Desperate

(This is one of the posts where I tell you what to do. I hate posts like that. You don't know me. You don't know my life.)

Dear moms of all stages,

Take a look in the mirror. I know, I know . . . look past the bed head, lunch finger prints, dark circles, darn pimples that were supposed to quit years ago, right?!?, worry, exhaustion, fear, messy floors in the background  . . . all of it. Look yourself in the eyes and see your worth.  Given to you by your Creator.

Once you have made eye contact with yourself, shut out the voices: but that woman on pinterest did this, that blogger said this, I really loved that advice but, she is put together, did you see those other kids behave like angels, nothing works, why can't my kid do that yet, why am I so impatient, this is supposed to come naturally, what am I doing so wrong, I have so much to offer and receive so little appreciation . . .

Be still. Know God.

Because what He has to say actually matters, is food for your soul, is truth. 

There is great advice out there. There are fabulous ideas. There are many perspectives, but at the end of the day, what did God say in it all?

He is enough.

Grace is sufficient.

Here's the thing. If you know God, and are tapped in to His will in your life, what does the rest have to do with anything? You could receive what seems to be sound, brilliant advice, and it could still not be what God is asking of you. How will you know if you aren't seeking? You don't need to copy what anyone is doing on Pinterest or blogged about. That is not what God wants for you. He does not want you to go out, find a good example, and be it. He already has given you what you need. 

1 Corinthians 3: 5-9

"What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building."

You are God's handy work, not the worlds'. Quiet the world, let the Holy Spirit speak. Seek God. 

Don't forget who formed you and gave you purpose. Find rest in Him. Find peace in Him. Find reassurance in Him. Find direction in Him. 

Moms, we can't do it alone.  That was never God's intention. Even before the first sin, He walked with Adam and Eve. He was a companion. 

The world is in fact more than we can handle, hence the need for God. We can't shoulder this weight of motherhood. We can't shoulder parenting in general. We can't shoulder marriages. We can't shoulder any relationship, lets be honest. God can. God will. God does.

We need God. We need grace.

Having other women who believe this and can encourage you to seek God is also helpful. Seek them out. Be who you are, because God created you for a purpose. Follow God's plan for your journey.

And read Desperate: Hope for the Mom who Needs to Breathe by Sarah Mae & Sally Clarkson :)

It is seriously such an encouraging book. It isn't an instructional manual for parenting. It is encouragement for the challenges we face. I have been reading it for a while now. I put it down and don't pick up for a couple weeks at a time. When I do, no lie, it is so ridiculously relevant in a way it wouldn't have been to me even the day before. Issues I just discussed with someone in conversation pop up in the text. It is so insane, and it makes me emotional every time. It is easy to read, and enjoyable. Do it. I have it on Kindle for all you tech savvy readers out there! Also, it is great for moms of all stages. Great for reflection, understanding, encouragement, and challenging you to reach out to other moms, younger moms, wiser moms, etc. READ IT! Chapter 11 inspired this post.

End endorsement.

End post. :)

Back to work . . . editing photos!