The idea for this
particular collective -
The Lois
Project - took shape in a movie theater
last summer. It had been growing inside me,
this idea, for several months before it had a
name and substance in my mind. And somehow,
something about this movie scene connected the
thoughts buzzing around in my head. It seems
fitting to share it here as we launch our
second year of stories and testimonies.
My husband had convinced me to see
Dunkirk,
and I agreed even though I don’t like war
movies. After cowering through much of the
beginning, I found myself transfixed by a
scene where a fleet of little boats heads into
war-torn waters. What is striking is that they
are not military boats at all but rather
beautiful yachts, oiled to a shine and decked
with colorful banners and flags. As British
and French soldiers wait stranded and helpless
on the beaches of northern France, these
little boats are commissioned by the
British government to go on a rescue mission
through enemy fire– to go where the large
military boats cannot (or will not) go. It is
breathtakingly beautiful to see these pleasure
boats become a means of salvation as they
somehow seem to fulfill a destiny so much
greater than perhaps originally intended.
I identified with the little boats.
I’m
just a mom with young kids - and I’m barely
keeping it together as it is. The things
that I’m good at don’t always seem helpful.
I don’t have a lot of time or energy right
now. What can I offer to God’s kingdom? How
can I join in the fight?
Maybe you too, feel like a little boat (or a
capsized boat, on the bad days). But maybe
you, with your particular talents and gifts
can go where others can’t or don’t go. Maybe
you can reach out and connect with someone
that others could not. And maybe the things
that seem frivolous, decorative, or
just-for-pleasure in your life can become more
than that, little boats launched in faith upon
the waves.
Just being in a caregiving position gives you
special access to the lives of those you care
for. As you take care of their needs you model
Christ to them in humble, tangible, daily
ways. When your kids or grandkids see you
react patiently, it puts weight behind your
verbal pleas for them to act patiently with
one another. When your students or those under
your care see you demonstrate mercy, they have
a better idea of what the mercy of Jesus is
like.
Besides facing the daily tasks of motherhood
or spiritual motherhood with grace, perhaps
you have been gifted in other ways. I have a
friend who finds joy in hosting beautiful
parties and dinners. She loves opening her
home and showering people with beauty. Who
knows how many have been touched by her
hospitality for the kingdom? Another friend
has a gift for deep conversation and stirring
hearts. Another writes poems so beautiful they
make you cry. I love to make things, and
sometimes I use my crafts as a way to reach
out to other moms with similar interests. I
also love to write, which was part of the
motivation behind this blog. Little gifts? Yes
- they are little gifts that bring joy, but I
argue that they can be of more than a little
value when given over to God. Little warboats
used on a rescue mission for His kingdom.
Little
gifts can be of more than a little value
when given over to God.
There is a mother in the old testament of the
Bible who is asked to offer a small and
precious gift out of the little that she has -
to scrounge up a simple cake for a visitor
during a drought time when she and her son are
desperately starving and low on provisions.
Perhaps you know her story - the widow of
Zarephath in 1 Kings. Elijah, a traveling
prophet, says to her: “Don’t be afraid… First
make a small cake for me from what you have
and bring it to me, then make something for
yourself and your son. For this is what the
Lord, the God of Israel says; ‘The jar of
flour will not be used up and the jug of oil
will not run dry…’” (1 Kings 17:13-14). She
ends up trusting this promise and baking the
precious cake with the last of her provisions.
And to her amazement, the promise holds true!
She and her household do not run out of flour
and oil for themselves until the drought ended
and they could once more find food. Moreover,
when her son later falls ill and dies, Elijah
cries out to God and God restores him back to
life. Her choice to trust God, to “make a
cake” out of what she has, has ripple effects
and ends up vitally blessing her family.
I hope you don’t think this is some kind of
guilt trip about doing fewer things for
yourself or adding more to your to-do list. It
is in fact, the opposite. It is an upward call
- not a call to do more or be more, but
a call to see more opportunities in the things
that you already do, in the gifts that you
already have. To be open to the possibility
that you, in this season where you might feel
tired or limited, may have special access to
the mission field - in your own family and in
the larger world. A call to see
motherhood, mentorship, caregiving, or
teaching as a time of special grace, even when
it doesn’t feel like it. If you, like me, have
in your life a collection of little boats or
precious cakes – little talents or
opportunities that could be used to reveal
Christ - My prayer for you, my prayer for
myself is not to underestimate them, and not
to hold them back out of fear.
Here’s what
I have Lord. How would you have me use it?
What unique ways would you use me this
season? And I pray that in giving them
over to his use, you would experience his
miraculous provision for you and your family -
that what little energy you have would not run
out.
It is
a call... not to do more or be more, but
to see more opportunities in the things
that you already do, in the gifts that you
already have.
There are plenty of books and blogs and
articles out there that can help you feel
better as a mom after you’ve had a hard
day. But I’ve found often, in the midst
of a hard race that what I need – even more
than the voices of comfort and comic relief
from the sidelines – are the exhortations of
fellow runners - women who are running the
same race, towards the same goal: Jesus Christ
himself. Exhortations and stories from
women like you that say
You can do it! You
are strong! Those are the stories
we seek to share on the Lois Project: stories
of everyday courage in the little things of
life. Stories of women unafraid to pour
themselves out for others, because they know
the one who renews all things will give them
strength.
Moms and mentors, this is how I want to kick
off this year with you: with an echo of the
words of Elijah to that other overwhelmed mom:
Do not be afraid.
Do not be afraid to love Him with all you
have. Do not be afraid for your family or
yourself when you come up to the end of your
strength or face major change or run into
discouragement. Do not be afraid that you have
nothing to give.
Your beauty is not frivolous; your gifts are
not too small for Him to use. Your lack of
energy or time is not what He sees. He sees
your little bit of flour and oil and says
“Bake a cake for me”. He sees your small,
colorful boat and says “Go on a rescue mission
for me”. He sees all our limitations as merely
a stage to better display his greatness. So in
a very real way, we weak, frazzled moms and
caregivers can be a powerful force in the
hands of our God. And as we press on and
encourage each other as fellow runners, we can
know that we follow in the footsteps of Jesus,
who is calling us graciously, to wholeness and
holiness – that is, to himself.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such
a great cloud of witnesses… let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and
perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
This article
(c) by Amy Hughes was first published in The
Lois Project
Amy was inspired to start The
Lois Project as a way to combine her
love of writing and deep discussion with her
desire to strengthen connections between
Christian moms. She has a degree in French
Education and English and taught high school
French before becoming a stay-at-home mom
with her three children. Amy and her husband
John are part of the Word of Life Community
in Ann Arbor. She loves anything and
everything to do with France, has read
the Harry Potter books way too many times
and has a mild addiction to baby girl hair
accessories (and two daughters to wear
them!)
