Survival Guide to Motherhood: A 7-Day Parenting Pep TalkSample

Day 1: Getting Through the Day

Being a first-time mom is hard. None of us really knows what we’re doing; it’s all new to us. Thank goodness for growth, right? Each month, you will learn as a mom, and each month, you will grow. You will get better, I promise. When you start to feel down about yourself, remind yourself of what’s true: This is your first time being a mom, and you will get better every day.

Children are like Crock-Pots. They take time to teach, to guide, to learn. They take time to discipline. That’s because discipline is a long-term concept. It takes time to train up a child! (Proverbs 22:6). I truly believe that’s why in Proverbs 31:28, Solomon writes of a mother, “Her children rise up and call her blessed” (ESV). As children become adults, they realize how much time their mother put in. They see how she was patient with them. They recognize that she let them go at their own pace. And for that, they are grateful.

Here are a few practical ways you can find contentment as you navigate this new perspective on mothering.

1. Know the Work Is Worth It

There are many challenges in motherhood, but one of the hardest for me was continuing the work without immediately seeing the reward.

This slow pace of life required me to be patient while my child was learning to obey, have manners, be respectful, and be responsible—it was difficult. It felt at times like my kids would never get it. I was worried that all my work was in vain. I want to encourage you that your work, your patience, your labor—none of it is in vain. Don’t give up! Your child needs you to be long-suffering with them. I know it’s hard. I know patience for their pace is difficult. At the end of most days, you are beyond exhausted.

You are running a marathon, and I am on the sidelines cheering you on! I’m yelling, “You can do it! Don’t give up! You’ve got this! The work is all worth it!”

2. Joy Is a Choice

Living a life full of joy and fulfillment is up to you. We all know that a mom’s life is challenging. But try to resist the urge to complain often about how hard it can be. Not because you shouldn’t be honest (you should!), but because staying in that negative place will only make you a bitter person. The truth is, you can make just about any situation better simply by adjusting your attitude.

3. Focus on the Now

Realize the importance of the slow days you are in the middle of living. Try to resist the urge to think that life is passing you by because it is not.

I love the verses Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Resist the urge to be anxious about tomorrow. Let tomorrow take care of itself; you just focus on today.

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Each day we have with our children is a gift. So when we have great days, let’s celebrate them! And when we don’t, let’s remember that each day is a new day. A new opportunity to begin again. A new chance to glorify God in all we do as moms.

Growth can be hard to notice in the moment, but over the course of a season, it becomes clear. Reflecting upon your past few months (or even years), what’s one way God has used this season of motherhood to change you for the better?