Jenn Kish

We hear a lot of talk about the burdens of motherhood. I read article after article that state the same thing- that motherhood is heavy and demanding. And honestly, I think it is supposed to be that way.

Maybe it’s supposed to be hard, mama. Because if we could do it alone, we’d never find Jesus in the midst.

Motherhood is so many things. It’s draining AND fulfilling. It’s exhausting and exhilarating. It’s long days and short years. It’s wanting them to grow and stay little. It’s laundry and dishes. It’s blocks and dolls. It’s mismatched socks and wrong season tops. It’s messy. It’s beautiful.

Nothing in this life has challenged me like being a mother. When I had four children under the age of seven, every single day was lived in the spaces between naps and bedtime. There were days when getting out of bed was overwhelming because I knew the day was full of caring for everyone’s needs but my own.

And somewhere in the midst of all of that I found who Jesus intended for me to be.

I was meant to be mama. Mama in the hard. Mama in the easy. Mama in the happy. Mama in the sad. Mama to the babies. Mama to the teens.

There is a verse in scripture that says women will be saved through childbearing. Now obviously this is not the only way for a woman to come to know the Lord, but I do believe it can lead us to depend more fully on him. Because when the calling of a mother gets heavy, the only place to find true rest is in Jesus Christ.

If this is you today, I encourage you to lean into Jesus. Let him renew your strength and fill your cup. His well never runs dry.

Maybe it’s supposed to be hard, mama. Because if we could do it alone, we’d never find Jesus in the midst.

❤️

One truth I find myself forgetting far too easily is this: Jesus Christ was not only fully God; He was fully human.

When He was led into the wilderness, it wasn’t random. It wasn’t self-inflicted. It wasn’t for pride or performance. Scripture tells us He was led there by the Spirit.

That means the hunger was real.
The physical weakness was real.
The exhaustion of an empty body after forty days of fasting was real.

He understood what it feels like when your body is depleted, when your strength is gone, when your humanity is screaming for relief. He knew the very limits we so often use as justification.

And yet, He stood firm.

For years, the excuse that quietly lived in my heart sounded like this:
“Of course He resisted. He’s God.”

But that’s only half the truth.

He resisted as One who was also fully man, empowered by the Spirit of God. The same Spirit given to us as believers.

That changes everything.

It means our wilderness seasons are not places of defeat.
They are places of dependence.
They are where we learn that we are not fighting for victory, we are fighting from it.

We do not stand alone against temptation, discouragement, or weariness. We stand with the power of the Triune God at work within us. The Spirit strengthens. The Father sustains. The Son has already overcome.

So maybe it’s time we stop excusing what God has already equipped us to endure.

The wilderness is not proof that God has left you.
It is often proof that He is leading you.

Stand firm.

My husband is a man of few words. He’s not a big talker but when he does speak, I usually find myself clamoring for a pencil.

One of his most common sayings is this, “if you like it, I love it.”

A few days ago, I bought a new lamp for our bathroom. It was a simple thing but it absolutely thrilled me. (It doesn’t take much 🤪)

My man, however, does not share my excitement over ambient lighting. I don’t know if he has ever even turned on a lamp.

But when I asked what he thought about our new, completely unnecessary, lamp in the bathroom- “if you like it, I love it,” was his response.

And this is what marriage is. It is support and love for things I may not understand or desire but I encourage and nurture because it matters to my spouse. He loves my new lamp because it brings me joy. This concept may seem silly in scenarios like new lamps but it also impacts life’s biggest decisions. The truth in that sentence makes our marriage a happier, stronger one.

It goes well beyond material things and bleeds into every decision we make.

Later today, there will probably be a package delivered with a new pocket knife inside. These packages come frequently because my husband loves and collects pocket knives the way I love lamps and blankets.

I’ve never wanted a pocket knife. But when it shows up, I know I’ll love it. Because he likes it.

This.

Leadership Lesson From Chick-Fil-A Jenn Kish #christian #christianpodcast #womensministry #Jesus #bible #motherhood #ministry #church #christianity

“Should we accept good from God and not trouble?”

It’s a tough question. It’s also the question that Job asked his wife in Job 2:10. After he had lost everything. Everything.

I know the answer in my head, but sometimes it’s hard to reconcile it in my heart. If God loves us so much why do bad things happen?

There can be many explanations for the problems in our lives. Some we cause on our own. Some others bring into our lives and some seem to have no explanation at all.

Consider this. When your child was learning to walk, did he ever fall down? Of course the answer is yes. Did you decide he should no longer try to walk because of the pain it caused him? Of course not. As a parent you know that falling down and sometimes getting hurt is part of the process of becoming stronger, more stable and finally able to walk.

The falling down parts of my Christian journey have been painful. There has been some pain caused by my own choices and some from the choices of others. Both have made me stronger, more stable and finally able to walk more closely with Jesus.

It’s in the trials that I cling more tightly to Him and He always gently reminds me to get up and walk again.

Get up and walk my friends, you can do hard things. Trust God when trouble comes, I have found Him to be faithful and I bet you will too.