How Deep The Father's Love

Hope you enjoy this video of me singing How Deep the Father's Love. His love for you is so deep! :) (p.s. this is a very unprofessional/mom video... gotta sing to the Lord with playing/yelling in the background otherwise I'll never get to sing! :)


How Deep the Father's Love

A Godly Mother Part 4

#4) A godly mother sees life in light of eternity. A worldly mother sees life in light of the temporary.

2 Cor. 4:16-18 says: “Therefore we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

These are some of my very favorite verses. I cling to them. It’s easy to lose heart as a mom. It takes great INTENTION to look at this life through the eyes of the Lord. That is how we will not lose heart. A godly mother keeps things in an eternal perspective. I have to look at my life, my circumstances in light of eternity in order to not lose heart. When we fix our eyes on what is seen we get discouraged. From God’s perspective our troubles are light and best of all MOMENTARY. He is renewing us. Even through trials and tribulations. No matter your troubles. No matter your sadness. They are temporary. God is outside of time and His plan is working in our lives. How will you respond? How will you view your mothering? Your tribulations? Your children? Your marriage? View them all from an eternal perspective and I guarantee your life will be filled with more peace and joy! Always keep the cross in the forefront of your mind! He accomplished everything for you on that cross. There awaits us a greater home than this! While you are here, focus on Him and not them. Focus on Christ and not your fleeting trials. Fix your eyes and your heart on Him. In the midst of dishes...in the midst of squabbles...in the midst of tantrums...in the midst of potty training, things breaking, disobedience... keep your eyes on Him.

"let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Col. 3:1-4)

I will conclude with a few simple, practical ways to do this. Watch less t.v. and read more of your bible. Talk less about the things of the world and more about the things God. Talk less and pray more. Listen to less secular music and listen to more of the bible (biblegateway.com has a great audio bible selection). Sing to Him, again I will say this one, sing to Him!!! Singing always turns my heart away from here and turns it toward Him. These are all ways for us to "put off the old" and "put on the new" (which is absolutely essential for us to keep that eternal perspective we so desperately need!)

"when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:20-24)

 

A Godly Mother Part 3

#3) A godly mother is hardworking. A worldly mother is lazy.

I am by nature a procrastinator. I have to fight this. I try to keep in mind that work is good for me! It was in the garden BEFORE the fall. It is not part of the curse. I always feel better when I have accomplished much and have been productive with my day as opposed to sitting around and “taking it easy”. I think God made us this way. He put in us a desire to have things in order and to work hard.

Listen to this verse that could describe a home of a woman who neglects it. Prov. 24:30-33 says: “I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.” Hopefully no one feels like this when they “pass by” our homes. They shouldn't be overgrown with thorns, covered with nettles, cluttered and broken down. We need to tend to them and take care of them as unto the Lord. What does your vineyard look like?

Maybe you aren’t lazy…maybe you are too busy with other things and don't have enough time at home to keep up with the work. I really don’t think the Lord would have us involved in things that cause our vineyard to look overgrown and unkept... He calls us to be "keepers of the home" (Titus 2:5) not "keepers of many things". 

Something else to keep in mind in regards to all this is that we are to adapt to our husbands in this area too. Some of your husbands like the dishes done, or the bathrooms cleaned, the counters cleared off, or if they’re like my husband, they want all the hair ties all picked up J I try to clean my home with my husband's desires in mind. What does your husband desire? What is important to him? Be sure to make a special effort to do what pleases him first.

p.s. this was one of the most convicting lessons for me. I keep thinking about those verses and my vineyard being overgrown with thorns and I am motivated to clean... in fact I think I'll get to work right now! J

Godly Mother Part 2

#2) A godly mother looks for ways to bless her family. A worldly mother resents her family.

Resentment is becoming more and more common amongst Christian mothers. Where does resentment come from? Pride…selfishness…a desire to be served and not serve.

Jesus said: “The greatest among you will be your servant.” Matt. 23:11 According to Christ being a servant is the best thing we can do! And we all know that motherhood=servanthood! The world tells us to be annoyed by the fact that we are serving all day long but Jesus says it is the greatest. 

“It’s not fair. Why do I have to do everything? No one serves me or seeks to help me. I'm on call 24/7 to serve everybody but myself all day long!” These are some of the selfish things I have said to myself that just feed resentment and discourage me from having a heart to serve.

But Jesus says those who serve all day are the greatest in His eyes because we are most like Him when we seek to serve. Who are you going to listen to? Listening to the world will only lead to more bitterness and less of a heart to serve. Look for ways to put yourself last. Look for ways to not get credit. Look for ways to serve with JOY. 

Why do I expect my children to serve/help without grumbling or complaining when I don't practice that myself? Grumbling and complaining (even in our thoughts) only leads to resentment! 

God has given us an AMAZING role/job this side of heaven ladies! Let's do it with thankfulness. Thankfulness is like kryptonite to resentment. 

Reasons I am thankful to be a mom:

1. it makes me more like Christ

2. I get to be with fun little people all day!

3. I get to experience a sort of love that is like nothing else

4. being a mom is a great tool in the hand of the Lord to refine me 

5. anything in life that has value is hard work. being a mom is hard work :)

6. it is what God has for me and there is no place better than in His will

7. it is so fulfilling... it is an honor....

8. what other position allows you to give birth to life and than nurture that little life?! amazing! 

What are the first 8 reasons that come to mind for you in regards to being thankful as a mom? Focus on that list and throw your resentment list in the garbage. 

Thank you Lord for these children that you have GIVEN to me to train in Your ways. Thank you for how You use them to make me more like Your Son and for the joy they bring into Scott and I's lives! You are the best Gift Giver. Help us moms to bless our families rather than allowing our flesh to take over and resent them!

My little blessings: 

Godly Mother Part 1

I feel like much of my spiritual journey since becoming a Christian 10 years ago has consisted of undoing my old way of thinking. Rom. 12:2 says: "Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." I need a lot of renewing.

I have noticed that much of what the bible says is the opposite of what everyone else is saying. Do you ever feel that way? Christianity requires a lot of what I call: "opposite thinking". Much of what God says is the opposite of my own thinking. The Word says that His ways aren’t my ways or your ways or the world's ways. I believe this is also true when it comes to motherhood. We have to turn to the Word of God to determine how to be a godly mother.

I have eight points that will outline some differences I have noticed between a godly mother and a worldly mother. I will post a point a day. This is not a list of comparisons to make you feel like a loser. None of us will ever live these out perfectly. Sanctification is a growth process that will not end this side of heaven. I do hope they challenge you in a good way to seek God and His ways and to ask Him to renew your mind in regards to what He sees as a godly mother.

Point #1) A godly mother adapts herself to her husband. A worldly mother resists her husband.

1 Peter 3:1 in the amplified version reads: “you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives,”

Adapt means to adjust or modify. Adapting ourselves to our husbands benefits everyone in our home including us. I included pictures of Scott and I on our wedding day because this is where I vowed to submit to him... adapt to him... honor him. I am sobered by those vows! What a lovely day that was!

How we are as wives is a big reflection of how we are as mothers. The bible has much less instruction on how we are to be as moms than for how we are to be as wives. How we are as wives pours over into how we are as moms. Children need a good wife for their daddy.

How are you doing in the area of submitting yourself to your husband? In adapting to him? Are you a blessing to him? Are you his helper or his nagger? Would he describe you as a contentious, unsatisfied woman?  How would your children describe you as a wife? Do you study your husband and look for ways to adapt to him? Or do you resent him and resist him?

Now I can read some of your minds: “Yeah well he!....” “If he would just love me like the bible says to then I would submit!”

We are all called to submit to God. He is the perfect Husband. He loves us unconditionally and yet we rebel against Him everyday. Submission is never easy. No matter who you are married to. It’s a choice. We are to submit to and adapt to our husbands as unto the Lord. Always keep in mind that it is ultimately for God anyway, not your husband.

I know that some of you are in some really hard marriages. I am so sorry. I pray the Lord gives you discernment and wisdom as to how you are to live out the scriptures in regards to being a good wife. I pray He guides you in motherhood and wifehood. Please also consider seeking godly counsel from your pastor. I truly believe it’s never too late.

Almost a year?!

I cannot believe it has been almost a year since my last post! Again, a lot has happened.

We moved to WA in Dec. of last year (this is our home and church in the picture). We love it here. (But that doesn't mean we don't miss ALL our Ca. friends!) Our church family is such a blessing and we love WA. It is beautiful! We are enjoying the cooler summers too. I have some lovely Christian sisters here that encourage me often. If you want to see some videos of us check out vimeo.com and type in: katie lapierre in the search. You can also check out the church page: woodlandchristianchurch.net or look us up on facebook!

Scott's wonderful parents moved here a few months ago and the foundation for their new home is being laid. It is so nice to have family around. We are with them a lot and so thankful for them!

My dad met a woman that he is very in love with and we are hoping to brainwash them into moving here... permanently! We figure our kids are cute enough to win them over. :)

My sister is pregnant with her second boy and due in mid Dec. It stinks real bad not being near her and I hate that we don't get to share life together. I can't wait to meet my new nephew Brody!

My brother is doing well and about to get his A.A. and we are also trying to get him to move here :)

My kids are growing in many ways. Johnny gave us a real scare at the beginning with his failure to gain weight. All the sudden he just started gaining for no rhyme or reason (maybe all the prayer?!) and is doing very well. He lights up our world with his contagious laugh and smile!

Ricky is going to be three in December! I can't believe it. He has a real tender/sweet side to him and loves imitating his sister. They play together all the time! In fact, they are in their room (they just started sharing one until Johnny is old enough to share one with Ricky) playing right now.

Rhea turned 4 this summer and is one of my closest little friends. I love being her mom. We have many good conversations about the Lord and she really seems to have a heart for Him!

Scott is loving his job as a senior pastor and he is excelling in many ways. It has been really neat as his wife to watch the Lord use him over and over.

We live right next to the church and really enjoy that! It's so nice to just run over there and go back and forth as needed (especially as a mom of three little people).

We are in a great season of life. I am enjoying every minute of it.

Another Reason To Homeschool

Click here to watch an amazingly devastating video 20/20 did on bullying in schools.

This just makes me want to keep my children in the safe haven of our home and teach them my self even more. What a cruel world out there for poor children! The evil young people are capable of is disgusting.