by Holly Mackle, Guest Writer

TODAY’S TREASURE

Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with a vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.

Isaiah 35:3-4

We have a Savior who is as much coming as he is come. The beautiful yet sometimes excruciating tension of the “now and not yet” can cause us to stumble and to doubt the risen Jesus. I look at my feet and I trip. I look ahead and I walk . . . maybe even gracefully. But this is tricky in the midst of life’s ins and outs. While my circumstances shout at me, the truth of who I am as a daughter of the King seems barely a whisper. Is this the battleground of faith? Trusting that what we can’t see, taste or touch is the real truth and we are just deceived by the apparent realness of this world?

The not yet of eternity with Jesus is just as true as the struggle to hold his hand in this life. Oh, Lord, may the eternal feel just as real as the worries of the day . . . especially as the worries of the day take on the particularly sensitive prick of wanting to do the right thing in caring for your child.

If possible today, take a few moments to identify what your greatest fears are as you walk in the precise spot of motherhood that you’re currently in. As you name each fear, immediately counter it with truth—even write it down if it will help. Afraid that your parenting experience is not going exactly as you had planned before it was a reality? Name God’s promises to never leave us or let us go. Fearful that your body may never go back to what it once was? Ask your Creator to allow you to see yourself as he sees you. Wondering if your child is never going to be an A student or a star athlete? Remind yourself that it is God himself who knits us together just as he sees fit. There is power in naming fear and bringing it before the feet of a loving and caring Abba Father. He won’t let it stand—he will destroy it with truth.

LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT

What do I most worry over now? What is one way I can specifically combat that fear with truth?
Why do you think God is so forceful throughout Scripture in telling us to “Fear not”?

Abba Father, you want us to call you that because you want us to see you that way—as a caring, loving, protecting daddy. May you be more real to me than my fears today. And when fear does creep in, may I surrender it to you. Please give me the strength to preach truth to myself today and to tell myself to “take heart!”

Reprinted with Permission, Engaging Motherhood, Heart Preparation for a Holy Calling, Week 3, Control(CDM, 2016

STORE UP MORE TREASURES

At some point in our lives, we or someone we know will go through great suffering. I encourage you to go the MARKINC website and listen to “Relationships are They Worth It? A Conversation with Ellen Dykas” so that you can store up treasures of encouragement for the next rainy day in your life or someone else's. Here is a summary and teaser of this resource:

Relationships can be so hard and sometimes painful. Are they worth it? What are some of the pitfalls? How can our expectations of others sabotage relationships? When someone we care about disappoints us, and they will, what questions should we be willing to ask ourselves to determine how to proceed?

To win Holly Mackle's Same Here Sister Friend, Mostly True Tales of Misadventures of Motherhood, (1) like our Facebook page and (2) share Holly's Daily Treasure devotion(s) on Facebook with the hashtag #ilovedailytreasure, telling people why you love Daily Treasure. The more devotionals you share the higher your opportunity to win! The winner of Holly's book will be announced on Monday, February 25th.

Holly Mackle is the curator of the mom humor collaboration Same Here, Sisterfriend, Mostly True Tales of Misadventures in Motherhood, and author of the family Advent devotional Little Hearts, Prepare Him Room. She is the wife of a handsome man, mama of two flower-sneaking bitties, and a fairly decent gardener and hopefully better humorist for joegardener.com. Holly is also the editor of Engaging Motherhood.

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Contact Sharon with comments or questions at d ailytreasure@markinc.org.

Today and Forever