The Shoes I Wear: Motherhood

Of all the shoes I wear, this is the pair I have walked the farthest in.

Mother.

It is the title I never take off. I wear it in the early mornings and the late nights, in the busy seasons and the quiet ones, in the days I feel strong and the days I am barely holding on. And if I am honest, it is also the pair that has taught me the most about love, and about my own scars.

The Love That Changes Everything

Nothing prepares you for how completely a child can change you. Before I was a mother, I thought I understood love. Then I held my children and realized I had only seen a small piece of it.

Motherhood has stretched me in ways I did not know were possible. It has asked me to be patient when I was exhausted, to be gentle when I was hurting, and to be hopeful when I could not see the way forward.

When Love and Pain Live Together

Here is something we do not talk about enough: motherhood can be beautiful and painful at the same time.

As a single mother, there were seasons when I looked at my children and loved them with my whole heart, while also being reminded of relationships that had failed and dreams that had not turned out the way I planned. Those feelings are tender and complicated, and for a long time I felt guilty for having them.

And there have been painful experiences with my son that were some of the hardest things I have ever walked through. They are part of why I wrote Sacred Scars, and I will share more of that story in time.

But I want to say this clearly to any mother reading: feeling the weight of your story does not mean you love your children any less. Love and pain can live in the same heart. Loving them through your healing is not a sign of failure. It is one of the bravest things a mother can do.

What Motherhood Has Taught Me

1. I do not have to be perfect to be enough.
My children do not need a flawless mother. They need a present one, who loves them, tells the truth, and keeps showing up.

2. My healing is part of my parenting.
When I tend to my own wounds, I am teaching my children that it is okay to be honest about pain and brave enough to heal from it.

3. Grace is a daily practice.
Some days I get it right. Some days I do not. Grace for them, and grace for myself, has carried us through both.

4. Their story is not mine to define.
I can guide, protect, and pray. But my children are writing their own chapters, and my job is to love them well while they do.

For the Mother Who Is Tired Today

Maybe you are reading this between school runs, or after the house has finally gone quiet. Maybe you are carrying the weight of doing it all alone. Maybe you are worried about a child, or grieving a relationship, or wondering if you are doing enough.

I want you to hear me: you are doing better than you think. The fact that you are still here, still loving, still trying, says more about you than any mistake ever could.

Lord, bless the mothers reading this today. Give them strength for the tasks that feel too heavy, patience for the moments that stretch them, and peace for the worries they cannot put down. Cover their children with Your protection, and remind each mother that she is not walking alone. Amen.

Let’s Talk

What is one thing motherhood has taught you that you never expected to learn? Share it in the comments or send me a message. Mothers are wise, and I would love to learn from you.

If you know a mother who needs encouragement today, send this post to her. To keep walking this road with me, subscribe below.

With love,
Esther