What's The Difference?

What’s the difference between someone that knows Jesus and someone that doesn’t?  I think about this a lot as I interact with moms that don’t know Jesus.  I cannot imagine being a mom without Jesus.  Yet how often do I operate like one who doesn’t know Him?  I forget to claim His power.  I forget to claim His promises.  I carry on in my own strength.  I spin my wheels trying to find the right formula, method, reward chart… to make things go smoothly.  Time and again I fail.  Saturday morning my husband said, “you should go to the beach.”  My quick response was, “it’s ok, I have lots to do here.”  And a voice in my head said, “GO!”  I threw on some sweats and headed out to the ocean.  I was loaded up with my journal, Bible, and a book and when I arrived at the glorious ocean, I sat back in the car and fell asleep!  Not how I expected to spend my time at the ocean!  Once I woke up I decided I should get out and walk to keep awake!  From the book I was reading it said, “God says that when you call, he will answer.  The hard cases some of you are facing today – the answer won’t come from another seminar…. We have too many mere technicians who are only stressing methodology, and they are increasingly invading the church.  The answer is not in any human methodology.  The answer is in the power of the Holy Spirit.  The answer is in the grace of God.”  Although this book has nothing to do with parenting, I was struck at these words, relating them to how I’ve been searching for methods or parenting plans to help my littles.  And as someone who knows Jesus, I have so much more than methods, seminars, sticker charts… I have the power of the Holy Spirit within me and I can call on Him anytime.  As I walked on the beach I did something that sadly I don’t do often enough – I prayed for my children by name and offered specific requests for each one.  What’s the difference?  Oh, just the power of the Almighty God who created the crashing waves and has a perfect plan for me and my family.  Yea, the difference is that He dwells in me and has fully equipped me to succeed as a mom.  Do you know Him?  Do you rely on Him as your source for life?  If you do, then you know there is a big difference.