Tag: mothering

God, our friend

Friend: a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection.

So often as mothers we can feel lonely. It can be isolating to stay home and care for little ones, even when it’s what we want to do! It can be hard to have little adult interaction.

I believe God doesn’t want us to go it alone! He’s a God of relationships. In fact everything he did to sanctify us was so we could have a relationship with him. He willingly sacrificed his only son so we could be a friend of his and have a bond of mutual affection!

These last two weeks have been hard at our house. I’m on laundry load number 30 already (I usually do 15 a week). I’ve disinfected my house with bleach numerous times, washed all the bedding, scrubbed the bathrooms countless times, opened windows, washed children, and scrubbed my hands until they are raw. In the midst of it all we haven’t left the house.

While battling this nasty crud, I have a couple friends who have faithfully checked in on me daily. They have told me they are praying for us. They’ve offered to drop groceries on my doorstep. They’ve Poloed so I can see their smiling faces. They’ve asked, “how are you”, knowing full well the answer will be long and ugly. Ultimately, they have let me know they love me and care.

I’m so thankful to the Lord for good friends. Friends who want the real answer when they ask. Friends who love us and truly lift us up to our good good Father. God is so good to make sure we never truly have to go it alone, even when we’re stuck in our house.

This guy’s smile is so welcome after days of illness!

And when I can’t see my friends, I’m reminded that God is my friend, a better one than any other, and he’s near to me. I have felt as I’ve prayed for healing this week that he hasn’t heard, but I know that feeling isn’t truth. His Word tells me He hears me and answers me. And I can be thankful even in the hard that He is my closest friend.

Psalm 34:17 ESV
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psalm 116:1 ESV
I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.

Hard and Good

Hard days. We all have them. Often, I think as mamas we don’t like to admit them. We don’t want to appear weak, overwhelmed, tired, done. We don’t want to hear, well you choose this, you wanted kids.

Yep, I did choose this. And I’d choose it over and over and over. But, let’s be ok with saying today was hard, this week has been hard, this season has been hard. It’s ok for things to be hard and still be good. Hard doesn’t mean I don’t want this. It doesn’t mean I’d choose something else. It just means we’re human, we have physical, mental, and emotional limits. It means we need some space to recharge so we can keep going.

How has it been hard? Let me count the ways.

Andrew is three weeks into his new job and is loving it, but it’s been a big transition. The schedule is very different than we’re used to, he’s driving 100 miles a day, and he’s tired when he comes home.

We’ve been sick for 1000 years. Ok, not really, but as a mama it feels like eternity when it slowly rolls through the entire family and then a new illness takes its place.

All the cars have broken down in the last week and there is now a pile of car parts in the garage waiting to be changed out.

And to top it off, our sweet 4 year old has been suffering chronic headaches for a couple months now. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t bring my kids to the doctor. But after exhausting all my knowledge and other’s knowledge and getting no results, we went to the doctor.

Turns out she has some severe food sensitivities to gluten and dairy, so let’s just add completely changing her diet to the mix.

She’s also going to have an MRI to rule out anything worse.

It’s just a lot.

I love being a mama, running our home, homeschooling, and homesteading. But it isn’t an easy path. It isn’t a glamorous life.

If you don’t have kids, just remember this image…

I was changing bed sheets, starting laundry, and mopping floors.

Doesn’t sound too abnormal for a mom?

It was 2am.

There is a song out right now called Worship Through It by Tasha Layton and, boy does it speak to my heart. Here’s the lyrics…


This looks impossible
But You’re the God of impossible
And I’ve seen your faithfulness all over my life
I need a miracle
And You’re the God of miracles
Some way, somehow You come through every time
I know my God can do it
So, I’m gonna worship through it
Before I see my breakthrough
I’m gonna choose to praise You
I will sing hallelujah to the one
Who can do what the world says can’t be done
I know my God can do it
So, I’m gonna worship through it
In the middle of my no way out
In the middle of my don’t know how
I hear You whisper to me peace be still
This is why I believe
You will deliver me
You always have and you always will
You always have and you always will
I won’t wait til the rocks cry out
I’m gonna praise You
I won’t wait till the walls come down
I’m gonna praise You
(Gonna) Lift my hands right here, right now
I’m gonna praise You
Oh God I praise You!


Source: LyricFind

Today, I choose to be thankful and worship the God of impossible. I choose to worship Him who brings me peace and miracles and deliverance. As a friend of mine always says, “God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.”

A Blessing!

This past Saturday, Andrew and I were surprised and blessed!

We’ve been attending a house church and the families have become our family. We love to do life with them and worship and learn with them. They surprised us and another family expecting as well with a sweet baby shower!

Sweet blanket from a 12 year old, along with beautiful new clothes for our precious little girl.

It meant a lot to us. By the time you get to baby number 11, not many people rejoice with you. To be honest, even Christians look at us like we are completely off our rocker. Yet, when you look at God’s Word, you only ever see children spoken about as a blessing and a heritage.

Psalm 127:3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

This doesn’t mean everyone has to have eleven children, but it does mean that every Christian should rejoice over children. We should be excited and thank God for these little ones. We should trust that God knows best when He gives us a reward.

This swaddle says it so well. You are dearly loved, little one!

I often hear, “I could never do that”. I hear, “well, we’re not like the Schwabs”. We aren’t anything special or different. We’re just ordinary people, trusting God with our lives. I remember a couple years ago a pastor asking the question, are you trusting God with every part of your lives? We have a hard time giving him every part, don’t we?

I’ll be honest, I struggle too. It’s hard to truly trust and know that God knows best. When we do, though, the rewards and blessings are so amazing and good. Because He is good! And He wants to give us good things!

Now, the dresser drawers are full of sweet little outfits, there are blankets and loveys for baby to snuggle with, the car seat and bassinet are waiting. As far as the Schwabs are concerned, there is complete and utter excitement as we wait for this sweet addition to our family! We know beyond the shadow of a doubt that she is a blessing for our family!