Wednesday with Words: Missional Motherhood

I have been out of the loop.  I have not been keeping my Sabbath well which means less reading.  I missed it, I am repenting.  This week I draw from another random library find - Missional Motherhood by Gloria Furman.  I was sort of prepared for another "give yourself a break" book about motherhood - my reading seems to have that unfulfilling theme (see previous quotes).  However, this book was not like that AT ALL.  I loved its challenge.

The first half of the book looks at motherhood and its difficulties in the Old Testament. Honestly I skimmed most of this part - I know . . .   I wanted to skip ahead.  The premise of the second part is that all Christian women are called to be disciplemakers and that basically that entails nurturing life in the face of death. AGHH!  Is that really what we do?  I think it is.  She says tons of things I need to hear and haven't heard enough.  Here are a few gems:

But if our neediness is simply because you are a human being then you have reason to rejoice. . . you see how your neediness points you to Christ's sufficiency.  

Except that I normally still try to piece together fig leaves like Eve instead of leaning into God's sufficiency.  I am learning.

They know where to grow. They come to you, mothering woman, for provision.  No pressure, right? Thankfully we know God is the one who is faithful to provide what they need. 

Provision is the act of seeing ahead - no wonder I get tired.  I keep thinking I am the one who is supposed to see ahead on my own.  No, God is the one and I need to lean into his understanding (yes, I have memorized Proverbs 3 at least the part in the old Sixpence None the Richer CD).

She then discusses that we were designed to consume God's word - it is the bread of life.  However, this is something that has been significantly warped in our day and age.

We need the promises of Jesus to drown out the siren song of consumerism. 

Did you read this great article on the two different approaches to the Sirens?  Read it and then re-read this statement.  What music are you listening to or are you tying yourself to a mast?  The specific part I am referencing is about half way through the article.  Notice what it says about beholding - yes, well, Furman reminds us

And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age.  

She also calls some of the books I have been reading and feeling not quite right about recently to task here:

so called prosperity gospel which tells moms that Jesus will give them super knowledge for parenting, super strength for serving, and super abilities to fly circles around all the poor lost moms.  

Well, that's what I want super knowledge - not Jesus.  ACKK.  She hit the nail on the head and I am repenting.  She also has some fabulous insight into helicopter parenting and its detrimental effects - thoughts I hadn't seen before.  As a homeschooling mom how do you make sure you aren't doing this?  She also says that we

soak our disciples imagination in Scripture. 

Guilty - not much soaking happening around here.  That's what I want them to imagine - the almighty, powerful, savior who was and is and is to come - not Superman or Batman.  However, they might get more super hero than God around here sometimes.

She challenges us with this thought

Her whole book is a challenge to trust in the provision, promise and grace of God for our motherhood - to expect him to show up in our mess, weakness and need - to invite him into it.  It is what I needed to be reminded of.   This is a library book but I might have to buy it for myself so that I can re-read and remind myself of the truth of this nurturing business - it's his primary business.

See what others are reading at Ladydusk.