I’ve had to ask myself some serious soul-searching questions about my mothering lately.
Life with a newborn is exhausting and busy, and I’m trying to work and build a blog in the midst of it all. Without really realizing it, I had slipped into survival mode. I had let my priorities get out of whack, and I had lost sight of my big “whys” – why I started a blog, why homemaking was important to me, and why I even wanted to become a mother in the first place. I was more focused on short-term solutions than long-term investments.
Then one day I looked at some of the decisions I had been making and started asking myself some hard questions. I’m not proud of some of the answers, but I am glad I’m recognizing how off-course I was getting before it was too late. I’m proud of myself for being honest and making the necessary corrections now.
Here are the questions I asked. I won’t tell you all the answers – those are between me, God, and my journal 😉 – but I hope you read them and seriously contemplate how you would answer them. They’re tough questions, and like I said, I’m not proud of all my answers, either. But I think it’s important for us to regularly check ourselves and make sure we’re not just “going through the motions.”
So grab your journal, find a quiet place, and settle in for some honest reflection. You’ll be glad you did!
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6 Soul-Searching Questions for Intentional Motherhood
- What do I see as my most important work? My job? My blog? Housework? Or my children?
What have my efforts, my attitudes, and my time management said about my priorities lately? - Have my kids become interruptions to other things I’d rather be doing?
- Am I just biding time until my “real” pursuits can begin? Am I living for naptime and bedtime?
- Am I making daily investments in my children’s physical, mental, and spiritual development? Or am I just trying to get through the day?
- Am I so looking forward to the next phase that I’m completely missing all the good stuff from this one?
And the most important one …
- Have I lost sight of why I had kids in the first place?
I didn’t decide to have children so they could sit quietly on the sidelines until I was ready to be entertained. No, I wanted to have kids to be “arrows in the hands of a warrior” (Psalm 127:4). I felt a calling to intentional motherhood to raise Christ-minded children who would further God’s Kingdom here on earth. Lately, I’ve had to ask myself whether my actions had been consistent with that desire.
What was your “why” for having kids? Do your actions support it?
If you need a fresh vision for motherhood, these books will renew your passion:
- Raising Kingdom Kids: Giving Your Child a Living Faith
by Tony Evans
- The Resolution for Women
by Priscilla Shirer
There is a chapter within the book called “Loving My Children” that completely changed my mind about having kids. The entire book is fantastic, though, and I would recommend it to any woman!
There’s your peek into what my journey toward intentional motherhood has looked like lately. It’s full of hard questions, sacrifice, and determination. But I believe it will be oh so worth it. Keep your eyes on the prize, momma, and never be afraid of a little soul-searching reflection!
Recommended Reading:
- 5 Books Every Mom Should Read
- Hands Free Mama: A Real Mom’s Review
- How to Transform Routine Chores Into Rich Bonding Opportunities
- Why “Homemaking” Means More Than You Think!
Such great questions! It’s definitely important (and necessary sometimes) to remember why you chose to be a mother and what your goals are around it. It’s so easy to get caught up in survival mode and then be disappointed or unhappy.
Yes, it is! Thank you for sharing, Emily!
I love that you shared Psalm 127:4! Great reminder! And asking those questions put it all in perspective. Thank you!
I love that verse! It’s a great visual of what my purpose in parenting is all about.