Jenna’s daughter
I’m so excited to feature this guest post by Jenna Masters. I’ve shared her blog posts before because they always teach and touch me at a heart level. So enjoy and be encouraged. And visit Jenna at https://markedbylove.blog
Bring Your Mess
by Jenna Masters
Got the keys?
Check.
Diaper bag?
Check.
Wispy blonde hair, weighed down by clumpy mascara?
Wait…what?
I pivoted on my heel and peeked into the bathroom again. Her brown eyes scanned my face, looking for a smile. Those nimble two-year-old fingers had found mascara and adventurously brushed it through my daughter’s hair.
“Bushie my hair, Momma!’
Wow. Wrong brush, baby.
I knelt down and scooped up my beauty queen.
Then a sheepish voice cast itself on my back, “Uh oh”.
Oh, Eli…not the house plants.
Dirt. Every. Where.
I surveyed the damage, my skunk-haired cutie balanced on my hip.
I quickly realized, it wasn’t just my 3-year-old son caked in soil.
I yanked back my cry.
There was Micah, shoveling fistfuls of earth into his mouth. His one-year-old jaw labored up and down- like a cow chewing cud.
At least it’s organic.
Aaron was out of town on a business trip. It had been months since I’d gone to Bible study. And to be fair, I had a diaper bag full of excuses. But THIS was the day I felt a strong tug on my heart: I needed to be surrounded by other women.
But, I couldn’t go now. I couldn’t walk though those heavy doors and be, the mom who let her two-year-old die her hair black. Or, the mom who clearly feeds her boys dirt for dinner and never makes them bathe.
No, thank you. Not today.
My shoulders dropped. I would stay home and miss fellowship…again. I ran my hand under the bath water, it grew warm like the tears collecting on my cheeks.
As I lined up the troops for clean up…a worship song came rushing into my heart.
The chorus rang, “Come, just as you are…”
Whoever wrote that, hasn’t had a day in the life of the Masters family, I thought.
But, it kept looping, like a broken record in my head, “Come, just as you are…”
The spirit was calling me to fellowship, telling me it was OK to come, ‘as is’. If anyone could understand the mishaps of motherhood…it was other women!
I felt a surge of energy and shamelessness pour over me.
I quickly turned off the bath water and announced to my three ragamuffins, ‘Momma’s decided we’re gonna take this mess with us!!”
Yes. We would take our mess with us.
Isn’t that what true fellowship is all about?
We don’t need to have-it-all-together– to be together.
Jenna Marie Masters is a Jesus follower, held together by prayer, coffee and paper plates. She has a BA in Photojournalism and a Masters/Seminary Degree in Christian Ministry with a cognate in Pastoral Counseling. She writes for CCEA Women’s blog and Marked by Love. She’s passionate about being defined by God’s love and being refined by studying his word. She runs her race alongside her hubby, Aaron and their 3 priceless kiddos. They’ve been pursing adoption for 4 years, and have learned to adopt God’s will in the waiting. Visit her at https://markedbylove.blog
