I asked God to give me boys.

Even before I was married I knew I wanted boys. To raise men who would be different, respecters of women, lovers of God. To teach little men to work with their hands, take commitments seriously and protect the least of these. Warriors, protectors, worshippers, peacemakers and friends. These are the dreams I have for my little ones.

Fast forward twelve or so years. The present day circus that is my life often finds me asking this question: WHAT WAS I THINKING?!

My name is Brooke McGlothlin and I write at A Life in Need of Change. I’m officially Erin’s partner in crime…a co-founder and creator in this awesome project we’re calling the M.O.B. Society. You can follow me on Twitter or Facebook.

I’ve been thinking and praying about creating a resource for moms of boys. Little did I know that God had placed the same burden on Erin’s heart and had already made plans to bring us together. I’m so thankful for her and we can’t wait to share with all of you the incredible things the Lord is bringing together for the M.O.B Society!

Ok, let’s be honest.

Have you ever looked at your guys and wondered, “Is that normal behavior for boys?” Or maybe your men are starting to ask questions about the opposite sex and you feel ill-equipped to answer from a Godly perspective. Maybe you’re even a single mom, who wants with all her heart to raise a Timothy in spite of the lack of male involvement, but you just don’t know where to start or how to ask for help.

This is the place for you.

The bottom line ladies, is that while most of us have the best intentions and loftiest goals when it comes to raising Godly men, we’re clueless about how to do it.

I can’t tell you how many times I have cried out to the Lord for help. By that I mean that I literally cry out loud for the Lord to help me in the midst of difficult days. At any given time of the day shouts of, “HELP ME JESUS!” can be heard coming from my house. I know my neighbors probably think I’ve lost my mind. But honestly, sometimes if I DON’T cry out I feel like I’m going to. At almost three and almost five my boys can suck the very life out of me in ten seconds flat! There’s only one thing that keeps me sane.

I believe that when I call, God will come.

So many verses from the Word paint a beautiful picture of a loving God meeting the needs of His people, especially when the cry of His people’s hearts is for more of Him.

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor me.” (Psalm 50:15)

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

“Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” (Jeremiah 29:12)

“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.” (Psalm 50:15)

And it’s always more of Him that we need.

Do you believe God will meet you where you are? Often we ask God to fix the messes when really what He wants to do is get in the mess with us. Knowing this, when you find yourself struggling to keep your sanity in a house full of boys (or even just with one), try these things:

1. Literally cry out loud in your times of need. Don’t worry about what your neighbors think, ladies. Cry out to the God Who is mighty to save! A healthy “Help me Jesus!” puts things in perspective AND teaches your kids that they aren’t the only ones who can’t do this thing called life without God’s help.

2. Pray for your children! Pray out loud over them when they’re fighting. Lay your hands on them (in love) and ask the Lord to change their hearts and give them the strength to obey. Ask the Lord to bring them to repentance after your discipline them. And pray specifically for them. I’ve crafted a prayer for my children based wholly on specific scriptures I hope for the Lord to accomplish in their lives and I strive to pray it over them daily (usually before I go to bed). You can read my prayer for my boys here and join me if you like in my challenge called, “A Year of Prayer; A Life in Need of Change.”

3. Worship. “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim. In the light of His glory and grace.” Learning to worship in the midst of struggle changes perspective and focuses your eyes and your heart on the One Who can guide your steps through the mess.

So what are your thoughts?

Do you believe God will come when you call? Do you have the faith to call?