A Gift from the Heart

1# Mom
Written and Illustrated by Nikelle Carlson

My mom is special. She helps me grow. She is special to me. I am her gift from God. She is my model, one of my paths, and my key to life.


I [heart] mom


My mom is in MOPS (Mothers for Preschoolers). She helps us learn about the Lord. She is a Christian, which means she chose to be Jesus’ best friend for life. She reads us books, feeds us, sometimes she is funny, and helps us with our chores.





My mom helps me when I am sick. When I had the stomach flu my mom stayed with me the whole time and helped me feel better. She also helps me in school. When I’m having trouble with my homework, she comes and helps me.



I [heart] Mom (Mother unOrdinary Mosthelpful)

CHAPTER 2 – Jaycie thinks

Mom prays for me when I am scared. Then it helps me feel better. I also get better dreams.


I [heart] mom 2

CHAPTER 3 – The end

Dear Mom,

We hoped you like this book and love us. Give us big hugs when you finish reading this book.

Love,

Nikelle, Jaycie and Ande

We [heart] you

MOM IS THE BEST MOM IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD (one word each on its own page)

My Mother's Influence

“She’ll be your best friend one day,” my dad’s voice insisted. Sitting in my parents’ room, forced to stand facing my mom, it was a lecture I’ll never forget. I assume it was my disrespect towards her that warranted his speech. While I only tolerated his words in that moment, they are a truth of our current relationship. Daddy’s approval may have been my life’s objective, but it was (and is) my mother’s influence that shaped me into the person I am today.

It was my mom who taught me to think of others more highly than myself. (I’m still working on this.) At church, mom’s gentle prodding pushed me from my comfort zone to befriend the new kids. Willing to serve wherever there was a need, my mom demonstrated the heart of a servant.

In our family, mom was content to watch dad receive credit for the work she did to make family memories a reality. Always comfortable in the background, mom taught me the importance of sacrifice. She celebrated holidays according to dad’s desires and put the needs of her children always before her own.

While she doesn’t like to take center stage, it is her confidence in taking the platform when necessary that passed on to me. She taught me that any issue of importance to God is worth taking a stand for. Her example showed me that truth and justice are to be sought at any cost.

Mom was willing to do the hard thing. When the words of others neglect to coincide with the Bible, she taught me to question and compare them to God’s Word. Truth is precious to my mom and I learned the power found in Scripture from her.

Her quiet example (and boldness when necessary) taught me the high importance of my relationship with our Savior. A prayer warrior, I am very aware that her cries to God on my behalf have carried me through this life. Unbeknownst to me (until I had children of my own), my mom had the greatest impact on my life.

In the year my dad battled cancer, mom put her life on hold. At his side, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, her actions spoke louder than words. In those moments, my mom lived out Jesus command and the very definition of love. “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:12-13

Witnessing mom’s strength (which she readily shared came from her God) in the days following dad’s departure from this earth, brought me to tears. While I knew her pain ran deep, she relied on God to carry her through each day. Rather than get swallowed up in sorrow and pity, mom lived as she always has: serving others.

Mom invests herself two-fold for her children and grandchildren in light of dad’s absence. Heavy with the loss of this key relationship in our lives, she stepped up to live that much more fully for our God. Dropping stories to my girls about their Papa and eternity, my mom serves the same role in their lives as she did in mine. My mom lives to imitate Christ. In turn, her children and grandchildren are left with no denial as to her hope.

The Apostle Paul writes in his second letter to Timothy, “I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.” As was with Timothy, I pray it will be true of my own daughters as well. Our mothering matters for generations to come.

Mom,
Thank you for your example to me throughout the years. While I continually sought dad’s love and affection, you faithfully offered yours. As I searched for my identity in every direction possible, you lifted prayers on my behalf to the One in whom you knew my search would culminate. I am a Christ-follower today in large part because of your influence. Thank you for teaching me that living for God is something I never need to shy away from. You are irreplaceable in our lives. I love you and thank God for you!
Love,
Tristi

In Jesus Name

I stood there dumbfounded. Our “friends” who celebrated our wedding just a couple of short years earlier were now in support of an outrageous accusation against us. My husband and I were denied the opportunity to even defend ourselves. In a moment, we were excommunicated from the church of our marriage union.

Trusting anyone in a church setting again took years. Christians are supposed to be known for their love but, in that moment, I felt no love. While there were some who extended their care and concern, the multitude of betrayal blurred the kindness offered by all too few. Hands down, this experience was the most painful, deep and damaging wound inflicted to that date.

Today, however, I am able to thank God for that experience. The pain in my heart was cause to truly seek Him. It was through that specific incident that Christianity became more for me than just head knowledge. The message of 1 Corinthians 13 came alive for me through my heartache. “If I… possessed all knowledge… but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.”

My journey to healing taught me that my allegiance could not be to any group of people. My loyalty was to God alone. (“We must obey God rather than human beings!” – Acts 5:29b) It also became clear to me that Christians will never define Christ. At the same time, Christ should be the reflection of every Christian. (“For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son.” – Romans 8:29)

Turn on the television set and some show, somewhere will have a portrayal of someone claiming to be a follower of Christ. Christians are represented as crazy, self-righteous or just plain ignorant. In the media’s depictions, rarely will you see a sincere example of a true Christian who talks and acts in a manner that honors Jesus Christ.

Claiming to be a Christian does not make it so. All over the world, people are talking and acting in the name of Jesus. The problem is just that: it is all simply talk with a big act. Too many claim the label of Christianity with no willingness to follow Christ’s example. People, too often, declare that they are a reflection of our God only to bring Him shame.

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” – John 13:18.

Christ-followers are flawed examples of their risen Savior. While God will not let me down, humans will. Christians are not perfect. They are saved by grace, the same as me. God knows we’ll screw up. We are far from perfect. The mark of a Christian, however, is repentance, forgiveness and grace.

“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” – Philippians 2:1-8

Please, if you choose to wear the name of Jesus, wear it well.

The Apostle Paul's Words on My Struggle

"I don't really understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can't. I do what I don't want to - what I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. But I can't help myself because I'm no longer doing it. It is sin inside me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things.

I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn I can't make myself do right. I want to but I can't. When I want to do good, I don't; and when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. Now if I am doing what I don't want to, it is plain where the trouble is: sin still has me in its evil grasp.

It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love to do God's will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God's willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin.

So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I'm in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free!

- Romans 7:15-25 (The Living Bible)

Dummy?

I feel like a dummy.

While watching The Amazing Race with my husband the other night, I could identify with the buried mannequin. On the show, teams worked a staged rescue from an avalanche. As I watched them pull half the dummy still needing to unbury the other half of the body, I felt like that suffocating dummy.

My life gives me the feeling of being buried alive. Some days I think I will never dig out. Every day I am so overwhelmed by the tasks at hand that I don’t even know where to begin.

So often, I feel defeated, unable to even attempt to make a little progress somewhere. Feeling like a failure is one of the many lies I have fallen prey to. I remind others of the Truth, so why is it such a struggle to believe it myself?

Today I am working to overcome the lies. My prayer today is that God will help me to quit believing the lies and start basking in the Truth of His Word. Truth is a key step toward overcoming this suffocating feeling. Seeking help from God goes hand in hand.

I am not a helpless dummy.

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." ~ John 8:32

"I waited patienty for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry." ~ Psalm 40:1