God is big enough
I started reading Girl Talk yesterday. I'll save a lengthier review until I finish the book but I just had to mention how good it has been so far. If you are a mom wanting to encourage your daughter on her journey in Biblical womanhood, you will find much encouragement through its pages.
Chapter 7, on having faith as a mother, really spoke to my heart. Carolyn talked about the one thing she would do if given the opportunity to parent her three grown daughters again. What was it? She would trust God more. So simple, and yet so profound.
As a young mom of a daughter, I needed to hear this chapter. I've already found myself often worrying, "Am I doing enough? Am I going to end up being a terrible mom and thus be responsible for a rebellious daughter?" And so on and on. As I read this chapter, God convicted me how much of my anxiety is a result of me trying to do things in my own strength. Sure, maybe I have great intentions, but trying to follow through with them in my own strength will get me nowhere.
God is big enough to be trusted for everything in my life - including my parenting inadequacies. God is big enough to be trusted with my child and her future.
The chapter closed with this profound quote by Charles Spurgeon:
Chapter 7, on having faith as a mother, really spoke to my heart. Carolyn talked about the one thing she would do if given the opportunity to parent her three grown daughters again. What was it? She would trust God more. So simple, and yet so profound.
As a young mom of a daughter, I needed to hear this chapter. I've already found myself often worrying, "Am I doing enough? Am I going to end up being a terrible mom and thus be responsible for a rebellious daughter?" And so on and on. As I read this chapter, God convicted me how much of my anxiety is a result of me trying to do things in my own strength. Sure, maybe I have great intentions, but trying to follow through with them in my own strength will get me nowhere.
God is big enough to be trusted for everything in my life - including my parenting inadequacies. God is big enough to be trusted with my child and her future.
The chapter closed with this profound quote by Charles Spurgeon:
"As for His failing you, never dream of it--hate the thought.The God Who has been sufficient until now, should be trusted to the end."
posted by Crystal Paine at 8:56 AM
10 Comments:
Crystal~
I have not read this book, however I am encouraged to perhaps look at it.
What you posted was so profound even to me right now. I have two daughters(6 1/2 and 4) and I often doubt my ability as a Mom. However, I need to remember to trust God to be faithful...because He always is.
Thanks for your post,
Sommer
Wow, that was good. Even though I don't have any younguns yet, I still find myself a worry wort at times even after I have given my issue to God....however I will say I am getting better at just leaving it at the foot of the Cross and allowing God to have His way, so praise the Lord for that.
We as humans all have the emotion of worrying, we just have to learn how to use it without doing God's job so to speak and try to fix our worries all by ourself. ;-)
i will have to read this, i struggle with the fear of this...
I can't wait to hear your further thoughts on this book. It's definately on my reading list. Thanks for what you do!
As the mother of teenagers, I am learning that there is a whole new realm of trusting God with them. :o) They too have to make mistakes and grow. There is something to be said about experience. So when I see them make a wrong choice, fall and get back up, I have to trust God and know HE will teach them in His time. My job is to remain faithful, tender and patient.
Kathy
http://HigherGroundToday.blogspot.com
Hello, Crystal!
I am yet a young mother of six children ages 9.5, 7.5, 6, 4.5, 3 and 6 months, but I can wholly relate to your anxieties over your inadequacies as a mother. From my experience, we are still growing with our children. Even though I have failed over and over again, I am finally seeing the fruit of my labors, ever so briefly some days, but fruit nonetheless :-) And you know what? It encourages me and I praise God that He works in spite of me! I just wish (which I probably shouldn't :-) that I had known these things 10 years ago. Pray, pray and pray for your dear daughter every day for every hope and dream you have for her. I do. I also constantly pray that the Lord would allow us to be consistent in loving, training and disciplining our children. Our deepest desire is to raise Godly children who love, serve and live for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanks for sharing the book with us. I will have to take a peek at it.
This is my second or third visit and I am finally getting to browse your blog. You have a nice site and I love the name you have chosen.
May we have faith and pray when we do not that HE may instill in us the faith we need to trust fully in Him.
Blessings to you and yours,
Theresa
Crystal, thanks for posting about this book. I recently read two other books(Sex, Romance and the Glory of God by C.J., the husband AND Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother by Carolyn, the wife) by the Mahaneys and found them to be "on spot" encouraging. We don't have daughters but might have daughter-in-laws and granddaughters some day so this read is of interest to me.
As far as your post goes: Amen! :-)
Thanks so much for sharing this!! It was someting I really needed to hear right now!
If you love the book (as I do), you'll love the Girl Talk blog! The Mahaney women are full of Christ-centered wisdom, and it's always the first blog I read!
http://girltalk.blogs.com
Thanks, Crystal for sharing that awesome Spurgeon quote!
Love that Spurgeon quote ~ one of my truest praises to God is, "You have never let us down." And it's true. When we cast our cares upon Jesus, he never, never lets us down. I can't think of a single time. Now when we try to take things into our own hands...
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