Ministry of Motherhood: A Review

I have been reading The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson and couldn't be happier with the time spent. This book is all about discipling your children and giving them the gifts that God has given all of us. The gifts discussed include grace, inspiration, faith, training, and service.

If you are the type who skips the introduction to a book, make sure not to skip this one! It was quite a bit longer than expected but I was teary eyed by the end of the first section of the intro. The story of where Sally started her journey with her small children rang so true for my own life.  There is also information about how to use the book in a small group study or as a devotional on your own, as I did. The discussion questions throughout the book are open ended and very thought provoking.

Each part, containing smaller daily chapters, discusses one of the gifts. She gives many examples through narrative. I loved her telling of stories from the bible. They simply come to life and it is like you are right there inside history. The stories from her own life are wonderful too. I was able to relate to each and every one of them. They gave me an insider's view of how she practiced what she is teaching in the book.

This book has become one of my all time favorites. It is compelling and well written. I read it on my kindle and it was very well done in digital format. This is one that will stay in my library for a long time, to read again and again!

Thank you Blogging for Books for allowing me to review this fantastic book for you!

Mother Mary

I just finished Beth Moore's Esther study with my mom's group. It was excellent and a recurring subject was that we have been put in this time and place for "such a time as this". What time that is...well, I don't know, but I thank the Lord that he does! I just pray that the path I am going down is the one I am meant to be on, bumps and all.

The study really got me thinking about destiny and the path God has laid out for me. I always thought maybe I would be like Esther and have some huge role to play, or maybe I would become a great missionary like Paul. When I think about God's plan for me I sort of assume it will be grand, the kind of thing that is written about and remembered. Just being a godly wife and mother couldn't possibly be all there is to it.

Right about then is when my thoughts went to Mary, you know the one, she gave birth to Jesus Christ after all. What did Mary "do"? She carried a son, granted a very special one, that she raised to adulthood. She was a mother! When you really get down to it, that was her one path. So I realized that maybe my path is small in the grand scheme of things. I care for and teach my son, raising him to be a Godly man. It could be that the foundation I lay, that feels so small to me, could be what builds something great down the line.

So, when the laundry starts piling up and homeschooling gets trying at time, I am going to try and remember that God knows where the path is going. As long as I keep following and trusting in Him I will get to the destination. Someday I will get to see how it all played out and laugh at how mundane I thought it was, when really it was the stepping stone!