God is in the midst of motherhood

I became a first-time mom this past May after welcoming my son, Riley, into the world. Besides my salvation, Riley is the greatest gift I have ever received. I look at my son in pure awe when I remember that the Lord gave him to me. I am so undeserving of the Lord’s goodness in my life.

Right around the time I gave birth, my husband, Aaron, accepted his first pilot job, another very generous gift from the Lord. This job required my husband to be gone a week at a time. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the next step in his exciting career in aviation. So there I was, by myself, with my one-week-old. I sometimes joke that I felt like a teenage girl, even though I am very much 25 years old. I remember that first week Aaron was gone feeling like it was my first day on planet Earth. I felt lost, confused, and completely helpless as I adjusted to newborn and postpartum life.

Around the time my son was six weeks old, we unexpectedly had to move out of our home. My burdens became so heavy, and I had never felt so helpless. Navigating so many challenges in the midst of postpartum life was overwhelming. I prayed and prayed that God would make His presence so evident to me, that I would be so aware of Him carrying the burdens I could no longer pretend to carry myself. I remember it so vividly when the Lord reminded me of the sweetest truth: “I see you.” I had finally put my newborn to sleep in the middle of the night. I sat with Him in the quiet hours, completely alone. All I needed to hold on to were those three words from Him: “I see you.”

Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that

Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

2 Corinthians 12:9

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

As much as I think mothers deserve this, there is no standing ovation, trophies or a round of applause for being a mom. A lot of motherhood goes unseen by other people. I can post a highlight reel on Instagram about the joys of being a mom, but behind closed doors it can be really difficult. As believers, we can hold on to the truth that God sees it all, He sees every changed diaper, never-ending cries, loads of laundry and dishes and sleepless nights. Our quiet faithfulness to taking care of our children does not go unnoticed by our God.

My days and nights are now occupied by taking care of my son, but God never stopped taking care of me. I am forever His child that He has now entrusted to raise another one of His children. That is the sweetest truth I get to hold onto every day. My encouragement to any woman reading this is that God is so present in the things we care about. Whether that is raising our children, struggling with fertility issues, watching grown children leave the house, or the loss of a child, God sees you. He is completely aware of your situation and He does not leave you to figure it out by yourself.

Prayer Points:

• Heavenly Father, Thank You for being near to me always.

• God, please help me to always point my children back to You.

• Father, thank You for the gift of motherhood and allowing me to steward the lives of my children.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the sacred gift of motherhood. Thank You for the women You have entrusted with the shaping of hearts, the nurturing of lives, and the quiet, faithful work that often goes unseen. We praise You for the strength You give mothers when they feel weary, for the patience You provide in long days, and for the love You pour out through them in countless ways. We thank You for the gift of motherhood and for the way it reflects Your nurturing, faithful, and enduring love for us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

For His Glory,

Haley Thorpe

Mid-Way Baptist Church

www.mid-way.com