This blog post is all about serving god.
Serving God through Motherhood will strengthen your faith and family dynamic.
The Book of Joshua is an amazing example of serving God, how God protects HIS people, and the lengths he will go to give HIS people the BEST of the BEST.
It’s a book that has tremendously touched my heart in motherhood, especially the bible verse…
Joshua 24:15 “But as for me and my family we will serve Jehovah.” NLT
I don’t know why, but this verse impaled me. As I type right now, I feel a sense of WOW, AWE, YES, TRUE, ah, so many things.
It immediately changed the way I see MY FAMILY. It changed how I see Motherhood and my role as a Mother to my Children.
Living in a state of hurry and leaving God’s Word until “I have time” or “the perfect morning routine” is not the state that Jehovah our God wants us to live in.
So here are some practical ways to serve God while raising children.
Serving God Through Motherhood
As For Me and My House Scripture
Joshua 24:15 “…but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD (Jehovah).” – NIV.
IT DOES NOT MATTER what Sally Mae is doing in her household. Whether she is a Christian or Not. Or if she’s whishy-washy in her faith.
Your Focus should be on your OWN family.
The spiritual health of your OWN family, I should say.
Let’s give a little context to Joshua chapter 24.
Joshua brought together all the tribes of Israel to remind them of everything Jehovah, their God, had done for them. He told them how HE brought Abraham out of where they lived and where they worshipped other Gods. He promised Abraham to have many descendants through Issac. He sent Moses and Aaron to free them from Egypt. He also told them how Jehovah gave them victory over all their enemies so that they could inherit the promised land.
AND he finally says in chapter 14, “So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshipped then they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone.”
Following Chapter 15, to shorten it up, he tells the Israelites to choose. The Idols or Jehovah, the God of Israel. He states, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Essentially, he’s telling them I DON’T CARE what you choose because either way, MY HOUSEHOLD WILL serve the LORD.
And that is an example we should all be following.
It doesn’t matter what Sally Mae is doing or who she’s choosing to serve. What matters is who YOUR family is serving.
Serving God Requires You to Start Reading The Bible
To start serving God in Motherhood, you need to read the Bible if you haven’t done so.
A lot is going on in motherhood, I get it, but one thing you should not neglect is reading the word.
How will you know how to properly serve God if you don’t know what he requires of you or where to start serving him?
No Christian book, devotional, Christian quotes, or bible study book/group should substitute the bible. They are amazing resources, but your first resource should be the Bible.
If you are a new Christian mama (I was once, too), here is a blog post on how to start reading the Bible and the best Bible resources for beginners!
This Bible is the best beginner bible study I always recommended. It is THE BEST!!
Teaching Your Children about God
Deuteronomy 6:4-7 “Listen, O Israel! Jehovah is our God, Jehovah alone. And you must love Jehovah your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them agan and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”
matthew 22:37
Serving God means obeying God’s Commands, and one of the commands given to parents is to teach children about Jehovah God.
Teach your children about God whenever and about whatever.
God is in everything, from how we move, eat, sleep, and enjoy the simple pleasures in the world to his mighty power, protection, grace, and LOVE. There are so many things to teach your children about God.
It doesn’t have to be a strict lesson; it can be a simple “hmmm, I wonder what God was thinking when he created the solar system.”
Simple comments to make your little ones think and know the creator goes a long way.
Start The Day with God
Start the Day with God.
This doesn’t mean you need to spend an entire hour sitting down reading the Bible (although if time and kids allow, do it!!), but reading a scripture or chapter will make a great impact.
A simple acknowledgment and heartfelt prayer to God first thing in the morning makes wonders in your day.
Just as much as you want to hear from your children, God wants to hear from you.
In all honesty, the days when I start with God first thing in the morning are the days when I feel the Holy Spirit profoundly guiding my family. The tantrums don’t stop, but there is a sense of peace around my soul that allows me to act wisely and enjoy the day as God wants me to.
Memorize Scripture
Memorizing scripture.
There isn’t a specific scripture that says word for word, “you must memorize scripture.”
But there are a few verses that say to meditate on scripture, to read the Word, and not let the Word depart from your mouth.
When you incorporate all of these together, you will start memorizing scripture, which will make it easier for you to preach the word to your kids, husband, and others.
You will also be able to lean on God’s Knowledge instead of your own.
Joshua 1:8 ; Deuteronomy 17:18,19 ; Psalms 1:1,2 ; James 1:25
Set The Example
Teach your children through example what it is like to serve God.
Let your children see you read the Bible, pray, handle difficult situations, and handle difficult people.
Also, let them see how you enjoy life and praise God when things are good! This allows them to know that everything good that happens comes from Him. James 1:7
Explain to your children when you shut off a movie midway that started going or showing things that are against what The Word says. Saying “…because I said so” isn’t going to cut it.
If you want your children to be followers of Christ and serve God, they need to know the motive behind why you do certain things.
Obey God’s Commands
Obeying God’s commands is crucial when serving Him.
You cannot excuse yourself every time you act against his commands in the name of hormones or my toddler throwing a tantrum, so I had to lose my cool.
Learn what His commands are by reading the word.
If you struggle with certain sins, such as anger, the Bible and other resources can help you control your anger.
Matthew Chapter 5-7 covers some of the Commands that Jesus Christ gave while here on earth.
Practice a Sabbath
Taking a Sabbath will change your life!! It sure changed our life in our household.
God rested from all His work and blessed the seventh day.
Let me repeat that.
GOD RESTED.
If God rested, what would make us think we don’t need the same? The Sabbath was created for us, not the other way around. Mark 2:27
Sabbath is the perfect rest day for moms. Waking up and knowing that your day will be spent eating and enjoying your family is splendid!
It does take a bit of preparation, but you will get the hang of it, and before you know it, it will be a day you start looking forward to.
Serving God While Raising Little Ones
Serving God while raising little ones looks different for every family.
Keep in mind Joshua 24:25: “As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Focus on your own household.
It starts with You. As a Mother, you might spend most of your time with the little ones, so you are setting the example of what serving God looks like.
Reading the Word will guide you in serving God the way he wants you to, not the way the world thinks you should.
Remember to REST, MAMA!
