It’s where I rocked our three baby girls to settle them down at night. It’s where I wrapped them in extra love and snuggles when life got especially hard. It’s where my mom rocked me. And her mom before that. Yes. This rocking chair may not be farmhouse or contemporary, but it holds a special place in our bedroom despite any decorative updates I make in our home. It’s more than sentimental; it’s spiritual.
This summer in a Bible study with a treasured group of Coaches’ Wives we are learning to be Engaged, Equipped, and Empowered by God to make disciples. Our first week focused on Engaging with God daily. One foundational scripture came from Exodus 33:7, 11.
“Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp… The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua did not leave the tent.”
It’s Tent Time.
In this passage we see Moses made it a habit, a practice, to go to His tent to meet with The Lord—his best friend. As a team of Coaches’ Wives we challenged each other to set up our own “campsite” for daily time with Jesus. It was fun seeing many post a picture of their “tent of meeting” on our group chat. (And what a great time to do this during summer “camp” season, right?) From cozy chairs to porch swings, God honors making intentional time and space to camp out and engage with Him.
What about you? Do you have a place you can set aside as your “tent of meeting” this summer? (Remember: it can even be a spot on the floor of your bathroom! What’s important is not WHERE but WHO you meet there!) Maybe you and your daughter(s) can set up your own “tents of meeting?”
For years this heirloom rocking chair has been a holy place where I meet with my Savior each morning. This ROCKing chair is not super chic or comfy—but a few verses later, The Lord used Exodus 33:18, 21-22 to confirm its specialness.
“Moses requested of God, “Show me your glory.” …Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you shall stand on a ROCK. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the ROCK and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.”
Yep. This rocking chair is a rock for me. It’s a place where God settles me. Where He wraps me extra close when life gets especially hard. A cleft where Jesus keeps my feet on the ROCK of His Truth each day. This old rocking chair may not look glorious–but it’s where each morning I see His glory!!
In Daniel 6:10 we see an example of someone else who had a “tent of meeting” and made it his habit to engage God daily.
“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”
Because Daniel sought God as his Rock when life on easy ordinary days—when the hard and dangerous days came, he remained Rock Solid. The result? By spending daily “face time” with God, Moses’ face was described as so gloriously radiant they covered his head with a veil. Daniel 12:3 gives us a similar glowing report.
“Men and women who have lived wisely and well will shine brilliantly, like the cloudless, STAR-strewn night skies. And those who put others on the right path to life will glow like STARS forever.”
Like Moses and Daniel, God wants mommas whose feet stand anchored on the ROCK and who shine like STARS. God wants moms who are “ROCK STARS.”
Rock Star Moms stand on the ROCK during the storms of life.
The way STARfish survive storms is by clinging to higher rocks. Same with Rock STAR moms.
Psalm 61:2 declares that when the flood waters of life rise, Rock Star Moms head for their Higher Rock. “From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the ROCK that is higher than I.”
Instead of fighting the waves, Rock Star Moms “learn to kiss the waves that throw us up against the Rock of Ages.” (Charles Spurgeon)
Psalm 27:5 is the confidence we can cling to: “In the day of trouble God will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His sacred TENT and set me high upon a ROCK.”
Rock Star Moms build their house upon The Rock.
Matthew 7:24-25 gives us this blueprint. “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise (wo)man who built (her) house on the rock—not on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
One of my grandmother’s favorite hymns echoes God’s truth.
My hope is built on nothing less—Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,—But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
When darkness veils His lovely face,—I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,—My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand.
Like my mom and grandmother,
Rock Star Moms lead their children to The Rock.
I do love my heirloom rocking chair because it reminds me both of my ROCK of ages (Jesus Christ) plus it reminds me of the Rock Stars who raised me, who inspired me.
2 Timothy 1:5 is a glimpse of my story ” I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother (Margaret Rose) and in your mother (Evelyn) and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” (added)
To this day my parents still have their “tent times” with Jesus every morning AND evening in matching wing back chairs beside their front window. They call it their sanctuary. My grandmother and great-grandmother were Rock solid SHEroes of the faith because they both spent daily time with Jesus. When grandmother Morris died, she left each of her children and grandchildren one of her journals. Every morning in her “tent time” with Jesus she wrote a praise, then a Scripture passage, followed by a hymn, and her prayer for that day.
It’s no coincidence that when God inspired the intergenerational Portraits of Womanhood Bible Study Series we encourage moms and daughters to establish their own daily “P.O.W.E.R. Time.” As we study the biblical portraits of different godly women, one lesson unveils that Mary made it her habit to sit at the feet of Jesus—her ROCK. (see Luke 10:38-42, John 11:32, John 12:1-3) That was the secret to her Power. HE was the secret to her Power! The same is true of us.
There’s POWER in The Rock.
Spending time at Christ’s feet can look different for everyone. But one simple outline we suggest in our Portraits Study is what we call our P.O.W.E.R. Time acronym:
In your journal, daily embrace God’s P.O.W.E.R. through…
- P-RAISING God for His goodness and gifts (Note: Each Portraits lesson includes a classic hymn like the one in this Blog to build upon our rich spiritual heritage.)
- O-PENING God’s Word to read and copy at least one verse
- W-RITING a Power Point God speaks to you through reading the Bible or a devotional
- E-XPRESSING your heartfelt response through Prayer
- R-ADIATING God’s POWER all day long
Raising Rock Star Daughters.
In the Exodus 33 passage where this “tent time” began, there’s one last phrase to highlight. Notice that when “Moses returned to the camp…young Joshua…did not leave the tent.” Whether you have a Rock Star legacy or a Rocky one, God will honor the next generation as you take your stand daily with Jesus as your Rock.
I pray over everyone who reads this that—“God will set your feet on The Rock and give you a firm place to stand. He will put a new song in your mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. And many (daughters) will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him” because of your Rock Star status in Jesus. (Ps 40:1-3)
As we rock on—there’s no greater joy than to see our own “Joshuas” (our three grown daughters) have “tent times” of their own; and those they disciple do the same. There’s no greater joy than to see them stand on The Rock through storms, build their homes on The Rock, and find their POWER in The Rock of Ages.
God has raised us up to be Rock Star Moms that raise up Rock Star Daughters “who shine like stars in the sky among a warped and crooked generation as they hold firmly to the Word of life” (Jesus Christ) as their Rock. (Phil 2:15-16)
Yep. I love this old rocking chair. But it’s not the place that’s powerful. It’s the person I meet there that holds all power! It’s not the chair—it’s our Christ. Jesus is The Rock Star who makes us SHINE! He is the Rock Star that will make our daughters shine too!
So mommas, let’s keep rockin’ and shinin’ as HIS Rock Stars!