Shelly A. Faust

More Power to the Pep Squad

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This week has been a roller coaster of emotions for me (I know, a woman emotional? Totally out of character).

Maybe I’m the only one but goodness, Monday was HARD. And not for any particular reason either. The enemy is sneaky (and quick) like that. And then Tuesday was going to be better and then it wasn’t and then it was again. (See? Roller coaster.)

But all these emotions got me to thinking. I wonder if anyone else is sitting home on Mondays (or any other day) feeling like they aren’t needed (which, for a mother, how could this even be, because HELLO – mothering), or lonely or unexplainably sad or like they just don’t measure up or wondering how they got to be 43 (FYI – just threw that number out there, ahem) and still don’t always know where they’re going, or worn slap out or a million other feelings or crazy thoughts that trespass on our otherwise delightful day at the drop of a hat (thanks to my 5th grader’s homework for that overused idiom).

So I posted a photo to my Instagram and Facebook and Twitter (insert shameless plug – check) and turns out, some of you – like me – needed some encouragement.

And guess what? My heart soared in the midst of encouraging you. Totally scriptural, by the way.

He who refreshes others

So I wanted to reach out to my readers here and throw some confetti because you are worth celebrating. Whatever you’re going through, whatever you’re feeling, you’re going to make it. I believe in you. And more than that, GOD believes in you AND empowers you to do all the hard things and enables you to overcome all the emotions and all the feelings (because we have a lot of those, huh?).

Chin up, mama!

I want to cheer you on. Except don’t mistake me for a cheerleader. No, in junior high school when all that started I was not popular enough, coordinated enough, or confident enough (I was in all the GT classes though – fist bump from my nerd buddies). And we didn’t have enough money for uniforms and camp (if we did, I’m sure it would’ve gone towards completing that unfinished sheetrock hiding in my closet). And I was SO AWKWARD. Y’all. I’m not even kidding. (Note to self: Naturally curly hair does not look better all brushed out and cannot have wings. Like ever. Pre-flat iron era, of course).

But apparently none of that mattered for the Pep Squad. Because I totally did that for one season. (Still, all the love to my best friends who were ALL, except maybe one, the most awesome cheerleaders.)

Doesn’t Pep SQUAD sound like something we could all do? I mean, you’re my people, but to think of us as a squad, throwing confetti and giving pep talks and cheering for each other? That makes my heart sing. Yes, I can do pep squad.

More power to the Pep Squad!

So, this is the prayer I prayed for all my mama friends this morning (because nothing requires more of us than this mothering, I think):

Holy Spirit, empower us with wisdom to mother well and courage to trust that You, God, can handle anything (even those years of transition from teenager to adult, oh my). Be our strength when we feel weak, our joy when when we feel sad, our peace when we feel chaos, our hope when we feel hopeless, and our stability when we feel unstable. You are enough for us. You are enough for our children. Remind us to rest in You. Thank You for loving us beyond what we could ever deserve. Let us also love well. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

And, mamas, may we lift each other up, cheer loudly for one another, celebrate one another, high five one another, grieve together, laugh together, pray together, and occasionally have lunch together. ‪#‎togetherisbetter‬ ‪#‎mamasunite‬ ‪#‎youaremypeople‬ #powertothepepsquad

me and logan - power to the pep squad

I love y’all!!

 

 

 

 

I’m Spending Today With My Eyes Open

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With pillow and blanket in tow and eyes heavy from a long day of playing, he stretches out on the couch beside me. Nudging his head against my arm and sending secret coded messages with those sleepy, puppy dog eyes, he has my full attention. Because these moments, at nine years old, don’t come as often as they once did. I stop typing and softly outline every detail of his face with my fingers by the glow of the computer screen in my lap.

Without thinking, I start singing a familiar song and he smiles. A praise song we first learned together while he snuggled soundly in my belly.

God of wonders beyond our galaxy, You are holy. Holy.

The universe declares Your majesty. You are holy. Holy.

We both grew in that season – he in my belly and I in my spirit (and certainly my flesh, too). God placed this promise of life on the inside of me as cancer made threats on the outside of me. He gave me joy when life tempted to bring me sadness. And He took what the enemy meant to harm me with and used it for good.

And when I look at this beautiful boy next to me my heart grows tender. Every breath he breathes reminds me of God’s mercy and grace. Reminds me that God is a God of second chances. That God’s plans are so much greater than my own. And that this life I’m living is about so much more than the girl I see in the mirror every morning.

Hold your family this weekend, friends. Take time to snuggle on the couch. Trace the freckles and memorize the curves of your child’s face.

Put the computer down. Stop work for a moment. Be fully present.

Breathe in the fullness of this day. No matter what you’re going through find something to be thankful for. Though we walk through seasons of difficulty, God is ever present. His mercy and grace remain, enabling and empowering us to get through to the other side – stronger, better, fuller.

Those hard places we walk (and sometimes crawl) through have a way of changing us. Our perspective. Our priorities. Our way of thinking. Everything, really.

The hard days have a way of opening our eyes to the good days, don’t they?

I’m spending today with my eyes open. And I hope you will, too.

xo

Shelly

Being a Mama Is Tough

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Psalm 62 1 picnic table

Let me say that again.

Being a Mama is tough.

It can make you feel so full of love that you think your heart might burst.

And it can empty you, causing you to question your ability to go on or make you wonder what God was thinking when He trusted you with children.

The one constant we have, no matter what kind of mothering or parenting moment we find ourselves in, is God.

He never changes.

When I feel broken, when my strength has been depleted, and when every ounce of energy has been used up (for example – from parenting a teenager, hypothetically speaking, of course), I can choose to surrender and lay everything at the feet of Jesus. In this place I find hope, healing, and strength to start over again tomorrow.

In our current study of “Am I Messing Up My Kids?” by Lysa Terkeurst, she says,

“Anything I do right as a mom is because of my constant dialogues with God. Anything I do wrong as a mom is because of trying to do things in my own strength.”

After twenty-two years of parenting, I know this to be truth. And yet, still some days I find myself neglecting my source of strength, wisdom, and joy.

But His grace never runs out and His mercies are still new every morning.

So lay down those burdens, sweet mama friend, and pick up His Word.

You’ll find hope there.

Bathe your mind in truth and wrap your heart in His promises.

Surrender those worries, throw away those feelings of inadequacy, and please PLEASE break that measuring stick that falsely accuses you of being less than others.

God doesn’t love us based on how well we perform or how perfectly behaved our kids are.

He loves us not because of anything we are but because He IS love.

His affections have been set on you today. Right now. This. Very. Moment.

Breathe out that thing weighing you down.

And breathe in His grace and strength to keep going.

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.  Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” (Isaiah 44:22)

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”  (Isaiah 40:29)

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”  (Psalm 100:5)

“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.” Psalm 62:1

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9a

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16.

Isn’t He so good? :)

Love,

Shelly

(Need encouragement from other mamas? Join us here —> Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Studies.)

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year2

It was one of those divinely inspired, this-has-to-be-God, spiritual moments with my nine year old. I just knew he was listening and really understanding the deep revelation of the passage of scripture we were talking about.

And then it happened.

Out of nowhere.

Right in the middle of our anointed, theological conversation about Elijah being taken up in a whirlwind to heaven.

“Man, I wish I could go to heaven.”

“You are going to go to heaven, but it’s not your time yet. God has great things for you to do here on earth first.”

“Yeah, well, you know…I really want an Xbox1.”

Huh?

Maybe his deep pondering was more about video games than spiritual revelation.

Oh well, I guess a few minutes of attention and instruction is better than none at all, right? :)

Just like my son, I, too, can be a little scattered in my thinking. It’s easy to sometimes get off track and lose focus of whatever it is God is trying to teach me. I’m praying that I can be more intentional in everything I do this year.

Especially with my one word: SERVE.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superious, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:58 AMP

I want to serve God intentionally and purposefully with others, with my family, and in every task He places before me or calls me to do.

I also have some specific and strategic scriptures to pray over each of my children for the year. This will be one way for me to be intentional in my parenting and in serving my family.

How about you? Do you have one word God has given you for this year? And do you have a specific strategy in praying for your children for 2014?

By the way, better late than never…Happy New Year!!! 

(Disclaimer: I didn’t want the word serve, nor was I excited about it. The sanguine in me wanted something like friends or laughter or joy or favor…or party. Haha 😉 But I’ll save that for another, more detailed post about my one word coming soon…)

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