LovingHim-RaisingThem

We’ve had van trouble recently and have been on and off without a vehicle for about a month now. Town and school are both about 2 miles away, so we have never walked so much!

At first I found it really frustrating that everything took so long, as if I haven’t already got enough to cram into my day! However as the weeks have rolled on by I’ve realised just how much I am enjoying the walking, it gives me chance to pray, point out things to the kids, get some exercise and chat to people I wouldn’t normally see.

One of the hardest things about trying to walk with God and raise a large young family is the lack of time you have to offer to those in your church and community. Strangely though since I have been walking a lot more, I have found I have been connecting with people more, and having more time for them than when I’m dashing in and out of the van.

Matthew 25 has been on my mind a lot recently, where Jesus says when we care for, feed, love and help the least of people, we are doing it for Him. As I was walking into town yet again this week with the kids I was asking God to show me how I could fulfil this scripture in my life now. Just as I was praying, Nate (age 2) was being a monkey and walking in the opposite direction to where we were going. I was pretending to walk away saying bye hoping he would follow ( which he didn’t!) when he began to run over to a homeless man on the grass. He looked at him shyly for a second and then handed him something. As I approached I saw he had given the man a flower, and the guy looked so happy. We chatted for a minute and then carried on the walk back home.

God answered my prayer through the innocent actions of my 2 year old, who simply views everyone the same, worthy of a flower, a smile and a few minutes of his time.

That is one story from a handful this week of things that have happened ‘along the way’. The van being broken has forced me to slow down, and through it I have had more time for things that really matter. I have still had just as many school runs, nappy changes, breast feeds etc to do but as I have journeyed between these many tasks I have heard from God and met with people in a new way.

I hope this encourages you to slow down where you can, speak to God more and ask for opportunities ‘along the way’ in your ordinary everyday life

Be blessed this week in all you do

Love Emma