All in Hope

Ten Ways to Keep the Darkness at Bay

Kate Battistelli
Discipling Children, Following God, Hope, Parenting, Prayer

I know most of us here are Christian moms but we want the same things as every other mom right? Every mom wants to keep her kids safe, help them grow up healthy and strong,  protect them from monsters and let them believe they’re super heroes, agreed?

All mothers can pretty much agree on these points but as moms following God, we have different standards and we see a bigger picture. We see beyond keeping our children safe to making them holy vessels fit for the Master’s use. We see far past our children’s temporal lives and gaze into their eternal futures.

If you’ve ever seen the first Hobbit movie, you might remember this line:

And I Pray...

Shannon McKee
Faith, Following God, Hope, Prayer, The BetterMom Updates

Tucked away in my journal is a little list that I find myself returning to often lately. At some point I went through the New Testament of my Bible and jotted down all the times that someone says “and I pray that…” You see, my prayer life isn’t always very rich or powerful or consistent. More often than I care to admit, much of my prayer life is me throwing up quick requests for God to bless my plans as I go about life. So I wanted to comb through the Bible and see what sorts of things Jesus’ earliest followers prayed about.

Two of my favorites are in the book of Ephesians. Ephesians is a powerful letter from the apostle Paul to the newish Christians who lived in Ephesus during the first century. He had poured his heart and soul into the early formation of the church at Ephesus and obviously had some important things he wanted to share with them.

When We Are Given More Than We Can Handle

Summer Saldana
Cancer, Faith, Following God, Hope, Marriage/Relationships, Miscarriage, Parenting, Prayer, Special Needs

"I'm tired of being afraid. I'm wondering how I got this way. I'm trying to remember what life was like before. Panic moved in without even knocking on the door. Have mercy on me. I'm not who I used to be. Have mercy on me. Jesus, please..." Have Mercy on Me lyrics, -JJ Heller

I remember so clearly, as though it was only yesterday and not nearly three years in my past, those overwhelming feelings of panic that would run through my veins every minute of every day and night for what seemed to be months on end.

I can close my eyes and instantly recall the constant unrest that would swirl around within my mind, and the tears...the most sincere and heartfelt tears I think I may have ever cried in my whole life, that would fall day after day after day. Night after night after night.

10 Reasons to be Thankful

Carlie Kercheval
Following God, Hope, Prayer, The BetterMom Updates

One thing that life has taught me, specifically the Christ-centered life, is to be thankful. There are so many reasons to give thanks to God. I find that if we focus on the little, everyday things, it makes for a more joy-filled and peaceful life. But if we are being truthful, there are times that we are so self-centered that we forget to give God thanks for the simple, everyday things life brings our way.

Last night while I was in prayer I heard the Lord whisper softly, "Remind my people to be thankful." And while this post will be seen by many, please know dear sister, that I write this list for myself just as much as I write it for you. As you read the items on this list, think of some things that you could be more appreciative of. Be sure and make a conscious decision to be thankful. There is always something to be thankful for, even in the most difficult situations - God is in the midst of it all. Let's cultivate an attitude of thankfulness today, and every day.

When I Forget To Ask

Natalie
Following God, Hope, Parenting, Prayer, The BetterMom Updates

Some days seem longer than others.

Those days when I am not the mom I want my kids to learn from.

The other night after each of my children fell asleep I went into their rooms. I felt like I didn't enjoy them that day.

It wasn't until they fell asleep, when I realized that my patience level was embarrassing to admit. I held each of their hands and watched their peaceful faces as they were sleeping. I began to cry and ask God for help. I thought about how it was the only time I had asked him for help that day.

I talked to each of my dreaming babies about how much I love them. How much I really do enjoy them but I forget about what really matters. I forget that speaking truth to their hearts is much more important than how they act on the outside.

Shaping Your Child to Live Outside-the-Box

Sally Clarkson
Discipling Children, Following God, Hope, Parenting

"Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed." Romans 12: 1

Early one morning, my chatterbox little boy ran into the room, jumped on the couch next to me, snuggled and said with a sparkle, "Come on, admit it, mama! You must love me the best because I am the most fun of all your kids."

Followed by, "Nuh huh! She loves me best because I help her the most and you just get into trouble!"

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