Ask. Seek. Knock.

As most of you know, things have been very trying here at the Moore house for the past year and a half. When you begin to go through a fiery furnace, you never know how long it's going to take. You just want it to be over. You don't care why it's happening, you just want to go back to peace. But that's not how God works.

He wants to mold you. To reshape you. To refine you. To teach you. To strengthen you.

And it hurts.

But, that is not to say that you can't go to him and ask Him for strength. To seek His face for comfort and peace. To knock so that He can open the door and rest awhile with you.

I have done this many times. The answers may not have been what I wanted but they were always what was best. As I pleaded with God, it reminded me of my little kids and how they want to go in Dada's Car about 25 times a day. Or when Wesley wants a drink and he whines until I notice he's empty and go and fill his cup again. Or when they reach up to me and say, "I wanna hold you yike a baby!" I know that is how I am to God.

Sometimes I cry until He answers, whatever the answer will be. Sometimes I repeat the prayer several times a day just to make sure God knows it's on my mind and heart. Pouring my burdens on Him. And sometimes I just say, "God! Can you hold me please!? I don't know what to do or how to act and the right path is so foggy I can't decide which way to go..." And He does. Happily. He's there before I have even asked.

 A s k.          S e e k.         K n o c k.

Matthew 7:7-11 tells us that we have the ability to go before God Almighty and ask something of Him. To ask and we shall receive. To seek and we shall find. To knock and it shall be opened unto us. And better yet, when Wesley asks me for more milk I don't give him a stone...so me, being unholy, unrighteous, evil can give a good gift to my son, how much more can God who is holy, righteous and sinless, give to us?! And we act like we need to tell God what we really need!

Everything He allows to happen to us is for our own good. The sooner we learn that lesson the happier we will be, the more free we will be, and the less stress we will endure and inflict on others.

Oftentimes, we don't ask, seek, or knock. We tell everybody and their brother about it and go to God last. Now, during my trials I told anyone who listen and PRAY for me- but I also prayed on my own. But there have been times that, at the end of the day, I think to myself, "Did I even ask God for help in this matter? Why did I tell everyone else or ask them to pray and I haven't even done that yet?!" It's convicting. Humbling. But it's also human nature. We just have to keep that in mind and make sure our prayers and supplications go to God before they go to anyone else. No one else can fix it for us. It's OK to share our concerns and burdens and gives others a chance to pray for us just as long as God is first. 

I have learned from God himself that you don't just have to pray when you go to bed at night. That you can talk to Him when your washing the dishes, in the car going to the grocery store, folding laundry, when the kids are sleeping...and in those few quiet moments before your feet touch the floor in the morning and before you fall asleep at night to whisper thanks for God always being there, for being a holy God who has our concerns in mind, our life in His gentle yet mighty hands and for loving us before we loved Him. He sent His Son to die for you...can't you trust Him with your life?

Next time you are going through a valley and you can't seem to take it any more...just remember what Matthew said and Ask, Seek, Knock. There you will find the Answer!

Thank you God for promising to always hear me and provide for all my needs!


 Kelly Moore

Photo Credit: Picture on Facebook, "Jesus Christ Son of God"

“With our pitchers we attempt sometimes to water a field, not a garden.” 

-Anne Morrow Lindbergh

To do this week: Determine what your garden is, and water it well.

This year I am going to write a family Mission Statement. My family is my primary ministry and I need to spend some time focusing on what that entails and where I need to be spiritually to do all that God asks of me.

Every day I get up early to read my Bible and pray and sometimes play a song on YouTube and sing along with it. It is a most necessary part of my day and I look forward to it every day!

Here are some tips I found on TheBetterMom website:
1.Find some time to be alone and quiet for a few minutes and pray.
2.Get a piece of paper and write VISION at the top.
3. Write down all the things the Lord brings to mind regarding a vision for your life and  home.  Look back on your family mission statement.
4. Take an honest look at your commitments, schedule, and time management.  How do these things line up with your vision board? What changes do you need to make?
5. Take a minute to jot down your priorities in order of importance.  This is how you choose what to say yes to, and what to let go.
 6. Now, you have to actually say NO. Armed with these tools, you can easily see what doesn’t line up.
“A mother’s time is precious. Every new responsibility we take on dilutes our effectiveness in our other roles. We must guard our energy, time and family wisely.” -Kat, Inspired to Action
My motto this year is: Do a few things well. Or, put another way, Do fewer things and do them better.
We can’t do it all ladies, so why not focus on doing our top priorities well? Doing things well takes time.  Again, don’t underestimate how much time it really does take!

I found this from TheBetterMom blog and made them my own as they are exactly 

what I want my priorities to be!

- time alone with the Lord, cultivating my relationship with Him, time to be still in His presence

- a girlfriend and cheerleader to my husband….one that is nice and kind

- a fun, loving mom and teacher who has TIME.

- exercise, getting out in creation

- simple, beautiful housekeeping and homemaking-clean, organized, simple, healthy

- caring friend-available for hospitality, meals, watching kids

- reading and blogging

-reaching out and sharing God’s love with others

 

A quote I want to somehow add to my blog is:

“Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.”Psalm 39:4
 It goes along with my One Moore Day theme- teach me to number my days that I may apply my heart unto wisdom...show me my lifes end O Lord...my life is fleeting by!


Ordering things according to importance is incredibly freeing.  
When I have to choose, the top priorities always come first.
You can easily see what needs to take precedence in your life. To take this a step further, you can create a schedule for your life based around these things.  I have heard about the ebook, Tell Your Time. I haven't read it, but it sounds like a very good book full of tips about spending our time wisely.


So don't go throughout life trying to water a field- water your garden! Whatever it is- water it well!

Broken into Pieces...

It's a difficult thing to be. 

Broken.

You look around and see everyone else happy. And you're just empty inside. 

You begin to dwell on you circumstances as you "see" everyone else going merrily through life.

But the thing is, we all go through trials. I like to call them fiery furnaces. And Job says that God knows the ways, the paths we take, and when He has tried us we will come forth as gold- gold that has been purified through a fiery furnace. That's us.

We are every changing, growing, being molded into something purer, better, more costly. 

And it sometimes really hurts.

It leaves us feeling alone. Helpless. Scared. Deprived. Aggravated. Exhausted. And weary from the trial and tribulation that we don't understand.

God moves in ways we can't comprehend and most often don't want. As soon as turbulence comes our way we want to jump ship- throw our hands in the air and say, "God- why are you doing this?!" We shake our fists in God's Holy, Merciful, Long Suffering, Gentle face...and we demand He fix what He has messed up. We don't deserve this! We have been "good" Christians. Right?! Then we want to take the helm out of His all knowing, infinite hands and trust ourselves. 

And God let's us. And when it all gets messed up again, or even worse, destroyed by our own selfish, controlling sleves, we blame Him yet again.

And all the while He sits back and waits patiently.

He doesn't yell. Or scream. Or pound His fists. He doesn't bite His fingernails and hope it all works out.

He is still. Waiting for you to be still with Him. And hear His gentle whisper.

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

I love this little yet very moving piece of scripture in Philippians Ch 3. It says,

^"8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

 ⁹And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

 ¹⁰That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death"

The italicized portion is my emphasis- the part I repeat over and over. 

I want to win HIM. My Redeemer. To be pleasing to Him.

Can I really say that no matter what I suffer I count it as gain for Christ? Nay, there are certain things I couldn't dare to imagine losing. Perhaps that it my weakness.

But I do want to be found in Him- in His righteousness. Where else can I be comforted in a fiery furnace? Where else is there to go, but to Him?

I want to know the power of His Resurrection...to know Him. 

Then, maybe I will be able to cope with trials and tribulation. Maybe then I can be still and listen for His most excellent voice softly saying, "It's OK...I am that I am is with you always...fear not for I am with thee..."

I have the most power from God when I have the most pressure from men.

Life is valleys and mountain tops. The view may change, but the journey is still the same. The destination is perfection, not in ourselves but in Him. In trusting in the One who spun the planets into orbit. The One who is Just. Loving. The Corner Stone.

When my life gets too emotional, too unbearable, too scary, spinning out of control- as it has very swiftly and destructively lately- I have to cry for my Daddy..."Abba Father"...and I don't shake my fists and I don't accuse and yell and beat my chest to get my way...I have to submit, listen, and then I begin to heal...

I know as I type this I have some friends and family members out there who are going through fiery furnaces of their own. I pray for you- even in the midst of my own conflicts- in hopes that you, too, are praying for me.

I know if I keep pressing on toward the mark that God will move in due time. The due time part is always a struggle because how long is that?! What more is going to come my way in the mean while? But I can't, we can't, let that be our focus. Of course the enemy would love that!

Our focus has to be on God and what we need to learn from this particular situation, whether we want to learn or not, we will eventually learn. It just depends on how long you want to kick and scream. 

I think sometimes we Christians like to use the Bible verse about God coming that we might have life more abundantly. And we use it like it's some ticket we won by choosing to be on God's "side". You know? We made the choice to pick the right team, now where's that life of luxury that I deserve? I'm a child of God now, right?! And we demand something we are not even willing to be thankful for when we get it! And who ever said it was life on this sinful, wicked, and cruel earth? 

Life is one storm after the other. So, if you believe in God, grab your umbrella and sing a few hymns while you're bailing the water out of your boat! Don't make everyone's life around you suffer because you don't get your way. Go God's way! His always leads to something better...

So, that was me preaching to myself and for later reference when I'm kicking and screaming and want to know when this is going to end...

Right now I feel completely broken into pieces. I don't know what it going to happen in the next day, week, month, year...and I'm so scared that it going to get worse and I'm so scared that it's going to stay the same and I'm so scared that it's not going to end...

But I have to get my whits about me again, be a Mother to 2 crazy awesome kids, a wife to a man in his own fiery furnace, and work, do household chores and still put a smile on my very tired face every night for a bunch of crazy girls and put something great in their day and life and make them feel as if I have waited all week just to see them! It's a hard job...but, what else would I do if everything was perfect? I'd get real comfortable and forget who's in charge. I'd forget what matters. I'd be in worse condition than I am now- because at least now I am leaning on the everlasting arms, I am safe and secure from all alarms...Under His wings my soul doth abide, I need Him every hour... it's now that I am at His feet needing Him...

And pretty soon He'll swoop down to pick up the pieces and put them back together in a more beautiful fashion. And after that, I just might be wise enough to go out and glorify Him and come forth as gold...

Photo: mebbonline.com

The Abiding Mom...

All of us Mommy's have been there, right?

We want to do it all. 

We want to take our kids to every museum, craft center, aquarium, theme park, vacation, every park in town...

We want to share life with our babies. To teach them. To play with them. To watch them grow, learn, explore, and have fun!

I say it hasn't been a good day unless someone has laughed, used their imagination, danced, and sang at least 14 songs!

In our house we love play. We love fun. We love.

I put so much pressure on myself to make every day count that sometimes I don't even do any of the things listed above. Kind of defeats the purpose, right? But life gets in the way and I can only be so good of a playmate. I have my grown up chores to do...and I know I'm spending too much time on them and not on my boys when Charlie, who never likes to be cuddled, says for days on end, "Mommy, I wanna hold you yike a baby..." with his arms reaching up for me to hold him like a baby. 

I found this Abiding Mom vs Super Mom on a blog I really love called "Confessions of a Homeschooler" and thought I'd share these ideas with you Abiding Mom's and talk about what they mean to me. Beware, you may cry...just sayin'. ;)

Super Mom vs Abiding Mom

The Super Mom does. 

The Abiding Mom is. 

Psalm 46:10 reminds us to be still and know that He is God.

The Super Mom is controlled by an agenda. 

The Abiding Mom is controlled by the Holy Spirit. 

Galatians 5:22-26 tells us of the fruits of the Spirit.

The Super Mom's self worth is found in her accomplishments. 

The Abiding Mom's self worth is found in an accurate view of who she is in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Don't forget that we are God's child and that He is enough! Having a perfectly clean house, perfectly pressed clothes, perfectly in style, perfect kids...that's all vanity. What really matters is are we abiding in the Lord? Are our tasks more important than training our children? Is wanting a perfect appearance to others more important than how we appear to God?

The Super Mom's peace is found with a perfect environment. The Abiding Mom finds peace in Jesus in the midst of any storm. Isaiah 26:3.

The Super Mom is discouraged by failure and when things don't go the way she wants them to. When the Abiding Mom fails she is reminded that God's strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. We can't do everything perfectly all the time. When we fail at something, we need to realize that our efforts still matter. Whatever the outcome, just keep abiding in the Lord!

The Super Mom expects perfection from herself. 

The Abiding Mom practices grace with herself and with others. 

Ephesians 4:32.

The Super Mom teaches her children to be good. 

The Abiding Mom teaches her children to be godly. 

Proverbs 22:6 tells us about training our children in the ways of the Lord.

The Super Mom is frustrated with her lack of spiritual fruit.

The Abiding Mom abides in Christ and bears much fruit. 

John 15:5 says, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." Be reminded daily that we can't do it without Him; make Him apart of your every day!

The Super Mom does things with her children. 

The Abiding Mom builds a relationship with her children. 

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says to teach the things of God diligently to your children. When you walk in the way, when you sit down, when you lie down and when you rise up...constantly talking of God, His way, His word...hiding His word in their hearts.

The Super Mom's perspective is based on what is seen. 

The Abiding Mom's perspective is based on what is unseen. 

Colossians 3:2 tells us to set our affections on the things above not the things of earth. Remember, things will disappear but your children's souls will last forever.

The Super Mom chooses quantity of activities. 

The Abiding Mom chooses the most excellent way. 

1 Corinthians 13.

I learned a lot about what is expected of me by God when it comes to raising my boys. I am reminded that they aren't mine, but His. They are a gift to me; a most precious gift. 

I try to do things with them to spend time with them. 

My house isn't always 100% clean and oh well! Who really cares, anyway? You don't care if someone else's house is a wreck, so why am I worried that you do!? Besides, you're my friend. You're a Mommy, too- you, if anyone, has got my back! And I got yours! We know it's tough!! I don't judge! If your house is immaculate then something, somewhere has been left undone. What that usually is, is the kids. As I type this, Wesley is poking the keyboard. I should be playing with him and he's letting me know that, so I'll end this. (It's too long anyway.)

Abide in Him. 

Sit on the floor and play with your kids. 

You'll blink and they'll be grown...