Sally Clarkson - Mom Heart Moments: Daily Devotions for Lifegiving Motherhood

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Mom Heart Moments: Daily Devotions for Lifegiving Motherhood

Copyright 2019 by Sally Clarkson. All rights reserved.

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ISBN 978-1-4964-3210-0

Build: 2021-04-21 22:31:50 EPUB 3.0

M OTHERHOOD IS PROFOUNDLY IMPORTANT.

Today I sat on a crumpled bed with a soft, pink blanket, a half-drunk bottle of milk next to me as I watched my small, fragile grandbaby, one-year-old Lilian, finally begin to breathe the deep breath of a little one deeply in need of rest.

With the terrible respiratory infection our whole family had shared with her, she had cried for twenty minutes as she gasped and wheezed to clear her congested lungs. Now, as she slept with little rattles emerging from her open mouth, she looked like a soft, squishy little angel to me so very precious and dear to my heart.

As I sat in the growing darkness, I actually thought of you who will read this book. I know that every day, your life is challenging, demanding, and perhaps isolated as you fulfill this important role. But you are my hero. You are shaping the history of the next generation by choosing to be a lifegiving mother.

As I look back on the years of mothering my own four children to adulthood, I am more convinced than ever that God created us to be lovers, teachers, spiritual directors, friends, and so much more to our children.

When we become Gods agents in passing on lifegiving messages to our children, we are serving Him and His Kingdom purposes in meaningful ways. We sacrifice our lives so that they can go into the world spiritually strong, emotionally healthy, and with a virtuous character intact.

I wanted to write some messages from my heart to yours that might, for just a moment every day, encourage you in your task, grant you a bit of wisdom, remind you that your life today will reap rewards for all eternity, and show you truths from His Word.

You are not alone. God sees you and is with you. I am praying for you and count you as a woman of great worth because you are giving of your life to bring His life to your precious children. May He give wind to your sails and guide you through your journey with generous grace and His unfailing love.

Sally Clarkson

FALL 2019

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

PROVERBS 4:23

A WOMAN CANNOT PASS ON what she herself does not have. If we want to pass on health and beauty and goodness to our children, we must discipline ourselves to pour into our minds and souls truth from Scripture, seek out wise people, and read great books, as well as protect our souls from all that is base.

And so, as I ponder what I want to become more of this year, I must take seriously the cultivating of my own soul, so when others come to draw from me, they are drawing from Him, because I have invested time in Him, His Word, His wisdom, His truth, and His ways. I am working on my own personal goals, so I may determine how I will use my time this year to ensure that I am growing in all the elements that are beautiful, true, wise, good, and lovely.

Heres my advice: seek out a time to get away alone to consider how you would like to grow this year. Evaluate the habits you practice and how they influence your soul, your heart, and consequently, your worship of God. Make a plan of how you will grow in wisdom, beauty, and truth this year. What will you read? When will you have a quiet time? What do you need to stop doing?

Make a plan for all the ways you will pour beauty, goodness, wisdom, and truth into your children this year. What books and stories will you read to them? When will you have devotions with them? How do you need to change in order to reflect love and graciousness to them, so they will form their relationship habits on gentleness and generous love?

What do you need to change in order to focus more on investing, rather than just passing time with emptiness?

Take this opportunity to put time away for evaluation and planning on your calendar!

Love is patient, love is kind... does not take into account a wrong suffered.

1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-5

T IME AND AGE HAVE CONVINCED me of my own propensity to be selfish and immature. Consequently, my gratitude has grown immensely, since I know that I dont have to perform for the Lord. He is mindful of my imperfections, yet He still calls me His own special child. The number of times He has had to bear with me, love me, and give me grace has made me so much more apt to bear with, love, and forgive my sweet but human children, husband, and friends.

I know they will make mistakes and be selfish and sinful just like me! but I also know that I can only please God and have peace in my own heart when I choose to love them back. And in practicing loving them, my own heart swells with more love, good thoughts, and generosity.