Profiles of moms who are making a difference

I’m so excited to kick off another series that you’re going to love. I am often awestruck at the women I see around me — both in real life and online — who are doing really amazing work in the midst of motherhood. These women are difference makers in the world who have identified and are living out their mission or God-given passion.

You need to know all about them, too! The Moms on a Mission series is all about these women. Once or twice a month, I’ll feature a mom who is living out her mission both inside and outside her home. I’ve got a few other moms in mind, but I also would love suggestions. If you know a mom or are a mom who is living out her mission and God-given passion, I’d love to hear about it! Click on the “Contact” tab or send me a message through the Families with Grace Facebook page. I look forward to sharing stories that will inspire us all!

Our very first Mom on a Mission is fellow blogger, Amy Cutler, who writes about marriage on her blog, Forever Beloved. You’re going to be inspired by her passion for marriages. She is a wife, mama, writer, blogger and homesteader.

And starting tomorrow (Nov. 1, 2019), you can head over to her blog to read a different post each day as part of a Blogvember Challenge she has organized. You’ll find great content from her and links to other inspiring blogs as well (including a couple from yours truly on Nov. 12 and 21)!

FWG: What is your God-given mission or passion?

AC: Years ago my husband and I endured a rough season in our marriage that ended with the sweetest restoration. Through our love being restored by God I began feeling a gentle nudge on my heart to help other marriages in crisis. That nudge has now became my passion. Many of my blogs are geared towards those marriages.

FWG: How do you work to live out that mission right now?

AC: I have tried to not only live it out through my blog but also in person. There have been times God has asked me to stand in the gap for a marriage in crisis — which can really be uncomfortable when it’s someone you aren’t really close with. And though I drag my feet at first, God always wins in the end.

My husband and I also strive to have a marriage that others can look up to. We aren’t perfect, and we try to be vulnerable and allow others to see that. The social media world we live in allows the comparison game to flourish, which is right where Satan wants our marriages. We want others to see that marriage is never perfect, but it can be thrive when it has God at the center.

FWG: What are some of your biggest challenges in living out your mission?

AC: I think the biggest challenge has been finding the courage to answer God’s call. It’s easy to sit behind a computer and write a blog, but when He tells you to reach out to a certain couple that is struggling, that’s where He has to step in and give me courage. The fear of rejection could easily overcome me in those moments if I wasn’t leaning into Him.

FWG: What have been some of your biggest blessings in living out your mission?

AC: My biggest blessings have been in the messages I’ve gotten from wives thanking me. Perhaps it was a blog post I wrote that felt like I was talking directly to them, a wife who felt so alone in her struggles or a marriage on the brink of divorce before God rescued them.

FWG: How do you balance motherhood responsibilities with your work/mission?

AC: That was a challenge at one point. While I felt God calling me to help couples in crisis, that wasn’t necessarily my children’s calling. With lots of long heart-to-hearts they began to understand. At this point in my life, my babies are adults — one married and living with his wife and one still at home. So it’s much easier now.

FWG: What’s the best advice you have for other moms who are following their passions?

My advice would be to be open and honest with your children and have lots of open conversations. Allow them to tell you how they feel and just sit and listen. Don’t allow your passion to take the place of your parenting. I know I could easily get so wrapped up in something I’m passionate about that my children would end up feeling hurt and neglected. I had to make a conscious effort not to allow that to happen.

Read more from the series:

Moms on a Mission: Dr. Karen Dowling

Moms on a Mission: Erin Mayes

Moms on a Mission: Mari Hernandez-Tuten

Moms on a Mission: Kathleen Brooker

Moms on a Mission: Sarah R. Moore

Moms on a Mission: Stacey Pardoe

Moms on a Mission: Kristin Billerbeck

Moms on a Mission: Pastor Stefanie Hendrickson

Moms on a Mission: Crystal (aka InnieMom)

About the Author: Stacey A. Shannon

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!

Moms on a Mission: Amy Cutler