As moms, we often find ourselves overextended, fatigued and distracted. Having the schools open again would be a reprieve from the current state of continual answerability. We find ourselves finding comfort in conversations with others in the same circumstances. Overloaded and feeling out-of-control…these are the words that express our position, with blame and misunderstanding, the key tones for our troubled attitude. The very word “endurance” conjures up more “long-suffering” with constant noise and activity! How does one reconcile the given responsibilities with the “tangle” we often find ourselves in?
“If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out,
then how can you compete with horses?
If you fall down in the land of peace,
how will you do in the thicket of Jordan? Jeremiah 12: 5
Failing to see the opportunity in our circumstances is paramount to “missing the motherhood-boat” entirely! The sisterhood of our commission to the success of our children is a concentrated obligation with the job description written into it. The task is hardy and we will be accountable. The fruit of our investment and labor is known and read by all who come in contact with us and our children.
Frustration and failure are a part of the package.
When the Confederate army retreated after Gettysburg, General Lee wrote: “We must expect reverses, even defeats. They are sent to teach us wisdom and prudence, to call forth greater energies, and to prevent our falling into greater disasters…” This is true of the individual life. There is no retreat. We are at war for the hearts and minds of our children.
Thankfully, failure is the line of least persistence. Determination and perseverance are engraved on the heart of every loving and dedicated mom. They are scripted with a call to excellence and excellence is never cheap. It is costly. Constant care, serious preparation and continual application are required. Excellence involves desire plus discipline plus determination.
Let’s be found “running with the footmen” this week.
True to our calling and committed to enduring the course
for the benefit of those that will carry the banner into the next generation.
~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America. Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California. My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.
