“I am training you in steadiness.”

Sitting in my backyard sweating, my jeans rolled up so my pasty legs could feel the sunshine, it felt as if those words carried a swoosh of cool air.  The kind of air that comes pouring full force out of my mini-van’s vents when the AC is finally ready to do its job–it is both refreshing and shocking.

“Too many things interrupt your awareness of Me…Awareness of Me can continue in all circumstances, no matter what happens.  This is the steadiness I desire for you.” (Jesus Calling, Sarah Young)

On my best days I am organized, kind, compassionate, sometimes even pretty flexible, but I am not sure I would call myself steady. I mean sure, I can keep a cool exterior when baby boy has thrown himself on the ground in front of the pantry because I won’t give him a 13th serving of raisins, and middle baby has trailed pee all the way through the hallway while dashing for the bathroom. But even if I maintain calm on the outside, my inside doesn’t feel steady.

Mommas, He is training us in steadiness.  Am I the only one who craves a steadiness of spirit? Am I the only one who can walk in peace when the big storms roll in, but it’s the mundane, the everyday–gashed foreheads, a whiny preschooler, and a bottle of cumin powder dumped on the kitchen floor, my oldest’s inability to pick a pair of leggings–that interrupts my awareness of him?

I also know based on playdate conversations that my kids aren’t the only ones who would like to snack all day, but the Lord spoke to my heart, what if you snacked on me all day long? What if we worked out our steadiness training with steady snacks that kept us aware of Him?

Some snack ideas:

• Scripture cards (notecards on which you’ve written, printables from Pinterest, etc.
• Reminders on your phone (set a reminder or event to pop-up with a scripture, or just a reminder that He is present)
• Set your home screen/lock screen to something that will remind you of His presence and His character
• Sing (alone or with your kids) songs or praise & worship
• Leave your Bible open on the counter (because we all know that we spend a lot of time in the kitchen)
• Listen to YouVersion’s audio Bible while cleaning, folding, chopping
• Send a scripture or encouragement to a friend
• Look out your window (I mean really look out your window) and notice Your Creator’s work.

“We can get so caught up in the world of physical locations, pleasures, and experiences that we lose sight of the fact that the most essential thing in life is living in daily communion with a God whom we cannot hear, see, or touch.” (Forever: Why You Can’t Live Without It, Paul David Tripp)

Happy Monday, ladies. Steady on!