A joyful wife and mother

What the enemy wants to use to TEAR you down, can actually be your SUPERPOWER.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot (probably because I've been overwhelmed a lot, lol) about all the MANY ROLES and duties us wives and mothers have.

We know the schedules of everyone in the house.

We know when we're almost of out something and need to add it to the grocery list.

We know which brand our family prefers and when it might go on sale.

We think about what to make for dinner while simultaneously going through the list of what we already know we have in the pantry.

Just me? lol. This is not to say that our husbands don't do A TON also. This is not about that.

What keeps coming up for me lately is how God designed us and the gifts he gave us.

I mean, our houses would be a little rough and falling apart on the inside without us, don't you think? We keep them running smoothly (sometimes). We're the GLUE that holds everything together and keeps it sturdy. Our family can LEAN ON US. They can come to us when they just need some comfort and love. Not everyone has those gifts.

If you don't believe me, then read this bible verse: "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10

BUT....what if we're MISSING THE GIFTS WE BRING to the table because the enemy is getting us to LAY THEM DOWN?

Here's an another verse that I loved. The beginning of Proverbs 12:4 says, "A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown".

What comes to mind when you think about your husband proudly wearing the crown you are?

I think treasure. A gift. A loyal and honorable gift.

That's YOU!

So why am I saying all this?

I think the reason this keeps coming up for me is because I WANT to be all those things for my family. I love serving my family. But sometimes I get overwhelmed. And I feel like I can't do one more thing. And my overwhelm quickly turns into feeling like "I do everything". And when I am of sound mind and logically lay out the things my husband and I do, we both do a lot. But the ENEMY IS QUICK to grab those feelings of being overwhelmed and telling me things like:

+ You do it all

+ You aren't succeeding in any of all the things you're trying to do

+ You're failing in ____

+ You just need a break, you never get a break

And that causes me to SHUT DOWN. When I shut down, I do not contribute to my family the way I want to.

Maybe you do have too many things on your plate. I'm not here to tell you that you don't.

I'm here to give you a helpful thought when you start going down that overwhelmed and drained path so that instead of shutting down, you are a gift to them.

Next time, when you're having a hard day, I want you to do these steps:

1. RECOGNIZE how you're feeling and the thoughts the enemy is offering you

2. THANK God for your beautiful family, safe home, and anything else you can feel gratitude for. Tell him how you're feeling and that you need help. He KNOWS you CAN'T DO IT ALL and He wants you to COME TO HIM.

3. Ask God for HELP AND STRENGTH. Remember that you are worth MORE THAN RUBIES. Ask God to show you how you can be less overwhelmed and more calm. To show you how you can feel less pressure and more energized/joyful. As you feel better, you'll be able to do things you couldn't previously do.

4. Give yourself GRACE AND TIME. Your brain is used to automatically defaulting to certain thoughts. So it will take time to actively learn how to stop, give thanks, ask for help, and look for ways to get to the other feelings you want to feel. I have had many conversations with God about the same thing because I struggle with the same feelings day after day, and it's okay. I see little improvements and I know I'm a work in progress :)

Let me give you an example. The other night I DID NOT want to make dinner after a long night of work and taking care of the baby. But I was thinking about what a huge act of service it is that I can make a nutritious dinner that we can connect together over and I did a little "good job, Brittany" for actually making dinner, lol.

Instead of the enemy getting me to shut down, I SHUT HIM DOWN.

And I blessed my family.

Women naturally tend to have the gift of homemaking. And that act of service that we sow into our family will be REAPED TENFOLD.

A joyful wife and mother is powerful, honorable, and a true treasure to the rest of her family.

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In joy,

Brittany ♡