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Chapter 9: Hope for Spicy Families – Pages 57-62

Authentic families; things in life are not always rainbows and butterflies. Moments aren’t always, “Good night John boy”, and hugs and kisses. Some families are messy. Most families, if we allowed people to dig deep enough, would find both sweet and spicy moments; especially behind closed doors, where authentic family living happens.

How do we start becoming authentic?

Stop filtering your life through Instagram and Facebook – showing only the picture perfect moments. Let others see you do not have it all together. Or better yet, post that photo of your kid throwing a fit in the middle of the grocery store, or the mountain of laundry you need to do still, admit you snap at your family, post when you just realized in the middle of your meeting at work you have tooth paste on your shirt, and talk about you fears.

Live authentically. And here’s a thought, ask for authentic prayers. Be honest when your friends ask you, “how are you doing?”

“Why do we exaggerate our failures and ignore our successes?” {For the Love}

I think life is bigger and deeper than this. I would have to question, why do we mask our failures and elevate our successes to social media? Let the world see that even as Christians we do not have it together; that we face trials and struggles like the rest of the world, but with one major difference: Jesus is what our eyes should be on during those moments. In For the Love, Jen talks about sweet and spicy families. To me, it is lacking a big factor: salty families.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:13,

“You are the salt of the Earth, but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

So I say to you, let us not lose our saltiness.

This chapter may have talked about questioning your parenting style frequently, but it speaks to you women wherever you are at: single, infertile, married, divorced, or widowed. You can be sweet or spicy, but you need to be salty regardless of whatever life throws at you.

“We are molding failure into character, both our kids and ours.” {For the Love}

Jesus is molding your failures into the character of who you are. Your story is written by Jesus. You are the main character in your life. You are not defined by your failures, your successes, your children, your husband, or your family.

Stop using others to define you. Stop comparing other families to yours. Instead of sweet or spicy, focus on being known as loving. Have Jesus’s love be what seeps from your pores. Let others see His love mixed in with whatever story is your life. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It is often messy. Even in the midst of it, please dear sisters, be salty.

Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus, and His promises. These are two that I treasure in my heart:

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. – Romans 8:28

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11

Sweet or spicy, no matter how you live out your life, treasure Jesus close to your heart, and for the love…do not lose your saltiness.

Help us grow together and gain ideas and inspiration, what are you doing in your life presently to hold onto your saltiness?

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[three-fourths]Jessica Hillard is a woman of God doing her best to fight back against the struggles of life with joy and worship. She lives in a small town in Michigan with her husband and their miracle son Matthew. She works as a nurse, goes to school part time, and thrives off of helping others.

You can connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.[/three-fourths][one-fourth][/one-fourth]