Hi there! I am so honored to have
been asked to contribute to the Crosspoint Women’s blog. My name is Jodi
Shippey. I am married to an honorable man, Bryan Shippey, and have been blessed
with 3 amazing children: Scarlett (5), Carter (2), and Kirby (18 months). We
also have a baby on the way that will be here in late April. Before I jump into
sharing my story with you, I feel like you need to get to know me first! My
likes: farmer’s markets, flea markets, crafty things, Pinterest, home cooked
meals, country music, Texas A&M,
Dove chocolate, garage sales, good deals, sushi, horses, Diet Dr.
Pepper, football, and going on date nights with the hubs. Don’t you worry- I
have dislikes too: scary movies, unloading the dishwasher, cleaning the
bathrooms, hair (yuck), laundry…folding it and putting it away, and having too
many things to do on my to do list! Can any girl out there relate?!
Now on to my story. About a year
ago I felt the “God nudge”. Do you know what I’m talking about? That feeling
you get (and you know it’s not from your own thoughts) telling you gently to do
or say something that you normally wouldn’t? Well, I felt it. And felt it. And
felt it. Finally I decided to talk to Bryan about it. I was nervous, because to
be honest this conversation had already been had in the past and it didn’t turn
out so well. So with my guts gathered, I
said to Bryan “I think I’m supposed to be a stay at home mom” and then a couple
of months later “I think I feel God calling us to homeschool”. All the while my
patient husband had listened to my requests, dried away my tears, prayed with
me, and supported the nudges God had placed on my heart. We crunched numbers,
we saved money ahead of time, and we prepared ourselves by staying in God’s
word for the changes that we were going to face.
Fastforward to present day. I stay
at home, homeschool our oldest daughter, and love where God has placed me right
now. It’s a new season! A new chapter! A new beginning! I am a sponge right
now- soaking up all of these new experiences that I have never had before. The
joy of raising my own children, the patience being instilled in me as a person
through raising my children, the quiet moments I spend in God’s word getting
filled up for the day. Sharing Christ with my children, and emulating Christ to
my husband and others. My ministry is my family, my home, the people God has
placed before me on a daily basis. What joy I have!
God
nudged, and I obeyed. I hope my story can encourage you to obey, in whatever
season you are in. His plans bring pure joy, not ups and downs that come and
go. His plans are sure, steadfast, and can be trusted. He is the Rock on which
we stand- not shifting sand that causes us to lose our balance. Throughout my
new journey there have been several resources and mentors that I have pulled
close to for advice. The first, Jesus.
In my quiet time one day He led me to my “season verse” “Find rest, O my soul,
in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my salvation; He
is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 62:5. Do you have a “season
verse”? One that you cling to in this season that you are in? I like to write
mine down in a spiral so I can look back and remember the journey.
But
we all know that when things are going great usually that’s when Satan likes to
plan his sneak attacks. Oh, how I am a victim of them. You see, I have
struggled with anxiety since the age of 23. Fearing things that haven’t
happened just so I can have control over the situation. I thought “If I let go
of worrying, then I lose control of the situation. And I just can’t let that
happen”. I have battled this demon for almost 10 years. And I still struggle
daily. BUT- God is my Rock, my fortress, and nothing can take me from the palm
of His hand or separate me from His love. Yes- I think it’s safe to say that I
have something in common with Paul in that this thorn is in my side for a
reason and through it all God just asks that I allow Him to speak to me and
that I obey. He can make me strong and lead me through this life- thorns and
all! Really, I am grateful for this thorn, for it has kept me at the feet of
Jesus all this time. Without it, I think I would have gone astray.
Moms,
Grandparents, Aunts, Friends, Caretakers…never hesitate to share God’s love
with the those around you; especially children. They need to hear Bible
stories, they need you to pray with them and for them. You are the Jesus they
see when they are around you. God calls us to talk about Him day and night to
our children (Deut. 6: 5-9). Let’s listen to Him and obey what he nudges us to
do. It’s NEVER too late to be Jesus to our children, to our neighbors, or to
our family and friends (Colossians 4:5-6). God certainly blesses us when we
follow his lead, I know first hand about that!
Praise God! What an encouraging testimony of how the Lord works in our lives.
ReplyDeleteIn reality, staying at home and home schooling is the BEST thing a mom can do. There is so much evil influence in schools and out in the world, we need to establish strong hearts surrounded in God's love in our children... God knows what their future will be like... As we can see the deliniation lines between good and evil are being well defined in the world...
As a homeschool mom, I think it is important to note that it may not be the BEST for everyone. Homeschooling your children is definitely a calling. If you are not called to do it, trust that God will watch after your little ones. He always has a plan and purpose.
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