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A One Word Mission Statement

At the beginning of this year, I decided I would jump on the band wagon of some of my favorite homeschool mom bloggers and claim in Jesus’ name, one WORD for the whole year to live by. A one word mission statement that is the starting place for God’s will in my life. I prayed and prayed for God to reveal that word to me. Many of them came to mind. Words like Love, Grace, Faith, Persevere, Pray and Forgive. But He placed only one on my heart. My word would be ABIDE. Without abiding in Christ, I really can’t love or forgive others well, have grace for someone else or even accept God’s grace in my own life, persevere through tough times, have a strong faith or come to God with a humble heart in prayer.

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Abide.

This was a tough one to follow, but I knew that if I claimed it because God placed it on my heart…He would also make a way for me to truly abide. I can’t tell you how many days over this past year, and many before it, that I sat in frustration because staying close to Jesus throughout my day nearly seemed an impossible task. Often, in my sleep deprived state with four active boys running around, clean unfolded laundry piles so high they begin building forts within them, dishes literally covering every counter space, behavior issues mounting, school lessons left untaught and me in the middle of it all…wondering why for the one hundred and fourteenth attempt that day I couldn’t find a single moment to read my bible or pray. The enemy loves to hear us say we just can’t abide. I, at least, felt like I wasn’t abiding very well and on some days, it felt nearly impossible.

 

My heart changed, therefore my faith did too.

What happened this year in my heart was nothing short of a miracle…. I learned rather quickly that I was forgetting something. Our God is a God of Grace! He knows where us moms are at…the season we’re in, the feelings we feel, the challenges we face DAILY. He knows when our hearts, minds and bodies are tired…even weary. He sees it all and loves us anyway. He hears every thought that crosses our mind our still…He loves us beyond comprehension.

God taught me many lessons this year, but one of the biggest lessons I learned was that even a very busy homeschooling mama can stay close to God throughout her day…no matter what her circumstances. It’s in the moments when we choose joy instead of defeat, when we speak gentle words of encouragement instead of harsh ones because some expectation wasn’t met, when we ask for forgiveness after we mess up and when we pull our kids in close to pray because the day is not going the way we hoped it would. Abiding means we seize even the tiniest moments between cooking a meal and washing the dishes to listen to a bible teaching on an iPhone or online. We leave our bibles open so when there is a quiet moment we can grab a fresh word and we stand as close as we possibly can to the One who will hold us up in every moment by just whispering His name. THAT is how we remain in Jesus.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. -John 15:7

 

Making time to be with God is a lifestyle choice.

…much like homeschooling. We choose to embrace it in all we do, not give it a separate box up on the shelf that gets pulled down when the moment is right. That box, I realized, was my problem. So, I unpacked it, gave it all to God in prayer and asked Him to help me never ever again place Him in a neat little container labeled “Things to Do When I Have Time”. There may be a time down the road when I can spend longer moments deep in the Word or actually attend an outside women’s bible study group, but for now…God is showing me how to abide in this season of life, well.

Word of the Year

What word will I claim for this year?

According to my revolving rolodex of lists on file and the fact that somehow I never manage to complete them and maybe they’re not all that realistic in the first place….you would think that Balance might be the word for me. Close. God has spoken a different word over my heart this year. It’s one that builds upon the lessons I’ve learned this year. Surrender. In order to gain some healthy balance in my life, I first need to surrender my plans, my ways and yes, even my lists.

Is there a word God is leading you to claim as your one word mission statement for this next year? What is it?

Megan Spires 200 X 200 Megan and her amazing husband, along with their four young sons live in Washington state. She is a homeschooling mom after the heart of Jesus and wanting to make Him famous to her boys each and every day. As often as possible, Megan and her boys spend their time away from the table learning with a very hands-on approach. They love unit studies, science experiments, great books and especially the outdoors. One of her sons was born with a significant hearing loss, so her family learned American Sign Language, which has been an amazing blessing to all of them. Megan is passionate about encouraging moms in their faith, is inspired by others willing to share their real-life stories, finds joy in the everyday of Motherhood and loves spending as much time as possible in God’s creation with her family.

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5 Comments

  1. My one word for this year is “Simple”. I need to find a way slow down and simplify my life, my relationships with others, my stuff.

    Have a great day.
    Kristen

  2. Dear Megan,
    This truly brought tears to my eyes. It’s so funny how sometimes things and words find you in your most time of need. I have a 19 yr old stepson that I have raised since he was 18 months old he was born some brain damage which left him delayed in his years, but he can function as well as an adult teenager. He is in a treatment program now where he is still getting to go to a life learning school (which he loves) and he is also working now at a WaWa on the weekends and he got to open a bank account , he is so proud to be the owner of a debit card…LOL I couldn’t be more proud at how far he has come. This long journey with his disability’s has been grueling for as he got bigger so did his anger which was very scary. The worst part of it all is when I had to call the cops on him because of a ti rent he was on I was scared to death, but somehow I was able to stay with him at the crisis center all night until he was given a room where he stayed for 2 weeks until we got him into the program he is in now and he gets to live in house with 2 other boys his treatment parent is just wonderful and he is growing into a wonderful young man,

    In with all my son has endured he also has 2 sisters that are 7 and 2 and they just adore him. But in between my 2 daughters I suffered a miss carriage. I didn’t plan on becoming pregnant again but God had different plans in 2009 I found out I pregnant with my Gracie and the best part was I found out on Fathers Day, I handed my husband the test and said Happy Fathers Day Honey!!!LOL Gracie with be 3 in January, and now I know if I didn’t have a miscarriage I wouldn’t have my Gracie. So I know God had a plan for me that he knew there was something wrong with my pregnancy, I was so sick and in and out of the hospital so he took my baby to make an Angel. I know my baby is up in heaven doing Gods work.

    Now I am 37, I suffer with anxiety and depression which I am on medicine for, but now I am raising my 3 and 2 yr old niece and nephew due to there father being incarcerated for shoplifting and their mother in rehab for drugs. I am trying to get custody of them. So my faith has been shaken I have been on an emotional roller coaster the past 6 weeks since they have been with us. I have screamed why me, the one that tries to do everything right to live how Jesus wants me to ,and obey all the laws and then I realized through a lot of tears and anger towards my brother in law and the kids mom that it’s not worth the energy to waste on them I bringing myself down for things I cannot change. The only thing I can change is the happiness of these 2 children, to show them what it’s like to be a family, to play outside and get dirty, to laugh, to sing, to learn hands on. I homeschool my 7 yr old and she learns best hands on, she loves exploring asking questions about everything, so I use all this to my advantage not only is she learning , but my 2 yr old and my niece and nephew are learning to without even knowing they are learning, and the funny thing is I am learning to I have learned more from home schooling than I did when I was in school. I now know that God had a plan for me and I know he will guide me through this time, he knows the rewards are going to out way any struggles that come. One thing I have learned through my life we are not always handed things we ask for we are handed things because God knows we can do it and he needs us and trusts us with this task. I am not sure what word yet would some up my year but I do know that I have abide to Jesus because I let go of things I cannot change. I am doing what works for my family and I and we are happy and healthy then that’s all that matters. I’d rather have memories of laughter than memories of misery and what ifs. So I think my word for me now that I think about it is “BREATHE”
    Life goes fast and so do childhood years and I am going to soak up every minute of my family time, because I couldn’t be more grateful for what I have, because you can’t put a price tag on happiness and family.

    Thank You for sharing your words of encouragement you never know how much this touched my heart and how I know exactly how you feel raising children, and the long list of chores that follow keeping up, You truly did bring tears to my eyes and my heart a little lighter today. Again I thank you!!!!

    Warmest Regards
    Amy Conrad

  3. My word for 2012 was LIMIT. I was focused on limiting the time killers and the bad habits….drinking sodas, eating junk food, and wasting time on facebook. I definitely made some strides in this area, but probably didn’t get as far as I wanted to. My word for 2013 that God has placed on my heart is CONNECT. I don’t know what all this entails at this point, but I know it’s my directive from God. I know part of this is to connect more to my kids instead of just shuffling schoolwork with them…..and to connect with some friends and maybe a new church. I’m excited to see what connections God brings to me!

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