Don’t Go It Alone

Tulips

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

We try to say prayers as a family every night.

Even as my kids have gotten older, it’s part of our bedtime routine and I love the time together—the craziness of the day settled, for the moment.

I love hearing the things Katie and Luke pray for and the way it gives me a glimpse of what’s on their minds.

One night, after the kids had gone to bed, Katie came back downstairs to get a glass of water. After she filled her glass, she walked over to me and gave me a hug.

She held on for a little while. And before she let go, she whispered, “Dear Lord, Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and my brother.”

It was one of those moments where you’re caught off-guard in the sweetest way.

It was neat to see something we do regularly with our kids become something Katie did on her own. She’s seen me praying, we’ve prayed together, and now she was praying on her own.

Her youth pastor talked about this in a parent meeting not too long ago.

He gave an analogy that I loved, saying that raising a child is a lot like teaching them to ride a bike. For a while you run behind them, pushing them and holding on tight. And at some point, you start to let go.

Slowly.

Tentatively.

You might even run beside them, your hands on the handlebars or the back of the seat, just in case, hoping they’ll remember what you’ve taught them about balance, and putting on the breaks, and watching where they’re going.

And then…you realize they are pedaling on their own.

Sure, they’ll fall every now and then. And you’ll need to be there to dust them off, and maybe kiss a scraped elbow or two. But it’s an awesome feeling to see them ride.

And that’s how God feels about us, moms.

Yes, we wobble sometimes in this parenting journey. Sometimes, we even fall flat on our face.

But, just like we do with our kids when they stumble, He helps us back up. He steadies us as we start to ride again, and he smiles as our pedals quicken.

And the only difference is He never lets go.

Though the journey of motherhood is different for all of us, it doesn’t have to be about “winging it” for any of us. God is on our team, waiting to help. And when we remember that, somehow the pressure and stress we sometimes carry around as moms seems to disappear.

Are you relying on God to help you in your parenting? What is one area you might need to rely on Him more?

A Mom’s Prayer: Dear God, I am so thankful to be a mom. Thank you for entrusting my kids to my care. Help me to raise them to love You and to love others. Help me remember that You are by my side, every minute of this journey, and that I don’t need to have all the answers. Please fill me with Your joy, and please help me to embrace every single moment of bliss. –Amen

gennyheikka*Excerpt taken from Genny Heikka’s book Finding Mommy Bliss. For more tips on finding the joy in being a mom, download the new Snippet reading app for free. Genny’s book can be found in the Snippet library for $1.99.

One Response to Don’t Go It Alone
  1. Laura Kyle
    April 13, 2013 | 11:30 pm

    I somehow missed this post in March, but found it tonight. What a precious story, Genny! I just love those moments of “ah…they were listening”! And the image of God being on my team while raising these sweet ones — that’s good stuff. Thank you for writing!