Spring is a fab time for planting seeds. I love watching them grow, so this year we’ve put a few into glass jars so we can see each stage as it happens! (We also have some in the garden which will hopefully get to the harvest stage too!) It’s been great to chat about what seeds need to grow as we watch them burst out and start to grow roots and shoots. What I’ve been reminded of is how the root comes out first, searching for something to sustain the seed and it’s growth. It reminds me that I need that too. It’s easy to continue giving out until we’re completely empty, but if we follow the lead of the seed, we’ll always make sure we are tapped into something to sustain ourselves first.
I’ve found that how I sustain myself spiritually has changed quite a lot since becoming a Mum, so I thought I’d jot down a few of the things which have helped me in case they help you too. I’d also love to hear what’s helped you!
I find it helpful to:
- not beat myself up or feel guilty or frustrated that things are not as they were before I had children
- remember it’s a season, in fact, each bit of motherhood is a season, and in the early days, weeks and months things changed frequently
- get some new or old-much-loved worship music to listen to in the car / while washing up
- find sermons I enjoy and nourish my spirit to listen to in the car / while washing up/ cooking
- discover new worship music which I could share with my children so we can worship together. We like Big Ministries Welcome to the Big Academy, Cornerstone, You make me brave, and Big Family of God
- get a devotional which has short pieces which make it more realistic for me to read (even on the loo!) When my girls were young I really liked Soul Food for Mums especially as it’s one thing to read each week and related to the stages of new babies. I’ve recently enjoyed Igniting Faith in 40 days which is easy to read and really inspired me
- get together with other Mums with young children to chat and pray for each other into the tiny things which fill our lives as we care for young children
PS If you’d like some ideas on seed stories in the Bible, here’s a few