Photo courtesy of speedy2
“You. You over there in the black leggings and gray sweater. The one in the colorful scarf with the weary eyes and the schedule that includes this from 9:30 until 10:30 then this from 10:45 until 11:30 and this from 11:45 until 1 and so on and so on and so on, ” she hears.
She stops. Is it official? Has she finally lost her mind? Is she hearing voices?
“Yes, you,” He reveals again.
“I see you.”
She serves a God who sees.
Everything.
He sees the heart behind what she tries to do in a day and He leads – gently, slowly, with grace.
He sees the heart behind what she tries to do in a day and He disciplines, pokes the rod a bit, until she hears His lesson. Until it finally sinks in and she begins to examine.
He sees the schedule that is too tight, the one that will cause someone to be unhappy because sometimes it’s just never enough.
He sees the owner of the schedule He’s been calling to edit, to release, to let go of the feeling that everyone must be happy with her so she tries to do it all and in doing so just does so much less.
He sees the weariness. The little that’s left for the very ministry that is the most important to her in the first place.
He sees the heart shrink when the toddler asks if they can just stay home and play. He sees the joy stolen a bit when the older two fight over stuff that in the end, is just stuff.
He sees the cloud of guilt that forms above her head when she lets the inevitable ball drop and He sees that she simply can’t juggle them all.
He sees that this is an matter of pride. That she thinks she’s the one to do the job and so she does it, to the detriment to her family, to her soul, to Him.
He sees her discover that she can fill her days with all that is good but with a result that is not.
He sees a child he loves who is slow to learn, who may never “grow up”, who will continue to miss appointments, who will let her husband down with a forgotten meal, who will fail to remember it was a day for gym shoes. He sees a child who is scolded by the receptionist, criticized by someone in the ministry she serves, and told in so many words, that she is not enough.
He sees a child who just needs to know that she is worthy of taking up the small space on this earth that she does.
He sees a child who is enough – even though she doesn’t think that she is.
He sees a child who is growing, who is learning to release what others think, who is realizing that her eyes need to gaze back at Him constantly and not just sometimes.
He sees a child that needs Him so desperately that she sometimes forget that she does.
So He goes on seeing and goes on loving and goes on with the rod and watches in grace and sometimes amusement and likely needs to wipe away a tear now and then and in the end, just acts like the Father He is.
He sees His lost lamb and He lights the path home.
And quietly, she goes.
“…You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me…” – Genesis 16:13
With my friend Michelle today…
Thank you, Natalie! This child needed this post today…
This child needs to remember this EVERY day…Thankful it spoke to you, Stefanie. Thank you for reading.
ahhh i love that promise. He sees me! thank you, Natalie. xo
It is refreshing to know we are not alone when we think we are the only ones struggling with self-defeating thoughts. Thank you for the reminder that we are always seen.
Oh, Gaby…SO not alone, girlfriend…
Sweet friend, you are MORE than enough because HE that is IN YOU is MORE than enough. I love you dearly!
Thank you for this reminder – you are correct. But there are days…Love you, too, girl.
I love your last lines:
He sees His lost lamb and He lights the path home.
And quietly, she goes.
Thanks for the gentle reminders. :)
Thanks, Casey…:) Blessings – your encouragement is much-appreciated.
I so needed to hear this today. Thank you.
Thankful He spoke to you, Anni – thank you for reading…
Wow. I am speechless. Natalie, I think this is one of, if not the best piece of yours I’ve read. This gets right to the heart and is dead on with so many of us. You cut through the red tape and got right to the exact words I feel and probably many other feel. Beautiful job, friend.
On that note, you is kind, you is smart, and you is important. I hope everything is going well, because this really tugged at my heart for you.
Thank you, sweet friend. Glory to Him – He placed it so on my heart that I literally had to run to my computer to just get it out…
SO love the reference to The Help – that was my favorite part of the book/movie.
Thanks, sweet friend.
Ah, weary mama…he gently leads those that have young (Is 40:11). And you quietly follow.
From what I hear, that Shepherd will lead you beside still waters so you can lie down in green pastures.
Be sure to rest.
Ahh…yes. Thanks, Ann. Those still waters are what I need to remember and so often forget.
Isaiah 40:11 – as a mother of young children, it is such a comfort to me.
Thank you, Ann.
Hopping over here from Thoughtful Thursdays. Love this! I wrote about that today…in that we need to simplify, especially during this Advent season. I have learned this lesson way too often…this overcommitment, overcrowded schedules. I love that you confessed to that! I’m with you, girlfriend! Thanks for writing :)
YES. Overcommitment. Very crowded schedules. My own fault, yes.
Such a slow learn am I…:)
Thank you for your encouragement, Christina!
Beautiful, familiar, and perfect for this time of year. Thank you.
Thank you for reading, sweet Courtney. :)
Oh my, this is beautiful my friend! So, so encouraging and a breath of fresh air. Thank you.
Ashlie, you so have the gift of encouragement. Thank you – you bless me.
And thank you so very much for your tweet – I’m so sorry that I move so slow in my responses but you are much-appreciated. Once I get this wild schedule of mine figured out, I hope to visit more often!!! In the meantime, thank you again.
I so needed this today!!! Thank you for sharing this, I love your writing!!
Thank you, Heidi. I love this community!!!
Your words continue to completely rock my world every time I read them. I so often, almost too often relate deeply to what you have written. I feel as if you are pulling the thoughts right from my own heart and directly off my own my mind. I think this might be my favorite piece (and I admit I haven’t read all of your blog but I have spent countless hours just pouring back through so many of your old entries). This one is just so true, so perfectly spoken, all encompassing and touching. Thank you, thank you for getting right down to the heart of the matter every time. This is becoming one of my favorite places to look for encouragement, reassurance, inspiration, a laugh and sometimes a good cry. I often find myself coming here when I just need to be reminded. You are very, very gifted and you are making a tremendous difference.
Clover, thank you so much for these words. I cannot tell you how much they mean to me – and not in an ego-building kind of way but in a way that I sometimes need to hear when I feel like I want to just quit writing altogether (as if I could – HA!!!).
I’ve enjoyed getting to know you a bit – you so very much bless me. Thank you so much for reading and for commenting…
Very powerful natalie….loved it!
I shared this on my fb page and you received more praise for touching hearts at the perfect time (which is always His timing) so take a peek there if you are interested in seeing what my friends thought. Beautifully done as usual!
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Thank you, Debi. So appreciate you taking the time to share and am thankful it could touch others. Blessings to you, sweet friend!