Go While You Stay

There’s nothing worse for an extroverted, achievement-driven, go-getter with severe FOMO (fear-of-missing-out) than feeling like you are sitting on the sidelines.  I’ve always been a “yes” girl.  I’ve always wanted to be actively involved in as many things as possible – always with my hand in dozens of jars, wearing multiple hats, and on the go.  I thrive this way.  However, being a mom of littles has made it more difficult to live like this.  Nap times, feeding schedules, bedtimes, sitters, etc…are now all things that come first, and I sometimes find myself feeling more like a bench player. Bench players practice just as often and work just as hard as everyone else, but when the big game arrives they are mostly on the sidelines spectating and cheering on their team.  This is kind of motherhood in a nutshell, isn’t it? Working long hours, accomplishing to-do lists miles long, and then cheering on your husband and kids as they go to work or school or sports or _____.

Lately I’ve been reminded multiple times of God’s command to His people to”GO.”  He tells us to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) and to go to “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” sharing the gospel (Acts 1:8).  Years ago – mostly in my college years – I had the privilege and opportunity and means to go.  I was able to go into my “Jerusalem” here in the US on missions trips, my “Judea/Samaria” on trips to Mexico and Costa Rica; as well as to “the remotest parts of the earth” on a summer trip to China.

Looking at my life now and my role as SAHM I’m trying to figure out what it looks like to “GO” when my job title is “STAY at home mom.”

If we aren’t careful we can start to become bitter, depressed, or discouraged.  What is my purpose?  Where do I fit into the story?   I have big dreams and big goals and lofty aspirations.   I want to be used of God in big and mighty ways. I think that some of us can be so consumed with looking for our moment – our moment to shine, our big break, our opportunity to affect real change etc… that we can miss being awakened to what we’ve already been given the honor to participate in.  and Newsflash:  It’s NOT the story of ourselves or our dreams. It’s God’s story.  From the beginning of time God has been and will be the main character.  The cool thing is that from the moment we become recipients of His grace we also become active participants in His story where our role matters.

Not all of us are going to be missionaries to Africa, or pastors or teachers. Not all of us will be evangelists or motivational speakers or writers or authors or the president.  Most of us will not have our voices heard on a global stage.  However, just as important as the person who is actively going and serving on the field, are the countless people who surround and support them with their time, talents, resources, and prayers right here.  As the body, it is a collective effort to strive together and live on mission.  Every person has an active role to play. When we pray, when we give, when we serve in the local community we suddenly become participants in things and in places we otherwise would have no business being part of because of the reality of our time, family, financial status, etc…

The more I’ve delved into this thought process the more I’ve been awakened to the ways I can and the ways I already am actively participating in the bigger picture – even as a SAHM.  The song “Dream Small” by Josh Wilson kind of puts it perfectly:

It’s a momma singing songs about the Lord
It’s a daddy spending family time that the world said he cannot afford
These simple moments change the world
It’s a pastor at a tiny little Church
Forty years of loving for the broken and the hurt
These simple moments change the world […]
It’s visiting the widow down the street
Or dancing on a Friday with your friend with special needs
These simple moments change the world

Dream small
Don’t bother like you’ve gotta do it all
Just let Jesus use you where you are
One day at a time
Live well
Loving God and others as yourself
Find little ways where only you can help
With His great love
A tiny rock can make a giant fall
Dream small

(Check out the full song here)

For 3 1/2 years now I have had the privilege to be part of a group of women, “The Great Love Nation,” within the company Trades of Hope. Our motto is “Do small things with great love.”  Trades of Hope enables women like me to be active participants in changing the face of poverty globally by reaching across oceans and changing the lives of women one at a time – right from my own home, raising my own children.  Shortly after becoming part of the TOH sisterhood, I was able to leave the traditional classroom to be a SAHM to my girls and still have a job that was purposeful and mission-minded and global-reaching.   While I realize that I cannot eradicate poverty single-handedly I see firsthand how something as simple as a bracelet makes a life-changing difference for the woman in Uganda or Haiti or Jordan who made it.  It matters to her that someone bought what she made so that she can make a living wage and support her family and keep her child from an orphanage and give her child an education that will change their future and their children’s children’s futures.  You never know the ripple effect your act of kindness or obedience will have.

The point is this: the little things matter.  Just like the story of the little boy and the starfish: when asked why he was bothering to throw stranded starfish back into the ocean when there were tens of thousands of them, he replied as he threw one more back “It mattered to that one” (from The Star Thrower).  We don’t have to be loud or extravagant to be important.  We don’t have to be seen or heard by thousands to be useful.  No prayer, act of kindness, or financial gift is too small to change lives.  There are SO many ways to be active participants in the “going” while physically staying right where you are.  You have a part to play.  You have something only you can contribute, and it matters to someone.

Oh, “That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.”

(Walt Whitman; “Oh Me. Oh Life.” )

*featured photo and family photo by Shelby Glynn Photography*