I am beyond thrilled to introduce you to Lindsy Wallace today. You are in for a treat! Lindsy is a local friend and woman on fire for God. You can find her blogging at LightBreaksForth.com and I cannot wait for you to read her words today.
We asked Lindsy to write a post about why she felt a retreat like Together in the Trenches is necessary. What she wrote blew us away!!!
I feel the Holy Spirit as I read her words and see how perfectly she captured this reality of mothering kids from hard places and the necessity of rest.
I urge you to read the full post by click below:
http://lightbreaksforth.com/2015/05/01/dear-foster-and-adoptive-mamas-lets-take-a-real-rest/
Here's a preview:
It's 6 am and my alarm goes off. Since the sun set, there's been one night terror, lots of coughing, and the regular 3:30am call for a "drinky" and potty and some late night/early morning chattyness.
I gently lift a little arm off my neck, roll over and hit snooze. An hour later I carefully slide my tired body out of bed (as to not wake the sleeping toddler), put on my tiny-finger-smudged glasses, and tip-toe to the kitchen. I fill my water bottle (because coffee gives me the jitters and that must be part of the fall) and head down the hall. As the floors creak I pray my little people sleep for just thirty minutes longer. I need time with my Jesus before I can love them well.
Bedtime was rough last night, as it often is with kids from hard places. Going to bed is full of unknowns that still haunt them years later. I'm tired. Exhausted really. I love this life but, forthelove, can a woman just get 8 straight hours of sleep!?
I slump into my favorite chair and crack open my Bible. Then I hear it, a stream of urine coming oh-so-close to hitting the bathroom floor and tiny footsteps running toward me. I point to the legos strewn about the living room and bury my head in the pages of this ancient book.
I hear more footsteps, and toilets, and the refrigerator door opening and closing. And before I can read the scriptures or let them read me, before I can write a full sentence in my journal or get on my knees before Him, they're starving. And cold. And someone peed in their bed and needs help starting the washing machine. And the dog needs out and someone else spilled a cup of milk and our day has begun whether I like it or not.
As a mom, I know prioritizing time with Jesus is important. But I also live in the day-to-day reality of a large family and life not going as planned.
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. - Matthew 11:28-30, The Message
God gave this passage to me a few months ago and, I'll be honest, I didn't know what to do with it.
Am I tired? Uh, yes.
Worn out? Are you kidding?
Burned out on the should-do's of life? Yep.
But Lord, what does it look like to take a real rest?
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