Motherhood Work is the Greatest Kingdom Work You Will Ever Do

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Dinner needs to be made. The laundry needs to be folded. The children have dumped out another toy bin. Do these moments cause you stress and annoyance? Or do these moments bring you joy and gratitude? Do you need to shift your perspective? 

I’ll be honest. I used to be stressed and annoyed when I worked around the house. It began after I had my first son and was still working a full-time job outside of the home. (FTW, mama – I see you!) Then, also after I had my second son, I had two under two, a husband, and began staying home full time. (SAHM – I see you!) I felt like I could never keep up. Everything was piling up faster than I could complete it. There was always something. Why were my children constantly making messes? (Duh, they’re toddlers.) Why is my husband not helping me more? (Duh, he’s working 40+ hours a week.)

Then, I began shifting my perspective. 

Instead of saying, “I have to cook dinner again tonight.” I shifted my perspective to say, “I get to cook dinner tonight.” I am so blessed to have a husband and two beautiful boys I get to cook dinner for every night. They depend on me to cook them healthy and delicious meals. It feels so wonderful to sit at a dinner table and see my family enjoy a meal I put together for them. (And by ‘enjoy a meal,’ I am also including nights when my toddlers take four bites and say they’re done.) 

Over time with having two small toddlers, I’ve learned not to fold laundry around them and expect it to stay folded (if you know, you know). So I either fold laundry when they’re napping, in bed for bedtime, or downstairs with their dad. This also doubles as some quiet time. Folding laundry has become the time when I’m very intentional with my thoughts about the specific person’s clothes that I’m folding. While I fold clothes, I pray for the person that I’m folding for. I pray for my husband’s job, his health, my oldest’s curiosity in homeschool lessons, my youngest’s growth in communicating his feelings, etc. A chore that can be used so intentionally. 

 

Here’s the truth. If you’re a mom, motherhood is the greatest kingdom work you will ever do. You are responsible for growing, nurturing, teaching, and discipling young children who could help bring other people to Jesus. Motherhood will push you past any limits that you thought had been set. It will exhaust you. (Can I get an amen?) But if you shift your perspective when looking at things that may make you weary, it will also drive you to be a better version of yourself. Don’t get me wrong. There are days when I have to check my heart and reset my perspective. I’m far from perfect. My perspective is not always set on the work for His kingdom. Some days my perspective is a little awry. But that’s okay. We are humans with emotions. However, how long you stay there is your choice. “Check your heart” – John Crist. (If you don’t know him, click here. You’re welcome.)

The decisions I make every day for my two boys will reach generations. Motherhood is the holiest work you will do, and the most beautiful thing about it is that even though it may feel mundane at times, God sees you! He sees your work as fruitful and everlasting. He is watching you sow years of seeds that will one day prosper. He is standing with you, smiling from ear to ear. “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Matthew 25:23 

The other morning I was sitting with my boys reading a Bible story with Lauren Daigle playing on our Alexa. My husband walked through the kitchen to get some water and kissed me on the cheek on his way back up to his office. Seconds later, my youngest who was sitting on my lap, kissed me on my cheek. I urge you to stop and take in Jesus’ goodness through the lens of motherhood. We are experiencing such a gift that we get to witness His goodness through our babies every day. Even when the chores pile up, you have to make dinner, and maybe your children are having a rough day. God is with you. Shift your perspective and feel Him gently tap your shoulder and hear Him say, “Take a breath. Enjoy the goodness of motherhood because when it seems like the work is never-ending, it’s still so good.”