Twenty-one years ago, my mom died. I lost her less than a week after my twenty-first birthday. I have now lived as long without her physical presence as I had with her. Having to navigate the world my whole adult life without a mother’s love, guidance, and support has been extremely difficult and lonely. It has also been the impetus propelling me into a relationship with my Heavenly Father through His Son and Holy Spirit. The mother’s love I lost in the world, I found in the Spirit.
This message is for all the mothers, and women in general, out there who are struggling with any aspect of their identity and responsibilities: You are enough.
You Are Enough
Hey, Lady:
You are equipped to provide all the true necessities for yourself and your family.
Despite what you may think, your love will never fail your children. You will always be a light to them, even in the deepest darkest pits they may fall into, everything you represent will be a beacon to them.
Your strength is phenomenal. Even in your weakest moments, your children will look back and view you as the epitome of EVERYTHING.
You can do wrong, but no wrong will outlast your love. Remember that. Give yourself a break when you’re overwhelmed.
You don’t need to go beyond yourself to be the best mommy ever. You already are the best mommy ever – simply because you are the mom your child was blessed with. Know that. Embrace it.
You are a blessing. You are a lover. A nurturer. A builder. A teacher. A guide. A comforter. A savior. A survivor. You are the first true sacrifice and offering your child will ever encounter. You are the first environment of creation your child will ever experience. Your body, the most sacred of temples, hosted and presented life to the world. How awesome is that!?
Your life will be what influences your children’s life the most. In the midst of your everyday, this may be a lot to think about. So, don’t think about it. Just live.
Be who you are. Work on being the best person you can be – the best version of you. Do the best you can do in any given moment with the full knowledge and acceptance that your best varies depending on the time of day, time of month, time of year and a million other factors. Whatever your best is in any given moment is enough.
Your children understand more than you know. They appreciate you more than they may ever be able to express. You represent everything to them – their beginning, their end, their in between. You are the fabric they will weave their lives from. You are the start line and the line they will return to continuously throughout the relay of life. To your little champs, you are the MVP.
Not far from the tree
During my short time with my mother, she planted the following seeds and lessons in me and they are still flourishing today:
- She challenged me to be myself
- She supported me when I spoke up for myself
- She rebuked my pride and instilled a sense of humbleness and service in me
- She insisted I respect everyone no matter their actions against me or those I love
- She showed me the pain and value of forgiveness and how it is inseparable from love
- She encouraged me to dream of futures I couldn’t see or comprehend
- She exhibited discipline and patience to me
- She demonstrated hard-work and perseverance
- She practiced generosity, grace and kindness
- She modeled for me the satisfaction of building a life from your own efforts and appreciating all you have even when what you have is counted as nothing by others.
I can go on as I am still learning so much from Mom. There’s so much I didn’t comprehend in my youth that is becoming clear now and bearing fruit. I am so very grateful for the timelessness of her grace and generosity in sharing herself.
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Originally published at spirit-harvest.com