Motherhood is the most beautiful, most stretching, and most sanctifying journey I have ever been on.
Before I became a mom, I had a long list of things I thought I understood.
I had read books. I had seen the posts. I had helped with other people’s kids. I practically helped raise my siblings.
But nothing prepared me for what it would mean to carry a life, raise a child, and sacrifice myself daily in love.
There is a sacredness to motherhood that no one can fully prepare you for.
But if I could sit with the version of me that was expecting her first child, these are the truths I would whisper:
1. You Will Never Be Fully Prepared
You can buy all the gadgets.
You can decorate the nursery.
You can make your plans and routines.
But children have a way of rewriting every script.
And that is okay. Because what your child needs most is not your perfection.
They need your presence. Your love. Your availability.
You will make mistakes. You will forget things. You will lose your patience.
That does not make you a bad mother.
It makes you human. And grace is available for every single part of you.
Motherhood teaches you that control is an illusion. And in surrender, you find strength.
2. Your Child is Not a Project
When I first became a mother, I approached parenting like an assignment:
Train up the child. Correct the behavior. Shape the future.
All that is important. But what I’ve learned is this:
My child is not a problem to solve.
They are a person to know.
God did not call me to mold my child into my image. He called me to steward the image of God within them.
Discipline is important, but relationship is foundational.
The connection you build with your child becomes the soil in which correction can take root.
Your child is not your competition. They are not your reflection.
They are a soul with a calling that will unfold uniquely. Sometimes messily, under your care.
3. It’s Okay to Need Help
One of the biggest lies mothers believe is that asking for help is weakness.
It’s not.
Motherhood was never meant to be a solo mission.
Even Mary, the mother of Jesus, had help from Joseph, from Elizabeth, from the community God surrounded her with.
There will be days when the house is a mess.
When you’ve cried in the bathroom.
When you’ve fed the kids cereal for dinner again.
Those days don’t mean you’re failing.
They mean you’re showing up. And sometimes, showing up looks like asking someone to come over. Or ordering food instead of cooking. Or taking a nap instead of folding laundry.
Community is a gift. Use it.
4. You Will Rediscover Yourself
When I became a mother, parts of me felt like they disappeared.
The woman I used to be; confident, creative, full of vision, seemed to dissolve into the daily tasks of diapers and dishes.
But slowly, something beautiful happened.
I found pieces of myself I never knew existed.
I became stronger.
I learned to advocate.
I loved deeper.
I discovered that my voice had more authority, not less, because of motherhood.
You are not lost, mama.
You are being transformed.
You are being rebuilt from the inside out. And what God is doing in you through this season will serve not just your child, but your calling.
A Prayer for Moms in the Thick of It
Lord,
For the mom who feels overwhelmed, give her rest.
For the mom who feels invisible, remind her that You see.
For the mom who feels like she’s not doing enough, whisper grace over her efforts.
And for the mom who feels stretched, strengthen her with joy.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Motherhood will change you. That is part of its sacred beauty.
It breaks you open so that love can be poured out.
It empties you so that God can fill you.
It humbles you so that your children can rise.
And on the hard days, when the tears fall and the house is loud and your patience runs thin, remember this: You are doing holy work.
Even when it’s messy. Especially when it’s messy.
You are not just raising a child.
You are raising a future. And you’re doing it with God beside you.
