Full Transcript for Three Simple Rhythms that Benefit Moms, with author Heather Cook

--> 00:02:33.520 And I desired so deeply to be faithful and to grow spiritually. 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:40.000 But motherhood felt like it was getting in the way, and it made me so sad to think of it that way. 00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:43.199 And moms, maybe you felt that way too. 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:48.240 But what if motherhood isn't getting in the way of your relationship with God? 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:53.439 What if it's actually the place where He wants to meet you most? 00:02:54.639 --> 00:03:02.240 Jesus tells us in Matthew 11, come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:09.840 He doesn't say, Come to me when your home is quiet, or come to me when you figured out a routine. 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:12.960 He says, Come to me when you are weary. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:18.000 And I feel like in motherhood that carries so much weight. 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:27.840 So if you've been feeling behind spiritually or feeling distracted or like you're not doing enough, moms, I want you to hear this. 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:37.439 You are not failing God, you are not falling behind, and you are not doing this wrong. 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:50.080 One of the things I talk about in my book, A Pace of Grace, is the idea that many of us are living at an un the unsustainable pace. 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:59.039 We're living at a pace full of our expectations or our expectations that we feel others have put on us. 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:08.639 We live at a pace of comparison, and sometimes we're just living at a pace of survival, and we feel like we have no margin in our day. 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:10.879 And that's exhausting. 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:18.000 But Jesus invites us into something different, He asks us to abide in Him. 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:26.800 Abiding isn't adding more to your day, but staying connected to God in the day you are already living. 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:38.800 God isn't only found in our times of quiet, He's found in the kitchen when our dishes are stacked high, in the carpool line when that parent cut you off. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:47.839 In the middle of a toddler meltdown, when we just don't know how we are going to make it through dinner. 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:09.040 Even when you are so stretched and you don't know how you're going to have that. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:14.000 Those moments might feel small, but they are deeply significant. 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:21.279 And they are the small steps of surrender and trust that lead to a life of obedience in Jesus. 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:35.759 Faithfulness and motherhood often feel small and insignificant to us, but they are the things that God cares about most, the fruit that comes from a heart seeking the will of God. 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:38.959 This is a beautiful message. 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:46.079 And I know there are so many moms right now listening and just um feeling that encouragement of the Lord. 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:50.879 And I thank you for being here again, just to share this important message. 00:05:51.040 --> 00:06:00.240 Um, I know you do have three simple rhythms for moms, not as a to-do list, but as far as working with the Lord in this season. 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:03.120 What would you like to share with moms on that? 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:05.199 Yeah, absolutely. 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:08.000 I'm a very practical person when it comes to this. 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:11.120 I need to know, okay, how, how, how does this work? 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:11.519 Right. 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:15.199 And so um, my three steps um are super simple. 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:19.519 Like you said, they're not to-do lists, they're just to let God guide you in them. 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:26.639 So if any of these resonate with you, ask the Lord how to add them to your day and how to walk in them. 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:30.639 Um, but number one, release that all or nothing mindset. 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:37.839 If you don't have 30 minutes to sit with the Lord, that doesn't mean that you have failed to make margin. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:40.560 Five minutes with God matters. 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:44.399 30 seconds of honest prayer matters. 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:49.120 A quick moment of turning your heart towards God matters. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:51.759 Each of those things are so important. 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:56.639 Um, number two would be practice presence over perfection. 00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:05.120 So instead of trying to create this perfect spiritual moment, invite God into the moment that you're already in. 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:08.160 So you can even do a simple prayer. 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:11.120 God help me notice you right now. 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:15.920 I find myself sometimes saying, Um, God help me. 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:21.759 The God notice me or God let me notice you is so important. 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:26.240 And then number three, live in grace and not guilt. 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:37.199 So guilt will tell you that you're not doing enough, but grace reminds you that God is already near, his mercies are new every morning. 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:42.800 And if the day didn't go the way that you hoped, turn to God and try again. 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:46.160 So today I want to leave this with you. 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:48.079 You're not behind. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:53.759 God is not waiting for a better version of your life to meet with you. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:08:00.879 He is meeting you right here in the noise, in the mess, in the ordinary moments of motherhood. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:05.600 So it's just up to us to walk with him at his pace and not our own. 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:07.199 I love that. 00:08:07.439 --> 00:08:10.319 What a wise and encouraging message for moms. 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:13.360 Thank you so much, Heather, for being here and sharing. 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:23.759 And we serve a

good God, and that's one of the th many things I love about him is he doesn't expect us to have it all together before we come into his presence. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.720 He um he's right there with us in it all, and and that's such a blessing. 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:38.080 So before we close, Heather, please tell us a little bit about your book, A Pace of Grace, where to find it, and about your ministry, Live Beautiful. 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:39.360 Thank you. 00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:50.399 Um, A Pace of Grace is a book that was written out of um out of desire, out of desire to get to walk with the Lord in all things. 00:08:50.639 --> 00:09:11.200 Um, in the book, we talk about um the importance of identity and your foundation with God, um, what contentment looks like, thankfulness, why a godly character is important, um, what it looks like to walk in obedience, but also we talk about community and why that's important, why rest is important. 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:21.600 And then we go into different spiritual practices that help us, as I said, I'm practical, but it helps us to hear the father's heart for us. 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:26.080 And I'm just so blessed to have that message out in the world. 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:36.960 Um, you can find it anywhere books are sold, um, Amazon, uh, Barnes and Noble, Walmart.com, all of those um places you're able to find that book. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:37.759 Wonderful. 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:38.799 It sounds wonderful. 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:43.039 Was there a spark that inspired you to write this book? 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:46.000 The the um yes. 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:59.519 It was out of the necessity of wanting all of those things and and praying about um where to find them and just pulling so much information from so many wonderful, um, wonderful leaders. 00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:04.960 Um, and then taking it to the Lord on how how can we walk this out? 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:09.519 Um, and one day he just revealed to me, you're going to write a book. 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:16.000 And that is all of the notes over seven years is compiled into this, into this book. 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:17.360 Oh, that's wonderful. 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:19.919 And then you have a ministry, Live Beautiful. 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:20.639 I do. 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:24.639 Live Beautiful Ministries um is to encourage women. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:35.919 Um, I was a women's pastor for three years, and this um it's so deep on my heart for women to live in the authenticity of who God has created them to be. 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:40.799 Um, especially my heart is is especially mothers. 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:46.159 Um but yes, but any women and just how that practically looks. 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:48.559 So right now it's a it's a blog. 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:57.919 Um, there are resources on there of when when I feel the Lord asks me to share something, I will create a resource and put it on um the webpage. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:08.559 And hopefully in the next year or so, I will be offering um mentorship and counseling um as well as spiritual direction. 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:11.600 So that's gonna be on the horizon. 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:12.720 Well, wonderful. 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:14.879 We will link to all of that in the show notes. 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:16.960 So, listeners, be sure to check that out. 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:19.519 And thank you again for being here, Heather. 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:21.519 Well, that is it for today. 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:24.000 I pray this episode is a blessing to you. 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:28.240 Please like and subscribe to Five Minute Parenting so you never miss an episode. 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:31.440 And share this episode with someone you want to encourage. 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:33.039 Then come back next week. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:35.360 New episodes drop every Thursday. 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:37.360 Have a blessed week.