Dear Weary Mom,
I am so glad you are here.
I know what it might have taken for you to wander by this way and it is no small thing. You may be hiding in the bathroom with your smart phone or up late feeding the baby. Maybe, you are in a car line waiting for the kids to be released from school for the holiday. Whatever you are doing while you are here (because let’s face it as a weary mom, we know you are multitasking right this very minute) or wherever you are doing it, welcome to my little corner of the blogging world.
I’ve been thinking about you and praying for you. If you were here in real life, I’d ask you to sit at my table and probably apologize for the dishes in the sink. You would of course be gracious and say, “It makes me feel at home.” I would pretend I meant to do that, for you. I’d rustle up some coffee for us and we’d get right down to a chat about life and kids and how much we love Target.
Our stories would connect because we are moms. We know what it is like to have our hearts walking around outside our bodies while being so tired we’d pay a total stranger large amounts of money to let us sleep for six hours straight. Weary moms get each other.
Since you know my story, or most of it, I’d ask you a few questions. I sure hope you’d be comfortable enough to share, knowing that there is nothing you could say that I have not already felt or said in my own head a million times.
In the end, we would talk about Jesus and I’d ask to pray over you and tell you that we are going to make because we do not walk alone. We can lay our burdens down right here on the Word made flesh and we can ask for His strength to be made be perfect in our weak places.
You know, come to think of it, what I love about this online world is that even though you might be in Austin, Indianapolis, or Seattle, we can still have that conversation. You can tell me your story and what “Hope” sparked in your heart. I can pray for you and tell you we are going to make it.
I know it might be sweeter if you were here. I do make a good cup of coffee. But the upside is, you don’t have to look at my dish pile.
So will you please leave a comment? Tell me a bit of your story? I’d love to know how you found “Hope for the Weary Mom?” Was it a friend? Did you follow a Tweet or see a Facebook status update?
One more thing, friend, how can I pray for you? I would be so blessed to have the chance to whisper your name in prayer to the One who came to bring us lasting Hope.
We are going to make it. I promise.
xoxo,
Stacey
Hope for the Weary Mom: Let God Meet You in The Mess (Harvest House Publishers 2015) is now available along with the Hope for the Weary Mom 40 Day Devotional.
Find these books and others here.
I can’t remember how I found you! I am a mom of two little girls, 2 1/2 and 13 months. I’m expecting identical twins in March. I had surgery for Twin to twin transfusion syndrome in October to save them. Please pray that they make it! Thank you for your beautiful writing.
Lord we thank you for this sweet blessing of these two precious babies. Would you put your hands upon the right now? Would you form their tiny bodies perfectly and put their mama’s heart at rest? And will you help this weary mom know without a doubt that you are walking with her every step of this path. Strengthen her Lord, give her sweet moments with her little ones today dreaming about being big sisters and welcoming their little ones.
I was sent to you by a dear friend and sister in Christ. I think she knew I was at the end of my rope ofter our 4th move in 6 years, thank you US Army, with 3 boys! I have never felt so understood, so accepted, so loved as I did as I sat at the Y during Tae Kwon Do practice openly weaping as I read so many things that felt like you were taking about me as you wrote that book. It is on my kindle and I read it over and over again. This move has been the hardest on all of us, would you please pray we adjust to where we are quickly. It is taking a toll on my kids and my marriage!
Melissa moving is so hard on a family! I understand, believe me. I’m praying for you and so thankful for your service to our country! May God bless you and meet you right where you are. I’m praying for Him to send you a sweet friend! Blessings.
As a fellow Army wife who has been in your shoes, Melissa, I just wanted to say that I know all too well the pain you are feeling. God will get you through this transition, and whatever other transitions are to come. Lean on Him and make sure you also reach out to a local support group who can help you, encourage you, and hold you up in prayer. Xoxoxoxo
Hello Stacey. I am still reading Hope for the Weary Mom. Finishing chapter 10 to be specific. I stumbled/cried/begged/searched for a community of women who were imperfect and unafraid to say so. It is truly difficult to come across. To be honest, when I stumbled across the book, the title tugged at my very weary heart, but my head made a snide comment about how I will be chastised throughout the book for failing to be a Proverbs 31 woman… again. But as I read the introduction I began to let my guard down. It said all of the things I had thought and was too scared to say out loud to anyone. I am tired, weak, my faith is depleted…. More times than I can count I have cried with this book.
I was a sobbing mess in the early hours of a morning not long ago when once again I was unable to sleep. I came across this passage: “If my mouth really does speak the abundance of my heart (Matthew 12: 34), then I’m overflowing with doubt, anger, fear, lack of trust and faith, and a desire to just give up. This is how it’s been of late. I’m empty and have nothing to give. I’m tired, and the only thing I can think about is my utter and complete dependence upon a God I don’t always feel is hearing my desperate pleas for help.” I sobbed all the more. It felt like the words jumped out of my head and onto the screen.
Last fall my husband’s mother passed away after a long battle with cancer. Prior to her passing, my husband tried to reconcile some abuse issues with her and his father. People would call or stop by our home at random times cursing and screaming at us and threatening bodily harm… all because he tried to get answers and make peace with his mother before she died. This culminated with my husband being disowned and was not permitted into the funeral home during his mother’s viewing, despite the fact that we arrived 10 minutes before it was over. We live in a small town and people here know my husband well, or so I thought. No one has asked his side of the story, but instead we and our kids have been affixed with a scarlet letter. Even a year later there are still dirty looks and whispers when we go the store or out to dinner or to the fair… you name it. And my husband still bears the burden of unresolved pain which he nor I know how to let go of.
In the spring I left a job I dearly loved in a desperate effort to save my family. My 1 year old son would hysterically cling to my leg as I was trying to get ready for work. My daughter tried to run away from home. My husband was nearly a single dad because my job kept me away from home oftentimes until after the kids were in bed. So we decided that I needed to be with my family. Of course the story is more involved than that, but I will spare you the ugly details.
To top it all off, my pastor “quit” and closed the church we had been attending prior to all of this and we have tried several churches but cannot find one where the people seem sincere. We have no real friends, no church family, and hardly any faith left at all. I. am. weary. So I am thankful that someone else has been there and survived because many days I feel like I might not. Thank you for reaching out to women like me who need to know that even when it feels like all hope is lost, there is still a glimmer of it out there.
Heather this is what we hear from moms over and over again and I want you to know that “Hope” is God’s heart for you. We believe that completely. If it helps, I cried while writing it. Lifting you up to the Father right now. May you find Hope in a very real way this Christmas.
If I’m honest, I have no idea how I found you. I think it was through someone on Twitter sharing a link? But Hope has gotten me through this crazy first year as a mom. Even though there are days that I hide in the closet to escape being needed for 2 minutes. And sometimes that cup of coffee needs reheated 5 times before I can actually drink it. And there are days when my girl eats more of my breakfast than I do. But Hope? It made me believe that I could do it. I could survive.
🙂 over the coffee that needs reheated…the first year can be the sweetest and hardest of them all. Praying for you friend!
An old high school friend of mine whom I only recently reconnected with on Facebook pointed me in your direction…and I am forever grateful that she did. I, like Melissa above, am an Army wife, though my husband just retired a couple of months ago after 27 years in the service, so I guess I’m technically a RETIRED Army wife now. 😉 We have only been married since 2006 and each of us brought 2 children into the marriage, so we are a blended family as well. The U.S. Army moved us every 12 months for the first 4 years of our marriage, one of those moves actually being my husband’s year-long deployment to Afghanistan back in 2008, leaving me a single mom/stepmom with 3 teenagers in the house at that point in time (our children are now 25, 20, 19, and 16). I would have never made it through that year without depending daily on God to get me through each and every day, and having a wonderful support group in my church home. As we now find ourselves in yet another transitional (and weary) phase of our lives (retirement/looking for a new job/without a church home), I’m so grateful that God pointed me towards you, Stacey. Thank you for all of the love and encouragement you so generously give. Xoxoxo
Catherine from the bottom of my heart thank you for your service to our country! I’m praying for you during this transition time. I think Chapter 10 will especially minister to your heart!
I am a Mom of 4 boys, ages 9, 8, 3, and 1. Between all of them and the new puppy I thought would be a great addition to the family, I get no sleep!! But somehow we survive it all. God has provided everything we need and so much more. I love these Mommy blogs, it reminds me I’m not alone here! Thank you!
Sweet Catharine – you need to meet Brooke and head on over to the MOB Society page! I love that you are here too. Though my 4 are girls, we are both still very outnumbered right?
Praying for you friend!
I don’t even remember how I found the book. I *think* I was looking for discipline books on amazon…but I know for sure I found it on amazon and starting reading long before I found the facebook page and this site (MOB, brooke’s site, etc). It’s opened up a whole new world for me as far as the blogging community and connecting with other weary mom’s like me.
If this post is any indication of what tonight is gonna be like… um, bring it on. 🙂
Looking forward to our talk Aprille!
Last year, while pregnant with our third, scared out of my mind, feeling miserable, hopeless, and helpless, I stumbled upon something my then acquaintance, Stacey Thacker, wrote about being fresh out of amazing. It pierced something deep in my heart and I poured out my guts to her in the comments and then via email. She took a leap of faith with me…we followed a spark…a flicker of Holy Spirit light shining in the darkness…and wrote a book that blew us both away. And NOW, now, the best part is that I consider her a dear friend.
So very grateful for you Stacey. Thanks for partnering with me in Hope.
The fact that you now remember “fresh out of amazing” makes me smile so big!
What a journey friend. Honored to walk side by side with you!
I love this! What a sweet story! 🙂
This is totally awesome. To have someone else write exactly how I feel! I have one son who is 6 & he’s my world! He had some kidney issues which we found during my pregnancy & were unsure of the outcome but praise God at 6 months of age he was healed of it all!! His Dad & I were high school sweethearts who parted ways, reunited, married & I just knew we’d live happily ever after. 5 years into our marriage & when our son was 3 my Husband left. I later found out it was for another woman. He has had little involvement in our sons life since. Our hearts have been broken beyond belief, our world destroyed. I work full time, at night. I’m a nurse & thankfully have been able to provide for us both. Between work, his school & homework, Cub Scouts & Church…I am utterly exhausted & barely have a free minute to breathe. But I thank God for it all & would do it all over again to be this little boys Mommy. I am honored to be his Mommy. I will keep fighting, keep working & do whatever it takes if it kills me to make sure he is healthy, happy, safe, loved & comes out of this ok. God has blessed us so much & given us so much good in the midst of so much bad. I am truly thankful!!
Oh my goodness, what a day to read this post. Today is my birthday, my first birthday as a Mom. But instead of sleeping in today and eating my favorite orange sticky buns for breakfast, I’m nursing a black coffee to stay awake after a long night with the baby. In fact, it’s time to get her up, but I am seriously procrastinating. You can pray for patience for me and rest for my sick child, but I know these will pass. I would really ask for prayer for my Mother-in-law who has a complicated cancer – she does not know Jesus and this weighs so heavily on my heart.
Thank you.
Happy birthday Mikah! I’m praying those orange sticky buns find their way into your day somehow.
May you get lots of snuggles.
May you know that God is FOR you.
May you get a holy nap 🙂
And know that I am so glad you found your way here!
blessings to you!
I actually just found your blog through Pinterest. I am excited to continue reading! I am a homeschooling, stay at home mom to 3 wonderful, high energy boys(6, 4, and 2) and a beautiful new baby girl(2mo). I also help my sister, who is a young single mom, by taking care her daughter(3mo) while she is at work. Alot of mornings I wake up thinking, “I don’t know if I can get through this day.” (especially this week, while prepping for my family to come over for Thanksgiving) But somehow I manage! All the kisses, hugs, I love you mamas, smiles and coos I get throughout the day make it all worth it! And I am right there with all you other moms, I can’t remember the last time I had more than a few sips of warm fresh coffee, or slept for more than 4 consecutive hours! I am greatful to have had the oppurtunity to sit down, feed my baby, and find your blog today! I have my fair share of down days but today is a {very busy} good day.
Thank you for taking the time to write!
Full life, cold coffee = so many blessings!
May you find a few more minutes to count those blessings. Asking God to give you a sweet week and the kind of rest that sustains!
Hi! I found a link to your post on Facebook, and just wanted to say thank you for the sweet prayers and thoughts. I am a weary mom, but then again, I don’t know any moms who aren’t 🙂
I answer to Mama of the Man Crew. We have 4 boys ages 24, 15, 13, and 7. The younger 3 are still at home where we live, laugh and learn together. (yes, homeschool. We are *those* people. LOL) The oldest is grown, married and living across the country. Our life is full of adventure between competitive gymnastics with the 15 year old, living near family (and my parents live with us 5 months a year) and the many friends and family that we minister to weekly (sometimes daily). Life is full, God is good and we are blessed. So while I am tired and sometimes even weary when I see the chaos that is my life, I certainly can’t complain.
Thanks again for sharing your life and your heart with us. Have a God-Blessed day!
Blessings,
Kristy
From the mom of girl crew to you may God continue to sustain you friend. And when the days are harder than others, may you breathe Hope in and out and know He loves you like crazy.
This is a perfect day for me to read this post…it was a looong weekend for me! Friday night, I got about 4 hours of sleep because my 6 year old came in to our room with stomach pain and he was wheezing. He decided that he needed to sleep in our bed, which means that he sleeps and hubby I don’t because he flails a lot while he sleeps.
I got two more hours after he woke up and decided that his bed was ok after all. I spent Saturday helping (and worrying about) my sister, who is pregnant and ended up in the ER the day before (official diagnosis was “attempted miscarriage”, but ultrasounds the next day revealed no issues whatsoever). Then, I came home to my son who was still wheezy and not feeling well. My hubby went out with our older two boys and not long after, I took my little guy to the ER. I got no sleep – we were there all night and then they admitted him. (We came home yesterday afternoon, and he’s doing well now). At one point I had been awake for more than 26 hours, with only 2 hours in the previous 30. (something like that). And I’m the kind of person who needs 10 hours every night.
On top of that, while in the ER, in between worrying about my baby, I was thinking about the last time I had pulled an all-nighter: the same date, in 1999, when bonfire fell at Texas A&M, killing 12 and injuring 27. I drove past it not long after it fell – one of my roommate’s good friends was one of the 12. So that weighed heavy on my heart as well.
So yes, “weary mom” literally describes me right now. Physically and emotionally. While my son is better now, the magnitude of it all is just now hitting me.
I so understand tired and worn thin. Praying for your little one to feel better and for you to know that God is using this hard week to draw you near to Him like never before.
I am a new mother of a 4 month old boy named Judah. I am also a pastor’s wife. We planted a church about 2 years ago & it has been the most challenging and most rewarding time of my life. Please pray that I will be able to show others the love, compassion, and grace that the Lord has shown me. Please pray that I will able to balance my home life & church responsibilities. Please pray for my that I will be able to speak wisdom into all situations. Lastly…please pray for my sanity. Lol…seriously…because right now I feel like I’m losing it. Thank you for your obedience to the Lord. Your blog is a true blessing to so many.
Lindsey being a new mama and a pastor’s wife of a new church is both a blessing an a reason to be weary in the work of it all. Agreeing right now in prayer over all these requests, asking Jesus to remind you that He is enough – you can rest in that.
Blessings.
I am the mother of two boys, one is 16 years old and the other, 3 months today. Needless to say I had forgotten how much work babies really are. I found your blog by following a pin on Pinterest. After spending nearly 2 hours trying to get a crying baby to sleep, your welcome letter nearly brought me to tears. How I would love to sit in your kitchen, as you seem so compassionate and Spirit filled. Thank you for sharing yourself and your prayers with us weary moms!
Oh Colleen I can imagine how much life has changed with a new baby around. The early months are precious and exhausting. I’m praying for you, and the truth is, so is Jesus. He is for you friend.
My name is Val. I’m a newly turned 40 year old who within the last 3 years has become a divorcee, a girlfriend, and a new mom. 3 things I didn’t necessarily want to become, but a journey that God has taken me down. I never thought I would ever divorce, thought my marriage was forever, never thought I would be a girlfriend at the age of 40 (to be quite honest, I like the title of being a wife better- but that we will have to see about later…much later), and a new mom- well I have finally forgiven myself & accepted HIS forgiveness too.
Could I use prayer? Yes.
Your blog is lovely & I so understand the long days & longer nights that are all around me. Sometimes they seem to run together & sometimes even seem to suffocate me. But it is ONLY THROUGH GOD THAT I SURVIVE.
Please keep blogging & I will keep checking in!
thanks again & Happy Thanksgiving!
Val thank you for sharing your story here. You know, finding ourselves on a path that we would not have really chosen can be very wearying. Life is hard, but God, even in our own pain and struggles – He is still good. I’ll be tthat little one is the sweetest blessing you never counted on. God has His hand on you, He loves you, He has a plan for you. He can bring good out of this, and He will.
I’m asking this Christmas to remind you how much He loves you. For hope to sink soul deep and you to be strengthened in the journey.
Oh, friend! How my heart overflows with thankfulness for you and your faith walk! I am so AMAZED at what God is doing through you–all because He knows your heart is for Him. Hope for the weary mom has helped me know that I am not the only one. I am not alone in this motherhood journey. In fact, I was feeling very weary the other week–and just knowing the you and Brooke feel the same way helped me get through it. In BSF, we just started to study Abraham. The focus has been on faith–following God step by step, not knowing what lies ahead. In the lecture this past week, Vania said something that totally resonated with me: God is a God of the clueless. When I heard that I totally went “THAT’S ME!!” He purposely places us in situations that require us to totally depend on Him. My clueless situation is motherhood. I never thought before I had kids that I would feel so clueless. In fact, to my embarrassment, I really thought that i was going to be good at it. God gave me kids that force me to fall on Him. On the days I try to do it myself, I FAIL. And there are many of those days. I am so thankful for you and Brooke and the community God is forming through you both. I am praying for you!
Love that quote friend, and now after reading your sweet comment I’m crying. You bless me in so many ways.
And you are an amazing mom, I’ve watched you all these years, and seen you lay down your life. It points me to Jesus every time!
I am a first time mom-to-be in just a few more weeks…weary only due to the ‘bowling ball’ I’m carrying around and not sleeping well with as I prepare for such a big life transition. 🙂 Afraid of going through childbirth, and whether I’ll be able to handle the continued, increasingly constant demands on my heart, body, emotions for the next 18+ years. Excited for getting to know this new little one whom my husband and I prayed for and showed up unexpectedly, after we began resigning ourselves earlier this year to the possibility of biological children not being part of God’s plan for our marriage. Although I’m at the very beginning of my mothering journey, I’m so encouraged knowing there is support for moms out there through books and blogs like yours. I have no doubt I’ll be coming back here in the days (and long nights) ahead. Thank you for sharing your heart and your ministry!
This is the first post of yours that I have read, and now see that there is a book to go along with it? How exciting! I just sat down to look at Pinterest and one of my friends pinned this post. My husband is out with our 22-month-old, and my 2 week old is sleeping in her bouncy seat next to me. I should be doing dishes or vacuuming or a myriad of other things, but with little or no sleep last night, I just can’t muster up the energy. So I clicked on the pin that said, “Weary Mom” because today, I am weary!!! Thank you for your kind words. I feel like if you were here, we WOULD be drinking coffee and laughing at our worlds.
I’ll pray for you, as I know you are praying for me.
Hugs, Dana
Found your website through the maze of clicking banners on other websites…down the rabbit hole I went and I’m so glad. I’m definitely a weary mom…who’s not even a mom at all. I’m currently raising my 5 year old nephew. It’s a long complicated story that includes my sister having her 6 kids taken away by child and family services…who I work for…and them being split up in various foster homes. My nephew wasn’t adjusting well at all and the state wanted to medicate him and/or send him to a state psychiatric hospital for inpatient treatment…against the advice of his peditrician. I moved in with my mom…who is stil grieving the loss of my dad just over a year ago…to make it possible for me to take him because of my job. A month and a half later, I’m definitely weary and the strain of it all is weighing heavily on all of us. I constantly feel like I’m letting someone down and the weight of all my responsibilities will surely crush me if my minute by minute plan of an overscheduled life gets off track by even a millisecond. I’ve never had kids before and loved my life of travel, adventure, two jobs, and endless socializing just exactly as it was. This definitely isn’t the life I wanted or would have chosen if it weren’t for the uncertain fate of the sweet faced little boy whom I love so much. I’m trying to make the best of the situation but it’s hard when the majority of my friends are also childless by choice and constantly ask when he’ll be going home and I’ll get my life back….something that isn’t looking likely anytime soon. I know that God is busy working behind the scenes and crafting something beautiful out of this disasterous mess but the day by day reality of it all is a lot to handle. I’m downloading your book now and hope that it has something for me…a very weary not really mom trying to figure out how to be one as she goes along.
Weary Aunts definitely qualify Kate! You have become an instant mom – and I know that this path is not easy! The thing is, I know that everyone is weary in some way. Our stories are simply from motherhood, so I do think you will be encouraged by what you read! The answers are still applicable. No matter if your mommyhood lasts for just a few more weeks or longer.
I am praying God speaks to your heart. I know He led you this way for a reason. Please let me know How God uses “Hope” in your life!
Where do I begin? I am Jamie, wife to Jeremiah, and we share 5 kiddos and one dog. Our oldest is not his by DNA, but by heart. We got married in 2005, had our son in 2006, our middle daughter in 2007, our youngest son in 2009 and our littlest girl in 2011.
We have been homeless living out of my husband’s fire station, jobless for 10 months, multiple bouts of postpartum depression, financial troubles. But one thing remains constant- God provided through all of it. He delivered the desires of our hearts. He showed that He loves us. On a daily basis.
I am a homeschooling mama who struggles with yelling at her children- more than I would like. I struggle with being patient. I struggle with extending grace. I have struggled and on some level am struggling with sexual sin that started early on in my childhood.
I rely on Jesus and he provides women who have experienced my circumstances for encouragement. I am so thankful for that. As for praying, Stacey, I would love prayers for patience, grace and love for my family. To be like Christ,
You’re great. Thanks.
Jamie I am praying right now that God will give you the most blessed season of hope you have every had. That you will know He sees you, has good plans for you, and that He is going to work even these things out for your good and His glory.
I have a dear friend and sister in Christ who is struggling with the oldest of 4 children right now. He is 10 and they are having major behavioral issues already (at home), towards his parents and siblings. She is struggling with guilt as the parent as well as just liking him because of all he is doing towards her and the family. She is SO weary and stressed. She is also a pastor’s wife (Worship Pastor) and her husband is going to school to be a teacher to supplement their income so there is a lot more on her plate for 2 more “semesters”. I know she would appreciate the prayers. Thank you!
I am praying for her right now, for God to meet her in the middle of her weary, crazy days and for her to remember she has a living hope that will never fade away!
I don’t know when I found your book “hope or the weary mom- probably one of the countless nights I sat on amazon or google searching or some answer some resource to help me escape the deep dark pit I’ve been living in for so long. I’ve come to the end of me; I started reading your book again tonight after telling my husband to find a new wife and mom for our kids because I can’t I can’t i can’it do it anymore. I hate being a mom but I love my kids. I suck big time and often wonder which is better: have a horrid mother or a good step-mother. I don’t know about god or anything at this point. The despair I’ve felt for so long is too much ; (yes I see a counselor ) but doesn’t gods word say he won’t give us more than we can bear? So how can I trust him when this promise has not been kept. Anyway, I’m happy to see women telling the truth instead f pretending they are super moms who have it all together.
The line that really sent me to tears was ‘make a commitment to try one more time’. I don’t want to. I want to give up. I can’t count how many times I’ve made that commitment. And I’ll make it again because those kids are worth it even though I feel like I’m losing my mind and soul when I’m around them. I love them.
Lesley,
I am so moved by your words. I am struck by your words “I don’t know about God or anything right now.” I want to tell you that God knows about you. He sees you. He is reaching out to you. I am so grateful you picked up our book to read in the middle of your weariest days. He is reaching out to you and wanting to meet you right where you are. He loves you so much, friend.
The journey with “Hope” begins with a simple prayer (something like this) “Lord Jesus, I need you. Please come into my messy heart and forgive me. Thank you for meeting me here, dying on the cross for my sins, and forgiving me. I need you so much. Please make me the person you want me to be. I can’t do this on my own strength. I put my faith and trust in You alone today.”
Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” When we invite Jesus into our lives — He comes in, just like He promises.
The days may still be hard. But the promise to walk with us is that He takes the burden– He bears it up. We make the commitment to try one more time because He is the one holding it, not us. I love this verse, “The eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to strongly support those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9a He longs to strongly support you. He will, I promise.
I would love to invite you over the the “Hope for the Weary Mom” blog. We are walking through the book right now in a book club. The community of women who have gathered there is amazing. You can find it here.
Please know I am praying for you.
Lesley,
I read your comment and saw your question about the Bible saying that God won’t give us more than we can handle. I used to believe the same thing. Then, almost 8 years ago, my pastor and father committed suicide (due to depression). My world was devastated. It was through that experience that I realized this statement is not true. However, I also learned that though He does allow us to experience more than we can handle, He walks with us through it all. He is there with every step He asks us to take. He CAN handle it. I’m praying that you feel God’s help.
All day I have been exhausted and to be honest I would miss this time with my son if I wasn’t home. But while I did pick up the same blocks three times, baked cookies, and cleaned up a broken egg my son found from the fridge deep inside I keep saying, ‘I am not doing well at this mother thing’. I love him with every ounce of me but there is a selfish part of me that is dying to dash for the door for a break. I realize that part of being a military family means we are stretched thin with my husband’s schedule, frequent moves, and being away from family but I really want to get connected into our new community.
Thanks for sharing this as it was a breath of fresh air this evening!
Laura, I know this conversation well. I have it in my own heart all the time. Lately, I’m learning to take it to Jesus, instead and hear what He has to say to me. His words bring me life. My own tend to to drag me down more.
I’m praying for you Laura—to hear His voice louder than any other and for God to send you a kindred heart friend right where you are today.
Thanks so much Stacey!
I will have to check out your book as well!
I found you through a link on the MOB society’s website… I an a happily married mom to one three year old boy. I became a mom at a young age, while I was not married, but God took our sin and used it to bless us beyond our wildest dreams. Before I got pregnant, I was making a lit of terrible decisions, and I was headed down a bad road… Now, it had brought me and my husband to have dramatically closer relationships with God and with each other… Despite all of this, I struggle with being bonded to food. I am very overweight, and I hate how it affects my marriage and my “mommyhood”. I need so much energy to keep up with it all, but I just don’t have it! I’ve tried so hard to turn to Jesus for the things that I turn to food for, but I fail so much…
Libby, I am praying for you. It sounds to me that you are aware of your struggle, which is a first step. I would suggest finding a counselor who can walk with you through this in an appropriate way. God has done so much in your life already. He is waiting for you to give Him this area as well!
I found your website through Pinterest, and I’m SO glad I did. I found the book a while back when I got a link to get it free. I downloaded it, and eventually got around to reading it. I cried through the entire thing. I am the mother of 3, 2, and 1 year old girls and a 7 week old son. With my husband gone to work for 13 hours a day, I am weary. We moved away from all family two years ago. A year after we moved, his job moved us again. We have now been in this area for a little over a year. Everyone in my complex speaks Spanish (which I don’t know and with 4 kids 3 and under don’t have time to learn!!!) so I have made no friends. We have been attending a church and go to a Sunday school class, but I am the only SAHM so they’re all busy during the day, and even if they weren’t, my husband and I share a car so I can’t go anywhere. I feel completely shut off from the world. I love my husband to death, but after being at work for 13 hours, by the time he gets home, he doesn’t want to talk. He wants to sit in his corner of the living room and veg. I don’t blame him, but I need some interaction with people, and no matter how much we talk about it, he just doesn’t understand. Sometimes, I just want to pile my kids in the car and go for a playdate with someone. But who???? Please pray that God sends me a friend and a vehicle!!! Thank you for sharing from your heart, and reminding us weary moms that there are others out there, that what we’re feeling is normal.
I love that we ‘bumped’ into each other in various places! God has a way of getting us where He wants us, right?
I completely understand where you are today and the lonely places. I write about this in the book – when we moved 1,000’s of miles away and I had no one who knew my name. It took time, and I had to be patient. I look at those lonely years (now) as a time where God wanted me to go deeper with Him and I’m so glad I did.
Still, our heart knows what it needs – and yes you do need community! I’m praying right now for God to show you He is at work in this area of your life, for true sisterhood to emerge and Him to be all you need.
Blessings.
I am pretty new to twitter and your name popped up on the side as a suggestion so I followed you to your website! I had not heard of your book but plan to find it soon! I am also a mom to all girls, 3 on earth, 1 in heaven and another little girl due any day now!
Cynthia it is so nice to meet you! I’d love to see you over at mothers of daughters blog as well!