One at a time, holding back tears, I whispered the same three words into the delicately crafted ears of each child that day on the beach: “I love you.” I wanted to make sure each of them heard, each of them knew.
The pain experienced in labor and delivery (or the adoption process) is only a foretaste of the particular suffering a mother endures. But I’ve learned something else: God’s Word is sufficient for the particular suffering of moms.
How do we help our children differentiate between God and fantasy so that the Christ child we celebrate at Christmas isn’t put in the same category as Santa and his elves? It’s important for our children to know that God is real.
God has used John Piper to teach me three truths related to motherhood and suffering that have given me great hope in my sorrow. The first is that we will suffer as mothers. That reality would be devastating apart from God’s promise that our pain as his children will not be wasted. Not only does God offer us future hope; his Word also sustains us in our suffering.
I see many parallels between 9/11 and the pandemic of 2020. What is the main difference—for me—between these two life-changing events? This time, I am a mother.
Here are ten go-to Scripture verses that have sustained me in both mundane and profound moments of desperate motherhood. They are manna for mamas, and they remind us that motherhood isn’t just about us and our babies. Motherhood is another means of sanctification that points us to our Savior—Jesus, the Word made flesh, the bread of heaven that satisfies our souls for eternity.
Though as Christian parents we all have a biblical responsibility to train our children, how this plays out differs greatly from one family to another. And, in all areas of life, we need to be on guard against elevating something we personally value to first importance.
What do you want from the Lord, and what does he ask of you today? Does it feel as if it is too much—or maybe too little?
If you’re feeling discouraged, uncertain, or confused; if you’re wondering how God is going to keep his promises in your situation; if you’re perplexed about what God is doing and why—then remember Jehosheba.
Some nights I wish I could press a magic button and my children would be in pajamas with their teeth brushed and fast asleep...If I’m honest, some days I want to push that button and clock out even earlier...Seasons of parenting—of life too—can be like that.
