Dear Mama-Extraordinaire,

Yes, I’m talkin’ to you. First of all, you are a wonder, you know that? You, the one He hand-picked to hold, snuggle, love, and raise your babies. You mother your children better than any other woman could.

I’m in the thick of the inbetween season, although I hear the gallop of those teenage years louder and closer. As a mom sandwiched in the middle of the at-home parenting years, may I encourage you through a vow of sorts?

I vow to do my best to give you helpful encouragement.

If you’re a mom of littles, I vow not to approach you in the grocery and tell you to “enjoy these parenting years because they pass quickly and they are the best years of your life!” Because while this time does pass quickly, such comments are not helpful when your toddler has been giving you a run for your money since his sweet chubby feet hit the bedroom floor. I will tell you that while parenting will always have challenges, the challenges you deal with today will fade away. 

And when I am a mom of teenagers and you share your struggles with raising little people, I vow not to say, “You think this is hard? Ha! Just. You. Wait! ’til they’re teenagers!” Because while parenting teenagers holds unique challenges of its own, it is not helpful to overshare endless future parenting difficulties with bone-weary you. The teenage years seem a million miles away, and you want to know the struggles of today will ease. And they will.

And if you’re a mom of teenagers, I vow not to think you have it smooth sailing because your independent children give you breathing room. While you may have more alone time , this independence brings your chicks away from your safe nest and out in the big scary world. Lord have mercy, that alone is enough to drive you to your knees. And heaven knows you spend plenty of time there already, praying good sense and good choices prevail. You have your own sleepless nights, wondering if you’ve made the most of your time with them. To be sure, this season is no cakewalk. But the Lord was faithful to bring you through the earlier parenting seasons, and He will be faithful to see you through this one, too.

And if you’re a mom of tweens just like me, I vow not to play the who-has-it-harder game. In the end, it doesn’t matter how active your kid or how calm. How much he sleeps or how little. How strong-willed or compliant. Because while some kids are harder to raise than others, it is not helpful for you or me to play this game. And when you consider the parenting years from beginning to end {and on into adulthood}, we all pretty much get knocked to an even playing field. We need to circle up and look to each other for strength in our weaknesses, and in that our weaknesses become strengths.

And no matter your parenting season, don’t look left or right to gauge how you’re doing. Look up. Be quick to thank Him when things go well and quick to receive His grace when things don’t. Your Father in heaven chose you to mother your children. He has every confidence in you.

And so do I.

With much love and affection,

Kristen cheering-you-on Strong

I wrote this today in honor of the e-book publication of Mother Letters, a beautifully real and honest compilation of letters from beautifully real and honest mothers. These letters don’t only encourage but offer proof that we can do this messy but glorious mothering thing! Many thanks to Seth and Amber Haines for loving on us moms through this. Click on the picture below to order the e-book or click here to read more encouraging mother letters.