Susanna Welsey had 11 children and still found time to pray.

In motherhood, prayer can feel as elusive as finding space in your day to take a shower. It seems we all wish we did it more, but it can be a struggle to find the time or be consistent with it. Thankfully, there's no perfect formula to prayer - it's simply talking with God - and you can do that anytime, even while changing diapers or making lunch. God longs for us to come to him all the time, any time, just as we are - even as a frazzled mom trying to get out the door for preschool drop off in the morning. 

Because prayer isn't about rules, it's about relationship.

As busy moms, it's easy to come to scripture with a "debit account" mentality, hoping for a quick and sweet bite of truth to obtain what we think we need for the day. But God's word is more than just a quick bite! Although He is faithful to use little nuggets of truth to encourage us, there is even more value in making a lifelong investment in the study of His word. Every word of scripture is valuable for heart transformation, even when we can't see the results right away! We hope that these free resources will help you grow in your love of God as you grow in knowledge of Him through Bible study.

Sometimes, God sees it good for us to wait at the base of the mountain, blind and helpless, because that is where our rags are refined, our souls are sweetened and our hearts healed.

Here are questions that can help a family prayerfully determine the "family size" question using Biblical principals. 

"See needs and meet them."

My mom pounded this phrase into me as a kid. All she had to do was say, "see needs..." and I knew what she was going to say and (more importantly) what she meant. Today, I'm finding myself repeating that phrase to my children. Whether it's someone needing a tissue because they're crying, a cabinet door that needs shut, or toys spread across the floor that need cleaned up, my prayer for my children is they will grow to be people that see needs – and instead of waiting for someone to ask them to help – they are the first to stand up and help without ever being asked.

So many of us entered motherhood feeling totally unequipped for the task, both emotionally and practically. Whether it was questions about how to soothe a gassy infant or questions about how to keep going on days with 3 hours of sleep, the need for helpers arrives swiftly at the doorstep. With all of these insecurities, and a real need for guidance, we quickly can find ourselves needing a mentor.

While that sounds good in theory, is it realistic to find a mentor in motherhood? And even if you find someone, how do you approach them and what should your expectations be? Here are 3 quick thoughts I have on engaging a mentor:

Shopping for peaches (especially in the winter months) is so challenging. As you survey the bin of fruit, you'll notice a wide array of options...

✴︎ Some will be shriveled and rotten-looking (Ew...definitely don't want those).
✴︎ Some will look good overall, with a few bruises that you'll have to consider cutting-off. (Is this viable and worth the money?)
✴︎ Some will be near-perfect and you'll eagerly drop them into your bag. (Yum!)
✴︎ And some will look awesome, but when you get them home and dig in, they might be brown and flavorless inside (bummer...)

While this experience rings true at the grocery store, it also somewhat rings true as we pick-through Christian resources for motherhood.

In light of this week's show on discerning if a resource is helpful, edifying and/or gospel-centered, here are some good checks to work through about a particular resource.

I think every person has a desire to see results - to feel like something is happening from our efforts, that they're making a difference. We are a culture of instant gratification after all. But when all you're doing most of the day is picking up fuzz, crumbs and toys off the floor, it can be hard to see the value. It feels very ... small. But the truth is, motherhood is not small work. It is a slow process, one that isn't obvious or grand to the world - it takes stamina, patience and vision - but the results are things legacies are made of. 

I claim I would do anything for Him. I profess that I would suffer for him - even to the point of death. But if I'm not careful, I treat him like an old trinket, cast off in a corner, gathering dust, only coming out on Sunday mornings or when I suddenly have a need.

It's a simple question really, "Do you love Jesus more than anything?" And if the answer is "Yes," then wouldn't we bring him to the forefront, bubbling over with excitement and joy over what he has done for us? Displaying him prominently in the most central place in our lives? Wouldn't we tell our friends, family - our children - about him?

When I find myself losing my temper with my children more often than normal, it can be easy for me to spiral downward, feeling guilt, condemnation and listening to the lies from Satan that I cannot change.

But when I believe this lie, what's really happening is I'm believing that I am beyond the reach of God's grace – I'm believing that the cross wasn't enough.