I feel like a common underlying part of every mother’s stress is lacking confidence. First and foremost, we wonder if we are even getting the whole “mom” thing right. For some it can seem like some random, new issue pops up with each and every pediatric visit or developmental stage. Things like: “My kid won’t eat.” or “My kid won’t touch vegetables.” Then there are huge debates on everything from nursing to vaccinations. Some moms just don’t know if they are getting it right! The fact is, no one is perfect. I would say we are all striving at becoming a confident mom, even when we get push back from all sides.
My Failures…
My son is only two and I can’t tell you how many days I’ve sat in mild depression wondering if I’m getting it right. At first it was feedings. Was he getting enough milk or not enough? Then it was height. Then it was head circumference. Each pediatric visit felt like I was holding my breath. I always left the visits feeling like I needed improvement. Don’t even get me started on comparing my kid to other kids. Everyone says don’t do it but come on, there are very few women who don’t in our culture. Our culture is often driven by comparison.
My AH HA! Moment
One day I was watching a Joyce Meyer teaching on having a confident attitude. Have you ever had those times when you are watching a minster or listening and think, “God must be talking directly to me”? Listening to the teaching series started a gradual transformation of how I saw myself, my failures and my life in general. It reminded me that life IS NOT about self-confidence.
Proverbs 28:26- Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in
wisdom are kept safe. (NIV).
Trusting in me was getting me nowhere. The fact is, my trust and hope are supposed to be in Jesus. While I know this, I don’t always apply it like I should. When I start seeing myself like Jesus sees me and putting my confidence who Christ is, I can relax and take these weights off my shoulders. It gives me permission to not beat myself up for things I have little to no control over.
Check It Out!
I could keep writing, but if your like me and you are a visual learner, check out the free video broadcasts on the Joyce Meyer website. You can watch them on her website for free by following these links.
The Book
I also discovered that Joyce Meyer had come out with a book titled Confident Mom which just screamed “download me” when I saw it. So I did. I read it each night before I go to bed and it’s really helping me work through many of my negative thoughts, attitudes and how I see myself. I would encourage any mom who is struggling with thoughts of failure or not measuring up to read this book and watch the free videos above. If you want a free version of the book, check your local library.
Getting the Most Out of It
If you are looking for a great gift for a Christian mom in your life, consider getting her this. If you want to go a bit deeper, consider gathering a group of your friends together to do a book club around this particular read or add it to your list. I’m hoping to plan a summer reading gathering with my close friends this summer. I think it would be great to read this book together and discuss these topics with other moms. I know it would be a great book to build a little mom community around.
I hope this post has help lead you to a few resources that aid you in your journey to becoming a confident mom. Please feel free to share any thoughts or comments you have about the book in the comments section below!
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Kim thank you for your honesty. I have been struggling with this and appreciate knowing other moms do to. Being a military family and moving I often feel alone. I am a big Joyce meyer fan and had no idea she wrote a book on the exact thing I am struggling with. will totally check it out and the videos. Thank you so much. Proverbs are always great to read to bring you back to the truth and the way we should live our life. Following Jesus ways to ultimately do his father’s will. Thank you Kim for the post and resources.
Natalie, thanks for taking the time to share that this article encouraged you. Today was one of those days I was struggling as a mom and even broke down on the phone with my sister. I appreciate that you let me know that the post brought you encouragement because it encourages me to keep on doing posts like these. I hope God encourages your heart and it’s probably time for me to listen to these again myself!
Great post, Kim! Going to look into that book.