Motherhood....Seriously, I Think It's Going To Kill Me

This week my daughter is trying to sabotage all of my attempts at improving my mothering skills.  First thing Monday morning, someone accidentally trips her in PE and she hurts her knee. I am lucky (sometimes) to work at the same school she attends. She limped into my classroom, moaning about her hurt knee and my first reaction was, “How bad can it be?” You see my daughter, like most 10 year old girls, has a tendency to dramatize the situation.  Well, she pulled up her pant leg and showed me the ugliest bruise I'd ever seen.

OK, I admit it looked pretty bad. I gave her a pat on the back and made her go back to class. What could I do, I was in the middle of working?  I felt terrible. I swear it is one of the hardest mom jobs trying to diagnose the severity of an illness or injury. Especially, if your child acts like she is dying when a tooth is loose, she has to go poop, or she doesn't want to do her homework.

Also, being nurturing during an illness or having a sympathetic bedside manner are not my strong points.  I grew up as a  latch key kid because my parents worked. In the 4th grade, I had to lock up the house and walk myself to school.  You went to school whether you were sick, had a hurt leg, or it was raining. I remember this one time, I had to walk to school in a down pour.  It didn't even occur to me to stay home because my job was to go to school. So off I went until I reached a huge flooded ditch that I had to cross.  I took a flying leap. You can guess what happened. I landed right on my bum in the middle of the water.  I was half way to school but did I turn back? NO!  I cried myself all the way to school and sat in class in wet clothes. So, forgive me if I am under the impression that unless your knee is popping out sideways or you have blood gushing out, you sit in class and study.

Also, I may have more sympathy for my daughter if I didn't fear the pile of homework she brings home if she misses school. Did I mention the whining, complaining, and acting like her life is over. I totally struggle with this attitude because I couldn't stand getting less than an A in school.  I was a chubby kid, had straight flat hair that always looked greasy, and had the absolute worst taste in clothes, so my grades were the only thing going for me.  My daughter, on the other hand, prefers sports to class work, has a cool sense of style, and has luckily inherited my husbands metabolism so she is perfectly OK with just getting by on her report card.  This just kills me!

I am trying to be better about detecting the severity of injury or illness through the maze of drama because in January what I presumed to be the flu ended up being pneumonia.  Before you condemn me, I kept her out of school for three days. I was starting to panic about the missed school so when she no longer had a fever, she went back.  To be on the safe side, I took her to the doctor.  The doctor proceeded to inform me that my daughter had pneumonia and needed to have an emergency chest x-ray. As my daughter is bent over getting her first shot of antibiotics in the bum, she is giving me the death look saying, “I told you I was still sick.”  SORRY!  

So last month, when she sprained her finger playing dodge ball, my first reaction was to go the Mexican route and wrap it with two Popsicle sticks and tape and call it a day.  Well it started to turn purple and people were giving her the "poor you” look so I decide to take her to the doctor. Sure enough the doctor put on the equivalent of the Popsicle stick remedy and made me take her for an x-ray. It ended up being slightly sprained. So basically, the doctor recommended keeping the Popsicle sticks on for 3 days and she was good to go.  Now the insurance company has still not paid the bill because they want to make sure it is not a liability issue verses your typical kid injury. This kills me!

So you can see my dilemma with the knee.  I know it looks bad but is it doctor bad. I am icing it and giving her Aleve which my friends with children in sports have recommended.  If you ask my daughter, she claims it is burning and she is using her rolling desk chair as a wheel chair around the house.  Yet when her cousins came over to visit her yesterday because I kept her home from school, she wanted to play outside. So pray for us, because I seriously don’t know this time.  My mom had an old cure that involved rubbing a cold egg all over our body but I think that was for a fever.  I will probably be taking her to the doctor after my friend’s recommendation of 72 hours of ice and Aleve. They will probably send me for an x-ray where they tell me it is just bruised and it will be another insurance claim I am trying to negotiate.

Man, this mothering thing is so exhausting and stressful.  To top off our day, we show up late to school because my daughter is hobbling around looking for stretch pants to wear and complaining about going to school. She gets a tardy. As I'm making a mad dash for my classroom, I yell out a reminder for her to order hot lunch. I am finally in the sanctuary of my classroom when she hobbles in saying,“We forgot I had a field trip today. I need a sack lunch and I leave in 45 minutes.”  SERIOUSLY!

I had to run home to pick up tennis shoes needed for the field trip. Tennis shoes that I had recommended that morning but she refused insisting her knee would hurt less in soft boots. Then to Subway to get her a sandwich sack lunch. At Subway, I ask if they have a nicer bag so I can camouflage what a terrible mother I am and, of course, they don't. Luckily, I find an old Valentine gift bag in my car to act as her lunch bag (and my husband wants me to clean out my car, PLEASE). So, finally she is in tennis shoes, has a lunch, promises she won't over due, and she is off with 10 minutes to spare!

All I can think, as I hobble back to my peaceful preschool class, is "How do mothers with more than one child do it? This one is killing me!"  So I thought of the scripture that is going to have to become Luci's life verse:

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8. (NLT)

I love her more than my own life and I hope she knows this because I will need her love to cover a multitude of my mistakes and sins.  We are in this mother/daughter thing together and we must give grace to one another.  At least I don't have to worry about her ever calling me a phony perfectionist because she sees me at my wits end, calling out to Jesus saying, “Please, Jesus help me figure this out!"

Tonight, as I am kind of in a daze writing for therapy, I keep going back to reevaluate the knee. I poke at it, ice it, and pray over it. She suddenly looks at me and says, “Mom, are you OK?”  I tell her straight out, “I am just worried about your knee.” She tells me, “It’s OK. It is starting to feel better.” I think she knew that is exactly what I needed to hear!

Pray for me because seriously, I think motherhood is going to kill me.
Love,
Yolanda

Poem I wrote for my daughter's 10th birthday:

Luci you're ten.

What a journey it’s been.

When you were born, dad and I didn’t have a clue.

Mom went a little nuts and dad sure as heck didn’t know what to do.

I worried and fussed about how much you ate,

Anything to get you and I to sleep at the same time and date.

See dad and I tend to overreact and stress

We get flustered and end up with a big ugly mess.

We holler and we yell

Cause we’re so afraid to fail.

We wisely chose to have only you

Knowing it would take working together

To give you your due.

God formed you in my womb 

With gifts that you’ll need

To survive not only us

But to flourish with ease.

Luci you are braver than most girls should be

You wont let fear stop you from seeing all you should see.

You are funny and joyful and take life’s struggles in stride.

When most others would be bashful and prefer to hide.

You love and forgive better than most others do.

Jesus has taken root in your heart and

Will show you what’s true.

Mom and dad are imperfect and can only do our best

I’m sure as you grow you will put our faith to the test.

We’ll pray and direct you that best that we can

But rely on God, for He has a plan.

Luci as you grow follow your heart

Pray for God’s wisdom that will be a good start.

Remember we love you no matter where God leads

We’ll be proud and rejoice in all of your deeds.

Fears, Tears, Zits...Oh My!

Nanny McPhee

Just to warn you, this is not a devotion.  It is more like a cry for prayer. A few nights ago, I woke up in the middle of the night full of fear.  Not fear of an intruder or even a bad dream, but a paralyzing fear of being out of God’s will.  This led to a sleepless night full of negative thoughts.  Thoughts like: “Who am I to try and share God’s word? I don’t even know it that well.  I haven’t gone to Bible College. I didn't grow up in a Christian school.”  Then I started feeling guilty about my unresolved friendship woes which led to feelings of depression, hurt, confusion, anger and basically sin.

We Mexicans are full of our superstitions (I know as a believer I shouldn't be superstitious but it’s part of my culture). Anyways, I am convinced that I have been plagued by the Mexican Curse, “El OJO” because a few mornings ago I woke up with a massive zit on my chin that refuses to go away.  I am one step away from slathering Vicks on it.  If I don’t resolve these issues soon, I am afraid I am going to start looking like Nanny McPhee.

Remember how I mentioned in my profile that stepping out in faith takes courage I don’t have on my own?   That’s because I knew from past experience and from the men and women of the Bible who stepped out in faith, that the Devil uses any means available to try and prevent you from spreading God’s word.  He will use your health, mind, weakness, fears and sometimes, unfortunately, the people around you to hinder your progress.  It could be as simple as a word of discouragement, criticism, a harsh joke that can aim straight for our weak points.  We all have those areas in our life that are fragile, whether it’s suffering from lack of confidence, fear, or feelings of unworthiness.  The Enemy knows the best way to get through our defenses.  I knew all this starting my Blog. My friends warned my to put on the Armor of God, pray and read my Bible.  I thought I was doing pretty good this time, I guess I was wrong…

You see, I have always been a scaredy cat.  I hate getting in trouble, having “discussions”, or basically any form of perceived confrontation.   I will basically do anything to avoid it.  My family could tell you stories of me as a kid crying hysterically when someone else got spanked, running though an amusement park in a panic because I was afraid I was being forced to ride a roller coaster, having to always be put in the same activity as my older sister because I was afraid to be separated from her.  Get the picture.  It gets worse. If I feel like I am in a real pickle, the lying starts.  I know it’s a sin to lie…I am confessing here, OK? I told you I’m not perfect.

My earliest recollection of the lying thing is when I was about 5 years old.  My family had been hired to pick avocados on a rancher’s property.  I LOVE avocados.  I could be perfectly content eating only avocados the rest of my life.  Well, this job was my dream come true. I spent my whole day eating the avocados instead of picking them.  When the day was over, the rancher teased me saying, “Who said you could pick my avocados?”  Well out came the first lie.  “I didn't eat any avocados.”  Only everyone started laughing because my green face told a different story.   I would like to say that I have gotten braver with age.  But this is how the early years of my marriage looked like:  Did you throw away my hunting magazine?  What, Me? I haven’t seen your magazine.  Did you eat the last piece of cheese cake? What me? I didn't eat the cheese cake?  Did you back up into anything with the car? What, Me? I don’t see any dent.

Now, with my daughter being at an age where she’ll rat me out, I have had to fight this urge to lie.  Most recently, my daughter and I were returning a $35 dollar part to Lowe's Home Improvement store.  Right in the Lowe's parking lot, I drop it and it breaks.  My daughter goes, “What are we going to tell dad?”  I had a moral dilemma.  I could go with my initial reaction, hide the broken piece in the car and not say anything or I could fess up.  I told my daughter, “If dad specifically asks if we returned it, I will tell him the truth.  If he doesn't ask, I’ll leave it in the back of the car.”  Well, of course he asked.  Yes, I was a good role model to my daughter, and I told the truth.  Hubby just laughed.  He has gotten pretty good at recognizing my lying face anyway.

Fast forward to how I felt the morning after my sleepless night.  I was literally nauseous from fatigue. My hands were shaking and I felt on the verge of tears.  I had this irrational fear of going to work (and I wasn’t even in trouble or anything). I just wanted to pull the covers over my head and stay in bed.  So I decided to embrace my inner coward and call a substitute.  I called every number on our sub list, no one could cover for me.  REALLY GOD?  I can’t do it.  Well, I guess the LORD had a different plan.   So I put on my big girl panties, gave myself a pep talk in the shower, took two Bayer Aspirin and prayed, and prayed and prayed.

God knows what we need better than we do.  Being surrounded by preschoolers was exactly what my heart needed.  How can you be depressed or fearful around cheerful, happy faces.  First the children reminded me that I don’t have to be afraid by reciting our monthly Bible verse “Jesus is with me always.” Mathew 28:20  Then my spirits lifted when we sang, “He saved me. I've got the joy of the Lord.”  Next we went for a nature walk and saw all of God’s marvelous creation.  God is all around us if we are willing to look. For example, we counted seven birds nests. Do you know that the number 7 in the Bible stands for God’s completion? Then I remembered the verse, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” 1 John 4:12 (NIV)  Also, I remembered that the Bible says that we don't need to worry because God takes care of the littlest birds, and that he cares for us so much more than the birds. (Mathew 6:26).  Finally, it was made perfectly clear why I had to conquer my fears and come into work when one of my favorite preschoolers approached me during recess and wanted me to hold her because she was cold.  I guess my Abba Father in heaven knew I needed a hug that day.    
 
I decided I needed to write down the verses on conquering fear so that next time (yes there will be a next time) I panic and want to hide under the covers, I will come back and read this and be encouraged:
1 Peter 3:13-14 (NIV) Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.”
1 John 4:18 (NIV) There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears in not made perfect in love.
2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.
Psalm 56:3-4 (NIV) When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
Psalm 27:1 (NKJV)  The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Often when you are desperate to hear from God and begin to search the scriptures, you will read one and you will get that “aha” moment.  When you know in your heart and spirit that God is directing that word for you.  My "aha" moment was Joshua 1:8-10. You see, Joshua had to take over for Moses leading the people into the promise land.  For forty years he had served along side Moses, but he never had to be in charge. Now all of a sudden he was going to have to be responsible for all of these people. There were unknown blessings to be had in this new promise land but also unknown and scary enemies to be conquered.  God spoke these words to Joshua
“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

I know that God has given me this calling to share His Gospel through my writing. Not because I am the best writer or even that I know that much about the Bible.  But because I am conquering my fear and letting all of my imperfections, messy life, and vulnerabilities be used for His glory, warts, zits and all.  How do I know this you may ask?  Well because I have exactly 55 friends on Facebook, who all live in the USA, with whom I share my Blog updates.  Yet my Blog is being read in Russia, Germany, Romania, Italy, Philippines, Australia, Ukraine, Canada, France and Croatia. This is happening without any help from me.  Praise God!!! Every time I see a new country, I get so excited because I feel like a small bit of me is there sharing God's love for you.  Pray for me, as I am praying for you, that I listen to God's word to Joshua and commit myself to reading God's word daily and that I OBEY it!  

I am going to work on conquering this fear and getting rid of this zit because I refuse to look like Nanny McPhee.  I can do ALL things through Christ that strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13) I am going to see myself as my daughter painted me below, as a daughter of God, being used as His “Word Traveler”.

My Mom, the Word Traveler 

Great praise song for conquering Fear, Break Through by Don Moen
Praise song, Mighty to Save

Good Friends Know When To Shut Up!

Painting by Luci, my 10 year old daughter. "Friends come in all styles and sizes"

Today stunk!  You know those days when you wake up expecting an awesome day. You've stepped on the scale and lost a couple pounds, you're having a good hair day, and your jeans have a little breathing room. Then before you know it, it all goes down hill.  It wasn't a major catastrophe, I simply got my feelings hurt. Just one of those small stabs to the heart where you literally feel as if your heart is being squeezed.

What really annoys me is that I don’t handle these situations well.  I get all teary eyed which totally ticks me off because I get the ugly blotchy face when I cry. Then my nose gets all runny and I end up wiping my boogers on my sleeve like one of my preschoolers because I don’t want to draw attention to the fact that I’m upset.  I was able to keep it together though because I immediately went into self-defense mode in which I attempt to not feel anything. Then I start contemplating the necessity of friendship. Do I really need it? I have my hubby, my daughter and my Chihuahua who have to love me….most of the time.

I have learned from experience that when days like this happen, it is best to listen to worship music.   So I put my phone in my pocket and played my favorite praise songs. There is something divinely healing about praise music.  Soon I felt the pain in my chest begin to ease and the ice around my heart begin to thaw.  I also remembered my Bible study on Job from last night.  You see, Job had three friends who came to see him when he was at his lowest. He had lost all his family, his possessions and he was inflicted with horrendous physical ailments. He had been reduced to living in the trash dump on a pile of ashes.  At first, the friends were sensitive to his plight and sat by him in silence for 7 days. (Job 2)  Then, like most of us, they couldn't keep their mouth shut. They started giving wrong advice, criticizing, judging, and basically they forgot how to be compassionate.  They wanted him to confess to a sin he hadn't committed and to snap out of it.

After my daughter was born, I suffered from postpartum depression. I was not familiar with this condition so I did not know why I was waking up crying every morning.  My family and friends also had no experience in this area so no one knew how to help. All I remember is calling family and friends early in the morning overwhelmed, fatigued, and feeling desperately unable to care for an infant.  Soon my friends got tired of the early morning calls and informed me I needed to "snap out of it".  So, I stopped calling.  I would go look in the bathroom mirror and say, “Snap out of it!”  Well, needless to say, this did not work.  Not only was I depressed, now I was isolated.  Luckily, moms are sometimes God’s appointed angels here on earth and my mom recognized a daughter in crisis and got me help. I consider this period in my life a blessing (now that it over) because it has made me more compassionate to those who suffer from depression.

Most of the time, I try to remember that being a good friend doesn't mean I have to solve the problem, even though I want to. I just need to keep myself available. Today I was reminded that sometimes it is better to keep silent.  It is better to pray and watch for opportunities to lighten a friend's burden by actions not words.

I decided I needed a refresher course on being a good friend so I opened my Bible to remind myself how Jesus handled his friendships. For three years, Jesus invested all of his time and energy into his disciples.  He loved, protected, and prayed for them.  Jesus said, “I have given myself completely for their sake, so that they may belong completely to the truth.”  John 17: 19 (CEV)

The disciples also loved Jesus but even with his influence, they were still human.  Sometimes we can love our friends yet still let them down. On the night Jesus was to be arrested, he told three of his disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” When Jesus returned from praying, he found his friends asleep. Jesus was disappointed and asked, “Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour?”  Mathew 26:38-40 (NIV)
Poor Jesus, his night went from bad to worse. Later a friend betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver, another friend denied him three times, and most of his friends abandoned him on the way to the cross. When Jesus hung on the cross as payment for our sins, it was not in front of a grateful crowd. Instead, the crowd mocked, cursed and taunted him. Yet in that moment, Jesus still loved them. One of Jesus' last statements on the cross was, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34 (NKJV)

Jesus showed us perfect friendship and expected us to follow his example. He said, “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:12-13 (NLT) Most of us are not going to have to take a bullet for a friend or throw ourselves in front of a bus.  But another way to look at “laying down your life” can be placing your friend's needs before your own.  Do you remember the Golden Rule, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”  I think I should change that rule to “Treat others BETTER than I want to be treated.”  This is not going to be easy because even if I am a Christian, I still struggle with my selfish and sinful nature. It is no coincidence that my daughter’s memory verse for this week is Ephesians 4:32 “Be gentle with one another, sensitive, forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.”

So my prayer for tomorrow is "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10 (NKJV)  Help me to be a better friend and to love others like you love them. Amen


Beautiful Praise Song, "Unfailing Love" by Chris Tomlin

Praise song, "You Raise Me Up" showing Jesus praying on the night he was betrayed

Lessons From A Mighty Man of God In Training

Last week a student came into class and asked me, “Mrs. Yolanda, do you know what I am?”  I expected the typical four year old boy response: superhero, ninja or pirate.  His answer totally blew me away. He stood proud, his little chest puffed up, looked me straight in the eye and said, “I am a mighty man of God!”  The awesome thing about this little boy is that you can clearly see the makings of a mighty man of God in training.  He is genuinely kind and compassionate, concerned when other children are hurt or sad. He is also a hero in the making, telling all his friends in class, “If you’re in trouble, I will protect you with my ninja moves.”

Is this little boy perfect?  No.  But mighty men of God never are. God does not call or use perfect men. The Bible says:

Look at your situation when you were called, brothers and sisters! By ordinary human standards not many were wise, not many were powerful, not many were from the upper class. But God chose what the world considers foolish to shame the wise. God chose what the world considers weak to shame the strong. And God chose what the world considers low-class and low-life - what is considered to be nothing - to reduce what is considered to be something to nothing. So no human being can brag in God’s presence.  1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (CEB)

The book of Job says that God ignores those that claim to be wise (37:24).  He has no use for them because by calling ordinary men to do extraordinary things, God gets the glory.  Jesus later confirmed this sentiment in Luke 10:21 (NLT).

At the same time, Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and He said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleases you to do it this way.”

The Bible is full of imperfect men that accomplished great things for God.  God uses us in spite of our shortcomings and weaknesses if we have the one quality He can work with, FAITH.

• Abraham’s faith made him a friend to God and the father of many nations, yet he was not perfect.  Abraham had a tendency to distort the truth under direct pressure.
• Moses lead God’s people out of Egypt and to the promise land even though this journey took forty years. Moses spoke to God and recorded the Ten Commandments, yet he was not perfect. He misrepresented God and was not allowed to enter the promise land.
• David, the greatest king of Israel, battled lions and bears to protect his sheep as a young shepherd. He defeated the giant, Goliath, using a sling shot, stones and faith.  God called him a man after His own heart, yet David was not perfect.  He was a betrayer, adulterer and murderer.
• Paul, the apostle, was steadfast and determined to spread the gospel to the gentiles even though he was beaten, imprisoned, and eventually killed for his faith. His writings to the churches make up a large portion of the New Testament, yet he was not perfect.  Before his conversion, he was a zealot intent on destroying Christianity by persecuting Christians.

As you can see, real mighty men of God are flawed. What makes them mighty is that they keep their eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects their faith. (Hebrews 12:2)  Paul put it best, “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me.  Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward - to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.” (Philippians 3:12 MSG)

What does a real mighty man of God look like in my house? For one, they stick around through the good, the bad, and the ugly. My husband recently shared that he was sorry he could not remember feeding our infant daughter or changing her diapers.  I reassured him that he provided a service far more valuable. He went to work everyday so that I could stay home. He has been there for every parenting crisis and success. He also stuck by me during postpartum depression. When we determined it was best not to have another child due to fear I'd relapse into depression again, he had a vasectomy without complaint or hesitation. He decided it was better to have surgery than risk my hormones going wacky. Smart man! He is a loyal friend with a good heart. I should know since he has become my best friend.

What makes my husband a mighty man of God is not that he attempts to be perfect, but that he knows his weaknesses. When trouble comes, his first response is to close himself off in his room to read his Bible and pray. I told my husband, "Don't feel bad about the feeding and diapers, you have the harder job. It's up to you to show our daughter what a mighty man of God looks like. You have to fight off all the Goliaths that come her way."  I’m not worried because I know my man is up for the challenge.  I pray my daughter meets a mighty man of God because I give thanks everyday that I married mine.

Men, if you are still not convinced that being a mighty man of God is worth it, let me share some lessons from a four year old mighty man of God in training.
1) People follow mighty men of God because they are natural leaders.
2) People are drawn to mighty men of God. The boys in our class vie for this young boy's attention because he goes out of his way to befriend the shy and timid.
3) Mighty men of God find their joy in the Lord. My young friend is fun to be around.

4) This last one should convince you. Being a mighty man of God is going to make you a “chick magnet”.  This little one already draws the girls to him without even trying.  I am not even immune to his charms. Last week at the end of class, I looked over at my young friend and he blew me a kiss from the carpet!  I just smiled because my heart was full of joy.  I wish I could see all the great things that God has in store for this little one.

So men, the gauntlet has been thrown by a 4-year old boy. Are you up to the challenge? I pray you are because we, the mother’s of daughters, are counting on you to be mighty men of God.

Love,
Yolanda

But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)