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Tag: Waiting Season

Waiting well isn't easy, especially when we can't see the end. Are you in a waiting season? 6 ways to to wait well when the season runs long. | Thisgratefulmama.com #thisgratefulmama #waiting #waitingwell #change #faith #spritualgrowth #christianwomen

Waiting Well When The Season Runs Long

Faith

Waiting well isn’t easy, especially when we can’t see the end. Are you in a waiting season? 6 ways to to wait well when the season runs long.

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March 8, 2019

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thisgratefulmama

Encouraging women with the truth of God’s uncommon grace.
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Jesus first. Wife. Mom of 3. Coffee-Lover. Popcorn Addict. Allergy Mom. Blogger. Introvert

“No Winter lasts forever, no Spring skips its tu

“No Winter lasts forever, no Spring skips its turn. April is a promise that May is bound to keep, and we know it.”
Hal Borland
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These days at home feel long, but short. As the days become weeks, I’m reminded by the approaching spring that time isn’t stopping.
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This strange season the world is experiencing together will end one day. Even though that day is not this day.
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Today I’m praying for us all, in the waiting.
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Lord, you are Sovereign and Infinite. You exist outside of time and can see this whole thing and how it plays out. It’s no surprise to you that the predictions are long before ‘normal’ returns. You are faithful. You bring each season in it’s due time. We trust that, like spring, you will bring us through this and to the other side. Renew our hope today. Teach us to see you in the waiting. Let us embrace this day and the promise of your presence. Give us joy in serving our families, working from home and getting outside. We trust your perfect timing and plans for us in this. Help us wait with expectant hope and peace. And to love others well and share your love with them freely and boldly.
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#thisgratefulmama #rain #goodmorning #morningprayer #wordstoliveby #springiscoming #seasonschange #promiseofspring #godspromises #godstiming #lordbeneer #momlife #theeverymom #theeverygirl #embracetoday #waiting #waitingonthelord

Ah, spring. The isolation and quarantine days make

Ah, spring. The isolation and quarantine days make spring all the more special.
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What one thing are you grateful for today?
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#thisgratefulmama

I’m so thankful Social Distancing doesn’t requ

I’m so thankful Social Distancing doesn’t require distance from our children or my husband. There’s been more snuggle time. The kids play more together and just want to be near. Sure, there’s squabbling, bickering, and sometimes yelling or tears. But there’s lots of laughter too.

Distance Learning officially begins today. We’ve been practicing and filling in while the teachers carefully prepared for our students.

If you don’t feel equipped to be a home schooler, don’t be. Be mom. You can defer to the teachers. You’re the FACILITATOR!

Being the facilitator of learning frees us to focus on the best things.

Be mom.
Cheer our kids on as they learn.
Encourage.
Be available.
Answer questions.
Help them stay focused and also take breaks.
Feed them.
Get them outside.
Create a safe, warm space to just ‘be’.
To help them navigate their emotions and adjustment to all this change they didn’t choose.

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

#goodmorning #distancelearning #facilitator #facilitators #thisgratefulmama #goodmorning #newday #monday #mondaymotivation #bemom #momlife #mommylife #motherhood

Recent current events have increased the ‘togeth

Recent current events have increased the ‘togetherness’ in our homes. Activities, school, church, sports, play dates and more have been cancelled. This season will eventually pass, but is not without challenges.
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My normal routine has been uprooted. Has yours?
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Moms navigating new challenges, hearing lots of bad news, and being ‘on’ serving our family 24/7 need Jesus. In fact, while we need Him all the time, most of us need to go to the well more than usual. Without receiving God’s grace, resting in His love and recognizing our own need for forgiveness, we lack the very things we need to serve our families and cultivate our own relationship with God. Without regular connection, we step out in self-reliance.
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I don’t know about you, but self-reliance never seems to work for very long before things get real messy.
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Head to the blog (link in bio), for 15 practical ways for moms like us to stay in God’s Word and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
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Because we are all learning together, share something that is working for you in the comments!👇
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#thisgratefulmama #faith #quiettime #devotions #prayer #wordbeforeworld #biblestudy #stayintheword #christianmom #momlife #theeverygirl #theeverymom #morningmotivation #goodmorning #eyesfixedonjesus #fixyoureyesonjesus #noneedforselfreliance #dependingod #trustgod #faithinfluencer

Lord, You are the source of life. Our hope and the

Lord, You are the source of life. Our hope and the anchor for our souls. Keep our eyes fixed on you. Teach us to stay in the Word and turn our worries into prayers. We trust you. You are the promise keeper. Your faithfulness is unfailing. Whatever this day holds, help us stand firm. These days are strange. There is opportunity to dwell in fear and in bad news. Give us discernment to stay informed while limiting our consumption of news meant to trigger panic. You are in control. You are our peace. We begin this day with our eyes turned up to you.
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“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8
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#thisgratefulmama #prayer #goodmorning #morningprayer #trustinthelord #firmlyplanted #myhopeisinyoulord #myhopeisinthelord #wordsofwisdom #wordstoliveby #praywithoutceasing #wordbeforeworld #faith #faithinfluencer #christianblogger #christianmom #theeverygirl

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He mak

The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 23
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May we begin today with souls full of God’s mercy and grace. It’s a clean slate. The Lord restores when we get out of His way and seek Him first.
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No matter what yesterday held, God has refresh your soul, your attitude and your mind. There is no need for self reliance today. Rely on the Holy Spirit. Nothing is too hard for Him. His grace is enough! His love is steadfast and everlasting. Draw near, He is waiting.
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Where do you need His restoring power today?
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#wordbeforeworld #herestoresmysoul #scripture #faith #hope #morningprayer #psalm #psalm23 #goodmorning #hopefortheday #wordstoliveby #bibleverse #verseoftheday #christianblogger #christianmom

Lord, You are in control, even as the world feels

Lord, You are in control, even as the world feels out of control. We have seen just how not in control we are as our plans have been removed and our schedules remade. We are surprised and still adapting to the circumstances, but you are not. You are outside of time and you are not quarantined. You are at work where we can’t be. Thank you for being in control and being our hope.
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Life has changed quickly, but you are unchanging. You are trustworthy and good. You stay with us, and go before us. You lead us with your Spirit and your true Word. Keep our eyes fixed on you and our hope anchored in your promises.
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You are the Prince of Peace. Nothing can shake you, surprise you, overpower you or be too hard for you. You calm our souls and invite us to rest in you. We place our worry, our finances, our parenting, our homeschooling, our jobs, our families, our vulnerable loved ones and everything else in your capable, loving hands. Take them.
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On this day, fill us with your peace as we place our trust in you.
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#thisgratefulmama #peacebewithyou #princeofpeace #peace #peacebeyondunderstanding #hope #hopeforthehurting #newnormal #wordbeforeworld #prayer #morningmotivation #morningprayer #goodmorning #haggai #bethoumyvision #faith #trustgod #christianprayer #christianmom #christianblogger #tuesdaymotivation #tuesdaymorning

Homeschool. It isn’t my gift. But it’s my priv

Homeschool. It isn’t my gift. But it’s my privilege, my challenge, my gift to GIVE to our kids.
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If it didn’t go well last week and left you overwhelmed, insecure or frustrated like me, can we share some encouragement before we begin again today?
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It’s ok if we aren’t gifted teachers. It’s ok if our lessons aren’t original or sparkly. It’s ok if we struggle to keep up with a consistent schedule.
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Today, let’s be moms who serve their children as best they can. Not like our friends. Not like their teachers. Be you.
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Feel free to press pause when it’s not working. Retreat and pray or just be quiet alone for a bit. Snuggle and read together. Play a game that includes math. Go for a walk and talk about God’s marvelous creation. Use technology. Pray without ceasing.
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It’s ok to admit this is hard to your family. Give them permission to tell you it’s hard for them and that they miss their school and teacher. Navigating this time and learning to express their emotions is a lesson in itself. A big one.
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We are moms. Helping our kids learn. We are collectively together while scattered in our homes.
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Let go of expectations of your kids. Of yourself.
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16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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#thisgratefulmama #thisgratefulnow #homeschool #newnormal #noexpectations #givethanks #serveothers #serveGod #faith #beyou #momlife #mommylife #motherhood #happymonday #mondaymotivation #distancelearning #bemom

Well. 2020 has been surprising me since it began.

Well. 2020 has been surprising me since it began. And the world has changed more in the past month than I ever thought possible.
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We are learning new rhythms. Activities are cancelled. School is closed. Social events are off.
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Rest.
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When Rest became my 2020 word of the year, God’s idea of rest was definitely different than mine.
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Instead of vacation, lazy days and quiet alone time, we have been given a rest as a family. Family rest.
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We are communicating more. Playing games. Doing more puzzles (as if that was possible!). Reading a lot. Listening to music and playing Legos. We are reading the Bible more. Praying more. Eating ALL meals as a family. Watching church from our couch.
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This is resting in the Lord. Homeschooling doesn’t feel restful, but God is teaching me to check my expectations, insecurity and overwhelm at the foot of the cross and rest in Him. To leave my worry. To leave my need to control and know what’s next and trust him.
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This isn’t the rest I expected.
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I expect I’ll learn far more in this season than from what I had planned.
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#thisgratefulnow #thisgratefulmama #rest #rest2020 #wordoftheyear #trustandobey #trustgod #faith #faithoverfear #newrhythm #hope #grateful #thankful #familyrest #familyreset

It’s here. . It takes just a few seconds to set

It’s here.
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It takes just a few seconds to set the time on the clock. Unfortunately, it does NOT happen so quickly for the internal clocks of our children.
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The unwanted effects of the week following daylight savings are undesirable, at best, but the way parents like you a and me approach the inevitable time change can make a big difference.
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We can accept it and face it head on, or we can dread it and complain our way through it (spoiler alert: the latter did not work well for us last year).
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So, how do we face it head on? Head to the blog to read some strategies for surviving and thriving in the aftermath of daylight savings.
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What works for your family?
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#thisgratefulmama #daylightsavings #daylightsavingsisajerk #timechange #goodmorning #parenting #parentingtips #daylightsavingstipsforparents #momlife #motherhood #ontheblog #linkinbio #survivaltips #parentinghacks #mommylife #momsofsmallchildren #toddlerapproved #toddlertips #ilovedaylightsavings #quotes #quoteoftheday

Ah, March. Full of birthdays, spring break, and wa

Ah, March. Full of birthdays, spring break, and warmer days. I’ll take March over February any day!
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In Minnesota, March is closer to spring, but spring often holds out until April. In fact, March is often our snowiest month. Still, the days are longer, the sun is warmer and we know it’s coming...
. "A light exists in Spring
Not present in the year
at any other period
When March is scarcely here."
- Emily Dickinson .
What is the weather like in March where you are?
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#thisgratefulmama #minnesota #minnesnowta #march #hellomarch #mondaymotivation #monday #spring #springiscoming

Good morning. . My husband has been traveling a lo

Good morning.
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My husband has been traveling a lot lately. It’s been a long season with kids health issues mixed with stretches of solo parenting. Even with him home, the days are not going as planned. I’m learning to hold schedules and activities loosely. Again. (I’m a slow learner)
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A friend gave me Ruth Chou Simons ‘Beholding and Becoming’ for Christmas. It’s a beautiful book, inside and out, with a message of worshipping God every day, throughout the day.
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This morning I sit, with coffee in the Starbucks mug my husband brought me from Japan, considering God’s faithfulness. He protected my husband from travel to China as the Coronavirus spread. My husband traveled to Asia safely and with successful work outcomes. And God sustained the kids and I and provided encouragement, good company and lots of laughter while we were solo.
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God is faithful.
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In every season.
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In every situation.
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‘All I have needed Thy hand has provided’
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How do you start the morning?
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#thisgratefulmama #thankful #greatisthyfaithfulness #godisfaithful #godisgood #allthetime #godissogoodtome #wordbeforeworld #corinthians #beholdingandbecoming #everydayworshiphim #goodmorning #morningmotivation #morning #wednesdaymotivation #hismerciesarenew #whatimreading #bookstagram

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; hi

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22-23
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If you’re like me, you need this good news today. No past failure, mistake or misdeed can get away of God’s mercy today.
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The best news for us is that God’s mercy, faithfulness and steadfast love are offered regardless of what we do. His face is turned towards us and God sees us clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.
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Whether your morning was hurried, full of worry or dread at what is to come, or even full of tearful regret, you can cling to this truth. God never gives up on you. He is near. He is faithful to complete what He began in you.
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Whatever you face today, you don face it alone.
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Look up.
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#thisgratefulmama #lookupchild #lookup #hismerciesarenew #hismerciesareneweverymorning #greatisthyfaithfulness #greatisyourfaithfulness #goodmorning #faith #faithwriters #christianwriters #momlife #motherhood #womenwholovejesus #encouragement #encouragewomen #godsgrace #godslove #steadfastlove #wordbeforeworld #wakeup #coffeeandjesus #mondaymotivation #mondaymorning

I haven’t been writing as much lately. Life has

I haven’t been writing as much lately. Life has been busy and other priorities have required more attention.
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But today? Today is a writing day.
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What are you up to today?
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#writing #amwriting #writingday #finally #priorities #peoplefirst #bluepen #coffee #butfirstcoffee #writeallday #friday #goodmorning #dailylife #writersofinstagram #needmorecoffee #bestdaysarewritingdays #momlife #momswhowrite #momswhowritebelike #thisgratefulmama #thankful #fridaymotivation #friyaymotivation

Reminiscing of days past. Our kids are getting old

Reminiscing of days past. Our kids are getting older. Some things are easier now. I get more uninterrupted sleep and personal space. But I wouldn’t say this parenting thing is easier.
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It’s just different.
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Still fulfilling. Still the best job. Still the hardest job.
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Instead of not knowing how to care for physical needs and sometimes baffling desires for the blue cup (not the pink one!), it’s more about emotional needs.
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Sometimes I don’t understand them. I struggle to relate. Their emotions are a moving target and their days full of friendships, education and activities I take less part in than when they were little. They need me less to meet physical needs but more for comfort, support and to listen.
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This morning didn’t go well. I put our child on the school bus and prayed for a better day. An attitude change. Joy.
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Parenting isn’t for the faint of heart. But it’s exactly what God is using to soften mine and help me be more like His Son, Jesus. It’s a humbling, heart wrenching, patience developing (and testing), wonderful job. I’m thankful for it, and at times terrified in it.
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No super mom here. Just me. An imperfect woman with a self reliant bent who desperately needs Jesus to show her the way.
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#thisgratefulmama #motherhood #momlife #moms #mommylife #momsofinstagram #christianmom #christianmotherhood #risenmotherhood #noperfectmoms #imperfectmoms #encouragemoms #encouragement #hopeformoms #bestjobever #hardestjobever

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