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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Hi, your devotional really hit home with me today. I am getting divorced and my husband has temporary custody of my kids, I only get to see them for 2 hours a week and it is supervised visitation. I love my kids but I hate going for those visits because they are so demeaning and I had been thinking about just giving up and letting him take the kids and everything else and just go start over. My husband has been trying very hard to turn my kids against me and since I only get to seem them for 2 hour a week, I think his efforts are working. Anyway, I won't give up now. Thanks for showing me those words of motivation from the Lord. If I were to win the "Go Bible" I would like the Voyager and I would give the second to my friend Lacie, who runs a farm and home schools 4 kids under 10. My email is [email protected]. Thanks again.
Thanks for all that you and Proverbs 31 does! I get the daily devotions and enjoy reading them so much! I would like the Go Bible Voyager because of the print and you can put songs on it as well. If I should win I would share the 2nd one with a young lady in my Bible study group named Candy who has been and inspiration to us all. Not only did she and her husband re-marry after four years of being divorced in February they have also taken in her two nieces and will probably get full custody. Being a Mom is new to her and she wants nothing more than to be a Christian Mom and Wife!
Denise ([email protected])
Thank you Renee!! Great devotional today. I would love to win the Voyager for myself and give one to a dear sweet little friend of mine, Taylor. Taylor is graduating this Saturday from highschool and is a very sweet child of God. I see her godly comments on her facebook page and it thrills my heart so. She will be going to collage and I would love for her to have this to take with her. Thank you for the encouragement. My children are grown but it never ends. I just said last night " I am done" Now, after reading your devo, I take it back. Thanks again. Anyone can tell by your photos that you are an awesome Mom. Happy Mothers Day!!
Dana
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What a wonderful and meaningful article for me today. It's the first thing I do when I get to work. Today it just brought everything home for me. I've been struggling for a while. Trying to raise a 16 year old son and 12 year old daughter is so challenging. It seems they kick against everything we try to teach them that is moral and good. I would share my gift with my girlfriend Brenda. She and her husband are trying to raise 3. Thank God for this awesome ministry.
I had never heard of GoBibles and through your site I discovered something that seems invaluable! The Voyager would be ideal to be able to read the verses as well. Who I would give the second packet to is a difficult decision, but it would be a woman from church/school who is a mom to one biological son and has brought five other children into her home. She inspires me.
Thank you for your encouragement.
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Thank you for a much needed devotion today. As a mom of a busy 2-year old, I find myself in a constant struggle with how I want to act and how I actually act. I want to be a great Christian example to my daughter but fall short so often. I'm finally realizing that I need to really rely on God in all aspects of my life- from work to parenting and everything inbetween.
I would love to win this gift pack as it is a daily fight to get my quiet time with the One who matters most. I would like either the GoBible Original or the GoBible Traveler. I would give the second gift pack to my sister- she is a mom of a 4-year old busy boy and a 7-month old little girl who was just diagnosed with infant glaucoma. They have been back and forth to the hospital for surgeries and I'm sure the GoBible would help her in this busy season as well. Thanks.
-Jennifer ([email protected])
Thanks so much Renee. As a mother of five little ones,I can completely identify with this. I don't know how many times I have looked at others and wondered what I was doing wrong. I finally turned it over to God and let Him led me to be the mom I needed to be. I certain couldn't do it on my own. I would be thrilled with any version of the GoBible. I think it would be so convient for the many trips to and from activities, as well as, waiting on practices to end or even my time on the treadmill. I would give this to a woman who currently doesn't have any children, but her and her husband are adopting 3 kids from Haiti, and one little boy from Africa. They also found out that she is pregnant. She will definately have her hands full. I think this would be an incredible blessing to her. Thanks!
I would love any of them in the NIV version.
My first thought on who to give this to is my unsaved stepdaughter who is fostering her brother's two children along with her own daughter while my stepson is in prison.
Kelly
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Thanks for sharing your life.
I'd love any goBible in NIV. My first thought on who to share with was my unsaved stepdaughter. She is fostering my stepson's two children along with her daughter while my stepson is in prison.
Kelly
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Thank you Renee for such a wonderful devotion that speaks right to the heart of all of us mommies! It's so nice to know that there are other mothers that are always trying to compare their parenting skills with those of others….and feeling like a failure!
I am a mother of three beautiful girls, ages 31, 26 & 10. That's right, there's a 21 year span between my oldest and youngest child! I thought I would have this mommy thing all figured out by now and raising my 10 year old would be a breeze! NOT TRUE!! My walk with the Lord is much closer now than when my older children were little, but I still get stressed out and forget to stop and look for the gold on those days when things just aren't going the way I think they should.
If chosen,I would love to have the GoBible Voyager so we could listen to Bible Stories in the car when we are hustling to get somewhere on time!It would be so awesome if the last thing my daughter could hear would be a Bible Story before getting out of the car at school instead of the latest Justin Bieber song! She struggles with anxiety issues and I am always trying to find someway to give her the peace that she needs to get her through the day when I can't be there to help her. I want to teach her that God is always with her even when I am not and the GoBible would be an awesome resource and encouragement!
I know so many people who would benefit from a GoBible, but I think I would give the second one to my oldest daughter who has three children and feels the pressure of working full time, plus handling paperwork and billing for their family farm. Some days she gets so stressed out and doesn't take the time to see the gold in her beautiful children! I remind her of the song by Trace Adkins, "You're Gonna Miss This". It is so true, even though I have my difficult "mommy days". I still realize how fast our children grow up and that song rings so true. One day you WILL miss all this "mommy stuff" that stresses you out today!
Have a beautiful day and once again thanks for a great devotion!
Blessings!
April ([email protected])
Thank you Renee– I would love to win and I would give one to my young daughter–who is a young mother of a very active 3 year old–she is a single Mom who needs our help and prayers!! Thanks again,Barb
I loved reading your post today. It brings back lots of memories of the days I was raising my 4 children. I know if you direct the child's attitude toward the things of God a child will have the tools to be successful. I would love to
win your GoBible Orginal. I would like to give one to my son. He was a music and youth leader in our church and his wife of 7yrs. left him and their son a year ago. His wounds are slowly healing with the blessings of God. He is now both Mom and Dad as his wife does not want anything to do with their adopted son. The second one I would give to my youngest daughter who is a missionaries wife. Thank you for caring about Moms and children. God Bless! Cheryl
My email address is: [email protected]
Oh! I forgot to mention that I would definitely give the 2nd gift to my sister, who is also a busy mom of a 5 year old little girl. I know she would get a lot of use from the Go Bible as well.
Thank you!
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What an awesome devotion! I completely identify with it since I am ready to quit as well! I have two boys and run my own business and have a husband with an erratic work schedule which includes and erratic pay schedule. It is too much sometimes! Thank God He comes and picks us up and dusts us off and says "Let me do that." I would love a voyager goBible! I would give the other set to my sister who is just as crazy with two kids as I am! My email is [email protected]. Thanks again!!
Lyn
I really loved today's devotion, as I'm feeling some of the same frustrations, raising my now 8-month-old boy/girl twins. It's a lot of work being with them all day by myself, and I'm so glad I found Proverbs 31 Ministries, because I feel like I get at least a little time in the Word each day. And it's so relevant to me as a new mom, too.
I would absolutely love the NIV version of the Go Bible Voyager or the Original. The Voyager would be especially helpful to me, as I find it easier to comprehend when I can hear the audio and see the text at the same time. But I believe the Original would be wonderful also! I know I would be able to use it every day to help me set aside time in God's Word, which is always so hard to do with two little ones right now.
Thank you for your ministry!
Amy
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Renee your devotion today is such a blessing and really hits home for me. I feel that I fall short of being the Mom my girls need so many times. My girls are 10 and 6; very strong minded and out spoken. We are so fortunate and I an constantly reminding them to be thankful.
If chosen I would pick the GoBible Voyager and give the second to my sister.
Thank you for sharing your story with us, Renee! I liked the ideas you shared about gold nuggets & mining for gold in our children. I'd love the chance to win your book. I have a few darling girlfriends I'd love to share with, should I win… I think I'd go with my friend Dayna. Her husband goes away for long periods of time, for work, and she runs around like crazy getting all her children where they need to be. 🙂
My email address is: [email protected]
Thanks! And God bless you!
tina
Loved the devotional on Proverbs 31.
I would like the original Go-Bible in the NIV. The second would go to a mom with a real heart for the lord who makes me laugh and encourages me … or pass the products around to the moms in our church — maybe keep them in the church nursery as a "lending library."
Thank you Renee, i have also gotten to that point, and cried out to God so many times, i'm a single working mom of three, 13,5, and almost 2. I have little help and demand to much from my oldest, i need to learn to bring in scripture to point out to my children why i say no or expect them to act. It is especially diffacult when i the rest of my family are not saved. I'd like to the GoBible Voyager and i'd find another single mom to give the other to. Thanks again for your words and for me direction.
I was just looking at your chart on the Proverbs 31 site and wishing I could get it. Then I came back to the devo and saw that you were having a giveaway that included it. Renee, I cannot even begin to express how much I desire this! I have three daughters, one of whom has such a tender heart that she tends to show me good character traits more than I show her! However, my other two are older and they have lost much of that tenderness and care for others, one much more so than the other, and I desire to have them reflect Christ in their lives more than they do. I know I have failed in many aspects, but I also know that it is not too late to teach them. I am asking God for help in this area, and I know that your giveaway could be just the tool needed to really get this started. The second one I would give to my friend that is recently divorced and having trouble with her sons. Some days all we can do is commiserate and trust that God will get us all through this in one piece! God bless you, Renee, and thank you for allowing him to use you.
Jeannie Reid
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