“To be honest, I don’t know why I even write anymore,” I thought to myself one morning. “I don’t know much about anything and I’m full of very little wisdom. I’m a mom and a wife and I take photos for myself and that’s about it. I’ve never written a book, I don’t have a thriving business and last school year I was called a bad parent and it makes me try too hard at this blasted homeschooling thing.”
Cleaning the house? Don’t get me started. Actually, if you did get me started I would be completely overwhelmed and would end up in a fetal position crying and still nothing would get cleaned.
Cooking? I try my best but I often find myself imagining that cardboard with salt would taste better than my dinners.
Parenting? Last week my daughter bit her brother in the shoulder because he was sitting in the chair she wanted and my son is addicted to Minecraft. I have a huge “Fear of Missing Out ” (FOMO) problem but it’s mainly focused on my children because I already know I’m missing out and I’m so tired every single day of my life I don’t even care.
In other words, I’m a mess, or so I feel most days.
My one comfort is knowing I’m not alone, that I may be a train wreck but somewhere in this world there is another mom in another house feeling as inadequate as me.
And despite how we feel, the truth is we are loved, we are worthy and we can be used by God even when others have written us off. I express doubts often and recently, after three weeks of trials stacked one on top of another on top of our family, I tossed out a few words of doubt on Facebook about whether or not God even cares for us.
I received an admonishment from a fellow Christian who told me: “Repent of your thinking” because nothing comforts a person dealing with trials by telling them they’re falling short in their Christian walk.
Those scolding comments are something that tends to make me pause and decide I’m not worthy to talk about faith or Christ, wonder why I even thought I should, and lead me to withdrawal within myself and vow to keep my inferior opinions to myself. The truth is, though, we are all on our own journey and on that journey we are going to stumble more than once.
Maybe God can use me even if I have doubts and I express them and I say things that don’t fit your idea of what a “good Christian girl” should say or should be. Maybe I show my weak moments when you hide yours but that does not exclude me from being used by God.
Maybe I show my weak moments when you hide yours but that does not exclude me from being used by God.
Those comments that don’t sound “Biblical” to you or don’t fit your personal narrative, those comments I throw out there in a moment of frustration or under the heavy burden of trial after trial after trial in a short amount of time, don’t dismiss me from God’s list of people who can be used for His Kingdom.
As I heard Pastor Steven Furtick say in a recent sermon: “There is nothing wrong with you that isn’t right with God.”
If you’re like me and feel your imperfect attitude disqualifies you from speaking your feelings about faith and God, let’s remind each other God does not call the qualified, he qualifies the called and maybe what some of us are called to do is let our messy moments show so others know they’re not alone.
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God can absolutely use anyone!!! Keep on keeping on mama. You be who you are and let God be who He is. (Love Steven Furtick!!)
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You be Amazed how God can and will use anyone for His purpose. He took me and turn my whole life around. I’m a breathing, walking, living witness to where He brought me from. I was a Sinner Saved by Jesus Christ. My life was messed up. So allow Him to use you for His purpose. So don’t stop believing and trusting in Him. He hasn’t given up on you, so don’t give up on Him. He is Faithful!! ((Hugs))
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Thank you, Betty Jo.
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Thank you so much for this! Because I am that other mom. I’ve been feeling like a hot mess lately trying to homeschool and wondering if I’m even getting it right, plus trying to keep up with housework and cooking and you name it! I see now that I’m not a hot mess in God’s eyes. God bless you!
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I’m so glad to hear this! Just know that I am out there being a hot mess at the same time! You’re not alone and with God we are never alone. He loves us no matter what!
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