by Tessa | Faith, Personal Development
Attitude of Gratitude – The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Life is stressful. Things don’t go according to our plans and sometimes it’s hard to see God’s hand in the picture that He is painting in our lives. Seasons of change, seasons of struggle, seasons of distress, seasons of darkness. We all have them. It can be so hard to consistently maintain an attitude of gratitude!
The amazing thing about going through all of the trials is that, as a believer in God, we have a Light at the end of the tunnel. Even when that tunnel seems to go on forever and you can’t even see the Light through the dark, it’s there. We can cling to that hope.
Just because we can’t see the big picture doesn’t mean that it isn’t beautiful.
I’m reminded of a story that I heard a long time ago about a person who looks at a beautiful tapestry. The Creator walks up beside her and they have a conversation about the rich and vibrant colors. God explains that this is the tapestry of the observer’s life. The person is confused because she can’t understand how her life, full of so many trials and tears, could weave such a beautiful finished product. God then points out to her that the crimson threads in the flowers are her trials, the dark blues in the sky are her tears.
God then points out to her that the crimson threads in the flowers are her trials, the dark blues in the sky are her tears.
It occurred to me that this is the second time this week that I’ve written about attitude. On Monday I wrote about developing a mothering attitude and today I’m talking about an attitude of gratitude. Perhaps this is because the last few weeks (maybe even the last few years?) have been a mental struggle for me. I’ll be totally honest and say that it has been tough to be eating dinner alone with my kids nearly every night and telling them that daddy isn’t able to read bedtimes stories tonight because he’s working late. It’s tough to be woken up 25 times a night with an upset (read: screaming) toddler for what seems like no reason at all other than he’s mad that he’s not still asleep. It’s tough to remain positive when I’m in pain from my pregnancy and it feels like nothing is going right. Writing this post, as well as the one on Monday, has been a great reminder to myself to focus on the fact that this phase in our life will pass (i.e. the Biscuit will sleep again… someday!) and to look for the beauty within the trials.
God doesn’t appreciate grumbling and I don’t want to let it gain a foothold. I missed writing in my gratitude journal several days last week and it really affected my mental state.
Here are some of the things that I’m grateful for:
Biscuit is waking up. I would rather he wake up 25 times than never again.
I have a loving husband who is willing to put in ridiculous hours to feed our family.
I have been blessed with amazing friends who were willing to uproot their whole lives to follow God’s call to come work with us.
Since we now have extra help on the farm, I haven’t had to do chores and my physical pain has significantly lessened because of it.
The crops are off so Adam has been able to join us for dinner and bedtimes the last couple nights.
Have you had moments of grumbling too? Even though you may not be able to see the final picture, share in the comment section some things that you’re choosing to be grateful for, in spite of the trials. Feel free to share your trials as well so I can say a prayer for you.
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by Tessa | Faith
Welcome to this week’s Word on Wednesday post. Join me for a reflection on a piece of scripture and how it can be applied to our daily lives.
There are so many wonderful disciplines that Christians can benefit from but the most important Christian discipline is to “read your Bible, pray every day and you’ll grow, grow, grow.” Do you remember that kid’s song? It constantly runs through my head when I start to wonder how people develop such a strong walk with God. It’s such a simple instruction and, yet, so many of us don’t do it. In fact, studies show that more than 80% of Christians don’t read their Bible daily. I wonder, if the same people were polled, how many would admit to reading the newspaper or their Facebook or Twitter feed daily?
If you want to read your Bible in a year, it would take less time than watching your favorite show every day or staying caught up on your social media or current news events. It really comes down to choosing your priorities. A simple 15 minutes every day in the Word can revolutionize your faith life. It’s not the same as an in depth study but it’s a great start. Even a baby step forward is better than no steps forward at all.
Up until a couple years ago, nearly the only time my Bible was ever opened was at church. I tried to read it more often but it was never really high on my priority list. According to this verse, God could have given me over to a depraved mind. I’m glad that, instead, He safeguarded my heart and mind! It’s taken me about two years to get into a really good habit of staying caught up on my Bible reading plan. Now it’s time for me to look into doing a more in depth study of the Word. And to set up my children so their minds are safeguarded through scripture intake as well.
If you’re ready to make God’s word more of a priority, here are a couple of great sites that can guide you:
Good Morning Girls: Good Morning Girls exists to inspire, encourage and equip women all over the world to get into God’s Word through our online community. GMG has multiple online Bible studies, resources and videos created with YOU in mind and all for FREE!
Rachel Wojnarowski: To inspire you to live out extraordinary faith in Christ by providing everyday real-life solutions. To encourage Bible reading and prayer in personal relationship with God and to recommend tools and technology that will grow your faith, as well as the faith of your children.
YouVersion Bible App: YouVersion is a simple, ad-free Bible that brings God’s Word into your daily life. Read the Bible, study the Bible, subscribe to Bible plans, and take the Bible with you.
For those of you who consistently get into the word, what are your favorite resources or methods when it comes to Bible reading?
If you’re still working on making this a habit, what is one thing you can do to take a step forward in this journey?
by Tessa | Faith
Welcome to my Word on Wednesday post!
This is a verse that I have been reflecting on. I used to be the “young” one that this verse talked about. I still am young, comparatively speaking, but having children has allowed me to see this in a different light. I am the mom; the authority figure; the one who should have all the answers. But I don’t. And I’m not afraid to admit that to my kids. In fact, I’m fully aware that sometimes their ideas are better than mine. They see things differently than I do and it gives them an interesting perspective.
I also remind my boys that people are watching them and their example. My oldest is really starting to understand that he is setting and example for those around him (especially his younger brother). He and I have had a number of conversations about how it’s important to always allow God’s love to shine through us. We have an agreement: we are allowed to call each other out when we are not being gentle or showing love by our words or actions. I’m setting an example too, both in our family as well as in the way we conduct business. It’s helpful to have an accountability partner, especially since his eyes are so innocent and he knows better than to accept my excuses.
by Tessa | Faith
Welcome to this week’s Word on Wednesday post!
This is a verse that I’m reflecting on this week. It is a great reminder to me at this “back-to-school” time of year that neither my children nor I will learn true wisdom by sitting in a classroom. If we are open to the Lord’s guidance and instruction, nothing will be able to take away from us the Wisdom from the Lord.
It goes hand in hand with Romans 1:20 which states that “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” My primary role as a mother is to teach my children about God and this will be understood from what He has made. So we will continue to spend our time in His world and learning about Him through the life He has blessed us with.
by Tessa | Faith
A passage that really stuck out to me in my Bible reading last week was the 8th chapter of Nehemiah. I get to listen to my Bible app on my smartphone read to me every morning, and listen to sermons every week, and I often forget how rare of an opportunity it is to have this religious freedom. The Israelites, in this passage, had not heard the Word of the Lord read or taught to them for many years and they are so thirsty for it that they are able to stand attentively and listen for hours as the Word is read out loud to them. Confession: I sometimes get squirmy in church for an hour. Another great reminder to me as to how precious God’s Word is and how it should be valued.
