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5:49 p.m.

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Strength For a Weary Mom

We began this series by asking: “How does the mom with young kids make the best use of her time when she doesn’t feel like she has any time?” We’ve looked at a few essential deals for this busy season:

1.    Preach the gospel to yourself (pt. one and two)
2.    Prize your husband (pt. one and two)
3.    Parent all the time (pt. one, two and three)
4.    Pay attention (pt. one, two and three)
5.    Pursue help in parenting.

I want to close the week by reminding you of one of my favorite promises from God’s Word.  Galatians 6:9 says: "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

This verse was a source of strength to me when I was carrying my one year old, chasing my two year old and correcting my four year old. I didn’t feel like I was bearing much fruit, but this verse provided faith for the future.

My kiddos are now five, six and nine, and the challenges are a little different. I’m dealing with arguments between my five and six year old and the heart issues of my nine year old. But I’m still holding on to this wonderful promise.

May I encourage you to hold onto this verse as you seek to faithfully sow into the lives of your little ones? The harvest won't come today. And it won't come tomorrow. Maybe not even next year or the year after that.

But we must be faithful to sow today. Faithful to train. Faithful to teach. Faithful to discipline. Faithful to love. Or, as it says in this passage, faithful to "do good." And we must trust God that He will fulfill His promises, that we will reap a harvest in due season if we do not give up.

My expectations are not for today, or even tomorrow--but my hope is in God who has promised that, someday, my labors will bear fruit for Him. Even though my body is weary, my soul gains new strength from this promise.

I pray it strengthens you as well.

--from the archives

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3:55 p.m.

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Do Your Best

Thanks to all of you for your kind words and prayers last week. We're retooling some stuff here at girltalk so here are a few favorites from the archives...

Do Your Best

by Carolyn Mahaney

“Sometimes I don’t want to serve when it is something I don’t think I’m very good at” the young woman humbly confessed to me. The ugly truth behind her reluctance? Pride. This woman realized that she wants to be “the best” at whatever she puts her hand to, and if she can’t be the best, well, then she’d rather not even try.

Oh, how I can relate! I wrestle with the same temptation. But I’m grateful for my husband who has modeled humility in service for me. Whatever endeavor he undertakes, he acknowledges (to himself and others): “I know there are many people who can do this better than me.” Then he seeks to faithfully serve in whatever ways God has called him to, regardless of how gifted he feels to do it. His goal is to obey God and bless others.

Using our gifts requires humility. For as I’ve often reminded my girls (and myself!): “There’s always going to be someone better than you at what you do.” There’s always going to be the smarter kid in the class, the more outgoing friend, the more talented co-worker, the more organized homemaker, the more capable homeschool teacher, the more energetic servant, the more gifted than you at whatever you do. And you know what? These people have been strategically placed in our lives to expose our pride and help us serve with humility.

How much easier it would be to stick to arenas where we think we shine. But we should do our best even when we may not be the best. We should be willing to risk making mistakes, to allow others to see where we lack gifting and need help.

And when we humbly serve--even when we’re not the best--we’ll be pleasantly surprised at how God can use our meager gifts to encourage others and bring glory to Him!

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3

Home With the Lord

On July 27, 2010, our beloved father and grandfather, Ezra Layman, went home to be with the Lord. He was 87 years old, and had suffered for eight years in the aftermath of a severe stroke. We miss him terribly, but rejoice that he is now free from pain and worshipping in the presence of our Savior, where he longed to be.

The funeral will be held tomorrow morning in Newport News, VA.

We will not be posting for the remainder of the week so that we may spend time with our family. 

Thank you for your love and prayers!

"Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:54-56