Open Letter to Christian Mothers

Today, when your 4 year old missed the toilet and threw up all over the bathroom, and you held your breath, wiped up the vomit, changed your little one's clothes and tucked him into bed with a trashcan securely next to his head, I want you to know that Jesus cared.

"Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of my brethren, you have done it unto me."

Today, when you tripped over the toys that you couldn't see because you were carrying a stinky-bottomed baby, when you scraped spaghetti off the kitchen floor with a spatula and wiped up the third spilled drink of the day, when you read on Facebook of your friends going to Starbucks or getting a pedicure (and you were excited about fruit-loops for breakfast  or a 2 minute potty break alone), when the cries of "Mommy! I need you!" threatened to send you over the edge, and you stood still and acknowleged that this is indeed my life, when the mundane, seemingly pointless parts of mommyhood overwhelmed, frustrated, and discouraged you, I want you to know that Jesus knows.

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted, like as we are, yet without sin."

Today, when you sobbed your heart out in the bathroom because the remains of your long-awaited pregnancy were being flushed down the toilet--and your hopes and dreams for this precious child seemed to be flushed down with it--when you fell to your knees, only to hear a knock at the door and a little voice calling "Mommy?" and you wondered how you could possibly continue to hold it together for another minute, I want you to know that Jesus heard.

"In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even unto his ears."

Today, when your newly adopted daughter refused to kiss you, when you were functioning on less than 2 hours of sleep due to jet-lag and a terrified-to-lay-in-her-crib baby, when you took your child in public for the first time and they ran around like a crazy child and people looked at you like you were insane, when you were criticized for adopting, ostracized for being multi-cultural, misunderstood by some of your dearest friends and family, brought to your knees by attachment issues the average mama couldn't even imagine up if she wanted to, and you wondered "Why did we do this? What were we thinking? How can we get through this and not lose our child or our marriage?", I want you to know, Jesus called you and has not forgotten you now.

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless, and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you."

Today, when you thought about your marriage and how far away from Cinderella's happily-ever-after it had become, when you realized that your husband spends more time in front of his computer or working on his hobbies than he does with you, when you wished he would devote more time to his family or at least acknowlege how very hard you are working each day, when you let the soft whisper of divorce creep into your mental vocabulary and you wondered, "How can I love him? How can I forgive him one more time?" I want you to know that Jesus never asks you to do something He has not done himself.

"They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act....what sayest thou? And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, Until seventy times seven.

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, they crucified him....Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Today, when you stopped at the pharmacy, hurried home, went into the bathroom alone, opened the box....and closed your eyes, begging God to let there be two lines this time, only to be disappointed yet again......when you then hid the box so no one would ask you about it, when you stared with longing at the pregnant women and babies who seem to be everywhere you go when you're trying not to remember that it's not you that is pregnant, when you overheard your friends complaining about stretch marks, labor pains, and sleepness nights and you ached way down deep in your soul for just the opporunity to experience these things, and when you thought you just might explode if one more person sympathetically patted your shoulder and said, "Just relax. Then it'll happen." I want you to know that Jesus knows about the desires of your heart---in fact, He put them there!---and He truly is using this painful time for your good.

"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

But unto Hannah he (Elkanah) gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hnnah: but the LORD had shut up her womb......and the LORD remembered her, Hannah conceived.....bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

Hear, O LORD, and hve mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hst put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever."

Today, when you received the kind of news that seems to stop your heart, knocks you off your feet, devastates your family and alters the course of your life forever.....cancer, death, adultery, divorce, illness, unplanned pregnancy.....when you're reeling from the shock and you wonder where God is in the midst of the storm, I want you to know, Jesus allows the storms of life to come, but never without being right in the boat with you.

"And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. and they awake him (Jesus), and say unto him, Mster, carest thou not that we perish? And he rose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

But as for you, ye thought evil against me: but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

....the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."

Today, and every day, may you remember that the God who gave you life, also has a purpose for that life.

Today, and every day, may you know the intimacy of a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ.

Today, and every day, may you rejoice in whatever life circumstances you find yourself, knowing that the sweetest blessings of life come during the

overwhelming,

discouraging,

mundane,

uncomfortable,

frustrating,

humiliating,

and challenging

aspects of your life.