Last weekend I went with two friends to Lifeway’s dotMOM conference in Birmingham. I knew that I was in store for a wonderful weekend, but I had no idea I would walk away with so much knowledge. The information was invaluable and I learned so much about the kind of Christian woman and intentional mother I want to be. I’ve spent the last few days marinating on the words I heard and processing how I want to translate them into our lives. I’ve re-written my notes (mostly because I’m a nerd) and reviewed scripture. It’s amazing how your entire perspective on life can change in just under 48 hours. I’m not sure I can even begin to tell you all of the things I learned and how this weekend changed my life as a mother and a wife. I wish I even knew where to start! Instead, I thought I would share some of the most meaningful tidbits I learned throughout the weekend and hope that they are as perspective-altering for you as they were for me.
Day 1 / Session 1 / Jen Hatmaker
- Brave moms raise brave children. The Bible rarely encourages safety or control.
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Spiritual nourishment is perishable. In Exodus 16:1, God tells the Israelites to take only what they need for each day. She talked about the idea of God’s word as being “just enough/only good”. Manna from heaven sustained them in their daily labor and the message does just the same for us. We should receive God’s word every day to sustain our daily labor.
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Hebrews 4:9 and Mark 2, talk about the Sabbath as a day of rest and a gift for mankind. We are to protect the day even if our work isn’t done. It’s a day of assembly with believers, holy and required. It isn’t optional and we shouldn’t feel lazy or like we’re being anything less than diligent by setting it aside.
Day 1 / Breakout 1 / Dale & Jena Forehand
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The foundation of being a safe mate begins with your relationship and your safety found in the person of Jesus Christ.
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Be available, approachable, acceptable (we won’t always do things the same way), accountable and vulnerable.
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Marriage is for women (and men). If you marry as a girl (boy) you will still be a girl (boy) with a woman-sized (man-sized) problem.
Day 1 / Session 2 / David Thomas & Sissy Goff
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Kids learn from observation, not information.
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My girls will define themselves based on how I see them. How do I show affection? How do I speak to them? How do I teach them about Jesus?
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We don’t have to love the same things. They aren’t an extension of me. See them as their own persons.
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Figure out what God is doing in their lives and come alongside them.
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Girls who are delighted in will feel more delightful.
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Girls ask themselves two questions – “Am I too much?” and “Am I enough?”. How they answer these questions will be determined by how I see myself.
Day 2 / Session 3 / Vicki Courtney
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1 Timothy 3:1-4 warns against become narcissistic. It depicts an overwhelming center of selfishness and becoming more “in love” with ourselves.
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As Christians, we should be the polar opposite of narcissistic. We should be servants.
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The internet is consumed with the constant promotion of self.
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Kid-centric lives are in direct conflict with the mandate to live God-centric ones.
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Buying into the world’s idea of a good mom is NOT biblical.
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Our children will leave us one day, it’s inevitible. Begin letting them go immediately.
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Avoid making my children the center of my life. Don’t defer to their preferences, shower them with unnecessary gifts and never leave them behind.
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Stop guarding their “fragile” self-esteem. Romans 12:3 reminds us not to think any better of ourselves than we are. Point out their talents, but be honest. Call them out in their sin. Remind them it is okay to fail.
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Don’t rescue our child from poor consequences; it will teach them that the rules don’t apply to them. Don’t be a fixer, let them learn valuable lessons, let myself off the hook.
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Begin teaching them to put the wants and needs of other before their own, Proverbs 2:3-4.
Day 2 / Session 4 / Esther Burroughs
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I can do this by myself… but I don’t have to.
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Isaiah 49 says that God has tattooed us on the palm of his hand. He has imprinted my name on his heart and in his hands.
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The word of God isn’t magic, but it is mysterious.
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Pray for a mentor and then pray for the opportunity to mentor someone else. We all need each other and we need to feel needed.
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God doesn’t often shout. He whispers correction via friends and family. Our honesty sharpens each other.
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After we give something to God, stop trying to pick it up again.
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Fast from worry.
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God keeps every promise. He always follows through.
My favorite session of the weekend was a breakout session on Day 2 with Jen Hatmaker. I was most excited about hearing her speak and I took more notes from her one hour session that the rest of the weekend combined. She spoke on parenting the children we have and not the children we were. I’m not kidding when I say I hope it revolutionizes the way I respond and interact with my children. I’m still kind of processing what her message means in my life, but I’m planning to share it with you in more detail in the coming days.
The 2013 dotMom conference is already in the planning stages and you can find out more about it here. There will be one event in Dallas (February 2013) and one in Chattanooga (September 2013) and I strongly encourage you to register and attend if you can. Being surrounded by 1100 women worshipping together and baring their souls is an amazing thing. I’ve already written it on my calendar and can’t wait to see what all God prepares for me next year.
Kristin is married to her high-school sweetheart and the mother to two daughters. Professional by day and creative by night, she is a family lifestyle blogger who writes about faith, family, and fitting it all into a busy schedule. At Taz + Belly, you’ll find healthy recipes, children’s party ideas, tutorials, DIY projects, and more. Click Here to Read More About Kristin
