Many of you know we have three biological children and adopted our sweet CeCe in April. In July the stork arrived as we began fostering CeCe’s brother, bringing our grand total of children to five. No, we’re not 19 Kids and Counting, but for Brandon and I—who both grew up in two-kid families—sometimes it feels like it. And ever since we’ve started parenting this five-ring circus, people have said to me, “I don’t know how you do it.”
Seven little words you have probably heard too. Maybe it’s that Target cashier either acknowledging that these days are challenging and you are super-human, capable of leaping tall buildings while single-handedly organizing the school bake sale–or wishing you would make a fast break out of her check-out line.
I agree, most days I don’t know how I do it, so I laugh it off and casually respond with a few canned answers:
- My big kids are really good helpers.
- It’s chaotic, but fun.
- I only look sane.
Three Reasons I Know You Can Do This Called Parenting
If this summer has left you disillusioned, disheveled, and disoriented, you are not alone. I hear you and God hears you. If you are a weary mama and need some encouragement, rest assured, you can do this thing called parenting—and thrive in the process. Here are three reasons I know I am able to do it and I know you are able to do it, too:
- This is God’s plan for us.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
– Jeremiah 29:11
You became a mom the moment God planted that child in your womb or in your heart. Once God has a plan for you (which includes motherhood), He promises that He will not leave you or forsake you. His plans for us are good and full of hope and a promising future.
Yes, like the Israelites who wandered through the wilderness for forty years, we might have times of drifting, desperation, questioning, loneliness, and fear. But if we cling to the verse above, we remember that God’s ultimate plan includes HOPE. Just like the Israelites, God has a Promised Land waiting for us. That might include the special needs child who holds her fork for the first time, or watching the child who we thought might never sit still in his desk finally graduate from high school. Our job is not to run ahead of God; rather to walk our journey patiently as He unfolds each step before us.
- He sustains us.
The apostle Paul wrote:
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
– Colossians 1:17, NIV
God knew long before Brandon and I did that we would be raising five children. He went before us in this situation. And if He goes before us, then it is His nature to hold us together. When He calls His children to something in His name, He does not wish to see them fail. He wants them to succeed and grow in their faith and trust in Him.
I have no doubt God is holding our family together. Our older children have matured and become bigger helpers around they house. They are less self-centered and constantly talk about bringing more foster kids into our family (um, let’s not get crazy, kids). Brandon and I have become master jugglers and communicators. We have learned from our mistakes and grown closer because of them. God is holding us together in a protective embrace as we follow His lead. God longs to hold you together too.
- He gives us grace.
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
– James 4:6, NIV
I used to think I was good at mothering, wife-ing, and spinning all my plates . . . until one day when they crashed and broke into a million little pieces.
Pride was my best friend. So I pretended life was good and I repeated two little words in hopes of making everyone and everything disappear, “I’m fine.”
But those closest to me knew I wasn’t. I was operating out of my strength . . . and I was failing miserably.
In this season I am wiser. I don’t want to rely on myself again because I know I will fail, so I will depend on God’s grace when things are imperfect, which they are everyday. I need His grace when I am exhausted, worried, and overwhelmed. I will rely on His grace when the baby needs to eat, the toddler throws an epic tantrum, and the three big kids need a ride to three different soccer practices in three different locations at the exact same time. Jesus take the wheel.
And He will.
If you are a weary mama, be encouraged:
- God has a plan for you. Right now you might be in the wilderness, but eventually He will lead you to the Promised Land.
- God will sustain you. In the valleys and on the mountaintops, He will give you the strength you need.
- God will give you grace. More grace than you give yourself. More grace than you deserve. But isn’t that just like a loving Father?
Questions to Consider . . .
(feel free to ponder or to use during your quiet time with God)
- Are you embracing God’s plan for your life, or working against it? How does this affect your family life?
- Do you feel God holding you together? If not, meditate on Colossians 1:17.
- Do rely on God’s grace when you feel weak, or do you depend on your own insufficient strength? How does this affect your parenting?
Related Posts:
Three Steps to Overcoming Inadequacy
Are You Having an Identity Crisis?
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