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Friday, November 1, 2013

More Advice for Young Mothers




Back at the beginning of the baby days
If  I could sum up everything I know for every young mother reading this right now, my words would be this...

DON'T EVER, EVER COMPARE YOURSELF TO ANY OTHER MOM!

This is my biggest regret.

That is the quickest way to rob yourself of joy - the joy of your new role as mom, the joy of enjoying the "now", and the joys of tomorrow.

If you suddenly start feeling "less than" another mom, go to another person that you trust and that you know loves you. Tell them how you are feeling. You really have to! Don't try and struggle through this on your own. There are some people that seem to have it all together. But they have their own struggles, too. Don't compare your weaknesses to their strengths and vice versa. You are the mom that your child needs.

God gave your child YOU. He knew what He was doing. You are doing an important job every single day.

If you are going through a hard financial time, I also want you to know that things will get better.

I remember years back when we were working at a non-profit ministry. I drove to our doctor's office with a sick child. His office was located behind a hospital and offered a valet parking service. As I sat in our car waiting for our turn for parking, I people watched. I watched moms get out of clean mini vans, pull out beautiful strollers with matching diaper bags and walk into the building. I had to laugh because I was sitting in a car with a cracked windshield and a noisy muffler. I wanted to pull a bag over my head. At that moment, I FELT LIKE MY OWN CAR. Have you ever had one of those moments?  I did wish at that moment that we had a nicer car, but really what was important was what was inside my car. I had everything! I had a beautiful baby in the backseat. Really, what more could I need? Sometimes, you just have to laugh and know that things can only get better.

 You may not have a lot right now, but that will change. God will provide your needs and He will also provide a whole lot of wants. He loves to give you the desires of your heart.

We lived in a very small trailer for several years while my husband worked at a ministry for people addicted to drugs and alcohol. But those were happy years. The ministry (and my husband and I)  fixed up that trailer to the max. People were always surprised at how nice it was when they came inside. We made it our home.

We live in a very beautiful home now. God gave me the desire of my heart. But the kids and I remember the old days. We know what it is to have a little and a lot. And we are all grateful! It is God's loving kindness. That is His disposition towards you, too.

I really want you to know that in whatever stage of life you find yourself in right now, God is there with you. He is on  your side. He loves you. He is proud of you. I believe He watches over you at night with tenderness. You are doing an incredibly important job every single day. You are creating memories for your child of what it means to love them. They are resting in your love, knowing that you will be there each and every day.

I wish I could reach out through this computer screen, give you a hug, and tell you that no matter what, everything is going to be okay! No matter what it may look like, how tired you are, how frazzled you may feel, it will get easier each day. God will take care of you. He will fight for you. He will give you what you need every single day, and as you seek Him first, He really will give you the desires of your heart. You can rest knowing that someone bigger and stronger than you, has you in the palm of His hand. He doesn't view you as a failure. He loves you and has the very best in mind for you.

Advice for Young Moms Part 1   http://missgracefilledlife.blogspot.com/2013/05/to-young-moms.html

Linking up to:  kellyskornerblog.com    impartinggrace.com



5 comments:

  1. Great post! I have to admit that I've been wallowing in regret over my lack of parenting skills when our oldest was a baby. Now that he's getting ready to fly the nest, I can't stop beating myself up! My husband assures me that I did a good job and am just being hard on myself. Thanks for the perspective on this. God doesn't view me as a failure and that's what really counts.

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    1. I think we do the best we can on those first babies! lol I've apologized to my oldest son about things I said or did. I used to get so keyed up about being a good mom and yet felt like I was failing all the time. He is 22 now and we have a wonderful relationship as I am sure you and your son do. Thank you so much for writing, Alison! I always enjoy your notes:)

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