I am mother to three small children. They demand my thoughts and attention. They require so much of me both mentally and physically. The season I am in is a sweet, joyful one, but it is also slow, hidden, and a blur at times.

My husband and I work hard to provide for our children, putting in hours of work in the classroom, before the computer screen, painting walls, pouring over budgeting spreadsheets, and mending worn clothing. So it’s easy for me to scoff at the idea of Christ’s call in today's Gospel to "sell what you have and give it to the poor" (Matthew 19:21). I know that He is not demanding me to give all my possessions away given my vocation.

My vocation is my family, the people before me. The noses I wipe, the backs I rub, the tummies I feed, the spouse who I serve and serves me. So I have to ask myself: if I cannot abandon material possessions, what am I attempting to possess and cling to that Jesus would ask me to let go of so I can follow him? What tendencies, habits, vices do I refuse to let go of? What obligations is He asking me to better fulfill? How can I be more charitable?

Regardless of your station or vocation, when you come to meet Jesus, what does He ask you to release to Him? What does He require of you? Not all of us are called to abandon on material possessions, but we are all called to completely abandon our hearts to the Lord in order to follow Him.

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This free download of the book, Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence, offers beautiful insights into turning our hearts over to the will of the Lord.

Jacqueline Skemp is a daughter, sister, wife, and mother who endures living in Minnesota after leaving California for her one true love. She is a contributing author to our children's devotional prayer book, Rise Up. You can find out more about her here.