While motherhood often brings women together, it can also highlight differences that challenge our love for one another. More than ever before, in this world of Motherhood-by-Instagram, opportunities abound for comparison, criticism, and misunderstandings.

Quite often I’m tempted to judge or criticize a mom who parents differently than I do, feeds her kids healthier than I do, prioritizes her family better than I do, keeps house better than I do, or exercises more than I do. If I find some fault in her, I am less apt to feel inferior in comparison to her...

But the message of the Gospel intersects all my sinful heart attitudes: "Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you".

Because of what Christ did for me, loving me to the cross while I was still his enemy, my identity in him is a foundation for loving unity toward other women, even and especially toward the mom who is different from me.

Do you build walls of division within your church?

I know what you are thinking—"No! I warmly greet anyone who I pass walking down the halls of my church." But… what about your small group? How unified are you when someone shares an opinion on a matter of preference with which you disagree? What do you do when someone is different than you?

As we draw near to our sister, are we supposed to forget our differences? No! We are to use them to build up our sisters in Christ. God gives us unique schools of circumstances that are meant to cultivate new knowledge of Him—whether it is singleness, infertility, aging parents, financial difficulty, or illness.

However, rather than building a wall because of difference with your sister, build a bridge because of grace. After listening to your sister’s struggle, consider how Christ has ministered to both of you in similar ways. From that place of humility and common ground, be a caring sister and tenderly apply truths of the gospel that you have learned in your school of circumstance to your hurting sister’s heart.

Our differences do not have to divide. We can build bridges of grace rather than walls of division... . And, we would get front row seats in witnessing the power of the gospel transform the lives of those we love… even in the midst of our differences.

Division and disunity with other moms can surprise us at every turn, even in the most common situations....

With so many gray-area choices in the context of orthodox, biblical motherhood, how can we love one another well? How can we get below the surface, resisting feelings of shame, embarrassment, comparison, and judgement when we see another mom doing it differently?...

...Instead of judging each other, sizing one another up, and making broad brush stroke statements about “moms who work” or “moms who stay at home” or “moms who homeschool” etc., let’s seek to be kind and generous with our assumptions. Let’s resolve to learn the scriptures together and pursue Christ, living out the gospel in our daily lives. Let’s lovingly help each other see different people groups, especially those who don’t have a voice in our culture, and advocate for them.

Peace with the different mom but sister-in-Christ is possible. It comes through the cross as a subsequent overflow from peace in our vertical relationship with God. Unity isn’t going to come from everything-is-like-me motherhood, but from every-believer-made-one-in-him theology.

Hi friends, we wanted to take a moment to share about something new at Risen Motherhood!

Our belief is when you influence a mother, you influence a family. She listens to gospel-centered Bible teaching, and her husband might listen to it as well. She purchases a children’s Bible, and her children might hear scripture at breakfast. She thinks deeply about the gospel, and her husband is challenged by her example while her children see it in action. When a mom's heart is softened to the gospel, it overflows into living rooms, breakfast tables, bedtime routines, school meetings, playdates, and more.

We started RM because we believe in the impact a mom can have in her family and those around her. We create gospel-centered content through our podcast, social media platforms, and equipping resources, with the hope that moms will fall more in love with Christ, and better understand how the resurrection transforms their lives.

This work is incredibly important to us, and many of you have shared testimonies of how God has transformed your view of motherhood through RM's content. If this is you, we'd love for you to come alongside us in this eternally important mission as we launch Patreon, a platform for supporting brands and ministries like RM. When you join the RM community through Patreon, you partner financially with us and contribute directly to the work of this ministry. As a supporter, you'll not only gain access to insider perks and gifts, but you fund ongoing expenses for the website, resources, and podcast.

No matter what, our current content (like the podcast episodes and Abide Together tools) at RM will remain free – we want all mothers to have access and grow together in the gospel – but if you’re able, will you consider pledging a contribution as you see the value of what we're doing?

Please only give as you feel led, but even $1 a month will make a difference for the ministry. You can learn more through the blog post Laura wrote and on our Patreon page (both linked in profile).

Thank you again for partnering with us, as moms all over the world hear about the transforming power of the gospel!

Laura & Emily

This post is part six of a six-week series on how to start and facilitate a women’s Bible study group. Leading a Bible study can sound intimidating—but it doesn't have to be! Today, we’re walking through a few simple ways to lead your Bible study group well.

This post is part five of a six-week series on how to start and facilitate a women’s Bible study group. Today, we're walking through how to love group members well and maximize discussion.

This post is part four of a six-week series on how to start and facilitate a women’s Bible study group. In today’s post, we’re walking through a few things to consider as you gather women together to study the Bible.

This post is part three of a six-week series on how to start and facilitate a women’s Bible study group. In today’s post, we're walking through how to find theologically-sound resources, as well as the right format for your particular Bible study group.

This post is part two of a six-week series on how to start and facilitate a women’s Bible study group. In today’s post, we’re taking a look at the benefits of prioritizing Bible study and learning God’s Word for ourselves as moms.

This post is part one of a six-week series on how to start and facilitate a women’s Bible study group. In today’s post, we’re taking a look at three benefits for studying God’s Word as moms.

“Is your husband out of town this week?” she asked.

“Yes. All week. Is yours?” I responded. She nodded.

“Want to come over for dinner?” I asked.

Motherhood is hard enough on a good day. What with the constant multi-tasking, unexpected illnesses, endless pile of laundry, the refereeing of squabbles, teaching the same lessons over and over again, all while trying to keep up with the daily responsibilities and duties of life.

It’s even harder when you feel all alone.

When my kids were young, I had a couple of friends whose husbands also traveled for work or often worked late at night. Having these friends was a lifesaver, literally, because at the time, I was in the midst of post-partum depression aftershocks. We took turns making dinner for ourselves and all our kids. Sometimes we met at a park and then took the kids to their favorite taco place. And when the weeks were especially long, we got together multiple times.

Not only did we keep each other company during those years, but we also encouraged one another in the gospel. We reminded each other of what was true. We prayed with and for each other. We walked with one another through life’s trials and challenges.

In these little years, it can be easy to convince ourselves it's not practical to serve outside my home. But a vital part of raising our children to know and love the Lord is showing them that loving God means loving others.