Encouragement for Moms to Remember

My good friend Mandie was kind enough to wrap up this month of motherhood on the blog with a powerful reminder to all of us bearing the honorable, challenging privilege that it is to be a mom. I’m confident you will find encouragement in her words as with all of the other fantastic guest posts the past few weeks. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for each precious woman who has taken time away from her busy life to share a little bit of her story here at Exceptionally Average. I pray there are many more women’s words that will grace this blog in the months and years to come. ~Kelly

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Being a mom is hard. In fact, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I know I’m not alone in the challenges that are set before me each day. While the blessings of having children are absolutely worth every drop of sweat and each frustrated tear, sometimes us mommies just need some encouragement on this crazy yet wonderful journey.  I invite you to soak in these words as I remind you of what you already know and pray the Lord uses His Word to speak to your heart about one of the greatest gifts on earth… motherhood.

• To the mom who sometimes doubts the path she’s chosen, even after following her heart…
• To the mom who wants to pull the covers back over her head, no matter how sweet that little voice is that just wants his morning chocolate milk and cartoon…
• To the mom who just yelled at her kids after telling them countless times to stop hitting each other and is weary from hashing out consequence after consequence AND it’s only 9 am …
• To the mom who thinks she might throw the fridge if she has to drag herself in the kitchen one more time to cook a meal her children complain about that she bribes them to eat with candy …
• To the mom who feels friendless because after caring for her children, she feels she has absolutely nothing left to give to a friend …
• To the mom who can’t find a moment to go to the bathroom, much less brush her hair and has forgotten how to even apply makeup ….
• To the mom who wants so badly to be intimate with her husband but can barely make it to the bed before passing out from complete exhaustion …
• To the mom who would give anything for a maid to come and do the mountain of endless laundry or scrub the dirty bathrooms …
• To the mom who tries to plan fun outings for her children but they end up with tantrums and nothing ever goes as it seems it should …
• To the mom who used to own a cute, clean sports car that has now turned into a SUV full of car seats, spoiled apple juice sippy cups, banana peals, and Lego pieces…
• To the mom who turns to chocolate instead of the treadmill out of frustration …
• To the mom who’s budget is busting at the seams and could have gone on that beach bound vacation with the money spent on diapers over the past year…
• To the mom who just can’t put on the smile today and pretend like everything is OK around the other moms who seem to have it all together…
• To the mom who thought this motherhood journey would be a little easier than it has turned out to be …
• To the mom who fails every single day…

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Romans 8:28 

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Remember.

• Remember to trust in God that every little detail fits into a pattern for good even though it may be hard to see in the midst of the chaos.
• Remember that our mistakes and sins can be turned into something good by God’s grace.
• Remember when life gets messy and you find yourself yelling out of frustration, then sitting in the middle of the floor with your children on your lap asking for forgiveness, thus teaching repentance through prayer, they witness it all.  They take in the ugly with the good and grow from it.
• Remember to live above your circumstances, accept each day as it comes, and find Him in the midst of it all.
• Remember to pause before responding to frustrations, allowing the Spirit to act through you, gracing your words and behavior.
• Remember the Lord loves you for who you are, not for all that you do.
• Remember to impress realness on your children by showing them that it’s OK to fail and how to try again.
• Remember to show your little ones Jesus everyday by modeling what it looks like to be completely inadequate to do it all alone, yet faithfully turn to God’s grace.

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:7-9

God gave your children exactly the mother they needed. God doesn’t make mistakes. Every single detail of your life is carefully orchestrated by God for His glory. God Himself gave you those sweet little ones with a purpose and that should bring you great comfort! Don’t compare your weaknesses to another mom’s strengths. Don’t be discouraged in your shortcomings, for God monitors all of your efforts and attempts. He knows your heart!  I pray you experience joy and peace that can only come from above today as you live out one of the most precious purpose that God has placed before you…motherhood!

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