Any Given Moment
Hey Friends!
I am super honored to share an excerpt and a GIVEAWAY from the sweetest devotional by my friend, Sarah Molitor. It is called Any Given Moment.
Sarah is the amazing mom to 7 (6 of whom are BOYS!) over on Modern Farmhouse Family. She also wrote a fabulous book called Well Said (and we chatted about it on this podcast episode.) Her newest book will for sure bless you!
(Another fun fact: Sarah wrote the beautiful Foreword to my book, Becoming Homeschoolers.!)
See the bottom of this post to enter the giveaway!
New Vision: an excerpt from Any Given Moment, by Sarah Molitor
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” -Jeremiah 29:11-13
This day was years in the making. Like seven or eight years. I was probably turning thirty when I first desired to get surgery to correct my vision. I had been wearing glasses since I was nine and contacts since I was twelve, so I was used to my bad vision, but I was nearly half-blind without aid. When I heard about the possibility of laser eye surgery, I quickly began my research—which ended just as quickly when I found out that you can’t be pregnant or nursing (or within six months of either) to be eligible. We were happily in the middle of our childbearing years, so I put that idea on the back burner.
I waited patiently for when I could explore the possibility again. When I turned thirty-seven and a year had passed since our seventh child, Lucy, was born, I got examined again. Turns out the path to unaided great vision wouldn’t be as easy as I thought because my corneas are so thin. Who knew? I didn’t qualify for LASIK, the easier version of eye surgery. And I barely qualified for the alternative. As the doctors explained that alternative procedure and all the difficulties I would face in recovery, I thought to myself that they must not like making money because they were pretty good at convincing me my eyesight may be better left alone.
I went home unsure if the result I longed for would be worth the pain. My surgery was scheduled for three months out. Let me tell you, for those three months, I struggled! I went back and forth on all the pros and cons, and I almost canceled the procedure. The two days leading up to the surgery, despite all the research I had done, I felt such intense fear about the procedure, the pain that would likely follow, and the uncertainty of success. The fear gripped me to the point of tears. I even wondered, Lord, is this You showing me that this isn’t the right decision? But when I prayed, I realized that if I had qualified for LASIK, I would have done it in a heartbeat. I was experiencing fear of unknown pain, not fear of the surgery itself.
Fast-forward to surgery day, and I felt such a peace in that waiting room. The surgery took all of three minutes (and it was a fascinating experience). From there, it was just me and a few days of complete darkness and rest. As I was recovering from surgery and lying in the dark room to rest my eyes, I felt like the Lord spoke something so challenging to me but in such an encouraging, gentle way. Some of us have been going along in life with the same lenses for a long time, viewing the world with the same perspective. Maybe that’s you. I know it’s been me in various seasons. Early in my marriage, I got stuck in a rut of viewing only the negative parts of my husband. It was like I went into autopilot mode—only seeing things one way and not considering that maybe there was another way. Or I became comfortable with how I saw things because it kept my life comfortable, and I’d rather not be challenged to change. (Because we all know that being challenged often changes us—eek! That’s not always fun, is it?)
But here’s the thing. God wants to give us new sight—His sight. New vision—His vision. He wants us to view the world through the lens of His love, His order, and His plans (not to mention His boundaries, His freedom, and His forgiveness)! First Corinthians 13:12 says, “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”
Choosing that—intentionally choosing change—can be scary, right? It can be uncomfortable. Actually, it will be uncomfortable. So why would we put ourselves through that kind of pain? Because God’s vision for our lives is so much better than our own. I like that word completely at the end of 1 Corinthians 13:12. With God in control of our lives, we will never see the same way again. We will see completely when we rely on Him. Instead of putting on our rose-colored glasses each morning, we begin to see with clarity. Instead of looking to social media or people’s opinions, we look to the Word of God, knowing it speaks truth and gives us a heavenly perspective on how to live. And we don’t even need to go through surgery to get there. We just need to be willing to say, “God, give me Your eyes for my life, my family, my job, my relationships, this world! Help me to see like You see and turn my eyes to the things that matter most!” Sure, it might be uncomfortable for a while. But discomfort is temporary compared to what God has for us in this life and in eternity.
Let’s walk forward into this week asking the Lord to show us any areas where we aren’t seeing in the way He wants us to see. Then let’s take it one step further and ask the Lord to help our vision change so we can see the way He does.
Pray
Dear Lord, sometimes it is so hard to step outside my own perspective. But you see a bigger picture than I do, and You know me better than I know myself. I don’t want to be robbed of the joy, the goodness, or the bigness of the plans You have for me just because I’m unwilling to change or see things differently. Help me take my eyes off myself and my wants and turn them to You. Give me new vision and clarity for the path You have planned for me. You direct my steps, and I want to make room for Your direction. Forgive me for times I’ve tried to force things that aren’t of You, Lord, instead of letting You lead. Thank You for Your good plans ahead. Lord, I ask that this week would be a restart, and even if it’s a little uncomfortable, please help me trust You in the process. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Sarah Molitor is a wife, mom to seven kids, and author. She has a passion for serving others and enjoys authentically and consistently engaging with her growing social media community, where she encourages, challenges, and inspires women daily. Sarah connects with individuals all over the world, frequently sharing bits of her family, home, and everyday life. She loves candy (but dislikes chocolate) and finds extra joy in homeschooling and in hosting others. Find her website here or on Instagram here!
This devotional is packed with so many relatable and encouraging topics. I encourage you to order a copy now!
But you can enter to win a copy by answering one or both of the questions below in comments! ( I’ll announce two winners next Wednesday, May 13th!)
- When is a time the Lord corrected your “vision” and helped you to see something in a more accurate light?
- Where are you currently needing God’s direction in your life? (I’d love to pray for you as I read the comments!)
- (GIveaway only available for US residents.)
Thank you for. being here! 💖
1. The Lord corrected my vision and helped me to see things in a new light when my sister faced her own death. She wasn’t afraid and when others asked her, “Why you Melanie?” She simply said “Why not me?” This showed me how much she loved the Lord. She knew she would miss us and was going to miss out on a fabulous chapter in her life. But it couldn’t get better than being in Heaven.
1. When my mom was diagnosed with stomach cancer very suddenly less than 3 weeks ago. It shifted my perspective… life is too short. You see life in a softer light when that happens.. I had no idea she was so sick and she’s only 59.. I’m 39.
2. Direction would just be loving on my family at this time who’s been kind of pushing me away…
Back in 1995 I experienced severe anxiety for about 6 months (not one wink of sleep for days on end- I couldn’t shut my brain off) due to 3 rounds of a medication that causes anxiety (didn’t know at the time). It was a panic attack that lasted for weeks with no end in sight. When a counselor asked me if I thought about hurting myself I then contemplated ending my life to escape my thoughts and get away from the constant negative reel in my brain.
All the different tools that helped me recover and get back to “normal” opened my eyes to mental health issues. Before this experience my attitude about others was just think positive and get over it. I truly did not understand what other people went through until I had my own journey with mental health. I thank God for every blessing he poured out to me during this time and truly would not change this time period even though it was the most horrific time of my life (if you’ve experienced severe anxiety/depression you understand) it made me a much more humble, caring, and take nothing for granted person. I have empathy for those on the mental health journey- the brain is an organ of the body that can function improperly for an assortment of different reasons and get sick just like all the other organs of our body.
My prayer and why I share about my mental health journey is to help others come out “alive” on the other side! Please reach out to someone, share what you are going through, know that God is with you, and don’t be ashamed to seek help! You are valuable and worthy and recovery is possible!
I need direction in finding a good oncologist.
Currently looking to God for guidance in my career. Went through a massive change 4 years ago and still not feeling entirely connected or appreciated in my new place of employment. Change is hard but waiting for God to lead can be even more challenging.
Just this past Sunday I had to pray to ask God to help me. I was having negative thoughts about my husband and wanting to push my agenda and control the situation. The Holy Spirit helped me see the error of my way and to stop and let go and give my husband the benefit of the doubt. Coincidentally our older son is having a hard time giving his younger brother (who has special needs) the benefit of the doubt. Later in the day on Sunday we had a conversation on changing his perspective about his little brother and how we need the Holy Spirits help to see others the way God does and love them they way He does. These two fight the most within the house and it pains me that my oldest son isn’t more loving of his brother. He always views him in a negative light. This is our biggest prayer request and challenge at the moment where we need Gods direction.
Every day I need God’s direction in my marriage and with raising my teen boys. For my marriage of 21 years, we are in an incredibly difficult and complicated season right now. Without going into much detail, it has negatively impacted the boys. However, many are praying for our family, for next steps and direction in terms of what to do and where to go. God helps me each day by giving me the supernatural strength I need to carry on and to try to find joy in every day moments, to love the boys the best I can.
I retired early from my job of 32 years to help raise my sweet little granddaughter. I pray for direction in guiding her to Jesus and a biblical world view. Currently I’m reading a book entitled grand parenting, strengthening your family and passing on your faith.
I’m learning that being a grandparent means a lot more than just spoiling our grandchildren. What I want most is to leave her with a legacy of faith and a love of Jesus.
God used a college recommendation letter to reset my view of my son, as I, too, had tunnel vision to see only the negative.
I, daily, need God’s direction in my marriage and my parenting/homeschooling. It’s easy to get caught up in the uproars of life especially as (though it’s a great blessing) you’re with the minions day in and out without the break of sending them off somewhere else for 5+ hours. Again, this is a great blessing and I’d have it no other way!! This is also why I need to rely on God every moment or I can’t keep my head or heart on straight!
Question #1) My vision in my life was ‘corrected’ when caring for my mom during a time just after my dad passed sort of unexpectedly, and my mom was in hospice at home for cancer. I realized how much I truly needed them.
Question #2) My oldest son and his wife’s 1st child, a boy, was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum and their 2nd, also a boy, is nonverbal. So far, at any rate. he’s 18 months. My husband and I have been doing a lot of praying.
Loved reading this excerpt from the book- so timely for our family! The Lord actually very recently corrected our vision as we are accepting that our oldest child has autism. He is level 1 (high functioning) and we were in denial for quite some time. As we have come to grips with the reality of being a special needs family, the Lord has been so kind to shift our perspective. He has allowed us to see His hand in all of this especially through putting amazing people into our path to help us as we navigate what the future will look like. We need His continued direction in figuring out what schooling model will most allow our son to thrive (he is currently attending an incredible hybrid homeschool model not too far from our home). We would also love prayer to strengthen our marriage and help us to be very intentional with our time with our 2 younger children as well so they never feel less than despite our oldest often needing extra time/attention.
The Lord has corrected my vision of others many times. He’s called me to see the good person God wants me to see and to seek to understand and offer forgiveness when necessary. He is working on and with me every day, and I’m so grateful.
The lord has helped me in choosing a school for my son. Im Currently needing the lord’s direction in my parenting and preparing for baby #4.
My family and I are in a big season of transition right now, we felt the Lord call us to move back to Missouri from Indiana, where we had lived the last 9 years and had three of our four kids, to be closer to family. It felt impossibly hard to leave the community we had in Indiana to start new in Missouri but it also felt right and we knew the Lord was calling us to it and that he would be with us every step of the way. Though this process the Lord grew our faith in so many ways and he also gave me new vision to see how he is sovereign over every little detail, and also how he doesn’t need us to come to him once we are good but in our brokenness he just wants us to come to him wherever we are at. Right now specifically we are praying for direction on where to rent an apartment or a house as we are living with my in-laws as we wait for the Lords direction. Thank you for your prayers ❤️
Some months ago I got laid off, I love God, my husband, my kids, church, but life was turning heavy and heavier, hard to keep up with all the things that come with being a mom. Being laid off opened my eyes that I needed to rest in order to lead my family, I believe this was the perfect plan from God to give me rest, and enjoy again my family and life. While I am still looking for another job, I have my faith in God, that He will provide a job and still having rest and energy and the fun part to lead my family.
We are needing the Lord’s direction for this next phase of life now that our kids are all school-aged. We need His help for how we best invest this season of marriage, parenting, serving in the church, community, our families of origin…the list goes on. And it seems as though we are constantly coming back to the question – are we in the place the Lord wants us to be or does He want us to be (physically) somewhere else?
Reading this resonated so much with me! I too had PRK done versus the more common easier LASIK procedure. I had to wait until after I was through child bearing years as well. Reading this I remembered the fear because you never hear PRK and I remember thinking why am I so lucky to always get the short end of the stick. Fast forward to 3 days post surgery 3 days and my little one (2at the time) I had just taken the lady bug eyes off (you know what these are if you have the procedure). She climbed up on my tummy all sweet and says,” mommy are your eyes feeling better?” And proceeds to poke me in the eye and scratch it. I literally had to go back to the Dr and he said if I had done LASIK on you she would have probably ripped off the flap and we would be having a very different conversation. At that moment I knew I knew God had me and that even though PRK was the “short stick” it was the better stick for me and I need to trust the sticks God gives me in my life wether they are short or they are long they are always good.
Praying for direction for schooling for our 3 boys for next year. We’re considering becoming homeschoolers (😉 I’ve read your book twice) but there feels like a lot going against us to be able to logistically and financially do it.
1. Prior to my faith maturing, i used to be MAD when someone passed away. Working in oncology, i deal with it routinely. Now, i bring up faith/salvation with my patients, and can smile through the tears when they take their last breath, knowing their last breath on earth is their first in heaven. And THAT is something worth celebrating.
2. Currently seeking God’s direction for next steps for our family- family growth, relocation and careers.
Continuing to lift you & your family in prayer as you celebrate your dad’s life.
I’m having eye surgery next Wednesday to repair damage left from an assault by my DIL in February. I need help to accept the result of the surgery whatever the outcome may be. I am hoping for at least a little vision. That would be much better that the no vision I have had thus far. And, a decrease in the shrinkage of my eye. I could use the prayers of all of your followers before my surgery .
I have learned that taking care of my body with what I eat and strength training dramatically impacts the way I’m able to show up for my family. I’m still learning to balance not making my body an idol. Steward it well but don’t make it about me.
hi….my name is Helen guidry… I’m answering number 2….I sent my answer in an email….I need God’s guidance in every aspect of my life….short version of what I wrote to you in my email…I am in my Bible every day…..
trusting God with my son,s future and trusting God made him for a purpose and not to harm him.
God can corrects us every day in my opinion I do a lot of mistakes as a parents or single parent and I hear God everyday telling how to approach think in different ways but I never give up.
I need prayers as I am going in difficult time being single mom with 5 children with behavioral problems I struggle but never get a break I don’t give up on my
Kids even when I am falling apart.
How to keep persevering and being joyful through hard times. 😢