Mom – Never Give Up!

I know. I’m there too! Worn out. Exhausted. Each day, this thing called parenting seems to be getting harder. That’s not how we thought it was going to go. Mom – don’t give up. Don’t quit praying; you might be the only one praying for your kids. Don’t quit believing; the Lord says He rewards those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) Hang on to this promise today; His promise: “Thus says the LORD, “Restrain your voice from weeping And your eyes from tears;   For your work will be rewarded,” declares the LORD, “And they will return from the land of the enemy. …

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Big Hope When Life Feels Small

Laundry frames the end of my day, stacks of clean underwear and yet-to-be-folded t-shirts, drifts of unmatched socks and mountains of wrinkled jeans. Upturned baskets are scattered across the living room like tiny tables awaiting a tea party. But I’m not in the mood for a midnight soiree, I’m drinking from my own deep reservoirs of self-pity. I’m exhausted and the voices of discouragement in my head are clanking above what my heart knows to be true. What did you do all day? Why don’t you ever get anything done? You’re never going to have time to do something that really matters. …

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Giving Myself an F in Mothering

“There’s no bread, mom,” my daughter stated. Her eyes flashed with the question my brain didn’t know the answer to: What am I going to bring in my lunch today. “But…someone told me we had plenty of bread…That’s why I didn’t buy any.” My lame attempt at denying the fact we had no bread fell flat. My mind raced…. “Macaroni and cheese…yes we can make it and put it in the thermal containers you all have. Sounds good right?!” I turned so I couldn’t see any of my children’s answers and began filling a pan with hot water. I set …

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A Cup of Cool Water

Have you ever had someone speak a good word over you, like a cup of cool water on a hot, hot day? I have, and it changed me. At least it led to changing me. I have pictured it to the left. When I was 20 years old, I married my Chris. I was a junior in college and transferred from University of Texas in Austin to Texas A&M. I found that at UT, Campus Crusade for Christ was a life-source to me and led me to know Jesus in a way I never had before known. He became my …

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It’s Okay to Ask For Help & Monday Link Up

You know I think it’s a combination of things, both emotionally and spiritually. And it’s okay to take something to stabilize your moods… just for a little while. Tears filled my eyes as relief laced with pride flooded my emotions. For years, I bragged how God had set me free from depression and other mental disorders. So this moment felt like both surrender and defeat. In the last 18 months, I had faced overwhelming challenges as a mom. Instead of grieving, sorting through emotions and taking each moment at a time to  God, I struggled with independence and somehow stuffed it all to …

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Silencing the Inner “You Stink”

Have you met her? She can be a quiet whisper, or an irritating shriek. She loves it when you’re sad, thrives when you’re mad, and wants nothing more than to see you miserable. She tells you you’re not good enough. She compares you constantly with your friends, other mothers, and all those pretty pictures on Pinterest. What kind of mother ARE you? You ALWAYS get it wrong, don’t you? Nobody else feels like this. Just YOU. Ketchup doesn’t count as a vegetable. It never has. You’ll never be good ENOUGH. She’s had a lot of names, but me? I think …

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