The Narrow Gate Still Invites

Knock knock knock...

Hello?

Anyone there?

Anyone?

We can't blame you if you aren't but we're trusting God that someone out there is still around. Although I haven't seen Maria, I know she is busy with family. When I caught up with Kim we were amazed at how identical the themes were in our lives.

 Kim still has a heart for the gypsies in Romania and things are busier than ever for her. I'm writing and spent most of this year creating devotionals called Already a ChampION:30 Devotionals Proclaiming You Aren't the Defeated One. Yet both of us realized of all the things God could do with our lives, He is doing this--
taking us through the narrow gate.

Funny thing is, we thought we'd been there and done that. We accepted the call to serve Him no matter what. He let us both know the gates continue. This is a step up and it's more narrow than ever. The baggage called my expectations for other people is strapped on my back and I keep getting caught on the gate. God has lovingly let me know I'm not going through the narrow gate until I let the baggage go.



It. has. been. so. frustrating.

The biggest revelation God gave me was that I bring my "A" game to nearly everything I do, and I expect everyone to do the same. They probably bring their "A" game, but they don't bring mine. Imagine the frustration. Hence, the image I have of me trying to pass through the narrow way to only get caught by the things on my back.

So that's where I've been, and it's a little update on Maria and Kim, too. I'm reading a great book that I'm learning so much from. Stay tuned to learn what it is. I'll be posting notes here from time to time because the information is that good and relevant.

How about you? Can you relate to God calling you to a new, more narrow place? How are you dealing with it?

http://www.juliearduini.com

Surrendering the good, the bad, and---maybe one day---the chocolate

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Maria Spencer: What I've Learned

 A note from Kim and Julie: We extend our love and prayers towards Maria and her family as they grieve the passing of her mother.  God is showing Maria so much during this difficult time, and she granted permission that we could post her words here.  If you feel led, you may leave your sympathies in the comment section and we'll make sure Maria receives it.

I’ve learned a thing or two about life over the past nine days.

 

I’ve learned we need to hug each other more. My sweet baby girl Olivia has this down pat. She’s a hugger—even if you don’t want a hug, or ask for one, she’s giving you one. She has a gift of discerning those around her that would be receptive to a hug, and those who are just in need of one. Her giving, outgoing spirit shines through her hugs and she spreads her light wherever she goes.

Just like her MiMi.

 

I’ve learned that we need to give people flowers while they are still alive. Flowers for them to look at and enjoy, while they are here on this earth. Once again, my baby girl, Olivia understands this—she has a way of bringing out the beauty in a dandelion. We see them as weeds, she sees them as flowers. Flowers to give to her mommy, to make her smile. She spreads her innocent un-stained, flawless joy through the simplest things. Her goal is to make others smile just by being who she is, and showing us to see life the way she sees it.

Just like her MiMi.

 

I’ve learned that we need to say what we need to say—what we want to say—to others while they are here with us. Good or bad, happy or sad—if we have words that others need to hear, we need not question what others will think, and just speak from our hearts. And again, my Olivia could teach all of us how this is done. She sees others the way God sees them. She has no agenda. If there are words that she has on her heart, she speaks them out, without thought or reserve—she will tell you what she is thinking, when she is thinking it.

Just like her MiMi.

 

I’ve also learned that we are all in too much of a hurry. No one seems to have any time to do anything that truly matters in this life. We are all running so fast, doing so many “things” at once—sometimes we don’t even know the goal, or where we are headed. We all just need to slow down and enjoy life. Because my Olivia’s muscles don’t allow her to move as fast as other kids her age, she knows life no other way. When we are walking with her, and trying to get to where we are going in a hurry, it’s not physically possible. She forces us to slow down and look around at where we are at the moment, enjoy the scenery, and take in all of life that surrounds us. Most often, in these precious moments, she makes us smile. Because she enjoys each moment of her life, and is forced to move a little differently than we do, she is able to spread some love around with her shining, pure, beautiful spirit. She forces us to slow down, and she fills most moments with laughter.

Just like her MiMi.

 

So in the sadness of this past week, and as I have been struggling to sort through all of the emotions that surround this pain of losing my mother, God reminded me that I don’t have to miss her at all—Her spirit, love, voice, arms, and laughter are alive and well each and every day in my home.

Through her baby granddaughter, Olivia Joanne.

 

Maria's New Year Resolution

New Year’s Resolution

I am so grateful that through all the changes we go through in this life—the disappointments, the ups and downs of this world, the good, the bad, and the ugly-- In the midst of the business of our days—when some days, all we need is a constant….

His love is unconditional.

His mercy is new each and every morning.

His grace is overflowing.

His peace is available always.

He offers forgiveness anytime we repent.

I am so very grateful for the constant of who Jesus is in my life.

Unfortunately, like most people, the holidays bring on many stressors.

Today, now that the hustle and bustle is over, I am so grateful that I can go to His Throne room, and He is still there.

Waiting for me.

Always.

Waiting for me to stop and be still.

Stop.

Slow down.

And just worship Him.

He is the constant in my life that I will be ever grateful for.

Even when I think He’s not listening, He is.

Even when there are days when I think He has forgotten about me, He hasn’t.

Even when circumstances in my life have allowed me to feel distant from Him, He’s still right next to me.

Whispering in my ear that things will be OK---pleading with me to lean on Him no matter what.

Teaching me that His grace is sufficient.

His love is overflowing.

And it is truly all I need.

Such peace there is knowing these simple, true facts of His word.

My New Year’s Resolution is to truly believe all He says and all that He is, and to be ever present in His presence.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

We Give Thanks

The Narrow Gate Girls are thankful for so many things.



































The grace Jesus has lavishly given us (and you, if you accept it)

Our marriages

Our families

Our many blessings

which include...

YOU.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Slowing Down

Well, I had the complete privilege of getting away to the beach with my beautiful family for an entire week…and I still have “vacation brain.” (I know it has been 2 months, but I still have it!)

I finally had the chance to unwind and truly enjoy my family. Unfortunately, because I work full time, and between therapy appointments with my daughter, and sports activities with my son, I don’t get to actually enjoy the blessings that are all around me every day as much as I should.

Sooo…between the lazy river, the pool, and sitting by the beach---I had plenty of time to talk to the Lord, and watch in amazement as my children took in all the sights and sounds of our beautiful surroundings.

Because of treatments my daughter received over the summer for her muscles, prior to this vacation, she had casts on both of her legs for 6 weeks.
And four days prior to arriving at the beach, she had them removed. So, as you can imagine (especially if any of you have had to wear a cast for any length of time), her gait was very different, trying to adjust to her newly-stretched out muscles….And, because she normally wears braces on her legs daily, her muscles were fighting to keep her balance without them as we trekked to the beach and pool several times a day.

So needless to say, for the entire vacation her gait was very unusual, and she fought every second of the day, just to stay up to walk.

Because of these factors, I had no choice but to slow down.

Literally.

God knew I needed to slow down, and take my time to enjoy this vacation, and He created the circumstances so that I was forced to move slower.

And in the midst of me having to do everything slower, in order for her to be comfortable, I learned an amazing lesson.

Because I was moving at her pace, on her time, I got to see what was really important.

I actually focused on her beautiful face, and how much she is growing before my eyes.

I took the time to listen to each word she spoke, and tune into her amazing curiosity.

As her little body was struggling, her spirit was shining.

In the midst of her using every bit of energy just to stand up and walk, she was full of joy.

True, pure joy that can only come from a child.
The kind of joy our Lord wants us to have on a daily basis.

I learned this simple life lesson, from the most beautiful vessel He placed in my world seven years ago. She knows life no other way—and she perseveres each and every day. She is the epitome of God’s joy, strength and grace.

If she can have joy in the midst of her challenges than what excuse do I have to complain or fret about any challenge I have to face?

So I meditate on Romans 5:3-5, “ …but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”

Slow down.
Rejoice.
Persevere.
Gain hope.


A simple, yet profound lesson from my little girl.

And from my God.



Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

The Maria He So Desperately Wants Me To See

Hello everyone!
I hope you all are having a peaceful summer….
I haven’t had much time to enter the gate, and I am happy to be back!

The summer has been busy here…
My daughter had her tonsils and adenoids removed, along with some injections to help relax her muscles. And now she has casts on both legs to stretch her muscles for awhile…sooo… I have been kind-of in stress mode since June.

In the midst of all of the craziness, I have learned that God uses stress to bring up all the things inside of me that I am still holding on to (even though I have claimed to give them to Him). So, once again, He is molding all of me—my thoughts, my words, my actions---into the Maria He sees, the Maria He so desperately wants me to see.

Thankfully, my daughter’s casts will be off next week, and we are headed to a real beach.
My kids have never seen the ocean, so I am looking forward to seeing the looks on their faces when they feel the sand on their feet, and feel the ocean waves splash their faces.

And I am looking forward to sitting still—something I don’t do very often.

Sitting, basking in the beauty of God’s creations, and enjoying the amazing family He has given me.

I will close the gate door for now, and I will return soon.
Maria

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

Risen Indeed!

After All

I have had some very personal, bumps in my road of this life lately.

It would be so very easy for me to gripe and complain most of the day.

My flesh would like to lash out in my fear and anger that surrounds the sound of the enemy’s voice. I have been working on quieting his voice. It is a minute-by-minute conscious struggle.

Before I knew the Lord, I was a top-notch worrier.

I was so very good at it. I was taught by the best, could compete with the best.

I was also very well trained in the negativity department. I knew so very well how to over analyze and see the bad in any situation.

So when the enemy tries to come in now, these are the things he uses--
My thoughts mostly.

I am so grateful that I now have the ability to discern the voice of the enemy vs. the voice of the Lord.

I can sense evil before the thoughts even come.

I am so thankful to the Lord for choosing me, seeking me out, and finding me. If I didn’t know who he was these days, my life would be different. I have to admit that I continually fight the voice of evil, and some days I still let it in.

But I know that I know that my God is who He says He is. And He really is in control.
I am thankful for the road that He has prepared for me, and I know He is counting on me to follow His lead.

The good Pastor Osteen says often, “The enemy fights you the hardest when he knows God has something good in store for your life.”

I am fighting this good fight of faith and standing on His path—through His word and His promises. I am ready for the next turn or twist in the road—ready for what He has in store. I will keep my eyes fixed on Him, and I know His light will lead the way.

I have to trust Him.

I choose to trust Him.

After all, I’ve given Him my life.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

One Day at a Time

Maria wears a lot of hats and one of them is as a columist with Mahoning Parent magazine. She finds as she encourages special need families with her own experiences, many of those writings are God breathed and fit in here as well. This is the case with today's post!


I have been on this special parenting journey for six years now, and the most valuable thing I have learned recently is that we have to take this one day at a time. Some days, one hour at a time…can you relate?

My prayer this month is that you will become more aware of the precious present with your child—and not be consumed by the next appointment, treatment or therapy that you have scheduled or would like to try. Our kids are doing amazing things right before our eyes—and sometimes we don’t even realize it.

This took me a very long time to see. I enjoy my daughter—all of her—now more than I ever did. I enjoy both her strengths and her weaknesses, because they both are a part of who she is. For far too long, I focused on the limitations of her body, instead of seeing all of the amazing things she was capable of. And in the meantime, I missed out on so much valuable time with her that I can never get back.
In order to accomplish focusing on her capabilities, I had to first change the way I thought about the disability that is only a part of her. Honestly, this took time. Changing the way we think about the disability itself takes time.

If you are still in the process of accepting the disability—changing the way you think about it will naturally fall into place. With acceptance comes a certain amount of peace—peace in your mind, mostly. That’s how it played out for me. I was searching for some kind—any kind of peace so I could take care of my many other responsibilities in my life, and still know my daughter was going to be OK—no matter what the outcome of the next thing we were going to do for her was going to be. I knew this peace was the only thing that would enable me to take just one day at a time, and enjoy the beauty of the person that God made her to be. Webster’s definition of peace is, “freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction or anxiety; serenity, tranquility.”

Some people find this peace in research—books, articles that have proven to have solved something related to their child’s different abilities. Others find it in sharing their experiences with other families that understand. Still others find it in a non-stop race to find the latest therapy or tool that may get their child to accomplish their next goal.

All of these things are great, and I’ve been in and through them all…
But in the midst of each and every one, I didn’t feel content. Sure, my intentions were good, but I was driven by fear and worry for the future. The opposite of peace is worry. You can’t have them both at the same time. Our minds weren’t wired that way.

I finally found this peace through God and His word.

There, I found my feelings put into words—coupled with words of encouragement and hope for the future. Not just for my future as a mom—but hope for my daughter, and my entire family. My faith in God and the fact that He chose me to be Olivia’s mother is what gets me through each hour, each day—and all the future appointments to come. You see, I’ve given all of the decision-making to Him. He’s the light on my path of this journey, and since I came to know who He is, it’s amazing—I can see the road so much clearer! With Him leading my way, I am able to truly enjoy my daughter, instead of worrying about her future. This peace is so very special to me.

I encourage you to find your own peace, so you too can know you are not taking this journey alone. I’m not claiming I have this calm, tranquil peace each and every hour--but I do know that with God by my side, I have the strength to walk this journey one day at a time.



Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

And the winner is...

The streamers are down, the refreshments picked over. Party time is over---for this year at least. We've had a great week meeting bloggers and new friends at Twitter and Facebook. We probably met new folks who had no clue what they were clicking on as Julie accidentally signed this blog up for the "not so family friendly category". Oh every party needs a goof, right?


Anyway, the cheese fries are long gone so it must be time to announce our winner of the Jan Ross & Jeanice McDade anthology: Women of Passions: Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God. Both Julie and Maria have work included in this book, along with other writing friends. This particular giveaway, because we get awesome international hits we appreciate, is open to one winner anywhere we can deliver mail.


What a blessing, this is truly an international winner...RUBY!!!!

We're hoping to connect with Ruby for her address so she can get her copy of this book. If you would like to purchase a copy of this book either for you or for a gift, please click here.

Thanks for stopping by during the Ultimate Blog Party '09. Our hope is you'll become a regular reader we can get to know better.

Have a blessed weekend!

Utimate Blog Party '09: Virtual Cheese Fries and a Real Book Giveaway!

Come in, Come in!





It's party time!









So glad you're here!



We're the Narrow Gate Girls, otherwise known as Kim Zaksek, Maria Spencer and Julie Arduini. We live in NorthEast Ohio within minutes of each other. Last year we obeyed God's call to blog on deeper matters of faith.

None of us have the journey in Christ mastered, in fact, most of our blogging shows what we're learning, fighting, or re hashing a mistake or experience. Our party is different because we don't want to wear masks. What you see is what you get with us. And it's okay. In Jesus Christ we embrace that, and our hope is you embrace that fact about you, too.

We tend to get caught up analyzing what God is doing, so much so you might have to tap us at the buffet table and tell us to stop staring at the forks. We've gone out before thinking there might be a message from the Lord in the utencil area.

But we're fun, at least we think so! The rare times we get together we require one item:
CHEESE FRIES!!!!

So please, make yourself comfortable, grab some cheese fries, ignore us lingering over the forks, and have fun. We'd love for you to visit often. You can subscribe to this blog via RSS feed or Feedblitz. You can also follow, or both! You can learn more about each of us by reading the sidebar here, and of course, through our individual posts. Feel free to invite others to visit, virtual cheese fries for all!

To make this fun for you, we have a book giveaway!


Women of Passions: Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God is by our friends Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade. Maria and Julie both have work included in this book. Leave a comment on this post with a way on how to contact you if you win. We'll take comments from 12:00am March 20-11:59PM March 27. On March 28 we'll randomly pick one INTERNATIONAL entry and send a copy of this book (it's in English) to you.
Enjoy!

Peace

I have been seeking this peace for quite some time.
Ever since I came to know the Lord, I have been searching.
In His word.
In His promises.
In my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
“Where is this peace?” I have asked frequently over the past four years. “Why don’t I have this peace always?”

Recently my world was rocked. Everything I thought to be true within my marriage and my life were not so true. I have had absolutely no choice but to present all of my requests to God. Actually, my entire life.
Finally.
He’s been waiting for the past four years.

I put my life in His hands—all of it. My kids, my marriage, my everything,
I now trust Him to have His way and do His will.
I have been broken into pieces, and I trust that He is putting me back together daily.
I have surrendered.
I will obey.

And guess what?

I’m finding more and more of His peace each and every day.

March 20-27 is Five Minutes For Mom's Ultimate Blog Party 09. This is a great way for women bloggers to connect and meet new cyber friends. There are always a ton of great giveaways and The Narrow Gate Invites and The Surrendered Scribe both are going to be in on the party.This site will be giving away one copy of Women of Passions:Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God by Jeanice McDade and Janet Ross.
Both Maria and I have works included in this book. It's a wonderful book with many stories, poems and testimonies by women you may know in the blogging world. As a reader I have to tell you I was blown away by the depth the women shared. They opened a curtain up of their lives and totally let the reader in. The book blessed me and we are excited to give it away.So stay tuned and let folks know about the Ultimate Blog Party. It's an awesome event!

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

Moving Boxes

I thought the Wii Fit would serve as a great exercise for my changing body. I never thought the Holy Spirit would use it for an exercise of my mind!

I was doing the body test and at the end is a balance exercise. One had me standing still, looking at a red circle in the middle. Suddenly moving boxes start floating. I started leaning towards the boxes and not the circle.

When the test ended, I obviously scored low for balance. It gave a tip at the end that could have knocked me flat.

"Be sure you don't follow visual cues. Keep your focus

on the middle to stay steady."

I can't let go of that sentence. Isn't it natural to sway with the front page declaring depression? Nose dive in faith after a phone call questioning your parenting? Tumble after an unexpected bill arrives?

These are the moving boxes I move to, forgetting the steady, red dot in the middle.

I'm working on focus and staying still no matter what's floating around me.

How about you?

***

March 20-27 is Five Minutes For Mom's Ultimate Blog Party 09. This is a great way for women bloggers to connect and meet new cyber friends. There are always a ton of great giveaways and The Narrow Gate Invites and The Surrendered Scribe both are going to be in on the party.

This site will be giving away one copy of Women of Passions: Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God by Jeanice McDade and Janet Ross. Both Maria and I have works included in this book. It's a wonderful book with many stories, poems and testimonies by women you may know in the blogging world. As a reader I have to tell you I was blown away by the depth the women shared. They opened a curtain up of their lives and totally let the reader in. The book blessed me and we are excited to give it away.

So stay tuned and let folks know about the Ultimate Blog Party. It's an awesome event!

Julie Arduini is a wife, mom and surrendering writer. Her personal blog, The Surrendered Scribe, shows her writing resume. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she is also a columnist with Take Root and Write. She has a tentative story to contribute to the Jeanette Littleton book, GodSightings. Her verse for 2009 is Deuteronomy 11:11-12. She's a new columnist with the daily online newspaper, The Cypress Times.

One True Love

In this week filled with “love”—Valentines, roses and chocolate…I am thanking the Lord for His love.

Unconditional love.

Laura Woodley’s lyrics from “Into The Light” resound within my soul this Valentine’s day…words from the Lord to us….

I want her
I love her
She’s the one for me.
I choose her
I know her
My blood has made her clean
She is my true love.

Even though I have known the Lord for almost four years now, it wasn’t until recently that I truly completely began to understand and accept this love. It is a love like no other.

Pure.
All-encompassing.
True.

He will never leave you.
He will never disappoint you.
He is always with you.

Always.

This Valentine’s day, be grateful for your one true love.

His name is Jesus.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

Deep Calls To Deep

The worship song “ All Who Are Thirsty” has been resounding in my soul these days…the verse is as follows:

“All who are thirsty,
and All who are weak,
Come to the fountain,
dip your heart in the
Stream of Life
Let the pain and the sorrow,
be washed away
In the waves of His mercy as
Deep calls out to deep…”

Psalm 42:7 states, “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.”

I never truly knew what “deep cries out to deep” meant until recently. When a challenge enters your world, and you exhaust all of your emotional and physical energy trying to overcome it in your own strength, true surrender happens.

True, honest surrender.

When life comes at you, and completely breaks you into a million little pieces, you have absolutely no other choice but to humble yourself and become transparent before the Lord.

Humble.
Transparent.
Broken.


Then and only then can you receive the deep, amazing, refreshing healing of God’s overflowing river of mercy, love, and hope.

Humble yourself before the Lord.

Repent of your sins, no matter how small or how large you think they are.

He already knows the secrets of your heart.

Go ahead.

Dip your heart in the Stream of Life.

Receive all of His promises.

He is waiting.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

Shifting Your Focus

Maria's note:

As you may or may not know, I write a monthly column for our local Parent magazine entitled, "Special Parents, Special Kids" and as I was writing next month's, I realized Julie, Kim and I were all writing on the same thing: Focus. Even though my article is geared toward reaching parents of children with disabilities, I pray all moms and dads will find peace in "Shifting" their focus once and awhile...and know that God has it all figured out, anyway...He is in control.

I’m sure all of you, like me, have many other responsibilities in your everyday lives besides caring for your special child. Taking care of our spouse, other children, our home—meeting the demands at work or school, etc…Things that aren’t always the first on our minds, because our special child may need more of our attention and energy, more of the time. Not that the other people and responsibilities are not important, just that when you became a special parent, things just shifted in the direction of that child’s needs above all—treatments, therapies, appointments, research, school needs, etc...

I have tried to multi-task to the best of my ability over the past 6 years, and train myself to be there for everything, all the time. And as I’m sure you can imagine, it doesn’t always work out that way.

Recently, I had the privilege of shifting my attention to other things (very important things) in my life—and I call it a privilege because I realized that even in the midst of not staring at my daughter and focusing on the next step in her treatment—she survived! And I gained a new perspective on this special parenting life of mine. It’s OK to make other people and things priority, and not feel guilty about it.

When other things take precedence over your special child, it actually forces you to take a few steps back and see the fruits of your labor. Most of us spent (or you may be still spending, depending on how old your child is or when you became a special parent) many of the early days in our journey setting up services for our child. Making sure he or she received the best care, the best way we knew how. We made mistakes along the way, but reached a point of knowing when to continue on a path, and when to take a detour. If you’ve been on this road for awhile, you have learned the ins and outs of the things that may benefit your child, and if they are a right fit for your situation.

When events cause you to change the focus of your attention to other things in your life, it creates an opportunity for you to actually be proud of yourself as a parent.

I recently had this happen to me, and when it was all said and done, I was grateful for my mind—that I allowed it to focus on other very precious and important things in my life. And it made my heart happy—that I gave my daughter the opportunity to shine on her own. I didn’t need to constantly have her on the front page of my to-do list. She was able to “stand on her own” so to speak, without me holding her hand through each step. The break allowed me to rejoice in how far I have come as a special parent—and how so far she has come on her own—without me.

Our kids grow and learn and progress---all at different times, and at different paces—without us. As hard as that is for me to actually say, and see the written words—it is so very refreshing. Many of us have been carrying the burden of our child’s disability within us for a very long time—and I finally know now that it was never a burden after all. It has been an honor—to be chosen to be her parent, and to do it the best way I know how with the support of services and friends—and God. He chose me after all, and He chose you.

Taking a step back from your situation and taking a deep breath will help you see that. Even if circumstances beyond your control cause you to do it, and your attention has to be spent elsewhere—it is worth it. I truly believe He wants us to capture each moment of our lives—not just with our special children—but with all of our children, with our spouses, at our workplace, and in our day to day routines.

Our children were given to us for a very specific purpose.

Not so we could minimize the other things in our lives, but to enhance them.

Enjoy each moment.

Take a breath.

Be proud of the very special parent you are.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

Until Next Time

Button courtesy Split Decisionz

Announcement: On Friday, November 14 I'll be a guest blogger over at Slurping Life. This is a huge honor for me as I share my nature pictures and words, something Melody is so gifted at in her own blog. I'd love for you to check her blog out!

It was nearly a year ago God gave me a vision for a new blog, a team blog. He showed me immediately what the theme would be (deeper things of Christian faith) and who the other bloggers would be (Kim and Maria, of course!) It took a few months of prayer for the right timing and for all of us to feel the same way, but here you have it, The Narrow Gate Invites.

It's exciting to see us evolve as much as the blog has. Kim felt such a strong desire to return to Romania, and she did, with so many awesome testimonies and a refined vision. Maria is surrendering fears and stepping out of her comfort zone, sometimes on national TV (see Joel Osteen sidebar on right)!

Me, well next week I feel God is going to do a new thing with me. Physically I'll have surgery that I'm believing will put me in a new season of life. It's been a long road and I wonder if a lot of it was His preparation for the next step in the journey. I'll have a good amount of bedrest and I really look forward to that quiet time with the Lord and just reading.

With that, I'm going to be taking a break from blogging here. I want to use the time of rest to seek perspective and wisdom and have fresh, anointed ideas. Besides here, I blog at my personal blog, Sundays at the Christian Writers Forum and I have two monthly columns at Take Root and Write. The Take Root ministry is so much of my calling, and with that comes groups with the social network, Christian Women Take Root. I facilitate the groups associated with the columns, so it's a fair amount of upkeep. Women are hungry for God's love through marriage and surrender. I'm willing to be a vessel for that as long as He calls me.

So pray for the Narrow Gate Girls. My hope is that Kim and Maria will continue to blog in my absence and that I'll be back in December sometime with renewed vision and a refreshed spirit.

If you have any ideas, suggestions or comments about what you'd like to see here, please leave a comment or e mail us at jarduini@faithwriters.net. We're so thankful for you!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, The Surrendered Scribe. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she also blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. One of the books will be a quote in Kathy Vick's Simon and Schuster/Howard's gift book, "Run Like a Girl." Julie's surrender story is featured in the Run Like a Girl website launch.

You can also find Julie the third Wednesday of each month over at Take Root and Write with her columns, Finding Freedom through Surrender and Marriage: Striving for Oneness. She facilitates groups by the same name at the sister social networking site, Christian Women Take Root.