Hope and Encouragement for Moms

Kirsten Watson’s husband, Benjamin, played for six NFL teams and won a super Bowl in 2005. Much of those 15 years, she was on her own in a new city with a household of seven children, including twins. At one point, she was so stressed she suffered painful migraines that doctors said would continue unless she made changes.

Maybe you relate to the pressure Kirsten felt. Motherhood is beautifully rewarding, but it has its challenges. According to one Barna study:

Eight in 10 moms feel overwhelmed by stress.
Seven out of 10 moms say they don’t get enough rest.
And a surprisingly low 19% of moms report being “extremely satisfied” with their role as a mother.

There are many reasons for such deep feelings, but the most common is busyness. Moms burn the candle at both ends. They work hard in and out of the home. They need to close their eyes, say a prayer, and catch their breath. But who has time for that when life feels so overloaded already?

We often perceive rest as an absence of something, rather than as something active. In music, an interval of silence is called a rest. The silence between notes is as crucial to a song’s rhythm and tempo as the notes themselves. Far from being void of purpose, a rest is active and helps frame the melody of the song.

A healthy life is framed by rest. Our bodies, our minds, and our emotions need time and space to recover from the stress and hard work we encounter throughout the week and to help us keep our priorities in focus.

How do you find rest in the melody of life? Join me for a conversation with Kirsten Watson about that topic on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. She and I discussed how moms can slow down and be present, despite the busyness of motherhood.

Join us on your local radio station, online, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, via Google Podcasts, or listen on our free phone app.

Our conversation centers on her book Sis, Take a Breath: Encouragement for the Woman Who’s Trying to Live and Love Well (but Secretly Just Wants to Take a Nap), which is available for a gift of any amount. Click here for details.

Happy Mother’s Day!