Humility: A Mom’s Secret Weapon, with Kristen Wetherell

If you feel under-appreciated, over-extended, or deeply discouraged about your responsibilities to your family, don't miss this Grounded episode with guest Kristen Wetherell. 

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Episode Notes

Humble Moms: How the Work of Christ Sustains the Work of Motherhood by Kristen Wetherell

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Dannah Gresh: Hey, good morning, friend. If you feel underappreciated, over-extended. over-tired, or discouraged about your responsibilities to your family, this Grounded episode is just for you. I'm Dannah Gresh.

Erin Davis: Woo! This Grounded episode must be just for me because man, am I tired after Easter weekend. I'm Erin Davis. I'm gonna go ahead and encourage you if you're watching if you hear my voice, hit that share button because I am convinced this episode is not just for those of us with tired eyes this morning. This episode is for every single woman.

Dannah: Yeah, you're having a little bit of too much Easter yesterday, Erin. 

Erin: Too much Easter.

Dannah: But it was good. I feel like it's in my spirit to still say, “He is risen!”

Erin: Amen! He is.

Portia Collins: Amen.

Dannah: You’re supposed to say …

Erin: He is risen indeed. Or, just as He said. Either one is good. 

Dannah: Just as He said. Hey, you know this episode is for every single woman. I think if you're a mother of toddlers, you know that they sneak into your bathtub. Right? Maybe not literally, but at least their fingers under the door for sure. 

Erin: And your bed. 

Dannah: Yeah, you don’t know till you're a mother my age with which we shall not say the number actually . . . 

Erin: The age shall not be the age revealed. 

Dannah: We shall not be spoken of. And your children are adults, they sneak into your brain in your bed at night. You can still feel some of that. I think what I feel sometimes is overextended. So do stick around if you're a mom of adult children, because you're gonna need this today, too.

Portia: Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. And just in case you are new here, let us just say welcome. We are so glad that you are watching or listening. Grounded is a production of Revive Our Hearts. And we are here to give you an infusion of hope and perspective.

Erin: We sure are. I hope there are women who are new here. If that's you, man, be sure and tell us in the comments. That gets us really excited. But I also know we have ladies who watch faithfully week after week and listen faithfully. And Portia, the people are asking for your cornbread recipe. We mentioned it last week. And they were quick on the keyboard to say I need the recipe you shared that you'd be making it for Resurrection Sunday. Did you? How did it go? And can you share with the women who are inquiring your secret cornbread recipe?

Portia: So, I actually didn't make it yesterday because my sister-in-law served us yesterday. So, she made it. 

Erin: Nice.

Portia: But I'm gonna give y'all this recipe. But listen now, y'all cannot tell my mama that I gave this away. I hope she's not watching today, because this is a family secret. Okay, so it's two cups of cornmeal. We're dropping this in the chat. It's a half cup of self-rising flour, one egg. And listen, this is the ticket, one stick of real butter.

Erin: Real, real butter. That's real butter.

Portia: Real butter, and this is a real key. When you're preheating that oven to 400 degrees. I drop that stick of butter in that cast iron skillet because that's what you need—a cast iron skillet. 

Erin: So, you can get that sizzle sound. 

Portia: Yeah, well, here's the thing: let it stay in that oven and melt down. And while you're mixing up your other ingredients, let it melt all the way down and right before you put that mixture into the cast iron, take that butter and pour it into the mixture and give it a nice little swirl and then put it into the cast iron and watch how that that cornbread comes out. You go back in about 15 or 20 minutes, basically until it rises up and pulls from the side. And that picture you see is how it will come out.

Portia: Okay, I'm done. I need to go make myself some of Portia’s cornbread. Excuse me, that's it for the day for me. That real butter is not a joke. That is the secret right there. And if you really want it to be awesome, use European butter. Because I learned the hard way that American butter has a whole lot of water in it to replace the fat. And over in Europe, they don't do that. They keep all the fat in the butter, and it makes it so much yummier.

Erin: I’m in. 

Dannah: You're welcome. I just changed your life. 

All right, guys. Do you know what charcuterie is? 

Erin: No. 

Dannah: Okay, so that was what was on my table, my Resurrection Sunday table yesterday. It's a part of the Passover feast. I attended a Passover Feast at my friend's home. And charcuterie is a mixture of fruits and nuts. It's meant to help the faithful Jews remember the material they used to make the brick and mortar in hard servitude. 

I am telling you if you have never done a Passover dinner, you will always look at Easter differently once you have. It was good stuff, but my ingredients were quite different on my Passover dinner table were little bit strange.

Erin: I bet they were. 

Dannah: Yeah, they were speaking of ingredients. What would you say is the secret ingredient when it comes to loving your family well?

Erin: I’m still stumped. 

Dannah: Downtime? 

Erin: I think just time. 

Portia: Patience.

Erin: I got like a whole heavy dose of patience.

What about you, Dannah? What would you say?

Dannah: Well, I'm not even gonna say because I'm gonna let our guests today say what the best essential ingredients are. The guest today is Kristen Wetherell. She is a delight. She's been with us before. You know that if you were with us when she was. She says the secret ingredient to joy-filled parenting is, you ready for it? Ready? Humility.

Erin: Woo! That's harder to find than English butter.

Dannah: Yeah, you're right. And it really does. It's something that applies beyond parenting to anyone who has anyone they need to love consistently. And that's all of us, right? So, I can't wait to unpack that with her in just a few minutes.

Erin: Me too. Joy McClain is also with us. She's going to help us get grounded in God's Word in just a minute. So go ahead and grab that Bible. Have it handy. But before we get to Kristen, before we get to Joy, we need some good news. So, Portia, give us something to smile about.

Portia: Oh, you know, I will. 

Well, I want to talk about some good news. That's actually the good news. Around the world, we're seeing a renewed interest in evangelism, and basically meaning Christians telling those who do not know Christ about the hope found in Jesus. 

First, I want you to turn your attention to Centralia, Illinois. And if you don't know where that is, because I did it, don't worry. It's a little, small place—a little, tiny speck on the map. It's a farming community around 12,000 people. And there's a tiny, little church there that had about 40 members, 40 people in attendance before COVID shutdowns, all right. And then when the restrictions were lifted, the pastor, like many pastors here in America, expected a flood of people to fill his church . . . but they didn't come. 

So, he switched gears. He started focusing on evangelism. He gave the people who were attending simple marching orders: share the gospel with every person at every opportunity. And so instead of focusing on getting people into the church doors, he encouraged his people to get people to go out into their homes, to get into the homes of others, to boldly share the gospel. And guess what? They did. Get this: more than 100 people have accepted Jesus as their Savior, and almost as many have been baptized. Like, I'm just floored when I think about this. 

And so as the big C, capital C Church grew, this little church grew too. Their Sunday morning attendance went from about 40 people to 120. And that just shows us that telling people about Jesus really does make a difference. And it's not just happening in Illinois. A few weeks ago, more than 1,600 students gathered in Davis, Oklahoma to be equipped to share the gospel with their friends and family who don't know Jesus. 

You know, one recent survey from the International Mission Board reported a 62% increase in new believers and an 81% increase in baptisms, and get this, more than 80,000 new churches have been planted. Listen, there is plenty of news in the headlines. We know some of it is just discouraging. But we know that God is still at work, and He is using His people to reach the lost and all of the chaos and confusion of the past two years. You know, God is using all of that, and he has given some followers of Jesus, like me, fresh passion to win the lost and in places like Centralia, Illinois, and Davis, Oklahoma, and honestly all around the globe. The challenges of these days have created an opportunity for the gospel to go forward and live to be changed. And guess what my friends? That is some good news.

Dannah: That is good news, Portia, my friend, thank you, you know, we do need to look at this time as an opportunity. It's an opportunity to show our faith. I have a Post-it note on my desk, it says, “This is an opportunity to praise not to panic.” And we need to have eyes of opportunity in these kinds of fearful times. 

A woman that's going to give us some hope and perspective for mothering in these unusual times is our guest, Kristen, Wetherell; she's in the house today. She's my friend, and the author of a brand-new book, Humble Moms: How the Work of Christ Sustains the Work of Motherhood. It just released last week. Kristen, I know how hard it is to bring a book into this world. So, I hope you will think of this as your book baby shower today.

Kristen Wetherell: Thank you. That is so true. Thank you.

Dannah: We are celebrating you. All right, what do you love most about being a mom, Kristen?

Kristen: Oh, you can’t ask me that question. That's hard. I think it's that my children are always surprised and curious by the things that I get so bored with all the time. 

Dannah: Hmm.

Kristen: Our kids are just constantly enjoying the same the things; whereas, we get bored with the same things . . . including motherhood sometimes, right. So yeah, I think I am learning a lot from them about what it looks like to enjoy what God has given. It’s been so fun.

Dannah: The wonder of literalized. I see that in my twin grandbabies. It's so good to learn from them how amazing and wonderful this world is. 

Okay, I want you to get out of this. Take us to a time when you were just going through the motions of motherhood. You weren't enjoying it. You weren't loving it. You were doing all the right things as a mom, maybe. But was there ever a time when your heart wasn't into it? Please tell me the answer is yes and that I'm not the only one that has had an experience like this.

Kristen: Sister, yes, the answer is yes. I mean, this whole week, we were all sick. And you can kind of hear it in my voice right now. I'm still recovering. But I mean, there is just nothing, I shouldn't say nothing . . . There are few things more humbling than your plans being boarded, when you have Easter Sunday approaching. I'm also not great at sitting still. And that's something the Lord has really been helping me with. 

But, there are a few things more humbling than the Lord saying, “What's happening this week?” And we all just got really sick. Suddenly, all of your plans get cancelled. You can't cover up the insecurities of motherhood with playdates and other plans. You're in your house with your kids. You can't really see anybody because you don't want to share your germs. And it's winter in Illinois. While it's technically spring, it feels like winter still. And so, you can't really go outside. It's humbling, because it just feels like, “Lord, I don't want to do this. This is not what I want.”

Dannah: What an honest admission. 

Kristen: Yeah. There's just there's nothing wrong with turning on the TV when your kids are sick. But it's just so easy to do that.

Dannah: I understand. I have been there. Kristen, what's helpful for you when you get to moments like that? What helps you to address what's going on in your heart so that you can really enter into the fullness of motherhood?

Kristen: Well, you mentioned earlier Dannah. You said, what's the key to loving your kids? And we said, it's humility. But if the other women listening are like me, they wonder, Whoa, I don't have that. Like I don't. I don't have enough humility. So, the answer truly is union with Christ. Because He's the humble one. 

And so, I'd love to just encourage us from God's Word here this morning from Philippians. 

Dannah: I would love that. 

Kristen: Paul's going to talk here about union with Jesus and how He is the humble one. So, Paul says,

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit [how do we do that?] but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:2–11)

So, I mean, we could unpack so many things in this wonderful passage. But I think the thing that I've been trudging up in my heart so much is that I don't have to conjure up humility on my own strength. It says, have this mind, which is yours in Christ Jesus. So, if, if we moms, if any of us have, have trusted in this work of Christ, that He truly humbled Himself, He became flesh in order to die in our place, so that our sins would be removed from us. So, we could have resurrection life, what we just celebrated.

If we're united to this Jesus, and His humility is ours, the very spirit of Jesus lives in us. And so, I don't have to conjure up humility on my own. But I can ask Him and say, “Lord, You are the humble One. You have been beset with weakness. You probably lost Your voice at one point. You walked the earth.”

Dannah: Yeah, right. 

Kristen: So, not only know what it is to go through hardship and to hurt and to wonder what is happening around you, but You were willing to die, so that I would have hope, instead of my own perplexities and motherhood and challenges. It's really good news.

Dannah: Yeah, it's such good news. And you know what, Kristen? It's not a message that you're going to hear. In the world today you're going to hear moms need a bubble bath, moms need timeout, moms need a career change. Do what you need so that you're happy so that your needs are met, so that you're fulfilled. Then you're going to find this place that you're going to finally arrive and be able to do motherhood better because you're doing it in a way that works for you. 

And you're saying that no, that doesn't reflect the heart of Jesus Christ, who gave absolutely every ounce of Himself, literally, in His death for us. And that's the way we want to approach serving others, whether it's our toddlers, our 20-year-olds, or our coworkers. That's the way we should show up in life. 

And honestly, we can't do that without Jesus. But I want to ask this. It is a hard question, devil's advocate kind of question because there's probably a mom listening who's like, “I really do need a bubble bath.” So how has understanding the humble heart of Jesus helped you to engage your heart into motherhood on those hard days?

Kristen: I think what you said is really important. Jesus took the time to get away and pray by Himself. And we need that too. You know, there's nothing wrong with enjoying God's good gifts. There's nothing wrong with seeking rest. 

But I think it's in the moments when it seems like the physical rest isn't coming and you're wondering, Where do I go? I think that is where it is so helpful for us to be for our minds and our hearts to be constantly renewed in the truth of Scripture. Because what you said Dannah about the world's idea of motherhood of rest of what it means to be fulfilled. That is still dwelling within our own hearts, even as believers, the temptation. This is why Paul says to do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit. It's because that's what I that's what my flesh wants.

Dannah: Yeah. 

Kristen: And so, I think to fight against that we have to have better news. We have to have the truth of Jesus's words stored up in His Spirit through His Word. The Spirit gave Paul these words to record for us. And so, my encouragement both to myself day in and day out and to other women is you are you dwelling in the Word of Christ. I realize sometimes that's not going to be our long, luxurious ordeal. Sometimes it's like you're snacking along the way, but we need God's Word. We need it to transform our hearts because we're in a fight against the flesh, and only Jesus can help us. 

Dannah: And you know what I find, ironically, as I enter into the pouring out of myself, I am refreshed because Jesus does show up for me, I've been soaking in the story of the feeding of the 5,000 with the loaves and the fishes.

I didn't realize that before that story, the disciples come and say, we've been taking care of your people and we haven't had time to eat, Jesus. I never saw that part. I was like, How like a mom that we never have time to eat. I just had my Easter gathering for my husband’s side of the family. I never got to eat that day.

Jesus says, “Come away with me” to the disciples, which sounds great. until you know all those thousands of people show up and say, “Hey, we saw you guys out here in the field, and we’re hungry.” And yeah, Jesus says, you even here in your exhaustion with five loaves and two fish, you have what you need, because you have Me. They got to see the glory of God unfold.

What if we anticipated that in our mothering and our grandmothering? What kind of change would that bring to our hearts? In fact, let me ask you, what kind of change has it brought into your heart? Kristin, as you have focused on the humility of Christ and brought it to your mothering, how has it changed things for you?

Kristen: Well, I'm just so glad that you said that, Dannah. My prayer at the beginning of this week, when I saw all of us going downhill was, “Lord, show Yourself to be strong because I don't have it in myself.” And I got to say, it was so joyful to watch Him show up. And that doesn't mean He took it away. We were all sick. But I think it enabled me to abide in Him as Jesus talks about in John 15. I think I was just more aware of His presence with us. 

I think it made me more prayerful—not like an hour long, classic prayer, but praying without ceasing, just like breathing throughout the day. I think it made me more aware of answers to that prayer along the way. And when we when we praise God and thank God, He gets glory. You know, the heavenly places are watching, even if nobody else sees you're in your house, alone with your kids. Who else sees God getting the glory? The heavenly places are seeing, you know, your kids are watching. And so, it's not always anything super tangible. But I think that the Lord shows up when we ask Him to. Jesus said, “You don't receive because you don't ask.” 

Dannah: Yeah. 

Kristen: I often wonder if we don't ask Jesus because we don't actually believe that He's gonna give what He says He'll give—like true joy, not just the joy of feeling one day, but true joy.

Dannah: So good. Oh, yeah. I love it. Kristen, you're saying that last week when you didn't have enough strength, that He multiplied the strength for you?

Kristen: That's right, like the loaves and the fish. Amen. Yeah.

Dannah: Amen. Well, sometimes I ask our guests to pray. But I think I'd like to pray for you and every mom like you, who's working through those hard days right now. And I want to promise you this, Kristen, as a mom of adult children and grandmas. I remember times like that when everybody was sick. And you know, I don't remember how hard it was. I just remember how sweet it was to cuddle with my children. So, keep cuddling. Keep asking the Lord for strength, and let Him to redeem all these hard days.

Father God, I just pray for Kristen. I pray for You to strengthen her body and her voice, strengthen her children. And Lord, I'm not just praying for Kristen right now. I'm praying for every mom listening to my voice right now. Whether she's just got a brand-new baby, and she's exhausted because she hasn't had sleep for weeks. Or whether she is a mother of an adult child, maybe a prodigal Lord, and she's losing sleep because she's in prayer, begging for You to show up. Will You be their strength today? And may they enter into the pouring out of their hearts with humility in the way that You entered and pouring out Your life for us? And may they find that You multiply their resources, their strength, their joy, their tenderness, their compassion, in that place, and the mighty name of Jesus, I ask this. Amen. 

Kristen: Amen. Thank you. 

Dannah: Your tears are beautiful. I love you sweet girl. Thanks, Kristen. She's the author of Humble Moms, you can find that book at your favorite place to purchase books today.

Erin: Man, what is more humbling than a house full of sick people and being sick too, because the mama doesn't get to rest. So, she's walking out what she's teaching us. I appreciate that. 

Hey, Joy, McClain, you might not know who she is, but she might be the reason you are hearing my voice right now. Joy heads up the Grounded prayer team. And I mean, these are women who pray. She is fiercely committed to praying for women to be drawn to this program. She and I were texting recently about some really challenging circumstances that she and her family are facing right now.

I wanted her to share are about parenting adult children. I'm not there yet. It was exciting and encouraging to me what she shared. But what she shared with me about parenting adult children made me text her back and say, hey, will you be on Grounded? I want to bring this conversation to those women we've been praying for joy. You are a Grounded friend and champion. Let the ladies know where should they turn to in their Bibles this morning?

Joy McClain: Oh, they're going to be turning to 2 Corinthians chapter one. We're going to read that together in just a moment. Thank you, Erin. 

You know, motherhood was God's idea. It's His design. Actually, Jesus had a mother. God could have chosen to step down among us and dwell among this anyway. He's God after all, but he chose through a young girl to be nursed and nurtured by her. So, God understands mothers. He designed motherhood, and we are nurturers at heart. 

Kristen, you know the difficulty of her family being sick. And with my children, when they were little, we hushed the cries, we stifled the fears. We attempted to bandage the wounds, and it doesn't change when they grow older. It just gets bigger with problems and more difficult and sleepless nights. Again, because we are praying, we are hoping, we're lamenting and languishing for our children, the situations that they're in. And sometimes there is no bandage that can stretch across the pain that our children or our grandchildren are experiencing.

Last summer, two dear beloved families that are so precious to me, lost two children. So, within 24 hours, I attended two funeral services for two infants. It was staggering the grief and the loss. And at the time, all I could think of was how are these mothers getting through? It was by the compassionate strength of God. And that's what we're going to turn to 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, read that with me. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Again, that was 1 Corinthians chapter one, verses three through four. 

Eve, the mother of all living wore what I call Mama suffering. She was the first to weep over the death of a son and anguish over the terrible violence of another. And there was another Mary, the mother of Jesus, when he was mere days old, she was warned that a sword would pierce her soul. And indeed it did. 

We just came off Resurrection weekend. Last Friday, Good Friday, we were contemplating the sufferings of Christ. You realize there was a momma there watching, suffering sorrow we cannot fathom or imagine, as her grown Son took my sins, your sins, your children or grandchildren. There was the silence of the grave. The silence of death, the waiting, the wondering what now? Where have You gone? But Sunday came and there was a resurrection. 

You know one of the statements that's recorded in the Word of God was Jesus speaks to His mother. And He made sure that the apostle John is going to be taking care of her. Jesus understands motherhood. He understands your suffering. 

Maybe as a mother right now you're feeling like it's Friday. There's suffering, it's dark, you don't see any way out. You're watching your child, perhaps your grandchild suffer through health issues, financial, drug issues, heart and hard issues that you think might be the end. Maybe it's Saturday for you, and it's waiting. You don't know what's going to happen. “Lord, where are you? Where have you gone?” To my momma friend, remember, Sunday is coming. There's a resurrection time.

Last summer, when I stood in watch those mamas raise their hands and surrender, in humility. In their deepest, darkest grief, I had no idea that this summer, I would be beside my own daughter, as she grieves. My daughter, pregnant with twin boys is preparing for the loss of one of her sons. My daughter, my baby who I bandaged her wounds, rocked asleep, and nursed. How in the world do I help my grown daughter plan the funeral or help her stand as she plans for the funeral of her baby. Tell me how. I don't have that in myself. That God's Word. It is His comfort, who gives us all comfort in all of our troubles that we ourselves can comfort someone else. 

My momma friend, Jesus is with you. He understands sorrow. He was called The Man of Sorrows. He's not left you. He's not left your little ones, your in-between ones. He certainly hasn't left her adult. Sunday's coming, resurrection, the work is finished. Do not stop praying. As a matter of fact, drop in the in the link below or in the chat below how we can pray for you. I happen to know that prayer team, and we do get on our faces are the Lord. So, if there's a way that we can stand in the gap with you, that we can suffer alongside with you, that we can call in the name of Mighty risen savior. Give us that honor. He's with you. And that's how I can walk with my daughter. Because I saw those mamas last summer, standing raising their hands in worship. God, You are trustworthy. You are loving, even in this. 

So, Erin, my friend. I know your four little guys are gorgeous and sweet. But they're gonna grow up and give you big mama troubles. But I know you're going to take heart because you stand on the Word. And God will be faithful. 

Erin: Joy, so, so beautiful. And you shared a little bit and I know a little bit more. You are living what you're teaching, as you are waiting for those two grandsons to come in the world. And every voice right now is saying that probably one of those boys will be in heaven very shortly after his birth if he makes it to birth. Could I just take a minute and pray for you and those babies Joy? 

Jesus, You are sovereign. And even the darkness is not dark to You, which means the darkness of a mother's womb. You are there, and You are present. I thank you for the testimony of Joy, that as she has watched mothers bury their babies, which is absolutely a direct result of the fall and not what You intended for us, that they are able to lift their hands in praise. And as her family walks this dark valley, the valley of the shadow of death, they are finding gold nuggets embedded in the walls as you are giving them gifts of peace and comfort and strength and humility. 

So, I have been praying and I continue to pray that what the doctors are saying will not be what You do. I pray that your daughter would deliver to healthy baby boys into the world and there would be no explanation other than Your hand. But if not, You are still good. And so, I pray that You will continue to strengthen Joy. Help her nurture and love her daughter through this very, very difficult season.

And for all moms listening what Joy and I've been saying to each other is that all the moms we know who are parents of adult children have some very heavy weights to carry. I pray for every mother, grandmother of adult children listening today, that You would strengthen her, that she would have her eyes on your humility, and that she would minister to those that You've put into her life to care for. It's in Your name I pray, amen. 

Thank you, Joy.

Portia: Amen, amen. Yeah, I am just getting myself together Erin, because like don't want to mess my makeup up. Ya know I'm a crier.

Erin: Thinking about my seasons of motherhood through the grid of the Friday, Saturday, Sunday of hope, is I'm never going to forget that it's either: tomb, or you're waiting, or you've seen resurrection. You're somewhere on that spectrum all the time, right?

Portia: Yes. Yes. Like she hit it. I was just mind boggled, wanting to cry. So, thank you so much, Joy, that was a blessing. 

Well, humility is not just a tool that God can use in your home. It is also a gift that you can give fellow pilgrims. And so hear why, in this short clip, let's watch this, check it out.

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth: We think that our strengths are what will make us useful. Yes. But many times, it's really our weakness that makes us most usable to others.

Shona Murray: It is when you are vulnerable with others, you find that others are equally able to be vulnerable with you. And together, you're humbly accepting that we are human. Yeah, that we're not perfect. We're not pre-fall. We're not yet in heaven. This world, as God has said, is a world of tears, valleys, tribulation. But if we can help each other along the way, as fellow pilgrims like Pilgrims Progress, then it is a glorious journey—difficulties included, valleys included.

Erin: Portia, I often say motherhood is the hottest refiners fire I've ever been in. It exposes my humaneness more often and more severely than anything else I've ever done. Do you find that to be true as well?

Portia: Absolutely. Like I'm sitting here thinking about yesterday, and how we were in charge. I just heard this soul stirring message from my pastor, like, eyes are so focused on the gospel and my need and God's patience with me and kindness. And as soon as we get out of church, my four-year-old . . . 

Erin: I know where you're going.

Portia: . . . had the biggest meltdown in the church parking lot. I think I almost had like an out-of-body experience because my flesh wanted to go off but like God totally reminded me of what He had just given me. I think I prayed and asked God for patience years ago, and he made me a wife and a mom.

Erin: We had an incident with some deviled eggs flying across the van and smacking into the door yesterday. But I also was like, okay, Jesus is still risen, and I am not going to lose it with whichever boy was supposed to be holding those deviled eggs. And now he's going to help me clean the inside of this van. So, I totally totally get it. Appreciate that sweet word from Shona Murray. I could listen to Shona Murray sing the ABCs with that accent. But the idea of humility being a gift we give to fellow pilgrims is what I'm going to hold on to. 

Well, I often say that humility is a slippery virtue, as soon as you claim to have mastered it, as soon as you say, “I'm humble,” well, it has slipped right through your hands, because we can't exactly build our sense of pride on our humility. That is missing the point. But we've been hearing throughout this entire episode that humility, first of all, it's Christ-like. So that's enough reason to pursue it in our own lives. But it's also a gift that we give each other. So, we always want to give you some tools to take home and apply the things we talked about on Grounded. 

So, for some practical insights on how to grow in this area, and listen, if you're feeling like “I'm not very humble,” welcome to humanness. We all need to grow in our humility. We've got a blog post we want to recommend to you this morning. It's called “The Proactive Pursuit of Humility.” Humility isn't something that just drops into our laps. It is written by a Grounded favorite, Laura Booz. And you know, we'll always just hit you up with the link right there in the chat to put it right at your fingertips. 

And we also want to remind you this morning about True Woman ’22. We want you to come and visit with Dannah and Portia and me . . . and Joy might be there she often is at those events. Laura might be there. I don't know who else coming, but some of the faces you see on Grounded. Come see us in person. We want to be with you live in Indianapolis, September 22–24.

I would love it if there was just a huge Grounded delegation at True Woman ’22 this year. Early pricing ends when April ends. I don't know if y'all know this, but April is flying by us. When I looked at my calendar today, I thought, how can it be April 18? So, I don't want you to wait. I want you to get the best pricing available. You can find out more and register at TrueWoman22.com. Hope to see you there. Dannah, you're gonna be there. Right?

Dannah: I am gonna be there. And I'm so excited. I hope to see you there, too. Hey, you know, I was thinking it's fitting Erin that on Resurrection Sunday it was the deviled eggs that misbehaved?

Erin: That's right, good thinking.

Dannah: Hey, listen, what a wonderful, encouraging episode for women of all ages. I want to say this, if your heart is drawn to what we're saying—you're tired of the world's message of you need more of you time that you’re understanding somehow at a beginning level that you need to give more of you the way that Jesus gave all of Him. Then I want to give you a definition to start with because you might be saying, “I don't even really think I understand humility.” Let's end our program on this: it's a definition from Andrew Murray. My husband has read his book on humility over and over and over again. It's on his nightstand . . . worn out.

Erin: That’s a 2x4 to the heart, that book is, every time you read it.

Dannah: And this is how he defines humility: “humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all.” So it's not about making your life miserable and just give, give, give. It's about disappearance of self with the vision that God is all you need, that complete step.

Portia: Amen, amen like stellar episode guys, it was for me. It wasn't just for those watching it, it was for me, so I appreciate that. Well, join us next week and find out why knowing which genre of Scripture you're reading matters. My friend Kristie Anyabwile will be with us. I hope you won't miss out. Wake up with hope together next week on Grounded.

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