As the 2010 Olympics drew to a close this last week, I found myself growing increasingly sad. I was going to miss the Olympic spirit of athletes coming together to participate in something that truly transcends languages and cultures. I was going to miss hearing the stories of people from all over the world who saw lifelong dreams come true on slopes, and ice, and half pipes. But most of all…I was really going to miss all those great commercials. Yes, it’s true. Besides being inspired to take the family to McDonalds so we could eat like true Olympians…I found a few of the commercials to be absolutely inspiring. And I found that the Lord was actually using them to speak to my heart about His love. I’ll explain…

We’ve recently welcomed a new little person to our home. Freidrich Uriah Zeller was born on January 29th, which coincided nicely with this years Olympic games. Between endless middle-of-the-night feedings, and staying up way too late to watch the best part of the Olympics every night…our family arrived at the end of at the end of February- utterly exhausted.

Beyond that…newborns aren’t easy. They spit. They poop. They cry. And when they can, they prefer to do all three of these while the rest of the civilized world is sleeping. And when our precious little newborn isn’t keeping us up…it seems like our two-year-old, Emma, is happy to rise to the occasion. Reid and I love our kids more than anything in the world…but to be honest, there have been varied emotions running through our minds and hearts over the last few weeks as we have adjusted to becoming a family of four. Fear. Anger. Exhaustion. Worry. Disappointment. Overwhelmed….(if that’s a word)… just to name a few. It was in the midst of feeling all of these emotions, and after a very long day with both of my kids, when I first saw the Wal-mart and P & G commercials.

They start out simple. They draw you into the stories of Olympic athletes back when they were little kids. But then they take it one step further by inviting you to see these little kids…through the eyes of their moms. And at the end of the Wal-mart commercial the Wal-mart shopping, Hockey-mom sums it all up with the words, “I’m saving for all the lessons she’ll learn…and the amazing person she’ll become.” As I heard those words it gave me chills.

On the worst days and the most sleepless nights, it has been so easy to forget that behind both of my precious kids…their is someone amazing that they will each someday become. I love Emma and Fred so much, and in one sense, I think they are quite amazing right now: Amazing, tiny, sweet, image-bearers of God. But when I was reminded to stop and think of who they will someday be, it truly convicted my heart. It is so easy in the difficult and messy moments of parenting to forget that my little ones are in the process of “the amazing people they will become.”

As I sat in that thought and felt the weight of the greatness of the people I have been entrusted to care for, I felt the Lord speaking to my heart, “Misty…THIS is how I see My kids too.” It’s true. In the midst of our messy and sinful hearts, and broken and unfinished lives…the Lord sees not only the lessons we will learn…He sees the amazing people we will each One Day become in Christ. Every day, in every messy moment of your life God sees YOU as you will be, not just as you are. I know this is true because He promises this in Philippians 1:4-6. Writing to the church in Phillipi Paul says,

“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

What an amazing promise! God has begun something truly good in the lives of those who are His…and He has promised that He will carry to completion what He begun. How would your life look different if you really believed this? What would you believe about yourself that you don’t? What would you believe about God’s love for you and acceptance of you that you refuse to believe right now? And how would you treat the people in your life who are the hardest for you to love if you saw them like this?

As I held baby Fred in my arms tonight, and as I tucked little Emma into bed, I was reminded that the Lord has begun their precious lives and will carry to completion His good work. I am so grateful that they are mine, and that I get to see such a beautiful thing unfold before my eyes. Even more…I am so thankful that the Lord who made me and saved me has begun something good that He will finish…I am so grateful to be His.

For more Olympic inspiration, check out this one…..

- Misty Zeller, 7th year Senior Staff