More Than A Home
Before I had Mazy, I was more than involved as a youth pastor’s wife. I was making copious amounts of food, going to every event, and really, doing what I loved. In fact, when I was a freshman in college, I had declared youth ministry as my major, until a lunch table conversation with a social work professor, changed my course, in which I eventually did convert. Though I never lost passion for what I loved – working with youth.
After Mazy was born, I truly thought I would stay in step with what I was doing with Dan, just not being AS involved. We told ourselves that we would take Mazy everywhere with us, make her flexible, and just go with the flow. Yeah. I’m sure if you are a parent, you are laughing right now. I know I am still laughing at myself.
As you might have probably guessed, that is not what happened. Mazy thrived off of a schedule (like any child really does…note to self…) and any deviating from that, well, she let us know. Mazy also was a bit colicky, had acid reflux, and was not a good sleeper. So that whole idea of being flexible quickly flew out the door.
And honestly, it was the BEST thing that could have happened to me. I can say that now, but it took me a while to adjust. I felt I lost a bit of who I was because I felt I was failing as a mother. With a baby crying for hours on end, with no ability to console, I felt I was anything but a good mama.
But just like God changed my heart when it came to my major back in college, God changed my heart for the type of ministry He wanted me to do. He has now given me the best of BOTH worlds. I have the privilege of helping and making food for the youth group when I can, but I also have the gift of creating a ministry within the walls of our home.
And you do too.
Maybe you’ve been in the same boat. Maybe a big life change, changed your course of action. You maybe weren’t prepared and you felt a bit lost. Maybe it was after a job change. Maybe it was after having a child. Maybe it was even after getting married.
But God taught me a valuable lesson: I can still give of my heart because my ministry is to my very own daughter. To think that Mazy is first going to hear of Christ and His power, through my husband and I, literally gives me chills. To think that we are going to be the first people to teach her what godly character looks like. To think that we are the first people who are going to teach her how to pray. How to speak. How to love. How to give. How to put others first.
Parenting and motherhood are NOT just the mundane. They are a calling to a greater purpose. A calling into a ministry that God has set aside specifically for this time, this season of life. A ministry that is going to make a Kingdom difference, if we give it to God first, and then act out of His will for our lives.
That my friend, is a high calling. Even though you may feel like you’ve had to give up something and maybe it wasn’t very easy to do, remember that God has a far greater purpose for you in being a parent, than you may have ever realized. Having Mazy and her NOT being flexible was truly the best thing that could have happened! God opened up my heart to a whole new ministry and oh the blessings I would have missed if I did not open my heart to it.
See those four walls as not just your home, but also a place of ministry.
