The leader of a parade, the person with the baton and fancy headgear, is often called a “drum major”. Sometimes a family operates a bit like a parade and it’s important to know who’s leading. Kids? Mom? Dad? God? Someone is in control of the chaos, right? We will talk about the myth and the reality of control and where deep peace is found. Peace in the midst of family chaos? Yes, it IS possible!

For over 35 years, Norm and Kitty Jones directed Mt. Gilead Bible Conference, a Christian camp where Kitty also presented at the annual Women's Retreat.  One of the deep joys of Kitty's life continues to be discipleship and mentoring.  Kitty has created a mentoring program for her church.  She has authored several Bible study and mentoring books. 

Kitty is a wife, mother of four, grandmother to six, and ... Kitty is the mother-in-law of GEM's Julie Jones.  Kitty is beloved to GEM for many reasons, including her appearance two years ago, alongside her son Pastor Darrin Jones, when she issued us a lively pep talk against parenting out of fear.  If you were there for that, you already want to hear more of Kitty!

Bring friends and come hear Kitty lovingly speak to us about how, through the challenges and chaos of marriage and parenting (similar to ours),  she grew in her trust in the sovereignty and goodness of God.

Kitty wrapped up 25 events at GEM with an overarching reminder about God's sovereignty.  In this way, she truly gave us a gift with a bow on top!

We find such comfort in Romans 8:28:   "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

But when we look closely at verse 28 and ask ourselves what is "good" and what is "His purpose,"  we find that our view of "good" is likely health, wealth, comfort and happiness. 

The promise from verse 28 works by fulfillment of verse 29:  "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brothers."

God's view of "good" is our being shaped to reflect Jesus.  "His purpose" is our enjoying Him forever.

Moms, we grapple with God for control and become riddled with anxiety about our kids when our perception of God's sovereignty is skewed, Therefore, our having a high view of God keeps us from fighting against His sovereignty. 

Kitty offered us this important working definition of God's sovereignty: 

God's sovereignty is His love, power, wisdom and goodness all inextricably bound together, always at work to promote His glory and our very best good, concurrently.  He never sacrifices one character quality for another.

Let's keep striving to reflect Jesus. Let's try to find rest in God's sovereign plan and come to trust that if God received glory in a better way, by a better plan, He would do it that way.

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevail." Proverbs 19:21

Getting comfortable with God's sovereignty is part of maturing as followers of Jesus.  When we fulfill the purpose for which we were created, our soul is satisfied.

Kitty invites us moms to contact her for further discussion.  Her email is Kitty.jones@me.com