Osteen - Your Best Life Now for Moms

Copyright 2007 by Joel Osteen Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in review.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Scriptures noted AMP are taken from Scripture quotations taken from the AmplifiedBible, Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scriptures noted NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible. Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scriptures noted NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.

Scriptures noted TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scriptures noted NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scriptures noted THE MESSAGE are from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scriptures noted KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Literary development and design: Koechel Peterson & Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Portions of this book have been adapted from Your Best Life Now, copyright 2004 and Daily Readings from Your Best Life Now, copyright 2005 by Joel Osteen. Published by FaithWords.

FaithWords

Hachette Book Group, USA

237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Visit our Web site at www.HachetteBookGroupUSA.com.

First eBook Edition: April 2007

ISBN: 978-0-446-53993-7

GLUE

PRESENTED TO:

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FROM:

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DATE:

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MOTHER IS THE NAME FOR GOD IN THE LIPS AND HEARTS OF LITTLE CHILDREN.

WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERY

THE PROVERBS 31 LADY IS EXTRAORDINARY in every facet of her life. She is the perfect wife and the ideal mother wrapped up in one person. One cannot read the descriptions of her noble character and not want everything that she is and has.

Yet we all know that while some moms grab life with enthusiasm and find great joy in motherhood, such a grandiose dream doesnt always pan out for everybody. Im not talking about becoming a perfect mother. I recognize the strain of nighttime feedings and chicken pox and toilet training and temper tantrums and personality differences and on and on. No mom is perfect, and not every moment is glorious. Motherhood has its ups and downs and tremendous challenges.

But I am talking about moms who never seem to get even close to discovering the joy of motherhood. Why is that? What makes the difference?

Happy, successful, fulfilled moms have learned how to live their best lives now. They make the most of the present moment and thereby enhance their future. You can, too. No matter where you are or what challenges you face, you can enjoy your life right now!

Many women enter motherhood with low self-esteem, focusing on the negative, feeling inferior or inadequate, always dwelling on reasons why they cant be happy. Others put off their happiness till some future date. Unfortunately, someday never comes. Today is the only day we have. We cant do anything about the past, and we dont know what the future holds. But we can live at our full potential right now!

In this book, you will discover just how to do that. Within these pages, you will find seven simple, yet profound, steps to improve your life as a mom. If you take these steps, you ultimately will be happier than ever before, living with joy, peace, and enthusiasm for the rest of your life!

I challenge you to break out of the barely-get-by mentality that possesses so many moms, to become the best you can be, not merely average or ordinary. To do that, you may have to rid yourself of some negative mind-sets that are holding you back and start seeing yourself as doing more, enjoying more, being more. That is what it means to live your best life now!

SHE IS CLOTHED WITH STRENGTH AND DIGNITY; SHE CAN LAUGH AT THE DAYS TO COME.

SHE SPEAKS WITH WISDOM, AND FAITHFUL INSTRUCTION IS ON HER TONGUE.

SHE WATCHES OVER THE AFFAIRS OF HER HOUSEHOLD AND DOES NOT EAT THE BREAD OF IDLENESS.

HER CHILDREN ARISE AND CALL HER BLESSED.

THE BOOK OF PROVERBS

AS A MOM, YOU SERVE THE MOST HIGH GOD, AND HIS DREAM FOR YOUR LIFE

AND FOR YOUR FAMILY IS SO MUCH BIGGER AND BETTER

THAN YOU CAN EVEN IMAGINE.

MOTHERHOOD IS PRICED OF GOD, AT PRICE NO MAN MAY DARE

TO LESSEN OR MISUNDERSTAND.

HELEN HUNT JACKSON

WE SERVE THE GOD WHO CREATED THE UNIVERSE... and motherhood. Never settle for a small view of God. He wants to do big things and new things in our lives. God wants us to be constantly increasing, to be rising to new heights. He wants to equip you for the vast responsibilities that mother-hood entails. He wants to increase you in wisdom and help you make better decisions. He wants to pour out His far and beyond favor on you and your children (Ephesians 2:7).

But do you believe it? Or are you focused on your mothering failures and flaws and feelings of being overwhelmed and never being a good enough mom? Is your own wrong thinking keeping you from Gods best?

Its time to enlarge your vision. To live your best life now, you must start looking at life through eyes of faith, visualizing the life you want to live. See your family prospering. See your children growing in the faith. See your marriage restored. You must conceive it and believe it is possible if you ever hope to experience it.

To conceive it, you must have an image on the inside of the life you want to live on the outside. This image has to become a part of you, in your thoughts, your conversations, deep down in your subconscious mind, in your actions, in every part of your being. If you develop an image of victory, success, health, abundance, joy, peace, and happiness, nothing on earth will be able to hold those things from you.

See, God says, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:19). Perhaps God is asking you this question today. Dont you see what I want to do, and are you making room for it in your thinking?

The truth is, if you will get in agreement with God, this can be the greatest time of your life. With God on your side, you cannot possibly lose. He can make a way when it looks as though there is no way. He can open doors that no man can shut. He can cause you to be at the right place, at the right time. He can supernaturally turn your life around.

Get rid of small-minded thinking and start thinking as God thinks. Think big. Think increase. Think abundance. Think more than enough for you and your children!

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CONSIDER GODS WORD IN THE LIGHT OF MOTHERHOOD

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.