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.
Purpose-Driven Mom Gift Pack:
Enter to win my Purpose-Driven mom message on CD and my “Mining for Gold in the Heart of Your Child Character Chart and The Mom I Want to Be by Suzie Eller. To enter, click “share your thoughts” below and share why you’d like win.
Thanks for sharing that. I written a prayer that I posted right in front of me at work so that I can be reminded to look past the dirt to find the gold. I would like the voyager Bible. I'd give the second pack to my sister. She is very overworked as a mom with two kids and no family around to help her since she moved 5 states away.
thank you for your devotional.
~~Lacie~~
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Thank you for the devotion(s) today, Renee! Touched my heart right where I needed it. Thank you for sharing. I would love to have the GoBible Voyager. I know that I need to be filled daily so that I can in turn pour into my family and those around me. I would love to give one to my friend who is a hardworking mom who is constantly on the go! Blessings!
Janelle
That you for the devotion(s) that I read at just the right time this morning! Having baby number 3 has really brought me to my knees! (even though she's almost 1!) I'm realizing that I can't do this on my own and need the Lord's help EVERY DAY. I want to feed myself with His Word so that I can be filled and in turn pour out to my family and in turn, those around me. I would love to have the GoBible Voyager, and would give the second to a good friend of mine who is a hard-working mom on-the-go. Thank you for taking time to pour into others! Be blessed!
Janelle
Your devotion was exactly what I needed today! If I won, I would like the Voyager. I would share the second one with my daughter, whose husband is in the military. Between that and chasing a 10-month-old, she could really use a Bible-On-The-Go.
[email protected]
I just wrote a very long commet about my daughter and I's journey for the past two years after findind out my husband of 18 years was cheating on me and picked the other woman who was also married and the pain my 9 years daughter and I have gone through and how your gobible would help give me the tools of our Lord to deal with her 5 week visit with her verbal abusive father this summer. Anyway my commet didn't post and I don't have the time to rewrite it. I teach Title one Math 6th 7th and 8th grade. I get up st 5:30 to read Lysa'a posts and came across yours today. I would use your gift if you picked my daughter and I as the winners and share the other one with my best friend a single mom of two wonderful boys. [email protected] I pray this commet makes it to you. God Bless
I loved this devotion. I've been struggling with being the mommy I want to be to my girls (5 and 8) lately. Our son passed away in August and sometimes my grief is just too overwhelming to have anything left to give. I praise God that He has kept us all close to His heart during this time, but there are days that I just want to hide. I have an hour commute to and from work and the GoBible Voyager sounds like a good way to be able to start and end my day. I would give the other one to my best friend who has fallen away from the Lord in the past few years and who needs encouragement to get herself and her son back to Him.
Judy
Your devotion was exactly what I needed today! If I won, I would like the Voyager. I would share the second one with my daughter, whose husband is in the military. Between that and chasing a 10-month-old, she could really use a Bible-On-The-Go.
[email protected]
Thanks for the wonderful words of encouragement today. I love the Voyager GoBible. Great product!! The send gift, I would give to a dear mom in our church who I'd raising twin teenage boys alone with many health problems of her own. She could really benefit from this. God Bless!
Amy Pitman
[email protected]
Renee, Like so many other moms this morning, I woke up tired and discouraged. I've been a mom for 20 years – oldest is 19 and youngest is 3 – and I still don't feel like I'm "doing it right". I'm going to cling to God's promises – and just take one step at a time. I'd love any GoBible – we farm and it would be awesome to have it with me while I'm waiting in the field!
What a great perspective to be reminded of. So often I try to do it all and forget that I really need God to get through my days. When I'm focused on Him my days are much better. I'd like the original GoBible. The second would go to my best friend going through a lot of heartache right now. Thanks!
What a great devotion today and I love your blog! I have been feeling very discouraged lately and your words spoke volumes to me. Praise the Lord! I would love the GoBible in any form (like the oOiginal best) and would give my 2nd pack away to my best friend who has always been a blessing to me. She has a 3 year old son and in the process of adoption. What a great baby gift this would be!
I am n no way picky, Renee! Every gift given is a blessing. I would give my second 1 to my bf Sabrina cause she is a mother of 4 & struggles so much w/findn the time w/God she desperately needs. I know she could use this & would use this gift 2 her fullest!
Thank you for your devotion – I am a mother of two young ones and I do struggle with being a mom. I work full-time, then there are church activities, friends, family events, and my husband all needing my attention and I do want to QUIT sometimes. But it is God's Grace that keeps me going and His wisdom that helps me to prioritize – AMEN.
I would love the NIV version of the Voyager GoBible. I have two wonderful friends who are also mothers of toddlers and I can't decide which I would give the second one to so I would give one to each of them and maybe buy one for myself – I love these ladies that much!! There is nothing like having friends who know and share in my same struggles!
Loved the devotion this morning! If I win I would like the Voyager GoBible and I would give the other pack to one of my co-workers daughters she could really use the encouragement right now. She has one toddler, is expecting and is facing extreme resistance from people close to her.
I am absolutely not picky. I feel any gift given is a blessing. Id give my second 1 2 my bf Sabrina. She has 4 lil children & struggles w/the time 2 get w/God. I believe she could use this & would 2 her fullest!
Hi Renee,
I'm just a 21 year old girl and I'm so glad to stumble upon your blog through Proverbs 31 emailing list! I find great encouragement through your blog though I'm not a mom yet! Let this blog continue to touch various precious lives of all different ages.
I'd love to win a GoBible Voyager all for my mum. I believe this GoBible Voyager will help her to listen to God's Word wherever she goes- in her workplace or simply doing housechores at home. The other one I'd like to give to a neighbour, church member and a good friend of my mum who has adopted and takes care of a spastic kid whose parents have left her since she was borned. I believe GoBible Voyager can be a tremendous blessing to her too as she is always on the go- always fetching and waiting for her precious kid class to finish, she can pop this and hear God's Word and other's personal downloaded songs/sermons while waiting.
Blessings,
Melissa Ong
[email protected]
Hi Renee
I received so much from this devotion today. As tears fell from my eyes realizing someone feels the way I do and struggles with what u struggle with. My life is very busy… As ours all is … But I struggle really hard to make god and spending time with him each morning when that is what I need the most so the voyager bible would be most helpful to me and I would give another one to my friend Cheron who told me about proverbs 31 ministries because it has really blessedy life!!! I asked to be ur friend on fb but just in case my email is [email protected]
Loved the devotional!
If I won I would like the Voyager GoBible. I would give the second pack to my co-workers daughter, she could really use the encouragment right now as she is expecting a second child and is facing a lot of resistance from those around her.
What a great devotion today. My youngest child is headed off to college in the fall so my days of being a mom in the sense of how I have been for the past 21 years are changing. I will no longer be needed for the everyday mom things. But my relationship with my girls is changing into a fun and positive friendship. I am still needed as their "mom" from time to time, but they are now considering me a friend. I love that. I have always prayed we would be friends and we would be close when they became grown women. I haven'be been perfect but I have tried to show my girls how to be Godly women by being a Godly woman.
If I could have a GoBible it would be the Voyager. What an awesome tool! I spend a lot of time commuting and it would be great to be able to hear the word while I ride the train every day. I would share the mom package with my sister. She is an amazing mom. She is struggling as a single parent but she is constantly praying and asking the Lord to help her be the mom He wants her to be. I love encouraging her with little gifts for herself and reminding her how wonderful she is as a mom and as my sister.
Thank you for the devotions. God bless. Robin – [email protected]
Thank you for this devotion. As a mother of two boys under 3, this devotion spoke directly to me. I would give the second one to my sister-in-law, who also has two children under 3.
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I love busy mom devotions. It is so nice to know that I am not the only one!
If I am chosen as the winner, I would love the GoBible Voyager! What a great tool to have while I'm working out or taking a walk. I would give the second pak to a dear friend of mine. She accepted Jesus a year ago and is growing and florishing like nothing I have ever seen. After having a number of miscarraiges, God blessed her and her husband with their second baby 2 weeks ago. She has turned her life around in so many ways and she's become my inspiration.
Thank you SO much for the wonderful devotional. I lead a group of homeschool moms and would probably pick a name out of a hat to see who gets the second pack!
Jody
[email protected]
So needed this devotion first thing. I have a newborn and 2 year old. Living on little sleep my day started way too early and I am trying to find strength and peace I need to be a Godly mother. Having a hard time trying to find time now too have time with my Bible isn't easy between feeding, diapers, toddler energy and my tired attitude. I have never heard of a GoBible, and I can see how this would be a great tool in addition, I guess my choice would be the GoBible Voyager. I would share this with my mothers Bible study group and give the other gift to my friend who has been here for me helping me and who also struggles with not having a husband around much do to their jobs that take them away for days at a time. Us mom's were talking about taking sick days but how impossible that is.
Thanks for the amazing devotion. I really needed to hear it today. Yesterday was a long day! I would like the GoBible original if I win. The second one would go to a dear co-worker of mine who turned me on to your site when I needed encouragement the most even though she is going through a rough time right now herself. Thanks!! Robin
Thank u for the encouragement to stay at go
E mommies!! We need it. My husband is a resident physician who works crazy long hours, we are 600 miles from the closest family, I have a 2 year old, a 1 year old, and expect our 3rd to arrive at the end of October….talk about overwhelmed!!! I would use the original GoBible that is preset with searchable verses….and would give the 2nd gift to another reidrnt wife who is struggling in finding contentment being at home with her children. God bless!
Wow.."focus on you child's heart not their habits…" that's good stuff, and I love the gold nugget idea! Thank you for sharing an honest and open look into your struggles of motherhood. I have been having some myself lately-and I know Father God wants me to have peace, as He is taking me into the deeper things of Him. I would love the Voyager GoBible. I would gift the other to my neighbor who is a single mom to 3 girls…the Lord has given me mighty ministry opportunities with her and her daughters lately-so it would be an amazing gift!
Thank you so much-God bless!
I forgot to add which GoBible I liked. The GoBible voyager was the one I liked best. This would be great to get "more of his word into me" like you said! 🙂 If I won it would be hard to choose who to give the other one too. There are so many women in my life who would love this! Thanks for all you do!
I love what you have said today, it was very benefical for me. Thank you. I would choose the GoBible Voyager, because of the bible in a year plan it has, I have always wanted to try to accomplish that. If I were to win the gift pack, I would share it with a mother in my MOPS group having a rough time and it a mother of a 3 year old. She has battled cancer and just found out yesterday they found another tumor on her thyroid, this after beeting breast cancer last year. Thanks so much!! I love sharing 31 Proverbs daily message with my friends!
Wow! You hit me on the head with a frying pan! I love how our Lord works! I have felt like "quitting" many times. My husband and I have two little girls and with him being in the military, there are often times when he is gone a lot and for extended periods of time. I joke that I didn't sign up to be a single mom. Thank you for the encouragement for today. I will, through God's guidance search for the pieces of gold and brush away the dirt in our girls.
I would give the second pack to my co-worker and friend with 7 children. The Voyager would be a great addition to my spiritual walk.
Thank you Renee!
I'd like the GoBible and I'd like to give it to my friend who is busy with work, church and family.
What wonderful encouragement to mothers in all stages! My four children are now 21 and up and all in all, the good days outweighed the bad. I remember those "pink slip" days and feeling like I had to be the only mother who ever considered throwing in the towel. The Lord had to show me over and over that my purpose wasn't to be a perfect mom, but an obedient one, running on His grace and not my own determination. Motherhood is treasured journey.
I would give the Voyager GoBible to Helga, a dear 84 year old new Christian who is legally blind. She is so anxious to learn Scripture. She is German, and would say, funtashtick!
Thank you so much for this devotional! I love that only when we come to the end of ourselves can God do in us what he wants to. It is incredibly freeing!!
I would love the voyager, and I would give the other one to my best friend who is a fulltime mom to 2 and a part-time student. Thx for all your encouragement.
Thanks for your devotional today. We've had an up-and-down struggle with one of our adopted children who has a severe attachment disorder and I have felt like quitting a lot lately. Your devotional has helped me get back on track. God's Word is the one place I can always find encouragement when change seems hopeless in the situation with my son. He's 14.
I would love to have any one of the GoBibles. The voyageur is great b/c of the rechargeable batteries and I like the verse finder feature. I would give the second one to a dear friend who is somewhat overwhelmed with homeschooling her 4 young children, with one more on the way,and is having to move away soon 🙁 In spite of her own busy schedule, she is always willing to do anything for anyone else. She is such an encouragement to me.
Blessings,
Thank you for the encouragement to all of the moms out here. I have 2 children, my husband travels a lot for work; and we just recently decided that I should go back to being a stay at home mom. I love being a wife and mother; but it can be a challenge when you feel like you're doing it alone sometimes! That encouraging word is a wonderful tool to remind me of the importance of what I'm doing. I'm not being ineffective! So thanks again!
If I'm chosen; I think I would enjoy the GoBible Voyager. I would give the double portion as a Mother's day gift.
[email protected]
Wow, what an awesome devotion….I would love the original…and I would give the second one to my son's assistant teacher at school… She gives and gives to the kids – praying over their chairs in the morning before school. 🙂
Thank you so much for being willing to be used by God in sharing your experiences as a mom. Some of the same things you mentioned are the things that I struggle with. I was brought to tears when I read the part about God telling you he wanted to be the gold-miner. I felt like he was speaking directly to me. I can't do it myself either, and it's nice to know I'm not the only one. God bless you and your ministry!
So encouraging to read this today! Would love the Voyager if I win…other I would give to my best friend to encourage her. Glad to have found your blog!
Your devotion encouraged me the first time I read it years ago and today, it speaks to me in a new light! Thank you for allowing Him to work through you.
I had not even heard of GoBible before this, so any version would be a blessing 🙂 I would share with a neighbor mom.
I loved your devotion today! I am forwarding to my 20 year old niece. She is a fairly new single mom with a beautiful 2 1/2 mth baby girl. I think those words of wisdom you wrote will encourage her. I try to encourage her every day and let her know that she is doing a good job, that being a mom is a learning process full of blessing. In fact, she is the one I would give the other to if I win. The voyager traveler would be great. Thanks so much for your ministry! ([email protected])
Thank you for this perfectly timed devotion. I am struggling right now with my daughter (and she is only 4 1/2). Just as you said that you sometimes didn't like being a mom – I love her, but sometimes I don't like being her mom and I can't stand to feel that way any longer. I need to find the best way to mother her and love her so that we can have a good relationship.
As for the GoBible – I suppose that I would probably choose the Original. The Voyager sounds very nice, but I don't really need to have room for downloading other stuff. I would probably give the 2nd one to my sister – she is a believer, but so busy that I think she would benefit from something like this too!
Thanks again for these daily devotions!
Thank you so much for sharing your post. As a mother of 4 small children there are times when I have thought wow I am not cut out or this. And The holy spirit then feels me with peace and whispers into my heart that GOd wouldn't give me more than I can handle and when times get tough I pray for Gods help and peace. I can say that I went threw hard times about filling overwhelmed But one thing I remind myself is how honored I am that God trusted me to raise these 4children because they ultimately belong to him. My children have their days and I can say I have mine but growing Christ I have learned he is just a call away. I can say I give him all the glory because it is threw him and his help that I am the mother that I am. I would really love to win the voyager audio bible seems so helpful. I would give the second one to my mother because since I stay at home and not make any money I'm not able to do much for my mother and I really want to bless her. I would give her the gift to say thank you to her for as a small child giving me the best gift which was the gift of salvation and directing on the path to having a relationship with my heavenly father. Thank you so much and God bless you and your family.
Oh I would love this so much, I have never seen one of these before, how neat. The Original one would be fine. I am so worn down, I am a Mom to 5 kiddos ages 11 to 4 and my husband is on his 4th deployment right now. Some days I seriously have NOTHING left to give and have been trying to turn it all to God. I have turned in my pink slip so many times now. Then the Mom guilt eats you alive. Thank you for the devotion on this. Also, I would give it to my friend Teresa who is a fellow military wife with 7 kiddos. We help each other through rough times.
Renee, what a great devotion. Thank you for your honesty. It has encouarged me! There have been many a day that I wanted to hand in my own pink slip. Only because I have been trying to do it all, instead of letting God work through me to do. The last couple of days God has been bringng Scripture to me that is reminding me to surrender and stop trying to be Him.
I would like the voyager and I would surprise someone with it!
I am the mom of two young boys (4 & 2). They are incredibly busy, energetic boys.I love them but I have actually been ready to quit many days. Your devotion was a much needed reminder to me that I haven't been praying like I should about being a mom. Thank you so much for this devotion. I like the GoBible Voyager best. I would share mine with my sister who is a mom of a toddler as well. She is the greatest about praying for me and we can talk about the ups and downs of mommy hood:) Thanks for such an awesome giveaway.
Contact: [email protected]
I really needed this devotion this morning. This is my second week back to work after having my 3rd child. It's been rough getting everyone ready and out the door. I like the GoBible Original – I think the bible stories are neat and we could listen to them in the car as I try to get everyone to there correct place in the mornings.
Thank you for your sharing your insight. It was just what I needed. When my kids were toddlers, I was physically exhausted, now my two oldest ones are teens with my two younger ones coming up behind them and I am emotionally and physically exhausted. I feel like I mined for dirt with the two older ones all those years but maybe I can start mining for gold with my younger ones. My teens will benefit as well. It is so true I have to believe what God says about me and who I am in Him first b4 I can reflect that to my children. I pray God will help me to be more purposeful in the years I have left. I would love to give your resources and the original or whichever go bible (NIV) to my friend who is homeschooling mom of 5, 4 of whom are foster kids she adopted. Her kids are young with one sweet sweet 13 yr old who just loves being in a stable home.
I would like the GoBible Voyager and I'd give the second pack to my sister in law who just recently got guardianship of three beautiful children (18months, 6yrs & 7 yrs old). She and her husband have tried for years and have not been able to get pregnant. A family member knew of a lady who was going to prison and had nowhere for her three children to go, so she thought of my sister in law and they welcomed the children with open arms. Although it is an answered prayer, it is often very trying and exhausting for them. From none to 3 lively children! Lots of adjusting and training. This will be her first Mother's Day and she is truly thrilled to be a mother and is enjoying God's blessings.
Thank you for your devotional. I have had days like that a lot. I have 2 kids, one 7 and one who is 4. My 4 year old is very very strong willed and most nights feel like a war. I work outside of the home til 630, my husband leaves by 530, by time I get home and make dinner it's time to get kids in bed and all they wanna do is spend more time with mommy. I would love to win the goBible any version. If I won I would give the second one to my cousin who has 2 older children that are very active in after school activities. My cousin is active in her kid's school and is always on the go so I'm sure she would also love receiving this.
[email protected]
Renee, I so needed this today. Lately, I have not been a very good mommy and have been questioning why I chose to become one. I have seriously thought about quitting as well. Not that I would, but it is so hard! I don't think I have ever done anything this hard. Raising a 6, 3, and a 1 year old is a task. Just getting out the door so I am not late for work in the morning is nearly impossible! We do have good mornings, but there are the ones that just get to me and all I want to do is sit in a corner and cry. I need a plan and I need help getting that plan! If I were to win, I would give the second copy to my friend Angie and for the GoBible, I love a good surprise. Thank you Renee!
[email protected]
Wow, your devotion today was exactly what I needed and was definitely a "God thing" for me. I am a working mom of two and many days are tough and I seek strength, patience and grace from God so that I might handle these difficult tines well. I fail quite often. I would love to win your gift pack and although Id love any goBible, if I had to choose I'd pick the Traveler. I'd love the opportunity to give the second gift to a mother of five whose husband died in a car accident recently. Times are very hard for her and made harder since she is legally blind and at least one of her children has special needs. Our church is reaching out daily to help in many ways. My email is [email protected]. Thank you again for your encouragement today. Holly Johnson