Hi friends,
I’ve got some “break”ing news for you, but first lemme give you a teeny tiny bit of background:
When my son was thirteen, we gave him a cell phone, mainly for our convenience, but he wasn’t hurting over it for sure. He was very responsible with it for the most part, and he managed to keep the unlimited texting and phone calls in balance with other life responsibilities. Something happened around a year later, however, as he grew used to the freedom. He went through some changes, more friends got texting privileges (not to mention Facebook accounts), the ministry and social calendar picked up, basketball season started, the homework got heavier, and the “unlimited” became an issue for him. Maybe this is the case with your sons and daughters. If so, read on...
Brian and I took his texting minutes back to a limited number a month, a number which we felt was reasonable. We began to take his cell phone at night and keep it in our rooms. We also began to monitor the texts to some degree, all with his knowledge. At first, it was difficult to scale back, and he kicked and screamed some. But now, he knows he has a certain number, and it has helped him to realize that life changes, our schedule changes, and when it does, we have to be willing to adjust. It’s turned out to be a beautiful life lesson. That’s God. He allows us to make corrections, even if we get a step or two ahead of Him. Love that merciful heart of His.
Those lessons have not only been for our son, they’ve been there lately for Brian and me as well. WE’ve stepped into a new season of parenting...one of taxying, hosting parties and Bible Studies, heavier discipleship necessary with life and relationship issues, larger circles of friends as our kids become older and more social, less time together as a couple at night since the kids go to bed later...all the while personally continuing to grow as a son and daughter of the Most High, who loves us far too much to let us get ahead of Him.
Because of this heavier season of life, and after a great deal of prayer, my Father has led me to take a break from my devotional writing on Selah. It may be just the summer, it may be longer...it will be until the Lord gives me permission and clear vision of His calling for ministry. He is continuing to lead me to write Christian living articles and speak as I have the extra time, so I will pour what little time and resources I have left from being a wife and mama into improving and sharing in those areas. If you have the desire to keep up with what the Lord is doing and teaching us in our lives, you can follow my LauraLeeShaw.com blog...I will also post on Facebook and Twitter once or twice a day, or more if time allows. My writer and speaker page on Facebook is here.
The Lord has allowed me the blessing of some publishing opportunities this month. One is in Dallas Christian Family. If you are local, you can pick one up for free in a whole lotta places, or you can go online and read it here (pg. 8): Dallas Christian Family May Issue.
And in His incredible wisdom and timing, He chose to allow my “Out of Order” article to be published in Just Between Us magazine for the summer edition (on shelves this month). Gotta love the Lord for leading me to do what He wants me to do through publishing this article at this time.
Another remarkable choice of timing is that my mother’s tribute story, "Lessons Learned from Glory,” will be published in a book that is scheduled to be released in late May or early June...May was my mama’s birthday, and it is also the month of Mother’s Day. What a loving time and way for the Lord to give me this news in a month that is difficult for me. He is a gracious Father. I’ll post that info on my blog when it comes out. If you wish to subscribe to my blog, you can do so here.
So, yea, “break”ing news...I’ve prayed about this for a few months, and like my son with the texting, I kicked and screamed some. But I learned when He asked me to step down from kids’ ministry leadership, that, when I obey, His fruit of peace follows. When I trust him with my time and priorities, His fruit of love and self-control are expressed in and through me. He’s also taught me that He’d rather me do a few things extremely well than to try to do a bunch of things halfway and stressed in the process.
And He’ll continue to love on me and teach me as I break away from anything that hinders me from having an undivided heart. :) Selah.
How about you, my friend? Is it time to reevaluate your time, your talents, your resources, your relationships? Ask Him...He will answer and give you all that you need to obey. “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus...than to trust and obey.”
Selah.
