Motherhood is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. My kids simultaneously bring me the most joy and the most anxiety I’ve ever experienced. Being a mom is beautiful but hard. In my chase for perfection, I always fall short. I long for the strength to serve my family and my Savior well!

As moms, God calls us to prioritize our faith as a model for our children. We can find encouragement for this calling by studying the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) tells us, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

Over time we can begin to see how the fruit of a faith centered on Christ strengthens our walk with Him and also becomes the heart behind our motherhood journey. Connecting with our heavenly Father and receiving His grace, hope, and strength bolsters our faith as well as our daily lives as mothers.

3 Simple Ways to Connect With Jesus

In the midst of all the meal planning, carpooling, and errands, it can be hard to connect with Jesus. Here are three simple ways to connect with Christ in the middle of it all.

1. Pause and Pray: Take a breath and say a simple prayer. Maybe that is a “Give me strength” over a pile of dishes or an “I need wisdom” while spinning in circles over a decision you feel scared to make. Invite the Holy Spirit to give you the peace, clarity, and strength you need.
2. Worship Music: Whether you’re in the car, office, or in your home, turn on worship music. When you’re running late, or you’re at home enduring the stress of the evening schedule, allow the music to encourage your heart and remind you of God’s faithfulness.
3. Have Scripture visible: Keep Bible verses easily accessible and visible in the spaces you function during your everyday schedule. A Bible verse written on a sticky note hanging from your bathroom mirror or a verse as a wallpaper on your phone works perfectly. Or maybe you keep a “Verse of the Week” on display in your kitchen. And, of course, keep a Bible out and available to grab as the Holy Spirit leads.

A Motherhood Prayer Inspired by the Fruit of the Spirit

Relying on the Holy Spirit in your everyday lives and reminding yourself of God’s faithfulness will help you produce a fruitful faith in the midst of motherhood. On some days, though, finding the strength and endurance to be a mom can feel like a losing battle. Satan will find ways to try and prevent you from seeing the beauty in God’s design for motherhood. I want to encourage you to connect with Christ, bringing your heart to the feet of Jesus. Join me in praying this prayer for all moms.

Lord, help us show our kids LOVE, even when it’s not easy. Help us have JOY in all seasons of our motherhood journey. Give us PEACE in your presence and provision for our lives. Lord, help us have PATIENCE to teach and guide their hearts and minds. Give us KINDNESS when our patience is tested. Fill us with your GOODNESS so we can encourage other moms. I pray for FAITHFULNESS to intentionally point my kids to Christ. Encourage our hearts to have GENTLENESS as we lead them with grace and the SELF-CONTROL to be a good example of faith in all areas of my life.