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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I loved your devotional today! My girls are now 24 and 30, so mothering is quite different today than it was years ago! But, oh how wonderful it is to be a grandmother!! I would love to be able to give one of the gift packs, including the Go Bible Voyager, to my older daughter. The second one, I think I would share with my younger daughter and pass it on to her permanently when she, too, becomes a mom! Although, with all the babysitting she does now, she could probably use your encouragement full-time right now as she is continuing her education! Thank you for your ministry.
Luelle
[email protected]
I have raised my daughter and was always dependent on God's guidance and wisdom. My husband and I are looking to get custody of my nephew's 2 year old daughter and her 5 year old half sister and will really need encouragement to start over. We are hoping to help the girls' newly saved Mom to change her life, so my gift pack (with the Original GoBible because the Bible stories will be beneficial to new Christian moms) would go with the girls if she was able to get her life together and get them back. The second one will go to my niece who has 3 children under 5 and is struggling to deal with the chaos that comes with such a young family. I am praying she will move closer to us so I can come along side her more than I can long distance. All in all, both families are in God's hands and prayers are welcome. Thank you for blessing some young mothers with these gifts. God bless you and your ministry! My email address is [email protected]
I'm so glad I am not the only one who struggles with feeling like a mom who will never be "good enough". I have 5 children and I especially feel like this with my first 4 who are from a previous marriage. Their dad and I are currently in a custody battle and long story short, his mind games are not only making me feel less than inadequit (sp) as a mother, but he is just wearing the kids out emotionally So crazy how we can criticize ourselves SO MUCH and completely believe it! I really enjoyed today's post, and if I won I would love the GoBible Voyager. How fun to take that along on my walks! There are a few people that immediately came to mind when thinking about who would love it just as much as I would. I guess I would have to do some praying about it and see who God picks for me. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your stories, they are so encouraging! I just love P31! 🙂
Sincerely,
Marne
[email protected]
HELLO, MY NAME IS BRENDA BRYANT. I AM A MOTHER OF A SPECIAL SON & A SPECIAL DAUGHTER. I AM A GRANDMOTHER OF 10 GRANDCHILDREN. MY DEAR MOTHER IS SOON TO BE 79. WE MUST LOVE & SERVE ONE ANOTHER FERVENTLY. I AM NOT SURE WHAT I AM DOING, BUT I LOVE TO STUDY THE BIBLE, & LOVE STUDY TOOLS TO HELP ME ON THE WAY. YOU STATED THAT I MAY HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN YOUR PURPOSE DRIVEN "MOM MESSAGE", ON CD, MINING FOR GOLD IN THE HEART OF YOUR CHILD CHARACTER CHART & A GO BIBLE (THE TRAVELER). I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS RIGHT, BUT THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, I PUT MY ORDER IN. GOD BLESS
MY E MAIL IS [email protected]
How often I have felt discouraged and desperate to give up on being a "mom". I have an 8 yr old and a 5 yr old. I want so desperately to be the "mom" that God wants me to be, but I feel like I am running around like a zombie — do this, do that, be here at this time- the list just goes on. I often compare myself to others who seem to have it all.. great personality, great job, wonderful mother. Then I look @ myself and wonder why I can't be like them. Thank you so much for this devotional. I guess I am in the mining stage of removing all the dirt (seems like I have been here for eternity- I wonder if there is any gold in me)
It amazes me how perfect God's timing always is. Your devotion comes the day after I decided to quit, again. Just last night my husband and I had a 'discussion' on how I felt like a big dump truck had backed up to me and dumped a huge pile of dirt on top of me, and how I am struggling to dig my way out. How it's so hard to do the same thing day after day, and not do it well to boot. Thank you for sharing your story and for your words of encouragement.
If I were to win your drawing, I would enjoy a Voyager GoBible. I would give the other one to my friend, Nicole. She is a single mom of four children, under the age of eight, that inspires me everyday with her faith and perseverence. Her life is a living example of God's perfect grace.
Renee S.
What timing! I sat in my therapist'f office yesterday, who I am largely seeing because of parenting problems, and said "Ifeel like such a failure." I don't know why it comforts us to know others have the same feeling, since we shouldn't wish it on others, but it does. Thanks again
Thank you so much for today's blog. Not only did in fall in line with the Bible Study I am in, but it is perfect for the morning I have had. God's timing is perfect. I am not sure where to view the GoBible choices – I looked on Amazon and saw version choices – if that is the case, I'd choose NIV. Thank you for your ministry.
Mary
Thank you for your devotions on Proverbs 31 ministries. So encouraging! As a mom of 3 girls it can be tough without some Godly encouragement from other moms like you! I would like the Original if I won and the 2nd would go to my dear friend Tammy who is busy raising 4 girls and an inspiration to me as well. Thanks again! Jenn
The GoBible Voyager is the one I would love to win as well as the same for my daughter who is an amazing young woman. She has 2 small boys, teaches school, is very active in her Church and the disaster relief effort here in Alabama. Even though my children are gorwn, I well remember the toddler days and I get reminded when I keep my 8 grandchildren!! You are my friend on facebook and I subscribe to your blog via my blog! Thanks Renee for all you do!
Thank you for sharing you personnal stories. The GoBible Voyager NIV looks very cool. Teens and young people would really like this.
Great devotion….it was perfectly timed for me as last night was especially challenging and tearful for both my daughter and myself. I would love either a GoBible Original or GoBible Voyager as they are both searchable by verse, and that is a super cool feature. I would give the second one to my neighbor. We moved here in May, and their family moved in next door in June. In July, they found out that the husband had pancreatic cancer. He passed away in September. Their three girls were in a new neighborhood and new school district, each at a pivitol point in their lives – one starting high school, one starting middle school, and one starting kindergarten. Their mother is such a brave lady, and I try to give her encouragement when I can. Her story makes me count my blessings, and want to be a blessing.
Thank you for the post I needed this today! I would really enjoy the GoBible Voyager. I have felt so many times that i wanted to QUIT because it was so tired, thank you for your post today. God Bless.
Thanks for the encouragement. We all need this in our daily lives, trying to be the perfect mom. With God, just being mom is possible. I would so enjoy the GoBible Voyager, and would love to bless my daughter as a new single mom. I am proud to see her try her best, but I know it can be difficult, but I assure God has been with me raising her, and now God will be with her raising our granddaughter.
Although my children are grown and gone, I still needed to hear this today. I had my I QUIT sign out last night. Today I have withdrawn my resignation.
I would be interested in the voyager (NIV) and have one mom friend in particular to whom I would give a second.
Thanks for this timely word
great devotion! I'd choose voyager and share with sister-in-law. going to look up some of your "gold-mining" ideas to use with my 2 blessings!
First of all, thank you for the wonderful devotion and encouragement for today. I needed to hear this. Just this week, I was having this conversation with myself and God. And, I was ready to quit. Being a mom, and single at that, we all know how we could just scream. I would choose the GoBible. I was not familiar with these at all. This is what I have been looking for, for when I go on my walks. I thank God for all of you. I would give the other one to my sister. She is a wonderful woman of God, and works so hard as a nurse. Her life is busy as like all of ours. And this would help her as well get to hear the word. Thanks, Shelly
Loved today's devotion. I have felt like quitting at times, too! I'd choose the Voyager and share the other with my sister–in-law. Going to look at some of your "gold-mining" ideas to use with my two blessings!
loved this devotion! I have also felt like quitting at times! I'd choose the GoBible Voyager. I'd share the other with my sister-in-law, who is a new mom. Thanks!
This was a devotional I needed today (as I am writing this my four year is yelling and running around the house) because I truly have wanted to give up some days. I still wonder why God trusted me with such a precious gift that has medical problems that in turn make him very hyper. I would share the second one with one of the mommy's at my church who just recently got saved and is by herself with a three year old. Thank you for the opportunity not only to win something for ourselves, but to be able to share it with someone else as well. [email protected]