Unless the Lord Builds the House
As my children grow, the illusion of my perceived control as a mom fades. I could feel it yesterday at the park as I snapped this pic. When they were tinies, it was easy to feel like I could protect and even curate the most lovely Christ-centered family and experiences. This continued through a wonderful season of homeschooling. I could manage their sin with a time out or reward good behavior with an m+m, and it was all in plain sight, or so I liked to believe.
I’m in a new season with school age kids who no longer remain with me 24/7. I have released them from the nest, while not fully yet, and I think we’re both learning to fly. Dropping off and picking up from school each day is helping me learn to parent from a place of faith and trust in Christ instead of myself. My kids are gifts entrusted to me, and unless the Lord does the work in their hearts, I cannot produce any spiritual life in them. Regardless of how hard I try, from reading them all the best Bible/theology books for kids, creating Christ-centered holiday traditions, to infusing daily rhythms of grace- it is the Lord who builds the house, and it is the Spirit alone who changes hearts.
Be encouraged dear mom, wherever God has your children right now, He is sovereign over their school, behavior issues, academic challenges and friendships. Trust him with their souls, and be diligent to pray, nurture, correct, and disciple them, but ultimately rest in the gospel, and Christ’s finished work for all who are His. He will draw our children to himself, He is the author and sustainer of our faith, and thankfully we are not!
It’s important to remind ourselves as moms that we are not the Holy Spirit or the Savior, but we are our children’s mother, and that is a sacred calling. Let’s rest in the role God has given us and depend fully on God to be God, and remind ourselves daily that we are not. Let’s pray and trust God like we really believe He is who He says He is. So much joy springs from the posture of abiding vs. striving, and I want that to be the foundation of my motherhood.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.” Psalm 127:1-4
Laura DiLeonardi
Laura DiLeonardi is the founder of Agape Moms, a national network of missional communities for mothers that launched in 2016. Since early 2022, she’s served as the Director of Community at The Journey Church in Lebanon, TN where she oversees Life Groups, the Women’s Ministry and where she planted her third Agape Moms chapter. Laura is a writer, speaker and mobilizer for women of all ages to live on mission for Jesus in their everyday lives. She is married to her Moody Bible Institute sweetheart, Matt since 2009 and they have three kids, Jack, Selah and Lucy, and two fur babies, Bear and Lady. In her free time she enjoys hiking with the family, running, and good conversation over a cup of coffee. Laura's passion is seeing lives continually transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.