Mom, Have You Let Yourself Go?

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There are certain images that come to mind when we think about women who have “let themselves go.”  Maybe stretched out yoga pants or unkempt hair. But that is not the picture I have in my head as I pray for the thousands (millions!) of moms who I know are hurting and exhausted out there.  Women who have “let themselves go” to the bottom of the priority list as they tend to the needs of their families during these crazy times in our country and in our world.

As I ask Jesus how He would want to encourage these women in our midst, I am reminded of the age-old advice that we hear from airline flight attendants. “Be sure to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others.” Indeed, I recall the Biblical stories about how Jesus would wake early in the morning to pray in solitude before setting out to heal the sick and share the Gospel. He was tending to His own needs so that He could meet the needs of people around Him.

No, I’m not suggesting that moms need to wake an hour earlier to spend time in fervent prayer each day. Rather, as a new school year begins, I want to encourage moms to consider how they can prioritize their spiritual health even as they consider the needs of others in their families. 

That is our mission at Mom to Mom. We equip and encourage moms who are feeling exhausted and isolated. The mom who is at the end of her rope. Do you know a mom like that? A mom who needs some hope? Why don’t you encourage her to sign up for a Mom to Mom group when she gets her kids off to school this year?

What are other ways a worn-out mom can prioritize her spiritual health this year?

  • A daily “quiet time” stop by a scenic parking lot after bringing the kids to pre-school?

  • Keeping a devotional book * in the car so that she can turn to words of truth and encouragement when she is in the school pick-up line or waiting at the soccer fields?  

  • Tuning into a thought-provoking podcast on Bible application or Christian living while doing the weekly grocery shopping?

  •  Listening to an inspiring play list of worship music while nursing the baby instead of scrolling social media and battling those “less than” feelings?

  • How about signing up for a women’s Bible study at a local church? 

 Moms need to add themselves to the “back to school” shopping list this year and shop around for opportunities to invest in their spiritual growth.

* Here are two of my favorite devotional books that provide bite-sized, thought-provoking words of Biblical encouragement.  

New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp 

Live These Words, by Lucinda Secrest McDowell

 

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Theresa Nelson

Theresa Nelson first participated in the Mom to Mom program as a new mom in 2002. Since then she has served as a Titus 2 leader, speaker, writer, and more recently, as a board member with Mom to Mom Ministries. She has a professional background in high tech public relations, but discovered a new passion for encouraging and empowering moms after becoming a mom herself. She teaches classes on family and marriage at churches and parenting groups and delights in equipping the next generation of parents to create healthy families and healthy homes.

Theresa loves hiking and spending time in nature, especially on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. She also enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures—especially food! She loves to cook and host dinner parties for family and friends in her home.

Theresa and her husband, Don, live in Lexington, Massachusetts, with their two teen-aged daughters.