Even When I Don't Know What I'm Doing, I Know the One Who Does

Our Keepsake Journal is Here! 🎉

I have absolutely no clue what I am doing when it comes to parenting.

None. Nada. Nope. Zero.

I am the queen of mistakes, daily. I yell when I should have asked calmly. I check my phone when I know I should be paying attention. I will use screen time so I can take quick shower, and the occasional glass of wine to keep my sanity. I sometimes pair with Betty Crocker to get through dinner time, and use the assistance of the Pillsbury Dough Boy when we “make” cookies.

But, I try.

I try so hard that I worry. I worry about all I am doing wrong. I worry that I am ruining my babies, that I am somehow damaging these beautiful hearts. I worry if they know how I love them, if they feel it. I worry that I am being too hard, and that I am not being hard enough. I worry if they will be good people, and I worry about the bad ones who might try to prey on them. I worry when they are right next me, and when they are miles away.

Then, I pray to God each night to make me a better mother and wife.

I don’t attend church every Sunday, not even close. I can’t quote the Bible, or tell you what each chapter holds. I don’t take communion, and we have yet to dedicate our youngest son. My Bible hasn’t been touched in years, and I don’t belong to a study group.

But I need Him.

He knows my sins, and I know them too, so I ask for forgiveness when my head hits the pillow. He knows all I do wrong, all my worries and thoughts, and how hard I am trying. He knows how I grew up, and how much I want to give them a better life than I had, to be a better mother. I believe He knows that. He sees our attempts to get there on Sunday, whether a success or failure. He sees me teach them how to pray each night before bed, and He hears my prayers after they are tucked in. He knows we are giving it everything we’ve got to teach them about love, kindness, and embracing differences.

Despite all I do wrong, I believe He is still beside me, guiding me along the way.

I have absolutely no clue what I am doing when it comes to parenting, but He gave these beautiful children to me, so I believe in myself, because He does.

So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Order Now

Check out our new Keepsake Companion Journal that pairs with our So God Made a Mother book!

Order Now

So God Made a Mother's Story Keepsake Journal

Her View Shop

Faith Grace Motherhood parenting

Kayla Friehe

Kayla Friehe is a wife and mother of two young boys. She loves wine, chocolate, and binge watching Netflix-- sometimes all at once. In her spare time she enjoys blogging about motherhood and day dreaming of sleep.

Going to Church with Kids is Hard but We’ll Keep Showing Up

In: Faith, Motherhood

Going to church is hard with young kids. It used to be something I looked forward to. It’s something I’ve always valued deeply and needed desperately. It’s the one place that will always be home regardless of what location or building it’s in or what people attend. Church is my sanctuary. But it’s become a battle with the kids’ resistance, my tired mind and body, and my lack of ability to actually listen to the sermon. Going to church is hard with young kids. It’s become normal for me to lie down in bed on Saturday night thinking, with dread,...

Keep Reading

I’m Praying for My Teenager in These Challenging Years

In: Faith, Motherhood, Teen

Teen boy holding a smartphone and wearing headphones

In my mid-40s, I began to long for a baby. We didn’t get much encouragement from friends and family. My husband is a high-functioning quadriplegic, and I was considered way too old to start a family. But our marriage was stable, we were used to obstacles, we were financially prepared, emotionally experienced, and our careers were established. I began to paint my own sublime mental portrait of parenting tranquility. What could go wrong? At 48, I delivered a healthy baby boy, and he was perfect. We adored him. The baby we had longed for and prayed for, we had. And...

Keep Reading

When Motherhood Feels Like a Limitation

In: Faith, Motherhood

Twenty-one years ago, my husband Troy and I welcomed our first son into the world. Two years later, I gave birth to another boy. And again two years later, and again two years after that. A fifth boy joined our family another two years later, and a final son was born 11 years after we began our parenting journey. If you were counting, you’re not mistaken—that’s six sons in just over a decade. We were overjoyed and more than a little exhausted. I remember feeling frustrated with the limitations of the little years with young children when I was a...

Keep Reading

The Day My Mother Died I Thought My Faith Did Too

In: Faith, Grief, Loss

She left this world with an endless faith while mine became broken and shattered. She taught me to believe in God’s love and his faithfulness. But in losing her, I couldn’t feel it so I believed it to be nonexistent. I felt alone in ways like I’d never known before. I felt helpless and hopeless. I felt like He had abandoned my mother and betrayed me by taking her too soon. He didn’t feel near the brokenhearted. He felt invisible and unreal. The day my mother died I felt alone and faithless while still clinging to her belief of heaven....

Keep Reading

Jesus Meets Me in the Pew

In: Faith

I entered the church sanctuary a woman with a hurting and heavy heart. Too many worries on my mind, some unkind words spoken at home, and not enough love wrapped around my shoulders were getting the best of me. What I longed to find was Jesus in a rocking chair, extending His arms to me, welcoming me into his lap, and inviting me to exhaust myself into Him. I sought out an empty pew where I could hide in anonymity, where I could read my bulletin if I didn’t feel like listening to the announcements, sing if I felt up...

Keep Reading

Can I Still Trust Jesus after Losing My Child?

In: Faith, Grief, Loss

Everyone knows there is a time to be born and a time to die. We expect both of those unavoidable events in our lives, but we don’t expect them to come just 1342 days apart. For my baby daughter, cancer decided that the number of her days would be so many fewer than the hopeful expectation my heart held as her mama. I had dreams that began the moment the two pink lines faintly appeared on the early morning pregnancy test. I had hopes that grew with every sneak peek provided during my many routine ultrasounds. I had formed a...

Keep Reading

5 Kids in the Bible Who Will Inspire Yours

In: Faith, Kids

Gathering my kids for morning Bible study has become our family’s cornerstone, a time not just for spiritual growth but for real, hearty conversations about life, courage, and making a difference. It’s not perfect, but it’s ours. My oldest, who’s 11, is at that age where he’s just beginning to understand the weight of his actions and decisions. He’s eager, yet unsure, about his ability to influence his world. It’s a big deal for him, and frankly, for me too. I want him to know, deeply know, that his choices matter, that he can be a force for good, just...

Keep Reading

Mad Martha, Mary, Mom, and Me

In: Faith, Living

Woman wrapped in a blanket standing by water

As a brand-new, born-again, un-churched Christian fresh in my new faith with zero knowledge of the Bible, I am steaming, hissing mad when I first read these words from Luke 10:38-42: “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell...

Keep Reading

I Can’t Pray away My Anxiety But I Can Trust God to Hold Me through It

In: Faith, Living

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t afraid. I was scared of people, of speaking, and even of being looked at. As I got older, I worried about everything. I was aware of the physical impact that stress and worry have on our bodies and our mental health, but I couldn’t break the cycle. I declined invitations and stuck with what I knew. Then we had a child who knew no fear. The person I needed to protect and nurture was vulnerable. There was danger in everything. It got worse. He grew older and more independent. He became a...

Keep Reading

Your Kids Don’t Need More Things, They Need More You

In: Faith, Kids, Motherhood

Mother and young girl smiling together at home

He reached for my hand and then looked up. His sweet smile and lingering gaze flooded my weary heart with much-needed peace. “Thank you for taking me to the library, Mommy! It’s like we’re on a date! I like it when it’s just the two of us.” We entered the library, hand in hand, and headed toward the LEGO table. As I began gathering books nearby, I was surprised to feel my son’s arms around me. He gave me a quick squeeze and a kiss with an “I love you, Mommy” before returning to his LEGO—three separate times. My typically...

Keep Reading

You Won’t Be Ready

Kids

You Won’t Be Ready

My Son with Down Syndrome has a Higher Intelligence

Journal

Even When I Don’t Know What I’m Doing, I Know the One Who Does

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Check out our new Keepsake Companion Journal that pairs with our So God Made a Mother book!

Her View Shop

Kayla Friehe

Going to Church with Kids is Hard but We’ll Keep Showing Up

I’m Praying for My Teenager in These Challenging Years

When Motherhood Feels Like a Limitation

The Day My Mother Died I Thought My Faith Did Too

Jesus Meets Me in the Pew

Can I Still Trust Jesus after Losing My Child?

5 Kids in the Bible Who Will Inspire Yours

Mad Martha, Mary, Mom, and Me

I Can’t Pray away My Anxiety But I Can Trust God to Hold Me through It

Your Kids Don’t Need More Things, They Need More You

Get It Now

So God Made a Mother

Even When I Don’t Know What I’m Doing, I Know the One Who Does

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Check out our new Keepsake Companion Journal that pairs with our So God Made a Mother book!

Her View Shop

Going to Church with Kids is Hard but We’ll Keep Showing Up

I’m Praying for My Teenager in These Challenging Years

When Motherhood Feels Like a Limitation

The Day My Mother Died I Thought My Faith Did Too

Jesus Meets Me in the Pew

Can I Still Trust Jesus after Losing My Child?

5 Kids in the Bible Who Will Inspire Yours

Mad Martha, Mary, Mom, and Me

I Can’t Pray away My Anxiety But I Can Trust God to Hold Me through It

Your Kids Don’t Need More Things, They Need More You

Previous Post

Next Post

You May Also Like