Every Day, In Small Moments, God is Calling You

My normal cooking strategy is to bang pots and pans around in the kitchen

until my actual-good-cook husband enters the space and says, “I’ll do the main meal. You just cut the strawberries.”

“Oh, that’d be awesome. Thanks.”

So I was not at all surprised when, with a living room full of lovely guests, I pulled my homemade strawberry rhubarb pie out of the oven to see it looking…well…sad. It’s like the kitchen knew my husband wasn’t home and in protest to this amateur trying to run the show, spit out a runny pie with an unevenly cooked crust.

I thought I can’t serve this mess!

So I secretly threw the pie away and pulled out some pre-made cookies.

Just kidding.

I dramatically declared, “Help me! Someone who knows how to cook – salvage this pie!” (Determination is my strong suit.)

So a friend granted my request (or demand?) and with much grace, fixed it all. But then she put her hand on my arm, lowered her voice, and said, “The pie I’m sure will taste great, but I can’t eat it.”

“Why?” (I assumed she was on a health kick, so her explanation surprised me.)

“I don’t know – I always get in a funk when my kids move up a grade. It bugs me how fast time moves. It’s crazy how close my kids are to launching. I hate it. It puts me in a slump. But I’ve found, if I avoid sugar and take lots of walks, that helps me move past this annual bout of depression.”

And there it was – my Sacred Gesture for the day. God calling me.

See, I think our Creator daily extends each one of us a Sacred Gesture. This just-for-us, unique gesture reminds us of both His presence and His gifts to us.

A friend with the courage to be vulnerable was that gift to me today. When my friend whispered I struggle with THIS, makes me know it’s safe to whisper back, Well, I struggle with THAT.

Vulnerability reminds us that people have depth and want to share their hearts and hear what’s really on ours. Women sharing real stories releases the grip of the illusion of perfectionism and reminds us that everyone has their moments of not being okay. Vulnerability creates a rich community that knows how to wrap its arms around each other.

My Sacred Gesture reminded me that one way God comforts us is through friendships.

But what about you?

Did something today remind you that God is calling?

A moody teen who leaned in when you threw your arms over his shoulder. Rainbows that shimmered in the bubbles as you scrubbed dishes. The smell of lilacs outside. The taste of the butter on the noodles you ate. A sweet text from a friend. A book that lit your heart on fire. The warm, cozy quilt flung over your legs as you read it?

Did you notice God calling you through a moment that sparked love, a second that gave you comfort, an instance that brought joy, a minute that shined beauty? Did you notice your unique Sacred Gesture today?

If not, pay attention. It’ll come. It might even stem from a failed strawberry rhubarb pie.

Did you notice #God calling you through a moment that sparked #love, a second that gave you #comfort, an instance that brought #joy, a minute that shined #beauty? Did you notice your unique Sacred Gesture today? #faith #motherhood #momlife Click To Tweet

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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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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.