1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: Life Audio. You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, 2 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,720 Speaker 1: where we're dedicated to helping moms pray God's word for 3 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: their families in the areas they need it most. I'm 4 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,760 Speaker 1: your host, Nicolette Bell. Over the last decade, we've helped 5 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: thousands of moms make prayer a priority for their families. 6 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: Our mission is to help you do the same. Prayer 7 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: is not a last resort. It's our first and best 8 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: response to the challenges of parenting. A partnership for the 9 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: hearts of our children that God invites us into. Today's 10 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 1: devotion is written by Carolyn Roberts, author of her newest book, 11 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: The Beauty of Being strive Less and Live More with 12 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: God as your Guide. To learn more about Carolyn, or 13 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: to learn more about how you can get involved in 14 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: the ministry of Million Praying Moms, visit today's show notes 15 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: at Millionprayingmoms dot com. After a quick word from our 16 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: spons will pray together for our children. 17 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 2: A Prayer for the Weary Mama by Caroline Roberts Matthew 18 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 2: eleven twenty eight says, come to me, all you who 19 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 2: are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Today, 20 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 2: I want to talk to you about something I've discovered 21 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 2: in my own journey through motherhood, that clinging to joy 22 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 2: can bring peace to your weary soul. Sometimes we're so 23 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 2: tired that the enemy trives to steal our joy. But 24 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 2: I've found that a little laughter is truly healing and 25 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 2: good for the soul. When we're especially exhausted, we can 26 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 2: tend to take out our frustrations on the ones around us, 27 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 2: the very people we love the most. I remember one 28 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 2: particular Wednesday evening when our family was headed to church service. 29 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 2: It had been such a busy week. Everyone was running late, 30 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 2: and I can admit I was definitely overwhelmed. Halfway through 31 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 2: the ride, my son whimpered in tears from the backseat, Mommy, 32 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 2: I don't have on any shoes. I forgot my shoes. 33 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,959 Speaker 2: In that moment, I had a decision to make. Was 34 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 2: I going to react in frustration or rather respond from 35 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 2: a place of peace and rest. Well, in that moment, 36 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 2: I chose joy over frustration. I bursed into laughter and 37 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 2: it was infectious. My husband, along with our other four 38 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 2: kids in the car, began cracking up as well. We 39 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 2: slowed down, stopped at a nearby store and got my 40 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 2: seven year old son a new pair of sneakers. He 41 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 2: was thankful and grateful, and because I responded from a 42 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 2: place of rest rather than stressed, this gave him a 43 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 2: sense of peace. When we let go a little, laugh, 44 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 2: a little more, and trust that God is still good 45 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 2: even in our imperfection. That's what it means to embrace 46 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 2: the beauty of being. Yes, my son made a mistake, 47 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 2: but that would never change my love for him. In 48 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 2: the same way, as children of God, we should know 49 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 2: that our performance are mistakes, and even our forgetfulness can 50 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 2: never separate us from the love that God has for us. 51 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 2: It's all so helpful to know that God himself has 52 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 2: a sense of humor. He is not a tyrant standing 53 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 2: over us waiting for us to drop the ball. Rather, 54 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 2: he says, slow down and cast your burdens on me, 55 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 2: and I will give you rest. Let's pray, dear Heavenly Father. 56 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 2: We come before you today carrying the weight of motherhood, 57 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 2: the beautiful, exhausting, overwhelming calling You've placed on our hearts, 58 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 2: and we confess that sometimes we're so weary that we 59 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 2: forget to choose joy, so overwhelmed that we react from 60 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 2: stress instead of responding from your peace. Lord, help us 61 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 2: to remember that even in our chaos, you are still 62 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 2: good and your love for us never waivers. Give us 63 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 2: the grace to laugh at the unexpected moments and to 64 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 2: respond with patience when our plans fall apart, and to 65 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 2: model your unconditional love to our children. When we're tempted 66 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 2: to be too hard on ourselves or our families, remind 67 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 2: us to slow down and cast our burdens on you. Lord. 68 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 2: We ask you to fill our homes with laughter, grace, 69 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 2: and the beautiful truth that we are loved not because 70 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 2: of our performance, but simply because we are yours. Thank you, 71 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 2: Lord for the gift of rest that comes from knowing 72 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 2: we are held by you, even in our imperfection. In 73 00:04:57,279 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 2: Jesus's name, Amen. 74 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 1: Friends, we have completely revamped our Patreon tears. Now with 75 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: a ten dollars monthly donation, you automatically receive our favorite 76 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: monthly downloadable prayer calendar of curated scripture inspired prayers that 77 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: complement the devotions and prayers from the podcast. You also 78 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: receive each day's devotion and prayer in written form, including 79 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 1: reflection questions to accompany your quiet time. Many of our 80 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: members enjoy having the ability to read the day's devotion 81 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: or to save the prayer for future use. Lastly, when 82 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: you become a Praying Mom, you're invited to a monthly 83 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: mom chat with me and surprise guests from our other 84 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: Million Praying Mom authors. You can learn more in today's 85 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:48,359 Speaker 1: show notes or at Millionprayingmoms dot com. Until next time, friends, 86 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 87 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the 88 00:05:56,360 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace. Kay.