Hey guys! My name is Angela! My husband and I, along with our 4 sons, are living and ministering in a difficult area of the Middle East. First things first: I LOVE being a mom. Nothing makes my heart melt quicker than newborn giggles, toddler snuggles, or my little men bringing me wild flowers! Of course, with all 4 boys still in the single digits, sleep is a rare resource and daily issues often include bodily fluids or their built-in emotions trashing any taught social skills.
But even in my first decade of mothering- I’ve learned a few special truths. I’ll share two:
My first and most-weighted truth: My children are not my savior they are my disciples.
Probably most moms throughout history, but maybe my generation of moms most of all have such a temptation to live children-centric lives. As beautiful as this may seem on the surface, it’s actually a disservice to my children. The best resource I can offer my sons is the opportunity to watch my walk with God and leading a Christ-centric life. Because of the difficulty and dangers of where we serve, we’re often asked “Are you taking your kids with you?” or “Are you worried about your kids’ safety?” Yes and yes. But I refuse to let the myth of safety replace the voice of God in my life. There should be no “but” after one says “I trust Jesus”.
Though some days I wish it weren’t true: my dear, sweet boys will one day have beards on their faces and wives and children of their own... and the oaks of their lives will have grown from the seeds of this young season. I’m not convinced the manicured lawn, swaths of extra curricular activities, or proximity to safe playgrounds will matter. But I know what will count; those moments they see me abiding in Jesus both in devoted time to him and my walk with God in real-time during our adventure of trusting him whole-heartedly. My sons are my most valuable disciples; following me and I follow Christ.
My second and mostly pragmatic truth: prioritize consistency and avoid comparison. Oh man, that probably counts as two but they’re intertwined. I work hard and pray hard at being the same person in every sphere of life. Whether my head is covered walking in our desert city, walking up a church stage in Texas to share, or going for a family hike; I should be the same person. Which lends itself to the second part; don’t fall victim to comparison.. it’ll tear your Peace to pieces.
“Take heart [mama] I have overcome the world” -John 16:33
