Honesty and Vulnerability

I was so encouraged by many of your comments from a few post back when I was shared about my struggles with being a mom these days. One of the things that struck me was how much we really value honesty and vulnerability. I think about the things that I long to read on other's blogs and it really is these two things. Sure I love catching up and seeing the kiddos but I long to read about when my friend shares that she hasn't spent time with God in 3 years or another friend who spends a few moments crying in a bathroom stall because her daughter is being difficult or another who shares how much she wants a baby and that she is struggling with God over why He won't give her one or even another friend who is learning so much about redemption through giving up a baby that she cared for as her own for 8 or so months.

It is these post that encourage me that only "He that began a good work in me will carry it out until completion," that "in this (we) greatly rejoice, though for a little while (we) may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that (our) faith - of greater worth that gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." It reminds me that we are all sinners struggling to live for God's glory and failing in some way most every day.

Oh please feel free to be honest and vulnerable. I love it. I love to be able to say

I can encourage in ways to organize your home because God has given me a gift and I want to use it for His glory but I love to also say that 3 days this week nothing was done to my house and oh well. I love to encourage myself and others to make time to spend with God even when we have small kids but I will admit that this week I think I had a quite time once maybe twice. God is God and I am Not - but oh how precious is his grace. I am not perfect and I don't even want anyone to dare think I have it all together because how does God get the glory from that?

2 Cor 2:3-7 (The Message)
All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort - we get a full measure of that, too. When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you're just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you're going to make it, no doubt about it.