On a family vacation many years ago, I reflected on my years of performing the endless mundane tasks of motherhood — picking up mountains of socks, supervising numberless naps, and cooking thousands of meals, of which only a portion were appreciated.
There had been hours of constantly settling fusses over petty issues, continually straightening our home, only to have it messy within a short time. There had been myriad books read, lessons supervised and still feeling inadequate to do it all.
I had so many moments when I doubted that anything was being built into the hearts of my children, when my belief that all of this mattered for eternity was all that kept me going, one step at a time. Now, I can see clearly just how worthwhile the journey has been.
The reward of a shared sense of humor and the pure enjoyment and love of being with my children shows me how glad I am that I held tight to my vision. These children, now towering over me in their grown-up bodies, are just the kind of people I want for friends. Indeed, I consider my family to be my very best friends.
How thankful I am that God, his Word, and his Spirit kept me pressing faithfully onward. But, as I look around me, I see so many other precious moms floundering and tempted to give up their ideals.
I see moms who struggle, as I struggled, with a sense of inadequacy and failure. Many who are lonely, feeling unsupported, questioning the choices they made, and worrying about the factors in life they can't control. And many moms who are simply tired, running low on the energy they need to be the mothers they truly want to be.
For all these mothers and for those who have yet to encounter moments of discouragement, I want to share a little of what — besides the grace of God — has helped me to continue on this worthwhile journey during this week’s #MissionOfMotherhood book club.
This week, you and I will talk about what it means to be a ministering mother, as well as how to guard our vision of motherhood, and our hearts, for the long journey ahead. I so hope you'll join me on Life With Sally!
