“This is for you,” my small group leader handed me a verse card, eyeing me tenderly. Through tears, I looked at the verse she had given me. I had seen this verse so many times before, even sang the song from time to time. But that day, the words seemed new to me.  Although scripture … The post Self-Sufficiency is Toxic Contrary to Popular Opinion first appeared on Meditations & Motherhood ..read more

**Warning: This post contains sensitive and triggering topics. Please be mindful of reading or sending this post as this writing contains graphic imagery of postpartum depression and suicide ideation. Severe depression robbed me the joy of my second son’s first year of life. I feel a complicated guilt as I look back at photos of … The post Inside the Devastating Mind of Postpartum Depression first appeared on Meditations & Motherhood ..read more

The movie Frozen has a song that my boys enjoy: “Love is an Open Door.” My boys love to play it again and again. I’d like to say I’m sick of it, but frankly, I’m not…just yet. Ask me again at the end of the day ;). The characters Anna (or as my son lovingly … The post May We Be Emptied of Everything But Divine Love first appeared on Meditations & Motherhood ..read more

Many times my mind travels back to my past where I begin the blame game of my postpartum depression. When I am healthy, I can redirect these thoughts to acknowledge all the faithful ways God has provided in my life. As we move through life, pain and suffering become inevitable in our stories. This oftentimes … The post How to Positively Recognize Trials in Our Faith first appeared on Meditations & Motherhood ..read more

“Mom, it’s too cold to go outside!” yells my 4 year old. I never thought I’d see the day when he actually preferred to be inside. He is usually the first one running, pants-less, shirt-less, and shoes-less, out the door. Go figure. My 3 year old, in these colder months, just wants Blippi monster trucks … The post How to Rethink Motherhood in a Season of Winter first appeared on Meditations & Motherhood ..read more

Ready, set, BANG! goes the starting pistol, and we’re off to the races again. Happy New Year!? Horns blare and fireworks crack. December had us galloping toward Christmas, whipping that sleigh horse into gear. Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up those clod-hoppers! What had commenced as jingling around the literal clock all Christmas season has now … The post 5 Scripture Verses to Quiet Your Heart this New Year first appeared on Meditations & Motherhood ..read more

I heard a song a few years back called, “O Come All You Unfaithful” by Sovereign Grace Music. A song that made me pause and think, “Yeah, that’s closer to the truth.” Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be called the faithful one. But more often than not, I am buckling in guilt because … The post Love has Come on Christmas Day first appeared on Meditations & Motherhood ..read more

Waiting holds a lot of emotions. For a child, it’s an eternal process that gets longer by the minute. For a chronically ill individual, it’s an agonizing process of futile energy that drains every shard of fostered hope. For a newly pregnant mother, the process is terrifyingly exciting and tedious, filled with roller coaster moments … The post Advent Part 2: Three Ways to Wait Patiently for God first appeared on Meditations & Motherhood ..read more

Both of my sons have night lights in their rooms. We, as their parents, steer clear of anything apparently scary, and yet our kids still fear the night. They want to make sure they are ok, that they will be ok before we leave them in their rooms for inevitable sleep to fall upon them. … The post Advent Part 1: Overcoming Dread of the Dark first appeared on Meditations & Motherhood ..read more

I used to roll my eyes and smirk when Mom would give me her solicited advice about finding the right person. As a young girl, teen, adult, I was searching for love. I would try to ask her differently each time to see if I could get a more specific answer. But alas, it was … The post The Worst Advice About Finding Mr. Right first appeared on Meditations & Motherhood ..read more