Dear Brave Mom,
Nothing could have prepared me for it.
My life was neat and tidy. I had it all figured out. I graduated high school, chose my college, mapped out my degree program, got married, graduated, and landed my first teaching job at my school of choice. All I was missing was a pretty little bow to put on top.
Fast forward four years. That tidy life came screeching to a halt! Cue the sound effects, the music, the lights-
Motherhood!
Motherhood is demanding, yet absolutely amazing, isn’t it!? Something I couldn’t have imagined until it became a personal experience.
The EXHAUSTION. I never really knew tired before! (And you never catch up on the lost sleep.)
The EMOTIONS. Joy and sadness. Peace and utter chaos. Guilt and pride. Somewhere on the scale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!
My BODY. Railroad tracks strewn across my stomach. Gobs of hair that fell out on a daily basis. (Good heavens! I didn’t know I had that much to begin with!) Not to mention a newly found fear of laughing or sneezing and what that might lead to…
The EXPECTATIONS. I had to be the mother my boys needed, the wife my husband needed, the friend my friends needed… My church, my family, my house, the laundry…
After the birth of my third baby boy, I was in a constant state of sadness. I truly believed that I was a terrible mom, that I was failing my children and that my kids would be better off with someone else. These thoughts ate away at me, caused me deep emotional pain. As a result, I wanted to give up because I was overwhelmed by the ridiculously unachievable expectations I had set for myself.
Maybe you feel the same or have had a similar experience.
Friends, the truth that eventually began to set me free was this: I am not enough.
“If we were enough on our own, we wouldn’t need Jesus, and friend, we all desperately need Jesus.” (p.14)
You are {NOT} enough, because you were never intended to be.
But even in our lack, we are the best mommas for the precious little creatures that consume every waking moment of our day. God has gifted your children to you, and at the same time, given you to them. But you aren’t called to be everything they’ll ever need. Our calling is to invite Jesus into the mundane, into the messiness, into motherhood. He is enough!
2 Corinthians 12:9 says-
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Gospel Centered Mom
One of my favorite authors, Brooke McGlothlin, is challenging moms like you and I to “boast in the fact that (we’re) not good enough, not strong enough, not smart enough, not enough to be a good mom, and watch what God does.”
In her new book, “Gospel Centered Mom: The Freeing Truth About What Your Kids Really Need“, Brooke invites us to take a look at 10 ‘hard truths’ about motherhood that totally wreck us and then helps us find the ‘Beautiful Truths’ that provide the hope, encouragement, and conviction we need to become a Gospel Centered Mom . Mommas,”what we believe affects what we do, how we behave, and how we treat others. What we believe influences the way we interpret the world around us, affects the way we understand ourselves, and, most of all, shapes our understanding of God.”(39)
Enough with enough
Brave Momma- let’s accept the challenge together.
Let’s BOAST when we come up short!
Let’s DIE to ourselves and CENTER our lives on the Gospel!
Let’s CHOOSE to wear the title of “Mom” dependent on the love of Jesus to be an example of grace, honesty, forgiveness and God’s power in our weakness to our children.
“As you learn to anchor your life in the Gospel, you’ll find increased freedom, purpose, and joy in motherhood. Get Brooke McGlothlin’s new book at www.gospelcenteredmombook.com!”
Be brave momma, you’re not alone! (Josh 1:9)
Christine
Christine Morton
She is a lover of Jesus, Littles, Coffee, and Light bulb moments.
Christine enjoys leading worship with her husband, crafting, and encouraging mommas in the trenches of motherhood.
Latest posts by Christine Morton (see all)
- The Just Walk by Faith-The Hard Questions - October 7, 2016
- Brave Words: Good for Building Up - September 30, 2016
- Brave Actions: My Grace is Sufficient - September 23, 2016
This! Is! Brilliant! I try so hard to remember this,in my own moments of overwhelm that it is a gift for my kids to see that I cannot do it all. That is teaching them grace!
Yes! Grace, grace, and more grace. We know the right things to say and the right things to do, but executing is a whole different ball game. Thanks for taking the time to read and respond. I am so glad that this made sense to someone else. Prayers for you momma!