Favorite Verse Friday

My favorite verse this week

Proverbs 4:23

Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance, and above all that you guard for out of it flows the springs of life.

When this summer first started and I knew just how different it would be I felt a bit mixed up trying to figure it out and make it work for my daughters. I don't like change and how I long for a trip that we go on to be all mushed up for a week - a week of exploring, a week on our own, a week in God's beauty, a week discovering, even a week with difficulties because we bring those along wherever we go. Anna doesn't leave home without sensory integration disorder and Abigail doesn't leave home without food allergies. But it's still worth it.

 I knew deep down that God had a perfect plan for beautiful days this summer - I just didn't know what they were yet. And I like a plan. This summer wasn't following our regular pattern. I wanted a new pattern and I just couldn't get my head around it.

When I read this verse I quickly felt in my heart that this would be the verse that I would concentrate on this summer. I wasn't just to "guard my heart". But I was to guard my heart with all vigilance.

Vigilance is "the state of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties". This meant that I was to guard my heart by keeping a careful watch. What careful watch?

A careful watch from feeling anxiety because a heart filled with anxiety would not be able to hear God's sweet voice in my heart and He would not be able to lead me into beautiful summer days. 

That verse goes on to say that not only do I have to guard my heart with all vigilance but also that it needs to be "above all that I guard."

We "guard" so many things in our lives. We guard our time. We guard our money. We guard our processions. We guard our dignity, our honor, our work - but God says above all that we guard, we need to guard our hearts. 

I quickly knew that I wasn't at all guarding my heart. Certainly not with any vigilance and not "above all". I was guarding my fears. I was guarding uncertainty. I was guarding my anxiety about the summer. 

Another verse from that same proverb that spoke to my heart:

Proverbs 4:25
Let your eyes look right on with fixed purpose, and let your gaze be right before you.

Such a simple direction, really.

As I guard my heart from selfishness and uncertainty I need to keep my eyes looking straight ahead.

Straight ahead to the day before me. Not straight ahead with trying to figure out 'how to do' this summer. 

And as I guard my heart from uncertainty and anxiety I need to let my eyes look right on with "fixed purpose."

My fixed purpose this summer is raising my daughters.  God has filled me with so many ideas - areas to teach them - how to enjoy them. I've always used summer for a the purpose of teaching, mentoring, loving on my daughters - all with being very intentional. This summer I just get more or that. They are my fixed purpose and I need to keep my eyes right on them with my gaze right before me. 

My gaze at the beginning of the summer was all around - eyes darting here and there - feelings up and down. This caused so much confusion and more anxiety. 

When I began to meditate on these verses I felt the need for control lifting off.

All of a sudden summer days seemed simple.

And here is the promise that comes from that:

Proverbs 4:4

Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commandments and live. Get skillful and Godly wisdom, get understanding. 

When I "hold fast to my words" (when I really lean in to what God is leading me to) I will get skillful and Godly wisdom and understanding.

I will know how to structure our days. I will know what to do with my daughters. I will be given ideas for fun and ways to grow even closer with my girls. I will understand and speak to their hearts. Each day will be a precious gift in mothering.

Loveliness.

And finally:

Proverbs 4:12

When you walk your steps will not be hampered, your path will be clear and open, and when you run you will not stumble.

I grabbed on to that promise too and loved it so. I think on that promise and declare it for my life each morning. MY steps will not be hampered. MY path will be clear and open (the path for my summer days). When I run (with the summer) I will not stumble.

I took that to mean that God will not allow our summer days days to be wasted. Above all He will use them for His purpose and I know that His purpose, through me this summer is mothering.