As I look around me I see so many other precious moms tempted to give up. I see moms who struggle, as I struggled, with a sense of inadequacy. Many are lonely, feeling unsupported as they work to give their children what they need. Many are confused, questioning the choices they have made and worrying about things they can't control. And many are simply tired, running low on the energy they need to be the mothers they truly want to be.
As I reflect on my days of younger motherhood, there were countless days of performing the endless mundane tasks — picking up mountains of socks, supervising numberless naps, and cooking thousands of meals of which only a portion were appreciated.
Hours of constantly settling fusses over petty issues, continually straightening our home, only to have it messy within a short time. There have been myriad books read, lessons supervised — and still feeling inadequate to do it all.
Inadequacy, in fact, had been my familiar and constant companion, overcome only by "His strength is perfected in my weakness" choices of faith. I had 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 see that every ordinary act of faithfulness really mattered greatly and shaped our children into wholesome, interesting, thinking people. 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 together 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. Take courage today, tired mama. Your labor is not in vain, but it is the very heart of your best work for all eternity.
Read more about this in The Mission of Motherhood.
