But I'm ONLY The Stepmom!نموونە

I’m ONLY the Stepmom

I am a stepmom and after watching all those movies that tell of an evil stepmother and having met a few myself, I understand how we can raise an eyebrow at the idea of being known as one. 

There are so many challenges with step-parenting. A friend once explained it as being a mother without the recognition or rewards. Honestly, if we are fully immersed in our step-mothering role, we may do many of the same things as a biological mother with much less honor or appreciation shown for our efforts. This can be discouraging, to say the least. 

On this journey, one thing I have learned is that if we are not aware of what and who God has called us to be as a stepmother, we can quickly become uninterested in the role of wife and stepmother. 

For a time, I took on the role of being the stepmother that fixed all the wrong with my stepchildren that I assumed no one else saw or cared to work on. I was supposed to be their other mother and that’s what another mother would do, right? In my case, the biological mother was deceased which seemingly intensified my obligation to be mother number two but the grandmother was the leading lady in their lives. I thought I was supposed to do all the things the mother would have done to relieve the grandmother of some of her duties.  But I was wrong, I was 'Just the Stepmother."

Eventually, I realized that if I was, "just the stepmother," I’d spent a lot of time trying not to, “step on toes” and not enough time walking in my greater purpose and assignment.  

I began to realize that I had not been given this stepmother role simply to fix the child or replace the mother. I was given it by God to help birth forth their God-ordained assignments. Anything outside of that is simply me walking out my agenda rather than being led by God’s.

When I am choosing to be led by God as a stepmother, I have clarity regarding what it looks like to stepparent my specific stepchildren. I no longer feel the pressure to fit the mold of someone else’s expectations of me. No more 'Stepping on toes," because my assignment is unique.

Here is the truth, in order to effectively stepparent and enjoy my marriage I need to walk in my assignment. The question is, what is my assignment as a stepmother?

Glad you asked! We will begin discussing this in more detail tomorrow but for now, I want you to consider how your journey has been shaped by expectations and how that has impacted you hearing God’s voice as a stepmom.