Created: Reflections From My Mom Heart Weekend....Part 1

  

"What may happen when the redeemed soul, beyond all hope and nearly beyond belief, learns at last that she has pleased Him whom she was created to please. There will be no room for vanity then. She will be free from the miserable illusion that it is her doing. With no taint of what we should now call self-approval she will most innocently rejoice in the thing that God has made her to be..." 
C. S. Lewis Weight of Glory

Created. 

Not a mistake.  Not an accident.  Not a mere happenstance.  Created.  And to be created, there must be a Creator.  And to be created, there must be a purpose, a reason for the created one to be created.

I had the blessing of learning from Sally Clarkson and a precious group of women this past weekend through Whole Heart Ministries' Leader Intensive Training.  Sally shared her heart with us and discussed what we as women are created to be.  We are created for God's glory, to love and serve Him.  We are created in God's image. We are created for marriage.  We are created with a purpose.  We are created to be a mother.  We are created to be an artist.  We are created to be a teacher.  We are created for ministry.  We are created for people, to love and disciple others. 
I would love to expound on each of these topics and share the hours of truth that Sally shared with us, and in time I hope to as I pray and study my notes and His Word.  My heart was molded in new ways and filled in ways that I did not imagine could happen.  I am so thankful to God for orchestrating the details and bringing all of these women together who wholeheartedly want to serve and glorify Him more than anything else.  I met women who are real, thoughtful, passionate, prayer warriors, servant hearted, and love unconditionally.  My heart is full of gratitude for their willingness to open their hearts, share their experiences, encourage and pray together. 
Many deep, life changing things happened in my heart through studying God's word and praying together.  My home will be a different place...less harsh, more affirming, more nurturing, more guiding and purposeful.  I also received clarity and inspiration for many practical changes in the day to day.  One thing that God spoke to my heart was to write down what I see God creating in each of my children.  They are all so unique, and God created each of them with a different personality.  I prayed for each child and asked God to give me eyes to see them as He sees them and then recorded on a card for each child what He showed me.  If I had to choose one word to describe Sally's mothering/parenting it would be intentional.  She is intentional about loving, training, nurturing, and inspiring her children.  One of the ways she intentionally loves them and encourages them is through one on one time in her room.  She creates beauty and invites them in to share it with her.  So after I had written on the cards for my children, I prepared a tray with a candle, chocolates and the card and invited my children one at a time for alone time with me.  I shared with each child how I prayed and studied God's word with other mommies while in Colorado and that God showed me things that he is creating in each of them.  My son made me giggle as he plopped down on the couch and shoved the entire piece of chocolate into his mouth at once and looked at me with this expression of, "Okay, what's next?"  As I shared with him, he relaxed and talked and talked.  Each of their faces glowed after our time together.  Later in the day as I was moving the laundry from the washer to the dryer, I heard my "out of the box" son (dressed in full cowboy gear) reading his card to himself, "I am thoughtful, I am loving, I am a friend, I am a warrior...." When I poked my head around the corner, he was folding and tucking the card back in his pocket.  My heart was full and yes, the tears flowed.  My son whom I love so dearly, the one we have had many challenges with this year, felt God's love through his mommy today and is beginning to see a vision for what God created him to be.  Thank you, Sally.  You are an amazing mentor, friend, spiritual mother, and I am forever changed through the truth you allow God to teach you and so graciously share with others.