Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series – a week long
celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of
today’s best writer’s (Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St.
John, and more). I hope you’ll join us each day for another unique perspective on
Mother’s Day.
AND … do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted
pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK
THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the
winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.
If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we’re all about. In
short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in
the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering
Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT
Mother’s Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.
And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother’s Day!
He Will
Walk With You by Carey Bailey
As a little girl, I loved baby dolls. Loved them! I played school, adoption agency,
daycare operator and babysitter all day. I felt like I was born to be a mama.
Therefore, I was a bit anxious when the ages, 22, 25, 28 and 32 came and went and
there were no babies. Have you ever desired something so much and feared never
getting it? That was me.
My day finally came at the age of 34. I soon realized that God knew what He was
doing when He had me wait. To my shock, it wasn’t as easy as playing with dolls. I
was surprised that it wasn’t the dream world I imagined it would be! I felt like life
became a gigantic prayer.
“God, HELP me!”
“Please, God. Please, please, please make it all better. I can’t do this!”
“God, this feels impossible. Where are you?”
While I adore motherhood, it is harder and there are more adjustments than
I expected. (I am hoping there are some nodding of heads and Amen’s being
said out there in cyberworld.) Not only did I have a new life to care for, but my
identity suddenly felt all scrambled up. It took me until my son was one to finally
feel confident in my new role as a mother, confident that I could drop my child off
at preschool without crying, confident that I could go out with the girls’ and the
world wouldn’t fall apart, and confident that I could go on a date night and have
conversations that didn’t revolve just around our son.
I was feeling settled in my new world and then WHAM! I discovered I was pregnant
again. Can I be vulnerable with you? I actually cried when I found out. And they
were not tears of joy. I feel awful saying that out loud, and I hope you will give me a
moment to explain. It was not that I didn’t want another baby or feel like I couldn’t
love a new life, it was just that I got scared. Discovering a little person was on the
way sent a panic through me. Would my son still receive the love and attention
that he deserved? How was my husband going to feel about my body changing
again? Would I ever be able to pursue the vision I felt God had for me in writing and
publishing? I was truly wondering if I was going to be able to handle another intense
wave of identity crisis like the one I had just been through. I wasn’t sure.
God and I needed a serious talk. And in that conversation He carefully reminded me
of this:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
He reminded me in our time together that I, too, am His child and He has every
intention of loving me, caring for me, and giving me the future that He has planned
for me.
As mothers, we can get so caught up in parenting that we forget that we, too, have
a spiritual parent who loves us as His child. He loves you as much as He loves the
children He has given you. He will never forsake you. And on those days
when motherhood seems too overwhelming and too impossible I step back and take
a deep breath. Then I remember that this journey I am on, right now, is the one He
has designed and create uniquely for me. I simply need to live in it, learn from it, and
allow His love to sweep over and through me.
He will walk with me! He will walk with you! Grab His hand.
Carey Bailey is a recovering perfectionist, wife, proud mama, and the
Family Life Director for her church in Arizona. She hosts an online community
for moms called Cravings: desiring God in the midst of motherhood where
she strives to make God time easier. Not less meaningful, just easier. She is
the author of Cravings {The Devotional} which is a set of forty devotional
flashcards for the mama on the go. Visit Carey online blog: www.cravingstheblog.blogspot.com Facebook: http:/
/www.facebook.com/CravingsOnline and Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/careycbailey/
Exciting News – the latest Pearl Girls book, Mother of Pearl: Luminous Legacies
and Iridescent Faith will be released this month! Please visit the Pearl Girls Facebook
Page (and LIKE us!) for more information! Thanks so much for your support!