“Mom, Your Cheeks are Bouncy” (and other encouraging words)

Being a mom is exhausting. Especially in the summer when all my little people are home. All the time.

I’ve been trying to corral the kids as much as possible because Peter has just started Physical Therapy school. (Maybe I’ve mentioned this once or a million times.)

His school is mostly online.

So he’s here.

In our house.

All the time.

Studying and taking classes.

It’s super fun… but I digress.

What I’m trying to say is this: I’ve spent pretty much every moment of every day since moving here to Tennessee trying to keep the kids away from their dad’s home office while simultaneously trying to keep them from killing each other.

It’s exhausting.

Have I said that already?

Yesterday I was in the playroom, once again attempting to entertain my little monkeys, when I decided to stretch out on the floor. I was feeling worn out and dog-tired.

I lay on the floor, eyes closed, hoping no one would notice me for at least five minutes when suddenly I felt little hands on my body and I heard all the words I never wanted to hear.

“Mom, your face is bouncy!”

“Wow, Mom! I didn’t know your bottom was so bouncy! Cool!”

“Mom, why do you have white hair in your head?”

Aren’t my kids just precious?!?!

 

I recently read a book by Lisa Bevere called Without Rival. I don’t agree with all of her theology but I think she makes some good points. One of the questions she asked in the book was this: What does God say about you?

As I pondered this question amidst the critiques of my children, I prayed for an answer:

Jesus, what do YOU say about me? I don’t want to care what the world says about me or even what my kids say about me. Who do You say I am?

Y’all. His answers blew me away. Here is what He whispered to my soul:

Daughter, you are beautiful and confident and loved.

Those words were unexpected.

But I know it was Jesus speaking to my spirit because these are not things I tend to believe about myself. Let me explain.

You Are Beautiful

I do not look in the mirror and see myself as beautiful. Instead, I see old. I see wrinkles. I see gray hair. I compare myself to others. But guess what? Scripture tells us that we are beautiful because we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14)

You Are Confident

I have never been super confident in myself. I’ve struggled much of my life with people-pleasing which leads to lower self-confidence which leads to more people-pleasing. It’s a vicious cycle, one I’m recovering from, but there are still times when I struggle with all of it. But Ephesians 3:12 (NIV) says this: “In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”

You Are Loved

Without getting into a lot of my past experiences, I will just say that I’ve often felt unloved and unlovable, particularly as a teenager and young adult. I’ve carried these feelings with me into my adult life which has manifested itself in a variety of ways. But 1 John 3:16 tells us how we can know what love is: “Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.”

So in the eyes of Christ, I am beautiful, confident, and loved. Those are the three words He gave me – the three things I’ve struggled with so many times throughout my life.

And even though I’ve heard these verses before and I know that Jesus loves me and created me in His image, I still sometimes find myself doubting.

In Genesis 3:4-5, Satan tempted Adam and Eve to doubt God’s Word. What is he tempting you to doubt?

Friend, I want to encourage you to sit with Jesus today. Ask Him what He says about you. And then wait and listen for His answer.

We don’t have to listen to the lies of the world. Or the lies inside our head. Or even the lies of our children…

Listen to the Truth.

I would love to hear what He speaks over you today.