We've heard this was one of our best episodes, so as we kick off a new series on our "everyday agains", we knew we had to replay it! How can we talk about the things we do consistently without starting with sitting at the feet of Jesus?

We know we want to. We know we should. We know it will make us better mothers. But HOW do we find time to read when we are continually serving and being interrupted? In this REPLAY, Jen and Steph share what worked best in their homes to develop patterns of faithfulness in The Word. Listen in and learn how to model one of the most important disciplines we can have as Christian parents. (This episode corresponds with Lesson 1 of Entrusted with a Child's Heart... and really every lesson!)

Scriptures Mentioned:

Jeremiah 15:16

Psalm 119:32, 36

Jeremiah 9:23-24

They're the joyful agains our children shout on the swings, the

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exhausting agains of cooking and laundry,

and the difficult agains of discipline.

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So much of what we do

as mothers is on repeat.

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So what if we woke up with clarity,

knowing which agains we were called

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to, and went to bed believing we

are faithful in what matters most?

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We believe God's Word is

the key to untangle from the

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confusion and overwhelm we feel.

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Let's look up together to embrace a

motherhood full of freedom and joy.

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I'm Stephanie.

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Hickox welcome to the again, podcast

brought to you by entrusted ministries.

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I'm choosing to replay this episode on

untangling our priority to God's word.

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Because

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we know that if you're listening to

this podcast, you probably already

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have a deep love for the Lord.

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But sometimes as a mother, you

are just wondering and begging and

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pleading for how you can actually

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prioritize time in the word.

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And I think that this was

one of our best episodes.

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Because.

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It really brought practical

wisdom into that common problem.

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That Christian mothers are facing.

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So as we kick off.

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This again, series that's discussing.

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Our most common against of meal

preparation and laundry and cleaning.

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We also wanted to replay this because

we want this again, to be the one that

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tops your list, and that, when you

look back at your motherhood and when

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your kids look back, that they know.

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My mom made scripture a priority.

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My mom clung to God's word.

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And that's where her love and

her care for me came from.

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in this episode, I am joined by

the incredible Jen Frackman and

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she, and I talk about what it meant

to be faithful to the Lord as our

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children were babies and toddlers.

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And of course we didn't do it perfectly,

but we're so thankful for the ways that

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the Lord grew us in devotion to him.

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If you don't already have.

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A plan in place for making

sure that the Lord has the

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priority of time in your life.

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Then

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we hope that you're inspired

to turn over a new leaf.

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And to seek the Lord.

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Faithfully.

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We understand that a lot of

you almost are on a mission.

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We hope that you're able to listen

to the, get to know you questions at

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the beginning, but if you just need

to hop to that practical wisdom.

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You can skip about the first 10 minutes

of this episode and then dig in with us

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as we talk about digging into God's word.

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Jen: Okay.

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Stephanie, I'm going to start

off asking you a question today.

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Great.

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This is a fun one.

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What is your ideal retirement age?

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How would you like to spend

your time in retirement?

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Steph: I don't think about the

age very much, but I definitely

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think about what I want to do.

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And my dream is to.

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Design my own tiny house and drive

it to whichever child needs me.

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If one son's wife has a baby, I'm going

to be here for a month, but I'll be in

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your driveway, not, not in your space.

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I could come make meals and then

I'll just come over here and just.

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Just let me know what you need from me and

then if one of them has surgery, then I

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drive to them and travel around like that.

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I really like that idea.

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My husband is like yeah,

you can do that by yourself.

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So , I understand.

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That's fine.

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He'll maintain home base.

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So we still have.

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A place to host them.

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So, that's my vision.

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I've always loved places that

are utilized well in tiny places.

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I dream of making spaces efficient

and, maybe I don't really want to

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live like that all the time, but.

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Well intentioned, well used

spaces are very exciting to

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Jen: me.

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I love that.

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I love that.

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I agree with that, actually.

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And I think that it makes

it fun for a season.

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And you wouldn't be

living that way every day.

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Right.

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Just while you're going to visit the

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Steph: grandbabies.

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Yes.

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I like that.

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and then I would just love to continue

to encourage others to follow the Lord.

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So whatever doors the Lord opens

for that, that would be exciting.

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If I can stop and speak at a church

in between my driving calendar or

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something and travel, see new things.

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That's

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Jen: sweet.

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Pull your little house

up into the parking lot

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of the church.

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Exactly.

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I think Eric and I have talked a

lot about Retirement, because he

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works in finance, so he has to

talk about retirement with people.

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And I definitely know that we don't

want a typical retirement, where,

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you know, you retire and you go golf

every single day of your life, and you

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don't do any responsible thing again.

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Right.

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We don't want that.

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We want to be highly involved

in our grandkids lives.

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We want to be...

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Giving back and serving in the church and

just not getting paid for different things

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but I think that that's more Biblical too.

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If you think of Biblical retirement,

retirement is not in the Bible.

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Right.

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You work and you stay faithful

throughout the end of your days.

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Yes.

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So I think retirement in America is

very different than anywhere else and We

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definitely don't want the typical American

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Steph: retirement.

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Yes,

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Jen: that's beautiful.

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I don't know about the age, because I

don't know that it would change that much.

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It's just that instead of going

into the office every day, Eric

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would, you know, not be doing that.

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Since I don't work outside the home,

it would be him retiring because

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you don't retire from being a mom.

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Right.

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But definitely being more in the

service role, as opposed to getting...

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The daily

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Steph: office payment.

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Absolutely.

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Oh, that's beautiful.

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Yeah.

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I love that the Lord gave you both

that conviction and then gives him

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an opportunity to speak, thought

provoking questions to people

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planning that season of their lives.

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Yeah.

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That's a really neat avenue

of influence that he has.

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Yeah, very true.

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When I was in college, I went to a

conference for Campus Crusade and

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John Piper was the speaker and he had

just written Don't Waste Your Life.

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And so all of these college students

are there and he starts preaching

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about how one of the worst things in

our culture is the idea of retirement.

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Yeah.

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And I thought for a little bit, Does he

know he's talking to college students?

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That's the furthest thing from our mind.

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But as I processed it, I thought that's

really neat that we got that word before

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we could even start planning our careers.

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You know?

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Betsy's first lesson in Entrusted

actually reminds me a lot of that message.

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It's the introduction to entrusted,

but she's giving the charge for the

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older women to pour into the younger

women and to not take a break.

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You know, when you're in that

last band of life that you are

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prayerful and that you are serving

the Lord in different ways, right?

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I Actually now love that she set the

study up that way to say, no, this

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is where we're going long term and,

and to have a perspective of your

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whole life, your whole motherhood.

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Instead of just eyes down, head down.

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This is where I am right

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Jen: now.

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Yes, agreed.

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I loved how she did that in the study.

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I, I think that was super

amazing to listen to and to

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watch and to study through.

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Like, oh wow, this is the

full life perspective.

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Steph: Right.

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I loved that.

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Yep.

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Jen: Alright.

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Next question for you.

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Is there a place you feel most

at home, rooted or centered?

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Steph: I grew up in Wisconsin and I love

the beauty of creation and some of the

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most powerful times I've had with the Lord

are just enjoying the majesty of creation

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but one of the most comforting places for

me that I've ever done that is my parents

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built a home on a lake in Wisconsin.

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Well, it was across the street from a

lake, so you could see the lake from

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the front of the house, but in the

back, there was a pond and little beach

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and even though my parents moved in in

September when I went off to college.

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You wouldn't think it would still have

felt so much like my home, but it was.

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And it was a really special

place to come back to and my dad

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passed away about 12 years ago.

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And that was the place where I could

still feel like I was close to him.

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My had to sell it two years

ago we were thankful that the

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Lord allowed us to enjoy it for.

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That many more years, but it was hard

to shut the door because I could still

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see where my dad sat and it was home

and it was safe for me, you know?

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Now I would probably say the chair

I sit and have my quiet time but.

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I'm still replacing that

one, how about for you?

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Do you have a spot?

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Jen: Well, mine's not

as spiritual as yours.

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The first thing I'll tell

you, the first thing that came

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to my mind was Hobby Lobby.

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Oh, that's great.

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I get in there and I just feel happy.

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Sure.

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There's like creative stuff.

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There's home decorating things.

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There's arts and crafts.

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I can do floral design.

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I mean, anything that

I love to do is there.

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So there's one.

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Yes!

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Okay, that's great.

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But I definitely, also,

there's a song out.

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I think it's by John Reddick.

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I don't remember.

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But it says, I want to go to church.

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Oh.

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And I have loved that song.

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And there have been so many times

in my heart where I'm Having a bad

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day or something and that song will

come on and I'm like, yes, I do

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I want to be in church right now.

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Like I love being in church.

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I just love it I love being with believers

and I love worshiping the Lord and

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song and Being filled and there's just

something about being in church that I

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just love so I would say Being in church

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Steph: more often.

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Laughing Laughing I

don't know what that is.

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That's great, well yes,

in His image, and yes.

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That's awesome.

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That's great.

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Alright, here's one for you.

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Okay.

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Name a place in your life where you've

seen little by little progress add up.

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Jen: Ooh.

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We are part of a CC community, which

is Classical Conversations, and the

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very first year that we were part of

it, I didn't know anything about it.

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I literally joined the community because

I loved the people there, and so I

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didn't know anything that we were in for.

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And I remember the first

couple of weeks being like, oh.

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There's a lot of memory work here,

and they're singing everything.

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And then, they started singing this

thing that they called the timeline song,

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and I didn't know that by the end of

the year, my children were going to be

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singing this 12 minute song from memory.

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Of literally the timeline song that

went from creation to present day.

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And so, little by little by little,

every week, we'd go back and they

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would learn a little tiny bit of it.

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And then we'd add on, and a little

tiny bit more, and by the end that

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we'd know this whole timeline song.

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And I was floored!

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I could not believe that that

little bit each week added up to

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the whole timeline of creation

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Steph: to now.

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It's amazing, and it's such a great

reference, but a great memory for

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me is your family presentation when

your husband's saying your family's

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timeline, like fearlessly belted out.

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It was so sweet.

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It was very,

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Jen: very funny.

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Quite the surprise to all of us.

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Like, oh, you're right.

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We do have a

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Steph: timeline.

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It was great.

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He didn't care about,

the melody it was fun.

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What about you?

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I have to say God's word and

studying that for many years.

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Even though I've really grown in

faithfulness, but I see how it's built

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up and I've delighted in it for a long

time, but I, have seen, even in this

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recent season where I feel sometimes

that my chest is going to burst, during

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my quiet time, just the joy of the Lord.

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And it's become what sustains

me on a day to day basis.

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There are some circumstances I don't

think I could be faithful to the Lord

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in this season unless I had the joy that

he's giving me right now from his word.

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It's my favorite part of my day

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and, to have those seeds of

walking with the Lord for a long

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time of Oh, I love that verse.

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And, to look back through your Bible

and see the things you've underlined.

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That would be it for me.

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So in entrusted, there's actually a

whole lesson about the authority of

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God's word and how important that is.

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And Betsy wrote this study 20 years

ago, and of course, that's always been

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important, but I think now when moms are

being inundated with so many cultural

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trends and deceptions, to be grounded

in the word is of paramount importance.

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And yet it's really hard

as a mom to do that.

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Sometimes it feels so much easier to,

catch a little break and scroll Instagram

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or social media for a little while.

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The enemy can get such a foothold

there, we have a guest speaker this

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month at our church he's one of our

elders, but he's a phenomenal preacher,

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and he gave the coolest analogy.

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He said that his daughter's

on a soccer team.

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And her team was playing as their

warm up song Elements by Toby Mac.

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And the other team was playing

Beat It by Michael Jackson.

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And he said, I love Beat It.

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I did a choreographed

dance to that in college.

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I love that song.

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But of course, I know Elements well.

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And so I said to my daughter, I think

the daughter that was sitting in the

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stands with him, what song do you hear?

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And she said, I hear Elements,

and he said, I can't hear

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it, I only hear Beat It.

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Because he knew that song so well.

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He had focused on it for

decades, and he knew the melody,

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and he couldn't not hear it.

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Interesting.

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So he challenged us.

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As new creations in Christ,

what are we meditating upon?

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Can we hear the soundtrack of God's word

in our lives continually playing or is the

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world playing in our minds all the time?

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Jen: That is amazing.

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Isn't that great?

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That is very cool and so powerful.

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And I love that one song.

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I would love to hear that one song.

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Right, I

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Steph: know, me too.

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But it was neat because it's

not like Beat It is a bad song.

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Right, no, no.

302

And I think that fits

perfectly then, right?

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Because so much of what we're taking

in Our heart is to learn more about how

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to mother well, or, or to be a great

follower of Christ but all of these

305

messages are coming in and we don't always

have the time to process them well, if

306

we're not really rooted in his word.

307

Very true.

308

If you could just take us back to,

when you first became a mom and

309

your children are little and you're

not sleeping well, what did it look

310

like for you to be in the word?

311

Yeah,

312

Jen: good question.

313

Those were hard, hard

times to be in the word.

314

They were desperately needed

and desperately wanted.

315

I feel that I can put myself right

back in those situations and I can

316

feel my heart aching to have them.

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No one interrupting me and to have like

uninterrupted quiet time with the Lord

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for extended periods and didn't always

happen that way but I wanted it to.

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So when my kids were babies I, well first

of all I am NOT a morning person and

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so I tried a number of times to wake up

before them to set my alarm early and

321

Without fail, every single time that

I would do that, I would be tiptoeing

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down the stairs, and a baby would cry,

or a child would wake up, and I would be

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instantly angry, because I was like, no,

I'm awake early to do this, this is mine,

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and it would just feel so discouraging,

and it seemed like anytime that I would

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try to wake up early to do it, a kid

would wake up earlier than me, so I,

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gave that up and said, okay Lord, I'm

gonna give you my firstfruits and the best

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of my time And so what is my best time?

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Well that very first morning nap Was

my best time and I committed to just

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any time that the kid was in bed.

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I Would go to my Bible and I would

open it up and I felt as though I had

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a ticking time bomb that was waiting

to go off at any moment, but I remember

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very Clearly, I remember praying, Lord,

you know how long I have here, would

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you please quicken your spirit to me?

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Would you quicken whatever it is that

you want me to hear from your word and

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just help me to enter quickly into the

throne room and hear something from you?

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You know when this child is going to

wake up and when I'm going to need to

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go and my heart wants to meet with you.

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Make it be real and strong.

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It's a beautiful prayer.

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And I feel like he, he often

honored that and, and would

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give me something of benefit.

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Now there were definitely times where I

would read, especially if I was in the

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chapter of like, I don't know, judges.

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Those were

345

hard, but.

346

I think that's the beauty of God's Word.

347

It's living and active, sharper

than any two edged sword.

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And so, even if I was reading

something about judges, the Lord

349

just still was like, You were

with me, and that's what matters.

350

And He would fill me, even in reading

the names of all these judges.

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Absolutely.

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Steph: Yes, I can relate for sure to

being frustrated that they woke up.

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And I, like you, not as

much of a morning person.

354

. I was just so excited to be a mom, that

I couldn't wake up from my alarm clock,

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but I could just hear my son, just a tiny

noise, and I was up, and, and so I felt

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release, that's okay, that this is what

it's gonna look like, that'll be the first

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thing I do, I'll nurse him but I did that

with the Lord often, thank you for this

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blessing of this child or praying for him.

359

And sometimes reading the Bible on

my phone would help me be faithful,

360

but it wasn't my favorite way.

361

And I think I let a standard.

362

Of, Oh no, I really want to be, at

my Bible with my colored pencils

363

and digging in and it doesn't

really count unless I'm doing that.

364

And it took me a while

to give myself grace

365

That's what it looked

like when they were babies.

366

And then.

367

I always made my children have a quiet

time, even if they weren't going to nap.

368

So right after lunch, I'd put them down

for their rest time or nap time and

369

then I would spend time in the Word.

370

But when it's not right away for me,

it's easy for other things to, Oh,

371

I could be doing dishes or should

check this email so that helped me be

372

faithful for years, but I did have to

fight the temptation of seeing things

373

around me that needed to be done.

374

Jen: Agreed because there's always

things it's never ending right?

375

There's always gonna be something that's

gonna pull you towards that I remember

376

when my kids were babies and Wanting more

time and I couldn't have it I would have

377

my Bible open on the counter and as I was

cleaning I would read A verse, and let

378

that just flow over me, and read that,

and meditate on it, and think about it.

379

I would have worship music playing,

or something so that I could

380

be singing the praises to Him.

381

Anything that I could do to turn

my affections to the Lord, turn my

382

heart towards Him, and be sensitive

to His leading and His Spirit.

383

And one thing that I did, I've always...

384

I don't know when this started, but

I have done it for a very long time.

385

Before my feet hit the ground in

the morning, right away when I wake

386

up every morning, I quickly ask,

Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit.

387

Give me your wisdom.

388

Order my day.

389

Reorder my heart.

390

Because we wake up and

our heart is disordered.

391

And I don't want to

have a disordered heart.

392

I want it to be ordered rightly

and I want him to order my day

393

for me because I have plans.

394

Yeah, that's right.

395

But I want to be sensitive to his

plans and so I just say those things

396

just as a constant reminder to me that

like I'm submitting my day to you.

397

And I want, I want to do what is right for

you, what you want to have for me today.

398

Steph: Can you say that one more time?

399

That's so beautiful.

400

Jen: Lord, fill me with your Holy

Spirit, give me wisdom, order

401

my day and reorder my heart.

402

And those are the four things that I'm

like, I just, I want to make sure if

403

I do anything that this is happening.

404

Steph: Oh, that's so beautiful.

405

Jen: I also remember

having a prayer book, but.

406

I currently have the

book Every Moment Holy.

407

It's a beautiful liturgy book.

408

But there was a different one that I

had and I can't remember who wrote it.

409

But it did have different

beautiful prayers in it.

410

And I would have that out on the counter.

411

And now that my kids are older and I

have Every Moment Holy, I will have

412

that out on the counter as well.

413

And so, if we're having a hard

day, I'll go to the one about...

414

Fighting children.

415

I can read that.

416

And sometimes it just helps me in

those moments to be like, Okay,

417

this is holy work that we're doing.

418

And even in the fighting, the

Lord is calling me into his word,

419

into his day, into the way that

he is sanctifying me as a mom.

420

Right.

421

And those prayers just help me so much.

422

And they're so beautiful.

423

Way more beautiful than

anything I could write.

424

Right?

425

Yes,

426

Steph: I love, great men and women of

the faith that write these powerful

427

words or praying through scripture

428

Jen: I also remember

when they were babies.

429

In the car, I would have the audio

version of the Bible, and often

430

it was somebody with an Australian

accent because it's so beautiful.

431

I feel like my kids were

like, who's talking?

432

So I would be quiet and listen to it.

433

But that was another way that I

could have scripture pouring over me.

434

Even if I didn't have the moment to

spend quietly, I could still hear his

435

word and be reminded of his truths.

436

And I remember also when they

were toddlers, as they were

437

playing on the ground quietly, I

would read the Bible over them.

438

And whatever it was that I needed to read,

I would just read it aloud over them.

439

And that was a way for me.

440

To be able to get it.

441

I could hear myself saying it and my mind

was focused and yet they were hearing

442

it as well It was really a sweet thing.

443

Yes For those times where I couldn't

trust them to be playing alone right

444

away from me where I could sneak away I

would just read it over them and it was

445

it was very sweet You do those things

as a mom sure, you know, you want to be

446

in the word, you know, you want to have

that epic Awesome moment with the Lord,

447

and it doesn't always happen, but if

you love the Lord with all your heart,

448

and all your soul, and all your mind,

and all your strength, you're gonna do

449

those things to desire that, that help

450

Steph: you to get into the Word.

451

Yes, and He, if we really press

into Him, He makes a way, right?

452

So often we think this problem

isn't solvable, and if we

453

really give Him a moment.

454

Okay, Lord, what can I do?

455

Is there anything here, you know?

456

Jen: Yes.

457

Yeah.

458

I'm reminded of the verse in

Luke that talks about denying

459

yourself and taking up your cross

daily and following him and how.

460

Every single day, it's important that

we're in the Word and that in Jeremiah

461

15, 16 it says, Your words were found

and I ate them and they became to me

462

a joy and the delight of my heart.

463

And I just love how God's

Word truly does become that.

464

When you are faithful, year after

year, day after day, month after

465

month, whatever, all those things

adding up like you said earlier.

466

It does become the desire.

467

Mm-hmm.

468

, it's something that you're not

just doing to check it off.

469

You actually need this, like

that, that stay at home.

470

Mom who wrote that?

471

Yes.

472

Him.

473

Lord, I need the every hour.

474

I need the Yes.

475

She knows.

476

She knows what's up, , right.

477

She knows that she needs to be filled

with the Holy Spirit and needs the filling

478

of his word and how often we need that.

479

I'm also reminded of the verse that

says, Today if you hear my voice,

480

like there's so many reminders in

scripture that we need him not only

481

daily, but we need his word daily.

482

And I think sometimes as moms, we feel

that it's something we need to check off.

483

But even in that, if we do

that, if we Get in His word.

484

It ends up not being as

much of a checklist thing.

485

It becomes something that we

crave, that we truly delight in,

486

and it becomes our daily bread.

487

Jesus is the bread of life.

488

It's, it's something that

we need to sustain us daily.

489

Mm hmm.

490

Steph: Absolutely.

491

And when you're in that season,

492

you're constantly giving of yourself.

493

It's such a sanctifying time.

494

I think the reliance upon the Lord is

so strong that we need those verses to

495

cling to, to guide our heart's desires.

496

Right.

497

And Psalm 119 is just such.

498

A powerful chapter.

499

The whole thing is about the Lord's word.

500

Verse 32 says, I will run in

the way of your commandments

501

when you enlarge my heart.

502

So that's a prayer that I've prayed

before like God enlarge my heart.

503

I am struggling to have a desire for

your word or, or even to obey you in

504

something, but I know that you want

me to, and if I submit myself to

505

you, you're going to grow that in me.

506

And then verse 36 says, incline

my heart to your testimonies

507

and not to selfish gain.

508

So those are two that I really love

from the chapter, to have a desire,

509

to be shaped by the word of God is

something that the Lord loves and.

510

It seems like it's becoming

more and more rare these days.

511

In Jeremiah 9, 23 through 24, it

says, Thus says the Lord, Let not

512

the wise man boast in his wisdom.

513

Let not the mighty man boast in his might.

514

Let not the rich man boast in his riches.

515

But let him who boasts, boast in this,

that he understands and knows me, that I

516

am the Lord who practices steadfast love,

justice, and righteousness in the earth.

517

For in these things I delight.

518

Declares the Lord.

519

I mean, we're being given permission to

boast that we understand and know God.

520

Wow.

521

I feel, you know.

522

Yeah.

523

But that the Lord would

delight in us knowing his true

524

character, his true goodness.

525

Yeah.

526

And we're, we're invited

in that, that's cool.

527

What a charge, right?

528

Yeah,

529

Jen: absolutely.

530

What did your quiet time look

when your kids had started to

531

get older and maybe weren't in.

532

nap times.

533

What did your quiet time look like

or what does it look like now?

534

Sure.

535

Steph: So I still make them do the

afternoon rest time because it's

536

just such a good reset for everybody.

537

But now, when my kids, When the

last one stopped nursing was

538

when I could make a transition.

539

I felt because she started to sleep

a little later and then she didn't

540

wake up needing me immediately.

541

I think that's kind of when it made this

shift where I could wake up a little

542

earlier and she'd sleep a little later and

the Lord just kind of provided the way.

543

So I would come down quietly

and stir my quiet time and this

544

is even so sweet of the Lord.

545

I've never been able to

drink coffee my whole life.

546

I'm very sensitive to caffeine, but

When I started, I went back to school

547

to get my Master's in Counseling and

At that time, all of a sudden, I was

548

able to drink a little bit of caffeine.

549

And I would get excited to wake up and

have my coffee and my time with the Lord.

550

The best part of waking up!

551

Yeah, right!

552

So, He made it easier for me, and

I just was like, Thank you God, you

553

knew I had a heart to do it, and

you're providing more of a way now.

554

So, I still only have a

couple ounces, and then fill

555

it with milk, and then just...

556

Like a little bit of creamer, so

then I sit and I, , get all my

557

things out and start my quiet time.

558

And as my kids come down, which my oldest

is a very early riser and he often beats

559

me, but he'll, do something peacefully,

play with our bunny or, read the word

560

for himself as my kids come down, they

will come over and I'll give them a

561

hug, and talk to them for a second.

562

But then they know they need to

play quietly or read their Bibles

563

and that they're not really to

interrupt me unless it's an emergency.

564

Especially as a homeschooler,

they're like, if mom's not

565

giving us a checklist, let's

566

Jen: run with it.

567

So they're like, okay,

568

Steph: So they play pretty well and so

yes, they each just kind of come down

569

and they know they'll read the word a

little bit on their own and then play.

570

I'm so grateful because it was a

challenge to get to, having it right away

571

in the morning, and it took a long time

for me to be really faithful in that,

572

Jen: I feel like now that my kids are

older as well, if the Lord wakes me

573

up earlier where I don't hear them all

of our kids, their bedrooms are on the

574

second floor, and Eric and my bedroom

is on the main floor, and so if I don't

575

hear them coming down and I've woken

up early, I can just, Just sit in my

576

chair, right by my bed, quietly, and,

and do my devotions, and often times

577

I will still get it done first thing

in the morning, and I'm always amazed,

578

like, wow, this is what this feels like.

579

Yeah, right.

580

But, if they wake me up, which often

does happen, because my kids are way

581

more morning people than I am um, I still

just do it right after lunch, and they

582

know that, you know, That's my time.

583

I'm like, you're going to pick up

after lunch and I am going to go

584

and do my devotions and Since they

were very little, I was like, unless

585

you are bleeding or dying, you

may not, you may not interrupt me.

586

I am promising you I will be a better

mommy when I come back out these

587

doors, so you want me in that room.

588

Right.

589

Yes.

590

And I just take it very seriously, I

trained them to let me have this time.

591

And I, I'm very diligent to

try to not take too long.

592

Sure.

593

But.

594

I'm like, you know, this is very

important, and you can wait, and you

595

can wait, you can do your own tying

of shoes, or what not, that can wait,

596

Steph: And sometimes it seems

insurmountable, but if we actually

597

take the time to train them, it's

amazing how well they adapt to...

598

The system that we set in place, right?

599

Yes.

600

Yes.

601

And so and I think adjusting our

expectations for what the training

602

process might look like it might be

really defeating the first couple days

603

but maybe just try it for five minutes

the first day or ten minutes and

604

then build it and if we're consistent

they often adapt to that structure

605

Jen: In my devotional time, I'm a huge

proponent for Just reading the Word.

606

Getting in, and you and

your Bible, and a notebook.

607

I've gone through different devotional

Bible studies before, and they can be

608

wonderful, but I feel like the greatest

depth that I've walked in my relationship

609

with the Lord has come from being in the

Word and reading His Word for myself.

610

My mentor taught me years and years

ago Her Bible study and I kind of took

611

it and adapted a little bit and what I

do for mine is I take a blank notebook

612

and I put the day and the date and the

time at the top and then I put what I'm

613

thankful for and I'll just bullet point

things that I'm thankful for and then

614

I have a portion that that says Please

forgive me for, and I'll confess things

615

that need to be forgiven, and ask him

to forgive my heart in these areas.

616

And then I have a portion where

I literally label it quiet.

617

And I'm just quiet before the Lord

for a brief moment, to just, if he

618

has anything he wants to lay on my

heart, or say to me, I'm just quiet.

619

And I'm not asking for anything,

I'm just enjoying his presence.

620

And so I'll do that for as

long as the Spirit leads.

621

And then...

622

I have a please section, things that

I'm pleading for him to please do.

623

Things that are in my heart that

I need to just lay at his throne

624

and be like, I need you to do this.

625

Because I can't, I can't control

it, I can't see a way out, what not.

626

But these are the things I need help from.

627

And so that's my please section.

628

And then, after I've done

that, then I read one chapter.

629

Every day, one chapter a day.

630

And I have gone through the Bible

multiple times by doing that, because

631

each chapter eventually, little by little,

you're going to get somewhere, right?

632

And as I read that chapter, the first

time around I'll read it and I'll

633

underline anything that sticks out to me.

634

And for instance, one time I was

reading and it said how Jesus...

635

Healed the blind man and he spat on

the ground and he put the mud on his

636

eyes and he said what do you see?

637

And he was like, I don't know It's

kind of blurry and and then he did it

638

again and he could see perfectly and

in the margin of my Bible I wrote why

639

wasn't it done perfect the first time

I'm curious everything Jesus does does

640

is done perfectly the first time right?

641

and so in my Next section on my

journal I'll have prayers that

642

I pray that are specifically for

the scriptures that I just read.

643

And I will pray things like Lord

help me to understand your word

644

or God I'm confused why wasn't

this happening or whatnot.

645

Sure.

646

But most often it's a prayer of like

for instance, this morning I was reading

647

in Ezekiel and it's constantly, Son

of man say this, Son of man say this.

648

And so today what I got out

of it was, Lord help me.

649

To say faithfully what you call me to say.

650

He said what you told him

to say, exactly how it was.

651

And so, whatever that scripture

is, I will pray it, and it has

652

revolutionized my prayer life.

653

There are things that I have prayed for

that I would never have prayed on my

654

own, but because it was in scripture,

and I was praying the scripture back,

655

and making it personal in my life,

I've prayed for things, and people,

656

and for my children, that I would

never have thought to pray, ever.

657

But, the way that the Lord laid it on my

heart, by just reading that chapter, and

658

saying, and I'm pretty diligent about

being, I want to write out something.

659

I mean, sometimes it's hard, when I'm

in Judges, or, you know, somewhere.

660

I don't know, Judges is

getting a bad rap for this.

661

But sometimes it's a little hard,

but I try very hard to put something

662

from the Scripture in that prayer.

663

And then I just close it off.

664

with praying and, and sometimes if

I have an extra time I'll, you know,

665

read the lyrics of a song or something

that, or I'll even sing a song from

666

Spotify by myself just quietly and then

by that time my kids are needing me.

667

Right.

668

It has been so beautiful and I love it.

669

It is like, oh, I don't need.

670

Alone time.

671

I need time with the Lord.

672

Right.

673

And I feel so filled

674

Steph: by that.

675

Definitely.

676

It's so great.

677

Yes.

678

And sometimes the routines

are so fruitful, right?

679

When we know what to expect.

680

When you're not waking up thinking,

Where am I going to read today?

681

Yes.

682

Or what am I going to do?

683

Yes.

684

Or

685

Jen: flipping your Bible open and being

like, Well, this is where I'm going to

686

Steph: read.

687

Right, right.

688

Which the Lord can move through that.

689

Yes.

690

Often it's the day in day out

faithfulness, the again and again,

691

right, that we see he meets us in that.

692

I love to share what I

learn from God's word.

693

I will be sitting in my chair

and like, who can I tell?

694

I took a spiritual gifts test

recently and one of those.

695

That was one of the questions and I

was like, yes, I've always been that

696

way and when I'm in a small group and

I can share that with other women,

697

that's been really fruitful in my

life and having that accountability

698

to be steadfast and keep going.

699

There's the abide study method

that's so helpful, to read through

700

once and look for observations and

next part to interpret those things.

701

And then the next step is

to make application for it.

702

And I loved doing that recently.

703

That was a really exciting way

to dig in and notice patterns.

704

And wow, that word came up a lot or just

to notice different things in scripture.

705

I love that.

706

And often the Lord would.

707

Put a chart on my mind, like I need

to make this chart or, it keeps saying

708

up to Jerusalem, but that was South

709

.

And then I, made a map of Israel at the time and then wrote in where

710

are these miracles happening so I

could see different connections.

711

So sometimes.

712

The Lord leads me to make something

visual to solidify what I'm

713

learning and it's this statistic.

714

If we write something down,

we're 42 percent more likely

715

to remember it, I think.

716

I think that's it.

717

It's pretty high.

718

And so, and even a goal, if

you write it down, you're much

719

more likely to achieve it.

720

So The times when I don't just read

it, but I also record something.

721

I agree very much that

that's been really fruitful.

722

And it's

723

Jen: also biblical.

724

There's a verse that says that we need

to share all the things that we have

725

learned with those who are in leadership.

726

Like, there is a verse that

says that we are to share what

727

we have learned with others.

728

And I love

729

Steph: that.

730

Yes.

731

So that's cool that you do that.

732

Another thing I've really loved doing

in my quiet time is following the color

733

coding system of Get the Word Out.

734

Get the Word Out is a Bible study.

735

Method that was developed by Betsy

and David and the subtitle is

736

Developing a Devotional Lifestyle.

737

So the color coding system is 14

colors and each one of them means a

738

different thing and I found this was

so helpful for me especially as a young

739

mom when I've got You know, wandering

mind and so much is going on around

740

me to actually stop and think, okay,

well, what color would this verse be?

741

And that one, Oh, that verse

really stood out to me.

742

And it's going to be green.

743

Cause it's about the character

of God, but what is it saying

744

about the character of God?

745

And it really led me.

746

Through keeping my mind focused on

it and, and thinking deeply about the

747

scripture and not just, checking it off.

748

I've loved that.

749

And then I was in a Bible study for a

couple of years where we used a couple

750

of the tools from Get the Word Out.

751

One is an SPCA.

752

Which stands for Scripture,

Principle, Conviction, Application.

753

You would pick a scripture that

you loved from the week's reading.

754

We were all reading through the

Bible chronologically together.

755

But you'd pick a scripture, and

then you'd say, Okay, what is the

756

principle behind this scripture?

757

What is God saying to his people?

758

And then, based on that principle, you

say, Okay, well I have this conviction.

759

Based on that principle.

760

And then you develop

an application for it.

761

And it was so amazing to see all of the

women would show up and have completely

762

different SPCAs is like the word of

God, wherever we were at in our lives,

763

different scriptures were coming SPCAs.

764

we didn't even have chit chat time.

765

It would just be like, let's open

up, let's dig in, share your SVCAs.

766

And I knew them so well and we knew

how to pray for each other so well.

767

So I'm just going to mention that so

that when Get the Word Out is released

768

soon that you'll be watching for it.

769

If you're needing a little

accountability in the word, we

770

would encourage you to find someone

that can stay the course with you.

771

And when we know someone's going to

check in with us, it just really helps.

772

And if you're finding that you need more

of a desire for the word, I would...

773

Recommend reading Psalm 119.

774

I'm gonna read a couple of those verses

blessed are those whose way is blameless,

775

who walk in the law of the Lord.

776

Blessed are those who keep his

testimonies, who seek him with

777

their whole heart, who also do

no wrong, but walk in his ways.

778

You have commanded your

precepts to be kept diligently.

779

Oh, that my ways may be steadfast

in keeping your statutes.

780

Then I shall not be put to shame, having

my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

781

I will praise you with an upright heart

when I learn your righteous rules.

782

I will keep your statutes.

783

Do not utterly forsake me.

784

When I read those verses,

my heart is transformed.

785

And those desires become my desires.

786

And so I love, praying

God's word back to him.

787

As you were saying, and seeing how

much God's word matters to him.

788

He chose to communicate

to us through his word.

789

And so we need to be seeking him here.

790

As I said earlier, nature is a

beautiful way to connect with God

791

and there's music and there's.

792

Many beautiful ways that we can

feel close to the Lord, but he has

793

elevated his name and his word.

794

We are to find him and to seek him

there, even when it's difficult.

795

We hope we've given you some

practical ways to do that today.

796

And we encourage you to not give up.

797

We promise it will be worth it.

798

We're also releasing an episode

today about meal planning.

799

in part one, Jen and I talk about.

800

The things that we've learned

through trial and much air.

801

In how we can simplify meal

preparation for our family.

802

We hope that you have time

to listen to that as well.

803

And once again, I'm going to say, if

you have been blessed by this podcast,

804

Would you please tell a friend about it?

805

Share this episode, share the show.

806

Or go and write a review.

807

So other moms can find the hope.

808

That you found in the Lord.

809

Thanks for joining us.

810

We know you're busy, Mama, so

we are truly grateful you joined

811

us for this episode of Again.

812

If you're looking for more information

about building your home on the

813

foundation of Jesus Christ, head to www.

814

EntrustedMinistries.

815

com to learn more about our study for

moms, Entrusted with a Child's Heart.

816

This scripture saturated study

has blessed families around the

817

world, and we want it for you, too.

818

Before you go, I want to pray

this benediction over you

819

from 2 Thessalonians 1, 11 12.

820

We're rooting for you.

821

To this end, we always pray for you,

that our God may make you worthy of His

822

calling, and may fulfill every resolve

for good, and every work of faith by

823

His power, so that the name of our Lord

Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in

824

Him, according to the grace of our God.

825

And the Lord Jesus Christ.

826

Amen.

827

Until we meet again.