MOMS. IT’S REALLY HARD, I KNOW.
Moms.
It’s really hard. It’s sometimes harder than we imagined it to be. But wait. Trust me.
When I didn’t have kids of my own, I volunteered in the “moms” room at our church. For months I watched beautiful babies and toddlers being cared for, loved for and taught(How?) by very tired looking moms. Happy. But tired.
I handed out tea to frazzled, tired looking moms. Even when they didn’t ask. I dug in nappy bags for a new bum cream or dummy or whatever moms needed. Gosh. I also made mental notes.
I will have everything my baby might need at church. (Hahaahah!)
I’ll take snacks and cute little activities and be able to listen to the entire preach while I’m there.
I will be positive and encouraging to others and enjoy each second.
(More laughter)
Gosh.
It’s really hard sometimes. It’s beautiful and messy and tiring but sometimes, I don’t know about you, but I really wondered what the point of it all was.
But wait.
Why am I fighting with a toddler to eat those oats so that I know he’ll have a full tummy and not be crabby and why can I not find his dummy ten minutes before we have to leave and why can’t I just shower and blow dry my hair once before church and eat breakfast and not cold toast on the way to church and why do I even bother going.
But wait.
I can look after my baby at home, without trying to settle them at their nap time which is half an hour before we have to get into the car which means he might wake up. Always.
But wait.
We have two children. One is a six year old and one is a three year old.
I sat in many moms only zones , sometimes with others, at other times alone. Sometimes at the back of the church service, sometimes in the front. Sometimes sweating in a strange little cornered off area.
Along the way, I often doubted why we moms (and dads!) do this to ourselves. But after every service (most, not all if I’m honest!)
I realised it’s because we are not doing it for ourselves. I know you’ve heard this all before right.
But its true. Week in and week out, mid week gatherings - where I spent an hour and a half trying to settle my kids in an unfamiliar home/bed and struggling(crying) because It’s really really hard sometimes. Because I also wanted to hear the preach. Because I also wanted to connect with adults. And then walking out exhausted to sip on some tea someone (my husband) had made me so sweetly but it was now cold, only to really catch the last 5 minutes and have to transfer warm sleeping babes through the rain into our car and drive them home only to transfer them again and hope they didn’t wake up in all of that.
But wait.
We do it again and again and again. Repetition brings about formation. It’s true in so many area of life. The more we do something, the more of a habit and easier it becomes. We do these things not out of duty or so that someone else can tick us off a list. We do it because we want our kids to live and experience community. The community that comes from going to church is God breathed. I’m convinced of it. But they’re kids? We can start going back to church once they’re older and can behave there.
Matthew 19:14
14 Jesus said, “Leave the little children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to me, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
We were always meant to live in community. It’s beautiful and messy and tiring, but wait, it’s also incredibly life giving.
Which ever season you are in. Whether it’s the shhhhhhhh he’s sleeping in his pram(finally) or the I can’t keep my toddler still enough to even know what the preach is titled. Be encouraged. You are seen. You are known. You are loved. Even when the pastor is half way through a beautiful preach and your child knows it and screams. A lot.
It gets easier. It really does. We want to raise resilient disciples who want to be used by God. Remember those moms who taught their babies something?
They taught them that God is important. That sometimes we go through really uncomfortable situations. That sometimes it’s hard and that’s ok too.
We want to model what it’s like to worship God freely and to pray in action. The more they see us doing this, the more comfortable it will be for them. And that it’s worth it. We want them to be walking with Jesus, become like Jesus and do the things Jesus did. That’s worth the sometimes feelings of “what is the point” and the feeling of wasting your time.
Be encouraged that it is just a little season. It really is so little.
Because soon they will willingly come to church worshiping God with songs of praise and will pray prayers that will bring you to your knees. And you will think, I would do it all again. Happily. To know that they are safe and surrendered to the same God who sustains me and loves me. Church cannot be wholly responsible for the discipling of your child. They can help. But it’s on you as a disciple to model that role.
. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 1v4.
So next time you see a mom, hand then whatever they need. Make them hot tea. And then another cup when that one gets cold. Hold their baby so they can drink the tea. Encourage them that they are doing an incredible job just by being there , even if they’ve just walked out wresting what looks (and sounds) like a caged animal, their hair is suspect and they look like they don’t see what the point is. Remind them to wait, that this is just a little season. Pray for them.
Read MoreIt’s really hard. It’s sometimes harder than we imagined it to be. But wait. Trust me.
When I didn’t have kids of my own, I volunteered in the “moms” room at our church. For months I watched beautiful babies and toddlers being cared for, loved for and taught(How?) by very tired looking moms. Happy. But tired.
I handed out tea to frazzled, tired looking moms. Even when they didn’t ask. I dug in nappy bags for a new bum cream or dummy or whatever moms needed. Gosh. I also made mental notes.
I will have everything my baby might need at church. (Hahaahah!)
I’ll take snacks and cute little activities and be able to listen to the entire preach while I’m there.
I will be positive and encouraging to others and enjoy each second.
(More laughter)
Gosh.
It’s really hard sometimes. It’s beautiful and messy and tiring but sometimes, I don’t know about you, but I really wondered what the point of it all was.
But wait.
Why am I fighting with a toddler to eat those oats so that I know he’ll have a full tummy and not be crabby and why can I not find his dummy ten minutes before we have to leave and why can’t I just shower and blow dry my hair once before church and eat breakfast and not cold toast on the way to church and why do I even bother going.
But wait.
I can look after my baby at home, without trying to settle them at their nap time which is half an hour before we have to get into the car which means he might wake up. Always.
But wait.
We have two children. One is a six year old and one is a three year old.
I sat in many moms only zones , sometimes with others, at other times alone. Sometimes at the back of the church service, sometimes in the front. Sometimes sweating in a strange little cornered off area.
Along the way, I often doubted why we moms (and dads!) do this to ourselves. But after every service (most, not all if I’m honest!)
I realised it’s because we are not doing it for ourselves. I know you’ve heard this all before right.
But its true. Week in and week out, mid week gatherings - where I spent an hour and a half trying to settle my kids in an unfamiliar home/bed and struggling(crying) because It’s really really hard sometimes. Because I also wanted to hear the preach. Because I also wanted to connect with adults. And then walking out exhausted to sip on some tea someone (my husband) had made me so sweetly but it was now cold, only to really catch the last 5 minutes and have to transfer warm sleeping babes through the rain into our car and drive them home only to transfer them again and hope they didn’t wake up in all of that.
But wait.
We do it again and again and again. Repetition brings about formation. It’s true in so many area of life. The more we do something, the more of a habit and easier it becomes. We do these things not out of duty or so that someone else can tick us off a list. We do it because we want our kids to live and experience community. The community that comes from going to church is God breathed. I’m convinced of it. But they’re kids? We can start going back to church once they’re older and can behave there.
Matthew 19:14
14 Jesus said, “Leave the little children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to me, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
We were always meant to live in community. It’s beautiful and messy and tiring, but wait, it’s also incredibly life giving.
Which ever season you are in. Whether it’s the shhhhhhhh he’s sleeping in his pram(finally) or the I can’t keep my toddler still enough to even know what the preach is titled. Be encouraged. You are seen. You are known. You are loved. Even when the pastor is half way through a beautiful preach and your child knows it and screams. A lot.
It gets easier. It really does. We want to raise resilient disciples who want to be used by God. Remember those moms who taught their babies something?
They taught them that God is important. That sometimes we go through really uncomfortable situations. That sometimes it’s hard and that’s ok too.
We want to model what it’s like to worship God freely and to pray in action. The more they see us doing this, the more comfortable it will be for them. And that it’s worth it. We want them to be walking with Jesus, become like Jesus and do the things Jesus did. That’s worth the sometimes feelings of “what is the point” and the feeling of wasting your time.
Be encouraged that it is just a little season. It really is so little.
Because soon they will willingly come to church worshiping God with songs of praise and will pray prayers that will bring you to your knees. And you will think, I would do it all again. Happily. To know that they are safe and surrendered to the same God who sustains me and loves me. Church cannot be wholly responsible for the discipling of your child. They can help. But it’s on you as a disciple to model that role.
. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 1v4.
So next time you see a mom, hand then whatever they need. Make them hot tea. And then another cup when that one gets cold. Hold their baby so they can drink the tea. Encourage them that they are doing an incredible job just by being there , even if they’ve just walked out wresting what looks (and sounds) like a caged animal, their hair is suspect and they look like they don’t see what the point is. Remind them to wait, that this is just a little season. Pray for them.
