1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 2: You're listening to Everyday Prayers with a Million Praying Moms 3 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:20,639 Speaker 2: helping you pray God's word for your family in the 4 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 2: areas you need it most. I'm your host, Nicole Bell. 5 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 2: Here we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our 6 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 2: first and best response in parenting, and every day we 7 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: come together to partner with God for the hearts of 8 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:37,840 Speaker 2: our children. Today's devotion is written and read by Tara L. Cole, 9 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 2: author of Everyday Prayers for the School Year and Abide 10 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 2: Forty Ways to Focus on Jesus. In today's episode, Tara 11 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 2: shares a prayer to do life with Jesus. She encourages 12 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:53,160 Speaker 2: us that we don't have to perfectly have quiet moments 13 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 2: to have meaningful time with God. This is good news 14 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 2: for all of us moms. To learn more about Tara 15 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 2: or Million Praying Mom's ministry, visit Million Prayingmoms dot com. 16 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 2: You can find a link in. 17 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: Our show notes. 18 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:08,919 Speaker 2: After a quick word from our sponsors, we'll pray together 19 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 2: for our children. 20 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: I am the line. 21 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 3: You are the branches. Whoever abides a meat and I 22 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 3: and him he it is that bears much fruit for 23 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,320 Speaker 3: Apart from me, you can do nothing John fifteen four. 24 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 3: My closest friends are those I regularly do life with, 25 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 3: or at least have in the past. One of them 26 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 3: is a mom I've shared a bench with that karate 27 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 3: practice and tournaments, met up with to walk once a 28 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 3: week for years, and watched our kids grow up together. 29 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 3: Others are ones for my church or my kids' school, 30 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 3: whom I've grown to know over the years. Because our 31 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 3: lives constantly intersect. It's ironic that when I consider my 32 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 3: close friends, we walk through life together. But when I 33 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 3: think of my friendship with Jesus, I think I have 34 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 3: to stop my life to spend time with him. As 35 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 3: busy moms, we long for a close connection with Jesus, 36 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 3: but often our lives look like this instead. Each morning, 37 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 3: we get up with good intentions to have time alone 38 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 3: with God, but a kid wakes up early, or our 39 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 3: alarm doesn't go off, and we rush into our day, 40 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 3: perhaps around the breakfast table. We try to wrangle kids 41 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:12,800 Speaker 3: to eat their breakfast, grab their homework, and get their shoes, 42 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 3: and we watch our hopes for a meaningful devotional time 43 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 3: fly out the window, maybe on the way to score 44 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 3: to catch the bus. They squabble in the car and 45 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 3: our day and theirs begins in chaos instead of calm. 46 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 3: Then we drive to work at home or to an office, 47 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 3: and the day's tasks sweep us away. Finally, in the evening, 48 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 3: we have high hopes of getting our Bible reading. However, homework, chores, supper, 49 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 3: and kids, sports and activities eat up all our time. 50 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 3: Then we're so tired by bedtime that we sweep the 51 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 3: kids into bed, hop on our phone, or read our 52 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 3: favorite book for just a few minutes of quiet before 53 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 3: crawling into bed. We clean up the kitchen and reset 54 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 3: the house to do it all again tomorrow. What if 55 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 3: it doesn't have to be this way? What if this 56 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 3: chaos could be calmed and Jesus could be an integral 57 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 3: part of your days. He wants something better for you, 58 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 3: and stay sing John ten. I have come that they 59 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 3: may have life and have it to the full. But 60 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,079 Speaker 3: does a life you live feel like a full life? 61 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 3: Jesus gives a secret a few chapters later, in John 62 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 3: fifteen four. He says, I am the vine. You are 63 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 3: the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him? 64 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 3: He it is that bears much fruit. For apart from me, 65 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 3: you can do nothing. He knows we can't do it 66 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 3: without his help. He knows we can't live the full 67 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 3: life he's promised alone, and he invites us to abide 68 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 3: in him. Abiding seems so hard to grasp, But when 69 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 3: I looked up the word abide in the Greek, I 70 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 3: learned that it means to remain, to continue, to be present, 71 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 3: to be held kept continually. Isn't that a glorious picture. 72 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 3: Abiding in Jesus isn't just three times a week at 73 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 3: church or fifteen minutes in the morning for quiet time, 74 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 3: though those are very good. Abiding is constantly remaining in 75 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 3: his presence, minute by minute, being held by Jesus. What if, instead, 76 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 3: your friendship with Jesus was like the one you have 77 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:01,119 Speaker 3: with your closest friends. Instead of stopping life, you did 78 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 3: life together. What if your day could look like this instead? 79 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 3: Each morning you get up with good intentions to have 80 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 3: time alone with Jesus, but the kid wakes up early 81 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 3: or your alarm doesn't go off, and you rush into 82 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 3: your day. You may not have time for a longer 83 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 3: Bible reading, but you reach for a short devotional on 84 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 3: your side table or your phone, and hand your child 85 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 3: the children's Bible story books so they can have their 86 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 3: own time with Jesus too. Around the breakfast table, kids 87 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,359 Speaker 3: rush in and out to get homework, put on shoes, 88 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 3: and hopefully get something in their stomachs before school. As 89 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 3: they rush by, you ask if anyone wants to say 90 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 3: the memory Verse you've posted on the kitchen fridge. You 91 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 3: have a few takers, give them stars on the Memory 92 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 3: Verse charts, and hustle them out the door. On the 93 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 3: way to score the bus, you call out into the 94 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 3: craziness of the back seat and ask who wants to 95 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 3: pray first. You all take turns praying, and you get 96 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 3: to model for your kids what it looks like to 97 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 3: depend on Jesus. You even ask them for his help 98 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 3: for your day and theirs, knowing none of you can 99 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 3: do this alone. If you have time, you all listen 100 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 3: to a devotional podcast for kids or an audio Bible 101 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 3: before you drop them off. On the way to work, 102 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 3: you listen to worship music to calm your spirit, lean 103 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 3: into Jesus and share with him those things weighing you down. 104 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 3: Throughout your workday, you continue to abide in him, giving 105 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 3: him the chaos, asking for his wisdom and help, and 106 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 3: leaning into that wisdom when handling decisions and difficult people. 107 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 3: You text a friend for prayers in the evening's mad 108 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 3: dash of homework supper. Inactivities, you play worship music in 109 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 3: the background. As you reset your home for the next day. 110 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:29,840 Speaker 3: You listen to a podcast that reminds you where your 111 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 3: strength comes from, and it points you back to Jesus. 112 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 3: This day is possible. It starts with prayer and asking 113 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,479 Speaker 3: Him for guidance and help to abide in Him, to 114 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 3: see the moments in your day where He longs to 115 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 3: join you in the chaos of life. Please do not 116 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 3: look at that day I just described and idealize it 117 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 3: as a bar you cannot reach. That isn't the point. Instead, 118 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 3: begin to notice one or two times in your own 119 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,280 Speaker 3: day where Jesus wants to step in and walk with you. 120 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 3: Jesus doesn't want to be one more thing on your 121 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 3: to do list. Instead, he wants you to hand the 122 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 3: to do list over to him and rely on Him 123 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 3: for the strength you need to get through your day. 124 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 3: Let's pray Father. During these hands on parenting years, life 125 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 3: feels so busy and crazy. I long for time with you, 126 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 3: but the to do list and activities keep pushing our 127 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 3: relationship into tomorrow. Please open my eyes to a few 128 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 3: times a day when you desire to walk with me 129 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 3: and where we can do life together and I can 130 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 3: abide in you and Jesus' name Amen. 131 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 2: May is the month to celebrate moms, and we've updated 132 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 2: our mom shop just in time with some of our 133 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 2: favorite resources. Be sure to check out our updated shop 134 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:42,559 Speaker 2: at Million Prayingmoms dot com, forward slash shop, or click 135 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 2: shop from our homepage. Until next time, friends, the Lord 136 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 2: bless you and keep you. Make his face shine upon 137 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 2: you and be gracious to you. May the Lord look 138 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 2: with favor on you and give you peace.