Week Four Summer of Mentorship 2020 :: Sally Clarkson

Sippy cup refill requests. Another load of laundry to fold. A sibling dispute.

Ever feel like you are reacting to life? Life is coming at you and you respond.

There have been many times in my mothering where instead of joy & hope I feel beat down and unfulfilled.

One woman who has whispered beauty and calm into those dark places, is today’s podcast guest, Sally Clarkson.

She told me motherhood can be more than just doing the dishes. It is an important job, guiding souls through discipleship and love. She taught me that my hard-to-handle boy may need me to sympathize more than instruct. She agreed boys may be a little wild. . .but showed me they can be civil & sip tea.

When I was coming out of a time of “not feeling like myself” Sally showed me how to own my life. To drop the negative thoughts which held me back. To consider what I wanted my days to look like and then make them happen.

He is the living, vibrant not-to-be-contained God. The more I would ponder God and engage with him in my own heart, the more my kids were drawing from me all the excellencies and realities of God. When we are passionate and filled with the Holy Spirit, our children will be exposed to the living God.

Sally has written her encouragement into a book called, “Own Your Life” (2015).

In this podcast episode, which originally aired January 6, 2015, I asked Sally all-the-things I’ve been pondering, from how to help your children really “know” God to simple advice on transforming a hard mom day.

What we talk about:

• Why I struggle to read Sally’s books at the end of hard days.
• Every mom has her own mom personality.
• In spite of our mom errors, children can learn our hearts
• How do we help our children “Yadah” God…to know Him personally
• Living a life of color & taste & joy so our children see & know the goodness of the Lord.
• How we are motivated…not by guilt or checklists but by love & encouragement.
• Balancing grace & truth in parenting–practicing patience & love takes time.
• Definition of the phrase “own your life”-
• Sally’s example of a friend who “owns her life” in a special way why she serves her son with a disability.
• In an immediate gratification society, not forgetting the long term process of your life. growing day by day, little by little.
• Making sure you make time for yourself, to fill up before you pour out to the little people in your life.
• Common barriers to owning your life.
• Sally’s advice to a mom who was depressed