Category: Marriage & Parenting

Blogs written on the topics of Marriage or Parenting, usually very practical in nature.

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Let It Go, Mama

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30

“Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Psalm 55:22

The “burdens” of motherhood. Wow, it can feel almost intolerable. Since becoming a mother, I can’t believe how many “things” I hold on to. In talking with my therapist, she has helped me to realize that perhaps the “things” that I hold on to contribute greatly to feeling overwhelmed with my kids. Yes, the kids have needy, sometimes annoying, behaviors that drain my energies, but perhaps the burdens that I carry also drain my energies.

It seems that each day brings a new set of “burdens,” or things that I hold on to in my head, aka my thoughts. For me, my primary negative thoughts or emotions usually center around guilt, or “should” statements. A few examples: I shouldn’t have yelled at him, I should be playing with the kids more, I should be cleaning my house right now, I should have held him more as a baby, I should, shouldn’t, or should have…

Worry is another burden that I often hold on to. I worry for my children’s skills, abilities, character, etc. For example, will he ever learn to count correctly? Will he ever learn to listen better? Will the tantrums ever stop? And after so many of these thoughts, by the end of the day I’m exhausted! Both by the kids’ behaviors, but also by my own burdens that I bear.

Other days I am burdened by my anxiety, perhaps anxious that I have so many things to do and how will I ever get them done in time? One thing that I have learned to try to do is in the morning to surrender my “to do” list to God, telling Him that I have a lot to do, but to trust that He will help me to prioritize my tasks with the amount of time I have. And then it is my choice to let go of whatever I don’t get done, rather than holding on to the anxiety of it.  

Other days I am just very tired and in some ways I hold on to that tired feeling by continually reminding myself how tired I am, or worrying that I won’t get through the day. I dream about sleep and then sometimes sleep doesn’t come as easily.

In dealing with these “burdens,” many of us cope in different ways. Sometimes we cry a little, eat a dessert, dream of a break, vent to our husband or a friend, and other times we scroll our phones hoping for relief by viewing happiness on the other side of the screen. At the end of the day, I’ve found that these coping mechanisms frequently let us down, as they are not lasting and really do not cure the problem. Why? Because in so doing, we continue to hold on to our burdens and haven’t really let them go.

Jesus knew that we would have burdens, especially as mothers. In Psalms 55:22, it says, “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you.” It doesn’t say to cast your burden on other things, but primarily to cast them on Him. What a gracious God we serve that would take on, or even welcome our burdens!

So next time that I am feeling burdened by motherhood, I want to ask God, “Lord, what am I holding on to here? Is it worry, fear, guilt, stress, or something else?” And I know that in response He will quickly show me.

And then I hope that I am able to LET IT GO…to let GO of the burden, and no longer choose to hold on to it (because really it IS a choice). May I cast that burden on the Lord, realizing that I am an imperfect mother, but that He is a perfect God. I will make mistakes, but His grace can and will make up the difference in my parenting.  

When I’m guilty, let me receive His grace.

When I’m anxious, let me claim His promises of peace.

When I’m frustrated, let me talk to Him about it.

When I’m tired, may I find my rest in Him. 

When you’re burdened, lay down your burdens at HIS feet. Experience the freedom that comes with surrender, and let it go, mama, let it go.

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Lies of Motherhood

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)

Being a mom for the last few years, and currently a mom of three, one thing I’ve realized is that often it is not the actual situation with my child that gets me upset, but rather how I interpret the situation. Let me explain. Here’s an example. If my child wakes up at night, many times it is not the actual waking up that gets me so anxious and upset, but rather it is the distorted or negative thoughts that I have relating to them waking up. For instance, maybe the thought, “Oh great, now they won’t go back to sleep for a long time” OR “Oh great, now I won’t know how to put them back to sleep” OR “Oh great, now I’m going to be tired and have a horrible day tomorrow.” These thoughts are the source of my anxiety, not the child’s night waking.

This concept is supported by scripture and by modern psychology. In Romans 12:2, Paul says “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul says to “take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” And finally, in John 8:32 Jesus Himself says “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” All of these verses talk about the importance of addressing the lies in your head and replacing them with God’s truth.

Modern psychology also supports this idea. Many research studies have shown Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to be the most effective type of counseling for many different types of mental illness, some of which include anxiety and depression. This type of therapy is all about identifying negative or distorted thought patterns and replacing them with more positive or rational thought patterns. I use this type of therapy most often when I counsel people.

Relating to this supported concept and idea, I would now like to identify and replace some of the common lies (or categories of lies) of motherhood.

“I’m incapable.”

Perhaps the most common lies for me (pertaining to motherhood) have always centered around the core belief of “I’m incapable,” which many times leads to the feelings of ANXIETY. So for me many times this lie says, “I won’t know what to do if this were to happen.” So using the previous example…”I won’t know what to do if my child wakes up and won’t go back to sleep.” I could replace this negative belief with, “If my child wakes up, I will figure out what to do. God will show me what to do.” In turn, saying this to myself would offer peace and confidence in place of anxiety.

“I can’t make it.”

Another big lie for me centers around this idea of “I can’t make it” OR “It’s awful and I can’t handle it,” which many times leads to DISCOURAGEMENT. Usually this lie relates to bad days of little sleep, temper tantrums, needy children, etc. So perhaps if I’m really tired one day, I’m saying to myself, “I won’t be able to get through this day feeling so tired.” This thought makes me feel quite discouraged. Instead, I could quote the Bible verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13), and I can replace the negative thought with, “God will give me the strength to endure.” In turn, this would give me encouragement and joy.

“I have failed.”

This last thought relates to the times when I lose my temper or fail my child in some way. As a result, I often think to myself, “Oh no, I’ve failed, and now my child will suffer because of it,” which many times leads to DESPAIR or SHAME. Instead, I can claim the Bible verse, “My weakness is made perfect in His strength.” I can replace the thought with, “I made a mistake, but God forgives me, and with His help I can do better next time.” In turn, this can help me to feel encouraged and joyful.

In summary, next time you feel anxious, discouraged, or ashamed, remember that it is your thoughts, not the situation, that is making you feel that way. Also make sure to identify the negative or distorted thoughts that could be leading to these negative feelings. And then claim a Bible verse and replace those thoughts as quickly as possible. In so doing, may you find more peace, encouragement, confidence, and joy. May your mind be renewed, and may God’s truth set you free, mama.

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The Challenges of Being a New Mom

Now that I have three young children, it is interesting for me to look back on myself when I was a new mom and analyze why I got so stressed with just one child. Since it bothers me when people criticize new moms for being so stressed (because I remember being just as stressed), I wanted to recognize and validate (mainly for new moms) what makes that transition to motherhood so difficult.  So here is what I came up with:

  • Lack of confidence – As a new mom, you haven’t had much experience, so you constantly doubt your abilities. This lack of confidence is really draining, and makes even simple caretaking tasks exhausting.
  • Lack of knowledge/experience – Becoming a new mom is just like starting a new job/career where there is a big learning curve (even bigger with becoming a mom). Because you have a lack of knowledge/experience, you have to invest a lot of your time and energy to acquire this new knowledge with each new experience that presents itself.  
  • Fear of the unknown – Because of your lack of confidence and experience, you also fear the unknown situations, wondering how you will handle each and every situation that presents itself.
  • Fear of failure – Because of your own self-doubt, many times you fear failing as a mom, or wonder what failing would be.
  • New identity – In the book “When Two Become Three,” the author shows a diagram where he says that for women, becoming a new mother takes up 70% of their new identity. Wow that’s a HUGE adjustment! Adjusting to a role as mom and letting go, in many ways, of your old self takes time and is quite difficult.
  • New marriage – When you have your first baby, your major goes through major stresses and adjustments as well. So not only are you dealing with your own identity changes, but also the marital identity changes as well.

So if you’re a new mom, take heart! Transitioning from no children to one child is by far the hardest adjustment and transition. You will grow so much as a mom, and in a few years you will look back on this time and realize how far you’ve come. You can do it! 🙂

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Mothering According to Your Strengths

In only being a mother for three years, I can already see how much moms compare themselves to other moms. It’s easy to look at another mom and think, “Wow, she is so structured, neat, and tidy. Wish I could be more that way.” OR “Wow, she is so fun and playful. With I could lighten up a bit.” But let me ask, is it helpful to compare yourself to another mom? Or does it just make you feel worse about yourself?

Instead of parenting according to your weaknesses, why not parent according to your strengths? If I were to ask you, what are your strengths as a parent/mom, would you be able to answer accurately? In order to develop this self-awareness, it might be good for you to take a personality test, such as the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, or Jung Typology. You can find this free test at the following link: http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp.

After you take the personality test, then I would suggest reading the type descriptions, as they relate to your parenting style: https://www.psychologyjunkie.com/2017/08/22/myers-briggs-personality-type-like-mom/ OR https://www.mightymoms.club/mothers/mothering-style/

Possible parenting strengths relating to personality types may include: structure, discipline, independence, teaching, guidance, affection, nurture, understanding, patience, love, imaginative, creative, playful, etc.

Personally speaking, I have an ENFP personality type, so I enjoy fun and adventure with my children. My strengths as a parent tend to be patience, play, and understanding, while my weaknesses tend to be discipline, chores, and independence.

Now that I’m aware of this information, I can work to maximize my strengths and minimize my weaknesses. For example, since I enjoy playing with my children, I can try to incorporate play into our daily activities, and not feel bad about it! I can also use my creativity to come up with fun games. Since I hate doing the chores, perhaps I can try to make a game out of that as well, and also involve my children in chores as much as possible. Or maybe even hire a housekeeper, and not feel bad about it, ha!

I think a big secret is learning to ACCEPT yourself – the good, the bad, and the ugly. The truth is that I will never be a great housekeeper, so I need to stop beating myself up about it. The other truth is that I am great at spending time with and listening to my children, and I need to affirm myself more for these great qualities.

Parenting is already hard enough. It’s time that we as mothers stop beating ourselves up and gives ourselves the grace and affirmation that we seek to give to our children.

For additional resources, consider ordering the book “MotherStyles” by Janet Penley, which you can find on Amazon. Another free assessment that can help you to narrow down your strengths as a parent, such as the one provided by Focus on the Family at the following website: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/seven-traits/

Feel free to comment below with your personality type as it relates to your parenting strengths, and/or a resource that you’d recommend!

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His Mercies are New

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

As a SAHM of a three year old and one year old, there are days when I think I might lose my mind. Typical scenario: The one year old crying and clinging to me, the three year old pooping his pants (as we undergo potty training) and then throwing a tantrum for me not to clean him up. Most of the time I can keep my cool, but some days, tension mounts and I just snap…can you relate?

The other day I put my two kids to bed, and then had to go into their room three times in a row, as my three year old son just wouldn’t settle down. The third time that I went into his room, I scolded him, and what he did next broke my heart. He covered his face with his hand and then crouched down in the bed. It’s as if he thought that I was going to actually hurt him or something. I’ve never hit my son in the face. I’ve only ever spanked him on the leg or bottom (and never leaving a mark or anything). So it broke my heart for him to cower in fear.

It was then I realized that I needed Jesus’ grace to forgive me for the times that I’ve spanked him in anger. Apparently for a three year old, he can’t differentiate between a spanking in anger on the butt or getting hit somewhere else. Either way, I felt very ashamed and wanted to cower in shame for the times I’ve lost my temper with him.

In my shame, Jesus lifted me up. He reminded me of the Bible verse that says that “His mercies are new each morning.” I humbly asked His forgiveness and asked for help to never spank my son in anger again. The next day I also apologized to my son and reminded him that I would never hit him in the face or hurt him.  

As mothers of littles, there will be times that we will lose our temper with our children, but it is important that we use those instances to learn and grow. It is important that we meet Jesus at the foot of the cross and humbly ask for His forgiveness, and turn from our sins. In so doing, I guarantee that He will meet you where you are and offer His precious peace and pardon, reminding you that today is a new day, full of grace and forgiveness.

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Adjusting to Motherhood: Giving Yourself Time, and Learning to Let Go

For the first year of being a mother, I remember feeling very anxious and overwhelmed. I also remember getting frustrated and disappointed in myself. During this frustrating time, I remember reading an article that discussed how parenthood is like a skill that needs to be developed, and that it gets easier and better with time. Well now that I have a toddler and a baby, I couldn’t agree more with this statement. Just like any new job or career, there is a learning curve, and even a bigger learning curve for being a parent. Why? Because you are simultaneously learning several different things: learning your child’s temperament, learning how to parent (various age levels), and also learning to adjust to your new identity as a mother. Lastly, you are learning how to balance it all: self, wife, mother, sister, friend, etc. Therefore, be patient with and kind to yourself, mama. You are learning. You will get there. It won’t always be this hard.

During the adjustment phase, you may go through a grieving period – grieving the loss of your old self, your old way of life, your old marriage, etc. This grieving process is healthy and completely normal, because after all, you AREN’T the same person anymore, and your life and marriage ARE completely different. I think how you handle this grieving process is key to your future happiness as a mother. You can either DENY the loss, or you can grieve and embrace it; your choice. Now that I’ve been a mom for about three years, I finally feel like I’m at the tail end of this grieving process and learning to let go.

Learning to let go of what? Of myself…of my expectations, needs, and desires for certain things. To clarify, I don’t mean to completely lose yourself in your children, but this phase of life requires a lot of maturity and self-sacrifice, and with that comes a lot of letting go. The sooner you learn to let go, the happier and more at peace you will be as a mother. Now I will describe of a FEW of the things that I have learned to let go of as a mother.

Letting go of…

The expectation that you and your husband will perfectly share parenting duties

For most traditional couples, parenting duties will never be equally shared between the mother and father, and that’s okay. Let me explain. For the first year or two of motherhood I remember being frustrated that I spent more time and energy on my kids than my husband did. But lately I have realized that God created men and women to have equal value, but differing responsibilities. For example, my biggest burden is TAKING CARE of my home and children, and my husband’s biggest burden is PROVIDING for our home and family. Sometimes I wish my husband had a bigger burden for the smallest needs of our children. Other times my husband wishes that I had a bigger burden for budgeting and saving our money. Despite our wishes, this is not how God created us. I will never care as much as he does about the budget, and he will never care as much as I do about a child’s stuffy nose. Now that I have accepted this, I have more peace and joy as a mother and wife, and find myself less resentful towards my husband.

The expectation that you will get to eat when you’re hungry

Before I had small children, I could usually eat whenever I was hungry. Now that I have kids, many times I have to wait minutes or hours until I can start eating, and then another half hour or hour before I can finish eating (due to frequent interruptions). I used to be more upset about it, but now I’ve learned to accept it, and so has my appetite. One thing I’ve learned: eat as quickly and creatively as possible! 🙂

Your desire for sleep (and the expectation that you will get to sleep whenever you’re tired)

I have been more tired in the past three years of being a mother than I was in the 32 years before becoming a mom. As a result, I’ve had to learn to “embrace” being tired, as much as possible. I’ve also had to learn to let go of my desire for sleep many times. Before I had kids, I could take a nap or go to bed early whenever I was tired. Now that I have small kids, naps and early bedtimes are completely random and totally dependent on the children. So for example, now instead of coming home from church with the expectation to nap, I resolve that I likely won’t get to nap, which helps me greatly to not get so disappointed. When I’m really tired I just try to trust that God will provide for my needs, as I provide for my children’s needs, and that being tired never killed anyone.

Your desire for a break from your children

When you’re a mom, especially a stay-at-home mom, there are many days when you long for a break from your children. Despite this fact, I’ve found that it makes things worse for me to focus on my desire for a break because then when I don’t get a break, I am sorely disappointed. And then my husband will surprise me with breaks when I least expect it. I guess this is another area of parenthood that requires trust in the Lord. God will give you a break when He knows you really need it, and until then, He will give you the patience and strength to endure.

In conclusion, give yourself time to adjust, grieve the losses of what used to be, and let go of certain desires or expectations. (That being said, it is still very important to assert your desires, needs, and expectations to your spouse. But after you’ve said it, let it go.) And remember, motherhood gets easier with time, as you learn your child, how to parent, and your new identity as a mother. Therefore, be patient and forgiving of yourself, and remember, God brought you to it, and He will bring you through it.

Please comment below with any comments or questions!

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How to Stay Happily Married after Baby (Part 2)

While the first article I wrote (“How to Stay Happily Married After Baby”) was about staying happily married after you have your first baby together, this article is more related to staying happily married after you have your second (or third) baby together (but many of the principles can be applied to either situation).

My husband and I both agree that the transition from one to two kids has had a different set of advantages and challenges (on the marriage) than the transition to one child did.

Regarding advantages, with the second child, we are more knowledgeable about babies (and therefore less anxious), more skilled at working as a parenting team (and therefore not arguing over every little thing), and also more ready and prepared, as we knew better what to expect.

Regarding challenges, with the second child, there is twice as much work to do, which results in more stress and even less time together. Also, the second child isn’t as new and exciting as the first one, so that element isn’t there to take the edge off. And lastly, you are getting less sleep with having both a baby and a toddler than when you just had one baby.

Needless to say, although the transition has been somewhat difficult on our marriage, we are learning to manage, better and better with each month that passes. And I’m sure we will continue to learn more as time goes on.

Instead of viewing this season of our marriage as just something to survive and get through, I want to make it something enjoyable for both of us. I want us both to look back on this time period of young kids with affection and fondness, towards our kids, and also towards each other.

So here are some things that my husband and I have learned to do (or try to do) in order for our marriage to thrive during this season of parenting young children. Maybe one or two of these suggestions will be helpful for you and your marriage.

Prioritize Sleep

Going from one to two kids means even less sleep than before. And we all know that little sleep leads to agitation and arguing with each other. As a result, it is so important that you prioritize getting sleep. You cannot effectively work on your marriage until you are getting decent rest. So invest in the sleep training books, hire a babysitter, whatever it takes. Just do your best to get some sleep.

Say Three Things You Appreciate

It is so easy to feel unappreciated by your spouse for all of the things you do, for your kids, for your home, and for your marriage. Over time, feeling unappreciated can lead to feelings of bitterness and resentment. During times when we have felt this way, we have learned to say three SPECIFIC things at the end of each day that we appreciate that the other person did. For example, one of us might say, “I appreciate you watching the kids for an hour today so that I could go for a walk” or “I appreciate you cleaning up the kitchen today.” We have found this intentional thanking to really be a blessing for our marriage, especially during this season of constant service and giving of one’s self.

Ten Minutes of Talk Time (Uninterrupted)

When you have small kids, it is so difficult to have uninterrupted conversations with your spouse. Over time, if you’re not careful, you may start limiting your conversations altogether, due to the frustrations over being interrupted. As a result, we have learned (and been advised) that it helps us to stay better connected by putting the kids in their rooms/cribs, and spending at least ten minutes a day talking together (without the kids present). We feel that this action will help to keep us close and connected, and I really think it will help your relationship too.

Give Each Other Breaks

My husband and I each need some alone time in order to feel rejuvenated and refreshed. If we don’t get this time, we end up being more irritable with each other and sometimes also with the kids. As a result, we have learned to give each other breaks from the kids. Ideally this would happen daily, but if not, just as often as we are able to do it. Sometimes it might offering to watch the kids so that the other one can go on a walk/run, read a book, or go for a drive. We just know that these breaks are vital to our own personal health and to the health of our marriage.

Go on Family Walks

Sometimes it really helps to take the edge off of things for us to go outside on a family walk together. A hike through the woods is sometimes just what we need to regain perspective and clear thinking. It also helps to keep my son occupied so that my husband and I can talk. Also, being in nature really helps to connect us as a family, as we are able to bond together over the beauty around us, and also over witnessing the wonder of a child.

Schedule Dates and Overnight Trips

With the more kids you have, the less couple time you have together. As a result, we have found it to be more important now than ever before to schedule dates and overnight trips. We try to do a date every 2-3 weeks, but I would advise doing them on a weekly basis, as it would give each person something to look forward to each week. We have also been on a few overnight trips without the kids, and this has been very rejuvenating for our marriage. Something about being away for a whole day and night really helps you to unwind and to remember why you fell in love.

Please comment below if this article has been helpful for you, or if you can relate to some of the topics presented. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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One Day

One day I’ll have uninterrupted sleep.
One day I’ll wake up to an alarm instead of a crying baby.
One day I’ll have hobbies and complete personal goals.
One day I’ll be able to listen to a full sermon at church.
One day I’ll experience a relaxing vacation.
One day I’ll have a clean house in the middle of the day.
One day I’ll do my dishes without constant interruptions.
One day I’ll work full-time and advance my career.
One day I’ll eat my meals sitting down.
One day I’ll socialize with friends after 8pm.
One day I’ll spend quiet time with my husband each day.

But today is NOT that day.

Today I will embrace all of this, because I know that one day…

I will miss the mess.
I will miss the noise.
I will miss the chaos.

One day…I will miss all…of…this.

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Top 10 Useful Skills for Moms of Young Kids (Attention: Parents-To-Be)

In a resume for work, you often post skills that the employer might find helpful for the job to which you are applying. Similarly, if someone were applying for the job of “mom of young kids,” the following skills might be helpful to have on your resume. Hope this gives you a good laugh!

  1. Ability to function well on minimal sleep (without biting everyone’s head off)
  2. Ability to text (proper spelling/grammar) while holding a squirmy, fussy baby
  3. Ability to inhale your food at a moment’s notice (or you may not get to eat at all)
  4. Ability to hold a half asleep baby while using the restroom…and then pull up your pants
  5. Ability to clean up messes or pick up items…with your feet/toes
  6. Ability to calmly and safely drive while tuning out crying, whining, shrieking, yelling, fighting, thrown toys, and your name being called fifty times
  7. Ability to gracefully maneuver car seats, and children in car seats…without banging your head or theirs
  8. Ability to talk sweetly to (and not yell at) your baby or toddler after they just gave you a black eye (ouch!)
  9. Ability to change poopy diapers with a squirmy baby on your lap, while sitting in the driver’s seat of your car
  10. Ability to count your blessings and to remember that, in the end, it’s all worth it!

Please comment below if you can relate to any of this!

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“Well Done, Mama!”

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matt. 25:21

As mothers, so many things we do each day seem to lack significance, immediate results, and appreciation from others. So many days we collapse into our pillows at night, just wanting a hug or reassurance that we are doing a good job. Many times, instead of receiving this comfort, we either receive no response from others or else we receive judgment.

Our current culture either tells us 1) You aren’t doing enough or 2) You need to go back to work. We are often told that we need to always feed healthy meals to our kids, not let them have any screen time, read to them all day long, spend countless hours outside, etc. So at the end of a hard day of changing diapers, wiping noses, cleaning up messes, and answering questions, instead of feeling accomplished and fulfilled, we end up feeling defeated and tired.

So I want to encourage you, mama. If you are trying your best…you are doing a good job. If you love your children with all your heart…you are doing a good job. If you are learning and growing each day…you are doing a good job.

Also, please remember that your day should not be measured by your own, or other people’s, approval and accolades.  Instead, your day should be measured by your faithfulness to Jesus, and His faithfulness to you.

First of all, Jesus gave you these children as a test of your faithfulness. From the Bible, do you remember the parable of the talents in Matthew 25? This parable is referencing how to be ready for the second coming of Jesus. To one man he gave one talent, to another two talents, and to another five talents. Both the man with two talents and the man with five talents invested it and made more money. In response, Jesus told both of them, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matt. 25:21)

When you ask Jesus to guide your parenting every moment of the day, and you try your best to follow His promptings, you are showing yourself to be faithful. And He is ever so proud of you!

Secondly, to Jesus, you have the most important job on earth – molding children’s character into His likeness. Also, in Matthew 25 Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matt. 25:40)

Many times it feels like 95% of things we do as moms goes unrecognized or unseen, but to Jesus, NOTHING you do or endure with your children goes unseen. Every nose you wipe, diaper you change, mess you clean up, tear you wipe…Jesus sees it all. He sees that you were up all night long taking care of your sick baby (when you could’ve slept and ignored him). He sees that you talk sweetly to your child even when you feel like yelling. He sees how you get up out of bed early each morning to make your kids’ breakfast (even when you’ve been up most of the night before). He sees your faithfulness each moment of every day. He also sees your difficulties, your tears, your anxieties, etc. He sees it all. He is your faithful witness.

Lastly, some days you won’t be as faithful. Some days you will get impatient, lose your temper, slack on things, but remember, Jesus says, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:9). Jesus doesn’t ask for perfection. He just asks for growth and for your best intentions. Ask forgiveness from him (and maybe your children if appropriate), and accept His grace. He sees your heart. He sees how much you love your children.

In conclusion, perhaps on the hardest of days, instead of focusing on how tired or overwhelmed you are, or how little you feel appreciated, focus on going to heaven, looking into Jesus’ face, and hearing Him say, “Well done, Mama!”

Please comment below if this article has been an encouragement for you.