Hello mommies! I am embarking today on an ambitious new series of mini daily devotionals intended for us mothers. I am no expert when it comes to faith, but I would like to take you with me in my journey to the Lord’s heart.

Our daily (Monday to Saturday) devotionals are easy-to-read, with complimentary bible verses that could help us live out our role as the ILAW NG TAHANAN, just as how the Lord intends us to be. As the “Light of our Homes,” we can also be a “Light of the World” as we shine Jesus’ light on our respective families. Matthew 5:16 says “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

We can only share our light though if we are shining brightly and plugged in to the one true source of light in this world — JESUS! So let’s unplug ourselves from our worldly cares, and take a couple of minutes to get connected and intimate to the ONE who will make us shine our brightest.

Today’s devotional

For our pilot devotional, I invite you to meditate on PSALM 119:105 which says “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

As they say, motherhood does not come with a manual. We, mothers do it with much experimentation, trial and error, and sometimes one mistake after another. Not  all moms have the luxury of a support system who can help out during challenges like caring for the baby, sick kids, logistical and scheduling nightmare especially for working parents, and making difficult and even painful decisions for the family, etc.

Through all these challenges though, let us take heart in knowing that there is one book that could help us navigate through all of the messes, stresses and heartaches that come with being a mom. Reading the bible daily, and holding on to God’s promises tether us moms to the most stable foundation we could ever find. For everything in this world changes, relationships are not forever, moments are fleeting, and resources and situations can change at a snap of a finger. But the Lord will stand by us forever. Let us use His words as a lamp for our feet, and a light to our paths.

Here are some concrete bible passages that guide us our motherhood journey:

Hebrews 12:11

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Proverbs 31:26-28

She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”

1 Peter 5:2-3

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to read Proverbs Chapter 31 so we could dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: How can I use the above-mentioned bible passages in the current challenges that I face as a mother?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, allow me to follow your gentleness and humility as I go through the rigors of everyday parenting. Inspire me with your words with the help of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thank you for stopping by and till next post!

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

The post Daily Mini Devotional: Light of the home, light of the world appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

One of our duties as mothers is to disciple our children and plant in their hearts, the seeds of faith that will help them become followers of Christ. As a new mom back then, I was not able to take this seriously other than the usual religious rites my children must go through. The daily rigors of meeting their basic needs such as breastfeeding, bathing, and then later on cooking, tutoring, among other activities were the front and center of my motherhood journey.

But now that they are growing and developing their own personalities and character, I was roused to the fact that I should start taking discipling even more seriously. I figured that investing in their spiritual growth is intrinsic since life is short, and no parent can say that they can always be there for their kids when they face life’s challenges. Life happens, we can all get called by our Creator anytime.

Investing on our child’s spiritual growth

One of the reasons why I am eager to invest in my children’s spiritual growth is the fast-paced changes of this modern world. It really is scary that we are living in the present times, and depression and suicide are but common solutions despairing people turn to when life’s challenges seem to overwhelm them.

By trying to help my children nurture a personal relationship with the Lord, I get the peace of mind that even if I am no longer here on Earth, they know whom to turn to for guidance. They will know whom to run to when their problems are too big for them to handle. They would not have to resort to vices, to other people who might break their heart and not truly look after their good, and they would not even think of ending their lives. 

Encouraging kids to follow Jesus

I want them to know that by following Jesus, and abiding by the Lord’s commandments, they get shielded from huge troubles. While they could not understand this principle fully given their young age, there are ways to explain it to them that they could understand. And as moms, that will be our challenge.

And the good thing about taking on this challenge is we get to accomplish God’s commandments while we are at it. Deuteronomy 6:7 says “Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working.”

Moreover, teaching our children (and others) to abide by the Lord’s commands also come with a promise to those who teach. In the Gospel of St. Matthew, it was said that “Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)

Four ways to plant seeds of faith to children

So here are some ways we can plant the seeds of faith into our children’s hearts. No matter what age they are, I am sure you can adjust these suggestions based on how they could understand and absorb it:

1. Introduce Jesus to them. Talk about Jesus at home by teaching your kids how to pray and making a habit out of it. I taught my children to pray before and after meals and before sleeping at night. Tell them about your past experiences and how God has helped you with all that. Teach them to thank the Lord for everything.

2. Bring them to church. No matter what religion you belong to, it is important to bring your kids to church. And it is not just enough to bring them and to make them observe the religious rites. Explain it to them, and try to explain the priest or the pastor’s message for the week in terms they will understand.

3. Expose them to the Word. If there is a catechism or Sunday School in your church, then by all means bring the children to them. It is important to expose them to the good news of salvation in a way that they will understand. Read the bible with your children and try to impart some snippets of messages that they could understand. If they are into gadgets then download a bible app for them to discover and use. 

4. Make learning about Jesus fun and understandable. Purchase or borrow kids bible story books and read it with your children. If they are older kids, then buy or borrow age appropriate devotionals that they could read during their daily quiet time. Let them watch films and videos about Jesus and the Bible. The Chosen is one of the best series to stream and watch as a family. You can watch it for free online in their official website here.

All the above mentioned ideas will be more effective if you become a good example of Christ follower to your children. If they see Jesus’ light in you, then they are bound to bask in that light. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). As parenting experts say, “children will follow your example, not your advice.”

Thank you for stopping by and till next post!

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

The post How to plant seeds of faith in your child’s heart appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

For individuals who have yet to start a bible reading routine, spending time with the scriptures may seem daunting or intimidating. It’s common to feel at a loss as to how to start. For us moms, creating a bible reading routine, and sticking to it can be intimidating too, and challenging especially  since everyone at home relies on us for almost everything.

So, granting that you have already set aside a time for this, how then would you start? Of course it is best to have a bible that will not be too hard to read and understand. If the bible is too small then our eyes could strain reading and highlighting the Written Word. It is best to get at least an NIV or ESV edition bible that is easier to understand compared to the King James Version which contains old English phrases such as thou, hath, beseech etc.

Start reading the bible

You do not need to buy a very expensive bible if you do not have the means yet. You can check out second hand bookstores though like Booksale which sells bibles that are slightly used and have bigger fonts. Other stores where you can buy bibles apart from bookstores are religious stores like St. Paul’s and OMF Lit. Most of these stores have branches in major malls. While you are in the Catholic or Christian bookstore, choose a devotional or ask about a bible reading guide to help you with your new quest

It is also best to have a small journal and a highlighter and of course a pen and a couple of bookmarks to use.

How to begin your bible reading journey

My favorite preacher says you should give yourself the grace to read the easier parts of the bible first before delving deeper into the techy-ish contents of the scripture. If you are new to the habit, he said you can be like a child eating fish — starting with the fleshy parts first like the four gospels (books of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John) before going to the other books that are a bit harder to digest.

If you have been listening to your priest or your pastor then for sure you can pick up a book that you like and read a chapter or two each day. When I was really, really new at seriously reading the bible, I find myself dedicating a lot of time reading the Epistles of St. Paul (example: Colossians, Thessalonians etc.), and then in the Old Testament I found myself delighting over the Book of Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

Do you start from page 1?

Our parish priest does not advise first timers to read the bible from page one until the end. He says using a devotional could be helpful since it provides an inspirational story and a bible passage that could help you start reading the bible. The Catholic Church also has a liturgical guide on the mass readings for the day, you as a new reader can use this as a guide on what to read during your daily bible time. I’ve written about this in a past post here.

Christian bookstores on the other hand offer free pamphlets that provide a bible reading schedule for a whole year. Take advantage of this and use it as a guide. There are also bible reading plans like this that are available online or downloadable as an app. But being the old school person that I am, I choose hardcopy stuff any day

What to do before and after reading the bible

It is best to have your prayer time or quiet time before reading the bible. It does not only prepare you for reading the scripture, it could also help you discern answers to the questions, prayers and concerns you have lifted up to the Lord.

While reading the bible, try to highlight verses that stand out to you. Copy it in your journal if you like. If you have questions about the reading you can jot it down in your journal too and find answers either from your parish priest, pastor, or bible study group leader the next time you get to see them. You may also write down your gratitude points and prayer requests in your journal.

So to sum up, here is a brief guide:

1. Choose a bible with a font size that you can easily read, and a translation you can easily understand.
2. Have other materials that could help you in your journey: A devotional book, a liturgical guide or bible reading pamphlet (free in Christian Bookstores like OMF Lit).
3. Prepare other tools you will need like a pen, a highlighter, and a notebook dedicated for your bible time.
4. Designate a quiet and mess-free bible reading space in your home: Your study table, dining table, coffee table, garden, or wherever you are not going to be distracted and be comfortable at the same time.5. Choose how you will daily approach bible reading: Per book that interests you, per devotional message and suggested reading, or by following a scripture or bible reading guide. What is important is you stick with this and grow in delighting the word.
6. Note passages that stand out to you — you may want to copy them in your notebook, or memorize them or put them on a post it and paste it anywhere visible in your home.7. Jot down questions you may have and ask your priest, pastor or bible study leader for the answers the next time you get to see them.
8. Before starting your bible reading time, it is best to start with a quiet time or prayer with God. Seek His guidance as you try to understand His words.
9. More importantly, live a life consistent to what you have read

Thank you for stopping by and till next post! Leaving you with this bible passage that highlights the joys of regularly reading the Lord’s words:

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness'”

2 Timothy 3:16

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

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As moms, we have a lot of relationships that are going on in our lives. Relationship with our spouse, our children, our parents, our siblings, friends, neighbors, churchmates, officemates, name it.

But do you ever prioritize the most important relationship in your life? Does it even exist in your everyday life?

Relationship is different than religion

I have learned that having a personal relationship with the Lord is different than practising one’s religion. We can all be going to a church every Sunday, but do not have an intimate relationship with the Lord. But what does it mean to have an intimate relationship with God?

Having a close relationship with the Lord is much like cultivating a relationship with a fellow human being. If you want to establish a relationship with someone what do you do? You try to talk to the person, spend time with him or her, find out about his likes and dislikes, and try to please him. It is the same with having a relationship with the Lord.

How to cultivate an intimate relationship with God?

The best way to cultivate a relationship with the Lord is to have daily quiet time with Him. Start the day communing with God exactly like how the scripture tells us over at Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

So what do you tell Jesus? Tell Him what is in your heart. Talk to Him like how you would talk to the Creator of our universe, the best father on earth, the most merciful boss, the greatest teacher, and your “bestest” friend ever. Pour your heart out — your fears and anxieties, joys, and every little thing you want to thank Him for. Do not just jump the gun with a laundry list of all your prayer requests.

Should there be a prayer format for all these?

If you are not comfortable praying spontaneously yet, and have been accustomed to prayers that are taught to you in Church or school then by all means start with those, and then add your own personal thoughts.

I remember a teacher saying that a good acronym to remember is the word ACTS, as a good guide for a prayer format:

A – Adoration (Show adoration to the Lord by worshipping Him as soon as you start your prayer time. You can start by saying “All powerful and ever living God, I praise and worship you for this opportunity to talk to you today. You are my Sovereign King, my Almighty Father…” and then add all the titles of the Lord that have been true to your life. Tell him that all glory, honor and praises are His and that you will bless His name for all your life.)

C – Confession (Confess your sins to Him and ask for forgiveness. Ask Him to reveal to you your character flaws that you should work on, and then repent on these sins. Example: “Lord God, I am deeply sorry about my failure to stop myself from being covetous about my officemate’s new Luxury bag. I will try my best to not be materialistic and just be plain happy for her for the gift she bought herself…”

T – Thanksgiving (At this point, you can already thank the Lord for everything He has done for you. Specific things, little things, big things, everything you want to thank Him for)

S – Special Prayer Requests / Supplication (Lastly, you can mention your special prayer requests. Some people have a prayer list that they bring to the Lord every time they pray. Whatever these are, please do not forget to say intercessory prayers for people you know and people you don’t know).

Inter what?? Intercessory. These are prayers that you pray for people other than yourself and your closest family members. For example, praying for flood victims, for the orphaned, the abandoned, the incarcerated, those who have passed on etc.     

One of the best preachers I have encountered said that another good guide to use is the word CAST. Yes, the CAST which St. Peter mentioned in 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” And guess what? The meaning of all the letters in the acronym of CAST is exactly the same as the ACTS acronym that the teacher I am quoting mentioned above.

What to do after praying

After praying, I strongly suggest that you have a bible reading time. My favorite preacher says if a person reads the bible for like 15 minutes a day, he would have finished the whole bible by the end of the year. Well you do not need to do that if you are unwilling to devote that much of a time.

Just have a daily devotional that you can read, and then dive deeper with the suggested bible reading for that specific entry. I have earlier written a blog post on how to start a daily devotional, and you can read it here.
It may take some time for you to get used to the routine, but once it becomes a habit, you will not only get to know the Lord Jesus Christ more, but you will also attain the Peace that only our Almighty God can offer.

Thank you for stopping by and till next post!

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

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Here are some bible verses for overwhelmed moms that are just like me. I love my children to bits but there are times that I really am exhausted and drained beyond words. I should not be complaining at all because motherhood is a gift from God and so is the good health of everyone in the family that gives them energy to become little critters. But as a human person, exhaustion can be inevitable.

Bible Verses for Overwhelmed Moms

My day usually starts at 530 in the morning and after the children’s bedtime at seven, I do the chores and then do my writing gigs. Just as I hit the sheets, someone would suddenly whimper and would need to be attended to. Whoever is that whimpering is would ask to be nursed (I am tandem feeding two little humans). The tandem will then alternate throughout the night requesting to be nursed. Until the youngest one would wake me up for another day.

Day in and day out, this has been our routine, and one thing that helps me keep things together as a Nanny-less mother is our nightly bible devotion. We try our best to read and comprehend what God has to say  and what it means in our lives.

The days are long but the years are short

I always remind myself about this phrase, because whenever I look at my eldest, this phrase echoes in my ears. And so is that Indian proverb, that says “Children Tie the Feet of their Mother.” It reminds me to slow down and enjoy the Grace and Blessings of being a mom.

I’ve read somewhere that in all those days of sheer exhaustion, we should lean on the Lord and ask our heavenly father for strength. After all He was the one who entrusted these little humans to us, and as our Father and Provider, it is but right to call on to Him and hold on to His words for respite, strength, and inspiration.

I am not an expert on the bible, nor am I a very religious person. But I keep the faith, and I try my best to teach the Word to my children. I myself take comfort in the Written Word because at the end of the day, it is the one thing that can comfort us in both physical and emotional exhaustion.

14 Bible Verses I hold on to when I am too tired to Mother

Allow me to share with you the bible verses that I cling on to, every single mothering day – and most especially on those days when I feel like I cannot wash another plate, another butt, another load of diapers, and another pair of dirty hands. Here goes:

1. Corinthians 13:4-8. When I feel like I am at a loss because of exhaustion, when I’d like to yell and unleash the monster mom inside me, I try to remember the lines in this particular passage. I feel like it is God telling me how I should parent my children, specifically the lines that I highlighted: “Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

2. John 10:10. I always remember this one article that I have read about not letting the enemy steal the joy of mothering your children. And reading this passage grounds me into appreciating God’s abundance through the children that I have to mother. “A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.”

3. 2 Corinthians 12:9. When I feel like I’m not good enough for my children because I tire easily, I get impatient sometimes, and I am not the very cheerful mom I have always hoped to become, I remind myself about God’s promise in this verse. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

4. Psalm 61:2. This verse just comes to me each time I think I’d break down from tiredness, mental exhaustion, and mundane domestic concerns that have piled up. It is just so perfect for me to remember “When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

Grace for the weary mom.

5. 1 Kings 17:14. Here’s a verse that assures me whenever I worry about material things and provisions. I always know in my heart that God will always provide, and this passage is my favorite reminder. “’The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain on the land.’”

One of my favorite verses, as it reminds me that God will provide.

6. Ephesians 4:29: I think this passage is a message on Positive Parenting. On days that I have yelled or forgot about the many graces and blessings my children’s high energy mean, due to sheer exhaustion and frustration I re-read this passage. “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

7. Philippians 4:13. Mothering can be very overwhelming, and this is one of the bible verses that I keep on repeating on my mind whenever I feel like pushing the “self-eject” button because of sheer tiredness and being overwhelmed with the many back-to-back chores and responsibilities. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Let Christ be your source of emotional and physical strength as a mom.

8. Psalms 147:4. Here’s another verse that I hold on to, and remember as I pray and reflect about the day that has passed and the days ahead. A passage that assures me that I am not forgotten by our Father in Heaven. “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.”

9. Psalm 46:10. This verse is one of the best assurances that I have read, as I become anxious about my kids’ health and safety given the present times, as well as in keeping at bay all other usual worries any parent may have about their children. “Be still and know that I am God.”

10. Philippians 4:19. Another assurance from the Lord that grounds me whenever I have worries about our future, our needs, and other worldly things that in reality, I should not be worrying about too much. “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

11. Proverbs 31:25. For me this is a passage that assures all tired mothers like me, that God has our back and got us covered so we should not worry too much. “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”

12. Isaiah 43:2. In those days when I am too overwhelmed, I have this verse to hold on to. When postpartum hormones, lack of sleep, sheer tiredness, and overwhelming chores get the better of me and I feel like drowning. This passage reminds me of the wonderful promise of the Lord that he will never abandon us. “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.”

Bible verses to lift up weary moms.

13. Ecclesiastes 3:11. This phrase reminds me that everything is in the right place, and is happening at the right moment because God is in control, and this is actually His plan, and what He wants to happen. That I should trust and believe always. “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

This verse always reminded me that there is a season for everything, and that raising young children is the current season of my life, and that this time is planned and perfected in God’s will, so I just have to keep the faith.

14. Joshua 24:15: This verse helps me keep our focus, keeps us grounded on our whole family’s mission here on earth. When it gets overwhelming, it helps to get reminded that I as a parent, and our whole family is here for the Lord. We are not here to please anyone, except for Christ, and we should act so accordingly/ No need to be anxious about other people and what their thoughts may be. And that we should not forget our religious obligations and charity works, because it will please God.  “But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”

This passage grounds us about our mission as a family, which is to obey and serve the Lord.

So there you have it, thank you for taking time to read my sharing and reflections. I rarely write about these stuff because it is all me, and I know that as your web author I should be writing about what will interest you.

But since I know that there are tired moms like me who may be reading this, at least I can point them to where they can find solace amid the beautiful chaos that is mothering littles.

Till next post everyone. If you have the time, hope you could drop by my Facebook page and hit the like button, so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed. You may also follow us on our Instagram and Pinterest Accounts! I cascade on a daily basis inspirational quotes, bible passages, as well as other helpful mothering cascades ion our social media accounts, so I hope you could find the time to hit the like or follow button in these pages.

Thank you so much!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy.

Leaving you with this video on God and motherhood.

Where to buy Carrier Oils in the Philippines

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