Being a mom is the best, but sometimes hardest job.
We yearn to make a difference in the lives of our children. To be the best mom we can be. We love our children with all that we are and strive to bring honor and glory to God in the way we raise them.
But motherhood can be a challenge, too. The baby who doesn’t sleep through the night. The temper tantrums of a toddler. The drama of junior high. The teenage years with all of the frightening things kids have to deal with in today’s modern world.
No wonder we moms can become worn out and tired. I look back at the photos from when my daughters were little, and my eyes are almost consistently closed in those pictures. I obviously tried to catch a wink of sleep any time I could get it.
So what can a mom do? How can she refresh and rejuvenate? What things do moms seriously need in the best, but hardest years of our lives?
Moms need…
Time with God. Francesca Batestelli sings about meeting God for quiet time in the morning before the kids awaken and life gets hectic in her song When the “Crazy Kicks In”.
Time with God is critical. Crucial. Necessary. It starts our day off right. Prayer, then some time in His Word and being still before Him makes all the difference in the direction our day will go.
So what if you don’t have time in the morning to spend with the Lord? A later time with Him, while the children are down for a nap, for example, works too. The only problem is that we, as moms, tend to get so overloaded and busy with our day and all the demands pressing on us from every side that we give what’s left to Him, rather than making Him a priority. That’s why first thing in the morning is the best time to spend with the Lord.
A supportive spouse. Every mom needs a spouse to come alongside her to be a co-partner in raising their children. To be a listening ear. To forge together to make dreams a reality. To be there just to hold her, even when she has spit-up on her t-shirt, hasn’t changed out of her jammies all day, or has been dealing with a rebellious teen and is uber-exhausted. Someone to listen as she decompresses about the day.
Speaking of supportive spouses, be sure to take some time for a date night. Enlist the assistance of a friend, relative, or teen babysitter to watch the children while you reconnect with your spouse.
A mentor friend. Ideally, this would be a mom who has been in the trenches and has now graduated from a mom of littles to a mom of teens, or beyond. Empty-nesters work well for this role. A mentor friend not only is there for you when you need her, but she has sound advice (given when asked for, rather than unsolicited), is a devout prayer warrior, a shoulder to cry on, and has wisdom beyond our years as young moms.
Godly older women from church also make excellent mentors.
A best/close friend. We moms all need a fellow mom to text for an impromptu playdate, to call when things get crazy, and a bestie to share a good laugh with about all the adventures (and trials!) of being a mom.
To recharge. Moms, we need to recharge our batteries. Life can be hectic, stressful, and seem to move at the speed of light. It’s easy to become exhausted and burned out, no matter what our stage as a mom is—a new mom, a mother of elementary kids, a mom to teens, or a mom to all of the above.
How do we recharge? Here are some suggestions:
Take a few minutes each day to put our feet up and relax.
Tackle a chapter in that book we’ve been wanting to read (or have been reading) for the past two months.
Take time to exercise. Many gyms include “drop in centers” for children while moms take an exercise class. Our local gym is starting a water aerobics class for moms while their kiddos take swimming lessons (wish they would have had that when my girls were little!)
Or, if you are the mom of toddlers, put them in a double stroller, pack some healthy snacks, and go for a walk.
Take a bubble bath.
Spend time with the Lord (see #1).
Spend a few minutes on Pinterest pinning your dream kitchen onto a new board.
Partake in a hobby you’ve neglected or one you’ve always wanted to try.
Organize a girls’ night out with your mom friends.
Finding time to spend in the Word, call a friend, exercise, or even scroll through Pinterest can be difficult, if not nearly impossible. To begin, ask the Lord to help you carve out time. It may be at odd moments during the day, or even evening, but doing so will not only help your health and stress levels, but help you be the best mom you can be.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Before you go, check out these other posts:
you might be a homeschool mom if (15 clues)
15 scriptural reminders of God’s comfort
6 suggestions for getting through the rough times in life
6 Ways to Encourage Other Moms
Penny Zeller 