Is there a better way to celebrate Mother's Day weekend than with Shekinah's own mother?
In this week's episode, we are discussing the sometimes easy and other times difficult aspects of trusting God. WE dive into stories of some amazing women in the Bible who did just that and finish our conversation with advice to mothers, moms-to-be, and those who don't have children on their amazing purpose and roles in the world.
Join Shekinah and her mom as they celebrate the beauty of moms.
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Show Notes:
Get Connected with Stephanie Fashaw
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Mother's Day with Mrs. Fashaw - Transcription
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Shekinah: Hey, y'all, and welcome to another episode of the Truths and Promises podcast. Today, we are talking about trusting God, and in honor of this wonderful Mother's Day weekend, I have my beautiful mother. If you all can't see, you'll only hear, obviously. I'm here with me on the podcast for this episode to talk about what it means to trust God as a mother.
Hey, mommy, how are you?
Mrs. Fashaw: Good. How are you today, Shekinah?
Shekinah: I'm doing well, pretty good. Can't complain. Won't complain. Okay, so listen, y'all, this is how we're going to start this episode out; if you don't know, you might be new to the podcast. I am an author. You probably heard that in the introduction of this, and a few years ago, I wrote a book called The Start of Something Glorious. And so, what I'm going to do is read an excerpt from chapter six to get us started. Chapter Six is called Trusting God. And today, as I said, that is the topic of our discussion. So let's go ahead and dive into that. So Chapter Six is based on Matthew 1, 18 through 25. It's the story of Mary and Joseph, Jesus's earthly parents.
And so if you want to give this a pause and go and read that now, that works, and then come back and listen in to the rest of this commentary. Both Mary and Joseph had to go through the process of trusting God in the news that they received. Let's take Mary, for example, and put ourselves in her shoes. You are a virgin woman, ready to be married, finally. Then you find out that you are pregnant. You must tell your family as well as the man who is supposed to be your husband. What thoughts do you think are crossing through your mind? Maybe they're, but Lord, I've done everything you've asked. I've waited until marriage; as hard as that has been, I've passed on several other people because you said you had better.
I've never sinned. Maybe, except that one time, I snuck out to a party or rolled my eyes at my mom or was jealous of Elizabeth's sandals. But other than that, nothing. Why do you want to do this now? I don't deserve this. What are others going to think? What are they going to say? Will my future husband even want me anymore?
Do you know what you're even doing here, God? The Bible doesn't say, but I like to think that Mary wasn't too different from us sitting and wondering, but why? Even though all of those thoughts and inward doubt, Mary had to trust in the process and, more importantly, trust God through the process. In Luke, we see that Mary was greatly troubled, probably asking all of the questions that we just asked and more. But we also see that God sent her clarity and comfort through an angel telling her do not be afraid. Even after the angel told her, she had received favor for the purpose of giving birth to the Savior. I often wonder if she replied, "Well, what kind of favor is this anyway?" That may have been my response, at least. Along with her as it's recorded in the Bible, her response of, "How will this be?" The angel continues to speak to her, telling her that even her relative Elizabeth, in her old and barren or infertile age, is pregnant.
God will often do this for us. To let us know he's really speaking. Sometimes he will give us other milestones or mile markers to watch for as confirmation to know everything else he said was true. Many of us go through questionable times where things seem to be going perfect. And then something comes out of nowhere. Know in that moment that this is The Start of Something Glorious. Know in that moment that God will never leave you nor forsake you. Know in that moment that you're greater is coming, and he will send clarity.
Know in that moment that you must trust God in Luke 1, in 26 through verse 45, we get a better understanding. The gospel oftentimes tells us the same event or story, but with a different perspective and hints with different details. So if you want to take a moment, you can pause right now to go and read through those verses in Luke.
In Luke, we see that Mary was quote-unquote, "greatly troubled," probably asking all of those questions above that we talked about and more, but we also see that God sent her clarity and comfort through an angel telling her do not be afraid even after the angel told her this, she had received favor for this purpose of giving birth to the Savior.
I often wonder if she replied, well, "What kind of favor is this?" Because at least that would have been my response along with her. "How will this be?" The angel continues to speak to her, telling her that even her relative Elizabeth, in her old and barren and fertile age, is pregnant. God will oftentimes do this for us to let us know He is really speaking. Sometimes he will give us other milestones or mile markers to watch for as confirmation to know everything else he has said is and was, and will be true. Another thing God does to help us trust him is to send confirmation through others. The angel told Mary she was to carry the Savior. And then Elizabeth, who hadn't heard the angel tell Mary this, told Mary that she was the mother of the Savior. It's just like God to help us trust him by sending his word by angel, by mile marker confirmations, and by the words of others. He clarifies, He comforts, and He confirms. Sometimes trusting him can be hard because we have our own agendas, but He does all he can to make it feasible for us.
And that's because He loves us. I thank God that today the comforter lives within us. We don't have to search and wait for confirmation to come because the one who is there to clarify, comfort, and confirm lives within us. I don't know how openly Mary or even Joseph spoke to angels about their feelings on this matter.
In the end, they trusted God. Oftentimes I am open with God about things I like, or I dislike things I want, or I need. The Bible says to make our requests known to God. So if I were Mary, I would have said all the things that I ask questions about, because I believe in showing God my entire heart so that if any thoughts or emotions are not of Him, He will have the space to clean them out.
We may be reluctant at times to follow the plans of God, but we must keep in mind that his thoughts are higher than our thoughts. His ways are better than ours. We must wake up every morning to renew our minds, make a conscious decision to follow him and trust him completely, and to trust His Holy Word. Trusting in God is a choice.
And the best way to build your trust in Him is to spend intimate time with Him, getting to know Him, His heart towards you, and getting to know His thoughts. To know the Father's heart, you simply have to read His word and learn His voice. Faith or trusting, comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. I want you all to take some time later on today to look up the word trust.
What does the dictionary say about it? Can you relate this to your relationship and belief in Jesus? Jesus says He is the truth, the way, and the light. We know that he is able from the miraculous healings and that He is strong based on how He rose from the grave. We are also confident in who He is so we can allow Him to use and look after the life He has given us. Each day you wake, I want you to start to tell the Lord how much you trust Him.
So again, that was a bit of chapter six from The Start of Something Glorious, on Trusting God. So I want to start the conversation off asking you, mommy, what does it look like for a mother to trust God?
Mrs. Fashaw: What it looks like to me, for me as a mother to trust God and I believe any mother, is that we have to, when you trust, you have a firm belief in something, and my belief is trusting God's Word, and in trusting God's word, I trust him. I rely on him. I totally depend on the Lord by presenting His Word back to him. Putting Him in remembrance of His Word.
Shekinah: I love that. Are there stories that you look to, or maybe a time in your own life that you look to?
Mrs. Fashaw: Even as you were reading about Mary, you know she stood among all mothers having giving birth to Jesus. And I'm reminded of even when Elizabeth baby jumped in her womb when Mary spoke to her salutations. So, but my, one of my favorites that we don't give a lot of attention to is the mother of Moses.
Shekinah: Hmm.
Mrs. Fashaw: Jochebed I believe you pronounce her name, Jochebed. She gave Moses to his sister to take him to the Nile River and to put them in the river, not knowing who would find them, but trusting God and everything that she did so that her son could miss the death along with the other little boys that the Egyptians were going to kill, everybody under the age of three.
So therefore, most of the sister, who was Miriam, took him to the Nile River and there, Holy Spirit must have orchestrated him being found by Pharaoh's daughter. And then the little girl, who was Miriam, said to them, I'll find you a Hebrew woman to nurse him, her own mother. So there, Moses mom got a chance to save his life and to still nurture him in her arms and breastfeed him. Glory to God. That's one of the favorite stories simply because she took that chance and she had to trust God. That's trusting God, when you send your little baby out to the Nile River.
Shekinah: Yeah. Yeah. That is definitely a beautiful story. And of course, we get the rest of the 1140 Story out of her action of saving Moses, trusting in God, that God would protect him and keep him in this sort of crazy act, you know. I'm sure there are other mothers during that time that probably tried to hide their babies elsewhere, but she let him go in order for him to come back. And that is a real act of, of truly trusting God. I love that story.
Mrs. Fashaw: She had, she, she put her faith inability all in the hands of the Lord and say, go take him to the river, hiding him, not to just know that he was going to be found by the King's daughter.
Shekinah: Yeah. So what, scriptures when, when times get tough, and you might feel some of that doubt creeping in, what have been some of the scriptures that you've turned to? Some of those promises you've turned to that kept you trusting and leaning and depending on God?
Mrs. Fashaw: Well, there is something that I really like, because as you said, when doubt creeps in, I like to take 2 Corinthians 10 and 5, where I just cast down imaginations because doubt begins to bring imagination, begin to bring fear, false evidence appearing real, and you cast down those imaginations according to.
2 Corinthians 10 and 5, and then I like to go over to Proverbs 3, 5 and 6, where it tells me to trust in the Lord with all my heart and to lean not unto my own understanding. Because if we're not careful, we'll begin to rationalize things, but we can't. But in all our ways we have to acknowledge Him and allow God to direct our paths. So my trusting in God, as a mother has been to where I speak out loud to myself. It's going to be all right. If you remember the time that you were recommended to go to a magnet program and had to ride the train to school, I just couldn't imagine it in my mind. I just couldn't imagine it.
So it was the IB program over the magnet school. I chose the IB program. I would not let you ride the train because I just couldn't ever get it together in my thoughts. Even when you went off to college, I did say to you, first I say, please stay in Florida, stay close. I was trusting God that you would say yes, I want to stay close.
I wasn't ready to go to Brown University early or anything like that, so you stayed here, but I trust that I trust the God for your education. I've trusted God for both of my children. Because when you leave your children every day, you have to know that when you leave them in the hands of someone, no matter what their age is, that people are going to respect your children and honor them the way you do.
And then having a childcare business in the home for the many years, when you all were small up until recently, I had to trust God that the parents who entrusted their child's care in me every day would know that I will protect them to the best of my ability. So in trusting God, I just go all out in his word and that's, that's how I served the Lord by trusting Him.
That's what trust looks like. Just totally depending on God, you know, the other example I'll use and then I'll quiet down and wait on you. Is you think about a baby bird in a nest. There they're safe under their mother's wings and that's how we should be about God. He's our refuge. He's our fortress. He's the God that we put our trust in. And therefore we should huddle right up under the wings of His Word. Glory.
Shekinah: I liked that. Definitely finding refuge in the father's wings and I think that, you know, when I think about what it takes to really trust God, I think there's a level of humility that you have to have. Right? Because even though in the book, as I talk about like God-sent clarity, to Mary and to Joseph in that moment they had to trust Him. I'm sure there are also times that maybe you can think of as a mother, where you've had to trust even when it wasn't clear, even when it didn't make sense, maybe in your own mind, just knowing that His ways were better than yours and His thoughts were higher than yours.
And perhaps it doesn't make sense in that moment, but I've got to trust that anyways.
Mrs. Fashaw: Oh yes. Because I used to say, Lord, you said your plans for us are not for evil, but they are for good and there with a purpose, presenting God back His Word, putting Him in remembrance of His Word. What he said in His Word. He honors his word above His name. Glory to God.
Shekinah: Yeah, that's good. I like that. He honors His Word above His name. Well, I, you know, didn't have many more requests of you other than so there's, more you want to share. You're welcome to. Other than I'm asking you, if there's any advice that you have for mothers.
I know we have some new moms listening to the podcast, or if there in a special prayer that you're willing to pray over the moms for this Mother's Day weekend.
Mrs. Fashaw: Glory to God. Thank you for asking if there's some advice. There's some godly wisdom, is to stay close to the Lord to seek godly counsel Psalms 101 tells us to seek godly counsel. That we're not to sit in the counsel of the ungodly.
So as you seek godly counsel, and you listen to those who have real children, but know that your child is an individual. Glory to God and they all grow at a different pace. And I would just say, appreciate your child for who God is making your child. Ask the Lord, just as I presented Proverbs 3, 5 and 6 to you. Ask the Lord, what will He have you to do?
Pray, fast, anoint your children. The Bible says, train up a child in the way that he should go. We have to train our children. We are training them up, in the right way, because enough stuff will come along, that they learn the wrong things that some think are cute. But as parents, you be soft, gentle, kind, but it's okay to let your children know that's not the glory.
I had a granddaughter who was little and say, "that's not the glory."
Shekinah: That's not the glory. I tried to listen to some Beyonce and she told me that's not the glory.
Mrs. Fashaw: She was saying, that's not the glory. She can recognize the worldly music against that, of the fellowship of the Lord, Jesus Christ. And if we can pray.
I attended a baby shower a couple of weeks ago. The mommy-to-be is so beautiful. And I just pray that baby's beautiful and she enjoys motherhood, and dad too. They were just beautiful.
Father, we just thank you this day we thank you, Lord for this is the day that you've made and we shall rejoice and be glad in this day, Father God.
Even as your hand rest upon each and every mother, each and every one who desires to be a mother, and Lord, those who for whatever reason are not married and do not have children, Lord God, that you will let them know that they're still mothers in the Lord. And we thank you now, father God. We thank you, Lord, for opening the wombs of those mothers, who desire to bring forth children and to train them up in you. That they nurtured them in your Word Lord, and trust you to protect them, to lead them and to guide them. Now, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Hallelujah. Amen. Glory to God.
I just thank God for this time and Mother's Day. And I do wish all the mothers a very Happy Mother's Day and that no one is lonely. Glory to God!
Shekinah: Happy Mother's Day. As mom was praying, a scripture that popped into my mind was Isaiah 54 and 1 that says "Sing, oh, barren woman, who have never bore a child, burst into song and shout for joy. You who were never in labor because more of the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband says, the Lord." And for those women out there, even like myself who do not have children and maybe have a dog-child, and that's it, I do want to encourage you that even in your single season, even in the season where it might look like you may never have children, or they are not coming right now when you expect them to, I just want to encourage you that there is so much that God does in that single season, in that quote-unquote "barren season." That season where you are lacking, perhaps the child there are. Young women that you can continue to mother, there are gifts and ideas that you can continue to birth.
And so I want to encourage you to even lean in to trusting God and really finding what it is that he's called you to spend your time and support your gifts and your energy into, in this season of life.
Mrs. Fashaw: Wow. Thank you. That's that's beautiful. Beautiful. The Word of God.
Shekinah: It is. It's like, it is it, the word of God is beautiful in itself. There isn't much we have to add to it. Sometimes it's like, you can just read it. So I've done a couple special episodes here on the podcast where I just read the Word of God, you know, and I mean, that in itself is enough
Mrs. Fashaw: At Easter it was. Just by you just reading that scripture, I just know a few ladies who have not given birth, maybe because a couple of them are not married and others were married, but did not give birth. And they've enjoyed their nieces and nephews and the children at church and in the community. So we're still parents. We're still mothers. And conducting ourselves as such in loving on other people's children, giving them, some me-time, I would say.
Shekinah: Yeah, I like, I like that.
Well, I think that's all we have for this episode, y'all. I wanted to keep it short and sweet for you. We are wishing all of the mothers, mothers to be, out there at very Happy Mother's Day. And as always, I'm so happy that y'all could take a listen today. If you want to connect with me or 1140 Glory, then go on over to eleven40glory.com.
There you can find the show notes under our blog. Sign up for our Thank God, It's Monday email list or join our online Facebook community. If this is blessed you in any way, or you have topics that you want to hear covered. Let us know in the comments of the blog. And of course, please be sure to share this with one friend and one family member.
All right. See y'all the next time. Be blessed.
Mrs. Fashaw: Thank you.
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