Overwhelmed by My Blessings: Encouragement for Moms (Part 5)Sample

What a blessed group of women...unless you peek at social media. Then all hell breaks loose!

Immunizations or no? Natural childbirth or epidural? Home education or public school? Spanking or not? Breast feeding or bottle? Baby-led weaning or spoon-fed? And food? We could list a page full of opinions and debates! Sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, pesticide free, nut-free, grass-fed, organic, low fat, low carb, GMO, BPA, MSG. Agh! It’s too much. We all have opinions, but sometimes those opinions can alienate and separate friends. We are notorious for this. Our passions get the best of us, and soon we think others need to believe the way we do.

What if we allowed other women to be who they are? What if rather than tearing one another down to make ourselves feel better, we began to encourage and build each other up? What if we quit sharing our self-righteous opinions with other women to make ourselves look good, and simply kept our thoughts to ourselves?

Social media makes this tough. We want to be included in the conversation. We want to be heard. But is it really worth it? We need to encourage one another in this gig called motherhood. We need each other to survive!

Today, I challenge you to uplift a girlfriend. There is no better way to be encouraged yourself, than to encourage another.

Mail an actual handwritten note instead of sending an email or quick text. Take her favorite drink or latte and drop by for a quick hug, telling her what a great mom she is. Make her a pot of soup or a casserole for her freezer. Offer to keep her kids for a date night with her husband. Get creative and find ways to add value to other women, other moms. Your uplifting words matter and the women in your life need to hear them. You will be amazed at the courage it will add to your own day.

Father, I know I’ve been caught up in conversations I should not have been, using my time for things of insignificance. I know my strong opinions may have been hurtful to others. May I never again tear down another to build myself up. I pray that my heart will be enlarged to know that words of encouragement have far greater worth than my opinion on any matter. Show me the right person to encourage today and prepare my heart to know just the right thing to do and say for her. I’m excited for the possibilities!

Read the first scripture from The Message