Finding Joy in the Journey of Motherhood

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen

Being a mom is wonderful. And hard.

I try to get the house picked up before I go to bed at night and then by 10 am, it looks a hurricane swept through. The breakfast is finished, but food is out, dishes are piled in the sink, milk is spilled and “sort of” wiped up. I look in the living room and my boys have pulled out every pillow and blanket we own to make a fort. I look around and feel overwhelmed.

Some thoughts that go through my head are:

• I’ll never have a clean house.
• I’m depressed.
• I can’t do this.

I give myself about 60 seconds to feel that way then I PURPOSEFULLY stop myself. I CHOOSE to think different thoughts and my mood immediately changes.

I can’t do this is replaced with:

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

I am depressed is replaced with:

“Today is the day that the Lord has made and I will REJOICE and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

I’ll never have a clean house is replaced with: I have young children living here and I WILL eventually have a clean house again.

And then – I CHOOSE to be grateful.

I look at the breakfast crumbs and spills and think – my kids aren’t hungry! They have food to eat!

I look at the mess in the living room and think – they are creative! They are playing together!

Motherhood is a journey. A hard and joy-filled journey where life isn’t your own anymore. It’s about choosing joy in spite of the messes they make, the noise and the lack of free time. It’s choosing gratitude when it’s easier to be angry, frustrated, and depressed.

Today, stop and look around at the mess and be grateful for it! It means that LIFE is happening there.

I’m choosing joy one day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time.

Stress is a CHOICE! Joy and Gratitude are choices too! Choose well.

What are you grateful for today? Leave me a comment!

For more encouragement – check out the JOY CHALLENGE for MOMs. A daily video on how to choose joy no matter what life brings you. And this study to go along with it.