Littlest known, yet most influential mom.

What does it mean to be a Mother? Is it merely a title given to any woman who conceives a child? Is it merely the tasks we complete each day to make sure everyone in the house is clothed, fed, cleaned, and put to bed? Is it more than that? Dear friend, I say, it is MUCH more than that.

Being a mother myself now, it's amazing to me what is birthed in a woman when she gives birth to a child. A sense of wonder, achievement, fear, responsibility, commitment, and deep unconditional love all well up from depths that we did not know existed. It's almost as if a new person comes into being as we take on the blessed task of raising the little one that lies in our arms immediately after birth. Such a huge and daunting task this is, such a heavy burden to bear. BUT, also such a blessing it is to be given the gift of motherhood and to watch your little one grow and flourish under your care and correction, love and affection, teaching and direction.

 I was so encouraged as Nathan preached at a nearby church that day and he spoke of the littlest known, yet most influential mom in the Bible. Her name was Jochebed, and though she is only mentioned in 2 verses in the entire Bible, she raised 3 of the most influential children in the Old Testament - Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Jochebed did her God-given task of raising 3 godly children who would one day lead the entire nation of Israel out of captivity and into the Promised Land. She faithfully taught them and led by example what it meant to trust and follow God no matter the circumstances. Nathan encouraged we mothers in the church (those with children of their own as well as those spiritual children) that though we may go unnoticed or unspoken of, our influence is great and God gives us such a gift in being able to instill His statutes into the children He blesses us with. That is my hope and prayer, that though people may not remember me, or speak often of me in years to come, I hope and pray that what I have taught my children about our Lord and Savior would live on as they testify of their faith, hope, and trust in Him.

Where has the time gone?!?

My oh my has time flown since I last posted on here! I apologize for not keeping up better, especially with all the changes that have happened since Josiah was born. Here's some quick highlights of what happened in the month of April.


On April 6, I celebrated my birthday of 22 years of wonderful life! My dear husband took me out to Rodizios Brazilian Steakhouse and then to the Shout House in downtown Minneapolis where they have dueling pianos....so much fun! My favorite was a duel based on songs that have a number in the title, those guys know their music!

Rodizios, unlimited meat! :) yum yum!

The clean air of Nebraska and Kansas filled our lungs mid-April as we headed down to show off Josiah to the family before we move out to Pennsylvania for Nathan's Seminary internship. God was SO good to us in giving us an amazing visit with my Mamapolly, who arrived at her heavenly home just a month and a half later in June. So thankful that she and Josiah got to meet one another before she passed away.

Mamapolly and Josiah

4 Generations - Mom's side

4 Generations - Dad's side

Naps with Grandpa are the best! I think Grandpa enjoyed it too ;)

Dorothy Fischer - a family friend

Nathan and Benjamin working on a wood project

The finished wood project product!

We surprised Samuel at school for lunch!

My dear friend Tabitha

My Goddaughter, Stephanie

Good ol' floor time with Grandpa

We celebrated our risen Savior on Easter Sunday with Nathan preaching a wonderful message at a small local congregation.

At the end of April, we said our goodbyes to the youth group at RLC. After three years of youth ministry there, you realize how deeply God can use you and how hard it is to say goodbye. The pictures below are of the sword drills, Nathan teaching the 100+ youth, and me and my small group. <3

Introducing....Josiah Jerome Olson

Through the eyes of Josiah Jerome Olson, his birth story.

                           We're pregnant!                     20 weeks!               The night before he was born.
                                                                                                              (9 days overdue)

So, as most of you out there can see, I have been growing and growing over the last nine months. Mommy's tummy has gotten lots bigger to make room for me growing big and strong in here and she keeps it nice and warm for me. She talks to me and tells other people about what I've been up to. She's very proud of me. I haven't really met her yet, but even so, I love her very much. Mommy feeds me really good; I really like it when she eats fruits and veggies, those are my favorite. Daddy is really fun too, I hear him every day when he sings to me, talks to me, and prays with mommy for me. I can't wait to meet him too.

Everyday, I feel this cold draft on my back for a short amount of time when she goes to work..I'm not sure why she gets cold so fast and then warms right back up again. I keep hearing her talk about the 'snow' that won't go away and the 'cold weather.' I don't like the sounds of those things, so I think I might stay in here where it's warm for as long as possible.

.....

The midwife told mommy that I was supposed to come February 24th, but I really liked being in her tummy. It was warm and I got to be with mommy ALL the time. I loved being her little tag-a-long everywhere she went. By March, though, I was getting a little cramped and couldn't stretch my legs out very well. I would try to stretch my foot out straight and mommy would jump and push my foot back, I guess it hurt when I did that. So, on March 5, I mustered up all the courage I had in my little body, and by 4:30 a.m. on March 6, I let mommy know that I was finally ready to come out of my warm cocoon and see the world that she and daddy lived in. I woke her up early because I was just so excited for what was about to take place!

As the day progressed, she and daddy would time the 'contractions.' Every couple of minutes mommy's tummy would tighten around me like a big hug, but after lunch, those hugs didn't feel as nice as they did before and I don't think mommy liked them either. I could hear her moaning with each one and I was busy doing my fair share of work too, getting my head straightened the right way to come out. It's tough work being born!

We went to the hospital in the afternoon around my nap time, but it was hard to nap with all of those 'contractions' going on! If only they would give me a break so that I could nap and then keep doing my job of getting my head to fit the right way outta here.

I was so happy when mommy finally got into the bathtub because her whole body relaxed and I did too. The water around her tummy was so warm and I felt very safe. I tried my best to get moving quickly because I was getting tired and so was mommy. She wasn't laughing and talking to daddy anymore between 'hugs', she was silent between them and moaned very loudly when each big 'hug' came.

Before I knew it, the time came and my body was freed into a warm place where many hands were holding me. Next the hands put me on mommy's chest where I let out my first hello to the world. Mommy held me close to her chest and when the midwife asked if I had a name, she looked up at daddy, smiled, and said, "His name is Josiah Jerome." I was so happy to finally see her and be held close to her on the outside. Daddy is super nice too, he really likes to hold me and his big strong arms make me feel really safe.

So that's me! Now I'm here and learning lots about this big world. Mommy is still waiting for the cold to go away for good and I definitely agree now that I know what it is. More about me to come later. :)

Knowing the Master

Joy and Excitement pulse through my veins, the lifeblood of this pregnancy. They pulse through, giving that gentle reminder of the smaller heartbeat that exists, tucked away inside.  That gentle and joyful reminder of the beautiful role this body will soon take on. However, anxiety and fear also wind their way through those same veins, like bacteria seeking to destroy. Each day, the battle gets stronger as the good fights off the bad. The bad never gets completely exterminated though as it continues to multiply, changing and mutating in an attempt to disguise itself as something good. The fears, anxieties, and what if’s of the unknown challenge my mastery of them.

 “Instead of trying to Master the Unknown, 

focus on Knowing the Master.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Psalm 9:10 “And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

Psalm 63:6-8 “Whenever I remember you on my bed, and think about you during the nighttime hours; for you are my deliverer; under your wings I rejoice. My soul pursues you; your right hand upholds me.”

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Exodus 14:14 “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Habakkuk 3:19 “The sovereign Lord is my source of strength. He give me the agility of a deer; he enables me to negotiate the rugged terrain.”

And finally…

Proverbs 23:25 “May your father and your mother have joy; may she who bore you rejoice.”

His Word lives in me, searching to confront what is evil. His Word attacks what is bad, like white blood cells to bacteria, fighting it off to destroy it completely. May His Word be always on my lips, and forever written upon my heart, that I may not forget the truth about my God and Savior.

One Word.

How much could one word change your life in a year? This year I am taking the challenge to find out. The challenge to dismiss New Year’s resolutions, the challenge to have one singular focus for the entire year.

New Year’s resolutions are wonderful and produce great goals for people, but who really remembers them 3 weeks, 3 months in to the year? Who doesn’t get discouraged by the 15 lb. weight loss goal they made and then July comes and goes and they still haven’t lost a pound or their diet hasn’t worked like it promised?

A friend of mine recently asked me, “If you had to choose one word to focus on this year, what would it be?” I wasn’t sure… There are so many things that will be changing this coming year with a baby on the way and internship in May to who knows where with many new places and faces. At first, I thought maybe adapt or flexibility or forward would be good ones, but as prayed about how God would desire me to look at each day in this coming year, it came to me:

PAUSE & CHERISH

Ok, yes, it’s two words instead of one, but one without the other just didn't do it for me. I asked the Lord what He wanted for me this year and what kept coming to mind was to PAUSE, pause in the moment… and then CHERISH that moment, cherish each moment, each new adventure along the way.

Pause & Cherish each and every sunrise and the day that it brings.
Pause & Cherish the truth that I have a gracious God who loves me and sent His son to die for me.
Pause & Cherish my baby and the gift of motherhood.
Pause & Cherish my husband, the humble, servant leader in our home.
Pause & Cherish my family, my parents, my siblings.
Pause & Cherish time alone with my Lord and Savior.
Pause & Cherish the godly women God has placed in my life as mentors and dear friends.
Pause & Cherish each day as it is, instead of always looking for the weekend.

My prayer is that this list will continue to grow this year as God continues to reveal to me the things that He Himself takes time to cherish.

What will be your one word or one short phrase for this year?

How will God use that one word, that one focus to mold and shape you each and every of the 365 days this year?

Slow Down

Work, work, work, work, work.

Class, class, class, class, class.

Clean the house, make meals,

wash the clothes, love my husband,

attend youth group & tell kids about Jesus,

organize Seminary Wives events,

do my homework,

grow a baby,

……

Stress much?

Slow Down

Those two words were on my wish list for Christmas. Sadly, no one could give me “slow down” as a gift...

What does God think about all our rushing around trying to meet deadlines, instead of meeting with Him one on one?

We wait in lines to department stores to get the best deals, but where’s the line to see Jesus?

This Christmas season, and the month leading up to it has been so crazy that I’ve barely taken the time to recognize and marvel at the celebration of our Savior’s birth. Over the last weekend, I finally had the time to sit and just take a deep breath of relaxation.

I marveled at the gift of the Savior that made a way for me to spend eternity with my Father in heaven. I marveled at the gift of family, so many don’t even know what the love of family even means. I marveled at the gift of my husband, a man of faith, servant leadership, and integrity. I marveled at the amazing miracle of life that grows steadily inside of me. I marveled at how peaceful it was to just sit and observe.

I leave you with this quote that I keep finding myself referring back to this season as I try to slow down in a world of hustle and bustle, meet your deadlines.

“Make time for the quiet moments as 

 God whispers and the world is loud.”

Merry Christmas

Baby Olson!

Here's some photos from our recent photo shoot with my sister, who by the way is only 19!

Had to use gender neutral shoes since we don't know what Baby Olson will be.

I love this one with both of our rings in it!

True love! <3