ABOUT
Why “Manna for 2”?
I am a mama (or “Mamo” according to my 3 year old) of 2 little boys and it is the deepest desire of my heart to raise them to be boys and then men of God.
“Manna” is food that God sent the Israelites while they were wandering in the desert for 40 years. It represents God’s abundant provision and constant reminder that God is the center of everything. As my boys are young I try my best to pick up the manna and give it to them. As they grow older it is my prayer that they gather and live off of the manna for themselves.
I love them so much but God loves them most so I want to serve them by making each day count in giving them what they need to see God for who He is….Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.
Psalm 78:23-25
Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven, and he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.
Who am I serving?
God.
By serving my boys I am serving God. My definition of serving, in this case, is helping to prepare their hearts and environment to be open to receiving God's gifts.
First and foremost I pour myself at God’s feet to understand (at least an inkling) of His love for me, who in turn fills me up to overflowing to be able to love on my boys.
My boys are M who, as I’m writing this, is 3 years old. He is observant and loves being silly.
M is joined by J who is almost 1 and loves being included in family fun.
My boys are my sheep. As Jesus shepherds me, He calls me to shepherd my children.
Matthew 28: 19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
My children are my disciples. As they grow older I pray they go out and make more disciples and fully know and feel that God is with them wherever they go. My mission field starts at home, right where I am and with what my life looks like right now. It does not end here.
May God give me courageous obedience to use my love-overflow to serve for His Glory. In every area of life to love His children like He does. May He make me strong and courageous. May I not let the desire of feeling comfortable get in my way. This is my prayer for myself, that these things become ingrained in me.
These may be just words for you. For me, I’ve found the key to getting a fire inside that makes me feel alive and worthy and tells me my life mission is to spend as much time with God as I possibly can. When I get up, when I eat, when I work, when my kids make me laugh, when my kids aren’t sleeping no matter what I try, when my kid whines, when I whine, when I see poop leaking through their clothes, when my kid makes that annoying sound once again, when my kid spits up on me for the millionth time, when I can't finish cooking because they don't want to be alone, when the milk spills, when I read the book for the 20th time, when we roll around together on the floor, when my kid cries for the weirdest reason, when I can’t lift another finger, when I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, and even in those sleepless nights.
Remembering God in the midst of these moments is often challenging. It teaches me I constantly need to lean on Him. Strive. Get creative. Fight. To make God LORD. How? Pray. Call out just the name of Jesus when you can’t get any other words out. Read and memorize the Bible alone and with your family. Call out to Him when you are content and when you are angry. God already knows. Let Him in to everything. Every secret. Every wish. Every heartache. Every frustrating thing, no matter the size. This is my prayer for me. This is my prayer for you.
I hope to serve and love you by writing this blog. My prayer is that you are encouraged through the things that I do with my boys to do something (anything) with your kiddos to be drawn closer to God.
How can I serve?
Let’s look, really look, at who my boys are. They are young (they don’t have an expansive view of the world and how it works yet) and they love to play (there’s a pureness and creativity there that God gave them and is still very much intact). So my goal is to teach them about Jesus through play. Through walks. Through what we see each day. Through what they hear around them. I am practicing to make it a natural thing to love God with our whole beings and every action we take. As natural as breathing. I am going to share with you what I do with my kids and how God can be the center of it all. My prayer is that my boys will learn, I will be held accountable, and you will be encouraged in raising your kids.
What does it look like?
Praying is my passion. Why not start there?
Lord,
Every child is beautiful and unique because You made them. Not all kids will react the same way my kids do to “Manna”. May we admire Your creativity and dive into what You gave us by learning to enjoy our kids right where they are at. Holy Spirit, fill our homes and hearts with Your presence as we raise Your children.
Amen.
Do your kids sometimes seem like terrors to you? Do they seem like they are behind where other kids are? Do they seem to have all the qualities you feel are bad in yourself? Pray that God shows you the special sauce He put in your kid that no one else has and how they can be taught and trained to use their personality traits for Good. Cry out to God and ask him to grow the relationship you have with your kiddos into something special.
Join me on the journey of teaching our kids more about Jesus. Share your experiences so we can all grow together.