For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
Romans 8:14
I’ve walked across awkwardly placed boards creating a makeshift bridge to a village over the Amazon River. I’ve eaten a caterpillar, and held a sloth. I’ve walked down perilous hills to reach the local village people to share Jesus with them. I’ve crossed the ocean to adopt three children from a mental institution, and I've opened my front door to receive a little who needed respite. I've done all of these things with my children at my side. Adventure is my favorite.
However, many of the most important moments in our lives are the simple ones, usually found in the mundane. The ordinary. The “wake up-eat breakfast-do school-eat lunch-play-eat dinner-go to bed” kind of days. Lately, Holy Spirit has been encouraging my heart to be present. To listen when my children speak, to value their dreams, and to care about the latest Barbie/video game debacle. God reminds me how important making the cup of coffee is for my teenager, or praying for the other teenager as he goes to bed. These moments matter greatly. I’ll give you an example.
Recently, my ten year old daughter asked me if I would watch the movie “Moana” with her. She had really wanted to see it the day before, and I told her that when she watched it I would do so with her. That day, I was trying to spend a little quiet time with a book and in prayer, as well as thinking about the things I needed to do. At that moment, my beautiful girl walked in with her movie request! My initial response was to say no. Mama needs her time, right? But truthfully, the Lord had been reminding me that investments into my children, being present for them in the extraordinary and the ordinary, were really important. So, I went downstairs to watch Moana with my daughter. In the beginning of the movie, the Lord began to speak to me. As I watched the “sea” call little Moana to her true identity as a voyager, I thought about how each child has a unique gift and design from the Lord. Later in the movie, Moana chooses to show courage in an effort to save her people from the darkness. Because she knew who she was, she made decisions without fear. I was watching a movie with my daughter, but the Lord was speaking to me about kids and teens in this day and age. The importance of their design, calling, and voice for our future. Funnily enough, all of this happened while I was simply watching a Disney movie with my daughter.
Therein lies the other thing the Lord has been teaching me in the mundane. Often, we get our identity from all of the things we are accomplishing in a day. Making sure we send “that” email, text, or social media post. All things that give us or others the impression of our own importance. All things we so easily get frustrated with our kids for interrupting. Without realizing it, these are also things that we are receiving our identity from.
Romans 8:14 says “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, THESE are the sons of God”. Being led by the Spirit of God-wow! What an absolutely transformational understanding. We aren’t important because of what we DO, but simply because of Whose we are. We aren’t more accomplished because we live an adventure everyday, so much as we make everyday with our family intentional, led by the very Spirit of God.
Whether you are having an everyday moment, or an extraordinary one, I pray that you understand that as a child of God, you don’t have to DO anything to be important. As His children, we simply get to be led by Him. Being led by Holy Spirit has taken me to Ukraine, Honduras, Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru. He has led me to sell my car, my home, and do missions school together as a family. Lately, His leading has looked like being patient when my children fight over who gets to watch something on TV, teaching homeschool math, and making sure my kids are consistently feeding their pets. It has also looked like deep conversations, cleaning, and making lunch again for the child who forgot to tell me what he wanted to eat. Truthfully, there are so many ordinary moments. The ordinary moments do seem to far exceed the extraordinary ones! But, I've learned to be present in both. The Lord surprises me in these places, speaking to me in the mundane, creating character in my children in the simple and ordinary. Let’s not always look for the next adventure. Let’s expect the Lord in it all. As sons and daughters of a very real God, our identity doesn’t come from how busy or accomplished we are. We can rest and watch our kids thrive as their parents are led by Holy Spirit in all things, including the mundane!
Your fellow Able Mom,
Monica Sotolongo
God, I thank You for teaching us to embrace the mundane. You have so many extraordinary moments for us even in the midst of what seems normal. God, help us to find
our identity in simply being Yours, and not in what we accomplish.
Help us to EXPECT you in it all! We love you! In Jesus name, Amen
Connect with Monica:
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Email: monica@abidetolove.org
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