Even an accidental Spiderman cup of juice flying at my lap from across the table can't move me. I am un-rested mother, and that descriptor shakes a stick at my perspective on sexy and fun and life and light – on the gratitude that keeps my heart singing.
I get caught under clouds of exhaustion, the darkness rolled in for a visit, and I wait in the silence for it all to burst, for the rain to soak me down and relieve my spirit.
But it's dry, and my soul feels like it needs a nap. Wake me up when this is over.
When I hit these days, I prescribe to myself a few remedies: memory verses, prayers, no television, more church, and usually I exhaust myself further before something breaks, like a thunder clap.
And then I'm drenched in the knowledge of God. I hear God's voice so clearly, because He has spoken into the silence. The light bursts in relentlessly.
I see now.
There is much purpose in those dark places, how the mean time prepares our souls, gives us a contrast for which to see greatness and grace, and makes us long for Spirit water and restoration, causing in us a desperation that declares allegiance, sealing bond-enslavement, and granting freedom from this temporary world. There is a beauty in having been aware of great nothingness and in seeing, finally, consuming God.
He makes the dry bones quake. He makes them peel up from the grave and dance. Ah, we are the grateful dead – He, a constant new-creation maker.
And we are mothers.
——–
My experience as a mother and as a woman and as a human, in general, is that sometimes I need a little help. Oh, okay, a lot of help.
I am thankful to Thomas Nelson for generously offering us a little help here today. They are giving an amazing gift package in honor of Mother's Day, for those of us who strongly desire to lead our children in the way of the LORD, in spite of our own waywardness, tools meant to support our dry bones when we need to hear the truth, when we want to recall His past faithfulness, and when we want to express our desires and sometimes don't have the words.
This package includes gifts for Mom
Reflections from a Mother's Heart
An Invitation to Prayer for Mothers
and
and gifts for the little ones.
God's Little Princess Devotional Bible
and
You can win all of them…just leave a comment before midnight on Friday!
by Amber Haines, the run-a-muck
Leave a Comment
All I want for mother’s day tomorrow, is to stand in church with my glass held high, and to let the worship wash over me and fill us both up.
Thank you Amber.
This is such a succinct portrait of what we all feel! Lovely, as always Amber!
Happy Mama’s Day!
Beautiful! Happy Mother’s Day!
Thank you God for mothers.
Thanks for being real…
It’s the kids that make Mothers Days all worth it.
Holly
Happy mothers day. And I’m so feeling the need to be a better mamma this year. Hope these books will start me right?
dry bones…. oh how i can relate right now. thank you for sharing, Amber, and being honest about motherhood and the dark places. and thank you for sharing your remedies too… i needed to hear that and need to adjust my sights and course right about now. thank you!
I have struggled with several periods of depression in my life…and these words describe how I felt. The guilt alone (of ruining my kids with this awful cloud over our family) is quite suffocating. But, God is faithful…and I continue to trust Him, despite myself. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks for the reminder. I really needed that.
Thank for this post!!
Love the post. Thanks for the insights.
Thank you for the posts that keep me focused and help me as a mother, wife and women. Happy Mother’s Day!
THANK YOU for making us know we are not alone. Happy Mother’s Day!
Happy Mother’s Day to all of us in “the trenches.” May God’s fullness completely fill all our emptiness.
Yes, again, thank you for sharing that. Such an encouragement!
Would love to win it . . . thanks so much!
Happy Mother’s Day!
blessings,
Shana
Happy Mother’s day!
Thanks for the post.
Love, love love your articulation of how God uses the “mean time” of our life. Such a great depiction and a reminder that we are not meant for this world. May we continuously be hungry for Him.
Thank you!
Happy Mother’s Day everyone. Thank you Lord for this privilege!
Happy Mothers Day!!
A wonderful post of encouragement.
Happy Mother’s Day! That’s an awfully nice giveaway!!!
I know God uses these incourage emails to splash some of that “spirit water” on my soul. Thank you for your part in waking me up to God’s voice each morning…
His mercies are new every morning; great is His faithfulness…Lord, may we learn to appreciate both the dry and the drenched, knowing You are there through all times…
Happy Mother’s Day!
Thank you
Happy Mothers Day
I have yet to become a mother myself, but I sit here with my dear sister and her TWINS on her first Mother’s Day after years and years of heartache and struggles with infertility… and I get it. I see the exhaustion. I see the desperation. And then I see the heart drenching, soul soaking Wisdom of our Lord healing and transforming all her wounds into deeper love for her family.
Thank you for this post.
Happy Mother’s Day to you!! Your post gave me encouragement and blessed me today. Thank you!! Being a Mom is one of the greatest gifts God has ever given me and I thank him for it. Have a great day.
Janice
Thank you so much. You cannot know how much this post touched me – and it’s only the first I’ve gotten in my inbox. Just signed up yesterday and today you’ve made me cry with gratitude. The Lord leads us to wonderful things 🙂
Happy Mother’s Day!
Happy Mother’s Day and God bless.
This is my first time posting here, but I subscribe by email and love reading all of the posts. Everyone is so uplifting and positive, while at the same time being REAL.
Thank you ladies for all that you do, and good luck to everyone in the giveaway.
Blessings-Fontaine
I appreciate this entry immensely. And really any “mother writing” that honestly tells of the exhaustion and discouragement of motherhood. But of course, the joy and satisfaction that eventually follows. Honesty can be very encouraging.
Sarah Morlandt
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful mothers out there! Thanks for this post, Amber, and for the opportunity to win a little extra “in”couragement! 🙂 As a single mother to a ten year old boy and almost 4 year old girl, I need A LOT of help! LOL
thank you for blessing me with your words today. i have been to those dark places, and i appreciate and thank the Lord for lifting me out of there! He is my strength, and all glory is His!
Thank you for being honest. It is tough to be a momma, but the unconditional love of our children and watching them become beautiful creations of God are an amazing gift to us. God uses them to help us know His love for us. Thank you God.
I pray every day for the Lord to give me ears to hear in my heart and speak only His love to my childen. Happy Mother’s Day to all!
Great post….While motherhood is exhausting, both physically & mentally I wouldn’t trade one second of it…it’s also the most rewarding privledge I have ever had!
Gosh, so good to think that others struggle too. This has to be a huge contribution of Christian women’s blogging to the Kingdom!
Happy Mother’s
Day. Am feeling dry right now, my daughter, 21, is not speaking to me much less wishing me a Happy Mother’s Day. My son is not with me now either. My precious Mom is deceased. I would love to win this Thomas Nelson collection. I went to church this morning and am getting ready to take a nap. Can’t talk my cat into fixing me lunch.
Dear Cathy from the post above me . . .I can relate and I am praying for you especially today! Thank you, Holley, for the mother’s day wishes and for sending us here to Amber. Thank you Amber for encouraging us as mothers, when we need it most . . .like all the time! May He be the living water that forever soaks our souls! Blessings and love! deb
Dry Bones certainly describe me right now. I have been dealing with a computer game addicted husband, a new baby, all the household duties, and for the first time in my life living away from my family and friends. It’s been hard and thanks to wonderful posts like this I know that my life is guided by God and he is always there to help me. Happy Mother’s Day!
Boy, can I relate. Happy Mother’s Day!
Happy MOther’s Day all!
Needed that! Happy Mother’s Day!!
I could really use some encouraging books. Thanks for the giveaway. Happy Mother’s Day!
A great post for Mother’s Day – Thanks!
Oh, I love this!
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the beautiful women here at (in)courage!
Naptime sounds glorious right now. Thanks Amber for sharing how these weary times really do have a purpose. When we are delivered from them, we appreciate the refreshing so much more.
wow, amazing giveaway! =)
kathy k.
Beautifully written! Happy and filled Mother’s Day!
So good for me today, since I stayed home from corporate worship with a fevery toddler. Happy Mother’s Day!
Great post. Happy Mother’s Day!!
Beautiful! Happy Mothers Day!!
Lovely words today of such encouragement and how this weary mom feels at times . . . thank you. A blessed mama of a dozen ~ 10 beside me & 2 at Jesus’ feet
Great words! Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!
Thanks for your words and the giveaway!
Thanks for a nice Mother’s Day post! Happy Mother’s Day to everyone!
Thank you for this post.
You’ve captured what it is to be a mother…..and in for the long haul. Press on, gently of course. It is worth it.
Thank you, Amber! I breathe a sigh of relief and let my shoulders relax as I recognize and appreciate the fact that the “image” we’ve been fed of the “perfect” mother is all wrong. Happy Mother’s Day to you!
Reading what you have to write makes me nervous about being a mother in August, but I am so thankful for your honesty. Hope you had a happy mother’s day!
Thank you for this today. Sometimes it feels like that darkness lasts a bit too long. We all need to know that there is light for us to find.
I’m so glad I’m not the only one… I love being a Mom and I know how incredibly BLESSED I am to be one. But it does empty me some days.
As I watch my 87 y/o mother with Alzheimer’s deteriorate right before my eyes, I will always remember the words she said to me not more than a week ago, “I am in no pain, I am so blessed.” When she cannot remember what happened 30 seconds ago, she knows that God is still there in her heart as always. Then, I fast-forward to my grandchildren, her great-grandchildren, as they are learning about our Father and His Word, and praying that someday they will understand what it means to say those words, “I am so blessed.”
Happy Mother’s Day!
I would love to win this. I love being a mommy!
What a terrific post. Thanks for your honesty. We are all there so often.
Yes, every mother can relate. I’m still in the throes of motherhood with 8 from ages 2 to 20. Thanks for the encouragement to stay the course.
You caught my feelings in yours. Rejoicing with you in the drink of the Spirit today and the song One Heartbeat at a Time by Stephen Curtis Chapman.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Amber,
I hope you’ve had a wonderful Mothers Day!
Your words are quite a gift and just what we all need to read on days like that. I love how you pour from the overflow of your heart, even sharing what’s like when your heart feels dry.
I’d love to win this give-away, for expressly why you said: for those of us who strongly desire to lead our children in the way of the LORD, in spite of our own waywardness.
Thank you so much for your sweet words, written and, I imagine said, in your sweet southern cadence. 🙂
fun! I’m commenting! 🙂
happy mother’s day, y’all.
Thank you for this post. Seriously
I have only recently begun receiving emails and have found myself eagerly awaiting for new poetry, insight, inspiration, and most of all the realization that so many women are just like me. We are mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends. Thank you for creating God centered and peace driven newsletters and website.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Susan
Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you for the opportunity to win these books.
Great post!! Wonderful reminder!
Happy Mother’s Day!!
So true! Speaks to my heart…Happy Mother’s Day!
What a wonderful giveaway! Amber, you have an unbelievable way of writing! I look forward to each of your posts! They are so real. Thank you for pouring your heart out.
OH yes, I know this. I hear (read) your words and know well, mom to 3 boys, those days that run into nights into days.
Much encouragement to you.
And what a wonderful giveaway, too.
Steph
Thank you for reminding us.
Needed this! Thank you!!
Thanks for this, Amber. Sounds like these books will be a big help for those dry spells…
Wonderful post for wonderful mothers! How I (and we all) can relate to dry bones at one time or another (and another, and another). Let the Spirit water flow!
Such wise words – thanks for sharing! Happy Mother’s Day!
This my first mothers day without my mom.. but I know in my heart she is with the Lord now. I myself enjoy my beahtiful grandchidren and am blessed with a wonderful family that loves me. so your post encourages me to embrace and love others. Thank you and Happy Blessed Mother’s Day Amber.
Happy Mother’s Day – who couldn’t use a giveaway that includes (in)couragement for mamas!
Thank you for the sounds of my own thoughts…It is so good to hear them from someone else…a reminder that i really am not alone.
Awesome.
(in)courage is awesome.
thank you for your ministries.
Thanks, Amber! Your writings always bless me.
Amber, I too am bone dry….most days. Thank you for sharing what you do on those days ….great ideas for an awakening.
Praise God for you, Amber!
This may be the first one of your devotions that I have read. It is very good, especially as I have had a rough morning already with my thirteen year old. Your remedies for “those days” are right on.
God is so good to give us folks like you to encourage us. Thank you for being available and obedient! God bless you richly!
Because of Jesus,
Cindy
Yes- you nailed it on the head exactly how I feel some days- so thankful the for the rain God brings to us!
thanks for the giveaway!
Jennifer
4kerrhome@att.net
BEAUTIFUL POST.
Happy Mothers Day! Late…
Thank you for the encouragement as I have struggled with bouts of depression and anxiety for years which makes me feel like I can’t be all I need to be for my two wonderful kids. With God’s help (he uses people like you to encourage, we will be blessed and overcome. Thank you for the words of encouragement. Happy Mother’s Day!
Thank you for feeding our souls. Espcially mine. I have been weary lately. Thank you for refreshment!
Thanks for sucha good post! Yes, sometimes i definitely feel weary when it comes to motherhood, but also that I am doing a lousy job at it…would love some help from Thomas Nelson;)
Thanks again for sharing!
This is an awesome perspective on the dark days. Thank You.
What a great pick-me-up! Thanks for the chance.
Thank you for sharing this honest post!
Lovely post, and a lovely giveaway!
janemaritz at yahoo dot com
Isn’t that what we’re all praying for, to be a good mother, in spite of ourselves…
Happy Mama’s Day belated!
My girls and I decided last night that we would have a fresh beginning this morning: less arguing, fighting, yelling and more loving, obeying, and enjoying each other. Daddy wasn’t in the room, but we’re gonna include him too. It’s refreshing on Mother’s Day to know that despite all my shortcomings, my kids still love me. What a testimony to God’s love and grace. Thank you Lord!
The Lord is so faithful to meet us when we are tired.
what neat books. i especially like the god’s promises for boys/girls.
Thank you so much for putting into words things I have been feeling and dealing with for the past several months. I only recently have been able to come out of the darkness and clouds and see that light again and realize the need to reconnect with my Savior.
Thanks for the beautiful words. 🙂 Nice to know I’m not the only one who’s bone dry sometimes. Have a blessed week!
Mother’s Day should be every day!
Thank you for the wonderful writing!
oh to be “drenched in the knowledge of God”.
to truly know him & find that he is enough.
such a beautiful post, Amber. thank you.
What a wonderful reminder to not only God’s mothers, but God’s women and beautiful creations. Indeed He does fill and restore us, and use our emptiness and brokenness to shine through and draw us nearer to Him.
Mahalo for your encouragement and words of wisdom, and thank you for being a strong mother and woman of God.
Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers and you are ANGELS and SUPERWOMEN 🙂
Loved this and love the giveaway! Thanks Amber and Thomas Nelson!
Really needed this today. Thank you…
great post – thanks!
Oh how I need these dry bones to quake!
Happy mama’s day!
Enjoyed reading this post today! I too have discovered purpose in the dark places. I see so clearly who God is and have a love for Him I’m not sure I would know any other way.
What an awesome post. Isn’t His love and grace always sufficient to bring us back…
Amber, I’m not looking to win a thing, but this is another one for your book, woman. You floor me. In the best way possible. Please share this beyond the blogging community — you have a gift that could touch so, so many people. That *does* touch so many, but should be reaching more. You’re preaching the word, my friend.
That was beautiful! Hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day 🙂
Very wise and true! Thankful for a God who provides strength to the weary mom!
Thank you for the chance to win.
Thank you for this encouragement-and for the giveaway!
Wonderful wonderful wonderful! Happy Mother’s Day (belated)
I love reading the posts on this blog. Hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day!
Your honesty resonates in my heart today. Happy Mother’s Day!
Thank you for such encouraging words!
wonderful post!! thank you!
JUST what this weary momma needed to read right now. Thank you Lord!
What an incredible giveaway.
Such joy I find in being a “Mom”. I am always trying to do it better, so any resources would be helpful.
Awesome! I think I just made it. 🙂 Thanks so much!
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