The Mom Moment at Target When God Found Me

(Inside: See how God found me through an ordinary mom moment. See how some of the most extraordinary moments are disguised as ordinary.)

I knew what my oldest son wanted. His actions spoke for him.

He followed me around. He didn’t say much, just wouldn’t leave my side. If I left the room, he was close behind.

So I finally said, “Do you need some alone time with me?” His face beamed. “Do you want to go to Starbucks?” (I have my boys trained that Starbucks is a treat for them as well as me – one of my more brilliant parenting moves.)

Soon we were sitting in the small café in Target drinking warm coffee, hot chocolate, and eating treats.

He chatted non-stop. He told me how he wished he was better at math. He told me how he loves basketball, but not playing it in gym class because no one knows how to play and it is total chaos. (Well, unless he has one particular gym teacher who is best at getting a proper basketball game going.) He talked about school and friends and his brothers.

We then walked around Target to pick up a few things. We held hands. (Under the condition that if I saw any of his friends from school, I would let go of his hand. He then changed his mind, saying he thinks his friends in third grade just might still hold their mom’s hand.)

I love these kinds of sacred moments tucked in between the stress and chaos of everyday life. I feel God in them.

I feel God’s love as He transforms Starbucks and Target into magical places where I connect with my son. God reminds me that His love is so big that He filtrates even the smallest moments of life. He whispers to my heart…

I am here. Can you feel me? My love is here. It is in your everyday life.

I love you through people. I love you through sunny days and a light breeze. I love you by surrounding you with my beautiful creation. I love you through small moments that seem insignificant but put a smile on your face. I love you through good food and a place to go home to. I love you through joy, smiles, and laughter. I love you through giving you gifts and talents to share. I love you through goals accomplished and dreams to reach for. I love you by giving you hope.

I love you because I created you. And I am always here. Let go of some of your stress and busyness. Look for me. Notice how I show up. Notice how I love you.

No, I do not always seize the moment. I get busy, tired, distracted, or crabby.

But when I let myself be fully present in life’s small joys, when I connect with loved ones, notice everyday blessings, when I pause…and look…

I feel God’s love.

I’m reminded that we don’t always have to do something spectacular or go someplace special to see God. He meets us right here in the ordinary. Sometimes all we need to do is notice.

I love these kinds of sacred #moments tucked in between the stress and chaos of everyday #life. I feel God in them. Read on… #momlife #raisingkids #parenting #faith #hope Click To Tweet

Read the Full Build-Your-Faith-Through-Everyday-Momlife Series

Elijah’s my favorite. Elijah’s the Old Testament Prophet who went head-to-head with the Baal prophets to show who the One True God was. (Read more about that here.)

This man who experience God’s supernatural power, later found himself in complete despair, with shaken faith, depressed and anxious, trying to hear God’s voice. (Have you been there too?) 1 Kings 19:11-13 says:

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

When Elijah looked for God, he found Him. And God’s voice wasn’t in the wind, earthquake, or fire – it was in a gentle whisper.

Momma’s, God still speaks to us today. It’s deep inside of you, an inner knowing. I’d love for you to join me as I learn to discern that voice smack in the middle of my ordinary days.

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I wrote this article a few years back, but, friend – this is my current chapter in parenting…

You just dropped your kid off at practice, picked up another, and are trying to decide what to make for dinner. Your days are filled with work, parenting, and waiting for password reset emails.

You are parenting tweens and teens.

It’s an amazing life-phase, but also challenging in unique ways. In it all, you’d love a little encouragement to help you laugh, grow in faith, see parenting hacks, get ideas to connect with your kid, and celebrate the awesome momma you are.

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Cheryl Donely

Cheryl is a mom of 3 boys, wife, speaker, high school teacher, and author of Empowered Moms & Kids. She has a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and is passionate about learning and teaching. On www.empoweredmomsandkids.com you’ll find inspiration and encouragement for moms raising tweens and/or teens. Read more in the “about” section of this page.