Fridays With Beth Biggers

Beth Biggers

I’ve been thinking a lot about fruitfulness lately. I have a beautiful apricot tree in my front yard and most years it doesn’t produce anything. It will flower out and then the freeze gets it before anything can come of those precious blossoms.

This year is different.

My tree is covered in fruit.

I always feel a twinge of disappointment when the flowers are gone whether it is because of a frost or because they are falling off to make room for the fruit. The tree is so breathtaking when it blooms. And there are few things more startlingly beautiful than a slight spring breeze bringing blossoms silently down around you like a pink rain.

But the blossoms have to leave to make room for the fruit.

I’m so humbled and excited to be a part of Community Moms. I thought about writing a brief introduction about my family and I. But then I remembered that I am chronic introvert and one of my all time least favorite things ever is talking (or writing) about myself. Still, I am going to be in your inboxes every Friday, so it might be good if you know something about me. I want this to be a place where we get down to the nitty gritty. I want to invite you to step into my messy living room in my messy life, sip some coffee, and talk hard and holy things. I want us to be friends. One of the keys to being friends with an introvert, to really getting them to open up, is to breech a subject they are crazy passionate about. So, I think I’ll share a little bit about the things I just can’t shut up about:

Jesus

I was 14 when I got saved, alone, on my bedroom floor. I knew NOTHING about the journey I had just signed up for. I didn’t tell anyone for over a year. He romanced me. He allured me in the wilderness of loneliness and depression, He spoke tenderly to me there. My family told me it was a phase. My mom even thought I joined a cult! But my obsession has only grown deeper and more profound.

Church

Like any Bride, I LOVE my Husband’s Body! (sorry, couldn’t resist!) Seriously though, I think the Body of Christ is SUCH a gift. I love it. I need it. I want it to be perfect. I am passionate about encouraging and exhorting the Body of Christ to be all that she can and should be. My husband and I have served the Body in children’s and youth ministry throughout our marriage and for a few years before. We currently host a Bible Study in our home every week.

Marriage

I married my best friend when I was 19 (he was 21). Our marriage has been through chronic illness, adultery, addiction, and abuse. We almost threw in the towel and got divorced after a 3 month separation two years ago, but Jesus stepped in and radically intervened. I am passionate about marriage. I can’t shut up about God’s faithfulness to this precious covenant.

Growing Things

I grow things. I have an addiction to houseplants and I grow fruits and vegetables in our yard. I also have chickens. Using my green thumb to fight hunger is something the Lord has made me increasingly passionate about in the last few years. I can’t shut up about it.

Motherhood

Motherhood interrupted all the Really Important Things I was busy doing. It’s taken me a long time to come to a place where I value my calling and I am passionate about encouraging other moms in this area.

The Truth

This is The Big One.

A confusing childhood filled with emotional abuse and gaslighting gifted me with a passion for the truth. Once I found the truth, I became obsessed. I will not shut up about the truth. The truth of the Word of God is a gift. It is a sword. It is what I lash myself to when the storms of life threaten to throw me overboard. It is perspective. It is reality.

I promise to always tell you the truth. Even if it’s ugly. Even if it’s hard. Even if it makes me look bad. This is the heart of having a community of moms. It is the beautiful thing that happens when we confess to one another that we didn’t vacuum ALL WEEK and that we gave out kids cheese crackers for breakfast. It’s the beauty of hearing “Me too,” of feeling completely accepted. It is the beauty of laying all of our mess out and realizing we are not alone. It’s where the honesty that we are worse than we ever thought we could be meets the reality that we are loved more than we ever dared believe.

It’s where the blossoms fall off to make room for the fruit.

Will you join me?

“Beth Biggers has been following Jesus for 11 years, married to Brandon for 7, and a mom for 5. Her sons Luke and Liam provide her with adventure, laughs, and content for her blog at http://www.bethbiggers.com where she writes about family, faith, and urban homesteading.”

To read more of Beth’s Posts

http://www.therealbeth.blogspot.com/2015/05/finding-life.html

http://www.therealbeth.blogspot.com/2015/05/dear-new-momma.html

http://www.therealbeth.blogspot.com/2015/03/doing-math-of-doubt.html

To contact Beth

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/beth.biggers

Instagram:

the_real_beth

Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/bethbiggers/

Twitter: