June 26, 2025 • 26 mins
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Audrey (00:11):
Hello and welcome back to Grace For my Home.
I'm Audrey McCracken and I'm soglad you've joined me here
again this week.
I hope and pray that you'redoing well.
We are in the middle of summerhere in South Carolina.
It's starting to get hot.
This week it's going to get upinto the 90s, and so we're
trying to stay cool.
(00:32):
This is.
I love summer because it's achange of pace.
It's different.
My boys are home from school.
All of them are working thissummer.
They've all got part-time jobs.
They like to have a little bitof cash and so it's interesting.
It's interesting.
They all have their own thingsgoing on.
(00:55):
My oldest is getting ready tostart college in the fall and
he's bussing tables because he'sfound that that's a quick way
to make some money.
Then my middle son he wants tobe outside, so he's helping a
local farmer.
He's working outside learninghow to operate heavy equipment,
(01:17):
because that's what he wants todo.
My dad was a farmer and hepassed away before he had a
chance to teach my boys a lot ofthings.
They always wanted to learnthose things that Papa did.
So that's what he's doing thissummer, and he's also got
football practice every day, sothat's his other love.
That's one of the things heloves.
He loves football and he'strying to see about playing
(01:39):
football on the college levelnext year because he graduates
this year, and so he's going toa lot of football camps and just
investigating.
And then my youngest son, caleb, is working with me at the
coffee shop and he helped us getit started.
We were homeschooling at thattime and he really learned so
much.
I wish we'd had the coffee shopwhen my other boys were younger
(02:02):
, because he learned so muchjust about how to greet people,
how to talk to people, money,and so he's helping me this
summer.
He's working a couple of dayseach week and I love having him
with me.
My husband and I celebrated 23years of marriage yesterday and
to celebrate that we got away.
He had something in Greenville,north Carolina for school.
(02:23):
He received an honorary degreefrom the South Carolina chapter
of the FFA and so he went up toreceive that award, which was an
honor, and we did that onWednesday, and then we stayed a
couple more days in Greenville,just me and him, and it was so
nice.
Greenville, south Carolina, isa beautiful place, and we stayed
right downtown, walkingdistance of everything, and it
(02:45):
was right downtown, walkingdistance of everything, and it
was just nice to spend time withhim, and we don't get to do
that much during the regularschool season, so it was really
nice.
And now next week, the week ofthe 4th, our whole family is
going to go on vacation and Idon't have any more years I'm
going to be able to do that.
I don't know how many moreyears they're going to agree to
(03:06):
go with us because they'rebecoming young adults.
So as long as I can get them togo, we're going to do it.
But we're going to an amusementpark for a few days and a water
park, because that's theirthing.
I just kind of hang out withthem and, you know, take photos
and hold stuff while they're onroller coasters.
(03:28):
So just a little recap on whatI'm doing with my summer.
I'm trying to enjoy it.
Working at the coffee shop gotlots of things in my head.
I'm trying to get out on paper,but this change of pace is good
for me.
I hope that you're enjoyingyour summer.
Today I want to talk with youabout something simple, simple
but important.
I want to talk with you aboutinviting Jesus into your day and
(03:51):
walking with him throughout theday.
You know that's the goal right.
As Christian moms, we loveJesus, we want to please him, we
want to walk like him and actlike him.
But, to be honest, we can't dothat without him.
You know, so often I want to dosomething for the Lord, for His
(04:13):
approval, and I can't do that.
You know he's already doneeverything that's worth doing,
and now it's my job to walkclose to Him and to become more
and more like Him.
And so many times, you know, Isee myself as this little girl
who is trying to do something toimpress her father or do
something to please him.
(04:33):
And the truth is he doesn'twant us to do great things so
that we can get his approval,because he's already approved of
us through the blood of Jesus.
He wants us to walk with himand get to know him, and so each
day is an opportunity for us toget to know him, for us to walk
with him and not impress him,but to bless him with our love,
(05:00):
and that's what he's looking for.
He's looking for relationship,he's looking for commitment.
He's not looking for us toimpress him.
And so I want to talk with youabout each day inviting Jesus
into your day I became aChristian, a true Christian.
In my early 20s I had my ownexperience with Jesus and he
(05:25):
became real in my life.
I finally saw Jesus withspiritual eyes.
I mean, if you've had thatexperience, then you understand.
And there's no way that I canexplain it except for God opened
my eyes and I saw him.
I saw, you know, not physically, but I saw that God was real,
(05:47):
that he loved me and that he hadmade a way for me.
And that way is Jesus loved meand that he had made a way for
me.
And that way is Jesus.
And I saw that all of thethings that I grew up learning
about in Sunday school were trueand that he was inviting me to
know him, to love him, to learnmore about him, and that he was
(06:07):
my life, that he was the lifegiver and that he created me on
purpose, for a purpose, and theonly way I could fulfill my
purpose in life was through him.
And so I started on anincredible journey, an exciting
journey, learning who Jesus was.
And at the time I was in college, I was single, and I remember
(06:30):
being so hungry for the word,being so hungry to get into the
Bible and learn the truth andlearn about this God who had
saved me.
And so I would spend hoursreading and praying and studying
, and you know, that was not aburden to me, that was a
blessing, and I would just feedon the word.
(06:52):
And I loved it.
And at that time I had somepeople that were looking out for
me, that were helping me tolearn how to walk with God, and
they gave me the best adviceEvery day, start it with Jesus.
Every day, put him as apriority, get up, have a
devotion, find a daily devotion,read through that devotion.
(07:14):
Then get into the Bible, readthe Bible, pray and start your
day with him.
Best advice ever for a youngChristian, because that's where
our strength is.
It lies in him and in spendingtime with him and getting to
know him, so that he's not justthe God that everyone tells you
about, but he's the God that youknow.
And so I developed a habit, andyou know, once you develop a
(07:37):
habit, you don't feel right ifyou don't do it.
You know it's like brushingyour teeth you don't feel right
if you don't.
That's how spending time withJesus was for me.
Every day I woke up and he wasthe first, and that was the
first thing that I would do.
Well, fast forward 12 yearslater and I'm a working mom.
I'm working probably 50 or morehours a week.
(07:59):
I have three children, four andunder.
I have a home and a husband andwe're in ministry.
And at the same time, I'mtrying to juggle all this stuff
and I just remember thinking,thinking there is no time and
there wasn't any time, there wasno time to spend with Jesus,
(08:19):
and the guilt because I had soingrained in my mind that every
day I will spend time with Jesus.
Well, when you're trying tobreastfeed and keep the dishes
washed and get to work on timeand not get fired, it doesn't
always work out as smoothly asyou think it should.
(08:40):
I remember thinking well, if Icould just quit my job, if I
could just quit my job, thatwould solve all my problems.
I'd have all this time.
I'd have time to spend with theLord, I'd have time to read and
pray, I'd have more time withmy children, I'd have more time
with my husband, I'd have moretime for me.
And any stay-at-home mom outthere who's listening to this
right now knows how funny thatis.
(09:01):
It's probably laughing rightnow because you know how
unrealistic that is.
It sounds good, but the truthis, when I finally did quit my
job and I come home, I didn'tfind that extra time because at
least when I was working fulltime, I had to drive or commute
Right, and so I could pray onthe way.
(09:23):
I had a lunch break.
I didn't always take it, but onmost days I had 30 minutes an
hour where I could just sit inmy car and read or listen to an
audible book, and so I had sometime where I could decompress
and I could talk to Jesus and Icould be an adult.
(09:43):
So I felt like I was at leastat least getting in time with
him for a second.
Well, when I come home, Ididn't have any of that.
I mean, I was on 24-7.
And you know I love thesechildren, but I felt like they
were sucking the life out of meand I didn't have time to feel
(10:04):
back up.
And at that time I was alsogoing through some health issues
, a health crisis that I broughton myself because of my poor
eating habits and my refusal tobelieve that I was human and
needed sleep and couldn't drinkcoffee at 11 o'clock at night.
But all those things got me toa point where I had to come to
(10:27):
some hard truths, and one ofthose was that I was in a
different season and I wasputting expectations on myself
that Jesus was not putting on me.
Jesus saw where I was, godunderstood where I was and he
saw my heart, and my heart wasto know him and to love him.
(10:48):
But I was in a season where Icould no longer put in hours of
time, but at the same time, Istill needed him.
I still needed him and Icouldn't go in my own strength
and do the kind of things that Iwas doing.
I couldn't raise my childrenfor Jesus and love them and be
(11:08):
patient and kind with them,unless I had spent time with the
Lord, because in my own self,in my own strength, I was weak
and I wasn't.
I mean, I'm human, I'm fleshand he is divine, and so I
(11:28):
needed time with Him, pouringwith Him, pouring Himself into
me and teaching me and showingme His kindness, so I could, in
turn, show that to my children.
And so, lord, how do we do that?
Well, after I stopped beatingmyself up, after I came to the
point where I realized thatJesus wasn't putting this heavy
burden on me and saying no, youfigure it out.
He wanted to walk with me everyday and that I wasn't
(11:51):
impressing him by trying tospend hours at night when I
should have been in bed sleepingbecause the next day was coming
quickly.
I wasn't impressing him, and sohe started showing me how, each
day, to walk with him and totalk to him throughout the day
and to communicate with him inlittle ways, and each day I
(12:14):
started inviting him into mylife.
Each day, I would wake up,usually before I got out of bed,
and I would pray a prayersomething like this Jesus, I
need your strength today.
You know what today holds and Idon't, but I ask you to help me
walk close to you and I ask you, lord, to give me the grace I
(12:37):
need to be the mom and the wifeand the friend that you need me
to be today.
Strengthen me and help me findyou, and that's the kind of
prayer I would pray.
And then I would get up and,you know, as time allowed, I
would try to get up early andspend a little time with the
Lord.
Inevitably, it seemed like onthose days when I got up the
(12:59):
earliest, so did my children.
I don't know how that works,but sometimes I would be able to
enjoy 30 minutes or so in theBible.
Some days I didn't, but Ididn't beat myself up in the
Bible.
Some days I didn't, but Ididn't beat myself up.
It was still my goal, but Ididn't feel like a failure if it
(13:21):
didn't happen.
And then I started finding waysand times that I could fill the
pockets with Jesus is what Icalled it Fill the pockets with
Jesus.
There would be times in themorning when we would do
breakfast.
I tried to do devotions duringbreakfast because when people,
when they, when my children hadfood in their mouth and they
were usually quiet, so as theywere eating, I would do
devotions with them.
And that became time that wegot in the word together and for
(13:45):
me that counted.
That counted as time in theword.
You know, it wasn't just metelling them, it was us reading
the word together and growingtogether in God and I counted
that as time with Jesus.
And then, you know, as theywould go on and get ready for
the day and, you know, brushtheir teeth and those kind of
things, as they got older andthey could do those things on
(14:06):
their own and I would clean upthe kitchen.
I would put on a podcast.
I would put on a Bible podcast.
There are several out there, achapter a day Bible podcast.
I would put on something likethat and listen to the Bible,
listen to the Word.
I had some very encouragingpodcasts that I found, so I
(14:28):
would listen to things while Iwas doing meals, while I was
doing lunch, while I was doingsupper, something to renew my
mind in the word, rather thanjust listening to the news or
listening to something frivolous.
I would try to redeem that time.
Another thing that I would dowhen I would take them outside
(14:49):
to play.
We had a little play setoutside.
They love to get in the waterhose in the summer and I would
just get my lawn chair and I'dget my Bible.
And as I could as they grewolder, you know it became easier
.
I didn't have to be on themevery minute I would read, I'd
read the Bible.
I had a little schedule whereyou know you have these
(15:13):
schedules and you read the Biblein a year.
Well, so what if you don't makeit in a year?
You know sometimes it takes.
It might take you two years, itmight take you three years, but
each day I had a section that Iwould read and that was helpful
for me because I didn't have tothink about what am I going to
read today?
Others days I'd feel like theLord had put his finger on
something and I would go to thatchapter, I would go to that
(15:35):
verse and you know, I got notecards and I would have my note
cards placed throughout thehouse to renew my mind, to help
me to think about good things.
I remember we were doing aproject for school one year.
We were doing art.
Remember, we were doing aproject for school one year.
We were doing art, and one ofmy boys, they painted on a piece
(15:56):
of paper love and be kind and Ithink they got it from one of
our Bible verses that morningand he was so proud of that
paper and I put it up and Iwould see that.
You know, I would see thatpainting that he painted for me
(16:18):
on the refrigerator that saidlove and be kind and it reminded
me to love and be kind.
You know, when I felt mytemperature rising or I felt,
you know, my anger boilingunderneath the surface, I would
look up and it would say loveand be kind and it was a
reminder to me from the Lord,from my son, to love that day
(16:39):
and to be kind.
And so see, it's not always inthe big things, you know, it's
not always in the hours that youcan get in the Word.
Sometimes it's just the pocketsof time that the Lord helps,
you see, helps you find, youknow, the shower was one of them
for me.
I could go in the shower and Iremember my husband asking me
one time he said why do you takesuch long showers?
(17:00):
And I said well, that's theonly time that nobody needs me,
that's the only time that I have20 minutes of undisturbed time.
And you know, his thing was wehave no hot water by the time
it's my turn to take a shower.
But those little pockets, theysaved me, they helped me to see
(17:21):
that I can still communicatewith heaven, I can still talk to
Jesus, even though it may notbe like it used to be, because
this is a new season, and thathe honors that time with me and
that powerful things happenduring that time.
And, guys, this is one of thereasons that I do what I do,
because the blogs, the podcaststhat I listen to, the
(17:47):
devotionals that I read duringthose times when it felt like I
had no time.
But those little things, theyencouraged me so much to keep on
going, that God is not upsetwith you.
He's proud of you.
He sees you're trying.
Keep on going.
He's with you.
Don't try to impress him.
Walk with him today.
(18:09):
Don't try to do it all and showhim your love, because you're
doing it all.
Lean on him and trust that heloves you and he's going to help
you do what's needed.
And that's one of the reasons Ido this because I want to be
that encouraging word for youand for others who are trying
(18:31):
and looking for Jesus and needJesus in the everyday moments.
And that's one of the reasons Iwrote the devotional.
That I wrote covered in prayer31 prayers to cover you and your
children in God's grace.
That's why I do this podcast.
That's why I want to start adaily devotion podcast, which
I'm working on right now.
(18:52):
You know, a short, five to 10minute podcast that you can
listen to, you know, whileyou're driving to the grocery
store or while your kids areplaying or watching a show on TV
.
I want to be able to give you alittle boost through the day,
and so it's kind of my way ofgiving back, my way of saying,
(19:15):
hey, we're in this together andwe can do this.
You know God, god gives usenough grace.
You know he gives us himselfand he gives us each other, and
he tells us to encourage oneanother in the word, and that's
my job is to encourage you inthe word.
I was working at the shop a fewweeks ago and it was in the
(19:37):
afternoon, which is much slowerand I had a lady come in the
shop who is friends with my mom,so she's my mom's age and she
recently lost her husband mom'sage and she recently lost her
husband.
And so when she walked in, youknow, I told her I'm so sorry
(20:00):
about Bill and she startedcrying and I felt bad.
I wasn't trying to make her cry, I just wanted her to know that
.
You know that I'd been praying,for she said I came to the shop
today to buy one of your booksand I knew she had already
bought one and I said okay.
And she said I pray theseprayers over my children every
day, and her children are grownwith children of their own.
(20:22):
And she said I want to buy onetoday for my daughter so she can
pray these prayers over mygrandchildren and guys.
You know, when I wrote that book, my heart was to bless, and I
(20:42):
want to tell you of all theaccolades and all of the
compliments that I've gottenover that book.
That was probably the mostencouraging thing anyone has
said to me about that book thefact that each morning she
starts her day praying a prayer,a simple prayer from my book,
over her two grown children, andthat now she wants to give that
(21:07):
to her daughter to pray overher grandchildren.
That was the biggest complimentthat anyone's ever given me.
I think no.
We all need encouragement andit helped encourage me that I'm
on the right track, that this iswhat I'm supposed to be doing
at this time, at this season, atthis juncture in my life.
And so I say all of that to sayyou're doing a great job, okay.
Say all of that to say you'redoing a great job, okay, you're
(21:32):
going to make it.
You can do this.
You can grow closer to Jesus,no matter your circumstance, no
matter how busy you are, nomatter what's going on.
He will show you how.
He will help you to draw nearto him.
He will give you opportunity.
(21:54):
It doesn't have to beimpressive or doesn't have to be
hours.
It can be little moments thathe shows you that he's right
here with you, little moments torenew your mind, little moments
to remind you that his grace isenough, that he understands
that you are but flesh and thathe doesn't want you to try to
impress him, but just to walkwith him.
I just want to pray over youtoday, father.
(22:16):
I thank you for my listenerstoday.
I thank you for these women who, lord, they're growing in grace
, they're coming after you and Ipray that you would give them
the strength, the encouragement,the grace they need.
I pray, lord, god, that theywould know your great love for
them, that you're cheering themon.
(22:36):
Lord, you're not beating themdown, lord, you're not judging
them.
Lord, you're encouraging them.
You're saying come on, come on,it's not too hard.
And I pray, god, that this weekthat they would have something
special would come into theirlife, that, lord, something
would happen.
That, lord, an answer to prayer, lord, something they've been
(22:57):
hoping for.
Lord, I pray that you wouldbless them in a way that only
you can.
And, lord, I pray God justprotection over them and their
families.
In Jesus' name, amen.
If you find this podcastencouraging.
Reach out to me, let me knowyou're listening.
Sign up for my weekly email.
(23:18):
I send out an email each weekto encourage you guys.
I have a free devotional guideon my blog, graceformyhomecom.
I will link that devotionalguide.
It's free.
It's just a way to help you getstarted with a daily devotion,
if it's not something that youdo right now, and I will put a
(23:39):
link to that in the show notes.
Also, I encourage you topurchase, covered in Prayer, 31
Prayers to Cover you and yourChildren in God's Grace.
I think it will encourage you.
I think it'll bless you as amom.
I'll put the link to that inthe show notes as well.
Like I said, please reach outto me.
Send me a text.
You can text me right from theshow notes.
(23:59):
Send me an email.
I'd so love to hear from you.
God bless, have a great week.
Hello and welcome back to Grace For my Home.
I'm Audrey McCracken and I'm soglad you've joined me here
again this week.
I hope and pray that you'redoing well.
We are in the middle of summerhere in South Carolina.
It's starting to get hot.
This week it's going to get upinto the 90s, and so we're
trying to stay cool.
(00:32):
This is.
I love summer because it's achange of pace.
It's different.
My boys are home from school.
All of them are working thissummer.
They've all got part-time jobs.
They like to have a little bitof cash and so it's interesting.
It's interesting.
They all have their own thingsgoing on.
(00:55):
My oldest is getting ready tostart college in the fall and
he's bussing tables because he'sfound that that's a quick way
to make some money.
Then my middle son he wants tobe outside, so he's helping a
local farmer.
He's working outside learninghow to operate heavy equipment,
(01:17):
because that's what he wants todo.
My dad was a farmer and hepassed away before he had a
chance to teach my boys a lot ofthings.
They always wanted to learnthose things that Papa did.
So that's what he's doing thissummer, and he's also got
football practice every day, sothat's his other love.
That's one of the things heloves.
He loves football and he'strying to see about playing
(01:39):
football on the college levelnext year because he graduates
this year, and so he's going toa lot of football camps and just
investigating.
And then my youngest son, caleb, is working with me at the
coffee shop and he helped us getit started.
We were homeschooling at thattime and he really learned so
much.
I wish we'd had the coffee shopwhen my other boys were younger
(02:02):
, because he learned so muchjust about how to greet people,
how to talk to people, money,and so he's helping me this
summer.
He's working a couple of dayseach week and I love having him
with me.
My husband and I celebrated 23years of marriage yesterday and
to celebrate that we got away.
He had something in Greenville,north Carolina for school.
(02:23):
He received an honorary degreefrom the South Carolina chapter
of the FFA and so he went up toreceive that award, which was an
honor, and we did that onWednesday, and then we stayed a
couple more days in Greenville,just me and him, and it was so
nice.
Greenville, south Carolina, isa beautiful place, and we stayed
right downtown, walkingdistance of everything, and it
(02:45):
was right downtown, walkingdistance of everything, and it
was just nice to spend time withhim, and we don't get to do
that much during the regularschool season, so it was really
nice.
And now next week, the week ofthe 4th, our whole family is
going to go on vacation and Idon't have any more years I'm
going to be able to do that.
I don't know how many moreyears they're going to agree to
(03:06):
go with us because they'rebecoming young adults.
So as long as I can get them togo, we're going to do it.
But we're going to an amusementpark for a few days and a water
park, because that's theirthing.
I just kind of hang out withthem and, you know, take photos
and hold stuff while they're onroller coasters.
(03:28):
So just a little recap on whatI'm doing with my summer.
I'm trying to enjoy it.
Working at the coffee shop gotlots of things in my head.
I'm trying to get out on paper,but this change of pace is good
for me.
I hope that you're enjoyingyour summer.
Today I want to talk with youabout something simple, simple
but important.
I want to talk with you aboutinviting Jesus into your day and
(03:51):
walking with him throughout theday.
You know that's the goal right.
As Christian moms, we loveJesus, we want to please him, we
want to walk like him and actlike him.
But, to be honest, we can't dothat without him.
You know, so often I want to dosomething for the Lord, for His
(04:13):
approval, and I can't do that.
You know he's already doneeverything that's worth doing,
and now it's my job to walkclose to Him and to become more
and more like Him.
And so many times, you know, Isee myself as this little girl
who is trying to do something toimpress her father or do
something to please him.
(04:33):
And the truth is he doesn'twant us to do great things so
that we can get his approval,because he's already approved of
us through the blood of Jesus.
He wants us to walk with himand get to know him, and so each
day is an opportunity for us toget to know him, for us to walk
with him and not impress him,but to bless him with our love,
(05:00):
and that's what he's looking for.
He's looking for relationship,he's looking for commitment.
He's not looking for us toimpress him.
And so I want to talk with youabout each day inviting Jesus
into your day I became aChristian, a true Christian.
In my early 20s I had my ownexperience with Jesus and he
(05:25):
became real in my life.
I finally saw Jesus withspiritual eyes.
I mean, if you've had thatexperience, then you understand.
And there's no way that I canexplain it except for God opened
my eyes and I saw him.
I saw, you know, not physically, but I saw that God was real,
(05:47):
that he loved me and that he hadmade a way for me.
And that way is Jesus loved meand that he had made a way for
me.
And that way is Jesus.
And I saw that all of thethings that I grew up learning
about in Sunday school were trueand that he was inviting me to
know him, to love him, to learnmore about him, and that he was
(06:07):
my life, that he was the lifegiver and that he created me on
purpose, for a purpose, and theonly way I could fulfill my
purpose in life was through him.
And so I started on anincredible journey, an exciting
journey, learning who Jesus was.
And at the time I was in college, I was single, and I remember
(06:30):
being so hungry for the word,being so hungry to get into the
Bible and learn the truth andlearn about this God who had
saved me.
And so I would spend hoursreading and praying and studying
, and you know, that was not aburden to me, that was a
blessing, and I would just feedon the word.
(06:52):
And I loved it.
And at that time I had somepeople that were looking out for
me, that were helping me tolearn how to walk with God, and
they gave me the best adviceEvery day, start it with Jesus.
Every day, put him as apriority, get up, have a
devotion, find a daily devotion,read through that devotion.
(07:14):
Then get into the Bible, readthe Bible, pray and start your
day with him.
Best advice ever for a youngChristian, because that's where
our strength is.
It lies in him and in spendingtime with him and getting to
know him, so that he's not justthe God that everyone tells you
about, but he's the God that youknow.
And so I developed a habit, andyou know, once you develop a
(07:37):
habit, you don't feel right ifyou don't do it.
You know it's like brushingyour teeth you don't feel right
if you don't.
That's how spending time withJesus was for me.
Every day I woke up and he wasthe first, and that was the
first thing that I would do.
Well, fast forward 12 yearslater and I'm a working mom.
I'm working probably 50 or morehours a week.
(07:59):
I have three children, four andunder.
I have a home and a husband andwe're in ministry.
And at the same time, I'mtrying to juggle all this stuff
and I just remember thinking,thinking there is no time and
there wasn't any time, there wasno time to spend with Jesus,
(08:19):
and the guilt because I had soingrained in my mind that every
day I will spend time with Jesus.
Well, when you're trying tobreastfeed and keep the dishes
washed and get to work on timeand not get fired, it doesn't
always work out as smoothly asyou think it should.
(08:40):
I remember thinking well, if Icould just quit my job, if I
could just quit my job, thatwould solve all my problems.
I'd have all this time.
I'd have time to spend with theLord, I'd have time to read and
pray, I'd have more time withmy children, I'd have more time
with my husband, I'd have moretime for me.
And any stay-at-home mom outthere who's listening to this
right now knows how funny thatis.
(09:01):
It's probably laughing rightnow because you know how
unrealistic that is.
It sounds good, but the truthis, when I finally did quit my
job and I come home, I didn'tfind that extra time because at
least when I was working fulltime, I had to drive or commute
Right, and so I could pray onthe way.
(09:23):
I had a lunch break.
I didn't always take it, but onmost days I had 30 minutes an
hour where I could just sit inmy car and read or listen to an
audible book, and so I had sometime where I could decompress
and I could talk to Jesus and Icould be an adult.
(09:43):
So I felt like I was at leastat least getting in time with
him for a second.
Well, when I come home, Ididn't have any of that.
I mean, I was on 24-7.
And you know I love thesechildren, but I felt like they
were sucking the life out of meand I didn't have time to feel
(10:04):
back up.
And at that time I was alsogoing through some health issues
, a health crisis that I broughton myself because of my poor
eating habits and my refusal tobelieve that I was human and
needed sleep and couldn't drinkcoffee at 11 o'clock at night.
But all those things got me toa point where I had to come to
(10:27):
some hard truths, and one ofthose was that I was in a
different season and I wasputting expectations on myself
that Jesus was not putting on me.
Jesus saw where I was, godunderstood where I was and he
saw my heart, and my heart wasto know him and to love him.
(10:48):
But I was in a season where Icould no longer put in hours of
time, but at the same time, Istill needed him.
I still needed him and Icouldn't go in my own strength
and do the kind of things that Iwas doing.
I couldn't raise my childrenfor Jesus and love them and be
(11:08):
patient and kind with them,unless I had spent time with the
Lord, because in my own self,in my own strength, I was weak
and I wasn't.
I mean, I'm human, I'm fleshand he is divine, and so I
(11:28):
needed time with Him, pouringwith Him, pouring Himself into
me and teaching me and showingme His kindness, so I could, in
turn, show that to my children.
And so, lord, how do we do that?
Well, after I stopped beatingmyself up, after I came to the
point where I realized thatJesus wasn't putting this heavy
burden on me and saying no, youfigure it out.
He wanted to walk with me everyday and that I wasn't
(11:51):
impressing him by trying tospend hours at night when I
should have been in bed sleepingbecause the next day was coming
quickly.
I wasn't impressing him, and sohe started showing me how, each
day, to walk with him and totalk to him throughout the day
and to communicate with him inlittle ways, and each day I
(12:14):
started inviting him into mylife.
Each day, I would wake up,usually before I got out of bed,
and I would pray a prayersomething like this Jesus, I
need your strength today.
You know what today holds and Idon't, but I ask you to help me
walk close to you and I ask you, lord, to give me the grace I
(12:37):
need to be the mom and the wifeand the friend that you need me
to be today.
Strengthen me and help me findyou, and that's the kind of
prayer I would pray.
And then I would get up and,you know, as time allowed, I
would try to get up early andspend a little time with the
Lord.
Inevitably, it seemed like onthose days when I got up the
(12:59):
earliest, so did my children.
I don't know how that works,but sometimes I would be able to
enjoy 30 minutes or so in theBible.
Some days I didn't, but Ididn't beat myself up in the
Bible.
Some days I didn't, but Ididn't beat myself up.
It was still my goal, but Ididn't feel like a failure if it
(13:21):
didn't happen.
And then I started finding waysand times that I could fill the
pockets with Jesus is what Icalled it Fill the pockets with
Jesus.
There would be times in themorning when we would do
breakfast.
I tried to do devotions duringbreakfast because when people,
when they, when my children hadfood in their mouth and they
were usually quiet, so as theywere eating, I would do
devotions with them.
And that became time that wegot in the word together and for
(13:45):
me that counted.
That counted as time in theword.
You know, it wasn't just metelling them, it was us reading
the word together and growingtogether in God and I counted
that as time with Jesus.
And then, you know, as theywould go on and get ready for
the day and, you know, brushtheir teeth and those kind of
things, as they got older andthey could do those things on
(14:06):
their own and I would clean upthe kitchen.
I would put on a podcast.
I would put on a Bible podcast.
There are several out there, achapter a day Bible podcast.
I would put on something likethat and listen to the Bible,
listen to the Word.
I had some very encouragingpodcasts that I found, so I
(14:28):
would listen to things while Iwas doing meals, while I was
doing lunch, while I was doingsupper, something to renew my
mind in the word, rather thanjust listening to the news or
listening to something frivolous.
I would try to redeem that time.
Another thing that I would dowhen I would take them outside
(14:49):
to play.
We had a little play setoutside.
They love to get in the waterhose in the summer and I would
just get my lawn chair and I'dget my Bible.
And as I could as they grewolder, you know it became easier
.
I didn't have to be on themevery minute I would read, I'd
read the Bible.
I had a little schedule whereyou know you have these
(15:13):
schedules and you read the Biblein a year.
Well, so what if you don't makeit in a year?
You know sometimes it takes.
It might take you two years, itmight take you three years, but
each day I had a section that Iwould read and that was helpful
for me because I didn't have tothink about what am I going to
read today?
Others days I'd feel like theLord had put his finger on
something and I would go to thatchapter, I would go to that
(15:35):
verse and you know, I got notecards and I would have my note
cards placed throughout thehouse to renew my mind, to help
me to think about good things.
I remember we were doing aproject for school one year.
We were doing art.
Remember, we were doing aproject for school one year.
We were doing art, and one ofmy boys, they painted on a piece
(15:56):
of paper love and be kind and Ithink they got it from one of
our Bible verses that morningand he was so proud of that
paper and I put it up and Iwould see that.
You know, I would see thatpainting that he painted for me
(16:18):
on the refrigerator that saidlove and be kind and it reminded
me to love and be kind.
You know, when I felt mytemperature rising or I felt,
you know, my anger boilingunderneath the surface, I would
look up and it would say loveand be kind and it was a
reminder to me from the Lord,from my son, to love that day
(16:39):
and to be kind.
And so see, it's not always inthe big things, you know, it's
not always in the hours that youcan get in the Word.
Sometimes it's just the pocketsof time that the Lord helps,
you see, helps you find, youknow, the shower was one of them
for me.
I could go in the shower and Iremember my husband asking me
one time he said why do you takesuch long showers?
(17:00):
And I said well, that's theonly time that nobody needs me,
that's the only time that I have20 minutes of undisturbed time.
And you know, his thing was wehave no hot water by the time
it's my turn to take a shower.
But those little pockets, theysaved me, they helped me to see
(17:21):
that I can still communicatewith heaven, I can still talk to
Jesus, even though it may notbe like it used to be, because
this is a new season, and thathe honors that time with me and
that powerful things happenduring that time.
And, guys, this is one of thereasons that I do what I do,
because the blogs, the podcaststhat I listen to, the
(17:47):
devotionals that I read duringthose times when it felt like I
had no time.
But those little things, theyencouraged me so much to keep on
going, that God is not upsetwith you.
He's proud of you.
He sees you're trying.
Keep on going.
He's with you.
Don't try to impress him.
Walk with him today.
(18:09):
Don't try to do it all and showhim your love, because you're
doing it all.
Lean on him and trust that heloves you and he's going to help
you do what's needed.
And that's one of the reasons Ido this because I want to be
that encouraging word for youand for others who are trying
(18:31):
and looking for Jesus and needJesus in the everyday moments.
And that's one of the reasons Iwrote the devotional.
That I wrote covered in prayer31 prayers to cover you and your
children in God's grace.
That's why I do this podcast.
That's why I want to start adaily devotion podcast, which
I'm working on right now.
(18:52):
You know, a short, five to 10minute podcast that you can
listen to, you know, whileyou're driving to the grocery
store or while your kids areplaying or watching a show on TV
.
I want to be able to give you alittle boost through the day,
and so it's kind of my way ofgiving back, my way of saying,
(19:15):
hey, we're in this together andwe can do this.
You know God, god gives usenough grace.
You know he gives us himselfand he gives us each other, and
he tells us to encourage oneanother in the word, and that's
my job is to encourage you inthe word.
I was working at the shop a fewweeks ago and it was in the
(19:37):
afternoon, which is much slowerand I had a lady come in the
shop who is friends with my mom,so she's my mom's age and she
recently lost her husband mom'sage and she recently lost her
husband.
And so when she walked in, youknow, I told her I'm so sorry
(20:00):
about Bill and she startedcrying and I felt bad.
I wasn't trying to make her cry, I just wanted her to know that
.
You know that I'd been praying,for she said I came to the shop
today to buy one of your booksand I knew she had already
bought one and I said okay.
And she said I pray theseprayers over my children every
day, and her children are grownwith children of their own.
(20:22):
And she said I want to buy onetoday for my daughter so she can
pray these prayers over mygrandchildren and guys.
You know, when I wrote that book, my heart was to bless, and I
(20:42):
want to tell you of all theaccolades and all of the
compliments that I've gottenover that book.
That was probably the mostencouraging thing anyone has
said to me about that book thefact that each morning she
starts her day praying a prayer,a simple prayer from my book,
over her two grown children, andthat now she wants to give that
(21:07):
to her daughter to pray overher grandchildren.
That was the biggest complimentthat anyone's ever given me.
I think no.
We all need encouragement andit helped encourage me that I'm
on the right track, that this iswhat I'm supposed to be doing
at this time, at this season, atthis juncture in my life.
And so I say all of that to sayyou're doing a great job, okay.
Say all of that to say you'redoing a great job, okay, you're
(21:32):
going to make it.
You can do this.
You can grow closer to Jesus,no matter your circumstance, no
matter how busy you are, nomatter what's going on.
He will show you how.
He will help you to draw nearto him.
He will give you opportunity.
(21:54):
It doesn't have to beimpressive or doesn't have to be
hours.
It can be little moments thathe shows you that he's right
here with you, little moments torenew your mind, little moments
to remind you that his grace isenough, that he understands
that you are but flesh and thathe doesn't want you to try to
impress him, but just to walkwith him.
I just want to pray over youtoday, father.
(22:16):
I thank you for my listenerstoday.
I thank you for these women who, lord, they're growing in grace
, they're coming after you and Ipray that you would give them
the strength, the encouragement,the grace they need.
I pray, lord, god, that theywould know your great love for
them, that you're cheering themon.
(22:36):
Lord, you're not beating themdown, lord, you're not judging
them.
Lord, you're encouraging them.
You're saying come on, come on,it's not too hard.
And I pray, god, that this weekthat they would have something
special would come into theirlife, that, lord, something
would happen.
That, lord, an answer to prayer, lord, something they've been
(22:57):
hoping for.
Lord, I pray that you wouldbless them in a way that only
you can.
And, lord, I pray God justprotection over them and their
families.
In Jesus' name, amen.
If you find this podcastencouraging.
Reach out to me, let me knowyou're listening.
Sign up for my weekly email.
(23:18):
I send out an email each weekto encourage you guys.
I have a free devotional guideon my blog, graceformyhomecom.
I will link that devotionalguide.
It's free.
It's just a way to help you getstarted with a daily devotion,
if it's not something that youdo right now, and I will put a
(23:39):
link to that in the show notes.
Also, I encourage you topurchase, covered in Prayer, 31
Prayers to Cover you and yourChildren in God's Grace.
I think it will encourage you.
I think it'll bless you as amom.
I'll put the link to that inthe show notes as well.
Like I said, please reach outto me.
Send me a text.
You can text me right from theshow notes.
(23:59):
Send me an email.
I'd so love to hear from you.
God bless, have a great week.
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