5 Days to Discover the Mother God Made You to BeSample

SO GOD MADE A MOTHER WORTHY

Spider-Man Shoes and Surrender

"O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
Isaiah 43 1-3 (NLT)

I saw her that afternoon—twice, actually—but she didn’t see me.

The first time I was on a mission, I became acutely aware of my dwindling child-free errand time. I glanced over as I scurried through the mall courtyard and noticed her in the corner of the play area, her gaze trained on her young son as he slid down the plastic turtle. She looks as tired as I feel, I thought as I brushed by.

A few minutes later, I saw her again. This time she was outside the cordoned-off area, hissing into the play space through clenched teeth. “Shoes. NOW!” she instructed as her son gleefully ignored the command and scampered off to the rocking horse.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as I fumbled with my phone. The mother cast a furtive glance around the deserted courtyard and back to her unruly son, and then smacked her hands in frustration on the rail.

“Fine! I’m leaving,” she called to her son.

I watched her shoulders slump, and her spirit sag as I turned the corner, the scene slipping from my view.

I wish I’d been brave enough to walk over and wrap my arms around her instead.

Because I saw what she was thinking in those trying moments when patience was low and weariness was high: I’m a bad mom.

I should have given her a long, hard hug, pulled back to look her in the eye, and said, “You’re not doing anything wrong. You’re not a bad mom. Sometimes motherhood is just hard—but you were made for this.”

How many times have I been in that mother’s shoes? As a mom of five, it’s too many to count. And when things go off the rails with my kids, my knee-jerk reaction is to turn the blame on myself. What’s wrong with me? Why am I failing as a mom? Why can’t I get this right?

But when I take a step back and a few deep breaths, truth bubbles to the surface: He made me for this.

God created me to be the mother to my children. He created you to be the mother to yours. No one else. And you are worthy of that calling.

None of us will ever be a perfect mom. We all yell about putting on coats and ask why no one else helps around the house and cry from exhaustion when the rest of the family is asleep. But that doesn’t make us bad moms. It makes us real ones.

So hold on to grace instead.

Take a deep breath and apologize for your short tempers and harsh words.

Teach lessons about manners and gratitude over grilled cheese and french fries.

Brush wispy hairs from angelic sleeping faces as you squeeze your tired eyes closed in thankful prayer for a job that’s both utterly exhausting and absolutely incredible.

This is the good stuff, even when it’s hard—and you were made for this.

You are exactly the mother your children need, and no one else could love them better.