he’s brushed them before he heads to middle school? And this morning my 10 yr old came down with wrinkled unmatched clothes. In his closet I found weeks worth of CLEAN laundry piled up hidden from sight — no wonder his closet looked so sparse. And my 7 yr old is so independent. When did that happen? When did she develop such a sassy attitude? Truly Disney can’t be the ONLY reason! And at 43 I am pregnant with our 4th. I’m thrilled but wonder how on earth I’ll do it all. Mining for Gold is just what I need to be doing! Thanks for the encouragement!!
Susan
oops my email is [email protected]
My son is almost five and I am 17 weeks pregnant! Thanks for your devotional–I am my own worst critic and very hard on myself about mothering, etc…Thank you for being so honest.
Nadia
[email protected]
I have 5 children total between my husband and I:
Son 22, Daughter 22, Son, 21, Son, 12 and Daughter 11. It has been a journey being a mom and then a step mom to these wonderful children. Right now, I feel like I have failed in so many ways as a mother. I feel like my younger kids never listen to anything I say and I am so frustrated with them. I love being a mom to them all. My oldest son was an only child for 11 years and was extremely spoiled and this has carried over in his adult life. It was a rough couple of years and I had to do some “tough love” because of the choices he had made, but even in those times. I would remind him of the gifts God had given him and encourage him. Today, he is doing so much better and working 2 jobs in the field that God has gifted him in. He still has a long way to go, but I know God is faithful.
Thank you for the post today, I really need to dig for gold in my youngest daughter and my youngest son. What an awesome concept because I feel like all I do lately is correct them. The Bible clearly teaches us to encourage and build up others.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you tomorrow!
I just came across your blog and this devotional – it is great. I have a 13 yr. old son, a 9 yr. old daughter and a 3 and 1/2 yr. old son. I definitely need to start “mining for their gold” instead of dwelling on shortcomings and difficulties!
OMG! I followed your blog from the encouragment today I receive through crosswalk. This was so meant for me to hear today. I can totally relate to everything you said! Recently I have struggled with feeling like my time is running out to find the gold in my children especially with my 14 yr. old son. I’ve been so down lately wondering if anything has really reached his heart. He has become so distant and mean. I didn’t teach him these things and it breaks my heart to see him behave like this. Just 2 nights ago, I cried myself to sleep and cried out to God to help me. And I feel like He gave me a new starting place as well – to see myself and take inventory of things I need to change. To really trust that He is always working things out even when we don’t see it! Today I am leaning on him and the encouragment you gave from Psalm 19:35. Thanks so much for sharing from your heart! Trusting God 🙂
Renee,
I am sitting here folding endless socks, reading your devotional. I am looking at my kids socks, as well as mine and my husbands…thinking of where we’ll all walk, together and seperately through our lives.
I was overwhelmed reading your mining for gold topic, looking at these socks, and feeling discouraged as a mom. It hit me that I need to get back into the swing of things again…it is so easy to get down and just complacent in parenting.
The combination of my kids socks (ages 8, 5, and 3) staring me in the face, and your words on mommy failure and gold mining just spoke to me. I need to continue molding these kids and the best place to start again is to let them see Christ in my life so they can keep walking (sockless or not! 🙂 in the right direction!
Thanks for your willingness to let God help us mommies!
[email protected]
Sue
Things like this just confirm my faith in God. You see, I too am down on my knees saying that I can’t do this anymore. I am currently in a custody battle for my 13 year old DD whos birth father has suddenly decided after 12 1/2 years that he wants to be involved in her life. His idea of involvement is letting her listen to very inappropriate music, post provacative pictures of herself online, and expose her to drug use. She has developed a “me first” mentality since being around him and views my husband and I as the enemies that are preventing her from doing what she wants. In addition I have a 9 year old daughter who has begun to mimic my 13 year old because she has always looked up to her. I also have a 10 year old son with ADHD that is trying very hard to turn around the opinion of many of the teachers at school who view him as the “troublemaker”. This year he has a teacher that looks for the best in him and is helping him to make the turn around. (she is definately a blessing from God) I also have a 5 month old baby that came along unexpectedly. When my husband and I found out we were going to have a new addition we were not sure how we would make it work. I had returned to college to get my degree when my youngest started kindergarten, and I still have about 3 semesters left to complete. However, family comes first so I am again a SAHM. The pressures of parenting and my feeling of failure with the behavior of my older girls was getting overwhelming. Then I read your devotion on Proverbs 31. I feel like God used you to encourage me not to “turn in my pink slip”. I sat down and began to think about the gold in them, and realized that I had been focusing on the dirt and that made me feel like a failure. Seeing their gold helped me to realize that I have planted seeds and that I can use these current situations to help those seeds grow in them. Thank you for the encouragement and for your willingness to admit you aren’t a perfect mom either. Perhaps if more of us moms would be willing to share our fears, feelings of inadequacies, concerns etc we might not feel such a need to do it on our own because we think we see others doing so.
Thank you somuch for sharing such a difficlut, but beautiful moment in your life. I, like so many others, feel like you wrote that just for me. I’m so thankful that God led me to your blog. I have really enjoyed reading it.
Renee, I really feel that this devotion was written straight from God to me. Before I read it I told God that I give up … I just can’t do this anymore .. to please help me.
My blended family is really going through some hard times. I have two older daughters from a previous marriage .. they are teen-agers now. (17 and 14) My husband is really having a hard time with unconditional love for them. He sees NO gold in them. It is tearing my heart in two. My face is wet with tears as I type this. We have two younger children that are 7 and 9. The strife between my husband and the older girls makes family life pretty miserable. My husband is a Christian … but just sees everything in black and white.
Thank you for the devotion … I told the Lord that I surrender .. I cannot do this on my own. I desperately need his help.
I know that all my children have gold in them. I want the love of God to be so present in our home and our lives. I also know that my husband has gold in him. I’m believing God for a miracle in my family.
Thank you for the encouragement,
,,,,Believing
[email protected]
Renee, thank you so much for your devotion today – I really needed it – I too beat myself up for not being the perfect “mom” and I realized I am the one who is being so critical – and I need to slow down and just love my girls for them instead of trying to be this perfect mom. I have four girls, ages 9, 6, 4, 19 months.
Thanks for the great devotional! I woke up earlier than the kids today and thought I should have a “quiet time” but didn’t know where to start…so I clicked on your devotional and it was perfect! I have a 3 and 5 year old, boy and girl. Now I can’t wait to go wake them up to look for their gold! Elaine –
[email protected] – Missouri
Renee,
Thank you so much for your devotional today. I often wondered if I was the only one who ever felt that way. But I see that I am not. I too was envious of other parents who seemed to have it all together, I still am. Almost every day I have the feeling that I am not good at being a mom.
I have two children 11 and 7. After my youngest I had my tubes tied. At the time my husband and I agreed that we were happy with what we had and were content. Pregnancy was hard for me. But deep down I think I really felt like such a failure with my first child and I knew I wasn’t going to be any good with the second one either, so I just couldn’t do it again.
I can’t believe that reading today’s devotion has brought so much of these feelings to the surface. I guess I really need it. You have to dig away in order to deal with it.
Thank you again
Josey
[email protected]
Thank you. I have been bogged down in the dirt. I have 5 little children (aged 2 months, 18 months, 3 years, 5 years and 7 years). Life has been particularly hard the last 8 months or so. My husband left a few months before the baby was born. I had thought our marriage was ok, good even. With all the shock and upheaval and then the demands of a newborn, I have let the “behaviour standards” slip, focussing on how we were doing emotionally rather than dealing with problem behaviour. I just couldn’t face the bad behaviour so I ignored a lot of it. Although logically I knew this was ok, I carried so much guilt over it. Your devotional has helped set me free of it. God cares more about my heart than my mistakes.
I realise you were talking more about developing a heart for God and his goodness than healing their broken little hearts but I thought you might like to know how much it has helped me today. I’ve cried those tears that I so desperately needed to cry, and forgiven myself for not being the “perfect mum” (I’m an aussie, so its mum for me, not mom)
Thank you for following God’s call in your life.
[email protected]
What a timely devotional on P31 this morning. I sometimes still struggle and need reminded. Thanks! My son is 8 and my daughter will turn 6 in 2 weeks.
Kirsten
[email protected]
Renee, I read your words daily and it is such an inspiration to me. I take those encouraging words, couple them with the word of God and carefully attempt to apply them to my life. I am working this parenting business to the core. I am the mom of four fantastic children ages 16, 8, 6, and a terrific 3 year old!!!! I think I have covered the whole spectrum of challenges. On top of it all, I do it by myself. By myself in the sense that my husband left three years ago; however not alone because God walks me through this journey in Grand style.
Do I get it right all the time? No way!! But I know that My children are diamonds in the rough. God is helping me to mold and shape them into his precious jewels that are destined for greatness!
I equate our experience to a roller coaster ride…. where in the beginning were on a high with excitement!!!!….. then the BIG drop of parenting sets in. Soon after, were going through loop after loop. Sometimes with our hands clenched to the bars and other time with our hands in surrender to the will of God. After a while though it levels off and we can finally relax because we have gotten them to where they need to be. God has given us all the grace for parenting and with his help and the right tools I believe anything is possible to those who believe.
God bless you and thank you for reading.
Renee,
Thank you so much for the inspiration, positive outlook, and wisdom in your devotion today. I needed a good prescription for negative attitudes in myself that I then see in my children. I definitely will pursue reading/learning from the resources you mentioned. Blessings and prayers during your travels and speaking engagement.
[email protected]
Thankyou so much for your devotional today! I was feeling the same way, like I was failing as a mom somehow. I am definitely taking these ideas and running with them! My kids are 9 and 7 years old, but better later than never! Thankyou.
It is amazing how God works. I have been struggling with this exact issue. I have 3 children, my oldest is 22.However, I have 2 little ones ages 6 and 4 and just a few weeks ago I found myself on the floor crying because I was so overwhelmed. I find myself just yelling ALL of the time. So of couse my childern do what they see and yell all of the time. I have been praying for God to work with me and my children. I work full time and have such good intentions of not yelling when we get home, but as soon as we do get home, we are all on the battle field. I am so glad you shared your story and I will pray about it. I know with out a doubt my kids have gold in them. Somehow, I need to show them that they have gold inside them.
Thank you so much and may God bless you on your trip and every day.
Marie
[email protected]
Renee, thank you for the devotional today,I love reading them every day. They always give me a pick me up in the morning. I am a single mother of 5 year b/g twins and I struggle every day with trying to be the best mom. Their personalities are nothing alike and my son is very stong-willed. It gets difficult at times and your daily devotionals really help.
[email protected]
Julie
Thanks for the encouragement today! There are many days that I tell God He chose the wrong woman to be the mom of 4 boys so very close together. I know that I can do it through His strength, but some days I feel like tapping into that strength is harder than other days! Anyway, my oldest Nate is 6, next comes Kyle,5, than Ian, my ever-screaming-3-year-old (4 on Friday), and last is Caden, who is 2. God also called us to homeschool, which is even crazier. Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
I was so inspired by your devotion today. With three boys, 15, 12 and 8, it is so easy to get, and stay, focused on their attitudes and behaviors and NOT their hearts. I have asked God to help me push aside all of the dirt and see the gold radiating within them!
[email protected]
“Nothing is impossible with God.” My youngest daughter is 5 and I have struggled often to remind myself that she is a beautiful creation of God. At one moment, I know she’s a typical, strong-willed child. The next moment, I have tremendous feelings of guilt and anger for not being capable of parenting such a difficult, hateful, out-of-control little girl. I know I can do nothing without God’s help. I have read so many different parenting books and tried so many techniques (from Christian and secular authors) that I am just sure I am messing her up even further, but nothing helps long-term. It’s in the brief moments I snatch with my Bible or my online devotion that I get the morsel of encouragement I need to hang on when I just want to quit. I’d love some parenting tools for my toolbox….it seems all I have at the moment is a hammer and it’s not working too well.
[email protected]
What a great devotion for all moms. My boys are 13, 8, and 5. It is definitely more challenging as they get older and have their own ideas. All of my children are very interested in God and church. I just pray that this continues as they grow. I feel so inadequate to train them to be strong Christian men. It is so easy to look at other moms and think they have everything together. It is good to be reminded that everyone has the same struggles and feelings of inadequacy. I just don’t want to fail in the spiritual training of my children. I pray that I always remember that my children are gold! Have a wonderful week!
Perfect timing! I had a difficult day yesterday with my three kids (6,4,4) and I actually worked most of the day. Getting out of the house in the morning can be a challenge and it culminated in my yelling at the kids (again). My daughter and I were in tears before we got to school and I am still recuperating. I woke up this morning feeling like a failure as a mom and praying to God for hope. I long to find joy in my journey as a mom and peace that I am not failing completely. Thank you for your timely words.
Thank you for your words of wisdom and encouragement. I have a 12 year old son and 7 year old daughter. My mother and sister both have the patience of Job and I feel like I’m lacking in that area. I have prayed for more patience from day one and never felt like God was answering my prayer. I kept thinking what was wrong with me??? Finally, one day someone told me God was not going to “hand” me patience, but offer opportunites for me to be more patient. It was a wake up call for me and it made me look at things in a different perspective. Your comment about looking at our children’s heart and not their bad habits was another one of those profound statements. They are children of God just like I’m God’s child. He has been so patient with me and his mercy and grace is endless. I should look at them in the same respect. Children are truly a blessing and it is my greatest desire to see them grow in God’s love and wisdom!! May God bless you!
I’m really enjoying your blog. My daughters are four and two. On the P31 I too often feel like everyone else has it together. The sounds of another kid having a fit in the store makes me empathize with the mom, but brings a bit of joy that I’m not the only one!
I too feel failure when my four yr old says no, and refuses to listen. It feels like I spend most of my time disciplining and its tiring. But I see the woman she could become. I pray daily that God will give me the wisdom to raise Godly women.
Thanks again for your commitment to writing it so often is what I desperately need to hear.
God bless
[email protected]
Although your devotions are powerful, I am reminded that our God is the Almighty One. Thank you for taking the time to share and reminding us all that we are all gold…no matter the situation. I am blessed to have two very wonderful children who have hearts of gold – I certainly don’t want to cover them with dirt.
Lori J
[email protected]
Renee,
I loved this devotional. I’ll definitely be reading your blog regularly. I read your devotional at Proverbs 31 today and decided to check out the blag. I was blessed by both messages today.
Thank you so much for sharing yourself and talking to me right where I am at this week. I have a 5 yr old and a 3 yr old and it’s already been a looong week.
Instead of turning in my own pink slip, I’ll be looking for gold this week. Thank you again!
Love,
Mary
Thank-you for the reminder. My children are now 27, 25, 21 and 13yrs. I am constantly reminded that they are all created differently–yet by an Awesome God, Who loves them more than I do and has a “purpose and a plan” for each. At this point, I am beginning to see His plan in their lives–but remember too, the days of discouragement, exhaustion and the “give-up” attitude. He always gave strength, courage and insight when I sought Him for wisdom. He reminded me that “He is God and I am not”. All that they are today is by His grace and to His glory.
Thank-you for this ministry.
In Him,
K. R.
God’s timing always amazes me! Just this morning I e-mailed a friend, asking her to pray for me, for parental wisdom for my husband and myself, for 1 of our 5 kids in particular. We homeschool them all, but this particular daughter is the one that could make me raise the white flag! I too, have such a huge desire to be the woman, wife, and mom that God has called me, AND EQUIPPED me to be. Thank you for this devotional, and I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next installment!
Renee,
Thank you for your encouraging words this morning. I am a parent educator, play therapist, and a mom of a really cool 8 year old boy. I work with many kiddo’s (and families; many of whom are Christians) covered with dirt. At times, I believe I may be the only person who is trying to find the gold which can become difficult when working with frustrated teachers and other institutional workers who only see the dirt. I thank you for letting so many mom’s know the importance of putting aside one’s earthly eyes and desiring to look through His eyes. I am glad he saw through MY dirt and is willing to CONSTANTLY chip through it to reveal the gold!
Thank you for your thoughts this morning. This info will DEFINATELY be passed on!
Amy
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This was exactly what I needed this morning! Thank you so much for sharing your story. My children are 2yrs. and 1yr. Days are very busy but I just need to remember that there is gold that needs to be found and made beautiful. God bless.
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Renee,
Your devotional really spoke to me. I have three grown sons and a grandaughter. We were not Christians until much later on our boys lives. We have recently been blessed by God with a beautiful little girl adopted from China whom we named Faith MeiLi (Faith for obvious reasons & MeiLi means beautiful and strong, which many think is meant in the worldly context but we want her to be beautiful and strong in the Lord!). Anyway, not only are we desperately desiring to parent God's way but we are also facing the challenges of facing our daughters abandonment issues and the issues of life in an institution/orphanage for nearly three years. I so want to be the Godly Mom who helps her to see herself the way that God sees her and I so want to reflect Christ to her. I feel overwhelmed by the task and I KNOW that I can't do it but that God can. I really needed your words today and God knew that. Thank you for your honesty and your faithfulness in sharing your heart with us other Moms.
May God abundantly bless you and your family,
Peggy
I am a mom of a five year old boy. My son is great when he wants to be and ignores me when he wants to. I see where he will listen to my mom and his dad but when it comes to me it is a different story. I would love to know more about getting my son to listen to me. I have tried time outs, spankings, taking things away from him, etc. Thanks for sharing your story with me.
Jennifer
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