Rest Up for the Sabbath

I've been having an issue during our church services as of late. I can not seem to stay alert during an entire service and I am 100% convinced that the problem rests entirely on me and not on external factors.

Because this is one of the most important parts of my week, I'm determined to resolve the issue pronto. I've decided that a major problem is how I spend my Saturdays. As I anticipate the coming Sunday as a "day of rest," I try to get as much as I can done on Saturday so that I won't have work to do on the Lord's Day (e.g. laundry, house cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.). Let me just pause here to say this doesn't mean that I leave messes on the floor until Monday or refuse to go to the store if I notice that we're out of milk. It does mean that my family and I set Sunday apart as a day to participate in corporate worship and refrain from doing the "work" that we endeavor in all week long.

So back to Saturday...I shop, clean, anticipate needs that might arise on Sunday and spend time with family (which, with two little boys and an active husband, means physical activity). While these things may seem like legitimate undertakings, it wipes me out completely! By the time Sunday worship rolls around, my body responds to the long overdue sitting position (with relative quiet) by switching into a relaxation mode that just about knocks me flat in the pew!

Not only do I want to get the most out of worship as I possibly can, but I don't want to distract the pastor with my fatigued head bobbing as he preaches. My husband is a preacher and I am well aware that they see what's going on in the congregation from the other side of the pulpit!

Something needs to be done and here's my plan to make future Saturdays less hectic and exhausting, so that the Sabbath can be more restful and worshipful.

*I used to grocery shop on Saturdays, and now I'll try to go during the week.

*I often left house cleaning for Saturday and now I'm going to see that I get that done gradually from Monday to Friday.

*We're going to try our best to avoid Saturday night outings that will result in getting home late.

*I'm going to make sure I'm in bed at a decent hour on Saturday night.

You may not struggle with this same issue, but if you do, I hope this is helpful! And if you have any more ideas, please let me know! :)

Prayer Groups

During these precious years with little ones, time flies! There are things that we'll inevitably have to let slide and it is important to prioritize. Fellowship with other women should be high on our lists!

While there are numerous ways to do this, I want to propose one that is both fun and greatly edifying - prayer groups. Depending on your stages and schedules you might choose to meet monthly, bi-monthly or even weekly. Set a time that works best for all involved and without kids gather to share and receive prayer requests. Try to stick to the allotted time slot - which means you'll need to arrive on time and end punctually - so that women who already have a tough time fitting it into their schedules won't be disinclined to come. In my experience, the bond that forms within so intimate a group is invaluable and you will all grow together as you marvel at how the Lord works in your lives and answers prayers according to His good, gracious and sovereign will!

Reading Through the Bible in a Year

Have you ever read the Bible from start to finish? Or have you gone through a reading plan that takes you through the Bible in the span of a year or two? I haven't, but I'm halfway there! What started out as an effort to read from Genesis through Revelation in a year will likely take closer to a year and a half, but I am really enjoying it and highly recommend that you try it too! There are numerous "plans" out there (see some options below*) and I've been amazed by how doable it is, so don't be discouraged if the prospect seems daunting!

Here are some reasons why I commend the practice to you:

1. You get to see the beautiful picture of the covenant of grace unfold from the beginning (and even before) creation.

2. It puts into practice the belief that all Scripture is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (1 Tim 3:16)

3. Being exposed to the whole counsel of God (i.e. every aspect of His revelation to us) guards you from only reading your favorite sections.

4. You will notice connections throughout the Bible that demonstrate its divine authorship.

5. As you familiarize yourself with all of Scripture over time, Bible references you encounter in sermons, studies, etc. will have greater meaning in context.

*Every Day in the Word. One reading from the OT, NT, Psalms, and Proverbs each day. You will read through the OT, NT and Proverbs once and the Psalms twice in a year.

*One-Year Tract Bible Reading Plan. Two readings from the OT, one from the NT and Psalms each day. You'll read through the OT once and the NT and Psalms twice in a year.

SEE A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THESE AND OTHER READING PLAN OPTIONS BY FOLLOWING THE LINK BELOW:

• http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/

Digging vs. Plowing

Nothing has been more beneficial to me as a mother than regularly reading Scripture. There have been seasons where I have been able to read chunks of Scripture each day and others when I can only seem to fit in a chapter, or even a verse. It has often discouraged me when I can't carve out more time for "chunk reading." While prioritizing our time in the Word is needed for our growth and sanctification, the amount of Scripture that we read each day is not nearly as essential. In addition to having seasons where you set goals to get through a certain amount of the Bible, there is great benefit to reading, and really meditating on, small portions at a time.

Thinking of this reminded me of what a tour guide on a trip to Israel several years ago exhorted us to do while reading the Word - "dig, dig, dig." He warned us against treating the Word of God like a novel that we fly through in order to reach the end of each chapter, potentially missing important details on the pages in between. Essentially, he wanted us to be more intentional about setting aside times to focus more on quality than quantity. He challenged us to read a verse, or a phrase, over and over again. To pray through it, think on it, memorize it, and meditate on it throughout the day.

We sometimes hear the phrase "hang on to his every word." If we believe that the Bible is the very written Word of God, then we should most certainly be hanging on God's every word, because, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).

If you want to give the "digging" method a go, here's a great verse to start with:

"You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound." Psalm 4:7

Devotions

There are only so many hours in a day, and as a mom there often seems to be even fewer. If meditating on the truths found in Scripture is difficult for you to do on your own, and you want the time that you do set aside for meditation to be more focused and directed, try one of these devotional books:

For the Love of God, 2 vols., D.A. Carson

Daily Light for the Daily Path, Samuel Bagster

Morning and Evening, Charles Spurgeon

Voices from the Past (Puritan Devotions)

Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Day by Day with JC Ryle, edited by Eric Russell

Tabletalk Magazine, Ligonier Ministries (https://www.ligonier.org/tabletalk/subscribe/)

A Puritan Prayer of Thanksgiving

"O MY GOD,

Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects,

my heart admires, adores, loves thee,

for my little vessel is as full as it can be,

and I would pour out all that fullness before thee in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with thee

ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,

ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,

ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,

crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless thee for the soul thou hast created,

for adorning it, sanctifying it,

though it is fixed in barren soil;

for the body thou hast given me,

for preserving its strength and vigour,

for providing senses to enjoy delights,

for the ease and freedom of my limbs,

for hands, eyes, ears that do thy bidding;

for thy royal bounty providing my daily support,

for a full table and overflowing cup,

for appetite, taste, sweetness,

for social joys of relatives and friends,

for ability to serve others,

for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,

for a mind to care for my fellow-men,

for opportunities of spreading happiness around,

for loved ones in the joy of heaven,

for my own expectation of seeing thee clearly.

I love thee above the powers of language to express,

for what thou art to thy creatures.

Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity."

From The Valley of Vision, edited by Arthur Bennett

Written Prayer

I'm going to assume something about you. Please forgive me if I'm wrong, because I may very well be! I'm going to assume that it's easier for you to write a to-do list than to pray. You may even prioritize the former over the latter. I have done this and I can easily pinpoint at least one reason why. I'm a doer. I love tasks. I love being active. There is a lot of activity going on around me and I get swept up in it and do, do, do most of the day long. One thing that falls by the wayside due to all of my busyness is concentrated prayer. I pray on the fly a lot, but rarely do I sit down for any extended period of time to be still and pray to the Lord in a thorough and intentional way.

I've been advised numerous times throughout my Christian life to keep a prayer journal, but I'm not much of a journaler, so I usually brush that idea aside. The idea resurfaced recently, however, because I knew that I needed to find some way to discipline myself in this area and trying to sit and pray in my mind usually resulted in drifting off into my mental list of the day's to-dos.

Writing my prayers down has not only kept me focused as I pray, but I can re-read the prayers that I have recorded and see how the Lord answers them over time, according to His good and perfect will. I pray that you will find this to be as much of a blessing in your spiritual life as I have!

Delighting in the Lord

If you're seeking a memory verse for the week, try this one from Psalm 37:4:

"Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

I memorized this verse when we were trying to get pregnant with our first child. It did not take us long, relatively speaking, but it wasn't immediate either. As many of you know, the waiting game can become consuming. And so I became consumed; just waiting and praying for my heart's desire to be fulfilled.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with desiring good things and praying that the Lord will grant you those desires. It's easy to lose perspective though and focus so much on getting the gift that we forget the nature and promises of the One who gives. We forget that "every good and perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17). And that God declares, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isa. 55:9). That "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all good things" (Rom. 8:32), things He knows we truly need.

In this instance, I was craving the benefits stated in the second part of Psalm 37:4 without adhering to the first part. Once I realized this I still had to wait a little while, but the waiting period became marked less by anxiety, impatience and irritation that things weren't working out as I would have planned for them to, and more by peace and trust in the Lord's goodness and perfect plan for our family.

We should delight in the Lord at all times and in all circumstances, rooting ourselves in Christ to such an extent that we ultimately desire only what He, in His holy wisdom, deems beneficial to give.

The Test Before the Rest

Have you ever wondered why no one consulted moms before they implemented Daylight Saving Time? Did no one consider that it might be easier on the kids (and therefore the moms) if they gradually changed the time over the span of a week or even a month? Well they didn't and, if you're anything like me, you're wondering if it's really okay to get in bed at 8 tonight because it's so dark outside that it feels more like 10 and the fatigue is setting in after just one day of dealing with the DST repercussions.

Even a trial such as this, like all trials great and small, is a part of our "testing" period as Christians. Scripture tells us that we are "pilgrims on the way," so to speak, wandering through our own wilderness during this earthly life, and yet led by the sure and sufficient Word and Spirit of God. According to God's wise design, these moments force us to walk in the footsteps of our Savior, who suffered before entering into glory, and therefore are a necessary part of our journey towards the ultimate rest God has promised to all who are in Christ. God uses these trials to refine us, conforming us more and more into the image of His Son. This should encourage us - our sufferings are not in vain! Rejoice in the hope, dear moms, that a day of rest will come and that, in the meantime, the tests of this life are nothing compared to the riches that are to be ours in our eternal home with Christ Jesus!

Paul prays for the Ephesians, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints." 1:17-18

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4

Verse Memorization

I recently attended a Bible study where the teacher, a grandmother of three, exhorted us to, “memorize while you are still young.” She said that she attempted to memorize Psalm 119 –the longest chapter in the Bible, mind you- a short time ago and just couldn’t do it. I was convicted that I, a young woman, haven’t even tried to memorize short verses lately! I could insert several caveats here – I am the mother of two very busy little boys, I clean my own house, cook full dinners almost every night of the week, etc., etc., etc., but I’m not going to. I’m not going to because, if I did, I would be prioritizing these (precious things) above learning and meditating on the very written Word of God!

Here are some simple suggestions to get you started:

1. Write a verse on a notecard and tape it to the mirror in your bathroom, the space above your sink, your car's dashboard or wherever you know you will be spending some time during the day. Leave it up for a week or two, and then replace it with another one.

2. Keep a Bible by your bed. Mark a verse with a bookmark and read it when you wake in the morning and before going to bed at night.

3. If you need accountability, memorize with your husband or even your kids.

The Lord promises us through His prophet that, “My Word shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11. This is God's promise (and a good verse to memorize :))! And as He has been faithful to fulfill ALL of His promises, you can rest assured that He will fulfill this promise as well!

Not sure where to begin? Here are some that I've chosen in the past:

“Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” 1 John 5:5

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" Psalm 139:23-24

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand." Proverbs 19:21