5 Encouraging Quotes for Struggling Moms and Weary Women
Throughout the past 13 years, I’ve spent most of my time caring for our children. As we push through the end of another long winter, I hope to offer a few quotes for struggling moms and weary women.
I pray these words will bless and encourage you as you continue pressing forward. You are not alone, and your humble, hidden work matters deeply. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you find strength in God’s presence.
Quotes for Struggling Moms and Weary Women
A friend recently sent me a text that went something like this: “No one tells you how hard motherhood actually is!”
I immediately called her so we could talk in real time.
We talked about the difficult newborn days when we thought we’d never sleep through the night again. We shared stories of coaxing our crying children onto school buses, feeling like failures, and melting down while our kids bickered.
Motherhood is hard, but it’s important to remember that hard doesn’t mean bad. This is true for motherhood, and I’ve discovered that it’s true in every other realm of life, too.
Motherhood is hard, but it’s important to remember that hard doesn’t mean bad. This is true for motherhood, and I've discovered that it's true in every other realm of life, too. #motherhood #MomLife Share on XBefore becoming a mom, packing up for a short road trip or weekend getaway was much easier than it is now with three kids. However, I often remind myself that easier doesn’t mean better.
Life is better now—most of the time. I wouldn’t trade this life for my pre-motherhood life.
Today, I’m returning to the words that remind me of how to add joy to the difficult days of motherhood. If you’re a weary mom, I pray these words bless you, too.
5 Quotes for Struggling Moms
1. “Being present is better than being perfect.”
I spent the first years of motherhood feeling anxious because I could never keep up. The house was always dirty. The laundry baskets were always full. I always felt like I was running behind.
Over time, I learned that I wasn’t called to the level of perfection I was chasing.
Instead of maintaining a perfect house and keeping all the plates in my life spinning, I learned to set a few plates aside. This meant walking away from some ministries I loved. It meant scaling back on work. I also learned to be present with my kids and enjoy them.
You probably won’t cross every task off the to-do list today.
You might find an old meatball under the cabinet. The bathrooms might not get cleaned. You might find messes everywhere you turn.
Ask God to help you shift from the pursuit of perfection to the pursuit of presence.
These moments will soon become memories. God is using the spiritual discipline of motherhood to transform you into the image of his Son.
2. “I choose to extend grace to myself today.”
I spent years feeling guilty every time I washed dishes instead of playing on the floor with my kids. Most of us have learned that we’re supposed to put people in front of tasks. This mindset can lead us to feel frustrated when we can’t find the balance we crave.
I believe God has a better invitation for us.
He invites us to extend grace to ourselves.
We don’t have to be perfect at balancing work, parenting, self-care, friendships, and faith. Instead, we do our best and realize that some days simply lack balance. Instead of condemning ourselves, we extend grace. We continue to assess the rhythms of our days and aim to follow God, but we don’t shame ourselves when we sense that we’re missing the mark.
This leads to our next point.
3. “I don’t have to savor every moment of this day, but I can find just one moment to treasure.”
It’s easy to feel guilty because we’re not “loving every moment of motherhood.”
I’ve learned that loving every moment of this journey is practically impossible. However, I can find single moments to savor. This often happens when I intentionally create space for fun.
Recently, I realized that I was spending too much time focusing on the work of writing and not enough time enjoying our youngest son, who is still at home with me in the day. The day after I realized this, I changed the pace. We put on our boots and headed to the woods with a bucket and a net.
We splashed, giggled, and ran through the woods. The playful fun brought joy to our day. We didn’t stay all day, but an hour in the woods changed the tone of the entire day.
I was reminded that creating space for whimsical fun can change the trajectory of a day or weekend.
We find more joy when we regularly create small snippets of space for activities that fill us with joy.
Friend, you don’t need to love every minute of motherhood. Just look for fleeting moments to cherish.
4. “This, too, shall pass.”
When our first child came home from the hospital, I thought I’d never brush my teeth without a baby in my arms again. I thought the newborn stage would last forever. I couldn’t imagine life becoming easier. But it did.
Our daughter is now 13. The few months of carrying her everywhere are long gone.
All seasons change in this life. As struggling moms, we can encourage ourselves by remembering that the season for raising little ones will pass. As weary women, we can remind ourselves that difficult seasons at work will eventually pass. Life is always changing.
This, too, shall pass, friend.
In the meantime, God is working in our hearts and helping us to grow.
As weary women, we can remind ourselves that difficult seasons at work will eventually pass. Life is always changing. This, too, shall pass, friend. #tired #weary #exhaustion Share on X5. “I’m not as alone as I often feel.”
We were created to live in relationships with one another.
When the grind of everyday life wears on me, I make it a point to connect with other adults. I call my mom when I go walking at the end of long days. I intentionally make time for friends. My friends remind me that I’m not as alone as I often feel.
Whether it’s a group of women, close family members, or even an online community, we all need a place to share life with others.
I pray that these quotes for struggling moms have encouraged you. I haven’t mastered the art of enjoying every moment of my life as a full-time mom. Nevertheless, I am taking small steps in the direction of the life I want to live. And we are making progress—one day at a time.
Calling All Parents (and Grandparents)!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Calling All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Devotional to Help You Find Peace in God’s Presence
I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
