Single Mom

These are the words I have found myself speaking over and over in my head: the bills. The chores. The driving. The working. The hustle and bustle of each day. They can often seem never-ending. Sometimes, like the other day while loading the dishwasher, I even let the actual words slip out of my mouth. “It never ends.” As I uttered those three small words so effortlessly, they echoed in my ears. It was almost as if the words were on repeat. Because, the truth is, the words are an accurate reflection of how I’ve been feeling on a regular basis lately. I’m tired. I’m worn out. I’m overwhelmed. I feel each and every syllable of this phrase, as I try to

Being a single mom is hard. And beautiful. I was a single mom for nine years. It was not easy. It was not cool. It was definitely not what I signed up for—or remotely anticipated—when I got married and had the child I had always desired. I was walking pretty smoothly through life when it went sideways. I became a single mom in a single instant when my husband died suddenly and tragically. I was in utter anguish over his death. Angry, oh so very angry, about being a widow. But I did not ever experience anguish over being a single mom. Heartbreak about my daughter losing her dad? Big time! Fear that I couldn’t raise her as well as two parents? Absolutely. Lots of it! Anxiety about how I

Dear Single Mom, I want you to know that you give me hope. Life is so fragile. Relationships are fragile. As a married, stay-at-home mom of three very young girls, I often worry. What will I do if my husband loses his job? What if he gets sick? What if he gets hurt? What if something terrible happens? And then I look at you. You probably don’t always feel this way, but when I look at you I see strength. I see courage, determination, endurance, and self-sacrifice. I see a woman who overcomes obstacles; who gets things done and knows how to hold her own. I see God’s hand working in every aspect of your life, and I take comfort in the