Raising Youngins

On my last post, I shared a podcast I was featured on (if you missed it, listen here) and that I had a surprise coming. Surprise – I’m pregnant with baby #3. God has been so kind to make this the easiest pregnancy yet. I forget I’m pregnant until it’s bedtime when I need to roll over and remember my stomach muscles have become nonexistent. I’ve been trying to take it easy and savor my family while my oldest starts kindergarten and my wild boy gets his last few months as the baby of the family. My daughter recently asked me to stop calling her my baby since she’s “all grown up in kindergarten.” That left me speechless, like why, uhh yeah, I guess, but but but you’re my sweet baby girl.

As my family goes through some exciting and challenging changes, God has reminded me to continue to guard my heart in all things. Proverbs 4:23 “guard your heart for it’s the wellspring of life” has been a long-time verse in my life. My dad has always repeated “guard your heart” to my sisters and me. I could be going to a friend’s house, heading to college or even walking to the mailbox and he’d say, “guard your heart.” Growing up it was thoughtful, but also repetitive as I didn’t understand the complete influence the world and small temptations would have on my heart and mind. I recently started reading a book that has become very popular among women. After diving into a few chapters, I realized I was basically reading porn. I was shocked, convicted and then saddened knowing that this is the book everyone’s talking about. Confessing to a friend that I stopped reading it and couldn’t believe it had that content, I was reminded that even the fun romance novels everyone talks about influence my marriage and relationships.

A few years ago, I remember a preacher saying he could see himself committing adultery. Caught off guard by his statement, he then explained that small choices could lead to cheating on his wife. Instead, he shared he had strict boundaries in place to resist even the smallest temptations that could lead to a big mistake or any assumptions. He has boundaries when texting and meeting with females. At the end of the day, he shares that day’s happenings with his wife. The couple has reoccurring date nights, as well as nightly prayer time. If we don’t guard our heart from small temptations, always seeking the Lord in our thoughts, actions and words, we could face a big mistake. I don’t want to be at rock bottom after falling victim to temptations then self-reflect: “I wish I didn’t…. because now I can’t….”

Worldly thoughts and behaviors influence us deep down whether we are conscious of them or not. They pour into every part of our life. Songs, books, Instagram reels or messages, conversations that ride the line of inappropriate all leave a mark on our heart in some way. Likewise, I’m convicted because my kids are always watching me. They see and hear the way I talk about my husband when I am annoyed. They see and hear the way I act in traffic. They see and hear the way I rush them into and out of the car (but I mean let’s goo!!). They see and hear the way I get frustrated and add “freaking” for extra emphasis. Then, when my daughter is frustrated and says, “you’re so freaking mean,” should I be surprised? When I don’t move out of the way of my son rolling his car through the kitchen and hear him yell, “move, let’s go, faster!” should I be surprised? Am I mirroring the character of Jesus in my actions, thoughts and words that shows my kids Jesus loves them? Showing compassion to others, commanded in Matthew 22:39-40, means not thinking of oneself. I’ve mentioned my cheetah speed walking habits and how the Lord has challenged me to slow down. Showing compassion to others for me is taking time to slow down for my family. Not hurrying everyone along, using kind words and praying for patience when my limits are tested. The way I treat and honor my husband influences the way my friends see their marriages. The way I speak to and love my kids influences my friends and family around me.  No matter where you find yourself today, ask the Lord to guard your heart of temptation: gossip, hurry, sexual immorality, selfishness, rage –  any temptation that keeps you from fully loving and seeking God.

God, capture every thought and action and use it for your glory. May I continue to seek you in all that I do. Keep my eyes and ears focused on the Good, resisting temptation to dishonor You or those whom I love. Thank you for your Word. Guard my heart so that I can stand strong on your love for me. Amen.