Setting the Stage11need Jesus moment by moment. Apart from Him, I’ll hurt
these beautiful children He has entrusted to me. Apart from
Him, I’ll be apathetic. Apart from Him, I’ll set my expecta-
tions too high and pass on the pain of my childhood.
But I don’t really mind being inadequate because it’s a
daily reminder of my need for Jesus. I can’t be wise enough,
patient enough, or loving enough, but in Christ, I can do all
things (Phil. 4:13).
Early on in motherhood, I learned to fall at His feet first. I
learned to let Him fill me before I tried to fill anyone else. That’s
how my morning routine started: just a prayer and a few verses.
And that one simple, small habit has taken me places I
never would have imagined. To a deeper relationship with God
than I’d dreamed. To a messy and wild life that feels peace-
fully well anchored. And into a story of redemption that brings
encouragement and hope to others.
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I started a mom blog in 2010, when my children were seven,
five, and two, and I found it deeply ironic. Who was I to start
a mom blog? Not only was I clueless about motherhood, I
was also not your typical mom. I hate cooking. When anyone
mentions the word crafts, I end up in the fetal position in a
corner rocking back and forth. Give me a ball and something
to throw, kick, or shoot it into, and I’m happy as a clam.
But I was passionate about the nobility of motherhood. I
knew the power of a mother’s influence— positive or negative,
present or absent. A mother’s impact is undeniable. I clearly
felt God calling me to speak encouragement to moms.