My Favorite Resources for Cultivating Joy in Motherhood

As any mom (if she’s honest) will tell you, motherhood is HARD! That’s why it’s all the more important to intentionally and diligently till the soil, sow the seeds, and tend the plants of joy in your mothering. I hope you are encouraged and equipped by these joyful motherhood resources.

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Our culture paints a pretty dreary picture of motherhood. Couples are told to “just wait.…” Memes abound about the work and sacrifices involved in raising kids. Hashtags like #kidsaretheworst top the ranking charts. And the image of tantrum-throwing, soul-sucking, dream-crushing burdens is projected everywhere.

Without even thinking about it (or meaning any harm by it), we may have even participated in this ourselves. In the name of being “real,” relatable, or funny.

However, the Bible has something VERY different to say about raising children:

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” Psalm 127:3-4

This may not be your reality right now. I completely and totally get that. It has not alway been mine, either.

I have definitely gone through days and seasons when I did not feel like motherhood was a blessing. It certainly wasn’t a joy.

But I can honestly say it is now. I fervently and passionately believe it is possible to enjoy motherhood. (On the whole, anyway. You’re never going to love every single moment.) I say all the time that if I can be a joyful mom, anyone can.

That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy! It takes lots of intention and work to cultivate joy. (This is more true for some of us than others). But it is entirely worth the effort.

If you want to cultivate joy in your own mothering (and I hope you do!), here are some of my favorite resources that have helped me become a more joyful mom.

My Favorite Resources for Cultivating Joy in Motherhood

Books for Joyful Motherhood

Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday – Val Woerner
The Cranky Mom Fix – Becky Kopitzke
Mom Set Free – Jeannie Cunnion
Risen Motherhood – Emily Jenkins & Laura Wifler
Parenting – Paul David Tripp
Love the Ones You’re With – Lisa Mullen (that’s me!)

I’m currently writing a new book about how to cultivate joy in motherhood, so stay tuned for that! Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to hear when I release it.

Podcasts for Joyful Motherhood

Risen Motherhood
Coffee + Crumbs podcast
Mom to Mom podcast

People to Follow

The following women are some of my biggest inspirations for pursuing joy and purpose in motherhood. I prefer following them on Instagram for their Instastories, but a few can be found on Facebook, as well.

Phylicia Masonheimer (@phyliciamasonheimer)
Crystal Paine (@themoneysavingmom)
Heidi Anderson (@thismotherhen)
Abbie Halberstadt (@MisforMama) — she tends to be more extreme in her views than I am, in general, but when it comes to choosing positive perspectives towards raising children, I can think of few more inspiring moms
September McCarthy (@septemberanne)

I would LOVE to add to this list! Do you have favorite books, blogs, podcasts, and other resources for joyful motherhood? Share them in the comments below!