“When teenagers put a ‘do not disturb’ sign on their door, I want you to respect that. Go through their window.” ~Nick Vujicic
Two teenagers share my living space, and I’m mighty smitten with them. In parenting them, my man and I have yet to reach the stage so many warn us about {cue the well intentioned woman with her just you wait ’til their teenagers! expression}. But our boys are at the starting gate of Teenagerville, so I’m not about to get cocky towards invading hormones and hard times. Besides, while I try to parent intentionally, many days I don’t feel super confident I know what I’m doing. My jeans and pants testify to this as most their knees are rubbed out from me begging God to fill my gaps.
Things aren’t always easy breezy here at casa Strong as we walk the tightrope of giving independence while maintaining boundaries. Sometimes we fall off, but we always get back on because this one thing I know for sure: I’ll fight like heck to keep walls from going up between us. If the ‘do not disturb’ sign shows up on my kids’ door, I respect it. But that doesn’t mean I don’t find me a bedroom window to crawl through.
Just like kids, we adults sometimes hang a ‘do not disturb’ sign on our hearts. Whether we aren’t happy with the way things turned out or feel we’re the exception to God’s grace, we tell Him in no uncertain terms to just keep out. We sit in our own stuff and resist His assurances. When this happens, He will respect our wishes, but He’ll come looking for a window, too.
God is always ready to use anything in our lives to speak of His grace. We’ll keep building walls but He’ll keep reaching over them because His love is a love that never lets go.
When I’ve allowed part of my heart to remain closed off from God, He opens a window in the form of powerful Scripture, a wise, grounded husband, and devoted friends. Pretty soon I find the warm breezy air irresistible, and I wonder why I fought so hard to stay isolated in the first place.
Have you ever placed a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door of your heart? Who or what has the Lord used as a window in your own life?
Oh boy, have I ever been there before. I’m so thankful for a God who is not distant even when I’ve built walls around my heart and hung the ‘do not disturb sign’.
And can I tell you something about those teenage years? They can be filled with a lot of joy and a whole ton of fun! Easy? Absolutely not. There is a whole lot of ache, and mama tears that can be had in those days as well. There will probably be more prayer than you’ve ever prayed but your mama heart is bound to swell as you watch them grow. Those teen years house the most challenging as well as rewarding times for parents. I know you are a great mom to those teens 🙂
Waving to you, Jamie! What a gem you are. Thank you for the encouragement…you share beautiful words that do my heart and soul good to read. Love you!
Oh, Kristen, I can so relate to this feeling – to closing parts of my heart off only to wonder why I ever, ever do. I’m reading a Brene Brown on vulnerability right now, and it’s challenging me to tune in to those closed doors. This was such a timely post for me – thank you.
Oh, I’ll have to look that one up, Annie. That book sounds right up my alley. Love you, friend.
That picture of you and your boys is so precious, they have the best smiles!! How lucky they are to have you as a mom 🙂
When I was going through a dark time and feeling utterly alone, the Lord in all his goodness used my dear friends, church family, and my husband to speak truth into my life. Thank you for reminding me of God’s faithfulness today (and always)!
Thank *you* Maura.
Those pics are precious!!! I think I put up a ‘do not disturb’ sign all the time! I don’t want to but I do. For me, my childhood contributes to me putting up that sign. I pretty much raised myself and have never had strong family ties. When I got saved, God began to show me true community and my need for it.
That has truly been the window…people He has graciously placed in my life that speak life and purpose over me. They challenge me, correct me and stretch me. They love me even when I make it hard to. I am terribly grateful!
I know your community is terribly grateful with how well you love them too, Karina. xo
I now totally get what the Lord was doing when I lost my mum many years ago, and absolutely refused to be comforted! I guess when He got fed up with trying to reach me, what with the ‘Do Not Disturb Sign’ hanging on my heart, He literally chased me (crying really hard) down a long hallway (I was in a school hostel at that time) one morning at 6am into a morning prayer meeting, where I finally let it go, snug in the arms of sisters who represented His arms!
Amazing. Thank You Lord for never giving up on us.
Thank you for this post.
Zainab, thank you for sharing a bit of your story here. It encourages me more than you know! Amazing indeed.
I love this. And also so true about teenagers- I work with many who have become closed off. Thanks for your insight.