If I’m honest, I yearn for the days of ‘easy.’ I look forward to each milestone of independence with my kids, and I hope for the days when my husband’s job will take away less time from the family. Sometimes, my eyes focus on a reality that isn’t here, imagining my life the way I want to live it if I could just tweak a few details about the present.
Last night, I wanted to read a book. I’ve been reading the same book for months as the end-of-the-school year madness left me too tired to think most nights. Unfortunately, that tiredness left me too tired to wake up many mornings, and I felt the nudge to read my neglected Bible first.
I decide to read Joshua chapter 1 after hearing a sermon on Joshua 6 that afternoon. In the first nine verses, God tells Joshua three times to “Be strong and courageous.” I couldn’t help but think that God was speaking those words to me, too.
Now, I realize I’m not leading an entire nation across the Jordan river, but I am leading three little ones every day. Many nights, I close my eyes in fear as I pray, as I beg God to hold my children close, as I yearn for Him to make me a better mother–but the words He spoke to Joshua are the same for me:
“Be strong and courageous…”
Why?
“…for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9)
God is with me, no matter where Matt works, no matter the ages of my kids, no matter my successes and failures in parenting, and all He asks of me is that I am strong and courageous. I can find that strength and courage if I remember that He is the one who gives it to me.
Last night, sleep came easily, as it does most nights, but before I closed my eyes, I thought and prayed about what I had read. While I would still love to tweak a few details here and there for the future, I’m going to work harder at being strong in the present.
For God is with me.
*in verse 9, emphasis added is mine
Where is God telling you to be strong and courageous?
Linking up with Michelle and Jen today.
Jennifer Vignola Davis 
Hey, girl. Love that verse. It has spoken to my life many times. Right now, the Haitian adoption, of course.
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In the same ways he is telling you – right there in the mothering trenches. I get bashful about asking for help, or admitting it is hard. It is. But those words from Joshua were just what I needed to hear – thank you for sharing them. I'm off to read my neglected Bible now.
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I love the line about the nudge to read your neglected Bible. Glad you paid attention to that nudge.
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Ah…good thoughts. It is easy to "look ahead." I struggle with it too at times (even though my youngest is 19!) Reading your post the words of a hymn came to me. "Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow–blessings untold and 10,000 beside."
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Excellent thoughts. Sometimes "leading three little ones every day" can feel like "leading an entire nation across the Jordan river"! Every exhausted mom could use a little refreshing encouragement, and it looks like God was all ready to give you some in those Joshua words — and even gave you the nudge to read them. Thanks for sharing them here.
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