Time For The New Thing!

As a mother, the potty training phase is always a challenge for me. My children are very strong willed and independent. They are decision makers and solutionists. To encourage those leadership qualities, I usually give them a choice so they may exercise their “rights”. Well, certain things come without choice, such as potty training. Every child must eventually do their business in the potty! My 2 year old has been going pee-pee in the potty for quite some time but has refused to use it for “#2”. I can set the rules and give the consequences, but I can’t make her boo-boo in the right place (I’m sorry this is a disgusting topic). I refused to put big girl panties on her until she showed me she could go where she was supposed to, because I didn’t want to clean it up! So I’ve been telling her that it is against the law (of my house) for 3 year olds to wear pull-ups and she must be fully trained before her birthday in January! I finally decided to put the panties on her and see what happens. To my surprise, she went in the potty instead of hiding to go on herself! I didn’t even have to tell her to. The pull-up was hindering her progress. She knew that it protected her from the mess. She didn’t want it all over either. As parents, it is important to see our children’s progress and push them to the next level. If we put too many safety nets up, they will surely use them. The pull-up was keeping her from advancing. I didn’t want to clean up the mess so I kept her in a place that she had outgrown causing unnecessary time, frustration, and money (on pull-ups) to be wasted. Thank God that He is a redeemer! How many of us do this very same thing in our own lives. We fear to advance because we have the comfort of the old season holding us back. We don’t want to let go of the old familiar thing so we miss out on the new thing. So today I encourage you mommies to put your big girl panties on! Get rid of the pull-up that is holding all the clutter of the past and enter into your new season. God has already equipped you and you are ready! What is God calling you to do? What is your passion? What are your gifts? It is time to put it all together and take a step of faith into your next season!

Isaiah 43:18-19New King James Version (NKJV)
18 “Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
Everything that you have learned up until now has prepared you for what God is doing next. He is making a way!

​Father, we thank You that Your Word is alive and active. Forgive us for hindering our children’s progress by not trusting their training and fear of the mess. We want them to advance into their next level. Forgive us for holding on to what is easy and comfortable instead of moving into the next thing that You have called us to. We let go of the old and embrace our new season. We look for the roads and rivers that You have prepared and boldly go towards the new thing. We ask that You redeem the time and set us in timing with the purpose that You have placed inside of us. We trust you and surrender our will to Yours. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!