words of wisdom for a slump

I managed to get way behind in blog reading.  Relaxing and catching up a little, I came across a great post from the Large Family Mothering blog.  I have pasted a portion of the post below.  Lots of wisdom to be found in these words! 

Caveat:  I'm not a fan of the Quiverfull Movement, as this blog author is (15 children), but I do enjoy most of her posts, nonetheless.  Quiverfull Christians feel that every Christian family should have as many children as God allows.  While they are entitled to believe this and band together, I think it's a devisive, distracting movement in the Christian church.  Andrea Yates, the mother who killed her five children due to post-partum psychosis, was a member of this movement, although the movement tries to distance itself from Andrea's story.  In my mind, Andrea's story is an example of why we mustn't burden Christians with extra-Scriptural rules.  Scripture says to be fruitful and multiple, but it doesn't say how many times, or for how long.  Regardless of how we personally interpret the word "fruitful", we can't try to define it for another family.  It goes both ways, in terms of the passing judgment; large families are judged frequently too.

Anyhow, I glean much from this blog author's hard-fought wisdom, so I overlook the whole Quiverfull matter.  Her life hasn't been easy (raised in a broken, non-Christian home), but her heart is on fire for the Lord.  She adores her husband and children, and her posts reflect wisdom, humility, and strength.  Their family recently emerged out of many months of joblessness.

Here is the excerpt from her post:
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Depression, loneliness, and fear are the weapons the enemy wields. I know from experience just how heavy the burden can be. I understand just what it means to be completely demoralized and hopeless.


I have learned that we need to be like the builders of the wall of Jerusalem; working while ready with weapons.

And our weapons are not worldly, but Heavenly powerful. They are as follows:

The Word of God

Thankfulness

Praise

Prayer

Singing

If we want to fight effectively, we must be in the Word day and night. Only the Word of God can change our old patterns of thinking. It is cleansing and refreshing.

Being thankful keeps us from being darkened in our minds. There is nothing as hateful as being in the presence of someone who sees everything as being half-empty. And be ye thankful is a commandment that we must take seriously; even for bad things, trusting that God will turn them into good, according to Romans 8:28.

Praising and magnifying the Lord is the way we must live. There are too many voices that tell us that God is small, irrelevant or non-existent. When we adore and magnify the Lord, all those other voices are silenced and great courage rises up in our hearts. We are obeying the MOST HIGH! Once praise in practiced, it is like we become energized with a bolt of lightening so that everything we do becomes lighter and we experience true joy.

We must learn to pray, and often. This prayer is the type that your whole life is a communion and conversation with the Holy Spirit. Wonder what to do about a disciplinary problem? Pray. Wonder how to stretch the budget? Pray. Wonder how to keep from blowing your top with your husband? Pray. And pray expectantly—He loves to answer these prayers for us.

Lastly, singing is something that will boost yourself and your whole household. This is something mankind has done from the beginning. When we sing, we engage our whole being, and we cause our minds and emotions to be engaged in agreement to the new spirit God has created within us. I have found scripture songs to be the most effective in giving me strength, direction and courage throughout the day. I have read accounts of saints that were raised by Godly mothers who had this practice of singing, and this is one of their fondest memories.

Father, you know that I am weak, and you know that I cannot do this work without You today. Like King David, help me to encourage myself through Your word and sing songs to You in praise and thanksgiving. May it not only lighten my heart, but the hearts of my husband and children. There is so much heaviness and so many attacks; be our refuge and strong tower today as we bless Your name.
In the name of Your precious Son, Jesus.

Amen
Posted by ladyofvirtue at 5:59 AM