I have always wanted to be a mom. Always. Yet, I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t prepared for how motherhood would change me, how it would stretch me, and the responsibility behind it. You see, being a mom is more than just changing diapers, calming tantrums, and setting boundaries. It’s more than the joy that comes from seeing the smile that lights up their faces when they see you, the feel of arms wrapped tightly around your legs, or, as they get older, the way they lean into you that shows you are still needed. Being a mom . . . is a calling. It’s an understanding that you were chosen to raise the specific children God gave you.

You . . . were CHOSEN.

I was chosen to do more than care for the physical and emotional needs of my kids. God desires for me to raise each of my children with the knowledge that in His eyes, they are loved and they are precious, and that He created them uniquely and with a specific purpose for their lives. My calling as a mom . . . is to lead my children down that path.

Now, I must admit that sometimes, the weight of this responsibility falls heavy upon my shoulders. But, it is in those moments that I hear God’s gentle whisper. He reminds me that I am not alone. He reminds me that He is walking alongside me, He will never leave me, and that we are doing this together. He reminds me that He created me to do this very thing He has asked of me, and that if I keep my eyes focused on Him, I will do well.

Motherhood. It’s more. It is my purpose. It is my calling. I have been called. . .  to motherhood.