Because we’re human, we worry. We may not mean to worry, but let’s be honest… most of us have that little voice inside us asking “what if.”
For some, we’ll just call it concern.
For others, worry is intense. It’s excessive unease, nervousness, and apprehension about everyday situations… a.k.a. anxiety.
And for those with children, we’ll call this level of worry PARENTHOOD. Yes, I really just said that.
Parenting is freaking hard. Enjoyable, but hard. And it should be defined for exactly what it is, “the anxious joy and adventure of keeping another human happy and alive.”
We worry if we’re screwing our kids up.
We stress over what others think of us or think of our parenting.
We lose sleep over things like how we yelled at our kids today and lay in bed awake wondering if they think we’re a mean mom.
We question if we’re teaching our kids the right things. Will they grow up believing in God and trusting in Him? Will they have good jobs? Will they be able to support themselves? Will they have the skills necessary to cope with the craziness of this world? Will they be good people?
But what if you didn’t have to worry?
Right now you’re probably either frantically nodding your head yes or you’re in complete disbelief thinking I’m a terrible mom to not worry about my kids and are about to click off my site. Either way, slow down there, sister. This is important stuff.
THERE ARE 2 BIG REALITIES THAT I REALLY WANT YOU TO SOAK IN:
- Parenting your children is not all on you. It’s not all on your partner either.
- Your actions, mistakes, and choices in parenting aren’t the only factors guiding how your child will turn out.
Do you play a huge role in your children’s life? Heck yah. You are the Mack Dad of all the peeps in your kid’s life. You are what they know. Who they go to for help and hugs and bloody knees. You are their first teacher, their role model, and their real-life superhero.
However, you are not in control of who your child is or how they turn out.
That doesn’t give you permission to go on a momcation and drink pina coladas all day.
What it does give you permission to do though is to slow down, to enjoy your children, to really get to know them, and to parent open handed.
Most of all, knowing that parenting is not all on you frees you to hand your worries, concerns, cares, and anxiety to the maker and creator of the universe, to the One who is in control.
It allows you to stop worrying about tomorrow and gives you the most powerful and affective artillery in the fight for our kids’ futures… PRAYER and partnership with God.
It sounds super cliché to say that prayer soothes anxiety. But y’all know that I’m a non-cliché, tell-it-like-it-is kinda gal. So when I tell you that prayer works, what I really mean is that prayer really freaking works!
Does it mean that you pray and *poof* all your anxieties about parenting disappear? NO. Dang, if that were the case, it would be all sunshine and lollipops over here.
But the truth is that you don’t know what the future holds for your children. And as much as we control freaks would love to take the handlebars and steer their bike toward happiness and success, we can’t control our kid’s future.
So rather than worry about an outcome we can’t control, we can do as Phil 4:6 says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
We can specifically and expectantly pray for our children. Not just prayers asking God that they are happy, healthy, and blessed. But put out deep, specific, Scripture-based prayers and requests for our children’s faith, future, character, and relationships.
PARENTING YOUR CHILDREN IS NOT ALL ON YOU.
You’ve got the big guy, the author and perfector of our lives, right there with you.
Your job is to do your part. Raise them the best way you know how. Show up every. single. day. with open arms and grace. Teach them everything you possibly can. And pray harder than you ever knew how.
God’s got the rest.
He doesn’t want you worrying your time with your kids away. He wants you to trust him to do his part.
Can bad things still happen? Sure.
Will we get everything we ask God for? Who knows. Even if he doesn’t answer your prayers the way you want its because he’s got something bigger to help them learn and grow and grow closer to him. But he hears you, mama.
Worrying won’t help any situation. Being anxious about your child’s outcome won’t help. Stressing about the everyday stuff won’t change it.
So slow down, girlfriend. Breathe. And give your worries to God.
I am well aware that those are fightin’ words. I just told you to breath. As a human being who has battled anxiety for like forever, I hate being told to breathe. If that was all I had to do to make life go swimmingly, I wouldn’t need tips on how to not worry.
So let me back those words up in a tangible way by providing you with a hands-on printable that will guide you in making a plan to pray for your children.
This Prayer Plan is designed to help you pray for specific areas in your child’s life both now and for the person they are becoming, and to give you clarity on your mission in life. Yes, mom… you have a mission and it does involve more than worrying for family.
In fact, this Prayer Plan printable is part of 3 crucial actions necessary if you really want to take the worry out of parenting.
3 THINGS IF YOU REALLY WANT TO TAKE THE WORRY OUT OF PARENTING…
- Trust God. Easier said than done. But believe with your whole heart that he really is going to do immeasurably more than you can ask or imagine (Eph 3:20). Make a Prayer Plan and start talking to Him. He hears you. He’s holding your kids so tightly and will answer your prayers for them according to the plan he has in place for their life. Trust him.
- Live in the moment with your kids. Be mentally present and intentional with your children. You can’t be worrying about the “what ifs” if you are grounded in laughter and conversations with your kids. Enjoy the here and now.
- Remember that worrying won’t solve anything. You probably heard your mom say this a hundred times over things like math tests and when your first boyfriend broke up with you. And even if your mama didn’t say that to you, the Bible sure does. “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matt 6:34.
My friend, I know that worrying is just part of parenthood. It’s part of being a mom because we love the heck out of our kids.
Are you ever going to stop worrying? Not completely.
But knowing your part of the parenting role God gave you, and making wise decisions for your kids… that will keep your anxiety at bay and bring you joy.
Big hugs!
