3 Things I Like New Moms to Know

I have found there are three themes I have learned throughout motherhood. I was then more convicted of these themes through Gus. These 3 ideas come up over and over in conversation with friends and other mothers. I would love all moms to contemplate them. Here are the 3 things I like new moms to know.

1. You cannot protect your kids from everything. And God is not asking you to carry that burden.

When I had my third child, I always thought something bad was going to happen to him. In hindsight, I think it was post partum anxiety. I would check that he was breathing and prepare myself to see him unresponsive.

That all changed when I went on a Christ Renews His Parish weekend and one of the first things they did was have us write intentions down and place them in a box. I wrote intentions that all my boys would be safe with dad while I was away for the weekend and especially for our baby. As I placed those intentions in the prayer box, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. I realized God was not asking me to bear that burden. I couldn’t protect my kids from everything even if I tried. In reality, if I tried to protect them from everything I’d probably do them more harm than good.

Now, I see view that whole experience as God preparing me for Gus’s resuscitation and death. I had contemplated this idea for years before I had to wrestle with the question of whether I could have saved Gus. God was never asking me to carry that burden and he’s not asking you to, either, sister.

2. God loves your kids more than you do.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son.” God’s love for all of us does not exclude your children. And since he can love perfectly and we cannot, he loves your kids more than you do. So, let him. Trust him with them. Trust his plan for them. He wants what is best for them and he wants them with him in eternity.

Not sure what his plan for them is? Ask him. Pray for your children. Talk to him about the struggles you have with them. He’s the only one who knows what the perfect answer is.

If you struggle with trusting God with your future or your kids, we’ve all been there. Try getting to know him more. There are some suggestions in this post.

3. God’s plan for your life is your easiest path to Heaven and also where you’ll find the most peace and joy here on Earth.

We spend a lot of our lives dreaming about the future. The person we’ll marry, the kids we’ll have, where we’ll live, the things we’ll do. It can be hard to trust God with the future. It can be hard to trust God with your finances, your fertility, your future.

But the truth is, if your goal is Heaven, the plan God has for you is your easiest path there. God’s plan brings peace and joy into your life that isn’t based on your circumstances. And your circumstances provide sanctification. That means your circumstances are your path to holiness. They’re shaping you, forming you into a person who will say yes to God in this life and the next. The plan God has for you is your easiest, most peaceful, and joyful path to Heaven.

Read the stories of the saints for proof of that! They are so joyful, despite their incredibly difficult circumstances. The book, Parents of the Saints, is a place I love to read stories of the saints and their families.

I hope you find these 3 things I like new moms to know helpful! Share with someone else who could gain by contemplating these ideas!