Rejoice Always

Welcome to the first ever “Thankful Mommy” blog post. Lately, as I have been thinking and praying more and more about actually posting my thoughts and prayers for the internet world to see, I have been reading and I have noticed a theme…moms are tired! It seems most moms want to be joyful but are just weary, and tired, sometimes ashamed of losing their tempers with their children, or being in too much of a hurry from one thing to the next. Moms want their joy back, but they don’t always know how to get it.

            I was talking to my husband the other day about my desire to start a blog for moms. His response was “What is your purpose in writing this? What do you hope to accomplish?” Those are important questions to me because honestly, there are plenty of mom blogs out there. Does the world really need one more blog for already busy moms to spend their few extra minutes of time reading? Do I have anything to say that is going to make life any better or easier for my fellow moms in these trenches of the years of motherhood, trying to mold their precious little ones? My answer is this. I just want to encourage moms with Biblical truth. That’s it. That’s where the joy comes from, that is how we get it back, from the truth of God’s Word alone.

            The name “Thankful Mommy” just comes from the fact that I am thankful to be a mom. I am thankful for my two sweet sons and the gift that they are from God. It is the desire of my heart, even in the hard moments, to try and never take that for granted. But most of all I am thankful to God, for His goodness, His faithfulness, His forgiveness, His salvation through Jesus Christ, and His Word that reveals Himself to us.

            So wherever you are in life, if your children are little like mine, or school age, or even grown; if you are a mom that serves her family staying at home full time, or a mom that serves her family with a job outside of the home, my prayer is that you will find some encouragement here.

            I will always include a Bible reference in my blog and encourage you to reflect on that as you go about the busyness of your day. This one is actually the “memory verse” my 2 and 4 year old sons are working on right now. It has a really cute song that makes it even easier to memorize. I would sing it for you if I could. But for now I hope you will read it and think of it when the challenges come.

 ^“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 4-7.

            I love this passage from the first word, “Rejoice!” Notice that it doesn’t say rejoice when you have a great day or everything is running smoothly, it says to rejoice “always.” If you are a new year’s resolution kind of gal, the practice of rejoicing always, despite day to day circumstances is a great resolution to make.  That is really a goal we should practice for life, not just every new year, but every new day, to wake up and before the worries come, rejoice. Just thank God for a new day, a new chance. Let Him be the first person you say “good morning” to when your eyes open. It can change the whole course of your day.

Then it goes on to say people should know us by our gentleness. That is such a sweet word to describe motherhood isn’t it? Some days we might not look very gentle, but it is a beautiful reminder. And be anxious or worry for “nothing”.  That seems almost impossible when we feel like there is so much to worry about. Isn’t worrying a requirement in the mom job description?! But it doesn’t have to be.

The apostle, Paul, explains that when we go straight to God with our prayers, requests, and thanksgiving, the Lord gives us HIS peace, which passes all understanding. The kind of peace that in the midst of a tantrum, or a spill, or a mess, allows us to remember that this motherhood thing is a gift. It is another way God shows His unfailing love to us and through us.

            I am looking forward to getting to know each other better as we walk this sometimes smooth, sometimes bumpy motherhood road together. Today it is my prayer that you will rejoice in the Lord with me!

-Angela