The staircase is dark and looming to a two-year-old. Her little feet push upward, but her pudgy hand can’t reach the light switch. With the kind of determined, stubborn bravery found only in toddlers, she chooses to climb the staircase in the dark, deciding that reaching her goal is worth the moments of fear. Her final target, waiting at the top of the stairs in the light? Mommy.
My brave girl wasn’t the only one navigating a darkened path during that time. That season was one of living in limbo. Our home had sold, and we — a family of five plus a dog — moved into my mother’s townhome. We were living on top of one another with boxes and people underfoot. We submitted offer after offer on homes in the area, and each one was passed over for another. With each offer, we asked God to lead and guide our path to a new home. And isn’t that how we could pray every day? That in following Him, He would guide us Home?
After seven offers had been submitted, my trust was faltering. Would God indeed take care of us? Would we be in our own home by my kids’ birthdays? By Christmas? By next year? I had no idea, but every day we weeded out more options, and it felt like we were making room for God’s path to widen, inch by inch.
Trusting God with all of our hearts doesn’t mean He will wrap up the job like we think He should, neat and tidy with a bow on top. If I’d had my way, we’d have been in a new home the day after we closed on our old one. But that’s not how it shook out. We ended up living with my mom for three months, and the seventh offer we submitted was the first one to be accepted. We moved into that new house with great joy, let me tell you.
Trusting God with all our heart means leaning on His understanding, knowing that whatever it is, His plan is enough, His plan is good, and all will be well. Those months living in such close quarters with my mom had their own kind of difficulty, but they also brought us all together in an irreplaceable way. She and my husband grew closer, and she bonded with our kids in a way that can only happen when living ordinary life together.
Trusting God with all our heart doesn’t mean answers will come swiftly, or even at all. I don’t understand everything, and I sometimes question the path He leads me down. But trusting God with all our hearts means we rely on and trust in God’s own understanding of His plan. It means we trust that God understands the how and why. It means we know that we don’t need to know everything; God does.
Trusting God with all our heart and thinking of Him in all our ways means opening our hearts to His path, scary and new and untraveled as it may be. It means stepping forward in faith, taking one stair at a time until we’re safe at the top, the darkness behind us.
When we’re not sure how to trust, we lean hard and step forward in faith, knowing that God is waiting at the top to welcome us with outstretched arms.
Story by Anna E. Rendell, as published in A Mother’s Love
A Mother’s Love: Celebrating Every Kind of Mom is full of reflections of God’s heart. Featuring unique and diverse stories from the (in)courage community, A Mother’s Love offers heartfelt encouragement to every kind of mom, whether they’re a mother in the traditional sense, mothering in a spiritual sense, or a mother-like figure who breaks the mold. This book is sure to help any woman share a meaningful gift with someone who has been impactful in her life, a new mom learning the ropes, or a close loved one facing the joys and challenges of any stage and type of motherhood.
Compiled with all women in mind so we can celebrate those who made us, shaped us, helped us grow, and loved us well, it’s a beautiful gift for the moms in your life.
To help you celebrate those women, we’re giving away FIVE copies! Just leave a comment on this post telling us about one such special woman, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of A Mother’s Love.
One such special woman? I find it impossible to answer that question! As I reflect on my journey of mothering, I think of women that I connected with in a new mom’s group, women from the Thursday morning bible study, and even women (especially Bev) at (in)courage that have taught me and prayed for me. I think my village is larger than I thought. What a blessing!
I would love to win a copy of this book to give to my Mom. She has always been a great example of how to live for Christ, but now, in her mid 80’s and with some health problems, she is showing us how to completely depend on the Lord for His guidance and His love and care.
I love my mom so much, my parents are deeply caring for each other, as we watch this, it renews my heart strength. Adopted, I know Gods plan has been saving me. Mom is a woman of integrity and love.
I Thank God for the individuals He has put in my path. I know His hands had everything to do with our paths crossing. And the other thing I nevered asked Him. 🙂 That is Love.
I think about my own mother. This will be the first Mother’s Day without her the Lord called home on January 29, 2021, COVID took her. Oh how I miss her with kind and supportive spirit. She was my friend and confidant. I miss talking to her 3 to 4 times a week, I am retired and my mother was 88 years young.
I’ll be praying for you facing your first Mother’s Day without your Mom. My Mom had her Homegoing the Thursday before Mother’s Day of 2006.
I lost my mom to Alzheimer’s in 2017. Our roles reversed, she became the child and I the nurturing caregiver. She left me many wonderful memories before and after her illness. She left but her love lives on within me. I lost my mom, my best friend, yet I have peace knowing she is with the Lord. As Mother’s Day approaches there’s an ache still there of her absence. She impacted my life in many wonderful ways, and I thank God for the privilege He gave me of caring for her till the end.
so beautiful… Thank you for the reminding that trusting God will all our hearts doesn’t mean the path is easy or ends in a way we wanted. Our beautiful God is with us, guiding us and working all out for us and His glory. Trying to embrace that, let go and always trust in Him in all things, the trials, the grief, the joys and the peace. His love is overwhelming, His plan is good as we lay down our life and trust in Him.. beautiful! Thank you!
My sweet mom served faithfully as a pastor’s wife until my dad retired and then as he served as interim for several years in different churches. That life is not for the weak! She then took care of my dad as his health declined until he passed away 3 years ago. To me she is a saint and I only hope to be like her! She gives so much to her family and friends and is such a testimony of who we are called to be as Christ followers.
Oh how I can relate!! My daughter, her husband and their 5 young sons moved in with us last June after their home sold quickly! They are building but will be another year or so. At first I wondered if I would survive all the “togetherness”
but in time I have come to realize (like you Anna) that these last 11 months has brought us together in an irreplaceable way. And as you so eloquently put it “we have bonded with our Grandsons in a way that only can happen when living our ordinary lives together “. At times it get so loud in our house that I think the roof is going to blow off….it’s at that time that I take a deep breath and say “Thank You Heavenly Father for such an opportunity as this“
I would love to give to my aunt, who is like my mom to me ever since my mom died.
I would like to talk about my best friend.She is a mother of three.(two boys and one girl.)Her warm and caring style of mothering is so genuine.Because of her love for God I see her endeavouring to show that same unconditional love to her children.I have admitted to her that if I ever had an opportunity to choose any one to be my mother I would choose her.
Your post writing today brought back a very old memory for me. When I was a little girl, we only had 1 bathroom in our house and it was upstairs. I couldn’t reach the light switch either and many times didn’t have time anyway. So I made the journey upstairs in the dark too. That is exactly when I adopted a pretend friend and we would talk together. Now I am older in my faith; I cherish the promise of never being alone and having someone to talk to in prayer. Thank You for your writing and enjoy your new home with your family.
My Mom had her Homegoing in May 2006, but I still miss her since she was such an unselfish, generous, giving, strong Christian woman.
Looks like a wonderful book. I will gift one to both of my daughters. One has 3 children and is raising them in a God centered home. Those children love and trust God. The other daughter will be a first time mom in August. This post struck me as I am facing a similar situation regarding a home. Thank you for sharing it.
Wow, I needed to read this post today! If I won, I would give this book to my own mother. She has always been my biggest cheerleader through every up and down in life. She rarely does things for herself and lost her job last year. She’s still managed to become involved in her community and is on the social committee. I would hate that position but it is a perfect fit for her! I’ve watched her be the breadwinner for our home while my father worked in full-time ministry alongside her. I think she is totally deserving of this book and much more. I tend to give sentimental gifts because she can buy whatever she wants these days within reason, of course. Thanks for giving us another opportunity to win!
Anna,
It isn’t always easy to trust God. I went through a trial with my aging dad. He was put in geriatric psych hospital twice. The first time was tough. I didn’t know what to expect. Each day I would call or visit him & inform the family. The answers didn’t come as I thought or quickly. It took 1 month but God healed him better than when he went in. That experience grew my faith & trust muscles. God’s love & care is similar to a mother’s love for her children. Each one would do anything to help & lavish us with great gifts of time, food, & themselves. Praying for all moms. They have a tough job in this day & age.
Blessings 🙂
My mama has made a lot of mistakes in her life and she feels like she will never be good enough. Will never be forgiven. My siblings and I always remind her that her past doesn’t not reflect her future, her heart or how God sees her. This would be a great gift for her!
My dear, departed mom, I miss so much! We talked together and she showed so much love to my family.
My own mama is fighting a hard battle right now, but continues to show up for her family in every way she can. She’s dealing with neurological side effects of COVID that resemble dementia and it’s been so difficult to have to step in to take care of her in this way. But still, she has the deepest, truest love for her family and is holding on tight to the moments that matter while she can. I’m so proud to be her daughter!
My mom is so long-suffering and going through such a hard time right now. Truthfully, myself and my sisters and the whole family are, as one sister has chosen a path that is resulting in much pain. We are trying to care for her while knowing our true responsibility right now is to her children who are in our care. I’m tired. My mom is SO tired. My nephews are missing their mom. Motherhood is tough. Thank you for your posts. ❤
My mother became a single parent of 4 in the 1970’s (almost unheard of). We never did without. She worked full time but was always there for us, no matter what. She showed up to everything we did. I now watch my daughter be a full time mother to 3, 2 dogs, 6 chickens, a wife, and a health physicists. She has a huge garden and greenhouse. I’m not sure how either of these women can do so much, but they did and are, and I’m proud to be a daughter and a mother to these wonderful women.
Though I lost my mom when she was only 55, she left behind a legacy I will forever be grateful for. She loved Jesus, she spoke about Jesus, she shared about Jesus, she lived Jesus, she breathed Jesus, her final breath was Jesus. I witnessed it all. It left quite an impression on my life. Now I too, am thriving to live a life like my mom modeled for me. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Oh, how I love that name!