The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love

By Jarrod Spencer –

Most of you will remember the slogan the Peace Corp used many years ago, “One of the toughest jobs you’ll ever love.” When I was young, I thought that the Peace Corp would be something enjoyable to do. Maybe it was a desire to help people, which has been my focus much of my professional life. So, maybe I wasn’t too far off.

However, I believe there is another job that could be one of the toughest jobs that you’ll ever love—the job of being a mother. No matter how many children she has, her love continues to multiply. Her willingness to go the extra step never runs out. Her desire to nurture never loses its passion. Her tears never dry up.

I watch mothers more now that I am married and have my own children. I observe one of the best mothers each and every day. As I grew up, I was immature and oblivious to the real sacrifice that comes with being a parent. Now that I am a parent, and my wife is a mother, I understand much of what goes on in being a mother, based on observing my wife.

Girls start out caring and nurturing. As they grow, they enjoy playing house and being “Mommy.” Girls already understand that some of the roles a mother takes on include caring for the house, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children.

When the woman becomes a mom, she becomes even more sacrificial. It is a 24/7—365 sacrifice. She will do anything for her husband, but if her husband does not love her back, that may fade away. However, for her children, that love (usually) never fades. She will get up in the middle of the night to make sure her child is fed or changed, stay up until they fall back asleep, then get up when needed, despite the lack of sleep she’s had.

There is no retirement from being a mother. It doesn’t matter if you go to bed at night or your children move away from home, nothing says retirement to a mother.

AUTHOR QUOTE: Thanks Moms for all you do. Without you, we’d be in trouble. Thanks for taking on the toughest job you’ll ever love. Happy Mother’s Day!

PRAYER: Father, thank You for mothers! Thank You for my mother and thank You for my wife who is blessed to be a mother. May You replenish all mothers as they sacrifice for their children.

Then She Became a Mom

By Jarrod Spencer –

She always dreamed of becoming a mom. She played Barbies as a child, anticipating the time when she became the young woman Barbie represented. She took care of Cabbage Patch dolls like they were children of her own, looking forward to that special day—the one when she would have a real baby to feed, burp, nurture, change its diapers, etc.

As she matured into a teen, she was called on to take care of other people’s children. By the time she was a college student, she had developed a special knack for connecting with kids. She showed and taught them what it was like to own their own faith. Kids were drawn to her. They respected her. Adults admired her. She had a personality that people, young and old, were attracted to.

A few years later, she married. She cherished and adored her husband. Anticipated the day when they would become parents. That anticipation grew and grew, but as the months, then years, passed with no baby, questions were raised. “Why am I not able to have a baby?” After several years of praying and hoping, the optimism waned—almost vanished.

Then, after several years of trying, praying, and hoping, a pregnancy test revealed two lines! Could it be? Finally, she found out what many other women get the chance to experience—the feeling of carrying a baby.

Through the next several weeks, she praised God over and over, while praying for the safety and the health of the baby.

Then Oliver came into her life—a beautiful, blue-eyed baby boy. The answer to her many prayers. She took to being a mother as if Oliver wasn’t her first. He is a gift from God, but more importantly, he was given a greater gift—being blessed to be raised by the mother who had waited years for his arrival. All the waiting was worth it, and it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving woman other than my beautiful wife.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for giving my wife children. She is such a great mom. Continue to use her in mighty ways as she serves in the office of Mom.

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her” (Proverbs 31:28 NIV).

From Tools to Mascara

By Jarrod Spencer –

Being a father for the first time has had its interesting moments. My son has been such a blessing that words cannot begin to explain it fully. I am sure most parents experience this. There’s so much that goes on in family life that you want to “bottle it up” and keep the memories for later.

A couple of years ago we moved into our current home. The house came without any appliances. I had the “pleasure” of installing a dishwasher and a microwave. My son, fifteen months old at the time, was beginning his stint of being “daddy’s little helper.” He took the screwdriver and tried to help. He’d grab a flashlight and sit near me to be involved in the installation process as much as possible. I like to have him help me, even if it takes me two or three times longer to finish.

It wasn’t too long after this that our son took a new turn in life. My wife and I were in the kitchen and wondered where he’d had gone. He had been very quiet and that tends to raise awareness in us. We called for him and he came out from the bathroom with some mascara around his eyes and eyebrows. He had found his way into my wife’s makeup case, unscrewed the mascara, and did his best applying it to his face. When we saw him we couldn’t help but laugh.

My son seems to want to be involved in tasks that are associated with a particular parent at a particular time. He continues to make me smile by doing things that are reflective of me and his mother. I don’t know if our daughter will go through a similar stage or not. I’m guessing she will—it’s human nature.

As applying mascara is not a stop in life’s journey a son should take, it made us laugh. I cannot help but think of how many times we come before God with something “on us” that shouldn’t be there and He just has to laugh. I am probably one of the many who are making God have a good chuckle from time to time.

PRAYER: Dear God, may the times of foolishness that I exhibit make You laugh. May they not lead me down a path of danger. Thank You for making us all unique. Thank You for giving me a son and a daughter to love, teach, mentor—and for the occasional laugh break.

“A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,” (Ecclesiastes 3:4 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Jarrod Spencer. He is a seeker of God’s surprises in everyday life, looking for ways to be used by God to minister to others. He has a passion for encouraging people through the written word and exercises that passion with blogging and sending out a weekly text of encouragement. You can read more of his writings at http://jarrodspencer.blogspot.com and his church’s website is http://www.colbychurch.com.

Can’t Keep A Good Man Down

By Jarrod Spencer –

One of the things I enjoy doing is playing. I enjoy playing around with my family. I enjoy playing sports. Because I’m human, I cannot just go and go and go; there are times when I need a rest. However, I enjoy playing so much that even after a bit of a rest, I want to be right back in the middle of things. A little “out-of-breath” is not going to stop me from continuing to participate.

Jesus also slowed to take a rest. He left His Deity and allowed His human side to rest. I use this word to describe a momentary time between humanity and ascension. Jesus needed to give up His weak flesh for our sake. Jesus died and was put in a tomb, taking a rest. This period of time allowed people, both good and bad, to wonder. They wondered if He would rebuild as He said He would. They wondered if people would try to steal His body. Others probably just wondered. However, their wondering didn’t change His plan. They all discovered that a little death was not going to stop Him from participating in eliminating sin.

The following are lyrics from the song “You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down” by Newsong.
“When they nailed Him to the cross
by His hands and His feet
and they put Him in the ground.
Three days later
everybody found out
that ya can’t,
No you can’t keep a good man down.”

The word “good” in the title is not quite strong enough to describe Jesus. A stronger word like awesome, magnificent, unbelievable, first-class, superior, overwhelming, breathtaking, amazing, or remarkable, may have been a little bit closer to a description of our Savior.

Jesus died for our lying, cheating, murders, denials, addictions, etc. Jesus didn’t just die on the cross and then put in a grave to stay forever. Jesus escaped the grave allowing us to escape the nastiness of sin’s sentence to the grave. Because He escaped, we do not have to remain in the grave. How can we respond to something of that magnitude?

“God is good, all the time, and all the time, God is good.”

PRAYER: Dear God, I am eternally thankful that I do not have to remain in the grave because You raised Jesus from the grave many years ago.

“‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him’” (Mark 16:6 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Jarrod Spencer. He is a seeker of God’s surprises in everyday life, looking for ways to be used by God to minister to others. He has a passion for encouraging people through the written word and exercises that passion with blogging and sending out a weekly text of encouragement. You can read more of his writings at http://jarrodspencer.blogspot.com and his church’s website is http://www.colbychurch.com.

Weak Power

By Jarrod Spencer –

Have you ever felt “weak”? Weak in not knowing how to share your faith or not understanding what God can do with your life?

As I was growing up, I had times of discouragement. In the midst of it, I didn’t know what my purpose was here on earth. Frankly, I didn’t understand much about life.

As years continued to unfold, I was able to clearly see one of my purposes for living. My past, which seemed discouraging, had been “built” for encouragement. This became evident as I entered into ministry at age 27. Prior to this, life had led me to believe I was going to be an Athletic Trainer.

After entering into ministry I saw that people hurt—old and young, rich and poor, popular and loners. Everyone needed encouragement. Even the most positive people enjoyed encouragement. As much as I liked to give encourage, at the same time, I enjoyed my fair share of receiving encouragement, too.

This started a process of finding various ways to encourage people. Elements of modern technology have allowed me to encourage several people at the same time. First, it was e-mail. Then, I added text messaging. Both of these mediums are used to encourage hundreds each week.

Even thought I’ve discovered this ministry purpose, life has also revealed my deficiencies. As a minister, I do not know how to answer every question, nor do I hit a homerun with each sermon. In general, I don’t know how to connect with everyone. These are just a few of my weaknesses.

I have learned that in the weaknesses, God is strong. In some of my “blew it” sermons, people have said the most compliments. In times when I didn’t need to be the “know it all,” He comes through more mightily than I could ever imagine. When my wife and I thought we could not have children, He came through with a miracle.

I am awestruck at God on a regular basis. I never would have thought growing up with discouragement would have developed into a mission of encouragement. I never know how going shopping or attending a game will lead to a chance to connect with people, for His glory. My weaknesses have brought about His power more than I can remember. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

PRAYER: God, You are amazing! Thank You for surprising me. Thank You for being powerful though I am weak. You have done some mind-blowing things in my everyday situations. I look forward to what You will do with each day. How will You use me today?

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Jarrod Spencer. He is a seeker of God’s surprises in everyday life, looking for ways to be used by God to minister to others. He has a passion for encouraging people through the written word and exercises that passion with blogging and sending out a weekly text of encouragement. You can read more of his writings at http://jarrodspencer.blogspot.com and his church’s website is http://www.colbychurch.com.

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