What God Has Taught Me Through Being a New Mom

As some of you know, we welcomed our first little one a few weeks ago. It has been the most challenging yet rewarding and inspiring time of our lives. And through it, God has taught me so much. This little boy has been the blessing we never knew we needed. Being a mom was never something I fantasized about. Truthfully, I felt like I would be too overwhelmed and not be able to handle it. But, it would be too much to handle on my own, that is why I am so thankful I have God on my side.

 Over these last few weeks, God has shown me a strength that I didn’t know I had. As well as in the moments that I have had none left, He has been my source of strength. Here are some of the valuable lessons that God has taught me through being a new mom.

Patience

One of the top things I have learned is patience. An entirely new level of patience is needed when being a new parent. You discover a patience you never knew you had. People always say it is different when it is your own child. I now see what they meant. God has shone a light on a new level of patience when dealing with my little one. Our son is colicky. Any parent who has ever been through that knows that it tests you in ways you never expected. And that is where the grace comes in.

Grace

Grace. There is an allowance of newly defined grace when it comes to your baby. An all-encompassing grace and mercy. Being a new mom, I have a new perspective of God’s bountiful grace. 

Forgiveness

A heart full of forgiveness. Especially for babies, there isn’t anything in the world he could do that I don’t have a heart full of forgiveness for. I love him unconditionally. My perspective on true forgiveness where the slate is wiped clean and there is no record of wrongs. Not a semi-forgiveness where you forgive but hold onto it, but a forgiveness like it never happened.

Unconditional Love

I have a new outlook on unconditional love. A love from a mother or father to their son is so powerful and truly unconditional. And just to think of the sacrifice of Jesus, I couldn’t even fathom. 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

 I have a new perspective on this verse that he gave His only Son so that we may have life. I feel the unconditional love from God just thinking about the sacrifice he made; and an endless love that keeps no record of wrong. 

Joy

A joy like no other that fills your heart so full. Especially when our little one smiled for the first time. I experienced a new feeling of joy that melted my heart. There is something so pure and genuine about a baby’s smile that overwhelms you with pure joy.  

Peace

An inner peace that God always gives us access to through the Holy Spirit. As a naturally anxious person, peace does not come easy to me. But, with having a colicky baby I have had to pray and truly lean into the Holy Spirit for peace when our little one is screaming hours and hours on end. It is truly amazing the kind of peace God has given me in these moments when I have felt so overwhelmed to tears and God gives me the inner peace to keep going and comfort our little one.

@MaciJacobsPhotography

Faith

These past few weeks have been a test of my faith. I have had to rely on God like never before, trusting that He will see us through these difficult times. Each day, I pray for the strength, peace, and patience to keep going through the sleepless nights with love and grace. We have kept faith that God will provide what we need to make it through this. Which brings me to endurance.

Endurance

Through these recent tough weeks, God has revealed to me a resilience and endurance I never knew I possessed. I could not have imagined that I would be able to continue persevering joyfully despite the difficulties. It is truly amazing to see the strength that God grants us when we rely on Him to keep moving forward.

Strength

Endurance and strength go hand in hand, and I have recently discovered a newfound strength to overcome and persevere. Whenever I have felt like I had no strength left, God has been there to give me the necessary strength to keep going, time and time again. Even in moments when I thought I couldn’t last another second, He has provided me with the endurance to push through.

Hope

It is crucial to hold onto hope when you have a newborn who cannot be comforted, no matter what you do. In such moments, hope is the most challenging thing to maintain. Thankfully, God has provided us with the hope we need to keep going and the assurance that all of our efforts are worthwhile. This hope also enables us to remain present and seek out the positive aspects of even the most trying circumstances.

Being Present

I’ve come to understand the immense value of being mindful and present. These last few weeks, I’ve been able to truly appreciate every moment with our little one, watching him grow and change at an astonishing pace. By focusing on the present, I’ve found a sense of peace and clarity that has allowed me to tackle each day with renewed energy and purpose. Remembering that while the days may feel long, the years pass by in the blink of an eye. I want to truly cherish and embrace every moment.

I love his newborn scrunchies, his beautiful smile, his little hands wrapping around my fingers, and even when he cries that adorable bottom lip going out. If you are dealing with a baby with colic try to embrace every moment, because believe it or not you will miss this. I already miss just how tiny he was a couple of weeks ago and wish I had embraced it a bit more and taken more photos and videos to remember these times, but I will always have and cherish these memories. 

If you are a parent, what lessons did you learn from God through your parenting journey?