We have all heard
that age old proverb.
It takes a village to raise a child.
This is and
still remains to be one of my favorite phrases about parenting. It is
essentially stating that you can't raise your children on your own. It takes
grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, neighbors, friends, church members,
and so many more individuals to pour into a child's life to raise them to be
the man or woman they were created to be. It takes the whole village, or in
modern terms, it takes the whole community.
I had no idea how true that was until having children of my own. If it weren't for the individuals in my own personal "village", I truly don't know what I would have done. My family stepped in and helped. Friends gave advice and encouragement. I had places to fall back on when life got tough. I fell even more in love with my village with each day that passed.
And truthfully, the village shouldn't end once the child is grown. I know I would be completely lost without my "tribe" surrounding me when life got tough, when I lost my faith, and when I needed guidance. We need that village even as adults.
But there is also something more missing to that phrase. It takes more than a village.
It takes God.
That village that surrounded me was wonderful and I'll forever be grateful to every individual that has poured into my children or myself. But without God? It would have been impossible.
Those moments when I fell apart and the Bible had the perfect verse waiting to soothe my soul? That was God. Those friends who sent me an encouraging message out of the blue when they had no idea how hard I was struggling that day? That was God. Those days when I wanted so badly to skip church but still went and the Pastor or worship team said (or sang!) the EXACT message, phrase, or verse that I needed to hear (you know, the one that leads me to tears!) and it completely changed my mood around? Yup! That was God too!
So where am I going with this and why am I writing a blog about all this?
Because when I became a mom I was shocked at how little support the world (specifically women) gave mothers. There was judgement upon judgement and expectations piled high. I was grateful that I had my village of loved ones who poured into me, but I was sad to see that not everyone had that. So many mothers have this fake and unreachable expectation of what motherhood and parenting is about and nobody to be real with them. Day in and day out there are mothers doing their best but not feeling like they are enough. I want that to change. I want every mom to know that they are enough. I want every woman to know they are enough.
I want YOU to know that you are enough.
I'm here to struggle alongside you. You have a place you can be real and a place that will be real with you. But even more importantly, I want to remind you that God is here with us too. That He is taking this journey alongside us and wants us to lean on Him when life gets tough. Our village is important but it's nothing without Him. We were never created to do this alone.
I want to invite you to be a part of this village. This new place where you can come and know that you are not alone. You aren't the only mom who forgets teacher appreciation day. The only mom who doesn't bathe their child every day (or every other day...or every 3 days). The only mom who is late so often that it has become an expectation almost. The only mom who wears stains on her clothes and truthfully doesn't care (because you know by the end of the day more stains will be added anyways). The only mom who needs a nap with the kids when you should be cleaning, cooking, or doing laundry. The only mom who yells at her kids and then cries because you snapped under pressure. The only mom who forgets to pack extra clothes, diapers, or sippy cups and then has to have others provide what you didn't. The only mom who cries for a night away but then also cries when you get that night away because you miss your kids. You aren't the only mom who isn't perfect. We are all just winging it.
We are all just surviving at times.
I hope this blog will bring you messages full of encouragement and motivation to lean on God, to reach out to those around you, and to be the best you that you can be. I hope when you read something you find encouraging that you share that with me in the comments. If I hit a sensitive spot and you need me to pray for you about a specific situation, leave a comment and let me know. If you read a post you know friends could benefit from reading, share it with them and invite them to join us.
Be active here. This is our village now and this is your tribe. Welcome home!
I had no idea how true that was until having children of my own. If it weren't for the individuals in my own personal "village", I truly don't know what I would have done. My family stepped in and helped. Friends gave advice and encouragement. I had places to fall back on when life got tough. I fell even more in love with my village with each day that passed.
And truthfully, the village shouldn't end once the child is grown. I know I would be completely lost without my "tribe" surrounding me when life got tough, when I lost my faith, and when I needed guidance. We need that village even as adults.
But there is also something more missing to that phrase. It takes more than a village.
It takes God.
That village that surrounded me was wonderful and I'll forever be grateful to every individual that has poured into my children or myself. But without God? It would have been impossible.
Those moments when I fell apart and the Bible had the perfect verse waiting to soothe my soul? That was God. Those friends who sent me an encouraging message out of the blue when they had no idea how hard I was struggling that day? That was God. Those days when I wanted so badly to skip church but still went and the Pastor or worship team said (or sang!) the EXACT message, phrase, or verse that I needed to hear (you know, the one that leads me to tears!) and it completely changed my mood around? Yup! That was God too!
So where am I going with this and why am I writing a blog about all this?
Because when I became a mom I was shocked at how little support the world (specifically women) gave mothers. There was judgement upon judgement and expectations piled high. I was grateful that I had my village of loved ones who poured into me, but I was sad to see that not everyone had that. So many mothers have this fake and unreachable expectation of what motherhood and parenting is about and nobody to be real with them. Day in and day out there are mothers doing their best but not feeling like they are enough. I want that to change. I want every mom to know that they are enough. I want every woman to know they are enough.
I want YOU to know that you are enough.
I'm here to struggle alongside you. You have a place you can be real and a place that will be real with you. But even more importantly, I want to remind you that God is here with us too. That He is taking this journey alongside us and wants us to lean on Him when life gets tough. Our village is important but it's nothing without Him. We were never created to do this alone.
I want to invite you to be a part of this village. This new place where you can come and know that you are not alone. You aren't the only mom who forgets teacher appreciation day. The only mom who doesn't bathe their child every day (or every other day...or every 3 days). The only mom who is late so often that it has become an expectation almost. The only mom who wears stains on her clothes and truthfully doesn't care (because you know by the end of the day more stains will be added anyways). The only mom who needs a nap with the kids when you should be cleaning, cooking, or doing laundry. The only mom who yells at her kids and then cries because you snapped under pressure. The only mom who forgets to pack extra clothes, diapers, or sippy cups and then has to have others provide what you didn't. The only mom who cries for a night away but then also cries when you get that night away because you miss your kids. You aren't the only mom who isn't perfect. We are all just winging it.
We are all just surviving at times.
I hope this blog will bring you messages full of encouragement and motivation to lean on God, to reach out to those around you, and to be the best you that you can be. I hope when you read something you find encouraging that you share that with me in the comments. If I hit a sensitive spot and you need me to pray for you about a specific situation, leave a comment and let me know. If you read a post you know friends could benefit from reading, share it with them and invite them to join us.
Be active here. This is our village now and this is your tribe. Welcome home!
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