It had been a really terrible, awful, hard day. So hard that I sat and cried. And yet, it brought me to the end of myself. And that was a good thing.
When I finished crying, 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.”
I’d been buried in the dirt that day. I was lost in the monotony of motherhood and felt like my days had no meaning. My discouragement and feelings of failure as a mom left me so disappointed in myself. And I was convinced God felt the same way about me.
I started wishing I had a gold-miner in my life who could see beyond my mistakes and find the gold in me. That’s when God whispered to my heart, “Renee, I am that gold-miner. You are the one who is so critical of yourself. You are the one who focuses on your faults. But I see the gold of My image in your heart, and I want to bring it to the surface so your kids can see Me in you.”
As I sat there trying to process what God was whispering to my heart, stories from the Bible started flooding my thoughts helping me believe that God really does see beyond who I am to who I can become.
That day God used His thoughts to give me a new perspective – of Himself and of myself. Then He challenged me to look for ways to transfer that perspective to my children.
It’s easy to get buried in the dirt of discontentment, disobedience and discouragement. You may even be thinking, Where’s the gold in it all? I wondered, too. But after reading Carnegie’s story and hearing God speak to my heart, I wanted to become a gold-mining mom.
As I thought about the gold I wanted to see in my children, character traits of Christ such as patience, kindness and contentment came to mind. I decided to make a list of golden attitudes and actions and look up Bible verses we could learn together. Then I made gold nuggets by balling up foil and spray-painting them gold.
In the following weeks, each time my kids showed a golden attitude or action, I’d reward them. When they saved up enough nuggets, they’d get a special treat. We also found new character traits and Bible verses, wrote down ideas to live them out and started making them part of our family devotions.
It took time for me to embrace a grace-based parenting perspective and let God’s new truths sink in. But I was so excited about having a spiritual focus as a mom. I started getting creative and about finding time in the midst of my busy days to get into His Word and get His word into me. And as I did, He used His thoughts to re-shape mine.
God’s Word became a part of our everyday lives as He taught me to take my eyes off of my children’s habits and focus on their hearts. Not only did it change my kids’ attitudes and actions, it changed me, too. For the first time in months, I was excited about my role as a parent. God had given me a new perspective, and a whole new sense of purpose as a mom!
Lord, thank You for not focusing on the dirt in my life but seeing beyond who I am to who I can become. Help me believe that, receive that and give it away to my kids, my husband and my friends. Help me look at their hearts and encourage the glimpses of You that I see in them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Portions of this post are in my book, A Confident Heart.
Copyright 2011. Baker Publishing. All rights reserved.
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Thanks for the reminder to bring something so simple and basic as the day to day raising of our kids before the Lord. As we contemplate God's leading in deciding whether to move our family of 7 clear across the country, our lives are heavy laden with big issues and it has been so easy to forget about something so basic in my prayer life.
The pressures of trying to sell our current home, homeschooling my 5 kids, working part-time,and running a household with a husband who works more than 60 hours a week on average has left me feeling like turning in my pink slip lately as my kids also seem so out of control with so many things taking us out of the norm.
These resources would be a great encouragement for me, but also for a dear friend who is also in the thick of raising three kids in the midst of way too many life challenges.
The original option would be what I would choose. [email protected]
Thanks Renee, for this encouragement. I need to focus more on the gold in myself and my children. What a great idea you had for doing that, with the nuggets! I would really like the GoBible Voyager (NIV). I would give the pack to my niece who is a newly single mom. She and her son could really benefit from finding the gold in the dirt they are digging through right now.
Thank you for your devotional – coming at a time when I needed to hear it! I would enjoy the original GoBible, and I have a friend who would enjoy the other….she is struggling with motherhood as well right now.
Thank you
Diana [email protected]
Thank you for the encouraging words this morning. I love your idea of the 'golden nuggets.' I would love the Voyager Go Bible, and I would share it with my long distance girlfriend, Jen. She has just started going to church regularly for the first time in her life, and is a working mom with two little boys, just like me!
[email protected]
Great devotion – I can totally relate. I'd love the Voyager one… I'd give the other one to my best friend. Thanks. [email protected]
Thank you for the encouragement. I am always encouraged by P31 devotionals and love receiving them in my e-mail each weekday!
If chosen, I'd love the GoBible Voyager b/c it has extra space for other downloads and I do not have an MP3 for music – it'd be great to have my fave. worship music and the bible in the same place.
I'd give the 2nd packet to my sister-in-law, Heather who just adopted a 2 yr old that she had been fostering. She is also a newly-wed and her hubbie will most likely be heading to Afganistan in the next month.
Blessings! Angie
e-mail: [email protected]
I love God!!! His timing is so perfect! We had one of those mornings with our 11 yo son that left me running to God and He answered by sending your encouraging message! We have 6 children at home from 2 1/2 to 11 years old. One biological, 2 adopted and 3 foster children that we believe God has brought to us to adopt. My husband and I just looked at each other and said we need help reaching their hearts…oh, God is so faithful!!! I'd love the go Bible Voyager! I have 3 dear friends that are also foster/adoptive parents that would LOVE this resource so if i was chosen, I would give it to one of these families. Thank you for your servant heart! Love, Kim [email protected]
I loved & needed your devotion this morning. The oldest of 5 is leaving for college & as we lovingly call him our "guinea pig," there are so many things I wish I could go back & change.
I would love this Voyager. These are new to me, but it looked very fun & interesting.
I would give the 2nd one to my friend Stella. She has 2 girls and both are disabled. One mentally & the other severely physically disabled. She does it every day with such grace & love that I stand at awe watching Jesus act & love through her hands & words. She truly is amazing, but could use some encouragement in her daily grind. 🙂 Thanks for the chance!
Cindy F.
How many times I've felt like a failure and wanted to give up! Thank God that He is able to fill in the blanks that I've left in raising my children! I would like any of the Go Bibles, but I think the Voyager is the one I would choose. I'd give the second pack to my oldest daughter who is about to become a mom for the first time.
Good morning! This mornings devotional encouraged me incredibly. Being looked at as the mom who has it all together is not easy because I am far from having it all together. What you see on the outside is not always what is on the inside. Being blessed with 1 child or 7, as I am, requires God to be in control. I have forgotten that and needed the reminder. Thank you. If I won, I would give the 2nd pack to my sister. The Voyager looks amazing in that you can even look up topics! Thank you for the encouragement!
This is exactly what I have needed to hear and I can't tell you how much I appreciate how much you have made me see that this is not about how I can help my boys but that with God all things are possible and with His help I will make it through these years. Thank you so much for this.
Deanna
This is exactly what I have needed to hear and I can't tell you how much I appreciate how much you have made me see that this is not about how I can help my boys but that with God all things are possible and with His help I will make it through these years. Thank you so much for this.
Deanna
What a great devotion and post. We compare ourselves and expect so much of ourselves, it's easy to lose focus based solely on what we assume is the reality of other families.
I love the Andrew Carnegie quote. You do have to go in looking for gold, and to know that God already sees the gold? That's powerful.
The GoBible Voyager looks amazing (NIV). I would offer the second to my best friend, she is continually giving up her free time – when she gets some from her 3 +1 on the way kiddos – to take care of her Mom (battled cancer and now a strange fainting disease they can't figure out) her step-Dad (alzheimers) and her Dad (lung cancer). Did I mention she NEVER turns anyone down that needs help or needs someplace for their kids to go? Or needs someone to pick up their kids? Or take them to practice? Talk about a lifesong as a witness, she has it. A tool/resource to get some quick encouragement throughout the day would be perfect for her.
Thank you!! I am a mom of six- ages 18-18mos. And head to the doctor for a double check of if I am or not. "Pink Slip" tends to weigh on my mind. I would share with Diana- mother of 3 boys and 1 girl and homeschools them. I am sure she could use the extra encouragement. As for which GoBible- I enjoy surprises!! Thanks again for such a great devotion!! Rachel A. Nicholson
Thank you for this post. I needed it. Been having trouble with my 9 yr old daughter. 🙁
I would love to have the Voyager for me as well as my sister. My sister has lost her way with God & the church.
I have sent you a friend request on FB as well. See you soon on there. 🙂
What a perfect devotion for moms. This was me yesterday, Monday, Sunday, …. What a wonderful reminder that we are nothing without GOD. Thank you for helping me remember to give my worries, frustrations, mommy moments over to GOD. There are so many people I would love to give this gift pack to. I am in a MOPS group and there are so many of us who have the tough days. I will give this to a friend who shortly after finding out she was pregnant, was told her husband was being deployed. Since then, they have been reunited they are stuggling to reconnect and parent at the same time. I think the books would be a tremendous help to keep her going.
Thank you!
MC
I would love the Go Bible Voyager. My nineteen year old brother is visually impaired. I did not know such a wonderful product existed. Being nineteen, he is into "techie" gadgets, and loves the Lord. I would love to get one of these into his hands.
[email protected]
Loved the devotion, both here and at Proverbs 31.
I would choose the GoBible Orignal if I won!
The second one I'd give to my best friend…
However, after reading that first comment, I'd love for Amy to win, just for the sake of the widow with 3 toddlers!!
Thank you for your ministry.
[email protected]
Thanks for the encouragement. I could so use a plan to be more purposeful raising my boys.
I'd love the voyager go Bible. I'd give teh second pack to my dear friend Robyn who I don't get so see often enough.
Margaret
Thanks so much, Renee for the wonderful devotion today. Last night wasn't too peaceful in Mommy-toddlerhood land and I really needed to hear this! If chosen, I would enjoy the GoBible Voyager because even though she dislikes "technical" things I could share mine with my Mom since it is larger type. The second one would go to a dear lady at our church that is a single mom – widowed – with three toddlers under the age of 4. She has been such a blessing in my life by making me be more thankful that I still have my husband around to help out even on night like last night. Thanks again! Amy M.
God is so amazing! This is my story. I have felt so worn that I wanted to quit too. I have an 8 yr old son and my daughter just turned 5. I feel like such a failure; that I am obviously doing something wrong. I feel like I have no control over my children. I prayed just last night that God would give me peace to go on, because I know that I can not do it by myself. Now I have just read your devotion. Thank you for sharing your story.