Featured Article: Get Ready to Flourish!

By Jessi C. 

Sometimes, I feel stuck in the everyday motions of life.  Wake, play, cook, and clean.  Corral Kids.  Drive to activities.  Lather, rinse, repeat.  Some days, I long for something to shake up my routine when what I really need is a fresh perspective.  Being a mom is beautiful and hard and exhausting and wonderful.  I need to tune my heart to what God is telling me and listen wholeheartedly.  For it is then that a fierce flourishing will happen. 

This year, I challenge you to:

Celebrate Lavishly—Life is too short to not have fun!  Dance in the kitchen, sing in the car, wear sparkly nail polish.  Enjoy your friends and family without thinking about your worries.  Psalm 150:1-6 says, “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!”  This is the type of noisy, amazing, fun celebration that I want!  

Embrace Rest—As moms, it is easy for our “to do” lists to grow longer and longer.  Instead of racing around during nap time, take a few moments to relax.  Your laundry isn’t going anywhere.  The dishes will keep.  Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 says, “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?”  So sit down and enjoy a tea party with your kiddos or grab a good book for a few minutes while the kids sleep. 

Notice Goodness—Take time to slow down and enjoy the small things.   As you’re stuck in traffic, savor these moments with your sweet kiddos, even though it’s frustrating.  Instead of staying cooped up on rainy days, get outside and play in the rain.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  I’m not saying it always easy, but it’s always worth it.

This year, get ready to be stronger, braver, kinder, and unstoppable.  This year, we will be fierce!