What Season of Life Are You In?

Recently, I saw a photo on the Stories for the Homeschool Heart Facebook page that had the following words:

Dear Mom,

Just in case you ever wonder…

The world says, “Children are a burden.”

God says, “Children are a blessing.”

The world says, “Try not to have more than two or three children.”

God says, “ Blessed is the man who has many children!”

The world says, “Children get in the way.”

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to ME.”

The world has diminished the high calling of motherhood to little more than a “stop-over” on the highway of life.

But God says that a wife of strong character is rare — she is worth far more than jewels! (Proverbs 31:10)

(Originally attributed to www.heidistjohn.com)

I was so touched by the words above that I immediately shared the photo with my Facebook friends (and quite a number of my mommy friends “Liked” it immediately). I thought it was no coincidence that I saw it on the same day that I had been convicted again to believe that my first and foremost calling at this particular point in my life is to be a wife and mother.

You see, earlier in the day, I was at a planning session with other members of the HAPI Core (HAPI stands for Homeschool Association of the Philippine Islands, which advocates home education in the Philippines). It was a fruitful and inspiring meeting and I felt so blessed again to be in the company of more experienced homeschool parents, who had made their families their primary mission fields. (While writing this post, I just realized that I wrote about my family being my mission field exactly one year ago! God must really be trying to tell me something!)

Before the meeting ended, Ate Irma, one of the Core members and a fellow homeschool mom shared that lately she had been feeling as if she was “spreading herself too thinly.” I wholeheartedly agreed with her because I feel like I am doing “too much” most days.

She also said that as much as she loved helping out with the HAPI Core, she realizes that her kids, though already in high school (and still homeschooled!) are still her main priority.

I was totally struck by her words. I was even more inspired when Edric, another Core member (a homeschool dad this time) shared about the time he and his wife, Joy, were able to talk to Bob Tebow, the father of the famous American football player, Tim Tebow (who was also homeschooled!). Bob was in the Philippines earlier this year to do missionary work.

Edric said Joy asked Bob if his wife, Pam, was involved in ministry work even when she was homeschooling their children. Bob said, “No.”

Then what Bob told Edric next totally made me say silently, “Awww… Lord, You’re really trying to tell me something, aren’t You?!”

He said (and I’m trying to remember it word for word), “We all have seasons in our lives. Pam’s season at that time was to be a homeschool mom — she was to pour out her life into our children.” Bob also shared that if ever Pam did ministry work, people were to go to their house, not the other way around.

He continued, “After a certain season is over, God will bring you to do wonderful things that no one else in the world could do.”

And that’s exactly what God did for Pam. Now that all her children are grown, she is in a different season altogether — she is now a sought-after speaker and pro-life advocate, impacting the lives of thousands of people, especially women.

Isn’t it amazing?

Ever since I heard Edric share about the Tebows, I’ve been asking myself, “How about you, Tina? What season are you in now? What (or who) should you be ‘pouring your life into’ at this point in your life?”

I’m giving myself until Christmas to really think, pray and discern what the answer is. Then I’ll let you all know.

What about YOU, dear reader? What season are you in now?

Whatever it is, I pray that you find the grace to rejoice in it and to embrace your current role. Because, believe me, there’s a great purpose behind it.