A peek inside this post: Are you finding joy in motherhood, or just sort of existing? We want to encourage you to embrace all the seasons of motherhood, whether that means you’re a pro with older kids, or you’re still adjusting to motherhood in the early stages of babies. No matter where you are, enjoy your motherhood journey and be thankful for each season you find yourself in!
I’m in a season. In fact, it feels like I’ve been in some kind of “season” of motherhood since I started this parenting journey.
What’s going on in your heart these days? Are you in a trial period where your patience is being tested? Or are you soaking in the moments, knowing they will soon change?
As I go through more and more years as a mom, my time feels segmented into seasons. They sometimes surround my kids’ ages, my emotional challenges, seasons of learning how to let go, or seasons of growth.
These waves sometimes seem like they’re never going to end, but they do always come and go.
Do you also feel like motherhood comes in seasons?
Season of Babies: Adjusting to Motherhood
I talked about my season as a new mom in Dear Exhausted Mom of Toddler. This phase was incredibly exhausting everyday, but also so incredibly special. I found myself so “done” at the end of each day that I would find a way to zone out (tv or other distractions).
I gave every ounce of energy to my babies – through pregnancy, nursing, bedtime struggles, up many times at night, playing outside, and teaching them as I could. (If you’re feeling depleted too, you might like our devo for burned out moms.)
We now have four kids between ages four and ten, and I can look back at those baby years and remember them (mostly) fondly. I cherish those memories of holding my sleeping babies, teaching them how to pick up food to eat, reading books, praying at bedtime, and all the funny things they said.
It seems to me that you have to wait til you’re removed from that season of motherhood before you can fully appreciate it.
I loved those years with my little ones. But in those looong days, sometimes it was tough to appreciate it all.
>> Read A Quick Devotion on Selflessness for Homemakers
Season of Motherhood with Older Kids
My oldest is a girl and she’s headed into Junior High this year. Junior High. For so long I’ve just felt like a “mom of babies” that it’s now so difficult to wrap my brain around having an older child.
I don’t feel ready for the big kid stuff quite yet. Can she just wait for her brother and they can go to Junior High together in two years?
My youngest will be doing half day preschool this year. My baby boy is so happy to be headed off to school with his siblings. He often asks when school is starting and makes sure I know he’s riding the preschool bus.
>> Read My Heart: My Youngest is Starting School
We are in such a great phase of life right now that I would happily stop time. The kids love to play in the yard, all enjoy jumping on the trampoline together and riding bikes on our road. I love watching my third child play house and have no cares in the world.
This definitely won’t last forever….and now that I realize each of these phases do end, I’m going to soak it ALLLLL in.
I’m going to watch them pair up with a different sibling each day and find something they both enjoy doing. We’re going to take camping trips together even though it sometimes feels like a lot of work. And we’re going to take family walks after dinner and soak in the last moments of sunshine each day we can.
Finding Joy in Motherhood During Seasons of Trial and Pain
Are you in a season that is deep, difficult, and feels overwhelming? Maybe it feels like you’re drowning and there’s no way out.
It may be a sickness, a difficult child, or you’re struggling with your faith. We will all go through seasons we don’t want to be in.
I was in this season when my mom was diagnosed with leukemia. It felt gut wrenching everyday. I wanted so badly for things to go back to the way they once were, yet I knew life would never be the same.
She lost this battle to cancer, and to this day (6 years later), I still miss her every single day. There was the season of fighting this battle, and a season of numbness of loss. Now I’m in a season of “new normal” where I’ve gotten used to life without her.
>> I talk more about my loss in A Challenge for Women: Choosing Joy Through Grief
The best way you can deal with seasons of trial and pain is to lean on God. Read His Word and dig in deeper to His promises and goodness.
Learn about Heaven and all that we have to look forward to. Learn from the stories shared in the Bible to grow your faith and give you guidance.
God promises us that if we seek Him, we will find Him.
Enjoy Your Motherhood Journey Through Each Season, Momma!
Each season will end. Soon, I’ll be onto more activities, more independence, and we’re not even going to talk about dating… all before I know it.
My hope for you, Momma, is that you will also stop and appreciate the seasons you’ve gone through, the season you’re in, and the ones still to come. May God be your strength in each moment and guide you along the road you’re on.
I’m choosing to focus on giving it all to God– my worries, challenges, fears, sad days, celebrations, blessings– and be thankful for each day in front of me.
>>Read Also – Resting in God’s Grace: a Quick Guide for Moms
Your seasons may have different titles than mine, but will you join me in appreciating where you are today?
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 3:11-13
Read Also:
Heart Change for Moms A 7 day devo on intentional motherhood.
Pep Talk for Mamas Going Through a Hard Season in Parenting Is the season you’re in particularly trying? Some are harder than others, for sure. Read this and be encouraged. You. Are. Not. Alone.
The Pressure to be a Perfect Mom is OFF Say it with me. “I. Cannot. Be. A. Perfect. Mom.” There, doesn’t that feel better?
10 Tips on How to be a Good Christian Mom Check out these qualities of great Christian Moms and mother on!
Modern Homemaking for Christian Moms Feeling unprepared in your role as a homemaker? Read these tips for embracing homemaking in today’s world.
Love this, Suzanne!