When we feel the pressure to “crush it” at Christmas, we can lift our eyes to the One whose perfect performance is our resting place.

We can learn to see the limitations and needs around us not in terms of doors closing on our plans but rather doors opening to God’s greater plan.

The many interruptions and unmet expectations of motherhood are an opportunity to slow down and learn to walk at God’s pace—in the good works which he has prepared for us.

We can practically prepare our hearts for family tensions or conflicts that may arise during the holidays, while resting in the ultimate hope of belonging to Christ’s family.

The gospel frames our holiday expectations with both reality and hope—we live in a fallen world, but we serve a God who brings blessing and growth from unexpected places.

The gospel redefines our expectations as we choose to approach our in-law relationships with prayer, believing the best, intentional listening, and a heart to serve.

Whether we celebrate Advent in big or small ways (or maybe no way at all), we can shift our focus this Christmas off what we do as moms to what Christ has already done for us in the gospel.

Unmet expectations around the holidays remind us of our need for divine rescue and God’s provision in Christ—the true reason for the season.

Joy doesn’t come from an ideal day of motherhood, it comes from the One who is sovereign over all of our days.

We may not be the moms we thought we’d be, but in Christ, we can be moms who cling to the cross and rest in God’s sufficiency.

No matter how wonderful our marriage may be, our deepest need for connection can only be satisfied in the Lord.

Though much of our daily life may be marked by change and challenges, our ultimate hope and purpose in motherhood remains the same—even in a pandemic. We can live faithfully in this season as we depend on the Lord and point our children to him.