MOMENTS FOR MUM

with Elisabeth Corcoran

Have you ever heard the voice of God? I don’t mean audible. And I don’t mean: ‘take that job’, or ‘don’t marry that man’. I mean the nudge-in-your-heart kind of voice.

It’s almost a whisper. Something that you know was meant just for you from the Creator.

I have. And I want to share one of those experiences with you. I was travelling by train to Minnesota to visit a friend. Me. Alone. Ten hours. Can anyone say: "Ahhhhh …"?

I was in heaven. I spent the day reading magazines, listening to CDs, journaling, reading. And then I thought: "OK, why don’t I just sit … just look out the window and see if God has anything He wants to say to me?"

So I did.

And within moments, and I mean moments, I heard this: "You’re not a bad mum".

Now, I hadn’t been reading about parenting. I hadn’t been feeling guilty about going away for four days and leaving my children at home with their dad. In fact, to be honest, I wasn’t even really thinking about Sara and Jack at the time. But, bam, that was what He had for me.

Now, how do I know that was the gentle voice of God? Because my God is very intimate and personal. He knew that I walk around my life muttering: "I’m a bad mum". Maybe not out loud, but I sure do think it a lot.

Had the wording been: "you’re a good mum", I would have actually doubted the authenticity of the source, because He knows my heart isn’t ready for that affirmation quite yet. He met me just where I was.

It gets better. He went on to say: "Sara and Jack adore you. And they know you love them. You are not a bad mum." And the tears began to flow. I needed to hear that. Probably more than I even knew I needed to. And I thanked my Father for bending down and whispering that encouragement to me.

And I thanked Him for being the kind of Father who loves us so much that He takes the time to send little messages like that to us.

Let me encourage you today … you are not a bad mum.

And may you enjoy the benefits of a walk so close with God that He whispers something precious into your soul today.

• Elisabeth K Corcoran is the author of Calm in My Chaos: Encouragement for a Mom’s Weary Soul. She is wife to Kevin, and mum to Sara, 6 1/2, and Jack, 5. Her passion is encouraging women and she fulfills that through heading up the Women’s Ministries at Blackberry Creek Community Church in Aurora, Illinois and writing as much as she can. Calm in My Chaos (2001) can be purchased directly through her publisher, Kregel Publications at www.kregel.com
  This column is original and not excerpted from her book.

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