Goodbye Grumpy Mom: Say Hello To Renewed JoySample

A DIFFERENT MOMMA  

I remember the moment I realized that the truths in God’s Word were changing me—that although Grumpy Mom still camps out in my heart at times, she no longer has permanent residence. I was lying in bed after a long Sunday. It started out with a toddler puking, juuust to paint the scene. I was leaving town in less than two days for a huge event. 

There was still a ton to do, and normally the news that I’d have a sick kid home from school the next day would’ve sent me straight into Grumpy Mom mode, wishing I could escape my life and feeling sorry for myself about how hard things were. 

But that day was different. I was steady. I worked hard. I took care of Vivi. I didn’t complain. And this wasn’t phony. I have no poker face. 

No, the steadiness I felt was because I was finally starting to believe the truth instead of the lies that often sneak into my heart. The truth is taking root, and my moments of hiding in the bathroom are dwindling. Meanwhile, my moments of enjoying motherhood, even on the hard days, are increasing. 

Recently Vivi told me, “Momma, you’re a different momma.” When she confirmed that she meant this in a positive way, I almost cried. 

This is my hope for you, too, Momma. Not just because I want us to be happy. Yes, I care about your happiness, but there’s an even deeper goal than that. God has been so gracious to give us abundant life here on earth, and it’s devastating to think we’d waste it because we’re too tuned in to the world. God is saying to us, “Look! This is what I have for you in motherhood!” 

Maybe you grabbed this plan hoping for change but not really believing it could happen for you. If anyone was cut out for being forever stuck in Grumpy Mom land, it was me. If I can do it, I know you can too. 

Why? Because we’ve been freed from living that old stagnant life of sin and bondage. We are free from the limits the world puts on motherhood. We are now under the authority of God, and that includes living out a more abundant motherhood. 

So this is goodbye, Grumpy Mom. Time to pack your bags. 

These devotions are adapted from Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday by Valerie Woerner. To learn more about how to identify the lies that can sabotage our joy in motherhood and learn the truth with need to replace those lies with, visit https://amzn.to/2DuZgPz.