Titus Two Tips
"Train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." Titus 2:4-5 (NIV)
Last Wednesday night I had the privilege of speaking to a group of young moms for an event called Titus 2. The name comes from the second chapter of Titus, a New Testament pastoral letter written by the Apostle Paul. In this passage, Paul instructs Pastor Titus to teach the older women to in his congregation "be reverent in the way they live...so them they can train the younger women." Prior to the event, the young moms submitted several questions to be addressed:
How did you juggle everyday life, worship with your husband, worship as a family and quiet time?
How did you include your children in your own spiritual growth journey?
What seasons of life did you grow the most?
What encouragement can you give to those who feel they are in a slow or dry season?
What advice do you have for families who may be dealing with financial trouble, marital issues, unrealistic expectations of your children, father is/is not leading the family, stresses of staying at home with your kids all day?
How has having a child with special needs been an encouragement to your spiritual growth? And how can friends encourage a mother whose child has special needs?
Those are good questions and I would be the first to say that, apart from God's Word, no one person has all the right answers. I prefaced my remarks with an acknowledgment that the culture in which we're living has drastically changed in the last 35 years, BUT God's Word hasn't!
On Juggling:
I am still juggling! Working three days each week, parenting James Bruce, helping care for two aging Moms, investing in my grandchildren, teaching younger women...my list goes on and on. Yours does too! We never arrive at not juggling!
First things first – Bruce and I both strive to have our personal quiet times (prayer and Bible study) before the rest of our day begins. I call it "getting centered," laying my day before God and asking Him to direct my steps and stops, asking for His "grace and pace" throughout my day.
Commit to picking up your Bible BEFORE you pick up your cell phone.
Ask yourself throughout the day, "Am I building or am I tearing down?" Proverbs 14:1 says "The wise woman builds her house but the foolish tears hers down with her own hands."
Discipline your emotions and do your next thing." Elisabeth Elliot
Organize your chaos as much as possible. For me that meant
15 minute Family pick up drill after dinner each night
Easy “go to” meals – crock pot, timed bake, simple ingredients for one dish meals
Limit kids’ activities to 1 per season per child
Look for pockets of time in my day
Prepare- blankets, lawn chairs, tennis shoes, book or Bible & Bible study, notecards, etc. traveled with me for ball games and car pool
On Worship as a family
When all of our children were home we struggled with daily family worship except at Christmas & Advent. Using our Advent wreath, candles, songs, and Christmas stories gave us a regular rhythm & routine of family devotion that was harder to attain during the rest of the year. Now with James Bruce, we use YouTube each night and sing hymns with Amy Grant, Keith Green, Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Lauren Daigle and others. James Bruce loves music and when he sings, his face just lights up with pure joy. It's about as close to worship as I'll get this side of heaven.
What seasons of life did you grow the most?
Two seasons come to mind. The first season was when I was 25, living in a brand new town, not knowing a soul other than my husband and five week old daughter. A group of older women in our new church took me under their wings and not only helped me with my baby; they helped me with God's Word teaching me how to study it for myself. The second season of increased spiritual growth came with the suffering that began with James Bruce's birth and diagnosis. I've been somewhere on the "desperate, dependent, delivered, delighted" paradigm ever since, pressing hard into God, for all the wisdom, strength, and resources that I lack, but so desperately need.
Next time we'll look at the remaining questions but for now, who are you teaching or training? Who needs your encouragement, wisdom, or practical advice so that the word of God may not be maligned? The effective transfer of truth one generation to the next always occurs at the heart level nurtured in every day relationships.
"Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12