In times of turbulence, we can comfort our kids by our preparations, our prayers and trust in God’s sovereignty, our presence, and our songs over them.

Scripture memorization helps us reroute runaway thoughts and refresh our hearts with God’s power over our sin and struggles.

When fears and worries surround us, we can grow in having God’s truth at the ready.

Tragic events in our world give us opportunities to talk with our kids about the very real consequences of the fall—but to also point forward to the hope of Christ’s redemption.

In trials, we come to cling more tightly to the precious promises of the gospel and the steadfast character of God—which can transform our deepest fears into an even deeper joy.

When anxious thoughts multiply, we can take comfort in the hope of the gospel and Christ’s promises to redeem us from all the brokenness and suffering of the fall.

No matter what he calls us to walk through, God is trustworthy and good, and so we can trade our fears for faith.

Big fears often grip our little one’s hearts and minds. We can help our kids deal with their fears as we process with them, point them to Christ, and pray with them. 

If we fear the Lord instead of fearing all the “what ifs” in our children’s lives, we can find rest and refuge in him, even amidst the uncertainties of parenting.

We all want an A+ grade for our reputation and our kids’ good behavior , don’t we? But the gospel says our kids aren’t projects to ace, but sinners in need of grace.

Let’s face it—we want everything to go well so we look amazing. But this Christmas, it’s not about being the queen of our kingdom, it’s about worshipping the true King.

We all crave comfort. Comfort food, comfort zones, comfy clothes, comfortable jobs. Our decisions are often motivated by a desire to mitigate distress, discomfort, or inconvenience. Being comfortable isn’t always a bad thing. It can be one way God demonstrates his grace to people.

The privilege of Christian motherhood has challenged my notions of comfortable living in full force.

It’s uncomfortable as our bodies are broken for the sake of another’s welfare through pregnancy, delivery, feeding, & sleeplessness. It’s not easy consistently training up our children in the way they should go through fights over food & school work, tantrums & unwise choices. It’s humbling to tell our young ones about the mighty deeds of God & then display gospel-kindness when faced with their rebellion. 

Yet we pray, forbear, & show mercy because God, in Christ, forgave us. There’s no ease on this battleground because it’s a 24/7 job. 

...This role is rife with opportunities to image what God is like in his self-sacrificing, nurturing, & life-sustaining attributes. In God’s supreme design, mothers were made to image him in unique ways to our families, in our churches, at work, in the community, to ‘the authorities & the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.’ (Eph. 6:12)

This sometimes-uncomfortable work of mothering draws our attention to our need for the great shepherd’s comfort. Only his rod & staff can give us a lasting sense of safety in hard places. 

Just like we wean our children from milk to solid food, the God of all comfort weans us from a taste for only physical comfort to delight in the divine comfort of his everlasting presence. Knowledge of his presence drives us to joyfully live an uncomfortable life for God’s glory. As we share abundantly in Christ’s suffering, we share in his comfort too.

Dear sisters, when tempted to begrudge the costly & uncomfortable work of mothering, let’s remember Jesus went before us. His joyful obedience in hard things accomplished our redemption & adoption & will result in our resurrection one glorious day.