I am More - Blogs By Christian Women

Do you remember the first time you heard your baby say “mama”? It was a big moment. A one that you remember and cherish. It melts your heart and from that moment you are now called, “Mom”.

That name is special. You are their mom. But something that I am learning is I am more than just a mom. I am more than Wade and MJ’s mom. I am Holly! I am a daughter of the King, a daughter to my parents, a granddaughter, a wife to my husband, a friend, and a leader in my church and I am more than just a role or name.

Each day we have to be somebody to someone.

And sometimes I think we forget who we really are. We get so caught up in life and routines and think of ourselves as just a mom, wife, friend, worker. And these are all important roles, but they don’t define us. We are more!

I know for myself I focus so much on being a good mom and wife, and I also work part-time, that I forget that I have to take care of me to be able to do all these things. I lose focus! Then, I end up getting behind on things and then everything suffers. Everything!

My True Identity

I have caught myself looking in the mirror going, where’s Holly? Is she still in there? Who am I, really? I have all these different roles and I am called many different names, but one thing that never changes is that my identity is in Christ. I am found in Him. He tells us we are his! We are more because of Him.

I need to be reminded of this because in the busy schedules and constant momming I put my relationship with Jesus in the backseat sometimes because I feel like I have to focus and be all things to all people. Do you do that?

Please tell me I’m not the only one. I am constantly thinking about everyone else that my relationship and myself get put last. And that’s not at all how it’s supposed to be.

Making Time for You

Jesus gives us examples of taking time away for ourselves. He does this in Matthew 14:22-23. He had just finished feeding the 5,000 and instead of going with his disciples he goes up to the mountain to pray. This speaks to me. Big time!! And he didn’t take people with him. He went alone!

I get so caught up in things that I do and I lose track of the real purpose and what I’m here for. See Jesus went to pray and be alone. Alone!!! I don’t think that word is in my vocabulary. I need to add it back in. Haha!

But seriously, this example allows me to see that it is needed. It is a must! And we REQUIRE time to reflect, time to renew, and time to understand and process.

See, Jesus wasn’t truly alone. We are never alone. Joshua 1:9 tells us God is with us wherever we may go. Jesus talked with God. He went away and took himself out of the chaos, away from the distractions, away from people so he could talk and share. And sometimes, we just have to strip it all away and get back to the basics. Just you and God!

Is it that easy always? No!

Even in Mark 7 Jesus is seeking alone time and goes to a friend’s house. He just wants to have time and he is interrupted by a lady who is worried about her daughter. Sometimes life makes it hard for us to get time to ourselves or take a few minutes to pause, but when and if we can sometimes we just need the quietness and stillness.

See, I love being a mom! It’s one of the greatest things I have and will ever do. But my identity is not just found in being a mom. My identity is in Christ. When accepting him we don’t lose who we are, but we become who we were intended to be. We are found in him.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 ESV

When we take time to pause and to remember who we are, we feel better, stronger, ready for whatever comes our way. It’s okay to not feel like the best mom. And it’s okay to mess up. It’s okay to have a bad day at your job. It doesn’t define who you are. You are more! Jesus says so.

So, take time to realize who you are. If you are a follower of Jesus then your identity is in him. And through that identity, you can be everything else. But without him… nothing is possible.

The more we understand our identity in him the more we can understand that we are children of God, that we lean on him and not ourselves, and that we can be a daughter, granddaughter, wife, mother, friend, ministry leader, teacher, blogger, or whatever we are called to do all through him.

You are his. Take time for your relationship. Take time for you. And remember you are His. No one can take that from you.

Love and Prayers,
Holly

Holly McConnell

Blogs at The Honest Mom

Holly McConnell is from Northeast Tennessee where she resides with her husband and two kids. She serves in her church as the women’s ministry leader and assistant youth director. She writes weekly on her blog at www.honestmom87.com about connecting scripture and words from God to mom life, adventures, and battles that she personally faces.