A confession

Yesterday morning during my "Experiencing God" study, I was convicted in a big way! In my previous posts about child-rearing and learning how to raise Hannah & Gemma, I realized that I was talking a lot about MY experiences, MY struggles, MY triumphs, when in actuality, those are GOD'S! The advantage of following the one true Lord is that He bears the burdens for us...as soon as we surrender them. In retrospect of the last week or two, I see that only in letting go of Hannah & Gemma and asking for Holy Spirit wisdom to come upon me as I parent, do I end each day feeling fulfilled and positive. (Now, lest you think I'm a Pollyana parent, and that every day is happy & joyful, regardless of the behavior from my children, let me stop you right there! There are certainly days where I am on the verge of tears for a great deal of it, and things just don't seem to be working out--yesterday had some of those moments, in fact. But at the end of the day, if I can go to bed knowing God had His way in our home and He ultimately wins, I have peace! And that is something no parenting book--besides the Bible--can give you.)
I'll quote the passage from Experiencing God that got me feeling all "shifty."

"If you are obedient, God will accomplish wonderful things through you. You will need to be careful that any testimony about what God has done gives glory only to Him. Pride may cause you to want to recount your EXPERIENCE because it makes you feel special. You will want to declare the wonderful deeds of the Lord, but you must avoid any sense of pride. Therefore, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord" (1 Cor. 1:31)."
(Emphasis mine.)

I think this is a very easy mistake to make--as I said; I did it, even while crediting the Lord with His power and ability! The thing is, God allows these struggles so that we have no choice but to lean on Him and watch Him work through us to accomplish mighty works. That way, when God does something huge--in our finances, in our children, in our testimony--He gets the glory, not us!