Mothering Here, Now
Free Gift. Got God's presence in your pain? Today, we invite you to breathe. Mother's Day is near. And we are not alone here. I promise. We promise.
It’s Mother’s Day weekend in the United States.
Do you have a sense of anxiety in this celebration of an experience that might just be hard?
Do you find it hard to be present here, now?
If so, you are not alone!
(We promise.)
Dear Fellow Anxious One,
No matter how you are feeling right now, whether wound up, wrung out, weary, teary or perhaps only ‘just okay’, remember, God is near, and he understands. He is tender to those who tremble and gentle with those who struggle, as he promises: ‘a bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.’ (Isaiah 42:3) - Nikki Thompson, MFMH writer
As we dig into this space where mother’s are honored - what does it mean to you that God is near to you? That you are SEEN here - really and truly? Does this give you hope? Does this ease your mind, calm your wild, comfort you in the storm?
My mothering journey has not been filled with ease, dear one. So when chronic disease called in melanoma and met the raising of a special needs child… the puppet strings that I had attached to my God snapped. My prayers were not answered, and I was left absolutely shaken.
Was God really near?
If so, why were we facing trial and tribulation once more?
Tackling these big questions in a season wrought with pain changed my life.
I began to write more frequently than I had in years. I began to write and there, I began to heal.
Write All About It
Nikki - a member of our Moms for Mental Health writing team and a creative writing professor shares:
The act of writing is proven to help mental health, especially when done reflectively and with a focus on gratitude. Journaling itself is an age-old practice, and one we can engage in in order to focus on God’s presence in our particulars, remembering his care in our pain.”
With this in mind, she has created a series of creative prompts to be used in times of particular distress, or in patches of quiet, to reflect. They do not need to be done all at once (unless you want to) but can be paced to suit your needs.
We’re sharing these with you today as we honor every mom, everywhere - regardless of where you are in your faith journey and in life herself.
May the gentle act of journaling, reflecting, and remembering be one simple way of seeing God’s presence in your journey of joy, pain, and all things between.
One More Thing
If you are not inclined to write (maybe you are 24/7 parenting a new babe or an extra special child & your hands are rarely free! we see you, we really, really do), you can right click on the wallpaper image below and add it to your phone’s home screen to further ruminate and reflect.
Sigh.
Life is real, beautiful humans.
And Love is near.
Always. Always.
May she be extra near this Mother’s Day.
With Love,
Jennifer