Newborn babies, non-stop toddlers, toilet training, learning challenges, school drama, hormones, and learning to let go, step back and coach from the sidelines. We often don’t know what the right choice is. Conflicting opinions and studies ping-pong inside our brains causing taut muscles, clenched bellies and restless souls. We are left wondering how we are messing up their lives.

Dust springs eternal, laundry magically respawns, food evaporates in fridges and cupboards, and “Who tracked muddy footprints all over my clean floor!!” echoes against the walls. Thankless, repetitive chores that eat at your identity and weigh your soul down.

Prince Charming, Mr. Right and the Knight in Shining Armour have lost a little of their shine and glamour. No one told us Mr. Darcy had morning breath. Would the Knight in shining Armour drop his clothes right where he took them off? The armour stand is right there! And who knew the Prince was blind, and steps over folded laundry on the stairs instead of carrying them up?

Nerves buzzing, bodies dragging and hopelessness settled in our hearts, we grumble, “Why is my life so messy?”

Our eyes flit to supermoms, celebrities, and the women next door, who seem to have the perfect husband, perfect kids, perfect home, perfect life and we internally scream.

“How does she do it?”

“Why am I such a disorganized mess?”

We enviously eye women farther along the journey and think, “If only…,” or “One day when…,” or “I can’t wait till….”

But you are right where you are meant to be. Jesus sees you, and is with you, in the exact moment you’re dealing with. The problem is, we don’t see Him. We don’t see Him because we aren’t looking for Him. Our eyes are too focused on ourselves and what we want. But the Lord longs for us to look to Him for our hope, identity, and freedom.

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5:5

Hope – our hope lies in this promise. He is always with us and for us. He created us, died for us and now dwells within us. Sweat dripped from His brow, His hands ached and chafed, He felt betrayal and rejection, He wept, and He was concerned for His loved ones. All so He could show us how to live Godly lives and have hope for something better.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

1 John 3:1

Identity – We find our identity in Christ alone. Nothing else will ever satisfy the thirst in our souls or provide the rest, joy and contentment we crave. We were created by Him and for Him. God who humbled Himself and took on human flesh, lived and died as one of us, so we could be His children and one day go home again.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

1 Corinthians 3:17

Freedom – As children of God, we have the Spirit of God living in us. The power of the Holy Spirit, enables us to choose to live in freedom, by following Christ’s example. But it is a choice we have to make, every day, sometimes every minute. Will we obey and trust the Lord or continue to choose our own way? Is He worthy of our undivided love and loyalty?

Sweet Sisters, you are never alone or forsaken. You are seen, loved and being cheered on. You don’t have to look like the woman further along on the pew who seems to have it all together. She doesn’t either. All of us are moving one tentative step at a time through the minefield of living. We are not Stepford wives; robots programmed to be perfect, but intricately designed beings and the lives we get dealt are uniquely ours.

So, pause, take a deep breath, close your eyes and share your heart with the best friend you will ever have, your Creator and the Lover of your soul, Jesus. He is waiting eagerly to give you rest. Life is messy, but we don’t have to do it alone.

Be well!

Patricia