Speak to me & I am strengthened…

It has been a pretty long week for me with two phone calls from my son’s teachers about his homework and generally me struggling to cope with both being 7m pregnant (and waddling) as well as parenting our 2 boys (12yo and 3yo). In the natural, it is so easy to be tired, cranky, discouraged and frustrated with the various hiccups and bumps that come our way. I know several other mothers of boys who are going to have their PSLE this year who are also tearing their hair out. It isn’t just studies and grades that are making us fed-up, our 12yo boys are also going through their pre-teen “not a boy, not yet a man” phase where they feel as if they are all grown up and can make independent decisions, but behave like kids when it comes to responsibilities and priorities.

Today, I finally had time to breathe and do some quiet time earlier today and I came across this:

“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” – Daniel 10:19 NLT

Daniel, in this chapter, was touched by the one who looks like a man and strengthened. Who is this person he speaks of? Jesus in his old testament incarnation.

And I felt like Daniel at that moment- refreshed by the reminder that my family members and I are very precious to God so we can be full of shalom, full of encouragement and full of strength in the face of our trials. His ‘now’ word was really timely and like Daniel, I whispered to the LORD, “Please speak to me, Jesus, for You have strengthened me.”