Grace in a Thursday: for the new mommy, in Sarah's words

Happy Thursday!
Today I'm so proud to host Sarah's words. Sarah is brand new to being a mom of two. It's hard for me to remember how I felt when I had a toddler and a newborn. But I'm fairly certain I was no where NEAR as mature in my faith and even in knowing my own self as Sarah is. If only I'd known all this when I was a new mom. I'm praying that some of you who have new babes find Sarah's encouragement today to be like water for your souls. Thank you so much, Sarah, for sharing your wise words on grace for the new mom. 
{and thanks for bringing some midwest flair to my blog right in the first sentence!}

Hey yall, I'm Sarah, and I blog at Racing Towards Joy.

Super honored that Leslie asked me to share here;

she's someone I have looked up to for a while now, here in this bloggy world.

Adjustment to mommyhood was hands down one of the hardest things I have been through.

It rocked my world to say the least.

And not because I didn't want to be a mommy, or because my life was entirely different beforehand (I worked with kids)...but because it's just hard, plain and simple.

{and its rocking my world yet again as I recently became a mama of 2!}

I just had NO idea the amount of self-sacrifice that would be involved.

The amount of time required, the sleepless nights, the never-ending feedings on my

never-healing boobs, the change it brought to friendships, and even to our marriage...

all because of a tiny little person.

Even just this morning at about 4:00 AM, sweet Bethany would not go back to sleep and I was exhausted, having just been up with her at 2:30 to nurse,

preceded by a long, colic-filled evening.

I felt my armpits start sweating and my tears welling up as I looked at this bitty face and said "Pleeeeeease go back to sleep!"

It seemed to almost trigger things to be worse, and she started crying.

I really started sweating, hoping she would not wake Abigail, my 2 year old.

Then I stopped.

It's like something hit me out of nowhere and whispered "just pray" right into my soul.

So I prayed not just for Bethany, but for myself...

that God would give me the GRACE to get through this,

the ABILITY and PEACE to deal with it.

And He did, and He does.

I love those moments when I actually stop and remember the grace that is at my fingertips.

{What am I even doing not walking in that ALL the time??}

Being a mommy, especially a new mommy (to your first, or to another one), allows PLENTY of opportunity to ask for grace, for help, for supernatural ability to do something that you cannot do yourself.

To me, grace involves more than just the salvation gift given at the Cross.

It is a gift of supernatural ability and strength...

because of HIS desires for us to live this life He gave us.

It is the "I'll-get-you-through-this-two-year-old-tantrum" gift He gives in the middle of the grocery store.

And the "Don't-worry-I'll-give-you-energy-tomorrow-morning" gift, after being up all night.

It's the PEACE that comes in knowing I CAN'T do it on my own,
if that makes sense.

So trust me, all you new mommies or about-to-be mommies...

you CAN'T do this alone.

His grace is needed, and it IS sufficient for all of it.

Let's do this thing together, live life together, share our grace-needing and grace-fulfilled moments together.
I'm here for you as a fellow mommy.

Please know I'm rooting for you today, friend.