You are Qualified for Motherhood
As mommas we all have days where we think we aren’t really cut out for this job. Kelly Baker joins us today to share how we are qualified for motherhood. I know you will find this encouraging!
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Being pregnant for the fourth time didn’t change anything. Doubts added to the weight I already carried around. Reclining on my left side, I wondered:“Can I do this again?”“What if she grows up to hate me?”“Do I know how to train her to be discreet?”“Will we make it to the hospital on time?”“Am I going to die? I mean, I feel like I’m dying now.”With each of my three prior deliveries, I had precipitous labor. That’s the technical term for a labor under three hours. That’s Domino’s-Pizza-delivery fast. It’s a blessing and a curse. A blessing because your labor is short and a curse because subsequent labors usually keep the pattern of being shorter than each preceding one.Knowing this made for an anxious pregnancy and countdown to baby’s arrival:4:00am. Strong contractions woke me. They came every four or five minutes. Waking my family before knowing “this is it” seemed foolish, so I waited around to see if they got longer, stronger, and closer together.4:35am. Contractions were now every three minutes, the bleeding came, and I was sure. I was also sure I wanted this baby out of me and wasted no time contacting my family and getting ready to leave. Except I could barely move. We’re talking powerful pain. Contractions lasted almost two minutes before the next one hit. So that left about a minute to move—like a snail.Why did I wait so long?5:10am. We finally pulled out of the driveway. My husband, determined that I would not have the baby in the car, (safely) ran red lights. I gripped the door handle.“We need green lights, God! And don’t let us crash!”5:19am. My water broke, but we were only halfway there. All the other times when my water broke I was at *eight* centimeters.“We are running behind schedule! We should be at the hospital by now!”5:27am. I tried to will away the urge to push during the last two contractions before we pulled up to the birthing center.“No! No babies born in the car! Please?”5:28am. We pulled up to the hospital entrance. Praises! (Let me do that math for you. That’s a 25 minute drive in 18 minutes.) My sister-in-law arrived the same time we did. My husband got me a wheelchair. She helped me out of the car, and I gripped the arms of the wheelchair while the next contraction made me want to push like it would save her life.“I want to push! I NEED TO PUSH!”“NO! Don’t push! Blow out to keep from bearing down,” she cautioned.Now all I need is a balloon. But it worked.5:32am. We made it to my room, but the intense pain rendered me practically immovable on my own accord. A couple of nurses helped me change into the hospital gown. All dignity hit the ground.The doctor told me to lay down on my back to see how many centimeters I dilated. As soon as I laid down the doctor declared, “I see the head, it’s time to push!”What a relief to hear!“Go ahead and push,” she commanded gently.“I am pushing,” I said while my brain willed my body to push. My body didn’t respond; I had no strength.While nurses worked rapidly on routine tasks, searching for baby’s heartbeat, preparing a PICC line, etc., I breathed a prayer for physical strength.5:41am. The next contraction came, God filled my body with strength, and she was out in 30 seconds. My healthy girl immediately greeted me by using the bathroom on my legs. I laughed and glanced at the clock. 1 hour and 41 minutes—a new record!I have often questioned my ability as a mom, but God reminds me that He’s by my side.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)
Who makes you qualified for motherhood?
The truth is, if you are a mom, God has equipped you to do the job.
Just like I had family and medical staff by my side, He will still orchestrate people to help you when you need it. But needing help never means you’re disqualified.Keep putting one foot in front of the other because you are well able to be a mom with God’s strength.
God has also made you a mentor.
And you know what else? Did you know you are a mentor for your child?A mentor is an experienced and trusted adviser. When I think of a mentor, I usually think of someone who guides and counsels me into spiritual maturity or shares their wisdom of life lessons and helps me apply them.That’s true of a mother, and it begins by training a child in the very basic of skills. From a young age, you begin teaching your child to sit up, walk, eat with a spoon, go potty, zip a jacket, and tie shoe laces. Eventually you mentor your child in having a relationship with God, manners, cooking, cleaning, etc.You might think you aren’t qualified to be your child’s mentor, but let me tell you the facts. Just as every birth story is unique, every mom’s mentoring journey will be different. Your mentoring timeline won’t mirror another mom’s—and that’s okay. You might think, “Oh no, I should be at the next milestone by now!” But don’t beat yourself up over it. You are qualified.
God doesn’t disqualify you from motherhood.
God doesn’t declare you’re not qualified just because you aren’t as far along as you think you should be. God doesn’t disqualify you just like He didn’t with me when I didn’t arrive at the hospital when I thought I should.You are still your child’s mother. And you know what doesn’t change that?
Nothing will change because GOD made YOU QUALIFIED for motherhood!
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)You are your child’s mother. And. You. Are. Qualified.Kelly R. Baker is a Bible study teacher, writer, and mentor. She serves with her husband in leading the worship ministry at their church. You will probably find her sneaking a bite (or more) of organic dark chocolate in between wrangling her four kids. Her greatest passion is helping women thrive in Christ. Connect with her at www.kellyrbaker.com.You May Also Like:
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Thanks for the opportunity to share at your site, Rebekah!
Thank you so much for being willing to come on over and share these words of encouragement for those who are wondering if they are qualified for motherhood! I know from other comments, that many have found it refreshing to read these words of truth.
That is some story about your delivery, Kelly! I can’t imagine. My second labor was A LOT faster than my first, but not quite that fast. 🙂 Thanks for the encouragement. Even with young adult kids now, I still wonder if I’m qualified. 🙂
You are probably more qualified than the rest of us, Betsy!
Kelly, I love the way you described God filling you with strength to push.
And it’s wonderful how He continues to do that for all the pushes we need in this mothering journey.
It is indeed, Michele!
Thank GOD that HE ALONE qualifies me to be a mama and NOTHING in me!! Without Him this job would be so hard and at times feel impossible, truly I don’t know how mamas without Jesus do it!
Yes!! I totally agree with you on that! I feel like it would seem so hopeless!
Agreed, Myriah! I couldn’t give credit elsewhere!
I’m so glad equips me when I need it, not a minute too soon or a minute too late! If God has given me these kids, He will certainly give me the ability to shepherd them with His guidance!
Yes! It is so good to know that we don’t have to do this mom thing on our own!
I love how you put that—the ability to shepherd them. So glad He is there with us!
I try not to worry about all the details in raising my children. It eliminates a lot of stress on my behalf when I know the Lord has it under control.
Moms tend to worry too much. I love how God shows us exactly what our part is, though!