Tag: love

New Year, New Mercies: A Mom’s Reflection

Linsey Driskill

As moms, it can be easy to blame ourselves when our kids mess up and make wrong choices. 

One of the things I love about the new year is the reminder of God’s new mercies and how He restores. So even when we experience those days of disappointment in parenthood, we can have hope that God makes all things new.  

In these tween and teen years, our kids are trying to become their own person, which can create some bumps along the way. So, instead of blaming every one of their wrong choices on ourselves, it can be helpful to remember that our kids are not robots and that they will make mistakes. Just like we do.

And it can help to think back to our own childhoods, which were woven with wonderful, but also difficult moments, when we might not have made the best choices. 

This is where God’s grace comes in. We need Him. Our kids need Him. 

One of the hardest things about being a mom is opening our hands and not being able to control our kids’ choices. 

But one of the best things about being a mom is opening our hands and not being able to control our kids’ choices. 

Letting them have wings to fly and become who God has intended them to be—not who we think they should be. 

Release the control, and open-handedly trust the Lord with your kids, as you depend on Him to lead you. 

If you are blaming yourself, trust the Lord with your life as a parent, as a daughter of the King—your mistakes, your decisions, your joys. Release them to the Lord.

As the new year brings a fresh view of what’s to come, 

every. single. day. also offers a fresh experience of God’s grace and newness. 

With your child, He can make all things new. 

He can turn around things where you don’t see hope. 

That’s what God does. 

Keep pouring into your daughter. Your son. Lift them to the Lord again and again. Share the refreshing Word of God with them. Spend time with them. Instead of correcting all the time, listen to them. 

And trust the Lord–that He will make all things work for the good of those who love Him.

As this new year begins, be reminded of the glorious hope we have with Jesus, who makes all things new. 

As my friend, Paige Pippin, so beautifully wrote in her Christmas card:

“If you’re reading this, we’re praying for you. (We are!) Now and in days to come, we celebrate the love of God, who sent His sinless Son to die the death we deserve. For those who trust in the risen King Jesus, there is peace and fellowship with God as we wait for Him to set all things right. In Jesus, the best is yet to come. 

Let the new year be a reminder that in Jesus, the best is yet to come. 

Let the new year, remind you of God’s endless mercies, endless grace, endless love.

And that the best if yet to come. 

Happy New Year!

Linsey

“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelations 21:5

“I will sacrifice with shouts of joy.”🌻

Linsey Driskill

Hi! You had signed up for email content from me via mailerLite, but I just switched my email platform to WordPress so you should now be notified here when I post new content. As I previously said, I know it’s been a while since I’ve written–I’m so happy to reconnect. I have taken a bit of a hiatus as I’ve taken on a job with For Girls Like You which is a nonprofit encouraging tween girls with Godly content and resources. I’m excited to share some of my content with you again and hope to inspire you and encourage you in your walk with Jesus! Please let me know what resonates in comments. I’d love to hear from you. 😀

As our kids grow, along with their emotions and the ups and downs, having joyful hearts can set the tone in our houses. It can be good medicine for our kids and rub off on them. Let’s go to the Lord and ask Him to lead us in joy. These verses will help us do that too!

I love that God answers from His heavenly sanctuary with His victorious power. We DO have the victory. Whether the victory comes in things here, or just because we have everlasting life with Jesus, Believers have the Victory. Because we have life forever with God through Jesus.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew they had victory even though they were thrown into the fire for the name of the Lord, and Daniel knew He had the victory even though He was thrown into the Lion’s Den. Even though all four were rescued, beforehand, they didn’t know what the outcome would be, but regardless of it, they knew they had the victory because they knew God. 

Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome about 66AD during the persecution under Emperor Nero. Even so, Peter and Paul experienced victory as well because their names were written in the Book of Life. They would experience life forever with Jesus. That is Victory.

So, whether we’re going through heart-wrenching circumstances, or celebrating a wonderful moment, let us “shout for joy over our victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God” because no matter what, we have the victory!

*Written by Linsey Driskill and previously published by For Girls Like You

This spoke to me a lot. I love how David says that during trouble and enemies surrounding Him, He will seek the Lord and sacrifice with shouts of joy. Sometimes choosing joy is a sacrifice. When we go through difficult times, it is a fight to choose joy. It’s a sacrifice. For the Lord. Here are David’s words:

Lord, would you help us sacrifice with shouts of joy when we are going through something difficult. You see our sacrifice and You will honor that. Let my head rise above difficulty by singing and making music to you, Lord, and by sacrificing with shouts of joy. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

“The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.” Isaiah 51:3

Here’s a wonderful song with words of life to hold onto this week by Matt Maher: Alive & Breathing.

“Joy still comes in the morning
Hope still walks with the hurting
If you’re still alive and breathing
Praise the Lord. 

Don’t stop dancing and dreaming
There’s still Good News worth repeating
So lift your head and keep singing
Praise the Lord.”

What we can hold onto most of all is that Jesus walks with us and we will see Him again…

“I will see you again and you will rejoice, 
and no one will take away your joy.” – Jesus (John 16:22)

What Matters Most in Raising Our Children & A Fun Idea for Those With Multiples

Linsey Driskill

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My article just published by ForEveryMom: “What Matters Most in Raising our Children”:

Parenthood can be confusing. There are so many decisions that we are often left wondering, Did we make the right choice?

Which sleep and feeding schedule should we follow for our babies?

How should we discipline?

Should we homeschool our children or send them to public or private school?

And the decisions go on and on. As parents, it’s easy to feel that our children’s entire future depends solely on us making the right decision in any and every situation.

The good news, parents, is that we can breathe – everything about our kids’ future does not hinge on every. single. decision we make.

But the thing that matters most in raising our children is love…

Do we show our kids love through giving boundaries and consequences when they’re needed and follow through?

Do we tell our children to help with chores, not only because they’re required to or for allowance, but also because it’s a way to love us and the Lord?

When correcting our kids, do we let them know that we’re working on the same things and are in this together, so they don’t feel like we’re constantly pointing our fingers at them?

Do we show our kids the love of Jesus by asking for forgiveness when we’ve treated them wrongly?

Do we remember to laugh in the everyday things with our kids, so joy and love can supersede tiredness and frustration?

Do we teach them to care more about what the Lord thinks than others’ opinions?

Do we show our kids love by saying no to them at times, so they understand that the world doesn’t revolve solely around them?

Do we encourage them to be compassionate and reach out to the lonely, not because they have to, but out of love for the Lord and others?

Do we teach our kids to tell the truth not only because lying breeds consequences, but also because it hurts peoples’ hearts and the Lord?

Do we teach our children the beauty of grace so that when they make wrong choices, they know they have the chance to ask for forgiveness and make a better choice next time?

Do they know that when we fall short, we don’t need to run, but we can keep seeking him, because he fully loves us as we areand where we are?

Do we show our kids what it looks like to seek him? To read his Word? To pray? To love others? By our example?

Do we bring Jesus into ordinary moments by sharing affirmations like this from time to time…

Thank you for loving your sister and the Lord well by putting away her laundry. 

Thank you for washing my plate without me asking – wow, you loved me so well by doing that.

When you reacted calmly to your brother’s hurtful words, you really loved him and the Lord well.

When you said thank you to the cashier, you sure showed her respect and that she matters.

I love how you asked for forgiveness after that bad moment. That is exactly how Jesus gives us hope – he turns ugly moments into beautiful ones.

If our children’s actions are driven by obligation or force, they will soon tire. But, if their choices are motivated by love for the Lord and others, they are more likely to continue.

As John Townsend, Christian counselor and author said: “The more you try to force your child to do or not to do something, the less effective you will likely be. Remember you are helping your child establish self-control from the inside, not parent-control from the outside.”

When we guide our kids in doing things out of love and not force, they will experience more freedom and joy in following God’s commandments to love the Lord and love others.

We get to be the ones by our children’s side, walking them through life, guiding them in how to love the Lord and others in everyday moments. And it is joy to my soul.

As we raise our children, instead of getting absorbed in making the “right” decisions, let’s rise to the greater call of teaching our children what it looks like to be motivated by love, to follow Jesus, and to seek the Lord first and always.

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This article was previously published by ForEveryMom: What Matters Most in Raising our Children.

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For those of you with multiples who came home from the hospital on different days, this is a really fun way to celebrate each of them individually.

We call it their “Homecoming Day” (my husband’s idea). They were all born on April 1st, but Gracie came home from the NICU after 2.5 months, Brooklyn 4 months, and Bates 5 months.

It’s become a sweet, sweet time where we go all out celebrating each of them as though it’s their b’day, but just with our family. We decorate the house with streamers and balloons, and they get to pick out the food we eat throughout the day, their cake (such as Brooklyn’s donut cake!), and they also get one gift.

After such a long stretch and difficult time in the NICU, the days they came home from the NICU were ones of pure joy, and it is so much fun getting to celebrate them each year.

Those of you with multiples know that sharing their birthdays with siblings can be a bit tough, so having their own day to be celebrated is just another sweet reminder that they are indeed special.

“Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.” Psalm 127:3