Desiring to be the epitome of the perfect stay-at-home-mom I scrubbed and vacuumed all morning in-between feedings and diaper changes.
Dishes done.
check
Laundry folded AND put away.
check check
Floors swept, mopped and counters wiped down.
check check check
The X-factor was nap-time. Banking on two hours of quiet was my only way to ensure some uninterrupted time for adult-conversation. But my 10-month old baby did not get the memo that day.
He struggled to get to sleep, blame it on teething or a growth spurt either way “we” were in the middle of a naps-aren’t-going -well-phase.
I was the first of my friends to get married and have a baby, my precious baby boy was the first grandchild on both sides. Through trial and error at the ripe age of 26 – I spearheaded my way into motherhood. I filtered through books + well-meaning advice but that all quickly shifted into sheer dependence on the Holy Spirit through prayer.
“Makeup would have to do for today,”
I told myself as I freshened up my face hoping it wouldn’t give me away. I shoved my exhaustion to the side and took a deep breath as I opened up the door with a warm welcoming smile.
Amanda and I had only met once in passing at a Christmas party of a mutual friend, so awkwardness was bound to be invited in along with her.
My southern hospitality took over as I offered her something to drink. Amanda said yes to hot tea and awkwardly made her all-important decision of where to sit. I retreated to the kitchen for a brief moment and returned with the comfort of warm mugs in hand. I sat down across from her as we proceeded to go through all the niceties that help anyone begin.
Beginnings are always awkward. And I’ll admit I’m not a lover of small talk. But the important thing is that you begin.
Because you never know what you may find on the other side, pass the introduction of a book and into the next chapters that follow.
Honestly, the task is overwhelming. To reach every tongue, tribe and nation. {Acts 1:8}
But on an ordinary Tuesday in the midst of all my insecurities I could pray for my crying baby and open my door to a college girl, named Amanda.
We wonder how discipleship is possible for the everyday mom because we want to have it all together and we’ve conjured up some kind of unrealistic ideal of what it should look like.
And let’s be honest with ourselves – we may just want a nap or be begging for a solid night’s sleep. Just making it to church on Sunday – with everyone dressed, fed and looking their best is a legitimate accomplishment for the everyday mom.
Yet, Jesus says YOU will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. {Acts 1:8}
Personally, I’d just like to go to the bathroom by myself or to take a long shower or wear real clothes or put on a bit of make-up.
And an uninterrupted quiet time would be the icing on the cake.
So Judea feels pretty far from my reach especially when I can’t even go to the bathroom by myself.
I want to have things all figured out before I begin. I look to people who stand behind pulpits or who stand up on platforms and I feel pretty confident that he or she has it figured out – but when I look in the mirror I see a hot-mess staring back at me.
And yet,
Jesus says,
You are my witnesses.
Go make disciples.
We’re it – You & Me. {and our yoga pants}
Thankfully, when I begin to look more closely at Jesus’ example of discipleship I start to see that Judea is closer than I think. Because
Jesus is not about platform building – he’s about relationship building.
One on one.
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Genuine life on life. It starts with my little-people who may or may not be able to talk back to me and then extends outside my four walls into the places I frequent and into the lives of those I invite into my home. Genuine life on life.
Amanda went on to graduate college and married a man in ministry and is about to give birth to her second child. She is living out her faith in her home and in her community.
One life dominos into another and even reaches down into the next generations. Not only is that one person’s life impacted but so is her small world around her. The lives of those she touches and the children she mothers will be forever changed.
Small worlds are worthy.
Discipleship is not about the great influence of many.
Discipleship is about the great influence of one.
This is the mystery and beauty of discipleship all wrapped into one. Jesus poured into the lives of twelve and went deeper with three. One on one. And Christianity somehow stretches across oceans and all around the world.
Let’s not over complicate discipleship. The word, discipleship, lends itself to seem elusive and unattainable.
And to some {I’m learning} the word itself leaves a bad of taste of legalism in their mouth. But discipleship is about loving your neighbor.
Jesus’ greatest commandments to love God and to love others IS discipleship lived out {Matt 22:36-40}. We simply need to begin.
The everyday mom can start right in her own small little world. By praying over her baby who is struggling to get to sleep or by inviting a college girl over during nap time or by taking a co-worker out to lunch. Beginning ~ trusting and believing that God will do a work. That He will use her obedience, her faithfulness, to reach someone beyond herself.
Living compelled but not overwhelmed.
Friend, let’s be expectant, fixing our eyes on Jesus, with sheer dependence on the Holy Spirit knowing God will do the world changing ~
one small world at a time.
Next time we’ll talk about how to begin :: by being grounded in God’s Word.
Go back and read the other posts in this series.