Let's Start out this Monday with a Confession shall we?!?!
I used to think it was a kind, humble, heroic and a Servant-Leadership quality to say YES to e v e r y t h i n g.
Whether it was for my kids, my husband, my friend, my church, my neighbor...I said Yes. People-Pleasing, yes but not in the I need their approval kind of way, rather I thought I would be exemplifying the Love of Jesus by serving and helping others if they asked.
This was a problem in 2 big ways:
1.) I burned out and found myself running on fumes trying to be everything to everyone regardless if I felt able to (or wanting to) which caused anxiety, anger, frustration, shutting down in depletion, to name a few. There were many days I felt like a Doormat. Some days I felt like a Vending Machine.
2.) I was taking someone's else's blessing of serving in their place. I was a quick Yes without praying and asking God if this was my Yes or someone else's. Which also meant that I may have missed my own Yes Blessing because I was doing theirs.
Once I crashed and burned, God sat me down for a season and said, Enough with that. I need you to meet with Me first. I AM your Yes, No, Not Yet.
This is why I am always quoting Matthew 6:33. It's so important we seek what God has prepared and planned for us. Some things may be amazing opportunities and reasons to say Yes, but if God hasn't called you to it, it will feel hard, frustrating, depleting and like you are working with weights on. You may be able to do the things, but are you supposed to be doing those things is the real question.
It's so important for so many reasons why we need to Seek Him, Ask Him, first! We can't outrun God or fall so far behind He can't bring us to the right place, but we certainly can get stuck in an unnecessary wilderness or walked needlessly the wrong way and missed out on some blessings prepared for us.
Prayerful considerations are what are stablished within learning boundaries. Boundaries for setting up the guardrail and launching pad that prayer comes first before my word is given, be it a yes or no. Boundaries for knowing where my strengths and weaknesses and allowances are.
Prayer to ask God if this is something He has set up for you. Prayer to ask God for the strength and courage to do it if you don't think you are able or qualified. Prayer to release the selfish desire to be the hero and instead step back and support the one called to so the thing. Wherever He leads, this is where I set my eyes and energy.
Of course, this I not being legalistic to ask God , My Child is sick, should I stay home with them or go shopping with a friend, Should I buy my friend a cup of coffee when we go out, Should I let someone get in line in front of me at the store because their baby is ready to go home. God gives is common sense and discernment for every day life things. Some things won't be super easy, or obvious which those are the moments we Seek Him.
Knowing we'd need Community support, encouragement and iron sharpening iron mentorships, He created us for each other to intertwine our paths. Titus 2, Proverbs 27:17...such valuable relationships (gifts) in our lives!!!!
Teaching these things to her too, my mini-me empath, generous, compassionate, people-living, God-loving Girl.
Lord, Thank You for Your loving kindness, patience and gentleness to restore, renew and return us back to You. We confess when we run ahead of You, pull us back Lord. We confess when we are stubborn or afraid and we hide behind, pull us up Lord. We need You to Lead us. Be our Guide, our Shield, our YES and AMEN!!!!
We need and love You so much, in Your Son's Merciful and Grace upon Gracious Name, amen.
If today's encouragement hugged your HEART today, let me know in the comments or meet me over
in my Facebook Sisterhood Community! Feel free to share this blog with a friend who needs a heart hug too!
This is how YOU get to hug my HEART back!
Heart Hugs and Blessings,
Michele
After failing at my attempts to be the perfect Proverbs 31 Woman, God stepped in and put a stop to all the nonsense of this even being a thing to chase. 
I learned:
you can’t be all things to all people
you have to prioritize all the to-dos and don’t set unachievable expectations on yourself 
no one is perfectly handling life as you assume them to be
to find moments of grace breaths throughout the day
to stop overthinking and start preparing and planning
that the world is not watching and waiting for you to fail
my family and dearest friends love me right where I am and God Loves me more!
Grace upon Grace.
We are hardest on ourselves and those of us with huge hearts must be on guard against the temptation to think we can or should be all things to all people. Release that pressure before the pressure crushes you.
While learning these things was a tough season to walk through, it was a necessary lesson I am so grateful for now because it is the very season where I learned more about God's 
heart (His) and hope.
heart (His) and hope. Whatever YOU ARE facing, remember Who is for you and who is against you.
Our Audience of One. He’s the most important person you can serve and spend time with each day. Seek Him first and always and receive His Love and Grace.
If today's encouragement hugged your HEART today, let me know in the comments or meet me over
in my Facebook Sisterhood Community! Feel free to share this blog with a friend who needs a heart hug too!
This is how YOU get to hug my HEART back!
Heart Hugs and Blessings,
Michele
Stop Worrying about messing up your kids and worry more about messing up YOU!!!! You have probably heard the old saying, If Mama ain't happy, aint no one happy." Well, there's some truth in that. I'll say this, If Mama isn't happy, Mama needs more time with Jesus!!
As Moms, we tend to put ourselves last on the list. We allow our day to run us vs running our day. And If Mom is stressed & overwhelmed, so will the family be. If you are depleted, you are functioning and contributing from lack, not abundance and God came for us to live in abundance!
A Mom functioning on fumes from a depleted tank has nothing sustainable to share. Like a battery, in the red, it isn’t going to send a charge and in the meantime, we are hurting ourselves.
It's a fact: A depleted battery cannot charge another battery as much as we try!
We must charge our battery in order to serve the ones around us well. So how do we fill back up?
Foundations: Structure, Surrender and Sisterhood are everything.
Structure:
- Creating a routine and establishing clear intentions, boundaries not only for self, but for the Home.
- Meet with the Lord every morning (worshiping throughout the day in all the things as you serve your family and others) and seeking His plan/ goals, asking Him to lead you for the day/week.season.
Surrender:
- Grace and yielding to God's plan as you prepare yourself to follow. Grace to trust when He says No to something, or Yes to something you hadn't considered.
- Letting go of perfect control and allow God to provide the provision of energy, wisdom and purpose.
Sisterhood:
- We need to be in fellowship with other like-minded Mama Friends and choose to do life together. There's so much blessing and courage and joy that comes from our iron sharpening iron conversations and Titus 2 relationships. We need each other!
Mama, the enemy would like for you to continue to hustle in your Heart & Home and never feel worthy.or caught up. He wants you to feel exhausted and make you think you're doing a horrible job because you aren't checking off all the boxes you think you should be to be that perfect Mom.
Mama Friend, you are perfectly equipped and able to serve in the Ministry of Motherhood because He has called you to this! Guard your time with your Savior and Friend.
Starting today, let's focus on how we can best bless our family through serving our Lord with all our heart, mind and soul, asking Him to fill us, charge us and replenish us as only He can so that in the overflow of His touch, we can touch those around us that He has prepared for us to touch in His Name.
Seek First, God, and all these things shall be added unto you! Amen
If today's encouragement hugged your HEART today, let me know in the comments or meet me over
in my Facebook Sisterhood Community! Feel free to share this blog with a friend who needs a heart hug too!
This is how YOU get to hug my HEART back!
Heart Hugs and Blessings,
Michele
Was it enough....a question every Mom asks herself when her now grown child leaves the house for college...Was it enough?!? Did I say all the right things? Do they know how to do all the things? Are they strong enough to manage the world at large on their own, did I prepare them enough? Did I love them enough? Do they believe in themself? Do they know how much they are loved by me, God, others? Was all I said lined up with all I did? Was I enough?
I'll never forget when child #1 left for college. I panicked! I hadn't even taught him how to sew a button or iron a shirt! What was I thinking!?! So, out came the sewing kit and iron, along with all the other random things you just don't really thing about amongst Mom Life. Simple and silly things too many to number. For each following child, the intentionality grew in passing along life skills and fun hacks!
I sat there on the driveway pondering my Mom List of Factoids I should have shared, the Lord showed up next to me and said, "Grace Mama, I am Enough. I Got Them." He does. My heart skipped a beat in relief and rest, easing the pain of regret and insecurity that had swelled inside me.
I may not have taught them how to make homemade bread or start a garden, I did show them the magic tricks of folding a fitted sheet and ironing around the shoulders of a dress shirt. They also know how to use their oils to heal ailments and they know how to use a glue gun and a drill! 3 out of 4 are a good shot too, just sayin'.
But more importantly, they learned Love and Grace. There is no perfect Mom and I was reminded of that on the daily as hard as I strived to be. They learned Jesus in our home. They learned serving others. They learned the importance of trust, honor and respect. They learned forgiveness, compassion and empathy. They dreamed, stretched and learned to navigate relationships as a family of 6.
Mom Life is a Ministry Calling. The most important gift we can give our children is spiritual legacy, to train them up in the Name of Jesus, making Him known and allowing God to be God in their life. Our Home is a mission field and it's hard work, but good work. There will be trials and rejection, push back and heartache in a house full of sinners!
But God!
Sending out a Heart Hug for your next driveway moment as you sit with such a tender, wondering heart. Deep breaths knowing He is near and He's Got You! He is enough because He is Everything we could ever need as a Mom, and He is the same loving Father to your children too!!
Hugs & Massive Love!
If today's encouragement hugged your HEART today, let me know in the comments or meet me over
in my Facebook Sisterhood Community! Feel free to share this blog with a friend who needs a heart hug too!
This is how YOU get to hug my HEART back!
Heart Hugs and Blessings,
Michele
As a Mom, do you ever feel like in one question you can go from Hero to Zero?
They asked for ice cream for dessert (a rarity in a house where Mom and Dad are trying to make healthy choices!!)
I said Yes. They replied I was the Best!!
They asked to stay up 30 min past bedtime to finish a favorite show.
I said Yes. They replied I was the Best!!
And then the No came...you KNOW they didn't think or feel I was "The Best" when I said NO. I quickly went from Hero to Zero.
Each time they shout "Mom, You're the BEST!!!!!" I remind them that I am a good Mom regardless if they got what they wanted or not. I ALWAYS have their best in mind. I ALWAYS do my best to give them the desires of their hearts. I ALWAYS do what I can when I can for them. But, I don't always tell them Yes.
In their eyes, I am not always their Hero.
NO, you may not play with the fire.
NO, you may not download that song with those lyrics even if the rhythm is cool.
NO, you may not have ice cream for breakfast.
NO, you may not drive my car at the age of 14.
NO, you may not watch certain shows.
NO, you may not date yet.
NO, you will NOT wear pants that show your undergarments.
NO, you may not have a sleepover on a school night.
NO, you may not have a $135 pair of tennis shoes.
NO, you may not skip school.
NO, you may not roll your eyes at me
NO, you may not be rude to your sibling because they made you mad.
NO, you may not eat cookies for breakfast.
NO, you may not sit on the couch and watch TV all day long.
NO, you may not skip church cuz you're tired.
Yes, I will protect you.
Yes, I will be there for you when no one else is.
Yes, I will love you always.
Yes, I will hug you and sit with you any chance I am able.
Yes, I will watch your favorite movie with you.
Yes, I will make sure you have what you need for school.
Yes, I will do all I can to provide a healthy environment- physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Yes, I will teach you how to behave, treat others, study the bible, tithe, drive, clean, every life skill I can.
Yes, I will forgive you when you crush my heart, roll your eyes.
Yes, I will reward you for your obedience and discipline you in your disobedience.
Yes, I will celebrate your victories in life and encourage you through the trials.
Yes, I will ESPECIALLY teach you all that I know about the Lord our God!!!!
Yes, I will always pray for you and hold you close.
Yes, I will hold you accountable!!!
My Child, I know the Nos don't feel good and you don't like them, but I Love You. I am still good, regardless of how you feel. Your opinion in the moment doesn't change the fact that I am good. No, I am not perfect, I am a sinner saved by grace, just like you, on a path of righteousness, just like you, intentionally living my life with Christ as my core, just like you, I must confess my sins, just like you, I tithe my money, just like you. I don't understand God's way all the time, just like you. I have questioned if God was good when I didn't like His answer too.
But God, He is always good. He always has our best in mind. It doesn't always feel good, I know, but when you love someone, you trust them. God's Love is so Perfect, full of Grace and Mercy, unconditional and life-giving.
He is consistent, faithful and good. Whether I agree with what God is doing in my life...even if it is a discipline I know I absolutely deserve, He is still good. God is ALWAYS good. My opinion doesn't matter. It doesn't change the FACT that GOD IS GOOD!!!!
Mama, you aren't perfect and no one said you were supposed to be. Steady your heart on Your Father's Love for you and in that overflow, love your children in the same measure of grace and patience. You are a good Mom!
To GOD be ALL the Glory!!!
If today's encouragement hugged your HEART today, let me know in the comments or meet me over
in my Facebook Sisterhood Community! Feel free to share this blog with a friend who needs a heart hug too!
This is how YOU get to hug my HEART back!
Heart Hugs and Blessings,
Michele
