Kept in Love: Lullabies for the Both of UsSample

Shepherd of our Hearts

Becoming a mom grows our hearts in size like we could never have imagined. I remember the first night home from the hospital after the birth of my son as I lay awake in awe of all that had just transpired. I don’t know how to describe how I felt except for full. I felt so full of love and gratitude for the gift of a child I’d been given.

Motherhood most certainly has its challenges, but there are also moments of pure bliss:

A peaceful baby sleeping on your chest

Your whole family enjoying time together

A sunny afternoon spent playing in the backyard

First smiles, first laughs, first steps, and other special “firsts.”

These moments of joy and gratitude actually serve a larger purpose: they are gifts meant to lead us back to the Giver. Every experience of goodness tells us something about the goodness of our God and gives us a reason to praise him!

When our gratitude leads us to God, it completes our joy. It leads us to the source of unshakeable joy. Circumstances can change. Situations can quickly turn from bliss to despair. But God remains the same! When we allow the good times to deepen our relationship with our Heavenly Father, we walk into the hard times with all the more strength and courage.

To possess unshakeable joy is to believe in the truth of Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” In other words, to possess unshakable joy is to trust in the sovereign care of God over your life and to stand on the foundation of God’s constant presence with you. As the lyrics of “Shepherd of Our Hearts” sing, trusting in God leads us to joyfully proclaim in the good times:

Shepherds of our hearts

You give us everything we need

When it’s time to rest

You lay us down in pastures green

Bring us by still waters

Weary souls restored, remade

Lead us down the path of righteousness

All for your name

And trusting God leads us to faithfully proclaim in the hard times:

Even when we walk through valleys

Shadows everywhere

We will fear no evil

In the comfort of your care

When our eyes can’t see you

In the darkest night of nights

You are always near us

With your rod and staff close by

May every blessing and every hardship lead us into the loving arms of our Good Shepherd.

Pray for your heart: Take a moment to pray to God and thank him for his care and provision for you this season.

Pray for your child: Take a moment to pray that your child would come to know the goodness and loving care of God as their Good Shepherd.

Rest: Finally, spend a few quiet moments at rest with God, meditating on his truth:

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. -Psalm 23:6