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A mom’s life. So many words can come to mind when it comes to the role of a mother. I do not think moms will ever grasp the full impact they have had on the lives of their kids. We can hope we are making a difference in the way we have raised and shaped our children. We trust that the hours of spilled tears, and silent prayers, the sleepless nights of worry and heartache were not in vain. We trust them into the hands of God who loves them more than we can imagine, which is hard for me to grasp sometimes knowing just how deep my love goes for my kids. A mother’s love is vast and goes deep into places of her being that only she knows. As my kids gets older, knowing that God has a specific role and purpose for their life brings peace to my worrisome heart. Seeing them grow in Christ is one of the biggest blessings I have had. There is so much we want to tell them and show them, things we hope that they will keep in their hearts long after we are gone, but if there was just one thing I could choose to leave behind that would stick with them it would be Jesus.

Seek and follow him daily with all of your heart. Never give up on him. He is faithful and his plans are far more greater than what our feeble minds can fathom. Trust his timing. Keep him first in your life. When there seems like there is no way, He will make one. Know his word. Ask for his guidance. He is worthy, even if it means standing alone for his sake, he is worthy of our time, attention and obedience. If you ever stray from Him, don’t stay there, find your way back to him because he is forgiving, and he will never leave you.

There are no words to express how truly grateful I am for my mom. She is one of my rocks here on earth. She taught me all about Jesus, and her life backed up her words. She just didn’t speak those words, she lived them every day and continues to do so. Being raised by a Christian mom was something I took for granted in my earlier years. Back then, there were times when I rebelled against her and God. It was when I got married and moved out, that our relationship started to improve. Then I got pregnant with my first child and was very sick and had complications, that was when my relationship with her got even stronger. I do not know what I would have done without her. She has become one of my best friends and she will never know just how much she means to me. I am who I am because of her. I will always cherish in my heart the things she taught me growing up and I hope I have passed those things on to my daughter. My mom is a loving, strong, and selfless women who has the biggest heart for serving others. She is a good example of what a Christian life should be. When I look at her life, it is Jesus’s love I see and it makes me want to continue to strive to become who he wants me to be.

I just want to say, every day how we live our lives is being watched by those around us. Whether you have kids of your own or not, we have a generation who is watching us. How we choose to act every day, and who we chose to serve matters. Will it be self or will it be God? We will never know the impact our lives have, but I do know we were made for more. God can use every single one of us to point others to him. Be willing and be obedient to what he puts on your heart.

I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W

My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.   John 10:27

Last fall, I started walking two dogs for an older gentlemen in my neighborhood. They were Border Collies and their names were Mila and Abby. Mila was six years old and very protective of her owner. Abby was nine months old, spunky and full of energy. Both dogs were very intelligent, and I learned right away that I had to earn their trust as they saw me as a stranger. Over time, we developed a friendship and when I would arrive each day, they knew I was there to walk and exercise them. But when winter came and brought colder temperatures with it, the job stopped. As Spring arrived, I messaged the owner and he said he would like for me to pick up the job of coming over 2-3 times a week to walk and play with them. I agreed but was a little nervous about meeting them after a few months of not interacting with them. I didn’t know if they would remember who I was or not. One day last week, I drove to his house and pulled into the driveway. Mila and Abby were in the fence in the backyard, so I got out and immediately they started barking as to alert that an intruder was here. I called out their names but they were frantically running around so I wasn’t sure they heard me . I saw Mila take off running to the back deck and she slammed into the screen door. She was trying to get in the house, to come out through the front door to get to me. She came back around to the backyard and once again I called both their names. Both dogs came to a halt, and the barking stopped immediately. I could see their whole demeanor change as they recognized my voice. With wagging tails, they both went and grabbed a toy and eagerly waited for me to come inside the gate to play with them. As this happened, the scripture in John was impressed on my heart, “My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow me.”

As I pondered on this verse this past week, I am thankful that I have a Good Shepherd and I know his voice. I am not ashamed to be a part of the flock, those who are believers in Jesus Christ. Not only do I know his voice, but God knows mine. Even when I stray from him, which happens more often than I would like to admit, when I come back and pray to him, I don’t have to introduce myself all over again. I am his child and forever will be.

There are times when this world is so loud and distracting, that if we are not careful, we let it drown out God’s voice in our lives. When we put our expectations or worldly things before God, it usually doesn’t end well. We must choose to follow him daily. The Christian walk is not an easy one, but it is worth it. We must be intentional and give him time and priority in our lives. He is our Good Shepherd and will guide us if we will just follow him. No matter what you are facing today, I encourage you to trust him with it. The evidence may not always be right where you can see it, but know he is always working on your behalf. I believe He is always working “behind the scenes” on our stories. We can make all the plans we want, but if it is not God’s will for our lives, we must learn to loosen our grip on what we think should be and know that His ways are far greater than anything we can imagine. I pray that if your struggling with a burden today, that you can find the strength to lay it at his feet. And if you do lay it at his feet, do not pick it back up! I am guilty when it comes to this. I lay it down, only to pick it back up, only to lay it down again. Quite frankly, it is exhausting, so if you lay it at his feet, leave it there!! God loves you, he cares for you, and he wants what is best for you. He knows what lies ahead in your future, so trust the process and lean on the Good Shepherd.

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:6-7

Last week, something happened that was unexpected and hit me like a ton of bricks. When I saw the “For Sale” sign in front of the land that borders our property, my heart sank. Immediately, dread and anxiety started to well up in my soul. I quickly called my husband, and then I called my mom. I was in a state of panic and just needed someone to tell me it was going to be okay. Looking back, this is where I should have asked for God’s help, but I let my emotions take the reigns at that moment, and I suffered because of it. Over the next few hours, I found myself grieving over something that was never mine in the first place. We knew the property was bound to sell sooner or later, but for whatever reason it shook me to the core that day. I have always considered my home a sanctuary. It is a place of safety, protection and yes, a place where I can worship and praise my Creator. Our house sits back in a perfect little nook in between nursery trees and farmland. The views are absolutely stunning as the seasons come and go. There is an abundance of nature and the serenity that this property offers soothes my soul. So the idea that things could change around us, just crushed every ounce of my being. I know to some, it sounds so petty to be so upset about this situation, but it was more about what it revealed to my heart. And there lies the deeper issue……

As I started praying, I asked for God’s help in processing this mountain of fear that overshadowed my thinking. God impressed on my heart several different perspectives that helped usher in clarity and peace.

As much as I love the nature we are blessed with out here, God reminded me that people are his creation too. I am not going to lie, that one made me a little uncomfortable and when I felt that being impressed on my heart, the word “Ouch” was whispered under my breath. This thought caused me to examine my heart a little deeper. Maybe I should be more focused on the souls of those in my community, and living a life in a way that points them to Jesus. Perhaps I needed to heed the call a little deeper when he told us to “Love thy neighbor”.

God reminded me that no matter what happens to this land, it doesn’t take away my access to him. This was one of those moments when the light bulb went off in my little mind and it had a significant impact on me. The anxiety I had was brought on by the fear of losing my peace and closeness with God. You see, when I venture outside, I often slip into a state of wonder at his creation and it reminds me of his presence in my life. It brings about a much needed calmness to this occasionally, weary soul. He gently reminded me, that he is everywhere and as a child of God, he lives in me. I don’t need the beauty of his creation surrounding me to feel his presence, those are just extra benefits that he wants me to enjoy. When I got saved, I got 24/7 access to him and he has never left me. And as much as I love my home, the reality is, I am just passing thru. It is temporary, and not my final destination. I have a home in heaven waiting for me, one so beautiful that I cannot begin to comprehend how grand and glorious it will be.

I learned last week, that if I am not careful, I will put my hope and confidence in things that are worldly and undeserving. True joy and lasting peace cannot be found in places, things, or even people. God is the only one who can offer us those. It is in those worrisome moments, that if we would learn to lean on God and trust his word, then we can receive the peace that passes all understanding. As we celebrate Easter this coming weekend, I pray that you know God as your Savior. Our lives were never meant to be our own, for they were paid for by the blood of Jesus. He gave his life and arose on the third day so that we could live and live abundantly. Don’t take that for granted. We all have a home waiting for us in eternity, the question is “Where is yours going to be?”.

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W

Hiding my thoughts. Hiding my passion. Hiding my words. Hiding my notebook.

Though it may sound silly, that is what I did. I hid from that deep down calling in my heart. Why?

One word. FEAR.

Fear of failure. Fear of disappointment. Fear of criticism. Fear of rejection.

For years, writing was a thought I had quite often entertained. Frequently, it would cross my mind only too often to be pushed down deep where it could be forgotten. My mind would shift from the possibilities of helping others through the words God had given me, to focusing on all the “what ifs” that I could fathom up in my mind. It seemed so out of reach to a simple, southern girl like me. I’m just a homeschooling mama, who loves the quiet, simple life. The idea of putting myself out there for others to see and read my words is quite frightening.

Unqualified.

Yes, that would be one word to describe how I see myself. I don’t have a college degree. I don’t have some adventurous life with grand experiences, but I do have God, and what I am learning, is that he is more than enough. He is capable and he is worthy to talk or write about. I have seen him move mountains in my life. I have seen him turn impossible into possible. I don’t know why the God of the universe would choose to use someone like me, but I do know He created me for a reason. I love him and I want to live my life serving him. I have learned that God tends to push us outside of our comfy zones, because it is in the those places that we can grow and experience his power and love on different levels.

If you can relate to these feelings, this fleeing from what God has put on your heart, let’s band together and step out in his truth. No more running from the calling stirring in our hearts. I want you to know that you matter, you are loved and were created for a greater purpose. If you feel God nudging at your heart, join me and let’s take a leap of faith and move forward in that calling. If God calls us, he will equip us with whatever is needed for that journey. All we have to do is be obedient and leave the rest up to him. If God can use a simple, southern girl like me, then there no doubt he can use you too!

We don’t have to be great; God is.

We don’t have to be perfect; God is.

We don’t have to be qualified; God is.

We just have to be willing to step out in faith and take the path he leads us to.

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W