My lovely guest today is Christian, from ModObject at Home. We seem to be kindred spirits though we've never met each other in person. I'm grateful for her being here:
I sat on the sideline at soccer practice bouncing the baby on my knee while keeping one eye on my soccer player and the other eye on my playground adventurer. "These days, I'm feeling pretty useless in the kingdom of God," I confided to the friend who was sitting next to me. Between managing our home, nurturing my marriage, training children, caring for the baby, overseeing schoolwork, and trying {but often failing} to do it all with kindness and love it seemed as though there was nothing left of me for anyone or anything else. Certainly, there is an ebb and flow to the demands of daily life, but on that autumn day I felt as though I was permanently caught in the undertow.
God's timing is always perfect. That same week Ruth posted Mission Possible... my weary heart was encouraged and challenged. As she shared her own experiences {so similar to my own} of being over-scheduled, over-committed, and too often unintentional, and as she offered practical, applicable wisdom to remedy this, I was heartened to know that others face my same struggle. More importantly, however, Ruth's words challenged me to remember why kingdom work is important... A life that has been changed by the Gospel is a life that should be lived motivated by the Gospel. If I {and my family} are not intentional about living a life that is Gospel driven and mission minded we'll be forever caught in the undertow of our circumstances. By investing a little forethought and time we can define our family's mission and serve together in the kingdom of God!
On a different note, I must also mention Stylin' -- Ruth's twelve random fashion tips for creative and frugal style. In her quiet, graceful way Ruth reminds us that, "While motherhood often calls us to replace self with sacrifice, the Lord is pleased when we pursue loveliness..." I refer to this post often because it is packed full of practical wisdom for shopping and dressing stylishly while keeping a healthy focus on good stewardship and the appearance of one's heart.
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Thank you so much, Christian! I'm so thankful for your friendship! (Be sure to check out Christian's blog for beautiful photography and poignant insights.)
***And don't forget...visit Monday's post to enter my celebration giveaway!***