Stacey A. Shannon is a freelance journalist and blogger who has been published internationally. She's also a Christian, a wife and a mom of two school-aged children. She started Families with Grace in 2019 to encourage Christian moms as they create homes filled with grace, love and faith.
Be sure to get the FREE family devotion book, "Finding Grace at Home: 7 Days of 5 Minute Devotions for Families." It's a great way to help your family draw closer to each other and to God.
Motherhood can be lonely. You weren't meant to go on your motherhood journey alone. Connect with Stacey and other Christian moms like you in the private Facebook group, Moms with Grace!
And check out the books from Stacey A. Shannon as well!
The Advancing Native Missions Gift Catalog is a perfect gift to share Jesus this Christmas season
Christmas is such a lovely holiday season to celebrate the birth of Jesus and spend time with family. It’s also the perfect time to find ways to give back, and Christmas donation gifts are a great way to do just that.
As Christian moms, we do our best to keep Christ in Christmas and not get too distracted by the gift-giving and activities of the season. But, if we’re honest, that can be downright hard.
Add in the challenge of finding gifts for the one person who just has everything, and the festive season can pretty quickly devolve into stress.
That’s where Christmas donation gifts can make a big difference. These thoughtful charity gifts can not only help you with your Christmas shopping but also change the lives of vulnerable people around the world.
And, if you’re like me, you might be thinking how great that sounds but it also sounds like more stress of shopping for yet more people and finding extra budget money to do so. That’s why the Advancing Native Missions Gift Catalog is such a great option.
For us moms trying to raise kids who see Jesus in action, these kinds of gifts open the door to conversations we’re already trying to have.
In exchange for this post and review, I received a copy of The Advancing Native Missions Gift Catalog and small compensation. All the opinions about these Christmas donation gifts are completely my own.
About Advancing Native Missions
ANM is committed to taking the message of Jesus to people around the world. In order to make a real difference in the 100+ areas they serve and have a lasting impact, ANM works with local — or native — missionaries rather than sending missionaries from the United States.
Because these local families know the language and the people so personally, they are often able to have a bigger impact for Jesus. Removing language, cultural and living standard differences helps eliminate barriers that take time to get past for newcomers to the area.
Native missionaries also need less monetary support; they don’t need language training, passports and travel expenses. As a result, even the smallest donation to ANM goes a long way to support such a good cause.
The evangelical organization has planted more than 61,000 churches globally. ANM is also transparent with its spending: 80.79% of donations have a direct impact on the mission field while 13.5% goes to administrative expenses and 5.71% goes to fundraising costs.
Christmas donation gifts for ANM
While monetary donations are part of fundraising for ANM, another neat component is its gift catalog. Full of items that will help underserved people have a brighter future and learn about Jesus, the ANM gift catalog is great for Christmas donation gifts.
In fact, if you purchase something from the gift catalog in someone’s name, the organization will send a card to that person telling them of the gift donations made on their behalf.
With different price ranges of gifts available, the ANM catalog gives lots of options for supporting its missionaries.
Faith-based gifts
For only $20, you can purchase a Bible to get into the hands of a pastor or new believer to have a lasting impact on their faith journey.
Other nice gifts to have a positive impact on this ministry include supporting a missionary and training a missionary. Such gifts help cover a missionary’s living costs and faith training.
Additionally, you can support pastors and their families in other ways like purchasing new shoes for pastors, clothes for their wives, support for their children and medical supplies. Many pastors in the areas served have needs similar to the people they are serving and need help with food and basic supplies.
Another challenge many native missionaries encounter is transportation. They want to be able to spread the love of Jesus but struggle to get to other places.
ANM has options to donate for a bicycle, fuel, motorbike and boats to help missionaries get to more remote areas. A transportation gift has a ripple effect on the people reached.
And, of course, you can also donate to church planting and building. There are specific opportunities for planting churches in Japan, Bulgaria, South Asia and North Korea.
Animal gifts
Thinking of farm animals as gifts is maybe a bit foreign to many of us, but these animals can make a huge impact on the lives of families. You can give a chicken, fish, pig or goat Christmas gift to help a family with its own needs as well as be able to earn an income.
Chickens, for example, are $3 each. A single hen can lay up to 250 eggs in a year, which greatly helps a family in need. Flocks of 5, 10 or 30 chickens are a blessing for families, churches and schools.
If you’re thinking of a more fishy Christmas present, you can buy 100 fish and their food for a ministry farm that supports both missionaries and needing people in the community for only $7.
Goats, which are $40, give families a chance to earn income by selling their products. And pigs, for $50, are a very easy farm animal to care for and can provide both income and food for a family.
You can feel good knowing animal gifts keep giving all year long to the families they go to.
Gifts for children
And we must talk about children. Images of young children doing without even basic material possessions are heart-wrenching.
The ANM gift catalog lets you donate shoes for children for $12, sports equipment for $20 and school supplies for $30.
There’s also an option to provide Christmas presents for children in Serbia and Bulgaria in particular for $35.
Providing lots of love and support to the youngest community members can draw adults to the love of Jesus as well.
Giving for a crisis
Unfortunately, crises don’t pause for Christmas. Starting at just $10 for a blanket, you can donate to help with specific needs for the communities in crisis that ANM serves. Only $30 provides life-saving medicine and $65 provides emergency food for food banks to serve those in distress.
ANM also has a fund for donations to provide a safe haven for persecuted Christians in the Middle East.
Self-sustaining Christmas gifts
Another terrific option for Christmas donation gifts is to provide folks with a steady stream of income. Lots of folks in these mission areas want to be self-sufficient but lack the supplies needed to do so.
For $120, you can provide a sewing machine to women in developing countries who have few options for work.
Other options in the ANM catalog include donating to a flower business in Cambodia, a coffee shop in Tunisia and a restaurant and bakery in Thailand.
These donations can make lasting changes by providing a steady income for families in need while also showing them the love of Jesus in action.
Community gifts
And then some gifts offer a chance to support good health and social structures. Oftentimes, the areas in which ANM operates need basic infrastructure.
Donations toward tin roofs, community toilets, wells and church construction can help offset the daunting task of providing a safe community for village members.
Why Christmas donations gifts are ideal
Whether you’re looking for a single gift for a hard-to-shop-for loved one or simply want to do something to make a difference, Christian donation gifts really are a great option.
ANM offers affordable options to make a big difference globally. From a Christmas goat to a pair of shoes for a pastor, these are Christmas gifts that really will keep on giving.
As Christian moms, we love when we can make generosity tangible for our kids. Going through the catalog together lets them actually see what we’re giving and who it helps. It becomes a shared moment instead of a quick online donation we do by ourselves.
Even better, all of the gifts point to the most powerful Christmas gift of all: Jesus.
You can find more information about ANM on its web page along with the gift catalog to start your own Christmas donation gift shopping today.
7 Simple & effective ways to keep your family focused on Jesus
From the beginning of our parenthood journey, my husband and I have worked to share our faith with our children. And Christmas is an important season for Christianity.
We want our children to enjoy the fun of Christmas, but we also want them to understand what and Who we are ultimately celebrating.
Throughout the past 13 years, we’ve come up with a few ways to keep Christ in Christmas that are both simple and effective.
Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.
1. Read a Christmas devotion book together throughout December.
When my daughter was a preschooler, our church passed out free family devotions for Advent. It wasn’t something we had done as a family before, but we decided to give it a try. On the first night we did so, our daughter cheered.
Family Christmas devotion time during December has worked its way into our routine. When we had some trouble finding devotion books that we really enjoyed, were age appropriate and didn’t take a super long time, I decided to put together my own.
The most recent, “A Family Christmas Devotional,” combines the best of both into one with questions for littles and teens as well as adds in reflection questions for parents.
Reading through the Christmas devotion book together takes us through the Christmas story and gets us talking about how it can apply to our lives today. Just a few minutes each evening makes a big difference to help our family keep Christ in Christmas.
Our family believes in Santa Claus and uses a visiting Elf in a positive way. But we also incorporate Jesus into those traditions. For example, Santa Claus leaves a letter for the children each year to find on Christmas morning.
And he always mentions the importance of remembering the real meaning of Christmas. The Elf also reminds them in different ways to keep Jesus the focus of Christmas as well.
Both Santa and the Elf compliment our kids for kind things they do and how they keep Christ in Christmas. It’s a simple way to help tie the more secular traditions with our faith.
3. Read the Christmas story together.
When our kids were little, we found the best way to read the Christmas story together was one verse or so at a time. In fact, you can find a free printable version of Bible verses for Dec. 1 through 25 in this post. We would usually print the verses, cut them apart and then number and attach a verse to each of the Christmas books we wrap for our kids to open throughout December.
One of the bonuses of doing one verse at a time is that each evening, we would ask the kids what happened previously in the Christmas story. That helps ingrain the story firmly in their minds. In fact, even now with using the devotion book, we still do this since its verses lead us through the Christmas story as well.
4. Talk about the true meaning of Christmas.
You don’t have to give your children sermons or lectures about the true meaning of Christmas. But mention it in small ways when it comes up.
For example, we have watched Christmas movies or shows as a family when the characters reference the real meaning of Christmas being time with family or something. We will ask our children what the actual true meaning of Christmas is. Or we mention the other stuff is great, but Jesus’ birth is the true meaning.
Our children are exposed to secular culture in a variety of ways. I like finding ways to help them learn how to navigate the world around them within their faith view. And this is something that works well at Christmastime.
5. Set up a nativity scene.
Whether you use a toy nativity scene or a decorative one, a nativity scene at Christmas helps your family keep Christ in Christmas. We’ve never had a toy one. Instead, I have the one my family had when I was a child as well as one from my maternal grandmother. We set up one downstairs and one upstairs.
My kids love setting up the nativity scenes. We’ve had many years of having a nativity scene that doesn’t look like I necessarily envision, but I don’t mind.
What I have really enjoyed is hearing the kids as they were younger playing with the nativity scene as they moved it around. Learning about Jesus’ birth definitely doesn’t have to be all serious!
6. Listen to Christian Christmas music.
Music is a big part of my life and my worship. So listening to Christian Christmas music just fits right in. But, I will be honest in saying that I don’t usually enjoy the Christmas music played on contemporary Christian stations. It tends to all be slow and emotional. So, I have my own playlists. And some secular artists have their own renditions of Christmas carols talking about the birth of Jesus.
Our family doesn’t listen to only Christian Christmas music, but it definitely is part of our December. I always kick off the Christmas music season with my favorite Christmas album by 4Him, “A Season of Love,” that was released way back in 1997.
7. Read faith-centered Christmas books.
One of our family’s Christmas traditions is opening a Christmas book each evening Dec. 1 through 24. We have a wide array of books from traditional secular Christmas stories to silly ones to faith-based ones.
We enjoy “The Animals’ Christmas Eve,” which tells the story of Jesus’ birth from the animals in the manger. Another great one is “God Gave Us Christmas” from Lisa Tawn Bergren. (I love the entire “God Gave Us” series from her!)
Real-life tips for when the Christmas season feels anything but peaceful
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. But, honestly, these days when the holiday season rolls around, I feel a bit anxious and stressed. Finding peace at Christmas in the midst of the stress and busyness can feel really hard.
As mamas, we can be so busy working hard to make sure everyone has a merry Christmas that we get bogged down in the details. The message of Christmas — the true meaning — ends up getting lost in the fray.
And that’s not at all what we want. I’ve learned that I have to be intentional about keeping Christ in Christmas. It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also the busiest and most distracting.
As my Christmas to-do list starts rolling through my head, I’ve got some reminders and strategies for us all to experience peace this Christmas and rest in the comfort of the birth of Jesus.
Because true peace doesn’t come from quiet around us. It comes from God’s presence in our hearts and lives.
Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.
Remember the source of peace
This may seem like the most obvious tip of them all. Yet, the only way to truly experience God’s peace is to make time for Him.
That means even during Christmas time — maybe especially during Christmas time — that we spend time with Him through His Word and in prayer.
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
Having a steadfast mind simply means that we put our minds to God. That’s the quickest way to find peace in any situation.
There are some simple ways to get into the Word of God during the Christmas season. Having good habits in place for devotion time in God’s Word make this easier.
But, even if you don’t have a regularly scheduled devotional time, this is an amazing time of the year to start.
Books like “A Family Christmas Devotional” are written to help you and your entire family reflect on and remember the birth of Christ Jesus in as little as five minutes a day. It has simple reflection questions for kids, teens and adults.
The good thing about a family devotional is you are helping your children set good habits and traditions to keep Christ in Christmas as well.
This Christmas season, commit to spending at least five minutes each day inviting God into the busyness and fray. Ask Him for inner peace and reminders of the true reason for the season.
Simplify your expectations
I know in my own life how easy it is to get caught up in doing all the things so our kids know the magic of Christmas. We want the gifts to be thoughtful, the cookies to be homemade and the house to feel cozy and cheery.
But sometimes, in trying to make everything picture-perfect, we miss the peace that’s waiting quietly beneath the surface.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years is that my family members don’t need me to do everything; they need me to be present. It’s OK if we skip a few traditions this year or take some shortcuts.
The truth is, peace at Christmas often comes when we release ourselves from the pressure to make it all perfect.
What matters most is that we’re creating space for God’s presence and quality time for one another.
Try asking yourself: “Will this help my family draw closer to each other and to Jesus?” If the answer is no, maybe it’s time to let it go this year.
Talk to your family and see what matters to them most. You might be surprised that some of the simpler pleasures of the season are what they look forward to most anyway.
Adjusting our expectations can help us focus on the simplicity of the holiday and embrace the true joy of Christmas.
Make space for quiet moments
Peace doesn’t usually shout; it whispers. And in a world full of noise, we have to make space to hear it.
That might look like waking up five minutes early to pray before the day begins or turning off the TV for a few minutes at night to read Scripture as a family. Sometimes, it’s simply pausing during dinner to thank God for His blessings or taking a deep breath before heading out the door.
When I think about Mary, the mother of Jesus, I’m reminded that she “pondered these things in her heart” (Luke 2:19). She didn’t rush from one thing to another. She took little breaks and reflected.
Peace lives in the quiet, reflective moments when we let the God of peace calm our hearts with His presence.
(If you’re looking for a simple way to build that habit, my Family Christmas Devotional is designed for just that. It helps families spend five intentional minutes together each day focusing on Jesus, even in the busiest season.)
Let go of comparison
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of comparing our Christmas with everyone else’s. We see the perfectly decorated trees on Instagram, the coordinated family outfits, the endless gifts, and suddenly our best effort feels small.
But peace doesn’t come from measuring up to others. It comes from resting in the truth that you’re already enough and that your family’s Christmas doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
God isn’t asking for perfect decorations or an elaborate Christmas dinner; He’s asking for open hearts and a little time spent with Him.
When we stop comparing, we make room for gratitude. And a thankful heart always brings peace.
Keep your focus on Jesus
When it comes down to it, peace at Christmas is really about keeping our eyes on Jesus. Everything else—presents, lights, activities—fades in comparison to the wonder of His birth.
This year, try weaving reminders of Jesus into your home and daily rhythm:
Display a nativity scene where everyone can see it.
Play Christmas worship music in the background as you wrap gifts.
Choose a verse about peace to memorize as a family, like John 14:27.
End the day with a short prayer of thanks for the Prince of Peace who came for us all.
Because the more we focus on Him, the more we realize peace isn’t something we have to chase. We already have it through Christ.
Take care of yourself.
Mama, I know how easy it is to put yourself at the bottom of the list, especially at Christmastime. You’re wrapping the gifts, planning the meals, coordinating the calendar and making sure everyone else feels loved and cared for.
But if you’re running on no sleep, cold coffee and cookie dough, it’s hard to feel peaceful no matter how strong your faith is.
The truth is, taking care of yourself isn’t selfish; it’s essential. When you’re rested, nourished and spending even a few quiet minutes with God, you’re better able to pour love and peace into your family.
Give yourself permission to:
Go to bed a little earlier, even if the to-do list isn’t done.
Say no to one more commitment without guilt.
Step away for a few minutes of quiet and prayer when you feel overwhelmed. (Maybe go for a short walk and get some fresh air.)
Eat a nutritious meal between all those Christmas cookies (I’m talking to myself here, too!).
Remember, even Jesus rested. He stepped away from the crowds to pray and recharge. If the Son of God needed rest, we definitely do, too.
When you care for your body and soul, you create space for God’s peace to settle in. And one of the best gifts you can give your family this Christmas is a peaceful, present version of you.
Closing encouragement
If this season feels heavy or overwhelming, take heart and know you’re not alone. Many of us are craving peace at Christmas.
The good news is that peace isn’t something we have to create; it’s already been given through Jesus.
When we slow down, simplify and keep our eyes on Him, we find the calm our souls have been searching for.
So this Christmas, let’s choose peace over perfection and presence over performance. Let’s welcome Jesus—the true Prince of Peace—into every moment.
And if you’d like a simple way to stay centered on Him throughout December, check out “A Family Christmas Devotional.” It’s 25 days of short, heartfelt reflections to help your family experience more joy, connection and peace this Christmas.
Find more great resources and ideas for Christmas:
A review of “The Ghost You Can’t See,” a faith-based fantasy adventure tweens and teens will love
Finding faith-based adventure books for tweens that are both exciting and clean can feel like searching for buried treasure. That’s why I’ve loved The Issachar Gatekeeper book series from L.G. Nixon.
A few months ago, I shared a review of the first two books in the fantasy series. The new book in the series, “The Ghost You Can’t See,” keeps the adventure going with a story that’s packed with mystery, courage and Biblical truth all while staying clean and tween-friendly.
I received a free copy of “The Ghost You Can’t See,” a Christian fantasy book for tweens and teens, in exchange for my honest review and social media coverage. All opinions are my own.
About “The Ghost You Can’t See”
As part of a series, “The Ghost You Can’t See” both continues with main characters we’ve come to know and love — namely Lucy Hornberger and her best friend Schuyler Williams — while also introducing new characters.
Lucy, who we meet in the first book of the series, “The Ghost of Darwin Stewart,” is a young girl (13) facing all the struggles of real life like parents, chores, school and even a bit of romance.
Early in the first book, Lucy’s world changes when she learns she’s been chosen to battle evil spirits.
Instead of having special powers, Lucy is gifted with some magical items in the first book that let her see supernatural creatures not otherwise visible. Pretty quickly Schuyler joins her with the girls having been best friends their whole lives.
The pair quickly face a series of tests in the first book. Then in the second book, “The Ghost Writer,” Lucy’s spiritual battles continue as she comes to the rescue of a classmate who has been cursed.
Like all great fantasy books, those in The Issachar Gatekeeper series let us see a mix of the real world and the magical world beyond.
Lucy is working for The High King, who reigns over all that is good, to defeat Darnathian, whose true identity is the dark prince reigning over evil.
Having fought against evil with good in the past, Lucy has fully embraced her new life in this latest book and is ready to watch out for daemons (or evil spirits) and protect those around her. However, her path isn’t easy, and her challenges grow more complex with each book.
In this third book, Lucy faces struggles with friendships, new responsibilities at home and taking on a curse from hundreds of years ago.
Lucy remains the perfect heroine for the series with a mix of relatable strengths and weaknesses in both the real world and in the fantasy world. It’s a creative way to explore spiritual warfare in an age-appropriate, Biblically sound way.
Ghosts in a Christian fantasy book
Don’t let the word “ghost” throw you off. These books aren’t about haunted houses or spooky specters.
Ghosts are often taboo in Christian circles — and understandably so in the sense of departed souls haunting others. But, that is not the take or interpretation in these books.
Nixon, a devout Christian, portrays these ghosts as manifestations of demon spirits. Early in the series, for example, Lucy learns the ghost she sees isn’t the real Darwin Stewart but a demon taking his form.
Instead of spooky ghost stories, L.G. Nixon’s fantasy novels for tweens are faith-based adventures.
This creative take on the supernatural makes it easy to connect the story’s deeper meaning to Biblical truths.
“The Ghost You Can’t See” is a great book for digging into the ways the supernatural world affects our daily life in a way that is approachable and understandable to tweens. While reading the book, I found a variety of references to Biblical concepts.
It’s an easy connection to make between The High King representing God and the dark prince, Darnathian, representing Satan — much like in The Chronicles of Narnia from C.S. Lewis.
Multiple passages throughout the book explain Biblical concepts in a great way that older kids will easily understand while also just reading a good book. This passage, for example, explains the importance of monitoring what we allow into our minds:
“Darnathian whispers half-truths and deceptive thoughts to bend your thinking — a redirection, if you will. Unconsciously, you know something is missing, so you add your own interpretation to fill in the gaps. Then, instead of truth you have a lie…Don’t you understand? What you let into your mind can change your thinking. It’s like nourishment for those little gray cells.”
“The Ghost You Can’t See” by L.G. Nixon
Nixon does a great job of encapsulating the fantasy genre while also making Biblical principles accessible. It’s a relatable Christian middle grade book.
“The Ghost You Can’t See” is a perfect book for Christian moms who are fans of Harry Potter and looking for a clean Christian book series for teens with a young protagonist fighting against a dark force.
Why tweens (and parents) will love it
Yet, with all of that said, will tweens actually like the book? Is it relatable, engaging and thrilling? In short, yes to all of the above — and for good reason! Voracious readers and casual readers alike will be drawn into this fantasy adventure for tweens.
”The Ghost You Can’t See” has lots of fantasy elements but is also relatable. Lucy is struggling with friend drama in the middle of spiritual wars. For example, Lucy faces doubts about her best friend early in this third book and finds herself losing heart.
Feeling left out or cast aside by friends is something tweens can certainly relate to. Lucy certainly isn’t perfect and struggles with a variety of imperfections, even including being clumsy.
The book doesn’t use any inappropriate language. It does, however, use language that tweens and teens will relate to. The characters’ dialogue sounds like listening to a group of kids with sarcasm and slang terms unique to the series. For example, expressions like ‘Son of a buck snort!’ add humor without crossing any lines.
The story continues
One of the great things about a book series is getting to know and follow the characters throughout their journey. Just as in any other series like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, The Issachar Gatekeeper series gives tweens and teens the chance to see main character Lucy and Schuyler grow and change.
As they are growing and learning, so are young readers. It’s a great series in that it grows with the reader.
As with any great series, each book ends with just enough of a cliffhanger to make you eager for the next book. As an avid reader myself, I appreciate that each storyline ties up in the book while also leaving us wanting more at the end just as all favorite fantasy books should do!
Getting your own copy
The Issachar Gatekeeper series really is worth adding to your tween or teen’s book list. This is the perfect time to get started with the series.
L.G. Nixon’s site is running a limited time offer to get the books in the series for $10 each and receive a copy of the seasonal novella from the series, “The Ghost in Your Christmas Present.”
You can also just purchase book three, “The Ghost You Can’t See” for $15.99 for paperback, $8.99 for ebook or $3.99 for audiobook. (As the mom of a dyslexic child, I love this series has the accessibility of an audiobook as well!)
Discover how Biblical gratitude transforms everyday family life and strengthens your faith.
Recently, I was driving with my mom and daughter when the car behind us rear-ended us at a stoplight. It had already been a hard few weeks, and this felt like the “icing on the cake.”
My heart raced, but within moments, gratitude started to settle in. We were all OK. The man who hit us was kind and apologetic. Even the cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday party survived the impact.
As we drove away, my mom gently said, “God really took care of us today.” She was right. What could have been a disaster became a reminder of God’s protection and faithfulness.
My daughter chimed in with her own version of thanks, echoing what she’d heard from my mom and me. Three generations, each finding a reason to be thankful in the middle of a frustrating day.
That moment reminded me that gratitude doesn’t wait for life to go smoothly. It grows when we choose to see God’s hand in the small mercies tucked inside messy moments.
But what is gratitude in the Bible, really? Is it just feeling thankful when life is going well? Or is there something deeper? Something that could actually transform how we live, parent and walk with God?
The truth is, Bible verses about thankfulness aren’t just nice sentiments to cross-stitch and hang on our walls. They’re invitations into a way of life that changes everything.
Biblical gratitude isn’t about pretending hard things aren’t hard. It’s about training our hearts to see God’s goodness even when life feels overwhelming.
This November, I’m diving into Biblical gratitude in a fresh way with our free Living Out Gratitude Bible Reading Plan. And I’d love for you to join me as we explore together how a grateful heart isn’t just a nice idea. It’s a spiritual practice that brings peace, joy and deeper connection with Christ Jesus.
Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.
What is gratitude in the Bible?
When we talk about what gratitude means in Scripture, we’re talking about so much more than a warm fuzzy feeling. Biblical gratitude is a posture of worship. It’s a deliberate choice to recognize God’s goodness and respond with thanksgiving, regardless of our circumstances.
In the Old Testament, gratitude was woven into the fabric of Israel’s worship. The psalmist declares in Psalm 100:4, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”
Notice that thanksgiving comes first before we even enter into worship. Gratitude isn’t the result of getting everything we want. It’s the door through which we approach the Almighty God.
The New Testament deepens this understanding. The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:15-17 about letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts and being thankful. He connects gratitude directly to the word of Christ dwelling in us richly.
When we’re filled with God’s Word, thankfulness flows naturally through spiritual songs, through our words and through our actions done in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Biblical gratitude is both an attitude and an action. It’s cultivating a heart of gratitude while also expressing it through the fruit of our lips, good works and a sacrifice of praise. It’s recognizing that every good gift and every perfect gift comes from the Father of lights, who doesn’t change like shifting shadows (James 1:17).
Here’s what makes Biblical gratitude different from the world’s version: it’s not conditional. We don’t give thanks only when life is comfortable. First Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
That’s radical. That’s countercultural. And that’s exactly what transforms an attitude of gratitude from a nice idea into a powerful spiritual practice.
When we understand gratitude as the will of God, it changes how we approach difficult times, small frustrations and even the mundane moments of everyday life. It becomes less about our feelings and more about our obedience and trust in God’s character.
Why gratitude matters in motherhood
If motherhood teaches us anything, it’s that we can’t control most of what happens in a day. The toddler meltdown in the grocery store. The science project due tomorrow that we’re just now hearing about. The comparison trap that hits when we scroll past another mom who seems to have it all together.
In the chaos and exhaustion of raising kids, gratitude can feel like one more thing on the list. Gratitude can seem like something we “should” do but don’t have the energy for.
But here’s the beautiful truth: gratitude isn’t another burden. It’s actually one of the best ways God gives us to find peace in the middle of the mess.
When we practice gratitude, something shifts in our hearts and minds. Research shows that grateful people experience better mental health, less anxiety and more resilience in difficult circumstances.
But more importantly, Scripture promises us that when we bring our requests to God with thanksgiving, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
That peace isn’t dependent on our circumstances changing. It’s a supernatural gift that comes when we choose to focus on God’s goodness instead of our problems. A grateful heart doesn’t ignore the hard things. It simply refuses to let the hard things have the final word.
The importance of gratitude in motherhood can’t be overstated. When we model thankfulness for our children, we’re teaching them to recognize God’s blessings even in small things. We’re showing them that joy isn’t found in perfect circumstances but in a relationship with a good and faithful God.
And in those moments when we feel like we’re failing at everything else? Gratitude becomes our lifeline. It reminds us that God’s grace is sufficient, His love never wavers and even our imperfect efforts matter when offered with a thankful heart.
How to live out gratitude
Living out Biblical gratitude isn’t about waiting until we feel thankful. It’s about making intentional choices that cultivate gratitude as a way of life. Here are four practical ways to embrace the transformative power of gratitude in your own life and home.
Cultivating a grateful heart
Gratitude starts internally, in the quiet places of our hearts where we choose what we’ll focus on. King David understood this. Even in the midst of being hunted by enemies, hiding in caves and facing betrayal, David wrote psalm after psalm of thanksgiving. His secret? He intentionally turned his attention to God’s character and past faithfulness.
We can do the same. When difficult times hit—and they will—we can train ourselves to look for God’s goodness in the small things. The way the morning light streams through the window. A child’s laughter. A friend’s text message at just the right moment. These aren’t accidents; they’re reminders that God is present and active in our everyday life.
Psalm 103:2 says, “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Sometimes cultivating a grateful heart means deliberately remembering.
What has God done for you this week? This month? This year? When we make remembering a practice, gratitude becomes our natural response.
Try this: Before your feet hit the floor each morning or before your head hits the pillow each night, name three things you’re thankful for. It might feel mechanical at first, but over time, this small practice trains your heart to notice God’s blessings throughout the very day.
Expressing gratitude to others
Biblical gratitude isn’t meant to stay locked inside us. The Word of Christ dwelling in us should overflow into how we treat our family members, friends and even strangers.
Colossians 3:16-17 connects being filled with God’s Word to speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs as well as doing everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ with thanksgiving.
What would it look like to express gratitude more freely in your home? To tell your husband you appreciate how hard he works, even when the little things he does feel invisible to everyone else? To praise your kids for good deeds and kind words, rather than only correcting what they do wrong?
Small ways of showing appreciation create a culture of gratitude in our families. A note tucked into a lunchbox. A genuine “thank you” for helping with chores. Taking time to recognize someone’s effort, even when the result wasn’t perfect.
The Apostle Paul regularly expressed gratitude for the people in his life. His letters are filled with thanksgiving for fellow followers of Jesus for their faith, their love and their partnership in the gospel. When we follow his example, we bless others while simultaneously deepening our own heart of gratitude.
Serving with a thankful spirit
There’s a direct connection in Scripture between gratitude and service. When we truly recognize God’s blessings in our lives—the gift of salvation, God’s unfailing love, His daily provision—the appropriate response is to serve others with joy.
Hebrews 12:28 says, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”
Our gratitude to God naturally expresses itself through good works done for His glory.
This is where gratitude moves from internal feeling to external action. We serve our families not as a burden but as a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
We look for opportunities to bless others because we’re overflowing with awareness of how we’ve been blessed.
We make a joyful noise in our worship not because we have perfect voices, but because we have hearts full of songs of praise for God’s goodness.
Even in the mundane tasks like folding laundry, making dinner, driving to soccer practice, we can cultivate a thankful spirit by remembering that we serve the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:23-24). Every act of service, done with gratitude, becomes worship.
Gratitude as a family lifestyle
The goal isn’t just personal gratitude. It’s making thankfulness a way of life for our entire family.
When our kids grow up in a home where gratitude is practiced daily, they learn that recognizing God’s faithfulness isn’t something we do occasionally; it’s who we are.
Start small. At dinner, go around the table and let each person share one thing they’re grateful for. Create family traditions around thanksgiving not just in November, but year-round.
Make gratitude activities part of your rhythm: a gratitude jar where family members add notes throughout the week, or a gratitude scavenger hunt where kids look for evidence of God’s love in creation.
The beauty of making gratitude a family lifestyle is that it shifts the atmosphere of your home. Instead of focusing on what we lack or what went wrong, we train ourselves to see the good things God is doing all around us. We become grateful people who naturally point others toward God’s goodness.
Psalm 145:4 says, “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”
When we live out gratitude consistently, we’re passing down a legacy of faith to our children by teaching them to recognize God’s work in every aspect of our lives.
Examples of gratitude in the Bible
Scripture is filled with stories of gratitude in the Bible that show us what thankfulness looks like in action. These aren’t just ancient stories. They’re powerful examples that speak directly to our lives today.
King David stands out as a man who expressed gratitude constantly. His psalm of thanksgiving in 1 Chronicles 16 overflows with shouts of grateful praise: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”
David wrote songs of praise even when he was running for his life, proving that gratitude isn’t dependent on easy circumstances.
The Apostle Paul is another powerful example. Despite being imprisoned, beaten, shipwrecked and rejected, Paul’s letters are filled with thanksgiving. He thanks God for churches, for fellow believers, for the grace of God at work in people’s lives.
In Philippians, a book of the Bible written from prison, Paul says he’s learned the secret of being content in any situation, and that secret is rooted in gratitude and trust in Christ Jesus.
Jesus Himself modeled gratitude for us. At the Last Supper, knowing He was about to face crucifixion, Jesus took bread and “gave thanks” (Matthew 26:26). Even in His darkest hour, gratitude was His posture.
He thanked the Father for hearing Him when He raised Lazarus (John 11:41). He recognized that everything good comes from God, and He lived in constant communion with His Father.
These examples of gratitude in the Bible remind us that thankfulness isn’t about our circumstances. It’s about recognizing God’s character, faithfulness and love, no matter what we’re facing.
Practical ways to practice gratitude
If you’re wondering how to move from understanding gratitude to actually living it out, here are some realistic, family-friendly ways to make thankfulness a daily practice.
Start a Christian gratitude journal.
There’s something powerful about writing down what we’re thankful for. My Christian Woman’s Gratitude Journal includes prompts specifically designed to help you connect gratitude to Scripture and prayer.
When you write it down, you create a record of God’s faithfulness that you can look back on during difficult times.
Create a family gratitude jar.
Keep a jar in a central location with slips of paper nearby. Throughout the week, family members can write down things they’re thankful for and add them to the jar.
At the end of each month, read them together and celebrate God’s goodness.
Try gratitude activities designed for families.
Faith-based gratitude activities help kids engage with thankfulness in hands-on ways. Create a “grateful tree” where family members add leaves with things they’re grateful for.
Do a gratitude scavenger hunt where kids look for evidence of God’s love in nature. Make “thankful turkeys” where each feather represents something they appreciate.
Use printable resources.
Sometimes we need a little structure to build new habits. Download free printables from the Families With Grace Printables Library to guide your family’s gratitude practice.
The Living Out Gratitude Bible Reading Plan is specifically designed to help you explore thankfulness Scripture by Scripture throughout the month.
You don’t need to add hours to your day. Simply add a gratitude moment to bedtime prayers, car rides or mealtimes. Ask, “What was the best thing about today?” or “Where did you see God at work?”
The important thing isn’t perfection, it’s consistency. Small, daily practices of gratitude accumulate into a transformed heart and home.
Conclusion
Mama, I know life is full and your plate is overflowing. The last thing you need is another expectation or one more “should” added to your list.
But here’s the beautiful truth about gratitude: it’s not about doing more. It’s about seeing more—seeing God’s goodness right where you are, in the middle of the messy, ordinary, exhausting, beautiful life He’s given you.
Biblical gratitude isn’t about pretending everything is perfect. It’s about recognizing that even when everything isn’t perfect, God is still good. His love is still unfailing. His grace is still sufficient.
And every good and perfect gift in your life, including the challenging parts that are growing you, comes from His hand.
As you practice gratitude this month, be gentle with yourself. Some days will feel easier than others. Some days you’ll remember to give thanks before your feet hit the floor, and other days you’ll collapse into bed realizing you forgot entirely. That’s OK. God isn’t looking for perfect gratitude. He’s looking for willing hearts that want to draw closer to Him.
Let this be the month you discover how the transformative power of gratitude can shift your perspective, deepen your faith and change the atmosphere in your home. Let thanksgiving become your natural response, not because life is easy, but because God is faithful.
Grow deeper this month with the Living Out Gratitude Bible Reading Plan—a free printable designed to help you put Biblical gratitude into practice every day. Download the free Living Out Gratitude Bible Reading Plan.
I still remember standing at kindergarten pick-up for my oldest, watching groups of moms laugh together while I clutched my toddler’s hand and smiled politely at strangers. My heart ached with a familiar loneliness I didn’t expect motherhood would bring.
If you’ve ever felt invisible in a crowd of other moms, you’re not alone. Making friends as an adult is hard. Making friends as a Christian mom—when you’re exhausted, covered in spit-up and can barely remember the last time you had an uninterrupted conversation—feels nearly impossible.
But here’s what I’ve learned through the loneliness and the awkward first conversations: God created us for connection. And while learning how to make friends as a Christian mom takes intentionality and courage, it’s one of the most life-giving things we can do for ourselves and our families.
You don’t have to navigate motherhood alone. Friendship is possible, even in this busy, overwhelming season.
Why friendship matters for Christian moms
We weren’t designed to do life in isolation. From the very beginning, God looked at Adam in Genesis 2:18 and said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.”
That need for companionship doesn’t disappear when we become mothers. If anything, it intensifies.
The Bible gives us a beautiful picture of what friendship can be:
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
Christian moms need that kind of friend—someone who will help us up on the hard days, celebrate with us on the good ones and remind us of God’s grace when we’re struggling.
Friendship isn’t a luxury for mothers. It’s a lifeline.
When we’re connected to the body of Christ and rooted in genuine community, we become better moms, better wives and more grounded in our faith. We need women who will pray for us, laugh with us and show up with coffee (or chocolate!) when life feels too heavy to carry alone.
Understanding different types of friendships
Not all friendships look the same, and that’s actually a beautiful thing. As Christian moms, we need different kinds of friends for different seasons and needs.
Friendships within the faith
There’s something sacred about friendships with other Christian women who share your faith and values. These are the moms who understand when you say, “I’m praying about it,” or “I really felt the Holy Spirit nudging me.”
They’re the ones who will text you a Bible verse on a hard day or show up to your small group even when they’re exhausted.
Christian mom friends can become kindred spirits who walk alongside you in both motherhood and faith. Whether it’s through a Bible study, a church mom’s group or simply another family at your local church, these friendships ground us in community and remind us we’re part of something bigger.
When I was in the baby and toddler phase of mothering, a woman from my church invited me to a small Bible study meeting at a friend’s home. I was hesitant to go at first, but my soul ached for connection and community.
That’s exactly what I found, and I’m so glad. It’s now more than a decade later and our group no longer meets for study but is always available to message with prayer requests or give big hugs when we see one another.
Friendships beyond the church
Non-Christian friends can be incredible gifts, too. God places people in our lives for mutual respect, common ground and genuine connection. And sometimes those people don’t share our faith background.
I’ve made great connections with other moms at library story times, arranging play dates for my children and sitting on the school playground. These friendships have taught me about grace, hospitality and loving people well.
They’ve challenged me to live out my faith authentically without being preachy, and they’ve shown me that kindness and companionship aren’t limited to the walls of the church.
Different friendships bring different gifts. Some friends are perfect for deep spiritual conversations. Others are the ones you text memes to at 10 pm. Both matter.
Practical ways for how to make friends as a Christian mom
OK, let’s get real. Knowing you need friends and actually making them are two different things. Here are some doable, realistic ways to start building new friendships. This is something I’ve struggled with a LOT.
But, I promise, these tips will work even if you’re an introvert (like me) or haven’t made a new friend since high school.
Pray about it
You may be thinking that sounds like a trite, Sunday School kind of tip, but stick with me here. I have struggled with friendships throughout my lifetime. Yet, it wasn’t until a few years ago that it occurred to me to pray about it.
I had a “duh” moment of realizing that if God created me (and all of us) for community, then He wanted me to find that community. He knows me more than I know me.
I might think I’m awkward, quiet and kind of weird, but I am who God made me, and He doesn’t make junk. I knew there had to be people out there I could connect with.
So I started praying about it. I asked God to open my eyes to connections and give me courage to reach out to others. And He did.
Before you start trying to make some steps toward friendships, talk to God.
Start where you already are
You don’t have to join 10 new things to make mom friends. Who has that time?!
Look at where you already spend time. Do you go to the same coffee shop every week? Chat with the other moms there.
Does your child attend a soccer game or take classes somewhere? Strike up a conversation while you’re waiting.
A lot of times, the best friendships start in the places we already frequent. Your local church, the library story time, even the grocery store are all great places to meet other moms who are navigating the same season.
Make the first move
This is the hardest part, I know. But someone has to take the first step, and it might as well be you. Smile. Introduce yourself. Compliment another mom’s patience or her kid’s adorable shoes.
Then—and this is key—ask for a phone number or suggest getting together. “Would you want to grab coffee sometime?” or “We should plan a playdate!” It feels vulnerable, but most moms are craving connection just as much as you are.
I’ve learned that most people are relieved when someone else makes the first move. They’ve been waiting for permission to reach out, too.
And others may blow you off, but that’s OK, too. You still made progress by reaching out in the first place, and the more you do it, the easier it gets.
Join a group in person
Small groups are one of the best ways to build consistent friendships. Whether it’s a Bible study at church, a book club or a local moms’ group, joining something structured takes the pressure off.
Groups give you regular touchpoints with the same women, which is how acquaintances become true friends. You don’t have to overthink it. You just show up consistently and let friendships develop naturally.
Make sure to actually give the group a solid try. I have been tempted to stop going to groups after the first meeting when I felt awkward and didn’t know who to talk to or what to say.
Remember that in-home Bible study I talked about? The first meeting was OK, but I also felt a bit awkward, because that’s who I am.
Yet, I’m so glad I kept going and gave it a fair shake. It made a huge impact in my life both practically and spiritually.
Join a group online
In-person connection is important, but connection in general matters. I met a group of moms through a forum for expectant moms back when I was pregnant with my oldest (who just turned 16!).
That group spun off and I have a few of those mamas with whom I still talk regularly about life and faith. I have watched their kids grow up from afar as they have mine. They’ve been great support for questions about parenting, since we’re in the same phase with parenting at least one of our kiddos.
Online communities can also be a great place to connect. Social media can be a starting point for how to make friends as a Christian mom—especially for long-distance friendships or when you need encouragement at 2 a.m.
My own experiences inspired and helped me so much, that I’ve created my own group for Christian moms. Check out and join the free and private Christian Moms with Grace Facebook group!
Here’s the truth: your house doesn’t have to be clean, and you don’t need to have it all together to invite someone over. Some of my deepest friendships have been built over messy living rooms and store-bought cookies.
Hospitality isn’t about perfection; it’s about presence. Invite a new mom over for coffee. Suggest meeting at a coffee shop if your home feels too chaotic.
Plan a field trip to the park or children’s museum with another family. Just create space for connection, however imperfect it might be.
Look for common interests and common ground
Friendship grows faster when you share something in common. Maybe it’s a similar parenting style, a shared love of hiking or both being new to the area. Maybe you’re both navigating the challenges of a new baby or adjusting to life in a new city.
Finding common ground doesn’t mean you have to be identical. It just means you have something to build on. Even shared struggles can become the foundation for deep connection.
I once connected with a mom at the playground over struggles with managing constipation for one of my kids. Mom life can bring connections in the oddest ways sometimes!
Expand your comfort zone
If you’ve been doing the same things and seeing the same people, maybe it’s time to try something new. Join a Christian homeschool co-op if you homeschool. Volunteer at your child’s school.
Try a different service time at your church to meet new people. Or maybe even seek God’s will and move toa different church if He so leads. Sometimes you can spend years at a church and not be connected.
You don’t have to become someone you’re not, but gently stretching beyond your comfort zone opens doors to new friendships you wouldn’t have found otherwise.
When friendships are hard or inconsistent
Let’s be honest: adult friendships are complicated. Schedules don’t align. Texts go unanswered for days. A good friend moves to a new place, and suddenly your mom tribe feels smaller.
Some seasons of motherhood are lonelier than others. When you have a new baby, when you’re adjusting to a new town or when life just feels too full, maintaining the kind of friendships you long for is much harder.
Give yourself grace. Give your friends grace, too.
Friendships ebb and flow, and that’s OK. Your best friend from last year might be in a different season now. A group of moms you used to see regularly might drift apart as kids get older and schedules shift. That doesn’t mean the friendship wasn’t real or valuable; it just means life is changing.
And sometimes, despite our best efforts, connection feels impossible. If you’ve tried reaching out and it’s not working, remember that God sees you. He knows the loneliness, and He’s faithful even when friendships feel inconsistent or hard to find.
Keep showing up. Keep being the kind of friend you want to have. And trust that in different places and seasons, God will bring the right people into your life at the right time.
I’ve learned through my life that some friends are for a season. This is true even outside of motherhood.
Some people are situational friends. You’re in the same situation together (work, school, etc.) and you become friends, but once that changes, you drift apart.
It’s OK to let that go and be glad for the time you had together. New seasons can mean new friends. Life is always changing.
You were made for community
Motherhood is beautiful and exhausting and overwhelming. And it was never meant to be walked alone. God designed you for connection, for friendship, for community within the body of Christ and beyond.
Making friends as a Christian mom takes courage. It requires you to be vulnerable, to make the first move, to step outside your comfort zone and risk rejection.
But the reward—genuine connection, true friends who see you and love you and walk beside you—is worth every awkward introduction and every unanswered text. And it makes the initial stress about how to make friends as as Christian mom pale in comparison.
This week, I want to encourage you to take one small step. Send that text. Smile at the mom in the church lobby. Sign up for a small group or a Bible study.
Show up to the birthday party even though you’re tired. Invite someone for coffee, even if your schedule feels impossibly full.
You don’t have to do this perfectly. You just have to start.
God sees your loneliness, and He’s inviting you into something better—a life marked by connection, friendship and grace.
The mom tribe you’re longing for? It’s out there. And it starts with one brave, imperfect step toward someone else.
Music has always been my way to connect with and learn about God, even as a child. Now as a mom and someone who writes church curriculum for children’s ministry, I see how powerful Christian kids’ worship music can be for helping little hearts learn big truths about God.
There are so many verses and concepts I remember due to songs I learned with catchy melodies that have stuck with me. The same is true for my own children.
The fruit of the Spirit? We can recite those thanks to a song the kids learned in children’s church.
Yet, I also know how little children work: they get bored of the same songs after a while. You may hear the song on repeat for ages, but eventually they are ready for a new song.
Finding good children’s worship media resources is important.
I recently had a chance to preview the new Slugs & Bugs release “Sunday Songs.” I came away with some new Sunday School songs stuck in my head—in a good way!
As parents, we want to fill our homes with things that point our kids toward Jesus, but finding music that’s both fun and faithful can be tough. That’s what makes finding great Christian family music like Slugs & Bugs “Sunday Songs” such a gift.
I received a Slugs & Bugs “Sunday Songs” CD at no charge in exchange for providing a review and social media posts about it. All opinions, however, are completely my own and not influenced by the free copy.
A bit about Slugs & Bugs
If your family hasn’t discovered Slugs & Bugs yet, you’re in for a treat. Their songs are smart, Scripture-based and silly in the best way — the kind of music you won’t mind on repeat.
Slugs & Bugs is a ministry for families that provides great resources for teaching children about Jesus in fun and catchy ways. Back in 2006, Randall Goodgame and Andrew Peterson released the first Slugs & Bugs album and the ministry has been growing ever since.
In fact, Mr. Randall, as he goes by on stage, has toured Slugs & Bugs Live throughout the United States to play more than 350 shows. Since 2019, the ministry has also released four picture books and a 26-episode T.V. series.
The Slugs & Bugs YouTube channel is filled with terrific music videos of kids songs and fun lesson videos kids of all ages will enjoy.
The songs on this Christian kids’ worship music album
The Slugs & Bugs “Sunday Songs” album includes a mix of classic hymns and new Christian worship songs. Some children’s Sunday School and Vacation Bible School favorite songs on the album include:
“Father Abraham”
“This Little Light of Mine”
“I’ve Got the Joy”
“Jesus Loves Me”
“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”
You’ll also hear some new songs that teach Bible stories. I love that the CD pulls out some lesser known Bible stories, such as the story of Joseph in the Old Testament who was sold into slavery.
I know the story well, but I didn’t remember the exact name change he had. I wasn’t even sure how to pronounce it, to be honest! But now I know.
And even better, children will love the song that will leave a lasting imprint on them for years to come.
One of the first songs released on streaming from the album is “Lydia, Seller of Purple.” This snappy tune tells the story of Lydia, which isn’t one of the New Testament stories often shared in children’s church.
And then the album also includes three tracks of characters talking help children understand the Biblical truth they’re singing about in a fun way.
Whether it’s classic songs your kids already love or new tunes that tell Bible stories in memorable ways, “Sunday Songs” will have your family singing truth without even realizing they’re learning it.
Ways to use “Sunday Songs”
This Christian kids’ worship music works well for home, church or anywhere you want music that brings God’s Word to life for kids.
You can listen to in daily life—think car rides from one errand to the next—or during your family worship time.
Yet, it’s also great for children’s ministry. From children’s church to Vacation Bible School to Sunday School, kids’ church programs can easily use the songs as part of instruction and worship time.
You can even use it for children’s choir. The other CDs released from Slugs & Bugs include sheet music and chord charts for purchase. “Sunday Songs” will likely have these released soon as well.
Where to get “Sunday Songs”
Right now, there are two options for getting Slugs & Bugs “Sunday Songs” album. First (and most ideal), you can order the CD for $19.99.
The songs are also releasing on streaming services, such as the Spotify app, two per month. With 16 tracks on the CD, it will take a while before they are all released.
However you listen, “Sunday Songs” is a joyful reminder that worship isn’t just for Sundays. Worship is for every moment of family life.
Practical encouragement and Scriptures for motherhood’s lonely moments
The weird thing about motherhood nobody ever talks about is the loneliness. Yes, you’re surrounded nearly constantly by the people who love you and need you most, but even in the middle of the fray, feelings of loneliness can creep in.
It’s a strange kind of lonely in motherhood. Often it comes from feeling unseen, overlooked and even discarded. Maybe you miss the you who is more than a mother. Maybe you want to connect with friends, but you’re all too busy being mom to make anything happen.
Maybe you miss adult conversation, or you long for a friend who truly understands what you’re going through. Maybe you’re carrying silent struggles in your heart and don’t know who you can trust to share them with.
I’ve been there in my own life, mama. I know what it’s like to smile on the outside while feeling lonely on the inside. And the truth is you’re not alone in those feelings. The Bible talks a lot about loneliness and reminds us again and again that even when we feel isolated, God is with us.
Loneliness in motherhood is real — even for us introverts.
That’s why I put together a free Bible reading plan on loneliness and God’s presence. It’s designed especially for Christian moms who need encouragement in this season.
You can download it here, and follow along as we spend the month focusing on Scriptures that remind us we are never truly alone.
But before we jump into the plan, I want to share some of the most encouraging Bible verses about loneliness that have carried me through the quiet, heavy moments of motherhood and reminded me that God’s presence never leaves.
Table of Contents
God sees us in our loneliness
One of the hardest parts of loneliness is feeling invisible — like nobody notices what you’re going through. As moms, we pour ourselves out for our families in a hundred unseen ways every day. And while we don’t serve to be noticed, sometimes it hurts to feel like nobody really sees the effort, the exhaustion or the heart behind it all.
The beautiful truth is this: God sees you. Even when others don’t.
God sees the overlooked
“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”
Genesis 16:13 (NIV)
These words come from Hagar, a servant who was mistreated and cast aside. Alone in the wilderness, she felt abandoned, but God met her there.
He protected her, encouraged her through an angel and promised her son’s descendants would become a nation.
What’s remarkable is that Hagar, a woman with little standing, was the first to call God El Roi, “the God who sees me.” (She was also the first account in the Bible of an angel appearing to a person!)
The same God who noticed Hagar in the desert sees you when you’re wiping counters late at night, folding laundry for the third time in a week or holding it all together when you feel like falling apart.
God knows us completely
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.”
Psalm 139:1-4 (NIV)
God not only sees us like a casual acquaintance would, He knows every part of us inside and out. Throughout your path of life, God has been part of every moment and loving you through it all.
We can lean into the presence of God, knowing He truly understands us. When loneliness whispers you’ve been forgotten, God’s Word whispers back that you are fully known and deeply loved.
God holds us steady
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
This verse has gotten me through one hard time after another ever since I was a child and learned it. The “do not fear” part is what initially drew me.
But, later in life, the second part is what has gotten me. Knowing I am held in the right hand of God being strengthened and helped by Him comforts my heart. Your Father in heaven is holding onto you while you are holding onto your children.
When a feeling of loneliness tries to creep in, remember that you are never alone. Not only is God with you, but you are held in the mighty hand of God.
There is no safer pace to be. His presence is steady, even in difficult seasons.
Mama, you may feel invisible at times, but you are never unseen. God notices you. He values the work you’re doing, both big and small, and He promises to walk beside you every step of the way.
A step for your week
This week, try writing “God sees me” on a sticky note and placing it somewhere you’ll see it often — maybe on the bathroom mirror or next to the kitchen sink. Let it be a daily reminder that even in the loneliest moments of motherhood, you are never out of His sight.
Bible verses about loneliness in the lives of God’s people
Loneliness isn’t new. Even in the pages of the Bible, we see men and women of faith wrestling with deep feelings of isolation. Sometimes, it came in the form of betrayal. Other times, it was discouragement or fear. If you’ve ever felt like no one understands what you’re carrying, you’re in good company.
These biblical figures remind us that loneliness doesn’t mean weakness or failure. It’s part of our experience as human beings. But in every story, God showed up.
Elijah’s loneliness
“He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’”
1 Kings 19:4 (NIV)
Elijah was a prophet who had just experienced a huge victory on Mount Carmel, proving God’s power over false idols. And yet, right after this incredible high, he ran into the wilderness, exhausted and afraid. He felt so alone that he wanted to give up.
As moms, we can relate to that crash after a big moment — the day after the birthday party you planned, the week after finishing a big project at work, the season of caring for a sick child. Loneliness can sneak in when our strength runs out. But just like with Elijah, God met him where he was. He didn’t scold him. Instead, He provided food, rest and gentle encouragement.
David’s loneliness
“I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me. Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.”
Psalm 142:1–4 (NIV)
David knew what it was to be surrounded by people and still feel utterly alone. In many of his Psalms, we hear the raw honesty of his prayers. He admitted when he was hurting and poured out his soul to God.
I remember in the early days of motherhood feeling like I was drowning. And I remember wondering if anyone would even notice if I did.
Because that’s life and the loneliness that can be part of motherhood. David understood this feeling: “no one is concerned for me…no one cares for my life.”
But, he also knew one of the best ways to get through a season like this was complete honesty with God. God’s love is bigger than our complaints and hurts. He already knows what we’re feeling; being honest with Him keeps our relationship strong.
We can be honest about such things as loneliness, frustration, questions and hurt. We don’t have to pretty things up for God. We just have to show up.
Paul’s loneliness
“At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.”
2 Timothy 4:16–17 (NIV)
These words are written by Paul. This is the same Paul who was formerly Saul. He was persecuting Christians and then had an encounter with God when Christ Jesus appeared to him in a bright light and changed his heart completely.
And now he was being persecuted and imprisoned himself for planting churches and preaching the Word of God. Yet, in one of his darkest times, he was deserted. Those around him left him on his own, but the Lord God stayed with him through every moment.
We don’t have to be going on trial to feel like we’ve been deserted. If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t have a friend to call or like you’re carrying motherhood alone, Paul’s words remind us of an unshakable truth: when others walk away, the Lord stands beside us.
Jesus’ loneliness
“Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’”
Matthew 26:38 (NIV)
Even Jesus felt the sting of loneliness. In His deepest moment of anguish in Gethsemane just before His crucifixion, His closest friends couldn’t stay awake to support Him. He cried out to His Father instead.
And our God of all comfort sent an angel to strengthen and comfort His own Son. Even though the love of Christ for us was so strong He was willing to die for us, He still had a broken heart in His own humanity of knowing what was ahead.
Sometimes we can struggle and feel like nobody understands our pain or situation. And that’s a lonely place to live.
The good news is, though, that Jesus understands it all. He’s been there and felt the sting of abandonment. He promises to never leave you in your hour of need.
A step for your week
This week, follow the example of David and Paul by writing out an honest prayer to God. Tell Him exactly how you’re feeling — no filters, no masks. He already knows your heart, but something shifts in us when we lay it bare before Him.
God’s comfort in lonely seasons
One of the sweetest truths in Scripture is that God doesn’t pull away from us when we’re hurting. In fact, His Word tells us He draws near to us in our brokenness. When moments of loneliness feel heavy, God’s presence brings comfort, peace and hope.
God is close to the brokenhearted
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
When we are in the middle of a hard season, we can feel crushed under a heavy weight that won’t lift. But God’s promises — like this one in Psalm 34 — hold true regardless. He comes closer to us when we need Him most.
God’s unending love is drawn to our lonely hearts. He is right in the middle of the ache.
Our mama hearts can break is so many ways. From a toddler tantrum that leaves you exasperated to a teen making a heart-wrenching decision, the challenges of motherhood can leave us feeling alone and disheartened.
God meets us there, not with judgment, but with compassion. The power of the Holy Spirit can soothe and comfort our broken hearts.
God goes with us
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)
These words were first spoken to the Israelites in the Old Testament as they faced uncertainty, but they are just as true for us today. God goes with us. He doesn’t leave us behind or forget us.
Motherhood is full of moments that feel overwhelming — the diagnosis you weren’t expecting, the sleepless nights that stretch into years, the days when you feel like you’re failing. But God’s promise here is unshakable: you don’t face any of it alone.
We can feel the peace of God even in just knowing He won’t leave us or forget about us. No matter what is going on and what we are facing, He is right there with us.
God gives peace in His presence
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9 (NIV)
This is a similar verse to the one before. Again, the Israelites need encouragement to walk into God’s promised land. And, again, God is provided it for them.
Discouragement and loneliness often go hand-in-hand. I’ve struggled with both in my own life. They’re the quiet voice saying, “You’re not enough. You’re not on your own. Nobody wants to hear what you have to say.”
But, the love of God speaks differently: “Be strong. Be courageous. I am with you.”
When I’ve walked through seasons of discouragement, this verse has reminded me to lean into God’s presence instead of my own feelings. Feelings come and go, but His presence is steady. And I’m so incredibly thankful for that.
The Holy Spirit is our Comforter
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
John 14:16–18 (NIV)
In the New Testament, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, He promises that we’ll never be left alone. His promise to leave a comforter for His disciples hold true today for us as well.
Even in the loneliest moments — when the house is quiet, or when it feels like no one understands — His Spirit is with you.
You are not abandoned. You are not unseen. The Spirit of God Himself is your comforter, your advocate and your strength. He is our helper fit for every part of our lives.
A step for your week
When loneliness feels heavy this week, pause for just a minute. Take a deep breath and whisper, “God, thank You that You are with me right now.”
It doesn’t have to be fancy. That simple reminder can shift your heart back toward His presence.
Godly friendships in seasons of loneliness
While God’s presence is always with us, He also designed us to live in community. We weren’t meant to do life alone.
Friendship doesn’t always come easily in the busy years of motherhood, but these Bible verses about friendship and loneliness remind us how life-giving it can be to spend time with God’s people.
Two are better than one
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 (NIV)
Motherhood has plenty of days where we fall — whether it’s emotionally, spiritually or just plain physically after chasing little ones. Having a Godly friend to help us back up makes the load lighter.
One thing I’ve learned is that often we have to be intentional about friendships. We can’t expect others to always know when we need them or keep pursuing us as friends when we give nothing back.
From a casual friend to a best friend, finding little ways to stay in contact can make a big difference in seasons like this. I’ve been encouraged by a text from a friend saying she was praying for me or by having 20 minutes to chat with a friend unexpectedly.
God reminds us that we really do need each other, especially when loneliness hits.
A friend who loves at all times
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)
True friends don’t disappear when life gets messy. They’re the ones who walk with us through sleepless nights, unexpected diagnoses or just the never-ending laundry piles.
As moms, it’s easy to think we don’t have time for friendships. But sometimes friendship isn’t about grand outings or long phone calls; it’s about showing up in small ways. A quick message, a handwritten note or a shared laugh can be the lifeline that reminds another mom she’s not alone.
For example, after a friend of mine had a baby, I spent time at her house, playing with her older children and washing her dishes. It was little, small stuff. But recently she mentioned this to me as something she’s always remembered even now seven years later.
Sometimes just being God’s hands and feet on earth can make a big difference. And serving others with good cheer can also bring hope and healing to our own hearts.
Spurring each other on
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV)
Motherhood can be isolating, but the Bible calls us to stay connected. We need encouragement, and we’re also called to be encouragers.
It doesn’t mean we have to lead a Bible study or host big gatherings in our own home. Sometimes it means joining a local mom group, inviting a friend for coffee or even connecting on social media where faith and encouragement are at the center. When we show up for one another, we reflect God’s love in powerful ways.
It can even be taking a moment in the bathroom at Target to distract a fussy baby getting his diaper changed to give his mama just a moment of comfort and fellowship.
A step for your week
This week, ask God to bring one person to mind who may need encouragement. Then reach out. Send a quick text, drop off a note or simply say, “I’m thinking of you today.”
That one small act could be exactly what she needs to know she’s not alone.
Hope in God’s presence when you feel lonely
Loneliness can feel like it will last forever. But the truth is, our present feelings don’t have the final word. God’s promises remind us that He has a bigger story for our lives filled with His presence, peace and everlasting hope.
God is our portion forever
“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Psalm 73:23–26 (NIV)
Sometimes what we need most in the midst of lonely seasons and difficult times is a reminder that God is with us now and forever. Because while God is our Savior, He is also our best friend.
The end of this passage is perfect for the exhaustion and heartache of motherhood. I look back now at the days after my second child was born and still cannot explain how I survived it physically other than God. He strengthened my heart and my body.
We can rest knowing God’s presence will carry us not just today, but forever.
Nothing can separate us from God’s love
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38–39 (NIV)
Loneliness tries to convince us that we are unloved and unwanted. Because, let’s be frank, sometimes our feelings lie to us.
But Scripture is clear: absolutely nothing can separate us from God’s love. Not our mistakes, not our circumstances, not even our feelings of isolation.
As moms, when our hearts ache for connection, this promise reassures us that we are held by a love that never lets go.
One day God’s presence will wipe away every tear
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’”
Revelation 21:3–4 (NIV)
This is the ultimate hope we cling to: a future where loneliness, grief and sorrow are no more. A day is coming when every tear will be wiped away by the very hand of God.
That truth doesn’t erase the pain of loneliness now, but it anchors us in hope. We can face today knowing that eternity with Him is secure — and in that eternity, we’ll never know loneliness again.
A step for your week
Write down one verse of hope (maybe Romans 8:38–39 or Revelation 21:4) and place it somewhere you’ll see it daily. Let it be a reminder that no matter what today holds, God’s presence is your forever promise.
You are never truly alone
Loneliness often shows up in motherhood. It can feel overwhelming to carry so much responsibility while wondering if anyone really sees you. But the good news of Scripture is this: you are never truly alone.
From Hagar in the wilderness to David in the caves, from Paul in prison to Jesus in the garden — God’s presence was there in their loneliness, and His presence is with you in yours. The same God who promises to never leave or forsake His children walks beside you in the messy, beautiful, exhausting, joy-filled journey of motherhood.
If loneliness has been whispering that you’re unseen or forgotten, let God’s Word whisper something different: you are loved, you are noticed and you are never abandoned.
To help you dive deeper into these truths, I created a free reading plan of Bible verses about loneliness. It’s designed especially for moms like you who need encouragement in this season. You can grab your copy here:
And if you’re longing for community, I’d love to invite you to join us in the Christian Moms with Grace Facebook group. It’s a space for encouragement, prayer and connection with other moms who understand the ups and downs of faith-filled motherhood.
You don’t have to walk this road alone. God is with you, and we’d love to walk alongside you, too.
Mama, when the quiet moments feel heavy or the days feel isolating, take heart: your Father in heaven sees you, knows you and holds you close.
An honest review of The Message Women’s Devotional Bible and why it’s a great choice for encouragement and spiritual growth
I’ve been a fan of study Bibles from the time I was a teenager. Devotional Bibles, however, are newer to me — and as a busy mom I’m quite loving them for my daily quiet time.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve explored a range of women’s Bibles — from the “ESV Women’s Study Bible” to the “She Reads Truth CSB”.
But when I picked up “The Message Women’s Devotional Bible,” it felt like the perfect blend of study depth and devotional encouragement. It’s easily the best women’s devotional Bible I’ve looked at.
Mom life is busy, so I especially appreciate Biblical resources that help me grow in my relationship with God in easy, concise ways.
I received a copy of “The Message Women’s Devotional Bible” at no charge in exchange for providing a review and social media posts about it. All opinions, however, are completely my own and not influenced by the free copy.
What is a devotional Bible?
If you’re not sure what sets a devotional Bible apart, here’s the quick breakdown.
Regular Bibles contain just the Biblical text in a specific translation.
Study Bibles add background notes, historical context, detailed maps and commentary to help you dig deeper into God’s Word.
Devotional Bibles combine the best of both — the complete Biblical text plus devotionals, reflection questions and other tools to help you apply Scripture to your everyday life.
Some devotional Bibles lean heavily on inspiration. Others, like “The Message Women’s Devotional Bible,” balance encouragement with solid teaching, making it both uplifting and practical.
Because this edition is built on The Message translation, the language is fresh, modern and easy to understand, which is perfect for quick daily readings or longer reflection time.
First impressions
The cover design of “The Message Women’s Devotional Bible” is straightforward and clean. I got the terracotta leather-look edition. The front includes a gold triangle overlaid with a circle.
To me, this represents the Holy Trinity in a simple way. The Bible is also available in hard cover and paperback with a cream cover featuring a watercolor landscape.
The Bible, which was released Aug. 5, 2025 by NavPress, includes 320 personal reflections from Christian women.
Each devotional study coincides with a passage of the Bible and helps women in all stages of life apply Biblical principles in their own spiritual journey.
The graphic design throughout the Bible stays with the terracotta theme and color scheme in a minimalist, clean way that’s easy to read.
Along with the devotionals, “The Message Women’s Devotional Bible” includes a variety of character profiles for both men and women of the Bible.
What makes this the best women’s devotional Bible
Besides the basics and background information, what truly sets this Bible apart is its heart. The authors begin with introducing the Bible and their vision for it.
Their goal is not to rewrite the Word of God or take away from what is in the Bible. It is, however, to make the text more applicable to women and highlight the role women played in Biblical times. All the supplemental content is written by women for other women.
For a variety of reasons, including its place in history, the Bible is strongly patriarchal and male-dominated. The authors set out to address how women fit in and how much a God who let some horrible things happen to women in Bible times (and now) is One who loves them so completely.
What I appreciate most is the lack of platitudes. There is a deep-dive into topics. In fact, some of the devotionals are noted for being a possible trigger for women who have experienced various traumas.
Deep spiritual insights
In the truth of God’s Word, we see a lot of horrible things as well as a lot of good ones. Esther, for example, is my favorite book of the Bible and one of my favorite women in the Bible.
I’ve studied the book and its characters many times. I’ve taught Bible studies about Esther and written children’s curriculum about Esther.
Yet, “The Message Women’s Devotional Bible” included insights I’d not previously considered. We often dismiss King Xerxes’ first queen, Vashti, as being a mere blip in the story. However, she’s more than that. She was a strong woman in the Bible by her own right.
Vashti refused to be objectified by her drunk husband and his friends. She knew she’d be banished (or executed), but made the decision anyway, standing on her own principles.
And thankfully she did so to make the way for Esther to become queen and save the Jewish people. Esther was incredibly courageous in risking her life to save her people. We cannot dispute that. But would she have had any amount of courage to do so without the example of Queen Vashti standing up for herself? Maybe. Maybe not.
Yet, as the story progresses, we also take a closer look at Esther through a lens that is seldom talked about:
“People often read the book of Esther like a fairy tale in which she is chosen by the king to live happily ever after, but the reality is that Esther was a victim of sexual and racial abuse. She lived at the mercy of one of the most powerful kings in history and the patriarchal assumption that women were designed for the purpose of sexually pleasing powerful men.
“When we think about Esther’s story, we must consider the nuanced layers of conflict. Esther was pulled between two cultures and pushed by powerful men to submit but somehow maintained a purity of heart that held its own power.”
The Message Women’s Devotional Bible
These are the kind of deeper insights that help women form a deeper connection to their God and their faith. We’re left with our own reflection questions: do we have enough faith and trust in God to stand up to injustice like Vashti and Esther?
Easy to read and understand
Another reason this is the best women’s devotional Bible for Christian moms in particular is that The Message translation is the easiest mainstream translation to understand. So if you are trying to get in Bible reading and devotion time in 10 spare minutes, you need to absorb and consume as much as possible.
Beyond just reading Scripture in a Bible app, “The Message Women’s Devotional Bible” offers a translation that is easy to read alongside character profiles and devotions that are simple and impactful. It can help mamas make the most of their devotional time when devotional time is limited.
Every two or three pages of this Bible is a devotion, character profile, section introduction, book introduction or other insight to help make understanding the Bible and applying its message to everyday life.
My final thoughts
I expected to like this devotional Bible for women, but I didn’t expect to love it as much as I do. I had to literally make myself stop reading the other day so I didn’t miss a deadline and got back to work.
Anything that helps me draw closer to God through His Word is a resource I love. I’m an avid reader anyway. This felt more like reading for fun than for spiritual reasons, yet I was spiritually blessed through reading.
This isn’t just another devotional that will sit on your shelf; it’s a resource that will genuinely transform your daily walk with God.
Buy it for yourself. Buy it as a gift. Or do both!
Encouraging Bible verses and practical wisdom for Christian moms
Motherhood is both the most rewarding and most challenging job we’ll ever have. As a mom, I’ve experienced some of the best moments and some of the worst moments of my life.
Just last week, for example, I had a great evening with my 15-year-old daughter shopping for a first day of school outfit. But I also had an evening of frustration when chores weren’t getting done by either kiddo.
We go from marveling at our children’s beautiful hearts to questioning every parenting decision we’ve ever made in minutes sometimes.
Add in the weight of being a Christian mom and raising children in the modern world, and, quite frankly, it can be overwhelming. Know that you’re not alone.
In fact, it’s for these very reasons that I put together a free monthlong study about grace-filled parenting. The truth is God didn’t create us to parent on empty and feel overwhelmed. We can lean into His patience, wisdom and love.
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Being a mom with grace isn’t about being a perfect mom (because she doesn’t exist!). It’s about showing up as present, faithful mothers who rely on God’s strength, extend grace to our children and ourselves, and trust in His wisdom for the important job of raising human beings who will impact the world for His glory.
It’s a style of parenting that works whether you have younger or older children.
I’d love for you to go on this journey with me with four weeks of practical, grace-soaked truth, one mom talking to another, chocolate optional, Spirit essential. Ready? Let’s dive in together.
Weekly themes for the Grace-Filled Parenting Bible study
Grace-Filled Parenting is divided into four different weeks with their own themes. And the best thing about this study is it’s rooted in Biblical principles and is created for mamas like you (and me) who don’t have hours a day for quiet time.
Each week has a Bible reading plan with one to three verses per day, reflection questions, a short video and optional emails. The Christian Moms with Grace private Facebook group will also be home to the study for discussions and more.
Encouragement + discussion in our private FB group
Free printables each week
Weekly Zoom call for connection & prayer
Week 1: Living faithfully as a mom
Before we get into parenting techniques or how we speak to our children, we need to start with something even more foundational: our own faith. This first week is all about resetting our hearts and realigning with God. We’re not doing this out of guilt, but because He is our source.
As moms, we often pour ourselves out without pausing to be filled up. But a grace-filled home starts with a mom who is anchored in Christ.
Living faithfully doesn’t mean we never have hard parenting days or moments of failure. Instead, it means we clothe ourselves “with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12, ESV) as we navigate the beautiful chaos of motherhood.
When we’re exhausted from sleepless nights or dealing with challenging behaviors, it’s easy to react from our flesh rather than the Spirit. But as Christian parents, we have access to supernatural love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV).
During this week, we’ll take a look at what living faithfully as a Christian mom in daily life really means, how to pursue spiritual growth while raising kids and how God equips us even in the mundane and ordinary moments of motherhood.
This week isn’t about doing more. It’s about coming back to the heart of why we mother the way we do. Because when we live rooted in God’s Word, everything else begins to shift with grace.
Week 2: Speaking life over your children
As moms, our words carry incredible weight. From cheering on our kids to correcting them mid-tantrum, how we speak becomes part of their inner voice. This week, we’re focusing on the power of our words — not just what we say to our children, but how we speak about them, over them and even to ourselves.
God calls us to speak life with both grace and truth. That means we don’t ignore misbehavior or hard moments, but we approach them from a place of love and wisdom, not frustration or fear. It also means extending that same grace to ourselves when we don’t get it right.
This week, we’ll explore what Scripture says about the tongue, encouragement, blessing and gentleness. And we’ll learn how to reflect the heart of our Heavenly Father through our everyday communication.
We’ll be reminded that our words can build up or tear down, and we’ll ask God to help us become moms who are intentional with how we speak, choosing words that plant seeds of faith, identity, and love in our children’s hearts.
Week 3: Discipling your children daily
Teaching our kids about Jesus doesn’t have to mean daily devotionals or elaborate object lessons. While those can be wonderful, everyday discipleship is more often about how we live than what we say.
It’s the rhythms of our home, the conversations at bedtime, the way we handle stress and the example we set in our own faith walk.
This week, we’ll take a closer look at what it means to disciple our children in the daily moments like driving to school, folding laundry or navigating another round of sibling arguments.
God hasn’t asked us to be perfect moms with Pinterest-worthy faith routines. He’s asked us to be faithful, to model trust and to bring our kids along as we follow Him.
As we dig into these verses, we’ll be encouraged to sow truth into our kids’ lives in small, consistent ways — not with pressure or perfection, but with presence, intention and grace.
Week 4: Trusting God with your parenting journey
No matter how much we plan, pray and prepare, parenting will always bring uncertainty. There are seasons of fear, moments of regret and questions we can’t answer.
But one of the important things to remember is our children belong first to God. And we can trust Him with their hearts, their futures and even our shortcomings.
This week is about surrender. It’s about letting go of the unrealistic expectations we place on ourselves and choosing to believe that God is faithful, even when we feel like we’re failing.
We’ll reflect on verses that remind us of His presence, His provision and His promises for our children and for us as moms. Whether you’re in a joyful season or walking through difficulty, these Scriptures will point you back to the One who sees, sustains and equips you.
This isn’t a passive trust. It’s an active choice to parent from peace rather than fear. And it’s the beautiful reminder that while motherhood can feel like a heavy responsibility, it’s also a sacred partnership with a God who never leaves us to figure it out alone.
What grace-filled parenting looks like in real life
You don’t need to overhaul your entire life or start a brand-new routine to practice grace-filled parenting. In fact, the beauty is the gift of grace meets you right where you are from the carpool line, to the kitchen, to the middle of a meltdown.
Here are a few small but powerful ways you can start shifting your home toward grace — one moment at a time:
Start your day with God — even if it’s short.
A few quiet minutes before the chaos starts can set your heart in the right direction. Ask God to help you see your kids through His eyes today and respond with His love, not just your own exhaustion.
Pause before you react.
When your child pushes every button, pause and ask, “What does this moment need—correction, connection, or simply calm?” Sometimes a hug speaks louder than a lecture.
Speak truth over your kids and yourself.
It’s easy to focus on what’s going wrong, but grace helps us call out what’s good. Tell your child, “I love how you care for your sister,” or “God made you such a thoughtful leader.” Let that same truth reflect back on you, too.
Protect your margin.
When you’re rushing from one thing to the next, grace is the first thing to go. Make room for slow moments, silly moments and soul-filling moments. They matter more than the to-do list.
Give yourself grace, too.
You will mess up. You will lose your temper. And you will forget something important. Being a perfect parent just isn’t possible.
But God’s grace doesn’t run out and every misstep is a chance to model humility, repentance and fresh starts.
Grace-filled parenting doesn’t mean you always get it right. It means you’re learning to parent from a place of peace, not pressure and inviting God into the process.
10 Powerful Bible verses for grace-filled parenting
These Scriptures are a beautiful reminder that we don’t have to parent in our own strength. When we root ourselves in God’s Word and lean into the grace of His Son, we find the patience, peace and wisdom we so often long for.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
When your patience wears thin before breakfast, remember: these qualities aren’t something you have to force. They’re the fruit of walking closely with God. Ask the Spirit to produce His fruit in you today. You don’t have to rely on your own natural storehouse of wisdom.
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV)
Grace in parenting doesn’t mean letting everything slide. It means showing up clothed in Christ’s character.
Showing grace to your children isn’t a sign of personal weakness. As He has given you complete forgiveness, you can also forgive, correct and lead your children with love.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)
Your words matter; they shape your children’s hearts in profound ways.
Even when discipline is needed, you can speak with grace, truth and intention to build your child up instead of tearing them down.
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)
You’re planting seeds that may not bloom right away into immediate success in the lives of your children. You must trust the process — even when progress feels slow — and keep pointing kids toward truth.
You serve a God of perfect wisdom and can trust in His timing, even when it doesn’t necessarily match your own. God’s delivery time is always the right time.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”
Psalm 127:1-2 (ESV)
You’re not meant to carry the whole weight of your child’s future. Do your part, but rest knowing God is the one building your family and watching over your children.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
Motherhood is exhausting. Jesus doesn’t ask you to hold it all together. He invites you to come to Him and find rest in His strength, not your own.
As God’s child, you are able to cling to Him and rest in Him.
“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”
Isaiah 40:11 (ESV)
What a beautiful picture of how God tends to mothers! You’re not leading your children alone. God sees you, carries you and gently leads moms like you through every stage and struggle.
The work of God is done in your life simply by being His beloved daughter doing her best to live for Him. Thankfully, you don’t have to have an independent ability to be a Christian parent. None of us would succeed!
“In the same manner the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
Romans 8:26 (NIV)
In those moments when you don’t even know what to pray for your children or yourself, the Spirit steps in.
The good news is you don’t have to figure out everything on your own. God’s Spirit is actively helping you in your weakness.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
God isn’t finished — not with you, and not with your kids. When you feel like a failure or worry about your children’s spiritual growth, you can rest in knowing that God is committed to completing the good work He’s started in each of your lives.
Grace means trusting that He’s working, even when you can’t see the results yet. His invisible grace is there to sustain you along the journey.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
Grace-filled parenting ultimately comes down to trust. God knows your child even better than you do, and He will guide your steps as you walk with Him.
You can trust God’s plan for your family is good, even when you can’t see the bigger picture. You trust His timing is perfect, even when progress seems slow.
And you can definitely trust He loves your children more than you do and will guide your path as you seek to honor Him.
Join the Grace-Filled Parenting journey
These verses are a beautiful reminder that you don’t have to parent from pressure or perfectionism but from the grace God freely gives. If you’re ready to take that truth and walk it out in your everyday life as a Christian mom, I’ve got something special just for you.
Grab your free 7 Days of Grace-Filled Parenting devotional
This printable devotional is designed to help you:
Reset your mindset as a mom
Reflect on God’s truth in the middle of everyday chaos
Parent with more peace, purpose and confidence in Christ
Each day includes a short Scripture, a heartfelt reflection and space to connect with God in a real and practical way. It’s perfect whether you’ve got 10 quiet minutes or you’re squeezing in grace on the go.
You’ll get instant access to the devotional and be the first to hear when the full Grace-Filled Parenting study begins in September!
Be part of the free Grace-Filled Parenting study
This September, I’m inviting Christian moms to join me for a 4-week journey that will refresh your soul and reframe how you approach motherhood.
We’ll cover:
Living faithfully as a mom
Speaking life with grace and truth
Discipling our kids through everyday moments
Trusting God with the big and small of parenting
You’ll get weekly encouragement, Scripture-based reflections and optional journal prompts plus access to a printable upgrade and a community of moms walking through it with you.
Want to make sure you don’t miss it? Grab the free devotional above, and I’ll send all the details straight to your inbox.
Want to go deeper?
The Grace-Filled Parenting Journal gives you guided space to reflect, pray and live out what you’re learning. Grab your printable copy here:
Keep showing up, mama
You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t need a perfect track record or a picture-perfect routine.
What matters most is that you’re walking with God and pointing your children toward Him one moment, one prayer, one imperfect day at a time.
Grace-filled parenting isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about staying rooted in the One who does.
So when you feel tired, uncertain or like you’ve missed the mark again, pause, breathe and remember: God chose you to be your child’s mom on purpose.
You’re doing holy work, even when it’s a hard parenting day. Keep going. Keep trusting. And most of all, keep showing up — covered in grace.
