Strength for the Weary

My friend Tiffany lent me a book called Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney (CJ Mahaney's wife). It is a study of how we, as moms, wives, and even single women can apply Titus 2 to our daily lives. The excerpt below was particularly encouraging and I thought I would share it!

"Strength for the Weary

But what if you have lost your smile? How do you find renewed joy to sacrificially serve and tenderly love your children? Our only genuine source of refreshment comes from God. In Him alone do we acquire fresh strength to carry out this enormous task of mother.

So may I encourage you to size some time alone to meet with God? This should already be out daily practice, but in seasons of weariness, there is tremendous benefit in withdrawing for a more lengthy time to pray and read God's Word.

Now some of you mothers with little ones might be asking, "How is 'alone time' possible? I cannot even go to the bathroom by myself, much less consider an extended period of solitude!"
Maybe your husband could arrange this time for you, or possibly you could trade off with another mom. Whatever it takes, it's worth he effort to make it happen!

Taking time to meet with God is a practice modeled for us by Jesus Himself. We read in Luke 5 that multitudes were coming to Him with their needs: "Crowds of peoples come to hear him and to be healed of their sickness. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (vv 15-16, NIV, emphasis mine).

Doesn't this sound like a description for motherhood---everyone coming to Mom with needs? Yet look at what Jesus did. He withdrew to solitary places and prayed.

Now if Jesus needed to withdraw frequently and pray in order to receive His Father's help and strength, do we suppose we need such times any less? So if you are weary, or if your joy and vision for motherhood is waning, take some time this week to be alone with God."
~Carolyn Mahaney