Overwhelmed, Stretched & Scrambling
By Heather Pennington
Do any of those words hit home with you, at this moment? I have found myself feeling all of these, especially as a parent.
I recall in my university years when I worked full time in the evenings to pay to attend my eight courses during the day. One beautiful morning, I found myself waking up in my car at a green light at the intersection of Kingsway and Commercial, in Vancouver, where moments earlier I was surrounded by numerous other cars … not quite sure just how much time had gone by while I slept at the wheel in the middle of the major road. In that moment, it was a literal and figurative wake-up for me, that I needed to make some changes for my well-being.
Over the years, as I have grown in my relationship with the Lord, I have found the three words above, a much less frequent descriptor of how I am feeling. I have been quicker to catch when I am veering off the Lord’s track for me. I have become more aware in my spirit of when something is interfering with my relationship with the Lord, hindering my connection with the one whom my help comes from.
As a parent, I sometimes have these similar wake-up calls, which honestly spark a bit of panic. The moment you catch your child standing eye level with you, or your littlest does something for the last time. That moment when you realize you only have 6 more summers with your child before they move out of the house. That moment when fear creeps slowly in making you believe that maybe you have not properly followed the scripture in Proverbs 22:6 to “train them up in the way they should go, that when they are old they will not depart from it.”
The Lord never intended for us to feel overwhelmed, stretched, or scrambling to get it all done. He called us to raise the next generation to know Him, love Him, and follow his ways.
He provides everything we need, and more than enough moments in the day for what He intends for us to do. He provides a community to support us as we raise and direct the next generation. If you are like me and feel you could use a little support in this, we have many ways to help you lean into the Lord as you raise the next generation.
Join us at Mom’s group on Thursdays.
Sign up to join our upcoming Parenting Study on Raising Kingdom Kids.
Grab a coffee with another dad at Sequoia.
Ask for prayer for your family at prayer@sequoiachurch.org
Join an impact community to dive into scripture as a family.
Sign up to serve with our kids or youth. ( I learn so much from spending time in these spaces.)
Check out https://theparentcue.org/ for great resources and encouragement.
Ask me for book resources for the phase that your child is in right now.
Above all else never underestimate the power of our Lord when you seek Him for provision, wisdom, and strength. “Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” Philippians 4:13MSG
Your Sister,
Heather
Do any of those words hit home with you, at this moment? I have found myself feeling all of these, especially as a parent.
I recall in my university years when I worked full time in the evenings to pay to attend my eight courses during the day. One beautiful morning, I found myself waking up in my car at a green light at the intersection of Kingsway and Commercial, in Vancouver, where moments earlier I was surrounded by numerous other cars … not quite sure just how much time had gone by while I slept at the wheel in the middle of the major road. In that moment, it was a literal and figurative wake-up for me, that I needed to make some changes for my well-being.
Over the years, as I have grown in my relationship with the Lord, I have found the three words above, a much less frequent descriptor of how I am feeling. I have been quicker to catch when I am veering off the Lord’s track for me. I have become more aware in my spirit of when something is interfering with my relationship with the Lord, hindering my connection with the one whom my help comes from.
As a parent, I sometimes have these similar wake-up calls, which honestly spark a bit of panic. The moment you catch your child standing eye level with you, or your littlest does something for the last time. That moment when you realize you only have 6 more summers with your child before they move out of the house. That moment when fear creeps slowly in making you believe that maybe you have not properly followed the scripture in Proverbs 22:6 to “train them up in the way they should go, that when they are old they will not depart from it.”
The Lord never intended for us to feel overwhelmed, stretched, or scrambling to get it all done. He called us to raise the next generation to know Him, love Him, and follow his ways.
He provides everything we need, and more than enough moments in the day for what He intends for us to do. He provides a community to support us as we raise and direct the next generation. If you are like me and feel you could use a little support in this, we have many ways to help you lean into the Lord as you raise the next generation.
Join us at Mom’s group on Thursdays.
Sign up to join our upcoming Parenting Study on Raising Kingdom Kids.
Grab a coffee with another dad at Sequoia.
Ask for prayer for your family at prayer@sequoiachurch.org
Join an impact community to dive into scripture as a family.
Sign up to serve with our kids or youth. ( I learn so much from spending time in these spaces.)
Check out https://theparentcue.org/ for great resources and encouragement.
Ask me for book resources for the phase that your child is in right now.
Above all else never underestimate the power of our Lord when you seek Him for provision, wisdom, and strength. “Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” Philippians 4:13MSG
Your Sister,
Heather