A while ago, I came across a quote by Ruth Schwenk which stated, “God is in control. He has promised to guide and direct your steps.” It was a very on time reminder which I quickly screenshot and saved as my lock screen’s screensaver. Everyday, multiple times a day, I read that quote as well as her name. It wasn’t until the last few days that I began to think, “Who is Ruth Schwenk?” As I finished my dinner tonight, I had that thought again so I Googled her. A blog website, titled thebettermom.com, appeared with a subtitle which reads, “Inspiring Moms to Become Better Moms One Day at a Time”. I quickly read her welcome message before searching her site and clicking on a posting titled, “When Motherhood has you Worn and Weary.” Because if truth be told, that was exactly how I had been feeling earlier today. As I continued to read the posting, I came across an image which read, “Raise your children on your knees.” At first, I was reminded of a time when God had told me to pray for strategies to raise my children. Next, I heard, “You can just be My daughter. I’ll teach you how to do the rest.” I, in the middle of a crowded restaurant, felt overwhelmed with emotion as tears began to run down my face.
I retreated to my car still crying and feeling overwhelmed. After wearing all of these hats and titles, attempting to juggle them, searching for strategies to improve my functioning within them, becoming overwhelmed, feeling weary, and feeling burdened all while crying out to God, I felt a sense of freedom. With those two sentences, the roles and titles I was attempting to uphold were minimized into mere tasks to be performed under the direction of my Heavenly Father. What a relief! The thoughts began to form: “So all I have to do is be Your daughter? Then you will teach me? What do you mean by be Your daughter? What will I have to do? I noticed myself feeling child-like before the next set of thoughts formed: You know how to be a daughter because you are naturally a daughter. You have a natural father whom you love, honor, admire, obey, respect, care for, and look up to. You also have a Heavenly Father whom you feel the same feelings towards. Although your earthly father did not meet all of your expectations and desires, your Heavenly Father continues to exceed them both. Next, I began to think of areas in which I desired my natural father to be more active in; those thoughts quickly faded as I remembered how my Heavenly Father’s hand had moved and continues to move covering those areas of lack. The tears came to a halt. My emotions were overtaken by a sense of peace. And I accepted the invitation to give Him all of these hats and roles in exchange for just being His daughter. To be continued…
Real Talk with Keve 