Rebecca Barlow Jordan - Day-Votions for Mothers: Heart to Heart Encouragement

What a beautiful gift of encouragement for mothers! From cover to cover, Day-Votions for Mothers spoke to my heart. I was chuckling one moment and deeply convicted the next. Rebecca Barlow Jordan ended each devotional with practical applications, thought-provoking quotes, and prayers that I could incorporate as my own.

Jennie Afman Dimkoff, international speaker, biblical

storyteller, and author of Passionate Faith, Ancient

Truths for Contemporary Women

With her humor, honesty, and heart for moms, Rebecca Barlow Jordan gives you a daily dose of encouragement in Day-Votions for Mothers that will lift your spirit and lighten your load.

Cindi McMenamin, author of When Women Walk Alone,

When Youre Running on Empty, and Women on the Edge

If youre a mom overwhelmed by the demands of family and hungry for encouragement, Day Votions for Mothers will satisfy your soul. When you open Rebecca Barlow Jordans book, youll feel like shes right there beside you ready to chat. If you need an encourager in your life today, you need this book!

Jolene Philo, speaker and author of A Different Dream for My Child: Meditations for Parents of Critically or Chronically Ill Children

In Day-Votions for Mothers, Rebecca Barlow Jordan takes us on a delightful, forty-day journey through the blessings and struggles of raising children. Her personal stories, told with humor and transparency, reveal the mothers heart within each of us, giving us a daily dose of hope and encouragement. Through thoughtful reflections, daily prayers, and examples of biblical moms, Jordan confirms our calling and celebrates the truth that we are not alone in the journey.

Vonda Skelton, speaker and author of Seeing through the Lies:

Unmasking the Myths Women Believe

Rebecca gives sweet glimpses of motherhood, showing beauty in the midst, while helping women see they arent alone in common challenges. Through friendship and faith, Rebecca offers real-life choices and fresh perspective to energize mothers each day. I am excited about this Day-Votionit will encourage moms!

Judy Dippel, speaker and author of Walking Through

Postpartum Depression

This devotional brought me joy as well as a path to walk on daily with my Lord. Each day brought brand-new insights as Rebecca cleverly recapped the lesson with her Day-breaks and Day-briefs. This book will not leave my book table!

Lane P. Jordan, national speaker, singer, and author of 12 Steps to Becoming a More Organized Mom

Rebecca understands the emotional, physical, and spiritual exhaustion of motherhood. She also knows the secret to refreshing, refueling, and renewing a mothers soul. Like a trusted friend, Rebecca takes you by the hand and leads you to Gods still waters for the encouragement you need to meet the days demands. Youll walk away filled to the brim and ready to pour into your childrens lives anew.

Sharon Jaynes, international conference speaker and author of Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids and Becoming the Woman of His Dreams

ZONDERVAN

Day-votions for Mothers

Copyright 2010 by Rebecca Barlow Jordan

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

ePub Edition FEBRUARY 2010 ISBN: 978-0-310-39570-6

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Jordan, Rebecca.

Day-votions for mothers : heart-to-heart encouragement / Rebecca Barlow Jordan.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-310-32204-7 (hardcover, jacketed)

1. MothersPrayers and devotions. 2. Christian womenPrayers and devotions I. Title.

BV4847.J685 2009

242.6431 dc22

2009040173

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, Todays New International Version, TNIV. Copyright 2001, 2005 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers printed in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

To Valerie and Jennifer, who make being a mom both a joy and a treasure

Motherhood is indeed a divine calling. Mothers come in all shapes and sizes, but God stamps original on each of our lives. Our needs vary. Sometimes we dont even know what those are. Overstressed and in need of rest, we search for quiet places to restore and regroup. Yet feeling isolated and alone, we crave understanding and companionshipother moms, friends, and family members who will share our load and celebrate our joys.

And though we are unique individuals, every mother needsand wantsencouragement and deeper, more meaningful relationships with her children, family, God, and others.

For years Ive tried to write devotions that would encourage readers to connect on a deeper, more intimate level with God and others: to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and to love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27).

But sometimes life happens, and we moms forget how to do that. We realize that love hurts and relationships take work. Parenting zaps our energy, hearts are broken, and our minds get confused. We forget what we were made for, and we forget how much God truly loves us. Yet the longing for connection lingers, like the fragrance in a home when a sweet candles flame has been extinguished.

I could offer you a few motivational thoughts to lift your spirits temporarily, but they would not satisfy your heart hunger for long. In this new series of Day-votions, Ive tried to say to you as mothers, You are not alone. None of us is. Our very existence depends on strong relationships. In bite-sized, day-votions for everyday living, Ive written some nuggets of spiritual encouragement that I hope will help you strengthen your relationship with God, with your children, and with others. I pray these stories, insights, and biblical truths will direct you to the only One who can meet all of your needs. As you draw close to Jesus, I believe he will connect the dots to more meaningful relationships with others as well.

Whether youre dealing with finances, parenting, inadequacy, or guilt, youre not alone in your struggles and challenges. Other women haveand arewalking the same path as you. It doesnt matter if youre a single mom, married, young, middle-aged, or a senior, God is by your side, applauding your work, extending fresh hope, and drawing you close to himself so he can whisper, You are making a difference. Im here to help you, and I will take care of you. I love you. I always will.

Through these pages, I hope youll laugh a little and maybe cry a little, but more than anything, my hearts desire is that you will be encouraged to keep on loving, laughing, serving, and sharingand that you will gain a new sense of joy and purpose in this beautiful God-ordained role of being a mother.

May our Lord Jesus himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word (2 Thessalonians 2:16 17).