FIRST… please read this! I am WELL AWARE of the absolute horrific tragedy that is Houston and surrounding cities. I am horrified, saddened and praying. Our hearts are broken for these families and ready to help.
Here’s a few reasons I’m wound up and stressed out this week.
Well…
- Ella needs surgery because I guess her foot actually is hurt
- Larson’s teeth might fall out because she loosely brushes her teeth on some days of the week
- There’s a few things I think could be holding them back academically and I’m pretty sure it’s all my fault
- I am not sure they even love each other on some days
- They may not graduate high school based on the interest we have right now
- If there is a disease caused by goldfish consumption – we have it
- and so on
- and so on
You guys!
I was under A LOT of pressure during the career, child-free days of my life. But WHY does this pressure of parenting feel so much more?
Oh! Because I’ve never loved anything like this? Like, would jump in front of a train for them.
Oh! And because I’ve never been responsible for anything so valuable in my life?
That’s the situation right here. That’s why motherhood takes your biggest worry, your biggest stress, your biggest anxiety and laughs… and says TRY THAT with the fruit of your loins staring back at you. With a sign that says “It’s all up to you.”
They have a cavity? My fault.
They might never get into college? My fault.
They don’t feel loved today? My fault.
This motherhood thing is no joke. And I have not met one mom EVER that doesn’t feel the weight of it. I don’t care if you have one kid, three kids, sane kids, grown kids, 8 kids, homeschool, public school or whatever. EVERY parent in fact of any size and shape child knows this stress.
So how can live FREE from this level of pressure? Is it even possible? Because I am 40 and I know for a fact my mom worried about one of her children today. And now we gave her grandchildren to love worry about too. Aren’t we awesome?
I know I’ve told you all about Jeannie Cunnion until I’m blue in the face – but she’s my Jesus-loving, gospel-loving dear friend (I call her Polly Pocket because I can pick her up).
She truly believes there’s a better way for us. Because she’s tried it both ways. She’s tried controlling and perfecting and pressuring herself to death. And she’s tried freedom and surrendering.
She knows that we don’t have to mother in way that’s so heavy. So burdened. So dang sad. We can live different. And she felt so burdened about it – that she wrote it down with her 4th baby boy in her lap.
Her book isn’t a light, quick – oh! I got it! Easy.
It’s a life-changing, mindset shift, deep, profound – book. It’s a read-it-twice. Marinate. Soak it in. Pray and let God do some heavy work in your heart kind of book. (Mom Set Free)
It’s one of those books – you will wrestle through with your friends and with God and wonder if it’s possible. And then you meet some friends that are “free” and “light” during the trials of motherhood. You see it’s possible. They aren’t about to collapse under the weight of it all. They are actually enjoying it.
I urge you all to come meet my sweet Jeannie in Dallas on September 26 for a Girl Talk Night by Say Something You will not be sorry. Tickets here.
I urge you and your friends to sit with her book and pray God turns your heart upside down so your family feels the freedom that only comes from our God and his amazing grace.
Mom Set Free launches on August 29. (with Lifeway Bible Study coming soon after!)
I hope you’ll check it out, order it and be encouraged in your days as a mom. There is more out there for us. He wants to set us free to love and to be loved.
Thank you Jeannie for showing me what this feels like. Thank you for reminding me that I was never supposed to be “enough” for my kids. That Jesus is their enough. That’s it NOT all up to me.
I love you and I’m so proud of you.
(PS – If that doesn’t convince you to check it out – go read what her BFF Elisabeth Hasselbeck wrote in the foreword. It’s on Amazon. Whoah. So heartfelt and amazing.)
Anyone relate? Anyone else stressed out there? 🙂
I don’t even recognize ME anymore