Hiking and climbing on the mountain trails near our home has brought many adventures to our family. One such picnic into the woods, years ago, turned into a 7 1/2 hour perilous calamity where the kids and I and our beloved golden retriever had to be rescued. I thought we would take a nice little walk, but it turned out to be wrought with paths that led us astray, coyotes barking at us, getting lost, darkness settling in and exhaustion amongst us all.
Sometimes motherhood is such a journey. I thought it would be easier and more friendly, but at times, it has also been fraught with unplanned hazards. (You will have to read this true story in the book to find out what happened!)
It's often said that motherhood is a marathon, not a sprint. Yet I wonder if it's not something else entirely, more of an endless hike alongside God, who teaches and encourages and sometimes carries us as we go along our way with eternal lessons hidden at each curve of the trail. Surely there are heights and valleys, easy stretches and those that are more challenging, times we sink in the sand and times we could run we feel so light and free. I wrote about it in The Mom Walk ...
"As a young woman, I looked ahead to the adventure of having my own precious brood of children and idealized all the love, fun, and joy we would share as a family. I even pictured myself as the happy mother of joyful, well-adjusted children. My life as a mom has created countless moments of joy, love shared, deep fulfillment and wonderful memories.
Yet I also have had times of dark depression, loneliness, and feelings that I couldn't keep going. I have often felt inadequate to know just how to discipline and train my children. Choices about their lives have often been a mystery amid so much parenting advice. What movies are acceptable? What is the best way to educate my children? How do I help them handle peer pressure? How is it possible to build godly character into the very fabric of my children's souls? Why is my child resisting me so much? Does my child need more attention or more discipline? And on and on my questions go.
However, I also found I was unprepared for the road, unaware of the obstacles and dangers I would find strewn on my pathway, and I felt often alone in the midst of the difficulties, and more weary than I had ever dreamed I would be. I felt so many times that I needed a guide, a map, the right resources to make the journey, and help along the way. I needed a companion to walk the road with me and to strengthen and encourage me when I felt so alone and forlorn. Often, though, I didn't feel I knew anyone I could turn to for help ...
The more I have studied Scripture, the more I have realized the God designed the role of mother to be one of the most important relationships a child will ever have. How I walk my path as a mother will greatly determine the outcome of my children's souls, relationships, vision for life, and success in their own walk with God. He is the one with the map, the hidden treasures along the way, and the ultimate guide. But without His word and His wisdom, I was sure to become lost on this journey."
