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 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
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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.
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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!