September 8, 2021 – When Mamas Cry
When Mamas Cry
September 8, 2021
Gena Suarez
Crying Mama, Cling to Christ
Deborah Wuehler
I Don’t Know Why I Am Crying!
Beth Mora
A Tale of Two Tears
| Be sure to scroll to the bottom to enter the contest and see the freebies of the month! |
Hey, Mama!
Crying Mama, Cling to Christ
Hey Mama,
This is kind of urgent; so I am typing fast—forgive any mistakes here. The urgency comes from the fact that I have heard you are in a heap of tears because the grief is a lot to bear right now—this whole year has been a lot to handle; I know.
You keep walking yet troubles still come; today even, new problems are before you . . . and it hurts. It’s pure grief! The pain pierces. Why is it piling up instead of resolving itself, you ask. Where is He? Where is our great God, our Savior?
Mama, I know it sounds like a broken record, but I am going to say it again and again—CLING to Christ. This is all happening for a reason, and there are many, many good things that will come from it. You will see this someday. For now, put your trust in Him.
Need a reminder that God’s got you—and ALL of THIS? We all do sometimes. Let these articles from The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine breathe life into your weary soul:
The Power of a Woman by Ruth O’Neil
A Heart of Flesh: An Adoptive Mama’s Heart by Sonya Schweighardt
Homeschooling Through the Storms by Flossie Cusick
And remember, Mama . . .
He works all things for good. God never lies. He is the Author of truth. This is straight from His Word, so stand firm on it. Do not look to your left or to your right; instead, eyes on Him, sweet Mama. That’s right; He works ALL things for good. Romans 8:28—go read that right now.
And here’s what else I want you to do, as soon as you are done with Romans 8:28. Read Psalm 34.
Read it all, and do it slowly and out loud. You can read it to your kids or better yet, pull away for a minute, go into your closet alone, and just read it so your ears can hear it. You need to know about these passages (I vote for the closet if you can get away for a few minutes).
This part here—try to remember it. Commit it to memory, OK?
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the Lord hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Did you hear that, Mama?
THE LORD IS NEAR TO THE BROKENHEARTED.
You are crushed, and that’s when He is right next to you, as tight as can be. He’s holding you even now, Mama. Go read His Words and find comfort. It’s not over. He wins. You win! This season will pass; I promise. Go. Read.
Seriously. Because you know His hand is on your head, and He goes with you. Trust His heart.
Cling to Christ!
Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song,
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?Oh, yes, He cares, I know He cares,
-From “Does Jesus Care?” by Frank E. Graeff
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.
– gena
Mercy Every Minute
Deborah Wuehler, TOS Senior Editor
I Don’t Know Why I Am Crying!
I have been home educating for several decades now, and I have a good cry regularly. Even though I have six successful graduates from this homeschool, I still always find myself in need, and sometimes turmoil, in one way or another every single year of this journey. Sometimes I don’t even know why I am crying. Then there are the times I am crying because of a painful situation or because of pure exhaustion. It can also feel as if we are the only ones who experience the levels of grief we do. That is when we understand that no one knows our sorrow like Christ. He not only is acquainted with our grief, He says that He bears our grief and carries our sorrow (Isaiah 53).
Tears are my clue to get to my quiet place. It is my time to cry out to the Lord, as He is the only One who can truly help, whether I know why there are tears or not.
Look at this powerful verse:
“I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me” (Psalm 57:2).
Cry the tears; then dry your eyes, and let the first thing they see be the Word of God—that is where Truth is, and that is where our minds are renewed and transformed (Romans 12). We lay our feelings down at the foot of the Cross and take them captive unto obedience. Obedience should trump feelings every time.
My children are secure in knowing that I am committed to this God-given conviction called home education and will continue doing the right thing whether I feel like it or not. I want them to be obedient no matter how they feel; so I cannot be the example of someone who gives up or gives in because of tears.
When those tears come, let the children see you go to Jesus as you cast all your care on Him. After crying, rejoice in His care for you. Stand up and stand on His promises. Perfect peace comes from a mind purposely stayed on God and His Word.
Some of your journey may be difficult, but I know it will also be very good and rewarding as you keep those children Home. Where They Belong.
~Deborah
Find more words of encouragement in these articles from The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine:
One Mom’s Cry . . . Another Mom’s Answer by Jessica Hulcy
Hope for the Weary Homeschool Mom by Heidi St. John
Overcoming Your Fears About Homeschooling by Stacy Farrell
Beth Mora
A Tale of Two Tears
I rewind my tears.
Things didn’t go the way I had hoped.
Outside pressures twisted my expectations.
Inside pressures twisted my expectations.
Loss leads to sorrow.
I push the play button on my tears.
No more hiding my weariness or what burdens my soul.
Emotions are acknowledged and experienced.
My posture changes—knees on the floor and folded hands
I lift earnest prayers.
My need for Jesus becomes paramount.
I am open.
I fast forward my tears.
Motherhood lives in a space where life and love meet grief and loss. It’s a constant cycle. And it’s in this cycle that I grow and learn not just to become a better mother but a better Christ-follower. The office of motherhood is designed by our Creator to bring me to a place of kneeling before Him. Our tears, dear Mama, serve a purpose, to signal us to draw closer to Jesus.
In Mathew 11:28, Jesus said,
“Come to me, . . . (He says with arms open wide) . . . all you who are weary (the exhausted and not the strong independent woman) . . . and burdened, (the one who is weighed down and overwhelmed) . . . and I will give you rest.” (Jesus is ready to comfort. His very presence soothes our soul.)
However, truth be told, there have been days where my tears betray me, and I hold fast deception and self-deceit.
I rewind my tears.
Things didn’t go the way I had hoped.
Outside pressures twisted my expectations.
Inside pressures twisted my expectations.
Loss leads to sorrow.
I push the play button on my tears.
I hide my weariness and what burdens my soul.
I bury my real emotions and choose anger instead.
My spine stiffens with pride.
I am closed.
I fast forward my tears.
I build walls. I make vows to isolate and to lean on no one but myself. Darkness and joyless gloom settle in for as long as I allow.
Where will your tears lead you? Into the arms of Jesus or to the infamous pity party for one. Your tears, dear Mama, are meant to bring you closer to Jesus. Cry out to Him.
About the author
Beth Mora, creator/teacher-on-camera for Here to Help Learning’s Homeschool Writing Program (grades 1-6) and homeschool conference and women’s events speaker, loves to blog at Home to Home. She serves up HTHL’s Writing Tip of the Week for those teaching their kiddos to write. Everything she does, whether laughable or heart gripping, is done to honor One. God’s grace is the salve that has healed her own life and is what she offers liberally to others.
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Contest Corner
for the month of September
Preacher on the Run: A Novel of the Regulator Uprising
Jayna Baas
Preacher on the Run: A Novel of the Regulator Uprising by Jayna Baas is Christian historical fiction centered on the Regulator Rebellion of the Revolutionary War Era. The over 310-page novel includes fifty chapters plus a prologue and epilogue. Additional pages include a North Carolina Piedmont Area map from 1771, background information, Scripture references, and a bibliography.
I used this book as a read-aloud with my 10-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son. Though it did not fit in with our studies this year, I was drawn to the book because a young author wrote it, and I wanted to take the time to discover the story with my children. It was age appropriate for a 14-year-old, though the plot was a little ambitious for a 10-year-old. I will assign the book to my 16-year-old son to read independently during his next school year when his studies cover the Revolutionary War. I also suspect my post-high school daughter would enjoy this book and will make sure it is available for her.
Preacher on the Run is a unique book.
Though historical fiction, the author constructed her story in two fresh and exceptional ways. First, the dialogue was more modern than expected of a 1700s setting, giving the characters a relatable connection to the present-day reader. Second, the main character Robert Boothe along with his wife Magdalen are nearly superheroes in the sense that they are aware something big is working against them. They seem to expect trouble, as well as the Lord’s strength to handle that trouble. The result of the author’s choices is a surprisingly entertaining read with quite a bit of clever humor, which was unexpected given the historical period. Nearly every day, I would catch my 14-year-old with a grin or laugh as I read. Even the title evokes a smile and intrigues.
Go to the contest page of our site where you can ENTER TO WIN Preacher on the Run: A Novel of the Regulator Uprising.
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