Hope For Moms Who Are Running Ragged

About four years ago, I reached a turning point in my life. My husband, Guy, and I were cleaning up after my son’s birthday party. Quade was two years old, our happy surprise baby that God gave us in our forties. As the baby of the family of 4 sons, I realized how quickly time was flying by. Reflecting on his baby days and seeing him walking and talking made me realize what a gift motherhood is, and yet how easy it is to allow one busy day to bleed into the next without truly cherishing each moment.  Looking at the past, I couldn’t help but consider the future. I pictured each of my children grown, having families of their own. It brought me joy!

The next morning, exhausted, I slowly got out of bed and turned to the closet with a groan. Getting dressed felt like an unpleasant chore. I was in the habit of staying up late, watching television with my husband, and settling into “me time” with a bowl of rocky road ice cream. Those two habits alone were enough to make mornings rough. Brushing my hair was painful as I had an autoimmune disease that inflamed my scalp and other parts of my body. Soon enough, our homeschool day would start, and by mid-afternoon, chugging coffee and little else, I was exhausted and feeling famished. I’d typically make the boys lunch and then eat mine along with any of their leftovers. The days of making time for myself to read for pleasure or go on a hike were far behind me.

I was sacrificing myself for the needs of others, and though my heart was in the right place, I was destroying God’s child–me.

God is our loving Father, and we are His daughters. I love how Psalm 103: 13 reminds us, “The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.” The Lord is tender to us and longs to offer us rest and encouragement. The problem for me is that I was not prioritizing healthy habits. Proper hydration, sufficient sleep, healthy meals, and time to de-stress and relax were not priorities. I knew that if I didn’t start stewarding my body, which God calls the Holy Spirit’s temple, I would be headed for the nursing home, not the cruise ship. And I wanted to be the grandma on the cruise ship–and in the mission field!

The Lord began to lovingly convict me that serving my kids meant also serving my own needs and that by doing so, I was setting up a healthy example for generations of blessings. Without hesitation, I found a health plan that made it simple for me to eat nutritiously as a busy mom. I reorganized my calendar to enlist help so my husband could take over the science lessons for our schooling, freeing me up to go on walks with a friend or spend more time on my Bible reading. I bought some cute water bottles that I set out so that I‘d remember to drink more water. Once a month, I set up a coffee date with a friend. My life began to blossom, and I was becoming a better mom.

Instead of feeling on edge and snappy, I began to respond instead of react. My relationships improved with my family. Instead of watching my kids jump on the trampoline, I  had the energy to join them. Gone were the days of feeling like I was lost, with no time to pursue any interests of my own. Finally, I felt connected to God in deeper ways as I set aside time to pray and journal as I used to do before I was a mom.

Yes, I did release 85 pounds, and by getting healthy, my physical illnesses began to improve. That was life-giving to me! But, all around me, I saw other moms struggling to find balance and prioritize their spiritual, mental, and physical health. Perhaps you can relate. I long to encourage you! Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and it’s an honor to take care of them. Dear weary mom, it’s okay to nurture yourself. It’s not selfish. If an area of your life feels neglected, look at one action you can take today. Implement a small change toward a healthier habit. When we are at our best, loving the healthy life God designed for us, our kids are all the better for it! 

Blessings,

Amber Lia

If you need practical and spiritual encouragement in this area, check out Amber Lia’s new course, Lose The Weight and Love Your Life! Finally discover the tools and mindset you need to lose the weight–physically and spiritually–that is keeping you stuck. Be freed up to live your healthiest and best life, just as God designed it to be.