5 Ways to Recognize the Voice of God When You Are Desperate

5 Ways to Recognize the Voice of God When You Are Desperate

  

Reading Time: 5 min 8 sec

Are you desperate to hear God’s voice? Do you have an issue that you desperately need wisdom on how to solve? Do you hunger to hear God’s voice for yourself?

You are not alone. We all struggle (even the great men and women of faith) with hearing God’s voice at different points in our relationship with him.

 

So, what’s going on? Is God playing some sort of game? Is he trying to make it difficult to have a conversation with him?  You ask, “If he truly loved me why can’t I hear his voice clearly?”

 

One of the reasons we might have a hard time hearing Gods voice is that we barely slow down long enough to hear our own voice. We have a problem and we want ANSWERS yesterday! We rush around bemoaning the fact that we can’t hear from God when we haven’t allowed him to get a word in edgewise. 

 

We are so busy moving, talking with others, and talking at God that no wonder we can’t hear his voice. We want a thunderbolt from heaven when he is talking in a still small whisper.  I love this reminder to slow down and be present with the one, who is ever present with us.

 

1 Kings 19:11-13, “And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

 

We are in a relationship with a God who is always talking. He loves us. Period. When you love someone with a never giving up, beyond comprehension love, you don’t hide from them, but delight in spending time with them.

 

 Jesus said it this way in John 15:15, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

 

So how do we hear from God?

 

We need to practice recognizing his voice. God lives life with us. He is always talking to us. And he is endlessly creative. God can and is speaking to us in a PLETHORA of ways we just need to become aware of his voice.  

Here are five basic ways to recognize his voice. They are to serve as guideposts to help you practice noticing God voice in your everyday life. This is just a starting place, as you come to know God in deeper ways, you will see that he is literally talking to you ALL the TIME and in a multitude of ways.    It’s awesome because you go about your ordinary life having an ongoing internal dialogue with God about EVERYTHING!

 

By taking the time to practice you are taking an active role in participating with the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.

 

Here are 5 basic ways to recognize his voice: 

  1. In the Quiet

2. Godly Council 

3. Intersecting Thoughts

4. The Word of God 

5. In Dreams

 

 

1. In the Quiet

 

I have found that in our fast-paced culture that the very act of carving out space to meet with God can feel like an uphill battle. We are a culture that focuses purely on doing, not the being.  

 

 Jesus modeled how we should come before God in Mark 1:35 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” And in Luke 5:16, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”.

 

Make it priority to spend time with Jesus in quiet. Just be with him in silence for 5-10 minutes (it’s more challenging than you think).  And then let him know what’s on your mind. You have to make spending time with Jesus a priority or it will never happen. 

 

2. Godly Council 

 We always want to jump to getting Godly council but I would encourage you to spend time with God on your own FIRST before you talk with others.  You will be more in tune with listening to the Holy Spirit and will be able to weigh the advice of others.  It’s a given but always make sure that any advice you receive lines up with Scripture.  I would also seek people that you know are pursuing a deep relationship with God.

 

3. Intersecting Thoughts

 

Have you ever been thinking along one path and all of a sudden you are shocked with some thought you know wasn’t from you (typically because it is super Godly :))?  I have had multiple situations over my life where I will be thinking about work, my children, or what to fix for dinner and all of a sudden, I will randomly have someone’s name come to mind.  I know that I wasn’t thinking about that person AT ALL, but I realize that God was trying to get my attention for a reason, and I immediately stop and pray for that person.  I have a number of times where I have had a chance to talk with that person later only to find out that they were going through a crisis at the very moment I was led to pray.  

 

*Always make sure that any intersecting thoughts line up with scripture.

  1. The Word of God

 The number one way you can hear from God is spending time in his word.  I love what Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Do whatever it takes to sit with scripture, turning it over in your heart, and allowing it, by the power of the Holy Spirit to transform you

5. Dreams

 

Yes, God can speak to you through dreams. Sometimes, I think that is the only time we are still enough that he can get our attention. 🙂   I love how God spoke to many people through dreams throughout the Bible. I have had a number of people close to me hear God through dreams.

 

If you have a dream that you think might be from God, I would first, write it down. Second, make sure it lines up with scripture. Third, I would spend a period of time just praying about it. Fourth, I would ask God if this is something for right now or something for the future.   I have had a couple of close friends experience dreams where God didn’t reveal the interpretation until fifteen years later. 

 

Remember, this is just the starting point. God can speak through worship, nature, art, angelic appearances, books, physical activity, music etc. As you grow deeper in your relationship with God you will come to hear in his still soft voice in a multitude of ways. This is just just the beginning!  

 

If you want to know how to get started in living a deeper life with God; grab your free Deeper Life Beginners Guide (get it below). And join our community of moms who are hungry for more of Jesus in their lives and in the lives of their families. 


What about you? What is your #1 issue when it comes to hearing God’s voice? Feel free to leave me a comment and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

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How To Homeschool When You Wake Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed

How To Homeschool When You Wake Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed

  

Reading Time: 5 min 28 sec

We have all had those mornings where we oversleep and wake up to our kids’ incessant demands for food, justice, and love all at once, and at an unmistakable roar. We stumble to the coffee maker and pray that the coffee will be made at lightning speed as we listen to that roar turn into a circus.  We wonder why is there SO MUCH NOISE at 7am?! 

 

We dream of someone else sweeping in and taking over the chaos so we can catch a breather. Unfortunately, a large majority of the time, that sweeper is us. We heave a sigh and pray for patience and the strength to make it through the day.  As a mom (and primary teacher) it can be a bummer to know that you set the tone for the day.

                             Our kids can pick up on our moods through walls and at

                                                   opposite ends of the home.

 

They can internalize our grumpiness, our stress, and our impatience and it will come out in undesirable ways.  The Ron Hall quote, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” can be infuriatingly accurate.

 

So how do you homeschool on days that you just want to curl up under the blankets, put a pillow over your head, and restart the day?  How do you not just survive but redeem a lousy day?

We are going to be talking about eight tips for salvaging those grumpy days.

1. Keep The End In Mind 

2. Focus on the Have-To’s 

3. Follow a Rhythm

4. Go Outside

5. Focus on Relationships

6. Utilize Digital Resources 

7. Take Time for You

8. Simple Meals and Fun Treats 

 

1. Keep the End in Mind 

 

We need to begin with the end in mind. If we want to homeschool long term we need to be proactive in practicing self-care.  As a homeschool mom, it can be easy to fall into the trap of just going, going, going each day, which leads to a burned out, irritated mama.

 

We need to keep our long-term vision in place and understand that there are days when we need to give ourselves the gift of rest. I would rather move slowly and practice self-care than burn out and ship my kids off to boarding school.   

 

2. Focus on the Have-To’s

 

For those days when you can’t stay at home, I would encourage you to eliminate as many outside activities as possible.  Your kids would rather have a mom who is loving, kind, and present then a mom who is biting everyone’s heads offs as you rush, rush, rush to activities.  

 

There are some things that we are not in control of and can’t be postponed. However, you would be surprised at how many things we can adjust with a little creative thinking. I know you were planning to visit the library, grocery store, and soccer practice today but can they be postponed until tomorrow or next week? Will the world come to an end if your child misses one piano lesson?   Ask yourself what has to happen today and eliminate the rest.

3. Follow a Rhythm

On those tough days give yourself room to move slowly, whether it’s taking time to sip your coffee (instead of gulp), or by taking an extra-long shower.  If you have older kids tell them to go play quietly in another room and with littles allow them to play in a pack n play. Your goal is to give yourself grace and space to wake up and move throughout your day.

Kids thrive on predictability. Instead of removing all structure in favor of a lazy day employ the joy of a rhythm.  A rhythm has the benefit of a structure without set time limits. Who wants to be constantly chasing a schedule all day when you are already feeling out of sorts?  Give yourself permission to move slowly and rest of a rhythm instead of a schedule.

4. Go Outside 

 

One of the best ways to reset the day is getting outside. Even if you don’t feel like moving (I know that feeling), push yourself, and get everyone out the door. It will be worth it!

 

Go for a walk, visit a park, hike a trail. Time outside will increase your energy, decrease your stress, and burning your kids excess energy, sounds like a win, win to me!  

 

5. Focus on Relationship

Focus on savoring relationships instead of trying to knock out accomplishments. Do something fun together. Engage in a hobby or grab the art supplies and head outside.  

Today, I would encourage you to save your strength by avoiding areas of contention and set yourself up for success. You can do this by thinking outside of the box.  If you know that math will be a struggle, grab a board game. Snuggle on the couch and read a stack of your favorite picture books, or write a letter to a family member, instead of a reading or language arts lesson.

You can still homeschool by utilizing alternative resources to accomplish your objectives. Focus on relationships instead of crossing off to do’s and it will transform your day.

 

My Favorite Picture Book Series:

  1. The Katie Series                               by James Mayhew (Art)
  2. The Sir Cumference Series             by Cindy Neuschwander (Math)
  3. Magic School Bus Series                 by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degan (Science)
  4. Ordinary People Change the World Series   by Brad Meltzer  (History)
  5. Mercy Watson Series                      by Kate DiCamillo (Language Arts)

 

My Favorite Games: See this post for more game schooling ideas

  1. Quoridor–      Logic  (WE LOVE THIS GAME!) 
  2. Story Cubes- Language Arts-Imagination
  3. Wildcraft-      Science Study of Herbs
  4. Ticket To Ride First Journey – Geography
  5. Sum Swamp–  Money Bags–   Clumsy Thief–   Math

 

6. Utilize Digital Resources

 

Give yourself the gift of letting your children learn from someone other than you.  Remember today isn’t every day, and your mental health is crucial to the long-term sustainability of your homeschool.

Take advantage of some of the amazing learning resources via apps, audiobooks, videos etc. Some of my family’s most favorite memories are centered around listening to an audiobook while coloring or painting.

 

Here are some of my favorite apps:

  1. Reading Eggs/Math Seeds
  2. Piano Maestro (Free)
  3. Duolingo (Free)
  4. Rosetta Stone (Check out this post to check out if you can get this program for free)

 

Here are some of my favorite videos:

  1. Travel with Kids Series
  2. Popular Mechanics for Kids
  3. Bob Ross Painting Series
  4. Magic School Bus

 

Here are some of my favorite audiobooks:

  1. Wind in the Willows
  2. The Saturdays
  3. The Boxcar Children
  4. Cheaper By the Dozen
  5. Paddington Bear Series

Also, my all-time favorite resource for slow days is Around the World Stories. You can check it out here!

 

 

7. Take Time For You 

 

While your children are engaged in an activity (or taking a nap), take advantage of the time by replenishing your soul. Spend time with Jesus, read a book, engage in a hobby or build a nap into your day.

                            Taking time to participate in activities that recreate you

                                             is crucial to your overall health.

 

8. Simple Meals and Fun Treats

I pull out the crockpot or fix easy dinners on tough days. This is not the day to be spending an hour in the kitchen trying out a new recipe (unless you love to cook). Bring out the taco soup and spaghetti!! Or call your husband and tell him its a Chipotle night! 🙂

 

Don’t forget the snacks! Yummy snacks like a cup of hot chocolate, fresh chocolate chip cookies, or warm banana bread can add some fun (and amazing memories) into your day.

 

Do you want more practical tips, AMAZING resources, and support on your homeschooling journey?  Join our community of moms who are pouring into the lives of their families through homeschooling. Grab your free 10 Tips to Finding Excellent Curriculum checklist (get it below) to help YOU on your homeschooling journey!  

 

 

What about you? What are your favorite tips for homeschooling on a tough day?  

 Please feel free to leave me a comment and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

 

How to Have a Conversation with God

How to Have a Conversation with God

  

Reading Time: 5 min 45 sec

Have you ever felt frustrated trying to figure out how to have a conversation with God?  We know that talking to him is not staring at the ceiling conducting a one-person monologue while God patiently listens, but we are not quite sure how to move past it.

 

Let’s think about this for a second, what if you had a relationship where you only talked with that person when you needed something?

 

You wouldn’t learn the sound of their voice, their humor, their interests, their joy, and their pain. You wouldn’t have a friendship but an acquaintance. There would be no hope of moving past the basic levels of friendship because you have a need-based transactional relationship.

 

I don’t know about you but I want to know the sound of Gods voice, I want to have inside jokes, I want to sit in his presence, I want his voice to be the one I listen for when I wake up, and the last one I talk to before I go to sleep.  I want to have the deepest soul friendship I can possibly have with God.  C.S. Lewis, St. Ignatius, King David, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Billy Graham, Mother Theresa, and countless other unknown people have experienced this type of relationship. 

 

We know we serve a talking God. There are numerous examples in the Bible, starting with Adam and continuing on to the present day. He is always communicating with us. Our role in the conversation is to not only talk, but to practice active listening.

 

Here are four questions that we need to ask ourselves in order to move past a transactional conversation and into a deep soul friendship with Jesus.

 

  1. Are you Ready to Hear from God? 

2. Are you Practicing Listening to God?

3. Are you Spending Time with God? 

4. Are You Pursuing a Soul Friendship with God?

 

 

1. Are you Ready to Hear from God? 

 

There are literally thousands of articles, books, and conferences centered around hearing God’s voice, but have you ever wondered what he will say when you do hear him?  What he will ask of you?    

I love the story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-22. He comes to Jesus expecting one thing (to be praised for his good deeds), and instead, he gets thrown a curve ball, with the challenge to reorder his life to follow God.

 

 I think a lot of us dream that God will speak to us in the same way he visited Mary or Paul in the New Testament. We want booming voices, angelic appearances, and impressive callings. 

 

                We want to have the distinction among our peers of someone who

                                   hears directly from the Almighty God.  

 

When God calls someone into foreign missions, or ministry we can’t ignore that there is a romantic prestige to the call. Everyone around them knows that they have been called to a life of sacrifice and service. They are applauded, sometimes misunderstood, and generally acknowledged as a Godly, selfless creature.

 

But what about when God calls us to not gossip about our enemies, to load and unload the dishwasher without complaining for 92nd time today, to clean up dog poop, and to encourage our spouse after a long day?  That calling is not remotely romantic, there is no choir singing our praises, and no prestige for being super Godly, it just sounds like a lot of hard work done without an audience. 

 

We need to ask ourselves, are we desperate for a deep love relationship with God?  Or are we trying to find our acceptance and validation in our perceived Godliness?

 

A soul friendship with God is developed not in front of a crowd, but in the daily, mundane moments of our lives. As we invite him more and more into our day, we encounter the lavish love and character of God, and our lives are transformed.

 

2. Are you Practicing Listening to God? 

 

Imagine you get the opportunity to have lunch with Mother Theresa or Billy Graham and you spend the entire time talking incessantly about your thoughts, feelings, and problems, barely coming up for air.  It sounds like crazy behavior because it is crazy behavior!     

 

When you sit down with one of your role models you want to learn and glean everything you can in that precious time.  You ask questions and share your story but you don’t spend the time monopolizing the conversation.

 

Dallas Willard, says it this way, “People are meant to live in an ongoing conversation with God, speaking and being spoken to.” 

 

When you engage in a conversation with God, imagine you are verbally tossing a ball back and forth. Talking is important but you must also practice listening. Unlike talking, listening takes time and effort. The practice of spending time in silence and solitude has really helped me develop my listening skills.

 

A practical suggestion would be to start off by setting a timer for two minutes and just be quiet, focusing on the Father.  You can slowly increase your time with God as the Holy Spirit leads you.  To be real, I have to say that I have found this practice to be challenging, but so CRUCIAL to developing a deep relationship with God.

 

3. Are you Spending Time with God? 

 

We can get a little obsessed with trying to hear Gods voice that we forget that listening to someone is only a part of a relationship with them.  Think about those people in your life where you don’t have to keep the conversation going in order to avoid the awkward PAUSE?  You can just sit and be… No performance, no effort, content just to be in each other’s presence. It sounds so life-giving, right?

 

Unlike our spouse or best friend, God is literally with us all the time.  You come to know him through a balance of talking, listening and EXPERIENCING life together.

 

“Hearing God cannot be a reliable and intelligible fact of life except when we see his speaking as one aspect of his presence with us, of his life in us. Only our communion with God provides the appropriate context for communications between us and him.” ― Dallas Willard

 

Over time, your experience with God, not just your conversation will serve as a framework for recognizing his voice in your life.  When was the last time you stopped and just spent time with God?  No requests. No conversation.  Just enjoying each other’s presence?

A practical suggestion would be to invite him into your favorite activity or hobby. Say something like, “God I invite you into this time. I want to enjoy your presence and just hang out with you as I participate in this hobby/activity.” Then just be aware of his presence with you as engage in the activity. You bring God joy just by showing up and carving time out of your day for him.  

4. Are you Pursuing a Soul Friendship with God? 

It is impossible to form a deep relationship if the extent of your interaction is a quick text message every couple of months.  You have to invest time, energy and effort in order for the new relationship to grow.  This means that instead of using God as a crisis manager you come to him as a best friend, learning to delight in spending time together.

 

“It is much more important to cultivate the quiet, inward space of a constant listening than to always be approaching God for specific direction.”-Dallas Willard

 

 In order for your relationship with God to grow, you need to take an active role in feeding, watering, and spending time in an environment that will help it grow.  Practically, this looks like spending time with God consistently, practicing talking and listening, inviting God into your day, spending time in community with fellow believers, and reordering your life around him.

 

Let’s be honest, as a mom we can live at the mercy of good intentions.  But good intentions don’t build a deep life-giving relationship with Jesus.  I’m sorry but I am not going to wait twenty years until my kids are out of the house to go deep in my relationship with God… I need him now! The foundation of learning to have an ongoing conversation with God is in the little choices you make every single day. I promise you it’s worth it!

 

Are you hungry and ready to experience a deeper life with God? Join our community of moms who are hungry for more Jesus in their lives and in the lives of their families.  

Grab your free Deeper Life Beginners Guide (get it below) to help YOU get started on your journey to a thicker life with Jesus today!

 


What about you? What is your #1 issue when it comes to having a conversation with God? feel free to leave me a comment and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

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How to Homeschool in a Small Space

How to Homeschool in a Small Space

  

Reading Time: 4 min 58 sec

Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to homeschool in a small space? I don’t know about you but sometimes while homeschooling our homes can eerily resemble an episode from Hoarders. Cramped living spaces filled with old curriculum, books, paperwork, supplies, and projects seem to spread like a virus to every nook and cranny. 

 

You sit down to homeschool your child, only to feel frustrated with your inability (and your child’s) to focus due to so many distractions.  You organize all of your supplies only to find after a couple of weeks that the clutter has returned.

 

 Your home is supposed to be a retreat but all you see is an endless to-list and an organizing nightmare. You feel overwhelmed, discouraged, and hopeless. You wonder if it is possible to homeschool in a small space without clutter spilling out of every drawer and cabinet!

 

Every homeschooling parent dreams of perfectly organized spaces where you have plenty of room to spread out and everything you need is always right at your fingertips. I am here to tell you that it doesn’t matter if you have a small or large space. It’s about the practical steps you take to control the clutter.  

 

We are going to be talking about eight practical steps you can take to create a stress-free learning environment:

  1. Stop Saving for a Rainy Day

    2. Go Digital                      

    3. Something Borrowed

    4. In Plain View

    5. Establish a Daily Habit

    6. Avoid Sales 

    7. Utilize Media

    8. Only Amazing Resources 

 

 

1. Stop Saving for a Rainy Day

 

Do you ever keep resources just in case? You bought a math book, tried one or two lessons, you weren’t thrilled, so you put it back on the shelf, in the hope that it might miraculously be a good fit later down the road.

 

“If you’re not using the stuff in your home, get rid of it. You’re not going to start using it more by shoving it in a closet somewhere.” Joshua Becker

 

Let me be honest, if you haven’t used it in the last six months most likely you will never use it. Take a good look at all of your curriculum, whether its books, textbooks, handouts, projects and remove everything you haven’t used in six months. *  You might be surprised at how many just in case, books and resources take up precious space on your shelves.

 Good intentions do not create an organized stress-free home.

 

*This does not include staples (such as reading or math books) that you will use to teach your next child.

 

2. Go Digital 

 

Do you have folders crammed full of handwriting samples, artistic masterpieces, math tests, and brochures from every field trip you have visited in the last six months?

 

I stumbled on this hack out of necessity when my second (of two) homeschool drawer was crammed to overwhelming with past paperwork. My good intentions of putting my paperwork into sheet protectors never ever happened (can anyone relate?). 

 

Maximize your limited space by utilizing a scanning app to save every document (no drawer required).  I have loved the flexibility and the price tag (its FREE) of the Genius Scan App. I scan every document and then upload them directly to the computer. It makes creating a portfolio a breeze (almost) every year. Say Hello to Empty Drawers!

 If you find a better app, please let me know!

3. Something Borrowed

One of the ways we can run out of space so quickly is storing that reading or math book for two years until your next kid is ready for it.  Did you know that the library is a gold mine of FREE Resources that… wait for it… YOU DON’T HAVE TO STORE!  

I am talking about more than the lone textbook you found on your last library search, but a vast amount of material that will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Check out this post 10 Library Hacks to the Hidden World of Free Curriculumfor step by step instructions.

 

4. In Plain View 

An important aspect of homeschooling in a small space is being able to see everything at a glance.  When organizing DO NOT stuff drawers or place items behind each other hoping to maximize space.

Take time and evaluate your materials.  Here is a good rule of thumb when evaluating your materials

  1. Keep the Best (Is it portfolio worthy?)
  2. Remove Duplicates (Do you really need 8 pairs of scissors?)
  3. Get Rid of all of those Scraps of Paper and Trash
  4. Keep Only what you Love and use Regularly
  5. Store the Same things Together (ex. Keep all pencils or library books in one spot)

 

5. Establish a Daily Habit

It is imperative when homeschooling in a small space to establish a daily practice of purging and placing everything back where it belongs. It might seem like an obvious suggestion until it comes to putting it into practice.  

We choose to declutter at the end of every afternoon. I set a timer for ten minutes and we run about the house putting projects, books, and supplies away in preparation for dinner. Find a rhythm that works for you whether its right after school, late afternoon or during the evening, the point is to do it every day.

 

6. Avoid Sales

I don’t know about you but I can get a little carried away at those curriculum and library sales and start treating it like I am in the snack aisle of my local grocery store.  I come out cash poor, regretful, and wondering where I am going to put all this stuff.

 

         “It’s not a good deal if you don’t need it” -Unknown

 

Impulse buying can keep our homes, finances, and mental spaces in a place of chaos and clutter.  Avoiding window shopping will go a long way in keeping your home free of mess.

 

7. Utilize Media

Get rid of some of those big heavy textbooks and utilize your digital resources.  Not only can you purchase amazing apps and programs  but I was shocked to find Rosetta stone language programs, math tutoring, and streaming documentaries (and that was just the tip of the iceberg) for FREE on my local library’s website. You can check out this article for step by step instructions.

8. Only Amazing Resources

Think of yourself as a curator of the best homeschooling resources. Only allow learning tools that you truly LOVE to enter your home.

 

“Your home is a living space, not a storage space.” Francine Jay

 

You do this by borrowing, researching, and committing to return items that do not fit your family’s needs.  This step takes intentionality and commitment as there is always the pressure to find that perfect resource FAST.  This step will play a huge role in allowing you to homeschool in a small space with peace.

 

So how do you find those AMAZING resources? Grab your free 10 Tips to Finding Excellent Curriculum checklist (get it below) to help YOU on your homeschooling journey!  

 

 

 What about you? What is your #1 concern when it comes to figuring out this homeschooling adventure?  

Please feel free to leave me a comment and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

How to Raise Passionate Thoroughgoing Followers of Jesus

How to Raise Passionate Thoroughgoing Followers of Jesus

  

Reading Time: 4 min 48 sec

I have served in a variety of children’s and youth ministry roles over the years and every fall, I would look forward to that new group of incoming students. Every year, you would have 1 or two students who would just knock your socks off. Not with their magnetic personality (though some of them did) but with their desire to know Jesus.

 

 They were young men and women who were unabashed by their hunger for Jesus, they served others with a humble heart, spoke life over the people around them, and were never content with their current experience of Jesus.

 

They were in a word… Inspiring.

 

The crazy thing is that those same students are now grown, starting their own families, and are still pursuing a life WITH Jesus.

 

What made them so different from their peers?   

 

I believe there are four practical steps YOU can take to influence the spiritual life of your child.

  1. Experience God 

2. Focus on Heart Transformation    

3. Trust in the Holy Spirit

4. You can’t Lead where You Haven’t

   Been

 

 

1. Experience God 

 

Children learn primarily from their experiences.  Think about it, how did your children get to know you? Did they ask other people questions, did they study your family tree, did they spend time talking to others about you?  OR did they experience you from before they were born; the sound of your voice in the womb, the touch of your skin as they entered the world, the snuggles, the safety of your presence, the hugs?  They know you by EXPERIENCE, not by words.

 

A life of faith is not school but a real, breathing, organic relationship with Jesus. Your child needs to experience it, not just hear about it. I am not downplaying the crucial role of the Bible in our lives but we need to marry experience and knowledge together to grow as a thoroughgoing follower of Christ.  You can do this by intentionally including God into your everyday life.  

 

Light a candle to remind you of God’s presence, use art to help you listen to God’s voice, take a walk in God’s creation, observe Sabbath, use play to help focus your child on Jesus words, etc. (See this post for more practical ideas).  Experience is critical for children to establish a strong relationship with Jesus.   

 

2. Focus on Heart Transformation

 

Who doesn’t want your child to behave a civilized member of society? It’s an obvious question, but as parents (myself included) we can quickly move to focus on behavior modification (You do this and you will get x, y, and z) and completely miss the opportunity of heart transformation.

 

The heart can be a tricky place as it is where our thoughts and feelings originate. As parents, we can manage behaviors but the heart is harder to control.   So what can we do to encourage our children to make Godly decisions even when we aren’t around?

 

We cannot by-pass heart work.  We need to look deeper than external behaviors and notice the movement of their hearts.

 

In the book Parenting is Heart Work, the author says it this way; “Motivating Heart change isn’t easy. You can force a child to change behavior, but you can’t force a change of heart. Its deeper work. Helping children change their hearts requires a lot of thought, planning, and prayer. More and more parents are relearning discipline so that they can have a lasting impact on their children.”

 

Prayer is a great and crucial first step in parenting for heart transformation.  We can miss out on a beautiful opportunity if we fall into the trap of praying for our kids only when there is a crisis.  Covering our children in consistent prayer not only teaches us to be sensitive to the movements of their heart, but also gives room for the Holy Spirit to bring about our own heart transformation.   

Prayer is a two-way street, take some time to be silent before God, listening for his voice and being present to him. God is faithful to highlight the issues that you need to be focusing on.

If you are interested in going deeper you can grab the book, Parenting is Heart Work by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller

3. Trust in the Holy Spirit 

 

As parents, we have to have trust in the Holy Spirit. We can try to do everything right and still blow it.  We have to remember that parenting works well only when we are utterly dependent upon God and our huge need for grace.

 

We need to realize (believe, not just say) that on our own we can do nothing, but only by the power of the Holy Spirit, can we make a difference in the spiritual lives of our children. As children are observing the lives of their parents, soaking in their family values, and experiencing Jesus in real ways, they are internalizing all of that information.

 

 “As they are ready, children construct or form their understandings for themselves, with the gracious presence, encouragement, and guidance of God’s Spirit.” Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie May, Listening to Children on the Spiritual Journey.

 

It does not come down to what you say (though that’s still important) but how you model your life WITH God, and through the work of the Holy Spirit that determines how your child views and interacts with God.

 

We need to remember that we are working with the Holy Spirit, not the Holy Spirit working with us. We don’t have to have all the answers or be Super Mom.  What we have to do is place our children before God, and be continually dependent upon the Holy Spirit to shape our parenting. We can rest in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit will be with our child long after they have grown up.

 

4. You Can’t Lead Where You Haven’t Been 

 

Seriously, if you want your child to have a living, breathing, transformational relationship with Jesus, it starts with you. Multiple studies have shown that parents are the primary influencers in the lives of their children. You and your relationship with God set the tone for the culture of your home.  

 

“The greatest parenting tip we could share with you is this: Maintain a strong connection to your Heavenly Father. He offers spiritual guidance and direction to help you work through your own heart issues so you can be more effective with your children.” -Parenting is Heart Work

 

Investing in your relationship with God is one of the most important things you can do for yourself, let alone your children.  When they see you turning to God all throughout the day, when they see you on your knees, when they see serving others, you are a modeling a life lived WITH God.   

 

Grab your FREE Deeper Life Beginners Guide and join our community of moms who are hungry for more of Jesus in their lives and in the lives of their children.

 

 

What about you? What is your #1 concern when it comes to raising Godly children? 

Please feel free to leave me a comment and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

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How to Work with Jesus in the Transforming of Your Soul

How to Work with Jesus in the Transforming of Your Soul

  

Reading Time: 3 min 49 sec

 

Do you ever wonder how you can work with Jesus in the transforming of your soul? Are you hungry and desperate for God? Are you doing the foundational stuff (see this blog post) but just can’t seem to figure out how to go deeper?  Let’s dive into how we can work with God in becoming more like Jesus.

 

“A disciple is a person who has decided that the most important thing in life is to learn how to do what Jesus said to do.”  Dallas Willard

 

Have you ever reacted in such a way, whether it be an argument, an emergency, or after a long day, that made you cringe? Where after seeking forgiveness, (for the thousandth time), you throw up your hands, and wonder how on earth you are ever going to cultivate patience, kindness, service and actually, utilize it in the heat of the moment no less?  How do you develop life as a disciple of Jesus; someone who actually demonstrates in word and action a life lived in surrender to God?

 

Galatians 5:22-23 gives us a vision for what the surrendered life looks like: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

 

So how do we develop the fruits of the spirit in our own lives?  How do we never give up, care more for others than ourselves, develop humility, patience, honesty, trust, etc.?  How do we intentionally be present with Jesus in our everyday lives?

 

Today, we are going to be answering that question by diving into some practical tools that Christians have been using for centuries. 

 

  1. The Purpose of Spiritual Disciplines

2. What are Spiritual Disciplines?  

3. How do I Apply Disciplines in my life? 

 

 

1. What is the Purpose of Spiritual Disciplines? 

 

The purpose of Spiritual Disciplines is to provide practical tools that allow us to work with God in the transformation of our souls.   The Life with God Bible says it this way, “Spiritual Disciplines involve doing what we can to receive from God the power to do what we cannot. And God graciously used this process to make us the kind of person who automatically will do what needs to be done when it needs to be done.”

 

Bingo!

 

Practicing Spiritual Disciplines are a crucial part of developing a deep and transformed life. The tools in and of themselves are nothing special, they are just that… tools. But they give us a super helpful and practical framework to work with the Holy Spirit.  Spiritual Disciplines allow us, through God’s grace, love, and the power of the Holy Spirit, to take an active role in saying yes to work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

 

 “A farmer is helpless to grow grain; all he can do is provide the right conditions for the growing of grain. He cultivates the ground, he plants the seed, he waters the plants, and then the natural forces of the earth take over and up comes the grain…This is the way it is with the Spiritual Disciplines – they are a way of sowing to the Spirit… By themselves the Spiritual Disciplines can do nothing; they can only get us to the place where something can be done.” -Richard Foster

 

The disciplines are not meant to be a rigid rule of life but as a grace-filled, Holy Spirit initiated practice that grows and changes throughout the season of your life.  

 

 2. What are Spiritual Disciplines? 

 

So, what exactly are spiritual disciplines? Here is a list of inward, outward and corporate disciplines taken from Richard Foster’s book, Celebration of Discipline.   

 

Inward Disciplines:

Prayer–with God not just at God

Fasting

Meditation

Study– Not just for information, but the transformation of your soul

Outward Disciplines:

Simplicity

Solitude

Submission

Service

 

Corporate Disciplines:

Confession

Worship

Guidance

3. How to Apply Spiritual Disciplines in Your Life? 

 

We need to understand that participating in spiritual disciplines is a life long journey. It is not about instant transformation, but about learning to be present every day with God, in the ongoing transformation of our souls.  It is not meant to be one more thing to do, but as a willing response born out of our love relationship with him.  

 

“God has given us the Disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving his grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us.”Richard Foster

 

So how do you actually choose what discipline to practice in your life?

Here are some Suggestions for Getting Started:

  1. Ask yourself, what are you drawn to? What would practicing that discipline look like?
  2. Pray and ask God about what discipline to practice
  3. Start with one discipline at a time
  4. Operate out of grace. God loves you unconditionally and you don’t have to earn his love.
  5. You must be intentional. And it can (and will) be challenging.
  6. You are Not Alone!  The ever-present God is with you.
  7. The practice will look different for everyone.
  8. The disciplines will change as you enter new seasons of life

 

Are you hungry and ready to experience a deeper life with God? Join our community of moms who are hungry for more Jesus in their lives and in the lives of their families.  

Grab your free Deeper Life Beginners Guide (get it below) to help YOU get started on your journey to a thicker life with Jesus today!  

 

What about you? What is your biggest challenge when it comes to practicing spiritual disciplines?  Please feel free to leave me a comment and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

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How to Avoid these Five Homeschooling Mistakes

How to Avoid these Five Homeschooling Mistakes

  

Reading Time: 5 min 22 sec

Are you a new to homeschooling or in the thick of figuring out how to start? Are you dreaming of newly sharpened pencils, child prodigies, and Von Trapp family adventures?  We are going to come alongside you on your journey and talk about the five common mistakes first-time homeschoolers make and how YOU can avoid them (and save hundreds of dollars).  

 

I have spoken with a lot of new homeschool parents over the years who are overwhelmed, frustrated, burned out and about five minutes away from shipping their kids off to boarding school in Switzerland. They start to wonder about their ability, sanity, and if homeschooling is really doable for the average mom.

 

Homeschooling is very possible but sometimes we can unintentionally shoot ourselves in the foot by making decisions out of a lack of experience.  We need people to come alongside us and help us through the minefields of those early days so that we can go back to enjoying those amazing family moments.  

 

We are going to be addressing these 5 common homeschooling mistakes today:

 

 1.Homeschooling without Direction

2. Duplicating School at Home

 

3. Bowing to a Teaching Philosophy

 

 4.Requiring Too Much Too Soon

 

5.A Boxed Curriculum is the Answer 

 

1. Homeschooling without Direction

We have an endless supply of amazing resources for homeschooling mamas and their students. It can get very easy to get caught up running to the latest teaching philosophy, schedule, curriculum, or activity hoping that it will solve all of your learning woes. Now I am all for exploring new teaching resources (We love you, Life of Fred) but it can get very exhausting and can give your kids whiplash if you don’t have a roadmap in place to help you figure out if that latest thing fits your family.

 

You need to know what your vision and values are because they influence the goals and atmosphere of your homeschool.  You can’t set or accomplish your goals if you have no idea what you are aiming at.  

 

 For instance, does your vision for the future include children who grow up to be lifelong learners, self-starters, out of the box thinkers and mighty followers of Jesus?  Does one of your values include forming quality family relationships?  

 

If so, the decisions you make, your teaching style, activities, schedule, curriculum choices, and atmosphere all should flow out of your vision and values.  They are a roadmap to a successful homeschool and when used properly, can help prevent burnout. Do not move forward without taking the time to talk over your vision, values, and goals with your spouse or a friend. 

 

When things get challenging, instead of completely changing direction, and giving into fear and self-doubt, you can rest in the knowledge that you have an overall plan in place. By establishing your vision, values, goals, and atmosphere ahead of time it allows you to not have to make big decisions in a time of crisis.

 

2. Duplicating School at Home

You have just decided that you are going to homeschool and you are scared but also super excited. You rearrange your home, choose a homeschooling room, and rush out and buy (borrow or steal) desks, chalkboards, and inspirational posters for the walls.  Three days into your homeschool adventure you realize that no one wants to sit at cold, hard desks when they can be snuggling on the couch reading books with mom. 

Homeschooling is not public school at home.  Homeschooling is a way of life.  If your only exposure to education has been in a corporate setting, it might be helpful for you to think of homeschooling as private tutoring (with a lot of snuggles, family adventures and laughter thrown in).  

Homeschooling is not just when you open your “school books” but all throughout the day, at the grocery store, gardening, listening to audiobooks in the car, while doing the budget, and fixing the sink, you are giving your children the benefit of real-world experience.  

 

Save yourself tons of money, homeschool regrets (and your children a lot of frustration) by taking advantage of the benefits of teaching your children at home; one on one time together, comfy couches, and real-life learning to find out and own what works for you and your family.

 

3. Bowing to a Teaching Philosophy 

As you start to research homeschooling it can feel like there are HUNDREDS of teaching methodologies out there. You are told that time in nature, memorizing information, giving them time to play, structure, no structure, textbooks, only living books, experience, and facts are crucial to your child’s success in life.

 

The options can not only feel overwhelming but restricting to a new homeschool parent.  You get sold on a teaching philosophy and jump in 100% only to find out that it doesn’t quite fit your family.  I have seen moms ignore the downsides (every philosophy can have negatives) and keep pressing on only to feel miserable because it is not a perfect fit.

 

You can save yourself time, energy, frustration, and money by realizing that you will need to adapt any philosophy to your family not your family to the philosophy. This is where knowing your vision, values, goals is crucial to setting the tone of your homeschool. Listen to your mom instincts, and don’t feel pressured to teach in a certain way if it doesn’t fit the needs of your family.

 

4. Requiring Too Much Too Soon 

 

You are excited to get started on your homeschooling adventure. You sit down with your five-year-old and dive into your new stack of curriculum.  The first couple of days are wonderful, and things are moving along brilliantly until suddenly they aren’t.

 

Your child whines when you get out the books, you find yourself constantly encouraging him to do one last problem or activity. You just find yourself working harder than they are to complete your list of studies for the day. You feel frustrated, demoralized, and you wonder if this homeschooling really works in real life.

Save yourself (and your child) frustration, by focusing on your values (strong family relationships, fostering a love for learning, character development etc.)  instead of focusing on checking “educational” boxes.  

When you have a ten-thousand-foot view of the future, you won’t get hung up on whether or not you completed the allotted math problems for the day.

 

Enjoy these early years, they won’t last forever. Encourage your child’s curiosity and rest in the knowledge that they are constantly learning by living life with you at the perfect pace for them.    

 

6. A Boxed Curriculum is the Answer 

You spend hours researching a comprehensive curriculum, you want to make sure that every base is covered, and that your kid won’t end up going to college, not knowing how to do long division. You find a curriculum that you think will be a good fit, shell out a couple hundred dollars, only to find to out that you love the math, are “ehh” about the social studies, and absolutely hate the language arts program.  

 

It is rare (and I mean RARE) that a boxed curriculum will meet all of your needs. You know your child, you know their strengths and weaknesses, you know the vision and values of your homeschool, and you are the best person to hand select curriculum.  Save yourself hundreds of dollars (do you see a theme here) by choosing the best resources for your child.

 

When you handpick curriculum, not only is it a smaller monetary investment but if it doesn’t work, you aren’t stuck with it (trying to get your money’s worth) or desperately scrambling to replace an entire curriculum midway through the school year.

 

Are you wondering HOW do you actually find a great curriculum for each subject? I created a How to Find Excellent Curriculum checklist (grab it below)  to help you on your journey.

You Got this Mom!

 

What about you? What is your number one frustration when it comes to figuring out this homeschooling adventure?  Leave a comment, and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

How to Have A Deep Life Changing Relationship With God

How to Have A Deep Life Changing Relationship With God

  

Reading Time: 4 min 44 sec

Have you ever felt frustrated at the lack of depth in your relationship with God? Have you ever wondered if this is all there is?  Have you read the stories of people like Bonhoeffer, Lewis, and Mother Theresa and wondered how did they get there?

 

We read our Bibles, we pray, we journal, we attend church, small groups and prayer meetings. We run from workshop, to retreat, to conferences hoping for something (a blinding light and a voice from heaven would work) transformative that would allow us to have a depth of relationship with God instantaneously.  Why? Because we know we were created for a deep relationship with Jesus. We just have no idea how to build it.  

 

Have you ever met those people who glow? Who through one conversation you can almost see the love of Jesus just pouring off them? I have met and read about a couple of those people throughout the years and I yearned for what they had. How did they get to where they are? 

 

Here is what I found out, after many conversations and studying great men and women of faith, a deep life-changing relationship with God:

1. A Relationship With God: Is an Investment

2.  A Relationship With God: Is a Priority

3. A Relationship With God: Is a Journey

4. A Relatioship With God: Is Life Changing

 

 

1. It’s an Investment 

 

Your relationship with God is an investment both in time and energy. We sometimes tend to think that if we spend ten minutes here or there we are suddenly going to have this super deep relationship with Jesus. 

Brian Regan, in his famous sketch, demonstrates this concept: “You can microwave a Pop Tart. That just blew me away that you could microwave a Pop Tart. How long does it take to toast a Pop-Tart? A minute and a half if you want it dark? People don’t have that kind of time? Listen, if you need to zap-fry your Pop Tarts before you head out the door, you might want to loosen up your schedule.”

 

 We are trying to zap fry our relationship with God before heading out the door, and let me be honest, it just doesn’t work that way, in any relationship, human or divine.

 

If you want a deeply intimate, life-changing relationship with God you are going to have to invest time in the relationship. You need to know the sound of His voice, experience His overwhelming love for you, and discover how to find your identity rooted and grounded in God. To find out more check out this article How To Pray When You Are Out Of Words.

 

2. It’s a Priority

 

The relationship of Billy Graham, Susanna Wesley, Corrie Ten Boom, among others, didn’t just appear overnight, they made their relationship with God their number one priority. They still had jobs, families, and commitments, but they invested their time wisely and poured into their relationship with Jesus.

 

I have a 3×5 card on my bathroom mirror that serves as a daily reminder of my priorities. My time with God trumps everything else, my relationship with my spouse, kids, personal goals or to do’s. When I can start to get wrapped up in other things I just mentally think of my card, and I make sure that whatever else gets done, I spend time with Jesus. 

 

Dallas Willard, author of Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God captures the need with this quote,

 

“Few people arise in the morning as hungry for God as they are

                                for cornflakes or toast and eggs.”

 

Like anything worth doing, you are going to have to say no to some things so you can yes to a deeper relationship with Jesus.   That might look like getting up earlier, or spending your lunch break or kids nap time with Jesus.

 

The sacrifices are worth it because you get to experience a life-altering relationship with God. Let us become people who wake up hungry for God.

 

 3. It’s about the Journey

Investing in a relationship with God takes patience and the understanding that you are on a journey. Even on the days when you feel like you are taking one step forward and two steps back you need to step back and remind yourself that its not about your speed, it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. 

 

We can get so focused on getting to heaven that we lose sight of the fact that we are on a voyage with Jesus. We were not designed to grit our teeth and hold out for heaven, but to fully embrace what God has for us today, a love relationship with Jesus. 

God is using literally everything in your life, the joy, the pain, and the mundane to draw you to himself.  As you walk through everything that life throws at you, you have a choice, will you surrender and allow God to do his good work in you; or will you resist and stubbornly try to go your own way? Our time on earth is our metamorphosis, a time where we learn how to turn from our selfish desires, surrender our will and say yes to Jesus.  The relationship, the transformation, the journey makes the end result (heaven) so much richer.  

Surrender is the key to the journey. 

 

4. It’s Life Changing

The time, energy, and sacrifices pale in significance to encountering a deep relationship with God. It’s like a whole new world opens up to you, and you are shouting (at least I was) “where has this been my whole life?”

C.S. Lewis in his book, Mere Christianity says it this way, “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not 

surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

 

As you grow closer and deeper in your relationship with God, you begin to experience, not just know, the love of the Father, and your life is truly transformed.

 

Paul writing to the Ephesians says,“And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.”Eph. 3: 17-19

 

When you invest, make God your priority and understand that you are on a life-long journey you come to discover and experience the breadths, lengths, depths, and heights, to God’s love. Your life will never be the same.

 

Are you hungry and ready to experience a deeper life with God? Join our community of moms who are hungry for more Jesus in their lives and in the lives of their families.  

Grab your free Deeper Life Beginners Guide (get it below) to help YOU get started on your journey to a thicker life with Jesus today!  

Please feel free to leave me a comment and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

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