Ellen Banks Elwell - The One Year Devotions for Moms

W hen I was a young mom, I wanted to spend time with God each day but I struggled to find a time that worked. Although Im a morning person now, I wasnt then. Evenings werent practical either, because after the childrens bedtime ceremonies were completed, I was exhausted. There was one time of day, however, when the house was (usually) quiet, and that was right after lunch. For the sake of my sanity, I insisted that my boys either read or nap for one hour. On rare occasions when the hour stretched into two, I was blessed with a bonus.

Daily, I was faced with my need for encouragement, hope, wisdom, and faith. So I asked God for his help. I prayed, God, if youll allow my children to nap or read quietly for one hour, I will sit down and spend time with you each day. God did help me and I sat down most every day with a glass of iced tea or lemonade to read my Bible and pray. As a result of spending time with God, my soul grew rich and I was strengthened for the demands of being a mom.

Now Im in my fifties and my youngest son is in high school. At this stage of my life, I enjoy rising early each morning to spend time with God. Instead of a glass of iced tea or lemonade, I drink hot coffee with vanilla creamer. And you know what? I still feel the need for encouragement, hope, wisdom, and faith. But years of spending time with God have convinced me that he is faithful to bless me with all of the above and more.

Im glad youve picked up a copy of The One Year Devotions for Moms. I planned for this book to be simple and uncomplicated, so that you can begin reading it any day of the year. It doesnt matter when or where you choose to begin; all you need to do is locate todays date. Daily devotionals are planned around a weekly theme, so if youre interested in locating a particular subject, just refer to the topical index at the back.

Whatever time of day you choose, I hope that the devotional moments you spend pondering Gods truth will enrich your life and strengthen you for your role as a mom. Blessings to you!

May God bless you with his special favor and wonderful peace as you come to know Jesus, our God and Lord, better and better. As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! 2 Peter 1:2-3

Ellen Banks Elwell

Wheaton, Illinois

2004

FAITH

Future generations will also serve him. Our children will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those yet unborn. They will hear about everything he has done.

PSALM 22:30-31

W hen my children were in preschool and early elementary years, one of my favorite things to do was read to them. Whether we were sitting in a rocking chair or propped up in bed, it was fun to read and snuggle at the same time. Although we learned from many kinds of books, Gods Word enriched us more than any other. Together, we witnessed Gods wonders and provisions in other peoples lives, and we were encouraged to believe he would provide for us, too.

I especially liked the story of baby Moses. The king of Egypt had instructed the Hebrew midwives to kill all of the Hebrew baby boys. Being a woman of faith, Moses mother, Jochebed, put him in a basket and hid him among the reeds of a river. His older sister, Miriam, kept an eye on the basket until Pharaohs daughter found Moses and adopted him. In Gods plan, Miriam asked the princess if she should find a nurse for the child, and Moses very own mother was able to raise him for some years before he was educated in Pharaohs palace.

Imagine how often Jochebed must have retold that story to Moses and Miriam and their brother Aaron before Moses went to live in the palace. The siblings grew up hearing that God sees and God provides. Later in their lives God used them to lead his people out of Egypt. In the same way, we can encourage our childrens faith by telling how God has provided for us. The time we spend encouraging them now will influence their leadership down the road.

God who sees and provides,

Thank you for blessing us with children to nurture and love. Thank you for giving us your Word to be our guide. Please help us to notice your provisions and then to rehearse them with our children, strengthening our faith and encouraging theirs. Amen.