January
2010 CWM Interview
Welcome
CWM Blog/Online Bible Study
CWM Coaching Tips
Interview
Final Thoughts
Welcome
We have lots of new CWMs joining
our community recently. Welcome and you will
find a great group of Christian women who support
and encourage one another. A great example is
Crystal who shares with us today. To read past
issues of CWM go to: http://www.kimberlychastain.com/newsletters/archives.htm.
I had to share a funny story that I’m
sure you all can relate to. I recently had a
pretty severe stomach bug and was out of commission
for at least two days. The house ran fine. We
had clean clothes and food to eat. Everyone
pitched in. Now here is the funny part. My family
said (once I was feeling better), “We
can tell you are feeling better, because you
are telling us what to do again.” So true.
I guess Mom is often the operations general
of the house. Hope you are having a blessed
New Year and God is teaching you many new things
about Himself.
Blog/Online Bible Study
We are having an excellent discussion
on the CWM blog about Facebook. Come share your
thoughts as well. We have a lot of wise, Godly
women in our community. The CWM blog can be
found at http://christianworkingmoms.blogspot.com.
The online Bible study can be found at http://cwmbiblestudy.blogspot.com.
Still hope to post a new study soon.
CWM Coaching Tips
Are you ready to dig deeper into
God’s Word? Then, have CWM Coaching Tips
emailed to you daily. You will memorize one
verse a week and hide it in your heart. To find
out more go to: http://www.kimberlychastain.com/cwmtips.htm.
Interview
Crystal is a married 29 year old
who lives in the USA. Crystal has a daughter
age 2 ½ and a son is due on March 5th.
She married her high school sweetheart and they
have been married for 7 years. Crystal is a
teacher who teaches in a multi-age 3rd, 4th,
and 5th grade classroom.
Crystal shares the following joys
in being a CWM: I love being able to use my
gifts and talents to impact and nurture the
lives of my students. I also really enjoy the
relationships that I’ve cultivated with
my coworkers. Although many of my colleagues
are non-Christians I often feel like I have
more in common with them than my stay-at-home
Christian friends. They understand both the
joys and difficulties of working with a family.
Working gives me a sense of fulfillment and
the feeling that I’m participating in
something greater than myself.
Crystal struggles with connecting
with other working moms. I want to meet with
other working moms, but after a day of working
the last thing I want to do is leave my family
to fellowship with other people. I want to stay
home and cuddle my daughter! I feel the same
way about my weekends – I want to enjoy
my family, not run around to weekend retreats
or bible studies. I wish I could find a way
to balance both of my wants. I have this need
to be with my family and the need to meet with
other moms---but when??
Her favorite Bible verse is: Psalm
73:25-26 Whom have I in heaven but You? And
there is none upon earth that I desire besides
You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is
the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
What is God teaching you right
now? God is teaching me that my situation in
life has been divinely ordained by him. That
working allows me to use my gifts for his glory
and to also be a living testimony of his grace.
Recently in church our pastor was preaching
on the calling of Matthew (Matthew 9:9-13).
Jesus went to Matthew’s house and many
tax collectors and sinners were also gathering
there. The Pharisees saw this and couldn’t
believe how Jesus was associating with THOSE
kinds of people! I have come to glory in the
fact that without contact there is no influence.
Working has given me an opportunity to have
contact with many different types of people.
It allows me to influence both my coworkers
and my students by living out my beliefs.
Crystal shares these words of
encouragement for other Christian Working Moms:
It can be difficult for stay-at-home moms to
understand how and why we work. Some of us work
because we must. Some of us work for the added
income and the sense of fulfillment. Whatever
reason you work, it doesn’t matter what
kind of attitudes you come across. Take pride
in the person God created you to be and the
influence you have on those around you. The
only thing that matters is that you are in God’s
will and that ‘the heart of your husband
safely trusts in you” (Proverbs 31:11).
I know that my house is in order and my husband
has full confidence in me.
Crystal shares a painful story
that I think many of us can relate to, unfortunately.
I recently had a ‘friend’ tell me
she could no longer be my friend because I work
and she couldn’t respect that. She questioned
how I could reconcile working with my relationship
with God. She even went so far as to ask how
I could be having another child when I “don’t
even take care of the one I have.” Although
she was projecting many of her own fears and
struggles onto me, her words greatly hurt me.
I want working women to know that this is NOT
a moral decision. Being at home doesn’t
make you godlier than the women who work outside
of the home. Life is hard; whether you stay
home, work part-time, or full-time…it’s
difficult! It’s just that the struggles
may be different.
Crystal thanks so much for speaking
out loud what many CWMs feel, but don’t
always feel comfortable saying. May we all desire
to know more of God.
Final Thoughts
The pictures of the Haiti earthquake
are so difficult to watch and rip out our hearts.
We can pray with our children for the children
in Haiti, the people there helping them, and
that God’s name will be proclaimed during
this difficult time. We can also teach our children
about giving to those in need.
Till next time,
Kimberly M. Chastain
Kimberly M. Chastain, MS, LMFT
is the Christian Working Mom Coach and a Licensed
Marriage and Family Therapist. She is the author
of The Voices of Christian Working Moms, 2 ebooks
and an online Bible study. To find out how to
receive coaching tips by email daily, go to
http://www.kimberlychastain.com/cwmtips.htm.
To find out more about her books go to www.christianworkingmom.com.
For a free, initial coaching session send an
email to free@kimberlychastain.com.
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