Dearest Sister,

Sometimes we can loose sight of our purpose, our mission, and our calling. In all the striving to be a better wife, mom, sister, writer, homemaker, _____, we can forget that our identity is not connected to any of those roles. Since the beginning, women have struggled to find their identity in God alone. Just look where that got Eve. And now here we are, Daughters of Eve, Daughters of the One True King, still struggling to live in the power, the calling, and the abundance God has for us daily. Sure, we may experience His presence on a mission trip, or on our wedding day, but what about the rest of life?

We have been a given a gift from the Creator, a role, a purpose, that is FAR greater than any one time experience.

Let me remind you of the greatest gift the Lord has given each of us. 

We have been given the privilege and ability to partner with God in bringing forth life.

It crosses all division lines. It doesn’t matter if you are a work-in-home or work-out-of-home mom, it doesn’t matter if you are a stay-at-home-wife or a homeschooling mom or not.

This message is for all of us women, because Sister, we were made for this.

We have to recognize that the Lord has CHOSEN us to partner with Him in Bringing Forth Life in ALL we do, both physically and spiritually. Click2Tweet

Physically you have the privilege of partnering with God in bringing forth life in pregnancy and childbirth. {Genesis 1} God designed our bodies to bring forth the life, which He knew intimately before and then formed within our earthly bodies. {Psalm 139}

Our culture understates the power and significance of this amazing gift from God. We are so quick to focus on ourselves, no matter what the circumstances, to make life all about our feelings, or dreams, or our opinions. Since the fall, we humans, all of us, have struggled with making ourselves the center of our world, making ourselves the experts, rather than looking to the Creator of all things.

If only we could all recognize the Sacred Influence we have been given. 

We need to recognize the responsibility and privilege that comes with this sacred influence to bring forth life in our homes, marriages, families, communities and relationships!

Have you ever experienced feeling the atmosphere of a home change?

Maybe a disagreement occured, or someone in the family is stressed, not feeling well, or simply depressed.

One thing I have been really convicted on is that when I start to sense the atmosphere in my home being a reflection more of my stress, for example, I need to rebuke myself and preach to myself the truth, that we are given the gift of bringing forth life in all things. It’s a choice. Because when you realize how your petty selfishness got in the way of joy abounding, or grace flowing in your home, it’s real. And sister, if you can’t preach to yourself, that is why it is so crucial that you have sisters in your life who can lift you up, affirm you, gently rebuke you, and hold you accountable.

Bring Forth Life Through Our Speech

Toward our children:

• As we discipline and we help to break down boundaries between our children and God. Helping them acknowledge their sin and experience the freedom that comes in repentance and reconciliation to God, literally brings forth life in their souls. We get to partner in that, as the Holy Spirit leads us to train and disciple them, and as He softens and molds their hearts.
• As we disciple our children we are fulfilling our first call, the Great Commission. I have talked a lot about this in other parenting posts. The problem is that many parents today don’t know what it looks like or sounds like to disciple their children, simply because they never had a model themselves. Or at least, we tend to think back to how we were raised and use our past as a scapegoat or excuse not to.
  The reality is that we do actually have a model. The entire New Testament is dedicated to modeling for us the best examples in discipling, as well as showing us examples of when it is done in effectively. Ultimately, we as parents have to recognize our children are on their own spiritual journey with the Lord. We cannot make their relationship with Christ REAL, we can’t make them believe, but we do have God’s wisdom and example on how to disciple and how to parent our children and bring them up in the Lord.
• As we delight in them we bring forth life. As we speak edifying words and encourage our children we speak a life into them that won’t die. Words of affirmation are incredibly powerful. And remember back to when you were a child, you probably don’t remember all the times your mom or dad said I love you randomly, just because. So do it often, just so you kids do remember. Make sure they know you love them for who they are, not what they think you expect them to be.Did you like what you read on parenting? Check the Post: I Love You For Who You Are, Not What You Do: Leaving a Legacy of Self-Forgetfulness

Toward our Husband:

• We as women have an incredible power of influence in our husband’s life.  Recognizing his efforts through words of affirmation in his role as a father, a provider, and a lover encourage and empower him massively, which in turn, strengthens your marriage and brings forth a new life in your relationship.
• Showing and speaking respect to your husband and being careful not to speak disrespectfully of him in front of friends, family, and especially your children are among the most important ways to bring forth life {and prevent tearing down your home}.
• Verbally communicating with them about how proud you are of them, supporting them in their leadership of the family, their vision, is another key area where we can see our men thrive as we encourage them. If you are feeling convicting about your lack in encouraging your husband or speaking life to Him, I suggest you check out Sacred Influence by Gary Thomas.  His book solely focuses on a wife’s influence.

In Our Relationships with Others:

• We not only have incredible influence in the lives of our family, but also in the lives of friends, extended family, and even those we meet in the line at the grocery store. Our words can have more impact then we realize. I have always struggled with shallow surface  talk. You know the kind that doesn’t go very deep. And I understand that many people today struggle with going there for whatever reason. But may I exhort you, that we should be intentional in our relationships. They should serve some sort of purpose. Let me ask you this question: Do you experience growth in the Lord because of the friendships in your life? Or do you feel pulled down? The bible says in Proverbs 13:20, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Choose your friends wisely. But also recognize that you are sent on a mission. Matt 28:19-20 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
  The important realization is that you recognize which kind of friendship you have and be on purpose either way. Speak Life into every relationship, whether it is temporary or life long.

Bring Forth Life with Our Actions

Toward our Children:

• Servant Leadership is our call as parents. The first shall be last and the last shall be first model is not always easy, but it is our example in Christ Jesus. As we model this simple servant hearted attitude to our children, we fulfill the call to model Christ to our children. Parenthood is sanctifying. It’s often hard. But as we put our Lord and his call for us as parents to make disciples, first in our home, we are refined and molded into a more righteous vessel, one God is preparing for His Kingdom.
• As we show our children love, they witness and experience in a small portion, God’s love for them. As we hug, nurture, care for wounds and injuries, feed them, clothe them, and listen to them share their heart, we are being the hands, feet, lips, and arms of God in their lives.
• As we make time to date our husbands, serve and love the church, mentor other women, care for other families and neighbors, we are not only bringing forth life in that immediate moment, but also leaving a legacy for future impact. When we model for them ingredients to a thriving marriage, we equip them for their future. As we live on purpose for Christ, doing our best to leave a kingdom focused legacy, the potential for making more disciples through the influence of our children is an exciting vision to have. And it’s all for the advancement of God’s family, for the love of the church.

Toward Our Husbands

• Our non-verbal actions toward our husbands are just as powerful, maybe even more, in bringing forth life in our marriages. How we serve in the unique roles we have blesses our marriages.
  Let me share a little inside story. I do not outright love ironing. Maybe I could if time permitted it, but it just seems like one of those non-eternal things that waste my time. So, I have been doing my best to hang dry my husband’s shirts so that I didn’t have to waste time ironing. But then recently, as I was meditating on the word, the Lord convicted my heart about my servant heart attitude, or lack there of.  The thing is, I know that my hubs REALLY apprecaites it when he has clean crisp shirts to wear. He has his own style, and I like that he has good taste in clothes. Afterall, think about what my alternative could be? And I notice He feels cared for when I do iron his shirts. But here is the thing. He also knows when I do it with a complaining or begrudging attitude. And then how does that make him feel? Like a burden? You see, we have a choice to bring life into even the mundane every day tasks! And when we do, we bless our husbands even more.

It’s not just that you made dinner or ironed his shirts, it’s your attitude while doing it that matters most.

• How we bless our husband through intimacy remains the number one way we can bring forth life in our marriage. Both physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. I doubt you would argue with me if I said, the best way you can encourage your husband is through loving intimacy. In fact, I feel the need to re-state that marriage is under attack by the enemy. The God made union of man and woman has been under attack since
  Gen. 3! And today is no different.

“Deeply Satisfying Intimacy Is the Inheritance of Every Christian Couple”    C.J. Mahaney {Click2Tweet}

One Hour Pod Cast for Husband on Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God
Tim Challies Review of  Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God

Your physical intimacy with your husband is the best protection, the best medicine, and the secret ingredient to a thriving marriage– and best of all, it’s God’s design to bless us.

Bringing Forth Life In Your Relationships with Others:

• We have an incredible opportunity to grow as we walk through life in community with the Body of Christ and as we disciple the lost.
  You have heard the term “being the hands and feet of God.” This is the essence of what I am getting at here. We are, as the Body of Christ on earth, the reflection of God in other’s lives. As we serve, we pray, we counsel, and we listen to others in their times of need, they experience a glimpse of God’s care and love.
• As we grieve with others who mourn and rejoice with those who have a reason to celebrate we are the heart of God come down to earth.
• As we mentor we are discipling and raising up the next generation for the kingdom of God.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it and staying a while to be encouraged. We have many articles on parenthood, marriage, mentoring, and faith here at Leaving a Legacy. And if you happen to be expecting a baby, check out RedeemingChildbirth.com and grab the book.