1/26/2024
Your Child’s In BetweenYOUR CHILD’S “IN BETWEEN”.
When I recall my early childhood, I wish that I could adequately express all the beautiful emotions and joy I feel, then wrap up those words and give that gift to all of you. I feel the same emotions and joy when I recall raising my own children. Words cannot describe it. Every moment wasn’t perfect. A lot of being a mama was messy, but all of it was beautiful. And it still is. I read a verse this week that really spoke to my heart. “As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you.” Isaiah 66:13. It stopped me in my tracks. God was comparing the comfort He gives to that of a mother’s. He didn’t say His comfort was greater, He said it was just like a mother’s. That is pretty profound. What a significant role a mama plays in the lives of her children. Something a child doesn’t truly understand until they are in that role themselves. When I was little, I vividly remember wanting to grow up and be just like my mom. To me, she was perfect in every way. Even now, at 58 when I think about my childhood, my memories are filled with joy and comfort and love. It was a precious piece of my life. After I became a mom, I realized what a precious time it was for my mom as well. When I got a little older, I don’t ever remember a time that I didn’t want my mom to be around, or that I felt embarrassed by her presence. I also never remember my thoughts voicing the opinion that I hated her. But then, I became a senior in high school and that relationship changed. I most definitely was NOT living for the Lord. I did some things I’m not proud of. My mom would try to talk to me, but all I remember thinking was~ “She just doesn’t understand.” I’m sure the things I did wouldn’t seem significant to the outside world, but inside I knew my heart was dangerously far from God. I wanted to run away. I wanted to lock myself in my room. I wanted to be far away from my mom. That mama that I wanted to grow up to be. That mama who filled my childhood with joy and comfort and love. It was a phase where I felt completely misunderstood. When my own teenagers became seniors in high school, I realized how very much my mom truly understood, and how very much she loved me. With every year that passed, there was a new phase of motherhood where realizations hit me. Realizations that my own mother had gone through the same things with me. Sadly I am still realizing, but it’s too late to tell her that now I understand. My mom has been gone for 20 years. At times I cannot even wrap my head around that fact. 20 years of realizations that could not be rectified. I’m not going to pretend that everything between us was perfect when she passed away. We still had our issues, but my understanding of many of those issues has changed with every passing year. And today, even at 58 I long for that comfort that only my mom could give. We sow and we reap and we go through the “in between” with our children, praying that one day they will get it. One day they will understand. My heart aches for the mama who is going through that “in between”. My heart aches for the child who doesn’t realize and may not realize until their mama is gone. How can we avoid the “in between” our children go through? From the awe and love they have, to disrespect and disregard, and then finally~the understanding. It’s so hard. Sometimes that “in between” can take years. And our mama hearts break. How can this be prevented? Sadly, sometimes it can’t. Sadly we can raise our children to the best of our abilities, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We can teach them to love Jesus with their everything. We can pray with them, lead by example, take them to church and yet somehow satan’s lies become bigger than a mama’s love and steal that child like innocence away. What’s left for a mama to do? What’s left when we feel like we’ve lost them? What’s left when they scream at us that we just “don’t understand”, and our hearts are crying to tell them that they are the ones who don’t understand? What’s left when we feel like we need a miracle? Jesus. Jesus is that miracle. And so, we pour our hearts out to Him and we don’t stop. I am living proof of prayer through the “in between”. My husband is living proof of prayer through the “in between”. My children are living proof of prayer through the “in between”. No matter how long it has been, no matter how long it takes, no matter how old they are, I am here to tell you mama~ don’t give up hope. Hope in the Holy Spirit to grab a hold of your child’s heart and hand, and lead them out of the “in between” and back to that tiny part of their child like heart. Back to you. Back to God. God’s comfort and love are more powerful than satan’s lies. Your comfort and love are more powerful than satan’s lies. He may fool for the moment, but their hearts will eventually remember and return. They will remember your prayers. They will remember your love. They will remember your comfort. The comfort that compares to God’s. Hold on to that truth, because that truth is power. SCRIPTURE READING: Ephesians 4:14-15 Ephesians 6:1-4 Philippians 4:6-7 Proverbs 22:6 Deuteronomy 6:5-7 1 Thessalonians 5:14 1 Thessalonians 5:17 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Isaiah 66:13 |
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