It’s 3 a.m….my youngest is standing beside my bedside holding his stomach and telling me he’s about to throw up. I instantly pop up from a dead sleep and run with him to the bathroom. I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination.
As he settles back in for the night, my mind is wide awake while my tired body whines for a few more hours of sleep. The gears in my head churn…who will stay home with him tomorrow? I have a meeting in the morning that I don’t need to reschedule, but I don’t want to leave my sick baby with someone else. I’m not going to be able to even function tomorrow if I don’t go back to sleep. And the gears keep churning until I nod back off for a couple more hours.
Sound familiar to anyone else? Life is hard. As mothers, we are constantly pushed and pulled into a million different directions. For those of us who are single mothers, it seems the weight of the entire world rests on our shoulders. Luckily, there is someone who carries that weight for us…our Heavenly Father. He doesn’t expect us to carry the weight by ourselves.
Matthew 11:28 tells us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
We put so much pressure on ourselves as mothers, but God doesn’t expect us to handle more than one second, one minute or even one hour at a time. How comforting is that?
One of my favorite Christian writers and speakers, Lysa TerKeurst, says, “we must exchange whispers with God before shouts with the world.”
As the gears in my head spin and spin while my body begs for rest, I pray. As I try to work out the details for the day and how to juggle being a working mom, I pray. As I try to organize thoughts during a meeting with just a few hours of sleep, I pray.
I must exchange whispers with God before shouts with the world.
Do you feel weary and burdened today? Are you exhausted from the weight of the world and its obligations? Spend a little time with the Father before you start your day, He’s waiting for you.
Sara, I loved this post. What a powerful word to all women. I love that we must exchange the shouts of the world for the whispers of God. Girl, if we can remember to do that one thing, no weapon formed against us can prosper. I love you Ms. Sara. You are precious and dear to my heart.
Libby
Thank you Sara…I tell you what, I may not have young children in my home, but I sure do “get it” when take me back there. And I can tell you this, you (like so many other moms to young children) are OUR inspiration because you DO keep goin’! And that is only because of you whispering with God…..Jesus shines bright through you girl, and I can’t even begin to tell you how much I admire you!! Thank you for this…I love you!!
Love both of you!
I just discovered your website and it is a breath of fresh air! So lovely, peaceful and inspiring.
And this is just what I needed to read today. I really like Lisa’s quote and the scripture from Matthew.
Blessings to you Sara! I will be praying for you as you, with God’s help, shoulder your responsibilities.