Daily bread

It would be nice if there could come a point where you could just “figure it out.” As a mom, could you imagine if each time you learned a new thing, that was it? No changes. You learned the lesson, and now as your child grows, you’re good because you just figured it out. It sounds nice and maybe it is less stressful, but when it came down to it, we wouldn’t actually want that.

When I was trying to teach my firstborn son how to sleep, there were so many ups and downs. A rollercoaster of emotions – “Am I doing this right? Which system should I follow? Is there a way to do this with no tears? If there are tears, am I going to raise a child that doesn’t have a proper psychological attachment to his mom? Am I just too soft? Why can’t I just cuddle him into perfect sleep? Does anybody else’s baby wake up every hour at night? What am I doing wrong?? Each book says something different! HELP!”

Eventually, my baby did sleep, but I am not here to talk about the methods I used or what did or did not work. Right now, I want to talk about the tendency for us humans to forget that there will never be a day or a task where we don’t need God. I can’t tell you how many times I thought I had it figured out because my little boy slept well for a day or a week or even a month. “AHA! That’s it. Awesome. Onto the next. Oh wait, he’s growing again.”

I set myself up to fail when I chose not to expect changes or a dynamic process. Not only that, but had I seen these changes as an opportunity to be closer to God and learn from Him, I would have been able to hold onto joy in the unexpected. Why? Because the fullness of joy is in Christ, so if I try to live my days without Him, I will be tossed to and fro by every breeze of exciting opportunity or failure. I don’t know if you need to hear this, Mom, but you need to learn to enjoy the process. As a type A recovering perfectionist enneagram one mom, it’s hard for me to make that shift. And, here’s the kicker, I haven’t figured that one out either. Exhausting, I know. Until it’s not. Until it becomes less about me and more about Christ.

Let’s boil it down to one simple principle: daily bread. Say this prayer out loud with me and take it sllloooowwww. Meditate on these words. Feel free to add your own prayers.

Heavenly Father, Hallowed be Your Name

You are both my intimate Father and set apart from me in your holiness. My life’s purpose is to make you known. Help me to be a mom who honors Your name. 

Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done.

Not my will, but yours, God. Help me surrender to Your will.

On Earth as it is in Heaven

Help me, Lord, to expect glimpses of heaven in this life. I desire to partner with you, Jesus, to bring heaven down, and I pray that I may slow down enough to see it.

Give us this day, our daily bread

Each day, I need you. I need to be nourished by the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. Forgive me when I think I can handle it.

Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors

Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. Let your forgiveness empower me to forgive large and small offenses quickly. 

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

Let me never forget the spiritual realm and satan’s efforts to destroy me and my family. Remind me that He who is in me is greater than He who is in the world.

God loves you; therefore, He will not let you figure it out on your own.

Into your hands, I commit my spirit; Deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

Psalm 31:5