Every Mom Needs a Plan

"Every mom needs a plan, a long-term I've only-got-eighteen-years-with-this-child plan."  from The Passionate MOM.

For the life of me & my children, I don't remember getting home from the hospital with my copy of the plan.   Just like I don't remember much of anything after the birth of my first born.  Fast forward seven years and my baby is living a life full of activity, school, softball, dance, church, AWANA.  I don't remember every step of the journey but, I know I did not get my "plan" book.

Luckily, I have a mom support team...of sorts.  My go-to gals for parenting tips and advice.  I found my place at MOPS several years ago and since then have found iMOM.com too.  Susan Merril is the founder of iMOM.com and one super star mom that  leaves me feeling like I am an All-Star Mom!  Thanks to her new book, "The Passionate MOM," I am finally seeing what my role is in guiding my child to a favored life among men and God. There should be an end goal.  Taken from the Passionate Mom, "It takes great courage to face the unknown, and there are many unknowns in parenting."  Susan is full of wise parenting advice and her brand new book will be a must read for all moms.

The Passionate MOM addresses many questions all of us moms have: What do I want for my child? What is my goal? How do I parent in today's world? How can I give my child a secure future?...etc.  These huge questions have hit me like a bomb when I read this book.  Yes, sure, I have goals but, typically they fall into the category of getting through the next hour, activity or through this night until my kids fall asleep. I want them to go to school make friends, make the team, and get into the right college but, I never knew I could have a real purposeful plan for my girls.

I just had to share her book trailer with you, The Passionate Mom.

Thanks to Susan's book The Passionate Mom I now have a plan and a new way to gauge if it is working for my kids.  Through her 10 chapter book she takes you step by step through cultivating the 10 P's and how they fit together to accomplish your goal of being the best mom you can be.

http://www.susanme.com

God Sets The Lonely In Families

Psalms 68:6
"God sets the lonely in families."

I must embrace this "lonely" feeling. Have you been away from family for a long time, away from "home," or away from God?  I move quite a bit so, I have been away from family and home for nearly 10 years.  The winter months tend to be a time of S.A.D. for many and I have not been able to avoid S.A.D. this year.

It's March, I have the lonely feeling setting in as the winter days & snow has had me indoors much more.  Looking to friends to help me cheer up, a lunch date or shopping sounds like fun. Looking for more Pinterest projects and more rooms to redecorate has to help keep the lonely from overwhelming me.  Not really! Not truly.

God's word says he "sets the lonely in families." No I can't escape it. No I can't fill every minute with enough stuff, people, or craft projects to avoid "lonely."

This week I learned through the story of Elijah:

1. Great Men and Women of God Endure Loneliness
2. Great Men and Women of God Develop Dependence on God. 
3. Great Men and Women of God Go Where God Leads. 

As long as I turn to God he will fill me and you. 

God has great purposes in store for you! 

I love my church because this week they encouraged me with the words of God.  They met me in my state of "loneliness" and as I was discouraged.  The church was God's hands and feet to me. God is here, He wants to develop you into the man or woman He has called you to be.