Welcome to week 2 of our Real Moms…Real Jesus Discussion! Feel free to chime in on any part of our discussion. Pick one or two questions, all the questions, or ask a few questions of your own!
Let’s start with the Perpective: Help Everyone Wants a Piece of Me!
I KNOW you get this! Every mom feels pulled in so many different ways. But my question is, “Have you ever considered that Jesus gets this?” He knows what it feels like to be in high demand. Have you really thought about the fact that you can talk to Jesus about this? Have you done more of that since reading this Perspective?
Now on to Chapter 1: The Truth About Worship
What idols do you struggle with? For me, I have several. Control is one. I spend alot of time trying to “control” things in my life. Food is another. I have come to realize that sometimes I try to use food to fill the places that God wants to occupy in my heart. Too often, I’m worshipping the the wrong things! I’m working on being more of aware of these “false gods” in my life.
What mom tasks do you struggle doing with a right heart? Have you ever considered that your daily mom tasks—done with a right heart–are actually worship?
What is one takeaway from this chapter that you want to move from your head to your heart?
- To Read the Chapter 1 discussion click here.
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Absolutely, I can relate to this chapter! I stayed home after our second child was born and started an in-home daycare. I vividly remember one day when my son had cried for hours on end, I was holding my screaming child, with other toddlers pulling at my clothes wanting me to play with them and asking what was for snack. I just about lost my mind!
Back then, I did allow all the needs of the day to come between my husband and I. Someone else touching me was the last thing I wanted. As I look back, I wish that I would have been better at communicating with my husband about it. He was being rejected and couldn’t understand why.
I’m so thankful for the new perspective that this book has given me. It is very comforting to know that Jesus totally gets me and that I can talk to Him about anything.
Also, God changed my perspective a few years ago when He finally got through my head that the children that surround me everyday, are my ministry. I had found myself desiring to do “ministry” but felt held-back by children. He made the importance of loving and teaching my daycare children so clear to me as ministry and worship to Him.
Mom ministry pleases our God!
As I was reading this chapter I was so amazed at how much God does totally understand this wonderful experience and daily life I experience everyday called motherhood. I’ve never thought about that God-shaped hole. I love how you put it into perspective for us mother’s….toys that our kids use to play with shape-o-ball ect. It seems to me that it would be so easy to fill that spot…it’s what we fill it with that makes the puzzle complete. I’m going to try and put my God-filter on and see how wonderful life and enjoy every minute of everyday. I’m going to focus on the happy and positive and turn the hurtful and negative into a postive. That is just awesome how God could find good in everything. It is very hard to do this in the world we live in today. God’s blessing to all of you and enjoy every day!! God put us here to enjoy everlasting life!!
For me staying home with my children for 5years,
God has shown me many things! I do agree that
at the end of long days after being touched by
everyone at home and others that I am ready to
be by myself and not be touched. God has shown
me that touching is good and pleaseing to him.
Some of my idols may be control, I like to be in
control of my life, those around me, my home, etc. God has shown me too that He is in control
and he is right beside me each step of the way.
I really related to the the perspective that doing “chores” to care for our house, our husband, our children and ourselves really is about service. With the right attitude, doing these ordinary things is part of the bigger picture of serving God. This was a really great reminder for me and helped calm my heart.
Control is definitely one of my idols too, but I’m slowly learning that it is a much more powerful moment to give up control to the One who understands than to try to hold tightly, hoping to tackle the situation alone.
After reading chapter 2, I spent some time thinking about Matthew 5:19. Our actions as moms are powerful testimonies to our children and that verse spoke to the power of truly being a teacher to the next generation of believers.
Jill, thank you so much for writing this book. sometimes when I am reading it I think God must have had you write this just for me, except for that I tell al my friends they have to get this book for themselves.
I so needed to be jarred into the reality of Jesus living my experiences and how to turn the daily chores of life into an oppurtunity of worship of God. I can’t seem to put the book down, and keep going back to re-read each chapter.
God has really been showing me “truth” this week, the things I know to be true, the things I have forgotten to be true, and the things that are true but I didn’t see before me. I have been struggling with some issues lately of a friend with whom I “had to break up with”. She had caused our family some serious hurts and I have found myself filling the “hole” with anger toward her. I am trying to pray for her, when I catch myself being angry or when people ask why we have closed off that particular area of our life, I am trying not to be bitter in my response. That is where God is showing me the truth. (also in the future chapter dealing with forgiveness)
I am working on myself so that I can have a true heart of worship to God, by serving my family “with a smile on my face”. Hopefully, by doing this I can set a good example to my children and my husband will see the difference in the form of a happier wife.
Where o where do I begin? God was totally talking to me throughout this chapter! He and I had a sit down chat about all I learned and what He was teaching me! It was great!
Perspective: I love the reminder that everyone wanted a piece of Jesus. It is so comforting to know that He too was pulled in so many directions. I really struggle with this, wanting to do so much and serve so many. I took from this that I need to prioritize and steal away to have more time with the LORD so that He can help me focus more on my hubby and kiddos!
Chapter: Oh my, again…was God talking just to me or what!!! I love being at home, don’t get me wrong. But with a 4 1/2 year old, 2 year old, and 7 month old…all boys…I am at my wit’s end some days. I struggle with all I do and wonder if it is really my purpose. I took from this that I don’t really have the right perspective or attitude and I am not choosing to worship while doing my job! I love the verse Ephesians 6:9 – Work with enthusiasm, as working for the LORD rather than people. This hit home because it is hard for my kiddos to really appreciate all I do for them, but I need to work for JESUS!!!
Thank you for this book it is an attitude adjustment that I dearly needed!
Jill,
One of the things that struck me about the woman with the bleeding issue was that in the Bible (in Luke’s account, in chapter 8) it mentions that Jesus knew someone had touched him because He felt that the power had gone out of Him.
For me, that thought just brought things full circle (back from the discussion on Chapter 1) how, when we are ’emptied’ of all that we have, we must go and find that quiet time alone with God to ‘recharge our batteries’. It was comforting for me to know that people ’emptied’ Jesus’ batteries too, and that He also went to the Father to be filled. I mean, I always knew Jesus prayed to the Father–but how you related it right to ME in MY LIFE in this way totally opened my eyes to seeing this in a brand new way!
As for the chapter, where do I begin? Like my friend Kara, I feel like the Lord had you write this book solely for me to read. Obviously, since I am far from the only one who is saying that, I am not alone in how I am feeling most days!
I love how you defined worship as ‘giving worth to something you love.’ I find myself many days just ‘going about the business of the house and the children’ and not really having a God-ward or God-centered attitude about it. I am starting to see how I am making things all about me: I need to get this done, or that done, or I need to accomplish this task or that errand.
I was very convicted with this, and now am seeing how these ‘trivial’ things really do deserve my giving them worth. They CAN be an act of worship to the Lord on my part! Even right down to loading the dishwasher or folding laundry or wiping yet another bottom :-). Having that servant attitude and a God-centered focus makes all the difference.
Another sentence that struck deep in my core was on page 33: “He (Jesus) corrected with love and encouraged with truth.” I know that I am so, so quick to correct my children for their various wrongdoings, but I am falling so very short of the encouragement part. That sentence is going on a sticky note and on my mirror where I will be reminded of it every single morning!
I think the Message version of Ephesians 6:7 sums up this whole chapter. I have never read this version of the Bible before–and I think deep down I have always had an aversion to it because the text is so different than what I am used to (I grew up in a Baptist, KJV only environment, but don’t hold that against me!*grin*)–but the more I am seeing in your book, the more I like it! What a wonderful reminder to focus on each day and to summarize this chapter:
“And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind tht no matter who happes to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God.”
Amen to that!
Like the others I could relate to this chapter.
I took a few notes as I read. One was the definition of worship as something “worth our time and energy.” This made me think what things I spend my time on and what do I need to change.
Something else I marked was from pages 32, 33 how God wants us to daily live the songs of praise we sing to Him on Sunday. This was very powerful to me.
Wow, Devin, I had never thought about it the way you brought out about “the power leaving Jesus…” Great insight!
It is easy for me to have a pity party because of all that I have to do while it seems my family lives at a “hotel” with room service and maid service and entertainment–all of which would be me! So this chapter REALLY hit home with me too. I needed the reminder that I’m really working for the Lord to glorify Him in all that I do, including the mundane stuff of motherhood.
In the book, you mentioned having God’s truth in front of you as much as possible. This year I accepted a challenge to memorize 24 Scriptures. That is something I have not done seriously since gold star days in Sunday School! It is really changing the way I think. God has been getting my attention with this concept of setting my heart, mind, eyes on Him, His ways, and His purposes. This is one that I have memorized and it kept coming to mind as I read this chapter.
Colossians 3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Well, laundry calls! I guess I get to put this into practice!